Btytlmvood Ireland Limited
Trustees, Report
The trnstees, wbo are directors for the purposes of conwany lawl preseni the annuaI report togetber with the
financlal statements and auditors, report of the charitable company for the year ended 31 Decemb¢r 2023.
Trnstees
Mr JM Campbell
Mr JA Campbell
Mr AH Swanson
Mr N Hawthorne
Mr J Ross
General illformation
Blythswood Ireland Lijnited is a CbTistian charity which seeks to shar¢ the GospeL to help those in need, to
fither educate and alleviate diSt￿$S and poverty at home aud abroa(L
The principal place of business and the registered office is situated at 93 Templepatri¢k Road, BallyCla￿, Co
Antrim. Th¢ charity's operations include one warehouse and eight charity shops located in different areas of
Northern Ireland which receive and sell donat¢d goo(ts in order to fimd its charitable activities.
A description of the ¢harity"s operations and its principal activities a]E included in 'activities in the year. on
page 3. The trustees who served during the period and other reference and administratioll infom]ation Can be
found on page l.
ObjectiV¢s and actfvities
Objects ond aln
The eharitsble objects of the charity are the advancement of the Christian religion. the relief of povety by the
sale and distrjbution of donated goods and the advancemeJJt of education for the publi¢ benefo particularly for
poor aud disadvautaged childre
The charity's principal activities ¢ontinue to be ministering to people's spiritual and physical needs by providing
relief supplies and supporting projects in Northern Trelan<l Eastern European and other countries.
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Blythswood Ireland Limited
Trustees, Report
Aellvldes in IheyeaT
The tradi￿tr activities of the ret￿1 opeJ7tion continucd to grow dwing 2023, alloThing us to continue to work
with our existing partners, Blythswood Romani4 Blythswood Serbia and our ￿￿]0r parther Blsthswood Care
During the financial year 2023, the charity financed ar&d sent out 10,893 filled Shoeboxes, which were delivered
via the Blythswood Care Shoe Box Appeal. to project partners in Romania for distribution to groups of poor and
needy children and adults. These boxes were coll¢¢ted froD] individual SUp￿rterS, Khools, chur¢hes, and other
groups in th¢ Province. They were coll¢rt￿ and delivered to Baltyclare Hub, our main sorting centre, wh¢r¢
each box was checked and repacked by our excellent gTOUP of voluoteers and staff who recorded over many
hours of voIuntsry time. The value of goods in these shoeboxes was appToxirnately £271325. Twelve Ix)xes of
blankets were a]so sent out wÈth Shoebox loads to Ukraine.
Cash donations collected for the Shoe Box Appeal and f(￿arded to BIythswood Care in S￿tland from
Northern Ireland ¢ontn￿lltoIs amounted to £39,125 during this financial year.
The charity also donated goods to local good Causes whicb included the B1￿}SWOOd treland Holl￿Care ProjecL
through which we were able to assist with a number of requests to supply furniture and other household goods to
needy families referred to us by social services, Iu's. local councillors and CAP (Christians against poverty).
The valve of these goods was £4,384.
Three local Ch￿ltIeS receAved donations as follows - Yeljow Ribbon Suicide Prevention £2,000. Doc Café
Belfast £l,OOO' and The CÉthrdh Foundatiojj £2,CrfKI.
A¢tiviti¢s of our Parthership Fund - siwrting Blythswood Care projects - with donatiODS of £142.634
£14,200 to World Outreach Initiativ4 Bun￿dI to support their Christian Radio Ststion. £34,159 for Con)erstone
Ministries, in Mumbai, Indi4 £8,400 to Life Through Swts in Pakistan. £25,000 to Blyihswood Serbia;
£10,875 to Sargy, Kenya. and, £50,000 for the Uknaine Appeal.
We continue to improve aDd develop our shop operatAon and eight shops continue to opeTat¢ in the Province.
