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← The Foundation Of Nursing Studies

2025-01-31-accounts

The Foundation of Nursing Studies (A registered charity and private company limited by guarantee)

Trustees’ Annual Report and Accounts

For the year ended 31 January 2025

Company Number: 3583949 Registered Charity Number 1071117

THE FOUNDATION OF NURSING STUDIES (FoNS) (A registered charity and private company limited by guarantee)

Contents

Contents
Page
Reference and Administrative Details 3-4
Message from the Chair 4
Trustees’ Annual Report 5-19
• Strategic Report 6
• Achievements and Performance 6
• Improving Practice Programmes: 6
➢ Inspire Improvement Fellowship and Programme 6
➢ FoNS Alumni
 8
➢ NHSE Mental Health Transformation Programme
 8
➢ Person-Centred Practice Fellowship
 9
➢ UK HAS Facilitation Programme for PNAs
 10
• Commissioned Programmes: 11
➢ Creating Caring Cultures 11
➢ Resilience Based Clinical Supervision 11
• Scholarships & Residential Schools: 13
➢ Richard Tompkins Scholarship 13
➢ Residential Programme 2024 13
• Sharing knowledge and networking 14
• Professional advice, expertise, and collaboration 15
• International Collaborations: 15
➢ Person-centred Practice International Community of Practice
• Financial Review 16
• Principal Risks and Uncertainties 18
• Governance, Structure and Organisation 18
• Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities 19
Independent Auditor’s Report 20-22
Accounts 23-32
• Statement of Financial Activities 23
• Summary Income and Expenditure Account 24
• Statement of Recognised Gains & Losses 24
• Statement of Cash Flows 24
• Balance Sheet 25
• Notes to the Accounts 26

THE FOUNDATION OF NURSING STUDIES (FoNS) (A registered charity and private company limited by guarantee)

Reference and Administrative Information

Year ended 31 January 2025

Charity Number: 1071117 Company Number: 3583949

Charity Address

11-13 Cavendish Square, London W1G 0AN

Trustees*

Caroline Alexander CBE MSc, BSc (Hons), RN Kuldip Kaur Bharj DL OBE PhD, MSc, BSc (Hons), RM, RN Mark Bird RN, BSc (Vice Chair) (resigned June 2025) Tim Callaghan BA (Hons), ACMA, CGMA (Treasurer) Sean Costello TD, MA (resigned June 2025) Stacy Johnson MBE, MSc, BSc, RN (resigned March 2025) Varun Kabra MBA (resigned March 2025) Marion Lynch PhD, RN Geraldine Mirabile JD (Hons), LLM (resigned September 2025) Robert Pettigrew BA (Hons) Econ, MCIPR Jo Pritchard OBE, RN (Chair)

*Note: The Foundation of Nursing Studies Trustees are also the Company Directors, for ease of presentation and consistency the term ‘Trustee(s)’ is used throughout this document

President

Dr James Bevan MB, MRCGP

Vice President

Professor Tony Butterworth CBE, FMedSci, FRCPsych, FRCN, FRSA, FQNI, DSc (Hon)

Patrons

Baroness Mary Watkins of Tavistock RMN, MSc, PhD Elizabeth Tompkins Baroness Julia Cumberlege of Newick CBE, DSG, DL Elizabeth Stallwood RGN, RM Professor Jennifer Hunt Hon DSc, MPhil, BA (Hons), RGN Sir Ron De Witt MA, BA (Hons), Dip N, RN Gillian Stephens BSc (Hons), RGN, HV, Cert Health Econ

Chief Executive Officer & Company Secretary

Joanne Bosanquet MBE, RGN, RHV, QN, FRCN, FQNI, BSc (Hons), PG Dip, Pg Cert, MSc (Public Health), Hon DUniv (Greenwich)

Main Bankers

HSBC, Belgravia Branch, The Peak, 333 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London, SW1V 1EJ Unity Trust Bank plc, PO Box 7193, Planetary Road, Willenhall, WV1 9DG

Investment Managers

Brewin Dolphin Securities, 12 Smithfield Street, London, EC1A 9BD CCLA Investment Management, Senator House, 85 Queen Victoria Street, London, EC4V 4ET

Auditors

Haines Watts, Chartered Accountants, Old Station House, Station Approach, Newport Street, Swindon, SN1 3DU

THE FOUNDATION OF NURSING STUDIES (FoNS) (A registered charity and private company limited by guarantee)

Year ended 31 January 2025

Acknowledgment of Our Supporters and Partners

FoNS Board of Trustees wishes to offer very grateful thanks to all our partners and supporters in 2024-25 (Table 1):

Table 1- (list not exhaustive)

The Burdett Trust for Nursing International Nurse Coaching Academy The Tompkins Foundation The Connectives FoNS Patrons Nursing Charities CEO Network Department of Health and Social Care Royal College of Nursing/RCNi Care England University of East Anglia/ImpACT Research Team UK Chief Nursing Officers (CNOs) Nottingham University National Care Forum Skills for Care The King’s Fund Social Care Nurse Advisory Councils Nursing and Midwifery Council England Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care NHS England Health and care providers and commissioners Office for Health Improvement and Disparities Pedalo The Outstanding Society Peer reviewed nursing journals Person Centred Practice International Community of Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh Practice (PCP-ICoP) Council of Deans 150 Leaders programme Hospice UK England CNO Policy Network Social Enterprise UK Sigma Theta Tau International The Care Show University of Surrey Markel 3[rd] Sector awards/CMM Our Associate/Co-Facilitators and FoNS alumni

Message from the Chair and the Chief Executive

We are pleased to report a positive year for the Foundation of Nursing Studies (FoNS). Despite the challenging economic conditions and changes within the NHS we continue to flourish and have grown in size and influence. We have demonstrated that we are agile in our approach to designing and facilitating programmes of work which keeps our mission as relevant and future focused as ever.

The increased visibility of FoNS has enabled us to deliver with greater influence and impact, thus securing our place across health care as an organisation that delivers, and supports nurses, midwives and their teams to embed person-centredness within their own leadership, practice, commissioning and care delivery. Joanne’s knowledge and experience are highly valued: she is well placed to influence UK-wide policy and practice development, and to contribute creative and bold content. FoNS’ growth has been achieved with enthusiasm and commitment by a strong team which has expanded in size to meet the increased demand and new opportunities. We have welcomed two Lived Experience Leads to our leadership team who are influencing us to think differently and embed co-production into our programmes.

We are grateful to the trustees whose commitment and support is highly valued. Their diligence and creativity have been crucial to engendering a culture of success for FoNS. We also appreciate the support from our partners and Patrons without whom so much of this important work would not be possible.

We look forward to an exciting year ahead as we continue to deliver against our strategic plans. Our strength in programme delivery reflects our reputation for leadership, engagement, and professional development within the nursing sector. FoNS will continue to develop these innovative areas and will also expand to bring our unique expertise to a wider audience.

Professor Jo Pritchard OBE, RN Joanne Bosanquet MBE, RGN Chair Chief Executive

THE FOUNDATION OF NURSING STUDIES (FoNS) (A registered charity and private company limited by guarantee)

Trustees’ Annual Report

Year ended 31 January 2025

The FoNS Board of Trustees present their annual report, including the strategic report and the audited financial statements for the year ended 31 January 2025. The reference and administrative information are set out on page 3 of this report.

