PORTLAND BIRD OBSERVATORY AND FIELD CENTRE

Charity number: 1164156
Charity reporting is up to date (on time)

Charity overview

Activities - how the charity spends its money

Operates at Portland Bill a bird observatory and field centre for the study of bird migration and other aspects of the natural history of the Isle of Portland; publishes and distributes useful results of this work; promotes and participates in the conservation of the natural environment of the Isle of Portland; preserves and maintains the historic building known as the Old Lower Light.

Income and expenditure

Data for financial year ending 31 December 2023

Total income:
£580,686

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Donations and legacies £444.95k
Charitable activities £59.76k
Other trading activities £0
Investments £75.97k
Other £0

Total expenditure:
£132,077

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Raising funds £0
Charitable activities £132.08k
Other £0

£0 investments gains (losses)

Total income includes £5,000 from 1 government grant(s)

Charitable expenditure

Charitable expenditure

Some charities generate all, or a substantial part, of their income from investments which may have been donated to the charity as endowment or set aside by the charity from its own resources in the past. Such investments usually take the form of stocks and shares but may include other assets, such as property, that are capable of generating income and/or capital growth.

In managing their spending and investments charities need to strike a balance between the needs of future and current beneficiaries. They also need to take account of spending commitments that may stretch over a number of future years. To do this, charities will normally adopt an investment strategy designed to generate both income and capital growth. To maximise returns trustees may commit to investment strategies for several years.

Investments can experience large swings in value so trustees may, in a particular year, decide to realise and spend part of their charity’s capital or to invest part of its income.

By clicking the investment gains checkbox the charitable spending bar is adjusted to take account of capital growth as well as income. This shows the balance the charity is striking, between spending on current beneficiaries and retaining resources for future beneficiaries.

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Raising funds and other expenditure £0
Charitable expenditure £132.08k
Retained for future use £448.61k

People

2 Employee(s)

12 Trustee(s)

250 Volunteer(s)

Employees with total benefits over £60,000

No employees have total benefits over £60k for this charity

Fundraising

No information available

Trading

This charity does not have any trading subsidiaries.

Trustee payments

No trustees receive any remuneration, payments or benefits from the charity.

What, who, how, where

What the charity does:
  • Arts/culture/heritage/science
  • Environment/conservation/heritage
Who the charity helps:
  • The General Public/mankind
How the charity helps:
  • Provides Buildings/facilities/open Space
  • Sponsors Or Undertakes Research
Where the charity operates:
  • Dorset

Governance

Registration history:
  • 28 October 2015: CIO registration
  • 17 July 2018: Funds received from 211630 THE PORTLAND BIRD OBSERVATORY AND FIELD CENTRE
Organisation type:
CIO
Other names:

No other names

Gift aid:
Not recognised by HMRC for gift aid
Other regulators:
No information available
Policies:
  • Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
  • Complaints handling
  • Complaints policy and procedures
  • Conflicting interests
  • Financial reserves policy and procedures
  • Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
  • Internal risk management policy and procedures
  • Investing charity funds policy and procedures
  • Investment
  • Paying staff
  • Risk management
  • Safeguarding policy and procedures
  • Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
  • Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
  • Social media policy and procedures
  • Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
  • Trustee expenses policy and procedures
  • Volunteer management
Land and property:
This charity owns and/or leases land or property

Trustees

Trustees are the people responsible for controlling the work, management and administration of the charity on behalf of its beneficiaries. Generally trustees are treasurer, chair, board member etc. The trustees are responsible for keeping this list up to date and can do this by updating their details as they happen through the online service

12 Trustee(s)

Name Role Date of appointment Other trusteeships Reporting status of other trusteeships
PETER JOHN MORGAN Chair 14 July 2018
None on record
Ian Davidson Trustee 20 July 2024
None on record
Susan Murphy Trustee 20 July 2024
None on record
Mark Cutts Trustee 14 July 2019
None on record
Andrew Davidson Trustee 14 July 2019
None on record
Luke Christopher Phillips Trustee 14 July 2018
None on record
LUCY JESSICA CUMBERLAND Trustee 14 July 2018
None on record
Dr Nevil Howard Fowler Trustee 14 July 2018
None on record
Rosemary Morgan Trustee 14 July 2018
None on record
James Francis Phillips Trustee 14 July 2018
None on record
Dr GLEN THOMAS Trustee 14 July 2018
None on record
Simon James Craft Trustee 16 July 2016
None on record

