Specialising in small-scale horticultural, environmental and social projects in support of UN Sustainable Development Goals 1 & 2, the eradication of global poverty & hunger, and also Goal 13, action against climate change.
Sustainable Global Gardens (A company limited by guarantee)
Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024
Charity number 1116243
Company number 05733281
Reference and Administration details
Charity Name: Sustainable Global Gardens, otherwise known as SGG
Registered Charity number: 1116243
Charity’s registered address:
20, Kensington Gardens, Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear, NE25 8AR.
Trustees who manage the charity:
Paul Keeley Carole Keeley Michael Farmer Mary Farmer Barry Fildes Rachel Gibson Sarah King John Knapton Wanda Lockwood
Appointment of new trustees is by mutual agreement of all existing trustees. There are no custodian trustees, no staff and no advisers. SGG is a very small charity run by trustees on an entirely voluntary basis. We are currently exempt from audit.
Structure, governance and management
Sustainable Global Gardens is a registered as a company limited by guarantee. [Company Number 05733281]. Our governing document is the Memorandum of Articles and Association. Our Trustees are advised to familiarise themselves with CC3 produced by Charity Commission. Trustees are also given full information concerning the activities of the charity. Written policies for Risk assessment, Volunteer and Safeguarding exist. Other policies are by agreement with the trustees but most others are not appliable to our very small charity. However, it is SGG policy never to incur any debt and we will not commit to funding anything for which we do not have finances.
Aims and Objectives
-
produce tangible benefits for small communities where incomes are typically less than $2/person per day;
-
undertake projects which are often but not always located in Africa South of the Sahara.;
-
not be restricted by religious, ethnic, gender or income criteria, although the main focus will be on communities where poverty is endemic;
-
concentrate on small-scale ‘microprojects’ in which ordinary individuals can directly participate;
-
follow the principles of sustainable development so that projects will contain an incomegeneration component;
-
limit the costs of administering any project so that over 80% of all funds raised by UK donors are transferred to the poor of the Developing World;
-
provide significant donor groups and partners with a project report with specific information about the progress of a project;
-
work in cooperation with a local partner in the project community, who could take care of the day-to-day management. It is expected that such work would be voluntary.
Activities
In this financial year the ‘one long distance flight per year’ principle was reestablished with a two month monitoring visit to Malawi, Kenya and Tanzania in the January-March period. This tight schedule meant that some activities previously undertaken by SGG had to be greatly reduced. This applied particularly to the counting of trees on individual farms, which would have been quite impossible in view of the numbers now being planted by participating farmers. Local community leaders will have to take over this task in the future, and SGG approves of this type of progress: progress in rural Africa will only be sustainable when local communities initiate, implement and take full responsibility for their own development. The simple task of tree counting is just one small step along that path.
Last year the Annual Report mentioned how FOCUSSA had transformed in a decade a community near Matayos in Busia County. Now we wish to show how St Dennis Libolina School for the Physically Challenged has been transformed in less than two years.
Achievements and Performance
Improved water-supply
SGG did not have a specific water project this year. However, we have been involved in various water-related schemes. The Kasiwe Farmers Association on Rusinga island have been developing an irrigation project based on extraction of water from Lake Victoria, and tank storage of water to be used for irrigation of lakeshore plots. By 5/2/2024 they had raised sufficient funds to purchase the diesel pump and water tank, but requested Ksh 40,000/- [about £200] for the pipework required. This was paid with the expectation that more intensive land use of lakeshore plots will generate a significant increase in household income. We can also mention here how the new water tank, not funded by SGG but through SCOPE, and permaculture practices have improved water supply for food growing at St Dennis. A third example is forest restoration near Zomba Forest Lodge where increased tree cover helps maintain village water supplies
Support for 500 orphans & vulnerable children [OVCs] in Busia.
The total cost of this feeding programme for 500 orphans/vulnerable children is now £7,920 per year. We are constantly concerned about the possibility of failing to reach this budget target, but once again we have managed to secure sufficient funds for what the SGG Directors regard as a priority project. For this budget to have been reached SGG would like to thank various Trusts, including the Lady Leech Fund, the Canning Trust, Paradigm Norton, St Peter’s Aid for the Needy], for their generous contributions and also SGG individual supporters of this project. At this point I would like to give a special thanks to Mr Farmer for the legacy left for the well being of these underprivileged children.
