REGISTEREDCHARtTY NUMBER: 211759 THE WILLIAM BROWN ALMSHOUSES CHARITY TRUSTEES REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 21125 THE WILLIAM BROWN ALMSHOUSES CHAIUTY IiYDEX TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2025 CONTENTS P•ge Le￿1 and Athninisiniive InfornwioD Rep)rt ofthe Tn￿lee$ Independ¢ni Ex•nin¢rfs Ret Statement of Financial Activities Balance Sheet Notes to the Accounts THE WILLIAM BROWN ALMSHOUSES CHARITY LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31Sf MARCH 2025 Charity name.. The William Brown Altnshouses Charity Charity registration number.. 211759 Charity address: William Brown Almshouse CIO Susan Watkin￿n 10 Whitehurst Avenue Hitchin SGS ISR Tnjsiees.. Mr Edmund Wright- Chair Mr5 Hannah Constantinidi Mr5 Stella Farr Mr5 Susan Watkinson Mi Robert Challaths Ms Carol Mumford (Ap￿in￿ 16-Apr-24) Mr S*phen Dyer {Appointed 25-Jun-24) Independent examiner.. Philip Dean FCA Hick5 and Cornpany Chartered Ac£ountants Fir51 Floor. 99 Bancroft Hit¢hin SG5 INQ Bankers.. Barelays Bank P 516 High Sireet Hilchin SG5 IBJ Pag¢ I THE WILLIAM BROWN ALMSHOUSES CHARITY REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED31ST MARCH 02 The trustees pre5eni their annual report with the financial slaiements of the charity for the year ended 3151 MaTrh 2025. Th¢ tn]5tees have adopted the provi5ion5 of A¢cowiting and RetM)rting by Charities." Staternent of R¢comtneThded Practice applicable to charities preparing their a¢¢owits in accordance wÉth the FinaDchai Reporting Stsndard applicable the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS1021 (effe¢iiv¢ 1st January 2019}. Objttrfvu and Activities Objective5 and ¥4im5 The obJ￿tiveS orth¢ charity are to provide hou5e5 ofrest foT deseTving nativc5 ofTcsidcnts of Hit¢hin, that may not fmd accotnTnodation and security in the local community to suit th¢ir partsrular tequirements and needs. SlgThifKant *etivities The charitgs objectivcs are achieved by ¢olleciing an occu￿10￿al charge from the residents who o¢¢upy the houses of rest under the coThtrol ofthe tru51ees. Su¢h Cha￿ are ulilised in maintsinin& rqHiring and Iefvrbishing the Ixous¢5 as necessary and the paying for the support Costs for the functioning of the charity- Publi¢ b¢D¢flt The tnjstees have paid due regard to the Charity Commi&sions }￿bIle Benefit Guidanc¢ and compilcd with Section 17(5) of the Charities Act 2011 in exercising their p)WeT5 and duiies, and have soughi to demonstrdte that the chatity COn¢inues to provide benefits to suitable pu50ns who relate ditttily io its objectives. The benefits are publicly availabl¢ to a]1 who qualify. All applications are subje¢1 10 due process and consideration without discrimiTw¢hon_ A¢hI¢ven￿Dts PerfonDance Charitsble actiTrryties The propertie5 controllcd by the continue io be rnaintaineklet The Essential Trustee" and a copy of the latest accounts to enhance their understanding of their Statutory re5ponsibilitl¢5. Trnsiees atiend relevant irnining courses throughout the year to SUp￿rt theiT roles. Some of the kntstee5 have attended study days focused on Almshouse Charities athd resident welfare. ￿ ensure that all prdCtice5 aTE ¢arTied out in the best interesi of knth the resid¢ni$ and the ¢harity. ans for futsre periods The houses are of an age that repair5 aThd maintenance are tonsthnily requI￿d to comply with residents needs at)d ￿levan1 legislation. The trustees. mindful that some residents have been in o¢¢upaiion for over a decade, have adopted a programme of internal decordtin8 and renewing floorin& to be initiated in May 2025. Tn]5tees are also investigating costs relevant to updating kitchens and bathrooTh￿ ￿ properties be￿)Me vacant and will set &shde contingency fund5 for this. Pa8e 3 THE WILLIAM BROWN ALMSHOUSES CHARITY REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2025 Trustees Thc trustees who sthved during the yvdrwtte.. Mr Edmund Wright- Chairnjan Mrs Hannah Conslantinidi Mr5 Stella Farr Mr5 Susan Watkinson Mr Robert Challons Ms Carol Mumford (Appointed I&Apr-24) Mr Stephen Dyer {Appointed 25-Jun-24) Statement of Trustees Respoll$lbllltles The trustees alr Irsw>ttsible for preparing