2025-07-31-accounts - Little Acorns

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 1199902

Little Acorns

Unaudited Financial Statements

31 July 2025

Jackson & Jackson A trading name of Jackson Nicholas Assie Ltd Chartered Certified Accountants & Statutory Auditors Suite 7, Meridian House 62 Station Road, Chingford London E4 7BA

Little Acorns

Financial Statements

Period from 2 August 2024 to 31 July 2025

	Page
Trustees' annual report	1
Independent examiner's report to the trustees	6
Statement of financial activities	7
Statement of financial position	8
Statement of cash flows	9
Notes to the financial statements	10

Little Acorns

Trustees' Annual Report

Period from 2 August 2024 to 31 July 2025

The trustees present their report and the unaudited financial statements of the charity for the period ended 31 July 2025.

Reference and administrative	details
Registered charity name	Little Acorns
Charity registration number	1199902
Principal office	34 Norwich Crescent
	Rayleigh
	Essex
	SS6 9QR
The trustees
	Matthew Baker
	Bernard Chant
	Paul Wilkins
Independent examiner	John Assie FCCA
	Suite 7, Meridian House
	62 Station Road
	Chingford
	London
	E4 7BA
Bankers	CAF Bank
	25 Kings Hill Avenue
	Kings Hill
	West Malling
	Kent
	ME19 4JQ

Jackson Nicholas Assie Limited Chartered Certified Accountants

Little Acorns

Trustees' Annual Report

Period from 2 August 2024 to 31 July 2025

1. Structure, Governance and Management

Little Acorns is a CIO UK-registered charity governed by a Constitution adopted in August 2022. It is run by a board of three trustees who meet regularly to oversee the charity’s activities and ensure that its objectives are met. All trustees are unpaid.

Day-to-day activity is managed by the Chair, Matthew Baker, who volunteers full-time and travels regularly to Cambodia to coordinate directly with our local partners.

2. Objectives and Activities

Charitable Objectives:

Little Acorns exists to relieve poverty, advance education, and support vulnerable children in Cambodia, primarily through funding grassroots local organisations.

Key Activities in the Year:

Continued support for the Future Light Organization (FLO), covering core operating costs and launching a Sponsor a Child programme.
Funding the running costs of FLO, including food, clothing, in-house education, school supplies for children in Phnom Penh.
Development of welcome packs for prospective donors of their new ‘Sponsor a Child’ programme and quarterly updates for sponsors.
Initiated relationships with potential supporters via BritCham, the British Embassy in Phnom Penh, UK-based businesses and maintaining a close relationship with Matthew Baker’s former employer (and colleagues) of Howden Broking Group
To re-engage with businesses we have developed previous relationships with, such as Forte Insurance in Cambodia.
‘Inspire for the Future’ event (Dec 2024), where all three trustees together with staff from FLO visited 6 schools in some of Cambodia’s poorest provinces. The aim was to inspire children from primary & secondary schools to value education and realise there are great opportunities with a good education behind them. This involved presentations, a team building event and badminton lessons to approximately 400 children.
To invite the president of FLO, Nuon Sothero to the U.K. provide three presentations discussing his life, from a 5-year-old in a Khmer rouge workcamp through to being president of FLO. The events will take place in London, Eastbourne and Wimbledon.

3. Achievements and Performance

Raised £24,692 during the year.
Delivered presentations in Cambodian schools reaching 400 children (Inspire for the Future).
Enhanced the charity’s social media presence.

Jackson Nicholas Assie Limited Chartered Certified Accountants

Little Acorns

Trustees' Annual Report

Period from 2 August 2024 to 31 July 2025

4. Financial Review

Total income: £24,692 (2024: £37,261)
Total expenditure: £25,933 (2024: £28,031)
Closing bank balance: £7,978 (2024: £13,520)
Deficit for the year (£1,241) (2024: surplus £9,230)

Little Acorns maintains a no-expenses model, with all operational costs personally covered by the trustees, which includes IT and digital services costs. 100% of donated funds are directed to charitable activities.

