The Men's Health Forum - Charities report

REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: 04142349 (England and Wales)

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1087375

Report of the Trustees and

Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 March 2025

for

The Men's Health Forum

Page

Report of the Trustees

1

to

6

Independent Examiner's Report

7

Statement of Financial Activities

8

Balance Sheet

9

Notes to the Financial Statements

10

to

14

The trustees who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 30 March 2025. The trustees have adopted the provisions of 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).

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

Objectives and aims

The Charity's objects:

The Charity's objects are to promote men's health, in particular, but without limitation, by carrying out research into men's health and by providing information on men's health to health professionals and the general public.

Our mission:

To improve the health of men and boys.

Our ambition:

All men and boys - particularly those in the most disadvantaged areas and communities - will have the information, services and treatments they need to live healthier, longer and more fulfilling lives.

Our activities:

We carry out and support research:

- with universities and academic institutions

- with other charities

- with health practitioners

- directly with men

We raise awareness:

- through Men's Health Week

- through social media

- through our regular email newsletter

- through national and local media coverage

- through partnership with others

We advocate for men's health:

- to politicians and policy-makers and opinion formers in England, Wales and Scotland

- to Local Authorities & Directors of Public Health

- to professional bodies

We share and encourage the latest good practice:

- through training

- through consultancy

- through our 'How to' professional guides

- through conferences

We provide health information and advice:

- through our 'Man Manuals'

- through our website

- through our Men's Health Champions programme

- through our workplace talks and training

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

Charitable activities undertaken for the public benefit

Our main focus in 2024-2025 has been leading the campaign for a men's health strategy, while continuing to raise awareness of men's health issues through Men's Health Week, providing men's health information direct to men via our website and our Man Manuals and extending our ongoing Men's Health Champions training programme.

Working in partnership for a Men's Health Strategy

The Men's Health Forum has been campaigning for a men's health strategy since 2002. It featured in our 2014 manifesto. In November 2021 we launched our Men's Health Strategy campaign and in March 2022 we published our case for a men's health strategy in Trends in Urology and Men's Health. Thereafter, we focused on building a strong coalition to support the campaign and worked to raise awareness of the need for a men's health strategy in Parliament. A group of interested parties from the voluntary sector (including representation from the Men's Health Forum, the Men and Boys Coalition and Men's Health Unlocked) met fortnightly to progress these issues.

In 2023 the Health and Social Care Committee announced an Inquiry into men's health, as a result of representations by the Forum and other interested parties. The Forum submitted written evidence, published on 29 November 2023, and Martin Tod gave oral evidence on 21 January 2024 on the Forum's behalf. Professor Alan White, the Forum's patron, was appointed as the Health and Social Care Committee's specialist adviser for the Inquiry.

The Forum's evidence to the Inquiry had emphasised that men's health needed urgent action, given the recent fall in life-expectancy, wider health inequalities than for women's health, and significantly higher mortality from multiple causes. The healthcare system needed to respond appropriately and correct the disparities in diagnosis rates and the lower engagement with services, particularly by men of working age. Our evidence argued for gender-informed healthcare and a Men's Health Strategy that would include better gendered measurement and analysis of data, improvements in outreach, access, prevention, screening, research and the training of healthcare professionals, support for voluntary sector organisations, and the appointment of a Men's Health Ambassador and a clinical lead for men's health in NHS England.

The Inquiry was incomplete when the 2019-2024 Parliament was dissolved. However, the Chair of the Health and Social Care Committee wrote to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care about progress, recommending the publication of a Men's Health Strategy, a focus on addressing preventable causes of death, the provision of gender-responsive care, funding for community-based organisations, and better engagement with employers and utilisation of the workplace for health support.

