THE FOREST OF MARSTON VALE TRUST

1. THE FOREST OF MARSTON VALE TRUST 2014-06-13 → present
2. THE MARSTON VALE TRUST 1997-11-07 → 2014-06-13

Values shown as filed in the company's annual accounts. — indicates the figure wasn't present under that line item in that period. About these numbers

Margins divide P&L lines by turnover. Gearing is liabilities over total assets. Current ratio is current assets over creditors falling due within one year. Interest cover is operating profit over absolute finance costs. Sector-distribution context coming next.

Accounting basis

FRS 102

Reporting scope

Consolidated group

Auditor

Hillier Hopkins LLP

Audit opinion

Unqualified (clean)

Going concern

Affirmed

“After making appropriate enquiries, the Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the Company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. For this reason, they continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements.”

Group structure

1. THE FOREST OF MARSTON VALE TRUST · parent
   1. Marston Vale Services trading as The Forest Centre Limited 100% · Commercial operation of the visitor centre and conference centre
   2. Marston Vale Farms Limited 100% · Managing land to raise funds for its parent company

Significant events

• “In March 2025, following a fresh consultation process, Trustees approved a new draft Forest Plan (2025) which has been shared with key stakeholders for their feedback and, subject to any final edits, endorsement. It's expected that the new Plan will be published and formally launched in late 2025 or early 2026.”
• “The financial year ending 31 March 2025 marks the tenth year of the Trust working to this Forest Delivery Strategy.”
• “Research has shown that the 1,256 hectares of new woodland planted between 1995 and 2024 is already providing benefits worth £30.73m every year, that's an annual benefit of £24,467 per hectare. Overall, every £1 invested in creating the Forest to date, has generated an estimated £18 of social, economic and environmental benefits.”
• “During the winter of 2024/25, the Trust's activities resulted in the planting of 122,873 trees and shrubs, creating 110 hectares of woodland habitat and providing 5.1km of new public access. Additionally, over 8.5km of new hedgerow were delivered.”
• “This fifth year of the programme saw the delivery of 31 schemes totalling 110 hectares, in part made possible by the opportunity for the Trust to deliver planting outside its designated boundary as part of Trees for Climate.”
• “In July 2024, the Forest Centre & Millennium Country Park was awarded its 18th consecutive Green Flag award.”
• “Resurfacing and associated drainage improvement works were delivered at two community woodlands to address the impact of the unusually high levels of rainfall the previous winter. In total, 2,700m of access paths at Rectory Wood and Conquest Wood were improved.”
• “The refurbishment of the Sensory Wildlife Garden at the Millennium Country Park resumed, having been paused due to the discovery of significant numbers of great crested newts (a European protected species). Now largely complete, the project includes upgraded paths, a new bog garden, improved raised beds, new planting and tactile boards.”
• “During the 2024/25 season a total of 1,250 people were directly engaged in the Trust's tree planting activities.”
• “Managing nearly 7,000 hours of volunteer support across a range of activities and delivering regular volunteers' meetings and social events.”
• “Supported visits to the Millennium Country Park were popular, with just over 1,000 students taking part in 20 Ranger-led visits and enjoying activities like bug hunting, map making, pond dipping and woodland games.”
• “Corporate support continued to grow, delivering restricted and unrestricted fundraising income, with three new Corporate Friends pledging their support and taking the total number to 34.”
• “The Trust's corporate partnership with Midas Pattern Company Limited, an exemplar carbon net zero manufacturing business, continued to flourish and bring benefits beyond the financial with an introduction to the Green Earth Café.”
• “The start of 2025 saw the Trust fulfil a long-held ambition to encourage and develop new talent by offering a Forestry Traineeship. This new endeavour, funded by The Nature Recovery Project, offers individuals a year of paid practical experience, including formal training and industry placements as a potential route into forestry, woodland management and conservation.”
• “As part of demonstrating the Trust's commitment to sustainable forest management, it continued to develop its firewood enterprise, selling 8 bulk bags and over 1,000 nets of locally sourced, sustainably produced (hardwood) firewood.”
• “The Millennium Country Park and the Grange Estate hosted a number of running events, which collectively involved nearly 1,800 participants. In addition, the regular weekly Millennium Country parkrun continues to be popular, with this free and inclusive community event attracting around 9,750 finishers during the year.”
• “The Forest Centre team continued to explore enhancements to the visitor experience at the Forest Centre, with changes to menus and the broader offer. The transformed mezzanine and café as whole were well used, including by an increasing number of people seeking a space to work from or meet professionally.”
• “Wheels Free Cycles returned for a second year to deliver a cycle hire offer through spring and summer at weekends and during school holidays. The offer includes a range of adapted bikes, already owned by the Trust, which allow even more people to visit and benefit from time spent outdoors.”
• “Building on the success of 2023, the Christmas Fair returned for a second year to offer two days of free entertainment alongside activities, food and drink and stalls selling a wide range of products.”

Auditor, going-concern and subsidiary information is drawn from the narrative of the latest annual accounts. About these numbers

Filings

3

last 12 months

Capital events

0

last 24 months

Officers appointed

0

last 12 months

Officers resigned

0

last 12 months

Direct counts from the register. No score, no rating — see the Filing timeline for the underlying events.

• Turnover

  +3.2%

  £1,016,504 → £1,048,614

• Cash

  +170%

  £1,582,505 → £4,272,401

• Net assets

  +2.2%

  £17,994,224 → £18,383,145

• Employees

  +10.2%

  59 → 65

• Wages

  +13.7%

  £866,297 → £985,235

Each % is (latest − prior) ÷ |prior| for the line item as filed. The comparison is only shown when the latest and prior accounts cover broadly equal-length periods — short or long stubs (typical around incorporation or a year-end change) are suppressed rather than misrepresented. Lines a company doesn't report are omitted. About these numbers