Herefordshire Beekeepers' Association ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 7.00pm March 23rd, 2023 AGENDA, MINUTES AND REPORTS
Registered Charity No: 1174917
THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
of the HEREFORDSHIRE BEEKEEPERS’ ASSOCIATION
will be held at
Belmont Community Centre, HR2 7UQ
on
Thursday 23rd March 2023
THE MEETING WILL COMMENCE AT 7.00 pm
AGENDA
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Apologies , Appointment of meeting Chairman
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Minutes of the meeting held on 24th March 2022
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Matters arising.
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Adoption of the Annual Reports.
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Finance.
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Election of nine Trustees. During the year Nicola Percival and Charlotte Taylor have resigned, we need to elect two more trustees to replace them.
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Any Other Business
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity:
| Rod Ellis | |
| Roger Gill | Treasurer |
| Val Lilwall | |
| Kate Nieveen | |
| TonyRavenhall | |
| Deborah Smith | Exam secretary |
| Stephen Utley | MembershipSecretary |
| MaryWalter | Secretary |
| Robert Williams | AHAT co-ordinator BBKA delegate |
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Registered Charity No: 1174917
MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING HELD ON MARCH 24th 2022
Attendees: In person: Full members: Andrew Barnes, Bob Cross, Ellen Davies, Roger Gill, Mike Healey, Rihards Krauze, Kate Nieveen, Nicola Percival, Sharon Morris, Colin Pavey, Janelle Quitman, Tony Ravenhall, Haydn Roberts, Ann Shawcross, Bev Startin, Jonathan Tanburn, Charlotte Taylor, Steve Utley, Mary Walter, Rob Williams.
Associate members: Kath Cross, Simon Durrant, Alan Jenyon, John Kinross, Bob and Pam Mendy, Brian Miller-Hall, Robin Moore, Wayne Smith.
Visitors: Ellie Chowns, Mrs Kinross.
Speaker: Marin Anastasov.
Online: Andrew Campbell, Kim Clarke, Rod Ellis, Deborah Smith. Chaired by Colin Pavey.
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Apologies:. Peter Lutzeier, Andy Spanjers, David Hewlett, Lorna Radnor, Lindsay Shaw, Chris Wright, Jackie Preddy, Debbie Smith.
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Appointment of meeting chairman: Colin Pavey agreed to act as meeting chairman; his participation was proposed by Haydn Roberts, seconded by Ellen Davies. Colin remembered the members who had died sadly last year; these were Mike Leigh, Nick Hall and the previous long standing committee members John Harley and Wendy Cummins.
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Minutes from previous meeting: The minutes were approved and to be signed off. proposed by Steve Utley and seconded by Charlotte Taylor.
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Matters Arising: none
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Annual Report This was adopted, proposed by Andrew Barnes and seconded by Jonathan Tanburn.
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Finance: Roger Gill explained that the majority of the membership subscription is taken up by our contribution towards BBKA capitation and Bee Disease Insurance. Due to the ongoing health concerns and the continued lack of in person meetings our balance sheet is in good health. It should be possible to spend surplus funds when equipment needs replacing. RG explained that visitors to apiary meetings are covered by the Association third party insurance. The committee would like to provide more assistance with training and will fund exam fees for modules and basic assessments. A search for an apiary site for the East LAN is ongoing. The finance report was adopted, proposed by Nicola Percival, seconded by Mike Healey.
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Election of trustees. Bob Cross had indicated his desire to resign at this AGM. Thanks were given to him for his hard work and contribution to the Association over the last few years.Under the constitution the three longest serving trustees are required to resign every year. These are Nicky Percival, Steve Utley and Rob Williams. If requested they are prepared to stand for re-election. Four new trustees had agreed to stand; these were Tony Ravenhall, Kate Nieveen, Charlie Taylor and Val Lilwall. The new trustees were elected en bloc together with those standing again. Proposed by Rod Ellis, seconded by Mike Healey.
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- Any Other Business. Colin urged members to attend their local LAN meetings and to put forward suggestions for useful expenditure. Those members not interested in furthering their education through the exam route could be encouraged in other ways.
The meeting closed at 19.25pm
Signed..................................................................................Date...................................
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REPORTS 2021 – 2022
CHAIRMAN'S REPORT
Unfortunately we are still without a chairman so are unable to provide a chairman's report this year.
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SECRETARY'S REPORT
2022 saw a reduction in the number of serious covid infections prevalent in the population and the lifting of all emergency restrictions brought in to control the pandemic. In person meetings were once again possible, and the trustees eventually went back to meeting in person. The spread of members over our large county has made it sensible to arrange occasional meetings over Zoom, both general discussions, and more formal talks. Claire Densley and Martin Hann from Buckfast Abbey gave several Zoom talks, and we joined the Ludlow and District beekeepers to hear a very informative talk on bait hives from Professor David Evans. I can confirm that his method for attracting swarms with a bait hive can be highly successful.
It was a pleasure to be back at Harper Adams University for the BBKA Annual Convention, to hear a range of well known speakers and to meet beekeeping friends from other Associations.
The beginners course was held in person and we have several "newbees" who have acquired bees already. Good luck to them at the start of their beekeeping career. The Three Counties show went back to normal, Herefordshire was lead county and we put on a display on pollination. We were responsible for the central honey sales, and again put on candle rolling for the children. This is always a big event over three days, and is quite difficult to find enough volunteers to help. Many hands make light work, so do consider coming along when we appeal for help in June. Conversations with seasoned beekeepers can be a great learning experience. Showing wax and honey is a challenge, and it is always satisfying to win an award.
