2025-10-31-accounts - Avon Beekeepers Association

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Avon Beekeepers Association Registered Charity no. 271717

Trustees’ Annual Report for the Period 1st November 2024 to 31st October 2025

Objectives and Activities

Summary of the objectives of the charity set out in its governing document

The Association’s objectives are to advance the science of apiculture and to promote and foster the education of the public therein.

Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects

In planning our activities for the year the trustees keep in mind the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit at our trustee meetings.

The main activities are as follows:

ABKA stands at county shows where members of the public can find out about beekeeping and the importance of bees in the environment from practicing beekeepers,
beginner courses for members of the public who are interested in taking up beekeeping,
practical training for new members at one of our training apiaries,
advanced classes for practicing beekeepers to enable them to take firstly the basic examination, and then further Module examinations run by the national beekeeping association, the BBKA, as they become more experienced,
regular meetings and lectures by invited specialist speakers on specific aspects of beekeeping and honey bee problems,
giving talks on beekeeping at schools, both primary and secondary, to help children’s awareness and importance of bees and other insects in the environment,
upgrading our training apiaries to provide the best possible environment for educating our new members in practical beekeeping and, where possible, spaces for holding meetings and lectures,
collecting honey bee swarms and while doing so helping the public to become aware of bee behaviour and their importance in the environment,
the ABKA website (www.avonbeekeepers.org.uk), and the websites of our branches and links from BBKA website provide plenty of information on bees and beekeeping and associated events in the locality. Members are informed of forthcoming events both locally and nationally by post or email. Regular newsletters are produced to promote the importance of education for members.
running meetings and talks via the Internet (e.g. on ‘Zoom’) where meetings at outside venues are impractical.

Many of our experienced beekeepers carry out these activities as volunteers. We also encourage young people from all backgrounds and faiths to become interested in bees and, hopefully, some will take up beekeeping as junior members of the association.

Avon Beekeepers Association Reg Charity No. 271717

Achievements and Performance

Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year

ABKA’s membership remained steady over the year. By the year end there were 448 BBKA Registered members, 26 Partner members, 19 Country, 10 Junior, 1 School and 1 BBKA Honorary member: total 505 (2023/2024 - 526). In addition each branch has a number of associate members who do not have bees. These are members who are considering taking up beekeeping and attend apiary meetings to gain knowledge.

The charity ran several talks throughout the year along with a successful ABKA Spring Day School and a two day stand at the Bath and West show.

The Association and its’ branches continue to use the online platform ‘Zoom’ to run some talks as well as committee meetings.

Financial Review

Total monetary assets at 31 October 2025 were £ 49,480 (2024, £48,652): £45,063 unrestricted funds after deducting designated funds specifically held for further Apiary development.

The combined unrestricted accounts for the year ended 31 October 2025 show a surplus of receipts against payments of £828 (2024, deficit £13,705).

Membership subscriptions remain the main source of income for the charity.

Total cash reserves of £49,480 remain at more than one year’s income from voluntary sources (£36,326) and slightly less than one year’s payments that were £62,512 – although of course this figure includes an amount of £8,992 relating to the purchase of Larkhill at Bath. Without this the expenditure would have been £61,326. This is acceptable as the expenditure is wholly within the charitable purposes of the association.

The Executive’s cash reserves have increased by £142 to £12,507 (2023/24 £12,365).

Reserves Policy

The overriding policy is to ensure that the Association and each of its branches shall end each year with a minimum level of reserves and available funds to enable each to cover the next year’s projected expenditure. The funds shall not be more than three times the minimum unless established to meet anticipated costs of improving or replacing apiary facilities by one or more branches. Unless there is such a proposal branches should not consider any further increase in subscription until funds are brought within the policy.

Subscription Rates

There was no change to BBKA capitation and ABKA capitation rates from 2023/24 into 2024/2025.

Structure, Governance and Management

The Avon Beekeepers Association (“ABKA”) was founded in 1974 and registered as a charitable trust with the Charity Commission (Registered Number 271717) in 1976.

ABKA is an unincorporated association administered by an Executive Committee of officers and branch delegates (trustees) in accordance with the revised Rules of Association registered with the Charity Commission, as adopted 6 March 2004 and amended 19 March 2008.

