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BSES EXPEDITIONS | ANNUAL REPORT 2004 CONTENTS CHAIRMAN’S REPORT Chairman’s Report 02 Executive Director’s Introduction 04 Officers and Council of the Society 05 Council’s Report 06 Auditor’s Report 07 Statement of Financial Activities 08 Balance Sheet 09 Expedition Reports Iceland 2004 10 The Mountain of God Expedition, Tanzania 2004 13 Svalbard 2004 16 Annual General Meeting 19 Previous Expeditions of the Society 22 Star Schools 23 Acknowledgements 23 Hon. Editor: Michael F Ridd. 02 Roy Wood, Chairman BSES Expeditions Once again I am pleased to report that the Society mounted three expeditions during the summer. As will be seen from the descriptions which follow in this report, Iceland and Svalbard were a return to traditional BSES areas while Tanzania broke new ground in Africa. Sincere thanks and appreciation go to the leader teams, to the office staff and to all the others whose efforts contributed to that special BSES experience. I was delighted to be able to sample life in the field for an all-too-short week in Svalbard. It was very impressive in all respects and left me in no doubt why BSES and its future are so important. The year saw the introduction of Young Leader fires on the Iceland expedition. This initiative links the interest expressed by YEs who have completed a first expedition and wish to prepare themselves to lead in the future with the Society’s own need to bring on leaders for forthcoming expeditions. A programme was designed leading to the Basic Expedition Leader Award (BELA) and, although there are clearly improvements to be made to the details, the concept was successful and will be repeated on the Peru expedition in 2005. Last year I mentioned that YE recruiting was causing considerable concern. The numbers for 2003 were at their lowest level for a decade and this had a direct effect on our finances. To address this situation we held a strategy meeting in January 2004 which led to three business plan options. The "target" plan looked for recovery and expansion over the next four years, The "realistic" was based on recovery and then maintenance of our position while the third faced a worst case scenario. The Council agreed to strive towards the target plan, to budget for the realistic option and to monitor progress during the year.
I am pleased to report that the numbers on the 2004 expeditions (YE + YL) showed a significant improvement on 2003 and the number of acceptances (with deposits paid) for 2005 is well ahead of previous totals at this point in the recruiting process. Our finances also made a huge improvement, recovering to a break even point after last year’s deficit. Fund raising, which was started late last year and is another vital aspect of our recovery plans, has been slow but it now seems to be showing encouraging signs. The Council believes these factors indicate that the recovery is starting and for the 04/05 financial year we are looking for a result between our realistic and target options. We will need focus and hard work to carry this through successfully but I must thank all those who have contributed so much at these early stages. However, I do wish to make a direct appeal to the membership for any help you can give with the fund raising. If you know someone with influence in a company or a trust or if you can help in some more direct way, the office would be delighted to hear from you. Particularly with a view to the Society’s 75th Anniversary in 2007 we are also seeking to improve our membership records mainly through points of contact with each expedition. We still need help in this area, so if you can assist in any way, do please contact the office. As part of this effort a new package of membership benefits has been introduced and two very successful members’ dinners were held in London during 2004. During the year, the Council decided that Council Members should serve a maximum of two three-year terms and then stand down for a year. Under this rule Pat Cannings, Tony Whiting and Richard Wood step down in January 2005. They have all contributed enormously in so many ways and we hope that they will continue their links with the Committees during 2005 and seek re-election next year. After many years of sterling service to the Society both as a leader and in our committees , Brian Needham has also decided to leave the Council and to stand down as Vice Chairman. We will miss his contribution. Once again I must pay a very special tribute to our office staff so ably led by Alexander Matheson. As well as dealing cheerfully and efficiently with the all the routine work required to put the expeditions into the field, they have also had to face an increasing load of regulation and other effects of an ever more litigious society. The energy and initiative shown by Sam Eve on the recruiting front, by Sarah Patton on applications and administration, by newcomer Sarah-Jane Goodall at the expeditions desk and in the stores, by Robert Kibble with the accounts, all actively supported by Tori James, continues to be most impressive and much appreciated. So, although we have been through a rough patch financially, we continue to run excellent expeditions for which the demand is once again picking up. However, we need support to raise YE numbers still further and to raise funds. Please do all you can to help your Society. Roy Wood CHAIRMANS REPORT | 2004 OUR PURPOSE… to provide young people with an intense and lasting experience of self-discovery in a demanding and natural wilderness environment. CHAIRMAN’S REPORT 03
Page 1: BSES EXPEDITIONS 2004 ANNUAL REPORT
Page 5 and 6: BSES EXPEDITIONS OFFICERS AND COUNC
Page 7 and 8: major risks. A review of potential
Page 9 and 10: Statement by the Trustees The summa
Page 11 and 12: En route to snow and ice training I
Page 13 and 14: TANZANIA 2004 The Mountain of God E
Page 15 and 16: Survey Fire on the rim of a sunken
Page 17 and 18: Tunabreen glacier The mountaineerin
Page 19 and 20: THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING, EXPEDIT
Page 21 and 22: Maurice Dybeck asked why the expedi
Page 23 and 24: STAR SCHOOLS 2004 Schools from whic

FinalAnnReport 2004 _artwork - Hugha.co.uk

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