Charity Number: 210978
WHITGIFTIAN BENEVOLENT SOCIETY TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30[th] SEPTEMBER 2025
WHITGIFTIAN BENEVOLENT SOCIETY TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
| 1. | Administrative Details of the Charity................................................................................2 |
|---|---|
| 2. | Statement Of Financial Activities: 30thSeptember 2025....................................................6 |
| 3. | Balance Sheet: 30thSeptember 2025...............................................................................7 |
| 4. | Notes to the Financial Statements...................................................................................8 |
| 1. Accounting policies....................................................................................................8 |
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| Basis of preparation of fnancial statements....................................................................8 | |
| Fund accounting.............................................................................................................8 | |
| Income...........................................................................................................................8 | |
| Expenditure....................................................................................................................8 | |
| Investments...................................................................................................................8 | |
| Secured and Unsecured loans.........................................................................................8 | |
| 2. Voluntary Income.......................................................................................................9 |
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| 3. Investment Income.....................................................................................................9 |
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| 4. Charitable Activities....................................................................................................9 |
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| 5. Support costs.............................................................................................................9 |
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| 6. Fixed asset investments............................................................................................10 |
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| Material investments....................................................................................................10 | |
| 7. Secured loans...........................................................................................................10 |
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| 8. Unsecured loans......................................................................................................11 |
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| 9. Creditors due within one year....................................................................................11 |
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| 10. Staf costs and trustees’ expenses.........................................................................11 |
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| 11. Related party transactions.....................................................................................11 |
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| 12. Archive Fund.........................................................................................................11 |
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| 13. Old Whitgiftian War Memorial Fund........................................................................12 |
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1. Administrative Details of the Charity
| Trustees: | F A P McCombie | Chairman |
|---|---|---|
| A A Mir | Treasurer | |
| N D Somers | ||
| R M S Allanson | ||
| R C Blundell | ||
| A C Dracoulis | ||
| D J | ||
| Edwards | ||
| R J Gooderson | ||
| N M M Haji | ||
| SA Hughes | (appointed 27.1.26 ) | |
| RDC Hunter | ||
| RJ Kalam | ( appointed 27.1.26) | |
| SJ Morris | ||
| C Odegaard | ||
| A R | ||
| Pickering | ||
| Address: | Whitgift Sports | |
| Club , | ||
| Croham Manor | ||
| Road | ||
| The Clubhouse | ||
| South Croydon, | ||
| Surrey, | ||
| CR2 7BG. | ||
| Independent examiner:Zahid Saleem | ||
| Thornton Springer, LLP | ||
| Chartered | ||
| Accountants, 67, | ||
| Westow Street, | ||
| London, SE19 3RW. | ||
| Charity number: | 210978 | |
| Bankers: | CAF Bank Limited, | |
| PO Box 289, West Malling, Kent, ME19 4TA. | ||
| Metro Bank PLC, | ||
| One Southampton Row, London, WC18 8HA |
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The Trustees present their annual report together with the independently examined financial statements of Whitgiftian Benevolent Society (“the Society”) for the year ended 30[th] September 2025.
The Trustees confirm that the annual report and financial statements of the Society comply with the current statutory requirements of the Society’s governing document and the Statement of Recommended Practice (“SORP”) applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011 and United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice.
The financial statements have been prepared to give a “true and fair view” and have departed from the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 only to the extent required to provide a “true and fair view”. This departure has involved following Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with FRS 102 rather than the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice effective from 1st April 2005 which has since been withdrawn.
Trustees
The Trustees, whose names are shown on page 2, except where indicated otherwise, have all served throughout the year.
The management committee, which comprises all Trustees, held six meetings during the year, either physically or electronically.
Structure, Governance and Management
The Society’s registered number is 210978.
The Society’s principal place of business is Whitgift Sports Club, The clubhouse, Croham Manor Road, South Croydon, Surrey, CR2 7BG.
Originally the Society was governed by a Trust Deed executed in 1910, as varied and modernised subsequently. It is now governed by the fully revised Constitution adopted on 21st November 2000, as amended 27th July 2013, and 26th July 2014.
The management of the Society is the responsibility of the Trustees who are elected or co-opted under the terms of the Constitution.
Trustees are appointed by personal invitation or recommendation by other Trustees. The Society complies with the Good Governance Code.
