OBee CIC's Annual Report for 2020-21



As a Community Interest Company we produce an annual report - based on our social, environmental and heritage outcomes. This report was verified by OBee CIC Members our online AGM on 20th November 2021.

The headlines for the year 1/10/20 - 30/9/21 were:-

Due to succesful funding applications OBee was able to pay for professional heritage skills training for volunteers. The number of days contributed was up on the previous year, and comprised of 803.5 (from 624) practical days, 331.5 (from 303) semi-skilled days and 286 (from 147) skilled days

The 'In-kind' value of these 1421 (up from 1074.5) days was £175,700 (based on HLF rates). Many BIG thank-yous to all our wonderful volunteers who donated their skills, time and energy and made 20-21 such a positive year.

We worked with a total of 64 volunteers, 27 of whom live within a 10 mile radius of Orchard Barn, 21 others live in Suffolk, another 10 in the rest of East Anglia and 6 from the rest of the UK

  • Volunteer skills development included timber framing, green wood working, wattle and daubing, archaeology, museum curation, local history research, composting, old carpentry tool restoration and sharpening
  • During the early months of 2021 volunteers wrote, edited and circulated 9 editions of their volunteer news
  • In February we held a small Wassail in the orchard, and in September celebrated our 14th birthday with tea and cake
  • We delivered traditional building skills courses to 46 students
  • We awarded 36 IHBC CPD attendance certificates
  • We ran Suffolk Community Foundation funded projects to enable a greater number of older people to participate in the project.
  • The Frank Jackson Foundation funded our Gardening with Nature workshops that included Eat your Weeds and Nettle String making.
  • Local Connections funded an earth floor in our meeting room
  • MSDC Locality Budget funded 3 solar panels

Partnership working included Greenways Ipswich, Bury Town Trust, West Suffolk College, and Orchards East

  OBee CIC annual report 20-21