Registered Charity number: 1113165
BLISS FAMILY CHARITY
ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
31 MARCH 2021
BLISS FAMILY CHARITY
CONTENTS
| Page | |
|---|---|
| Legal and administrative information | 1 |
| Trustees' report | 2 - 4 |
| Auditor's report | 5 - 8 |
| Statement of financial activities | 9 |
| Balance sheet | 10 |
| Notes to the financial statements | 11 - 14 |
BLISS FAMILY CHARITY
LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Trustees
Mr D M Bliss Mrs V D Bliss Mr W Mellor
Address
36 The Esplanade Frinton on Sea Essex CO13 9HZ
Registered Charity Number
1113165
Auditor
Scrutton Bland LLP Chartered Accountants 820 The Crescent Colchester Business Park Colchester Essex CO4 9YQ
Bankers
NatWest Bank plc 10 Station Road Clacton on Sea Essex CO15 1TA
Investment manager
Barratt & Cooke 5 Opie Street Norwich Norfolk NR1 3DW
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BLISS FAMILY CHARITY
TRUSTEES' REPORT
The Trustees present their annual report together with the audited financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2021.
The charity was registered on 6 March 2006.
Reference and administrative details of the charity, its trustees and advisers
The information on page 1 forms part of this report.
The Trustees set out below have held office during the whole of the period to the date of this report, unless otherwise stated:
Mr D M Bliss Mrs V D Bliss Mr W Mellor
Structure, governance and management
The financial statements are prepared in accordance with the Trust Deed and the recommendations of the Statement of Recommended Practice - Accounting and Reporting by Charities and comply with applicable law. The financial statements are prepared in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).
The charity is governed by its Trust Deed, dated 4 December 2005.
The Trustees are entitled to appoint new Trustees, of whom there must be at least three. Trustees are given the appropriate training on appointment as part of their induction. Decisions regarding the charity are made by the Trustees at Trustee meetings.
Principal risks
The Trustees have examined the risks faced by the charity and actively seek to mitigate these wherever possible. Whilst funds are principally received by the charity from Mr D M Bliss, the risks associated with the charity holding this money whilst the disbursement of the funds are awaited is mitigated by these monies being held at a reputable bank.
The Trustees have been acutely aware of the impact of Covid-19 and the government directives in place during the year. The risks associated with the virus have been taken into consideration and highlighted in detail elsewhere within these financial statements.
Objectives and organisational structure
The Charity was registered on 6 March 2006. Its charitable objectives are to support educational establishments for children under 18 years of age throughout the world but particularly in undeveloped countries and to support families with children in those countries in need of food, shelter, healthcare and sustenance. There are no plans to alter these charitable objectives in the future.
The Charity’s activities are of a wholly charitable nature and it does not operate with a view to profit.
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BLISS FAMILY CHARITY
TRUSTEES' REPORT (continued)
Public benefit
All activities are conducted for charitable purposes to benefit the public. In doing so the Trustees have complied with their duties in this area as set out in Section 17 of the Charities Act 2011. Further details of charitable objectives are provided within the Objectives and organisational structure section of this report.
Achievements and key performance indicators
The Trustees are pleased with the level of expenditure on charitable activities during the year and the way in which this has helped the charity to continue to achieve its charitable objects.
Financial review
The results for the year to 31 March 2021 are set out within the Statement of Financial Activities.
The Trustees are satisfied with the results for the year. The fund balance at the year end is £36,031 which will be used in accordance with the charity’s objectives.
Funds
Funds restricted by the donor are treated as restricted funds. No restricted funds arose during the year.
All other unrestricted funds are primarily held to be expended on charitable activities that are planned for the future.
Going concern
The trustees' view is that the financial statements are correct to be prepared on the going concern basis as they consider that the charity will continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. In forming this view, the trustees have considered the closing position of the charity at 31 March 2021, which demonstrates factors such as relatively strong levels of cash. The trustees also consider that ongoing donations should remain largely unaffected by the continued impact of Covid-19.
Plans for the future
The intention is to continue operating the charity in a consistent, stable manner, so as to enable it to continue to meet its underlying objectives.
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BLISS FAMILY CHARITY
TRUSTEES' REPORT (continued)
Trustees' responsibilities statement
The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice), including FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK".
The law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:
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select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
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observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
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make judgments and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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state whether applicable accounting standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
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prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping sufficient accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the trust deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
As far as the Trustees are aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the charity’s auditor is unaware. The Trustees have taken all the steps that they ought to have taken as Trustees in order to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the charity’s auditor is aware of that information.
Approved by the trustees on 19 July 2021 and signed on their behalf by
D M Bliss
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BLISS FAMILY CHARITY
INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF BLISS FAMILY CHARITY
Opinion
We have audited the financial statements of Bliss Family Charity (the 'charity') for the year ended 31 March 2021 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, Balance Sheet and notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is 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).
