REGISTEREDCHARITY NUMBEK. 1198577 rtof Daudited Fin*tIll Ststt e Yur EDded 30 A ril 2025 for The Grant Considine Parmership artcred Aeeountsrtls 46 High Street Banchory Abtrdecn5hire AB315SR
Iktter Contellts of ihe Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 A ril 2025 Report of the Trusttts Independent Examltter's Rewjrt Staternent ofFiDAncI AdiTritie5 BalaDce Sheet Notes to th¢ FI¢11 &atements 9 to l2 Detailed Statement of Fillallci Acti>ities 13
tktter Grn rt of the Trnstees for the Year Ended The trusttt4 preseni their rert with the rtnancial &tstema)ts of the charity for the year ended 30 April 2025. The trustees have adopt the w)wsions of Accounting and ReIng by ChaTities." Stalernent of Recommended Practice applicable tts rharities pryaring theÈr accounts in [dre wilh the Finarbcial Rep)ning Standard applicable in the UK and Rq)llblic of Ireland {FRS 102) (effective l January 2019). ORIECTIVES AND ACTtVlTIES Objective5 8nd aims The obje¢is of the LBSG as laid in its SElf110 are Jvancc the lU10n of the public in the heritage and history. developrnenl and mainithantt of letter t)Xe5 in the UThid KÈThgdo and Brttssh letter btsxe5 worldwide where they are found Ineluding by.. Maintaintng the only MprehL1ve data base of the 115J(KJ rrA(Lside lrtter iKXts including t(Katio sty1< , rnonarchical cipher. and rdriry Providing educational inforniatiort iheCIO'5 website and Sfxial media chate1& rt¢wsJ#tff, meetings. publication% email divu>sions and picwre sharin8 WoTking collabordiively particularly with ROY Mail and The Po1 Museum. their hars and succ50r5. on heritage issu4 including thrgh hthge mtttings chred by th¢ CIO. and io help 5UPFrf)rt the p)licy agreement of Roya] Mail and En81ish Heritsge on the ¢onserv*ion of roadside letter F#)xes Providing tducational matetials for the use of Sch15 and infornal educaion orgar)i5ations on the history of the df5ign of and 50ciai communications through roadside Its box& Page I
Stud Grou rt of the Trn for the Y r Ended 30 A ACHIETrTMENTS AND PERFoRLNCE Charitable activities Publi¢ Benefit The TnJs1ees have r the Charity COMMI.$ guidance on publir benefit. Under their Guidanct the Gr(wp fuifils its Public Benefit requiraneni paniculady through w>iThts 2. 3. and 4 of its CX)jLXLs as stated on the prthious page, artd IhTough its Gerttrdl Etwuiries fility a¥lable10 the wbli¢ on its website. MeThbersbip Al Ihe 518rt of the yedr the GThip a membership of 516. and on 30 April 2025 membeyship lMMI at 486. It is disappointing that for the firt time since betoming a Charitsble Irkrraled Organisation in 9022 our m¢mbeTship nurnbers have fa]len. MO interts1 groups are finding J¢ difficulr 10 rruit Th¢w rnemkrs and 3re 105ing members ea¢h ytgr through aging. and the LBSG in no exeeption. This Wds a parti¢ularly sad ycar as amongs1 the members who died w&% the last survivor of the three fowiding rnembers of the Box Study Group. Ron Hall. who died on 10 Seplembcr. R)n had bttn the Group's Proideni since 1997. New5ktter This wa% a difficult year for the Group a4 its New51¢rt¢r. Wly. our Editor SIre 2(N)8. Sirnon Vaughan Winter. passed away in Sq)iember 2024. For 16 Y Simon pruCed a NewsJateT thai was extrnnely well-rtsyecied and always of the highest qU21¢y. We were delighted when Sieve Johnwn offered io take on the role. and he has achieved what looked ai firs1 to be almost impossible - io tske over an extremely well-regarded and p)pular publiClon and put his own stamp