Meanwhile, the current Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, even before the change of Government, had stated in March 2024 that the Labour party was committed to introducing a men's health strategy. After the General Election, the Forum, jointly with other organisations, wrote to him advancing the case for a strategy and continued to press for a greater focus on men's health through Parliamentary questions, the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Men and Boys' Issues, and a letter to the Chief Medical Officer for England. On 22 October 2024, Martin Tod attended a Department of Health and Social Care Ministerial Reception and raised the need for a strategy with Wes Streeting and Sir Chris Whitty. John Chisholm and Martin Tod had regular meetings with civil servants about men's health. On 28 November 2024, Wes Streeting announced the Government's commitment to a Men's Health Strategy in England, at a Men's Health Summit attended by John Chisholm and Martin Tod from the Forum.

Thereafter, the Men's Health Forum continued to work with other organisations in the Men's Health Strategy Core Group, which convened fortnightly. John Chisholm, the Forum's Chair, was commissioned to write an article for Nature Reviews Urology on the impact and importance of the Strategy, which was published online on 31 January 2025 and in print in August 2025 (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41585-025-01001-1). Movember launched a Men's Health Network, bringing together organisations committed to men's health, which first met on 4 March 2025 with the Forum's involvement. The Forum's submission of evidence in response to the Government's call for evidence, and the publication of the Strategy on International Men's Day on 19 November 2025, will be covered in next year's annual report.

Raising awareness: Men's Health Week

One of our top annual priorities is to organise Men's Health Week, which this year was held from 10 to 16 June 2024. A new Man Manual, P for Prostate, was launched to coincide with the Week. There were large numbers of downloads of Man Manuals and much social media activity.

Man Manuals and information for men

Alongside our campaigning for policy change and Men's Health Week, we continued to focus on distributing our award-winning information for men as widely as possible, through our website (www.menshealthforum.org.uk) and our Man Manuals. We continued to explore possible areas for future publications. We also continued to reach people via X (formerly called Twitter) and our new Bluesky account, although we discussed the appropriateness of continued participation on X, given the changes in the culture of the platform. We also had over 14,000 signed up to receive our e-mails as well as increasing numbers of followers on Facebook and LinkedIn. One other area with continuing high levels of participation are our forums on Health Unlocked.

Men's Health Champions training programme

Our training programme - delivered by Jim Pollard and our former Chief Executive Peter Baker - continues to grow, driven by the Men's Health Champions programme, with more than 500 people trained as Men's Health Champions since the programme launched. This is supplemented by our Man MOT training, our Toolbox Talk training, and our 'How to make health services work better for men' training; all of these were delivered to workplaces, organisations and groups during the course of the year. We continue to publicise these training opportunities, mainly via e-mail.

Working with others

In addition to our work on a Men's Health Strategy, we continued to work in partnership on other issues where men's health plays an important role including via:

" Alcohol Health Alliance

" Obesity Health Alliance

" HPV Coalition

" Prostate Cancer UK's 'Boys need bins' campaign.

We joined other organisations in joint letters, statements and initiatives. These included a joint statement coordinated by National Voices on the revision of the NHS Constitution; a joint letter organised by the Obesity Health Alliance about empowering local communities; and a joint letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, coordinated by the Forum, about dropping the target for Women's Health Hubs.

Martin Tod attended the Men and Boys Coalition conference, and on 18 November 2024 attended the launch of the second National Men's Health Action Plan - Healthy Ireland.

The Forum was also represented on the Global Action on Men's Health Board (by Annette Fenner), supporting its work to raise men's health as an issue globally and regionally amongst professionals and policy-makers, and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency Patient and Public Community (by Ajanta Biswas).

Organisation

The Forum continues to rely on its volunteers and associates to deliver its day-to-day work - particularly Martin Tod and Jim Pollard, our Editorial and Creative Consultant and Lead Trainer. We are grateful for everything they do to drive the Forum forward.

At the Annual General Meeting on 27 November 2024, Sara Richards, who had given dedicated service as a Trustee since 23 July 2010, stood down as a Trustee. The Forum is immensely grateful to her for her contribution.

