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← The Brain And Spine Foundation

2021-03-31-accounts

The Brain & Spine Foundation Annual Accounts and Trustees Report 1 April 2020 – 31 March 2021 Company no. 4432677. Charity no. 1098528

The Brain and Spine Foundation

Contents

For the year ended 31 March 2021
Page
Reference and administrative details 1
Report of the trustees
The Brain & Spine Foundation at a glance 2
Our year in a snapshot 3
A letter from the Chair 6
Report of the trustees 8
Statement of responsibilities of trustees 19
Independent examiner's report 21
Statement of financial activities 22
Balance sheet 23
Statement of cash flows 24
Notes to the financial statements 25
These pages do not form part of the statutory financial statements:
Trustee biographies 38

The Brain and Spine Foundation

Reference and administrative details

For the year ended 31 March 2021

Company number 4432677 Charity number 1098528 Registered office CAN Mezzanine 4th Floor 7-14 Great Dover Street London SE1 4YR Trustees Trustees, who are also directors under company law, who served during the year and up to the date of this report were as follows: Anthony Amato-Watkins (appointed 29 April 2020) Ian Basden-Smith Joseph Bedford (appointed 29 April 2020) Peter Brickley (appointed 29 April 2020) Colin Cosgrove (resigned 22 October 2020) Paul Fleming (appointed 29 April 2020) Asli Guner-Paul (appointed 29 April 2020) Jeroen Huysinga (appointed 29 April 2020) Mark Luce (Chair) Elizabeth Manuel Sarah Vibert (appointed 22 October 2020) Alistair Watkins Charity president Peter Hamlyn BSc MB BS MD FRCS FISM Charity vice president Clive Holland Eric Roux Chief executive officer Marc Anthony Smith Company secretary Marc Anthony Smith Bankers CAF Bank NatWest Bank 25 Kings Hill Avenue Tavistock House Kings Hill Tavistock Square West Malling London Kent WC1H 9JA ME19 4TA Independent Godfrey Wilson Limited examiners Chartered accountants and statutory auditors 5th Floor Mariner House 62 Prince Street Bristol BS1 4QD

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The Brain and Spine Foundation

Report of the trustees

For the year ended 31 March 2021

The Brain & Spine Foundation at a glance

Our vision

We want anyone affected by any neurological problem to get the best treatment, care and support to live a dignified and meaningful life.

Our mission

We provide free, professional support and expert information to anyone affected by any neurological problem.

Our purpose

Everything we do is intended to enable and empower people affected by a neurological condition to dramatically improve their quality of life outcomes.

Our values

We work to a high standard and use the expertise of health professionals, our staff and our community to produce quality information and support services. We recognise and value lived-experience.

Inclusive & Diverse

We support anyone who needs us: we respect and care for our community and listen to the needs of people affected by neurological conditions. Organisationally, we reflect the community we serve and strive to have the person-voice represented and listened to.

Empowering

We help people to help themselves. By providing information and support, we enable individuals to take more control of their own journey. Like a good companion, we are there when they need us.

Learning and growing

We’re ambitious about what we can achieve for people affected by neurological problems. We learn from experience and research, we are hungry for knowledge and creative in our thinking. We work innovatively and in an agile way to grow and improve what we do.

We work with others, including the people we serve, health professionals and other organisations to get the best results. We seek to build meaningful partnerships with all stakeholders and are driven by a common cause and shared purpose.

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The Brain and Spine Foundation

Report of the trustees

For the year ended 31 March 2021

Our focus

Our distinct approach integrates three inter-related elements: Services, Research and Campaigning. The combined impact of these activities, allied to our pan-neurological remit gives the Brain & Spine Foundation its unique place in the neurology landscape:

Our year in a snapshot

Last year was like no other. As the pandemic disrupted the world with staggering force, all aspects of our lives were impacted and access to NHS and care services were significantly disrupted. The one in six of us living with a neurological condition in this country faced delays to treatments, medicines and surgery and continue to do so. We are proud to have increased the delivery of services at a time of unprecedented demand in the face of NHS diversions. We have also launched a new engagement platform – NeuroLifeNow - designed to connect our community with the design, development and delivery of the care improvements that they require. The strength and resilience of our community is what drives us forward and we have great optimism as we move into 202122.

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The Brain and Spine Foundation

Report of the trustees

For the year ended 31 March 2021

Our financial performance

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Total Income vs Total Expenditure
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Income growth
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Cost ratios
Governance 5%
Fundraising 10%
Net assets
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Our impact

Accessible, tailored and expert support & information remained core to our service delivery. We increased reach by 45%, connecting with over 600,000 people in our community:

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The Brain and Spine Foundation

Report of the trustees

For the year ended 31 March 2021

Our response to Covid-19

As the pandemic took its grip, our focus was to support our community through the crisis by providing the right information, at the right time and in the right way. We adapted quickly to meet their needs and urged decision makers to set out plans for health and care improvements. As the longer term impacts of the pandemic are becoming evident, our Covid-19 response remains agile, needs driven and appropriate.

Our people

We have built a talented team of individuals who, against the backdrop of Covid-19, remained professional and dedicated to delivering our support services, engagement activities and daily operations. The digital transformation work that took place in 2019-20 to support remote working allowed our staff to continue their efforts with minimal disruption. In seeking to embrace a range of skills at Board level, we recruited 7 new Trustees with relevant experience to support the governance of our new transformational strategy – our Trustees now number 11.

Our ethos

We are person-centric : Uniquely pan-neuro, our information and support service model continues to evolve around understanding the holistic needs of people affected.

We are insight led and data driven: We have a vision to improve reach and impact of our services by leveraging digital and data strategies.

We seek to build a large community of people affected by neurological conditions in UK : one that unifies their voices and influences systemic change to the design and delivery of care.

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The Brain and Spine Foundation

Report of the trustees

For the year ended 31 March 2021

A letter from the Chair

I’m delighted to share with you the Brain & Spine Foundation annual report. It has been an extraordinary year, and I would like to express sincere gratitude to everyone who has stood by us and strived to deliver positive outcomes for our community of people affected by neurological conditions during such turbulent times.

2020 saw the start of our transformation strategy. The long-term vision builds on our unique position as a panneuro, person-centred organisation. Our ambition is to be the ‘go-to’ organisation for support and information services for people affected by any neurological condition. We want to build a strong, unified voice for our community, meeting the needs of everyone affected: people, their family and carers.

This year we connected with over 600,000 people affected by a neurological problem who reached out to our Helpline for free, tailored support, ordered one of our expert information booklets or joined our digital community. The impact of Covid-19 is evident with 50% of calls to the Helpline about the secondary consequences of brain and spine illness, such as mental health problems, social isolation and anxiety. We are immensely proud that we have continued to be there for people when they needed us most against the backdrop of a global pandemic, but we must also make sure we are well prepared for the future.

We know that living with a neurological condition can be a lonely and difficult experience. With many members of our community clinically vulnerable and shielding during the year, we continued to run our condition-specific Facebook support groups and launched two new online peer support programmes, Neuro Social and My Creative Life. We continue to make these sessions as inspiring and practical, and are exploring specific programmes for carers.

In January, we were excited to launch NeuroLifeNow, our new App and website, in collaboration with the Neurological Alliance. This innovative platform encourages anyone affected by a neurological condition or symptoms to report the daily reality of living with their illness, and how they are accessing treatment and care. Over 800 people have shared their valuable insights and these experiences have already been used to influence how neurological services are funded and delivered, most notably being referenced in a House of Lords debate in early June 2021. I’d like to thank every person who has signed up to the App, and the charitable trusts and corporate businesses who have so generously supported this innovative project.

