**The Ruth Strauss Foundation** A charitable company limited by guarantee.
**ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 March 2021**
**The Trustees** are appointed in accordance with the Terms and Conditions contained in the Charity’s Memorandum and Articles of Association.
Trustees who served during the year and up to the date of this report are:
Sir Andrew Strauss Dr Sandra Strauss Rachel Patton Angus Fraser MBE Denise Fraser Phil Glyn-Smith Terry Grote OBE Mike Altendorf James Niblett (Appointed 13 May 2021)
## **Company Secretary**
Denise Fraser
## **Chair**
Terry Grote OBE
## **Advisors to the Ruth Strauss Foundation (RSF)**
## **Family Support Advisory Group:**
Dr Hilary Plant Jenni Thomas OBE Dr Sandra Strauss Rachel Patton Professor Emma Ream
## **Fundraising Advisory Group:**
Chris St George Jim Hytner Angus Fraser MBE
## **Finance Advisory Group:**
James Niblett Ian Lovett Phil Glyn-Smith
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Company Registration No. 11882736 | Charity Registration No. 1183221
## **Governance and Legal Advisory Group:**
Matthew Hartley Ian Lovett Mike Altendorf Chris Walsh
## **Research Advisory Group:**
Dr Martin Forster Professor Sanjay Popat Professor Andrew Nicholson Dr Sandra Strauss
## **Charity Company Details**
## **Registered Office**
Unit F Whiteacres Cambridge Road Whetstone Leicestershire LE8 6ZG
## **Auditor**
RSM UK Audit LLP Chartered Accountants 25 Farringdon Street London EC4A 4AB
**Bankers**
Lloyds Bank PO Box 1000 Andover BX1 1LT
## **Company Number & Charity Registration Number**
11882736 - 1183221
## **Website**
https://ruthstraussfoundation.com
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## **Foreword from the Founder - Sir Andrew Strauss**
Prior to Ruth’s diagnosis in December 2017, it would be extremely difficult to imagine, believe or comprehend that in just over a years’ time she would have both succumbed to non-smoking lung cancer and that also a Foundation would have been set up in her name.
For so many however, her story will be uncannily familiar. Cancer often interrupts life when least expected and progresses at a pace of its own choosing. For those who are diagnosed too late, or are unable to find a successful treatment, they have the painful and unenviable task of preparing themselves and those around them for the inevitability of their death.
The idea of the Ruth Strauss Foundation was Ruth’s. Her motivation was not to create a legacy for herself. Aside from funding research into non-smoking lung cancers, Ruth was determined to ensure that others going through what our family had encountered should have a support network available to help them navigate their way through their terminal illness and help prepare the whole family for the death of a parent. She wanted people to ‘do death well’.
It is hard to believe that the Foundation is moving towards its third anniversary in March 2022. We have come a long way. I am extremely proud of what the Foundation has achieved so far, and it is especially rewarding to know that families facing grief, death and dying now have the professional support that they inevitably need. We remain humbled and hugely thankful for the support that we have received by everyone whose lives have been touched by Ruth in some way, shape or form.
While we have made a strong start, we are also aware that there is a long way to go to ensure that every one of the 23,600 parents with dependent children who are diagnosed with a terminal illness are provided access to professional help. There is also plenty to do in raising much-needed awareness and funding for research into non-smoking lung cancers. I am confident, though, that our amazing staff at the Foundation will keep the momentum building over the next 12 months.
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## **Chairman’s Review of the Year – Terry Grote, OBE**
If anyone thought that having laid strong foundations in our inaugural year, that our continued success would become easier, no one could have predicted the challenges that faced humanity across the globe with the outbreak of coronavirus.
While all charities were tested to the full, the commitment of everyone involved in the Foundation once again allowed us to come through with flying colours.
The unbelievable support of both the general public and the cricketing family as a whole, saw fundraising hit new heights, empowering us all in our determination to deliver our ambitious targets.
The first ever Red for Ruth day held at Lord’s was truly memorable, but the organisation and the success of our second Red for Ruth day held behind closed doors at Emirates Old Trafford, truly exceeded all our expectations. Once again, our appreciation and admiration for all the support we receive from so many people and organisations is unrivalled.
While there are so many to thank, it would be wrong not to single out the ECB and Sky Sports, who without their incredible support, our ability to deliver our mission would not be possible. We are fortunate to have a group of highly motivated Trustees and Advisory Group members, but our small band of staff, known to us all as ‘Team Red’, deserve special praise.
Throughout unprecedented times, their commitment and devotion to our cause once again reminded us all how privileged we are as a fledging Foundation to have such a talented group working tirelessly on our behalf. The curtain finally came down on only our second year since formation with real progress having been made on all fronts, providing us with the confidence that the Ruth Strauss Foundation continues to grow from strength to strength.
