2022-02-28-accounts - The Gumboots Foundation (UK)

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Gumboots Foundation UK

Registered charity no: 1123418

Trustees’ Annual Report 2022

(1st March 2021 to 28[th] February 2022)

Helping to educate and empower some of South Africa’s most disadvantaged children and young people

Objectives of the charity

The Gumboots Foundation’s mission is to address poverty and AIDS related issues in South Africa by improving education, nutrition, employment and wellbeing.

Our objectives are:

1. To empower children through education, both formal and informal, whilst also ensuring that their basic needs are met by providing food, shelter, healthcare and recreation.

2. To strengthen and support local home grown projects with local leadership and to secure a sustainable long term solution.

3. To help strengthen local communities both through financial assistance and by fostering a mutual understanding.

4. To provide individuals with an opportunity to be directly involved financially and personally in community development projects.

5. To provide honest and informative feedback on the progress of the projects and transparency on the use of donor money.

6. To seek partnership rather than dependency, with the focus being to uplift all involved through building relationships between donors, Gumboots and beneficiaries.

Statutory Declaration

In arriving at these objectives the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit.

Structure, governance and management

Registered address:

1 Station Avenue, Edgbaston, Birmingham B16 9SZ

Managing trustees at 28[th] February 2021 were:

Angela Dyer (Secretary) Graham Allibone (Treasurer)

Mark Escolme Karen Beard

Margz Green

David Lightfoot

There were no changes to the Board of Trustees during the reporting year

Methods for the recruitment and appointment of new trustees are as outlined in the Essential Trustee document CC3 regulations from the UK Charity Commission.

Governing document:

The Gumboots Foundation UK is constituted as a charitable trust by way of a Trust Deed/Charity Commission Application, dated the 1[st] March 2008.

Decision making is via Trustee Board Meetings which are held quarterly and at least one of which is held face to face annually, save in this year when due to Covid 19 pandemic restrictions all meetings were held remotely by video link.

Areas of operation and main activities

Gumboots UK is a charity founded for the purpose of raising money in the UK for the benefit of projects operating in South Africa.

Structure, governance and management (continued)

Projects operating in South Africa apply to Gumboots Foundation UK for grants. Each application is approved or rejected by the board of UK Trustees. The Board will only approve grants which fulfil the criteria and further the aims of the charity as set out in our aforementioned mission statement.

We have a partner organisation in South Africa, Gumboots SA, which works together with the projects below which operate either within Alexandra Township or benefit township residents who are attending educational institutions elsewhere in South Africa. These projects apply for grants from Gumboots UK via Gumboots SA:

Leratong Pre-school
Sigiya Sonke Youth Group
Sakhimfundo Arts and Education Centre
Phetoho Education Fund
Ratang Bana Family Support Centre
Caitlin Fund

Our wider network

Kidlinks World is our sister organisation in the USA which also supports some of the Alexandra Township projects, (in addition to other initiatives in rural parts of South Africa), whilst the Kadey Family Charitable Corporation in Canada supports the Kadey House Orphanage which is based at the same site as Leratong Preschool.

Role of volunteers

The trustees of Gumboots Foundation UK, and the directors of Gumboots South Africa and Kidlinks USA, offer their services on an entirely unpaid basis. All three organisations are assisted by a small but dedicated group of local volunteers without whose assistance operation of the projects and fundraising would not be possible.

Distribution of Grants

This year we distributed the sum of £ 65,330 to fund the following activities:

Leratong Pre-School Project – £29,729 in grants made Providing a stimulating and safe space in the heart of Alexandra Township in which children can play and learn

This year we gave a grant of £24,868.72 to be spent on staff remuneration (5 teachers, 1 assistant, 2 caregivers and 1 cook); teachers’ medical care and retirement fund; food, provisions and maintenance and internet costs

The school reopened its doors in 2021 following a prolonged period of closure due to the Covid 19 pandemic. The number of children registered this year was 60 – still much lower than capacity due to the ongoing struggle parents are facing to pay fees in the face of unemployment and poverty in an economically challenged post pandemic South Africa.

The majority of the funding (£24,000) comes from Brita Filters UK who maintained their commitment to paying salaries and ensuring staff were looked after even during periods when the school was closed.

