Charity Number: 1184873
## **THE DASHLIGHT FOUNDATION**
**(Charitable Trust)**
## **REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
**for the year ended 31 March 2024**
**UNAUDITED**
## The Dashlight Foundation
## Annual Report and Accounts for the Year Ended 31 March 2024
|**CONTENTS**|**_page_**|
|---|---|
|Trustees' Annual Report|_1 - 4_|
|Independent Examiner's Report|_5_|
|Statement of Financial Activities|_6_|
|Balance Sheet|_7_|
|Statement of Cash Flows|_8_|
|Notes to the Accounts|_9 - 14_|
## The Dashlight Foundation
## Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 March 2024
The Trustees present their report along with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2024. The Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out on page 9 and comply with the charity’s trust deed, the Charities Act 2011, and Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP).
The charity is a Public Benefit Entity.
## **Structure, Governance and Management**
The Dashlight Foundation was established on 23 May 2019 by the settlors, Owen and Jacqueline Clarke and its governing document is a deed of trust. It is a registered charity no. 1184873.
The power to appoint additional Trustees rests with the settlors during their lifetime. Should new Trustees be appointed, a formal induction process would be carried out. Other training is undertaken as and when appropriate. The Trustees must meet at least once per year.
The Trustees award grants based on the criteria within the objectives of the charity. There are no employees of the charity, and the Trustees are responsible for the overall management and control of the charity’s activities.
**Trustees** Owen John Clarke Jacqueline Paula Clarke Bethany Ellen Clarke (resigned 2 September 2023) Dominic Hugh Clarke Hannah Patricia Clarke
**Principal Office Independent Examiner Bankers** Flat G A. C. Rodaway CAF (Charities Aid Foundation) 49 Wellington Street HPH Chartered Accountants 25 Kings Hill Avenue LONDON 54 Bootham Kings Hill WC2E 7BN YORK West Malling YO30 7XZ KENT ME19 4TA
## **Risk management**
The Trustees have a number of policies in place which are reviewed and updated periodically. These include donation making guidelines and policies covering overseas donations, conflicts of interest, investment, trustees’ expenses, and safeguarding. The Trustees have considered the major strategic, business, and operational risks which the charity faces and consider that appropriate systems and processes are in place and reports are produced to monitor and mitigate these risks.
## **Objectives and activities**
The Foundation allocates funds for general charitable purposes. It does so by supporting a range of charitable organisations with the following main areas of focus:
- Promotion of mental health and wellbeing, and projects that alleviate deprivation in communities, across the UK.
- Relief of issues arising from poverty, anywhere in the world.
- Protection of environmental habitats, including wildlife conservation and support for biodiversity.
- Support for refugees.
- Support for charitable activities in Yorkshire for the benefit of the public in Yorkshire.
These areas of focus are not exclusive and other areas may be considered from time to time.
1
## The Dashlight Foundation
## Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 March 2024
## **Public benefit**
In meeting the objectives, the Trustees have given careful consideration to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit and judge that all donations made meet this guidance. All grants are listed in note 4 on page 11.
## **Our approach**
The Trustees use their own research and experience to decide which charitable organisations should benefit from funding. They will also selectively consider grant applications (preferably by email).
Most of our grants are to charities which are established, but relatively small, where we believe our support can make a meaningful difference and those running the charity are close to their charitable activities. However, Dashlight occasionally supports larger charities if we believe they have a material impact in one of our areas of focus.
We seek to identify charities which we are enthusiastic to support and then empower them to identify their priorities and how best to deliver them. We therefore aim to make the process by which the Trustees review applications for funding as streamlined as possible and we normally provide unrestricted funds, rather than funding a specific project.
We often provide further grants to charities which we have supported previously, typically following a review of a short report from the charity around the anniversary of our previous grant. During the year, we successfully implemented a policy of providing selected charities, where we have high conviction, with improved visibility of future funding by providing commitments of up to 5 years’ grants, subject to limited conditions.
We are grateful for the hard work and commitment of those working in the charities we support and aim to be mindful of our position of power in making judgements over funding their activities in an environment where many of them face fundraising challenges, cost pressures and rising demand. We are also committed to considering ways to address the potential risks in supporting charities active in developing countries and we encourage the involvement of local communities in charities’ operational activities and their governance and strategic decision making.
