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Registered Charity No. 267430
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Trustees’ Report & Accounts for the Amateur Entomologists’ Society
Year ended 31 December 2020
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The Society encourages engagement in invertebrates and their conservation among young people. We produce entomological books and periodicals and organise educational and field events relevant to entomologists of all ages and levels of expertise.
Summary of activities
The Society, all of whose activities continue to depend entirely on the good will of unpaid volunteers, had another successful year in 2020 despite the Covid-19 pandemic, which required us not to hold in-person events. These would otherwise have included, for example, our annual Young Entomologists’ Day, a Members’ Day at Cambridge University and a residential camp for young entomologists and their families.
To replace these activities we employed online conferencing technology. We also set up accounts on Instagram and YouTube, where young members in particular are welcome to upload short videos. Our careful use of Zoom technology allows our overseas members (in particular our young entomologists living abroad) to join our events, which are subject to our online and general safeguarding policies and best practice.
Thanks to the continued commitment of our trustees, the production of our journals and newsletters was unaffected and our membership services and online shop continued to operate as before. Whilst the prevalence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus prevented our Annual Exhibition from being held, for the first time since 1945, we continued to award prizes for contributions to our periodicals, as before.
During the year under review we published a third edition of the popular book A Guide to Moth Traps and their Use , edited by Dr Paul Waring. We also published an AES edition of the children’s book Crystal the Small Miracle , by Sonia Bloom, thereby completing our set of six such publications for young children in the widely lauded ‘Tales and Truths’ series. Crystal the Small Miracle was originally published by the charity Butterfly Conservation.
We continued to foster collaborative contributions to entomology, such as sharing our publication Invertebrate Conservation News in electronic form freely with other societies, notably the British Entomological and Natural History Society. Dr Malcolm Aldridge had discussions with the Royal Entomological Society during the year regarding how our two societies can further collaborate for the benefit of entomological science.
Our Conservation Committee continued to engage with important developments, such as the proposals for the seventh 5-yearly review of schedules 5 and 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981. We also responded to government consultations; for example, Dr David Lonsdale submitted
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comments consistent with the Society’s written conservation policy on the proposed new planning legislation in England.
Governance
Our Annual General Meeting, originally planned to be held at Cambridge University, took place on 17[th] October using Zoom technology. It was followed by a lecture by our President, Dr Erica McAlister Hon. FRES, on the anatomy of the Diptera and how that knowledge has influenced human inventions.
AES Council met in person in February 2020, and subsequently on-line in September and November; decisions taken via e-mail exchange between the spring and autumn were recorded and ratified at the latter meetings. It was decided that it would be to the benefit of the Society and its members and stakeholders to hold future Council meetings online by default, with the exception of at least one in-person meeting each year. In addition to reducing travel and room hire costs, it is hoped that this will encourage a wider diversity of members to become trustees and to have access to our meetings.
It goes without saying that all our activities align with the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit, in particular the advancement of education, science and environmental protection. As an unincorporated association run by volunteers, we are governed by a constitution, with membership open to anyone paying the subscription or admitted as an Honorary Member. We are managed by a Council of not more than 18 members elected by the membership, who also elect the officers for the ensuing year at each AGM. Council members hold office for a period of three years before retiring and may be re-elected for further terms of office.
Financial Summary
Substantial annual donations from both the British Entomological and Natural History Society and from an anonymous donor, particularly in support of the Bug Club, continue to provide useful support to our finances, as do donations from many other members. In 2020 we also received £900 from the sale of a cabinet that was kindly donated to the Society in memory of Gerald White, of Leicester. Receipts for the year were £39,648 (2019: £55,296) and expenses paid out were £38,632 (2019: £60,618). Both receipts and expenses were significantly lower than the previous year due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic which prevented the holding of our annual exhibition and other events. Despite this our income held up well, although there has been a slight fall in membership numbers. We were also able to make cost savings by holding meetings on-line. We ended the year with an overall surplus of £1,016.
Reserves Policy
The Board of Trustees have determined that the AES will maintain a small investment portfolio as our unrestricted reserves to underwrite our future and provide a small ‘buffer’ against any fluctuations in income and expenditure. The market value of this portfolio on 31st December 2020 was £140,787 (2019: £145,267). During the year the value of this portfolio was affected by the significant fall in the Stock Market due to the pandemic, but recovered along with the Market to be only 3% lower than the previous year’s value. The dividends on our investments were down 15% compared with the previous year but we anticipate improved returns as the Stock Market and economy recover. However, the dividends on our investments, and their capital value at year end, will of course vary with the market. We also had cash reserves of £20,601 (2019: £17,813).
Dafydd Lewis (Hon. Secretary) Peter Brown (Hon. Treasurer) 20[th] September 2021
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Independent Examiner's Report
Report to the Trustees of the Amateur Entomologists Society
on the accounts for the year ended 31 December 2020 set out on pages 4-6
Responsibilities and basis of report
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Society for the year ended 31 December 2020.
