6 Hillside, London, NW10 8BN
ANNUAL REPORT
2023 – 2024
Connect Stars
Presented:
Connect Stars Annual General Meeting
7[th] December 2024
Safari Restaurant
135 High Street
London NW10 4TR
‘Empowering the Next Generation’
Connect Stars Annual Report 2023 – 2024
Table of Contents
Chair’s Report 3 Treasurer’s Report 4 - 5 Coordinator’s Report 6 – 9 Funding Agencies 10 -11 Partner’s 11-12
Chair’s Report
Mr Farah welcomed the participants of the meeting and conveyed how good it is seeing everyone in person and checking how everyone was keeping and thanking all with regards to the outstanding work and commitment for the past year. The chairman also mentioned that there were extra copies of the previous minutes and accounts and if anybody needed them, they can be electronically sent again. Mr Farah has stepped up as the Chairman and has a long standing of the operations of the charity
The chairman informed the gathering that the organisation was developing and improving its prospects of attracting funding, and this year has been a rewarding one for the charity.
Connect Stars have been re branding itself for some time now and this has improved the public image of the organisation, using social media effectively.
I would like to thank for all of those of you that have taken their time to come and be with us here tonight and also Connect Stars volunteers and staff in whom without their support we wouldn’t be here. A big thank you to Fawzi Mohammed who is stepping down as a trustee after 8 years of dedication and drive in the organisation.
Abdikarim Farah
Chairman
Treasurer’s Report
Introduction
The 2023/24 financial year has improved drastically from last financial year and this was due to the core funding we have received.
The report from the treasurer should be read in conjunction with the Accounts and Trustees Report for the year ending 31[st] March 2024.
Finance
The treasurer is satisfied with the Financial Statements that accompany this report. The following are some of the highlights:
Balance Sheet
The balance sheet is quite healthy.
The general reserve was £27,244 for the year ending 31[st] March 2023. That figure has been an improvement from last year and our auditor’s advice that we should have a cash reserve equal to about three months operating expenditure has been difficult to achieve since our income has increased. Connect Stars is now aiming at to sustain the general reserve to that recommended level, though it is known to be a difficult task.
Unless we make our provision for community advice and guidance funded projects Connect Stars will continue to stress its resources and burden its operating costs.
Income
The total income for the year is £267,044 which came from our grant givers and donors.
Expenditure
Expenditure was in line with budgets of the projects under implementation which was relatively good this year as its slightly dropped from last financial year due to some projects coming to an end. Most of the expenditure was focuses on projects to be implemented and the core costs of the charity in relationship to its growing activities. The activities included After schools activities, youth engagements, career focused initiatives in additional further funding were secured for leadership projects.
Expense included operating costs, salaries, rent and utilities, adverts and promotion, volunteer expenses, sundries and repairs, and others such as printing, postage and stationery.
Cash flow
As the funding increased, we had less problems with incoming cash follow and this has decreased the tensions we faced the previous years the difficulties with cash flow is getting better, but we had to maintain a rigorous expenditure in par to available in-hand funds.
Financial Issues
It’s been a good financial year and no long-term financial issue that face the organisation:
Ahmed Jama
The treasurer
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
Youth engagement and after school projects
Connect Stars launched an impactful initiative focused on improving employment opportunities for young Somali men in the Brent area, who despite their qualifications face one of the highest unemployment rates among young people. This collaborative effort involves partnerships with local businesses, community centres, and educational institutions aimed at equipping these young men with necessary employability skills and securing job opportunities.
Young Somali men in Brent have historically experienced high unemployment rates, a concern consistently highlighted by community leaders and local organizations. In response, Connect Stars developed a strategic project to address and ameliorate this issue through direct community engagement and skills development.
The initiative specifically targets young Somali men aged 16-24 residing in Brent, with a goal to engage 50 participants within the first project year, enhancing their employability and facilitating their integration into the workforce. Connect Stars adopted a comprehensive approach combining digital and physical outreach strategies. A CRM system was employed to effectively manage interactions and monitor participant engagement. The project utilized local mosques, cafes, and sports venues for outreach, ensuring a broad and integrated community approach. Conducted in collaboration with Thames Water, Deloitte, HS2, and LinkedIn, these workshops provided practical skills training in CV writing and interview techniques, alongside direct employer interactions. Each participant was paired with a mentor from the community, offering personalized support to navigate their career path effectively. Leveraging digital tools to maintain engagement and track progress, ensuring a wide-reaching impact.
