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← Kielder Observatory Astronomical Society

2023-08-31-accounts

Registered Charity Number 1153570

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KIELDER OBSERVATORY ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION)

REPORT AND ACCOUNTS For the year ending 31 August 2023

KIELDER OBSERVATORY ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023 TRUSTEES’ REPORT

As the Board of Trustees, we present our report and financial statements for the year to 31 August 2023.

Registered Charity Number 1153570 Registered Office Unit C, Bewick, Prestwick Park, Prestwick, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE20 9SJ

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing Documents

Kielder Observatory Astronomical Society (KOAS) was established as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) on 29 August 2013. As a CIO, it is governed by its constitution. This was amended in April 2020 and is in a form specified by the Charity Commission for a Foundation CIO whose only voting members are its Trustees.

Charitable Purpose

KOAS’s charitable objects are:

Structure and Governance

The charity currently has a board of seven non-executive Trustees. The charity is the sole shareholder in its trading subsidiary company, Kielder Observatory Services Limited.

Board of Trustees

The Trustees of KOAS during the period and to the date of signing this report were as follows:

Mr Peter Standfield (Chair) Dr Nigel Metcalfe (Secretary) Resigned 21 December 2022 Mr Trevor Robinson (Treasurer) Ms Charlotte Emmett Mr Tom Grieveson Mr Cassian Harrison Miss Catherine Hindle Appointed 23 May 2023 Mr Stuart Kitching Resigned 20 June 2023 Mr William MacLeod

Chief Executive Officer Catherine Johns (to 29 February 2024) Leigh Venus (from 1 December 2023) Independent Examiner Mr P O’Hara FCA, 26 La Sagesse, Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 3AF Legal Advisers Muckle LLP, Time Central, 32 Gallowgate, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4BF

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KIELDER OBSERVATORY ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023 TRUSTEES’ REPORT

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED)

Board Meetings

The Board meets a minimum of six times per year face to face or via videoconference. It also conducts some business via email and aims to have at least two awayday sessions each year, to discuss policy and strategy. The agenda and written Board reports are prepared by the Chief Executive and Officers of the Board, as appropriate, and circulated in advance of each meeting. The Trustees exercise their duties and responsibilities with appropriate care and diligence.

Recruitment and Appointment of Board of Trustees

The charity may have up to 12 Trustees. New Trustees are appointed by the existing Trustees. In selecting individuals for appointment, the Trustees aim to ensure that the Board has the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the charity.

Trustees are appointed for a term of three years and may not serve for more than three consecutive terms without standing down for an interval of at least one year.

Trustee Induction and Training

New Trustees are inducted by the Chair of the Board and Chief Executive Officer and are provided with a range of resources to support their understanding of KOAS activities.

Management

Day-to-day operation of the charity is delegated to the Chief Executive Officer within the constraints of the annual budget set by the Trustees.

Reserves Policy

The Trustees have reviewed the charity's need for reserves in line with the guidance issued by the Charity Commission.

The Trustees aim to hold a level of Unrestricted Reserves that provides sufficient financial resources to meet the liabilities which would crystalise if KOAS were unable to continue operating. Their current estimate of the amount required for this purpose is approximately £125,000.

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KIELDER OBSERVATORY ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023 TRUSTEES’ REPORT

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED)

Reserves Policy (Cont.)

They also aim to retain a further £25,000 of Unrestricted Reserves, to enable the charity to respond flexibly to any issues, one-off financial requirements or appropriate initiatives that might be identified outside of its annual budgeting process.

The targeted level of reserves to be retained for the above purposes is therefore considered to be a minimum of £150,000.

The charity’s total Unrestricted Reserves shown in the Balance Sheet as at 31 August 2023 are £165,035 (2022: £113,388). Of these reserves, £39,332 were represented by Fixed Assets (2022: £50,318), leaving £125,703 available as Unrestricted Free Reserves (2022: £63,070).

The charity has therefore made further progress towards rebuilding its Reserves and is on track to reach its optimum level of Reserves within two years.

This policy is reviewed by the Trustees on an annual basis as part of the charity’s budgeting processes.

Grant Making Policy

The charity does not currently engage in grant-making activity.

The Contribution of Volunteers

The charity is supported by a small core of volunteers who give their time freely to assist with running events. Volunteers come from all walks of life but share a common interest in the science of astronomy. Recruitment is open all year with regular open days at the Observatory for those people thinking about volunteering.

To ensure consistency in the quality and safety of events all volunteers receive training.

