REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: SC004516
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES AND
UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For The Year Ended 31 JULY 2025 FOR THE VISUAL RESEARCH TRUST
Thomas Barrie & Co LLP Atlantic House 1a Cadogan Street Glasgow G2 6QE
THE VISUAL RESEARCH TRUST
CONTENTS OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS for the Year Ended 31 JULY 2025
| Page | |
|---|---|
| Report of the Trustees | 1 to 2 |
| Independent Examiner's Report | 3 |
| Statement of receipts and payments | 4 |
| Statement of balances | 5 |
| Notes to the Financial Statements | 6 to 7 |
THE VISUAL RESEARCH TRUST
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES for the Year Ended 31 JULY 2025
The trustees present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 July 2025.
REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Registered Charity number
SC004516
Principal address
C/O Thomas Barrie & Co LLP Atlantic House 1A Cadogan Street Glasgow G2 6QE
Trustees
A.H. Baird G Heron N Leslie Vice Chairman S.Hodi A McTrusty (resigned 02/12/2025) G Loffler N Strang Chairman
Secretary & Treasurer
M Greig Thomas Barrie & Co LLP Atlantic House 1a Cadogan Street Glasgow G2 6QE
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT Governing document
The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust, and constitutes an unincorporated charity.
The Visual Research Trust was formally constituted in 1972.
Recruitment and appointment of new trustees
Appointment and removal is in accordance with the Trust Deed which requires that appointment is approved by unanimous agreement of the existing trustees and removal of any trustee by the unanimous agreement of the others.
The trust is keen to recruit new members and encourage interest in its work. Membership to the trust is available for an annual fee of £10 or life membership £100.
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
Objectives and aims
Charitable purpose as outlined in governing document.
The trustees regularly revise a list of objectives which are used as the basis for considering grant applications. This does not in any way alter the character of the Trust, but indicates to beneficiaries the general way in which they interpret their freedom to vary the objects they assist.
The present list is as follows:-
-
To encourage investigation into methods of measuring visual errors and of their correction and treatment.
-
To encourage the study, provision, development and fitting of appliances designed to correct or improve visual errors, and to assist individuals to obtain such appliances.
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To advance knowledge of eye conditions and of their relationship to general health.
-
To provide facilities for the discussion and dissemination of such knowledge.
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THE VISUAL RESEARCH TRUST
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES for the Year Ended 31 JULY 2025
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
Grant making
Grant applications are available on request from the trust. The merits of each application are then reviewed by the board of trustees and approved if funds are available or rejected if outside the objectives of the trust.
ACHIEVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE
Charitable activities
Five grant applications were awarded during the year, as detailed in the notes to the accounts.
FINANCIAL REVIEW
Financial position
During the year, the charity has incurred a deficit of £1,808 (2024 - £4,428 deficit).
Reserves policy
The charity holds endowment funds which are not expendable, although the income from these assets can be used to support its charitable activities.
The unrestricted funds represent income earned but not yet utilised in supporting charitable activities. At 31 July 2025, the charity held £5,744 at the bank, which the Trustees consider to be appropriate to allow them to respond promptly to requests for financial support. During the year, the trustees made grants totalling £4,500.
The trustees have examined the charity's requirements for reserves in light of the main risks to the organisation and future liabilities. The trustees aim to have sufficient free reserves to allow the trustees to respond to applications for grants and ensure that support and governance costs are covered.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD :
N Strang - Trustee
Date: 24[th] March 2026
Page 2
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE VISUAL RESEARCH TRUST
I report on the accounts for the year ended 31 July 2025 set out on pages four to seven.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the terms of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) 2005 Act and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. The charity trustees consider that the audit requirement of Regulation 10(1) (d) of the Accounts Regulations does not apply. It is my responsibility to examine the accounts as required under section 44(1) (c) of the Act and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of the independent examiner's report
My examination is carried out in accordance with Regulation 11 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. 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 seeks explanations from the trustees concerning any 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 accounts.
Independent examiner's statement
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 44(1)(a) of the 2005 Act and Regulation 4 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations; and
-
to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and to comply with Regulation 9 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations
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.
