CHRISTOPHER FENNER EDUCATIONAL FUND
TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
Charity Registration Number: 1164561
CHRISTOPHER FENNER EDUCATIONAL FUND TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
CONTENTS
LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
TRUSTEES’ REPORT
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2024
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
PLANS FOR THE FUTURE
FINANCIAL REVIEW
STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES IN RESPECT OF THE TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT AND THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2024
ACCOUNTS APPROVAL
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
-
ACCOUNTING POLICIES
-
TRUSTEES, EMPLOYEES AND RELATED PARTIES
-
CREDITORS
-
DETAILED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
-
UNRESTRICTED FUNDS
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CHRISTOPHER FENNER EDUCATIONAL FUND TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
| Trustees | Mr Michael Fenner (Chair) Hon Finst CT Mr Andrew Fenner, MBA, FCMI Mrs Carolyn Catherine Fenner SRN SCM Mr Mark Dean Brown, MSc BA |
|---|---|
| Charity No. | 1164561 |
| Operating address |
Barn Cottage The Ridgeway Bloxham Banbury Oxfordshire OX15 4NF |
| Correspondence address |
Unit 10164 PO Box 15113 Birmingham B2 2NJ |
| Independent Examiner |
Gerald Gurriet Venusia Ltd 316 Wimbledon Central 21-33 Worple Road, London SW19 4BJ |
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CHRISTOPHER FENNER EDUCATIONAL FUND
TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
TRUSTEES’ REPORT
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2024
We raised £854 and spent £3,073.
Our fund-raising activities this year were curtailed by continuing health issues and uncertainties in the economic climate.
REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATION DETAILS
Charity name: Christopher Fenner Educational Fund
Charity number: 1164561
Other names the charity is known by: We have also registered Christopher’s
Fund at the Charity Commission as a working name.
Charity’s operating address: Barn Cottage, The Ridgeway, Bloxham, Banbury, Oxfordshire, OX15 4NF
Charity’s correspondence address:
Unit 10164, PO Box 15113, Birmingham B2 2NJ
Charity Trustees and Advisors
1. Mr Michael Fenner FInstCT
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CHRISTOPHER FENNER EDUCATIONAL FUND TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
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Mr Andrew Fenner, MBA FCMI
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Mrs Carolyn Catherine Fenner SRN SCM
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Mr Mark Brown, MSc BA
The web/telecoms
www.chrisfennerfund.org
www.facebook.com/chrisfennerfund
Email: Info@chrisfennerfund.org
Names & Addresses of Bankers & Independent Examiner
Bank: Lloyds Bank plc, 12 High Street, Banbury, Oxfordshire. OX16 5EF
Independent Examiner: Gerald FAIA, Apt 3169 Wimbledon Central, 21-33 Worple Road, London, SW19 4BJ
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
The Fund is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. A CIO is a limited liability company, but in accordance with Charity Law as opposed to business Law.
The Fund is governed in accordance with its written constitution which was lodged with and approved by the Charity Commission on 14 October 2015. Our constitution uses the model provided by the Commission.
The Trustees set policy, general guidelines and decide on major expenditure (such as allocation of bursaries and scholarships). The Fund is managed day to day by Michael Fenner acting as CEO. Michael is assisted by Donna Florey MBE on a voluntary basis.
The Fund works with NGO’s in the South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi valleys so that scholarships and bursaries are awarded appropriately.
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CHRISTOPHER FENNER EDUCATIONAL FUND TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
The trustees confirm that the charity meets the public benefit requirements through its aims, objectives and present and potential activities.
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
Our objectives are the conservation of the physical and natural environment for the public benefit in Zambia by building capacity for local environmental and conservation efforts. We do this through the provision of bursaries to enable Zambians achieve a recognised qualification in areas such as, but not limited to:
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conservation of flora, fauna, habitat, or the environment generally
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the promotion of sustainable development and biodiversity
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renewable energy sources
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recycling and sustainable waste management
Selection of students
Our students must meet exacting criteria.
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I) Clearly students must have the academic ability to benefit from higher education.
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II) They must have demonstrated a strong commitment to environment and conservation
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III) They also need emotional maturity and determination to succeed. Typically, students have been no further away from their rural village than their local school. Moving to a residential college or university - certainly, many miles from their home, possibly abroad - represents a considerable step.
