Chairman’s Report 2020
It is now four years since I took over as chairman of Central TREC Group, and therefore the fourth Chairman’s report that I have prepared. This season review though has to be one of the most unusual ones having had a busy season planned, but then rudely interrupted by the COVID-19 global pandemic and the various challenges that that has thrown at us as a society and as a club. Our winter season 2019-20 started as planned with two events completed, but then a combination of large storms and the pandemic resulted in the cancelation of the last two events, our summer season was massively curtailed with only one competition able to take place, but a number of training events were also run. More about those to follow.
Before we start on the review of the year let me remind you of what the aim of the Central TREC Group Charity is, and how we have set out to achieve that aim.
What our charitable aim and purposes are:
- The promotion, by running British TREC training events and competitions, to encourage community participation in healthy recreation in horse riding. British TREC is a sport intended to test the skills of a horse and rider in planning and executing a long distance ride in unfamiliar country.
What we have done this year to meet our charitable aim and purposes:
- Our events over the year have included two winter competitions, 1 summer competitions, and 5 training events accousnting for 144 participants not including our ever enthusiastic volunteers - we had over 28 volunteers recognised throughout the year!
What we do to further our public benefit goals:
- British TREC is a sport accessible to all members of the general public who can or are learning to ride or handle horses. Experience shows that TREC is popular with female riders, particularly those above the age of 40. Women have been identified in government studies as a group with relatively low levels of physical activity and so providing a competitive structure which encourages women to ride, both in competition and during preparation and fitness training for competitions, can help to increase the level of physical activity among women. Across the 2019/20 season Central TREC Group has continued to encourage non-members to try the sport as well as welcoming many non-riders to volunteer in support of our events that are run by a club whose spirit is inherently cooperative. We have also aimed to support our members through the toughest parts of lockdown by running the Virtual Summer season, allowing people to remain engaged with the TREC community from the comfort and safety of their own homes and yards.
The winter season 2019-20 planned to have two events at each of two locations (Gracelands and Milton Keynes Eventing Centre). The first two events were completed as planned with Gracelands taking place in November. Here we welcomed 22 riders and completed 35 rounds. We then continued the season with a festively themed TREC at Milton Keynes where we welcomed 32 riders and completed just under 60 rounds. Plenty of festive tinsel
and happy smiling faces were in evidence and fun was had by all. Myself and Bev spent a pleasant day cutting out cardboard Christmas trees and sleighs and then painting them up to decorate the course with. After Christmas the weather then spoilt our fun with the big gales in February resulting in us having to postpone the second Milton Keynes event (despite once again having a full list of entries!). Then COVID-19 and lockdown hit preventing our final competition of the season from running – so the winter season 2019-20 was somewhat curtailed – however, points from the league are being carried forwards into 2020-21 and hopefully prizes can be presented!
We managed to fit some training in over the winter period running two lots of training at Long Drove Dressage Centre with Tara Osborn giving riders top tips to help improve their riding and the scores achieved riding the obstacles.
When lockdown hit at the end of March 2020 we had to cancel all planned summer events including our planned all level competition at Brigstock and most of the GrassRoutes league that we had been planning for newcomers to the sport. We also lost a planned training ride in Salcey Forest.
Having lost all this sport we then looked to find ways to support our members and the wider TREC community through the lockdown period. We did this by launching the Central Virtual Summer Season. This was run in a private group set up on Facebook linked to the main Central TREC Group page. Each month a series of challenges were set and participants were asked to film a record their efforts. There were 294 people signed up to the group by the end of lockdown, some were more active than others, especially as lockdown started to ease and people were able to get out and about more. The challenges ranges for POR map challenges delivered via mail chimp, to PTV obstacle challenges that the participants had to film, we also had fun basecamp challenges where people used their imaginations to create corrals from the most unlikely objects, my favourites being the ones created in cake form, and the use of wine bottles as fence posts for another. In addition, there were a number of educational videos produced to help with building corrals, packing saddle bags, setting up camp in a trailer and various other aspects of TREC, plus an entire 16 obstacle competition all filmed for people to judge at home.
Many folks participated just for fun and something to do whilst their other options were very limited, but we had 32 send in forms for the competition, as the Central Challenge Salver was up for grabs, the results will be announced later. However, can I say a big thank you to all who participated and to the various members of the committee who contributed to the virtual challenges. It was great fun to prepare and I think helped to give people something to look forwards to during the early Lockdown period.
