Trustees’ Annual Report for the period: 01/01/2021 to 31/12/2021
Charity name: Silk Cat Rescue
Charity registration number: 1180331
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference |
||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | For the benefit of the public to relieve the suffering of feral, stray and unwanted cats who are in need of care and attention, in particular, to provide and maintain rescue homes or other facilities for the reception, care and treatment of cats. |
| Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts. |
Para 1.17 and 1.19 |
Homing– the rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming of stray and unwanted cats and kittens Neutering–i) the neutering and release of feral and garden cats to humanely controlled environments and ii) encouraging and assisting, where possible, in the neutering of domestic cats Education– improving understanding of cats and their needs and prevention of cruelty and suffering to cats and kittens |
| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit |
Para 1.18 | The trustees are mindful of the Charity Commission guidance that our activities should benefit the public |
Page 1 of 11
15-10-2022
Additional information
| Contribution made by volunteers |
Para 1.38 | The charity is run entirely by volunteers from their own homes. The charity does notown land or property. This permits the charity to keep overheads to an absolute minimum. The charity is managed by a committee of four voluntary trustees. Volunteers manage the day-to-day care and rehoming of cats and kittens and with fundraising and publicity. We were pleased this year to start a small feline TNR (Trap Neuter Return) programme using a grant we were awarded by a benevolent business. |
|---|---|---|
Achievements and Performance
| SORP reference |
||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole. |
Para 1.20 | Homing Cats come into our care from a variety of sources – for example, strays, unwanted, abandoned, evictions, bereavement, via Social Services, police and vet referrals. Whilst we are unable to accommodate all requests, we help if we can. If we are unable to accept a cat, advice and alternative suggestions are always offered. Before being rehomed, all cats undergo a health check from a qualified veterinary surgeon, are neutered (if not already), wormed and deflead, vaccinated, microchipped and for peace of mind, all are homed with 4 weeks of free health insurance from Petplan. All cats that come into our care are assessed as to their homing suitability (eg. with small children, inexperienced owners, dogs and other pets.) We will only home a cat if we feel there is a good match with their new environment and new owners. We do not normally home animals on, or near, busy roads to reduce the risk of traffic accidents. Everybody who adopts a cat or kitten is given verbal and written advice about how to settle a new cat into the family. Cats will always be accepted back into care should their new owner’s circumstances change or newly adopted cats fail to integrate into their new family - in such cases, we will offer to refund the money given as an adoption donation. |
Page 2 of 11
15-10-2022
COVID restrictions this year meant we modified our rehoming procedures using DEFRA guidelines. Cats were ‘met’ using photographs, videos, discussions with fosterers etc Homes and bonding rooms were similarly checked.. In the period under review, 49 cats and kittens were rehomed. Neutering
At every opportunity we encourage volunteers and members of the public to neuter their cats - it is beneficial to the long term health of the animal and helps limit the number of unwanted cats and kittens. Unowned cats can become a nuisance in the community and on factory sites when they are roaming, fighting with neighbouring cats and having unwanted litters of kittens in inappropriate places. Most are semi-feral or feral; a few have had a home at some point. Cats are trapped then spayed or castrated, treated for parasites and ear-tipped for identification before being released back into their territory after recovery. On rare occasions, if the original trap site is considered unsafe for release, cats can be relocated to other safer sites e.g. farms, smallholdings and stables. Kittens young enough to be easily socialised are taken into foster care and subsequently placed for adoption. Truly feral cats do not fare well in confinement and cannot be successfully socialised. They are released as soon as possible. Any trapped cats suffering from serious medical problems e.g. an injury not able to be fixed with a single treatment are usually euthanised. There are many benefits to TNR. Once neutered, a cat has a better quality of life, reduced fighting and disease. Female cats are prevented from having up to three litters a year. Nuisance behaviour is reduced or eliminated, thus improving the public’s perception of cats. During the past year, we were able to start a small TNR program and hope to continue this in subsequent years.
In the period under review, a total of 9 cats received help under our TNR programme.
