how to start a new BKA?

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Who would want to ?

Firstly, you would need the patience of a saint to cope with the members .... and you will need a committee, assuming of course that you can find anyone to SERVE on the committee. Next you have to persuade people to attend meetings, pay their annual subscription, keep their details up to date, email them with information that mostly they will ignore or pretend they haven't received. Pass on countless other bits of information from other beekeeping bodies. You will have to organise, talks, demonstrations, honey shows, bee days and fund raising functions. You will need an association apiary and some sort of new beek training course .. and that's just the tip of the iceberg !

So ... from one GRATEFUL association member to all those Chairmen, Secretaries, Treasurers and Committee members who spend huge amounts of their free time to reliably, diligently and faithfully serve the interests of (mostly) ungrateful wretches who only get involved when free food is involved and they have nothing better to do ... A VERY BIG THANKYOU ...

You are truly worthy of Sainthood ...

And once you have set up your new BKA, you'll still need a member of a certain vintage to tell you how it was done in their days!

 

[pargyle]

And once you have set up your new BKA, you'll still need a member of a certain vintage to tell you how it was done in their days!

Or better still two .. so that they can argue about who is right !!

 

[pargyle]

perhaps the forum should set up as a BKA. certainly better education wise then many and the social scene is great.

we could also have a virtual apiary which could offer work to immigrants from Bangladesh and Albania/neighbouring countries.

Now I really like that idea ... bags I the first swarm of virtual bees ... then I can become a TWO hive owner !!

 

[BeeJayBee]

Are all BKAs registered charities?

Or rather, are there any that aren't?

I don't know, maybe some aren't.

Do they have to be a registered charity to be part of B8KA?

 

[MuswellMetro]

I don't know, maybe some aren't.

Do they have to be a registered charity to be part of B8KA?

My BKA isn't a charity and i dont think London bKA is either

most of the BKA are non profit making but if you start selling association honey,charging for training courses or bulk buying and selling on at a profit then a BKA can run up a Tax bill with HMRC

 

[alanf]

I don't know, maybe some aren't.

Do they have to be a registered charity to be part of B8KA?

I'm not a BBKA official, this is just my reading of the BBKA constitution and charity rules. The BBKA itself is a charitable organisation. It is controlled by delegates from area associations who appoint officers and trustees. It would be difficult to fulfil the Charity Commission rules if you were controlled by another organisation that was not also a charity. So the 60 something members that are area associations are charities. There are commercial and sponsoring "members". They provide money and therefore have influence and this has caused some friction in the past -this is not the place to go into that. Crucially they don't have a vote, only the area associations do.

As far as I'm aware you can be a member of any affiliated association which will take your money. Areas don't have rigid boundaries. Certainly in the London area many are a member where it's easier to travel to, where they work or where they used to live rather than where they live now. If that doesn't suit, you can be an individual member. I may have missed something but while individual members can stand as a trustee etc, they don't have a delegate to represent them with a vote at the delegates meeting.

The BBKA structure is somewhat uneven. Historically it was founded by existing associations. Some county associations have subordinate branches, some are federations, each member association being largely autonomous. Some local associations are individually affiliated to the BBKA, my impression is that any new association would be encouraged to join an existing federation or county.

To pick up on a previous point, the forum could re-organise itself into a charity, probably without any real objection from the Charity Commission - it has an educational purpose. There would have to be some nominated trustees but not difficult. The BBKA would be unlikely to accept it as a member association, principally because it's not area based. An unlikely move from either side though I'd have thought.

 

[Travelator]

Or rather, are there any that aren't?
If not, why not?

Whatever size your association is, if you claim to be a charity then you need to obey all the relevant laws.

However, you do not neet to become a "Registered Charity" unless your turnover is above a certain level (£5,000). Becoming "Registered" creates some opportunities, but gives you a lot of extra paperwork to deal with.

 

[BeeJayBee]

Whatever size your association is, if you claim to be a charity then you need to obey all the relevant laws.

However, you do not nee[d] to become a "Registered Charity" unless your turnover is above a certain level (£5,000). Becoming "Registered" creates some opportunities, but gives you a lot of extra paperwork to deal with.

Can you explain, in simple terms, what the differences are between being a 'not for profit organisation', calling your group a charity and being a registered charity?

Or should I look it up.

 

[Travelator]

Can you explain, in simple terms, what the differences are between being a 'not for profit organisation', calling your group a charity and being a registered charity?

Or should I look it up.

Don't trust me... it's complicated... you should look at the Charity Commission and HMRC websites...

But here goes:

- In order to be a charity, you need some charitable aims, you can't just exist for the benefit of your members. This is why most sports clubs aren't charities although they are not-for-profit organisations.

- Registered and unregistered charities should operate the same way and follow the same rules. Registering with the Charity Commission is optional to begin with, but mandatory once your annual turnover goes above a certain level. Once registered, you cannot un-register.