The Charles Simeon Foundation
Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 5[th] April 2025
Company Number: 07706730 Charity Number: 1145453
The Charles Simeon Foundation
Contents
| Contents Page | 1 |
|---|---|
| Trustees’ Report | 2 |
| Independent Examiner’s Report | 6 |
| Statement of Financial Activities | 7 |
| Balance Sheet | 8 |
| Notes to the Accounts | 10 |
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The Charles Simeon Foundation
Trustees’ Report for the year ended 5 April 2025
Administrative details
The directors of the charitable company (the Charity) are its trustees for the purpose of charity law. The trustees and officers serving during the period and since the period end were as follows:
| Members and | Stuart Browning | |
|---|---|---|
| Trustees | Xavier Castelino | |
| Blake Hansen | ||
| Richard Meakin | ||
| Graham Shaw | ||
| James Wilson | ||
| Principal Officers | Blake Hansen | Chairperson |
| Xavier Castelino | Company Secretary | |
| Principal Office | Holy Trinity Church | |
| Market Street | ||
| Cambridge | ||
| CB2 3NZ | ||
| Registered Office | Holy Trinity Church | |
| Market Street | ||
| Cambridge | ||
| CB2 3NZ | ||
| Bankers | HSBC UK Bank Plc | |
| 1 Centenary Square | ||
| Birmingham | ||
| B1 1HQ | ||
| Company Number | 07706730 | |
| Charity Number | 1145453 |
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The Charles Simeon Foundation
Trustees’ Report (continued) for the year ended 5 April 2025
Objectives and activities
The objects of the Charity are to further the advancement of the Christian Gospel for the benefit of people in Cambridge and elsewhere. The trustees consider that there are two charitable activities being undertaken in fulfilment of these objects: the provision of staff and the making of grants to other charities.
Charity and Public Benefit
The trustees are aware of the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit and confirm that they have complied with the duty in Section 4 of the Charities of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to it. The trustees consider that the information in this report about the Charity’s activities demonstrates the benefit to its beneficiaries, and through them to the public, which arises from those activities.
Achievements and performance
Grants made to Holy Trinity Cambridge have been utilised for continued support toward employment of a student pastor and related work with students. The support was particularly well received as it supported a period of transition, with the previous student pastor stepping down at the end of the 2024/2025 academic year, and a replacement installed for the commencement of the 2025/2026 academic year.
This year saw a further marked increase in the number of students reached by Holy Trinity Cambridge, distributed increasingly evenly across the University of Cambridge and Anglia Ruskin University. Events supported in part through grants made included student outreach Carol Services in November, Student Lunches on Sundays, the annual weekend residential retreat, and a number of social events encouraging community and fellowship.
Financial review
At the end of the reporting period, the Charity had funds carried forward of £21,772 (2024: £16,456), an increase of £5,316. In recent years, the Charity’s main activity has been the provision of a regular grant to Holy Trinity Cambridge, to provide funding for a student pastor. To maximise the benefit of this grant funding and given relatively stable recent income, the trustees have aimed to provide a stable, predictable annual amount, and in recent years the grant has occurred in the period December-January. Hence, it is expected for there to be little movement in funds year-on-year. The increase in funds in the current year is primarily driven by the receipt (after the annual grant payment) of a significant quantity of new Gift Aid declarations from donors, which included the ability to claim for past donations. Gift Aid income increased by £4,098 in the year.
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The Charles Simeon Foundation
Trustees’ Report (continued) for the year ended 5 April 2025
Reserves policy
Where the Charity is fulfilling its charitable purposes solely by way of making grants, its policy is that reserves should not fall below £2,500. As an entirely volunteer-operated charity, there are limited costs which do not directly relate to provision of the Charity’s charitable activities, and provision of grants is entirely at the discretion of the trustees, in view of the Charity’s financial information. Therefore, £2,500 is considered sufficient to cover any unavoidable expenditure, such as insurance.
Where the Charity is fulfilling its charitable purposes by providing services directly to Charity beneficiaries, by way of employees, volunteers or direct engagement of thirdparty organisations, additional reserves will be maintained. The Charity does not specify an amount within its policy, but it is expected that reserves will be held of at least one-third of the expected annual expenditure for the committed engagements.
In the coming year the Charity expects to incur several one-off costs as it engages specialist consultants to strengthen our core processes, including GDPR compliance, database development, basic digitisation of our accounting systems and improvements to our communications. An additional £2,100 of reserves will be maintained to be able to invest in these areas, ensuring reserves remain stable, while positioning the Charity to enhance donor engagement, increase income, and expand future grant-making capacity.
Structure, governance and management
The Charity is a company limited by guarantee and has no share capital. The governing documents are the memorandum and articles of association, which are available from Companies House.
The trustees, when complete, consist of at least 3 and not more than 12 individuals over the age of 18, who must support the Charity’s objects. Historically, new trustees have mostly been recruited through the personal connections of existing volunteers, trustees, donors and beneficiaries, however the Charity does not have a policy specifying the routes through which recruitment can occur. New trustees are formally appointed through co-option by the existing trustees, with a 3-year term of office.
