2024-04-05-accounts

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 05/04/23 To 04/04/24

Charity name: Friends Reaching Out

Charity registration number: 1032163

Objectives and Activities

	SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document	Para 1.17	The relief of poverty and the advancement of education for orphans and vulnerable children and young people in Uganda. This will be established through working to support families in our local community and housing needy children in our homes as well as supporting children to stay with extended family where possible. Paying for school, college & university fees as well as vocational training. Providing food & shelter.
Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts.	Para 1.17 and 1.19	Friends Reaching Out (FRO) raises funds to support the work of Friends of Disadvantaged Children in Uganda through providing resources to care for orphans and vulnerable children. Sponsorship and funds provide the following: ●Food for all the children and staff in our project. ●Free entry to our primary school for our sponsored children. ●Education costs for further and higher education such as vocational, A level and university courses.

		●Clothes and medical care for our sponsored children. ●Building and maintaining school classrooms and facilities.
Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit	Para 1.18	All funds have been spent in accordance with the key objectives of the charity. As Trustees we have due regard for the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit and we ensure that our activities comply with this.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

	SORP reference
Policy on grant making	Para 1.38	N/A
Policy on social investment including program related investment	Para 1.38	N/A
Contribution made by volunteers	Para 1.38	All our UK trustees and supporters are volunteers not paid by the charity. Volunteers help to fundraise through a variety of different ways such as making items to sell and helping us with organising events and sponsored walks. Volunteers help to promote our charity through media and online platforms. Volunteers help with administration, bookkeeping and marketing. We are very grateful to those that help us in these roles. Without this volunteer support we would not be able to function as we are as a charity.
Other		N/A

Achievements and Performance

	SORP reference
Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole.	Para 1.20	The focus of our work in Uganda continues to be the education, care and support to the children in Kapeeka and the surrounding area. We work to support some of the poorest and most needy families and children in Uganda. They see that education is a way out of poverty and therefore the attendance at our school is high. This past year we have been working on the new administration block and other school facilities at our school. We are pleased to report that we have now completed the administration block and the majority of the planned school main infrastructure. We have over the past year been able to fulfil our aims through the provision of education, welfare, and support for orphaned and disadvantaged children in rural Uganda. The main activities undertaken during the period have been: ●Operating a primary school, which provides education to 450+ children from local families. ●Providing further education, A-Level courses, Vocational, and Diploma courses. ●Providing employment to the staff and members of the local community. ●Providing food, shelter, and health care for children in the villages of Kadunda & Kisimula.

● During this past year help was provided to directly through sponsorship to the following children: ● 22 Primary School children ● 11 Secondary School pupils ● 1 University business course student ● 1 University Medical course student ● 1 Nursing course student ● 1 Teacher training student ● 1 Building course student ● 1 Computer science student ● 1 Electrical engineer student ● We continue to provide disability support for one young person.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:	Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:	Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
Achievements against objectives set	Para 1.41	We continue to evaluate our support levels and we are working towards making the project sustainable and self financing. Each academic year the school takes on the responsibility for another teacher's/staff members salary. This has been a successful strategy in making the school plan for sustainability and long-term financial independence from the UK charity. Salaries of four members of staff are now covered from school fees paid for by non sponsored children’s families. This has resulted in a 5% saving on our annual staff salary payments. The savings will continue to help us to improve on the learning environment for our children. We are continually monitoring our

		effectiveness and impact on the children and families we support. We will continue to adapt our work to meet the changing needs of the communities we work with. Our goal is to develop and improve the services and the care we offer to the lives of orphans and vulnerable children in the Kapeeka district.
Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set	Para 1.41	Fundraising for the financial period amounted to £4,053.27. We are very grateful to Bohunt school for organising a sponsored walk which raised the tremendous sum of £2,079.51. Several hundred children walked over 10 miles to achieve this large donation for which we are very grateful. Lee Street Church collected £250 from their Christmas collections. In Feb we organised a Quiz night which raised over £700. It was a fun evening with games, a quiz and food. Several generous donations to the charity were made on the night. Other donations recorded as fundraising came through individuals making special one-off donations.
Investment performance against objectives	Para 1.41	FRO has no financial investments.
Other		N/A

Financial Review

Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period	Para 1.21	Regular sponsorship and donations have remained consistent compared to the past financial year. Our total income for the year was £62,609.05. Regular giving was slightly down to

		£31,617.93 excluding gifts, donations and gift aid. Other gifts and donations amounted to £19,999.93. Income would have almost been identical to that of the previous year had it not been for a significant donation coming later which put it just outside of the current financial year accounts. This figure however should give an uplift and be reflected in the 24/25 accounting year. Fundraising activities raised £4,053.27 and we received £6,937.92 in Gift Aid repayments. Other donations came from Wallington Baptist Church which donated £193.00 and Kingsbridge Baptist Church £600. We are very grateful to all those churches and individuals that have donated and raised funds for our charity. The year closing balance was £21,234.50. Below is a breakdown of the restricted fund amounts: ●£250 – Farming ●£2000 – Solar power ●£343 – PE equipment ●£1,958 - Books, uniforms, shoes ●£977 – General/Building fund ●£1,202.59 – School desks and chairs Total - £6,730.59
Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held	Para 1.22	The charity will hold 3 months of core running costs in the UK account in case the charity needs to be closed. These funds will be used to cover staff salary costs and any outstanding educational bills or associated expenses for winding up the charity.

