Gumboots UK
Annual Report 2023
The Annual Report of The Trustees of Gumboots Foundation UK for the period 1st March 2022 - 28th February 2023
Registered charity no: 1123418
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:
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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.
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To strengthen and support local home grown projects with local leadership and to secure a sustainable long term solution.
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To help strengthen local communities both through financial assistance and by fostering a mutual understanding.
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To provide individuals with an opportunity to be directly involved financially and personally in community development projects.
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To provide honest and informative feedback on the progress of the projects and transparency on the use of donor money.
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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 & management
Registered address:
1 Station Avenue, Edgbaston, Birmingham B16 9SZ
Managing trustees at 28th February 2023 were:
Angela Dyer (Secretary) Mark Escolme Margz Green Graham Allibone (Treasurer) David Lightfoot Robert Marcuson (appointed 24th November 2022)
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 1st March 2008.
Decision making is via Trustee Board Meetings which are held quarterly.
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 & 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:
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Leratong Pre-school
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Sigiya Sonke Youth Group Sakhimfundo Arts and Education Centre Phetoho Education Fund
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Ratang Bana Family Support Centre Caitlin Fund Kidlinks USA
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 £45,264 to fund the following projects:
£25,800 granted
Leratong Pre-School
This year our grant has funded the salaries of teachers and support staff, and has helped to provide food for children's breakfasts and lunches, plus general provisions and maintenance.
Leratong has provided 50 children with high quality pre-school education and care, helping to fill the gap in state provision.
We are particularly indebted to the Brita Foundation for their continuing support in funding the entirety of the the salaries.
£8,000 granted
Ratang Bana
Ratang Bana is a project which has gone from strength to strength every year of its existence but this year has surpassed all expectations by reaching 10,000 beneficiaries!
Rating Bana supports children and their families with education, health and welfare support, in particular by providing hot and nutritious food, helping facilitate access to education by providing school uniforms and transport to school; offering health education and support particularly in the field ofAIDS/HIV and support following social services intervention in families in crisis. The physical environment of Ratang Bana is a safe and stimulating space with a play area and prolific vegetable gardens which provide nutritious fresh food to the community.
This project attracts funds from a variety of sources. This year our grant funded the stipends of two gardeners, a caretaker and various general helpers. We also helped to provide food, clothing and general provisions.
£4,850 granted
Sigiya Sonke
Sigiya Sonke is a youth project, mainly focussed around dance and performance but also providing pastoral support and help with education. Approximately 50 children and young people were involved this year. Our grant funded the stipends of the two project leaders, and paid for outings, events and competition entries; costumes, musical instruments and the sound system; refreshments for the participants and rental of temporary premises for 6 months, pending the group's move to its permanent home at Sakhimfundo Arts Centre.
The South African youth dance championships were held in Johannesburg this year with two of the Sigiya Sonke dance groups selected to go through to the finals when the Pantsula dancers received first prize and the Traditional dancers were runnersup!
£3,736 granted
Phetoho
Phetoho, (meaning "change"), is a project designed to assist children and young people to access education and make the best of their opportunities in order to bring about change for the better in their futures.
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This year we paid the school fees of 3 children who were selected on the basis of their ability to benefit from a private education
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We also provided funds to support a number of children attending state schools including paying for their uniforms, (an essential requirement for all children attending state school in South Africa), learning resources, transport to and from school, and lunches
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We also helped to fund the living expenses of three learners at university or undergoing internships.
Alongside our mission to assist children and young people to access and benefit from formal aducation, we recognise that by broadening their horizons beyond the confines of life within an inner city Township, we can introduce them to experiences that will not only enrich their lives now, but better place them to support themselves and their families in the future.
One such initiative, (see page 10), was grant funded this year with plenty in the pot to fund further trips next year!
Caitlin Fund
£1,078 granted
The Caitlin Project is a sister project to Phetoho - set up to honour the memory of the daughter of one of our Trustees - in order to help girls and young women to realise their educational and career aspirations.
