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Registered Charity No.1071200
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www.benthampetrescue.org.uk Email: admin@benthampetrescue.org.uk
ANNUAL REPORT FOR YEAR 2020-2021
Bentham and District Pet Rescue – April 2021
1
| Registered Charity No.1071200 | Trustees' Annual Report for the period | Trustees' Annual Report for the period | Trustees' Annual Report for the period | Trustees' Annual Report for the period | Trustees' Annual Report for the period | Trustees' Annual Report for the period | Trustees' Annual Report for the period | Trustees' Annual Report for the period | Trustees' Annual Report for the period | Trustees' Annual Report for the period |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| From | Period start date | To | Period end date | |||||||
| Day01 | Month02 | Year2020 | Day31 | Month01 | Year2021 | |||||
| Section A | Reference and administration details | |||||||||
| Charity name Other names charity is known by Registered charity number (if any) Charity's principal address |
||||||||||
| Bentham and District Pet Rescue | ||||||||||
| Bentham Pet Rescue | ||||||||||
| 1071200 | ||||||||||
Far Sunnybank Laithe |
||||||||||
| Mewith, High Bentham | ||||||||||
| North Yorkshire | ||||||||||
| Postcode | LA2 7AX |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year | Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee(if any) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rob Bullock | Chairman | To 26 October 2020 | Appointed by members at AGM | |
| Sue Arnott | Secretary / Treasurer | Change of office: 16 March 2020 |
Appointed by members at AGM | |
| Jill Craig | Secretary | From 16 March 2020 | Appointed by members at AGM | |
| Sally Dewhirst | Treasurer | To 16 March 2020 | ||
| Val Marshall | Honorary President | Ceased to act as trustee on 16 March 2020 but retained honorary position |
||
| June Parrington | To 16 March 2020 | |||
| Kristen Bullock | To 22 June 2020 | Appointed by members at AGM | ||
| Elaine Sargeson | To 26 October 2020 | Appointed by members at AGM | ||
| Phillip Ware | Interim Chairman | From 16 March 2020; office held from 30 November 2020 |
Appointed by members at AGM | |
| Joanne Hall | From 16 March 2020 | Appointed by members at AGM | ||
| Martyn Radcliffe | From 22 June 2020 to 30 November 2020 |
Co-opted by trustees |
Names and addresses of advisers
| Names and addresses of advisers | Names and addresses of advisers | Names and addresses of advisers |
|---|---|---|
| Type of adviser Name Address |
||
| Accounts | J S Andrews & Co | 22 Dalesview Close, Clapham, North Yorkshire, LA2 8RP |
Bentham and District Pet Rescue – April 2021
2
Section B Structure, governance and management
Description of the charity’s trusts
Constitution dated 6 July 1998 updated at AGM 16 March 2020 Type of governing document
- (eg. trust deed, constitution)
How the charity is constituted
Unincorporated Association
- (eg. trust, association, company)
Trustee selection methods
(eg. appointed by, elected by)
Election by Members at Annual General Meeting / Co-option by members of the Executive Committee
Section C Objectives and activities
The Charity's objects are:
Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document
(1) To relieve the suffering of cats, dogs and other pet animals in Bentham and district who are in need of care and attention, in particular by facilitating the care and re-homing of such animals.
(2) The relief of pensioners who are unable to afford kennel costs or veterinary bills for their pets.
Section D Report on performance
An introduction
Bentham and District Pet Rescue (the Charity) was founded in 1997 by Val Marshall. Our work extends throughout the north west Craven district of North Yorkshire and touches areas of north Lancashire and south Cumbria, extending as far east as Hellifield and west to Kirkby Lonsdale. Whilst most of our volunteers were initially from the Bentham area, our main volunteer base now includes people in Burton in Lonsdale, Settle, Skipton, Hellifield, Clapham and Bentham, Hornby and Kirkby Lonsdale.
Like other animal rescue organisations in the surrounding districts, Bentham Pet Rescue has relied on volunteers for helping at its two cat sanctuaries in the Bentham area, for responding to calls from members of the community about lost or abandoned animals and for helping to manage colonies of feral and farm cats through neutering programmes.
We also operate a support scheme to assist pensioners in need of financial help for veterinary treatment for their pets.
Since its beginnings, the Charity has always relied on donations from supporters and on volunteers who run fund-raising events throughout the year, the operation of the organisation being totally dependent on the money raised.
