## **HERTFORD AND WARE BEEKEEPERS'** ## **ASSOCIATION CIO** ## **REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025** **Registered Charity No: 1187139** **www.HWBees.org.uk** **@HWBeekeepers** ## **Hertford and Ware Beekeepers' Association CIO ("HWBKA")** ## **Chair's Report** My own beekeeping season began on a challenging note, having lost several hives over the winter. I was determined to get back on track so I bought two nucs early in the spring; that decision proved worthwhile as they rewarded me with an early crop of honey. With the new season ahead, I’m hoping to devote more time to queen rearing and aiming for stronger, more resilient colonies in the years to come If your bees didn’t make it through the winter, I would strongly recommend buying a nuc to get you started again, as, although we do our best to distribute any swarms fairly, they often arrive too late in the season to give you a worthwhile honey crop. New Members and then Members who have lost colonies over winter will take priority for any swarms that we catch as an Association. Please contact either Paul or me if you are in need of a swarm and we will add you to the Swarm List. Our Association thrives only because as Members we volunteer our time to organise and support its activities; without that shared contribution the Association could not exist. This year, I would be grateful for volunteers to help with tasks such as updating our website, managing training courses, and assisting with beekeeping or social events. Your involvement makes a real difference, and we’d be delighted to have more Members join in. Please let me know if you can help out. **Member Communications:** Our WhatsApp group is always active with lots of questions, and everyone sharing ideas and helping each other. If you’re not already in the group, please let us know and we will add you. **Equipment:** We have an assortment of equipment which is free for Members to borrow. Our shared equipment includes an oxalic acid vaporiser, a wax melter for making candles, children’s and adult bee suits, manual 2 frame extractor and 2 electric 12 frame extractors, uncapping trays with knives, a refractometer and a warming cabinet. Please feel free to ask! **Training:** Training 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 via our annual Beginners Course. We held two beginners' training courses early in the season and as a result welcomed some new Members. We will run another introduction course this year and already have a list of people wanting to attend. We also had 2 county events where we had several speakers and also competitions for honey (where our Ian Munro won 3 prizes at the Autumn Show), wax, photography and crafts. We're planning to have more activities this coming year. **----- Start of picture text -----**
Johns
Daffern &
Hartley man
the market
stall in
November
2025
**----- End of picture text -----**
**Farmers Markets:** We set up stall at the Hertford Farmers' Market on the 2nd Saturday of every month, we attended the summer event in Ware but sadly were unable to attend the Hertford Christmas market this year. These events provide an outlet for Members to sell surplus honey and bee produce such as candles. Thirteen sellers sold £6,641 of products to the public in 2025 which provided the Association with £651 of commission to fund the costs incurred in attending these events. If you would like to sell some of your surplus honey, please get in touch. **Public Engagement:** These markets are also an important opportunity to talk to the public about bees. Lots of people are keen to learn about bees as well as buying our excellent produce. We will continue to share our enthusiasm for bees and to promote their importance to the environment. We also had the opportunity to feature in the first edition of the new Hertford Quarter magazine with a substantial article about our activities, as well as being the front cover feature. **Apiary:** Our new apiary in Hertford is now well established and our principal home for some club hives, for training and also to provide honey which raises funds for the Association. We retain the Essendon site for Members to use for their own colonies. _Oliver Riley & Peter Knowles with their 1st and 2nd placed entries in the Honey Competition_ **Social:** We enjoyed a social get together at the Bengeo Club after the AGM and a late Christmas get together at the Woolpack in January 2025. Many thanks to Jane and George Rowley for hosting a garden party for the Association at their home this year. The honey tasting was very popular and the competition was won by Oliver Riley, and it was a great opportunity for Members to meet and share beekeeping hints and tips. And finally: I would like to extend my thanks to my fellow committee Members and trustees who give their time to keep 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! I wish you all a successful beekeeping year in 2026 and hope to see you all at some of the events this year. **John Daffern Chair** **----- Start of picture text -----**
No hive to go to?
A compost bin will
do nicely!
