ASTRO BRAIN TUMOUR FUND ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED TH 5 APRIL 2022
ASTRO BRAIN TUMOUR FUND
Legal and Administrative Information
| Registered Charity Number | 1133561 |
|---|---|
| Trustees | Mrs M Burton |
| Mrs L Rickford | |
| Mr R Burton | |
| Ms A Scrutton | |
| Mrs T Jordan | |
| Mrs S Hopkins | |
| Independent Examiner | Mr A Borland F.C.A. |
| 75 Newnham Street | |
| Ely | |
| Cambs | |
| CB7 4PQ | |
| Bankers | Barclays Bank |
| Correspondence address | 15 Eastgate |
| Holme Next the Sea | |
| Hunstanton | |
| Norfolk | |
| PE36 6LL |
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ASTRO BRAIN TUMOUR FUND
Annual Report For the Year ended 5[th] April 2022
Astro Brain Tumour Fund has continued to raise money for research into low-grade glioma brain tumours. LGGs can lie detected for many years before symptoms suddenly appear and turn the victim’s lives upside down. Symptoms can vary depending on where the tumour is located in the brain. Low grade tumours can sometimes progress to a more malignant form of brain cancer and ultimately be life threatening.
Without the fund-raising efforts of patients, their families, the trustees, and other supporters meeting the objectives of the charity would not be possible.
Research News
As well as receiving reports from ongoing research that the charity is supporting, the trustees actively seek out information on new research into low grade brain tumours. The thrust of much research is into higher grade tumours so it can be hard to find research initiatives that fit our brief. Although the trustees are not scientists, we screen potential projects to ensure that work we support is focussed on things that will move knowledge and/or treatments forward and have scientific rigour. One outcome that we look for is the intention to publish results of the research in accredited scientific journals as this necessitates strong scientific method in the way the research is organised, performed, recorded, and analysed.
The trustees are in the process of arranging to fund two research projects to be run by Mr. Stephen J. Price, BSc MBBS (Hons) PhD FRCS(Neuro Surg.) at Cambridge Biomedical Campus, over 3 years that will utilise a large part of the reserves we are holding at present. One potential project is looking at developing artificial intelligence tools to monitor low grade gliomas and the other is looking at higher cognitive functions and return to work in low grade gliomas.
Project funded in 21/22:
Molecular regulation of paediatric low-grade gliomas:
Denise Sheer, D.Phil. Professor of Human Genetics Barts & The London School of Medicine & Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London.
The trustees decided to support Professor Sheer’s research project, which started in July 2021, with a £60,000 investment over two years. Giving a status update Denise said:- “Low-grade gliomas are the most common brain tumours in children. Although there have been improvements in treatment, many children with these tumours suffer from long-term health problems that persist into adulthood. Our project aims to define the molecular processes that give rise to low-grade gliomas and regulate their growth, in order to use this information to improve outcomes. We have had a very productive first year with support from the Astro Brain Tumour Fund. We have been investigating two types of children’s low-grade gliomas, called pilocytic astrocytomas and glioneuronal tumours. These tumour types have very specific genetic alterations that activate the “MAPK signalling pathway”, leading to a cascade of biochemical events in the tumour cells. Through detailed molecular profiling and computational analysis of the tumours, we have examined these cascades in detail and identified some of the critical regulatory processes. Our findings were presented at the International Society for Pediatric Neuro-Oncology conference in Hamburg in June and elicited a lot of interest. We are grateful to the Astro Brain Tumour Fund for their generous funding and look forward to the second year of our research. “
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Attendance at Houses of Parliament and Conferences
We continue to support the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Brain Tumours but there have been no in person meetings in London in the period.
Fundraising and Donations
We were delighted to hear that we had been selected as one of the Brit Insurance Employee charities for 2022. We received an initial donation of £10,000. Thank you to Andy Camber (one of their employees) who nominated us.
The trustees are very grateful to everyone who has supported the charity either with donations or holding fundraising events. Picking out a few of the donations/fund raising efforts by supporters this year:-
A donation of just over £1500 was received from Violet Frost who mentioned that she was particularly pleased that the charity is run by volunteers and administration costs are small.
