Our Finances

The charity was set up to raise funds to secure Long Meadow and Croft Close Nature Reserve (CCNR) - collectively Abbey Fields - for the Histon and Impington community as places where the community could enjoy the natural world.

Over £ 0.5 million was raised in this appeal, sufficient to secure both sites and to provide funds for their future care.

With this achieved in 2023, the charity now aims to raise sufficient funds each year to cover its operating expenditure.

Details can be found in our Accounts here.

Where possible grants are sought to cover “projects”, which may involve capital expenditure, community focused events or a combination of both.

Most of our income in the past two years has come from the Histon & Impington community, with the vast majority being donated by individuals.

The income chart shows HIGS’ main sources of income during 2024 and 2025.

(In addition, HIGS received a grant from Thalia WB Community Fund covering all costs in connection with the artwork at the entrance to CCNR.)

The expenditure chart below summarises how HIGS funds were spent in the same two-year period (again excluding transactions relating to the artwork.)

Around 70% of expenditure relates to maintaining and enhancing Long Meadow and CCNR. This includes two substantial sums which are not part of year-on-year operations: creating the new entrance at Long Meadow and cutting back the Park Lane hedge to manageable size. (These were both paid for by a Postcode Places Trust grant, received in 2023.) Excluding these, the breakdown of the average £ 9 200 annual expenditure is:

  • Site management & improvement - 63%

  • Communications - 15%

  • Education & learning opportunities - 8%

  • Governance & admin - 8%

  • Fundraising excluding merchandise - 4%

  • Research - monitoring - advice - 1%

It is important to note no significant tree surgery was needed in these two years. When required this can be significant.

The expenditure includes several significant establishment costs, namely insurance (included under Governance and admin) and the IT costs of managing our supporter records and administration together with our supporter communications (all included in “Communications”).