AnnualReportfor2024Final2025 - Flipbook - Page 24
Structure, governance
and management
The Trust’s affairs, policies and strategies are overseen
by the Trustees (see VWT website for biographies), with
operations delegated to the Chief Executive.
There were 23 staff during 2024, with roles varying
between business and administrative support to
conservation and research 昀椀eldwork and project
coordination. These staff were based in England,
Wales, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland.
The charitable company was incorporated on 20 October
2005 and was subsequently registered with the Charity
Commission for England and Wales on 17 November
2005. In Scotland, the Trust registered with the Of昀椀ce
of the Scottish Charity Regulator on 06 April 2012 and in
Ireland, the Trust registered with the Charities Regulatory
Authority on 23 May 2017. A full copy of the latest
approved Articles of Association can be obtained from the
Company Secretary at the VWT registered of昀椀ce.
To ensure the Board of Trustees is suf昀椀ciently skilled to
carry out its responsibilities, it carries out a periodic
skills analysis. Following the approval of a new Board
Recruitment and Succession policy in March 2017, a
plan for Trustee terms of of昀椀ce and the recruitment of
new Trustees was enacted. New Trustees receive a full
induction into the work and administration of the charity.
Personnel policy is directed by the Chief Executive
who also oversees all information and publicity issues
relating to the Trust.
Like other charities, we are facing many challenges and
uncertainties including climate change, geopolitics,
the impacts of Brexit, rising costs, poor investment
performance and increasing 昀椀nancial pressures on
government and funding bodies. VWT maintains a Risk
Register to identify, manage and mitigate risks, which
is reviewed by the Trustees annually, alongside a rolling
review of the risks the Trust is facing. Risk level for
each inherent risk is calculated as a combination of
impact and likelihood. Residual risk is calculated in the
same way once mitigation has been put in place for
each risk.
Auditors
An independent audit is conducted annually to ful昀椀l
the Trust’s legal obligations and for the Board to ensure
昀椀nancial statements have been properly prepared and
give a true and fair view. The auditors’ report is given
on pages 27 to 51. The auditors, Bishop Fleming LLP,
were appointed in August 2021.
All Board members are volunteers, give freely of their
time and have no bene昀椀cial interest in the charity. The
liability of members in the event of winding up is limited
to £1 per member.
Remuneration Policy
Staff are remunerated in accordance with the policy
agreed by the Trustees, which is reviewed annually.
This enables delegation to the Chief Executive of salary
bands and any increases excepting the Chief Executive’s
own salary, which is reviewed annually by Trustees in
accordance with the same policy as for other staff.
Principal risks and uncertainties
The Trust is a small organisation with clear aims, a
simple structure and short chains of command. Systems
for assessing and insuring against all risks to the Trust
are in place, as are policies to ensure that the Trust
complies fully with Health and Safety legislation
according to the country or devolved government
within which it operates. Accounting and budgetary
systems are overseen by the Chief Executive who
regularly reports to the Trustees. When necessary, legal
and other professional advice is sought by the Trust.
24 Vincent Wildlife Trust Annual Report and Financial Statements 2024