In our opinion the financial statements:
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give a true and fair view of the state of the charity's affairs as at 31 March 2021 and of its incoming resources and application of resources for the year then ended;
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have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and
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have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011.
Basis for opinion
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the United Kingdom, including the FRC's Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
Conclusions relating to going concern
In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.
Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charity's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.
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BLISS FAMILY CHARITY
INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF BLISS FAMILY CHARITY
Other information
The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial statements and our auditor's report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.
We have nothing to report in this regard.
Matters on which we are required to report by exception
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 require us to report to you if, in our opinion:
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the information given in the Trustees' report is inconsistent in any material respect with the financial statements; or
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sufficient accounting records have not been kept; or
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the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
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we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.
Responsibilities of trustees
As explained more fully in the Trustees' responsibilities statement set out on page 4 the Trustees are responsible for the preparation of financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the Trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the financial statements, the Trustees are responsible for assessing the charity's ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the Trustees either intend to liquidate the charity or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.
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BLISS FAMILY CHARITY
INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF BLISS FAMILY CHARITY
Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements
We have been appointed as auditors under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 and report in accordance with the Act and relevant regulations made or having effect thereunder.
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below: .
We identified areas of laws and regulations that could reasonably be expected to have a material effect on the financial statements from our general commercial and sector experience, through discussion with the trustees (as required by auditing standards), inspection of any of the Charity's regulatory and legal correspondence and discussed with the members the policies and procedures regarding compliance with laws and regulations. We communicated identified laws and regulations throughout our team and remained alert to any indications of noncompliance throughout the audit.
The potential effect of these laws and regulations on the financial statements varies considerably.
The Charity is subject to laws and regulations that directly affect the financial statements including financial reporting and other regulatory legislation, including the Charities Act 2011, and we assessed the extent of compliance with these laws and regulations as part of our procedures on the related financial statement items.
Due to the size and nature of the Charity, it is not subject to other laws and regulations where the consequences of non-compliance could have a material effect on amounts or disclosures in the financial statements, for instance through the imposition of fines or litigation. Auditing standards limit the required audit procedures to identify noncompliance with laws and regulations to enquiry of the trustees and other management and inspection of regulatory and legal correspondence, if any.
Audit procedures undertaken in response to the potential risks relating to irregularities (which include fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations) comprised of: enquiries of management and those charged with governance as to whether the Charity complies with such regulations; enquiries of management and those charged with governance concerning any actual or potential litigation or claims, inspection of any relevant legal documentation, testing the appropriateness of journal entries and the performance of analytical review to identify any unexpected movements in account balances which may be indicative of fraud.
No instances of material non-compliance were identified.
There are inherent limitations in the audit procedures described above and the further removed non-compliance with laws and regulations is from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, the less likely we would become aware of it. Irregularities that result from fraud might be inherently more difficult to detect than irregularities that result from error. As explained above, there is an unavoidable risk that material misstatements may not be detected, even though the audit has been planned and performed in accordance with ISAs (UK).
A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council's website at: www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our Auditor's Report.
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BLISS FAMILY CHARITY
INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF BLISS FAMILY CHARITY
Use of our report
This report is made solely to the charity's Trustees, as a body, in accordance with part 4 of the charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charity's Trustees those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity and its Trustees, as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
SCRUTTON BLAND LLP
Chartered Accountants and Statutory Auditor
820 The Crescent Colchester Business Park Colchester Essex CO4 9YQ 19 July 2021
Scrutton Bland LLP is eligible to act as an auditor in terms of section 1212 of the Companies Act 2006.
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BLISS FAMILY CHARITY
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021
| Unrestricted funds Note 2021 £ Income from: Donations and legacies 1 200,975 Investments 2 1,334 Total income 202,309 Expenditure on: Charitable activities: Bank charges and similar fees 187 Other charitable activities 3 303,300 Total expenditure 303,487 Net gains/(losses) on investments 6,464 Net (expenditure)/income (94,714) Reconciliation of funds: Total funds brought forward 130,745 Total funds carried forward 36,031 |
Total funds Total funds (unrestricted) 2021 £ 2020 £ 200,975 297,786 1,334 575 202,309 298,361 187 271 303,300 270,000 303,487 270,271 6,464 (5,528) (94,714) 22,562 130,745 108,183 36,031 130,745 |
|---|---|
Continuing operations
All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
Total recognised gains and losses
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the period.
The notes on pages 11 to 14 form part of these financial statements.
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BLISS FAMILY CHARITY
BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 MARCH 2021
| Note Current assets Investments 4 Cash at bank Net current assets Funds Unrestricted funds 5 Total funds |
£ - 36,031 |
2021 £ 36,031 36,031 36,031 36,031 |
£ 37,589 93,156 |
2020 £ 130,745 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 130,745 | ||||
| 130,745 | ||||
| 130,745 |
Approved by the Board of Trustees on 19 July 2021 and signed on its behalf by
D M Bliss
Trustee
The notes on pages 11 to 14 form part of these financial statements.