Objectives and Activities

The Objects and Aims of the charity

FoNS was formally established as a registered charity in 1987 with two broad objectives that set out the original purposes:

Our vision

FoNS believes all individuals should experience health and social care as person-centred, safe and effective. This includes those who are receiving care and those who are giving care.

Our mission

FoNS fulfils this vision by:

• Facilitating participatory learning opportunities for nurses and nurse-led teams that enable the development of individuals, teams, practice and workplace cultures to improve the experiences and outcomes of health and social care for all

• Generating and sharing new theoretical knowledge to inform improvement of the experiences and outcomes of health and social care for all

Our ways of working

The work of FoNS is underpinned by the following principles:

• Being person-centred by valuing and respecting the uniqueness, individuality, contribution and potential of all we work with

Our focus

Building on what FoNS has achieved to date, we will:

  1. Work with nurses and nurse-led teams to co-create and deliver a variety of learning opportunities that help to develop their knowledge, skills and confidence in leading and facilitating change that improves care experiences and outcomes

  2. Generate and publish knowledge and evidence that informs the development of people, practice and workplace cultures, which is open for all to read

  3. Increase our reach and influence across the health and social care system

  4. Grow and develop a team who can be agile in their ways of working and who are properly supported to achieve FoNS’ vision

Our community

The work of FoNS is UK-wide with international reach. Our community is not defined by organisational boundaries. We primarily work with nurses and nurse-led teams in patient/resident-facing practice and with those who lead and manage services, while recognising the importance of nurturing and sustaining connections across all levels of the system.

THE FOUNDATION OF NURSING STUDIES (FoNS) (A registered charity and private company limited by guarantee)

Trustees’ Annual Report Year ended 31 January 2025

Delivering Public Benefit

FoNS works with nurses and nurse-led teams, enabling them to develop themselves, their practice, and their workplace cultures, with the aim of enhancing the outcomes and experiences of those giving and receiving health and social care and their families. Trustees confirm that they have complied with their duty under section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit.

FoNS is a member of NCVO, Charity Comms and ACEVO. Our chair is a member of the Association of Chairs.

Strategic Report

Year ended 31[st] January 2025

Achievements and Performance

Our visibility and reach are increasing year on year and we are regularly approached to share our insights and thought leadership on person-centredness, reflective nursing practice and values-based workplace cultures. It is always a real pleasure to be invited to sit on the judging panels for various nursing awards including the Nursing Times, HSJ and the Markel 3[rd] Sector awards. We were the charity partner for the 2024 Nursing Times Awards (#NTAwards). This continues to increase our visibility, substantially and position FoNS at the heart of nursing excellence across the UK and beyond.

Celebrating our programmes throughout 2024-25

Improving Practice Programmes

We believe that individuals should experience care that is high quality and person-centred. Whilst the responsibility for continuously improving the quality of care lies with all health and care professionals, nurses as leaders, commissioners and direct care providers have a key role in leading and facilitating change. In FoNS’ experience, identifying, understanding, and responding to practice challenges can be tough and complex. Our improving practice programmes are therefore designed to inspire and support nurse-led teams to work through such complexities by drawing upon the key principles outlined above on page 5.

We create, facilitate, and offer safe spaces and excellent learning environments both virtually and face-to-face in small groups and 1:1 sessions, where participants can focus on leading and facilitating practice development towards the creation of workplace cultures that are person-centred, safe and effective. Despite the difficulties faced by organisations during the current financial crisis, FoNS has delivered several programmes involving support to nurseled teams leading improvements to care. These are described below. Details of all the active programmes are available here.

Inspire Improvement Fellowship and Programme

The 6-year fellowship and programme of support supported by the Burdett Trust for Nursing, started in January 2018 with the final cohort concluding in July 2024. The *: programme enabled clinical leaders to develop knowledge, skills and expertise in facilitating culture change and improvement at the front line of practice. The programme was underpinned by the Creating Caring Cultures model developed by FoNS in 2015. The programme over the past 3 years was facilitated using a blended 25; approach of in person and virtual workshops .

THE FOUNDATION OF NURSING STUDIES (FoNS) (A registered charity and private company limited by guarantee)

Trustees’ Annual Report

Year ended 31 January 2025

The final cohort which started in 2023 and concluded in July 2024 saw 13 fellows from across the UK to successfully complete the 12-month bespoke programme of support and development (Inspire Improvement - Current Fellows (fons.org))

Throughout the programme the group actively maintained a peer support group independent to the facilitators, via a closed WhatsApp group and through regular MS Teams check-ins. This has provided an invaluable safe and supportive space for the fellows to maintain momentum with their new learning and insights from the programme and to network and share best practice. This has continued following the formal closure of the programme in 2024.

As part of the ongoing evaluation of this programme, fellows have had protected time within the workshops to reflect and capture any new learning. At the final in person workshops, the fellows undertook a participatory evaluation to capture the impact this opportunity has had individually, for their teams. organisations and people who use their services. The fellows were invited to create a gallery of pictures and stories reflecting on their experience of the fellowship.

The collective themes from their pictures and stories, bought to the fore the true Impact the fellowship has had not only for this final cohort, but also reflective of the experiences of many of the previous fellows from the past 5 years. Collectively, the group shared feelings of belonging, compassion, empathy, support, pride, kindness, and Inspiration. The themes of positivity, creativity, strength, growth, bravery and enlightenment were very much felt and experienced within the group. This has given rise for hope for the future in which they imagine unity and positive change in creating caring cultures in which everyone flourishes. The fellow’s final evaluation story, can be read on the FoNS website at https://www.fons.org/aboutus/our-stories/insp-imp-fellows-2024/

THE FOUNDATION OF NURSING STUDIES (FoNS) (A registered charity and private company limited by guarantee)

Trustees’ Annual Report Year ended 31 January 2025

FoNS Alumni

The purpose of the alumni is to enable strong connections, relationships and dialogue across the cohorts of fellows that have completed the programme and to be a forum for inspiration and support in their continuing work in facilitating and creating caring cultures in the workplace. There are virtual events which are held 8 weekly and an annual face to face event.

NHSE Mental Health, Learning Disability and Autism Quality Transformation Programme Ward Manager Development

In March 2024, FoNS were commissioned to deliver a Ward Manager Leadership Development Programme as part of NHS England’s Mental Health, Learning Disability and Autism (MHLDA) Inpatient Quality Transformation Programme. The aim of the overall quality transformation programme is to re-imagine a bold new vision for inpatient services where people are treated with compassion, experience care that is safe and therapeutic, and the staff and people they support can flourish. The Quality Transformation Programme is underpinned by co-produced Culture of Care Standards .

The FoNS-led programme is one among several pillars of activity – see green pillar in diagram of offers to organisations. Other delivery partners include the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health and the Public Servant Consultants.

The aim of the FoNS-led programme is to enable inpatient MHLDA Ward Managers to develop their leadership practices to ensure that they can work collaboratively with others towards realising the Culture of Care Standards.

