**Charity number: 1078183**
## **Linc Charity**
**TRUSTEES' REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
## **Linc Charity**
## **CONTENTS**
||Page|
|---|---|
|**Reference and Administrative Details of the Charity and its Trustees**|1|
|**Trustees' Report**|2 - 6|
|**Independent Examiner's Report**|7|
|**Statement of Financial Activities**|8|
|**Balance Sheet**|9|
|**Notes to the Financial Statements**|10 - 13|
## **Linc Charity**
## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS OF THE CHARITY, ITS TRUSTEES AND ADVISERS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**
## **Trustees**
A Bamford Dr A Johny Dr R Frewin S Wood J Pointon G Parker M Harris (resigned Jun 2023) E Giles (appointed Sep 2023)
## **Charity registered number**
1078183
## **Principal office**
The LINC Office, Haematology Department Cheltenham General Hospital Cheltenham GL53 7AN
Page 1
**Linc Charity**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
The Trustees present their annual report together with the financial statements of the Linc Charity for the year 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. The Trustees confirm that the annual report and financial statements of the Charity comply with the charity's governing document 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 (FRS 102) (published October 2019)
Linc Charity is a registered charity, number 1078183, and is constituted under a Trust deed.
## **1. Structure, governance and management**
## Governing Document
The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust, and constitutes an unincorporated charity.
## Method of appointment of trustees
Trustees with relevant experience are approached by the charity to see if they would be interested in becoming Trustees. Appointments are made and ratified at Trustee meetings.
## Policies adopted for the induction and training of trustees
The training and induction provided for new Trustees will depend on their existing experience. Where necessary, induction is provided on charity, healthcare, legal and financial matters by independent suppliers.
## Organisational structure and decision making
The charity aims to have between 9 and 12 trustees, in line with Charity Commission recommendations.
Trustees are sought from a range of backgrounds to provide breadth of knowledge and experience.
Decisions are taken by consensus and formal approval at the regular trustee meetings. Trustees meet between 4 and 6 times per year and the meetings are recorded and minutes ratified at the next meeting.
The Trustees appoint a Chair of Trustees each year.
The Trustees are responsible for setting spending priorities, monitoring the financial performance and position of the charity and making major decisions about the direction of the charity. They appoint paid staff and oversee the activities of the charity's volunteers where appropriate.
## Risk management
The Trustees have a duty to identify and review the risks to which the charity is exposed and to ensure appropriate controls are in place to provide reasonable assurance against fraud and error. Major risks are regularly reviewed and appropriate systems and procedures are developed to manage those risks.
## Wider network
The Trustees appoint the directors of LINC Trading Ltd (company number 07238085). LINC Trading Ltd is a charity shop based in Cheltenham.
Page 2
**Linc Charity**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
## **Objectives and Activities**
## **a. Objectives and aims**
Linc works to improve the care of people who are receiving intensive chemotherapy at Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. This is mainly patients from Gloucestershire and Herefordshire. These are mainly people with leukaemia, lymphoma and other blood cancers. It provides financial help where needed, funds new facilities and equipment, clinical psychologists and a cancer research post.
In setting objectives and planning for activities, the Trustee have given due consideration to general guidance published by the Charity Commission relating to public benefit, including the guidance 'Public benefit: running a charity (PB2)'.
## **b. Significant and charitable activities**
The charity funds two clinical psychologists who work with our patients and a haematology research nurse who is responsible for entering and overseeing patients into relevant trials. There is evidence that patients in trials have a better outcome than those who are not.
The charity provides financial support for patients and their carers if they are facing hardship as a result of their illness and its treatment. Patients are encouraged to apply for financial assistance to ease the financial hardship that can burden those undergoing treatment. Patients can apply themselves or be referred by a member of hospital staff.
## **c. Grant making policies**
Patients are encouraged to apply for financial assistance from Linc to ease the financial hardship that can burden those undergoing treatment. Patients can apply themselves or be referred by a member of hospital staff. During 2023/2024 £2,678 was given to support patients and their carers.
## **d. Volunteers**
We are beyond grateful to Linc Charity’s incredible army of dedicated volunteers, who give their time so freely in so many different ways. Collectively they donated over 2,500 hours in 2023-2024, which we think is just unbelievable, thank you to each and every one of them.
