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2023-07-31-accounts

Society For Natural Sciences Financial Statements ANNUAL REPORT AND UNAUDITED ACCOUNTS

For the Year Ended 31 July 2023 FOR THE YEAR ENDED Charity Registration No: 1181964 ion No 31 JULY 2023

Charity number 1181964

SOCIETY FOR NATURAL SCIENCES

I N D E X P A G E
_______________
CHARITY INFORMATION 1
TRUSTEES’ REPORT 2 -3
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT 4
RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT 5
STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES 6
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS 7

SOCIETY FOR NATURAL SCIENCES

CHARITY INFORMATION

Charity name: Society for Natural Sciences Charity number: 1181964

TRUSTEES

The trustees during the year were:

Professor Derek Jeffrey Raine MBE CEO Roddy Vann Treasurer Geraint Mark Howard Thomas Ruth Jones

ADDRESS

Genesis 5 Church Lane Heslington York YO10 5DQ

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER

Frances Howard FCA Fortus Ltd Business Advisors and Accountants Equinox House Clifton Park Shipton Road York YO30 5PA

BANKERS

The Co-Operative Bank Plc PayPal UK Limited P O Box 250 5 New Street Square Skelmersdale London WN8 6WT EC4A 3TW

SOCIETY FOR NATURAL SCIENCES

TRUSTEES REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2023

The trustees present their report and the accounts for the year ended 31 July 2023.

Charity information set out on page 1 forms part of this report. The accounts have been prepared on the receipts and payments basis.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Society for Natural Sciences is a registered charitable incorporated organisation (CIO) governed by a constitution dated 11 February 2019.

Trustees

At the first annual general meeting of the members of the CIO all the charity trustees shall retire from office. At every subsequent annual general meeting of the members of the CIO, one-third of the charity trustees shall retire from office. If the number of charity trustees is not three or a multiple of three, then the number nearest to one-third shall retire from office, but if there is only one charity trustee, he or she shall retire. The charity trustees to retire by rotation shall be those who have been longest in office since their last appointment or reappointment. If any trustees were last appointed or reappointed on the same day those to retire shall (unless they otherwise agree among themselves) be determined by lot. The vacancies so arising may be filled by the decision of the members at the annual general meeting. The members or the charity trustees may at any time decide to appoint a new charity trustee. A person so appointed by the charity trustees shall retire at the conclusion of the next annual general meeting after the date of his or her appointment, and shall not be counted for the purpose of determining which of the charity trustees is to retire by rotation at that meeting.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The objects of the CIO are to advance interdisciplinary science and education in interdisciplinary science for the benefit of the public, in particular but not exclusively by:

ACHIEVEMENTS & PERFORMANCE

CPD for academic members

The Interdisciplinary Science Pedagogic Research and Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (PedR/SoTL) group continues to operate online using the Society’s Zoom account.

The Society publishes the open access academic journal: New Directions in the Teaching and Learning of Natural Science.

We sponsored a session at the STEM-Horizons National Meeting (https://ukstemconference.com), June 2023. These interactions are beneficial to development of curricular in HE Science and to wider society through the improved training of science undergraduates.

Society Website: The website has been set up to provide information about Natural Sciences and to accept membership applications. It has subsequently been expanded to allow members to present a searchable public profile to underpin networking opportunities. It has been further developed to host recordings of seminars and outreach presentations. We have set up a LinkedIn group for the Society.

Newsletters : A newsletter was sent out in the autumn. These are of benefit to members in supporting networking and dissemination of information.

SOCIETY FOR NATURAL SCIENCES

TRUSTEES REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2023

ACHIEVEMENTS & PERFORMANCE (continued)

Student Conference 2023: A national 1-day meeting for undergraduate students of Natural Sciences hosted by the UCL. This provides training and networking opportunities for undergraduate students.

This followed on from a national meeting at the Crick Institute, initially intended to inaugurate the Society but delayed by Covid. The role of the Society was disseminated to a number of high-profile stakeholders and representatives of professional bodies. This provided networking opportunities for Society members.

