REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1117039 REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: 05385343
DIALOGUE SOCIETY
(A company limited by guarantee without share capital)
TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED
31 MARCH 2023
| DIALOGUE SOCIETY | |
|---|---|
| Contents | Page |
| Legal and administrative information | 2 |
| Trustees’ Report |
3-4 |
| Accountant’s Report | 5 |
| Statement of Financial Activities | 6 |
| Balance Sheet | 7 |
| Notes to the Financial Statements | 8-16 |
1
DIALOGUE SOCIETY
Legal and administrative information
Trustees
Beyza Nur Coskun
Muammer Demirpolat
Selcuk Bassoy
Company Number: 05385343
Charity Number: 1117039
Registered Office address
244 Chase Road, London, N14 6HH
Accountants
AA ACCOUNTANCY SERVICES 244 Chase Road London N14 6HH
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DIALOGUE SOCIETY
TRUSTEES’ REPORT
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022
Directors' Report
Dialogue Society is an organisation that aims to advance social cohesion by connecting communities, empowering people to engage and contributing to the development of ideas on dialogue and community building. It does this by bringing people together through discussion forums, courses, capacity-building publications, and outreach.
Overview
Our activities between 1[st] April 2022 and 31[st] March 2023 can be summarised as the Talking Bubble Project; the Dialogue Society Book Group; academic workshops; publications; Courses and discussion forums on various themes in different formats; Life of a Chickpea Project; the delivery of various intercultural community events including Christmas and fast-breaking iftar dinners; Interfaith Week activities; training and support to our branches and fundraising. We are pleased to note that Dialogue Society was awarded 'LSE Voluntary Organisation of the Year 2022’.
Our main activities can be summarised in detail under the headings below:
Talking Bubble Project: The Talking Bubble project, launched during the COVID-19 pandemic, has left a notable imprint on numerous lives. Through our befriending campaign, our objective is to mitigate the challenges posed by loneliness by connecting individuals at risk with a phone befriender. Our campaign now provides much-needed provision in over 20 different languages.
The Dialogue Society Book Group: The Dialogue Society Book Group has been going on and growing for the last ten years. It explores the capacity of books to provide windows into different cultural and intercultural worlds. A series of quality novels available at local libraries are chosen and discussed within a relaxed, sociable setting at the Dialogue Society offices and online platforms.
Academic workshops: Organised by the Journal of Dialogue Studies in partnership with the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, a full-day academic workshop invited scholars and practitioners who wish to explore ideas and share their research findings on the theme of 'Governance for the Human Future: The Centrality of Dialogue’. The workshop aimed to help explore the ways international governance processes might be improved by drawing on insights from innovative dialogue theory and good dialogue practices.
Publications : A special issue of the Journal of Dialogue Studies has been published, featuring papers invited and submitted for the seminar series on ‘Inter-Religious and Inter-Convictional Dialogue’. This volume explores the fields of Inter-Religious and Inter-Convictional Dialogue’. We also published a community manual entitled ‘How to Run Online Interfaith Dialogue’. This manual serves the primary aim of informing the practices of online interfaith dialogue by identifying and providing community-centric guidance on how best to bring faith communities together. Additionally, we have initiated a new publishing project - the Ramadan Journal- to complement our fast-breaking iftar events. This was followed by the Christmas Journal, where we hope to bring diverse voices together from the community, focussing on the theme of ‘Christmas is Community.'
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Courses and discussion forums: During this period, we organised several discussion forums in varying formats to achieve critical, open, and meaningful dialogue by bringing people together. A wide range of discussions were held covering multiple issues relevant to our areas of interest, such as the seminar series held in partnership with the Oxford Centre for Religion and Culture, based at Regent's Park College, University of Oxford, on 'Inter-Religious and Inter-Convictional Dialogue', 'Empowering Women and Girls: Leicester Case' presented at the United Nations NGO Commission on the Status of Women.
Life of a Chickpea: This newly initiated community project uses the humble chickpea's journey as a metaphor for understanding societal models, British values, and individual roles in a diverse community. Through seminars organised in schools and similar venues, we aim for all students to understand the significance of dialogue at community levels, encourage the engagement of dialogue among youth, and raise awareness of the concepts of equality, diversity and inclusion.
