**Company No: 02920866 Charity No: 1037513** 

## **THE MOTHER AND CHILD FOUNDATION LIMITED** 

**(A company limited by guarantee)** 

## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** 

**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2023** 

**Hentons** 

Chartered Accountants Ground Floor 31 Kentish Town Road London NW1 8NL 



## **THE MOTHER AND CHILD FOUNDATION LIMITED** 

## **CONTENTS** 

||Page|
|---|---|
|Legal and administrative information|1|
|Report of the trustees|2-5|
|Independent examiner's report|6|
|Statement of financial activities|7|
|Balance sheet|8|
|Notes|9-13|





## **THE MOTHER AND CHILD FOUNDATION LIMITED** 

## **REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED  30 APRIL 2023** 

## **Reference and administrative details** 

Charity registration number: 1037513 Company registration number: 02920866 Registered office Ground Floor, 31 Kentish Town Road London NW1 8NL 

## **Directors and trustees** 

The directors of the charitable company (the charity) are its trustees for the purpose of charity law and throughout this report are collectively referred to as the trustees. 

The trustees who served during the year and since the year end were as follows: 

R Keene OBE  (Chairman) Professor M A Crawford  PhD FRSB FRCPath  (Research Director) Dr R E Lister  PhD  FRSB (Deceased 28 October 2021) Dr Z Hassam MD FRCPath M D Pirkis Dip Agric Rev S H House (Deceased 14 August 2022) Dr R Gow MSc PhD A Keene MA (Appointed 19 August 2022) 

## **Secretary** 

Dr R Gow MSc PhD 

## **Independent examiner** 

J Davies Hentons Chartered Accountants Ground Floor, 31 Kentish Town Road London NW1 8NL 

1 



## **THE MOTHER AND CHILD FOUNDATION LIMITED** 

## **REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2023** 

The trustees, who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 30 April 2023. 

The legal and administrative information set out on page 1 forms part of this report. The trustees confirm that the annual report and the financial statements of the charity comply with the current statutory requirements, the Memorandum and Articles of Association, and the Statement of Recommended Practice - Accounting and Reporting by Charities (Charities SORP FRS 102). 

## **Structure, governance and management** 

## **Governing document** 

The Mother And Child Foundation is a charitable company limited by guarantee with no share capital, incorporated in England and Wales on 20 April 1994 and registered as a charity on 12 May 1994.  The company was established under a Memorandum of Association which established the objects and powers of the charitable company and is governed under it's Articles of Association. In the event of the charity being wound up, members are required to contribute an amount not exceeding £10. 

The directors of the company are also trustees of the charity. The trustees provide a balance of expertise and knowledge ranging from the representation of parents and mothers to agronomists, science and medicine. The Foundation has no offices and does not employ staff, the work being done voluntarily. 

## **Recruitment and appointment of the board of trustees** 

Trustees are recruited through personal contact, advertisement or a not for profit organisation. 

## **Trustees induction and training** 

New trustees meet with the Chair and present members of the Board informally to discuss the working of the Foundation, its past, present and future commitments. 

## **Risk Management** 

The trustees have examined the major risks (operational, financial and general) to which the company  is exposed and confirm that appropriate steps are in place to mitigate these risks. 

In the present situation, we have funds underwritten for 12 months. The Foundation has no property and does not engage staff. All functions are voluntary,  except for payment to our web master when requested. All studies funded by the Foundation on humans are before starting, covered by NHS ethical approval. The same applies to those conducted abroad where we insist on local ethical approval. 

## **Objectives and activities for the public benefit** 

The trustees confirm that they have referred to the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the Foundation's aims and objectives and in planning future activities. The Foundation's primary goal is to foster good maternal health and prevent adverse pregnancy outcomes. Dissemination of the Foundation’s work has been achieved by the publication in peer reviewed publications and its web site http://www.themotherandchildfoundation.org 

2 



## **THE MOTHER AND CHILD FOUNDATION LIMITED** 

## **REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2023** 

## **Achievements during this current financial year** 

The Foundation continued to support the seminal work being carried out at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital Campus of Imperial College. The study of 300 pregnancies was ended in 2019, but analysis of the large data set, was still in progress giving rise to the paper above describing, for the first time the full importance of arachidonic acid during the progress of pregnancy. Arachidonic acid is the major membrane acyl component of the placenta, the developing cardiovascular and immune systems in the growing fetus system.  Docoshexaenoic acid is of course critcally important, for the developing central and peripheral nervous systems. We have followed up our contribution to the Centernary of the National Institute of Nutrition in Hyderabad, India. Professor Crawford, our research director, was contacted by Professor S Kowsalya following his presentation seeking a possible research collaboration, with her University in Coimbatore. Having visited Coimbatore previously and met Avinashilimgan who created and funded the Women's University in Coimbatore we were enthusiastic to follow up this suggestion. South India has the highest prevalence of preterm births globally. The first question is to identify the reasons, then to put in place preventive measures of cell regulating substances called eicosanoids which support good blood flow, control blood pressure, and serve the response to injury with inflammation recruiting white cells to the site of damage and then helping resolve the injury. It is a major structural component of the tissues involved in organogenesis following the implantation of the fertilised ovum in for example, the developing cardiovascular and immune systems, and the placenta responsible for nourishing the fetus. Then it is involved as a major component of the cell membranes growing to form fetal organogensis and fetal growth itself. 

