Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From 01/01/2023 Period start date To 31/12/2023 Period end date
Charity name:Poodle Network UK
Charity registration number: 1163333
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference |
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|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | A National UK Network for the benefit of the public to relieve the suffering of Poodles which are in need of care and attention and, in particular, to provide and maintain rescue and foster homes or other facilities for the reception and care of unwanted Poodles and the treatment of Poodles. |
| Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts. |
Para 1.17 and 1.19 |
Poodle Network UK's objective is the advancement of the welfare of Poodles. We provide a public advice and education service for the owners and potential owners of Poodles in person, over the telephone, via websites and over social media. We offer free guidance and education to the public on poodle welfare in general and to the prevention of cruelty and suffering in poodles. We provide free public advice on the grooming needs, dietary requirements, veterinary care and treatment & hereditary issues, and behavioural issues of Poodles. We are the registered Breed Rescue for all sizes of Poodles with the Kennel Club and were invited by the Kennel Club to educate people at Discover Dogs about poodles and owning poodles. We offer a nationwide rescue and sanctuary service for Poodles, working with councils and dog wardens, the RSPCA, Dogs Trust and other charities to remove Poodles off the streets and to care for and rehabilitate abandoned, mistreated and lost Poodles. We have both temporary and permanent foster homes to give sanctuary and shelter to poodles which need it due to sickness, mistreatment, poor circumstances or ill usage and to provide the poodles with care, protection, medical treatment and security they need and to rehabilitate the poodles to enable them to be rehomed where possible. We provide veterinary care and treatment to Poodles under our care. We neuter and spay all the poodles coming into our care to ensure there are no unwanted or unexpected litters of puppies. We have actively fundraised throughout the year to raise the needed funds to care for the Poodles under our care. We actively seek new homes for our rescued poodles. No Volunteer or the Trustees benefitted personally in any way including financially or materially from their position within Poodle Network UK. |
| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity |
Para 1.18 | We confirm the Trustees of Poodle Network UK have regard to the guidance on public benefit issued by the Charity Commission when |
| Commission on public | exercising powers or duties to which the guidance is | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| benefit | relevant. All Trustees are required to read and have | |||
| regard to the guidance document. The public benefit of | ||||
| Poodle Network UK is demonstrated in our objectives and | ||||
| our activities statement. | ||||
| Additional information (optional) | ||||
| You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: | ||||
| SORP | ||||
| reference |
| SORP reference |
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|---|---|---|
| Policy on grant making | Para 1.38 | |
| Policy on social investment including program related investment |
Para 1.38 | |
| Contribution made by volunteers |
Para 1.38 | Poodle Network UK is a large UK wide network of unpaid Volunteers who are essential to the Charity and we appreciate the time, skill set and resources every volunteer brings to the Charity. The role every volunteer undertakes is essential to the running of the charity. Every Trustee takes an active part in the day to day matters of the charity with most donating over 30 hours a week of their time. The Trustees are responsible for the overall management of the Charity and meet regularly via online meetings. The Trustees hold regular meetings with senior volunteers who in turn are responsible for co-ordinating other volunteers. Our volunteers include administrators, fosterers, transporters, telephone team, behaviourists, trainers, fundraisers, groomers, home-checkers, crafters, photographers and veterinary surgeons & veterinary nurses who provide us with advice. Our unpaid Trustees and volunteers look after all our Poodles and undertake all the associated administration tasks needed to vet prospective carers and the Poodles new homes, foster carers and their homes, new volunteers & any necessary training of them. Our foster carers, trainers and behaviourists rehabilitate any poodle which needs it and this can take months for some of the poodles and some are permanent foster carers where the dogs they care for will never be able to be rehomed due to medical and behavioural issues. It takes devotion and dedication to foster dogs and is exceptionally rewarding, frustrating and sometimes heart-breaking all at the same time. Our Trustees all have first-hand experience of this. There is nothing more rewarding to every volunteer than knowing they all played a part in rehabilitating a Poodle rescued from appalling conditions and seeing it happy in a loving caring new home and watching the Poodle continue to thrive. Our fundraising team organise the auctions and other fundraising activities to ensure we have the funds available to cover the costs of the Poodles and the day to day running of the Charity. Our telephone team and the rehoming and foster team members are available 365 days a year and we respond immediately when needed to help and assist the poodles. We have collected dogs on Christmas Day! All our volunteers are the heart of Poodle Network UK making it the successful charity it is. |