A dedicated body of volunteets wntAnue to be a vital part of our organisation at the Ballyclare Hub sorting
shoeboxes, and in the shops thToughout the Provine¢. The approxiDth v￿ue of their contril)ution for the year is
estimated to be more than £99,924.
The value of charitable contributions to various activities can be summarised a5 follows:
Shoebox appeal £39,125
Lwal gift boxes distr￿1 uted to five charities - £5,0(K)
Overseas donations from our Partuership Accoillit- £142,634
Gift in kind donations va]ues at - £272,325
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Blythswood Ireland Limited
Trustees, Report
Public benefit
We help to provide food and clothing to allevia* hunger and px)vety suffered by those who live in or near to the
project partners that we support in Eastern Europe. We also help to give life skilIs to those people and this in
ttnn helps them as they seek to move out beyond their current envromnent and seek fi]rth¢r education and
employmerJL therefore Émprovino their wellbeing and quality of lif¢.
We ty to alleviate wverty at home by providing fillTrlti￿e and I￿USehold iten￿ to broken families who are then
able to us¢ their limited finances to better effecL
These benefrts caD be demonstrated by testimonials from recipients that are published in Blsthswood News and
by the regular attendances at the centres operated by the project parthers that we supporL Children and young
people are cl<)thed and fed at many of our supported facilities. Some of the faeilities have benefitted from
building teams who have made improvements to th¢ fabric of the buildings, but all of this work is undertaken to
improve the faciliti¢s so that all those who attend will benefit from the improvements and have better Conditions
in whi¢h to learn, eat and mix socially with otbers, thereby improving their quality of lift.
The trustees confjrni that they have complied with the requirements of section 4 of the Charities Act 2008 to
have due regard to the public benefit guidan¢¢ published by The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland.
Financial review
The results for the period ar¢ detailed on page l? of the finaneial statements. The net inconling resources for 12
months to 31 December 2023 is £32,420 (12 months to 31 December 2022 net intoming resources of £158,857).
Our traditig income from l January to 31st DeceD]ber 2023 w&8 £1.062,162. (£1,019,057 in l January to 31
December 2022).
Policy on rcserves
The charity is founded on the basis of ChTiStiaD beliefs. The In￿tee5 do not ￿nSIder it appropriate to retain
St￿11f1callt s￿￿lUSe5 but have faith that the needs of the charity will be met as they arise. On a day-to-day basis,
the charity h&$ established a policy whereby the charity maintains sufficient levels of cash to ¢ontinue current
activities for 2 to 3 months before utiljsing the retuaining u[￿eStriCted reserves to fund the organisation for up to
6 months based on the CWTent year's total extKnditure.
Th¢ trustees Consider that reserves maintained at this level will ensure that in the event of a significant drop in
income they will be able to continue the clwity's cuttent activities while considerntion is given to ways in
which addttional funds may be raise4L This level of reserves has been maintained throughout the y¢ar.
Goin2 coneern
The fmancial statemeats have been prepared on a going concern basis.
The tsustees assess whether the use of going concern is appropriate i.e.. whether there are any mateiial
uncertainties related to ev¢nts or conditioDS that may cast significant doubt on the ability of th¢ charity to
contÈrfr.ue as a going Concern. The trustees make this assessment in respect of a period of one year from the date
of approval of the fmancial statem¢nts.
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Blythswood Ireland Limited
Trustees, Report
Structureg goyernanee and management
Recruilmehk llndappointine￿ Of1r￿fIe<S
Trustees (who are tbe directOTS of Blythswood lttland Limlted) are appointed by th¢ members and hold office
for an indefinite tern).
IndUc￿on ond lrnlning oltrusiees
All trustees receive inforniation outlining the responsibilities of trUs￿e￿d1r￿tors thd ar¢ invited to take part in
external governance trainin&
Decisions regarding strategic developmenÈ and organisational outputs and outcomes are decided by the trustees,
on advtce of senior staff. All expenditur¢ is o￿nItored by the tr￿teeS/dire¢tOrS and in line with and documented
financial pnxedures.
