Trustees’ Annual Report for the period From 01/01/2023 Period start date To 31/12/2023 Period end date
Charity name: Innocence Project London
Charity registration number: 1190617
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference |
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| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | The Innocence Project London (IPL) provides students with the opportunity to review and investigate cases of convicted individuals who have maintained their innocence but have exhausted the criminal appeals process. The aim of our work is to submit an application to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) on behalf of our clients. The CCRC is an independent body which reviews possible miscarriages of justice in the United Kingdom. In order for the CCRC to refer a case back to the Court of Appeal they need to identify new evidence, or a new legal argument not identified at the time of the trial, that might have changed the whole outcome of the trial if the jury had been given a chance to consider it. The IPL supports convicted individuals to make these applications pro bono, filling a gap in the criminal legal system where there is limited funding for lawyers to undertake this work. |
| Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts. |
Para 1.17 and 1.19 |
· By providing administrative and expert support in collaboration with other public bodies to convicted individuals whose convictions may be unsafe; · By making submissions to the Criminal Cases Review Commission on behalf of individuals who claim to be wrongfully convicted or who have suffered a miscarriage of justice; · By creating awareness about wrongful convictions and miscarriages of justice in England and Wales; · By creating awareness of issues concerning the disclosure of evidence post-conviction through conducting research and by publishing useful |
| results; and · By promoting education and conducting research into areas of criminal law. |
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| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit |
Para 1.18 | The trustees have complied with the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit and are fully aware of the charity’s objects and purpose. The trustees have fulfilled their duties with the public benefit of IPL in mind at all times. |
| Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |
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| SORP reference |
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| Policy on grant making | Para 1.38 | The IPL is not a grant-making charity and does not have a policy on grant making. |
| Policy on social investment including program related investment |
Para 1.38 | The board of trustees are continuing to explore social investment as a vehicle for fundraising and will have a policy in place in 2024. |
| Contribution made by volunteers |
Para 1.38 | During the reporting period, 100 lawyers from Weil, Gotshal & Manges (London) LLP provided 1000 hours of pro bono legal support with the case assessment process. The IPL was also supported by 3 lawyers working pro bono alongside students providing support to the active cases. |
| Other |
Achievements and Performance
| SORP reference |
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| Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole. |
Para 1.20 | In the reporting period the charity has: March 2023 - hosted the IPL annual symposium online which was attended by 100 people Oct 2023 - fundraising drive for International Wrongful conviction day which raised awareness of our work Jan – Dec 23 - worked on five cases and submitted two applications to the CCRC. Five individuals received work on their claim to innocence that otherwise would not be able to afford it. Nov 23- the IPL provided written submissions to the Law Commissions review of the appeals process. |
Additional information (optional)
| Additional information (optional) | Additional information (optional) | Additional information (optional) |
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| You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: | ||
| Achievements against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | As a new charity with only four trustees for almost the entirety of the reporting period, IPL did not set specific objectives. |
| Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | We achieved our fundraising target for 2023 through wrongful conviction day. |
| Investment performance against objectives |
Para 1.41 | N/A |
| Other |
Financial Review
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | |
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| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | |
| Amount of reserves held | Para 1.22 | |
| Reasons for holding zero reserves |
Para 1.22 | N/A |
| Details of fund materially in deficit |
Para 1.24 | N/A |
| Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern |
Para 1.23 | N/A |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising) |
Para 1.47 |
The IPL will resume it fundraising in 2024 and will seek funding from grants for research and clinical legal education work. |
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| Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted |
Para 1.46 | N/A |
| A description of the principal risks facing the charity |
Para 1.46 | N/A |
| Other | N/A |
Structure, Governance and Management
| Description of charity’s trusts: |
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| Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter) |
Para 1.25 | The IPL is governed by a formal Constitution and registration with the Charities Commission which is subject to formal regulations in England and Wales. |
