## **Trustees' Annual Report for the period**
Period start date Period end date 1 4 2023 31 3 2024 **From To**
## Section A Reference and administration details
**Charity name**
Surrey Bird Club
**Other names charity is known by Registered charity number (if any)** 248285
SBC
**Charity's principal address** Bournbrook House, Sandpit Hall Road Chobham **Postcode GU24 8HA**
## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity**
|1
2
3
4
5
6|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year**|**Name of person (or body) entitled**
**to appoint trustee (if any)**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||David Smith|Chair||AGM|
||Stephen Chastell|CountyRecorder|01/04/2023-26/11/2023|AGM|
||Stella Bignold|Bird Report Editor||AGM|
||RayPhillips|Treasurer||AGM|
||Penelope Williams|Membership
Secretary||AGM|
||||||
## **Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)**
**Name Dates acted if not for whole year**
## **Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**
**Type of adviser Name Address**
**Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)**
**Section B Structure, governance, and management**
## **Description of the charity’s trusts**
Type of governing document
Constitution (last amended at AGM 10th September 2021)
(eg. trust deed, constitution)
How the charity is constituted
Unincorporated Association
- (eg. trust, association, company)
Trustee selection methods
- (eg. appointed by, elected by)
Selected by committee but appointment or reappointment confirmed annually by AGM
## **Additional governance issues (Optional information)**
You **may choose** to include additional information, where relevant, about:
- policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees;
- the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works;
- relationship with any related parties;
- trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them.
In addition to the roles within the charity taken on by the trustees, the charity has a number of other roles taken on by individuals. These roles result in an individual being appointed to the general committee (together with the trustees who are also on the general committee). It is the general committee’s decisions that inform actions taken by the individuals and the trustees.
The individuals within the general committee are also
appointed/reappointed by the AGM. The general committee roles include: Role Person appointed. Newsletter Editor Tim Chinn Conservation Officer Ken Anckorn to 30/06/2023 Field Meetings Officer Ed Hilton BTO Representative Penny Williams Records Database Manager Steve Chastell to 26/11/2023 General Secretary Vacant Ringing Secretary Jeremy Gates Minuting Secretary Vacant Publicity Officer Vacant Records Committee Chair Dave Harris
The charity also appoints a President for a period of three years. The appointment does not confer any powers, but the President will be someone who has been involved with the charity for many years and his or her views are considered. The current President is Eric Soden (a past Chair and County Recorder) whose appointment expires in 2024.
The charity has a permanent sub-committee that considers submitted bird records. That sub-committee has the authority to make a decision on whether or not a particular record is accepted (and therefore included in the annual report).
From time to time the charity will have other subcommittees, however, during the year 2023/24, there were no sub-committees in place.
There is no formal training of the trustees but, before being put forward to the AGM for election, a trustee will usually be co-opted onto the committee so that their suitability for the role can be gauged before being put forward to the AGM for election.
## **Section C Objectives and activities**
- **EDUCATION** : To advance public education in the birds of the County of Surrey and the Vice County of Surrey (“the County”)
- **RESEARCH** : To promote and, with others, participate in ornithological studies in the County
- **Summary of the objects of the** • **PUBLICATION** : To publish an annual report about the birds of the **charity set out in its** County (the Surrey Bird Report).and to publish, from time to time, a
- **governing document** book on the birds of the County
- • **CONSERVATION** : To support and encourage the preservation and conservation of birds and places of ornithological interest in the County.
||**Objectives and activities**|**Objectives and activities**|
|---|---|---|
||•
**EDUCATION**: To advance public education in the birds of the County
of Surrey and the Vice County of Surrey (“the County”)
•
**RESEARCH**: To promote and, with others, participate in
ornithological studies in the County
•
**PUBLICATION**: To publish an annual report about the birds of the
County (the Surrey Bird Report).and to publish, from time to time, a
book on the birds of the County
•
**CONSERVATION**: To support and encourage the preservation and
conservation of birds and places of ornithological interest in the
County.||
|**Summary of the main**
**activities undertaken for the**
**public benefit in relation to**
**these objects (include within**
**this section the statutory**
**declaration that trustees have**
**had regard to the guidance**
**issued by the Charity**
**Commission on public**
**benefit)**|In 2023/24 the charity held a field trip once a month, which were open to
all. These field trips educated members of the public about birds. To
assist members who wished to car share, and make the trips greener, a
group was set up on a social media platform and everyone who attended
a field trip has joined up to the group.
