Countryside Alliance 2021 Annual Report

Chairman's Report

It would be nice to sit down to write this report about an uneventful year of political stability. Unfortunately, that has not been the case so far since I became Chairman and it does not look likely in the foreseeable future. As well as being the second year of Covid lockdowns, 2021 also saw a raft of legislation announced as part of the Government's 'Action Plan for Animal Welfare'. Some of this, such as proposals to tackle livestock worrying and puppy smuggling, was positive; some was unnecessary and we will regret some, like the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022, for years to come. The Alliance was, as ever, at the political coalface throughout the year. There were, eventually, amendments to the Sentience Act, which will provide some protections to its future misuse while potential amendments to other legislation that would have had a direct impact on our way of life were resisted. Meanwhile, our team in Stormont masterminded the defeat of a Bill to ban hunting in Northern Ireland and the Scottish Countryside Alliance prepared the ground for the defence of the use of dogs in fox control in Scotland, which has been under long-term political attack.

One place where we were able to restore stability was to the finances of the Countryside Alliance, after the shock of Covid's arrival in 2020. The generous support of our members and supporters, combined with careful control over expenditure and the efforts of our dedicated staff, meant that we were able to make up the deficit of 2020 and ensure that there were reserves to guarantee the health of the organisation going into 2022 and beyond. As the political situation becomes ever more uncertain, the strength of the Countryside Alliance and its ability to stand up for our way of life becomes increasingly important. You, our loyal members, give us that strength and the ability to work effectively for all of the countryside.

Nick Herbert
Lord of of South Downs CBE PC

Chief Executive's Report

I wrote 12 months ago about the efforts of our staff to stabilise the Alliance during the initial impact of Covid in 2020 and to prepare the ground for a full recovery in 2021. I am very pleased to report that our preparation delivered exactly that and that the Alliance's finances were not just restored, but in a better situation than they have been for many years by the end of the year. That allowed us to plan for the future and start to invest in new systems that will help us to continue to generate income and to keep the Alliance on the front line as a campaigning force. In particular, we will continue to be able to recruit and retain the great people who are the basis of everything we do. I often say that the Alliance only has two assets – our members and our staff – and that without either we are nothing. I would like to particularly highlight the work of our staff in the devolved countries – Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales – during 2021. While they all have the full support of our political, media and campaigns teams their roles can sometimes seem remote, especially during Covid and when the various devolved governments and legislatures enable or encourage attacks on the countryside. Their work in bringing together the rural community and working with diverse interests across political and rural divides was, and continues to be, absolutely critical in sustaining so much that is so important in the British countryside. If you want to shoot game in Wales, go hunting in Northern Ireland or control foxes in Scotland, among so many other activities, it is the Alliance which is enabling you to continue doing just that.

Tim Bonner