2025-04-30-accounts

REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER 05098747

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 1103732

ESSEX BLIND CHARITY (A company limited by guarantee)

ANNUAL REPORT AND UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

30 APRIL 2025

ESSEX BLIND CHARITY

CONTENTS

	Pages	Pages
Officers and Advisers		1
Report ofthe Trustees	a= 10
Independent Examiner's Report		11
Statement of Financial Activities
(including Income and Expenditure Account)		12
Balance Sheet		13
Notes to the Financial Statements	14-28
The following pages are included for the Trustees’
information and do not form part ofthe financial statements:
DetailedcombinedStatementofFinancialActivities	29	-31

ESSEX BLIND CHARITY

OFFICERS AND PROFESSIONAL ADVISERS

Trustees

T Crawshaw R Jackson ACCA, CTA S D Porter D Smith

N Meixner (appointed as Chairman Oct 2023) AC Williams (appointed Feb 2024) V J Watling (appointed May 2024) J Fernley (appointed Oct 2024)

*retired members of the professional bodies concerned

Company Secretary

J Dixon

Registered Office

1st Floor 146 High Street, Colchester Essex CO1 1PW

Registered Company Number 05098747

Registered Charity Number 1103732

Bankers Handelsbanken The Octagon 27 Middleborough Colchester CO1 1TG

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ESSEX BLIND CHARITY

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

The Trustees (who are also Directors for the purpose of company law) submit their annual report and the independently examined financial statements of Essex Blind Charity (the Charity) for the year ended 30 April 2025. This report also represents the Directors’ Report required by $417 of the Companies Act 2006.

The Trustees confirm that the annual report and financial statements of the Charity have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Charity’s governing document and the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), Charities SORP (FRS102) and the Charities Act 2011.

LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Legal and administrative information set out on page 1 forms part of this report.

Structure, Governance and Management

Constitution

The Charity is controlled by a Memorandum and Articles of Association dated 29 October 2003 and operates as a Charitable Company limited by guarantee, as defined by the Companies Act 2006.

Structure, Management and Trustee Appointment

The Charity is managed by a Board of Directors, at the year-end there were eight Directors, one being visually impaired. Nominations to be a Director are considered and approved by the whole Board. Directors set operating plans and budgets and meet regularly to review the performance and strategy of the Charity. All major decisions are made at Board level and must be passed with a majority vote of the Directors present. To make a decision, one third of the Board has to be present. Minor day to day decisions are made by the Director of Operations, with authorisation from the Board. Most board meetings are held remotely by ‘Zoom’.

Induction and training of new Trustees

The policy and procedures adopted for the induction and training of Directors includes visits to the Charities premises, introduction to staff and day to day operation, an introduction to the other Directors, including details of their particular areas of expertise, and details of the objectives of the charity, including information on current projects and plans for future development.

Remuneration Policy

The charity does not have any fixed criteria for setting pay and remuneration of key management or any other personnel. Pay rates are reviewed generally on an annual basis by the Board of Directors and awards depend on the current financial status of the organisation and any Government directives.

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ESSEX BLIND CHARITY

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

Risk Management

The Directors have conducted a review of the major risks to which the Charity is exposed. Where appropriate, systems or procedures have been established to mitigate the risk the Charity may face. Internal control risks are minimised by the implementation of procedures for authorisation of all transactions and projects. Procedures are in place to ensure compliance with health and safety of staff, volunteers and visually impaired people (VIP) we work with. These risks and procedures are reviewed periodically to ensure that they continue to meet the needs of the charity.

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

Objectives and aims

The Charity’s objectives, as set out in its governing documents, are to meet the needs of visually impaired people and their carers and families throughout Essex and are undertaken to further the Charity's charitable purposes for the public benefit. To this end Essex Blind Charity: 1 Gives support, information, advice and guidance to all people with a visual impairment, and sighted people who havea vested interest.

• 2 Keeps up to date on new information and technological developments, assesses the viability of such developments for visually impaired people and offers advice on its implementation.

• 3 Provides trained staff to hospital eye clinics to give support and advice to people at the point of diagnosis.

• 4 Maintains pop up sight centres around the County so that visually impaired people can gain practical advice and have equipment demonstrations.

• 5 Carries out an assessment service to determine if people need further support in their place of residence or in the community.

• 6 Produces information via a newsletter, website and social media.

The Charity's community work operates under the name of ‘Essex Sight’.