A huge amount has been achieved by the FoNS Team between March 2024-January 2025, which should be celebrated. This largely falls into two categories: co-production and programme delivery.

  1. Co-production

  2. a. Fundamental to the Quality Transformation Programme and therefore the FoNS commission is the coproduction, co-delivery and co-evaluation of the Ward Manager Programme with persons with lived experience of in-patient MHLDA services. In October 2024, FoNS were therefore delighted to welcome Wendy Minhinnett and Jolie Goodman to our team as Co-production Lived Experience Leads (contributing in excess of 0.8 WTE).

  3. 8 -

THE FOUNDATION OF NURSING STUDIES (FoNS) (A registered charity and private company limited by guarantee)

Trustees’ Annual Report Year ended 31 January 2025

2. Programme delivery

Person-centred Practice Fellowship

This new 3-year programme which began in November 2024 is designed to support registered nurses, health visitors and midwife leaders to develop person-centred cultures in the workplace. The programme will support the development of skills in the facilitation of workplace culture change, along with skills in co-creating person-centred workplace cultures with the teams they lead, the people who receive care and their families/loved ones/carers.

The programme is open to applicants from any care setting in health and social care across the UK. It will support 8 registered nurses each year. The programme will be underpinned by FoNS’s Creating Caring Cultures© model as well as the Person-centred Practice Framework (PCPF) (McCormack and McCance, 2020). The programme is facilitated using a blended approach of in person and virtual workshops over a 8–9-month period.

Year one concluded in May 2025 with year 2 cohort due to commence in September 2025 with another 8 participants.

Evaluation of the programme is ongoing process through:

At the final workshop for year 1, Impact of the programme was captured through pictures and stories. Together, participants co-created and published via the FoNS website their collective impact story.

THE FOUNDATION OF NURSING STUDIES (FoNS) (A registered charity and private company limited by guarantee)

Trustees’ Annual Report Year ended 31 January 2025

Year 1 collective story(https://www.fons.org/news/what-do-the-participants-say/):

We imagine … our envisaged utopia at the beginning of the programme remained unchanged in our final reflections.

Our journey towards achieving person-centred care was strengthened with hope, shared vision, commitment and built on resilience to guide us through the harder times.

We see … a journey with power and growth evolving with shared experience, supporting career development, and team goals.

By using deep reflection, with a focus on similarities rather than differences.

Authenticity and self-awareness, imagination and creativity to celebrate our collective team strength.

Leading to feelings of self-worth and individual growth with people flourishing, spreading kindness and activism.

To know it’s all been worth it. Stopping and pausing, knowing it’s a beginning not an ending.

We feel … throughout the programme we have all been engaged in the learning because we have felt safe to express vulnerability and to be honest.

The path has not been smooth or perfect, rather about taking small steps sometimes forwards, sometimes back.

Engaged in the journey together we have offered each other love and affirmation, experiencing happiness and sadness.

We feel grateful for the opportunity and thankful for what we have achieved.

As a result of programme, we feel inspired proud and emboldened as nurses.

UK HSA Facilitation programme for PNAs

FoNS were commissioned by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to deliver a bespoke programme of workshops to support the development of the facilitation skills of Professional Nurse Advocates (PNAs). Five full-day workshops were delivered between October 2024-March 2025 for 18 PNAs using a blended approach to learning.

The workshops focussed on three areas of development:

Evaluation evidence suggested that PNA colleagues valued the creation of a community to support the implementation of the role across UKHSA. Communities of practice are a well-established way to support and guide professional reflection and enhance evidence-informed practice (De Wall and Khumisi, 2016). This may be especially important in a national organisation such as UKHSA, where PNAs are based in wider multidisciplinary teams across the country.

THE FOUNDATION OF NURSING STUDIES (FoNS) (A registered charity and private company limited by guarantee)

Trustees’ Annual Report Year ended 31 January 2025

The PNAs appreciated the variety of approaches to learning that were used across the five days, recognising the value of creativity, reflection and open and honest dialogue. Similarly, the participants welcomed the theories and models that were introduced and the opportunities that were created to explore their use with colleagues. Feedback suggested that over the five workshops, participants were able to enhance their facilitation knowledge and skills and consequently, confidence in their roles as facilitators increased. Whilst there was hope about the contribution of the PNA role across UKHSA, there were also residual concerns about its implementation and wider commitment to its success within the organisation.

The development, facilitation and evaluation of this programme provides FoNS with a programme template that can be marketed to and adapted with other health and social care organisations who are seeking to enhance the capability and capacity of PNAs, Professional Midwifery Advocates, and similar roles.

Commissioned programmes

Creating Caring Cultures

FoNS’ Getting Started with Culture Change resources continue to be highly valued and interest in support, with culture change in the workplace continues to grow.

FoNS is increasingly approached to present the work to conferences, webinars and organisations across health and social care; especially from those seeking to explore ways of strengthening more person-centred ways of working, enhancing leadership, and creating more caring workplaces. Our Creating Caring Cultures animation has now been viewed over 20,000 times, with 4,000 views in the last 12 months alone.

Resilience Based Clinical Supervision (RBCS) Lead Facilitator: Grace Cook

The aims of the RBCS champion and cascade programme are:

FoNS has been facilitating RBCS champion and cascade programmes since 2020 with the team growing as the years have gone through. During 2024 the team expanded even more, to engaging with 6 new Associate Facilitators and also a new project manager, Sonia Denton-Smith. Sonia said:

‘I am thrilled to be joining FoNS as the Project Manager for the Resilience-based Clinical Supervision Programme. Nurses are working in highly emotional and demanding environments, and I recognise the huge value of having a safe space to process and understand our emotions and the impact of our work. Having this head space not only helps us focus on our own wellbeing but has positive effects for our relationships at work and our ability to continue to grow and improve.’

THE FOUNDATION OF NURSING STUDIES (FoNS) (A registered charity and private company limited by guarantee)

Trustees’ Annual Report Year ended 31 January 2025

Alongside the Social Care Programme (see below for key programmes), we were delighted to commence 56 cohorts, with participants from across 85 organisations including NHS, hospice care and private organisations. Many participants have been Professional Nurse Advocates (PNAs) who have found the programme particularly complimentary of their PNA programme and new role.

Participants are highly complementary of the programme, sharing that they have been able to learn new skills and techniques to use within their organisation. Participants leave the sessions feeling confident to facilitate with individuals (an average of 4.1/5) and groups (an average of 3.9/5). A selection of quotes from our post programme feedback highlight the impact of this programme on participants:

“Absolutely YES - such a great course, and provides a valuable toolbox of skills to facilitate supervision. The understanding of the 3 emotional systems plays a key role in understanding ourselves and others, and supports that emotional intelligence awareness again within ourselves and others.”

“The experiential nature of this training with my team, in a safe space held by the facilitator/trainer was a very positive learning experience.”

"I would say, the programme is a fabulous restorative and confidence building opportunity to refresh and develop skills to use individually and within our work cultures."

“Would highly recommend it as it is an in depth course providing knowledge and skills in implementing strategies that support and enable our staff to build the resilience needed in their professional career contributing towards high standard of patient care and outcomes and promoting staff retention.”

