2023-04-05-accounts - Astro Brain Tumour Fund

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ASTRO BRAIN TUMOUR FUND

ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED

5[th] APRIL 2023

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 (resigned 30.8.2022)
	Mrs S Hopkins
	Mr N Blatherwick (appointed 1.10.2022)
Independent Examiner	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

Annual Report For the Year ended 5[th] April 2023

Astro Brain Tumour Fund has continued to raise money for research into low-grade glioma brain tumours. These may sound benign but this slow-growing, progressive group of tumours cause inevitable life-changing and life-limiting physical and psychological symptoms and can cause death depending upon the area of the brain affected. They may also become higher grade (faster growing) over time.

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, thanks in part to two generous grants, have now accumulated full funding for two PHD students working on research projects to be supervised by Prof. Stephen J. Price, BSc MBBS (Hons) PhD FRCS(Neuro Surg.) at Cambridge Biomedical Campus, over the next 3 years, this will utilise a large part of the reserves we are holding at present. One project is looking at developing artificial intelligence tools to monitor low grade gliomas (this project is scheduled to commence in July 2023) and the other, which commenced in January 2023, is studying higher cognitive functions and return to work in low grade gliomas.

Projects funded in 2022/23:

Molecular regulation of paediatric low-grade gliomas:

Annual Report from Professor Denise Sheer, Blizard Institute, Queen Mary University of London. 23[rd] April 2023

Firstly, I’d like to thank the Trustees and the supporters of Astro Brain Tumour Fund for their generous funding. As reported previously, the aim of our research programme is to characterise the molecular changes that lead to the development of low-grade gliomas in children. I am delighted to let you know that we have had a highly successful year with our research focused on two types of children’s low-grade gliomas, pilocytic astrocytomas and glioneuronal tumours. These tumours each have distinct genetic mutations that lead to cascades of biochemical events that cause the cells to grow abnormally. With your support, our student Lewis Woodward has now completed his substantial PhD thesis entitled “Signalling networks in paediatric low-grade gliomas”. In the thesis, Lewis describes the identification and detailed analysis of these biochemical cascades using cutting-edge experimental and computational methods. He will now continue working in our group to conduct further experiments so that we can publish the work in a scientific journal. Our findings were presented at the International Society for Pediatric Neuro-Oncology conference in Hamburg in June 2022 and the Cancer Research UK Brain Tumour Conference in September 2022. I also gave an invited talk on the work at a paediatric low-grade glioma conference at the Dana Farber Cancer Research Institute in Harvard in November 2022. A huge Thank You, once again, to you all. We could not have done any of this without you, and I am looking forward to giving you further updates in the coming year.

Higher cognitive functions and return to work in low grade gliomas:

Report from Professor Stephen J. Price BSc MBBS (Hons) PhD FRCS(Neuro Surg.) Clinical Professor of Neurosurgical Oncology, Hon. Consultant Neurosurgeon, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Cambridge, who is supervising the above project being executed by PHD student, Jasmine Kennedy

Over the last few years, we have seen a change in how we treat low-grade gliomas. This has led to improvements in survival. We now need to concentrate on the quality of that survival. As low-grade gliomas predominantly affect young people, keeping them in employment must be a major aim of treatment.

It is well understood that returning to work is important for cancer patients. It provides financial stability, improves quality of life and ensures on going social interactions. A study of cancer survivors showed that only 13% were not able to work 1-5 years after treatment. This rate increases in patients who have disabilities. Patients with brain tumours commonly report disabilities and were most likely not to return to work. For low grade gliomas, studies suggest that 52% return to work in the first-year post-treatment, this increases to 63% by year 2. It still suggests that over a third of low-grade glioma patients don’t return to work by year 2.

One of the main factors that determine if patients will go back to work, is their cognitive function. These are a series of mental process that are required for us to think, remember, plan and concentrate. Executive function accounts for several mental processes that enable us to plan, focus attention, remember instructions, and juggle multiple tasks successfully. Deficits in executive function have devastating effects on a patient’s ability to work and attend school, function responsibly in the home, or have appropriate social relations. One major problem is that there is no easy way to screen for this in all patients, so we don’t know if patients are having problems with executive function.

We believe that problems with executive function will be more common in patients who have not returned to work. We plan to investigate this by:

Producing a survey for the patient group to understand how many patients fail to get back to work and explore some of the reasons for this.
Develop a method of screening patients for cognitive problems so we can find patients who have problems with executive function.
See if there are differences in executive function between low grade glioma patients that return to work and those that don’t.
Use the information we have collected to work out the best way to rehabilitate patients to help them get back to work.

Attendance at Houses of Parliament and Conferences

We continue to support the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Brain Tumours which seeks to raise awareness of the issues facing the brain tumour community to improve research, diagnosis, information, support, treatment and care outcomes. Following a debate in the House of Commons on 9 March 2023 into brain tumour funding, the APPG published its latest report – “Pathway to a Cure – Breaking Down the Barriers”. The report identifies barriers to spending the £40m for research into brain tumours the Government committed in 2018 following Dame Tessa Jowell’s death. Just £15m has been awarded to researchers to date. Key recommendations of the report include the Government should recognise brain tumour research as a “critical priority” and ring-fence £110m of current and new funding: the research funding system needs to be joined up from basic science through to clinical trials, and funding bodies should ring-fence specific funding for research into childhood brain tumours where survival rates for the most aggressive tumours have remained unchanged for decades. Research into brain tumours would be much easier if these recommendations were acted upon by Government.

