2023-12-31-accounts

BISHOP’S STORTFORD BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION

Registered Charity No: 1192150

Report and Accounts for the period from 1[st] January to 31[st] December 2023

Bishop’s Stortford Beekeepers Association (“BSBKA”)

Report of the Trustees for the period from 1[st] January to 31[st] December 2023

Management

Those involved in managing BSBKA during the period were as follows

Trustees:

• John Palombo

• Andrew Crossley

• John Dockerill

• Simon Rice

• Robert Croft

Executive Committee:

• John Palombo Chair

• Kate Walker Pay Secretary

• Philip Smart Treasurer

• Andy Crossley Membership

• Alison Shaw Training

• Jean Johnson Events

• Allison Evans Swarm Coordinator

• Robert Croft HBKA Representative

• John Palombo Jenkins Lane Apiary Manager

• Simon Rice Westland Green Apiary Manager

Incorporation and Objectives

BSBKA was incorporated as a charitable incorporated organisation and registered with the Charity Commission on 4[th] November 2020. It superseded an unincorporated charity with the same name and took over the assets of that previous body.

The objectives of BSBKA, as set out in its constitution are to promote and further the craft of beekeeping within the area defined broadly as the town of Bishop’s Stortford and its surrounding villages and countryside (“area”) and to advance the education of the public within the area in the importance of bees in the environment.

Affiliations

BSBKA is affiliated to the Hertfordshire Beekeeping Association (“HBKA”), which in turn is an Area Association of the British Beekeepers Association (“BBKA”).

Activities

Despite some indifferent beekeeping weather, 2023 was good year for BSBKA.

• In the spring we held a well-attended Beginner’s Beekeeping course. As well as several intermediate training sessions.

• We held a full set of monthly evening meetings for all members with a wide selection of lively talks.

• Throughout the summer we held practical training sessions for new and developing beekeepers at our Association Apiary.

• We continued to provide a free swarm collection service in the Bishop’s Stortford area and collected a number of swarms.

• We attended the Bishops Stortford Town Carnival and displayed live bees in an observation hive, which, as ever, provided a great tool to educate the public on the importance of bees and how they live.

• We provided education to the public through a number of other channels:

• We had a stall on the local monthly Farmers Market, which gave us an opportunity to sell honey and to talk to the public about the importance of bees and beekeeping.

• We gave talks to various schools, WI groups, scout groups and care homes, etc. as well.

Over the summer we continued the development of our Association Apiary at Jenkins Lane. In particular we fitted solar power to our bee shed and installed lighting and 240v power, funded by the substantial grant we received in 2021.

In terms of our finances, there were two major changes from 2022.

• We spent approximately £7000 on the new solar power system for the Jenkins Lane shed.

• Because of colony losses over the winter of 2022/23, we entered the year with no nucs of bees in the apiary available for sale and were not able to sell any nucs of bees throughout the year, impacting our income.

Without the capital outlay for the solar power system, we would have made a small surplus for the year.

Annual General Meeting

The AGM of BSBKA will take place on 4[th] March 2024.

Bishop's Stortford Beekeepers' Association

Receipts and Payments for year ended 31 December 2023

CASH RECEIPTS 2023 Membership Fees £2,947.00 Apiary Nucs £0.00 Honey sales (profit) £603.42 Other Income £0.00 Training/Education £1,200.00 Sales of Stock Purchase items £4,442.90 Donations £640.06 Miscellaneous £42.55 Gift Aid Recovery:- £563.77 TOTAL CASH RECEIPTS £10,439.70 CASH PAID OUT 2023 Membership Fees for:- BBKA £1,839.50 Membership Fees for:-Herts BKA £460.00 Apiary £8,155.81 Honey sales (expenses) £239.50 Other event related payments £285.00 Training/Education £1,276.50 Stock Purchases for resale £4,501.06 General Administration - Bank fees £174.60 Miscellaneous £0.00 TOTAL CASH PAID OUT £16,931.97 Opening bank balance £22,663.90 Surplus -£6,492.27 Closing bank balance £16,171.63 Treasurer Name: Philip Smart Signature: Philip Smart Dated Independently verified by Name: Malcolm High Signature: Malcolm High Dated	2022 £2,584.50 £718.50 £401.05 £862.95 £1,685.00 £2,425.41 £197.00 £24.16 £548.08
	£9,446.65
	2022 £1,745.50 £174.00 £2,406.58 £283.50 £777.71 £929.10 £2,683.58 £155.19 £410.00
	£9,565.16
	£22,782.41 -£118.51 £22,663.90 15th Feb 2024 20th Feb 2024