Page 3 of 11
15-10-2022
Advice and Education
The charity produces a period, free newsletter which highlights our recent work and also gives advice on cat-related topics.
All cats and kittens are rehomed with a comprehensive information pack and new owners are actively encouraged to stay in touch so we can help with the integration into their new homes.
Owners often ring and ask about behavioural and medical problems associated with their pets and, if appropriate, we do our best to signpost advice and help.
Third parties sometimes also contact us and ask for help when faced with situations involving tenants and their cats.
Fostering Facilities
We recognised last year that it would make a) it a lot easier for our volunteers to maintain welfare standards and b) improve our capacity, if we added a small, bespoke set of cat cabins at our registered office.
Work on this is progressing well but using just volunteers time to complete the construction means it will not be fully available to house fostered cats until late-summer 2022.
Summer 2021 - work underway on the foundations:
Page 4 of 11
15-10-2022
----- Start of picture text -----
Autumn 2021 - the concrete is finally poured:
----- End of picture text -----
Winter 2021 - work starts on the superstructure:
Summary
| Summary | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| Rehoming- cats and kittens homed | 7 | 39 | 49 |
| Trap Neuter Return- cats helped | - | - | 9 |
Page 5 of 11
15-10-2022
Financial Review
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 |
During the year under review our income remained the same as the previous year at £10,453. This arose from adoption donations, regular and ad-hoc donors and our eBay shop. Face-to-face fundraising was still ‘on hold’ because of the COVID pandemic and its ramifications. We were fortunate to receive, in addition, two grants, one of £1,000 towards vet's bills and another of £3,300 specifically for our TNR programme. Expenditure, year on year, doubled to £9,903 mostly through increased expenditure on veterinary costs - this is because more cats and kittens were dealt with and more had complex health issues this year compared to last. |
|---|---|---|
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 |
The charity’s policy is to hold a minimum of between six and twelve months of unrestricted reserves to provide a buffer against unexpected events. |
| Amount of reserves held | Para 1.22 |
At the end of the year, we held £11,618 unrestricted reserves (16 months.) |
| Reasons for holding zero reserves |
Para 1.22 |
Not applicable |
| Details of fund materially in deficit |
Para 1.24 |
None |
| Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern |
Para 1.23 |
None |
Page 6 of 11
15-10-2022
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising) |
Para 1.47 | 1. Donations from adopters and the general public, either one-off or by standing order. 2. Fundraising - still cautious about COVID infections no face-to-face fundraising took place. But our sale of good quality donated goods through our eBay shop continued to do well and helped us finance our work. 3. Grants from other organisations and charitable trusts |
|---|---|---|
| A description of the principal risks facing the charity |
Para 1.46 | The charity’s principal risk is receiving a large, unexpected vet bill for a cat taken into our care. Routine veterinary costs are generally known and predictable; however, if a veterinary surgeon advises that a cat needs particularly expensive treatment, to mitigate the risk, the trustees will make an informed decision, in conjunction with the vet, on whether to proceed with treatment or, if a better welfare option, put the animal to sleep. |
Structure, Governance and Management
| Structure, Governance and Management | Structure, Governance and Management | Structure, Governance and Management |
|---|---|---|
| Description of charity’s trusts: | ||
| Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter) |
Para 1.25 | Constitution, adopted 16th October, 2018 |
| How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO) |
Para 1.25 | Incorporated charitable organisation |
| Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees |
Para 1.25 | Trustees are appointed by resolution at a meeting of the trustees. Trustees are appointed for a term of four years but to ensure continuity, the terms are staggered. |
Page 7 of 11
15-10-2022
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees |
Para 1.51 | Trustees are advised to study Charity Commission guidance CC3a and, if appropriate, attend locally sourced training. |
| The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works |
Para 1.51 | Governance of, and decisions about, the charity’s activities are made by a committee comprising of the trustees. |