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ESSEX BLIND CHARITY

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REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

Public Benefit

In accordance with their duties in the Charity’s Act 2006, it is incumbent on the Directors to conduct a Public Benefit Test, to assess whether the Charity has complied with its duties in due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission.

The Directors are satisfied that Essex Blind Charity has complied with its duty in regard to meeting the Charity Commission objectives over the past year.

| There must be an identifiable benefit:

Essex Blind Charity’s purposes are to provide support and relief to any member of the public who has concerns about sight loss, for themselves, family, friends or associates. Its services are open to anyone in Essex.

Benefit must be to the public or a section of the public:

All the Charity’s services are open to members of the public at large and access to the Charity's services are not restrictive.

3

People on low incomes must be able to benefit:

The Board of Directors recognises that many visually impaired people are on low incomes, as people with impaired vision are more likely to be unemployed in comparison to fully sighted people. In addition, many do not avail themselves of their benefit entitlements. Essex Blind Charity does not make a charge for its services of support and advice and offers its services to the public at large free of charge.

4

Any private benefit must be incidental:

The Directors do not consider that any individual or organisation receives a ‘private benefit’ from the work of Essex Blind Charity.

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ESSEX BLIND CHARITY REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

SERVICE DELIVERY — ESSEX SIGHT PERFORMANCE AND ACHIEVEMENTS

The Essex Sight team comprises three full time and three part time staff covering the eastern half of Essex stretching from the border with Suffolk to the M25. We closed our permanent sight centre in Colchester and opened a weekly pop up, whilst staff moved into offices on the High Street. During the year we have supported 2,514 VIP and had 6,259 contacts. We have achieved this through -

Pop Up Sight Centres

Our pop-up sight centres provide a vital role in allowing VIP to meet face to face with staff and volunteers to learn more about their eye condition, have assistance with difficult tasks, such as form filling or finding out about equipment that can help them in their daily lives. The Colchester Sight Centre moved to Lion Walk Church, an accessible venue in the city centre, whilst the library underwent refurbishment. We opened a new sight centre in Halstead Community Shed, a wellsupported and accessible community venue to join alongside our regular pop ups in Chelmsford, Maldon, and Walton. The Malcolm and Beryl Crook Foundation project with BASIS continued to support people through our pop-up in Brentwood Community Hospital, whilst BASIS delivered home support.

Community Hospital Eye Clinic Support

Our Eye Clinic Liaison Officer (ECLO) has continued to support newly diagnosed patients through the Eye Clinic Liaison service in Colchester Eye Clinic (East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust). The service, which is entirely funded by the Charity, provides newly diagnosed VI people and their relatives/carers the opportunity to discuss their situation with an RNIB trained ECLO and receive support and advice to help them understand their condition and learn to live with it, as well as carrying out home visits to assess their living needs.

Home Visiting

Home Visiting is an important and regular part of the Charity’s service, providing support to people unable to get out to pop-up sight centres. 80% of VIP we support are aged over 71 and they often face wider issues such as lack of mobility or other health conditions. A lack of accessible pathways and limited access to public or community transport makes this an essential part of our service, providing information, advice, and guidance to people in the comfort of their own home.

Exhibitions

The Charity holds well attended annual exhibitions in mid and north Essex to allow people to find out about our services, those offered by other community providers and try the latest equipment available from specialist suppliers. There is no substitute for face-to-face information and support and being able to have equipment demonstrated and trying it out.

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ESSEX BLIND CHARITY

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

Volunteers

The Charity relies on dedicated volunteers to provide support to VIP. Many of our volunteers have a Visual Impairment themselves and can share valuable lived experience. The volunteer role is vital in helping VIP to live the best life they can, supporting our social events and sight centres. Our 13 volunteers provided over 400 hours of support this year.

Partnership Working

The first of the 3-year Essex County Council Sensory Contract to provide information, advice and guidance and non-specialist assessments concluded in September 2024 with the Charity exceeding all the key performance indicators. In the first 7 months of the second year, the Charity has been dealing with cases of greater complexity and greater numbers, the majority through our work in the community.

Essex Vision, the partnership of Essex Sight Loss Charities continues to work collaboratively to providea collective voice for blind and visually impaired people across the county and ensure their needs are taken into consideration, particularly in consultation on major changes to infrastructure or services to ensure the safety and accessibility of VIP is not compromised.

The Charity, alongside ECC and Essex Vision partners presented their solution to the rehabilitation crisis at the National Visionary Conference to a fully booked audience.

