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&Accounts 2021/22

Solving Kids’ Cancer UK Annual Report & Accounts 2021/22 

## Contents 

**Page 4** Introduction from Our Chair and CEO 

**Page 8** Our Strategic Plan 

**Page 10** Research 

**Page 12** Support 

**Page 14** Awareness 

**Page 16** Your Support and Events 

**Page 20** Achievements and Performance 

**Page 22** Future Plans 

**Page 23** Structure, Governance and Management 

**Page 27** Finances 

**Page 32** Independent Auditor’s Report 

**Page 35** Financial Statements and Notes 


## Who’s on our cover? 

Flora is an energetic, outdoor-loving three-year-old from East Lothian, Scotland. She loves playing at the beach, splashing in the sea, playing at the park and building puzzles. She is a huge Peppa Pig fan and enjoys playing Peppa games on her tablet. 

In January 2021, Flora was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. In the months that followed, Flora wasn’t herself and her parents were given the devastating news that at just two years old she had high-risk neuroblastoma. 

We are currently supporting Flora’s family and their fundraising campaign to access the Bivalent Vaccine in New York. 


## Our year 

## Over the last year we have: 

**Solving Kids’ Cancer UK’s vision is a future where no child dies of the childhood cancer neuroblastoma or suffers due to the treatment they receive.** 

- Continued to drive innovative research and worked in collaboration with five partners to award collectively over £500,000 in research grants 

Neuroblastoma is a rare and complex childhood cancer; around 90% of neuroblastoma cases occur in children younger than five years of age. It is the most common cancer in infants. Devastatingly, survival rates for neuroblastoma are as low as 50% in cases of highrisk disease, with even less chance of survival if a child relapses. This is the reality we are fighting to change. 

- Supported over 400 families by providing emotional, practical and financial support 

- Supported 21 families from across the UK and Republic of Ireland, who raised over £2.5 million to enable them to access treatments and clinical trials not currently available within the NHS 

We are a small but mighty parent-led charity with children firmly at our heart. We are striving for a better outcome for children and families affected by neuroblastoma, both now and in the future. In every conversation, we amplify their voice and ensure children are at the heart of all we do. 

- Collectively saved families nearly £200,000 by negotiating treatment costs with institutions 

- Welcomed over 500 participants from 45 countries to our second Neuroblastoma Parent Global Symposium 

We will not stop until children with neuroblastoma, in the UK and beyond, have access to the treatment they need, when they need it, as close to home as possible. We do this through three key pillars: **Research, Support** and **Awareness.** 

- Delivered our most ambitious and successful group fundraising event ever with over 230 people taking part in our Butterfly Relay, raising over £30,000 and covering 125,000km 

- Worked with our supporters who raised over £250,000 through community, challenge and event fundraising 

- Welcomed our second charity patron – Carl Cavers, CEO of SUMO Group PLC 


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## Welcome 

and are already starting to see the benefits in terms of greater automation, efficiency gains, and enhanced financial management and reporting. The commitment, dedication, and togetherness of our staff team, putting children and families at the heart of everything we do, is truly what makes us who we are as an organisation. 

## Introduction from our Chair of Trustees 

Over the last twelve months we have worked tirelessly to deliver on our mission to help children and families affected by neuroblastoma, growing as an organisation, and cementing progress and achievements made since we launched our current five-year strategy in 2017. As we reach the end of that period we can look back with great pride and satisfaction at the transformational journey our charity has been on. 

Our governance structures are strong and secure, board oversight of the organisation is robust, and all our Trustees are deeply engaged and invested in the charity’s work. Each brings their own individual knowledge and expertise to the team, as we strive to maintain a balance of parent and nonparent Trustees to provide broad perspectives. 

Built from nothing, we now have a research function that is the equal of any operating in children’s cancers. Working in partnership with others to invest in innovative new research to find better and safer treatments for children with neuroblastoma while providing more options for those desperately in need right now. Driven by a deep knowledge and understanding of the neuroblastoma landscape that allows us to focus on unmet needs and prioritise areas that can deliver the greatest impact for children. 

Of course, now is also time to remind ourselves that we cannot rest on our laurels. There is much more work to do. For all that has been achieved over the last five years, the reality is children and families affected by neuroblastoma still need us today just as much as they ever have done. As I look ahead to the next important chapter in our charity’s history with anticipation, expectation, hope, and optimism, I know that we will not let them down. 


Our support for families with children going through treatment and beyond now blends the personal knowledge and experience that has always been an intrinsic part of who we are with a professional framework of skills and best practices. We have forged excellent relationships with the clinical community and other charities, and enhanced our reputation for delivering emotional, practical, and financial support with honesty and integrity while always putting the needs of children and families first in everything we do. 

**Nick Bird** Chair of the Board of Trustees 


Operationally we have never been stronger, our processes and policies never more robust or comprehensive. We have made strategic investments in our systems infrastructure despite the ensuing uncertainty caused by the pandemic 



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## Where there is heart, there is hope 

## Welcome from our CEO 

**This quote from a family really speaks to the very ethos of this special charity that I’m privileged to be part of. The SKC staff team, Board of Trustees, volunteers and supporters consistently inspire me through their dedication and unwavering commitment to supporting children with neuroblastoma and their families both now and into the future. Everything they do is with a heart full of hope. This Annual Review is full of both and I’m so very proud to be part of Team SKC.** 

Over the last year, our charity has grown significantly both in relation to the wider range of partners we work with to facilitate and fund research, and through the numbers of families of children diagnosed with neuroblastoma who we have offered our support to over the last year, which has been more than ever before in the charity’s history. The team has consistently risen to the continued pandemic challenges and ensured that our important events, including our parent conference and our Christmas carol concert could be delivered virtually again this year. Our second Neuroblastoma Parent Global Symposium, delivered again with our partners and friends in the US, was shortlisted for an innovation award and reached an audience from across the world. 


Our most ambitious and successful fundraising event to date was our Butterfly Relay, and my sincere thanks go to Clare Andrew, mum to Hannah, who led the charge - the event raised over £30,000. I am continually inspired by the families who support us in so many ways - by fundraising for the charity and connecting us to their networks or by lending us their skills and expertise. Like Clare, Stewart and Cassie Leaver are another shining example of the very heart of this charity, and through their fundraising efforts in memory of their beautiful daughter Jossie, they have raised in excess of £120,000 for SKC. 

This year we welcomed Carl Cavers as our second charity Patron. Carl is not only a highly successful and accomplished businessperson and entrepreneur, he is also full of heart, and became involved with our charity following his support of a young man called Luke, who you will read about in this review. My heartfelt thanks to Carl, to the wonderful people at 2K and Firaxis and their friends from Marvel, and most especially to Luke’s very special family and friends, who we are honoured to continue to support with their fundraising efforts in Luke’s name. The charity is proud to be launching a fund inspired by Luke’s story during 2022. 


As we look back and celebrate all that’s been achieved over the last five years, we look forward with hope as we launch our bold new five-year strategy in 2022. With existing and new partners, we will launch our most ambitious research funding award to-date with a focus on accelerating more effective treatments. We will aim to reach all families of children diagnosed with neuroblastoma in the UK, providing a broader range of practical, emotional and financial support at any point of the journey. And we will continue to advocate for children and their families, developing our first public affairs policy to more boldly champion the needs of all children diagnosed with neuroblastoma, and their families. 

My final words are reserved for the children and families we support – it is you who motivate, inspire and drive us in everything we do - to be bolder and to never lose our focus on helping in the here and now whilst striving to make the future brighter. You are our heart and our hope. 


**Gail Jackson** Chief Executive Officer 

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## Our strategic plan 

**Our next five-year strategy will be launched in 2022, with** 

**our core priorities and objectives set out within three pillars: Research, Support and Awareness. These will be underpinned by three key enablers – sustainability, good governance, and impact – and guided by our charity values:** 

## Caring 

We care passionately about children with neuroblastoma, their families, and all those who care for them, including our staff, volunteers, and supporters. 

## Transparent 

We are open and honest about all that we do and how we do it. 

## Collaborative 

Relationships are at the heart of our work – from the children and families we work with, to the individuals, organisations and networks that are involved in their care. 

## Inclusive 

Our services are developed to ensure they meet need and we aim to make them accessible to all. 

## Determined 

We lead with tenacity and are unfaltering in our drive to help, support and fight for children with cancer. 

## Hopeful 

We have a strong sense of optimism and hope is at the heart of all that we do. 

Over the last five years we have: 

## Research 

- Mobilised 13 new projects spanning across the UK, Europe, and North America 

- Facilitated the investment of over £3.5 million into 

- pioneering research, with a focus on rapid clinical impact for children 

- Enhanced our partnership approach by collaborating with 11 like-minded partners to bring maximum impact for children and their families 

**•** Identified and prioritised areas of unmet need where children are most at risk, including a first ever funding call exclusively for primary refractory disease 

- Received Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) accreditation for our robust grant review process, ensuring that we fund only the best and most influential research and in the fairest possible way 

- Funded the Solving Kids’ Cancer Senior Trials Coordinator for Neuroblastoma at University of Birmingham’s Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit (CRCTU), the first such position dedicated to a single childhood cancer 


## Support 

- Provided vital practical, emotional and financial support to over 1,000 families 

- Supported over 40 families to access treatments and clinical trials both within the UK and abroad 

- Collectively saved families over £1million by negotiating treatment costs with institutions 

- Introduced our Parent Involvement Forum, to ensure our service development meets families’ needs 

- Established and strengthened relationships across the clinical community e.g., through our partnership and partfunding of the National Neuroblastoma Nursing Group (NNNG), delivered in partnership with CCLG 

- Strengthened capacity of our family support team to meet need and develop services 

- Introduced our annual parent survey to encourage a regular dialogue with the neuroblastoma community 

- Hosted three in-person parent education conferences welcoming over 400 participants 

- Taken our parent conference online in the face of the 

- pandemic and hosted the award-winning Neuroblastoma Parent Global Symposium in 2020 and 2021, welcoming over 1000 participants from over 50 countries 

## Awareness 

- Embedded parent and research advocacy in our organisation, with team members positioned in key UK and international forums 

- Formally challenged the decision by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) not to approve antiGD2 immunotherapy for children with neuroblastoma in the UK, paving the way for it to become part of frontline treatment 

- Co-authored the first pediatric oncology advocate-only manuscript to be published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, a leading scientific publication 

- Participated in a debate on the role of stem cell transplantation and high-risk neuroblastoma at SIOP 2021 (International Society of Pediatric Oncology), and subsequently authored a special report that was accepted for publication in Pediatric Blood & Cancer 

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## Research 

**•** Collaborated with 11 like-minded, patient-focused partners to bring maximum impact for children and their families 

We are dedicated to helping those facing a neuroblastoma diagnosis today, while also building a better future with better outcomes for children diagnosed in the future. We do this by driving and investing in pioneering clinical research, focused on finding treatments that are more effective and less toxic. 

- Identified and prioritised areas of unmet need where children are most at risk, including the first ever funding call exclusively for primary refractory disease 

Our research mission is led by parents of children affected by neuroblastoma who have become experts in the field, allowing us to build a portfolio that has children and families at its heart.  We are uniquely placed to use our influence, embedded position within the research community, and reputation alongside our AMRC- accredited research funding framework to make a difference for children. 

- Received AMRC accreditation for our robust grant review process, ensuring that we fund only the best and most influential research, and in the fairest possible way 

## 2021/22 Summary 

Looking back to 2020, it was an unprecedented year in many ways, including in our research progress, as we launched three new international research studies and facilitated a £2.1 million investment in pioneering clinical research into neuroblastoma. Following this, as well as continuing to fund new projects, our focus for 2021/22 has been on long-term sustainability planning and strategy-building to ensure that we can continue to have impact of this scale. 

“The charity has made outstanding progress in driving research, which is benefiting children with neuroblastoma in the UK.” Andy Pearson (Prof), Chair of SKC UK Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) 

We launched our formal Research Strategy in 2017. The ultimate goal of that strategy is to improve the outcome for children and adolescents with neuroblastoma, achieved by facilitating new clinical approaches evaluated through evidence-based clinical trials. 

## Continuing momentum 

In June 2021, we saw the launch of our latest funded project - Optimizing Immunotherapy for Primary Refractory Neuroblastoma. This project, led by Dr Robbie Majzner at Stanford University School of Medicine and Prof John Anderson at UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health will investigate a novel combination of two immunotherapy agents and low-dose chemotherapy in treating newly diagnosed refractory neuroblastoma as well as patients who have relapsed. It was funded following our 2019 International Neuroblastoma Research Initiative, which was the first of its kind to call specifically for proposals on primary refractory neuroblastoma, a sub-type of disease, which has incredibly poor outcomes and is in desperate need of change. This research work is currently translational in nature, with a built-in plan to move into clinical trials as soon as possible once necessary work to optimise the combination therapy is completed. 

Clinical research brings the all-important hope that families need when facing a childhood cancer diagnosis. By investing in pioneering projects, we are working towards a future with improved outcomes for children with neuroblastoma, as well as bringing more options to the clinic for children who are in need of more and better options now. 

