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2022-09-30-accounts

Charity Registration No 1117209 Company Registration No 05966120

Contents

Reference and administrative details
1		 Reference and administrative details
1
Trustees’ report 2 - 10
Auditor’s report 11 - 14
Statement of financial activities 15
Balance sheet 16
Statement of cash flows 17
Notes to the financial statements 18 - 29

Audited financial statements for the year ended 30 September 2022

Sight Concern Bedfordshire

A company limited by guarantee and not having a share capital

Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Reference and administrative details

Trustees (who act as Directors Adrian Spurrell Chair
for the purposes of the Companies Act)Joanna Jameson
David Mitchell
Diana Gibson-Birch (resigned December 2021)
Calli O’Brien
Julie Born (appointed June 2022)
Secretary Carol O’Brien
Chief Executive Officer Carol O’Brien
Charity number 1117209
Company number 05966120
Registered St Bedes
& principal office 116 Bromham Road
Bedford
MK40 2QN
Auditors HW East Midlands Audit LLP
Woburn Court, 2 Railton Road
Woburn Road Ind Est
Kempston
Bedford
MK42 7PN

Bankers		 CAF Bank Limited
25 Kings Hill Avenue
West Malling
Kent
ME19 4JQ
Scottish Widows Bank Plc
67 Morrison Street
Edinburgh
EH3 8YJ
The Charity Bank Limited
Fosse House
182 High Street
Tonbridge
TN9 1BE
Nationwide Building Society
Kings Park Road
Moulton Park
Northampton
NN3 6NW
Solicitors HCB Solicitors (formerly Park Woodfine Heald Mellows)
1 Lurke Street
Bedford
MK40 3TN

Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Trustees’ report For the year ended 30 September 2022

The trustees are pleased to present their annual trustees’ report for the year ending 30 September 2022 which is also prepared to meet the requirements for a directors’ report and accounts for Companies Act purposes.

The financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006, the Memorandum and Articles of Association, and the 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) issued in October 2019.

Objectives and Activities

Charitable objectives and reporting under Public Benefit

Sight Concern Bedfordshire’s (“SCB”’s) objectives continue in accordance with its Constitution. The objects are to promote the relief of blind and partially sighted persons and persons with sensory or any other related disability. The principal objectives of the charity are to support people who are blind or partially sighted resident in Luton and Bedfordshire and people with sensory loss in Central Bedfordshire.

In setting the charity’s objectives and planning its aims and future activities the Trustees have given consideration to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit. The main aims of the charity are:

Our values are embedded as our staff, trustees and volunteers are part of the same team, sharing a commitment to work together to support the development of everyone’s potential. Our values are encompassed in the following ‘SPIRIT’:

Sight Concern Bedfordshire Services

Sight Concern Bedfordshire saw a return to in person services in the year 2021/2022 and a move to respiratory infection control and removal of Covid restrictions. During the year Sight Concern contacted 2345 visually impaired people and 958 service users received direct specialist service from us. This is an increase of 15% in clients receiving a specialist service from the year before, partly due to Covid restrictions easing and successful recruitment leading to a full staff team. The charity closed over 1,582 referrals for work, each referral is a record of direct support ranging from telephone advice to a holistic ‘MOT’ assessment and the creation of an action plan with a specialist advisor.

Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Trustees’ report For the year ended 30 September 2022

____________

Sight Concern Bedfordshire Services (continued)

Specialist Sight Loss Services

Sight Concern provides a specialist Low Vision service which provides assessments, advice, equipment and support from our offices in Luton and Bedford. The average appointment is 30 minutes long and includes rehabilitation support and practical advice; access to assistive technology and demonstrations of equipment. The Low Vision Service delivers a hybrid service with approximately 75% face to face clinics and 25% remote clinics. The outreach team work to ensure that statutory services including Moorfields and Community Optometrists are aware and referring to the service. In the calendar year 2022 Bedford Low Vision Clinic saw a 61% increase in referrals from the previous year.

Visual Impairment Advisors (VIAs) and Sensory Impairment Advisor (SIA) provide intensive support on a 1:1 basis with our most vulnerable clients, encouraging and enabling them to build social networks and regain confidence. The VIAs and SIA carry out ‘MOT’ initial assessment and create support plans that are written with active involvement of the service users and/or their carer or family and include obtaining benefits such as Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and Carer’s allowance; concessions such as Blue Badge applications; demonstrating domestic equipment and adaptations; providing access to social groups and referrals to other support organisations. The impairment advisors for Central Bedfordshire and Luton obtained new benefits, principally PIP and Carers Allowance, totalling £321,542 during the year for 113 clients and obtained 69 concessions i.e. bus passes and blue badges. The PIP and Carers Allowance are granted for 3 years meaning that £321,542 will also be received in 2023 and 2024. The service is provided by telephone with in-person visits at our offices and at people’s homes.

Providing local sight loss information

The charity circulates its own newsletter, News and Views, which was distributed quarterly to 2439 people. The newsletter contains opportunities and local events, associated services from partner organisations and sight loss prevention information. The newsletter is distributed in accessible formats including large print, audio recording on memory stick, links to cloud provision and braille.

