NORTHUMBERLAND MARK BENEVOLENT FUND TRUSTEE'S REPORT (To 5th April 2024) THE OBJECTS OF THE FUND. which are administered by the Benevolent Fund Committee a￿._ a) To make emergency andlor ex gratia grants for the relief of Brethren in need who are Mark Master Masons or Royal Ark Mariners and are or have been members of the Province of Northumberland. and their widows, partners, dependants and children pending any necessary application made to the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons, Fund of Benevolence for assistance. In furtheran￿ of this object but not further or otherwise the fvnd shall have the following powers:_ To receive bequests, grants, donations. contributions and subscriptions from the Provincial Grand Lodge. Mark Lodges. Royal Ark Mariner Lodges and individual Brethren of the Province of Northumberland and also from any other Masonic organisation or Trust. or non-masonic individual. organisation or Trust. b) To make contributions from time to time to the Fund of Benevolence of Grand Mark Lodge (MBF) c) To make grants to other approved Masonic charities. d) To make grants to local non-masonic charities. 3. MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND A Benevolent Fund Committee shall be constituted whose function it will be to undertake on behatf of Provincial Grand Lodge:_ a) The Management of the Northumberland Mark Benevolent Fund b) To deal with all matters connected with the Fund of Benevolence of Grand Mark Lodge as affecting the Province of Northumberland 4. CONSTITUTION OF THE cOMMI￿EE The Benevolent Fund Committee shall consist of :_ a) The Provincial Grand Master b) The Deputy Provincial Grand Master c) The Assistant Provincial Grand Master d) The Provincial Grand Secretary e) The Trustees, to be appointed from time to time by the Committee. Q Three other Brethren appointed by the Provincial Grand Lodge. who shall hold office until the next following Annual Meeling of Provincial Grand Lodge. g) One rep￿sentatIVe from each qualifying Lodge to be elected annually by each Lodge and to hold Offi￿ until the Annual Meeting of the Benevolent Fund Committee. A brother shall not be eligible for appointment or election to the Committee unless he is a fully paid up subscribing member of a Lodge within the Province of Northumbertand. The Trustees are pleased lo nole that despite Ihe war in Ukraine continuing the fInan￿S of the fund have not been impacted to the same degree as in 2023 and both the value of the Funds Investments and Donations received have increased. Trustee A ointments and Retirements The Trustees remain unchanged this year. However lan Dalgleish Daniel will retire at the Trustee's meeting on the 11 th July 2024 and Hugh Padruig Mclntosh MacLeod will ￿place him as a Trustee of the Charity. Peo The fund is run entirely by volunteers who give up their time, free of tharge, to cary out the work of the fund and the Trustees would like to put on ￿COrd their thanks for all Ihe hard work undertaken. Inveslments sin￿ April 2015 £116.790 has been Invested with Fidelty Intemational and £40.000 withdrawn. this includes £15,000 in this financial year. resulting in a net investment of £76,790. The current value of the Fidelity Investment is £112,688 and in the opinion of the Trustees, this is a very good performance given the financial uncertainty since 2020. Donations and Income It is pleasing to see that the reduction in donations experienced due lo the Global Pandemic and Economic downtum in the previous few years has now turned around and donations received this year from Members and Groups have increased. Funds raised via the Recycled Regalia Initiative have also InC￿aSed again this year and the Trustees thank all those who have made donations via this scheme. Unfortunately income from Fundraising events has fallen despile the hard work of the event Co-ordinators, for which the Trustees want to record their thanks. Total Income to the NMBF in the year £46,212 Notable Grants The Mark Benevolent Fund (MBF) continues to be the largest beneficiary of the fund. £14,350 to the Mark Benevolent Fund who support individuals and charities within the wider community as well as here in Northumberland. Examples are the RNLI, Addenbrook's Hosprtal Trust, Hope for tomorrow cancer charity. £850 to Daft as a Brush who provide Iransportlo can￿r patienls to and from hospFtal, free of charge. £800 to Friends of