THE BENEVOLENT FUND OF THE COLLEGE OF OPTOMETRISTS & THE ASSOCIATION OF OPTOMETRISTS

Registered charity 1003699 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as BEN FUND OF BOAF, BENEVOLENT FUND OF THE BRITISH COLLEGE OF OPTOMETRISTS, THE BENEVOLENT FUND OF THE BRITISH OPTICAL ASSOCIATION FOUNDATION, THE BENEVOLENT FUND OF THE COLLEGE OF OPTOMETRISTS & THE ASSOCIAITON OF OPTOMETRISTS, THE BENEVOLENT FUND OF THE COLLEGE OF OPTOMETRISTS AND ASSOCIATION OF OPTOMETRISTS

Financial and other support to current and retired members of the optical profession and their dependents

Objects

2. The object of the Charity is to afford assistance by application of the income of the Fund (as defined in Rule 3.1(b) and all or such part or parts of the capital at such times and in such manner as the Trustees may in their absolute discretion think fit to or for the benefit of all or any:2.1 Necessitous members and former members (of any class) of the College of Optometrists (or formerly of the British College of Optometrists or the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians) and their dependants;2.2 former members and associate members of the British Optical Association and their dependants;2.3 members and former members of the Association of Optometrists (or formerly the Association of Optical Practitioners) and their dependants;2.4 fellows by examination of the Scottish Association of Opticians or the WorshipfulCompany of Spectacle Makers and their dependants; or2.5 other members and former members of the optometry profession, or ophthalmic optical profession as it was formerly known, and their dependants.2.6 Undergraduate optometry students registered with the General Optical council.2.7 Other optometry students as the trustees may in their absolute discretion see fit to support.

Area of benefit: NOT DEFINED

The charity’s charitable objects and area of benefit, quoted from its governing document as held on the Charity Commission register.

Causes: General Charitable Purposes · The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives · Disability · The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty · website · Get email alerts

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that total unrestricted reserves stood at £2,593,631, with a designated fund of £500,000 and general funds of £2,093,631. The trustees have adopted a new reserves policy to maintain unrestricted reserves at the real-terms equivalent of the balance as at 30 September 2025 to protect long-term financial sustainability. The charity relies on investment returns to fund future activities, noting that investment returns are volatile but that the investment portfolio is sufficient to cater for anticipated needs.

Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.

Policies the charity declares

In its annual return the charity told the Commission that it has the policies listed below. This is self-declared: it is not verified by the Commission or by this site, and it is not evidence of how a policy works in practice.

• Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
• Complaints handling
• Complaints policy and procedures
• Conflicting interests
• Financial reserves policy and procedures
• Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
• Internal risk management policy and procedures
• Investment
• Risk management
• Safeguarding policy and procedures
• Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
• Social media policy and procedures
• Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures

Trustees · trustee networks

• Vivian Bushchair · trustee of 1 other charity
• Aishah Patel · trustee of 1 other charity
• Alison McClune · trustee of 1 other charity
• Anuj Patel · trustee of 1 other charity
• Daniel Ehrlich · trustee of 1 other charity
• Francesca Marchetti · trustee of 1 other charity
• Jane Macnaughton
• Keval Dattani · trustee of 1 other charity
• RICHARD BROUGHTON
• Tushar Majithia · trustee of 1 other charity

Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).

Operates in: Northern Ireland · Scotland · Throughout England And Wales

Income and spending

Common questions