## **HERTFORD AND WARE BEEKEEPERS'** 

## **ASSOCIATION CIO** 


## **REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021** 

**Registered Charity No: 1187139** 

**www.HWBees.org.uk** 



**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
@HWBeekeepers<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>





## **Hertford and Ware Beekeepers' Association CIO ("HWBKA")** 

## **Chair's Report** 

I was honoured to be elected by the Members at the 2021 to become the Chair of HWBKA in succession to Jo Humphries, whose enthusiasm and endeavours for the Association are missed as she has now moved away. 


Covid19 continued to restrict our ability to meet and do the usual sort of things which an association of individuals sharing a common enthusiasm would do as lockdown dragged on until July. Looking back we will probably also recall the wet and cold weather which plagued us seemingly forever at the peak of the beekeeping season resulting in generally low honey yields this year. 

Despite these factors we still managed to keep ourselves busy, welcoming new members from the Beginners' Training Course, meeting **John Daffern, Chair** the public at the Hertford, and now also this year the Ware, farmers' markets and collecting swarms. 

Looking forward to this year, we hope to put Covid behind us and run more activities for existing and new members including training courses, talks and drop-in sessions at our apiary. We will be sending more details with dates soon. 

**Membership:** We started the year with 60 Members, and ended with 68, with all the growth coming from Full Members. We welcomed 16 new Country Members who participated in the Beginners' Course, of whom 3 have embarked on beekeeping this year and become Full Members. 

**Training:** Training of beekeepers is at the heart of our activities, to keep our established membership refreshed and to share knowledge and in particular to welcome newcomers to beekeeping. While we couldn't do anything for the existing membership while lockdown persisted, we had an excellent and well attended presentation in October from Peter Folge, whom many Members will know as a long-standing Hertfordshire bee inspector and supplier of nucs, who described the techniques he has been employing to breed varroa resistant bees. 

Despite our inability to run a "proper" in person Beginners' Course in the Spring, we had a lot of interest shown from members of the public wanting to participate, and, in the event, 16 people completed the course which took place online on Zoom and then in socially distanced practical sessions at our Essendon apiary. We conducted a survey afterwards which revealed that participants were overwhelmingly delighted with the course and generally also quite content with the Zoom rather than in person format for "classroom" training. Despite its obvious convenience - no venue to hire etc - we very much wish to go back to the classic format in 2022 as we recognise that online does not suit all and some people have postponed for 2 years for this reason. 

**Public Engagement:** Engaging with the public to share our enthusiasm for bees, and to promote their importance, is enshrined in our constitution (as noted in the formal Trustee Report); the main way we promote this is by our attendance at suitable local events. Sadly both Hertford and Ware summer carnivals were cancelled for the second year running but we hope to be back at them in 2022. We were however present at the Hertford Farmers' Market every month once it reopened in April and at the newly established quarterly market in Ware from June. These events not only provide an outlet for Members to sell surplus honey and bee produce such as candles, for which they now pay the Association only 5% commission, but an important opportunity to talk to the public about bees. 



Lots of people are very happy to engage in conversation and learn about bees as well as buying our excellent produce. 

**Apiaries:** Last year Jo mentioned that we had acquired a second apiary site at the end of the year; this site, near Essendon, has proved an invaluable addition to our facilities, providing a place to keep up to 10 hives, all of which are busy during the peak of the swarming season. We have continued to keep some bees as "club bees" as a resource for members who may for example need a new queen and, of course, produce some own brand club honey to sell! Our main investment in equipment in 2021 has been in quality nuc boxes to use when collecting swarms. 

Our existing site near Hertford Heath remains in use for Members who need a space to keep bees away from home. 


Hives at Essendon apiary 


Garden Party…blind honey tasting in foreground 

**Social:** a beekeeping association without opportunities for members to meet socially would be a very poor association; in these difficult times we managed to organise three get togethers: the "end of lockdown" pub meeting in July noted above, a garden party at the home of Paul and Alison Cassidy in September and our training session in October which perfectly combined a presentation plus Q&A with food and drinks. In 2022 we hope to build on this and resume small gatherings where members open their hives for inspection with an open invitation to nearby beekeepers to participate, events traditionally accompanied by tea and cake. I am slightly embarrassed (although really pleased) to record that my honey was voted the Members' Favourite for the second year at the tasting we held at the garden party; I can assure Members that it was a fully blind tasting event! A challenge to you all for next year... 

**And Finally:** I would like to extend my thanks to my fellow trustees and committee members who give their time to keeping HWBKA going, and to the other Members who volunteer to help setting up our market stall, engaging with the public and selling. We are always keen to involve more Members who can spare a few hours to help to participate in the running of the Association; please don't be shy about coming forward! During 2021 the position of Secretary has remained vacant so we would particularly welcome a volunteer to come forward at the AGM. I look forward to another year of beekeeping in 2022 and hope to meet all Members at some time during the year. 


