REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1136807
Report of the Trustees and
Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
for
Their Future Today
Their Future Today
Contents of the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
| Page | |
|---|---|
| Report of the Trustees | 1 to 13 |
| Independent Examiner's Report | 14 |
| Statement of Financial Activities | 15 |
| Balance Sheet | 16 |
| Notes to the Financial Statements | 17 to 22 |
| Detailed Statement of Financial Activities | 23 |
TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT
For the period 1st April 2024 - 31st March 2025
The trustees have the pleasure of submitting the Report and Accounts for the period 1st April 2024 - 31 March 2025.
The trustees present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2025. The trustees have adopted the provisions of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019).
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
Governing document
The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust and constitutes an unincorporated charity.
Governance
The charity is governed by a board of trustees (listed below). New trustees are appointed by the board in accordance with the trust deed.
REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS
Registered Charity number 1136807
Principal address
101 Green Street Sunbury On Thames TW16 6RD
Trustees
D Gibson (Chair) R J R Stanier S Jackman (Deputy Chair) L Lindley (Hon.Treasurer) S Amos M KY Wong (Hon. Secretary)
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Charitable Objectives and Activities
Their Future Today (TFT) is committed to the transformative mission of ending child abandonment rooted in poverty and institutionalisation. Our comprehensive and holistic approach targets the grassroots and governmental level to promote family care in Sri Lanka, support families to prevent abandonment, ensure the education of children to prevent the cycle of poverty and introduce a foster care system so that every child can reclaim their human right to grow up in a family. From birth to adulthood, we reunite, educate, support and strengthen disadvantaged and forgotten children and families of all faiths.
Our solution-based model to help end the institutionalisation of children consists of a variety of projects such as a preschool to provide low-cost and free early learning intervention and childcare; donating resources to help single mothers and parents support their families; hosts free training sessions in literacy, numeracy, financial management and bag making; trains local and national childcare services in alternative family and foster care;
TFT advocates that ‘Children Belong in Loving Families, Not Orphanages’ and campaigns to raise awareness of the long-term emotional and physical harm caused, not as a gesture of charity, but as an act of human justice, which says that every child matters and deserves to be loved and educated in a family setting.
Through specific development projects to support people’s needs, TFT aims to directly provide the knowledge, resources and tools to improve conditions in orphanages, prevent abandonment, strengthen families and bring about sustainable change in the community and nationally.
TFT’s five primary objectives over the next 3 years are:
1. To bring and keep families together
Enabling families to develop sustainable livelihoods is an increasingly critical priority for Their Future Today (aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1, 2, and 8), particularly as food insecurity continues to affect vulnerable communities in Sri Lanka. The World Food Programme reported last year that nearly one-third of children under 5 are malnourished. Meanwhile, over 40 per cent of women aged 18-60 are overweight or obese, due to poor dietary diversity and lack of access to nutritious food.( Source: https://www.wfp.org/countries/sri-lanka)
According to the Global Nutrition Report, this situation has led to a significant increase in malnutrition rates among children under five, with 17.3% affected by stunting and 15.1% by wasting, both higher than regional averages. ( Source: https://globalnutritionreport.org/resources/nutritionprofiles/asia/southern-asia/sri-lanka/#overview)
We believe that empowering families to take control of their own future not only transforms their children’s lives but also boosts their confidence and self-esteem. However, in cases where parents are unable to work due to poor health or disability, we recognise that financial support is essential to keeping families together and to prevent child abandonment.
In addition to these efforts, the TFT Heartbeat Centre in Colombo continues its vital work in partnership with the Sri Lankan NGO ‘Sisters at Law’. Together, we provide a helpline and pro-bono legal services, as well as safe shelter and support for up to six abused women and children. This collaboration keeps mothers and children together and out of orphanages by promoting family-based solutions. It also strengthens community systems through alternative family and foster care training, while offering legal education to junior lawyers and police officers to ensure sustainable change.
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2. To train decision-makers and communities
At TFT, our community projects don’t just transform lives locally; they drive change nationally. The lessons we learn on the ground directly shape our training programmes and policy work with the Sri Lankan government, the National Childcare and Probation Services, and the judiciary. Together, we are working to end the unnecessary institutionalisation of children and replace it with safe, loving family-based care in line with international child protection standards.