## **Future** 

The work in the East-end of London, the Sudan, China and at Imperial College, sponsored by the Foundation, has led to identification of the specific nutritional  requirements for brain development during pregnancy and lactation. This will help prevent low birthweight, preterm birth and hence the brain disorders to which children of such adverse pregnancy outcomes are at high risk. The escalation of mental ill heath and decline in IQ since 1950 demands the application of knowledge on the nutrition and health of the mother and the brain to be put into practice.  Despite five audits of the cost of ill health in the EU and UK from 2005 to 2013, placing brain disorders at the top of the list, there has been no response. In March 2023, the European Federation of European Neuroscientists, proclaimed brain health is now a global emergency.  Despite the sad loss of our sponsor and five trustees it is important that the Foundation recovers with a search for new funds to extend the work in Africa, India and at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and our collaborators to bring home the evidence to help secure brain health, especially for the children yet to be born. 

In addition to progressing the contact in Coimbatore, there is also a suggestion of applying the same approach of discovery and prevention in Pakistan which has a similar high prevalence of low birthweights and preterm births as in South India. 

It is sad to relate that recently, four of our trustees have died. Major Christopher Robinson, Lord Rea, Robert Lister (our treasurer), and the Rev. Simon House. None were Covid related. Our thoughts are with their families and friends. Alexander Keene is now our treasurer. 

3 



## **THE MOTHER AND CHILD FOUNDATION LIMITED** 

## **REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2023** 

## **References:** 

M.A. Crawford, Y. Wang, D. E. Marsh, M. R. Johnson, E. Ogundipe, A. Ibrahim, H. Rajkumar, S. Kowsalya, K.S.D. Kothapalli, J.T. Brenna, (2022) Neurodevelopment, nutrition and genetics. 

2. A contemporary retrospective on neurocognitive health on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, India, Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids 180, (2022).  102427, ISSN 0952-3278, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plefa.2022.102427 

3. Crawford MA, Sinclair AJ, Hall B, Ogundipe E, Wang Y, Bitsanis D, Djahanbakhch OB, Harbige L, Ghebremeskel K, Golfetto I, Moodley T, Hassam A, Sassine A, Johnson MR. The imperative of arachidonic acid in early human development. Prog Lipid Res. 2023 Jul;91:101222 doi: 10.1016/j.plipres.2023.101222. Epub 2023 Feb 4. PMID: 36746351. 

4. Book - published 2023, “The Shrinking Brain” by Crawford and Marsh. 

## **Financial review** 

The Foundation has sufficient funds to operate for a further year. New funds are urgently needed. 

In the year under review, the incoming resources was exceeded by the resources expended by £20,653. At the balance sheet date, the reserves held was £6,906. 

## **Reserve policy** 

The directors and trustees have continued the provision of £10,000 in the bank account at the National Westminster Bank. 

## **Statement of trustees' responsibilities** 

The trustees (who are also directors of The Mother And Child Foundation for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the trustees' report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Standards. 

Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and the incoming resources and application of resources, including income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to: 

- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; 

- observe the methods and principles of the Charities SORP; 

- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; 

- state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; 

- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation. 

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. 

4 



## **THE MOTHER AND CHILD FOUNDATION LIMITED** 

## **REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2023** 

The trustees confirm that to the best of their knowledge there is no information relevant to the independent examination of which the examiner is unaware. The trustees also confirm that they have taken all necessary steps to ensure that they themselves are aware of all relevant examination information and that this information has been communicated to the examiner. 

Members of the charity guarantee to contribute an amount not exceeding £10 to the assets of the charity in the event of winding up. The number of such guarantees at 30 April 2023 was 6 (2022: 6).  The trustees are members of the charity but this entitles them only to voting rights. The trustees  have no beneficial interest in the charity. 

## **Small company provisions** 

The above report has been prepared in accordance with the small companies' regime under the Companies Act 2006. 

This report was approved by the board of trustees on 27 January 2024 and signed on its behalf by 

Professor M A Crawford  PhD FRSB FRCPath Director and trustee 

5 



## **THE MOTHER AND CHILD  FOUNDATION LIMITED** 

## **Independent examiner's report to the trustees of The Mother and Child Foundation Limited** 

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of The Mother and Child Foundation Limited (the charity) for the year ended 30 April 2023, which are set out on pages 7 to 13. 

## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner** 

As the trustees of the company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (the 2006 Act). 

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of the charity's accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act). In carrying out my examination, I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act. 

## **Basis of independent examiner's report** 

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that: 

1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or 

2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or 

3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair' view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or 

4. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102). 

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. 

This report is made solely to the charity's trustees, as a body, in accordance with Part 4 of the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008. My work has been undertaken so that I might state to the charity's trustees those matters I am required to state to them in an Independent examiner's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, I do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity and the charity's trustees as a body, for my work or for this report. 

J Davies Hentons Chartered Accountants Ground Floor, 31 Kentish Town Road London NW1 8NL 

27 January 2024 

6 



## **THE MOTHER AND CHILD FOUNDATION LIMITED** 

## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES** 

## **(Incorporating an Income and Expenditure Account) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2023** 

|**Unrestricted**<br>**Note**<br>**funds**<br>£<br>**Income**<br>Donations and gifts<br>**2**<br>43,318<br>**_Income from charitable activities:_**<br>Medical research projects<br>**4**<br>-<br>Investment income<br>**3**<br>-<br>**Total income**<br>43,318<br>**Expenditure**<br>**_Expenditure on charitable activities:_**<br>Medical research projects<br>**6**<br>1,852<br>**Total expenditure**<br>1,852<br>**Net income / (expenditure) and net movement**<br>41,466<br>**in funds for the year**<br>**Reconciliation of funds:**<br>Total funds brought forward<br>6,320<br>**Total funds carried forward**<br>**9**<br>47,786|**Restricted**<br>**funds**<br>£<br>-<br>9,000<br>-<br>9,000<br>71,119<br>71,119<br>(62,119)<br>21,239<br>(40,880)|**Total funds**<br>**2023**<br>£<br>43,318<br>9,000<br>-<br>52,318<br>72,971<br>72,971<br>(20,653)<br>27,559<br>6,906|**Total funds**<br>**2022**<br>£<br>47,091<br>19,000<br>4<br>66,095<br>49,822<br>49,822<br>16,273<br>11,286<br>27,559|
|---|---|---|---|



The Statement of Financial Activities also complies with the requirements for an income and expenditure account under the Companies Act 2006. 

All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities. There were no other recognised gains or losses other than those stated above. Movement in funds is shown in note 11 to the financial statements. 

The notes on pages 9 to 13 form part of these accounts. 

7 



## **THE MOTHER AND CHILD FOUNDATION LIMITED** 

## **BALANCE SHEET 30 APRIL 2023** 

|**Note**<br>**Current assets**<br>Cash at bank and in hand<br>Total current assets<br>**Liabilities**<br>Creditors falling due within one year<br>**8**<br>**Net current assets**<br>**Total assets less current liabilities**<br>**The funds of the charity:**<br>Unrestricted funds<br>**9**<br>Restricted (deficit)/funds<br>**9**<br>**Total charity funds**|£<br>£<br>9,042<br>9,042<br>(2,136)<br>6,906<br>6,906<br>47,786<br>(40,880)<br>6,906<br>**2023**|£<br>£<br>29,407<br>29,407<br>(1,848)<br>27,559<br>27,559<br>6,320<br>21,239<br>27,559<br>**2022**|
|---|---|---|



For the year ended 30 April 2023 the company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies. 

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year in question in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006. 

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts. 

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies' regime and in accordance with FRS 102 SORP. 

The financial statements on page 7 to 13 were approved by the board of directors and trustees on 27 January 2024 and signed on its behalf by: 

Professor M A Crawford  PhD FRSB FRCPath Director and trustee 

## **Company registration no: 02920866** 

8 



## **THE MOTHER AND CHILD FOUNDATION LIMITED** 

## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2023** 

## **1 Accounting policies** 

## **(a) Basis of accounting** 

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement  of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)  (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), the Charities Act 2011 and the Companies Act 2006. 

The charity has taken advantage of the disclosure exemption, otherwise requiring a Statement of Cash Flows, as permitted by Update Bulletin 1. 

The Mother And Child Foundation meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note(s). 

## **(b) Going concern** 

The accounts have been prepared on the assumption that the charity is able to continue as a going concern, which the trustees consider appropriate having regard to the current level of reserves and further guarantee of support up to £60,000 if needed. 

## **(c) Funds accounting** 

Funds held by the charity are: 

Unrestricted funds: these are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity. 

Restricted funds: are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure imposed by the donor or where funds have been raised for a specific purpose. 

## **(d) Income** 

All incoming resources receivable during the year are accounted for in the Statement of Financial Activities. The following specific policies are applied to particular categories of income: 

Voluntary income: includes donations and gifts that provide core funding or are of a general nature is recognised where the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured with sufficient reliability. 