Table banking.
The core of this popular activity is SGG representatives sitting around a table, or under a tree, discussing with a local group how to generate an additional income, using small capital investment, local initiative & a willingness to work. Last year we reported great interest in table-banking with local contributions reaching £3,532. This year this figure increased to £4,280 with some new
applicants in addition to the usual 11 OVC groups. We do not know precisely how many farmers & OVC guardians are involved in these income generation schemes, but we have every reason to believe that it is more than 200 of the local farming community.
Tree Planting & Conservation in Africa.
In terms of activity, participating farmers and spread of locations this is by far the biggest of SGG’s current projects. There are now several hundred small-scale farmers planting, growing or caring for trees, so it is no longer possible for SGG to count & confirm tree numbers at every location. We are now developing a new strategy which will enable us to make reasonable estimates of growing trees. During this year’s monitoring visit there was considerable tree counting amongst members of the ZombaTreez community around Nankhunda & Nsanama villages. In this location 19,269 trees were recorded as agroforestry planting on 173 small-scale farms. A further 11,853 trees & shrubs were counted in conservation areas where forest restoration is practised. Only 4 weeks were spent in Kenya and Tanzania, so general tree counting was not undertaken unless it was a specific tree type which SGG wants to promote. Although very little tree counting was done in both Kenya and Tanzania, SGG is confident that tree projects are increasingly widespread in East Africa. Furthermore, they are not only one of the best strategies for poverty & hunger eradication, but they are also crucial for climate change mitigation. We anticipate that in the 2023 to 2028 period SGG will be able to confirm the planting or growth through natural regeneration of more than 250, 000 trees in either Malawi or East Africa. Furthermore, we believe that the many farmers who participate in such work should be satisfactorily paid for their efforts. Thus, SGG will need to undertake considerable fundraising in the near future.
Promotion of organic gardening & permaculture.
SGG has had an excellent year as far as this project is concerned. The work done with SCOPE [see https://www.scopekenya.net] has already been mentioned as the most impressive single action of 2023, so we would encourage those who wish to know more to browse our website www.sustainableglobalgardens.org.uk
As SGG prepared for a second training visit to ZombaTreez in January there was concern about what damage may have happened to the Nankhunda Demonstration plot, but on arrival on 6/1/24 the news was very good. Despite the rather flimsy fence the garden had survived the ferocity of Cyclone Freddy in February-March 2023, and the vegetables there were used to feed the local residents who had lost their houses in the storm. Furthermore, the 5 farmers trained in January 2023 had subsequently spent time showing other villagers how to make double-dug raised beds for vegetable production. There were 29 such beds by January. Members also requested a second Demonstration Plot at the neighbouring village of Nsanama. There have been some activities during this financial year when progress has been slow or absent, but when all the projects are considered together we think this is probably the best year in terms of impact since SGG was founded in 2005. We can therefore look forward to the coming year with reasonable optimism, although we shall need to maintain the same or an increased levels of funding.
Financial review
The charity aims to have around £5000 reserves at the end of each financial year to allow us to proceed into the next year. It is our policy never to spend or allocate money that we do not have available. Voluntary income is received by way of grants, donations and gifts and is included in full in the Statement of Financial Activities when receivable. Since covid lockdown we have
significantly increased appeals for funding to various trusts. Where grants are for a particular project we provide a report to donors showing where the money has been spent.
Nearly all our expenditure has gone to improve the livelihoods and well being of very poor people in Africa which has enabled us to achieve our prime objective of poverty and hunger alleviation. We rely on volunteer labour and keep expenses below 10%. Office facilities are provided free of charge by Paul Keeley. No members of the management committee received any remuneration during the year. Air fare to Africa for one director is paid as expenses. If any other directors join the field trip they reimburse the cost of the flight to SGG.
With less time scheduled for fieldwork in recent years, SGG has managed to maintain an adequate income by greater emphasis on fundraising while at home. The total UK income for this 2023-2024 financial year was £32,581.40p, which compares satisfactorily with the 2022-23 income of £31,456. Despite periodic concerns about SGG’s financial security, we continue to have sufficient capital to carry out our planned activities. Furthermore, during the Kenya visit local groups were very eager to use SGG’s table-banking scheme with a total of £4,280 raised for local contributions. The bank balance on 31/3/2024 was £13,075.84p. This include the £5000 reserve that we aim for plus funds to be paid every 3 months to the OVC feeding programme.