In 2025, we are taking this further with an ambitious cascade training programme. By training senior officials, probation officers, social workers, and community leaders, and then equipping them to train others, we ensure that expertise spreads rapidly across districts. This creates a network of skilled advocates who can change practice where it matters most.
To make this training as impactful as possible, we are producing and distributing a comprehensive set of resource materials, including our Alternative Family and Foster Care FAQs Handbook, practical guides, and policy briefs, to guide decision-making and raise awareness of the benefits of familybased care.
Our advocacy is already delivering results. In a historic move, the Sri Lankan government has announced two major reforms: a monthly grant of Rs. 5,000 for children in Child Care Institutions to support their transition into families, and a grant of Rs. 2 million for care leavers to help them step into adulthood with dignity and opportunity.
Working in partnership with the International Foster Care Organisation (USA) and the Centre of Excellence in Alternative Care (India), TFT will spearhead one of Sri Lanka’s first foster care pilot programmes. This is about turning global policy commitments into real action, ensuring that children are not only freed from institutions but placed into safe, loving families where they can grow, thrive, and belong.
3. To educate the next generation
TFT believes that education is one of the most powerful ways to lift children out of poverty, reduce inequalities, provide protection from exploitation/abuse and offer improved opportunities for a better future.
As we continue to encourage education through our preschool and school meals, we can provide children with the skills and knowledge to secure better employment opportunities, which can improve their economic situation and ability to provide for their families (SDG 1, 2, 3 & 4) When parents can financially support their families, they are less likely to resort to abandoning their children.
Additionally, education can help promote awareness and understanding of the negative impact of institutional care on children, encouraging families to seek alternative care options, such as foster care or kinship care.
4. To improve current levels of pastoral care in institutions
While advocating for the end of institutionalisation and the promotion of family care alternatives, it is essential to provide children in orphanages with the care and love they need and the dignity they deserve. This will ensure healthy brain development, leading to more successful reintegration into families, improved academic concentration, and the ability to form long-term relationships.
We do this in a variety of ways, such as ensuring regular physical contact with the children, having dedicated and trained housemothers for each child, stimulating the children through play and ensuring quality preschool education (SDG 3, 4 & 16).
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5. To bring about systemic change for women and children
In many cases, females are deprived of equal access to jobs, even when they are not well-paid or of high status. According to a World Bank data report, the unemployment rate for women in Sri Lanka was 9.95% in 2023, nearly double that of men.
( Source: https://www.theglobaleconomy.com/Sri-Lanka/Female_unemployment/)
Gender-based violence is also a significant issue in Sri Lanka. A survey by the Department of Census and Statistics showed that 24.9% of women in Sri Lanka had experienced physical or sexual violence by a partner or non-partner. Two in every five women (39.8%) have suffered physical, sexual, emotional, and/or economic violence and/or controlling behaviours by a partner. ( Source: - - - - - https://srilanka.unfpa.org/en/publications/fast facts womens wellbeing survey 2019)
In addition, there is a high rate of sexual harassment, with 85% of women reporting experiencing sexual harassment in public spaces. The issue is also exacerbated by a lack of access to justice for survivors and a culture that often blames victims and minimises the severity of the abuse.
We are working to combat this by:
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Promoting education and job opportunities for women to improve their economic status (SDG 1, 4 & 5)
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Using advocacy to end gender-based violence and discrimination (SDG 5)
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Supporting and amplifying the voices and work of local women-led organisations and activists (SDG 5)
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Working with women to provide legal support and to find solutions when experiencing abuse of any kind through our Heartbeat Centre hotline (SDG 16)
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Providing temporary safe shelter, empowerment and education to abused women, teenage girls and care leavers to keep them out of institutions and criminal remand homes, and prepare them for the outside world.
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Letter from the CEO
Thanks to your generosity and our hardworking Sri Lanka team, 2025 started in ways that we couldn’t have imagined. We’re excited to share that, after twenty years of advocating to end the institutionalisation of children in Sri Lanka, two decades of heartbreak, hope, and unwavering belief, at last, we have the incredible news that system change is in sight, and care reform is on the horizon.
For too long, we have watched the pain of invisible children growing up without love and hidden behind orphanage walls, their voices unheard, their futures forgotten. We’ve worked together to show that poverty, not loss of love, is the true orphan-maker, and stood firmly against a harmful system built on separation and silence, knowing that behind every lost child is the story of a heartbroken mother who needs help.
So, 2025 is already becoming one of our most transformative years yet, filled with powerful milestones. A new era is now dawning, one where children will be seen, heard, and held where they belong: in loving families, not institutions.
We know what works. We’ve seen lives changed. But we cannot do it alone.
Whether you’ve donated, volunteered, hosted an event, or shared this message, you’re a valued part of our story. Together, we can build a future where every child has the chance to grow up with dignity and love.
In a changing and challenging fundraising landscape, it is only with your kindness, belief, connections and continued generosity that we can do this life-changing work to give children the love and lives they deserve.
We invite you to partner with us as a change maker at this momentous time, share our story with your friends, leave a legacy, be a regular donor, fundraiser, ambassador, or corporate sponsor—and help us to continue to deliver real impactful and lasting change for children and families who don’t want charity, but simply a chance to be together and thrive.
Thank you for standing with them. Thank you for believing in us.
Loving kindness
Deshabandu Lynn Stanier MBE Founder & CEO
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Achievements and Performance
In 2024/25, TFT continues to deliver fast, quality and impactful programmes that make a real difference in the lives of the children, adults and communities we work to help. We are proud to deliver diverse projects across Sri Lanka that respond in tailored ways to the needs of children and their families. We do not operate a one-size-fits-all approach to programme design and implementation. Instead, we work closely with local people and specialist partners to develop robust education, health, livelihood, and child rights projects that meet regional and national needs, and build individual, family, and community capacity.
Highlights of the Charity’s achievements over the past year, include:
Throughout 2024 and into 2025, Their Future Today (TFT) has continued to make significant strides in supporting vulnerable families and children in Sri Lanka, all made possible by the unwavering support of our donors and advocates.
Bring and keep families together (Objective 1)
Piyumi (centre) was the inspiration behind TFT and also Mercury Holidays - Their Future Today International Preschool. The preschool was established to prevent child abandonment in a poor rural area by offering childcare and exceptional education, enabling single parents to work.
She was also the first TFT child to be reunited from an orphanage in 2010, with her mother and brother. We built a small house with clean water and electricity, and provided her mum with a coir machine and livelihood training.
Children who spend their formative years in an orphanage without adequate love or consistent care suffer profound consequences on cognitive development. The lack of emotional support and nurturing often leads to low self-esteem, a lack of confidence, difficulty in concentration, communication, learning, and forming healthy relationships.
Piyumi, 19, left school last year without any qualifications and was unable to read and write. However, her awe-inspiring transformation from a painfully introverted infant in an orphanage to a confident preschool teaching assistant truly took our breath away on our recent visit. Amidst adversity, with patience, love and educational support, she is now prepared and poised to take a monumental step forward … into COLLEGE, which only a year ago would have seemed impossible, and we are so excited for her.
A few years ago we couldn’t stand by and watch three crying children being taken from their heartbroken mother’s arms. TFT prevented abandonment and has supported the family with a preschool place, school book packs, and livelihood training and resources to keep them together.
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Giving children in challenging circumstances a lifeline to succeed in their education is our ultimate goal, and Dharshika was the first in his family to go to school and complete his studies. He is now on the path to fulfilling his dreams! This was the very serious and poignant moment in Dharshika’s life when Mr Percy gave him the good news that he had the incredible opportunity to go to college to learn hotel work, thanks to a donation from one of our generous supporters.
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Yomini and her father at her Dharshika Dharshika and his family
graduation
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With Mr Percy’s help in his college application and interview, Dharshika is now working towards employment and a career which will transform the lives of this loving family.
It was at our book-giving ceremony in 2019 that a young girl named Yomini bravely asked to come on stage and express her gratitude for the school book packs that she, her two brothers and 3500 other children had received. We recognised her special spirit and delved into the extremely challenging situation her family faced: her mother was bedbound with an undiagnosed condition, her father was providing 24-hour care, which meant he had to leave his job as a commis chef, and Yomini was facing the prospect of giving up her education to help support them.
It’s been a remarkable journey of slow recovery for her mother, who with our support for medical care can now stand unaided, and alongside her parents, we couldn’t feel happier or prouder of Yomini successfully completing a Psychology Counselling Course, which brings her one step closer to realising her dream to become a journalist.
We celebrate this moment, which is thanks to our great friend David Nash, whose financial support has been instrumental in assisting this family with medical consultations, medication, and education.
Training decision-makers and communities (Objective 2)
Over the past year, Their Future Today (TFT) has accelerated its work in building knowledge, shifting attitudes, and equipping decision-makers and communities to embrace family- and foster care as viable, safe alternatives to institutionalisation.
A ground breaking roundtable discussion organised by TFT at the British High Commission on Alternative Family Care brought together the National Probation Commissioner and six of Sri Lanka’s nine district commissioners, many of whom travelled up to seven hours to attend. Led by our partner Dr. Vasundhra Om Prem from India’s Centre of Excellence in Alternative Care, this historic gathering created a rare space for open dialogue on the little-understood concept of foster care.
The discussions concluded with a consensus to implement systemic change, with commissioners voicing their commitment to developing foster care options across Sri Lanka. The Prime Minister, though unable to attend, sent a message of support. The launch of TFT’s Frequently Asked Questions Handbook including Foster Care at the event further strengthened momentum, providing practitioners with practical guidance for the first time.
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His Excellency Andrew Patrick with Roundtable discussion meeting was Launch of Alternative Family and our team, Deshabandu Lynn Stanier held about Alternative Family Care Foster Care for Children in Sri Lanka MBE, Deshamanya Percy Gunaratna, with 6 district commissioners Frequently Asked Questions Nimmu Kumari, Joel Stanier and across Sri Lanka Handbook Marini De Livera.
After directly lobbying UNICEF for the past few years, on 10th February 2025, TFT Chief Executive Lynn Stanier met with Teona Aslanishvili, UNICEF’s Head of Child Protection, who confirmed that UNICEF will support foster care in Sri Lanka for the first time in 2025. This is a historic milestone, marking the recognition of foster care as a national priority and opening the door for thousands of children to grow up in safe, loving families rather than institutions. For TFT, it is a profound validation of two decades of advocacy and reform.
At the community level, TFT has continued to engage families in some of the poorest rural areas, linking education with child protection. In Pinkanda, 1,150 children received schoolbook packs at a vibrant celebration organised by TFT’s Country Director, Mr Percy Gunarathna. Since its inception, TFT has donated over 30,000 school packs to underserved children in 11 schools, most in the Southern Province.
This was more than the distribution of resources. The event, attended by over 3,000 parents and grandparents, became a platform for dialogue about the dangers of institutional care and the need for family-based solutions. Many families, living in mud homes without electricity or sanitation, spoke about their struggles and hopes. The message was clear: education offers not only knowledge, but dignity, opportunity, and the possibility of keeping families together.
Southern Province Childcare Probation Commissioner, Rasika Dissanayake, gave a powerful speech, endorsing TFT’s vision for foster care and pledging her support to pilot the programme. She acknowledged both the long-term harm of institutionalisation and the consistency of TFT’s work in preventing child abandonment, reuniting families, and advocating reform.
Families responded with heartfelt gratitude, sharing their hope for a future where every child can grow up with love, dignity, and opportunity within their own families. The event was covered across national TV, radio, and print media, amplifying its reach and impact.
Shaping a Movement for Change
Together, these efforts highlight TFT’s strategy of working from the top down and the bottom up:
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Training leaders and decision-makers to adopt policy and practice change.
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Equipping communities with the resources, knowledge, and resilience to prevent family breakdown.
As a result, Sri Lanka is now at a tipping point. With growing support from commissioners, endorsement from UNICEF, and demand from families, the vision of ending institutionalisation and ensuring love for every child is closer than ever before.
