**Annual Report 2023-24** We change lives together
## **Contents**
|**ontents**||
|---|---|
|Who we are|**3**|
|Where we work|**4**|
|Our Life-Changing Programmes|**5**|
|Life Essentials|**6**|
|Building Skills|**8**|
|Sustaining Life|**10**|
|Crisis Support|**12**|
|Lives Changed|**14**|
|Our Local Project Leaders and Teams|**15**|
|Chairs’ Report|**16**|
|Lives Changed|**17**|
|Our Impact in 2023-24|**18**|
|Structure, Governance and Management|**24**|
|Lives Changed|**28**|
|Annual Accounts|**29**|
|---|---|
|Financial Report|**30**|
|Statement of Financial Activities|**31**|
|Balance Sheet|**32**|
|Directors’ Statements|**33**|
|Notes forming part of the Financial Statements|**34**|
|Independent Examiner’s report|**42**|
|Lives Changed|**43**|
|Looking Ahead|**44**|
|With grateful thanks toall our supporters|**45**|
2
## Who we **are**
People against Poverty is more than a charity. We are a #movementforchange, a global community of like-minded individuals, organisations and businesses that share a passion to alleviate poverty and suffering around the world. We fund projects that enable selfsufficiency, supporting people to find their pathway out of poverty, creating lasting impact for individuals and communities.
3
## Where we **work**
This year we have been funding projects in Haiti, India, Malawi, Romania, Tanzania and the UK.
4
Our Life-changing Programmes
Life Essentials
• Building Skills
Sustaining Life
Crisis Support
## Life **Essentials**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Supporting children and families
to have the basic essentials of
life – food, water, and clothing.
Without these in place, it is
impossible to take the next
step out of poverty –
building skills.
**----- End of picture text -----**
6
## Life Essentials **Projects**
First Steps Haiti, Tanzania, Malawi, India, Romania Community Support Romania
Dignity, Fresh Veg for Foodbanks & Preparing4Work UK
7
## Building **Skills**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Supporting children to get a good
education, and young people and
adults to achieve further education,
or gain a vocational/business skill
that will help them to provide for
themselves, their families, and
in some cases, their
wider community.
**----- End of picture text -----**
**8**
## Building Skills **Projects**
Education and vocational skills training Malawi, Romania, UK
Women’s Self-Help Groups (small business training) Malawi
9
## Sustaining **Life**
Supporting people to take the next step, either moving into employment, starting up their own business, or funding infrastructure for self-sustaining communities.
**10**
## Sustaining Life **Projects**
Seeds for Sustainability Malawi
Borehole Wells India
Micro Farm Romania
**11**
## Crisis **Support**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Supporting our partners and the
communities they serve in times
of crisis or emergency such as
natural disasters, extreme
weather or violence.
**----- End of picture text -----**
**12**
## Crisis Support **Projects**
## Support provided in:
Haiti Romania for Ukrainian refugees
**13**
## Lives **Changed**
_‘You have given me a hook to fish for myself and I am eating fish every day. God bless you.’_
## Women’s Self-Help Groups, **Malawi**
‘Before I joined the Self-Help group, I was suffering a lot because I did not know what to do and how to start a business. But after learning about savings and business through training organized by Ekwendeni Hospital AIDS programme and PaP, I gained skills which helped me to start a business of selling second-hand clothes. Before I started this business, I first of all did market research which helped to know the type of business to start in my area. The business gives me a profit each month which I use to buy daily provisions and repay the loan. I am proud and very happy because now my family is able to eat good food. I am grateful to Ekwendeni Hospital and PaP for the knowledge and skills planted in me. You have given me a hook to fish for myself and I am eating fish every day. God bless you.’
## Lizzie
**14**
## Our Local Project Leaders and **Teams**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
ROMANIA
Valentine Petronella Adrian Carmelia Vasile
Community Support Programmes, Iaşi Community Support Programme, Urşiţa
**----- End of picture text -----**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Costel Tatiana
First Steps Unceşti;
Micro Farm
**----- End of picture text -----**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
HAITI MALAWI
Atilla Adele Gertrude Sheri Webster
Children’s Home & Social Programme, First Steps Haiti First Steps Malawi; Seeds for Sustainability;
Reghin Women’s Self-Help Groups
**----- End of picture text -----**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
UK TANZANIA
Jill
Dignity; Fresh Veg for
Foodbanks; Preparing4Work
**----- End of picture text -----**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
INDIA
Joseph Hannah
First Steps Tanzania
**----- End of picture text -----**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Prasant Grace
**----- End of picture text -----**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
First Steps India;
Borehole Wells
**----- End of picture text -----**
**15**
## Chairs’ **Report**
We are delighted to be writing this report for the last fiscal year. During this time, we shared the duties as Chair of the Board of Trustees and once again, have been heartened by what has been achieved this year, and excited by what will be achieved in the years to come.