We were delighted in 2024 to launch our RBCS Facilitators Network. The first session, in March 2024 was used to cocreate the network together and find out what facilitators want. From this we have facilitated quarterly themed sessions, a monthly newsletter which is extremely well read and engaged a private Facebook group. Here is the check out from our first session:

Between March 2022 and July 2023, FoNS facilitated 24 cohorts of RBCS across the South East of England for a project commissioned by Health Education England. An independent evaluation was commissioned as part of the programme and we were delighted to receive this in April 2024. In summary,

THE FOUNDATION OF NURSING STUDIES (FoNS) (A registered charity and private company limited by guarantee)

Trustees’ Annual Report Year ended 31 January 2025

Scholarships and fellowships

Richard Tompkins Scholarship

https://www.fons.org/programmes/scholarships

This is an exciting development opportunity for a registered nurse, midwife or health visitor who is committed to developing person-centred cultures of care. Launched in 2013, the scholarship is open to practitioners who are working clinically in any health and care setting UK-wide, and is targeting, those at ward sister, team manager level or equivalent. The late Richard Tompkins CBE, British entrepreneur and founder of Green Shield Stamps and Argos saw [ on & & the potential of FoNS to enable nurses to develop knowledge and skills that benefit those we serve. The Tompkins Foundation remains a valuable ) iy Ay A Qe : i es So if . supporter of FoNS, and we are delighted that Mrs Elizabeth Tompkins is Shy ” ae —_ 3 o § supporting this scholarship opportunity. Each year, the scholarship offers:

• A fully funded place at the 5-day FoNS Residential Programme ‘Fostering a Culture of Effectiveness through Practice Development’

• The opportunity to work towards academic accreditation as a distance learner (20 CAT points at level 6) from Canterbury Christ Church University, Kent

Giselle is continuing to support the successful RT scholars from 2024 She meets regularly with….

- Residential Programme: Developing person centred, safe, and effective cultures through

practice development

https://www.fons.org/programmes/schools

FoNS was delighted to host its annual five-day residential programme once again in April 2024. We had to secure a change of venue due to unforeseen structural repairs at Herstmonceux Castle, East Sussex, but were pleased to discover Sedgebrook Hall, Northampton, which offered an excellent learning environment.

27 participants from across England, Northern Ireland and Australia engaged in participatory learning approaches, exploring the key concepts underpinning the development of person-centred cultures. Using the Person-centred Practice Framework (McCance and McCormack, 2021) as the thread throughout the week, facilitators enabled participants to learn

from their experiences from practice, using creativity, individual and group reflection and dialogue, supported by relevant theories, models and tools.

THE FOUNDATION OF NURSING STUDIES (FoNS) (A registered charity and private company limited by guarantee)

Trustees’ Annual Report Year ended 31 January 2025

The learning from the week was captured by one of the participants at the end of the week:

‘When I think of me, I now can see I need to pause to let others be My mind is full of things to do But is my thinking right for you?

I need to listen so I can hear Others’ ideas as well as their fears What do they think? What do they need? For their growth, what can we feed?

To come together and reflect Shows active listening and mutual respect I don't need to fix or try to mend It's unfair as they will depend

For growth belongs to everyone Our journey has just begun Grateful and proud for this time The learning I will continue to find

Crafting healthful relationships will be key Until I look deeper, I will not see Being open to learn, unlearn and relearn Person-centred care I will discern’

Sharing Knowledge and Networking

In line with our strategic ambitions, this workstream focuses on ways FoNS can support practitioners by freely sharing resources and ways of working and can support the development and dissemination of the practice and theory around practice development and person-centredness through the programmes and the IPDJ.

FoNS Alumni

The purpose of the alumni is to provide a variety of events (both virtual and face to face) to enable people that FoNS has worked closely with, to stay energised and inspired as well as provide a channel for people to promote the work of FoNS.

Centre for Nursing Innovation https://www.fons.org

The FoNS virtual Centre for Nursing Innovation remains highly regarded and offers a very valuable resource for anyone in nursing (or related fields) interested in changing and developing practice.

The International Practice Development Journal (IPDJ)archive is hosted by FoNS and was published by FoNS in association with the International Practice Development Collaborative (IPDC) and the Person-centred Practice Research International Community of Practice (PcP-ICoP). The IPDJ is now archived but continues to provide readers with a rich catalogue of peer reviewed and seminal work.

THE FOUNDATION OF NURSING STUDIES (FoNS) (A registered charity and private company limited by guarantee)

Trustees’ Annual Report Year ended 31 January 2025

Professional Advice, Expertise and Collaboration

In addition to our funding partnerships, FoNS has a reputation for fostering positive collaborative relationships with organisations and people who share our commitment to supporting nurses and person-centred nursing practice. We are also keen to share our experience and expertise by offering bespoke programmes of support. During 2024/5, in line with our strategic ambitions, we strengthened existing collaborations and created many new ones.

FoNS core team are members of various UK-wide and national professional groups and are encouraged and supported to develop their professional networks and areas of interest.

International Collaborations: International Community of Practice for Person-centred Practice (PcP-ICoP)

FoNS continue to be active members of the PcP-ICoP. Theis collaborative relationship provides FoNS with international connections and profile. We are actively engaged in knowledge generation and translation. Team members have been involved in writing articles and book chapters.

Plans for the Future: we continue to embed reflection into practice

In our last three annual reports, we reflected on the wellbeing needs of our profession as we continued through the recovery phase of the pandemic where, in the words of the World Health Organisation (WHO), we ‘build back better’. In 2025, the global health and care workforce crisis is evident as the true state of the world’s wellbeing is coming to the fore. The prolonged pandemic and many years of underinvestment has escalated a decline in existing workforce numbers as many nurses feel undervalued, are morally injured, are questioning their future or deciding to leave the profession due to the inability to provide person-centred care.

On 12th May 2025, the WHO published the second State of the World’s Nursing Report (#SOWN), The first report was published in 2020. This 2025 report demonstrates the critical global challenges we endure as a profession and how each region of the world is facing their own particular issues. Nurse mental health sits alongside wellbeing in the narrative and this is right. We must be as clear as possible when we are addressing the mental health of our profession. It is not a nice to have. It is critical and is a fundamental human right.

Mental health, wellbeing and retention therefore remain high priorities across the UK health and care economy. FoNS supports the system by influencing decision making at a micro, mess and macro level. The Nursing and Midwifery Council, the UK’s nursing and midwifery regulator and our CNO groups enable us to facilitate a national conversation on restorative or clinical supervision and we continue to develop the programme and adapt this to local needs. In 2024/5, we expanded RBCS beyond the NHS and social care. We facilitated programmes in academia and for PIP assessors.

We believe that reflective practice is a prerequisite for professional growth, advancing safe and effective evidencebased practice and interprofessional collaboration. As such, FoNS will continue to prioritise our focus on mental health and wellbeing, establishing effective workplace cultures, person-centred leadership and person-centred practice.

