## RWANDA GROUP TRUST
## **(A charitable trust registered in England and Wales under number 1074656)**
## **REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES For The year ended 31[st] December 2022**
## **OBJECTIVES OF THE TRUST**
The trust was established by deed on December 9[th] 1998 to advance the education and relieve the poverty and sickness of people in Rwanda. The Trust took on the work of its predecessor organisation, The Rwanda Group, which had been working with the same objectives since 1983.
## **RWANDA**
Rwanda is a small landlocked country in Central Africa. It has a predominantly rural population of approximately 12.5 million people. It is one of the most densely populated countries in Africa.
2022 saw the 28th anniversary of the 1994 genocide when an estimated one million people lost their lives. Much progress has been made in overcoming this disaster but there is still much more work required to complete the task.
Rwanda is a poor country with the bulk of its population living in considerable need. World Bank figures show the average life expectancy at birth as approx. 69 years with 24 out of every 1000 children dying before reaching their fifth birthday.
## **TRUSTEES**
The trustees are responsible for the assets, administration and work of the Trust.
Mr Joseph Bamber RIP, together with his wife Rosemary, RIP, and fellow trustee Sister Mary McCarren FCJ, began the work in 1983 after a visit to Rwanda and seeing the difficulties under which its people laboured.
Mr Bamber has overseen the growth and remarkable achievements of the charity since its registration in 1998. However in December 2021 he announced his decision to retire as a trustee and, sadly he died in April 2022.
There are currently 7 trustees who meet together at least once per quarter. The current chair of the trust is Mr Michael Donlan.
The other trustees are Bernadette Roberts, Veronica Sanders, Mark Ibison and Myra Gregory, together with Mr Bamber’s daughters, Judith Potts and Clare Spicer who became trustees on the death of their father in April 2022.
## **STRATEGIES TO ACHIEVE THE OBJECTIVES OF THE TRUST**
The donor strategy is to fill some of the many gaps in provision left by the major aid charities with relatively small but effective gifts. The help given is designed to be in the nature of help to friends by friends. This is being accomplished by –
- 1) Building friendships with communities, schools, individuals and families in need and providing help to them in this spirit.
- 2) Establishing committees of Rwandans in the provinces of Rwanda to advise on need, opportunities to help and to assist in the distribution of grants.
The trust works to achieve these objectives through the excellent co-operation of 4 committees – in Kigali, Cyangugu, Gikongoro and Nyundo.
The funding strategy of the Trust is to make Rwanda, its people and their difficulties known to wider audiences and to accept donations of cash and goods for resale from those sympathetic to the objectives of the Trust.
The administrative strategy is to keep the work of the Trust as simple as possible and incur a minimum of expense in carrying it out.
## **FUNDRAISING**
The year 2022 has seen a consolidation of the changes to our fund raising methods forced on us by the continuing difficulties with the Covid pandemic. The emphasis therefore been on maintaining as stable an income as possible to the charity at time when disposable incomes have now been hit by a sharp rise in the cost of living . Appeals have been launched in all the parishes of the Lancaster Catholic Diocese and the local parishes of the Liverpool and Salford dioceses. We have continued with the charity’s quarterly newsletter and are creating an ever expanding mailing list. Car boot sales, market stalls and internet sales have also made significant contributions as well as a sponsored event. A recent innovation has been the setting up of a ‘Keep Fit for Rwanda’ class which has been providing a regular monthly income.
## **INCOME**
Cash donations for 2022 amounted to a total of £20,397 a decrease of approx £22,366 on last year. This resulted in a gift aid refund of £4,127. Sales of donated items of £1,297 resulted in a total income of £25,821.
## **EXPENDITURE**
In 2022 the Trust made grants of £33,000 to the four committees in Rwanda for distribution to the poorest in their communities as deemed appropriate by them and in accordance with the trust's objectives. The Trust also made grants of £4,865 towards various projects in Rwanda. The addition of bank charges of £100 resulted in a total expenditure of £37,965. The net decrease of the charity’s income over last year was approximately £12,145.