Our activities during the year
Along with so many charities, the national restrictions imposed by government in response to the Covid-19 pandemic this year have had a significant impact on our ability to raise funds through our usual activities. We held just one coffee morning in Hellifield in February before abandoning our plans for more during the year. Even our ability to sell Christmas cards was affected since we rely heavily on local events for the opportunity to make sales.
Bentham and District Pet Rescue – April 2021
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Not only has this affected our ability to fund-raise in this way, but it has meant that so many of our volunteers have been unable to meet up to share ideas and our social events, particularly around Christmas time, were sadly missed. However, we took the opportunity to revive our newsletter, ‘ Pawprint’ , which was circulated just before Christmas.
Despite our limited expertise in the communications field, we have nevertheless developed our presence on Facebook through the efforts of our sanctuary manager, Louise Pauley, who kept followers in touch with cats in our care, lost and found pets in the area and organised fund-raising efforts (such as ‘Coins for Kitties’ and a ‘Doggie Raffle’. Also, through our website, we have promoted indirect fund-raising schemes such as Easyfundraising, Amazon Smile and Amazon Wishlist and are in the process of setting up a Just-Giving page.
We held our AGM on 16 March 2020 at the New Inn in Clapham, just before the first national lockdown. At this event we awarded our ‘Volunteer of the Year Award’ posthumously to Peter Marshall who sadly died in 2019. Peter was formerly treasurer of the Charity although he was best known as the creator of the Bentham Pet Rescue Annual Quiz. This sheet sold for £1 but sold in the hundreds and, for 21 years, provided a reliable source of income. The award was presented to his widow, our founder Val Marshall, as a mark of our appreciation for all Peter’s work for the Charity.
Our achievements
The Covid-19 restrictions led to us intermittently pausing our rescue activities and then re-commencing, operating within government guidelines to ensuring our volunteers were kept safe. Even with these limitations, we have re-homed a total of 60 during the last 12 months.
This is the last year we will be operating from two centres, in Newby near Clapham and in Burton in Lonsdale. Our longstanding volunteer, Pat Roberts, gave notice of her intention to retire from 24/7 cat care and has been gradually winding down the number of cats she has taken in at Burton in Lonsdale with a view to finishing in April 2021. This has put additional pressure on Louise at our other sanctuary but has caused us to pay particular attention to repairs and improvements to our facilities in Newby.
We have also helped two stray cats to be taken in by two local people who contacted us, concerned about their welfare, and we have assisted in neutering 6 farm/feral cats.
We have supported 5 ‘pensioners’ with vet bills for their pets.
On the administrative side we have taken steps to set out our policies and practices on a number of matters. These have included:
-
a policy and practice statement on Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV); this addresses our approach to the testing of cats that come into our care whilst maintaining our fundamental principle that we will never put to sleep a healthy cat.
-
A policy and practice statement in relation to Adoption of cats that come into our care, together with a formal adoption enquiry form to enable us to match cats with suitable prospective homes.
-
A policy and practice statement in relation to Fostering , setting out the particular circumstances in which we will consider settling a cat in a foster home, either as a temporary or permanent solution.
-
A policy and practice statement to set out our approach to the second of our charitable aims – the support we can offer to ‘pensioners’ in certain circumstances to help with the cost of veterinary treatment or temporary accommodation for a pet.
We anticipate that other policy statements will be agreed during the forthcoming year.
Our trustees
The inability to meet in person has affected our trustee meetings and limited the working of our team. At the AGM on the 16 March 2020, we welcomed three new trustees (Joanne Hall, Jill Craig and Phillip Ware) as we said goodbye to three long-standing and much valued trustees: June Parrington, Sally Dewhirst and Val Marshall. Later in the year we saw more changes in our management with three other trustees standing down, all of whom had given service to the Charity for
Bentham and District Pet Rescue – April 2021
4
many years as volunteers and as trustees: Kristen Bullock, Rob Bullock and Elaine Sargeson. Whilst we were delighted to welcome on board a new trustee, Martyn Radcliffe, to provide new focus to our external communications, ill-health and personal circumstances caused Martyn to stand down at the end of the year.
In total 9 meetings were held during the year, 7 of those held virtually via Zoom.
All trustees gave of their time freely and no remuneration or expenses were paid to trustees during the year. Payments made to trustees as reimbursements for costs incurred by the Charity have been declared.
