2023-09-30-accounts - The Angus Lawson Memorial Trust

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ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2022-23 ALMT Partnerships

1 Message from the Chair 2 A snapshot of the ALMT in 2023 3 The people behind the ALMT 4 Principal activities 5-6 Responding to need/Measuring impact 7-8 The grant-making cycle/ Income explained 9-10 Co-Funding Scheme/Key Partnerships 11-12 Cost of Living Campaign Projects 13 Grief and Bereavement Support 14-24 Projects funded 25 Independent Examiner’s report 26 Balance Sheet 27 Statement of financial activities 28-30 Notes to the financial statements 31 Thank you

Message froM the chair

The year began with a dramatic increase in the Cost of Living which led to basic needs becoming unaffordable, pushing many families deep into poverty. In order to respond to this crisis, the ALMT Trustees launched a campaign to ensure that funding went to those children and young people struggling the most. As ever our amazing network of supporters and friends pulled together and we were able to award a huge £108,245 to six ALMT partner organisations around the country. The majority of this funding went towards basic needs such as food and fuel and provided some light and hope during the winter months. I was lucky enough to go to the theatre with Thorney Close primary school, funded by the ALMT, and witnessed first-hand the impact this trip had on the children - all but one of whom had never been to the theatre before.

ALMT projects this year focussed on providing longer-term and in-depth support for children around the world at a time when activities were becoming inaccessible for many. Projects reporting in 2023 worked with over 15,000 children and young people and on average provided 223 hours work per person. From schoolbags for children following the floods in Pakistan to counselling for children who have experienced domestic violence, from literacy programmes and solar water pumps to chess teaching and youth work – I remain immensely proud of the breadth and diversity of the projects supported by the ALMT and our ability to remain proactive and accessible in the most challenging of circumstances.

Jenni Thomas continued to provide invaluable support to families following a bereavement during the year. We are very excited to have started working with her to create a lasting legacy for her work by writing a reference book which can act as a guide for families in the future.

Our partnership with the team at RenaissanceRe goes from strength to strength. Their committed support for the Cost of Living campaign and the launch of their challenge to climb Mount Kenya in November 2023 to raise money for Alive and Kicking clearly shows how closely our visions align. All our Co-Funding relationships provide us with a strong framework and enable us to remain a proactive funder and achieve a far greater impact than we would be able to alone. A fabulous example of this is the work undertaken in Gorzow, Poland, where co-funding has unlocked substantial support for Ukrainian refugees.

Following the tragic death of Tom Love in December 2022, we joined his family and friends by supporting the creation of a fund in his memory. Tom Love was an inspirational young man who had a profound impact on people everywhere he went. Working in partnership with The Tom Love Trust we are honouring his passions and values by funding projects that Tom would have loved.

With many thanks to all our supporters and friends and especially the ALMT board of trustees without whose commitment none of this would be possible.

Nick Lawson

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11
COUNTRIES children given
SchoolBags
AROUND THE
and Lifestraws
WORLD to access
education
10
PROJECTS
SUPPORTING
CHILDREN WITH
DISABILITIES
33
PROJECTS
SUPPORTED
WORLDWIDE
L’s maths has
dramatically
improved. Her
confidence, effort
and stamina has
been transformed
Teacher at Quest for
Learning School
students
receiving in
depth literacy
and numeracy
tuition
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11
COUNTRIES
AROUND THE
WORLD
The Counselling has
really helped me, in
every way possible…
it has helped me
way way way much!
And you know
what? I feel OK.
Matthew Aged 10 –
Acorns Project
33
PROJECTS
SUPPORTED
WORLDWIDE
children and
young people
supported
with food/
clothing
2
projects
helping young students
people through receiving in
depth literacy
bereavement.
and numeracy
tuition
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THE ALMT PARTNERS WiTH iNDiviDUALS AND COMPANiES TO PROviDE TARGETED GRANTS AND SUPPORT TO ORGANiSATiONS WORkiNG TOWARDS iTS SHARED MiSSiON TO iMPROvE THE qUALiTy Of LifE fOR THE WORLD’S MOST MARGiNALiSED CHiLDREN.

The ALMT is a registered charity, number 1117735, governed by its Declaration of Trust and its Articles of Association. The ALMT partners with individuals and companies to provide targeted grants and support to organisations working towards its shared mission to improve the quality of life for the world’s most marginalised children and young people.

trUstees

Fiona Fairbairn – Partners’ Committee Debbie Hofmeyr – Partners’ Committee Edward Hutton – Trustee Kara Lawson – Founder Nick Lawson – Founder, Chair Jonathan Potter – Trustee Wasim Rehman – Partners’ Committee Silvie Tonellotto – Partners’ Committee Alex de Winton – Partners’ Committee

New Trustees can be recommended by an existing board or staff member and elected at a Trustees meeting. There is no minimum or maximum length of term. Trustees do not receive remuneration for their role.

pAtron

Jenni Thomas OBE

eMploYees

Rebecca Pirt

Trust Director, Sept 2022-Present Kate Richardson Grants Officer, Sept 2022-Present

THE ALMT SUPPORTS PROJECTS ENGAGED iN iMPROviNG THE qUALiTy Of LifE fOR THE WORLD’S MOST MARGiNALiSED CHiLDREN AND yOUNG PEOPLE, ENABLiNG THEM TO HOPE fOR A BRiGHTER fUTURE.

We are interested in early intervention projects which address the root causes of inequality and look for innovative and creative solutions to proven problems. The Trust is most interested in projects that effect longer term change for the most disadvantaged young people. This ensures a positive impact for children and a high social return on any investment made by the Trust and its donors.

that most grants are below this upper limit with an average in 2022-2023 of £15,330.

Applicants must be registered charities or Charitable Incorporated Organisations with representation in the UK. The ALMT will also consider applications from schools and school PTAs in the UK where funding will support disadvantaged children’s learning outside school and benefit the wider community.