## **e. Public Benefit**
The Trustees have had regard to Charity's Commission guidance on public benefit.
Page 3
**Linc Charity**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
## **Achievements and performance**
## a. Fundraising activities
In June 2023 Linc Charity recruited its first CEO, Louise Neal who has focused on ensuring the charity grows sustainably through a reduction of event led fundraising and instead focusing on increasing ‘In Aid Of’ fundraising activities across its supporter groups. The events which Linc Charity has held in 2023/24 have been scrutinised through a full cost analysis to ensure that charity time is spent in the way which maximises impact for raising income for our patients. As a result, some of the fundraising activities which Linc Charity has held over the years have been reduced or even stopped to ensure the charity’s sustainability and profitability.
In June we held our Linc Charity Polo Networking Day which raised £11K and created publicity and engagement with a high number of supporters and business contacts.
In July we had our annual Golf Day at Cotswold Hills, in August we held our Garden Party at the Llewelyn-Bowen’s beautiful garden and in September we worked in partnership once again with Cheltenham Lido to raise money through the Cheltenham Triathlon.
The majority of our other fundraising activity of circa £22K has been supporter led events where staff have spent the time stewarding our incredible supporters rather than running these events as a charity. This type of fundraising will continue to grow and be an important part of Linc’s income, so we would like to thank everyone for their support this year.
## b. Corporate support
Linc continues to receive amazing support from our corporate and business supporters. We would particularly like to thank John Morgan Partnership, RRA Architects, DRG Interiors and Business Solutions, the Queens Hotel, Brace Creative, Bees and Co., LLB Design, British Bespoke Auctions and The Gilbert Trust for their support and generosity. We look forward to continuing to work together.
## c. Linc Charity Shop
In 2023/24 Linc Charity Shop on Bath Road Cheltenham, had its most successful year to date, with over £130,000 in sales. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Laura Levy and the staff and volunteers who work tirelessly at the shop.
## d. Donations
We have been extremely grateful to receive £12,000 In Memoriam donations this year, Linc Charity would like to extend their deepest sympathy to all families concerned and thank them for thinking of us so generously at such a difficult time. We would like to acknowledge the continual support of our regular supporters, many of whom have supported Linc for many years, their contribution totalled over £13,000. Thank you so much.
## e. Other Activity
In February 2024, Linc Charity launched its rebrand, which saw a bolder brand being used with the strapline ‘Blood Cancer Charity’. After extensive research amongst key stakeholder groups, it was decided that the previous name LINC which stood for Leukaemia and Intensive Chemotherapy Fund now didn’t stand for what we do as a charity. We wanted to make it clear that we are here to support all blood cancer patients and not just those with Leukaemia. We also wanted to ensure that patients knew we were there throughout their journey and not just during intensive chemotherapy, as that wasn’t everyone’s journey. As a result of these changes, we don’t use the capitalisation of Linc anymore and refer to ourselves as Linc or Linc Charity. We have dropped the word Fund entirely in our external comms and instead the word Charity is used. An overhaul of our tone of voice has also taken place and we hope that our more inclusive and empowering tone will increase our reach to patients and families who we can support, while encouraging more donors and volunteers to get involved with the charity.
The rebrand happened at the same time we launched our new website which we hope will be a place for support and inspiration. Our website is now www.linccharity.org
Page 4
**Linc Charity**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
## **Financial review**
Although we had a deficit of income over expenditure in 2023/24, over £80,000 was pledged to patient support through our psychology service, research nurse and direct patient support. The fundraising efforts of the Linc team and its supporters along with generous donations received mean that the charity is in a strong financial position. The shop continued to perform extremely well producing significant profit every month.
At no point did we have concerns about the Charity's financial viability for the period to 31st March 2024 or in the foreseeable future.
For this reason, we continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements. Further details regarding the adoption of the going concern basis can be found in the Accounting Policies
.
## **Reserves policy**
The Trustees review the reserve levels of the charity at each of its bi-monthly meetings. This review follows the analysis of income and expenditure streams and their performance against the agreed annual budget. We are then able to match existing reserves and in-year planned surplus (or deficit) with our regular commitments to patient support and care as well as any planned one-off expenditure.
