Trustees Annual Report and Statement of Accounts
C W Young / R McMullan Charitable Trust
For period ended 31 May 2025
CCNI No: 107833
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73 University Street, Belfast BT7 1HL
Contents
Governance Arrangements ...................................................................................................... 3 Organisation Background/History ........................................................................................ 3 Governance Structure and Documents ................................................................................ 3 ORGANISATION CHART ................................................................................................... 4 Information and Administration ............................................................................................ 4 Trustees .............................................................................................................................. 4 Closure of R McMullan Charitable Trust and Merger with C W Young Charitable Trust ................ 5 Background ......................................................................................................................... 5 Resolution ........................................................................................................................... 5 Objectives of the Charitable Trust ............................................................................................ 6 Operation of the Funds ........................................................................................................ 6 Summary of Financial Position ................................................................................................ 8 Trustees’ Signatures of Approval .......................................................................................... 8
CCNI No: 107833
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Governance Arrangements
Organisation Background/History
Pharmacy Forum NI (the Forum) is the professional leadership body for all pharmacists registered to practice in Northern Ireland. The elected Board Members of the Forum are also the Trustees of the C W Young / R McMullan Charitable Trust (the Charitable Trust). The remit in which the Forum and Trustees operate is set out in a legal Scheme of Delegation between the Pharmaceutical Society NI (the Society) and the Forum.
The Pharmaceutical Society NI (the Society) is legislated through the 1976 Pharmacy Order (NI) and subsequent amendments to regulate and to provide leadership for the pharmacy profession in Northern Ireland.
The Forum was set up in 2011 to provide the professional leadership function enabling the Society to have a regulatory and leadership remit and yet achieve the separation of function consequent to the Government’s wish to decouple professional leadership and regulation.
The Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 sets out some guidance for charity trustees on how they should manage their investment funds. Quoting from the Act, a trustee should have regard to “the suitability to the trust of the proposed investment” and to “the need for diversification of investments of the trust”. In addition, before taking up the investment powers, “a trustee shall obtain and consider proper advice about the way in which the power should be exercised.”
Governance Structure and Documents
A legal Scheme of Delegation exists between the Society and the Forum which outlines the remit, delegate powers and responsibilities of the Forum specifically in relation to the Charitable Trust under Item 1 Delegated Functions to the Pharmacy Forum Management Board (PFMB), (b) to promote pharmaceutical education and application of pharmaceutical knowledge and (e) to apply funds under the Society scholarships for the furtherance of education and research in pharmacy.
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C W Young / R McMullan Charitable Trust is a registered Northern Ireland charity (CCNI 107833).
The governing documents for the Charitable Trust are the Declaration of Trusts and Deed of Variation.
ORGANISATION CHART
Information and Administration
Pharmacists’ Advice and Support Services (PASS)
Society House, 73 University Street BELFAST BT7 1HL Northern Ireland CCNI No: 107833
Trustees
All Trustees are elected members of the Pharmacy Forum NI Board. Please see below the list of members and their Board positions for the period ended 31 May 2025:
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Sheelin McKeagney, Chair of the Board
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Anne McAlister, Vice Chair of the Board
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Philip Boyle, Elected Member
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Neill Elliott, Elected Member
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Judith Gray, Elected Member
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Glynis McMurtry, Elected Member
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All Board Members receive general governance training delivered by an experienced external provider. In addition, Trustees receive in-house training, at which they are provided with the relevant Trust Deeds for each of the charities for which they act. This rolling programme aligns with the Forum’s Board Election process and term of board membership. A skills audit is conducted in the year following each election to inform and enhance ongoing training requirements.
Closure of R McMullan Charitable Trust and Merger with C W Young Charitable Trust
Background
The Trustees of Pharmacy Forum NI administered three separate charities. In June 2021, in light of changes to the regulatory framework for charities in Northern Ireland, the Trustees undertook a review of two of these: the C. W. Young Charitable Trust and the Ronnie McMullan Charitable Trust.
