Fund Objective: The Fund aims to increase the value of your investment over the long term. It looks to outperform the Deutsche Numis Smaller Companies excluding Investment Companies (ex ICs) Index over rolling 3-year periods, after the deduction of charges. The Fund is actively managed, and invests at least 90% of its assets in the shares of companies listed on the London Stock Exchange; predominantly smaller companies traded on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) or included within the Deutsche Numis Smaller Companies (ex ICs) Index, that are UK domiciled, or have significant UK business operations. The Fund selects companies considered to have good prospects for share price growth, from any industry or economic sector, with smaller companies providing potential exposure to niche growth areas that often cannot be accessed by large companies. The Fund typically invests in shares of fewer than 70 companies. The Fund may also invest in other assets such as cash and deposits, and hold other funds (including funds managed by Columbia Threadneedle companies) when deemed appropriate. The Fund is not permitted to invest in derivatives for investment purposes, but derivatives may be used with the aim of reducing risk or managing the Fund more efficiently. Derivatives are sophisticated investment instruments linked to the rise and fall of the price of other assets. The Deutsche Numis Smaller Companies (ex ICs) Index is a widely used benchmark for monitoring the performance of UK smaller companies. It consists of companies that make up the smallest 10% of the UK main listed market by value (excluding investment companies). It provides a suitable target benchmark against which Fund performance will be measured and evaluated over time.