## **INTERNATIONAL SELF-CARE FOUNDATION**
**WWW.ISFGLOBAL.ORG ADMIN@ISFGLOBAL.ORG**
**_______________________________________________**
**International Self-Care Foundation Limited (A company limited by guarantee)**
**Trustees Annual Report for the Year Ended 31 January 2024**
**Charity number 1158114 Company number 8840766**
**International Self-Care Foundation Limited**
## **Contents**
## **Year Ended 31 January 2024**
**_____________________________________________________________________**
||Page|
|---|---|
|Company Information|2|
|Trustees' Annual Report (including Directors' Report)|3 - 15|
|Independent Examiner's Report|16|
|Statement of Financial Activities|17|
|Balance Sheet|18|
|Notes to the Accounts|19 - 21|
**International Self-Care Foundation Limited**
## **Company Information**
## **Year Ended 31 January 2024**
**_____________________________________________________________________**
|Company Registration Number|:|1158114|
|---|---|---|
|Operational Address of the Charity|:|424 Kilmarnock Way|
|||Nepean, ON|
|||Canada|
|||K2J 0M5|
|Registered Address of the Charity|:|2ndFloor Regis House|
|||45 King William Street|
|||London|
|||EC4R 9AN|
|Directors (Trustees)|:|Mr David Skinner|
|||Dr Austen El-Osta|
|Bankers|:|Royal Bank of Canada|
|||P.O. Box 6011 Station A|
|||Montreal QC|
|||H3C 3B8|
|Independent Examiner|:|David Green MA (Cantab) ACA|
|||Azets|
|||Suites B & D|
|||Burnham Yard|
|||Beaconsfield|
|||Buckinghamshire|
|||HP9 2JH|
|Accountants|:|Azets|
|||Suites B & D|
|||Burnham Yard|
|||Beaconsfield|
|||Buckinghamshire|
|||HP9 2JH|
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**International Self-Care Foundation Limited**
## **Trustees’ Annual Report (Including Directors’ Report)**
## **Year Ended 31 January 2024**
## **_____________________________________________________________________**
The Directors presents the report and the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 January 2024. The directors have adopted the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) “Accounting and Reporting by Charities” (FRS102) in preparing the annual report and financial statements of the charity.
## **Structure, Governance & Management**
## **Governing Document**
The International Self-Care Foundation (ISF) is a company limited by guarantee, incorporated in England and Wales on 10 January 2014. In the event of the company being wound up, members are each required to contribute an amount not exceeding £10.
The company is governed under the Articles of Association of International Self-Care Foundation Limited. These Articles cover the following elements: Interpretation; Liability of members; Objects; Powers; Application of income and property; Benefits and payments to charity directors and connected persons; Scope and powers permitting directors’ or connected persons’ benefits, Payment for supply of goods only - controls; Declaration of directors’ interests; Conflicts of interests and conflicts of loyalties; Members; Classes of Membership; Termination of membership; General meetings; Notice of general meetings; Proceedings at general meetings; Content of proxy notices; Delivery of proxy notices; Written resolutions; Votes of members; Directors; Powers of directors; Retirement of directors; Appointment of directors; Disqualification and removal of directors; Remuneration of directors; Proceedings of directors; delegation; Validity of directors’ decisions; Seal; Minutes; Accounts; Annual Report and Return and Register of Charities; Means of communication to be used; Indemnity; Rules; Disputes; Dissolution; Interpretation.
## **Trustees**
Mr David Skinner Dr Austen El-Osta
## **Management of the charity**
The day-to-day management of the ISF is the responsibility of Mr. David Skinner, President of the Charity.
A sister organisation also called the International Self-Care Foundation is registered in Hong Kong as a charity. The focus of ISF Hong Kong is China. The two organisations are fully independent of each other and have no financial links.
## **Public Interest**
The overall aim of the International Self-Care Foundation (ISF) is the preservation of health and wellness through encouraging people (individuals and populations) to ‘self-care’ – that is, to adopt and maintain more healthy lifestyles.
