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2025-03-31-accounts

Mayor of Merton’s Charitable Trust

Trustees’ annual report for the period 01/04/2024 to 31/03/2025

Reference and administration details Charity name – The Mayor of Merton’s Charitable Trust Registered charity number – 1149209

Names of the charity trustees Slawek Szczepanski 22.5.24 onwards (Chair from 22.5.24) Brenda Fraser 22.5.24 Michael Brunt 30.5.23 (continued) Edith Macauley 24.06.19 onwards Oonagh Moulton 24.06.19 onwards

Structure, governance and management

Type of governing document – Trust deed adopted by meeting of Merton Council on 11 July 2012. A supplemental trust deed, approved by the trustees on 13 May 2019, restated the original trust deed and provided for an increase in the number of trustees from three to five.

How the charity is constituted – Trust

Trustee selection methods – the trustees are appointed or re-appointed annually after the Annual Meeting of Merton Council at which the Mayor is elected. There is an understanding that each year the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and the previous year’s Mayor may become Trustees. The appointments are noted by a meeting of the Council in June/July each year. The Trustees elect the Chair of the Trust Board at the first Trust Board meeting following Annual Council.

Objectives and activities

Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document

The Trust Deed states that the charity's objects are any purposes currently recognised as charitable and any new charitable purposes which are similar to another charitable purpose. The purpose of the Trust is to collect and distribute charitable donations for the benefit of the residents of the borough. The focus will shift from year to year so that each year the Trust can support specific organisations and/or themes such as young people, sport, the arts etc.

Each year the Mayor of Merton nominates a charity or charities for whom fundraising activities are carried out during the year to meet a specified purpose for the benefit of the residents of Merton. Additional small donations may be made to local charities and or individuals.

The Trustees consider the public benefit requirement prior to issuing funds to any organisation or individual. When providing financial donations, the

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Trustees will in every event place specific stipulations as to the use of those funds to ensure that the use is in accordance with the charity’s objects and charitable purposes as well as complying with the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.

Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects

Fundraising activities undertaken over the past year were planned so that a wide range of people from Merton’s diverse local communities could participate, particularly those people who had not previously had any contact with the mayoralty.

Councillor Szczepanski selected Christian Care as the first of his two nominated charities, Christian Care has worked in the London Borough of Merton, committed to the relief of poverty within the borough. They are a group of 60 volunteers, many from churches of different denominations across Merton. His second charity was The National Brain Appeal who have been dedicated to raising vital funds for The National Hospital for Neurology They try and improve the outcome and quality of life for the one in six affected by a neurological condition by funding pioneering research, providing access to the best technology for expert diagnosis and treatment, and training tomorrow’s clinicians.

Achievements and performance (summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year)

Fundraising activities

Fundraising highlights in the 2024/25 year included:

Community outreach

Silver Sunday : October saw Silver Sunday, when Councillor Slawek Szczepanski hosted a tea party at South Mitcham community Centre. A delicious afternoon tea was served, accompanied by sparkling entertainment which included a singer performing for the guests. The day was a fitting celebration of achievements by older residents, and a chance to share some amazing life stories.

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During his mayoral year Councillor Slawek Szczepanski not only held mayoral events but also attended the Jack Petchey Foundation’s Achievement Award Scheme, which highlights the achievements of young people. He enjoyed attending a diverse mix of cultural events throughout the year and finding out about the work carried out by a range of small charities run by resident volunteers.

His mayoral year also coincided with the 60[th] anniversary of the creation of the London Borough of Merton on 1 April 1965 and he led the birthday celebrations, culminating with the We Are Merton Festival, in spring.

Aside from his charity work, Councillor Slawek Szczepanski led the tributes to fallen servicemen and servicewomen on Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday, and he led citizenship ceremonies throughout the year as part of his civic duties.

Engagements

During 2024/25 Councillor Slawek Szczepanski ensured that their programme of 400 to 500 engagements annually has been used as an opportunity to reach out to all parts of Merton’s diverse community and therefore increase understanding, participation and communication, thus addressing one aspect of the public benefit duty of the Trust.

Parlour receptions

During 2024/25 Councillor Slawek Szczepanski hosted several receptions in the Mayor’s Parlour as an opportunity to thank individuals and local community organisations, thus recognising and celebrating the positive contribution they have made to the life of the borough.

Grant-making

Grant-making

In the 2024/25 financial year the Trust made seven grants totalling £43,000 to support local community organisations for the benefit of Merton residents:

Financial review

Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves:–

All cash balances are held as unrestricted funds. All funds are held for the purpose of donations to the Mayor’s chosen charities or cover the costs of further fundraising. We do not have a policy of holding a minimum reserve, other than to not go into deficit.

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Independent examiner’s report on the accounts Separate PDF document

Receipts and payments accounts Separate PDF document

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Official#

Charity Number: 1149209

The Mayor of Merton's Charitable Trust

Receipts and payments accounts

For the period from

to 01/04/2024 31/03/2025

Section A Receipts and payments Section A Receipts and payments Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricte
d funds
to the nearest £
A1 Receipts
Event Income
37,612
Donations
15,310
Gift Aid Receipts
0
Wimbledon Draw
9,582
status
0
Total receipts
62,504
A3 Payments
Cost of Fundraising Activities
20,798
Donations to charities
44,250
Total payments
65,048
Net of receipts/(payments)
(2,544)
A5 Transfers between funds
0
A6 Cash funds last year end
68,779
Cash funds this year end
66,235		 Total funds
to the nearest £
37,612
15,310
0
9,582
0
0
62,504
20,798
44,250
0
65,048
(2,544)
0
68,779
66,235		 Last year
1 April 2023 to 31
March 2024
to the nearest £
Event Income 37,612 32,138
Donations 15,310 48,454
Gift Aid Receipts 0
Wimbledon Draw 9,582 7,087
status 0 0
Total receipts
A3 Payments
87,679
Cost of Fundraising Activities 20,798 22,205
Donations to charities 44,250 29,946
Total payments 65,048 52,150
Net of receipts/(payments)
A5 Transfers between funds
A6 Cash funds last year end
Cash funds this year end
(2,544) (2,544) 35,529
0 0 0
68,779 68,779 33,250
66,235 66,235 68,779
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the per iod
Categories
B1 Cash funds
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees
Signature		 Print Name
Details
Cash at bank
Total cash funds		 Unrestricted
funds
to nearest £
66,235
66,235
Date of approval
Net of receipts/(payments)
A5 Transfers between funds
A6 Cash funds last year end
Cash funds this year end		 (2,544)
(2,544)
0
0
68,779
68,779
66,235
66,235		 35,529
0
33,250
68,779
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
Unrestricted
Categories Details funds
to nearest £
B1 Cash funds Cash at bank 66,235
Total cash funds 66,235
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees
Signature Print Name Date of approval

Official

Independent examiner's report on the accounts

Section A Independent Examiner’s Report

Report to the trustees/ members of The Mayor of Merton’s Charitable Trust On accounts for the 31[st] March 2025 Charity no 1149209 year ended (if any) Set out on pages 1-4

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 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:

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Date: 3/10/25 Signed: Name: Margaret Culleton Relevant professional CPFA qualification(s) or body (if any): Address: London Borough of Merton, Internal Audit Civic Centre, London Road Merton SM4 5DX

Section B Disclosure

Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).

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October 2018

IER

Official

Give here brief details n/a of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .

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October 2018

IER