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2024-03-31-accounts

Children's Hospices across London Company Limited by Guarantee

Registered Charity Number: 1151317 Registered Company Number: 08248052

UNAUDITED

REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

Children's Hospices across London Company Limited by Guarantee

Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2024

Contents

Page
Trustee Directors' Annual Report 1 - 4
Independent Examiner's Report 5
Statement of Financial Activities 6
Balance Sheet 7
Cash Flow Statement 8
Notes to the Financial Statements 9 - 13

Children's Hospices across London Company Limited by Guarantee

Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2024

Trustee Directors' Annual Report

Reference and administration details

Charity name: Children's Hospices across London
Registered company number: 08248052
Registered charity number: 1151317
Registered office: Levicks Accountants and Business Advisers
61 London Road
Maidstone
Kent
United Kingdom
ME16 8TX
Trustee Directors: Sophie Andrews
Christopher John Baker (resigned 12 October 2024)
Sian Elizabeth Wicks (resigned 12 June 2023)
Lavinia Tracy Jarrett
Paul Stephen Farthing
Gary Robert Seager (appointed 1 July 2023; resigned 16 November 2023)
Ralph Coulbeck (appointed 16 November 2023)
Michelle Andrea Kabia (appointed 16 November 2023)
Independent Examiner: J A Griggs FCA
Levicks Accountants and Business Advisers
61 London Road
Maidstone
Kent
ME16 8TX
Bankers: HSBC
59-61 The Mall
Stratford
London
E15 1XF

Structure, governance and management

Governing document

The company ("CHaL") is limited by guarantee governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association dated 10 October 2012 as amended by special resolution registered at Companies House on 15 March 2013. Every member undertakes to contribute such amount as may be required, not exceeding £10, to the company's assets if the company should be wound up whilst he or she is a member or within one year after he or she ceases to be a member. The company is also a registered charity.

Appointment of Trustee Directors

Each subscribing member of the company is entitled to appoint one Trustee Director. This is usually the Chief Executive Officer of the member hospice.

Trustee induction and training

New Trustee Directors are provided appropriate induction and training. Trustee Directors are provided with the CHaL Policies and Procedures. In addition, each year the Trustees attend a planning meeting where priorities for the year are agreed and a budget is set.

Page 1

Children's Hospices across London Company Limited by Guarantee

Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2024

Trustee Directors' Annual Report (continued)

Organisation

The Board of Trustee Directors is responsible for the governance, strategy and direction of the charity and met 10 times in 2023/24.

Risk management

The charity is registered with the Charity Commission and follows best practice on risk management. The Board identifies and reviews major risks at Board meetings, taking action as required.

Objectives and activities

Children’s Hospices across London (CHaL) is a collaboration of six hospices across London that provide vital care for babies, children and young people with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions and their families. Our hospices support families through the most difficult and challenging times, helping them and their children to live the fullest life possible, creating positive memories and providing expert nursing care, emotional and social support to the whole family.

The care our hospices provide spans all 33 London boroughs and large parts of the home counties. Collectively, we care for over 2,000 children and their families every year.

CHaL acts to enhance the work of each hospice, improve services, share knowledge, strengthen our workforce and shout louder about our collective needs across London. By working together, at the right time, we believe we are stronger and can achieve more for life-limited children and their families.

At the heart of everything we set out to do at CHaL, is the knowledge that we are all driven to provide the best possible care to the children and families that could benefit from our support.

Public Benefit

The Trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty in Section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the Charity Commission’s general guidance and consider that the charity’s activities, as outlined in this report, fall within the definition of public benefit.

Our purpose:

Why do we exist? We can achieve more for life-limited children and their families across London by acting together at the right time.

How do we work? Where we can achieve more together, we act together.

How do we do this?

Page 2

Children's Hospices across London Company Limited by Guarantee

Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2024

Trustee Directors' Annual Report (continued)

2023/24 Our performance and achievements

Across 2023/24, CHaL has worked towards it’s strategy and delivered the following:

Plans for the future

Our CHaL Strategy has four key areas, each with a number of objectives:

Our Board is committed to collaboration in order to achieve more collectively than we could as individual hospices. By collaborating and sharing best practice and resources, we aim to provide the best possible care to more children with lifelimiting and life-threatening conditions and their families.

Related Parties

The children's hospices; Demelza House Children's Hospice, ellenor, Haven House, Noah's Ark, Richard House and Shooting Star whose Chief Executives sit on the Board are related parties. Demelza House also provided accounting support to the charity.

Incoming Resources

The financial statements show that incoming resources increased to £50,693 (2023: £950).