Terry Grote OBE Chairman Ruth Strauss Foundation
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## **INTRODUCTION**
The Trustees present their report together with the financial statements of the Charity for the year ended 31 March 2021. The Charity was incorporated as a company limited by guarantee on 14 March 2019 and registered as a charity on 1 May 2019. This is the Charity’s second reporting period since incorporation.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in the notes to the financial statements and comply with the Charity’s governing document, the Companies Act 2006, the Charities Act 2011, and Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS102) (effective 1 January 2019).
## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT**
The Trustees are also Directors of the Company for the purposes of company law. The Board of Trustees has no sub committees but has appointed advisors to assist in making recommendations to the Board. The Board aims to meet once per quarter in face-to-face meetings and by conference call when required or circumstances dictate, subject to requirements. There shall be at least three Trustees on the Board.
## **Recruitment and Selection of Trustees Procedure**
Should a vacancy on the Board of Trustees arise, the Board will advertise the position and consider individuals who may have been identified as potential candidates via contacts. Potential candidates will be sent an application pack with a skill set audit to determine how the candidate’s skills complement the existing Board’s current and future needs. Candidates selected will be interviewed by the Chairman and the Founder to ensure best candidate selection. When selected, a candidate will then be proposed to the Board for co-opting or appointment.
## **Trustee Induction and Training**
The Foundation’s Trustees are all familiar with the practical work of the Charity and their responsibilities as Trustees. The RSF CEO meets with the Trustees every two-three months to update the Board against our strategic priorities and present the financial report. The RSF Executive Team is supporting the Chairman of the Board to design an induction and training process for Trustees and Advisory Group members. This will include an overview of the Foundation’s Purpose, Values, Vision, Mission Statement, Governance Framework, and a copy of The Good Trustees Guide for Trustees.
## **Key Management Personnel**
The Board of Trustees is responsible for the overall direction and financial affairs of the Charitable Company. The Foundation’s affairs are conducted on a day-to-day basis by the RSF CEO and the small Executive Team.
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The setting of all pay and remuneration for KMP is carried out by the Chairman and Founder in consultation with the CEO to deliver the RSF Strategy and Mission. Annual inflationary increases for all employed personnel are advised by the Finance Advisory Group.
## **Public Benefit Statement**
The Trustees have considered the Charity Commission published guidance and consider that the Charity operates for the public benefit.
## **Objectives and Activities**
The Foundation’s objects, as laid out in The Memorandum of Association, are:
- the prevention or relief of sickness by supporting research into the diagnosis, treatment and cure of rare forms of lung cancer, in particular but not limited to, adenocarcinoma and the publication of the useful results of such research; and
- the relief of need among sufferers of lung cancer and other terminal illnesses and their families (in particular, but not limited to young children) by providing such funding, support and services as the trustees in their discretion think fit.
## **Our Purpose**
To create a worthy legacy for Ruth’s name that will have a real positive impact on people’s lives.
## **Support Mission**
_‘To ensure that every family with a child facing the death of a parent is offered the professional emotional support they need to prepare for the future. ‘_
Each year in the UK, 23,600 families with dependent children lose a parent. The benefits of bereavement support are widely recognised and available, but pre-bereavement support is not. There is inconsistency in support available for families facing a terminal diagnosis on how to talk with their children, and rarely is this support offered.
In 2021, we have provided support for families facing the death of a parent via online tools, resources and one to one family guidance sessions.
In 2022, we will launch and run a training programme that will help healthcare and education professionals to be more confident in supporting patients with dependent children, whose cancer cannot be cured.
## **Research Mission**
‘ _To facilitate collaboration and influence research in the fight against non-smoking lung cancers, so that together we find the causes sooner and improve outcomes. ‘_
Non-smoking lung cancers are on the rise, with a higher number of incidences amongst women.
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We raise the profile of non-smoking lung cancers as an underfunded field that lacks sufficient research into the causes and treatment. We will drive worldwide collaboration to help produce a global strategy and highlight areas in which the field believes that additional research and funding will support us in finding a cure together sooner.
## **Achievements and Performance**
During a year of uncertainty for charities from the threat of Covid-19 to fundraising and service delivery, RSF continued to thrive. We exceeded the previous year’s income, enhanced our small team to harness our growth opportunities and build our mission delivery plans, and we engaged our network to design our first three-year strategy, Ruth’s Legacy, launched April 2021.
The most significant development in this year was to recruit the Head of Mission Services, Deepa Doshi. Deepa’s remit is to lead our dual Mission strategy, plans and service delivery across Family Support and non-smoking lung cancer (NSLC) Research.
## **Family Support**
With support from the Family Support Advisory Group, Deepa’s appointment was instrumental in the design and build of the RSF Family Support Service and the RSF Training Programme for Healthcare Professionals. The Family Support Service successfully launched in summer 2021 and the training programme pilot began in autumn 2021 and has received much interest from cancer and palliative care nurses.
The service has so far supported over 60 families and the training pilot is at capacity for the first two pilots in December and February, with a wait list for future dates.
