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Athelney Trust Plc

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FY2007 Annual Report · Athelney Trust Plc
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                   Annual Report  for the year ended 31 December 2007      1Athelney Trust plc  CONTENTS  Chairman's Statement and Business Review  2 - 6    Investment and Portfolio Analysis  7 - 9    Report of the Directors  10 - 11    Report of the Auditors  12 - 13    Income Statement  14    Balance Sheet  15    Cash Flow Statement  16    Notes to the Financial Statements  17 - 24    Officers and Financial Advisers  25    Notice of Annual General Meeting  26  2Athelney Trust plc  Waterside Court, Falmouth Road, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 8AW Telephone: 01326 378 288     Email: hugo@athelneytrust.co.uk  CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT AND BUSINESS REVIEW  I enclose the audited results for the year ended 31 December 2007.  The salient points are as follows:  • Audited Net Asset Value (“NAV”) is 173.1p per share (31 December 2006: 189.7p), a fall of 8.8 per cent. • Gross Revenue increased by 26 per cent to £120,488 (31 December 2006: £95,615). • On a like-for-like basis revenue increased by 18.3 per cent and dividend income rose by 17.6 per cent. • Revenue return per ordinary share was 3.9p, an increase of 18.2 per cent (31 December 2006: 3.3p). • Recommended dividend of 3.5p per share (2007: 3.25p), an increase of 7.7 per cent   Review of 2007  The year 2007 turned out to be a particularly disappointing and frustrating period in that Athelney’s unaudited NAV as at 30 June was up by 6.1 per cent but we finished the year down by 8.8 per cent.  The second half of the year will principally be remembered for those Three Amigos, sub-prime lending, the credit crunch and Northern Rock which caused a disorderly retreat from small caps into blue chips and the latter into gilts and cash.  More of the Three later.  A good place to start a review of the year is with the international situation but, rather than list a long liturgy of trouble-spots, allow me to mention two places which exemplify just what a dangerous world we live in today.  On 6 September, Israeli jets bombed a mysterious site near Deir-ez-Zor on the Euphrates River, eastern Syria: could it have been missiles on their way to Hezbollah, the Shia movement that Syria backs in Lebanon?  Or was it perhaps a nuclear reactor in the early stages of construction and were North Korean technicians involved?  Was the raid an indirect way for Israel and its American ally to warn the Iranians of what might happen if they continue to enrich uranium?  Or simply an Israeli exercise to test Syria’s air defence system, said to have been upgraded by the Russians?  George W. Bush, who obviously knows what is happening, is saying nothing: ‘This is not my first rodeo’ he stalled at a press conference in October.  Meanwhile, in the Swat Valley in Pakistan, an area famous in that part of the world for its beautiful mountains and lakes and superb skiing has reputedly been over-run by a combustible cocktail of local malcontents, al Qaeda and the Taliban even though the area is being patrolled by 20,000 less-than-enthusiastic Pakistani soldiers.  All this is happening less than two hours’ drive from the capital Islamabad – the chilling thought is accompanied by another, namely that Pakistan is a nuclear power.  ‘It seems that’ mused a member of the Musharraf Government a few short weeks before the assassination of Benazir Bhutto ‘we have a University of Terrorism in the Tribal Areas as good as Harvard, in its field.’    Everything that could go wrong with 2007 did.  What started with unsound sub-prime mortgages, spread to collateralized debt obligations (CDOs) in which those mortgages were wrapped, endangered municipal bond insurance and threatened to unravel the credit default swap (CDSs) market.  Furthermore, investment banks’ commitments to leveraged buyouts (LBOs) became liabilities and hedge funds designed to be market-neutral turned out not to be and had to be unwound.  The asset-backed commercial paper market came to a standstill and the special investment vehicles (SIVs) set up by the banks to move mortgages off balance sheet could no longer obtain outside financing.  Worst of all, inter-bank lending, which is central to the financial system, was badly disrupted because banks had to conserve resources and no longer knew which of the other banks to trust.  As a consequence, the central banks had to inject an unprecedented amount of liquidity into the system and extend credit on a much wider range of securities than ever before.  Thus the credit crunch trundled onwards.  Away from the world of high finance, we in the UK had three rises in interest rates – most or all of them ill-advised in my opinion – with which to cope, plus floods, foot and mouth, blue tongue, avian ‘flu (twice) and an unsuccessful terrorist attack.      3Athelney Trust plc  CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT AND BUSINESS REVIEW  (CONTINUED)   The result of all this was a very poor equity market in the second half of the year which undid all the good work of the first so that the FT Small Cap Index fell by 12.4 per cent over the twelve-month period and, as far as the whole market was concerned, the median share fell by 10.1 per cent.  Some popular sectors did far worse, for example: retailers 26 per cent; house-builders (my estimate) 45 per cent; commercial property 38 per cent; banks 21 per cent and so on.  Compare and contrast with the Shanghai and Indian indices, which jumped by 95.6 per cent and 46.5 per cent respectively as investors strove to buy into those nations’ sparkling economic growth.  So here we are right in the middle of a credit crisis which originated, not in Lombard Street, but in the trailer parks of the United States, and how did we get into this mess?  How is it that we have not had a run on a bank for 141 years, yet pictures of solid British subjects queuing up outside branches of Northern Rock have flashed round the world to the apparent amusement of everyone who wanted to take business away from the City of London? Mr. G. Brown, ex-Chancellor of the Exchequer, is to my mind the culprit.  In 1866, the firm of Overend, Gurney & Co. had, next to the Bank of England itself, the biggest balance sheet in London and took deposits from all over the country.  However, it was not sound and had taken speculative and disastrous interests in shipbuilding, steel, land and so on through a complex web of over 200 companies.  When the run started, the Bank appointed a committee of three wise men to have a look at Overend, Gurney’s books who reported back that the latter was ‘rotten to the core’ and that nothing could be saved. That was the end of Overend, Gurney but the Bank next day lent secretly the then-amazing sum of £4m to banks, discount houses and merchants to see them over any difficulty. This was entirely successful.  Coming up to date, the sums involved are very much larger, of course, but surely the principle is the same isn’t it?  No, the man some call Mr Tinkerman from his constant habit of messing and tinkering with things and yet not improving them, became Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1997 and everyone remembers how he gave independence to the Bank of England – except that he didn’t.  