ASWA 2024 Annual Report
ASWA’s main mission of raising awareness of animal welfare issues has continued to be the primary focus for 2024. ASWA also tries to encourage Anglican churches and Church of England Christians to extend their circle of compassion to include all animals. However, we are also aware that the continuing economic crisis has adversely affected many people but also many animal charities.
In 2024, subscription income remained consistent with 2023 increasing by just £40 to £5,466 and donation income also rose by just over £1,300 to £6,237 in 2024. Income from sales of leaflets and cards was around the same as in 2023 at £668. None of these figures were back to 2022 values but all are moving in the right direction. ASWA received bequests worth £1,154 in 2024 and very much appreciate supporters who leave us a gift in their will. We also claimed back Gift Aid in 2024 which increased our funds by £777, and were able to earn over £1,600 in bank interest.
A higher return was earned on ASWA’s investments in 2024 than in 2023 with dividends and gains on sales of investments earning almost £14,500, just over £2,100 more this year than in the previous year. Due to a change in accounting policy in 2021 unrealised gains and losses on investments are now shown in the Income and Expenditure account. This means that investments are now held at market value not cost as at 31 December 2024. This gives rise to an unrealised gain of £23,259 for the year and an unrealised gain of £63,689 since the change of policy. The wars in Ukraine and around the globe have undoubtedly had a negative effect on the value of the portfolio although this is recovering slowly now.
2024’s total expenditure was £7,242 higher than it was in 2023 but with many categories still being comparable between the two years. This year we spent £1,243 on purchasing new stocks to sell, including Christmas Cards and booklets. ASWA’s advertising costs have also increased in 2024 to £3,615, as we try to spread the word about our charity, encouraging new members and more donations and bequests. We were able to donate £1,250 to the Prisons Project again in 2024, after a pause during Covid, encouraging inmates to care about their environment and the animals in it. Our miscellaneous animal expenses were down £2,100 from last year to just over £2,000 in 2024 and were greatly reduced from many previous years. In 2024 we were able to donate just over £8,100, up by nearly £1,400 from 2023, to help other animal charities, many of which were struggling due to rising costs of living and who were finding it difficult to continue to run their shelters. ASWA donated to those helping animals made homeless by the floods in Spain and those animals caught up in the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. We also donated £1,000 to a charity in Lebanon who are rescuing pets left behind as their owners flee their homes and a shelter rescuing donkeys in the Holy Land which needed help with its flood defences. Closer to home we donated over £1,500 to British based animal sanctuaries which are struggling with increasing prices and higher numbers of rescued animals. In May this year we helped a small charity based in Kabul, Afghanistan to fly 300 dogs and cats to their forever homes in the USA. We also supported the wonderful charity Nowzad, with whom we have had a long collaboration and a member of whom spoke at our Remembrance Service.
In 2024, excluding the unrealised gain, income was up by £5,300 over 2023 and including the unrealised gain on investments which was slightly lower than in 2023, was up by £4,100. With total expenditure being £7,242 higher than that in 2023, ASWA made a surplus of £9,724 in 2024, down £3,142 from that made in 2023.
Our AGM was held via Zoom once again. We have come to the conclusion that the AGM is attended by more of our supporters if we hold it online because as they are so spread out over the country it is impossible to find a location accessible to all. This year, we took the decision not to have a guest speaker because of the small number of people who attend our AGM.
Animalwatch continues to be published and sent to our members three times a year. The magazine continues to be very popular with our supporters and we must thank our excellent Editor and contributors.
Our Annual Service on Animal Welfare Sunday was held on 6th October at Bridlington Priory in Yorkshire. Five ASWA Trustees attended, and we were offered the opportunity to have a stand at the back of Church displaying our literature etc. The Priory is one of our Animal Friendly Churches and they made us very welcome. The Rector – Revd Neil Bower preached. The service included a Blessing of animals. It is always a great opportunity to be able to take the ASWA message to a new congregation each year.
Our service at the Animals War Memorial on Remembrance Sunday was held on the afternoon of Sunday 10[th] November. Our guest speaker was David Hill from Nowzad. A large crowd gathered, including representatives from the Northern Ireland Dog Unit, a Chelsea Pensioner and many attendees laid wreaths.
The ASWA Animal Friendly Church awards went ahead in 2024 and the joint winners were St Stephens, South Shields and St Andrews, Trowse. Both churches received a hamper of cruelty free goodies and a brass plaque to display. We continue to receive a good number of entries which is positive.