An important part of our focus this year has been to implement our new five-year strategy for the charity. The strategy was developed in discussion between the CEO and the Trustees and formally approved by the Board of Trustees in April 2023. It centres around three key mission-based goals:
- Grow reach: increase our programme portfolio, and increase visibility through social media and key marketplaces
- Grow impact: improve quality standards through our partnership development programme, and expand our impact through new joint projects with UK partners.
- Grow income: attract new business supporters to our ‘movement for change’ and create new opportunities under all income streams.
As a result, the theme this year has been very forward-looking. Building on the foundations set in past years, we are now delivering on our new goals and initiatives.
The context of the world we are operating in has even more urgency than in the past, with more people experiencing poverty and financial hardship. This has also impacted many charities worldwide and we see many struggling to continue to exist, with businesses squeezing their philanthropic support to meet the new, more expensive world we all live in. Within that context, we are extremely grateful for all the business and individuals who continue to support us. Indeed, against this international trend, our voluntary income has not changed significantly over the year, allowing us to continue in the work we do.
Our projects and the 1000s of people we help each year are doing well around the world, and we have seen some expansion to our portfolio this year, with three new projects.
In Malawi, through our _Seeds for Sustainability_ project, we have been supplying families with seeds and fertilizer so they have enough crops to eat and sell, thereby ‘growing’ their way out of poverty. Also in Malawi we have supported 60 women to learn business skills through _Women’s Self-Help Groups_ , enabling them to start up a small business through their group loan scheme. Our new UK-based _Preparing4Work_ initiative is supporting people living in temporary or challenging living conditions such as homelessness, to get a shower, haircut and clean clothes when preparing for a job interview, or other important appointment.
Further progress was made in impact monitoring and our 18 projects around the world now have a good framework to report their impact. This gives us greater visibility in how and where our funds are deployed and the impact this has made, and just as importantly, how we can adapt to changing circumstances to ensure we maximise impact.
Overall, this has been a positive year. We have a new foundation to move forward from into a new financial year full of opportunity, with no doubt many challenges. We hold firm to the belief that in some small way, we can make this world a better place.
Of course, none of this would have been possible if it wasn’t for our dedicated supporters and volunteers. Without your support we simply couldn’t do it. So, many thanks to all the businesses and individuals who have so generously supported our projects this last year. We look forward to building our relationship further with you in the coming year and beyond, and should you wish to get involved with People against Poverty and the work we do, please do get in touch.
Paul Van Haver, Dr Harvey Maylor: Chairs of Trustees
**16**
## Lives **Changed**
## Preparing4Work, **UK ‘** _**It is difficult to capture the depth of the feeling of gratitude that people have expressed at the value of a shower and clean clothes.’**_
‘A young man came to the foodbank struggling with addiction and mental health issues. He had been homeless since he was 17. After initially supporting him with food, we started to build trust with him and were able to provide him with a tent, and to arrange appointments to be registered with the GP, etc. The real turning point for him was being able to access a shower and clean clothes and shoes through the _Preparing4Work_ project. After this he was able to find temporary accommodation and then his own flat and has since become a volunteer at a group for men with mental health issues with a view to being able to work in the future.’
Project Leader, UK
17
Our Impact
in 2023-24
## In 2023-24 **we supported**
**2224** individuals **348** families **527** children _(_ _**105** sponsored)_
**19**
## In 2023-24 **we provided**
**74** children with an education **5** young people with support for higher education **55** children with a hot meal every day ( **154** every week) **173** children with school supplies (eg uniform & books) **109** children with a place at an activity club
20
## In 2023-24 **we helped**
**8** people to gain a qualification **67** people to gain a vocational skill **10** people to prepare for work **24** people get into employment **61** individuals to start their own business
**21**
## In 2023-24 **we supported**
8 people to gain a qualification **51** individuals with legal aid 67 people to gain a vocational skill **23** individuals with medical aid 10 people to prepare for work 24 people get into employment **66** individuals with counselling 61 individuals to start their own business 78 people to become self-sufficient
22 22
## In 2023-24 **we funded**
**1** borehole well giving 75 individuals ( **18** families) access to fresh water **1326** packs of fresh veg for people in need **32** white goods for people in crisis
23
## Structure, Governance and **Management**
processes, the budget and recent financial statements. Trustees are encouraged to attend appropriate external training events where these will facilitate the undertaking of their role.
