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← Sight Concern Bedfordshire

2024-09-30-accounts

Charity Registration No 1117209 Company Registration No 05966120

Contents

Reference and administrative details Reference and administrative details 1
Trustees’ report 2 - 10
Independent Examiner’s report 11
Statement of financial activities 12
Balance sheet 13
Statement of cash flows 14

Unaudited financial statements for the year ended 30 September 2024 Sight Concern Bedfordshire

A company limited by guarantee and not having a share capital

Notes to the financial statements 15 - 26

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
Calli O’Brien
Jamile Little
Julie Born (resigned March 2024)
Hubert Pawelkiewicz (appointed 22ndApril 2024)
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
Independent Examiner Louise Tunley FCA CTA DChA
19 Goldington Road
Bedford
MK40 3JY

Bankers		 CAF Bank Limited
25 Kings Hill Avenue
West Malling
Kent
ME19 4JQ
Scottish Widows Bank Plc
67 Morrison Street
Edinburgh
EH3 8YJ
Flagstone Group Ltd
1stFloor, Clareville House
26-27 Oxendon Street
London
SW1Y 4EL
Solicitors HCB Solicitors
Graylaw House
21 Goldington Road
Bedford
MK40 3JY

Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Trustees’ report For the year ended 30 September 2024

The trustees are pleased to present their annual trustees’ report for the year ending 30 September 2024 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

During the year Sight Concern continued to grow, we contacted 2744 visually impaired people and 887 service users received direct specialist service from us. The charity worked on 1997 referrals, each referral is a record of direct support ranging from telephone advice to intensive help from a specialist visual impairment advisor, or a low vision appointment.

Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Trustees’ report For the year ended 30 September 2024

____________

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 80% face to face clinics and 20% remote clinics. The outreach team work to ensure that statutory services including Moorfields and Community Optometrists are aware and referring to the service, and that we engage with beneficiaries early in the eye care pathway. The Low Vision referrals received were 618, Sight Concerns carries out work throughout the year to support the pathway between NHS and voluntary and community sector support, but this is an ongoing issue and area of work.

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. We are delighted that following grants from Harpur Trust, Panacea, Bedfordshire Charitable Trust and Connolly Foundation this service has been introduced to Bedford Borough and is now provided across Bedfordshire. The VIAs and SIA 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; demonstrating low vision aids; 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 £355, 049 during the year for 53 clients. The advisors also obtained 64 concessions including blue badges, bus passes, TV licence discounts and rail cards. 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 2548 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 985, and Instagram 202 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 a Festivals for Older People and aging well, regular social prescribing events, sight loss resources and technology sessions and a new monthly technology clinic. 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, NESS North East Sensory Services and WILL use a shared Charitylog instance for over 28,000 individual people.

Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Trustees’ report For the year ended 30 September 2024

____________

Sight Concern Bedfordshire Services (continued)

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

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 Hing and Central Bedfordshire LA have has worked closely with Sight Concern, as we work together to improve referrals to Sight Concern.

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 outcome survey this year had average scores of over 4 out of 5 for all 10 workforce outcomes. This means the different aspects of people management are rated as working quite well or excellent. For the second year we included equity diversity and inclusion monitoring.

Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Trustees’ report For the year ended 30 September 2024

____________

Key developments during the October 2023 to September 24 year

SCB worked to achieve our business plan for new work in 2024 meeting the three strategic objectives; sustainability through the fundraising strategy, profile through the marketing plan and partnerships, and the provision of Quality Services.

Quality - SCB implemented the advice following the external charity evaluation, creating a project “standard Approach” and recruiting to and launching a new role – Access and Triage

Profile – we built on our success for national eye health week marketing, social media and outreach. We have a high number of new beneficiaries each year.

Sustainability – We increased our grants and trusts income.