## Over the past five years 

## **In the past five years we have:** 

- Facilitated the investment of over £3.5 million into pioneering research, with a focus on immediate clinical impact for children 

- Mobilised 13 new projects spanning across the UK, Europe, and North America 

## Planning for an ambitious 2022 

In March this year, our Scientific Advisory Board met to discuss plans for our next international funding call. This was a very successful meeting that has been followed by an intense period of work by the research team to finalise the International Neuroblastoma Research Initiative 2022. This will mark our biggest funding call to date, and we are incredibly excited to see what the research community brings forward with such a huge potential for impact. We have, once again, used our collaborative approach to strengthen this award through partnership. Conversations with these like-minded organisations first began in 2021, and we are now excited to work closely with them as the funding call develops. 

## About MiNiVan 

In 2015, we collaborated with Solving Kids’ Cancer US, Joining Against Cancer in Kids (J-A-C-K) and Band of Parents to award $500,000 to bring this trial to both Europe and the USA. Founded on promising pre-clinical studies with a strong scientific rationale, it hopes to provide an innovative new treatment for relapsed and refractory neuroblastoma. 

## Poppy 

**Poppy was diagnosed with high-risk neuroblastoma at just four years old, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic and just weeks after the arrival of her baby brother.** 

Initially, Mum, Claire, thought that Poppy’s symptoms, including lack of appetite, complaints of leg pain and clinginess, were due to the huge changes brought on by the pandemic and having a new addition to the family. 

However, after Poppy became more unwell, a consultation with the GP and blood tests at Bedford Hospital hinted at something more sinister. A chest X-ray finally revealed a tumour in Poppy’s chest cavity, wrapping around her heart and pushing against her lung. This was later confirmed to be neuroblastoma. 

After 13 rounds of chemotherapy in frontline treatment, Poppy enrolled onto the MiNivAn trial at the University of Southampton. The MiNivAn trial was co-funded by Solving Kids’ Cancer UK in 2015. 

The study is testing a new combination of radiation therapy and two different immunotherapy drugs in the hope that it will help to reduce a child’s cancer, particularly where their disease is not responding well to standard chemotherapies. 

If successful, this therapy may offer an important alternative or complimentary treatment modality to chemotherapybased regimens for children with neuroblastoma in the future. 

## Over the next five years 

## Accelerate Clinical Trial Development 

We will focus on accelerating the development of new treatments by investing in clinical research and working with valued partners for maximum impact. 

## Prioritise the Needs of Children 

We will engage with families to identify areas of unmet need, challenging experts to find solutions and work together to deliver maximum impact through the research we fund. 

## Foster Collaboration 

We will build and strengthen international partnerships to share expertise, best practice and resources, whilst building knowledge. 

For Poppy, the treatment helped reduce her 33 spots of disease to three. Since completing the trial, Poppy has gone back into frontline treatment, which includes surgery, highdose chemo with stem-cell rescue and radiotherapy, and she has just completed her third round of immunotherapy. 

“Clinical trials are so important to move cancer treatment forward. Chemotherapy is not always the answer for every child. The MiNivAn trial has helped Poppy move from 33 spots down to just 3, with no chemotherapy involved”. 

Claire, Poppy’s Mum 

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## Support 

“My son was diagnosed at the age of 15 years, over 14 years ago. There was not much in the way of support for families in those days, and certainly no specialist input. Solving Kids’ Cancer has been a godsend to so many. It’s a guiding light when you feel lost and can’t see a way forward and clarifies things amidst all the confusion.”  Parent in receipt of support from the charity 

Our unique Family Support Service is dedicated to the 

neuroblastoma patient and parent community in the UK. The team blends personal experience and acquired knowledge, as parents of children affected by neuroblastoma, with professional skills and experience. They provide expert advice on practical, financial and emotional burdens, as well as helping to guide families through often difficult, complex and fraught decision-making processes. 


Our service focuses on the here and now, easing the immediate burdens and pressures which a neuroblastoma diagnosis brings. 


## Luke 

We have provided support to Luke and his wonderful family since he was diagnosed with neuroblastoma when he was 14 years old. In 2021, Luke and his family received the devastating news that there were no more curative options for him. Over the years, while facing aggressive and toxic cancer treatment, Luke found solace and comfort in the world of Marvel and gaming. Now he had one last special wish – to play a not yet released video game, Marvel’s Midnight Suns from 2K and Firaxis Games. 

to play. He is now forever immortalised in the game with a special tribute: his name engraved on a tree and listed in the game’s credits. 

Luke sadly passed away in 2021 at the age of 23, but knowing him and his family and seeing his wish realised has had a profound effect on our charity, our work, and our supporters. Luke was committed and passionate about our work, the support we provide children and families and the future we are determined to see – a world without neuroblastoma and where the word holds no fear. 

His wish to play this game sparked a remarkable series of events and a groundswell of support across social media from the gaming community, which resulted in Luke’s wish coming true. Incredibly, 2K – the game’s publisher – reached out to us and a member of the 2K team visited Luke with a special in-development version of the game, making Luke among the first few people in the world to have the chance 

In Luke’s own words, 

Big love, only love, always love 

## Over the next five years 

## Reach all Families 

Every family of a child diagnosed with neuroblastoma in the UK will have access to our support service from the point of diagnosis. 

## Broaden Range of Support 

We will develop and expand our support offer in line with what families tell us they need. 

Inform and Support Decision Making 

We will ensure families have access to the most current and scientifically robust data from around the world and support their decision to access the best treatment possible. 


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## Awareness 

**•** American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Affiliate Member and Paediatric Cancer Working Group (PCWG) 

Both patient and research advocacy have been critical functions of the charity since its inception and have been key to many of the successes achieved. In research, this has led to many achievements, including the notable NICE appeal that helped lead to direct changes to standard therapy, and growth of a research portfolio that focuses on the unmet needs of children. 

- Paediatric Oncology Subcommittee of the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (PedsODAC) for the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 

## **Voluntary Research Director and Chair of Trustees – Nick Bird** 

- National Cancer Research Institute Neuroblastoma Group Member 

Our Family Support team is also fully immersed within the neuroblastoma community, which allows us to progress every aspect of our work with families at the very centre. 

- NHS England Clinical Reference Group for Children 

- and Young People’s Cancers Patient & Public Voice Representative 

“The implementation of the Parent Involvement Forum is an excellent initiative and provides further opportunities for advocacy throughout the charity’s work.” Helen Pearson, Chair, National Neuroblastoma Nursing Group 

- Innovative Therapies for Children with Cancer Advocate Committee Founding Chair 

- SIOPEN Advocate Committee Member 

There are several ‘expert advocates’ within our organisation who hold key positions within the international research landscape, many of which they have established themselves. 

- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Patient Expert for anti-GD2 monoclonal antibody therapy 

- Formerly National Cancer Research Institute Children’s Group Member 

## **Head of Research - Leona Knox** 

- ACCELERATE Steering Committee 

## Strengthening Research Advocacy 

- ACCELERATE International Collaboration Working Group 

As we developed our new five-year strategy, our patient advocate experts within the research team continued their vital work in research advocacy. This year has seen several novel accomplishments by the team, including the first ever advocate-authored paper to be published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO). Nick Bird, Chair of Trustees and Research Director, led the authorship of this groundbreaking paper that discusses the issues at play in drug development for childhood cancer. 

- SIOPEN Advocate Committee Founding Chair (International Society of Paediatric Oncology European Neuroblastoma Group) 

- American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Affiliate Member and Paediatric Cancer Working Group (PCWG) 

- Kids v Cancer Parent Council 

- Innovative Therapies for Children with Cancer Advocate Committee Member 

This was followed by a second landmark advocate-authored paper published in Pediatric Blood & Cancer (PBC), led again by Nick Bird, discussing the use of stem cell transplant in the treatment of high-risk neuroblastoma – a subject that has anguished parents over the last decade. 

## **Research Advisor - Donna Ludwinski** 

- New Approaches to Neuroblastoma Therapy (NANT) Advisory Council 

- Coalition Against Childhood Cancer (CAC2) Board 

In addition, our research team has been heavily involved in breaking new ground by establishing formal advocate committees within the two major European collaborative research networks relevant to children with neuroblastoma, 

- National Cancer Institute (NCI) Paediatric Central Institutional Review Board 

## **Over the next five years** Over the next five years 

ITCC and SIOPEN. ITCC (Innovative Therapies for Children with Cancer) runs early phase clinical trials across all children’s cancers, and SIOPEN (International Society of Paediatric Oncology European Neuroblastoma Group) is the multi-national group responsible for all major neuroblastoma clinical trials in Europe. Nick Bird and Leona Knox hold the two founding Chair positions of these Advocate Committees and as such represent the patient and parent voice within the Executive Committees of each respective organisation. 

## Research Advocacy 

We will amplify the voice of the children and parents, seeking to advance science and understanding of the disease alongside patient-centric research. 

## Patient Advocacy 

We will champion the needs of individual children and their families, providing parent-led support around decisionmaking to improve treatment outcomes. 

## Awareness and Campaigning 

Their work will prove an invaluable foundation for the charity as we build our new Awareness pillar, which will encompass these important advocacy activities within the research community. 

We will raise the profile and support the treatment needs of children with neuroblastoma and other childhood cancers with the general public, government and public bodies. 

As part of her ambassador role, Iulia, who works for Google, introduced us to their incredible EMEA Business Strategy & Operations team, who gifted us a day of their time and expertise by hosting a focused strategy day. Over 14 amazing Googlers signed up to participate alongside members of our team and Board of Trustees. The Googlers reflected with us, informed and challenged us. 

## Odile 

**Odile was diagnosed with low-risk neuroblastoma soon after she was born in 2019. Now three years old, Odile is a healthy, cheeky and loving toddler.** 

Odile’s parents, Iulia and Padmesh, felt helpless in those early weeks and months after Odile was born. After spending hours searching for advice and information about low-risk neuroblastoma and being unable to find any, they both felt isolated and scared about Odile’s future and totally unprepared to make potentially life-or-death decisions around their daughter’s health. They finally came across information about our charity and were in regular contact with our dedicated Family Support Team, and through doing so were able to seek a second opinion, which helped inform their decision making. 

Despite our small size, we have huge ambitions on behalf of children with neuroblastoma and their families. Our day with Google helped us realise that our ambition and determination is far more important than our size and that we need to think beyond any limitations and be bold and unapologetic for children and families who deserve nothing less. 


In the summer of 2020, with Odile doing really well, Iulia signed up to be a Solving Kids’ Cancer UK Ambassador. Iulia is dedicated to enabling the charity to reach more families from the point of diagnosis, including those families of children who are diagnosed with low and intermediate-risk neuroblastoma. This is largely shaped from experiencing the lack of information available about low-risk neuroblastoma and the conflicting opinions around treatment for children with this type of disease. 

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## Your support 

Over the last year, we have been humbled by the support we have received from our community and event fundraisers and the ongoing support we have received from our corporate supporters. Highlights from the year include: 

**connection, we became very aware of the fantastic support provided by the charity to those whose lives are affected by this devastating condition, seeing first-hand how it helped Jossie and her family, and learning more about the incredible work it carries out. Whilst it is a relatively small charity, it has a huge heart and fantastic levels of support for the families it cares for. As a business, we are delighted to be able to help with our annual Charity of the Year fundraising and are looking forward to being able to present the charity with what we hope will be a sizable donation in April 2022.”** Bents Garden and Home. 

## Bents Garden and Home 

It was an honour to be selected as Bents Garden & Home’s Charity of the Year.  It was wonderful working together on a variety of fundraising activities with the highlight being the Bents Butterfly Ball. The connection came through Stewart & Cassie Leaver and their beautiful daughter, Jossie. 

Bents Butterfly Ball: The much-anticipated event was a magical night and huge success with so much warmth, enthusiasm, and compassion for the work of Solving Kids’ Cancer. The night completely exceeded expectations with an incredible £42,000 raised. The emotion and depth of feeling for our cause and especially for little Jossie, taken far too soon by neuroblastoma, was clear for all to see. The raffle and auction had everyone spending generously, and the entertainment and atmosphere in the room provided a huge tonic as the country began to slowly emerge from the pandemic. We are extremely grateful to the team at Bents and all their customers for their incredible support and generosity. 

Jossie also inspired a large group of friends and family to take part in the Thames Bridges Trek in September 2021, across Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. All those who knew, loved, or felt inspired by her were part of ‘Jossie’s Posse’, and together, in her memory, they walked 25km across London. 

Over the course of the year more than £120,000 was raised in Jossie’s memory and honour by these amazing and dedicated supporters. 


**“Solving Kids’ Cancer is a cause very close to the hearts of everyone at Bents Garden & Home, following the loss of our Financial Director’s great niece, six-year-old Jossie Leaver, who bravely battled with neuroblastoma. Through this family** 



## Butterfly Relay 

The wonderful Butterfly Relay took place from May to September 2021, inspired by and created in memory of Hannah for what would have been her 21st birthday. One of our ambassadors, Clare Andrew, Hannah’s Mum, worked with SKC to launch this wonderful event, saying, **“Hannah fought for so long, I feel like she wouldn’t want us to just give up and walk away. She’d say ‘Well, what are you going to do now then? Come on, let’s go!’”.** 

## iTech Media: 

10,000 butterflies were knitted by volunteers across the country in support of this event and children with neuroblastoma. Each team member carried a knitted butterfly on their journey as a symbol of hope. 

