The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society London Branch Trustees' Report and Financial Statements 31 March 2025
Contents
| Reference and administrative details | 2 |
|---|---|
| Trustees' Report | 2 |
| Independent examiner's report | 7 |
| Statement of financial activities | 8 |
| Balance sheet | 9 |
| Notes to the financial statements | 10 |
The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society London Branch Trustees' Report and Financial Statements 31 March 2025
Reference and Administrative details
The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society London Branch is registered in England & Wales as a charity number 1067690 and is also known as 'RSCDS London'. The charity has no office premises and can be reached by email using the contact page of its website: www.rscdslondon.org.uk. Postal communications can be addressed to 7 Chapter Road, London SE17 3ES.
The members of the committee of management are the Trustees of the charity. For the period from 1 April 2024 to the date of this report, the Trustees are:
Adam Brady*
Richard Clarke (Vice chair 1 April 2024 to 8 June 2024, Chair 9 June 2024 to date) Elaine Davies Joanne Lawrence (Chair 1 April to 8 June 2024) Margaret Moore* Wendy Morris Thelma-Jane Robb Margaret Shaw Simon Wales (Treasurer) * not standing for re-election on 14 June 2025
Trustee from 30 August 2024 to the date of this report: Fiona Olson (Secretary)
Trustees for the period 1 April to 8 June 2024: David Hall Mel Rowland (Secretary)
Bankers Bank of Scotland 33 Old Broad Street Branch, PO Box 1000, BX2 1LB Independent Examiner Helen Ives, ACA 80 Bladindon Drive, Bexley. DA5 3BN
Trustees' Report for the year to 31st March 2025
Structure, Governance and Management
The decision to form the Scottish Country Dance Society was taken in Glasgow on 26 November 1923 and a local association in London was established in 1930. It became the Royal Scottish Dance Society in 1951 and in 2015 the unincorporated society transferred its assets to a company limited by guarantee with the same name (Scottish Company 480530) based at 12 Coates Crescent, Edinburgh ('12CC'). RSCDS London is not a Branch but an autonomous body which following adoption of a constitution on 16 May 1997 completed registration as a charity on 23 January 1998. A licence agreement exists between RSCDS London and 12 CC which requires members of RSCDS London also to be members of 12CC.
Under its constitution, members of RSCDS London can amend the constitution, and annually appoint the members of the Management Committee who run (and are automatically the trustees of) the charity. The Committee meets at least four times a year and is supported by sub-committees responsible for eg classes and dances.
Charitable Objectives and Primary Activities
The objective of RSCDS London is to advance the education of the public in London in Scottish country dancing. It does this primarily by:
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a) Preserving and furthering the practice of traditional Scottish country dances
-
b) Providing or assisting in providing instruction in the dancing of Scottish country dances
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c) Promoting the enjoyment and appreciation of Scottish country dancing and music by any suitable means.
Public Benefit
We deliver our objectives via four main routes - classes, dances, publication of a quarterly journal (The Reel) and bursaries which are available to individuals training to be teachers, musicians attending workshops or courses, and dancers attending residential events. All four routes are available to the general public as well as to members.
Mostly based on three rhythms of traditional folk music, a myriad of patterns is available by dancing with a partner and (typically) two or three other couples. Unlike some other dance forms, each dance is conventionally with a different partner. Scottish country dancing combines physical activity, memory and social interaction which is good for physical and mental health as well as being enjoyable.
Page 2 of 14
The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society London Branch Trustees' Report and Financial Statements 31 March 2025
Trustees' Report for the year to 31st March 2025 (Continued)
Achievements and performance during the year
During the last year we have built on our objective of expanding knowledge of traditional Scottish country dancing in the London area by offering events which attract dancers, musicians and teachers. Our 'Dance Scottish in London' programme gives dancers and musicians the opportunity to enhance their existing skills, whilst for other participants it is a chance to be introduced to a new activity.
