Charity registration number 1161563
THE ORWELL FOUNDATION
ANNUAL REPORT AND UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
THE ORWELL FOUNDATION
LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
| Trustees | Lord K Macdonald KC (Chair) | |
|---|---|---|
| Arifa Akbar | ||
| Professor Andrew Williams | ||
| Stephen Armstrong | ||
| Richard Blair | (Resigned 10 October 2022) | |
| Michael Callanan | ||
| Dr Peter Claus | (Resigned 26 May 2022) | |
| Gavin Freeguard | ||
| Matthew Garraghan | ||
| Bill Hamilton | (Resigned 10 October 2022) | |
| Kathryn Harvey | ||
| Laura Jones | (Resigned 17 September 2021) | |
| Gavin Kelly | ||
| Deborah Lincoln | (Appointed 13 December 2021) | |
| Rebecca Oyekanmi | ||
| Andrew Peck | ||
| Elizabeth Sich | ||
| David Taylor | (Resigned 10 October 2022) | |
| Su-Mei Thompson | ||
| Hugh Tomlinson | (Resigned 10 October 2022) | |
| Boyd Tonkin | ||
| Charity number | 1161563 | |
| Independent examiner | Critchleys Audit LLP | |
| Beaver House | ||
| 23-38 Hythe Bridge Street | ||
| Oxford | ||
| OX1 2EP | ||
| Bankers | Barclays Bank | |
| Birmingham Edgbaston | ||
| Leicester | ||
| LE87 2BB |
THE ORWELL FOUNDATION
CONTENTS
| Page | |
|---|---|
| Trustees' report | 1 - 7 |
| Statement of trustees' responsibilities | 8 |
| Independent examiner's report | 9 |
| Statement of financial activities | 10 |
| Balance sheet | 11 |
| Notes to the financial statements | 12 - 19 |
THE ORWELL FOUNDATION
TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 August 2022.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the charity's governing document, the Charities Act 2011 and "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)" (effective 1 January 2019).
Structure, governance, and management
The Orwell Foundation is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) governed by a constitution. Trustees are appointed for a term of four years and may be reappointed for a further four years. Trustees are appointed by agreement of the Board of Trustees, who have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective management of the CIO. Under the CIO’s constitution two trustees (Mr Richard Blair and Mr William Hamilton) are appointed indefinitely and two trustees (currently, Ms Deborah Lincoln and Mr Gavin Kelly) are nominated by the Political Quarterly,.
The Trustees regularly review a risk register and the measures taken to manage these risks. New trustees are provided with an induction pack containing information about their duties and responsibilities. When new trustees are appointed, they are introduced to the charity's work and provided with the information they need to fulfil their roles, including information about the role of trustees and their responsibilities under the Charities Act (2011).
The charity is based at University College London's (UCL) Institute of Advanced Studies (IAS). Responsibility for the day-to-day management of the charity and its activities is delegated to the Director and Deputy Director, who are in turn supported by a small team of part-time staff.
Objectives, activities, and achievements
The Orwell Foundation uses the work of George Orwell to shine a light on brave writing, uncovering hidden lives and uncomfortable truths. We aim to connect with audiences from schoolchildren to policymakers, offering a platform to discuss subjects close to Orwell’s heart, including poverty, political extremism, and the dangers posed by the corruption of language and the rise of new technologies.
George Orwell's work powerfully transcends his own era, remaining relevant to the social, geo-political and economic landscapes of the twenty-first century. Orwell exposed the dangers of disinformation and totalitarianism thorough writing that glowed with integrity, decency and fidelity to truth.
We celebrate these values with our prizes, school programmes, lectures, debates, and online resources, championing creativity and diversity of opinion to promote Orwell’s desire to ‘make political writing into an art’. Following a change to the Foundation's constitution approved as part of a merger with The Orwell Youth Prize (6th May 2020), the Foundation's charitable objective also includes the promotion of the education of children and young people for the public benefit.
In addition to the busy programme of prizes and events described below, The Orwell Foundation maintains a website hosting a wide range of resources by and about George Orwell, which is free to use, as well as active social media accounts. Many of the essays on The Orwell Foundation’s website receive over 10,000 unique visitors a month.