The General Fund may be applied for any purpose in line with the charity's objects. This includes the items such as the charity's commitment to fund clinical psychologists who provide important support for both patients and their families as they cope with the uncertainties of a diagnosis of cancer and the impact of chemotherapy.
There are also restricted funds. These include the Robert Dalton Research Fellowship Fund, which is used to fund the Robert Dalton Leukaemia Research Fellow.
The reserves at the end of the financial year are £ 419,795 of which £248,727 are unrestricted and £171,068 are restricted.
## **Plans for the future**
The 5-year plan continues to be developed with a view to ensuring that Linc remains able to provide vital support for patients with blood cancers in Cheltenham General and Gloucestershire Royal hospitals in the long term.
Page 5
**Linc Charity**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
## **Structure, governance and management**
## **Constitution**
Linc Charity is a registered charity, number 1078183, and is constituted under a Trust deed.
## **Statement of Trustees' responsibilities**
The Trustee are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
The law applicable to charities in England & Wales requires the Trustee to prepare financial statements for each financial which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Charity and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustee are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles of the Charities SORP (FRS 102);
- make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards (FRS 102) have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Charity will continue in business.
The Trustee are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the Charity's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the Trust deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Approved by order of the members of the board of Trustee and signed on their behalf by:
Gillian Parker Date 09 January 2025
Page 6
**Linc Charity**
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
## **Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of LINC FUND ('the Charity')**
I report to the charity Trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Charity for the year ended 31 March 2024.
## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner**
The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
- examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act.
- to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
- to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
## **Basis of independent examiner’s report**
My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. 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 no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair view’ and the report is limited to those matters set out in the next statement.
## **Independent examiner’s statement**
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
(1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
- to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act and
- to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act have not been met or
(2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached
Roy Collard
Date 14 January, 2025
Page 7
**Linc Charity**
## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
|**Note**
**Income from:**
Donations and legacies
Fundraising activities
Interest received
**Total income**
**Expenditure on:**
Fundraising activities
Staff costs
Patient Support costs
Grants
Cost of Goods sold
Accountancy Fees
Other costs
9
2
**Total expenditure**
**Net income/(expenditure)**
Transfers between funds
8
**Net movement in funds**
**Reconciliation of funds:**
Total funds brought forward
Net movement in funds
**Total funds carried forward**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**2024**
**£**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**39,107**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**39,107**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Total**
**funds**
_Total_
_funds_
**2024**
**2024**
_2023_
**£**
**£**
_£_
**120,705**
**120,705**
_114,238_
**66,245**
**66,245**
_68,797_
**20,063**
**20,063**
_8,921_
**207,013**
**207,013**
_191,956_
**26,851**
**26,851**
_10,087_
**116,885**
**38,820**
**2,678**
**-**
**-**
**27,171**
**116,885**
**77,927**
**2,678**
**-**
**-**
**27,171**
_84,042_
_94,441_
_4,103_
_-_
_196_
_12,286_
**212,405**
**251,512**
_205,154_|
|---|---|---|
||**(39,107)**
**-**
**(39,107)**
**210,175**
**(39,107)**
**171,068**|**(5,392)**
**(44,499)**
_(14,638)_
**-**
**-**
_-_
**(5,392)**
**(44,499)**
_(14,638)_
**254,119**
**464,294**
_478,932_
**(5,392)**
**(44,499)**
_(14,638)_
**248,727**
**419,795**
_464,294_|
The Statement of Financial Activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.
The notes on pages 10 to 13 form part of these financial statements.