Two of our Committee members took the ASWA stall to the Ealing animal fair where new contacts were made with other animal welfare charities. These events are useful for raising awareness of our charity.
Overall ASWA has continued to carry out valuable work in raising awareness of animal welfare issues within the Church. We are not the only Christian animal welfare charity but we are unique as we operate at a ‘grass roots’ level encouraging local churches to become involved and also holding events for Christians who love animals to attend. We are continually grateful to our loyal members for their wonderful support.
The Anglican Society for the Welfare of Animals 1087270
Accounts
31 December 2024
The Anglican Society for the Welfare of Animals
Reference and Administration Information
Registered Charity Number 1087270 Trustees Revd Dr Helen Hall Revd Samantha Chandler Chris Brown Revd Jennifer Brown Phillip Petchey Janet Murphy Revd Lynn Hurry Revd Olivia Maxfield Coote Principal Office PO Box 7193, Hook, Hampshire, RG27 8GT Secretary Rev Samantha Chandler Bankers Lloyds Bank PLC Independent Examiner MJ Willan FCA Accountant Helen Hellier Investment Advisors Quilter Cheviot
The Anglican Society for the Welfare of Animals 1087270
Approval statement
I approve the accounts which comprise of the Income and Expenditure account and Balance Sheet. I acknowledge my responsibility for the accounts and for providing all of the information and explanations necessary for their compilation.
…………………………………….. CA Brown Chris Brown – Treasurer
The Anglican Society for the Welfare of Animals 1087270
Income and Expenditure Account for the year ended 31 December 2024
| Income Subscriptions Donations Sale of Leaflets and Cards Bequests Gift Aid Bank Interest Dividends Gain on Sale of Investments Unrealised Gain/(Loss) on Investments Expenditure Postage Printing Website Stationery Goods for Resale, Including Christmas Cards Advertising Animal Welfare Sunday Costs Remembrance of Animals in War Animal Watch Costs Animal Friendly Church Annual Service Costs Prison Project Bank Charges, PayPal and Stripe Costs Investment Management Fees Interest Paid on Purchase of Investments Consultancy Professional Fees Subscriptions Travel and Hotels Donations to Other Charities Insurance Costs Animal Expenses Surplus/(Deficit) of Income over Expenditure |
|
|---|---|
The Anglican Society for the Welfare of Animals 1087270
Statements of Assets and Liabilities as at 31 December 2024
Fixed Assets Investments at market value Current Assets Trade debtors Bank current account Bank deposit account PayPal account Quilter Income account Quilter Capital account Other Bank Accounts Current Liabilities Loans and overdrawn bank accounts Short term creditors Capital Account Accumulated surplus Surplus/(Deficit) for the year |
0 10,830 61,958 294 0 12,686 5,000 |
2024 £ 452,119 82,486 534,605 524,881 9,724 534,605 |
0 35,242 61,229 0 4,836 11,362 5,000 |
2023 £ 413,486 111,395 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90,768 | 117,669 | |||
| 0 8,282 |
0 6,274 |
|||
| 8,282 | 6,274 | |||
| 524,881 | ||||
| 512,015 12.866 |
||||
| 524,881 |
Investments are shown at market value of £452,119 with a book cost of £388,430 which gives rise to an unrealised gain of £23,259 as at 31 December 2024 and an unrealised gain to date of £63,689.
The Anglican Society for the Welfare of Animals 1087270
Independent Examiner’s Report on the unaudited accounts of the Anglican Society for the Welfare of Animals
I report on the accounts of the Anglican Society for the Welfare of Animals for the year ended 31 December 2024, which are set out on the attached page.
Respective Responsibilities of trustees and examiner
The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
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examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act;
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follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act; and
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state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of independent examiner’s report
My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the account presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the account present a ‘true and fair view’ and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
The Anglxcan Society for the Welfare of Animals 1087270 Independent examiner's statement In connection with my examination, no matter h&8 corne to tny attention: (l) which gives mc re&sonablc cause to b¢lieve that in any material respect the requirements: to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act. to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act have not been met. or (2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be thawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Michael Willan - Independent Examiner Frost & Willan Accounting Ltd The Old Post Office Hartley Wintney RG27 8NZ 141£ 2ozC