Trustees’ responsibilities in relation to the financial statements
The Charity trustees (who are also the directors of The Charles Simeon Foundation for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing a trustees’ annual report and financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
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The Charles Simeon Foundation
Trustees’ Report (continued) for the year ended 5 April 2025
Company law and the law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the Charity trustees to prepare financial statements for each accounting period which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources. In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are required to:
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select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
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observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
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make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
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prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Charity will continue in business.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006, the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the trust deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and hence taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
In preparing this report, advantage is taken of the small companies exemption.
This report was approved and authorised for issue by the trustees and was signed on their behalf by:
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Blake Hansen Chairperson
Date: 19 December, 2025
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The Charles Simeon Foundation
Independent Examiner's Report to the trustees of The Charles Simeon Foundation
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of The Charles Simeon Foundation (“the Trust”) (Charity number 1145453) for the year ended 5th April 2025 comprising the statement of financial activities, the balance sheet and the related notes 1 to 14.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner's statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that, in any material respect:
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the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
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the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
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the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Allen Swann (ACA) Cambridge, United Kingdom
Date: 19 December 2025
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The Charles Simeon Foundation
Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 5 April 2025
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total Funds | Total Funds | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Funds | Funds | 2025 | 2024 | ||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||
| Income | |||||
| Donations | 3 | 30,701 | 0 | 30,701 | 26,025 |
| Interest income | 303 | 0 | 303 | 135 | |
| Total incoming | |||||
| resources | 31,004 | 0 | 31,004 | 26,160 | |
| Expenditure | |||||
| Charitable activities | 4 | 25,688 | 0 | 25,688 | 25,675 |
| Other expenditure | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 271 |
| Total expenditure | 25,688 | 0 | 25,688 | 25,946 | |
| Net movement in | |||||
| funds | 5,316 | 0 | 5,316 | 214 | |
| Reconciliation of | |||||
| funds | |||||
| Total funds brought | |||||
| forward | 16,456 | 0 | 16,456 | 16,242 | |
| Total funds carried | |||||
| forward | 21,772 | 0 | 21,772 | 16,456 |
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities. The Charity had no restricted funds during the current or previous year.
Comparative fund information for the year ended 5 April 2024 is shown in Note 12.
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The Charles Simeon Foundation
Balance Sheet as at 5 April 2025
| Current Assets Debtors 10 Cash at bank and in hand Liabilities Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 11 Net current assets Total assets less current liabilities Net assets The funds of the Charity: 12 Unrestricted income funds Total Charity funds |
7,232 14,635 |
2025 £ 21,772 |
2,093 24,494 |
2024 £ 16,456 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21,867 (95) |
26,587 (10,131) |
|||
| 21,772 | 16,456 | |||
| 21,772 | 16,456 | |||
| 21,772 | 16,456 | |||
| 21,772 | 16,456 |
For the year ended 5[th] April 2025 the company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.
The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476. The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts.
These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime.
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The Charles Simeon Foundation
Balance Sheet (continued) as at 5 April 2025
The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the trustees and were signed on their behalf by:
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Blake Hansen
Chairperson
Date: 19 December, 2025
The notes on pages 10 to 16 form part of these accounts.
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The Charles Simeon Foundation
Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 5 April 2025
1. General information
The Charles Simeon Foundation is a charitable company, limited by guarantee and incorporated in England and Wales. The address of the registered office and the Charity’s registered number are shown in the Trustees’ Report.
The liability of each member in the event of winding-up is limited to £10. These amounts have been paid to the Charity by the members and are included within ‘Other creditors’.
2. Accounting Policies
The principal accounting policies are summarised below. The accounting policies have been applied consistently throughout the accounting period.
(a) Basis of accounting
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) (effective 1 January 2019) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), the Companies Act 2006 and other applicable charity and company law in the Charity’s jurisdiction.
The financial statements have been prepared on the going concern basis.
The Charity 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 policy note(s).
The Charity has taken advantage of the exemptions provided under the SORP FRS 102 and has not prepared a cash flow statement for the period.
(b) Fund accounting
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the Charity.
The Charity has no designated or restricted funds.
(c) Going concern
The financial statements have been prepared using the going concern basis of
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The Charles Simeon Foundation
Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 5 April 2025
accounting. The trustees have reviewed the Charity’s going concern position taking into account the Charity’s current activities, expected future plans, and understanding of risks and uncertainties.
The Charity’s future activities are expected to principally be focused on the provision of grants to other institutions. These grants form almost the entirety of the Charity’s expenditure (other expenditure is significantly below the value of the Charity’s funds), and grants are only paid on approval by the trustees. Grants would not be approved if they endangered the going concern status of the Charity. Therefore, the trustees consider that there is minimal risk of the Charity being unable to settle its liabilities.
(d) Incoming resources
Income is recognised when the Charity has entitlement to the funds, any conditions attached to the item(s) of income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received, and the amount can be measured reliably.