| Relationship with any related parties |
Para 1.51 | |
| Other | ||
Page 8 of 11
15-10-2022
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name Other names the charity uses Registered charity number Charity’s principal address |
Silk Cat Rescue |
|---|---|
| None | |
| 1180331 | |
| 10 Long Lane Pott Shrigley Chesire SK10 5SD |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Irene North | Chair of Trustees | Appointed by meeting of Trustees |
|
| Michael Raymond North | Appointed by meeting of Trustees |
||
| Sonja Margaret Coffait | Appointed by meeting of Trustees |
||
| Katie Jane Mazzieri | Appointed by meeting of Trustees |
Director name
None
Page 9 of 11
15-10-2022
Names of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity
| Trustee name | Dates acted if not for whole year | |
|---|---|---|
| None |
Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others
Description of the assets None held in this capacity Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects
Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets
Exemptions from disclosure
Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details
Not applicable
Other optional information
Page 10 of 11
15-10-2022
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have unanimously approved this report.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees:
| Signature(s) Full name(s) Position (eg Secretary, Chair) Date |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Irene North | |||
| Chair of Trustees | |||
| 15th October, 2022 |
Page 11 of 11
15-10-2022
| Charity Name | No (if any) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silk Cat Rescue 1180331 |
CC16a | |||
| Receipts and payments accounts | ||||
| For the period from |
Period start date 01/01/21 |
Period end date 31/12/21 To |
(all figures to nearest £) |
Section A - Receipts and payments
| Unrestricted funds A1 Receipts Donations - regulargiving 420 Donations - adoption fees 4,485 Donations - other 1,636 Fundraising 3,527 Grants - Misc 384 Sub total 10,453 (Gross income for Annual Report) |
Restricted funds - - - - 4,300 - 4,300 |
Endowment funds - - - - - - - |
Total funds 420 4,485 1,636 3,527 4,300 384 14,753 |
Last year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 255 | ||||
| 3,095 | ||||
| 1,105 | ||||
| 5,783 | ||||
| 128 | ||||
| 10,366 | ||||
A2 Asset and investment sales (see table)
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| Sub total | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| Total receipts | 10,453 | 4,300 | - | 14,753 | 10,366 | ||||
| A3 Payments | |||||||||
| Vets bills | 6,782 | 1,000 | - | 7,782 | 4,739 | ||||
| Cat Care Consumables | 1,449 | - | - | 1,449 | - | ||||
| Administration | 297 | - | - | 297 | 16 | ||||
| Fundraisingcosts | 20 | - | - | 20 | - | ||||
| Travelling | 25 | - | - | 25 | - | ||||
| TrapNeuter Return | - | 255 | - | 255 | - | ||||
| Other charitable activities | 74 | - | - | 74 | - | ||||
| Sub total | 8,648 | 1,255 | - | 9,903 | 4,755 | ||||
| A4 Asset and investmentpurchases(see table) | |||||||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| Sub total | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| Total payments | 8,648 | 1,255 | - | 9,903 | 4,755 | ||||
| Net of receipts/(payments) | 1,805 | 3,045 | - | 4,850 | 5,611 | ||||
| A5 Transfers between funds | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| A6 Cash funds last year end | 9,813 | - | - | 9,813 | 4,202 | ||||
| Cash funds this year end | 11,618 | 3,045 | - | 14,662 | 9,813 |
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
15/10/2022
1
Section B - Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Categories Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees: Details Paypal Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) B2 Other monetary assets Details B1 Cash funds Current account Details B5 Liabilities Details B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use Details B3 Investment assets |
Unrestricted funds 5,658 5,960 - 11,618 OK Unrestricted funds - - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Fund to which asset belongs Fund to which liability relates |
Restricted funds 3,045 - - 3,045 OK Restricted funds - - - - - - Cost (optional) - - - - - Cost (optional) - - - - - - - Amount due (optional) - - - - - |
Endowment funds |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| OK Endowment funds |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| When due (optional) |
|||
| Signature | Irene North, Chair of Trustees Print Name |
Date of approval |
|---|---|---|
| Irene North, Chair of Trustees |
15th Oct, 2022 | |
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
15/10/2022
2