**Charity Registration No. 1071152 (England and Wales)** 

# **MERTON SOMALI COMMUNITY (MESCO)** 

**CHARITY REGISTRATION No: 1071152** 

**ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025** 

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## **MERTON SOMALI COMMUNITY (MESCO) ANNUAL REPORT AND UNAUDITED ACCOUNTS CONTENTS** 

||**Page**|
|---|---|
|Legal and Administrative information|3|
|Trustees' report|4-5|
|Statement of financial Activities|6|
|Statement of financial position|7|
|Notes to the accounts|8-20|
|Independent Examiner's Report|21|



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**MERTON SOMALI COMMUNITY (MESCO) CHARITY INFORMATION FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025** 

**Trustees at 31 March 2025** Abdullahi Addo-(Chairman) Mahad Mohamed-(Secretary) Ossob Ali-(Treasure) Zakaria Ali Hiis Abdulle Nasra Hassan **Charity Number** 1071152 (England and Wales) **Date of Registration** 21st August 1998 **Start of Financial Period** 1[st] April 2024 **End of Financial Period** 31[s] March 2025 

**Legal Status** Standard Charity **GOVERNING INSTRUMENT** Constitution adopted 7th December 1997 

## _**Objects**_ 

_**1. To promote any charitable purposes for the benefit of the public, principally but not exclusively in the local government area of the London Borough of Merton and its environs (hereinafter called the “area of benefit”) and, in particular the advancement of education, the furtherance of health, and the relief of poverty, distress, and sickness. To build the capacity of third sector organisations and provide them with the necessary support, information, and services to enable them to pursue or contribute to any charitable purpose. To promote, organise, and facilitate cooperation and partnership working between third sector, statutory, and other relevant bodies in the achievement of the above purposes within the area of benefit.**_ 

**Registered Office** VESTRY HALL 336 LONDON ROAD MITCHAM SURREY CR4 3UD 

## **Independent Examiners** 

AMZES ACCOUNTANTS Amzes Ltd 232-236 Green Street London London E7 8LE 

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**MERTON SOMALI COMMUNITY (MESCO) TRUSTEES REPORT** 

## **FOR YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025** 

The trustees present their report and accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025. 

## **Trustees** 

The following trustees held office during the whole of the period: 

**Abdullahi Addo- (Chairman) Mahad Mohamed – (Secretary) Ossob Ali – (Treasure) Zakaria Ali Hiis Abdulle Nasra Hassan** 

## **Trustees Report: Performance and Activities (April 2024 - March 2025)** 

The trustees of Merton Somali Community (MESCO) are pleased to present the annual report for the year ended **31 March 2025** . This year, the charity continued to focus on supporting the local Somali community through tailored projects that address financial hardship, mental health awareness, and social inclusion. 

## _**Objectives and Activities**_ 

MESCO aims to provide essential support to the Somali community in Merton by addressing key challenges such as financial hardship, housing issues, and mental health stigma. Through community-led initiatives, the charity empowers individuals with knowledge and resources to improve their well-being and quality of life. 

## _**Key Achievements and Performance**_ 

_**1. Multilingual Debt Welfare and Benefits Advice Project**_ 

Funded by a **£53,104** grant, this **18-month project** aimed to reduce financial distress, evictions, fines, and bailiff actions by providing targeted advice in the Somali language. The project employed a **temporary advisor** who worked directly with service users to educate them on their rights, responsibilities, and long-term financial solutions. Additionally, the grant covered **12 months of office rent** , providing a stable space for consultations. During the **2024-25 financial year** , the charity utilized the remaining **£15,135** to ensure the successful delivery of the project and the project has now been successfully ended this year in October 2024 benefiting numerous individuals and families facing financial difficulties. 

_**2. Legends Get Fit-Over 50 ’ s Multi sports and fitness sessions**_ 

A grant of **£13,009 funded by Sport England on 26 April 2024 w** hich successfully delivered a multi-sports and fitness project for    disadvantaged Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) men aged 50 and over in Merton and Lambeth. The project addressed health inequalities, social isolation, and the lack of inclusive physical activity opportunities for older men within these communities. 

