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REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: 03674948 (England and Wales)
REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1075854







REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES AND

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024

FOR

WALSALL SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND LIMITED

WALSALL SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND LIMITED






CONTENTS OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024




Page

Report of the Trustees 1 to 4

Independent Examiner's Report 5

Statement of Financial Activities 6

Balance Sheet 7 to 8

Notes to the Financial Statements 9 to 20

WALSALL SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND LIMITED (REGISTERED NUMBER: 03674948)

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024


The Trustees of Walsall Society for the Blind Limited ('the Society') present their report and accounts for the year ended 31st March 2024.

Chairman's introduction

I am pleased to be able to report another satisfactory year for the Society.

We are reporting a very modest deficit of about £8,000 this year, and the financial position of the Society remains satisfactory. As has been the case in recent years, the generosity of our donors has enabled us to continue providing our core services without depleting the Society's reserves.

We have again been successful in attracting extra funding for specific projects, the details of which are given in Note 17 of these accounts. This additional funding is helping us to broaden the horizons of our work, taking advantage of new technological developments, and catering for the needs of the changing demographic of the people seeking our help.

I continue to be amazed and humbled by the efforts of everyone connected with the Society and its work. I make no apology for repeating my annual message of grateful thanks to all those who make the work of the Society possible: our donors and funders for their extraordinary generosity; our CEO and her staff for their dedication, hard work, and above all the empathy and care shown for the visually impaired people that seek our help; our volunteers who give their time, energy, and talents with unstinting reliability and kindness; and of course, my fellow Trustees. Thank you again, everyone.

John Cooke
Chairman of Trustees
9th September 2024

TRUSTEES' REPORT

The financial statements that follow this report are prepared in accordance with Financial Reporting Standard 102 and the provisions of the Companies Acts. The Society is exempt from the requirement to have an audit, but its accounting records and these financial statements have been subjected to an independent examination by a firm of Chartered Accountants and Registered Auditors.

The Society is both a registered company limited by guarantee, and a registered charity. The Society's registered company number is 03674948 (England and Wales), its registered charity number is 1075854, and its principal and registered office is:

Hawley House
11 Hatherton Road
Walsall
West Midlands
WS1 1XS

Each Trustee of the Society is also a Director of the Society. The Society's Trustees and Directors are:

John Cooke (Chairman)
Julie Harris
Amara Ismail El Banna
Richard Meere
Kevin Merchant
Laurence Shore (Treasurer) (resigned 30th September 2024)
Baljeet Siyan
David Smith (Vice Chairman)
Elizabeth Smith

The Society's Company Secretary and Chief Executive Officer is Amanda Reed.


WALSALL SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND LIMITED (REGISTERED NUMBER: 03674948)

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024

The Society's Memorandum and Articles of Association are its governing documents. The Society is governed by a board of at least three Trustees. Each Trustee is appointed by a vote at a general meeting of the Society and is subject to re-election every third year. Every person appointed as a Trustee must also be willing to serve as a Director of the Society.

The Trustees oversee the running of the Society, meeting at least four times each year to review and plan its operations. The CEO appointed by the Trustees looks after the day-to-day activities of the Society, leading a small team of dedicated staff by example with passionate commitment and energy.

The Society is a long-established institution, well-known and valued by local people, some of whom support the Society with a regular commitment of their time and expertise. In a typical year, the Society benefits from about 1,444 hours of valuable time given by volunteers.

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
The Society's purpose and its public benefit
The Society exists to provide information, support and friendship to all visually impaired people living in the large Metropolitan Borough of Walsall, now recognised as one of the most deprived areas of the country with a diverse and ageing population. We aim to help anyone with visual impairment that needs our help, whether registered blind or not. We are the main and by far the largest provider of visual impairment services in Walsall, working alongside the Sensory Support team of Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council.

The Trustees have considered the Charity Commission's guidance on the public benefit requirement of the Charities Act 2011 and are satisfied that the Society meets that requirement.

Services provided by the Society
The Society currently supports approximately 1,447 visually impaired individuals and the demand for its services is increasing each year.