Succession planning is paramount. We continue to grow and we now have five experienced facilitators who are focusing on supporting a cadre of Associate Facilitators working on a flexible basis. We are looking forward to publishing our first Impact Report, increasing our reach, working across the health and care system and influencing at all levels.

THE FOUNDATION OF NURSING STUDIES (FoNS) (A registered charity and private company limited by guarantee)

Trustees’ Annual Report Year ended 31 January 2025

Financial Review

The full audited accounts for the financial year 2024-25 follow from page 23. They have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities and in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard FRS102.

The year ended 31 January 2025 saw a significant increase in income as the charity steadily expands its activities. We project a further expansion in 2025-6. Due to the way some items of charity income are recorded, the growth in charitable activities can more clearly be seen by the increase in charitable expenditure (see graph below). Our major programmes were all running as planned and there was increasing demand for our resilience based clinical supervision workshops. We won a significant commission working with Mental Health Ward Managers, which follows from our “Creating Caring Cultures” improving practice programmes with mental health nurses and with learning disabilities nurses. We were delighted that our Resilience Based Clinical Supervision workshops with Social Care nurses and the smaller commissions are steadily expanding as planned. We were pleased to commence the first year of a new Personcentred Culture programme funded by Burdett. Once again, our Residential Programme 2024 was hugely well received.

Total income in 2024-25 was £901,376 compared to £561,506 in 2023-24, but the level of expenditure on charitable activities (see note 6 to the accounts) increased from £669,626 in 2023-24 to £841,365, demonstrating the widening of our programmes and the reaching of more participants:

We continue to witness a shift from grant-funded work to commissioned work, shown by the increase in unrestricted income on previous years: £825,716 in 2024-25 compared to £435,201 in 2023-24. We are forecasting that this will continue.

Our strength in programme delivery reflects our reputation for leadership, engagement, and the development of caring cultures within the nursing sector. The charity will continue to develop these innovative areas but will also expand its workshops to bring its unique expertise to a wider audience. The charitable expenditure follows this theme with £379,862 being spent in 2024-25 in improving practice programmes (2023-24: £276,685) ; £332,779 (2023-24: £292,559) being spent on resilience programmes and £128,724 (2023-24: £100,382) on other work such as scholarships and places at our residential programme. We continued to pay bursaries to nurses on some of our improving nursing practice programmes and an analysis of grants can be seen at note 8 to the accounts.

The charity made an overall surplus of £79,976, repairing the deficit of £104,213 in 2023-24. It continues to record a surplus on its unrestricted funds; £123,563 in the current year compared to a deficit of £13,077 the previous year. Some of the designated development fund was used to complete the rebuilding and refresh of the charity website and to develop new programmes. The investments saw a significant gain in value during the year of £23,944 (2023-24 gain of £6,427), despite turbulent markets.

THE FOUNDATION OF NURSING STUDIES (FoNS) (A registered charity and private company limited by guarantee)

Trustees’ Annual Report Year ended 31 January 2025

The charity’s balance sheet on page 25, shows an increase in total funds due to a surplus on the unrestricted funds but partially offset by the conclusion of some of the restricted, grant funded programmes, where income is received upfront and the related expenditure incurred in later years. Total funds were £489,877 compared to £409,901 in 202324. A healthy increase in unrestricted funds repairs the loss made the previous year and during the Covid years. We anticipate a further strengthening of unrestricted funds over the forthcoming year.

The trustees monitor financial performance closely through detailed quarterly management accounts and finance reports, which include six key performance indicators. As the charity grows, the trustees are watching closely the ratio of deferred income with cash balances, and the level of free reserves (see below). The KPIs are on target given the growth in activity.

We are fortunate that the value of our investments is on an upward trajectory given the turbulence in the markets over the last few years.

Reserves Policy

Total reserves at the year-end amounted to £489,877 (2023-24: £409,901 and 2022-23: £514,114), being £90,587 (2023-24: £134,174) in restricted funds, £5,112 (2023-24: £20,671) in designated funds and £394,178 (2023-24: £255,056) in unrestricted funds. A detailed analysis of the restricted and designated funds is given at notes 15 and 16 to the accounts, respectively.

To date, it has been policy to maintain sufficient reserves at any one time to cover the projected running costs of the charity for the following 6 months and this policy formed one of our six key performance indicators. However, in 202425 we have remodelled this statistic and decided it was more meaningful to compare ‘free reserves’ with just overhead costs and staff costs rather than the total costs of the charity. The new policy aims for a cover of six to nine months. The unrestricted funds (including designated funds), which in the case of the Foundation, equate to the ‘free reserves’ of the charity, amounted to £399,290 (2023-24: £275,727). Although the level of free reserves has been broadly stable over the last 5 years, the ratio between reserves and costs has been falling due to the increase in charitable activity. This is to be expected, and the trustees are looking to arrest this trend by ensuring full cost recovery in all activity areas. The cover provided by the free reserves on 31[st] January 2025 was 8.7 compared to just 6.5 months the previous year, but down from 10 months in January 2020 before Covid. The statement of cash flows shows that the substantial inflow of cash reserves continues. The trustees are happy with the level of reserves and consequently regard the charity as a going concern.

Investment powers and policy

The trustees seek to balance the liquidity requirements of the charity with their duty to ensure a suitable rate of return and income to the charity. The trustees also take the level of unrestricted funds into account when deciding on the ratio between investments and funds held in fixed interest bonds, on deposit, and in current accounts.

The careful monitoring of the portfolio continues to strengthen returns and reduce risk in an often-turbulent market. The primary aim of the investments is to produce income whilst preserving the capital value of the funds. The trustees invite the current investment managers to meet with them periodically to discuss the portfolio and compare their plans with other managers in the market. The managers also provide quarterly reports. The charity has established a Finance and Investment sub-committee to consider various investment options for the charity’s reserves and to consider the balance between investments that produce a capital and income return with investments offering only deposit interest but complete protection from falls in the market.

THE FOUNDATION OF NURSING STUDIES (FoNS) (A registered charity and private company limited by guarantee)

Trustees’ Annual Report Year ended 31 January 2025

Principal Risks and Uncertainties

With increased pressure on resources across the health and social care sectors, the availability of funds to support development opportunities for nurses may be affected. It will be important for FoNS to continue to demonstrate the impact and the value-for-money of our programmes, to maintain the uptake on our residential programme and our various commissioned programmes.

FoNS continues to be a lean charity, with 12 staff (8 full-time equivalents) and a small but growing number of Associate Facilitators. Our challenge for 2025-26 and beyond is to develop an organisational development strategy to manage our growth in activity, and that will attract nurses into the charity sector.

Governance, Structure and Organisation

Governing Documents

The Foundation of Nursing Studies is a charity registered with the Charity Commission and a private company limited by guarantee. It is governed by its Trust Deed dated 28[th] May 1987 and Memorandum of Association, registered with Companies House on 18[th] June 1998.

Organisational Structure

The Board of Trustees meet quarterly to administer the charity. In addition, an investment and financial subcommittee has met, and a remuneration committee meets annually to review staff remuneration.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) was appointed by the Trustees to lead and manage the day-to-day operations. The Chairman leads an annual appraisal process for the CEO and all board members.

