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## **Scottish Beekeepers Association (SCIO)**
**Financial Statements and Trustees' Report Vear ended 31st December 2025**
**Charity Number SC009345**
**- 1 -**
**Scottish Beekeepers Association (SCIO) Contents**
||**Page**|
|---|---|
|Reference and administrative information|3-4|
|Trustees report|5 -11|
|Independent examiner's report|12|
|Statement of receipts and payments|13|
|Statement of balances|14|
|Notes to the financial statements|15-19|
- 2 -
## **Scottish Beekeepers Association (SCIO} Reference and Administrative Information**
> **Charity name** Scottish Beekeepers Association (SCIO)
> **Charity number** SC009345
> **Principal address** 2 Target Wood Drive lnchmarlo Banchory Aberdeenshire AB314FY **Trustees** _Elected Office Holders_ Matthew Richardson _(President)_ From 29/04/2023 Enid Brown _{Vice President)_ From 26/04/2025 Graham Torrie _(General Secretary)_ From 26/04/2025 Caroline MacKenzie _(General Secretary)_ Until 26/04/2025 John Graham _(Treasurer)_ From 26/04/2025 Chris Urie _(Treasurer)_ Until 26/04/2025 _General Trustees_ Alan Riach _(Education_ **&** _Promotion of Beekeeping)_ Andrew Watson _(Outreach Trustee) Re-elected 26/04/2025_ Bronwen Wright _(Young Beekeepers Officer) Re-elected 26/04/2025_ Caroline MacKenzie _Re-elected 26/04/2025_ Enid Brown _(Shows and Publicity Officer) Re-elected 26/04/2025_ Gino Jabbar Graham Torrie _(Insurance Trustee)_ Jacqui Ferguson John Graham _(Treasurer)_ Matthew Richardson _(JCT Officer_ **&** _Bee Health_ **&** _Science Officer)_ Mhairi Neill _(Membership Officer)_ Ilona Shiliday John Hendrie Chris Urie _Resigned 26/04/2025_ Stephen Sunderland _Resigned 26/04/2025_
## **Non-Trustee Support**
> Michelle Berry _(Development Officer_ & _SBA Magazine Editor)_
**Bankers**
CAF Bank 25 Kings Hill Avenue Kings Hill, West Malling Kent, ME19 4JQ
Virgin Money 3S Regent Street London SWlY **4ND**
**-3-**
## **Scottish Beekeepers Association (SCIO} Reference and Administrative Information**
**Solicitors** Taggart Meil Mathers 20 Bon-Accord Square Aberdeen, ABll 6DJ **Independent Examiner** Elizabeth Dalgetty Gateside Farm Cottage Bridge of Earn Perthshire PH2 8QR **Investment Adviser** St. James Place 1 Tetbury Road Cirencester GL71FP
- 4 -
## **Scottish Beekeepers Association (SCIO) Trustees' Report**
## **For the Year Ended 31st December 2025**
The Trustees have the pleasure in presenting their report and financial statements for the period ended 31st December 2025
## **Objectives and Activities**
The organisation's purposes are to support honeybees and beekeepers, to improve the standard of beekeeping, and to promote honeybee products in Scotland through:
- the advancement of education in relation to the craft of beekeeping,
- the advancement of the heritage, culture and science of beekeeping, and
- the advancement of environmental protection by conservation of the honey bee.
## Structure, Governance and Management
The Scottish Beekeepers Association (SBA) is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO), registration number SCO09345.
The activities of the Association are ultimately controlled by the Board of Trustees, which meets regularly throughout the year, guided by a structured constitution and supporting governance documents. The SBA operates several sub committees formed to manage daily business in an appropriate, effective and efficient way. These sub committees ensure that the SBA pursues its charitable purpose in a professional manner to the benefit of its members.
Trustees are appointed or reappointed at the Annual General Meeting, with each trustee having a period of tenure of up to 3 years, with a maximum time of service of 9 consecutive years. The President has the opportunity of having a maximum trustee tenure of 12 years including that of her/his presidency.
The SBA Board of Trustees met on seven occasions in 2025, five of these on line and two in-person. In addition, our 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM) was held on Saturday 26 April 2025 at the SRUC Barony Campus, Parkgate, Dumfries. This enabled SBA business to be conducted and decisions to be made to advance the aims of the association. As well as dealing with business matters, our AGM was a welcome opportunity to meet and en[j] oy social interaction with SBA members from across Scotland.