Community Events: Throughout this timeframe, we had the privilege of once again assembling in person to organise various community activities, overcoming the challenges presented by the lockdowns of the past two years. This ranged from organising fast-breaking community iftar dinners across the country with a theme of ‘Rekindling Community Spirit', including the IftarMe project to bring dialogue into our homes to foster cohesion in society, to ‘get-together’ Christmas dinners around the theme of 'Christmas is Community', bringing hundreds of diverse communities together across the UK to celebrate and find constructive solutions to our shared difficulties. Other community activities included inter-faith visits to places of worship, sending thousands of Christmas cards and heart-warming gifts, engaging in arts and crafts with local elderly communities, participating in park clean-ups, joining in the Queen's Platinum Jubilee events, initiating the ‘Ride for Friendship Challenge' to build friendships, hosting fundraising coffee morning events for good causes, organising picnics, presenting live music and conducting art workshops and performances.
Interfaith Week activities: Our dialogue volunteers were actively involved in the festivities of the interfaith week celebrated across the UK. Collaborating with local stakeholders and community groups, Dialogue Society Branches orchestrated numerous events during this period, each addressing various themes that resonate closely with our communities' concerns. Notably, they coordinated several 'Noah's Pudding' events, encompassing dinners at schools, local places of worship, our dialogue centres, and other community hubs. Thousands of bowls were shared with neighbours as a contribution to the interfaith week. The 'Noah's Pudding' project, ongoing for more than seventeen years, has evolved into a well-known brand and a means for building more cohesive societies.
Fundraising : We have continued our fundraising activities through regular donations and contributions from our supporters, as well as by selling books and goods and eBay sales throughout the year to raise funds and facilitate dialogue between different community groups.
Selcuk Bassoy Date 25 October 2023
Chairman of the Board of Trustees
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DIALOGUE SOCIETY
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO TRUSTEES OF DIALOGUE SOCIETY
I report on the accounts of the charity for the period ended 31 March 2023 which are set out on pages 10 to 20
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the terms of the Charities and Trustee Investment Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts Regulations 2006. The charity trustees consider that the audit requirement of Regulation 10(1) (a) to (c) of the 2006 Accounts Regulations does not apply. It is my responsibility to examine the accounts as required under section 44(1) (c) of the Act and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of independent examiner’s statement
My examination is carried out in accordance with Regulation 11 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations. 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 seeks 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 I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.
Independent examiner’s statement
In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention other than disclosed below. 1.which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
•to keep accounting records in accordance with Section 44(1) (a) of the 2005 Act and Regulation 4 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations
•to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with Regulation 8 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations 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 .
AA ACCOUNTANCY SERVICES
Chartered Certified Accountant
244 Chase Road, London, N14 6HH
Date: 25 October 2023
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DIALOGUE SOCIETY STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
(Incorporating income and expenditure account) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023
| Unristricted Notes Funds INCOME AND EXPENDITURES £ INCOMING RESOURCES Incoming resources from generated funds: Voluntary income 2 117662 Activities for generating funds 3 126923 Investment income 4 0 Incoming resources from charitable activities 5 0 Other incoming resources 6 23880 TOTAL INCOMING RESOURCES 268465 RESOURCES EXPENDED charitable Activities 7 257877 Governance Costs 8 14340 Other resources expended 9 0 TOTAL RESOURCES EXPENDED 11 272217 NET INCOMING/(OUTGOING) RESOURCES before transfers 21 -3752 Transfersbetween funds - NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS FOR THE YEAR -3752 Total Funds at 1 April 2022 67520 Prior Year Adjustment (Note 19) 0 Total Funds at 31 March 2023 63768 ===== |
Restricted Funds £ 72563 0 0 0 - 72563 58163 9000 0 67163 5400 - 5400 0 5400 ===== |
2023 Total £ 190,225 126923 0 0 23880 341028 316040 23340 0 339380 1648 - 1648 67520 0 69168 ===== |
2022 Total £ 143,518 210060 0 0 23983 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 377561 | |||
| 408406 23296 0 |
|||
| 431702 | |||
| -54141 - |
|||
| -54141 121661 0 |
|||
| 67520 ===== |
The notes on pages 12 to 22 form part of these accounts.