Induction training is provided, covering the basic features and operations of the Observatory. A handbook is made available which describes the policies and procedures of the charity. For the first few events volunteers are mentored by an experienced volunteer or member of staff. Over a period of a few months the volunteer is allowed to assume lead responsibilities, depending on their development and confidence, and under supervision, such as setting up for an event and closing down after an event, taking visitors for telescope tours, finding objects in the sky, making drinks.

During the reporting period, KOAS had 35 registered volunteers. In this reporting period, one volunteer has been taken on as a freelance member of staff. This is a strength of the Observatory; several staff members started as volunteers and have gone on to become employees.

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KIELDER OBSERVATORY ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023 TRUSTEES’ REPORT

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

Aims & Objectives

The charity exists to:

Our purpose is to create opportunities for people of all backgrounds and abilities to experience moments of inspiration, revelation, wonder and hope through observing the cosmos.

At the beginning of the year, we published a new strategy, which drew upon rigorous analysis of emerging trends and the outcomes KOAS wishes to achieve, to outline market opportunities.

The process of creating the strategy and supporting business plan reinforced our commitment to our mission of infinite inspiration, and linked it clearly to impacts, outcomes and priorities.

Our outcomes are as follows:

  1. People: Everyone feels represented, welcomed, enriched and inspired, enabling equality of access to opportunities in science, whether as a one-off engagement, participation in study (formal or informal), and/or a career.

  2. Place: We consistently inspire more people of all backgrounds and abilities to reflect upon their place in the universe and the fragility of the Earth, and catalyse individual and collective action in response to the need to protect our dark skies, and wider natural heritage.

  3. Organisation: We welcome the uncertainty of fresh challenges and continuously improve our offer as opportunities emerge from new technologies, new audiences and evolving practice.

We identified some clear opportunities for KOAS to bring the Kielder moment to as many people as possible:

  1. Creating a flexible, agile programme of face-to-face public experiences for delivery anywhere, including on site, around Kielder, and remote access.

  2. Enhancing the quality of our STEM curriculum enrichment, to offer a golden thread of support from primary through to GCSE astronomy (and beyond), CPD for teachers, and pathways to careers.

  3. Creating a coherent digital offer that underpins the experience and education delivery, including publishing distinctive, high-quality content that anyone can access from anywhere.

  4. Taking a clearly defined leadership position for dark sky experiences aligned with responsible tourism.

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KIELDER OBSERVATORY ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023 TRUSTEES’ REPORT

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES (CONTINUED)

Aims & Objectives (Cont.)

We highlighted some priorities for the 2022/23 period:

1. To strengthen our organisation:

All three of these were achieved. We implemented a new CPD policy for the team, enabling them to attend conferences and events, and undertake self-directed learning. Our inclusion and representation impact assessment was published on our website - (https://kielderobservatory.org/images//Inclusivity Report.pdf) highlighting the vibrant, healthy organisational culture, and the work to do to ensure KOAS is representative of the audiences it serves. Most this work was completed by the end of the year and informed major funding bids, since secured. We undertook a B-Corp assessment and published the results on our website (https://kielderobservatory.org/images//Social-and-Environmental-Assessment-2.pdf). Even though we are not eligible for certification as we are a charity, we scored well over the required threshold, indicating that the organisation is well-managed for social impact.

2. To maintain excellence in delivery:

Both of these priorities were achieved with a more data-driven approach to market and customer insight informing the development of our offer. We decided to keep our capacity at each event at the Observatory at 36 rather than returning to the pre-pandemic number of 41: while there was a significant financial cost to this as events still sell out well in advance, the experience for customers and the staff is vastly improved with the lower number, and we see this as an investment in future sales. Our STEM enrichment was focused on underserved audiences to remove the barriers to participation. Our three-year funded programme from the North of Tyne Combined Authority came to an end in March 2023; connecting with over 43,000 students and over 1,200 teachers all over the North East, it was a wonderful introduction to the wonder of the universe. Our STEM to Stars programme, funded by the Reece Foundation, expanded to 45 schools, looking at the Carrington Event as a way to think about resilience in energy and data, offering sustained engagement over six months, with a variety of content, career pathways, and mentoring. Future expansion of this programme in 2024 will look at dedicated content at GSCE level.

3. To extend the reach of our public events:

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KIELDER OBSERVATORY ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023 TRUSTEES’ REPORT

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES (CONTINUED)

Aims & Objectives (Cont.)

