IRIS VISION CHESHIRE
Annual Trustees’ Report & Accounts
April 2023 - March 2024
Registered with the Charity Commission 1153034
TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
GENERAL
Name & Status. IRIS Vision Cheshire is a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO) which registered with the Charity Commission in July 2013 but became fully operational from 1st April 2014 when it had transferred to it the assets and responsibilities of its predecessor organisation, the IRIS Vision Resource Centre. The IRIS Vision Resource Centre had first registered with the Charity Commission in October 1993 as an unincorporated organisation, registration number 1045420, but its trustees and members decided to adopt incorporated status after conducting a risk assessment. The new charity, IRIS Vision Cheshire, continued and expanded the work of its predecessor, and has retained its charitable objectives, which are
TO PROMOTE THE RELIEF OF VISUALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE IN ANY MANNER WHICH NOW OR HEREAFTER MAY BE DEEMED BY LAW TO BE CHARITABLE WITHIN THE COUNTY OF CHESHIRE AND ADJACENT DISTRICTS.
However, as noted in the Annual Report of 2022-23, the withdrawal of local authority and health funding led to the closure of the charity's premises and the redundancy of its staff in 2022. The social activities continue to be funded by IRIS but are provided by Wishing Well, another local charity.
Principal address. The principal address of the organisation is 18 Holly Mount, Shavington, Crewe CW2 5AZ.
STRUCTURE AND GOVERNANCE
Governance. The trustees of the IRIS Vision Resource Centre became the founding trustees of IRIS Vision Cheshire, and in accordance with the CIO constitution were elected to office for 2, 3 or 4 years as described below. New trustees are recruited by invitation after agreement by the Board. The trustees listed served on the IRIS Vision Board during the 2023/24 year.
Trustees
Trustees who served on the Board during 2023/24 were as follows.
Kay Bailey, James Cummings, Gwyn Griffiths (Chairman), Jennifer Holt (Treasurer) and John Jones.
This Report is submitted by Gwyn Griffiths (Chairman).
BANKING AND FINANCE
Banks. The organisation’s primary bank is Lloyds, Victoria Street, Crewe. In addition it has cash and deposit accounts with CAF Bank, West Malling, Kent.
Risk management. The trustees recognise they are working in uncertain times, often making forward planning very difficult. Regular finance reports are supplied at trustee meetings and risk assessments are undertaken from time to time. Identifiable risks are managed through a comprehensive insurance policy.
ANNUAL REPORT 2023-2024
As noted in last year's Annual Report 2022-2023 was a watershed year for IRIS with the withdrawal of CCG funding and the decision of Cheshire East to offer a contract which was impractical and unaffordable forcing the Trustees to close operations, vacate the premises, and declare all staff redundant.
Although most of the charity’s services ended, we were able (as noted in last year’s Report) to maintain the social group activities through a partnership agreement with the Wishing Well Project which secured this valued facility, initially to August 2025 (and since extended to August 2026 while other potential funding sources are explored).
The charity continued to experience difficulties in accessing its banking facilities, resulting in delay to the preparation of this Annual Report. The Trustees are confident that the submission of this Annual Report will bring the charity’s reporting back in line with the requirements of the Charity Commission whose understanding at this difficult time is much appreciated.
The difficulties in accessing the banking facilities resulted in the Chair of Trustees making a payment to Wishing Well in respect of the funding of the social group, as noted in the Accounts (below). This was treated as an interest-free loan, and was repaid in 2025.
Gwyn Griffiths Chairman October 2025
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES ACCOUNTS 2023 - 2024
| INCOMING RESOURCES | 2022-2023 | 2023-2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contract fees and grants (health) | 11,045.00 | nil | |
| Sale of property | 128,430.60 | nil | |
| Other Income | 10,376.89 | 319.34 | |
| TOTAL INCOME | 149,852.49 | 319.34 | |
| RESOURCES EXPENDED | |||
| TOTAL EXPENDITURE | 62,951.94 | 980.84 | Note 7 |
| NET SURPLUS/(DEFICIT) | 87,043.20 | ( 661.50) | |
| Bank reconciliation | |||
| Opening balance 1 April 2023 | £142,651.46 | ||
| Receipts | £ 319.34 | ||
| Payments | £ 980.84 | ||
| Closing balance 31 March 20234 | £141.989.96 |
BALANCE SHEET AT 31 MARCH 2024
| 2022-2023 | 2023-24 | |
|---|---|---|
| FIXED ASSETS | ||
| Building | nil | nil |
| Total Fixed Assets | nil | nil |
| CURRENT ASSETS | ||
| Stocks | ||
| Magnifiers, aids & equipment | nil | nil Note 2.3 |
| Cash | ||
| CAF Bank | 1,998.46 | 2,092.80 |
| Lloyds Bank | 140,653.00 | 139,897.16 |
| Total cash reserves | 142,651.46 | 141,989.96 |
| Total Current Assets | 142,651.46 | 141.989.96 |
| Less | ||
| Creditors (Trustee loan) | nil | 14,560.00 Note 7 |
| Total Assets | 142,651.46 | 127,329.96 |
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS 2023 - 24
1. Basis of preparation
1.1 Basis of accounting
These accounts have been prepared under the historic cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant note(s) to these accounts. The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) issued on 16[th] July 2014 and with the Charities Act 2011. The accounts have been produced on an accruals basis.