Public benefit
As required, the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit.
Our finances
Despite the lockdown, our work carried on throughout the year so that our regular expenses continued as usual. The cats still needed food and litter and (once veterinary practices re-opened) medical checks and treatment. Together with our sanctuary running costs and insurances, these represent our main outgoings. Whilst food and litter costs have risen, vet bills are slightly lower, mostly due to the period in early spring during which routine appointments (such as for neutering and vaccinations) were not possible.
Whilst income from local events saw a catastrophic decrease this year, our finances were saved through the efforts of a new volunteer with expertise in sourcing grants from various charitable funds and foundations. Her applications led to grants from 7 different sources, many for substantial sums and most provided for specific purposes (in particular for vet bills, pet food and for neutering). During this global pandemic and its economic consequences, these grants have been a lifeline for our charity.
We also benefited from two unsolicited major donations from charitable foundations in addition to funeral collections and donations from individuals – large and small. We continue to have monthly support from several individuals through our ‘Sponsor a Pen’ scheme and others make regular contributions, including through our Paypal account.
This year we re-evaluated the suggested donation invited when cats are adopted from us and fixed this at £65. By making clear our policy, negotiating free insurance through Agria for all adopted cats and updating our paperwork, we have improved the process from an administrative viewpoint so that despite the effects of the national restrictions, our income from adoption donations has remained stable.
Due to the Covid-19 restrictions, the physical transfer of the Charity’s accounts to the new treasurer was delayed several months due to the prohibition on meeting indoors and it was not until September that the switch was made.
During the year, we took a decision to cease the operation of a scheme that had operated in the past whereby some volunteers’ pets’ veterinary treatment was processed through the Charity’s account and a donation was made to cover the cost. It had been thought this had ended some years ago but in any event the trustees were concerned about the lack of transparency and stopped the practice.
At the start of this year, our pet food and litter orders were being paid for by one of our trustees with a personal credit card and the relevant sums were then reimbursed. We had long recognised that this was an unsatisfactory situation and this year finally managed to switch to payments made direct from the Charity’s funds.
Financial policy
The Charity aims to hold sufficient reserves to cover operating costs for two years in case fund-raising efforts should fail.
Bentham and District Pet Rescue – April 2021
5
The year ahead
This year we began a process that we hoped would enable us to work towards a transition from a ‘back-yard’ organisation to a purpose built rescue centre. There is no doubt that our ability to work together on this has been hampered by the Covid-19 restrictions, and we have had many virtual discussions around our strategy for the future. At the end of this financial year, this is still on ongoing challenge that we have not yet resolved but are firmly committed to. We recognise that our first priority at this time is to recruit new trustees with relevant expertise to take us forward on that journey and to re-kindle our base of active volunteers and supporters.
These are challenging times but we have survived the last year intact, having maintained our rescue work and now can look ahead to the next year from a reasonably stable financial position.