Like many organisations, our staff team began working-from-home and adapted to testing times with outstanding professionalism and dedication. Despite challenging circumstances we were able to strengthen our workforce by recruiting 6 members of staff and 7 new Trustees with the expertise and passion required to deliver our ambitious strategy and I feel proud to lead the Board of Trustees as Chair of this charity.

Our work is only possible thanks to our incredible supporters and hardworking volunteers. Despite many of our planned fundraising events being cancelled, such as the London Marathon, our community took on virtual events and created new, socially-distanced ways to raise funds. We feel privileged to have such an incredible network of dedicated Ambassadors, fundraisers and volunteers. By the end of the financial year, our income sat at £892,901 - an increase of 35.6% on the previous year. I would like to thank our generous network of donors and funders for their continued dedication to the organisation, and our staff team who have worked tirelessly to explore and secure a diverse range of income.

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The Brain and Spine Foundation

Report of the trustees

For the year ended 31 March 2021

In the coming year, we will continue to support anyone affected by any neurological condition and fund social research and insight into the daily reality of the people we serve. We will campaign to give power and a voice to the neurological community to drive change and dramatically improve their quality of life. The pandemic has reinforced that we are stronger together. I hope you will join us as we move towards our 30[th] Anniversary year.

Mark Luce

Chair of Trustees, Brain & Spine Foundation

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The Brain and Spine Foundation

Report of the trustees

For the year ended 31 March 2021

Report of the Trustees

As an independent health charity, the Brain & Spine Foundation plays a number of crucial and influential roles in supporting the health and wellbeing of people affected by a neurological problem living within the United Kingdom.

Founded in 1992, we draw from 29 years of experience and accumulated expertise to deliver person-centred support and accessible information directly to those who need it; and we continue to listen to and learn from our community, allowing us to identify and respond to their unmet needs and ensure that our work remains relevant.

Uniquely pan-neuro, we are there for someone at any stage of their journey, from when symptoms first appear, before diagnosis, throughout their wait to see specialists, and in the long-term when there can often be a lack of specialist or community care available to help in the management of chronic conditions. For many people, the support and information they find through our services simply does not exist anywhere else.

We also work to raise awareness of the challenges faced by people affected by a neurological condition and provide a platform for the voice of our community. Through the gathering and reporting of people’s real-world experiences, we help present evidence of the unwarranted variations in the access to and delivery of care. Through regular and frequent reporting of lived experience, we help influence the design and delivery of healthcare services.

We help to bridge the gaps between different parts of the health and social care systems, and we work to ensure that those who need to are able to interact with these systems effectively and efficiently.

Why we exist

One in six people in this country is affected by a neurological or neurodegenerative condition. These diseases include dementia, stroke, motor neurone disease, neuromuscular diseases, brain cancers, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis and epilepsy to name just a few. That is over 12 million individuals who have experienced or are living with a condition or symptom that may have life-changing, and often life-long effects.

There are over 600 known neurological conditions. A neurological problem can impact every aspect of a person’s life, including physical, mental, and social wellbeing. Friends and family can also be affected and may need to provide full-time support as a carer.

Despite some regional centres of excellence, the stark reality for anyone affected by a neurological problem is that services are scarce, limited in scope and fragmented – and significantly under-resourced compared to other major health conditions, like cancer and heart disease.

The Association of British Neurologists and others, estimate that the disruption caused to the delivery of neurological support services by COVID-19 during 2020 has increased the number of people waiting to see a specialist neurologist from 35,000 to over 140,000 in the UK. A further 60,000 are waiting for neurosurgery. With fewer than 1,000 specialist consultants in England, this backlog will take many years to clear. Meanwhile, with many waiting more than a year to see a consultant, the health of our community is getting worse more quickly.

In this increasingly diverse, complicated, and complex landscape, there is an ever-growing need and demand for support and accessible information from individuals, their families, friends, and carers and the healthcare professional who look after them.

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The Brain and Spine Foundation

Report of the trustees

For the year ended 31 March 2021

The work we do makes a real difference; it gives immediate help and on-going support and relieves pressure on the NHS. This is especially valuable at a time of national emergency and during the aftermath.

Our services: the right support, at the right time, in the right way

Neuroscience nurse-led Helpline

“The nurse made me feel better about my situation, and I felt armed with knowledge to take to my GP.”

We know that asking for help is not always easy. Discussing your diagnosis or condition, your worries, and the challenges you are facing can be emotional and difficult. Some people may have already experienced stigma when trying to talk to others.

Our free, expert national Helpline service provides a trusted safe space where someone can seek practical and emotional support, clarity and reassurance. Run by experienced neuroscience trained professionals, our Helpline team understand the complexity of neurological conditions and the difficulties that people can encounter. We help people make sense of complex information or specialist medical terminology, support them to access the right services and to ask the right questions to ensure they get the most out of their appointments and care. We understand the importance of recognising that their challenges are not limited to their symptoms or condition, but also come from how these can impact their ability to work, their independence, their relationships, and other wider personal and socio-economic issues.

When someone contacts us we relate to them as a person first and foremost. We engage with people in a holistic and person-centred way: finding out what is important to them, working with loved ones, and giving options so they can make an informed decision. The neuroscience nurses use their clinical knowledge and experience, alongside strong listening skills, and a commitment to treating people with compassion and empathy, to deliver high-quality care and support.

We are there for the person’s entire journey, not just in the first instance. Calls are not limited in number nor by time, as we know that peoples’ needs change over the years. Knowing that trusted help is just a phone call or email away can also alleviate stress and reduce anxiety when often it is difficult for someone to get in contact with their own healthcare team. Our Helpline service is confidential, anonymous and can be accessed by phone, email, or via our social media channels.

Last year the Helpline responded to 2,380 enquiries by answering phone calls, providing call backs, and replying to emails. This represents nearly 40% growth on 2019, with the majority increase being seen in e-mail enquiries related to COVID-19 and mental wellbeing. The expertise of our neuroscience nurses also continues to be valued by healthcare professionals and other charities seeking to learn more about neurological conditions and the support available to their patients locally and in the community.

Accessible health information

“Your booklet on dizziness was a balm of comfort. In some situations it feels like there are no lights at the end of the tunnel. But you have helped me find one.”

Receiving a diagnosis can be a difficult or traumatic experience. For many people, absorbing or retaining information during appointments, or following a diagnosis, can be challenging – especially if it has been delivered verbally or someone is affected by cognitive (‘brain fog’) or communication difficulties.

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The Brain and Spine Foundation

Report of the trustees

For the year ended 31 March 2021

We produce accessible, evidence-based health information to support people affected by neurological problems. Our information helps individuals better understand their symptoms and diagnosis, to participate in shared decision making about treatments and care-planning, and empowers them to better manage their condition and achieve their goals.

High quality, accessible information can also help improve someone’s experience of healthcare, helping to reducing the pressures, utilisation, and costs of that person to the healthcare system. We publish our information online through our website, where it is available to view, print, and download. This information is delivered in the form of webpages, fact sheets, booklets, animations, and short entries within an A-Z directory.

Our information resources provide information on a range of conditions and symptoms, including subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH), face pain, head injury and vascular malformations of the brain. We also have information on what to expect during tests and treatments, such as MRI scans, lumbar punctures, and coiling of brain aneurysms. Our most downloaded resource provides guidance on how to perform vestibular rehabilitation exercises at home.

We distribute our printed booklets free-of-charge to individuals and to healthcare professionals. These may be given out in healthcare settings as part of providing patient information at the time of diagnosis or during care and management. We also produce educational videos on head injury and Chiari malformation that can be shared digitally via YouTube.

During 2020/21, we continued our commitment to producing high-quality health information and distributed hard-copy and digital publications to 33,000 people. Since launching our educational videos we have had over 79,000 views on YouTube.

