Trustees’ Annual Report for the period From 1/04/2023 To 31/03/2024 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. The working model of operation has continued to be successful. During the reporting period Cat Squad attracted some very solid and reliable volunteers bringing the total number of volunteers to 22 and relieving much of the work burden from the trustees. The Charity Commission guidance has proved an invaluable operating model and the trustees have fully complied ## **Additional information** Policy on grant making: The trustees took the decision not to continue with the vision of grant making for neutering or microchipping for two reasons. 1 - Cat Squad have never generated the required funds to do so and the income appears to have settled below £10,000 pa. 2- The local Cats Protection branch make full cost grants for neutering and spaying to anybody irrespective of income status. This activity by Cats Protection makes it unnecessary for Cat Squad to do so. When people ask Cat Squad for help with neutering costs the enquirers are referred to Cats Protection. Consequently this service is covered. ## **Contributions made by volunteers:** Whilst the governing document allows trustees to claim out of pocket expenses from the charity, a decision made by the trustees that trustees would self fund with the exception of vet bills and excessive expenses was upheld during the reporting period. It is expected that this will become written policy. This decision to continue this policy was upheld and taken by unanimous vote of the trustees because it was felt that as the charity asks fosterers to self fund, the trustees must lead by example. Going forward this is to be written into the governing document and will be done by the next reporting period. ## **The Silver Rose Scheme.** The Silver Rose scheme was piloted and a dedicated volunteer joined the team dedicated to scheme. This scheme was to help and facilitate elderly and infirm people keep a pet cat(s). Five elderly people joined the scheme but it was found younger people were attempting to sign up their parents and grandparents which was not the intention of the scheme. Silver Rose was intended for people with no family support. The scheme was discontinued after the trustees and dedicated volunteer found the members families troublesome and too demanding, making claims on the charity that were neither agreed nor published as part of the scheme. A particularly troublesome factor was finding that people were being dishonest on application just to get into the scheme. It was decided to discontinue the Silver Rose but keep the people already signed up which are currently only three people. As time passes the scheme will come to a natural end. ## **Financial** Cat Squad succeeded in its financial policy of charging a set adoption fee of £120. With the steep increase in veterinary costs and with veterinary bills being the main expenditure it was decided not to increase the adoption 1 fee but instead cut costs elsewhere. Cat Squad no longer vaccinate young kittens if they are rehomed before 16 weeks and the new owners are advised to vaccinate the kittens themselves. Kittens over 16 weeks in Cat Squad's care are vaccinated nevertheless. That level of fee and revised vaccination policy successfully sustained the veterinary care required. The limiting factor to Cat Squads operations had was the lack of volunteers. Whilst Cat Squads took on 20 volunteers stray cats and pregnant cats never stopped coming and even 20 wasn't enough. Funding was not a problem as people willingly donated to Cat Squad and the adoption fees were acceptable. Ongoing Cat Squad must recruit a dedicated fundraiser. Patricia Davies Trustee Cat Squad South Essex 2 Flxt El4(A*￿ WAIS Recd ts and nts accounts T• CC16a Section A Receipis and payments y•ar A1 F••