FRIENDS OF BYUMBA TRUST ANNUAL REPORT 2024-5
TRUSTEES
Mrs Jane Perry
Mr Will Perry
Mrs Rosemary Butler (Treasurer)
Rt Rev Paul Butler (Chair)
OBJECTS OF THE TRUST
The trustees hold the trust fund and its income to apply them for the objects in the Diocese of Byumba, Rwanda.
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The relief of poverty
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The provision of education for children, young people and adults.
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The promotion of the Christian religion
The Trust has continued to support the work of the Diocese of Byumba, Rwanda through the gifts of its small number of donors. During the year support has continued for the work of relieving poverty, education and the promotion of the Christian faith. This has included support for individuals and for work undertaken like that of Hannah Ministries.
During this year the Diocese was hit very hard, along with all churches and other faith communities across Rwanda, by the Government’s sudden, and unexpected, implementation of its 2018 law relating to the building standards of places of worship, and the educational level of leaders of churches. When it was passed in 2018 the Government said it would not implement for at least 5 years to allow time for work to be done on church buildings, and upgrading of education to be undertaken to degree level for lead pastors. However, during that 5 year period the Covid pandemic occurred. The Rwandan Government imposed one of the firmest ‘lockdowns’ anywhere in the world that lasted almost 2 years. During this period no work could be done on the church buildings and access to higher education was also limited. The sudden and unannounced decision by the Government to inspect all buildings with only one month’s notice and to enforce the educational requirements led to around 80% of all places of worship being closed across the Diocese (a similar impact to the country as a whole). Since pastors’ income comes almost exclusively from the regular giving of those who gather to worship there was a major impact on all pastors and their families. The Diocese began to work quickly on identifying which buildings could be brought up to standard relatively quickly, and those for whom this was very unlikely. They also identified which pastors could proceed to degree level training, and those for whom this would not be possible. However, there were no funds for helping churches with their buildings or for training the number of pastors identified.
In 2023 the Trustees had been notified that Miss Margaret Court, a former Mission Partner in Rwanda, had left one third of the bulk of her estate to the Trust. This news came completely out of the blue. It was also unclear how much this would amount to. The Executors of her estate did explain that the main part of the estate would be from the sale of her house. During this year it became clear that the Trust would be in receipt of something over £100,000. The Trustees recognised that this placed the Trust in a new position in relation to Charity Law requirements. Work was done on developing a range of policies and procedures to ensure that we could handle the increased finances properly. A Safeguarding Policy was also introduced. The Trustees began conversations with Bishop Emmanuel Ngendehayo about the use of this money to support the needs that had emerged around church buildings, clergy training and possible longer term developmental work. In due course other members of the Diocesan leadership worked with the Bishop on these.
In early January 2025 near the close of the financial year the Trust received payment from the estate of £157,845.08. Trustees have agreed that this legacy should be used primarily to help the Diocese through the current crisis and be spent over a 3-5 year period. The initial focus with the first payment made in January 2025 was to support the upgrading of 18 church buildings and to support clergy who were able to do so to raise their education to bachelor degree level, and to enhance the training of some to masters degree level. This would mean commitment to 3 and 2 years funding for the pastors. There would also be help for the families of those undertaking the bachelor’s training as they would not be receiving income from a parish during this time.
So the year ended with the largest amount of money the Trust has ever had in the bank. But this has to be seen against the small number of regular donors and the likelihood that once the Court legacy has been used the question of the Trust’s long term viability will re-emerge, unless significant new donors are found.
Rt Rev Paul Butler - Chair
Deposits and Payments 01/02/2024 to 31/01/2025
Payments
Deposits
| Deposits | |
|---|---|
| Banana Cards | 50.00 |
| Education |
1,076.59 |
| General Fund | 9,435.62 |
| Hannah Ministry | 180.00 |
| M Court Legacy157,844.08 | |
| Clergy Training | 780.00 |
| Widows Work | 575.00 |
| Payments | |
|---|---|
| Banana Cards | -50.00 |
| Education | -1,500.00 |
| General Fund | -9,745.62 |
| Hannah Ministry -230.00 | |
| M Court Legacy | -20,300.00 |
| Clergy training | -845.00 |
| Widows Work | -575.00 |
| General Admin | -207.00 |
| TOTAL PAYMENTS | -33,452.62 |
TOTAL INCOME 169,941.29
Balance income over expenditure 136,488.67
Balance at start of year 1810.13 Balance at year end 138,298.80
FRIENDS OF BYUMBA TRUST
YEAR ENDED 31 JANUARY 2025
PAYMENTS PER BANK STATEMENTS
PAYMENTS PER FUND ACCOUNTS
| BANANA | HANNAH | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DATE TOTAL |
COMM | BNK CHGS | CARDS | EDUC | GEN FUND MINISTRY |
LEGACY | TRAINING | WIDOWS | TOTAL | ||
| 12.03.24 1316.91 |
30.00 | 8.50 | 543.41 | 450.00 90.00 |
195.00 | 1316.91 | |||||
| 19.08.24 1623.50 |
30.00 | 8.50 | 540.00 | 630.00 90.00 |
325.00 | 1623.50 | |||||
| 24.10.24 3322.71 |
22.00 | 8.50 | 116.59 | 3025.62 20.00 |
130.00 | 3322.71 | |||||
| 18.11.24 2465.50 |
22.00 | 8.50 | 2360.00 10.00 |
65.00 | 2465.50 | ||||||
| 08.01.25 4295.50 |
22.00 | 8.50 | 50.00 | 300.00 | 3190.00 20.00 |
130.00 | 575.00 | 4295.50 | |||
| 22.01.25 20428.50 |
30.00 | 8.50 | 90.00 | 20300.00 | 20428.50 | ||||||
| £ 33452.62 | 156.00 | 51.00 | 50.00 | 1500.00 | 9745.62 230.00 |
20300.00 | 845.00 | 575.00 | 33452.62 | ||
| BANK RECEIPTS PER FUND | BANK ACCOUNT | ||||||||||
| Banana Cards | 50.00 | Balance per statement 1 February 2024 | Balance per statement 1 February 2024 | 1745.13 | |||||||
| Education | 1076.59 | Adjustment receipt not cleared | 65.00 | ||||||||
| General Admin | - | ||||||||||
| General Fund | 9435.62 | 1810.13 | |||||||||
| Hannah Ministry | 180.00 | Add: Receipts | 169941.29 | ||||||||
| Margaret Court Legacy | 157844.08 | ||||||||||
| Ordinands Training | 780.00 | 171751.42 | |||||||||
| Widows Work | 575.00 | Less: Payments | (33452.62) | ||||||||
| Per Bank Receipts £ |
169941.29 | Closing balance | £ | 138298.80 | |||||||
| I have examined all the records supplied to me by the Trustees. From those | BANK RECONCILIATION | ||||||||||
| records, and further information provided, I confirm that the records show a true | records, and further information provided, I confirm that the records show a true | ||||||||||
| accounts of transactions for the year ended 31 January 2025. | accounts of transactions for the year ended 31 January 2025. | accounts of transactions for the year ended 31 January 2025. | Balance per statement 31 January 2025 | Balance per statement 31 January 2025 | 138233.80 | ||||||
| Add: receipt not cleared | 65.00 | ||||||||||
| Per closing funds balance | £ | 138298.80 |
Barbara-A Smith A.T.T.
Honorary Examiner.