Online peer support

“It’s amazing this group is here. We share experiences with others who really understand.”

Living with a neurological condition can be lonely and difficult. We know from talking with our community that sharing experiences and coping strategies can help people feel more positive and less alone.

Peer support can tackle feelings of isolation and improve mental wellbeing, as well as help people to feel more able to take on the challenges they may face each day. The coronavirus pandemic put a stop on any physical community-based activity, but we responded by launching online support.

Neuro Social is a safe and positive space for people to meet, share stories, give support and get support. Sessions are open to anyone regardless of diagnosis, ensuring that people living with rarer conditions can access a welcoming and understanding group. Neuro Social is run by Brain & Spine Foundation staff members but has been developed through close working with volunteers who themselves live with neurological problems. For now, we are bringing people together weekly via Zoom and are exploring specific groups for families and carers. My Creative Life is an art-based therapy group that launched in late 2020. The group is led by an expert moderator and is divided into seven sessions and uses simple, creative activities which are designed to support members to reflect on a specific issue or coping strategy. Sessions are run online and feedback received from the group has been positive, with the first group completing the ten week course in May and a new group launching in June 2021.

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The Brain and Spine Foundation

Report of the trustees

For the year ended 31 March 2021

We created and moderate two closed condition-specific Facebook groups that provide peer support for people living with Chiari malformation and for survivors of subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). These groups connect people with shared experience of these comparatively rare conditions, offering a safe and welcoming space where they can discuss experiences, share advice and offer mutual support. The groups are overseen by volunteer moderators living with the conditions concerned, who contribute to discussions and occasionally guide members to additional support.

Membership of our social media community, including online peer support groups for subarachnoid haemorrhage and Chiari malformation grew to 26,819 people last year. We are incredibly grateful to the volunteers and moderators that contribute towards our peer support groups who provide ongoing care and dedication to their community and peers.

Rebecca (pictured below) is one of the 600,000 people who we reached and helped last year:

Rebecca’s story

“I had a subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH), a bleed on the brain, one day out of the blue when I was 45. I had experienced a few migraines in the couple of months leading up to it but apart from that I was a normal, healthy busy person.

On the day it happened, I had dropped my husband and daughter off at the train station as they were going to London to shop for my daughter’s birthday. Later, I felt a ‘whooshing’ sensation at the back of my head. It felt like my skull was opening up. After that, all I remember are snippets: being horribly sick; the paramedic calling my name and telling me to look into his eyes; seeing bright lights and feeling fresh air.

It felt like I was moving in slow motion. A friend had found me lying on my stairs with my face drooped to one side and had immediately called for an ambulance.

My friend had also called my family and soon after my husband was there with me, along with my children, parents and brother. I just remember focusing on my daughter’s face. I was told I would need to have surgery and was prepped for theatre. Strangely, I felt no fear! The fear was much greater for my family and friends, but when I saw the medical team getting ready I just wanted to have the anaesthetic to go to sleep and stop my pain.

The surgery was a success, thankfully, and the next two weeks were spent recovering in hospital with lots of visitors. I’ve never felt so much love and will be eternally grateful for that. I had my driver’s licence revoked for nine months as I wasn’t in any fit way to drive, but my friends and family rallied round and I wasn’t left alone at all for a few weeks. My husband helped to wash me until I felt confident to do it myself.

However, the tiredness would be overwhelming. I was diagnosed with PTSD and had some counselling for it. I went back to work as a teacher part-time but it exhausted me! I struggled with busyness and multi-tasking. I felt utterly overwhelmed.

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For the year ended 31 March 2021

The Brain and Spine Foundation

Report of the trustees

The Brain & Spine Foundation provided me with a booklet explaining all about SAH which helped my family and I understand what had happened and what to expect. I also joined the Brain & Spine Foundation support group for survivors of SAH and I have found this invaluable. Being able to talk and ask questions to people who understand was so comforting. I hope I can offer the same to others now.

I am so lucky but I still think about it every day. How one second I was fine and busy with life and the next I was fighting for my life. Three years on, I now consider myself recovered but just describe myself as a more fragile person. Although it was unlucky for it to happen to me, because it is so rare, I feel so lucky to have survived and even luckier to have recovered. It makes you realise just how precious life is and easily it can all be taken away.”

Research: understanding the daily realities of our community

There are more people in the UK living with a neurological condition than cancer, heart disease, or diabetes. Transformational change is needed urgently, because the current system is under-funded, inadequately resourced, and is failing individuals and families.

In 2020-2021, we advanced our strategic transformation through the design, development and delivery of a digital engagement platform, NeuroLifeNow (NLN). The innovative digital App and website captures lived experience in real-time and this insight helps drive improvements in health and care for the neurological community. This research technology will enable us to gather unique evidence into the daily reality of neurological treatment, support, and care in England and throughout the UK. It is the first time a digital tool has been developed to capture ‘lived experience’ data on a rolling basis across all 600+ known neurological conditions.

NeuroLifeNow aims to:

During the pilot phase (Jan-March 2020), over 700 people signed up to the App and we received more than 600 completed questionnaires in total. Early insights showed that mental health needs were not being met and those who were experiencing cancellations of their care were more likely to need emergency support.

In March, and using the evidence gathered by NLN, the Neurological Alliance had a constructive meeting with senior Government ministers and NHS officers to discuss the impact of the pandemic on people with neurological conditions and urged them to set out plans for NHS re-set of neurological treatment and care. We will be following up and with further evidence captured via the App and will campaign for our community to be well situated within any forthcoming recovery strategy.

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The Brain and Spine Foundation

Report of the trustees

For the year ended 31 March 2021

A huge thank you must go to the hundreds of people who have shared their experiences through NeuroLifeNow. As we move forward with Phase II of the App’s development we are speaking with people in our community to gather feedback – this insight will directly shape how we improve the App.

“This is an exciting and much needed project that has the potential to support more effective, efficient service provision in neurology and beyond. It is critical that the experiences of people with neurological conditions shape how we deliver care – this platform will enable us to do just that. I fully endorse the project and look forward to utilising this work as part of my role to drive forward transformation in neurosciences.”

Prof. Adrian Williams: Chair of NHS England and Improvement Neurosciences Clinical Reference Group & CoChair of National Neurosciences Advisory Group; Senior Advisor to the Getting it Right First Time (GIRFT) programme & London Ambassador; West Midlands Clinical Director Neurosciences & Chair of Senate.

As part of our overarching transformational strategy, our objective is to create a comprehensive ‘pan-neuro’ view, contributing new and differentiated data, and drawing together the knowledge and understanding that already exists around the lives and experiences of people affected by neurological conditions into a neuro datalake. We plan to unify and manage these data on behalf of our community to create rich and authentic insights that will support improvements in health and social care, drive changes to policy and practice and contribute to our understanding and knowledge within neurology.

Connecting with our community: reaching more people and raising awareness

We know that accessing the right information and support, at the right time, can make a significant difference to someone’s life. It improves their ability to cope and manage their symptoms and condition, as well as their overall experience of health and social care.

In the past year, we have extended our reach and grown our community by 45%, connecting with over 600,000 people (compared to 425,000 last year). Through our website, our pages and information was viewed by 596,228 people and our booklets and fact sheets were downloaded 29,958 times.

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The Brain and Spine Foundation

Report of the trustees

For the year ended 31 March 2021

Our reach

In 20/21, the Brain & Spine community was over 600,000 people:

To help us achieve our strategic goals, we believe it is important to raise the profile of the Brain & Spine Foundation and to increase awareness about the lives of people affected by a neurological problem.