**The RSF Family Support Service** will be the first UK-wide specialist service that offers prebereavement support for families. Families with dependent children who are facing the death of a parent can seek guidance from the RSF website via tools and resources, or by speaking directly with an RSF Practitioner on how to talk with their children about their terminal diagnosis, death and dying.
**The RSF Training Programme for Healthcare Professionals** will provide support to healthcare professionals to feel more confident and skilled in supporting parents with an incurable illness to have open conversations with their children about death and dying. The programme is being co-designed by a group of individuals with lived experience of parental bereavement.
## **Research**
For this year, considering how Covid-19 presents itself in a persistent cough, we focused on building partnerships and collaborating on activity, to raise awareness of the symptoms of non-smoking lung cancer so to improve early referral and diagnosis rates.
**EGFR + UK and ALK + UK.** We formed an alliance with two non-smoking lung cancer patient groups to prepare for a May 2021 campaign in ‘See Through the Symptoms’, which sought to raise GPs and Primary Care Professionals’ awareness of NSLC symptoms and lead to earlier diagnosis of non-smoking lung cancers.
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Company Registration No. 11882736 | Charity Registration No. 1183221
**Public Health England and NHS England** . The Foundation was proud to work on a national, mainstream lung cancer awareness campaign lead by Public Health England. We played a crucial role to ensure that non-smoking lung cancer and Ruth’s story featured in this campaign to help address the stigma around this, which otherwise would have been themed more generically around lung cancer and an older, smoking patient profile.
## **Solid Foundations**
Our determination to build Solid Foundations from which to deliver our ambitious and transformational Missions continued:
Operationally, we furthered our plans with trusted third parties to support us in people, finance, CRM, data, security and risk management. As a small, agile and creative team, we were also innovative in our digital fundraising and engagement of mainstream online communities; the highlights of which were over 10,000 families joining us for a virtual Legends’ Fitness Show on YouTube and raising over £830,000 with the ‘behind closed doors’ Red for Ruth Test Match.
The Foundation is proud to have used such a challenging year to further our public awareness and appeal, strengthen our operational foundations and put the plans in place to begin piloting our Mission delivery from Spring 2021.
## **FINANCIAL REVIEW**
## **Financial Results**
The net result for the year was a surplus of £711,997 (2020: £589,719). The Trustees consider the financial position with net assets of £1,301,716 (2020: £589,719) to be satisfactory.
The full independent auditor’s report and financial statements follow the Trustees’ Report.
## **Reserves Policy**
Following a further successful year of Fundraising and with the service commitments of the Mission in their infancy with a low level of expenditure, there was no need to set a formal reserves level for the Foundation.
With the proposed expansion of the Foundation’s mission and other outgoings however, the Trustees will be considering what level of reserves will be appropriate for 2022 onwards to ensure sustainability.
At the year end, unrestricted funds totalled £1,291,716 (2020: £589,719), restricted funds totalled £10,000 (2020: £nil) and designated funds totalled £nil (2020: £15,250).
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## **Fundraising Policy**
The Ruth Strauss Foundation is fortunate to have the support of many individuals and organisations who give generously to and fundraise for the charity. The charity pursues different types of fundraised income through a combination of events and initiatives, with the flagship ‘Red for Ruth’ campaign as its premier marketing moment, both within the setting of the Lord’s Test Match and through TV broadcast of our appeal. Red for Ruth related income represents a significant proportion of our income.
The charity made the decision to register with the Fundraising Regulator in 2020 and in doing so made and make a commitment and a promise to our supporters that we will ensure that our fundraising is legal, open, honest and respectful, adhering to the Fundraising Code of Practice. The charity also has its own ethical policy which serves as a framework for carrying out our charitable purpose. It serves to guide decision making, good judgement and conduct. All new opportunities and fundraising initiatives are considered by the Leadership Team in regular ‘New Opportunities’ meetings. New opportunities presented to the charity are considered against the ethical policy but also take into account financial value, achievability, risk and potential benefits of increased brand awareness. Furthermore, any significant opportunity with a partner organisation that is passed by the Leadership Team throughout this process is referred to the Finance and Governance Advisory Groups for their review of company accounts as part of our due diligence process and to the Fundraising Advisory Group for their support.
We receive many offers of support from third parties doing their own fundraising for the charity. These organisations and groups are all passed through a research and qualification process, are required to sign a fundraising agreement or MOU and in doing so, agree to adhere to the standards we set ourselves through the Fundraising Promise. All contracts and agreements must permit the Ruth Strauss Foundation to withdraw from any partnership where new developments mean that areas of this ethical sponsorship policy become breached.
