JOSEPH COWEN LIFELONG LEARNING CENTRE CIO REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 August 2025 REGISTERED NUMBER - 1174080 Essell ACCOUKTANTS.LTD 29 Howard Street North Shiekls Tyne and Wear NE30 1AR Tel - 0191 259 2743 Fax 0191257 2249 E-mail . info@essell.¢o.uk Ret. ACRf2668
JOSEPH COWEN LIFELONG LEARNING CENTRE CIO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 August 2025 CONTENTS Legal and Administrakn've InfOnab.on Page 1 Report of the Trustees Pages2-4 Report of the Independent Examiner Page 5 Statement of Financial Activits'es Page 6 Balance Sheet Page 7 Notes to the Financial Ststements Pages8-11 29 Howard Street North Shields NE30 1AR Tel.. 0191259 2743 . Fax 0191257 2249 E-mail.. info@essell.co.uk Ref: ACR12668
JOSEPH COWEN LIFELONG LEARNING CENTRE CIO Page 1 Legal and Administrative Information for the Year Ended 31 August 2025 Constitution Joseph Cowen Lifelong Learning Centre CIO is a Body Corporate under Part 11 of the Charities Act 2011 and is governed by its Constitution. It is a Registered Charity no. 1174080 Trustees The trustees seNing during the year and since the year end were as follows '. Dr Dorothy Stainsby Dr Louise Jennet Freeman Mrs Joan Campion Dr Malcolm Robert Grady Prof Simon Pallett Mrs Rita Prabhu Mrs Anthea Lang Miss Lesley Pringle Prof Trevor Buck Ms Kate Bridger Mr Justin Pearce Mrs Karen Gammack (SIgned 4 October 2024) (appointed 27 June 2025) Re istered Office Essell Accountants Ltd, 29 Howard Street. North Shields. Tyne and Wear, NE30 1AR Inde endent Examiner Alex Robinson, Essell Accountants Limited, 29 Howard Street, North Shields, Tyne and Wear, NE30 1 AR
JOSEPH COWEN LIFELONG LEARNING CENTRE CIO Page 2 Re ort of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 Au ust 2025 The Trustees are pleased to present their report together with the financial ststements of the charity for the year ended 31 August 2025. Legal and administrative information set out on page 1 fomis part of this report. The financial statements comply with current statutory requirements, the constitution and the Statement of Recommended Practice - Accounting and Reporting by Charities. Ob'ects of the Chari The objects of the CIO are to advance the education of adults in the north east of England (the area of benefiti by the provision of short courses, seminars, study groups, lectures and other such activities. Structure Governance & Mana ement The Board of Trustees met eight times during the year. In addib'on the Board held an away day to discuss future strategy. Financial Review In 2024125 the Trustees planned to make a small deficrt, but in reality a mdest surplus has been made. This is because of strict control of expenditure, the rna1ntenan of membership levels and a slightly lower level of expenditure on programming. During the year the Trustees reviewed the CIO'S reseNes policy and detemiined that the minimum level of free reserves should be 6 months running costs, the designated Gordon Brown Fund and a small sum to cover winding up costs, if the organisation ever ceased to operarate. This means that on current spending minimum reserves should be about £52,500 as compared to their actual level of £81,675. The Trustees have therefore reduced the subscription rate for 2025126 from £285 to £250 in order gradually to run down the free reserves held over a number of years. It is therefore hoped that this new reduced subscription level can be maintained for at least two years and possibly longer. The Trustees are always on the look-out for additional sources of funding, although the CIO is likely to remain dependent largely on members, subscriptions. It would of course help to have a few more members, although it looks as if the lower level of membership post Pandemic has become the new nomi. The CIO has continued to expend the restricted grant from the Midgley Fund on additional philosophy tuition and the funds are likely to be spent up in early 2025126 The CIO received a £300 grant from Northumberland Archives to support a palaeography course run in conjunction with the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne. It also received a £500 donation from Jack Pennie to support activities in Season 4, held over the sumwEr of 2025. This has enabled some trips and visits to be subsidised. Reserves Polic Unrestricted reserves includes a designated fund of £25,179 held for the purposes of organisational development. The money for this purpose was received from an unrestricted legacy, which the Twstees have designated for this purpose. Otherwise it is the policy of the Trustees to hold unrestricted reserves equivalent to at least 6 months running costs in order to protect the Charity against unexpected losses in income or unforeseen rises in expenditure. As noted above the Trustees have decided to run down reserves over a number of years, as the level of reserves was judged to be more than the organisation requires. by reducing the cost of an annual subscription. The Truslees remain confident that the CIO remains a going concem for the foreseeable future, given the substantial level of unrestricted reserves.