Or rather, he gave responsibility to the Bank for monetary policy (i.e. setting interest rates) but took away the Bank’s historic role as guardian of the City and spread responsibility between the Bank, the Financial Services Authority and the Treasury.  This did not seem very clever at the time and has subsequently proved to be so.  The highly public support operation for Northern Rock had the same effect as a lion ambling up to a herd of wildebeest: a mass depositor stampede which has destroyed so much value for Ordinary shareholders and holders of the 12.625% Subordinated Loan Notes.  Was Northern Rock as unsound as Overend, Gurney was 141 years ago?  No, Northern Rock was solvent, profitable but illiquid, had a low number of slow payers and was the most efficient lender in the market-place.  What it couldn’t do was borrow money quietly from the Bank when the credit crisis skipped continents.  The consequences of all this are profound: a financial institution that had underpinned the economy and self-image of one of England’s poorest regions, the North East, has been destroyed, the reputation of a good central bank governor has been tarnished and an internationally admired regulatory system has fallen into disrepute.    The trouble with taking out a mortgage these days is that you don’t know where it is going to end up – before you can say knife, your bank has thrown it in with a few thousand others, sliced, diced and wrapped them into a package and sold them on to other parties or perhaps to its own trading desk.  This process is known as securitization which, for a brief moment, turned investment banks into mega-growth stocks but now threatens to bring them back down to mortal status.  CDOs repackaged mortgages, CLOs did the same for leveraged (geared) corporate loans and there are also specialist products involving both student and auto loans.  Structured investment vehicles (SIVs) are also full of danger: they borrow short-term to invest in long-dated assets but investors will no longer tolerate such a mismatch and so banks have had to bring back over $136 billion onto their books.  That comes on top of $160 billion so far, and possibly $400 billion in total sub-prime write-downs.  This practice of securitization has exposed four deep flaws: severing the link between those who scrutinise borrowers and those who lose when the borrower defaults has resulted in a lack of accountability; second, the new products are opaque and incredibly complex; third, some securities were badly structured and their risks not fully understood and, fourth, investors relied too much on the rating agencies who were themselves compromised from the start by being paid for their research by the seller not the buyer.   4Athelney Trust plc  CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT AND BUSINESS REVIEW  (CONTINUED)   Essentially, there are only three Nationally Recognised Rating Organizations (ratings agencies): Standard & Poor’s (S&P); Moody’s and Fitch.  All three rate securities using a nine-point scale which they label differently.  S&P and Fitch use: AAA, AA, A, BBB, BB, etc. whereas Moody’s prefers: Aaa, Aa, A, Baa, Ba, and so on.  Many think that AAA/Aaa means armour-plated, BBB/Baa is riskier and CCC/Caa suggests that you run for the hills.  Oh, were it so simple: first, there are many ways to measure credit risk; second, S&P and Moody’s employ different approaches so that the former rates are based on default probability with a BBB rating, for instance, reflecting a 7.1% default probability.  Moody’s, on the other hand, goes by expected loss, which is calculated as default probability multiplied by the severity of the loss.  So much for the methodology but the fact of the matter is that that the ratings agencies have earned huge fees by offering opinions on the creditworthiness of an alphabet soup of mortgage-related securities created by over-eager banks.  As the market expanded, so did the agencies’ profits - Moody’s net income rose from $289 million in 2002 to $754 million in 2006.  Did these huge fees lead to a drop in standards?  I am sure that the agencies would say not but if a security is trading at 70 cents on the dollar, it is no use saying that S&P rates it AAA – the extra 30 cents will not magically appear just because the agency says so.  The solution, in my opinion, is to force brokers and investors to pay for the ratings – that way there can be no doubt as to whether there is a conflict of interest.  Another obscure corner of the world of high finance is surely needing a bold rescue plan.  So-called monoline insurers guarantee the capital and interest on municipal bonds, in effect renting out their AAA ratings in return for a fee.  For a long time, this business was dull, boring but nicely profitable.  As competition grew, however, the monolines were attracted by the higher returns of insuring CDOs and the rest of the alphabet soup.  But as mortgage defaults rose so did monoline losses – two such insurers wrote off $8.5 billion in the last quarter of the year.  The monolines’ thin capital cover, perfectly adequate when they were doing only safe municipal business, now looks to be worryingly threadbare.  Unless they raise more capital, it is likely that the ratings agencies will downgrade them with the inevitable consequence that all the paper that they have insured will have to be downgraded as well.  Holders of downgraded bonds will have to mark them down in value under ‘fair value’ accounting rules and some investors, who are only allowed to hold highest-grade bonds, may become forced sellers.  Investment banks that were active in the CDO market may think that it would be cheaper for them to ride to the rescue of the monolines rather than let the worst happen – perhaps a plan will have been hatched by the time that you read this.   In May, 2006 Alan Greenspan, the former Federal Reserve chairman, noted, ‘The credit default swap is probably the most important instrument in finance……What CDS did is lay off all the risk of highly leveraged institutions – and that’s what banks are, highly leveraged – on stable American and international institutions.’  Reality may prove different: in recent months whole swathes of investors have suddenly realized just how opaque many of the new complex instruments are.  However, at its simplest, the CDS is similar to credit insurance.  The buyer of protection (typically a bank) transfers the risk of default by one of its borrower clients to a protection seller (perhaps a monoline insurer or hedge fund) who for a fee indemnifies the protection buyer against a credit loss.  It seems to me that there are two problems at the moment: first, these contracts were taken out when credit was easy to obtain and default rates were therefore very low.  Expect default rates to shoot up now that credit conditions are tight; second, there is a danger that the selling party may not be able to keep its part of the bargain.  Monoline insurers, as we have already discovered, are in dire straits.  What is the damage?  Anything between $30 billion and $150 billion, it has been estimated.  With the more complex stuff, frankly it is anybody’s guess.  There are three more worrying factors to mention before I close, the first being the increasing number of profit warnings.  The 107 profit warnings from companies in the last quarter of 2007 was the highest number since 2001 and represents a 22 per cent increase on 2006.  