Trustees’ Report 2021
The challenges of the coronavirus restrictions are not yet behind us, but it has been good to see some cautious return to shows and more normality at our sales.
Our newsletters and yearbook have again been an important way of remaining in touch. The Black Sheep was a special edition, there being no show reports from 2020 the pages were filled with even more interesting articles from across our membership, providing information and advice to breeders across the UK. We thank the contributors and editor, Helen Brewis, for making this possible.
It was a most notable occasion for our Chairman to be able to travel to the Ford and Etal Estate to award James Mole [Jimmy] a long service to Hebridean sheep award, and to view the Etal flock with lambs at foot. This was the 50[th] crop of Etal lambs making it the oldest flock to have continually registered Hebrideans; Jimmy having been in charge of every lambing!
We were particularly pleased that the Great Yorkshire Show took place this year. It was excellent to see the Hebridean Sheep Society able to meet with the public and interested smallholders and farmers to talk about Hebrideans, albeit under the sensible safeguarding regulations that were in place. We were one of a very few breed societies that had taken the trouble to have a marquee display at the show this year, which enabled us to re-engage with the public and promote the many benefits of Hebridean sheep in sustainable and low intensity systems.
After its postponement in 2020, it was a joy for our Chairman to co-host, along with Martin and Jean Andrews, the summer symposium this year. Despite having to work through Covid restrictions, many old friends were able to come along, and it was particularly pleasing to see so many relatively new members also able to join us.
The challenges of the year have led to some good innovations. Board meetings for example, have been held very successfully through an internet platform. Even more exciting is the fact that this year`s AGM used the same format, making it the most accessible AGM we have ever held since our formation as an independent breed society in 1994.
It has also been excellent to see the use of both our Facebook group and our website to post photographs of the sheep entered for each of our three official HSS sales. This has been a powerful initiative that has undoubtedly fostered additional interest in acquiring Hebridean sheep.
There was some uncertainty about how leaving the European Union would impact upon sheep sales, but any fears were unfounded as the sheep industry has generally strengthened in the UK since the end of the transition period. This has had a positive impact on the value of pedigree sheep, including Hebrideans.
One aspect of Brexit did affect the Hebridean Sheep Society directly. Whilst Britain was a member state, the Hebridean Sheep Society was the recognised authority for the management of the breed EU-wide. This changed upon leaving the EU and we no longer have jurisdiction beyond the UK (indeed Northern Ireland, being directly linked to the EU common trade area, remains problematic from the point of view of exporting breeding sheep from the mainland). This lack of our control over the breeding of Hebrideans outside the UK conflicts with our charitable object to maintain the genetic purity of the breed. Trustees had little choice therefore but to no longer provide direct pedigree breeding support beyond these shores.
Six years ago, Trustees agreed to set on a course of greater promotion of Hebridean sheep and of the Hebridean Sheep Society; and much progress has been made. We created a new website that has proven to be adaptable; we successfully rebranded; we worked with the British Wool Marketing Board (now British Wool) and established three bespoke Hebridean wool grades, and although wool is trading badly around the world just now, this initiative will yet prove positive in the marketing of Hebridean fleece. We have focussed on the unique flavour of Hebridean meat and established our own Authentic Hebridean Hogget brand that guarantees excellent welfare standards, absolute traceability, and superb flavour. Through the work of Trustees, specialist meat initiatives have found their way onto national television and radio as well as Swedish and Israeli TV channels. We have had detailed articles about Hebrideans published in The Scots Magazine, Countryside Smallholder, Farmers Guardian, The Scotsman, and others. All of this further promotes the wide and growing interest in Hebridean sheep and secures their future as a breed.
In short, we have been busy.
All this, of course, generates interest in our very special sheep and their very special story. But this work is never finished and indeed educating people about the breed remains an important charitable object of our Society. But whilst we may have been busy promoting what we do, we have not taken our eye off the day job. We are delighted to report that through excellent management of our finances we are again able to hold the full contingency, as approved by members, that we set aside for unforeseen circumstances. It is also warming to note that membership numbers are as buoyant as they have ever been.