5. Reserves Policy

As a small charity, Little Acorns aims to maintain a modest reserve equivalent to 2–3 months of the current monthly amount donated to FLO. No paid staff or overheads exist in the UK. Or Cambodia.

Overall reserves of the charity at the end of the reporting period are £7,989 (2024: £9,230), all of which were unrestricted. The charity does not have a restricted fund reserve.

6. Plans for the Future

To Launch the Sponsor a Child programme while Matthew Baker is in Cambodia during August 2025, aiming for 20 active sponsors.
Increase total donations to £50,000 per year.
Deepen engagement with UK and Cambodian-based businesses for long-term partnerships. This has become even more achievable as Matthew Baker has now taken early retirement to focus full time on charitable work, with support from the British Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia.
Establish links with the British Chamber of Commerce in Singapore, following an introduction offered to Little Acorns and develop a long-term relationship with British businesses based there. Matt Baker will also visit the Howden Broking Group’s Singapore office and present to their APAC teams.
Explore the feasibility of inviting families or groups of colleagues from Singapore to visit Phnom Penh and see our work firsthand.
Replicate the above initiative in Hong Kong, following an introduction to a firm wishing to support FLO via a registered charity. An initial in-person meeting is planned to take place in Phnom Penh November/December 2025.
Strengthen monitoring and evaluation processes in partnership with FLO.

Jackson Nicholas Assie Limited Chartered Certified Accountants

Little Acorns

Trustees' Annual Report

Period from 2 August 2024 to 31 July 2025

7. Public Benefit Statement

In accordance with the Charities Act 2011, the trustees affirm that all activities conducted by the Little Acorns deliver clear public benefit. The trustees are committed to ensuring that every aspect of work aligns with the principles of public benefit. To ensure this happens the trustees review the guidance on public benefit as prescribed by the Charity Commission.

Trustees Responsibilities
(a) the trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations and in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice;
(b) charity law requires the directors must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the surplus or deficit profit or loss of the charity for that period;
(c) in preparing the financial statements the trustees are required to:
(i) select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
(ii) make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
(iii) State whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
(iv) prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business.
(d) the trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the company's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy al any time the financial position of the charity and that enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act;
(e) the trustees are responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities; and
(f) where appropriate, the trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charity's website.

Each of the persons who are trustees at the time when the report is approved, the following applies:

(a) so far as each trustee is aware, there is no relevant information (information needed by the company's independent examiners in connection with preparing their report) of which the company's independent examiners are unaware; and

(b) each trustee has taken all the steps that he ought to have taken as a trustee in order to make himself aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the company's independent examiners are aware of that information

Events after the end of the reporting period

Particulars of events after the reporting date are detailed in note 17 to the financial statements.

Jackson Nicholas Assie Limited Chartered Certified Accountants

Little Acorns

Trustees' Annual Report

Period from 2 August 2024 to 31 July 2025

The trustees' annual report was approved on 5 November 2025 and signed on behalf of the board of trustees by:

Matthew Baker Trustee (Chair)

Jackson Nicholas Assie Limited Chartered Certified Accountants

Little Acorns

Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Little Acorns

Period from 2 August 2024 to 31 July 2025

I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Little Acorns ('the charity') for the period ended 31 July 2025.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the trustees of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).

I report in respect of my examination of the charity's financial statements 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 giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
the financial statements do not accord with those records; or
the financial statements 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.

