## **Chairman’s Report – Christian Relief Uganda**
## **For the Year September 2024 – August 2025**
It gives me great pleasure to present this report on behalf of the Trustees of **Christian Relief Uganda (CRU)** , reflecting on what has been another busy and fruitful year in our partnership with **Maria’s Care School** in Uganda.
Throughout the year, we have seen continued growth — not only in the practical support offered to the school, but also in the sense of shared purpose between our supporters in the UK and our friends and colleagues in Uganda.
## **Fundraising and Community Events**
In **September 2024** , two wonderful concerts were held in both Macclesfield and Salford, featuring _Phil Shotton and his Big Band_ . These lively evenings were well attended and raised sufficient funds for Christian Relief Uganda to purchase for Maria’s Care **33 new mattresses** and **83 mattress protectors** — providing comfort and dignity to children in their dormitories.
The following month, in **October 2024** , a group of **12 hikers** , aged between **12 and 74** , climbed **Mount Snowdon** in North Wales. Their efforts raised funds for **50 new desks** and **600 school books** , resources that have already made a tangible difference to classroom life at the school.
In **March 2025** , four of our Trustees visited Uganda to spend time at the school. The visit was both joyful and productive. They were warmly welcomed by staff and pupils and were able to see firsthand the impact of the support provided through CRU. The Trustees also took part in practical projects and discussions about future development.
During that same period, the children and staff at Maria’s Care undertook their own **sponsored challenge — climbing Kagulu Rock** . CRU helped to find sponsors for those taking part, and the event raised money towards the purchase of a **mini-bus for the school** . The sense of excitement and achievement among the children was inspiring.
Julie and Helen represented CRU at ‘ **Uganda Day’** at St Luke’s Primary School, which is now a partner school with Maria’s Care. This partnership continues to build mutual understanding and friendship between children and teachers in both countries.
It was especially encouraging that **four former pupils of Maria’s Care** have now become **Trustees of the school** in Uganda. Their involvement is helping to shape the next generation of leadership and to inspire the children currently in education there.
## **Communications and Sponsorship**
This year has also seen the strengthening of our internal team.
- **Meriel Carboni** has taken on the role of **Newsletter Coordinator** , ensuring that a monthly update now goes out to all donors and supporters. These newsletters have helped people to stay connected with the life of the school and to see how their giving is changing lives.
- **Helen Whitehead** has become our **Child Sponsorship Coordinator** , overseeing correspondence between sponsors and children, and helping to ensure that information and letters are shared regularly.
We are delighted that the **number of children now receiving sponsorship has begun to increase** , offering stability and opportunity to many families.
## **Training and Capacity Building**
One of our Trustees has provided valuable training and support to the school’s **Administrator and Bursar** , helping them to set up and use **QuickBooks** for financial record keeping. This is a significant step towards developing transparent and sustainable systems within the school’s administration.
We have also continued to raise awareness locally through events such as a **Quiz Night in Macclesfield** and visits to speak to **churches and community groups** , which not only raise funds but also spread understanding of our mission and the needs of Maria’s Care.
## **Life at Maria’s Care**
We are pleased to report that the **children are happy and making good progress** in their learning. The teachers and staff at Maria’s Care continue to provide a nurturing and encouraging environment, supported by the dedication of our donors and the CRU team.
## **Conclusion**
This has been a year of growth, connection, and encouragement. From concerts and climbs to newsletters and new systems, each activity has contributed to the same goal: to bring hope, opportunity, and love to the children and community of Maria’s Care.
On behalf of the Trustees, I want to thank everyone who has given, prayed, organised, sponsored, or travelled. Your generosity and faith continue to transform lives.
Together, we look forward with gratitude — confident that the seeds sown this year will bear fruit in the years to come.