Fundraising and Donations

The trustees are enormously grateful to everyone who has supported the charity either with donations or holding fundraising events.

Our biggest fundraiser, the Norfolk Family Walk, was held at Holkham Hall, North Norfolk on Sunday 25th September 2022. Around 180 adults, children and dogs walked one, three, six or ten miles. We were a small team of helpers this year but had some assistance with the preparation. It was lovely to see so many walkers who return every year to meet up with family and friends, supporting loved ones with brain tumours or remembering those who have sadly passed away from this cruel disease. Not forgetting, of course, brain tumour patients themselves walking with their families. 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.

The 2023 walk is scheduled to take place on Sunday, 24[th] September.

Support

Our Facebook Support Group was set up specifically for those diagnosed with a low-grade glioma, and their carers, and is a thriving and supportive platform which now reaches over 500 brain tumour patients and their families. This aids those diagnosed to share their experiences and helps newcomers with advice and emotional support, alleviating some of the fears and feelings that often come with a brain tumour diagnosis, and the subsequent treatments and difficulties. The numbers 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 countries all over Europe, but also from Australia, the Americas, Africa and even reaching Antarctica. This global spread reflects the fact that the focus on low grade tumours support is uncommon and that there is a real need for it. Each year, we send informative leaflets to all Neuro-oncology units around the whole of the United Kingdom, so that information about Astro Brain Tumour Fund, and the support we can offer, can be shared with all newly diagnosed patients.

Grant Funding

Mazars Charitable Trust

John Blatherwick, son of our newest trustee Neal, applied to the Mazars Charitable Trust for a grant resulting in Astro Brain Tumour Fund receiving the generous sum of £15,000. The Mazars Charitable Trust is funded by John's employer Mazars LLP. This donation is in support of the application for funding part of year of a PHD student for a research project being carried out by Mr. Stephen J. Price in regard to “ Higher Cognitive Functions & Return to work in Low Grade Glioma ”. This project commenced in January 2023.

Will Trust

The trustees were very pleased to secure match funding for the money raised from the Norfolk Family walk. This was provided through the generosity of Trustees of a Will Trust, the broad objectives of which align with those of the Astro Brain Tumour Fund. They were subsequently impressed with the proposed project lead by Professor Price – Higher cognitive functions and return to work in low grade gliomas – to donate a further £23,000 to enable the trustees to commit the full 3 year funding so that the project could start at the earliest opportunity.

ASTRO BRAIN TUMOUR FUND

Trustees’ Annual Report For the Year ended 5[th] April 2023

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 2023. 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, with the exception of Teresa who resigned in August 2022 and Neal who joined us in October 2022. Appointment of trustees is governed by the Trust Deed of the charity.

Present Trustees Mary (Treasurer), Linda (Support Group Moderator), Robbie, Angela, Sam and Neal have been committed to carrying on the invaluable work of the charity. Mary has been treasurer/ trustee since the charity 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, Sam has focussed on the website. Angela acts as chair at trustee meetings. She and Linda represent the charity at All-Party Parliamentary Group meetings at Westminster and on related calls instigated by BTR. Neal and his family are prolific fundraisers for the charity.

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 running has been outstanding. The increase in income over last year was £14,151; and that year was already up £13,755 up on the previous year. In the year we invested £15,000 in research being run by Professor Denise Sheer into molecular regulation of paediatric low-grade gliomas, with the balance of £22,500 to be paid in 2023. With Professor Price, we have also identified and funded two new research projects, as described above.

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, grants from charitable trusts, 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.

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 £198,967 (prior year £130,539) of which £38,000 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:

Observe the methods and principles in the Charities’ SORP second edition – Oct 2019 (FRS102);
Select suitable accounting standards and then apply them consistently;
Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
State whether applicable accounting standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any departure disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
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 _______ 2023 and signed on their behalf.

Linda Rickford (Trustee)

ASTRO BRAIN TUMOUR FUND

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 2023, 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:-

examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act.
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
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: -

which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in, any material respect, the requirements: -
to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act.
to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act have not been met; or
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 __

ASTRO BRAIN TUMOUR FUND

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 5[TH] APRIL 2023

Incoming Resources:- Donations and Grants Restricted 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	Total 2023 42,981 38,000 4,080 100 85,161 15,000 562 651 300 185 - - 35 16,733 68,428 130,539 £198,967	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	2022
			22,500 719 91 300 185 - 16 35 23,846

ASTRO BRAIN TUMOUR FUND

BALANCE SHEET AS AT 5[TH] APRIL 2023

Current Assets Barclays Bank 128,957 Cambridge & Counties Bank 70,010 NET CURRENT ASSETS Funds Fund Reserves Restricted Reserves (note 2)	2023 120,539 10,000 £198,967 160,967 38,000 £198,967	2022 £130.539 130,539 - £130,539

Approved by the Board of Trustees on __ and signed on their behalf

Linda Rickford Trustee

ASTRO BRAIN TUMOUR FUND

Notes to the Accounts For the Year ended 5[th] April 2023

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 – October 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 considered to be 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 Astro Brain Tumour Fund from most government policies. The charity benefits from our supporters being very active fundraisers and the annual Holkham Walk being a wellsupported event. We also received some significant donations in the year which resulted in receipts being £14,151 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 2022 two grants were received - £15,000 from Mazars Charitable Trust and £23,000 (Anon). These grants are being treated as restricted and will be used towards the project of ‘Higher Cognitive Functions and Return to work’ being carried out at Cambridge by Pro Stephen Price and his PHD student, Jasmine Kennedy.