## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period** **From 05/04/25 To 04/04/26** **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 charity's purpose is the relief of poverty
and the advancement of education for
orphans, vulnerable children, and young
people in Uganda.
This is achieved by enabling children and
young people to access education. We
support families within the local community,
by providing free and heavily subsidised
primary education. As well as school fees we
provide general care such as school meals
and medical help to the children who are
sponsored. This assistance relives the stress
on families having to provide money for food
and school fees which in term benefits the
whole family not just the child being
sponsored.
Educational opportunities are supported
through the payment of school, college,
university, and vocational training fees,
ensuring that children and young people
have access to learning and skills
development.
In addition, the charity provides essential
support, including food, shelter, and other
basic necessities, to help meet the
immediate needs of vulnerable children and
their families.| |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,
providing care, education, and opportunities
for orphans and vulnerable children.| |||Donations and sponsorship enable us to
provide:
● Nutritious food for the children and
staff across our project.
● Free education at our primary school
for sponsored children.
● Funding for secondary, further, and
higher education, including vocational
training, A Levels, and university
courses.
● Clothing, essential medical care, and
wellbeing support for sponsored
children.
● The construction, maintenance, and
ongoing improvement of school
buildings, classrooms, and facilities.
● Support that helps children develop
the knowledge, skills, and
opportunities needed to build
independent and fulfilling lives.| |---|---|---| |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. Volunteers help to fundraise
through a variety of different ways making
items to sell, making items as gifts for the
children, helping us with organising events
and sponsored walks.
We are very grateful to those that help us
with online publicity, administration, website,
book keeping and auditing.| |||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|Our main focus in Uganda continues to be
the education, care, and support of children
in Kapeeka and the surrounding
communities. We work with some of the
poorest and most vulnerable families, where
education is recognised as a pathway out of
poverty and an opportunity to improve future
prospects. As a result, attendance at our
school remains consistently high, reflecting
the value placed on education by the local
community.
We continue to invest in, and develop our
school site. We recently installed a new
fence at the front of the school property to
improved on the security and providing
greater protection for the children who attend
th school. These developments will provide a
safer, healthier, and more effective learning
environment for current and future pupils.
Throughout the year, we delivered our
charitable objectives by providing education,
welfare, healthcare, and practical support to
orphaned and disadvantaged children in
rural Uganda. We also continued to provide
nutritious meals for children attending our
school, helping to improve both attendance
and wellbeing.
Our principal activities during the year
included:
**●**Operating our primary school,
providing education for more than
450 children from the local
community.
**●**Supporting students in secondary
education, A Levels, vocational
training, diploma courses, and
university.| **●** Providing employment for teachers and other members of the local community, contributing to the local economy. **●** Providing food, shelter, and healthcare for children in the villages of Kadunda and Kisimula. Through our sponsorship programme during the year, we supported: **●** 22 children in primary education. **●** 12 students in secondary education. **●** 1 university students studying Medicine. **●** 1 trainee teacher. **●** 2 Nurses students **●** 1 Plumber **●** 1 Electrian In addition, we continued to provide dedicated support for one young person with disabilities, ensuring they received the care and assistance needed to improve their quality of life and maximise their independence. We remain grateful to our sponsors, donors, volunteers, and supporters whose continued generosity enables us to provide life-changing opportunities for vulnerable children and young people in Uganda. ## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: Achievements against Para 1.41 objectives set We continue to regularly evaluate our level of support and are committed to developing the project towards greater sustainability and long-term financial independence. |||A key part of this strategy is enabling the
school to gradually take on more
responsibility for its own running costs. In
previous years, the school was able to take
responsibility for funding of some additional
teacher salaries, however this has had to
stop and we are now providing salary for an
additional teachers as the cost of living as
well as pupil numbers have meant that the
salary bill could not be met without
assistance from the UK. Helping to build a
sustainable model and reduce the project’s
dependence on financial support from the
UK charity is essential to our plan and we
contour to work towards this goal. We will
continue to work on this strategy while
ensuring that education remains accessible
to children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
We continually monitor the effectiveness,
quality, and impact of our work to ensure that
the support we provide is making a
meaningful difference to the lives of the
children and families we serve. This includes
reviewing educational outcomes, welfare
needs, and the wider challenges faced by
the communities we support.
