Vivekarama Dhamma Fellowship
Charity Registration No. 1126900
Trustees Annual Report
The trustees present their annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025.
Objectives and Activities
The objects of the charity are:-
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(a) To practise, propagate and perpetuate Buddhism and in particular Theravada Buddhism.
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(b) To make provision for religious ceremonies for Buddhists.
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(c) To provide facilities for training and education in regard to Buddhism.
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(d) To provide opportunities and accommodation for fellowship and debate in regard to Buddhism.
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(e) To establish or to secure the establishment of a centre for the above activities to be known as the Vivekarama Meditation Centre and of such centre or centres for the above activities as may from time to time be practicable and desirable.
Structure, Governance and Management
The charity is governed by its Constitution adopted 13 September 2008.
The trustees acting during the year were Dr Zaw Myo Htet, Dr Aye Aye Mon and Dr Khin Lay Lwin Soe.
The trustees acting at the date where the report is signed are Dr Zaw Myo Htet, Dr Aye Aye Mon and Dr Khin Lay Lwin Soe.
The board of trustees is responsible for proposing new trustee members, who would be elected by majority vote at the following Annual General Meeting.
Achievements and Performance
The charity opened a centre in April 2009 in Sunderland Tyne and Wear, which provides spiritual guidance, practices and educational opportunities for Buddhists and others interested in Buddhism. The resident teacher, venerable Nandapala of Myanmar, who was ordained in Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and also studied PhD (Buddhist studies) in Sunderland, is experienced in teaching people how to meditate and how to establish a spiritual practice. The charity also organises religious/traditional ceremonies such as Wesak (Festival of Buddha’s birth), Kathina ceremony (Robe offering ceremony), where the Buddhist monks around England are invited and the laity have opportunities to offer food, new robes and other requisites to the monks. The laity can also take Five Precepts and listen to a Dhamma talk. It also involves offering food to guests and visitors to make merit.
The charity moved to a new address in December 2010 and the new meditation centre has opened to the Buddhist community since then.
Risk Management
The major risk to which the charity is exposed, as identified by the trustees, have been reviewed and systems have been established to mitigate those risks.
Reserves Policy
The charity’s main policy is to raise income reserves, sufficient to cover twelve months running costs of the centre.
Plan for Future Periods
The trustees hope to provide more facilities for training and education in regard to Buddhism at the Sunderland Centre.
Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities
The Charities Acts require the board of trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity as at the end of the financial year and of the surplus or deficit of the charity. In preparing those financial statements the board is required to:-
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- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
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- make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business; and
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- state whether applicable accounting standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements.
The trustees are also responsible for maintaining adequate accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and which are sufficient to show and explain the charity’s transactions and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with regulations made under the Charities Act. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Approved by the board of trustees on 02 January 2026 Signed by Dr Zaw Myo Htet Trustees
Charity Name No (if any) Vivekarama Dhamma Fellowship 1126900 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period Period start date Period end date To from 01/04/2024 31/03/2025
| Section A Receipts and payments | Section A Receipts and payments | Section A Receipts and payments | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 Receipts | Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ |
Endowment funds to the nearest £ |
Total funds to the nearest £ |
Last year to the nearest £ |
||||
General donations |
31,104 | - | - | 31,104 | 42,861 | ||||
| Gift aid claims | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) | 31,104 | - | - | 31,104 | 42,861 | ||||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
|||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| Sub total | - | - | |||||||
| Total receipts A3 Payments |
|||||||||
| 42,861 | |||||||||
Rents and rates |
2,901 | - | - | 2,901 | 2,703 | ||||
| Heat and lights | 2,829 | - | - | 2,829 | 4,089 | ||||
| Network activities | 18,784 | - | - | 18,784 | 13,428 | ||||
| Administratration expenses | 1,095 | - | - | 1,095 | 3,634 | ||||
| Centre repairs and maintenance | 10,289 | - | - | 10,289 | 9,497 | ||||
| Sundry | 64 | - | - | 64 | 69 | ||||
| Equipment expenses | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| **Sub total ** | 35,962 | - | - | 35,962 | 33,420 | ||||
| A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) |
|||||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| Loan repayment | - | - | |||||||
| **Sub total ** | - | - | |||||||
| Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end |
|||||||||
| 33,420 | |||||||||
| - 4,858 | 9,441 | ||||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| 24,032 | 24,032 | ||||||||
| 19,174 | 33,473 |
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| 1 Details Total cash funds General Reserves |
Unrestricted funds to nearest £ 19,174 - - 19,174 |
0 Restricted funds to nearest £ - - - - |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19,174 | - | - | |
| - | - | - | |
| - | - | - | |
| 19,174 | - | 2/01/2026 - |
| Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees B5 Liabilities B3 Investment assets B2 Other monetary assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use |
Details (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Details Details Centre purchased - 16 St Bedes Terrace ~~Sunderland SR2 8HS~~ Details Long-term loan to purchase the centre. Loan repayable £956.93 per month over 13 years. Other liability Signature |
OK OK Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) Un-Restricted funds 170,000 - - - - - - - - Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) Un-Restricted funds - Un-Restricted funds - - - - Print Name Dr. Zaw MyoHtet Dr. Khin Lay Lwin Soe |
OK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Endowment funds to nearest £ |
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| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
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| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
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| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| When due (optional) |
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| Date of approval | |||
| Dr. Zaw MyoHtet | 02/01/2026 | ||
| Dr. Khin Lay Lwin Soe | 02/01/2026 |
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
02/01/2026
2
Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
Report to the trustees/ VIVEKARAMA DHAMMA FELLOWSHIP members of
On accounts for the year ended
31 MARCH 2025
Charity no 1126900 (if any)
Set out on pages
3 AND 4
(remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)
Respective The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. responsibilities of The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year trustees and examiner under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to:
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examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act,
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to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act, and
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to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
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Basis of independent My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given examiner’s statement 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 the 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 In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention examiner's statement (other than that disclosed below *)
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which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in, any material respect, the requirements:
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to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; and
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to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act
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have not been met; or
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to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
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Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply.
Signed: Mi Mon Thet Date: 02/01/2026 Name: Mi Mon Thet Relevant professional FCCA qualification(s) or body (if any):
1
March 2012
IER
Address: 178 Wantage Road Didcot OX11 0AQ
Section B Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material problems.
2
March 2012
IER
Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .
3
March 2012
IER