The pound suffered its weakest annual performance for 15 years in 2007, falling 6.1 per cent in the past year which is the biggest annual decline since 1992 – the year in which Britain was ejected from the European Exchange Rate Mechanism.  The Sterling Exchange Rate Index, which compares the pound with a comprehensive basket of currencies, finished the year at 97.9 having weakened by 6.7 per cent in the second half of the year.    5Athelney Trust plc  CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT AND BUSINESS REVIEW  (CONTINUED)   No review of 2007 would be complete without a paragraph on commodities, the prices of many of which have now been in an upswing for several years – crude oil, for instance has surged by 450 per cent in the current cycle with the rally now more than six years old, the most powerful and durable ever. Copper had a trough-to-peak rise of 570 per cent between November 2001 and May 2006 – while the rise in gold and silver has not yet surpassed the events of the 1970s in percentage terms, it has been the most durable on record as the cycle approaches its seventh year.  In 2007, wheat prices more than doubled and almost every crop under the sun – maize, milk, oilseeds and so on – is at or near a peak in nominal terms having risen on average by 26 per cent last year: even in real terms, food prices have risen by 75 per cent since 2005. Dearer food is likely to persist for many years: that is because ‘agflation’ is underpinned by changes in diet that accompany the growing wealth of emerging economies such as China and India – the Chinese consumer who ate 20kg of meat in 1985 now gets through over 50kg.  This in turn pushes up demand for grain since, for instance, it takes 8kg of grain to produce one of beef.  But the rise in prices is also the result of American over-generous ethanol subsidies.  This year biofuels will take a third of America’s huge maize crop – fill up an SUV’s fuel tank and you have used up enough maize to feed a person for a year.  At the moment, there are something like nine cars to every 1,000 people in China compared with more than 900 in America – there is quite a lot of catching up to do.  As far as uranium is concerned, there are 442 nuclear reactors in the world needing 180 million lbs each year but only 110 million lbs was mined in 2005.  There is a similar story for gold: in India, gold is often used for wedding gifts and, with increasing prosperity, there has been a huge rise in demand.  And even with 23 new gold mines coming on stream world-wide, supply may not be enough.  So, the era of cheap food has gone for good and increasing demand for metals and minerals is likely, in many cases, to underpin high prices.   Results  Gross Revenue increased by 26 per cent compared to 2006.  A breakdown of the companies paying dividends is given below:                  Number Companies paying dividends       95 Companies sold (therefore no true comparison)    13 Companies purchased (therefore no true comparison)    24 Increased total dividends in the year     50 Reduced total dividends in the year        6 No change in dividend         2  Corporate Activity  Six of our companies were taken over for cash:  Enterprise; European Motor Holdings; City Lofts; Hitachi Capital, Ben Bailey and Domestic & General producing a profit of 698 per cent, 242 per cent, 30.3 per cent, 9.5 per cent, 83.8 per cent and 88.1 per cent respectively.      Portfolio Review  Holdings of Aero Inventory, Umeco, Character Group, Prime People, Renew Holdings, Smallbone, H&T Group, Ambrian Capital, FDM Group, Finsbury Food, M&C Saatchi, Quarto Group, Trifast, Creston, LSL Property Services, Avesco Group, Financial Objects and OPD Group were all purchased for the first time.  Blacks Leisure, Johnson Service, AT Communications, Erinaceous Group, City of London and Speymill were all sold.  In addition, a total of twenty-seven holdings were top-sliced to provide capital for the new purchases.     6Athelney Trust plc  CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT AND BUSINESS REVIEW  (CONTINUED)   Dividend  The Board is pleased to recommend an increased annual dividend of 3.5p per ordinary share (2007: 3.25p).  This represents an increase of 7.7 per cent over the previous year.  Subject to shareholder approval at the Annual General Meeting on 14 May 2008, the dividend will be paid on 16 May 2008 to shareholders on the register on 18 April 2008.   Update  The unaudited NAV at 29 February 2008 was 160.3p whereas the share price on the same day stood at 169.5p.  Further updates can be found on www.athelneytrust.co.uk   Outlook  When I look at the world-wide equity market, I am reminded of Winston Churchill’s famous phrase ‘It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma ……..’  No matter that he was talking about something completely different (Russia’s attitude to the war in October 1939) it remains a telling description of where we are now.  But it is to a well-known American that we must turn rather than a famous Englishman, so please step forward Mr. Ben Bernanke.  So far, the Chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve Board has announced seven initiatives since last August including steep interest rate cuts, extra borrowing facilities and is now offering Treasury securities in exchange for AAA-rated mortgage-backed investments (poor old American tax-payer!).  His aim is to improve substantially both liquidity and solvency – the former so that banks will start to lend to each other again and the latter so that such as Bear Sterns are not overwhelmed by their losses in CDOs and CDSs (over 100 CDOs and SIVs are in default already) although hedge funds will be allowed to go to the wall and are starting so to do.  Of course there is a danger that we can just become too gloomy about everything; it is worth bearing in mind that in the midst of the Great Depression up to 50 per cent of mortgages in America were in default – today’s equivalent figure is 6 per cent.  On the other hand, one can only blush at the British Chancellor’s assertion that the U.K. is better placed than other leading economies to cope with a slow-down.  With 30 per cent of output coming from the City of London, finance and business services how can this be anything other than dangerous complacency?    Yes, I do believe that Mr. Bernanke will succeed in his laudable ambitions and, yes, I do believe that recovery prospects in equity markets are excellent – but patience will be required!            