RSCDS London membership has stabilised with 259 (2024 258) annual members, 73 (2024 75) life members and 38 (2024 42) second branch members. One of our longstanding challenges is to increase the numbers involved in Scottish country dancing in London and in 2024 we participated in a pilot from 12CC using algorithms on a general social media platform. This did generate significant amounts of interest in a free introductory session which participants enjoyed. However unlike some other piloted locations outside London, they did not return to develop the basic techniques necessary to dance socially. Our own use of other channels brought in enough people to run a very succesful Beginners' course and our most powerful recruitment tool remains recommendations from our members.
In central London we continue to use Maria Fidelis School for classes. This is a modern building with an air-conditioned dance studio and excellent access to transport links across London including half a dozen underground lines, national rail services and over a dozen bus routes. It also has some parking availability for musicians – a rarity for such a central location! All of which makes it ideal for those working at a central London office to visit before travelling home and for London residents to reach. The weekly Wednesday classes include an autumn Beginners' course which leads into a spring Improvers’ course. In the summer, these dancers can join the General class which runs throughout the academic year from September to June. These are supplemented by a Technique class and a Fast Paced Social class both of which are monthly on Tuesdays and an annual Day School for dancers and musicians one Saturday in October. 0
Also in central London we teach at St Columba’s Church with a Wednesday afternoon Mixed Ability Social class, a monthly Tuesday evening Social class aimed at young adults and a Children’s class on Sunday in collaboration with the church which is also monthly. It has proved particularly difficult to predict if sufficient children will attend to perform the dances (which mostly require six or eight dancers) and we are considering alternative approaches.
In south-west London, the weekly class at the Richmond Library Annexe continues to be popular and starts with Beginners’ material and moves on to more advanced material designed for Improvers on Wednesday evenings.
Whenever possible we pay for a musician at classes as well as the teacher and this, combined with high hall charges in London, results in a deficit from these activities. All the classes contribute directly to our charitable objectives and this is especially true of the Day School which is also our most subsidised event. Paying the teachers and musicians contributes to creating a pool of resources in London and is also directly aligned with our charitable objectives.
Our annual cycle of dances begins with free afternoon dances in Kensington Gardens on several Saturdays in August and continues roughly monthly until the following June with evening events, mainly at St Columba’s Church. The pre Christmas dance in December and a Burns Ceilidh in January are our most popular evenings. All the dances are to live music and again hall charges are substantial, resulting in small margins but the aim is to generate financial resources whilst having an enjoyable time promoting Scottish country dancing.
The bursary programme is designed to assist the development of musicians, teachers and dancers within the M25 area. Members and the public can obtain details and application forms on our website.
Under the licence agreement we collect a membership fee for 12 CC from each of our members. A typical membership includes £28 paid to 12CC and £4 retained by RSCDS London with members obtaining a discount for London activities (generally £2 or £3 per event), receiving our quarterly digital journal and regular email updates. Eleven other RSCDS groups operate within the M25 area, as well as many other Scottish Country Dance groups. It is proposed to increase the RSCDS London membership fee in 2025 after many years at the current price.
We are proud of the fact that we pay our teachers and musicians but we have no staff and everything else is undertaken by volunteers. Running the Charity, organising the classes, booking dances, designing promotional material, providing catering, administering class fees etc all depend on our supporters contributing their time freely. We are grateful for their support.
Page 3 of 14
The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society London Branch Trustees' Report and Financial Statements 31 March 2025
Trustees' Report for the year to 31st March 2024 (Continued)
Financial Review for the year 1 April 2024 – 31 March 2025
At 31 March 2025 the Branch's net worth of £66,199 (2024 £72,041) was represented by the undernoted funds:
| 2025 | 2024 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Fund | 55,861 | 61,028 | ||
| Ireland Memorial | 2,669 | 3,344 | ||
| Anniversary Fund | 2,069 | 2,069 | ||
| Helen Brown | 5,000 | 5,000 | ||
| Teaching Awards | 600 | 600 | ||
| Total net worth | £ | 66,199 |
£ | 72,041 |
The value of these funds is supported by the Branch's holdings of investments and cash at hand, shown in the Balance Sheet.
