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2022-12-31-accounts

& F I N A N C I A L S T A T E M E N T S

2022

CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 269442 COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 1204694

ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2022

A Boreray from the Burnside flock.

#NativeBreedsForModernNeeds

Contents

Our goals 4 A message from our Chairman 5 A message from our Chief Executive Officer 6 A message from our Chair of Conservation 7 & Research Committee A message from our Director of Finance 8 9 Promoting 20 Securing 24 Delivering 38 Recognition

Financial Review 43 Governance 45 Independent Auditors Report 47 Statement of Financial Activities 49 B alance sheet 50 51 Statement of cash flows 52 Notes to the financial statements RBST Corporate Directory 65

Cover photograph: Hackneys. Photograph: Jonny Olliff-Lee.

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ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2022

Our goals and what we’re doing to achieve them

Goal: A reverse in the decline of all livestock breeds on the Watchlist

Goal: A comprehensive up-to-date Gene Bank

What: We aim to have all the breeds on the Watchlist stable by 2028

How:

What: The RBST Gene Bank is the charity’s single biggest investment and a key national asset. We will work towards making this a National Gene Bank, supported by government

How:

Goal: Livestock genetic diversity recognised by government and wider society as a fundamental element of agricultural and biodiversity policy

What: We lobby for genetic diversity to be recognised in government policies such as the Agriculture Act, Rural Development Policy and Biodiversity Policy

How:

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John Atkinson Chairman

A message from our Chairman

have been most proud of is the extent to which RBST has maintained its financial position over a fairly traumatic few years.

“Native Breeds for Modern Needs”

The end of my first full year as Chair of RBST is a good time to be taking stock of what we have achieved in recent months and ensuring that we are making the greatest possible impact when it comes to securing the future of our native breeds of livestock and equines.

Finally, though, everything comes down to people, and I have been delighted to have such an extremely engaged and articulate Board of Trustees to work alongside, an incredibly able and hardworking staff team and so many loyal and enthusiastic Support Groups and members.

As Chair, I am determined RBST should become ever more focussed on showcasing why our native breeds of livestock and equines matter, and how we can work for their survival long into the future.

I am particularly grateful for the support of our president Baroness (Sue) Hayman and Vice Presidents Martin Beard, Elizabeth Buchanan, Alan Black, Lord De La Warr, Jimmy Doherty and Lord Iliffe. I am sure I was not the only one who felt touched watching Baroness Hayman’s tribute to the Queen, highlighting her love of native breeds.

As a Cumbrian livestock farmer, with a business based on native breeds, I know they can form the basis of a profitable enterprise. With growing consumer interest in where food comes from, and its environmental footprint, the way we need to farm is changing.

I want to conclude by expressing my deepest thanks to everyone who works so hard on behalf of our breeds.

Moreover, as a result of Brexit, each of the four UK countries is having to devise its own agricultural policy, with most of them focussing on how farmers should be rewarded for delivering a range of public benefits, particularly improving the natural environment and reducing carbon emissions.

All this provides a wonderful opportunity for native breeds which have been bred for centuries to live and thrive in our environment with little input. We can use these attributes to provide a much more sustainable future for British agriculture - and RBST is at the forefront making the case. As I’m sure you will agree, RBST’s public profile in recent months has been excellent.

Over the course of the year, I was delighted to see the enthusiasm of so many RBST members willing to come forward and help us extend our influence at a local, regional and national level. RBST Scotland has been going from strength to strength in its stated aim of engaging with influencers and decision makers. And I have been particularly excited by the re-founding of RBST Northern Ireland and fully anticipate it will soon be having a similar impact.

As you will see from the financial section of this report, RBST’s long term approach to business planning paid off in 2022 and meant that we were prepared when faced with significant short-term financial volatility. Of course, it also helped that our income from most sources increased over the year, and our efficient cost control meant we avoided any unnecessary expenditure. One of the things I

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ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2022

Christopher Price CEO

A message from our Chief Executive Officer

the impact of livestock farming on the climate. 2022 saw us extend the concern to our own operations, reducing the number of meetings held in person, ensuring that travel around the country was done as efficiently as possible, introducing a recyclable wrapper for The Ark and phasing out single use plastic merchandise. I very much hope we can build on this trend in future years.

As this report makes clear, free of the constraints of Covid, 2022 was a year of achievement for RBST. We made significant headway delivering on both our conservation work and our advocacy. However, we would not be able to achieve nearly so much unless RBST itself was being run in a professional and business-like way.

2022 saw the second full year of RBST rolling out its first fully costed 5 Year Business Plan. This, together with proper budgeting and financial controls, means that the organisation is now being run as efficiently and effectively as it should be. We work out what we need to do, and then how we can pay for it.

Of course, we cannot do everything ourselves. RBST depends on its members to get things done, some as individuals, some as members of support groups – the groups set up by the Board to help RBST deliver its objectives. The work they do throughout the year all contributes to RBST’s effectiveness.

In our conservation workstreams, as Claire Saunders, Chair of RBST’s Conservation & Research Committee, makes clear, 2022 saw us continue to roll out our strategy for improving the conservation status of our breeds. We promoted the benefits of keeping native breeds, whether as providers of meat, wool or conservation grazing, we engaged with all four UK governments to make keeping native breeds more attractive and remove some of the obstacles, and for those breeds facing specific difficulties, we devised and delivered bespoke projects.

RBST Scotland continues to display the dynamism it has shown since its foundation, running both physical and online events to raise the profile of native breeds north of the border. RBST members in Northern Ireland have followed a similar model, merging the two support groups into a new RBST Northern Ireland. I was both delighted and impressed by the members in the province who worked so hard to bring this about. In the coming months we hope to see the start of similar steps in Wales.

I recognise that changing the way we do things can be challenging, but I’ve been delighted by the extent to which so many have stepped up and looked at new ways of delivering for both RBST and the breeds.

And as Director of Finance and Operations Claire McNicol sets out, RBST’s adoption of a long-term approach to business planning, addressing amongst other factors the potential impacts of short-term volatility, meant that RBST was in a much more robust position than may otherwise have been the case. Moreover, increases in most of our income sources and effective cost control, meant that RBST’s financial position remained secure. As a result, RBST continues to manage its finances efficiently and effectively, ensuring every pound we raise is used in driving our agenda.

So huge thanks to everyone involved: trustees, members and, in particular, our wonderful staff team: Claire McNicol, Tom Blunt, Andrea Parry Jones, Jo Linford, Racheal Peckover, Hannah Roberts and Amy Foulkes, and our two communications advisers Linda Trotman and Isobel Davidson.

With a view to improving our governance RBST devoted much of 2022 to completing a much-needed updating of its Articles of Association, ensuring they accord with recent legal developments and best practice. In particular we were keen to adopt modern arrangements for conducting meetings and to enhance the role of the Nominations Committee so as to make sure we have the best candidates we can coming forward to join the Board. I am grateful to those trustees who joined the working groups and to the members who voted in such overwhelming numbers to agree the changes.

In much of its advocacy, RBST aims to address

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Claire Saunders Chair of Conservation & Research Committee

A message from our Chair of Conservation & Research Committee

to the sort of sustainable farming systems in which native breeds thrive.

As Chair of RBST’s Conservation & Research Committee, I have the great pleasure of overseeing the delivery of RBST’s strategy for conserving and promoting our native livestock and equines.

I have been delighted by the Welsh Government’s commitment to introduce so much of what RBST has been calling for: direct financial incentives for keeping pedigree registered stock, government support for selling native breed products and using native breeds in delivering environmental benefits and direct promotion of the benefits of rare and native breeds.

In the first instance, we encourage farmers, smallholders and consumers to use the breeds for reasons for which the animals were initially bred, whether to provide food, fibre or, increasingly, conservation grazing. Secondly, we lobby for government to invest in the public benefits provided by the breeds; and thirdly where there is a clear need, RBST will carry out its own bespoke conservation projects.

In Scotland RBST is working with the Government to ensure that its agriculture, food and climate policies fully recognise the potential contribution of native breeds. However, we have yet to see the details.

Through our media and wider advocacy at conferences and events, in 2022 we continued to make the strong case for native breed meat and wool. I was particularly pleased by the extent to which RBST has demonstrated the clear economic benefits of keeping native breeds which has been picked up in the farming and rural press in recent months.

In Northern Ireland we are directly challenging the Government’s policy to reduce livestock emissions through keeping animals indoors and by early slaughter, maintaining that emissions can be better reduced by reducing overall numbers, focusing on breeds that thrive outdoors on grass, improving overall health and welfare and adopting breeding practices that improve efficiency without compromising breed standards.

We have also had significant success in promoting the important role of native breeds in conservation grazing. Through our consultancy projects and training courses, whether the objectives are simply a more environmentally sustainable farm or a major rewilding project, we are seeing ever more land managers introducing native breed grazers successfully into their own systems.

Finally, there are those breeds that face particular challenges, and whose situation is such that Government support alone will not be enough to secure their future. The new methodology we adopted for compiling the Watchlist in 2021 has been particularly important here. We are now much better placed to identify the specific changes individual breeds face.

We may not have got native breeds fully back into the heart of UK agriculture yet but I would argue that, as a result of a lot of the work RBST has undertaken, they are undoubtedly a lot more mainstream than has been the case for much of the last half century.

Some of our work has been through overarching projects, such our equine project generously funded by the Horserace Betting Levy Board, and our work promoting clan breeding systems for poultry. Others are directed at individual breeds, where we are working with our friends in the breed societies on projects to support the likes of Gloucester cattle, North Ronaldsay sheep, Exmoor ponies and the British Lop and Large White pigs. The details are set out in this report.

We need to be making it easier to keep native breeds. In particular we need an abattoir network capable of processing small numbers of non-standard animals to the highest welfare standards. So throughout 2022 we were working hard, through the Abattoir Sector Group, to alert Government to the plight of the small sector and call on it to take steps to address the challenges through a combination of investment and a proportionate approach to regulation.

As with all RBST’s work, many, many people contribute to our success, but I would like to pay particular thanks to my fellow trustees on the Conservation & Research Committee, the staff conservation team, and of course all the breed societies and dedicated individuals who work so hard to sustain and develop our breeds.

Post the UK’s departure from the EU and the Common Agricultural Policy, we are working with Defra, and the three devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, to ensure that our native breeds are properly supported under new agricultural policies. In England we are working with other farming and environmental organisations to ensure that ELM fully incentivises the transition

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ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2022

Claire McNicol Director of Finance & Operations

A message from our Director of Finance and Operations

2022 was a challenging year financially. Double digit inflation and the cost of living crisis, following hot on the heels of Covid, meant the global economy, and in turn the environment RBST operates in, hardly had a chance to recover from the unprecedented challenges of 2020 and 2021 before new challenges emerged. Nevertheless, there were more than sufficient positive underlying trends, including increased income from most sources and the efficient management of costs, to keep RBST’s finances stable.

investments income, with the only exception being grants and donations, and this was somewhat skewed due to the second half of a large grant (c.£130,000) being received in 2021 but not in 2022. Unrestricted donations and grants were over double that which they had been in 2021, as a result of the generosity of life members’ contributions to supporting RBST in its 50th anniversary and beyond. Income from membership subscriptions was also up, and within that corporate subscriptions were up over 50%.

RBST also had another successful year after launching its consulting offering in 2021. This is a fantastic new income stream for the Trust, as it allows RBST to forward its charitable objectives at scale, as well as build relationships and networks with large landowners, government bodies and other NGOs, all while bringing in additional income to fund other activities within the Trust.

RBST’s adoption of a long term approach to business planning, factoring in the need to address the risk of significant short term volatility, meant that RBST was well prepared to deal with the challenges of 2022.

The two key figures that are large and prone to volatility are Investments and Legacies. Both figures underperformed in 2022. It is known, and accepted, that these figures are subject to relatively large variations from one year to the next. Key for RBST is what these movements look like over the long term, and how the activities of the Trust are managed year on year to ensure it operates within an acceptable range.

Costs remained under close control despite the cost of living crisis, and whilst they increased versus 2021, this had been planned and approved, in part due to the fact the work related to the farm park project was to be continued. There was also an increase in spend on raising funds as a full programme of events was returned to. However, costs remained lower than they had been in 2018, 2019 and 2020 and efficiency and diligence continue. Spend on charitable activities was up in 2022, this is a focus for the Trust to ensure that spend, and indeed resources as a whole, are directed to where they will have the most impact in forwarding the charity’s objectives, and charitable spend in the pound remains over 70p.

For example, the investment loss in 2022 was £294,184, whereas the investment gain in 2021 was £383,886. This is a swing of almost £680,000 but averages out at a gain of around £90,000 (and it is important to recognise these are unrealised gains or losses i.e. the gain or loss has not been crystalised, rather it’s a snap shot as of December 31st for accounting purposes). In addition to the capital performance of investments (i.e. the gain or loss on investments) RBST receives investment income, typically in the region of £90,000-£125,000. The key point here being, the Trust considers it better to hold monies in investments, rather than cash, to ensure reasonable returns, which in turn contribute to the funding of the Trust’s charitable activities and delivering the overall strategy.

RBST continued with the trend of increasing restricted funds (up 14% in 2022), as the Trust continues to target, and be successful in applying for, grants for specific projects. This means there is even more funding for projects that are underway such as the Horserace Betting Levy Board project, the Foundation for Common Land project, the Lop project, the Priority Breed projects and more.

The position is somewhat similar with legacies, in terms of their potential for large year on year fluctuations. Once again, the key message is that the Trust is managing its activities to account for these, often large, fluctuations. Whilst in some years this might result in an overall deficit, in others it will result in a surplus. But over the long term the Trust’s activities are within an appropriate range to ensure the finances remain stable. And RBST has remained financially well positioned to weather the challenges of both the global pandemic and now the cost of living crisis.

