Red Cypher
Standing Operating Procedures
Purpose
1.
What is the Purpose of Red Cypher? Red Cypher is a Charitable Incorporated
Organisation (CIO) that is designed to provide financial assistance to members of 3rd Regiment
Royal Horse Artillery (3RHA) and its wider family. The Trust seeks to provide as wide a remit as
possible, within the boundaries of charity law and to provide the most timely and appropriate
support to its beneficiaries. In particular, it will deliver a quick and efficient response to those who
need urgent support through bereavement, fatal accidents or severe Illness.
Membership
2.
Who can Benefit? For the purposes of Red Cypher, membership of 3rd Regiment Royal
Horse Artillery consists of the following:
a.
The Serving Regiment. The Serving Regiment includes individuals from other cap
badges who are on the assigned strength and includes their dependants. In terms of the
Past and Present Members Association, this element represents the Present Members.
(1) Likely Grants. Once established, Red Cypher is likely to provide grants for
Soldier and family welfare, Regimental Sports and Adventure Training.
b.
Veterans/Serving ex Regiment. This group are those members that have served in
the Regiment (including those from the cap badges mentioned above and their dependents)
and are now serving in other regiments or have left the forces. In terms of the Past and
Present Members Association, this element represents the Past Members. Veterans join the
PPMA by purchasing a PPMA lapel badge, which provides a donation to Red Cypher.
(1) Likely Grants. Once established, Red Cypher is likely to support the provision
of the standard bearer at PPMA member funerals and for the welfare of veterans and
their dependents who need support.
c.
Hosting Dinners and other Regimental Family Business. 3RHA currently has 3
major social events each year, which Red Cypher may host in the future. The first is the
PPMA Dinner at the Copthorne Hotel in Dudley. This is traditionally held on the second
weekend of September and is open to all ranks, cap badges and wives. The second is the
Veteran’s Contingent march past, at the National Cenotaph, in London on Remembrance
Sunday, which is followed by lunch in the Charing Cross Hotel. The last occasion is the
Officers’ Reunion Dinner that is held at Larkhill in the RA Mess on the last Friday of
November each year. This is open to all officers who have served in 3RHA or who were
soldiers in 3RHA, but subsequently served commissioned service in another regiment.
3.
Is there a Qualifying Period? There is no qualifying period for membership of Red Cypher.
As long as you are part of the 3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery Regimental family, you are
entitled to make a grant for financial support.
Information
4.
Where can I get more information about Red Cypher? A flow diagram showing how the
Red Cypher works can be found at Annex A. It will also be advertised and accessible as follows:
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a.
Red Cypher Website: www.redcypher.com. This website is dedicated to the charity
and will provide the following:
(1) Membership. Remind all members of the Regiment (particularly recent joiners)
that they are members of the Trust and encourage them to apply if their circumstances
warrant it. It is hoped that the website will also encourage applications, either directly or
through peer engagement, thus mitigating the natural reluctance of soldiers to show
weakness or admit that they need help.
(2) Application Procedures. Show how the application procedure works in a
simple flow diagram.
(3) Application Form. Provide a downloadable copy of the Application Form. This
articulates the purpose and break down of the funds requested. All requests for
assistance will be sent to one of two Vice Chairmen of the Trust. The contact details for
the Vice Chairman will be clearly displayed. A copy of this form can also be found at
Annex B.
(4) Summary of Successful Grants. Provide a brief summary of the Trust’s
grants.
b.
PPMA website: www.3rhappma.com. This contains an extensive database of veteran
members (Postal and E Mail) and will have a link to the Red Cypher Website.
c.
PPMA Facebook Account. This is maintained by the PPMA, and will have a link to
the Red Cypher Website.
d.
3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery Facebook Account. This is maintained by the
serving Regiment, but there will also be a link to the Red Cypher Website.
e.
Regimental Part One Orders. Red Cypher will be advertised to serving members
through Part 1 Orders. These Orders are published daily and have to be read by serving
members.
f.
Annual Regimental Journal. The annual Regimental journal will be used for
distribution and advertisement.
Income
5.
Payroll Giving. Only ‘employees’ can utilise the Payroll Giving mechanism. Therefore
members of the Serving Regiment (all ranks and cap badges) sign Payroll Giving forms on arrival,
which instruct the Army Personnel Centre (APC) in Glasgow to deduct £8 net from their monthly
pay at source. This is effectively £10 gross to Red Cypher. A standing Grant of 80% of Payroll
giving receipts is returned, by Red Cypher to the Regiment, for distribution to the PRI, Battery’s
and sub units. The remaining 20% (tax relief) will be utilised as per Trust rules and regulations. In
this way no one from the serving regiment pays any more than they would have done before, but
Red Cypher benefits from the tax relief.
7.
Accounting for Serving Regiment Payments. It is important that Battery Clerks maintain
accurate nominal rolls and process the payroll giving forms on the arrival of new soldiers. The FSA
must also maintain an up-to-date Regimental Database of all those who have signed up to payroll
giving.
8.
What happens when you leave the Regiment? Anyone who leaves the Serving Regiment
(such as when they are assigned elsewhere) has 3 options regarding their payroll giving status.
These will be explained to them by the FSA when they clear from the Regiment. They may:
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a.
Continue Paying As Before. This requires no action.
b.
Reduce Payments. Reduce payments from £8 to £1 per month or any sum in
between.
c.