The project ran weekly at a local sports centre, with Saturday and Sunday sessions led by qualified coaches. Participants took part in structured, age-appropriate activities including low-impact sports, football, fitness training, and guided exercise. Sessions also included advice on healthy lifestyles, nutrition, and managing long-term health conditions such as obesity, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes 

The project improved participants’ physical health, mental wellbeing, and social connections, reducing isolation and 

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increasing confidence. Many participants were motivated to continue being physically active beyond the project, helping to create lasting lifestyle changes and stronger community connections among older BAME men. 

_**3. Cost of Living Emergency Assistance Grant 24 – 25**_ 

A grant of **£4814.86 funded by London Borough of Merton on 19 Feb 2025** Merton for their Pot 2: Emergency Assistance Grants – support for organisations grant. 

Between January and June 2025, the grant enabled us to successfully respond to growing demand for debt and welfare advice services among Merton residents affected by the cost-of-living crisis. The funding supported additional running costs and allowed us to extend our part-time Debt and Welfare Adviser’s hours by 8 hours per week, significantly increasing our capacity to manage a rising caseload and deliver timely, high-quality support. 

The grant also funded advanced training for our volunteers, strengthening their knowledge of welfare policies, debt management techniques, and practical support approaches. As a result, volunteers were better equipped and more confident in providing effective assistance to residents in need. 

In addition, the funding helped cover increased heating and electricity costs, ensuring our office remained a warm, safe, and welcoming space for residents accessing our services. Overall, the project strengthened service delivery, improved resilience within our team, and enhanced support for some of the most financially vulnerable people in Merton 

## _**Impact on the Community**_ 

Both projects had a significant impact on the local community by addressing crucial issues that affect Somali individuals and families. The Debt Welfare and Benefits Advice Project helped service users navigate complex financial challenges, reducing the risk of homelessness and legal action due to unpaid debts. 

Meanwhile, the Mental Health Awareness Workshops contributed to breaking down barriers and misconceptions around mental health, promoting emotional well-being and encouraging ongoing discussions within families and social circles. 

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## _**Future Plans**_ 

Looking ahead, MESCO aims to expand its outreach efforts by securing additional funding for long-term financial advice services and mental health support programs. The charity also plans to develop partnerships with other local organizations to enhance service delivery and extend its reach within the community. 

## _**Acknowledgements**_ 

The trustees extend their gratitude to all funders, staff, volunteers, and community members who contributed to the success of MESCO’s initiatives during the year. Their dedication and support have been instrumental in making a meaningful difference in the lives of many individuals. 

## **Statement of Trustees' Responsibilities** 

The Charities Act 2011 imposes on trustees the duty to diligently prepare financial statements annually, ensuring they accurately reflect the Charity's financial status and surplus for the given period. In fulfilling this obligation, trustees are entrusted with several key responsibilities. They must carefully select appropriate accounting policies and consistently apply them. Furthermore, trustees are expected to exercise prudent judgment when making estimates and judgments, ensuring they are both reasonable and sound. Moreover, it is the trustees' responsibility to prepare financial statements based on the assumption that the charity will continue operating as a going concern, unless circumstances dictate otherwise. 

In addition to financial reporting, trustees are accountable for maintaining comprehensive accounting records that provide a clear and transparent overview of the Charity's transactions. These records should be detailed enough to accurately portray the Charity's financial position and ensure compliance with legal requirements outlined in the Charities Act 2011. Furthermore, trustees are entrusted with the vital task of safeguarding the Charity's assets, necessitating the implementation of adequate measures for fraud prevention and detection. 

Signed on behalf of the trustees ............................................................................ Abdullahi Adde 

Abdullahi Addo 

Chairman 

Approved by the trustees on: 31 Jan 2026 

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## **MERTON SOMALI COMMUNITY (MESCO) STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025** 