H.B. Deschampsneufs Chairman  7Athelney Trust plc  INVESTMENT AND PORTFOLIO ANALYSIS AT 31 DECEMBER 2007         SECTOR     Stock  Holding   Cost (£)   Current Price (p)  Value (£)   £  % Aerospace and defence Aero Inventory      7,000            27,291            652   45,640        Umeco       7,250            35,021            627   45,458      91,098 2.88% Basic resource (ex mining) Acertec    28,000            14,993              40   11,200      11,200 0.35% Chemicals Treatt    10,500            24,605            270   28,350      28,350 0.89% Construction and materials Clarke (T)    18,000            19,938            170   30,600      Galliford Try    30,000              8,484              98   29,475        Renew Holdings    35,000            31,180              95   33,250      93,325 2.95% Electronic and electrical equipment XP Power Ltd      8,000            19,999            282   22,560      22,560 0.71% Food and beverages Finsbury Food Group    29,500            25,872              84   24,780      Nichols    13,050            24,415            198   25,839      Shepherd Neame "A"      5,400            15,886         1,426   77,001        Wynnstay Group    30,000            26,818            240   72,000    199,620 6.30% General financial Albemarle & Bond    15,000            14,999            234   35,100      Ambrian Capital Plc    42,000            19,496              44   18,480      Arbuthnot Banking Group     10,000            34,134            440   44,000      Arden Partners    18,000            29,453            156   28,080      Blue Oar  130,000            29,402              18   23,400      Camellia      1,200            28,749         8,800 105,600     Charles Taylor Consulting      8,000            19,021            332   26,560      Davenham Group    10,000            24,199            210   21,000      Dowgate Capital  166,666            23,509              14   23,333      Jarvis Securities    17,500            10,092            160   28,000      Park Group  130,000            20,985              17   22,100      S & U      8,000            23,901            415   33,200      Tenon Group    50,000            12,957              55   27,250        Vantis    36,667            45,289            121   44,367    480,470 15.17% Healthcare equipment and services Tristel     60,000            30,301              51   30,600      30,600 0.97% House, leisure and personal goods Havelock Europe    24,000            20,120              93   22,320        Smallbone    36,500            36,366            107   39,055      61,375 1.94% Industrial engineering Gooch & Housego    13,000            14,050            400   52,000      Goodwin    11,000              6,758         1,000 110,000     Severfield-Rowen    13,000            11,012            452   58,695      Slingsby (H.C)      4,000              9,958            985   39,400      Somero Enterprises     27,550            25,974              90   24,795        Trifast    40,000            26,611              65   25,800    310,690 9.81% Industrial transportation Braemar Shipping Services    18,000            22,317            462   83,160      Clarkson       6,300              8,432         1,010   63,630        Fisher (James)    11,000              9,332            651   71,610    218,400 6.89% Insurance Personal Group Holdings    17,500            15,908            295   51,625      51,625 1.63%  8Athelney Trust plc  INVESTMENT AND PORTFOLIO ANALYSIS AT 31 DECEMBER 2007 (CONTINUED)        SECTOR     Stock  Holding   Cost (£)   Current Price (p)   Value (£)   £  % Media Avesco    30,000            34,846            107   32,100      Character Group    22,000            17,274              89   19,580      Chime Communications    85,000            24,797              36   30,600      Creston    19,000            16,309              75   14,250      Huntsworth    35,000            26,459              90   31,325      International Greetings     18,000            11,514            129   23,220      M&C Saatchi Plc    20,500            27,481            124   25,420      Media Square  213,179            14,318                9   19,719        Quarto Group Inc Com    18,000            34,546            170   30,600    226,814 7.16% Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology Genus    12,000            10,696            819   98,280      98,280 3.10% Real estate Colliers CRE     17,400            12,668              59   10,266      LSL Property Services    13,500            19,752            140   18,900      Mountview Estates      1,750            22,012         5,400   94,500        Smart (J) & Co.      4,000            21,009            750   30,000    153,666 4.85% Retailers Flying Brands    15,000            23,816            145   21,750      H & T Group    17,000            35,028            202   34,340      Lookers    30,000            16,666            113   33,825      Mallett    12,000              6,701            182   21,840      SCS Upholstery    10,000              9,826              93     9,300        Stanley Gibbons     55,000              6,692            209 114,950   236,005 7.45% Support services Broker Network Holdings    10,000            21,211            593   59,300      Dawson Holdings    34,000            16,508            114   38,760      Gibbs & Dandy    10,000              6,558            300   30,000      Latham (James)    13,000              6,368            240   31,200      Litho Supplies    50,500            24,007              49   24,745      Macfarlane Group  100,000            31,311              29   29,000      N.W.F Group    40,000            11,707            225   90,000      OPD Group      9,000            21,605            188   16,920      Prime People    26,000            29,608              98   25,480      RWS Holdings     12,000            21,150            323   38,760      VP    17,000            21,164            330   56,015      Waterman Group    36,000            19,180            148   53,280        WSP Group    13,000              8,077            585   76,050    569,510 17.98% Technology hardware Belgravium Technologies  350,000            35,256              10   34,125      34,125 1.08% Technology software and services FDM Group 27,500 30,480 120          33,000       Financial Objects 70,000 34,291 45            31,500       Group NBT 15,000 17,434 200            30,000       Pennant International 116,000 11,052 18           20,880      Phoenix IT 8,500 24,571 310          26,350  141,730 4.47% Travel and leisure Air Partner 6,000 11,878 1,000           60,000      Enterprise Inns 10,000 7,016 484            48,375  108,375 3.42%   9Athelney Trust plc  INVESTMENT AND PORTFOLIO ANALYSIS AT 31 DECEMBER 2007 (CONTINUED)   Portfolio Value £ 3,167,818 100%  Net Current Assets £ 209,187   Deferred Tax £ (256,283)   TOTAL VALUE £ 3,120,722   Shares in issue  1,802,802   Audited NAV 173.1p      AIM45%FULL53%PLUS2%FULLAIMPLUS1.94%9.81%6.89%1.63%7.16%4.85%7.45%17.98%4.47%0.71%15.17%6.30%3.10%2.95%2.88%0.35%0.89%0.97%1.08%3.42%Aerospace and defenceBasic resource (ex mining)ChemicalsConstruction and materialsElectronic and electrical equipmentFood and beveragesGeneral financialHealthcare equipment and servicesHouse, leisure and personal goodsIndustrial engineeringIndustrial transportationInsuranceMediaPharmaceuticals and biotechnologyReal estateRetailersSupport servicesTechnology hardwareTechnology software and servicesTravel and leisurePortfolio by Sector Portfolio by Listing  10REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS OF  Athelney Trust plc  The directors present their report and audited financial statements of the Company for the year ended 31 December 2007.  Principal Activity and Business Review  The principal activity of the Company is that of an investment company.  The investment objectives of the Company are to achieve long term capital growth while at the same time producing a progressive income return.  Investments made by the Company are primarily in the equity securities of both unquoted and quoted UK companies, including smaller companies with a market capitalisation of below £50 million.  During the period, the Company followed the normal activities of an investment company.  Details of these are given in the Chairman’s Statement and Business Review on pages 2 to 6.  