The final thing left for me to say, and I do say it every year because it remains as true as it ever was, all this simply wouldn’t be possible with our fantastic staff team, who are going from strength to strength and really go above and beyond to help forward the objectives of the Trust. Our simply fantastic members who are out there extending the reach of RBST beyond what we could ever achieve without them. Our wonderful corporate supporters and sponsors who recognise their business goals and objectives align with our own. And finally, sincerely, to those who so touchingly chose to remember us in their will. Thank you to you all, we simply could not do it without you!

Onto the positive trends mentioned earlier, income was up in all areas, including membership income, charitable activities, advertising revenue and

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Promoting

Golden Guernsey goats. 9

ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2022

Promoting

Over the years, RBST has devoted considerable time and resources to attending traditional agricultural and county shows.

However, the nature of these events is changing. A number of the bigger traditional shows, most obviously the Royal Show, have gone, others, such as the Game Fair, have become smaller, more focussed and specialised.

Of those that remain, many are increasingly lifestyle events aimed at families rather than at farmers and animal keepers. Any native breed presence is limited to providing an attraction for these new audiences rather than promoting the breeds to likely keepers.

There are, however, an increasing number of events aimed more at our target audience of sustainable and regenerative farmers. These include the Oxford Real Farming Conference and Groundswell. Attendance at these shows is growing.

In addition, there are the events run by other organisations, which are increasingly keen to invite RBST to participate. 2022 saw us speak at events as diverse as the Game Fair, the Landworker Alliance conference and the Council for the Preservation of Rural Wales conference.

In 2020 RBST reviewed its show strategy to ensure its resources were being used as efficiently and effectively as possible, targeting our attendance at those events where we are likely to have the biggest impact. As a result of Covid, 2022 was the first year in which this new approach could be fully rolled out.

Groundswell

Groundswell is a major outdoor festival of regenerative farming held annually in Hertfordshire. We find it provides an excellent forum for farmers, growers and anyone else interested in food production and the environment to meet and discuss theory and practical applications of regenerative farming systems.

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RBST CEO Christopher Price with
Agriculture Minister Lord Benyon.
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RBST member Mo Johnson shows some of her stock
to Agriculture Minister Victoria Prentis.
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In 2022 CEO Christopher Price and Conservation Adviser Andrea Parry-Jones ran two sessions. The first was on the economics of small scale wool production, demonstrating that it is possible to run a profitable business by a combination of monitoring costs and active marketing. In the second demonstrated the environmental and financial benefits of using native livestock and equines in conservation grazing.

As ever we were delighted by the number of RBST members and supporters who came over to the stand.

ORFC

In its 14th year, the Oxford Real Farming Conference brings together almost two thousand farmers, growers, activists, policymakers, and researchers every January to discuss new approaches to food and farming. It is an excellent forum for promoting the role of native breeds.

As a result of Covid, the 2022 ORFC was held online. RBST participated in two sessions. RBST’s own session “Farming Profitably and Sustainably with Native Livestock Breeds”, involved a panel made up of RBST Chair John Atkinson, Dodgson Wood’s Maria Benjamin, RSBT CEO Christopher Price and Conservation Adviser Andrea Parry Jones.

Meanwhile, Senior Conservation Adviser Tom Blunt participated in a debate on the plight of smaller abattoirs, a key concern for so many members.

Farm Business Innovation

With so many changes in agriculture, many farmers and landowners are looking for ways to diversify and innovate their businesses and operations, looking for new income sources, cost savings and ways to increase efficiency in their business. The Farm Business Innovation Show brings together almost 12,000 delegates wanting to discuss different ways of running their businesses and RBST finds it an excellent forum for promoting the role that native breeds can play.

We ran an extremely popular seminar on economics of breeding and keeping native breed cattle, with invaluable help from former RBST CEO Rob Havard.

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Strengthening the RBST presence in The creation of the RBST Scottish Forum in

The creation of the RBST Scottish Forum in 2020 has been hugely instrumental in increasing the voice of rare breeds interests across Scotland. In particular, it has made a real difference to the way RBST is viewed within government circles and by key influencers.

regional representatives. It allows local groups to be able to attend shows in their area, organise visits and social events, all arranged through the regional representative but without the need to form a full committee. It also allows for areas that have similar farming systems to continue to come together to promote native breeds and their uses and allow them to work with RBST members from outside the support group area.

To further strengthen its position in Scotland, this time at grassroots level, RBST announced in 2022 that a new Scotland-wide Support Group would be established. Importantly, while merging the three existing support groups, a single RBST Scotland Support Group has greater reach through

A Scotland wide-Support Group also gives RBST a much stronger voice in discussions with the Scottish Government and others regarding key issues such as abattoirs and the agricultural transition process.

RBST raises its voice in

To reinforce RBST’s voice in Ireland, a new Northern Ireland-wide Support Group was established in 2022, its aim being to show why native breeds should be central to a sustainable future for farming. The formation of the new Group creates an active and representative network for supporters of rare breeds from across the whole of Northern Ireland to create a stronger, cohesive voice for rare breeds.

policy and by the impacts of post-Brexit trade restrictions on vital breeding programmes. The new group represents the many interests within rare breeds survival from the unique characteristics of each breed and their conservation, to regenerative agriculture and improving biodiversity through conservation grazing, and from high quality food and wool production, to education and youth work.

RBST Northern Ireland will take action to support a strong future for native breeds across the country, which includes countering the major challenges that have been posed in the Northern Ireland Executive’s proposals for future agriculture

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RBST Northern Ireland officers (l to r) Aaron Kirkpatrick, Andrew Bingham and Gavin Goodman.
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ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2022

Promoting Growing the farm park network

Since its inception, RBST has been associated with farm parks. Founder Chairman Joe Henson had started opening his farm gates to the public in 1971 so that the growing collection of rare breeds that his family had amassed at Bemborough could help pay their way. When RBST was launched in 1973, the Cotswold Farm Park was already proving that rare breeds could attract the interest of the general public when displayed in a farm setting and the first RBST Council agreed to encourage the establishment of farm parks around the country, ultimately introducing its approved farm park scheme.

The defining features of RBST approved farm parks have been their active breeding groups of Watchlist breeds and the fact

New Farm Parks in 2022

White Rocks Farm College

White Rocks Farm College in Kent offers vocational BTEC courses for students who have additional educational needs and boasts as an educational resource an impressive range of rare and native breed livestock. White Rocks Farm is also active in breeding and the sale of breeding stock.

White Rocks Farm, situated just outside Sevenoaks, sits on 206 acres of land on the Greensand Ridge overlooking the Weald of Kent. It comprises a 12-acre organic farm, 40 acres of woodland and 154 acres of pasture. It is a specialist 16-plus vocational college with a 19-plus unit for students not

that they are open to the public. They are a diverse group, varying in size and style. Some are council owned, some charity, others are privately owned and those in the Educational category are integral to educational facilities.

Together they provide a shop window for RBST, giving the general public the chance to meet and learn about our native breeds. With RBST accreditation regarded as an important endorsement of farm parks’ role in preserving and showcasing rare breeds, there is a growing number of parks seeking to join the network. With the addition of six new RBST approved farm parks, including its first in Wales, 2022 was a record year for farm-park network expansion.

yet ready for work. White Rocks also has a BHS-approved equestrian yard and equine-based activities on the farm also include horse-logging in the woodland.

White Rocks’ classroom is outside and all of the tasks on the farm are undertaken by the students, closely supported by excellent tutors.

The farm has a wide range of poultry, Oxford Sandy & Black pigs, Dexter cattle, Shropshire, Dorset Down and Southdown sheep and Golden Guernsey goats. A range of produce is sold from the farm and with the introduction of a BTEC cookery course, students are expected to be hands-on with the livestock so that they have a true ‘farm-to-fork’ experience.

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Noah’s Ark

Barleylands

Education is at the forefront of activities at Barleylands, part of a family farming business that has diversified whilst maintaining a strong farming focus. The farm park’s aim is to educate the general public not just about food and farming, but also the important role that rare breeds have played in our farming heritage – and their relevance to the farming world today.

The Philpot family acquired Barleylands Farm in Billericay, Essex, in 1967, converting it from dairy to arable. The farm park started life in 1984 as a vintage machinery museum which gradually grew into the farm park that it is today. It specialises in offering hand-on experiences for children from the age of two, giving them the chance to learn outside of the classroom and experience many facets of everyday farming.

Until relatively recently, the main focus at Barleylands has been on how food is grown and harvested but now farm animals – and more specifically rare breeds – are playing an increasingly important role in the Barleylands experience. The farm park management team has introduced rare and native breed livestock which demonstrate how many breeds we have in this country and how diverse they are. Breeds include Bagot and Golden Guernsey goats, Oxford Sandy & Black and Berkshire pigs, Hampshire Down and Wiltshire Horn sheep, Modern Game and Cream Legbar chickens and Narrangansett and Bourbon Red turkeys. The plan is to introduce more of the Watchlist Priority breeds.

A new emphasis on native farm animals, alongside their counterparts from the wild, led to Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm becoming RBST’s second Approved Associate Park. And with the Watchlist written into the park’s policy of collection planning, Noah’s Ark is stepping up to make a positive contribution to the conservation of Priority breeds.

Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm is a family-owned zoo set on a working farm in 100 acres of North Somerset countryside, just six miles to the south of Bristol. The original emphasis was on exotic animals, which grew over the years to a large collection of over one hundred species while a small farm animal section was maintained, used for educational talks about food production.

When the founders’ son took over leadership of the farm the decision was made to introduce native breeds to demonstrate their role in the environment and their importance in ecosystems.

Care has been taken to include Priority breeds in the native livestock introduced to Noah’s Ark. The farm now has two Suffolk Punches, British White cattle, Whitefaced Woodland sheep, a breeding herd of Tamworth pigs, Bagot goats and Brecon Buff geese plus a number of other native breeds.

As with its zoo animals, Noah’s Ark has a collection planning policy and the Watchlist is written into that; the rarer the breed is, the higher priority it is given. The team plans to breed for conservation as much as it can, with males going for meat if not needed as breeders.

Hogshaw Farm and Wildlife Park

RBST accreditation came at a time when Hogshaw was celebrating a new beginning, complete with re-branding and the aim to demonstrate ‘the best of British farming and the countryside’.

Originally the Green Dragon Rare Breeds Farm and Eco Centre, the farm was taken on by James and Katherine Preston in 2021. Both are from a farming background, running a mixed farm which neighbours the farm park. At Hogshaw they aim to provide an educational hub and exposure to British and European wildlife, running horticultural wilding programmes, conserving rare breeds with breeding programmes and demonstrating sustainable farming practices.

Rare breeds are crucial to the couple’s ambition to engage with the local community and encourage a connection with farming and nature. They have re-stocked with rare breeds from scratch, starting with Teeswater, Boreray, Dorset and Portland sheep, some Golden Guernsey and English goats and a few Dexter cattle, plus Berkshire and Oxford Sandy & Black pigs with chickens, turkeys, geese and ducks – particularly the local Aylesbury variety.

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ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2022

Growing the farm park network

New Farm Parks in 2022

Folly Farm

Situated in a popular holiday area in Pembrokeshire and attracting around half a million visitors a year, Folly Farm became RBST’s first accredited Farm Park in Wales at the end of 2022.

Employing 140 permanent members of staff, Folly Farm is billed as the biggest independent visitor attraction in Wales, offering a zoo with 750 animals representing 100 species, a range of visitor attractions, animal barns and a large farm area.

Folly Farm, which kept its original name, was founded as a visitor attraction in 1988 by Glyn and Anne Williams on the working dairy farm run for three generations by Glyn’s family. Looking to diversify and realising the potential of their location in a popular tourist area, they saw the opportunity for an educational attraction which enabled visitors to see cows being milked and learn about farming.

While farming has always been at the heart of Folly Farm, the focus on rare and native breeds is a relatively recent development. Having replaced commercial livestock with rare and native breeds, Folly Farm is now home to Tamworth, Middle White, Saddleback and Oxford Sandy & Black pigs, Greyface Dartmoor, Torddu and Torwen Badger Face, Jacob, Coloured Ryeland, Balwen and Herdwick sheep, Bagot and Golden Guernsey goats, Shire horses and Exmoor and Shetland ponies. The poultry list includes Welsh Harlequin ducks, Bourbon Red and Cröllwitzer turkeys and Silvery and Gold Sebright, Scots Grey, Dumpy and Buff Orpington chickens.

Blackstone Clydesdales

Blackstone Clydesdales all started when farmer John Duncan bought a Clydesdale mare for his wife Magi. One quickly became two, soon growing to six and the couple found themselves looking for a way to sustain their herd financially. Clydesdale ‘experiences’ offered the solution and now Blackstone Clydesdales is making a significant contribution to the future of the breed in Scotland.

An Associate member of the RBST Approved Farm Park network, Blackstone Clydesdales is currently home to 32 horses, including a core of four breeding mares. The home of the Clydesdales is Blackstone Farm at Cumnock in Ayrshire, a beef farm running commercial Highland cattle.

Experiences are tailored to individuals and can range from carriage driving to farm, beach and estate rides or simply the chance to be hands on with a horse with optional riding. Blackstone also offers three or four day hands-on experiences of what life with a Clydesdale is like looking after, preparing, showing, working, riding/trekking, driving and working with young Clydesdales.

2023 will see the arrival of four new foals at Blackstone, all from the younger generation of home-bred mares, which will join the 13 foals they have previously bred. John and Magi look to breed every other year and all of their horses have a home for life at Blackstone.

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Celebrating Gloucester cattle

Gloucester cattle were celebrated at an event held at the Gloucestershire farm of RBST Trustee Clifford Freeman.