Outreach

Talks to Schools: Six on-line outreach sessions were delivered through Channel Talent to high school pupils and teachers and individuals. These activities are of direct public benefit in disseminating educational opportunities for students in science.

Accreditation: The accreditation process has been rolled out involving the accreditation of four more university programmes in Natural Sciences. Accreditation to verify and maintain degree standards is a central part of the Society’s social benefit.

Membership: Membership has grown steadily if slowly. We have 15 member institutions. Membership of recently graduated students has improved but has still not met expectations. We are working to address this issue with the ongoing development of a student council. Undergraduate members have been recruited through a new Affiliation scheme for Institutional undergraduate societies.

Fundraising: Fees from institutional memberships are currently in line with the Society’s business plan. Fees from other members are less than anticipated but this has not affected the activities of the Society as they form a minor contribution to current income which has been more than offset by accreditation fees. However, we are faced with a reduction in the number of universities offering Natural Science degrees which will impact our corporate membership. This will not have any immediate impact on activities, but will limit the scope for expansion and will be kept under review.

The trustees have exercised diligence in ensuring public benefit of activities through their membership of the Main Committee of the Society.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

During the year income of £7,664 (2022: £12,671) was received and payments were made of £8,368 (2022: £11,101) resulting in a deficit of £704 (2022 surplus: £1,570).

RESERVES POLICY

The charity’s policy is to retain sufficient funds to meet its own expected future obligations.

The charity’s free reserves at 31 July 2023 amount to £11,480 (2022: £12,184).

Approved by the trustees on 21 May 2024

D J Raine (May 22, 2024 08:43 GMT+1)

……………………………………………………….

D J Raine - CEO

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF

SOCIETY FOR NATURAL SCIENCES

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 July 2023 comprise of the receipts and payments account, statement of assets and liabilities and notes to the accounts.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity’s trustees 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 charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 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 giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or

  2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

  3. the accounts to 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.

Frances Howard

Frances Howard (May 22, 2024 09:27 GMT+1)

Frances Howard FCA Fortus Ltd Business Advisors and Accountants Equinox House Clifton Park Shipton Road York YO30 5PA

21 May 2024

SOCIETY FOR NATURAL SCIENCES

RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2023


RECEIPTS
Staff subscriptions
Student subscriptions
University subscriptions
Association subscription
University accreditation fees

Total receipts

PAYMENTS
Charitable activities
3
Total payments
(Decrease)/increase in Bank

Balance at 1 August 2022
Balance at 31 July 2023		 2023
£
488
147
7,000
29
-
__
7,664
_
8,368
__
8,368
_
(704)
12,184
___
11,480
 2022
£
663
269
4,000
39
7,700
_
12,671

11,101

11,101

1,570
10,614
___
12,184

SOCIETY FOR NATURAL SCIENCES

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES AT 31 JULY 2023

Assets held for charity’s use
Website
Total intangible fixed assets
Debtors
Bank and cash balances
Bank accounts - Co-Operative account

- PayPal account

Total bank
Creditors
Accruals - Independent examiner’s fee		 31 July
2023
£
-
__
-

-

11,073

407
____
11,480

600
 31 July
2022
£
695
_
695

500

12,174
10
___
12,184

540

Approved on behalf of the Trustees on 21 May 2024

……………………………………………………………………..

R Vann - Treasurer

SOCIETY FOR NATURAL SCIENCES

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2023

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

BASIS OF ACCOUNTING

These accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention, on a receipts and payments basis, in accordance with Section 133 of the Charities Act 2011 and following the guidance for accounting for smaller charities issued by the Charity Commissioners.

2. INFORMATION REGARDING TRUSTEES

No trustee or persons related or connected by business to them have received any remuneration from the charity during the year.

No trustee received any reimbursement for expenses incurred during the year.

3.

CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES

2023 2022
£ £
Accreditor fees 353 4,950
Accreditor administration - 2,171
Publicity expenses 283 196
Webinar expenses 1,872 1,872
Independent examination fee 540 498
Membership fee 796 381
Staff costs 785 682
Subscriptions 176 144
Miscellaneous costs 15 49
Insurance 158 158
Website 608 -
Launch event 2,782 -
_____ _____
8,368 11,101