Mercy Mission Welfare Society Trustees Report and Accounts for the year ending 31[st] March 2023
Reference and Administrative Information
Name of Charity: Mercy Mission Welfare Society Charity Registration Number: 1088750 Principal Address: 4, The Croft, Henley Road, Claverdon, CV35 8PS Charity Trustees: Stephen Collett, (Treasurer), Jonathan Hibbs, (Chair from 1/1/23) Andrew Raine (Secretary), Pamela Raine, Andrew Simpkins (Chair) Resigned 31/12/22, Independent Examiner: Ian English
Structure, Governance and Management
The Mission is governed by the Trust Deed dated 26[th] February 2001. Trustees are appointed by a resolution of trustees passed at a special meeting called for this purpose. There shall be at least 3 trustees, and the trustees shall hold at least 2 ordinary meetings every year. The trustees have adopted policies in the principal areas of the charity to ensure good practise governance and management.
Trustees are encouraged to be familiar with the range of activities of the associated Mercy Mission Welfare Society (MMWS) in India. All the current trustees have visited the MMWS campus in Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh and have first-hand experience of the work in India. There is an awareness of additional support networks for Mercy Mission Welfare Society based in USA and in New Zealand.
Objectives and Activities
The objectives of the Mercy Mission Welfare Society are as follows:
-
To propagate the Christian faith, knowledge, practise and understanding in the designated area of Andhra Pradesh, India.
-
To relieve poverty, sickness, distress by the provision of food, shelter, clothing and medical care.
-
To advance education of the public, particularly children.
The Trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on a range of issues particularly: public benefit, safeguarding duties and ‘Due Diligence, Monitoring and Verification of End Use of Charitable Funds’. Public benefit is clearly demonstrated in the range of services funded in Mercy Mission Welfare Society India, especially in the provision of a home for orphaned or neglected children and the provision of education to these and other children. Regular visits to the Indian campus by Trustees and examination of the Indian charity’s annual accounts provide a level of monitoring and due diligence for the use of charitable funds.
1
Achievements and Performance from funds donated through the UK charity
Following lifting of Covid restrictions the main campus in Vizianagaram has been fully open throughout the year with the Children’s hostels, School and Bible College fully operational. Dr Tomm, the Indian President, visited the UK during the year and was present for a trustees’ meeting providing and update on the work in India and the financial situation. This is a useful input for monitoring and due diligence on the end use of the funds sent from UK and elsewhere. The UK Charity provides approximately 40% of the overseas funding. A government cap on school fees introduced during Covid has been lifted which has benefitted finances.
There were 145 children in the Hostels which was the limit of available finance at the time. The school had 800+ children of which 160 were receiving free education. The main campus has 67 staff covering all the functions.
The Mendangi campus had 25 children resident, all boys and the school had not been granted permission to reopen since the Covid closure believed to be due to a legal technicality. When approved the school will reopen and fee-paying pupils including girls can be admitted. It is also hoped to start a tailoring training centre in the near future to provide employment skills for women.
Overall the mission in India has been flourishing during the year and is in good standing in the local community. It has benefitted from solar panels, providing a secure uninterrupted electricity supply enabling schooling to continue in hot weather, and good harvests from the paddy field continue to be a blessing to the mission.
Towards to end of the year we were advised of the need to refurbish the children’s hostels which are now over 20 years old. The trustees recognised the importance of maintaining a safe up to date environment for the children and agreed to raise funds to support this.
Risks
The political situation in India continues to cause concern. Unemployment is high in the north affecting the economics. Persecution continues in India, primarily in the north of the country. 12 Indian states have already brought in anti-conversion laws. Andhra Pradesh is relatively stable due to secular government. The trustees will continue to monitor the situation and update the PESTLE analysis after the Indian elections in 2024.
Progress in India funded independently
New Zealand and USA supporters have continued to fund the mission through the year, which have provided the Solar panels and will contribute to the hostel refurbishment.
Governance
The trustee met virtually over the internet or in person 8 times during the year. Some polices were reviewed against the schedule. Subsequent to the year end we have received the charity Commission’s closure on the compliance review that was conducted earlier. Trustees have taken note of the advice and guidance given. Andrew Simpkins r3esigned as Trustee and chair and Jonathan Hibbs was elected chair with effect from 1 January 2023.
2
At year end, the trustees were actively seeking to appoint suitable new trustees. A review of the Trust Deed (our governing document) has been commenced.
Financial Review
Principal sources of income to Mercy Mission UK are through regular sponsorship of the children in the Mission home and donations to the general work of Mercy Mission in India, most of which is donated on a regular basis. This year the charity has received general donations and a few ad hoc donations including gift aid totalling £54,200. Very close to last year’s total. Thus, consistent regular funding has been sent to India throughout the year. Mainly for day to day running costs. Total funds sent during the year were £47,000.
Safeguarding
MMWS UK does not work directly with vulnerable children and young adults. When visits by trustees or groups supporting by the charity are made to the Indian campus, contact with vulnerable children and young adults is overseen by local staff. Our visits policy covers the safeguarding aspects of these visits. The Charity funds MMWS India which clearly does work with vulnerable children and young adults. The trustees are aware of MMWS India’s safeguarding measures which are in line with national requirements.