Our outreach work is an important part of how we continue to grow our community, ensuring that people are aware of (or can find out about) our services when they need them. Attending conferences and events provides us with an invaluable chance to meet and engage with our community, and although this has not been possible during COVID-19 lockdown, we have continued to develop our virtual networks and contact databases in readiness for our new ‘normality’.

There is more work to be done to ensure the information resources we produce reach

those who need it. The growing network of healthcare professionals we support and work with is a key part of this as they help us by reviewing and updating our information resources and booklets, and are responsible for distributing a large proportion of our booklets to patients through hospitals and clinics.

Connecting with our community also means listening to and amplifying the voices of the people we serve each day. We welcome members of the community who wish to share their stories through our website, newsletters, and social media channels.

In 2020-2021, we have grown our network of passionate and committed volunteer Ambassadors who help us to engage directly with local communities, sharing their own first-hand experience and supporting others to get in touch with our services or contribute to our work. The Ambassadors have adapted their roles, working entirely from a virtual capacity yet have continued to support the charity and stand by us during turbulent times. Over the past year, they have organised Covid-safe events, contributed to our campaigns and fundraised to help with our financial sustainability. Emma, who joined as an Ambassador in 2020, nominated the Brain & Spine Foundation at her workplace CSR programme and we received a donation of £10,000, along with over £2,500 raised through workplace activities. We are so grateful for the continued dedication we see from our Ambassadors each day and have plans to grow and retain our network of volunteers over the coming year.

Fundraising: developing a sustainable organisation

The Brain & Spine Foundation operates entirely from voluntary income and the strategy is to maintain this independence. We aim to generate income from multiple channels, including Individual Giving, Legacies, Trusts and Foundations, Major Donors, Corporate and Community activities so that we have a balanced and sustainable funding model. 20-21 was a very successful year for fundraising and engagement – and our ability to increase total income by 35% was the foundation for launching new services and growing existing ones.

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The Brain and Spine Foundation

Report of the trustees

For the year ended 31 March 2021

We applied successfully to the COVID relief fund, distributed by National Lottery. This £80,000 grant enabled us to maintain the Helpline and launch Neuro Social. We also secured a grant of £80,000 via CAF distributing funds from the Department. Total income from Trusts and Foundations was over £380,000 more than five times higher than the previous year.

One of our individual donors gave £100,000 via their private foundation allowing us to recruit two new members of staff and fund one existing helpline role. While they have asked to remain anonymous, we would like to express our gratitude for this significant donation.

The coronavirus drastically hit community and challenge events, with many planned activities cancelled or postponed beyond the financial year. The Virgin Money London Marathon was run as a virtual event in 2020, and remains a key source of income for the charity. Our team of 35 runners was captained by David Phillips OBE and in total raised a fantastic £70,000. We’d like to give a special mention and huge thank you to David, who last year ran his 500[th] Marathon.

Across our community, we have wonderful volunteers and people who go to great lengths to fundraise for the work we do from sporting events to bake sales.

The BHSF partnership, which continues into the second of three years, enhances their offer to the employee welfare marketplace through access to our services. We are proud to be extending the reach of our support services to this new audience.

This initiative, and others, demonstrates a new model of reciprocal benefits for the charity and its supporters that will develop into long term and sustainable relationships with other corporate partners.

As we move forward into 2021-22, the pillars of our fundraising strategy are to:

Collaboration: working with partners

As members of the Neurological Alliance, we contributed to policy development and attended forums including the National Neurosciences Advisory Group (NNAG) on Mental Health and Neurology, the Development of the Rare Conditions Report and the Development of Mental Health in Neurology Report.

Marc Smith, our CEO, is a Trustee of the Neurological Alliance Board of Trustees since November 2019 and was elected Vice Chairman in November 2020. This brings mutual benefits and facilitates a closer working relationship e.g. the Neurological Alliance has been a co-sponsor and significant collaborator in NeuroLifeNow.

This year, again, we were stakeholders in the review and development of neurosurgical care pathways for subarachnoid haemorrhage, brain tumours, and pituitary tumours, which was being led by NHS England and NHS Improvement. We provided feedback on their recommendations and supported the NHS teams to engage patients and their families appropriately and effectively in the development process.

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The Brain and Spine Foundation

Report of the trustees

For the year ended 31 March 2021

Our 21-22 ambitions

Our transformation programme is the foundation of our 5-year strategic plans. It is person-centred, collaborative, and has financial sustainability at its heart. As part of this expanded vision, we are working towards a new model for our charity where our team remains small, but our impact is big. Allied to this lean structure is a new model of engagement and fundraising – one that sees people at the heart of a social movement. A movement designed to give people affected by a neurological problem a stronger and unified voice. We want to work alongside our community and empower them to act and take the lead in creating the change they want to see.

Through this programme and based on values of collaboration and co-production, we want to:

We have initiated an operational audit and are reviewing our IT and office systems as part of this work. We are exploring secure cloud-based software and better integration to help drive collaboration and efficiency, whilst not compromising the delivery or security of our services and data. Through developing more agile and flexible working practices, we hope to allow for wider recruitment and greater retention of staff and resource.

The outcomes of this programme will remain aligned with our objectives and outcome framework:

We have already made significant progress towards this programme in the last 18 months (April 2019 – March 2021).

In 2021/2022, we will also continue to deliver against our core work, providing:

We aim to recruit and empower more volunteers to our organisation, enabling them to contribute to our goals.

We will also plan for our 30[th] Anniversary Year in 2022.

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The Brain and Spine Foundation

Report of the trustees

For the year ended 31 March 2021

To achieve this, in 21-22 we will focus on five organisation strategic aims:

Building community

We want to reach, recruit, engage and empower more people to our organisation enabling them to contribute to our goals.

Growth in direct services

We want to develop how our information and support services can be delivered through collaboration and coproduction.

Being fit for fundraising

In order to achieve financial sustainability, we must be fit to generate long-term income. We will continue to implement our CRM database to improve efficiency and the quality of our stewardship programmes and ensure our team have the expertise and skills to deliver high quality engagement and income generation.

Reporting impact and outcomes

We will continue to ask for feedback from our community through our surveys and develop a Monitoring & Evaluation strategy that reflects our desired impact. We will ensure we are regularly reporting on our progress and will undertake honest evaluations of the challenges we face and lessons we have learned.

Ensuring the success of NeuroLifeNow

We will continue to develop NeuroLifeNow to help inform and drive significant improvements in healthcare. This technology-led platform enables us to gather unique insight into the daily realities of living with neurological conditions, and we recognise the need to improve engagement with non-digital activation. We are working with experts to mitigate risks in this programme.

Financial review 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021

With the pandemic affecting all aspects of life and the economy, and charitable fundraising in particular, the 20202021financial year saw a very strong performance in income generation. Total income was £892,901, up 35.6% on last year. Expenditure was £885,957.

Our expenditure & costs were in line with our plans and focused on Service Delivery (85%), with Cost of Raising Funds at 10% and Governance 5%

The modest surplus of £6,944 has been accrued because of reduction of fixed overheads early in the year, and careful management of the cost base thereafter.

We are aware that the charity income base will need to be strengthened and diversified in the coming period, and that the external environment will continue to be very challenging.

We have strategies to address sustainability of core and transformational projects and our funding pipeline for 2021-2022 is cause for optimism and we develop stronger relationships with major funders, industry and corporate partners.

In the year, we are particularly grateful for the donations and support from the public, new supporters and major donors, and for the continued support of Garfield Weston Foundation, The Fairhill Foundation, and BHSF in particular.

