COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER 07406511 LOOK NATIONAL FEDERATION OF FAMILIES WITH VISUALLY IMPAIRED CHILDREN COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2024 Charity Number 1140471 •￿INu3R4* 24112r2024 CWPANIES HOUSE #161 LOOK NATIONAL FEDERATION OF FAMILIES WITH VISUALLY IMPAIRED CHILDREN COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 CONTENTS PAGE Trustees annual report 3to12 Independent examine¢s report to the members 13to14 Statement of financial activities (incorporating the income and expendrture account) 15 Balance sheet 16 Notes to the financial staternents 17to22 The following pages do not forni part of the financlal statements Detailed statement of financial activities 23to27 LOOK NATIONAL FEDERATION OF FAMILIES WITH VISUALLY IMPAIRED CHILDREN COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 The trustee5, who are a150 directors for the purposes of Company law. present theiT report and the unaudited financial statem¢nts of the ¢ompany for th¢ year ¢nded 31 March 2024. REFERENCE AND ADI￿￿[s￿lATIyE DETAILS Registered charity Dame IL)ok National Federation Of Families With Visually Impaired Children Cbarity regislrgtlon number 1140471 Company registration number 07406571 Priatipal office Wall Street Th¢ Fred Bulmer Centre Hereford FtR4 9HP Registered offi¢¢ The Fred Bulmer Centre Wall Street Hereford HR4 9HP Tbe trustees The trustees who served th¢ company during the period were as follows: Dr M Wolffe A Rand N Bowen QC C Jam¢s S ElnusaiTi S MorTiS LOOK NATIONAL FEDERATION OF FAMILIES WITH VISUALLY IMPAIRED CHILDREN COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Empowerillg Cbildr¢D, YopnE People and Families living wilh Visp*l Impairment About LOOK LOOK is a UK chaTity dedicated to supporting children. youn8 people aThl families living with visual impairment. Through our tailored services. we provide: - Menloring.. Pairing young people with trained mentors who shar¢ their lived ex￿rIenCe of sight loss. fostering confidence and independence. - Parentlcarer Support: Offering peer-l¢d support groups and resources to empower familie5 navigating the challenges of raising a child with visual impaimient. - Events and Community Building.. Hosting incI￿1ve events and activities like LOOKfest, confidence- building residenlials, and inforniativ¢ webinars to connect and inspire our community. - Practical Resources: Providing advice. workshoF6, and accessibl¢ holidays to ensure families feel support¢d in ¢v¢ry a5￿Ct of life. At LOOK. we believe that with the right supporL ev¢ry child with visual impairment can thriv¢. and every family can feel empowered. 2023- 2024 Achievements: This year, LOOK has continued to d¢velop its service5 and deepen its impact. empowering children, young people and families living with visual impaim)ent (VD- With a clear mission to foster & world where they are valu¢d. included. and equipped to succeed. LOOK has become a vital lifeline for so many across th¢ UK. LOOK Mentoring Programme Our pioneering mentoring programm¢ pairs VI mentees with trained mentoTs who share their lived experience of sight loss. Progress 2023-2024. 190 trained VI mentors supported 193 mentoring partnerships. We trained 42 new mentors 2nd offered 40 professional development sessions to enhance the skills and employability of our youth menlor tearn. Our University mentoring programme continues to support visually irnpaired SDJdents as they move into Higher Education with confidence. LOOK NATIONAL FEDERATION OF FAMILIES WITH VISUALLY IMPAIRED CHILDREN COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (confd) YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Mentor Project Imp4ct: Survey results demonstrate the progrdmme's impact: 930/0 of mentees rep)rted increas￿ confidence. 950/0 of mentors said mentoring improv¢d their skills and employability. IOO•/o would recommend becoming a LOOK Mentor. "Having a LOOK mentor changed my life. Ifeli alone unlil Imel someone who truly undersiood. Now Ifeel confideni aboul myfuture and even gave a Braillepre5e￿dl10n lo my classlll_ Menlee, aged 14 Parentlcarer Support Parents of children with visual impairnieni face many challeng￿. L(K)K's supFM)rt youps and initialives, including the Hulthy Par¢nt Carer course. provid¢ the vital inforniation and guidance parents ne¢d when coming to ierms with their child's diagnosis and advo¢atin8 for their educational support. We Tan 24 parent support groups this year connectin8 451 parentlcareTS. IOOYts of attendees Teported improved cmolional wellbeing. We launched our pilot Healthy Parentlcarer Course. working with The University of Exeter- a 12 week transforniative initiative desigtt￿ to support th¢ wellking of pa￿nts and carers of children with visual impairn)enl. Through structured peeT-led sessions, the programme provides pwtical lools. emotional support. and strategies to help parents manage stress, build r¢silienc¢. and maintain their own health while navigating the challenges of raising a child with visual impainnent and often other additional needs too. Participants consistently re￿rt improved emotional wellbeing and a stronger sense of community. One parent shared: 'LOOKhas been a lrfeline. 