The well-attended event was organised for famers and food producers and was designed to demonstrate the multiple qualities of this dual-purpose breed that is classed as Priority on the RBST Watchlist. It demonstrated that with the right knowledge and expertise, Gloucester cattle can form the basis of a profitable business

The Gloucester is an ancient breed, numerous in the Severn Vale as early as the 13th century and easily identifiable by its distinctive markings – a black-brown body with black head and legs and a white stripe down the back, over the tail and covering the belly.

Despite the breed’s early popularity, as farming became more industrialised, Gloucester herds were progressively replaced by continental breeds and by 1972 only one herd remained. Thanks to the efforts of the Gloucester Cattle

Society alongside RBST, the breed was saved and numbers improved. However, more recently herd numbers have declined significantly from 54 herds in 2006 to 27 herds in 2020, and the new methodology for the RBST Watchlist in 2021 confirmed that the breed was at serious risk.

Event host Clifford Freeman is one of the largest keepers of Gloucester Cattle in the country, having taken over the famous Noent herd of Gloucester cattle from his father Eric, a founder member of RBST. The herd runs over 700 acres of grassland with no fertiliser or pesticides and limited spot-sprayed herbicide use. Clifford led a discussion about commercial opportunities of the breed for meat. He explained that he rears the cattle from birth to approximately 36 months, a later than ‘industry standard’ finishing time which allows Gloucesters to develop fat inside the meat, producing wonderful marbling and releasing fat at the beginning of cooking, resulting in open grained meat which eats well.

Charles Martell drew on his great experience with the breed to advise on opportunities in dairy. Founder of cheesemaker and distiller Charles Martell & Son Ltd, he has been making cheese including the famous Double Gloucester, Single Gloucester and Stinking Bishop cheeses for 50 years from one of the oldest herds of Gloucester cattle in the world. Single Gloucester cheese has a Protected Designated Origin and can only be made in Gloucestershire using the milk from a dairy herd containing Gloucester cattle. Charles explained why Gloucester cattle are excellent for dairy production, with the breed’s flat lactation curve giving an even production of milk for up to 300 days.

RBST CEO Christopher Price discussed how promotion of Gloucester cattle as a breed with great commercial potential which also supports the environment is important in ensuring it has a strong future.

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ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2022

Promoting Inaugural winners set the bar high in Scotland Sustainability Awards

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Sustainable Farm of the Year
Jakob and Ronnie Eunson
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Excellence in Scotland’s food and farming was celebrated when the winners of the inaugural RBST Scotland Food & Farming Sustainability Awards were announced at the 2022 Royal Highland Show.

The awards, run by RBST’s Scottish Forum, are designed to celebrate the people and businesses throughout Scotland’s farming and food industry who have placed environmental sustainability and native breeds at the heart of what they do. Their aim is to reinforce the link between native breeds of farm livestock and the Scottish agricultural landscape, the sustainable farming revolution and the Scottish food scene.

The quality of entries was outstanding and the winners of these inaugural awards set the bar high. All of them more than met the key criteria the judges were looking for and many of the entrants were celebrating breeds not just native to the UK or Scotland but to the very areas where they evolved. The competition achieved high levels of press interest, over 50 entries, and recognition from the Scottish government, with Mairi McAllan, Minister for the Environment and Land Reform, congratulating the winners at an awards ceremony.

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Sustainable Small Farm of the Year
Bob
Pratley
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Award sponsors included Galbraith, The Scottish Smallholder Festival, Scotland Food & Drink, Scottish Food Guide, SAC Consulting, Sarah’s Rosettes and Ledingham Chalmers with RBST making the award for RBST Champion of the Year.

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Sustainable Food
Producer of the Year
Jock Gibson
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Sustainable Produce Retail Outlet of the Year

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Sustainable Chef of the Year
Fred Berkmiller
Paul Newman
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Native Breed Society
of the Year
Photo credit: Bob Langrish.
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Sustainable Farming
Communicator of the Year
Nikki Yoxall
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Sustainable Butcher or Wholesaler of The Year

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Rare Breed Champion of the Year
Alice Lennox
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Jonathan James
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Farmers’ Market Stall Holder of the Year

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ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2022

Promoting The 2022 Marsh Award

The 2022 RBST Marsh Awards for unsung heroes went to three people who have made significant contributions to the work of RBST.

The award for Conservation in Genetic Bio-Diversity went to Nigel Overend, the Lifetime Achievement Award to Dr Thomas Cole and

Support Group Volunteer 2022 was Kelsey Ann Williamson of Young RBST.

Nigel Overend heads up Deerpark Pedigree Pigs in Northern Ireland, the family farm where his father Robert established Ireland’s first AI centre in the 1980s. This was where the joint venture between RBST, the BPA and Deerpark began as a response to the Foot & Mouth outbreak in 2001 when a pig semen collection project was launched.

Nigel has not only continued his father’s pioneering work, but he has also gone out of his way to improve the way that boars are selected for the Gene Bank and combine this with on-farm conservation projects. Over the past several years, he

The 2022 Marsh Award winners received their awards at the AGM held at Dumfries House from RBST President Baroness (Sue) Hayman of Ullock – (l to r): Dr Thomas Cole, Sue Hayman, Nigel Overend and Kelsey Anne Williamson.

has succeeded in bringing back a number of male lines of the British Landrace that had disappeared from the Herd Book, by using archive semen from boars born in the 1980s and 1990s.

Dr Thomas Cole’s Lifetime Achievement Award recognises 35 years dedicated to the RBST presence in Northern Ireland while also working hard for the NHS as an eye surgeon. He has been a figurehead of the RBSTNI Support Group, serving on the committee in many different roles, including Treasurer and he was instrumental in the establishment of the Sperrins and Lakelands Group in the west of the province.

He became interested in native breeds at the RBST Show at Stoneleigh in the mid-1980s and by the mid-1990s he was bringing back a number of breeds to Northern Ireland. These included Leicester Longwools and Oxford Downs and his Oxford Downs have led to the establishment of several flocks as well as helping the oldest flock in the ODSBA flockbook, in Co Cork. Poultry included Light Sussex hens and, after hatching imported eggs, Bourbon Red turkeys which were bred and shown.

Over the years Thomas has been on the council of both Leicester Longwool Sheepbreeders Association and the Oxford Down Sheepbreeders Association and is the current the President of Leicester Longwools.

Kelsey Anne Williamson was one of the prime movers in setting up Young RBST and was the first member to approach HQ in 2021 to say that younger members needed a stronger, more independent voice within RBST if it was to maintain its relevance to the next generation.

Kelsey describes herself as a first-generation farmer and became interested in native breeds through attending agricultural shows and Young Farmer meetings. She also joined the RBST York Support Group then moving to a new area, she switched to the Dales Group, where she eventually became Treasurer.

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Bringing on the next generation with RBST

RBST introduced its Young Shepherd of the Year competition in 2011 and at shows up and down the country, large numbers of young people come forward each year to demonstrate their showing style.

of the handler rather than the show quality of the sheep. The competition has proved to be great fun for the young people entering as well as a real crowd puller at the shows where qualifying rounds take place. There is, however, a serious purpose to it as it is designed to encourage the next generation in the traditional arts of showing and ring-craft. As a charity working to conserve the UK’s native breeds of farm livestock, RBST is keen to develop in the next generation both an interest in native breeds and the livestock skills necessary to show them as showing is an important way of highlighting the range and qualities of Britain’s native breeds.

In 2022 Cumbrian cousins Logan Tyson and Zara Clough made it a family affair at the RBST Young Shepherd of the Year final by taking the junior and senior championships respectively, with Logan inching ahead in the final judging to become 2022 Young Shepherd Champion.

A total of 28 entrants went forward to the final, travelling from all over the country to take part in the competition which was held as part of the English Winter Fair at the Staffordshire County Showground.

In the Young Shepherd competition, which is open to youngsters aged from 8 to 16, attention is focussed on the skills

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Young Shepherds Judge Tim Ward, Zara Clough, Logan Tyson and Edward Lambert.
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ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2022

Securing

Oxford Sandy and Blacks rooting for acorns in the New Forest.

20

Ensuring public support

Native breeds do not just provide benefits for their owners, they benefit everyone.

2022 saw RBST continue to work with the governments in each of the four home nations to ensure that policies to address the needs of our native livestock and equines are properly recognised and addressed in each country’s new agricultural policy.

To ensure all these benefits are recognised, RBST is lobbying on two fronts, first for a shift to the sort of extensive low input farming systems that encourage the keeping of native breeds. Thankfully Defra in England is supportive of this approach, and we are making headway. The devolved administrations are at an earlier stage of policy development, and progress is slow, but we are engaged and pressing the agenda.

Secondly, we are calling for specific policies to directly support the most threatened native breeds. This requires recognition of the importance of the breeds themselves, as part of biodiversity, and of the various benefits they provide.

Native breeds play an important role in the development and maintenance of natural habitats and increasing biodiversity. Bred for our landscape, native-breed cattle helped create the pastures and meadows we now cherish; native pigs can be used in woodland management to increase biodiversity and play a key role in arable rotations. We need incentives to encourage farmers and other land managers to use them in preference to larger commercial breeds.

Then there is the cultural side; native breeds are part of our national identity and heritage. Many say White Park cattle, featured in the RBST logo, were brought to Britain when it was still joined to the European mainland – well before Stonehenge was built. The Large White pig is the cornerstone of pig breeding across the world. We expect Government to help promote and conserve our built heritage, why not our livestock heritage too?

Removing obstacles

RBST has long recognised that the lack of a comprehensive network of abattoirs able to process small numbers of non-standard animals to the highest welfare standards and returning the fifth quarter is one of the biggest obstacles to keeping native livestock.

Then there is the vitally important task of maintaining genetic diversity. If UK farming is to have a secure future over the long term in the face of climate change and increased disease risks, we need to maintain the full range of genetic resources to help us respond.

Government needs to make a one-off investment to ensure the remaining small abattoirs are “match fit” for the unsubsidised, more market-facing world. Where the abattoirs have disappeared, the investment needs to be in mobile or temporary units. In addition, Government and the Food Standards Agency must commit to regulation that is proportionate whilst compatible with the maintenance of standards.

RBST is working with politicians and officials across the UK to address all of these issues, ensuring that the vital role carried out by the keepers and breeders of native livestock is fully recognised.

Together with our friends in the Sustainable Food Trust and The Craft Butchers Association, we continue to work through the Abattoir Sector Group; an alliance intended to make the case for small local abattoirs as widely as possible.

All four governments now accept that there is a crisis in the local abattoir sector. This marks significant progress but the issue now is how they will address that crisis.

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ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2022

Securing

England

RBST engages with all four UK governments to make sure the conservation and promotion of native breeds is at the heart of their agriculture and environment.

We are working with other farming and environmental organisations to ensure that ELM fully incentivises the transition to the sort of sustainable farming systems in which native breeds thrive.

Having secured a specific commitment from government to invest in the future of our native livestock, we are working directly with Defra and Natural England to make certain that the initiative is both ambitious and sufficiently well-funded.

Through the Abattoir Sector Group, we are pressing for government to guarantee a future for the local abattoir network.

Wales

We have been delighted by Welsh Government’s commitment to introduce so much of what RBST has been calling for.

The Welsh Government has announced.

www.rbst.org.uk

22 Beulah sheep.

Castlemilk Moorit sheep. Photo: Paddy Kennedy.

Scotland

RBST is working with Scottish Government to ensure that its agriculture, food and climate policies fully recognise the potential contribution of native breeds.

The role of native breeds in providing the low input, high value produce that should be at the core of diversified sustainable business needs to be better acknowledged in agriculture and climate policies.

The importance of short supply chains and honest labelling in ensuring the profitability of sustainable livestock farming needs to be at the heart of food policy.

Northern Ireland

RBST is directly challenging the NI government’s policy to reduce livestock emissions through keeping animals indoors and early slaughter.

We continue to maintain that emissions can be better reduced by reducing overall numbers, focusing on breeds that thrive outdoors on grass, improving overall health and welfare and adopting breeding practices that improve efficiency without compromising breed standards.

We have been pleased by government’s willingness to engage with our concerns and address them in part. However, there remains much more to do.

www.rbst.org.uk

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ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2022

Delivering

24 Pilgrim flock. Photograph: D Kieboom.

Watchlist 2023 - challenges for native breeds

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Hackney Horses. Photograph by Jonny Olliff-Lee.
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which ultimately represents a major threat to a breed’s very survival.

Looking at the individual species that the Watchlist covers, the picture for equines, sheep, goats and cattle remained fairly stable but pigs continued to give the greatest cause for concern.

The resilience of our native breeds, and the breeders who keep them, has been tested in recent times.

Although six of our native equine breeds – Eriskay, Cleveland Bay, Dales, Exmoor, Suffolk and Hackney - remain in the ‘Priority’ category, in general 2022 was an encouraging year for our horse and pony breeds. The number of breeders increased for the Hackney, Cleveland Bay and Exmoor and the Dartmoor pony moved from the ‘Priority’ to the ‘At Risk’ category after an improved level of performance over a sustained period.

The pig industry as a whole continued to experience uncertain times, facing rising feed costs alongside an uncertain market. The Berkshire, British Landrace, British Lop, Large Black, Large White, Middle White and Tamworth remain categorised as ‘Priority’ breeds. While the Large White’s performance was much improved, the breed still remains in a critical state and the 2022 data indicated that the number of British Landrace dams producing registered progeny fell to its lowest level on record.

When RBST reported on the Watchlist compiled from 2021 data, it was able to say that despite Covid-19 and lockdowns, native breeds had not been significantly impacted and, in fact, there were noteworthy signs of improvement. Other challenges were posed in 2022 with rising input costs, a difficult financial climate and, for poultry keepers, the impact of avian flu restrictions. Again there are signs of improvement for some breeds while the data reveal concern for others.