BLCF as part of Luton Rising - Community Investment Fund , awarded a three year Community Infrastructure grant focused on Luton work. The role of Luton and Dunstable Foundation Trust Eye Clinic Liaison Officer (ECLO) was funded by Sight Concern and Royal National institute for the Blind (RNIB), moved to during from RNIB and the Hospital Trust. continued to play a vital role in the eye care pathway. In the period in 2023/24 (April - March) the ECLO reached 1600 people affected by sight loss and a significant proportion of new people that were referred to Sight Concern came from the ECLO service.

Sight Concern worked closely with local VCSE organisations continued, including Sight Concern setting up a new partnership between Herts Vision Loss, Women’s Aid Luton and Sight Concern Bedfordshire to ensure that domestic abuse services are accessible to visually impaired people.

Volunteers

Volunteers are a key part of Sight Concern Bedfordshire’s overall strategy. Sight Concern Bedfordshire can call upon more than 100 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 and online meetings for Youth Forum during school holidays. 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 referrals and deliveries.

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 complete training before beginning their role which is delivered both face to face and online to be as inclusive as possible. Further support is offered throughout the year, this included IT training and Peer support Training. We recruited 7 new volunteers in 23/24, 3 of whom have lived experience of sight loss. The volunteers have been placed into various roles, including IT support, Telephone Befriending and Social club support. We also support existing volunteers to try different roles and share ideas for services. Youth Forum and Peer Support calls were both projects coproduced with existing visually impaired volunteers.

Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Trustees’ report For the year ended 30 September 2024

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 & Luton Community Foundation and the Luton Rising- Community Investment Fund programme

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

The Harpur Trust, The Panacea Charitable Trust, The Connolly Foundation, Bedfordshire Charitable Trust East Beds Charity Cricket Shield, Clapham Methodist Church and Sharnbrook Learning for Pleasure

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 2024

Financial review

During the year Sight Concern Bedfordshire made a surplus of £9,012 (2023: loss of £9,262). During the accounting period incoming resources amounted to £361,196 (2023: £312,627). Total resources expended were £357,958 (2023: £329,182). At the year end, total funds carried forward were £625,623 (2023: £616,611), of which £559,833 (2023: £555,996) 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 matchfunding certain projects where third parties are also committed. As at 30 September 2024, an amount of £106,052 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 46% of total funding comes from the public sector. 34% 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 2024

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 grant applications and to help 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 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 22 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 2024

Trustees

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

David Mitchell Adrian Spurrell Calli O’Brien Jamile Little Julie Born (resigned March 2024) Hubert Pawelkiewicz (appointed 22[nd] April 2024)

3 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 2024

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: 5 June 2025

Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Sight Concern Bedfordshire For the year ended 30 September 2024

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the company for the year ended 30 September 2024 which are set out on pages 12 to 26.

Responsibilities and basis of report

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

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

Independent examiner's statement

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

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

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

  2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

  3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view’ which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or

  4. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).

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

Louise Tunley FCA CTA DChA 19 Goldington Road Bedford MK40 3JY

Date: 5 June 2025

Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Statement of financial activities (incorporating the Income and Expenditure account) For the year ended 30 September 2024

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||||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---| |2024|2024|2024|2023| |Unrestricted Restricted|Total|Total| |Funds|Funds|Funds|Funds| |Notes|£|£|£|£| |Income from:| |Donations and legacies|4|35,811|-|35,811|29,983| |Charitable activities|5|8,731|293,989|302,720|274,096| |Investments|6|22,501|-|22,501|8,548| |Other|7|164|-|164|-| |─────|─────|─────|─────| |Total income|67,207|293,989|361,196|312,627| |─────|─────|─────|─────| |Expenditure on:| |Raising funds|8|10,897|-|10,897|11,111| |Charitable activities|8|58,247|288,814|347,061|318,071| |─────|─────|─────|─────| |Total expenditure|69,144|288,814|357,958|329,182| |─────|─────|─────|─────| |Gain/(Loss) on|15|5,774|-|5,774|7,293| |revaluation of investment assets| |─────|─────|─────|─────| |Net income/(expenditure)|3,837|5,175|9,012|(9,262)| |Transfers between funds|-|-|-|-| |─────|─────|─────|─────| |Net movement in funds|3,837|5,175|9,012|(9,262)| |Reconciliation of funds:| |Total funds brought forward|555,996|60,615|616,611|625,873| |─────|─────|─────|─────| |Total funds carried forward|18,19|559,833|65,790|625,623|616,611| |═════|═════|═════|═════|