This year our grant has funded the school fees of two young girls who are orphans living in the Ratang Bana safe house.
£1,800 granted
Kidlinks Small Farm Incubator (KSFI)
KSFI is an ambitious project initiated by our sister organisation Kidlinks. Its demonstration farm will share efficient systems of small-scale farming; shared resources such as tools, equipment, harvesting and packing infrastructure; coaching in sales, marketing, and financial management with access to shared office support. With the focus on agricultural education and training KSFI will be uniquely positioned to serve this need because they are targeting (a) the production of high value crops grown utilising regenerative organic methods, (b) currently underserved young farmers with small-scale farmland and (c) the sales of good quality hand tools and non-GMO organic seed.
Although KSFI is serving a rural agricultural community, the skills being taught are transferable to an urban community such as Alexandra Township where affordable nutritional food is scarce. This year our grant funded a group of 7 young people from Alex to go to KSFI to learn the skills needed to cultivate sustainable "allotment" style gardens within their own community which will help feed themselves and their families going forward.
Accounts The Gumboots Foundation UK Receipts and Payments Account - 1st March 2022 to 28th Februa 2023 Unrestrlcted Restrlcted Total funds Funds Funds INCOME Personal and Corporate Income Unrestricted Corporate funds Unrestricted Personal inc Gift Aid Restricted Caitlin inc Gift Aid Restricted Corporate Leratong Restricted Alexandra Youth Project Total Porsonal and Corporate Events Incom• Unrestricted Fundraising events Total Events Income TOTAL INCOME EXPENDITURE 975 975 12378 299 22000 12378 299 22000 13,353 22,299 35,652 13018 13018 13018 48670 13018 26371 22299 Administration costs Event Expenses Paid UK invoice for restricted events TOTAL EXPENDITURE Net amount available for Distribution Grants distributed Transfers unrestricted to restricted Transfers from restricted to unrestricted Net Cash Movement Cash funds at 1st March 2022 Cash funds at 28th February 2023 24875 Statement of assets and Ilabllltles at 28th February 2023 Unrestricted Restricted Total 24875 413 415 413 415 428 25543 -20186 -2000 428 47842 45264 22299 -25078 2000 3357 21518 -779 3261 2578 24779 2482 27357 General Fund Caitlin Fund Restricted Leraton Total Cash Funds 2482 24875 2482 27357
Financial report
Our income, at £48,670 was lower than the previous years (£53,871), due mainly to 2 large unexpected corporate donations last year. We also only received £22,000 of our regular £24,000 corporate donation for the Leratong project due to a glitch in the donors payment system. This will be made up during year 23/24.
The unrestricted corporate donations this year totalled £975. Our fundraising events including the Christmas Craft Market and donations to The Big Give brought in £13,018. Personal unrestricted donations totalled £12,378 including gift aid. Donations including gift aid to the Caitlin Fund produced £299.
Our event expenses and administration costs totalled £828. The grants to projects in South Africa totalled £45,264 compared to £65,330 for the previous year, which was exceptionally high due to the need to complete the Sakhimfundo project before the year end. Cash at year end was £27,357 compared to £24,779 for the previous year.
Declaration
The Trustees declare that they have approved this report.