Reserves Policy
The policy for unrestricted reserves is to hold sufficient funds to enable the activities of the Branch to take place in the face of poor income generation in any year. The budget is balanced each year, with some specific items being funded from designated funds. The reserves have increased this year by an unrealised gain on investments of £2,150, a much healthier performance than last year.
The designated reserves are spent in accordance with the notified preferences of the donors providing the funds.
Results for the year
The accounts show a net operating loss of £7,992, before the unrealised gain on investments of £2,150.
Classes
With class fees of £21,630 and costs of £31,033, classes (including the Day School) have cost us £9,403, which is an increase on last year. However, this loss is higher than last year because there was no Day School in 2023. We continue to invest in the development of the Tuesday Socials, which is bringing more younger dancers to other classes and events, in London and further afield such as RSCDS Spring Fling.
Family Activities
The monthly children's class has been sporadic and the £196 cost reflects the cost of the teacher. St Columba's Church provided the hall for free.
Dances
Income of £9,724 and expenditure of £7,186 meant a surplus of £2,538. This was largely as a result of an enormously successful Burns ceilidh. Despite the changes to the format of the New Season dance, this still lost money and the Day School evening dance will be the New Season dance in October 2025.
Publicity and The Reel
The Reel made a loss of £2,067 which was more than last year. Advertising revenue has not picked up, and we have no commercial advertisers any more. The Committee has decided to continue to make this investment in our communications, but is planning to increase subscriptions, and have another Life Members' Appeal to cover the cost of printing and postage. There was £3,104 expenditure on publicity, for the open air dancing in Kensington Gardens, and also the website. This was increased by the one-off trial of the social media marketing.
Administration Costs
The only other figure to comment on is the admin costs of £918. This is made up as follows:
| Postage, secretarial and other | £77 | Insurance | £107 |
|---|---|---|---|
| AGM Expenses | £177 | Examiner | £100 |
| IT | £130 | Mailing | £327 |
Committee meetings were again on Zoom, so there were no costs for committee meetings this year.
Page 4 of 14
The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society London Branch Trustees' Report and Financial Statements 31 March 2025
Trustees' Report for the year to 31st March 2025 (Continued)
Financial Review for the year 1 April 2024 – 31 March 2025 (Continued)
Donations and Legacies
Donations and legacies raised a further £1,845. Most donations benefited from the tax reclaim from HMRC for gift aid.
We are very fortunate to have the various bequests which enable us to tackle projects in the knowledge that we have sufficient funds to back them up. We made awards from the Bill Ireland fund for two young dancers to attend the RSCDS Spring Fling, one to attend Summer School and made a contribution towards the cost of teacher training courses attended by London Branch members.
Membership
Annual membership has risen slightly, but second branch membership has declined. The RSCDS subscription will be increasing again in July 2025, and the effect of that on numbers remains to be seen.
Investment Income
Investment income from Charifund Units was slightly up, and contributed a total of £3,127.
Statement of Trustees Responsibilities
The Charities Act 2011 requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial period which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Charity and of its incoming resources and application of resources for that period.
The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards.
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Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
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Observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
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Make judgements and estimates which are reasonable and prudent;
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State whether applicable UK accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
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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 which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with relevant legislation. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
In so far as the Trustees are aware:
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There is no relevant information of which the Charity’s independent examiner is unaware, and
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The Trustees have taken all the steps that they ought to have taken to make themselves aware of any relevant information and to establish that the independent examiner is aware of that information.
Page 5 of 14
The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society London Branch Trustees' Report and Financial Statements 31 March 2025
Trustees' Report for the year to 31st March 2025 (Continued)
Financial Statements
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in notes to the accounts and comply with the charity’s governing document, the Charities Act 2011 and 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 issued in October 2019.