## Governing Document
The organisation is a charitable company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 8 April 2003, and registered as a charity on 6 June 2003 with the Charity Commission. The company was established under a Memorandum of Association that established the objects and powers of the charitable company and is governed under its Articles of Association. Anyone over the age of 18 can become a member of the company and in this financial year there were eight members, each of whom agreed to contribute £1 in the event of the charity winding up.
## Organisation
The Board of Trustees governs the charity. Trustee meetings are held quarterly and trustees are provided with a variety of reports to update them on all key activities of the charity including up-to-date financial
information. The Chief Executive Officer (appointed by the trustees) undertakes the daily running of the charity together with volunteers, and external service providers who provide a range of specialist expertise. To facilitate effective operations, the Chief Executive Officer has delegated authority, within terms of delegation approved by the trustees, for operational matters including finance, employment and project-related activity. Future strategy is developed in agreement between the Chief Executive Officer and the Chair of Trustees. Strategy is reviewed and agreed by the Board of Trustees to ensure the Charity continues to work towards its stated objectives and there is appropriate mitigation of all major risks identified.
## Appointment of Trustees
The trustees, who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, have the power to recommend and appoint new or additional trustees, and to remove any trustee provided the number of trustees does not fall below a minimum of three. Trustees are selected to have a wide range of business and charity experience, and are required to gain an understanding of all aspects of the charity’s work. Ideally, where possible, trustees will visit one of our international projects. Trustee vacancies are advertised externally.
## Trustee Induction and Training
## Related Parties and co-operation with other Organisations
New trustees are invited to attend trustee induction and training sessions with existing trustees, the CEO and other key members of staff as appropriate to learn more about the charity and its programmes and projects. They are briefed on their legal obligations under charity and company law, the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit, the Memorandum and Articles of Association, the Board and decision-making
None of our trustees receives remuneration or other benefit from their work with the charity. Any connection of substantial influence and/or control between a trustee or officer of the charity with a supplier must be disclosed to the full Board of Trustees in the same way as any other contractual relationship with a related party. In the financial year 2023-24, no such connections were reported.
24
## Structure, Governance and **Management**
## Pay Policy
## Trustees’ responsibilities in relation to the Financial Statements
The Board of Directors (who are the trustees) appoint the CEO. The pay of staff is reviewed annually and increased in line with inflation where possible.
The charity trustees are responsible for preparing a trustees’ annual report and financial statements in accordance with applicable law and UK Accounting Standards (UK GAAP). Company law requires charity trustees to prepare financial statements for each year, which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including income and expenditure of the charity for that period. In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are required to:
All directors give of their time freely and no director received remuneration in the year. Details of directors’ expenses and related party transactions are disclosed in notes 16 & 17 to the accounts.
## Risk Management
The trustees have a risk management strategy, which comprises:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- a quarterly review of the principal risks and uncertainties that the charity faces;
- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
- the establishment of policies, systems and procedures to mitigate those risks identified;
- make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
- the implementation of procedures designed to minimize or manage any potential impact on the charity should those risks materialise.
The review has identified that financial sustainability is an ongoing financial risk for the charity. A key element in the management of financial risk is a regular review of available unrestricted funds – and the establishment of a reserves policy.
- inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
25
## Structure, Governance and **Management**
The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information of the charity.
- _to advance the Christian religion in any part of the world_
- _for such other charitable objects as the trustees shall from time to time in their absolute discretion determine_
## Statement as to disclosure to our Independent Examiner
The staff and trustees of the charity continue to be motivated by the words of Isaiah 58 verse 7:
Insofar as the trustees are aware at the time of approving our trustees’ annual report:
- _“Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide_
- _the poor wanderer with shelter”_
- there is no relevant information, being information needed by the examiner in connection with preparing their report, of which the examiner is unaware, and;
Under its objects, the charity has three main aims:
- the trustees, having made enquiries of fellow directors and the examiner that they ought to have individually taken, have each taken all steps that he/she is obliged to take, as directors in order to make themselves aware of any relevant information and to establish that the examiner is aware of that information.