We do not have any investments or assets.
As a charity, SGG is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within section 505 of the Taxes Act 1988 or s256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects. Gift Aid is reclaimed on any eligible donations.
Gk)pon CHARITYPOR ENGLANDCOMMISSION AND watrs|Sustainable: Global Gardens Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period To from 01/04/2023 31/04/2024 Section A Receipts and payments Unrestricted Restricted Endowment fare fande fore Total funds Last year ao ietaaEES to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ A1 Receipts [ChartyBoxss——SCSC—~—CSCSStanding Orders SSCS]3770 [CSC|TT dd Lt |[31,446] | [Donations for Tree planting +t ae4aaoj{————S eee«dC dO] [idas [Donations es |eee es [General_——=—SSSCSC~dCSC~C~‘~‘Gift donationsfor Carbon Capture | AST TC dC dt_-ssaj[-i[. -|[—sssaj[ SSCS|id Aid es |eee Pe Sub total (Gross income for cae AR) : A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). PO Sub total| A3 Payments [Expenses[SenttoMalawi____————S~idCSC<CS~é‘“—~sOD} PP 2609| OT (SCC CdSCd‘iYLS( [Sent for St Denis Liboina | 1,00] [——-‘(|<[-+i|#i{(SCO SC projects____+| [Sent for Kenya tree 3000] [SSees'idt TS S CSCSCSCS™C~C~d'CL]SSC~C~«S00]OO] [ CSSC~' projects_|s0o0||-||-|[s000][[Fieldeeetrip spends on |eee J| eee ee ee lll Coeee TC‘i Sub ee ee es, totall ANIEL ILL| A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) es ee Sub total| ed Net of receipts(payments)|___ 6,450) |p 450) f=[12,824)] ASTransfersbetweenfunds [|[||] i AG Cash funds last yearend |tT oe i Cash funds this yearend|_ 6450} |] AO| 12,8284
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
1
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unrestricted Restricted Endowment funds funds funds to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £ Tote cashtunds [ef fl (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Unrestricted Restricted Endowment funds funds funds tails to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £ — — Fund to which . Current value ai asset belongs Gio {eapstioait} optional — —= Fund to which 4 Current value ot asset belongs cost (ootorents ‘optional Fund to which Amount due When due - ——=liability relates optional =optional Signed by one or two trustees on . : Date of behalf of all the trustees Signature Pant Name approval aw, F Xdeo Barry Fildes 57.2024 Carole Keeley 5.7.2024
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
2
| CC16a 1116243 Sustainable Global Gardens 01/04/2023 31/04/2024 No (if any) Charity Name Receipts andpayments accounts Period start date Period end date To For the period from ~~a~~ ~~ee ee_~~ |
CC16a 1116243 Sustainable Global Gardens 01/04/2023 31/04/2024 No (if any) Charity Name Receipts andpayments accounts Period start date Period end date To For the period from ~~a~~ ~~ee ee_~~ |
CC16a 1116243 Sustainable Global Gardens 01/04/2023 31/04/2024 No (if any) Charity Name Receipts andpayments accounts Period start date Period end date To For the period from ~~a~~ ~~ee ee_~~ |
CC16a 1116243 Sustainable Global Gardens 01/04/2023 31/04/2024 No (if any) Charity Name Receipts andpayments accounts Period start date Period end date To For the period from ~~a~~ ~~ee ee_~~ |
CC16a 1116243 Sustainable Global Gardens 01/04/2023 31/04/2024 No (if any) Charity Name Receipts andpayments accounts Period start date Period end date To For the period from ~~a~~ ~~ee ee_~~ |
CC16a 1116243 Sustainable Global Gardens 01/04/2023 31/04/2024 No (if any) Charity Name Receipts andpayments accounts Period start date Period end date To For the period from ~~a~~ ~~ee ee_~~ |
CC16a 1116243 Sustainable Global Gardens 01/04/2023 31/04/2024 No (if any) Charity Name Receipts andpayments accounts Period start date Period end date To For the period from ~~a~~ ~~ee ee_~~ |
CC16a 1116243 Sustainable Global Gardens 01/04/2023 31/04/2024 No (if any) Charity Name Receipts andpayments accounts Period start date Period end date To For the period from ~~a~~ ~~ee ee_~~ |
CC16a 1116243 Sustainable Global Gardens 01/04/2023 31/04/2024 No (if any) Charity Name Receipts andpayments accounts Period start date Period end date To For the period from ~~a~~ ~~ee ee_~~ |
