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http://www.cherishfund.org.uk
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Report of the Activities of the Charity, 2022-23
Introduction to the work of the charity
The Cherish Fund was founded in 1991 in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, by Irene Moses. Irene felt that God was leading her to set up a charity, run on Christian principles, with the aim of reaching out to children and families and offering them relief from hardship and crisis. Irene spent some time working with victims of domestic violence in the Mansfield area. Irene was born in Malawi, and the early years saw work both there, and in the Mansfield area, where some people still remember the charity’s shop from years gone by. We were influential in the founding of Malawi YMCA and supported a school there; we supported a school on the edge of Kampala, Uganda; we ran an annual trip for deprived children from Mansfield; we ran a coffee morning for single parents in an area of high deprivation in Nottingham. Malawi YMCA and the school in Kampala are going from strength to strength; however, we have moved on from these and our other earlier projects.
In 2011 we moved into a time in the charity’s history where we sought to reinvent ourselves as we adapted to a time of challenge. This involved renewing the aims and objectives of the charity, appointing new trustees, becoming more creative and proactive in supporting our existing projects, and appointing a new set of officers for the charity. We adopted a new logo reflecting our desire for a bright new future for ourselves and the projects and people we support. Since that time, we have sought to be more active and effective in what we do, being flexible to new opportunities and delivering positive gains and successful outcomes for the projects we have embraced.
Africa has been the sole focus since 2011; we were involved in building a school in Sierra Leone and helping it to have a sustainable future, alongside YWAM Sierra Leone (2011-17) and we supported the creation of a well project in Livingstone, Zambia. this was successfully completed and handed over to Water Aid. we are now seeking to put young people through secondary education in Malawi, as well as a new opportunity to support healthcare in Uganda. Africa can be a frustrating place in which to build and support projects, but also a very needy and worthwhile place to work; the overwhelming majority of the world’s poorest countries are to be found on this continent. It is inconceivable that we shall not be working in Africa in one way or another in the future, and while supporting work in the UK has not been ruled out, we do not have the capacity to be considering any work with the poor in this country at the present time.
A further time of review and reinvention has recently taken place owing to the involvement of the Starfish Foundation in the charity. This has led to a similar process to 2011, with the appointment of new trustees, becoming more creative and proactive in supporting our two current project areas, enhancing our online presence and adopting a new logo reflecting our collaborative work with locally led action in Uganda and Malawi.
Malawi
We have kept a link with this nation throughout the history of the trust. At present our only objectives are to support the education of a small number of young people at secondary level, and to provide a small level of funding for relief work if needed. We have tried to do this through Pastor Sam Phiri, with whom we
have worked for at least five years. Our commitment there is modest and is administered by our trustee, Tom Barron. This is a declining part of our work at present in relation to our commitment to the work in Uganda. We cannot see how to grow this aspect of the work at the present time.
Uganda
Uganda is another country with which we have a historic link. Since 2015 we have sought to work with Mary Mills in her commitment to Starfish Uganda. This is now the most significant role that the Cherish Fund has at present. Starfish work at a clinic in Numusala, providing care support and training for children and young people with disabilities. Starfish has become an NGO with its own board and is attracting growing financial support from the UK, which Cherish has helped to focus and transfer to Uganda. The promotional team for Starfish in the UK, the Starfish Foundation, collaborates with Cherish and has a presence among the Cherish trustees. Following the relaxation of Covid regulations Mary Mills was able to revisit Uganda to view the progress of the work there and continues to visit fairly frequently.
Funding
Our commitment to the Numusala clinic is reflected in the increased turnover of the charity to its highest level for many years for the second year in succession. We have a very small capital fund which raises some interest, student sponsorships and regular givers. The work of Mary Mills has attracted funding and the Starfish UK website is well presented although funding is then channelled through Cherish as the registered charity in the UK that supports the work in Numusala. While the charity sees its role as providing more than a funding stream and has offered advice, support, and training to people or projects in Africa as well as money, we are a conduit for funds to reach the places where they are supposed to go without the administrative charges that larger charities would levy to pay staff.
Trustees Our trustees throughout the year were: the Revd Richard Clark (Chair) Tom Barron (Treasurer and Malawi Link) Jane Hall (Secretary) Gail Teague (Senior Soroptimist and former health service professional) Mary Mills (Uganda link), Sheila Royle (Uganda support) and Murray Baxter (Starfish UK and websites), although Murray has been ill and unable to give the charity the support that he would wish.
Meetings In person meetings have resumed at the Otter, Kegworth, although some trustees have attended by zoom where necessary. The trustees met four times in the financial year.
Sheet1
The Cherish Fund Receipts & Payments Account 1 March 2022 to 28 February 2023
SECTION A - RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS
Receipts
| Receipts | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total funds | Total funds | |
| funds (£) | funds (£) | (£) | last year (£) | |
| Gifts received | 525.61 | 44,137.49 | 44,663.10 | 38,136.61 |
| Gift Aid reclaimed | 3,125.00 | 3,167.00 | 6,292.00 | 3,250.50 |
| Income from investments | 135.46 | 135.46 | 119.39 | |
| Increase in investment value | ||||
| Total receipts | 3,786.07 | 47,304.49 | 51,090.56 | 41,506.50 |
| Payments | ||||
| Charitable payments | 5,555.00 | 47,224.11 | 52,779.11 | 42,055.46 |
| Trustee expenses | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Decline in investment value | 534.01 | 534.01 | 281.10 | |
| Total payments | 6,089.01 | 47,224.11 | 53,313.12 | 42,336.56 |
| Summary | ||||
| Net receipts less payments | -2,302.94 | 80.38 | -2,222.56 | -830.06 |
| Funds held last year end | 7,263.75 | 6,761.91 | 14,025.66 | 14,855.72 |
| Funds held this year end | 4,960.81 | 6,842.29 | 11,803.10 | 14,025.66 |
| SECTION B – STATEMENT OF | ASSETS & LIABILITIES AT 28 | FEBRUARY 2023 | ||
| Unrestricted | Restricted | |||
| funds (£) | funds (£) | Total (£) | ||
| B1 – Cash funds | ||||
| Barclays Bank current account | 858.23 | 6,842.29 | 7,700.52 | |
| B2 – Other monetary assets | ||||
| COIF account 98626001C | 474.22 | 474.22 | ||
| B3 – Investment assets | ||||
| COIF account 98626001B | 3,628.36 | 3,628.36 | ||
| (current value) | ||||
| Less liabilities | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| 4,960.81 | 6,842.29 | 11,803.10 |
Page 1
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