At a national level, the SBA attended meetings with the Scottish Government Bee Health Improvement Partnership (BHIP), Council of National Beekeeping Associations of the UK (CO NBA) and the National Diploma in Beekeeping group.
## **Key Events and Activities**
## ApiScotia
The 2025 ApiScotia event took place in early May and was once again a outstanding success, largely due to the hard work of the organising team, the tutors, and others involved in its planning and delivery. The ApiScotia programme aims to educate beekeepers in honeybee management with a view to them taking on teaching and mentoring responsibilities in their own associations and areas. The event will be repeated in May 2026.
## Annual General Meeting
As part of an initiative to engage with as many SBA members as possible, we continued to hold our AGM in different locations around Scotland. In 2025, we met in Dumfries, giving the opportunity for our members based in the south of Scotland the chance to come along without facing the prospect of travelling excessive distances. Fifty-six members took part in a full day of business and learning. It is our intention to hold the 2026 AGM in Aberdeen.
-5-
## **Scottish Beekeepers Association (SCIO) Trustees' Report**
## **For the Year Ended 31st December 2025**
## Royal Highland Show
In June 2025, the SBA once again ran the Honey Tent at the Royal Highland Show, lngliston. The Honey Tent is one of the most popular attractions at the show, attracting around 9000 visitors daily over the four days. Planning, organising, and running this event is a huge challenge for a small charity and its volunteer trustees. Many SBA members generously give their time and energy to ensure that it is a success, which without their commitment and enthusiasm would not be possible.
## Autur Convention and Scottish National Honey Show
The 2025 SBA Annual Convention and Scottish National Honey Show were held on 10 and 11 October at the Loch Leven Community Campus in Kinross. Delegates enjoyed the opportunity to hear talks from invited speakers, browse a wide range of trade stands, and to meet and discuss the beekeeping season. The Scottish National Honey Show received several hundred entries, and prizes were awarded to competitors in a range of classes.
## International Meeting of Young Beekeepers (IMYB)
As a 'dry run' for the IMYB being organised by Ulster Beekeepers Association in July 2026, a short Home Nations meeting and competition was held in Northern Ireland on 11 and 12 July 2025. The venue was the College of Agriculture Food & Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) Greenmount Campus, Antrim. Teams from England and Northern Ireland, as well as Scotland, took part.
The Competition included theory tests and a practical apiary session, held in a temperature of 30[°] C, as well
as an enjoyable picnic, treasure hunt, games session and team entertainments. Team Scotland acquitted themselves very well, coming top in the competition results.
IMYB 2026 will be held in Belfast, Northern Ireland, from 4 to 7 July, where Team Scotland will compete with other national Young Beekeepers teams from around the world.
## **Delivery and Performance**
## EDUCATION
It is a prime aim of the SBA Education Committee to get all Beekeepers in Scotland up to Basic Beekeeping Certificate (BB) or Junior Beekeeper (JB) standard. The JB and BB Certificates are awarded at three levels - Pass= 60%, Credit= 70%, and Distinction = 80%.
In 2025, 2 Junior Beekeeper, 62 Basic Beekeeping, 2 Intermediate Practical, 1 Apiarian, 5 Microscopy and 2 Honey Judge certificates were awarded.
Again, the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) group along with the SBA Webinar officer were very successful in obtaining speakers for on line webinars. Two pluses to these webinars are that we obtain interesting international speakers, and many junior beekeepers were listening in.
The International Meeting of Young Beekeepers (IMYB) generates publicity which helps with our goal to engage with young people and encourage them to take up beekeeping. To this end, we will be endeavouring to provide educational resource material that can be used in Scottish Schools. To make this self-service to some extent, a series of self-access video clips and worksheets have been produced and posted via YouTube on the SBA website. A Young Beekeepers sub committee has also been formed, which will concentrate on supporting young beekeepers in Scotland.
The SBA Beekeeping Trainer Certificate (BTC), introduced in 2017 to encourage high standards amongst trainers, has been awarded to 40 Members since its initiation. It is available to those who have obtained one of the Intermediate Certificates (either Practical or Module) and who have also either attended one of the SBA Train the Trainers' workshops or have a professional teachers' qualification. Application details are on the website.
**- 6 -**
## **Scottish Beekeepers Association (SCIO) Trustees' Report**
## **For the Year Ended 31st December 2025**
## 2025 examinations
One candidate progressed to SBA Expert Beemaster Level, the highest SBA qualification.