1. to help break the cycle of poverty for the deprived of the world, by empowering them to become self-sufficient
2. to partner with UK businesses in the fight against poverty
3. to raise awareness of poverty so that people in the UK are better able to understand the situation of the world’s poor
## Objects and Activities
People against Poverty’s objects as per the charity’s Memorandum and Articles of Association are:
In delivering our objectives for the year and planning our activities, the trustees have had due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit, including the guidance ‘public benefit: running a charity (PB2)’.
- _relief of poverty, deprivation and distress of all people throughout the world with particular reference to third world countries, by providing practical expertise, equipment, tools, machinery, transport, appliances, building and other materials, medical supplies, seeds, fertilizers, water supply and drainage equipment, clothing, shelter, money and other necessities_
26
## Structure, Governance and **Management**
## **Trustees in 2023-24**
## Charity Name: People against Poverty
Charity Number: 1097858 Company Number: 04727350
Registered Office and Operational Address:
c/o The Alanbrookes Group Ltd., 10 Market Square, Devizes, Wiltshire, SN10 1HT
## Directors and Trustees:
The directors of the charitable company (the charity) are its trustees for the purpose of charity law. The trustees serving during the year 2023-24 were as follows:
Paul Van Haver Dr Harvey Maylor
Andrew Fisher
Mr Paul Van Haver (Chair: Apr-Sept 2023) Dr Harvey Maylor (Chair from Sept 2023) Mr Andrew Fisher (Treasurer) Rhoderline Kyeme (Company Secretary) Mr William Huxley Mr Stuart Brown
Ms Karen Ramirez (resigned July 2023) Mr Benjamin Veal (resigned Nov 2023)
Bankers: (1) The Cooperative Bank, P.O.Box 250, Skelmersdale, WN8 6WT;
Rhoderline Kyeme
William Huxley Stuart Brown
(2) CAF Bank Limited, 25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent ME19 4JQ
(Fundraising) and
- (3) WISE, 6th Floor of The Tea Building, 56 Shoreditch High Street, London, E1 6JJ
Independent Examiner: Shadik Masud (ACCA)
Finance Box Limited, 128b The Street, Rustington, Littlehampton, West Sussex BN16 3DA
Benjamin Veal
Karen Ramirez
Belinda Wadsworth Chief Executive Officer
27
## Lives **Changed**
## Borehole well in Mandruvalsa, **India**
Access to fresh water is the ultimate life essential, and the installation of borehole wells brings lasting change to communities, helping to address water-borne diseases and improving the day-to-day health of all. This borehole well, installed in the remote mountainous village of Mandruvalsa brought fresh clean water to this community of 75 individuals, 18 families and 39 children.
28
## **Annual Accounts**
Financial period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
29
## Financial **Report**
Against a background of continually rising costs for small organisations, coupled with the ongoing cost of living crisis, there was a fall in total income from £166k to £140k, but the charity actually did well considering the national trend for small charities, because voluntary income only decreased from £150k to £136k, the remaining shortfall resulting from an anticipated reduction in income from events and other activities for generating funds from £16k to £3k, due to internal changes. The charity remained in a strong financial position throughout the year and was able to impact many lives through the four programmes detailed elsewhere in the report.
Expenditure at £175k was broadly level with last year’s £176k but this year included a one-off exceptional item, being redundancy costs of £20k. Other staffing costs fell from £46k to £24k, counterbalanced by a planned increased use of services from outside – these were £33k vs £12k last year. All monies not directly related to the projects are paid for out of unrestricted funds. Although expenditure on charitable activities from the restricted funds reduced from £108k to £93k, it continued to comfortably exceed restricted income (£78k vs £72K) as we continue to spend down our cash reserves. These amounted to £79k at the year end, compared with £118k last year, total funds being £83k vs £119k.
Business donations increased from £29k to £32k. Business contributions are 100% unrestricted and the charity is able to distribute funds to both project work and to overheads as the need arises. Consequently, much effort was expended during the year under review and in the current year to maintain and develop this income stream.
The charity is currently dependent upon the following sources of income: voluntary donations, fundraising, direct project sponsorship,
business donations, and events. These sustain its charitable activities and allow the charity to continue to operate. To protect the charity from the risk of income fluctuations and to avoid closure if funding difficulties were to happen, the trustees have agreed to keep a certain level of financial reserves to ensure that operations can continue for a period of at least two months, although higher levels of reserves are now being retained due to the uncertain world situation, and the current agreed minimum reserves level is set at £25,915.
