DocuSign Envelope ID: 5C1FDB2A-4144-4FBC-BE13-9E5D0BFFCA4D
Friends of the British Overseas Territories (FOTBOT)
Trustees’ Report and Financial Statements
1 April 2020
to
31 March 2021
Charitable Incorporated Organisation Registered Number 1156763
DocuSign Envelope ID: 5C1FDB2A-4144-4FBC-BE13-9E5D0BFFCA4D
| CONTENTS | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charity information | 2 | |
| Trustees’ report | 3-6 | |
| Independent examiner’s report | 7 | |
| Statement of receipts and payments | 8 | |
| Statement of assets and liabilities | 9 | |
| Notes to the financial statements | 10 |
1
DocuSign Envelope ID: 5C1FDB2A-4144-4FBC-BE13-9E5D0BFFCA4D
CHARITY INFORMATION
| Trustees | Andrew M Fox (chair) |
|---|---|
| Simon M J Leary FRSA | |
| Albert A Poggio GMH OBE | |
| Address | PO Box 2635 |
| Ilford | |
| IG1 8UA | |
| President | Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson, JP (appointed 1 September 2021) |
| Vice-President | Claude Hogan, MLA (appointed 1 January 2022) |
| Parliamentary Advisers | Andrew Gwynne MP |
| Andrew Rosindell MP | |
| Chief Executive | Philip R Smith |
| Deputy Chief Executive | Stephen J Hodgson FCA |
| and Head of Finance | |
| Independent examiner | Jonathan Parsons FCA |
| BSR Bespoke Chartered Accountants | |
| Linden House | |
| Linden Close | |
| Tunbridge Wells | |
| Kent | |
| TN4 8HH | |
| Charity number | 1156763 |
| Bankers | Barclays Bank plc |
| 69 Albion Street | |
| Leeds | |
| LS1 5AA |
2
DocuSign Envelope ID: 5C1FDB2A-4144-4FBC-BE13-9E5D0BFFCA4D
TRUSTEES’ REPORT
The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the period ended 31 March 2021.
Structure, governance and management
Friends of the British Overseas Territories (FOTBOT) (the “Charity”) is constituted under the terms of its governing document (“Constitution”) adopted on 18 September 2013 and last amended on 24 February 2020. The Constitution is that of a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) with voting members other than its trustees. Andrew M Fox was a first trustee appointed under the constitution and the other trustees were appointed by the trustees and members. New trustees are appointed by the nomination of trustees and members. Trustees who served during the year are listed on page 2. The trustees meet at least quarterly to agree the strategy of the Charity.
Charitable objects
The Charity’s objects, as set out in its Constitution, are:
(1) To advance the education of the public in the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment of the British Overseas Territories and the history and geography of the British Overseas Territories
(2) To advance the education of young people aged between 18 and 25 by providing educational visits to the British Overseas Territories
(3) To further such other purposes as are exclusively charitable in accordance with the law of England and Wales as the trustees may from time to time decide
Day-to-day management
On a day-to-day basis, the Charity is run by unpaid volunteers, led by the Chief Executive, Philip R Smith, to whom management has been delegated by the trustees since the Charity's inception. The Chief Executive is assisted by a committee of volunteers which includes individuals with experience in finance, public relations and media, charity governance, law and events management. Volunteers, including the Chief Executive, may be reimbursed for expenses properly and reasonably incurred in accordance with the Charity’s expenses policy but they are not otherwise remunerated.
Relationships with British Overseas Territories
The Charity seeks to maintain and strengthen its relationships with UK-based representatives of the British Overseas Territories (BOTs) as well as figures within the governments of the BOTs and the UK Overseas Territories Association (UKOTA) to help further its charitable objects.
The Charity appointed a new president, Mrs Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson, former premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands, on 1 September 2021. Mrs Cartwright-Robinson replaced Mr Austin Harris Jr (a former member of the legislative assembly of the Cayman Islands) who had served as the Charity’s honorary president since 18 September 2019. The Charity has also appointed its first honorary vice president, Mr Claude Hogan, a member of the legislative assembly of Montserrat, with effect from 1 January 2022. The positions of president and vice president are both honorary in nature and do not have any of the rights, obligations, duties or liabilities of a charity trustee.