Website

Details about Essex Blind Charity services can be found on the website at www.essexsight.org.uk, which was developed in 2019. The website attracted 4,500 users in the year and whilst fully accessible, has become dated. The Board have commissioned a new website for greater accessibility and navigation. The Chairty also uses Facebook and Instagram to provide regular information and updates on events. Helpline The Charity maintains a phone line for anybody who needs information, advice, or emotional support to call and has remaineda lifeline for many who are unable to use internet-based services which have become so prevalent in recent years.

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ESSEX BLIND CHARITY REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

Financial Review

Reserves policy

The term “reserves,” sometimes referred to as “free reserves”, refers to the part of a Charity’s unrestricted funds (cash or liquid funds) that is freely available to spend on any of the Charity’s purposes. It is important that a Charity sets the reserves at a level which is not too high as to tie up funds unnecessarily or too low as to risk the ability to operate in the event of financial difficulties. The purpose of our reserves policy is to -

• e give confidence to funders by demonstrating good stewardship and active financial management

• e demonstrate the Charity’s resilience and capacity to manage unforeseen financial difficulties to beneficiaries, funders and the public

• e give funders, such as grant-makers, an understanding of why funding is needed to undertake a particular project or activity

• e give assurance to lenders and creditors that the Charity can meet its financial commitments

• e manage the risk to a Charity’s reputation from holding substantial unspent funds at the year-end without explanation

This policy explains to all stakeholders why the Charity is setting money aside under the following key elements:

1. How much the Charity needs to hold in reserve and why; 2. How and when the Charity’s reserves can be spent; 3. How often the reserves policy will be reviewed.

The Charity has provided support to Blind and Vision Impaired people in Essex for over 100 years. Following the sale of Read House, the Charity no longer generates its own funds and is entirely reliant on the financial return from its investments, the Essex County Council sensory contract, donations and legacies. The Charity supports over 2200 VI people annually through our community outreach, eye clinic liaison services, social activities, daily telephone and email support, pop-up sight centres, hospital support, home visiting and equipment exhibitions. For the year ending 30 April 2025, our total income was £214,617 and our total expenditure was £290,192. The income the Charity receives through contract, grant and donations does not cover our expenditure and is not guaranteed. Without reserves to produce investment income and cover any shortfall, the Charity would not be able to maintain its current service levels to the community.

How much the Charity needs to hold in reserve and why

The Trustees are responsible for ascertaining whether the funds we hold in reserve are adequate for our ongoing work. To do this, we consider the ongoing needs of our current and future beneficiaries, the external factors that could affect our work and the future projects that will require funding. The level of reserves required are unrestricted funds that are freely available to spend on any of the Charity's purposes. Reserves are calculated to ensure that there is appropriate funding in place to meet ongoing financial commitments, to cover expenditure in the event of reduced income or changes in circumstances, and financial capacity to achieve the Charity's strategic priorities for developing existing or establishing new services.

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ESSEX BLIND CHARITY

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

This Policy has been developed by the Board in accordance with the Charity Commission guidance CC19 and addresses our unrestricted funds. These free reserves include short-term investment balances, cash and other working capital balances. They also include any reserves balances which have been designated by the Trustees for particular future use (recognising that such designation may be changed in future by board resolution).

The Charity faces a range of risks, including an unforeseen drop in income or unbudgeted increases in expenditure. To ensure that we can continue in our charitable purpose, holding an appropriate level of reserves enables us to mitigate risk such as an unforeseen reduction in income, additional expenditure (for example when projects overrun, or unplanned events occur). The Essex County Council sensory contract, accounts for 45% of the Charity income. As Essex is undergoing Devolution and local government reorganisation over the next three years, there is uncertainty over the future of the contract, as ECC will cease to exist and between 3 and 5 Unitary authorities are created, each being responsible for sensory services. Whether the Charity will be able to bid for these services is entirely unknown. Coupled with inflation driven by global trade war and conflict, the Trustees have based reserve projections that would provide mediumterm mitigation until long-term solutions can be established.

The Board review financial risks on an annual basis, and our assessments on the possible financial impact of those risks has been incorporated into the reserves range we have calculated.

How and when the Charity’s reserves can be spent.

