
## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period** 

**From 1 April 2024        Period start date   To 31 March 2025         Period end date** 

## **Charity name: Mast Cell Action** 

## **Charity registration number: 1164917** 

## **Objectives and Activities** 

||SORP reference||
|---|---|---|
|Summary of the purposes of<br>the charity as set out in its<br>governing document|Para 1.17|To relieve sickness for the public benefit of people with mast cell activation disorders<br>by:<br>•<br>the advancement of research into the causes of mast cell activation disorders;<br>•<br>engaging with the research community and raising funds to enable them to develop<br>•<br>better diagnostic tools and treatments for mast cell activation disorders;<br>•<br>providing a supportive community through the provision of practical advice, support<br>•<br>and information for everyone affected by mast cell based disease;<br>•<br>raising awareness and improving education in respect of mast cell based diseases<br>•<br>and act as a resource hub, hosting seminars and workshops;<br>•<br>publish information to educate medical professions in order to increase diagnosis andto educate<br>patients and families and thegeneralpublic about mast cell based diseases|
|Summary of the main<br>activities in relation to those<br>purposes for the public<br>benefit, in particular, the|Para 1.17 and<br>1.19|The charity’s activities during the year continued to focus on expanding and strengthening the services,<br>support, and resources we offer to people living with MCAS.<br>Our community have once again been clear about the challenges they face and the support they need,|





|activities, projects or services<br>identified in the accounts.||and it has been our privilege to grow our provision in direct response.<br>This year, we have seen significant growth, innovation, and connection across all areas of our work. In<br>particular, we:<br>•<br>continued to grow and nurture our virtual support groups, which now include more than 6,000<br>participants<br>•<br>expanded our peer support offer by launching dedicated Peer Support and Parent Support<br>services, creating safe spaces for people affected by MCAS and those caring for children and<br>young people<br>•<br>broadened our wellbeing programme with new virtual sessions including Pilates, Yoga, Mind to<br>Move, Movement to Music, and other activities supporting physical and emotional wellbeing<br>•<br>strengthened our mental health support through expanded mindfulness, Rest and Unwind, and<br>creative wellbeing sessions, all of which received exceptional feedback from attendees<br>•<br>developed and launched a range of new supportive resources, including our MCAS and Higher<br>Education Pack, secondary school resource, workplace reasonable adjustments guide, testing<br>leaflets, and a travel resource<br>•<br>deepened engagement across our social media platforms, helping to reduce isolation, encourage<br>connection, and share trusted information with a growing global audience<br>•<br>achieved PIF Tick accreditation and embedded robust new processes to ensure our information<br>remains clear, accurate, and trustworthy<br>•<br>launched the first ever international Mast Cell Disease Awareness Month, strengthening global<br>collaboration and raising visibility of MCAS and related conditions<br>•<br>continued to grow the supportive content on our website, enhanced by new accessibility features,<br>improved navigation, and increased video resources<br>•<br>expanded our medical and dietetic advisory capacity, welcoming new expert members and<br>broadening our clinical reach<br>•<br>delivered training and awareness sessions for healthcare professionals, including post-COVID<br>MDTs, primary care teams, and clinicians attending major conferences<br>•<br>engaged with Integrated Care Boards and national stakeholders to advocate for improved care<br>pathways and highlight medication safety concerns<br>•<br>progressed our data migration into the Beacon CRM to strengthen supporter care, streamline<br>processes, and support future service development|
|---|---|---|





|Statement confirming<br>whether the trustees have<br>had regard to the guidance<br>issued by the Charity<br>Commission on public<br>benefit|Para 1.18|The Trustees of Mast Cell Action confirm that they have had due regard to the Charity Commission’s<br>guidance on public benefit when carrying out their duties and in planning the charity’s activities<br>throughout the year. In particular, the Trustees have ensured that all projects, services, and strategic<br>decisions are aligned with the charity’s aims to advance understanding of mast cell diseases, support<br>those affected, and promote improved diagnosis, treatment, and quality of life. The Trustees are satisfied<br>that the charity’s work provides clear, identifiable public benefit in accordance with the statutory<br>requirements.|
|---|---|---|



