Aberdeen and District Beekeepers’ Association SCIO Scottish Charity Number SC031754
Annual Report and Financial Statements For the Period
1[st] January 2025 to 31st December 2025
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Trustees’ Annual Report
For the Period 1st January 2025 to 31st December 2025
The trustees have pleasure in presenting their report together with the financial statements and the independent examiner’s report for the period 1[st] January 2025 to 31st December 2025.
Reference and Administrative Information
Charity Name
Aberdeen and District Beekeepers’ Association SCIO
Charity Number
SC031754
Address
c/o John Adams, 5 Baillieswells Drive, Bieldside, Aberdeen, AB15 9AT
Current Trustees
Ian Mackley Chair Alison Goss Secretary John Adams Treasurer Erling Watt Joan Gilbert-Stevens Karl Stevens Olga MacAulay Donald Morrison Graham Torrie Jennifer Lewis Edna May Pyle David Robertson Adrian Ledingham Lorraine van der Heijdt Suzanne Clarke Appointed 23[rd] March 2025
Other Trustees who served during the year No others
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Structure, Governance & Management
Governing Document
Aberdeen and District Beekeepers’ Association was incorporated as a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) on 30[th] October 2014 and is governed by its constitution. The assets and liabilities of the former unincorporated Aberdeen and District Beekeepers’ Association were transferred to the SCIO on 9[th] December 2014.
Appointment of Office Bearers
Association Office Bearers consist of a Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer, all of whom are elected for one year at the Annual General Meeting of the Association. The gap between one AGM and the next must be no longer than 15 months.
The business of the Association is conducted by an Association Committee consisting of the Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer and at least one other member of the Association, all of whom are nominated for election at the Annual General Meeting to serve for a period of one year. Membership of the Association Committee is open to all members of the Association.
Management
The Association Committee is responsible for the strategic direction and governance of the Association. The day-to-day running is conducted by the Office Bearers and those members of the Association Committee who volunteer for duties as required.
Risk Management
The Trustees are responsible for the management of the operational, financial and reputational aspects of the association.
- Operational risk
The Association has its own apiary and has procedures in place to promote safety to members, visitors and the general public. Procedures are continually reviewed to ensure that all beekeeping activities are conducted in a safe manner.
- Financial risk
The Association seeks to obtain the best return on its surplus funds whilst retaining flexibility of access should unforeseen expenditure arise. Surplus funds are placed on deposit and rates of return reviewed regularly to ensure that satisfactory market rates are obtained.
- Reputational risk
The Association is keenly aware of the need to maintain the high reputation of the Association and the craft of beekeeping, both within the beekeeping community and with the public. The promotion of responsible beekeeping and high-quality products underpins all the Association’s education and qualification activities and the Association endeavours to operate to high standards at all times.
Objectives and Activities
Charitable Purposes
To advance education through promoting the study and development of apiculture, and to advance the heritage, culture and science of beekeeping amongst its membership and throughout the wider community.
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Activities
The Association continues to be an affiliated Association of the national body, the Scottish Beekeepers’ Association (SBA).
The Association maintains a working apiary in central Aberdeenshire which is used to promote the practical aspects of beekeeping. The Association undertakes a wide range of educational events, including talks and practical apiary-based demonstrations and training courses, which are open to all ADBKA members and occasionally to other Associations and/or interested members of the public.
Members are encouraged to study for SBA qualifications in beekeeping. The Association provides support to members in their beekeeping activities and disseminates information about the importance of bees and beekeeping throughout the area of operation. A library of books on beekeeping is maintained and made available to Association members.
Achievements and Performance
Membership at the end of the year was 306 including three life members, a noticeable increase on 283 members in 2024. ADBKA thus remains one of the largest beekeeping Associations in Scotland.
The Trustees of 15 people met five times during the year, plus the AGM.
Five demonstrations and two beginners’ practical courses were held at the Training Apiary. Regular Sunday morning apiary management sessions continued, giving Members the opportunity to receive hands-on experience and instruction. At least nine SBA qualifications were achieved by Members, including three at the all-important entry level ‘Basic Beekeeper’ certificate and two distinctions in the Microscopy advanced module.
The annual public ‘Introduction to Beekeeping’ course attracted 79 participants, 11 fewer than in 2024 but in line with the long term average. It is hard to know precisely but it is estimated that typically around 15% of the participants will go on keep bees for at least three years.
In addition to the above training delivered by the Association, Members attended General Skills, Honey, Wax and Microscopy workshops delivered by the SBA.