Net operating result

The overall result for the year was a surplus of £1,941 (2023: £22,946 deficit).

Investment Policy

CHaL have a deposit account with a competitive interest rate which was opened in May 2023 with £40,000 deposited.

Cash flow

The cash inflow from operating activities was £9,674 (2023: £14,272 outflow).

Reserves

Unrestricted funds of the charity at the year end amounted to £71,340 (2023: £63,508) of which all were free funds. The Board of Trustees has set a reserves policy of 9 to 12 months of running costs. Running costs are budgeted to be £76k in 24-25. So free reserves held at 31 March 2024 represented just over 11 months of running costs. The Board of Trustees will be reviewing the policy in 2024-25.

The Restricted funds of the charity at the year end amounted to £4,261 (2023: £10,152).

The board have agreed to review its reserves policy annually.

Page 3

Children's Hospices across London Company Limited by Guarantee

Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2024

Trustee Directors' Annual Report (continued)

Statement of Trustees' Responsibilities

The Trustees (who are also the Directors of the charity for the purpose of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustee Directors' Annual Report (including the Strategic Report) and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company Law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:

The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable 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 charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

In so far as the Trustees are aware:

Declaration

The Trustees declare that they have approved the Trustee Directors' Annual Report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity's Trustee Directors on 14 November 2024.

Sophie Andrews Trustee Director

Page 4

Children's Hospices across London Company Limited by Guarantee

Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2024

Independent Examiners Report to the Trustee Directors of Children's Hospices across London

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the company for the year ended 31 March 2024, which are set out on pages 6 to 13.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity’s trustees of the company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (‘the 2006 Act’).

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (the ‘2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner's statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:

(1) accounting records were not kept in respect of the company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

(2) the accounts do not accord with those accounting records; or

(3) the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act 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; or

(4) the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities [applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)].

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.

61 London Road Maidstone Kent ME16 8TX

J A GRIGGS FCA LEVICKS Chartered Accountants & Business Advisers

10 December 2024

Page 5

Children's Hospices across London

Company Limited by Guarantee

Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2024

Statement of Financial Activities

Notes
Incoming resources
Incoming resources from generated funds
Donations and legacies
2
Charitable activities
3
Investment income
4
Other income
5
Total incoming resources
Resources expended
Expenditure on raising funds
Expenditure on charitable activities
Expenditure on governance costs
Total resources expended
6
Net outgoing resources
Net income/(expenditure)
7
Transfers between funds
Net movement in funds
Fund balances brought forward
1 April 2023
Fund balances carried forward
31 March 2024
Unrestricted
Funds
Restricted
Funds Total 2024
Total
2023
£
£
£
£
7,883
-
7,883
950
41,250
41,250
-
606
606
-
954
954
-
50,693
-
50,693
950
8,863
-
8,863
4,674
17,806
5,891
23,697
9,221
16,192
16,192
10,001
42,861
5,891
48,752
23,896
7,832
(5,891)
1,941
(22,946)
-
-
-
-
7,832
(5,891)
1,941
(22,946)
63,508
10,152
73,660
96,606
71,340
4,261
75,601
73,660

Continuing operations

None of the company's activities were acquired or discontinued during the year.

Page 6

Children's Hospices across London Company Limited by Guarantee

Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2024

Balance Sheet

Notes
Current Assets
Debtors falling due within one year
8
Cash at bank and in hand
Creditors
Amounts falling due within one year
9
Net current assets
Net assets
Represented by:
Unrestricted funds
General funds
11
Restricted funds
12
£
£
384
89,591
89,975
(14,374)
75,601
75,601
71,340
4,261
75,601
2024
£
1,763
79,917
81,680
(8,020)
73,660
73,660
63,508
10,152
73,660
2023

For the year ending 31 March 2024 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 in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

The directors acknowledge their responsibility for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and for the preparation of accounts.

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 Board of Trustee Directors and authorised for issue on 14 November 2024, and are signed on behalf of the Board by:

Sophie Andrews Trustee Director Company registration number: 08248052

Page 7

Children's Hospices across London

Company Limited by Guarantee

Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2024

Cash Flow Statement

Notes
Net cash (outflow)/inflow
from operating activities
Investing activities
Net Increase (Decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year
Notes to the cash flow statement
Net cash (out)/inflow from operating activities
Net (outgoing)/incoming resources for the year
Decrease/(increase) in debtors
Increase/(decrease) in creditors
2024
9,674
-
9,674
79,917
89,591
1,941
1,379
6,354
9,674
2023
(14,272)
-
(14,272)
94,189
79,917
(22,946)
10,554
(1,880)
(14,272)

Page 8

Children's Hospices across London Company Limited by Guarantee

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2024

1 Accounting Policies

Company Information

Children's Hospices across London is a charity and a limited company domiciled and incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Levicks Accountants and Business Advisers, 61 London Road, Maidstone, Kent, United Kingdom, ME16 8TX.