The officers of the Executive Committee are appointed or reappointed annually at the Annual General Meeting (“AGM”) of the Association in March and branch delegates are appointed annually at the AGMs of branches in November.

Avon Beekeepers Association 2 Reg Charity No. 271717

ABKA has five branches the members of which live in the local authority areas of Bath, Bristol and North Somerset and their neighbouring districts that once formed the County of Avon.

In accordance with the Rules of ABKA, separate committees run each of the five branches and their committee members are elected at branch AGMs.

Reference and Administrative Details

Charity name: Avon Beekeepers Association Other name used: ABKA Registered Charity no. 271717 Charity’s principal address: 38 Currells Lane Felton Bristol BS40 9XF

Names of charity trustees who managed the charity for 2023/24 were:

President	Anne Rowberry	Bath Delegate	Oosman Tegally
Chair	Paul Moorhouse	North Somerset Delegate	Eric Sortwell
Hon. Gen. Secretary	Chris Dudley	Bristol Delegate	Jim Daniels
Hon. Treasurer, Membership Sec’y & eR2 Manager	Mark Hunter	Keynsham Delegate	Vacant
Publications and Public Relations	Eric Sortwell	Weston-super-Mare Delegate	Brenda Davis
Education Secretary & Newsletter	Sue Hatton	BBKA Delegate	Neil Campbell
SWFC Delegate	Anne Rowberry

The members of the Executive Committee are the Trustees of the Charity. No branch committee member is a trustee other than the branch delegate unless elected as one of the main officers of the executive. Details of branch committees are published on the website www.avonbeekeepers.co.uk.

All communications should be addressed in the first instance to the Hon. Secretary through the ABKA website.

Professional Support

ABKA’s principal banker is Lloyds Bank PO Box 1000, Andover, BX1 1LT. The branches have accounts with clearing banks as follows:-

Bath – HSBC (2 accounts), Bristol – Lloyds (2 accounts), North Somerset – Lloyds (2 accounts), Keynsham – Barclays, Weston-super-Mare – CAF

The Independent Examiner is Duncan Woodcock 43 Currells Lane Felton Bristol BS40 9XF

Avon Beekeepers Association Reg Charity No. 271717

Avon Beekeepers Association Independent Examiner's Report to the Association’s Trustees

I Report to the Trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31 October 2025 set out on pages 5 to 9.

Responsibilities and basis of report

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

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

N.B. I have not been responsible for the independent examination of the individual Branch Accounts.

Independent Examiner’s Statement

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

accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or
the accounts do not accord with the accounting records

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

Signed: Duncan Woodcock

FCA

43 Currells Lane Felton Bristol BS40 9XF

February 2026

Avon Beekeepers Association Reg Charity No. 271717

Avon Beekeepers Association Accounts for the Executive, Receipts and Payments Account for the Period 1 November 2024 to 31 October 2025 (General Fund)

----- Start of picture text -----
Section A. Receipts and Payments 2023/24 2022/23
A1 Receipts General Total General Total
Funds Funds
Voluntary Sources Note no. £ £ £ £
Avon Membership (3) 2,469 2,455
Donations/Interest 33 92
Gift aid tax recovery 0 0
Sub-total 2,502 2,547
Operating Activities
Introduction and training courses 886 968
Insurance 0 0
Sub-total 886 968
Total Receipts 3,388 3,515
----- End of picture text -----

A2 Payments


0 1,253 0 0 0 0 773 1100	3,126 0 120	0 1,408 0 0 0 0 2,000 1,821	5229 0 125

0 0 0 0 0		0 0 0 0 0

0 120		0 125
	3,246		5354
	142		(1,839)
	12,365		14,204
	12,507		12,365

Section B. Statement of Assets and Liabilities for the General Fund at year end

£	£	£	£
12,507		12,365
	12,507		12,365
		0
0

47 Beecraft shares valued at cost Total

12,554 12,412

Combined Executive and Branches Receipts and Payments Accounts for the Period 1 November 2024 to 31 October 2025