We thank Brita Filters UK for their continued support for this project

Sigiya Sonke (meaning “Youth Stand Together”) Youth Dance Project – giving children and young people a purpose through dance, music and performance and offering pastoral care and guidance

This year approximately 90 children and young people participated in the activities organised by Sigiya Sonke

We made grants totalling £4,633.20 which were used to pay the stipends of the two project leaders.

During this year the group was able to move into their brand new purpose built facility at the Sakhimfundo Centre having struggled over a number of years to make do with the backyard of the Project Leaders’ home. They are able to attend the Centre every afternoon interspersing dance practice with time spent in the learning facility (see later). On Saturdays the group use the space for rehearsals for dance performances and competitions.

The Caitlin Fund –

Established in 2010 by Margz Green, a Gumboots trustee, in memory of the life and achievements of her daughter Caitlin, the fund aims to improve the lives of disadvantaged young South African women through education

This year the fund made grants of £1,523.16 which supported the education of two young sisters, (orphaned refugees from Zimbabwe). We funded the private school fees of one sister who attends the United Church School and we funded the costs of a computer decoding course for the other sister (the Phetoho Fund pays for her school fees). Both girls are very bright and doing well!

Phetoho Education Fund – helping individual children meet their educationsl costs and fees

This year we made a grant of £2,678.33 to help cover the costs of a number of children attending state schools, (such as learning materials, uniforms and transport) and also to fund the fees of two children attending the United Church School

Ratang Bana Family Support Centre

Ratang Bana directly supports 500 children and their families through a variety of initiatives including a food programme and health education. The project supports a remarkable 5000 children affected by HIV/AIDS with care and monitoring under a programme that operates from the centre. In total the project now has a staff of 72, three of which are funded by Gumboots UK.

This year we made a grant of £7,722 which pays the salaries of a caretaker and two gardeners, as well as the expenses of a number of volunteers.

An event to promote awareness of Ratang Bana’s food programme

Sakhimfundo Arts & Education Centre

Sakhimfundo is an umbrella project which will consist of two purpose built facilities; one housing a Performing Arts Centre (Phase 1) and the other an Education Centre (Phase 2). This year we made grants totalling £23,904.59 which enabled the completion of Phase 1. Together with grants made last year this means that Gumboots UK has been the majority provider of Phase 1 capital costs.

By the close of this reporting year the Sigiya Sonke Dance Group had made the centre their new permanent home. Pending completion of the purpose build Education Centre, the Performing Arts Centre has doubled as a place of learning too with quiet spaces, equipped with laptops and staffed by tutors, available every weekday. Learners can attend after the school day to do their homework and to supplement their state school education with some good quality tailored tutoring. This temporary learning facility is funded by a private foundation. This foundation is also taking over funding of the entire costs of Phase 2 – the permanent Education Centre. In collaboration with the Sakhimfundo Board of Directors, the foundation are finalising architects plans and funding requirements. It is envisaged that the Centre will also become an important community hub, open for use and hire by other community organisations. It is an exciting prospect for the residents of Alex Township and very reassuring for all concerned to have secure, long-term funding in place.

Sakhimfundo Phase 1 finished and in use!

Statement regarding the effect of the Covid 19 pandemic on the work of our charity

As the pandemic progressed through 2021 the circumstances of the beneficiaries of The Gumboots Foundation continues to be negatively impacted.

Whilst the new strain of Omicron which emerged in late 2021 was less dangerous to health and less deadly, the inability of Township residents to keep their distance in such crowded conditions meant the virus spread unchecked. However it is the financial fallout of the pandemic that continues to have a devastating impact on an already severely challenged South African economy, resulting in high levels of unemployment and poverty amongst Township populations.

Nevertheless every one of the projects we support reopened its doors and gave the best service possible under circumstances where more people were even more in need, whilst at the same time donations and resources were in even shorter supply. Given the high incidence of HIV/AIDS in the population many people have to be extra careful when mixing with others so some of the interaction, so important especially to children, had to be carefully handled. But, as the following photos show, our resilient and energetic project teams still managed to offer so much of value to a population in crisis and deserve our huge respect, appreciation and continued support.

