Finance Score: 0

Governance Score: 1

Support Score: 7

Strong growth: +2
Multiple Deficits: -2
No PartB

No volunteer policy: -2
Dynamic board: +3

Grant maker support: +7

Overall GiG Score: 8

BIRMINGHAM OPEN SPACES FORUM

BOSF provides a support network for friends groups. BOSF also offer opportunities for groups & individuals interested in open spaces to share knowledge and experience. This is in the form of regular information digests, funding advice, networking opportunities and training.

Analysis by Giving is Great

Positives:

There has been strong growth in spending over the last 5 years
A significant proportion of recent income was derived from major grant makers including the Government and there are significant future grants due to be received
The Board appears to be dynamic in terms of composition

Regulatory & Governance issues to consider:

Although this charity works with volunteers it does not have a Volunteer Management policy
One or more trustees receive payments or benefits from the charity for providing services to the charity
Over half the Board have joined recently

Financial issues to consider:

A PartB annual return has not been required and so detailed financial information is not available from the online data
On several occasions in recent years income has been less than spending

Established: 7 years

www.bosf.org.uk

INFO@BOSF.ORG.UK

07882068561

Charity Commission for England and Wales

Financial Data ?

Income & Spending ?

Sources of Income ?

Y/E	Income	Spending	Surplus/ Deficit	Volun- teers
31/03/23	£207,946	£183,932	£24,014	10
31/03/22	£249,164	£135,843	£113,321	10
31/03/21	£111,859	£86,085	£25,774	10
31/03/20	£47,889	£74,256	£-26,367	12
31/03/19	£300	£11,575	£-11,275	0
31/03/18	£0	£0	£0	0

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Highest pay bracket: less than £60,000

Listed activities

Education/Training
Environment/Conservation/Heritage
Recreation

How it operates

Acts as an umbrella or resource body
Provides advocacy/advice/information

Where it operates

Birmingham City,

Who it helps

The General Public/Mankind

Who works here?

Unknown number of employees
10 volunteers

Who's supporting them? ?

Donations from Grant Makers ?

We have details on the following significant donations. Multi-year donations are allocated to the years for which they are earmarked.

Major supporters in last 5 years

Esmee Fairbairn	£222,497
National Lottery Community Fund	£19,880
Garfield Weston Foundation	£10,000
Sport England	£9,188