Appointment of Trustees

Trusteeships are reviewed by the Board of Trustees in line with Trusteeship policy and code of conduct. The Trustee Board approves the appointment all new Trustees. New Trustees are recruited through a process of advertising and interview or, where deemed appropriate, through a process of recommendation and interview. On appointment, all new Trustees meet the CEO and are given an information pack, which includes the code of conduct (a signed copy of which is retained), annual accounts and board papers including reports and minutes from the last year. A register of declared interests is also maintained.

Risk Management

The Trustee Board reviews bi-annually the major strategic, business, and operational risks the charity faces and confirms that systems are in place to reduce risk and to ensure ongoing review and reporting. Risk assessment continues to identify income and finance as being the area of greatest threat.

Regarding investments, reports are received quarterly, and the Board meet with the investment manager to review performance against benchmarks and monitor risk management. Overall, the Board monitor closely external and internal financial management systems. The CEO and Treasurer meet and regularly review the financial management systems to ensure they remain transparent and robust.

Income Generation

Generating income to support activity remains a priority. FoNS remains most appreciative to Mrs Elizabeth Tompkins our long-term donor and to the Burdett Trust for Nursing.

We are keen to expand our offer of bespoke programmes of work and consultancy which help individuals and organisations strengthen their nursing and care improvement activity, contribute to a greater understanding of person-centredness and person-centred practice development and leadership. These activities contribute to unrestricted income generation.

THE FOUNDATION OF NURSING STUDIES (FoNS) (A registered charity and private company limited by guarantee)

Trustees’ Annual Report Year ended 31 January 2025

Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities to the Financial Statements

The charity Trustees (who are also the directors of the Foundation of Nursing Studies for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing a trustees’ annual report and financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

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

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time, the financial position of the charity and to 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 taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

Disclosure of Information to Auditors

In so far as the trustees are aware at the time of approving our trustees’ annual report:

Auditors

Haines Watts were reappointed auditors during the year and a resolution proposing that they be reappointed for the following year approved.

Approved and signed on behalf of the Foundation of Nursing Studies Board of Trustees

Name: Professor Jo Pritchard OBE, RN (Chair) Date: 22nd September 2025

THE FOUNDATION OF NURSING STUDIES (FoNS) (A registered charity and private company limited by guarantee)

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT To the Members of the Foundation of Nursing Studies

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of the Foundation of Nursing Studies (the ‘charitable company’) for the year ended 31 January 2025 , which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, Statement of Financial Position, the Statement of Cash Flows, and notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice), including Financial Reporting Standard 102 ‘ The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland ’.

In our opinion the financial statements:

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charitable company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charitable company's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The trustees are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the trustees’ annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon.

Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements, or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact. We have nothing to report in this regard.

THE FOUNDATION OF NURSING STUDIES (FoNS) (A registered charity and private company limited by guarantee)

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT

To the Members of the Foundation of Nursing Studies cont.

Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

In the light of our knowledge and understanding of the charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the Report of the Trustees.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities set out on page 19, the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue a Report of the Independent Auditor that includes our opinion.

Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

We obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory framework applicable to both the charity itself and the environment in which it operates. We identified areas of laws and regulations that could reasonably be expected to have a material effect on the financial statements from our sector experience and through discussion with the trustees and other management. The most significant were identified as the Companies Act 2006, Charity SORP (FRS102) and Charities Act.

We considered the extent of compliance with those laws and regulations as part of our procedures on the related financial statements. Our audit procedures included:

THE FOUNDATION OF NURSING STUDIES (FoNS) (A registered charity and private company limited by guarantee)

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT

To the Members of the Foundation of Nursing Studies cont.

Despite the audit being planned and conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) there remains an unavoidable risk that material misstatements in the financial statements may not be detected owing to inherent limitations of the audit, and that by their very nature, any such instances of fraud or irregularity likely involve collusion, forgery, intentional misrepresentations, or the override of internal controls.

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council's website at www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our Report of the Independent Auditors.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditors’ report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and the charitable company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Signed: MARTIN GURNEY Dated: 28[th] November 2025

Martin Gurney FCA (Senior Statutory Auditor) for and on behalf of

Haines Watts Swindon Limited Chartered Accountants & Statutory Auditors

Old Station House, Station Approach, Newport Street, Swindon, SN1 3DU.

THE FOUNDATION OF NURSING STUDIES (FoNS) (A registered charity and private company limited by guarantee)

Statement of Financial Activities (Incorporating an Income Statement) Year ended 31 January 2025



Notes
Unrestricted
Funds
Restricted
Funds




Income

£
£




Donations & legacies
2
20,236
-
Income from charitable activities
3
768,876
75,660
Income from other trading activities
4
60
-
Investment income
5
36,544
-


 Total
2025
Total
2024

(Note 19)
£
£


20,236
21,801
844,536
514,662
60
23
36,544
25,020
Total income
825,716
75,660		 901,376
561,506




Expenditure







Costs of raising funds:



Costs of generating activity income

1,960
-
Investment management costs

2,019
-
Expenditure on charitable activities



Improving Practice Programmes
6 & 7
279,484
100,378
Resilience programmes
6 & 7
323,919
8,860
Residential schools & scholarships
6 & 7
58,219
9,409
Sharing Knowledge and Networking
6 & 7
60,496
600







1,960
597
2,019
1,923


379.862
276,685
332,779
292,559
67,628
63,984
61,096
36,398
Total expenditure

726,097
119,247		 845,344
672,146




Net income/(expenditure) before gains and



losses on investments

99,619
(43,587)
Transfers between funds

-
-
Net gain/(loss) on investments
12
23,944
-



56,032
(110,640)
-
-
23,944
6,427
Net movement in funds

123,563
(43,587)




Reconciliation of funds:







Fund balances on 1 February

275,727
134,174



 79,976
(104,213)






409,901
514.114

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.

THE FOUNDATION OF NURSING STUDIES (FoNS) (A registered charity and private company limited by guarantee)

Summary Income and Expenditure Account Year ended 31 January 2025

Summary Income and Expenditure Account
Year ended 31 January 2025


2025		 2024

£		 £
Total income
901,376
561,506
Less: Total expenditure from income funds
845,344		 672,146
Net income/(expenditure) for the year before gains
56,032		 (110,640)

The summary income and expenditure account is derived from the statement of financial activities on page 23, together with the notes on pages 26 to 32, provides full information on the movement during the year on all funds of the charity.

