Acumen Academy UK
Report of the Trustees and Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2025
Registered Charity No. 1185457
ANDERSON BARROWCLIFF LIMITED Chartered Accountants
Acumen Academy UK
Contents
| Charity information Report of the Trustees Statement of financial activities Balance sheet Notes to the accounts Independent Examiner’s Report |
Pages |
|---|---|
1 2 - 3 4 5 6 – 12 13 |
Acumen Academy UK
Charity Information
| Trustees: | Rebecca Eastmond |
|---|---|
| Sarah Farooq | |
| Duro Oye | |
| David Jeremy Gold | |
| Katherine Osborn | |
| Katherine Parker | |
| Leonie Jarrett – appointed 11 February 2026 | |
| Programme Director: | Benjamin Lane |
| Charity Number: | 1185457 |
| Principal Address: | Acumen Academy UK |
| Somerset House | |
| Strand | |
| London | |
| WC2R 1LA | |
| Bankers | NatWest Bank Plc |
| P O Box 414 | |
| 38 Strand | |
| London | |
| WC2H 5JB | |
| Independent Examiner | Mrs J M Bennett |
| Anderson Barrowcliff Limited | |
| 3 Kingfisher Court | |
| Bowesfield Park | |
| Stockton on Tees | |
| TS18 3EX |
Page 1
Acumen Academy UK
Report of The Council of Management
The Trustees present their report together with financial statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2025.
The Trustees have adopted the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) “Accounting and Reporting by Charities” in preparing the annual report and financial statements of the charity.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in notes to the accounts and comply with the charity’s governing document, 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 published in October 2019.
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
The Charity’s objects are to advance education, development and training of individuals to enable them to work for the benefit of society and deliver progressive social change in communities and organisations. The principal activity is to deliver leadership training through online and residential programmes for those working to create social or environmental change, mainly charities, social enterprises and other purpose-led organisations.
ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE
The charity completed the 2025 UK Fellows Programme, which supported a cohort of 17 Founders, CEOs, and Senior Leaders to strengthen the leadership skills and community networks required to address entrenched social challenges in their communities. Analysis and evaluation of the 2025 UK Fellows Programme evidenced:
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100% of Fellows reported strengthened leadership abilities.
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94% reported improved capacity to achieve organisational goals.
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88% reported deepened social impact within their communities.
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100% stated the Fellowship provides a trusted community that supports their work.
Alongside the core programme, the Charity has continued to strengthen “The Foundry” – a range of opportunities and events for programme alumni. Across our 84 UK Fellows, evaluation of the Foundry in 2025 showed:
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85% of the UK Fellows engaged with at least one Foundry opportunity in 2025, and 54% engaged in three or more.
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55 Fellows engaged in community activities, 22 Fellows access skills-based support, 27 Fellows were showcased across Acumen platforms, and over £750k of funding was unlocked for Fellows via tailored connections.
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Fellows are actively embedding learning from the Fellowship into their wider communities, organisations, and institutions, sharing tools and practices with more than 3,700 people beyond the Fellowship. Over 50% provide mentorship within their communities, and over 40% are training their organisation or community based on Fellowship content.
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Collectively, Fellows’ initiatives have impacted over 3 million lives across the UK:
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Educated over 155,000 young people.
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Trained over 146,000 individuals.
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Established over 7,000 partnerships.
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Enabled over 50% of Fellows to encourage replication or open-source their ideas, with 66% working to influence public policy.
The Charity also completed a successful outreach campaign for the 2026 Fellowship, engaging over 100 partner organisations and speaking directly with more than 250 social leaders to identify potential applicants for the 2026 UK Fellowship cohort.
Alongside this, the Charity partnered with a range of foundations and organisations to design and deliver tailored programmes that build trust and develop transformative leadership across diverse senior leaders in the social sector.
Further details can be found at https://assets.acumenacademy.org/uk-fellowship-impact-report-2025.pdf
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Acumen Academy UK
Report of The Council of Management
FINANCIAL REVIEW
The charity made a surplus of £111,412 (2024: deficit £109,892) during the year on unrestricted funds and surplus of £Nil (2024: £Nil) on restricted funds. The unrestricted funds at the year-end stood at £213,344 (2024: £101,932) and the restricted funds were £Nil (2024: £Nil).
