Download Pie Charts for the Year to 31 December 2014

Download Accounts for the Year to 31 December 2014

Notes to the Accounts for the Year ending 31 December 2014

The financial statements are prepared under the historical cost convention, in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice – Accounting and Reporting by Charities 2005 (SORP) and applicable accounting standards.

Cost of generating funds represents expenditure on membership, events and merchandise for sale.

Charitable expenditure includes all expenditure directly related to the objects of the charity and comprises grants paid, the production of the newsletter and the cost of administration.

Governance costs represent expenditure incurred in the organisational administration and compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements.

Report of the Independent Examiner

I report on the financial statements of the Charity for the year ended 31 December 2014.

This report is made solely to the Charity's trustees, as a body, in accordance with section 145 of the Charities Act 2011. My work has been undertaken so that I might state to the Charity's trustees those matters I am required to state to them in this report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, I do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the Charity's trustees as a body, for my work, for this report or for the opinions I have formed.

Respective responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner

The Charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements. They consider that an audit is not required under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the act) and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to:

    examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 act;

    to follow the procedures laid down in  the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioner under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 act; and

    to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.

Basis of Independent Examiner's Report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the Charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.

Independent Examiner's Statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

a)  which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:

    to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 act; and

-    to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and to comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 act; have not been met; or

b)  to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

R Foreman FCA

13 Pottery Lane

Chelmsford CM1 4HH                                                                                                   20 April 2015

Report of the Trustees for the Year to 31 December 2014

Legal Structure

The Friends of Holland Park ("The Friends") is a registered Charity (registration number 281348) governed by its constitution and rules. The constitution (with the exception of the clauses relating to Objects, Dissolution and Amendments) can only be amended in relation to the Charity's name and application of income and property by the assent of not less than two thirds of the members present at a general meeting and in relation to the remainder of the constitution by the assent of a majority of members present at a general meeting.

The president is Sir Angus Stirling.

The trustees who held office since 1 January 2014 were:

CM Bauccio (Co-opted as Treasurer on 15 August 2014)

NJW Brockmann

MK Denmead (Did not re-stand as Treasurer at the 2014 AGM and effectively resigned on 9 April 2014)

GGR Franklin (Co-opted as a trustee on 21 October 2014)

G French

KE Hall

RDN Hopkins

JK Kettlewell, Chairman

SC Lindesay-Bethune (Co-opted as Asst Treasurer on 18 January 2014)

JE Puritz

AM Walker

RM Wood, Secretary

Objects and Policies

The objects of the Charity are for the public benefit to secure the preservation, protection and improvement of Holland Park as a place of historical and ecological interest and beauty; to promote the conservation of the natural plant, animal and bird life of the Park and, in particular, its retention as a natural woodland habitat for wildlife; and to educate the public in the history, natural history and other aspects of the Park.

Management and Organisation

The officers of the Charity are the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer.  Madeline Denmead resigned as Treasurer on 9 April 2014.  Charles Bauccio was co-opted as Treasurer on 15 August 2014 and fully took on the role in November 2014. In the interim, Chairman Jennie Kettlewell undertook the role of Treasurer. The officers and committee are elected by members at the AGM. The trustees do not receive any remuneration or benefits from the organisation and no staff are employed by the Charity.

Review of Activities and Achievements during the Year

Work to carry out The Friend's charitable purposes for the public benefit is in four main areas:

•    Monitor major developments that impact on the natural and historical assets of the Park and work with the developers to create acceptable solutions

•    Donations and sponsorship in accordance with our objects

•    Raising funds through events and sale of merchandise

•    Working together with the Park management to protect and enhance natural and histori-cal assets of the Park and preserve wildlife habitats.