Funding is prioritised for grassroots partners with an average annual income of no more than £1,000,000 over a five-year period. Organisations new to the ALMT can apply for an annual grant between £3,000-£25,000 and existing partners may be able to apply for up to 3 years funding. It should be noted

We work with partner organisations directly involved in project implementation and do not fund grant-making bodies to make grants on our behalf. Instead we seek solicited applications through supporters, charity partners and members of the team.

ApplicAtion process

stage 3

stage 2

stage 1

A written application, A meeting/call/project visit Application is discussed cover sheet and detailed with a member of the ALMT evaluated and approved/ project budget Partners’ Committee. rejected at a Board meeting.

APPLiCATiONS CONSiDERED:

APPLiCATiONS NOT CONSiDERED:

Bereavement and palliative care for families, adults, children and young people
Construction
Projects and initiatives that enable disadvantaged or vulnerable children and young people to participate fully in society and increase social mobility
Research
Party political activities
Educational scholarships and learning support for children and young people
The promotion of religion
From time to time, The ALMT Board of • Disproportionate overhead Trustees may also express a wish to focus and management costs support on other particular areas or on a specific cohort of children.

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DURiNG 2022-2023 WE

ACTivELy PRiORiTiSED SUPPORT fOR THE fOLLOWiNG AREAS:

COPiNG WiTH THE RiSiNG COST Of LiviNG

Towards the end of 2022 the dramatic rise in the cost of living pushed many families into poverty. The ALMT responded by launching the Cost of Living Campaign. Matched funding provided by our Corporate Partner RenaissanceRe and other key Co-Funders enabled us to distribute funding of £108,245 to six partner organisations around the country. Each organisation offered direct and practical help to over 2,388 children and families.

SUPPORT fOR REfUGEES AND DiSPLACED CHiLDREN AND yOUNG PEOPLE

We continued to embed support for displaced children across our portfolio. Funding for School in a Bag provided SchoolBags and Lifestraws to children who had lost everything following the floods in Pakistan. Our work with the Slowianka Leisure Centre in Gorzow Poland provided summer holiday activities for Ukrainian refugees. A new partnership with Action for Refugees in Lewisham (AFRIL) funds a supplementary Saturday school for refugee children to reduce the education gap between them and their peers. Partnerships from 2022 with Alsama Project for Syrian Refugees in The Lebanon and Katherine Low Settlement in London also continued to provide much needed support for young refugees.

REDUCiNG WiDENiNG INEqUALiTiES

Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are significantly less likely to achieve core numeracy and literacy skills. The ALMT has actively sought out projects looking to address this. Quest for Learning in Oxfordshire embarked on a two-year programme to increase numeracy with primary children in disadvantaged schools whilst Southwark Children’s Education Charity completed a threeyear project providing literacy tuition to primary children in London. Bibic provided holistic and bespoke developmental assessments for children and young people with multiple needs, who are also living in poverty, in order to help them thrive. Work with Tourette’s Action and Newman Holiday Trust enabled children with specific needs, who have never been able to go away from home on their own, to experience a holiday with their peers. Globally we continued to target under-represented groups in order to improve access to education. A three-year partnership in Burundi with Street Action will provide all-round education for street children. ChildHope received its final year of funding to improve living standards and education within Majalis in The Gambia as did Afrikids for its work with children with disabilities in Northern Ghana and Marylebone Cricket Club Foundation started a two year programme using cricket to reduce barriers to education for girls in Nepal.

all InterventIons aIm to have a lonG-term and sustaInable effect. Global events have led to Increased need and We strIve to fInd InnovatIve solutIons WhIch maXImIse our Impact.

We continue to Work toWards nine of the unIted natIons’ sustainable development Goals. many projects are deliverinG outcomes across multiple themes and demoGraphIcs.

HiGH qUALiTy INTERvENTiONS fOR EARLy yEARS

Increased understanding about the importance of the first 1000 days of a child’s life has led to a focus on targeted support for early years care. Starfish Greathearts Foundation in South Africa is providing holistic early years education and healthcare for rural communities. In Essex, BOSP received funding to develop their toddler groups for children with multiple disabilities enabling them to have the best start in life. Restore Hope delivered Circle of Security parenting classes and toddler groups and The Linda Norgrove Foundation provided nutrition for mothers who have toddlers in Afghanistan.

IMPROviNG HEALTH AND WELLBEiNG

We continued to see a dramatic increase in the need for mental health support so that young people have the strength and resilience to thrive. Acorns Project provides life-changing therapy to children who have experienced domestic violence in Northumberland. Achieve, Change & Engagement provides Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for young people struggling to find help in Lancaster whilst Alive and Kicking uses football training to open up discussions about wellbeing and refer young people to appropriate services in rural Kenya. The Alsama Project, funded in 2022, provided counselling for Syrian refugees in The Lebanon, whilst Hull Children’s University completed their project piloting Arts Therapy for children in care in Hull. Work with the Student Grief Network and The New Normal developed creative resources for students who had experienced a bereavement. A new partnership with SAFE Kenya targets young people who are not in school to reduce Female Genital Mutilation. In Zambia, The Butterfly Tree is reducing malaria by providing mosquito nets. Meanwhile, work in Mozambique with Village Water reduces water-borne illnesses and improves school attendance by providing safe drinking water and sanitation facilities to primary school children.

ENRiCHMENT ACTiviTiES AND yOUTH WORk

Increasingly, enrichment activities are hard for families to afford in the UK and ongoing, high-quality, extra-curricular activities remain pivotal to young people’s ability to succeed. For many, the best way to learn is when having fun and each ALMT partner is highly skilled at encouraging wider learning through their respective fields. Chess in Schools encourages sportsmanship and logical thinking by providing chess tuition for primary children in Liverpool.

Immediate Theatre uses drama to engage young people at risk of exclusion in Hackney ; whilst Downside Fisher Youth Club is providing lifeguard training and routes into employment for young people in Southwark. Partnerships with Newman Holiday Trust and The Avenues offered high quality and fun holiday activities.