The project aimed to engage 50 young Somali men, successfully exceeding this target by engaging 55 individuals. It also surpassed its job placement target, achieving 17 successful job placements against a target of 16.
Addressing high unemployment in this demographic involved overcoming challenges such as resource constraints and the complex dynamics of systemic unemployment. These were effectively mitigated through meticulous planning, ongoing evaluations, and robust local partnerships.
The Connect Stars initiative has demonstrated a proactive and effective approach to reducing unemployment among young Somali men in Brent. By providing tailored support and fostering strong community and business connections, the project has not only achieved but exceeded its goals, contributing significantly to the community's economic and social health during the reporting period of April 2023 to March 2024.
The D.I.V.A. programme has been making remarkable strides since our last reporting period in bringing together girls from Brent and being supported by of our dedicated senior D.I.V.A.’s. So far we have managed to deliver and achieve the following:
-
Run successful workshops. Our workshops have provided the girls a platform for skills building, personal development, networking and creating a safe and fun space for the young people to thrive
-
Been supported throughout by senior D.I.V.A.s. The guidance, mentoring and experience from our programme leader and senior D.I.V.A. girls have added immense value to the sessions, ensuring that all young people receive tailored support during the workshop sessions to support their journey towards personal growth
-
Took girls on a social trip. We recently treated the girls to a social trip to ice skating in Queensway - West London. This trip provided all the girls with the opportunity to be in a relaxed environment and strengthen friendship over shared experiences.
-
YP carried out individual presentations about their journey so far on the programme. The girls through a planned workshop session by programme leader were encouraged to reflect on their personal journey so far in the programme. This allowed us to see and hear of participants' growth, accomplishments and aspirations.
-
Team bonding exercises. We have carried out both one-on-one and group mentoring sessions, allowing us to offer and provide tailored guidance and support throughout to the girls.
-
Highly engaged social media profile of the group and their journey. An area of real success has been how we have captured and documented the
journey of the group through our social media platforms.
The after-school projects is progressing well with over 200 young people engaged the referrals to the Saturday football is mainly from schools and self-referrals, schools include Ark on Fridays where we conduct an afterschool football programme and Safer together through sport programme which involved, Stonebridge, Mitchell Brook and Brentfield primary schools.
The programme has worked well and at times was difficult to get it off the ground due to different timetables of the schools and parents having different schedules for the young people after schools, but the young people really enjoyed the programme and worked hard during the sessions.
Holiday programmes involved youth clubs, football tournaments and partnership with local groups to deliver a holistic youth programme that consists of 400 young people annually engaging in youth clubs, sports festivals such as the NFL flag and the holiday football festivals.
The CALM Leadership programme has continued to work really well enabling 20 young people to gain valuable volunteering experiences, do workshops, execute a social action by facilitating the summer sports festival and supporting the local foodbank Sufra and clearing their local communities in Stonebridge and Chalkhill.
Providing outreach and detached work for those at risk or involved in gang activity in Stonebridge, Church Road, Wembley Civic Centre and Chalkhill.
Extensive outreach/detached work to engage the young people in the corners, alley ways and benches during the warmer months and in some blocks in those 3 estates during the winter months. This initiative would enable young adults from 18–30-yearolds to have a conversation with our team and where possible would be supported by our employment and enterprise into finding work and or substance misuse services like Addaction. This project has highlighted so much inequalities since it’s inception during the lockdown and at teams we work with local statuary service providers to provide direct services to the young adults we see weekly.
We work closely with the community safety team in Brent council and the Housing association along with the Metropolitan Police to safeguard the community and troubleshot any particular incidents in a multi partner approach.