We are delighted to have the support of our wonderful corporate partner, iTech Media, with members of their team completing two challenge events for us within a couple of days in October 2021. Firstly, Tough Mudder, a team of 11 competing for us in South London. Then came the Royal Parks Half Marathon on a sunny October morning.  We are so grateful for their support and the amazing amount raised for us. 

The event saw over 230 people taking part and raised over £30,000 for the charity. This incredible group walked, swam, ran, cycled, and skipped throughout the five months. The original target was 21,000km, but this target was soon smashed, and together participants collectively travelled over 125,000km! 

## SUMO Group: 


SUMO’s connection came through Luke’s story (page 12) on social media, and because of this, we are delighted their CEO, Carl Cavers, is now one of our Charity Patrons. SUMO’s generosity and support has enabled SKC UK to grow and deliver projects that simply had not been possible previously. Their continued support never ceases to amaze us. Over the next year, we will be working closely with the SUMO team to launch the Care & Connect Family Support bag project: an idea that is now becoming a reality, all thanks to SUMO’s generosity. 

“I’m honoured and humbled to be part of the SKC UK team and join as Patron of this remarkable charity. The work SKC UK do around both researching the disease and around dealing with the impact of treatment is incredible. We are in a privileged position as games developers; not only can we help by donating financially, but we can help bring a measure of joy to these children’s lives as they and their families navigate such a challenging time. SKC is accomplishing so much, and I’m determined to help raise awareness for this deserving charity.” Carl Cavers, CEO, Sumo Group and SKC Charity Patron 


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## Your support 

A2B for Stanley 

In October 2021, a special event took place in memory of a very special boy, Stanley. Starting from Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridgeshire (where Stanley spent six months with all the wide ranging, often brutal, treatments he received during his battle with neuroblastoma) a team of friends and family cycled 222 miles, crossing the border into Wales to end in Brecon, raising over £5,000 for the charity. 

## Ollie’s Climb 

The wonderful Ollie trained hard for months with his dad to prepare for climbing Pen y Fan. He completed his challenge and raised £1,300 to fight for a brighter future for other children. 


“We would like to acknowledge all the hard work, amazing charity contributions, warm hospitality from complete strangers, and superb riding efforts from the entire team on A2B for Stanley. Riding 222 miles from Addenbrooke’s to Brecon was no mean feat in what at times was torrential rain, but everyone involved, riders and support crew, smiled throughout. A true testament to our amazing little hero, Stanley George Appleton, who continues to be an inspiration to all those that deliver each time in his honour.” Sarah and Paul, Stanley’s parents. 


## Events 

Taking our events online 

To meet the challenge of COVID-19 we were, once again, faced with the difficult decision to take our in-person events online. Taking our events online has made them accessible to families across the world, enabling us to extend our reach and be more inclusive than ever before. Our enormous and sincere thanks to GRC World Forums and their team for continuing to make these events possible. 



## Neuroblastoma Parent Global 

## Symposium 2021 

On 5 and 6 November 2021, we held our second Neuroblastoma Parent Global Symposium in partnership with Solving Kids’ Cancer US and Children’s Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation (CNCF). This event, which brings together the research and parent communities, was born from our in-person Parent Education Conference (2012–2019) which sadly had to be postponed in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. While this was incredibly disappointing because we know the value of the in-person conference to families, it meant the evolution of a more accessible virtual gathering, which also has global reach. 

The event welcomed over 500 participants and provided a range of information sessions led by international leaders in the neuroblastoma field. It included more opportunities for Q&A with the experts and introduced conversation rooms focused on specific topics where families could come together for peer support, something they previously hadn’t had the opportunity to access. The event was highly valued by the parent community, which was reflected in the feedback we received after the event. 

“One of the greatest benefits of these sessions is that us parents are gaining the confidence that we can make as many informative decisions as possible for our kids and their treatment paths. That’s a huge thing. Keep up the good work.” 

“Just an amazing achievement by all involved. Thank you so much.” 

“Thank you so much for the time and effort put into making this such a great event! Very valuable information!” 

We are proud that NPGS 2021 has been shortlisted in the Third Sector Awards 2022 in the category of Best Service Delivery Innovation, as well as being awarded Best Specialist Child Cancer Research and Parent Support NPO - UK in the Healthcare & Pharmaceutical Awards 2022. 


This event has been a wonderful opportunity for the charity to grow and adapt and will continue to inform our educational activities moving forward. 

Families can access all the content from our 2021 and 2020 events on-demand through the NPGS website - www. nbparentsymposium.com 

We are grateful for the support from Y-mAbs Therapeutics, Jubilant Radiopharma and Sanofi in making this event possible. 

## Caroling Together 

Our second virtual Carol Concert took place on 16 December 2021. We welcomed 180 households to the event and raised over £7,000 in support of our work.  There were stunning performances from the likes of The Jupiter Singers, Astræa, London Oratory School Chamber Choir and the cast of TINA: The Tina Turner Musical. Our Patron, Rob Brydon, also performed exclusively alongside His Fabulous Band. 

Five Solving Kids’ Cancer UK Hero Awards were presented to some very special people in the neuroblastoma community. The winners were: Carol Benbow; Rainbow Ward, North Middlesex Hospital; 2K and Firaxis, Emma Rees and Michelle Collins. 

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Annual Report & Accounts 2021-22 

## Achievements and performance: 


The post-pandemic world continued to present great challenges to both our charity and the children and families we exist for. Throughout this challenging year we have remained resolute and focused on the delivery of our six key strategic objectives, set out in our 2017–2022 strategic plan. 

## **1. Strengthen governance to successfully deliver our charity’s mission** 

- Strengthened and recruited to our Board with a view to succession processes and planning. 

- Implemented a CRM system to improve donor journey, communications and impact measurement. 

- Strengthened our risk register and added an addendum covering current risk factors such as COVID-19. 

- Implemented our new finance system. 

- Continued to streamline our costs to ensure we are a lean and agile organisation, responsive to the needs of our community. 

- Undertook a comprehensive review of our 2017-2022 Strategic Plan and consulted the parent and clinical communities and charity partners to inform our 2022-2027 Strategic Plan. 

## **2. Engage and inspire long-term public 3. Review and enhance the charity’s support for the charity and the fight support offerings against neuroblastoma** 

   - Increased capacity within our Family Support Service team to ensure we can reach all children and their families. 

- Implemented our ambitious Fundraising and Comms Strategy. 

- Hosted the Butterfly Relay, inspired by Hannah Edwards, and collectively travelled over 100km. 

   - Provided hundreds of families with 

   - emotional and practical support and evidence-based and impartial information about neuroblastoma and its treatment. 

- Recruited for the new role of 

- Relationship Manager, who works closely with our corporate supporters. 

   - Delivered our second Neuroblastoma Parent Global Symposium, reaching over 500 participants across 45 countries. 

- Welcomed over 180 households to our second virtual Christmas Carol Concert, raising over £7,000. 

   - Provided over £75,000 in pastoral grants to 13 families. 

- Secured GamesAid funding for a sixth year running. 

   - Enhanced our own understanding of the global clinical trial landscape and launched an internal learning programme via regular research drop-ins. 

- Raised over £250,000 through our dedicated community and challenge event supporters. 

- Developed a relationship with 

Google, who provided their expertise and time to deliver a strategy day focusing on three key areas of development. 

   - Saved families collectively nearly £200,000 by negotiating treatment costs with institutions. 

- Launched Solving Kids’ Cancer Named Funds, enabling families to raise funds in their child’s name to directly support key areas of our work. 

## **4. Facilitate access to the best available treatments and most promising clinical trials** 

- Supported families to raise £2.5 million to access treatments and clinical trials not currently available within the NHS. 

- Facilitated access to treatment in the UK and overseas for 15 children. 

- Organised flights and 

- accommodation for ten families. 

- Saved families collectively nearly £200,000 by negotiating the costs of their treatments with cancer institutions. 

- Continued to provide patient advocacy, championing the needs of individual children and their families. 

## **5. Support and enable best in class clinical research, accessible in the UK** 

- Produced the first ever advocate-only authored paper on paediatric cancer to be published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO). 

- Saw a second landmark advocate- 

- authored paper published in Pediatric Blood and Cancer (PBC), discussing the use of stem cell transplant in treatment for high-risk neuroblastoma. 

- Helped to establish two new 

- advocate committees within the Innovative Therapies for Children with Cancer research network (ITCC) and the leading European neuroblastoma research organisation, SIOPEN. 

- Directly committed over £250,000 to innovative research and facilitated the commitment of over £500,000 alongside partners. 

- Facilitated an initial roundtable meeting in Parliament to drive the development of a cross-party strategy, which will consider how to bring more innovative therapies to the UK. 

## **6. Harness the combined power and** 

## **resources of the neuroblastoma community to most effectively advocate for, and work in support of, children and their families.** 

- Partnered with three other charities to help deliver more and better treatment options for children with neuroblastoma. 

- Surveyed our community and worked with our Parent Involvement Forum to inform our new strategy and service development. 

- Worked in collaboration with Solving Kids’ Cancer US and Children’s Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation to host the second Neuroblastoma Parent Global Symposium. 


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Annual Report & Accounts 2021-22 

## Future plans 

Like many charities, the ongoing challenges presented by the pandemic will have an impact on our work and the community we serve for years to come, in addition to the challenges presented by the emerging cost of living crisis. 

We will develop our services in line with our 2022–2027 strategic plan, informed by our three pillars – Research, Support and Awareness – and underpinned by our three enablers – sustainability, good governance and impact. We will remain focused on the needs of the neuroblastoma community and take an inclusive approach to raising our voice for the benefit of children and their families. 

Through this, we will continue in our unswerving vision for a future where no child dies of neuroblastoma or suffers due to the treatment they receive. 

## Over the next year we will: 

- Launch our 2022–2027 Strategic Plan, informed by our stakeholders and developed in line with our vision to build on the success and learning from our 2017 –2022 Strategic Plan; ensuring we have a blueprint for our growth, sustainability and stability into the future. 

- Continue to build and enhance relationships and work in partnership with the global neuroblastoma family, as well as clinical and research communities, to support our vision and work to raise our collective voice. Ensuring we continue to advocate passionately and effectively for children and families affected by neuroblastoma. 

- In September 2022, issue our most ambitious international Request for Applications (RFA) to date, inviting researchers to submit their ideas to us as part of our competitive Research Funding Award process. 

- Provide additional pastoral support by launching a special fund for families across the UK and Ireland, inspired by Luke Wiltshire. 

- Build on the success of the second Neuroblastoma Parent Global Symposium by working with Solving Kids’ Cancer US and the neuroblastoma clinical community to host our 

third virtual global event for the benefit of families and all those who support them. Inspired by the success of the symposiums, we will also launch our SKC webinar series for families in the UK. 

- Continue to develop our support service, informed by the neuroblastoma parent and clinical community. We will launch our bespoke Care & Connect Family Support bags and develop services for families affected by bereavement, and those navigating psychosocial and physical challenges following years of intensive treatment. 

- Continue to develop our education and advocacy offer through developing project partnerships in Europe and transatlantically. We will take an active role in the ongoing debate around childhood cancer outcomes, through developing our own public affairs strategy; and continuing to build relationships with UK Principal Treatment Centres and other organisations providing direct and frontline services to families affected by neuroblastoma and other children’s cancers. 

- Enter the second year of our ambitious fundraising strategy, informed by our stakeholders and responsive to the current landscape, to ensure our long-term sustainability and growth. 

- Invest in our team, in line with our new strategic plan, to strengthen our offer in family support, fundraising and comms. 

- Undertake consultation with stakeholders to inform a brand refresh and further develop our website to ensure it meets the needs of those we are trying to reach and of the charity itself. 

- Continue to enhance the functioning of our Board in line with strategic planning to ensure effective and robust succession planning is in place. 

- Focus on strengthening our organisational effectiveness by further embedding our CRM and Finance database systems, enabling us to develop sophisticated mechanisms for reporting, gathering insight and demonstrating our impact. 

## Structure, governance and management: 

**•** To advance the education, relieve the sickness and the 

## Governing Document 

- poverty of persons living anywhere in the world through the provision of equipment, financial assistance and by any other charitable means that the directors in their absolute discretion think fit. 

The Trustees, who are also Directors for the purposes of company law, present their report and the financial statements of the company for the year ended 31 March 2022. 

## Public Benefit 

The charity is controlled by its governing document, the Articles of Association, and constitutes an incorporated registered charity. The charity was incorporated on 30 March 2010 at Companies House, was entered in the Register of Charities on 20 April 2010 and is administered by the Trustees. At their discretion, the Trustees may spend all or part of the capital of the charity in furthering its Objects, in the following ways: 

The Trustees give due regard to the public benefit provided by the Charity in relation to its charitable purpose as set out by the Objects and due consideration to the relevant guidance issued by the Charity Commission. The Trustees will continue to ensure that the principal activities of the Charity are to provide public benefit. 