In total five breeds saw a reduction in the number of breeders registering progeny, which highlights the importance of encouraging new and existing breeders to breed and register. One positive, however, is that the Welsh has seen an increase in the number of breeders, with total registrations up to 144 from 126 in 2021.

The Watchlist compiled from 2022 data is the third to be produced using the revised methodology introduced in 2021 and the benefits of this can be clearly seen when the breed data are analysed. It has enabled RBST to gain a more detailed understanding of the conservation status for each breed, not just in terms of numbers, but more importantly in terms of the genetic health of each breed with the calculation of the effective population size, the globally recognised measure of genetic health of a population which takes into account both the males and females that contribute to it. Within those breeds with a low effective population size, there is a greater likelihood of inbreeding and thus a higher risk of loss of genetic diversity,

Consistency is the theme for the goat breeds, with all showing good signs of stability. This supports what has been seen

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Bagot Goats.
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Landrace.
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ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2022

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Portland.
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Delivering

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Northern Dairy Shorthorn.
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in terms of the marketplace for goats, which in general has been positive in recent years. Conversely, some of the sheep breeds have been impacted by a decline in the numbers of breeders registering progeny. This highlights the importance of breed registration and the need to continue to promote the commercial attributes and benefits of native breeds.

While the same six cattle breeds remain in the ‘Priority’ category, most are showing signs of consistency. Albions and Northern Dairy Shorthorns showed signs of growth but the Gloucester remains in a worrying position. On the positive side, the Irish Moiled and White Park, two breeds highlighted in 2022 for a slight fall in numbers, both experienced a year of growth and are showing signs of stability.

While the poultry Watchlist has remained unchanged, data are in the process of being gathered to help provide a more accurate understanding of the individual breed status. The poultry industry has been drastically affected by the impact of avian influenza and this, combined with increased feed costs and extended periods of mandatory housing, has put increasing pressure on breeders.

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Andalusian chicks.
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Feral populations

For the first time on the Watchlist, RBST has recognised two distinct feral equine populations, the Dartmoor Hill Pony and the Carneddau pony which appear on the Watchlist in a separate category.

While RBST is not actively looking to add feral populations to the Watchlist and although neither population is considered to be a breed, both are distinct populations. A breed is defined as an “interbreeding population of husbanded or formerly husbanded domesticated animals of consistent genotype and phenotype with a recognised history and administrative framework”. Both the Dartmoor Hill Pony and the Carneddau pony satisfy RBST’s guidelines on the basis that the evidence shows there are a viable longstanding breeding populations with distinctive individuality, local significance, ecological roles, and a lack of introgression. In addition, there are sufficient population data for monitoring purposes.

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Carneddau Pony.
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Dartmoor Hill Pony.
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Watchlist 2023-24 The methodology used by RBST to prioritise breeds compares population size with measures of inbreeding and takes into account both females and males and the internationally recognised effective Rare Breeds Survival Trust Scan to join population calculation. RBST would like to thank Defra and UK Breed Societies for their help producing the Watchlist. Sheep Cattle Equine Pigs Poultry PRIORITY PRIORITY PRIORITY PRIORITY Chickens Turkeys Lincoln Longwool Albion Cleveland Bay Horse Berkshire PRIORITY PRIORITY North Ronaldsay Chillingham Wild Cattle Dales Pony British Landrace Andalusian Blue Whitefaced Woodland (feral) Eriskay Pony British Lop Brussbar Burmese Bourbon Red British White Welsh Mountain Pedigree Dairy Shorthorn (Original Exmoor Pony Large Black Campine Bronze Population) Hackney Horse and Pony Large White Derbyshire Redcap Buff AT RISK Gloucester Suffolk Horse Middle White Dorking Cröllwitzer (Pied) Balwen Border Leicester Boreray Northern Dairy ShorthornVaynol AT RISKClydesdale Horse TamworthAT RISK Hamburgh Malay Marsh Daisy Modern Game Harvey SpeckledNarragansett Norfolk Black Slate Castlemilk Moorit AT RISK Dartmoor Pony British Saddleback Modern Langshan Cotswold British White Fell Pony Gloucestershire Old Spots North Holland Blue Ducks Derbyshire GritstoneDevon and Cornwall Irish Moiled Lincoln Red (Original Highland Pony New Forest Pony Oxford Sandy and Black Welsh Old English Pheasant Rhodebar Fowl PRIORITYOrpington Pekin Longwool Population) Shire Horse Rumpless Game Shetland Devon Closewool Native Aberdeen Angus Scots Dumpy Silver Bantam Dorset Down Dorset Horn ShetlandTraditional Hereford UK NATIVE BREEDSShetland Pony Goats Scots Grey Sicilian Buttercup Spanish Stanbridge White Welsh Harlequin Greyface Dartmoor White Park Welsh Pony and Cob (all Sultan UK BREEDS Hill Radnor Whitebred Shorthorn sections) PRIORITY Sussex Abacot Ranger Leicester Longwool IRISH BREEDS IN THE UK English Goat Welbar Aylesbury Black East Indian Llanwenog Lonk Manx Loaghtan Norfolk Horn UK NATIVE BREEDSAberdeen Angus Ayrshire Beef Shorthorn Connemara pony Irish Draught horse Old English GoatAT RISK UK BREEDSAncona Australorp British Araucana Campbell Cayuga Crested Hookbill Oxford Down Portland Belted Galloway British Friesian FERAL POPULATIONS Dartmoor Hill Pony BagotGolden Guernsey British Faverolles Buff OrpingtonCochin Magpie Rouen (Exhibition) Silver Appleyard Soay Teeswater Dairy Shorthorn Devon Carneddau pony Cream Legbar Croad Langshan _Geese_ Torwen Badgerface Welsh Dexter Indian Game PRIORITY Ixworth Wensleydale Whiteface Dartmoor Galloway - Including White Guernsey and Riggit Legbar Leghorn Minorca Brecon Buff Buff Back Embden in the UK)(as standardised UK NATIVE BREEDS Hereford Nankin Grey Back Beulah Highland Norfolk Grey Pilgrim Black Welsh Mountain Blackface (Scottish) Blueface Leicester Jersey Lincoln RedLonghorn Old English Game Orpington (non Buff) Rosecomb Sebright Roman Sebastopol Shetland Steinbacher Brecknock Hill Cheviot Luing Toulouse (Exhibition) Clun Forest Red Poll West of England Dalesbred South Devon Exmoor Horn Sussex Hampshire Down Welsh Black Hebridean IRISH BREEDS IN THE UK Herdwick Jacob Kerry Kerry Hill _[These breeds were formerly considered to be ]*_ Llandovery Whiteface Hill _Priority or At Risk breeds_ Lleyn North Country Cheviot Poll Dorset Romney Rough Fell Ryeland Shetland Shropshire Southdown South Country Cheviot South Wales Mountain Suffolk Swaledale Torddu Badgerface Welsh Welsh Hill Speckled Welsh Mountain Wiltshire Horn IRISH BREEDS IN THE UK Galway*

Rare Breeds Survival Trust

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Greyface Dartmoor. Photograph by Sadie Champion.
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Join or donate at www.rbst.org.uk

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NativeBreedsForModernNeeds
Company Limited by Guarantee Registered in England No 1204694
Registered charity number: 269442
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ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2022

Delivering Delivering on our objectives: breed specific projects

as there is a need to broaden the genetic diversity of the AI bulls available.

The revised RBST Watchlist gives a strong indication of where our conservation priorities should lie.

On the basis of what the Watchlist reveals about the factors affecting the various breeds we are able to assess their conservation status, the specific factors affecting an individual breed’s status and the actions required to improve its fortunes. This list forms the basis of our “Priority Breeds” fundraising campaign

Wherever possible, we aim to work in partnership with breed societies to produce conservation plans for each of the breeds in the priority category.

Cattle

Sheep

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Greyface Dartmoor.
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with a report on the current conservation status of the breed. RBST has been responsible for promoting the breed; the Pedigree Welsh Mountain Sheep Society was invited to the RBST stand and provided sheep for the NSA Sheep event 2022.

Pigs

The Genomic characteristic element has been completed and semen collection is ongoing according to schedule.

After continued investigation, it is clear that the embryo work would not be a viable option as technology is not yet at the stage where it is practical to collect and freeze embryos. RBST is in discussion with the breed society to look at alternative areas to explore as part of the project.

Other breeds are the responsibility of the BPA, with whom RBST works closely.

Equines

The RBST Equine Conservation Project funded by Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) has begun. This work covers all of the native equine breeds including the priority breeds.

Goats

Poultry

Objective: to increase numbers of all Watchlist breeds through the use of clan-based breeding programmes, including the use of contemporary data management techniques The project is funded and coordinated by RBST with each breed group involved producing its own specific objectives

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ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2022

Delivering Genomics projects: RBST’s approach

RBST’s involvement in genomic projects has increased substantially and the opportunities this work offers are wide ranging.

Genomics is the all-encompassing term that takes into account all of the DNA in an organism’s genome – both the genes that code for proteins and the non-coding regions. It looks at how the genes are expressed and the interplay between different genes.

The opportunities for using genomics are extensive and range from full breed genome projects to more targeted projects to identify deleterious traits. The benefits are well recognised and there is an increasing demand for RBST to help carry out such work – however, the costs are significant and these are often quite complex projects with a number of considerations to be taken into account.

First and foremost, there is a need to develop a genomic project plan to determine what the objectives are and how they can be achieved. The key points that we have to consider are:

• What the objectives are and the stakeholders involved.

A quantum leap for the Exmoor

In 2022, RBST’s genomic work saw the completion of the first whole genome sequence of a UK native pony breed, the Exmoor pony. The availability of the breed’s full gene sequence comes as a result of the whole genome sequencing by Dr Sarah Blott at the University of Nottingham and is described as “a quantum leap in understanding the Exmoor pony’s genetic make-up”.

Until recently genetic analysis to further the conservation of native livestock and especially equine breeds has been restricted to examining a much smaller set of genes. However, thanks to this comprehensive genomic analysis, undertaken over several years and representing the 2.7 billion DNA base pairs in the genome, we can now see the Exmoor pony breed’s whole genetic picture for the first time. This can be used to improve the breed’s prospects for survival long into the future. It opens up new possibilities in managing genetic diversity, in identifying conditions which could put the breed’s future at risk, and in ascertaining whether changes in herds are down to genetics or environmental factors.

The Exmoor Pony whole genome analysis was commissioned by RBST, Exmoor National Park Authority and the Exmoor Pony Society, with generous support and assistance from the

University of Nottingham and local individuals.

A healthy genetic picture for North Ronaldsay

Preserving and maintaining the genetics of the North Ronaldsay sheep was one of the projects identified in RBST’s conservation plan and its completion revealed a healthy effective population.

The project began with taking nasal pharyngeal swabs from a representative number of the island’s sheep population. These swabs were used for the genome-wide association study that would assess the genomic structure of the North Ronaldsay sheep on the island and estimate the levels of genetic diversity and inbreeding in the studied population.

This was the first time such a study had been undertaken and there was a real concern that, with an isolated and closed population with relatively low numbers, levels of inbreeding could be high. However, what was revealed was that, in terms of genetic diversity, the island has a viable population of North Ronaldsay sheep.

For the purposes of the study, swabs were collected from 176 individual animals of both genders across seven flocks from around the island. After a series of quality control processes, genotypes from 164 sheep went on to be analysed. While the analysis of the genomic diversity showed considerable historic inbreeding, it also showed that only very limited recent inbreeding has been added on.

In fact, the study showed that the effective population size of the studied population was broadly of a similar size to the actual size of the studied population. And since the current population on the island is around 1,500, the number of sheep in the study constitutes a 10% sample which can be considered

ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2022

Delivering

Professor Philippe Wilson along with Dr Samuel White and Dr Andy Dell.

representative of the entire population.

The genomic analysis of the North Ronaldsay sheep was led by Prof Georgios Banos at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC). Funding was provided by RBST, North Ronaldsay resident and Pride of Britain award winner Billy Muir, and the Scottish government RESAS programme.

With the help of RBST, EPS has already adopted the SPARKS system of selection but the Society recognises that science and technology can deliver a much more accurate understanding of the genetics, flagging up any current or potential future issues and help make sure that every animal bred is as healthy and fit for purpose as possible. The results will provide a baseline of information for using in the Society’s involvement in RBST’s equine conservation project and will give complex and detailed information about Eriskay ponies’genetic profiles.

New DNA project for the Eriskay

The Eriskay Pony Society (EPS) has a long history of close collaboration with RBST to investigate ways of increasing numbers of this Priority breed. A high emphasis has been placed on using science as a tool in promoting geneticallyappropriate breeding and a new project launched by EPS in consultation with RBST takes this work to a new level.

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collaboration with RBST to investigate ways of increasing
numbers of this Priority breed. A high emphasis has been
placed on using science as a tool in promoting genetically-
appropriate breeding and a new project launched by EPS in
consultation with RBST takes this work to a new level.
For this project, EPS is engaging with genetics experts at
Nottingham Trent University (NTU) to carry out the biggest
survey ever undertaken of Eriskay pony DNA. The project
has come about thanks to funding from the Horserace Betting
Levy Board (HBLB), coupled with a contribution from
the Society’s own funds. The work is being carried out by
NTU’s Medical Technologies Innovation Facility (MTIF) and
School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, led by
North Ronaldsay Sheep on the North Atlantic.
Eriskay Pony.
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Cleveland Bay.

RBST secures funding for major equine project

In 2022 RBST gained funding from Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) for a three-year equine conservation project designed to improve significantly RBST’s ability to support both breed societies and individual breeders in the conservation status of our native equine breeds through a two-part programme.

