Kentish’s Educational Foundation
Annual Report and Accounts
2024-2025
Registered with the Charity Commission
Number 313098
Report and Accounts © Trustees of Kentish’s Educational Foundation 2025
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KENTISH'S EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
Founded 1712
Charity Commission Number 313098
ANNUAL REPORT
2024-2025
Objects of the charity
(a) the award to beneficiaries of grants towards costs arising from education at any secondary school, university, further education college or other educational establishment approved for the purpose by the trustees or for the purpose of enabling beneficiaries to study music or other arts or to undertake travel in furtherance of their education;
(b) the award to beneficiaries of grants towards the cost of outfits, clothing, tools, instruments or books to help them on leaving secondary school, university or other educational establishment to prepare for, or to enter, a profession, trade or calling; and
(c) the advancement of the education of beneficiaries in such other ways as the trustees may from time to time determine.
In this clause ‘beneficiaries’ means boys, girls and young persons, in particular but not exclusively resident in the geographical counties of Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, who, in the opinion of the trustees, are in need of financial assistance and, subject to any overriding requirement of the law relating to charities, a preference shall be given first, to boys, girls and young persons with the family name of Kentish; and secondly, to boys, girls and young persons who are of kin to the founder, Thomas Kentish (died childless in 1712).
These words are from the Scheme made by the Secretary of State for Education and Science under Section 18 of the Charities Act 1960 on 9 November 1972 , as amended by the Scheme made by the Charity Commission on 24 August 2009.
The policy of the trustees is to award grants to children and young people who are in secondary schools, further education colleges, apprenticeships or universities, generally up to first degree level or equivalent. Grants for young (ie up to age around 25). postgraduate students are considered when there are available funds or if there are special circumstances. The trustees are particularly keen to support apprenticeships and Further Education students.
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KENTISH'S EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
PARTICULARS OF TRUSTEES WHO SERVED DURING 2024-2025
Year (usually November) when current four year term ends is given in italics.
The Revd Becky Leach ex officio Mr Paul Barnes 2027
Retired underwriter Retired deputy headteacher Retired educationalist and teacher Retired teacher/educationalist Company Chief Executive Officer Retired teacher
Mr Michael Highstead 2025 Mr William Dickinson 2025 Chair from Nov 2024 Farmer Mrs Lyn Fairweather 2028 from Aug 2024 Mrs Lynda Lees 2026 Mr David Rose 2027 Mrs A Steer 2025 Chair to Nov 2024 Two vacancies at March 2025
Clerk to the Trustees
Mrs Margery D Roberts
Address of the Charity registered with the Charity Commission
7 Nunnery Stables St Albans Hertfordshire AL1 2AS
Telephone : 01727 856626 Email: robertssopwellnunnery@btinternet.com
Website: www.kentishseducationalfoundation.org.uk
The charity does not have its own premises.
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KENTISH’S EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
PARTICULARS OF BANKERS AND INVESTMENT MANAGERS AT 31 MARCH 2025
Bankers
Barclays Bank plc St Albans City Branch Registered Office of Barclays Bank 1 Churchill Place London E14 5HP
Investment Managers
CCLA Investment Management Ltd One Angel Lane, London EC4R 3AB
Independent Examiner
Mrs Sheila Holmes 126 Crabtree Lane Harpenden Hertfordshire AL5 5RA
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KENTISH’S EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
PARTICULARS OF SOLICITORS, SURVEYORS & INSURERS AT 31 MARCH 2025
Solicitors
Lee Bolton Monier-Williams 1 The Sanctuary London SW1P 3JT
Surveyors/land agents
Robinson and Hall 118 Bromham Rd Bedford MK40 2QN
Insurers of Camptonbury Farm
NFU Mutual Tiddington Road Stratford-upon-Avon Warwickshire CV37 7BJ (Registered Office)
J Langley and C Platt NFU Mutual Rivers Lodge West Common Harpenden Hertfordshire AL5 2JD (Local office)
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KENTISH’S EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
GOVERNANCE REPORT AND REPORT ON ACTIVITIES
1. Trustees’ reserves policy
For some years, the trustees’ grants policy has been to award approximately 75% of the annual income on grants, the remainder being applied to administration (including the Clerk’s honorarium), the insurance of Camptonbury Farm and to reserves held for urgent expenditure (for example, for exceptionally needy applicants), landlord’s responsibilities for the farm, and to maintain the work of the charity for at least a year. This reserve fund, held in an interestpaying deposit account, currently amounts to around £90,000, which the trustees consider to be more than sufficient for the stated purposes. A fall in grant applications during and after the Covid pandemic is partly the reason for this surplus. The trustees also maintain an investment fund consisting of accumulated income, which is available for expenditure when appropriate. The endowment fund is a separate holding and is not expendable.