Although we had no capacity to pilot work in national or international locations, the Kielder PopUps are now an established part of our offer, touring different locations around the North East, free to access and bringing the dark skies to different communities from Hexham to Whitley Bay. We also stargazed with Santa Claus as part of Fenwick’s Christmas events. We continued to work with a broad range of partners to develop and support dark sky experiences, including the 10[th] anniversary of the Northumberland Dark Sky Park. Our arts and culture programme developed further, hosting the poet Caroline Burrows, talking to James Wilton Dance about their work, The Four Seasons, and supporting an interactive digital opera based in Kielder, Black Fell. We launched round two of Frank’s Fellowship, a bursary supporting young artists in Northumberland, and worked with creative practitioners to co-create cultural responses to the cosmos with excluded children, prisoners and urban-based community groups, with funding from the Joicey Trust, the Institute of Physics, and the Association of Science and Discovery Centres (ASDC). We launched Kielder Dark Skies, an exploration of how the stories of Kielder come to life through dance, and Kielder Narratives, with a poet in residence capturing the essence of Kielder in spoken word, both projects funded by Arts Council England.

4. To develop programmes with high impact:

All of these remain at the heart of everything we do and are constantly developing: we undertook dedicated research into public attitudes to light pollution and launched the North East Astrophotography Academy, with funding from UKRI via the Museums Association and the ASDC, putting community groups at the heart of co-creating research to inform our understanding of the universe. Our podcast continues to showcase experts from all areas of astronomy but we have not had capacity to undertake any more digital development, a priority for this year.

Ensuring our Work Delivers our Aims

We review our aims, objectives and activities each year. This review considers the achievements and outcomes of our work in the previous 12 months and looks at the success of each key activity and the benefits it has brought to those groups of people we are set up to help. This helps us to ensure that our aims, objectives and activities remained focused on our charitable purposes.

Public Benefit

The Trustees understand and have discussed the implications of the provisions of the Charities Act 2006, which requires all charities to be able to demonstrate that they are established for public benefit and have had due regard to the public benefit guidance issued by the Charity Commission.

The Trustees believe that the charity meets both of the key principles.

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KIELDER OBSERVATORY ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023 TRUSTEES’ REPORT

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES (CONTINUED)

Public Benefit (Cont.)

- Principle 1 There must be an identifiable benefit, or benefits

The primary benefit KOAS delivers is articulated in its charitable objects: to promote interest in the science of astronomy amongst the general public, to facilitate the education of members of the public in the science of astronomy and maintain an astronomical observatory in Kielder Forest which will be used to support the preceding objectives.

The Observatory itself is the primary way we achieve our objects. This is the base from which we provide a wide range of events: from premium late-night events at the weekend to introductory and family events. The event programme is varied to accommodate different interests, from workshop activities for children to topics such as the Aurora, to specialist astrophotography classes. KOAS has concessionary tickets available, and events are priced differently to suit different income levels. This ticket income forms the main income of the charity.

All activities are subject to a rigorous process of risk management and benefits analysis to ensure that the benefits to the public outweigh any potential harm. All activities and events are evaluated and analysed to ensure that there is a clearly identifiable benefit delivered: data is gathered from audience surveys, social media, project participants, media and peers.

- Principle 2 Benefit must be to the public, or a section of the public

All our events at the Observatory assume no prior knowledge, and feedback received indicates we convey complex information in a way that is enlightening, exciting, and does not condescend or patronise. In the last four years, we have increasingly been directing our attention to members of the public who face barriers to attending the Observatory site, and providing activities that aim to overcome those barriers.

It was knowledge of the financial and cultural barriers that exist to people visiting the Observatory that caused us to devise a STEM enrichment programme, which aims to replicate the Kielder mission of inspiration in schools. This programme has reached hundreds of schools and tens of thousands of students. We extended the impact of this programme with “STEM to Stars”; regular observing groups in schools, with links to careers in STEM, and still further with our cultural programmes, working with prisoners, excluded children, community groups in urban areas and sanctuary seekers.

Our Kielder PopUps, where staff take telescopes out to public places, are free to attend. We have an active volunteering programme, regularly host work placements from schools and universities and provide opportunities for artists to develop their creative practice. We host regular visits from organisations wishing to establish their own observatory or dark sky activities and offer free advice and share best practice. We also collaborate with other existing observatories to offer free activities.

Kielder Observatory is a location, but it is increasingly becoming a beacon of connection and inspiration. We have built on the co-creation work of last year with the Mindsets + Missions project, where community groups take the lead in designing research questions for academia, removing barriers to participation in innovation and research. Our more data-driven approach to inclusion and diversity is a driver of this work; ensuring it is relevant to our audiences.

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KIELDER OBSERVATORY ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023 TRUSTEES’ REPORT

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES (CONTINUED)

Risk Management

The Trustees of the charity regularly review the major governance, operational and financial risks which the charity faces as part of its annual business planning process and confirm that systems have been established to mitigate these risks.