The Intermediate and Apiarian exams have been altered to require minimum pass marks in all sections of the exams and an award at any level (Pass, Credit or Distinction) requires that pass level in all sections of the exam.
A microscopy exam was held in October with all five candidates passing with Distinction.
In April 2021 we introduced an Online version of the written exams, known as modules, which are run in conjunction with the British Beekeepers Association (BBKA) on the lnspera platform. lnspera is a Norwegian company specialising in online learning. The candidate sits the exam on their computer in their own home. The computer is locked down by the lnspera system and invigilation is via the computer's camera, a candidate monitoring algorithm and remote SBA invigilators. This was obviously quite a leap in technology use for candidates, but half of all candidates have adopted this method of sitting the module exams.
Fifty-four Module certificates were gained by candidates in 2025 (Including 7 Plants and Pollinators which is a supplementary module). Five Candidates achieved their Intermediate Module Certificate (4 modules) and one their Advanced Module Certificate (all 7 modules).
The Education Sub Committee has introduced a module practice system consisting of 3 practice papers, for the candidate's chosen module.
The module exams can now be entered without having first obtained a Basic Beekeeping or Junior Beekeeper certificate; however, we very much encourage beekeepers to also sit these practical assessments.
The new supplementary module exam on Plants and Pollinators is proving popular and an additional supplementary paper on the History of Beekeeping is planned for 2026. These extra modules are only held in the November diet.
## Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) NS Progression Award in Beekeeping
The Highlands and Islands University in conjunction with lnvernesshireBeekeepers Association and the SBA has formulated a national course in beekeeping based on the SBA Basic Beekeeping syllabus. This has been approved by the SQA as a National 5 level Progression award. This now provides a course which the Scottish schools and colleges can offer, with a nationally and internationally recognised qualification.
## Affiliated Beekeeping Association trainers
A tremendous educational effort is put in by local beekeeping association members in running beginners' classes, mentoring sessions for exam candidates, giving winter talks, and providing guidance and advice for beginners. These efforts are much appreciated by the SBA Education Sub Committee.
- 7 -
## **Scottish Beekeepers Association {SCIO) Trustees' Report**
## **For the Vear Ended 31st December 2025**
## INSURANCE AND COMPENSATION
In support of beekeepers in Scotland, the SBA provides insurance and compensation cover for its members.
Public and Products Liability Insurance is included as part of SBA membership at no extra cost, and covers the beekeeping activities of Personal, Junior, Household, and Honorary Life members keeping up to 40 stocks of bees. Limited cover is also provided to Affiliated Beekeeping Associations {ABAs) who own bees. This indemnifies members for claims against them up to a limit of £10m, with a further £250,000 legal expenses cover.
A Confirmation of Insurance Certificate is made available to members on the SBA website. Many SBA members are asked to confirm and provide evidence that they have this sort of insurance in relation to their beekeeping activities or their honey sales.
Public and Products Liability insurance is purchased by the SBA as part of a wider insurance package ensuring that the organisation is comprehensively indemnified against risks arising from the conduct of its business as a national beekeepers' association.
Our Compensation Scheme offers some financial recompense to members who have lost bees and hives due to fire, theft, vandalism, and the foulbrood diseases. The scheme applies to Personal, Junior, and Honorary Life members. Household members may join the scheme on payment of the appropriate fee. Cover under the scheme is also provided to Affiliated Beekeeping Associations {ABAs) and to schools who maintain their own apiaries. The scheme is limited to members keeping no more than 40 stocks, which are only covered whilst located in Scotland.
## Insurance
In the summer of 2025, an SBA member was sued for damages in relation to an incident in which members of the public were stung whilst passing near to an apiary where hive inspections were underway. The matter was passed to the SBA's insurers. Public liability cover forms part of a package of insurance taken out by the SBA. Although individual members benefit from the indemnity provided, the insurance policy is a contract between just two parties: the SBA and its insurers. In an article in the August issue of the Scottish Beekeeper, SBA members were reminded of the need to take account of the risk to others that can arise from their beekeeping activities.
## Compensation
In the course of 2025, two changes were made to the rules of the Compensation Scheme. The first was to include losses incurred because of infestation with either Small Hive Beetle or Tropilaelaps mites. This has been done in preparedness for the possible arrival of these pests in Scotland.