As lockdown started to ease in the summer we were able to start planning for our one and only summer season competition. We had planned to run a series of level 1 GrassRoutes competitions from our popular Park Farm venue throughout the 2020 summer season to help introduce new riders to TREC. However, plans had to change and we were only able to save the one event. That ran as a traditional level 1 competition plus an advanced challenge over the level 1 length course, but with grids and bearings thrown in for our more experienced riders to allow them to dust of their map reading skills! We welcomed 28
competitors and a further 25 or more helpers to a carefully managed event with strict social distancing and hygiene measures all in place. It was lovely to see folks again, al be it in slightly strange circumstances and with limited ability to catch up due to the requirements for distancing and minimising group sizes. However, all seemed to enjoy their day, both those new to TREC and those with plenty of experience.
We were also able to fit in more training through the later part of the summer and early autumn, with four days of POR training hosted by Mary Weston and Helen Martin at Dimlicote Livery Stables and a full day of obstacle training organised by Bev Abbott at Milton Keynes Eventing Centre. In total 28 riders joined in across the three training events. In all I think we have managed to achieve a fair amount given the constraints that lockdown have placed on the club, and the strains it has placed on both our committee and the members.
There remains a huge amount of uncertainty about what the year ahead will bring. We have a full winter season planned at a new venue, Moulton College, that sits fairly centrally within our region and is easy for our organisers to reach. One event has already taken place, but one has already been affected by the most recent lockdown and new dates are being sought. The club will do its best to put on competitions and training, when the COVID-19 situation allows whilst maintaining the safety and health of all concerned. I want to say a huge thank you to all those who have stepped up to help at the competitions that we have been able to run as these events really cannot take place without you. I would also like to thank the committee, who despite all the challenges that have been thrown at them this year have continued to work together to put on a range of different events for our members.
We have a great committee and they all put in whatever time and skills they have available. I am sad to say that Helen Duckmanton has had to resign from the committee due to increasing work commitments. However, I would like to express my thanks and appreciation for all her help and support. She has been the mastermind behind our club newsletter for the last few years and both her and husband Steve help out at many different events. We look forward to seeing Helen and Spot at future events, and I am sure she will be there to help when we need her. Thank you Helen for the time you have given us it really is appreciated. Trish is kindly taking on the role of Newsletter co-ordination, so if you have items that you would like to include please send them to her.
Whilst we are sharing news from the committee can I also say congratulations to Siobhan, who after a number of aborted attempts at getting married this year has finally become an O’Toole, in a rather different wedding to that which she had originally planned thanks to COVID-19. We also welcome into the TREC family the next generation and congratulate Sarah Vaughn on the birth of Oscar in September.
We are always keen to increase the size of the committee, so if you want to learn more about the sport please do consider joining us. All are welcome from first time TRECCIEs to seasoned pros, you can get involved with as much or as little as you want. Please let me or one of the others know if you would like to join us to help plan the 2021 season!!!
I look forward to the season ahead and hope that we can continue to meet up and compete and enjoy the sport of TREC over the next year, whatever COVID-19 cares to do! Stay safe everyone.
Central TREC Group (R/C 1164070)
Income and Expenditure for the Year ended 30 September 2020
| Income Membership fees 2019-20 Membership fees 2020-21 Fees for mounted training Fees received for mounted training (events cancelled due to Covid-19) Fees received for mounted training 2020-21 AGM food payments Summer competition 2019 entry fees Summer competition 2020 entry fees Winter competition 2019-20 entry fees Winter competition 2019-20 fees (event cancelled due to bad weather) Winter competition 2019-20 fees (event cancelled due to Covid-19) Winter competition 2020-21 entry fees Judges' training contribution (Feb 2019) Clothing sales Club administration & miscellaneous |