Community Advice & Guidance
The advice sessions took place in the Hub in Stonebridge, and it has become more of a digital training the residents on how to use the online tools through Hyde, Peabody and government portals and websites to report defaults, change of circumstances and reporting anti-social behaviours, following on from last year where this service was mainly done remotely and was very challenging to conduct.
We increased the number of volunteers who assist with the Monday and Friday Surgeries, with more professionals given up their time as and when they can.
We have worked and have referred some challenging cases to the Brent Hub support services mainly the ones situated in Harlesden Library, Willesden Library and Kilburn.
The bulk of the advice session fall upon these areas:
-
Utilities (gas, electricity, water and telephones)
-
Child Tax Credits
-
Child Benefit
-
State Benefits including – Housing, Council Tax, Income support, Job Seeker Allowance, Employment & Support Allowance and Pension credits)
-
Support with employment applications
-
Universal credit
-
Cost of Living crisis
-
Food and energy poverty
The advice sessions take place on Mondays and Fridays, and one doesn’t need an appointment on these two days but if it’s an urgent case that can’t wait these two days he or she has to book an appointment either on Wednesday or Thursday in order to be seen. The two advice sessions are mainly conducted by two officers on both days and most of the cases seem to be originating the lack of communication between the service provider and the person accessing it.
This year more than 50 people have accessed this service with many of them attending more than once.
We also started last year a women’s only exercise classes on a Friday to support the single mothers that access the advice sessions and we’ve added a Monday to these sessions in which we get 15 women on a weekly basis.
- - FUNDING AGENCIES 2023 2024
MTVH
BRENT SAFER NEIGHBOURHOOD BOARD
THE LONDON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
WEMBLEY STADIUM FOUNDATION
HYDE HOUSING
PEABODY
ACTIVE COMMUNITIES NETWORK
ARK ACADEMY
STREETGAMES
BBC CHILDREN IN NEED
YOUNG BRENT FOUNDATION
LONDON BOROUGH OF BRENT
STREETGAMES
- PARTNERS 2023 2024
Active Communities Network
Step Up Hub
AFC Wembley
Hilltop Circle
Young Brent Foundation
Sport at the Heart
The Jason Roberts Foundation
Muslim Council of Britain
Council of Somali Organisations –CSO (London)
London Youth
© info@connectstars.org 6 Hillside, London, NW10 8BN
CONNECT STARS
Accounts and Trustees Report For the year ended 31 March 2024
j Sonnect STARS
1 www.connectstars.org
Connect Stars
Legal and Administrative Expenses
For the year ended 31 March 2024
The organisation is a registered charity and limited company by Status: guarantee, incorporated on 6 October 2003. N.B. please note that the charity changed its name on 01.04.2024 Charity number: 1104934 Company number: 4921997
Management committee:
| Abdikarim Farah - | Chairman |
|---|---|
| Muna Yusuf - | Secretary |
| Ahmed Jama - | Treasurer |
| Ayan Ali - | Member |
| Ahmed Musa - | Member |
Registered office & 6 Hillside Business address: London NW10 8BN
2
Director/Chairman: Abdikarim Farah Accountants Issa Associates Chartered Certified Accountants 116 Cumberland House 80 Scrubs Lane London NW10 6RF Bankers Barclays Bank Alperton Branch 220 Ealing Road Wembley Middlesex HAO 4QH
3
Connect Stars
Trustees’ Report
For the year ended 31 March 2024
Objective
The objective of Horn Stars is to provide a holistic range of support services to the black and ethnic minorities and Refugee Communities in West London and contribute towards a positive and wellbalanced integration with host community to access public services especially in education and recreation.
Legal structure
Horn Stars is a registered charity company limited by guarantee and is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association dated October 2003. As of April 2024 the legal name is Connect Stars in both Charity Commission and Companies house.
Financial statements
The trustees, who are also directors of the charity company, submit their trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2024.
Policies:
Reserve policy:
The charitable company currently operates with minimal general reserves. The trustees are endeavouring to build up its donor base with a view to having sufficient reserves in order to continue its operations.
Risk(s) review:
The trustees have recently reviewed the major risks faced by the charitable company. This has resulted in efforts to increase charity’s donor base to build general reserves.