UnrestrIcteD IncoMe restr ~~I~~ cteD IncoMe

additional fundinG of £108,245 Was aWarded throuGh the cost of livinG campaiGn and further Grants of £51,259 Were made to sloWianka leisure centre and optikey outside the scheduled board meetinGs

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KingDoM
WorlDWIDe
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DURiNG THE fiNANCiAL yEAR 2022-2023 ALMT TRUSTEES MET THREE TiMES AND AWARDED fUNDiNG Of £377,816 THROUGH SCHEDULED BOARD MEETiNGS WiTH £187,113 GOiNG TOWARDS Uk PROJECTS AND £159,292 fOR WORLDWiDE PROJECTS.

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INDIvIDUALS
GIfT AID
SUPPORT COST
CONTRIBUTIONS
EvENTS
TRUSTS & fOUNDATIONS
CORPORATE
CO-fUNDING
GORZOW PARNTERSHiP
TOM LOvE TRUST
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UnrestricteD IncoMe: £143,410

Individuals consistently keep the ALMT sustainable with unrestricted regular donations, one-off support or annual lump sums totalling £73,243.

Fundraising events totalled £5,817 in 2022-23. Our thanks go to Dan Lawson for walking all 758km of the Camino Way, Helen Pattison for running a Half Marathon to raise funds for the ALMT and Jonathan Groom for taking part in the London Marathon.

Corporate donations come through a range of sources and contribute both directly to projects as well as to unrestricted income and totalled £30,782 this year.

Gift Aid totalled £46,658 and this year £42,834 was used to fund ALMT charity partners. Investment income of £2,562 was received during the year.

restricteD IncoMe: £894,182

Restricted income includes income from individual Co-Funders; events and campaigns that generate restricted co-funding for projects; partnerships with other trusts and foundations; and corporate co-funding. This year total restricted income for co-funding grew to £835,757.

ALMT corporate partner RenaissanceRe continues to work closely with the ALMT team and this year awarded £49,249.58 to co-fund specific projects with further pledges committed into 2023-24 from the Mount Kenya Team’s fundraising success.

ALMT continues to work closely with the Mac Bevan Charitable Trust and others to co-fund projects of mutual interest and received £30,786 this year for specific projects. The creation of the Tom Love Trust raised restricted funding of £338,454 which will be allocated to co-fund specific projects over the coming years. During 2022-23, £15,631 was allocated by the Tom Love Trust. Once again, restricted funding of £113,027 was received to support Ukrainian refugees in Gorzow, Poland and allocated to Summer Holiday camps so that Ukrainian children can settle into their new home.

The ALMT Board of Trustees make core cost contributions annually to fund the running of the ALMT and a percentage of the Gift Aid is restricted to cover any remaining core costs. At the end of the year in 2022/23 this totalled £3,824.

CO-fUNDiNG iS A vEHiCLE ENABLiNG DONORS CHOiCE, SECURiTy, fLExiBiLiTy, AND TAiLORED REPORTiNG. THE ALMT CO-fUNDiNG SCHEME ACCOUNTED fOR 85.5% Of THE £537,320 GRANTS MADE.

chat with the team at ALMT about specific areas of interest. Co-Funding can be on a regular basis, as and when a project is of interest, or within agreed annual limits allocated at each ALMT Board meeting three times per year.

Co-Funding with the ALMT allows individuals, other Trusts and Foundations, and companies to contribute funds directly to individual, vetted and approved projects run by small, ground-breaking organisations working in a wide variety of areas. The Tom Love Trust Fund and the Gorzow Fund have joined the ALMT’s growing network of Co-Funders and will be supporting projects approved by the board going forward.

The ALMT splits the grant amounts into percentages, dependent on how many Co-Funders are interested in supporting the project. This might be simply a 50/50 split or could include any number of Co-Funders donating smaller amounts to the ALMT to make up the full grant request. At the end of the year, Co-Funders receive bespoke reports. The report provides graphs, statistics, highlights, case studies, images and feedback on the co-funded projects.

This way of giving allows Co-Funders full access to project applications, budgets, project visits, and reports, from a wide portfolio of amazing small organisations who have been fully vetted by ALMT professionals. Co-Funders can allocate 100% of their donation directly to a project and

(ALMT’s) passion and energy has really captured the hearts of our organisation.

of project funding was through the Co-Funding Scheme

Henry York RenaissanceRe

the toM love trUst

Tom Love was an inspirational young man who will never be able to reach his full potential as he tragically passed away in December 2022 at the age of just 21, whilst living and working in the DRC. Tom was the most amazing friend, brother and son who had the best outlook on life. He loved adventure and people across the world. He had a profound impact on people everywhere he went.

Working with Tom’s family and friends we want to honour his passions and values by funding projects that Tom would have loved. The ALMT has therefore joined forces with the Tom Love Trust to support children and young people in deprived areas of the UK and Africa - places which Tom had very close to his heart. Similar to other key Co-Funding partnerships, The ALMT works closely with the Trust and, after each board meeting, presents a range of recently funded projects for possible Co-Funding. By the end of September 2023, The Tom Love Trust had raised over £338,450 and started to allocate funding to ALMT partners. Initial funding of £15,631 went to the following projects: Starfish Greathearts Foundation in South Africa, ChildHope in The Gambia, Acorns Project in Northumberland, Chess in Schools and Communities in Liverpool and Downside Fisher Youth Club in London.

corPorate PartnershiP With renaissancere

This year the Team at RenaissanceRe took on an epic challenge – planning to climb Mount Kenya in November 2023. From bake sales and quizzes, to stair climbs and even hair cuts the RenaissanceRe team have shown grit and fundraising genius as they raise funds. Their main focus of fundraising was the Alive and Kicking project surrounding Mount Kenya. This project is using Alive and Kicking’s award-winning, play-based methodology to reduce stigma and misinformation about the causes of poor mental health and improve young people’s knowledge, attitude and behaviour about this issue. This will lead to increased help-seeking behaviour, increased physical activity, better pathways into support services and improved overall emotional well-being both in schools and in the wider community.