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DIALOGUE SOCIETY
BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 MARCH 2023
| Notes 2023 ₤ 15 20382 20382 Debtors 16 19464 Stocks 34200 30720 84384 17 (21320) 63064 18 -14278 69168 ===== 20 5400 20 63768 69168 ===== Unrestricted funds CREDITORS:Amounts falling due within one year Total assets less current liabilities Net current assets / (liabilities) CREDITORS:Amounts falling due more than one year FIXED ASSETS Tangible assets CURRENT ASSETS Cash at bank and in hand Restricted funds CHARITY FUNDS |
2022 ₤ 20716 |
|---|---|
| 20716 138480 48112 |
|
| 186592 (121722) |
|
| 64870 -18066 |
|
| 67520 ===== 0 67520 |
|
| 67520 ===== |
The notes on pages 16 to 24 from part of these accounts. Approved by the Board of Trustees on 20 October 2023.and signed on its behalf by Selcuk Bassoy, Trustee.
Selcuk Bassoy Chairman
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DIALOGUE SOCIETY NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023
1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES
1.1 Basis of preparation of financial statements
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, with the exception of investments which are included at market value, and in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller Entities (effective April 2008). The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP), 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities' published in March 2005 and applicable accounting standards.
1.2 Fund accounting
General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity and which have not been designated for other purposes.
Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors or which have been raised by the charity for particular purposes. The costs of raising and administering such funds are charged against the specific fund. The aim and use of each restricted fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Investment income, gains and losses are allocated to the appropriate fund.
1.3 Incoming resources
All incoming resources are included in the Statement of financial activities when the charity has entitlement to the funds, certainty of receipt and the amount can be measured with sufficient reliability.
Donated services or facilities, which comprise donated services, are included in income at a valuation which is an estimate of the financial cost borne by the donor where such a cost is quantifiable and measurable No income is recognised where there is no financial cost borne by a third party.
Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.
Income tax recoverable in relation to investment income is recognised at the time the investment income is receivable
1.4 Resources expended
Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been included under expense categories that aggregate all costs for allocation to activities. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular activities they have been allocated on a basis consistent with the use of the resources.
Governance costs are those incurred in connection with administration of the charity and compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements.
Grants payable are charged in the year when the offer is made except in those cases where the offer is conditional, such grants being recognised as expenditure when the conditions attaching are fulfilled, Grants offered subject to conditions which have not been met at the year end are noted as a commitment, but not accrued as expenditure.
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DIALOGUE SOCIETY
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023
1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued)
1.5 Tangible fixed assets and depreciation
All assets costing more than £ 500 are capitalised.
Tangible fixed assets are stated at cost less depreciation. Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write off the cost of fixed assets, less their estimated residual value, over their expected useful lives on the following bases:
Fixtures and fittings 25% reducing balance
1.6 Foreign currencies
Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into sterling at rates of exchange ruling at the balance sheet date.
Transactions in foreign currencies are translated into sterling at the rate ruling on the date of the transaction.
Exchange gains and losses are recognised in the Statement of financial activities.
1.7 Programme related investment
Programme related investments are stated at the cost of investment.