Signed: J Hibbs Chair of Trustees 15 January 2024
3
Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
Report to the trustees/ Mercy Mission Welfare society members of 31 March 2023 Charity no (if 1088750 On accounts for the year ended any) Set out on pages 5 & 6 I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31/03/2023.
As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
Responsibilities and basis of I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 report of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed 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 come to my statement attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached .
| Signed: Name: Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any): Address: |
Ian English Date: |
28 November 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Ian English | ||
| Finance Manager ( Retired) | ||
| 38 Sambourn Close | ||
| Solihull B91 2SA |
4
| Charity Name | Charity Name | Charity Name | Charity Name | Charity Name | No (if any) | No (if any) | CC16a | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mercy Mission Welfare Society |
1088750 |
||||||||
| Receipts andpayments accounts | |||||||||
| For the period from |
Period start date | To | Period end date | ||||||
| 01/04/2022 | 31/03/2023 | ||||||||
| Section A Receipts and payments | |||||||||
| Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds |
Endowment funds |
Total funds | Last year | |||||
| to the nearest £ |
to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | |||||
| A1 Receipts | |||||||||
| Sponsorship& Donations | 41,547 | 5,120 | 46,667 | 46,069 | |||||
| Gift Aid | 7,529 | 7,529 | 7,033 | ||||||
| Specific Donations | -00 | ||||||||
| -00 | |||||||||
| -00 | |||||||||
| -00 | |||||||||
| -00 | |||||||||
| - | -00 | -00 | -00 | ||||||
| Sub total (Gross income for AR) 49,076 |
5,120 | -00 | 54,196 | 53,103 | |||||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
|||||||||
| - | - | - | -00 | ||||||
| - | - | - | -00 | - | |||||
| Sub total | - |
- | - | -00 | - | ||||
| Total receipts | 49,076 | 5,120 | - | 54,196 | 53,103 | ||||
| A3 Payments | |||||||||
| Fundingsent to MMWS India | 42,404 | -00 | 42,404 | 54,254 | |||||
| School Fundingto India | 4,500 | -00 | 4,500 | -00 | |||||
| Other expenses | -00 | -00 | -00 | ||||||
| Banks Charges | -00 | -00 | -00 | ||||||
| Website expenses | **137 ** | -00 | **137 ** | **137 ** | |||||
| Other expenses | -00 | -00 | -00 | ||||||
| -00 | -00 | -00 | -00 | ||||||
| - | -00 | -00 | -00 | -00 | |||||
| - | -00 | -00 | -00 | -00 | |||||
| Sub total | 42,541 | 4,500 | -00 | 47,041 | 54,391 | ||||
| A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) |
|||||||||
| - | - | - | -00 | - | |||||
| - | - | - | -00 | ||||||
| Sub total | - | - | - | -00 | -00 | ||||
| Totalpayments | 42,541 | 4,500 | - | 47,041 | 54,391 | ||||
| Net of receipts/(payments) | 6,536 | 620 | -00 | 7,156 | -1,288 | ||||
| A5 Transfers between funds | - | -00 | -00 | -00 | -00 | ||||
| A6 Cash funds lastyear end | 2,641 | -00 | -00 | 2,641 | 3,929 | ||||
| Cash funds thisyear end | 9,176 | 620 | -00 | 9,796 | 2,641 |
5
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Categories | Details | Details | Details | Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds |
Endowment funds |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| to nearest £ | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | |||||||
| B1 Cash funds | Bank a/c no. 1 | 5,292 | -00 | -00 | |||||
| Bank a/c no. 2 | 3,884 | 620 | -00 | ||||||
| Bank a/c no.3 | -00 | -00 | |||||||
| Total cash funds | 9,176 | 620 OK |
-00 | ||||||
| (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) |
OK | OK | |||||||
| Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds |
Endowment funds |
|||||||
| Details | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | ||||||
| B2 Other monetary assets | -00 | -00 | -00 | ||||||
| -00 | -00 | -00 | |||||||
| -00 | -00 | -00 | |||||||
| -00 | -00 | -00 | |||||||
| -00 | -00 | -00 | |||||||
| -00 | -00 | -00 | |||||||
| Details | Fund to which asset belongs |
Cost (optional) | Current value (optional) |
||||||
| B3 Investment assets | -00 | -00 | |||||||
| -00 | -00 | ||||||||
| -00 | -00 | ||||||||
| -00 | -00 | ||||||||
| -00 | -00 | ||||||||
| Details | Fund to which asset belongs |
Cost (optional) | Current value (optional) |
||||||
| B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use |
-00 | -00 | |||||||
| -00 | -00 | ||||||||
| -00 | -00 | ||||||||
| -00 | -00 | ||||||||
| -00 | -00 | ||||||||
| -00 | -00 | ||||||||
| -00 | -00 | ||||||||
| -00 | -00 | ||||||||
| -00 | -00 | ||||||||
| Details | Fund to which liability relates |
Amount due (optional) |
When due (optional) |
||||||
| B5 Liabilities | -00 | ||||||||
| -00 | |||||||||
| -00 | |||||||||
| -00 | |||||||||
| -00 | |||||||||
| Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees |
Signature | Print Name | Date of approval |
||||||
| signed | J Hibbs | 15/01/2024 | |||||||
| Chair of Trustees |
6