Several donations were received in memory of Trevor Forecast. Trevor was married to Christine who was secretary of ABTF for many years, her daughter Katie having founded the charity. Trevor was instrumental in helping organise the Holkham walk for 10 years.
Money is still being donated and events organised in loving memory of Gemma Barrett who passed away in 2010 from a brain tumour.
Amongst the charities supporters the Blatherwick family have been very active and successful in fundraising in memory of Catherine Blatherwick. Certain sports events such as Mark’s football tournament have become annual events and seem to be getting more popular each year. Events involving refreshments are also always successful. Neal Blatherwick (Catherine’s husband) has kindly agreed to become a trustee going forward (appointment pending) to help the charity continue to succeed.
Generally, all the charity’s supporters, but especially trustees Mary, Robbie and Linda, have been very busy with a variety of fundraising activities including holding open gardens and selling garden produce, honey and also a vintage guitar; pub race nights; running marathons/half marathons; Xmas themed events; afternoon teas, coffee with bingo and events on Wear a Hat Day.
Our largest fundraiser of the year, the walk at Holkham Hall took place on the 26[th] of September 2021. The weather was fine – after a cloudy start, the sun came out in the afternoon which lifted everybody’s spirits. Such a relief after the last couple of years of rain! Numbers attending were a little down from last year mainly due to the fuel shortage situation but around 185 adults & children and 40 four-legged friends walked their choice of mileage around the beautiful grounds. Many walkers come year after year, lots are connected to the brain tumour community, some are brain tumour patients and their friends and family, and others are walking in memory of loved ones lost. It is always a poignant, uplifting occasion and it’s lovely to see old faces and to meet new people.
People were most generous with their donations once again, and a raffle and tombola were also held to help swell the coffers, funds raised were in excess of £6,000.
Adrian Flux Insurance Services once again generously sponsored all the expenses of the event, with the owners of Holkham Hall allowing us to use the park and facilities free of charge.
We also received matched funding related to the 2020 walk of £2,548 during the current year.
The 2022 walk is scheduled for Sunday 25th September.
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We received £1,640 from supporters of the charity via regular standing orders. £19,923 was either banked by our treasurer or received by direct bank transfer. Reflecting the changing way that people give:- £36,755 was received via various Internet platforms such as Just Giving (including £16,084 raised in memory of Samantha Bruce and £3,753 raised by Matthew Phillips), Giving.com, Virgin Money and PayPal etc. which validates the trustees decision to be open to several of these platforms. Some donations on these are regular monthly payments akin to standing orders. Almost £250 of the total was from Amazon Smile and Easy Fundraising which is based on routine purchases made by our supporters – a potential growth area for the charity. Interest on bank deposits and Gift Aid rebates from HMRC added a further £2,944.
In total the above comes to £71,010 which is an outstanding achievement especially with the sector generally suffering from decreased donations and the lower Holkham Walk receipts. The trustees would like to take this opportunity to say a very grateful thanks to all the community for all the support over the past year.
Support
Our Facebook Support Group page delivers a key part of our mission. It is a thriving and supportive platform reaching over 500 brain tumour patients and their families sharing their experiences and advice. This helps to alleviate some of the concerns and feelings that often come with a brain tumour diagnosis and ongoing treatments and difficulties. The number of folks using the page at any one time varies according to people’s changing circumstances. Our page has an international reach with members not only from the UK and other European countries but also from Australia, the Americas, Africa and even reaching Antarctica this year. This global spread reflects the fact that our focus on low grade tumours support is uncommon and that there is a real need for it.
Grant Funding
The Foyle Foundation was formed to implement the terms of the will of the late Christina Foyle. The foundation is an independent grant-making trust that distributes grants to UK charities. In 2019 we received a grant of £2,000 towards the ongoing work of raising awareness and support for sufferers of low-grade brain tumours. The bulk of the grant was spent on the redesign of our website which went live in February 2021. It has been well received by our supporters. At the beginning of the year the unspent balance of this grant (£91) was shown as a restricted reserve in our financial statements. During the year that balance has been put towards the cost of an update to the ABTF introductory leaflet which was then mailed to neuro centres around the United Kingdom.
