5. Strong Governance
Developing high standards of governance remains a priority for theÌýcharity, with a focus on Leadership and Equity, Diversity and InclusionÌýtaking centre stage.
Charity Governance Code
The Heart of England ºÚÁÏ´«ËÍÃÅ continued the workÌýit had begun before the pandemic on the . As a registered charity and company limited byÌýguarantee, the Heart of England ºÚÁÏ´«ËÍÃÅ mustÌýcomply with the legal frameworks governed byÌýthe Charity Commission and Companies House,Ìýas well as national legislation and local regulation.ÌýGood governance is fundamental to a charity’sÌýsuccess. The Charity Governance Code takesÌýthis obligation a step further, drawing upon theÌýCharity Commission guidance, but sets principlesÌýand recommended practice and encouragingÌýcharities to be aspirational and strive for theÌýhighest standards.ÌýWith a refreshed Charity Governance Code andÌýa new section on Equality, Diversity, and InclusionÌý(EDI), trustees have worked through the Code,Ìýreviewing, and assessing the charity against theÌýcriteria, identifying areas of particular strength, alongside areas selected for continuousÌýimprovement. Trustees selected the areas of Leadership and EDI to focus on in 2021/23.
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
Having selected EDI as a priority upon which toÌýfocus within the Charity Governance Code, itÌý was an area extended across the charity as anÌýorganisational priority. Rather than a standaloneÌýtopic, EDI is being woven into everything that theÌýcharity does to deliver its vision and mission.
Diversifying our income streams to support the growth of the ºÚÁÏ´«ËÍÊ– new holiday cottagesÌý
Opened in October 2021, our two new holidayÌýcottages have sustainability running through themÌýas part of our commitment to mitigate the effectsÌýof climate change. Converted from an old barn,Ìýthroughout the conversion process we tried to beÌýas sustainable as possible. We used local companies to design, project manage and buildÌýthe cottages, the oak cladding is FSC certifiedÌýfrom sustainable sources, and we have incorporated low energy mechanical andÌýelectrical fittings throughout - there are solarÌýpanels and Tesla Powerwalls to generate and storeÌýelectricity, and electric vehicle charging pointsÌýhave been fitted at both cottages. Even much ofÌýthe furniture has been hand-crafted fromÌýreclaimed materials. The imported energy forÌýboth properties is EKO accredited - 100%Ìýrenewable and from energy farms that minimiseÌýtheir environmental impact and are not locatedÌýin areas that affect bird and marine habitats.ÌýTo encourage cycling as a means of exploring theÌýarea, secure bike storage is provided at bothÌýcottages. Even the smallest touches haveÌýconsidered the impact on the environment, fromÌýeco-friendly dishwasher tablets to coffee podsÌýwhich generate funds for fellow environmentalÌýcharity the Eden Project.
Year in Review
Within the Heart of England ºÚÁÏ´«ËÍÃÅ, we have committed to improving Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) as one of our core priorities. Whilst we are mindful that we cannot achieve everything overnight, and meaningful work on this area takes time and thought, we have made a number of commitments and achieved progress during 2021/22.
To create stronger, more resilient charities, ACEVO – the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations, the industry body representing charity leadership – has created eight leadership principles that address Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. The Heart of England ºÚÁÏ´«ËÍÃÅ has made a public commitment to sign up to these principles.
Ensuring diversified income streams has never been more important than during the pandemic, when many traditional sources of funding were diverted or dried up. Fundraising and income generation is important for all charities, ensuring that they have sufficient funding to deliver their charitable objectives and public benefit, and the Heart of England ºÚÁÏ´«ËÍÃÅ is no exception. With a vision to grow a 30,000 acre ºÚÁÏ´«ËÍÃÅ for the benefitof people, wildlife, and the environment, maintained and cared for in perpetuity, the Heart of England ºÚÁÏ´«ËÍÃÅ has invested resource during 2021/22 to generate sustainable income streams to support the work of the charity into the future, including the creation of two new eco-friendly holiday cottages, enabling people to stay for longer in the ºÚÁÏ´«ËÍÃÅ, enjoying all it has to offer.Ìý
Our larger Oak Cottage sleeps 8 people and includes a downstairs bedroom and washroom suitable for wheelchair users and people with limited mobility. Acorn Cottage sleeps 3 in 2 rooms, and both cottages are pet friendly, meaning four-legged friends can also enjoy exploring the ºÚÁÏ´«ËÍÃÅ. The cottages can be interlinked for parties of 11.
Proving to be very popular, not only do the cottages generate sustainable income for the charity, but they also encourage visitors to uselocal shops and facilities and visit local attractions, meaning the ºÚÁÏ´«ËÍÃÅ has a wider economic impact on the local area, too.
Ìý
Challenges faced
Although the charity’s investments began to recover after the shock to the investment market at the start of the pandemic, the Ukraine / Russia conflict during Quarter 4 of 2021/22 saw the stockmarket plummet. With funds largely restricted for land purchase, which will take us some way towards realising our ambitious goal of a 30,000 acre native broadleaf forest, the funds are invested for the long term, but drops such as these will impact on short term performance and the growth of the funds to support the delivery of strategic projects to achieve the charity’s objectives.
The Year Ahead
As part of our commitment to attaining the highest standards of governance, 2022/23 will see the continued use of the Charity Governance Code to support continuous improvement. 2022 will also see the charity expand its Board of Trustees, improving the diversity of our leadership, and supporting the charity to be ambitious in the way it delivers public benefit.
We remain committed to our Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion journey, helping us to make better decisions and increasing engagement across all areas of the charity. We will continue our strategy planning for our key areas of work – Growing the ºÚÁÏ´«ËÍÃÅ, Optimising Biodiversity, Attracting People and Learning and Skills - with a focus on making the work of our charity more appealing and accessible to a wider range of audiences.