By the end of September 2023 they had raised £13,861.38 towards their target of £40,000 and by the end of November had gone on to raise an amazing £48,652. The ALMT partnership with RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd has been running since 2017 and continues to go from strength to strength. Since inception, this partnership has donated over £278,344 to over 52 ALMT project partners.

This year the ALMT, once again took part in the Summer Hikes which provide a valuable opportunity to share ideas and interests. It is such a pleasure for us to widen the relationships with our charity partners and enable others to meet the fantastic people behind the projects. The hikes have offered a unique platform upon which to forge real connections and understanding.

After each ALMT board meeting, newly funded projects and opportunities are presented to the Corporate Social Responsibility committee at RenRe where they are discussed and presented for potential Co-Funding. The team at RenaissanceRe is an engaged and proactive partner providing valuable and considered funding alongside introductions to potential projects. The company also have a fantastic employee fundraising matching scheme in place, leveraging the teams’ efforts and raising even more for the ALMT and our partners. The ALMT is also able to facilitate presentations from specific project partners as well as volunteering opportunities for company members.

the almt offers a unique corporate partnership opportunity, conductinG all the due diliGence and monitorinG for projects and orGanisations supported, offerinG the eXperience and eXpertise necessary to ensure accountability in Grant makinG, and also brinGinG toGether beneficiaries and employees.

THE COST Of LiviNG iN THE Uk ROSE SHARPLy, PUSHiNG MANy fAMiLiES iNTO fOOD AND fUEL POvERTy. fAMiLiES fACED A CHOiCE BETWEEN EATiNG, kEEPiNG WARM OR CLOTHiNG THEiR CHiLDREN.

THE ALMT

RESPONDED TO THE UNPRECEDENTED LEvELS Of NEED By LAUNCHiNG THE COST Of LiviNG CAMPAiGN AND PROACTivELy SUPPORTiNG Six ExCELLENT ORGANiSATiONS WORkiNG WiTH THOSE fAMiLiES MOST iN NEED ACROSS THE COUNTRy

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TOTAL
fUNDING:
£108,245
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HULL AND EAST yORkSHIRE CHILDREN’S UNIvERSITy - HULL

Approximately 30% of children in Hull live in poverty making it one of the most deprived areas in the UK. Working with local schools, Hull and East Yorkshire Children’s University (HCU) identified struggling families and distributed crisis funding of £250 to 346 families across Hull (approximately 450 children). Families were able to choose whether to have fuel vouchers, food vouchers or a combination of the two. Air fryers and coats were also distributed and parents spoke about their relief at being able to keep their children warm and fed during the winter months.

kATHERiNE LOW SETTLEMENT – LONDON

Many refugees in London survive on very low incomes and so when costs rose, families faced huge financial pressure. The KLS team provided pre-cooked meals that refugee families could heat up at home so that children were able to get a hot meal in the evening. They reached 47 families (181 children and 65 adults) and provided 855 meals between January-March 2023. Support was especially appreciated during the month of Ramadan. All the meals were freshly prepared by local restaurants and the project overall has deepened KLS’s understanding of the challenges facing their families and strengthened relationships with the local community.

RESTORE HOPE - BUCkINGHAMSHIRE

Rural poverty is often overlooked but it is a very real problem for many. Restore Hope’s FoodLife programme delivers weekly fresh food boxes to doorsteps, where they also check-in with vulnerable families, provide encouragement and signpost people to other programmes and local support. Cost of Living funding provided 140 families with fortnightly FoodLife boxes between January-April 2023 and also supported 180 families at the Christmas Feast with food and gifts for the children. Restore Hope also extended their chicken coops to comply with guidelines around avian flu and they are now able to supply eggs in perpetuity with every one of their FoodLife boxes.

MiRACLES: fEED LONDON - LONDON

London has the highest child poverty rates in the country with more than 700,000 children living in poverty. Miracles distributed Feed London boxes to 250 families (619 people) experiencing real hardship, illness and crises in December 2022 and April 2023. Feed London is precisely targeted to some of the most marginalised, hidden and at-risk children in London. The boxes contained enough food for over six hot meals as well as supermarket vouchers and treats for all of the family. Funding also supported 56 families to cope with a major life crisis often triggered by a child’s diagnosis. Funds were used primarily for food vouchers but also for beds, mattresses and cots, plus pushchairs and prams, washing machines, cookers, fridges, general household items, travel, utilities and rent.

STREETLifE - BLACkPOOL

Blackpool is ranked as the most deprived area in England and young people facing homelessness have multiple challenges. As fuel costs soared, the struggle to keep warm and fed became much harder. Streetlife extended the opening hours of its day centre so that every afternoon young people could access a warm space, a hot meal and constructive activities. Between January-March 2023 the centre supported 106 different young people and about 25 young people used the warm hub every afternoon. A further 47 attended cooking courses and 30 meal kits and kitchen starter packs were provided.

THORNEy CLOSE AND NORAH’S NORTHPOLE - SUNDERLAND

Thorney Close has 49% of pupils eligible for Free School Meals – over double the national average. During December Norah’s Northpole bought and distributed 3,000 presents for children living in poverty across Sunderland; 92 of these families go to school at Thorney Close. As enrichment opportunities are increasingly rare for many families, ALMT funding also paid for 105 children to see the Lion King in Sunderland. Out of the 115 children who went to see the show, only one had ever been to the theatre before. Remaining funds have supported children with uniform and shoes during the school year.

The ALMT continues to fund Jenni Thomas’ invaluable work with bereaved families as they manage the enormity of a child’s or parent’s death. Jenni’s focus continues to be to provide grief support for these families as they cope with life without the person who was so important in their life. She provides weekly sessions, at her home or via zoom, to families for as long as they require it. Gradually, families move into a different space where they don’t need to see her as much and the sessions naturally reduce.