Statement of Recognised Gains and Losses

Year ended 31 January 2025

Statement of Recognised Gains and Losses
Year ended 31 January 2025


2025		 2024

£		 £
Net income/(expenditure) for the year before gains and
56,032
(110,640)
losses on investments (page 23 & above)
Add: Realised gains/(loss) on disposal of investments
2,969		 252
Add: Unrealised gains/(loss) on investment assets held by
20,975		 6,175
income funds,after costs
Net movement in funds for year (page 23)
79,976		 (104,213)

Statement of Cash Flows

Year ended 31 January 2025

Statement of Cash Flows
Year ended 31 January 2025
2025 2024

£		 £
Cash flows from operating activities:

Reconciliation of net movement in funds to net cash flow from operating activities
Net movement in funds (page 23 and above) 79,976 (104,213)
Add: depreciation - -
Deduct interest & dividend income in investing activities (36,544) (25,020)
Deduct (gain)/add loss on disposal of investments
(2,969)		 (252)
Deduct (gain)/ add loss on revaluation of investments
(20,975)		 (6,175)
Decrease/ (increase) in debtors
10,465		 35,305
Increase/ (decrease) in creditors

351,161

 664,351
Cash used in operating activities A
381,114		 563,996

Cash flows from investing activities:




Income from interest & dividends
36,544		 25,020
Proceeds from sales of investment assets
26,703		 27,735
Purchase of investment assets

(25,869)

 (34,498)
Cash provided by/ (used in) investing activities B
37,378		 18,257


Cash flows from financing activities C
-		 -


Increase/(Decrease) in cash and cash equivalents in the year(A+B+C)

418,492
582,253
Total cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year 1,041,595 459.342
Total cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year (page 25) 1,460,087 1,041,595

THE FOUNDATION OF NURSING STUDIES (FoNS) (A registered charity and private company limited by guarantee)

Balance Sheet (Statement of Financial Position) Year ended 31 January 2025

Notes 2025 2025 2024
£ £ £

Fixed assets



Tangible Assets 11 100 100
Investments 12 321,360 298,250
Total fixed assets 321,460 298,350


Current assets







Debtors 13 46,761 57,226
Cash at bank 1,460,087 1,041,595
Total current assets 1,506,848 1,098,821


Current liabilities







Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year
 14
 1,338,431
987,270
Total current liabilities 1,338,431 987,270
Net current assets 168,417 111,551





Total assets less current liabilities (net assets)


489,877
409,901

Charity Funds








Unrestricted income funds


394,178
255,056
Designated Income Funds
 16
5,112 20,671
Total unrestricted funds 399,290 275,727

Restricted income funds
15


90,587
134,174

Total funds


489,877
409,901




The accounts were approved by the Board of Trustees on 22nd September 2025 and signed on their behalf by:
fqon LA
PROFESSOR JO PRITCHARD OBE, RN TIM CALLAGHAN ACMA, CGMA TIM CALLAGHAN ACMA, CGMA
Trustee and Director Trustee and Director

Company Number: 3583949
Charity Number: 1071117

THE FOUNDATION OF NURSING STUDIES (FoNS) (A registered charity and private company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the Accounts Year ended 31 January 2025

1. Accounting policies

Basis of preparation

Income

Expenditure and irrecoverable VAT

Allocation of support costs

THE FOUNDATION OF NURSING STUDIES (FoNS) (A registered charity and private company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the Accounts Year ended 31 January 2025

1. Accounting policies cont.

Fund accounting

Operating leases

Tangible fixed assets

Investment valuation

Debtors & prepayments

Cash at bank and in hand

Creditors and provisions

Pensions

Currency

THE FOUNDATION OF NURSING STUDIES (FoNS) (A registered charity and private company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the Accounts Year ended 31 January 2025

2. Income from donations & legacies
Unrestricted
Funds
£
Restricted
Funds
£
Total
2025
£
Tompkins Foundation
20,000
-
20,000
Legacy income
-
-
-
Other donations
236
-
236		 Total
2024
£
20,000
1,791
10

20,236
-
20,236		 21,801




3. Income from charitable activities
Unrestricted
Funds
Restricted
Funds
Total
2025
Grant income:
£
£
£
Burdett Trust for Nursing – Person-centred culture
-
64,800
64,800
Tavistock & Portman NHSFT with Burdett Trust for Nursing
– Resilience Based Clinical Supervision
-
860
860
Richard Tompkins Nurse Development Scholarship
-
10,000
10,000
Long Covid Study
-
-
-
Department of Health Northern Ireland
-
-
-
Total
2024
£
102,016
5,765
10,000
8,000
524
Total Grants
-
75,660
75,660
IPDC professional development schools
61,905
-
61,905
Improving Practice Programmes
297,179
-
297,179
Resilience Based Clinical Supervision workshops
344,427
-
344,427
Prize money from Burdett Trust for Nursing
-
-
-
Other workshops & development consultancy
65,364
-
65,364		 126,305
50,715
143,590
165,849
2,500
25,703

768,875
75,660
844,535		 514,662




4. Income from other trading activities
Unrestricted
Restricted
Total

Funds
Funds
2025

£
£
£
3rdParty Commissions & market research fees
60
-
60
Total
2024
£
23
60
-
60		 23




5. Investment income
Unrestricted
Restricted
Total

Funds
Funds
2025

£
£
£
Dividends received
9,824
-
9,824
Bank interest
26,720
-
26,720
Total
2024
£
8,907
16,113

36,544
-
36,544		 25,020




6. Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities
Activities
undertaken
directly (note 7)
Grant Funding
Activities
(Note 8)
Total
2025
Charitable Activity expenditure



-
Improving Practice Programmes
367,624
12,238
379,862
-
Resilience Programmes
332,779
-
332,779
-
Residential Schools and Scholarships
67,628
-
67,628
-
Sharing knowledge and networking
59,496
1,600
61,096
Total
2024

276,685
292,559
63,984
36,398

827,527
13,838
841,365		 669,626
Other expenditure: Costs of generating activity income


1,960		 597
Investment management costs


2,019		 1,923
Total expenditure


845,344		 672,146

THE FOUNDATION OF NURSING STUDIES (FoNS) (A registered charity and private company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the Accounts

Year ended 31 January 2025

7. Analysis of activities, support & governance costs

7. Analysis of activities, support & governance costs

Activity
costs
£
Support
Costs
£
Governance
costs
£
Improving Practice Programmes
323,053
37,211
7,360
Resilience Programmes
281,123
43,128
8,528
Residential Schools and Scholarships
58,344
7,751
1,533
Sharing Knowledge and Networking
49,848
8,055
1,593		 Total
2025
£
367,624
332,779
67,628
59,496		 Total
2024
£
253,512
292,559
63,984
35,648
Total costs of charitable activities
712,368
96,145
19,014		 827,527 645,703

8. Grant Funding Activities

Bursaries awarded through FoNS’ Improving Practice Programmes:
6 co-facilitator bursaries
Inspire Improve
11 participant bursaries – year 6
Inspire Improve
Total of 17 bursaries
Inspire Improve
Long Covid Study honoraria
Long Covid research
Jan Dewing prize fund
General funds
Bursaries awarded through FoNS’ Mental Health Ward Manager Programme:
3 participant bursaries
General funds
Bursaries awarded through FoNS’ Learning Disabilities Programme:
2participant bursaries
General funds
2025
6,500
4,338
2024

5,737
8,767
10,838
600
1,000
750
650		 14,504
750
-

-

8,669
Total Grants
 13,838 23,923

9. Employees, trustees’ expenses & related parties

Number of employees: average number of employees was
Engaged in charitable work
Administrative support		 2025
No

6.2
1.8		 2024
No

4.6
1.8
6.4

2024
£
327,597
32,082
34,791
(5,000)
389,470
8.0

Employment costs

Wages and Salaries
Pension Costs
Social security costs
Less: Employment allowance
2025
£
353,645
29,870
38,329
(5,000)
Total Costs 416,844

One employee earned over £60,000 and within the band £90-£100,000 excluding employer pension contributions (2024 – one in band £80-90,000). The Chief Executive is considered to represent the key management of the charity. Key management remuneration in 2024-25, set at market rates and including pension contributions and employer's NIC costs, totalled £111,483 (2023-24: £107,147).