Monitoring major developments:

•    The Friends undertook a dialogue with the Council to create a mutually acceptable solu-tion to buildings on the Holland House site that could be leased by Opera Holland Park in the summer. Trustees agreed that the Council should explore an option of fully-reversible buildings, but did not commit to anything further. Criteria were set for these buildings but the first designs did not meet the criteria and the dialogue continues, with genuine intent on both sides, to improve the situation for 2017. The Friends' Chairman spoke on this subject at the RBKC Planning Applications Committee and at the Public Realm Scrutiny Committee.

•    The Friends' trustees worked with the developers of the future Design Museum site and with the Museum directors, in order to prevent negative impact on the adjacent area of the Park. Trustees advised the Council on appropriate use of the development's Section 106 agreement for financial contribution to the Park.

•    Chairman, Jennie Kettlewell, met the Dukes Lodge developer to establish impact on the area of the Park immediately adjacent to the site and then facilitated a meeting between the developer and Council officers. Planning permission was not granted.

•    Further meetings were held between trustees, the developer and the landscaper of the Campden Hill development to agree on appropriate use of the Section 106 financial con-tribution to the Park.

•    The Friends' trustees objected to The Belvedere Restaurant's licence application for The Orangery on the basis that late and potentially noisy events would be inappropriate in the Park and that there was inadequate security provision. The licence was not granted.

•    Following the granting of a 50-year lease for the operation of a youth hostel in the Grade 1 listed East Wing of Holland House, Jennie Kettlewell met the owner of the company to establish how the new hostel would impact on the Park.

Donations and sponsorship:

The Friends again sponsored a number of events organised by the Ecology Centre, enabling the events to run without charge to participants (£1,000).

Donations were made for habitat walls (£3,000) and shelving units to house the ecology teaching collection (£3,170). The Friends researched, commissioned and donated a sculpture for the Sun Trap Garden at a cost of £4,200. The Chairman wrote to Parks Management with a list of Park improvements that The Friends could fund. Almost all projects were agreed and there is now a healthy pipeline for donations though, as always, many get held up due to Council workloads.

Fundraising and Members' social events:

The 32nd Annual Art Exhibition in April 2014 was supported by some 80 artists and was well attended. Two talks ("Design Museum development site - The story so far" and "Peacocks in Art and Design") and a concert by Virtuosi were also very well attended.  The Friends' summer Pimm's in the Park party in the grounds of the YHA Youth Hostel again attracted around 80 people and the annual Christmas concert with the Tallis Chamber Choir was sold out.  Fundraising activities generated a surplus of circa £5,283, of which just under two-thirds related to the Annual Art Exhibition.

Education:

The Friends produced a 'Guide to Holland House and Holland Park' at a cost of £4,795.

Building relationships:

The Friends maintained good relations with the Council through contact with councillors, Council Cabinet Members, the Parks Police and the Parks Management and attended all three of the Royal Borough's Holland Park Liaison Group meetings in addition to the police liaison meetings.  The Friends attended the opening of the new Ecology Centre Learning Garden on 13 October 2014 and met with other community associations.

Gift Aid:

Repayments from HMRC Charities received in 2014 were:

•    £1,558.41 for Membership Subscriptions

•    £918.65 for Donations

The trustees have complied with their duty to have regard to the guidance of public benefit published by the Charity Commission in exercising their powers and duties.

Plans for 2015

The Friends continue to monitor closely the Royal Borough's plans for the Park and any proposals which, in the opinion of the trustees, may adversely affect the Park and the public's enjoyment of it.

Major building developments:

•    Discussions continue re fully-reversible buildings on the Holland House site. These would be owned and managed by the Council and leased by Opera Holland Park during the summer. The Friends asked that these buildings be considered in the wider context of the Grade 1 listed site and other planned developments. We strongly recommended that there is full public consultation before the Council lodges a planning application. The Friends further asked that the opportunity be taken to improve the appearance of the front terrace to Holland House which is currently an inappropriate environment for a Grade 1 listed building. We are gratified that the Council has listened to our suggestions and is working on a new proposal.