This report has been prepared in accordance with all relevant legislation.
This report was formally approved by the Trustees, and signed on their behalf by:
Richard Clarke Trustee / Chair
Date: 30 May 2025
Page 6 of 14
The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society London Branch Trustees' Report and Financial Statements 31 March 2025
Independent Examiner's Report to the Management Committee of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society London Branch
Respective responsibilities of Trustees and Independent Examiner
As the Charity's Trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).
I report in respect of my examination of the Charity's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as Trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.
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:
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1 accounting records were not kept in respect of the Charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or 2 the accounts do not accord with those records; or
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3 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.
Signed:
Date: 6/2/2025
Name: Helen Ives ACA
Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales Address: 80 Bladindon Drive, Bexley DA5 3BN
Page 7 of 14
The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society London Branch Trustees' Report and Financial Statements 31 March 2025
Statement of financial activities for the year ended 31 March 2025
| Income Donations and legacies Investments Sundry income Income from charitable activities Subscriptions Branch Fees RSCDS Subs collected Generated Income Class Fees Family Activities Dances Newsletter "The Reel" Total Charitable activities Fund raising activities Total Income Expenditure Expenditure on charitable activities Subscriptions RSCDS subs paid over Bank Charges Activities undertaken directly Hire of halls for classes Teachers, musicians & incidental expenses Family Activities Dances Publicity, including printing Travel etc. teacher / musician training Newsletter "The Reel" 2 Support costs charitable activities Total Expenditure on charitable activities Total Expenditure on charitable activities Net gains/(losses) on investments Net income before transfers Net movement in funds Reconciliation of funds: Total funds brought forward Total funds carried forward Net income/(expenditure) before other recognised gains and losses |
Unrestricted General Fund £ £ 1,845 3,127 55 1,558 6,282 7,840 21,630 0 9,724 4,425 35,779 43,619 0 48,646 (6,282) (752) (7,034) (20,155) (10,878) (196) (7,186) (3,104) 0 (6,492) (918) (48,929) (55,963) (55,963) (7,317) 2,150 (5,167) (5,167) 61,028 55,861 |
Unrestricted General Fund £ £ 1,845 3,127 55 1,558 6,282 7,840 21,630 0 9,724 4,425 35,779 43,619 0 48,646 (6,282) (752) (7,034) (20,155) (10,878) (196) (7,186) (3,104) 0 (6,492) (918) (48,929) (55,963) (55,963) (7,317) 2,150 (5,167) (5,167) 61,028 55,861 |
Unrestricted Designated Funds £ £ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 (675) 0 0 (675) (675) (675) (675) 0 (675) (675) 11,013 10,338 |
Unrestricted Designated Funds £ £ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 (675) 0 0 (675) (675) (675) (675) 0 (675) (675) 11,013 10,338 |
£ £ 1,845 3,127 55 1,558 6,282 7,840 21,630 0 9,724 4,425 35,779 43,619 0 48,646 (6,282) (752) (7,034) (20,155) (10,878) (196) (7,186) (3,104) (675) (6,492) (918) (49,604) (56,638) (56,638) (7,992) 2,150 (5,842) (5,842) 72,041 66,199 Total 2025 |
£ £ 1,845 3,127 55 1,558 6,282 7,840 21,630 0 9,724 4,425 35,779 43,619 0 48,646 (6,282) (752) (7,034) (20,155) (10,878) (196) (7,186) (3,104) (675) (6,492) (918) (49,604) (56,638) (56,638) (7,992) 2,150 (5,842) (5,842) 72,041 66,199 Total 2025 |
£ £ 147 2,971 0 1,688 5,943 7,631 18,722 0 11,663 4,232 34,616 42,247 0 45,366 (5,943) (618) (6,561) (15,030) (8,960) (110) (8,156) (1,911) (400) (5,636) (673) (40,876) (47,437) (47,437) (2,071) (934) (3,005) (3,005) 75,046 72,041 Total 2024 |
