THE ASSOCIATION OF
CHARITABLE ORGANISATIONS
REPORT OF TRUSTEES
For the year ended 30[th] September 2021
Charity No: 1118605
Company No: 6113479
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CHAIR’S FOREWARD
In a year where the organisation celebrates its 75[th] anniversary, we have seen another challenging period for the charity sector. In the face of periods of lockdown, increasing demands for services and an economic downturn, benevolent and grant-making charities have shown tremendous resilience in continuing to deliver targeted financial and wellbeing support to individuals and families in significant need. This should be applauded.
We have continued to ensure that ACO provides a strong platform of support for benevolent and grant-making charities – whether this is through our knowledge sharing programme of events, encouraging peer-peer relationships between member charities, providing bespoke assistance or lobbying external stakeholders on behalf of the sector.
During the course of the year we ran our “#Here to Help” campaign, looking to enhance our relationships with key referral and advice agencies to ensure awareness of the key support available from benevolent charities, particularly during the course of the pandemic. This is a significant task – and remains a work in progress – but we strongly believe that there is tremendous potential to build our profile amongst these organisations.
At the same time, we have worked in conjunction with other charity infrastructure bodies (the Civil Society Group) to maintain a unified, consistent front to Government, regulators, funders, and other external stakeholders. The “NeverMoreNeeded” campaign was a practical example of how this collaborative group came together provide a powerful voice to keep the challenges facing the sector on the radar.
Operationally, we have worked diligently to balance service commitments against the need to maintain financial sustainability during a turbulent period. Having taken the decision to make several strategic budgets cuts at the beginning of the financial year – without impacting service delivery – I am pleased to report that we have closed the year in surplus and with a commitment to increasing our reserves base, which had been significantly impacted over the last two previous years.
Looking forward, we remain positive that ACO can continue to enable benevolent and grant making charities to leverage their collective skillsets, experience, and best practice in order to effectively meet the increasing demand for financial and wellbeing support from some of the most vulnerable sections of our society.
D’Arcy Myers
ACO Chair
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Contents
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Objectives & Activities
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Status - Charitable Objects
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Achievements & Performance
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Knowledge Sharing
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Special Interest Groups
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Thought Leadership
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Campaigning/Lobbying
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Structure, Governance & Management - Governance
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Trustees’ Responsibilities Statement
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Administration
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Risk
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Membership
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Statement of Public Benefit
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Financial Review
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Financial Sustainability - Reserves Policy - Remuneration Policy for key management personnel
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Plans for the Future
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In Appreciation
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Charity Information
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Trustees
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Chief Executive
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Secretary
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Professional Advisers
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Annual Accounts 2019-20
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Statement of Financial Activities
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Balance Sheet
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Notes to the Accounts
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Independent Examiner’s report
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1. OBJECTIVES and ACTIVITIES
Status
The Association of Charity Officers (ACO) was founded in 1946. In June 2011 members agreed to a change of name from Association of Charity Officers to Association of Charitable Organisations. This represented a shift in emphasis from individuals working within member charities to member charities as a whole.
ACO is a registered charity, number 1118605 and a Company Limited by guarantee, company registration number is 6113479. From October 1st, 2020 the address of ACO’s registered office is: International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN.
Charitable objects
ACO’s objects are “to promote for the public benefit the efficiency and effectiveness of charities, particularly but not exclusively those which relieve individuals in need, by assisting in their better administration and promoting the sharing of information and practices useful to these charities.” ACO achieves its objects by:
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Undertaking research into the work and impact of our members;
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Encouraging developments and innovations in service delivery for wider benefit;
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Enabling collaborative and collective working and responses between members;
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Providing members with timely information, training and advice;
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Influencing the law and public policy affecting the work of its members;
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Providing forums for networking, learning and peer support across the individual grant giving sector.
2. ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE
For a second year, the Covid pandemic continued to challenge the operation of benevolent charities and their ability to service their respective beneficiary audiences. As a result, ACO continued to tailor its output to provide relevant practical support and resources for members – for example in providing forums where charities could share their grant-making experiences and challenges.