Information, advice and guidance is provided via the charity’s telephone helpline, face to face (when possible) and via the Facebook Book page Messenger to visually impaired people and relatives, as well as friends or carers of visually impaired people. The number of Facebook followers has increased to 848 with Sight Concern posting daily information about Sight Concern’s services, events and the services of other related organisations, as well as sharing information about eye health and relevant news articles for the visually impaired.

The Sight Concern Visual Impairment Champion attends local events and promotes the services and support available for people with Sight Loss. Events attended this year included an online Festival for Older People, sight loss resources and technology sessions. The Visual Impairment Champions role has expanded to promoting equality through social media and attending equality organisations, for example Bedford an Inclusive Town and creating awareness campaigns with Central Bedfordshire Council.

Sight Concern uses CharityLog as the primary method for recording monitoring and outcome data. Sight Concern is part of a shared data project where Vista, Sight Concern Bedfordshire, 4Sight West Sussex, Focus Birmingham, MySight Nottingham, Support4Sight, Warwickshire Vision, and WILL use a shared Charitylog instance for over 25,000 individual people.

Sight Concern also runs a large number of volunteer led services:

Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Trustees’ report For the year ended 30 September 2022

____________

Sight Concern Bedfordshire Services (continued)

The charity works closely with Local Authority Social Services, Optometrists, Social Prescribers, and with Charities that have overlapping client groups such as older people, to ensure that the advice and signposting is up to date. The Local Optical Committee for Bedfordshire has a new Chair, Laura Hing. Laura has worked closely with Sight Concern, and we are keen to build this relationship.

Sight Concern Bedfordshire Staffing

Sight Concern values the team and focuses on wellbeing. We use the NVCO workforce wheel as our outcome-based approach to monitoring all aspects of people management. Sight Concern evaluates its outcomes each year to feed into our workforce development. The overall outcome score has risen since we started in 2018, with all the mean scores moving from above 3 out of 5, to above 4 out of 5, in the last year. In 2022 the two highest scoring areas were safety, and wellbeing and teamwork, which is linked to the work during Covid on reducing physical risks while maintaining a strong supportive team. The two lower scoring areas to focus on are workforce skills which we will address with our training matrix, and Vision which we will address first through our external consultation. After an unsuccessful recruitment in Sept 2021 for an operations manager, we relaunched the role, and recruitment was successful with the new Charity Operations manager starting in January. Our volunteer coordinator retired in spring 2022, and a new role of volunteer team lead was created and following recruitment, filled by an internal promotion. There was then a second successful recruitment of service support to backfill the internal recruitment. The Board of Trustees looked to support staff by carrying out wellbeing calls to all staff in December 2021.

Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Trustees’ report For the year ended 30 September 2022

____________

Key developments during the October 2021 September 22 year

SCB worked to achieve our business plan for new work in 2022 in addition to current services: to increase our profile, to reach new people, to reduce isolation after Covid.

Over the year contracts and grants were maintained. The Bedfordshire and Luton Community Fund, Community Infrastructure grant for the Luton work was renewed for a further year from April 2022.

The role of Luton and Dunstable Foundation Trust Eye Clinic Liaison Officer (ECLO) funded by Sight Concern and Royal National institute for the Blind (RNIB) plays a vital role in the eye care pathway. RNIB and Sight Concern, in December 2022, extended their joint funding relationship for a further two years. The project ensures that more people with sight loss leave the hospital with an understanding of their eye condition and a referral into other services such as Social Services Sensory Impairment Team and local charities which provide support. In the period in 2021/22 (April - March) 395 full patient enquiries were dealt with by the ECLO and a significant proportion of new people were referred to Sight Concern.

Sight Concern was supported by Visionary to connect with other Sight Loss charities delivering low vision services. iSightCornwall trained a Sight Concern Bedfordshire staff member to become a Low Vision Advisor to deliver low vision clinics.

Sight Concern supported and contributed to consultations and campaigns to promote accessibility for people with a visual impairment. For example, SCB worked with Central Bedfordshire Local Authority to promote digital accessibility of its services.

Volunteers

Volunteers are a key part of Sight Concern Bedfordshire’s overall strategy. Sight Concern Bedfordshire can call upon more than 120 volunteers in the Bedfordshire and Luton area.

Remote services are still proving popular with 30 Telephone befriending calls and Zoom Social Club taking place each week. We have resumed recording the Talking Newspaper face-to-face, along with at home radio support for British Wireless for the Blind. The charity aims to use volunteers as effectively as possible and to ensure volunteers participate at all levels within the charity. Admin volunteers are now offered flexibility and can be set up to work remotely or in one of our offices; they are currently supporting: Low Vision Clinic, reporting, surveys, and British Wireless for the Blind deliveries.

Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Trustees’ report For the year ended 30 September 2022

Volunteers (continued)

Sight Concern Bedfordshire has created a new role of Volunteer Team Lead who is responsible for the volunteer led services and volunteers. We operate a full screening and training scheme for all our volunteers that is tailored to the specific role undertaken by a given volunteer. Communications with volunteers increased including 1-1 calls, group Zoom calls and email updates from the Chair of the board. All volunteers are offered additional training each year, in 2021/2022 volunteers were offered online training and training sessions with Mind BLMK. We have recruited 12 new volunteers since June and seen the return of 13 existing volunteers who had taken a break during lockdown. The volunteers have been placed in both weekly roles and supporting less frequent events such as Summer of Fun and Mind Workshops.

