## 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, G.A.Jackson (Hon Secretary & Treasurer), Dr. R.A. Lewin, T. Pearce Higgins (Chairman), J.Sherriff, 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 £44,100 was disbursed in respect of 2024, 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 2024 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 2023. Signed on Behalf of the Trustees: T. Pearce Higgins (Chairman outgoing April 2025) Edmund J. N. Brookes Elected April 2025 CITY & UNIVERSITh OF CAMBRIDGE MASONIC CHARITABLE TRUST STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024 2024 2023 Incomlng Rwurces Grant Investmont In￿Me Bank compensation Total Incomlng r•¥ourcg5 av•ll•bb for charltable application 40.000.00 435.45 275.00 40,000.00 217.43 40,217.43 R•source5 Exponded Charitable Grants Bethel Match FuTM1in9 Adminislrab"on i£&) 00f￿ 2022 ratrr*6cafvetyl Totsl r080ure￿ oxpèndad 37,800.00 6.300.00 32,000.00 4.250.00 60.00 44,100.00 Not Incomlnglovtgolng R6￿Ure¢S lor th• y -3.864.55 3.907.43 Tt)tsl fvnd$ brought lorward ,323.73 4,416.30 Totsl funds carrlod forward 4,934.18 8,323.73 BALANCE SHEET AT 31 DECEIABER 2024 Current As80ts Cambridge BuiklitYJ Soriety- CommLmity ACC￿￿1 8,323.73 Unr￿trIC￿0 Funds 4&14.18 8,323.73 Not•s to the Accounts q. A¢eountlng Pollclos {a) The accounts have been prepared under the historical Cost convention aThJ in accordance with the Statement ol Re￿mmended Pradice ISORPI 'A¢￿￿ntIng and Reporting by Charit*s' published Trn October 21JOO and revise(l in 200S and applicable accounting stsndards. (bl Grarts aThJ other income are allo￿ted to the ac¢xunting peri(xl in whlch they are re￿ived. Z Grants Made Arthur Rank Hospi Beds a Cambs 4x4 Response Cambrid e C renians Cambrid e Colle e Ridin Cambs Food Bank Care Network Cartng Together Cerjtre 33 Clarissa's Cam n - Student Screenin East Anglian Air Ambulan Food Cyde Homeslart Jimmy's MS Theropy M8upas Read Easy 4,000 500 1.500 500 5.000 1.500 5.1]00 1,000 1.000 2.0 700 2,000 3.000 2,000 2,000 3.000 2,000 15Th) Matched FundiThJ Red Hen Protect Winter Comfort Steel Bones Panto- Red 2 Green Panto- Carnbridgè AKI Total see below 3.000 2.000 500 300 300 37.800 see below 3,000 31.500 3. Bethel Match Fundlng Matth fvnding 10 21 Masonic L¢)dges 6.300 6,300 Admlnl8tratlon Compgnsallon from Bardays and Lloyds failed applic8tions ## **Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of the City and University of Cambridge Masonic Charitable Trust** I report on the accounts of the Trust for the year ended 31 December 2024 ## **Respective Responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner** The Charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The Charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required (under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility: to examine the accounts (under section 145 of the 2011 Act); to follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners (under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act); and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention. ## **Basis of the Independent Examiner’s 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 seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning 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 Examiner’s Report** 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 section 130 of the 2011 Act; and - -to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act have not been met; or - 2 to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. M. Shields, 6a, The Butts, Soham, Ely, Cambridgeshire, CB7 5AN 6[th] April 2025