2025-04-05-accounts

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1047611

Report of the Trustees and Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 5 April 2025

for

MICHAEL AND LESLEY BENNETT CHARITABLE TRUST

Melinek Fine LLP Chartered Accountants First Floor, Winston House 349 Regents Park Road London

N3 1DH

MICHAEL AND LESLEY BENNETT CHARITABLE TRUST

Contents of the Financial Statements FOR THE YEAR ENDED 5 APRIL 2025

	Page
Report of the Trustees	1 to 2
Independent Examiner's Report	3
Statement of Financial Activities	4
Balance Sheet	5
Notes to the Financial Statements	6 to 8

MICHAEL AND LESLEY BENNETT CHARITABLE TRUST

Report of the Trustees FOR THE YEAR ENDED 5 APRIL 2025

The trustees present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 5 April 2025. The trustees have adopted the provisions of 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) (effective 1 January 2019).

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

Objectives and aims

The Trust was created to provide grants for charitable purposes worldwide. The trustees have full discretion to distribute all or part of the income or capital of the Trust to any organisation, body, or cause that is legally recognised as exclusively charitable under English law.

Public benefit

The trustees ensure that all income and capital are applied to charitable causes that deliver public benefit. Each year they review the Trust’s objectives to confirm they remain aligned with its aims, taking into account the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit.

Grantmaking

The trustees review all grant applications at their meetings. Their general policy is to distribute the Trust’s income each year as it is received, and, when appropriate, to make distributions from capital as well.

ACHIEVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE

Charitable activities

During the year, the trustees awarded donations totalling £71,155, compared with £27,625 in the previous year (2024). This reflects the Trust’s ongoing commitment to supporting a wide range of charitable causes.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Financial position

The Trust recorded a net deficit of £29,192 for the year, compared with a surplus of £28,481 in 2024. At the balance sheet date, total unrestricted funds stood at £304,463 (2024: £333,655). Investment performance contributed to this outcome, with realised and unrealised losses of £4,704, compared with gains of £17,149 in the prior year.

Investment policy and objectives

The trustees have broad investment powers and have appointed London & Capital Plc to manage the Trust’s portfolio on a discretionary basis. While investments provide an important source of income, the majority of funds in the year were generated through donations. The managers’ objective is to maximise total return while balancing risk, and the trustees meet with them regularly to review both income requirements and the capital base.

Reserves policy

The Charity’s governing document gives the trustees authority to invest any funds not immediately needed to support its charitable objectives. These investments may be made at the trustees’ discretion, without restriction.

As the Charity does not employ staff or maintain significant fixed overheads, the trustees have concluded that a formal reserves policy is unnecessary.

Having made appropriate enquiries, the trustees are confident that the Charity has sufficient resources to continue operating for the foreseeable future. Accordingly, the financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis, in line with the stated accounting policies.

FUTURE PLANS

The trustees plan to continue their policy of awarding grants to charitable purposes that fall within the Charity’s stated objectives.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing document

The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust and constitutes an unincorporated charity.

Page 1

MICHAEL AND LESLEY BENNETT CHARITABLE TRUST

Report of the Trustees FOR THE YEAR ENDED 5 APRIL 2025

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Recruitment and appointment of new trustees

Under the terms of the Deed, the Settlor, Michael Bennett, holds the power to appoint new trustees during his lifetime. After that, the authority to appoint trustees passes to the existing board. New trustees are appointed through a Deed signed and approved by the current trustees. When a new trustee joins, the existing trustees provide an induction to ensure they understand their responsibilities, the governing document, the Charity’s administrative procedures, and its history and philosophy.

Organisational structure

The trustees set the Charity’s overall strategy and policies and make all major decisions. Since the Charity has no employees, its administrators oversee day-to-day operations.

The trustees also maintain procedures to manage conflicts of interest. If a conflict arises, the trustee involved withdraws from both discussion and decision-making.

Risk management

Each year, the trustees assess the main risks facing the Charity and maintain systems to monitor and manage them, helping to reduce their potential impact.

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Registered Charity number

1047611

Principal address

Bedegars Lea Kenwood Close London NW3 7JL

Trustees

Mr M Bennett Mrs L V Bennett Mrs J P Gistyn (appointed 29.7.24) Mr J E Bennett (appointed 29.7.24)

Independent Examiner

Danny Fine, FCA Melinek Fine LLP Chartered Accountants First Floor, Winston House 349 Regents Park Road London N3 1DH

Approved by order of the board of trustees on 5 September 2025 and signed on its behal Approved by order of the board-of trustees on 5 Sepbember 2025 and signed an its behalf by:

Mr M Bennett - Trustee Mr M Bennett - Tihetée

Page 2

Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of MICHAEL AND LESLEY BENNETT CHARITABLE TRUST

Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Michael and Les!ey Bennett Charitable Trust

T report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of Michael and Lesley Bennett Charitable Trust (the Trust) for the year ended 5 April 2025.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).

T report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under Section 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under Section 145(5)(b) of the Act,

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Independent examiner's statement

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

1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by Section 130 of the Act; or 2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

2. the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 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.

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.

