ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2013
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ESSEX AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY
Presidents since 1947
1947Mrs Charles Round
1948Col Sir Francis Whitmore KCB CMG DSO TD
1949The Rt Hon Lord Braybrooke
1950The Rt Hon Lord Braintree
1951Lt Col EN Buxton MC DL JP
1952JJ Tufnell Esq JP
1953Col Sir Francis Whitmore KCB CMG DSO TD
1954CMD Gooch Esq
1955Lt Col Sir John Ruggles-Brise Bart OBE TD DL
1956Col Sir Francis Whitmore Bart KCB CMG DSO TD
1957JR Tinney Esq MBE
1958Mrs Gerald Strutt
1959J Oxley Parker Esq TD JP DL
1960Alec Steele Esq JP
1961The Rt Hon RA Butler CH MP
1962LtCol Guy Blewitt DSO MC DL
1963Mrs ML Griffith OBE JP
1964Sir Hubert Ashton KBE MCDL
MP
1965Major G Nigel Capel-Cure TD JP
DL
1966CH Gosling Esq MC TD JP DL
1967SR Allsopp Esq CBE
1968JG Eve Esq MA
1969Lt Col Sir John Ruggles-Brise Bart CB OBE TD JP
1970MS Gosling Esq
1971Sir Leonard Crossland
1972Sir Nigel Strutt TD DL FRAgS
1973Col JF Cramphorn CdeG TD DL
1974Lt Col JG Round OBE JP DL
1975PB LakeEsq TD DL
1976CWO Parker Esq JP DL
1977RH Courage Esq JP DL
1978Sir Richard Butler DL
1979HR Ritchie Esq DL
1980T Hunnable Esq
1981Admiral Sir Andrew Lewis KCB
JP
1982JH Radbourne Esq JP DL
1983Col GR Judd TD DL
1984J Tabor Esq OBE DL
1985PB Frost Esq
1986D Keddie Esq JP DL
1987Capt RP Laurie OBE JP DL
1988The Lady Butler of Saffron
Walden
1989JHM Norris Esq CBE DL
1990The Lord Braybrooke JP
1991LA Jordan Esq DL
1992The Rt Revd Thomas McMahon
1993The Lord Dixon-Smith DL
1994EJC Speakman Esq JP
1995CG Gooch Esq DL
1996DA Nutting Esq DL
1997GL Lyster Esq DL
1998Prof MD Alder
1999HDP Rankin Esq JP
2000R F Erith, Esq TD DL
2001RGNewman Esq DL
2002RG.Newman Esq DL
2003 Mrs CCottrell DL
2004 C Pertwee EsqDL
2005J E Fowler Esq
2006P Fairs Esq
2007T Howie Esq
2008J Macaulay Esq
2009R Simons Esq
2010R Matthews Esq
2011J Tinney Esq
2012D Squier Esq DL
2013M Hodge Esq
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ESSEX AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY
Registered Office:WrittleCollege
Lordship Road
Writtle
Essex CM1 3RR
Principal Office:WrittleCollege
Lordship Road
Writtle
Essex CM1 3RR
A Company limited by guarantee – registered in England
Certificate of Incorporation:2768733
Registered Charity:1015875
Bankers:Barclays Bank Plc
Barclays Business Centre
Witham Branch
P O Box 3692
Witham
Essex CM8 2AT
Investment Managers:Investec Wealth & Investment
2 Gresham Street
London EC2V 7QN
Treasurer:John Roberts
14 Ongar Road
Writtle CM1 3NU
Independent Examiner:Don Mott
35 Mayfield Road
Writtle CM1 3EJ
ESSEX AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY
Notice is hereby given that the TwentiethAnnual General Meeting of the Members of the above limited company will be held on Wednesday27 November2013at 6pm in the Joseph Tucker Room, Writtle College, Chelmsford.
H C Tarrant
Company Secretary
AGENDA
- Chairman’s Welcome
- Apologies for Absence
- Receive and, if approved, adopt Chairman’s Report (including minutes of the
AGM held on 14November 2012 and Accounts for the period 1 September 2012
to 31 August 2013.