7ke advice. sharedexperiencu. and eommwiity syppori hove made a world ofdifferencefor ourfamily." Transforniational Events Programme This year. LOOK hosted 119 ¢vents, engaging 1852 participants. including". A confidence-building residential at Jamie's Fann. The much-loved LOOKf¢sL attended by 150 participanty fostering skills-sharing and onnection. Monihly online inforn)ation events aimed at parentlcarers. PTofessionals. and young Vt people. These Covered topics su¢h as transitioning from primary to secondary school. managing finances. moving into independent life, and advocating for your needs 15 a student with visual impairn]enL LOOK NATIONAL FEDERATION OF FAMILIES WITH VISUALLY IMPAIRED CHILDREN COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (conYd} YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 LOOK F¢5t 2023: LOOKfest is the first and only family festival in the UK designed specifically for children and young people with visual impaimlent, their families. and supporters. C￿¢[Cated with our youth mentors. the festival is a vibrant celebration of community and empowernjent. Our mentor5 volunteer to help run Ihe festival. leading iheir own workshops. serving food. and facililating sessions. This hands-on involvemeni provides them with vital work experience, builds their confidenc¢. and show¢as¢s th¢ incredible tslent and dedication of thes¢ young peopl¢. LOOKfest offers a Uniq￿ space for cortn￿tiOn. skill-5harin& and fun, helping families feel less isolated and empowering young people with visual impairnient to embrace their pjtential in a SUPPOrtive community. As one parent shared.. "We made grealfriends wilh oiherfamilies ai LOOKfesÉ. apkl it WIV so good to see all iheyoung mentors. Camping is hardwiih thefomily, btsl LOOKgave tk camping andfestival experience we wanted. Can t waitfor nextyeariiN* A¢hievem¢nts at a Glan¢¢ We'v¢ re￿hed over 5.000 peopl¢. indicaling that we have 5UPPOrted MO￿ beneficiaries. Worked with and received referrals from over 70 local authorities across the UK. Answered 1.112 helpline Calls and emails. tklivered 15.600 hours of online mentorin& Supported I90 volunteer Youth mentors and 193 mentoring partnerships Delivered 119 events, engaging 1852 participants Impact Stories 'LOOK showed me ihai losing my sigh doesn ? mean losing myfvure. Mentoring empowered me to grow, and now I n4n my own business."_ Menlor "The eonneclions my daughter hos made ihrough LOOK have &ven her confidence and ihepraclicol lips she needed to thrive. - Parenl Looking Ahead With growing demand for our servI￿s, LOOK is committed to expandin8 its reach and ensuring no young person or family affexted by visual impaimient feels isolated. LOOK NATIONAL FEDERATION OF FAMILIES WITH VISUALLY IMPAIRED CHILDREN COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd) YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 In respons¢ lo a continued growth in demand for our services we have increased our team of stsff and volunteers, so as to reach more beneficiaries across the UK with our unique model of holistic support. W¢ have deVelo￿d OUT regional mentoring services in Sussex, London and Hereford, with support from Blat¢hington Court TrusL Vision Foundation and H¢r¢ford Community Fund. EF Bulmer Trust re5pectivety. To support this expansion of the MentOT Project team, we have str¢n8thened our infraStrUc￿re by investing in more administration and communications staff. Connectionsl New Partnerships: We have continued to build robust and trusted relationships with eye h¢ahh professioDa15. education services and oth¢r ¢harities. New I￿al authority and eharity Telationships have been built across the UK and we're recognised by statutory and non-statutory servi￿5 for our valuable youth serYic¢. This is reflected in a steady growth of referrals from local authoritie5 and teachers, nationwid¢. LOOK Scarboroy£h Holiday