Thank you for your support

Sight Concern is helped by many people, businesses, and organisations throughout the year. We would like to extend our thanks to:

Bedfordshire and Luton LLAL Community Investment Fund managed by the Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation (BLCF)

Access to Work grant to help two members of staff continue to work independently at Sight Concern George W Dickens Charity

HopeAgency for providing pro bono marketing support

Luton Chiltern Inner Wheel for making us their Presidents Charity of the year

Our thanks go to our staff and volunteers and supporters for their resilience, creativity and sheer hard work in adapting and continuing to move Sight Concern onwards and upwards.

Future Plans

The charity recognises that the number of people affected by sight loss continues to grow. In Bedfordshire (Luton Borough, Central Bedford, and Bedford Borough) the number of people with severe sight loss is expected to grow by 17% during the next five years (reference RNIB sight loss data tool). Sight Concern Board of Trustees is committed to adapting to meet this need by developing and improving the services offered. The three strategic objectives are sustainability through the fundraising strategy, profile through the marketing plan and partnerships, and the provision of Quality Services .

This will include:

Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Trustees’ report For the year ended 30 September 2022

Financial review

During the year Sight Concern Bedfordshire made a surplus of £35,244 (2021: surplus of £41,701). During the accounting period incoming resources amounted to £360,248 (2021: £310,601). Total resources expended were £307,987 (2021: £282,191). At the year end, total funds carried forward were £625,873 (2021: £590,629), of which £561,513 (2021: £529,648) were unrestricted.

Reserves Policy

Sight Concern Bedfordshire has little income from fixed asset investments, such as endowments, and is largely dependent for income on donor funding, including legacies. These income streams can fluctuate significantly year to year, leading to potential liquidity issues. Over the past 10 years, year-end cash balances have fluctuated by over £500,000, due to a small number of irregular large donations, and while this has reduced to a fluctuation of approx. £180,000 in the past 5 years, the trustees believe there is a need to hold reserves at a level which provides protection against such issues, to enable the charity to continue to operate in all circumstances including any significant unexpected fall in income.

Sight Concern Bedfordshire is required to hold Restricted Fund reserves where the use of donation has been restricted for specific purposes. It also holds Designated Funds, where the Trustees have already committed to supporting new developments, activities and projects using legacy funds from our unrestricted reserves balance. This includes maintaining and supporting current services which are underfunded by external sources, or match-funding certain projects where third parties are also committed. At 30 September 2022, an amount of £51,821 has been officially designated to meet the costs of these projects.

As with any organisation, the charity faces risks which could impact its ability to continue. Due to the fluctuation and unpredictability of income on an annual basis, we therefore need to ensure that, in addition to the Restricted and Designated Fund reserves, an appropriate level of free reserves is maintained. This means we can respond to unforeseen events, without jeopardising our ability to continue support for visually impaired people and meet our obligations as they fall due.

The Trustees have reviewed the existing reserves policy and concluded a risk-based policy should be implemented to support decision making in managing the level of our free reserves held on an ongoing basis. An initial review of risks has been undertaken, assessing the expected cost should a risk arise, weighted by the likelihood of that risk occurring. The resulting financial impact of the weighted risks have been considered in total, and a weighted risk reserve requirement of £210,000 was determined. The risks, their expected costs and likelihoods are documented and will be reviewed regularly as part of ongoing management of the charity’s finances.

At the year end, there was an excess of free reserves over and above the requirements of the risk-based reserves policy. The charity intends to use this excess over the next 5 years, by actively seeking new projects to develop and enhance the services we provide, in line with our purpose and values.

Investment policy

Principle funding sources

In the context of the wider charity sector, Sight Concern Bedfordshire is a smaller regional charity but has a wide range of services to fund. In a normal year without exceptional legacy income, around 53% of total funding comes from the public sector. 38% of funding is obtained from grant giving bodies, the largest of which is awarded by Bedfordshire Luton Community Foundation’s from the Luton Rising – Community Investment Fund.

Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Trustees’ report For the year ended 30 September 2022

Risk management

The principal area for attention is a risk management strategy which comprises:

The process extends to all areas of services and involves staff and volunteers. The risk register incorporates all forms of risk in relation to the charity and its operations, including contracts, finance, information technology, staff, volunteer and service user recruitment and activities, health and safety and reputation.

Trustees have recognised as a prime risk, the long-term financial sustainability of services provided to visually impaired people for Local Authorities. In addition to developing and delivering new and existing services for Local Authorities in a sustainable way, we are implementing a fundraising strategy created with the help of the Cranfield Trust. As a result, we have increased our focus on applying for Grants and Trusts and promoting end of life giving.

Fundraising activities

The charity does not currently carry out formal fundraising activities. The amounts allocated for raising funds represent staff time spent on promotion and publicity in general, in order to raising the profile of the charity and raise general awareness of the charity for donors and funding organisations. Sight Concern has used a professional fundraiser to write a grant application and to help us create a case for support. The charity does not use professional fundraisers to target donations from individuals.

