THE TORCH TRUST FOR THE BLIND

Registered charity 1095904 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as TORCH FAMILY, TORCH FELLOWSHIP, TORCH TRUST,TORCH

The Torch Trust for the Blind is an established Christian mission that aims to overcome sight loss as a barrier to finding a personal faith in Christ and living a fulfilled Christian life. It provides Christian literature (in braille, giant print and audio media), fellowship and personal support to visually impaired people in the UK and around the world.

Objects

THE RELIEF AND SUPPORT OF BLIND AND PARTIALLY SIGHTED PEOPLE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING BASIS OF FAITH (SEE GD FOR MORE DETAIL)

Area of benefit: NATIONAL AND OVERSEAS

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

Causes: Education/training · Disability · Overseas Aid/famine Relief · Religious Activities · website · Get email alerts

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity reported a net income of £26,702 for the year ended 30 September 2025, supported by total income of £986,576. Per the trustees' report, the charity maintains a strong balance sheet with net assets rising to £2,624,942, which exceeds its stated reserves policy target of £392,500. The trustees acknowledge the need to carefully steward resources and broaden the support base to ensure long-term sustainability.

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
• Investing charity funds policy and procedures
• Investment
• Paying staff
• Risk management
• Safeguarding policy and procedures
• Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
• Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
• Social media policy and procedures
• Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
• Trustee expenses policy and procedures
• Volunteer management

Corporate structure

• Registered company of the charity Companies House 04616526 · Financial health read from its filings

Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — Torch Trust for the Blind (matched by registered charity number).

Company officers (Companies House)

Current officers of the charity’s own company per the Companies House register, cross-checked against the Charity Commission trustee list by name. A director not on the trustee list is usually a timing or naming difference between the two registers — check both records before drawing conclusions.

• BURR, Stephen Mark, Mr. — director, appointed 06/11/2025on trustee list
• STAMMERS, Trevor Gordon, Dr — director, appointed 05/08/2025on trustee list
• RICE, Philip Donald — director, appointed 05/02/2025on trustee list
• TOWNSEND, Edith, Mrs. — director, appointed 07/11/2024on trustee list
• ANDERSON, Brian William, Mr. — director, appointed 04/10/2023on trustee list
• ARMSTRONG, Sheila Barrie, Mrs. — director, appointed 09/02/2023on trustee list
• AKINTUNDE, Ifeolu Omoniyi, Dr — director, appointed 04/11/2021on trustee list
• BROWN, Anthony — director, appointed 16/07/2014on trustee list
• BAKER, Marilyn Ann — director, appointed 13/12/2002on trustee list
• PRICKETT, Linda, Mrs. — secretary, appointed 01/02/2023

Official officers record.

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 30/09/2025)

Reported reserves equal ~5.2 months of spending — above the median for charities its size (median 5.2 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 0.9% of total income — below the median for charities its size (4.9%) (benchmarks).

Register events

• Received assets from another charity (06/08/2024) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.

Trustees · trustee networks

• ANTHONY BROWNchair · trustee of 3 other charities
• Brian William Anderson
• Dr Trevor Gordon Stammers
• Edith Townsend · trustee of 1 other charity
• Ifeolu Omoniyi Akintunde · trustee of 2 other charities
• MARILYN BAKER · trustee of 1 other charity
• Philip Rice · trustee of 3 other charities
• Sheila Armstrong · trustee of 1 other charity
• Stephen Mark Burr · trustee of 2 other charities

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

Operates in: Northern Ireland · Scotland

Income and spending

Common questions