Charity Registration Number : 1098840
SIERRA LEONE HASTINGS ASSOCIATION (U.K)
A CHARITABLE UN-INCORPORATED ASSOCIATION TRUSTEES’ REPORT
AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025
SIERRA LEONE HASTINGS ASSOCIATION (U.K)
CONTENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025
| Legal and Administrative Information | ........................................................................................ | 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Trustees' Report | ........................................................................................ | 2 - 4 |
| Statement of Financial Activities | ........................................................................................ | 5 |
| Balance Sheet | ........................................................................................ | 6 |
| Notes to the Financial Statements | ........................................................................................ | 7 - 8 |
SIERRA LEONE HASTINGS ASSOCIATION (U.K)
LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025
Trustee Yvonne Johnson Charity Number 1098840 Registered Office 21 CHELSWORTH DRIVE ROMFORD RM3 0ES
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SIERRA LEONE HASTINGS ASSOCIATION (U.K)
TRUSTEES' REPORT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025
The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 August 2025.
ASIERRA LEONE HASTINGS ASSOCIATION (Hastings Association)
(Charity No: 1098840)
The Executive Officers Report for year ended 31st August 2025
The Executive Officers present its Report together with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31st August 2025
Background and Charitable status
'To help rebuild communities and promote peace'
The Sierra Leone Hastings Association was formed in September 1994 in the UK with a branch link in Hastings Sierra Leone which was formed in the year 2000. Its aims and objectives are to help develop and maintain our cherished Hastings (Sierra Leone) in all aspects as best as possible.
The Association is working closely with the Hastings Borough Council, and The Hastings Sierra Leone Friendship Link. The official twinning of the two Hastings took place in February 2009 and since then the re-building of Hastings Sierra Leone is in continuous progress.
At present the completed two storey Hastings Twin Town Centre complex is being used for offices, library and training centre with 4 rooms guest house at the top.
.
We now have a yearly exchange programme whereby teachers from Hastings, East Sussex go to Sierra Leone and Teachers from Hastings Sierra Leone come over to Hastings East Sussex to teach.
Some primary and secondary schools in Hastings, East Sussex had formed links with schools in Hastings, Kossoh Town, Grafton and Rokel and also Christchurch School in Hastings UK is linked with Christchurch School in Freetown. Several visits have been made by teachers to Sierra Leone in the past years and vice versa.
Also, there are exchange visits between Hastings UK and Hastings Sierra Leone of health officials giving medical assistance in the community.
We continue to send personal effects, medical equipment and materials, school materials, furniture and books etc for the people of Hastings and its environs.
We also continue to explore the possibility of getting help from all angles to be able to support our beloved Hastings and its environs.
We also for the past 7 years we have received an annual donation of £2000 from the Church of the Good Shepherd Romford. This money is paid direct to Hastings Sierra Leone Friendship Link account for their use in supporting various projects, particularly with school projects.
Objects and Policies
Hastings Association’s aim is for the advancement of education and training of underprivileged children and youth.
To promote health and empower young Sierra Leoneans particularly the people of Hastings, Sierra Leone so that they will become self-sufficient and worthwhile participants in the development of their country.
The relief of poverty, sickness and distress
To sustain proper water supply
The provision and facilities in the interest of social welfare with the aim of improving their way of life in general
Organisational Structure
SIERRA LEONE HASTINGS ASSOCIATION has a written Constitution. It is led and managed by executive officers elected from amongst its members. The executives have a stewardship role and reports to the members on a regular basis
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i.e. every other month at general meetings.
The organisation is based in London and, at present, carries out all it’s fund raising activities in the UK only and its charitable activities in Sierra Leone through their partners HASTINGS ASSOCIATION (SL) branch.
Financial Results and Future Activities
The results are set out in the Statement of Financial Activities on page …………
In addition to generous donations from organisations and private individuals we organise fund–raising activities which account for 72% of our net incoming resources for the year and these are:
February Buffet dinner dance
June Luncheon Sale
August Outing to the seaside
September Thanksgiving service.