Structure, governance, and management

The company was incorporated on 13 October 2006 as a company limited by guarantee not having share capital and being a registered charity in England and Wales. The governing document of the charity is its Memorandum and Articles of Association. The trustees set the classes and conditions of membership and approve all new members. The current membership requirements being a Trustee of the charity, each member undertakes to contribute no more than £10 to the Charity’s assets in the event of the charity being wound up.

The charity seeks to have on its board members with the appropriate skillset to enable it to be managed in an effective manner. Any new appointment is made at a properly convened trustees’ meeting. New trustees receive an induction which includes trustee responsibilities, meeting staff, senior management and existing trustees, a review of the charity’s literature including recent accounts and minutes of trustee meetings.

Pay policy for senior staff

The board of trustees and the senior management team comprise the key management personnel of the charity, in charge of directing and controlling, running and operating the charity on a day-to-day basis. All trustees give of their time freely and no trustee received remuneration in the year. Details of trustees’ expenses and related party transaction are disclosed in note 23 to the accounts.

The key management remuneration policy is set by the Trustees and is reviewed on an annual basis as part of the budget setting process.

Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Trustees’ report For the year ended 30 September 2022

Trustees

The following were Trustees as well as directors of the charitable company throughout the year. Joanna Jameson

David Mitchell Adrian Spurrell Diana Gibson-Birch (stepped down 9[th] December 2021) Calli O’Brien Julie Born (appointed June 2022)

1 of the 6 Trustees who served during the year are registered blind or partially sighted.

Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Trustees’ report For the year ended 30 September 2022

Statement of Trustees’ responsibilities

The trustees (who are also directors of Sight Concern Bedfordshire for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (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 charitable company and of the 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:

The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that 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 charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

As far as the trustees are aware:

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.

This report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

By order of the board of trustees

Adrian Spurrell Chair

Date: 22 June 2023

Independent auditors’ report to the Trustees of Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of Sight Concern Bedfordshire (the charitable company) for the year ended 30 September 2022 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet, the Statement of Cash Flows 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:

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 UK, 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 charitable company'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.

Other information

The other information comprises the information included in the Trustees’ Report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the Trustees’ 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.

Independent auditors’ report to the Trustees of Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 require us to report to you if, in our opinion:

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities set out on page 10, the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the 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 charitable company’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 charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

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 specific procedures for this engagement and the extent to which these are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud, is detailed below:

Independent auditors’ report to the Trustees of Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements (continued)

In addition to the risk of management override of controls, we have identified revenue recognition as the area where the financial statements are most susceptible to material misstatement due to fraud. Audit procedures performed included a review of income against expected values, sample testing of income transactions and a review of journals.

Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk is also greater regarding irregularities occurring due to fraud rather than error, as fraud involves intentional concealment, forgery, collusion, omission or misrepresentation.

As part of an audit in accordance with ISAs (UK), we exercise professional judgment and maintain professional scepticism throughout the audit. We also:

We communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit.

Independent auditors’ report to the Trustees of Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the charitable company’s trustees, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s members 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 charitable company and the charitable company’s trustees as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Alberto Di Lorenzo FCA Senior Statutory Auditor

HW East Midlands Audit LLP, Chartered Accountants and Statutory Auditor First Floor Woburn Court 2 Railton Court Kempston MK42 7PN

Date: 22 June 2023

HW East Midlands Audit LLP is eligible to act as an auditor in terms of section 1212 of the Companies Act 2006.

Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Statement of financial activities (incorporating the Income and Expenditure account) For the year ended 30 September 2022

----- Start of picture text -----
||||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---| |2022|2022|2022|2021| |Unrestricted Restricted|Total|Total| |Funds|Funds|Funds|Funds| |Notes|£|£|£|£| |Income from:| |Donations and legacies|4|69,195|-|69,195|15,928| |Charitable activities|5|7,110|279,529|286,639|288,742| |Other trading activities|6|-|-|-|1,025| |Investments|7|4,414|-|4,414|4,906| |─────|─────|─────|─────| |Total income|80,719|279,529|360,248|310,601| |─────|─────|─────|─────| |Expenditure on:| |Raising funds|8|540|-|540|190| |Charitable activities|8|31,297|276,150|307,447|282,001| |─────|─────|─────|─────| |Total expenditure|31,837|276,150|307,987|282,191| |─────|─────|─────|─────| |(Loss)/gain on|15|(17,017)|-|(17,017)|13,291| |revaluation of investment assets| |─────|─────|─────|─────| |Net income/(expenditure)|31,865|3,379|35,244|41,701| |─────|─────|─────|─────| |Net movement in funds|31,865|3,379|35,244|41,701| |Reconciliation of funds:| |Total funds brought forward|529,648|60,981|590,629|548,928| |─────|─────|─────|─────| |Total funds carried forward|18,19|561,513|64,360|625,873|590,629| |═════|═════|═════|═════|

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

The notes on pages 18 to 29 form part of these financial statements.

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses in the year.

All income and expenditure derives from continuing activities.

Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Balance sheet (Company number 05966120) As at 30 September 2022

Notes 2022 2021
£ £ £ £
Fixed assets
Tangible Assets 14 4,029 3,543
Investments 15
 86,993 104,010
───── ─────
Total fixed assets 91,022 107,553
Current assets
Stocks 7,260 8,548
Debtors 16 59,682 24,761
Bank and cash balances 519,353 492,943
───── ─────
Total current assets 586,295 526,252
Liabilities:
Creditors: amounts falling due 17 (51,444) (43,176)
within one year ───── ─────
Net current assets 534,851 483,076
───── ─────
Total assets less current liabilities 625,873 590,629
───── ─────
Net assets 625,873 590,629
═════ ═════
The funds of the charity:
Unrestricted income funds 18 561,513 529,648
Restricted income funds 19 64,360 60,981
───── ─────
Total charity funds 625,873 590,629
═════ ═════

The notes on pages 18 to 29 form part of these financial statements.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

The financial statements were approved by the board of trustees on 22 June 2023 and signed on their behalf by

Adrian Spurrell Chair

Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Statement of cash flows For the year ended 30 September 2022

Note 2022 2021
£ £
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash used in operating activities 25 23,825 41,372
Cash flows from investing activities:
Interest, dividend and rental income 4,414 4,906
Payments to acquire tangible fixed assets (1,829) -
Payments to acquire fixed asset investments - (47)
_ __
Net cash used in investing activities 2,585 4,859
_ __
Change in cash and cash equivalents in the year 26,410 46,231
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year 492,943 446,712
_ __
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year 519,353 492,943
═════ ═════

Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 30 September 2022

1 Accounting policies

1.1 Basis of preparation and assessment of going concern

Sight Concern Bedfordshire is a private charitable company, limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales and was incorporated on 13 October 2006. The charitable company's registered number and registered office address can be found on page 1. The presentation currency of the financial statements is the Pound Sterling (£). The company has no share capital and in the event of the charity being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to no more than £10 per member of the charity.

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant note to these accounts. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the 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)) (issued in October 2019) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.

Sight Concern Bedfordshire constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102.

The Trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about Sight Concern Bedfordshire’s ability to continue as a going concern due to the level of reserves held compared with usual annual expenditure. The most significant area of uncertainty is the level of investment return and the performance of investment markets (see the investment policy in the trustees’ report for more information).

1.2 Incoming resources

The charity derives its income from donations, legacies and other voluntary income and grants that provide core funding.

Items of income are recognised and included in the accounts when all of the following criteria are met:

Donation income is included within the Statements of Financial Activities as it is received. Legacies are recognised when the above criteria are met. Grants are recognised in the period to which they relate.

Income is accrued when it is due for the reporting period but has not yet been received. Income is deferred when it is received in advance but relates to a future reporting period.

1.3 Operating leases

Rent payable on operating leases is accounted for in the year to which it relates.

1.4 Governance costs

Governance costs are those costs associated with maintaining the governance of the charity as opposed to the management of the charity’s activities.

Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 30 September 2022

1.5 Resources expended

Expenditure is recognised in the period to which it relates and liabilities are recognised in the period in which they arise. Other expenditure is allocated between support costs for assessing grants, fundraising and management and administration of the charity. Where it relates to more than one category, it is apportioned over relevant headings. The basis of apportionment reflects time and resources expended directly on various activities or in support of these activities.

Allocation of costs: Services 80% Management and administration 20%

1.6 Tangible fixed assets and depreciation

Other tangible fixed assets are stated at cost less depreciation. Depreciation is calculated to write off the cost less estimated residual value of fixed assets over their estimated useful lives. The depreciation rates used are as follows:

Computers and peripherals 25% reducing balance method Equipment and furniture 25% reducing balance method

1.7 Fixed asset investments

Investments are stated at market value at the balance sheet date. All gain and losses (realised and unrealised) are recognised in the SOFA in the period to which they relate.

1.8 Stock

Stocks are recognised at the lower of cost or estimated selling price less costs to sell. Provision is made for slow-moving or obsolete stock.

1.9 Short term employee benefits

When employees have rendered service to the charity, short-term employee benefits to which the employees are entitled are recognised at the undiscounted amount expected to be paid in exchange for that service. The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme. Contributions payable to the charity's pension scheme are charged to the statement of financial activities in the period to which they relate. Redundancy and other termination payments are accounted for when the employment contract is terminated.

1.10 Voluntary assistance

The charity receives help and support in the form of voluntary assistance. This is not included in the accounts in accordance with the SORP.

1.11 Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds are those funds available for the general running of the charity and the use of those funds is limited only by the objects of the charity. Designated funds are also unrestricted in as much as they are established by the trustees for a specific purpose and the trustees may, at their discretion, transfer funds out of a designated fund in the future. Restricted funds are those funds that have been donated for a purpose specified by the donor. The use of restricted funds is not at the discretion of the trustees. Permanent endowments are funds that have been set up for the long term use of the charity and the assets of these funds cannot be expended.

Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 30 September 2022

1.12 Financial instruments

Debtors and creditors with no stated interest rate and receivable or payable within one year are recorded at transaction price. Any losses arising from impairment are recognised in the statement of financial activities in support costs.

2 Key areas of judgement and estimate

In applying the accounting policies, the Trustees have made critical accounting judgments, estimates and assumptions. These estimates and assumptions are based on historical experience and are reviewed on a continual basis.

The critical accounting judgments, estimates and assumptions that have a material effect on the amounts recognised in the financial statements for both the current and next financial years are discussed below.