A small colony
rescued in Ware
in May
**----- End of picture text -----**
## **Hertford and Ware Beekeepers' Association CIO ("HWBKA")** ## **Report of the Trustees to Members for the Year Ended 31 December 2025** |**Management**||**Trustees**|**Committee **|**Role**| |---|---|---|---|---| |John Daffern||||Chair| |Paul Cassidy||||Treasurer| |John Hartley||||Secretary| |Jane Rowley||||| |Murray Quinney||||| |Bill Hamilton(appointed 19 March 2025)||||| |Rachel Daffern||||| |Solle Zacharuk||||| |Veronica Fraser||||| |Oliver Riley||||| |Matt O'Conner||||| |Tony Smith||||| |**Independent Examiner:**|Peter Knowles|||| |**Registered Charity No:**|1187139|||| |**Bank:**|Lloyds Bank|PLC||| |**Membership**|**2025**|**2024**||| |Full Registered|44|43||| |Partner|6|5||| |Junior|1|0||| |Country|5|9||| |Total Regular Members
Beginners' Course|56
12|57
9||| |**Total All Members**|**68**|**66**||| **Trustees:** The trustees and Committee members (opposite) served throughout 2025 and remain in office 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:** HWBKA furthered its objectives during the year by running a training course for beginner beekeepers, promoting public engagement through regular attendance at the Hertford farmers' markets and local carnivals 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 £6,946 as a result of the surplus income of £31 (2024: £198) for the year. As stated in previous years the Committee's objective is to operate broadly at a break-even level; this objective is considered achieved for 2025. The Committee has decided to maintain maintain the same fee levels for 2026 as charged in 2025. **Assets:** As reported last year a new, more advanced, electric honey extractor was purchased in advance of the 2025 honey season. We can now offer members a choice of 2 electric, amd 1 manual, extractor, together with an uncapping tray and knife, to borrow. We also have one warming cabinet which is now being used regularly to liquify set honey safely. **Annual General Meeting:** The 5th AGM of HWBKA took place on 19 March 2025 at The Bengeo Club, Hertford; the 6th AGM will take place at The Bengeo Club on 18 March 2026 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 2025 (''Accounts''). ## **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. **Peter Knowles Independent Examiner** **13 February 2026** ## **Hertford and Ware Beekeepers' Association CIO** ## **Accounts for the Year Ended 31 December 2025** **----- Start of picture text -----**
INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
2025 2024 AS AT 31 DECEMBER
Net Net
2025 2024
Income Expense Income Income Expense Income
Membership Fees NET ASSETS
HWBKA Membership Fees £1,623 £1,623 £1,633 £1,633 Fixed Assets
BBKA & HBKA Membership Fees -£1,275 -£1,275 -£1,283 -£1,283 Original Cost £5,239 £3,516
Gift Aid £185 £185 £183 £183 Cumulative Depreciation -£3,054 -£2,326
Membership Fees Total £1,808 -£1,275 £533 £1,816 -£1,283 £533 Fixed Assets Total £2,185 £1,191
Training Current Assets
Beginners' Course £880 -£507 £373 £820 -£462 £359 Stock £151 £174
Other Training - - - - -£30 -£30 Debtors £320 £112
Unused Course Vouchers - - £200 £200 Cash At Bank & In Hand £4,421 £5,598
Training Total £880 -£507 £373 £1,020 -£492 £529 Current Assets Total £4,892 £5,885
Farmers' Market & Events Current Liabilities
Sales of Own Product £139 -£55 £84 £453 -£295 £158 Creditors -£11
Commission on Member Sales £651 £651 £300 £300 Deferred Income -£120 -£160
Event Hire -£389 -£389 -£479 -£479 Current Liabilities Total -£131 -£160
Giveaways - - -£136 -£136
Other Selling Costs -£141 -£141 -£87 -£87 NET ASSETS Total £6,946 £6,916
Farmers' Market & Events Total £790 -£585 £205 £753 -£997 -£245
HWBKA FUNDS
Other Income Endowment £3,565 £3,565
Donations £66 £66 £54 £54
Bank Interest £37 £37 £4 £4 Net Income
Other Income Total £102 £102 £58 £58 2020 Net Income £1,395 £1,395
2021 Net Income £1,347 £1,347
Operating Costs 2022 Net Income £100 £100
Depreciation -£728 -£728 -£397 -£397 2023 Net Income £311 £311
Small Equipment -£150 -£150 -£40 -£40 2024 Net Income £198 £198
Apiary Costs -£48 -£48 -£88 -£88 2025 Net Income £31
Governance -£57 -£57 -£86 -£86 Net Income Total £3,381 £3,350
Member Social Events -£57 -£57 -£56 -£56
Website -£86 -£86 -£10 -£10 HWBKA FUNDS Total £6,946 £6,916
Bank Charges -£43 -£43 - -
Miscellaneous -£12 -£12 - -
Operating Costs Total -£1,182 -£1,182 -£676 -£676
Net Income £3,580 -£3,549 £31 £3,646 -£3,448 £198
**----- End of picture text -----**
1. The Accounts are presented on an accruals basis, i.e. matching income with expenditure by time period. **John Daffern, Chair Paul Cassidy, Treasurer 13 February 2026** 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. 3. Amounts are rounded to the nearest pound. Totals and subtotals are the sum of their unrounded underlying components and therefore do not always appear the same as the sum of the rounded numbers shown.