2025-06-30-accounts

Uckfield & District Lions Club

The club has unrestricted and restricted funds. It has an income based upon donation from members of the public, profits made from fund raising events, membership fees and payments from HMRC (Gift Aid). The club is a part of Lions International, who have their head office Oakbrook, Illinois, in the United States of America. In the UK, all clubs are part of Multiple District 105, who have their headquarters in Birmingham.

Uckfield are part of District 105SE, that includes the clubs located in Kent, Sussex and Surrey. As a registered charity within the UK who are part of an international organisation, the club are a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) registered with the Charity Commission of England and Wales.

The Trustees’ Annual Report – 2024/2025

This report summarises the work of the club over the previous financial year. For accounting purposes, the club run their accounts from July 1[st] to June 30[th] of the following year. This in in line with the accounting practices of the local District (105SE), the Multiple District (MD105) and International accounts for Lions International.

Trustees

Graham Baldwin

Lynne Ireland

Christopher Sherwood

Peter Lloyd-Bostock

David Skinner

Frank Phillips

Terry Mason

Club officers

President – Frank Phillips Vice-President and Service Director – Graham Baldwin Secretary – Lynne Ireland Immediate Past President – Terry Mason Treasurer – Peter Lloyd-Bostock Finance Director – Christopher Sherwood

Membership Chairman – David Skinner

Address

Uckfield & District Lions. 36 St Marys, Aberdale Road, Polegate,

East Sussex. BN26 6NH

Charity Number

1181177

Auditor

Mark Twinch

Bank

HSBC, 105 Mount Pleasant Road, Tunbridge Wells. Kent. TN1 1QP

Structure, Governance and management

The Uckfield and District Lions Club are registered with the Charities Commission as a CIO with the registration number 1181177. The Club converted to a CIO in December 2018.

The Club banks with HSBC as a charity, which effectively means that we are treated as a business account on their system. In line with the bank’s policy the Club is charged £5 per month to run any current account, plus a transaction fee depending on the volume of business that passes through the account during the month. These charges came into effect in 2022. In line with the recommendation of the UK Lions Club head office, the Club holds a charitable activities and a charitable donations account with HSBC. They also hold a deposit account, which accrues interest.

In addition to the three bank accounts, the club treasurer runs two virtual accounts that show the income and expenditure related to the use of:

• i) The Club Community minibus - This shows the income from the hire of the minibus to local groups, charities, youth groups, etc. It also shows expenditure specific to the running costs and maintenance of the minibus.

• ii) An administration account – This shows the income from membership fees and any internal events where money is raised from members only and not from the general public. This includes raffles, special events, etc. The expenditure is related to the cost of running the charity, postage, valid expenses, mileage on club business, etc.

Both of these virtual accounts were requested by the membership, so that they could see that the minibus was non-profit making and that all administration costs were covered from subscriptions and revenue obtained from Club members.

The club is managed by up to ten trustees, (formerly known as Directors, prior to conversion to a CIO). The trustees work to an agreed constitution, as set by Lions International, plus local by-laws that are relevant to the individual club. The trustees meet at least once in every Lions year.

The full membership meet monthly at the Business Meeting, held on the second Wednesday of each month. There are two main sub-committees, The Finance Committee and The Service Committee. The finance committee plan and execute the fund raising activities and the service committee agree to make donations grants and pledges, in line with the aims and objectives of Lions International, e.g. local community projects, youth activities, health projects, etc.

Both committees meet monthly and then report to the main business meeting. This saves the main meeting from taking too long to deal with all issues. Both committees have spending limits that need ratification by the full membership, if the planned expense or donation exceeds a set amount. The amounts are reviewed by the trustees, as and when required.

Risk Management

The trustees have considered the major risks to which the charity is exposed and have reviewed those risks and established systems and procedures to manage the risks. The club have a healthy number of members, (when compared to other clubs within the Region and District). The Membership Chairman works continuously to encourage new members, as do all the club members. A reduction in the number of club members leads to a loss of income and this places strain on the administration account. Social activities targeted solely at club members and members of neighbouring Lions Clubs aims to keep the administration account in the positive, without the need to use funds raised from the public to run the club.