Specific Donations

Amount	When Months	To be used for
Sport England - Walking for community activity
£9,188	21/07/2023	This project will deliver weekly 90min activity and walking sessions across 7 open space locations in Birmingham, over 45 weeks. It is expected that between 10-20 people will attend each session. ....more This project will deliver weekly 90min activity and walking sessions across 7 open space locations in Birmingham, over 45 weeks. It is expected that between 10-20 people will attend each session. Funding will support session delivery costs, volunteer upskilling and a contribution to travel for session leaders.
National Lottery Community Fund - Addressing green space inequalities - Volunteer Group Support
£10,000	21/07/2023	The funding will enable this volunteer network organisation to support new green space community groups to establish and formalise themselves. The project will provide hands-on support and mentoring ....more The funding will enable this volunteer network organisation to support new green space community groups to establish and formalise themselves. The project will provide hands-on support and mentoring plus organised community events to normalise using greenspaces.
Esmee Fairbairn - Grant to Birmingham Open Spaces Forum
£10,214	06/02/2023	Towards unrestricted core costs as a Cost of Living Uplift
Garfield Weston Foundation - Main Grants award
£10,000	04/03/2022	Enhancing Support for Volunteer Groups in Birmingham
National Lottery Community Fund - Birmingham Communities – Volunteer Group Support
£9,880	08/10/2021	The funding will help support new green space community groups to establish and formalise themselves. Services will include governance and policy support help with bank accounts adopting ....more The funding will help support new green space community groups to establish and formalise themselves. Services will include governance and policy support help with bank accounts adopting constitutions and fundraising facilitating peer support knowledge and resource sharing between groups and recruiting volunteers. The project will enable groups to become sustainable whilst strengthening group and volunteer networks with the aim of improving local green spaces for the whole community.
Esmee Fairbairn - Grant to Birmingham Open Spaces Forum
£165,000	01/04/2021 36	Towards unrestricted core costs for the establishment and support of community groups to manage and maintain green spaces across Birmingham, supporting community voice in decision making about ....more Towards unrestricted core costs for the establishment and support of community groups to manage and maintain green spaces across Birmingham, supporting community voice in decision making about environmental and social issues that ar
Esmee Fairbairn - Grant to Birmingham Open Spaces Forum
£32,000	07/07/2020 6	Short term unrestricted revenue support while org plans strategic response to the Covid19 situation and the Future Parks Accelerator project.
Esmee Fairbairn - Grant to Birmingham Open Spaces Forum
£15,283	12/05/2020 6	towards unrestricted core costs as a COVID-19 Fast Response grant
Esmee Fairbairn - Grant to Birmingham Open Spaces Forum
£18,233	06/02/2019 4	towards the short-term cost of operations (over four months or so) and to enable BOSF to undertake a strategic review and explore alternative theories of change.
Esmee Fairbairn - Grant to Birmingham Open Spaces Forum
£116,698	18/02/2015 36	Towards core costs to sustain and develop work to enable community management of open spaces in Birmingham, and to take forward the early-stage development of a national body for open spaces fora.
Esmee Fairbairn - Grant to Birmingham Open Spaces Forum
£30,000	08/11/2011	Towards support to volunteers managing and improving Birmingham's open spaces.
Esmee Fairbairn - Grant to Birmingham Open Spaces Forum
£34,342	26/11/2008 24	Towards Core costs Towards the salary of a part-time project co-ordinator and a contribution to other core costs.

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Data sourced from Donors via 360 Giving

How is it governed?

Trustees (10)

Current Trustees appointed

ALICIA GRANDE CRISTOBAL Appointed: 2017

CHRIS BLYTHE (Chair) Appointed: 2015

CHRISTINA NIJJAR Appointed: 2023

EMMA BRIONY WOOLF Appointed: 2005

FRAN ELDER Appointed: 2023

MELANIE CHECKLEY Appointed: 2023

NATHAN WORTON Appointed: 2023

NICOLA BROWN Appointed: 2023

ROBERT BROWN Appointed: 2023

STEVE WATSON Appointed: 2023

Legal constitution

Charity registered in England & Wales on 15/11/2016, number: 1170171

Gift Aid

NOT registered with HMRC for Gift Aid

Policies in force

Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
Complaints handling
Complaints policy and procedures
Financial reserves policy and procedures
Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
Internal risk management policy and procedures
Investment
Risk management
Safeguarding policy and procedures
Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures

Filing Record

6 returns made; all on time

Recent reorganisation events:

Asset transfer in from BIRMINGHAM OPEN SPACES FORUM on 28/01/2021

Main office

SCHOOL OF HORTICULTURE
THE WHITE HOUSE
KINGS HEATH PARK
VICARAGE ROAD
KINGS HEATH
B14 7TQ

Objectives

A)TO ADVANCE THE EDUCATION OF THE PUBLIC IN THE ENJOYMENT, UNDERSTANDING, APPLICATION AND CONSERVATION OF OPEN SPACES WITHIN THE CITY OF BIRMINGHAM.B)TO PROMOTE THE PROTECTION, CONSERVATION AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE PHYSICAL AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENT OF BIRMINGHAM.C)TO PROMOTE AND ENHANCE THE OPEN SPACES WITHIN THE CITY OF BIRMINGHAM AS RECREATIONAL FACILITIES IN THE INTEREST OF SOCIAL WELFARE, TO IMPROVE THE CONDITIONS OF LIFE FOR THE INHABITANTS WITHOUT DISTINCTION OF POLITICAL, RELIGIOUS OR OTHER OPINIONS.

Data Sources