To put the current situation into perspective, there are fourteen native horse and pony breeds of which twelve are considered rare and seven considered to be Priority breeds. RBST applied for the funding under the HBLB Non-Fixture Related Grant scheme, relying on the HBLB’s duty under s.24 of the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Act 1963 to “apply funds for purposes conducive to ... the improvement of breeds of horses”.

The first part of the proposed project is concerned with identifying both overarching and breed specific issues and

conducting an analysis of differing approaches to breeding and reproductive technologies to create and promote best practice guidance for establishing breeding strategies. The second part focuses on the uses of the breeds and the opportunities for extending those uses, so raising the profile of the breeds and increasing their numbers.

The first year of the project focuses on evidence gathering to better understand the challenges. This will include a reproduction survey, a semen analysis and a versatility study. Year Two will focus on what influences breeding decisions and the information used. Using that information, and building on the Year One activities, breeder guides and a Best Practice Tool Kit for breed societies and others will be produced. Year Three of the project is concerned with the wider role of native equines in society and encouraging their use.

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ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2022

Delivering Marsh Daisy on the road to rescue

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Marsh Daisy.
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In December 2020, the Marsh Daisy Breeders Group formulated a three-year plan to rescue its breed from extinction and the National Clan Breeding Programme made great strides in 2022.

The three-year plan to rescue the Marsh Daisy included the aim to standardise the breed’s five colours and increase its public profile to restore its popularity as an easy utility breed. The ultimate objective is to pioneer a system to award pedigree certificates to those birds meeting breed standard using Cloud Lines to record breeding groups and evaluate genetic diversity in the breeding flock.

With the support of RBST and the Rare Poultry Society, a co-ordinated breeding programme - the National Clan Breeding

Programme - was identified to maximise the genetic diversity of the breed. The programme involved unprecedented co-operation between breeders, identifying parent birds and progeny using PCGB leg rings or wing tags and recording the data onto the Cloud Lines database.

Despite a challenging year with Avian Flu restrictions delaying breeding programmes, a report in The Ark magazine brought ten new breeders to the programme with more waiting for birds to become available.

Ultimately the project will deliver a greater understanding of the genetics involved in the breed and the availability of the Cloud Lines package to record the breeding efforts will enhance the results achievable.

Pilgrim’s progress

In 2019, with the support of RBST and its Poultry Working Group, a project was launched to investigate and address faults that have become increasingly apparent in the gene pool of the UK population of the auto-sexing Pilgrim goose.

The Pilgrim was identified as a breed by Oscar Grow in the USA in the 1930s. It became popular as a smallholder goose precisely because of its auto-sexing characteristics which mean that the sex of the bird should be identifiable at hatching by the colour difference in the fluff. However, the appearance of a ‘rogue’ gene in the breed has been increasingly compromising the auto-sexing qualities.

In white breeds of European geese, the white is produced by the interaction of a ‘spot’ gene and a ‘dilution’ gene; birds of both sexes carrying both of these genes look white. In the Pilgrim, it is the dilution gene alone which is the key to its auto-sexing qualities, which is sufficient to turn ganders almost white and geese a soft shade of grey. So, in the case of the Pilgrim the spot is the unwanted gene and this is what the Pilgrim project is seeking to minimise, if not eliminate.

The aim of the project is to identify methods that could be used to assess goslings least likely to take the fault forward and leg ring them so that the birds can be used/monitored in future breeding. A small group of breeders committed to the project and agreed to document their adult stock and record the offspring produced. A Facebook group was set up to collate and record results and serve as a platform to share information between project breeders and other interested parties. This has proved to be a great resource for networking across the globe and in doing so has brought considerable pool of knowledge and experience from breeders of other auto-sexing goose breeds.

In 2022 the total project population reached around 60-plus birds and although these birds cannot be said to be 100% fault free, they provide the best opportunity to establish a programme to take the Pilgrim back to its true autosexing make up. One conclusion that has been reached to date is that the true colouring of the auto-sexing in males and females needs to be reflected in Poultry Standards, thus eliminating the risk of poor examples being used for breeding.

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----- Start of picture text -----
Large White.
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Project to secure the future of the Yorkshire Pig

project sees RBST and BPA jointly purchasing 10 pedigree Large White pigs, selected from the most vulnerable bloodlines and least related to the rest of the population, to join tailored breeding programmes. The project aims to ensure the presence of at least five breeding females for each of 10 key lines in at least five different herds. The aim is not only to secure vulnerable pedigree bloodlines to strengthen the breed’s genetic diversity, but also to improve its geographic dispersal which is crucial to safeguarding against the potential for a decimation of the breed through disease.

The 2021 RBST Watchlist data revealed that the Large White, traditionally known as the Yorkshire Pig, had one of the most negative shifts in that year, making it a Priority breed. In a move to help prevent further decline of the breed, RBST and the British Pig Association (BPA) launched a joint conservation project.

The Large White pig has had a significant influence on the commercial pig industry and the development of the hybrid pig. The breed was recommended to form the basis of the UK pig farming industry in the 1955 Hewitt report and it became known as ‘the world’s favourite breed’. It enjoyed enormous popularity in the 1950s but breed numbers declined dramatically in the aftermath of the Foot and Mouth crisis of 2001. As the pig industry has followed the poultry industry with increasing consolidation and vertical integration, the number of pedigree Large Whites in the hands of independent breeders fell to an all-time low. Fittingly announced at the Great Yorkshire Show, the new

The project is based on a model created by BPA’s Junior Pig Club which created similar conservation breeding programmes for the British Landrace and Middle White breeds. Pigs purchased for the project will be sent to a number of RBST Approved City Farms and school and college farms, who will carry out breeding programmes to produce new breeding stock which will be moved on to new locations, effectively helping the breed fan out across the country.

Addressing the pig feed crisis

The UK pig industry has been facing the ‘perfect storm’ due to a combination of factors, not least the effect of the war in Ukraine on worldwide grain prices. The larger scale commercial industry has lost a substantial percentage of its herd due to escalating costs of production – and small-scale producers and pedigree breeders are not immune to the pressures.

Conscious of the fact that the continued and significant rise in feed prices was piling pressure on many keepers of native-breed pigs, RBST and the British Pig Association (BPA) worked to provide advice and support. As a first step, the two organisations put together advice for pig farmers on alternatives to compound feed.

The RBST/BPA advice came with a very important warning: under no circumstances should kitchen waste be fed to pigs because of the possibility of contamination. For example, the risk of African Swine Fever is coming closer to the UK having jumped from Eastern Europe to Northern Italy and down to Rome, thought to have been transmitted via contaminated meats.

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Welsh.
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The RBST/BPA guidance sheet gives details of the proportions at which of different types of alternatives can be used as a substitute for concentrates and highlights alternative supplies – and legal ways of acquiring them.

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ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2022

Delivering Silent killers

One of the reasons that RBST collects genetic materials for long-term preservation is as an insurance policy against large numbers of our native breeds being lost due to a major disease outbreak. However, it is not only the headline-hitting epidemics that can threaten numerically challenged breeds and livestock keepers – and would-be keepers – need to be aware of the ‘silent killers’ that the public rarely gets to hear about.

The average person tends to know of the impact of livestock disease only from news reports; from the catastrophic consequences of the Foot and Mouth outbreak of 2001 to the more recent debates over TB in cattle and the impact of avian influenza. What most do not realise is that there are ongoing threats of both transmittable and genetically transferred diseases. In large commercial flocks and herds, these may be something that can be mitigated by the scale of operation, but the smaller the breed population, the more impact it can have.

So, as well as working with DEFRA and other bodies to put in place plans for a worst-case scenario, RBST works with breed

societies and breeders to identify these more silent killers and raise awareness within breeding circles so that measures can be taken to avoid or eliminate the threats.

One way in which RBST highlights the threats posed by ‘silent killers’ is with a regular series of articles in The Ark magazine. These highlight specific disease threats and the measures needed to protect against or deal with them. The articles also highlight the part that members of the general public can play in keeping disease from our livestock – measures such as clearing up after dogs when walking in the countryside to help prevent the spread of neosporosis or making sure that any food waste is disposed of safely and securely.

The better-informed livestock owners are, the less the risk of disease entering their herd or flock. With numbers for some breeds at alarmingly low levels, the loss of animals to disease can have a disproportionate impact on the security of the whole breed, so every keeper or potential keeper has another role to play in conservation by being vigilant to disease threats.

Consultancy advice and training

We decided to commission and work with RBST because of its obvious pre-eminence in the area of rare breeds across the board. They produced a comprehensive and bespoke report for us and did a fantastic job.

RBST consultancy service

With half a century’s experience of studying native livestock and equines, their behaviour and their impact on the natural environment, RBST’s expertise in the use and management of native breeds is second to none.

Dr Johnny Wake , Managing Partner, Courteenhall Estate.

RBST’s Consultancy Service makes this expertise available to land managers and owners wanting to keep native livestock and equines on larger holdings, whether as part of a diversified farm business, an ecological restoration project or a move towards “wilder farming”.

The RBST conservation team offers support in scoping a project, selecting breeds and species to achieve ecological and commercial goals, managing their welfare needs, registrations, unlocking potential support payments, infrastructure requirements and sourcing the animals themselves.

Advice is provided to landowners and farmers to help them achieve their ecological and commercial goals for a more regenerative farming future. RBST uses its combination of conservation breeding and research programmes, population monitoring, education, advocacy and grass roots practices to inform practical, implementation-focused advice.

All proceeds from the RBST Consultancy Service go towards continuing RBST’s work to secure a future for the UK’s native breeds.

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Dr Johnny Wake.
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----- Start of picture text -----
Advice and training.
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----- Start of picture text -----
RBST courses
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RBST was one of the first organisations to recognise the conservation benefits of managed livestock grazing and, as a result, has an unparalleled degree of expertise and experience.

Both courses are delivered by LANTRA accredited trainers and all delegates receive a LANTRA certificate after successful completion of the course.

RBST runs two LANTRA accredited courses, Conservation Grazing in Practice and Livestock Checkers. The Conservation Grazing in Practice course, run over two days, provides a basic introduction to extensive/conservation grazing and the use of livestock to achieve environmental objectives. The course covers grazing and grazing systems, animal health, welfare and behaviour, key legislation, the role and responsibilities of a keeper, health and safety, risk assessments and how to safely and effectively carry out livestock handling techniques.

A wonderful course for people who want to bring conservation grazing and native breeds back to the forefront to protect our environment for future generations.

The one-day livestock checkers’ course provides a basic introduction to stock checking in the conservation/land-based sector. It is ideal for beginners, volunteers or anyone with limited experience of livestock. The course covers animal health and welfare, key legislation, the role and responsibilities of a stock checker and how to safely and effectively check livestock.

Bethany Wood , July CG – Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.

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ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2022

Recognition

38 Traditional Hereford.

Our Patron

The former Prince of Wales was Patron of RBST from 1986 until the death of Her Majesty the Queen and his ascension to the throne.

In this capacity, he has always been passionately supportive of the work carried out by the Trust, taking a personal interest and facilitating funding for various initiatives through the Prince’s Countryside Fund. He has also provided practical support for native breeds by establishing a number of herds and flocks at Dumfries House in Scotland.

He has frequently spoken knowledgeably and eloquently about his own interest in rare breeds and was an early advocate of the importance of preserving their genetics as a safeguard for the future. At an event to mark the Trust’s 40th anniversary in 2013, he stated that it was important that the wider public understands why RBST’s work is so vital, as the ability to farm sustainably will depend on the genetics of our native breeds, as we are now seeing in our changing farming environment.

Our President

Baroness (Sue) Hayman of Ullock continues in her role as RBST President and chaired the 2022 AGM at Dumfries House in November.

A Labour Life Peer, Baroness Hayman of Ullock has sat under the title in the House of Lords since September 2020 and she is Shadow Spokesperson for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Sue Hayman previously served as Member of Parliament for Workington between 2015 and 2019, becoming Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in 2017.

In her role as President, she is helping RBST to make the case for securing a sustainable future for native livestock and equines in Parliament and across the wider political world. When paying tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in the House of Lords, Baroness Hayman spoke about Her Majesty’s important, wide-ranging and much-valued commitment to our native livestock and equine breeds.

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ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2022

Recognition Media coverage highlights 2022

Other coverage highlights in 2022:

The media strategy for 2022 was to build on the successes of our media activity programmes in 2020 and 2021 to promote modern uses for native breeds, influence policies to the benefit of native breeds, support specific objectives in RBST’s conservation programmes, promote the farm parks network, and show the importance, value and success of the RBST’s work.

A strong voice on relevant farming and environmental issues in the national media

Media activity in 2022 has cemented RBST’s position as the leading, UK-wide go-to voice for native breeds across national, specialist and regional media, growing our presence in Northern Ireland titles in particular.

Coverage highlights include:

Launch of the new RBST Watchlist in April 2022

Highlighting native breed opportunities and challenges regionally

Total reach estimate of more than 8.5 million through Watchlist media coverage alone.

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RBST Scotland Food & Farming Awards 2022

Putting native breeds high in the agenda in the farming and rural press

RBST Member profiles in:

Promotion of RBST Consultancy service to large landowner audience:

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ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2022

Large Black piglet. Photograph: Rachel Gilbert.

Financial Review

----- Start of picture text -----
2022 2021
Operating Unrestricted Designated Restricted Total Total
funds funds funds
statement
£ £ £ £ £
Income and endowments from:
Grants and Donations 62,844 - 56,246 119,090 162,884
Legacies 72,067 - - 72,067 211,135
Membership Subscriptions (inc Gift Aid) 198,387 - - 198,387 178,326
Charitable Activities 55,661 - - 55,661 49,456
Advertising Revenue 15,687 - - 15,687 13,487
Investments 114,761 - - 114,761 97,258
Total income and endowments 519,407 - 56,246 575,653 712,546
Expenditure on:
Raising funds 165,885 5,604 - 171,489 141,745
Investment management fees 18,176 - - 18,176 18,017
Charitable activities 367,028 72,941 34,567 474,536 447,387
Other - - - - -
Total expenditure 551,089 78,545 34,567 664,201 607,149
Net gains/(losses) on investments (294,184) - - (294,184) 383,886
Net income/(expenditure) (325,866) ( 78,545) 21,679 (382,732) 489,283
----- End of picture text -----

Income

Total income in 2022 was £575,653 compared with £712,546 in 2021. The decrease was predominantly driven by a drop in legacies, as well as a drop in Grants and Donations, all other areas were up.