The second change aimed to ensure that the rules do not unfairly limit the amount of compensation available in cases where a single outbreak of a reportable pest or disease results in further losses beyond the initial destruction notice issued by the bee inspectors. Such claims {Class D losses) must be notified to the SBA Insurance Trustee within 30 days of the issue of a destruction notice. Previously, a member claiming under these circumstances was barred for making further claims for a period of twelve months. Now, multiple claims for compensation for losses under Class D due to the same incidence of disease or pest infestation {that is, claims made between the issue of the first destruction notice issued by the bee inspectors and the 'lifting of standstill' notice) will be considered as a single claim for the purposes of the scheme. Cover is limited to two such claims in the five-year period from the first destruction notice.
These changes to the Compensation Scheme Rules were notified to members in an article in the October issue of the Scottish Beekeeper.
Two SBA members were awarded compensation under the terms of the scheme for losses incurred during 2025. One claim related to European foulbrood and the other due to theft. A total sum of £939.27 was paid in compensation.
**-8-**
## **Scottish Beekeepers Association (SCIO) Trustees' Report**
## **For the Year Ended 31st December 2025**
## DEVELOPMENT
The Development Officer led the SBA's communications, events support, and member engagement work. Key activities included:
- . **[Communications ][& ][Promotion: ]**[Managing email and social media campaigns, responding to public enquiries, and ] promoting the SBA, its membership, and beekeeping more broadly.
- . **[Magazine ][& ][Content Production: ]**[Editing and producing ] _[The Scottish Beekeeper ]_[magazine each month, coordinating ] contributors and advertisers, overseeing budgets, and maintaining website content and analytics.
- . **[Government ][& ][Sector Support: ]**[Sharing official guidance from the Scottish Government and SRUC, attending Health ] Improvement Partnership meetings, and supporting national beekeeping initiatives.
- Event Organisation: Helping deliver ApiScotia[®] , supporting SBA events such as the AGM, Convention, and the Honey Tent at the Royal Highland Show, and managing volunteer administration for the RHS.
- . **[Member ][& ][Trustee Support: ]**[Assisting trustees with administration for meetings and education events, liaising with ] Affiliated Beekeeping Associations, and managing SBA giveaways and printed materials.
- . **[Data ][& ][Reporting: ]**[Designing and analysing surveys, managing the Development budget, applying for funding, and ] preparing reports for funders.
- . **[Internal Involvement: ]**[Participating in SBA subgroups including ApiScotia, ICT, Convention, and Royal Highland ] Show.
## COMMUNICATIONS
## Emails
The SBA has 4 main email groups: individual members, ABA (Affiliated Beekeeping Association) secretaries, website newsletter sign-ups (not necessarily members) and schools). Each of these groups receives emails from the SBA, often several per month. The tables below present an overview of these groups and all the email communications sent to these different groups in 2025 versus 2024.
||**Recipients at**|Recipients at|**+/- Recipients**|
|---|---|---|---|
||Dec 2025|Dec 2024||
|**Members**|**1,444**|1,486|**-42**|
|ABA secretaries|**43**|45|-2|
|Newsletter|1.048|1,035|13|
|Schools|19|19||
- 9 -
## **Scottish Beekeepers Association {SCIO)**
## **Trustees' Report**
## **For the Year Ended 31st December 2025**
|**2025 total**
2024 total
**2025 av.**
**emails sent**
emails sent
**open rate**
**(%of email**
**recipients)**
2024 av.
**2025 av. click**
2024 av.
open rate
**thro'rate**
click thro' rate
(%**of email**
**recipients)**|**2025 total**
2024 total
**2025 av.**
**emails sent**
emails sent
**open rate**
**(%of email**
**recipients)**
2024 av.
**2025 av. click**
2024 av.
open rate
**thro'rate**
click thro' rate
(%**of email**
**recipients)**|
|---|---|
|**Members**
**ABA secretaries**
**Newsletter**
**Schools**
**Others**|**69**
55
**59%**
**51**
45
**71%**
**47**
35
**46%**
**20**
16
**48%**
**38**
21
**69%**
60%
**6%**
7%
74%
**21%**
24%
47%
**4%**
4%
49%
13%
19%
82%
**35%**
38%|
It should be noted that the benchmark open rate for non-profits is 52.4% and the click rate is 2.9%
_Source: Mailerlite Biog 3 rd Dec25_ https://www.mailerlite.com/blog/compare-your-email-performance-metrics-industry benchmarks?utm source%253Dchatgpt.com
## Social media
The SBA used 7 social media sites in 2025 to communicate and raise awareness not only to members but anyone, anywhere in the world engaged with these platforms. Those sites are:
Facebook - The Scottish Beekeepers' Association
lnstagram & Threads - @scottish_beekeepers
- X (Twitter) @Scotbeekeepers Bluesky - @scottishbeekeepers.bsky.social
YouTube & Linked In-The Scottish Beekeepers' Association
An overview of the highlights from 2025 for each of these social media channels is given in the following table.