The Board has approved an investment management policy which addresses the approach to the investment of a larger level of cash reserves. The Board recognises that whilst increasing risk increases potential returns over a longer period, it also increases the risk of a shortfall in returns as well as produces more short-term volatility in the Charity's funding position. In addition to targeting an appropriate overall level of investment risk, the board seeks to spread risks across a range of different sources, believing that diversification limits the impact of any single risk. The Board aims to take on those risks for which they expect to be rewarded over time, in the form of excess returns. The Board have calculated a reserves range of £2,000,000 to £3,000,000 as appropriate for our organisation. These reserves are designated to reflect the future financial needs of the Charity. As of 30 April 2025 the Charity held reserves of £2,685,415 defined on this basis but is expecting to see a decrease in these reserves in the coming year to cover the operating deficit. The funds are designated as follows:

• e Winding up fund — This is the amount needed to clear all outstanding financial commitments based on 6 months of committed operating costs +/- 15%, which would allow for a managed wind down if required £150,000

• e Continuity fund — To mitigate against a range of risks faced, the Board have calculated that to ensure there is no disruption to service provision whilst we still have an underlying operating deficit during our strategy to grow the organisation and move to a sustainable financial footing £2m

• e Growth Fund — The investment into new projects, to provide greater levels of support to VIP in Essex £450,000

How often the reserves policy will be reviewed.

The trustees remain committed to supporting as many blind and partially sighted people in Essex as possible and the Investment subcommittee will review the performance of invested funds and in conjunction with the Director of Operations, report back to the Board on the policy on an annual basis.

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ESSEX BLIND CHARITY

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

Funds

The activities during the year resulted in a deficit of Unrestricted funds of £119,155 (2024: Deficit of £27,085) for the year.

All Restricted funds received were spent within the year, as a result there were £0 Restricted funds at the year-end (2024: £0).

Overall, there was a deficit in total funds of £119,155 (2024: £31,232 deficit).

Investment Policy and Objectives

In May the Board carried out a request for proposal to a range of investment managers to invest the Charity’s funds over a 10-year period. After due diligence Epworth Investment Management Limited and Amber River East Anglia were appointed to manage the funds. Their brief is to reinvest the income and to provide an investment report each quarter giving returns in real terms. The performance of the investments is reviewed by the Trustees appointed to the investment subcommittee, which reports back to the Board.

STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES

The Trustees (who are also the Directors of Essex Blind Charity for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Report of the Trustees and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.

Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the Trustees must prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law). Under company law the Trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Charitable Company andofthe incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the Charitable Company for that period.

In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

• e select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; e observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;

• e make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent; e state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and

• e prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Charitable Company will continue to operate.

The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the Charitable Company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Charitable Company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

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ESSEX BLIND CHARITY

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

INDEPENDENT EXAMINATION

The Charity appointed Nicholas Lawrence ACA to carry out the independent examination, and RYPRO Accountants Ltd to prepare for the independent examination.

ACCOUNTING EXEMPTIONS

In preparing this report the Trustees have taken advantage of small companies’ exemptions provided by section 415A of the Companies Act 2006.

Signed for and on behalf of the Trustees

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N W Meixner Trustee

R Jackson ACCA, CTA Trustee

Approved by the Trustees on

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INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF ESSEX BLIND CHARITY

| report to the Charity Trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Charitable Company for the year ended 30 April 2025.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the Charity's Trustees (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, | report in respect of my examination of your Charity's accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act'). In carrying out my examination | 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 listed body. | can confirm that | am qualified to undertake the examination because | am a registered member of ICAEW which is one of the listed bodies.

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

1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or 2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or 3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act 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; or 4. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).

| 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.

MA CeroN“

Nicholas Lawrence, ACA 61 Benskin Road Watford WD18 OHN

Date: 03/12/2025

L4Acs

ESSEX BLIND CHARITY

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT) YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2025

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|||||||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |Total|Total| |Unrestricted|Restricted|Funds|Funds| |Notes|Funds|Funds|2025|2024| |£|£|£|£| |Income|from:| |Donations|and|legacies|3|9,498|121,381|130,879|85,777| |Charitable|activities|4|30|-|30|696| |Other|trading|activities|5|1,505|-|1,505|1,648| |Investments|6|82,203|-|82,203|132,524| |Total|income|93,236|121,381|214,617|220,645| |Expenditure|on:| |Raising|funds|7|11,915|-|11,915|4,562| |Charitable|activities|8|155,648|121,381|277,029|254,641| |Total|expenditure|167,563|121,381|288,944|259,203| |Net|income/(expenditure)|(74,327)|-|(74,327)|(38,558)| |Realised|and|unrealised| |(losses)/gains|on|investments|(44,828)|-|(44,828)|7,326| |Transfers|between|funds|-|-|-|-| |Net|movement|in|funds|(119,155)|-|(119,155)|(31,232)| |Total|funds|brought forward| |at|1|May|2024|17|2,805,819|-|2,805,819|2,837,051| |Total|funds|carried|forward| |at|30|April|2025|a IY|2,686,664|-|2,686,664|2,805,819|

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All incoming resources and resources expended derive from continuing activities.

