## **Trustees' Annual Report for the period** Period start date Period end date 01 January 2023 31 December 2023 **From To** ## Section A Reference and administration details The Reading List Foundation **Charity name** The Reading List Foundation **Other names charity is known by Registered charity number (if any)** 1164690 **Charity's principal address** 11 Earl Richards Road North EXETER **Postcode EX2 6AQ** ## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** |1
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20|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year **|**Name of person (or body) entitled**
**to appoint trustee (ifany)**| |---|---|---|---|---| ||Alan Terry|Chair & Treasurer||| ||Chris Thain|||| ||Carmel Lawless|||| ||Julie Sadler-Smith|||| ||TracyBechem|||| ||EmilyMacaulay|||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| **Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)** **Name Dates acted if not for whole year** March **2012** **TAR** 1 ## **Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)** **Type of adviser Name Address** ## **Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)** ## **Section B Structure, governance and management** ## **Description of the charity’s trusts** Constitution Type of governing document (eg. trust deed, constitution) Charitable Incorporated Organisation How the charity is constituted (eg. trust, association, company) Appointed by Resolution passed at meeting of Charity Trustees. Trustee selection methods - (eg. trust, association, company) - (eg. appointed by, elected by) ## **Additional governance issues (Optional information)** You **may choose** to include additional information, where relevant, about: - policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees; - the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works; - relationship with any related parties; - trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them. ## **Section C Objectives and activities** **Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document** For the public benefit, to advance the education of undergraduate students from lower income households, particularly but not exclusively, in England, by providing them with financial scholarships. March **2012** **TAR** 2 The main – and currently sole – aim of the charity is the provision of Scholarships to undergraduate students in England from lower-income households. To this end we issued 274 Scholarships to deserving students in 2023. Students were selected independently in Year 13 by their Head of Year, Deputy Head Teacher or similar (with the awards actually sent out once the student starts at university). The Scholarships are in the form of a £250 book token (in effect an e- voucher code), which funds the student’s textbooks for the first year (and following years if unspent in the first year). This enhances their academic **Summary of the main** study, as well as providing both financial and emotional breathing space **activities undertaken for the** in the face of the financial pressures such students face. The **public benefit in relation to** Scholarships are awarded on the basis of merit (achievement at A levels, **these objects (include within** BTEC or IB) and so can also provide a boost to the student’s CV in future **this section the statutory** years. **declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance** Throughout the year the Trustees have had regard to the guidance **issued by the Charity** issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit. We reviewed the **Commission on public** guidance when the Charity was established and have ensured that our **benefit)** underlying model and ongoing activity of providing Scholarships to Throughout the year the Trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit. We reviewed the guidance when the Charity was established and have ensured that our underlying model and ongoing activity of providing Scholarships to students from lower-income households meet this guidance. ## **Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)** You **may choose** to include further statements, where relevant, about: - policy on grantmaking; - policy programme related investment; - contribution made by volunteers. March **2012** **TAR** 3 Section D Achievements and performance - § Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year - § 2023 was our eighth full year in existence, and we believe we have again made considerable progress in expanding our charitable activities. - § We increased the number of awards we were able to make - and therefore students we were able to support – to 274. We are already on track to grow the programme further in 2024. - § The value of our Scholarships continued to be demonstrated, with 79% of Scholarship Winners saying the award made ‘a big difference’ to their first year of study (2023 Scholarship Winners Survey). - § Our total income was marginally up on 2022’s figure (excluding exceptional items), at £77,848, and leaves us in a strong financial position heading into 2024. We thank all our donors for the confidence this gives us. - § As provided