Partner organisations and groups have regular check-ins with the Executive Team. We maintain accountability and open and honest relationships with all our partners, by regularly monitoring and evaluating their activities. Volunteers who support RSF-led or third-party events are trained in the safe handling of income and best practice for supporter care, including the relevant commitments to donor privacy, when acting on the charity’s behalf. All staff involved in fundraising have a responsibility to be aware and have a thorough understanding of the ethical issues referred to in the ethical policy and are responsible for researching and ensuring sponsorship, cause related marketing, fundraising, donations and partnerships within their remit adhere to this policy.
We have not received any complaints from supporters that have not been able to be resolved by the Executive Team. The Ruth Strauss Foundation is committed to its charitable objectives and fundraises in order to provide the resources to deliver much needed recovery services and grants. We abide by the law which requires us, in deciding whether to accept or refuse a donation, to consider which action is in the charity's best overall interest.
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We will not accept donations made by donors whose activities appear to be in direct conflict with the best interests of our beneficiaries or our charity’s reputation, which could disproportionately decrease the amount of donations to further the work of the charity.
## **Related Parties and Connected Charities**
The Ruth Strauss Foundation has jointly funded the See Through the Symptom campaign with two patient led charities: ALK Positive UK and EGFR Positive UK. The campaign aims to raise awareness of non-smoking lung cancers to GPs and Primary Care Professionals.
The Foundation had a contract with Cancer Research UK in 2019/2020 to support the delivery of the Red for Ruth day at Lord’s in return for a pre-agreed donation towards their industryleading lung cancer research programme, TRACERx. This agreement was isolated to the event in 2019 and is not an ongoing arrangement. We have no other formal connections with CRUK.
During the current period donations of £4,166 were made to the charity by 5 Trustees. There were no conditions attached to these donations.
In the prior period, donations of £8,000 were made to the charity by 2 Trustees. There were no conditions attached to these donations.
## **Going Concern**
Given the current level of reserves and ongoing interest in supporting and developing the Charity, which continues to be demonstrated by very successful fundraising efforts during Red for Ruth 2020 and 2021 and being on track to exceed our budget in 2022, the Trustees have drawn up the financial statements on the assumption that the entity is a going concern. The charity has adequate cash reserves to settle liabilities as and when they fall due for a period of at least 12 months from signing the accounts.
## **Risk Management**
The Board of Trustees are aware of their responsibilities towards risk management and with the assistance of the Governance & Finance Advisory Groups have developed a robust risk management process which, as the charity grows, will be updated as required. Risk registers are used to detail the risks identified, their potential impact and includes plans in place to mitigate against the risks. The Trustees consider that risks will increase and change over time and the charity’s risks are to be reviewed in detail at least annually by the Governance & Finance Advisory Groups and the risk register approved by the Trustees. A conflict-of-interest declaration is a standing item on each Board agenda.
## **PLANS FOR THE FUTURE**
In April 2021 we saw the launch of the Foundation’s first three-year Strategy, ‘Ruth’s Legacy’, inspired by Ruth’s own vision. Ruth’s Legacy outlines the five core strategic priorities to support our dual Mission, the services we will launch and the ambitions we will set ourselves to achieve by the end of 2023.
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2021-2022 are busy years for the Foundation Mission services delivery. In August 2021 we proudly launched the online pilot for the RSF Family Support Service, offering direct guidance and support to families when facing the death of a parent. The pilot for the RSF Family Support Service offers families virtual guidance sessions with RSF contracted practitioners, where parents will be offered practical, emotional guidance on how to speak with their children about their diagnosis and how to prepare them for death and dying. It will enable us to test the service and gain feedback from families ahead of the roll out of the service from 2022.
In 2021-2022 we will also be piloting the RSF Healthcare Training Programme, where cancer nurse specialists and palliative care nurses will be offered training on how to prepare parents with a terminal illness to have open and honest conversations with their children. By attending the training our aim is for the nurses to feel more confident, skilled and able to assess and address the support needs of patients in preparing children when their cancer cannot be cured and how to care for themselves in the process.
We continue to raise valuable funds and awareness of the cause through our annual Red for Ruth campaign, but our fundraising strategy works to reduce the reliance on this revenue stream by engaging in local communities and businesses.
A trading subsidiary was incorporated on 9 June 2021 called RSFT Limited. The company will manage retail and other trading activities that do not fall under the objects of the charity.
## **STATEMENT AS TO DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION TO THE AUDITOR**
The Trustees in office on the date of this report have confirmed, as far as they are aware, that there is no relevant audit information of which the auditor is unaware. Each of the Trustees has confirmed that they have taken all the steps that they ought to have taken as Directors in order to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that it has been communicated to the auditor.
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## **AUDITOR**
RSM UK Audit LLP were appointed as auditor to the Charity and in accordance with section 485 of the Companies Act 2006, a resolution proposing that they be re-appointed will be put at a General Meeting.
This report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies entitled to the small companies’ exemption.
