2022-12-31-accounts - The British Neuropathological Society

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Charity Commission Registration No. 286363

THE BRITISH NEUROPATHOLOGICAL SOCIETY

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2022

THE BRITISH NEUROPATHOLOGICAL SOCIETY

LEGAL AND ADMISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Trustees Stephen Wharton (President) Tammaryn Lashley (Vice President) Daniel Du Plessis (Treasurer)

Accountants

Bankers

Nabarro Chartered Accountants Nabarro Accountants Limited 34-35 Eastcastle St London W1W 8DW Bank of Scotland 174 Byres Road Glasgow G12 8SW COIF Charity Funds CCLA Investment Management Ltd St Alphage House 2 Fare Street London EC2Y 5AQ

Principal Address Charity Commission Registration Number

34-35 Eastcastle St London W1W 8DW 286363

THE BRITISH NEUROPATHOLOGICAL SOCIETY

TRUSTEES REPORT

The Trustees present their annual report on the affairs of the Society together with the financial statements and independent examiners report for the year ended 31st December 2022.The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the accounts and comply with the charity’s trust deed, the Charities Act 2011 and 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 UK and Republic of Ireland published on 16 July 2014.

Legal & Administrative

Objects

The object of the Society is to further the study of neuropathology, to promote the exchange of scientific information by means of regular meetings, lectures and demonstrations, and to provide the opportunity for discussions between neuropathologists in Britain and other countries.

The trustees consider that by meeting these objectives they will also meet the Public Benefit test applicable to all Charities. The financial statements of the Society provide details of major activities undertaken and how the activities have been financed.

The Society has three restricted funds the objects of which are: -

Dorothy Russell and Alfred Meyer Memorial Funds

To provide scientific symposium and lectures in alternate years

NEQAS Fund

To provide quality assurance in relation to neuropathology, to improve and standardise diagnostic neuropathology.

Trustees

The Trustees are listed on page 1.

Organisation

The Society relies, and will continue to rely, on the voluntary work undertaken by the trustees, members of committees and other volunteers. The Society has no employees.

The trustees are elected by the members and, following election, serve a fixed term at the end of which they may stand for reelection if there are no other candidates. Trustees undertake their own training to ensure they achieve their fiduciary duties.

The trustees meet at the Society’s business meetings twice a year at which time strategic decisions are taken.

The trustee and committee meetings are designed to promote and concentrate the educational and scientific value of the Society's activities.

The trustees have a policy to widen representation of the members on committees.

The Society is affiliated to various European bodies but no formal responsibilities to those organisations exist. There are no related parties or subsidiaries.

THE BRITISH NEUROPATHOLOGICAL SOCIETY

TRUSTEES REPORT

Investment Powers

The trustees are permitted to make any investment that they see fit, but in view of the current financial climate consider the best arrangements for surplus funds are with the Charities Investment Fund.

Risk Management

The Trustees regularly review the charity’s activities and consider the opportunities available to the charity to enable it to meet its objectives and the risks to which it is exposed. As part of this process the trustees review the risks which the charity may face, establish systems and procedures to mitigate those risks identified and implement procedures designed to minimise any potential impact on the charity should any of those risks materialise.

The systems are designed to provide reasonable, but not absolute, assurance against material misstatement or loss.

They include regular consideration of financial results, variance from budgets, segregation of duties and the identification and management of risks.

Reserves

The Committee are conscious that in recent years the reserves of the Society have increased to a greater level than would be required to maintain activities even if funding from the journal were to reduce considerably. It is the Trustees intention that unrestricted funds should be reduced to approximately £250,000 over forthcoming years. This will be achieved by an increase number of research grants where suitable projects are proposed and increased academic, training and educational activities. It is also hoped to achieve digitalization and computerisation -online- for society meetings and EQAs, for this a training programme for some members has already begun.

Responsibilities of Trustees

Charity Law 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 Charity and of the results of the Charity for the period, together with its assets and liabilities at the end of the period and adequately distinguish any material special trust or other restricted fund of the charity. In preparing those financial statements, the Trustees are required to:

Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

State whether the policies adopted are in accordance with the appropriate SORP on Accounting by Charities and the Accounting Regulations and with applicable accounting standards, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and

Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Charity will continue in business.

