## **Lune Valley Beekeepers** ## **Charitable Incorporated Organisation Reg No: 116775** # **Draft Trustees’ Report for the year ended 28[th] February 2025** 2024-2025 has been a rather mixed year for our organisation. Membership has continued to grow steadily and our newsletter, which continues to be published monthly and is shared with a number of other clubs both in the UK and abroad via eBees, continues to be well regarded and received. Our alternative approach to beekeeping, which uses a specially designed long hive that allows easy access to beekeepers of all ages and physical abilities to enjoy the hobby whilst allowing the bee colony to flourish with minimal disruption to the hive and in a more natural, treatment free environment, continues to generate interest amongst new and established beekeepers. Sales of Lune Valley Long Hives to both members and non-members have progressed steadily throughout the year. The very variable weather throughout last year was not kind to our apiaries and many of our colonies have struggled. Inclement weather also disrupted many of our planned apiary interventions and practical training sessions. A number of site maintenance sessions had to be cancelled and a number of social meetings were not well supported by members. We did, however, stage a very successful annual Open Day. In mid February we held a General Meeting to encourage members to review all of our activities and assess which continue to attract viable support. We expect to be sharing the outcomes with all members very shortly. In mid October we organised a regional conference based on our alternative style of beekeeping. This was supported by several speakers of national note and attracted attendees from across the North as well as a few from much further afield and was very well received. In the last few weeks we have started to set up our second club apiary on a site which is being developed into an outdoor, environmental education centre. Hopefully it will increase our ability to promote the benefits of pollinators to the environment. We continue to have an involvement with FoodFutures, a North Lancashire based organisation whose objectives are to encourage more people to develop healthy diets by growing more of their own food using organic growing methods. Our objectives are to ensure that their plans and strategies involve appropriate provisions for pollinators. Our plans for making local people aware of the risks posed by the potential arrival of the Yellow Legged Asian hornet and organising a local trapping and monitoring programme are now well developed and we are currently seeking funding to support this. Dr Fred J Ayres, Chairman of Trustees. LUNE VALLEY BEEKEEPERS Charitable Incorporated Organisation Re8 No: 1167725 BALANCE SHEET as at: 28th February 2025 Year 2023-2024 for comparison FIXEO ASSETS Containers & Fittings Exhibttion equipment Equipment & tools Hive5 & stands As at 29.02.24 3146 1755 1665 2655 Additions Depreciation As at 28.02.25 818 3964 1580 2578 2390 3146 1755 1665 2655 175 287 265 12 9221 TOTAL FIXED ASS 10512 35 Coloniel of bees as at 28th February 2025 1500 CURRENT ASSErs 461 Stocks of goods for ￿-Sale 874 Debtors 1589 Cash at Bartk 2924 285 594 1919 CURRENT LIABILMES -1909 Pr&payments O Creditors NET CURRENT ASSUS 1240 1240 1015 679 £13.736 TOTAL ASSErs £12,691 Represented bv: 750 Trustees, Loans 607 Members, Loans 477 1357 477 ACCUMUL4TED FUND 10836 As at 1st March 2024 1543 Less.. Loss for period Add: Asset donated 12379 -1365 12 12379 12214 £13,736 £12,691 We certlfy that this Balance Sheet and Income •nd Expenditure Account show a true and fair view of thls oryanisation's financial posltlon. Signed: Signed: gQy- Dr Fred Ayres, Trustee Mts Glenis Ayres. Trustee Signed.. Signed: Mr Nigel Leech, Trnstee Mr Robl , Trustee LUNE VALLEY BEEKEEPERS Charitsble Incorpororated Organisation Reg No: 1167727 INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT Year to 28th February 2025 Year 2023-24 for comparison INCOME Subscriptions Insurance Course fees Sales of goods Donations Gift Aid Fund raising Grant income 772 590 730 5137 488 600 1577 960 486 2625 5132 302 504 851 9894 Totsl income 10860 EXPENDITURE 683 Site costs 93 Apiary I costs Apiary 2 costs Meadow c05t5 4097 Cost of sales of goods 957 Display materials 45 Course costs 777 Insurance 338 Web site 30 Other items 516 Obsolete equipment 140 Meeting costs Accountancy Total expenditure 262 98 298 4522 130 2097 874 621 155 21 420 7676 9498 £2,218 Operational surplus for year £1,362 675 Depreciation for year Loss of stocks of bees 727 2727 £1.543 Loss for period -£1,365 Membership at 28th February 2025 Lune Valley Beekeepers Notes to the accounts for the year eDded 28th Felwuary 2025 11 The accountancy charge of £420 relates to fees inCUr￿d in dealing with a number of HMRC enquiries, whicl 21 Additions to Containers and Fittings was a 20ft second hand contsiner bought during the year. 31 Additions to Equipment and tools refers to a used motor mower, at valuation, donated during the year. 41 stocks refers to our stock of hornet traps at cost 51 Debtors refers to our insurance premium for 2025-2026 paid in advance and £5 owing for a hornet trap. 61 Prepayment refers to subscriptions £270. insurance premiums E190. course fees £750 and donations £30 fc received in advance. 71 All outstanding members, loans were repaid during the year leaving trustees, loans of £477 outstanding. 81 The exact number of colonies of bees at the apiary is not known although there have been significant losse These accounts show an estimated 5 colonie5 at a conservative valuation of £3￿ per colony.