**REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: CE025388 (England and Wales) REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1194327**
Report of the Trustees and Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2022
for
The Oesophageal Patients Association
Davies Archytas Accountants Ltd 14, The Oaks Clews Road Redditch Worcestershire B98 7ST
The Oesophageal Patients Association
## Contents of the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2022
||Page|
|---|---|
|Report of the Trustees|1 to 5|
|Independent Examiner's Report|6|
|Statement of Financial Activities|7|
|Balance Sheet|8|
|Notes to the Financial Statements|9 to 11|
The Oesophageal Patients Association
## Report of the Trustees
## for the Year Ended 31 December 2022
The Trustees who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 December 2022. The trustees have adopted the provisions of 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) (effective 1 January 2019).
Our organisation is dedicated to raising awareness of oesophageal and gastric cancer and promoting early detection and treatment. In addition, we also focus on educating the public about acid reflux, which is a common condition that can lead to these types of cancers. This annual report outlines our progress and achievements in the past year.
## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES**
## **Objectives and aims**
In setting our strategies and plans, we have referred to the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit, including PB2 2 "Public benefit: running a charity'.
The OPA meets 3 of the 13 charitable purposes recognised by the Charities Act 2011:
the advancement of health,
the relief of those in need by ill health or disability,
the advancement of education.
All services provided to patients, families and carers are free of charge.
The OPA's objectives are defined in its Constitution as:
To alleviate or assist in alleviating the physical or mental distress of any persons affected in any way by oesophageal and gastric cancer and related conditions ("the Conditions") in particular but not exclusively by:
- 1) providing information to those affected by the Conditions.
- 2) raising awareness about the Conditions among those affected and the general public; and
- 3) promoting, encouraging, and collaborating with research projects associated with the Conditions.
## **Significant activities**
Over the past year, we have carried out several activities to achieve our objectives, including:
## **Raising Awareness:**
We have organised multiple campaigns to raise awareness of oesophageal and gastric cancer, and the importance of early detection and treatment. We have collaborated with local health clinics and hospitals to educate the public about the symptoms of these cancers.
## **Education:**
We have provided educational materials and seminars to health professionals about the link between Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux Disease (GORD) and oesophageal and gastric cancer. We have also conducted workshops and seminars for the public to promote awareness of acid reflux, its causes, and how to manage it.
## **Support for patients:**
We have provided support for thousands of patients and their families who are affected by oesophageal and gastric cancer. This includes offering one-to-one buddy services, support groups, and financial assistance to those in need.
Oesophageal cancer is the 7th most common cause of cancer death in the UK and Oesophago-Gastric cancer is the 5th most prevalent cancer in the UK. Since the OPA was founded in 1985, the charity continues to provide help and support to patients, carers and their families by means of free publications and resources and by access to one-on-one support via the OPA cancer support helpline.
The OPA receives no government funding and relies entirely on public support and donations. All OPA publications and resources are provided free of charge to individuals, NHS Hospital Trusts, Macmillan & Maggie's Centres and to private clinics. Several thousand of these booklets are printed each year and in 2022 were updated with the help of Health Care Professionals to provide dietary changes and updates to relevant patient pathways. The OPA facilitates patient and carer Zoom Meetings and 1-2-1 personal consultations with patients, carers, and their families all free of charge.
Page 1
The Oesophageal Patients Association
## Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 December 2022
## **ACHIEVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE Achievement and performance**
## Achievements
We provided one to one support by telephone and Zoom to those who contacted us through our dedicated support help line, email, social media, virtual chat and our Health Unlocked Community forum pages. The website and all our FREE literature are recognised as a respected source of information of the related conditions and treatments currently available. Our literature is requested by Macmillan, Maggie's Centres, NHS Trusts and to patients, carers, and their families.
A key part of the OPA's campaigning work is focused on the prevention of oesophageal and gastric cancer, we continue to work with our partnered organisation Reflux UK who is the leading provider of reflux diagnosis in the UK. Working together the OPA and Reflux UK are focussing on recognising and not ignoring reflux symptoms like persistent heartburn and other symptoms such as regurgitation, hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, sore throat, chest pain, cough, asthma, nausea, and shortness of breath.
