Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From 1/12/2020 To 31/11/2021
Charity name: British Society for Research on Ageing
Charity registration number: 1174127
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | The objectives of the society are to: 1. To promote research into the processes, causes and effects of ageing and, as indicated, into means for counteracting these, both in human beings and in other organisms; 2. To publish the results of all such useful research; 3. To further public education therein. |
| 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 |
Each year the British Society for Research on Ageing (BSRA) hosts an annual scientific meeting (ASM). Although we hoped to organise the meeting at Aston University, due to Covid-19 restrictions in 2021, we hosted our ASM virtually. The BSRA collaborated with the Biochemical Society to host this meeting which attracted 114 delegates. This continues to provide the BSRA with an excellent forum to discuss the biology of ageing. As part of the ASM, the BSRA also awards prizes for early career researchers based on the presentation of their work at the meeting. We were delighted to award the Korenchevsky prize to enable a young researcher to present their work at the AGE meeting in America in 2022. It is of note that payment of the Korenchevsky prize is not included in the 2021 accounts as the money was awarded in the 2022 accounting period. The BSRA has continued to support research into the biology of ageing through awards of small grants to researchers in the field. In 2021 we awarded approximately £1500 to researchers to enable them to conduct and publish work in this field. |
| This year we also encouraged our membership to apply for PhD studentship funds through the Chernajovsky Foundation. We reviewed several applications from our members before sponsoring an application which was eventually chosen for funding by the Chernajovsky Foundation. The BSRA will now work alongside the Chernajovsky Foundation over the coming years to support the appointed student and to administer the funds. We continue to share information on ageing research via the charity website www.bsra.org and links with the Royal Society of Biology. |
||
|---|---|---|
| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit |
Para 1.18 | On appointment to the board, all new trustees must read the guidance on public benefit issued by the charity commission and sign a the BSRA trustee register to say that they have understood the content of the document. |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Policy on grant making | Para 1.38 | When awarding grants, the BSRA conforms to the AMRC principles of peer review guidelines, and utilises a minimum of 2 peer reviewers (for awards exceeding £2000) and an independent Scientific Advisory Board for selecting projects for funding. The BSRA is also committed to the 3Rs relating to the use of animals in research. |
| Policy on social investment including program related investment |
Para 1.38 | N/A |
| Contribution made by volunteers |
Para 1.38 | The BSRA is wholly reliant on volunteers in order to function. The board of trustees are at the heart of the society and are responsible for its management and running. In addition, the BSRA has a scientific advisory board; a group of 6 individuals who dedicate their time to assist with reviewing and making decisions about grants awarded by the society. The BSRA also has a development board comprised of volunteers, who are concerned with supporting our fundraising efforts through networking and trust fund applications. |
| Other | N/A |
Achievements and Performance
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| 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. |
Para 1.20 | In 2021 we hosted our Annual Scientific Meeting virtually. The BSRA collaborated with the Biochemical Society to host this meeting which attracted 114 delegates. This continues to provide the BSRA with an excellent forum to discuss the biology of ageing. As part of the ASM, the BSRA also awarded the Korenchevsky prize to enable a young researcher to present their work at the AGE meeting in America in 2022. It is of note that payment of the Korenchevsky prize is not included in the 2021 accounts as the money was awarded in the 2022 accounting period. The BSRA has continued to support research into the biology of ageing through awards of small grants to researchers in the field. In 2021 we awarded approximately £1500 to researchers to enable them to conduct and publish work in this field. This year we also encouraged our membership to apply for PhD studentship funds through the Chernajovsky Foundation. We reviewed a number of applications from our members before sponsoring an application which eventually chosen for funding by the Chernajovsky Foundation. The BSRA will now work alongside the Chernajovsky Foundation over the coming years to support the appointed student and to administer the funds. |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| Achievements against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | N/A |
|---|---|---|
| Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | N/A |
| Investment performance | Para 1.41 | N/A |
against objectives NIA Other
Financial Review
| Financial Review | ||
|---|---|---|
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | As of the 30thNovember 2021, the British Society for Research on Ageing has total cash funds of £86,988. This represents a net increase of approximately £4,500 over the last 12 months. |
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | The BSRA do not have a specific policy on holding reserves. However, we do not have any financial dependencies (e.g. employee’s) and the cash funds held by the BSRA are more than adequate to conduct our main aims of hosting our annual scientific meeting and awarded small grants to our members. |
| Amount of reserves held | Para 1.22 | N/A |
| Reasons for holding zero reserves |
Para 1.22 | N/A |
| Details of fund materially in deficit |
Para 1.24 | N/A |
| Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern |
Para 1.23 | N/A |
| Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements |
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 | The principal sources of funding to the BSRA are: 1. Donations to the charity 2. Registrations to the annual scientific meeting 3.Membership subscriptions |
| Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted |
Para 1.46 | N/A |
| A description of the principal risks facing the charity |
Para 1.46 | N/A |
| Other |
Structure, Governance and Management
| Description of charity’s trusts: |
||
|---|---|---|
| Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter) |
Para 1.25 | Constitution |
| How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO) |
Para 1.25 | CIO |
| 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 | All trustees are subject to election by the membership |
| 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 |
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 |
membership |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | All newly elected trustee’s must read the Charity Commission document “The essential trustee” and sign the BSRA training register to confirm that they have read and understood the document and the responsibilities of a trustee. New trustees typically spend some time observing and shadowing existing trustee’s before taking on a substantive role within the charity. |
| The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works |
Para 1.51 | Responsibility for the management of the BSRA lies with the board of trustees, who are led by the chairperson. The trustees are supported by the Scientific Advisory Board, comprising 6 persons, who work with the board of trustees to review and select from applications for BSRA funding. The BSRA development board are a separate panel of volunteers whose role is to help the BSRA secure funds to advance our aims and deliver our core activities. The board of trustees, scientific advisory board and development board are all comprised of volunteers. |
| Relationship with any related parties |
Para 1.51 | N/A |
| Other |
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | British Society for Research on Ageing |
|---|---|
| Other name the charity uses | BSRA |
| Registered charity number | 1174127 |
| Charity’s principal address | Liverpool John Moores University, James Parsons Building, Byrom Street, Liverpool, L3 3AF |
|---|---|
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee(if any) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claire Stewart | Chair | |||
| Myriam Chimen | Treasurer | Stepped down from board of trustees July 2021 |
||
| Neil Martin | Treasurer | Replaced Myriam Chimen from July2021 |
||
| CathySlack | Secretary | |||
| Lorna Harries | ||||
| Marina Ezcurra | ||||
| Adam Rolt | ||||
| Joao Pedro De Meghaelhaes |
||||
| Ursula Tanner | ||||
| Lynne Cox | ||||
| Paul Morgan | ||||
| BradleyElliot | ||||
| Adrian Cull | ||||
– 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 N/A held in this capacity Name and objects of the n/A charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for N/A 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 |
||
|---|---|---|
| Neil Martin | ||
Treasurer |
||
| 17/09/2022 | ||
| 17/09/2022 |
Charity Name No (if any) British Society for Research on Ageing 1174127 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period Period start date Period end date To from 1st Dec 2020 30th Nov 2021
| Section A Receipts and payments | Section A Receipts and payments | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 Receipts | Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ 4,539 7,363 - - - - - - 11,902 - - - 11,902 - 5,000 1,581 - 657 77 - - - - 7,315 - - - 7,315 4,587 - 82,401 86,988 |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
Endowment funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
Total funds to the nearest £ 4,539 7,363 - - - - - - 11,902 - - - 11,902 - 5,000 1,581 - 657 77 - - - - 7,315 - - - 7,315 4,587 |
Last year to the nearest £ |
|
| Membership subscriptions and Annual Scientific meeting |
4,539 | 3,666 | ||||
| Donations | 7,363 | 2,948 | ||||
| Other income | - | 3,617 | ||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) |
11,902 | 10,231 | ||||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
||||||
| - | ||||||
| - | - | |||||
| ~~Sub total~~ | - | - | ||||
| Total receipts A3 Payments |
||||||
| 10,231 | ||||||
| Travel expenses and refunds | - | 568 | ||||
| Conference costs | 5,000 | - | ||||
| Grants | 1,581 | 20,045 | ||||
| Professional costs | - | 500 | ||||
| Subscriptions | 657 | 652 | ||||
| Website hostingand Development | 77 | 69 | ||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| **Sub total ** | 7,315 | 21,834 | ||||
| A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) |
||||||
| - | ||||||
| - | ||||||
| **Sub total ** | - | - | ||||
| Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end |
||||||
| 21,834 | ||||||
| 4,587 | - | - | 4,587 | - 11,603 | ||
| - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 82,401 | - | - | 82,401 | 94,004 | ||
| 86,988 | - | - | 86,988 | 82,401 |
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
18/09/2022
1
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Categories B2 Other monetary assets B1 Cash funds |
Details Total cash funds Bank account |
Unrestricted funds to nearest £ 86,988 - - 86,988 Unrestricted funds to nearest £ - - - - - - |
Restricted funds to nearest £ - - - - Restricted funds to nearest £ - - - - - - |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| Endowment funds to nearest £ |
||||
| - | - | - | ||
| - | - | - | ||
| - | - | - | ||
| - | - | - | ||
| - | - | - | ||
| - | - | - |
B3 Investment assets
| Fund to which asset belongs |
Cost (optional) - - - - - |
Current value (optional) |
|---|---|---|
| - | - | |
| - | - | |
| - | - | |
| - | - | |
| - | - |
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
18/09/2022
2
B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use
B5 Liabilities
| Fund to which asset belongs Fund to which liability relates |
Cost (optional) - - - - - - - - - Amount due (optional) - - - - - |
Current value (optional) |
|---|---|---|
| - | ||
| - | ||
| - | ||
| - | ||
| - | ||
| - | ||
| - | ||
| - | ||
| - | ||
| When due (optional) |
||
| - | ||
| - | ||
| - | ||
| - | ||
| - |
CCXX R3 accounts (SS)
18/09/2022
3
| Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees |
Signature | Print Name Neil Martin |
Date of approval |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neil Martin | 15/09/2022 | ||
CCXX R4 accounts (SS)
18/09/2022
4