| Other |
Achievements and Performance
| SORP reference |
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|---|---|---|
| Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole. |
5Para 1.20 | During the year of 2023, Poodle Network UK, rescued, cared for, protected, medically treated, rehabilitated and rehomed 179 poodles. The number continues to increase partially due to the cost of living and also as more people return to workplaces after Covid-19. Lockdown dogs which were unsuitable for breeding due to temperament and medical issues are now having puppies and we are seeing an increasing amount of behavioural issues, unsocialised dogs and dogs with medical conditions from parents which ordinarily wouldn’t have been used for breeding which are being handed into the charity. This, in turn, has increased the length of time some are in foster and the medical bills to treat them. The number of puppies that breeders cannot sell being handed in has increased. We have continued to pay the regular treatment costs for hydrotherapy and physiotherapy for Poodles which we have rescued and regular meditation costs for Poodles with ongoing needs such as diabetes, heart problems, Addisons Disease and Cushings Disease. The costs of veterinary treatments and medications for the dogs has continued to increase to more than double the prelockdown costs and in places some veterinary practices will not take on new patients, reducing the ability to find reasonably priced care. The tests vets are insisting on doing before treating our dogs is also increasing; for example in the past a 13/14 year old toy with heart issues would be prescribed Vetmedin, they are now insisting on scans at upto £1000 each before prescribing medication and then annually. Routine neutering costs and dental treatment have continued to increase and we are receiving more Poodles with skin, ear and allergy issues all requiring treatment. Corporate Groups of vets trying to upscale our Poodles care to their Specialist Centres is also an issue for our ongoing costs for treatments that used to be dealt with in house. In 2023 we had a first for the charity after being asked to take 14 Standard Poodles and a St Berdoodle from a puppy farm; 2 of the Standards were pregnant and both had 7 puppies each. All the dogs were in a terrible state, very malnourished and requiring substantial veterinary treatment with some needing prolonged vet stays and emergency operations. We worked with the Standard Poodle Club who very kindly took 6 of the poodles into their care for which we are eternally grateful. 2 of our fosterers undertook looking after the mums and the subsequent litters; both mums to be weighed almost half the weight they should even though they were 6 weeks pregnant. Thankfully all the dogs and puppies recovered. Many of our volunteers and supporters in the Poodle and Dog World went above and beyond to donate and raise the funds The Standard Poodle Club and Poodle Network UK needed to care for the 14 Standard Poodles, the St Berdoodle and the puppies. Facebook groups and individuals held auctions and raised funds for their treatment and there are too many to name who donated individually to their care, every penny was appreciated. During the year we have worked with councils and other rescue charities in respect of abandoned Poodles in their locale assisting in rehoming Poodles handed in and found abandoned, providing the necessary veterinary treatment and rehabilitation. We have fundraised for the medical care |
of abandoned Poodles, thus saving the Councils the cost to the benefit of the public good. We are referred Poodles from Dog Wardens across the country and are regularly recommended by vets as a place to rescue poodles and rehabilitate and rehome them. Poodle Network UK’s reputation and success with rehoming Poodles and advising the public about Poodles and their needs increases year on year and we aim to continue this by increasing our volunteer numbers and our social media profile over the coming months and years. Our aim is to improve the situation of all unwanted Poodles; increase education to the public about Poodles and owning them and thereby benefit the Public as we do so. Our Trustees and volunteers all give their time freely, and without remuneration, to Poodle Network UK.
| Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |
|---|---|---|
| Achievements against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | Rehoming 179 poodles during the year of 2023 and providing the care those Poodles needed and our phone volunteers answered 1106 calls with an average length of 5 minutes each. These demonstrate that Poodle Network UK is actively achieving its objectives. |
| Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | Almost doubling the amount of revenue raised from £55478 in 2022 to £110,943 to provide the care our Poodles need demonstrates that Poodle Network UK is achieving its fundraising objectives |
| Investment performance against objectives |
Para 1.41 | |
| Other |
Financial Review
| Financial Review | ||
|---|---|---|
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | During the period 01/01/2023 to 31/12/2023, the charity received income totalling £110,943 and incurred expenditure of £95180, generating a surplus for the year of £15,763. The total Unrestricted Funds at 31/12/2023 was £51,533 |
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | The Charity seeks to hold a reserve of £30,000 in the main bank account to cover unforeseen or exceptional veterinary bills and the long term medication costs of any poodle needing life long treatment under our care. Vet bills have increased substantially again over the last 12 months as has the number of poodles with lifelong medication needs and severe medical issues including leg deformities, hydrocephalus and gastric dilatation and volvulus - bloat. If one of our poodles or an incoming poodle has skeletal issues, this treatment can cost £8000 for mri and corrective surgery; whilst we actively fundraise to cover these exceptional costs we need the money available to pay the vet hospital immediately. We are moving some dogs to specific fosterers to make use of Veterinary Teaching Hospitals like Liverpool University to try to minimise their treatment costs for serious issues. |
| Amount of reserves held | Para 1.22 | £30,000 in the main bank account |
| Reasons for holding zero reserves |
Para 1.22 | Not applicable |
| Details of fund materially in deficit |
Para 1.24 | Para 1.24 | Not applicable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern |
Para 1.23 | Not applicable | |
| Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements |
where relevant about: | ||
| The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising) |
Para 1.47 | Poodle Network UK’s income received is from a variety of sources; donations from new carers for the dogs we rehome, donations from owners who hand dogs into Poodle Network UK, and a variety of fundraising activities by our volunteers. 2023 has seen an increase in fundraising activities by our volunteers, especially with the standards and their subsequent puppies we took from the puppy farm. Our supporters have continued to respond to appeals to contribute towards specific dogs care where the costs are above those normally expected. Notable fundraising activities during the year included the Poodle Passion Facebook Group including sales of their calendars, Beespoke Poodles and Friends, We’re All About Poodles Facebook Group, Jessie’s Accessories and many others. We have received money from funeral collections and legacies and we would like to thank everyone who has donated in memory of their loved ones, it is very much appreciated that people have thought of Poodle Network UK at such sad times. We also continue to receive support from Poodle Clubs around the country. For dogs in need of expensive specialist treatment our volunteers raised funds through facebook appeals. We offer 5 weeks free insurance from Agria with each dog rehomed and receive commission from Agria on subsequent policy sales after expiry of the 5 weeks free. We also received income through Just Giving, Amazon Smile, Paypal Giving Fund and other websites which give small donations as a result of orders placed with other companies through their sites. The principal source of funding for the Charity are Donations received from taking dogs into our care, rehoming donations from the new homes, general donations received from the public many of whom are Poodle and dog owners. |
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| Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted |
Para 1.46 | ||
| A description of the principal risks facing the charity |
Para 1.46 | The principle financial risk facing the Charity is the continuing rise in veterinary costs of treatments and the ongoing monthly medical costs of poodles with ongoing conditions, which we continue to monitor throughout the year. |
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| Other | Our Income for the year 01/01/2023 to 31/12/2023 Totalled £110943 (2022-£55478) Expenditure for Poodle Network UK is mainly the veterinary costs, food costs and transport costs for moving our dogs to foster homes and new homes which accounts for 96.36% (2022 95.61%) of the expenditure during the year. Veterinary costs have increased from 2022 by £22145 and from 2021 to 2023 by £40321 which since the COVID lockdown our veterinary bills have more than doubled. The fundraising cost for 2023 is the fee for The Fundraising |
Regulator. We use The Kennel Club Anilog system for keeping records of our dogs, the Citrix Go To Meeting software for online meetings and Charity Microsoft licences which is 1.97% (2022 1.47%) of expenditure. Our 0345 telephone number and answering system and small contributions towards the rehoming teams mobile bills are 0.6% (2022 0.96%) of expenditure. Insurance for the charity is 0.66% (2022 0.97%) of expenditure. We do not pay bank charges on our main bank account, but we do on Paypal transactions and card readers at 0.39% (2022 0.24%) of expenditure. All our volunteers are unpaid. Total Expenditure from 01/01/2023 to 31/12/2023 was £95180 (2022 was £62409). On 179 rehomed dogs the average cost is £532 per dog. Payments to Trustees & Volunteers All receipts and expenses forms for expenditure by Trustees and Volunteers on items solely for the use of Poodle Network UK for care of the dogs and running of the Charity were received, checked and reimbursed in accordance with the financial controls policies and procedures. The Trustees and Volunteers are all unpaid for their role in Poodle Network UK. Items refunded included, postage and stationary, the cost of software licences, website and domain registrations which have to be paid by card and veterinary bills for foster dogs when vets required immediate payment by card. Any item requiring payment by card was authorised by the Trustees and personal cards were used because no Trustee or Volunteer has cards linked to the charities accounts.