The Trustees have addressed the major risks to which the Society is exposed and are satisfied that systems and procedures are in place to mitigate its exposure to those risks.
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Objectives and Activities
The object of the Society is the relief of distressed Old Whitgiftians, members and former members of the teaching and other staff of Whitgift School, and staff of the Whitgiftian Association, their widows, widowers, their children and their other dependents; present Whitgiftians; and any other distressed persons with a connection to Whitgift School which the committee in its absolute discretion considers enables them to be entitled to be benefited by the Society.
This potential population who can benefit is relatively large. The Trustees have continued their efforts to increase the knowledge of the Society’s existence amongst members of the wider Whitgift family in order to reach potential beneficiaries. In particular, the links with the School have been substantially strengthened.
The Trustees have complied with the duty in section 4 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission.
The Society provides relief to those in need by reason of youth, age, ill health, disability, poverty or other financial hardship or any other disadvantage and this can be by means of providing assistance for the advancement of education, health and amateur sport. The Society is an equal opportunity organisation and is committed to being free from any form of unlawful discrimination on the grounds of race, age, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, disability, or marital status. The Trustees intend to continue the current activities of the Society.
During the period under review, and the prior period, the Society assumed responsibility for the Archive Fund, and the Old Whitgiftian War Memorial Fund, which as the names indicate, have close connections with Whitgift School. These funds are extremely small in relation to the Society and the Trustees consider that their absorption will have a negligible effect on the Society. (Notes 13 and 14 to the accounts give further information.)
Achievements and Performance
During the year under review, grants totaling £30570 (2024 - £51,979) were made.
New loans totaled £6,100 (2024 - £2,850) and £6,050 (2024- £5,940) was received in repayment of loans .
Financial Review
The Trustees consider that the available funds, which are all unrestricted, are adequate to meet the Society’s objects, and that the financial position is satisfactory.
The Trustees consider that the current level of reserves (amounting to £1,132,642 at 30[th] September 2025 (2024 - £1,084,814)) is adequate to enable the Society to fulfil its policy of providing loans and grants and they continue to monitor the reserves policy in the light of the anticipated demand for loans and grants.
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Trustees' responsibilities
The Society’s Trustees are responsible for preparing the Annual Report and financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
The law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Society and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the Society for that period. In preparing those financial statements giving a true and fair view, the Trustees should follow best practice and:
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Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
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Observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
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Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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State whether applicable accounting standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
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Prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Society will continue to operate.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ascertain the financial position of the Society and which enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Society and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud or other irregularities.
This report was approved by the Trustees on
. Signed on behalf of the Trustees
A A Mir Trustee
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2. Statement Of Financial Activities: 30[th] September 2025
| Unrestricted Funds 2025 | Unrestricted Funds 2025 | Unrestricted Funds 2024 | Unrestricted Funds 2024 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |||
| Note | ||||||
| s | ||||||
| Income from: | ||||||
| Voluntary income | 2 | 5,01 1 |
5,344 | |||
| Investment income | 3 | 40,01 9 |
43,275 | |||
| Total income | 45,03 0 |
48,619 | ||||
| Expenditure on: | ||||||
| Charitable activities | 4 | 30,970 | 49,962 | |||
| Support costs | 5 | 1,390 | 1,719 | |||
| Total expenditure | 32,360 | 51,681 | ||||
| Excess of income | over expenditure | 12,670 | - | 3,062 | ||
| Other recognised | gains and losses: | |||||
| Net unrealised gain / (loss) on investments |
66,568 | 64,8 33 |
||||
| Provison for School Fee Commitment | - | 33,400 | ||||
| Loss on liquidated investment | - | 1,708 | ||||
| Net income / (expenditure) for the year |
44,130 | 61,321 | ||||
| Movement on | War Memorial Fund | 2,412 | - | 223 | ||
| Movement on Archive Fund | 1,287 | |||||
| Balance at 01 Oct | 2025 (2024) | 1,058,076 | 996,978 | |||
| Balance at 30 Sep 2025 (2024) | 1,105,905 | 1,058,076 |
The Charity has no other recognised gains or losses and all activities of the charity were from continuing operations
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3. Balance Sheet: 30[th] September 2025
| Notes | 2025 | 2024 | 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||
| Fixed assets | |||||
| Investments | 6 | 950,512 | 975,370 | ||
| Secured loans | 7 | 27,937 | 28,067 | ||
| Unsecured loans | 8 | 22,059 | 21,879 | ||