Reserves Policy
Reserves are that part of a charity’s unrestricted funds that are freely available to spend on any of the charity’s purposes.
Acumen Academy UK has the ambition to maintain free unrestricted reserves:
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to provide a level of working capital that protects the continuity of our core work, including the costs associated with the delivery of the programmes.
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to provide funding for possible opportunities.
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
Acumen Academy UK CIO was incorporated on 23 September 2019. The CIO started to operate on 1 January 2020.
Governing document
The Charitable Incorporated Organisation’s governing document is its constitution dated 19 September 2019.
Appointment and Recruitment of Trustees
Other than the first charity trustees, every trustee must be appointed for a term of three years by a resolution passed as a properly convened meeting of the trustees. In selecting individuals for appointment as trustees, the charity has regard to the skill, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO.
Organisational structure
The Trustees hold quarterly Board Meetings where key decisions around governance are made and recorded in the minutes. The day to day running of the charity is dealt with by the Programme Director.
Trustee Statement
In setting our objectives and planning our activities, the trustees have given careful consideration to the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit.
Approved by order of the board of trustees on and signed on its behalf by
………………………………………………………………………………. R Eastmond Trustee
Date: 16/03/2026
Page 3
Acumen Academy UK
Statement of Financial Activities
for the Year Ended 31 December 2025
| 2025 2025 Restricted Funds Unrestricted Funds Note £ £ Income Donations & legacies 2 184,500 212,098 Other trading activities 3 - 19,650 Investment income – interest received - 3,143 Total Income 184,500 234,891 Expenditure Charitable activities 4 184,500 123,479 Total Expenditure 184,500 123,479 Net expenditure for the year / net movement in funds - 111,412 Fund balances brought forward at 1 January 2025 - 101,932 Fund balances carried forward at 31 December 2025 11 - 213,344 |
2025 Total Funds £ 396,598 19,650 3,143 419,391 307,979 307,979 111,412 101,932 213,344 |
2024 Total Funds £ 156,198 - 4,034 160,232 270,124 270,124 (109,892) 211,824 101,932 |
|---|---|---|
The accompanying notes form part of these financial statements
Page 4
Acumen Academy UK
Balance Sheet for the Year Ended 31 December 2025
| Fixed Assets Tangible assets Current Assets Cash at bank and in hand Debtors Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year Net Current Assets Net Assets Funds Restricted Unrestricted Total Funds ………………………………………………………………… R Eastmond Trustee |
Notes 8 9 10 11 ……………. |
2025 £ £ 379 232,862 1,000 233,862 20,897 212,965 213,344 - 213,344 213,344 |
2024 £ £ 1,006 168,686 7,181 175,867 74,941 100,926 101,932 - 101,932 101,932 |
|---|---|---|---|
The accounts were approved by the Trustees on …………………………………………………….
The accompanying notes form part of these financial statements.
Page 5
Acumen Academy UK
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2025
1 ACCOUNTING POLICIES
(a) General information and basis of preparation
The charity is a registered charity in England. The address of the principal office is given in the charity information on page 1. The nature of the charity’s activities are shown in the Report of the Trustees.
The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with 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 (FRS 102) issued in October 2019, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), the Charities Act 2011 and UK Generally Accepted Practice as it applies from 1 January 2015.
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 the 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 (FRS 102 published in October 2019 rather than the accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice effective from 1 April 2005 which has since been withdrawn.
The financial statements are prepared on a going concern basis under the historical cost convention. The charity currently has sufficient reserves to continue in operation. The Trustees therefore believe that it is appropriate to prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling which is the functional currency of the charity, rounded to the nearest £.
The significant accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all years presented unless otherwise stated.
- (b) Income
Items of income are recognised and included in the accounts when all the following criteria are met:-
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The charity have entitlement to the funds;
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Any performance conditions attached to the item(s) of income have been met or are fully within the control of the charity.
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There is sufficient certainty that receipt of the income is considered probable; and
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- The amount can be measured reliably.
Income from other trading activities includes income recognised as earned (as the related goods or services are provided) under contract. There is no netting off within the accounts.
