1 April 2022 | 3 minute read
Welcome to the spring 2022 edition of Brewin Dolphin’s Charity Perspective. There is no doubt the start of the year has been turbulent, from the emergence of Omicron and the steady rise of inflation to Russia’s shocking invasion of Ukraine. The economic and geopolitical news flow and uncertainty have led to instability in stock markets. At Brewin Dolphin, we are experienced in helping our clients navigate such challenges. Diversification of assets and understanding how the investment portfolio fits into the wider financial positioning of each organisation is key to us supporting our trustees across the country in such turbulent times.
In this edition, our colleague David Hourston explains the rise of inflation and its impact on charity cash holdings. This is an excellent reminder of how charities can make their funds work harder and contribute to their charitable purpose. We also look at the increasing importance of environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing, and why stewardship is an integral part of ensuring ESG-related claims are upheld.
Turning to the fantastic work happening in the sector, we are delighted to feature our first Charity in the Spotlight, Durham Wildlife Trust. The trust conserves wildlife in its local area consisting of Darlington, Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland. As the trust celebrates its 50th anniversary, Jim Cokill provides an insight into its 50@50 campaign and how it adapted during the Covid-19 pandemic.
As a team, we are delighted to have welcomed Leslie Redwood, previously a CEO of Citizens Advice, as our Head of Charity Business Development at the start of March. We look forward to introducing him properly in our next edition.
In the meantime, we hope you enjoy this Charity Perspective and look forward to welcoming you back to our offices and events later this year.
Lynne Lamont
Head of Charities
RBC Brewin Dolphin
Articles
Inflation is back: could your cash reserves be doing more?
David Hourston, one of our charity Investment Managers, discusses whether higher inflation means charities should consider investing some of their cash reserves with the aim of generating a better long-term return.
Quarterly Review
Guy Foster, our Chief Strategist, reviews the first quarter of 2022 and what we might expect for the rest of the year.
Important notes
The value of investments, and any income from them, can fall and you may get back less than you invested.
Neither simulated nor actual past performance are reliable indicators of future performance.
Information contained in this document is believed to be reliable and accurate, but without further investigation cannot be warranted as to accuracy or completeness.
We or a connected person may have positions in or options on the securities mentioned herein or may buy, sell or offer to make a purchase or sale of such securities from time to time. In addition we reserve the right to act as principal or agent with regard to the sale or purchase of any security mentioned in this document. For further information, please refer to our conflicts policy which is available on request or can be accessed via our website at www.brewin.co.uk.
Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily the views held throughout RBC Brewin Dolphin.