BMC ACCESS & CONSERVATION TRUST
To promote the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment by supporting access and conservation projects and programmes that both protect the cliff and mountain environment and the wider countryside and also promote responsible and sustainable use of these environments for the public benefit of walking, climbing, hill walking and mountaineering.
Objects
(A) TO PROMOTE THE CONSERVATION, PROTECTION AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE PHYSICAL AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENT BY SUPPORTING ACCESS AND CONSERVATION PROJECTS AND PROGRAMMES THAT BOTH PROTECT THE CLIFF AND MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT AND THE WIDER COUNTRYSIDE AND ALSO PROMOTE RESPONSIBLE AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF THESE ENVIRONMENTS FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT OF WALKING, CLIMBING, HILL WALKING AND MOUNTAINEERING.(B) THE ADVANCEMENT OF PUBLIC EDUCATION OF AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF CLIFF, MOUNTAIN AND NATURE CONSERVATION.(C) SUCH OTHER OBJECTS, AS SHALL BE EXCLUSIVELY CHARITABLE BY THE LAW OF ENGLAND AND WALES, AS THE TRUSTEES SHALL DECIDE.
Financial health, per its FY2024 accounts
The accounts state that unrestricted reserves stood at £213,733 against a policy target of approximately three months' operating expenditure, which the trustees consider sufficient given limited overheads. However, the charity reported a net deficit of £150,101 for the year, resulting in restricted funds falling to a negative balance of £85,614. The trustees describe this negative restricted fund position as a temporary measure to cover expenditure, with a transfer planned for 2025.
What the accounts disclose
“It is the policy of the charity to maintain unrestricted funds, which are free reserves of the charity, at a level which equates to approximately three months' operating expenditure. A reserve of £2,500 is considered sufficient since the charity has a limited amount of overheads but these are covered by the corporate Director, British Mountaineering Council, and this would allow the charity to react to changes in funding in a constructive manner.” — page 5
“As at 31 December 2024, BMC Access and Conservation Trust was owed £1,793 (2023 - £12,570) by its corporate director, British Mountaineering Council. Funds and income collected by the British Mountaineering Council in the year totalled £9,306 (2023 - £9,607). Page 21” — page 23
Policies the charity declares
- Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
- Complaints policy and procedures
- Financial reserves policy and procedures
- Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
- Internal risk management policy and procedures
- Safeguarding policy and procedures
- Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
- Social media policy and procedures
- Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
- Trustee expenses policy and procedures
Trustees
- Christopher Colemanchair
- British Mountaineering Council
- Dr Neal Hockley
- Julie Wilson
- Mark Adrian Boucher
- ROSANNA CATHERINE MOORE
- Richard Andrew Hobbs Holland
- STEPHEN JOHN CHARLES
Income and spending
| Financial year end | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
| 31/12/2024 | £27k | £177k |
| 31/12/2023 | £243k | £117k |
| 31/12/2022 | £77k | £10k |
| 31/12/2021 | £35k | £26k |
| 31/12/2020 | £36k | £6k |
Common questions
Is BMC ACCESS & CONSERVATION TRUST financially healthy?
Per its FY2024 accounts: The accounts state that unrestricted reserves stood at £213,733 against a policy target of approximately three months' operating expenditure, which the trustees consider sufficient given limited overheads. However, the charity reported a net deficit of £150,101 for the year, resulting in restricted funds falling to a negative balance of £85,614. The trustees describe this negative restricted fund position as a temporary measure to cover expenditure, with a transfer planned for 2025. Its FY2024 accounts were audited by Hurst Accountants Limited.
Government & lottery funding
| Funder | Date | Amount | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| The National Lottery Community Fund | 08/05/2026 | £20k | Protect the Eastern Moors from wildfire |