•    Other developments: Following The Friends' intervention, there is a plan to conserve the 18th century Earls Court gates using Section 106 money from the Design Museum development. The Chairman has met the new CEO of the company that secured the 50-year lease for the youth hostel, to gain understanding of future planning applications that might impact on the Park. Discussions continue with Campden Hill Development land-scapers to agree how the Section 106 funds can be used to enhance the adjacent margins of the Park.

Donations and sponsorship:

Curved benches previously donated by The Friends had been vandalised and The Friends have donated robust replacements at a cost of £5,490.

The Friends are working with Council Officers re woodland management, long-term tree strategy, improved irrigation schemes and other projects that will enhance the Park and improve the wildlife habitat. We have agreement to fund prickly shrubs to be planted around woodland edges to prevent unauthorised access. We have a new design and cost for robust gates for the Wildlife Enclosure, we have agreed to fund this year's Ecology events for the public and trustees continue to lead the monthly Bird & Nature Walk.

Fundraising and Members' social events:

The 33rd annual Art Exhibition takes place in April 2015.  A sell-out talk by Deyan Sudjic, director of The Design Museum, took place in February 2015 and a second talk will be held in October. Pimm's in the Park, The Virtuosi Concert and the Christmas Concert are planned and bookings are coming in.

Following the popularity of our first guidebook, we are producing A Guide to the Kyoto Gardens. We may need to reprint 'The Families of Holland House' which has sold out.

To increase our membership we have developed a 'Friends & Neighbours' scheme whereby our members benefit from discounts in neighbouring retail outlets. There is no cost to the Friends other than the minimal expense of producing a membership card.

Work continues with building productive relationships with Council officers and elected members against the background of budget cuts, which make it challenging for the Council to achieve its ambitions for the Park.

The Trustees consider that the present resources of the Charity are adequate to meet its obligations.

Risk Management

The trustees have given consideration to the major risks to which the Charity is exposed, reviewed and revised the Risk Register and satisfied themselves that systems or procedures are established in order to manage those risks. The trustees will continue to monitor risks and to carry out an annual review.

Reserves Policy

The trustees consider that the Charity should hold a minimum reserve equivalent to 50% of annual expenditure to ensure that the quarterly newsletter can continue and other necessary expenditure paid if, due to unforeseen circumstances, the projected income is not received. Any reserves in excess of this are held pending expenditure on, or donations towards, projects related to the Park in accordance with the Charity's objects.

The Charity currently has substantial reserves because projects, which the Charity has indicated a willingness to support, have not yet been activated by The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea. The pipeline for project funding is healthier than it has been for some years, the Council has approved most projects in principle and we anticipate a substantial proportion of the reserves will be expended during 2015.

Trustees' Responsibilities

Charity Law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. In preparing those financial statements, the trustees are required to:

•    Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently

•    Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent

•    State whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any mate-rial departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements

•    Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Charity will continue in business.

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 1993. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Jennie Kettlewell (Chairman)

8 April 2015

Annual General Meeting

Wednesday, 22 April 2015, at 7.30pm in the Orangery

The year 2014 proved to be very busy for the trustees due, among other things, to the number of major developments impacting on the park; 2015 promises to be just as busy. The Conservation Area Proposal Statement for the Holland Conservation Area is due to be re-written as are the Borough Parks Strategy and the Holland Park Management Plan. Major developments are still with us. Trustees must monitor and have a view on all these subjects as well as working with key stakeholders in the Council and community.

Our AGM is an opportunity for members to hear what trustees have been concerned with over the last year, and to learn what is expected in the one ahead. Chaired by our distinguished president, Sir Angus Stirling, this annual occasion is your chance to ask questions and to tell trustees of any particular concerns you have for the park and its management.

The formal business of the AGM does not take long, then we can expect the customary lively and enjoyable discussion. This interaction is appreciated by trustees, especially when there is so much happening in and around the park.

As usual, the AGM takes place during our annual art exhibition in the Orangery, and after the meeting is a great time to view the art exhibits over a glass or two of wine. Please do come and support your trustees, who work hard on your behalf.

Jennie Kettlewell