17

For the year ended 31 March 2021

The Brain and Spine Foundation

Report of the trustees

Reserves policy

The trustees have again reviewed the charity’s need for reserves including a reserves policy. Their aim is to keep unrestricted funds equivalent to a minimum 6 months of running costs, to ensure the charity’s core activity could continue during a period of unforeseen difficulty. In this period of economic difficulty and cashflow challenges, reserves have been held between 3 and 5 months of running costs. As at 31[st] March 2021, we ended with £251,777 free reserves which equates to 4.5 months of running costs.

Our structure, governance & management

The Brain & Spine Foundation is a company limited by guarantee and is registered as a charity with the Charity Commission. It is governed by its Articles of Association (and updated on 22 March 2017). The board of trustees is responsible for determining the overall strategic direction of the charity and for developing policies and plans to support the delivery of charitable objects. The board monitors progress across all areas of activity including legal requirements and financial performance. Meetings take place quarterly and the Finance and Governance sub-committee, a sub-group of the board, meets up to four times each year to consider finances and good governance. Other sub-committees are created by the Chair to support and give oversight of strategic initiatives as required.

A Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is appointed by the trustees to manage the day-to-day operations of the charity. To facilitate effective operations, the authority for operational matters including financial management, employment and performance relating to agreed key objectives is delegated to the CEO.

Any decisions outside of the strategic direction agreed by the board or outside of the agreed budget are referred to trustees for approval.

The pay and remuneration of the CEO is reviewed by the board each year and any changes made are based on performance, an assessment of the market, the financial position of the organisation and relativity across the team.

In the previous year we developed a code of conduct for trustees and updated the trustee role description. The code sets out the conduct and practices required to ensure the highest standards of integrity and stewardship in this role.

In 2018, the charity introduced the honorary positions of President and Vice-President.

Trustee recruitment and appointment, induction, and training

We aim to represent the community we serve at all levels of the organisation and are actively reviewing our policy and practice related to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

The Articles of Association include terms of office for trustees, so that an initial appointment is made for a 3- year term and trustees will be eligible for reappointment for one further term of 3 years.

Fundraising approach

The Brain & Spine Foundation is registered with the Fundraising Regulator and subscribes to their standards for fundraising. We have an engagement philosophy that informs our fundraising approach, looking to build longterm relationships with supporters, volunteers and service users. We value all contributions, whether financial or non-financial.

18

The Brain and Spine Foundation

Report of the trustees

For the year ended 31 March 2021

Risk management

An organisational risk review sets out the major risks and uncertainties facing the organisation. This is monitored periodically by the board’s Finance and Governance Committee and systems and policies have been established to mitigate exposure to those risks.

Public benefit

When planning the activities for the year, the trustees have regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit in accordance with the duties set out in Section 17 of the Charities Act 2011. The benefit is to a specific group of individuals who have a neurological condition, or who have a friend or family member with such a condition, or who are involved in the treatment and care of these people. This report illustrates the activities provided for this group.

Statement of responsibilities of the trustees

The trustees (who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the trustees' report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102: The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company law 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 income and expenditure of the charity for that period. In preparing those financial statements the trustees are required to:

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and which enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. The trustees 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.

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.

Members of the charity guarantee to contribute an amount not exceeding £1 to the assets of the charity in the event of winding up. The trustees are members of the charity, but this entitles them only to voting rights. The trustees have no beneficial interest in the charity.

19

The Brain and Spine Foundation

Report of the trustees

For the year ended 31 March 2021

Independent examiners

Godfrey Wilson Limited were re-appointed as independent examiners to the charitable company during the year and have expressed their willingness to continue in that capacity.

Approved by the trustees on 1[st] September 2021 and signed on their behalf by

Mark Luce – Chairman

20

Independent examiner's report

To the trustees of

The Brain and Spine Foundation

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of The Brain and Spine Foundation (the charitable company) for the year ended 31 March 2021, which are set out on pages 22 to 37.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the trustees of the charitable company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (‘the 2006 Act’).

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the charitable company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of the charitable company's accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

Since the charitable company’s gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), which is one of the listed bodies.

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

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Date: 7 September 2021 Alison Godfrey FCA Member of the ICAEW For and on behalf of: Godfrey Wilson Limited

Chartered accountants and statutory auditors 5th Floor Mariner House

62 Prince Street Bristol BS1 4QD

21

The Brain and Spine Foundation

Statement of financial activities (incorporating an income and expenditure account)

For the year ended 31 March 2021

Note
Income from:
Donations and legacies
3
Charitable activities
4
Other trading activities
5
Investments
Total income
Expenditure on:
Raising funds
Charitable activities
Total expenditure
7
Net income / (expenditure)
and net movement in funds
8
Reconciliation of funds:
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried forward		 Restricted
£
201,889
332,102
-
-
533,991
-
541,403
541,403
(7,412)
35,412
28,000		 Designated
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
94,651
94,651
(94,651)
94,651
-		 General
£
240,777
87,400
30,664
69
358,910
91,613
158,290
249,903
109,007
151,686
260,693		 2021
Total
£
442,666
419,502
30,664
69
892,901
91,613
794,344
885,957
6,944
281,749
288,693		 2020
Total
£
263,449
297,525
97,359
162
658,495
105,984
423,896
529,880
128,615
153,134
281,749

All of the above results are derived from continuing activities. There were no other recognised gains or losses other than those stated above. Movements in funds are disclosed in note 15 to the accounts.

22

The Brain and Spine Foundation

Balance sheet

As at 31 March 2021

2021 2020
Note £ £ £
Fixed assets
Tangible assets 11 8,916 21,593
Current assets
Debtors 12 50,002 13,452
Cash at bank and in hand 266,552 279,227
316,554 292,679
Liabilities
Creditors: amounts falling due within 1 year 13 36,777 32,523
Net current assets 279,777 260,156
Net assets 14 288,693 281,749
Funds 15
Restricted funds 28,000 35,412
Unrestricted funds
Designated funds - 94,651
General funds 260,693 151,686
Total charity funds 288,693 281,749

The directors are satisfied that the charitable company is entitled to exemption from the provisions of the Companies Act 2006 (the Act) relating to the audit of the financial statements for the year by virtue of section 477(2), and that no member or members have requested an audit pursuant to section 476 of the Act.

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for:

These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies' regime.

Approved by the trustees on 1 September 2021 and signed on their behalf by

Mark Luce - Chairman

23

The Brain and Spine Foundation

Statement of cash flows

For the year ended 31 March 2021

Cash used in operating activities:
Net movement in funds
Adjustments for:
Depreciation charges
Dividends, interest and rents from investments
(Increase) / decrease in debtors
Increase / (decrease) in creditors
Net cash provided by / (used in) operating activities
Cash flows from investing activities:
Dividends, interest and rents from investments
Purchase of tangible fixed assets
Net cash provided by / (used in) investing activities
Increase / (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents in the year
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year		 2021
£
6,944
12,677
(69)
(36,550)
4,254
(12,744)
69
-
69
(12,675)
279,227
266,552		 2020
£
128,615
14,347
(162)
47,908
9,955
200,663
162
(6,068)
(5,906)
194,757
84,470
279,227

The charity has not provided an analysis of changes in net debt as it does not have any long term financing arrangements.

24

The Brain and Spine Foundation

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2021

1. Accounting policies

a) Basis of preparation

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities in preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.

The Brain and Spine Foundation 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 note.

b) Going concern basis of accounting

The accounts have been prepared on the assumption that the charity is able to continue as a going concern, which the trustees consider appropriate having regard to the current level of unrestricted reserves and having taken into account the impact of the Covid pandemic on the charity's activities. There are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue as a going concern.

c) Income

Income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the items of income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.

Income from the government and other grants, whether 'capital' grants or 'revenue' grants, is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the grants have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably and is not deferred.