Donations are credited to income as they are received. Grants received are recognised as income for the period which they relate to.
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Acumen Academy UK
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2025
(c)
Expenditure
All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount can be measured reliably. Irrecoverable VAT is included in expenditure against the relevant cost for which the expenditure was incurred. Expenditure is classified under the following headings:-
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Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities. It includes both costs which can be directly allocated to activities and those costs of an indirect nature.
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Support costs are those functions that assist the work of the charity but do not directly undertake charitable activities. Support costs include back office costs, finance, personnel, payroll and governance costs.
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Governance costs are those incurred in connection with compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements.
(d)
Fixed Assets
Fixed assets are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Assets costing less than £500 are not capitalised.
Computer equipment is depreciated on a 33% straight line basis to write off each asset over its estimated useful life.
- (e)
Debtors
Trade and other debtors with no stated interest rate and receivable within one year are recognised at the transaction price.
- (f)
Cash at bank
Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.
- (g)
Creditors
Creditors and provisions 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 and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount.
(h) Fund accounting
General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity and which have not been designated for other purposes.
Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors or which have been raised by the charity for particular purposes. The cost of raising and administering the funds are charged against the specific fund. The aim and use of each restricted fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.
- (i)
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 their settlement value.
- (j)
Pension Costs
The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme for the benefit of its employees and contributions are charged to the SOFA in the year in which they are made.
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Acumen Academy UK
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2025
(k) Going concern
The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis as the trustees believe that no material uncertainties exist. The trustees have considered the level of funds held and the expected level of income and expenditure for 12 months from authorising these financial statements. The budgeted income and expenditure is sufficient with the level of reserves for the charity to be able to continue as a going concern.
2
DONATIONS AND LEGACIES
| 2025 2025 Restricted Unrestricted £ £ Garfield Western Postcode Innovation The Dulverton Trust AB Charitable Trust The Aurum Charitable Trust Symondson 32,000 100,000 30,000 22,500 - - - - - - 20,000 35,000 Segelman Trust - 40,000 J&C Stares - 24,998 The David Cock Foundation - 57,100 Acumen Fund, Inc InThallo Stratton Chase Foundation - - - - 10,000 25,000 184,500 212,098 |
2025 Total £ 32,000 100,000 30,000 22,500 20,000 35,000 40,000 24,998 57,100 - 10,000 25,000 396,598 |
2024 Total £ 32,000 - - - - - 40,000 24,993 50,000 9,205 - - 156,198 |
|---|---|---|
In 2024 £32,000 of the income was restricted, and £124,198 was unrestricted.
3
OTHER TRADING ACTIVITIES
| Collective Leadership Group Structured Mentorship The Segalman Trust CEO Leadership Training |
All Unrestricted 2025 2024 £ £ 250 14,000 3,400 2,000 - - - - 19,650 - |
All Unrestricted 2025 2024 £ £ 250 14,000 3,400 2,000 - - - - 19,650 - |
|---|---|---|
| - |
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Acumen Academy UK
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2025
4 CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES
| Costs directly allocated to activities: Salary costs Pension costs Programme delivery Cohort outreach and selection Acumen Programme Licence & support fees Direct consultancy Support Costs allocated to activities Technology & software costs General costs Rent Other Staff costs Consultancy Insurance Bank Charges Depreciation Governance costs (note 5) Total |
2025 £ 167,692 4,234 82,751 4,819 27,303 - 286,799 1,644 193 4,172 2,884 5,377 215 114 628 5,953 21,181 307,979 |
2024 £ 134,855 5,686 80,692 1,702 - 24,855 |
|---|---|---|
| 247,790 1,342 780 3,226 2,823 7,927 209 85 974 4,968 |
||
| 22,334 | ||
| 270,124 |
In 2024 £32,000 of the expenditure was restricted and £238,124 was unrestricted.
5 GOVERNANCE COSTS
| Accountancy - independent examination - other Legal fees |
2025 £ 3,000 1,435 1,518 5,953 |
2024 £ 3,000 1,578 390 |
|---|---|---|
| 4,968 |
6 TRUSTEE REMUNERATION AND EXPENSES
None of the Trustees received any remuneration from the Charity. No expenses were paid to the Trustees during this year or the previous year.