| How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO) |
Para 1.25 | The IPL is structured as a CIO and is governed by a formal Constitution document that outlines the following: · Objectives and powers · Application of income and property · Benefits and payments to charity trustees and connected persons · Scope and powers permitting trustees' or connected persons' benefits · Conflicts of interest and/or loyalty · Charity trustees · Eligibility for trusteeship · Decision making powers · Meeting protocols |
| Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees |
Para 1.25 | · Trustees are appointed in a standard interview process by at least three Board members. · Apart from the first charity trustees, every appointed trustee must be appointed by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees. · In selecting individuals as appointed trustees, the trustees must have regard to the skills, knowledge, and experience for the administration of the CIO. · A trustee ceases to hold office if he or she: 1. Retires by notifying the CIO in writing (if enough charity trustees will remain in office when notice of resignation takes effect to form a quorum for meetings) 2. Is absent without permission from the charity trustees, from all meetings held within six months and the trustees resolve that his or her office be vacated |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees |
Para 1.51 |
The charity trustees may delegate any of their powers or functions to a committee or committees, and, if they do, they shall determine the terms and conditions on which the delegation is made. The charity trustees may alter those terms and conditions or revoke the delegation. |
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| The charity’s organisational structure and any wider |
Para 1.51 | N/A |
| network with which the charity works |
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| Relationship with any related parties |
Para 1.51 | The Innocence Project London is based at the University of Greenwich which also provides office space and ad hoc administrative support to the project whose students undertake the work. |
| Other |
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | Innocence Project London |
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| Other name the charity uses | |
| Registered charity number | 1190617 |
| Charity’s principal address | Queen Mary 219 University of Greenwich, Park Row, Greenwich SE10 9LS |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Cairns | 09/12/21 | |||
| Gurvir Gill | 09/12/21 | |||
| Alexa Curtis | 01/07/24 | |||
| Lisa Helfer | 09/12/21 | |||
| Nuala Walsh | 09/12/21 | |||
| Rossana Rocchini | 01/07/24 | |||
– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved
Director name Louise Hewitt
| Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity | Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity | Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity |
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| Trustee name | Dates acted if not for whole year |
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Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others
Description of the assets held in this capacity
Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets
Additional information (optional)
Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of Name Address adviser
Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)
Exemptions from disclosure Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details
Other optional information
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature(s) Full name(s) Nuala Walsh Lisa Helfer Position (e.g., Trustee Trustee Secretary, Chair, etc) Date 21/10/2024
| Charity Name Innocence Project London |
Charity Name Innocence Project London |
Charity Name Innocence Project London |
1190617 | 1190617 | CC16a | |
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| For the period from |
1/1/2023 | To | 12/31/2023 | |||
| Section A Receipts and payments | ||||||
| to the nearest £ A1 Receipts Paypal donation transfer 320 CAF donation 450 Makinga musical donation 250 Amazon Europe credit 22 1,042 - - Sub total - Total receipts A3 Payments Wix website(Sept) 158 Board secretaryAlison Kenyon(Dec) 153 Meal for interns(Dec) 42 Innocence Network conference ticket(Dec) 396 - - - Sub total 749 - - Sub total - Total payments 749 Net of receipts/(payments) - 749 A5 Transfers between funds - A6 Cash funds last year end - 8 Cash funds this year end 293 Unrestricted funds Sub total(Gross income for AR) A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) |
to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Restricted funds |
to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Endowment funds |
Total funds to the nearest £ 320 450 250 22 - - - - 1,042 - - - 158 153 42 396 - - - - - 749 - - - 749 - 749 - - 8 5 |
Last year to the nearest £ |
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Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Categories B1 Cash funds B2 Other monetary assets B3 Investment assets B5 Liabilities B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees |
Details Details Details Details Details Signature Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) |
to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - - 293 - OK OK to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - Cost (optional) - - - - - Cost (optional) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Print Name Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Fund to which asset belongs Fund to which asset belongs Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) |
to nearest £ Endowment funds |
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| Date of approval |
Nuala Walsh 18-Qct-24 Li8a H&lf&r 21-Oct-24