## _The David School Trust_ ## **Trustees Annual Report for Calendar Year 2025** ## **Accounts** The accounts for the calendar year 2025 show a closing balance of £20,864 compared with £24,532 twelve months ago. Income of £48,954 and spending of £52,623 shows an overall deficit of £3,669 in the year. Again this year the accounts will need to be independently examined. All the money raised is through donations and we would like to take this opportunity to thank all our supporters for their kindness and generosity. Large donations from Rotary Clubs and individuals are additionally recognized in helping to meet increasing costs. Also thank you to all the volunteers who give their time, money and physical help with school visits, collection of supplies, shipping and admin. All are self-funded. In addition to monies held in bank accounts, the Trustees would like to record details of assets held in Sierra Leone. The Trust owns a plot of land, donated by tribal elders in 2012, and registered with the Ministry of Lands(Ref MLS 625/2012). This is of low quality, mostly unsuitable for farming and measures 10 acres, including a swamp. Sale value is difficult to assess but very low. Also the buildings on the land and all equipment and fittings are the property of the Trust and again of low saleable value. ## **Review** The economy in the country continues to be in a poor state. Most goods are imported and their weak currency leads to increased costs which are an additional burden for the charity. These increases have been accelerated by a large reduction in overseas aid funding given to Sierra Leone. Our villagers and their children have little food and the health implications are concerning. We have experienced a significant increase in 1 the number of medical consultations and the cost of a daily school meal has almost doubled. Sufficient income to fully support the school is a continuing challenge for the Trustees. Appeals for help continue to be a priority. Despite this all education for more than 400 Primary and Junior Secondary pupils remains free. They are supplied with uniforms, shoes, school equipment and hygiene products. They also receive medical treatment and some food when resources allow. The Trustees are proud of this record and have no plans to instigate any changes. During our visit in November we called a meeting with representatives of the Ministry and local communities to discuss their involvement in the project and their future intentions. Currently seven of our teachers are government funded but no other support is provided. Their provision of food at lunchtime has ceased despite promises and assurances that it would reappear. Little progress was made in clarifying their support intentions in the medium term but the situation will become increasingly important as the charity’s ability to continue at present levels is becoming increasingly challenging. In 2025 there were two trips to the school, the first in March with a group of three volunteers including two Trustees followed by a team of five in October/November . Each visit was for around two weeks making total of 112 person days. All our volunteers are self-funded. They donate money to the charity to cover all the costs of group visits which is a magnificent gesture on their part. Each visit costs them more than £1800 per person. Visits to the school enable us to witness its success. This we measure not only by good examination results , but also by sharing the pupils enjoyment of being there. We have seen great improvements in their ability to socialise together and in their ability to speak to us in English. They are keen to be involved and to learn. 2 It is heartwarming to reflect on achievements to date. An annual intake of around fifty pupils for almost eighteen years means that around one thousand young people in this very poor country have been provided with potential life changing opportunities. Success is down to the group of staff that we now employ. Good leadership, solid commitment, sound training and great concern for our young people. The staff work well as a unit and have gradually developed their awareness and initiative skills having been given the confidence to do so. We are pleased to report that the children enjoy the benefits of a very good group of staff. The Trustees would like to recognise their workload and commitment to the young people in their charge. During the November visit we were able to repeat the Celebration Day for all the pupils who passed their NPSE exam, their equivalent to our 11+. Fifty four children