the Report of the Tn￿ and the finaDcial $tstements in accordancc with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standanls (Unitcd Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Prdctiee). The law applicable to charities in England and Waks. the CbaTiIRes A¢t 201 l. Charity (Accounts and Report5) Regulations 2008 and the provisioThs of the trust deed requiTes the In￿le¢S to prepare financial statements for each finanrial year which give a tru¢ and fair view of the 51ate of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resource5 and appliralions are resour¢es, includin8 the income and expendi￿re, of th¢ ¢harity for that peri￿. Itl preparing thes¢ financial statements. the trustees are rcquirEd to: - select suitable accounting policie5 and then apply them ¢onsistently- - observe th¢ meth(*ds and principles in Chon"ty SORP,. - make judgements and r5titnates that are [￿Onable and prudent. - prepa￿ the financial statements on the 8oin8 concern b&si5 unl￿5 it is iwwpria* to presume that the charity will continue in busines5. The trnstees are resp)nsible for kecpingproper accounting records which diKlose with reasonable aceurdcy at any time the financial position of thc charity and to enable them to ensure that the fLnan¢ial slatements comply with the Charittes Act 2011. the Charity IAccouDts athd Reports) Regulations 21XJ8 and the provisions of the trusi dttd. They are also responsible for safeguarding the a&s¢ts of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps fot the preveniion and deiecuon of frdud and other irregularities. The report w&% approved by order of the Board of TnL5tees on 12th August 2025 and si8ned on its beh]f by.. Edmund Wri8ht Chaimwi Page 4 THE WILLIAM BROWN ALMSHOUSES CHARITY INDEPENDENT EXAMIYERS. REPORT TOTHE TRUSTEES OF THE WILLIAM BROWN ALMSHOUSES CHARITY FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 21125 Independent examiner's report to the trn5ttts Of The William Brown Aimshovses Charity I report lo the trustee5 on my examination of the financial slatcmcnts of The William BrowTh Alm5hou5es Charity Jtar ended 31st March 2025. which are Sel out orh pages 6 to I l. Re5poiislbllltle5 #nd b*$is of report A5 thr chaTity's trustee5 you ￿ ￿sponsible for th¢ pw¥ation ofthe a¢¢ounts in a¢¢oTdan¢e with the ￿Uiremeftts of ihe Charities Act 2011 Cthe 2011 Act?_ Having satisfied myself that the financial Statements of the charity are nol required to be audited and are elisYble for independent ¢xominaiion, I report in respect of my examination of your charitys financial sthiements &$ carried out under section 145 ofthe 2011 Aci. In canyin8 Out my examination I have followed the applicable direciions given by the Charity Commi55ion under section 145{5llb} of the 2011 Act. Independent tx*miner'$ $t*tement I have completed my eKatnin31ion. l Confirm that no material Tnauer5 have COTne to my attention in ¢onrte¢iion wilh the exaTninalion giving me Cause to believe thai in any maieTial respe¢i: ac¢oun¢ing records were not kept in respert of the Charityas ffqUi￿d by section 130 ofthe 201 l Act,. or 2. Ihe financial statements do not accord with those retords.. or 3. th¢ financial statements do not comply with the accounting requirements cottceming the fonn and content of financial statements set out in the Charities (Accounts and RetM)rts} Re8ulaiions 2￿8 other than any requiretnent that the financial statement5 give a Irue and fair view, which i5 not a matter considered parl of an independent examination. 4. the flnancial statements have noi been prepared in accordance with the method5 and principles of the Statement of Recomrnend￿ Prdclice for accounling and reporting by charities (applicable to charitie5 prq>aring their accounts in accordance with the Financia] Rwrting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)). I have no concerns and have come a¢ross other matiers in ¢onne¢tion with the exwninatiori to which atienlion should be drawn in this rewn in order io enable a proper undmsthnding of the finan¢?al swements io b¢ ¥ea¢h¢d. Philip Deats F Hicks and Company Chartered Accountants Firsi Flty)r, 99 Bancroft Hitchin SG5 INQ Date.. 12th August 