Our Chair writes:
Your Board of Trustees, Officers and Co-optees are dedicated and enthusiastic about their work. A more committed group of volunteers would be difficult to find anywhere. They are clear about their roles and eager to support one another. There is little wonder that the Hebridean Sheep Society is so successful. I thank them all, past and present, for the support they have shown me these past six years.
It has been a privilege to serve and as I leave the Chair, it is with pride that I inform you that your Society and the future of Hebridean sheep, is in good heart and in good hands.
David Braithwaite Chair
Approved at AGM 17 October 2021
Hebridean Sheep Society CIO accounts 2020-2021
| General Account 2020-21 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TradingAccount | ||||
| Income | ||||
| Subscriptions | 11170.73 | |||
| Books | 571.27 | |||
| Calendars | 223.5 | |||
| Other Merchandise | 1779.33 | |||
| registrations in wronga/c | 86 | |||
| donation | 25 | |||
| 13855.83 | 13855.83 | |||
| Expenditure | ||||
| Postage | 1266.39 | |||
| Stationery | 320.11 | |||
| Publications | 1545 | |||
| Trustees Meetings | 28.78 | |||
| Meetings Travel | 35.1 | |||
| Honorarium -Secretary | 1429.09 | |||
| Honorarium -Treasurer | 1429.09 | |||
| Breed promotion | -219.25 | includes refund |
||
| Event catering | 0 | |||
| Adverts | 679 | |||
| Merchandise | 320.59 | |||
| Calendar Printing | 182.4 | |||
| Summer event costs | 0 | |||
| Winter Event costs | 22.5 | |||
| Subscriptions | 190 | |||
| Website/ISP | 98.28 | |||
| New Computer | 529 | |||
| Judges Expenses | 0 | |||
| Event insurance | 0 | |||
| Other | 0 | |||
| Presentations | 25 | |||
| MonthlyBank Charges | 69.5 | |||
| 7950.58 | -7950.58 | |||
| Excess Income | 5905.25 | |||
| Bank Reconciliation | ||||
| OpeningBalance | 418.87 | |||
| chqneverpresented | 12 | |||
| corrected o/balance | 430.87 | |||
| Expenses | -15950.58 | |||
| -15519.71 | ||||
| Receipts | 15855.83 | |||
| ClosingBalance | 336.12 | |||
Hebridean Sheep Society CIO accounts 2020-2021
| Bank at 31/03/20 | 336.12 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| unpresented | 0 | ||||||
| 336.12 | |||||||
| o/bal | 430.87 | ||||||
| trans in | 2000 | ||||||
| 2430.87 | |||||||
| trans out | -8000 | ||||||
| -5569.13 | |||||||
| less c/bal | -336.12 | ||||||
| difference | -5905.25 | ||||||
| Registration Account 2020-21 | |||||||
| Trading Account | |||||||
| Expenses | itemised | sub-totals | |||||
| Postage | 898.31 | ||||||
| Stationery | 122.39 | ||||||
| Computer costs | 80.98 | ||||||
| Internet fees | 288.45 | ||||||
| Ketchum/Shearwell Eartags | 0.00 | ||||||
| Flockbook Printing | 703.00 | ||||||
| Rosettes | 0.00 | ||||||
| Registration Sec. Honorarium | 2857.50 | ||||||
| Grassroots Fees | 853.20 | ||||||
| Mileage | 6.20 | ||||||
| Bank Charges | 69.48 | ||||||
| Melton Sale Contribution | 0.00 | ||||||
| mobilephone(loggingin to Bank A/c | 25.00 | ||||||
| sundry | 0.00 | ||||||
| 5904.51 | -5904.51 | ||||||
| Receipts | |||||||
| Registration,transfers etc | 6904.50 | ||||||
| Donations | 56.00 | ||||||
| travel repaid | 0.00 | ||||||
| 6960.50 | |||||||
| Gold account interest | 5.64 | ||||||
| 6966.14 | 6966.14 | ||||||
| Excess Income | 1061.63 | ||||||
| C/Bal | 75.51 | ||||||
| Transferred from Gold Account | -4000.00 | ||||||
| -3924.49 | |||||||
| Transferred to Gold Account | 5500.00 | ||||||
| 1575.51 | |||||||
| less O/Bal(adjusted) | -519.52 | ||||||
| 1055.99 | |||||||
| Interest | 5.64 | ||||||