The Orwell Prizes for Political Writing
The Orwell Prizes, the UK's most prestigious prizes for political writing, aim to reward and promote good writing, thinking, and reporting about politics for a public audience. Each Prize is worth £3000 to the winner. In 2021-2022 The Orwell Foundation awarded five prizes:
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The Orwell Prize for Political Writing, for a work of non-fiction published in the previous calendar year in the UK.
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THE ORWELL FOUNDATION
TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
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The Orwell Prize for Political Fiction, for a work of fiction.
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The Orwell Prize for Journalism, for commentary and / or reportage.
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The Orwell Prize for Exposing Britain’s Social Evils, for reporting which has contributed to the public understanding of social issues in the UK.
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The Orwell Youth Prize, an annual programme for students in school years 8 – 13 (or equivalent) culminating in a writing prize.
The awards, which are free to enter, independent of editorial agenda, and open to self-nomination, are accompanied by a programme of events, debates, and other activity.
In 2021-2022 The Orwell Prizes began a transition to a new eligibility schedule and were awarded in a new format – with one set of eight to ten finalists in each prize, as opposed to the previous longlist and shortlist format.
The intention behind both these changes was to create more publicity for and conversations around all the Orwell Prize finalists. The full list of finalists for all The Orwell Prizes can be found on our website.
The Orwell Foundation
The Orwell Foundation has discussed running its own writing festival for a long time: we believe there is a unique opportunity each year where exceptional writers and journalists are brought into conversation with each other through The Orwell Prizes
The Orwell Festival builds on these ideas, offering opportunities for writers to reach different audiences and talk about their work in new contexts, as well as catering for audiences who are curious about George Orwell and his contemporary relevance.
Discussions about running a festival in 2022, after two years of being unable to run in-person events, began in earnest in the late summer of 2021. The Orwell Festival of Political Writing 2022, in partnership with Substack, took place from the 22[nd] June to the 14[th] July at the Institute of Advanced Studies, University College London and across Bloomsbury, London, bringing together Orwell Prize finalists, judges and special guests to discuss ‘the most important and exciting political writing and thinking today’.
The festival began with a lecture by the American writer Rebecca Solnit on her book Orwell’s Roses and went on to feature such diverse writers, thinkers, and political figures as Chris Patten, Ali Smith, Dominic Cummings, Grace Blakely and Jess Phillips. Seventeen events were held, featuring forty-three writers and journalists and over a thousand attendees. Events took place in eight venues: UCL, bookshops, cultural centres, a pub, and kicked off and closed with The Orwell Prize ceremony Conway Hall, Red Lion Square.
The Orwell Festival received coverage in London’s Evening Standard. In the run up to the awards, the Foundation also launched a new online magazine profiling Orwell Prize finalists through brief interviews and extracts from their work.
The Orwell Prize for Political Fiction
First awarded in 2019, The Orwell Prize for Political Fiction rewards outstanding novels and collections of short stories, first published in the UK or Ireland, that illuminate major social and political themes, present or past, through the art of narrative.
The prize is sponsored by the Orwell estate’s literary agency, A. M. Heath, and George Orwell’s son, Richard Blair. The Foundation works closely with the Department of English Language and Literature at UCL, which also nominates one of the prize’s four judges.
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THE ORWELL FOUNDATION
TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
The 2022 winner was Claire Keegan for her novel Small Things Like These (Faber) which went on to be shortlisted for The Booker Prize. The judges were Dennis Duncan, Sana Goyal, Adam Roberts, and Monique Roffey, and the prize received 151 entries.
The Orwell Prize for Political Writing
The Orwell Prize for Political Writing (previously, Orwell Prize for Books) is for a work of non-fiction, whether a book or pamphlet, first published in the UK or Ireland. ‘Political’ is defined in the broadest sense, including (but not limited to) entries addressing political, social, cultural, moral, and historical subjects and can include pamphlets, books published by think tanks, diaries, memoirs, letters, and essays.
The 2022 winner was Sally Hayden for her book My Fourth Time, We Drowned (Harper Collins), an investigation into the experiences of migrants in detention camps in Libya. The judges were Stephen Bush, David Edgerton, Kennetta Hammond Perry, and Anne McElvoy and the prize received 288 entries.