- Election of Officers for 2013-14
- Honorary President
- President Elect
- Chairman and Members of Council
- Presentation
- Vote of Thanks
- Time and Date of Next Meeting
A member entitled to attend and vote at the meeting will be entitled to appoint a proxy to attend and vote in his place. A proxy need not be a member.
ESSEX AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY
Patron:The Lord Petre
President:Michael Hodge
President Elect:Chris Butler
Chairman:Rosemary Padfield
Vice Chairman:Robert Stacey
COUNCIL
Elected Members
2013Retire 2014Retire 2015
James HarbottleAdrian RilstoneEdward Worthy
Simon Dixon SmithAnnabelle SavageChris Trembath
Mike Porter
Co-opted Members*
Rosemary AlexanderGuy FrenchDavid Butcher
Roger BurroughsHelen McTurkRob Stacey
Christine BosworthKaren WatsonMichael Hughes
*Co opted members retire after one year unless reappointed
Co-opted Representatives of Other Organisations
None
By the powers invested in it by the Articles of Association dated 27 September 1992, the Society is administered by the Council. The Council of the Society consists of the President, President Elect, the Members elected at an Annual General Meeting, co-opted Members and co-opted Representatives of other organisations, provided that no Council Member has been absent from four consecutive meetings without the knowledge and approval of the Council.
ESSEX AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY
ANNUAL REPORT 2013
The Directors present their annual report and the financial statements of the Company for the year ended 31 August2013.
Company law requires the directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of the Company’s affairs and of the profit or loss for the year.
In preparing those financial statements, the directors are required to:
- Select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently.
- Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent.
The directors are responsible for:
- Keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time, the financial position of the Company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006.
- Safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
ACTIVITIES
The principal activities of the Company as outlined in the Memorandum of Association of
27 September 1992 are:
- To promote and advance agriculture for the benefit of the public and to such end generally to improve and publicise it in all its branches and to encourage skill and industry in it and in all trades, crafts and professions connection with it.
- If in the opinion of the Council it shall be expedient so to do, the Society may in any year in respect of which Council so resolve to hold, manage, sponsor or otherwise be concerned with a CountyShow.
BUSINESS REVIEW
The results for the year are set out in the Statement of Financial Activities elsewhere in this booklet.
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
The Society has maintained the success built up over the years with the continual support of its members.
The membership at the end of September was, split as follows:
Corporate / 14
Individual / 136
Joint Life Member / 4
Joint Member / 124
Life Member / 87
Under 30 / 35
The number of corporate members has remained static but the membership fee structure
has been revamped during the year to encourage more corporate members to join the society.
The website is becoming increasingly important to our operation. It is accessed frequently by members and other interested parties and is constantly updated with diary dates and information on the Essex Schools Day. The Schools now use this route to download the application forms and other details relating to the event.
The Society continues to support the County Ploughing Match and the Farms Competition to the sum of £3,000 per annum as well as arranging insurance. Corporate members receive a Farms competition lunch invitation which encourages greater support for those taking part. Helen McTurk continues to organise County Ploughing Match. The ploughmen enjoyed a warm days ploughing. Heather T now organises the County farms Competition with judges in 2013 coming from Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire.
John Roberts and Heather Tarrant are responsible for the EAS Newsletter, which is an enjoyable publication sent out twice yearly informing members of Society activities.
Writtle College continues to show commitment to the Society and especially to the Schools Day. The EAS is extremely grateful for all the help and assistance given by the new Principal Dr Stephen Waite and it is hoped the association with Writtle continues to grow in the future. It is only right that as an agricultural society we have strong working links with one of the country’s leading agricultural colleges.