Key areas of delivery for ACO over the course of the year included:
Knowledge Sharing
As well as continuing our regular programme of virtual events accessible to members (such as our Grant Makers Forum and Annual Conference), ACO delivered a range of tailored webinars during the course of the year focusing on key themes, including:
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Supporting staff resilience and wellbeing;
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Increasing diversity & inclusion
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Cybersecurity and compliance within charitable organisations
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Diversifying Income
ACO also continued to provide a key support role for members, reacting to requests for assistance around a diverse range of both operational and strategic issues and signposting practical sources of assistance, from members with shared experience to organisations/commercial suppliers with delivery solutions.
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Special Interest Groups
During the year, ACO also continued to build its Special Interest Groups, which meet regularly throughout the year, enabling the sharing of skillsets, experience and knowledge between colleagues with specific functional areas, responsibilities, and interests. These groups now consist:
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CEO Forum
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Income Generation & Fundraising
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Evaluation & Impact
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Marcomms
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Small Charities
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International Beneficiaries
Thought Leadership
During the course of 2020-21 ACO continued to develop opportunities through media, social media, and outreach channels to share content that enhanced the organisation’s profile and the role of benevolent and grant making charities.
In particular, ACO launched two keynote reports that highlighted key issues that resonated with our significant segments of our membership and provided opportunities to showcase our understanding of the sector with wider external stakeholders:
Report: Benevolent Funds and their Professional Associations – Seizing Opportunities and Mitigating Risks
Authored by ACO Trustee Caroline Aldred, this report explored the relationship between occupational benevolent funds and their professional associations/bodies, exploring how effective collaboration is critical to ensuring that the benevolent fund can maximise the support it delivers to beneficiaries in financial distress.
Report: Breaking Down Barriers; Tackling the Stigma Surrounding Individuals Approaching Charities for Support
Authored by ACO Marketing and Communications Manager Hanner Canner, this report explored some of the key barriers to individuals approaching charities for support and the causes of stigma – with benevolent funds often perceived as a last resort to solving difficulties – and some of the approaches to challenging these perceptions.
Campaigning/Lobbying
ACO continued to campaign on issues impacting benevolent charities, both in terms of activity to build the profile of our member organisations, as well as collaborating in broader external campaigns to ensure the needs of the sector – and its audience – is clearly communicated to Government, Regulators and Funders.
At the same time, ACO continued to participate in Civil Society Group – comprising national charity infrastructure organisations established to increase collaboration between umbrella bodies, improve efficiency and effectiveness and clearly articulate shared priorities and views to government.
Specific campaign activity included:
Here to Help Campaign
This campaign was launched in Autumn 2020 to establish/enhance relationships with key advice and referral agencies working closely with the public, in order to raise awareness of the range of financial and wellbeing services available to service users from benevolent charities.
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#NeverMoreNeeded Campaign
Working with other national infrastructure bodies – including NCVO, ACEVO, NAVCA and Charity Finance Group – the campaign looked to provide a strong unified voice for the sector that called on Government to recognise the key role played by the sector during the pandemic. It also called for targeted financial support to ensure that charitable organisations could continue to maintain service delivery in extremely challenging economic conditions.
#KeeptheLifeline Campaign
ACO actively supported the Joseph Rowntree Foundations’ #KeeptheLifeline campaign which aimed to actively lobby Government to reverse the proposed removal of the £20 per week Universal Credit uplift introduced during the pandemic.
3. STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
Governance
Two Trustees were appointed to the Board at the 2021 AGM (8[th] September)
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Juliet Smithson (Head of Operations, LionHeart);
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Liam Evans (Senior Media Officer, Action for Children);
A strong and effective board is synonymous with a strong and effective organisation. ACO will continue to attract and recruit high calibre sector individuals to contribute as Trustees. The Board will continue to recruit new members - when required - to fill gaps in the present array of skills and to maintain a diverse range of organisations represented.
The Trustees of the Charity, as defined in the Companies Act 2006, are also Directors for the purposes of charity law. Eligibility for election to the board of trustees is for up to fifteen trustees, two thirds of whom must be a nominated representative of a charity member organisation at the time of appointment. Elections are governed by the Articles, (a copy of which may be obtained from the secretary or on the website).