Trustees Responsibilities
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose at any time the financial position of the company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006.
The trustees oversee preparation of financial statements, select suitable accounting policies and make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent to give the true state of affairs of the charity.
4
Connect Stars
Trustees’ Report (continued)
For the year ended 31 March 2024
Trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company. They are elected and replaced as set out in the Memorandum and Articles of Association.
Activities and Achievements
The charity is managed by elected trustee members, a Programme Coordinator, sessional workers and a good number of volunteers, part-time youth worker and sports coaches. The office is open from Monday to Friday between 9.00 am and 4.00pm, and youth clubs in the evenings.
The core of the charity’s work continues to be educational, youth engagement projects for junior teams and recreational development amongst young people from disadvantaged communities and fighting against early offending and anti-social behaviour. Our plans for the short term include enhancing and building on the strong foundation already started and increasing initiatives and activities that compliments the needs of those who are at risk of offending, school exclusions, early dropouts and anti-social activities. This coupled with leadership through the DIVA and CALM programmes targeting both females and young men to be the leaders of tomorrow.
Funding
The charity is generously funded by Step Up Hub, Wembley Stadium Trust, LB of Brent, Young Brent Foundation, Hyde Housing, Peabody, Active Communities Network, CVS Brent, Beyond Sports Foundation, Lottery Fund, MTVH, Ark Academy, London Sport and other organisations which made possible the initiation and continuation of this service to break the barrier for the children of Ethnic Minorities, young refugees and their families.
This report was approved by the board and signed on its behalf by:
…………………………………….
Chairman
Date: 28[th] November 2024
Abdikarim Farah
6 Hillside London
NW10 8BN
5
Connect Stars
Independent Examiner’s Report
For the year ending 31 March 2024
I have examined the accounts on pages 5 to 6 which have been prepared on the accruals basis.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
The trustees (who are also the directors of the company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 43(2) of the Charities Act 1993 (the 1993 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
Having satisfied myself that the charity is not subject to audit under company law and is eligible for independent examination, it is my responsibility to:
-
examine the accounts under section 43 of the 1993 Act;
-
to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 43(7)(b) of the 1993 Act; and
-
to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of independent examiner’s report
My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts 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 no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair view’ and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
Independent examiner’s statement
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention, which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
-
to keep accounting records in accordance with section 386 of the Companies Act 2006; and
-
• to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records, comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 and with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities; have not been met
…..Issa Associates.....
Date: 28[th] November 2024
Issa Associates Chartered Certified Accountants 116 Cumberland House,
80 Scrubs Lane, London, NW10 6RF
6
CONNECT STARS
Statement of Financial Activities
For the year ended 31 March 2024
| Income Grants and Donations Expenditure Admin costs Leadership programmes Community awareness events Youth, football & Oureach activities Schools support activities Employment and careers advice Wages & salaries Rent and facilities hire Travel and subsistence Holiday programme & events Legal & Professional fees Consultancy and Training Telephone and internet charges Printing, postage and stationery Volunteer expenses Marketing and promotion Depreciation charge Total expenditure Surplus/(deficit) for the year Fund balances at 1 April 2023 Fund balance as at 31 March 2024 |
Unrestricted £ 41,068 |
Restricted £ 225,976 225,976 1,458 18,910 10,954 53,776 4,452 20,500 57,360 12,700 - 32,725 - 12,725 - - - - - 225,560 416 18,879 19,295 |
2023 Total funds Total funds £ £ 267,044 328,754 267,044 328,754 2,098 3,900 18,910 18,220 10,954 4,119 53,776 58,237 4,452 31,904 20,500 16,250 89,367 88,253 12,700 17,274 885 633 32,725 60,403 852 1,151 12,725 5,000 4,755 4,699 3,338 5,343 2,430 3,040 660 2,187 914 1,149 272,041 321,763 (4,998) 6,991 32,241 25,250 27,244 32,241 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 41,068 640 - - - - - 32,007 - 885 - 852 - 4,755 3,338 2,430 660 914 |
|||
| 46,481 | |||
| (5,413) 13,362 |
|||
| 7,949 |
7
CONNECT STARS
Balance Sheet
For the year ended 31 March 2024
| Notes Fixed Assets: Computers and equipment 3 Current Assets: Debtors 4 Cash in hand Current liabilities payable within 1 year: Creditors and accruals 5 Net Current Assets Total Assets less current liabilities Funds: Restricted Funds Unrestricted Funds |
£ 12,640 15,204 27,844 (600) |
£ £ £ - 914 - 914 - 32,127 32,127 (800) 27,244 31,327 27,244 32,241 19,295 18,879 7,949 13,362 27,244 32,241 2023 2024 |
|---|---|---|
For the financial year ended 31 March 2024, the company was entitled to exemption from audit under s477 of the Companies Act 2006; and no notice has been deposited under s476.