Christmas gift time at Leratong

Showtime for Sigiya Sonke!

The Sakhimfundo team even managed to establish a flourishing vegetable growing plot in the grounds!

Annual Accounts

The Gumboots Foundation UK Receipts and Payments Account

Period from 1st March 2021 to 28th February 2022

INCOME Personal and Corporate Income Unrestricted Corporate funds Unrestricted Personal inc Gift Aid Restricted Caitlin inc Gift Aid Restricted Corporate Leratong Total Personal and Corporate Events Income Unrestricted Fundraising events Total Income EXPENDITURE Administration costs Event Expenses Total Expenditure Net amount available for Distribution Grants distributed Net Cash Movement Cash funds at 1st March 2021 Cash funds at 28/02/22 Statement of assets and liabilities as at 28/02/22 General Fund Caitlin Fund Restricted Leratong Total Cash Funds @ 28/02/22	Unrestricted funds Restricted Funds Total Funds £ £ £ 6229 0 6229 13344 0 13344 0 728 728 0 24000 24000
	19,573 24,728 44,301 9570 0 9570
	29143 24728 53871
	-545 0 -545 -546 0 -546 -1091 0 -1091 28052 24728 52780 -39807 -25523 -65330
	-11755 -795 -12550
	33273 4056 37329 21518 3261 24779 Unrestricted Restricted Total 21518 3261 0
	21518 3261 24779

Comments on our finances and fundraising

At the start of the financial year 21/22 our concern was again the effect that the pandemic was going to have on both our fundraising in the UK and our beneficiaries in South Africa.

In the event, our income, at £53,871 was lower than the previous year of £60,217 due in some degree to The Big Give not supporting us as much as in previous years. Our corporate income increased to £30,229, the increase being due to the employer of a donor donating £5229 in July 2021 to match the employees’ donation of £5000 in February 2021 and also the company of another donor also donating £1000. We also received our regular £24,000 corporate donation for the Leratong project. Our fundraising events including an online Christmas Craft Market brought in £9,570. Personal unrestricted donations totalled £13,344 including gift aid. Donations including gift aid to the Caitlin Fund produced £728.

The grants to projects in South Africa are detailed in the report above and totalled £65,330. This compares to £53,167 granted in the previous year, with the increase this year mainly being due an additional grant made towards the end of the reporting year to enable Sakhimfundo Phase 1 to be completed on time.

Cash at year end was £24,779 compared to £37,329 for the previous year.

The Trustees declare that they have approved this report.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees.......

Signature(s) Full name(s) Graham Clifford Allibone Position held Treasurer Date 8[th] August 2022

The Trustees offer their sincere thanks to all our donors, both known to us and anonymous, without whose generous and continued support our work would not be possible. We hope that this report has given you an insight into the valuable contribution you have made.

For further information regarding the work of our charity see our website at www.gumboots.org.uk where you can also access the 2020 editions of the twice yearly round up of news and progress produced by Gumboots SA, called “The Beat”.

PeriodfromIstMarch2021to28thF	ebruary2A22
	Unrestricted funds E	Restricted Funds f€	Total Funds
INCOME
Personaland CorPoratelncome UnrestrictedCorPoratefunds UnrestrictedPersonal inc GiftAid Restricted Caitlininc Gift Aid RestrictedCoryorateLeratong Total PersonalandCorPorate	6229 13344 n 19,573	a a 7?8 24000 24,728	6229 13344 728 24440 44.341
Events lncome
UnrestrictedFundraisingevents	s57*	0	9570
Totallncome	29143	24728	53871
EXPENDITURE
Administrationcosts	-545	n	-545
Event Expenses Total Expenditure	-546 -1091	0	-546 -1091
Net amountavailableforDistribution Grants distributed	28052 -39807	24728 -25523	52780 _A6??n
Net Cash Movement Cashfunds at1st March2S21 Cashfundsat28t0.Zl22	-11755 21518	-795 4056 3261	-12550 37329 24779
Statementofassetsandliabilities
asa128102122	Unrestricted	RestrictedTotal
GeneralFund	21518
Caitlin Fund		3261
Restricted Leratong		o
TotalCashFunds@2AgA22	21518	3261	24779