Three candidates passed their basic assessment in the summer: congratulations to Kate Nieveen, Rod Ellis and Kim Clarke (Worcestershire). Thank you to Kate who has been attending BBKA meetings aimed at encouraging members to further their education. It is no longer necessary to pass the basic assessment prior to taking the BBKA modules. Up to now we have had limited success with members willing to take the modules but Debbie Smith was successful with Modules 5 and 7 in 2021. I can testify to the satisfaction of working through the exam system, although I have probably forgotten most of what I learnt ! Who needs to know the composition of beeswax?
Local Area Networks went back to meeting at regular intervals during the year, the South group met at Holme Lacy at weekly intervals, the East group at various apiaries in their region, and the North group at Woebley. A small group came along to the garden party at Hope-under-Dinmore in July, it was a shame that this fell on the hottest day of the year, most members had obviously decided to stay at home sheltering from the sun. We staged the Association Honey Show at the Big Apple event at Much Marcle in October. Although entries were down on previous years we did put on an impressive display, and Bob Cross contributed with his bees and equipment. Honey sales were brisk and there was considerable interest from the general public.
Thank you to everyone who helps with the smooth running of the Association, all the volunteers, and trustees: our treasurer Roger Gill, Debbie Smith our exam secretary, membership secretary and apiary manager Steve Utley, general fount of all knowledge Bob Cross, East LAN co-ordinator Sue Garrett, BBKA delegate Rob Williams and Woebley beekeeper Rihards Krauze.
I will be resigning as a trustee after this year's Three Counties show, so if anyone would like to take on the role of secretary please make yourself known to a member of the comittee.
Mary Walter
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MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY’S REPORT
We had an exceptionally hot and dry summer during 2022 and still our bees carried on. By the end of the season, I think most of our beekeepers had a very good honey crop. Since the lockdown we have have seen a steady increase in the number of beginners taking up beekeeping and this year carried on with that trend. I hope they keep going and enjoy it as the rest of us do. Six years ago, when I started as Membership Secretary we had 140 Full members, last year we had 184 Full members. The total number of hives insured last year for our Full members was 1089 (four years ago it was 754).
Listed here are the 2022 figures:
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Full Membership numbers increased to 184
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Local/Associate Membership numbers jumped up to 56
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Partnership Membership decreased to 3
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Total Membership for 2022 - 243 (2021 figure 216).
Tuesday meetings at our Training Apiary in Holme Lacy was well attended each week. We regularly had 15 - 20 members, split into groups and helped through inspections by our more experienced beekeepers. It was pleasing to see new beekeepers/beginners regularly attending and enjoying, learning how to look after bees. We continue to do the Zoom meetings over the winter months, with Clare and Martin from Buckfast being our favoured presenters. Each presentation is well attended and members have said how they find them really interesting and many have learned something from them. We have also had our virtual beekeeper meetings, again during the winter months, these have mostly proved popular with beekeepers of all levels of experience. Many were able to get advice on any problems they may had encountered and it was a chance to listen to different views, methods and experiences.
Steve Utley
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HONORARY TREASURER’S REPORT 2022
As in previous years, the biggest single expenditure is the capitation fee to the British Beekeepers Association (BBKA) followed by the payment made to Bee Diseases Insurances on behalf of our members. What is left comes to the Herefordshire Beekeepers Association
Once again we have shown a small surplus in our current assets, this year of £1245.50 after allowing for payments made in 2022 for the beginners course in 2023. We have estimated that our fixed assets have declined in value by £2155, but have invested in a new projector for use at training courses and meetings.
As 2022 was a year of recovery from lockdown, the cost of meetings in person were not yet up to where we might expect the costs to be this year, but the online meetings have proved to be particularly good value.
The greatest concern of the year was the loss, estimated to be £956, in cash at the Three Counties Show. The matter was enquired into in some depth and full statements made by those present, but it has not been able to establish whether the cash was lost or was stolen by a third person. However, the incident has brought to light an absence of any established procedures for handling cash at such events. On the back of this experience a full set of cash handling procedures was established, trialled at the Big Apple Show in the autumn and modified accordingly. If followed, these procedures should mitigate greatly the probability of such an event recurring, and should anything untoward happen then it will now be reported immediately and appropriate actions can be taken promptly. We encourage all payments to be made by card, but cash remains a significant method of payment at our shows.
The opportunity has also been taken at the same time to tighten up our digital payments’ authorisation procedures, to ensure that no losses occur either by error or malfeasance.
Insurance: As at this time last year there was considerable concern by many of the bee keeping associations in England that the insurance provided through BBKA to associations did not cover third party liability to visitors to association events. This would curtail the incentive and the possibility of encouraging newcomers and potential recruits from attending meetings joining the associations.
I was (eventually) able to obtain a copy of the full policy documents from the BBKA, and submitted them to an independent broker. That broker was able to confirm that third party liability was indeed covered, provided there is no negligence on the part of those responsible for the meetings. I conveyed this to the BBKA who (eventually) sent round a ‘clarification’ to all associations.
We can therefore rest a little easier, but nonetheless will continue to take all reasonable measure to mitigate risks.
Roger Gill
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