|**Incoming resources (Note 1)**<br>**Income and endowments from:**<br>Donations and legacies<br>**Charitable activities-(Grants & Contracts)**<br>Other trading activities<br>Investments<br>Separate material item of income<br>Other<br>**_Total_**<br>**Resources expended (Note 2)**<br>**Expenditure on:**<br>Raising funds<br>Cost of Charitable activities<br>Governance Costs<br>Other<br>**_Total_**<br>**before investment**<br>**gains/(losses)**<br>Net gains/(losses) on investments<br>**Net income/(expenditure)**<br>**Extraordinary items**<br>**Transfers between funds**<br>**gains/(losses):**<br>Loans & Advances<br>Other gains/(losses)<br>**_Net movement in funds_**<br>**_Reconciliation of funds:_**<br>Total funds brought forward<br>**_Total funds carried forward_**|**Unrestricted**<br>**funds**<br>**£**<br>F01|**Restricted**<br>**income funds**<br>**£**<br>F02|**Endowment**<br>**funds**<br>**£**<br>F03|**Total funds**<br>**31 March 2025**<br>**£**<br>F04|**Prior year**<br>**funds**<br>**31 March 2024**<br>**£**<br>F05|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||-|-|-|-|-|
||-|32,959|-|32,959|42,921|
||-|-|-|-|-|
||-|-||-|-|
||-|-|-|-|-|
||-|-|-|-|-|
||**-**|**32,959**|**-**|**32,959**|**42,921**|
|||||||
||-|-|-|-|-|
||-|32,959|-|32,959|42,921|
||-|-|-|-|130|
||-|-|-|-||
||**-**|**32,959**|**-**|**32,959**|**43,051**|
|||||||
|||||||
||-|-|-|-|130|
||-|-|-|-|-|
||-|-|-|-|130|
||-|-|-|-|-|
||||-|-|-|
||-|-|-||-|
|||||-||
||-|-|-|-|-|
||**-**|**-**|**-**|**-**|**130**|
|||||||
||-|-|-||4685|
||**-**|**-**|**-**|**-**|**4555**|



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## **MERTON SOMALI COMMUNITY (MESCO) STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION** 

## **AS AT 31 MARCH 2025** 

||**Unrestricted  Restricted**<br>**Endowment**<br>**Total**<br>**Total last year**|
|---|---|
||**funds**<br>**income funds**<br>**funds**<br>**31 March 2025  31 March 2024**|
||**£**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>**£**|
|**Fixed assets**|F01<br>F02<br>F03<br>F04<br>F05|
|**Intangible assets**<br>**Tangible assets**<br>**_Total fixed assets_**<br>**Current assets**<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>~~=—————~~||
|**Stocks**<br>**Debtors**<br>**Cash at bank and in hand (Note 9)**<br>**_Total current assets_**<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>4685<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**4685**<br>~~——~~||
|**Creditors:amounts falling due within**<br>**one year**<br>**(Note 8)**<br>**_Net current assets/(liabilities)_**<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>130<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>4,555<br>~~——~~||
|**_Total assets less current liabilities_**|**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**4,555**|
|**Creditors:amounts falling due after**<br>**one year**<br>**(Note 8)**<br>**_Total net assets or liabilities_**<br>**Funds of the Charity**<br>**Restricted income funds(Note 10)**<br>**Unrestricted funds**<br>**Revaluation reserve**<br>**_Total funds_**<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**4,555**<br>- <br>-<br>3315<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>1240<br>-<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**-**<br>**4555**<br>~~———~~<br>~~==————~~||
|Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all<br>the trustees<br>Print Name<br>Date of approval<br>30/01/2026<br>**Abdullahi Addo**<br>**31/01/2026**<br>Chairman<br>~~pO~~||



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## **MERTON SOMALI COMMUNITY (MESCO) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025** 


**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
Note 1 Analysis of income<br>Unrestricted  Restricted  Total funds<br>funds  income funds  31 March 2025<br>Analysis £<br>Donations and  Donations and gifts - - -<br>legacies:  Gift Aid - - -<br>Legacies - - -<br>General grants provided by<br>government/other charities  - - -<br>Total - - -<br>Charitable  INCOME FROM CHARITABLE<br>activities:  ACTIVITIES<br>Grants & Contracts received<br>are as follows<br>Sport England<br>13,009 13,009<br>London Borough of Merton<br>4814.86 4814.86<br>TNLCF 15,135 15,135-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>Total - 32,959 32,959<br>Investement<br>Income  - - -<br>Interest  - -<br>Dividend  - -<br>Total - - -<br>TOTAL INCOME  - 32,959 32,959<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


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## **MERTON SOMALI COMMUNITY (MESCO) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025** 

**Note 2 Analysis of expenditure** 


**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
Unrestricted  Restricted<br>funds  income funds  Total funds<br>Analysis  £<br>Expenditure on  Incurred seeking donations  -  - -<br>raising funds:  Incurred seeking grants<br>- - -<br>Total expenditure on raising funds<br>Expenditure on  During the year ended 31 March 2025, the charity<br>charitable  delivered two key projects funded by restricted grants.<br>activities  A grant of £15135, supported an 18-month<br>Multilingual Debt Welfare and Benefits Advice Project,<br>covering the salary of a temporary advisor and 12<br>months of office rent, with £15,135 spent in the year<br>to help reduce evictions, fines, and financial distress<br>through education and advice. Additionally, a<br>£4,814.86 grant funded for their plot:2 emergency<br>assistance grant supports for organizations<br>Additionally a grant of £13,009 was funded by sport<br>England to successfully deliver a multi sport fitness<br>project for disadvantaged Black, Asian and Minority<br>Ethnic (BAME) men aged 50 and over in Merton and<br>Lambeth. The project addressed health inequalities,  - 32,959 32,959<br>social isolation, and the lack of inclusive physical<br>activity opportunities for older men within these.<br>Governence  Accountancy Fees  - -<br>Costs<br>-  - -<br>-  - -<br>Total - - -<br>Other<br>Admin Expenses - - -<br>Total other expenditure - - -<br>TOTAL EXPENDITURE - 32,959 32,959<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


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**MERTON SOMALI COMMUNITY (MESCO) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025** 

## **Note 3 Basis of preparation** 

_**This section should be completed by all charities** ._ 

## **3.1 Basis of accounting** 

These accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant note(s) to these accounts. 

The accounts have been prepared in accordance with: 

- the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities 

- • and with* preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) issued on 16 July 2014 

- the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of 

- • and with* Ireland (FRS 102) 

- and with the Charities Act 2011. 

The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102.* 

**Yes** 

* -Tick as appropriate 

## **3.2 Going concern** 

_**If there are material uncertainties related to events or conditions that cast significant doubt on the charity's ability to continue as a going concern, please provide the following details or state "Not applicable", if appropriate:**_ 

An explanation as to those factors that _**The charity's continued financial stability, positive growth**_ support the conclusion that the charity is a _**trends, and strategic plans affirm its status as a going**_ going concern; _**concern.**_ Disclosure of any uncertainties that make the _**Not applicable**_ going concern assumption doubtful; Where accounts are not prepared on a going _**Not applicable**_ concern basis, please disclose this fact together with the basis on which the trustees prepared the accounts and the reason why the charity is not regarded as a going concern. 

## **3.3 Change of accounting policy** 

The accounts present a true and fair view and the accounting policies adopted are those outlined in note { }. 

Yes* * -Tick as appropriate No* _**Please disclose: (i) the nature of the change in accounting policy;**_ Not applicable _**(ii) the reasons why applying the new accounting policy provides more reliable and more relevant information;**_ Not applicable _**and**_ 

## _**Please disclose:**_ 

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## **MERTON SOMALI COMMUNITY (MESCO) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS** 

**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025** 

_**(iii) the amount of the adjustment for each line affected Not applicable in the current period, each prior period presented and the aggregate amount of the adjustment relating to periods before those presented, 3.44 FRS 102 SORP.**_ 

## **3.4 Changes to accounting estimates** 

No changes to accounting estimates have occurred in the reporting period (3.46 FRS 102 SORP). 

|Yes*<br>No*|✓|* -Tick as appropriate|
|---|---|---|
||||



## _**Please disclose:**_ 

|**_(i) the nature of any changes;_**|Not applicable|
|---|---|
|**_(ii) the effect of the change on income and expense or_**<br>**_assets and liabilities for the current period; and_**|Not applicable|
|**_(iii) where practicable, the effect of the change in one or_**<br>**_more future periods._**|**_Not applicable_**|



## **1.5 Material prior year errors** 

No material prior year error have been identified in the reporting period (3.47 FRS 102 SORP). 

|Yes*<br>No*|✓|* -Tick as appropriate|
|---|---|---|
||||



## _**Please disclose:**_ 

|**_Please disclose:_**||
|---|---|
|**_(i) the nature of the prior period error;_**|Not applicable|
|**_(ii) for each prior period presented in the accounts, the_**<br>**_amount of the correction for each account line item_**<br>**_affected; and_**|Not applicable|
|**_(iii) the amount of the correction at the beginning of the_**<br>**_earliest prior period presented in the accounts._**|**_Not applicable_**|



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**MERTON SOMALI COMMUNITY (MESCO) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025** 

|**Note 4**|**Accounting policies**||
|---|---|---|
|**4.1 INCOME**|||
|**Recognition of income**|These are included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SoFA) when:||
||•<br>the charity becomes entitled to the resources;||
||·<br>it is more likely than not that the trustees will receive the resources; and||
||•<br>the monetary value can be measured with sufficient reliability.||
||There has been no offsetting of assets and liabilities, or income and expenses, unless required||
|**Offsetting**|or permitted by the FRS 102 SORP or FRS 102.||
||Grants and donations are only included in the SoFA when the general income||
|**Grants and donations**|recognition criteria are met (5.10 to 5.12 FRS102 SORP).||
||In the case of performance related grants, income must only be recognised to the extent||
||that the charity has provided the specified goods or services as entitlement to the grant||
||only occurs when the performance related conditions are met (5.16 FRS 102 SORP).||
|**Legacies**|Legacies are included in the SOFA when receipt is probable, that is, when there has||
||been grant of probate, the executors have established that there are sufficient assets in||
||the estate and any conditions attached to the legacy are either within the control of the||
||charity or have been met.||
|**Government grants**|The charity has received government grants in the reporting period||
||Gift Aid receivable is included in income when there is a valid declaration from the||
|**Tax reclaims on**|donor. Any Gift Aid amount recovered on a donation is considered to be part of that gift||
|**donations and gifts**|and is treated as an addition to the same fund as the initial donation unless the donor or||
||the terms of the appeal have specified otherwise.||
|**Contractual income and**|This is only included in the SoFA once the charity has provided the related goods or||
|**performance related**|services or met the performance related conditions.||
|**grants**|||
|**Donated goods**|Donated goods are measured at fair value (the amount for which the asset could be<br>exchanged) unless impractical to do so.||
||The cost of any stock of goods donated for distribution to beneficiaries is deemed to be||
||the fair value of those gifts at the time of their receipt and they are recognised on||
||receipt. In the reporting period in which the stocks are distributed, they are recognised||
||as an expense at the carrying amount of the stocks at distribution.||
||Donated goods for resale are measured at fair value on initial recognition, which is the||
||expected proceeds from sale less the expected costs of sale, and recognised in 'Income||
||from other trading activities' with the corresponding stock recognised in the balance||
||sheet. On its sale the value of stock is charged against 'Income from other trading||
||activities' and the proceeds from sale are also recognised as 'Income from other trading||
||activities'.||
||Goods donated for on-going use by the charity are recognised as tangible fixed assets||
||and included in the SoFA as incoming resources when receivable.||
||Gifts in kind for use by the charity are included in the SoFA as income from donations||
||when receivable.||
|**Donated services and**|Donated services and facilities are included in the SOFA when received at the value of||
|**facilities**|the gift to the charity provided the value of the gift can be measured reliably.||
||Donated services and facilities that are consumed immediately are recognised as||
||income with an equivalent amount recognised as an expense under the appropriate||
||heading in the SOFA.||



The charity has incurred expenditure on support costs. 

**Support costs** 

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**MERTON SOMALI COMMUNITY (MESCO) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025** 

The value of any voluntary help received is not included in the accounts but is described **Volunteer help** in the trustees’ annual report. **Income from interest,** This is included in the accounts when receipt is probable and the amount receivable can **royalties and dividends** be measured reliably. 

**Income from membership** Membership subscriptions received in the nature of a gift are recognised in Donations **subscriptions** and Legacies. 

Insurance claims are only included in the SoFA when the general income recognition **Settlement of insurance** criteria are met (5.10 to 5.12 FRS102 SORP) and are included as an item of other **claims** income in the SoFA. **Investment gains and** This includes any realised or unrealised gains or losses on the sale of investments and **losses** any gain or loss resulting from revaluing investments to market value at the end of the year. 

## **4.2 EXPENDITURE AND LIABILITIES** 

**Liability recognition** Liabilities are recognised where it is more likely than not that there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to pay out resources and the amount of the obligation can be measured with reasonable certainty. 

Support costs have been allocated between governance costs and other support. **Governance and support** Governance costs comprise all costs involving public accountability of the charity and its **costs** compliance with regulation and good practice. Support costs include central functions and have been allocated to activity cost categories on a basis consistent with the use of resources, eg allocating property costs by floor areas, or per capita, staff costs by the time spent and other costs by their usage. Where the charity gives a grant with conditions for its payment being a specific level of **Grants with performance** service or output to be provided, such grants are only recognised in the SoFA once the **conditions** recipient of the grant has provided the specified service or output. Where there are no conditions attaching to the grant that enables the donor charity to **Grants payable without** realistically avoid the commitment, a liability for the full funding obligation must be **performance conditions** recognised. **Redundancy cost** The charity made no redundancy payments during the reporting period. **Deferred income** No material item of deferred income has been included in the accounts. **Creditors** The charity has creditors which are measured at settlement amounts less any trade discounts A liability is measured on recognition at its historical cost and then subsequently **Provisions for liabilities** measured at the best estimate of the amount required to settle the obligation at the reporting date The charity accounts for basic financial instruments on initial recognition as per **Basic financial** paragraph 10.7 FRS102 SORP. Subsequent measurement is as per paragraphs 11.17 **instruments** to 11.19, FRS102 SORP. **4.3 ASSETS Tangible fixed assets for** These are capitalised if they can be used for more than one year, and cost at least **use by charity** 

They are valued at cost. 

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## **MERTON SOMALI COMMUNITY (MESCO) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS** 

## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025** 

The depreciation rates and methods used are disclosed in note 9.2. 

**Intangible fixed assets** The charity has intangible fixed assets, that is, non-monetary assets that do not have physical substance but are identifiable and are controlled by the charity through custody or legal rights. The amortisation rates and methods used are disclosed in note 9.5 

They are valued at cost. 

**Investments** Fixed asset investments in quoted shares, traded bonds and similar investments are valued at initially at cost and subsequently at fair value (their market value) at the year end. The same treatment is applied to unlisted investments unless fair value cannot be measured reliably in which case it is measured at cost less impairment. 

Investments held for resale or pending their sale and cash and cash equivalents with a maturity date of less than 1 year are treated as current asset investments 

**Stocks and work in** Stocks held for sale as part of non-charitable trade are measured at the lower or cost or net **progress** realisable value. 

Goods or services provided as part of a charitable activity are measured at net realisable value based on the service potential provided by items of stock. 

Debtors (including trade debtors and loans receivable) are measured on initial recognition at **Debtors** settlement amount after any trade discounts or amount advanced by the charity. Subsequently, they are measured at the cash or other consideration expected to be received. 

The charity has has investments which it holds for resale or pending their sale and cash and **Current asset** cash equivalents with a maturity date less than one year. These include cash on deposit and **investments** cash equivalents with a maturity date of less than one year held for investment purposes rather than to meet short term cash commitments as they fall due. 

15 



## **MERTON SOMALI COMMUNITY (MESCO) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025** 

## **Note 5 Details of certain items of expenditure 5.1 Fees for examination of the accounts** 

_**Please provide details of the amount paid for any statutory external scrutiny of accounts and other services provided by your independent examiner. If nothing was paid please enter '0' in the appropriate box(es).**_ **Independent examiner’s fees Assurance services other than audit or independent examination Tax advisory fees** 

|**This year**<br>**£**|**Last year**<br>**£**|
|---|---|
|-|130.00|
|-|-|
|-|-|



|**Note 6**<br>**Paid employees**|||
|---|---|---|
|**6.1 Staff Costs**<br>**Salaries and wages**<br>**Social security costs**<br>**Pension costs (defined contribution scheme)**<br>**Other employee benefits**<br>**Total staff costs**|||
||**This year**<br>**£**|**Last year**<br>**£**|
||-|-|
||-|-|
||-|-|
||-|-|
||**-**|**-**|



16 



## **MERTON SOMALI COMMUNITY (MESCO) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025** 

## **Note 7 Debtors and prepayments** 

|**7.1**<br>**Analysis of debtors**<br>**Trade debtors**<br>**Other debtors**|**This year**<br>**£**<br>**Last year**<br>**£**|**This year**<br>**£**<br>**Last year**<br>**£**|
|---|---|---|
||-<br>-||
||-<br>-||
||**-**|**-**|



## **Total** 

## **7.2 Analysis of debtors recoverable in more than 1 year (included in debtors above)** 

|**Trade debtors**<br>**Prepayments and accrued income**<br>**Other debtors**<br>**Total**|**Thisyear**<br>**Lastyear**|**Thisyear**<br>**Lastyear**|
|---|---|---|
||**£**<br>**£**||
||-<br>-||
||-<br>-||
||-<br>-||
||<br>**-**|**-**|