Legacies are inherently difficult to forecast and have a tendency to be volatile. Thus RBST budgets for Legacies using long term averages, 2022 was below the long term average, but this is to be expected when considering numbers with high volatility.

Grants and Donations were down predominantly due to a drop in restricted funds, which were £56,246 in 2022 compared with £134,342 in 2021. This was expected as the large payment for the farm park project recorded in 2021 was not fully offset from other sources in 2022. However, this was significantly offset by the success RBST’s unrestricted fundraising which was £62,844 in 2022 compared with £28,542 in 2021.

Income from Membership Subscriptions was £198,387, up versus £178,326 in 2021. This was made up of Individual Membership Subscriptions and Gift Aid, both of which were up however it was also contributed to by Corporate Subscriptions which were almost 50% higher than in 2021.

Income from charitable activities in 2022 was £55,661 compared with £49,456 in 2021. The increase was predominantly linked to a continuing recovery of activities, as the restrictions due to the pandemic were almost entirely over. It was also due to an increased demand for RBST’s educational courses.

In line with accounting requirements, the investments are revalued at each year end. In 2022 RBST’s investments returned a net negative movement in funds of £294,184, this was versus a gain of £383,886 in 2021. As was flagged in 2021, this figure is simply a snap shot of investments at a point in time and is highly dependant on the markets at that moment. Furthermore, this ‘loss’ is uncrystallised (or unrealised).

Similar to Legacies, as mentioned above, RBST budgets based the long term performance of its investments. It is understood and expected that these averages will be made up of some years of large gains and others of large loses, indeed this is the reason for using them.

RBST takes a long term approach to investments and on average £110,000 of investment income and £135,000 of capital gains have been generated each year over the last five years, representing a compound gross rate of return of 5.5% per annum.

Expenditure

Expenditure for 2022 totalled £664,201 compared with £607,149 in 2021 and £701,954 in 2020. The increase was planned, and was driven by an increase in spend on both charitable activities, as well as fund raising activities, however costs remain under close control and cost in 2022 remained lower than in 2020, 2019, 2018 and 2017.

Unrestricted spend on Charitable activities increased by more than 10% as the Trust continued to, not only closely monitor costs but, ensure spend was being directed to forwarding the Trust’s objectives. This was somewhat offset by a reduction in restricted spending as the spend on the farm park project came to an end.

Spend on raising funds was up in 2022 as show spend increased significantly, as there was a full return to normal activities following Covid, new high quality merchandise was invested in and more staff time was dedicated to raising funds.

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ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2022

Financial Review (continued)

Despite costs remaining closely controlled, 2022 cannot be considered without mentioning the cost of living crisis. Inflation impacted almost every aspect of the Trust’s activities, this has been fully and rigorously budgeted for in 2023, but will remain a challenge and will impact spend for years to come. There is also the knock on impact, that inflation peaking in double digits will inevitably have on the public’s ability to give, and this of course extends to RBST’s cherished members.

RBST was incredibly grateful to receive the incredible support it did in 2022, in preparation for the 50th anniversary in 2023, to ensure RBST can continue promoting and protecting priceless native livestock and equines for another 50 years. That aside, fundraising in general will inevitably be harder than prior to the cost of living crisis.

Balance Sheet

The Balance Sheet remains robust, although net assets have decreased by 10% to £3,309,851 as at the end of 2022, predominately due to the revaluation of RBST’s investments. This follows an increase of 15% to £3,695,353 at the end of 2021.

~~Reserves policy~~ 31 December 2022 31 December 2021 % Increase/
(Decrease)
Unrestricted funds(Free Reserves) 903,529 1,300,420 -30.5%
Unrestricted funds(Tangible Fixed Assets) 98,735 104,727 -5.7%
Total Unrestricted funds 1,002,264 1,405,147 -28.7%
Designated Funds:
- Gene Bank 2,000,000 2,000,000 0.0%
- Gene Bank 39,396 - -
- Conservation – Breed stock 22,009 24,779 -11.2%
- Linga Holm - 12,812 -100.0%
- Sandringham Charitable Trust - 19,237 -100.0%
- Propertyimprovement fund 132,000 132,000 0.0%
- LopFund 8,951 8,951 0.0%
Restricted Funds:
- Cattle Conservation 5,487 2,487 120.6%
- Equine Conservation 23,987 23,001 4.3%
- Goat Conservation 2,659 2,659 0.0%
- PigConservation 40,882 14,439 183.1%
- SheepConservation 21,779 27,026 -19.4%
- Otherprojects 10,437 22,815 -54.3%
Ratio of Free Reserves to Annual
OperatingExpenditure		 1.4 years 2.1 years

The charity maintains a large investment portfolio in order to create an income, currently in the region of £115,000, to help fund its charitable activities.

Free reserves are shown in accordance with Charity Commission guidance CC19.

One of the prime objectives of the charity is to ensure the preservation of breeds. Therefore, a Gene Bank is maintained to ensure the characteristics of old and current breeds are conserved. This Gene Bank is treated as a heritage asset, which is irreplaceable. The Trustees have therefore designated £2million to maintain and develop the Gene Bank for the next generation.

The reserves that the Trustees have set aside provide financial stability and the means for the development of our principal activity. The Trustees’ aim is for free reserves to always cover at least the annual operating expenditure.

The Trustees regularly review the amount of reserves that are required to ensure that they are adequate to fulfil our continuing obligations

Investment policy

A medium-risk approach describes the investment policy. Assets are held in the RBST Portfolio which is managed by Evelyn and which invests in a combination of segregated equities and collective funds. The portfolio targets an initial income yield of 4%; in 2022 it achieved 3.6%, which was acceptable given market conditions. The investment aim is to achieve this income target without detriment to the growth and without incurring unnecessary risk. The value of the RBST portfolio as at 31 December 2022 was £3,149,353 compared with £3,540,072 as at 31 December 2021.

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Governance

Structure

RBST is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (Registration No. 269442). It is also a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (Registration No. 01204694). It was founded in 1973. Its objects and powers are set out in its Memorandum and Articles of Association.

Trustees

The Board of RBST is comprised of unpaid trustees, with no fewer than six elected from its membership and up to five co-opted. The trustees are also the directors of RBST for the purposes of company law. The Board is responsible for setting policy, agreeing strategy and approving major commitments based on advice from senior management, and the appointment of the Chief Executive Officer. Day-to-day operations are delegated by the Board to the Chief Executive Officer, who leads the executive and volunteer teams. RBST’s Memorandum and Articles of Association provide that elected trustees may be appointed for two periods of up to four years, with years being defined by AGMs, at a time and must then take a minimum break of 24 months. Co-opted trustees may be appointed for two periods of up to three years, with years being defined by AGMs, at a time and must then take a minimum break of 24 months. The Board has two principal committees: the Conservation and Research Committee and the Finance and Governance Committee. Membership of these committees along with a full list of trustees and staff at the time of writing of this report are provided at the end of this report. The Conservation and Research Committee advises the Board of Trustees on strategic issues concerning conservation programmes and related activities. The Finance and Governance Committee is responsible for reviewing RBST’s financial performance and matters relating to management, organisation, governance, investments and risk management. Each new trustee is provided with training and an induction, where s/he learns about the organisation and the role and responsibilities of a trustee. The induction includes a pack containing the Charity Commission guidance ‘The Essential Trustee’; RBST’s governing documents; and the most recent annual report and financial statements. Trustees receive ongoing training, receive charity law updates, and are involved in strategic sessions relating to the operations during the year.

Statement of Trustees’ responsibilities

The trustees (who are also directors of RBST for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the trustees’ Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom generally accepted accounting practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards). Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under company law the trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and the group and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charitable company’s transactions, disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006, and the provisions of the Charity’s constitution. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

In so far as the trustees are aware:

Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

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ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2022

Governance (continued)

Grant making policy

RBST occasionally makes donations or grants, in line with its charitable and strategic objectives, to partners in the RBST network, the outcomes of which are reviewed at regular periods.

Public benefit

In reviewing our charitable objectives and as part of planning our future programme of work, the trustees of RBST have taken account of the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit and have considered how the planned programme of work will consistently contribute to the Charity’s aims and objectives.

Remuneration policy

Our approach to remuneration across the organisation is designed to ensure we can attract and retain the talented and motivated people we need to deliver our mission.

Fundraising Regulator Statement of Compliance

The charity does not contract with a third party to undertake any fundraising on its behalf. The charity does employ a fundraising officer who initiates campaigns and supports fundraising activities.

The charity only makes fundraising approaches to contacts who have given explicit consent to receive such campaign documentation under GDPR guidelines. We have received no fundraising complaints during the year.

Risk management

The trustees have reviewed the major risks to which the charity is exposed and confirm that systems have been established to mitigate those risks. Particular attention has focused on Support Groups. These and other risks are kept under review. A full review of the risk register will be carried out next year.

Trustees Indemnity

The charity has Trustees’ indemnity insurance in place.

Our employees & volunteers

The delivery of our mission relies on our talented and motivated people, and we are proud of the performance of our staff and volunteers across the UK. The trustees and Chief Executive Officer encourage widespread consultation and exchange of information at all levels of the organisation and we continue to work together on a range of actions to improve employee and volunteer engagement, ensuring that RBST remains a great place to work and volunteer.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

The trustees are committed to addressing equality, diversity and inclusion, recognising that doing so helps a board to make better decisions and means RBST is more likely to stay relevant to those it serves and to deliver its public benefit. Trustees will work to recognise and counter any imbalances in power, perspectives or opportunities in RBST, and in the attitudes and behaviour of trustees, staff and volunteers, so helping to make sure RBST achieves its aims.

The trustees’ report (including the directors’ report) was approved by the Board of trustees on xxxxxxxxxx and was signed on their behalf by:

John Atkinson Chairman of the Board of trustees Date: 8th June 2023

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Independent Auditors Report Year Ended 31 December 2022

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (the ‘charitable company’) for the year ended 31 December 2022 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, Balance Sheet, Statement of Cashflows and notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charitable company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The trustees are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the trustees’ annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other

information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

In the light of our knowledge and understanding of the charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the directors’ report.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement set out on page 45, the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the

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ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2022

Independent Auditors Report (continued)

going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The specific procedures for this engagement and the extent to which these are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below:

Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk is also greater regarding irregularities occurring due to fraud rather than error, as fraud involves intentional concealment, forgery, collusion, omission or misrepresentation.

As part of an audit in accordance with ISAs (UK), we exercise professional judgment and maintain professional scepticism throughout the audit. We also:

to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the charitable company’s internal control.

We communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and the charitable company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Geoffrey Cox BA FCA (Senior Statutory Auditor) For and on behalf of Dafferns LLP, Statutory Auditor One Eastwood Binley Business Park Coventry, CV3 2UB Date: 8th June 2023

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Statement of Financial Activities (Including Income and Expenditure Account) Year Ended 31 December 2022

----- Start of picture text -----
2022 2021
Unrestricted Designated Restricted Total Total
funds funds funds
Note £ £ £ £ £
Income and endowments from:
Donations and legacies 2 333,298 - 56,246 389,544 552,345
Charitable activities 3 55,661 - - 55,661 49,456
Other trading activities 4 15,687 - - 15,687 13,487
Investments 5 114,761 - - 114,761 97,258
Total income and endowments 519,407 - 56,246 575,653 712,546
Expenditure on:
Raising funds 165,885 5,604 - 171,489 141,745
Investment management fees 18,176 - - 18,176 18,017
Charitable activities 6 367,028 72,941 34,567 474,536 447,387
Total expenditure 551,089 78,545 34,567 664,201 607,149
Net gains/(losses) on investments 15 (294,184) - - (294,184) 383,886
Net income/(expenditure) (325,866) (78,545) 21,679 (382,732) 489,283
Transfers between funds 20 (77,017) 85,892 (8,875) - -
Other recognised gains/(losses):
Gains/(losses) on revaluation of fixed assets 13 - (2,770) - (2,770) (8,780)
Net movement in funds (402,883) 4,577 12,804 (385,502) 480,503
Reconciliation of funds:
Total funds brought forward 20 1,405,147 2,197,779 92,427 3,695,353 3,214,850
Total funds carried forward 20 1,002,264 2,202,356 105,231 3,309,851 3,695,353
----- End of picture text -----

All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities. Activities relating to the Gene bank are disclosed in note 14.

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised during the year.

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ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2022

Balance sheet

Year Ended 31 December 2022

----- Start of picture text -----
2022 2021
Note £ £
Fixed assets
Tangible assets 13 98,735 104,727
Heritage assets 14 - -
Investments 15 3,149,353 3,540,072
3,248,088 3,644,799
Current assets
Stocks 16 15,324 7,360
Debtors 17 61,172 35,490
Cash at bank and in hand 48,747 53,330
125,243 96,180
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 18 63,480 45,626
Net current assets 61,763 50,554
Net assets 3,309,851 3,695,353
Charity Funds
Unrestricted funds 20 1,002,264 1,405,147
Designated funds 20 2,202,356 2,197,779
Restricted funds 20 105,231 92,427
Total charity funds 3,309,851 3,695,353
----- End of picture text -----

The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Board on ???? 2023.