Expenditure is reviewed regularly and the level of financial reserves is monitored to ensure it covers staff salaries, employer national insurance, pensions, and basic running costs. The main concerns of the trustees are to ensure:
- that staff can continue working – primarily to secure new funding, and in addition to continue operations at a minimal level
- that donors and project leaders funded monthly are given sufficient notice of any changes
The reserves policy is reviewed annually and whenever there are significant changes in operational or regular project costs. The trustees, having regard to the liquidity requirements of operating the charity, have kept available funds in a Co-op Bank deposit account to obtain some interest.
Andrew Fisher FCA Treasurer
Paul Van Haver, Dr Harvey Maylor Chairs of Trustees
30
|
**Statement of Financial Actvites - Year Ending 31st March 2024**
|
**Statement of Financial Actvites - Year Ending 31st March 2024**
|
|---|---|
|
**Notes**|
**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**Balance at**
**31st March**
**2024**
**Balance at**
**31st March**
**2023**|
|**Incoming resources**|**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**|
|||
|Incoming resources from
generated funds||
|Voluntary income
**1**|58,976
76,912
135,888
150,011|
|Actvites for generatng funds
**2**|3,139
-
3,139
15,799|
|
Investment income
**3**|1,028
-
1,028
418|
|||
|Total incoming resources|63,143
76,912
140,055
166,228|
|||
|**Resources expended**||
|||
|Cost of generatng funds||
|
Cost of generatng voluntary income
**4**|36,360
-
36,360
20,956|
|
Charitable actvites
**5**|44,219
93,058
137,277
153,204|
|
Governance costs
**6**|1,872
-
1,872
1,748|
|||
|Total resources expended|82,451
93,058
175,509
175,908|
|||
|**Net income surplus/(defcit) for the year before transfers**|(19,308)
(16,146)
(35,454)
(9,680)|
|||
|**Transfers**||
|Gross transfers between funds|17,637
(17,637)|
|||
|Net incoming resources for the year
before other recognised gains and losses||
||(1,671)
(33,783)
(35,454)
(9,680)|
|||
|Gains/(losses) on revaluaton of fxed
asset for the charity's own use||
||-
-
-
-|
|**Net movement in funds**|(1,671)
(33,783)
(35,454)
(9,680)|
|||
|**Reconciliaton of funds**||
|
Total funds brought forward|45,694
73,144
118,839
128,519|
|Total funds carried forward|44,023
39,361
83,384
118,839|
31
**Balance Sheet - Year Ending 31st March 2024**
|**Notes**|**Balance at 31st**
**March 2024**
**Balance at 31st**
**March 2023**|
|---|---|
|**Fixed assets**|**£**
**£**|
|Tangible assets
**7**|325
600|
|||
|**Current assets**||
|Debtors
**8**|7,747
949|
|Cash at bank and in
hand
**9**|78,816
117,754|
|||
|**Total current assets**|86,563
118,703|
|||
|**Liabilites**||
|Creditors due within
one year
**10**|3,504
465|
|**Net current assets**|83,059
118,239|
||
|
|**Total net assets**|83,384
118,839|
|||
|**Represented by unrestricted funds**||
|General purpose fund|44,023
45,694|
|||
|**Restricted fund**
**11**|39,361
73,144|
|**Total funds**|83,384
118,839|
32
## **Directors’ statements required by Section 475 for the period ended 31st March 2024**
In approving these financial statements as directors of the company, we hereby confirm:
These financial statements are prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies and in accordance with Financial Reporting Standard 102 1A. They constitute the annual accounts required by the Companies Act 2006 and are for circulation to members of the company.
- (a) that for the period stated above, the company was entitled to the exemption conferred by Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006;
- (b) that no notice has been deposited at the registered office of the company pursuant to Section 476 requesting that an audit be conducted for the period ended 31st March 2024; and
- (c) that we acknowledge our responsibilities for:
The notes on pages 34 to 41 form part of these accounts.
1. ensuring that the company keeps accounting records which comply with Section 386, and
These financial statements were approved by the Board of Directors on 3 October 2024 and signed on behalf of the Board by:
2. preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company as at the end of the financial period and of its profit and loss for the period then ended in accordance with the requirements of Sections 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the provisions of the Companies Act 2006 relating to the financial statements, so far as applicable to the charitable company.