Our Community Officers provide personal support to visually impaired people and their families at Hawley House or in their own homes and communities. This one-to-one work is at the heart of what we do, advising and supporting people with anything that visual impairment makes challenging in daily life.

We maintain the register of Blind and Partially Sighted people on behalf of Walsall MBC. After referral by a Consultant Ophthalmologist, our Registration Officer assists with the process of registration and advises on the benefits it can bring.

Our Social Activities Centre is open every weekday. Conveniently situated in Walsall town centre near the bus station, it is a popular meeting place for groups of visually impaired people to enjoy activities such as arts and crafts, quizzes and entertainment. Social isolation is often a consequence of sight loss, so our centre is an essential resource for the local visually impaired community to meet and thus enable its members to remain independent in a safe environment. It is large enough even to accommodate the Walsall Visually Impaired Bowls Group.

Our weekly Walsall Talking Newspaper is extremely popular. Each week in our own in-house studio, we record, edit and produce more than four hours of content which is then distributed on memory sticks by post, or by digital download. We also produce a monthly Audio Magazine with more than twelve hours of content.

Digital technology designed specifically for visually impaired people is rapidly becoming more advanced and readily available. In response to growing demand, we have an Assistive Technology Officer. This important service provides both group and one-to-one training sessions on generic smart devices tailored to meet the needs of each individual.

Achievements and performance
We are always busy, and our work benefits the lives of many visually impaired people in Walsall.

With the restrictions created by COVID-19 now fully behind us, our activities have mostly returned to normal. This year we dealt with 3,059 enquiries at our reception desk, handled more than 7,500 community cases, and offered 2,161 placements in our Social Activities Centre (a 'placement' is simply the opportunity for one person to attend one session). We sent out more than 7,800 copies of the Walsall Talking Newspaper, and we know that many more people listen to it through online platforms.


WALSALL SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND LIMITED (REGISTERED NUMBER: 03674948)

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024

FINANCIAL REVIEW
Financial review and policy
The Trustees are extremely grateful once again for the astonishingly generous support the Society has received from its donors. Donations and legacies received this year total £181,486, not much lower than the £203,698 received last year. The Society depends heavily upon the donations and legacies it receives because our investment income - despite an increase this year to £91,737 from £83,644 in 2023 - represents only about 23% of what we need to maintain our services, the costs of which this year were £389,082 (£356,783 in 2023).

Cautious, prudent financial policies are adopted by the Trustees to manage the inevitable fluctuations in the Society's income. Maintaining a Development Fund (described below) is a fundamental and essential part of this approach. The Trustees delegate the management of the Society's investments to a firm of professional investment advisers with the brief to maintain a balanced portfolio with moderate risk. The Trustees' aim is to maintain the real value of the Society's investments in the long term with a prudent mixture of equities, bonds and cash, and that aim continues to be met by the investment advisers.

With the published rate of inflation now having returned to an acceptable level, the Trustees are satisfied that the Society's financial resources are adequate for the continued provision of its core services for the foreseeable future.

Reserves and funds
Details of our reserves are shown in note 17 of the accounts. Our reserves consist of restricted and unrestricted funds.

Restricted funds can only be used for specific purposes according to conditions imposed by their donors. Note 17 gives details of the restricted funds.

Unrestricted funds are the balance of our reserves, accumulated since the inception of the Society. These funds are required to ensure that - in accordance with the Charity Commission's guidelines - the Society has sufficient funds to ensure that it can continue to provide its core services to the visually impaired community of Walsall for at least another two years. These unrestricted funds include a special designated fund, called the Development Fund.

The Development Fund was created by the Trustees to protect the long-term future of the Society and thus the interests of the visually impaired community of Walsall. Hawley House - the premises from which the Society has operated since 1986 - is leased on terms under which the Society could be asked, with just twenty-four months' notice, to find alternative premises. The Development Fund is thus intended to provide for the costs of the relocation of the Society should this become necessary. The Trustees would seek to ensure the Society's security of tenure in any new premises by acquiring a freehold or suitably long leasehold interest, the cost of which, together with renovation work, is currently estimated by the Trustees to be £1.6 million.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing document, organisational structure and trustees
Details of the Society's governing documents, organisational structure and trustees are covered within the Report of the Trustees above.

