ROYAL COMMONWEALTH EX-SERVICES LEAGUE

Charity number: 231322
Removed charity

Charity overview

Activities - how the charity spends its money

The Charity operates outside the United Kingdom looking after the welfare of ex-service men and women of Commonwealth countries who have at some time served the British Crown. Today there are 58 Member Organisations in 51 countries.

Income and expenditure

Data for financial year ending 31 December 2016

Total income:
£1,699,681

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Donations and legacies £1.62m
Charitable activities £0
Other trading activities £0
Investments £75.68k
Other £0

Total expenditure:
£2,804,544

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Raising funds £0
Charitable activities £2.69m
Other £0

£0 investments gains (losses)

Charitable expenditure

Charitable expenditure

Some charities generate all, or a substantial part, of their income from investments which may have been donated to the charity as endowment or set aside by the charity from its own resources in the past. Such investments usually take the form of stocks and shares but may include other assets, such as property, that are capable of generating income and/or capital growth.

In managing their spending and investments charities need to strike a balance between the needs of future and current beneficiaries. They also need to take account of spending commitments that may stretch over a number of future years. To do this, charities will normally adopt an investment strategy designed to generate both income and capital growth. To maximise returns trustees may commit to investment strategies for several years.

Investments can experience large swings in value so trustees may, in a particular year, decide to realise and spend part of their charity’s capital or to invest part of its income.

By clicking the investment gains checkbox the charitable spending bar is adjusted to take account of capital growth as well as income. This shows the balance the charity is striking, between spending on current beneficiaries and retaining resources for future beneficiaries.

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Raising funds and other expenditure £112.87k
Charitable expenditure £2.69m

Fundraising

This charity raises funds from the public but does not work with commercial participators.

Trading

This charity does not have any trading subsidiaries.

Trustee payments

No trustees receive any remuneration, payments or benefits from the charity.

What, who, how, where

Main way of carrying out purposes is grant making
What the charity does:
  • General Charitable Purposes
  • The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives
  • Disability
  • The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty
  • Overseas Aid/famine Relief
  • Accommodation/housing
Who the charity helps:
  • Elderly/old People
  • People With Disabilities
How the charity helps:
  • Makes Grants To Individuals
  • Makes Grants To Organisations
Where the charity operates:
  • Antigua And Barbuda
  • Australia
  • Bangladesh
  • Barbados
  • Belize
  • Burma
  • Cameroon
  • Canada
  • Cayman Islands
  • Cyprus
  • Dominica
  • Eswatini
  • Fiji
  • Ghana
  • Grenada
  • Guyana
  • Hong Kong
  • India
  • Jamaica
  • Kenya
  • Lebanon
  • Lesotho
  • Malawi
  • Malaysia
  • Malta
  • Mauritius
  • Montserrat
  • Namibia
  • New Zealand
  • Nigeria
  • Pakistan
  • Philippines
  • Saint Vincent
  • Seychelles
  • Sierra Leone
  • Singapore
  • Somalia
  • South Africa
  • Sri Lanka
  • St Kitts And Nevis
  • St Lucia
  • Tanzania
  • The Bahamas
  • The Gambia
  • Trinidad And Tobago
  • Turks And Caicos Islands
  • Uganda
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

Governance

Registration history:
  • 24 January 1964: Standard registration
  • 29 August 1995: Removed
Organisation type:
Other
Other names:
  • RCEL (Working name)
Gift aid:
No information available
Other regulators:
No information available
Policies:
  • Complaints handling
  • Investment
  • Paying staff
  • Risk management
Land and property:
No information available

Financial history

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Financial period end date

Income / Expenditure 31/12/2012 31/12/2013 31/12/2014 31/12/2015 31/12/2016
Total gross income £1.44m £1.74m £1.52m £6.64m £1.70m
Total expenditure £1.82m £1.87m £1.86m £2.74m £2.80m
Income from government contracts N/A N/A N/A £0 £0
Income from government grants N/A N/A N/A £5.00m £0
Income - Donations and legacies £1.37m £1.67m £1.46m £6.57m £1.62m
Income - Other trading activities £0 £0 £0 £0 £0
Income - Charitable activities £0 £0 £0 £0 £0
Income - Endowments £0 £0 £0 £0 £0
Income - Investment £63.43k £66.35k £59.14k £66.64k £75.68k
Income - Other £0 £0 £0 £0 £0
Income - Legacies £17.18k £132.82k £152 £16.68k £96.29k
Expenditure - Charitable activities £1.71m £1.74m £1.75m £2.65m £2.69m
Expenditure - Raising funds N/A N/A N/A N/A £112.87k
Expenditure - Governance £31.62k £38.06k £32.82k £0 £0
Expenditure - Grants institution £0 £0 £0 £0 £0
Expenditure - Investment management £0 £0 £0 £0 £0
Expenditure - Other £0 £0 £0 £0 £0