## **Additional information (optional)** 

You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: 

SORP reference Para 1.38 Policy on grant making Para 1.38 Policy on social investment including program related investment Para 1.38 Contribution made by volunteers Other 



## **Achievements and Performance** 

||SORP reference||
|---|---|---|
|Summary of the main<br>achievements of the charity,<br>identifying the difference the<br>charity’s work has made to<br>the circumstances of its<br>beneficiaries and any wider<br>benefits to society as a<br>whole.|Para 1.20|This year, Mast Cell Action made significant progress in expanding and strengthening the support<br>available to people living with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), while also raising wider<br>awareness and improving understanding of the condition across society.<br>We reached more people than ever before, with our virtual support groups growing to over 6,000<br>participants, our website attracting 270,000 visitors, and more than 83,000 individual downloads of<br>trusted information. Our expanding programme of wellbeing sessions—including mindfulness, movement<br>classes, creative workshops, and peer support groups—provided thousands of people with practical<br>tools to manage symptoms, reduce stress, improve wellbeing, and feel less alone. Feedback shows that<br>95–100% of attendees across sessions gained improved wellbeing, new coping techniques, and a<br>greater sense of connection.<br>Our new Peer Support and Parent Support services created safe, understanding spaces for individuals<br>and families navigating the challenges of MCAS. We also responded to more than 2,100 emails and<br>distributed 219 Casper resource packs, offering personalised guidance and emotional support at times<br>when people often have nowhere else to turn.<br>The charity strengthened its role as a trusted provider of high-quality, evidence-based information by<br>achieving PIF Tick accreditation, embedding new quality processes, and expanding our medical and<br>dietetic advisory expertise. We launched new resources - including education packs, workplace<br>guidance, testing leaflets, and travel support - to help people advocate for their needs in healthcare,<br>education, employment, and daily life.<br>Alongside supporting individuals, we invested in raising awareness and improving professional<br>understanding of MCAS. We delivered training to 140 post-COVID MDT clinicians, presented at major<br>medical conferences, and developed new resources for primary care. We also engaged national bodies<br>such as Patient Safety Learning to highlight medication supply issues and began work with Integrated<br>Care Boards to advocate for service provision.|





Our launch of the first ever international Mast Cell Disease Awareness Month united charities, clinicians, researchers, and patient communities across the world, raising visibility on a global scale and contributing to better recognition of mast cell diseases within society. 

As a result of these achievements, thousands of people affected by MCAS experienced improved wellbeing, greater connection, reduced isolation, more equitable access to trusted information, and enhanced ability to navigate complex healthcare needs. At the same time, increased clinician awareness and stronger advocacy contributed to wider societal benefits, helping to improve understanding of MCAS, influence service development, and promote safer, more informed care for people living with this complex condition. 

## **Additional information (optional)** 

You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: 

Achievements against objectives set Para 1.41 Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set Para 1.41 Investment performance against objectives Para 1.41 Other 



