City and University of Cambridge Masonic Charitable Trust
(Charity Registration No. 295392 )
Trustees Report for the Year to December 2023
Trustees : Dr. R.G.H. Bethel, Dr. P. Cartwright, Mr. G.A.Jackson (Hon Secretary & Treasurer), Dr. R.A. Lewin, Mr. C.S.Lingard, Mr. T. Pearce Higgins (Chairman), Mr. J.Sherriff, Mr. J.M.Whitehead. Considering the wide range of experience and expertise available within the Province of Cambridgeshire, no special arrangements are made for either trustee training or recruitment. Governing Document : Trust Deed dated 16 September 1986.
Constituted as : Charitable Trust
Objectives : To make donations to charities, both Masonic and non-Masonic, primarily to local charitable causes.
Public Benefit . The objectives of the City and University of Cambridge Masonic Charitable Trust include the provision of grants to both Masonic and non-Masonic bodies, primarily within the Cambridgeshire locality. The Trustees consider that these objectives were met in respect of 2023 and, considering the nature and mix of recipients of the dispositions, the trustees are able to confirm that they have complied with the duty in Section 4 of the Charities Act 2011 to meet the Public Benefit requirement as specified by the Charity Commission.
Review of Activities . In accord with the Trust Deed, the charity’s activities over 2023 consisted of the release of grants to qualifying beneficiaries, in response to direct appeals from external parties, to initiatives from within the Province, and at the direction of the Trustees.
Disbursements: As detailed in the notes to the accounts, some £36,250 was disbursed in respect of 2023, distributed amongst a mix of Masonic and non-Masonic beneficiaries. The awards were biased to local charities and other qualifying recipients, in line with historic policy, and spread widely whilst ensuring that any individual donation is sufficient to be of real use to the beneficiary concerned. Funding : The charity is reliant on an annual grant from Masonic resources within the Province of Cambridgeshire, with the expectation that this will be deployed, totally or largely, over the following year. The charity does not interface with the public at large, except in respect of grants to nonMasonic bodies, and does not seek external funding.
Investment Objectives and Policy on Reserves. The Trustees do not retain a reserve as such, though there may be modest unspent sums at year end, depending on circumstances applicable to any specific year. In the event that renewal of the annual grant was not forthcoming, the Charity’s activities would go into abeyance, until such time as funding might be renewed.
Future Plans. No changes are planned to existing policies, save that any larger funding would allow the size and scope of grants to be expanded. Most awards are for a single year only, though the Trustees from time to time commit to a regular grant over a period of up to five years, always with the strict understanding that the fulfilment of such grants are entirely dependent on the continuity of funding of the Charity. Given that this practise is less than satisfactory to the recipients, the Trustees may reconsider reserves policy in any year in which a time contingent commitment is made.
Thanks : The Trustees wish to thank all those who have contributed to the functioning of the Charity over 2023 and note that, once again, beneficiaries have profited from their generosity in waving in totality all entitlement to reimbursement of expenses over the year, with the exception of a small sum for postal expenses retrospectively for 2022.
Signed on Behalf of the Trustees: Mr. T. Pearce Higgins (Chairman) April 2024
CITY & UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE MASONIC CHARITABLE TRUST STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
| Incoming Resources Grant Investment income Total incoming resources available for charitable application Resources Expended Charitable Grants Bethel Match Funding Administration(£60.00 for 2022 retrospectively) Total resources expended Net Incoming/Outgoing Resources for the year Total funds brought forward Total funds carried forward BALANCE SHEET AT 31 DECEMBER 2023 Current Assets Cambridge Building Society - Community Account Unrestricted Funds |
2023 Notes £ 40,000 217 40,217 32,000 2 4,250 3 60 4 36,310 3,907 4,416 8,324 8,324 8,324 |
2022 £ 40,000 31 40,031 38,700 Unclaimed 38,700 1,331 3,085 4,416 4,416 4,416 |
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Notes to the Accounts
1. Accounting Policies
(a) The accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities' published in October 2000 and revised in 2005 and applicable accounting standards.
(b) Grants and other income are allocated to the accounting period in which they are received.
2. Grants Made
| Arthur Rank Hospice Cambridge Cyrenians Cambs Food Bank Care Network Centre 33 East Anglian Air Ambulance Food Cycle Homestart Jimmy's Magpas Read Easy Matched Funding Red Hen Project Cambridge Colledge RDA Total 3. Bethel Match Funding Match funding to 16 Masonic Lodges |
£5,000 £1,500 £5,000 £1,000 £2,000 £2,000 £3,000 £2,000 £3,000 £2,000 £2,000 see below £3,000 £500 £32,000 £4,250 |
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4. Administration
Back payment for 2022
Independent Examinef8 Report to the Trustse8 of the Clty and Universty of Cambrldge Masonic Charitabl• Tru8t I report on the aoUnts of the Trust for the year ended 31 December 2023 R•8pecllvo Re•pon•lblllti•8 of Tru•ts•s and Examlner The Charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The Chanty's trustees conslder that an audrt is not required {under section 144{2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an irKI8pent examination is Teded. ft is my responsibilty.. to examine the accounts (urKler section 145 of the 2011 Ad): to follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners (under SeCtn 145(5)<b) of the 2011 Act),. and to state whether particular matters have come io my atteniion. B•8is of th• Ind•pend•nt Examlnerf• R•port My examination was carried out in accordan wth the General Dirgcbons given by the Chanty C0mmNsners. An examinatson indudes a revvw of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also indLKles $h1OratIon of any unLtsual items or disclosures in the accounts. and seeking explanations from you as trustees concemiNJ such matters. The procedu8 undertaken do not provlde all Ihe eviden that would be required in an audrt, and consequenty I do not express an audit opinion on the view grven by the accounts. Indopgndent Exarninerf8 Report In conrbection with my examinatKX, no matter has clxne to my attention: 1 which gives me r8a80nabl8 cau8• to believe in any matsrial respect the reqUirernts ". -to keep a¢UntI records in accordan with section 130 of 2011 Acl. and .to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting record8 and c(npty wlth the accountlng requlrements of the 2011 Act have noi been met: or 2 to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enabbè a proper undeT5tanding of the accounts to be reached. Mark ShwhJ8 6a. The 8utts Soham Ely Cambndge CB7 SAN 13th February 2024