£ £ 147 2,971 0 1,688 5,943 7,631 18,722 0 11,663 4,232 34,616 42,247 0 45,366 (5,943) (618) (6,561) (15,030) (8,960) (110) (8,156) (1,911) (400) (5,636) (673) (40,876) (47,437) (47,437) (2,071) (934) (3,005) (3,005) 75,046 72,041 Total 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (55,963) | (675) | (56,638) | (47,437) | |||||
| (7,317) 2,150 (5,167) |
(675) 0 (675) |
(7,992) 2,150 (5,842) |
(2,071) (934) (3,005) |
|||||
| (5,167) 61,028 |
(675) 11,013 |
(5,842) 72,041 |
(3,005) 75,046 |
|||||
| 55,861 | 10,338 | 66,199 | 72,041 |
Page 8 of 14
The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society London Branch Trustees' Report and Financial Statements 31 March 2025
Balance Sheet as at 31st March 2025
| Unrestricted | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted | Designated | ||||
| Notes | General Fund | Funds | 2025 Total | 2024 Total | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||
| Fixed assets: | |||||
| 3 | Tangible Assets | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Investments | 52,458 | 0 | 52,458 | 50,308 |
| 52,458 | 0 | 52,458 | 50,308 | ||
| Current Assets: | |||||
| 5 | Debtors | 1,126 | 0 | 1,126 | 23 |
| Cash in bank and in hand | 4,336 | 10,338 | 14,674 | 22,927 | |
| 5,462 | 10,338 | 15,800 | 22,950 | ||
| Liabilities: | |||||
| 6 | Creditors: amounts falling due within one year | (2,015) | 0 | (2,015) | (1,181) |
| Net Current Assets | 3,447 | 10,338 | 13,785 | 21,769 | |
| Total Assets less Current Liabilities | 55,905 | 10,338 | 66,243 | 72,077 | |
| 7 | Creditors: amounts falling due after one year | (44) | 0 | (44) | (36) |
| Total net assets | 55,861 | 10,338 | 66,199 | 72,041 | |
| The funds of the charity: | |||||
| 8 | Unrestricted Funds | 55,861 | 10,338 | 66,199 | 72,041 |
| Total Charity Funds | 55,861 | 10,338 | 66,199 | 72,041 |
Richard Clarke, Trustee / Chair
Date: 30 May 2025 For and on behalf of the Management Committee
The notes on pages 10 to 14 form part of these accounts
Page 9 of 14
The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society London Branch Trustees' Report and Financial Statements 31 March 2025
Notes to the Accounts for the Year ended 31st March 2025
1 Accounting Policies
The following accounting policies have been applied consistently in dealing with the items which are considered material in relation to the Charity's financial statements.
Basis of accounting
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or fair value unless otherwise stated in the relevant notes to these financial statements.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities Act 2011, UK Generally Accepted Practice and the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) applicable from January 2019. In order to provide a 'true and fair' view, the financial statements depart from the Charities (Accounts & Reports) Regulations 2008 which refer to an earlier SORP that ceased to apply after 2018.
The Charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102.
Going concern
The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis which assumes that the Charity will continue in operation for the foreseeable future. Having considered the future operations of the Charity, the Trustees consider that the going concern basis is appropriate for the preparation of these financial statements.
Income
Donations are recognised when the Charity has evidence of the entitlement to the gift, receipt is probable and its amount can be measured reliably. Entitlement usually arises immediately upon receipt, however, in the event that a donation is subject to conditions that require a level of performance before the Charity is entitled to the funds, the income is deferred and not recognised until either those conditions are fully met, or the fulfilment of those conditions is wholly within the control of the Charity and it is probable that those conditions will be fulfilled in the reporting period.
Income tax recoverable on Gift Aid donations is recognised when the respective donation has been recognised and the recoverable amount of income tax can be measured reliably; this is normally when the donor has completed the relevant Gift Aid declaration form. Income tax recoverable on Gift Aid donations is allocated to the same fund as the respective donation unless specified by the donor.