The Statement of Financial Activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.

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ESSEX BLIND CHARITY

BALANCE SHEET

AS AT 30 APRIL 2025

		Total	Total
		Funds	Funds
	Notes	2025	2024
Fixed assets		£:	£
Tangible assets	12	13,993	15,154
Investments	13	2,596,653	372,826
		2,610,646	387,980
Current assets
Stocks	14	-	3,797
Debtors —due within one year	15	19,304	10,792
Cash and cash equivalents		64,393	2,411,184
		83,697	2,425,773
Creditors: amounts falling due
within one year	16	(7,678)	(7,934)
Net currentassets		76,018	2,417,839
Net assets		2,686,664	2,805,819
Income funds
Restricted funds	Af.	.	-
Unrestricted funds	if4	2,686,664	2,805,819
		2,686,664	2,805,819

The Directors consider that the Charitable Company is entitled to exemption from the requirement to have an audit under the provisions of section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 (“the Act”) and members have not required the company to obtain an audit for the period in question in accordance with section 476 of the Act.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions applicable to charitable companies subject to the small companies’ regime. In the directors’ opinion the Charitable Company is entitled to these exemptions as a small company.

Approved by the Board of Trustees on

and signed on its behalf by:

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N W Meixner — Trustee R Jackson — ACCA, CTA — Trustee
Company registration number: 05098747
Charity registration number: 1103732
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2025

ESSEX BLIND CHARITY

1 GENERAL INFORMATION

Essex Blind Charity is a Charitable Company limited by guarantee, incorporated in England and Wales, registered company number 05098747 and registered charity number 1103732. The address of the registered office is 1st Floor 146 High Street, Colchester, Essex, CO1 1PW.

2 ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of accounting

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) applicable to Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), Charities SORP (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011.

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.

The Charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102.

The financial statements are prepared in pounds sterling and rounded to the nearest £1.

The Trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the Charitable Company’s ability to continue as a going concern.

The following principal accounting policies have been applied:

Statement of Cash Flow

The Charity qualifies as a small charity as defined in the Charities SORP (FRS 102) Bulletin 1 and as such is exempt from preparing a Statement of Cash Flows.

Income

All incoming resources are included on the Statement of Financial Activities when the charity is legally entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy.

Legacy gifts are recognised following the granting of probate when the administrator / executor for the estate has communicated in writing both the amount and settlement date.

Grants are accounted for when the charity has sufficient entitlement to them.

Expenditure

All expenditure included in the Statement of Financial Activities are accounted for on an accruals basis.

Expenditure on raising funds includes the expenditure associated with the sale of visual aids. Expenditure on charitable activities includes minor expenditure associated with the sale of the Read House.

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ESSEX BLIND CHARITY

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2025

2 ACCOUNTING POLICIES- (continued)

Fixed assets

Fixed assets are stated at cost less depreciation. Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write off the cost of fixed assets, less their estimated residual value, over their expected lives on the following basis:

Computer Equipment - 5 year Straight line Fixtures and fittings - 20% reducing balance Motor vehicles - 25% reducing balance

Investments

Investments are initially recognised at their transaction value and subsequently measured at their market value as at the balance sheet date using the closing quoted market price. Investment gains and losses, whether realised or unrealised, are combined and shown in the heading ‘Realised and unrealised investment gains/(losses) on investments’ in the Statement of Financial Activities.

Stock

Stock is valued at the lower of cost and net realisable value after making due allowance for obsolete and slow moving items. The Charity holds display stock for visual aids, these items are being written down over a 5 year period.

Cash and cash equivalents

Cash equivalents are recognised as such and included with other cash balances where they represent short term, highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to known amounts of cash without being subject to a significant change in value.

Pension costs

The company operates a defined contribution pension scheme for employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the Charity. Contributions payable to the scheme are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities in the period to which they relate.