## Board of Trustees 

Solving Kids’ Cancer UK is governed by the Board of Trustees, chaired by Nick Bird. The Trustees determine the Charity’s strategic direction and oversee progress against objectives. It is responsible for governance and for upholding the Charity’s values. The Charity must have at least two Trustees. The dayto-day running of the Charity is the responsibility of the Chief Executive. 

- i)   to raise funds. The Trustees must not undertake any substantial permanent trading activity and must comply with any relevant statutory regulations. 

- ii)    to buy, take on lease or in exchange, hire or otherwise acquire property and to maintain and equip it for use. 

- iii)   to sell, lease or otherwise dispose of all or any part of property belonging to the charity. 

The Board of Trustees supports the principles of good governance set out in the new Charity Governance Code (see www.charitygovernancecode.org) and also the continuous improvement model which the Code promotes. 

- iv)   to borrow money and to charge the whole or any part of the property belonging to the charity as security for repayment of the money borrowed. 

The Board of Trustees, receive periodic technical briefings on neuroblastoma research, have joint sessions with the Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board and attend the annual Neuroblastoma Symposium and other relevant conferences/ meetings. During the year, Trustees and the full staff team joined together for a strategy day to support the design of the new five-year strategy. 

## Aims and Objects 

The charity’s objects (“Objects”) are specifically restricted to the following: 

- To advance the understanding and treatment of cancer in children through the greater awareness, provision of equipment, access to treatment protocols in hospitals and medical centres and clinical research aimed at improved diagnosis and treatment anywhere in the world. 


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The Board of Trustees has formal board meetings six times during the year. Trustees initially commit to a three-year term and may hold office for a maximum of three, three yearly terms. Trustees who have undertaken their first threeyear term of office could elect to extend their trusteeship by an additional one, two or three years. Trustees may resign from office by serving one month’s written notice to the other Trustees. In accordance with the charity’s Articles of Association, Trustees must undertake to attend meetings regularly and any Trustee failing to do so may be duly removed from their position. 

The quorum necessary for the transaction of Trustee business at an ordinary meeting is two Trustees. The Trustees agree that the nominated Chair has the casting vote for decisions where there is equal weighting. 

Trustees may be appointed by the members by an ordinary resolution or by the directors by a resolution of the directors. 

The Board selects new Trustees based upon their empathy with the Objects of the charity, skills and experience to help provide the appropriate level of governance and oversight for the charity to be effective, coupled with their ability to commit the necessary time for Board meetings and other key events, to include the annual Neuroblastoma Symposium. 

During the year, the Board focused on their succession planning and skills gaps. One new Trustee, Dr Aine McCarthy joined the Board on 20 July 2021 and Bronwyn Ellis stepped down on 6 February 2022. We would like to extend our sincerest thanks to Bronwyn for her unfaltering support of the work of the charity over the course of her tenure as Trustee. The Board is looking to undertake a further Board recruitment process during 2022/23 to increase the number of Board members. Alexandra Lane, Trustee, is also further developing her knowledge of research, and will be joining the Research Workgroup in 2022, which is tasked to work towards achieving the objectives of the Research pillar within the new five-year strategy. 

Trustee induction procedures include completing relevant training and working with staff and existing Trustees to understand the organisation and develop internal relationships, to include one-to-one meetings with the CEO, Chair of the Board, Trustees and members of the Leadership 

Team. The induction also covers governance processes, strategic planning and finance, so that new Trustees are equipped with relevant knowledge about the organisation and its priorities. New Trustees are provided with a Role Description and Person Specification and Board Code of Conduct. 

## Scientific Advisory Board 

Solving Kids’ Cancer UK’s Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) is an independent body of experts who are responsible for providing expert guidance and support to help us achieve our research goals, as well as overseeing our robust, AMRC accredited grant award process. Their advice and recommendations are presented to the Board of Trustees via our research team. 

Our SAB continues to play an active role in guiding the research-related work of Solving Kids’ Cancer UK and provides valuable feedback on our ongoing initiatives. The Annual Progress Reports submitted by the leader of each funded project were reviewed, with further interim reports requested to more closely monitor progress of some of the projects. The scope of our next international Request for Applications has been decided, which will call for more innovative clinical research and novel approaches to make best use of limited resources, focused on the unmet needs of children. The SAB also voted to appoint two additional new members – one with specific neuroblastoma expertise and one non-neuroblastoma specific expert– which will further expand the capacity of the SAB and help reduce scenarios where a conflict of interest may arise. 

The Trustees would like to extend their wholehearted gratitude to every member of our Scientific Advisory Board, for their continued dedication to push the Charity’s research goals forward, for the benefit of children with neuroblastoma in the UK and internationally. A special thanks goes to the Chair of our Scientific Advisory Board, Professor Andy Pearson, for providing his expertise and continued tireless commitment to help children with neuroblastoma, and for his incredible enthusiasm and support for the work of Solving Kids’ Cancer UK. 

## Staff Remuneration 

All salaries, including that of the Chief Executive, are based upon an assessment of the employment market, the performance of each member of staff, the skill levels required, the size and financial performance of the charity and the salary levels required to obtain the services of the best staff. 

## Equity, Diversity and Inclusion 

Solving Kids’ Cancer UK has a strong, caring ethos and is firmly committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), recently enshrined in our two new charity values, caring and inclusive. With the launch of our new five-year charity strategy, we are addressing EDI with renewed focus and will shortly be convening a working group to determine our EDI vision and objectives – centred around those with lived experience – and to ensure we deliver our plan and continually monitor our performance. 

We are committed to embedding principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion, ensuring that our operations, activities, and services are designed and open for everyone to be included, and fostering culture, behaviours, and practices in support of social justice. 

EDI is fundamental to achieving our charity objectives to reach and be there for all families affected by neuroblastoma, and for the health and wellbeing of all those we work with and exist for. We want everyone to feel included and believe in the importance of reflecting different perspectives, experiences, and skills, including from those with lived experience of neuroblastoma, within our staff, Board, and volunteer teams. 

We are not EDI experts, we don’t have all the answers, and we won’t always get it right - but this can’t and won’t hold us back. We are committed to learning, to listening and to creating safe spaces for difficult conversations that will inspire and lead to positive and lasting change. 

## Safeguarding 

Our work and practice is underpinned by safeguarding principles with the aim of protecting children and young people and enhancing their welfare. SKC UK always works in accordance with legislation, statutory guidance, and best safeguarding practices. SKC UK has robust safeguarding policies and procedures in place and all staff and Trustees receive dedicated safeguarding training upon induction with regular updates as required. 

All hiring managers are required to access Safer Recruitment training to ensure that our recruitment processes are robust with an emphasis on ensuring the safety and welfare of the children and families we support. All staff and Trustees are required to have a basic DBS check and clearance before commencing their role with SKC and this is extended to any volunteer or service provider that may have regular direct interaction with the children and families we support. The charity reviews and revises safeguarding policies and procedures at regular intervals, at least annually, and has a designated safeguarding lead within the leadership team and a Trustee with designated safeguarding oversight. 

## Volunteers 

The Trustees are extremely grateful for the considerable contribution made by the charity’s volunteers and fundraisers in support of children with neuroblastoma, including our Ambassadors, our Parent Involvement Forum members and all those who lend their time, expertise and resources in furtherance of our charitable objectives. 

This extends to the significant contribution made by clinicians and researchers who advise the charity on the complex landscape of high-risk neuroblastoma treatment, as well as those individuals that assist the office team with administration activities necessary for us to achieve our aims and objectives. During the year, the charity was supported by a huge number of volunteers working virtually who collectively contributed over 3,500 hours and we are hugely grateful to them all. 


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Annual Report & Accounts 2021-22 

## Our legal and administrative details 

## **Leadership Team** 

## **Registered charity name** 

Claire Hislop (Head of Operations) Gemma Wadsley (Head of Strategic Finance) Anne Denman (Head of Fundraising and Comms) Leona Knox (Head of Research) Vicky Inglis (Head of Family Support) 

Solving Kids’ Cancer UK Ltd 

## **Charity registration number** 

1135601 (England and Wales) SC045094 (Scotland) 

## **Company registration number** 

## **Auditors** 

07208648 

## Shipleys LLP 

**Registered office** 

Chartered Accountants & Statutory Auditor 10 Orange Street, Haymarket London, WC2H 7DQ 

Coram Campus 

41 Brunswick Square London 

## **Bankers** 

WC1N 1AZ 

National Westminster Bank, 

## **Trustees** 

Church Road Branch, London, NW4 4DS 

The Trustees who served the company during the period were as follows: 

## **Investment managers** 

## Nick Bird (Chair) 

CCLA Investment Management Limited 

Joseph Tabone 

Senator House 85 Queen Victoria Street London, EC4V 4ET 

Matthew G White 

David Coulon (Treasurer) 

Bronwyn Ellis stepped down as Trustee on 6 February 2022 Alexandra Lane Dr Áine  McCarthy joined the Board on 20 July 2021 

## **Solicitors** 

Withers 

16 Old Bailey London EC4M 7EG 

## **Company Secretary** 

Gemma Wadsley 

## **Chief Executive** 

Gail Jackson 


## Our finances 

## Overview 

## Expenditure 

We have had a strong year financially with unrestricted income recovering to pre-pandemic levels and expenditure focused on supporting our beneficiaries with operating expenditure remaining extremely lean. 

Expenditure decreased slightly for the year at £2,105,215 (2021: £2,309,712). The make-up of our expenditure is dependent on our Family Funds being accessed for treatment and whilst income was up this year, this was very much towards the back end of the year so expenditure for these funds will occur within 2022/23. Access to treatment costs were up overall at £1,094,940 (2021: £1,011,301). The phasing of Research commitments means that they fluctuate from year to year with 2022 including two new commitments at £263,522 (2021: £704,181). As noted, we have endeavoured to reduce our operational costs including continuing to have low rental costs and running our Neuroblastoma Parent Global Symposium online. 

Whilst the external environment remains challenging with the global COVID-19 pandemic ongoing, cost of living costs increasing and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine all impacting charities operationally and financially, we have remained strong and have invested in the implementation of our fundraising strategy and are already seeing the impact in our increased income position. We have seen a large number of families looking to access treatment with our support and this has also had an impact on our overall designated income going up. 

We have agreed a revised five-year organisational strategy alongside a five-year budget, which will see us invest in organisational sustainability and growth with deficits across the earlier years, which will spend down the reserves. 

## Investments 

Given the nature of the organisation, supporting very young children and their families, our investment objectives are primarily to invest in an ethically sound manner, in order to protect the value of the charity’s assets against inflation, and provide modest returns through a combination of income distribution and capital growth. In addition to being mindful of the nature of investments made on behalf of the charity, the Trustees’ appetite for risk is also influenced by the significant amount of funds that are designated for future purposes. The COIF Charities Ethical Investment Fund aims to provide a long-term gross return of 5% per annum net of inflation. Within this, the fund aims to deliver a consistent annual distribution of income and operate with a level of volatility (risk) that is no greater than 75% of the volatility of the UK equity market. The return performance for the year was 7.6% which is consistent with our aims. 

## Income 

Our total income for the year was £3,579,609 (2021: £2,297,271). This is made up of £843,739 of unrestricted funds (2021: £703,597), £2,413,207 of designated funds (2021: £1,503,456) and £322,663 restricted funds (2021: £90,218). 

Our unrestricted income is made up of voluntary and investment income, which supports all of our charity’s internal activities. This includes our family support provision – offering pastoral care to support families, and providing evidence-based, impartial information to support parents in their choice of treatment options for their child and to access treatments and clinical trials if they are not available in the UK. It also includes our internal research team and infrastructure, all our fundraising activities and our operational running and governance. The majority of the remainder of our income relates to designated family funds, which the Board have designated in the name of a child to support treatment options for that individual child. 

Following an extremely volatile investment year, particularly in relation to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and Global instability as a result of the Russian Invasion of Ukraine and the cost of living crisis, we are pleased to report an investment gain of £289,123 (2021: £571,632). Over the total period since purchase the investment has given capital growth of £1,204,068. The market is extremely volatile in the current climate and as at 31st October 2022 our investment loss for the current year to date is £231,847. 

Total income has grown by £1,282,338 for the year, which is largely based on the number of families raising funds to access treatment this year. Our unrestricted income has grown as we are embedding our fundraising strategy, focusing on donor development and engagement and we have built some strong new partnerships and relationships. 

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Annual Report & Accounts 2021-22 

## Reserves Policy 

The Trustees have adopted a Reserves Policy, which they consider appropriate to ensure the continued ability of the charity to meet its objectives. 

General funds are set aside to meet research, education, family support and administration costs. At the financial yearend, general funds were £984,377 (2021: £778,001). 

General free reserves (undesignated funds excluding fixed assets) were £975,127 and represent 11 months’ undesignated expenditure. 

