Trustees’ Annual Report for the period:
From 1 June 2024 to 31 May 2025 Charity name: British Neuro-Oncology Society Charity registration number: 1203502
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 objects of The British Neuro- Oncology Society are: The relief of sickness and the preservation of health for patients suffering with tumours of the brain and central nervous system by improving treatment through: (1) Educating the public in general (particularly medical practitioners, nurses, allied health professionals, and the wider scientific community in the United Kingdom) on the subject of neuro-oncology. (2) Promoting research for the public benefit in all aspects of neuro- oncology. (3) Raising awareness of neuro-oncology and of treatments and techniques in clinical practice among the general public, health professionals and policy makers. (4) General advocacy for the interests of brain cancer patients, their families and carers. |
| 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 |
• Delivery of the BNOS annual scientific meeting, held in Cambridge from 17- 19 July 2024 • Awarding 25 bursaries worth up £400 each to nurses, allied health professionals, trainees and researchers to subsidise the costs of attending the conference • Awarding the first BNOS Global Neuro- Oncology bursaries worth up to £2000 each, to health care professionals workingin low/middle income |
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| countries to enable them to attend the Cambridge meeting • Formation of the Clinical Committee to support BNOS’s role as a stakeholder and help inform the clinical, academic and patient community about developments in the diagnosis, treatment and management approaches for brain tumour patients. • Delivery of an online Allied Health Professional Educational Day • Delivery of a neuro-oncology grant workshop for early career researchers • Delivery of webinars relating to neuro- oncology • The BNOS website hosts useful information about treatment pathways for patients and their careers and has free resources for professionals. It also acts a signpost to news, events, research and job opportunities across the neuro-oncology community. In addition, there is a private members- only website area with additional resources, such as recordings from previous conferences and webinars • Attendance of BNOS representatives at other charity and professional body meetings (SBNS, Joint Neuroscience Council (JNC), Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) Cancer Services Committee |
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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 | Trustees have acted in line with the Society’s constitution and have complied with their duty under the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the guidance on public benefit published by the Charity Commission. |
Additional information
| Additional information | ||
|---|---|---|
| SORP reference | ||
| Contribution made by volunteers |
Para 1.38 | The day-to-day running and decision- making of BNOS is carried out by the BNOS Council and Executives. The Council represents the broad spectrum of disciplines within the field of neuro- oncology. The Council is overseen by the Executives (President, Vice President, Honorary Treasurer, Honorary Secretary and Meetings Secretary). In addition, to the Council, there are four Committees (Academic, Patient Centred Care, Student and Trainee,and Clinical)who have |
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additional volunteer members. The Committees plan and deliver online events such as educational webinars and help to support BNOS’s role as a stakeholder, informing the clinical, academic and patient communities about relevant drug and technology developments. They also foster multidisciplinary collaboration and represent students and trainees. Further volunteer contribution is made by the Local Organising Committee for the annual conference. Each annual conference host unit will convene a committee to decide the conference theme, devise the scientific programme, invite speakers, organise the social events and review abstracts amongst other activities associated with the successful delivery of the conference.
Achievements and Performance
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| 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 | The 2024 Annual Conference was held in Cambridge. This is an educational and networking event which attracts a diverse and multidisciplinary audience. The theme was ‘Working together for precision care’. There were 314 individual attendees across the 3-day meeting. 95 abstracts were submitted and accepted. Where consent was given by the authors, the abstracts were published as a supplement in the journal Neuro- Oncology. 25 individuals who may otherwise have not been able to attend were supported with a £400 bursary towards the cost of registration, accommodation and travel. In recognition that the care and treatment of brain tumour patients is a challenge, not only in the UK, but also in the rest of the world, we invited health care professionals working in low/middle income countries to apply for bursaries to attend the 2024 BNOS conference. We received 21 applications and awarded four bursaries worth £2000 to cover visas, |
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travel, accommodation, registration and food. We also facilitated connections between successful applicants and host institutions so that recipients were able to spend time after the conference with clinical teams in the UK. The bursaries were given to a neurosurgeon from Malawi, an oncologist from Nigeria, a psychiatrist from Indonesia and a neurosurgeon from Cameroon. Unfortunately, the delegate from Cameroon had his visa refused and was unable to travel to the UK. Our delegates from Malawi and Nigeria spent two weeks on an observership at The Walton Centre and The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, Liverpool while the Indonesian delegate made contacts in Birmingham. Their feedback on the opportunity and experience was overwhelmingly positive, and we hope to continue to offer these bursaries. A Clinical Committee was established in recognition of the rapidly developing clinical environment in neuro-oncology. The Committee’s role is to focus on emerging clinical issues including new diagnosis, treatment and management approaches for brain tumour patients. Committee members support BNOS’s role as a stakeholder in various settings and help inform the clinical, academic and patient community about developments by: • Horizon scanning to help make sure BNOS is aware of new treatments/biomarkers etc. in different settings • Helping/contributing when we are asked to be stakeholder in e.g. NICE and technology assessments • Ensuring BNOS has a voice in any new national/international clinical and/or funding initiatives (e.g. GTABs, research MDT, NIHR programmes, new technology calls etc.) • Being an interface with the BNOS Patient Centred Care Committee • Helping to shape clinical aspects of other BNOS activities, including education and congress
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The Committee has produced position statements on Tumour Treating Fields for GBM, and Vorasidenib in Low Grade Glioma; is engaging with NICE about access to other agents including BRAF inhibitors and is working closely with the other brain tumour charities. A free online event for allied health professionals was held on 4 March. The theme was ‘Update in brain tumours’ and topics covered were end of life care and best practice, awake craniotomy, novel oncology therapies explained, genomics. The day was extremely well received, and we hope to make this an annual event. A grant workshop for early career researchers was held at Nottingham University on 25 April. Insight into grant writing was provided by presentations from funders and researchers within the neuro-oncology field, followed by the opportunity to apply for 2x pump-prime awards of £5500, funded by The Brain Tumour Charity, Novocure and Brain Research UK. Grants were awarded to the following projects which should be completed by 1[st] April 2026: • Evaluating metabolic and cytotoxic effects of electroactive drug delivery in a 3D glioblastoma coculture model • Exploring the role of hypoxiadriven extracellular vesicles in mediating neuron-tumour communication in paediatric brain tumours We delivered a variety of webinars from guest speakers aimed at different audiences, covering paediatric neurooncology and translational research.
