Friends of Amasango c/o
2 Dean Clarke House, 2 Southernhay East, Exeter Devon, EX11AP
U.K. Charity No. 1116268
Annual Report for the year 2022/23
1. Overview of the year
During the year the Friends of Amasango (the Charity) has engaged in fundraising for and the facilitation of volunteers to the Amasango Career School (ACS), Grahamstown, (Makhanda), South Africa to support in particular the following objectives --
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Food at Amasango
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Clothing at Amasango
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Honoraria to local volunteers
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Past Pupil Support for those at High School
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Overseas fund raising
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Accountancy support
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Capital expenditure on necessary equipment
A total of £49,322 (about ZAR 986,440) was sent to ACS meeting the objectives as agreed in the Budget. The Charity’s contributions to ACS have been affected by the difficult on going, fund-raising climate in the UK resulting from the COVID pandemic.
I am pleased to report that we have been able to continue to support the AMASANGO School in Grahamstown (now officially renamed as Makhanda) in all the normal areas, whilst also seeing real progress on the New School.
None of this would have been possible without the considerable and highly valued support of the Members & Supporters, by the hard and dedicated work put in by the staff at the School and in particular by the new Headmistress Girlie Shadaya and the marvellous team of Trustees that we have in the Charity - my considerable thanks to them for all their support and efforts.
With all the ramifications and difficulties of the hangover of the Covid pandemic Mrs Shadaya’s 2nd year has not been easy. Unfortunately, the Covid period had badly affected the normality of children attending school and trying to get them back to regular attendance has been really difficult. In addition, the economic climate has made life even more difficult in the townships from which the children come, resulting in more need for support in many areas.
The local Education authority has been less than supportive in continuing to threaten staff with reductions and delaying the appointment of Mrs Shadaya’s deputy – although I am pleased to report that just this term, only started a week or so ago, the Deputy is now in post and proving a great help and addition to the school.
As the Friends of the school, we have continued to be able to fund the now normal, clothing, food parcels at weekends and holidays and food daily at the school, together with additional support for educational needs, books, computer facilities, etc. The Membership drive I mentioned last time, funded by us with a lot of effort from the Head and staff, has borne some fruit in getting the school number back to approaching the pre Covid times, but more work needs to be done, particularly whilst the School remains in its awful temporary premises, which undoubtedly puts off some parents or guardians of potential learners.
Which of course brings me to the “New School” topic, which has been going on as long as I have been Chairman and before. As I reported last year the necessary Land for the Playing Field and School have been transferred to the Authority, detailed plans were drawn up for a temporary School on the New Site that should have started in the Spring of this year, with further detail plans done and approved by the School for the Permanent School to follow the next year. Although all this is backed by formal legal, court approved and mandated instructions, with the Local Education Authority, and indeed some of its key officers, we wasted months earlier in the year as the matter was referred to the Regional Education Authority for financial approval, which was only finally given a month or so ago, following further attendances in court and court orders! We are now awaiting very imminent decisions on exactly when work will start, the playing field fenced and the Sports field, funded by the generous Dutch donation, will be able to start, and exactly when the transfer of the School to the temporary accommodation on the new site will
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happen – clearly this must happen in such a way as to provide as little disruption to the school timetable as possible.
Trying to raise funds for the School during the year has been difficult with all the normal fund-raising activities suffering, as with all charities, with problematic giving following the Covid disruption.
It remains the case that all our regular donners have been the life blood of the Friends and thus our ability to support the school. Their Direct Debit and Standing order payments have been essentially our only real funding stream and without this we would not be able to function, so very many thanks to them all and for their ongoing and continued support. We would of course always appreciate either increases in regular donations or new donors, please.
We always need more people joining in this way and would appreciate hearing from anyone who is prepared to contribute anything from £5 per month or more (£25/per month essentially provides the basic funding necessary for 1 pupil at the school for a term.) on a regular basis. In addition, as in this year, one off large donations and legacies are always appreciated. As I said last year, with all the existing commitments to the School and now the necessity to build up funds for the New School Project, fund raising remains the major challenge of our Charity.
However, as you can see, the accounts and Budget show that we are keeping control of the situation whilst starting to build the necessary fund to support the needs of a properly equipping the New School. - . We plan, once the new School plans are truly finalised to move into a real fund-raising campaign to raise the necessary monies to ensure the School, in its new Premises, is properly equipped with all the Vocational equipment and facilities that the School will need and which won’t be funded by the Local Authority.
On the Volunteering front Charl Oosthuizen has developed and we have finalised a full Volunteering package which we will be launching as soon as the New School details are finally concluded.
We look forward to hopefully a really great year for the School in at least new Temporary Premises.
During the year, 4 overseas Volunteers helped at ACS.
In U.K. the Charity received a total of £46,505 during the year. Compared with 2021/22, individual donations were slightly increased and one corporate donation was much appreciated, there were no legacies. Gift Aid tax recovery in principle worked well but getting the actual funds out of HMRC is proving ridiculously difficult and long winded. UK bank balances at the year-end were down to £80,493 as a result of extra donations to the School. However, these funds ensure the charity has the cash flow resources to meet the needs of the school which start immediately the New School is actually being provided.
To maintain financial prudence but take note of increasing demands in the School a Budget has been agreed for the forthcoming year with revenue expenditure in 2022/23 totalling R 983,114 (about £ 49,155.70) has been agreed which the Trustees believe can be serviced. The budget shows a deficit on the year by al amount that the Trustees can be serviced by funds and may well be covered by the Gift Aid funds due from HMRC – as and when they are received!
This Budget was approved by Members at the AGM held on Saturday 30[th] September 2023.
The AGM has been held as a Hybrid, both physically and on Zoom and the Headmistress of the School has been able to visit the UK and attend the AGM plus tour the UK on information and Fund raising activities, funded by the Charity.
2. Statutory information: The Charity is the largest single donor to ACS.
The Charity is regulated by its Constitution which was adopted in General Meeting on 15[th] October 2005.
The Charity’s Objects as stated therein are as a Christian organisation to advance the education of pupils who are street children in South Africa and in particular those attached to the Amasango Career Schools in Eastern Cape Province by financial support through bursaries or otherwise and through assisting in the provision of facilities not provided by the Provincial Government and by facilitating the availability to the Amasango Career Schools of volunteer teachers and assistants.
The nine Trustees of the Charity in 2020/21 were Ian Irvin (Chairman), Bob Hampton (Hon Treasurer), Martin Coombs (Hon Secretary), Alison Evans, Kate Mier, Mark Newton, Charl Oosthuizen, Rebecca Pennells and Brian Wakeham, none of whom holds any property on behalf of the Charity. Eleven Trustees meetings were held during the year.
The Charity’s bankers are Santander Commercial Bank of Bridle Road, Merseyside, L30 4GB. The Charity’s Independent Examiner is Holly Ashenden, 39c Schubert Road, London, SW15 2QT.
This Annual Report was approved by the Charity in General Meeting on 15[th] October 2022 and signed on its behalf by
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Ian Irvin, Chairman
………………………………………………..
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Friends of Amasango
Accounts for the Year Ended 30th June 2023
Contents
| Page | |
|---|---|
| Receipts and Payments Account | 1 |
| Independent Examiner's Report | 2 |
Page 1
Friends of Amasango
UK Charity No. 1116268 supporting the Amasango Career Schools (ACS) in South Africa
Receipts and Payments Account Account for the Year Ended 30th June 2023
| Receipts and Payments Receipts Individual Donations Legacies Corporate Donations Grants successfully applied for Gift Aid Tax recovered2 Bank Interest Payments Donations to ACS Costs incurred in UK for Head Teacher visit Bank Charges Administration1 Excess of Receipts over payments Balance brought forward Balance carried forward Represented by Bank balances on 30th June Cash in hand |
2023 £ |
£ 46505 51489 -4984 86076 80493 80493 0 80493 |
2022 £ |
£ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 44745 0 1500 0 0 260 49322 1326 0 841 |
44426 0 0 0 0 19 33927 0 0 647 |
44445 34574 |
||
| 9871 76205 |
||||
| 86076 | ||||
| 86076 0 |
||||
| 86076 |
Note
This account has been prepared on a cash basis from the records of the Friends of Amasango
-
"Administraion" in the year includes JustGiving and SumUp administrative charges totalling £397 and insurance premium of £444.
-
Gift Aid - it is expected that a gift aid claim will be completed in the next financial year which will provide additional income of several thousand pounds - covering the shortfall in income shown above
Approved by the Friends of Amasango in General Meeting on 30th September 2023 and signed on their behalf by:
Robert Hampton …... Hon Treasurer
Page 2
Independent examiner's report to the trustees of 'Friends of Amasango' Trust
I report on the accounts of the Trust for the year ended 30 June 2023, which are set out on page 1.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
-
examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act
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to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act
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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 opinions 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:
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(1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
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to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act, and;
-
to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act have not been met or;
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(2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Name: Hannah Peters Relevant professional body: CIMA
Date: 28[th] August 2023
Friends of Amasango
Accounts for the Year Ended 30th June 2023
Contents
| Page | |
|---|---|
| Receipts and Payments Account | 1 |
| Independent Examiner's Report | 2 |
Page 1
Friends of Amasango
UK Charity No. 1116268 supporting the Amasango Career Schools (ACS) in South Africa
Receipts and Payments Account Account for the Year Ended 30th June 2023
| Receipts and Payments Receipts Individual Donations Legacies Corporate Donations Grants successfully applied for Gift Aid Tax recovered2 Bank Interest Payments Donations to ACS Costs incurred in UK for Head Teacher visit Bank Charges Administration1 Excess of Receipts over payments Balance brought forward Balance carried forward Represented by Bank balances on 30th June Cash in hand |
2023 £ |
£ 46505 51489 -4984 86076 80493 80493 0 80493 |
2022 £ |
£ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 44745 0 1500 0 0 260 49322 1326 0 841 |
44426 0 0 0 0 19 33927 0 0 647 |
44445 34574 |
||
| 9871 76205 |
||||
| 86076 | ||||
| 86076 0 |
||||
| 86076 |
Note
This account has been prepared on a cash basis from the records of the Friends of Amasango
-
"Administraion" in the year includes JustGiving and SumUp administrative charges totalling £397 and insurance premium of £444.
-
Gift Aid - it is expected that a gift aid claim will be completed in the next financial year which will provide additional income of several thousand pounds - covering the shortfall in income shown above
Approved by the Friends of Amasango in General Meeting on 30th September 2023 and signed on their behalf by:
Robert Hampton …... Hon Treasurer
Page 2
Independent examiner's report to the trustees of 'Friends of Amasango' Trust
I report on the accounts of the Trust for the year ended 30 June 2023, which are set out on page 1.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
-
examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act
-
to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act
-
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 opinions 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:
-
(1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
-
to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act, and;
-
to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act have not been met or;
-
(2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Name: Hannah Peters Relevant professional body: CIMA
Date: 28[th] August 2023