VISION 2020 UK
TRUSTEES REPORT AND ACCOUNTS
YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2011
Report of the Trustees including Chairman’s Statement1 - 7
Independent Examiners Report8
Statement of Financial Activities 9
Balance Sheet10
Notes to the Financial Statements11 – 15
Trustees:
The Trustees serving during the year and since the year end were as follows:
ChairNick Astbury
Vice ChairDavid Scott-Ralphs
TreasurerMichael Wolffe
Elected Trustees:
Rob Hogan
Gareth Davies (resigned Sept 2010)
Helen Jackman
Graham Ackers
Waqaar Shah (resigned Sept 2010)
Fazilet Hadi (resigned Sept 2010)
David Lye (resigned Sept 2010)
Tom Pey (resigned Sept 2010)
Carolyn Fullard
Natalie Briggs
Richard Leaman (appointed Sept 2010)
Angela Tinker (appointed Sept 2010)
Nick Marr (appointed Sept 2010)
Sally Harvey (appointed Sept 2010)
Co-Optees:
Anne Bristow (resigned Sept 2010)
Stephen Remington
Ron Bramley
David Lye (appointed Sept 2010)
Waqaar Shah (appointed Sept 2010)
Linda Saunders (appointed Sept 2010)
Structure, Governance and Management
Governing Document:
VISION 2020 UK was constituted as a registered charity on 27 June 2002. Full Membership of the Charity is open to any body corporate or unincorporated association, which is interested in furthering the Charity's work, has an international, national or regional remit, and has paid any annual subscription. Observer Membership of the Charity is open to any body or organisation, including regional and national government, or bodies representing them or local government which is interested in furthering the Charity’s work.
Dissolution:
If the Executive Committee decides that it is necessary or advisable to dissolve the Charity it shall call a meeting of all Member Organisations of the Charity, of which not less than 21 days' notice (stating the terms of the resolution to be proposed) shall be given. If the proposal is confirmed by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting the Executive Committee shall have power to realise any assets held by or on behalf of the Charity. Any assets remaining after the satisfaction of any proper debts and liabilities shall be given or transferred to such other charitable institution or institutions having objects similar to the objects of the Charity as the Member Organisations of the Charity may determine or failing that shall be applied for some other charitable purpose. A copy of the statement of accounts, or account and statement, for the final accounting period of the Charity must be sent to the Commission.
Trustee Appointment and Induction:
Trustees are nominated by Member Organisations and elected for a three year period at the AGM. Individuals can also be appointed as Trustees if they possess specific skills needed on the Board of Trustees. These appointments are renewable annually and have the same maximum term of office as elected Trustees. A third of the Trustees retire on rotation every year. Once appointed, Trustees sign a declaration stating they are not debarred from holding office and give full details in compliance with Charity regulations. On appointment, Trustees receive the "roles and responsibilities of Trustees" document produced by the Charities Commission, sign a declaration of confidentiality, are sent minutes of previous meetings and meet with the Chair Executive who goes over the background of the Charity, Executive Meeting procedures, dates etc. Trustees also state whether they have any additional or special needs, i.e. require papers in Braille, large print or tape etc.
Risk Management:
The Trustees have introduced a formal risk management process to assess business risks and implement risk management strategies. This involves identifying the types of risk the Charity faces, prioritising them in terms of potential impact and likelihood of occurrence, and identifying means of mitigating the risks. The risk register is maintained by the Chief Executive and regularly reviewed by Trustees.
Objectives and Activities
The range and scope of VISION 2020 UK’s activities have expanded and progressed over the past twelve months. The principles agreed by the Membership in October 2004, and further strengthened by the UK Vision Strategy launched in 2008, have formed the backdrop to much of the work of the past year.
These principles are:
-To create a framework and forum within which service users and professionals and organisations from health, public, and not for profit sectors can come together to identify opportunities and challenges and take appropriate action.
-To increase partnership working and co-ordination between all agencies involved in reducing avoidable sight loss or providing services to visually impaired people.
-To be a powerful representative voice for positively influencing government and for articulating key issues to institutions and organisations and the general public.
