The Houston Charitable Trust
Contents of the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 5 April 2025
| Page | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Report ofthe Trustees | 1 | to | 3 |
| Independent Examiner's Report | 4 | ||
| Statement of Financial Activities | 5 | ||
| Balance Sheet | 6 | ||
| Notes to the Financial Statements | 7 | to | 9 |
| DetailedStatementofFinancialActivities | 10 |
The Houston Charitable Trust
Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 5 April 2025
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
The Trust was set up by Trust Deed dated 7 September 1990 and was registered as a charity by the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 20 November 2000. The Trust's registered charity is: 1083552. The objectives of the Trust are the relief of poverty, advancement of education, advancement of the Christian religion and to further such charitable purposes for the public benefit as are exclusively charitable according to the laws of England and Wales as the trustees may from time to time determine.
The trustees who served throughout the period and to the date of this report were Geoffrey Houston and James Houston.
New trustees may be appointed by the trustees. It is the policy of the Trust to have minimum of three trustees at any one time. Any new trustees must undergo an orientation to brief them on their legal obligations under charity law, decision making processes and recent financial performance. During the orientation they will meet the other trustees. At the regular trustees meetings, the trustees agrees the overall strategy and areas of activity for the trust.
Review of activities and reserves policy
The Trust continues to provide grants, in accordance with its objectives. The trustees administer the funds directly.
The results for the year, and the charity's financial position at the end of the year, are shown in the attached financial statements. The Trust's work is reliant on voluntary donations. All income and expenditure in the year is considered as routine and the year ended with a deficit in funds of £1,539 (2024 Surplus: £4,444).
All funds are unrestricted and the fund balance at 5 April 2025 stood at £175,645. The trustees will review the reserves policy and the level of reserves from time to time. The trustees plan to disburse the funds over the coming years. Whilst holding these funds they seek to obtain the best return whilst minimising risk.
Larger donations have been made to Restore Hope, Bruce Watkins & Elizabeth Maud Hayes, Root and Branch, Green Hill Trust, The Rock Foundation and St Marys DCC.
Risk review
The trustees regularly review the risks to which the Trust is exposed and aim to minimise the risks as far as_ possible. Procedures will be periodically reviewed to ensure they still meet the needs ofthe[charity.]
Grant making policy
It is the policy of the Trust to make grants to institutions and individuals in accordance with the objectives of the trust for charitable causes from funds available for distribution.
Public benefit
The Trustees have considered the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the Trust's aims and objectives and in planning future activities and setting the grant making policy for the period. The Trustees have, in their view, met the public benefit requirement by making grants to individuals and institutions who are able to further the charity's objectives.
Plans for the future
The trust will have a focus on helping Christian related projects and the relief of poverty.
Statement of Trustees' Responsibilities
Page 2
The Houston Charitable Trust
Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 5 April 2025
The trustees are responsible for preparing 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 and Wales requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
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select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
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observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
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make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; - presume the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation;
The trustees are responsible for keeping accounting records that 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 statement of Recommended Practice in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) issued on 16 July 2014 and 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.
REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Registered Charity number 1083552
Principal address
Little Warren
Burton's Lane Little Chalfont Buckinghamshire HP8 4BS
Trustees
Mr G Houston
MrJ Houston
Independent Examiner DUX Advisory Limited Chartered Accountants Kennel Club House Gatehouse Way Aylesbury Buckinghamshire HP19 8DB
Approved by order ofthe board of trustees on 19 May 2025 and signed on its behalf by:
Mr G Houston - Trustee
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Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of The Houston Charitable Trust
Independent examiner's report to the trustees of The Houston Charitable Trust
| report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of The Houston Charitable Trust (the Trust) for the year ended 5 April 2025.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act').
| report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under Section 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination | have followed all applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under Section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner's statement
| have completed my examination. | confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
- accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by Section 130 of the Act; or 2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or 3. the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
| have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Katherine Parsey FCA
DUX Advisory Limited Chartered Accountants Kennel Club House Gatehouse Way Aylesbury Buckinghamshire HP19 8DB
19 May 2025
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The Houston Charitable Trust
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 5 April 2025
- ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis of preparing the financial statements
The financial statements of the charity, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) ‘Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Charities Act 2011. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.
Income
All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.
Expenditure
Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.
Grants offered subject to conditions which have not been met at the year end date are noted as a commitment but not accrued as expenditure.
Taxation
The charity is exempt from tax on its charitable activities.
Fund accounting
Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.
Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.
Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.
- INVESTMENT INCOME
| 5.4.25 | 5.4.24 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |||
| Deposit | account | interest | 1,795 | 1,397 |
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