The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with applicable Accounting Standards and Statements of Recommended Practice and the regulations made under s44 of the Charities Act 1993. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Review of the Year

THE BRITISH NEUROPATHOLOGICAL SOCIETY

TRUSTEES REPORT

The 123rd Annual Society Meeting was held on the 16-17th March 2022 as an on-line event because of remaining concerns about the direction of the COVID pandemic at the time of organisation and booking. The meeting remained popular with 243 registrants. The meeting opened with the Symposium on Epigenetics of Neurological Disease. The Dorothy Russell memory lecture was given by Prof Arie Perry from the USA on diagnostic neuropathology of tumours. The meeting provided 3 scientific sessions with 16 platform presentations and 18 poster presentations in an on-line poster forum. A discussion session was held for the diagnostic External Quality Assurance (EQA) Scheme (see below). Sessions were also held for the Professional Affairs Committee, which examines matters relevant to clinical practice in diagnostic neuropathology, and for the general Business Meeting of the Society. At the latter meeting, a proposal was ratified to increase the membership fee by £15 from £70 to £85. A new constitution and updated byelaws were also discussed at the Business Meeting and ratified by the Society. The Society plans to return to a full face-to-face conference for 2023. Planning for this took place during the year and the conference has been booked for March 2023, to be held at the Royal College of Surgeons. The fee structure for meeting attendance is designed to encourage the attendance of students and early career individuals, thus broadening participation in the Society’s educational activities. This will be particularly important as we plan to move back to face-to-face meetings, with the inherent higher registration costs.

The Society’s aim of providing continued further education was addressed via the organisation and support for attendance at meetings. A new initiative was the introduction of a “Next Generation Socialising” event in London, aimed at bringing together clinical diagnostic neuropathology trainees and early career researchers in the neurosciences. With a programme of scientific and career talks, this aimed to foster collaborative activities between clinical and basic researchers that could develop over time. Funding was provided for trainees to attend the European CNS Basic Course in Neuropathology. The Society also provided a £1000 donation to support the Royal College of Pathologists summer school, an outreach activity for pathology, and Society members contributed to this activity.

The Society continues to run its bursary schemes so support early research activity and provide pilot data for projects. With a value of up to £5000, the BNS awarded 21 research grants out of 25 submitted, split between Spring and Autumn rounds. These are administered by the Academic Chair and supported by review from the academic subcommittee. Three travel bursaries were awarded and one medical student elective bursary, the latter scheme designed to encouraged medical students to develop an interest in neuropathology and the clinical neurosciences. The society further supports the International Society of Neuropathology (ISN) and the European Neuropathology Society (EuroCNS) via payment of yearly per capita member subscription fees, which allows BNS members to engage with these bodies and their activities/publications. The society is also affiliated to the Joint Neurosciences Counsel of the United Kingdom.

The society’s finances continue to benefit from royalties generated by its journal, Neuropathology and Applied Neurobiology. The journal is published on behalf of the Society by Wiley. Royalties received constitute the bulk of the society’s annual income as in the past. The society subsidises members’ subscription to NAN (both the online and paper copies of the journal), though the higher membership fee will decrease the subsidy. No fundraising activities are undertaken by the society.

The Society continues to provide substantial support to maintaining diagnostic neuropathology as a GMC-recognised independent medical speciality with considerable engagement in the recruitment, curriculum setting and assessment activities relevant to the speciality. This includes the development of standards documents by the professional affairs committee. The Society bankrolls a model External Quality Assurance (EQA) Scheme, which is fully digitised. High level participation and continuous review of the scheme ensures continued public confidence in the national neuropathology service. The BNS also maintains a website (www.bns.org.uk ) as a portal to inform members of the Society’s activities and award schemes.

Signed on behalf of the Committee on 12 January 2024

Professor Stephen B Wharton BNS President 2022

THE BRITISH NEUROPATHOLOGICAL SOCIETY

INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES

I report on the accounts of the Trust for the year ended 31 December 2022, which are set out on pages 6 to 9.

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

examine the accounts under section 145 of the Act;
to follow the procedures laid down in the General directions given by the Charity Commissioner under section 145(5)(b) of the Act; and
to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.

Basis of independent examiners’ report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and the seeking of explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and, consequently, I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.

