## **Teesmouth Bird Club** ## **Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on Monday 8th April 2024** **Present:** Mr Mike Leakey (Chairman) Mr Steve McDonnell (Treasurer/Vice Chair) Mr Chris Sharp (Secretary) Mrs Barbara Crinson, Miss Julie Mason, Mrs Debbie Lawson, Mr Steve Ashton (Ordinary Committee Members). Mr Alistair McLee (Co-Opted Committee Member) 31 Club members present. ## **1. Welcome to the AGM** Mr Leakey welcomed members on behalf of the club. ## **2. Apologies for Absence** Apologies were received from Chris Bielby. ## **3. Minutes of the Previous AGM** The minutes of the meeting held on 3rd April 2023 were accepted as a true record, proposed by Barbara Crinson and seconded by Alistair McLee. ## **4. Officers’ Report** The Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary outlined the following main items from the full Annual Report. ## Chairman’s Report Mr Leakey thanked the retiring Chairman, Steve McDonnell and all the Trustees for their efforts and continued support. It had been a particularly difficult year due to the deaths of Honorary Treasurer Mark Askew, Newsletter Editor Eric James and club stalwart Don Page all of whom had made a massive contribution over many years. He went on to highlight many of this year’s news, events and achievements thanking all those involved, as follows: the quarterly committee meetings via Zoom; eight evening meetings with a diverse programme of talks; ten local outings; the 49th Annual Cleveland Bird Report; three Newsletters; the work to set up a Motus tracking station at RSPB Saltholme; a number of successful conservation projects including the installation of swift and peregrine nest boxes; and the club’s receipt of a generous £38,000 legacy. ## Secretary’s Report Membership numbers were at a healthy total of 445 with only a slight drop compared to the previous year. Special thanks went to Eric James who had edited the newsletter until his recent death. Thanks were made to Jamie Duffie who had taken over this task, who continued to manage the website and handle PayPal receipts for membership fees. Chris also paid a special tribute to the last two treasurers of the club, Mark Askew and Don Page, both of whom sadly died in 2023, between them serving a total of just under 50 years in this role. The Annual Bird Report was a publication the club could be proud of. Recorder, Alan Crossley, the records sub-committee and compilers were thanked for all their efforts, with special thanks to Chris Brown for editing and formatting the report. Tom Francis and Graeme Joynt have continued to assist Alan in his duties as recorder. It had been disappointing that an appeal for new volunteers to help on the committee or lead local outings had received little response, in spite of a wealth of expertise amongst members in the club. ## Treasurer’s Report Following the death of Mark Askew, it was decided that a Treasurer’s Committee, comprised of all Trustees, be put in place until a new Treasurer could be elected at the 2024 AGM. Steve McDonnell, speaking on behalf of the Treasurer’s Committee, summarised the main points from the report for 2023. The £38,000 legacy from the estate of former member, Joyce Hodgson, had taken the account figure to £90,000. Discussions were under way as to how the money could be spent and how best to provide fitting memorials to Don and Mark. A number of schemes were being explored, including the Barn Owl Box Scheme. Steve welcomed any further suggestions of worthy schemes. ## Recorder Report In the absence of Recorder, Alan Crossley, Mike Leakey (member of the Records Sub-Committee) was able to say that the group continued to function to a high standard, working hard behind the scenes. ## **5. Election of Officers and Ordinary Committee Members** The following officers and ordinary Committee Members were elected after a unanimous show of hands: |**Chairman**|Mr Mike Leakey| |---|---| |**Vice Chairmen**|**Vice Chairmen**Mrs Debbie Lawson| |**Treasurer**|**Treasurer**Mr Steve McDonnell| |**Secretary**
|Mr Chris Sharp| |**Ordinary Members**|**Ordinary Members**Ms Barbara Crinson| ||Miss J Mason| ||Mr Steve Ashton| ## **Co-opted Member** Mr Alistair McLee The Chairman welcomed Steve Ashton as a new member to the committee and reminded everyone that committee members could be co-opted at any stage of the year. ## **7. Any Other Business** - None ## **8. Close of Formal Business** Minutes taken by D. Lawson ## _**Certified as a true record by Mike Leakey (Chairman), 1 May 2024**_ TEESMOUTH BIRD CLUB Annual Statemenl of In￿rne and Expenditure 2023 (wilh 2022 for cornparifThl) -ry023 Incoffle 2022 Income menl Pa ment Subscriptions Gift Aid 4422.88 4833.48 823.15 52.20 Interest Meetings Lecture Faes TBC Gen Publications Bird Report Printing & Stationery Postag8 Subs to otheA Societies Insurance 169.36 319.97 227.00 459.27 250.00 249.86 168.97 3200.00 300.00 770.73 78.00 157.00 3180.00 466.36 917.19 50.50 157,00 Sundries Website Donations Tees Ringing Group Feeding stations Hide repairs Data provision Bank charges 22.50 48.85 399.53 395,94 38875.29 1500.00 1245.50 173.80 943.72 1704.00 0.00 0.00 113.20 43739.89 8420.38 35319.51 43739.89 5877.80 8637.18 -2759.38 5877.80 Excess Incom8 43739.89 5821.13 Balance BIF 2022 Excess Incom& 56294.75 Balance BIF 2021 35319.51 59054.13 -2759.38 Balance 31.12.2023 91610.26 Balance 31.12,22 56294.75 Cash In Hand Bank Current Acc Deposit PJC 'PSMF' Skipton BS o.oo 279.69 0.00 56015.06 56294.76 40410.26 0.00 51200.00 NS&I 91610.26 Independent examlnerfs report to the trustees of Teesmouth Blrd Club I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Teesrnouth Bird Club for the year ended 31 December 2023. Responslbllities and basis of report A5 the charity trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts In accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 20111"the Act") I report in respect of my examination of the accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5){bO of the Act Independent examlnerfs statement I have completed my examinatlon. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attentlon in connection with the examination giving me cause to belleve that In any material respect: l. Accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as requlred by section 130 of the Act; or 2. The accounts do not accord with those records; or 3. The accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities Accounts and Reports) regulations 2008 other than any requiremerbt that the accounts give a "true and fair viev/' which is not a matter considered as part of an indèpendent examination. I have no concern5 and have come across no other matters in connection with the examlnatlon to which attention should be drawn in thls report In order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Signed Name Professional qualification Addre55 frs LZO Date