Healthier lifestyles are urgently needed because ‘lifestyle’ diseases – also called noncommunicable or chronic diseases, particularly heart attack and stroke, cancer, chronic
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**International Self-Care Foundation Limited**
## **Trustees’ Annual Report (Including Directors’ Report)**
## **Year Ended 31 January 2024**
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respiratory disease and diabetes – have reached epidemic proportions in most countries around the world. But lifestyle diseases are preventable – up to 80% of heart disease, stroke and type-2 diabetes, and over a third of cancers could be prevented by eliminating common risk factors, particularly tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and the harmful use of alcohol.
The beneficial purpose of ISF is to help prevent, delay or alter the course of preventable ‘lifestyle’ diseases by encouraging self-care – that is, the adoption of healthier lifestyles. ‘Selfcare’ describes the activities involved in adopting healthy lifestyles and thereby preserving health and preventing or delaying lifestyle diseases. The WHO 1998 definition of self-care is:
_‘Self-Care is what people do for themselves to establish and maintain health, and to prevent and deal with illness. It is a broad concept encompassing hygiene (general and personal), nutrition (type and quality of food eaten), lifestyle (sporting activities, leisure etc), environmental factors (living conditions, social habits, etc.) socio-economic factors (income level, cultural beliefs, etc.) and self-medication.’_
However, one challenge of lifestyle disease prevention is that responsibility ultimately rests with individuals, and there are many practical issues and challenges. Furthermore, being substantially outside the remit of current health and social systems, self-care has in the past lacked a champion.
The International Self-Care Foundation has therefore been formed to champion self-care around the world. In practical terms, this involves helping to _develop evidence-based self-care concepts and practices_ and helping to _promote the role of self-care in health_ .
The public benefit of the International Self-Care Foundation’s work is significant; healthy individuals can expect to remain healthier; healthcare professionals can concentrate on more serious cases, and public healthcare budget pressures will be relieved.
In presenting this report the Trustees confirm that they have had regard to the commission’s public benefit guidance in exercising their powers and duties to which the guidance is relevant.
## **Objectives**
The stated objects of the ISF are the relief of sickness by the promotion, preservation and protection of health and wellbeing. This is based on the concept of self-care praxis, which can be defined as the maintenance of healthy lifestyles and encompasses the concepts of hygiene (general and personal), nutrition (type and quality of food eaten), lifestyle (sporting activities, leisure etc.), environmental factors (living conditions, social habits, etc.) socio-economic factors (income level, cultural beliefs, etc.) and self-medication.
The charity aims:
- To promote better health through the benefits of self-care and healthy lifestyles with a particular focus on keeping people healthy
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- To advance the education of the public in preserving and protecting health by the provision of educational support and information on self-care and healthy lifestyles to individuals based on the best available evidence (particularly from the World Health Organisation) and current best practice.
- To help in the development of optimal health practices and systems, ancillary to those provided by doctors, focusing on the development of disease prevention services and activities.
Self-care describes in a practical, person-centred way what we should all be doing to maintain our health, wellness and wellbeing. Through self-care people can be healthier and remain so into old age, managing minor ailments themselves. They can also better manage, delay or even prevent the appearance of lifestyle diseases such as heart attacks, strokes, diabetes and many cancers.
Self-care also presents enormous opportunities for all other stakeholders in health and wellbeing, including healthcare professionals, health services, industry and governments. However, self-care as a concept and in practice needs worldwide development and support in order to realise its full potential. There is a fundamental need to raise the visibility of and articulate the case for self-care. There is also a fundamental need to support the development of self-care as an academic subject, to provide solid foundations and evidence-based recommendations to drive country programme implementation and policy development.
Broadly speaking, self-care is a practical, person-centred way to maintain our health, wellness and wellbeing. Through self-care, people can be healthier and remain so into old age. **The Seven Pillars of Self-Care** set out the fundamental activities that each of us can adopt to reduce the risk of so called ‘lifestyle diseases’ such as cardiovascular disease, strokes, type 2 diabetes, obesity and some types of cancers as well as taking actions to effectively deal with common, everyday self-manageable conditions.