As the needs of the local community
continue to change, we will remain flexible
and responsive in adapting our work and
resources. Our ongoing goal is to strengthen
and improve the education, care, and
support services we provide, creating lasting
opportunities for orphans, vulnerable
children, and families in the Kapeeka district.
Through careful planning, responsible
management, and continued investment in
the project, we aim to build a sustainable
future that will allow the school and wider
support programme to continue benefiting
children and the local community for many
years to come.| |---|---|---| |Performance of fundraising
activities against objectives
set|Para 1.41|Regular sponsorship donations have
remained consistent over the past financial
year. Income from regular giving was slightly
down at £30,462.47
(This figure does not include one off gifts or
Gift Aid).| |Investment performance
against objectives|Para 1.41|FRO has no financial investments.| |---|---|---| |Other||N/A| ## **Financial Review** |**Financial Review**||| |---|---|---| |Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end
of the period|Para 1.21|The year closing balance was £51,060.52
This year our income was increased through
a legacy payment of £15,0000 - which is
reflected in the high than usual closing
balance.
Below is a breakdown of the restricted fund
amounts:
● £250 – Farming
● £343 – PE equipment
● £2,080 – General/Building fund
● £1,000 - School books, uniforms,
shoes
Total - £3,673
We also have a balance of £2,800.00 for
emergency or unexpected expenditure.| |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 cost of books
and resources for the school and for further
building work of a potential new library or
open teaching area.| |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/barndance ), collections from
local supporters such as schools and
churches.
£200.00 was raised through our barndance
night in November 2025.
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|The main risks facing the charity relate to
maintaining long-term financial sustainability,
expanding our supporter base, and ensuring
effective management and communication
between the UK charity and the project in
Uganda.
Friends Reaching Out (FRO) continues to
work to widen its network of supporters and
sponsors. As a small charity that began
through a network of friends supporting the
work, the need to attract new sponsors
remains essential. The demand for support
continues to exceed the resources available,
and securing new regular sponsors is
important to enable us to continue providing
education, care, and welfare support for
vulnerable children.
Fundraising remains an ongoing area of
focus. While we are grateful for the
commitment of regular supporters who
provide monthly sponsorship, the charity
remains partly reliant on one-off donations
and fundraising activities to support specific
projects and developments. We continue to
explore ways to strengthen our fundraising
activities and increase financial resilience.| |||Communication and working across cultures
remain key challenges. Maintaining strong
relationships, effective oversight, and shared
understanding between the UK charity and
the Uganda project team is essential to the
success of our work. Regular trustee visits to
Uganda play an important role in monitoring
progress, supporting local leadership, and
ensuring appropriate management and
governance of the project.
We also recognise the importance of
continuing to develop the sustainability of the
project. Through increasing local income
generation, including school fee
contributions from non-sponsored pupils, we
are working towards reducing reliance on UK
funding while maintaining access to
education and support for disadvantaged
children.
The trustees regularly review these risks and
continue to adapt our approach to ensure
that the charity remains effective,
sustainable, and able to meet the changing
needs of the children and communities we
support.| |---|---|---| |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
trustees|Para 1.25|Appointed by 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’s principal 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||JoyDale||Trustee of FRO| |3|