The Forum continues actively to explore opportunities for fundraising, which is so necessary for the achievement of its mission, including the possibility of funding via the National Lottery. The rate of voluntary donations to the Forum has continued to increase.

During the year, the Forum changed its registered address to 82 Tanner Street, London, SE1 3GN.

Even today, too many men are dying too young

As we refreshed our evidence base for a men's health strategy, it reinforced, once again, the vital need for us to continue our work and continue the progress made during 2024-2025.

In 2022, 19% of UK male deaths - around one in five - were before the age of 65.

Men are:

" 75% of deaths from suicide - with suicide the biggest cause of male death under 50

" 76% of premature deaths from heart disease

" 43% more likely to die from cancer

" 63% of premature deaths from COVID

" 26% more likely to have type 2 diabetes, and 68.5% of diabetic amputations

" 66% of alcohol-related deaths.

The number of male deaths per year overtook female deaths per year during the pandemic for the first time since 1981 and has stayed higher ever since.

In September 2021, the ONS reported the first decline in male life expectancy since the 1980s.

Society pays a huge cost for this - with 676,000 years of life lost every year in the working-age male population in England and Wales (16-64), mostly through avoidable premature mortality.

Aside from the emotional and social consequences, this imposes huge costs in healthcare resources, sick pay and welfare benefits and the human, societal, economic and tax losses of lives unnecessarily cut short

.

And it doesn't have to be this way: a sex- and gender-informed approach to healthcare and prevention will produce better results both for men and for women. Improving men's health is better for everyone.

There is plenty to do - and we look forward to working with our supporters and partners to help make it happen in 2025-2026.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Principal funding sources

The principal funding sources for the charity are currently by way of grants, donations, training and sales of publications.

Investment policy and objectives

Aside from retaining a prudent amount in reserves each year most of the charity's funds are to be spent in the short term so there are few funds for long term investment. Having considered the options, the Trustees agreed that income be kept in a high interest account to ensure the best interest rates with immediate access.

Reserves policy

The Trustees have established a policy whereby the unrestricted funds not committed or invested in tangible fixed assets ("free reserves") held by the charity should equate to an amount that would enable the charity to continue its current activities for three months in the event of a significant drop in funding. This amount has been calculated at a minimum of £50,000. Should there be a significant fall in funding, it would be necessary to consider how this would be replaced or how activities could be changed.

At the balance sheet date free reserves were £1,280 (2024 - negative £3,704). The Trustees are more than aware that the current deficit of £48,720 (2024 : £53,704) is below the ideal reserves level.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing document

The organisation is a charitable company limited by guarantee, as defined by the Companies Act 2006, incorporated on 16 January 2001 and registered as a charity on 5 July 2001. The company was established under a Memorandum of Association which established the objects and powers of the charitable company and is governed under its Articles of Association. The Articles of Association were last amended on 29 November 2013.

Recruitment and appointment of new trustees

The directors of the company are also Charity Trustees for the purposes of charity law and under the company's Articles. Under the requirements of the Memorandum and Articles of Association the members of the Charity are elected to serve for a period of three years renewable by resolution of the Trustees for a further term of three years.

The organisation has a robust recruitment system to ensure a broad skill mix on the Board. A skills audit of Trustees is periodically undertaken and in the event of particular skills being lost due to retirements, every effort is made to recruit new Trustees with the appropriate skills.

Knowledge of men's health is not essential but we require potential Trustees share the organisation's mission, vision, values and beliefs.

Organisational structure

The Trustee Board of The Men's Health Forum was made up of between six and ten individuals who meet frequently during the year and are responsible for the strategic direction and policy of the charity.

Management responsibility of the organisation rests with the Chairperson, John Chisholm, who is responsible for ensuring that the charity delivers its strategic objectives as set by the Board.