Trustees are elected at the AGM for a term of office of three years. A retiring trustee may stand for reelection but may not be re-elected after serving for six years until three years from the date of his/her second retirement.
The Trustees met regularly during the financial year, to undertake their governance role in ensuring the effective strategic, operational, and financial performance of the organisation.
Trustees’ Responsibilities Statement
The Trustees (who are also directors of the Association of Charitable Organisations for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations. Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the Trustees have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law) including FRS102 the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in UK and Republic of Ireland. Under company law the Trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they’re satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and the group and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable group for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:
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select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
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observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
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make judgments and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
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prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it’s inappropriate to presume that the charitable group will continue in business.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charitable company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They’re 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.
The Trustees confirm that:
so far as each Trustee is aware, there is no relevant information of which the charitable company’s independent examiner is unaware; and the Trustees have taken all the steps that they ought to have taken as Trustees in order to make themselves aware of any relevant information and to establish that the charitable company’s independent examiner is aware of that information. 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. The Trustees have taken the exemption available to small companies and haven’t prepared a strategic report.
Administration
The day-to-day management of the Charity has been delegated to the Chief Executive, supported by a small staff team. In order to significantly reduce staffing costs and provide a more effective operational structure, the roles of the Finance Consultant and Finance Administrator were replaced by the introduction of a parttime qualified bookkeeper during the course of the year.
Risk
ACO has a risk register that is reviewed regularly by trustees. Key risk areas this year included:
| Risk Area | Mitigation |
|---|---|
| Further pandemic impact | Remote working/virtual activity/role cross-over |
| capability | |
| Loss of core staff | Succession planning/systems & project |
| documentation/role support | |
| Insufficient income to sustain core activities | Stringent budgetary planning in place/regular |
| management account review/increase | |
| membership numbers | |
| Financial mismanagement | Strong Treasurer function on Board/regular |
| financial monitoring/annual Independent Examiner | |
| review |
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Charity fraud/failure to comply with legislation Specific financial procedures providing authorised expenditure parameters and control/ continuing external agency HR and H&S support to ensure compliance Trustee body lacks relevant skillsets Annual skills gaps analysis, trustee recruitment and induction process
The Board continues to closely monitor potential risk areas and take appropriate actions in conjunction with the Chief Executive to mitigate issues as deemed necessary.
Membership
Charity membership of the Association was 120 on 30th September 2021. ACO had 28 Corporate Partners and 2 Charity Partners.
Statement of Public Benefit
Trustees have regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit and consider that ACO’s activities have provided public benefit, through helping benevolence charities optimise their own public benefit through a range of approaches, which include best practice initiatives, networking opportunities, and influencing policy where this is likely to impact on member charities and those they serve.
4. FINANCIAL REVIEW
Financial Sustainability
During the course of 2020, the Board – in conjunction with the Chief Executive – had agreed that it would be financially prudent to implement cost-reduction measures in order to ensure the financial sustainability of the charity.
These measures comprised:
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Termination of the existing desk licenses (office space) agreement with the Association of Charitable Foundations (ACF) at Commercial Street (London);
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Restructuring of the finance function – replacing the roles of the Finance Consultant and Finance Administrator with that of part-time Bookkeeper.
Introducing these two measures significantly reduced ACO’s operating costs during the course of 2020-21 and in conjunction with budgetary controls enabled the organisation to reverse the financial deficits of 2018-19 and 2019-20 and close the financial year in surplus.
Reserves Policy
Any organisation requires reserves to safeguard itself against major fluctuations in income or delays in income being received and or unexpected items of expenditure. It is our objective to build and maintain our free reserves at a level of six months’ expenditure to give the Board the security of being able to plan for the long term as well as continue to be able to pay necessary expenses such as salaries. Reserves as of 30th September 2020 were standing at £29,504 (2018-19 £88,494); broadly 2.5 months (2018-19 5 months) of our budgeted expenditure for 2020-21. The financial position is closely monitored by the Board on a regular basis and reserves are considered by the Board as part of this monitoring exercise.