JOSEPH COWEN LIFELONG LEARNING CENTRE CIO Page 3 Re ort of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 Au ust 2025 Achievements and Perfonnance Following on from our tenth anniversary a group of Trustees and Tutors has drafted an article about the first 10 of the Explore programme, the reasons for its success as well as analysis of the challenges fad. The research included a comprehensive survey of members. views which was communicated to members at the AGM in May 2025. It is intended to secure publication of the article in an appropriate joumal or elsewhere. The Trustees held an away day to plan for the future and a further one is being planned for autumn 2025. The Trustees have also reviewed and revised the Reserves Policy, developed a Data Protection Policy and are working on a review of existing policies. as V[1 as providing new policies in key areas. I n 2024125 we have retained a mix of face-t(Fface. on-line and mixed mode sessions. Mixed mode sessions present some challenges, but the Trustees have taken action to make this work as well as possible. Whilst some members would prefer everything to be face to fa, others are only prepared to participate online. It also makes sense for evening sessions, when getting to and from sessions on publiG transport would be more challenging. As with many other membership organisations, the CIO has experienced some loss of membership post Pandemic with 139-145 members in 2024125 compared to about 200 before the Pandemic. The numbers are much the same as in 2023124. We have continued to offer taster days to try and recruit new members with some success, but much more remains to be done to grow aggregate numbers. We continue to operate successfully from Brunswick Methodist Church and enjoy excellent support from the staff there.The building offers an excellent City Centre location close to public transport links and a variety of catering outlets. The Explore programme continues to be member-run, supported by a part-time Administrator. Our Administrator works larqely from home, but has some drop-in space in BrunSvck Methodist Church. The CIO benefits greatly from the wort( of volunteers who carry out a wide range of tssks from devising the the proqramme to supporting speakers with the technology and providing refreshments for taster sessions. The Trustees are very grateful for this support, without which the organisation could not function. The Trustees are also qrateful for the support of the Friends of Explore, sometimes financial and in providing catering for celebrations and laster days. The Trustees, Annual Report will be presented to the members at the AGM. Public Benefit The Trustees confirm that they are aware of the Charity Commission guidan on public benefit and take account of it in running the CIO. There is substantial public benefit in the provision of a very wide curriculum choice, principally to an older audience, and in the way the CIO operates in partnership wtth other bodies. The CIO also offers some free events to the public, undertakes Vrk in partnership with other organisations to make historical documents available to the public by transcribing them and publishing the results on-line. It also provides valuable opportunities for PhD students to present their work to a nOn-adeMiC audien. Again we offered our annual Legacy Lecture to all comers on Zoom and attracted a big audience, extending well beyond current membership. This lecture is funded by the Gordon Brown legacy which is shown in designated funds. The CIO offers free taster sessions each year to allow interested individuals to sample sessions before they have to commit to becoming members. In 2025126 it will be offering bursaries for those on benefits who cannot afford the subscription. Risk Ststement The Board has reviewed the major risks to which the charity is exposed and established systems for managing these. Thanks to our experience during the Pandemic the Trustees have been able to enhance the organisation's resilience by leaming how to operate online and in mixed mode, and some of our provision continues to be offered in these modes.
