2023-03-31-accounts - Sparkes Home, Sri Lanka

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Trustees' Annual Report for the period

Section A

Period start date Period end date Day Month Year Day Month Year From 01 04 2022 To 31 03 2023

Reference and administration details

Charity name SPARKES HOME SRI LANKA Other names charity is known by Registered charity number (if any) 1128189 Charity's principal address PARK COTTAGE DONHEAD ST ANDREW SHAFTESBURY Postcode SP7 9DZ

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year
PhilipGay	Chair
Claire Stratton
KerrySparkes		To 10 May2022
Juliet Stoker
David Innes
Edward Stratton
Duncan Sparkes













Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)
Name		Dates acted if not for whole year

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Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)	Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)	Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of adviser Name Address
Treasurer	Alistair Stoker	Park Cottage, Donhead St Andrew, Shaftesbury SP7 9DZ

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

Section B Structure, governance and management

Description of the charity’s trusts

Type of governing document Trust Deed

(eg. trust deed, constitution)

How the charity is constituted Unincorporated association (eg. trust, association, company)

Trustee selection methods

(eg. appointed by, elected Appointed bby)

Appointed by existing trustees on the basis of knowledge and skills required for the workings of the charity

Additional governance issues (Optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant, about:

policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees;
the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works;
relationship with any related parties;
trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them.

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Section C Objectives and activities

To relieve suffering and homelessness, and to assist with the education and pastoral care of the people of Sri Lanka, in particular by the Summary of the objects of the establishment and maintenance of children’s homes. charity set out in its governing document

In conjunction with Ragalla Aid Project (charity number 1079120), the trustees raised funds after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami to build a home in Kallar, on the east coast of Sri Lanka, to provide a home for up to 40 girls. The trustees funded the running of the home through Ragalla Aid until March 2009, at which time a separate charity, Sparkes Home Sri Lanka, was established and took over full responsibility for the ongoing funding of the home.

The home is managed on a day to day basis by the Methodist Church of Sri Lanka on whose land the home stands. The trustees maintain close contact with the Methodist Church both at the local and national level to ensure the home is well financed and run.

The girls range in age from 6 to 18. The initial group of girls were either orphans or children of destitute families arising from the devastation of the tsunami and the civil war which was ongoing at that time. Since then, girls have been referred to the home both through the Methodist Church Summary of the main activities undertaken for the and the local government social services. The girls all attend the local public benefit in relation to schools with the older girls taking ‘O’ and ‘A’ level. We provide additional these objects (include within tuition to the girls, in particular in Maths, English and IT. this section the statutory declaration that trustees have The home offers these girls a warm and loving environment. Volunteers had regard to the guidance from the UK visit the home and provided support to the housemother, issued by the Charity teach English to the girls and help maintain the home. They have been Commission on public hugely impressed by the atmosphere and the support the girls give to benefit) each other.

The Trustees became aware of a funding crisis for several other childrens’ homes run by the Methodist Church in Sri Lanka and visited 3 homes to discuss providing specific support. The Trustees agreed a programme of support with the Methodist Church and from 1 January 2013 Sparkes Home has funded the day to day running costs of girls’ homes in Kalmunai on the east coast of Sri Lanka and Tummodara on the west coast. The Trustees also agreed to fund vital rebuilding works for the girl’s home in Hatton in the central province and to assist with the running costs of this home that are mainly borne by Methodist churches in South Korea.

The Trustees also agreed to fund the running costs from 1 January 2014 of a pre-school near the Kallar home on the east coast of Sri Lanka and a pre-school and day care centre south of Colombo from 1 July 2019. Both these projects are under the day to day control of the Methodist Church.

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The Trustees also agreed to fund the costs of attending university and other further education colleges for girls from the homes.

The Trustees of Sparkes Home Sri Lanka meet regularly to review the activities of the charity and their obligations in respect of public benefit. The Trustees have complied with the duty in Section 4 of the Charities Act 2006 to have due regard to public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission.

Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)

You may choose to include further statements, where relevant, about:

The Trustees have agreed with the Methodist Church in Sri Lanka to provide funds for the running of 4 girls’ homes. The Trustees agree budgets for each home with the Methodist Church and agree the grants to be made on a monthly basis. Grants for additional projects are reviewed and agreed by the Trustees as they arise.

policy on grantmaking;
policy programme related investment;
contribution made by volunteers.

All the activities of the charity are conducted on a voluntary basis. Trustees visit the homes on a regular basis and bear all their own costs. In addition, volunteers regularly visit Kallar and Kalmunai to assist the girls with additional English and other activities.

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Section D Achievements and performance

Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year

The year from 1 April 2022 started with a highly successful fund raising event, Call My Wine Bluff. A previous event in 2020 had to be cancelled due to Covid. The evening was a huge success, enjoyed by all, and raising over £28,000. We thank everyone for their generosity.

In Sri Lanka the economic situation continued to deteriorate. A lack of foreign currency has affected the purchase of basic necessities from abroad. Petrol and rice supplies have been affected. Costs have risen sharply. We have been in close contact with Methodist HQ to ensure the homes have adequate funds.

Three trustee visits took place in November 2022, January and February 2023. All the projects were visited in addition to discussions in Colombo with the Methodist HQ staff and the President of the Methodist Church in Sri Lanka, Rev Ebenezer Joseph.

The two homes, Kallar and Kalmunai, and also the Silver Bells pre-school on the east coast continue to impress. Kalmunai has an excellent academic record and we were excited that another two girls have achieved university entrance, a great achievement considering their backgrounds. We will be supporting them through university. Silver Bells is a very happy centre and is always oversubscribed. We agreed to fund an additional teacher. Following Covid we were pleased that volunteer visits have been able to resume with a paediatrician staying in the east coast homes.