## **Financial Review** 

|**Financial Review**|||
|---|---|---|
|Review of the charity’s<br>financial position at the end<br>of the period|Para 1.21|At the end of the reporting period, the Trustees consider the financial position of Mast Cell Action to be<br>stable and appropriately managed in line with the charity’s objectives and strategic priorities. The<br>charity continued to operate within its financial means, maintaining close oversight of income,<br>expenditure, and reserves throughout the year.|
|Statement explaining the<br>policy for holding reserves<br>stating why they are held|Para 1.22|Mast Cell Action’s Reserves Policy outlines the charity’s approach to maintaining financial stability by<br>holding free, unrestricted reserves—excluding restricted and designated funds—to safeguard its ability<br>to provide essential services for people affected by MCAS. The charity aims to hold six months of core<br>operating costs, to manage income volatility, funding delays, and unavoidable operational<br>commitments. Reserves may be used with Trustees’ approval to cover temporary income gaps,<br>unexpected costs, or planned transitions, but not to support ongoing deficits. Trustees may designate<br>funds for future strategic purposes, and reserves are monitored through regular management accounts,<br>reviewed annually, and reported transparently in line with Charity Commission guidance.|
|Amount of reserves held|Para 1.22|The reserve held as at year end is £177,313.|
|Reasons for holding zero<br>reserves|Para 1.22|Not applicable|
|Details of fund materially in<br>deficit|Para 1.24||
|Explanation of any<br>uncertainties about the<br>charity continuing as a going<br>concern|Para 1.23|The Trustees have assessed Mast Cell Action’s ability to continue as a going concern and recognise<br>that, while the charity remains committed to delivering its core services, there are inherent uncertainties<br>linked to its reliance on grant funding, voluntary income, and project-based support. The timing and<br>availability of future funding cannot be guaranteed with the current market condition, and this creates<br>some uncertainty regarding income levels in the medium term. However, the Trustees monitor the<br>financial position closely, have maintained an appropriate reserves policy, and continue to take steps to<br>source new grant and manage costs prudently. Based on current plans and available information, the|





Trustees consider that the charity has sufficient resources to continue operating for the foreseeable future, although they acknowledge that the external funding environment presents ongoing risks that will require continued active management. 

## **Additional information (optional)** 

You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: 

||||
|---|---|---|
|The charity’s principal<br>sources of funds (including<br>any fundraising)|Para 1.47||
|Investment policy and<br>objectives including any<br>social investment policy<br>adopted|Para 1.46||
|A description of the principal<br>risks facing the charity|Para 1.46||
|Other|||





## **Structure, Governance and Management** 

|Description of charity’s<br>trusts:|||
|---|---|---|
|Type of governing document<br>(trust deed, royal charter)|Para 1.25|Constitution|
|How is the charity<br>constituted?<br>(e.g unincorporated<br>association, CIO)|Para 1.25|CIO|
|Trustee selection methods<br>including details of any<br>constitutional provisions e.g.<br>election to post or name of<br>any person or body entitled<br>to appoint one or more<br>trustees|Para 1.25|Elected by resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the Trustees.|



## **Additional information (optional)** 

You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: 

Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and Para 1.51 training of trustees The charity’s organisational structure and any wider Para 1.51 network with which the charity works 



|Relationship with any related<br>parties|Para 1.51||
|---|---|---|
|Other|||



## **Reference and Administrative details** 

|Charity name|Mast Cell Action|
|---|---|
|Other name the charity uses||
|Registered charity number|1164917|
|Charity’s principal address|Suite 2, 4 Castle Quay<br>NOTTINGHAM<br>NG7 1FW|
|||





## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** 

|1<br>2<br>3<br>4<br>5<br>6<br>7<br>8<br>9<br>10<br>11<br>12<br>13<br>14<br>15<br>16<br>17<br>18<br>19<br>20|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**<br>**year **|**Name of person (or body) entitled**<br>**to appoint trustee (if any)**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||Dr Alexandra Croom||02 July 2025||
||Tom Wright||12 December 2024||
||Claire Bounds MSC<br>HRM||08 July 2024||
||Eric Davis Grounds||||
||CHRIS WOOD BA<br>OXON||||
||||||
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Corporate trustees – names of the directors at the date the report was approved **Director name NA** 

Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity 

|**Trustee name**|**Dates acted if not for whole year**||
|---|---|---|
|**NA**|||
||||
||||
||||
||||
||||





## **Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others** 

|Description of the assets<br>held in this capacity|NA|
|---|---|
|Name and objects of the<br>charity on whose behalf the<br>assets are held and how this<br>falls within the custodian<br>charity’s objects|NA|
|Details of arrangements for<br>safe custody and<br>segregation of such assets<br>from the charity’s own assets|NA|



## **Additional information (optional)** 

## **Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)** 

|**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**|**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**|**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**|
|---|---|---|
|**Type of**<br>**adviser**<br>**Name**<br>**Address**|||
||||
||||
||||
||||
|**Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)**|||
|Joy Mason|||





