notice of agm 2014 - birmingham botanical gardens...thatwithe ffectfrom1a pril2 015thea nnualcharg...

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NOTICE� IS� HEREBY� GIVEN� that� the� Annual� General� Meeting� of� Birmingham�Botanical� and�

Horticultural�Society�Limited�will�be�held�at�the�Botanical�Gardens�and�Glasshouses,�Westbourne�

Road,�Edgbaston,�Birmingham�on�Monday�22�September�2014�at�6pm�to�transact�the�following�

business:�

1.� To�receive�and�adopt�the�statement�of�accounts�for�the�year�ended�31�March�2014�and�

the�reports�of�the�Trustees�and�of�the�Auditors.�

2.� To�re-elect�Members�of�the�Committee:�

Mr��P.H.�White,�Mr�A.J.�Jones,�Ms�P.�Pickavance,�Mrs�K.�J.�Hartigan,�Mr�J.�R.�Taylor�and�

Mrs�C.�Clutton-Brock.�

3.� To�approve�the�following�resolution:�

That�with�effect�from�1�April�2015�the�annual�charges�for�membership�of�the�Society,�

inclusive�of�Value�Added�Tax�shall�be:�

� � (i)� Family�Membership��

� � (Entry�for�up�to�five�people�from�the�same�family)� � £65�

� � (ii)� Annual�Membership�

� � (Entry�for�two�people�from�the�same�family)� � � £40�

� � (iii)� Single�Membership� � � � � � �

� � (Entry�for�one�person�only)� � � � � � � � £35�

NOTE:�

A�discount�of�£2�is�allowed�to�Family,�Annual�and�Single�Members�who�pay�by�Direct�

Debit.�

Guest�tickets�at�£13�are�available�to�Single,�Annual�and�Family�Members�who�wish�to�

bring�an�additional�person�to�the�Gardens.�

Season�Tickets�are�also�available:�Senior�Citizen�at�£27.50,�Weekday�at�£29.�

4.� To�re-appoint�the�auditors,�Mazars�LLP,�and�authorize�the�Committee�to�agree�their�

remuneration.�

5.� To�transact�any�other�business�which�may�be�transacted�at�an�Annual�General�Meeting.�

� � � � � BY�ORDER�OF�THE�COMMITTEE�

M.�A.�LIBERSON�

Chairman�and�Honorary�Secretary�

Registered�Office:�

Birmingham�Botanical�Gardens�&�Glasshouses� � � � Telephone:�

Westbourne�Road� � � � � � � � � � � +44(0)121�454�1860�

Edgbaston� � � � � � � � � � � � � Facsimile:�

Birmingham�� � � � � � � � � � � � +44(0)121�454�7835�

B15�3TR�� � � � � � � � � � � � � email:���������������������������������

20�August�2014�� � � ���������������������admin@birminghambotanicalgardens.org.uk�

The�notice�of�the�year’s�Annual�General�Meeting�appears�opposite.� �A�full�copy�of�the�Annual�

Report� and� Accounts� for� the� Society� is� available� as� a� PDF� on� our� website:�

www.birminghambotanicalgardens.org.uk�or�on�request.�

OVERVIEW�OF�THE�YEAR�

We�report�below�the�key�achievements�in�pursuance�of�our�aims�and�objectives�during�the�year�ended�31�March� 2014.� �Highlights� of� the� year� included� an�exciting�new� catering� and�hospitality� offering,� replanting� of� our� Terrace� and� Glasshouse� plant� collections,� further�development� of� our� education� partnership� with� Birmingham� Metropolitan� College� and� a�substantial� improvement� in� the� finances� of� the� Charity.� � Thanks� are� due� to� Trustees,�Volunteers,� Staff� and� above� all,� to� our� Visitors.� � Your� invaluable� support� enables� us� to�continue�to�open�this�beautiful�historic�site�for�the�benefit�of�all�who�visit.��

Horticulture�

Highlights�of�our�horticultural�year�included�the�renovation�of�the�Rock�Garden�and�the�achievement�of�a�Silver�Medal�for�our�apprentices’�show�garden�at�Gardeners�World�Live.�

Education�

The�Charity’s�educational�activities�with�schools,�higher�education�students�and�leisure�learning�continued�to�thrive.��These�activities�received�great�praise�from�visiting�students�and�teachers�during�the�year.��The�Charity’s�new�partnership�with�Birmingham�Metropolitan�College�went�from�strength�to�strength�with�student�numbers�and�the�range�of�courses�on�offer�continuing�to�increase.�

Maintenance�

The�Charity’s�listed�and�historic�buildings�continued�to�receive�the�expert�and�costly�care�required�for�them�to�offer�the�unique�glasshouse�and�landscape�environments�on�which�our�plant�collection�depends.��We�are�proud�of�our�Grade�2*�status�as�a�heritage�site�and�will�continue�to�devote�every�effort�to�securing�its�future�for�future�generations�to�enjoy.�

Commercial�activities�

The�Charity’s�trading�and�fundraising�activities�showed�positive�progress.��Our�new�caterer�Ampersand,�completed�a�plan�for�change�designed�to�deliver�a�much�improved�catering�offer.�The�plan�began�with�a�comprehensive�refurbishment�of�the�gardens’�catering�and�conferencing�facilities�including�updated�kitchen�equipment�and�decorations.��This�required�a�substantial�investment�of�funds�which�is�worthwhile�because�our�catering�generates�essential�financial�support�for�the�organisation’s�charitable�work�in�addition�to�entertaining�many�thousands�of�satisfied�guests�each�year�in�a�unique�environment.��We�are�confident�that�this�investment�will�deliver�a�substantial�dividend�in�improved�custom,�visitor�satisfaction�and�increased�income�from�catering�activities�in�the�future.��

Finance��

The�Charity’s�total�annual�income�increased�by�£111,336�during�the�year,�an�encouraging�result.��The�financial�results�for�the�Charity�continued�to�be�in�deficit�at�£60,465�but�this�was�a�great�improvement�on�the�loss�of�£213,717�in�the�previous�year.��We�continue�to�strive�for�a�surplus�and�are�reviewing�all�sources�of�income�and�are�raising�awareness�that�we�are�not�a�municipal�body�but�a�charity�reliant�upon�donation�and�gifting.�The�Charity�requires�funding�from�sponsorship,�bids�to�funding�bodies�and�legacies�to�support�the�ongoing�maintenance�of�the�facilities�of�the�gardens.�The�Charity�is�currently�developing�a�campaign�to�raise�funds�for�this�purpose.���

Cash�outflow�was�just�£9,026�after�taking�significant�capital�expenditure�into�account.��Four�important�income�streams�showed�increases.��The�number�of�day�visitors�increased�by�19%�from�41,383�to�49,083�and�receipts�from�this�source�from�£208,190�to�£262,564.���

Notice of AGM 2014page 1

Wednesday, 20 August 2014 16:28CyanMagentaYellowBlack

���

Revenue�from�banqueting�and�conferencing�delivered�by�our�subcontractor�Ampersand�increased�by�over�£53,000.��Income�from�education�increased�by�more�than�£31,000�largely�due�to�rental�income�received�from�our�partnership�with�Birmingham�Metropolitan�College.��The�contribution�made�by�the�Shop�at�the�Gardens�increased�by�£12,093.��Membership�numbers�decreased�by�11%�from�4,971�to�4,421.��Member�visits�were�down�by�6%�from�46,310�to�43,685.���

We�will�be�redoubling�our�efforts�to�reverse�this�decline�in�membership�numbers�during�the�coming�year�by�improving�our�membership�offer�and�marketing�more�effectively.��We�know�membership�offers�great�value�for�money�to�our�regular�visitors�and�is�greatly�appreciated�by�them.��It�also�offers�the�opportunity�for�supporters�to�make�a�regular�financial�commitment�to�our�charitable�work.�

The�Charity’s�costs�fell�by�£41,916�in�the�year,�reflecting�increased�productivity�and�our�determination�to�secure�value�for�money�on�all�our�expenditure.��Capital�investment�in�the�year�amounted�to�£182,236,�a�substantial�investment�in�our�future.��At�year�end,�the�Charity’s�cash�reserves�amounted�to�£305,471,�a�prudent�reserve�and�a�strong�foundation�for�the�exciting�new�developments�we�have�planned.�

The�Charity�continued�to�restructure�staff�and�key�job�roles�to�reflect�the�changing�requirements�of�the�business.��Several�new�Trustees�joined�the�board�this�year,�bringing�fresh�ideas�and�introducing�new�skills�which�will�be�useful�in�helping�the�Charity�address�the�opportunities�that�lie�ahead.��We�thank�our�Trustees,�Friends�and�Volunteers�for�their�essential�work�on�the�Gardens’�behalf.��Volunteers�provided�us�with�7,000�hours�of�work�during�the�year.��The�Charity�is�now�recruiting�new�Trustees,�Volunteers�and�Staff�to�enable�us�to�provide�a�continuously�improving�offer�for�all�our�visitors.��For�further�details,�please�contact�the�Chief�Executive�or�view�the�Charity’s�website�www.birminghambotanicalgardens.org.uk.�

We�appreciate�the�loyalty�of�all�who�visit.��We�will�continue�to�work�hard�to�improve�the�gardens�for�your�benefit.��The�Charity’s�five�year�business�plan�is�focused�on�developing�the�business�on�a�sustainable�financial�model�in�a�rapidly�changing�economic�environment.��We�look�forward�to�the�further�implementation�of�our�plans�to�secure�the�future�of�the�Charity�and�to�raise�our�attraction�to�a�new�level�of�excellence.�

� � � �B I R M I N G H A M �

GARD EN S �BOTANICAL��

THE�

Notice�of��

2014��Annual��General��Meeting��

and��

Overview��of�the��Year��

President��Sir�Euan�Anstruther-Gough�

Calthorpe�Bt�

AN�EDUCATIONAL �CHAR ITY�

Notice of AGM 2014page 2

Wednesday, 20 August 2014 16:28CyanMagentaYellowBlack

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