For legacies, entitlement is taken as the earlier of the date on which either: the charity is aware that probate has been granted, the estate has been finalised and notification has been made by the executor to the Trust that a distribution will be made, or when a distribution is received from the estate. Receipt of a legacy, in whole or in part, is only considered probable when the amount can be measured reliably and the charity has been notified of the executor's intention to make a distribution. Where legacies have been notified to the charity, or the charity is aware of the granting of probate, and the criteria for income recognition have not been met, then the legacy is treated as a contingent asset and disclosed if material.

Income from fundraising events and other trading income is recognised when the event or conference takes place and is deferred where the income relates to future periods.

d) Donated services and facilities

25

The Brain and Spine Foundation

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2021

1. Accounting policies (continued)

For Google AdWords, the charity measures the value of the gift at a proportion of the market value provided by Google. Where the market value is given in foreign currency, this is translated in line with the charity's foreign exchange policy (note 1 (o)).

In 2021 the charity benefited from donated time provided by KPMG and their delivery partners made a ‘pro-bono’ contribution to the charity’s digital engagement initiative, NeuroLifeNow (NLN). The contribution was in the form of strategic consultancy time and technical development expertise used to re-purpose an existing software platform and has an open market commercial value estimated at £500,000. KPMG's involvement was at the early fast-track design and development stage of the NLN programme and resulted in a minimum viable product (the App) being launched in January 2021. As the App is under continual review and development, the charity does not consider there to be any residual value nor benefit in the work / donation contributed by KPMG. In accordance with the principles above, the trustees have valued the KPMG gift in kind at £150,000 recognising the receipt and expenditure of the “donation” within the fiscal year.

e) Interest receivable

Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity: this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the bank.

f) Funds accounting

Unrestricted funds are available to spend on activities that further any of the purposes of the charity. Designated funds are unrestricted funds of the charity which the trustees have decided at their discretion to set aside to use for a specific purpose. Restricted funds are donations which the donor has specified are to be solely used for particular areas of the charity's work or for specific projects being undertaken by the charity.

g) Expenditure and irrecoverable VAT

Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.

Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure was incurred.

26

The Brain and Spine Foundation

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2021

1. Accounting policies (continued)

h) Allocation of support and governance costs

2021 2020
Raising funds 10.0% 10.0%
Charitable activities 90.0% 90.0%

i) Tangible fixed assets

Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write down the cost of each asset to its estimated residual value over its expected useful life. The depreciation rates in use are as follows:

Computer equipment 4 years straight line basis
Database and website 4 years straight line basis

Items of equipment are capitalised where the purchase price exceeds £1,000.

j) Debtors

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.

k) Cash at bank and in hand

Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.

l) Creditors

Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.

m) Financial instruments

The charitable company only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently recognised at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

n) Pension costs

The company operates a defined contribution pension scheme for its employees. There are no further liabilities other than that already recognised in the SOFA.

27

The Brain and Spine Foundation

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2021

1. Accounting policies (continued)

o) Foreign currency transactions

Transactions in foreign currencies are translated at the period average rate. Balances denominated in foreign currencies are translated at the rate of exchange prevailing at the year end.

p) Accounting estimates and key judgements

In the application of the charity's accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and underlying assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised if the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods if the revision affects both current and future periods.

There are no key sources of estimation uncertainty that have a significant effect on the amounts recognised in the financial statements.

2. Prior period comparative: statement of financial activities

Income from:
Donations and legacies
Charitable activities
Other trading activities
Investments
Total income
Expenditure on:
Raising funds
Charitable activities
Total expenditure
Net income / (expenditure) and net
movement in funds		 Restricted
£
79,974
90,625
-
-
170,599
-
141,687
141,687
28,912		 Designated
£
-
150,000
-
-
150,000
-
80,349
80,349
69,651		 £
183,475
56,900
97,359
162
337,896
105,984
201,860
307,844
30,052
General		 2020
Total
£
263,449
297,525
97,359
162
658,495
105,984
423,896
529,880
128,615

28

The Brain and Spine Foundation

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2021

3. Income from donations and legacies

3.
Income from donations and legacies
Gifts in kind - Google AdWords and KPMG
Donations and appeal income
Legacies
Major donors
Total donations and legacies
Prior period comparative
Gifts in kind - Google AdWords
Donations and appeal income
Legacies
Major donors
Total donations and legacies
4.
Income from charitable activities		 Restricted
£
£
201,889
-
-
111,828
-
77,790
-
51,159
201,889
240,777
Restricted
£
£
79,974
-
-
82,422
-
78,053
-
23,000
79,974
183,475
Unrestricted
Unrestricted		 2021
Total
£
201,889
111,828
77,790
51,159
442,666
2020
Total
£
79,974
82,422
78,053
23,000
263,449
Grants > £5,000:
Edward Gosling Foundation
Grants = £5,000:
The February Foundation
Anton Jurgens Donations
The Everson Charitable Trust
Sub-total
The Adint Charitable Trust
Fairhill Foundation
CAF Resilience
The R S MacDonald Charitable Trust
The Childwick Trust
The MacDaibhidh Trust
Southwark Council
Birmingham Hospital Saturday Fund
National Lottery Community Fund (Coronavirus
Community Support Fund)		 £
£
100,000
-
7,941
-
80,000
-
-
10,000
-
10,000
-
10,000
-
10,000
-
25,000
80,000
-
40,000
-
5,000
-
5,000
-
-
5,000
317,941
70,000
Unrestricted
Restricted		 2021
Total
£
100,000
7,941
80,000
10,000
10,000
10,000
10,000
25,000
80,000
40,000
5,000
5,000
5,000
387,941

29

The Brain and Spine Foundation

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2021

4. Income from charitable activities (continued)

Sub-total from previous page
Grants < £5,000:
The D'Oly Carte Foundation
Persula Foundation
Other small grants < £3,000
Total charitable activities
Prior period comparative
Grants > £5,000:
The Caledonian Charity Trust
Garfield Weston
John Swire 1989 Charitable Trust
James Weir Charitable Trust
Birmingham Hospital Saturday Fund
Grants < £5,000:
Persula Foundation
Other small grants < £3,000
Total charitable activities
5.
Income from other trading activities
Fundraising events		 £
£
317,941
70,000
3,000
-
3,000
-
8,161
17,400
332,102
87,400
Restricted
£
£
£
-
-
25,000
-
-
25,000
-
150,000
-
5,000
-
-
68,000
-
-
3,000
-
-
14,625
-
6,900
90,625
150,000
56,900
2021
Total
£
30,664
General
Designated
Unrestricted
Restricted		 2021
Total
£
387,941
3,000
3,000
25,561
419,502
2020
Total
£
25,000
25,000
150,000
5,000
68,000
3,000
21,525
297,525
2020
Total
£
97,359

All income from other trading activities in the current and prior year is unrestricted.

6. Government grants

The charitable company received government grant funding in the year from the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. The total value of such grants in the year was £7,876 (2020: £nil). There are no unfulfilled conditions or contingencies attaching to this grant in the current period.