KOAS has a risk management strategy in place that comprises:

At time of writing, the major perceived risks to KOAS are outlined below:

The Trustees are satisfied that appropriate financial systems and controls are in place, together with appropriate employment policies and practices. The staff handbook, financial policies document, and health and safety handbook are reviewed annually, and staff training happens via additional assessments. The Trustees also manage the general financial risks by ensuring that:

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KIELDER OBSERVATORY ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023 TRUSTEES’ REPORT

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

Summary of the Charity’s Main Achievements During the Year

Financial Review

The outturn for the year is an unrestricted surplus of £51,647 (2022: surplus of £18,826). The surplus will be added to Unrestricted Reserves, leaving a balance on Unrestricted Funds at 31 August 2023 of £165,035 (2022: £113,388).

Financial policies are reviewed annually, and the Finance and Risk Committee reviews performance against agreed budgets on a monthly basis. The executive team monitors operational performance against financial controls regularly.

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KIELDER OBSERVATORY ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023 TRUSTEES’ REPORT

FUTURE PLANS

The Trustees and team reviewed the business plan and strategy in preparing the budget for financial year 2023/24 and concluded that it was still an accurate and useful guide to the development and growth of the organisation and its impact. The mission, outcomes and areas of opportunity remain the same (see above). The priorities for the next 12 months are:

Audience development:

Organisational development:

Public experiences:

Digital offer:

Dark Skies leadership

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KIELDER OBSERVATORY ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023 TRUSTEES’ REPORT

STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES

The Trustees are responsible for managing the business of the charity and may exercise all the powers of the charity unless restricted by the Charities Act or the constitution of the charity.

The Trustees are responsible for the preparation of financial statements for each financial year which show a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity as at the balance sheet date and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including income and expenditure, for the financial year.

In preparation of the financial statements the Trustees should follow best practice and:

  1. Select suitable accounting policies and apply them.

  2. Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent.

  3. Prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to assume that the charity will continue on that basis.

The Trustees are responsible for maintaining proper accounting records, which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity.

The Trustees 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.

DECLARATIONS

This report has been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities (issued in March 2005 by the Charities Commission England and Wales).

This report was approved by the Board of Trustees on 2 April 2024 and signed on its behalf by:

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Peter Standfield Trustee and Chair

Trevor Robinson

Trustee and Treasurer

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INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS ON THE UNAUDITED ACCOUNTS OF KIELDER OBSERVATORY ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

I hereby report to the Trustees/Members of Kielder Observatory Astronomical Society (Charity Registration Number 1153570) on the accounts for the year ended 31 August 2023 set out on pages 13 to 25.

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’).

An independent examination does not involve gathering all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently does not cover all the matters that an auditor considers in giving their opinion on the accounts. The planning and conduct of an audit goes beyond the limited assurance that an independent examination can provide. Consequently I express no opinion as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and my report is limited to those specific matters set out in the independent examiner’s statement.

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the charity are not required to be audited under charity law 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

Since the Company’s gross income exceeded £250,000, your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountant in England and Wales, which is one of the listed bodies.

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 charity as required by section 130 of the 2011 Act; or

  2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

  3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 130 of the 2011 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 or 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 (FRS102)).

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.

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Pete O’Hara, FCA, Chartered Accountant Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales

26 La Sagesse, Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 3AF

2 April 2024

KIELDER OBSERVATORY ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES YEAR TO 31 AUGUST 2023

Note
Income
Income from Investments
2
Income from Charitable Activities
3
Income from Grants, Donations &
Legacies
4
Other Income
5
Total Income
Expenditure
Expenditure on Raising Funds
6
Expenditure on Charitable Activities
7
Total Expenditure
Net Income/(Expenditure)
8
Balance brought forward at 1 Sept
Balance carried forward at 31
August
18		 Unrestricted
Funds
Restricted
Funds
Total
2023
Total
2022
£
£
£
£
1,691
-
1,691
56
565,784
-
565,784
513,726
90,602
245,658
336,260
199,196
-
-
-
22,776
658,077
245,658
903,735
735,754
21,942
-
21,942
19,243
584,488
210,992
795,480
694,249
606,430
210,992
817,422
713,492
51,647
34,666
86,313
22,262
113,388
273,314
386,702
364,440
£165,035
£307,980
£473,015
£386,702

The notes on pages 15 to 25 form part of the financial statements

There are no recognised gains and losses during the year other than as shown above.

All the activities for the year are continuing activities.