Risk review
The Trustees have a duty to identify and review the risks to which the Society is exposed and to ensure appropriate controls are in place to provide reasonable assurance against fraud and error.

The Trustees are satisfied that adequate systems and procedures are in operation to mitigate against the major risks faced by the Society so as to minimise the potential impact on the Society should any of those risks materialise. A risk register has been established.

Further details of the Society's performance are contained within the Report of the Trustees above.

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS
Registered Company number
03674948 (England and Wales)

Registered Charity number
1075854

WALSALL SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND LIMITED (REGISTERED NUMBER: 03674948)

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024

Registered office
Hawley House
11 Hatherton Road
Walsall
West Midlands
WS1 1XS

Trustees
John Cooke (Chairman)
Julie Harris
Amara Ismail El Banna
Richard Meere
Kevin Merchant
Laurence Shore (Treasurer) (Resigned 30th September 2024)
Baljeet Siyan
David Smith (Vice Chairman)
Elizabeth Smith

Company Secretary
Amanda Reed

Independent Examiner
Adrian Ralph FCA CTA
Stanton Ralph & Co Limited
Chartered Accountants
The Old Police Station
Whitburn Street
Bridgnorth
Shropshire
WV16 4QP

Approved by the Chairman of the Trustees on 9th September 2024 and signed on its behalf by:





David Smith - Trustee

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF
WALSALL SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND LIMITED

Respective Responsibilities of the Trustees and Examiner

The Trustees (who are also the Directors of the company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for
the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 ("the 2006 Act"). The company's Trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and that an independent examination is needed.

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the charitable company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charitable company's accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 ("The 2011 Act"). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145 (5) (b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent Examiner's Statement

In connection with my examination, no material matters have come to my attention which give me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

(i) accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 386 of the Companies Act 2006; or
(ii) the accounts do not accord with such records; or
(iii) the accounts do not comply with relevant accounting requirements under section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
(iv) the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS102).

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.








Adrian Ralph FCA CTA

Stanton Ralph & Co Limited
Chartered Accountants
The Old Police Station
Whitburn Street
Bridgnorth
Shropshire
WV16 4QP

9th September 2024

WALSALL SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND LIMITED

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024

31.3.24 31.3.23
Unrestricted Restricted Total Total
fund fund funds funds
Notes £    £    £    £   
INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM
Donations and legacies 2 66,587 114,899 181,486 203,698

Charitable activities 5
Council funded and other charitable activities
-

42,632

42,632

42,632

Other trading activities 3 9,378 - 9,378 11,611
Investment income 4 91,737 - 91,737 83,644
Total 167,702 157,531 325,233 341,585

EXPENDITURE ON
Raising funds 6 61,514 1,937 63,451 58,186

Charitable activities 7
Council funded and other charitable activities
150,149

175,482

325,631

298,597
Total 211,663 177,419 389,082 356,783

Net gains/(losses) on investments 56,206 - 56,206 (154,141 )

NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE) 12,245 (19,888 ) (7,643 ) (169,339 )
Transfers between funds 17 (15,363 ) 15,363 - -
Net movement in funds (3,118 ) (4,525 ) (7,643 ) (169,339 )

RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS
Total funds brought forward 2,272,364 41,367 2,313,731 2,483,070

TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD 2,269,246 36,842 2,306,088 2,313,731

WALSALL SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND LIMITED (REGISTERED NUMBER: 03674948)

BALANCE SHEET
31ST MARCH 2024

31.3.24 31.3.23
Unrestricted Restricted Total Total
fund fund funds funds
Notes £    £    £    £   
FIXED ASSETS
Tangible assets 12 2 - 2 2
Investments 13 2,073,874 - 2,073,874 2,021,932
2,073,876 - 2,073,876 2,021,934

CURRENT ASSETS
Stocks 14 458 - 458 809
Debtors 15 4,228 - 4,228 3,848
Cash at bank 204,980 37,661 242,641 300,975
209,666 37,661 247,327 305,632

CREDITORS
Amounts falling due within one year 16 (14,296 ) (819 ) (15,115 ) (13,835 )

NET CURRENT ASSETS 195,370 36,842 232,212 291,797

TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES 2,269,246 36,842 2,306,088 2,313,731

NET ASSETS 2,269,246 36,842 2,306,088 2,313,731
FUNDS 17
Unrestricted funds 2,269,246 2,272,364
Restricted funds 36,842 41,367
TOTAL FUNDS 2,306,088 2,313,731

The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31st March 2024.