2. Accounting policies
The charity has applied a standard list of accounting policies as follows:
2.1 Incoming resources:
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Recognition of incoming resources. These are included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SoFA) when the charity receives the resources.
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Incoming resources with related expenditure. Where incoming resources have related expenditure (as with fundraising or contract income) the incoming resources and related expenditure are reported gross in the SoFA.
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Grants and donations. Grants and donations are only included in the SoFA when the charity has unconditional entitlement to the resources.
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Tax reclaims on donations and gifts. Incoming resources from tax reclaims are included in the SoFA at the same time as the gift to which they relate.
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Volunteer help. The value of any voluntary help received is not included in the accounts but is described in the trustees’ annual report.
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Investment income. This is included in the accounts as Interest. The charity has no investments beyond monies held in bank or building society deposit accounts.
2.2 Expenditure and liabilities
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Liability recognition. Liabilities are recognised as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to pay out resources.
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Governance costs. Details of governance costs are given in section 3 below.
2.3 Fixed Assets
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Stock. In the past stock was valued at the lower of cost and net realisable value. It became clear as explained in last year's Annual Report that this gave an unrealistic value to the remaining stock held and it is considered that the realisable value is now effectively zero. Any sales that are achieved will be regarded as windfall income. Some items now considered obsolescent have been donated to an overseas charity operating in settings where the equipment can be useful in assisting people with impaired sight, which the Trustees consider to be in accordance with its charitable objectives.
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Depreciation of fixed assets. As the charity no longer holds any fixed assets depreciation is no longer a consideration.
3. Support costs
Given the very low support costs incurred during the year (the servicing of trustee meetings and the preparation of the Annual Report and Accounts now falls to a Trustee on a voluntary basis) no support costs have been identified.
4. Trustee expenses
No trustee expenses were claimed during 2022/23.
5. Paid employees
The charity no longer employs paid staff.
6. Funds
The IRIS Trustees had previously designated £30000 from its reserves as a contingency against staff redundancies in an uncertain financial climate and £5000 as a contingency against future work. Given staff redundancy and the sale of the property neither provision is now required.
7. Trustee loan
As the charity was unable to access its bank account the payment due to Wishing Well was made by the Chair of Trustees from his personal account. This is recorded in the accounts as a creditor on the Statement of Accounts. The loan was repaid in 2025.
INDEPENDENT EXAMINATION
The Trustees are of the view that an audit is not required under Section 144 of the Charities Act as IRIS does not meet either requirement for audit:
Its annual income did not exceed £500,000
Its assets do not exceed £3,260,000.
Therefore an Independent Examination meets the requirements of the legislation.
STATEMENT OF INDEPENDENT EXAMINER
In connection with my examination of the 2023-24 Report and Accounts no material matters have come to my attention which gives me cause to believe that in any respect:
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Accounting records were not kept in accordance with Section 130 of the Charities Act
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The accounts do not accord with the accounting records.
(signed)
(name – printed)
(date)
[Section 130 requires that Trustees must ensure that accounting records are sufficient to show and explain all the charity’s transactions.]
INDEPENDENT EXAMINATION The Trustees are of the view that an audit is not required under Section 144 of the Charities Act as IRIS does not meet either requirement for audit: Its annual income did not exceed £500,000 Its assets do not exceed £3,260,000. Therefore an Independent Examination meets the requirements of the legislation. STATEMENT OF INDEPENDENT EXAMINER In connection with my examination of the 2023-24 Report and Accounts no material matters have come to my attention which gives me cause to believe that in any respect: Accounting records were not kept in accordance with Section 130 of the Charities Act The accounts do not accord with the accounting records. (signed) (date) 16 0 i Jc)g [Section 130 requires that Trustees must ensure that accounting records are sufficient to show and explain all the charity's transactions.]