BARRACKS LANE COMMUNITY GARDEN
To manage and provide access to the community garden to all local communities
Objects
1 TO PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN A PUBLIC GARDEN OR GARDENS FOR THE USE AND BENEFIT OF THE INHABITANTS OF THE OXFORD AREA AND OTHERS (THE BENEFICIARIES) IN THE INTERESTS OF SOCIAL WELFARE AND WITH THE OBJECTS OF IMPROVING CONDITIONS OF LIFE FOR THE SAID BENEFICIARIES AND TO PROMOTE, DEVELOP AND SUPPORT COMMUNITY LED GARDENING INITIATIVES IN THE OXFORD AREA GENERALLY.2 THE ADVANCEMENT OF PUBLIC EDUCATION IN THE AREA OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF SUSTAINABILITY AND BIODIVERSITY BY THE DEVELOPMENT AND DELIVERY OF EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDING VEGETABLE AND FLOWER GROWING, WASTE MANAGEMENT AND THE USE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES.
Financial health, per its FY2026 accounts
The accounts state that total reserves decreased by £5,658 during the year, with unrestricted reserves standing at £30,598. The trustees note that these unrestricted cash equivalent reserves represent just more than one year of core operating costs. The charity remains dependent on a mixture of grant funding, donations, and other fundraising efforts to cover its operating costs.
What the accounts disclose
“Reserves are retained in order to allow the charity to be able to continue to cover its operating costs for at least the next six months and continue as a going concern in the event that incoming donations are unexpectedly reduced for a period of time.”
“Thanks to our trustee Melissa and her husband, the website has informative and professional videos that promote the history and the workings of the garden. We hope that we can also create an induction video on the back of this hard work for new users and visitors.”
Policies the charity declares
- Complaints handling
- Complaints policy and procedures
- Conflicting interests
- Financial reserves policy and procedures
- Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
- Paying staff
- Risk management
- Safeguarding policy and procedures
- Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
- Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
- Volunteer management
From the charity’s annual return (Part A, self-declared)
Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/03/2026
- Volunteers: 124
Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/03/2025
- Volunteers: 69
Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/03/2024
- Volunteers: 31
- Government income: £640 — grants £640 (1); 3% of the £19,523 total gross income on the same return
Trustees
- Helen Elizabeth Osborn
- JENNY APRIL GOAD
- JOHN GREEN
- Marwa Omar Hazzouri
- Melissa Robertson Mrs
- Nicole Barbara Pohl
- Rita Filipa Grade Cabrita
- Stephen Jeremy Spafford
- Tara Mairead Cathryn Stubbs
Income and spending
| Financial year end | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
| 31/03/2026 | £33k | £38k |
| 31/03/2025 | £44k | £32k |
| 31/03/2024 | £20k | £32k |
| 31/03/2023 | £38k | £27k |
| 31/03/2022 | £41k | £38k |
Common questions
Is BARRACKS LANE COMMUNITY GARDEN financially healthy?
Per its FY2026 accounts: The accounts state that total reserves decreased by £5,658 during the year, with unrestricted reserves standing at £30,598. The trustees note that these unrestricted cash equivalent reserves represent just more than one year of core operating costs. The charity remains dependent on a mixture of grant funding, donations, and other fundraising efforts to cover its operating costs.
Who funds BARRACKS LANE COMMUNITY GARDEN?
Funders whose own accounts filings name BARRACKS LANE COMMUNITY GARDEN as a grant recipient include MR AND MRS J A PYE'S CHARITABLE SETTLEMENT.
Known funders
| Funder | Year | Amount | Purpose (as stated by the funder) |
|---|---|---|---|
| MR AND MRS J A PYE'S CHARITABLE SETTLEMENT | FY2023 | £3k |
Government & lottery funding
| Funder | Date | Amount | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| The National Lottery Community Fund | 17/10/2024 | £20k | Plants Place People |
| The National Lottery Community Fund | 06/09/2021 | £3k | Singing and Sharing |
| The National Lottery Community Fund | 28/01/2021 | £10k | Green Safe Space |
| The National Lottery Community Fund | 21/02/2019 | £10k | Gaining Ground |
| The National Lottery Community Fund | 20/07/2016 | £9k | Barracks Lane Garden: Gardening for All Ages |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 28/08/2015 | £10k | "The Heritage of Common Plants" |
| The National Lottery Community Fund | 18/03/2015 | £10k | Barracks Lane Garden: Access for All |
| The National Lottery Community Fund | 27/09/2012 | £10k | Time and Thyme: enhancing our community |
| The National Lottery Community Fund | 15/04/2009 | £5k | Barracks Lane Community Garden |
| The National Lottery Community Fund | 07/05/2007 | £9k | Barracks Lane Community Garden Project |
Funders of similar charities
| Funder | Similar charities funded | Amount to them |
|---|---|---|
| WALCOT EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION | 1 | £43k |
| KUSUMA TRUST UK | 1 | £38k |
| ST ANDREW HOLBORN AND STAFFORD'S CHARITY | 1 | £34k |
| YOUNG CAMDEN FOUNDATION | 1 | £26k |
| CAMDEN GIVING | 1 | £17k |
| THE INMAN CHARITY | 1 | £3k |
| CHAPMAN CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | £3k |
| The Dentons UK and Middle East LLP Charitable Trust | 1 | £2k |
Charities like this
- ROUS LENCH AND RADFORD COMMUNITY GARDEN
- ROOKSDOWN COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
- Calthorpe Community Garden
- CATERHAM BARRACKS COMMUNITY TRUST
- Carleton Grange Trust
- Brixton Community Based Ltd
Side by side with its peers
| Charity | Income | Top pay band | Staff >£60k | Reserves vs policy | Fundraising cost | Going concern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BARRACKS LANE COMMUNITY GARDEN | £33k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| ROUS LENCH AND RADFORD COMMUNITY GARDEN | £28k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| ROOKSDOWN COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION | £97k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| Calthorpe Community Garden | £476k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| CATERHAM BARRACKS COMMUNITY TRUST | £722k | — | 0 | unclear | — | noted |
| Carleton Grange Trust | £194k | — | 0 | above | — | no doubt |