| 2. VOLUNTARY INCOME Donations Grants Voluntary Income 3. TRADING ACTIVITIES Charity trading income Charity trading income-Domestic Net income from trading activities |
Unristricted Funds £ 117662 117662 Unristricted Funds £ 126923 126923 |
Restricted Funds £ 4360 68203 72563 Restricted Funds £ 0 0 |
2023 Total £ 122022 68203 190225 2022 Total £ 126923 126923 |
2022 Total £ 115272 28246 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 143518 | ||||
| 2021 Total £ 210060 |
||||
| 210060 |
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DIALOGUE SOCIETY
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023
| 4. INVESTMENT INCOME Unristricted Funds £ Rental Income 5. INCOMING RESOURCES FROM CHARITABLE Unristricted Funds £ Charitable Activities 0 6. OTHER INCOMING RESOURCES Unristricted Funds £ Other incoming resources 23880 7. EXPENDITURE BY CHARITABLE ACTIVITY SUMMARY BY FUND TYPE Unristricted Funds £ Investment Income 0 Charitable Activities 257877 257877 SUMMARY BY EXPENDITURE TYPE Staff Costs £ Investment Income 0 Charitable Activities 107552 107552 |
Restricted 2023 Funds Total £ £ 0 0 ACTIVITIES Restricted 2022 Funds Total £ £ 0 0 Restricted 2022 Funds Total £ £ 0 23880 Restricted 2022 Funds Total £ £ 0 0 58163 316040 58163 316040 Other 2022 Costs Total £ £ 0 0 231828 339380 231828 339380 |
2022 Total £ 0 |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 Total £ 0 |
||
| 2021 Total £ |
||
| 23983 | ||
| 2021 Total £ 0 408406 |
||
| 408406 | ||
| 2021 Total £ 0 431702 |
||
| 431702 |
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DIALOGUE SOCIETY NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023
| 8. GOVERNANCE COSTS Unrestricted Funds £ Governance- Accountants fees 1400 Governance - Premises costs for head office 3210 Governance - telephone 156 Governance expense - computer expenses 114 Governance expense - wages and salaries 1755 Governance expense - NI 7205 Governance - depreciation - tangible fixed assets 500 14340 ==== 9. OTHER RESOURCES EXPENDED Unrestricted Funds £ Loss((profit) on disposal of fixed asset 0 ==== 10. DIRECT COSTS Basis of Unrestricted All Charitable activities Allocation Funds £ Charitable Contributions/Purchases Direct 97370 Cleaning Direct 2854 Staff training and welfare Direct 2049 Premises Direct 18894 Insurance Direct 848 Books and magazine Direct 2490 Bursary and grants Direct 0 Printing, Postage and Stationary Direct 3969 Motor expenses Direct 954 Office / admin expenses Direct 1230 Telephone and internet Direct 1403 Travel and substance Direct 3296 Repairs and Renewals Direct 0 Bank Charges Direct 1133 Consultancy fees Direct 12458 Subscriptions Direct 1122 Miscellaneous Direct 169 Advertising Direct 4030 Paypal/ebay fees Direct 1099 Software Direct 1029 Wages and salaries Direct 63634 Pension Direct 1803 Accommodation Direct 11900 Courier Direct 518 Editing Direct 0 Equipment expensed Direct 1029 Service charges Direct 5848 |
Unrestricted Funds £ 1400 3210 156 114 1755 7205 500 |
Restricted Funds £ 9000 9000 ==== Restricted Funds £ 0 ==== Restricted Funds £ 10000 15000 33163 |
2023 Total £ 1400 3210 156 114 10755 7205 500 |
2022 Total £ 1000 3572 227 262 11785 5950 500 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14340 ==== Unrestricted Funds £ |
23340 ==== 2023 Total £ |
23296 ==== 2022 Total £ |
||
| 0 ==== 2023 Total £ 97370 2854 2049 28894 848 17490 0 3969 954 1230 1403 3296 0 1133 12458 1122 169 4030 1099 1029 96797 1803 11900 518 0 1029 5848 |
0 ==== 2022 Total £ 195017 0 2569 32151 341 11000 1000 1991 456 727 2042 224 1091 1965 17450 672 255 137 6462 2358 106062 1506 1080 1167 17237 97 210 |
Meeting and event expenses
| Direct 16748 257877 ==== |
Direct 16748 257877 ==== |
58163 ==== |
16748 | 3139 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 257877 ==== |
316040 ==== |
408406 ==== |
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DIALOGUE SOCIETY
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023
11. ANALYSIS OF RESOURCES EXPENDED BY EXPENDITURE TYPE
| Staff Costs Depreciation Other Costs 2023 £ £ £ £ Investment Income 0 0 0 0 Charitable Activities 107552 500 231328 339380 Charitable activities 107552 500 231328 339380 Governance 17960 500 4880 23340 Loss on disposal of fixed assets 0 0 0 0 125512 1000 236208 362720 12. ANALYSIS OF RESOURCES EXPENDED BY ACTIVITIES Activities undertaken Total Directly Support Costs 2023 £ £ £ Investment Income 0 0 0 Charitable Activities 58163 23340 81503 Total 58163 23340 81503 |
2023 £ 0 339380 |
2022 £ 0 408406 |
|---|---|---|
| 339380 | 408406 | |
| 23340 0 |
23296 0 |
|
| 362720 | 23296 | |
| Total 2022 £ 0 23296 |
||
| 81503 | 23296 |
13. NET INCOMING RESOURCES
This is stated after charging:
| 13. NET INCOMING RESOURCES This is stated after charging: |
||
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2022 | |
| £ | £ | |
| Depreciation of tangible fixed assets: owned by charity | 500 | 500 |
| Auditor's remuneration | 0 | 0 |
| Governance Accountant fees | 1400 | 1000 |
During the year, no Trustees received any remuneration (2022 -£NIL). During the year, no Trustees received any benefits in kind (2022 -£NIL).