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ESSEX BLIND CHARITY

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2025

2 ACCOUNTING POLICIES - (continued)

Financial instruments

Financial instruments are classified and accounted for, according to the substance of the contractual arrangement, as either financial assets or financial liabilities.

Short term debtors (financial assets) are measured at transaction price. Short term creditors (financial liabilities) are measured at the transaction price.

The Charitable Company only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments.

Taxation

Essex Blind Charity is a charity within the meaning of the Charities Act 2011 and as such is a charity within the meaning of Part 11, Corporation Tax Act 2010. Accordingly Essex Blind Charity is potentially exempt from taxation in respect of income or capital gains received within categories covered by Part 11, Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that such income or gains are applied exclusively to its charitable purposes.

Funds

Unrestricted general funds are funds which can be used in accordance with the charitable objects at the discretion of the Trustees. Restricted funds are funds that can only be used in accordance with specific conditions specified by the donor. Further details are provided in note 17.

Significant judgements and estimates

The more significant judgements and estimates involved in the preparation of the financial statements include assessing the depreciation rates applicable to tangible fixed assets and the way in which certain costs should be apportioned. Further details regarding these points are included within the accounting policies.

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ESSEX BLIND CHARITY

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2025

3 INCOME FROM DONATIONS AND LEGACIES

			Total
	Unrestricted	Restricted	Funds
	Funds	Funds	2025
	£	£	£
Donations	2,273	-	2,273
Legacies	7,225	-	7,225
Grants received	-	121,381	121,381
	9,498	121,381	130,879
			Total
	Unrestricted	Restricted	Funds
	Funds	Funds	2024
	£	£	£
Donations	6,765	-	6,765
Legacies	6,875	-	6,875
Grants received	8,440	63,697	72,137
	22,080	63,697	85,777
			Total
	Unrestricted	Restricted	Funds
	Funds	Funds	2025
	£	£	£
Grants received were as follows:
ECC Sensory Contract	-	110,075	110,075
Brentwood Community Hosp. Project	-	11,306	11,306
	-	121,381	121,381
			Total
	Unrestricted	Restricted	Funds
	Funds	Funds	2024
	£	£	£
Grants received were as follows:
Essex Cares Limited	8,440	-	8,440
ECC Sensory Contract	-	52,316	52,316
Brentwood Community Hosp. Project	-	11,381	11,381
	8,440	63,697	72,137

All grants support the key objective of enabling people with sight loss to remain independent and safe.

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ESSEX BLIND CHARITY

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2025

4 INCOME FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES

			Total
		Unrestricted	Funds
		Funds	2025
		£	£
Other	activities	30	30
		30	30
			Total
		Unrestricted	Funds
		Funds	2024
		E	£
Other	activities	696	696
		696	696

5 INCOME FROM OTHER TRADING ACTIVITIES

==> picture [428 x 237] intentionally omitted <==

----- Start of picture text -----
Total
Unrestricted Restricted Funds
Funds Funds 2025
£ if: £
Visual aids 825 - 825
Others 680 - 680
1,505 - 1,505
Total
Unrestricted Restricted Funds
Funds Funds 2024
£ £ 2
Visual aids 999 - 999
Others 649 - 649
1,648 - 1,648
----- End of picture text -----

“igi

ESSEX BLIND CHARITY

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2025

6 INCOME FROM INVESTMENTS

	2025	2024
	£	£
Interest receivable	69,691	122,483
Dividends receivable	12,512	10,041
	82,203	132,524

7 EXPENDITURE ON RAISING FUNDS

	2025	2024
	£	£
Visual aids— net ofstock adjustment	4,166	2,041
Investment management costs	7,749	2,521
	11,915	4,562

-19-

ESSEX BLIND CHARITY

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2025

8 EXPENDITURE ON CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES

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----- Start of picture text -----
|||||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |2025|2024| |£|£| |Charitable|activities|275,234|250,501| |Governance|costs|(note|9)|1,795|4,140| |£277,029|£254,641| |9|GOVERNANCE|COSTS| |2025|2024| |£|£| |Subscriptions|and|registration|fees|-|=| |Auditors’|remuneration|-|-| |Remuneration|for|non-audit work|1,795|4,140| |£1,795|£4,140| |10|NET|INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)| |2025|2024| |£|£| |This|is|stated|after|charging:| |Auditors’|remuneration|-|-| |Remuneration|for|non-audit|work|1,795|4,140| |Depreciation|—|owned|assets|3,405|3,530| |(Profit)/Loss|on|disposal|of fixed|assets|(3,375)|~|

----- End of picture text -----

SOs

ESSEX BLIND CHARITY

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2025

11 STAFF COSTS

	2025	2024
	£	z
Wages and salaries	166,037	147,503
National insurance contributions	9,554	7,173
Pension costs	3,594	3,307
Pension administration	-	-
	179,185	158,033

The average number of employees during the year was as follows:

	2025		2024
Management		2		2
Administration		1		1
Community Services personnel		4		4
Care home staff		-		-
		i		7

No employee received emoluments in excess of £60,000 in the year (2024: None). Pension costs are wholly charged to unrestricted funds.