3
DocuSign Envelope ID: 5C1FDB2A-4144-4FBC-BE13-9E5D0BFFCA4D
Public benefit
The trustees have referred to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit when reviewing the Charity’s aims and objectives and in planning the Charity’s future activities. In particular, the trustees have considered how planned activities will contribute to the aims and objectives that have been set. The trustees are satisfied that the Charity continues to meet the Charity Commission’s guidelines with regard to carrying out its purposes for the public benefit.
Main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to the objects
Educational activities
In light of the restrictions imposed by the UK and other governments following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Charity switched its focus from in-person educational events to remote events delivered over the internet. This enabled the Charity to reach a wider, more global, and more diverse audience than previous in-person events as well as facilitating greater attendance by audience members and speakers from the various British Overseas Territories. Such events included:
-
A webinar about the impact of Covid-19 on the BOTs, featuring elected politicians from Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, and the UK
-
An informative and engaging webinar in which a maritime historian talked about the famous voyage of HMS Bounty and its connection with Pitcairn Island
-
A webinar hosted by broadcaster, author and conservationist Stewart McPherson about the “Darwin200” voyage tracing Charles Darwin’s journey to multiple major ports around the world
-
A fascinating webinar about South Georgia in which participants learned about the role one man played, over 25 years, in developing fisheries management, tourism and biosecurity
-
An online launch event for the book “Britain’s Distant Seas” at which author Stewart McPherson talked about the marine biodiversity and habitats of the BOTs
-
An incredibly popular webinar about the Falkland Islands Museum and National Trust including details of the museum’s current collections and expansion plans
-
An online presentation by a representative from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) about its conservation work in Tristan da Cunha and the marine protection zone
-
Two well-attended online quizzes in which participants competed to demonstrate their knowledge of the BOTs
Outreach activities
The Charity’s outreach activities, which typically involve volunteers arranging visits (at their own expense) to some of the BOTs to deepen their understanding and the Charity’s links with local people and organisations, were substantially curtailed by government travel restrictions.
Additionally, major UK political party conferences, at which the Charity’s volunteers traditionally raise awareness of the Charity’s work and seek to educate UK politicians and party members about the BOTs, took place in only a limited online fashion. The Charity organised one online webinar as part of one virtual party conference.
4
DocuSign Envelope ID: 5C1FDB2A-4144-4FBC-BE13-9E5D0BFFCA4D
Falkland Islands Museum special appeal
During the period, the Charity ran a special appeal to raise money for the Falkland Islands Museum which requires support to establish a permanent home for larger artefacts as well as a wider collection of objects that cannot currently be displayed within the historic dockyard museum. During the period, the Charity was delighted to raise £5,000 for this appeal, which was donated to the Museum. Given the limited number of in-person fundraising opportunities during the period, it was decided to extend this special appeal until the end of the calendar year 2021.
Annual fundraising black tie dinner
Unfortunately it was not possible to hold the Charity’s annual black tie fundraising dinner in central London during the period due to the uncertainty arising from government restrictions.
Achievements and performance
The Charity experienced strong attendance at the range of online educational events but there was a decrease in members’ subscriptions attributable to reduced activity and events as a result of government Covid-19 restrictions.
The Falkland Islands Museum appeal has proved to be the Charity’s most popular and successful appeal to-date and has benefitted from online fundraising during educational webinars.
Financial review, reserves policy and deficits
The Charity’s receipts in the period declined to £16,596 (2020: £27,478), primarily as a result of reduced activity arising from government Covid-19 restrictions.
The trustees have set a policy of maintaining reserves equivalent to three months’ expenditure. At present, cash reserves are below this level at £4,596 (2020: £2,684) and the trustees are therefore seeking to increase the level of reserves in the coming year.
The Charity does not have any funds in deficit.
Plans for the future
For the coming year, the Charity will host a mixture of both remote and in-person educational events, enabling it to continue to benefit from reaching a wider global audience online, whilst returning to delivering in-person events for those who prefer that format. The Charity will also revive its annual black tie fundraising dinner.
The Falkland Islands Museum special appeal will continue until 31 December 2021.