Self-care also presents enormous opportunities for all other stakeholders in health, including healthcare professionals, health services, industry and governments. However, self-care as a concept and in practice needs worldwide development and support to realise its full potential. There is a fundamental need to raise the visibility of and articulate the case for self-care in various settings. There is also a fundamental need to support the development of self-care as an academic subject to illustrate the evidence base for self-care interventions and to provide a solid foundation for country programme implementation and policy prescriptions to promote healthy living and vitality in ageing.
The International Self-Care Foundation’s (ISF) core strategy is to help develop evidence-based self-care concepts and practices, and to promote the role of self-care in health, working with other organisations as appropriate. ISF has a unique status in the self-care landscape by virtue of its specific focus on the individual self-carer, the promotion of self-care activities and R&D whilst maintaining a charitable status.
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**International Self-Care Foundation Limited**
## **Trustees’ Annual Report (Including Directors’ Report)**
## **Year Ended 31 January 2024**
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## **International Self-Care Foundation 2023 Report**
In 2023, ISF embarked on a multi-year program to raise further awareness of the seven pillars of self-care. The kick-off of “Self-care for all by 2030” began with the publication of a futureoriented publication focussing on the first pillar: literacy (https://cdn.researchfeatures.com/External/SCARU/SC2030Insights/index.html). This publication was co-authored by David Skinner (ISF), Dr. El-Austa (SCARU) and Dr. Peter Smith (Self-care Forum) and launched coincident with International Self-care Day. The forward plan is to focus on successive pillars each year and build greater awareness of the value of self-care. In 2024 the emphasis will be on mental well-being.
In addition to publishing the Self-care 2030 report, ISF was involved in advocacy efforts in partnership with the Global Self-care Federation and the Self-care Trailblazers Group. The United for Self-care Coalition was founded to promote efforts with the World Health Organization.
ISF was pleased to be invited to participate in global meeting of academics in London where the key enablers to further research were discussed and plans made to further develop a network focussed on self-care research.
Over the past year, ISF increased its social media following and engagement on all platforms and re-launched a refreshed and updated website.
Broadly speaking, self-care is a practical, person-centred way to maintain our health, wellness and wellbeing. Through self-care, people can be healthier and remain so into old age. The Seven Pillars of Self-Care set out the fundamental ways each of us can reduce the risk of so called ‘lifestyle diseases’ such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, obesity and some types of cancers, as well as taking actions to effectively deal with common, everyday self-manageable conditions.
Self-care also presents enormous opportunities for all other stakeholders in health, including healthcare professionals, health services, industry and governments. However, self-care as a concept and in practice needs worldwide development and support in order to realise its full potential. There is a fundamental need to raise the visibility of and articulate the case for selfcare in various settings. There is also a fundamental need to support the development of selfcare as an academic subject to illustrate the evidence base for effective self-care interventions and to provide a solid foundation for country programme implementation and policy prescriptions to promote healthy living and vitality in ageing.
ISF’s strategic focus continues to support the development of evidence-based self-care concepts and practices, and to promote the role of self-care in health, working with other organisations as appropriate. ISF has a unique status in the self-care landscape by virtue of its specific focus on the individual self-carer, the promotion of self-care activities and R&D whilst maintaining a charitable status.
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**International Self-Care Foundation Limited**
## **Trustees’ Annual Report (Including Directors’ Report)**
## **Year Ended 31 January 2024**
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This report is designed to provide a summary of ISF’s main activities over the last year. This is primarily an internal newsletter but may be circulated externally.
## **International Self-Care Day 2023**
International Self-Care Day (ISD) 24/7 is recognised by the WHO and celebrated on 24 July each year. This commemorative day was created by ISF with the sole purpose of raising the profile of self-care around the world. ISD 24/7 provides a media-friendly forum and a focus for individuals and groups to _(independently)_ promote self-care in their organisation or community.
All stakeholders in health and wellbeing are invited to use International Self-Care Day in independent, responsible ways to progress the cause of their self-care agenda for health, wellness and wellbeing. ISF is delighted to record that International Self-Care Day continues to expand around the world involving thousands of people in many different countries. As in previous years, numerous government organizations, NGOs, academic institutions, charities, health centres, associations, enterprises and many other types of organization used this device to responsibly promote their self-care agendas during ISD 2022.