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IV) Students must have good written and spoken English. This is because all textbooks and tuition are written or carried out in English. The multiplicity of languages in Africa (over 70 in Zambia alone) makes it impossible to do otherwise.
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CHRISTOPHER FENNER EDUCATIONAL FUND TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
Few young people meet all these criteria but relaxing them would increase the possibility of failure. This would be demoralising for the young person concerned and a waste of our resources.
Activities
In planning our activities for the year, we kept in mind the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.
Our student Angela sat and passed her end of year exams, some with direction. We expect her to continue studying hard with occasional extracurricular activities.
Our fund-raising activities this year were affected by ill health. Fueled by economic uncertainties the giving climate is almost hostile to non-domestic charities.
The trustees are reviewing and considering different schemes for 2025. Part of this review will be to refocus our online activities. An analysis shows that although we achieve apparently good responses from our social media posts, only a small proportion of responses originate in “donor” countries. Thus the online activity results in very little real-world cash.
In 2025 therefore we will be seeking outside help to rectify this. Similarly the web site receives a reasonable number of visitors with peaks corresponding to our media posts, but the average visit time is too short to make any impact on the visitor. Again we need to rethink this area.
We will only be supporting one student from 2023. Angela Lungu will be studying an Arborealist course. Angela is our first female student. Girls have several cultural obstacles to overcome to remain in further education, but those that are able to resolve them can go on to be outstanding.
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CHRISTOPHER FENNER EDUCATIONAL FUND TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
PLANS FOR THE FUTURE
We tend to see Africa romantically, picturing a wilderness with lion prides, game herds and elephants roaming freely. The reality can be different. A typical subsistence farmer is more likely to regard elephants as dangerous pests destroying food crops. Leopards are undeniably beautiful, but they can also eat livestock. Poached bush-meat can be a valuable source of free protein but also harbours disease.
Resolving these issues is the problem which can ultimately only be solved by the locals themselves. Education is the key to their informed involvement and that is our objective.
FINANCIAL REVIEW
In this accounting period we raised £854 (2023: £2,553) in donations and spent £3,073 (2023: £3,450) giving a deficit of £897. Overall, the trustees consider that the financial position at the end of the year is acceptable.
STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES IN RESPECT OF THE TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT AND THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Under the Declaration of Trust of the charity and charity law, the Trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.
Charity law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. The Trustees have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with FRS 102, The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic
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CHRISTOPHER FENNER EDUCATIONAL FUND TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
of Ireland. The charity’s financial statements are required by law to give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the charity’s excess of income over expenditure for that period.
In preparing these financial statements, generally accepted accounting practice requires that the Trustees:
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select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
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make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards and the Statement
-
of Recommended Practice have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
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state whether the financial statements comply with the Declaration of
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Trust, 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
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is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business.
The Trustees are required to act in accordance with the Declaration of Trust of the charity, within the framework of trust law. They are responsible for keeping proper accounting records, sufficient to disclose at any time, with reasonable accuracy, the financial position of the charity at that time, and to enable the Trustees to ensure that, where any statements of accounts are prepared by them under section 132(1) of the Charities Act 2011, those statements of accounts comply with the requirements of regulations under that provision.
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CHRISTOPHER FENNER EDUCATIONAL FUND TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
They have general responsibility for taking such steps as are reasonably open to them to safeguard the assets of the charity and to prevent and detect fraud and other irregularities.
The Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the financial and other information included on the charity’s website. Legislation in the UK governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.