on it. thereby ensuring that it ewolvth into sOmh1ng that will k qllally rtspected and thimj in yors to com¢. As alway& the four quarterly ditions were in fllll ¢olour. The eonitht l<aJled ?40 A4 page8 and ihe usual btoad range of topics were covttd varying widely th apwoach refirfting to the fvll the many letter knx-r¢latd subjecis that interest membtrs. Meetings Th rneetings wtte held in the year. The fjrt was held at Ardlcy with Fewcott in Oxfordshire on I l May 2024. The AGM look place at HarnNon Bi%hop. near Herefttd on 12 (ktotrrtr ?0?4 and this w&$ followed by our annual vtrtua] medin¥ via Zoom on 18th January 2025. Sixty memlKrs joitled In from all cornersof the UK and overwb. PublitOon$ A wide ranuye of publications are available to members with an order forni alwring in cach NLnvSlff. The Group's fla8ship full-colour Guide 10 Bntish Lener &Jxts %tsnds" & ?8 Secti(mi sup[1n8 Iht Guide is a comprehensiv¢ seTi¢S of 46 Sjnart Viewing Not¢&. The Dirtttory is the LBSG database of Ix>x typts 2nd their l(Kalions and Is available to metnbers in fllll, noTrnally supplia iM)th Excel and lexi files on USB memw stick. Printed li¥ts offering a wide range of Ihre¢tory exlracis are also available. The R¢gisler of PATrx Typts reaehed Versi ?? during the year. Copies of Newsletters 1-188 available on USB rn0ry ick. &upp(wted by the free Index io Newsld14¥& awailable in seeiion& nutnbers 1-113 and 11194. The matthals rbew membeT5 re1ve in their wd¢ome packs now inclu 'Be¥inn¢rfs Ltttff Box¢s" Guide. a 24 page full colijur A5 rornpiled in 2024 by Steve Johnson. Website The LBSG welbite continuts 10 tsffcr infornaiion to visitoys and is on irnFKbrtani recniitmffit tool. There w3S thQrnOUS public Interest in the fiTs1 Charles Ill letteF iK)xes whieh wer¢ Introduc during the yedr, and these were cover&4 extensively on the webs'lte. The fi CIIIR pillar knx unNeiled in Gre& CarniK>urne. C2mkndgtrhire in July 2024. This w&s followed from March 20?5 onwards by &maller lamp all over ihe county. Royal Mail's solar-ptsw¢red 'POs1box of the fijiure. which accys parc¢ls a5 well as lette[5 wa5 unveiled in ApTiI ?025 atKI this wa5 featured too. Work lo develop the website furthtt is on8oin8. Social Media We recogni4¢ fully the imwrtare of mla as a mvdns of Ching and tslu¢ating the public about letteT boxe thereby fulfjlling tsne of our tljblit Benefii obligaiionk artd eniicing some of them 10 Fttome [nbers. Isla Kthnedy manages our Facebook. In&tsgraJn. and X vtry successfully wth regular KM)SLS covering a wide range of them&s. She 14 supported by meTnbeTS who make their phoio8fdphs available. a[ then join in the diseu%sions that follow. Post PX Working Group The Group'% Inforniation Offiru. Paul Snellin& chairs this W(Kking Group attended by the LBSG. Royal Mail and The Postal Museum. It 1% a N'fry usefijl foTurn for the exchange of infornli0n re]aiing to letter boxts and a]lows us to highlight impottsnt matters and k¢¢ps up lo dt on Royal Mail's manag¢tn¢nt of Iheir tx ¢5tate. The Group met twice durtng the yw. with more infornjal cot)thtt by all in-trth¢rn tim Page 2
er Stud Gro
rt of the Trustees
r the YÈ4r Ettded 30 A
ril 2025
Email Diseussion Group
The LBSG Mailing List is a forum wa ernail which allows members io discuss 8t)ythJng relem¢ to the LBSG and to
share photowhs. Its orig]ns can be tracal back to May 1999 and it remains rM)pular ever. During the year 81
different membLTS rnade 9.824 rKNin8S to the Mailing Li&.