During the year, she has split her time between providing ongoing and invaluable support for bereaved families whilst also researching and preparing a book about her approach. This book aims to document Jenni’s knowledge and experience and act as a valuable resource for families in the future. By developing a book for bereaved families, Jenni is creating a lasting legacy for her work with the ALMT as she looks to move towards retirement.

Depending on each family’s needs, Jenni will either speak to people individually or as a family. These needs often change and evolve at different stages of their grief journey. She has supported several families with teenagers this year following the unexpected death of the husband and father. She has been able to help them through a time of fear and uncertainty both at school and at home and help them to find a way to re-stabilise. Following regular sessions with Jenni for several months, families gain the strength to make personal changes and can then move to more periodic visits. She also works closely with children and young people helping them to find a way through traumatic events and get through the immediate aftermath of the death.

Jenni continues to support several families following the Sudden Unexpected Death of a Child and continues to work closely with the SUDC charity. It remains very hard to explain why a child in this situation has died and there is no other support for families with counselling following SUDC. It is particularly challenging for siblings to come to terms with what has happened. Where appropriate Jenni refers young people onto Winston’s Wish but, due to long waiting lists, tries to offer support whilst they wait to be seen.

Often she helps families to work through a new pregnancy. This is a frightening time for those who have lost a child previously. By helping to move families into a more positive place they develop the ability to focus on bonding with the new baby and are able to look to the future. Support for siblings during this period is particularly important.

JENNi THOMAS OBE iS WiDELy RECOGNiSED iN THE Uk AS A LEADiNG AUTHORiTy iN GRiEf SUPPORT AND EDUCATiON iN RELATiON TO A CHiLD’S DEATH AND A CHiLD BEiNG BEREAvED.

PAGES 12-24 PROviDE A SUMMARy Of ALL THE PROJECTS SUPPORTED By THE ALMT iN THE yEAR 1ST OCTOBER 2022 - 30TH SEPTEMBER 2023.

For each funded programme the page includes a summary of the activities, the partner organisation website, its geographical location, icons to demonstrate which SDGs the project responds to, and its duration.

Cognitive behavioural therapy for disadvantaged young people - UK

Rainbow Club supplementary school in London - UK

Partner www.afril.org.uk Funding £18,386 Duration 1 year 2023-2024

Partner www.a-c-e.org.uk Funding £19,966 Duration 3 years 2023-2026

Action for Refugees in Lewisham (AFRIL) runs a Saturday school which provides 38 weeks of specialist English and Maths tuition alongside creative activities, sports, and wellbeing support to 110 primary age children. It provides school trips, holiday workshops and a youth volunteering programme from St Saviour’s Primary School in central Lewisham.

Following a successful grant in 2022, Achieve, Change and Engagement (ACE) is extending the work of their cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to support more disadvantaged young people in Lancashire to improve their mental health and emotional wellbeing. Over the past few years, the threshold for specialised Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) has risen and Lancashire has one of the highest rates of young people with mental illness in England.

By GCSE age, refugee and asylum-seeking children are estimated to be 15.5 months behind non-migrant children in English and Maths GCSEs, and therefore, early intervention during the primary years has a pivotal role to play in reducing the gap. This funding will enable AFRIL to set up a Youth Council to increase young peoples’ participation, to trial new approaches and innovations, and achieve School of Sanctuary status.

ALMT funding is increasing the hours of the CBT therapist to two days a week and recruiting and supporting two CBT students on placement. This will result in 40 young people receiving help each year. Increased clinical supervision hours will build skills within the staff team which will reduce waiting times and enable more young people to access services.

Supporting families affected by domestic violence - UK

Mental health education and sports coaching - Kenya

Partner www.aliveandkicking.org Funding £24,746 Duration 1 year 2023-2024

Partner www.acornsproject.org.uk Funding £20,000 Duration 3 years 2022-2025

This project will use Alive and Kicking’s award-winning, play-based methodology to reduce stigma and misinformation about the causes of poor mental health. Working in counties surrounding Mount Kenya, the project will empower 25 young teachers to deliver mental health education during their weekly physical education lessons and directly boost the mental wellbeing of 3,700 young people aged 11-18. All schools will be provided with specialist training, sports equipment and footballs. The AK Mental Health Counsellor provides additional support and offers immediate help for issues such as sexual reproductive health and gender based violence. This will lead to increased help-seeking behaviour, increased physical activity, better pathways into support services and improved emotional well-being in schools and in the wider community.

Cases of domestic abuse remain high and this project continues to support Acorns to reduce waiting list times as well as improving their ability to see children from the same family ‘in tandem’; therefore offering them a better service.

This project enables Acorns to maintain their current provision within the Northumberland Recovery Service and continue to provide therapeutic support for 100-120 children and young people. Acorns is experienced at offering a range of services for children and young people aged 4-25, their non-abusing carers and other family members including: counselling and play; music and art therapy; practical and well-being support; and outreach services.

Opportunity to achieve potential for children with disabilites - Ghana

Holistic developmental therapy for children with complex additional needs - UK

www.bibic.org.uk £17,820 1 year 2022-2023

Partner Funding Duration

Partner www.afrikids.org Funding £9,366 Duration 2 years 2021-2023

Bibic delivers holistic developmental therapy for children and young adults (6 months – 25 years) with a range of disabilities and additional needs. These individuals often have multiple conditions and needs, one concealing another or with overlapping symptoms, in many cases causing mental health difficulties.

In 2007, Afrikids established the Angus Lawson Child Rights Centre, which has become a vital rehabilitation and physiotherapy centre for children with conditions such as Cerebral Palsy. This project completes Afrikids‘ exit strategy for two of their six rehabilitation and physiotherapy centres (in Feo and Sirigo) as they work with local communities to take ownership of the centres .