John Assie FCCA Independent Examiner Jackson Nicholas Assie Limited Chartered Certified Accountants Suite 7, Meridian House 62 Station Road Chingford London E4 7BA

6 November 2025

Jackson Nicholas Assie Limited Chartered Certified Accountants

Little Acorns

Statement of Financial Activities

Period from 2 August 2024 to 31 July 2025

		Period from 2 Aug 24 to	Period from 2 Aug 24 to	Year to
		31 Jul 25		1 Aug 24
		Unrestricted
		fundsTotal funds		Total funds
	Note	£	£	£
Income and endowments
Donations and legacies	4	24,667	24,667	37,232
Investment income	5	25	25	29
		`────────`	`────────`	`────────`
Total income		24,692	24,692	37,261
		`════════`	`════════`	`════════`
Expenditure
Expenditure on charitable activities	6,7	(25,933)	(25,933)	(28,031)
		`────────`	`────────`	`────────`
Total expenditure		(25,933)	(25,933)	(28,031)
		`════════`	`════════`	`════════`
		`────────`	`────────`	`────────`
Net (expenditure)/income and net movement in funds		(1,241)	(1,241)	9,230
		`════════`	`════════`	`════════`
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought forward		9,230	9,230	–
		`────────`	`────────`	`────────`
Total funds carried forward		7,989	7,989	9,230
		`════════`	`════════`	`════════`

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.

The notes on pages 10 to 15 form part of these financial statements.

Jackson Nicholas Assie Limited Chartered Certified Accountants

Little Acorns

Statement of Financial Position

31 July 2025

		31 Jul 25	1 Aug 24
	Note	£	£
Current assets
Cash at bank and in hand		7,989	13,520
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year	12	–	(4,290)
		`───────`	`────────`
Net current assets		7,989	9,230
		`───────`	`───────`
Total assets less current liabilities		7,989	9,230
		`───────`	`───────`
Net assets		7,989	9,230
		`═══════`	`═══════`
Funds of the charity
Unrestricted funds		7,989	9,230
		`───────`	`───────`
Total charity funds	13	7,989 `═══════`	9,230 `═══════`

These financial statements were approved by the board of trustees and authorised for issue on 5 November 2025, and are signed on behalf of the board by:

Matthew Baker Trustee

Paul Wilkins Trustee

Type text here

The notes on pages 10 to 15 form part of these financial statements.

Jackson Nicholas Assie Limited Chartered Certified Accountants

Little Acorns

Statement of Cash Flows

Period from 2 August 2024 to 31 July 2025

	31 Jul 25	1 Aug 24
	£	£
Cash flows from operating activities
Net (expenditure)/income	(1,241)	9,230
Adjustments for:
Other interest receivable and similar income	(25)	(29)
Accrued (income)/expenses	(1,410)	1,410
Changes in:
Trade and other creditors	(2,880)	2,880
	`───────`	`────────`
Cash generated from operations	(5,556)	13,491
Interest received	25	29
	`───────`	`────────`
Net cash (used in)/from operating activities	(5,531)	13,520
	`═══════`	`════════`
Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents	(5,531)	13,520
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	13,520	–
	`────────`	`────────`
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	7,989	13,520
	`════════`	`════════`

Jackson Nicholas Assie Limited Chartered Certified Accountants

Little Acorns

Notes to the Financial Statements

Period from 2 August 2024 to 31 July 2025

1. General information

The charity is a public benefit entity and a registered charity in England and Wales and is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. The registered address is 34 Norwich Crescent, Rayleigh, Essex, SS6 9QR.

2. Statement of compliance

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Standard 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 (FRS102) issued in October 2019 and the Financial Reporting Standard Applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS102) and the Charities Act 2011, and UK Generally Accepted Practice as it applies from January 2019.

3. Accounting policies

Basis of preparation

The financial statements have been prepared on the historical cost basis.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the entity.

Going concern

There are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue.

Judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty

The preparation of the financial statements requires management to make judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported. These estimates and judgements are continually reviewed and are based on experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances.

Significant judgements

There are no judgements (apart from those involving estimations) that management has made in the process of applying the entity's accounting policies.

Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees to further any of the charity's purposes.

Designated funds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the trustees for particular future project or commitment.

Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure declared by the donor or through the terms of an appeal and fall into one of two sub-classes: restricted income funds or endowment funds.