-To encourage research into preventing avoidable sight loss and improving services and opportunities for visually impaired people in the UK.
-To provide a basis for strategic planning for members of VISION 2020 UK, to enable them to identify desired outcomes and to prioritise actions to achieve them.
In the context of these principles, the Membership agreed to focus on the following aims and VISION 2020 UK has made significant strides in some of these areas, as follows:
-Raising awareness and improving the eye health of the people of the UK: During the year, we have endeavoured to raise the profile of eye health on the public health agenda and to make links with different partners in relation to the delivery of treatments of particular eye conditions. We supported the research supported by the RNIB, “Future Sight Loss”, which looks at the cost of sight loss and the potential impact if we do little or nothing to affect the causes or treatment of vision impairment.
-Eliminating avoidable sight loss by improving prevention, cure and amelioration of vision impairment: VISION 2020 UK representatives have been leading on the development of the research agenda, which will establish priorities for research and then seek increased funding in the delivery of such research for the benefit of those most at risk of losing their sight. It has supported the National Eye Health epidemiological Model in predicting prevalence of certain conditions in PCT areas and the work that then might be done to prevent avoidable sight loss, e.g. early detection through sight testing or appropriate treatment via drugs or surgery re key sight loss causing conditions.
-Inclusion, participation and independence for people with sight loss -rights and responsibilities: VISION 2020 UK established the Voluntary Sector Forum, which is designed to provide a focus group on key issues affecting blind and partially sighted people living with sight loss. Areas for focus have included transport, employment, economic well-being and information and advice in appropriate formats. VISION 2020 UK has widely disseminated its Network 1000 research by attending numerous conferences and making a range of reports available for free download from its website.
-Improving the quality of services and opportunities and delivering excellent support for people with sight loss: VISION 2020 UK has been a supporting member of a number of initiatives, including the provision of the higher rates of DLA mobility component for people who are severely sight impaired (which will be implemented from April 2011), campaigns for the continuance of registration for blind and partially sighted people under threat by the Law Society Review, endeavouring to get a special review on sight and sight loss pathways via the Care Quality Commission and endeavouring (through its Technology Group) to influence providers of mobile technology platforms re access for vision impaired people.
Other Activities
The year saw a number of successfully organised conferences and seminars. In June 2010, VISION 2020 UK held its largest annual conference to date at the QE 2 Conference Centre. Two further conferences were organised in March 2011 – the third VINCE conference focussing on emotional support and counselling and the Ethnicity and Low Vision conference focussing on the restricted access to low vision services for people from ethnic minorities. In January the the Vision for Equality conference 2011 brought together experts and organisations together from key areas such as employment, transport, education and planning, to identify the work that needs to be done to ensure people with sight loss can get around independently and lead a full life.
VISION 2020 UK’s CEO was the keynote speaker at both the Visionary Conference (the umbrella organisation for local societies) and the SCA conference (the professional body for rehabilitation workers). VISION 2020 UK’s Chairman attended and spoke at the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness European meeting. The VISION 2020 UK CEO became Chairman of the European Guide Dogs Federation Technology Project looking at establishing provision of an online forum for European Guide Dog users and creating greater opportunities for users to have a voice across Europe re all access and mobility issues.
During the year, VISION 2020 UK acquired three new members bringing the membership to 52. VISION 2020 UK’s 18 Interest/Work groups and Committees continued to feed in key work to the UK Vision Strategy and, in particular, the Learning Disability Group had a number of successes in contributing to guidance re ophthalmic treatment of patients with both learning and vision impairments. The Primary Care Group completed yet more clinical guidance notes for posting on the College of Optometry website and the Technology Group achieved significant engagement with the key mainstream providers of technology.
Achievements and Performance
Notable achievements in the year include the quality of the four conferences mentioned above and the outcomes. The VISION 2020 UK Conference in June 2010 saw a record number of delegates attend, international speakers included controversial, lively discussion and debate throughout the day, and the process of collaborative working strengthened and enhanced. The Conference also saw the inclusion of the Techshare Annual Conference, which added greatly to both events. VISION 2020 UK further developed its pioneering use of new technology. Ipadio, a means of live streaming audio to any website or recording information for website users to then listen to at their leisure, was used again to chronicle the journey of VISION 2020 UK’s CEO (at the age of 60), deciding to apply for his first guide dog and then the daily ups and downs of his training with Izzy. Over 60,000 downloads were reported from 2,500 regular listeners.