The Executive Officers are pleased with the financial results for the year.
Executive Officers: 2023 - 2025
President: Mr Emanuel Palmer
Assistant President: Mrs Yvonne Johnson Secretary: Mrs Yvette John Asst Secretary: Mrs Gorgiana Roudette Treasurer: Mrs Ernestine Matthews
Asst. Treasurer: Ms Cecilia Davies
Social Secretary: Mrs Hilda Shyllon
Asst Social Secretary: Mrs Janet Sesay Pastoral Officer: Mrs Yvonne Williams
Asst. Pastoral Officer: Mr Cecil Venn Chaplain: Rev. Rene Jarrett
Assistant Chaplain: Rev Ronnie Williams
Whip: Mrs Princess Aymer
Assistant Whip: Mr Phillip Morteh
Charitable activities during the year.
During the year SIERRA LEONE HASTINGS ASSOCIATION (UK) shipped and distributed items of medical equipment and materials, school materials including books, desks and chairs, sewing machines, sports equipment’s etc to the following deserving cases in Sierra Leone:
Contribution to the Badger Church at Kossoh Town The Medical School in Kossoh Town
The Health Centre at Hastings Refurbishment and further progress on the sanitation project Primary and Secondary schools at Hastings, Kossoh Town, Jui and School Sanitation project and school farm project Liberation Preparatory Academy and Joy High School Grafton
The Executive Officers.
The members of the Executive Officers who held office during the last six years are listed on page 3.
Statement of Responsibilities of the Executive Officers
Charity Law requires the Executive Officers to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity at the year end and of its incoming resources and resources expended during the year. In preparing those financial statements, the Executive Officers are required to:-
Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently. Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent.
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State whether applicable accounting standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements.
Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
The Executive Officers are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable it to ensure that the financial statements comply with the charities Act 1993. It is also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Voluntary help
The Executive Officers are very grateful to all our donors and the many volunteers who helped during our fund-raising activities and to those who help in Sierra Leone.
Approved by the Executive Officers and signed on their behalf by:
Mr Emanuel Palmer Mrs Yvette John
Chairperson Secretary
Dated 30th June 2026
This report was approved by the trustees and signed on its behalf by:
Yvonne Johnson TRUSTEE
Date : 06 July 2026
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SIERRA LEONE HASTINGS ASSOCIATION (U.K)
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025
| Recommended categories by activity Notes Income and endowments from: Donations and legacies 2 Other trading activities 3 Total Expenditure on: Charitable activities 4 Total Net income Net movement in funds Reconciliation of funds: Total funds brought forward Total funds carried forward |
Unrestricted funds £ 8,976.71 1,923.31 10,900.02 4,540.00 4,540.00 6,360.02 6,360.02 16,813.57 23,173.59 |
Total Funds 2025 £ 8,976.71 1,923.31 10,900.02 4,540.00 4,540.00 6,360.02 6,360.02 16,813.57 23,173.59 |
Total Funds 2024 £ 450.00 14,064.65 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14,514.65 | |||
| 8,973.96 | |||
| 8,973.96 | |||
| 5,540.69 | |||
| 5,540.69 16,813.57 |
|||
| 22,354.26 |
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SIERRA LEONE HASTINGS ASSOCIATION (U.K)
BALANCE SHEET
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025
| Recommended categories by activity Notes Current assets Cash at bank and in hand 6 Total current assets Total net liabilities Funds of the Charity Unrestricted funds 7 Restricted funds 7 Endowment funds 7 Total funds |
Unrestricted funds £ (18,807.19) (18,807.19) (18,807.19) 23,173.59 23,173.59 |
Total Funds 2025 £ (18,807.19) (18,807.19) (18,807.19) 23,173.59 - - 23,173.59 |
Total Funds 2024 £ - - |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | |||
| 16,813.57 - - |
|||
| 16,813.57 |
The financial statements were approved by the trustees on 06 July 2026 and signed on its behalf by:
Yvonne Johnson TRUSTEE
Date : 06 July 2026
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SIERRA LEONE HASTINGS ASSOCIATION (U.K)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025
Charity for SIERRA LEONE HASTINGS ASSOCIATION (U.K) is a Charitable Un-incorporated Association in Charity Commission for England and Wales. The registered office is 21 CHELSWORTH DRIVE, ROMFORD, RM3 0ES.