(e) Unpaid general volunteers
The Charity is operated entirely by a team of volunteers, which is mostly made up of its trustees (who are unpaid), but can occasionally involve support from non-trustees.
In accordance with FRS 102 and the Charities SORP (FRS 102), the economic contribution of general volunteers is not recognised in the accounts.
(f) Resources expended
Expenditure is recognised on an accruals basis as a liability is incurred. Expenditure includes any VAT which cannot be fully recovered, and is reported as part of the expenditure to which it relates:
• Charitable activities expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the Charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.
• Other expenditure comprises costs which are neither related to raising funds for the charity nor part of its expenditure on charitable activities.
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The Charles Simeon Foundation
Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 5 April 2025
3. Donations
| Donations (excl. Gift Aid) Gift Aid income Total |
Unrestricted funds 2025 Restricted funds 2025 Total funds 2025 Unrestricted funds 2024 Restricted funds 2024 Total funds 2024 £ £ £ £ £ £ 25,870 0 25,870 25,292 0 25,292 4,831 0 4,831 733 0 733 |
|---|---|
| 30,701 0 30,701 26,025 0 26,025 |
Included within Gift Aid income is £3,126 (2024: £Nil) of Gift Aid arising on donations from previous years, where Gift Aid declarations allowing backdating of claims (in line with HMRC Gift Aid rules) were received from donors in the current year .
4. Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities
| Grants to institutions Support costs (note 5) Governance costs (note 6) Total |
Student ministry grants (unrestricted funds) 2025 Total 2025 Student ministry grants (unrestricted funds) 2024 Total 2024 £ £ £ £ 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 67 67 65 65 621 621 610 610 |
|---|---|
| 25,688 25,688 25,675 25,675 |
Grants to institutions were made up solely of grants made to Holy Trinity Cambridge, to provide funding for a student pastor.
During the current and previous year the Charity had no employees.
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The Charles Simeon Foundation
Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 5 April 2025
5. Support costs
| Bank fees Postage costs Total |
2025 2024 £ £ 64 62 3 3 |
|---|---|
| 67 65 |
6. Governance costs
| Insurance Compliance costs Total |
2025 2024 £ £ 584 567 37 43 |
|---|---|
| 621 610 |
Compliance costs comprise costs related to the required filings made by the Charity, including Companies House confirmation statements.
No fees were payable to the independent examiner for the year to 5 April 2025 (2024: £Nil).
7. Other expenditure
| Gift Aid written-off Total |
Unrestricted funds 2025 Total funds 2025 Unrestricted funds 2024 Total funds 2024 £ £ £ £ 0 0 271 271 |
|---|---|
| 0 0 271 271 |
'Gift Aid written-off' relates to amounts previously recognised as income, but which were no longer claimable at YE.
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The Charles Simeon Foundation
Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 5 April 2025
8. Trustee Remuneration & Related Party Transactions
None of the trustees have been paid any remuneration or received any other benefits from an employment with the Charity.
No trustee expenses have been incurred.
The Charity paid a grant to Holy Trinity Cambridge, to provide funding for a student pastor. The amount given during the year was £25,000 (2024: £25,000).
Two of the trustees, namely Stuart Browning and Richard Meakin, are also trustees of Holy Trinity Cambridge, a registered charity.
9. Taxation
As a charity, The Charles Simeon Foundation is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within section 505 of the Taxes Act 1988 or s256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects. No tax charges have arisen in the Charity.
10. Debtors
| Prepayments Accrued income (Gift Aid receivable) Gift Aid accrued interest Total |
2025 2024 £ £ 241 231 6,630 1,799 361 63 |
|---|---|
| 7,232 2,093 |
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The Charles Simeon Foundation
Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 5 April 2025
11. Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
| Accrued expenses Other creditors Total |
2025 2024 £ £ 35 61 60 10,070 |
|---|---|
| 95 10,131 |
Included within 'Other creditors' in 2024 is an amount of £10,000, which relates to donations due to be refunded. The donations were given with specific conditions, which would not have been possible for the Charity to meet. Therefore the trustees deemed it lawful and in the best interest of the Charity to refund the donations.
12. Analysis of charitable funds
There were no restricted funds at any point in the year or the previous year, nor unrestricted designated funds.
Analysis of movements in unrestricted funds
| General fund Total |
Balance 6 April 2024 Income Expenditure Funds 5 April 2025 £ £ £ £ 16,456 31,004 (25,688) 21,772 |
|---|---|
| 16,456 31,004 (25,688) 21,772 |
Analysis of movements in unrestricted funds – previous year
| General fund Total |
Balance 6 April 2023 Income Expenditure Funds 5 April 2024 £ £ £ £ 16,242 26,160 (25,946) 16,456 |
|---|---|
| 16,242 26,160 (25,946) 16,456 |
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The Charles Simeon Foundation
Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 5 April 2025
13. Guarantees and other financial commitments
There were no financial commitments, guarantees or contingencies not included in the balance sheet.
14. Post balance sheet events
There are no post balance sheet events to report.
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