| difference | 1061.63 | ||||||
Hebridean Sheep Society CIO accounts 2020-2021
| Rosettes and Melton fee really belong to General Account but have |
Rosettes and Melton fee really belong to General Account but have |
Rosettes and Melton fee really belong to General Account but have |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| historically been paid by registration account as I do the ordering |
|||||||
| Registration | and Gold Accounts Consolidation | ||||||
| ClosingBal - RegAcc | 75.51 | ||||||
| ClosingBal - Gold Acc | 18803.79 | ||||||
| 18879.30 | 18879.30 | ||||||
| OpeningBal Gold Acc | -11298.15 | ||||||
| OpeningBal RegAcc | -519.52 | -11817.67 | |||||
| difference | 7061.63 | ||||||
| extra | paid to Gold acc from General acc | -6000.00 | |||||
| Difference | equals excess of expenditure | 1061.63 | |||||
| All Accounts | Consolidation | ||||||
| ClosingBal - RegAcc | 75.51 | ||||||
| ClosingBal Gold Acc | 18803.79 | ||||||
| ClosingBal Gen Acc | 336.12 | ||||||
| 19215.42 | 19215.42 | ||||||
| OpeningBal RegAcc | 519.52 | ||||||
| OpeningBal Gold Acc | 11298.15 | ||||||
| OpeningBal Gen Acc | 430.87 | ||||||
| 12248.54 | -12248.54 | ||||||
| Difference | 6966.88 | ||||||
| Excess Expenditure Gen Acc | 5905.25 | ||||||
| Excess Expenditure RegAcc | 1061.63 | ||||||
| Equals difference | 6966.88 | ||||||
27 September 2021
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Kirkby House
SCROOBY
Doncaster
DN10 6AD
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Mrs V C K Mason Hebridean Sheep Society
Sycamore House Heatley Lane Broomhall Nantwich CW5 8BA
Dear Mrs Mason
Validation of Hebridean Sheep Society 2021 Accounts
Thank you for forwarding the bank statements, trading sheet and supporting income and expenditure documentation for the year ending 31 March 2021.
I am happy to validate your prepared trading sheet and bank reconciliation.
I have considered the following points:
-
The Society uses three bank accounts. All documents relating to these accounts are presented. Transactions between the accounts are clearly documented.
-
The balances shown at the close of the period on external statements reconcile to the balances in your records. The only adjustments necessary were three outstanding payments: Johnsons Printers £703.00 for the Flockbook, VCK Mason £310.00 for postage, and unpresented cheque 62, a refund of subscriptions of £7.00 to K Spencer. This is a fundamental validation of your figures, and implies that income has been accounted for on a cash received basis; that is, there is no income shown in your accounts which has not been received from membership, registrations, book sales, etc.
-
All receipts and expenses, both in total and by category, reconcile to your detailed listings.
-
All expenses are documented, with external documents where possible. In addition to the usual checks, I made five checks between your records and primary external documents, chosen at random. Three expenses were checked on the general account: ref 17 stamps £260.00 BACS 19/08/2020, ref 54 NSA 2021 £100.00 BACS 01/02/2021, and ref 71 bank charge £8.00 BACS 15/02/2021. All external documents were present, signed and countersigned. Two expenses were checked on the registration account: ref 2 Grassroots £118.80 Apr 2020 and ref 48 VCK Mason Honorarium £2,857.50 Mar 2021. All external documents were present.
As in previous years, they look like a very well-kept set of accounts.
If I can help in future years, let me know. Thank you.
Best Regards
Graham Robbins 07720 509 683 graham@bawtry.net