Charity Number 1110013 Company Number 5176983
**SOLAR LINKS INITIATIVE (A company limited by guarantee)**
**TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND UNAUDITED ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2022**
**SOLAR LINKS INITIATIVE Year ended 31 July 2022**
## **Trustees’ Report for the period ending 31 July 2022**
The Trustees are pleased to present their report together with the accounts for Solar Links Initiative (the charity), for the year to 31 July 2022.
The accounts comply with current statutory requirements, the Memorandum and Articles of Association, the Companies Act 2006, Financial Reporting Standard 102 applicable to smaller entities and the Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities.
## **Achievements and performance**
SLI’s target communities, living under the poverty line in the poorest parts of Uganda have been particularly badly hit by the global cost of living crisis. Covid, the Ukrainian war, with the blockade of grain and cooking oil, as well as the long China lockdown, have seen prices of staples in the country, especially food and fuel, double during this period. Consumers at the bottom of the pyramid have had to ration payments on their usual sources of lighting – kerosene, batteries, candles. This has made the cost of transitioning to solar lighting even more challenging, in spite of SLI’s long and not-for-profit repayment plan and all the longer-term benefits - economic, health-related, educational and social. SLI has therefore concentrated on providing equipment for hospitals, in Uganda, working with a local savings and loans organisation, and also in South Sudan in a community for which it had previously provided lighting. Individual refugee households, at last able to return to their land in the south of the country, have also been given small solar home systems. In both cases, the beneficiaries transported the equipment from Kampala and installed it themselves. SLI has also supported development projects in Karamoja, Uganda’s most remote and disadvantaged area where it was operating for several years. Working with a local Community Based Organisation, SLI has helped youth and women start an agri-business cooperative, so that they have some hope of feeding their families and gaining small incomes to afford some improvements in life going forward, including, potentially, of solar lighting. They have also been able to feed orphaned children, and child-led families at a time of extreme drought and conflict with herdsmen from neighbouring Turkana over diminishing water sources and pasturage for their cattle.
Especially in these difficult times, with so many appeals for their funding, SLI remains extremely grateful to its loyal donors for their continuing gifts and to members of The Funding Network for their live crowd-funding support.
## **Objectives and activities**
The company is a charity and its objects are:
1. To develop the capacity, skills and the availability of facilities of the members of socially or economically disadvantaged communities;
2. To relieve poverty for the benefit of the public by such means as the trustees think fit, including but not limited to the provision of funding and the encouragement of best practice; and
3. To relieve sickness.
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**SOLAR LINKS INITIATIVE Year ended 31 July 2022**
The trustees confirm that they have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the Trust’s objectives and in planning future activities.
SLI carries out these objects by taking action to benefit people around the world who are improving the lives of their communities, and we currently provide funds to assist disadvantaged communities in Uganda primarily through the introduction of solar lighting.
## **Structure, Governance and Management**
Solar Links Initiative is a charitable company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 12 July 2004 with the name Global Links Initiative, and registered as a Charity on 13 May 2005. The company was established under a Memorandum of Association, which established the objects and powers of the charitable company and is governed under its Articles of Association. The charity changed its name to Solar Links Initiative on 9 December 2015.
Trustees may be appointed, either to fill vacancies or as additional Trustees, by resolution of the Trustees at a meeting of Trustees. Trustees are recruited to fill vacancies or to address the particular needs of the charity, as required.
## **Reference and administrative details**
Charity number: 1110013 Company number: 5176983 Registered Office: 22 Old Millmeads, Horsham, RH12 2LZ Independent Examiner: David Parker, 33 Wagtail Close, Horsham, RH12 5HL Bankers Barclays Bank plc, 92 High St, Crawley, RH10 1YF
The directors of the charitable company (the charity) are its trustees for the purpose of charity law and those serving during the year and since the year end were as follows:
Ian Hutchinson Nicholas Derek Feeny Bhagyashree Mandke Phillida Purvis MBE
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**SOLAR LINKS INITIATIVE Year ended 31 July 2022**
## **Financial review**
Our policy is to maintain appropriate reserves to cover our immediate operating needs which, at any one time, are normally less than £3,000. At 31 July 2022 our reserves were £50,621 (2021 £23,335).
The Trustees review income and expenditure on a periodic basis and the level of expenditure is set to ensure that there will be adequate resources available to meet commitments made as they fall due.
The trustees have considered the major risks to which the charity is exposed and have concluded that our major on-going risk is to ensure that we have adequate financial resources available to finance our future activities.
The results for the year to 31 July 2022 amounted to net income of £27,286 (2021 net income of £11,291).
Approved by the Trustees and signed on its behalf on 20 November 2022.
Ian Hutchinson Trustee and Director
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**SOLAR LINKS INITIATIVE Year ended 31 July 2022**
## **Statement of the Trustees’ Responsibilities**
The trustees, who are also Directors of Solar Links Initiative for the purposes of company law, are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the accounts in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company law requires the trustees to prepare accounts for each financial 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 the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these accounts, the trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- prepare the accounts on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in operation.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the accounts comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
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**SOLAR LINKS INITIATIVE Year ended 31 July 2022**
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS’ REPORT TO THE MEMBERS ON THE UNAUDITED ACCOUNTS OF SOLAR LINKS INITIATIVE**
I report on the accounts for the year ended 31 July 2022 set out on pages 7 to 10.