## **Free reserves are calculated as follows:** 


**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
2022<br>£<br>Total funds of the charity 12,367,643<br>Less: Restricted funds (1,643,744)<br>Less: Designated funds (9,739,522)<br>Less: Fixed assets held for charity use (9,250)<br>£975,127<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


The Reserves Policy currently states that six to nine months of essential running costs should be covered in order to meet its obligations in the short term (£520,000-£781,000 based upon 2022/23 budget). This is based on an assessment of the organisational risk approach and funding model. 

Whilst we are currently above our reserves target at 11 months, Trustees have this year agreed their 2022-27 Five-Year Strategy, which has been developed alongside a Five-Year Financial Strategy, which provides investment in the organisational capacity and supports sustainable future income sustainability. The proposed budgets over the first three years would see the General Reserves level fall back to within the policy range. 

This robust financial plan, alongside the need for caution given the continued challenging nature of the external environment for all charities, means that the Trustees are very comfortable with the current reserves level and longerterm policy. 

Designated funds are set aside for the treatment of specific children with neuroblastoma, and are not available for the general running of the charity or any projects which do not directly relate to the treatment of that child. At the financial year-end, the charity held designated reserves of £9,739,522 (2021: £8,341,615). In the event of a child’s death, the funds will be released from designated children’s funds. Following the end of a successful course of treatment, and a child exhibiting no evidence of disease (NED), funds will remain designated for a period of five years so that they are available for that child should they suffer a relapse and require further treatment, a situation which is common for neuroblastoma patients. This policy resulted in £632,742 (2021: £1,402,616) transferring from designated children’s funds within the year with 70% transferred to the designated Solving Kids’ Cancer Research Fund, 20% to the designated Solving Kids’ Cancer Children’s Reserve Fund and 10% to undesignated reserves. 

Restricted Reserves are funds which can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity, and arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes. At the financial year-end, the charity held restricted reserves of £1,643,744 (2020: £1,471,141), of which £1,218,822 (2021: £1,223,288) arose from funds being held on behalf of families who were previously supported by Families Against Neuroblastoma. 

Supporters of the charity are asked to note that, although the charity appears to hold significant reserves, 72% of these funds are designated or restricted to fund the treatment or support of children and families and a further 9% is designated or restricted to Research. 

## Impact of COVID-19 and Other External Factors 

We continue to manage the ongoing risk of COVID-19 as part of our overall risk management, as well as the Russian Invasion of Ukraine and the cost of living crisis. These external factors create additional challenges for us across the organisation with impact on household incomes squeezed and fundraising still limited by the pandemic, operationally and financially. Controls in place include regular income and expenditure reforecasts and updates to the Board. We continue to support families to travel safely and within the COVID-19 rules. Financially we remain lean in our overheads with reduced office space and we held a virtual symposium rather than an in-person event in light of the ongoing risks and costs. 

We also held another successful virtual Carol Concert. Our areas of investment all relate to income generation. Our staff have continued to work remotely throughout the year. 

## Risk Management 

The charity’s Trustees have considered the major risks to which the charity is exposed and have reviewed those risks and established systems and procedures to manage those risks. The Trustees have overall responsibility for ensuring that the charity has an appropriate system of controls, financial and otherwise. They are responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities and to provide reassurance that: 

- its assets are safeguarded against unauthorised use or disposition; 

- proper records are maintained and financial information used within the charity or for publication is reliable and reviewed at every trustee meeting; and 

- the charity complies with relevant laws and regulations. 

The risk register is a live document which is reviewed in detail every six months by the Board and Leadership Team and we have a secondary shorter-term register, which specifically groups the key current risks and our mitigation. 

## Risk categories include: 

## **Governance** 

Covers risk of non-delivery of strategy, Board Skills & Capabilities and effective decision-making and reporting. 

Controls in place to manage these risks include a clear strategy underpinned by annual plans, a balanced and involved Board who have clear terms of reference and who consider their effectiveness and undertake training as appropriate. The Board request and receive regular reporting from executive management. 

## **People** 

Covers risk of loss of key staff and poor structure. 

Controls in place to manage these risks include strong oversight by CEO and senior managers, clear roles and responsibilities and strong HR processes. As staff numbers are small, this is a key risk which is closely monitored. 

## **Finance** 

Covers all financial risks around effectiveness of our business model, level of reserves, management of investments and effective insurance. 

Controls in place to manage these risks include annual budgeting and forecasting processes with regular reporting of our financial position to Trustees. We have a clear reserves policy and hold general reserves to manage any changes in cash flow. We have an investment policy and investment managers who report on performance regularly. 

## **Compliance** 

Covers all risks relating to non-compliance of required regulations including data protection, health and safety, employment and financial. 

Controls in place to manage these risks include effective policies, staff training and awareness and effective advisors. 

## **Operational, Legal and Physical** 

Covers risk of not being able to meet demands for family support and quality of support provided, risk of lack of funds due to expenditure exceeding income, health and safety risks and other operational risks including employment risks and disaster recovery. 

Controls in place to manage these risks include ensuring the team has appropriate support to deliver in their roles and we are continuously considering current and future demand. Budgets and reserves are effectively managed to ensure funding is maintained. We have policies in place which are well understood and adhered to around health and safety, disaster recovery, employment policies and other areas of compliance. 

## **Environmental / External Factors** 

Covers reputational risk and relevant external risks such as economic conditions and Brexit. 

Controls in place to manage these risks include effective communications policies and resource and ongoing monitoring of relevant external plans with action plans as required. 

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## **Russian Invasion of Ukraine** 

We are currently also running a Russian Invasion of Ukraine specific risk register, which reflects the key risks this presents and the relevant mitigations. These include Financial risks and Income risk as fuel prices rise. Our strong financial controls support our management of these risks. 

## **Grant-making Policy** 

The Board of Trustees makes two types of grants. Firstly, grants to assist children suffering from neuroblastoma. Families, who need help, either self-refer, hear about the charity from their child’s oncologist, or make contact with the charity’s Family Support Team. Grants are also offered in the form of a hardship fund for families struggling to meet their necessary costs due to the effects of having a child in treatment for neuroblastoma. 

The second type is Research Grants. We engage in two distinct research funding mechanisms; a regular competitive funding call, and also ad-hoc Exceptional Funding Requests. All research grants are awarded in line with the principles laid out by the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC). Each application will be subject to rigorous scientific review guided by the Charity’s Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) and the nature of any grant made will depend on funds available through Solving Kids’ Cancer UK’s own reserves, or those made available through strategic collaborative partnerships. 

## **Investment Policy and Objectives** 

The Deed of Trust allows the charity to deposit or invest funds in any manner; but to do so only after obtaining such advice from financial experts as the Trustees deem necessary and having regard to the suitability of investments and need for diversification. The charity aims to follow the COIF Ethical Fund Policy; excluding investments in companies involved in, for example, nuclear weapons, landmines, production of abortifacients, and other disqualifying criteria where there is a significant involvement (>10% of turnover). 

## **Fundraising Approach and Policy** 

As a cause-related charity, we recognise that the service we offer for children and families affected by neuroblastoma and the advances in research we invest in would not be possible without the generous support and passion our supporters, and families’ supporters, provide. 

We receive very little public funding for our work, relying on the generous support of the neuroblastoma community and general public. 

We are registered with the regulatory body for fundraising in the UK, the Fundraising Regulator. As members of the scheme, we follow their Code of Fundraising Practice and comply with the key principles embodied in The Code. Many of our families raise funds for us at a local level and we ensure that they have all the information they need to comply with our policies and procedures. 

## **It is hugely important to us that our supporters trust us and** 

## **are well looked after:** 

- We ensure that we never put undue pressure on members of the public when raising funds. 

- We are open and honest and approach our fundraising activities respectfully and considerately. 

- We ensure that we comply with the wishes of our donors and comply with all general data protection laws. 

- We respect the rights, dignity and privacy of our supporters and beneficiaries. 

- We are accountable to our supporters and take this responsibility seriously. 

We review all of our fundraising campaigns to ensure they fully comply with The Code and our fundraising activities are discussed regularly at Board meetings, to help ensure that our fundraising practices reflect and reinforce our values. That’s just as important whether we’re fundraising ourselves or working with families, organisations or volunteers. 

We currently raise funds in a variety of ways, including: Direct email campaigns, regular and individual giving programmes, virtual and in person challenge events, corporate partnerships and percentage profit partnerships, direct cash donations, raffles, sponsored events and Charity of the Year partnerships. We have agreed and begun the implementation of a five-year fundraising strategy, which will further build upon our strong stewardship approach to develop existing income streams and develop new ones. 

Within the year we achieved an unrestricted income of £844,000 with 31% coming through our family campaigns, 21% coming from Corporate, Trusts & Foundations and 18% from Challenge and Events. We outperformed our expectations in each of these areas. 

We take the protection of the personal data of all our supporters and donors extremely seriously, and constantly review and monitor our fundraising policies and procedures to ensure we deliver ‘best practice’. We do not engage professional fundraisers to raise money on our behalf. During the year we have implemented a new Customer Relationship Management system to further protect and manage our supporter data. 

We welcome feedback on our fundraising activities at any time and strive to listen and learn from this feedback. During the course of the year we recorded no complaints. We have a robust complaints policy. If a complaint about our fundraising activities is unable to be resolved through our complaints procedure, members of the public are advised to raise it with the Fundraising Regulator. 

## **Trustees Responsibilities Statement** 

The Trustees (who are also the Directors of Solving Kids’ Cancer UK 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). Under company law, the Trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company and the income and expenditure of the company for that period. 

## **In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are** 

## **required to:** 

- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; 

- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP; 

- make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent; and 

- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in operation. 

The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate 

accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the 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 are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. 

## **Each of the persons who is a Trustee at the date of approval of this report confirms that:** 

- so far as each Trustee is aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the company’s auditor is unaware; and 

- each Trustee has taken all steps that they ought to have taken as a trustee to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the company’s auditor is aware of that information. 

This report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies entitled to the small companies’ exemption. 

## Registered office: 

Signed on behalf of the Board of Trustees Coram Campus 

41 Brunswick Square London 

WC1N 1AZ 


**David Coulon** 

Trustee and Treasurer 

7th November 2022 

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## Financial statements 

## 31 March 2022 

## Independent Auditor’s Report to the Trustees and members of Solving Kids’ Cancer UK 

## Opinion 

## Conclusions Relating to Going Concern 

We have audited the financial statements of Solving Kids’ Cancer UK Ltd (“the charitable company”) for the year ended 31 March 2022 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities (incorporating the Income and Expenditure Account), the Balance Sheet, the Statement of Cash Flows and the related notes, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). 

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate. 

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the Solving Kids’ Cancer UK Ltd’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least 12 months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue. 

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report. 

## **In our opinion the financial statements:** 

- give a true and fair view of the state of the charitable company’s affairs as at 31 March 2022 and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for the year then ended; 

## Other Information 

The other information comprises the information included in the annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. 

- have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and 

- have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006, the Charities and trustees Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and regulation 8 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. 

In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact. 

## Basis for Opinion 

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charitable company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. 

We have nothing to report in this regard. 

## Opinion on Other Matters Prescribed by the Companies Act 2006 

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

- the information given in the Trustees Annual Report, which includes the directors’ report prepared for the purposes of company law, for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and 

- the directors’ report included within the Trustees Annual Report has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements. 

## Matters on Which We Are Required to Report By Exception 

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the directors’ report included within the Trustees Annual Report. 

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 require us to report to you if, in our opinion: 

- adequate and proper accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or 

- the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or 

- certain disclosures of trustees’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or 

- we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or 

- the trustees were not entitled to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the small companies regime and take advantage of the small companies’ exemptions in preparing the trustees’ report and from the requirement to prepare a strategic report. 

## Responsibilities of Trustees 

As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement, the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. 

In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are 

responsible for assessing the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so. 

## Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Statements 

We have been appointed as auditors under section 44(1)(c) of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and under the Companies Act 2006 and report in accordance with the Acts and relevant regulations made or having effect thereunder. 

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements. 

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below. 

## **The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below.** 

- We obtained an understanding of the charitable company’s activities, controls and laws and regulations and assessed the susceptibility of the charitable company’s financial statements to material misstatement from irregularities, including fraud. 

**•** We determined that the laws and regulations that are most significant to the charitable company are the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and 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 UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), Companies Act 2006, Charities Act 2011, Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, the Fundraising Regulations and the charitable company’s Articles of Association. 

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- Based on this understanding we designed our audit 

procedures to detecting irregularities, including fraud. Testing undertaken included making enquiries on the management and those charged with governance; journal entry testing; review of bank letters, investments reports, trustee Board minutes and the Articles of Association; review of transactions for any undisclosed related party transactions; reviewing financial statement disclosures and testing to supporting documentation to assess compliance with applicable laws and regulations. These procedures were designed to provide reasonable assurance that the financial statements were free from fraud or error. 

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

- Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control. 

- Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the internal control. 

- Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and related disclosures made by the trustees. 

- Conclude on the appropriateness of the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in our auditor’s report to the related disclosures in the financial statements or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditor’s report. However, future events or conditions may cause the charitable company to cease to continue as a going concern. 

- Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the financial statements, including the disclosures, and whether the financial statements represent the underlying transactions and events in a manner that achieves fair presentation. 