Other successes included the completion of the first round of consultation regarding the Eye Research UK Group’s research agenda, and the final round of consultation is due to be launched in early 2011 with funding sought to take it forward. VISION 2020 UK also provided much needed support during the process of evaluating potential recipients of the higher rate of mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance. The Voluntary Sector Forum provided an opportunity to provide information and then debate key issues relating to Disability Living Allowance, the welfare reform bill and continuing challenges relating to vision impaired people’s use of all forms of transport. VISION 2020 UK held meetings with Department of Health regarding the continuance of the registration of vision impaired people by local authorities and helped influence the two main reports re local authority registration reporting and the Law Commission Review.
Financial Review
Although expenditure was higher than income, the out-turn was significantly better than that forecast. Unrestricted funds saw an increase in membership subscriptions, sponsorship for events and income from delegate fees. Fixed costs, such as salaries, stayed broadly the same due to no cost of living or pay increases being awarded during the year. The contract with a part time fund raiser was ended, as funds were not generated to make this non viable. The other key factor was the significant drop in interest paid on reserves. This fell from several thousand in 2010 to a few hundred in 2011. The running costs of VISION 2020 UK continue to be extremely low and the succession planning undertaken to recruit an Operations Manager to coincide with the reduction in hours and then eventual retirement of the CEO, will be within current salary allocation with a potential saving in 2012.
VISION 2020 UK received a full year grant for the EPIC project and this was fully utilised. It also gained approval to carry over the year 1 under spend to year 3 to extend the project to August 2012. The other key financial threat/opportunity for VISION 2020 UK was it assuming the co-ordination role for the National Eye Health Week in June 2011. This will involve receiving funds for the project and paying out for services for the week. This has VAT implications and we are looking at the advisability of registering for VAT and VISION 2020 UK becoming an incorporated charity.
Plans For The Future
The plans for the future are related to the issues raised above, namely, the organising of conferences that enable the voice of vision impaired people to be heard and professionals to have opportunities to engage in discussion leading to action to resolve exclusion of people with a vision impairment in society. Prevention of sight loss is an ongoing key priority for VISION 2020 UK and ensuring that public health priorities and programmes include sight loss as a main area for action, is an urgent aim.
Gaining support and funding for the ophthalmic research agenda is a key priority, and establishing closer links with other umbrella bodies is also a priority given the frequent co-morbidity of other disabilities and conditions with sight loss.
Another priority is ensuring that the organisation is fit for purpose to meet the challenges of the next 10 years by incorporating the charity, making sure that it is VAT compliant, and discussing with its members’ ways of generating more income to enable VISION 2020 UK to complete its programme. VISION 2020 UK proposes to conduct a strategic review of its operations (funded by one of its members) and this will include developing funding strategies, influencing and lobbying capacity and gaining an even stronger cross sector voice to achieve change and improvements to services and treatment for those at risk of sight loss, and inclusion of those with sight loss within society that enables them to live fulfilling and active lives.
Trustees Responsibilities
The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
The law applicable to charities in England & Wales/Northern Ireland requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
• select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
• observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
• make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
• state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
• prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
The trustees are responsible for keeping accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 1993, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and trust deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the charity and financial information included on the charity’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.
Chairman's Message
It has been another good year for VISION 2020 UK as the UK Vision Strategy, the blueprint for the UK National Plan for Prevention of Blindness, continues to be implemented by enthusiastic members across the UK.
I believe that VISION 2020 UK plays a unique role in facilitating greater collaboration and co-operation between vision impairment organisations within the UK. It can achieve this through its neutrality and its membership that encompasses both the biggest and the smallest of organisations.
The UK Vision Strategy is the raison d'être for VISION 2020 UK. It has been enabled by the commitment and dedication of many, but in particular the leadership and financial input from RNIB. Anita Lightstone leads a dedicated and hardworking team.