Stop Payments Completely. This is clearly the least advantageous to the Trust, but
is reasonable for those who move to new Regiments and have to pay subscriptions to their
new Battery’s and PRI.
9.
How can I make a Donation? - Gift Aid. The primary means of donation for all is through
the electronic collection points on the Red Cypher and PPMA website and Facebook pages.
Donation envelopes and written forms can also be utilised for collection. Other means of donation
will be published on the Red Cypher web site.
Individual campaigns to raise monies can be set up on request ie. Cycle ride Hohne to Newcastle,
These be by electronic means, through CAF. See website for more information.
Red Cypher has engaged the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF Donate) to collect donations and
retrieve tax through Gift Aid (where appropriate) The Red Cypher bank account is held within CAF
Bank.
10. Legacies. Members may make a legacy from their Will as this reduces the liable tax on
their estate. Details on how to leave a legacy will be published on the Red Cypher web site.
Trustees
11. Trustee Structure. There are 9 trustees in total, four of which are part of the serving
regiment and four are veterans. The Honorary Colonel is the Chairman and devolves the day-today running and processing of applications to two Vice Chairman; one from each group as shown
below:
Honorary Colonel (Chairman)
Serving Regiment
Veterans
2IC (Vice Chairman)
Veteran (Vice Chairman)
RSM
Veteran
BC
Veteran
Sgt
Veteran
12. AGM. Most communication between trustees will be via email, although two formal
meetings will be held each year. The AGM will form part of the PPMA weekend. A separate
trustees meeting will be held in March to decide the budget for the coming financial year. Both
meetings will have a Record of Decisions.
13. Trustee Decision Making. Application decisions are based on a straight forward majority
vote that is recorded and auditable. The Chairman is ultimately responsible for the conduct of the
trustees, but only has the same voting rights as everyone else.
14. Grant Thresholds. There are there (3) levels of grants and these will be reviewed by the
Trustees periodically. The grant approval mechanism is designed to enable a timely response to
each application. Full records will be made in each case for audit purposes.
3
Level
One
Amount
Up to £1000
Two
£1000 - £10,000
Three
£10,000 +
Trustees
Vice Chairman + I x
Trustee (Acct Contact)
Vice Chairman
& 3 x Trustee
Chairman + Vice
Chairman
& 5 x Trustees
Remarks
Grants of up to £1000 may be approved
by Vice Chairman + acct contact
3 trustees and a Vice Chairman are
required to approve Level 2 grants.
This is expected to be the bulk of the
Trust’s activity. Vice Chairman approval
with a majority vote from 4 trustees.
15. Constitutional Changes. Any changes to the Constitution must be voted on by the Chairman
and all trustees. Proposals must be made at least one working month before any planned
meeting.
16. Unsuccessful Applications. The two Vice Chairmen will be provide clear reasons why an
application has been rejected. Applicants may appeal if the necessary conditions have been met
to warrant another review.
17. Accountability. A civilian accountant, who specialises in charitable trusts, has been
employed by the Trustees to help manage Red Cypher. He will be responsible for auditing the
accounts and presenting them to the Charities Commission for their annual review and an
Overview for the AGM held in September. This is an overhead to the Trust.
18. Trustee Review. All grants will be reviewed at each Trustees Meeting so the full board can
review the nature, level and frequency of grants in relation to the Trust’s Purposes and resources.
Guidelines, limits and authorities will then be adjusted if necessary.
19. Reserve. In order for the Trustees to always be able to respond to requests for assistance,
Red Cypher will maintain a Reserve of £10,000.
20. Branding. A 5” sticker1 has been produced which shows the Registered Number from the
Charities Commission. This may be refined or replaced in the future, but it provides a short term
fix for collecting cash in a bucket whilst fundraising. Likewise the design could be used for
windscreen stickers or on other items.
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Produced by: Motif8 Embroidery & Print Ltd, Stephenson Street, Gladstone Industrial Estate, Thornaby, Stockton on Tees, TS17 6AL
VAT No: 259049830. Price is 40p each.
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21. PRI Shop. The Serving Regiment’s PRI shop in Hohne closed in June 2015. This provides
an opportunity for a new Regimental shop to be set up in the UK and for future sales to be made
online. It also negates the need for the Serving Regiment to misemploy a soldier, or pay a
dependant to run a shop. The Serving Regiment is keen for the past members to sell the ‘3RHA
Brand’, either by using an approved Red Cypher or an approved Battery sign on merchandise.
Approval for these important parts of our Regimental brand will remain with the CO and RSM of the
serving Regiment. Items could be advertised on the Red Cypher website, or for a link to be
available to the online shop. In return the shop would donate Red Cypher 10% of future profits.
The Serving Regiment will retain small Battery shops, but the only items stocked centrally will be
Regimental ties and plaques.
22. Red Cypher Launch. The Second in Command briefed the Serving Regiment as part of a
‘Soft Launch’ on 22 May 2015. Subsequently, pay roll giving forms were completed by each
member of the Regiment in order for them to be processed by APC for the June 2015 pay run.
This payment will be sent to Red Cypher in July 2015 and the Serving Regiment is expected to
receive their payment mid-August 2015. The ‘Hard Launch’ will be on 5 September 2015 at the
PPMA, when the Chairman formally announces the creation of the charity.
23. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). Once established, responses to FAQs will be
recorded on the Red Cypher website. This may well include scenarios so that members can
clearly understand the process of making grants.
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