The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 31st March 2024 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.


The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for
(a)ensuring that the charitable company keeps accounting records that comply with Sections 386 and 387 of the Companies Act 2006 and
(b)preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company as at the end of each financial year and of its surplus or deficit for each financial year in accordance with the requirements of Sections 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the charitable company.


WALSALL SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND LIMITED (REGISTERED NUMBER: 03674948)

BALANCE SHEET - continued
31ST MARCH 2024

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to charitable companies subject to the small companies regime.


The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on 9th September 2024 and were signed on its behalf by:





John Cooke - Trustee





David Smith - Trustee

WALSALL SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND LIMITED

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of preparing the financial statements
The Society is a public benefit entity as defined by FRS102. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with 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 United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS102), the Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006 and UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice.

The financial statements are prepared on a going concern basis under the historical cost convention, modified to include certain items at fair value. The financial statements are presented in sterling which is the functional currency of the Society and rounded to the nearest £1.

The significant accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all years presented unless otherwise stated.

Funds
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the Society and have not been designated for other purposes.

Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the Trustees for particular purposes. Further details are given in the Trustees' Report.

Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors or which have been raised by the Society for particular purposes. The costs of raising and administering such funds are charged against the specific fund. Further details are given in Note 17.

Income
All incoming resources are included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) when the Society is legally entitled to the income after any performance conditions have been met, the amount can be measured reliably, and it is probable that the income will be received.

For donations to be recognised the Society will have been notified of the amounts and the settlement date in writing. If there are conditions attached to the donation and this requires a level of performance before entitlement can be obtained then income is deferred until those conditions are fully met or the fulfilment of those conditions is within the control of the Society and it is probable that they will be fulfilled.

Donated facilities and donated professional services are recognised in income at their fair value when their economic benefit is probable, it can be measured reliably and the Society has control over the item. Fair value is determined on the basis of the value of the gift to the Society; for example the amount the Society would be willing to pay in the open market for such facilities and services. A corresponding amount is recognised in expenditure.

No amount is included in the financial statements for volunteer time in line with the SORP (FRS 102). Further detail is given in the Trustees' Report.

For legacies entitlement is recognised on the earlier of the Society being notified of an impending distribution or the legacy being received. Sometimes legacies will be notified to the Society but it is not possible to measure the amount expected to be distributed. On these occasions the legacy is treated as a contingent asset and disclosed in the notes to the financial statements.

Income from trading activities includes income earned from fundraising events and trading activities to raise funds for the Society. Income is received in exchange for supplying goods and services in order to raise funds and is recognised when entitlement has occurred.

Income from government and other grants are recognised at fair value when the Society has entitlement after any performance conditions have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably. If entitlement is not met then these amounts are deferred.


WALSALL SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND LIMITED

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES - continued

Income
Investment income is earned through holding assets for investment purposes such as shares and bonds. It includes dividends and interest. Where it is not practicable to identify investment management costs incurred within a scheme with reasonable accuracy the investment income is reported net of these costs. Investment income is included when the amount can be measured reliably. Interest income is recognised using the effective interest method and dividend income is recognised as the Society's right to receive payment is established.

Expenditure
All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all costs related to the category. Expenditure is recognised where there is a legal or constructive obligation to make payments to third parties, it is probable that the settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.

The costs of raising funds include the costs associated with attracting voluntary income and the costs of trading for fundraising purposes.

Expenditure on charitable activities includes those costs incurred by the Society in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.

Other expenditure represents those items not falling into the categories above.

Irrecoverable VAT is charged as an expense against the activity for which expenditure arose.

Support costs allocation
Support costs are those that assist the work of the Society but do not directly represent charitable activities and include office costs, governance costs and administrative payroll costs. They are incurred directly in support of expenditure on the objects of the Society; where support costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to cost of raising funds and expenditure on charitable activities on a basis considered to be reasonably consistent with use of the resources.