The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for ensuring that the company keeps accounting records which comply with s386 and preparing accounts which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company as at the end of the financial year, and of its profit or loss for the financial year in accordance with the requirements of sections 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to accounts, so far as applicable to the company.
These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to small companies' regime. The financial statements on pages 1 to 6 were approved by the board and signed on their behalf by:
……………………………….. Treasurer Ahmed Jama
Date: 28 November 2024
8
CONNECT STARS
Notes to the Accounts
For the year ended 31 March 2024
- 1 Basis of accounting
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, and have been prepared in accordance with Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP 2015), "Accounting and Reporting by Charities" and applicable accounting standards.
- 2 Accounting Policies
A summary of the principal accounting policies, all of which have been applied consistently throughout the year is set out below.
- 2.1 Income and expenditure
All income and expenditure is accounted for on accrual basis.
- 2.2 Fund Accounting
General funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity.
Restricted funds are funds subject to specific restrictive conditions imposed by donors.
- 2.2 Tangible Fixed assets and Depreciation
Tangible fixed assets are stated at cost.
Provision for depreciation of fixed assets held for use by the charity is made at an annual rate of 25% on straight line basis.
- 2.3 Status
The organisation is a registered charity & company limited by guarantee. The members are the trustees named on page 1. The liability in respect of the guarantee, as set out in the Memorandum, is limited to £1 per member of the company.
9
CONNECT STARS
Notes to the Accounts
For the year ended 31 March 2024
| 3 | Tangible Fixed Assets | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Office | Total | ||
| equipment | |||
| Costs | £ | £ | |
| At 1 April 2023 | 24,123 | 24,123 | |
| Additions | - | - | |
| At 31 March 2024 | 24,123 | 24,123 | |
| Depreciation | |||
| At 1 April 2023 | 23,209 | 23,209 | |
| Charge for the year | 914.00 | 914 | |
| At 31 March 2024 | 24,123 | 24,123 | |
| Net Book value | |||
| At 31 March 2024 | - | - | |
| At 31 March 2023 | 914 | 914 | |
| 4 | Debtors | 2024 | 2023 |
| £ | £ | ||
| Other debtors | 12,640 | - | |
| 12,640 | - | ||
| 5 | Creditors and accruals | 2024 | 2023 |
| £ | £ | ||
| Other creditors | 600 | 800 | |
| 600 | 800 |
10
© info@connectstars.org 6 Hillside, London, NW10 8BN
CONNECT STARS
Accounts and Trustees Report For the year ended 31 March 2024
j Sonnect STARS
1 www.connectstars.org
Connect Stars
Legal and Administrative Expenses
For the year ended 31 March 2024
The organisation is a registered charity and limited company by Status: guarantee, incorporated on 6 October 2003. N.B. please note that the charity changed its name on 01.04.2024 Charity number: 1104934 Company number: 4921997
Management committee:
| Abdikarim Farah - | Chairman |
|---|---|
| Muna Yusuf - | Secretary |
| Ahmed Jama - | Treasurer |
| Ayan Ali - | Member |
| Ahmed Musa - | Member |
Registered office & 6 Hillside Business address: London NW10 8BN
2
Director/Chairman: Abdikarim Farah Accountants Issa Associates Chartered Certified Accountants 116 Cumberland House 80 Scrubs Lane London NW10 6RF Bankers Barclays Bank Alperton Branch 220 Ealing Road Wembley Middlesex HAO 4QH
3
Connect Stars
Trustees’ Report
For the year ended 31 March 2024
Objective
The objective of Horn Stars is to provide a holistic range of support services to the black and ethnic minorities and Refugee Communities in West London and contribute towards a positive and wellbalanced integration with host community to access public services especially in education and recreation.
