Friends of Grahamstown and District Development (FOGADD) Registered Charity Number: 1093339 Accounts Year ended 31 March 2025
Friends of Grahamstown and District Development TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 CONTENTS Page TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT ON THE ACCOUNTS RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES Principal Address.'22 Moor Park Drive, Leeds LS6 4BX UK
Friends of Grahamstown and District Development TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Logal and Administrative Infomiation This is a fundraising charity set up under a Trust Deed dated 16 January 2002 and Supplementsl Deed dated 8 July 2002. The objects of the charity are to promote the advancement of education, health, welfare and sporting developments in Grahamstown (now knovm officially as Makhanda, though 'Grahamstown' is still in widespread usage- including on road-signs and official postal addresses), and the surrounding reglon of the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Trustees and Governance Name of Trustee Dates during which the named trust88 actad if not for the whole eriod Name of pernon or body entitled to appoint any chari trustee Trustee resolution Trustee resolution Trustee resolution Trustee resolution Trustee resolution Trustee resolution Trustee resolution Trustee resoluts'on Trustee resolution Trustee resolution Trustee resolution Prof C Me Mrclle Mrs A Hall Mrs C Harve Mr M Lamb MrCLaw Mrs S Law Mrs C Mallett Prof D Matravers MrsDMe one Mrs C Smith one Chair reasurer Secreta Eleven trustees are appointed by resolution of the existing trustee body. New trustees are recruited through personal recommendation and approved by resolution of the existing trustee body. The details below explain the main activities undertaken to further the charity's purposes for the public benefit. The trustees have had regard to the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit. Actlvltles and Achlevements Ovorvlaw FOGADD continues to support education and welfare projects in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, specifically in the Grahamstown area. During the financial year ended 31 March 2025 there were four full meetings of the UK trustees, whilst in South Africa there was one meeting of the Watch Committee. All committee members both in UK and SA remain volunteers, and all fund-raising is carried out on a voluntary basis. Two trustees visited Grahamstown in February 2025 and June 2025 and were able to meet some of the key people involved in projects supported by FOGADD. We would once again like to thank Mrs Margie Keeton for monitoring our activities in Grahamstown and Mr Gavin Keeton (fomerly Professor of Economics at Rhodes University, and Chair of Grahamstown Rotary Club), who has overseen management of the SA Bank Account. In November 2024 four trustees also met with a delegation from Rhodes University {RU), vhlich is one of the principal institutions in MakhandalGrahamstown. The delegation was led by the Vice Chanclleor, Professor Sizwe Mabizela, and the meeting was held in London, which the RU delegation were visiting. At the meeting we discussed the current vision ofthe University and the work of FOGADD, and explored areas of overlap. i) Fund-raislng Donations rose from £15,839 to £39,389 principally due to a large one-off donation for a specrfic project. The payment for this project was not made until after the financial year end. Other regular donations vRre broadly stable. Our income from events rose from £2,452 to £3,247 due to another successful Quiz night. We are extremely grateful to the FOGADD trustees and their families who organised it and to all those who came along or made donations. Grfi-Aid fell slightly as we are unable to reclaim Gift-aid on all donations such as those from charttable trusts.