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Remuneration policy for key management personnel
The ACO Board decides remuneration for staff on an annual basis. The aim is to offer a fair salary to attract and retain staff to lead and support the delivery of the Charity’s aims and objectives. Given the need to maintain strict expenditure controls during the course of the crisis, salary increases were not awarded to staff during the course of the 2019-20 financial year.
Copies of the full accounts are on pages 11 to 17 of this report.
5. PLANS FOR THE FUTURE
In the context of the continuing economic uncertainty underlying the Covid pandemic, ACO’s primary focus has remained around ensuring short term activity and service delivery and maintaining financial sustainability.
However, it is hoped that as we hopefully emerge from the pandemic over the course of the following year, that this will enable the Board to focus on medium term strategic planning that will map the course of the organisation as it adapts to the evolving charity landscape and looks to meet the changing requirements of its members.
In the meantime, our immediate priorities include:
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Launch of our new website platform (autumn 2021) to enable ACO to communicate more effectively with our core audiences;
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Implementation of a new customised CRM system to enable ACO to help manage relationships with both its membership/potential membership base and external stakeholders;
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Develop our special interest group offering to ensure that we connect with the key functional roles amongst our membership;
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Continue to manage bespoke events and workshops that reflect themes impacting the operational and strategic management of our charities;
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Introduce systematic campaigns to recruit charities into membership and extend our reach within benevolent and grant-making organisations.
6. IN APPRECIATION
At the heart of ACO is a collaborative ethos – ‘we are better together’. The trustees would accordingly like to give sincere thanks and express their appreciation to:
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ACO staff for their assistance to Trustees and members during the year;
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Neil Finlayson of Moore Kingston Smith LLP, Independent Examiner, for his support, generosity and advice;
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Corporate and charity partners – a particular note of mention for the financial support provided by CCLA for the development of the new ACO website;
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All members for their continued support, participation and contribution which enables our network to continue to thrive.
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Signed:
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Date: 25 April 2022
D’Arcy Myers, Chair, on behalf of the Trustees of the Association of Charitable Organisations
7. CHARITY INFORMATION
Trustees - The trustees who held office during the financial year were as follows:
D’Arcy Myers (Chair) Smallwood Trust Caroline Aldred Former CIMA Benevolent Fund Manager Kris Barnett ICE Benevolent Fund John Brown Former Trustee of Iprovision Julie Green R. L. Glasspool Charity Trust Jodie Gill CABA Juliet Smithson Lionheart (appointed 8/9/21) Liam Evans Action For Children (appointed 8/9/21) Chief Executive Donal Watkin Company Secretary Donal Watkin
Professional advisers
Bankers:
Unity Trust Bank Plc, Nine Brindley Place, Birmingham B1 2HB
CCLA Investment Management Limited, 80 Cheapside, London EC2V 6DZ
Independent Examiner:
Mr Neil Finlayson, Moore Kingston Smith LLP, Devonshire House, 60 Goswell Road, London EC1M 7AD
Solicitors:
Russell-Cooke, 2 Putney Hill, London SW15 6AB
Insurers:
PIB Group, Rossington’s Business Park, West Carr Road, Nottinghamshire, DN22 7SW
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ANNUAL ACCOUNTS 2020 - 2021
ASSOCIATION OF CHARITABLE ORGANISATIONS STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30[TH] SEPTEMBER 2021
| Notes INCOME Members Subscriptions 2 Other income 3 Interest (Gross) Total Income EXPENDITURE Direct Charitable Expenditure 4 Governance Costs 4 Total Expenditure 4 NET INCOME FOR YEAR Balance Brought Forward 1/10/2020 Balance Carried Forward 30/9/2021 10 |
2020-21 (General) £ 118,347 19,556 1 |
2020-21 (Restricted) £ - 10,000 - |
2020-21 Total £ 118,347 29,556 1 |
2019-20 £ 115,111 29,003 833 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 137,904 | 10,000 | 147,904 | 144,947 | ||
| 133,388 1,042 |
2,160 - |
135,548 1,042 |
201,068 2,869 |
||
| 134,430 | 2,160 | 136,590 | 203,937 | ||
| 3,474 29,504 32,978 |
7,840 - 7,840 |
11,314 29,504 40,818 |
(58,990) 88,494 29,504 |
Restricted funds comprise of a grant from CCLA Investment.