Legal structure
Horn Stars is a registered charity company limited by guarantee and is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association dated October 2003. As of April 2024 the legal name is Connect Stars in both Charity Commission and Companies house.
Financial statements
The trustees, who are also directors of the charity company, submit their trustees’ report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2024.
Policies:
Reserve policy:
The charitable company currently operates with minimal general reserves. The trustees are endeavouring to build up its donor base with a view to having sufficient reserves in order to continue its operations.
Risk(s) review:
The trustees have recently reviewed the major risks faced by the charitable company. This has resulted in efforts to increase charity’s donor base to build general reserves.
Trustees Responsibilities
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose at any time the financial position of the company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006.
The trustees oversee preparation of financial statements, select suitable accounting policies and make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent to give the true state of affairs of the charity.
4
Connect Stars
Trustees’ Report (continued)
For the year ended 31 March 2024
Trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company. They are elected and replaced as set out in the Memorandum and Articles of Association.
Activities and Achievements
The charity is managed by elected trustee members, a Programme Coordinator, sessional workers and a good number of volunteers, part-time youth worker and sports coaches. The office is open from Monday to Friday between 9.00 am and 4.00pm, and youth clubs in the evenings.
The core of the charity’s work continues to be educational, youth engagement projects for junior teams and recreational development amongst young people from disadvantaged communities and fighting against early offending and anti-social behaviour. Our plans for the short term include enhancing and building on the strong foundation already started and increasing initiatives and activities that compliments the needs of those who are at risk of offending, school exclusions, early dropouts and anti-social activities. This coupled with leadership through the DIVA and CALM programmes targeting both females and young men to be the leaders of tomorrow.
Funding
The charity is generously funded by Step Up Hub, Wembley Stadium Trust, LB of Brent, Young Brent Foundation, Hyde Housing, Peabody, Active Communities Network, CVS Brent, Beyond Sports Foundation, Lottery Fund, MTVH, Ark Academy, London Sport and other organisations which made possible the initiation and continuation of this service to break the barrier for the children of Ethnic Minorities, young refugees and their families.
This report was approved by the board and signed on its behalf by:
…………………………………….
Chairman
Date: 28[th] November 2024
Abdikarim Farah
6 Hillside London
NW10 8BN
5
Connect Stars
Independent Examiner’s Report
For the year ending 31 March 2024
I have examined the accounts on pages 5 to 6 which have been prepared on the accruals basis.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
The trustees (who are also the directors of the company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 43(2) of the Charities Act 1993 (the 1993 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
Having satisfied myself that the charity is not subject to audit under company law and is eligible for independent examination, it is my responsibility to:
-
examine the accounts under section 43 of the 1993 Act;
-
to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 43(7)(b) of the 1993 Act; and
-
to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of independent examiner’s report
My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts 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 no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair view’ and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
Independent examiner’s statement
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention, which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
-
to keep accounting records in accordance with section 386 of the Companies Act 2006; and
-
• to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records, comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 and with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities; have not been met
…..Issa Associates.....