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The notes on pages 15 to 26 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 2024

Notes 2024 2023
£ £ £ £
Fixed assets
Tangible Assets 14 4,634 4,454
Investments 15
100,060		 100,060 94,286 94,286
───── ─────
Total fixed assets 104,694 98,740
Current assets
Stocks 3,772 7,924
Debtors 16 66,856 69,505
Bank and cash balances 558,180 505,373
───── ─────
Total current assets 628,808 582,802
Liabilities:
Creditors: amounts falling due 17 (107,879) (64,931)
within one year ───── ─────
Net current assets 520,929 517,871
───── ─────
Total assets less current liabilities 625,623 616,611
───── ─────
Net assets 625,623 616,611
═════ ═════
The funds of the charity:
Unrestricted income funds 20 559,833 555,996
Restricted income funds 19 65,790 60,615
───── ─────
Total charity funds 625,623 616,611
═════ ═════

The notes on pages 15 to 26 form part of these financial statements.

For the year ended 30 September 2024 the company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

Directors’ (Trustees’) responsibilities:

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 5 June 2025 and signed on their behalf by

Adrian Spurrell Chair

Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Statement of cash flows For the year ended 30 September 2024

Note 2024 2023
£ £
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash used in operating activities 25 32,030 (20,618)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Interest, dividend and rental income 22,501 8,548
Payments to acquire tangible fixed assets (1,724) (1,910)
_ __
Net cash used in investing activities 20,777 6,638
_ __
Change in cash and cash equivalents in the year 52,807 (13,980)
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year 505,373 519,353
_ __
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year 558,180 505,373
═════ ═════

Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 30 September 2024

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.

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 2024

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 net realisable value less any provision 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 2024

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.

3 Comparative Statement of Financial Activities

The Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 30[th] September 2023 is presented for illustrative purposes.

The Statement of Financial Activities for the year
illustrative purposes.		 ended 30thSeptember 2023 is pres ented for
Unrestricted Restricted Total
Funds Funds Funds
2023 2023 2023
£ £ £
Income:
Donations and legacies 29,983 - 29,983
Charitable activities 6,210 267,886 274,096
Investments 8,548 - 8,548
───── ───── ─────
Total income 44,741 267,886 312,627
───── ───── ─────
Expenditure:
Raising Funds 11,111 - 11,111
Charitable Activities 46,467 271,604 318,071
───── ───── ─────
Total expenditure 57,578 271,604 329,182
───── ───── ─────
(Loss)/gain on revaluation of investment assets 7,293 - 7,293
───── ───── ─────
Net income/(expenditure) (5,544) (3,718) (9,262)
Transfers between fund 27 (27) -
───── ───── ─────
Net movement in funds (5,517) (3,745) (9,262)
───── ───── ─────
Reconciliation of funds:
Total Funds brought forward 561,513 64,360 625,873
───── ───── ─────
Total Funds carried forward
 555,996 60,615 616,611
══════════ ═════

Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 30 September 2024

4 Income from donations

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|||||| |---|---|---|---|---| |Unrestricted Restricted|Total|Total| |2024 2024|2024|2023| |£ £|£| |Donations|8,233|-|8,233|10,132| |Legacies|25,000|-|25,000|16,250| |Group income|1,260|-|1,260|979| |Memory Giving|257|-|257|725| |Gift Aid|143|-|143|316| |Collecting boxes|918|-|918|1,581| |─────|─────|─────|─────| |35,811|-|35,811|29,983| |═════|═════|═════|═════|

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All of the £29,983 received in 2023 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.