## **Exemptions from disclosure** 

Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details 

**NA** 

## **Other optional information** 

**NA** 



## **Declarations** 

**The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.** 

**Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees** 

**Signature(s)** Chris Wood **Full name(s)** Chris Wood **Position (eg Secretary,** Chair **Chair, etc) Date** 28 Jan 2026 



||**Mast Cell Action**<br>**Charity Name**|**Mast Cell Action**<br>**Charity Name**|**Mast Cell Action**<br>**Charity Name**|**Mast Cell Action**<br>**Charity Name**|**Mast Cell Action**<br>**Charity Name**|**1164917**<br>**No (if any)**|**1164917**<br>**No (if any)**|**1164917**<br>**No (if any)**|**CC16a**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**For the period**<br>**from**||01/04/2024<br>Period start date||**To**||31/03/2025<br>Period end date|||
|||||||||||
|**Section A Receipts and payments**||||||||||
|**A1 Receipts**|**Unrestricted**<br>**funds**<br>**to the nearest      £**<br>**25 510**<br>**2 730**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br> <br> <br>**28 240**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br> **-**<br>**28 240**<br>**42 800**<br>  **5 112**<br>**29**<br>**31 610**<br>**8 538**<br>**2 123**<br>**-**<br>**1 048**<br>**108**<br>**4 023**<br>**3 847**<br>**-**<br>**191**<br>**11 266**<br>**-**<br>**52**||**Restricted**<br>**funds**<br>**to the nearest £**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**7 356**<br>**75 512**<br>**21 090**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**103 958**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**103 958**<br>**47 834**<br>**-**<br>**2 102**<br>**975**<br>**90**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**1 778**<br>**-**<br>**2 093**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**951**<br>**141**<br>**7 265**<br>**-**||**Endowment**<br>**funds**<br>**to the nearest £**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**||**Total funds**<br>**to the nearest £**<br>**25 510**<br>**2 730**<br>**7 356**<br>**75 512**<br>**21 090**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**132 198**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**132 198**<br>**90 634**<br>**5 112**<br>**2 131**<br>**32 585**<br>**8 628**<br>**2 123**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**2 826**<br>**-**<br>**108**<br>**6 116**<br>**3 847**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**1 142**<br>**11 407**<br>**7 265**<br>**52**<br>**-**<br>**173 977**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**173 977**<br>**-              41 779**||**Last year**<br>**to the nearest £**<br>23 170<br>1 275<br>27 465|
|Donation<br>Gift Aid Recovered<br>Sport England<br>National Lottery Grant<br>Postcode Places Grant|**25 510**|||||||||
||**2 730**|||||||||
||**-**|||||||||
||**-**|||||||||
||**-**|||||||||
||**-**||||||||**-**|
||**-**||||||||**-**|
||**-**||||||||**-**|
|**_Sub total_**_(Gross income for_<br>_AR)_|<br> <br>**28 240**||||||||**51 910**|
|||||||||||
|**A2 Asset and investment sales,**<br>**(see table).**||||||||||
||**-**|||||||||
||**-**||||||||**-**|
|**_Sub total_**|**-**||||||||**-**|
|**_Total receipts_**<br>**A3 Payments**||||||||||
||||||||||**51 910**|
|||||||||||
|Employee cost<br>Charity management and administratio<br>Conference and event cost<br>Consultancy<br>Expenditure on raising funds<br>IT and hosting services<br>Independent examination<br>Medical journal<br>Print, design, postage and stationery<br>Sundry expenses<br>Telephone cost<br>Travel, accommodation and room hire<br>Website design and maintenance<br>Insurance<br>Donations made<br>Equipment<br>Subscriptions<br>Virtual events<br>Bank charges|**42 800**||**47 834**||**-**||**90 634**||**46 932**|
||**5 112**||**-**||**-**||**5 112**||**4 660**|
||**29**||**2 102**||**-**||**2 131**||**2 208**|
||**31 610**||**975**||**-**||**32 585**||**28 845**|
||**8 538**||**90**||**-**||**8 628**||**900**|
||**2 123**||**-**||||**2 123**||**1 693**|
||**-**||**-**||||**-**||**-                       600**|
||||||||**-**|||
||**1 048**||**1 778**||||**2 826**||**1 929**|
||||||||**-**|||
||**108**||**-**||||**108**||**95**|
||**4 023**||**2 093**||||**6 116**||**5 553**|
||**3 847**||**-**||||**3 847**||**-**|
||**-**||**-**||||**-**||**509**|
||||||||**-**|||
||**191**||**951**||||**1 142**||**1 905**|
||**11 266**||**141**||||**11 407**||**2 051**|
||**-**||**7 265**||||**7 265**||**1 794**|
||**52**||**-**||||**52**||**7**|
||**-**||**-**||**-**||**-**||**-**|
|**_Sub total_ **|**110 747**||**63 230**||**-**||**173 977**||**98 483**|
|||||||||||
|**A4 Asset and investment**<br>**purchases, (see table)**||||||||||
||**-**|||||||||
||**-**|||||||||
|**_Sub total_ **|**-**||||||||**-**|
|**_Total payments_**<br>**_Net of receipts/(payments)_**<br>**A5 Transfers between funds**<br>**A6 Cash funds last year end**<br>**_Cash funds this year end_**<br>CCXX R1 accounts (SS)||||||||||
||||||||||**98 483**|
|||||||||||
||||||||**-              41 779**||**-             46 573**|
||||||||**-**||**-**|
||||||||**223 854**||**-**|
||||||||**182 074**||**-             46 573**|
|||||||||||