Scarborough Court, who are a group of volunteers who arrange fund raising and social events to pay for additional treats for the residents of the care home. £500 to the Children's Heart Unit Fund (CHUF) who provide support to the babies and their families who are bom with or develop a heart condition. £500 to Lighthouse Community Hub in Blyth which has been established to develop community links. adult training and hardship support. £1,000 to local food banks. providing much needed support to individuals and families in need. Total Expenditure by the NMBF in the year £20.352 Surplus Income over Expenditure £25.860 Grants awarded b the MBF to Charities and Good Causes in Northurnberland Whilst not a feature of the NMBF Accounts the trustees would like to record that the MBF has made two substantial grants lo good causes within Northumberland, the first a grant of £30,000 to the Lighthouse Community Hub based in Blylh to and the second a grant of £27,300 to Hospice Care North Northumberland. based in Alnwick for the purchase of a vehicle. umma In the opinion of the Trustees the fvnd has continued to meet its objectives in the ongoing uncertain and somewhat trying financial climate. The surplus of Income over Expenditure is mainly due to the increase in the value of Investmenls and the lower than usual donation to the MBF, together with a reduction in grants made to local charities and good causes over the previous few years. k/iJ.l/. AYITh)hJi) UJAL C dAI l<)nATrJ T2vrfLL 14 I TVLY 2 OlLk R¢giJtered Cbarity N l(M17791 NORTHUMBERLAND MARK BENEVOLENT FUND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the Year Ended 5 April 2024 TD T&xation Services l Two Ball Lonnen Fenham Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 9RN TD TAXATION SERVICES NORTHUMBERLAND MARK BENEVOLENT FUND Year Ended 5 April 2024 CONTENTS Page Independent Examiner's Report Statement of Financial Activities Balance sheet Notes to the Financial Statements NORTHUMBERLAND MARK BENEVOLENT FUND Year Ended 5 April 2024 We report on the attached accounts of the fund f(Y the year ended 5 April 2024 Respettive responsibilities of Trusttts and exvdminer As the Charity's trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the Accounts. You consider that the audit requirement of section 144 (2) of the Chariti¢s Act 2011 (the Act) does not apply. It is our responsibility to.. Examine the arxounts under section 145 of the Act: To follow the procedures laid down in general dir￿tionS given by the ChaTity Commissioners under section 145 (5)(b) of the Art; and State whether particular matters have come lo my attention. Basi5 of IDdepeDdent Examiner's report Our exarnination was carried out in accordance with the general directions given by the Charity Commissioner5 An examination Includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the Acwunts presentsa with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosure in the accounts, and the seeking of explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audiL and consequently. no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair, view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below. Independent ExAminer's Statement In connection with our examination. no matter has ¢ome to our attention". which gives us reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements". a) To keep accounting records in accordance with s.130 of the Act. and b) To prepare accounts which accord with the a￿)Unting records and to comply with the accounting requirements of the 201 l Act have not been met. or To which, in our opinion, attention should be drawn in Order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Helen Taylo Gill Donag Siuart Cairns Dale. NORTHUMBERLAND MARK BENEVOLENT FUND Statement of FinaDcial Activities Year Ended S April 2024 2024 2023 EXPENDTfuRE 2024 2023 INCOME 14.666 12.716 Adminis¢r*tion cort Secrc¢arJ' a￿1 T￿asUre[S InN'¢suncnt Adi"iser Fcc Accourdaw. Fec Bank Charges Donation rcceii'ed in ertor Mcmt¢t5 Gift Aid Co￿n￿llu01L8 12 540 246 493 234 98 Tu Rectsimable for Year Repayable after)'¢ar eTrJ Gift Aid ov¢r DoutiODJ Received Lodgcs Menit¢ts rx)n aid contsibutsOAS Non-mem￿ Amazon Smd¢ ReLTrcle4CIwiry Ew. FUTr (thrOIde￿ (Allxed De8￿C & C￿fi Lodge) Misc (Festii'al JeThel) 5.233 3.548 5.250 250 ,331 1,501 40 36 13 27 13 77 7(M) Other Charitable DonAtiODJ Ty￿rnou￿ Volu￿¢¢[Lrfe Brig Bobbi. Robson Foutkjatson T)neniouth Sea Scouts Pathw.