The DITtdOry
The Directory is the LBSG'S fully
tter BOK Stsd Grou rt of the Trustees for the Year Ended FINANCIAL REVIEW Financial p05itioD The fin3nrial statemen15 for the yedr ended 30 April ?5 art for L¢ttff Box Study GTOUP ChariLqble Incorporated (kganisation's third year. (hjr 51lb[P(iM year is slightly differcni ar runs from l June to 31 May annually. Since 2013 Cyril Parsons had xted as the LBSG'S l]Wdent EAatnin¢r. As adwsed in last ycaes report Cyril had IndIted his desire io retire from this role ai (WT ?024 Annua] General Meetin& ar ai their meeting held on 6 Apnl 2025 the Trusleel de¢ided io appoint Grdni Considine. a flrn) of accountanL% trt in kn¢hory, AkTdeenshire. as the Group'% Independent Examiner. They are exlent In the p¥OlS14)n of this service io charities and would be able io complete their Work to meet the timefiwDr we had 5pecificd. The Tesults forthis ycar can k summarised follows: 2025 2024 tk)naiions & le82cies (hher tr2din¥ a¢liviti Inve%ltnent income Total income Cost4 of raising funds Newsletter Memtrs' meeting5 Group adrninistration Governance Total Expenditure 20.138 1.768 17,397 261 20,608 1.472 11.671 428 22247 11.498 320 8,1( 21.922 20W7 Net SuWu51{Deficit) 325 (29) We ended the year with a gna]1 surplus of £325: this compares io a small def11 of LY) la4 time. Total in¢orne was £22.247, £1.639 more than la yedr. Donions show a &IlfienI Incrse. This is due lo our Teceiving the proceeds of the sale of item5 from mtmFr Alan Instone'% Collecti of leller boxes and as5(Kiaied objects. Ii was Alan's wish that the prttd$ of £1.450 thould donattd to the Group. This sum has been transfe into a deSited fund which will be used in conneaion with our 5(hh annivetsary in 2016 The salas figure of £1.768 is the nomial level we see. Note thai last yvdr's £2.950 w&$ woy mu¢h high than uyjal. by sevcral MeMbS buying a 13r¥e nwnb¢r of tIOnS of our Gllide 10 Britibh Letter Boxd. Gift Aid coniinues to protride o signifi¢ant and wdcome source of income. as dots. ea5yfimdraising- are lan1¢ tthefits of our bmning a CIO. Total expenditure was £?1.922. an increase of£1 285. At year end we held £1.875 of NVI stamps which we had bought in the past ahead of Royal Mail price Incre&f¢k ThRie will make up part of the cost of Newsldter irt the futur< eushioning u% from the full iJnpacl of current Prices. Websiie and iniemd to&t& due to the rising costs of our technology and cornmuniearion $yemS. Thts Is our bigge4 and most IMFrn1 area of expenditure after the Newsletter. Our rr Officer Andrew W Y4yJng monit(Ks these costs closely. Recent cybet-¥tta¢ks Thajor TdaileTS highlighi% the need for our SyemS to secure 2nd fully [rrable. Included within our expenditure for the fiN time as 'Goveman¢e' is the IthdettndetEt Examinrfs fee of £(00. Reserves policv Re%ervts tyf the charity arc th part of the that are freely a11¥b]e aTwJ eKcludL4 iIM)se re4ricd fvnds and those funds which could only realised by the diyk%al of fixed held for the chaniy's use. Reservts at 30 April 2025 were £20.783. The level of reKTh'es * 30 April 9025 are considerts4 to b¢ sati5fa¢¢ory. The Tnte5 ensure that rt%ervts are available to mttt ihc obliga¢ion of&ll Testrid&l fun¢ts. FufuRE PLAr4s The LBSG is approaching ihe 5(Xh anniv<ary of its f(Tha11 in 1976 and the Twatts a formulating plans to celebrate thJ& significant rnil¢stone. At the same time it hId Ix noted that it ha5 borne a1rn05t impossible to find Me[nrS who are prqmred io als1 in the running of the Group and sevffal roles are not fjlled. The existittg Trustees are having to undertake additional tasks EO ensure the GrP can Cottiioue to opttate. Ihis situation is unsustainable and the trus1& would ur8e members. io Come forward who are willing to assi and cnsure the Gmup can continue to prosper beyond its Golden Jubilee in 2026_ Pa8e4