JOSEPH COWEN LIFELONG LEARNING CENTRE CIO Page 4 Re ort of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 Au ust 2025 Statement of Trustees. Res onsibilities Charity law 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 surplus or deficit of the charity for that period. In preparing those financial statements, the trustees are required to.. select suitable accounting policies and the apply them consistently; make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent" prepare financial statements on the going concem basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the CIO will continue in business. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD: Trustee . Prof Simon Pallett Date .
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT Page 5 TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE JOSEPH COWEN LIFELONG LEARNING CENTRE I report on the accounts of the CIO for the year ended 31 August 2025 which are set out on pages 6- 11. Res ctive Res onsibilities of the Trustees and Examiner The Charivs trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required this year (under section 144 of the Charits'es Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed It is my responsibility to -. - examine the accounts (under section 145 of the 2011 Act). - to foll¢)w the procedures laid down in the General Direction given by the Charity Commissioners {under sects'on 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act); and - to state whether particular matters have come to my attention. Inde endent Examinerfs Re ort My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commission. That examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the trustee's and a comparison of the accounts with those records. It also includes considering any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from you as trustees ConMIng any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be Uired in an audit. and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts. The report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below. Inde endent examiner's statement I n connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention . (11 Which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements - to keep accounting records in accordan with section 130 of the 2011 Act,. and - to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the reqU1ments of the 2011 Act and the Regulations have not been met., or (2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Mr Alex Robinson FCCA Essell Accountants Limited 29 Howard Street, North Shields, NE30 1AR Date . 11[I[ /Loll
JOSEPH COWEN LIFELONG LEARNING CENTRE CIO Page 6 STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025 Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds Total 2025 Total 2024 Notes Income and Endowments Incoming Resources from Generated Funds: Donations and Legacies Donations Gift aid Sundry sales Grants 1,918 254 500 2,418 254 2,326 326 70 300 300 Income from Investments: Bank Interest 1,819 1,819 871 3,991 800 4,791 3,593 Income from Charitable Actlvitles 41,584 41,584 41,029 Total Income and Endowments 45,575 800 46,375 44,622 Ex enditure on . Expenditure on Raising Funds 237 237 494 Expenditure on Governance 1.082 1,082 1,027 Expenditure on Charitable Activities 42,030 1,501 43,531 44,600 Total Ex enditure: 43,349 1,501 44,850 46,121 Net Income I Ex enditure before transfers resources 2.226 (701) 1.525 (1,499} Transfers between funds Net Movement in Funds 2,226 (701) 1,525 (1,499) Balance as at 1st Se tember 2024 79,449 1,456 80,905 82,404 Balance as at 31st Au ust 2025 81.675 755 82,430 80,905 The notes form part of the financial statements
JOSEPH COWEN LIFELONG LEARNING CENTRE CIO Page 7 BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 August 2025 2025 2024 FIXED ASSETS Tangible Assets (Note 7) 597 917 CURRENT ASSETS Debtors (note 8) Cash at Bank and in Hand 499 104,010 104.509 109,928 109,928 CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR (Note 9) 22.676 29,940 NET CURRENT ASSETS 81.833 79,988 NET ASSETS 82,430 80,905 CAPITAL AND RESERVES Unrestricted Funds (Note 10) Restricted Funds (Note 10) 81,675 755 79,449 1,456 82,430 80,905 These financial statements were approved by the Trustees on ? KI 70 and were signed on their behalf by . J £.ILL Prof Simon Pallett Charlty regSstered number . 1174080
JOSEPH COWEN LIFELONG LEARNING CENTRE CIO Page 8 1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES Accounting Convention The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice, Accounting and Reporting by Charities (SORP 2015) and the Charities Act 2011. The principal accounts'ng policies adopted in the preparation of the financial statements are as follothE: Incoming Resources Incoming Resources represents grants, sales and other work done during the year. It is prepared on an accruals basis. Tangible Flxed Assets Depreciation is provided at the following rates in order to write off each asset over its estimated useful life. Computer Straight line over five years Fixtures and Fittings straht line over five years Fund Ac¢ounting Funds held by the charity are erther '. Unrestricted general funds - these are funds which can be used in accordance with the charitable objects at the discretion of the trustees. Restricted funds - these funds are grants or donations received that require the funds to be used in a specific way or for a specific purpose. Designated funds - these are funds set aside by the trustees out of unrestricted general funds for specific future purposes or projects.