| Total | 1,000,508 | 1,025,31 6 |
|||
| Current assets | |||||
| Debtors | - | 1,029 | |||
| Cash at bank | 167,624 | 60,470 | |||
| Total | 167,624 | 61,49 9 |
|||
| Current liabilities: | |||||
| Creditors due within one year | 9 | 35,590 | 2,001 | ||
| Total | 35,490 | 2,00 1 |
|||
| Net current assets | 132,134 | 59,49 8 |
|||
| Net assets | 1,132,642 | 1,084,81 4 |
|||
| Funds | 2025 | 2024 | |||
| £ | £ | ||||
| Unrestricted general fund | 1,102,205 | 1,058,076 | |||
| Archive Fund | 12 | 2,331 | 1,044 | ||
| Old Whitgiftian War Memorial Fund | 13 | 28,106 | 25,694 | ||
| 1,132,642 | 1,084,814 |
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4. Notes to the Financial Statements
1. Accounting policies
Basis of preparation of financial statements
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, with the exception of certain investments which are included at market value, and in accordance with 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 United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).
The Society constitutes a public benefit entity defined by FRS 102.
There are no material uncertainties about the Society’s ability to continue as a going concern because the reserves at 30th September 2025 are more than sufficient to meet any level of demand for grants and loans that can reasonably be anticipated.
Fund accounting
General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the Society and which have not been designated for other purposes.
Income
All income is included in the Statement of Financial Activities (“SOFA”) when the Society is legally entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy.
For Legacies, entitlement is the earlier of the Society being notified of an impending distribution, or the legacy being received. Residuary legacies not received in time for the inclusion in these accounts are not included in the income, as it is not possible to estimate the amount or timing of receipt with sufficient accuracy. Pecuniary and other legacies, where notification of impending distribution was received prior to the balance sheet date, have been included as income in the SOFA.
Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or Deeds of Covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.
Income tax recoverable in relation to investment income is recognised at the time the investment income is receivable.
Expenditure
All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis, including value added tax which is irrecoverable, and has been included under expense categories that aggregate all costs for allocation to activities. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular activities they have been allocated on a basis consistent with the use of the resources.
Grants payable are charged in the year when the offer is made except in those cases where the offer is conditional, such grants being recognised as expenditure when the conditions are fulfilled. Grants offered subject to conditions which have not been met at the year-end are noted as a commitment, but not accrued as expenditure.
Investments
Quoted investments are stated at fair value using the market price at the balance sheet date. The SOFA includes the net gains and losses arising on revaluations and disposals throughout the year.
Secured and Unsecured loans
These loans are valued at fair value at the balance sheet date representing the sums advanced after taking account of repayments made. A provision for non-recoverability is made in
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appropriate cases. The loans are classified as concessionary loans under FRS 102 and are interest free. Concessionary loans are made wholly or in part to advance charitable purposes for the benefit of the Society’s beneficiaries.
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2. Voluntary Income
| 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Voluntary income | 5,011 | 5,181 |
| Donations | 0 | 163 |
| Total | 5,011 | 5,344 |
3. Investment Income
Investment income comprises of:
| 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Dividends | 39,488 | 42,695 |
| Bank and Other Interest | 531 | 580 |
| Total | 40,019 | 43,275 |
- Charitable Activities
| 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Grants made for the beneft of pupils of WhitgiftSchool |
11,220 | 28,191 |
| Grants made to others within the benefcialclass |
19,350 | 23,788 |
| Trustees’ insurance | 400 | 400 |
| 30,970 | 52,379 | |
| Increase / (decrease) in provision for irrecoverableloans |
0 | - 2017 |
| Total | 30,970 | 50,362 |
- Support costs
| 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Independent examination | 1,320 | 1,200 |
| Sundry expenses | 70 | 119 |
| Total | 1,390 | 1,319 |
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6. Fixed asset investments
| 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Quoted Investments | £ | £ |
| Market value at 01 Oct | 975,370 | 839,279 |
| Additions | - | 71,708 |
| Disposals | 92,906 | - |
| Revaluation Gain / (Loss) | 68,048 | 64,383 |
| Market value at 30 Sep | 950,512 | 975,370 |
Material investments
The following investments each represent more than 5% of the Society’s investment portfolio:
| 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| General Fund | £ | £ |
| SUTL Cazenove Charity Equity Fund Income Units |
294,012 | 260,352 |
| M&G Charibond Income Shares | - | 92,907 |
| M&G Charifund Income Units | 329,875 | 308,827 |
| Schroders Multi-Asset Fund DistributionUnits |
124,599 | 113,933 |
| Black Rock Charities UK Bond Fund | 76,140 | 78,198 |
| Rathbones Core Investment Fund for CharitiesIncome Units |
102,668 | 99,416 |
| O.W. War Memorial Fund | ||
| M&G Charifund Income Units | 23,218 | 21,737 |
| Total | 950,512 | 975,370 |
M&G Charibond Income Shares fund was closed in 24 June 2025. The Society received £91,199 which was a loss of £1,708 compared to the previous year’s valuation on 30 September 2024.