Financial history

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Financial period end date

Income / Expenditure 31/12/2019 31/12/2020 31/12/2021 31/12/2022 31/12/2023
Total gross income £136.87k £88.16k £110.22k £237.80k £580.69k
Total expenditure £115.33k £124.37k £84.22k £210.45k £132.08k
Income from government contracts N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Income from government grants N/A N/A £5.00k £5.00k £5.00k
Income - Donations and legacies N/A N/A N/A N/A £444.95k
Income - Other trading activities N/A N/A N/A N/A £0
Income - Charitable activities N/A N/A N/A N/A £59.76k
Income - Endowments N/A N/A N/A N/A £0
Income - Investment N/A N/A N/A N/A £75.97k
Income - Other N/A N/A N/A N/A £0
Income - Legacies N/A N/A N/A N/A £442.65k
Expenditure - Charitable activities N/A N/A N/A N/A £132.08k
Expenditure - Raising funds N/A N/A N/A N/A £0
Expenditure - Governance N/A N/A N/A N/A £0
Expenditure - Grants institution N/A N/A N/A N/A £0
Expenditure - Investment management N/A N/A N/A N/A £0
Expenditure - Other N/A N/A N/A N/A £0

Assets and liabilities

Definitions for assets and liabilities
Own use assets

These are assets, other than investments, which are held for more than 12 months and used to run and administer the charity such as buildings, offices, exhibits and fixtures and fittings.

Long term Investments

Investments are assets held by the charity with the sole aim of generating income which will be used for their charitable purposes such as deposit accounts, shares, rental property and unit trusts.
Investment assets are re-valued every year and included in the balance sheet at their current market value.
Long term investments are held for more than 12 months.

Other assets

These are assets held generally for less than 12 months such as cash and bank balances, debtors, investments to be sold within the coming year and trading stock.

Defined benefit pension scheme asset or liability

This is a surplus or deficit in any defined benefit pension scheme operated and represents a potential long-term asset or liability.

Total liabilities

These are all the amounts owed by the charity at the balance sheet date to third parties such as bills due but not yet paid, bank overdrafts and loans and mortgages.

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Asset / Liability 31/12/2019 31/12/2020 31/12/2021 31/12/2022 31/12/2023
Own use assets N/A N/A N/A N/A £1.72m
Long-term investments N/A N/A N/A N/A £1.28m
Other assets N/A N/A N/A N/A £566.20k
Defined benefit pension scheme asset or liability N/A N/A N/A N/A £0
Total liabilities N/A N/A N/A N/A £0

Accounts and annual returns

This table shows the charity's record of submitting annual returns, accounts and trustees' annual report (TAR) for the last five financial periods.
Title Reporting year Date received Received Download
Annual return 31 December 2023 28 October 2024 On Time
Accounts and TAR 31 December 2023 28 October 2024 On Time Download Open in new window
Annual return 31 December 2022 25 October 2023 On Time
Accounts and TAR 31 December 2022 26 October 2023 On Time Download Open in new window
Annual return 31 December 2021 26 September 2022 On Time
Accounts and TAR 31 December 2021 26 September 2022 On Time Download Open in new window
Annual return 31 December 2020 03 October 2021 On Time
Accounts and TAR 31 December 2020 04 October 2021 On Time Download Open in new window
Annual return 31 December 2019 19 October 2020 On Time
Accounts and TAR 31 December 2019 19 October 2020 On Time Download Open in new window
Submit annual return Open in new window

Governing document

Details of the type of governing document the charity has and when it was established.
It is not the full text of the charity's governing document.

CIO - Association Registered 28 Oct 2015

Charitable objects

(1) TO ADVANCE THE EDUCATION OF THE PUBLIC: (A) IN SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE IN PARTICULAR WITHOUT LIMITATION IN NATURAL HISTORY GENERALLY AND IN ORNITHOLOGY IN PARTICULAR BY: (I) THE MAINTENANCE AT PORTLAND BILL IN DORSET OF A BIRD OBSERVATORY FOR THE STUDY OF BIRD MIGRATION AND BIRD BEHAVIOUR, AND THE MAINTENANCE OF A FIELD CENTRE TO FACILITATE THE STUDY OF ANY OTHER BRANCH OF NATURAL HISTORY OR SCIENTIFIC SUBJECT; (II) THE PROMOTION AND ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN THE CONSERVATION OF ALL ASPECTS OF NATURAL HISTORY AT THE ISLE OF PORTLAND IN DORSET; AND (III) THE PUBLICATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE USEFUL RESULTS OF STUDY RESEARCH AND FIELDWORK. (B) BY PRESERVING REPAIRING AND MAINTAINING THE HISTORIC BUILDING KNOWN AS THE OLD LOWER LIGHT.

Contact information

Address:
OLD LOWER LIGHTHOUSE
PORTLAND BILL
PORTLAND
DORSET
DT5 2JT
Phone:
01305820553
Email:
obs@btinternet.com
Website:

www.portlandbirdobs.com Open in new window