Structure, Governance and Management
| Description of charity’s trusts: |
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|---|---|---|
| Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter) |
Para 1.25 |
CIO Foundation Model Constitution Registered 27thAugust 2015 |
| How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO) |
Para 1.25 | Foundation Charitable Incorporated Organisation |
| Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees |
Para 1.25 | Our Trustees are appointed by existing Trustees |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees |
Para 1.51 | Poodle Network UK Governance Document Financial Controls Policy and Procedures: Internal and Reserves GDPR Policy and Procedures Safeguarding Policy and Procedures Complaint’s Policy and Procedures Serious Incident Reporting Policy and Procedures Internal Risk Management Policy and Procedures Trustee Expenses Policy and Procedures Trustee Conflicts of Interest Policy Procedures and Register |
|---|---|---|
| Bullying and Harassment Policy and Procedures Electronic Communications Consent Policy Social Media Policy and Procedures Foster Agreement Policy and Procedures Transport Policy and Procedure Adoption Agreement Euthanasia Policy and Procedures Dog Assessment and Transfer of Ownership Policy and Procedures Volunteer Code of Conduct Trustee Code of Conduct |
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|---|---|---|
| The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works |
Para 1.51 | The charity is Governed by its Governing Document which was registered on 27/08/2015. The charity is managed by the board of Trustees and assisted by a large team of volunteers. All our volunteers and Trustees are expected to abide by our policies and any Trustee or volunteer found to have breached the policies will be promptly removed. Our Trustees are expected to take active roles in the day to day running and activities of the charity. All active volunteers are eligible to be considered for the role of Trustee and the existing Trustees consider the role, work and position all volunteers take in the charity and the skill set they bring to the charity. Volunteers deemed suitable for the role of Trustee are or will be approached by the existing Trustees. |
| Relationship with any related parties |
Para 1.51 | Poodle Network UK has no related parties |
| Other |
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | Poodle Network UK |
|---|---|
| Other name the charity uses | |
| Registered charity number | 1163333 |
| Charity’s principal address | From 01/01/2023 to 31/12/2023: 50 Tonbridge Avenue, Chirton, North Shields, NE29 7QR Current: 17 Oakwood Drive, Bolton, BL1 5EE |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity during the period
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Susan Horsfall | Chair | |||
| Tracey Guthrie | Secretary | |||
| Ethel Mills | Rehoming | |||
| Hannah Aldcroft | Treasurer/Media | |||
| Julie Aldcroft | Vice Chair | 01/10/2023-31/12/2023 | ||
| Hilary Preece | Rehoming | 01/10/2023-31/12/2023 | ||
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– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved
Director name
Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity
Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year
Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others
Description of the assets None held in this capacity Name and objects of the Not applicable charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for Not Applicable safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets
Additional information (optional)
Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of Name Address adviser
Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)
Exemptions from disclosure
Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details
Other optional information
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
| Signature(s) Full name(s) Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Date |
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|---|---|---|
| Julie Aldcroft | ||
Chair |
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| 26/09/2024 | ||
| 26/09/2024 |
| Poodle Network UK Charity Name |
Poodle Network UK Charity Name |
Poodle Network UK Charity Name |
Poodle Network UK Charity Name |
Poodle Network UK Charity Name |
1163333 No (if any) |
1163333 No (if any) |
1163333 No (if any) |
CC16a | |
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| For the period from |
01/01/2023 Period start date |
To | 31/12/2023 Period end date |
