Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From 01/04/2024 Period start date To 31/03/2025 Period end date
Charity name: Children of Colombia
Charity registration number: 1095987
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | To raise funds for three recognised and respected organisations providing care and education to sick, impoverished and disadvantaged young people in Colombia. |
| Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts. |
Para 1.17 and 1.19 |
Funds have been raised by sponsorship, donations and fundraising events. These funds have been paid out to the specified foundations supported by Children of Colombia which provide support to disadvantaged young people in line with our charity’s objectives. |
| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit |
Para 1.18 | The guidance on public benefit issued by the Charity Commission has been considered by the trustees. No personal benefit is received by the board as all funds are used for the support of our three carefully chosen foundations, with whom trustees maintain close contact to monitor activities and developments. |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| SORP reference | |
|---|---|
| Policy on grant making | Para 1.38 |
| Policy on social investment | Para 1.38 |
| including program related | |
| investment | |
| Contribution made by volunteers |
Para 1.38 |
| Other |
Achievements and Performance
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole. |
Para 1.20 | Funds were donated by a combination of regular and one-off donors. Children of Colombia was therefore able to distribute over £47,500 to the foundations over the year. Fundacion Natutama celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2025. Still recovering from the effects of Covid on tourism and unpredictable climate conditions in the Amazon, the charity continued to make improvements and repairs to its Education Centre which welcomes international visitors and local communities to learn about the underwater world and the conservation of this delicate ecosystem. It purchased equipment to improve essential communications and audio-visual displays in the centre. The education programme covered over 400 children aged 4-12. Its team of educators works closely with schools and the local community, giving classes, field trips and rubbish clean ups. Hogares Luz y Vida continues to offer the highest standards of professional healthcare to over 220 children and young people with mental and physical disabilities, serious and chronic diseases and others who have been abandoned or orphaned. They run two homes in downtown Bogota and another in the countryside, all offering a bright, cheerful and caring environment. Their current project to construct a new, purpose-built home for chronically ill youngsters in Bogota requires major funding which Children of Colombia has plans to contribute towards in 2025/26. After helping many girls from abusive, extremely poor and disadvantaged backgrounds through high school, technical training and university, Fundacion Fenix is expected to close down in the near future (2026). No new students are being recruited and all resources are being used to ensure funding and support for the last two young women taking degrees in Nursing and Social Work, one of whom graduated in early 2025. |
Funds from Children of Colombia helped to support all these essential projects benefiting both individuals and their communities.
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| Achievements against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | The high level of donations has continued due to the generosity of our donors which allowed us to provide a similar level of support to the foundations as in previous years. We wanted to liaise effectively with the foundations with a view to winding down the charity in 2025/26, and we have done so. |
|---|---|---|
| Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | We did not run any specific appeals or engage in direct fundraising activity this year, but we continued to enjoy the financial support of both regular and new donors in 2024/25. |
| Investment performance against objectives |
Para 1.41 | |
| Other |
Financial Review
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | £430 cash held in the bank. The charity ended the period in a very healthy financial position having transferred the balance of funds to the foundations and achieved all its objectives during the year. |
|---|---|---|
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | The charity maintains a reserve to cover regular costs eg Just Giving subscriptions and website maintenance. Funds are periodically distributed to the three foundations supported by Children of Colombia when a sufficient balance in excess of £500 has accumulated to justify the transfer costs or as requested by the foundations. It is the trustees’ stated aim to move funds to the foundations as regularly as possible to maximise the funds available to them. Since the year end, more than £16,174 has been transferred to Natutama, Fenix and Luz y Vida in 2025/26 to date. |
| Amount of reserves held | Para 1.22 | Policy to maintain reserve of approximately £500. The final reserve at 31 March 2025 was £430 due to timing differences of expenses and donations. |
|---|---|---|
| Reasons for holding zero reserves |
Para 1.22 | n/a |
| Details of fund materially in deficit |
Para 1.24 | n/a |
| Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern |
Para 1.23 | At the meeting on Thursday 27 March 2025 Trustees voted unanimously to close the charity Children of Colombia in the 2025/26 year, with major activity due to cease in June 2025 (although final transactions are expected to go through later in the year). The charity continued to receive high levels of financial support from donors and transferred £47,560 to its three nominated educational fundaciones in Colombia in 2024/25 compared with £45,756 in 2023/24 so is happy to end on a high, fulfilling its responsibilities to donors and foundations. Over the past 23 years since it was set up in 2002, Children of Colombia has helped to fund medicines, beds, salaries, books, computers, educational courses and building materials and repairs. The charity is proud to have made a significant difference to the lives of many children and young people in Colombia. It has adhered to the principles of founder Rachel Leighton of keeping overheads to a bare minimum, maintaining regular contact with the organisations in Colombia and monitoring how the money is spent. However, circumstances change and key Trustees are leaving due to pressures of family, work and age. Regular visits to Colombia to monitor how the children are benefiting from the donations are no longer possible. The foundations have also experienced important changes. Some directors are retiring and many of the children are now young adults resulting in the loss of long-established personal contacts. The charity’s website and Just Giving pages have been closed in 2025/26. All remaining funds will be distributed and reported to the Charity Commission in the 2025/26 year. |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising) |