## **Achievements and performance**
During the year we supported 16 charities with donations totalling £300,110. This is a little lower than the prior period but is in line with our aims. All donations we made during the year were to charities we have supported previously. We provided multi-year grant commitments to 10 of these charities, and also to a further 3 since the end of the financial year. We anticipate that we shall continue to make donations in the region of £300,000 to £500,000 per annum and in the year to 31 March 2025 we do anticipate providing grants to a small number of charities which we have not previously supported. The following summarises our grants during the year:
Community and wellbeing Environment and conservation Global poverty Refugees
2
## The Dashlight Foundation
## Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 March 2024
## **Achievements and performance (continued)**
## Environment and Conservation
We continue to identify and support a select group of environmental and conservation charities, which together received 45% of the funding we provided during the year. Their activities range from climate action, supporting wildlife and habitat conservation (including marine wildlife and habitats) and addressing the demand for products of trade in wildlife, to improving agricultural land and water availability for communities in parts of Africa.
## Community and Wellbeing
We provided grants to four charities which support individuals in their local communities who are facing challenges arising from deprivation or poor mental health.
## Refugees
We also provided grants to three charities which provide support to refugees either in Europe or across the world.
## Global Poverty
We provided grants to two charities which provide training or resources to communities where income levels are very low, particularly in Africa. The work of a number of the Environment and Conservation charities which we support also have a material focus on improving the prospects of the local communities where they operate.
## Yorkshire
Two of the charities we supported in the area of Community and Wellbeing are Yorkshire based.
## **Financial review**
The Foundation’s income dropped by 91% this year to £86,769 (2023: £938,029), due to the absence of share donations, which were valued at £780,271 in 2023. As a result, this year’s income came solely from interest and dividends (2023: £157,758).
Total expenditure fell by 19% to £310,440 (2023: £384,922), mainly due to a decrease in grants paid to £300,111 (2023: £376,026). Charitable grants accounted for 97% of the expenditure, with the remaining 3% allocated to support costs.
During the year, the value of investments held by the Foundation increased by £567,652 to £2,475,512. It would be inappropriate to highlight this without equally noting the reduction in the value of investments in the prior year! 77% of the value of investments held is represented by shares in Admiral Group PLC. This is a high concentration, but the Trustees are satisfied that this is mitigated by a number of factors:
- The business and management team is very well known to one of the Trustees.
- The business has a number of risk factors, but also has attractions including a strong management team and strong market position and attractive dividend yield.
- The shares increased in value very substantially for the settlors prior to being donated to the Foundation and therefore arguably the performance of the shares over a longer period than they have been held by the Foundation has contributed to the value of the investment which is now available for the Foundation’s charitable activities.
Notwithstanding these considerations, it is the intention of the Trustees to progressively reduce its investment in Admiral Group PLC.
3
## The Dashlight Foundation
## Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 March 2024
## **Financial review (continued)**
At the end of March 2024, the Foundation held cash of £238,943, which represents greater than 6 months’ expenditure on charitable activities.
## **Reserves policy**
It is the policy of the Trustees to maintain unrestricted funds at a level sufficient both to maintain an active ongoing grant-making programme, as well as to fund future commitments which might be entertained or entered into. The reserves policy is reviewed annually.
## **Plans for the future**
The Trustees will continue to invest the trust capital in order to generate a regular return of income.
## **Trustees’ responsibilities in relation to the financial statements**
Law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the charity’s financial activities during the year and of its financial position at the end of the year. In preparing those financial statements, the Trustees are required to:
- Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- State whether applicable accounting standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed subject to any 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 charity will continue in operation.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations and the trust deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Approved by the Trustees on 29 November 2024 and signed on their behalf by:
Owen J Clarke Jacqueline P Clarke Trustee Trustee
4
## Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of The Dashlight Foundation
I report to the Trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Trust for the year ended 31 March 2024.
