BULLDOG RESCUE ACCOUNTS / ANNUAL REPORT 2006/2007

Bulldog Rescue and Rehoming Trust

Balance Sheet at 31^st March 2007

Note 1

The Kennels were purchased during the 12 months ended 31^st March 2005 for £3,418.30 and transferred to the Company at 1^st April 2006 at a valuation of £2,734.64, taking into account a10% depreciation per annum for two years.  This has been depreciated for the year by 12.5%

Thus the position is:

Bulldog Rescue and Rehoming Trust

Income and Expenditure Account for the year ended

31^st March 2007

Note 2

Bulldog Rescue and Re-Homing Trust

Annual Report and Financial Statements

for the year ended 31^st March 2007

Contents

Registered Charity no. 1115009

Company Number 5664557 (England and Wales)

Registered Office:

PO Box 18

Midhurst

West Sussex GU29 9YU

Website: www.bulldogrescue.co.uk
Report of the Board of Trustees

 Bulldog Rescue is committed to the rehoming of bulldogs who, for whatever reason, can no longer stay with their current owners. We are not a "dogs home" or a "shelter" and run entirely on a voluntary basis covering the entire UK.

We are the only official Bulldog Rescue and Re-homing service for Great Britain. Co-ordinated from West Sussex, we cover the entire mainland UK on a network of foster homes and volunteers, making sure that when a bulldog needs to find a new home we are there to ensure his new home is exactly the right home for him. Please browse around this web site to find out more about the bulldog breed and the breed rescue

This is the first report of the board of trustees and covers our first year of activity, ended 31^st March 2007.  The organisation is a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity.  It is registered as Bulldog Rescue and Re-Homing Trust and uses the working name, Bulldog Rescue.

The members of the company are the same as its trustees.  The company is established under a memorandum of association which sets out the objects and powers of the charitable company and is governed under its articles of association.

The board is responsible for the oversight of the management of all the affairs of the charity.  It seeks to ensure that all activities are within UK law and come within agreed charitable objectives.  Our work includes setting strategic direction, agreeing the financial plan, and ensuring that activities are carried out within agreed governance frameworks.

The mission of Bulldog Rescue is:

• To promote responsible dog ownership amongst those that own a pure bred bulldog
• To ensure that all those who can no longer keep their bulldog for whatever reason, have the option of safely placing their dog in a vetted pet home.
• To ensure a place of safety is available to all bulldogs who’s owners can no longer cope or look after their dog properly
• To be available to offer unbiased breed advice to all those that own a pure bred bulldog
• To educate bulldog owners in the hope that bulldogs in the future can be free from cruelty, abuse and neglect

Highlights of the year

Although Bulldog Rescue has been in existence as an unregistered association for over 20 years, this was the first year in which it had been operating as a charity.  Our thanks are due to Anne-Marie Piper of Messrs Farrers, solicitors, who guided us generously and smoothly through the company and charity registration process.

Bulldog Rescue is run by Tania Holmes and her husband, David, from their home in Midhurst, West Sussex, as it has been since April 2001.  Tania and David are volunteers, drawing only out-of-pocket expenses and a modest administration fee from the donations received.

During the year, the charity handled a total of 134 dogs of which 91 were re-homed.  Of the others, 1 was returned to its breeder; 58 were fostered; 30 owners changed their minds after initially applying to send their dogs through Bulldog Rescue; 9 had to be put to sleep – 4 due to health problems and 5 due to temperaments that made them unsuitable for re-homing, 3 died of natural causes whilst in care. 

The volunteer network is the lifeblood of the charity and their work in collecting and fostering dogs, assessing potential new homes, and transporting dogs is key to the charity’s success.  A total of 22 volunteers were active during the year.  All prospective volunteers are interviewed by the Volunteer Co-ordinator, Vicky Collins-Nattrass.  Once accepted they sign up to the Bulldog Rescue Volunteer code of conduct and good practice, are provided with a uniform shirt and identity badge, and full briefing about how to work most effectively for the charity.  They are also expected to attend the Annual Volunteers’ meeting which is held in the Midlands in May each year.  There is always a shortage of volunteers.

During the year, an award was made to Susan Jay to recognise a lifetime contribution to Bulldog Welfare.  An award ceremony was held during the Bulldog Picnic in September. The trustees felt that Susan had given a life time to the breed as Secretary of the London Bulldog Society, show judge and breeder.  She gives every spare moment to the breed, attending almost every Breed Council meeting, supporting newcomers to the breed and making herself available to advise members of the public at all hours of the day.

Governance

The charity is governed by its board of trustees who have met on average every two months.  These meetings have been held by telephone conference, with the exception of the Annual General meeting followed by a Trustees’ meeting held in May.   The meetings comprise the trustees with the Chief Executive in attendance.  The meetings make decisions about the policies and strategic direction of the charity.  The board delegates all other, operational and management, matters to the Chief Executive.  All decisions are recorded in the minutes of the meeting.

During the year, trustee Melissa Winning performed the role of Hon Treasurer.  The accounts were prepared (at no cost to the charity) by Allen J Mills FCA, whose wife, Elizabeth Mills, is a Trustee. 

Trustees

The Trustees during the year were:

• Vicky Collins-Nattrass (Chair)

• Graham Sherlock

• Elizabeth Mills OBE

• Dr John Nattrass

• Melissa Winning

At the AGM in May, in accordance with the Memorandum of Association, Elizabeth Mills resigned and was duly re-elected.