As the charity's trustees, 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 Trust’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
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
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the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
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the accounts did 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 this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
M R Cooper ACA Welbeck 29 Welbeck Avenue Southampton SO17 1ST
Date: 20[th] September 2021
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| Amateur Entomologists Society | Amateur Entomologists Society | Amateur Entomologists Society | Amateur Entomologists Society | No (if any) | No (if any) | CC16a | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
267430 |
||||||||
| DRAFT Receipts andpayments | accounts | |||||||
| For the period from |
01-Jan-20 | To | 31-Dec-20 | |||||
| Section A Receipts and payments | ||||||||
| Unrestricted funds |
Endowment funds |
Restricted funds |
Total funds | Last year | ||||
| to the nearest £ |
to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | ||||
| A1 Receipts | ||||||||
| Membership income | - | - | - | - | ||||
| Subscriptions | 24,535 | - | - | 24,535 | 26,948 | |||
| Donations | 1,657 | - | 1,000 | 2,657 | 4,976 | |||
| Publications | - | - | ||||||
| Proceeds of Sale | 6,016 | - | - | 6,016 | 4,032 | |||
| Publishers LicensingSociety | 1,556 | - | - | 1,556 | 1,235 | |||
| Other Income | - | - | - | - | - | |||
| AES Exhibitions | - | - | - | - | 11,893 | |||
| Investment Income | 3,946 | - | - | 3,946 | 4,871 | |||
| Advertisingrevenue | 620 | - | - | 620 | 578 | |||
| Goods sold | 318 | - | - | 318 | 763 | |||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) |
38,648 |
- | 1,000 | 39,648 | 55,296 | |||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
||||||||
| - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| Sub total | - | - | - | - | - | |||
| **Total receipts ** | 38,648 | - | 1,000 | 39,648 | 55,296 | |||
| A3 Payments | ||||||||
| Cost of Journals | 22,352 | - | 2,772 | 25,124 | 33,081 | |||
| Publications Costs | 4,289 | - | - | 4,289 | 3,295 | |||
| Membershipservices | - | - | - | - | - | |||
| AES Exhibitions | 18 | - | - | 18 | 11,155 | |||
| Charitable events | - | - | - | 329 | ||||
| Purchase of Goods for sale | 164 | - | - | 164 | 787 | |||
| Registrars Fee & expenses | 5,390 | - | - | 5,390 | 5,770 | |||
| BugClub Activities | - | - | - | - | 303 | |||
| Awards | 100 | - | 100 | 615 | ||||
| Governance and support | 3,072 | - | - | 3,072 | 4,542 | |||
| Miscellaneous | 475 | - | - | 475 | 741 | |||
| - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| **Sub total ** | 35,860 | - | 2,772 | 38,632 | 60,618 | |||
| A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) |
||||||||
| - | - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | - | |||||
| **Sub total ** | - | - | - | - | - | |||
| **Totalpayments ** | 35,860 | - | 2,772 | 38,632 | 60,618 | |||
| Net of receipts/(payments) | 2,788 | - | - 1,772 | 1,016 | - 5,322 | |||
| A5 Transfers between funds | - | - | - | - | - | |||
| A6 Cash funds lastyear end | 17,813 | 6,182 | 23,995 | 29,317 | ||||
| Cash funds thisyear end | 20,601 | - | 4,410 | 25,011 | 23,995 | |||
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Categories | Details | Unrestricted funds |
Endowment funds |
Restricted funds |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| to nearest £ | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | ||||
| B1 Cash funds | General Fund | 20,601 | - | - | ||
| Redwing Trust | - | - | 4,410 | |||
| - | - | - | ||||
| Total cash funds | 20,601 | - | 4,410 | |||
| (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) |
OK |
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Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 December 2020
1. Accounting Policies
We present our accounts in the Receipts & Payments format.
2. Funds
The General Fund is used for the day to day running of the society.
The Society has restricted funds which shall be used only in accordance with the conditions stipulated by the donors. Redwing Trust funding is used for outreach and other purposes that further our charitable aims. We also have received an annual donation for the Bug Club.
3. Investment values
| Investments | Cost | Current |
|---|---|---|
| value | ||
| CoFunds | £68,000 |
£93,563 |
| Artemis | £4,000 | £5,493 |
| ITV Shares (ShareCentre) | £1,500 |
£863 |
| IFSL CAF Growth | £20,000 | £26,772 |
| M&G Charifund | £10,150 | £14,096 |
| Totals | £102,608 | £140,787 |
Signed on behalf of the Trustees:
Peter Brown (Hon. Treasurer) 20[th] September 2021
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Amateur Entomologists’ Society Charity Information 2020
President Dr Erica McAlister Secretary Dafydd Lewis Treasurer Peter Brown Registrar Dr Victoria Burton Conservation Secretary Dr David Lonsdale Habitat Conservation Officer Stephen Lings General Editor Jacqueline Ruffle Editor, AES Bulletin Colin Hart Editor, Entomologist’s Record Colin Plant Editor, ICN Dr David Lonsdale Newsletter Editor Dafydd Lewis Advertising Secretary Peter Hodge Exhibition Secretary Wayne Jarvis Webmaster Dr Kieren Pitts Other Council Members David Budworth Ralph Hobbs Dr Andy Chick Dr Malcolm Aldridge Elisa McGarry
The above are all Charitable Trustees of the Society, with the exception of Colin Plant
Custodial trustees: Paul Brock and Colin Hart
Charity Number 267430
Registered Address:
Fourpenny Cottage, Dungates Lane, Buckland, Betchworth, Surrey, RH3 7BD
Bankers: HSBC plc, City of London Branch, Victoria Street, EC4N 4TR
Accountants: Welbeck Accountancy Services, Southampton SO17 1ST
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