Paul Van Haver, Dr Harvey Maylor Chairs of Trustees
On behalf of the Trustees
33
## **Notes forming part of the Financial Statements**
## Accounting Policies
Incoming resources are all reported gross, and the Statement of Financial Activities recognises all incoming resources becoming available to the charity during the year. The value of services provided by volunteers has not been included in the financial statements.
The principal accounting policies adopted, judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty in the preparation of the financial statements are as follows. The accounting policies have been applied consistently throughout the year and in the preceding year.
## Basis of Preparation
Donated services and facilities are included at the value to the charity where this can be quantified. They are recognised as income when the charity has control over the item, any conditions associated with the donated item have been met, the receipt of economic benefit from the use by the charity of the item is probable and that economic benefit can be measured reliably. On receipt, donated services and facilities are recognised on the basis of the value of the gift to the charity that is the amount the charity would have been willing to pay to obtain services or facilities of equivalent economic benefit on the open market; a corresponding amount is then recognised in expenditure in the period of receipt.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with Financial Reporting Stand 102 section 1A and the Companies Act 2006. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note (s). The accounts have been prepared on a going concern basis.
## Income Recognition
Incoming resources are included in the Statement of Financial Activities when the charity becomes entitled to the resources, any performance conditions attached to the item(s) of income have been met or are fully within the control of the charity, the trustees are virtually certain they will receive the resources and the monetary value can be measured with sufficient reliability.
Incoming resources from charitable activities are accounted for when earned. Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity.
34
## **Notes forming part of the Financial Statements**
## Resources Expended
Legacy income is accounted for on a receivable basis. Receipt of a legacy, in whole or part, is only considered probable when the amount can be measured reliably and the charity has been notified of the executor’s intention to make a distribution. Where legacies have been notified to the charity or the charity is aware of the granting of probate, and the criteria for income recognition have not been met, then the legacy is treated as a contingent asset and disclosed if material.
Expenditure is recognised as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to pay out resources, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Resources expended are shown gross and accruals are included in creditors for all known liabilities relating to the year.
Grants receivable are normally accounted for when received, except where they relate to a specified future period, in which case they are treated as deferred income. Grants where entitlement is not conditional on the delivery of a specific performance by the charity are recognised when the charity becomes unconditionally entitled to the grant.
Cost of generating funds relate to the costs incurred by the charitable company in encouraging others to make voluntary contributions to it and the costs for fundraising.
Governance costs of the charitable company comprise of costs of the management of its assets and compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements and include fees and costs linked to the strategic management of the charity.
## Fund Accounting
Restricted funds are funds subject to specific conditions imposed by the funders and relate to specific projects. Expenditure that meets these criteria is charged to the funds.
Unrestricted funds are available to spend on activities that further any of the purposes of the charity. Unrestricted funds comprise accumulated surpluses and deficits on general funds and are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the objects of the charitable company and to cover operational costs.
35
## **Notes forming part of the Financial Statements**
## Fixed Assets
Depreciation is provided on all tangible fixed assets bought in the UK costing more than £100 at rates calculated to write off the cost of each asset over its expected useful life to its residual value.
The depreciation rates in use are as follows:
- Computer equipment 33% straight line
## Debtors
Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid. Gift Aid due is valued at the amount received after the year-end, which relates to donations received before the year-end.
## Cash at Bank and in Hand
Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and monies on deposit.
## Creditors
Creditors are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably.