Each assessment package for a child costs £2,085 and families are asked to contribute £600. However, bibic operates a ‘fee waiver’ fund for families unable to afford this. The package includes a two day therapeutic assessment and individual development plan. This is followed by six-months of key worker support and ongoing help if necessary. ALMT funding covered the assessment costs of 12-18 of the most disadvantaged children and young people eligible for the ‘fee waiver’.

Afrikids’ primary goal is to ensure that every child has the opportunity to enjoy a happy, healthy life, get an education and achieve their full potential. Yet children with disabilities or chronic medical conditions have an increased risk of neglect and abuse in northern Ghana. Afrikids works with families to help them understand their child’s condition and provides training in treatment and physiotherapy to improve their child’s movement.

BOSP Tots and BOSP Explorers in Essex - UK

Rookie Lifeguard training programme in London - UK

Partner www.downside-fisher.org Funding £9,908 Duration 1 year 2023-2024

Partner www.bosp.co.uk Funding £11,075 Duration 1 year 2022-2023

Downside Fisher Youth Club (DFYC) supports socially excluded children and young people from Bermondsey, helping them fulfil their potential through structured programmes of sport, educational, artistic and recreational activities. Using their own swimming pool, DFYC will teach water awareness and safety and encourage supervised water sports to young people living near the banks of the river Thames in London.

With ALMT funding, Brighter Opportunities for Special People (BOSP) has successfully run a baby and toddler group for the past 3 years for families who have children with complex disabilities or life-limiting illnesses. This project will deliver two groups on a Tuesday enabling BOSP to extend opportunities to 28 new families.

This project will run four cycles of the Rookie Lifeguard course for approximately 48 youth club members giving them the chance of accreditation and opportunities for employment as lifeguards. The course will improve water confidence, swim survival and safe rescue skills; promote ambition and inclusion, teamwork, discipline and organisational skills; as well as increasing overall fitness levels, physical and mental health.

Each weekly session has a theme which encourages the children to be inquisitive and learn. Parents are given strategies to help with social skills, behaviour, sleep, sensory support, and communication; helping them to prepare them for pre-school and respite in the future. Many of the attendees don’t know about, or struggle to access services, funding or social care so an additional 2 hours a week advocacy support will help families navigate the system and find solutions.

Chess activities for primary schools in Liverpool - UK

Interactions theatre programme in London- UK

Partner www.immediate-theatre.com Funding £15,480 Duration 2 years 2023-2025

Partner www.chessinschools.co.uk Funding £13,500 Duration 3 years 2021-2024

Interactions aims to meet the gap in support for young people aged 13-19, who have been excluded from inner-city schools, by engaging them in positive and creative activities. This two year programme will result in improved health & wellbeing and greater ability to achieve potential for young people.

Chess in Schools and Communities (CiSC) run a three-year chess programme in schools in Merseyside. Learning chess engenders valuable cognitive skills in children; problem solving, logical thinking and pattern recognition. The game improves children’s concentration, instils the idea that actions have consequences, boosts self-esteem, and teaches how to win and lose gracefully.

ALMT funding will particularly focus on supporting young black men; a demographic that makes up approximately 50% of the participants. Interactions engages 45 young people each year in Pupil Referral Units and School Exclusion projects. The project aims to show positive progression by improving self-esteem and wellbeing, creating better relationships with peers and adults, increasing attainment through achieving qualifications and improved job readiness.

Each participant receives a chess set and a Gold subscription to Chesskid. There will also be an end of year tournament for up to 40 state schools and 400 pupils as well as travel bursaries for children to attend the annual London Chess Classic.

Stimulating longer-term, educational change for children - The Gambia

Medical support and essential aid for mothers and children - Afghanistan

www.lindanorgrovefoundation.org £20,000 3 years 2022-2025

Partner Funding Duration

Partner www.childhope.org.uk Funding £16,862 Duration 3 years 2021-2024

This project initially planned to provide food packages to female led households whilst offering female students the chance to study medicine. However, following the closure of universities for female students in 2022, the educational outcomes became unachievable. ALMT funding has therefore been re-directed to fund a clinic in Herat, western Afghanistan, supporting mothers and children suffering from extreme economic hardship and malnutrition. This includes weighing and babies, providing medical treatment, and managing cases of malnourished children.

Approximately 18,000 children in The Gambia live in traditional Quranic education schools called ‘Majalis’. These are unregulated, residential education centres and many children end up leaving without a basic primary level education. This significantly reduces their employment prospects, often confining them to poverty for life.

Now entering its final year the project continues to work with three Majalis in the West Coast Region and is improving literacy and numeracy skills for 270 children and young people aged 5-21 years. The project is also improving safeguarding and protection for all, advocating for longer-term systemic change with local government and providing livelihood activities to enable increased income for basic needs.

It’s not unusual for pregnant women in Afghanistan to have little access to health care; no prenatal care, no paediatric care for babies or infants and not have enough food or clothing. This project is therefore vital to baby and mother’s survival.

Cricket for equality in Madhesh Province - Nepal

The forgotten grievers: developing resources for university students - UK

Partner www.lords.org/mcc/mcc-foundation Funding £8,560 Duration 2 years 2023-2025

Partner www.studentgriefnetwork.co.uk Funding £9,357 Duration 1 year 2022-2023

The Madhesh Province of Nepal is situated in the South-East of Nepal, and faces some of the highest levels of poverty and social issues in the country; particularly for girls. Working with local partners, Cricket Without Boundaries and Sabal Nepal, this project will use cricket to promote girls’ right to play sports, and move freely in their community. The project focuses on developing confidence, communication and self-advocacy aiming to improve physical and mental health. It also increases understanding about child rights, gender-based violence and menstruation, and reduces barriers to education for women and girls.

Around 4% of people lose a parent by the age of 16 in the UK and nearly one third of students experience a loss during their studies. Despite this, grief remains a largely unspoken topic across university campuses with students reporting a lack of adequate support. The New Normal and The Student Grief Network will work together to co-produce a creative platform to support students through their most difficult moments.