Jackson Nicholas Assie Limited Chartered Certified Accountants

10 -

Little Acorns

Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)

Period from 2 August 2024 to 31 July 2025

3. Accounting policies (continued)

Incoming resources

All incoming resources are included in the statement of financial activities when entitlement has passed to the charity; it is probable that the economic benefits associated with the transaction will flow to the charity and the amount can be reliably measured. The following specific policies are applied to particular categories of income:

income from donations or grants is recognised when there is evidence of entitlement to the gift, receipt is probable and its amount can be measured reliably.
legacy income is recognised when receipt is probable and entitlement is established.
income from donated goods is measured at the fair value of the goods unless this is impractical to measure reliably, in which case the value is derived from the cost to the donor or the estimated resale value. Donated facilities and services are recognised in the accounts when received if the value can be reliably measured. No amounts are included for the contribution of general volunteers.
income from contracts for the supply of services is recognised with the delivery of the contracted service. This is classified as unrestricted funds unless there is a contractual requirement for it to be spent on a particular purpose and returned if unspent, in which case it may be regarded as restricted.
income from donated goods is measured at the fair value of the goods unless this is impractical to measure reliably, in which case the value is derived from the cost to the donor or the estimated resale value. Donated facilities and services are recognised in the accounts when received if the value can be reliably measured. No amounts are included for the contribution of general volunteers.

Resources expended

Expenditure is recognised on an accruals basis as a liability is incurred. Expenditure includes any VAT which cannot be fully recovered, and is classified under headings of the statement of financial activities to which it relates:

expenditure on raising funds includes the costs of all fundraising activities, events, non-charitable trading activities, and the sale of donated goods.
expenditure on charitable activities includes all costs incurred by a charity in undertaking activities that further its charitable aims for the benefit of its beneficiaries, including those support costs and costs relating to the governance of the charity apportioned to charitable activities.
other expenditure includes all expenditure that is neither related to raising funds for the charity nor part of its expenditure on charitable activities.

All costs are allocated to expenditure categories reflecting the use of the resource. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs are apportioned between the activities they contribute to on a reasonable, justifiable and consistent basis.

Jackson Nicholas Assie Limited Chartered Certified Accountants

11 -

Little Acorns

Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)

Period from 2 August 2024 to 31 July 2025

3. Accounting policies (continued)

Financial instruments

A financial asset or a financial liability is recognised only when the entity becomes a party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.

Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at the amount receivable or payable including any related transaction costs, unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where it is recognised at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest for a similar debt instrument.

Current assets and current liabilities are subsequently measured at the cash or other consideration expected to be paid or received and not discounted.

4. Donations and legacies

	Unrestricted	Total Funds	Unrestricted	Total Funds
	Funds	2025	Funds	2024
	£	£	£	£
Donations
Benevity Charitable Giving	13,741	13,741	14,566	14,566
UK Online Giving Foundation	543	543	174	174
Howden Group Services	–	–	10,000	10,000
Lloyds of London	–	–	5,000	5,000
CAF	481	481	164	164
Assure	–	–	50	50
Frederick Baker	–	–	500	500
Gray Partners	275	275	–	–
M F Baker	2,670	2,670	–	–
P Wilkins	1,100	1,100	–	–
Miss Edgaben	15	15	–	–
Other Donations	5,842	5,842	5,810	5,810
Gift Aid	–	–	968	968
	`────────`	`────────`	`────────`	`────────`
	24,667	24,667	37,232	37,232
	`════════`	`════════`	`════════`	`════════`

5. Investment income

	Unrestricted	Total Funds	Unrestricted	Total Funds
	Funds	2025	Funds	2024
	£	£	£	£
Bank interest receivable	25	25	29	29
	`════`	`════`	`════`	`════`

Jackson Nicholas Assie Limited Chartered Certified Accountants

12 -

Little Acorns

Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)