Flat Look is extrem¢ty grdteful to The Hendersons and the Norfolk Group for the gift of the holiday flat in Scarborough. The flat continues to provide hugely valuable respite for families dealing with VI and complex needs, offering much n¢¢d¢d short breaks at an affordable rate. This year we have invested in re￿rbIshlng the property, io ensure it off¢TS the highest standards of accessibility and comfort to our Vt beneficiarles. STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMElYr . tA)ok is a Registered Charity in England and Wale4 number 1140471 and a Registered Company Limited by Guarantee. number 07406571. I￿k is governed by a Memorandum and Articles of Association. The Charity w8s founded and constituted in 1991. first register¢d in 1992, with fvture amendments to its Constitution in 1995 and 1998. The Memorandum and articles of Association weTe revised and updated in 2011. In October 2010 Look was re8lStered ￿ a Company Limited by Guarantee and as a consequence re-re8iStered with the Charity Commission in February 2011. As a charitable company. tL)ok began its activities as from 1st April. 2011. at whi¢h point the unincorporated Look (Regisiered Charity number 1007282) stopped operating and its assets have been transferred to Look &$ a Charitable Company (R¢gist¢red Charity number 1141M71). LOOK NATIONAL FEDERATION OF FAMILIES WITH VISUALLY IMPAIRED CHILDREN COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd) YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 STRUCTURE. GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT (cont'd) The Trustee5 of LOOK who aTe also the Directors for the purp)5e of Company law. have the overall rcswnsibility for the 8overnan¢e and the strate8i¢ diTection of th¢ charity. Th¢ Chair. Vice Chair and Treasurer aT¢ ¢l¢ct¢d annually. They then appoint the other Trustee5 who are re¢ruiled io provide ihe range of skills and exF¢rtis¢ to ¢ff¢¢tively govem the Chariry. The Board of Trustees meets r¢8ularly to review strategy and perforniance and agree budgets. An induction pack has been developed. which is available to all existing and newly recruited Trustees. This includes various Charity Commission publications. a copy of the Memorandum and Articles of Association. published Tru5t¢¢s Annual Report and Accounts, financial procedures, risk assessment documents. th¢ CUTr¢nt business plan. working bud8¢t. and the roles and r¢sponsibilities of a Trustee and the Board. On a d&y to day basis the orgonisation is managed by the Director. Charlotte Carson. who has the overall responsibility for straiegic plannin& operational managemenc human and financial resources and seryice. Risk Mgna ement The Board is responsible for the rnanageTnent of the risks faced by the charity. Detstl¢d considerations of the risks are delegated to the Dir¢ctor. Risks are identified, assessed and contro]s established throu8hout the year. A fornial review of the charity's risk management processes is underfaken on an annual basis and risks aTe revi¢w¢d on a rolling cycle. The key controls used by the charity include strategic plannin& budgetin& and managemenl accountingj organisational and governance structure and lines of reporting. Fornial written licies ar¢ reviewed annually. and assessment of risk is a standing item on the agenda at Board meetings. Throu8h these risk rnanagement proc¢5ses the Trustee5 are satisfied that the major risks have been adequately mitigat¢d. The main financial risk to the charity is consideTed to be the Unexpect￿ 1055 of income through Charitable funding or fvnds brought in by the mardthon runners and other fundraising activity. In order to mitigai¢ thi5. we ensure that we abide by our Teserves policy ensuring Ihat we have six mortihs core running costs in the bank. We have recruited a volunteer and a LOOK staff member manages our Marathon running team to ensure that core funds are received each year. LOOK NATIONAL FEDERATION OF FAMILIES WITH VISUALLY IMPAIRED CHILDREN COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (convd) YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 OBJECTIVES AND AcfiviTIES Cbgritsbl To facilttate parents, groups and parents in enhancing the education, welfare and leisure opportuniti¢s of visually impaired children. to promole th¢ cwirdination of s¢rvices. both ststutory and voluntary, provided by parent groups and organisations r¢lating to visual impairnient. Vision Our vision is a world where all youn8 blind and partialty sighted people are valued. included and can live their best lives. Pur