tud Re rt ofthe Trnstees forth Y srRUCTURL GOVERNAfCE AND MANAGEME Governing do¢ument The charity is controlled by its 8ovcrnin8 knumenu thtcort4ituiion. and is acharitable (hganisation. Retruitment and appointmeDt of trnsttts The maximum number of Charity Trustets L$ 12. The minimum numixr of Charity Trustees is 3. At each AGM one third of the trustees shall retire from office by rotstion. The vxancies arising may filled by the 710n of the members * the AGM. REFERENCE AL¥D ADIIIINISTRATIVE DETAILS Registered Charity number 1198577 Prinopal #ddr 7 &)w Close Newport Shropshire TFIO 7GR Trnsttts Andrew R Young. Chairnan and Aaing Treaqwer P2uI Snelling- Viee Chrn Valerie Scoll- Secrary Wayne E Cox {wigned 7.9.24) Steve JOhnn (apwinted 12.10.241 Isla M Kennedy SiTnon Vaughan Winter (resigned 25.9.24) Andrew W Young IDdependent Eiaminer The Grant Considine PaAncr5hip Chartered Accountants 46 High Street Banchory Aberdeenshire AB315SR Bankers TSB Bank PIC 30-31 Long Causeway Peterborollgh PEI IXP Approved by orderof the tM)ard of tru5c5 on 31 July 2025 and sigrKd on its lthlf by: AndTeW R Young. TnLee
dent Examin the Trnst Indepeodent tMiner'S report io the trnstees of tAt¢r Stsdy Group E report to the ¢harity trustees on my examiTthon of the acewthLS of LLer Study Gn)up (the Trust) for the year ended 30 April 2025. Responsibiliti¢5 ad basi5 of report A5 the charlly Injstth of the Tru you are respMsible for the pr4xrion of the accounts in a¢¢ordan¢e with the requirements of thr Charitics Act 2011 I'thc Ad.). I report in re5pea of my esamirtation of the Tnjst's a¢wJnts ried 1 undet Section 145 of the Act atld in Carrying out my examination I have followed all appli¢able Thrcdions sYven by the Charity Commission under Sedion 14515Xb) of the A¢t. llld¢pertdeut exarniner's statement I have completed my uarninaiion. I confirn) that no [nl] martus have corrK to my anl1(Al in connection with the examination 8tvin8 me eause to belteve that in any mat¢Yia] rtrJTr.. accounting rLroTds were kcpl in re5peei ofthe Trust as rcquiral by knion 130 of the ACL or the aceounts do accord with those recordK OT the accounts do n(rt comply with the applicable requirements ron¢Ing the fonn *Jd cffit¢¥)t of accounts stt out in the Charities (Accounts and RerA)rtsl Regulation5 21KJ8 other than arty rquiremcni that the )llnts give a trne and fr Triew which is a matter ¢(KIdered as pan of an lndWdt examin10. I have no concems and have Come across no other matttrs in Conrction with the exarnination to which att110n should be drawm in this ryrt in (thr lo enable a prow un(knthding of the actOUn¢sto be r&iched. YA L_J Louise A Considin< MA., C.A The Grant Considine Partnership Chanered Ac¢ountants 46 High Street Banchory Aberdeenshire AB315SR 31 July 2025
er tte for the Year Ended 30 A 1712025 2025 2024 Totsi funds Unrestrict fLmds No INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM Donation% and legacies 20.138 17,397 (hher trading aciiviii Inv¢strnenl income 1.768 2,950 261 Tot 20.608 EXPENDITURE ON RAising funds 1284 1,472 Ch8ritabk ttivitio Newslrtter Group Administrdtion MemFKrfs Meetings 11.498 8.160 320 11,671 428 Totsl 21.922 20.637 NET INCOMEIIEXPENDITUREI 325 (29) RECONCILIATION OF FLNDS Total funds brought forward 21.088 21.117 TOTAL FUNDS CARIUED FORWARD 21,413 21,088 The notes fom part of thes¢ finan¢ia]