Period from 2 August 2024 to 31 July 2025

6. Expenditure on charitable activities by fund type

	Unrestricted	Total Funds	Unrestricted	Total Funds
	Funds	2025	Funds	2024
	£	£	£	£
Supporting education and poverty relief
in Cambodia	24,413	24,413	26,286	26,286
Support costs	1,520	1,520	1,745	1,745
	`────────`	`────────`	`────────`	`────────`
	25,933	25,933	28,031	28,031
	`════════`	`════════`	`════════`	`════════`

7. Expenditure on charitable activities by activity type

	Activities
	undertaken		Total funds	Total fund
	directly Support costs		2025	2024
	£	£	£	£
Supporting education and poverty relief
in Cambodia	24,413	260	24,673	26,621
Governance costs	–	1,260	1,260	1,410
	`────────`	`───────`	`────────`	`────────`
	24,413	1,520	25,933	28,031
	`════════`	`═══════`	`════════`	`════════`

8. Analysis of support costs

	Supporting
	education and
	poverty relief
	in Cambodia	Total 2025	Total 2024
	£	£	£
Finance costs	260	260	335
Governance costs	1,260	1,260	1,410
	`───────`	`───────`	`───────`
	1,520	1,520	1,745
	`═══════`	`═══════`	`═══════`

9. Independent examination fees

	Period from
	2 Aug 24 to	Year to
	31 Jul 25	1 Aug 24
	£	£
Fees payable to the independent examiner for:
Independent examination of the financial statements	1,260 `═══════`	1,320 `═══════`

10. Staff costs

The average head count of employees during the period was Nil (2024: Nil).

No employee received employee benefits of more than £60,000 during the year (2024: Nil).

Jackson Nicholas Assie Limited Chartered Certified Accountants

13 -

Little Acorns

Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)

Period from 2 August 2024 to 31 July 2025

11. Trustee remuneration and expenses

no remuneration or other benefits from employment with the charity or a related entity were received by the trustees
no trustee expenses have been incurred

12. Creditors: amounts falling due within one year

	31 Jul 25	1 Aug 24
	£	£
Accruals and deferred income	–	1,410
Other creditors	–	2,880
	`────`	`───────`
	–	4,290
	`════`	`═══════`

13. Analysis of charitable funds

Unrestricted funds

	At			At
2	August 2024	Income	Expenditure	31 July 2025
	£	£	£	£
General funds	9,230	24,692	(25,933)	7,989
	`═══════`	`════════`	`════════`	`═══════`
	At			At
2	August 2023	Income	Expenditure	1 August 2024
	£	£	£	£
General funds	–	37,261	(28,031)	9,230
	`════`	`════════`	`════════`	`═══════`
Analysis of net assets between funds
			Unrestricted	Total Funds
			Funds	2025
			£	£
Current assets			7,989	7,989
Creditors less than 1 year			–	–
			`───────`	`───────`
Net assets			7,989	7,989
			`═══════`	`═══════`
			Unrestricted	Total Funds
			Funds	2024
			£	£
Current assets			13,520	13,520
Creditors less than 1 year			(4,290)	(4,290)
			`────────`	`────────`
Net assets			9,230	9,230
			`════════`	`════════`

14. Analysis of net assets between funds

Jackson Nicholas Assie Limited Chartered Certified Accountants

14 -

Little Acorns

Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)

Period from 2 August 2024 to 31 July 2025

15. Analysis of changes in net debt

					At
	At	2	Aug 2024 Cash flows		31 Jul 2025
			£	£	£
Cash at bank and in hand			13,520	(5,531)	7,989
			`════════`	`═══════`	`═══════`

16. Related parties

During the year donations of £2,670 and £1,100 was received from the trustees M Baker and P Wilkins respectively. The amounts received has no conditions attached and is for general use within the charity's operations.

17. Post Balance Sheet Events

The trustees have considered the likelihood of any negative subsequent events arising and have concluded that the incidence of such events is likely to be minimal.

Jackson Nicholas Assie Limited Chartered Certified Accountants

15 -