Date: 28[th] November 2024
Issa Associates Chartered Certified Accountants 116 Cumberland House,
80 Scrubs Lane, London, NW10 6RF
6
CONNECT STARS
Statement of Financial Activities
For the year ended 31 March 2024
| Income Grants and Donations Expenditure Admin costs Leadership programmes Community awareness events Youth, football & Oureach activities Schools support activities Employment and careers advice Wages & salaries Rent and facilities hire Travel and subsistence Holiday programme & events Legal & Professional fees Consultancy and Training Telephone and internet charges Printing, postage and stationery Volunteer expenses Marketing and promotion Depreciation charge Total expenditure Surplus/(deficit) for the year Fund balances at 1 April 2023 Fund balance as at 31 March 2024 |
Unrestricted £ 41,068 |
Restricted £ 225,976 225,976 1,458 18,910 10,954 53,776 4,452 20,500 57,360 12,700 - 32,725 - 12,725 - - - - - 225,560 416 18,879 19,295 |
2023 Total funds Total funds £ £ 267,044 328,754 267,044 328,754 2,098 3,900 18,910 18,220 10,954 4,119 53,776 58,237 4,452 31,904 20,500 16,250 89,367 88,253 12,700 17,274 885 633 32,725 60,403 852 1,151 12,725 5,000 4,755 4,699 3,338 5,343 2,430 3,040 660 2,187 914 1,149 272,041 321,763 (4,998) 6,991 32,241 25,250 27,244 32,241 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 41,068 640 - - - - - 32,007 - 885 - 852 - 4,755 3,338 2,430 660 914 |
|||
| 46,481 | |||
| (5,413) 13,362 |
|||
| 7,949 |
7
CONNECT STARS
Balance Sheet
For the year ended 31 March 2024
| Notes Fixed Assets: Computers and equipment 3 Current Assets: Debtors 4 Cash in hand Current liabilities payable within 1 year: Creditors and accruals 5 Net Current Assets Total Assets less current liabilities Funds: Restricted Funds Unrestricted Funds |
£ 12,640 15,204 27,844 (600) |
£ £ £ - 914 - 914 - 32,127 32,127 (800) 27,244 31,327 27,244 32,241 19,295 18,879 7,949 13,362 27,244 32,241 2023 2024 |
|---|---|---|
For the financial year ended 31 March 2024, the company was entitled to exemption from audit under s477 of the Companies Act 2006; and no notice has been deposited under s476.
The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for ensuring that the company keeps accounting records which comply with s386 and preparing accounts which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company as at the end of the financial year, and of its profit or loss for the financial year in accordance with the requirements of sections 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to accounts, so far as applicable to the company.
These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to small companies' regime. The financial statements on pages 1 to 6 were approved by the board and signed on their behalf by:
……………………………….. Treasurer Ahmed Jama
Date: 28 November 2024
8
CONNECT STARS
Notes to the Accounts
For the year ended 31 March 2024
- 1 Basis of accounting
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, and have been prepared in accordance with Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP 2015), "Accounting and Reporting by Charities" and applicable accounting standards.
- 2 Accounting Policies
A summary of the principal accounting policies, all of which have been applied consistently throughout the year is set out below.
- 2.1 Income and expenditure
All income and expenditure is accounted for on accrual basis.
- 2.2 Fund Accounting
General funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity.
Restricted funds are funds subject to specific restrictive conditions imposed by donors.
- 2.2 Tangible Fixed assets and Depreciation
Tangible fixed assets are stated at cost.
Provision for depreciation of fixed assets held for use by the charity is made at an annual rate of 25% on straight line basis.
- 2.3 Status
The organisation is a registered charity & company limited by guarantee. The members are the trustees named on page 1. The liability in respect of the guarantee, as set out in the Memorandum, is limited to £1 per member of the company.
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CONNECT STARS
Notes to the Accounts
For the year ended 31 March 2024
| 3 | Tangible Fixed Assets | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Office | Total | ||
| equipment | |||
| Costs | £ | £ | |
| At 1 April 2023 | 24,123 | 24,123 | |
| Additions | - | - | |
| At 31 March 2024 | 24,123 | 24,123 | |
| Depreciation | |||
| At 1 April 2023 | 23,209 | 23,209 | |
| Charge for the year | 914.00 | 914 | |
| At 31 March 2024 | 24,123 | 24,123 | |
| Net Book value | |||
| At 31 March 2024 | - | - | |
| At 31 March 2023 | 914 | 914 | |
| 4 | Debtors | 2024 | 2023 |
| £ | £ | ||
| Other debtors | 12,640 | - | |
| 12,640 | - | ||
| 5 | Creditors and accruals | 2024 | 2023 |
| £ | £ | ||
| Other creditors | 600 | 800 | |
| 600 | 800 |
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