The charity ran three events, one in May and two in June, in Woking
which educated members of the public about the presence of Peregrines
in the county of Surrey. These events were run with the assistance of
Club members and other volunteers. The events were very popular and
successful in their aims, greatly assisted by a new club gazebo which
emphasised the presence of the Bird Club in Woking and provided
shelter for those assisting on the event days.
As well as publishing a quarterly newsletter (available only to members
on the date of publication) the charity publishes to all members of the
public who wish to view the information:
a)
SurreyBirdNews an**X (Formerly Twitter)**account giving up to
date information about bird sightings, field trips and how to participate in
surveys
b)
the Surrey Bird Club website which not only gives up to date
information about bird sightings, field trips and how to participate in
surveys but also information on various walks in Surrey
The charity provided copies of its two publications, Birds of Surrey, and
the Surrey Atlas 2007-2012, to all under twenty-three members, who
wanted a copy, free of charge.
No research projects were carried out by the charity itself in 2023/24 but,
as usual, the charity promoted taking part in the research surveys carried
out by the BTO.
The charity published the 2020 Surrey Bird report.
The charity was due to support the Bioblitz at Tice’s Meadow in July,
unfortunately due to adverse weather, this event was cancelled. Tice’s
Meadow is a site which became a nature reserve, owned by a number of
local authorities, in 2022.
In planning for the year, the Trustees, as well as the rest of the general
committee, kept in mind the Charity Commission’s guidance on public
benefit.||
Section D Achievements and performance
|**Summary of the main**
**achievements of the charity**
**during the year**|See Section C for this information.
None of this would have been possible without the many hours
volunteers have spent:
a)
leading field trips
b)
compiling species accounts for the annual report
c)
authoring articles for the newsletter/Annual Bird Report
d)
sorting and verifying bird sighting records
e)
supporting the Woking Peregrine project
f)
collating information for the newsletter
g)
collating information for the annual report
h)
proofreading the annual report
i)
supporting Tice’s Meadow BioBlitz
j)
providing photographs for the newsletter, report, and website
k)
disseminating information through the Twitter account
L)
disseminating information through the recent sightings’ webpage
m)
keeping the website up to date
n)
attending committee meetings
o) maintaining a WhatsApp Group for Field Meetings|
|---|---|
## **Section E Financial review**
|**Brief statement of the**
**charity’s policy on reserves**
**Details of any funds materially**
**in deficit**|Cash at the bank was over £47,000 as at 31/3/24 more than sufficient to
cover current liabilities. Part of this cash is a designated fund for
enthusing young people resulting from a donation. In view of this
donation the trustees, when deciding on activities for the club, do bear in
mind the importance of enthusing young people to love birds. At present
the annual income from, in the main, subscriptions is sufficient to cover
annual expenditure.
The Club also has received a very generous donation of £15,000
(Included in the cash balance), The committee are to decide on what
these monies will be used for – It is proposed that the donation is to be
called the Steve Chastell Memorial Fund with the funds being used to
support ornithological projects etc that Steve was involved in|
|---|---|
||None|
## **Further financial review details (Optional information)**
|You**may choose**to include additional
information, where relevant about:
•
the charity’s principal sources of funds
(including any fundraising);
•
how expenditure has supported the key
objectives of the charity;
•
investment policy and objectives including
any ethical investment policy adopted.|As a result of the cash being held at the bank the club
sees no need for fundraising at present. The majority of
the charity’s expenditure has been on publishing the
annual report and newsletters both of which educate the
membership about birds in Surrey. Previous editions of the
newsletter are handed out free to non-members who are
expressing an interest in birds in Surrey.
