Registered number: 04169352
Charity number: 1088282
DIGITAL PIPELINE COMPUTERS
(A company limited by guarantee)
UNAUDITED
TRUSTEES' REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
|
DIGITAL PIPELINE COMPUTERS
(A company limited by guarantee)
CONTENTS
|
|
Reference and administrative details of the Charity, its Trustees and advisers
|
|
|
|
Statement of financial activities
|
|
|
|
Notes to the financial statements
|
|
|
DIGITAL PIPELINE COMPUTERS
(A company limited by guarantee)
REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS OF THE CHARITY, ITS TRUSTEES AND ADVISERS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
|
Jessica Norman, Trustee (appointed 9 December 2019)
|
|
Michael Cook, Trustee (appointed 9 December 2019)
|
|
Gerald Ackroyd, Trustee (appointed 5 September 2018, resigned 12 May 2023)
|
|
Stephen Herzig, Trustee (appointed 12 May 2023)
|
Company registered number
|
|
Charity registered number
|
|
|
A6 (Unit 4), 1st Floor
Powerhub Business Centre
St. Peters Street
Maidstone
Kent
ME16 0ST
|
|
DIGITAL PIPELINE COMPUTERS
(A company limited by guarantee)
TRUSTEES' REPORT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
The Trustees present their annual report together with the financial statements of the Charity for the 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. The Annual report serves the purposes of both a Trustees' report and a directors' report under company law. The Trustees confirm that the Annual report and financial statements of the charitable company comply with the current statutory requirements, the requirements of the charitable company's governing document and the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS102) (effective 1 January 2019).
Since the Charity qualifies as small under section 382 of the Companies Act 2006, the Strategic report required of medium and large companies under the Companies Act 2006 (Strategic Report and Directors' Report) Regulations 2013 has been omitted.
Objectives and activities
l Policies and objectives
The Charity's objects ("the Objects") are to promote any charitable purpose for the benefit of the public as the Trustees see fit and in particular, but not exclusively:
(a) Promote the relief of unemployment for the public benefit in such ways as may be thought fit.
(b) Promote volunteering for the public benefit.
(c) The protection and preservation of the environment for the public benefit by:
(i) the promotion of waste reduction, re-use, reclamation, recycling, and the use of refurbished products, in particular, but not exclusively IT equipment;
(ii) advancing the education of the public about all aspects of waste generation, waste management, waste recycling and re-use, in particular, but not exclusively IT equipment;
(d) The relief of hardship for the public benefit by the re-furbishing, recycling and provision of IT equipment, in particular, but not exclusively to the unemployed, charity volunteers and other charities, including charities who support schools in developing countries.
(e) To advance the education of the public in the subject of IT, computers, communications and digital media, in particular, but not exclusively, the unemployed, charity volunteers and other charities, including charities who support schools in developing countries.
In setting objectives and planning for activities, the Trustees have given due consideration to general guidance published by the Charity Commission relating to public benefit, including the guidance 'Public benefit: running a charity (PB2)' and believe this is what the charity is delivering and achieving.
Achievements and performance
l Main achievements of the Charity
Digital Pipeline Partnership
In January 2020 the charity forged a new close working partnership with the charity Digital Pipeline (whose ‘Working Name’ is “Computers 4 Charity”) charity number 1118674. The following announcement was made on the charity web site:
“Digital Pipeline’s “Computers 4 Charity” appeal invites donations of redundant computers, saving them from
|
DIGITAL PIPELINE COMPUTERS
(A company limited by guarantee)
Achievements and performance (continued)
being scrapped or dumped, 100% securely datawipes and 100% fulfils all environmental responsibilities with every item tracked and traced throughout. As many as practicable are supplied on to schools in developing countries via other UK charities, or more recently to unemployed veterans, hospices and nominated volunteers in the UK, with the surplus used to fund the charity.
In some developing countries, the school is the tree with the widest branches and the teacher is the villager who can read and write the best, who may never have left the local region. With computers, school attendances often double and IT literate children get jobs earning several times what their parents do, supporting their extended families for a lifetime, helping their nation develop and lifting them out of poverty.
Digital Pipeline’s computers deliver a World Class IT based education to an estimated 1.3 million children and can play a role in combating aids, malaria and other infectious diseases.