|JerryLee|Secretary|Trustee of FRO| |---|---|---|---|---| |4||Alison Fishpool||Trustee of FRO| |5||Robert Davidge||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** |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 Name Address adviser** **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** **Signature(s)** S. Fishpool **Full name(s)** S.Fishpool **Position (eg Secretary,** Chair **Chair, etc) Date** ## **Independent examiner's report on the accounts** **Section A Independent Examiner’s Report** **Report to the trustees** FRIENDS REACHING OUT **On accounts for the year** 05 April 2026 **Charity no** 1032163 **ended (if any) Set out on pages** 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** As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the **basis of report** 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 all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. **Independent** I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have **examiner's statement** come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: - the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or - • the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or • the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. **Signed:** E Lovegrove **Date:** 02.08.2026 **Name:** Elaine Lovegrove 1 **Oct 2018** **IER** **Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any):** Ex-Independent School Bursar **Address:** 20 Braeface Alness IV17 0QP ## Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners). 2 **Oct 2018** **IER** **Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose** . 3 **Oct 2018** **IER** |||||||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||**FRIENDS REACHING OUT**|||||||| |||||||||| ||**FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR YEAR TO**
**5TH APRIL, 2026**|||||||| |||||||||| |||||||||| ||||**2026**|||||**2025**| ||**INCOME**|||||**INCOME**||| |||||||||| ||Regular Donations|£30,462.47||||Regular Donations|£33,411.89|| ||Gifts & Giving|£17,942.02||||Gifts & Giving|£18,204.29|| ||BuildingProject Donations|£2,000.00||||BuildingProject Donations|£200.00|| ||Fundraising|£1,678.18||||Fundraising|£2,886.33|| ||Gift Aid Claims|£6,642.79||||Gift Aid Claims|£5,462.61|| ||Legacy|£15,000.00||||Legacy|£0.00|| ||Volunteer Programme|£0.00||||Volunteer Programme|£0.00|| |||||||||| |||||||||| ||TOTAL INCOME|£73,725.46||||TOTAL INCOME|£60,165.12|| |||||||||| ||**LESS: EXPENDITURE**|||||**LESS: EXPENDITURE**||| |||||||||| ||Salaries - Project Staff|£8,770.68||||Salaries - Project Staff|£7,862.90|| ||Salaries - Kisimula School Teachers|£9,877.80||||Salaries - Kisimula School Teachers|£9,416.99|| ||Salaries - Loan Advance|£1,136.46||||Salaries - Loan Advance|£693.92|| ||Salaries - Loan Recovery|-£400.04||||Salaries - Loan Recovery|-£202.69|| ||Total Salaries|£19,384.90||||Total Salaries|£17,771.12|| |||||||||| ||PrimarySchool Fees & Requirements|£281.11||||PrimarySchool Fees & Requirements|£400.93|| ||Secondary School Fees & requirements|£5,495.56||||Secondary School Fees & requirements|£5,891.89|| ||Further Education Fees & Requirements|£6,014.45||||Further Education Fees & Requirements|£2,477.30|| ||Total Education costs|£11,791.12||||Total Education costs|£8,770.12|| |||||||||| ||Food & Rent (Transitional support)|£0.00||||Food & Rent (Transitional support)|£494.99|| ||Food Costs(General)|£3,248.89||||Food Costs(General)|£4,134.48|| ||Medical Care & Treatment|£93.34||||Medical Care & Treatment|£388.74|| ||Welfare & QOL Costs|£218.64||||Welfare & QOL Costs|£846.48|| ||School Development
£4,232.67 School Development
£13,717.00
Project Development
£1,245.65 Project Development
£338.27
Total Development
£5,478.32 Total Development
£14,055.27
Repairs & Maintenance
£0.00 Repairs & Maintenance
£96.27
Agriculture
£1,720.00 Agriculture
£858.33
School Overheads
£0.00 School Overheads
£0.00
Transport & Fuel
£320.04 Transport & Fuel
£337.77
UGD Utilities
£77.78 UGD Utilities
£143.71
UGD Admin & Office
£603.24 UGD Admin & Office
£870.91
Outreach
£1,106.89 Outreach
£442.39
Gifts
£1,500.99 Gifts
£263.60
Refund
£3,000.00 Miscellaneous
£0.00
Volunteer Programme
£0.00 Volunteer Programme
£519.70
Oversight Visits
£0.00 Oversight Visits
£1,346.13
Fundraising
£709.57 Fundraising
£882.00
UK Admin & Office
£1,211.63 UK Admin & Office
£790.79
Bank Charges
£310.42 Bank Charges
£275.99
TOTAL EXPENSES
£50,775.77 TOTAL EXPENSES
£53,288.79
CREDIT/DEFECIT
£22,949.69 CREDIT/DEFECIT
£6,876.33
YEAR OPENING ACCOUNT BALANCE
£28,110.83 YEAR OPENING ACCOUNT BALANCE
£21,234.50
ANNUAL CREDIT/DEFECIT
£22,949.69 ANNUAL CREDIT/DEFECIT
£6,876.33
YEAR CLOSING ACCOUNT BALANCE
£51,060.52 YEAR CLOSING ACCOUNT BALANCE
£28,110.83| |---|---|