ISF continues to focus on the New Decade of Self-Care and is developing a roadmap towards selfcare for all by 2030. On ISD 2023 there were many organizations who focused their efforts on better understanding of how self-care literacy can help improve outcomes and effective use of healthcare resources.
This year there were a larger number of organizations engaged in promoting selfcare on ISD. To further provide practical tools for individuals looking to better understand what they can do for their own health, ISF continued to promote its self-care app based on the seven pillars of selfcare. The expansion of ISD to a full month through the promotion of Selfcare Month by WHO showed increased messaging leading up to ISD 2023. ISF received a record number of requests and contacts seeking to use the seven pillars in their messaging during this period.
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**International Self-Care Foundation Limited**
## **Trustees’ Annual Report (Including Directors’ Report)**
## **Year Ended 31 January 2024**
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## **ISF Continues to Expand its Network**
Partnerships are very important to the ability of ISF to drive messaging and actions on responsible selfcare. The long-standing relationship with SCARU continued to result in several opportunities. For example, Dr El-Osta and David Skinner participated in a number of meetings focussed on the importance of selfcare and the evidence base that supports the calls for stronger national policy and greater person-centred care.
Through a persistent social media program, ISF grew its follower base. Twitter grew by 21% and LinkedIn by 71% year over year. Facebook held steady at 13,000 likes. Also, the number of impressions for the seven pillars of self-care hit 22,000. The peak impressions coincided with the week leading to, and including, ISD as well as Selfcare Week in the UK. This year again saw an increase in the number of organizations seeking to belong to the ISF Network.
ISF also continued its involvement with the Selfcare Trailblazer Group and participates in their communications and advocacy programmes. This platform provides good opportunities for ISF to interact with a wide variety of organizations in this network.
The **United Kingdom** celebrates National Self-Care Week (SCW) in November each year and both the Selfcare Forum and the UK Consumer Healthcare Products Association (PAGB) supported ISD. Furthermore, ISF sponsored the selfcare innovation awards and served as a part of the team judging entries. There were several great projects created to support selfcare and the Selfcare Forum worked closely with ISF in creating digital materials for SCW including a further promotion of the ISF app.
## **ISF China**
On July 24, 2023 International Self-Care Day, the theme activity "Self-Care for a Healthy Future" was held in Beijing. The activity was jointly organized by the International Self-Care Foundation, China OTC Drug Association and Xinhua Big Health, the end-user of Xinhuanet, and hosted by China Overseas Chinese Public Welfare Foundation. With the strong support of China Nutrition and Health Food Association, China Drug Regulatory Research Society, China Medical News and Information Association and other units, the event was successfully held and broadcasted globally simultaneously on the Xinhuanet client, with nearly 3 million viewers.
This year marks the fourth year of the World Health Organization's Self-Care Month. In this year's campaign, WHO emphasizes that self-care is a form of empowerment that empowers people to take an active part in and control their own health. With the increasing pressure on social health systems, self-care will become an important part of the health system. The early application of self-care will improve people's health level to a bigger extent. Therefore, selfcare is everyone's right and everyone's responsibility. In 2011, China Non-Prescription Drug Association and China Medical and Health Development Foundation jointly launched an initiative in Beijing. In 2012, the World Self-Medicating Industry Association, the World Medical Association and the International Federation of Pharmacy issued the Shanghai Declaration, which identified July 24 as the International Self-Care Day (ISD) every year, and the
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## **Trustees’ Annual Report (Including Directors’ Report)**
## **Year Ended 31 January 2024**
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International Self-Care Day was recognized by the World Health Organization. International Self-Care Day is celebrated on July 24 every year, which means that everyone should take care of the physical and mental health of themselves and their families 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
At this meeting, Mr. Wang Guoqiang, former Deputy director of the National Health and Family Planning Commission and former director of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, delivered a speech for the conference. He said: health is an important cultural tradition in China. "Traditional Chinese medicine is a great creation of the Chinese nation, embodies the broad wisdom of the Chinese people, and has become one of the important means for people to prevent diseases and strengthen their bodies." Since 2020, the world has taken a huge turn, and in the face of Covid-19, the importance of people's self-care has been highlighted more than ever. Not only do we need to build strong and resilient health systems; It is more important to cultivate the awareness and actions of the people to pay attention to self-care and public health.