Org4ntsatlonalslrnclure
The organisation is a thariiable company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 13 May 2004. registered with
the Charity Comrnission of Nortbern Ireland and with HM Revenue ar￿ Customs. The objects and powers of the
company are governed by its Articles of As%)ciation.
For many years the conipany has worked in p2rtDership with Blythswood Care (a company registered In
Scotland number SC583493 with Scottish Charity number SC048001). Blythswood Care is the sole member of
the company.
Future Plaos
tn 2024 and beyond, Bl)thswood Ireland Limited will continue to raise funds througb trading in charity Sbops to
support the projects of Blythswood Care. cu￿entlY there are eigbt charity shops in Northern treland and we aim
to iJ]cre&8e the number of sllops over th¢ next few years. There are key towns in Northern Ireland wbere we are
investigating premises.
Over the past two years the surylus in the organisation has been aLkninistered more generou51y to support the
work of Blythswood Care. We anticipate we will continue to reduce that surplws to a managed l¢vel which could
be used to se¢ the organisation through any more difficult cashflow issues which may arise in the futtjre.
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Btythswood Ireland Limited
Trustees, Report
Major nsks andmanago1￿1 oflhose riskw
skmanagement
Blythswood Ireland Limited nthintains a risk llwlagement systero which seeks ts identify and prioritise any
risks to its activities and the delivery of its objectives aud puts in place measures proportionate to the
management of those rAsk8. Tbe main rxsks are categorised as:
GÉnéYating sufficienL in¢onie
EnsurFng the income of the charity exceeds the costs of tho cbarity and continuing financial support of ongoing
¢haritable projects.
Repulation risk
Ensuring that the organisation is associat¢(ViJAvolved with reputable charitable projects.
Key managemenl andpersonnel
Retention of key management and experienced personnel.
Failure lo respondio CA￿l81ng em?ironmepX
The risk that the organisation does not tske a proactive approach to chang¢.
Reappolntment of auditor
The auditors TB Millar & Co are deemed to be reappointed under section 487(2) of the Companies Act 2006.
The annual report vrts approved by the trustees of the charity on 4 June 2024 and signed on its behalf by.,
Mr JM Campbell
TTUStee
P￿￿e 6

Btytbswood Ireland Limited
Statement of Trustees, Responsibilities
The trustees (who are also the directors of Bl)¢k8wood Ireland Limited for the purposes of company law) are
Tesponsible for preparing the tn]stees' report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and
Unit¢d Kkngdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Genernlly Accepted Accounting Practice), including
FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland" The report and
ac¢ounts have been prepared in accordance with tbe provisioDS in the Conwanies Act 2006 relating to small
¢ompanies.
Company law requiTes the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year, Under company law
the t￿￿te¢S must not approve the financial statements unless thev are satisfied that they give a true and fair view
of th¢ stste of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources,
including its income and expendittwe, of the charitable wmpany for that period. Ill preparing these financial
statements, the t￿￿teeS are requAred to:
select suitable aco)untiDg policies and apply them conslstently.
observe the ll￿thOdS and principles in the Charities SORP"
make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prndenL
state whether applicable accounting standards, comprising FRS 102 have been followed, subject to any
material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements" and
prepare the financTal statements on the going conc¢rn basis unless it is inappropriate to preswne that the
charitable company will continue in business.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper a¢counting ￿ordS that can disc105e with reasonable accuwy at
any time tbe financial POSAtion of the charitsble ¢ompany and enable them ro ensure that the fman¢ial statements
comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also Tesponsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable
company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The trustees are responsAble for the maiD*nallrE and integrity of the colporate and fjnancial iDfonnation
Anclud¢d on the charitsble companys w¢bsite. Legislation goverDing tbe preparation and disseminatxon of
financial statements may differ from legisjation in other jurisdictions.
Approved by the trustees of the charity on 4 June 2024 and signed on its behalf by:
Mr JM Catnpbell
Trustee
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