£ Expenditure 349.58 TREC GB club membership fee 64.02 996.00 Expenses for mounted training 183.00 Expenses & refunds for mounted training (events cancelled due to Covid-19) 166.00 Expenses for mounted training 2020-21 131.00 AGM expenses 255.00 Summer competition 2019 expenses 1,675.00 Summer competition 2020 expenses Summer competition 2020 expenses (events cancelled due to Covid-19) 1,351.00 Winter competition 2019-20 expenses 204.00 Winter competition 2019-20 expenses refunded (event cancelled due to bad weather) 937.50 Winter competition 2019-20 expenses & refunds (event cancelled due to Covid-19) 550.00 Winter competition 2020-21 expenses 10.90 Equipment expenses League expenses Club trailer & equipment insurance Trailer expenses 92.00 Club clothing 15.75 Admin expenses Bank charges, etc 6,980.75 Excess income over expenditure Balance brought forward from 2018-19 Excess income over expenditure Balance carried forward to 2020-21 Represented by: Balance per cash book Cash in hand PayPal balance Balance carried forward to 2020-21 |
£ 470.00 833.54 169.49 18.20 274.43 1,838.53 548.58 65.00 1,567.35 275.74 993.84 89.04 9.90 320.27 274.83 85.50 126.76 59.95 30.00 |
|---|---|---|
| 8,050.95 | ||
| 1,070.20 - |
||
| 4,222.29 1,070.20 - |
||
| 3,152.09 | ||
| 1,144.29 84.85 1,922.95 |
||
| 3,152.09 |
Central TREC Group (R/C 1164070)
Bank reconciliation as at 30th September 2020
£ £ 1,654.99 MKEC XC hire (August training) £ 200.00 TREC GB fees - Park Farm 1 £ 225.20 Trailer repair (lights etc) £ 85.50 510.70 1,144.29
Balance (a/c ****6977) as per bank statement on 30th September (in favour)
Deduct cheques drawn and transactions made but not as yet presented for payment BACS transfer MKEC XC hire (August training) BACS transfer TREC GB fees - Park Farm 1 BACS transfer Trailer repair (lights etc)
Balance as per CTG cash book
Central TREC Group (R/C 1164070)
Profit & Loss Account for the year ended 30 September 2020
| Income Membership Fees 2019-20 Membership rebates received from TREC GB 2018-19 Membership Fees 2018-19 Fees for mounted training Fees received for mounted training (events cancelled due to Covid-19) Contribution to judges' training Fees for TREC camp Summer competition 2019 entry fees Summer competition 2020 entry fees Winter competition 2019-20 entry fees Winter competition 2019-20 fees (event cancelled due to bad weather) Winter competition 2019-20 fees (event cancelled due to Covid-19) Winter competition 2018-19 entry fees AGM food payments Judges' training contribution (Feb 2019) Club donation Equipment sales Club clothing sales Bank charges repaid, etc Miscellaneous Income Total Income Expenses Affiliation fees to TREC GB Expenses for mounted training Expenses & refunds for mounted training (events cancelled due to Covid-19) Expenses for TREC camp Expenses for officials' training Summer competition expenses (2019 competitions) Summer competition expenses (2020 competitions) Summer competition 2020 expenses refunded (cancelled due to Covid-19) Winter competition 2019-20 expenses Winter competition 2019-20 expenses refunded (event cancelled due to bad weather) Winter competition 2019-20 expenses & refunds (event cancelled due to Covid-19) AGM expenses Rosettes, prizes and giveaways purchased League expenses Admin Expenses Bank charges paid PayPal fees paid Club clothing Trailer Running costs Equipment expenses Equipment and trailer insurance Correction of balance sheet - expired vouchers Correction of balance sheet - expired vouchers written off Correction of balance sheet - overstated liability (vouchers) Total Expenses Profit for the Year |
£ 349.58 1,036.00 183.00 1,695.00 1,382.00 204.00 937.50 211.00 10.90 92.00 15.52 0.23 |
£ 6,116.73 5,804.46 312.27 |
2018-19 £ 320.00 290.00 1,579.00 10.90 660.00 9,457.35 2,619.00 91.60 12.00 10.00 31.15 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 470.00 833.54 169.49 738.53 564.33 50.00 1,567.35 275.74 993.84 274.43 320.27 59.95 30.00 126.76 85.50 9.90 274.83 1,040.00 - |
15,081.00 450.00 1,180.35 760.00 176.00 8,018.51 2,216.40 94.35 436.13 563.88 62.00 - 59.90 353.61 281.80 250.00 - 5.00 - |
||
| 14,397.93 | |||
| 683.07 |
Central TREC Group (R/C 1164070)
Balance Sheet as at 30 September 2020
| £ Current Assets Bank PayPal merchant account Cash in hand Prepaid winter expenses Prepaid training event expenses Unpaid winter competition fees Unpaid summer competition fees Unpaid summer cancellation refund (from TREC GB) Unpaid mounted training fees Unpaid AGM meal payments Total Assets Current Liabilities Uncashed volunteer vouchers Deferred summer competition expenses Deferred income (winter 2020-21 entry fees) Deferred income (training 2020-21 entry fees) Deferred income (membership fees) Total Assets Represented by: Opening balance at 1 Oct 2019 Plus profit for the year Balance 30 September 2020 |
£ 1,144.29 1,922.95 84.85 89.04 18.20 31.00 20.00 15.00 40.00 80.00 |
£ 3,445.33 795.77 2,649.56 2,337.29 312.27 2,649.56 |
2018-19 £ 1,443.68 2,448.21 330.40 255.00 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 300.00 4,477.29 1,040.00 1,100.00 |
|||
| - 15.75 550.00 166.00 64.02 |
|||
| 2,140.00 | |||
| 2,140.00 | |||
| 2,337.29 | |||
| 1,654.22 683.07 |
|||
| 2,337.29 |