36
**Notes forming part of the Financial Statements**
|**Note**|Unrestricted Funds
Restricted Funds
31st March 2024
31st March 2023|
|---|---|
|**1**
**Voluntary income**|£
£
£
£|
|Donatons|14,858
76,912
91,770
105,815|
|
Gif Aid|12,148
-
12,148
15,349|
|
BaP donatons|31,970
-
31,970
28,847|
|
Total|58,976
76,912
135,888
150,011|
|||
|**2**
**Actvites for**
**generatng funds**|Unrestricted Funds
Restricted Funds
31st March 2024
31st March 2023|
||£
£
£
£|
|||
|Events|3,139
-
3,139
15,799|
|Total|3,139
-
3,139
15,799|
|||
||Unrestricted Funds
Restricted Funds
31st March 2024
31st March 2023|
|**3**
**Investment income**|£
£
£
£|
|Interest on bank
deposits|1,028
-
1,028
418|
|Total|1,028
-
1,028
418|
37
|**4**
**Costs of generatng voluntary income**|Unrestricted Funds
Restricted Funds
31st March 2024
31st March 2023|
|---|---|
||£
£
£
£|
|Events|122
-
122
5,521|
|Marketng costs|0
-
0
120|
|
Services costs|32,751
-
32,751
12,044|
|Ofce and admin costs|3,487
-
3,487
1,991|
|
Networking|0
-
0
1,280|
|Total|36,360
-
36,360
20,956|
|||
|||
|**5**
**Charitable actvites**|Unrestricted Funds
Restricted Funds
31st March 2024
31st March 2023|
||£
£
£
£|
|Life Essentals|34,443
34,443
39,901|
|Building Skills|7,324
7,324
8,485|
|Sustaining Life|2,000
2,000
2,317|
|Crisis Support|3,809
3,809
4,413|
|First Steps|45,482
45,482
52,690|
|Exceptonal item - redundancy|20,000
-
20,000
0|
|Staf Costs|24,219
-
24,219
45,399|
|
Total|44,219
93,058
137,277
153,204|
|||
|||
|||
|**6**
**Governance costs**|Unrestricted Funds
Restricted Funds
31st March 2024
31st March 2023|
||£
£
£
£|
|Independent Examiners fee|600
-
600
100|
|Depreciaton|177
177
0|
|
Banking costs|1,095
-
1,095
1,648|
|Total|1,872
-
1,872
1,748|
38
|**7**
**Tangible fxed assets**|Computers
Fixtures & Fitngs
Total|Computers
Fixtures & Fitngs
Total|
|---|---|---|
||
£
£
£||
|Cost at 1st April 2023|600
-
600||
|Additons|-
-
0||
|
Disposals|-
-
0||
|At 31st March 2024|600
-
600||
||||
|Depreciaton at 1st April 2023|-
-
0||
|
Charge this year|177
-
177||
|Eliminated on disposal|-
-
0||
|Other adjustment|98
-
98||
|At 31st March 2024|275
-
275||
||||
|NBV at 31st March 2024|325
-
325||
||||
|NBV at 31st March 2023|600
-
600||
||||
||||
|**8**
**Debtors**||31st March 2024
31st March 2023|
|||£
£|
|Gif Aid debtor||6,440
617|
|
Sundry debtors||30
17|
|Accrued income||1,277
315|
|Total||7,747
949|
||||
||||
|**9**
**Cash at bank and in hand**||31st March 2024
31st March 2023|
|||£
£|
|Co-op bank||78,816
117,606|
|CAF bank||-
147|
|Total||78,816
117,753|
39
|**10**
**Creditors falling due within one year**||31st March
2024
31st March
2023|
|---|---|---|
|||£
£|
|Trade creditors||2,478
-|
|Tax and Social Security||426
365|
|Independent Examiner fee accrual||600
100|
|Total||3,504
465|
||||
||||
|**11**
**Restricted fund**|Balance at
31.03.2023|Incoming
resources
Outgoing
resources
Transfers
between funds
Balance at
31.03.2024|
||£|£
£
£
£|
|Life Essentals|27,363
23,229
(35,584)
(6,358)
8,650||
|
Building Skills|7,492
2,100
(8,845)
(1,985)
(1,238)||
|Sustaining Life|11,209
0
(6,451)
(1,008)
3,750||
|Crisis Support|7,492
4,459
(6,215)
(1,807)
3,929||
|First Steps|19,588
47,124
(35,963)
(6,479)
24,270||
|Total|73,144
76,912
(93,058)
(17,637)
39,361||
||||
||||
|**12**
**Analysis of net assets between funds**|Unrestricted Funds
Restricted Funds
31st March
2024||
||£|£
£|
|Tangible Fixed Assets|325
-
325||
|Current Assets|47,202
39,361
86,563||
|Current Liabilites|(3,504)
-
(3,504)||
|
Net assets at 31st March 2024|44,023
39,361
83,384||
40
|**13**
**Fees for the examinaton of the accounts**|31st March 2024
31st March 2023|
|---|---|
||600
100|
|||
|||
|**14**
**Staf costs**|31st March 2024
31st March 2023|
||£
£|
|Salaries|23,718
44,241|
|Social Security Costs|-
-|
|Pension Costs|501
902|
|Total|24,219
45,143|
|||
|||
|**15**
**The average number of employees in the year**|31st March 2024
31st March 2022|
|Fundraising|-
-|
|Charitable actvites|2
2|
|||
|||
|**16**
**Trustee expenses**||
||31st March 2024
31st March 2023|
|Number of Trustees who were paid expenses|0
0|
|||
|**17**
**Trustees remuneraton and related party transactons**||
|||
|No trustees received any remuneraton or benefts during the year or the preceding year.||
|||
|No trustee or any person related to the charity had any personal interest in any transatons entered into by the charity||
|
during the year or the preceding year.||
|||
|**18**
Taxaton - no tax charges have arisen for the charity during the year or the preceding year.||
|||
|**19**
The charity is a company limited by guarantee and has no share capital||
|The liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £1 per member.||
41
## Independent Examiner’s **Report**
## Independent examiner's statement
## Independent Examiner's report to the trustees of People against Poverty
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of People against Poverty for the year ended 31st March 2024.