Section E Declaration
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
| Signature(s) Full name(s) Position Date |
Phillip Ware | Sue Arnott |
|---|---|---|
| Phillip Ware | Sue Arnott | |
| Chairman | Treasurer | |
| 26/04/21 | ||
| 26/04/21 |
Bentham and District Pet Rescue – April 2021
6
| Bentham &DistrictPet Rescue | |
|---|---|
| Contents | |
| Page | |
| lndependent Examiner'sReport totheTrustees | 1-2 |
| Accountants'Report totheTrustees | 3-4 |
| Declarationfrom theTrustees to the Accountants | 5-6 |
| Statement of Financial,Aciivities | 7-B |
| Balance Sheet | I |
| Notesto the Statementof Accounts | 1A-12 |
| Note | 2421 | 2A2A | 2A2A | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| f | ||||
| Unrestrictedfunds-income | 1and3 | |||
| Donations andgrants | ||||
| Animaladoptions | 3,895 | ?nnE | ||
| Veterinary | 2,228 | 2,$71 | ||
| Catpens | 765 | 870 | ||
| Giftaid | 2,091 | |||
| Miscellaneous | 12,352 | 5,328 | ||
| Coffeemornings | 45 | 2,9A4 | ||
| Quizzes andraffles | AO $U |
i.oJo | ||
| Calendars and cards | 391 | 1,2g4 | ||
| Miscellaneous sales | 73 | 149 | ||
| Donatedprofessionalservices | 850 | 500 | ||
| lnsurance commission | 64 | 52 | ||
| lnterest | 141 | 451 | ||
| Transfer fromrestrictedfunds | 3,50C | |||
| 20,852 | 24,451 | |||
| l.Jnrestrictedfunds-expenditure | 1and3 | |||
| Veterinary | 2,442 | 14,941 | ||
| Housing | 2,568 | 2n7A | ||
| Food andlitter | 2,436 | 2,850 | ||
| Miscellaneousfundraising | 391 | 1,031 | ||
| Electricity Repairs, renewals and miscellaneous equipment |
329 344 |
4-70 | ||
| Trarrelling Telecommun!cations |
649 at} |
842 VLJ |
||
| Postage and stationery | 5B | A-7 | ||
| Accountancy fee(waived) | 675 | |||
| lndependent exarniner'sfee(waived) | 175 | -500 | ||
| Legal fee | 399 | |||
| Insurance | 799 | 823 | ||
| Transaciioncharges | 147 | |||
| Conference{ee | ||||
| Meetings Donations |
_225 | 114 nrri |
||
| Gifts | 75 | Pq | ||
| Depreciationofequipment | 1,344 | A?O | ||
| 13.641 | 25,2A5 | |||
| Unrestrictedfunds-netsurplurs{deficiti | i,zt l |
( | 754) |
|
| Continued |
| Note | 2421 | 2024 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| t | ||||
| LJnrestrictedfunds-surnmary | ||||
| Brought forward Net surplus (deficit) |
64,883 I,/t t |
65,637 ( 754) |
||
| Carried forward | 72,A94 | 64,883 | ||
| Restrictedfunds-income | 1and4 | |||
| DonationsanrJgrants | 13,630 | 3,500 | ||
| Restrictedfunds-expenditure | 1and4 | |||
| Veterinary | 8,172 | |||
| Food andlitter | ||||
| Transfertounrestricted funds | *600 | 3,500 | ||
| 4-7-?a | 3.500 | |||
| Restrictedfunds- netsurplus | 4,858 | |||
| Restrictedfunds-summary | ||||
| Broughtforuvard | ||||
| Net surplus | +,asa | |||
| Carried forward | 4,858 |
| Bentham &DistrictPet R | escue | escue | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balance Sheet | at 3'!January2421 | |||||
| Note | 2A21 | 2024 | ||||
| Fixed assets | ||||||
| Equipment | 4I | and2 | 6,579 | 6,343 | ||
| Currentassets | 1 | |||||
| Debtors | 514 | 421 | ||||
| Prepayments | 10 | 29 | ||||
| Paypal account Buildingsociety account |
5,289 q170) |
55,195 | ||||
| Bank account | 7,300 | 3,737 | ||||
| Cash | 316 | 1146 | ||||
| 71,221 | 60,528 | |||||
| Creditors | 1 | |||||
| Amountsfailingduewiihin | oneyear: | |||||
| Creditors | 721 | 1,923 | ||||
| ,Accruais | 127 | 65 | ||||
| 848 | 1,988 | |||||
| Netcurrentasaets | 74,373 | 58,540 | ||||
| Total netassets | 76,952 | 64,883 | ||||
| Capital andresenves | ||||||
| Unrestricted funds | 72,494 | 64.883 | ||||
| Restricted funds | 4 | AdEA | ||||
| 76,952 | 64,883 |
| quiprr*ent | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2A21 | 2024 | |
| tt | ||
| Cost: | ||
| Broughi farward Acquisitions |
6,972 1,580 |
6,972 |
| Carriedforurard | 8,552 | 6,972 |