30

The Brain and Spine Foundation

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2021

7. Total expenditure

Raising funds
Charitable
activities
£
£
Direct costs
33,210
146,505
NeuroLifeNow platform costs
-
150,000
Staff costs (note 9)
42,980
366,231
Allocated costs:
Premises costs
2,171
18,197
Office costs
6,612
55,142
Depreciation
1,287
10,788
Consultants
1,121
9,397
Sub-total
87,381
756,260
4,232
38,084
Total expenditure
91,613
794,344
Governance costs in the year were £3,420 (2020: £3,988).
Prior period comparative
Raising funds
Charitable
activities
£
£
Direct costs
47,901
107,642
Staff costs (note 9)
41,983
219,968
Allocated costs:
Premises costs
4,283
22,848
Office costs
5,708
30,458
Depreciation
2,152
11,478
Consultants
1,122
5,983
Sub-total
103,149
398,377
2,835
25,519
Total expenditure
105,984
423,896
Allocation of support and
governance costs
Allocation of support and
governance costs		 Support and
governance
costs
£
16,432
-
20,309
1,016
3,433
602
524
42,316
(42,316)
-
Support and
governance
costs
£
8,878
15,054
1,428
1,903
717
374
28,354
(28,354)
-		 2021 Total
£
196,147
150,000
429,520
21,384
65,187
12,677
11,042
885,957
-
885,957
2020 Total
£
164,421
277,005
28,559
38,069
14,347
7,479
529,880
-
529,880

31

The Brain and Spine Foundation

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2021

8. Net movement in funds

This is stated after charging:

Depreciation
Trustees' remuneration
Trustees' reimbursed expenses
Trustees' indemnity insurance
Independent examiners' remuneration (including VAT):		 2021
£
12,677
Nil
Nil
110
3,420		 2020
£
14,347
Nil
Nil
110
3,375

9. Staff costs and numbers

Staff costs were as follows:
Salaries and wages
Social security costs
Pension costs
Redundancy costs		 2021
£
375,943
31,115
20,147
2,315
429,520		 2020
£
250,683
15,744
10,578
-
277,005

One employee earned between £60,000 and £70,000 during the year (2020: none).

The key management personnel of the charitable company comprise the trustees, chief executive and senior management team. The total employee benefits of the key management personnel were £264,458 (2020: £207,802).

Average head count 2021
No.
13		 2020
No.
10

10. Taxation

The charity is exempt from corporation tax as all its income is charitable and is applied for charitable purposes.

32

The Brain and Spine Foundation

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2021

11. Tangible fixed assets

Cost
At 1 April 2020
Additions in year
At 31 March 2021
Depreciation
At 1 April 2020
Charge for the year
At 31 March 2021
Net book value
At 31 March 2021
At 31 March 2020
12. Debtors
Prepayments
Accrued income
13. Creditors: amounts due within 1 year
Trade creditors
Accruals
Other taxation and social security		 Computer
equipment
£
37,601
-
37,601
34,163
1,251
35,414
2,187
3,438		 Database
and
website
£
52,800
-
52,800
34,645
11,426
46,071
6,729
18,155
2021
£
27,502
22,500
50,002
2021
£
19,121
9,476
8,180
36,777		 Total
£
90,401
-
90,401
68,808
12,677
81,485
8,916
21,593
2020
£
13,452
-
13,452
2020
£
20,692
3,240
8,591
32,523

33

The Brain and Spine Foundation

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2021

14. Analysis of net assets between funds

Analysis of net assets between funds
Tangible fixed assets
Net current assets
Net assets at 31 March 2021
Prior period comparative
Tangible fixed assets
Net current assets
Net assets at 31 March 2020		 £
-
28,000
28,000
£
-
35,412
35,412
Restricted
funds
Restricted
funds		 £
-
-
-
£
-
94,651
94,651
Designated
funds
Designated
funds		 General
funds
£
8,916
251,777
260,693
General
funds
£
21,593
130,093
151,686		 Total
2021
£
8,916
279,777
288,693
Total
2020
£
21,593
260,156
281,749

34

The Brain and Spine Foundation

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2021

15. Movements in funds

Movements in funds
At 1 April
2020
£
Restricted funds
Awards for All, Big Lottery Fund
2,500
Google AdWords
-
KPMG NeuroLifeNow
-
Persula Foundation
-
The D'Oyly Carte Charitable
Trust
-
The R S MacDonald
Charitable Trust
-
The February Foundation
-
Anton Jurgens Donations
-
Fairhill Foundation
-
CAF Resilience
-
Birmingham Hospital Saturday
Fund
28,000
National Lottery Community
Fund (Coronavirus Community
Support Fund)
-
Other small grants < £3,000
4,912
Total restricted funds
35,412
Unrestricted funds
Designated funds:
John Swire 1989 Charitable Trust
94,651
Total designated funds
94,651
General funds
151,686
Total unrestricted funds
246,337
Total funds
281,749		 Income
£
-
51,889
150,000
3,000
3,000
7,941
5,000
5,000
100,000
80,000
40,000
80,000
8,161
533,991
-
-
358,910
358,910
892,901		 £
(2,500)
(51,889)
(150,000)
(3,000)
(3,000)
(7,941)
(5,000)
(5,000)
(100,000)
(80,000)
(40,000)
(80,000)
(13,073)
(541,403)
(94,651)
(94,651)
(249,903)
(344,554)
(885,957)
Expenditure		 Transfers
between
funds
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-		 £
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
28,000
-
-
At 31
March
2021
28,000
-
-
260,693
260,693
288,693

35

The Brain and Spine Foundation

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2021

15. Movements in funds (continued) Purposes of restricted funds

Awards for All, Big Lottery Fund - To fund Back Pain booklet and film (animation).

Google AdWords - represents the value of advertising donated by Google to support access to information.

KPMG NeuroLifeNow - represents the value of pro-bono contribution donated by KPMG in the development of NeuroLifeNow apps.

Persula Foundation - Funds towards the expansion of the helpline.

The D'Oyly Carte Charitable Trust - A one off-grant towards the updating of the helpline to Virtual Call Centre Platform.

The R S MacDonald Charitable Trust - towards project 'Neuro Specialist Helpline' for the period ending 31 March 2021.

The February Foundation - solely towards the costs of the Brain and Spine Foundation national helpline.

Anton Jurgens Charitable Trust - towards a contribution to running the Brain and Spine Foundation's National Helpline Service.

FairHill Foundation - to cover the salary of a Neuroscience Nurse, a Content Officer and a Project Manager for the period ending 31 March 2021.

CAF Resilience - towards the salaries of three senior professionals critical to the delivery of frontline services, direct costs of running the Knowledge, Information and Education Services and contribution towards office and premises costs for the period ending 31 March 2021.

Birmingham Hospital Saturday Fund - £40,000 towards support of Helpline for year 2020/21 and £28,000 towards support of Helpline for year 2021/22.

National Lottery Community Fund (Coronavirus Community Support Fund) - £80,000 received towards the helpline and Neuro Social Digital Forum.

Purposes of designated funds

John Swire 1989 Charitable Trust - Funds designated to support the development of the BrainHQ project. As planned, the remaining funds have been spent down in the financial year ending 31 March 2021.

36

The Brain and Spine Foundation

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2021

15. Movements in funds (continued)

Prior period comparative
At 1 April
2019
£
Restricted funds
Awards for All, Big Lottery Fund
2,500
Google AdWords
-
Persula Foundation
-
The D'Oyly Carte Charitable
Trust
3,000
James Weir Charitable Trust
-
Birmingham Hospital Saturday
Fund
Other small grants < £3,000
1,000
Total restricted funds
6,500
Designated funds:
The Grand Prix Trust
25,000
John Swire 1989 Charitable Trust
-
Total designated funds
25,000
General funds
121,634
Total unrestricted funds
146,634
Total funds
153,134
Unrestricted funds		 Income
£
-
79,974
3,000
-
5,000
68,000
14,625
170,599
-
150,000
150,000
337,896
487,896
658,495		 £
-
(79,974)
(3,000)
(3,000)
(5,000)
(40,000)
(10,713)
(141,687)
(25,000)
(55,349)
(80,349)
(307,844)
(388,193)
(529,880)
Expenditure		 £
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Transfers
between
funds		 At 31
March
2020
£
2,500
-
-
-
-
28,000
4,912
35,412
-
94,651
94,651
151,686
246,337
281,749

16. Related party transactions

There were no related party transactions in the current or prior year.