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BALANCE SHEET AS AT 30TH SEPTEMBER 2021
| Notes Current Assets Unity Trust Bank plc (Custom Current Account) CCLA COIF – Deposit Account Sundry Debtors and Prepayments Total Current Assets Less Creditors falling due within one year 9 Net Current Assets Total assets less current liabilities Creditors falling due after more than one year 9 NET ASSETS 10 FUNDS Unrestricted Restricted |
2020-21 General £ 57,875 10,505 4,083 |
2020-21 Restricted £ 7,840 - - |
2020-21 Total £ 65,715 10,505 4,083 |
2019-20 £ 60,572 10,504 3,589 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 72,463 (39,485) |
7,840 - |
80,303 (39,485) |
74,665 (45,161) |
||
| 32,978 | 7,840 | 40,818 | 29,504 | ||
| - 32,978 |
- 7,840 |
- 40,818 |
- 29,504 |
||
| 32,978 - |
- 7,840 |
32,978 7,840 |
29,504 - |
||
| 32,978 | 7,840 | 40,818 | 29,504 |
For the financial year ended 30[th] September 2021 the company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 Companies Act 2006. No member of the company has deposited a notice, pursuant to section 476, requiring an audit of these financial statements under the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.
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BALANCE SHEET (CONTINUED)
The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for ensuring that the company keeps accounting records which comply with section 386 of the Act and for preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company as at the end of the financial year and of its surplus or deficit for the financial year in accordance with the requirements of section 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to accounts, so far as applicable to the company.
These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies’ regime within Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 and with Financial Reporting Standard 102.
The notes on pages 14 - 16 form part of these financial statements.
Approved by the Board for issue on 25 April 2022 and signed on their behalf by:
D’Arcy Myers, Chair:
John Brown, Honorary Treasurer:
Company Registration No: 6113479
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ASSOCIATION OF CHARITABLE ORGANISATIONS
These Notes are an Integral Part of the Accounts For the Year Ended 30[th] September 2021
1. Accounting Policies
- (a) Basis of preparation
The financial statements of the charity, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared under the historical cost convention in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and the Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) Charities SORP (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011/Companies Act 2006. FRS 102 has been adopted for the first time when preparing these financial statements. The transition date to FRS 102 was 1 October 2014 and the last financial statements prepared under the previous financial reporting framework were prepared for the year ended 31 September 2015. The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity.
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(b) Going concern
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The trustees have assessed whether the use of the going concern basis is appropriate and have considered possible events or conditions that might cast significant doubt on the ability of the charitable company to continue as a going concern. The trustees have made this assessment for a period of at least one year from the date of approval of the financial statements. In particular the trustees have considered the charitable company’s forecasts and projections and have taken account of pressures on income. After making enquiries the trustees have concluded that there is a reasonable expectation that the charitable company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. The charitable company therefore continues to adopt the going concern basis in preparing its financial statements.
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(c) Depreciation Equipment, Fixtures, Fittings and Furniture are depreciated at 25% per annum on a straight line basis.
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(d) Subscriptions are accounted for in the year to which they relate.
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(e) Financial Instruments
Basic financial instruments are measured at amortised cost other than investments which are measured at fair value.
- (f) Cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.
- (g) Critical accounting estimates and areas of judgement
In preparing financial statements it is necessary to make certain judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts recognised in the financial statements. In the view of the trustees in applying the accounting policies adopted, no judgements were required that have a significant effect on the amounts recognised in the financial statements, nor do any estimates.