Balance Sb A ril 2025 2025 UnTesXriagJ fvnts 2024 Total funds Not FIXED ASSETS Tanb]e &ss¢ts 630 814 CiWiEP4T ASSETS Siock5 Debiors Cash at bank and in hand 2.435 3262 16,187 4,858 2.714 15.422 21.884 22,994 CREDITORS Amounts failing due within (xle year (i.ioi ) (2.720) P4ET CLWIENf ASSETS 20,783 20,274 TOTAL ASSETS LESS CLRRENT LIABILITIES 21.413 21,088 NET ASSETS 21.413 21,088 FUNDS UnTewided fund5 io 21.413 21.088 TOTAL FUNDS 21.413 21.088 Th¢ financial atement5 were aN>roved by the knrd of TnCeS and aLrthiSed for issue on 31 July 21)25 aThd were signed on its behalf by.. Andrew R Young- Tte Valerie Scott- Truet The not& fonn part ofthcse fit)2ncial stst•wits
.F¢S1 Si¢ethettts for the Year Ended 30 A ril 2025 STATUTORY IP4FORMATION Letter Box Sbjdy Group is a Charitable InCortl (kgan15ation ICIOI and is registered in England. The harity'5 registered nurnber and regiAered office can k found in the R¢f¢mtt and Athninistralion Dthails section of the Re{ of the TnJste£& The presenlOn ¢urreTKy of the fin8rtial stements isthe PoLllKI SlI1ng 1£). ACCOUNTING POLICIES is of ply]g the 6nxDchi sttements The financial 51aternents of Ihe chariiy. which is a blaC btnefil eniity widtt FRS 102. have been prepared in aceordanee with the Charities SORP {FRS 102) 'Accounting and Rer]ft8 by CharitiL%: Stai¢ment of RmTnedtd Praciice applicable io charities preparin8 their accounts in accordan with the Financial Rq>orting Siandard applicable in the UK and iiepublie of Ireland IFRS 10?) {effedive l January 20191,, Financial Repming Standard 102 The FiTwKiai Re&Ing Siandard arvlicable in the UK and Republi¢ of Irelad, and the Chariiies Ad 20II. The fjnaneial ¢AatemaiLS have been prwd under the historical cost convention. Financial reporting standard IOZ- reduced dls¢lfywre eA¢PtiOnS The charity has taken advanuge of the following disclosijre exemptions in prtwing these financial staiemfflL% &$ pemitied by FRS 102 ryhe Finarttiai RryrtIng Standard applicable in the UK and Republie of treland: the requirements of Sethion 7 S¢atemet)i of Cash Ho the requiretneni of paTagTaph 3.17ldl,' the requirements of parawhs 11.42. 11.44, 11.45, 11.47. 11.48(aXiiil I1.4HaXiv). I l.48lbl 11.48{c). Incom¢ All income is recolSed in the SeMent of Financi A¢tivilie5 onc¢ the charity h&s eniiilema)i ts) the fund& 1¢ is probable that the income will be re¢¢ived aT the amount Measu reliably. Cash donations are reColsed on reeeipt. (Mher thutions are once the charity has bttn notified of the donation. unles f¢[man conditions rquire defer of ihe amount. Income tax re£ovrtTrle in relation to th)nations received undttGift Aid or deeds ofcovthant is rt¢ogDisryJ al the lime of the donatLOn. Other trading income is measured the fair value of the g)nsidtrion received (r rwavable and rcprcsents arnounts received for provid&1 int he nomul COUT5e of i5]neS ExtDditur¢ Liabiliiics are re£ognised &s extnditwe a5 there Is a legal constructive obligotion eommitting the charity to that exndIture. It 15 probable that a trdnsfer of economie Fthtfits will requimj ir) settletnent and the amount of the obligation can k me[ed reliably. Exp"ture Is acwwil¢d foT on xcruals b&sis and has been cla&sified undtr headin. th>¢ aggrcwe all COA related io the caie80ry. Where costs ¢a]moi be dircctly attributed to F#rti¢ular heading5 they have ten allocaied 10 xtikitits on a wisint with the use of Tangible fixed &sset5 Tangible tixd are ated at C05t ( decmed co) less accumulat1 dwiatson and accumulated irnpairment1055ts. DelatIOn is proThithd at the followin8 annual rates in orderto wrile ff each &%%¢t ov(¥ its e5timed useful life. - 33Yo on co Computer Equipment Individual fixed assets tt61ing £21KI or more arr capitiSed at LX)sL Pag¢ 9 LX)niinud...