Following a process of due diligence, the Trustees concluded that the governance and regulatory compliance costs associated with maintaining two small charities were disproportionate to the scale of their activities and the delivery of the charitable objectives.
The Trustees, therefore, decided to close the Ronnie McMullan Charitable Trust. On 19 January 2024, the Ronnie McMullan Trust Fund account was formally closed and the remaining balance of £9,114.83 was transferred to a newly established account entitled C W Young R McMullan Memorial Fund.
Resolution
The Trustees unanimously resolved that the Ronnie McMullan Charitable Trust be formally closed with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland and the assets merged with the C.W. Young Charitable Trust , which would thereafter be renamed as:
C W Young / R McMullan Charitable Trust
The Charity Commission was informed of this detail on 2 May 2024.
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Objectives of the Charitable Trust
The Charitable Trust exists as an education trust to promote and advance, by charitable means only:
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i) Research and educational projects that develop pharmacy in Northern Ireland through the advancement of knowledge and the furtherance of research.
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ii) The education and continuing professional development of preregistration pharmacy students by providing scholarships, bursaries and maintenance allowances to support attendance at relevant conferences, learning events, online training programmes and other educational opportunities as determined by the Trustees.
The Trust was formed following the merger of two charitable funds. While now administered as one Charitable Trust, each fund retains its distinct purpose.
The Charitable Trust meets the public benefit requirement in two ways:
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i) The advancement of the study and research of pharmacy.
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ii) The improvement of health and wellbeing of the general public.
Operation of the Funds
The Funds from which the awards are made honour:
- i) Dr Charles William Young , Head of Department of Pharmacy in Belfast College of Technology from 1929 until his death in 1960. His legacy, together with his colleagues (many of whom were former students), led to the establishment of an award in his honour to support those undertaking postgraduate research at Queen’s for the benefit of the people of Northern Ireland. This fund has since been expanded to include research at Ulster University.
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- ii) Ronnie McMullan, former President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland, who was widely respected for his commitment to advancing the pharmacy profession. A strong advocate for pharmacy education, Ronnie believed passionately in supporting newly qualified pharmacists in their early professional development. In recognition of his dedication to professional excellence and lifelong learning, this bursary was established to encourage and support pre-registration pharmacists in furthering their education.
Each year:
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Research grants of up to £7,500 are awarded from the C W Young Scholarship Fund account to support pharmacy research and educational initiatives.
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A bursary of £250 is awarded from the C W Young R McMullan Memorial Fund account to the pre-registration pharmacy student achieving the highest score in the annual Common Registration Assessment, in recognition of academic excellence and to support their continuing professional development.
Historically, the bursary supported attendance at the annual All-Ireland Pharmacy Conference, including travel, accommodation and registration costs. However, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, such events were disrupted and awards were not issued in recent years.
The Trustees carefully considered how best to recognise qualifying recipients retrospectively, taking into account the original purpose and remit of the bursary, the needs of current and future beneficiaries, and the requirement to ensure the Trust continues to meet its charitable objectives. Pre-registration students who achieved the highest score in the Common Registration Assessment between 2019 and 2025 will be identified and contacted in writing to inform them of the terms and permitted use of the bursary in accordance with its charitable remit.
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Summary of Financial Position
The Trustees are satisfied with the accounting total of the C W Young / R McMullan Charitable Trust.
Trustees’ Signatures of Approval
Signed and approved on behalf of the Board of Trustees for the C W Young / R McMullan Charitable Trust on 10 March 2026.
Signature SHEELIN McKEAGNEY Chair of the Board of Trustees, Pharmacy Forum NI
Date: 10 March 2026
Signature: ANNE McALISTER Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees, Pharmacy Forum NI Date: 10 March 2026
CCNI No: 107833 73 University Street, Belfast BT7 1HL
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