Para 1.47 | The charity raises funds from the public who contribute chiefly via the charity’s Just Giving page or directly to the charity’s bank account. |
|---|---|---|
| Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted |
Para 1.46 | |
| A description of the principal risks facing the charity |
Para 1.46 | |
| Other |
Structure, Governance and Management
| Description of charity’s trusts: |
||
|---|---|---|
| Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter) |
Para 1.25 | Declaration of Trust |
| How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO) |
Para 1.25 | Trust |
| Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees |
Para 1.25 | Appointed by the Board |
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
Policies and procedures Para 1.51 adopted for the induction and training of trustees The charity’s organisational structure and any wider Para 1.51 network with which the charity works Relationship with any related parties Para 1.51 Other
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | Children of Colombia |
|---|---|
| Registered charity number | 1095987 |
| Charity’s principal address | 97 Kingston Road Oxford OX2 6RL |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee(if any) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ms Kate Seal | Chair | Board of Trustees | ||
| Mrs Gwyneth Simmons |
Secretary/Publicity | |||
| Miss Bryony Simmons |
Treasurer | |||
| Mrs Francisca Sankson |
||||
| Ms Alex Raikes | ||||
| Ms Antonia Bonilla |
– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved
Director name
Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity
Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year
Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others
Description of the assets held n/a in this capacity Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets
Additional information (optional)
Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of Name Address adviser
Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)
Exemptions from disclosure
Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details
Other optional information
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature(s) ~~jects Birsmens —~~
~~EP~~ Bryony Simmons Full name(s) Gwyneth Simmons Gwyneth Simmons Position (eg Secretary, Secretary Treasurer Chair, etc) Date 18/12/2025 18/12/2025
CHARITY COMMISSION ' FOR ENGLAND AND WALES No (IT ai)yj 1095987 Children of Colombia Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period from crikJ Lre. dtste To 0110412024 3110312025 Section A Receipts and payments Unrestricted funds to the nearest Restricted funds Endowment funds Total funds Last year to thè nèarest £ to thè nèarest É to thè nèarnst £ to the nearest £ A1 Receipts Donations GIftd Legacy Sub total (Gross income for AR) 9.109 1.300 23.707 1,038 32.816 2,338 36.717 10,409 24.745 35,154 36,717 A2 Asset and investment sales. (see table). Sub total azzz Total receipts 10,409 24,74S 35.154 36.717 A3 Payments Transfers to children'5 foundations Web51te design fees Bank transfer fees Just Giving fees Website hosting Ebay ch8r9e Irefundedl 13,306 100 245 216 26 34,2S4 47.560 100 245 216 45.300 100 115 216 25 Sub totsi 13.893 34,254 48,147 45,756 A4 Asset and investment purchases. (see table) Sub total Total payments 13,893 34,254 48.147 45.756 Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end 3,484 9,509 12,993 9,039 3,956 472 9,467 42 13,423 430 22,462 13.423 CCXX R1 accounts ISSI 2611112025
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unrestricted funds to nèarest £ Restricted funds to nearest £ Endowment funds to nèarèst £ Categories Details B1 Cash funds Cleared funds In bank 472 42 Total cash funds 472 42 (agree balances with rec8lPts and payments aceounllsll OK Unrestricted funds OK Restricted funds to nearest £ Endowment funds to nearest £ Details to nearest £ Fund to which asset belon Currènt valu• ional Details Cost loptionall Fund to which asset belon Current value tional Details Cost loptionall B4 Assets retained for the charity's own use Fund to which relatès Amount due tional When due tional Detalls B5 Liabilities Signed by one or Iruslees on behalf of all the trustees Date of roval Signature Print Name on Simmons 0910912025 CCXX R2 accounts ISSI 2611112025
Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Children of Colombia This report on the financial statements of Children of Colombia (the 'Charity") for the year ended 31 March 2025 is in respect of an examination carried out in accordance with Section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (the "Act"). Respective responsibilities of the Charity and the examiner As trustees of the Charity you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the requirements of the Act. You consider that the audit requirements of section 144 of the Act does not apply. It is my responsibility to issue this report on those financial ststements in accordance with the terms of Section 145 of the Act. Basis of this report My examination was carried out in accordan with the General Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. That examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the Charity and a comparison of the financial statements with those records. It also includes considering any unusual items or disclosures in the financial statements and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the financial statements. Independent examiner's statement In connection with my examination. no matter has come to my attention: (1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Act, and to prepare financial statements which accord with the accounting records and comply with the requirements of the Act have not been met. or (2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the financial statements to be reached. Signed Narne ( ttcLA tsic) ts Address 33 LLOSe , p&IsSiLL(uJ, ILrSTofiJ, STK. Date JA