The club hold many events throughout the year and all activities are risk assessed and formal H&S risk assessments are completed by the club H&S Officer. A suitable level of public liability insurance cover is arranged by the Multiple District for all Lions Clubs in the UK. However, where additional cover is required, the club purchases this cover, prior to the event taking place.

Grant Making Policy

Under the terms of the Clubs’ Constitution, Members dispense aid at their discretion, offering help where they believe that their contribution will make a real difference. The club can only award aid in furtherance of our charitable objects; these details of the Objects of the Club are shown in the Annex to the document. The Trustees are required to ratify all financial decisions of the club. This is undertaken monthly at the business meeting.

Priorities for Support

The number of applications that can be supported is, of necessity, limited to the amount of funds available for distribution in any one year. The Trustees have determined that the priorities for funding will be:

• subject to other elements of the Club’s policy, no restrictions are imposed on the purpose for which aid may be granted; thus applications for support towards capital projects, other projects or core costs are considered;

• as there are numerous Lions Clubs in the UK, applications from the Uckfield area and surrounding districts are generally given a priority. Members also consider international funding requests, referred to them by the Lions International organisation;

• candidates for financial aid are all considered on their own merits, following investigation by the ‘Service Committee’. However, given that most of the available funds are raised within the local community, those candidates that are local are given special consideration. The following are examples of areas adopted for support:

• Local charities - youth groups, groups working with the elderly, individual appeals;

• Youth and children’s organisations - sport related groups or individuals, scouting and guiding, youth club activities, young people undertaking overseas assignments;

• Community - relief of hardship for individuals and families, village hall projects, community groups initiatives

The above priorities in this policy will be reviewed every year (or more often if deemed appropriate by the Trustees), and may be changed in accordance with the Members’ view of the most effective application of available funds at any point in time.

Principles

In awarding aid, the Members will apply the following principles:

• grants are generally made as single payments

• Members will not normally support applications from large charities dedicated to issues deemed by the Members to be already well funded;

• Members will work in partnership with other organisations to fund initiatives beyond the financial scope of a single organisation;

• all applications from previous recipients of aid or from previously unsuccessful applicants will be considered by Members on their own merits. Although Members will have regard to the outcome of the previous aid given, any new application will not receive preferential or adverse consideration.

Aid Application Process

The Service Committee will act as agents of the Trustees, in respect of all applications received. The Service Committee will review all applications and make recommendations for consideration by the Members and Trustees of Uckfield & District Lions Club, in accordance with club by-laws.

All applications for aid should be made to the Service Committee, or by contact to the Lions Secretary by email to [e-mail]. Whilst the initial contact may be by any electronic means, where possible, all applications should be made on the approved form (available at the club website or from the club secretary).

Before awarding aid to an organisation or an individual, the Members require that the applicant should:

• inform the Members of the purpose of the application, details of the project, the way in which the aid will be used and how it will be managed effectively for its intended purpose;

• provide adequate information regarding the identity of the applicant and/or of the status of the person(s) who will carry out the project/work;

• demonstrate that the recipient (whether an organisation or an individual) has and will be adequately insured both in relation to any equipment and facilities purchased by the aid; also in relation to any risk of injury by reason of the project or purpose for which the aid is awarded;

• give an undertaking that all equipment purchased with the aid is owned and remains the property of the aid recipient (whether an organisation or an individual);

• on receipt of the aid by cheque, a written acknowledgement of the receipt is to be issued to the Chairman of the Service Committee;

• to comply with the Data Protection Act 1998, applicants are required to consent to the use of personal data supplied by them in the processing and review of their application. This includes transfer to and use by such individuals and organisations as the Trustees deem appropriate. The Trustees require the assurance of the applicant that personal data about any other individual is supplied to the Trustees with his/her consent. At the point of submitting application, applicants are asked to confirm this consent and assurance.