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|||||| |---|---|---|---|---| |Unrestricted Restricted|Total|Total| |2024|2024|2024|2023| |£|£|£|£| |Grants:| |Access to Work Support|-|12,380|12,380|8,254| |George W Dickens Charity|1,000|-|1,000 1,000| |Panacea Trust (Bedford Project)|-|-|-|10,000| |Bedford Charitable Trust (Bedford Project)|-|5,000|5,000|-| |Connelly Foundation (Bedford Project)|-|5,000|5,000 -| |Independent Evaluation|-|-|-|3,960| |Luton Airport grant|-|107,567|107,567|104,233| |Harpur Trust|-|15,000|15,000|-| |Community Central Award|-|3,000|3,000|-| |Service Level Agreements:| |Other Services|1,735|-|1,735|690| |Central Beds Sensory Impairment|-|65,245|65,245|63,171| |Bedford Low Vision Clinic|-|32,455|32,455|39,072| |Luton Low Vision Clinic|-|48,342|48,342|33,446| |Other services:| |Resource centre sales|2,024|-|2,024|-| |Low vision clinic sales and service income|3,972|-|3,972|10,199| |Events for Service Users|-|-|-|71| |─────|─────|─────|─────| |8,731|293,989|302,720|274,096| |═════|═════|═════|═════|

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Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 30 September 2023

5 Income from charitable activities (continued)

In 2023, £267,886 restricted funding was received, being £104,233 grant from Luton Airport Funding; £8,254 from Access to Work Support; £10,000 Panacea Trust Beford Project Grant; £63,171 Central Beds Sensory Impairment SLA; £39,071 Bedford Low Vision Clinic; £33,446 Luton Low Vision Clinic £3,960 Harpur Trust Independent Evaluation Grant and £5,750 Luton Low Vision clinic equipment.

6 Investment income

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|||||| |---|---|---|---|---| |Unrestricted Restricted|Total|Total| |2024|2024|2024|2023| |£|£|£|£| |Interest on bank accounts|18,563|-|18,563|4,895| |Share Dividends|3,938|-|3,938|3,653| |─────|─────|─────|─────| |22,501|-|22,501|8,548| |═════|═════|═════|═════|

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All income in 2023 was unrestricted.

7 Other income

8

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||||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---| |Unrestricted Restricted|Total|Total| |2024|2024|2024|2023| |£|£|£|£| |Unity Monthly Lottery|164|-|164|-| |─────|─────|─────|─────| |164|-|164|-| |═════|═════|═════|═════| |Expenditure| |Staff|Other|Depreciat-|Support|2024| |2024|costs|costs|ion/loss on|costs|Total| |disposal| |£|£|£|£|£| |Charitable Activities| |Direct services|180,740|42,257|960|25,061|249,018| |Management and Admin.|26,089|24,281|584|30,391|81,345| |Governance (Note 9)|14,698|100|-|1,900|16,698| |─────|─────|─────|─────|─────| |Total for charitable activities|221,527|66,638|1,544|57,352|347,061| |Fundraising|-|10,897|-|-|10,897| |─────|─────|─────|─────|─────| |221,527|77,535|1,544|57,352|357,958| |═════|═════|═════|═════|═════|

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Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 30 September 2024

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||||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---| |8|Expenditure (continued)| |Staff|Other|Depreciat-|Support|2023| |2023|costs|costs|ion/loss on|costs|Total| |disposal| |£|£|£|£|£| |Charitable Activities| |Direct services|120,585|36,273|706|22,125|179,689| |Management and Admin.|65,007|26,370|779|29,916|122,072| |Governance (Note 10)|14,410|-|-|1,900|16,310| |─────|─────|─────|─────|─────| |Total for charitable activities|200,002|62,643|1,485|53,941|318,071| |Fundraising|-|11,111|-|-|11,111| |─────|─────|─────|─────|─────| |200,002|73,754|1,485|53,941|329,182| |═════|═════|═════|═════|═════|

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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:

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||||| |---|---|---|---| |2024|2023|Basis of apportionment| |£|£| |Rent, insurance and service charges|30,683|27,106|Invoiced costs| |Computer costs|934|439|Invoiced costs| |Telephone|4,733|5,591|Invoiced costs| |Printing, postage and stationery|1,304|766|Invoiced costs| |Repairs and renewals|7,638|5,785|Invoiced costs| |Other costs|878|808|Invoiced costs| |Other staff costs|9,282|6,596|Invoiced costs| |Legal and professional fees|1,900|1,900|Invoiced costs| |Consultancy costs|-|4,950|Invoiced costs| |─────|─────| |57,352|53,941| |═════|════|

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There were no grants to institutions.

9 Governance costs

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|||| |---|---|---| |2024|2023| |£|£| |Trustee costs|72|-| |Trustee Expenses|28|-| |External advisors|1,900|1,900| |Staff costs|14,698|14,410| |──────|──────| |16,698|16,310| |══════|══════|

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Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 30 September 2024

10 Staff costs

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||||| |---|---|---|---| |2024|2023| |£|£| |Salaries|202,853|184,807| |Social Security costs|8,643|6,210| |Pension Costs 10,031|8,985| |─────|─────| |221,527|200,002| |═════|═════| |No employee earned more than £60,000 (2023: none).| |The average number of employees during the year was as follows:| |2024|2023| |Chief Executive Officer|1|1| |Other staff|Full time|-|-| |Part time|11|11| |──────|──────| |12|12| |══════|══════|

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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 (2023: 8).

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 £39,315 (2023: £35,336).

12 Taxation

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

13 Statement of Financial Activities

The net movement in funds is stated after charging:

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|||| |---|---|---| |2024|2023| |£|£| |Independent Examiner’s fees|1,900|1,900| |Depreciation|1,544|1,485| |Rent on licence|20,094|19,895| |══════|══════|

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Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 30 September 2024

14 Fixed assets
Restricted
Computer fund
Equipment equipment Total
£ £ £
Cost
At 1 October 2023 10,347 13,000 23,347
Additions 375 1,349 1,724
───── ───── ─────
At 30 September 2024 10,722 14,349 25,071
───── ───── ─────
Depreciation
At 1 October 2023 7,356 11,537 18,893
Charge for the year 841 703 1,544
───── ───── ─────
At 30 September 2024 8,197 12,240 20,437
───── ───── ─────
Net book values
30 September 2024 2,525 2,109 4,634
═════ ═════ ═════
30 September 2023 2,991 1,463 4,454
═════ ═════ ═════

All assets are held for direct charitable purposes.

15 Fixed asset investments

Unrealised
1 Oct 2023 Additions gain/(loss) 30 Sep 2024
£ £ £ £
United Utilities Group Plc (772) 7,323 - 764 8,087
Santander (UK) Plc (507) 1,653 - 370 2,023
Sarasin GlobalStar – Cautious Fd (2,500)
22,835		 - 2,315 25,150
Murray Income Trust (7,500) 62,475 - 2,325 64,800
───── ───── ───── ─────
94,286 - 5,774 100,060
═════ ═════ ═════ ═════
All investments are listed investments.
The historical cost of the investments is £70,601.

16 Debtors

Debtors
2024 2023
£ £
Trade debtors 49,043 57,679
Prepayments 10,404 10,177
Accrued income 7,409 1,649
───── ─────
66,856 69,505
═════ ═════

Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 30 September 2024

17 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year

2024 2023
£ £
Trade creditors 12,250 7,776
Taxation and social security 2,940 2,211
Other creditors 1,744 1,499
Accruals and deferred income 90,945 53,445
───── ─────
107,879 64,931
═════ ═════

Included in other creditors is an amount in respect of pension contributions of £1,744 (2023: £1,499) outstanding at the year end.