Fundraising costs are those incurred in seeking voluntary contributions and do not include the costs of disseminating information in support of the charitable activities.

The analysis of these costs is included in Notes 6 and 7.

Tangible fixed assets
Tangible fixed assets are stated at cost or valuation less accumulated depreciation and accumulated impairment losses. Cost includes costs directly attributable to making the asset capable of operating as intended. Assets with a cost below £5,000 are not capitalised.

Depreciation is provided on all tangible fixed assets, at rates calculated to write off the cost, less estimated residual value, of each asset on a systematic basis over its expected useful life as follows:

Leasehold buildings and improvements5% pa straight line
Computer equipment33% pa straight line

Stocks
Stocks are valued at the lower of cost and net realisable value, after making due allowance for obsolete and slow moving items.








WALSALL SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND LIMITED

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES - continued

Pension costs and other post-retirement benefits
The Society operates a defined contribution pension scheme for its employees. Contributions payable to the pension scheme are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities in the period to which they relate.

Debtors and creditors receivable/payable within one year
Debtors and creditors with no stated interest rate and receivable or payable within one year are recorded at transaction price. Any losses arising from impairment are recognised in expenditure.

Investments
Listed investments are valued at open market value with realised and unrealised gains and losses adjusted within the Statement of Financial Activities in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice and FRS 102.

Impairment
Assets not measured at fair value are reviewed for any indicator that the asset may be impaired at each balance sheet date. If such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset, or the asset's cash generating unit, is estimated and compared to the carrying amount. Where the carrying amount exceeds its recoverable amount an impairment loss is recognised in profit and loss unless the asset is carried at a revalued amount, where the impairment loss is a revaluation decrease.

Employment benefits
When employees have rendered service to the Society, short-term employee benefits to which the employees are entitled are recognised at the undiscounted amount expected to be paid in exchange for that service.

The Society operates a defined contribution plan for the benefit of its employees. Contributions are expensed as they become payable.

Tax
The Society is an exempt charity within the meaning of schedule 3 of the Charities Act 2011 and is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 Finance Act 2010 so that it therefore meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes and so that the Society is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.

Going concern
The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis as the Trustees believe that no material uncertainties exist. The Trustees have considered the level of funds held and the expected level of income and expenditure for twelve months from authorising these financial statements. The budgeted income and expenditure are sufficient with the level of reserves for the Society to be able to continue as a going concern.


WALSALL SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND LIMITED

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024

2. DONATIONS AND LEGACIES

Restricted Unrestricted 31.3.24 31.3.23
£ £ £ £
Midland Societies for the Blind - 2,148 2,148 3,193
Talking Newspaper - 1,435 1,435 1,437
General - 8,239 8,239 5,456
Box collections - 85 85 110
Day Centre Metrobox collections - 229 229 246
Legacies - 40,764 40,764 105,237
Corporate Trust Fundraising - - - 3,450
Charitable Trust Fundraising 114,899 12,500 127,399 83,248
General and administration - 515 515 637
Gift aid - 594 594 651
Charities Trust and aid donations - 78 78 33
114,899 66,587 181,486 203,698

In 2023 income from donations and legacies was £203,698 of which £70,252 was attributable to restricted funds and £133,446 was attributable to unrestricted funds.

3. OTHER TRADING ACTIVITIES

Restricted Unrestricted 31.3.24 31.3.23
£ £ £ £
Sales of WTN bricks - - - 519
Sales of living aids and equipment - 5,654 5,654 8,043
Social activity centre - 3,231 3,231 2,311
Other Income - 493 493 738
- 9,378 9,378 11,611

In 2023 all income was attributable to unrestricted funds.

4. INVESTMENT INCOME

31.3.24 31.3.23
£ £
Interest on investments 11,501 1,819
Interest on UK securities 4,037 2,842
Income from equities and unit trusts 76,199 78,983
91,737 83,644

In 2024 and 2023 all income from investments was attributable to unrestricted funds.