JOSEPH COWEN LIFELONG LEARNING CENTRE CIO Page 9 NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025 2 INCOME FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds Total 2025 Total 2024 Subscriptions Income from events 41,584 41,584 41,029 41,584 41,584 41,029 3 EXPENDITURE ON RAISING FUNDS Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds Total 2025 Total 2024 Member development 237 237 494 237 237 494 4 EXPENDITURE ON GOVERNANCE Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds Total 2025 Total 2024 Payroll and independent examination 1,082 1,082 1,027 1,082 1.082 1,027 5 EXPENDITURE ON CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds Total 2025 Total 2024 Tutors Room Hire Palaeography materials Season 4 costs General Insurances Annual IT Support Office Rent Salary Costs Stationery and Office Supplies Bank charges Sundry Expenses Depreciation 18.428 7,232 945 435 100 21 19,373 7,667 100 21 838 534 312 14,116 75 68 107 320 20,953 7,500 838 534 312 14,116 75 68 107 320 823 583 832 13,242 78 93 155 341 42,030 1,501 43,531 44,600 6 STAFF COSTS Total 2025 Total 2024 Wages and Salaries Employer's Nl Pension Contributions 13,316 12,482 800 760 14,116 13,242
JOSEPH COWEN LIFELONG LEARNING CENTRE CIO Page 10 NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025 6 STAFF COSTS (continued) 2025 2024 The average weekly number of employees during the year was . No employee received remuneration amounb'ng to more than £60,000 in either year. No Trustee was paid for their work as Twstees, but some Trustees were paid for tutoring. Trustees were paid £267 to reimburse them for expenditure incurred on the CIO'S behalf (2024 £2391 7 TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS Other Equipment Equipment Total COST As at 1 September 2024 Additions in the Year Disposals in the Year As at 31 August 2025 1,728 126 1,854 1,728 126 1,854 DEPRECIATION As at 1 September 2024 Disposals in the Year Charge for the Year As at 31 August 2025 811 126 937 320 1,131 320 1,257 126 NET BOOK VALUE As at 31 August 2025 597 597 As at 31 August 2024 917 917 8 DEBTORS 2025 2024 Prepayments 499 9 CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR 2025 2024 Deferred Income Accruals 21.015 1.661 28,471 1,469 22.676 29,940
JOSEPH COWEN LIFELONG LEARNING CENTRE CIO Page11 NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 10 MOVEMENTS OF FUNDS Balance at Transfer Incoming Resources Balance at 1 Sept 2024 Between Resources expended 31 August 2025 Funds General Funds Unrestricted Funds Designated Funds 54,220 25,229 45,575 43.299 50 56,496 25,179 Total General Funds 79,449 45.575 43,349 81,675 Restricted Funds Midgley Fund Palaeography Fund Season 4 Fund 1,456 1,245 235 21 211 65 479 300 500 Total Restricted Funds 1,456 800 1,501 755 Total Funds 80,905 46,375 44,850 82,430 The Designated Funds rèpresent an unrestricted legacy which the Trustees have chosen to use for organisational development It fomis part of Unrestricted Funds. The Restricted Funds represent: a grant from from the Midgley Fund to fvnd additK)nal tuth'on and activities in Philosophy. a grant from Northumberfand Archives for a palaeograpy course and materials donation from Jack Pennie to support Season 4 activities