None of the trustees received any remuneration during the year. Trustees were reimbursed £1,368 (2024 - £387) for travel and subsistence. £0 (2024: £12,327) was spent on the recruitment of new trustees in 2024-25 and £3,188 (2024: £1,303) was spent on refreshments and room hire for meetings in 2024-25. There were no related party transactions.

10. Auditor’s remuneration
2025
£
Audit fee
Under-accrued from previous year
4,410
390		 2024
£
4,200
600
Total fees
4,800		 4,800

THE FOUNDATION OF NURSING STUDIES (FoNS) (A registered charity and private company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the Accounts Year ended 31 January 2025

11. Tangible assets
Cost as of 1 February 2024
Disposals		 Computers
& Office
equipment
£
2,000
-
Cost as of 31 January2025 2,000
Depreciation as of 1 February 2024
Disposals
Depreciation for theyear		 1,900
-
-
Depreciation as of 31 January 2025 1,900
Net book value as of 31 January2025 (& 2024) 100
12. Investments
Carrying value (market value) 1 February
Additions to Brewin Dolphin portfolio at cost
Addition of COIF Charities Ethical Investment Fund, at cost
Disposals at carrying value
Net unrealised gain/(loss) on revaluation on 31 January		 2025
£
298,250
25,869
-
(23,734)
20,975		 2024
£
285,060
34,498
-
(27,483)
6,175
Market Value 31 January 321,360 298,250
Historical cost of Investments
Opening book cost on 1stFebruary
Equalisation
Additions at cost
Disposals at cost		 £
254,775
62
25,869
(18,264)		 £
238,445
-
34,498
(18,168)
Closing book cost on 31stJanuary 262,442 254,775
Gains/(losses) in year:
Unrealised gains/(losses) on revaluation of investments to market value
Realisedgains/(losses) on disposal of investments duringtheyear		 £
20,975
2,969		 £
6,175
252
Overall gains/(losses) for year 23,944 6,427
13. Debtors
Other debtors
Prepayments & accrued income		 2025
£
19,475
27,286		 2024
£
31,954
25,272
46,761 57,226
Income is accrued above as ‘accrued income’ when work has been carried out prior to the year-end but not invoiced to commissioners
until the new year. Associated costs are included as accrued charges, as below:
14. Creditors
2025
2024
£
£
Tax and social security costs
12,701
8,515
Other creditors
19,688
7,778
Accrued charges & deferred income
1,306,042
970,977
1,338,431
987,270

Income is deferred where it has been received in advance for performance of development work in the following financial period. Deferred income is released to income in the year as and when the work is performed.

THE FOUNDATION OF NURSING STUDIES (FoNS) (A registered charity and private company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the Accounts Year ended 31 January 2025

15. Restricted funds

15. Restricted funds


Balance at
1 Feb 2024
£
Grants & other
Income
£
Expenditure

£		 Funds
Transfers
£
Balance at
31 Jan 2025
£
FoNS Improving Practice Programmes:

Inspire Improvement
(Burdett Trust for Nursing)

108,536
64,800
100,378
Journal of Research in Nursing
Resilience Programmes:

2,727
-
-
Resilience Based Clinical Supervision
(Portman & Tavistock NHSFT & Burdett)

-
860
860
Resilience Based Clinical Supervision
(Health Education England Southeast region)

8,000
-
8,000
Resilience Based Clinical Supervision
Resources(Nottingham University)

2,991
-
-
Scholarships and other:
Richard Tompkins Scholarship
(Tompkins Foundation)

4,670
10,000
9,409
Long Covid Study*
(NHS England)
7,250
-
600
-
72,958
-
2,727
-
-
-
-
-
2,991
-
5,261
-
6,650


134.174
75,660
119,247		 -
90,587

*FoNS Improving Practice Programmes support individual practitioners and teams to focus on improving patient care, through the small grants, developing practice programmes and expert facilities.

16. Designated funds




Balance at
1 Feb 2024
Incoming
Funds
Charitable
Expenditure
FoNS Development Fund

20,671
-
15,559		 Funds
Transfers
Balance at
31 Jan 2025
-
5,112


20,671
-
15,559		 -
5,112

Designated Funds:

The FoNS Development Fund, funded by legacies to FoNS, was established by the trustees to provide seed funding to develop future programmes and other charity projects such as I.T. and website development.

17. Analysis of net assets between funds
Restricted
Funds
£
Designated
Funds
£
Unrestricted
Funds
£
Fund balances on 31 January 2025 are represented by:



Fixed assets
-
-
321,460
Cash at bank and in hand
90,587
5,112
1,364,388
Other current assets
-
-
46,761
Creditors: amounts fallingdue within oneyear
-
-
(1,338,431)		 Total
2025
£

321.460
1,460,087
46,761
(1,338,431)

90,587
5,112
394,178		 489,877

THE FOUNDATION OF NURSING STUDIES (FoNS) (A registered charity and private company limited by guarantee)

Notes to the Accounts Year ended 31 January 2025

18. Operating Leases

The charity had total commitments under non-cancellable operating leases as detailed below:




2025
Operating leases which expire:


£
Within one year


-
Between two and five years


-		 2024
£
-
-



-		 -

19. Analysis of restricted & unrestricted funds in comparative year (2024)


Notes
Unrestricted
Funds
£
Restricted
Funds
£
Income



Donations & legacies
2
21,801
-
Income from charitable activities
3
388,357
126,305
Income from other trading activities
4
23
-
Investment income
5
25,020
-		 Total
2024
£

21,801
514,662
23
25,020
Total Income

435,201
126,305		 561,506




Expenditure



Costs of raising funds:



Costs of generating activity income

597
-
Investment management costs

1,923
-
Expenditure on charitable activities



Improving Practice Programmes
6 & 7
166,069
110,616
Resilience Programmes
6 & 7
191,814
100,745
Residential Schools and Scholarships
6 & 7
58,654
5,330
Sharing Knowledge and Networking
6 & 7
35,648
750


597
1,923

276,685
292,559
63,984
36,398
Total expenditure

454,705
217,441		 672,146




Net income/(expenditure) before gains and



Losses on investments

(19,504)
(91,136)
Transfers between funds

-
-
Net (loss)/gain on investments
12
6,427
-

(110,640)
-
6,427
Net movement in funds

(13,077)
(91,136)
Reconciliation of funds:



Fund balances on 1 February
288,804
225,310		 (104,213)

514,114
Fund balances carried forward on 31st January 2024
275,727
134,174		 409,901

20. Legal status of the Foundation

The charity is a company limited by guarantee and has no share capital. In the event of the charity being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £1 per member of the charity.

21. Corporation taxation

The charity is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within section 505 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 or section 252 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objectives.