Approved by the Board of Trustees on 16 December 2021 and signed on its behalf by:
## T.M.Grote
**…………………….. Terry Grote, OBE: Chairman of the Ruth Strauss Foundation**
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The Ruth Strauss Foundation (A charitable company limited by guarantee) Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities
The Trustees (who are also the directors of The Ruth Strauss Foundation for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the trustees’ annual report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.
Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law, the Trustees are preparing the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice and applicable law).
Under company law, the Trustees must not approve financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the income and expenditure for that year. In preparing those financial statements, the Trustees and directors are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
- make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in business.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records, which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from the legislation in other jurisdictions.
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Independent Auditor’s Report to the Members of The Ruth Strauss Foundation
## **Opinion**
We have audited the financial statements of The Ruth Strauss Foundation (the ‘charitable company’) for the year ended 31 March 2021 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet, the Statement of Cash Flows and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
- In our opinion, the financial statements:
- give a true and fair view of the state of the charitable company’s affairs as at 31 March 2021 and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure for the year then ended;
- have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and
- have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.
## **Basis for opinion**
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charitable company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
## **Conclusions relating to going concern**
In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.
Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.
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Independent Auditor’s Report to the Members of The Ruth Strauss Foundation
## **Other information**
The other information comprises the information included in the Annual Report other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the Annual Report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.
Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements, or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.
We have nothing to report in this regard.
## **Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006**
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:
- the information given in the Trustees’ Report, which includes the Directors’ Report prepared for the purposes of company law, for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and
- the Directors’ Report included within the Trustees’ Report has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
## **Matters on which we are required to report by exception**
In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the Directors’ Report included within the Trustees’ Report.
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:
- adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or
- the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
- certain disclosures of trustees’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or
- we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or
- the Trustees were not entitled to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the small companies’ regime and take advantage of the small companies’ exemption from the requirement to prepare a Strategic Report or in preparing the Trustees’ Report.
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Independent Auditor’s Report to the Members of The Ruth Strauss Foundation
## **Responsibilities of Trustees**
As explained more fully in the Statement of Trustees’ responsibilities set out on page 11, the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.
## **Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements**
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
## **The extent to which the audit was considered capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud**
Irregularities are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. The objectives of our audit are to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding compliance with laws and regulations that have a direct effect on the determination of material amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, to perform audit procedures to help identify instances of non-compliance with other laws and regulations that may have a material effect on the financial statements, and to respond appropriately to identified or suspected non-compliance with laws and regulations identified during the audit.
In relation to fraud, the objectives of our audit are to identify and assess the risk of material misstatement of the financial statements due to fraud, to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding the assessed risks of material misstatement due to fraud through designing and implementing appropriate responses and to respond appropriately to fraud or suspected fraud identified during the audit.
However, it is the primary responsibility of management, with the oversight of those charged with governance, to ensure that the entity's operations are conducted in accordance with the provisions of laws and regulations and for the prevention and detection of fraud.
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Independent Auditor’s Report to the Members of The Ruth Strauss Foundation
In identifying and assessing risks of material misstatement in respect of irregularities, including fraud, the audit engagement team:
- obtained an understanding of the nature of the sector, including the legal and regulatory framework that the charitable company operates in and how the charitable company is complying with the legal and regulatory framework;
- inquired of management, and those charged with governance, about their own identification and assessment of the risks of irregularities, including any known actual, suspected or alleged instances of fraud;
- discussed matters about non-compliance with laws and regulations and how fraud might occur including assessment of how and where the financial statements may be susceptible to fraud.
As a result of these procedures we consider the most significant laws and regulations that have a direct impact on the financial statements are FRS 102, Charities SORP (FRS 102), Companies Act 2006, Charities Act 2011, the charitable company’s governing document, tax legislation and Charities (Protection and Social Investment) Act 2016. We performed audit procedures to detect non-compliances which may have a material impact on the financial statements which included reviewing the financial statements including the Trustees’ Report, remaining alert to new or unusual transactions which may not be in accordance with the governing documents.
The most significant laws and regulations that have an indirect impact on the financial statements are those in relation to Fundraising Regulations in the UK. We performed audit procedures to inquire of management and those charged with governance whether the charitable company is in compliance with these law and regulations and inspected correspondence with regulatory authorities.
The audit engagement team identified the risk of management override of controls as the area where the financial statements were most susceptible to material misstatement due to fraud. Audit procedures performed included but were not limited to testing manual journal entries and other adjustments, evaluating the business rationale in relation to significant, unusual transactions and transactions entered into outside the normal course of business and challenging judgments and estimates.
A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at:
http://www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities.
This description forms part of our auditor’s report.
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Independent Auditor’s Report to the Members of The Ruth Strauss Foundation
## **Use of our report**
This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and the charitable company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
Nicholas Sladden (Senior Statutory Auditor) For and on behalf of RSM UK Audit LLP, Statutory Auditor Chartered Accountants 25 Farringdon Street London EC4A 4AB, United Kingdom
16/12/21 Date: …………………….