Assets and liabilities

Definitions for assets and liabilities
Own use assets

These are assets, other than investments, which are held for more than 12 months and used to run and administer the charity such as buildings, offices, exhibits and fixtures and fittings.

Long term Investments

Investments are assets held by the charity with the sole aim of generating income which will be used for their charitable purposes such as deposit accounts, shares, rental property and unit trusts.
Investment assets are re-valued every year and included in the balance sheet at their current market value.
Long term investments are held for more than 12 months.

Other assets

These are assets held generally for less than 12 months such as cash and bank balances, debtors, investments to be sold within the coming year and trading stock.

Defined benefit pension scheme asset or liability

This is a surplus or deficit in any defined benefit pension scheme operated and represents a potential long-term asset or liability.

Total liabilities

These are all the amounts owed by the charity at the balance sheet date to third parties such as bills due but not yet paid, bank overdrafts and loans and mortgages.

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Asset / Liability 31/12/2012 31/12/2013 31/12/2014 31/12/2015 31/12/2016
Own use assets £482 £1.23k £1.66k £1.38k £936
Long-term investments £2.16m £1.59m £1.49m £5.26m £4.84m
Other assets £294.79k £956.22k £923.47k £939.16k £394.45k
Defined benefit pension scheme asset or liability £0 £0 £0 £0 £0
Total liabilities £23.94k £30.26k £160.94k £20.10k £18.96k

Accounts and annual returns

This table shows the charity's record of submitting annual returns, accounts and trustees' annual report (TAR) for the last five financial periods.
Title Reporting year Date received Received Download
Annual return 31 December 2017 Not submitted
Accounts and TAR 31 December 2017

(These accounts
have been qualified)

31 July 2018 On Time
Annual return 31 December 2016 29 August 2017 On Time
Accounts and TAR 31 December 2016 09 June 2017 On Time
Annual return 31 December 2015 31 August 2016 On Time
Accounts and TAR 31 December 2015 01 June 2016 On Time
Annual return 31 December 2014 17 September 2015 On Time
Accounts and TAR 31 December 2014 19 June 2015 On Time

Governing document

Details of the type of governing document the charity has and when it was established.
It is not the full text of the charity's governing document.

CONSTITUTION AND RULES REVISED 1986, 1996, 1999, 2003 AND 2005.

Charitable objects

WITH A VIEW TO PERPETUATING THE MEMORY OF GALLANT MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE SUFFERED OR DIED FOR THE COMMONWEALTH OF NATIONS AND TO MAINTAINING AND PERPETUATING THE COMRADESHIP WHICH ALWAYS INSPIRES MEMBERS OF THE ARMED AND AUXILIARY FORCES OF THE COMMONWEALTH, THE OBJECT OF THE LEAGUE SHALL BE TO SEEK TO ENSURE BY CHARITABLE MEANS THAT NO MAN OR WOMAN, WHO SERVED IN THE ARMED FORCES OF ANY COMMONWEALTH COUNTRY, OR WHO SERVED DURING HOSTILITIES IN THE MERCHANT NAVIES OF ANY SUCH COUNTRY, OR WHO SERVED IN THE RED CROSS OR ST JOHN'S ORGANISATION WHILE SUCH ORGANISATION WAS SERVING WITH THE ARMED FORCES OF ANY SUCH COUNTRY, OR DEPENDANTS OF SUCH PEOPLE SHALL BE WITHOUT HELP IF IN NEED.

Area of benefit

The area the charity can operate in, as set out in its governing document.

NOT DEFINED

Linked charities

Linked charities
Linked charity 231322-1 RAF PERSONNEL FUND
Governing document
LETTER DATED 31 MARCH 1951
Charitable objects
FOR THE BENEFIT OF PERSONS WHO HAVE BEEN MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL AIR FORCE OF THEIR DEPENDENTS.
Area of benefit
NOT DEFINED
Registration history
  • 24 January 1964 : Standard registration
  • 29 August 1995 : Removed