Page 8
## **Linc Charity**
## **BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 MARCH 2024**
|**Note**
**Fixed Assets**
Office Equipment
Less : Depreciation
**Current assets**
Stock
Debtors and prepayments
6
Cash at bank and in hand
Creditors: amounts falling due within one
year
7
**Net current assets**
**Total net assets**
**Charity funds**
Restricted funds
8
Unrestricted funds
8
**Total funds**|**1102**
**(367)**
**735**
**-**
**43,623**
**419,342**
**462,965**
**(43,905)**|**2024**
**£**
**419,060**
**419,795**
**171,068**
**248,727**
**419,795**|_-_
_-_
_-_
_6,796_
_17,560_
_447,489_
_471,845_
_(7,551)_|_2023_
_£_
_464,294_|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||_464,294_|
|||||_210,175_
_254,119_|
|||||_464,294_|
The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Trustees and signed on their behalf by:
## Gillian Parker
## Date: 09 January 2025
The notes on pages 10 to 13 form part of these financial statements.
Page 9
**Linc Charity**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
## **1. Accounting policies**
## **Basis of preparation of financial statements**
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) - Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011.
The financial statements have been prepared to give a 'true and fair' view and have departed from the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 only to the extent required to provide a 'true and fair' view. This departure has involved following the Charities SORP (FRS 102) published in October 2019 rather than the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice effective from 1 April 2005 which has since been withdrawn.
Linc charity meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy.
## **Going concern**
After making appropriate enquiries, the Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. For this reason they continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements
## **2. Analysis of grants**
||**Grants to**|**Total**|_Total_|
|---|---|---|---|
||**Individuals**|**funds**|_funds_|
||**2024**|**2024**|_2022_|
||**£**|**£**|_£_|
|Grants to individuals|2,678|**2,678**|_4,103_|
Page 10
## **Linc Charity**
|**3. Analysis of support costs**
**Funds**
**2024**
**£**
Clinical Psychologist
35,361
Supporting Patient Care
3,459
Sanctuary Gardens
21
Supporting Research Costs
39,086
77,927
**4. Independent examiner's remuneration**
Fees payable to the Charity's independent examiner for the independent
examination of the Charity's annual accounts|**Total**
**funds**
**2024**
**£**
**35,361**
**3,459**
**21**
**39,086**
**77,927**
**2024**
**£**
**-**|_Total_
_funds_
_2023_
_£_
_48,178_
_10,152_
_-_
_36,111_|
|---|---|---|
|||_94,440_|
|||_2023_
_£_
_-_|
## **5. Trustees' remuneration and expenses**
During the year, no Trustees received any remuneration or other benefits _(2023 - £NIL)_
During the year ended 31 March 2024, no Trustee expenses have been incurred _(2023 - £NIL)_ .
Page 11
## **Linc Charity**
## **6. Debtors**
|**Due within one year**
Trade debtors
Amounts owed by group undertakings
Other debtors
Prepayments and accrued income|**2024**
**£**
_2023_
_£_
**-**
_-_
**27,283**
_6,682_
**16,287**
_6,878_
**53**_4,000_|
|---|---|
||**43,623**
_17,560_|
## **7. Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year**
|Trade creditors
Amounts owed to group undertakings
Other creditors
Accruals and deferred income
|**2024**
**£**
**0**
**0**
**35,361**
**8,544**
**43,905**|_2023_
_£_
_-_
_-_
_-_
_7,551_
_7,551_|
|---|---|---|
Page 12
## **Linc Charity**
## **8. Statement of funds**
## **Statement of funds - current year**
|**Unrestricted funds**
**Restricted funds**
Robert Dalton Research
Fellowship Fund
Donations
**Total of funds**|**Balance at 1**
**April 2023**
**£**
**254,119**
**198,998**
**11,177**
**210,175**
**464,294**|**Income**
**£**
**223,543**
-
-
**-**
**223,543**|**Expenditure**
**£**
**(228,935)**
**(39,086)**
**(21)**
**(39,107)**
**(268,042)**|**Expenditure**
**£**
**(228,935)**
**(39,086)**
**(21)**
**(39,107)**
**(268,042)**|**Balance at**
**Transfers**
**31 March**
**in/out**
**2024**
**£**
**£**|**Balance at**
**Transfers**
**31 March**
**in/out**
**2024**
**£**
**£**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||**0**|**248,727**|
||||||**-**
**-**|**159,912**
**11,156**|
|||||||**171,068**|
|||||||**419,795**|
.
## **9. Staff**
At the end of the financial period the charity had 2 direct employees. One staff member was also employed by the NHS with costs recharged to the charity.
Page 13