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## The Ruth Strauss Foundation
## (A charitable company limited by guarantee)
Statement of Financial Activities (Including an Income and Expenditure Account) for the year ended 31 March 2021
||||||**14 March**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||**2019 to 31**|
||**Notes**|||**2021**|**March 2020**|
|||**Unrestricted**|**Restricted**|**Total**|**Total**|
|||**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|
|**Income**||||||
|Donations|**3**|1,152,689|10,000|1,162,689|1,088,625|
|**Total income**||1,152,689|10,000|1,162,689|1,088,625|
|**Expenditure**||||||
|Raising funds|**4**|179,395|-|179,395|91,373|
|Charitable activities|**5**|271,297|-|271,297|407,533|
|**Total expenditure**||450,692|-|450,692|498,906|
|**Net income and net**||||||
|**movement in funds**||701,997|10,000|711,997|589,719|
|**Reconciliation of funds**||||||
|Fund balances brought||||||
|forward at 1 April||589,719|-|589,719|-|
|Fund balances carried
forward at 31 March||1,291,716|10,000|1,301,716|589,719|
19
## The Ruth Strauss Foundation
(A charitable company limited by guarantee) Balance Sheet
As at 31 March 2021 Company Registration No. 11882736
|**Notes**
**Current assets**
Debtors
**8**
Cash at bank
**Creditors: amounts falling due within one**
**year**
**9**
**Net Assets**
**Funds of the charity**
Unrestricted
**11**
Restricted
**12**
**Total funds**|**2021**
**2020**
**£**
**£**
10,065
27,036
1,378,293
926,977|
|---|---|
||1,388,358
954,013
(86,642)
(364,294)|
||1,301,716
589,719|
||1,291,716
589,719
10,000
-|
||1,301,716
589,719|
These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime.
Approved and authorised for issue by the Board of Trustees on 16 December 2021 and signed on its behalf by:
## P A Glyn-Smith
P A Glyn-Smith Trustee
20
## The Ruth Strauss Foundation
(A charitable company limited by guarantee) Statement of Cash Flows For the year ended 31 March 2021
|**Cash flows from operating activities:**
Net cash provided by operating activities
**Increase in cash and cash equivalents in the**
**reporting year/period**
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the
reporting year/period
**Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the**
**reporting year/period**
**Reconciliation of net income to net cash flow from**
**operating activities**
Net income for the reporting year/period
Adjustments for:
Decrease/(Increase) in debtors
(Decrease)/Increase in creditors
Net cash provided by operating activities|**2021**
**£**
**14 March**
**2019 to 31**
**March**
**2020**
**£**
451,316
926,977|
|---|---|
||451,316
926,977
926,977
-|
||1,378,293
926,977|
||711,997
589,719
16,971
(27,036)
(277,652)
364,294|
||451,316
926,977|
21
## The Ruth Strauss Foundation
(A charitable company limited by guarantee) Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 31 March 2021
## **1. Accounting policies**
The Ruth Strauss Foundation is a charitable company incorporated in England. The address of the Charity’s registered office is Unit F Whiteacres, Cambridge Road, Whetstone, Leicestershire, LE8 6ZG.
The charity’s principal activities are disclosed in the Report of the Board of Trustees.
## **Basis of preparation**
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their financial statements in accordance with the accounting policies set out in the notes to the financial statements and comply with the charity’s governing document, the Companies Act 2006, the Charities Act 2011, and Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS102) (effective 1 January 2019).
The Ruth Strauss Foundation meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy. The financial statements have been prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity.
## **Preparation of the accounts on a going concern basis**
The Trustees have considered the effects of the continuing Covid-19 outbreak on the activities of the Charity and do not believe there will be any significant impact given the strong performance. After the year end, The Red for Ruth Test raised over £1,200,000 and, on this basis, and the fact that the charity holds sufficient reserves to meet its forecast liabilities as they fall due, the Trustees consider it appropriate to prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis.
## **Income**
Income including donations, gifts and funds raised from fundraising events are recognised where there is entitlement, it is probable that the income will be received and that the amount can be measured reliably.
22
## The Ruth Strauss Foundation
(A charitable company limited by guarantee) Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 31 March 2021
## **1. Accounting policies (continued)**
## **Expenditure**
Expenditure is recognised when a liability is incurred and is analysed as shown below:
- Costs of raising funds are those costs incurred in attracting donations and legacies,
- and those incurred in trading activities that raise funds;
- Charitable activities include expenditure associated with family support services and
- research services include both the direct costs and support costs relating to these activities;
- Support costs include central functions and have been allocated to activity cost
- categories on a basis consistent with the use of resources e.g. allocating property costs by floor area, staff costs by time spent and other costs by their usage.
Liabilities are classified according to the substance of the contractual arrangement entered into and are stated at their nominal amount.