Signed on behalf of the Board of trustees

John Atkinson, Chairman of Trustees, Alison Pope, Treasurer

The notes on pages 52 to 63 form part of these financial statements

Company registration number: 01204694

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Statement of cash flows Year Ended 31 December 2022

----- Start of picture text -----
2022 2021
£ £
Cash flow from operating activities (212,738) 27,296
Cash flow from investing activities
Payments to acquire tangible fixed assets (3,141) (1,500)
Payments to acquire investments (74,632) (354,467)
Receipts from sales of investments 171,167 249,933
Interest received 10,889 7,399
Dividends received 103,872 89,859
Net cash flow from investing activities 208,155 (8,776)
Net increase / (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents (4,583) 18,520
Cash and cash equivalents at 1 January 2022 53,330 34,810
Cash and cash equivalents at 31 December 2022 48,747 53,330
Cash and cash equivalents consists of:
Cash at bank and in hand 48,747 53,330
Cash and cash equivalents at 31 December 2022 48,747 53,330
2022 2021
£ £
Reconciliation of net income/(expenditure) to net cash flow from
operating activities
Net income / (expenditure) for year (385,502) 480,503
Dividends received (103,872) (89,859)
Interest receivable (10,889) (7,399)
Depreciation and impairment of tangible fixed assets 9,133 16,709
(Gains) / losses on investments 294,184 (383,886)
(Increase) / decrease in stock (7,964) 500
Decrease / (increase)in debtors (25,682) 11,478
Increase in creditors 17,855 (750)
Net cash flow from operating activities (212,738) 27,296
Analysis of changes in net debt
31/12/21 Cashflows 31/12/22
£ £ £
Cash and cash equivalents 53,330 (4,583) 48,747
----- End of picture text -----

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ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2022

Notes to the financial statements Year Ended 31 December 2022

1 Summary of significant accounting policies

(a) General information and basis of preparation

Rare Breeds Survival Trust is an incorporated charity registered in England. In the event of the charity being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £1 per member of the charity. The address of the registered office is Avenue Q, Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth, Warwickshire, CV8 2LG. The nature of the charity’s operations and principal activities are:

The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland issued in October 2019, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), the Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006 and UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice.

The financial statements are prepared on a going concern basis under the historical cost convention, modified to include certain items at fair value. The financial statements are presented in sterling which is the functional currency of the charity and rounded to the nearest £1.

The significant accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all years presented unless otherwise stated.

A network of volunteer support groups is constituted within the Trust and accordingly the accounts include their financial activities.

(b) Funds

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity and which have not been designated for other purposes. Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the trustees for particular purposes. The aim and use of each designated fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements. The cost of raising and administering such funds is charged against the specific fund. The aim and use of each restricted fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.

(c) Income recognition

All incoming resources are included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SoFA) when the charity is legally entitled to the income after any performance conditions have been met, the amount can be measured reliably, and it is probable that the income will be received.

Subscriptions are included in the Income and Expenditure Account in the accounting period in which they are received.

This treatment is also adopted for the limited number of subscriptions received from new life members.

For donations to be recognised the charity will have been notified of the amounts and the settlement date in writing. If there are conditions attached to the donation and this requires a level of performance before entitlement can be obtained then income is deferred until those conditions are fully met or the fulfilment of those conditions is within the control of the charity and it is probable that they will be fulfilled.

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Donated facilities and donated professional services are recognised in income at their fair value when their economic benefit is probable, it can be measured reliably and the charity has control over the item. Fair value is determined on the basis of the value of the gift to the charity, for example the amount the charity would be willing to pay in the open market for such facilities and services. A corresponding amount is recognised in expenditure.

No amount is included in the financial statements for volunteer time in line with the SORP (FRS 102). Further detail is given in the Trustees’ Annual Report.

For legacies, entitlement is the earlier of the charity being notified of an impending distribution or the legacy being received. At this point income is recognised. On occasion legacies will be notified to the charity for which it is not possible to measure the amount expected to be distributed. On these occasions, the legacy is treated as a contingent asset and disclosed.

Income from trading activities includes income earned from fundraising events and trading activities to raise funds for the charity. Income is received in exchange for supplying goods and services in order to raise funds and is recognised when entitlement has occurred.

Investment income is earned through holding assets for investment purposes such as shares and property. It includes dividends, interest and rent. Where it is not practicable to identify investment management costs incurred within a scheme with reasonable accuracy the investment income is reported net of these costs. It is included when the amount can be measured reliably. Interest income is recognised using the effective interest method and dividend and rent income is recognised as the charity’s right to receive payment is established.

(d) Expenditure recognition

All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all costs related to the category. Expenditure is recognised where there is a legal or constructive obligation to make payments to third parties, it is probable that the settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. It is categorised under the following headings:

Irrecoverable VAT is charged as an expense against the activity for which expenditure arose.

(e) Support costs allocation

Support costs are those that assist the work of the charity but do not directly represent charitable activities and include office costs, governance costs, and administrative payroll costs. They are incurred directly in support of expenditure on the objects of the charity and include project management carried out at Headquarters. All support costs have been allocated on the basis of number of employees. Fund-raising costs are those incurred in seeking voluntary contributions and do not include the costs of disseminating information in support of the charitable activities.

The analysis of these costs is included in note 7.

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ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2022

Notes to the financial statements (continued)

Year Ended 31 December 2021

(f) Tangible fixed assets

Tangible fixed assets are stated at cost (or deemed cost) or valuation less accumulated depreciation and accumulated impairment losses. Cost includes costs directly attributable to making the asset capable of operating as intended. Depreciation is provided on all tangible fixed assets, at rates calculated to write off the cost, less estimated residual value, of each asset on a systematic basis over its expected useful life as follows:

Leasehold land and buildings Over the period of the lease Office and Computer Equipment 10%-33% according to the nature of the asset Conservation Breeding Stock (agisted) Annual Revaluation

(g) Heritage assets

The Gene Bank is a collection of semen and embryos obtained from rare breeds of cattle, horses, sheep, goats and pigs. It acts as an archive to preserve bloodlines of breeds. Each year additions are made to the archive to ensure that it includes the current characteristics of a breed. The archive is regarded as an irreplaceable resource which cannot be valued with any degree of accuracy and will never be sold. As such it generates no income and so has no realisable value. Therefore it does not have a carrying value in the balance sheet. The costs incurred in maintaining the archive for conservation purposes are written off each year.

(h) Investments

Investments are recognised initially at fair value which is normally the transaction price excluding transaction costs. Subsequently, they are measured at fair value with changes recognised in ‘net gains / (losses) on investments’ in the SoFA if the shares are publicly traded or their fair value can otherwise be measured reliably. Other investments are measured at cost less impairment.

(i) Stocks

Stocks comprise genetic resources, which are not part of the Gene Bank, and goods for resale. Genetic resources are valued at the lower of cost of production and market value. Retail stocks are valued at the lower of cost and net realisable value.

(j) Debtors and creditors receivable / payable within one year

Debtors and creditors with no stated interest rate and receivable or payable within one year are recorded at transaction price. Any losses arising from impairment are recognised in expenditure.

(k) Impairment

Assets not measured at fair value are reviewed for any indication that the asset may be impaired at each balance sheet date. If such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset, or the asset’s cash generating unit, is estimated and compared to the carrying amount. Where the carrying amount exceeds its recoverable amount, an impairment loss is recognised in profit or loss unless the asset is carried at a revalued amount where the impairment loss is a revaluation decrease.

(l) Leases

Assets acquired under finance leases are capitalised and depreciated over the shorter of the lease term and the expected useful life of the asset. Minimum lease payments are apportioned between the finance charge and the reduction of the outstanding lease liability using the effective interest method. The related obligations, net of future finance charges, are included in creditors.

Rentals payable and receivable under operating leases are charged to the SoFA on a straight-line basis over the period of the lease.

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(m) Employee benefits

When employees have rendered service to the charity, short-term employee benefits to which the employees are entitled are recognised at the undiscounted amount expected to be paid in exchange for that service. The charity operates a defined contribution pension plan for the benefit of its employees. Contributions are expensed as they become payable. The Trust agrees to pay a defined contribution into the employee’s own personal pension scheme for eligible employees. The pension charge represents contributions payable by the Trust for the period. The Trust’s liability is limited to the amount of the contribution. The liability for meeting future pension payments rests solely with the employee’s personal pension scheme.

(n) Tax

The charity is an exempt charity within the meaning of schedule 3 of the Charities Act 2011 and is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes.

(o) Financial instruments

The Trust enters into only basic financial instrument transactions that result in the recognition of financial assets and liabilities like trade and other amounts receivable and payable and loans to related parties. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

(p) Going concern

The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis as the trustees believe that no material uncertainties exist. The trustees have considered the level of funds held and the expected level of income and expenditure for 12 months from authorising these financial statements. The budgeted income and expenditure is sufficient with the level of reserves for the charity to be able to continue as a going concern.

2 Income from donations and legacies

----- Start of picture text -----
2022 2021
£ £
Grants and donations 119,090 162,884
Legacies 72,067 211,135
Membership Subscriptions (including gift aid) 198,387 178,326
389,544 552,345
----- End of picture text -----

Of the income from donations and legacies of £191,157 (2021 - £374,019), £56,246 (2021 - £134,342) was attributable to restricted, and £134,911 (2021 - £239,677) was attributable to unrestricted funds.

Income from membership subscriptions was attributable entirely to unrestricted funds.

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ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2022

Notes to the financial statements (continued)

Year Ended 31 December 2022

----- Start of picture text -----
3 Income from charitable activities 2022 2021
£ £
Conservation activities (including Support Groups) 55,661 49,456
Income from charitable activities was attributable to unrestricted funds in both years.
4 Income from other trading activities 2022 2021
£ £
Advertising revenue 15,687 13,487
Income from other trading activities was attributable to unrestricted funds in both years.
5 Income from investments 2022 2021
£ £
Dividends - equities 103,872 89,859
Interest - Fixed interest securities 10,889 7,399
114,761 97,258
----- End of picture text -----

Income from investments was attributable to unrestricted funds in both years.

6 Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities

2022 2022 2022 2022
Activities
undertaken
directly		 Grant
funding of
activities		 Support
costs		 Total
£ £ £ £
Conservation Activities (includingSupport Group) 248,918 - 170,584 419,502
ARK Magazine 55,034 - - 55,034
303,952 - 170,584 474,536

£34,567 (2021 - £74,792) of the above costs were attributable to restricted funds. £72,941 (2021 - £57,939) of the above costs were attributable to designated funds. £367,028 (2021 - £314,476) of the above costs were attributable to unrestricted funds.

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7 Allocation of support costs 2022 2022 2022 2022
Raising
funds		 Conservation
Activities		 ARK
Magazine		 Total
£ £ £ £
Governance - 30,359 - 30,359
Management salaries and expenses 26,090 78,271 - 104,361
Offce operational costs and utilities 11,878 35,634 - 47,512
Depreciation 1,591 4,772 - 6,363
Professional charges 2,661 7,982 - 10,643
Irrecoverable VAT 2,575 7,724 - 10,299
Other 1,946 5,842 - 7,788
Total 46,741 170,584 - 217,325

Supports costs, except governance costs, have been allocated based on staff time.

----- Start of picture text -----
8 Governance costs 2022 2021
Note £ £
Trustees’ remuneration 11 - -
Trustees’ expenses 11 1,359 293
Cost of Trustees’ meetings and the AGM 1,715 3,092
Auditors’ remuneration 10 6,100 5,620
Legal fees 21,185 14,890
30,359 23,895
----- End of picture text -----

9 Net income / (expenditure) for the year 2022 2021
£ £
Net income / (expenditure) is stated after charging / (crediting):
Depreciation of tangible fxed assets 6,363 7,929
Operatinglease rentals 2,353 2,244
Loss/(gain) on fair value movement of investments 294,184 (383,886)

10 Auditors’ remuneration

The auditors’ remuneration amounts to an audit fee of £6,100 (2021 - £5,620) and other services of £10,643 (2021 - £12,881).

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ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2022

Notes to the financial statements (continued)

Year Ended 31 December 2022

11 Trustees’ and key management personnel remuneration and expenses

The Trustees neither received nor waived any remuneration during the year (2021 - £nil).

The total amount of employee benefits (these benefits include employer’s national insurance and pension costs) received by key management personnel is £171,635 (2021:£160,029). The Trust considers its key management personnel to comprise the Chief Executive Officer and Director of Finance and Operations.

----- Start of picture text -----
Two trustees (2021: One) were reimbursed expenses as follows: 2022 2021
£ £
Travel 608 293
Subsistence 83 -
Accommodation 568 -
Other 100 -
1,359 293
----- End of picture text -----

12 Staff costs and employee benefits

The average monthly number of employees and full time equivalent (FTE) during the year was as follows:

2022 2022 2021 2021
Number FTE Number FTE
Raisingfunds 2 2 2 2
Charitable activities 4 3 5 3
Governance 2 2 2 2
8 7 9 7

----- Start of picture text -----
The total staff costs and employees’ benefits was as follows: 2022 2021
£ £
Wages and salaries 293,625 267,549
Social security 31,923 23,697
Defined contribution pension costs 13,986 12,638
339,534 303,884
----- End of picture text -----

The number of employees receiving total employee benefits (excluding employer pension costs) of over £60,000 per year was as follows:

year was as follows:
2022 2021
No. No.
£60,001 - £70,000 - 1
£70,001 - £80,000 1 -
£80,001 - £90,000 - 1
£90,001 - £100,000 1 -

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13 Tangible fixed assets Short
Leasehold		 Offce &
Equipment		 Conservation
Breeding
Stock
(Agisted)		 Total
£ £ £ £
Cost or valuation:
At 31 December 2021 221,443 154,492 24,780 400,715
Additions - 3,141 - 3,141
Revaluation - - (2,770) (2,770)
At 31 December 2022 221,443 157,633 22,010 401,086
Depreciation:
At 31 December 2021 146,265 149,723 - 295,988
Charge for the year 4,440 1,923 - 6,363
At 31 December 2022 150,705 151,646 - 302,351
Net book value:
At 31 December 2022 70,738 5,987 22,010 98,735
At 31 December 2021 75,178 4,769 24,780 104,727

14 Heritage assets

Heritage assets held are The National Archive Gene Bank and no value has been placed on this asset.