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Notes 2. Members’ Subscriptions Charity members Corporate members 3. Other Income Advertising Conferences and events Projects CJRS (Furlough) 4. Total Expenditure Governance 7 Office Overheads 8 Service Delivery Staff Costs 5 Sundry Expenses 5. Employee Costs and numbers Gross Salaries Employer National Insurance Employer Pension Contributions Recruitment Costs Other Staff Costs Staff Numbers Full Time Part Time |
2020-21 General 2020-21 Restricted £ £ 90,847 0 27,500 0 118,347 0 2,500 0 3,306 0 12,500 10,000 1,250 0 19,556 10,000 1,042 0 1,567 0 10,067 2,160 121,592 0 162 0 134,430 2,160 |
2020-21 General 2020-21 Restricted £ £ 90,847 0 27,500 0 118,347 0 2,500 0 3,306 0 12,500 10,000 1,250 0 19,556 10,000 1,042 0 1,567 0 10,067 2,160 121,592 0 162 0 134,430 2,160 |
2020-21 General 2020-21 Restricted £ £ 90,847 0 27,500 0 118,347 0 2,500 0 3,306 0 12,500 10,000 1,250 0 19,556 10,000 1,042 0 1,567 0 10,067 2,160 121,592 0 162 0 134,430 2,160 |
2020-21 General 2020-21 Restricted £ £ 90,847 0 27,500 0 118,347 0 2,500 0 3,306 0 12,500 10,000 1,250 0 19,556 10,000 1,042 0 1,567 0 10,067 2,160 121,592 0 162 0 134,430 2,160 |
2020-21 Total £ 90,847 27,500 |
2020-21 Total £ 90,847 27,500 |
2019-20 £ 90,611 24,500 115,111 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 118,347 0 |
118,347 | |||||||
| 2,500 0 3,306 0 12,500 10,000 1,250 0 |
2,500 3,306 22,500 1,250 29,556 |
1,550 0 18,400 9,053 29,003 2,869 12,519 43,227 145,134 187 203,936 2019-20 £ 130,983 9,563 2,068 0 2,520 145,134 2019-20 3 1 |
||||||
| 19,556 10,000 |
||||||||
| 1,042 1,567 10,067 121,592 162 |
0 0 2,160 0 0 |
1,042 1,567 12,227 121,592 162 |
||||||
| 134,430 | 2,160 | 134,590 |
||||||
| 2020-21 £ 106,625 7,482 3,107 208 4,170 121,592 2020-21 2 1 |
One employee earned more than £60,000
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6. Pension Costs
The pension staging date for auto-enrolment was in January 2017 and ACO has set up an appropriate scheme for employees. The 2 full time members of staff have enrolled into the NEST Scheme. The part time member of staff does not meet the qualifying requirements.
7. Trustees’ Remuneration and Expenses
No remuneration was paid to any Trustee, but reimbursement has been made of necessary travel expenses of £129 (2019-20 £122) for Trustees included under Governance costs. No trustee or other person related to the charity had any personal interest in any contract or transaction entered into by the charity during the year.
8. Lease
There is no lease on office accommodation. The property that was occupied was governed under a memorandum of agreement in which there are no liabilities. This agreement has now been cancelled and staff are working from home.
9. Creditors
| Creditors falling due within one year Sundry Creditors Subscriptions paid in advance Creditors falling due after one year Analysis of Net Assets Current Assets Current Liabilities |
2020-21 General £ 870 38,615 |
2020-21 Restricted £ 0 0 |
2020-21 Restricted £ 0 0 |
2020-21 Total £ 870 38,615 |
2019-20 £ 3,301 41,860 |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 39,485 | 0 | 39,485 | 45,161 | |||||
| 0 2020-21 General £ 72,463 (39,485) |
0 2020-21 Restricted £ 7,840 0 |
0 2020-21 Total £ 80,303 (38,615) |
0 2019-20 £ 74,665 (45,161) 29,504 |
|||||
| 32,978 | 7,840 | 40,818 |
10. Analysis of Net Assets
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Independent examiner’s report to the Trustees of The Association of Charitable Organisations
I report to the charity Trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 30[th] September 2021.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity’s 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 charity’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my independent examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
Independent examiner's statement
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:
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accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
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the accounts do not accord with those records; or
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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
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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.
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.
Date: 30 June 2022
Neil Finlayson, FCA, DChA
Independent Examiner
For and on behalf of Moore Kingston Smith LLP
Chartered Accountants Devonshire House 60 Goswell Road London EC1M 7AD http://www.mooreks.co.uk
THE ASSOCIATION OF CHARITABLE ORGANISATIONS
International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN Tel: 0207 255 4480 Email: info@aco.uk.net Web: www.aco.uk.net
Charity Registration No: 1118605 Company Registration No: 6113479