This report is made solely to the charity’s trustees, as a body, in accordance with section 154 of the Charities Act 2011. My independent examiner’s work has been undertaken so that I might state to the charity’s trustees those matters I am required to state to them in an independent examiner’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, I do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity, the charity’s members as a body and the charity’s trustees as a body for my independent examiner’s work, for this report, or for the opinions I have formed.
## **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 Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 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 which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
1. accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
2. the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
3. the accounts did 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.
Adrian Rodaway, BA, FCA, BFP, DChA HPH, Chartered Accountants 54 Bootham YORK YO30 7XZ
29 November 2024
5
## The Dashlight Foundation
## Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31 March 2024
|**Income from:**
_Note_
Donations and legacies
_2a_
Investment income
_2b_
Other income
_2b_
**Total income**
**Expenditure on:**
Charitable activities
_3_
**Total expenditure**
**Net gain/(losses) on investments**
**Net income and net movement in funds**
**Funds brought forward 1 April 2023**
**Funds carried forward 31 March 2024**
_10_
**Net income/(expenditure) and net movement in funds**
**before gains on investments**|**2024**
**£**
-
78,342
8,427
86,769
310,440
310,440
(223,671)
567,652
343,981
2,367,528
2,711,509
£|**2023**
**£**
780,271
149,914
7,844|
|---|---|---|
|||938,029|
|||384,922|
|||384,922|
|||553,107
(327,777)|
|||225,330
2,142,198|
|||2,367,528
£|
All funds are unrestricted and derive from continuing activities.
The notes on pages 9 to 14 form part of these accounts.
6
## The Dashlight Foundation Balance Sheet at 31 March 2024
|_Note_
**Fixed assets**
Investments
_8_
**Current assets**
Cash at bank and in hand
**Creditors: amounts falling due within one year**
Creditors and accruals
_9_
_11_
**Funds of the charity**
Unrestricted
**Total net assets**
**Net current assets**|**£**
**£**
2,475,512
238,943
238,943
2,946
235,997
2,711,509
£
2,711,509
£
**2024**|**£**
**£**
1,907,860
462,500
462,500
2,832
459,668
2,367,528
£
2,367,528
£
**2023**|**£**
**£**
1,907,860
462,500
462,500
2,832
459,668
2,367,528
£
2,367,528
£
**2023**|
|---|---|---|---|
||||462,500
459,668|
|||||
||||2,367,528
£|
|||||
||||2,367,528
£|
Approved by the Board of Trustees on 29 November 2024 and signed on their behalf by:
Owen J Clarke Jacqueline P Clarke Trustee Trustee
The notes on pages 9 to 14 form part of these accounts.
7
## The Dashlight Foundation Statement of Cash Flows for the Year Ended 31 March 2024
|**£**
**£**
**Cash flows from operating activities:**
**_Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities_**
(310,326)
**Cash flows from investing activities:**
Dividends, interest and rents from investments
86,769
Purchase of investments
-
**_Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities_**
86,769
(223,557)
462,500
238,943
£
**Reconciliation of cash flows from operating activities**
**2024**
**£**
**_Net income for the reporting period_**
343,981
**Adjustments for:**
(Gains)/losses on investments
(567,652)
Dividends, interest and rents from investments
(86,769)
Increase/(decrease) in creditors
114
**_Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities_**
(310,326)
£
**Analysis of cash and cash equivalents**
**2024**
**£**
Cash in hand
238,943
**Total cash and cash equivalents**
238,943
£
**At**
**01/04/2023**
**£**
Cash
462,500
**Total**
462,500
£
**Analysis of changes in net debt**
**2024**
**_Change in cash and cash equivalents in the_**
**_reporting period_**
**Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the**
**reporting period**
**Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the**
**reporting period**|**£**
**£**
128,707
157,758
(1,280,271)
(1,122,513)
(993,806)
1,456,306
462,500
£
**2023**
**£**
225,330
327,777
(157,758)
(266,642)
128,707
£
**2023**
**£**
462,500
462,500
£
**At**
**Cash-flows 31/03/2024**
**£**
**£**
(223,557)
238,943
**2023**|**£**
**£**
128,707
157,758
(1,280,271)
(1,122,513)
(993,806)
1,456,306
462,500
£
**2023**
**£**
225,330
327,777
(157,758)
(266,642)
128,707
£
**2023**
**£**
462,500
462,500
£
**At**
**Cash-flows 31/03/2024**
**£**
**£**
(223,557)
238,943
**2023**|
|---|---|---|
||**Cash-flows **
**£**
(223,557)||
|||462,500
£|
|||**2023**
**£**
225,330
327,777
(157,758)
(266,642)|
|||128,707
£|
|||**2023**
**£**
462,500|
|||462,500
£|
|||**At**
**31/03/2024**
**£**
238,943|
||(223,557)
£|238,943
£|
8
## The Dashlight Foundation Notes to the Accounts for the Year Ended 31 March 2024
## **1. Accounting policies**
## **a) Basis of accounting**
These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019), and the Charities Act 2011 and UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice.
