Trustees’ Annual Report
Thermal Drone Support Bedfordshire
Reporting Period: September 2024 – September 2025
Charity Registration Number: 1210148
Registered Address: 9 Albert Place, Houghton Conquest, Bedfordshire, MK45 3LJ
1. Structure, Governance and Management
Governing Document
Thermal Drone Support Bedfordshire is a registered charity governed by its constitution.
Recruitment and Appointment of Trustees
The charity is managed by a Board of Trustees. Trustees are appointed based on the skills, expertise, and governance oversight they bring to the charity, ensuring robust management, operational leadership, and financial scrutiny.
First-Year Trustees
The following trustees served during the charity's first year of operation:
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Sam Boyle (Chair)
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Sarah Brunning (Secretary)
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Leon Rowson (Treasurer)
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Meg O'Dell (Trustee)
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Michael Jones (Trustee)
Organisational Structure & Volunteers
The charity relies entirely on its dedicated network of volunteers who assist with ground searches, tracking, trapping, and essential fundraising activities.
Our drone pilots are highly skilled; all active pilots hold the A2 Certificate of Competency (A2 CofC) , with several also holding the advanced General Visual Line of Sight Certificate (GVC) , or are actively in training to achieve these standards. Pilots utilise a mix of personal equipment and charity-owned assets. Regular, specialised training exercises are conducted to ensure volunteers maintain the advanced technical skills required for wildlife and lost animal detection.
2. Objectives and Activities
Charitable Objectives
The principal object of the charity is to support, advise, and reunite owners with lost pets and other animals, primarily within Bedfordshire, with extensions to neighbouring counties considered based on volunteer availability and critical need.
Public Benefit
The trustees have given due consideration to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit. We deliver tangible public benefit by:
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Alleviating the profound distress of local community members experiencing the loss of a companion animal.
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Protecting animal welfare by deploying dedicated, methodical tracking and trapping methods to safely secure lost, injured, or elusive animals, even when situations require weeks of sustained effort.
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Enhancing public safety by removing stray animals from potentially hazardous environments, such as major highways and rail networks.
3. Achievements and Performance
Evolution of Service
As this was our inaugural year of operation, our services evolved rapidly to meet the practical realities of animal rescue. While initially conceived as a drone-led initiative, practical experience revealed that many rescues require a broader, ground-based approach. Consequently, we expanded our capabilities to provide a holistic rescue service, including:
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The creation and distribution of lost animal posters.
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Providing behavioural advice to owners to prevent scaring lost animals further away.
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• Physical tracking, ground searching, and humane trapping.
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Deploying advanced thermal imaging and drone technology when required.
Impact Note: An unexpected but vital area of our work this year has been providing emotional and mental health support to highly anxious owners during searches, as well as offering compassionate bereavement support in instances where pets unfortunately could not be saved.
Partnerships & Public Engagement
Our profile and reputation within the community have grown significantly over the past 12 months:
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Digital Presence: We established a strong, highly engaged online community, surpassing 5,000 followers on Facebook , which serves as a vital rapid-response tool for circulating missing animal alerts.
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Public Feedback: Reflecting the community's trust in our services, we have received more than 20 five-star reviews across Facebook and Google from grateful owners and supporters.
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Stakeholder Relations: We successfully fostered collaborative working relationships with local dog wardens, Bedfordshire Police, National Highways, and Network Rail workers.
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Local Recognition: In recognition of our professional standards, the local Council Licensing Officer officially distributed our contact details to all licensed boarding kennels in the area as the primary emergency contact for escaped dogs.
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Land Access: We built strong relationships with local farmers and industrial site owners, securing critical, rapid access to private land during active searches.
4. Financial Review
Principle Funding Sources
Total income for the period was derived primarily from public donations, voluntary contributions from assisted pet owners, grants from local businesses, and contributions from dog activity clubs. This was further strengthened by proactive community fundraising, which included attending local fairs and dog shows, and delivering educational talks.
Expenditure and Reserves Policy
Expenditure during this inaugural year was strictly concentrated on operational necessities to maximise our impact:
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Purchasing essential rescue, tracking, and safety equipment.
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Volunteer uniforms to ensure clear identification, professionalism, and safety during public searches.