|**Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period**|**Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period**|**Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period**||
|---|---|---|---|
|**Categories**<br>Signed by one or two trustees on<br>behalf of all the trustees<br>**B1 Cash funds**<br>**B2 Other monetary assets**<br>**B4 Assets retained for the**<br>**charity’s own use**<br>**B5 Liabilities**<br>**B3 Investment assets**|Signature<br>Chris Wood<br>Cash at bank<br>**Details**<br>**_Total cash funds_**<br>(agree balances with receipts and payments<br>account(s))<br>**Details**<br>**Details**<br>**Details**<br>**Details**|**Unrestricted**<br>**funds**<br>**Restricted**<br>**funds**<br>**to nearest £**<br>**to nearest £**<br>**103 996**<br>**78 078**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**103 996**<br>**78 078**<br>OK<br>OK<br>**Unrestricted**<br>**funds**<br>**Restricted**<br>**funds**<br>**to nearest £**<br>**to nearest £**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**Fund to which**<br>**asset belongs**<br>**Cost (optional)**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**Fund to which**<br>**asset belongs**<br>**Cost (optional)**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**Fund to which**<br>**liability relates**<br>**Amount due**<br>**(optional)**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>Print Name<br>Chris Wood|**Endowment**<br>**funds**<br>**to nearest £**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||OK|
||||**Endowment**<br>**funds**<br>**to nearest £**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**Current value**<br>**(optional)**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**Current value**<br>**(optional)**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**When due**<br>**(optional)**|
|||||
|||||
|||||
|||||
|||||
|||||
||||Date of<br>approval|
||Chris Wood|Chris Wood|28-Jan-26|
|||||



CCXX R2 accounts (SS) 

2 




## **Independent examiner's report on the accounts** 

**Section A                        Independent Examiner’s Report** 

**Report to the trustees** Charity Name Mast Cell Action **On accounts for the year** 31/03/2025 **Charity no** 1164917 **ended (if any) Set out on pages** (remember  to include the page numbers of additional sheets) 

**Report to the trustees** 

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended **DD / MM / YYYY** . 

**Responsibilities and** As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the **basis of report** 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 all 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 (other than that disclosed below *) which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: 

- the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or 

- the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or 

- the accounts did 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 accounts to be reached. 

* _Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply._ 

**Signed: Name:** R Kolvankar **Address:** 40, Danson Crescent, DA16 2AR 

**Date:** 25/01/2026 

1 

**Oct 2018** 

**IER** 



## **Section B                           Disclosure** 

Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners). 

**Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose** . 

2 

**Oct 2018** 

**IER** 