The Dashlight Foundation constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note(s).
The financial statements have been prepared to give a "true and fair view" and have departed from the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 only to the extent required to provide a "true and fair view". This departure has involved following Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standards applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019).
The Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the Charity has sufficient resources to be able to continue in existence for the forseeable future and that they therefore believe that the going concern basis of accounting is appropriate in the preparation of the accounting statements.
## **b) Donations, legacies and similar income**
Donations, legacies and similar income are shown in the accounts when receivable and the value of the incoming resources can be measured with sufficient reliability.
## **c) Expenditure**
All expenses are accounted for on an accruals basis and includes the irrecoverable element of Value Added Tax. Support costs are apportioned on a percentage of the grant activity.
Charitable activities are those activities which are undertaken to meet our charitable objectives. See note 3.
## **d) Debtors**
Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid.
## **e) Cash at bank**
Cash at bank and in hand includes cash and any short-term deposit accounts with a maturity of three months or less from the opening date.
## **f) Creditors**
Creditors are recognised where the Charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors are recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discount due.
9
## The Dashlight Foundation Notes to the Accounts - Continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2024
## **g) Funds**
Unrestricted funds are funds which can be used in accordance with the charitable objects at the discretion of the Trustees.
## **h) Taxation**
The charity is exempt from tax on its charitable activities and is not registered for Value Added Tax. Wherever possible, Gift Aid is recovered on cash donations.
## **i) Investments**
The investments are included in the accounts at fair value at the year end. The SOFA includes the net gains and losses on investments arising on revaluation at the year end and on disposals throughout the year. Realised gains and losses on sales of investments are calculated as the difference between the sale proceeds and opening market value. Unrealised gains and losses represent the movement between market values.
## **2. Income from:**
## **a) Donations and legacies**
|Dividends receivable
**Total income**
Donation of shares
Interest receivable on interest-bearing accounts
**b) Investment income**|**2024**
**£**
-
78,342
8,427
86,769
£|**2023**
**£**
780,271|
|---|---|---|
|||149,914
7,844|
|||938,029
£|
## **3. Charitable activities**
|Community and wellbeing
Environment and conservation
Global poverty
Refugees
Yorkshire|**£**
87,500
135,000
35,000
42,611
-
300,111
£
**Activities**
**Undertaken**
**Directly**
**(see note 4)**|**£**
3,011
4,646
1,205
1,467
-
10,329
£
**Support**
**Costs (see**
**note 5)**|**Total**
**£**
90,511
139,646
36,205
44,078
-
310,440
£|**2023**
**£**
75,750
174,022
56,301
68,612
10,237|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||384,922
£|
10
## The Dashlight Foundation
Notes to the Accounts - Continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2024
## **4. Grants paid or payable**
|Registered Charity No.