The Orwell Prize for Journalism
The Orwell Prize for Journalism is awarded to a journalist for sustained reportage and/or commentary working in any medium.
A submission should consist of a minimum of three and a maximum of four articles in any combination of media. This might consist of, for example, three printed articles, three television or radio broadcasts or a combination of different media.
The 2022 winner was George Monbiot, for a serious of columns on the politics of climate change published in The Guardian. The judges were Isabel Hilton, Helen Hawkins, Marcus Ryder, and Sameer Padania, and the prize received 115 entries.
The Orwell Prize for Exposing Britain's Social Evils
Since 2014, The Orwell Prize and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation have worked together on The Orwell Prize for Exposing Britain’s Social Evils, a social issues journalism prize.
Named in recognition of the task Joseph Rowntree gave his organization ‘to search out the underlying causes of weakness or evil’ that lay behind Britain’s social problems, the prize supports and encourages original, insightful, and impactful reporting on social issues in the UK. Entries should consist of a story that has enhanced the public understanding of social problems and public policy in the UK. The story must be clearly and primarily concerned with an aspect of UK society. Entry is free and there are no charges at any point. A single author, or small group of authors may enter.
The 2022 winner was Ed Thomas for a series of BBC News reports on the impact of the pandemic in Burnley. The judges also awarded a special prize to David Collins and Hannah Al-Othman for their Sunday Times report on the unsolved murder of Agnes Wanjiru. The judges were Sophia Parker, Annabel Deas, Jo Swinson, Kirsty McNeill, and Sophia Moreau, and the prize received 64 entries.
The Orwell Youth Prize
The Orwell Youth Prize is an annual programme for students in school years 8 – 13 (or equivalent) culminating in a writing prize. Rooted in Orwell’s values of integrity and fairness, the Prize and the activities around it introduce young people to the power of language and provoke them to think critically and creatively about the world in which they are living.
The Youth Prize asks young people to respond to big ideas in contemporary society, with a particular focus on social justice. Past themes have included: ‘Truth vs. Lies’, ‘Identity’, ‘A Fair Society?’, ‘The Future We Want’, and ‘A New Direction: Starting Small’.
Far more than just a prize, the Orwell Youth Prize offers young people a journey progressing from debate-provoking workshops and online resources, through to personal feedback on draft entries, and builds a community around youth writing and an audience that engages with it. Our understanding of social and educational disadvantage in the UK drives our work and focus, with the aim of reaching schools and individuals from less advantaged backgrounds.
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THE ORWELL FOUNDATION
TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
Activities 2021-2022
The theme for The Orwell Youth Prize 2022 was ‘Coming Up For Air: Writing the Climate Crisis’. The environment and the climate emergency are regular topics among Youth Prize entries. This year, the Foundation wanted to offer entrants an opportunity to think creatively and critically about the politics of climate change at a global and a national level, as well as its effects on their own lives. The theme was inspired by Orwell’s own writing on nature and the environment, for instance in essays like ‘Some Thoughts on the Common Toad’.
Overall, The Orwell Youth Prize received 425 entries, with 300 entries receiving individual feedback from our team of volunteer readers, from Oxford University Press, University College London, Kings College London and Penguin to whom we are most grateful. The judges were Nada Farhoud, Gillian Clarke, Dan Bernardo and Michael Jacobs.
School workshop scheme
In 2021-2022 the Orwell Youth Prize launched a new support scheme to work directly with teachers in a number of specially chosen schools across the country. The intention behind the scheme was to support teachers at nonselective state schools which meet our targeting criteria (high percentage of students eligible for free school meals, in areas with high levels of income deprivation affecting children). The Youth Prize worked directly with these teachers to encourage students to enter the Prize, as well as consulting with the teachers on how to shape the programme to make it as accessible and engaging as possible.
Teachers on the scheme received regular online sessions with the Youth Prize coordinator, introducing them to the Prize and resources and to other teachers on the scheme, and giving them the opportunity for subsidised in-person workshops with professional writers, as well as the opportunity to contribute regular feedback on their experience using the programme in the classroom, in particular with boys, who engage in far lower numbers.