Costs are apportioned between direct charitable expenditure, management and administration, and each restricted fund according to certain relevant criteria. The charity uses staff hours to determine the apportionments each month and these percentages are applied to the relevant cost areas.

3 Comparative Statement of Financial Activities

The Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 30 September 2021 is presented for illustrative purposes.

purposes.
Unrestricted Restricted Total
Funds Funds Funds
2021 2021 2021
£ £ £
Income:
Donations and legacies 15,928 - 15,928
Charitable activities 20,378 268,364 288,742
Other trading activities 1,025
-		 1,025
Investments 4,906 - 4,906
───── ───── ─────
Total income 42,237 268,364 310,601
───── ───── ─────
Expenditure:
Raising Funds 190 - 190
Charitable Activities 43,763 238,238 282,001
───── ───── ─────
Total expenditure 43,953 238,238 282,191
───── ───── ─────
(Loss)/gain on revaluation of investment assets 13,291 - 13,291
───── ───── ─────
Net income/(expenditure) 11,575 30,126 41,701
Reconciliation of funds:
Total Funds brought forward 518,073 30,855 548,928
───── ───── ─────
Total Funds carried forward
 529,648 60,981 590,629
══════════ ═════

Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 30 September 2022

4 Income from donations

Income from donations
Unrestricted Restricted Total Total
2022 2022 2022 2021
£ £ £ £
Donations 8,372
-		 8,372 9,702
Legacies 58,371
-		 58,371 5,500
Group income 725 - 725 140
Memory Giving 1,604
-		 1,604 380
Gift Aid 12 - 12 83
Collecting boxes 111 - 111 123
───── ───── ───── ─────
69,195 - 69,195 15,928
═════ ═════ ═════ ═════

All of the £15,928 received in 2021 was unrestricted.

The charity benefits greatly from the involvement and enthusiastic support of its many volunteers, details of which are given in our annual report. In accordance with accounting standards, the economic contribution of general volunteers is not measured in the accounts.

5 Income from charitable activities

The incoming resources classified under charitable activities are outlined in more detail below. This income is classified as such as it relates to specific projects and outcomes.

Unrestricted Restricted Total Total
2022
2022		 2022 2021
£
£		 £ £
Grants:
Access to Work Support -
8,091		 8,091 8,255
George W Dickens Charity 1,000
-		 1,000 1,000
Central Beds Council -
12,352		 12,352 24,704
Independent Evaluation -
3,960		 3,960 -
Luton Airport grant -
110,059		 110,059 116,163
Luton Borough Council -
16,000		 16,000 5,867
Service Level Agreements:
Other Services -
-		 - -
Central Beds Sensory Impairment -
59,232		 59,232 57,368
Bedford Low Vision Clinic -
31,161		 31,161 30,535
Luton Low Vision Clinic -
38,674		 38,674 38,674
───── ───── ───── ─────
Sub total carried forward 1,000
279,529		 280,529 282,566

Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 30 September 2022

5 Income from charitable activities (continued)

----- Start of picture text -----
|||||| |---|---|---|---|---| |Unrestricted Restricted|Total|Total| |2022|2022|2022|2021| |£|£|£|£| |Sub total brought forward|1,000|279,529|280,529|282,566| |Other services:| |Resource centre sales|-|-|-|107| |Low vision clinic sales and service income|5,937|-|5,937|6,069| |Events for Service Users|173|-|173|-| |─────|─────|─────|─────| |7,110|279,529|286,639|288,742| |═════|═════|═════|═════|

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

In 2021, £268,364 restricted funding was received, being £116,163 grant from Luton Airport Funding; £8,255 from Access to Work Support; £12,352 Central Beds Council, £5,017 Luton Borough Council, £57,368 Central Beds Sensory Impairment SLA, £30,535 Bedford Low Vision Clinic & £38,674 Luton Low Vision Clinic.

6 Other trading activities

----- Start of picture text -----
|||||| |---|---|---|---|---| |Unrestricted Restricted|Total|Total| |2022|2022|2022|2021| |£|£|£|£| |Advertising income|-|-|-|900| |RNIB Goodwill trade credit|-|-|-|125| |─────|─────|─────|─────| |-|-|-|1,025| |═════|═════|═════|═════|

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

7 Investment income

----- Start of picture text -----
|||||| |---|---|---|---|---| |Unrestricted Restricted|Total|Total| |2022|2022|2022|2021| |£|£|£|£| |Interest on bank accounts|1,156|-|1,156|1,400| |Share Dividends|3,258|-|3,258|3,506| |─────|─────|─────|─────| |4,414|-|4,414|4,906| |═════|═════|═════|═════|

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

All income in 2021 was unrestricted.

Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 30 September 2022

8 Expenditure
Staff Other
Depreciat-		 Support 2022
2022 costs costs ion/(loss) on costs Total
disposal
£ £
£		 £ £
Charitable Activities
Direct services 128,353 44,213
941		 38,455 211,962
Management and Admin. 21,963 25,402
402		 30,958 78,725
Governance (Note 10) 13,100 -
-		 3,660 16,760
───── ───── ───── ───── ─────
Total for charitable activities 163,416 69,615
1,343		 73,073 307,447
Fundraising - 540
-		 - 540
───── ───── ───── ───── ─────
163,416 70,155
1,343		 73,073 307,987
═════ ═════ ═════ ═════ ═════
Staff Other
Depreciat-		 Support 2021
2021 costs costs
ion/loss on		 costs Total
disposal
£ £
£		 £ £
Charitable Activities
Direct services 80,907 46,131
905		 43,255 171,198
Management and Admin. 32,817 16,254
698		 43,194 92,963
Governance (Note 10) 13,100 -
-		 4,740 17,840
───── ───── ───── ───── ─────
Total for charitable activities 126,824 62,385
1,603		 91,189 282,001
Fundraising - 190
-		 - 190
───── ───── ───── ───── ─────
126,824 62,575
1,603		 91,189 282,191
═════ ═════ ═════ ═════ ═════

Other expenditure is allocated between support costs for assessing grants, fundraising and management and administration of the charity. Where it relates to more than one category, it is apportioned over relevant headings. The basis of apportionment reflects time and resources expended directly on various activities or in support of these activities. Allocation of support costs: Services 80% Management and administration 20%

Support costs is analysed as follows:

Support costs is analysed as follows:
2022 2021 Basis of apportionment
£ £
Rent, insurance and service charges 26,319 31,229 Invoiced costs
Computer costs 4,436 310 Invoiced costs
Telephone 4,938 4,943 Invoiced costs
Printing, postage and stationery 1,651 2,079 Invoiced costs
Repairs and renewals 5,718 17,447 Invoiced costs
Other costs 1,120 2,284 Invoiced costs
Other staff costs 8,641 5,077 Invoiced costs
Legal and professional fees 3,660 4,740 Invoiced costs
Consultancy costs 16,590 23,080 Invoiced costs
───── ─────
73,073 91,189
═════ ════

There were no grants to institutions.

Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 30 September 2022

9 Governance costs

----- Start of picture text -----
||||| |---|---|---|---| |2022|2021| |£|£| |Trustee costs|-|-| |External advisors|3,660|4,740| |Staff costs|13,100|13,100| |──────|──────| |16,760|17,840| |══════|══════| |10|Staff costs| |2022|2021| |£|£| |Salaries|155,204|118,944| |Social Security costs|1,809|2,542| |Pension Costs 6,403|5,338| |─────|─────| |163,416|126,824| |═════|═════| |No employee earned more than £60,000 (2021: none).| |The average number of employees during the year was as follows:| |2022|2021| |Chief Executive Officer|1|1| |Resource Centre staff|Full time|-|-| |Part time|12|9| |──────|──────| |13|10| |══════|══════|

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

The charity operates a Stakeholder Pension Scheme for its employees and contributes at a rate of 6%, this scheme has been amended to meet auto-enrolment requirements. There are 8 current members of the scheme (2021: 6).

There were no termination payments made in the year (2021: £nil).

11 Key Management Personnel

Key Management Personnel during the year were trustees of the organisation who are not paid and staff member Carol O'Brien as CEO. Total gross salaries and employer pensions contributions amounted to £33,346 (2021: £33,015).

12

Taxation

As Sight Concern Bedfordshire is a registered charity, the charitable company is not liable to corporation tax.

Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 30 September 2022

13 Statement of Financial Activities

The net movement in funds is stated after charging:

----- Start of picture text -----
|||| |---|---|---| |2022|2021| |£|£| |Independent Examiner’s fees|-|1,800| |Auditor’s fees|3,660|2,940| |Loss on disposal|-|1,264| |Depreciation|1,143|1,603| |Rent on licence|19,301|23,801| |══════|══════|

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

14 Fixed assets

----- Start of picture text -----
||||| |---|---|---|---| |Restricted| |Computer|fund| |Equipment|equipment|Total| |£|£|£| |Cost| |At 1 October 2021|6,608|13,000|19,608| |Additions|1,829|-|1,829| |─────|─────|─────| |At 30 September 2022|8,437|13,000|21,437| |─────|─────|─────| |Depreciation| |At 1 October 2021|5,667|10,398|16,065| |Charge for the year|692|651|1,343| |─────|─────|─────| |At 30 September 2022|6,359|11,049|17,408| |─────|─────|─────| |Net book values| |30 September 2022|2,078|1,951|4,029| |═════|═════|═════| |30 September 2021|941|2,602|3,543| |═════|═════|═════|

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

All assets are held for direct charitable purposes.

15 Fixed asset investments

----- Start of picture text -----
|||||| |---|---|---|---|---| |Unrealised| |1 Oct 2021|Additions|gain/(loss) 30 Sep 2022| |£|£|£|£| |United Utilities Group Plc (772)|7,476|-|(614)|6,862| |Santander (UK) Plc (507)|1,434|-|(329)|1,105| |Sarasin GlobalStar – Cautious Fd (2,500)|29,250|-|(5,463)|23,787| |Murray Income Trust (7,500)|65,850|-|(10,611)|55,239| |─────|─────|─────|─────| |104,010|-|(17,017)|86,993| |═════|═════|═════|═════| |All investments are listed investments.| |The historical cost of the investments is £70,601.|

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

Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 30 September 2022

16 Debtors
2022 2021
£ £
Trade debtors 6,390 13,531
Prepayments 7,063 9,863
Accrued income 46,229 1,367
───── ─────
59,682 24,761
═════ ═════
17 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
2022 2021
£ £
Trade creditors 8,959 3,378
Taxation and social security 1,076 925
Other creditors 1,405 996
Accruals and deferred income 40,004 37,877
───── ─────
51,444 43,176
═════ ═════

Included in other creditors is an amount in respect of pension contributions of £1,405 (2021: £996) outstanding at the year end.

