## 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 **----- Start of picture text -----**
Signature(s)
Full name(s)
Position (eg Secretary,
Chair, etc)
Date
**----- End of picture text -----**
FRIENDS REACHING OUT RNAP4QALsrAIElI￿ FOIYEAR 70 5TH APAIL 2 ReoiarDonatl￿ Glfts&GMryq a￿￿1¥oleCt Donatlcfjs E31617A3 4S.103.76 É16.36IA4 -E3.597.15 É2.611A2 4266.89 £0.00 £0 fts&W4 B￿￿1*P￿rIacIDrrfIQn1 Futhtralsl GIftAdClalmg 97. 4US GIftPldClal IONINC(*IE £10 005.86 S*ries.PrdectSlaff Satsrtes.Pirfect Staff EL2ThC* -El.664.68 S•l8rles. toarJReco¥wy 743.93 4920.75 lffhvyS£h¢)SFees&Requrem&xs 103Afj E3.385.00 £5.392.34 TL*atE(kMlL￿CL￿S iAE57 F￿d&Re￿￿ (Trark5illLYthls4yxtl Fc