The Thummodera home, north of Colombo, has an active local management committee. We met the girls and committee members. The home is susceptible to flooding and we agreed actions to divert water. Building renovations were also agreed.

South of Colombo the pre-school and day care centre in the fishing village of Angulana is thriving and also oversubscribed. This is in a very poor area.

Looking forward, we have trustee visits arranged later in 2023.

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Section E Financial review

Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves This is the fourteenth year of the charity’s operation. The Trustees regularly review the funds available and future commitments. The emphasis is on increasing the funding of the core objectives of the charity.

The trustees believe reserves of up to two years expenditure are required to ensure the long term support for the homes. Funds in excess of this are committed to additional initiatives, as has been seen by the extension of our funding support to additional homes, pre-schools and tertiary education for girls from our homes.

Details of any funds materially in deficit

Further financial review details (Optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant about:

the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising);
how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity;
investment policy and objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted.

The principal sources of funds are donations from Charitable foundations, individuals and fundraising activities organised by both donors and trustees.

Funds raised in the year amounted to £89,202 (2022 £41,522). The increase was due to two main factors, the successful holding of a fund raising event postponed from 2020 and a very generous donation from one of our main backers. Total expenditure in the year amounted to £46,154 (2022 £49,759). The decrease was entirely due a refund of an auction bid following the Covid epidemic. Expenditure on our projects increased by 7%. Administrative costs were incurred on bank charges and the maintenance of our web site. Excluding the costs of staging fundraising events, 98% of our expenditure goes to our homes and projects.

Trustees bear all the costs of their visits to Sri Lanka individually. During their visits, Trustees review the fund flows from source in the UK through to the end use in the individual homes and other projects.

Funds available at 31 March 2023 amounted to £134,848 (2022 £91,800).

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Section F - Other optional information Section G Declaration The trustees dedare that they have approved the trustees. report above. Signed on behalf of the Charity's trustees Signaturels) Full namels Philip Gay PItion leg Secretary, Chair. Chair etc) TAR Marth 2012

	No (if any)
SPARKES HOME SRI LANKA	1128189
Receipts andpayments accounts		CC16a
01/04/2022 Period start date For the period from	31/03/2023 Period end date To

Section A Receipts and payments	Section A Receipts and payments
A1 Receipts	Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ 61,289 27,913 - - - - - 89,202 - - - 89,202 35,205 4,058 2,062 500 1,739 549 370	Restricted funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1,671 - - -	Endowment funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -	Total funds to the nearest £ 61,289 27,913 - - - - - - 89,202 - - - 89,202 35,205 5,729 2,062 500 1,739 549 370	Last year to the nearest £
Donations	61,289				38,577
Fund raisingevents	27,913				2,945
Gift Aid repayment
	-				-
	-				-
	-				-
	-				-
	-				-
*Sub total*(Gross income for AR)	89,202				41,522

A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table).
	-
	-				-
~~*Sub total*~~	-				-
*Total receipts* A3 Payments
					41,522

Grants to Girls homes	35,205				31,230
Grants topre-Schools	4,058				7,082
Grants to universitystudents	2,062				1,809
Grant to Ragalla Aid	500
Fund raisingevents	1,739				7,540
Fund raisingcosts	549				1,521
Bank charges and other costs	370				577

	-	-	-	-	-
**Sub total **	44,483	1,671	-	46,154	49,759

A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table)
	-
	-
**Sub total **	-				-
*Total payments* *Net of receipts/(payments)* A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end *Cash funds this year end*
					49,759

	44,719			43,048	- 8,237
	-			-	-
	90,262			91,800	100,037
	134,981			134,848	91,800

CCXX R1 accounts (SS)

11/09/2023

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unresth¢ted funds to nrEst£ Restrictsd funds to alESt£ Endowm•nt funds to rt8roSt£ B1 Cash funds 1¥981 133 134.981 133 funds to wrest£ Detsils ral¢S1£ FI lOwhti CunpntvaluE na Details B3 Investment assets Fund tO7*thich Currenivaluo iorHI Details Ccffjt loptim B4 Assgts retained for the charlty's own use Yhen du Details B5 Uabllftles SvJned by one tnjstees o Pfint Name Date of val CCXX R2 accounts ISSI 24KW2023

CHARITY (OMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of SPARKS HOME SRI LANKA On accounts for tho year ended Charity no (rf any) 3010312023 1128189 Set out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity ('the Trust") for the year ended 3110312023 Responsibilities and basis of report As the charity's trustees. you are responsible for Ihe preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 {-the Act.). I report in respect of my examinalion of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 ofthe 2011 Act and in carying out my examination. I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5Xb) of the Act. Indepandent examinerfs statement I have completed my examination. I confirn that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in. any material respect.. the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act., or the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or Ihe accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements conceming the fonn and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair. view which is not a matter considered as parl of an independent examination. I have no concems and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Please delete t e words in the brackets rf they do not apply. Signed: Date: 11- Namo: DAN TAGG Relevant professional qualificationls) or body Irf anyl: F.C.A. (ICAEW) IER Oct 2018

Addross: THE STABLES, DONHEAD ST ANDREW sHAESBuRy SP7 9EA Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs lo highlight material matters of concern {see CC32. Independent examination of charity accounts.. directions and guidance for examiners). Givo here bri details of any items that the oxamlnor wishes to disclose. IER Oct 2018