There were no Trustees’ remuneration, expenses or other benefits for professional or other services supplied to the charity for the year ended 30 April 2025, nor for the year ended 30 April 2024.

The aggregate remuneration of key management personnel was £66,983 (2024: £49,043).

Indemnity insurance is maintained covering the Board of Trustees in their capacity as trustees.

ESSEX BLIND CHARITY

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2025

12 TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS

	Fixtures	Motor	Computer
	and fittings	Vehicles	Equipment	Total
	£	£	£	£
Cost
At 1 May 2024	20,852	21,981	-	42,833
Additions	-	-	5,618	5,618
Disposals	(5,434)	-	-	(5,434)
At 30 April 2025	15,418	21,981	5,618	43,017
Depreciation
At 1 May 2024	10,915	16,764	-	27,679
Charge for the year	1,258	1,304	843	3,405
Disposals	(2,060)	-	-	(2,060)
At 30 April 2025	10,113	18,068	843	29,024
Net book value
At 30 April 2025	5,305	3,913	4,775	13,993
At30April2024	9,937	5,217	-	15,154

EON.

ESSEX BLIND CHARITY

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2025

13	FIXED ASSET INVESTMENTS	:
			2025	2024
			3	£
	Movement in fixed asset investments
	Market value brought forward at 1 May 2024		372,826	357,798
	Additions to investment at cost		2,360,845	279,550
	Disposals		(99,961)	(245,872)
	Gain/(loss) on revaluation		(44,828)	7,326
	Increase/(decrease) in cash held		7,771	(25,976)
	Market value carried forward at 30 April	2025	2,596,653	372,826
	Investment portfolio at market value comprised
			2025	2024
			£	a
	Epworth		1,134,032	372,826
	Fidelity International		1,462,621	-
			2,596,653	372,826
	Epworth
	EP Global Equity Income Fund		593,301	195,634
	EP UK Equity Income Fund		101,957	32,699
	FP Foresight global real infrastructure		87,910	40,781
	Rathbone Ethical bond		24,170	12,943
	Royal London Short Term Money		18,334	9,380
	Threadneedle UK Social bond		12,243	5,568
	Vanguard UK Government bond		“	7,402
	Vanguard US Government bond		12,353	11,089
	L&G UK Property Feeder		23,963	7,534
	Epworth Climate Stewardship Fund		104,038	32,649
	Rathbone Greenbank Global Sustainable Bond Fund		49,451	14,830
	Royal Mint Responsibly Sourced Physical Gold ETC		13,000	-
	Spark Change Physical Carbon EVA ETC		34,173	-
	Vanguard UK Government bond Dist		49,051
	Cash held by Investment Manager		10,088	2,317
			1,134,032	£372,826

Soe

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2025

ESSEX BLIND CHARITY

13 FIXED ASSET INVESTMENTS - continued

	2025	2024
	£	£
Fidelity International
Artemis	73,923		-
Fidelity Cash Fund	247,455		-
Fidelity Extra Income Fund	29,319		~
Fidelity Index Japan	61,921		-
Fidelity Index UK	132,997		-
Fidelity world	73,495		-
HSBC FTSE	146,187		-
iShares Continental	163,783		-
iShares Emerging	64,996		-
Legal & General Global Health	48,970		-
Legal & General Global Tech	36,715		-
UBS FTSE RAFI	41,821		-
Vanguard Global	43,874		-
iShares	74,536		-
FRANKLIN Templeton	29,163		-
iShares V PLC 500	68,026		-
iShares V	55,625		-
VANECK	69,744		-
Cash held by Investment Manager	71		-
	1,462,621		-