WALSALL SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND LIMITED

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024

5. INCOME FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES

Restricted Unrestricted 31.3.24 31.3.23
£ £ £ £
Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council:
Registration, Information and Liaison Service 18,623 - 18,623 18,623
Centre Management 24,009 - 24,009 24,009
42,632 - 42,632 42,632

6. RAISING FUNDS


Voluntary
Income

Fundraising

31.3.24

31.3.23


£

£

£

£
Cost of goods sold 10,086 - 10,086 13,730
Property costs 1,589 - 1,589 2,627
Fundraising and publicity 327 - 327 380
Salaries and staff expenses 17,497 31,292 48,789 39,126
General and office expenses 2,660 - 2,660 2,323
32,159 31,292 63,451 58,186

7. CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES COSTS








Registr
ation

Translati
on and
talking
news


Day
activiti
es
Commu
nity
work &
Tech
Officer


Centre
manag
ement


Gov
erna
nce




31.3.24




31.3.23
£ £ £ £ £ £ £ £
Talking
newspaper
equip, reps &
maint



-



634



-



-



-



-



634



3,267
Sundry grants &
gifts

-

-

-

212

-

-

212

360
Property costs 2,867 3,576 5,363 8,939 9,445 397 30,587 37,103
Salaries and
staff expenses

18,226

35,539

56,247

117,213

12,192

4,873

244,290

217,879
General &
office expenses

4,531

5,985

8,978

14,963

3,549

662

38,668

27,104
Accounts/ book
keeping

-

-

-

-

7,476

-

7,476

9,462
Fundraising and
Publicity

-

736

1,105

1,841

-

82

3,764

3,422
25,624 46,470 71,693 143,168 32,662 6,014 325,631 298,597


WALSALL SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND LIMITED

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024

8. TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS

The Trustees neither received nor waived any remuneration during the year (2023: none).

Trustees' expenses

The Trustees did not claim any expenses this year or last year despite being entitled to do so.

9. STAFF COSTS
31.3.24 31.3.23
£    £   
Wages and salaries 268,827 238,177
Social security costs 15,159 11,793
Other pension costs 5,042 4,097
289,028 254,067

The average monthly number of employees during the year was as follows:

31.3.24 31.3.23
Average number of employees 15 14

No employees received emoluments of more than £60,000 during the year (2023: none).

The total amount of employee benefits received by key management personnel is £48,033 (2023: £45,969). The Trustees consider the key management personnel to be the Chief Executive Officer.

10. PREVIOUS YEAR'S COMPARATIVE FIGURES FOR STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
Unrestricted Restricted Total
fund fund funds
£    £    £   
INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM
Donations and legacies 133,446 70,252 203,698

Charitable activities
Council funded and other charitable activities
-

42,632

42,632

Other trading activities 11,611 - 11,611
Investment income 83,644 - 83,644
Total 228,701 112,884 341,585

EXPENDITURE ON
Raising funds 56,936 1,250 58,186

Charitable activities
Council funded and other charitable activities
178,833

119,764

298,597
Total 235,769 121,014 356,783

Net gains/(losses) on investments (154,141 ) - (154,141 )

NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE) (161,209 ) (8,130 ) (169,339 )
Transfers between funds (13,247 ) 13,247 -

WALSALL SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND LIMITED

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024

10. PREVIOUS YEAR'S COMPARATIVE FIGURES FOR STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES - continued
Unrestricted Restricted Total
fund fund funds
£    £    £   
Net movement in funds (174,456 ) 5,117 (169,339 )

RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS
Total funds brought forward 2,446,820 36,250 2,483,070

TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD 2,272,364 41,367 2,313,731

11. GOVERNANCE COSTS

31.3.24 31.3.23
£ £
Accountancy / payroll and independent examiner's fees 7,476 9,462
Support costs 6,017 6,253
Investment management costs 11,587 8,809
25,080 24,524

Accountancy / payroll and independent examiner's fees includes an independent examination fee of £1,000 (2023 £1,000) and payroll services of £1,476 (2023 £1,362).

12. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS
Short Computer
leasehold equipment Totals
£    £    £   
COST
At 1st April 2023 and 31st March 2024 121,636 11,245 132,881
DEPRECIATION
At 1st April 2023 and 31st March 2024 121,635 11,244 132,879
NET BOOK VALUE
At 31st March 2024 1 1 2
At 31st March 2023 1 1 2

13. FIXED ASSET INVESTMENTS
Listed
investments
£   
MARKET VALUE
At 1st April 2023 2,021,932
Additions 67,831
Disposals (72,095 )
Realised gains 34,118
Net unrealised gains 22,088
At 31st March 2024 2,073,874
NET BOOK VALUE
At 31st March 2024 2,073,874
At 31st March 2023 2,021,932

WALSALL SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND LIMITED

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024

13. FIXED ASSET INVESTMENTS - continued




Cost or valuation at 31st March 2024 is represented by:

Listed
investments
£   
Valuation in 2024 783,201
Cost 1,290,673
2,073,874

Investments at market value comprise:

31.3.24 31.3.23
£ £
Fixed interest funds and gilts 134,391 117,992
Equities 1,607,362 1,535,063
Property and infrastructure funds 332,121 368,877
2,073,874 2,021,932

Investments were valued at closing mid-market value as at 31 March 2024 by EFG Harris Allday, independent stockbrokers regulated by the Financial Services Authority and a member of the London Stock Exchange.

14. STOCKS
31.3.24 31.3.23
£    £   
Stocks 458 809

15. DEBTORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR
31.3.24 31.3.23
£    £   
Prepayments 4,228 3,848


WALSALL SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND LIMITED

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024

16. CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR
31.3.24 31.3.23
£    £   
Trade creditors 2,032 2,750
Social security and other taxes 4,434 3,745
Other creditors 1,038 846
Accrued expenses 7,611 6,494
15,115 13,835


WALSALL SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND LIMITED

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024

17. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS


Opening
Balance
Incoming
Resource
Resources
Expended
Gains/
(losses

)

Transfers
Closing
Balance
Unrestricted:
General fund 672,364 167,702 (211,663 ) 56,206 (15,363 ) 669,246
Development
fund

1,600,000

-

-

-

-

1,600,000
2,272,364 167,702 (211,663 ) 56,206 (15,363 ) 2,269,246
Restricted:
Centre
management

-

24,009

(32,662

)

-

8,653

-
Registration,
Information and
Liaison Service


-


18,623


(25,623


)


-


7,000


-
Charitable Trust
Fundraising

786

-

(786

)

-

-

-
Children in
Need

360

9,991

(9,922

)

-

-

429
Severn Trent
Water

2,780

2,625

(5,405

)

-


-
BHFS Trust 500 - (500 ) - - -
The National
Lottery - Awards
for All


785


-


(491


)


-


(294


)


-
Edward &
Dorothy
Cadbury


216


-


(216


)


-


-


-
Good Things
Foundation

1,000

-

(1,000

)

-

-

-
Postcode Local
Trust

25,000

-

(23,470

)

-

-

1,530
The Hospital
Saturday Fund 2

2,000

-

(2,000

)

-

-

-
The Beatrice
Laing Trust 2

2,500

-

(2,500

)

-

-

-
Ulverscroft
Foundation 2

88

-

(88

)

-

-

-
D Bostock
Legacy

2,092

-

(589

)

-

-

1,503
The National
Lottery
Community
Fund - RC
Midlands Region




760




62,875




(58,513




)




-




-




5,122
Leeds Building
Society

1,000

-

(1,562

)

-

562

-
The WED
Charitable Trust

-

500

-

-

(500

)

-
The Clive
Richards
Foundation


1,500


-


(1,614


)


-


114


-
Lillie Johnson
Charitable Trust

-

1,000

(1,000

)

-

-

-
Bernard Sunley
Foundation

-

5,000

(2,230

)

-

-

2,770
The Screwfix
Foundation 2

-

5,000

(3,007

)

-


-

1,993
William A
Cadbury Trust

-

500

(439

)

-

(61

)

-

WALSALL SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND LIMITED

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024

17. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued

The Boshier
Hinton
Foundation 2


-


1,260


(6


)


-


(111


)


1,143
The Saintbury
Trust

-

2,000

-

-

-

2,000
Tesco
Community
Grant


-


1,000


-


-


-


1,000
One Walsall - 1,000 (1,000 ) - - -
WM Police - 3,500 (1,120 ) - - 2,380
Hospital
Saturday Fund 2