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KIELDER OBSERVATORY ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION/BALANCE SHEET At 31 AUGUST 2023

Notes
Fixed Assets
Tangible Fixed Assets
11
Fixed Asset Investments
12
Current Assets
Stock
13
Debtors
14
Cash at Bank and In Hand
Creditors:
Amounts Falling Due Within 1 Year
15
Net Current Assets
Creditors:
Amounts Falling Due After > 1 Year
16
Total Net Assets
17
Represented By:
Unrestricted Funds
18
Restricted Funds
18		 2023
2022

£
£
£
£
268,012
292,453
10
10
268,022
292,463
8,906
5,763
115,914
45,999
313,548
321,468
438,368
373,230
(210,042)
(245,658)
228,326
127,572
(23,333)
(33,333)
£473,015
£386,702
165,035
113,388
307,980
273,314
£473,015
£386,702		 2023
2022

£
£
£
£
268,012
292,453
10
10
268,022
292,463
8,906
5,763
115,914
45,999
313,548
321,468
438,368
373,230
(210,042)
(245,658)
228,326
127,572
(23,333)
(33,333)
£473,015
£386,702
165,035
113,388
307,980
273,314
£473,015
£386,702
£386,702
113,388
273,314
£386,702

The notes on pages 15 to 25 form part of the financial statements

The financial statements were approved by the Board, and authorized for issue, on 2 April 2024 and signed on its behalf by:

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Peter Standfield Trustee and Chair

Trevor Robinson

Trustee and Treasurer

14

KIELDER OBSERVATORY ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS At 31 AUGUST 2023

1. Accounting Policies

Charity Information

Kielder Observatory Astronomical Society is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. The registered office is Unit C, Bewick, Prestwick Park, Prestwick, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE20 9SJ.

The charity is a public benefit entity.

Basis of Accounting

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with applicable United Kingdom accounting standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 – 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland' ('FRS 102'), and with the Statement of Recommended Practice (Charities SORP FRS 102) "Accounting and Reporting by Charities" and the Charities Act 2011.

The financial statements have been prepared on the historical cost basis, modified to include certain financial instruments at fair value.

Advantage has been taken of the provisions in the SORP for Charities applying FRS 102 Update Bulletin 1 not to prepare a statement of cashflows.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity.

Income

All income, including grant income, is included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA), net of VAT, when the charity is legally entitled to it after any performance conditions have been met, the amounts can be measured reliably, and it is probable that income will be received.

Such income is only deferred when the donor or funder has specified that the grant or donation can only be used in future accounting periods or where the donor or funder has imposed conditions which must be met before the charity has unconditional entitlement.

Turnover is measured at the fair value of the consideration received or receivable and represents amounts receivable for services provided in the normal course of business, net of discounts, VAT and other sales related taxes.

Income from Investments

Interest receivable on fixed interest securities and bank deposits is included on an accruals basis.

Expenditure

All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and is recognised when a liability is incurred.

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KIELDER OBSERVATORY ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS At 31 AUGUST 2023

1. Accounting Policies (Cont.)

Expenditure (Cont.)

Irrecoverable VAT

All resources expended are classified under activity headings that aggregate all costs related to the category. Irrecoverable VAT is charged against the category of resources expended for which it was incurred.

Operating Leases

The charity classifies the lease of certain printing equipment as operating leases as the title to the equipment remains with the lessor. Rental charges are charged against income on a straight-line basis over the period of the lease.

Tangible Fixed Assets and Depreciation

Depreciation is provided on the fixed assets at rates calculated to write off the assets over their remaining useful lives as follows:

Office & ICT Equipment – between 3 and 5 years
Observatory Equipment – between 5 and 15 years
New Observatory – over 25 years

A full year’s depreciation charge is applied in the year of acquisition and no charge is made in the year of disposal.

Impairment of Fixed Assets

At each reporting end date, the charity reviews the carrying amounts of its tangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any).

Cash and Cash Equivalents

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

Fund Accounting

The charity has a number of restricted income funds to account for situations in which a funder requires that a grant must be spent on a particular purpose or where funds have been raised for a specific purpose. The aim and use of each restricted fund is set out in Note 18 to the financial statements.

All other funds are considered Unrestricted Funds and are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objects of the charity.

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KIELDER OBSERVATORY ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS At 31 AUGUST 2023

1. Accounting Policies (Cont.)

Pensions

KOAS contributes to a defined contribution pension scheme. Further details can be found in Note 10.

For the defined contribution scheme, the amount charged to the Statement of Financial Activities in respect of pension costs is the contributions payable in the year. Differences between contributions payable in the year and contributions actually paid are shown as either accruals or prepayments in the balance sheet.