To improve the lives of families with visually impaired children and young p¢opl¢ by providing sUPPOrt. information and activities with a view to helping them gain Ihe best outcomes in life. We wani to break down the bwri¢rs that young Vt pwple and their families face. Pmblit Beneflt The Tntstees confirni thai they have complied with their obligation under Section 4 of th¢ Charities Act 2006 to have due regard to the public benefit guidance used by th¢ Charity Commission for En8tand and Wales. The Trustee5 further confirni that the activities of the charity are carried out, in line with its objecty for the public benefit. and the charity achi¢ves its objects through the activities d￿rIb￿ below. LOOK NATIONAL FEDERATION OF FAMILIES WITH VISUALLY IMPAIRED CHILDREN COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT {cont'd) YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE ImpA¢ts of our strviee: Decreased isolation Increased ￿nfIdell¢e Increased tran5ferabl¢ skills and employability Increased well-being Social opportunity Physical activity Jn¢r¢ased understsnding of availabl¢ SUPFX)rt streams for parents and young people Emotional Support Increased understanding amongst classmates and teachers of barriers faced by VI children We achieved these positive impacts and ouicomes by off¢ring-. Mentoring Project Parent I Carer Support Group Parent / Carer Helpline Transforniational Ev¢nts Programme ReSOu￿¢S and Inforn)ation FINANCIAL REVIEW Reserves Poli Free reserves are represenled by net current assets within ih¢ unrestricted fund. In view of the unpredictable nature of charitable incom¢. it is the Trustees intention to maintain an unrestricted reserve of a minimum of six months, project￿ nmning Costs. LOOK NATIONAL FEDERATION OF FAMILIES WITH VISUALLY IMPAIRED CHILDREN COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd) YEAR ENDEO 31 MARCH 2024 FINANCIAL REVIEW Fix Following an 8￿ment with the Lincoln VIPS Group to transfer their holiday flat io L4)ok. the Trustees took owneTship of the flai on 21st July 2(KJ6. This is an enornious asset valued at approximately £IOO.000. In 2010 the Trustees had the opportunity lo acquire the fr¢¢hold of th¢ flat for £2.000 and this option was taken up. The flat ¢r¢ates the opportunity for IA)ok m¢mber famili¢s and groups to ¢njoy a reasonably prirxd holiday by th¢ s¢a. Trnstets, Res nsibilities The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees. r¢port and the financial statements so that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity at the end of the financial year and of its surplus or deficit for the financial year. In doing so. the Trustees are required to: Select suitable accounting policies and then apply th¢m consistently. Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent. Prepar¢ th¢ Financtal Statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriat¢ to presume that the Charity will continue in business. Observe the methods and principles in th¢ Charities. SORP. Th¢ Trustees are responsible for maintaining prop¢r accounting records which disclose with r¢asonabl¢ ac¢uracy at any time. the financial position of the Charity and enables them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. The Trustees are also resFK)nsible for safe8uarding th¢ assets of th¢ Charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the pr¢vention and ddection of fraud and other irregularities. The finan¢ial statements have been prepared on the accounting policies set out in note I to the financial statements and comply with the Memorandum and Articles of Associalion. applicable law and the requirements of the Statement of R¢cOrnmend￿ Practice 'Accounting and Reporting by Chariti¢s" issued Ma￿h 2005. LOOK NATIONAL FEDERATION OF FAMILIES WITH VISUALLY IMPAIRED CHILDREN COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE PIIEMBERS OF LOOK NATIONAL FEDERATION OF FAMILIES WITH VISUALLY IMPAIRED CHILDREN YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 I report on the accounts of the company for the year ended 31 March 2024 which are set out on pages 15 to22. RESPEcfIvE RESPONSIBILrriES OF TRUSTEES AIW EXAMINER The trustees (who ar¢ a15Q the directors of Look National Federdtion of Families With Visually Impaired Children for the purposes of company law) are resFK)n5ible for the preparation of Ihc accounts. The trustees consider thal an audit is not requiffd for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an indepen(knt examination is ne¢ded. Having satisfied myself that the company is not subject to