2. Trustees’ statement on public benefit
The trustees follow the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit. They consider that the work of the Foundation benefits the public by supporting children and young people in the defined areas of benefit who need financial help in pursuing their education and advancement, whether at secondary school level, in apprenticeships, further or higher education. Applicants are assessed on their educational and financial needs, as expressed in the application form and supporting documents. The trustees ask to see school and college/university reports and examination results in order to monitor the beneficiaries’ progress and to ensure that grants are being put to good use and applied to the purpose for which they were awarded, in line with the Foundation’s objects.
3. Policies on investments, risk management and conflicts of interest
The trustees have formal policies on investments, risk management and conflicts of interest, in accordance with good practice in the charity sector. These policies have developed from long-held guidelines and practices, with the aim of maintaining and extending the high standards which have always been the aim of the trustees and Clerk. These are reviewed from time to time. Trustees are asked to declare possible conflicts of interest at all meetings and any conflicts, or potential conflicts, are carefully managed.
4. Data protection
The trustees comply with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 2018 as to the processing of personal data by maintaining a data protection policy and privacy notice, the latter being supplied to all eligible applicants. They have never shared personal data with other organisations or individuals except with the full prior permission of the applicants and other individuals concerned. All of the work of the Foundation is on a not-for-profit basis. No fundraising is undertaken.
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5. Payments to trustees
In the year under review, no payments or fees were made to trustees which related to any professional services or for serving as a trustee. Travel and other legitimate expenses are offered, in line with Charity Commission guidance.
6. Investments
The trustees reviewed their investments during the year and decided to retain them in the funds operated by CCLA.
7. Report on the Foundation’s activities in 2024-2025
The Foundation ended the year in good financial health and with a committed body of trustees. The examined accounts are appended to the report.
The trustees met in September and November 2024 and in February 2025 and visited Camptonbury Farm in October 2024. A new trustee, Lyn Fairweather, who had a varied educational background, was warmly welcomed in September. The Revd Becky Leach, Vicar of St Stephen’s, St Albans, resigned in June in order to take up another post, leaving a vacancy for the ex officio trusteeship. In November, Alison Steer stood down as Chairman after ten years in the post but, fortunately, remained as a trustee. She was thanked for her wise, generous, and cheerful leadership and teamwork. William Dickinson was elected as the new Chairman, bringing considerable expertise to the post.
During the year, eleven grants were approved, of which six were for ‘Kentish’ applicants. Three grants out of the eleven went to secondary school pupils, two to students taking first degrees, three to young people engaged in further education/training and three to postgraduate students. Although the trustees were keen to attract more grant applications, the age spread and variety of those received in 2024-2025 were encouraging. Grants ranged from £500 to £1250.
The trustees were pleased to continue their excellent relationship with their farm tenant, Dr Simon Lamb, and his family. The visit to Camptonbury Farm in October provided an opportunity for them to inspect the land and the farm buildings. The former was in good heart and the latter, including some asbestos materials, appeared to be stable. During the year, the Foundation’s surveyors, Robinson and Hall, carried out a valuation survey and valued the Foundation’s holding at £1,280,000. The trustees decided, on advice, not to increase the rent this year.
Finally, the trustees commissioned Ben Samworth to create a simple but effective website for the Foundation. Although the charity appeared on a number of other websites, this was the first time that it had its own.