Accounting convention

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland" and the requirements of the Companies Act 2006. The charitable company constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102 and therefore the charity also prepared its financial statements in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the FRS 102 Charities SORP, the Companies Act 2006 and the Charities Act 2011.

The financial statements are prepared in Sterling, which is the functional currency of the company. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest pound.

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies are set out below.

Income

This represents grants, donations, fundraising events, members' subscriptions merchandising sales, statutory funding and interest receivable.

There are two types of income: unrestricted and restricted. Unrestricted funds are funds that can be spent at the discretion of the Trustee Directors on the charity's objects. Designated funds are unrestricted funds which have been set aside by Trustee Directors for particular purposes. Restricted funds are funds provided by external sources for specific projects and may only be applied towards those specific projects.

Grant income

Grant income is recognised on a receipt basis.

Expenditure

This represents fundraising costs and charitable expenditure. Fundraising costs include fund raising and publicity costs. Charitable expenditure is the cost of activities in furtherance of the charity's objects including training and education.

Expenditure is classified by the category of activity for which it is used rather than by type of expense. Allocation is on an actual basis, or where this is not possible, on an estimated usage basis.

Liabilities are recognised as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to the expenditure.

Page 9

Children's Hospices across London Company Limited by Guarantee

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2024

1 Accounting Policies (continued)

Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.

Financial instruments

The company has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 "Basic Financial Instruments" and Section 12 "Other Financial Instruments Issues" of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments. Financial instruments are recognised in the company's balance sheet when the company becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.

Basic financial assets

Basic financial assets, which include trade and other receivables and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest.

Tangible fixed assets

The charity has no fixed assets at this time, however, expenditure on tangible fixed assets over £500 will be capitalised and depreciation will be provided at the following annual rates in order to write off the cost of each asset over its estimated useful life:

Fixtures and fittings 20% straight line Computer equipment 33% straight line Freehold buildings 2% straight line

Basic financial liabilities

Basic financial liabilities, including trade and other payables, bank loans, loans from fellow group companies and preference shares are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.

Trade payables are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of business from suppliers. Accounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade payables are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

Critical judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty

In the application of the charitable company's accounting policies, the Trustee Directors are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered relevant.

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.

The charitable company is not aware of any critical judgements or estimates in these financial statements.

Key Management Personnel

The Key Management Personnel of the charity are the Trustee Directors. No Trustee Directors received payment or expenses during the year (2024: none).

Page 10

Children's Hospices across London Company Limited by Guarantee

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2024

1 Accounting Policies (continued)

Going Concern

These financial statements are prepared on the going concern basis. The Trustee Directors have reasonable expectation that the company will continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. They are not aware of any material uncertainties which may cause doubt on the company's ability to continue as a going concern.

Taxation

The company is a registered charity and did not receive taxable income in the year.

2
Voluntary Income
Donations
3
Income from Charitable Activities
Members' subscriptions
4
Investment Income
Bank interest received
5
Other Income
Safeguarding training recharges
6
Resources Expended
Analysis of total
resources expended
Fundraising and publicity
Charitable activities
Governance
Total resources expended
Other direct
costs
£
Support
costs
£
2024
£
7,883
2024
£
41,250
2024
£
606
2024
£
954
Total
2024
£
2023
£
950
2023
£
-
2023
£
-
2023
£
-
Total
2023
£
6,223
18,383
-
24,606
2,640
5,314
16,192
24,146
8,863
23,697
16,192
48,752
4,674
9,221
10,001
23,896

Support costs are included in the above analysis of total resources expended & have been allocated on the basis of staff time.

Analysis of Charitable Activities
Consultancy fees
Fundraising regulator
Website
Just Giving fees
Burdett funds
Nurse recruitment
Statutory support
Miscellaneous
Overhead allocation
Analysis of Governance Costs
Consultancy fees
Overheads
Bookkeeping and accounts fees
Independent examination fees
7
Net Outgoing Resources
This is stated after charging:
Examiner's remuneration:
Under accrual of prior year examination fees
2024
£
12,096
82
180
216
5,891
2,066
1,800
989
377
23,697
2024
£
12,096
376
3,000
720
16,192
2024
£
780
(60)
720
2023
£
7,242
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1,979
9,221
2023
£
7,242
1,979
-
780
10,001
2023
£
780
-
780

Page 11

Children's Hospices across London Company Limited by Guarantee

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2024

8
Debtors
Prepayments and accrued income
9
Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year
Accruals and deferred income
2024
2023
£
£
384
1,763
384
1,763
2024
2023
£
£
14,374
8,020
14,374
8,020

10 Limited by Guarantee

The company does not have share capital but is limited by guarantee. The members of the charity are limited in their liabilitiy to a maximum of £10 each.

