BANSANG HOSPITAL APPEAL Registered Charity No 1064469
TRUSTEES REPORT AND ACCOUNTS
YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2025
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Bansang Hospital Appeal
Trustee’s Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2025
The Bansang Hospital Appeal is constituted by Deed of Trust and registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (No 1064469). Its address is 4 The Leys, Orlingbury, Northamptonshire NN14 1JE. The Trustees during the year were:
Anita Smith Chair Richard Harvey Treasurer Grant Hamilton Smith
The objective of the charity is to provide support to Bansang Hospital and the people of the surrounding area in The Gambia through the supply of medical equipment, pharmaceuticals and other humanitarian aid.
The primary focus of the Appeal remains to raise funds that can be used to continually update and improve the structure and facilities of the hospital whilst providing urgently required medical equipment and pharmaceutical products, working to motivate and retain staff and facilitating help and support from skilled volunteers and other organisations. The Appeal has been transforming healthcare delivery in Bansang since 1992.
The accounts for the year to 30 June 2025, show that donations totalled £87,892 compared to £85,906 in the previous year. Our extremely generous benefactors have, as ever, continued to support us with many increasing their monthly donations. I would like to thank all our benefactors most sincerely. Without them we would not have been able to support the hospital to the extent that we have done.
Rental income from our investment property totalled £16,415 and together with fundraising events contributing £3,852 and with interest of £655, total receipts for the year were £108,899. Overall, this was a decrease of 16% over the previous year, caused primarily by the receipt of one-off legacies in 2024 of £28,365.
Total expenditure in the year under report was £108,089. The main expenditure was on building work (£23k). This expenditure was highlighted in detail in last year’s report and predominantly covered the conversion of two toilet blocks into accommodation for two doctors and the final costs of the refurbishment of a 7-unit accommodation block for nursing staff. The other main expenditure was on the ongoing funding of wages for sponsored staff members and initiatives to retain and motivate staff (£23k), welfare payments to fund the prison apprenticeship scheme, pay allowances and replenish the . Form Feeding Fund (£16k), salaries (£18k), pharmaceutical products and medical equipment (£16k) and plant, equipment and furniture (£4k).
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Bansang Hospital Appeal
Trustee’s Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2025 (continued)
The accounts continue to show that the Appeal is an organisation with great financial strength and long-term financial stability.
The main project completed during the period since our last report in April 2025 has been the construction of a purpose built 6 bed Intensive Care Unit (ICU). A small, temporary 3 bed ICU was set up in the outpatients department last year which served as a stopgap, highlighting the urgent need for a larger, permanent and well-equipped ICU. Funding for the basic construction has been provided by Power Up Gambia (PUG) from the proceeds of selling solar panels no longer needed by the hospital and the construction work was completed by the hospital’s maintenance department. The British Plumbing Employees’ Council (BPEC) provided funding towards the required plumbing materials.
The Appeal has funded the hospital-grade fit-out stage. This involves the completion of the main ward, nurses’ station, sluice room, shower and toilet facilities, office and storeroom. The funding will cover all aspects of the fit-out including six beds, air conditioning, oxygen cylinders, aluminium windows, doors, joinery, plasterwork, electrics, plumbing and sanitary fittings, floor and wall tiling plus exterior rendering. At the same time, we are sourcing sustainable, low-resource medical equipment to ensure the ICU operates efficiently and responsibly for many years to come.
The Senior Nursing Officer has completed intensive care training, and with the hospital team will deliver high-quality ICU care adapted to rural needs. A partnership with the Teaching Hospital in Banjul, 250 miles away, has also enabled further staff to receive critical-care training.
This is only the second fully equipped ICU in the Country and will finally allow patients to receive round-the-clock expert care in a calm, dedicated environment.
For years, our commitment to refurbishing and providing decent accommodation has been the cornerstone of our success in attracting and retaining skilled medical personnel in the area. None of this would have been possible without the 99 accommodation units we’ve renovated and repurposed over the years. These modern, comfortable living spaces have encouraged medical professionals to leave the conveniences of the coast and serve in Bansang, confident they can live in conditions that match their expertise. Because of this collective effort, patients no longer have to endure the gruelling 500-mile round trip to coastal hospitals. Specialists are now right here in Bansang bringing life-saving care within reach for families who could never have afforded such journeys.