Angus Baird 24 Tweed Crescent Renfrew PA4 0UF
16[th] June 2026
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THE VISUAL RESEARCH TRUST
STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS
for the Year Ended 31 JULY 2025
| Unrestricted Endowment funds funds Notes £ £ RECEIPTS Funds from Scottish Contact Lens Society - - Subscription - - Income from investments 2 7,636 - 7,636 - Receipts from asset & investment sales Proceeds from sale of investments - - Total receipts 7,636 - PAYMENTS Investment management costs 2,412 - Grants and donations 4,500 - Governance costs: Preparation of annual accounts 2,400 - Other- SCLS prize 132 - Total resources expended 9,444 - Payments relating to asset and Investment movements Purchase of investments - - Total payments 9,444 - Net receipts / (payments) (1,808) - Transfers to / (from) funds - - Surplus/(Deficit) for year (1,808) - |
|
|---|---|
The notes form part of these financial statements
Page 4
THE VISUAL RESEARCH TRUST
STATEMENT OF BALANCES AT 31 JULY 2025
| 2025 | 2024 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted | Endowment |
Total | Total | |||
| funds | funds |
funds | funds | |||
| Notes | £ |
£ | £ | £ | ||
| CASH FUNDS | ||||||
| Cash and bank balance at start of year | 13,877 | (6,325) |
7,552 | 11,980 | ||
| Surplus / (deficit) shown on receipts and | (1,808) | - | (1,808) | (4,428) | ||
| payments account | ||||||
| Cash and bank balances at end of year | 12,069 | (6,325) |
5,744 | 7,552 | ||
| Market | valuation | |||||
| 2025 | 2024 | |||||
| Investments | Fund to which | asset relates | ||||
| Fixed interest | 5 Endowment | 85,383 | 42,940 | |||
| Equities | 5 Endowment | 110,780 | 142,415 | |||
| Total | 196,163 | 185,355 | ||||
| 2025 | 2024 | |||||
| Liabilities | Fund to which | liability relates | ||||
| Governance costs | Unrestricted | 2,400 | 2,400 | |||
| Investment management costs | Unrestricted | - | - | |||
| Total | 2,400 | 2,400 |
The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees on 24[th] March 2026 and were signed on its behalf by:
N Strang -Trustee
The notes form part of these financial statements
Page 5
THE VISUAL RESEARCH TRUST
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
for the Year Ended 31 JULY 2025
1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis of Preparation
The accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payment basis in accordance with the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006.
Taxation
The charity is exempt from tax on its charitable activities.
Fund accounting
Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.
Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.
2. INVESTMENT INCOME
| Deposit account interest Current asset investment income |
2025 £ - 7,636 7,636 |
2024 £ - 7,242 7,242 |
|---|---|---|
3. GRANTS PAYABLE
The total grants paid to institutions during the year were as follows:
| 2025 | |
|---|---|
| £ | |
| Summer Scholarships | 4,500 |
4. TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS
There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 31 July 2025 nor for the year ended 31 July 2024.
Trustees' Expenses
There were no trustees' expenses paid for the year ended 31 July 2025 or for the year ended 31 July 2024.
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THE VISUAL RESEARCH TRUST
5 INVESTMENTS
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the Year Ended 31 JULY 2025
| Fixed interest 120 BAILLIE GIFFORD & CO LTD Japanese W3 Inc 9,500 BNY MELLON ASSET MGMT Global Income U Inc 6,824 FIDELITY INVESTMENT SERVICES Moneybuilder Corp Bond I Inc 1,930 INVEST FUND SERVICES LTD Evenlode Income D Inc 13,159 JUPITER UNIT TRUST MGRS Strategic Bond X Inc 6,000 LAZARD FUND MGRS LTD Gbl Equity Income C Inc 8,339 M&G INVESTMENT MGMT Corp Bond Sterling PP Inc 10,000 M&G SECURITIES LTD Gbl Fltg Rt High Yield E-H Inc 4,787 RGI FUNDS ICVC Global Income and Growth S Inc 60 TWENTYFOUR ASSET MGMT Dynamic Bd Gross Inc 3,200 WAYSTONE FUND SERVICES (UK) Trojan Global Inc O Inc Equities 400 ABERFORTH SMALLER CO'S TRUST 1p Ordinary Shares 1,920 ABRDN EQUITY INCOME TRUST PLC 25p Ordinary Shares 600 COMPASS GROUP PLC 11.05p Ordinary Shares 520 GSK PLC 31 1/4p Ordinary Shares 3,886 HICL INFRASTRUCTURE CO LTD 0.01p Ordinary Shares 3,500 JP MORGAN GBL EMERG MKTS INC 1p Ordinary Shares 2,500 PRIMARY HEALTH PROPERTIES PLC 12 1/2p Ordinary Shares 400 PRUDENTIAL PLC 5p Ordinary Shares 3,675 RENEWABLES INFRASTRUCTURE GRP NPV Ordinary Shares 110 RIO TINTO PLC 10p Ordinary Shares 2,500 SCHRODER ORIENTAL INCOME FUND 1p Ordinary Shares 2,400 SCOTTISH MORTGAGE INV TRUST 5p Ordinary Shares 5,125 SEQUOIA ECONOMIC INFRASTRUCT NPV Ordinary Shares 430 SHELL PLC EUR0.07 Ord Shs (UK Quote) |
Original Cost £ 2,143 11,337 6,476 4,921 13,169 5,891 6,166 9,921 3,934 6,581 3,978 74,517 4,216 5,930 2,132 4,144 4,641 4,186 3,383 2,062 4,761 1,099 4,754 2,818 4,510 1,808 50,443 |
Market Value £ 2,017 20,546 5,474 5,197 10,814 8,742 7,012 9,300 5,725 5,939 4,616 |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 85,383 | |||
| 6,296 7,066 15,990 7,374 4,702 5,320 2,404 3,855 3,124 4,954 7,588 26,352 4,100 11,657 |
|||
| 110,780 |
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