and funded by a specific grant, the Reading List Foundation was able to commission administration support to the value of £5,375. A further £1,250 was paid with respect to support provided in 2022. This support is provided by Alan Terry, a Trustee. This arrangement adheres to all guidance laid out by the Charity Commission. The provision of administration support is governed by a Service Level Agreement which will be reviewed in January 2024. - § We again benefitted from generous grants from a significant number of Charitable Trusts across the country, the majority of which supported clusters of Scholarships in a particular geographical area of England. In particular we are grateful for support from the Jessie Spencer Trust (Mansfield), the Shanly Foundation (Berkshire), the Eveson Trust (Herefordshire and Worcestershire), the Lawson Trust (Kent and Sussex), the Zochonis Trust (Manchester), the Jack Lane Trust (North Wiltshire and South Gloucestershire), the Price Parry Charitable Trust (Merseyside and the Wirral), the BNA Charity (Newark and Lincoln), the Charles S French Charitable Trust (Essex and NE London), the Steel Charitable Trust (Bedfordshire and nationally), the Tolkien Trust (nationally) and the Rothschild Foundation (Buckinghamshire). In addition, we received another valuable grant from Wessex Water to support Scholarships in their region. - § None of this would have been possible without the immensely valuable support of the trustees. Chris Thain, Carmel Lawless, Emily Macaulay, Julie Sadler-Smith, Tracy Bechem and Alan Terry continued to challenge, strengthen, advise and enthuse our operations. - § To all our donors and supporters, we offer you this note from one of the Head Teachers involved in the programme – thank you. _“We saw our two students today and it was an absolute delight to see their surprise and pleasure in receiving their Scholarships. Please pass on my thanks to your donors - it is right that they should know the immense impact of their support.” Head Teacher_ March **2012** **TAR** 4 Section E Financial review As a charity that has minimal running costs, no propety or rent commitrnents, and only awards Scholarships on the basis of donations already received. we would have minimal ,￿ndIng up, (x)sts in the event of having to close the Charity. However. we do have a policy of keeping a level of reserves in hand to help smcK)th out the number of Scholarships we are able to avRrd yearthon-year, in the event of a marf(ed decrease in income one year. The Trustees have determined that in this context we will keep a minimum of £20,(X)O in reseNe. At year end (Dec 31) we traditi'onalty have reserves in eX￿sS of this figure, Sin￿ the year end figures include a number of grants received in the prior months (July Dec) but intended to fund &thotarships the following summer. Brief statement of the charity's pollcy on reserves Details of any funds materially in deficit Further financlal review detsils (Optlonal Inforniation) We have always been keen to c105eFy manage and contain the running costs of the chartty. and free up the vast majority of our income to directly fund Scholarships. In 2023. 89% of our total expeThJiture (and 100 % of income from individual donations) went directly on funding Scholarships for students. You may choose to indude additional infomiation. vthere relevant about: the charity's principal sources of ftjnds (including any fundraising). how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity. investment policy and objectives induding any ethical investment policy adopted. Section F Other optional information Section G Declaration The Irustees declare that they have approved the trustees, report above, Signed on behalf of the chai￿S Irustees Signature(s) Full name(s) Position (eg Secretary. Chair, etc) an Tery Ig l HAI Chair Trustee 10 mark￿L￿ TAR March 2012 **Independent examiner's report on the accounts** ## **Section A Independent Examiner’s Report** **Report to the trustees/** Charity Name **members of** The Reading List Foundation **On accounts for the year ended**[31][st][ December 2023 ] **Set out on pages** 1 -2 **Charity no (if any)**[1164690 ] I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Charitable Incorporated Organisation or CIO”) for the year ended 31[st] December 2023. **Responsibilities and basis of report** As the charity trustees of the CIO, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”). I report in respect of my examination of the CIO’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** I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have **examiner's statement** come to my attention (other than that disclosed below ) in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: - accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or - 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. _._ ## **Signed:** _Belinda Roome_ **Signed:** _Belinda Roome_ **Date:** 6 February 2024 **Name:** Belinda Roome **Relevant professional** Chartered Accountant - ICAEW **qualification(s) or body (if any): Address:** Rowan House Accountants 5 Earl Richards Road North Exeter, EX2 6AQ 1 **October 2018** **IER** ## **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). **Give here brief details of** None **any items that the examiner wishes to disclose** . 