2023-07-31-accounts

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 1[st] August 2022 to 31[st] July 2023

Charity name: Santi Vanaram Buddhist Association

Charity registration number: 1125174

Objectives and Activities

	SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document	Para 1.17	1.To foster and support the observance of the Buddhist Faith within the community contributing to the spiritual wellbeing through daily services, public celebrations of religious festivals, and providing educational presentations and lectures. 2.To encourage and embrace the values of our diverse society by raising awareness and understanding through interfaith group membership and involvement to promote harmonious relationships between different racial and ethnic groups within our community. 3.To foster and maintain links with Buddhist organisations nationally and internationally.
Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts.	Para 1.17 and 1.19	The monks have provided daily morning and evening services that are open to all. Attendees whilst predominantly from the Thai communities from Kent and East Sussex include people from Bangladesh, India, Lao, Burmah and from the UK. The monks, led by the Abbot Phra Laungpor Boonsee Kongjok have been available outside of the daily services to receive visitors for spiritual guidance, teaching the Dhamma and visiting people’s homes for blessings. The temple is a member of the IPAG Focus Group which is a Kent Police Force advisory group for diversity and inclusion. The temple was asked to deliver a presentation at Park Way Primary School on Buddhism as part of the school curriculum on different faiths. As always, the Buddhist calendar was adhered to with Vassa in August, a period of retreat and reflection for the monks during the‘rainy season’. This lasts for a

		three-month period. The Thai Mother’s Day was celebrated in August with a festival held in Maidstone. At the end of Vassa, a Kathina ceremony was held to offer the monks new robes and other personal items. In November the Loi Krathong Festival of Light was held at the temple and on the Medway River. April is the Thai New Year and Songkran is celebrated at the temple where water is important, and respect is paid to the monks and to the elders by pouring water over their hands. Songkran was further celebrated within the community. The year ended in July with a candle ceremony and a river festival. The candle represents the light of wisdom and illuminating the darkness of ignorance. Opportunity is taken at all these ceremonies and festivals to raise money for the temple and its day to day running expenses. There is no access to public monies, all money is entirely from voluntary donations. The temple exists by the hard work and dedication from its members and supporters and the volunteers who work tirelessly to support it for which we are forever grateful. After the monks have been offered their food each day, any remaining food is eaten by the members and volunteers, some of whom take it home to feed their families, without which they would struggle in these challenging times. Outside of the Vassa three-month period monks are allowed to travel and have attended other temples and supported them during the year as necessary. This is a reciprocal act.
Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit	Para 1.18	We confirm that the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

	SORP reference
Policy on grant making	Para 1.38	There is no specific policy in place regarding access to grants. No application has been made to date.

Policy on social investment including program related investment	Para 1.38	No policy on social investment.
Contribution made by volunteers	Para 1.38	None of the year’s programme would be at all possible without the volunteers support. The monks rely entirely on volunteers to offer food to them daily and to provide any transport where necessary. The temple only exists by the hard work and dedication from its members and supporters and the volunteers who work tirelessly to support it for which we are forever grateful.
Other

Achievements and Performance

	SORP reference
Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole.	Para 1.20	The year was entirely successful with more people attending the temple and the various events. There appears to be a growing interest in Buddhism and its way of life amongst the general public. The Abbot Phra Laungpor Boonsee Kongjok and other monks have been available outside of the daily services to receive visitors for spiritual guidance, teaching the Dhamma and visiting people’s homes for blessings. It is difficult to quantify inner peace but the sheer joy on peoples faces says it all. The temple achieves both peace and calm and laughter where necessary. People who come to the temple enjoy the opportunity to meditate with the monk’s guidance.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements	Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements	where relevant about:
Achievements against objectives set	Para 1.41	Objectives are not set and measured specifically.

Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set	Para 1.41	The Charity strives to not loose money but does not set specific objectives. This year has seen an improvement from a loss of £2608 last year to a net gain this year of £6222.46. This net figure masks the fact that £20,000 was paid off the mortgage, which with current interest rates rising remains the biggest expense. The charity is therefore focusing in 2023/2024 on reducing this further.
Investment performance against objectives	Para 1.41
Other

Financial Review

Financial Review
Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period	Para 1.21	The year ended with a surplus of £6222.46 against a loss last year of £2608. £20,000 was paid off the mortgage with a one-off payment from cash held in **the account. **
Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held	Para 1.22	A policy is in place to retain six months expenditure. As the charity relies entirely on voluntary donations the trustees felt it prudent to retain this in case of worst- case scenarios.
Amount of reserves held	Para 1.22	£10,000 is held in reserve.
Reasons for holding zero reserves	Para 1.22	N/A
Details of fund materially in deficit	Para 1.24	N/A
Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern	Para 1.23	If the current building was uninhabitable alternative ones would be secured via the insurance held.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements	Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements	where relevant about:
The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising)	Para 1.47	All funds are raised entirely by the endeavours of the hard-working volunteers both at the temple and at festivals held elsewhere. All money raised goes straight to the day-to-day operation of the temple and its events.
Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted	Para 1.46	N/A
A description of the principal risks facing the charity	Para 1.46	It would be difficult without the current enigmatic Abbot but the charity would continue.
Other

Structure, Governance and Management

Description of charity’s trusts:
Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter)	Para 1.25	Constitution
How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO)	Para 1.25	Unincorporated association
Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees	Para 1.25	Appointed by members at the Annual General Meeting each year.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees	Para 1.51
The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works	Para 1.51
Relationship with any related parties	Para 1.51
Other

Reference and Administrative details

Charity name	Santi Vanaram Buddhist Society
Other name the charity uses	Wat Santivanaram
Registered charity number	1125174
Charity’s principal address	108 Deanwood Drive Parkwood Gillingham Kent ME8 9LL

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20	Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole **year **	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany)
	Phra Boonsee Kongjok	Chairman		Members at AGM
	Thongsuk Wannawong	Secretary	15thApril 2023 -	Members at AGM
	Wirairuk Burt		15thApril 2023 -	Members at AGM
	Kullapreeya Anupa			Members at AGM
	John Gary Burbidge			Members at AGM
	Keith Laurence Titford	Treasurer	15thApril 2023 -	Members at AGM

– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved

Director name

Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity

Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year

Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others

Description of the assets held in this capacity

Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects

Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets

Additional information (optional)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Type of Name Address adviser

Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

Exemptions from disclosure

Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details

Other optional information

Declarations

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s) Full name(s) Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Date	K Boonsee	Keith Titford
	Phra Boonsee Kongjok	Keith Laurence Titford
	Chairman	Treasurer
	23-11-2023
	23-11-2023

Wat Santivanaram Buddhist Association

Receipts (income) and payments (expenditure) account Year ending 31[st] July 2023

A1 Unrestricted funds

Donations: Cash £36560.30 Direct Debits £3076.59 £39,636.89 Other: Ovo Energy: Overpayment £254.00 Government support £400.00 £654.00 Medway Council: Council Tax refund (backdated to 2016) £6086.96 Petty Cash: £237.35 £46615.20

A3 Payments

Telephone/Broadband BT £806.94 Council Tax Medway Council £2355.00 Mortgage Repayments (Triodos Bank.) £11220.15 Gas/Electric (OVO Energy.) £2276.00 Water (Southern Water.) £333.81 Insurance (Gallagher.) £610.09 One off Mortgage repayment £20,000.00 General expenses (Petty Cash.) £2161,68 ------------------- £40392.74 Surplus/ Deficit for the year £6222.46 HSBC Bank funds as at 1[st] August 2022 £15634,42 Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at 31[st] July 2023

HSBC Cash funds – balance at bank: 31/7/2023 £21856.88

Section B4 Assets retained for Charitys own use

Property at 108 Deanwood Drive, Parkwood, Gillingham, Kent ME8 9LL (subject to a current mortgage of circa £63,000)

Valuation taken from sale of 106 Deanwood Drive (sale April 2018) £370,000.00

The accounts were approved by the trustees and signed by the Chairman

Name: Boonsee Kongjok Date: 12.08.2023

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