audit under company law and is eligible for independent examination. it is my responsibility to- • examine the a￿oUnts under section 145 of the 2011 ACL to follow the pr￿edureS laid down in th¢ general Directions 8iven by the Charity Commission under section 145(5Xb) of the 201 l A￿. and to state wh¢ther particular matteT5 have com¢ to my attention. BASIS OF INDEPENDENf EXAMINER'S REPORT My examination was caTried out in a¢cordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination in¢ludes a review of the accounting records kept by the company and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. Th¢ procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequenily no opinion is given a5 to whether the accounts wesent a'true and fair view, and the report is limited to those matters set out in the Statement below. INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S STATEMENT In connection with my examination. no matter has come to my attention.. (l) which gives me re&sonable cause to believe that in any material respect the T¢quirements: to keep a¢counting r￿ordS in accordance with section 386 of the Companies Act 2006. and to pr¢par¢ accounts which accord with th¢ accounting re¢oTds. wmply with the accounting requir¢ments of section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 and with the methods and principles of the Staiement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities have noi been m¢L or {2) to which. in my opinion. altcnlion should be dTawn in order to ¢nable a proper undeTStanding of th¢ accounts to be reached. 13 LOOK NATIONAL FEDERATION OF FAMILIES WITH VISUALLY IMPAIRED CHILDREN COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF LOOK NATIONAL FEDERATION OF FAMILIES WITH VISUALLY IMPAIRED CHILDREN Iconlinu YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Helen Wanless ACCA Independent examiner 29 Park Street Ma¢¢lesfi¢ld Cheshire SKI16SR 1s-11-2o￿L 14 LOOK NATIONAL FEDERATION OF FAMILIES WITH VISUALLY IMPAIRED CHILDREN COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES {INCORPORATING THE INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT) YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Unrestrided Fullds Restricted Ftynds Total Funds 2024 Total Funds 2023 Note INCOMING RESOURCES Incoming resources from generating fvnds- Voluntary income Activities for genernting nds Investment income Incoming resources from charitsble activities 31271 299,179 330,450 368,313 79,1(Kl 985 79.100 985 82.585 763 892 TOTAL INCOMING RESOURCES 118202 299,179 417J81 452,553 RESOURCES EXPENDED Costs of generating fijnds: Costs of generating voluntary income Charitable activities (9,785) (49264) (9.785) (440247) {3.051) (374,227) 718 (390.983) TOTAL RESOURCES EXPENDED (59,049) (390,983) (450.032) (377.278) NET INCOMING RESOURCES FOR THE YEARINET INCOME FOR THE YEAR RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS Total funds brought forward TOTAL FUNDS CARR]ED FORWARD 59.153 (91W4) (32,651) 75,275 243ffi74 309￿74 553248 477.973 302,827 217.770 520.597 553,248 The Statement of Financial Activities includes all gains and losses in the y¢ar and th¢r¢fore a statement of total recognised gains and losses has not been prepared. All of the above amounts relate to continuing activities. 15 LOOK NATIONAL FEDERATION OF FAMILIES WITH VISUALLY IMPAIRED CHILDREN COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE BALANCE SHEET 31 MARCH.2024 2•24 2023 FTXED ASSETS Tan￿b]e aue 11 Tl469• 117.886 CURRENT A&SETS D¢btors C¥sh.at bAllk 12 13.154 19.419 446J36 41￿79> 465.955 CREDITORS.. Amo¥•ts f41ND2due wi¢blo o•e y¢ar 13 1&292) {30J93) NET CURR￿ A&SETS 401.9Q7 435.362 520J97 520597 553248 553.248 NET ASSETS R&%tric*d itir4JDe funds Unrc5UiCted itKome fuDts 14 15 217.77• 302,827 S20￿97 309.574 243.674 TOTAL FUNDS 553.248 For the yeAr ended 31 M4Y¢h 2024 the cornpany wa5 entitled to uunption fTom oudir under seclion 477 of thc Companies Act f￿￿l￿g kn sm411 ¢omp*mies. Tn￿teC5, ￿nsibiliti￿$. The rthcmkn have Mot rwjued the cuwy ¢0 obtatri an udit of its for the year . qucstion in •etwdao¢e with 476: wd The ￿7￿￿¢8 acknowl¢d8¢ their zwbilitsts r(r complyiDB Ivith thr Jtq¥JiTeDKots of the A¢1 ThE$¢￿ED￿nts have beco pr¢p¥tyJ in 4£￿08n￿ with the provi510DS 8ppliEAbl¢ to ¢ompnies subject to th¢ small comrAni&s regimc and with the Fin4n¢iAI Rewting Siandafd foT Srnaller Entilies (eff¢di¥e April 2CK181. These fin*￿la1 S￿¢￿ents •ppffjved by th¢ of the ¢oJnmitte¢ authoris¢d for i8SU¢ gn th¢.l.¥J !11%.4. and are signed on th¢irbclHif by: A RAnd Tn￿te¢ C