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Danny Fine, FCA
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Melinek Fine LLP Chartered Accountants First Floor, Winston House 349 Regents Park Road London N3 1DH

5 September 2025

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MICHAEL AND LESLEY BENNETT CHARITABLE TRUST

Statement of Financial Activities

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 5 APRIL 2025

2025 Unrestricted fund Notes £ INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM Donations and legacies 46,436 Investment income 2 3,452 Total 49,888 EXPENDITURE ON Raising funds 3 461 Charitable activities Advancement of the arts, culture and humanities 1,000 Community development 54,655 Advancement of health 9,350 Advancement of education 4,050 Advancement of religion 2,100 Other charitable activities 2,760 Total 74,376 Net gains/(losses) on investments (4,704) NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE) (29,192) RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS Total funds brought forward 333,655 TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD 304,463

2024 Total funds £ 42,488 1,115 43,603 1,502 1,000 11,350 10,625 3,200 1,450 3,144 32,271 17,149 28,481 305,174 333,655

The notes form part of these financial statements

Page 4

MICHAEL AND LESLEY BENNETT CHARITABLE TRUST

Balance Sheet 5 APRIL 2025

				2025 2025	2024 2024
				Unrestricted fund Unrestricted fund	Total funds Tatal funds
	Notes Mees			£ E	£ £
FIXED ASSETS FIXED ASSETS
Investments Investments.		7	7 ri	286,822 286,822	288,075 288,075
CURRENT ASSETS CURRENT ASSETS
Debtors Cash at bank Debtors Cash at hank		8	8 &	17,398 5,243 17,398 ~~5,2~~43	49,248 1,332 49,248 ~~1,3~~32
				22,641 22,641	50,580 50,580
CREDITORS CREDITORS
Amounts falling due within one year Amounts falling due within oneyear		9	9 9	(5,000) (5,000)	(5,000) £5,000)
NET CURRENT ASSETS HETCURRENTASSETS				17,641 ~~17,64~~1	45,580 ~~45,5~~80
TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES TOTALASSETSLESSCURRENTLEABILITIES				304,463 204 463	333,655 333,655
NET ASSETS NETASSETS				304,463 ~~304,46~~5	333,655 ~~333,65~~5
FUNDS FUNDS
Unrestricted funds Unrestriched funds				304,463 ~~404,46~~3	333,655 ~~433,65~~5
TOTAL FUNDS TOTALFUNDS				304,463 ~~304,46~~3	333,655 ~~333,65~~5

The The financial financial statements statements were were approved approved by the Board by the of Trustees Board and of authorised Trustees and for issue authorised on 5 September for issue 7025 on and

............................................. and were signed on its behalf by: were signed on its behalf by:, z ¢

............................................. Mr M Bennett - Trustee Mr M Bennett - Trustee so

The notes form part of these financial statements

Page 5

MICHAEL AND LESLEY BENNETT CHARITABLE TRUST

Notes to the Financial Statements FOR THE YEAR ENDED 5 APRIL 2025

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of preparing the financial statements

The financial statements of the charity, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) '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) (effective 1 January 2019)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Charities Act 2011. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, with the exception of investments which are included at market value, as modified by the revaluation of certain assets.

Income

All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.

Expenditure

Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

Grants offered subject to conditions which have not been met at the year end date are noted as a commitment but not accrued as expenditure.

Taxation

The charity is exempt from tax on its charitable activities.

Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.

Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.

Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.

2. INVESTMENT INCOME

INVESTMENT INCOME
	2025	2024
	£	£
Curr asset inv income	3,452	1,115

continued...

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MICHAEL AND LESLEY BENNETT CHARITABLE TRUST

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 5 APRIL 2025

3. RAISING FUNDS

Investment management costs

4.

Portfolio management GRANTS PAYABLE Advancement of the arts, culture and humanities Community development Advancement of health Advancement of education Advancement of religion	2025 £ 461 2025 £ 1,000 54,655 9,350 4,050 2,100 71,155	2024 £ 1,502 2024 £ 1,000 11,350 10,625 3,200 1,450 27,625

The total grants paid to institutions during the year was £71,155 (2024: 27,625). A summary of grants made to institutions during the year is as follows:

Name of institution Amount (£) The Central British Fund for World Jewish relief 23,500 Community Security Trust 8,500 Chai-Lifeline Cancer Care 4,150 United Jewish Israel Appeal 2,300 Holocaust Educational Trust 2,000 United Synagogue 1,000 Other donations 29,705 Total 71,155

5. TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS

There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 5 April 2025 nor for the year ended 5 April 2024.

Trustees' expenses

There were no trustees' expenses paid for the year ended 5 April 2025 nor for the year ended 5 April 2024.

6. STAFF COSTS

There were no staff costs for the year ended 5 April 2024 nor for the year ended 5 April 2023.

continued...

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MICHAEL AND LESLEY BENNETT CHARITABLE TRUST

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 5 APRIL 2025

7. FIXED ASSET INVESTMENTS

MARKET VALUE At 6 April 2024 Additions Revaluations At 5 April 2025 NET BOOK VALUE At 5 April 2025 At 5 April 2024 There were no investment assets outside the UK. Cost or valuation at 5 April 2025 is represented by: Valuation in 2025 Cost 8. DEBTORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR Other debtors 9. CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR Other creditors	Listed investments £ 288,075 3,451 (4,704) 286,822 286,822 288,075 Listed investments £ 12,261 274,561 286,822 2025 2024 £ £ 17,398 49,248 2025 2024 £ £ 5,000 5,000

10. RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES

During the year, the Charity received donations totalling £35,600 (2024: £33,990) from Michael Bennett, a Trustee. Included in other creditors is £2,300 (2024: £2,300) due to Michael Bennett.

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