The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 5 April 2025.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the trust's governing document, the Companies Act 2006, FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland" and the Charities SORP "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)".
The principal activity of the Trust is the support of such charitable objects as the Trustees decide. At present, the Trust mainly limits its support to charities which assist the disadvantaged sections of the population, or are involved in community development work - either of these may be in urban or rural areas, in Britain or overseas. Direct grants are not made to individuals.
The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the trust should undertake. In supporting the poorest sections of the population, the Trustees consider that they are fulfilling the requirements to deliver a public benefit.
During the year the trust entered a new three-year commitment to five charities. This is in line with the trust’s preference for providing longer-term support. Funds committed are treated as expenditure at the time of the initial commitment.
During the financial year the market was volatile. However, income was up. The process of transferring our investment portfolio has taken longer than anticipated.
It is the policy of the trust that unrestricted funds which have not been designated for a specific use should be maintained at a level equivalent to between three and six month’s expenditure. The trustees consider that reserves at this level will ensure that, in the event of a significant drop in funding, they will be able to continue the trust’s current activities while consideration is given to ways in which additional funds may be raised. This level of reserves has been maintained throughout the year.
The trustees are aware of the need to assess the risks to the Trust and ensure that the following areas of potential risk are reduced to satisfactory levels.
· Financial risk
· Reputational risk
· Operational risk
· Statutory and legal risks
The trust is a company limited by guarantee. Each of the members has undertaken to contribute an amount not exceeding £1 towards the assets of the company in the event of the same being wound up, whilst he is a member, or within one year after he ceases to be a member, and the assets being insufficient to cover the company's debts and liabilities.
The Trust 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.
No donations or other income of the company may be distributed to the members either by way of a distribution or on winding up of the company. They may only be applied for the charitable purposes of the company.
The trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, and who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were:
When a vacancy occurs for a Trustee, the remaining Trustees will seek to appoint an individual with relevant skills and experience which they feel will be of benefit to the Trust. On appointment, a new Trustee will be given a copy of the original Memorandum and Articles of Association and the latest Annual Report and accounts. There is no formal induction and training programme, but where necessary, individual Trustees attend seminars to update themselves.
When a vacancy occurs for a Trustee, the remaining Trustees will seek to appoint an individual with relevant skills and experience which they feel will be of benefit to the Trust. On appointment, a new Trustee will be given a copy of the original Memorandum and Articles of Association and the latest Annual Report and accounts. There is no formal induction and training programme, but where necessary, individual Trustees attend seminars to update themselves.
The trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of The Puebla Charitable Trust Limited (the trust) for the year ended 5 April 2025.
Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the trust are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006 and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of the trust’s financial statements carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011. In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act 2011.
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 that in any material respect:
accounting records were not kept in respect of the trust as required by section 386 of the Companies Act 2006.
the financial statements do not accord with those records; or
the financial statements do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 other than any requirement that the financial statements give a true and fair view, which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
the financial statements 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 financial statements 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 financial statements to be reached.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
The Puebla Charitable Trust Limited is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Drayton House, Drayton Lane, Chichester, West Sussex, PO20 2EW, England.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the trust's governing document, the Companies Act 2006, FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland" and the Charities SORP "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)". The trust is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
The trust has taken advantage of the provisions in the SORP for charities not to prepare a statement of cash flows.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the trust. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention modified to include the revaluation of freehold properties and to include investment properties and certain financial instruments at fair value. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
At the time of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the trust has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives.
Designated funds contain the investments which are needed to generate future income.
Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors or grantors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Investment income represents the actual income received with appropriate adjustments for income accrued to the date of the financial statements.
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 are allocated on the portion of the asset’s use.
Grants payable are payments made to third parties in the furtherance of the charitable objectives of the Trust. Grants are accounted for when either the recipient has a reasonable expectation that they will receive a grant and the Trustees have agreed to pay the grant without condition, or the recipient has a reasonable expectation that they will receive a grant and any condition attaching to the grant is outside the control of the Trust.
Governance costs include those costs associated with meeting the constitutional and statutory requirements of the Trust and include the audit fees and costs linked to the strategic management of the Trust.
Fixed asset investments are initially measured at transaction price excluding transaction costs, and are subsequently measured at fair value at each reporting date. Changes in fair value are recognised in net income/(expenditure) for the year. Transaction costs are expensed as incurred.
Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.
Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.
Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.
Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.
Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of operations from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
Financial liabilities are derecognised when the trust’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.
In the application of the trust’s accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
The charity is exempt from taxation on its activities because all its income is applied for charitable purposes.
The listed investment is measured at market value based on Rathbones Group Plc valuations. The historic cost of the listed investment was £2,867,707 (2024: £2,759,409).
These are unrestricted funds which are material to the trust's activities.
The trustees have decided to designate the value of investments held by the trust, which includes the cash balance held by the investment portfolio. This will assist with maintaining these reserves in order to generate future investment income, which is the Trusts primary income stream.
The unrestricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants which are not subject to specific conditions by donors and grantors as to how they may be used. These include designated funds which have been set aside out of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes.
There were no disclosable related party transactions during the year (2024 - none).