Deferred income

Deferred income
2024 2023
£ £
At 1 October 2023 48,802 31,986
Received during the year 242,591 224,729
Released to incoming resources (208,323) (207,913)
───── ─────
At 30 September 2024 83,070 48,802
═════ ═════

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 2023 resources expended 30 Sept 2024
£ £ £ £ £
General fund 420,946 72,981 (20,180) (19,966) 453,781
Designated fund 135,050 - (48,964) 19,966 106,052
_ _ _ _ _
555,996 72,981 (69,144) - 559,833
═════ ═════ ═════ ═════ ═════

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 2024

19 Restricted funds

Restricted funds
Movement in year
Balance at Incoming Resources Balance at
1 Oct 2023 resources expended 30 Sept 2024
£ £ £ £
Luton BC Airport fund 2,914 107,567 (106,796) 3,685
Central Beds Sensory
Impairment 16,078 65,245 (67,807) 13,516
Beds PCT Low Vision
Clinic - 32,455 (29,751) 2,704
Luton low vision clinic 29,012 48,342 (47,067) 30,287
Grants:
The Will Trust 420 - (20) 400
Wixamtree IT Grant 510 - (127) 383
Luton IT donation 343 - - 343
Access to Work Support 466 12,380 (11,246) 1,600
Beds. & Luton Comm Fd. 872 - (218) 654
Community Central Award - 3,000 (3,000) -
Panacea Trust (Bedford P) 10,000 - (10,000) -
Bedford Charitable Tr (BP) - 5,000 (5,000) -
Connelly Foundation (BP) - 5,000 (5,000) -
Harpur Trust (Bedford VIA)
-		 15,000 (2,782) 12,218
_ _ _ _____
60,615 293,989 (288,814) 65,790
═════ ═════ ═════ ═════

A brief description of each restricted fund is outlined below:

Grant awarded by BLCF as part of Luton Rising Community Investment 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 minibus 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 employees to work independently Bedfordshire & Luton Community Foundation – Bedfordshire Coronavirus Emergency Fund provided in 2019/20 to support the charity to work remotely during Covid-19, balance is depreciation of equipment. Community Central Award - Disability Resource Centre lead provider in a collaboration funded by BLCF Bedford Charitable Trust, Panacea Trust and Connelly foundation– funding for Bedford to reduce poverty, reduce isolation and improve wellbeing

Harpur Trust – funding for a Visual Impairment Advisor in Bedford

Sight Concern Bedfordshire

Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 30 September 2024

20 Net assets held by funds

Cash
Cash
Fixed at bank & Other
2024 Assets Investments Assets Creditors Total
£ £ £ £ £
General fund 2,525 553,555 13,371 (9,618) 559,833
Restricted funds 2,109 104,685 57,257 (98,261) 65,790
───── ───── ───── ───── ─────
4,634 658,240 70,628 (107,879) 625,623
═════ ═════ ═════ ═════ ═════
Cash
Cash
Fixed at bank & Other
2023 Assets Investments Assets Creditors Total
£ £ £ £ £
General fund 2,991 553,464 12,746 (13,205) 555,996
Restricted funds 1,463 46,195 64,683 (51,726) 60,615
───── ───── ───── ───── ─────
4,454 599,659 77,429 (64,931) 616,611
═════ ═════ ═════ ═════ ═════

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 (2023: none). During the year the following trustee received travel expenses:

2024 2023
£ £
Jamile Little 28 -
───── ─────
28 -
═════ ═════

23 Related party transactions

Donations from trustees during the year amounted to £nil (2023: £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 2024

24 Financial commitments

At 30 September 2024 the charitable company had no annual commitments under non-cancellable operating leases (2023: £nil)

There are no capital commitments (2023: £nil).

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

2024 2023
£ £
Net (expenditure) for the year 9,012 (9,262)
Depreciation charges 1,544 1,485
(Gains)/ Losses on investments (5,774) (7,293)
Dividends, interest and rents from investments (22,501) (8,548)
(Increase)/decrease in stocks 4,152 (664)
(Increase)/decrease in debtors 2,649 (9,823)
Increase/(decrease) in creditors 42,948 13,487
───── ─────
Net cash provided by operating activities 32,030 (20,618)
═════ ═════