The charity does not currently have an ethical investment
policy as only cash is held. The Club does try to ensure
that wherever possible, ethical purchases are made and
endeavours to persuade members to receive any
publicationelectronicallyrather than inprint.|
|---|---|
Section F
Other optional information
## **Section G Declaration**
**The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.**
**Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees**
> **Signature(s)** David Smith David Smith (Jan 5, 2025 20:26 GMT) David Smith **Full name(s) Position** Chairman **Date** 17 December 2024
Final Audit Report
## SBC Trustees Report
2025-01-05
Created: 2024-12-17 By: Raymond Phillips (rayquiz22@outlook.com) Status: Signed Transaction ID: CBJCHBCAABAAGnGoYaqWc6SwDyoU0KcY_4ZQm1Y5FcAr
## "SBC Trustees Report" History
Document created by Raymond Phillips (rayquiz22@outlook.com)
2024-12-17 - 9:47:29 AM GMT- IP address: 86.162.203.162
Document emailed to David Smith (sbcchair@gmail.com) for signature 2024-12-17 - 9:47:33 AM GMT
## Email viewed by David Smith (sbcchair@gmail.com)
2024-12-17 - 7:01:21 PM GMT- IP address: 66.249.93.1
## Email viewed by David Smith (sbcchair@gmail.com)
2024-12-24 - 10:57:43 AM GMT- IP address: 66.249.93.12
## Email viewed by David Smith (sbcchair@gmail.com)
2024-12-31 - 10:30:53 AM GMT- IP address: 66.249.93.10
Document e-signed by David Smith (sbcchair@gmail.com) Signature Date: 2025-01-05 - 8:26:06 PM GMT - Time Source: server- IP address: 86.175.117.89
Agreement completed.
2025-01-05 - 8:26:06 PM GMT
## SURREY BIRD CLUB
The home of bird watching in Surrey
_Registered Charity No. 248285_
|Income and expenditure
Income
Membership Subscriptions
Gift Aid declarations
Advertising
Sales of Surrey Bird Atlas
Sales of Bird Reports
Donations
Website Costs (refund)
Interest Receivable
Insurance Fraud Refund
Total Income
Expenditure
Bird Report production Costs*
Adjustment re costs of previous years bird reports**
Newsletters
Postage & Stationery
Insurance
Meetings (AGM Including Catering)
Subscriptions
Information Commission
Software and Website
Gazebo Purchase etc Re Woking Peregrine Stall
Miscellaneous Payment
Laptop Purchase
Total Expenditure
Fund balances brought forward
Fund Balances carried forward
Netsurplus/Deficitof Income for the year|Total 2024
£
£
£
£7,472
£7,472
£4,150
£4,150
£500
£500
£123
£123
£83
£83
£433
£15,500
£15,933
£60
£60
£465
£465
£389
£389
£13,675
£15,500
£29,175
£0
£0
-£6,274
-£6,274
£1,085
£1,085
£414
£47
£461
£624
£624
£343
£343
£42
£42
£35
£35
£670
£670
£534
£534
£35
£35
£611
£611
-£1,880
£47
-£1,833
£15,555
£15,453
£31,008
£13,558
£2,905
£16,464
£29,113
£18,358
£47,472
General Fund
2024****
Designated
Fund
2024***|Total 2023
£|
|---|---|---|
|||£7,130
£0
£500
£164
£127
£185
£0
£207|
|||£8,313|
|||£3,195
-£93
£1,113
£1,856
£371
£88
£42
£35
£633
£0
£41|
|||£7,280|
||||
|||£1,033|
|||£15,430|
|||£16,464|
## Notes To Accounts
* & ** - Going forward the accounts will be produced on a Cash Only basis, the liabilities shown previoulsy have been removed *** - Designated Funds now include The Young Birders Fund and The Steve Chastell Memorial Fund
**** - The general Fund includes a figure of £4000 as a Reserve Fund - See Treasurer's Report for more details
## SURREY BIRD CLUB
The home of bird watching in Surrey
_Registered Charity No. 248285_
|Fixed Assets
Investment
Current assets
Cash at Bank:
Skipton Building Society - 5 Year Fixed Bond
Skipton Building Society
Nat West
HMRC
Gift Aid declarations
Sundry Debtors
Current Liabilites
2021 Bird Report
2020 Bird Report
2019 Bird Report
Subscriptions received in advance
Net Assets
Surrey Bird Club Funds:
General Fund
General Fund - Reserves Fund*
Designated fund: Enthusing Young People
Steve Chastell Memorial Fund|2024
£|2024
£|2023
£|2023
£|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||
47,472
-
-||
26,901
10,437|
||11,705
34,302
1,465||11,561
10,982
2,368
1,991||
||||
3,185
3,185
3,185
882||
||25,114
4,000||||
|||47,472||16,464|
|||||13,558
2,905|
|||||16,464|
## Notes To Accounts
* General Fund - Reserves Fund, £4000 has been set aside as a Reserve - Further details in Treasurer's Report
## **Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of Surrey Bird Club**
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Surrey Bird Club (the Club) for the year ended 31 March 2024.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).
I report in respect of my examination of the Club’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
## **Independent examiner’s statement**
in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or
2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or
3. the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
## **Signed: Joan Bingley MA FCIS FCG**
## **15[th] December 2024**