To implement the five key tasks proposed in the Healthy China 2030 Plan formulated by the CPC Central Committee, it is necessary to fully mobilize the whole people to carry out selfhealth care, while giving full play to the advantages and role of traditional Chinese medicine. In recent years, the national health-related government, industry institutions, enterprises, professionals are actively working hard, especially the establishment and continuous promotion of the International Self-Care Day, so that the public not only have the concept of self-care, but also strive to obtain government policy guidance and support. At the same time, related enterprises also follow the public demands and continue to provide high-quality health products and services for the society, so as to better meet people's health needs. The whole society is making unremitting efforts to achieve this goal, which is the core of achieving the goal of healthy China.
Left: Wang Guoqiang.
Right: Bai Huiliang
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Left: Wang Fang Right: Lei Ting
As one of the organizers of this event, Mr. Bai Huiliang, former member of the China NonPrescription Drug Association, said: In the post-epidemic era, the public's self-care awareness and health management ability are also constantly improving. The health concept of "Preventive Treatment of Disease" is being widely accepted, from the past "passive treatment" to the present "active prevention", "everyone is the first responsible person for their own health" is becoming a new trend in health.
Ms. Wang Fang, director of the Department of Cardiology, chief physician and doctoral supervisor of Beijing Hospital, gave a keynote speech titled "Self-care - How to make Cardiovascular Health Better". She pointed out in the report: good lifestyle habits, consistent practice of self-care is the key to a long and healthy life. From life-saving diagnosis and treatment scenarios to self-care moments of eating balance and physical and mental health, the secret to health lies in the continuous application of self-care.
Ms. Lei Ting, Deputy Director of the Public Welfare Management Service Centre of the China Overseas Chinese Federation, said in her speech that as a special fund management organization of the International Self Health Foundation in mainland China, the China Overseas Chinese Public Welfare Foundation has been tirelessly paying attention to and supporting the development of the International Self Health Fund, providing all-round and comprehensive support for the promotion of self-health undertakings. She hopes that the development of self-health undertakings will continue to improve in the future.
Since its establishment in 2011, the International Self-Care Day has promoted public welfare actions for 12 consecutive years, popularized the concept of self-care, and called on people to pay attention to their own health; As the link and bridge between government departments and health brand enterprises, China Non-prescription Drug Association provides suggestions for the national health cause and guides enterprises to promote the correct health popularization; With the establishment of the National Healthy China Action Promotion Committee, it is necessary for industry organizations, public welfare organizations and commercial enterprises to contribute to promoting this great initiative.
ISF China also held several additional events that raised awareness of the value of self-care.
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## **Trustees’ Annual Report (Including Directors’ Report)**
## **Year Ended 31 January 2024**
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## **THE SEVEN PILLARS OF SELF-CARE FRAMEWORK**
ISF has created a middle-range _description_ of self-care – the “Seven Pillars of Self-Care” (see: http://isfglobal.org/practise-self-care/the-seven-pillars-of-self-care/).
Each pillar describes in middle-range terms a set of activities that every individual should undertake; collectively the 7 pillars describe the entirety of self-care _from the perspective of the self-carer._
Over the last few years, the 7 Pillars of Self-Care Framework has proved to be comprehensive, robust, practical and easily accessible tool that could by organisations and people from all walks of life. But the 7 pillars framework is more than just a visual diagram; it can be used as a framework to list specific activities for self-carers, selfcare support tasks for healthcare professionals, barriers, policies and much else.
In 2023, the pillars were translated into additional languages, and more are on the way in 2024.
## **THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)**
The body of evidence in favour of including self-care as a key component of national and international health policy is ever-growing. Many countries have already begun to do this by developing self-care blueprints and national strategies. To achieve universal health coverage, we need to include self-care as a cross-cutting theme to inform how people think about their own health and well-being journey and how health care and services are positioned in the future. Both providers and patients need robust systems that support them and their needs. The WHO remains committed to supporting on self-care and have recently published the SelfCare Competencies Framework: Self-Care Competencies Framework
Imperial SCARU & ISF continue their collaboration with key individuals in WHO, including development of the Self-Care Capability Assessment (CAPITAN) toolkit which is based on the seven pillars of self-care framework.