Taxation

KOAS is a registered charity and, as such, is not liable to taxation on its income in the current year.

Foreign Currencies

Assets and liabilities in foreign currencies are translated into sterling at the rates of exchange ruling at the balance sheet date. Transactions in foreign currencies are translated into sterling at the date of the transaction. Exchange differences are taken into account in arriving at the surplus/deficit.

Financial Instruments

The charity has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instrument Issues’ of FRS102 to all its financial instruments.

The charity only has financial assets and liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value.

2. Income from Investments

Interest on cash deposits Unrestricted
Funds
Restricted
Funds
2023
2022
£
£
£
£
1,691
-
1,691
56
£1,691
£-
£1,691
£56

The 2022 total of £56 was wholly attributable to Unrestricted Funds.

3. Income from Charitable Activities

Ticket & Event Sales
Merchandising Sales		 Unrestricted
Funds
Restricted
Funds
2023
2022
£
£
£
£
517,958
-
517,958
469,970
47,826
-
47,826
43,756
£565,784
£-
£565,784
£513,726

The 2022 total of £513,726 was wholly attributable to Unrestricted Funds.

17

KIELDER OBSERVATORY ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS At 31 AUGUST 2023

4. Income from Grants, Donations & Legacies

Donations & Legacies
Donations & Memberships
Gift Aid
Corporate Sponsorship
Grant Income
Arts Council England
Association for Science &
Discovery Centres
Creative England
Crichton/Tanlaw Foundation
Institute of Physics
Museums Association
North East Business Innovation
Centre – Social Tech Fund
North of Tyne Combined Authority
Northumberland Business Services
Northumberland CC – Tanlaw
Telescope
Northumberland County Council –
COVID/Omicron
Reece Foundation		 Unrestricted
Funds
Restricted
Funds
2023
2022
£
£
£
£
208
18,487
18,695
1,000
86,940
-
86,940
84,843
3,454
11,546
15,000
-
-
13,400
13,400
-
-
24,500
24,500
-
-
5,000
5,000
-
-
7,500
7,500
-
3,000
3,000
-
76,500
76,500
-
-
-
-
2,400
-
45,357
45,357
46,190
-
2,868
2,868
-
-
-
-
24,596
-
-
-
2,667
-
37,500
37,500
37,500
£90,602
£245,658
£336,260
£199,196

Of the 2022 total of £199,196, £88,510 was attributable to Unrestricted Funds and £110,686 to Restricted Funds.

5. Other Income

Business Interruption Insurance
Other Income		 Unrestricted
Funds
Restricted
Funds
2023
2022
£
£
£
£
-
-
-
20,023
-
-
-
2,753
£-
£-
£-
£22,776

The 2022 total of £22,776 was wholly attributable to Unrestricted Funds.

18

KIELDER OBSERVATORY ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS At 31 AUGUST 2023

6. Expenditure on Raising Funds

Unrestricted Restricted 2023 2022
Funds Funds
£ £ £ £
Merchandising Costs 21,942 - 21,942 19,243
£21,942 £- £21,942 £19,243
The 2022 total of £19,243 was wholly attributable to Unrestricted Funds.
7. Expenditure on Charitable Activities
Direct Costs
Arts Programme Costs
Consultancy Fees
Dark Skies Outreach Costs
Digital Development Costs
Education Outreach Costs
Frank’s Fellowship Bursary
Salaries & On Costs
Speakers’ Fees & Event Costs
Staff, Speakers’ and Volunteers’
Expenses
Support Costs
Advertising & Marketing
Bank & Credit Card Charges
Depreciation
Legal & Professional Fees
Loan Interest
Other Overhead Costs
Premises & Insurance
Repairs & Maintenance
Telephone, ICT & Website Costs
Governance Costs
Accountancy & Payroll Fees
Trustee Travel & Meeting Costs		 Unrestricted
Funds
Restricted
Funds
2023
2022
£
£
£
£
606
19,198
19,804
4,806
1,349
-
1,349
1,349
-
2,400
2,400
398
600
-
600
5,400
-
44,181
44,181
17,061
1,000
-
1,000
1,000
372,287
126,790
499,077
480,615
9,897
-
9,897
8,186
17,669
-
17,669
17,004
12,100
-
12,100
4,926
11,385
-
11,385
7,527
13,373
17,125
30,498
30,490
23,096
-
23,096
8,497
969
-
969
784
33,711
-
33,711
11,948
55,519
-
55,519
50,528
16,623
-
16,623
29,276
7,640
1,298
8,938
8,145
5,203
-
5,203
5,142
1,461
-
1,461
1,167
£584,488
£210,992
£795,480
£694,249

Of the 2022 total of £694,249, £586,999 was attributable to Unrestricted Funds and £107,250 to Restricted Funds.