1. Accounting Policies
The principal accounting policies adopted by the Charity, which is a public benefit entity, in the preparation of the accounts are as follows.
1.1 Basis of preparation
These accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention, as modified by the inclusion of charitable properties and fixed asset investments and investment properties at valuation.
These accounts have been prepared in accordance with “Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)” (effective 1 January 2019) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011.
These accounts are presented in pounds sterling and rounded to the nearest pound.
1.2 Going concern
The Trustees have prepared financial projections, taking into consideration the current economic conditions and have, at the time of approving these accounts, a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus they continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the accounts.
2. Income from Donations and Legacies
| Analysis Unrestricted funds £ Gift Aid 19,405.29 Membership subscriptions and sponsorships which are in substance donations 450.00 Other (10,878.58) Total 8,976.71 3. Income from Other Trading Activities Analysis Unrestricted funds £ Events 1,923.31 Total 1,923.31 4. Expenditure on Charitable Activities Analysis Unrestricted funds £ Bank charges - Charity running cost 2,200.00 Total 2,200.00 Support Costs 2,340.00 4,540.00 |
Total funds 2025 £ 19,405.29 450.00 (10,878.58) 8,976.71 Total funds 2025 £ 1,923.31 1,923.31 Total funds 2025 £ - 2,200.00 2,200.00 2,340.00 4,540.00 |
Total funds 2024 £ - 450.00 - |
|---|---|---|
| 450.00 | ||
| Total funds 2024 £ 14,064.65 |
||
| 14,064.65 | ||
| Total funds 2024 £ 60.00 8,513.96 8,573.96 400.00 |
||
| 8,973.96 |
3. Income from Other Trading Activities
4. Expenditure on Charitable Activities
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5. Support Costs
| 5. Support Costs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analysis Support Costs Governance Costs Accountants fees 6. Cash at bank and in hand Analysis Cash at bank and in hand Total |
Total funds 2025 £ 2,340.00 |
Total funds 2024 £ 400.00 |
| 2,340.00 400.00 |
||
| Total funds 2025 £ (18,807.19) |
||
| (18,807.19) |
6. Cash at bank and in hand
7. Charity funds
| 7. Charity funds | 7. Charity funds | 7. Charity funds | 7. Charity funds | 7. Charity funds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.1 Details of material funds held and movements during the CURRENT reporting period | ||||
| Fund names | Fund balances brought forward |
Income | Expenditure | Fund balances carried forward |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Unrestricted funds | ||||
| 10,349.19 | 10,900.02 | 4,540.00 | 16,709.21 | |
| General Fund | 3,232.19 | - | - | 3,232.19 |
| Unrestricted funds total |
13,581.38 | 10,900.02 | 4,540.00 | 19,941.40 |
| Total | 13,581.38 | 10,900.02 | 4,540.00 | 19,941.40 |
| 7.2 Details of material funds held and movements during the PREVIOUS reporting period | ||||
| Fund names | Fund balances brought forward | Fund balances carried forward | ||
| £ | £ | |||
| Unrestricted funds | ||||
| General Fund | 3,232.19 | 3,232.19 | ||
| General Fund | 3,232.19 | 3,232.19 | ||
| 10,349.19 | 10,349.19 | |||
| Unrestricted funds total |
16,813.57 | 16,813.57 | ||
| Total | 16,813.57 | 16,813.57 |
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