## **ISF ACADEMIC PARTNERSHIPS**
ISF is a unique organisation in the self-care space and as a charity we can work independently and supportively with other parties such as government departments, academia, charities, healthcare professional bodies, and others. Examples of ISF partnering with academia during 2023 include:
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## **Trustees’ Annual Report (Including Directors’ Report)**
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## **Imperial College London Self-Care Academic Research Unit (SCARU)**
The Self-Care Academic Research Unit (SCARU) was launched in 2017 & remains as the only university academic unit in the world dedicated specifically to the study of self-care. SCARU is a tripartite collaboration between Imperial College London School of Primary Care & Public Health, ISF and the UK Self-Care Forum. SCARU’s Vision is to be the leading academic base for self-care in England, focused on the contributions that individuals, networks and communities can make in helping people to prevent disease, improve their wellbeing and self-manage their condition.
The London Self-Care, Health and Wellbeing Summit was held on 14 & 15 September 2023 at Imperial College London’s prestigious South Kensington Campus. The Summit was hosted by Dr Austen El-Osta of the Self-Care Academic Research Unit (SCARU) at Imperial College London School of Public Health. This thought leadership event was made possible through the generous support of a grant from the Worldwide Universities Network awarded to Distinguished Professor Jon Adams of the School of Public Health at the University of Technology Sydney, Australia.
This dynamic one-and-a-half-day event brought together 18 thought leaders from across the world to examine and debate the intricate landscape of self-care research with a focus on implications for self-care policy and practice. The Summit helped clarify the urgent research and development priorities for self-care, focusing on how self-care could be leveraged to prevent and respond to chronic disease as well as maintaining health and wellbeing over the life course.
## **INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR SELF-CARE RESEARCH**
The International Centre for Self-Care Research (ICSCR) is a virtual centre focused on research into the health maintenance, monitoring, and management activities done by individuals and their families to deal with chronic illness. The number of people with chronic illness is burgeoning worldwide due to the aging population and unhealthy lifestyles. Self-care becomes increasingly important and complex as chronic illness develops. The vision of the Centre is a world where self-care is prioritized by individuals, families, and communities and is the first line of approach in every health care encounter. The mission of the Centre is to lead the selfcare research endeavour, improving conceptual clarity and promoting interdisciplinary work informed by a shared vision. Toward this goal, the ICSCR is currently conducting an interdisciplinary, international study of the relationship between symptoms and self-care management behaviours in adults with chronic illness. A secondary aim is to explore how everyday factors drive decision-making about symptoms and self-care behaviours.
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## **Trustees’ Annual Report (Including Directors’ Report)**
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## **ISF & the** _**SelfCare**_ **Journal**
ISF’s strategic relationship with the peer-reviewed online academic journal _SelfCare_ (http://selfcarejournal.com) continues. At the moment, too few of the many self-care initiatives around the world are scientifically designed, evaluated and published. Developing self-care programme design and assessments, coupled with the potential to publish case studies in _SelfCare_ Journal, represents a major opportunity for the future.
## **Self-Care for All by 2030**
During this new decade of selfcare ISF will continue to work in collaboration with a wide mix of international stakeholders to support the Foundation’s commitment to the promotion of selfcare and to building the evidence base for its value to individuals, communities and society.
The Foundation will continue to support those who are active in promoting selfcare’s role in health and those who are involved in research to build the evidence for selfcare’s value to healthcare and individuals.
**Mr David Skinner President, International Self-Care Foundation**
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**International Self-Care Foundation Limited**
## **Trustees’ Annual Report (Including Directors’ Report)**
## **Year Ended 31 January 2024**
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## **FINANCIAL REVIEW**
## **Results for the period**
A summary of results for the year is given on page 17 of this report.
Total income in the year was £50,371 (2023: £54,122) and total expenditure for the year was £22,346 (2023: £10,761) giving a surplus in the year of £28,025 (2023: £43,361).
