The Trustees have approved the audited Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2019 and filed them with the Charity Commission. 

Financial Highlights

The numbers below are extracted from the audited accounts.
Abbreviated income statement and expenditure account:

Our Annual Report describes our work to give the estuary community a fighting chance against a 1-in-200 year tidal surge, to minimise the chance of a repeat of the 1953 and 2013 flood scenes which devastated much of the area and safeguard the estuary environment. An estimated 9,000 people depend for their livelihood and their homes on the continued existence of the estuary in its current state.

The funds raised support the work of the East Suffolk Internal Drainage Board (ESIDB), a designated risk management authority, in upgrading the estuary walls. Increasing the resilience of these river walls will protect homes, the local economy and the landscape of this nationally designated Area of Oustanding Natural Beauty. This includes national and international environment protection designations: Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and the Alde-Ore Estuary Ramsar site Wetlands of International Importance.

Our Major Achievements in 2019

• Successful grant application to the Garfield Weston Foundation for £500,000, including £100,000 community match funding. 

• More than 100 people participated in an inaugural flotilla, raising £26,000.
• Over 600 people took part in Suffolk’s biggest pub quiz, raising £44,000. 

• A grant was awarded to the ESIDB of over £140,000 for the preparation, submission and completion 
of the Outline Business Case (OBC) for the Upper Estuary submitted to the Environment Agency. 

Raising funds 

After a successful application to the Garfield Weston Foundation, an unconditional grant of £400,000 was awarded to the Trust in January 2019. An additional pledge of £100,000 was awarded as a match fund for local fundraising to provide helpful impetus to engage support in Suffolk. This application sought funding for the community contribution to support potential government funding. Community fundraising by the Trust throughout 2019 resulted in this further £100,000 being realised.

The Trust, with support from volunteers, organised a number of extremely successful community events in 2019. An Aldeburgh to Orford flotilla received support from over 100 individuals who swam, rowed and paddled a distance of 7km, raising over £26,000. The Trust also organised Suffolk’s biggest pub quiz with 600 participants across 12 venues raising over £44,000 in one night. Other events included the sale of charity Christmas cards and a Christmas theatre production in Aldeburgh’s Jubilee Hall. The Trustees would like to thank all those volunteers who donated their time and skills for these community led events.

Charitable activities

In February 2019, the ESIDB's final report of the costed programme of works for the improved flood defences was received by the Trust. It included an estimate of potential government grant funding (FDGiA). The report stated that the estimated programme of works for the whole estuary will cost £26.9 million, including a risk contingency of £5.1 million. This would be delivered over 7 to 8 years, once government funding is available.     

All amounts are estimates: 

A further grant awarded by the Trust allowed the ESIDB to complete the Upper Estuary OBC in accordance with the requirements of the Environment Agency and Natural England. The outcome of the Upper Estuary OBC is anticipated in Autumn 2020 and once this is known, it is currently expected that the ESIDB will commence work on the OBC for the Lower Estuary.

2020 and Future Plans

Whilst our 2019 activity was encouraging, this year is a very important and challenging year in the history of the Trust. There is no doubt that the current Covid-19 pandemic is a personal challenge for us all. It has and will have a profound and unprecedented impact on the way we live and it has and will have major ramifications on the UK economy. The Trust has had to cancel or postpone all fundraising events in 2020, consistent with other charities. Whilst this will have an impact on current year income, we are pleased that many of our generous supporters are continuing to donate.

Given the pandemic and awaited outcome of the OBC, the Trust is working hard to reassess its income streams consistent with other organisations in the UK. The outcome of the Upper Estuary OBC is an important input into the fundraising story. The Trustees are actively modelling future investment opportunities to support a major fundraising campaign in the Autumn. This will be supported by a medium term plan to support major trust and foundation bids for the Lower Estuary flood defences.

The audited Annual Report and Financial Statements for 2019, which give greater detail on our fundraising and charitable activities, are available to read in full HERE. 

Questions

If you have any questions regarding the Annual Report and Financial Statements or fundraising activities of The Alde & Ore Estuary Trust, please email us by clicking on the green button below.