Deferred income

Deferred income
2022 2021
£ £
At 1 October 2021 30,121 37,854
Received during the year 192,173 202,083
Released to incoming resources (185,996) (209,816)
───── ─────
At 30 September 2022 36,298 30,121
═════ ═════
Income is deferred where is relates to the following financial year.

18 Unrestricted funds

Movement in year Movement in year
Balance at Incoming Resources Transfers Balance at
1 Oct 2021 resources expended 30 Sept 2022
£ £ £ £ £
General fund 403,812 80,719 - 25,161 509,692
Designated fund 125,836 - (48,854) (25,161) 51,821
_ _ _ _ _
529,648 80,719 (48,854) - 561,513
═════ ═════ ═════ ═════ ═════

Details of designated funds are listed on page 7 in the Trustees Report.

Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 30 September 2022

19 Restricted funds

Restricted funds
Movement in year
Balance at Incoming Resources Balance at
1 Oct 2021 resources expended 30 Sept 2022
£ £ £ £
Luton BC Airport fund 8,576 110,059 (115,204) 3,431
Central Beds Sensory
Impairment 17,480 59,232 (55,351) 21,361
Beds PCT Low Vision
Clinic 3,773 31,161 (33,686) 1,248
Luton low vision clinic 27,520 38,674 (33,093) 33,101
Grants:
The Will Trust 483 - (9) 474
Wixamtree IT Grant 907 - (227) 680
Luton IT donation 343 - - 343
Access to Work Support 348 8,091 (8,090) 349
CBC – Infection Control - 12,352 (12,352) -
Beds. & Luton Comm Fd.
1,551		 - (388) 1,163
LBC – Infection Contol - 16,000 (16,000) -
Independent Evaluation - 3,960 (1,750) 2,210
_ _ _ _
60,981 279,529 (276,150) 64,360
═════ ═════ ═════ ═════

A brief description of each restricted fund is outlined below:

Luton BC airport fund – funding for support and advice to service users in the Luton area Central Beds Sensory Impairment – support to sensory impaired service users in the Central Beds area Bedford Low Vision clinic – funding for running a clinic in Bedford for service users to attend Luton Low Vision clinic – funding for running a clinic in Luton for service users to attend The Will trust – funding for the provision of equipment, including mini bus services for service users Wixamtree IT Grant – funding to replace server and update IT services

Luton IT donation – donation in memory of Peter Miles to be used for IT at Luton Access to Work grant – provide equipment to help support one employees to work independently CBC – Infection Control Grant to support the implementation of COVID-19 infection control measures Bedfordshire & Luton Community Foundation – Bedfordshire Coronavirus Emergency Fund provided in 2019/20 to support the charity to work remotely during Covid-19.

LBC – Infection Control Grant to support the implementation of COVID-19 infection control measures Independent Evaluation, funded by Wixamtree, Harpur Trust and Sight Concern

Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 30 September 2022

20 Net assets held by funds

Cash
Fixed at bank & Other
2022 Assets Investments Assets Creditors Total
£ £ £ £ £
General fund 2,078 543,937 66,942 (51,444) 561,513
Restricted funds 1,951 62,409 - - 64,360
───── ───── ───── ───── ─────
4,029 606,346 66,942 (51,444) 625,873
═════ ═════ ═════ ═════ ═════
Cash
Fixed at bank & Other
2021 Assets Investments Assets Creditors Total
£ £ £ £ £
General fund 941 538,574 33,309 (43,176) 529,648
Restricted funds 2,602 58,379 - - 60,981
───── ───── ───── ───── ─────
3,543 596,953 33,309 (43,176) 590,629
═════ ═════ ═════ ═════ ═════

21 Share capital

The company is limited by guarantee and has no issued share capital. The liability of members is limited to no more than £10.

22 Trustees’ remuneration

No trustee received any remuneration for their services (2021: none). During the year there were no expenses incurred in relation to the trustees (2021: £nil).

23 Related party transactions

Donations from trustees during the year amounted to £nil (2021: £nil).

There were no other related party transactions during the year.

Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 30 September 2022

24 Financial commitments

At 30 September 2022 the charitable company had no annual commitments under non-cancellable operating leases (2021: £nil)

There are no capital commitments (2021: £nil).

25 Reconciliation of net income/(expenditure) to net cash flow from operating activities

2022 2021
£ £
Net (expenditure) for the year 35,244 41,701
Depreciation charges 1,343 1,603
Loss/(gains) on disposal - 1,264
Losses/(gains) on investments 17,017 (13,291)
Dividends, interest and rents from investments (4,414) (4,906)
Decrease/(increase) in stocks 1,288 (2,324)
Decrease/(increase) in debtors (34,921) 29,888
Increase/(decrease in creditors 8,268 (12,563)
───── ─────
Net cash provided by operating activities 23,825 41,372
═════ ═════