| HAIRPERSON’S FOREWORD | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| CONTENTS | PAGE | ||
| Chairperson’s foreword | 2 | ||
| Trustees and professional advisers | 3 | ||
| Annual report of the trustees | 4 | ||
| Independent auditors’ report | - | 8 | |
| Statement offinancial activities | -- | II | |
| Balance sheet | 12 | ||
| Notes to the financial statements | 13 |
| Registered Charity Name | Ulster Bank Group StaffCharity Fund (NI) |
|---|---|
| Charity Number | N1C107814 |
| Registered Office | 11-16 Donegall Square East |
| Belfast | |
| BTI5UB | |
| Trustees | Philip Parker —President |
| Mark McKelvey — Chairperson |
|
| Paul Thompson — Charity Officer |
|
| Victoria Ward —Treasurer (appointed 8 August 2024) |
|
| Kim Robb — Secretary (appointed 8 August 2024) |
|
| Elaine McCrory — PensionerRepresentative |
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| Judith Parr —Pensioner Representative (appointed 8 August 2024) |
|
| Shauna Cassidy | |
| Lauren Gibson (appointed 8 August 2024) | |
| Chloe McEvoy (appointed 8 August 2024) | |
| Chris Mooney (appointed 8 August 2024) | |
| Roseann Murphy | |
| Fintan Murray | |
| Paul Mulligan | |
| LindaThompson (appointed 8 August 2024) | |
| David White (appointed 8 August 2024) | |
| Shannon Booth (7 November 2024) | |
| Laura Calvin (resigned 17 September 2024) | |
| Sara Fogarty (resigned 17 September 2024) | |
| Brendan McCoy (resigned 17 September 2024) | |
| Claire McKeown (resigned 17 September 2024) | |
| Susan Taylor (resigned 29 November 2024) |
INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF ULSTER BANK GROUP STAFF CHARITY FUND (NI)
Opinion
We have audited the financial statements of Ulster Bank Group Staff Charity Fund (NI) ("the Charity") for the year ended 30 November 2024 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet and the related notes 1 to 9 , including as summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice) including FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland”.
In our opinion the financial statements:
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give a true and fair view of the state of the Charity’s affairs as at 30 November 2024 and of its incoming resources and application of resources, for the year then ended;
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have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and
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have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008.
Basis for opinion
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report below. We are independent of the Charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements.
We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
Conclusions relating to going concern
In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.
Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the Charity’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report. However, because not all future events or conditions can be predicted, this statement is not a guarantee as to the trustee’s ability to continue as a going concern.
Other information
The other information comprises the information included in the annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information contained in the annual report.
Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.
Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of the other information, we are required to report that fact.
We have nothing to report in this regard.
Matters on which we are required to report by exception
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008 require us to report to you if, in our opinion:
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the information given in the Trustees’ Annual Report is inconsistent in any material respect with the financial statements; or
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sufficient accounting records have not been kept; or
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the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
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we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.
Responsibilities of trustees
As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement set out on page 7, the trustees are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the Charity’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless management either intends to liquidate the Charity or to cease operations, or has no realistic alternative but to do so.
Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an
audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
Explanation as to what extent the audit was considered capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud
Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect irregularities, including fraud. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement due to fraud is higher than the risk of not detecting one resulting from error, as fraud may involve deliberate concealment by, for example, forgery or intentional misrepresentations, or through collusion. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below. However, the primary responsibility for the prevention and detection of fraud rests with both those charged with governance of the entity and management.
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We obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks that are applicable to the Charity and determined that the most significant is the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008.
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We understood how the Charity is complying with those frameworks.
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We assessed the susceptibility of the Charity’s financial statements to material misstatement, including how fraud might occur by obtaining an understanding of the entity's policies and procedures on fraud risks.
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Based on this understanding we designed our audit procedures to identify non-compliance with such laws and regulations.
A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at https://www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor’s report.
