The 100Th Annual Report of the Council of Blind Veterans UK (Formerly St Dunstan’S) Year Ended 31St March 2015
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The 100th Annual Report of the Council of Blind Veterans UK (formerly St Dunstan’s) Year ended 31st March 2015 1 2 About Blind Veterans UK For 100 years, Blind Veterans UK has helped ex-Service men and women discover life beyond sight loss. No matter how long they served or what caused their sight loss, we provide blind veterans – known as our members – with the training, services and lifelong support they need to lead full lives that are as independent as possible. Since 1915, when we were founded as St Dunstan’s, we have been committed to ensuring that no one who has served our country should battle blindness alone. Contents Chairman’s foreword to the annual report and financial statements 2014/15 4 Chief Executive’s introduction to the annual report and financial statements 2014/15 5 Report of the Blind Veterans UK Council 6 Financial responsibilities of the Blind Veterans UK Council 26 Independent auditor’s report to the members and trustees of Blind Veterans UK 31 Consolidated statement of financial activities for the year ended 31 March 2015 33 Balance sheet as at 31 March 2015 34 Consolidated cashflow statement for the year ended 31 March 2015 35 Notes to the accounts 37 2 3 Chairman’s foreword to the annual report and financial statements 2014/15 When Sir Arthur Pearson founded a charity to help the blind veterans returning from World War I, he simply could not have predicted that this charity would still be pursuing his vision 100 years later. Nor, I expect, could he have guessed that during those 100 years, the charity would go on to help more than 35,000 blind veterans and their families. And he certainly could never have imagined the charity would in many respects be bigger than it’s ever been 100 years on, reaching out to more blind veterans than ever before with an ever-growing range of services. But as this annual report shows, Blind Veterans UK is currently doing exactly that. More than 100 years on from its foundation on 29 January 1915 (initially as the Blinded Soldiers and Sailors Care Committee before becoming St Dunstan’s just months later), the charity is reporting its most successful year ever for recruiting new members for whom we provide support to the end of their lives. We are also reporting a record year for our fundraising work, record growth in awareness of the charity, significant growth in volunteer numbers and an impressive expansion in the range and accessibility of our services for members. This fundraising performance has been achieved following the values and ethos of Blind Veterans UK and in accordance with the best practice guidelines of both the Fundraising Standards Board and the Institute of Fundraising. I would like to offer my wholehearted thanks to the staff and volunteers of Blind Veterans UK for their commitment, courage and resourcefulness in delivering these historic achievements. I would also like to congratulate our new chief executive, Major General (Rtd) Nick Caplin, on his early work with the charity. Since joining Blind Veterans UK in October 2014, Nick has quickly become a keen champion of the charity’s vital work, especially its drive to reach more veterans in need of our help. He’s also been instrumental in finding ways for the charity to provide more veterans with our first-class care and support, largely within our existing infrastructure. Of course, Nick is only beginning his work as our chief executive, and he has much ahead of him, including a new strategic review. I’m confident that this important piece of work will shape the direction for the charity to 2020 and beyond and ensure that the support given by Blind Veterans UK continues to evolve as we enter our second century of service. Sir Arthur Pearson would be very proud. Timothy Davis Chairman Blind Veterans UK 4 3 Chairman’s foreword to the annual report and financial Chief executive’s introduction to the annual report and financial statements 2014/15 statements 2014/15 When Sir Arthur Pearson founded a charity to help the blind veterans returning from World I am delighted to welcome you to the 100th annual report of the Council of Blind Veterans UK. War I, he simply could not have predicted that this charity would still be pursuing his vision This delight stems not only from the fact this report is published in the year that marks the 100 years later. Nor, I expect, could he have guessed that during those 100 years, the charity 100th anniversary of our charity’s foundation in 1915, but also from the wealth of outstanding would go on to help more than 35,000 blind veterans and their families. And he certainly could achievements you will find listed in the pages that follow. never have imagined the charity would in many respects be bigger than it’s ever been 100 years on, reaching out to more blind veterans than ever before with an ever-growing range of Chief among these is our successful recruitment of 854 new members in 2014/15 – the services. highest annual intake in our charity’s 100-year history. This achievement is the result of a lot of work from many people, both inside and outside of Blind Veterans UK: from our staff and But as this annual report shows, Blind Veterans UK is currently doing exactly that. More than volunteers who have helped spread the word about us and our No One Alone campaign, to 100 years on from its foundation on 29 January 1915 (initially as the Blinded Soldiers and the many organisations and individuals who have referred veterans to us. I can think of no Sailors Care Committee before becoming St Dunstan’s just months later), the charity is better way to mark our charity’s centenary than by reporting we are successfully reaching out reporting its most successful year ever for recruiting new members for whom we provide to more blind veterans than ever before. support to the end of their lives. We are also reporting a record year for our fundraising work, record growth in awareness of the charity, significant growth in volunteer numbers and an The growth of our membership base has been matched by some impressive developments in impressive expansion in the range and accessibility of our services for members. This our core services. In particular, our successful work on our Community Outreach pilot projects fundraising performance has been achieved following the values and ethos of Blind Veterans has paved the way for the development of more community ‘hubs’ in the next few years, UK and in accordance with the best practice guidelines of both the Fundraising Standards which will help make our services more accessible to veterans. Ultimately, this will continue Board and the Institute of Fundraising. Blind Veterans UK’s growth and development as a national charity, with a footprint across the UK. I would like to offer my wholehearted thanks to the staff and volunteers of Blind Veterans UK for their commitment, courage and resourcefulness in delivering these historic achievements. Other highlights of 2014/15 have included our continued growth in volunteers (pages 21–22), and our fundraising enjoying its most successful year ever (pages 19–21). The charity I would also like to congratulate our new chief executive, Major General (Rtd) Nick Caplin, on successfully generated £20.7 million in gross voluntary income, with major wins in the year his early work with the charity. Since joining Blind Veterans UK in October 2014, Nick has including a £1.25 million grant from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund and the development quickly become a keen champion of the charity’s vital work, especially its drive to reach more of three major national corporate partnerships. The public profile of Blind Veterans UK has veterans in need of our help. He’s also been instrumental in finding ways for the charity to also consistently grown in 2014/15, with the charity making the most of our centenary to provide more veterans with our first-class care and support, largely within our existing successfully raise awareness of and support for our work. infrastructure. I feel truly privileged and immensely proud to be chief executive of Blind Veterans UK at this Of course, Nick is only beginning his work as our chief executive, and he has much ahead of very special time in the charity’s history, and I am extremely grateful to all our staff and him, including a new strategic review. I’m confident that this important piece of work will shape volunteers for their extraordinary efforts during the past year. the direction for the charity to 2020 and beyond and ensure that the support given by Blind Veterans UK continues to evolve as we enter our second century of service. I am also very excited by the work that lies ahead for the charity, as we continue to grow the number of veterans and families we help, increase the effectiveness and efficiency of our vital Sir Arthur Pearson would be very proud. work and further build our supporter base. Above all, we will continue to build on what Sir Arthur Pearson so brilliantly began and ensure that no one who has served our country has to battle blindness alone. Timothy Davis Chairman Blind Veterans UK Major General (Rtd) Nick Caplin CB Chief Executive Blind Veterans UK 5 3 4 Report of the Blind Veterans UK Council Strategic report Each year Blind Veterans UK’s trustees review the charity’s objectives and activities to ensure that they are consistent with its aims.