||No. of|**No. of**|**No. of**|**Average reach**|**Monthly reach**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||followers end|**followers Jan-**|**posts/tweets or**|**(people viewing) per**|**change**|
||2024|**Dec 2025**|**videos 2025**|**month**|**Versus 2024**|
|**FACEBOOK**|3,887|**+121**|**123**|**10,083**|**-29%**|
|**X (TWITER)**|3,549|**+11**|**109**|**1,299**|**-56%**|
|**INSTAGRAM**|2,727|**+777**|**115**|**5,645**|**+61%**|
|**YOUTUBE**|1,780|**+50**|**1**|**260,865**|**+3%**|
|||||**_(total views to date)_**||
|**LINKEDIN**|**84**|**+27**|**111**|**266**|**+12%**|
|**THREADS**|460|**+59**|**109**|**Not Available**||
|**BLUESKY**|98|**+100**|**107**|**Not Available**||
-10 -
## **Scottish Beekeepers Association {SCIO)**
## **Trustees' Report**
## **For the Year Ended 31st December 2025**
These social media platforms are the free versions, with no sponsored posts in 2025. The X platform (Twitter) changed significantly in how it operates {with the new owners) and a lot of people have been migrating from this platform to others like Threads and Bluesky.
## MEMBERSHIP
Total membership at 31 December 2025·
|
hers like Threads and Bluesky.
EMBERSHIP
tal membership at 31 December 2025·|||
|---|---|---|
||**2025**|2024|
|Affiliated Beekeepers Associations|**47**|44|
|Institutional Members|**8**|12|
|Individual, Household and Junior Members|**1,853**|1,920|
|**rotal Voting Member**|**1,908**|1,976|
|Isupportiog Members
**40**
40|Isupportiog Members
**40**
40|Isupportiog Members
**40**
40|
|---|---|---|
||||
|Percentage of Members Renewing|**85%**|90%|
|Percentage of Members Returning after a break|**2%**|1%|
|Percentage of Members Joining in the Year|13%|9%|
## FINANCIAL OVERVIEW
The financial statements show an overall surplus of £11.969 which was unrestricted. The reserves policy of the charity is to hold 6 months unrestricted expenditure {£80,374 based on 2025), while reserves are currently below this level. It is the trustees aim, with the combination of the announced pricing and savings review, to build the up the SBA's reserves over the next three years with to its stated optimal level.
A Designated Compensation Fund has a balance of £3,000 which is available to be paid out each year at Trustees' discretion to beekeepers whose bees and equipment are lost as a result of fire, theft, and the foulbrood diseases. The Compensation Fund sum can be allocated to applicants on a yearly basis at half the cost of loss replacement and subject to colony numbers and additional payments.
## DECLARATION
The Trustees declare they have approved the trustees' report above. Signed on behalf of the charity's trustees:
## "Matthew Richardson"
## Matthew Richardson
SBA President
Date: 30 March 2026
**-11-**
**Scottish Beekeepers Association (SCIO} Independent Examiners Report**
## **To The Trustees of Scottish Beekeepers Association (SCIO)**
I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31st December 2025 which are set out on pages 5 to 19.
## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner**
The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the terms of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) 2005 Act and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. The charity trustees consider that the audit requirement of Regulation 10(1) (d) of the Accounts Regulations does not apply. It is my responsibility to examine the accounts as required under section 44(1) {c) of the Act and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
## **Basis of independent examiner's statement**
My examination is carried out in accordance with Regulation 11 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeks explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and, consequently, I do not express an audit opinion on the accounts.
## **Independent examiner's statement**
In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention.