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Covering fuel cost reimbursements for volunteers attending long-distance searches or monitoring traps.
Trustee Remuneration: Trustees receive no remuneration or salary for their governance roles. Out-ofpocket expenses were reimbursed strictly for operational rescue deployments and volunteer activities in line with charity policy.
5. Future Plans
Looking ahead to the next financial year, the charity aims to scale its operations and secure its long-term sustainability through the following objectives:
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Corporate & Grant Funding: Actively apply for charitable grants and corporate sponsorships to diversify our income streams.
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Operational Vehicle: Secure a dedicated charity vehicle via grant funding to transport largescale rescue gear, traps, and drone equipment that cannot fit into standard private cars.
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Volunteer "Go Bags": Standardise our response times by equipping volunteers with pre-packed "Go Bags" containing essential rescue kit (e.g., high-powered torches, safety gloves, spare leads, and wire cutters).
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Recruitment: Launch a targeted recruitment drive for ground volunteers and qualified drone pilots to increase our operational capacity.
Declaration
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees' report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees:
Name: Sarah Brunning
Position: Secretary Date: 17.06.2026
Thermal Drone Support Bedfordshire Charity No: 1210148
Receipts and Payments Account
For the financial year ending: 19 September 2025
Section A: Receipts
| ection A: Receipts | ection A: Receipts | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Receipt Source | Notes | Amount (£) | |
| Donations | Public giving and voluntary contributions | 15,599 | |
| Grants | Funding received from local businesses | 6,553 | |
| Affiliation Programme | Awards | Programmatic performance rewards | 915 |
| Owner Introduced Funds | Funding contributions from assisted | 626 | |
| owners | |||
| Funds Held 100 Square Draw | Community fundraising initiatives | 200 | |
| Historical Adjustment | & Rounding | Minor accounting alignment | 27 |
| Office | Minor miscellaneous receipt | 1 | |
| Total Receipts | 23,920 | ||
| ection B: Payments | |||
| Payment Category | Notes | Amount (£) | |
| Insurances | Specialised drone and liability coverage | 1,327 | |
| Drones | Capital purchase of drone hardware | 6,696 | |
| Charity Setup Costs | Core branding, phone setup, website domains | 1,509 | |
| Licensing | Mandatory aviation/operational licensing fees | 1,491 |
Section B: Payments
| Pet Support Costs | Equipment including trail cameras, dog and cat traps | 4,738 |
|---|---|---|
| Office | General administrative and phone running costs | 400 |
| Bank Fees | Account operational banking costs | 28 |
| Events Costs | Community presence and fundraising stands | 177 |
| Charitable Donations | Disbursed external support | 44 |
| Volunteer Uniform | Personal protective clothing and public identification | 736 |
| Volunteer Expenses | Approved operational fuel and deployment reclaims | 509 |
| Courses | Mandatory training and technical pilot certifications | 505 |
| VAT | Input tax tracked distinctly (Purchases are net of VAT) | 2,572 |
| Total Payments | 20,731 |
Section C: Statement of Cash Balances at Year End
| Asset Account | Status | Amount (£) |
|---|---|---|
| Current Account | Cash held at bank | 2,439 |
| Savings Account | Cash held at bank | 750 |
| Rounding / | Minor float variance balance | 1 |
| Suspense | ||
| Total Cash Funds | Net cash surplus retained at 19 September | 3,190 |
| 2025 |
Reconciliation: Total Payments (£20,731) + Total Cash Funds Retained (£3,190)
Section D: Accompanying Financial Notes
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VAT Accounting: All individual purchase rows within these accounts are displayed exclusive of VAT. Value Added Tax is pulled out and tracked as a single distinct line item of £2,572 .
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Volunteer Uniforms: The expenditure of £736 represents structural investments in safety uniforms designed to protect ground tracking crews in the field and offer instant visual reassurance to members of the public during local pet searches.
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Reserves Designation: Out of the cash funds held at the year-end, the charity formally reserves £2,500 . This safety buffer is earmarked specifically to cover fixed,
recurring administrative liabilities over the next 12 months, ensuring long-term operational continuity.
Approval & Sign-Off
The financial statements above were formally approved by the Board of Trustees on the date specified below.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees:
Name: Samantha Boyle
Position: Chair
Date: 16.06.2026