19

KIELDER OBSERVATORY ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS At 31 AUGUST 2023

8. Net Income/(Expenditure)

9.

Net income/(expenditure) is stated after charging/(crediting):
Independent Examiner’s Fees
Depreciation of Owned Fixed Assets
Staff Costs
Gross Salary Costs
Social Security Costs
Employer’s Pension Contributions –
Defined Contribution Scheme		 2023
2022
£
£
2,160
2,160
30,498
30,490
2023
2022
£
£
452,177
434,996
38,497
38,073
8,403
7,546
£499,077
£480,615

Of the 2022 total of £480,615, £417,386 was attributable to Unrestricted Funds and £63,229 to Restricted Funds.

The average monthly number of staff employed during the year, was 2023 2022
as follows: No. No.
Education & Learning Programmes 14 15

The number of the above staff expressed as full-time equivalents was 12.5 (2022: 13.6)

No employees received remuneration in excess of £60,000 in the year.

No remuneration was paid to or waived by Trustees/Directors in the year (2022: £Nil).

£491 (2022: £264) was reimbursed to 1 (2022: 3) Trustee in respect of out-of-pocket expenses incurred in carrying out their duties.

10. Pension Scheme

Pension benefits are provided through a Group Personal Pension Scheme, which is a defined contribution scheme. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charity in a separately administered fund. KOAS makes an employer's contribution of 3% of pensionable pay, provided that the employee makes a minimum contribution of 5%.

Employer’s contributions totalling £8,403 (2022: £7,546) were paid during the year into the defined contribution pension scheme operated by KOAS.

These amounts are paid over to the scheme on a monthly basis.

£1,747 in pension contributions were outstanding at 31 August 2023 (2022: £1,457).

20

KIELDER OBSERVATORY ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS At 31 AUGUST 2023

11. Tangible Fixed Assets

Leasehold
Improvements
– New
Observatory
Observatory
Equipment
Office &
ICT
Equipment
Total
Fixed
Assets
Cost
£
£
£
£
At 1 September 2022
233,957
188,845
19,463
442,265
Additions
-
5,447
610
6,057
Disposals
-
-
-
-
At 31 August 2023
233,957
194,292
20,073
448,322
Depreciation
At 1 September 2022
46,738
89,095
13,979
149,812
Charge for year
11,087
16,342
3,069
30,498
Disposals
-
-
-
-
At 31 August 2023
57,825
105,437
17,048
180,310
Net Book Value
At 31 August 2023
£176,132
£88,855
£3,025
£268,012
At 1 September 2022
£187,219
£99,750
£5,484
£292,453
12.
Investments
2023
2022
£
£
Investment in Kielder Observatory Services Limited
10
10
£10
£10		 Leasehold
Improvements
– New
Observatory
Observatory
Equipment
Office &
ICT
Equipment
Total
Fixed
Assets
£
£
£
£
233,957
188,845
19,463
442,265
-
5,447
610
6,057
-
-
-
-		 Leasehold
Improvements
– New
Observatory
Observatory
Equipment
Office &
ICT
Equipment
Total
Fixed
Assets
£
£
£
£
233,957
188,845
19,463
442,265
-
5,447
610
6,057
-
-
-
-
233,957
194,292
46,738
89,095
11,087
16,342
-
-		 20,073
448,322
13,979
149,812
3,069
30,498
-
-
57,825
105,437
£176,132
£88,855		 17,048
180,310
£3,025
£268,012
£187,219
£99,750		 £5,484
£292,453
2023
2022
£
£
10
10
£10
£10

As the value of merchandise sales is well below the small trading exemption limit of £80,000, the charity is currently conducting all trading directly, rather than through its wholly owned subsidiary, Kielder Observatory Services Ltd (KOSL). KOSL remains extant and the Trustees will review its continuing relevance on a regular basis.