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Acumen Academy UK
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2025
7 EMPLOYEE INFORMATION
| Staff costs are as follows:- Wages & salaries National Insurance Pension costs |
2025 £ 162,177 5,515 4,234 171,926 |
2024 £ 126,001 8,854 5,686 140,541 |
|---|---|---|
The number of employees whose remuneration (excluding national Insurance contributions) exceeded £60,000 was as follows:-
| 70,001 – 80,000 The average number of employees was:- Direct |
2025 £ 1 2025 3 |
2024 £ 1 2024 2 |
|---|---|---|
Key management personnel
The charity considers the Key Management Personnel to be the Trustees and the Programme Director. The salary of the key management personnel (including pension contributions and employer’s National Insurance amounts to £89,156.
| 8 TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS Computer Equipment £ Cost 1 January 2025 4,082 Depreciation Brought forward 3,075 Charge for year 628 At 31 December 2025 3,703 Net Book Value 31 December 2025 379 Net Book Value 31 December 2024 1,006 9 DEBTORS 2025 £ Other debtors 1,000 |
Total £ 4,082 3,075 628 3,703 379 1,006 2024 £ 7,181 |
|---|---|
Page 10
Acumen Academy UK
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2025
10 CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR
| Trade creditors Accruals Social security and other taxes Other creditors Deferred income |
2025 2024 £ £ 42 3,956 3,102 3,047 3,141 2,938 612 14,000 15,000 50,000 20,897 74,941 |
|---|---|
The deferred income in the current year relates to monies received for a mentoring training programme in 2025 which was not completed until 2026.
The deferred income in the prior year relates to grant funding received relating to the following year.
11 ANALYSIS OF CHARITABLE FUNDS
| Balance | Balance | Balance | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January | Incoming | Resources | 31 December | ||
| 2025 | Resources | Expended | 2025 | ||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||
| Unrestricted Funds | 101,932 | 234,891 | (123,479) | 213,344 | |
| Restricted Funds | |||||
| Garfield Western | - | 32,000 | (32,000) | - | |
| Postcode Innovation | - | 100,000 | (100,000) | - | |
| The Dulverton Trust | - | 30,000 | (30,000) | - | |
| AB Charitable Trust | - | 22,500 | (22,500) | - | |
| Total | - | 184,500 | (184,500) | - | |
| Total funds | 101,932 | 419,391 | (307,979) | 213,344 |
All the restricted funds were to set up the Fellows programme and to provide the training for the 2024 and 2025 cohorts.
12 ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS
| Unrestricted Funds £ Tangible Fixed Assets 379 Current Assets 233,862 Liabilities (20,897) 213,344 |
Restricted Funds £ - - - - |
Total £ 379 233,862 (20,897) 213,344 |
|---|---|---|
13 PENSION COSTS
The charity operates a contributory pension scheme. It is a defined contributions scheme and contributions are charged to the SOFA in the period that they relate to. The charge for the year was £4,234 (2024: £5,686).
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Acumen Academy UK
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2025
14 RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
A trustee of the charity, Rebecca Eastmond is a trustee in The David Cock Foundation and The Segelman Trust, both of which made donations to the charity this year (£57,100 and £40,000 respectively). She also serves on the Acumen Fund Inc global advisory board. A Management charge of £27,303 was paid to Acumen Global in the year. Acumen Academy UK is a regional affiliate of the Acumen Fund Inc and is licenced to administer the Acumen Fellowship and Leadership programmes in the UK.
During the year mentoring payments of £200 have been paid to a trustee, David Gold. This was on normal commercial terms.
No other related party transactions occurred during the year.
Page 12
Acumen Academy UK
Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Charity for the year ended 31 December 2025 which are set out on pages 4 to 12.
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 your charity’s accounts as 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 matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
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1 accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
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2 the accounts do not accord with those records; or
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3 the accounts do 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.
J M Bennett FCA Anderson Barrowcliff Limited Chartered Accountants 3 Kingfisher Court Bowesfield Park Stockton on Tees TS18 3EX
Date: …………………………………………….
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