Digital Pipeline started out as an internal project within Microsoft in February 2004 and was registered as a UK charity on 3rd April 2007 with Microsoft as the Founding Member; see the personal video from Bill Gates. In January 2011 Computers 4 Africa merged into Digital Pipeline and in January 2020 Digital Pipeline restructured to join forces with Digital Pipeline Computers, formerly called Contribute with a view to an eventual merger.”
The partnership with Digital Pipeline is being gradually reduced.
l Review of activities
The main ongoing support provided by the Charity to Digital Pipeline (whose ‘Working Name’ is “Computers 4 Charity”) charity number 1118674, is the provision of shared logistics, storage and parking spaces. This sharing between charities is anticipated to continue for the time being and expanded to include other charities in future.
Additional charities being provided with access to and use of shared logistics and space include Relief Aid Logistics (charity number 1042912), the Cook Foundation UK (charity number 1048640), the Callcott Reilly Trust (charity number 1059071) and others.
In these activities, the Trustees have given due consideration to general guidance published by the Charity Commission relating to public benefit, including the Guidance “Public benefit: running a charity (PB2)”, as well as “Work with other charities: How to identify partners to work with, draw up agreements and fundraise for other charities” from the Charity Commission, Published 23 May 2013 and believe this is what the charity is delivering and achieving under its Object: “to promote any charitable purpose for the benefit of the public as the Trustees see fit”.
l Factors relevant to achieve objectives
The Charity’s activities reduced during the year, as is reflected in the charity’s accounts. However, staff numbers were rationalised, costs were also reduced and the charity’s position changed from a surplus to a deficit.
Financial review
l Going concern
After making appropriate enquiries, the Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the Charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future, albeit on a very much reduced level. For this reason, they continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements.
|
DIGITAL PIPELINE COMPUTERS
(A company limited by guarantee)
Financial review (continued)
l Reserves policy
The Trustees aim to establish free reserves in unrestricted funds at a level which equates to approximately three months of unrestricted charitable expenditure.
l Deficit
During the year to 31st March 2024 the Charity reduced its activities due to a partnership with “Digital Pipeline”, charity 1118674 in England and Wales, SC043181 in Scotland.
Its spending on charitable activities decreased from £57,372 in the prior year down to £11,814 in the current year, due to a decrease in income from £54,751 down to £10,835.
After making a £13,108 surplus in 2021/22, the Charity made a loss of £2,621 in 2022/23 and a further loss of £979 during the current year. This changed the Balance sheet from a £2,223 deficit in the prior year to a £3,202 deficit by 31stMarch2024.
In partnership the charity continued to appeal for donations of IT equipment and give away laptops, free-of-charge, to its beneficiaries.
The charity is gradually winding down its partnership with Digital Pipeline (charity 1118674 in England & Wales, charity SC043181 in Scotland). Digital Pipeline has adopted the ‘Working Name’ “Computers 4 Charity, incorporating Computers 4 Africa” to reflect its role going forward.
At the time of approving the financial statements, the Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the Charity has adequate resources to support the current level of expenditure and to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. The Trustees are committed to supporting the charity and will continue to evaluate the situation on an ongoing basis and to develop plans for the charity to manage the financial impact going forward.
l Principal funding
Funding for charitable activities has largely come from corporate donations. This has been mostly from Innovation Workshop Limited and UK Project Managers Limited, in order to meet the day to day running costs of the charity.
In receiving these corporate donations, the Trustees have given due consideration to general guidance published by the Charity Commission “Fundraising legally and responsibly: How to raise funds effectively and legally, protecting the public’s trust and confidence in your charity’s work from The Charity Commission, Published 23 May 2013” and “Guidance for charities with a connection to a non-charity: How to manage and review your charity's connection to a non-charity from The Charity Commission, Published 29 March 2019” and believe this is what the Charity is complying with and achieving.
Structure, governance and management
l Constitution
Digital Pipeline Computers is registered as a charitable company limited by guarantee and was set up by a Memorandum of Association on 27 February 2001 and amended by various special resolutions - the current fully amended Memorandum of Association was lodged with Companies House on 22 June 2020. The company was registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1088282) on 30August 2001.
|
DIGITAL PIPELINE COMPUTERS
(A company limited by guarantee)
Structure, governance and management (continued)
l Methods of appointment or election of Trustees
The management of the Charity is the responsibility of the Trustees who are elected and co-opted under the terms of the Memorandum of Association.