Youth Prize workshops provided through the scheme were held at Hollingworth Academy in Rochdale, Wright Robinson College in Manchester and Pilton College in North Devon, with the scheme also supporting Barr’s Hill in Coventry, Neath Port Talbot in Wales and Southmoor Academy in Sunderland. A Youth Prize workshop was also held with the Thames Valley Learning Partnership at Langley Academy, with six partner schools attending.
The Orwell Youth Fellows
The Orwell Youth Fellows – previous winners and runners-up of the prize – continued to meet regularly to help shape the programme and contribute new writing around the theme. A major outcome of this programme was a zine of new writing about the climate crisis's impact on the seasons, ‘Axial Tilt’, which was sold at The Orwell Festival and The Orwell Memorial Lecture, and online, reaching readers from Las Vegas to Australia.
Through a partnership with political literacy organisation Shout Out UK, representatives from the Youth Fellows also worked with young people from Shout Out’s Youth Policy Development Group to prepare a presentation on political literacy and consent, tolerance, and the climate crisis in schools, with their proposals for more effective teaching methods in these areas. They made these presentations to the APPG on Political Literacy at Westminster in May 2022.
Celebration Day and Summer School
Once the judging of te Prize was complete, shortlisted young writers were invited to a Celebration Day at UCL on 9th July, which 24 young people attended, coming from throughout the UK – for example, Cardiff , Coventry and Carnlough in Northern Ireland. They participated in political writing workshops led by journalist Ria Chatterjee and Dee Jarrett-Macauley (previous Orwell Prize winning author and academic), and shared readings of their shortlisted works. The afternoon culminated in a video message from Richard Blair and the presentation of certificates and prizes.
From 25th-29th July, in partnership with UCL Special Collections, the Youth Prize also ran a Summer School, for 25 Year 12 students from non-selective London state schools. Participants explored the Orwell Archive, took part in writing workshops with BBC reporter Marianna Spring and Max Daly (Drugs Editor of VICE, former Orwell Prize winner), heard a talk from Foundation trustee Stephen Armstrong about Orwell and journalism, visited the ‘Breaking the News’ exhibition at the British Library, and wrote their own journalistic pieces, which they shared at the end of the week.
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THE ORWELL FOUNDATION
TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
Film crew also attended the event and are in the process of creating two short films (one for schools, and one for promotion). The films, and a print resource for schools, will be launched at an event for teachers on 19th January 2023.
The Orwell Memorial Lecture
The Orwell Memorial Lecture has been given annually since 1989 and is generously sponsored by George Orwell’s son, Richard Blair. Originally held at Birkbeck, University of London and the University of Sheffield, the Orwell Lecture is now held each year at UCL. The Orwell Lectures can be found on our YouTube channel, which you can access here.
The lecture has attracted notable speakers including Ian McEwan, Dr Tristam Hunt, Daniel Finkelstein, Dr Rowan Williams, Dame Hilary Mantel, Robin Cook, Kamila Shamsie and Ian Hislop. The Orwell Memorial Lecture 2021 with Ian McEwan was republished in the New Statesman, and the Orwell Memorial Lecture 2020 with Dr Tristam Hunt had a live online audience of around 800 attendees. It was international in scope, featuring responses from Tasneem Zakaria Mehta, managing trustee and honorary director of the Dr Bhau Daji Lad Mumbai City Museum, and Thant Myint-U, Burmese historian and Founder and Chairman of the Yangon Heritage Trust.
Volunteers
The Director of The Orwell Foundation, Jean Seaton, donates her time. The Foundation would like to record its thanks for her considerable efforts.
In 2021-2022, the Youth Prize worked with 73 volunteers from institutions including Oxford University Press, University College London, King’s College London, and Penguin.
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THE ORWELL FOUNDATION
TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
Financial Review
In 2022/2023 The Orwell Foundation received income of £127,825 with expenditure amounting to £174,900. This resulted in a deficit of £47,075, £7,781 of which was a decrease in Restricted Funds. The deficit reflects two things, firstly a reduction in donations and gifts over the year, which was compensated for in part by new grant income and, secondly, an increase in expenses as the Foundation expanded its activities. There has been a need for additional staff to support this expansion and the Board believes that this expansion is a necessary investment to provide a new basis for the improved achievement of the Foundation’s charitable objectives in the future. The Foundation's opening balance in reserves in August 2021 was £243,893 and its closing balance in August 2022, was £196,818.