-

1,795

(1,676

)

-

-

119
National Lottery
Awards for All

-

14,465

-

-

-

14,465
Grantham Yorke
Trust

-

2,388

-

-

-

2,388
41,367 157,531 (177,419 ) - 15,363 36,842

Total funds 2,313,731 325,233 (389,082 ) 56,206 - 2,306,088

Community Sight Loss Support: The National Lottery Community Fund - RC Midlands Region, has provided us with our first year of funding from its Reaching Communities Fund. This generous support has enabled us to deliver our community based outreach support to adults with visual impairment as well as creating a new awareness raising role which is reaching out to unregistered individuals who are struggling with vision challenges.

Children and Young People: BBC Children in Need has provided its third year of funding to enable us to continue our community support for visually impaired children, young people and their families. We are delighted that funding from the Grantham Yorke Trust has enabled us to establish a new Youth Club engagement activity with our young visually impaired service users.

Assistive Technology: A grant from the Hospital Saturday Fund has enabled us to purchase a new item of magnification equipment which is available to the sight loss community for demonstration and loan purposes. We have also installed a driving simulation experience in our Social Activity Centre thanks to a grant from the Lillie Johnson Charitable Trust.

Mental Health and Wellbeing: A grant from the Postcode Local Trust, received during the previous financial year, has been utilised this year to deliver the second year of our mental health and wellbeing service. Following the completion of the Severn Trent Community Fund funded pilot initiative, this project continues to support people with sight loss to improve their mental health and wellbeing by assisting them to regain their independence and confidence and reduce their isolation.

Sight Loss Support Aids: The Saintbury Trust, Tesco Community Grants, William A. Cadbury Trust, Boshier Hinton Foundation and the WED Charitable Trust have all made contributions towards a new project providing tailored sight loss support aids to individuals newly registered with sight loss. Resources available include liquid level indicators, bump ons, symbol canes and signature guides.

Refurbishments: Grants from The National Lottery - Awards for All England Fund, West Midlands Police - Helping Communities Fund, Screwfix Foundation and the Bernard Sunley Foundation have enabled us to make improvements to our Social Activity Centre, IT suite, kitchen and building security.

Healthy Eating Initiative: A grant from the Health Inequalities Fund distributed via One Walsall, has enabled us to deliver an initiative to help our service users improve their understanding of food choices and their impact on eye health.

Further details of restricted and unrestricted funds are included within the Report of the Trustees.


WALSALL SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND LIMITED

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024

17. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued

Analysis of net assets between funds




Unrestricted
Funds

Designated
Funds

Restricted
Funds


Total Assets
£ £ £ £
Fixed assets 473,876 1,600,000 - 2,073,876
Bank and cash in hand 204,980 - 37,661 242,641
Other current assets/liabilities (9,610 ) - (819 ) (10,429 )
669,246 1,600,000 36,842 2,306,088

18. EMPLOYEE BENEFIT OBLIGATIONS

The Society operates a defined contribution pension scheme for its employees. The amount recognised as an expense in the period was £5,042 (2023: £4,097).

The defined contribution liability is allocated to each activity based on staff hours, as per staff salaries and social security costs.

19. RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES

The Society employs a relative of one of its Trustees. The employee is not financially dependent on the Trustee in question, and the terms of employment are negotiated by the CEO without any involvement of that Trustee. The other Trustees are satisfied this is a transaction that brings very significant benefits to the Society, thus enabling it to meet its charitable objectives. The employee's emoluments for the year ended 31st March 2024 were £21,223 (2023 £19,545).

The Society received a donation of £2,500 from one of its Trustees this year (2023: £2,500).

There were no other related party transactions for the current or previous years requiring disclosure in the accounts.

20. MEMBERS LIABILITY

In accordance with the Memorandum and Articles of Association each members' liability is limited to £10 in the event of winding up of the Society.

21. SHARE CAPITAL AND LIMITED BY GUARANTEE

The Society does not have an authorised or issued share capital as its liability is limited by the guarantee of its members, each guaranteeing up to £10 of the Society's debt.