Julie Parker Chairman of Christian Relief Uganda
October 2025
## **Christian Relief Uganda - 1055166**
## **Financial statements for the year ending 31 December 2024**
## **Balance Sheet Detailed**
||**As at**|**As at**|
|---|---|---|
||**31/12/2024**|**31/12/2023**|
|**Current Asset - Cash At Bank And In Hand**|||
|7001: Cash at Bank|23,527.40|11,104.71|
|7002: Petty Cash|-|-|
|**Total Current assets**|**23,527.40**|**11,104.71**|
|**Reserves**|||
|Excess/(deficit) to date|12,422.69|7,383.62|
|Z01: Starting balances|11,104.71|3,721.09|
||**23,527.40**|**11,104.71**|
**There are no Resticted Funds.**
## **Christian Relief Uganda - 1055166**
## **Statement of Financial Activities**
## **For the period from 01 January 2024 to 31 December 2024**
|**Income from:**
Donations and legacies
Income from charitable activities
Other income
**Total Income**
**Expenditure from:**
Raising funds
Expenditure on charitable activities
Other expenditure
**Total Expenditure**
**Gains/losses on investment assets**
**Net income / (expenditure) resources before transfer**
**Transfers:**
Gross transfers between funds - in
Gross transfers between funds - out
**Other recognised gains / losses**
Gains / losses on investment assets
Gains on revaluation, fixed assets, charity's own use
**Net movement in funds**
**Reconciliation of funds**
**Total funds brought forward**
**Total funds carried forward**
Unrestricted
General Fund|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**As at**
**31/12/2024**
**As at**
**31/12/2023**
71,075.22
-
71,075.22
77,250.99
9,351.21
-
9,351.21
4,995.08
-
-
-
-|
|---|---|
||**80,426.43**
**-**
**80,426.43**
**82,246.07**|
||2,305.14
-
2,305.14
1,976.49
65,548.60
-
65,548.60
71,958.35
150.00
-
150.00
927.61|
||**68,003.74**
**-**
**68,003.74**
**74,862.45**|
||**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|
||**12,422.69**
**-**
**12,422.69**
**7,383.62**|
||**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|
||**12,422.69**
**-**
**12,422.69**
**7,383.62**|
|||
||**11,104.71**
**-**
**11,104.71**
**3,721.09**|
|||
||**23,527.40**
**-**
**23,527.40**
**11,104.71**|
||23,527.40
-
23,527.40
11,104.71|
## **Christian Relief Uganda - 1055166**
## **Analysis of Income**
## **For the period from 01 January 2024 to 31 December 2024**
## **Receipts Account**
|**Donations and legacies**
1101 - Gift Aid Gifts by SO
1102 - Donations by SO
1103 - Gift Aid Gifts NOT by SO
1104 - Donations NOT by SO
1106 - Justgiving Fundraising
1107 - Charities Trust Donations
1201 - Tax Recovered on Gifts
1301 - Legacies/Bequests
**Donations and legacies Totals**
**Income from charitable activities**
1402 - Charity Ball
1403 - Quiz Night Income
1410 - Fundraising one-off events
**Income from charitable activities Totals**
**Total Receipts**|Unrestricted
Funds
Restricted
Funds
Total 2024
Total 2023
28,875.08
-
28,875.08
28,558.08
6,831.68
-
6,831.68
7,772.47
13,617.13
-
13,617.13
7,373.15
7,802.83
-
7,802.83
12,163.08
2,032.94
-
2,032.94
541.50
202.5
-
202.5
805.12
11,713.06
-
11,713.06
10,037.59
-
-
-
10,000.00|
|---|---|
||**71,075.22**
-
**71,075.22**
**77,250.99**
2,713.10
-
2,713.10
-
1,367.02
-
1,367.02
1,158.00
5,271.09
-
5,271.09
3,837.08|
||**9,351.21**
-
**9,351.21**
**4,995.08**|
||**80,426.43**
-
**80,426.43**
**82,246.07**|
## **Christian Relief Uganda - 1055166**
## **Analysis of Expenditure**
## **For the period from 01 January 2024 to 31 December 2024**
## **Payments Account**
|**Raising Funds**
2102 - Charity Ball Costs
2105 - Insurance
2110 - IT and Software Support
2111 - Website Costs
2112 - Justgiving Charges
2114 - Fundraising one-off events Costs
2115 - Fundraising Fees
**Raising funds Totals**
**Expenditure on charitable activities**
2001 - Maria's Care Grant
2002 - Students Further Education
**Expenditure on charitable activities Totals**
**Other Expenditure**
2601 - Uganda Trip Costs
**Other Expenditure Totals**
**Expenditure Grand Totals**|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**Total 2024**
**Total 2023**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**|
|---|---|
||1,149.00
-
1,149.00
150.00
384.26
-
384.26
367.45
300.00
-
300.00
300.00
64.79
-
64.79
64.79
216.00
-
216.00
216.00
191.09
-
191.09
158.25
-
-
-
720.00|
||**2,305.14**
-
**2,305.14**
**1,976.49**
55,554.07
-
55,554.07
71,958.35
9,994.53
-
9,994.53
-|
||**65,548.60**
-
**65,548.60**
**71,958.35**
150
-
150
927.61|
||**150**
-
**150**
927.61|
||**68,003.74**
**-**
**68,003.74**
**74,862.45**|
## **Christian Relief Uganda - 1055166**
## **Fund Movement summary**
## **For the period from 01 January 2024 to 31 December 2024**
|**Fund**|**Fund balances**
**brought forward**|**Incoming**
**Resources**|**Outgoing**
**Resources**|**Transfers**||**Gains and**
**Losses**|**Journal**
**Entries**||**Fund balances**
**Carried forward**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|General - General Fund|11,104.71|80,426.43|68,003.74||-|-||-|23,527.40|
|Totals|11,104.71|80,426.43|68,003.74||-|-||-|23,527.40|
## **Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 31[st] December 2024**
## **1. Accounting Policies**
## **General**
These Accounts have been prepared under the historic cost convention and in accordance with applicable accounting standards and the Statement of Recommended Practise on Accounting by Charities. The charity accounting packages, MyGiving.online and Myfundaccounting.online , supplied by Data Developments of Wolverhampton, have been used to maintain the accounts, and to produce the statements of accounts shown in the previous 5 pages.