| Depreciation: | ||
| Broughtforward Provision |
629 1,344 |
629 |
| Carried forward | 1,973 | 629 |
| Writtendown value: | ||
| Carriedfonrvard | 6,579 | A,,lSt |
| Continued |
| Bentham &DistrictPet Rescue | |
|---|---|
| Contents | |
| Page | |
| lndependent Examiner'sReport totheTrustees | 1-2 |
| Accountants'Report totheTrustees | 3-4 |
| Declarationfrom theTrustees to the Accountants | 5-6 |
| Statement of Financial,Aciivities | 7-B |
| Balance Sheet | I |
| Notesto the Statementof Accounts | 1A-12 |
| Note | 2421 | 2A2A | 2A2A | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| f | ||||
| Unrestrictedfunds-income | 1and3 | |||
| Donations andgrants | ||||
| Animaladoptions | 3,895 | ?nnE | ||
| Veterinary | 2,228 | 2,$71 | ||
| Catpens | 765 | 870 | ||
| Giftaid | 2,091 | |||
| Miscellaneous | 12,352 | 5,328 | ||
| Coffeemornings | 45 | 2,9A4 | ||
| Quizzes andraffles | AO $U |
i.oJo | ||
| Calendars and cards | 391 | 1,2g4 | ||
| Miscellaneous sales | 73 | 149 | ||
| Donatedprofessionalservices | 850 | 500 | ||
| lnsurance commission | 64 | 52 | ||
| lnterest | 141 | 451 | ||
| Transfer fromrestrictedfunds | 3,50C | |||
| 20,852 | 24,451 | |||
| l.Jnrestrictedfunds-expenditure | 1and3 | |||
| Veterinary | 2,442 | 14,941 | ||
| Housing | 2,568 | 2n7A | ||
| Food andlitter | 2,436 | 2,850 | ||
| Miscellaneousfundraising | 391 | 1,031 | ||
| Electricity Repairs, renewals and miscellaneous equipment |
329 344 |
4-70 | ||
| Trarrelling Telecommun!cations |
649 at} |
842 VLJ |
||
| Postage and stationery | 5B | A-7 | ||
| Accountancy fee(waived) | 675 | |||
| lndependent exarniner'sfee(waived) | 175 | -500 | ||
| Legal fee | 399 | |||
| Insurance | 799 | 823 | ||
| Transaciioncharges | 147 | |||
| Conference{ee | ||||
| Meetings Donations |
_225 | 114 nrri |
||
| Gifts | 75 | Pq | ||
| Depreciationofequipment | 1,344 | A?O | ||
| 13.641 | 25,2A5 | |||
| Unrestrictedfunds-netsurplurs{deficiti | i,zt l |
( | 754) |
|
| Continued |
| Note | 2421 | 2024 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| t | ||||
| LJnrestrictedfunds-surnmary | ||||
| Brought forward Net surplus (deficit) |
64,883 I,/t t |
65,637 ( 754) |
||
| Carried forward | 72,A94 | 64,883 | ||
| Restrictedfunds-income | 1and4 | |||
| DonationsanrJgrants | 13,630 | 3,500 | ||
| Restrictedfunds-expenditure | 1and4 | |||
| Veterinary | 8,172 | |||
| Food andlitter | ||||
| Transfertounrestricted funds | *600 | 3,500 | ||
| 4-7-?a | 3.500 | |||
| Restrictedfunds- netsurplus | 4,858 | |||
| Restrictedfunds-summary | ||||
| Broughtforuvard | ||||
| Net surplus | +,asa | |||
| Carried forward | 4,858 |
| Bentham &DistrictPet R | escue | escue | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balance Sheet | at 3'!January2421 | |||||
| Note | 2A21 | 2024 | ||||
| Fixed assets | ||||||
| Equipment | 4I | and2 | 6,579 | 6,343 | ||
| Currentassets | 1 | |||||
| Debtors | 514 | 421 | ||||
| Prepayments | 10 | 29 | ||||
| Paypal account Buildingsociety account |
5,289 q170) |
55,195 | ||||
| Bank account | 7,300 | 3,737 | ||||
| Cash | 316 | 1146 | ||||
| 71,221 | 60,528 | |||||
| Creditors | 1 | |||||
| Amountsfailingduewiihin | oneyear: | |||||
| Creditors | 721 | 1,923 | ||||
| ,Accruais | 127 | 65 | ||||
| 848 | 1,988 | |||||
| Netcurrentasaets | 74,373 | 58,540 | ||||
| Total netassets | 76,952 | 64,883 | ||||
| Capital andresenves | ||||||
| Unrestricted funds | 72,494 | 64.883 | ||||
| Restricted funds | 4 | AdEA | ||||
| 76,952 | 64,883 |
| quiprr*ent | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2A21 | 2024 | |
| tt | ||
| Cost: | ||
| Broughi farward Acquisitions |
6,972 1,580 |
6,972 |
| Carriedforurard | 8,552 | 6,972 |
| Depreciation: | ||
| Broughtforward Provision |
629 1,344 |
629 |
| Carried forward | 1,973 | 629 |
| Writtendown value: | ||
| Carriedfonrvard | 6,579 | A,,lSt |
| Continued |