1115989
Greece
1101441
284934
512987
1158697
Greece
1135192
1112425
1074559
512422
1094478
USA
1118191
Africa
1064185
1194177
280437
224776
USA
**Total**
Vetlife
WildAid
Tools for Self Reliance
Greenpeace Environmental Trust
Kirkwood Hospice
Legs4Africa
Lighthouse Relief
Route One to Wellness
Painted Dog Conservation UK
PhysCap
Sand Dams Worldwide Ltd
The Exodus Project
The Honeyguide Foundation
Build It International
Centro Folce Municipal
The Shark Trust
Tiyeni
Saving the Blue
Mustard Tree
Children on the Edge|**2024**
**£**
20,000
5,182
20,000
-
-
15,000
17,429
30,000
12,500
15,000
-
25,000
10,000
20,000
20,000
20,000
25,000
-
25,000
20,000
300,111
£|**2023**
**£**
30,000
20,000
25,000
10,000
5,000
15,000
22,026
30,000
24,000
20,000
5,000
30,000
10,000
20,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
10,000
-
25,000|
|---|---|---|
|||376,026
£|
11
## The Dashlight Foundation
## Notes to the Accounts - Continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2024
## **5. Support costs**
|**5. Support costs**
**Governance costs**
Accountancy fees
Independent examiner's fees
**Other costs**
Bank charges
Subscriptions
Investment fees
Other
**Total expenditure on support costs**|**2024**
**£**
2,154
744
2,898
185
-
2,000
5,246
7,431
10,329
£|**2023**
**£**
2,250
752|
|---|---|---|
|||3,002|
|||197
-
1,997
3,700|
|||5,894|
||||
|||8,896
£|
No staff were employed during the year (2023 - None).
## **6. Payments to Trustees**
## **a) Trustees' remuneration and benefits**
None of the Trustees have been paid any remuneration or received any other benefits from the Charity.
## **b) Trustees' expenses**
Trustees' expenses of £2,246 were reimbursed to Dominic Clarke in the year ended 31 March 2024 (2023 - £nil).
## **7. Related party transactions**
There have been no transactions with persons or entities that are closely connected to the charity or its Trustees.
## **8. Fixed asset investments**
|**8. Fixed asset investments**
**9. Creditors and accruals**
Accruals
**Total**
Market value as 1 April 2023
Additions
Revaluation
Market value at 31 March 2024
All investments are UK listed assets|**2024**
**£**
1,907,860
-
567,652
2,475,512
£
**2024**
**£**
2,946
2,946
£|**2023**
**£**
955,366
1,280,271
(327,777)|
|---|---|---|
|||1,907,860
£|
|||**2023**
**£**
2,832|
|||2,832
£|
12
## The Dashlight Foundation
## Notes to the Accounts - Continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2024
## **10. Movement in funds**
|**Brought**
**forward**
**Income**
**£**
**£**
Unrestricted funds
2,367,528
86,769
**Total**
2,367,528
£
86,769
£
**Comparative year**
**Brought**
**forward**
**Income**
**£**
**£**
Unrestricted funds
2,142,198
938,029
**Total**
2,142,198
£
938,029
£
**11. Analysis of net assets between funds**
Fixed asset investments
Current assets
Current liabilities
**Net assets at 31 March 2024**
**Comparative year**
Fixed asset investments
Current assets
Current liabilities
**Net assets at 31 March 2023**|**Expenditure**
**£**
(310,440)
(310,440)
£
**Expenditure**
**£**
(384,922)
(384,922)
£|**Gain on**
**investment**
**£**
567,652
567,652
£
**Gain on**
**investment**
**£**
(327,777)
(327,777)
£
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**£**
2,475,512
238,943
(2,946)
2,711,509
£
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**£**
1,907,860
462,500
(2,832)
2,367,528
£|**At 31 March**
**2024**
**£**
2,711,509|
|---|---|---|---|
||||2,711,509
£|
||||**At 31 March**
**2023**
**£**
2,367,528|
||||2,367,528
£|
||||**Total funds**
**£**
2,475,512
238,943
(2,946)|
||||2,711,509
£|
||||**Total funds**
**£**
1,907,860
462,500
(2,832)|
||||2,367,528
£|
13
## The Dashlight Foundation
## Notes to the Accounts - Continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2024
## **12. Contingent liabilities**
As at the year-end 31 March 2024, the charity has committed to multiple year grants between 3 - 5 years, ending 31 March 2028.
The potential remaining liability of these commitments is £629,858. These commitments will be paid out of the unrestricted reserves held.
All mutiple year grants are subject to certain conditions and annual assessments. As a result, these commitments have not been provided for.
14