Friends of Grahamstown and District Development TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 The average Rand sterting exchange rate VRS broadly similar to the previous financial year. It remains the case that our medium-tenn strategy is to increase our regular donations and reduce our dependence on events, but we recognise the need to continue with events both to raise money and to widen the base of regular supporters. We are extremely grateful to all our supporters who give so generously and provide FOGADD with a sound basis to enable us to carry OLrt our work, which remains much needed in such a poor part of a very poor Province. As ever, we would encourage all regular donors to consider whether they have any friends who might contribute regularly, even on a small scale, to a charity which has virtually no running costs but remains well-managed. Even ten more regular donors would make a significant difference. 11) Allocatlon of Funds How then do we spend the money which we receive? Strate We continue to support six on-going projects but have also agreed to support another project over the next three years which is described further below. The projects we support also continue to provide us Wbth good feedback on their activities, accounting well for the money we send, and in the case of the scholarships, which has always been one of our major outlays, we are now seeing very gratifying results as the scholars go on to higher education or employment. As usual, we report on the projects supported last year individually, setting out our comments on them again below. The trustees are satisfied they have sufficient funds to pay bills and meet any liabilities as they fall due. Scholarshi The amount spent on scholarships fell as one scholar at Victoria Girls High School matriculated in December. We are pleased to report that she is now studying law at Rhodes Universty. Another scholar has now been identified so our number of scholars will rise next year. During 2024-25 we supported six scholars at PJ Olivier and Victoria Girls High School. We are pleased that our matriculating scholar passed matric at bachelors pass level. We are also pleased that FOGADD scholars from previous years conts'nue to do well, either at university or in work. Overall since we began, we have supported more than 40 scholars (including current scholars) and nearly all of them have either gained Universty or Tertiary Education places or gone on to full employment in good quality jobs (or both). In 2024-25 five scholars attended PJ Olivier High School, where the language of instruction is Afrikaans, and attended Victoria Girls High School {see below). All the scholars continue to benefit from the opportunty to attend these good quality schools despite often difficutt home backgrounds. ADRA In the year ended 31 March 2025 a donation of R150,000 (£6, 457) was paid, the same as the previous year. GADRA continues to operate in four main areas. Ils overall objective is to improve the quality of education across the whole of Grahamstown and especially in the more deprived schools. This plan involves a number of initiatives including a mentoring programme at three schools for final year pupils, with that mentoring provided by Rhodes Universty students. This was a significant contributing factor in an exlIent number of passes at University entrance standard from these schools. For many years, GADRA has run the Matric School, which we also continue to support. This provides intensive tuition to school leavers, so as to improve their grades and thus improve their Chances of further education and employment. GADRA is now the leading feeder school in Grahamstown (public or private) for Rhodes University. Since 2010, 1745 students have achieved bachelor level passes and 798 students have been enrolled at Rhodes university. We believe this achievement by GADRA continues to give credibility to the wider project they are undertaking to raise achievement levels in the
Friends of Grahamstown and District Development TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 weaker schools across the city. We are very pleased to continue to make a contribution to this outstanding Matric School. Thirdly there is the mobile science lab which we have helped to fund since its inception, and which our funding continues to support. This 15 now overseen by GADRA because GADRA can provide the financial and other management skills needed to or9anise the work of the mobile science lab. There has been a shift in the project's approach to developing science education in weaker schools. Rather than supplying teachers into the schools, the teachers at the supported schools receive additional training and development through sessions undertaken at Rhodes University. The mobile lab then provides the necessary equipment for pupils to undertake practical wor* in biology and physics, as well as givin9 support for that practical work via the Xhosa speaking assistant. Finally, GADRA has developed two °Vthistlestop° schools, which we also continue to support through our funding. These schools work Nwth deprived children at primary age to develop their literacy and numeracy. and thus to prevent them from falling behind in these key skills eariy in their educational development. So far results for this programme have proved to be outstanding, and we are delighted to be contributing to Èts support. The large donation which was received in this financial year has been commltted to GADRA to help fund the acquisition and refurbishment of suitable premises. Until now they have had to rent class rooms and their operations have been scattered over different sites. We believe the new premises will make their activities even more sustainable and effective In the long temi. Stma 's D8velo ment and Care Centre DCC In the year ended 31 March 2025 8 donation of R45,000 was made (£1, 937), up fmm R40,000 in the prevUS year. We continued to provide funding to the St Mary's DCC which aims to help the children who are enrolled to grow up happy, healthy and Safe. In addition to providing nutrttious lunches after school, the DCC also provides support to over 200 children. It provides homework support, development of