This project will bring together 10 students and artists to explore grief through creative workshops aiming to improve wellbeing and motivation. Content from the workshops will feed into an online and accessible ‘zine’ presenting material about grief e.g. reflections, creative responses, quotes, and signposting to further support. This will be widely shared with a further 1000 students.

The ALMT is offering match funding over a two-year period. The programme aims to promote social change by working regularly with 500 secondary students in nine secondary schools and reach a further 3,500 people, including parents and wider families, through sporting events.

Crisis support for families in acute need in London- UK

Numeracy support for disadvantaged primary pupils in Oxfordshire - UK

Partner www.questforlearning.org.uk Funding £8,249 Duration 2 years 2022-2024

Partner www.miraclesthecharity.org Funding £24,620 Duration 3 years 2023-2026

Quest for Learning delivers literacy and numeracy support to disadvantaged primary school children in Oxfordshire who are struggling in school, and training support for teachers and teaching assistants. 29% of Oxford’s children live in poverty with disadvantaged children typically ending primary school over a year behind their peers.

Miracles receives referrals to work with families facing poverty and crises when they really need help. Over a third of London’s children are living in poverty. Families often experience depression, loneliness and isolation brought on by job loss and an insecure financial future. Miracles works with multiple hospitals as well as children’s charities, social work teams, refuges and Citizens Advice.

Following a successful project with the ALMT in 2021, this project will address educational inequality by enhancing the numeracy skills and self-confidence of 264 children from disadvantaged communities. Experienced tutors will work in five schools to support the children through twice-weekly “NumSkills” sessions for nine weeks to boost their mental maths skills and fluency, improve their confidence and self-belief and achieve higher assessment results.

The project supports families with Feed London Food Boxes and crisis funding and referrals come from a range of partners including Great Ormond Street, Hackney Ark and Royal Marsden. Targeted emergency support is provided for families facing a significant life crisis, such as child illness and/or domestic violence.

The Oratory Summer holiday for children with special needs from London - UK

Samburu youth education and empowerment project - Kenya

www.safekenya.org £15,690

Partner www.safekenya.org Funding £15,690 Duration 1 year 2023-2024

Partner www.newmantrust.org Funding £20,000 Duration 1 year 2023-2024

S.A.F.E. is an arts for social change organisation working in remote and vulnerable communities. In Samburu, only 20% of girls are in education. These girls often undergo Female Genital Cutting and are married before 18. Out of school boys look after animals and the homestead, and as the most sexually active group, they risk contracting and spreading STIs.

It is estimated there are over half a million children with special needs and disabilities living in poverty in the UK. This funding enabled The Newman Holiday Trust to provide a seven-day holiday for 20-22 children living in the Greater London Area at the Oratory School, Berkshire in August 2023.

This new pilot project delivered directly with out-of-school young people, will inform, empower and build the confidence of young people. Dedicated forums will train 160 partcipants on sexual health, human rights, the environment and climate change. Engaged participants will be chosen to work with S.A.F.E. to create a performance. This will be taken on a tour, reaching homesteads, schools and markets with key messages for the community.

Each holiday provides over 5,000 hours of combined care from 30 volunteers and is often the first time that children have been able to stay away from carers. A rigorous application process identifies children who would not otherwise receive a summer break due to a combination of high care needs and financial constraints. Each child receives a home visit and a care plan reflecting their sometimes complex needs. They are matched to a volunteer who provides one-toone support throughout the week.

Literacy enrichment for primary children in London - UK

New Generation Road to School project - Burundi

Partner https://streetaction.org Funding £19,471 Duration 3 years 2023-2026

Partner www.scec-uk.org Funding £7,708 Duration 3 years 2019-2023

The ALMT grant for the Year 3 literacy scheme has been running since 2019 with 50 children on the roll drawn from a dozen local primary schools. The children are taught in four classes by experienced primary tutors. In addition, every child has a volunteer Year 10 (14-15 year old) JAGS pupil working alongside them acting as their mentor providing invaluable one-to-one support under the guidance of the tutor.

According to the United Nations, children in Burundi attend school for an average of 3.1 years and over 70% of the population live in poverty. Street Action’s partner, New Generation, seeks to address this by running the pioneering Road to School project in Bujumbura. The project works with street-connected children, raising aspirations and empowering them to leave street life and be reintegrated into society.

Socio-economic deprivation is generally recognised as a significant contributory factor in a child’s failure to make satisfactory progress in education and for this reason, SCEC ensures that 35% of attendees are from families eligible for free school meals. The ALMT grant is used to cover tutor fees. Now entering its final year, and despite a year’s delay due to the pandemic, this grant has enabled SCEC to widen its geographical catchment area to include Lambeth and Lewisham.

The project provides education, nutrition, healthcare and social reintegration for 92 children providing full time access to a good quality education; additional teaching and psychosocial support; two meals a day with balanced nutrients and ingredients; enrichment activities for all including training sessions in leadership and entrepreneurship; as well as knowledge and understanding of child rights and protection.

School bags for children following the floods - Pakistan

Summer holiday activities for children and young people in North Westminster - UK

Partner www.avenues.org.uk Funding £7,063 Duration 1 year 2023-2024

www.schoolinabag.org £14,922 1 year 2023-2024

Partner Funding Duration

The Avenues youth club is in North Westminster, one of the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in the UK. It delivers open-access programmes that aim to support and motivate local children and young people to broaden their horizons and become healthy, confident young adults, motivated and equipped with the skills to make the most of their futures.

Following a successful ALMT grant in 2022, this funding enabled School in a Bag to provide 500 SchoolBags, hygiene kits and Lifestraws to primary aged children in areas of Pakistan whose education was badly affected by the floods in 2022. It is estimated that at least 29,500 schools were destroyed or damaged across the country.

This grant funded three days of the Summer programme, equating to 315 places for young people, and included activites such as football, multi-sports, cookery, dance, music-making, art, design, content creation, podcast and radio broadcasting. Many of these activities aim to spark an interest that might endure and potentially lead to career pathways and lifelong pursuits.