Signed by:
Graham Allibone (Treasurer)
Dated: 7th September 2023
| Periodfromtrst Mareh?$22 | to28thF | ebruary?023 | ebruary?023 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestrieted | Restricted | ||||
| funds I | Funds g Tstal |
Funds | |||
| II\ICOME | |||||
| Perseinaland Corporate lncsme | |||||
| Unrestricted Corporatefunds | 975 | L,I | a7s | ||
| UnrestrictedFersonaiincGift | Aid | 1237* | 0 | 12378 | |
| Restricted Cait{in incGifiAid | 0 | ?oo | aoa | ||
| RestrictedCorp*rateLeratong | U | 220S0 | 2zAAA | ||
| RestrictedAlexandra YouthProjeet | 0 | a | n | ||
| Total Ferscnal andConporate | f | 13,353 | f22,2gg | fi35,652 | |
| Events lncome | |||||
| Unrestriet*dFundraisingevents | 13018 | 0 | 13018 | ||
| Total Events lneome | 'x3018 | n | 13018 | ||
| TotalIncorne | ?s$71 | 333** | 4&G7$ | ||
| EXPEI{DITURE | |||||
| Administrationcosts | -413 | U | -413 | ||
| EventExpenses | *415 | 0 | -415 | ||
| PaidUKinvoice forrestricted | events | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total Expenditure | -&fi& | -&*s | |||
| frletamount availsble forDistribution Grants distributed |
cStil-5 -3*X8S |
22299 -25CI78 |
47842 -45264 |
||
| Transfersunrestnictedtorestricted | -2*00 | 2000 | 0 | ||
| Transfersfromrestrictedtounrestricted | U | 00 | |||
| Net Cash Moven'lent | 'r"1.r"7 | =77S | 25V& | ||
| Cash fundsat1st March 2022 | 21518 | 326't | 24779 | ||
| Cashfunds at78121fl3 | 24875 | 2482 | 27357 | ||
| $tatement of assets andliabilities | z8t&2t2423 | ||||
| Unrestri*ted | Restricted TCItal |
||||
| F | |||||
| GeneralFund | 24*75 | ||||
| CaitlinFund | 2482 | ||||
| Restricted Leratong | U | ||||
| TotalCashFunds | 3487$ | e48! | 44, E'' &I {nt |
||
| 7t, | -)J | &-*,,,, |
| FeridfrarlstMarch2{22ta28thF | ebruary2ft23 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted | Restricted | ||||
| funds | Funds | Tot*l | Funds | ||
| t, | |||||
| II{*CIME | |||||
| Fersonal andGorponatelncome l"JnrestrictedCorporatefunds Unrestri*ted FersonaiincGiftAid |
975 l/.5to |
CI 0 |
s75 1237S |
||
| RestrietedCaitlin inc GiftAid | 0 | 299 | 299 | ||
| RestrictedCorp*rateLeratong RestrictedAlexandra YouthProject Total Fersonat andGorporate |
000 t13,353 0 |
t22,2** 22AAO |
€35,652 22CI0CI |
||
| EventsIneome | |||||
| Unrestricted Fundraisingevents | 13018 | 13018 | |||
| Tota! Events lncome | 13018 | 13018 | |||
| Total lncome | 1??qs | 4&S?* | |||
| EXPENDITURE | |||||
| Adminislrationcosts | -413 | 0 | -413 | ||
| EventExpenses | -415 | 0 | r,l'lE -t IJ |
||
| PaidUKinvoiceforrestricted events | n | 0 | 0 | ||
| TctalExpenditure | -&*& | -*** | |||
| Netamount availablefonSistribution | 25543 | 22299 | 4V842 | ||
| Grants distributed | -2*18& | -tiJvt6 | -45264 | ||
| Transfersunreste"ietedtarestricted | -2000 | 2000 | 0 | ||
| Transfersfromrestrictedtounrestricted | G | n | 0 | ||
| Net Cash Movernent | 3357 | 25V& | |||
| Cash fundsat1st March 2022 | 21518 | "1lot | 2477# | ||
| Cashfunds atZ8l2f23 | 24875 | 2482 | )72q7 | ||
| $tatervre*tof assets andliahilitles | 2$!fiat2423 | ||||
| Unrectricted | Restricted | Total | |||
| g | |||||
| GeneralFund | 24&75 | ||||
| CaitlinFund | 2482 | ||||
| RestrictedLeratong | 0 | ||||
| TotalCashFunds | ?487S | *.+q>& | fra.,x', |