2025 Page 5 THE WILLIAM BROWN ALMSHOUSES CHAIUTY STATEMEYT OF FINANCIAL AcfiviTIES D¢orporAtiDg an Income *nd Expenditure Aceovllt) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2025 Uthr¢Strk￿ funds ExtrAordinAry repair fund 2025 Totxl 2024 Total ote fund IDeome IDtome frorn chArit*lAe activities: Otcupational charge froTn resid￿ts Donations received Investment income: Interest received Ttstal Imeome 41,400 41AOD 40,680 481 63 41,224 41.41NI 42.4114 Expendithre Cost of raising futtd$: C05t5 of Coll￿ting residents ¢ontributions 1.627 Expendlture charitable activilie5: Ch0n"tsble actlVLties 13,655 10,464 24.119 22,630 Tot81 expeDditsre 13.655 10.464 24,] 19 24.257 Net itheomel{expeodlture) before transfers 27.745 (9460) 18385 16,967 Tran$f¢rs between funds 39,714) Net iDcomel{expeDditure) before gAIDs And knses ql 1969) 30254 16.967 Other recognlsed I*]n￿(lo5$eI) Uniealiscd gainl{loss) on investments P4¢t movemeD¢ in fvDd$ (11,969) 3￿254 1&285 16.967 Reconcili•tioa of fund$ Total funds brought foThvard 1&906 158 79.064 62,097 Totsl fund5 carried fornard io. &937 90.412 97J49 79,064 The notes on pa8¢s 8 ￿ I I fomi part ofthese financial statertKnts. All of the abtsve results ar¢ derived from continuing xtivities. There aTe nts othet re¢ognised 8aJns or10sses other than those ststed aix)v¢. Page 6 THE WILLIAM BROWN ALMSHOUSES CHARITY BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31Sf MARCH 2f12 Unre5trieted Re5tritted FuThd5 Funds Note 2025 2024 Fixed i$$et$ Tangible assets Total fixed Assets Current assets Debtors Cash at bank Total current assets 661 97,788 98.449 661 97,788 98.449 646 79,291 79.937 Current Llabllitles Creditors.. Amounts falling du¢ within on¢ year 1,100 873 Net current 855ets 97J49 97J49 79,064 Net Assets 97J49 97J49 79.064 The fuThds of the charity: Unrestricted funds io. 97J49 97J49 79,064 The note5 on pages 8 ￿ 1 I fonn part of these financial statements. The accounts were approved by the Board of Tn￿tres on 12th August 2025 aTMJ wtte signed on its behalf by". Mr Edmund Wright Chairnian Page 7 THE WILLIAM BROWN ALMSHOUSES CHARITY NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2023 l. Ob e¢dve To provide houses of rest for de&￿Ving natives or residents of Hitchin. 2. Status and Bash olA¢¢owntiD ststu$ The ¢harity ￿]ng a re8lStered charity is not liable for on of its invesmxni income. nor any other gains derived from carrying out its charitable activities. Basis tsf *eeountlng The Financial StateTt]ents of th¢ clw"ity, which is a public benefi¢ entity under FRS102. have been prepared in accordance with the Chatities SORP (FRS 102)'Aceounting and RqKkrting by Chatiiies.. Stsiemeni of Recommended Prdctice applicable ¢0 charstie5 prepaTing their accounts in accordance with thc Financial Rep)rtit)g Swidard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102} {effective Ist January 2019).. Finan¢ia] Rewts"t)g Swidard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standatd applicable ith the UK and Republic of ireland. and the Chatiiies A¢t 2011. The financial statements have been Prepar￿ under th¢ hi$¢orical ¢o$t convention modified to include properties and inVeSth￿nts at valuation. 3. Aceouotln Policles Income Oc¢upaiiona] Charges represents eontribution5 frorn residents or social seryices on b¢haifof residents of the propertkes under the control of the Tnstees and is included on an entitienKnt ba5i5. ExpeDdltur¢ All expenditure is included on an accrua15 basis and is rt¢ognised where there is a legal or constructive obligation to pay for expenses. All costs have been directly attribu￿ to the functional categories of re50urc£s expended. Costs of raisitjg funds comprise the costs of collecting occupalional charges and inv¢stmeni management costs. Chanthble activities expenditure comprise those costs in¢urted in the delivery of its activities and serviees for it5 beneficiarie5 together with supJx)rt costs ￿5￿CLat¢d with Tn¢etiThg the wn5ti¢utional and Swuiory requirements of the chaTity. Tfingibk rued 858ets The trustees do Thot believe it 15 nrfessary io und¢rt&e a professional valuation given the speci￿ naturt and use of th¢ properties. Fund *eeountltsg