## **Note 8 Creditors and accruals** 

## **8.1 Analysis of creditors** 

|**8.1Analysis of creditors**|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|<br>**Accruals for grants payable**<br>**Bank loans and overdrafts**<br>**Trade creditors**<br>**Payments received on account for contracts or**<br>**performance-related grants**<br>**Accruals and deferred income**<br>**Taxation and social security**<br>**Other creditors**<br>**Total**|**Amounts falling due**<br>**Amounts falling due after**||||
||**This year**<br>**£**<br>**Last year**<br>**£**<br>**This year**<br>**£**<br>**Last year**<br>**£**||||
||-<br>-<br>-<br>-||||
||-<br>-<br>-<br>-||||
||-<br>-<br>-<br>-||||
||-<br>-<br>-<br>-||||
||-<br>-<br>-<br>-||||
||-<br>-<br>-<br>-||||
||-<br>-<br>-<br>130||||
||<br>**-**|**-**|**-**|**130**|



## **Note 9 Cash at bank and in hand** 

|**Note 9**<br>**Cash at bank and in hand**|**Note 9**<br>**Cash at bank and in hand**|**Note 9**<br>**Cash at bank and in hand**|
|---|---|---|
|**Short term cash investments (less than 3 months maturity date)**<br>**Short term deposits**<br>**Cash at bank and on hand**<br>**Total**|**This year**<br>**£**<br>**Last year**<br>**£**||
||-<br>-||
||-<br>-||
||-<br>4,555||
||**-**|**4,555**|



17 



## **MERTON SOMALI COMMUNITY (MESCO) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025** 

**Note 10 Charity funds** 

## **10.1 Details of material funds held and movements during the CURRENT reporting period** 

## _*** Key: PE - permanent endowment funds; EE - expendible endowment funds; R - restricted income funds, including special trusts, of the charity; and U - unrestricted funds**_ 


**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
Fund Fund<br>Type PE,  balances  balances<br>EE R or  Purpose and Restrictions  brought  carried<br>UR *  forward  Income  Expenditure Loans  forward<br>Fund names  £  £  £  £  £<br>Unrestricted charity funds are financial contributions<br>given to a charitable organization without specific<br>earmarks or restrictions on their use. These funds<br>Donations & Gifts  UR<br>provide flexibility for the organization to allocate<br>resources based on immediate needs, ongoing<br>programs, or unforeseen challenges, enhancing<br>adaptability and responsiveness to their mission.  1,240 -  -  -  1,240<br>During the year ended 31 March 2024, the charity<br>delivered two key projects funded by restricted<br>grants. A grant of £53,104 supported an 18-month<br>Multilingual Debt Welfare and Benefits Advice<br>Project, covering the salary of a temporary advisor<br>and 12 months of office rent, with £37,969 spent in<br>Charitable<br>R  the year to help reduce evictions, fines, and  3,315 - -  -  3,315<br>Activities/Projects<br>financial distress through education and advice.<br>Additionally, a £4,952 grant funded six two-hour<br>mental health workshops for 50 local Somali men,<br>aimed at raising awareness, challenging cultural<br>stigmas, and providing a safe space for open<br>discussions. The funding covered staff, volunteers,<br>venue hire, materials, and refreshments, ensuring<br>17<br>the success of both community-focused initiatives.<br>- -<br>Total Funds 4,555 32,959 32,959 4,555<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>




## **Note 12 Transactions with trustees and related parties** _**If the charity has any transactions with related parties (other than the trustee expenses explained in guidance**_ 

## **11.1 Trustee remuneration and benefits** 

## **This year** 

**None of the trustees have been paid any remuneration or received any other benefits from** 

**TRUE** 

## _**In the period the charity has paid trustees remuneration and benefits. Please give the amount of, and legal**_ 


**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
Amounts paid or benefit value<br>Remunerati  Pension  Redundancy  Other  TOTAL<br>Legal authority (eg<br>on  contribution (including<br>Name of trustee  order, governing<br>loss of<br>document)<br>office)/ex<br>gratia<br>£ £ £ £ £<br>-  -  -  -  -<br>-  -  -  -  -<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


_**Please give details of why remuneration or other employment benefits were paid.**_ 

_**Where an ex gratia payment has been made to a trustee, provide an explanation of the nature of the payment.**_ 