## **COMMUNICATION & FUTURE PLANS**
Our foremost means of communication is now our quarterly newsletter. This has proved to be a very effective way of informing donors how their donations are being used to help the poorest of the poor. It also accounts largely for the wonderful increase in donations.
It is intended to continue to sell donated items through such as market stalls, car boot sales and seasonal fairs, as well as through the internet.
We also have plans to develop our website to increase its versatility for information giving and provide an alternative and easier ways to donate.
We will continue to produce information leaflets and submit articles in local magazines and newspapers as well as advertising in supermarkets and churches throughout the Lancaster diocese.
Donations can continue to be given through the methods explained on our website at:- Rwandagrouptrust.blogspot.com
We are always looking for potential opportunities to promote our work in the wider community.
The trustees agreed, as last year, that our priority will continue to be our ongoing commitments and only to take on new projects when funds are available.
Finally I would like to thank all our volunteers, donors and supporters for their dedication resulting in such a successful year for the charity.
## **KEEPING IN TOUCH**
The address of the Trust is: 17 Mayfield Road Ashton Preston, PR2 1EX Email: rwandagrouptrust.org@gmail.com Website: rwandagrouptrust.blogspot.com
This Report was approved by the Trustees & Signed on their behalf by the chair
Michael Donlan.
14 April 2023
## **RWANDA GROUP TRUST**
## **RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 2022**
## **RECEIPTS**
|**Balances as at 1st January 2022**
**Santander current account**
**Santander savings account**
**Sale of Goods**
**Donations Gift Aided**
**Donations Non Gift Aided**
**Gift Aided Small Donations**
**Gift Aid Refund**
**Total Income**
**PAYMENTS**
**Bank Charges**
**Rwandan Projects**
**Rwanda Committees**
**Total Expenses**
**Bank Balances as at 31st December 2022**
**Santander current account**
**Santander savings account**
**Total Bank Balances**
|**£**
**1297.00**
**14,199.00**
**5854.82**
**343.00**
**4126.50**
**25,820.32**
**100.00**
**4865.00**
**33,000.00**
**37,965.00**
|**£**
**17,834.46**
**20.03**
**17,854.49**
**5,689.78**
**20.03**
**5,709.81**
|**£**
**43,674.81**
**43,674.81**|
|---|---|---|---|
## **Ms A M Waddingham Independent Examiner Date**
CHARITY COMMISSION
FOR ENGLAND AND WALES
Independent examiner's
report on the accounts
Section A
Independent Examinerfs Report
Report to the trusteesl
members of
Charrtv Name
On accounts for the year
ended
Charlty no
(If any)
El#ec 2a
/> 7¥6S6
Set out on pages
n'.tsmber to iiidudc )e pago numbors li1,.d111rtP7Lil she.plr
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the abov8
charity ('the Trusf) for the year ended J-, ' .
Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust. you are responsible for tho preparation
basis of r8POrt of the accounts in ac¢ordan¢e with the requirements of the Cbarities Act
2011 (kne Acr).
I report in respect of my examin: tion of the Trust's accounts carried out
under section 145 of th8 2011 A t gnd in carrying out my exapiination, I
have followed the applicable Dir ..ctions given by th8 Charity Commission
under section 14515)Ibl of the A, t.
I have completed my examinatio'i. I confimi that no matsrial matters have
come to my attention (other thar that disclosed below ') in coi nectton with
the examination which gives me uSe to believe that in, any riaterial
respect:
accounting records were not kept in accordance with s(SCtion 130 of
the Act or
the accounts do not accord w,th the accounting recorde
Independent
examiner's statement
I have no concems and have come across no other matters ir connection
with the examination to which at'antion should be drawn in orcer to enable a
proper understsnding of the aco iunts to be reached.
Please delete the words in the '.pckets rfthey do not apply.
Slgned:
Date:
Name:
R•!•vant profe<+sional
qualification(s) or body
(if any):
Address: