TPOT

Registered charity 1159896 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as PEN OPTICAL TRUST, The Prison Opticians Trust

Training people in optical skills to eventually gain meaningful employment.

Objects

THE RELIEF OF UNEMPLOYMENT FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT IN PARTICULAR BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY BY PROVIDING TRAINING IN OPTICS TO PEOPLE WHO ARE SOCIALLYEXCLUDED. FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS CLAUSE, "SOCIALLY EXCLUDED" MEANS PEOPLE WITH: A CRIMINAL RECORD; A DISABILITY; OR OTHER DISADVANTAGE THAT MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO FIND MEANINGFUL EMPLOYMENT.

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 · Education/training · Get email alerts

Registered contact address: Brighton and Hove, South East, England (from the postcode on the register)

Latest income

£82k

Latest spending

£57k

Registered

2015

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity reported a net surplus of £24,419 for the year ended 31 March 2025, increasing its unrestricted funds to £234,352. The trustees consider the level of free reserves to be satisfactory, noting it significantly exceeds the stated policy target of £50,000. The charity maintains adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future.

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

What the accounts disclose

Reserves policy: £50,000 (reserves figure: £234k)

“The target amount of reserves to be attained and maintained is £50,000 representing approximately double the amount of annual operating expenses of £128,419.” — page 6

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: The document discloses income from 'The Prison Opticians Company Limited' and debtors/creditors involving 'group undertakings', but does not explicitly state the amounts or confirm the related-party status in the notes.

“The principal funding sources of the charity in the reporting period are from Serco Justice Division and The Prison Opticians Company Limited.” — page 5

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 4 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
Investing charity funds policy and procedures
Investment
Risk management
Safeguarding policy and procedures
Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
Trustee expenses policy and procedures

Trustees · trustee networks

DHARJINDER SINGH
KAMALPREET SINGH BAINS BSC OPTOM
Syed Saqib Abbas
TANJIT DOSANJH OBE

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

Operates in: Throughout England

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/03/2025	£82k	£57k
31/03/2024	£91k	£219k
31/03/2023	£100k	£226k
31/03/2022	£235k	£29k
31/03/2021	£186k	£50k

Common questions

Is TPOT financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported a net surplus of £24,419 for the year ended 31 March 2025, increasing its unrestricted funds to £234,352. The trustees consider the level of free reserves to be satisfactory, noting it significantly exceeds the stated policy target of £50,000. The charity maintains adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

Funders of similar charities

Funders whose accounts show grants to charities similar to this one (and no recorded grant to this charity) — a starting list for fundraisers.

Funder	Similar charities funded	Amount to them
SCOULOUDI FOUNDATION	1	£27k
SIR ROBERT GEFFERY'S ALMSHOUSE TRUST	1	£6k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with OPEN AWARDS.

OPEN AWARDS income £2.7m
OBLONG LTD income £285k
PETHERTON ARTS TRUST LIMITED income £153k
THE BENEVOLENT FUND OF THE COLLEGE OF OPTOMETRISTS & THE ASSOCIATION OF OPTOMETRISTS income £108k
NEW CURATORS income £959k
PROFESSIONALS AID COUNCIL income £199k

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
TPOT	£82k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
OPEN AWARDS FY2025	£2.7m	—	—	unclear	—	no doubt
OBLONG LTD FY2025	£285k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
PETHERTON ARTS TRUST LIMITED FY2025	£153k	—	0	above	—	noted
THE BENEVOLENT FUND OF THE COLLEGE OF OPTOMETRISTS & THE ASSOCIATION OF OPTOMETRISTS FY2025	£108k	—	0	above	—	no doubt
NEW CURATORS FY2025	£959k	—	—	unclear	—	no doubt

Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.