Annual Report and Accounts

Year ended 31^st August 2022

Trustees Report

It has been a true joy this year to see Trowbridge ECO grow, with new members, new projects and lots of collaboration with new partners!

Our GROW project at Gloucester Road allotments continued, with an enthusiastic team nurturing their own organic vegetables and flowers throughout the year. Grant funding was received from Trowbridge Area Board to work with Trowbridge Men’s shed to build a new tool shed to store essential tools and equipment for the group. We have worked with Wiltshire CIL this year to make sure the allotments can be accessible for all and will continue this work with making a pledge through their Make Someone Welcome campaign next year. The team put in lots of work at the new wild patch at the allotments, re-establishing the wild areas, hedgehog house and bug house, resulting in a beautiful summer display and lots of safe havens being created for nature. 

2022 saw the launch of the Trowbridge Repair Café. This project has been truly collaborative, bringing together a whole new team of volunteers, working closely with Trowbridge Town Hall, and welcoming new members of the public into the work of TECO. Generously supported by BWCE this project will continue throughout 2022 and into 2023 to establish itself as a core TECO project.

Our Space for Nature, Blue Heart and Go Wild projects have continued in earnest this year. A regularly working party has been planting and clearing the Go Wild patch in Trowbridge park, with future plans afoot for a notice board and seating to raise interest and awareness with visitors of the Park. The Go Wild patch has also provided the perfect venue for hosting community events such as our spring picnic which was a beautiful event welcoming families to help support the Go Wild patch, but to also offer crafts, information tables, and enjoying a social picnic together.

A new grant was received from St James trust to support the establishment of our brand new Party Kits, we look forward to launching these during 2022/23!

We would like to offer a huge thank you to all those individuals and groups that have helped Trowbridge ECO in so many ways throughout the year. Without their compassion, enthusiasm and hard work none of the projects we do would be possible.

December 2022

Treasurer’s Report

As the world began to reopen and begin recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic TECO was able to resume some of its community engagement work, begin new projects, and spend some of the grants received during the previous financial year.

Income:

• £4,780 of grant income was received during the year, with £4,000 being from BWCE to support the launch of our Repair Café during 2022.
• Membership income was down to £40 during the year, despite buoyant income of £260 during 2020/21. We will aim to rebuild this income and relaunch a membership campaign during 2022/23.
• Donations were slightly down this year at £171, these are largely as a result of active community engagement through workshops, project events, local markets, stalls, and open events.
• No chargeable events were hosted during 2021/22 as we concentrated our efforts on free community events and engagement activities.

Expenditure:

• General unrestricted expenditure was kept to a minimum throughout the year however we saw increased annual costs of both insurance and web hosting. 
• Restricted expenditure of £2,875 was made during the year on 6 ongoing projects.

TECO carries forward into 22/23 an unrestricted balance of £396 which will healthily cover the anticipated core costs throughout the coming year. 6 restricted project balances totalling £4,505 will also be carried forward and spent during the year on ongoing project delivery of the Blue Heart Campaign, Party Kits, Space for Nature and the Repair Café.

Zoë Newing-Moore – Treasurer

December 2022

Notes to the Financial Statements

Unrestricted free reserves are the accumulated net result of the unrestricted operating fund of the organisation.

The River Cleaning Equipment fund was started within the 20/21 year with a £500 private donation and £1,000 from Trowbridge Town Council to fund the purchase of litter picking equipment and essential safety equipment to allow the group to clean areas of the River Biss. Equipment was purchased within the year; the balance will be spent in 22/23 on signage.

A grant of £4000 was received in February 2022 from Quartet Community – BWCE to fund the launch and delivery of a quarterly Repair Café during 2022. 2 cafés were successfully delivered within the financial year, with a further 2 planned in September and November 2022.

Blue Heart Campaign is a rewilding campaign which was funded by a £1,115 grant from Wiltshire Council. Work has continued on this project throughout 2021/22 with community engagement, raising awareness and activity events. The balance carried forward will be spent during 22/23 on 2 major patches of land in Trowbridge Park and Gloucester Road allotments which have been given forward for rewilding.

St James Trust fund balance brought forward of £400 was received to deliver community engagement work with isolated and vulnerable members of the community. This was delivered during 2021/22 working alongside Trowbridge Future and Alzheimer’s Support. St James Trust awarded a further grant of £450 in July 22 to deliver our Party Kits project, this grant will be spent and the project established during 2022/23.

CFWS WCF Fund is a £1,065 grant received from Wessex Water to further develop the Blue Heart Campaign work and rewilding program. The remaining balance will be spent during 22/23 on the development of 2 areas in the town gifted for rewilding.

Wiltshire Council – Area Board awarded a grant of £330 for the purchase of a storage shed for our community allotment. The shed and locks were purchased, the remaining balance will be spent during 2022/23 on new locks and storage boxes.