CC16a 1116243 Sustainable Global Gardens 01/04/2023 31/04/2024 No (if any) Charity Name Receipts andpayments accounts Period start date Period end date To For the period from ~~a~~ ~~ee ee_~~ |
CC16a 1116243 Sustainable Global Gardens 01/04/2023 31/04/2024 No (if any) Charity Name Receipts andpayments accounts Period start date Period end date To For the period from ~~a~~ ~~ee ee_~~ |
CC16a 1116243 Sustainable Global Gardens 01/04/2023 31/04/2024 No (if any) Charity Name Receipts andpayments accounts Period start date Period end date To For the period from ~~a~~ ~~ee ee_~~ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Section A Receipts and payments | |||||||||||
| Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds |
Restricted | Endowment funds |
Total funds | Last year | ||||||
| to the nearest £ |
to the nearest | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | |||||
| A1 Receipts | |||||||||||
| StandingOrders | 3770 | - | - | - | 3,770 | 31,446 | |||||
| CharityBoxes | 91 | - | - | - | 91 | - | |||||
| Donations for OVCs | 8,420 | - | - | - | 8,420 | - | |||||
| Donations for Treeplanting | 4,130 | - | - | - | 4,130 | - | |||||
| Donations for Malawi | 7,580 | - | - | - | 7,580 | - | |||||
| Donations for Carbon Capture | 558 | - | - | - | 558 | - | |||||
| General donations | 5,195 | - | - | - | 5,195 | - | |||||
| Gift Aid | 2,837 | - | - | - | 2,837 | - | |||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) |
(Gross income for AR)32,581 |
- | - | - | 32,581 | 31,446 | |||||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). - - - - - - - - - Sub total - - - - - Total receipts 32,581 - - 32,581 31,446 ~~——————~~ |
|||||||||||
| A3 Payments | |||||||||||
| Expenses | 2,609 | - | - | - | 2,609 | 44,270 | |||||
| Sent to Malawi | 6,622 | - | - | - | 6,622 | - | |||||
| Sent for ST Denis Libolina | 1,500 | - | - | - | 1,500 | - | |||||
| Sent for Kenya treeprojects | 3,000 | - | - | - | 3,000 | - | |||||
| Sent for OVCs | 7,400 | - | - | - | 7,400 | - | |||||
| Field tripspends onprojects | 5,000 | - | - | - | 5,000 | - | |||||
| - | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||
| - | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||
| - | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||
| **Sub total ** | 26,131 | - | - | - | 26,131 | 44,270 | |||||
| A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) - - - - - - - - Sub total - - - - - Total payments 26,131 - - 26,131 44,270 ~~——————~~ |
|||||||||||
| Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end |
6,450 - - 6,450 - 12,824 - - - - - - - - - - 6,450 - - 6,450 - 12,824 ~~SSS]~~ |
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
1
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Endowment | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Categories | Details | funds | funds | funds | |||
| to nearest £ | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | |||||
| B1 Cash funds | - - - - - - - - - - - - Total cash funds ~~SSS~~ |
||||||
| (agree balances with receipts and payments | (agree balances with receipts and payments | ||||||
| account(s)) | Agreement Error | OK | OK | ||||
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Endowment | |||||
| funds | funds | funds | |||||
| Details | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | ||||
| B2 Other monetary assets | - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~~—===~~ |
||||||
| Details | Fund to which asset belongs |
Cost (optional) | Current value (optional) |
||||
| B3 Investment assets | - - - - - - - - - - ~~===~~ |
||||||
| Details | Fund to which asset belongs |
Cost (optional) | Current value (optional) |
||||
| B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use |
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~~====~~ |
||||||
| Fund to which | Amount due | When due | |||||
| B5 Liabilities | liability relates (optional) (optional) - - - - - Details ~~===~~ |
||||||
| Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees |
Date of approval 5.7.2024 5.7.2024 Print Name BarryFildes Carole Keeley Signature ~~=e~~ |
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
2