Directors and Their Interests  The directors who held office during the year and their interest in the ordinary shares of the Company are stated below:       31 December 2007     1 January 2007 H. Deschampsneufs     78,038           78,038 R.G. Boyle    443,970               443,970 D.A. Horner      20,000                 20,000  H.B. Deschampsneufs’ interest includes 19,163 (2006: 19,163) shares held in his Self-Invested Personal Pension.  R.G. Boyle’s interest includes 16,970 (2006: 16,970) shares held in his Self-Invested Personal Pension.  D.A. Horner’s interest includes 20,000 (2006: 20,000) shares owned by a pension fund in which D.A. Horner has an interest.  Statement of Directors’ Responsibilities  The directors are responsible for preparing the Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.  Company law requires the directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year.  Under that law the directors have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law).  The financial statements are required by law to give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company and of the result for the company for that period.  In preparing those financial statements, the directors are required to: - select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; - make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; - prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in business.   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 1985.  They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.  The directors are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the company's website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.    11REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS OF  Athelney Trust plc (CONTINUED)  So far as each of the directors is aware at the time the report is approved:  there is no relevant audit information of which the auditors are unaware, and the directors have taken all steps that they ought to have taken to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the auditors are aware of that information.  Corporate Governance  The Board continues to give careful consideration to the principles of corporate governance as set out in the Combined Code appended to the Listing Rules issued by the Financial Services Authority.  However the Company is small and it is the opinion of the directors that not all the provisions of the Code are relevant or desirable for a company of Athelney’s size.  The Board meets regularly and has ultimate responsibility for the management of the Company, although the Remuneration Committee makes recommendations to the Board relating to the remuneration of the managing director and the non-executive directors.  The Audit Committee assists the Board in relation to matters concerning corporate governance and financial reporting.  Both Committees, currently comprising H.B. Deschampsneufs and D.A. Horner, meet during the year as required, with the Audit Committee to include external auditors if appropriate.  Results and Dividends  The return on ordinary revenue activities before dividends for the year is £70,528 (2006: £60,322) as detailed on page 14.  It is recommended that an annual dividend of 3.5p (2007: 3.25p) per ordinary share be paid.   Payment of Suppliers  It is the Company’s policy to obtain the best possible terms for all business and, therefore, there is no consistent policy as to the terms used.  The Company contracts the terms on which business will take place throughout the year with its suppliers.  There were no invoiced trade creditors outstanding at the end of the year, the amounts shown as creditors in the balance sheet comprise expenses and proposed dividends.  Auditors  In accordance with Section 385 of the Companies Act 1985, a resolution proposing that Clement Keys be re-appointed as auditors of the Company will be put to the annual general meeting.    BY ORDER OF THE BOARD  J. Girdlestone Secretary  Waterside Court Falmouth Road Penryn Cornwall TR10 8AW        01 April 2008  12INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT TO THE SHAREHOLDERS OF  Athelney Trust plc  We have audited the financial statements of Athelney Trust plc for the year ended 31 December 2007, which comprise the Income statement, the Balance Sheet, the Cashflow Statement and the related notes.  These financial statements have been prepared under the accounting policies set out therein.  This report is made solely to the company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Section 235 of the Companies Act 1985.  Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose.  To the fullest extent permitted by the law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the company and the company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.  Respective responsibilities of directors and auditors   The directors’ responsibilities for preparing the Annual report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice) are set out in the Statement of directors’ responsibilities.  Our responsibility is to audit the financial statements in accordance with relevant legal and regulatory requirements and International Standards on Auditing (UK and Ireland).  We report to you in our opinion as to whether the financial statements give a true and fair view and are properly prepared in accordance with the Companies Act 1985.  We also report to you whether in our opinion the information given in the Directors’ Report is consistent with the financial statements.  This information includes specific information presented in the Chairman’s Statement that is cross referred from the Business Review section of the Directors’ Report.  In addition we report to you if, in our opinion the company has not kept proper accounting records, if we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit, or if the information specified by law regarding directors’ remuneration and other transaction is not disclosed.  We read other information contained in the Annual Report and consider whether it is consistent with the audited financial statements.  This other information comprises only the Directors’ Report, the Chairman’s Statement and the Investment and Portfolio Analysis.  We consider the implications for our report if we become aware of any apparent misstatement or material inconsistencies with the financial statements.  Our responsibilities do not extend to any other information.  Basis of audit opinion   We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK and Ireland) issued by the Auditing Practices Board.  An audit includes an examination, on a test basis, of evidence relevant to the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements.  It also includes an assessment of the significant estimates and judgements made by the directors in the preparation of the financial statements, and of whether the accounting policies are appropriate to the company’s circumstances, consistently applied and adequately disclosed.  We planned and performed our audit so as to obtain all the information and explanations which we considered necessary in order to provide us with sufficient evidence to give reasonable assurance that the financial statements are free from material misstatement, whether caused by fraud or other irregularity or error.  In forming our opinion we also evaluated the overall adequacy of the presentation of information in the financial statements.            13INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT TO THE SHAREHOLDERS OF  Athelney Trust plc (CONTINUED)   Opinion  In our opinion:  • the financial statements give a true and fair view, in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice, of the state of affairs of the Company as at 31 December 2007 and of the revenue, total return and cash flows for the year then ended; • have been properly prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act 1985; and • the information given in the Directors’ Report is consistent with the financial statements.      Clement Keys   Chartered Accountants  Registered Auditors   39/40 Calthorpe Road  Edgbaston  Birmingham  B15 1TS            01 April 2008            14Athelney Trust plc  INCOME STATEMENT  (INCORPORATING THE REVENUE ACCOUNT)          31 December 2007  31 December 2006          Note Revenue Capital Total  Revenue Capital Total  £ £ £  £ £ £ (Losses) profits on investments 8 - (362,778) (362,778)  - 708,480 708,480 Income 2 120,488 - 120,488  95,615 - 95,615 Investment Management expenses 3 (9,893) (28,979) (38,872)  (8,216) (24,164) (32,380) Other expenses 3 (52,362) - (52,362)  (35,355) - (35,355)         Return on ordinary        activities before taxation 58,233 (391,757) (333,524)  52,044 684,316 736,360         Taxation 5 12,295 81,248 93,543  8,278 (122,442) (114,164)         Return on ordinary activities        after taxation 13 70,528 (310,509) (239,981)  60,322 561,874 622,196                 Return per ordinary share 6 3.9p (17.2)p (13.3)p  3.3p 31.2p 34.5p                 Dividend per ordinary share paid during the year 3.25p    2.5p      The revenue column of this statement is the profit and loss account for the Company. All revenue and capital items in the above statement derive from continuing operations. No operations were acquired or discontinued during the above financial years. A statement of movements of reserves is given in note 13.  There have been no recognised gains or losss, other than the results for the financial years shown above.            The notes on pages 17 to 24 form part of these financial statements  15Athelney Trust plc  BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2007                                                                                    Note   2007  2006          £  £ Fixed assets      Investments 8  3,167,818  3,706,392       Current assets      Debtors 9  205,773  105,603 Cash at bank and in hand   45,335  32,486    251,108  138,089       Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 10  (41,921)  (50,797)      Net current assets  209,187  87,292      Total assets less current liabilities 3,377,005  3,793,684     Provisions for liabilities and charges 11  (256,283)  (374,390)      Net assets  3,120,722  3,419,294           Capital and reserves     Called up share capital 12  450,700  450,700 Share premium account 13  405,605  405,605 Other reserves (non distributable)                 Capital reserve - realised 13  892,893  719,086             Capital reserve - unrealised 13  1,239,083  1,723,399 Revenue reserve 13  132,441  120,504       Shareholders' funds - all equity 14  3,120,722  3,419,294      Net Asset Value per share   173.1p  189.7p        Approved by the board of directors on 01 April 2008    ………………………………. R.G. Boyle   The notes on pages 17 to 24 form part of these financial statements  16Athelney Trust plc  CASHFLOW STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2007     2007  2006   £ £  £ £        Net cash (outflow)/inflow from operating activities   (69,440)   68,111        Servicing of finance       Dividends paid  (58,591)   (45,070)           Net cash (outflow)/inflow from servicing of finance   (58,591)   (45,070)        Taxation       Corporation tax paid   (34,916)   (18,613)               Investing activities       Purchases of investments  (1,247,174)   (1,103,978)  Sales of investments  1,422,970   1,091,988                   Net cash inflow/(outflow) from investing       activities   175,796   (11,990)        Increase (decrease) in cash in the year   12,849   (7,562)               Reconciliation of operating net revenue to        net cash inflow from operating activities   £   £        Revenue on ordinary activities before taxation   58,233   52,044 (Increase) / decrease in debtors   (100,170)   39,506 Increase in creditors   1,476   725 Management expenses charged to capital   (28,979)   (24,164)           (69,440)   68,111        Analysis of net debt          2006  Cashflow  2007    £  £  £ Cash at bank and in hand   32,486  12,849   45,335        The notes on pages 17 to 24 form part of these financial statements  17Athelney Trust plc  NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2007   1.  Accounting Policies  1.1 Basis of Preparation of Financial Statements  The financial statements are prepared under the historical cost convention modified to include fixed asset investments at valuation.  The financial statements are prepared in accordance with applicable accounting standards and, unless otherwise stated, the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice in “Financial Statements of Investment Trust Companies” (SORP) in effect for this period.   1.2 Income  Income from investments including taxes deducted at source is recognised as income on the date the dividend is due for payment.  UK dividend income is reported net of tax credits in accordance with FRS 16 “Current Tax”.  Interest is dealt with on an accruals basis.  1.3 Expenses  Expenses (including VAT) and interest payable are dealt with on an accruals basis and charged through the Revenue Account.  1.4 Investment Management Expenses  Investment management expenses have been allocated 25% to revenue and 75% to capital, in line with the Board’s expected long term split of returns, in the form of income and capital gains respectively, from the investments portfolio.  1.5 Investments  Listed investments comprise those listed on the Official List of the London Stock Exchange.  Profits and losses on sales of investments are taken to realised capital reserve.  Any unrealised appreciation or depreciation is taken to unrealised capital reserve.  Investments have been classified as “fair value through profit and loss” upon initial recognition.  Subsequent to initial recognition, investments are measured at fair value with changes in fair value recognised in the Income Statement.  Securities of companies quoted on a recognised stock exchange are valued by reference to their quoted bid prices at the close of the year.  1.6 Taxation  The tax effect of different items of income and expenses is allocated between capital and revenue on the same basis as the particular item to which it relates, using the Company’s effective rate of tax for the year.     18Athelney Trust plc  NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2007  1. Accounting Policies (continued)  1.7 Deferred Taxation  Deferred taxation is provided in respect of all future obligations to pay additional tax arising as a result of past events.  Tax is provided at rates expected to apply in the period in which timing differences reverse based on tax rates and laws substantively enacted at the balance sheet date.  Deferred tax assets and liabilities are not discounted.    1.8 Capital Reserves  Capital Reserve – Realised Gains and losses on realisation of fixed asset investments are dealt with in this reserve.  Capital Reserve – Unrealised Increases and decreases in the valuations of fixed asset investments are dealt with in this reserve.  