Our President, Michael Hodge has been a wonderful ambassador for the Society. Michael was for years a long serving steward of the Essex Show and has given a great deal to the farming community in Essex though both the YFC and NFU. Regrettably, it rained on the evening of the Garden Party but between the rain members were able to wander around the delightful setting of Great Mascalls. The Society is very grateful to Michael, Gill and their family for making and serving all the food that night and for their support at all our events throughout the year. Sadly,on the day of the garden party, Michael’s young grandson was in Great Ormond Street Hospital having an operation, so members raised £1,200 to donate to the hospital.
For the first year the Society received no nominations for the Long Service Awards! If you have anyone on your farm or know of anyone deserving an award to mark the hard work put in the Essex agricultural industry, please let us know.
For 2013, the Society instigated a new award, aptly called ‘The President’s Award’. It will be awarded at every garden party to a younger member within the county who has shown initiative in setting up a business or promoting the rural industry. Nominations areinvited for next year’s award. The first recipient was Sam Squier, who has established the successful Malgraves Herd of pedigree Aberdeen Angus Beef Cattle.
The autumn season started with Rural Question Time in October. The chairman was Guy Smith and the panel was Martin Redfearn from Barclays Bank, Jim Barker McCardle the chief constable of Essex, and two farmer members of the EAS, Christina Willett and Stuart Bosworth. Several of the questions related to rural crime.
The second farming conference was held in November 2012 jointly with Writtle College.
The theme was ‘Farmers - Custodians of the Countryside- Fact or Fiction?’ The format was changed to a morning only conference, starting with a bacon roll and finishing at lunchtime with a sandwich. This proved a more favourable format for our members. The speakers included Sir James Paice, Guy Smith, Peter Thompson and Giles Hanglin, all giving their views on sustainable intensification and how green issues can or cannot work on our farms. Nearly 200 attended which made it another successful conference.
This was followed in January with an evening with Bob Champion delighting us with racing tales. The Society donated £400 to the Bob Champion Charity at the end of the evening.
In April the Society held its biennial quiz, this time using Wickham Bishop’s Village Hall which proved an excellent venue for 200 members and guests to pit their brains in a ‘fun’ way whilst enjoying their own supper. Unfortunately two events we wished to run had to be cancelled due to lack of support, a Ceilidh and a trip to Beulieu.
The Society’s largest and most rewarding event was the sixth Essex Schools Day on Thursday 6 June at Writtle College when 3,000 children, between 8 and 11, enjoyed an interactive day learning about food and farming issues. EAS is extremely grateful to Essex County Council for their continued financial support and their encouragement in organising this event for the benefit of Essex children. 160 farmer stewards and over 40 Writtle staff helped the day run smoothly and ensured the children made full use of a farmer guiding them around the five zones. Karen Watson is the organiser of the event and as usual everything went smoothly. Karen is full of ideas and working on funding for next years’ event on 5 June 2014. This is a great way for the Society to continue to develop its objectives for promoting agriculture in Essex.
During the year members have attended meetings with the Police and Crime Commissioner and has a place on the Rural Crime Forum which Mr Alston has established.
EAS is a sponsor of the County Farm’s Competition and this year has donated two new salvers for the third prize winning farms in the over 700 and under 700 acre category to go with the first and second place salvers that we donated several years ago.
The Society would not function without the help of many. Rosemary Alexander has worked incredibly hard all year organising speakers for our lecture events and I would like to thank her for all the time and effort she spends on behalf of the Society.
John Roberts continues as Treasurer and ensures the books and accounts are correctly kept. For 2012-13, the EAS and the Schools Day both made a small surplus of £1,201 and £876 and the London portfolio earneda surplus (interest/dividends – fees) of £4,556, so
the Income and Expenditure Account show a Surplus of £6,633. Add the increase in stock values of £2,627 and the total Assets of the Society are up by £9,260 (+4.3%) to£221,303. John is always at every event to help ensure everything runs smoothly, whether collecting money, taking photographs for the newsletter or clearing up!
Karen Watson ensures the Schools Day is always a success and makes my role of supervising her work easy.
The backbone of the Society is our administrator Heather Tarrant. She ensures everything runs like clockwork which has made my job easier, and I thank her for her friendship, enthusiasm and support.