Any natural person over the age of 18 is eligible to stand as a Trustee of the Company on the understanding they are willing to develop, the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the Charitable Company and are not disqualified from acting as a Director by the provisions of the Companies Act.
The Articles require a minimum of three Trustees at any one time with no maximum set.
l Organisational structure and decision-making policies
None of the Trustees has any beneficial interest in the company.
l Policies adopted for the induction and training of Trustees
The Charity does not currently have any formal procedures or policies in place for the induction of new Trustees.
l Financial risk management
The Trustees have assessed the major risks to which the Charity is exposed, in particular those related to the operations and finances of the Charity, and are satisfied that systems and procedures are in place to mitigate exposure to the major risks.
Members' liability
The Members of the Charity guarantee to contribute an amount not exceeding £10 to the assets of the Charity in the event of winding up.
Statement of Trustees' responsibilities
The Trustees (who are also the directors of the Charity for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees' report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial . Under company law, the Trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Charity and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:
∙select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
∙observe the methods and principles of the Charities SORP (FRS 102);
∙make judgments and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
∙state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards (FRS 102) have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
∙prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Charity will continue in business.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the Charity's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Charity
|
DIGITAL PIPELINE COMPUTERS
(A company limited by guarantee)
Statement of Trustees' responsibilities (CONTINUED)
and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Approved by order of the members of the board of Trustees on 24 October 2024 and signed on their behalf by:
|
DIGITAL PIPELINE COMPUTERS
(A company limited by guarantee)
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (INCORPORATING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
|
|
|
|
|
Total funds brought forward
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total funds carried forward
|
|
|
|
|
The Statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.
|
The notes on pages 10 to 18 form part of these financial statements.
|
|
DIGITAL PIPELINE COMPUTERS
(A company limited by guarantee)
REGISTERED NUMBER: 04169352
BALANCE SHEET
AS AT 31 MARCH 2024
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total assets less current liabilities
|
|
|
|
|
|
Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net liabilities excluding pension asset
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Charity was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006.
The members have not required the company to obtain an audit for the year in question in accordance with section 476 of Companies Act 2006.
The Trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and preparation of financial statements.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to entities subject to the small companies regime.
The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Trustees on 24 October 2024 and signed on their behalf by:
|
DIGITAL PIPELINE COMPUTERS
(A company limited by guarantee)
REGISTERED NUMBER: 04169352
BALANCE SHEET (CONTINUED)
AS AT 31 MARCH 2024
|
|
The notes on pages 10 to 18 form part of these financial statements.
|
|
DIGITAL PIPELINE COMPUTERS
(A company limited by guarantee)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
Digital Pipeline Computers was setup on 27 February 2001 as a charitable company limited by guarantee and registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1088282) on 30August 2001. The registered address is A6 (Unit 4), 1st Floor, Powerhub Business Centre, St. Peters Street, Maidstone, Kent, ME16 0ST.
2.Accounting policies
|
|
Basis of preparation of financial statements
|
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) - Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.
Digital Pipeline Computers meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy.
All income is recognised once the Charity has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of income receivable can be measured reliably.
Grants are included in the Statement of financial activities on a receivable basis. The balance of income received for specific purposes but not expended during the period is shown in the relevant funds on the Balance sheet. Where income is received in advance of entitlement of receipt, its recognition is deferred and included in creditors as deferred income. Where entitlement occurs before income is received, the income is accrued.
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges allocated on the portion of the asset’s use.
Expenditure on charitable activities is incurred on directly undertaking the activities which further the Charity's objectives, as well as any associated support costs.
All expenditure is inclusive of irrecoverable VAT.
|
DIGITAL PIPELINE COMPUTERS
(A company limited by guarantee)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
2.Accounting policies (continued)
Government grants relating to tangible fixed assets are treated as deferred income and released to the Statement of financial activities over the expected useful lives of the assets concerned. Other grants are credited to the Statement of financial activities as the related expenditure is incurred.
|
|
Tangible fixed assets and depreciation
|
Tangible fixed assets costing £250 or more are capitalised and recognised when future economic benefits are probable and the cost or value of the asset can be measured reliably.