2. Income  Income from investments     2007  2006  £  £     UK dividend income 114,513  91,470 Bank interest 5,574  4,145 Other income 401  -     Total income 120,488  95,615    UK dividend income     2007  2006  £  £     UK listed investments 43,164  57,800 AIM investments 70,188  32,566 Other investments 1,161  1,104      114,513  91,470        19Athelney Trust plc  NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2007  3. Return on Ordinary Activities Before Taxation       2007  2006  £  £ The following amounts (inclusive of VAT) are included    Within investment management and other expenses:        Directors’ remuneration:      -  Services as a director 10,000  9,000   -  Otherwise in connection with management 30,000  25,000     Auditors’ remuneration    Audit Services       -  Statutory audit 7,200  6,921   -  Audit related regulatory reporting 910  881 Further assurance services      -  Advice on accounting matters 862  1,350       4. Employees  2007  2006  £  £     Costs in respect of directors:        Wages and salaries 40,000  34,000 Social security costs 3,171  2,399      43,171  36,399  Costs in respect of administrator:        Wages and salaries 10,000  7,000 Social security costs 620  253      10,620  7,253  Total:        Wages and salaries 50,000  41,000 Social security costs 3,791  2,652      53,791  43,652  Average number of employees:        Chairman 1  1 Investment 2  2 Administration 1  1      4  4  20Athelney Trust plc  NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2007  5. Taxation    2007    2006    Revenue Capital Total  Revenue Capital Total          £ £ £  £ £ £         (i) The tax charge for the year is based on the return for the year            Corporation tax for current year - 24,564 24,564  -  34,916  34,916 Tax relief on management expenses charge to income (12,295) 12,295 -  (8,278) 8,278 - Adjustment in respect of previous years - - -  -  -  - Deferred taxation - (118,107) (118,107)  -  79,248  79,248          (12,295) (81,248) (93,543)  (8,278) 122,442  114,164  (ii) Factors affecting the tax charge for the year             The tax charge for the period is lower than the average small company rate of corporation tax in the UK  (20 per cent). The differences are explained below:               2007   2006    £   £        Total return on ordinary activities before tax  (333,524)   736,360        Total return on ordinary activities multiplied by the average small company rate of corporation tax 20% (2006: 19%) (66,705)   108,472        Effects of:       UK dividend income not taxable   (22,902)   (17,379) Revaluation of shares not taxable   120,485   (52,556) Indexation relief for capital gains   (5,775)   (3,621) Other   (80)   - Change in tax rate          (459)   -        Current tax charge for the year   24,564   34,916          21Athelney Trust plc  NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2007   6. Return per Ordinary Share  The calculation of earnings per share has been performed in accordance with FRS 22 “Earnings Per Share”.  2007  2006          £ £ £  £ £ £  Revenue Capital Total  Revenue Capital Total Attributable return on         ordinary activities after taxation 70,528 (310,509) (239,981)  60,322  561,874  622,196         Number of shares 1,802,802   1,802,802          Return per ordinary share 3.9p (17.2)p (13.3)p  3.3p 31.2p 34.5p  7. Dividend        An annual dividend of 3.5p (2007 – 3.25p) per share amounting to a total of £63,098 (2007 - £58,591) is proposed by the Board.  The dividend proposed will not be accounted for until it has been approved at the Annual General Meeting.   8. Investments     2007   2006    £   £ Movements in year       Valuation at beginning of year  3,706,392   2,985,922 Purchases at cost   1,247,174   1,103,978 Sales - proceeds   (1,422,970)   (1,091,988)          - realised gains on sales  239,645   266,437 Increase (decrease) in unrealised appreciation (602,423)   442,043        Valuation at end of year   3,167,818   3,706,392        Book cost at end of year   1,650,667   1,587,384 Unrealised appreciation at the end of the year 1,517,151   2,119,008           3,167,818   3,706,392        UK Listed   1,553,403   2,121,748 AIM   1,537,414   1,493,168 PLUS   77,001   91,476           3,167,818   3,706,392  2007  2006  £  £     Dividend in respect of 2007 of 3.25p (2006 – 2.5p) per share 58,591  45,070  22Athelney Trust plc  NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2007  8. Investments (continued)  Gains on investment          2007   2006    £   £ Realised gains on sales   239,645   266,437 Increase (decrease) in unrealised appreciation (602,423)   442,043           (362,778)   708,480 The purchase and sales proceeds above include transaction costs of £4,678 (2006: £4,147 ) and £5,817 (2006: £4,544 ) respectively.  9. Debtors   2007  2006   £  £ Amounts falling due within one year:    Investment transaction debtors  202,940  103,452 Other debtors  2,833  2,151        205,773  105,603  10. Creditors   2007  2006   £  £ Corporation tax  24,564  34,916 Social security and other taxes  6,938  5,649 Other creditors  159  148 Accruals and deferred income  10,260  10,084        41,921  50,797  11. Deferred Tax  2007  2006   Not   Not  Provided Provided  Provided Provided  £ £  £ £       Tax on unrealised gains net of losses 256,283 -  374,390  -        256,283 -  374,390  -        2007   2006    £   £  Balance at beginning of year 374,390   295,142   Charge to the capital element of the       Statement of Total Return (118,107)   79,248         Balance at end of year 256,283   374,390      Tax is provided at the latest known rates on all taxable gains net of losses which would arise if investments were   sold at the market value included in the balance sheet at the end of the financial year.  23Athelney Trust plc  NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2007  12. Called Up Share Capital    2007  2006   £  £ Authorised    10,000,000 Ordinary Shares of 25p 2,500,000  2,500,000     Allotted, called up and fully paid    1,802,802 Ordinary Shares of 25p 450,700  450,700  13. Reserves   2007  Share  Capital  Capital    premium  reserve  reserve  Revenue  account  realised  unrealised  reserve  £  £  £  £ Balance at 1 January 2007 405,605  719,086  1,723,399   120,504 Net gain on realisation of investments -  239,645  -   - Decrease in unrealised appreciation -  -  (602,423)  - Management expenses allocated to capital -  (28,979)  -   - Taxation -  (36,859)  118,107   - Profit for the year -  -  -   70,528 Dividend paid in year -  -  -   (58,591)         Balance at end of year 405,605  892,893  1,239,083   132,441  14. Reconciliation of Movement on Shareholders’ Funds     2007 2006    £ £ Retained net revenue for the year after taxation  70,528 60,322 Dividend   (58,591) (45,070)         11,937 15,252 Total recognised gains for the year  (310,509) 561,874         (298,572) 577,126 Shareholders' funds at beginning of year  3,419,294 2,842,168      Shareholders' funds at end of year  3,120,722  3,419,294            24Athelney Trust plc NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2007  15. Risk Management, Financial Assets and Liabilities   The following information is given in accordance with Financial Reporting Standard 13.   Risk Management  The major risks associated with the Company are market and liquidity risk.  The Company has established a framework for managing these risks.  