Expenditure on charitable activity for the period was £20,533 (2023: £8,897) being 91.9% (2023: 82.7%) of expenditure. Governance costs were £1,813 (2023: £1,864), being 8.1% (2023: 17.3%) of expenditure. The expenditure ratios are skewed in the current year due to the large increase in charitable activities expenditure compared to the current year.
Unrestricted reserves of £120,168 (2023: £92,143) are carried over to the following financial year with a large increase due to the large increase in donations.
The Trustees gave their time freely to ISF and received no remuneration. No connected persons received any benefit or remuneration from ISF.
## **Expectations for 2024/2025**
At the present burn rate ISF has sufficient funding for current activity levels, programmes and commitments in the 2024/2025 year. There are no funding shortfalls or material commitments of concern for the coming year. Having illustrated the contribution that ISF can make to health and self-care, the objective in the coming year is to secure future funding and expand activities in line with the potential opportunities.
Fundraising remains an issue and a challenge. Expansion of the commercial donor base and grants from foundations, entrepreneurs or philanthropists remains the preferred approach for 2024/25.
Other financial matters based on this which will need to be addressed include developing ISF’s risk management and reserves policy.
## **Risk management and reserves policy**
The Trustees considers that the major risk at this stage of development of the ISF relates to the financial sustainability of the ISF. Other risks are considered minor and manageable.
The Trustees agreed to defer discussion of financial sustainability until progress has been made in fundraising discussions with potential funders. Therefore the current level of reserves is considered appropriate by the trustees.
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## **Trustees’ Annual Report (Including Directors’ Report)**
## **Year Ended 31 January 2024**
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## **Statement of Trustees’ responsibilities**
The trustees (who are also directors of International Self-Care Foundation Limited for the purposes of Company Law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Annual 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 and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for the period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
- Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently.
- Observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP (FRS 102).
- Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent.
- State whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements.
- Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in operation.
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.
## **Audit**
Under the terms of the Charities Act 2011, the Company does not require an audit, but it does require that the accounts are independently examined, and the corresponding report is included within the accounts.
## **Declaration**
Approved by the Board on 28 February 2024 and signed on its behalf by:
……………………………………………. Mr David Skinner President
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## **Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of International Self-Care Foundation Limited**
## **On the Accounts for the Year Ended 31 January 2024**
## **_____________________________________________________________________**
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the company for the year ended 31[st] January 2024 which are set out on pages 16 to 20.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity 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 company’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 that in any material respect:
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 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.
……………………………………………
## **David Green MA (Cantab) FCA**
Azets Suites B & D Burnham Yard Beaconsfield Buckinghamshire HP9 2JH Date: 28 February 2024
16
**International Self-Care Foundation Limited**
## **Statement of Financial Activities (including an Income and Expenditure account)**
## **On the Accounts for the Year Ended 31 January 2024**
**_____________________________________________________________________**
|**Incoming**
**resources**
Donations
Bank Interest
Foreign exchange gain
**_Total Incoming Resources_**
**Resources**
**Expended**
**Charitable activities**
**Governance costs**
**_Total Resources Expended_**
**_Net movement in the year_**
**Reconciliation of Funds**
Total Funds brought forward
**_Total Funds carried forward_**|**Notes**
5
6
7|
|**Total**
**Funds**
**2024**
£
46,960
3,411
-
50,371
(20,533)
(1,813)
(22,346)
28,025
92,143
120,168|
|**Total**
**Funds**
**2023**
£
51,697
856
1,569|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||54,122|
||||||(8,897)
(1,864)|
||||||(10,761)|
|||||||
|||
||
|43,361
48,782|
||||||92,143|
All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
The notes on pages 19 to 21 form part of these accounts
17
**International Self-Care Foundation Limited**
## **Balance Sheet (Company No: 08840766)**
## **On the Accounts for the Year Ended 31 January 2024**
## **_____________________________________________________________________**
|**CURRENT ASSETS**
Cash in hand and at Bank
**LESS: CURRENT LIABILITIES**
Creditors
**NET CURRENT ASSETS**
**NET ASSETS**
**FINANCED BY:**
Unrestricted funds|**Notes**
8||**Total**
**Funds**
**2024**
£
121,968
(1,800)
120,168
120,168
120,168
120,168||**Total**
**Funds**
**2023**
£
93,823
(1,680)|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||92,143|
|||||||
||||||92,143|
||||||92,143|
||||||92,143|
For the year ending 31 January 2024 the company was entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.
