htp://www.cherishfund.org.uk
Report of the Activities of the Charity, 2023-24
Introducton 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 was the most significant role that the Cherish Fund had during the period covered by this report. Starfish work at a clinic in Numusala, providing care support and training for children and young people with disabilities. Starfish was an NGO with its own board and has attracted 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, collaborated with Cherish and has had 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 was reflected in the increased turnover of the charity compared to historic norms. We have a very small capital fund which raises some interest, student sponsorships and regular givers. The work of Mary Mills attracted funding that was 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 have been 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 (former Soroptimist leader and 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.
Meetngs 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 2023 to 29 February 2024
SECTION A - RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS
Receipts
| Gifts received 525.61 44,137.49 44,663.10 Gift Aid reclaimed 3,125.00 3,167.00 6,292.00 Income from investments 135.46 135.46 Increase in investment value Total receipts 3,786.07 47,304.49 51,090.56 Payments Charitable payments 5,555.00 47,224.11 52,779.11 Trustee expenses 0.00 0.00 0.00 Decline in investment value 534.01 534.01 Total payments 6,089.01 47,224.11 53,313.12 Summary Net receipts less payments -2,302.94 80.38 -2,222.56 Funds held last year end 7,263.75 6,761.91 14,025.66 Funds held this year end 4,960.81 6,842.29 11,803.10 SECTION B – STATEMENT OF ASSETS & LIABILITIES AT 29 FEBRUARY 2024 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 Unrestricted funds (£) Restricted funds (£) Total funds (£) Unrestricted funds (£) Restricted funds (£) |
38,136.61 3,250.50 119.39 41,506.50 42,055.46 0.00 281.10 42,336.56 -830.06 14,855.72 Total funds last year (£) |
|---|---|
| 14,025.66 | |
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Independent •xaminerfs report to the trustses of The Cherfsh Fun: Charity number: 1012868 I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of The Cherish Fund (the Trust) for the year ended 29th February 2024. Regpon8lblllllo8 and ba818 of report As the charity trustees of the Trus( you are responsible for the pParatIon of the accounts In accordance with the requlrements of Ihe Chariith Act 2011 (lhe ACV). I report in respect of my examlnation of the Trusvs accounts carrled out under Sedlon 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrylng out my examlnatw I have followed 811 the applicable Dlrectlons glven by tha Charlty Comml8slon under se¢ai)n 145(5Xb) of the ACL Indepondont examlnefs statement I have completed my exammatm. I conflmi thal no materfal matters have rne to my attention In connectlon with the examinatK)n giving me cause to belleve that in any materfal 1. accounting records wern not kepl kn respect of the Trust ag requwed by section 130 of the Act,. or 2. the accounts do not accord wlth those records; or 3. the accounts do ncrt compty wilh the applicable requirements l¢eming the forni and content of accounts set out in the Chafitles (Accounts and Reports) Regulatlons 2008 olher than any requirnent that the accounts glve a Irue and fair view which is noi a matter Consi as part of an Independent examlnation. I have no concems and hav6 come auoss no other matters In eonnxlion with the examlnatlon to which attention should be drawn In this report In order to enable a proper understandlng of the accounts to be reached. sned. Name: Peter Cook Addr888: 12 Wllow Broc< Kerth. Nottingham NG12 SBB Oate: 61h l)ecember 2024