1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements: to keep accounting records in accordance with section 44(1) (a) of the 2005 Act and Regulation 4 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations, and
- to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with Regulation 9 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations
have not been met; or
2. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Elizabeth Dalgetty Gateside Farm Cottage Bridge of Earn Perthshire PH2 8QR
Signature
## "Elizabeth Dalgetty"
Date: 30 March 2026
**-12 -**
## **Scottish Beekeepers Association (SCIO) Statement of Receipts and Payments**
## **For the Year Ended 31st December 2025**
|**Unrestricted**
**Notes**
**Receipts:**
Donations and grant funding
**3**
Charitable activities
**4**
Fundraising
**5**
Investment Income
6
**Sub Total**
**Receipts From Investment Sales**
Proceeds from sale of investments
**Sub Total**
Total receipts
**Payments:**
Charitable activities
**7**
Governance costs
**8**
**Total Payments**
**Net receipts/(payments)**
**before transfers**
Transfers between funds
**Surplus/{Deficit) for the year**
Funds at 1st January2025
Fund at 31st December 2025
**Funds**
**£**
14,189
125,032
2,944
77
142,242
30,000
30,000
172,242
158,472
1,800
160,272
11,969
11,969
319
12,289|**Restricted**
**Funds**
**£**
475
475
475
475
475
5,315
5,315|**Total Unrestricted**
**2025**
**£**
14,663
125,032
2,944
77
142,716
30,000
**Funds**
**£**
11,745
117,961
3,348
57
133,110|**Total Unrestricted**
**2025**
**£**
14,663
125,032
2,944
77
142,716
30,000
**Funds**
**£**
11,745
117,961
3,348
57
133,110|**Restricted**
**Total**
**Funds**
**2024**
**£**
**£**
1,237
12,982
117,961
3,348
57
1,237
134,347|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||30,000|||
|||172,716
158,947
1,800
160,747
11,969
11,969
5,634
17,603|133,110
166,526
1,500
168,026
(34,916)
(34,916)
35,235
319|1,237
**134,347**
2,107
168,633
1,500
2,107
170,133
(870)
(35,786)
(870)
(35,786)
6,185
41,420
5,315
5,634|
**-13**
## **Scottish Beekeepers Association (SCIO) Statement of Balances**
## **For the Year Ended 31st December 2025**
|UnrestrictedRestricted
Funds
Funds
**Note**
**£**
**£**
**Summary of Cash Balances**
Opening cash at bank and in hand
319
5,315
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year
11,969
Closing cash at bank and in hand
12,288
5,315
**Breakdown of Bank and Cash Balances**
Bank Accounts Inc Wise/PayPal
Account Receivable
**Stocks - Books etc**
8,040
**Heritage Assets - Moir Library**
**11**
499,933
**Investments**
Held and Managed by St James Place
Market Value at 31 Dec 2024
Proceeds from sale of investments
Unrealised gain on investments
Market Value at 31 Dec 2025|TotalUnrestricted
**2025**
**Funds**
**£**
**£**
5,634
35,235
11,969
(34,916)
17,603
319
17,813
(210)
17,603
8,040
8,129
499,933
499,933
**Valuation**
**2025**
74,435
95,455
(30,000)
8,980
74,435
Restricted
**Funds**
**£**
6,185
(870)
5,315|Total
**2024**
**£**
41,420
(35,786)|
|---|---|---|
|||5,634|
|||5,634|
|||5,634|
||||
|||8,129|
||||
|||499,933|
|||**Valuation**
**2024**|
|||95,455|
||||
- The investments are fully unrestricted and have a historic cost of £57,500 (2024 £87,500)
|Creditors as at 31 Dec
2026 Income in advance Membership
2026 Income in advance Apiscotia|750
8,273
6,210
13,733|750|
|---|---|---|
||||
The accounts were approved and authorised by the Trustees on __ 30 March 2026
Matthew Richardson John Graham **President/Trustee Treasurer/Trustee**
"Matthew Richardson"
"John Graham"
**Charity Registration No. SC009345**
**-14-**
**Scottish Beekeepers Association (SCIO) Notes to the Financial Statements**
## **For the Year Ended 31st December 2025**
## **1 Basis of Accounting**
These accounts have been prepared on the Receipts and Payments basis in accordance with the Charities & Trustee Investment {Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended).
## **2 Nature and purpose of funds**
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives unless the fund have 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.
Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.