Section A. Receipts and Payments

2024/25 General Funds £ Designated Funds £ Restricted Funds £ Total Funds £ 20,251 20,251 1,369 742 1,369 742 0 9,120 450 0 9,120 450 0 0 4,414 36,346 0 0 4,414 36,362 12,899 649 12,899 649 2,989 2,989 220 220 0 9,480 0 9,480 693 0 26,930 0 0 693 0 26,930 32 32 64 63,308 32 0 63,340	2024/25 General Funds £ Designated Funds £ Restricted Funds £ Total Funds £ 20,251 20,251 1,369 742 1,369 742 0 9,120 450 0 9,120 450 0 0 4,414 36,346 0 0 4,414 36,362 12,899 649 12,899 649 2,989 2,989 220 220 0 9,480 0 9,480 693 0 26,930 0 0 693 0 26,930 32 32 64 63,308 32 0 63,340	2024/25 General Funds £ Designated Funds £ Restricted Funds £ Total Funds £ 20,251 20,251 1,369 742 1,369 742 0 9,120 450 0 9,120 450 0 0 4,414 36,346 0 0 4,414 36,362 12,899 649 12,899 649 2,989 2,989 220 220 0 9,480 0 9,480 693 0 26,930 0 0 693 0 26,930 32 32 64 63,308 32 0 63,340	2024/25 General Funds £ Designated Funds £ Restricted Funds £ Total Funds £ 20,251 20,251 1,369 742 1,369 742 0 9,120 450 0 9,120 450 0 0 4,414 36,346 0 0 4,414 36,362 12,899 649 12,899 649 2,989 2,989 220 220 0 9,480 0 9,480 693 0 26,930 0 0 693 0 26,930 32 32 64 63,308 32 0 63,340	2023/24 Total Funds £
				21,099 989 677 0 5,000 500 1,845 5166 35,276 11,933 0 6,903 265 0 9,630 1,127 0 29,858 863
				65,997

10,362 1,745 8,569 8,450 8,129 2,370 8,992 0 362 0 1,782 8,029 1,627 0 60,417 0 12 1,612 0 351 0 1,975	0 0	0 0	10,362 1,745 8,569 8,450 8,129 2,370 8,992 0 362 0 1,782 8,029 1,627 0 60,417 0 12 1,612 0 351 0 1,975	10,518 1,666 13,474 6,894 7,164 2,992 18,376 0 319 0 635 14,241 1,743 0 77,736 0 27 1,424 0 290 0 1,741
0 120			0 120	0 225

Avon Beekeepers Association Reg Charity No. 271717

Total Payments

Net receipts/(payments) for the year

62,512	0	0	62,512		79,702
796	32	0	828		(13,705)

Avon Beekeepers Association

Combined Executive and Branches Accounts (cont’d)

A3 Summary of Cash and Bank Movements in Year Note no.	2024/2025 General Funds Designated Funds Restricted Funds Total Funds £ £ £ £ 48,267 796 385 32 0 48,652 828 (4,000) 4,000 0 0 45,063 4,417 0 49,480	2024/2025 General Funds Designated Funds Restricted Funds Total Funds £ £ £ £ 48,267 796 385 32 0 48,652 828 (4,000) 4,000 0 0 45,063 4,417 0 49,480	2024/2025 General Funds Designated Funds Restricted Funds Total Funds £ £ £ £ 48,267 796 385 32 0 48,652 828 (4,000) 4,000 0 0 45,063 4,417 0 49,480	2024/2025 General Funds Designated Funds Restricted Funds Total Funds £ £ £ £ 48,267 796 385 32 0 48,652 828 (4,000) 4,000 0 0 45,063 4,417 0 49,480	2023/2024 Total Funds £
Opening bank and cash balances Excess/(shortfall) of receipts over payments Transfers between funds	48,267 796 (4,000)	385 32	0	48,652 828	62,357 (13,705)
		4,000	0	0	0