The Association focuses on three local shows to provide bee education to the public: the Aberdeen Highland Games, the Banchory Show and the two-day Turriff Show. The Highland Games and Banchory Show were successful with the Association awarded the ‘most interesting trade stand’ medal at the latter. Stormy weather caused the second day of the Turriff Show to be cancelled.
Winter, spring and early summer in Aberdeenshire were unusually warm and dry, bringing improved honey yields for some and difficulties for others. Nevertheless, a successful Honey Show once again took place in October. This event fundamentally promotes the production of high-quality honey and wax products and the enhanced skills needed to achieve these. Two members achieved prizes at the Scottish National Honey.
Work continued to improve the standards and efficacy of the ‘swarm collection’ service offered to the public. Due to extended periods of warm, dry weather, 2025 was a ‘bad’ year for swarming. As usual, the majority of ‘nuisance bee’ calls turn out to be about wasps and bees other than honeybees and the Association is unable to act on these.
The Association has an outstanding resource of around 200 beekeeping books in its library to support beekeeping education. A few new volumes were added in 2025 to reflect changes in examination syllabuses. The Association website was continuously updated and improved throughout the year to increase its utility both to Association Members and members of the public. As has been the case for decades, a monthly newsletter for Members continued to be produced.
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Financial Review
The Association prepares receipts and payments accounts that summarise all monies received and paid via the bank and in cash by the charity during its financial year, along with a statement of balances, as required by OSCR. A surplus of £8,087 was achieved for the 2025 financial year.
Reserves policy
The Trustees aim to maintain a balance of reserves sufficient to cover any unexpected expenditure that may arise from time to time. The normal running costs of the Association are dealt with through a Bank of Scotland Charity account. Excess funds are transferred into an interesting bearing deposit account (currently Skipton Community Saver Account).
An important objective of the ADBKA is to provide practical tuition to new beekeepers in the northeast of Scotland in the handling and management of bees. To do this, the Association needs to maintain access to a teaching apiary of sufficient scale to allow groups of new beekeepers to attend both formal and informal sessions to develop their skills. At present the Association leases an area of ground at the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) Crathes Castle Estate and has established a teaching apiary there. The Association has a long-term aspiration of expanding the teaching facilities either at the existing site or on any land to be purchased by the Association. The Association is using the annual surplus to build up sufficient reserves to support this aspiration. Reserves are also required for the unlikely event of a significant outbreak of bee disease at the apiary, potentially requiring replacement of the entire stock of bees and hives.
Future Plans
The Association has a traditional pattern of annual activities. This programme has evolved over many years to fit the natural cycle of the beekeeping year and is therefore likely to be the basis for the Association’s operations for years to come.
The Trustees intend that the Association should continue the slightly increased emphasis over the past few years on the education and training of members, especially novices to the craft. A range of courses and talks will be offered to the membership to broaden the skills base and programmes leading to qualifications are being considered.
Public engagement and education are principally achieved through:
Operating educational stands at selected local agricultural and other shows.
The annual ‘Introduction to Beekeeping’ course, which is open to the public and is perennially popular and well-received. This serves a dual purpose of giving the majority of participants who choose not to go on to keep bees greater awareness of the craft and bee ecology, and recruiting a smaller proportion into the craft and membership of the Association.
Talks about bees and beekeeping given to schools, gardening clubs, social groups and the like on request.
Operating a ‘swarm collection’ service to the public in the May-June swarming season, when skilled member beekeepers will attempt to remove honeybee swarms that are a nuisance to a householder or in a public area.
All the above are expected to continue in future and may be enhanced or improved as circumstances dictate and opportunities arise.
Approved by the trustees on 27[th] January 2026 and signed on their behalf by:
Ian Mackley – Chair
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Independent Examiner’s Report
For the Period 1st January 2025 to 31st December 2025
Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Aberdeen and District Beekeepers’ Association
I report on the financial statements of the charity for the 1st January 2025 to 31st December 2025, which are set out on pages 7 to 11.
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
During my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
-
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
- to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached
Signed:
Name: Bernd van der Heijdt
Address:
Riverside Cottage, 152 Main Street, Newburgh, AB41 6BN
Date: 18[th] March 2026
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Statement of Receipts and Payments for the period 1st January 2025 to 31st December 2025
| Notes Receipts Membership subscriptions 4 Donations Gross receipts from other charitable activities - Gift Aid - Other Income 5 Income from bank deposit interest 6 Gross trading receipts 7 Payments Payments relating directly to charitable activities - General Expenses 8 - Insurance - Stationery - Postage - Newsletter 9 - Rent/Apiary Expenses 10 Surplus/(Deficit) for Year |
2025 2024 £ £ 8,431 5,371 401 110 1,150 1,055 3,104 4,271 2,290 1,920 0 33 |
|---|---|
| 15,376 12,760 4,956 5,752 225 199 215 122 255 201 116 179 1,522 1,609 |
|
| 7,289 8,062 8,087 4,698 |
The Notes on page 9 to 11 form an integral part of these accounts.
