BISHOP’S STORTFORD BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION
Registered Charity No: 1192150
Report and Accounts for the period from 1[st] January to 31[st] December 2024
Bishop’s Stortford Beekeepers Association (“BSBKA”)
Report of the Trustees for the period from 1[st] January to 31[st] December 2024
Management
Those involved in managing BSBKA during the period were as follows
Trustees:
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John Palombo
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Andrew Crossley
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John Dockerill
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Simon Rice
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Robert Croft
Executive Committee:
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John Palombo Chair
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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 Jim Jones Quarantine Apiary Manager Lucy Holmes Committee Member Karen Davis Committee Member
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 It superseded an unincorporated charity with the same name and took over the assets of that previous body.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
2024 was another busy year for BSBKA, but with some significant challenges. First the positives.
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In the spring we held a well-attended Beginner’s Beekeeping course. As well as several intermediate training sessions. Following this, many members went on to pass BBKA Module examinations and Basic Assessments.
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We held a full set of monthly evening meetings for all members with a wide selection of lively talks.
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Throughout the summer we held practical training sessions for new and developing beekeepers at our Association Apiary.
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We continued to provide a free swarm collection service in the Bishop’s Stortford area and collected a number of swarms.
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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.
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We provided education to the public through a number of other channels:
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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.
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We gave talks to various schools, WI groups, scout groups and care homes, etc. as well.
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For the first time we entered a “shop window display” in the National Honey Show and were delighted to win first prize in that class becoming the inaugural winners of the John Hendrie Trophy. The entry then went on to be showcased in the Bishop’s Stortford Tourist Information Centre where it generated a great deal of interest in local beekeeping and BSBKA.
The major challenge for the year was that we had an outbreak of European Foulbrood (EFB) in the area. This was first found at the Association Apiary at Jenkins Lane, but was subsequently found in the apiaries of four members. All were treated by the local Seasonal Bee Inspectors and a number of colonies destroyed or shook swarmed as a result.
By the end of the summer the outbreak had been contained and all the affected apiaries given a clean bill of health, but the disruption decreased the honey harvest and has meant that the association has been unable to sell any colonies of bees during the year or created any for sale in the spring of 2025.
In terms of our finances, the lack of sales of colonies of bees reduced our income over the year, while the EFB outbreak also increased our costs in cleaning and replacing affected equipment. However the Association remains in a strong financial position with a healthy bank balance and we were able to invest in new bee suits for Jenkins Lane, three new hives for the Quarantine Apiary and a full set of speakers for our monthly meetings.
The effect of this was that we made a deficit during the year of £1863, and had a closing bank balance for the year of £14,309.
Annual General Meeting
The AGM of BSBKA took place on 3[rd] March 2025.
Bishop's Stortford Beekeepers' Association
Receipts and Payments for year ended 31 December 2024
| CASH RECEIPTS 2024 Membership Fees £2,559.00 Apiary Nucs £295.40 Honey sales (profit) £1,186.15 Other Income £0.00 Training/Education £1,020.00 Sales of Stock Purchase items £1,977.31 Donations £382.50 Miscellaneous £17.57 Gift Aid Recovery:- £0.00 TOTAL CASH RECEIPTS £7,437.93 CASH PAID OUT 2024 Membership Fees for:- BBKA £1,843.00 Membership Fees for:-Herts BKA £184.00 Apiary £2,230.80 Honey sales (expenses) £686.50 Other event related payments £49.02 Training/Education £1,970.17 Stock Purchases for resale £1,941.12 General Administration - Bank fees £215.62 Miscellaneous £180.55 TOTAL CASH PAID OUT £9,300.78 Opening bank balance £16,171.63 Surplus -£1,862.85 Closing bank balance £14,308.78 Treasurer Name: Philip Smart Signature: P hi l i p Smart Dated Independently verified by Name: Malcolm High Signature: Mal col m Hi gh Dated |
2023 £2,947.00 £0.00 £603.42 £0.00 £1,200.00 £4,442.90 £640.06 £42.55 £563.77 |
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| £10,439.70 | |
| 2023 £1,839.50 £460.00 £8,155.81 £239.50 £285.00 £1,276.50 £4,501.06 £174.60 £0.00 |
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| £16,931.97 | |
| £22,663.90 -£6,492.27 £16,171.63 15th Feb 2025 18th Feb 2025 |