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Bansang Hospital Appeal
Trustee’s Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2025 (continued)
The Form Feeding Fund (FFF) has profoundly changed the lives of so many vulnerable infants and their families. The FFF continues to be funded by Form Nutrition, a plant based protein and natural supplement food products business and we are most grateful for their ongoing support. Every three months the company send funds to the hospital. The FFF continues to provide medical, food and financial support to patients and their families, many of whom have travelled long distances to the hospital. This enables the family members to stay in Bansang until their loved ones have been discharged from the hospital. Previously families were under unbearable pressure to leave the hospital early due to financial hardship. The fund has beena lifeline, turning uncertainty into hope and compassion.
Last year I mentioned that we had funded an apprenticeship scheme at the local Janjangbureh prison. The scheme provides inmates, most of whom are only in prison for what are poverty related “crimes”, with skills training to enable them to find gainful employment when they leave prison. The funding covers the costs of 4 trainers for a period of 9 months. Skills covered include electrical and solar installation, plumbing, entrepreneurship and English. The scheme has been successful. One inmate has even returned to be employed by the scheme asa lecturer. In view of the success of the scheme the Appeal has agreed to continue funding for another year.
The fish farm and chicken house in the hospital grounds have continued to provide essential protein and nutrients for patients, although there have been some teething problems in getting them properly established. The fish are not growing as quickly as expected and while the new chicken layers started off with a good yield of eggs this has dropped off recently. These problems may be due to changes in weather or other environmental factors and will be monitored to see if they will be overcome.
Other notable highlights during the year include:
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e CEO Dr Niie is also an obstetric surgeon and identified the need for a new adjustable operating theatre light to improve visibility during deep pelvic surgery. The Appeal was happy to provide this to help ensure the best possible patient outcomes.
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e New, more practical delivery beds for the Labour Ward have been purchased. These are more comfortable and the design allows for easier sanitation between deliveries.
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e The Appeal purchased a new engine for the hospital’s only car to enable them to continue travelling back and forth to the coast.
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e The Appeal provides pharmaceutical drugs and reagents whenever there is an urgent need to replenish depleted stocks. In particular, we purchased emergency anaesthetic drugs to allow vital operations to continue.
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Bansang Hospital Appeal
Trustee’s Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2025 (continued)
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e We purchased a biomedical immunoassay analyser. This advanced diagnostic tool supports testing of blood and urine across many functions. Reagents were also purchased. These are the essential chemicals required to obtain accurate results from the analyser. It is expected that ongoing costs of reagents will be able to be funded by the hospital.
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e The Appeal purchased a new battery for the Glostavent anaesthetics machine and a monitor to use with a new ventilator which has been provided free of charge by the supplier.
I visited the hospital again in November 2025 and January 2026. I was joined in January by Specialist Neonatal Nurse Jeannette Payne for what was her fifteenth year training staff and ensuring good practice in the treatment of the sick newborn. She emphasizes the importance of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) resuscitation techniques and general newborn care. Jeanette’s husband Chris always helps with practical projects and this time helped to get the volunteers’ house ship shape after the prolonged renovation by the World Bank. He also plays guitar and sings in the wards in the evening. There are smiles all round from the staff and patients. Often the best medicine is music and making people happy.
Future plans for the Appeal will concentrate on supporting the CEO’s mission to improve clinical outcomes by recruiting more specialist medical personnel and utilising more advanced medical equipment. It also almost goes without saying that we will continue to support the hospital and the local community as we have done for the past thirty-four years.
Specific future plans include an extension and upgrading of the laboratories and relevant departments within the facility. The improvements and redevelopment are essential as we need to bring them in line with the high standards expected by the World Health Organisation. With ever increasing demands on the department, it will provide the staff with a conducive environment and alleviate the severe congestion of hundreds of patients waiting for blood/urine tests. The Analyser that we purchased in 2025 ensures the departments results can be delivered within minutes for certain tests.
As each year passes the hospital develops and expands, and this has attracted charitable groups from Europe who now feel able to come to the hospital to carry out multiple operations and in so doing train the hospital staff. The charities offer specialist orthopaedic and urology teams and are happy to return to Bansang year on year. They see the benefits of training local staff and return trips are scheduled for 2027.
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Bansang Hospital Appeal
Trustee’s Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2025 (continued)
STAND is another charity that has been attracted to work at the hospital. It is a UK registered charity and has recently opened a prosthetic limb centre at the hospital within a building that was renovated some time ago by BHA with funds from MITIE Engineering. The shared vision by 2028 is that no patient pays for a prosthesis. This vital service is giving hope for the future of so many amputees.
The past thirty-four years supporting Bansang General Hospital has been the most extraordinary, the most rewarding, and at times it was quite overwhelming, but what an honour to be able to serve the dear people of Bansang and beyond. My family, friends and supporters of BHA have endorsed and approved the many initiatives taken in consultation with the staff. Together we have and will continue to make a significant difference on what has been the most unexpected journey of my life. We have met the challenges head on and have been rewarded tenfold. Staff, or family as we all prefer to be known, are dedicated and committed to delivering exemplary heath care to every patient, no matter what their circumstances, no matter how far they have travelled to seek help.
My most sincere and heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you for your loyalty and invaluable support to the Appeal. You have made the impossible possible.
Anita Smith MBE MRG Chair of the Trustees
30 April-2026
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Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Bansang Hospital Appeal’
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 30 June 2025, which are set out on pages 7 and 8.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity's trustees you are responsible for the preparation 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 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 examiner’s statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in any material respect:
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e the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act; or
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e the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
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e 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.
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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.
E Robertson BA FCCA 86A Lincoln Road Deeping Gate Peterborough Cambridgeshire
30 April 2026
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Bansang Hospital Appeal
| Receipts and Payments Account | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (General Purposes Fund) | ||||
| Year Ended 30 June 2025 | 2025 | 2024 | ||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Receipts | ||||
| Voluntary sources: | ||||
| Donations | 87,892 | 85,906 | ||
| Legacies | 85 | 28,365 | ||
| Fundraising | 3,852 | 908 | ||
| Rental income | 16,415 | 13,500 | ||
| Interest | 655 | 639 | ||
| 108,899 | 129,318 | |||
| Payments | ||||
| Direct charitable expenditure: | ||||
| Medical equipment | 11,214 | . | 2,113 | |
| Pharmaceutical products | 5,273 | 1,300 | ||
| Building work | 23,485 | 56,591 | ||
| Plant, equipment and furniture | 3,671 | 7,428 | ||
| Nursing, SEN and staff support | 23,880 | 21,268 | ||
| Salary costs | 18,147 | 18,007 | ||
| Welfare and farming projects | 16,090 | 17,630 | ||
| Travel and subsistance | 3,149 | 499 | ||
| Property rental costs | 2,308 | 2,047 | ||
| Bank charges and other costs | 822 | 1,303 | ||
| 108,089 | 129,286 | |||
| Net Receipts / (Payments) | 810 | 32 | ||
| Add: Cash balances b/fwd | 13,010 | 12,978 | ||
| Cash balances c/fwd | 13,820 | 13,010 | ||
| ApprovedbytheTrusteesandsignedontheirbehalf |
RW H Harvey BSc FCA Trustee 30 April 2026
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Bansang Hospital Appeal
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
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(General Purposes Fund)
As at 30 June 2025 2025 2024
£ £ £ £
Monetary Assets
Cash Balances
Cash at Bank in the UK 7,526 7,215
Cash held and Cash at Bank in The Gambia 6,294 5,794
13,820 13,010
Freehold Property 240,643 240,643
254,463 253,653
The value of Freehold Property is shown at cost
in December 2019
Other Assets
The Appeal has no other assets (2024 - £nil)
Liabilities now due for payment
Building work - 2,651
Welfare payments - -
- 2,651
Future and contingent liabilities
The Appeal has no future or contingent liabilities.
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