During the year, no Trustees received any reimbursement of expenses (2022 -£NIL).
14. STAFF COSTS
Staff costs were as follows:
| Wages and salaries Social security costs The average monthly number of employees during the year was as follows: |
2023 £ 107552 9008 116560 2023 No. 11 |
2022 £ 106062 7456 |
|---|---|---|
| 113518 | ||
| 2022 No. 10 |
No employee received remuneration amounting to more than £60,000 in either year.
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DIALOGUE SOCIETY
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023
15. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS
| Land & | Fixtures & | Motor | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings | Fittings | Vehicles | TOTAL | |||
| Cost | £ | |||||
| At 01.04.2022 | 0 | 31016 | 0 | 31016 | ||
| Additions | 0 | 166 | 166 | |||
| At 31.03.2023 | 0 | 31182 | 31182 | |||
| Depreciation | ||||||
| At 01.04.2022 | 0 | 10300 | 0 | 10300 | ||
| charge for period | 0 | 500 | 500 | |||
| At 31.03.2023 | 0 | 10800 | 0 | 10800 | ||
| Net book values | ||||||
| At 31.03.2023 | 0 | 20382 | 0 | 20382 | ||
| At 31.03.2022 | 0 | 20716 | 0 | 20716 |
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DIALOGUE SOCIETY NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023
16. DEBTORS
| EBTORS | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2022 | |
| £ | £ | |
| Due after more than one year | ||
| Other Debtors | 0 | 0 |
| Due within one year | ||
| Trade debtors | ||
| Other debtors | 19464 | 138480 |
| 19464 | 138480 |
17. CREDITORS: Amount falling due within one year
| 2023 £ Bank loans and Overdraft 0 Trade creditors 538 Other taxation and social security 8879 Other creditors 11903 Accruals and deferred income 0 21320 |
2022 £ 0 156 5165 116401 0 |
|---|---|
| 121722 |
18. CREDITORS: Amount falling due after one year
| Bank loans Other creditors |
2023 £ 14278 0 14278 |
2022 £ 18066 0 |
|---|---|---|
| 18066 |
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DIALOGUE SOCIETY
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023
19. PRIOR YEAR ADJUSTMENT
There is no prior year adjsutment this year
20. STATEMENT OF FUNDS
| Designated Funds General Funds General Funds-all funds Total Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Restricted funds-all funds Total of funds SUMMARY OF FUNDS General Funds Restricted funds |
Brought Forward £ 67520 67520 0 67520 Restated Brought Forward £ 67520 0 67520 |
Incoming Resources £ 268465 268465 72563 341028 Incoming Resources £ 268465 72563 341028 |
Resources Expended £ (272217) (272217) (67163) (339380) Resources Expended £ (272217) (67163) (339380) |
Transfers In/Out £ 0 |
Carried Forward £ 63768 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 63768 | ||||
| 0 | 5400 | ||||
| 0 | 69168 | ||||
| Transfers In/Out £ 0 0 |
Carried Forward £ 63768 5400 |
||||
| 0 | 69168 |
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DIALOGUE SOCIETY
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023
22. ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS
| Tangible fixed assets Debtors due after more than 1 year Current assets Creditors due within one year Creditors due in more than one year |
Unrestricted Restricted Total Total Funds Funds 2022 2021 £ £ £ £ 20382 0 20382 20716 0 0 0 0 84384 0 84384 186592 (21320) 0 (21320) (121722) -14278 0 -14278 -18066 |
|---|---|
| 69168 0 69168 67520 |
23. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
There was not any related party transaction with any of the trustees this year and last year.
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