## **3 Donations and grant funding**
|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
£
Donations and Gifts
7,044
Gift Aid
7,145
Legacies
Grants Received
14,189|**Restricted**
**Funds**
£
475
475|**TotalUnrestricted**
**Restricted**
**Total**
**2025**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**2024**
£
£
£
£
7,518
4,951
1,237
6,188
7,145
6,794
6,794
14,664
11,745
1,237
12,982|
|---|---|---|
## 4 **Charitable Activities**
|**Charitable Activities**|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**Un restricted**|**Restricted**|**Total**|**Unrestricted**|**Restricted**|**Total**|
||**Funds**|**Funds**|**2025**|**Funds**|Funds|**2024**|
||£|£|£|£|£|£|
|Membership Subscriptions|71,122||71,122|75,527||75,527|
|Education|12,024||12,024|10,130||10,130|
|Convention|7,095||7,095|4,300||4,300|
|Library|||||||
|Insurance and Compensation|1,705||1,705|1,490||1,490|
|Events and Merchandise|17,581||17,581|18,954||18,954|
|Young Beekeepers|1,125||1,125||||
|Apiscotia|14,380||14,380|7,560||7,560|
||125,032||125,032|117,961||117,961|
**-15**
## **Scottish Beekeepers Association (SCIO) Notes to the Financial Statements**
## **For the Year Ended 31st December 2025**
5 **Fundraising Income**
|5
**Fundraising Income**|||
|---|---|---|
|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
£
Magazine Advertising
2,944
2,944
**6Investment Income**
**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
£
Dividends & Interest
77
77
**7**Charitable Activities
Un restricted
Funds
£
Education
S,974
Development & Publicity
39,83S
Libraries
Membership
2,48S
Science and Research
Magazine
43,568
Insurance & Compensation
4,232
Events and Merchandise
19,287
Convention
S,397
Young Beekeepers
862
General Secretariat
7,321
Finance Costs
2,466
Information, Communication and
Technology
14,177
ApiScotia
12,868
158,472|**Restricted**
**Funds**
£
**Restricted**
**Funds**
£
**TotalUnrestricted**
**2025**
**Funds**
£
£
2,944
3,348
2,944
3,348
**TotalUnrestricted**
**2025**
Funds
£
**£**
77
57
77
57|**Restricted**
**Total**
**Funds**
**2024**
£
£
3,348
3,348
**Restricted**
**Total**
Funds
**2024**
£
£
57
57
Restricted
Total
Funds
**2024**
£
£
6,665
38,628
so
so
3,441
261
820
46,383
3,199
16,617
3,341
1,237
7,342
11,007
3,483
18,272
9,944
2,107
168,633|
||Restricted
Funds
£
475
475
TotalUnrestricted
**2025**
Funds
£
£
S,974
6,66S
39,835
38,628
2,485
3,441
261
43,568
4S,S63
4,232
3,199
19,287
16,617
5,397
3,341
1,337
6,l0S
7,321
11,007
2,466
3,483
14,177
18,272
12,868
9,944
158,947
166,526||
**-16 -**
## **Scottish Beekeepers Association (SCIO} Notes to the Financial Statements**
## **For the Year Ended 31st December 2025**
## **8 Governance Costs**
|Trustee Remuneration
Independent Examiner
Legal Fees
**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
£
1,800
1,800
**Restricted**
**Total**
**Funds**
**2025**
£
£
1,800
1,800
**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
£
1,500
1,500|**Restricted**
**Total**
**Funds**
**2024**
£
£
1,500
1,500|
|---|---|
## **9 Trustees**
None of the trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration from the charity during the year.
Expenses totalling £1,747.80 (2024 - £2,351) were reimbursed to trustees during the period for travel.
## **10 Related Party Transactions**
There were no related transactions during the year.
**11 Heritage Assets - The Moir Library Collection 2025 2024**
There are two parts to the Moir Library, the Moir Rare Book Collection and the Moir Lending Library.
## 1. The Rare Book Collection
Valuation 465,683 465,683
The collection is held in the National Library of Scotland, Rare Books' Section, Edinburgh. It consists of 250 items. The collection is open to SBA members and all other visitors, on request to the National Library. Details of the collection are online. The SBA have indemnity with The Scottish Government for this value which has been provided by the curator of the National Library of Scotland, James Mitchell. The current 3 year indemnity expired on the 7th March 2025, the trustees are currently seeking an updates/renewed indemniity.
|**11**|**Heritage Assets - The Moir Library Collection****_(cont_**||**2025**|**2024**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||2. The Moir Lending Library|Valuation|34,250|34,250|
The Collection is held in the Edinburgh City Libraries, Fountain Bridge branch, Edinburgh. It consists of more than 5,000 books and pamphlets. The collection is open to all SBA members who may borrow books. Other beekeepers and members of the public can visit and borrow or use books, for example for research, by arrangement with the SBA Library Officer.