academ and physical skills as well as Ilfe skills working with organisations such as the Scouts and they also offer support to families. hild a mil Welfa CF In the year ended 31 March 2025 8 donation of R45,000 (£1,937) was pa compared with R40.000 in the pTrvious fin8ncial year. This charity works with children suffering from abuse and neglect and struggles to retain the professional 8taff required. Rising levels of unemployment mean that more families are struggling and child malnutrition is increasing as well as problems arising from drug and alcohol abuse. Case-loads thus remain high, and salaries need to be competitive if social workers are to be attracted to Grahamstown as there is a national shortage of social workers. As in the past, the FOGADD contribution supports salary costs, aiming to help wÈth staff retention, We are delighted that under Martha Thompson, a qualified social worker who has also worked in the UK, together with the SA management committee of CFW, this important organization continues to develop rts work. As part of that work, it is now successfully running three safe houses for 16 children that have suffered abuse or neglect as well as a pre-school and an after school care programme. Fundraising for CFW remains challenging so VR are pleased that FOGADD is able to conts'nue to contribute to its survival. zama Pre-school In the year ended 31 March 2025 an increased donation of R35,000 (£1,507) was paid, compared with R30,000 in the year ended 31 March 2024. Siyazama remains a model for pr&schools in the township, and our donation enables them to keep their buildings in good repair and provide some small additional funding for staff, who receive only a very small monthly stipend. This year part of the donation went towards giving the staff a small bonus
Friends of Grahamstown and District Development TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 following the award of a Certificate of Excellence to the school by Rhodes Education department as well as new curtains and a tiled sandpit that can be used as a paddling pool in summer Centre for Social Develo ment 'CSD' In the y88r ended 31 March 2025 a donation of R25,000 (£1,076) was paid (in the pvIOuS financial year two donations of R15,000 and R25, 000 weTr paid as the timing of the payment relating to 2023 meant rf fell inside this aGoounting perd). The CSD facilitates the development of early childhood communities and imparts skills to teachers and practitioners to strengthen community Obvned initiatives. CSD operates under the aegis of Rhodes University but is Self-nded and our relationship with them has led to a recent meeting with the Vice- chancellor of Rhodes Untversty to discuss how our different organisations can work together to benefft the city. (The meeting was noted above.) Assum tion Nutrition In the yoar ended 37 Mah 2025, a donation of R15,000 {£646) was paid (year ended 31 March 2024 Iwo donations of R10, 000 and R15, 000 ware paid as the timing of the payment re18ting to 2023 meant it fell inside this accounting p8riod). This project, like St Marys DCC, provides lunches to children who would otherwise not be sure of getting a meal at home. Our donations have been used mosuy for food for children from very poor families. Prickl Pear Pro'ect In the year ended 31 M8rGh 2025 a dOnatn of R30, 000 (£1,291) was m8de as part of 8 three-ygar commitment to this pmject. It is partly fund&d by St Edwa'S ChU1h in York. This project is being run by Rhodes Business School. It will provide developmental seminars for women and youth who sell prickly pears in Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown) and the Local Municipality. The aim is to build their capacsty and enable these vulnerable groups to form COPerativeS that wll provide them with better working condttions and the opportunity for greater economic stabilty. This initiative is aligned with the broader vision of the Makhanda Circle of Unity (MCOU), which (amongst other areas) is to support the transfomiation of the infomial economy and empower marginalized communities through collective enterprise and collaboration. We believe it will also develop the skills of the students who are developing the project. Ill) Costs and Publlcity In all thi5 activty, we seek to keep our costs to the barest minimum. Thus, almost all donations are spent on the needs in SA. Our only costs conts'nue to be the bank charges for each electronic transfer of funds, and a monthly charge from Just Giving. We aim to minimise the bank charges by making just one transfer a year. Everyone involved directly in our work both here and In SA is Contributing voluntarily. The web-site address is www.fo add.or , and we have a facebook page. We also have a short power point presentation which can be delivered to donor organisations such as schools and churches in order to provide their members with more information on our activities. Iv) Grahamstown Watch Commfttee We are grateful for the work of the Watch Committee in Grahamstown which continues to monitor all FOGADD projects and also to advise on other possible worthwhile areas for support. This committee plays a crucial role (along wth the accounts and reports from the relevant organisations) in assuring us that the money raised by FOGADD is well spent. We are very fortunate that such skilled and busy people continue to offer their services. We are delighted that Mrs Margie Keeton, who is inVoed in a number of voluntary organisations in Grahamstown, continues to monitor projects on our behalf, and that Professor Keeton now monitors our banking activity. Although we always make efforts to ensure that we are in regular electronic contact with Grahamstown, and the funded projects, visf(ing on the ground in this way is an extremely important supplement to such