tes to tbe Financial StstemtUts- LYJDtinued for the Year Endtd 30A ril 2025 ACCOLwfiNG POLICIFS- eontilllled Stocks SIKks are VUed * th¢ lowff of co and net realisable Val after makiTh8 due allowance for ob501ete and slow moving items. Taxtio Theeh2rity is exempt from tax w its dwitable xlilieS. Fund Unre&tyicied funds. can be used in accordance the duritablc obiectivesai the diwtion of the trustee5. lie*nded funds can only be usd for p8Jticular restrietLyl within the objects of the chartty. Restrictions aThse whcn specifjed by the don or when fun. ar¢ r4i5ed for particular purFK>5t& Further explanation of thc nature and purpx ofexh is includoj in the to th¢ financial statements. OTHER TRADING AcfiviTIES 2025 2024 Sales 1.768 2.950 IP4VESTMENT INCOME 2025 2024 DeEKbSit aceount inLW¢ 341 261 TRUSTEES. REMUP¥ERATIOY AND BENEFITS Thffe were no tnjstets, rrmuncrdtion or other bttjefits for the year endd 30 Awil 2025 nor for the year end 30 April 2024. Trusttts. expenses There were no trUSts, expenses forthe yr4retKkd 30 Awil 2025 nor for the yearetKkd 30 April 2024. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS Comwt uipmeni WdM"te Totsis COST Ai l May 2024 Additions fh7 i.liy) .776 610 At 30 April 2025 l.(K¥8 1.318 2.386 DEPRECIATION Ai l May 2024 Charge for ycar 222 356 740 438 962 794 At 30 April 2025 578 1.178 1.756 NET BOOK VALUE AI 30 April 2025 490 630 At 30 April 2024 445 369 814 Pa8¢10 continued...
Notes to the FIDaD¢1 Statsments- eoptinued for the Year E A rll 2025 STOCKS 2025 2024 Stocks 1435 4.858 DEBTORS: AMOLTrTS FALLING DUE wrfHIN ONE TrEAR 2025 2024 OtheT debtor5 Prepaymfflls 1,593 1263 3262 2.714 CREDITORS: AMOLwfs FALLING DUE WITHIN OWE YEAR 2025 2024 Other Creditors. 2.720 Deferred income represents membuship sub<ripttons T(1Val in advarC for the next fancial year. 2025 2024 IkfeTrvJ income br(yJght forward Movement during year 776 io. MOVEMENf IN FtThYDS Net movcmeni irt funds Transfers we£*) At 30.4.25 Ai 1.524 funds L'nre5tricted hnds Genetal fwid Designated fiuld 21.088 325 (1,450} 1,450 19.963 1.450 ?1.088 325 21.413 TOTAL FU.YDS 71.088 325 21.413 Net movema)t in fijnds, iD¢ludcd thc above arc as follows: Incoming TIrceS Resourtts exwd Movernent In fund Ullrestrkted fuNd$ General fund 22247 {21.922) 325 TOTAL FUNDS 22247 {21.922} 325 Pag¢ll continued...
Stud Grn the Finantial S xt for the Year Epd&30 A ril 2025 tied MOVEMENT IN FUNDS. Comp4rative5 for mowemeDt Ill fuDds Net rnowemtt)i in fund5 Ai 30.4.24 At 1.523 Unrestritted General fund 21,117 (291 21.(Yd8 TOTAL FUNDS 21.117 {29) 21.088 Comparativ¢ rtel TTh)vemcnt in fund% iThclutsl in th¢ aiK)ve are as follows.. Incomin8 MOVcnt in funds Unrestrl¢ted fuDds Gffleral fund 20.608 {20,6371 (29) TOTAL FUNDS 20.608 (20.6371 (29} Deslgnated Funds De5ignaied fijnds are fund5 sd aside for theehan.ws 5(Xh anniv<Tsary commemcntion. TerS betweeD f•Ads Dunng the year £1.450 wis transfuTryJ from general funds to deSIgned fimds. This repr¢%¢nLS donation5 received from the sale of doned items. The B02Td have dccithd these f5 will i designated for use in the ornIng 50th anniversary tomm¢morative projeei. RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES ThtTe W¢Te no related party tranwti(¥LS forthe ycarcndd 30 A1 2025. 12. VLTIMATE CONTROLLING PARTY Throughthjt the pwiod the charity w&$ ¢tl]rd by the trUet& 13. GOING CONCERN At the time of approwng the financial *atemeni& the Truste£s have a reasonable exFtttstion that the charity has adequate rwr¢es to continue in the foreseeable furure. Thus tru&ee5 Continue Jjopt ihe 80in8 coneem b&s'Js of accounting in prep2nog financial ststemetlts. Page 12