Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From 01/04/2022 to 31/03/2023
Charity name: Cat Squad South Essex
Charity registration number: 1195112
Objectives and Activities: Rescue and rehoming of stray, abandoned and vulnerable cats.
For the public benefit in the South East of England, to promote humane behaviour towards cats and kittens and to relieve the suffering and distress of cats and kittens who are in need of care and protection due to sickness, neglect or maltreatment by the provision of a rescue and rehoming service.
During the above period Cat Squad successfully rescued 53 cats and rehomed 47 of those cats with six still in foster care at the beginning of the next period. This number was disappointing and due to the slow rehoming of cats in cars compared to the previous year.
Because of the slowness to rehome and the higher demand on our services the charity trustees spent much time diverting stray cats and their finders to other charities.
There has been a higher number of cats abandoned and a higher number of enquiries from members of the public asking the charity to take their cats due to an inability to keep them. There has been a high number of female cats abandoned because of neutering costs.
Rising veterinary bills which are rising out of proportion to inflation seem to be due to investment companies monopolising the veterinary practices pushing veterinary costs out of the reach of many people. These people have contacted Cat Squad and asked for help. Cat Squad have a good relationship with a private veterinary practice whose fees are affordable and have sent these people to that private vet. Those enquirers all kept their cats without exception.
The trustees concluded that cats are being abandoned and given up due to unaffordable veterinary costs. The rising cost of cat food may play a part but the significant factor seemed to be vet fees.
Additional information
Policy on grant making:
Cat Squad have not made any grants despite the initial vision.
The intention was to grant funds to the public for neutering and spaying and help towards vet bills in exceptional circumstances. Cat Squad had not generated the funds it considers it needs to expand its operation to facilitate grant making.
The treasurer of the charity was once advised by a Charity Commission officer that a small charity of this nature required a £10000 float plus another £5000 working capital. Cat Squad have not achieved that to date.
Contributions made by volunteers:
Cat Squad had a high turnover of volunteers during the reporting period with a stable base of just five people.
Volunteers appear to be uncommitted but the charity is not in a position to employ paid workers.
Conclusion.
Cat Squad succeeded in rescuing 53 cats and rehoming 47 cats in its first year operating as a charity and regard this as a success.
Cat Squad succeeded in its financial policy of charging a set adoption fee of £120. That level of fee successfully sustained the veterinary care required.
Cat Squad continued to pilot the Silver Rose scheme and a volunteer dedicated to that scheme alone joined the team.
However, due to a lack of volunteers and funds the scheme is not currently being promoted.
The limiting factor to Cat Squads operations had was not only the lack of volunteers but the unreliability of volunteers.
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Funding was not a problem as people willingly donated to Cat Squad and the adoption fees were acceptable.
Ongoing the trustees must reinforce a recruitment drive as the lack of volunteers had been Cat Squads limiting factor.
A dedicated fundraiser joined the team and was successful but sadly left after only a few months due to work commitments. A replacement fundraiser has not been found but the search is ongoing. It is foreseen that rising costs might present problems ongoing.
Signed
Patricia Davies Trustee Cat Squad South Essex
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