## **Irrecoverable VAT**
All resources expended are classified under activity headings that aggregate all costs related to that category. Irrecoverable VAT is charged against the category of resources expended for which it was incurred.
## **Fund accounting**
Funds held by the charitable company are:
## _Unrestricted_
These are funds that can be used in accordance with the charitable objects at the discretion of the Board of Trustees.
## _Restricted_
These are funds that can only be used for specific restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for restricted purposes.
## **Pension contributions**
The pension costs charged in the Statement of Financial Activities represent contributions payable into defined contribution employee pension arrangements by the Charity in respect of the year. Differences between contributions payable in the year and contributions actually paid are shown as either prepayments or accruals in the balance sheet.
23
## The Ruth Strauss Foundation
(A charitable company limited by guarantee) Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 31 March 2021
## **1. Accounting policies (continued)**
## **Taxation**
The Company is a registered charity, and therefore is not liable for income tax or corporation tax on income derived from its charitable activities, as it falls within the various exemptions available to registered charities.
## **Cash and cash equivalents**
Cash and bank balances include cash and short term highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition.
## **Financial instruments**
The Charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
## **2** . **Judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty**
In the application of the charity’s accounting policies, the directors are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.
The trustees do not consider any of these judgements or estimations to have any significant effect on the financial statements.
24
## The Ruth Strauss Foundation
(A charitable company limited by guarantee) Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 31 March 2021
|Notes to the Financial Statements
For theyear ended 31 March 2021||
|---|---|
|**3. Donations**
Donations
Gift Aid
Grants
Ashes Day donations 2019
Red for Ruth 2020 Test Match
Donations from other events|**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**2021**
**Total**
**2020**
**Total**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
265,803
265,803
382,252
40,798
40,798
16,188
-
10,000
10,000
15,250
-
-
-
552,423
804,604
-
804,604
-
41,484
-
41,484
122,512|
||1,152,689
10,000
1,162,689
1,088,625|
Of the £1,088,625 income in 2020, no amount was attributable to restricted funds.
|**4. Raising funds**
Staff costs (see note 7)
Fundraising events costs|**Unrestricted**
**2021**
**£**
**2020**
**£**
113,273
-
66,122
91,373|
|---|---|
||179,395
91,373|
|**5. Expenditure on charitable activities**
**Research:**
Donation to Cancer Research
Staff costs (see note 7)
Other staff costs
Support costs (see note 6)|**Unrestricted**
**2021**
**£**
**2020**
**£**
-
326,212
160,033
40,159
6,134
-
105,130
41,162|
|---|---|
||271,297
407,533|
25
## The Ruth Strauss Foundation
(A charitable company limited by guarantee) Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 31 March 2021
|**Support costs**
Accountancy fees
Audit fees
Bank charges
Insurance
IT costs
Legal and professional fees
Sundry
Office costs
Training
Travel and subsistence|**2021**
**£**
**2020**
**£**
6,720
3,300
21,000
19,200
1,659
2,480
1,387
1,218
16,407
1,488
49,984
9,008
50
224
6,711
3,543
594
215
618
486|
|---|---|
||105,130
41,162|
## **6. Support costs**
## **7. Staff and Key Management Personnel**
The average number of employees during the year was 5 (2020: 2).
|Wages and salaries
Social security costs
Pension costs
The number of higher paid employees was:
In the band £70,001 - £80,000|**2021**
**£**
**2020**
**£**
233,774
34,043
22,038
3,710
17,494
2,406|
|---|---|
||273,306
40,159|
||**2021**
**2020**
**No.**
**No.**
1
-|
Neither the Trustees nor any persons connected with them received any remuneration during the year. The key management personnel of the Charity comprise the Trustees and the Chief Executive. The total employment benefits, including employer pension and employer national insurance contributions of key management personnel was £93,619 (2020: £34,248).
No trustees were reimbursed for expenditure during the current year. In 2020, fundraising costs amounting to £3,797 were reimbursed to 3 trustees, purchases amounting to £612 were reimbursed to 1 trustee and travel and subsistence costs amounting to £170 were reimbursed to 2 trustees.
26
## The Ruth Strauss Foundation
(A charitable company limited by guarantee) Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 31 March 2021
|**8.**
**Debtors**
Trade debtors
**9.**
**Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year**
Trade creditors
Other taxation and social security
Other creditors
Accruals|**2021**
**£**
**2020**
**£**
10,065
27,036|
|---|---|
||**2021**
**£**
**2020**
**£**
-
336,158
12,604
2,098
32,258
2,406
41,780
23,632|
||86,642
364,294|
|Included within other creditors is £2,011 (2020: £2,406) of outstanding pension
contributions.