The £91,199 was deposited into the savings account held at Metro Bank.
- Secured loans
These loans are secured on freehold or leasehold premises. The advances are made as part of the assistance given by the Society. Interest, where appropriate, is credited to income when received. Movements in the year were as follows:
| 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Balance 01 Oct | 28,067 | 28,187 |
| Advances | 0 | 0 |
| Repayments | 130 | 120 |
| Balance 30 Sep | 27,937 | 28,067 |
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8. Unsecured loans
| 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Balance 01 Oct | 93,580 | 96,550 |
| Advances | 6,100 | 2,850 |
| 99,680 | 99,400 | |
| Repayments | - 5,920 | - 5,820 |
| 93,760 | 93,580 | |
| Provision | - 71,701 | - 71,701 |
| Balance 30 Sep | 22,059 | 21,879 |
- Creditors due within one year
| 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Trade Creditors | 2,090 | 1,970 |
| Grants Payable | 33,400 | - |
| Trustee’s Expenses | 0 | 31 |
| Total | 35,490 | 2,001 |
- Staff costs and trustees’ expenses
The Society did not employ any staff in either the current or prior year, and thus there are no staff costs in the current or prior year.
No trustee was reimbursed expenses relating to support costs in the current or prior year. No Trustee received any benefit or remuneration in kind in the current or prior year.
Details of Trustees’ insurance are disclosed in note 5.
- Related party transactions
There was none in the current year, or the previous year.
- Archive Fund
This fund (which is not presently charitable) was set up with an anonymous donation within Whitgiftian Association to which have been added further amounts received from Old Whitgiftians. The purpose of the fund is to acquire items of memorabilia for Whitgift School, and recognises and celebrates the dedication to the school of the late Mr. Freddie G.H. Percy over a period of some sixty years, in particular his role as historian and archivist.
During the previous year, this fund was transferred by the Whitgiftian Association Committee to the Trustees of Whitgiftian Benevolent Society to as a long-term custodian.
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Movements on the fund have been:
| 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Balance 01 Oct | 1,044 | 1,229 |
| New Donations | 1,500 | |
| Expended in the Year | - 213 |
- 185 |
| Balance 30 Sep | 2,331 | 1,044 |
- Old Whitgiftian War Memorial Fund
The fund was formed following the 1914-18 World War. The primary purpose was the acquisition of the War Memorial which was given to Whitgift School, and is presently located in Haling Park. Surplus monies were to be used principally for the education of the sons of Old Whitgiftians killed in that war. More recently the remaining monies have been applied to fund educational expeditions by Old Whitgiftians and Sixth Formers.
During the previous year it was agreed by the Directors of Old Whitgiftian Trustees Limited and the Trustees of Whitgiftian Benevolent Society to transfer the fund to the latter body as a longterm custodian.
Movements on the fund have been:
| 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Balance 01 Oct | 25,694 | 3,763 |
| Transferred from Old Whitgiftian TrusteesLimited |
- | 21,708 |
| Investment income | 1,331 | 945 |
| Net unrealised gain on investments | 1,481 | 28 |
| Grant paid | - 400 |
- 750 |
| Balance 30 Sep | 28,106 | 25,694 |
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