**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
N/A<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


## **Last year** 

**None of the trustees have been paid any remuneration or received any other benefits from an employment with their charity or a related entity (True or False)** 

**TRUE** 

_**In the period the charity has paid trustees remuneration and benefits. Please give the amount of, and legal authority for, any remuneration or other benefits paid to a trustee by the charity or any institution or company connected with it.**_ 


**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
Amounts paid or benefit value<br>Remunerati  Pension  Redundancy  Other  TOTAL<br>Legal authority (eg<br>on  contribution (including<br>Name of trustee  order, governing<br>loss of<br>document)<br>office)/ex<br>gratia<br>£ £ £ £<br>-  -  -  -  -<br>-  -  -  -  -<br>Please give details of why remuneration or other  N/A<br>Where an ex gratia payment has been made to a<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


18 



## **12.2 Trustees' expenses** 

## _**If the charity has paid trustees expenses for fulfilling their duties, details of such transactions should be**_ **No trustee expenses have been incurred (True or False)** 

|**No trustee expenses have been incurred (True or False)**|**_TRUE_**|**_TRUE_**|
|---|---|---|
|**Type of expenses reimbursed**|**Thisyear**<br>**Lastyear**||
||**£**<br>**£**||
|**Travel**|-<br>-||
|**Subsistence**|-<br>-||
|**Accommodation**|-<br>-||
|**Phone**|-<br>-||
||-<br>-||
|**TOTAL**|-|-|



**Please provide the number of trustees reimbursed for expenses or who had expenses paid by the charity** 

## **12.3 Transaction(s) with related parties** 

_**Please give details of any transaction undertaken by (or on behalf of) the charity in which a related party has a material interest, including where funds have been held as agent for related parties. If there are no such transactions, please enter 'true' in the box provided.**_ 

## **This year** 

|**There have been no related party transactions in the reporting period (True or False)**<br>**_TRUE_**|**There have been no related party transactions in the reporting period (True or False)**<br>**_TRUE_**|**There have been no related party transactions in the reporting period (True or False)**<br>**_TRUE_**|**There have been no related party transactions in the reporting period (True or False)**<br>**_TRUE_**|**There have been no related party transactions in the reporting period (True or False)**<br>**_TRUE_**|**There have been no related party transactions in the reporting period (True or False)**<br>**_TRUE_**|**_TRUE_**|**_TRUE_**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||||||
|**Name of the**<br>**trustee or**<br>**related party**|**Relationship**<br>**to charity**|**Description of the**<br>**transaction(s)**|**Amount**|**Balance at**<br>**period end**|**Provision for bad**<br>**debts at period end**||**Amounts**<br>**written off**<br>**during**<br>**reporting**<br>**period**|
|||||||||
|**_In relation to the transactions above, please provide_**<br>**_the terms and conditions, including any security and_**<br>**_the nature of any payment (consideration) to be_**<br>**_provided in settlement._**||||||||
||||N/A|||||



_**For any related party, please provide details of any guarantees given or received.**_ 

N/A 

19 



## **Last year** 

|**Last year**|**Last year**|**Last year**|**Last year**|**Last year**|**Last year**|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**There have been no related party transactions in the reporting period (True or False)**<br>**_TRUE_**||||||**_TRUE_**||
|||||||||
|**Name of the**<br>**trustee or**<br>**related party**|**Relationship**<br>**to charity**|**Description of the**<br>**transaction(s)**|**Amount**|**Balance at**<br>**period end**|**Provision for bad**<br>**debts at period end**||**Amounts**<br>**written off**<br>**during**<br>**reporting**<br>**period**|
||||**£**|**£**|**£**||**£**|



## _**In relation to the transactions above, please provide**_ 

_**For any related party, please provide details of any**_ 

N/A N/A 

20 



**MERTON SOMALI COMMUNITY (MESCO)** 

## **Independent examiner's report on the accounts** 

_**A Independent Examiner’s Report**_ **Report to the trustees MERTON SOMALI COMMUNITY (MESCO) On accounts for the yearended 31st MARCH 2025 Charity no(if any)[1071152 ] Set out on pages** I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“ **MERTON SOMALI COMMUNITY (MESCO)** ”) for the year ended **31 / 03 / 2025. 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. 

I report in respect of my examination of the Charity’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 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: 

 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. 

Z Munawar 232-236 Green Street London London E7 8LE 

30 Jan 2026 

21 