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

## Use of Our Report 

This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006, and to the charitable company’s trustees, as a body, in accordance with Regulation 10 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s members and trustees those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company, the charitable company’s members as a body and the charitable company’s trustees as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed. 

10 Orange Street Haymarket London WC2H 7DQ 


**Simon Robinson** (Senior Statutory Auditor) For and on behalf of SHIPLEYS LLP Chartered Accountants & Statutory Auditor 7th November 2022 

## Financial statements 

Statement of financial activities (incorporating the  income and expenditure account) Year ended 31st March 2022 


**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
General General Restricted Total Total<br>Funds Funds funds Funds  Funds<br>Undesignated Designated 2022 2021<br>Note £ £ £ £ £<br>Income<br>Donations 2 715,140  2,412,441 318,857 3,446,438 2,120,029<br>Trading activities 3 21,540 766 3,300 25,606 40,520<br>Investment income 4 107,059 - 506 107,565 136,722<br>Total Income 843,739 2,413,207 322,663 3,579,609 2,297,271<br>Expenditure On:<br>Raising funds 5 (293,844) (50,755) (1,876) (346,475) (299,349)<br>Charitable activities 6 (432,508) (1,178,048) (148,184) (1,758,740) (2,010,363)<br>Total Expenditure (726,352) (1,228,803) (150,060) (2,105,215) (2,309,712)<br>Net Income /  117,387 1,184,404 172,603 1,474,394 (12,441)<br>(Expenditure) Before<br>(Losses) / Gains On<br>Investments<br>– –<br>Net gains on  289,123 289,123 571,632<br>13<br>investments<br>–<br>Other gains/(losses) 25,714 (12,345) 13,369<br>Net Income /  143,101 1,461,182 172,603 1,776,886 559,191<br>(Expenditure)<br>Transfer between funds 20,21,22 63,275 (63,275) – – –<br>Net Movement In Funds 206,376 1,397,907 172,603 1,776,886 559,191<br>Reconciliation Of<br>Funds<br>Total funds brought  778,001 8,341,615 1,471,141 10,590,757 10,031,566<br>forward<br>Total Funds Carried  984,377 9,739,522  1,643,744  12,367,643 10,590,757<br>Forward<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


The statement of financial activities including all gains and losses in the year. All of the above amounts relate to continuing activities. 

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## Balance sheet 

Statement of financial activities (incorporating the  income and expenditure account) Year ended 31st March 2022 


**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
2022 2022 2021 2021<br>Note £ £ £ £<br>Fixed Assets<br>Tangible assets 12 9,250  13,042<br>Investments 13 3,704,068 3,414,945<br>3,713,318 3,427,987<br>Current Assets<br>Debtors 14 215,759 161,118<br>Cash at bank and in hand 10,120,041 8,544,856<br>10,335,800 8,705,974<br>CREDITORS:<br>15 (1,084,513) (986,042)<br>Amounts falling due within one year<br>NET CURRENT ASSETS 9,251,287 7,719,932<br>TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES 12,964,605 11,147,919<br>CREDITORS:   (596,962) (557,162)<br>16<br>Amounts falling due after one year<br>NET ASSETS – 12,367,643 – 10,590,757<br>FUNDS OF THE CHARITY<br>Restricted funds 20 1,643,744 1,471,141<br>Designated funds 21 9,739,522 8,341,615<br>Undesignated funds 22 984,377 778,001<br>Total Funds Carried Forward 12,367,643 10,590,757<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime. 

These financial statements were approved by the members of the committee and authorised for issue on 7th November 2022 and are signed on their behalf by: 

## Statement of  cash flows 

Year ended 31 March 2022 


**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
2022 2021<br>Note £ £<br>CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES<br>Net income 1,776,886 559,191<br>Adjustments for:<br>Depreciation 4,715 5,519<br>Losses / (gains) on investments (289,123) (571,632)<br>Dividends and interest from investments (107,565) (136,722)<br>Loss on disposal of fixed assets - 312<br>Decrease / (increase) in debtors (53,848) (51,628)<br>Increase in creditors 138,271 486,374<br>Net cash provided by operating activities 1,469,336 291,414<br>CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES<br>Dividends and interest from investments 106,772 110,517<br>Purchase of property, plant & equipment (923) (15,774)<br>Net cash provided by investing activities 105,849 94,743<br>CHANGE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS 28 1,575,185 386,157<br>CASH AT START OF YEAR 28 8,544,856 8,158,699<br>CASH AT END OF YEAR 28 10,120,041 8,544,856<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>



**David Coulon** 

Trustee 

Company Registration Number: 07208648 

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## Notes to the Financial Statements 

## 1. Accounting Policies 

## **General information** 

Solving Kids’ Cancer UK Ltd is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England under the Companies Act. The address of the registered office is Coram Campus, 41 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AZ. The objectives of the charity are set out on page 23. 

## **Basis of preparation** 

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with 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 UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006. 

Solving Kids’ Cancer UK Ltd meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policies. 

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. The financial statements are also presented in pounds sterling. 

The amounts in the financial statements are presented to the nearest £, unless otherwise stated. 

## **Preparation of the financial statements on a going concern basis** 

The financial statements of the charity have been prepared on the going concern basis. There are no material uncertainties about the charity’s ability to continue. The trustees consider that the going concern basis is appropriate having considered a period of at least twelve months from approval of these financial statements. The trustees have prepared budgets and cash flow forecasts for that period which support the going concern assumption. 

## **Fund accounting** 

Undesignated funds are available to spend on activities that further any of the purposes of charity. 

Designated funds are funds of the charity which the trustees have decided at their discretion to set aside to use for a specific purpose. 

Restricted funds are donations which the donor has specified are to be solely used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. 

## **Income** 

Income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the item of income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably. 

Donations are recognised when the charity has been notified in writing of both the amount and settlement date. In the event that a donation is subject to conditions that require a level of performance before the charity is entitled to the funds, the income is deferred and not recognised until either those conditions are fully met, or the fulfilment of those conditions is wholly within the control of the charity and it is probable that those conditions will be fulfilled in the reporting period. 

90% of any donation made to an individual appeal or journey is designated for the particular purpose of funding treatment not freely available on the NHS. The remaining 10% is retained within undesignated general funds to cover costs associated with the administration and management of appeals and journeys; including support with fundraising, logistics, and development of relationships as intermediary between families and the medical institutions that provide access to treatments and clinical trials. 

Donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised as income when the charity has control over the item, any conditions associated with the donated item have been met, the receipt of economic benefit from the use by the charity of the item is probable and that economic benefit can be measured reliably. On receipt, donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised on the basis of the value of the gift to the charity which is the amount the charity would have been willing to pay to obtain services or facilities of equivalent economic benefit on the open market; a corresponding amount is then recognised in expenditure in the period of receipt. 

Income from Government and other grants, whether ‘capital’ grants or ‘revenue’ grants, is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the grants have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably and is not deferred. In respect of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme grant; all conditions, with respect to the eligible costs being claimed, need to be met. 

Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the Bank. 

Dividends are recognised once the dividend has been declared and notification has been received of the dividend due. This is normally upon notification by our investment advisor of the dividend yield of the investment portfolio. 

## **Expenditure and irrecoverable VAT** 

- Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis. 

## **Expenditure is classified under the following activity headings:** 

- Costs of raising funds comprise the costs of attracting donations and fundraising. 

- Expenditure on charitable activities includes the cost incurred by the charity in the delivery of activities and services for its beneficiaries 

Grants payable are payments made to third parties in the furtherance of the charitable objects of the charity. In the case of an unconditional grant offer this is accrued once the recipient has been notified of the grant award. The notification gives the recipient a reasonable expectation that they will receive the grant. 

Grant awards that are subject to the recipient fulfilling performance conditions are only accrued when the recipient has been notified of the grant and any remaining unfulfilled condition attaching to that grant is outside of the control of the charity. 

Provisions for grants are made when the intention to make a grant has been communicated to the recipient but there is uncertainty as to the timing of the grant or the amount of grant payable. 

costs. These costs have been allocated between cost of raising funds and expenditure on charitable activities on the basis of an estimate of the proportion of time spent by staff on those activities. 

Governance costs comprise all costs involving the public accountability of the charity and its compliance with regulation and good practice. 

Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure was incurred. 

## **Tangible fixed assets** 

Fixed assets are capitalised at cost and are depreciated over their estimated useful economic lives on a straight line basis as follows: 

Equipment – 25% on straight line basis 

## **Fixed asset investments** 

Investments are a form of basic financial instrument and are initially recognised at their transaction value and subsequently measured at their fair value as at the balance sheet date using the closing quoted market price. 

All gains and losses are taken to the Statement of Financial Activities as they arise. Realised gains and losses on investments are calculated as the difference between sales proceeds and their opening carrying value or their purchase value if acquired subsequent to the first day of the financial year. Unrealised gains and losses are calculated as the difference between the fair value at the year end and their carrying value. Realised and unrealised investment gains and losses are combined in the Statement of Financial Activities. 

## **Debtors** 

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due. 

## **Cash at bank and in hand** 

Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account. 

Support costs are those functions that assist the work of the charity but do not directly undertake charitable activities. Support costs include staff, premises, finance and governance 

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## **Creditors and provisions** 

Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due. 

## **Financial instruments** 

The charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method. 

## **Operating leases** 

The charity classifies the lease of the office space as an operating lease as the title remains with the lessor. Rental charges are charged on a straight line basis over the term of the lease. 

## **Pension costs** 

Contributions to defined contribution plans are recognised as an expense in the period in which the related service is provided. Differences between contributions payable in the year and the contributions actually paid are shown as either accruals or prepayments on the balance sheet. 


**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
2. Donations<br>Undesignated  Designated  Restricted  Total Funds<br>Funds Funds Funds 2022<br>£ £ £ £<br>Donations 683,140 2,412,441 257,355  3,352,936<br>Donated services 32,000 - - 32,000<br>- -<br>Government grants 61,502 61,502<br>715,140 2,412,441 318,857 3,446,438<br>Undesignated  Designated  Restricted  Total Funds<br>Funds Funds Funds 2021<br>£ £ £ £<br>Donations 497,829 1,494,139 71,358 2,063,326<br>Donated services 53,234 - - 53,234<br>- -<br>Government grants 3,469 3,469<br>551,063 1,494,139 74,827 2,120,029<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


The charity benefits greatly from the involvement and enthusiastic support of its many volunteers. In accordance with FRS 102 and Charities SORP (FRS 102), the economic contribution of general volunteers is not recognised in the financial statements. 

The estimated value of these services is recognised within income as a donation with an equivalent expense through the Statement of Financial Activities. 

Income from Government grants comprises grants received under the UK Government COVID Medical Research Charity Support Fund of £58,522 (2021: £nil) to provide support to UK Research in funding and the Government Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme of £2,981 (2021: £3,469). This grant was provided to support the cost of furloughed charity staff. The charity has not benefited from any other kinds of government assistance during the current or prior year. 

During the year, the charity received donated services relating to legal services and support for both the Neuroblastoma Parent Global Symposium and Carol Concert. The value of these services to the charity is estimated at £12,000 and £20,000 respectively (2021: £13,234 and £40,000 respectively). 


**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
3. Other Trading Activities<br>Undesignated  Designated  Restricted  Total Funds<br>Funds Funds Funds 2022<br>£ £ £ £<br>Fundraising events 21,540  766 3,300  25,606<br>Undesignated  Designated  Restricted  Total Funds<br>Funds Funds Funds 2021<br>£ £ £ £<br>Fundraising events 17,492  9,317  13,711  40,520<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


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4. Investment Income<br>Undesignated  Designated  Restricted  Total Funds<br>Funds Funds Funds 2022<br>£ £ £ £<br>Income from investments  106,111  - - 106,111<br>Deposit account interest  948  - 506  1,454<br>107,059  - 506 107,565<br>Undesignated  Designated  Restricted  Total Funds<br>Funds Funds Funds 2021<br>£ £ £ £<br>Income from investments 129,400  - - 129,400<br>-<br>Deposit account interest  5,642  1,680  7,322<br>-<br>135,042  1,680  136,722<br>5. Cost of Raising Funds<br>Undesignated  Designated  Restricted  Total Funds<br>Funds Funds Funds 2022<br>£ £ £ £<br>Costs of raising funds  193,314  50,755  1,876  245,945<br>Support costs  100,530  - -  100,530<br>293,844  50,755  1,876  346,475<br>Undesignated  Designated  Restricted  Total Funds<br>Funds Funds Funds 2021<br>£ £ £ £<br>Costs of raising funds  154,331  22,151  468 176,950<br>Support costs  122,399  - -  122,399<br>276,730  22,151  468 299,349<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>



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6. Costs of Charitable Activities<br>Activities  Grant funding  Support costs  Total Funds<br>undertaken  activities  2022<br>directly<br>£ £ £ £<br>Access to treatment  125,772  900,765  68,403  1,094,940<br>Medical Research  90,010  263,522  42,328  395,860<br>Education, Awareness and Family Support 89,048  87,542  91,350  267,940<br>304,830  1,251,829  202,081  1,758,740<br>Activities  Grant funding  Support costs  Total Funds<br>undertaken  activities  2021<br>directly<br>£ £ £ £<br>Access to treatment  205,222  728,676  77,403  1,011,301<br>Medical Research  59,300  704,181  22,981  786,462<br>Education, Awareness and Family Support 5,353  115,265  91,982  212,600<br>269,875  1,548,122  192,366  2,010,363<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


Expenditure on charitable activities was £1,758,740 (2021: 

- £2,010,363) of which £432,508 was undesignated (2021: 

£417,556), £1,178,048 was designated (2021: £1,289,187) and 

£148,184 was restricted (2021: £303,620). 