**John Daffern, Chair** 



## **Hertford and Ware Beekeepers' Association CIO ("HWBKA")** 

## **Report of the Trustees to Members for the Year Ended 31 December 2021** 

|**Management**|**Trustees**|**Committee **|**Role**|
|---|---|---|---|
|John Daffern(chair from 10 March 2021)|||Chair|
|Paul Cassidy|||Treasurer|
|Rachel Daffern||||
|Oliver Riley||||
|Jane Rowley(appointed 10 March 2021)||||
|Murray Quinney (appointed 10 March 2021)||||
|Andreas Simou(appointed 10 March 2021)||||
|Brian Thomas(appointed 10 March 2021)||||
|Kieran Forde(appointed 10 March 2021)||||
|Bill Hamilton(appointed 10 March 2021)||||
|Basia Zacharuk(appointed 6 October 2021)||||
|Solle Zacharuk(appointed 6 October 2021)||||
|Stuart York(resigned 6 October 2021)||||
|Jo Humphries (resigned 10 March 2021)||||



|**Registered Charity No:**<br>1187139<br>**Bankers:**<br>Lloyds Bank<br>**Membership**<br>**2021**<br>Full<br>40<br>Partner<br>10<br>Country<br>5<br>Total Regular<br>55<br>Beginners' Course<br>13<br>**Total All**<br>**68**|**2020**|
|---|---|
||32<br>10<br>6<br>48<br>12<br>**60**|



**Trustees:** The current trustees and committee members (opposite) served throughout 2021 except where otherwise stated. 

**Objectives:** The objectives of HWBKA, as set out in its constitution, are " _to promote and further the craft of beekeeping within the area defined broadly as the towns of Hertford and Ware and their surrounding villages and countryside (“area”) and to advance the education of the public within the area in the importance of bees in the environment._ " 

**Activities:** The activities of HWBKA continued to be restricted until July 2021 as a result of the measures taken by the government in response to Covid 19. Despite this HWBKA furthered its objectives during the year by running a training course for beginner beekeepers, Q&A sessions for members via Zoom, promoting public engagement through regular attendance at the Hertford and Ware farmers' markets and attending members of the public to catch swarms of bees which were transferred to the HWBKA apiary and then rehomed. Activities are fully described in the Chair's Report. 

**Financial:** the net assets of the Association have increased to £6,310 as a result of the surplus income of £1,350 for the year. The Committee has agreed that this level of resources is greater than is needed in the short term to meet the Association's charitable objectives; accordingly, membership fees for 2022 will benefit from a one-off discount and the increased fees to be paid to the British Beekeepers' Association from 2022 to secure membership for HWBKA Members will be absorbed for the time being. 

**Annual General Meeting:** The 2nd AGM of HWBKA took place on 10 March 2021 by Zoom; the 3rd AGM will take place at The White Horse, Hertford on 26 February 2022 at 8pm. 



## **Hertford and Ware Beekeepers' Association CIO ("HWBKA")** 

## **Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of HWBKA** 

I report on the accounts of HWBKA for the year ended 31st December 2021. 

## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner** 

As trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. It is my responsibility to state whether particular matters have come to my attention. 

## **Basis of independent examiner's report** 

My examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by HWBKA and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently I do not expressed an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts. 

## **Independent examiner's statement** 

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention: 

- 1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements to (a) keep accounting records and (b) prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records have not been met; or 

- 2) to which in my opinion attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. 


**Mark Slater Independent Examiner** 

**26 January 2022** 



## **Hertford and Ware Beekeepers' Association CIO** 

## **Accounts for the Year Ended 31 December 2021** 


**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER BALANCE SHEET AT 31 DECEMBER<br>2021 2020<br>2021 2020<br>Income Expense Net Income Income Expense Net Income<br>Membership Fees NET ASSETS<br>HWBKA Membership Fees £1,877 £1,877 £1,611 £1,611 Fixed Assets<br>BBKA & HBKA Membership Fees -£1,008 -£1,008 -£886 -£886 Original Cost £2,427 £2,207<br>Gift Aid £271 £271 £258 £258 Cumulative Depreciation -£1,288 -£821<br>Membership Fees Total £2,148 -£1,008 £1,140 £1,869 -£886 £983 Fixed Assets Total £1,139 £1,387<br>Farmers' Market & Events Current Assets<br>Sales of Own Product £552 -£84 £468 £807 -£274 £533 Stock £54 £213<br>Commission on Member Sales £492 £492 £566 £566 Debtors £330 £356<br>Stall Fees -£222 -£222 -£123 -£123 Cash At Bank & In Hand £4,924 £3,315<br>Other Sale Costs -£63 -£63 -£93 -£93 Current Assets Total £5,307 £3,883<br>Farmers' Market & Events Total £1,044 -£369 £675 £1,373 -£490 £883<br>Current Liabilities<br>Training Creditors -£40 £0<br>Beginners' Course £800 -£267 £534 £750 -£308 £442 Deferred Income -£100 -£310<br>Other Training £100 -£86 £14 -£50 -£50 Current Liabilities Total -£140 -£310<br>Training Total £900 -£353 £548 £750 -£358 £392<br>NET ASSETS Total £6,307 £4,960<br>Other Income<br>Donations £39 £39 £38 £38 HWBKA FUNDS<br>Other Income Total £39 £39 £38 £38 Endowment £3,565 £3,565<br>Operating Costs Net Income<br>Small Equipment -£270 -£270 -£181 -£181 2020 Net Income £1,395 £1,395<br>Apiary Costs -£125 -£125 -£96 -£96 2021 Net Income £1,347<br>Governance -£100 -£100 Net Income Total £2,742 £1,395<br>Depreciation -£468 -£468 -£462 -£462<br>Member Social Events -£141 -£141 HWBKA FUNDS Total £6,307 £4,960<br>Miscellaneous -£52 -£52 -£61 -£61<br>Operating Costs Total -£1,055 -£1,055 -£900 -£900<br>Net Income £4,131 -£2,785 £1,347 £4,029 -£2,634 £1,395<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


1. The Accounts are presented on an accruals basis, i.e. matching income with expenditure by time period. 

2. Assets which will be used over several years are depreciated at 25% p.a. based on the depreciated value at the start of each year. 

**John Daffern, Chair                 Paul Cassidy, Treasurer 26 January 2022**