All fuThds held by the charity are considered wircstricted funds and *e available to b¢ used in accordance with the charitabl obje¢tives of each fund ai the discretion ofthc T￿￿1¢¢ Page 8 THE WILLIAM BROWN ALMSHOUSES CHARITY NOTES TO THE Accobf*TS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2025 4. Anal 515 of Ex enditure 2025 2024 Costs of raising fu*ds: Cost of ¢olle¢¢ing (ttupaiional charges 1,627 E%penditure OD cb*ritAble aftivities: Water rates Light and heat Council tax Property insurance Garden rnainten3DC¢ Gard¢n improvEments NHDC Carelitte Property r¢pairs and rnainteThance Subscription - Almshouses Association Sundry expenses Trustee training Legal and professional ftts Accounlancy and indrp¢ndent ex¥mind5 fee 405 (447) 1,593 5307 1,513 4,966 1.342 1.056 9.563 232 856 1.290 13.63S 345 987 420 1,260 660 22,630 24.119 Totsl expenditure 24.119 24,257 S. Tru5tee5' Remuneratioft and Benefits There was no tnjstces, remuneration or other benefits f¢)r th¢ y¢arended 3 1st March 2025 nor for the year ended 3 1st March 2024. 6. Com *r#tives for the Statement •f Fin*Dci*I Aclivilies Unrestricted funds Extraordknary repair fund General filnd 2024 Total Nt)te Income Income from thgritable activities: Occupational charge from residents Donation received Investment iThcome". Interest receivcd Total incorne 40.680 481 40.680 481 63 63 63 41.224 41.161 ExpeDditure Cost of raising fvnd5: C05t5 of collecting residents contributions .627 1,627 Expenditure on ch•rit*bk *etivi¢ie5: Charitable aclivitie5 22.630 22,630 Tot*1 expenditure 24,257 24,257 Page 9 THE WILLIAM BROWN ALMSHOUSES CHARITY NOTES TO THE Accouf4TS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2025 Aratives for the St•tenwllt f Fin*nei*l Adivities- CODtillued vr￿estricted funds Extraordinary tepair fund General fimd 2024 Total Nt)¢e Net ineome before tr*Mf¢rs 16, 63 16,967 Transfen betweeD fuDds 60.095 60,095 Net In¢om¢l(expendithre) before g*itt$ •nd losses (43.191) fAI,I58 16.967 Other reeognised gain￿o08$¢$) Unreali5ed gairLII1055) on investments Net movement in funds {43.l91) 60,158 16,967 Re¢oth¢lliation of funds Total funds brou8ht forward 62,097 62,097 Total funds c4rried lonvard 18,906 60.158 79.064 7. Tan 'ble Flxed Asjets Freehold Prnpertiej The charity continues to own ten properties. The tn]SLees do not have a record of the ori￿￿8] ¢ost of the properties. The trnstee5 do not believe it is nrce5sary to undertake a professtonal valuation givcn the special nature and use of the propertic5. 8. Debtorg 2025 2024 Prepayments 661 661 646 9. CreditOTS: Amounts Falll Due Within 04¢ Yur 2025 2024 Rent receivcd in advance Lal¢ pureha5e invoices A¢¢ruals 213 203 213 660 873 Page 10 THE WILLIAM BROWN ALMSHOUSES CHARITY NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2025 10. Funds Gerter*l: Tts re¢¢ive occupational Charges from residents and investhwil income. To provide furtds for the ¢olleciiort (pf Jwts and th¢ sUp￿rt ¢osts orth¢ ¢bariLy. To manage the properties at)d ensure they are fully insure(L maintained and IIM)ked aller. Design*ted- Extraordinary Repair F￿nd. To fund extrdorditlary repair work to the properties To ¢n5ur¢ the propErtie5 are fully insured. Tnaintained and looked after. Balances 1st April 2024 Trdn5fer beiween Bolances 31si March 2025 Incoming ExpeThditure UTrre5tricted Funds.. General Designated- Extraordinary Repair Fund 18,906 60,158 79.064 41.41KI {13.6551 10,464 124,1191 (39.714} 39.714 6.937 90.412 97,349 42.404 Transfer belween funds Balances 31sl March 2024 1st April 2023 Incomin8 Expenditute Unrestricted Fund5: Gerh¢rdl De5ignated- ExtraordI￿ary Repair Fund 62.097 41.161 63 41,224 (24.257) (60.0951 60.095 18.906 60.158 79,064 62,097 {24.257) 11. Anal sis of A55etS and Liabilities to Fund5 Net assets 315t March 2025 Fixcd as5cts.' Properties Cutrtnt CuTrent liabilitirs Unrestri¢ted Funds: G¢neral Designated. Extrdordinary Repair Fund 7J76 90.412 97.788 (1,100) 6,937 90,412 97.349 661 1.100 Net assets 315t March 2024 Fixed a5%tS'. Properties Current Current Bank Unrestricted Funds.. Generdl D¢si8nated- Extrnordinary Rqwir Fund 19.133 60.158 79.291 {873) 18,906 60,158 79.(164 873 Page 11