## Directors responsibilities:
- The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476;
- The directors ackowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts.
These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small charitable companies.
These financial statements were approved by the Board on 28 February 2024 and signed on its behalf by:
Mr David Skinner
## **President**
The notes on pages 19 to 21 form part of these accounts
18
**International Self-Care Foundation Limited**
## **Notes to the Accounts (Company No: 08840766)**
## **On the Accounts for the Year Ended 31 January 2024**
## **_____________________________________________________________________**
## **1. GENERAL INFORMATION**
International Self-Care Foundation Limited is a company limited by guaranteed in England and Wales. In the event of the charity being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £10 per member of the charity. The address of the registered office is given in the charity information on page 2 of these financial statements. The nature of the charity's operations and principal activities are given in the Trustees' Annual Report (including Directors' Report).
## **2. STATEMENT OF COMPLIANCE**
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable to the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS102), the Companies Act 2006 and the Charities Act 2011.
## **3. ACCOUNTING POLICIES**
The financial statements have been prepared under the historic cost convention. The financial statements are presented in sterling (£) which is also the functional currency of the company. The company meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102.
A summary of the significant accounting policies applied in the preparation of these accounts are set out below
## (a) Incoming Resources
All incoming resources are included on the Statement of Financial Activities when recognised in the period in which the charity is legally entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy.
As provided in the SORP (FRS 102) no amount is included in the financial statements for volunteer time.
## (b) Expenditure recognition
All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all costs related to that category. Expenditure is recognised where there is a legal or constructive obligation to make payments to third parties, it is probable that the settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.
## (c) Value Added Tax
The charity is not registered for Value Added Tax. In these Financial Statements, where applicable, expenditure is shown inclusive of VAT.
## (d) Cash Flow Statement
Under Financial Reporting Standard SORP (FRS 102), the charity is not required to produce a Cash Flow Statement as it is a small charity.
## (e) Funds
All the funds in the charity are unrestricted and are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity.
19
**International Self-Care Foundation Limited**
## **Notes to the Accounts (cont)**
## **On the Accounts for the Year Ended 31 January 2021**
## **_______________________________________________________________________**
## (f) Going Concern
The accounts are prepared on a going concern basis. The use of the going concern basis of accounting is appropriate because there are no material uncertainties related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt about the ability of the Charity to continue as a going concern.
## **4. TAXATION**
The charity is an exempt charity within the meaning of schedule 3 of the Charities Act 2011 and is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes.
|**5. VOLUNTARY INCOME**
Donations
**6. ANALYSIS OF CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES**
Social media & website
Travel
Prize money & ISD support
Charitable activity contractors
Foreign exchange loss
**7. GOVERNANCE COSTS**
Independent Examiner's Remuneration
Bank charges
**8. CREDITORS**
Accruals|**2024**
46,960
46,960
4,215
8,777
1,494
3,552
2,495
20,533
1,766
47
1,813
1,800
1,800|**2023**
51,697|
|---|---|---|
|||51,697|
|||-
7,451
1,446
-
-|
|||8,897|
|||1,722
142|
|||1,864|
|||1,680|
|||1,680|
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**International Self-Care Foundation Limited**
## **Notes to the Accounts (Company No: 08840766)**
## **On the Accounts for the Year Ended 31 January 2024**
## **_____________________________________________________________________**
## **9. EMPLOYEE INFORMATION**
There are no employees in the current or prior years.
## **10. TRUSTEE AND KEY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL REMUNERATION AND EXPENSES**
No remuneration was paid to the trustees during the current or prior years.
The total key management personnel remuneration is £nil (2023: £nil).
Expenses totalling £12,628 (2023: £7,451) were reimbursed to 1 (2023: 1) trustee during the year.
## **11. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS**
There are no related party transactions during the current or prior years.
21