## **Policy on Reserve Funds**
It is the policy of the charity to employ funds for the purpose given as quickly as possible. The general policy on unrestricted funds is only to hold in reserve sufficient funds to cover up to the next month’s known expenditure.
## **2. Fixed Assets**
As at 31[st] December 2024 the Charity is not in possession of any Fixed Assets
## **3. Restricted Funds**
Christian Relief Uganda no longer has any restricted funds.
## **4. Fundraising Activities**
Most of the income of the charity is derived from donations for the work being carried out in Uganda. However, the trustees launch fundraising activities and initiatives. A Quiz night was held in December. The Fundraising one-off events were events put on by individuals who have done a variety of things to raise funds.
|**Fundraising Income**|**2024**|**2023**|
|---|---|---|
|Events|||
|- Charity Ball|2713.10|0.00|
|- Quiz Night|1367.02|1158.00|
|- Fundraising one-off events|5271.09|3837.08|
|**Total Fundraising Income**|**9351.21**|**4995.08**|
## **5. Maria’s Care**
Money is transferred each month by electronic bank transfer for use by Maria’s Care. A company called VFX Financial PLC is used to do the transfer free of charge. Occasionally, where a better exchange rate has been available, even with bank charges, Barclays or NALA have been used. This money is used for the day to day running of Maria’s Care and also for specific projects that we are informed of by the NGO trustees and Head Teacher. How this money is used is recorded so that the CRU trustees see in detail how the transferred funds are used.
## **6. Projects**
- The financing of the main ongoing projects of Sponsorship for the education of pupils and students at Primary Schools, Secondary Schools and Vocational Training Schools, and the support of the Primary, Pre-School and Deaf Unit at Maria's Care continued. This year we have recorded financial support for students further education separately from Maria’s Care grant and financed directly rather than through Maria’s Care.
## **7. Charitable Activities**
|||**2024**|**2023**|
|---|---|---|---|
|Maria's Care Grants||55554.07|71958.35|
|Students Further Education||9994.53|0.00|
||**Total**|**65548.60**|**71958.35**|
## **8. Cost of Generating Funds**
The expenditure of £2305.14, incurred as a result of general fundraising and administration of the charity for the year, was made up as detailed in the table below. The expenditure on the purchase of materials for direct fundraising activities has been separated from general fundraising and administrative expenditure.
|**Costs of generating Voluntary Income**|**2024**|**2023**|
|---|---|---|
|Insurance|384.26|367.45|
|IT Equipment and Software Support|300.00|300.00|
|Website costs|64.79|64.79|
|JustGiving Charge|216.00|216.00|
|Bank charges|191.09|0.00|
|**Sub-total**|**1156.14**|**948.24**|
|**Fundraising Trading**|||
|Charity Ball Costs|1149.00|150.00|
|Fundraising one-off events|0.00|158.25|
|Fundraising Fees|0.00|720.00|
|**Sub-total**|**1149.00**|**1028.25**|
|**Total Admin. & Fundraising Expenditure**|**2305.14**|**1976.49**|
## **9. Trustees’ Expenses**
Some out of pocket expenses, which were incurred as a result of fund raising activities and/or managing the charity, were reimbursed to trustees. These are included in the breakdown of expenses under note 8.
Independent Examiners Report on the Accounts of Christian Relief Uganda
I report on the accounts of Christian Relief Uganda for the year ended 31st December 2024.
Respectlve responslbilities of trustees and examlner
As the charity's trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts,. you
consider that the audit requirement of sects'on 43(2) of the Charities Act 1993 (the Act)
does not apply. It is my responsibility to state, on the basis of procedures specified in the
General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners under section 43(7)Ib) of the Act,
whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of independent examiner's report
My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the
Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by
the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes
consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations
from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not
provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not
express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.
Independent examinerfs statement
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the
requirements
to keep accounting records in accordance with section 41 of the Act; and
to prepare accounts which accord with the accounb'ng records and to
comply with the accounting requirements of the Act.
Have not been rnet., or
2. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper
understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Date:
Name.. E.F.Aartse-Tuyn
Relevant professional qualification or body (if any):
Address: 5 CongSeton Edge Road
Mossley
Congleton
Cheshire
CW12 3JJ
Employment: Elm Cottage Ltd.
Riverside, Mountbatten Way
Congleton, Cheshire
CW12 1DY
Position: AccountslPayroll Manager