Trustees’ annual report for the period 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024
Hectors Gate Animal Charity
Registered Charity No. 1105874
208 Heath Road Orsett Grays Essex RM16 3AP
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
Elaine Frances Wood Founder John Clive Boocock Heather Louise Leeman
The above trustees served throughout the year.
Names and addresses of advisors
Bank
Santander Business Banking Operations, Sunderland, SR43 4FW Veterinary Services - Equine
House and Jackson, Rookery Road, Ingatestone, Essex CM4 0LE Veterinary Services - Small animals
Riverside Veterinary Group, 23 Southend Road, Grays, Essex RM17 5NH Medivet Corringham, 31 Springhouse Road, Corringham, Essex SS17 7QS Mobile Farrier
Carl Butler Ltd. DIP WDF 17 Hill Lane, Hockley, Essex 4HL
Structure, governance and management
The charity is an Unincorporated association and the trustees are appointed or reappointed annually at the Annual General Meeting held in September. The sanctuary was originally set up in 1998 and received Charity Commission status in 2004.
Objectives
The charity is a non profit making organisation that aims to relieve suffering and neglect of abandoned and abused animals whilst providing a life time sanctuary and end of life care. A wide range of animals are cared for including horses, ponies, cats, dogs, poultry, rabbits and ferrets.
Main Activities
The charity has a Facebook Group page with around 1.1k members who mainly reside in the Thurrock area. The aim is to promote animal husbandry, care and dietary requirements relating to a variety of health and medical needs. The progress of individual animals that come into our care are regularly featured.
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We are extremely grateful to our onsite volunteers who assist with the care and feeding of our animals along with the general maintenance and upkeep of shelters and fencing.
We are also very thankful for our bespoke offsite fund raising volunteers who organise boot sales, run raffles and source items suitable to be sold on behalf of the charity.
None of our volunteers receive any remuneration or expenses for the work they do.
Achievements and events during the year.
Funding is always very tight but some higher than normal veterinary expenses were incurred in the year due to much loved horses and a sheep reaching the end of their lives. The additional expenses were compensated by a £10,000 legacy.
Each year we adopt between 20 and 30 commercial farm hens which have reached the end of their productive laying years which would otherwise be euthanised and passed into the food chain.
We continue to benefit from donations of cat and dog food collected by request from local supermarkets by young offenders as part of their community pay back service.
Financial review and reserves
Cash at bank on 30 June 2024 was £36k in unrestricted funds. The main funding for the charity comes from members of the public who make small monthly donations. The main financial risk to the charity comes from the loss of donations from the founder and one volunteer who make larger donations to bolster funds.
Funds materially in deficit
There are no funds materially in deficit.
Additional information
The charity is not open to the public due to lack of car parking space and to protect our animals from undue stress following mental scarring from previous experiences before arriving at the sanctuary. Regular donators are always welcome by prior appointment if they wish to visit.
Future
The future is business as normal. We will continue to look after animals that have been abandoned and abused which have been taken into our care.
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature: E. Wood
Full Name: Elaine Frances Wood
Position: Founder
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Date: 5 September 2025
Independent examiner’s report on the accounts
Report to the trustees of Hectors Gate Animal Charity
On accounts for the year ended 30 June 2024
I report to the trustees on my examination the accounts for the year ended 30 June 2024.
As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the Charities Act 2011(“the Act”).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under s145(5)(b) of the Act as set out on page 4 and 5
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
-
accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act; or
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the accounts do not accord with the accounting records.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed: M.R.Martin
Date: 5 September 2025
Name: Mark Rae Martin
Qualification: CGMA
Address: 2 Blackthorne Close
Bulphan Upminster Essex RM14 3ED
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Hectors Gate Animal Charity Registered Charity No.1105874
Section A Receipts and payments accounts for the period 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024
All receipts and payments are unrestricted funds
| A1 Receipts | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | ||
| Donations and fund raising | 24,760 | 26,179 | |
| Legacies | 10,000 | - | |
| Sub total | 34,760 | 26,179 | |
| A2 Asset and Investment Sales | - | - | |
| Total receipts | 34,760 | 26,179 |
| A3 Payments | £ | £ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Large animal feed | 9,243 | 10,138 | |
| Small animal feed | 2,971 | 2,491 | |
| Veterinary and medical expenses | 9,076 | 2,581 | |
| Hay | 2,000 | 2,150 | |
| Farrier expenses | 2,640 | 2,677 | |
| Van expenses | 393 | 594 | |
| Miscellaneous expenses | 883 | 1,350 | |
| Sub total | 27,206 | 21,982 | |
| A4 Asset and Investment purchases | - | - | |
| Total payments | 27,206 | 21,982 | |
| £ | £ | ||
| Net of receipts/(payments) | 7,554 | 4,197 | |
| A5 Transfers between funds | - | - | |
| A6 Cash funds last year end | 28,020 | 23,823 | |
| Cash funds this year end | 35,574 | 28,020 |
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Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
All assets and liabilities are unrestricted funds
| £ | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| B1 Cash funds | Cash at bank | 35,574 | |
| B2 Other monetary assets | - | ||
| B3 Investments assets | - | ||
| B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use |
- | ||
| B5 Liabilities | - |
The land, temporary buildings and equipment are all owned by the founder who allows the charity to use free of any rent or encumbrances. The founder runs and manages the charity as her vocation and willingness to help neglected, abandoned and abused animals.
Signed (on behalf of the trustees) E.Wood Elaine Frances Wood
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