37

The Brain and Spine Foundation

Trustee biographies

Anthony Amato-Watkins

Anthony is a consultant paediatric and adult neurosurgeon at the Royal Hospital for Children and Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow. He has a particular interest in spinal trauma and brings valuable expertise to help with medical strategies and guidance for the charity.

Anthony joined the Brain & Spine Foundation as a Trustee in 2020, following in the footsteps of his step-father, Professor Sid Watkins, past President and founding member of the charity. He joins his step-brother, Alistair Watkins, who is also a member of the Board.

Within his adult spinal practice, Anthony hopes to bring together the Scottish National Spinal Injuries Unit based in Glasgow with the Brain & Spine Foundation to help promote a gold standard model of care for patients following spinal cord injuries and their long-term recovery. Anthony is also the CoChair for the Paediatric Advisory Group for paediatric neurosurgery in Scotland. This group works with other stakeholders to help delivery equitable access of neurosurgical care for children in Scotland.

Anthony is part of the Medical Advisory team at the Brain & Spine Foundation.

Ian Basden-Smith

Ian is committed to helping the Brain & Spine Foundation achieve its aims. Joining the Board of Trustees in 2012, Ian has seen significant change during his time as Trustee and is excited by the charity’s future goals.

As a chartered accountant, he brings a broad range of expertise to the Board having worked in the banking industry and at KPMG. He also worked in senior roles at Samuel Montagu, Morgan Grenfell and Deutsche Bank across finance and operational activities in the UK, Europe and Far East.

Ian is Chairman of the charity’s Finance and Governance Committee. He is a keen golfer, fisherman and enjoys the outdoors and spending time with his children and grandchildren.

Joe Bedford

Joe is excited to join the Brain & Spine Foundation and help steer its ambitious plans to expand reach and make positive change for those affected by neurological problems.

Working as a corporate lawyer for over twenty years, Joe is a partner and strategy Board Member at Stevens & Bolton LLP. He was a founding member of the Steering Committee for the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG UK), an organisation focused on supporting middle-market Mergers & Acquisitions activity and driving growth of the sector.

Joe is passionate about the Brain & Spine Foundation’s work. He joined the Board in 2020 and is a member of the Finance and Governance Committee.

38

The Brain and Spine Foundation

Trustee biographies

Peter Brickley

Peter is enthusiastic about the charity’s cause, and joined the Board of Trustees in 2020.

He brings a wealth of technology expertise to the Board having spent 25 years leading technology for global businesses including Heineken and Centrica. He now leads the Business Process & Technology organisation at Coca Cola EuroPacific Partners.

Peter is the non-executive Chairman of Newbury Building Society and a Parish Councillor. In his spare time he loves going to the gym, wine, music, sports cars and spending time with his family and two golden retrievers. He is also a passionate home brewer (and beer consumer)!

Paul Fleming

Paul is passionate about supporting the crucial role the Brain & Spine Foundation plays in covering significant gaps in neurological health and wellbeing.

Over the last twenty years, Paul has worked as a financial restructuring lawyer, advising creditors, stakeholders, insolvency practitioners and directors on complex domestic and cross-border restructurings and insolvencies. He has worked on a variety of cases including the fall-out from the Lehman collapse in 2008.

In his spare time he enjoys spending time with his family, sailing and water sports.

Asli Güner-Paul

Asli joined the Board of Trustees in 2020, after a close family member was affected by a neurological illness. She is passionate about contributing to the invaluable work of the charity.

She is currently working as Associate General Counsel at a global solar company and heads up projects in the EMEA region. As well as holding a Bachelor of Law with first class honours, she also holds a Masters in Corporate and Commercial law and speaks Turkish, French and German.

Asli enjoys Pilates, travelling, collecting vintage crockery and spending time with her family.

Jeroen Huysinga

Jeroen is excited about the potential to create positive change for those affected by neurological conditions. He joined the Board of Trustees in 2020, and brings a wealth of knowledge to the Board having spent 35 years working as a Portfolio Manager covering equity markets and as Managing Director at JPMorgan Asset Management.

In 2020, Jeroen retired and embarked on a Master’s degree in Charity Accounting and Financial Management. His ambition is to combine his commercial experience and rigorous learning to help make a difference and build a second career in the charity sector. He is a trustee of Invesco Cares, the John Hodge's Trust (a local community charity in Oxfordshire) and non-executive director of an investment trust.

He enjoys travelling back to the Netherlands and outdoor pursuits including mountain biking and walking.

39

The Brain and Spine Foundation

Trustee biographies

Mark Luce, Chair

Mark’s ambition is to transform the care provided to those affected by neurological problems, and in doing so, make a meaningful difference to many more people.

Joining the Brain & Spine Foundation Board of Trustees in 2017, Mark brings a wealth of expertise to his current role as Chair. He spent twenty years working for global beer giant SABMiller, and held a variety of senior roles in Europe, South America, Asia and the UK. His final role was as Global Marketing Operations Director. Now running his own marketing consultancy since 2017 as Chief Operating Officer, Mark works with blue-chip clients to drive their growth agenda.

Mark is passionate about campaigning to give power and a voice to the neurological community to drive positive change and dramatically improve quality of life outcomes. In his spare time, Mark is an avid traveller, wine maker and motorsport fan.

Elizabeth Manuel

In 2011, Elizabeth survived a subarachnoid haemorrhage and stroke leaving her with multiple health issues and disabilities. She has a strong resolve to make things better for survivors and educate others about brain injury recovery and rehabilitation.

Elizabeth spent twenty years as a family law barrister before becoming a district judge in 2005. In 2012, she set up her own support group to help others affected by stroke and brain injury. She does media and PR work and gives speeches for the RNIB and is a Service User Representative for the Stroke Association. As well as assisting with stroke and sight loss research projects, Elizabeth regularly writes articles about stroke survival, and her rehabilitation journey was featured in a film made for Sue Ryder, the Society of Chartered Physios, and the Royal College of Occupational Therapists. This was released to petition to MP’s in 2020 about improved community rehabilitation.

Elizabeth joined the Brain & Spine Foundation as a Trustee in 2017, bringing considerable professional and lived experience to the Board. Elizabeth regularly gives motivational speeches at major conferences and enjoys improving her French, learning Spanish, painting and exercising.

Sarah Vibert

Sarah is passionate about improving care and support for people with neurological conditions having grown up with a brother with epilepsy.

Currently interim CEO at the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), Sarah has almost two decades of experience in the public and not-for-profit sectors; with the last ten years at senior executive level. Sarah joined the Brain & Spine Foundation as a Trustee in 2020, and brings a wealth of expertise including strategic planning, partnership development and stakeholder relations, change management, policy and campaigning.

Prior to working at NCVO Sarah was chief executive of the umbrella charity, The Neurological Alliance and spend time in various senior management roles including at the Epilepsy Society and the charities office of HRH the Prince of Wales. Outside of work Sarah enjoys spending time with her family as well as cycling and running.

40

The Brain and Spine Foundation

Trustee biographies

Alistair Watkins

Alistair follows in the footsteps of his father, Professor Sid Watkins, who was one of the founding members of the Brain & Spine Foundation and a past President of the charity.

Having spent the past 25 years working in the world of international sport at the highest level, Alistair brings extensive media and marketing experience to his role as Trustee. He began his career working as the FIA’s Formula One Press Officer, and more recently founded a sports marketing consultancy, Influence Sports & Media.

Alistair joined the Board in 2014 and has been instrumental in the organisation of the Brain & Spine Foundation’s Gala fundraising events and helps guide on the charity’s strategic direction.

41