￿.S4AII Chn'su)Lqs Dai. m¢als forUM)s¢ in ￿ed Chnstsnas FOodl￿nk Do1￿110￿S Daft as a Brush Frie￿LS of Scart)orough Coun CFtUF LiglrtlK)U5c Communit). Hub Chn"sutus P￿sents for WHIe￿n1'lleged Cknldrcn (I']a John Page Lxjdge) MBF re Patrons a￿1 Stcwanls Dues Dec'd ￿rnber charits donatio F¢stii'al J¢Mel Misc Credit Unp￿5¢￿ed C￿q 450 21M) 220 1.5 250 1.2 TicyR¢galia 2.005 1.431 850 8(X) 5(M) Fyttdrnising Ei'ents Coins & Ku'Thngs Socials & Raffles Festi121 Badge Sclrn 25 3.196 321 I.2￿) 3,755 70 i(KJ 15.052 10.650 2(K) Intetryt Reretved Rclicf IN¢￿5[ COIF I￿tC￿S1 86 In of 20.352 26.297 13,628 -2,633 Surplus (tkfKit) of 1￿me oi.er ¢￿￿￿11ture 25.8(1) -2.26$ ui NORTHUMBERLAND MARK BENEVOLEiYf FUND Year Ended 5 April 2024 BALANCE SHEET AS AT S APRIL 2024 UNRESTRICTED tNCOME FUND [N￿TMENT & ASs￿s i¥ As at 5 Apn] 2023 Surplus for fk year Lcss.. Gift Aid oi'¢rcstimated I￿.407 25.860 102.766 -2264 -95 I(KI.407 Cash and Bank deposits . Cash at Bank 15,743 2,97.. 126267 Cash at COIF CasW¢F¢ques in haTrl Fidelity tnvesttt¢rt Accourt Reii¢f CF¢st - MMM2118 R£lief Clwt .MARKFEST2031 Ikld on Account Thith MBF 1,911 2.632 112.688 1,015 125 loo 108.061 36: serv¢ for deprtxlants ¢lain 1,049 1.(49 MBF Creditr)r re HoTh)rific 10,650 Is.( Tax repaynrrt ¢laitn (2023) TaxffpayDrllE claim (2024) 3,191 3.667 116 116 i dJittM AJJJ Approval of Accounts and Annual Report The Report and Accounts were approved by the Trustees on ................. Signed on behaIf of the trustees: NORTHUMBERLAND MARK BENEVOLENT FUND NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the Year Ended 5 April 2024 ACCOUNTING POLICIES [a] These Accounts have been prepared on an accruals basi5 under historical cost convention in accordance with applicable accounting 5tsndards and the Charities Ststement of Recommended Practi¢e'. Accounting for Charities. F.r Investhient income is a¢￿Unted for gross in the year for which it falls due. tbl [c] The Northumberland Mark Benevolent Fund is a registered charity and is not subject to tlxation. Tax recoverable on income receivable for a specific year is accounted for on the accruals basis. INCOME DURING THE YEAR FROM FifND RAISING EVE￿rS Social ProvinciaI meeting Raffle 2024 2.316 880 2023 1658 1.097 STOCK OF TIES At 5 April 2024 there was a stock of Mark and Royal Ark Matiner tie% the value of which is not accounted for in the financial statements. DEPENDANTS GRANTS ACCOUNT Balance b1￿.d at 5 Apri] 2023 R¢c¢ivcd from Grnnd todge MBF TrntLsfer from Ge￿ra1 FUJNJS In*rest 1.049 1.049 Grants to dependants Tra￿fer to G¢net31 Funds B￿anCeS at 5 April 2024 1.049 1,049 1.049 I,(H9 NORTHUMBERLAND MARK BENEVOLENT FUND Year Ended 5 April 2024 We report on the attached accounts of the fund f(Y the year ended 5 April 2024 Respettive responsibilities of Trusttts and exvdminer As the Charity's trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the Accounts. You consider that the audit requirement of section 144 (2) of the Chariti¢s Act 2011 (the Act) does not apply. It is our responsibility to.. Examine the arxounts under section 145 of the Act: To follow the procedures laid down in general dir￿tionS given by the ChaTity Commissioners under section 145 (5)(b) of the Art; and State whether particular matters have come lo my attention. Basi5 of IDdepeDdent Examiner's report Our exarnination was carried out in accordance with the general directions given by the Charity Commissioner5 An examination Includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the Acwunts presentsa with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosure in the accounts, and the seeking of explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audiL and consequently. no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair, view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below. Independent ExAminer's Statement In connection with our examination. no matter has ¢ome to our attention". which gives us reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements". a) To keep accounting records in accordance with s.130 of the Act. and b) To prepare accounts which accord with the a￿)Unting records and to comply with the accounting requirements of the 201 l Act have not been met. or To which, in our opinion, attention should be drawn in Order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Helen Taylo Gill Donag Siuart Cairns Dale.