11 Analysis of Unrestricted Funds

Unrestricted funds
Unrestricted funds
Analysis of Restricted Funds
Restricted funds
Restricted funds
Balance at
Transfers
Balance at
1 April
Incoming
Resources
between
31 March
2023
Resources
Expended
Funds
2024
£
£
£
£
£
63,508
50,693
(42,861)
-
71,340
63,508
50,693
(42,861)
-
71,340
Balance at
Transfers
Balance at
1 April
Incoming
Resources
between
31 March
2022
Resources
Expended
Funds
2023
£
£
£
£
£
86,454
950
(23,896)
-
63,508
86,454
950
(23,896)
-
63,508
Balance at
Transfers
Balance at
1 April
Incoming
Resources
between
31 March
2023
Resources
Expended
Funds
2024
£
£
£
£
£
10,152
-
(5,891)
-
4,261
10,152
-
(5,891)
-
4,261
Balance at
Transfers
Balance at
1 April
Incoming
Resources
between
31 March
2022
Resources
Expended
Funds
2023
£
£
£
£
£
10,152
-
-
-
10,152
10,152
-
-
-
10,152

12 Analysis of Restricted Funds

The restricted funds relate to the CHaL Burdett Trust for Nursing Rotation Programme. The aims of the project are to encourage more nurses to seek a career in paediatric palliative care and to empower sector wide change by recruiting, developing and maintaining a resilient workforce, responsive to patient need.

13

Employed staff
Average headcount of employees during the year
2024
2023
-
-
-
-

Page 12

Children's Hospices across London Company Limited by Guarantee

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2024

14 Related Party Transactions

The Trustee Directors of Children's Hospices across London (CHaL) acted as Chief Executives of the following hospices during the year:

Sian Elizabeth Wicks, Chief Executive Officer of Woking & Sam Beare Hospices Sophie Andrews, Chief Executive Officer of Noah's Ark and Chair of CHaL Lavinia Tracy Jarrett, Chief Executive Office of Demelza House

Paul Stephen Farthing, Chief Executive Officer of Shooting Star Children’s Hospices Christopher John Baker, Chief Executive Officer of Richard House Michelle Andrea Kabia, Chief Executive Officer of ellenor

Gary Robert Seager, former Chief Executive Officer of Haven House Hospice Ralph Coulbeck, Chief Executive Officer of Haven House Hospice

Transactions in the year:

Haven House
Balance brought forward
Charged to CHaL by Haven House
Paid by CHaL to Haven House
Charged to Haven House by ChaL
Paid by Haven House to CHaL
Balance at year end
ellenor
Balance brought forward
Paid for previous years
Charged to CHaL by ellenor
Paid by CHaL to ellenor
Charged to ellenor by CHaL
Paid by ellenor to CHaL
Balance at year end
Noah's Ark
Charged to Noah's Ark by CHaL
Paid by Noah's Ark to CHaL
Balance at year end
Demelza
Balance brought forward
Charged to CHaL by Demelza
Paid by CHaL to Demelza
Paid by Demelza to CHaL
Charged to Demelza by CHaL
Balance at year end
Shooting Star
Balance brought forward
Charged to CHaL by Shooting Star
Paid by Shooting Star to CHaL
Charged to Shooting Star by CHaL
Balance at year end
Richard House
Balance brought forward
Charged to CHaL by Richard House
Paid by CHaL to Richard House
Charged to Richard House by CHaL
Balance at year end
Woking & Sam Beare Hospices
Charged to Woking & Sam Beare Hospices by CHaL
Paid by Woking & Sam Beare Hospices to CHaL
Balance at year end
2024
-
-
-
(7,691)
7,691
-
-
-
-
-
(3,941)
3,941
-
(7,818)
7,818
-
-
6,000
(6,000)
7,500
(7,500)
-
-
-
254
(254)
-
(1,392)
-
8,892
(7,500)
-
-
-
-
2023
(1,980)
-
-
588
1,392
-
(6,600)
-
-
-
208
6,392
-
-
-
-
6,420
-
(8,988)
1,980
588
-
(700)
-
1,392
(692)
-
(700)
-
-
(692)
(1,392)
-
-
-

No other material related party transactions were undertaken during the current or previous year.

Page 13