We have published our Trustee’s Report and Independent Accounts for the year 2020-21.
The trustees of Sylva Foundation are pleased to release the formal report from the board for 2020-21 and the independent accounts produced by our financial auditors. Click to download in full, or read the summary below.
2020-21 at a glance:
download Sylva’s annual report and accounts for 2020-21
- appointed two new trustees: Dr Mary Barkham and Jim Waterson
- expanded our IT team
- ran a new British Woodlands Survey exploring awareness, action, and aspirations among land managers to environmental change
- continued to play a strong role in supporting the work of the Forestry & Climate Change Working Group
- supported Defra by conducting research for the Resilient Treescapes project
- started work on the Future Oak project with Bangor University
- supported 2,149 environmental educators across Britain via our myForest for Education platform
- supported 7,084 woodland owners and more than 1,000 forestry agents in caring for 126,693ha across Britain via the myForest Woodland Manager
- continued work developing a new IT platform to support woodland creation, working with both Defra and Scottish Forestry
- delivered multiple environmental auctions across England for partners using our NatureBid platform, including the third Woodland Carbon Guarantee
- supported more than 20 SME wood businesses at the Sylva Wood Centre
- launched our new Professional Course and taught 5 students to work with home-grown timber to batch produce for commercial clients
- completed renovation work on the Grain Store at the Sylva Wood Centre, including fit out of a state-of-art machinery and teaching unit
- continued to engage with visitors to our small estate in Oxfordshire, providing interpretation and events to advocate our mission
Financial Summary
Income
Income (£496,959) increased by 5% compared to the previous financial year (£472,374).
12% of total income was received in donations. The majority of income for Charitable Activities (£309,809) came from performance-related grants (£212,039). Income from Trading Activities was £120,758, the majority of which was from business leases at the Sylva Wood Centre.
Expenditure and Additions
Total expenditure was £437,22, 65% of which was spent on salaries.
Our overheads, comprising income generation, admin, and governance, represented 13% of expenditure.
Funds
The charity’s Designated funds (87% of which are operational fixed assets comprising land and buildings at the Sylva Wood Centre) were £1,625,604 at the end of the 2020-21 financial year. Restricted funds were £88,425, and Unrestricted funds £140,325.