Tangible fixed assets are initially recognised at cost. After recognition, under the cost model, tangible fixed assets are measured at cost less accumulated depreciation and any accumulated impairment losses. All costs incurred to bring a tangible fixed asset into its intended working condition should be included in the measurement of cost.
Depreciation is charged so as to allocate the cost of tangible fixed assets less their residual value over their estimated useful lives, using the straight-line method.
Depreciation is provided on the following basis:
Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.
Cash at bank and in hand includes cash and short-term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.
|
|
Liabilities and provisions
|
Liabilities are recognised when there is an obligation at the Balance sheet date as a result of a past event, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefit will be required in settlement, and the amount of the settlement can be estimated reliably.
Liabilities are recognised at the amount that the Charity anticipates it will pay to settle the debt or the amount it has received as advanced payments for the goods or services it must provide.
Provisions are measured at the best estimate of the amounts required to settle the obligation. Where the effect of the time value of money is material, the provision is based on the present value of those amounts, discounted at the pre-tax discount rate that reflects the risks specific to the liability. The unwinding of the discount is recognised in the Statement of financial activities as a finance cost.
|
DIGITAL PIPELINE COMPUTERS
(A company limited by guarantee)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
2.Accounting policies (continued)
The Charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
The Charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme and the pension charge represents the amounts payable by the Charity to the fund in respect of the year.
General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the Charity and which have not been designated for other purposes.
|
|
Income from donations and legacies
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income from charitable activities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
DIGITAL PIPELINE COMPUTERS
(A company limited by guarantee)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
|
|
Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Analysis of expenditure by activities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Activities undertaken directly
2024
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Activities undertaken directly
2023
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
DIGITAL PIPELINE COMPUTERS
(A company limited by guarantee)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Contribution to defined contribution pension schemes
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The average number of persons employed by the Charity during the year was as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
No employee received remuneration amounting to more than £60,000 in either year.
The Honorary Chief Executive role was undertaken pro bono during the year.
|
|
Trustees' remuneration and expenses
|
|
During the year, no Trustees received any remuneration or other benefits (2023 - £NIL).
|
|
During the year ended 31 March 2024, no Trustee expenses have been incurred (2023 - £NIL).
|
|
DIGITAL PIPELINE COMPUTERS
(A company limited by guarantee)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
9.Tangible fixed assets (continued)
|
Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other taxation and social security
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
DIGITAL PIPELINE COMPUTERS
(A company limited by guarantee)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
|
|
Creditors: Amounts falling due after more than one year
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Included within the above are amounts falling due as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Between one and two years
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Between two and five years
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The charity took a Government backed £13,000 Bounce Back Loan in February 2021. The loan was initially repayable over 6 years with the interest rate fixed at 2.5% and the Government covers the first 12 months interest payments. The charity has taking advantage of the Pay As You Grow options (a) to extend the final repayment date to 10 years from the date of the first draw down, (b) a capital and interest payment holiday of 6 months and later (c) a capital repayment holiday of 6 months. The final repayment date is now 11 February 2031.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Financial assets measured at fair value through income and expenditure
|
|
|
Financial assets measured at fair value through income and expenditure comprise cash balances.
|
DIGITAL PIPELINE COMPUTERS
(A company limited by guarantee)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
|
|
Statement of funds - current year
|
|
|
|
Balance at 1 April 2023
£
|
|
|
Balance at 31 March 2024
£
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Summary of funds - current year
|
|
|
|
Balance at 1 April 2023
£
|
|
|
Balance at 31 March 2024
£
|
|
|
Analysis of net assets between funds
|
|
|
Analysis of net assets between funds - current period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Creditors due within one year
|
|
|
|
Creditors due in more than one year
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
DIGITAL PIPELINE COMPUTERS
(A company limited by guarantee)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charity in an independently administered fund. The pension cost charge represents contributions payable by the charity to the fund and amounted to £ Nil (2023 - £579). Contributions totalling £ Nil (2023 - £ Nil) were payable to the fund at the balance sheet date and are included in creditors.
|
Related party transactions
|
|
The Charity has not entered into any related party transaction during the year, nor are there any outstanding balances owing between related parties and the Charity at 31 March 2024.
|
|