Approved by the Board of Trustees on June 11 2025
and signed on their behalf:
………………………………
Mr Michael Fenner - Trustee
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CHRISTOPHER FENNER EDUCATIONAL FUND
TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE CHARITY
Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Christopher Fenner Educational Fund ('the Charity')
I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 December 2024.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011, (the 2011 Act), and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
(i) examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act;
(ii) to follow the procedures laid down in the general directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and
- (iii) to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of independent examiner's report
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CHRISTOPHER FENNER EDUCATIONAL FUND TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a “true and fair view” and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
Independent examiner's statement
(a) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
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(i) to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; and
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(ii) to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act; or
(b) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Gerald Gurriet Venusia Ltd Apr 316 Wimbledon Central 21-33 Worple Road, London SW19 4BJ Dated: 11 June 2025
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
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CHRISTOPHER FENNER EDUCATIONAL FUND TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
| Unrestricted | Restricted | 2024 | 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Note | Funds | Funds | Total | Total | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||
| Incoming resources | |||||
| Donations and legacies | 855 | - | 855 | 2,553 | |
| Charitable activities | - | - | - | - | |
| Investment income | - | - | - | - | |
| Total incoming resources |
4 | 855 | - | 855 | 2,553 |
| Resources expended | |||||
| Charitable activities | 2,823 | - | 2,823 | 3,200 | |
| Admin/support costs | 250 | - | 250 | 250 | |
| Total resources expended |
4 | 3,073 | - | 3,073 | 3,450 |
| Net Income/(Expenditure) for the year |
(2,218) | - | (2,218) | (897) |
BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2024
Note 2024 2023
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CHRISTOPHER FENNER EDUCATIONAL FUND
TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed Assets | |||||||||
| Tangible Assets | - | - | |||||||
| Current Assets | |||||||||
| Debtors | - | - | |||||||
| Cash at bank | 4,109 | 6,327 | |||||||
| 4,109 | 6,327 | ||||||||
| Creditors: amounts falling due within one year |
3 | (250) | (250) | ||||||
| Net Current Assets | 3,859 | 6,077 | |||||||
| Total Assets less Current Liabilities |
3,859 | 6,077 | |||||||
| Funds | |||||||||
| Unrestricted funds | 5 | 3,859 | 6,077 | ||||||
| Restricted funds | - | - | |||||||
| Total Funds | 3,859 | 6,077 |
ACCOUNTS APPROVAL
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CHRISTOPHER FENNER EDUCATIONAL FUND TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) (second edition - October 2019).
The accounts were approved by the Board of Trustees
On Jun 11 2025
Mr Michael Fenner - Trustee
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
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CHRISTOPHER FENNER EDUCATIONAL FUND TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis of preparation
The accounts (financial statements) have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: 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) (effective 1 January 2015) - (Charities SORP FRS 102) and the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (September 2015) and the Charities Act 2011.
Public benefit entity
The charity meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102.
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.
Income
Income is recognised and included in the accounts when the Charity has entitlement, any performance conditions attached to the income have been met or are fully within the control of the charity, there is sufficient certainty that the receipt of the income if probable and the amount can be measured reliably.
Expenditure
All expenditure is included on an accruals basis and is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable
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CHRISTOPHER FENNER EDUCATIONAL FUND TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.
Debtors
Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due.
Creditors and provisions
Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount.
Taxation
The charity is exempt from tax on its charitable activities.
Fund accounting
Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.
Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise from specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.
2. TRUSTEES, EMPLOYEES AND RELATED PARTIES
None of the trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration or payment during the year or the previous year.
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CHRISTOPHER FENNER EDUCATIONAL FUND TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
| 3. CREDITORS | 3. CREDITORS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2023 | ||||
| £ | £ | ||||
| Accrued charges | 250 | 250 | |||
| 250 | 250 |
| 4. DETAILED STATEMENT OF | 4. DETAILED STATEMENT OF | FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES | FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES | FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| INCOME | ||||
| 2024 | 2023 | |||
| £ | £ | |||
| Donations and legacies | 855 | 2,553 | ||
| Other income | - | - | ||
| 855 | 2,553 | |||
| CHARITABLE EXPENDITURE | ||||
| 2024 | 2023 | |||
| £ | £ | |||
| Charitable activities | 2,822 | 3,200 | ||
| Fundraising | - | - | ||
| 2,822 | 3,200 | |||
| ADMINISTRATION AND SUPPORT COSTS | ||||
| 2024 | 2023 | |||
| £ | £ | |||
| Sundry expenses | - | - | ||
| Independent examiner’s fee | 250 | 250 | ||
| 250 | 250 |
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CHRISTOPHER FENNER EDUCATIONAL FUND TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE) (2,218) (897)
| 5. UNRESTRICTED FUNDS | 5. UNRESTRICTED FUNDS | 5. UNRESTRICTED FUNDS | 5. UNRESTRICTED FUNDS | 5. UNRESTRICTED FUNDS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General funds | £ | |||
| At 1 January 2024 | 6,077 | |||
| Net income/(expenditure) | (2,218) | |||
| At 31 December 2024 | 3,859 |
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