		Three months running costs, in accordance with our reserves policy, have been allocated which amounts to £6000.
Amount of reserves held	Para 1.22	Currently we are holding funds which have been allocated to cover the building expenses for the new school we are building. These funds will mostly be used in the next financial year.
Reasons for holding zero reserves	Para 1.22	N/A
Details of fund materially in deficit	Para 1.24	N/A
Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern	Para 1.23	N/A

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising)	Para 1.47	The charity’s principal source of funds comes through regular sponsorship. Other funds are received through one off donations, fundraising events (such as our annual quiz), collections from local supporters such as schools and churches. We have in past years worked with a professional fundraiser to raise much needed funds towards supporting our children in the areas of education, health and food as well as campaigning for our building project. In the last financial year we did not employ the fundraiser. All funds spent during the financial year have been in support of the key objectives of the charity.
Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted	Para 1.46	FRO does not have any investments, and therefore, has no investment policy.

A description of the principal risks facing the charity	Para 1.46	FRO continues to work to widen the field of supporters and sponsors. As a small charity that started with friends of friends supporting the work, the need for new sponsors is a real necessity. The need always outstrips the support. Communication and working cross culturally is one of our greatest challenges. Regular trustees visits are essential to the continued management and oversight of the project. Fundraising is another area that we need to work to strengthen. Although we have regular supporters giving monthly sponsorship we still are reliant on one off donations and fundraising for special projects.
Other		N/A

Structure, Governance and Management

Description of charity’s trusts:
Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter)	Para 1.25	Trust deed - dated 10thMay 1993 and amended Jan 2018.
How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO)	Para 1.25	Trust.
Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more	Para 1.25	Appointed by Trustees.

trustees

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:	Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:	Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees	Para 1.51	All trustees are required to read and agree to adhere to guidelines of “The Essential Trustee”. Trustees are updated regularly, and further training is available upon request. The Trustees have all read and signed the safeguarding policy and have been given training on GDPR.
The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works	Para 1.51	The Trustees are responsible for ensuring that FRO operates within its remit from the Charity Commission and according to its charitable objects. In the past we have worked with a professional fundraiser and have drawn up a basic agreement for this. In this last financial year we haven’t engaged her in this work.
Relationship with any related parties	Para 1.51	FRO works in partnership with Friends of Disadvantaged Children that facilitate the work in Uganda. FODC is a registered Community Based Organisation in Uganda.
Other		The Trustees have a duty to identify and review any risks, which the charity may be exposed to. The Trustees also ensure that appropriate controls are in place to provide reasonable assurance against fraud and error.

Reference and Administrative details

Charity name	Friends Reaching Out
Other name the charity uses	N/A
Registered charity number	1032163
Charity’sprincipal address	7 Maple Close

Horsham RH12 4EZ WSX

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

		Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any)
1		Stephen Fishpool	Chairman		Trustee of FRO
2		Joy Dale			Trustee of FRO
3		Robert Davidge			Trustee of FRO
4		Dave Clouting	Secretary		Trustee of FRO
5		Alison Fishpool			Trustee of FRO

– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved

Director name

Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity

Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year

Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others	Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others
Description of the assets held in this capacity	N/A
Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects	N/A
Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets	N/A

Additional information (optional)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

	Type of adviser Name Address	Type of adviser Name Address	Type of adviser Name Address
	Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

Exemptions from disclosure

Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details

Other optional information

Declarations

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Signature(s)
Full name(s)
Position (eg Secretary,
Chair, etc)
Date
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Independent examiner's report on the accounts

Section A Independent Examiner’s Report

Report to the trustees/ Charity Name members of Friends Reaching Out On accounts for the year 05 April 2024 ended Set out on pages

Charity no 1032163 (if any)

(remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended DD / MM / YYYY .

Responsibilities and basis As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).

I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiner's I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have statement come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:  accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or  the accounts do not accord with the accounting records

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Signed: E Lovegrove

Date: 15/06/2024

Name: Elaine Lovegrove ~~Ps~~ Relevant professional Retd Bursar qualification(s) or body (if any): Address: 20 Braeface, Alness, Ross-shire, IV17 0QP

Section B Disclosure ~~ee~~

1

October 2018

IER

Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).

Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .

2

October 2018

IER