Use of our report
This report is made solely to the Trustees, as a body, in accordance with Part 4 of the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the Charity's trustees those matters we are required to state to them in an auditors' report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the Charity and the Charity’s trustees as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
Conor Buckley for and on behalf of Ernst & Young Chartered Accountants Dublin Date: 29-08-2025
| Unrestricted | Unrestricted | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Funds | Funds | ||
| 2024 | 2023 | ||
| Note | £ | £ | |
| INCOME & ENDOWMENTS | |||
| Income and endowments from: | |||
| Donations and legacies | 3 | 21,749 | 23,426 |
| Interest Income | 154 | 120 | |
| TOTAL INCOME & ENDOWMENTS | 21.903 | 23,546 | |
| EXPENDITURE | |||
| Expenditure on: | |||
| Charitable activities | 4 | 18,730 | 25,562 |
| TOTAL EXPENDITURE | 25.562 | ||
| NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE) | 3.173 | (2.016’) | |
| RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS | |||
| TOTAL FUNDS BROUGHT FORWARD | 2,993 | 5,009 | |
| TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD | 2,993 |
| Note | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | ||
| CURRENTASSETS | |||
| Cash at bank | 6,666 | 6,493 | |
| 6.666 | 6.493 | ||
| CREDITORS: Amounts falling due within one year | 6 | (500) | (3,500) |
| NET ASSETS | 2.993 | ||
| FUNDS | |||
| Unrestricted funds | 7 | 6.166 | 2.993 |
| 2024 | 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | ||
| NatWest Group | employee and pensionerPayroll Giving | 18,709 | 21,06 |
| contributions | 9 | ||
| NatWest Group | - additional employee contributions | 3,040 | 2,357 |
| 21.749 | 23.426 |
| The Charity’s expenditure relates solely to donations made to selected charitab below: |
le bodies | as detaile |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2023 | |
| £ | £ | |
| 1st Newrownards Scout Group | 750 | - |
| AgeNi | - | 1,000 |
| AGE North Down and Ards (AGEnda) | 438 | |
| Air Ambulance | 1,500 | - |
| Angel Wishes | 2,700 | |
| Assistance Dogs NI | 250 | 2,365 |
| Barnardos NI (Christmas Donation) | - | 1,000 |
| Belfast & Lisburn Women’s Aid | - | 2,200 |
| Belfast YMCA | 1,038 | |
| BFR Parish Caring Association tla Ballymoney Community Fridge | - | 1,800 |
| Brainwaves NI | - | 250 |
| Cancer Focus NI (Christmas Donation) | - | 1,000 |
| Caring Breaks | - | 1.000 |
| Cast Ministries | 876 | - |
| Children’s Heartbeat Trust (Christmas donation) | 500 | - |
| Dementia NI (Christmas Donation) | - | 1.000 |
| Derry Well Women | 1,200 | - |
| Dogs Trust (Christmas Donation) | - | 1,000 |
| Down Right Brilliant (Newry and Mourne Down’s Syndrome Support Group) | 1,500 | - |
| Dromore Youth forChrist | 1,000 | |
| Friends ofClarawood | 735 | - |
| Carried forward | 12,487 | 12,615 |
| 4. | CHARITABLEACTIVITIES -DONATIONS (continued) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2023 | ||
| £ | £ | ||
| Broughtforward | 12,487 | 12,615 | |
| Glow — Giving Life Opportunities to Women |
1,235 | ||
| 1-lomeplus NI | - | 3,500 | |
| Hope 4 Ur Life Limited | - | 491 | |
| Lifestart Foundation | 1,038 | - | |
| Love for Life | - | 2,000 | |
| Marie Curie (Christmas Donation) | - | 1,000 | |
| National Society for the Prevention ofCruelty to Children (NSPCC) | - | 991 | |
| NI Children to Lapland and days to RememberTrust (Christmas Donation) | 500 | - | |
| North West Mountain Rescue Team | 710 | - | |
| Parkinsons UK (Christmas Donation) | 500 | - | |
| PIPS Suicide Prevention Ireland (Christmas Donation) | 1,000 | ||
| Project Ballynahinch | 1,260 | - | |
| Simon Community (ChristmasDonation) | 500 | 1,000 | |
| St Michael’s Parish Church | - | 1,015 | |
| Trussell Trust (Christmas Donation) | 500 | (300) | |
| USPCA | - | 250 | |
| We Are Made For More (Christmas Donation) | - | 1,000 | |
| Young Lives Vs Cancer (Christmas Donation) | - | 1,000 | |
| Total | |||
| 18.730 | 25.562 | ||
| 5. | CASHATBANK | ||
| 2024 | 2023 | ||
| £ | £ | ||
| Amount ofcash in bank as shown on bank statement | 9,542 | 18,493 | |
| Outstanding cheques | (3,376) | (12,000) | |
| 6.166 | 6.493 |
| 2024 | 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | ||
| Pledges | outstanding | 3.500 |
| 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|
| £ | £ |
| 6,166 | 2,993 |
| i99 |