DOA

ESSEX BLIND CHARITY

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2025

14 STOCK

					2025		2024
					£		£
Visual	aids	—	resale	stocks		-	3,797
						-	£3,797

15	DEBTORS
		2025	2024
		£	£
	Trade debtors	9,497	8,719
	Prepayments and accrued income	9,807	2,073
		£19,304	£10,792

16 CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

	2025	2024
	ie	if
Trade creditors	1,910	1,567
Social security and other taxes	1,935	1,548
Other creditors	651	322
Accruals and deferred income	3,182	4,497
	£7,678	£7,934

-25-

ESSEX BLIND CHARITY

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2025

17 MOVEMENT IN FUNDS

			Expenditure	Transfers
	Balance at	Incoming	including	between	__—Balance at
	1 May 2024	resources	gains/(losses)	funds	30 April 2025
	£	£	£	£	£
Unrestricted Funds
General fund	2,392,304	93,236	(167,563)	>	2,317,977
Designated funds
Essex support 5 year
plan	300,000	-		-	300,000
Essex support exit
strategy fund	25,000	-	-	-	25,000
Investment revaluation
reserve	88,515	-	(44,828)	-	43,687
	2,805,819	93,236	(212,391)	-	2,686,664
Restricted Funds
Mobile Sight Centre	-	-	-	-	-
ECC Sensory Contract	-	11,306	(11,306)	-	“
Brentwood Community	-	110,075	(110,075)	-	-
Hosp. Project
	-	121,381	(121,381)	-	-
	£2,805,819	£214,617	£(333,772)	-	2,686,664

=96-

ESSEX BLIND CHARITY

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2025

17 MOVEMENT IN FUNDS -— continued

			Expenditure	Transfers
	Balance at	Incoming	including	between	_—Balance at
	1 May 2023	resources	gains/(losses)	funds	30 April 2024
Unrestricted Funds	£	&	£	ro	a
General fund	2,426,715	156,948	(191,359)	-	2,392,304
Designated funds
Essex support 5 year
plan	300,000	-		-	300,000
Essex support exit
strategy fund	25,000	.	-	-	25,000
Investment revaluation
reserve	81,189	.	7,326	”	88,515
	2,832,904	156,948	(184,033)	-	2,805,819
Restricted Funds
Mobile Sight Centre	4,147	-	(4,147)	-	-
ECC Sensory Contract	-	11,381	(11,381)	”	-
Brentwood Community	-	52,316	(52,316)	“	-
Hosp. Project
	4,147	63,697	(67,844)	-	:
	£2,837,051	£220,645	£(251,877)	-	£2,805,819

The general fund represents the free funds of the charity which are not designated for a particular purpose.

Essex support 5 year plan fund is to provide half the cost of the community services over a fiveyear period, in order to attract matching grant funding for the balance.

Essex support exit strategy fund is a worst-case scenario and the cost of ceasing the community services altogether.

Both the 5-year plan and the exit strategy will be reassessed by Trustees and a new plan put in place to take into account the changes to the NHS and Local Government Reorganisation

The investment revaluation reserve represents cumulative realised and unrealised investment gains and losses on investments.

The Mobile Sight Centre project relates to funding received from Colchester Catalyst and the Saffron Building Society Fund, the vehicle was purchased by April 23 and the remaining capital works were carried out in the previous financial year (year ending April 24).

ay aa

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2025

ESSEX BLIND CHARITY

17 MOVEMENT IN FUNDS -— continued

The Brentwood Community Hospital project relates to a grant from The Malcolm and Beryl Cook Foundation. It has been carried out jointly with the Blind and Visual Sight Impaired Society (BASIS).

18 ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS

	Tangible		Net
	fixed		current	2025
	assets	Investments	assets	Total
	£	£	£	£
Restricted funds	-	.	~	-
Unrestricted funds	13,993	2,596,653	76,018	2,686,664
	13,993	2,596,653	76,018	2,686,664
	Tangible		Net
	fixed		current	2024
	assets £	Investments 73	assets £	Total om
Restricted funds	-	-	-	-
Unrestricted funds	15,154	372,826	2,417,839	2,805,819
	15,154	372,826	2,417,839	2,805,819

19 CONTROLLING PARTY

The Charitable Company was under the control of the trustees during the year.

20 RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

If any discussions are held in relation to transactions with related parties, it is the Charity's process that the associated Trustee will remove themselves from any discussions surrounding such transactions and the decisions reached on these. Allan Williams is a Partner of Fenn Wright. For the year ended 30 April 2025, Essex Blind Charity acquired services from Fenn Wright amounting to £26,728.

No other related party transactions have been identified which need to be disclosed. (2024 : £2,110).

IR