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BLISS FAMILY CHARITY
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021
1. Accounting Policies
General information
The Bliss Family Charity is registered with the Charity Commission, registration number 1113165. Further details are provided within the Trustees’ Report.
Basis of accounting
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, subject to the valuation of investments at market value. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) "Accounting and Reporting by Charities" (as updated in October 2018); Financial Reporting Standard 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK”; and the Charities Act 2011.
As explained within the Trustees’ report, the charity is operated to provide public benefit.
Donation income and the funds of the charity
Donation income is accounted for when the charity is legally entitled to the income. It is grossed up in the accounts to include income tax recoverable when the gift aid claims are lodged with HMRC. Amounts lodged but not received are accrued accordingly.
Funds restricted by the donor are treated as restricted funds. All other receipts are treated as unrestricted funds.
Expenditure
All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and is recognised when there is a legal or constructive obligation to pay.
Taxation
The Bliss Family 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 the trust is potentially exempt from taxation in respect of income or 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.
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.
Functional and presentation currency
The charity’s functional and presentation currency is sterling.
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021
BLISS FAMILY CHARITY
1. Accounting Policies (continued)
Going concern
In accordance with government directives issued on 23 March 2020 the charity has been affected by the restrictions imposed on its activites and social distancing relating to the spread of Covid-19. Whilst the impact of the virus has had a very significant effect on the wider economy during the year, forecasting anticipates that the charity will be able to continue to provide to those that it seeks to support. However, because not all future events or conditions can be predicted, it is not possible to guarantee the charity's ability to continue as a going concern. The future of the world economy remains unclear at this present time due to the ongoing Covid-19 outbreak and it is therefore difficult to evaluate all of the potential implications on the Charity's activities, its beneficiaries, its suppliers and the wider economy.
The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis as the Trustees are of the view that the charity will continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. In forming this view, the Trustees have also considered the charity's level of financial resources it has available and the ongoing security of its main income streams. As a consequence, the Trustees believe that the company is well placed to manage its business risks successfully for at least the next twelve months.
2. INCOME FROM INVESTMENTS
| INCOME FROM INVESTMENTS | ||
|---|---|---|
| Total | ||
| Unrestricted funds |
||
| funds (unrestricted) |
||
| 2021 2020 |
||
| £ £ |
||
| Dividends and bank interest | 1,334 575 |
|
| Total 2020 | 575 |
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BLISS FAMILY CHARITY
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021
3. GRANTS AND DONATIONS
| Moya Trust Network for Africa Street Child Right To Play Send a Cow Build It International Plan It International World Child Cancer Microloan Foundation Orbis Charitable Trust Guba Swaziland Total |
2021 £ 90,000 12,800 20,000 10,000 15,000 15,000 3,500 10,000 15,000 15,000 97,000 303,300 |
2020 £ 100,000 20,000 15,000 5,000 20,000 20,000 20,000 - 20,000 - 50,000 |
|---|---|---|
| 270,000 |
| . 4. INVESTMENTS Brought forward at 1 April 2020 Purchases Disposals Other movements Investments as at 31 March 2021 |
Total funds 2021 £ 37,589 - (44,522) 6,933 - |
Total funds 2020 £ 41,664 43,363 (41,664) (5,774) |
|---|---|---|
| 37,589 |
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BLISS FAMILY CHARITY
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021
5. FUNDS
Statement of funds - current year
| Balance at 1 April 2020 £ Unrestricted funds 130,745 Statement of funds - prior year Balance at 1 April 2019 £ Unrestricted funds 108,183 Total of funds 108,183 |
Income Expenditure £ £ 202,309 (303,487) Income Expenditure £ £ 298,361 (270,271) 298,361 (270,271) |
Gains/ (Losses) £ 6,464 Gains/ (Losses) £ (5,528) (5,528) |
Balance at 31 March 2021 £ 36,031 Balance at 31 March 2020 £ 130,745 130,745 |
|---|---|---|---|
6. CONTROL
The Trustees have ultimate control of the charity
7. RELATED PARTIES
During the year, donations totalling £134,500 (2020 : £265,000) were received from Mr D M and Mrs V D Bliss, Trustees of the Bliss Family Charity.
No Trustee received any remuneration or reimbursement for expenses from the charity during the year (2020 : £Nil). Similarly, the remuneration of the senior management team was £Nil (2020 : £Nil).
One of the Trustees, Mr W Mellor, is a director of Barratt & Cooke, an organisation which acted as investment manager to the charity during the year. The Trustees have considered this and do not feel that any conflict of interest has arisen.
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