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ASTRO BRAIN TUMOUR FUND
Trustees’ annual report For the Year ended 5[th] April 2022
In accordance with statutory requirements and the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (second edition – Oct 2019) ‘Accounting and Reporting by Charities’ (FRS102), the Trustees submit their report for the year ended 5[th] April 2022. These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting policies set out on page 12 and comply with the charity’s governing document, the Charities Act 2011 and Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice edition II applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland - October 2019.
Trustees
The trustees named on page 1 served throughout the financial year. Appointment of trustees is governed by the Trust Deed of the charity.
Present Trustees Mary (Treasurer), Linda (Support Group Moderator and Secretary), Robbie, Angela, Teresa, and Sam have been committed to carrying on the invaluable work of the charity. Mary has been a trustee since the fund was registered in 2009, looks after the daily administration of the charity and with husband Robbie are very active fundraisers and prime organisers of the annual Holkham Hall walk. Linda, as well as fundraising, is support co-ordinator and moderates the Facebook page. Teresa takes care of the financial accounts whilst Sam has focussed on the website. Angela acts as chair at trustee meetings. She and Linda represent the charity at any All-Party Parliamentary Group meetings at Westminster and on related calls instigated by BTR.
Investment powers
The Trust Deed authorises the trustees to make and hold investments.
Constitution, Objects and Policies
The charity’s constitution is embodied in the Trust Deed. The object of the charity is to raise funds for low grade glioma research. The work of the charity is for the public benefit seeking to improve scientific knowledge, treatments, outcomes, and support in this area. To ensure that this is at the forefront of what we do the trustees have due regard to the public benefit guidance issued by the Charity Commission when exercising their responsibilities, for example when making funding decisions. The charity has appropriate policies in place to cover e.g., management of the Facebook support group, data protection and safeguarding, recognition of fund raisers/supporters etc. The charity has no employees and therefore no policies in relation to employment.
Developments, activities, and achievements
The trustees consider that the performance of the charity for the second year has been outstanding. The increase in income over last year was £13,755; and that year was already up £10,190 up on the previous year (£12,190 if you exclude the benefit of the grant received from the prior year). In the year we invested £22,500 in research being run by Professor Denise Sheer into molecular regulation of paediatric low-grade gliomas. In the prior year there was no research investment as we went through a process to investigate suitable research projects.
Our Facebook Support Group page has been a source of strong support and information. Members are actively interacting and providing support both emotional and practical both to existing members facing periodic scans/procedures and waits for results; and also, as new patients and their families seek knowledge from those who have already been through certain treatments/tests/processes.
Financial review
The Fund derives its income from donations, fund-raising events run by the trustees and the charity’s supporters, and interest on money held on deposit. Administrative expenses are small as the charity is run by volunteers and where possible the trustees seek sponsorship to cover administrative costs for larger events such as the Norfolk Family Walk.
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Risk management
The trustees review the major risks that the charity faces on a regular basis and are mindful of risks such as reputational risk or mandate related risks when discussing day to day business of the charity or when considering research funding possibilities. The trustees have also examined other operational risks faced by the Charity and confirm that they have established systems to mitigate the significant risks. The trustees reserve policy is to aim for its resources to be distributed to suitable research projects as soon as practical to meet commitments made. Where specific grants have been received amounts may be held as restricted reserves until such time as the activity supported by the grant is completed. At the end of the financial year reserves were £130,539 (prior year £83,375) of which £0 (prior year £91) were restricted reserves. The trustees believe that maintaining reserves at current levels, combined with an annual review of the controls over key financial systems, will provide sufficient resources for the future.