plus staff and ourselves travelled to an activity area for the day. There they were able to dance, swim and most of all eat, chicken and fish with vegetables and rice plus a soft drink. Children were saying ‘it was the best day of their lives’ or ‘the best meal they had ever eaten’. Once again a very successful day. During the year five shipments of uniform, equipment and goods were sent via Marie Sinneh Shipping direct to Freetown where they were collected and taken to school. These shipments are essential in the functioning of the school and in supporting volunteers during visits. Staff training has been a major initiative some school based and some college centred. Our Junior secondary headteacher Morlai Koroma completed his degree course and we were able to join him and his family at the graduation ceremony. Two teachers have completed Higher Teacher’s Certificate courses and two more will complete in 2026. Our English specialist is in year two of a three year degree course. School based training has focused on helping children learn to read. This work is supported by large quantities of new reading books and a computer programme which allows individual help in reading , comprehension and speaking. All teachers are involved and reports suggest that all is going well. 3 The computers and software were purchased with donations from the Girdlers Company. The garden project that began in 2024 has proved to be a great success. The teacher who initiated the idea has worked with tremendous determination and energy to involve many senior pupils and lately other members of staff. Over two hundred pineapples and cassava were harvested with the proceeds feeding all pupils twice. The charity has received several specific donations to extend this valuable project which helps to exemplify the agricultural and business parts of the curriculum. Trustees must report on two serious incidents in the year which resulted in the dismissal of one senior member of staff and one trainee teacher. A senior girl reported unwelcome advances from the trainee which he admitted and his contract was terminated and his training support ended. The senior member of staff collected money from parents for examination entries but the students were not entered for their final exams after three years of study. The investigation included two trustees and two representatives of the education authority. The conclusion was that the money had been misappropriated and a unanimous decision was reached to dismiss the teacher involved. More information on the structure and operation of the school is available via the website www.thedavidschool.co.uk which we try to update on a regular basis. Original Signed in May 2025 by the Trustees as a true record. David Wallwork Janet B Wallwork Catherine S Thomas Sylvia M Abblitt Marcus G Horrell 4 **THE DAVID SCHOOL TRUST** Charity Number 1129314 HMRC Reference XT19571 Year Ended 31 December 2025 |INCOME||2024||||2025||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |Gift Aid Donations||||||||| |Lump Sum and Small Donations Sche|£|16,065
|||£|21,228
||| |Direct Debits|£|8,467
|||£|8,580
||| ||||£|24,532
|||£|29,808
| |Other Donations and Contributions|£|9,805
|||£|11,521
||| |Gift Aid Reclaim|£|6,102
|||£|7,452
||| |Bank Interest|£|158
|||£|173
||| ||||£|16,065
|||£|19,146
| ||||£|40,597
|||£|48,954
| |EXPENDITURE||||||||| |Teachers Salaries/Wages|£|6,332
|||£|6,397
||| |Pension Provision NASSIT|£|710
|||£|751
||| |Teacher Training Fees|£|3,728
|||£|5,357
||| |Shipping Costs and Transportation|£|3,122
|||£|2,748
||| |School Repairs and Maintenance|£|10,559
|||£|7,335
||| |School Furniture and Equipment|£|485
|||£|3,349
||| |Supported Studets/Welfare|£|2,107
|||£|3,169
||| |Food and Medical|£|4,315
|||£|5,542
||| |Volunteer Costs|£|13,833
|||£|15,083
||| |Website|£|318
|||£|201
||| |Bank Charges SL|£|220
|||£|57
||| |Miscellaneous- Printing, Exam Fees, U|£|1,070
|||£|2,634
||| ||||£|46,799
|||£|52,623
| |Deficit Expenditure over Income|||£|6,202
|||£|3,669
| |Balance brought forward 1 January|||£|30,734
|||£|24,532
| |Balance carried forward 31 December|||£|24,532
|||£|20,863
| |Balance at Bank UK|||£|15,396
|||£|11,826
| |Balance at Bank SL|||£|3,034
|||£|1,585
| ||||£|18,430
|||£|13,411
| 5 ## **THE DAVID SCHOOL TRUST** Charity Number 1129314 HMRC Reference XT19571 Balance Sheet at 31 December 2025 |||**2024**||**2025**| |---|---|---|---|---| |**CURRENT ASSETS**||||| |Sundry Debtors|£|6,102
|£|7,452
| |Balance at Bank UK|£|15,396
|£|11,826
| |Balance at Bank SL|£|3,034
|£|1,585
| ||£|24,532
|£|20,863
| 6 7