**10. Analysis of net assets**
**between funds**
**2021**
**£**
**2020**
**£**
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**Total**
**funds**
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
Current assets
1,378,358
10,000
1,388,358
954,013
Current liabilities
(86,642)
-
(86,642)
(364,294)
Balance as at 31 March
1,291,716
10,000
1,301,716
589,719
**11. Unrestricted funds**
**2021**
**£**
**2020**
**£**
Balance as at 1 April
589,719
-
Movement in funds in year
701,997
589,719
Balance as at 31 March
1,291,716
589,719|Included within other creditors is £2,011 (2020: £2,406) of outstanding pension
contributions.
**10. Analysis of net assets**
**between funds**
**2021**
**£**
**2020**
**£**
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**Total**
**funds**
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
Current assets
1,378,358
10,000
1,388,358
954,013
Current liabilities
(86,642)
-
(86,642)
(364,294)
Balance as at 31 March
1,291,716
10,000
1,301,716
589,719
**11. Unrestricted funds**
**2021**
**£**
**2020**
**£**
Balance as at 1 April
589,719
-
Movement in funds in year
701,997
589,719
Balance as at 31 March
1,291,716
589,719|Included within other creditors is £2,011 (2020: £2,406) of outstanding pension
contributions.
**10. Analysis of net assets**
**between funds**
**2021**
**£**
**2020**
**£**
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**Total**
**funds**
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
Current assets
1,378,358
10,000
1,388,358
954,013
Current liabilities
(86,642)
-
(86,642)
(364,294)
Balance as at 31 March
1,291,716
10,000
1,301,716
589,719
**11. Unrestricted funds**
**2021**
**£**
**2020**
**£**
Balance as at 1 April
589,719
-
Movement in funds in year
701,997
589,719
Balance as at 31 March
1,291,716
589,719|
|---|---|---|
||1,291,716
10,000|1,301,716
589,719|
|||**2021**
**£**
**2020**
**£**
589,719
-
701,997
589,719|
|||1,291,716
589,719|
27
## The Ruth Strauss Foundation
(A charitable company limited by guarantee) Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 31 March 2021
|**12. Restricted funds**
Balance as at 1 April
Movement in funds in year
Balance as at 31 March
**13. Movement in funds**
**Unrestricted funds**
General funds
**Designated funds**
Openwork Foundation
**Restricted funds**
Training programme
**Total funds**|**At 1 April**
**2020**
**£**
574,469
15,250
-
589,719||**2021**
**£**
**2020**
**£**
-
-
10,000
-|**2021**
**£**
**2020**
**£**
-
-
10,000
-|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||||10,000
-||
||||**Net**
**movement**
**in funds**
**£**
717,247
(15,250)
10,000
711,997|**At 31 March**
**2021**
**£**
1,291,716
-
10,000|
|||||1,301,716|
Net movement in funds, included in the above, are as follows;
|**Unrestricted funds**
General funds
**Designated funds**
Openwork
Foundation
**Restricted funds**
Training programme
**Total funds**|**Income**
**£**
1,152,689
-
10,000
1,162,689|**Expenditure**
**in funds**
**£**
(435,442)
(15,250)
-
(450,692)|**Transfers**
**between**
**funds**
**£**
-
-
-
-|**Movement**
**in funds**
**£**
717,247
(15,250)
10,000|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||711,997|
28
(A charitable company limited by guarantee) Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 31 March 2021
## The Ruth Strauss Foundation
## **13. Movement in funds (continued)**
Details on funds are as follows;
## **Designated Fund:**
**Openwork Foundation** The Trustees have designated a grant received from
the Openwork Foundation to be used towards the emotional support of families with children facing the loss of a parent.
## **Restricted Fund:**
## **Training programme**
Grant received from Merck Sharp and Dohme to be used towards the emotional support programme.
|**Prior year**
**Unrestricted funds**
General funds
**Designated funds**
Openwork Foundation
**Total funds**|**At 14 March**
**2019**
**£**
-
-
-|**Net**
**movement**
**in funds**
**£**
574,469
15,250
589,719|**At 31 March**
**2020**
**£**
574,469
15,250|
|---|---|---|---|
||||589,719|
Net movement in funds, included in the above, are as follows;
|**Prior year**
**Unrestricted funds**
General funds
**Designated funds**
Openwork
Foundation
**Total funds**|**Income**
**£**
1,088,625
-
1,088,625|**Expenditure**
**in funds**
**£**
(498,906)
-
(498,906)|**Transfers**
**between**
**funds**
**£**
(15,250)
15,250
-|**Movement**
**in funds**
**£**
574,469
15,250|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||589,719|
The transfer to the Openwork Foundation has increased the designated fund to ensure future funding commitments can be met.
29
## The Ruth Strauss Foundation
(A charitable company limited by guarantee) Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 31 March 2021
## **14. Related party transactions**
During the current year donations of £4,166 were made to the charity by 5 Trustees. There were no conditions attached to these donations.
In the prior period, donations of £8,000 were made to the charity by 2 Trustees. There were no conditions attached to these donations.
## **15. Post balance sheet event**
A trading subsidiary was incorporated on 9[th] June 2021 called RSFT Limited.
30