Independent examiners’ statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

1 which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material respect, the requirements:
to keep accounting records in accordance with s130 of the Act; and
to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and to comply with the accounting
• requirements of the Act

have not been met; or

to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of 2 the accounts to be reached.

M F Gibbons FCA Nabarro 34-35 Eastcastle St Chartered Accountants London W1W 8DW 12-Jan-24

THE BRITISH NEUROPATHOLOGICAL SOCIETY

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2022

INCOME & EXPENDITURE

Total 2,022 £ 9,970 146,475 0		Total 2,021 £ 11,302 132,332 38

156,445		143,672
8,753 3,670 19,404 71,940 16,183 790		0 16,492 58,245 11,386 7,638
120,739		93,762
144 4,612 0 30 2,820		0 4,560 925 0 2,730
7,606		8,215
128,345		101,977
28,100 626,434		41,695 584,740
£654,534	£629,075

THE BRITISH NEUROPATHOLOGICAL SOCIETY

BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31ST DECEMBER 2022

Note 7 Creditors 8 2 Total assets less current liabilities Cash deposits Dorothy Russell Memorial Fund Alfred Meyer Memorial Fund NEQAS Fund Restricted Funds Represented by: Unrestricted Funds General Purpose Funds CURRENT ASSETS LESS: CURRENT LIABILITIES NET CURRENT ASSETS	£ £ 671,350 671,350 16,816 654,534 £654,534 605,378 4,582 44,383 191 49,156 £654,534 2022	£ £ 643,130 643,130 16,696 626,434 £626,434 576,898 4,582 44,388 567 49,536 £626,434 2021	£ £ 643,130 643,130 16,696 626,434 £626,434 576,898 4,582 44,388 567 49,536 £626,434 2021
			£626,434
			576,898 49,536
			£626,434

Approved by the Trustees and signed on their behalf on 12th January 2024

D DuPlessis Treasurer

THE BRITISH NEUROPATHOLOGICAL SOCIETY

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2022

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

(a)

These accounts reflect all funds held by the charity, which are governed by the Bye Laws, adopted on 14th July 1977 as amended on 11th January 1991 and 3rd March 2021. The funds held are utilised in accordance with the trusts under which the Trustees are empowered in the Bye Laws.

(b)

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the accounts and comply with the charity’s trust deed, the Charities Act 2011 and 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 UK and Republic of Ireland published on 16 July 2014.

There has been no change to the accounting policies (valuation rules and methods of accounting) since last year.

(c)

The accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention on an accruals basis and include income and expenditure as they are earned or incurred rather than as cash is received or paid, except in the case of the surplus from journal, which is accounted for when received from the publisher.

2. ANALYSIS OF RESTRICTED FUNDS

Income Subscriptions receivable Interest received Expenditure Lecture costs Laboratory costs Online subscription Fund Balance Brought Forward FUND BALANCE CARRIED FORWARD Net Income For Year	Dorothy Russell Memorial Fund Alfred Meyer Memorial Fund EQA Fund TOTAL £ £ £ £ 410 410 0 0 4 4
	0 0 414 414
	0 790 790 0
	0 0 790 790
	0 0 (376) (376) 4,582 44,388 567 49,536
	4,582 44,388 191 49,160

THE BRITISH NEUROPATHOLOGICAL SOCIETY

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2022

2,022 £ 3. MEETINGS Meeting costs 3,670 Summer school 0 3,670 71,940 0 71,940 Euro CNS 9,250 6,933 16,183 0 144 144 527,869 100,117 4,364 832 38,168 671,350 16,816 16,816 Surplus from meeting Trainees training day Number of Awards Research grants & bursary's Dorothy Russell Memorial Lecture 5. SUBSCRIPTIONS Sponsorship of Brain UK 7. CASH DEPOSITS 8. CREDITORS Unrestricted general funds Committee travel and subsistence Committee room hire The trustees received no remuneration during the year (2021: nil) NEQAS Restricted fund Creditors 6. TRUSTEES EXPENSES International Society of Neuropathology Sponsorship Unrestricted journal fund 4. GRANTS & SPONSORSHIP Alfred Meyer Memorial Lecture	£	2,021 22,738 (6,246) 0 0
		16,492
		10
		18,378 39,367 500
		58,245
		6,176 5,210
		11,386
		0
		0
		499,269 100,117 4,364 1,213 38,168
		643,131
		16,696
		16,696