The Trustees seek to act independently and impartially with their sole interest being the furtherance of the charity’s objects. Any potential conflict of interest must be declared in advance of any agenda item and, in such an event, an individual trustee may be excluded from the decision-making process.

Trustees were not remunerated for their work as Trustees, although those trustees who are also volunteers were able to reclaim expenses incurred in that capacity.

Reporting on our activities

Trustees seek to go further than the minimum reporting required by the Charity Commission.  The website www.bulldogrescue.co.uk, which is maintained by Tania Holmes, is a source of excellent up-to-date breed information as well as details of bulldogs seeking new homes.  The other important publication which has been produced bi-annually is Bulldog News, and we are most grateful to Nicki Jones who acted as editor during the year.

Income generation and finances

All the assets of the unincorporated association, Bulldog Rescue, were transferred to the new charitable company on 1^st April 2006.  The charity’s opening assets and cash balances totalled just over £8,000.  During the year, the total income was nearly £23,000.  Income from adoption fees was nearly £5,000, but by far the largest source of income was from voluntary donations which totalled nearly £10,000. This figure includes just over £825 given to the charity by Reggies Den – the online pet supply company owned and run by Tania and David Holmes. 

One of the objectives for fundraising for this period was to seek the support of all the Bulldog Clubs. All were contacted and, out of the 19 clubs, 12 responded with donations totalling £1,700.

Donations received in memory, or collected at the funerals, of several departed friends of Bulldog Rescue were used either to sponsor a kennel (covering the costs of maintaining a dog in the kennel for a year) or for the charity’s general purposes.  Regular gifts from individuals have really mounted up, and in due course the Income Tax already paid by taxpaying donors can be reclaimed under the Government’s Gift Aid scheme.  Volunteer Graham Sherlock took responsibility for identifying potential funds, and developing imaginative new fund raising ideas. 

The Annual Bulldog Rescue Picnic resulted in a surplus of over £3,000 and the sale of goods – mugs, calendars, cards etc. – over £2,000. 

The outgoings of the charity were just a little more than the income.  By far the largest expense was veterinary bills which were nearly £10,000.  Administration and volunteer expenses were over £4,000.  Fortunately, as the charity had a positive balance at the start of the year, the small shortfall was not material.

Trustees seek to maximise funds spent in direct furtherance of the charity’s objects and keep the proportion of charitable funds spent on administration and fundraising to a prudent minimum level commensurate with the effective and professional operation of the charity and its future financial sustainability.

Restricted and unrestricted funds

Where possible we apply funds solely for the purpose for which they are intended by the donor.   On the rare occasions when this is not possible, the funds are used to support the work of the charity more generally.

Equal opportunities

We are committed to the principle and practice of equal opportunities and aim to apply equal opportunities principles to the recruitment of volunteers, selection of foster and adoption homes and in the delivery of training and information.

Auditors

During the year, Reg Pullen was appointed the charity’s first auditor. 

Thanks

The Trustees would like gratefully to acknowledge the tireless and invaluable work of Tania and David Holmes, and all the volunteers, and the support and assistance of the many organisations and individuals who have helped Bulldog Rescue during the year.  We include not just our major donors but all those who have contributed in any way to help make our first year as a charity such a success.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees

Vicky Collins-Nattrass

Chair

Date:  13^th January 2008

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Auditor’s Report to the Trustees of

Bulldog Rescue and Re-homing Trust

I have audited the financial statements of Bulldog Rescue for the year ended 31st March 2007 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet and related notes.  The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Financial Reporting Standards under the historical cost convention and the accounting policies set out therein.

This report is made solely to the company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Section 235 of the Companies Act 1985.  My audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the 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, I do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the company and the company’s members as a body, for my audit work, for this report, or for the opinions I have formed.

Respective responsibilities of trustees and auditors

The trustees are responsible for preparing their report and the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom law and accounting standards.

My responsibility is to audit the financial statements in accordance with relevant legal and regulatory requirements and United Kingdom auditing standards.

I report to you my opinion as to whether the financial statements give a true and fair view and are properly prepared in accordance with the Companies’ Act 1985.  I also report to you if, in my opinion, the report of the trustees is not consistent with the financial statements, if the charity has not kept proper accounting records, if I have not received all the information and explanations I required for the audit, or if information specified by law regarding directors’ remuneration and transactions with the charity is not disclosed.

I read other information contained in the report of the Trustees, and consider the implications for my report if I become aware of any apparent misstatements or material inconsistencies with the financial statements.  My responsibilities do not extend to any other information.

Basis of audit opinion

I conducted my audit in accordance with United Kingdom auditing standards issued by the Auditing Practices Board.  An audit includes examination, on a test basis, of evidence relevant to the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements.  It also includes an assessment of the significant estimates and judgements made by the trustees in preparation of the financial statements, and of whether the accounting policies are appropriate to the circumstances of the charity, consistently applied and adequately disclosed.

I planned and performed my audit so as to obtain all the information and explanations which I considered necessary in order to provide me with sufficient evidence to give reasonable assurance that the financial statements are free from material misstatement, whether caused by fraud or other irregularity or error.  In forming my opinion I also evaluated the overall adequacy of the presentation of information in the financial statements.

Opinion

In my opinion, the financial statements give a true and fair view of the state of the charity as at 31^st March 2007 and of its incoming funds and application of resources for the year then ended. They have been properly prepared in accordance with the Companies Act 1985.

Reg Pullen

R T Pullen ACMA

ALTON

Hampshire

13^th January 2007.