Assessment Process

The assessment process will be that:

• all aid applications will be subject to initial assessment to ensure that they meet the basic criteria for funding. Applications for aid will be initially considered by the Community Service Committee at their meetings and then by Members. The Community Service Committee will aim to write to all applicants informing them of the outcome of their application for funding within three months of the date of the application;

• the club will not be obliged to provide an explanation to the applicant should their application be unsuccessful, however the club does realise the importance of feedback and they and or their representatives will, where appropriate, provide suitable comment to the applicant;

• applicants should note that the club receives far more applications than it has funds to support. Even if a project fits with the criteria and priorities of the club and a detailed assessment has been made, the club may still be unable to provide the aid.

Monitoring and Publicity

It is the policy of the club to monitor at their discretion, all aid given. Where the aid is for an extended period, project progress should be reported on a regular basis. In addition to reports detailing progress, aid recipients are expected to provide:

• a statement of how the grant or support monies have been spent, this may be in writing or to take up the opportunity (where appropriate) to visit Members to deliver a personal report of how the grant has been spent;

• details (where appropriate) of other funds applied to the same project;

• The club’s representative(s) may, where appropriate, visit the applicant to view the progress/success of the project and see how and where the aid has been applied.

The club’s representative(s) may ask applicants to consent to the use of their information and project details for publicity purposes, including on-line, in print and otherwise.

Annual CIO Report Uckfleld and Dlstrlct Llons Club (CIO) Registered Charity 11811 TT Annual Sumary Perfod 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025 Total Last year A1 Receipts Bookshop £24,392 £11.212 £4,874 £454 £5,071 £706 £46,707 £24,392 £14.265 . £4.874 £454 £5.071 £706 £49,760 £3.053 Minibus Services & donations Admin Bank interest 3,053 £48,962 A3 Payments Bookshop Fundraising actNitiess Minibus Ser¥￿e$ & donations Admin Bank charges £8.167 £2,259 £4.653 £28,341 £5.154 £60 £48.634 £8.167 £3.083 £4.653 £31.841 £5.154 £60 £52.959 £824 £3.500 £4,324 £46,985 -£1,927 -£1.271 -£3.198 £1,977 A5 Transfer between funds Donat￿n$ Minibus repair5 £1,271 £1.327 -£1.271 -£1.327 A8 Cash last yr end £35.507 £9.000 £44,$07 Cash avallable thls year Bank balances Activtties Ac( Don*'ons Ac Deposit Acct Total £33,580 £7.729 £41,309 £4.048 £223 £37.039 £41.310 £41,310 £44,507.00 Assets & lIa￿1￿leS B1 Cash Funds Restricted for minibus B2 Other monetary Bookshop deposrt ￿ esu( B3 Investements Assets retained £33.637 £7.673 £3.000 Minibus £14.779 £51,416 £16.890 £7.673 Liabllities Bookshop lease Garage. Shed, rates £4.5IXI £1.437 £3,968.00 £1.266.00

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of On accounts for the year ended Charity no lif any) li& il lTr Set out on pages I report to the trustees ￿ my examination of ts accounts of the above charity (Ihe Trusf) for ttE year ended Responsibili￿ and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the a¢counts in accordan￿ with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (Yhe Acr). I report in respect of my examinat?on of the Trust's accounts Carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in cafrying out my examination. I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(51{b) of the Act. I have comtyeted my examination. l ttinfim that no material matters have Jme to my attention l¢ther than that disdosed bekm ") in connection viith the examination vthich gives me ￿use to believe that in. any materkql respect.. accountirvJ records ￿ere not kept in aco)rdance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord the accounting records Indep•ndent examinerfs statement I have no concerns and have come across no other matter5 in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable proper understanding of the accourrts to be reached. ' Please delete the wtxds in the btsckets rfthey do not apply. Signed: Oate: s. li I Namé: ri 4$2 Relevant professional qualificationls) or body lif any): Addross: SY zz Q•£ IER October 2018