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

Registered Company number

04142349 (England and Wales)

Registered Charity number

1087375

Registered office

7-14 Great Dover Street

London

SE1 4YR

Trustees

Ajanta Biswas (resigned 13.8.25)

John William Chisholm

Shaun Paul Davis

Annette Elizabeth Fenner

Matthew David Longley

Ruth Pott

Sara Richards (resigned 27.11.24)

Adelle Heather Shaw-Flach

Su Wang

All Trustees alone are the members of the Company. Members of the Company each guarantee to contribute £1 to the assets of the Company in the event of it being wound up.

We can confirm that our activities have been undertaken to further the charity's purposes for the public benefit and the trustees have had regard to the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit.

Company Secretary

Martin Paul Niebuhr Tod

Independent Examiner

Mr Anthony Lee Morris FCCA

TAG Accountants Group Limited

Unit 8, Pendeford Place

Pendeford Business Park

Wobaston Road

Wolverhampton

WV9 5HD

This report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

Approved by order of the board of trustees on 9 December 2025 and signed on its behalf by:

John William Chisholm - Trustee

Independent examiner's report to the trustees of The Men's Health Forum ('the Company')

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 30 March 2025.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity's trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 ('the 2006 Act').

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the 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 charity'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

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:

1.	accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by Section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

2.	the accounts do not accord with those records; or

3.	the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of Section 396 of the 2006 Act 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

4.

the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities (applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)).

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.

Mr Anthony Lee Morris FCCA

TAG Accountants Group Limited

Unit 8, Pendeford Place

Pendeford Business Park

Wobaston Road

Wolverhampton

WV9 5HD

9 December 2025

30.3.25

30.3.24

Unrestricted

Restricted

Total

fund

funds

Notes

£

INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM

Donations and legacies

2

14,525

-

14,525

6,876

Charitable activities

3

Communication and awareness raising

59,363

-

59,363

68,752

Other income

120

-

120

520

Total

74,008

-

74,008

76,148

EXPENDITURE ON

Raising funds

4

276

-

276

4,623

Charitable activities

Communication and awareness raising

68,748

-

68,748

80,054

Total

69,024

-

69,024

84,677

NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)

4,984

-

4,984

(8,529

)

RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS

Total funds brought forward

(3,704

)

-

(3,704

)

4,825

TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD

1,280

-

1,280

(3,704

)

30.3.25

30.3.24

Unrestricted

Restricted

Total

fund

funds

Notes

£

CURRENT ASSETS

Stocks

8

20,995

-

20,995

22,859

Debtors

9

1,893

-

1,893

3,586

Cash at bank

10,136

-

10,136

4,566

33,024

-

33,024

31,011

CREDITORS

Amounts falling due within one year

10

(31,744

)

-

(31,744

)

(34,715

)

NET CURRENT ASSETS/(LIABILITIES)

1,280

-

1,280

(3,704

)

TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT
LIABILITIES

1,280

-

1,280

(3,704

)

NET ASSETS/(LIABILITIES)

1,280

-

1,280

(3,704

)

FUNDS

11

Unrestricted funds

1,280

(3,704

)

TOTAL FUNDS

1,280

(3,704

)

The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 30 March 2025.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 30 March 2025 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.

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 9 December 2025 and were signed on its behalf by:

John William Chisholm - Trustee

1.	ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of preparing the financial statements

The financial statements of the charitable company, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, 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)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Companies Act 2006. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.

Financial reporting standard 102 - reduced disclosure exemptions

The charitable company has taken advantage of the following disclosure exemption in preparing these financial statements, as permitted by FRS 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland':

•

the requirements of Section 7 Statement of Cash Flows.

Income

All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.

Expenditure

Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, 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 accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

Raising funds

Costs of generating funds incorporate the salaries, direct expenditure and overhead costs of the staff who undertake fundraising work.

Charitable activities

Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred on projects undertaken in pursuance of the charitable aims of the company.

Governance costs

Governance costs include those costs associated with meeting the constitutional and statutory requirements of the charity and include costs linked to its strategic management.

Allocation and apportionment of costs

Resources expended are allocated to the particular activity where the cost relates directly to that activity. Certain costs, which are attributable to more than one activity, are apportioned across cost categories on an appropriate basis.

Stocks

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

Taxation

The charity is exempt from corporation 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.

Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.

Donated services

Where services are donated which the charity would otherwise have purchased then such services are measured on the basis of the value of the gift to the charity and included within incoming resources.

Going concern

The accounts are prepared on the going concern basis which assumes that the business will continue to operate for the foreseeable future. This basis relies on income being generated in what is an uncertain climate for Charities. The trustees believe that income can continue to be received and that preparing accounts on the going concern basis remains appropriate in the circumstances.

2.	DONATIONS AND LEGACIES

30.3.25

30.3.24

£

Corporate donations

1,000

100

Donations £5,000 and under

13,525

6,776

14,525

6,876

3.	INCOME FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES

30.3.25

30.3.24

Activity

£

Mini manuals

Communication and awareness raising

34,666

46,075

Training income

Communication and awareness raising

19,969

22,032

Consultancy and event
income

Communication and awareness raising

4,250

-

Toolbox talks

Communication and awareness raising

478

645

59,363

68,752

4.	RAISING FUNDS

Raising donations and legacies

30.3.25

30.3.24

£

Staff costs

-

2,069

Other fundraising costs

276

2,554

276

4,623

5.	SUPPORT COSTS

Governance

Management

Finance

costs

Totals

£

Communication and awareness raising

14,419

1,390

3,724

19,533

All support costs are allocated on the basis of staff time.

Support costs, included in the above, are as follows:

Management

30.3.25

30.3.24

Communication

and

awareness

Total

raising

activities

£

Communications

2,830

2,599

Postage and stationery

384

449

Sundries

(143

)

425

Premises costs

2,480

1,898

Accountancy

3,639

3,941

Contractors and Associates

5,229

6,258

14,419

15,570

Finance

30.3.25

30.3.24

Communication

and

awareness

Total

raising

activities

£

Bank charges

1,390

1,607

Governance costs

30.3.25

30.3.24

Communication

and

awareness

Total

raising

activities

£

Staff costs

-

2,069

Accountancy

3,639

3,941

Communications

85

100

3,724

6,110

6.	TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS

There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 30 March 2025 nor for the year ended 30 March 2024.

Trustees' expenses

During the year expenses totalling £nil (2024: £nil) were reimbursed to the trustees.

7.	STAFF COSTS

Wages and salaries include Pension payments totalling £nil (2024 : £165) and Employers National Insurance costs of £nil (2024 : £237).

8.

STOCKS

30.3.25

30.3.24

£

Stocks

20,995

22,859

9.	DEBTORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

30.3.25

30.3.24

£

Trade debtors

545

3,194

Prepayments and accrued income

1,348

392

1,893

3,586

10.	CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

30.3.25

30.3.24

£

Trade creditors

5,851

9,133

Other creditors

897

561

Accrued expenses

24,996

25,021

31,744

34,715

11.	MOVEMENT IN FUNDS

Net

At

movement

At

31.3.24

in funds

30.3.25

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

(3,704

)

4,984

1,280

TOTAL FUNDS

(3,704

)

4,984

1,280

Net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Incoming

Resources

Movement

resources

expended

in funds

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

74,008

(69,024

)

4,984

TOTAL FUNDS

74,008

(69,024

)

4,984

Comparatives for movement in funds

Net

At

movement

At

31.3.23

in funds

30.3.24

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

4,825

(8,529

)

(3,704

)

TOTAL FUNDS

4,825

(8,529

)

(3,704

)

Comparative net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Incoming

Resources

Movement

resources

expended

in funds

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

76,148

(84,677

)

(8,529

)

TOTAL FUNDS

76,148

(84,677

)

(8,529

)

12.	RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES

There were no related party transactions for the year ended 30 March 2025.

13.

CAPITAL

The company is limited by guarantee and has no share capital. The members of the company

have each undertaken to contribute £1 in the event of the company being wound up.