The directors have guidelines for the management of investments and financial instruments.  Market risk arises from changes in interest rates, valuations awarded to equities, movements in prices and the liquidity of financial instruments.  The Company’s portfolio is invested in UK securities.  Financial Assets and Liabilities  The Company’s financial instruments comprise equity investments, cash balances and debtors and creditors that arise directly from its operations, for example, in respect of sales and purchase awaiting settlement.  Short term debtors and creditors are excluded form disclosure as allowed by FRS 13.  Fixed asset investments (see note 8) are valued at market bid price where available which equates to their fair values.  The fair values of all other assets and liabilities are represented by their carrying values in the balance sheet.  16. Net Asset Value Per Share  The net asset value per share is based on net assets of £3,120,722 (2006: £3,419,294) divided by 1,802,802 (2006: 1,802,802) ordinary shares in issues.    2007  2006      Net asset value  173.1p  189.7p        25Athelney Trust plc  OFFICERS AND FINANCIAL ADVISERS   Directors:  H.B. Deschampsneufs (Chairman)  Email: hugo@athelneytrust.co.uk      R.G. Boyle (Managing Director)  Email: robin171@btinternet.com       D.A. Horner   Email: cam@chelvertonam.com  Secretary:   J. Girdlestone    Email: john@athelneytrust.co.uk      Waterside Court      Tel: 01326 378 288        Falmouth Road      Penryn      Cornwall, TR10 8AW       Registered Office: Waterside Court    Website: www.athelneytrust.co.uk        Falmouth Road    Email: info@athelneytrust.co.uk Penryn    Tel: 01326 378 288 Cornwall, TR10 8AW  Company Number: 2933559     (Registered in England)  Nominated Adviser:   Noble & Company Limited Email: noble@noblegp.com      120 Old Broad Street   Tel: 020 7763 2200      London, EC2N 1AR      Stockbroker:  Speirs & Jeffrey Limited   Email: wgd@speirsjeffrey.co.uk      36 Renfield Street  Tel: 0141 248 4311 Glasgow, G2 1NA  Auditor:   Clement Keys    Email: mike.meakin@clementkeys.co.uk      39/40 Calthorpe Road   Tel: 0121 456 4456      Edgbaston      Birmingham, B15 1TS       Banker:   The Royal Bank of Scotland plc      London City Office      62/63 Threadneedle Street      London City Office, EC2R 8LA  Registrar:  Share Registrars Limited   Email: enquiries@shareregistrars.uk.com Craven House    Tel: 01252 821 390      West Street      Farnham Surrey, GU9 7EN  Public Relations  Consultants:  City Road Communications  Email: cityroad@cityroad.uk.com 42-44 Carter Lane   Tel: 0207 248 8010 London, EC4V 5EA  26Athelney Trust plc  NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING   NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the fourteenth Annual General Meeting of the Company will be held at the offices of Noble & Company Limited, 5th Floor, 120 Old Broad Street, London, EC2N 1AR on Wednesday 14 May 2008 at 4.30p.m. for the following purposes:  As Ordinary Business  1. To receive and adopt the Company’s Accounts and the Report of the Directors and Auditors for the year ended 31 December 2007.  2. To declare an annual dividend of 3.5p per ordinary share.  It is intended that dividend cheques in respect of the dividend will be posted on Friday 16 May 2008 to all shareholders on the register of members at close of business on Friday 18 April 2008.  3. To approve the remuneration of the Directors.  4. To re-elect Mr D.A. Horner as a Director of the Company.  5. To re-appoint Clement Keys as Auditors and to authorise the Directors to fix their remuneration.    By Order of the Board     John Girdlestone Secretary 02 April 2008  Registered Office:  Waterside Court, Falmouth Road, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 8AW   NOTES  (i)  A member entitled to attend and vote at the Meeting is entitled to appoint a proxy to attend and vote in his/her stead.  A proxy need not be a member of the Company.  A form of proxy is enclosed with this Notice for use at the Meeting.  To be valid, completed forms of proxy (together with any Power of Attorney or other authority under which it is executed or duly certified copy of any such Power or authority) must be deposited at the Company’s Registered Office not less than 48 hours before the time fixed for this meeting.  Completion and return of a form of proxy will not prevent the member from attending and voting at the Meeting in person.  (ii)   The register of Directors’ interests kept in accordance with Section 325 of the Companies Act 1985 and copies of Directors’ service contracts will be available for inspection during normal business hours on any weekday (Saturdays and public holidays excepted) at the Company’s Registered Office from the date of this Notice until the date of the Meeting.   Athelney Trust plc  FORM OF PROXY (See Note (i))  To be used at the Annual General Meeting to be held on 14 May 2008  I/We (Block letters please)   of   and (Names of any joint holders)   Being (a) member(s) of the above-named Company hereby appoint the Chairman of the Meeting or (see Note (ii))   as my/our proxy for me/us and on my/our behalf at the Annual General Meeting of the Company to be held on 14 May 2008 at 4.30 p.m. and at every adjournments thereof.   I/We wish this proxy to be used on the vote on the following:  Please indicate with an X in the appropriate spaces how you wish the proxy to vote.  Unless otherwise instructed, the proxy will use his/her discretion to vote as he/she thinks fit or to abstain from voting on any of the resolutions set out below and on any other business considered at the Meeting.  RESOLUTIONS For Against 1 To receive and adopt the accounts for the year ended 31 December 2007   2 To declare a dividend of 3.5p per Ordinary Share   3 To approve the remuneration of the Directors   4 To re-elect Mr D.A. Horner as a Director   5 To re-appoint Clement Keys as Auditors To authorise the Directors to fix the Auditors’ Remuneration      Signed_______________________________________________________Dated_________________________________    NOTES  (i)   This form is for the use of shareholders only and will be used only in the event of a poll being directed or demanded.  (ii)   If you wish to appoint someone other than the Chairman of the Meeting as your proxy please delete the words “the Chairman of the Meeting” and insert the name of the person you wish to appoint.  A proxy need not be a member of the Company.  (iii)  To be effective, this form of proxy together with any Power of Attorney or other authority under which it is executed or a duly certified copy of any such Power or authority must be deposited at the Company’s Registered Office (Waterside Court, Falmouth Road, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 8AW) not less than 48 hours before the time fixed for the Meeting.  (iv)   Where the member is a corporation, this form must be executed under its common seal or signed by an officer or attorney or other person duly authorised in writing.  (v)   In the case of joint holders, only one need sign this form but the names of all the joint holders should be shown.  The vote of the senior holder who tenders a vote, whether in person or proxy, will be accepted to the exclusion of the votes of the other joint holders.  Seniority will be determined by the order in which the names of the holders appear in the register of members in respect of joint holdings. (cid:6)