The Collection's catalogues have been digitised and are available online.
-17 -
**Scottish Beekeepers Association (SCIO) Notes to the Financial Statements**
## **For the Year Ended 31st December 2025**
## **12 Fund Reconciliation**
|**Unrestricted Funds**
Unrestricted
Designated Compensation Fund
Designated Young Beekeepers Fund
Designated Web Development
**Unrestricted Funds**
Unrestricted
Designated Compensation Fund
Designated Web Development|**Balance at**
**1 Jan 2025**
**£**
(2,681)
3,000
319
**Balance at**
**£**
27,110
3,000
5,125
35,235
**Movement in Funds - Current Year**
**Incoming**
**Resources**
**Balance at**
**Resources**
**Expended**
**Transfers 31 Dec 2025**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
170,347
(159,045)
380
9,001
1,320
(939)
(380)
3,000
575
(288)
287
172,241
(160,272)
12,288
**Movement in Funds - Prior Year**
**Incoming**
**Resources**
**Balance at**
**31 Dec 2024**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
131,620
(167,501)
6,090
(2,681)
1,490
(1;490)
3;000
(525)
(4,600)
133,110
(168,026)
319|
|---|---|
The Compensation fund are monies designated by the trustees to pay claims against the compensation scheme. A maximum of £3,000 is available for pay-outs and it topped up each year from unrestricted funds to maintain £3,000. Payments from additional compensation receipts were below the value of payouts this year so £380 was transferred to unrestricted funds to bring this back to £3,000.
The Young Beekeepers fund are monies designated by the trustees to cover costs relating to the International Meeting of Young Beekeepers and other young beekeeping associated costs. IMYB (International Meeting of Young Beekeepers) is designed for participants in the ages from 15 to 18 who compare their knowledge and skills, establish new friendships, and find more about other countries and cultures during usually a four-day meeting.
The Web Development fund were funds set aside by the trustees for the development of our new website and associated costs including the design and development costs and admin support for this. The new website launched in the year and the balance was transferred back to unrestricted funds.
**-18**
## **Scottish Beekeepers Association (SCIO) Notes to the Financial Statements**
## **For the Year Ended 31st December 2025**
|**12 Fund Reconciliation (cont)**
**Restricted Funds**
Dr John Anderson Fund
Harry Brown Memorial Fund
Dr & Mrs David Tennant Fund
N Thomson Bequest Fund
IMYB Donations
**Restricted Funds**
Dr John Anderson Fund
Harry Brown Memorial Fund
Dr & Mrs David Tennant Fund
N Thomson Bequest Fund|**Balance at**
**1 Jan 2025**
**£**
1,274
827
2,967
247
**Incoming**
**Resources**
**Balance at**
**Resources**
**Expended**
**Transfers 31 Dec 2025**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
1,274
827
2,967
247
475
{475)|**Balance at**
**1 Jan 2025**
**£**
1,274
827
2,967
247
**Incoming**
**Resources**
**Balance at**
**Resources**
**Expended**
**Transfers 31 Dec 2025**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
1,274
827
2,967
247
475
{475)|
|---|---|---|
||5,315
**Balance at**
**1 Jan 2024**
**£**
1,274
1,647
3,017
247
6,185
475
(475)
5,315
**Movement in Funds - Prior Vear**
**Incoming**
**Resources**
**Balance at**
**Resources**
**Expended**
**Transfers 31 Dec 2024**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
1,274
{820)
827
{50}
2,967
1,237
(1,237)
247
1,237
(2,107)
5,315||
|||5,315|
Dr John Anderson Fund was a result of SBA fund raising in recognition of Dr John Anderson's long association with the association. The funds a restricted for use in stimulating education in beekeeping and furthering research.
The Harry Brown Memorial Fund was created from a donation from Mrs F H Brown in memory of her husband Harry who was a past president and secretary of the Scottish Beekeepers Association. These funds were to be used to stimulate interest in the Scottish Beekeeper Magazine, provide awards for competitions held in the magazine, provide prizes for any competitions organised by the SBA, and perpetuate the memory of Harry Brown.
Dr & Mrs David Tennant left a £500 bequest to the SBA, and this has been topped up by the SBA. These funds were to help repair existing and acquire new books for the Moir Library.
N Thomson Bequest Fund is used for school competitions and awards to further education.
IMYB Donations were donations received specifically for the IMYB {International Meeting of Young Beekeepers) expenses which was held in Belfast this year.
**-19 -**