2 **October 2018** **IER** |**The Reading List Foundation**|**1164690**| |---|---| |**Receipts andpayments accounts**|| **CC16a** **For the period** Jan 1 2023 Dec 31 2023 **To from** |**Section A Receipts and payments**|**Section A Receipts and payments**|**Section A Receipts and payments**|||||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |**A1 Receipts**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**||**Restricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**||**Endowment**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**||**Total funds**
**to the nearest £**||**Last year**
**to the nearest £**| |
Charitable Trust donations(note 1)|**6,000**||**55,000**||**-**||**61,000**||**83,750**| |Other donations(from organisations)|**-**||**1,500**||**-**||**1,500**||**1,500**| |Individual donations(inc Gift Aid)|**7,472**||**-**||**-**||**7,472**||**5,263**| |Interest|**476**||**-**||**-**||**476**||**249**| |Refund on unused credit(Blackwell's)|**7,400**||**-**||**-**||**7,400**||**11,609**| ||**-**||**-**||**-**||**-**||**-**| ||**-**||**-**||**-**||**-**||**-**| ||**-**||**-**||**-**||**-**||**-**| |**_Sub total_**_(Gross income for AR)_|**21,348**||**56,500**||**-**||**77,848**||**102,371**| ||||||||||| |**A2 Asset and investment sales,**
**(see table).**|||||||||| ||**-**||||||||| ||**-**||||||||**-**| |**_Sub total_**|**-**||||||||**-**| |**_Total receipts_**
**A3 Payments**|||||||||| ||||||||||**102,371**| ||||||||||| |
Blackwell's book e-vouchers|**9,375**||||||||**60,125**| |Marketingexpenses|**1,814**||||||||**2,437**| |Administrative expenses|**8,673**||||||||**3,918**| |Governance Costs|**300**||||||||**275**| |Credit refunds to students|**779**||||||||**1,466**| ||**-**||||||||**-**| ||**-**||||||||**-**| ||**-**||||||||**-**| ||**-**||||||||**-**| |**_Sub total_ **|**20,941**||||||||**68,221**| ||||||||||| |**A4 Asset and investment**
**purchases, (see table)**|||||||||| ||||||||||**495**| ||**-**||||||||**-**| |**_Sub total_ **|**-**||||||||**495**| |**_Total payments_**
**_Net of receipts/(payments)_**
**A5 Transfers between funds**
**A6 Cash funds last year end**
**_Cash funds this year end_**|||||||||| ||||||||||**68,716**| ||||||||||| ||**407**||||||||**33,655**| ||**-**||||||||**-**| ||**15,801**||||||||**38,409**| ||**16,208**||||||||**72,064**| CCXX R1 accounts (SS) 04/04/2024 1 Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unrostricl¢d funds R05triGt8d lunds Endowmant funds Catogories Detsl B1 Cash funds &971 Totalcash fvnds 16208 52,763 *)JNSII Unrnstrictqd Restiicted funds funds Endowmènf funds Details ID r￿r*s¢ £ 82 Other m¢)netary assets rr•rt valu• Detalls B3 Investment assets Details B4 Assets retalned for the charlty'$ own us• Details B5 Llabllltles S¥ned by one orMo trustees on behalf of all Ihe trustees nattjre PrErt Na￿￿ D*e ofapwoval Akn Terry C￿e{s I￿￿1 t8 1.. 'Rèslrthd fvnds. are grants and donatxlns spe(knty&Yfund4wJ SdKIk￿Ij% n partDJkr5thorA4coL￿g•S orregx>n$ bt8 2.. akn have 90 x 2023 S(knoèrshv)s JFI to be davE*d by ￿￿￿1￿ual *ud8nts. trwh pasl t815 us th8 wrty of these won* be da￿￿d. e 3.. akn hohj 78 BLqckn*l* book tr¥wchets [£250 •athl fLY use n 2024 Pth)t8 4.. Th¢ (￿aNY (x)mYissi)ngd £6.625 01 IrtsmAknn Te￿Y (a TFu*eel Thi% d￿￿$se￿ and agreed at a ser*s of Tnjstse ￿￿et￿g4 with Terry re0js￿9 hibEeff from rÈlevÈnt pdrts oflhg rrwlrys. PenntssM)n was g)ught and granted bylh8 (knarty CA)nwk)n. £1.250 of this was ￿th fespect to ser￿$ p￿¥•jed ￿ the quartefol 2022. CCXX R2 aco)unts (SSI 21)10312024 **Independent examiner's report on the accounts** ## **Section A Independent Examiner’s Report** **Report to the trustees/** Charity Name **members of** The Reading List Foundation **On accounts for the year ended**[31][st][ December 2023 ] **Set out on pages** 1 -2 **Charity no (if any)**[1164690 ] I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Charitable Incorporated Organisation or CIO”) for the year ended 31[st] December 2023. **Responsibilities and basis of report** As the charity trustees of the CIO, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”). I report in respect of my examination of the CIO’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** I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have **examiner's statement** come to my attention (other than that disclosed below ) in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: - accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or - 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. _._ ## **Signed:** _Belinda Roome_ **Signed:** _Belinda Roome_ **Date:** 6 February 2024 **Name:** Belinda Roome **Relevant professional** Chartered Accountant - ICAEW **qualification(s) or body (if any): Address:** Rowan House Accountants 5 Earl Richards Road North Exeter, EX2 6AQ 1 **October 2018** **IER** ## **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). **Give here brief details of** None **any items that the examiner wishes to disclose** . 2 **October 2018** **IER**