21

KIELDER OBSERVATORY ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS At 31 AUGUST 2023

13.
Stock
Goods for Resale
14.
Debtors
Accrued Income - Gift Aid
Accrued Income - Other
Grant Debtors
Intercompany Debtor - Kielder Observatory Services Limited
Prepayments
Trade Debtors
15.
Creditors - Amounts Falling Due Within One Year
Accruals
Advance Ticket Sales
Bounceback Loan
Income Received in Advance
Intercompany Creditor - Kielder Observatory Services Limited
Other Creditors
PAYE & National Insurance
Pension Scheme Creditor
Trade Creditors
Unredeemed Gift Vouchers
16.
Creditors - Amounts Falling Due After One Year
Bounceback Loan		 2023
2022
£
£
8,906
5,763
£8,906
£5,763
2023
2022
£
£
7,131
6,495
6,649
7,288
90,301
25,537
375
-
7,556
4,979
3,902
1,700
£115,914
£45,999
2023
2022
£
£
3,452
27,964
113,087
141,054
10,000
10,000
11,029
4,550
-
185
632
945
9,766
10,737
1,747
1,457
13,904
8,389
46,425
40,377
£210,042
£245,658
2023
2022
£
£
23,333
33,333
£23,333
£33,333

The Bounceback Loan is repayable over 5 years, with an interest rate of 2.5% applicable after the first year.

22

KIELDER OBSERVATORY ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS At 31 AUGUST 2023

17. Analysis of Net Assets between Funds

Unrestricted Unrestricted Restricted 2023 2022
Funds Funds
£ £ £ £
Fixed Assets 39,332 228,690 268,022 292,463
Stock 8,906 - 8,906 5,763
Debtors 25,613 90,301 115,914 45,999
Cash at Bank and In Hand 324,559 (11,011) 313,548 321,468
Creditors – Due Within 1 Year (210,042) - (210,042) (245,658)
Creditors – Due After 1 Year (23,333) - (23,333) (33,333)
£165,035 £307,980 £473,015 £386,702
Analysis of Charitable Funds
Fund at 1 Incoming Resources Fund at 31
April 2022 Resources Expended August
for Year for Year 2023
£ £ £ £
Movement on Unrestricted Funds
Unrestricted General Fund 113,388 658,077 (606,430) 165,035
Movement on Restricted Funds
Arts Council England – Dark Skies 8,144 - (8,144) -
Arts Council England – Kielder
Narratives		 - 13,400 (10,400) 3,000
Association for Science & Discovery
Centres		 - 24,500 (24,500)
Corporate Sponsorship/Donations 30,033 - 30,033
Creative England - 5,000 (5,000) -
Crichton/Tanlaw Foundation - 7,500 (7,500) -
Innovate NE 240 - (240) -
Institute of Physics - 3,000 (3,000) -
Joicey Trust 4,000 - (4,000) -
Museums Association - 76,500 (22,000) 54,500
New Observatory Fund 203,236 - (11,733) 191,503
North of Tyne Combined Authority 14,995 45,357 (60,352) -
Northumberland Business Services - 2,868 (1,910) 958
Northumberland CC – Tanlaw Telescope 22,267 - (2,281) 19,986
Reece Foundation – Stem To Stars
Phase 1		 8,000 - - 8,000
Reece Foundation – Stem To Stars
Phase 2		 12,432 37,500 (49,932) -
Total Restricted Funds 273,314 245,658 (210,992) 307,980
Total Funds £386,702 £903,735 £(817,422) £473,015

18. Analysis of Charitable Funds

23

KIELDER OBSERVATORY ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS At 31 AUGUST 2023

18. Analysis of Charitable Funds

Name of Restricted Fund

Description, Nature & Purpose of the Restricted Fund

Arts Council England – Dark Towards the cost of the Kielder Dark Skies: A Space Odyssey Skies project

Arts Council England – Kielder Narratives

Towards the cost of the Kielder Narratives project

Corporate Towards the cost of a wind turbine Sponsorship/Donations Creative England Towards the costs of the Kielder.space digital programme Towards the cost of developing an operational model for the Crichton/Tanlaw Foundation Tanlaw Telescope Association for Science & Towards the cost of the Inspire Digital project Discovery Centres Innovate NE Towards the cost of the Innovation Supernetwork project Institute of Physics Towards the cost of the Spider Astronomy project Joicey Trust Towards work with prisons Museums Association Towards the costs of the Missions & Mindsets project New Observatory Fund Funding received towards the cost of the new observatory building, which opened in 2018 and is now known as the Gillian Dickinson Astro-imaging Academy North of Tyne Combined Towards the cost of education projects in the North of Tyne Authority area Northumberland Business Towards the cost of video equipment and editing software Services Northumberland County Towards the cost of the Tanlaw Telescope project Council Reece Foundation Towards the cost of the STEM To Stars project

24

KIELDER OBSERVATORY ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY (A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS At 31 AUGUST 2023

19. Related Party Transactions

Details of transactions with Trustees are disclosed in Note 9.

There were no other transactions in the year with related parties, such as are required to be disclosed under the Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller Entities (Effective April 2008) (2022: None).

20 Financial Commitments

No material financial commitments have been made in respect of future financial periods. (2022: None).

25