5
DocuSign Envelope ID: 5C1FDB2A-4144-4FBC-BE13-9E5D0BFFCA4D
Financial statements
The financial statements on pages 8 and 9 have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis. They have been drawn up in compliance with the relevant provisions of the Charities Act 2011 and the Charity’s Constitution.
Approved by the trustees on 31 January 2022 and signed on their behalf by:
Andrew M Fox Trustee (chair)
Albert Poggio Trustee
6
DocuSign Envelope ID: 5C1FDB2A-4144-4FBC-BE13-9E5D0BFFCA4D
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Friends of the British Overseas Territories (the “Charity”) for the period ended 31 March 2021.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the Charity trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011(the “Act”).
I report in respect of my examination of the trustees’ accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 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 giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
-
accounting records were not kept in respect of the Charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
-
the accounts do not accord with those records.
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.
Jonathan Parsons FCA BSR Bespoke Chartered Accountants Linden House Linden Close Tunbridge Wells Kent TN4 8HH
Date: 31 January 2022
7
DocuSign Envelope ID: 5C1FDB2A-4144-4FBC-BE13-9E5D0BFFCA4D
STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS PERIOD ENDING 31 MARCH 2021
| Unrestricted | Total | |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2020 | |
| RECEIPTS | £ | £ |
| Donations and grants | 8,318 | 3,371 |
| Members’ subscriptions | 6,215 | 9,800 |
| Income from events | 1,526 | 12,465 |
| Sales of books and merchandise | 537 | 1,838 |
| Bank interest income | - | 4 |
| TOTAL RECEIPTS | 16,596 | 27,478 |
| PAYMENTS | ||
| Fundraising costs | ||
| Event costs | 726 | 15,942 |
| Printing and stationery | 136 | 22 |
| Website and media costs | 1,088 | 1,359 |
| Total fundraising costs | 1,950 | 17,323 |
| Charitable activities | ||
| Donations to special appeals | 5,000 | 1,000 |
| Outreach and governance | 6,696 | 7,829 |
| Total charitable activities costs | 11,696 | 8,829 |
| Asset and investment purchases | ||
| Repayment of loan | - | 2,024 |
| Event equipment | 138 | 123 |
| Computer and office equipment | 216 | - |
| Other merchandise | 684 | 1,227 |
| Total asset and investments purchases | 1,038 | 3,374 |
| TOTAL PAYMENTS | 14,684 | 29,526 |
| NET RECEIPTS / (PAYMENTS) | 1,912 | (2,048) |
| CASH FUNDS LAST YEAR END | 2,684 | 4,732 |
| CASH FUNDS THIS YEAR END | 4,596 | 2,684 |
8
DocuSign Envelope ID: 5C1FDB2A-4144-4FBC-BE13-9E5D0BFFCA4D
STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES AT 31 MARCH 2021
| Unrestricted | Total | |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2020 | |
| £ | £ | |
| ASSETS | ||
| Monetary assets | ||
| Cash at bank | 4,596 | 2,684 |
| Total monetary assets | 4,596 | 2,684 |
| Non-monetary assets | ||
| Computer equipment | 1,426 | 1,210 |
| Event equipment | 956 | 818 |
| Copies of book “Britain’s Distant Lands” | 798 | 810 |
| Copies of DVD “Britain’s Distant Lands” | 83 | 83 |
| Other merchandise | 684 | - |
| Total non-monetary assets | 3,947 | 2,921 |
| TOTAL ASSETS | 8,543 | 5,605 |
| NET ASSETS / (LIABILITIES) | 8,543 | 5,605 |
The notes on page 10 form part of these financial statements.
Approved by the trustees on 31 January 2022 and signed on their behalf by:
Andrew M Fox Trustee (chair)
Albert Poggio Trustee
9
DocuSign Envelope ID: 5C1FDB2A-4144-4FBC-BE13-9E5D0BFFCA4D
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS PERIOD ENDING 31 MARCH 2021
-
These financial statements are prepared on a receipts and payments basis, with all revenue and expenses shown on a cash basis. Non-monetary assets and liabilities are shown at cost.
-
No remuneration or expenses were paid to any trustee.
10