Signed…… William Dickinson
Chair Date 18 July 2025
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KENTISH’S EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
Charity Commission number 313098
Receipts and Payments Account for the year ended 31 March 2025[1]
Receipts[2]
| Farm rent COIF investment fund 1 COIF investment fund 2 COIF Ethical COIF deposit fund interest TOTAL RECEIPTS Payments Direct charitable expenditure3 Grants for secondary education Grants for higher education Grants for travel Apprenticeships & FE Postgraduate Special awards TOTAL Support costs and administration Clerk’s honorarium Administrative expenses Farm insurance Examiner Farm visit & trustee expenses Professional fees TOTAL TOTAL EXPENDITURE Excess of receipts over payments |
£7,743.60 21,551.86 2,173.95 908.32 4,456.50 - £36,834.23 £2,500.00 4,375.00 - 1,500.00 5,000.00 - £13,375.00 £4,880.00 442.185 1,439.73 250.00 161.81 2,443.52 £9,617.24 £22,992.24 £13,841.99 |
2024 £7,743.60 21,129.13 2,131.32 890.73 3,423.64 £35,318.42 £750.00 5,000.00 - 500.00 1,250.00 £7,500.00 £4,686.00 73.59 1,373.81 250.00 214.84 - £6,598.24 £14,098.24 £21,220.18 |
|---|---|---|
Numbers in superscript refer to notes
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Receipts and Payments Accounts (cont)
Endowment Capital
Value of Investments
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Fixed assets 2025 2024 Cost Camptonbury Farm £1,280,000.00 £730,000.00 1712 endowment
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Common Investment Funds
COIF Invest Fund 1 £755,521.37 £792,443.04 £424,072.84[2 ] COIF Ethical £30,685.25 £32,044.63 30,631.46 TOTAL £786,206.62 £824,487.67 £454,072.94
TOTAL VALUE OF ENDOWMENT £2,066,206.62 £1,554,487.67
Receipts and Payments Accounts (cont)
Statement of Assets and Liabilities at 31 March 2025
| Fixed assets: endowment capital 2025 Tangible fixed assets (farm) £1,280,000.00 Investments £786,206.62 TOTAL £2,066,206.62 Invested: unrestricted (accumulated income) Investments COIF Fund 2 £76,210.44 Current assets: unrestricted Cash at bank and in hand4 £6,177.16 COIF Deposit Account £99,989.69 Total £106,166.85 TOTAL unrestricted assets £182,377.29 TOTAL ASSETS £2,248,583.91 |
2024 £730,000.00 £824,487.67 £1,554,487.67 £79,934.78(cost 70,000 Dec 2020) £7,425.80 £84,875.25 £92,301.05 £172,235.83 £1,726,723.50 |
|---|---|
Investments COIF Fund 2 Current assets: unrestricted Cash at bank and in hand4 COIF Deposit Account Total TOTAL unrestricted assets TOTAL ASSETS |
Approved by the Trustees ………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Chair William Dickinson
……………… ………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Date 18 July 2025
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Kentish’s Educational Foundation
Notes to the Accounts
1. Accounting policies
a) The basis of preparation of the accounts is as required by the Charities Act 2011 (as amended), having regard to the income of the charity being below £250,000 pa.
b) Fixed assets: freehold land and buildings were valued by a chartered surveyor in 2024.
c) Other investments have been valued at mid-market price.
d) Expenses incurred in the management of invested funds are charged against the capital at source.
2. Capital and income
Investment income is subject to fluctuations in the stock markets, although the CCLA utilises historic capital growth to stabilise the level of income. The farm rent has remained at £7733.60 since 29 September 2013, with a small abatement in 2013-2014. All income is unrestricted.
3. Trustees’ grants policies
In accordance with the governing document, grants are made only to individuals. The trustees aim to apply around 75% of the annual income towards grants, with the remainder being applied to support and administrative costs, including the insurance of Camptonbury Farm. Unrestricted reserves can also be used, when appropriate.
4. Reserves
The trustees’ policy is to hold in reserve funds which are sufficient for (i) maintaining the management of the charity; (ii) fulfilling all obligations as to grants which have been approved; (iii) insuring Camptonbury Farm and fulfilling all other obligations relating to the farm; (iv) providing any urgent support to young people which the trustees consider desirable; and (v) protecting the wider interests and reputation of the charity.
The current reserves exceed the Charity Commission’s recommended level and the trustees are aware of this.
A replacement barn roof is under consideration.
5. Administrative costs
These largely relate to the setting up of a website.
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KENTISH’S EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
Registered charity number 313098 Independent Examiner’s Report on the Accounts 2024-2025
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I am reporting to the trustees of Kentish’s Educational Foundation on the Receipts and Payments Accounts and Statement of Assets and Liabilities for the year ended 31 March 2025, as set out in the accounts attached to the annual report.
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As the charity’s trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts; you consider that the audit requirement of section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011, as amended, (the Act) does not apply. It is my responsibility to state, having followed the relevant Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5) of the Act, whether particular matters have come to my attention.
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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 any such matters.
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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
(a) to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Act; and
(b) to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and to comply with the accounting requirements of the 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 .
[If there are matters for concern, the wording should be amended and details provided on a separate page.]
Signed Sheila Holmes
Mrs Sheila Holmes 126 Crabtree Lane Harpenden Hertfordshire AL5 5RA Date 1 July 2025
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