2021-06-30-accounts

Monmouthshire Provincial Grand Charity 2004 Report and Accounts for the year ended 30th June 2021

Registered number 1108895

Reference and Administrative Information

The Charity was founded in 2004 and is registered with the Charity Commissioners under the Charity number 1108895. The organisation is a charity set up to deal with the charitable giving of the Masonic Province of Monmouthshire under by-law 16 of the Province and enacted under a deed dated 2004.

There were no changes to the Trustees and Professional Advisers during the year and below are listed those who were in place for and subsequent to the Annual General meeting of 10[th] March 2021:

Legal and administrative information

Trustees

Chair of Trustees The Provincial Grand Master R G Davies The Deputy Provincial Grand Master C R Evans Grand Officer R N Mounter The Provincial Grand Treasurer H L Williams The Provincial Grand Secretary J Roberts The Provincial Grand Charity Steward J P Tod Secretary to the Trustees A J Twomlow Examiners N Davies C J Moss

Bankers

HSBC Lloyds Bank plc 1 Bridge Street Newport PO Box 1000, Uttoxeter NP20 4UT BX1 1LT

Report of the Trustees

The trustees are pleased to present their report and annual accounts for the year ended 30[th] June 2021.

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The financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011 and Accounting and Reporting by Charities; Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1[st] January 2015).

Structure Governance and Management

Governance

The day to day running of the Charity is undertaken by the Provincial Grand Charity Steward who is responsible for fund-raising from the Freemasons of Monmouthshire. The distribution of grants is considered upon request from the individual lodges. The Trustees, under the leadership of the Provincial Grand Master, consider the suitability of the applications for the various charities and good causes, having taken into account representation from the brethren and advice from knowledgeable members of the Province as appropriate.

The finances of the charity are considered by the trustees at the meetings of the Provincial Executive Committee, the majority of whose members are trustees. The trustees report back to meetings of the lodge charity stewards of the Province. The accounts are presented for approval at the Annual Provincial Meeting, to which all Monmouthshire Freemasons are invited.

Trustee Induction and Training

Typically, new trustees will already be familiar with the Masonic charities, the role of those charities in the Masonic Province of Monmouthshire and the principal national Masonic charities. It is likely that they will have served either as lodge charity stewards or have been involved in provincial charity committees. A full disclosure of all papers is made including minutes, current finances and the business plan.

Appointment of Trustees

Appointment of trustees is by the Provincial Grand Master, the Deputy, or the Trustees by way of majority.

Trustees are selected from Freemasons in the Masonic province of Monmouthshire and will typically be experienced lodge officers who have previously acted as charity stewards, treasurers, secretaries or almoners.

They should already be very familiar with the work of the charity but are encouraged to research their duties as trustees. The Objects of the Charity, The Principles of Good Governance and the Trustees Responsibilities are read and confirmed at each annual general meeting, when new trustees are generally appointed.

Risk Management

At the meetings of the Provincial Executive, the trustees review the risks to which the Charity is exposed. It has imposed such internal controls as it believes necessary and appropriate to safeguard the assets of the charity from the malfeasance of any officer or trustee.

The trustees are mindful of the risks that any charity faces. However, whilst not being at all complacent, the nature of the charity, and its visibility and interaction with the Freemasons of the Province of Monmouthshire, offers a great deal of mitigation of risk.

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The trustees believe that governance risks are minimal but are always looking to identify potential future trustees with relevant skills and expertise.

Operational risks are restricted. For example, safeguarding issues do not arise as we have no contact with vulnerable people; we have no staff or premises; and have strong internal controls.

The charity has no commitments to funding external activities nor does it seek external funding.

Given that the charity has no employees, operations or premises then the laws and regulations with which it must comply with are vastly reduced. However, this still leaves many areas such as, breach of trust, money laundering, discrimination which are considered by trustees on an on-going basis.

Objectives and Activities

Objects

The objects of the Trust may be summarised as follows: -

1. The relief of poverty and distress whether by payments to institutions or individuals who are Freemasons or those who are or were dependants of Freemasons.

2. The advancement of religion and education.

3. Masonic Charities.

4. To carry out such other legally charitable purposes as the Trustees from time to time by deed or deeds executed with the unanimous consent declared.

Activities

When planning our activities for the year we kept in mind the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit at our Trustees' meetings. In considering the programme of events for our fund raising from Monmouthshire Freemasons, the primary objective was to raise funds for the 2024 Festival Fund which was announced in February 2019.

The main source of income continues to be by donations, and gift aid where appropriate, from members of the Masonic Province of Monmouthshire.

The suspension all masonic activity in Wales in March 2020 continued through the year ended 30[th] June 2021 and prevented the various social fund-raising events usually organised by volunteers to provide additional charitable income.

Though no presentation evening was held in November 2020, during the accounting year seven local charities and good causes received grants: two of these received grants of £3,000; two received grants of £1,000; and three received grants of £700 or less.

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Finally, the regular gift aided income received enabled a further £70,000 to be donated to the Masonic Charitable Foundation, thus continue our fundraising for the Monmouthshire Festival ending in 2024.

Investment Policy and Objectives

The Trustees aim to maximise the investment return within the objective of investing in low risk products and investments. The investments are all regarded as temporary investments with a view to amounts being paid out in approved grants or being held as a designated and or restricted funds if for a nominated charitable purpose.

Reserves Policy

The Trustees’ policy on reserves is that there should be no minimum level of reserves retained in accordance with a grant making charity with no fixed assets and virtually no recurring running costs save bank charges; with Grants being made to the full value of any reserves subject to the approval and discretion of the Trustees.

Fund Raising and Future Plans

The Province periodically raises funds on a cyclical basis for major Masonic Charities. This year the emphasis was on the Monmouthshire 2024 Festival already mentioned. All the funds currently raised are being allocated to charitable good causes thought fit by the Committee upon the request of Masons in Monmouthshire.

The prospects for the Charity are closely linked to the number of members in the Province and their propensity to give charitably to good causes, for which they have been well renowned in the past. The vast majority of funds are raised directly from the members of the Province. Families and friends are invited to fund raising activities and events sponsored within the Province

Statement of Trustees responsibilities

Charity law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Given that the charity is run entirely by volunteers with limited resources, the trustees have decided that it is appropriate to adopt the Receipts and Payments basis

We are responsible for:

• keeping proper accounting records

• safeguarding the charities assets

• taking reasonable steps for the prevention of fraud

• making the accounts available to the public on request to be publicly accountable - (the charity can make an appropriate charge to cover costs)

• prepare annual accounts and make it available to the public on request

Huw L Williams Trustee

2[nd] March 2022

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Report of the Independent Examiners to the trustees of Monmouthshire Provincial Grand Charity 2004 for the year ended 30th June 2021

Charity Number 1108895

We report on the accounts 30 June 2021 set out on pages 7 and 8

Respective responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner

The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts.

The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed.

It is our responsibility to: -

• Examine the accounts (under Section 145 of the Act);

• To follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under Section 145(5)(b) of the Act); and

• To state whether particular matters have come to our attention.

Basis of independent examiners’ statement

Our examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a "true and fair view" and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

Independent examiners’ statement

In the connection with our examination, no material matters have come to our attention which gives us cause to believe that in, any material respect: -

• accounting records were not kept in accordance with Section 130 of the Charities Act or

• the accounts do not accord with the accounting records

We have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of these accounts to be reached.

N Davies C J Moss Joint Independent Examiners 13/07/2021

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