Closing bank and cash balances(8)	45,063	4,417	0	49,480	48,652

Section B. Statement of Assets and Liabilities at end of the year 31/10/25

B1 Monetary Assets Bank balances and cash funds Bank Current Accounts (8) Cash Total Funds(8) B2 Non-monetary Assets Educational Assets at Insurance Values(11) Branch Apiary Buildings Beekeeping Equipment Apiary Equipment Educational and display equipment Trophies at insured values Total Insured Assets Honey stocks (12) Bulk purchase stocks Bristol Apiary land at registration value (13) Bath –Larkhill(14) 47 Bee Craft shares valued at cost (15) Total Other Assets Total Non-monetary Assets	44,7125 370 45,095	4,385 0 49,110 370 4,385 0 49,480 163,305 49,667 17,255 19,378 21,558 271,163 320 1,720 10,000 27,368 47 39,455 310,618
			48,402
			250
			48,652


		163,305 49,667 17,255 19,378 21,558	163,100 48,828 16,999 18,943 21,533
		271,163 320 1,720 10,000 27,368 47	269,403 300 4,322 10,000 18,377 47
		39,455	33,046
		310,618	302,449

Avon Beekeepers Association Reg Charity No. 271717

Avon Beekeepers Association Notes to the accounts for the period 1 November 2024 to 31 October 2025

The accompanying notes form an integral part of this Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 October 2025

1. Basis of Accounting

The financial statements are prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice “Accounting and Reporting by Charities” (SORP revised 2015).

2. Fund accounting

Funds held by the charity are either: -

Unrestricted general funds. These are funds that can be used in accordance with the charitable objects at the discretion of the trustees. These funds are termed as General Funds within this document. Designated funds. These are funds set aside by the trustees out of unrestricted general funds for specific purposes or projects. They may be held within the unrestricted general funds or in a separate account.

Restricted funds. These are funds that can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity.

Endowment funds. ABKA has no endowment funds.

Membership

Members’ subscriptions include branch fee, ABKA capitation, BBKA capitation and Basic BDI insurance. These can be claimed for Gift Aid tax reclaim by eligible members.

4. Grants

Bath received a grant of 7,225.

5. Advance Payments for Educational Courses

Deposits were received for 2025 courses of £0 (2024 £1,050)

Teaching Apiary building and equipment/Teaching apiary costs The total of £26,011 includes Bath costs of £3,311, North Somerset costs of £2,151, Bristol costs of £9,838, Keynsham costs of £1,919 and Bath costs relating to Larkhill of £8,992.

7. Insurance

All Risks Insurance cover is for branch apiary buildings and equipment.

Avon Beekeepers Association Reg Charity No. 271717

8. Bank Balances

Unadjusted Bank balances held by the branches and the ABKA Executive at 31 October 2025 were:

2025 2024	Bath North Somerset Bristol Keyns ham W-s-M Executive Total General 6,104 14,097 9,524 1,002 1,491 12,507 £44,725 Design’d 1,371 3,014 £4,385
	Total £7,475 £14,097 £12,538 1,002 £1,491 £12,507 49,110
	General 6,343 9,745 15,436 2,887 1,521 12,365 £48,297 Designated 353 2 £355
	Total £6,696 £9,745 £15,438 £2,887 £1,521 £12,365 £48,652

Each branch and the Executive plan to hold sufficient funds to meet their budgeted net outgoings for the following year but target not to hold funds in excess of approximately three year’s net outgoings.

10. ABKA Unrestricted Funds

The Executive funds increased by £142 on the previous year.

NON-MONETARY ASSETS

The branches can be confident that all their property is adequately covered by full replacement all risks insurance and at reasonable cost. Cover is with Aston Lark.
Honey stocks and bulk purchase stocks are not eligible for insurance cover. Nil values are attributed to hives, colonies, or very old assets.
Bristol’s freehold apiary site is zoned as agricultural land and was valued at £10,000 on registration in 2004. Discussions with the valuer in March 2010 indicated that there had been no material change since 2004 and the Executive consider this valuation still applies.
Bath’s acquisition of Larkhill is shown at cost.
At present the executive has no assets other than Bee Craft shares.

LIABILITIES

Avon Beekeepers Association has no liabilities

The Receipts and Payments Accounts and Statements of the Assets and Liabilities relating to the year ended 31st October 2025, which are set out on the pages above are as approved by the Trustees of the Association.

Signed for and on behalf of the Trustees

Avon Beekeepers Association Reg Charity No. 271717

Mark Hunter ABKA Hon. Treasurer

2 February 2025

Avon Beekeepers Association Reg Charity No. 271717