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| Section A Receipts and payments | |||||||||
| A1 Receipts | Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ 56,417 27,891 5,000 - 19,744 1,891 110,943 - - - 110,943 73,816 17,811 1,880 50 571 631 370 - 51 95,180 - - - 95,180 15,763 |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
Endowment funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
Total funds to the nearest £ 56,417 27,891 - 5,000 - - 19,744 1,891 110,943 - - - 110,943 73,816 17,811 1,880 50 571 631 370 - 51 95,180 - - - 95,180 15,763 |
Last year to the nearest £ |
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| DogDonations | 56,417 | 34,663 | |||||||
| General Donations | 27,891 | 12,146 | |||||||
| Other Charities,Rescues & Groups | 2,750 | ||||||||
| Bequests & Funeral Donations | 5,000 | 250 | |||||||
| Auction / Sale of Donated Items | 36 | ||||||||
| Crufts & Discover Dogs | - | - | |||||||
| Paypal,Amazon,Just Giving | 19,744 | 4,215 | |||||||
| Agria Commission | 1,891 | 1,418 | |||||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) |
110,943 |
55,478 | |||||||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
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| - | |||||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| Sub total | - | - | |||||||
| Total receipts A3 Payments |
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| 55,478 | |||||||||
Vets Bills |
73,816 | 51,671 | |||||||
| DogTransport & Food | 17,811 | 8,000 | |||||||
| Anilog& Other Software | 1,880 | 920 | |||||||
| FundraisingCosts | 50 | 104 | |||||||
| Postage StationeryTelephone | 571 | 598 | |||||||
| Insurance | 631 | 605 | |||||||
| Bank & Paypal Fees | 370 | 135 | |||||||
| Legal Expenses | - | - | |||||||
| Other Expenses | 51 | 376 | |||||||
| **Sub total ** | 95,180 | 62,409 | |||||||
| A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) |
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| - | |||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| **Sub total ** | - | - | |||||||
| Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end |
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| 62,409 | |||||||||
| 15,763 | - | - | 15,763 | - 6,931 | |||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| 35,770 | - | - | 35,770 | 42,701 | |||||
| 51,533 | - | - | 51,533 | 35,770 |
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
30/10/2024
1
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Categories Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees B5 Liabilities B3 Investment assets B2 Other monetary assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B1 Cash funds |
Details Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Details Barclays Bank PLC Paypal |
Details Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Details Barclays Bank PLC Paypal |
Unrestricted funds to nearest £ |
Unrestricted funds to nearest £ |
Restricted funds to nearest £ |
Restricted funds to nearest £ |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41,276 | - | - | |||||
| 10,257 | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | |||||
| 51,533 | - | - | |||||
| OK | |||||||
| Endowment funds to nearest £ |
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| Signature | Print Name Julie Aldcroft |
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| Date of approval |
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| Julie Aldcroft | 26/09/2024 | ||||||
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
30/10/2024
2
Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
Report to the trustees/ Charity Name Poodle Network UK members of On accounts for the year 31 December 2023 Charity no 1163333 ended (if any) Set out on pages 1 and 2 (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31/ 12 / 2023 .
- Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 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 which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
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accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or
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the accounts do not accord with the accounting records
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
- Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply.
Signed:
Date: 20/09/2023
Name: Sarah Leteney Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any):
Address: Aitken Court, Lumb Village, Bury, BL0 0QR
Section B Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
October 2018
1
IER
Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .
October 2018
2
IER