9 



## **THE MOTHER AND CHILD FOUNDATION LIMITED** 

## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2023** 

Income from includes income received under contract or where entitlement to grant funding is charitable activities: subject to specific conditions and is recognised as earned. Grant income included in this category provides funding to support the undertaking of activities and is recognised where there is entitlement, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured with sufficient reliability. 

## **(e) Expenditure** 

Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that the settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. 

Expenditure is classified under the following activity headings: 

Charitable activities: include expenditure associated with medical research projects and include both the direct costs and support costs relating to these activities. 

Support costs: include central functions and have been allocated to activity cost categories to reflect the use of resources. Costs relating to a particular activity are allocated directly; they also include governance costs associated with the constitutional and statutory requirements of the charity. 

## **2 Income from donations and gifts** 

|**Unrestricted**<br>**funds**<br>£<br>Donations<br>42,148<br>Gift aid repayments<br>1,170<br>43,318|**Restricted**<br>**funds**<br>£<br>-<br>-<br>-|**Total**<br>**2023**<br>£<br>42,148<br>1,170<br>43,318|**Total**<br>**2022**<br>£<br>39,560<br>7,531<br>47,091|
|---|---|---|---|



During the year, the charity received donations of £nil (2022: £34,500) from Friends of the Mother and Child Foundation Inc. (US). 

## **3 Investment income** 

The charity's investment income arises from bank interest receivable. 

Bank interest receivable 

|**2023**<br>£<br>-<br>-|**2022**<br>£<br>4<br>4|
|---|---|



10 



## **THE MOTHER AND CHILD FOUNDATION LIMITED** 

## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2023** 

## **4 Income resources from charitable activities** 

The income was primarily from grants to undertake medical research projects. 

||**Unrestricted**|**Restricted**|**Total**|**Total**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||**funds**|**funds**|**2023**|**2022**|
||£|£|£|£|
|**Grants receivable**|-|9,000|9,000|19,000|



During the year £9,000 (2022: £9,000) was received from Suntory, Japan.  The funds were used solely in medical research, training, diagnosis or treatment. 

## **5** 

## **Allocation of support and governance costs** 

The charity allocates its support costs as shown below. Support costs are allocated on a basis consistent with the use of resources and identifies those costs which relate to the governance function. 

|Bank charges<br>Independent examiner's fee<br>Other costs|**Support**<br>**Costs**<br>£<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-|**Governance**<br>**Costs**<br>£<br>4<br>1,560<br>288<br>1,852|**Total**<br>£<br>4<br>1,560<br>288<br>1,852|
|---|---|---|---|



## **6** 

## **Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities** 

The charity undertakes direct charitable activities for medical research projects. 

|Imperial College - IBCHN<br>Governance costs<br>**_Note 5_**|£<br>71,119<br>1,852<br>72,971|
|---|---|



(IBCHN - Institute of Brain Chemistry and Human Nutrition) 

11 



## **THE MOTHER AND CHILD FOUNDATION LIMITED** 

## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2023** 

## **7 Taxation** 

The charitable company is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities. 

## **8 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year** 

|Other creditors and accruals|**2023**<br>£<br>2,136<br>2,136|**2022**<br>£<br>1,848<br>1,848|
|---|---|---|



## **9 Movement in funds** 

|**Unrestricted funds**<br>General funds<br>**Restricted funds**<br>Grants and donations<br>Total funds|**Opening**<br>**balance**<br>£<br>6,320<br>21,239<br>27,559|**Income**<br>£<br>43,318<br>9,000<br>52,318<br>**Movement**|**Expenditure**<br>£<br>1,852<br>71,119<br>72,971<br>**in resources**|**Transfer**<br>**between**<br>**funds**<br>£<br>-<br>-<br>-|**Closing**<br>**balance**<br>£<br>47,786<br>(40,880)<br>6,906|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|



## **10 Purposes of restricted funds** 

Grants and donations receivable were used for the studies on maternal and child nutrition and health. 

## **11 Analysis of net assets between funds** 

|**Unrestricted funds**<br>**Restricted deficit**|**Net**<br>**current**<br>**assets**<br>£<br>47,786<br>(40,880)<br>6,906|**Total**<br>£<br>47,786<br>(40,880)<br>6,906|
|---|---|---|



12 



## **THE MOTHER AND CHILD FOUNDATION LIMITED** 

## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2023** 

## **12 Trustees' remuneration** 

The trustees received no remuneration or benefits in kind during the year. 

## **13 Related party transactions** 

During the year, the following trustees made donations to the charity: 

||**2023**|**2022**|
|---|---|---|
||£|£|
|Professor M A Crawford|42,000|4,640|



At the balance sheet date, the charity owed Professor M A Crawford £nil (2022: £nil). 

13 