All funds in the above statement are unrestricted.
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Statement of Balances – As at 31[st] December 2025
| Cash at Bank and in Hand: Notes Opening Balance Surplus for Year |
2025 2024 £ £ 73,936 69,238 8,087 4,698 |
|---|---|
| Closing Balance | 82,023 73,936 |
| Bank and Cash Balances Bank of Scotland Treasurer's Account Skipton Community Saver |
3,678 2,882 78,345 71,054 |
| Restricted Funds None |
82,023 73,936 - - |
| Unrestricted Funds | 82,023 73,936 |
The Notes on pages 9 to 11 form an integral part of these accounts.
Approved by the trustees on 27[th] January 2026 and signed on their behalf by:
Ian Mackley John Adams Chair Treasurer
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Notes to the Accounts – For the Period ending 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 those that may be used at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the objects of the charity. The trustees maintain two unrestricted funds as follows:
Bank of Scotland Charity Account – for the day-to-day running of the Association and is non-interest bearing (formerly known as Treasurer’s Account).
Skipton Community Saver Account – an instant access, interest bearing account which allows the Association the flexibility of instant access if funds are required for any unexpected reason and the benefit of higher interest rates for additional funds.
Restricted funds may only be used for specific purposes. The Association currently has no Restricted Funds.
3. Trustee remuneration
No Honoraria payments were made to Trustees.
4. Membership subscriptions
Annual membership subscriptions received by the Association in the 2025 financial year and not necessarily all relating to the 2025 membership year. This year a change in date for those paying by direct debit has moved about £2,000 of membership subscriptions into 2025 financial year for 2026 membership. This is a one-off change and membership subscriptions in 2026 will return to normal levels.
5. Other Income
| Sale of Association Apiary Honey Sale of Association nucleus colonies Beekeeping Classes Skep Workshop Annual Convention Other |
2025 2024 £ £ 1,341 796 240 0 1,178 1,038 0 455 0 1,962 345 20 3,104 4,271 |
|---|---|
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6. Income From Investments other than Land and Buildings
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|---|---|---|
|2025|2024|
|£|£|
|Bank Interest|
|Skipton Community Saver|2,290|1,920|
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7. Gross Trading Receipts – Sale of Stock
In 2020 the Association decided to withdraw from selling consumables so the receipts from stock in 2024 were from supplies purchased in prior years.
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|---|---|---|
|2025|2024|
|£|£|
|Other (hessian)|-|33|
|-|33|
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8. Analysis of General Expenses
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|---|---|---|
|2025|2024|
|£|£|
|Venue Hire|60|60|
|Intro to Beekeeping Course|576|204|
|Annual Convention|-|1,981|
|Honey Show|929|1,116|
|Turriff Show|629|5|
|AGM|120|63|
|Other events|318|605|
|Speaker fees/expenses|130|50|
|Equipment Purchase|417|901|
|IT (website, online meetings)|724|289|
|Library purchases/expenses|113|157|
|Other|939|321|
|4,955|5,752|
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9. Advertising and Promotion
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|---|---|---|
|2025|2024|
|£|£|
|Newsletter expenses|
|(including postage)|116|179|
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10. Rent/Apiary Expenses
| Crathes Apiary rent Equipment/supplies |
2025 2024 £ £ 750 750 772 859 1,522 1,609 |
|---|---|
11. Assets
Assets owned by the Association are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is provided at annual rates calculated to write off the cost of each asset over its expected useful life, as follows:
Cabin
Cabin 6.66% per annum Apiary and computer equipment, furniture and fittings 20% per annum
| Net Book Value 1st January 2025 Additions Disposals As at 31st December 2025 Depreciation Charge for period Net Book Value As at 31st December 2025 |
Cabin at Crathes Apiary and other equipment Total £ £ £ 7,434 2,567 10,001 - 418 801 - - - |
|---|---|
| 7,434 2,985 12,253 |
|
| 1,858 428 2,287 |
|
| 5,576 2,557 8,133 |
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