Subscriptions are included as income over the life of the subscription, with adjustment made on an accruals basis to ensure subscription income is recognised in the correct accounting period.
Income from other trading actives includes income earned from both trading activities to raise funds for the Charity and income from fundraising events and is recognised when the Charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that these will be received and the amounts can be measured reliably.
Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the Charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the bank.
Investment income is recognised when the unit holders right to receive payment is established, measured at the fair value receivable. Generally, this is upon notification from the investment advisor once the dividend has been declared.
Other income represents income that cannot be reported under the other analysis headings provided within the Statement of Financial Activities and is recognised when the Charity is entitled to the income, it is probable that it will be received and the amount can be measured reliably by the Charity.
Page 10 of 14
The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society London Branch Trustees' Report and Financial Statements 31 March 2025
Notes to the Accounts for the Year ended 31st March 2025
1 Accounting Policies (continued)
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 settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably.
Liabilities are measured on recognition at historical cost and then subsequently measured at the best estimate of the amount to settle the obligation at the reporting date.
Expenditure on raising funds includes all expenditure incurred by the Charity to raise funds for its charitable purposes. It includes the costs of all fundraising activities and events together with those costs incurred in seeking donations, grants and legacies.
Expenditure on charitable activities includes all costs incurred by the Charity in undertaking activities that further its charitable aims for the benefit of its beneficiaries, including those support costs and costs relating to the governance of the Charity apportioned to charitable activities. The cost of charitable activities presented in the Statement of Financial Activities includes the costs of both direct service provision and the payments of grant awards if applicable.
Other expenditure includes all expenditure that is neither related to raising funds for the Charity nor part of its expenditure on charitable activities and is recognised when it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.
Support costs are incurred supporting the Charity's activities and include expenditure associated with administrative and finance functions and governance.
Support costs include the costs of independent examination in accordance with the SORP.
Financial instruments
The Charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value.
Tangible fixed assets 0
Tangible fixed assets, other than property, are measured initially at cost. Depreciation is provided at the following rates calculated to write off the cost less residual value of each asset over its expected useful life:
Equipment - 10% straight line
Fixed Asset investments
Investments are a form of basic financial instrument and are initially recognised at their transaction value and subsequently measured at their fair value as at the balance sheet date using the closing quoted market value. The Statement of Financial Activities includes the net gains and losses arising on revaluation and disposals through out the year.
Debtors
Debtors are measured at their recoverable amounts, being the amount the Charity anticipates it will receive in settlement of the debt. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid at the reporting date.
Creditors
Creditors are recognised where the Charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of economic benefit - generally in the form of a cash payment - to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.
Subscriptions are included as income over the life of the subscription. The balance of the subscriptions that have not yet been taken to income are shown under Creditors.
Page 11 of 14
The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society London Branch Trustees' Report and Financial Statements 31 March 2025
Notes to the Accounts for the Year ended 31st March 2025
1 Accounting Policies (continued)
Fund accounting
Funds are classified as either Restricted Funds or Unrestricted Funds, defined as follows:
Restricted Funds are funds subject to specific requirements as to their use which may be declared by the donor or with their authority or created through legal processes, but still within the wider objects of the Charity. The Charity currently does not have any Restricted Funds.
Unrestricted Funds are expendable at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the objects of the Charity. If parts of the Unrestricted Funds are earmarked at the discretion of the Trustees for a particular purpose, they are designated as a separate fund. This designation has an administrative purpose only and does not legally restrict the Trustees' discretion to apply the fund.
VAT
The Charity is not registered for VAT.
2 Support Costs
| Fund | Funds 2025 Total 2024 Total | Funds 2025 Total 2024 Total | Funds 2025 Total 2024 Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Administration Costs | 639 | 0 | 639 | 414 |
| AGM Expenses | 179 | 0 | 179 | 159 |
| Examiner | 100 | 0 | 100 | 100 |
| Total Support Costs | 918 | 0 | 918 | 673 |
Support costs are allocated to Charitable Acitivities.