The Trustees are responsible for preparing the report and accounts in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
The law applicable to Trustees in England and Wales requires Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the income resources and application of resources of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:
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Observe the methods and principles in the Charities’ SORP second edition – Oct 2019 (FRS102);
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Select suitable accounting standards and then apply them consistently;
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Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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State whether applicable accounting standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any departure disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
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Prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity, and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the Trust Deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Approval
This report was approved by the trustees on August 2022 and signed on their behalf.
Linda Rickford (Trustee)
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Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of The Astro Brain Tumour Fund Charity Number – 1133561
We report on the accounts of the Association for the year ended 5[th] April 2022, on pages 5-6.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner.
The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts.
The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to: -
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examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act.
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to follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act); and
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to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of independent examiner’s report.
My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
Independent examiner’s statement .
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention: -
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which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in, any material respect, the requirements: -
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to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act;
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to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act have not been met; or
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to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
A Borland F.C.A. 75 Newnham Street Ely Cambs CB7 4PQ
Dated 8th August 2022
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ASTRO BRAIN TUMOUR FUND
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 5[TH] APRIL 2022
| Incoming Resources:- Donations and Grants Gift Aid repayments Interest Received Total Income Expenditure:- Research Funding Fundraising Restricted expenses (note 2) Website hosting Insurance Publicity Printing, Postage and Stationery Miscellaneous Total Expenditure Net Incoming Resources Fund Balances b/fwd Fund Balances c/fwd |
2022 68,066 2,821 123 71,010 22,500 719 91 300 185 - 16 35 23,846 47,164 83,375 £130,539 |
2022 68,066 2,821 123 71,010 22,500 719 91 300 185 - 16 35 23,846 |
2021 52,597 4,485 173 57,255 |
2021 52,597 4,485 173 57,255 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- 698 1,530 360 185 - - 35 2,808 |
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54,447 28,928 £83,375 |
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ASTRO BRAIN TUMOUR FUND
BALANCE SHEET AS AT 5[TH] APRIL 2022
| Current Assets Barclays Bank 120,539 Cambridge & Counties Bank 10,000 NET CURRENT ASSETS Funds Fund Reserves 130,539 Restricted Reserves (note 2) - |
2021 73,375 10,000 £130,539 83,284 91 £130,539 |
2020 £83,375 £83,375 |
|---|---|---|
Approved by the Board of Trustees on August 2022 and signed on their behalf
Linda Rickford (Trustee)
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Notes to the Accounts For the Year ended 5[th] April 2022
1 Accounting Policies
1.1 Statement of compliance
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with applicable UK accounting standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 ‘The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland’ (FRS 102). Additionally, they comply with the Statement of Recommended Practice ‘Accounting and Reporting by Charities’ second edition - Oct 2019 in all material aspects. The charity meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102.
1.2 Basis of Preparation
The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis under the historical cost convention. The functional currency of the charity is Pounds Sterling because that is the currency of the primary economic environment in which the charity operates.
1.3 Going concern
The trustees have assessed whether the use of the going concern assumption is appropriate in preparing these financial statements. The trustees have made this assessment in respect to a period of one year from the date of approval of these financial statements.
The trustees of the charity have concluded that there are no material uncertainties related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the ability of the charity to continue as a going concern. There is no specific threat or relevance to ABTF from most government policies. The charity benefits from our supporters being very active fundraisers and the annual Holkham Walk being a well-supported event. We also received some legacies and some significant donations in the year which resulted in receipts being £14k up on the previous year. In addition, the charity has small, fixed overheads. The trustees are of the opinion that the charity will have sufficient resources to meet funding obligations that will be tailored to fit resources and reserve policies. The charity does not take on funding commitments beyond the available reserves.
2 Restricted Reserves and Expenses
In 2019 a £2,000 grant was received from the Foyle Foundation to be utilised towards the ongoing work of raising awareness and support for sufferers of low-grade brain tumours. As at the end of 2021 £91 of the grant was unspent. During the year this balance has been put towards the cost of an update to the ABTF introductory leaflet which was then mailed to neuro centres around the United Kingdom. The grant has been fully utilised.
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