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7. Analysis of Support Costs<br>Support costs are allocated based on the proportion of time spent by staff on those activities.<br>Access to  Medical  Education,  Fundraising  Total 2022<br>treatment  Research  Awareness  activities<br>and Family<br>Support<br>£ £ £ £ £<br>Staff costs  24,400  12,097  50,502  44,452  91,733<br>Premises 23,583  16,202  21,893  30,055  91,733<br>Legal and professional 9,059 6,223 8,409 11,544 35,235<br>Finance costs  799 549  741 1,018  3,107<br>Depreciation 1,212  833 1,125 1,545 4,715<br>Governance costs 9,350 6,424 8,680 11,916 36,370<br>68,403  42,328  91,350  100,530  302,611<br>Access to  Medical  Education,  Fundraising  Total 2021<br>treatment  Research  Awareness  activities<br>and Family<br>Support<br>£ £ £ £ £<br>Staff costs  31,989  6,178  53,029  57,129  148,325<br>Premises 17,833  6,598  15,296  25,630  65,357<br>Legal and professional 3,857 1,427 3,308 5,543 14,135<br>Finance costs  13,406  4,960  11,499  19,268  49,133<br>Depreciation 1,506 557 1,292 2,164 5,519<br>Governance costs 8,812 3,261 7,558 12,665 32,296<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>



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9. Analysis of Grants<br>2022 2021<br>£ £<br>Children’s treatment  900,765  728,676<br>Medical Research<br>-<br>Stanford University  125,000<br>UCL Great Ormond St Institute of Child Health  125,000 -<br>-<br>Newcastle University  13,522<br>-<br>University of Birmingham 434,762<br>-<br>Gustave Roussy Hospital, Paris 109,419<br>-<br>Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia  68,750<br>-<br>The Royal Marsden Hospital 60,000<br>Institute of Cancer Research - 31,250<br>Education and family support 87,542 115,265<br>1,251,829  1,548,122<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


Grants for Education and family support are those made towards providing essential support services to families affected by high risk childhood cancers and relating to scientific information on developments in research on neuroblastoma and evolving treatment options. These grants are paid directly to affected families and organisations as appropriate or as directed. 

Children’s treatment grants are made towards the medical costs of the children suffering from neuroblastoma. The grants are paid directly to the hospitals providing the treatment. 

Grants are made towards medical research for potential future life-saving treatments made possible through the constantly evolving world of burgeoning laboratory, pre-clinical and clinical research. These grants are paid directly to the institutions and are institutions working internationally which reflects the specialist and global nature of the research we fund. 


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8. Governance Costs<br>2022 2021<br>£ £<br>Auditor’s remuneration  12,780  12,540<br>Legal and professional  18,048  14,795<br>Staff costs  5,542  4,961<br>36,370  32,296<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


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10. Staff Costs and Emoluments<br>2022 2021<br>£ £<br>Wages and salaries  493,263  453,214<br>Social security costs  44,600 40,957<br>Pension costs – defined contribution  16,412  14,326<br>554,275  508,497<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


Pension costs are allocated to activities in proportion to the related staffing costs and are allocated between undesignated, designated and restricted funds on the basis of each employee’s activities. 

## **Particulars of employees:** 

The average head count of employees during the year was 15 (2021: 14). The average number of full-time equivalent employees during the year is analysed as follows: 


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2022 2021<br>No. No.<br>Charitable activities  6 5<br>Fundraising  3 4<br>Support  3 3<br>12 12<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


The number of employees whose remuneration for the year fell within the following bands, were: 


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2022 2021<br>No. No<br>£70,000 to £79,999 1 1<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


No higher paid staff were accruing benefits under a pension scheme (2021: None) 


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11. Net Income<br>Net income is stated after charging:<br>2022 2021<br>£ £<br>Auditor’s remuneration<br>Audit 12,780  12,540<br>Taxation  780  780<br>Depreciation  4,715  5,519<br>Operating leases – offices 10,043 26,107<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>



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12. Tangible Fixed Assets<br>Equipment<br>£<br>COST<br>At 1 April 2021   24,162<br>Additions           923<br>Disposals  (1,747)<br>At 31 March 2022  23,338<br>DEPRECIATION<br>At 1 April 2021   11,120<br>Charge for the year   4,715<br>Disposals  (1,747)<br>At 31 March 2022  14,088<br>NET BOOK VALUE<br>At 31 March 2022  9,250<br>At 31 March 2021  13,042<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


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13. Investments<br>Movement in market value 2022 2021<br>£ £<br>Market Value at 1 April 2021 3,414,945  2,843,313<br>Net gain / (loss) on revaluations   289,123  571,632<br>Market value at 31 March 2022  3,704,068  3,414,945<br>Historical cost at 31 March 2022 2,500,000  2,500,000<br>Designated  Designated<br>Analysis of investments at 31 March 2022:  Funds  Funds<br>2022  2021<br>£ £<br>UK Listed investments  3,704,068  3,414,945<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


All investments are carried at their fair value. Holdings in investment funds, unit trusts and open-ended investment companies are at the bid price. The basis of fair value for quoted investments is equivalent to the market value, using the bid price. Asset sales and purchases are recognised at the date of trade at cost (that is their transaction value). 

The following investments were material in the context of the investment portfolio: 

COIF Charities Ethical Investment Fund - £3,704,068 (2021: £3,414,945). 

The main form of financial risk faced by the charity is that of volatility in investment markets due to wider economic conditions and variability of investment returns. This risk is mitigated by obtaining advice from a financial expert on the charity’s investment portfolio. 


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14. Debtors<br>2022 2021<br>£ £<br>Trade debtors  - 499<br>Other debtors  137,831  117,496<br>Prepayments and accrued income  77,928  43,123<br>215,759  161,118<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>



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15. Creditors<br>Amounts falling due within one year 2022 2021<br>£ £<br>Other creditors  53,384  -<br>Accruals and deferred income  55,643  13,843<br>Grant commitments (note 17)  372,998  373,987<br>Funds held as agent (note 18)  602,488  598,212<br>1,084,513 986,042<br>16. Creditors<br>Amounts falling due after more than one year 2022 2021<br>£ £<br>Grant commitments (note 17)  596,962  557,162<br>Grant commitments of £153,976 are due in more than five years (2021: £153,976).<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>



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17. Grant Commitments<br>2022 2021<br>£ £<br>Grant commitments brought forward  931,149  673,137<br>New commitments during the year  275,866  704,181<br>Payments made in the year  (237,055)  (446,169)<br>Grant commitments carried forward  969,960  931,149<br>Commitments at 31 March 2022 are payable as follows:<br>Within one year  372,998  373,987<br>After more than one year  596,962  557,162<br>Grant commitments carried forward 969,960 931,149<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


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18. Funds Held as Agent<br>2022 2021<br>£ £<br>Funds held as agent brought forward  598,212  357,874<br>Funds received during the year  297,000  249,191<br>Payments made  (292,724)  (8,853)<br>Funds held as agent carried forward  602,488  598,212<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


At the year end, the charity held £602,488 (2021: £598,212) and this has been included in creditors in Note 15. £389,024 was held on behalf of Zoe4life (2021: £349,176), £200,617 on behalf of The Merryn Lacy Trust (2021: £249,036) and £12,847 on behalf of Joining Against Cancer in Kids (J-A-C-K) (2021: £nil). 

The charity has received funds as agent in its role as administrator of the Request for Applications (RFA) process and also of the research project for the prospective identification of children with “ultra-high-risk” (UHR) neuroblastoma. 


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19. Commitments Under Operating Leases<br>At 31 March 2022 the company had total minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases as set out below.<br>Land and buildings 2022 2021<br>£ £<br>Operating leases which expire within 1 year  9,833  9,833<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>



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20. Restricted Funds<br>Balance at  Income  Expenditure   Transfers  Balance at<br>1 April 2021   31 March 2022<br>£ £ £ £ £<br>Families Against Neuroblastoma (FAN)  937,188  399 (4,973)  - 932,614<br>FAN Emergency Relapse Fund 286,100  108  - - 286,208<br>HK Fund   15,842  -  - - 15,842<br>CE Discretionary Fund  3,782  -  - - 3,782<br>Restricted research funds  - 59,060  (13,526)  - 45,534<br>Parent Conference fund  - 52,542  (51,708)  - 834<br>Other funds 91,684 57,003 (51,872) - 96,815<br>- - -<br>Joining Against Cancer in Kids 27,180 27,180<br>Sunni Mae Fund 84,365 - - - 84,365<br>-<br>Family Support fund 25,000 25,000 (25,000) 25,000<br>- - -<br>Furlough Fund 2,981 (2,981)<br>- - -<br>Support bags 25,000 25,000<br>- - -<br>Merryn Lacey Fund 100,570 100,570<br>-<br>1,471,141  322,663  (150,060) 1,643,744<br>Balance at  Income  Expenditure   Transfers  Balance at<br>1 April 2020  31 March 2021<br>£ £ £ £ £<br>Families Against Neuroblastoma (FAN)  953,332  1,380  (12,973)  (4,551) 937,188<br>FAN Emergency Relapse Fund 289,653  300  (3,853)  - 286,100<br>HK Fund   15,842  - - - 15,842<br>CE Discretionary Fund  3,782  -  - - 3,782<br>Restricted research funds  45,000  -  (45,000) - -<br>Parent Conference fund  - 16,301  (16,301)  - -<br>Other funds 95,429  23,768  (138,209)  110,696  91,684<br>- -<br>Joining Against Cancer in Kids 33,713  (6,533)  27,180<br>Sunni Mae Fund 84,365  - - - 84,365<br>Covid-19 fund  32,750  20,000  (52,750)  - -<br>-<br>Family Support fund 25,000  25,000  (25,000)  25,000<br>- - -<br>Furlough Fund 3,469  (3,469)<br>1,578,866  90,218  (304,088)  106,145  1,471,141<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


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## 20. Restricted Funds 

**Restricted funds** can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity as specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes. 

## **Families Against Neuroblastoma (FAN)/ FAN Emergency Relapse Fund** 

There are 10 funds transferred from Families Against Neuroblastoma (FAN) and held for the sole use of individual children for access to treatment and welfare / pastoral issues. Treatments are limited to those that are consistent with Solving Kids’ Cancer UK Ltd Clinical Trial Policy. A further two donations from FAN were received to be used solely to support children with relapsed neuroblastoma with no access to other funds to pay for treatment that is not freely available on the NHS. During the year, £nil was transferred from this fund to unrestricted funds (2021: £4,551). In the prior year, this represented interest accumulated on a closed FAN fund which should have been credited to the unrestricted fund in prior years. 

**HK Fund** is restricted for the sole purposes of supporting an individual named child. In accordance with the wishes of the donor, the fund supports the long-term health and welfare related needs of the beneficiary, and is not accessed on a regular basis. 

**CE Discretionary Fund** was established through an individual donation made to the charity to provide the Chief Executive with a means to fund initiatives in support of the effective working of the organisation, but for which no other budget existed. 

**Restricted research funds** is a restricted fund where monies are not currently awarded to any specific research project, but nonetheless earmarked to support research. 

**Parent conference fund** represents donations towards the annual parent conference. 

**Other Funds** represent funds created by families in memoriam specifically for research and advocacy projects. During the year, £nil (2021: £110,696) was transferred from the designated Research Fund to support these research projects. 

**Joining Against Cancer in Kids** is a restricted fund which has been provided by Joining Against Cancer in Kids to support the costs incurred by families when participating in neuroblastoma trials/treatment being conducted at The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre, New York or Hospital Saint Joan de Déu Barcelona. 

**Sunni Mae Fund** is restricted to support the development of a partnership with a UK medical institution to enable children from the Republic of Ireland to travel to the United Kingdom to enrol on early phase clinical trials that are not available at Our Lady Children’s Hospital, Crumlin. Alternatively, if such a partnership cannot be formed, the fund can be used to support a future research funding call in which The Sunni Mae Trust will be acknowledged as a named collaborative funding partner. Explicit agreement will be sought for the latter at such time as the charity deems appropriate. 

**COVID-19 fund** is restricted to the granting of funds to families of children with Neuroblastoma who have suffered a loss of income or increase in costs as a result of the diagnosis. It is initially for those affected by the need to shield during COVID-19. 

**Family support fund** is restricted to the activities of the family support team. 

**Furlough Fund** represents a government grant provided to support the cost of furloughed charity staff. 

**Support bags** represents funds donated specifically to create Support bags for all children diagnosed with Neuroblastoma. 