## **Respective responsibilities of the charitable company’s trustees and the independent examiner**
The charitable company’s trustees, who are also the Directors of Solar Links Initiative for the purpose 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 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 and have chosen to have an independent examination.
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:
- i) examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act;
- ii) to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and
- iii) to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
## **Basis of an independent examiner’s report**
My examination was conducted in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes the 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 the 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:
- (a) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
- i) to keep accounting records in accordance with section 386 of the Companies Act 2006; and ii) 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; or
- (b) to which in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
David Parker Chartered Accountant 33 Wagtail Close, Horsham, RH12 5HL
Dated: 20 November 2022
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**SOLAR LINKS INITIATIVE Year ended 31 July 2022**
## **SOLAR LINKS INITIATIVE (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (including income and expenditure account) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2022**
|**Notes**
**Incoming resources from generated funds**
1.2
Donations and legacies 2
Investment Income
**Total incoming resources**
**Resources Expended**1.3
Charitable Activities
3
**Total resources expended**
**Net income / (outgoings) for the year**
**Net Movement in funds**
**Fund balances at 1 August 2021**
**Fund balances at 31 July 2022**|**2022**
**2022**
**2022**
**Funds Unrestricted Restricted**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**£**
**£**
**£**
37,197 23,597
13,600
- -
-
37,197 23,597
13,600
9,911 9,911
-
9,911 9,911
-
**27,28613,686**
13,600
**27,286 13,686**
13,600
23,335 23,335
-
**50,62137,021**
**13,600**|
|---|---|
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses in the year. All incoming resources and resources expended derive from continuing activities.
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**SOLAR LINKS INITIATIVE Year ended 31 July 2022**
## **SOLAR LINKS INITIATIVE (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 JULY 2022**
|
**Notes**
**Current assets**
Debtors
Cash in Bank and in hand
**Total Current Assets**
**Creditors; amounts falling due**
**within a year**4
**Net Assets**
**Total assets**
Unrestricted income funds
Restricted income funds
**Total funds**
|**2022**
**£**
-
50,720
50,720
99
50,621
50,621
37,021
13,600
_____
50,621|
|
|---|---|---|
The company was entitled to exemption from audit under s477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.
The members have not required the company to obtain an audit in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.
The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Companies Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts.
These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to small companies subject to the small companies regime and in accordance with FRS102 SORP.
Approved by the Board of Trustees on 20 November 2022 and signed on its behalf.
Ian Hutchinson (Director)
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**SOLAR LINKS INITIATIVE Year ended 31 July 2022**
## **SOLAR LINKS INITIATIVE**
## **(A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)**
NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2022
## **1. Accounting policies**
## **1.1 Basis of preparation**
These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Financial Reporting Standard 102 (FRS 102) applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland, with the Companies Act 2006 and the Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities.
The Financial Statements have been prepared on a going concern basis under the historical cost convention and are presented in sterling.
## **1.2 Incoming resources**
Income has been recognised gross on the basis of entitlement, certainty and measurement.
Donations, legacies and other forms of voluntary income are recognised as incoming resources when receivable, except insofar as they are incapable of financial measurement.
Grants are recognised in full in the Statement of Financial Activities in the year in which they are receivable or any requirement imposed on the grant is fulfilled.
Investment income is recognised on a receivable basis.
## **1.3 Resources expended**
Expenditure is recognised on an accruals basis, inclusive of value added tax.
Costs of generating funds are those costs incurred in attracting voluntary income, in particular grant funding and the costs of maintaining the charity’s profile within the sector.
Governance costs include those costs incurred in the governance of the charity’s assets and are primarily associated with constitutional and statutory requirements.
## **2. Restricted and designated income relating to the year to 31 July 2022**
Restricted funds, being donations which the donor has specified are to be solely used for particular areas of the Charity’s work, are shown separately from unrestricted funds which are available to spend on activities that further any of the purposes of charity.
## **3. Charitable Activities**
Included in Charitable Activities are governance costs of £99 (2021 £99) being accountancy fees.
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## **SOLAR LINKS INITIATIVE Year ended 31 July 2022**
|**4.**|**Creditors: amounts falling due within a year**|||
|---|---|---|---|
|||**2022**|**2021**|
|||**£**|**£**|
|Accrued accountancy fees||99|198|
|Total|Creditors
|99|198|
## **5. Status**
The Company is a private company limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales. The registered office address is 22 Old Millmeads, Horsham RH12 2LZ. The members of the Company have agreed to contribute £1 each to the assets of the Company in the event of it being wound up.
## **6. Staff Costs and Trustees’ Remuneration** The Company has no paid employees.
Trustees received no remuneration (2021 £Nil), but are reimbursed for expenses, primarily costs of travelling to Uganda, incurred on behalf of the charity which amounted in the year to £Nil (2021 £Nil).
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