Financial Review
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | The charity held £107,661 in unrestricted cash funds at 31 May 2025 (2024: £130,185). The charity received £20,387 unrestricted in theyear and £6,000 of |
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| restricted income which was fully expended. In the prior period all income and expenditure was unrestricted. |
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| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | The charity holds reserves in order to fulfil its charitable objects. The charity aims to hold more than 12 months of operational spend in unrestricted cash reserves, equivalent to approximately £45,000 at 24/25 levels. At 31 May 2025, the charity held £108k of reserves. Trustees are reviewing the current level of reserves and how best to utilise the excess above the policy in furtherance of the charity's objects. |
| Amount of reserves held | Para 1.22 | The charity held £107,661 in unrestricted cash funds at 31 May 2025, (2024: £130,185)and no restricted funds. |
| Reasons for holding zero reserves |
Para 1.22 | |
| Details of fund materially in deficit |
Para 1.24 | |
| Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a goingconcern |
Para 1.23 | The trustees consider that there are no uncertainties about the charity as a going concern. |
Additional information
| The charity’s principal sources of funds (including anyfundraising) |
Para 1.47 | Income is raised through membership fees and additional revenue is generated through the annual conference. |
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Structure, Governance and Management
| Description of charity’s trusts: | Description of charity’s trusts: | |
|---|---|---|
| Type of governing document |
Para 1.25 | Constitution date 3 July 2024 |
| How is the charity constituted? |
Para 1.25 | Charitable Incorporated Organisation |
| 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 | The trustees were appointed at the date of the charity incorporation and by majority agreement by the Board of Trustees. |
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Reference and Administrative details
| Charityname | British Neuro-OncologySociety |
|---|---|
| Other name the charityuses | BNOS |
| Registered charitynumber | 1203502 |
| Charity’s principal address | The Gateway 85-101 Sankey St Warrington Cheshire WA1 1SR |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Grundy | Chair | ||
| Andrew Brodbelt | To 19 June 2025 | ||
| Colin Watts | |||
| Harpreet Hyare | |||
| Susan Short | To 19 June 2025 | ||
| Victoria Skinner | Since 11 April 2025 | ||
| Catherine Fraher | Since 8 August 2025 |
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) | Paul Grundy |
| Position | Chair of Trustees |
| Date | 24 March 2026 |
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Independent examiner's report
To the trustees of
British Neuro-Oncology Society
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of British Neuro-Oncology Society (the charity) for the year ended 31 May 2025, which are set out on pages 9 - 10.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
As the trustees of the charity 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 the charity’s accounts 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:
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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.
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.
Dougal Howard
Date: 24 March 2026 Dougal Howard ACA Member of the ICAEW
Godfrey Wilson Limited
Chartered accountants and statutory auditors 5th Floor Mariner House
62 Prince Street Bristol BS1 4QD
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British Neuro-Oncology Society
Receipts and payments account
For the period ended 31 May 2025
| Receipts Donations Conference Grants Interest Other income Subscriptions Total receipts Payments Admin Annual membership Bank charges Bursaries Conference Events Freelancers Governance Website Accountancy Travel expenses Total payments Net receipts / (payments) Cash funds at 31 May 2024 Cash funds at 31 May 2025 |
Restricted £ - - 6,000 - - - 6,000 - - - 6,000 - - - - - - - 6,000 - - - |
2025 Total £ £ - - - - - 6,000 1,452 1,452 185 185 18,750 18,750 20,387 26,387 245 245 383 383 22 22 9,765 15,765 13,522 13,522 461 461 15,301 15,301 - - 1,224 1,224 1,680 1,680 308 308 42,911 48,911 (22,524) (22,524) 130,185 130,185 107,661 107,661 Unrestricted |
2024 Total £ 99,893 59,811 - 1,561 25 15,564 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 176,854 | |||
| 2,434 374 27 6,657 24,374 48 11,351 216 1,188 - - |
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| 46,669 | |||
| 130,185 - |
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| 130,185 |
All receipts and payments were unrestricted in the prior reporting period.
Restricted funding of £6,000 was received to fund workshops. It was fully spent in the year.
Trustee expenses in the current period were nil (2024: £95 for travel expenses reimbursed to one trustee).
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British Neuro-Oncology Society
Statement of assets and liabilities
| Statement of assets and liabilities | ||
|---|---|---|
| As at 31 May 2025 | ||
| Cash funds Cash at bank and in hand Total cash funds Cash funds Restricted funds Unrestricted funds General funds Total cash funds |
2025 107,661 107,661 - 107,661 107,661 |
2024 £ 130,185 |
| 130,185 | ||
| - 130,185 |
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| 130,185 |
Approved by the trustees on date 24 March 2026 and signed on their behalf by
Paul Grundy - Chair
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