By using social media, surveys, and editorial articles we will continue to raise the profile of reflux symptoms with as many oesophageal and gastric cancer sufferers having these symptoms prior to diagnosis. The partnership has been very positive with sharing of information and in the future, we will also be undertaking joint events to try to get this message across. "Don't ignore Acid Reflux and its symptoms."
In November 2022, we launched our third successful Acid Reflux awareness week, which takes place globally and in concordance with Thanksgiving in the USA. Did you know? There are over 65 million people in the UK and it is estimated that over 1 in 10 people suffer from Reflux Disease. Reflux disease can have a terrible impact on a patient's quality of life affecting many aspects of their everyday functioning. For many people, this can be managed effectively with lifestyle changes and/or medication prescribed by their GP such as omeprazole, lansoprazole, and omeprazole (as well as others). However, there are over 2 million people in the UK who do not respond effectively to this treatment and for these people, we want to let them know of the options they can consider to treat their disease.
Our key messages of the campaign were:
## **1) Get Educated**
Reflux is much more than just heartburn. There are so many symptoms that are associated with this disease and we wanted to make as many people as possible aware of this.
## **2) Get Evaluated**
For some patients, diet and lifestyle changes are not enough to alleviate the symptoms and for these patients we wanted to raise awareness of the different tests that patients can have to determine the exact extent of their disease so that the appropriate treatment plans can be offered.
## **3) Get Treated**
We wanted to make sure patients were educated about the different treatment options available to them to have an informed conversation with their GP or Reflux Centre.
We partnered closely with Reflux UK and participated with Astellas Pharmaceutical Company in providing patients to take part in an educational research programme for their staff members. We also contributed to the development of a Oesophageal and Gastric patient App for a smartphone, with Birmingham University Hospital Trust.
We were able to increase our following on social media channels and deliver our best website performances with over one million hits and still rising. In addition, we continue to provide OPA resources to patients, Health Care Professionals, NHS Trusts, Maggie's and Macmillan free of charge along with regular Newsletters and mailshots.
We are very much looking forward to next year's Reflux Awareness week where we will build on the success and learnings from 2022.
Page 2
The Oesophageal Patients Association
## Report of the Trustees
## for the Year Ended 31 December 2022
## **Launch of Teddies/Mental Health**
The OPA have launched a used teddy initiative and we have volunteers who produce clothes and dress them, it's a bit of fun but has been a great success. While teddy bears may seem like a simple and childlike object, they can have a profound impact on mental health and wellbeing.
Teddy bears can be a comforting and soothing tool for people with mental health issues. The soft and cuddly nature of teddy bears can provide a sense of security and calmness during times of stress or anxiety. Holding onto a teddy bear can help to reduce feelings of loneliness and provide a physical reminder of emotional support.
Additionally, teddies can give a person a sense of responsibility and purpose and can provide a positive distraction from negative thoughts or emotions. Some therapists even use teddy bears in their sessions with clients, to help them express their feelings or work through difficult emotions.
## **FINANCIAL REVIEW**
## **Financial position**
We recorded a surplus of £40k for the year ended 31 December 2022.
## **Investment policy**
Our policy is to invest cash resources in a risk-free environment while seeking to maximise the return.
## **Reserves**
We aim to hold sufficient reserves to allow our charity activities to continue even if there is a short-term reduction in our income.
We express our reserves in terms of months of expenditure. To reach our reserves figure, we take our total funds, subtract restricted and designated funds and compare this with our annual expenditure. At 31 December 2022, our unrestricted/undesignated funds were £400k and our expenditure for the year was £204k.
## **Risks**
Our main financial risk is an unexpected reduction in our income. We do not have investments that would traditionally be of high risk. Our funds are held with HSBC.
## **FUTURE PLANS**
Looking ahead, The Charity's aims for 2023:
- 1) to develop further its support of patients, its raising of awareness and pro-activity in the research into oesophago-gastric cancers and their treatment.
- 2) to develop further its services to patients and carers.
- 3) to engage in a national initiative with its partners Reflux UK to explain reflux disease, its consequences and the options for treatment.
- 4) to express the voice of the patient in the determination and monitoring of research programs.
We plan to expand our activities to achieve the following objectives:
## **Increase Awareness:**
We plan to continue our awareness campaigns and to reach out to a wider audience. We also plan to collaborate with other organisations to raise awareness of oesophageal and gastric cancer.
## **Education:**
We plan to expand our educational programs for health professionals and the general public. We also plan to keep people informed about the latest techniques for detecting and treating oesophageal and gastric cancer.
## **Support for Patients:**
We plan to expand our support services for patients and their families, including offering additional one-to-one assistance and extensive online support.
## **Conclusion:**
In conclusion, we have made significant progress in the past year towards our objectives of raising awareness of reflux disease, oesophageal and gastric cancer and promoting early detection and treatment. We are committed to continuing our efforts to achieve these objectives and to supporting patients and their families who are affected by these cancers.
Page 3
The Oesophageal Patients Association
## Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 December 2022
## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT Governing document**
The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust and constitutes an incorporated charity.
The OPA is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation from 1 January 2022, registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (number 1194327) and with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (number SC047560).
The governing document of the charity is its Constitution, adopted at the 2014 Annual General Meeting.
The Committee meets at least twice, and usually six times, a year, but trustees are in frequent contact by phone or e-mail at other times.
## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Registered Company number**
CE025388 (England and Wales)
**Registered Charity number** 1194327
## **Registered office**
Unit 4 Bordesley Hall Farm Barns Storrage Lane Alvechurch B48 7ES
## **Trustees**
J Campolini Chair S Brinkworth J Jankowski W Docherty G Fullarton R P Lumb (appointed 24.3.22) S Rananaware (resigned 18.11.22) J Sultan (resigned 19.4.22)
## **Independent Examiner**
Davies Archytas Accountants Ltd 14, The Oaks Clews Road Redditch Worcestershire B98 7ST
## **Bankers**
HSBC 34 Poplar Road Solihull B91 3AF
## **Patrons**
Fiona Wade Ed Cheong
Page 4
The Oesophageal Patients Association
Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 December 2022
Approved by order of the board of trustees on 27 April 2023 and signed on its behalf by:
J Campolini – Chair
Dated: 27 April 2023
S Brinkworth – Honorary Treasurer
Dated: 27 April 2023
Page 5
## Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of The Oesophageal Patients Association
## **Independent examiner's report to the trustees of The Oesophageal Patients Association ('the Company')**
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31 December 2022.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity's trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 ('the 2006 Act').
Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity's accounts as carried out under Section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 ('the 2011 Act'). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under Section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 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:
1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by Section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or
3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of Section 396 of the 2006 Act 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; or
4. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities (applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)).
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.
Daryl Davies FCCA
Davies Archytas Accountants Ltd 14, The Oaks Clews Road Redditch Worcestershire B98 7ST
27 April 2023
Page 6
## The Oesophageal Patients Association
## Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31 December 2022
|Unrestricted
funds
Notes
£
**INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM**
Donations and legacies
2
208,614
Investment income
3
773
**Total**
209,387
**EXPENDITURE ON**
Raising funds
50,805
**Charitable activities**
Patient Support Booklets
32,078
Newsletters and Mailshots
13,748
Awareness/Reflux
6,110
Patients Meetings and Events
13,748
Help Line
18,330
Grants
51,936
Bed Wedges
10,693
Support Group Development
6,110
**Total**
203,558
Funds introduced from The Oesophageal Patients
Association (Charity No. 1062461)
360,481
**NET INCOME**
366,310
**Transfers between funds**
6
34,427
**Net movement in funds**
400,737
**RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS**
Total funds brought forward
-
**TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD**
400,737|Restricted
funds
£
34,427
-
34,427
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
34,427
(34,427)
-
-
-|31.12.22
31.12.21
Total
Total
funds
funds
£
£
243,041
-
773
-
243,814
-
50,805
-
32,078
-
13,748
-
6,110
-
13,748
-
18,330
-
51,936
-
10,693
-
6,110
-
203,558
-
360,481
-
400,737
-
-
-
400,737
-
-
-
400,737
-|
|---|---|---|
The notes form part of these financial statements
Page 7
## The Oesophageal Patients Association
|Balance Sheet
31 December 2022
Unrestricted
funds
Notes
£
**CURRENT ASSETS**
Cash at bank
400,737
**NET CURRENT ASSETS**
400,737
**TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT**
**LIABILITIES**
400,737
**NET ASSETS**
400,737
**FUNDS**
6
Unrestricted funds
**TOTAL FUNDS**|Restricted
funds
£
-
-
-
-|31.12.22
Total
funds
£
400,737
400,737
400,737
400,737
400,737
400,737|31.12.21
Total
funds
£
-
-
-
-
-
-|
|---|---|---|---|
The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31 December 2022.
The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2022 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.
The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for
- (a) ensuring that the charitable company keeps accounting records that comply with Sections 386 and 387 of the Companies Act 2006 and
- (b) preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company as at the end of each financial year and of its surplus or deficit for each financial year in accordance with the requirements of Sections 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the charitable company.
These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to charitable companies subject to the small companies regime.
The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on 27 April 2023 and were signed on its behalf by:
J Campolini - Chair
Dated: 27 April 2023
S Brinkworth – Honorary Treasurer
Dated: 27 April 2023
The notes form part of these financial statements
Page 8
The Oesophageal Patients Association
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2022
## **1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES**
## **Basis of preparing the financial statements**
The financial statements of the charitable company, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) '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) (effective 1 January 2019)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Companies Act 2006. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.
## **Income**
All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.
## **Expenditure**
Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.
## **Taxation**
The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.
## **Fund accounting**
Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.
Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.
Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.
## **2. DONATIONS AND LEGACIES**
|Donations
Gift aid
Legacies
Grants
Grants received, included in the above, are as follows:
Grants|31.12.22
£
169,180
1,319
65,379
7,163
243,041
31.12.22
£
7,163|31.12.21
£
-
-
-
-
-
31.12.21
£
-|
|---|---|---|
continued...
Page 9
The Oesophageal Patients Association
## Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 December 2022
## **3. INVESTMENT INCOME**
||31.12.22|31.12.21|
|---|---|---|
||£|£|
|Interest|773|-|
## **4. TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS**
There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 31 December 2022 nor for the year ended 31 December 2021.
## **Trustees' expenses**
There were no trustees' expenses paid for the year ended 31 December 2022 nor for the year ended 31 December 2021.
## **5. COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES**
|**NET INCOME**
**TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD**
**6.**
**MOVEMENT IN FUNDS**
**Unrestricted funds**
Other
**Restricted funds**
Other
**TOTAL FUNDS**
Net movement in funds, included in the above are
**Unrestricted funds**
Other
**Restricted funds**
Other
**TOTAL FUNDS**|At 1.1.22
£
-
-
-
as follows:
Incoming
resources
£
209,387
34,427
243,814|Unrestricted
funds
£
-
-
Net
movement
in funds
£
366,310
34,427
400,737
Resources
expended
£
(203,558)
-
(203,558)|Restricted
Total
funds
funds
£
£
-
-
-
-
Transfers
between
At
funds
31.12.22
£
£
34,427
400,737
(34,427)
-
-
400,737
Gains and
Movement
losses
in funds
£
£
360,481
366,310
-
34,427
360,481
400,737|
|---|---|---|---|
continued...
Page 10
The Oesophageal Patients Association
Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 December 2022
## **7. RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES**
There were no related party transactions for the year ended 31 December 2022.
Page 11