2023-09-30-accounts

Wiltshire Beekeepers Association Registered Charity Number 1198735

- Trustees Report 26 April 2022 30 September 2023

Our Purpose

The charitable Objects of the Wiltshire Beekeepers Association (WBKA) are to advance the education of the public and beekeepers in the craft of beekeeping and promote the importance of bees in the environment.

Our Activities

Beekeeping is a seasonal activity, busiest when the bees are busy. Although our financial year runs from 1 October – 30 September, most of our activities are ongoing throughout the year, and the season of greatest interaction between people and bees is April to September.

We further our Objects in the following ways:

• We engage with and develop the skills of existing beekeeping members through courses, including Basic and General Husbandry training and exams, British Beekeepers Association (BBKA) Module study groups and exams, production of the Honey Bee Times, and talks both at branch and county level.

• We encourage potential beekeepers, many of whom go on to take an introduction to beekeeping course. Not all go on to take up beekeeping but may come back to it when personal circumstances allow.

• Several schools have invited members in to talk with pupils about bees in the environment. During the summer term, such visits will include bees in an observation hive.

• We ensure relevant information is circulated to members through appropriate channels, including Asian Hornet and other National Bee Unit (NBU) alerts. Last year there were over 72 Asian hornet incursions to the UK and hopefully the NBU dealt with all nests before this year’s new queens emerged. We have started making preparations for Asian hornet incursions into the county in 2024. This will enable the charity to support the NBU in identification and tracking activities as necessary.

• WBKA interests are represented at the British Beekeepers Association Annual Delegates Meeting and the South West Beekeeping Forum.

• Our Approved Swarm Collectors provide a free 24/7 swarm collection service to residents in most of Wiltshire (except in the Salisbury area, where the Salisbury Beekeepers Association provides a similar service). This included extracting an established swarm that took up residence

in a pillar box to enable the postman to collect the post. Occasionally, our Swarm Collectors are also called upon by the public to advise on problems associated with other flying insects, e.g. Wasps, Hornets, etc. although this is not their raison d’etre.

• The charity assisted with the Bee Tent at the Bath & West Show in June 2023, where members of the public could find out more about bees and beekeeping. Several members also successfully competed at the show.

• The charity engaged with local business and the public to encourage their support of the beekeeping community, including taking a stand at the EcoFest in Chippenham supported by all four branches, where 100 children enjoyed themselves rolling a beeswax candle while beekeepers talked to them about bees, wax and honey.

• The branches were represented at several local fetes and fairs. At summer fetes this may include an observation hive.

• One branch has upgraded its teaching apiary and is building a kitchen especially to demonstrate honey extraction. Two others are considering improvements to theirs.

• The Trustees met quarterly in various locations around the county to drive the operations of the charity forward. We continue to work on a strategy and modus operandi to develop special projects in line with our charitable Objects.

• We closed the year on 30 September with 512 members in four branches, most of whom have gone on to renew their membership.

• Finally we got this financial year off to a good start once again with the Wiltshire Bee & Honey Day, currently our biggest public-facing event of the year.

• Held in the Corn Exchange, Devizes, the event included talks over the whole day aimed at both beekeepers and the general public.

• There were over 250 entries in the honey show, over £930-worth of members’ honey was sold, 3 kegs of Wadworth honey beer was sold, 200 biodegradable balloons on biodegradable sticks were given away to children, over £160-worth of teas and coffees were sold, income from sponsors and trade stands amounted to nearly £1,000. The stalls sold bee-related gifts, wildflower seeds, honey and candles.

Sophie Butcher Chair of Trustees Wiltshire Beekeepers Association Reg. Charity No. 1198735 January 2024

CHARITY COMMISSIO FOR ENGLAND ANO WALE WILTSHIRE BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION 1198736 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For tha p•rkxl from 26104r2022 To 3010912023 Section A Receipts and payments Unrestrlcted funds to th• n•ar•st Restrlcted funds Endowment funds Total funds Last year to th• Mar•st £ to th• n•ar•st e to th• n•ar•st £ to th• nMr•st t A1 Recelpts tknatK)ns MernL*rshi Educali Ad 629 16.134 8,961 24,087 9,187 9.187 Other Beekee Rec Non Beekee 3,420 3,420 Recei ross Income AR) 16,866 sse an (see table). Total rnceipts A3Pa 346 10,844 n7 13,014 Mernbefship Ca Educatt al￿1 2,737 Sundry ￿ Beek Paymerrtts Sub total 10,844 40,n6 A4 Asset and Investment rchases see table Sub total Total payments 29,892 40,73• Net of fBcelptrfpayments) A5 Transfers belween fiJnd$ A6 Cash funds last year erMI Cash fvnd8 this y•ar end ,820 81,551 C£XX R1 a¢￿ftts (SS) 1r2024

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unrestrkted Restrkted funds to noar•st £ Endowment funds to nw•st t to nurest £ 81 Cash funds 137 Bank A￿UnIS (Imme(hate access) Total cash funds 46,731 accaffitls)) Unr•strkted lunds to n••f•St £ Restrkt•d EndoMn•rt funds fvnd$ to ne•i•st £ t• n•arest t B2 Other monetary assets Fund to whlch Cost lo￿￿￿1) Curr•rt nal FWMI to vknlch ss•t Cosl (optl(xial) B4 Assets retalned for the chaflty's own use to whlch B5 Llabillties Signed by Of trusto•s on behaff d all the tntste•s Synature Print Name John Celi GOSLING Soth BUTCHER IL CCXX R2 accounts (SS) 3010112￿4

Commercial in Confidence

Independent examiner's report on the accounts

Section A Independent Examiner’s Report

Report to the trustees/ Charity Name members of Wiltshire Beekeepers Association

On accounts for the 26 April 2022 to 30 September 2023 Charity no 1198735 period ended (if any) Set out on pages 1 (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the period ended 30/09/2023.

Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).

I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

• accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or

• the accounts do not accord with the accounting records

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Signed: Date: 20/01/2024 Name: Lucy Wood Relevant professional ACA Qualified qualification(s) or body Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (if any): (ICAEW) Address: 47 B Fremantle Road, Cotham, Bristol BS6 5SX

October 2018

1

IER

Commercial in Confidence

Section B Disclosure

Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).

Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .

October 2018

2

IER