**Merryn Lacey Fund** represents funds donated by the trust which are restricted to Research. 


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21. Designated Funds<br>Balance at  Income  Expenditure   Transfers  Net losses on  Other gains  Balance at<br>1 April 2021  investments and losses  31 March 2022<br>£ £ £ £ £ £ £<br>- -<br>Designated Funds 6,191,809  2,389,373  (1,024,834)  (632,742)  6,923,606<br>Solving Kids’ Cancer<br>Children’s Reserve<br>Fund 477,933  -  (3,669)  126,548  - - 600,812<br>Solving Kids’ Cancer<br>Research Fund 728,385  45  (200,000)  442,919  - (12,345) 959,004<br>- - -<br>Family Support fund 28,423  1,000  (300)  29,123<br>Covid-19 fund  120  23 - - - - 143<br>- - - - -<br>Big Love Fund 5,927  5,927<br>- - - - -<br>Designated general  16,839  16,839<br>Investment Reserve 914,945  - - - 289,123 - 1,204,068<br>8,341,615  2,413,207  (1,228,803)  (63,275)  289,123 (12,345) 9,739,522<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>



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Balance at  Income  Expenditure   Transfers  Net losses on  Balance at<br>1 April 2020  investments 31 March 2021<br>£ £ £ £ £ £<br>-<br>Designated Funds 7,182,484  1,328,542  (916,601)  (1,402,616)  6,191,809<br>- - -<br>Solving Kids’ Cancer  197,410  280,523  477,933<br>Children’s Reserve Fund<br>Lorlatinib 60,000  - (60,000)  - - -<br>- -<br>Solving Kids’ Cancer   174,042  (316,793)  871,136  728,385<br>Reserve Fund<br>- -<br>Family Support fund 45,615  (2,192)  (15,000)  28,423<br>Covid-19 fund  - 872 (15,752)  15,000  - 120<br>Investment Reserve 343,313  - - - 571,632 914,945<br>7,828,822  1,503,456  (1,311,338)  (250,957)  571,632 8,341,615<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


**Designated funds** are funds which have been allocated by the trustees out of undesignated general funds to specific appeals for the treatment of children with neuroblastoma. In the event of a child’s death, the funds will be released from designated funds. Following the end of a successful course of treatment, and a child exhibiting no evidence of disease (NED), funds will remain designated for a period of 5 years so that they are available for that child should they suffer a relapse and 

require further treatment, a situation which is common for neuroblastoma patients. During the year, this policy resulted in transfers of £632,742 (2021: £1,402,616) with 70% transferred to the designated Solving Kids’ Cancer Research Fund, 20% to the designated Solving Kids’ Cancer Children’s Reserve Fund and 10% to undesignated reserves. 

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## **Solving Kids’ Cancer Children’s Reserve Fund** is money 

**Family Support Fund** is designated to the activities of the family support team. During the year £nil was transferred to the designated COVID-19 fund (2021: £15,000). 

## designated to; 

(1) support families who are fundraising for treatment who may require additional financial support to be able to meet the deadlines for enrolment on a particular clinical trial, and 

**COVID-19 fund** is designated to the granting of funds to families of children with Neuroblastoma who have suffered a loss of income or increase in costs as a result of the diagnosis. It is initially for those affected by the need to shield during COVID-19. During the year £nil (2021: £15,000) was transferred from the designated Family Support Fund. 

(2) support children who are receiving treatment abroad but for whom additional unanticipated medical expenses are incurred. During the year £126,548 was transferred from Designated funds (2021: £280,523) 

**Big Love Fund** is designated to the granting of pastoral funds to support a child or young person’s physical or emotional welfare and to support families in bereavement. 

**Solving Kids’ Cancer Research Fund** is a designated fund where monies are not currently awarded to any specific research project, but nonetheless earmarked to support research. During the year, £442,919 was transferred from Designated Funds (2021: £981,832) and £nil was transferred to restricted other funds (2021: £110,696). 

**Designated general** is a general fund to hold designated income prior to allocation against an individual fund for example whilst awaiting gift aid allocation. 

**Investment Reserve** represents the movement in fair value on investments since acquisition. 


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22. Undesignated Funds<br>Balance at  Income  Expenditure   Transfers  Other gains  Balance at<br>1 April 2021  and losses 31 March 2022<br>£ £ £ £ £ £<br>Undesignated funds  778,001 843,739  (726,352)  63,275  25,714 984,377<br>Balance at  Income  Expenditure   Transfers  Other gains  Balance at<br>1 April 2020  and losses 31 March 2021<br>£ £ £ £ £ £<br>-<br>Undesignated funds 623,878  703,597  (694,286)  144,812  778,001<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>



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23. Analysis of Net Assets Between Funds<br>Fund balances at 31 March 2022 are represented by:<br>Undesignated  Designated  Restricted  Total Funds<br>Funds Funds Funds 2022<br>£ £ £ £<br>Tangible fixed assets 9,250  - -  9,250<br>Investments - 3,704,068 - 3,704,068<br>Cash at bank and in hand  1,470,884  6,842,983  1,806,174  10,120,041<br>Other net current (liabilities)/assets (495,757) (265,789) (107,208) (868,754)<br>-<br>Creditors falling due in more than one year (541,740) (55,222) (596,962)<br>984,377  9,739,522  1,643,744  12,367,643<br>Fund balances at 31 March 2021 are represented by:<br>Undesignated  Designated  Restricted  Total Funds<br>Funds Funds Funds 2021<br>£ £ £ £<br>- -<br>Tangible fixed assets 13,042  13,042<br>Investments - 3,414,945 - 3,414,945<br>Cash at bank and in hand  1,299,123 5,640,261 1,605,472 8,544,856<br>Other net current (liabilities)/assets (534,164)  (156,429)  (134,331)  (824,924)<br>Creditors falling due in more than one year - (557,162)  -  (557,162)<br>778,001  8,341,615  1,471,141 10,590,757<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


## 24. Company Limited by Guarantee 

of expenses during the year of £655 relating to memberships and subscriptions (2021: £nil). 

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, a firm in which a trustee, David Coulon, is a member, provided HR services to the charity for £nil (2021: £5,400). The supplier relationship ended in December 2020. 

The charity is a company limited by guarantee and has no share capital. The liability of each member in the event of winding up is £10. 

The Neuroblastoma Parent Global Symposium and the Carol Concert were supported by GRC World Forums (previously Data World Protection Forum), an organisation in which Nicholas James, the husband of a trustee, Bron Ellis, has a controlling interest. GRC World Forums provided all services free of charge. In the prior year, GRC World Forums provided the platform for £1,620, but provided all other services free of charge. 

## 25. Taxation 

The charity is exempt from tax on income and gains to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects. 

## 26. Related Party Transactions 

The key management personnel of the charity for the period comprised the Trustees, Chief Executive and the Heads of Departments. The total employee benefits of the key management personnel were £286,020 (2021: £289,017). 

During the year the charity paid salaries of £710 (2021: £2,420) to a close family member of Nick Bird, a trustee. The total donations received from 2 trustees (2021: 4) during the year amounted to £280 (2021: £2,906). 

The trustees did not receive any remuneration or other benefits during the year (2021: £nil). One trustee received reimbursement 

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27. Financial Instruments<br>The total donations received from 2 trustees (2021: 4) during the<br>year amounted to £280 (2021: £2,906). Financial assets measured at fair value through statement of financial activities:<br>2022 2021<br>£ £<br>Investments  3,704,068  3,414,945<br>The income, expense, gains and losses in respect of all financial instruments are summarised below:<br>2022 2021<br>£ £<br>Net (loss) / gain on revaluation of investments 289,123  571,632<br>Investment income 106,111  129,400<br>For further details about risks arising from financial instruments and the measurement basis see note 13.<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>



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28 . Analysis of Changes  in Debt<br>At 1 April 2021 Cash flows At 31 March<br>2022<br>£ £ £<br>Net cash<br>Cash at bank and in hand  8,544,856 1,575,185  10,120,041<br>At 1 April 2020 Cash flows At 31 March<br>2021<br>£ £ £<br>Net cash<br>Cash at bank and in hand  8,158,699 386,157  8,544,856<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>



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29. Comparatives for the Statement of Financial Activities<br>Fund balances at 31 March 2021 are represented by:<br>Undesignated  Designated  Restricted  Total Funds<br>Funds Funds Funds 2021<br>£ £ £ £<br>INCOME -<br>Donations  551,063  1,494,139  74,827  2,120,029<br>Trading activities  17,492  9,317  13,711  40,520<br>Investment income  135,042  - 1,680  136,722<br>TOTAL INCOME  703,597  1,503,456  90,218  2,297,271<br>EXPENDITURE<br>Raising funds  (276,730)  (22,151)  (468)  (299,349)<br>Charitable activities  (417,556)  (1,289,187)  (303,620)  (2,010,363)<br>TOTAL EXPENDITURE (694,286)  (1,311,338)  (304,088)  (2,309,712)<br>NET INCOME / (EXPENDITURE) BEFORE<br>LOSSES ON INVESTMENTS 9,311  192,118  (213,870)  (12,441)<br>Net losses on investments  - 571,632  - 571,632<br>NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)  9,311  763,750  (213,870)  559,191<br>Transfer between funds 144,812 (250,957) 106,145<br>NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS 154,123 512,793 (107,725) 559,191<br>RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS<br>Total funds brought forward 623,878  7,828,822  1,578,866  10,031,566<br>TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD 778,001 8,341,615 1,471,141 10,590,757<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


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## Thank you! 

We want to say a heartfelt thanks to the following companies, people, schools, charities, foundations and trusts for their wonderful support. 

## **Companies** 

2K 

Allen & Overy LLP Baxi Heating UK Bents Garden and Home Burnt Peach 

Charity Travel Fine Tubes Ltd 

Firaxis Games GamesAid Google GRC World Forums Henley Shipping ICECO Ltd 

Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) iTech Media Jefferies Jubilant Mark Bushnell Ltd Marks Sattin Marlin - Smartsearch 

Marvel Entertainment Maurice Turnor Gardner McClure Solicitors 

Mishcon de Reya LLP Moody’s - BVD Publishing Limited Pipeline Technology Centre Privacy Culture PWC Foundation Sanofi Scamp and Dude Smart Tech SmartCredit Ltd SUMO Digital SUMO Group PLC The Makery Walsingham Planning Y-mAbs Therapeutics Inc. 

## **Ambassadors and individuals** 

Adina Pascall (Google Volunteer) Anna Kaye 

Anna Riera (Google Volunteer) Ben Doltis Clare and Chris Andrew 

Dan Moore Dot Courtney 

Graham Cooper 

Helen Pearson 

Ioannis Topsakalidis Iulia and Padmesh Thuraisingham Jake Billings Jeremy Doltis Lara Polati Lee Hodson 

Liam Gurney Luke Wiltshire, Claire Riley and their 

family 

Malcolm Raven 

Mark Nicholson Mark Ward Mimoza Bag Nick Streeter 

Pam Sekhon Pippa Collins Rachel Moore 

Rev Sue Pitkin 

Rosie Brandreth 

Steve Taylor 

Stewart and Cassie Leaver Tanya Branchflower Team Ottie Tom Grennan 

## **Data Volunteers** 

Alex, Avery, Badr, Caira, Ellen, Gracie, Mae, Morag, Orla, Tara and Walid 

## **Patron and Champions** 

Rob Brydon Carl Cavers Demie Risby 

## **Parent Involvement Forum** 

Naomi Bentham Leeanne Brennan Kate Dixon Claire Donnelly Garrett Fitzgerald Stewart Leaver Naomi Shefford-Thomas Carrie Wright 

## **Schools** 

London Oratory School Chamber Choir Pakefield High School The Hurst Community College The Read School, Selby South Wilford Endowed CofE School Prae Wood Primary School Kesteven & Sleaford High School 

## **Charities, foundations and trusts** 

Band of Parents GamesAid 

Joining Against Cancer in Kids (J-A-C-K) Neuroblastoma Australia Neuroblastoma UK Solving Kids’ Cancer US Children’s Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation Special Effect 

St James’ Place Charitable Foundation St. George’s Society of New York The Merryn Lacy Trust The Rose Foundation Wade’s Army Zoe4life Rupert’s Revenge 

**Family and named funds** Alfie’s Wishes Oscar Knox Fund Smiles for Stanley 

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## Solving Kids’ Cancer UK Annual Report & Accounts 2021/22 

Solving Kids’ Cancer UK is a registered charity. We receive very little public funding for our work, relying on the generous support of the neuroblastoma community and general public. 

Solving Kids’ Cancer UK is a registered charity in England and Wales (1135601) and in Scotland (SCO45094). It is a company limited by guarantee in England and Wales (7208648). The charity and company currently operates as Solving Kids’ Cancer. 

## **To support our work visit:** 


Solving Kids’ Cancer UK Coram Campus 41 Brunswick Square London 

WC1N 1AZ 

**020 7284 0800** 

**info@solvingkidscancer.org.uk** 

**@SKC_UK SolvingKidsCancer365** 

**skc365 Solving Kids’ Cancer UK** 

www.solvingkidscancer.org.uk