The Society continues to flourish thanks to Council and members as well as our partnership with Writtle College. The year has been full with many developments coming to fruition.
I thank our outgoing and incoming Presidents for their guidance and help. My term of office ends at the AGM and I have been delighted to be your chairman for the past three years.
I have appreciated all the support given to me, not just by the Society but by all our members, sponsors and supporters. I know that the Society will continue to flourish in the hands of your new chairman, Robert Stacey.
Rosemary Padfield
Chairman
ESSEX AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY
Minutes of the 18th Annual General Meeting
Held on 14th November 2012
At 6.00pm in the Joseph Tucker Room, WrittleCollege
*R Padfield, presiding
Attended:
Rosemary Alexander, Chris Butler, Mr Fenner, Michael Hughes, Tom Matthews, Helen McTurk, Lord Petre, Mike Porter, Adrian Rilstone, John Roberts,
Robert Stacey, Dan Squier, Karen Watson, Michael Hodge, Annabelle Savage, Chris Trembath, Edward Worthy
Apologies received from:
James Harbottle, John Tinney, Guy French, Helen Stacey, Dave Butcher, Simon Dixon-Smith, Stuart Bradshaw, Christine Bosworth
In Attendance: H Tarrant
EAS/12/1CHAIRMAN’S WELCOMEACTION
By/Date
The Chairman read the notice convening the 19th Annual General Meeting of the Essex Agricultural Society and welcomed members to the meeting. The Chairman called for a minutes silence to remember Sir Richard Butler a past president and Major Tom Gepp who had passed away in 2012.
The Chairman thanked Dan Squier for his hard work over the last years as President and the enthusiasm he had put into the role and the lovely Garden Party which hosted the Long Service Awards in June.
EAS/11/2APOLOGIES
Apologies were received from the people listed above.
EAS/11/3ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS
2.1The minutes of the 18th Annual General Meeting held on 16th November 2011 were agreed and signed.
2.2 The accounts were called to be adopted and this was agreed.
EAS/12/4ELECTION OF OFFICERS 2012/13
President – Michael Hodge proposed by Rob Stacey, seconded by Dan Squier, and agreed by all members.
President Elect – Chris Butler proposed by Mike Porter seconded by A Rilstone and agreed by members
Members of Council
- Rob Stacey retires by rotation leaving James Harbottle, Simon Dixon-Smith, Mike Porter, Adrian Rilstone and Annabelle Savage as elected members for 2013-14
- Chris Trembath was elected to Council proposed by R Padfield seconded by M Porter
- Edward Worthy was elected to Council proposed by Rosemary Padfield seconded by M Porter
- R Alexander, G French, D Butcher, R Burroughs, H McTurk, K Watson, M Hughes, C Bosworth were reappointed as co-opted members
- Rob Stacey was co-opted to council proposed by RP and seconded by MH
- Katie Gaymer and Stuart Bradshaw stood down as co-opted members
The Chairman thanked Katie and Stuart for their work on Council.
EAS/11/5PRESENTATION
MH thanked Dan Squier for the hard work he had put in as President of the Society over the last year and was always on hand at events to help with a willing smile and the right words. It was a privilege for both himself and the members to of been invited and attended the Garden Party in July.
The Chair then presented DS with a small memento of his year as President.
DS thanked the society for the gift and for the enjoyable year as President.
EAS/12/6VOTE OF THANKS
The Chair thanked Rosemary Alexander for her hard work in finding Speakers, John Roberts for his work on the accounts and photography at events, Karen Watson for her hard work on the Schools Day which makes Rosemary Padfield’s job very easy, AND Heather Tarrant. Thanks were also given to Council and Members for their support and help over the last year.
DS then thanked The Chair on behalf of Council and Members for her work for the Society
EAS/12/7ANY OTHER BUSINESS
Mr Fenner updated the society on the activities of the Beekeeping Association.
EAS/12/8DATE OF NEXT MEETING
27th November 2013 6pm
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