3 Tangible fixed assets
| Cost At 1st April At 31st March Depreciation At 1st April At 31st March Net book value At 31st March Listed Investments Fair value (market value) At 1st April Revaluations At 31st March Historic cost At 31st March The following holdings represent more than 5% of the Charity's total investments: M&G Charifunds |
2025 2024 £ £ 2,163 2,163 |
|---|---|
| 2,163 2,163 |
|
| 2,163 2,163 |
|
| 2,163 2,163 |
|
| 0 0 |
|
| 2025 2024 £ £ 50,308 51,242 2,150 (934) |
|
| 52,458 50,308 |
|
| 41,196 41,196 |
|
| 52,458 |
4 Listed Investments
Page 12 of 14
The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society London Branch Trustees' Report and Financial Statements 31 March 2025
Notes to the Accounts for the Year ended 31st March 2025
5 Debtors
| Debtors | |
|---|---|
| Other Debtors Prepayments and accrued income |
2025 2024 £ £ 368 23 758 0 |
| 1,126 23 |
6 Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year
| Payments received on account Reel Deferred Income Branch Deferred Income General Creditors Creditors: Amounts falling due after one year Reel Deferred Income |
2025 2024 £ £ 550 0 261 262 702 725 502 194 |
|---|---|
| 2,015 1,181 |
|
| 2025 2024 £ £ 44 36 |
|
| 44 36 |
7 Creditors: Amounts falling due after one year
8 Unrestricted Designated Funds
| Opening Bank Balance at 1st April Expenditure Closing Balance at 31st March |
Ireland Memorial Anniversary Fund Helen Brown Teaching Awards 2025 2024 £ £ £ £ £ £ 3,344 2,069 5,000 600 11,013 11,413 (675) 0 0 0 (675) (400) |
|---|---|
| 2,669 2,069 5,000 600 10,338 11,013 |
Purposes of Unrestricted Designated Funds
Bill Ireland Memorial - to be used to make grants to young dancers from the London area to attend summer, winter or youth schools or to subsidise attendance at teacher training courses run by the Society.
Anniversary Fund - Launched by appeal in 2010 to fund training of teachers and outreach to young dancers.
Helen Brown - to digitise archives and support young musicians.
Teaching Awards - to pay for grants for teacher training.
Fund Transfers
There were no fund transfers made in the year to 31 March 2025.
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The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society London Branch Trustees' Report and Financial Statements 31 March 2025
Notes to the Accounts for the Year ended 31st March 2025
9 Related party transactions
Three Trustees (2024 - three) received payments totaling £1,991 (2024 £4,848) for services rendered for teaching or playing at classes.
| S Wales Teaching classes D Hall Teaching classes D Hall Playing at dances A Brady Playing for classes and at dances |
2025 2024 £ £ 308 1,652 28 321 393 650 1,263 2,225 |
|---|---|
| 1,991 4,848 |
10 Trustees' Expenses
Three Trustees (2024 - two) were reimbursed expenses of £835 (2024 £590) for Administration Expenses, AGM Expenses, Class Costs, Dances Costs and Publicity Costs.
11 Relationship with the Royal ScottishCountry Dance Society - Scottish Company 480530 with registered address 12 Coates Crescent, Edinburgh EH3 7AF ('12CC')
The Charity has a licence agreement with 12CC permitting the use of various intellectual property and undertaking to co-operate on various matters. Under the agreement, the Charity must collect from each of its members a membership subscription for 12CC. Apart from the commercial licence agreement, there is no legal relationship or connection between the two entities which are both autonomous charities supporting Scottish country dancing in pursuit of their own independent objectives. During the year £6,282 (2024 £5,943) was collected for and paid to 12CC. The balance at 31 March was £0 (2024 £0).
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