These assets are significant to the charity in order to safeguard the future of rare breeds. Expenditure to acquire preserve and develop The National Archive Gene Bank in the year was £73,708 (2021 - £100,894).

Fixed asset investments Listed
Investments
£
Cost or valuation
At 31 December 2021 3,540,072
Additions 74,632
Disposals ( 171,167)
Revaluation ( 294,184)
At 31 December 2022 3,149,353
Investments at fair value comprise:
2022 2021
£ £
Equities & unit trusts 3,047,670 3,423,948
Cash within investment portfolio 101,683 116,124
3,149,353 3,540,072

15 Fixed asset investments

The fair value of listed investments is determined by reference to the mid-market value of the unit trusts or quoted share price.

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ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2022

Notes to the financial statements (continued)

Year Ended 31 December 2022

----- Start of picture text -----
2022 2021
£ £
Semen for sale 6,390 7,360
Merchandise stock 8,934 -
15,324 7,360
2022 2021
£ £
Trade debtors 11,430 3,753
Amounts owed by support groups 18,032 13,377
Prepayments and accrued income 26,436 14,405
Taxes recoverable 5,274 3,955
61,172 35,490
----- End of picture text -----

16 Stocks

17 Debtors

----- Start of picture text -----
18 Creditors: amounts falling due within one yearg due within one year due within one yearyearear 2022 2021
£ £
Trade creditors 18,201 10,496
Other tax and social security 8,866 7,498
Other creditors 2,594 57
Accruals 33,819 27,575
63,480 45,626
----- End of picture text -----

18 Creditors: amounts falling due within one yearg due within one year due within one yearyearear

19 Leases

Leases Leases Leases
Operating leases – lessee
Total future minimum leasepayments under non-cancellable operatingleases
are as follows: 2022 2021
£ £
Not later than one year 2,353 2,353
Later than one and not later than fve years 8,732 9,072
Later than fve years 22,143 24,156
33,228 35,581

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20 Fund reconciliation Balance at
31
December
2021		 Income Expenditure Transfers Gains /
(losses)		 Balance at
31
December
2022
£ £ £ £ £ £
Unrestricted funds
Unrestricted 1,405,147 519,407 (551,089) (77,017) (294,184) 1,002,264
Designated Funds
Gene Bank 2,000,000 - (60,129) 60,129 - 2,000,000
50th Anniversary - (5,604) 45,000 39,396
Conservation – Breed Stock
(Agisted)		 24,779 - - - (2,770) 22,009
Linga Holm 12,812 - (12,812) - - -
Sandringham Charitable Trust 19,237 - - (19,237) - -
Property improvement fund 132,000 - - - 132,000
Lop Fund 8,951 - - - - 8,951
2,197,779 - (78,545) 85,892 (2,770) 2,202,356

Unrestricted funds description

Unrestricted funds are those funds available for use, at the discretion of the Trustees, in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity and which have not been designated for other purposes.

Designated funds description

The archive Gene Bank is held to maintain the Heritage Assets for the benefit of the next generation.

The 50th Anniversary fund was set up to support the costs of various events and activities planned to promote RBST, and the use of native breeds, in its 50th anniversary in 2023.

The Conservation Breeding Stock (Agisted), reserve is the value of RBST rare breed stock on loan to livestock keepers to increase rare breed population numbers.

The Linga Holm Fund derives from the sale of certain assets in 2000. It is available for the conservation of North Ronaldsay sheep in the first instance.

Sandringham Charitable Trust was created from legacies received for the pursuance of conservation projects.

The Property improvement fund relates to the proposed refurbishment of the premises at Stoneleigh Park.

The Lop Fund was created to help support the work in regard to British Lop pigs, along with the donation received from the Gerald Fallowes Discretionary Trust

Restricted funds and Trusts

We are extremely grateful to the charitable trusts and foundations that support our work. Some trusts provide general funding, while others prefer to sponsor specific projects as detailed on page 62.

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ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2022

Notes to the financial statements (continued)

Year Ended 31 December 2022

----- Start of picture text -----
Balance at Balance at
31 Income Expend Transfers Gains / 31
December -iture (losses) December
2021 2022
Restricted funds £ £ £ £ £ £
Fund Descriptions
Restricted cattle conservation
N Bailey Albion Fund 1,487 - - - - 1,487
Vaynol project 1,000 - - - - 1,000
Gloucester project - 3,000 - - - 3,000
Restricted equine conservation
Houserace Betting Levy Board 1,274 - - - - 1,274
HBLB 3 year conservation programme - 13,033 (4,158) (8,875) - -
Cleveland bay - N Bailey 1,500 - - - - 1,500
Heavy Horse Appeal 2017 17,592 986 - - - 18,578
Marjorie Coote Animal Charity Trust 2,634 - - - - 2,634
The Saintbury Trust 1 - - - - 1
Restricted goat conservation
Goat Appeal 1,196 - - - - 1,196
John Spedan Lewis Foundation 1,463 - - - - 1,463
Restricted pig conservation
Gerald Fallowes Discretionary Will Trust 57 - (57) - - -
(received in 2017)
Gerald Fallowes Pigs BPA 2,582 - (2,582) - - -
Conservation General - 8,000 (1,035) - - 6,965
PG Fallowes Lop Project 4,600 18,900 - - - 23,500
The Saintbury Trust 1,200 - (1,200) - - -
PBA Priority Breeds Appeal - 7,837 ( 60) - - 7,777
PF Charitable Trust 6,000 - (3,360) - - 2,640
William Dean Trust - 250 (250) - - -
Restricted sheep conservation
Love a Longwool Appeal 24,480 1,607 (6,184) - - 19,903
Rosie Green Wool Sheep Fund 2,546 320 (990) - - 1,876
Restricted poultry conservation
Poultry general 291 240 (511) - - 20
Luton & District Poultry Group 75 - - - - 75
Restricted Other projects
Somerset Conservation Fund 2 - - - - 2
Conservation general 3,364 - (270) - - 3,094
Foundation for Common Land - 2,073 (2,073) - - -
North Ronaldsay Dyke Appeal 4,450 - (4,450) - - -
Farm Park - Princes Charities Fund 11,577 - (4,390) - - 7,187
Epping Forrest - Fenceless Grazing 3,056 - (2,997) - - 59
92,427 56,246 (34,567) (8,875) - 105,231
----- End of picture text -----

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21 Analysis of net assets between funds

Unrestricted
funds		 Designated
funds		 Restricted
funds		 Total
£ £ £ £
Fixed assets 1,045,732 2,202,356 - 3,248,088
Cash at bank and in hand (50,096) - 98,843 48,747
Other current assets / liabilities 6,628 - 6,388 13,016
Total 1,002,264 2,202,356 105,231 3,309,851

22 Pensions and other post-retirement benefits

Defined contribution pension plans

The charity operates a defined contribution pension plan for its employees. The amount recognised as an expense in the period was £13,986 (2021 - £12,638).

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ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2022

Leaving a gift in your Will could be the greatest difference you ever make!

Planning for the future

RBST depends heavily on voluntary donations. Without the incredible generosity of our members and supporters, we simply couldn’t continue our vital work in research, conservation and saving rare breeds. We know that with the help of generous donors like you, RBST can continue striving to achieve its crucial goal, to ensure that the genetic diversity represented by our native breeds is safeguarded for many years to come. Our vision is a secure future for each of the UK’s native breeds of livestock to ensure long-term food security, the conservation of important habitats and landscapes and the preservation of the UK’s culture. Help ensure our native farm animals have a secure future and can be enjoyed by generations to come.

What to do?

If you have already made a Will but you are considering including a gift to RBST, your solicitor will advise you on the correct wording to update your Will. You will need to provide your solicitor with our charity details. For your convenience, we have provided this here:

The Rare Breeds Survival Trust, Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth, Warwickshire, CV8 2LG. (Registered Charity no. 269442).

Please also state that you wish to make the gift for the ‘general purposes’ of Rare Breeds Survival Trust.

Our promise

RBST will always respect your privacy. Your information will be handled with the utmost confidentiality and we will never ask the amount of your legacy. We understand and respect that you will want to remember family and friends first when planning for the future, but we hope that once you’ve taken care of your loved ones, you’ll consider leaving a legacy gift in your Will, as a lasting way to support the future of RBST.

No Will yet?

Have you thought about leaving a gift in your Will to RBST? This year we have partnered with Free Wills Month. They bring together a group of well-respected charities to offer members of the public aged 55 and over, giving you the opportunity to support RBST and have a simple Will written or updated for free, by using one of their participating solicitors. The next campaign opens on 1st October 2021, you can register your interest here www.freewillsmonth.org.uk/ and receive an email reminding you that the campaign has started. An up-to-date Will written by a solicitor ensures your wishes are respected. It also avoids difficult decisions and legal complications for your loved ones.

Rare Breeds Survival Trust

If you have any questions, visit our website, call 02476 69551 or email fundraising@rbst.org.uk. Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST), Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth, Warwickshire, CV8 2LG Registered Charity Number 269442 (England and Wales)

Rare Breeds Survival Trust

Corporate Directory

Charity Reference and Administrative Details: As at the date of this report Charity registration number 269442 Company registration number 01204694

The former Prince of Wales was Patron

President

Registered office

Avenue Q, Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth, Warwickshire, CV8 2LG

Baroness Hayman of Ullock

Auditor

Vice Presidents

Martin Beard Miss Elizabeth Buchanan, C.V.O, FRAgS J Alan C Black The Earl De La Warr, DL Jimmy Doherty Lord Iliffe

Chief Executive Officer

Christopher Price

Trustees

John Atkinson Tom Davis James Fanshawe Clifford Freeman Kate Green Catherine Le Grice-Mack Steve McMinn (elected AGM November 2022) Prof Tim Morris Sir Roderick Newton (elected AGM November 2022) Ryan Perry Alison Pope Claire Saunders

Conservation and Research Committee

John Atkinson, Tom Davis, James Fanshawe, Catherine Le Grice-Mack, Tim Morris, Sir Roderick Newton, Ryan Perry, Claire Saunders, Marcus Bates (British Pig Association - in attendance) In attendance: Christopher Price (CEO), Tom Blunt, Andrea Parry-Jones, Steve McMinn

Dafferns LLP One Eastwood Harry Weston Road Binley Business Park, Binley Coventry, CV3 2UB

Legal advisors Lodders LLP 10 Elm Court Arden Street Stratford upon Avon Warwickshire, CV37 6PA

Bankers

Barclays Bank, 48/50 The Parade, Leamington Spa CV32 4DD

Investment managers

Evelyn 45 Gresham Street, London EC2V 7BG

Staff

Claire McNicol – Director of Finance and Operations and Company Secretary Tom Blunt – Senior Conservation Advisor Jo Linforth – Head of Members and Partnerships Andrea Parry – Conservation Adviser Rachel Peckover – Office Administrator and Accounts Assistant Hannah Roberts - Office Administrator Amy Foulkes - Event Coordinator

Finance and Governance Committee

John Atkinson, Clifford Freeman, Catherine Le Grice-Mack, Alison Pope, In attendance: Christopher Price (CEO), Claire McNicol (Dir F&O), Steve McMinn

www.rbst.org.uk

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RBST is incredibly grateful for every single penny donated to its cause by members, donors and supporters, both individuals and organisations. RBST simply would not exist without their generosity.

Whilst we would like to be able to thank everyone by name, due to space and data protection limitations this is not possible.

We would however like to take the opportunity to make special reference to the Trusts who donated funds to RBST in 2022 and all those who so kindly remembered RBST in their Wills.

Trust Income Received 2022

The Sackler Trust Registered Charity Number 1132097

Rothermere Foundation Registered Charity Number 314125

The Ian Askew Charitable Trust Registered Charity Number 264515

Marjorie Coote Animal Charity Trust Registered Charity Number 208493

The Hutchinson Charitable Trust Registered Charity Number 1155643

The Ancaster Trust Registered Charity Number 270822

Privy Purse Charitable Trust Registered Charity Number 296079

The William Dean Countryside Fund Registered Charity Number 1044567

Percy Gerald Fallowes Discretionary Will Trust

The Horserace Betting Levy Board Dingwall Trust

Legacy Income Received 2022

Mr James Westley BLANDEN Eirene Patricia BROOMHEAD

Nita FERRAR

Malcolm Rodney HURL

Joan Neville MARTIN

Susan PITTS

Claire Elizabeth ROBINSON

Miss SWINLEY

Jennifer SYRED

RBST’s Corporate Supporters

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Birch Farm White Park Financial Skyeskyns Ltd Yorkshire Agricultural South of England Marsh Charitable
Solutions Society Agricultural Society Trust
Peter Hunter Edge & Son Farm Business Dumfries House Dengie Crops Ltd Little Beau Sheep
Seeds Ltd Butchers Innovation Show Home Farm Ltd
Kelly Bronze Royal Ulster Old Hall Farm Incredible Eggs Wychwood Statkraft
Turkeys Agricultural Society Woodton Franchise Ltd Farm
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Swaledale Butchers The Real Wild Estates Company
& Glebe Meadow Fishery
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Rare Breeds Survival Trust
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rbst.org.uk enquiries@rbst.org.uk 024 7669 6551

The former Prince of Wales was Patron Company Limited by Guarantee Registered in England No.01204694. Registered Charity No.269442

#NativeBreedsForModernNeeds