1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
## Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act').
2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or
3. the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I report in respect of my examination of the charities accounts carried out under section 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all applicable directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
I confirm that there are no other matters to which your attention should be drawn to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed:
For and on behalf of: Finance Box Limited 128b The Street, Rustington, Littlehampton, West Sussex BN16 3DA
Shadik Masud (ACCA)
42
## Lives **Changed**
Seeds for Sustainability, **Malawi**
‘I am so excited to have such good crops. All this is because of the support from PaP. Last season I did not harvest any maize because of lack of fertilizer, but this time I will have food. My crops are promising and I hope to have good harvest. When there is no food in the house, children cry the whole day and sometimes they go to neighbours to beg for food, but this will be history now when I harvest. God bless PaP for the food, fertilizer, and seeds support.’
Ethel
Ethel looks after 12 children on her own, having taken in her nine grandchildren after two of her own children died.
43
## Looking **Ahead**
As we look ahead, it might be tempting to feel daunted at the challenge before us.
According to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, the UK has ‘unacceptably high levels of poverty’ and the future remains ‘deeply worrying’.
Across the world, nearly 10% of the global population – about 700 million people – live in extreme poverty, and experts predict these figures will continue to rise as a result of the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 crisis, conflicts and extreme weather.
More and more people are experiencing financial hardship, both in the UK and overseas, and those who might previously have helped may be feeling less able to do so in the current climate.
But despite these circumstances, we are not daunted – we are determined, because we can see the difference our support is making, and we know that we can do more.
We may be a small charity compared to many others who do similar work, but, like the starfish story, we see and know the tangible difference we are making for the few in the midst of many. And in fact, relatively speaking, it is not so few! Our impact measures in this report demonstrate the breadth and depth of the work we do.
Real people, real lives, changing because of your support. Not just receiving aid, but being given the tools (often literally), and thereby the dignity, to find a new sustainable future for themselves, their families, and sometimes even their whole community. We know we are making a difference because we see it, and we hear directly what it means from those being supported.
And so we must do more – together with our incredible local partner organisations, who are working tirelessly on the ground, helping children and adults find their pathway out of poverty, one step at a time. As their communities are impacted by rising costs, they see the needs increasing and rightly urge us and inspire us to expand our efforts to support theirs.
As we look ahead we will take every opportunity to grow our reach, our impact and our income. We will steward our resources wisely, continuing to keep our overheads low, while ensuring our operations remain efficient and effective. We will seek out new partnerships, bringing together knowledge and resources, developing new projects that have the greatest impact, and sharing models that work with others. We will tell the stories of lives changed to new audiences across the UK to connect them to the difference their support can make.
Yes, there are challenges ahead. We need to attract more income, even just to stay standing, and we know that will be difficult in the current climate. But we also that know many prefer to give where they can see clearly how and where their money is being spent.
So in spite of the challenges we will continue in our determination to do more. Because we, and you, can see the difference we are making.
We hope you will be a part of making a difference with us.
Belinda
Belinda Wadsworth Chief Executive Officer
44
## With grateful **thanks to all our supporters**
Individual donors (including legacies): **£101,068** Business donations: **£31,270** Trusts and Foundations: **£5,000** Churches: **£1,889**
45
We change lives together
People against Poverty c/o Alanbrookes Group
10 Market Place Devizes Wiltshire SN10 1HT
Registered Charity no. 1097858.
A Limited Company, registered in England and Wales, no. 4727350.