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THE BRITISH CONTACT LENS ASSOCIATION LIMITED

Registered charity 803544 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as BCLA

To promote excellence in research, manufacture and clinical practice of contact lenses and related areasRefereed journal, conference, courses, dissemination of information in the field on contact lenses

Objects

THE ADVANCEMENT FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT OF THE STUDY OF AND RESEARCH INTO THE FIELD OF CONTACT LENS PRACTICE AND RELATED SUBJECTS AND TO DISSEMINATE THE USEFUL RESULTS THEREOF.

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: Education/training · website · Get email alerts

Latest income
£527k
Latest spending
£621k
Registered
1990
Accounts read
FY2024

Financial health, per its FY2024 accounts

The accounts state that the charity reported a net unrestricted expenditure of £93,246 for the year ended 31 December 2024, resulting in unrestricted reserves of £251,002. The trustees note that this level of unrestricted reserves falls short of their stated policy target, which is to maintain funds equivalent to six months of overheads.

Automated summary of the FY2024 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Largest income source: Subscription and journal income (30% of income)
“Subscription and journal income 341,999” — page 24
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Reserves position: below the charity's own stated reserves policy (held: £251k; policy: six months overheads)
“Accordingly, the level of unrestricted reserves falls short of the stated reserves policy.” — page 7
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Payments to trustees: One trustee received £150 in speaker fees; two trustees received £500 for certificate contributions.
“During the year ended 31 December 2024, one trustee received a total of £150 (2023: £750) in respect of speaker fees and 2 trustees received a combined total of £500 (2023: £nil) in respect of contributions towards certificates.” — page 25
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Administration expenses paid to SB Squared Limited, a company where the CEO is a director.
“During the year ended 31 December 2024 the Group incurred administration expenses of £5,120 (2023: £nil) from SB Squared Limited, a company in which the Group CEO, L D Stevens-Burt, is also a director.” — page 31
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Trading subsidiary: BCLA Trading Company Limited
“The charity has a wholly owned subsidiary undertaking, BCLA Trading Company Limited. This arranges the Association's annual conference and exhibition series and continuing education courses.” — page 10
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by J W Hinks LLP. 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.

Corporate structure

BCLA TRADING COMPANY LIMITED — per its own Companies House accounts
  • {"amount": 513656, "description": "Amounts owed to group undertakings (parent charity) included in creditors falling due within one year."}

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.

Official officers record.

Public profiles (found on the charity’s own website): facebook · instagram

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/12/2024)

Total income
£527k
Total spending
£621k
Reserves (reported)
£251k
Employees
6

Reported reserves equal ~4.9 months of spending — below the median for charities its size (median 5.2 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Charitable activities (98% of income) — components as reported reconcile to the return’s total income; not from the accounts narrative.

Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 0.0% of total income — below the median for charities its size (4.9%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

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

Operates in: Throughout England And Wales

Income and spending

Financial year endIncomeSpending
31/12/2024£527k£621k
31/12/2023£1.1m£940k
31/12/2022£419k£481k
31/12/2021£550k£598k
31/12/2020£337k£461k

Common questions

Is THE BRITISH CONTACT LENS ASSOCIATION LIMITED financially healthy?

Per its FY2024 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported a net unrestricted expenditure of £93,246 for the year ended 31 December 2024, resulting in unrestricted reserves of £251,002. The trustees note that this level of unrestricted reserves falls short of their stated policy target, which is to maintain funds equivalent to six months of overheads. Its FY2024 accounts were audited by J W Hinks LLP.