The equipment in the SchoolBags will help the children write, read, draw and calculate and will increase attendance at school. The bags include LifeStraws and water bottles which will give children access to 4,000 litres of clean water, 99.9% free of parasites and bacteria; leading to increased health and wellbeing and potentially saving their lives.

Early Childhood Development and survival - South Africa

Supporting TEENfest for young people with Tourette Syndrome - UK

Partner www.tourettes-action.org.uk Funding £15,393 Duration 1 year 2023-2024

Partner www.starfish-greathearts.org Funding £14,675 Duration 1 year 2022-2023

Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a complex inherited neurological condition. Young people with TS experience involuntary vocal and motor tics that can be unpredictable. Many young people with TS try to suppress their tics at school and this uses mental and physical energy, limiting their capacity to concentrate. They can struggle to socialise, leaving them lonely and anxious.

KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) is a deprived province of South Africa, with an especially vulnerable population of children. Child mortality is high, overwhelmingly from preventable diseases, including diarrhoea, pneumonia, septicaemia, tuberculosis, undernutrition, and HIV. Starfish Greathearts’ Early Childhood Survival and Development (ECD) programme offers vulnerable children from 0-5 years and their carers the best environment for early learning, and incorporates health, nutrition, and cognitive development.

This project aims to build the confidence of young people with TS through TEENfest: two residential weekends run from outdoor activity centres for up to 20 young people each. The young people will be offered a live, online training session for their school teachers and staff, raising awareness both of TS and how to provide support. Tourettes Action will also work with the young people to help them raise awareness of TS and how it affects them.

This project will work with local organisation Woza Moya to support the ECD of 450 children in the Ufafa Valley at homes and at crèches and aims to reduce child mortality rates. It will provide HIV prevention, nutrition, and treatment, increased access to creches and antenatal and postnatal care (including vaccinations and birth certificates).

Water provision and sanitation for schools - Mozambique

www.villagewater.org £15,000 3 years 2021-2024

Partner Funding Duration

Many schools in Mozambique have no safe water supply and poor or non-existent sanitation or handwashing facilities. This project has enabled Village Water, the only provider working in the area, to work closely with local government to map the area and identify exactly where there are gaps in provision. Over the three-years Village Water will support Chimoio District’s water and sanitation priorities by providing solar-powered systems, toilets, showers and handwashing facilities, hygiene promotion and Covid-19 messaging for approximately 8000 pupils and teachers in three schools.

The project continues to improve health and wellbeing, reduce absences from waterborne infections and increase girls’ attendance through washroom facilities, menstrual health promotion and production of reusable sanitary towels.

Eye tracking communication software - Worldwide

https://www.optikey.org £10,000 1 year 2023-2024

Partner Funding Duration

Optikey is an on-screen keyboard which you control with your eyes to provide an alternative to a physical mouse and keyboard. Funding from ALMT donors, was held by the ALMT and then transferred to Optikey following its charitable registration in November 2022.

This funding will enable Optikey to develop a touch screen tablet for use by people with some motor function; to create additional support for Chinese; and the creation of a ‘SAPI bridge’ which would allow any SAPI supporting Augmented/ Alternative Communication (AAC) software to use freely available online voices, opening a world of new possibilities for disabled users and enhancing the overall AAC environment.

Summer holiday activities for Ukrainian refugees in Gorzow - Poland

Partner Funding Duration

https://slowianka.pl £14,675 1 year 2022-2023

Building on the successful programme in 2022, the Slowianka Leisure Centre offered another programme of activities in Gorzow for 240 Ukrainian refugee children alongside local Polish children during the Summer. Each child enjoys a full range of fun activities including swimming lessons, floating slides, sports, art lessons, games and lunch.

The project includes the provision of a Ukrainian co-ordinator and translator so that communication and information is shared with parents. 45 additional children will attend a swimming course of nine lessons. The project aims to help children feel settled in their new ‘temporary’ homes; improve mental health and wellbeing for participants by enabling them to forge new friendships; reduce holiday hunger; improve swimming ability; and increase language skills and integration between refugee children and local residents.

AS AT 30TH SEPTEMBER 2023

I report on the accounts of the Trust for the year ended September 2023 which are set out on the following pages.

The Charity Commission has granted an audit dispensation under Regulation 34(3)(b) of the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008. This dispensation is for the financial year ended 30 September 2023 only, and allows an independent examination in place of an audit for this year. The dispensation was granted on 11 April 2024.

Accordingly this examination has taken place instead of an audit (Regulation 31(f)).

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 the dispensation
referred to above - an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to:

examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act
to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act
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:
a. to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act: and
b. to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act have not been met; or
to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

J.D.Blythe FCA 206 Upper Richmond Road West London SW14 8AH

24th July 2024

stateMent of fInancIal actIvItIes

notes to the fInancIal stateMent

fOR THE yEAR ENDED 30TH SEPTEMBER 2023

During the year there were 0 (2022-0) full time member of staff, 1 Bereavement Counsellor, 0 Consultants (2022-0) and 2 (2022-2) part-time members of staff

A HUGE THANk yOU TO EvERyONE WE WORk WiTH: OUR CHARiTy PARTNERS, ALL Of OUR CO-fUNDERS, AND THE fOLLOWiNG vOLUNTEERS, TRUSTS AND fOUNDATiONS AND COMPANiES:

John Lawson, Jonathan Groom, Sandgrove Capital, The Mac Bevan Charitable Trust, RenaissanceRe and the Mount Kenya Team, Goldman Sachs, Sona Asset Management, Rosemarie Nathanson Charitable Trust, Coltrane Asset Management, Kingston Estates, The Tom Love Trust and all donors, Helen Pattison, Dan Lawson, Rachel Riley, and all of our other supporters without whom none of this would be possible.

ALMT• Charity number. 1117735 wvM.almt.org