Friends of Grahamstown and District Development TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 indirect contact. Both forms of engagement are recognised at the Eastern Cape end, and both play a role in the efficacy of FOGADD'S work, and in assuring donors of the good use of their funds. We continue to invite key Grahamstown stakeholders to attend trustee meetings on zoom. This has enabled all trustees to gain deeper insights into the activities FOGADD is supporting. As noted above, the quality and dedication of the leaders of all the organisations FOGADD supports was both reassuring and heart-wamiing, with so much still needing to be done. In temis of the wider circumstances in Grahamstownlmakhanda, although the drought broke in 2023, water supplies are affected by failures in the dams and the pumping facilities. Also, once again, the Municipality has still failed, in the reporting period, in effecttvely maintaining roads, sewerage and electricity delivery, keeping public highways clear of grazing animals (cows and donkeys), clearing rubbish and so on. The worst affected by these failures are still the poorest citizens. In late 2024 the State President ordered an investigation of potential corruption in the municipality, now undenNay, so that is indicative of the issues here. In all these circumstances it remains, for another year, of the utmost importance to stress that the achievements of civil society, and in particular the organisations FOGADD supports, are even more impressive, and even more vital. In particular the work in educats'on is outstanding, and this is so crucial both to enable students to gain employment and to enable them to be active citizens. In this area Grahamstownlmakhanda is becoming a leader in the Eastern Cape. In conclusion, we reiterate our thanks to all our donors, and as chairman I yuld once again also like to thank all my fellow trustees for all the work they havè put in over the last year. I would also like to Ihank all those in Grahamstownlmakhanda who send us regular reports on their activities. As this review has indicated the work needed lo raise funds for FOGADD is always challenging. Nonetheless we wish to continue our support and, if possible, to increase it year on year. Recent events have only conflrmed yet again the need for this. Our current plan remains that of maintaining contributions to the activities we currently support, subject to satisfactory reports on their work. However, rf possible, we would like to raise additional fijnds to increase our support for the ambitious project to raise standards in all the fomier 'township' schools. As already indicated, it is likely that the demands will continue to be challenging over the next few years as our support base also faces financial challenges. Having said that the overall sums required remain fairly small when viewed in a larger context and l am confident that we will continue to be motivated to meet the significant needs that continue to require addressing in Grahamstovm. (Prof.) Chrlstopher Megone, Chalrnian of Trust•88. The conversions are approximations using an exchange rate of R23.23 to £1 which was the average for the past year. Pollclos There should be 8 description of the policies 8dopted as follows.. Reserves Policy.. The charty currently operates with minimal resetves at the end of the financial year as normally payments arn made just before the year end. The trustees wish to rBtain minimum level of rgserves to enable the charty to meet its commitment to scholarships each year even rf the is a signrficant fall in dOnatnS. Other donations are at their discretion dependent on the income raised each year. Tnislees are endeavouring to build up its donor base with a view to having cash serVeS gqual to SCholahIp fees Commed, currently of c £7, 000. The year-end reseNes figure of £25, 617 is cunpntly swnrficantly higher but this includes funding for a one off project to whh we have since contributed approximately £20,000. But we will continue to try to build up our reseNes whilst maintaining our support forprojects.
Friends of Grahamstown and District Development TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Grant-making policy- 1. Accountabili and ease of monitorin e.g. proper accounts must be kept., Grahamstovm Watch Committee able to monitor activity and report back on progress and outcome. 2. Effectiveness and achievin outcomes - e.g. monitoring of what scholars have gone on to do" monitoring of results from GADRA matric school and primary schools projects. 3. Meetin our riorities - our priorities are in the areas of education and welfare, with health and sport remaining as secondary targets. 4. Number of le benefitin we want to uplift the whole community, so where we support individuals, as in the scholarship scheme, we shall be looking for knock on benefits forthe wider community. 5. Geo ra - projects nearer to Grahamstown have priority, in part because of greater ease of monitoring via the Watch Committee. 6. Len th of our commitment- important to classify all potential projects as ongoing or one-off. 7. Scholarshi selection independent Grahamstown scholarship committee to recommend scholarship awards for approval by Trustees. Revi8w of major nsks (optional) - Risk.. fallure of pmper allocation of funds overseas Action.. Grahamstown W8toh CoMMee to oversee activities, and accounts received fmm projects supported. Signature and Declaratlon I dedare, in my capacity of charity trustee, that: The trustees have approved the report above,. and Have authorised me to sign it on their behalf. Prof. C Mogone. Chaimian Date: 3181 October 2025
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Friends of Grahamstown and District Development TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Year ended 31 March 2025 Year ended 31 March 2024 Recei Donations and other similar receipts Fundraising events Gift aid Deposit interest Total receipts 39,389 3,247 3,508 126 15,839 2,452 3,657 89 22 Pa men Charitable payments.. Scholarships paid Grants paid Charitable activities Bank charges 7,095 7,532 7,317 53 8,310 8,151 5,792 42 21,997 1,052 Fundraising costs Administration costs Total Payments 22,295 216 23,049 22,511 Net of Receiptsl(Payments) Cash funds last year end Exchange rate differences Cash funds this year end 23,221 3,025 -629 25,617 474 3,819 -320 STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES AT YEAR END for the flnancial year ondod 31 March 2025 31 March 2025 31 March 2024 Total Unrestricted Cash Funds 3,025 Signed by two trustees on behalf of all the trustees.. Prof C Mbgone Date Mrs D Megone 6 2oz5