Reserves Policy
It is the policy of the Board of Trustees to maintain sufficient reserves to cover the charity's forecast expenditure for at least the following 6 months.
Reserves
The trustees have considered the level of funds held and the expected income and expenditure for 12 months from the date that the board approved these financial statements.
The trustees are satisfied that considering the income and budgeted expenditure, it is appropriate for the accounts to be prepared on a going concern basis.
The Orwell Foundation begins 2022/23 with £196,818 (2021: £243,893) in reserves.
Principal sources of funds
The Foundation's principal sources of funding are currently The Joseph Rowntree Foundation, The Political Quarterly, Richard Blair, A. M. Heath and its public events programme, particularly The Orwell Festival.
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees' report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity's trustees.
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THE ORWELL FOUNDATION TRUSTEES. REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR fHE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST2022 The trustees vtho seryed thring thè yew aThJ up lo Ihe dale of siwaturn ofthe finanoal statements warg.. Lord K Macdonald KC Ichairl Arila Akbar ProfessLY Andrew )Mlliams Stephen Am7strong Richard Blair Michaèl Callanan Dr Petsr Claus Gavin Freeguard Matthew Garraghan 8111 Hamilton Kathryn Harvey Laura Jontrs Gavin Kelly Daborah Lirthln Rebecca Oyekanml Andrew Peck Elizabeth Sich Davsd Taylor Su-MeF' Thompson Hugh Tomlinson Boyd Tonkin {Resign&l 10 2022) (Rasign 28 May 2022) (Resignad 10 Ortckn•r 20221 (Rasigngd 17 Septamber 20211 (Aw'nted 13 Demb&r )211 {ResvJrnd 10 October 2022) (Rosffjrnd 10 C¢tober 2022) Lord K hhacdonald KC (Chalr) TNsts•
THE ORWELL FOUNDATION
STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES' RESPONSIBILITIES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
The law applicable to charities in England and Wales 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 charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that year.
In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
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select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
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observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
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make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
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prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
The trustees are responsible for keeping sufficient accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the trust deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
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THE ORWELL FOUNDATION
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE ORWELL FOUNDATION
I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of The Orwell Foundation (the charity) for the year ended 31 August 2022.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the trustees of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act).
I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s financial statements carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act. 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
Your attention is drawn to the fact that the charity has prepared financial statements in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) in preference to the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice issued on 1 April 2005 which is referred to in the extant regulations but has now been withdrawn.
I understand that this has been done in order for financial statements to provide a true and fair view in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Practice effective for reporting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2015.
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:
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1 accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the 2011 Act; or
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2 the financial statements do not accord with those records; or
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3 the financial statements do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 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.
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 financial statements to be reached.
Robert Kirtland, FCA For and on behalf of Critchleys Audit LLP Institute of Chartered Accountants England and Wales
Beaver House 23-38 Hythe Bridge Street Oxford OX1 2EP
16/5/2023 Dated: .........................
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THE ORWELL FOUNDATION
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
| Unrestricted Restricted funds funds 2022 2022 Notes £ £ Income and endowments from: Donations and legacies 3 50,331 66,533 Charitable activities 4 10,874 - Investments 5 87 - Other income 6 - - Total income 61,292 66,533 Expenditure on: Charitable activities 7 61,919 112,981 Net (outgoing)/incoming resources before transfers (627) (46,448) Gross transfers between funds (38,667) 38,667 Net (expenditure)/income for the year/ Net movement in funds (39,294) (7,781) Fund balances at 1 September 2021 170,238 73,655 Fund balances at 31 August 2022 130,944 65,874 |
Total Unrestricted Restricted funds funds 2022 2021 2021 £ £ £ 116,864 46,426 92,077 10,874 - 52,592 87 88 - - 200 - 127,825 46,714 144,669 174,900 41,805 85,645 (47,075) 4,909 59,024 - - - (47,075) 4,909 59,024 243,893 165,329 14,631 196,818 170,238 73,655 |
Total 2021 £ 138,503 52,592 88 200 |
|---|---|---|
| 191,383 | ||
| 127,450 | ||
| 63,933 - |
||
| 63,933 179,960 |
||
| 243,893 |
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.
All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
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THE ORWELL FOUNDATION BALANCE SHEET ASAT31AUGUST2022 2021 Currwrt 4$Jets Debtors Cash at bank and in hd 11 20,CKQ 191.768 226.643 211,788 281.645 Credltorn: amounts falling due within on8 year 12 (14.950) (37,752) Net current assets 1.818 243,893 Income fundi R&strictod fuThJs Unrestn'cted furKbs 13 65,874 130.944 73.855 170.238 196,818 243,893 naal statemgnts approved by TnJst••$ on...... .................. Lord K Macdonald KC ICh8lr) Trustee
THE ORWELL FOUNDATION
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
1 Accounting policies
Charity information
The Orwell Foundation is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation.
1.1 Accounting convention
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's governing document, the Charities Act 2011 and "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)". The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
The charity has taken advantage of the provisions in the SORP for charities applying FRS 102 Update Bulletin 1 not to prepare a Statement of Cash Flows.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
1.2 Going concern
At the time of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.
1.3 Charitable funds
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives.
Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.
1.4 Income
Income is recognised 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.
Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the charity has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.
Legacies are recognised on receipt or otherwise if the charity has been notified of an impending distribution, the amount is known, and receipt is expected. If the amount is not known, the legacy is treated as a contingent asset.
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THE ORWELL FOUNDATION
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
1 Accounting policies
(Continued)
1.5 Expenditure
All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all costs related to the 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. It is categorised under the following headings:
Charitable activities - comprise those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its services. it includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such series and those costs of an indirect nature to support them.
Governance costs - comprise expenditure associated with meeting the constitutional and statutory requirements of the charity and include the independent examination fees and costs linked to the strategic management of the charity.
1.6 Cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.
1.7 Financial instruments
The charity has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.
Financial instruments are recognised in the charity's balance sheet when the charity becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.
Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.
Basic financial assets
Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.
Basic financial liabilities
Basic financial liabilities, including creditors are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.
Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of operations from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
Derecognition of financial liabilities
Financial liabilities are derecognised when the charity’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.
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THE ORWELL FOUNDATION
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
2 Critical accounting estimates and judgements
In the application of the charity’s accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.
3 Donations and legacies
| Unrestricted Restricted funds funds 2022 2022 £ £ Donations and gifts 20,331 28,200 Grants 30,000 38,333 50,331 66,533 Charitable activities Social Evils sponsorship OYP Control 2022 2022 £ £ Other income - - Analysis by fund Unrestricted funds - - Restricted funds - - |
Total Unrestricted Restricted funds funds 2022 2021 2021 £ £ £ 48,531 46,426 92,077 68,333 - - 116,864 46,426 92,077 Other Shortlist Income Total 2022 2022 2022 £ £ £ 10,874 - 10,874 10,874 - 10,874 - - - |
Total 2021 £ 138,503 - |
|---|---|---|
| 138,503 | ||
| Total 2021 £ 52,592 |
||
| - 52,952 |
4 Charitable activities
5 Investments
| Unrestricted | Unrestricted | |
|---|---|---|
| funds | funds | |
| 2022 | 2021 | |
| £ | £ | |
| Interest receivable | 87 | 88 |
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THE ORWELL FOUNDATION
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
6 Other income
| Unrestricted | Unrestricted | |
|---|---|---|
| funds | funds | |
| 2022 | 2021 | |
| £ | £ | |
| Other income | - | 200 |
- 7 Charitable activities
| Staff costs Prizes awarded, Judging fees & Project costs Other operating costs Share of support costs (see note 8) Share of governance costs (see note 8) Analysis by fund Unrestricted funds Restricted funds |
2022 £ 91,105 68,336 11,507 170,948 640 3,312 174,900 61,919 112,981 174,900 |
2021 £ 68,832 47,108 8,577 |
|---|---|---|
| 124,517 1,237 1,696 |
||
| 127,450 | ||
| 41,805 85,645 |
||
| 127,450 |
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THE ORWELL FOUNDATION
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
8 Support costs
| Support costs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Support costs Governance costs £ £ Consultancy and admin support 640 - Independent examination fees - 2,556 Legal and professional - 756 Trustee and Directors expenses - - 640 3,312 Analysed between Charitable activities 640 3,312 |
2022 Support costs Governance costs £ £ £ 640 1,237 - 2,556 - 1,656 756 - - - - 40 3,952 1,237 1,696 3,952 1,237 1,696 |
2021 £ 1,237 1,656 - 40 |
| 2,933 | ||
| 2,933 |
Governance costs includes payments to the independent examiners of £2,220 (2021 - £1,680) for independent examination fees.
9 Trustees
Other than the two Trustees mentioned in Note 15, none of the trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration or benefits from the charity during the year.
10 Employees
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
| 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|
| Number | Number | |
| 4 | 3 | |
| Employment costs | 2022 | 2021 |
| £ | £ | |
| Wages and salaries | 85,272 | 62,963 |
| Social security costs | 2,675 | 1,351 |
| Other pension costs | 3,158 | 4,518 |
| 91,105 | 68,832 |
There were no employees whose annual remuneration was more than £60,000.
- 16 -
THE ORWELL FOUNDATION
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
| 11 Debtors Amounts falling due within one year: Other debtors Prepayments and accrued income 12 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year Accruals and deferred income |
2022 £ - 20,000 20,000 2022 £ 14,950 |
2021 £ 9,502 45,500 |
|---|---|---|
| 55,002 | ||
| 2021 £ 37,752 |
- 17 -
THE ORWELL FOUNDATION
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
13 Restricted funds
The income funds of the charity include restricted funds comprising the following unexpended balances of donations and grants held on trust for specific purposes:
| Movement in funds Balance at 1 September 2020 Incoming resources Resources expended Balance at 1 September 2021 r £ £ £ £ Joseph Rowntree Foundation 3,925 - (3,544) 381 JRF Social Evils - 40,000 (22,002) 17,998 Publishers' Marketing Contributions - - - - Richard Blair Political Fiction 5,000 20,625 (15,373) 10,252 A. M. Heath. 15,000 - (7,500) 7,500 Centris Webb Trust (9,294) 40,000 (36,921) (6,215) Richard Blair - Youth - 28,127 (400) 27,727 Individual Donation - Youth - 3,325 - 3,325 Education Income - Youth - 1,000 - 1,000 Other - Youth - 11,592 95 11,687 Subtrack Festival - - - - Journalism Prize - - - - 14,631 144,669 (85,645) 73,655 |
Movement in funds Incoming esources Resources expended £ £ - - 23,333 (28,916) 1,700 (3,880) 25,000 (18,470) - (15,988) - (20,915) - (15,267) 1,500 - - (1,329) - - 15,000 (7,676) - (540) 66,533 (112,981) |
Transfers Balance at 31 August 2022 £ £ (381) - 381 12,796 2,180 - - 16,782 8,488 - 27,130 - - 12,460 - 4,825 329 - - 11,687 - 7,324 540 - 38,667 65,874 |
Transfers Balance at 31 August 2022 £ £ (381) - 381 12,796 2,180 - - 16,782 8,488 - 27,130 - - 12,460 - 4,825 329 - - 11,687 - 7,324 540 - 38,667 65,874 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 65,874 |
- 18 -
THE ORWELL FOUNDATION
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
| 14 Analysis of net assets between funds Unrestricted funds Restricted funds 2022 2022 £ £ Fund balances at 31 August 2022 are represented by: Current assets/(liabilities) 130,944 65,874 130,944 65,874 |
Total Unrestricted funds Restricted funds 2022 2021 2021 £ £ £ 196,818 165,260 78,633 196,818 165,260 78,633 |
Total 2021 £ 243,893 |
|---|---|---|
| 243,893 |
15 Related party transactions
During the period a trustee was paid £2,779 for work done on behalf of the charity (2021 - £2,411).
- 19 -