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Ensuring the education of the next generation (Objective 3)
Thanks to the generosity of donors through The Big Give Christmas Appeal, TFT was able to restart what parents described as “life-saving” school meals and provide essential book packs to 259 malnourished children at Mandalapura and Thinywela Schools in Galle District poor tea plantation region.
Despite pouring rain, families greeted us with flowers from their gardens – a moving show of gratitude. Inside the bare hall, teachers and children spoke with emotion about fainting from hunger during lessons and the relief that meals now bring. Parents expressed how much lighter the burden feels, knowing their children are fed and able to concentrate in class.
School Meals at two schools in remote tea plantation areas in the Southern Province
The true hero was Chamali, a young teacher who commutes three hours and now lives near the school during the week to care for her pupils. Her persistence in raising the alarm about their plight gave children a voice when they needed it most. Her courage, together with your generosity, has helped restore dignity, nutrition, and the chance for learning.
In February, TFT celebrated 10 years of the Mercury Holidays International Preschool, a community hub that has changed the lives of hundreds of children. Born out of what once seemed an impossible dream, the preschool continues to provide affordable, high-quality early education in a rural area where poverty often forces parents to make desperate choices.
With the support of Mercury Holidays, the preschool has flourished. During the anniversary visit, Patron and Chairman Martin Bugeja praised the centre as “on a par with nurseries in the South of England”. Children proudly sang songs in English, recited prayers, and showed the confidence and skills that will help them thrive far beyond the classroom.
Mercury Holidays TFT International Mercury Holidays TFT International COO Joel, donating books on behalf Preschool Preschool of TFT in a poor rural area
Beyond this flagship preschool, TFT also runs the Ruhunu Orphanage Preschool, established in 2018. Here, the youngest children, who might otherwise spend their days confined to cots, receive early education, social interaction, and stimulation. For children separated from their families, these moments of care and learning are a small but vital step towards restoring childhood.
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Every one of these projects, from hot school meals to preschools, is more than just education. They are acts of prevention. By alleviating financial pressure on low-income families and providing safe, affordable learning environments, TFT helps ensure that children are not abandoned to orphanages. In the words of Nelson Mandela, whose words still inspire our preschools: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
System change for women and children (Objective 5)
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WDC girls at vocational training sessions and in schooling
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Our partnership with the Women’s Development Centre (WDC) continues to play a vital role in strengthening protection and creating pathways to independence for women and girls affected by violence. Through its Crisis Intervention Centre and three shelters, WDC provides safety, education, healthcare, and economic empowerment. These centres prioritise keeping teenage mothers and their babies together, ensuring families can begin the journey of recovery without further separation.
In 2024 alone, 84 women and girls received shelter and care through WDC, with 22 successfully reintegrated into families or communities. Vocational training remained central, with 65 participants completing 10 skills courses, equipping them with tools for financial independence. Education was also a lifeline: 21 girls enrolled in formal schooling. Their achievements highlight resilience; one girl was selected to perform in an international dance competition in India, while another became a school head prefect.
At TFT’s Heartbeat Centre, girls who spent their entire lives in institutions are experiencing the warmth of a family for the first time. Under the care of Janaki, once a domestic violence victim and now a survivor herself, these young women are transitioning into society with dignity and love.
It is deeply moving to see girls who were once too afraid to walk down a street or enter a shop now stepping into freedom, no longer controlled by the courts but rebuilding their lives with confidence. With the support of long-time volunteer Julie Sinclair, they are studying English, pursuing education, and developing life plans. They no longer see themselves as victims but as survivors and advocates, determined to demand change for children still trapped in harmful institutions.
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Heartbeat Centre Girls'
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Their courage was powerfully demonstrated when one girl handed us a letter, co-written with two others, asking that it be shared with a journalist: “We want the world to know our stories.”
The letter, which took 12 minutes to read aloud, recounted harrowing experiences of deprivation, favouritism, physical and sexual abuse, and brutal beatings. Listening was heart breaking, but it underscored the urgency of reform and the strength of survivors who are finding their voices.
The family model of care offered at the Heartbeat Centre is now recognised by National Childcare Services as a successful and replicable concept. It is proving that survivors of violence and institutionalisation can rebuild their lives in safe, nurturing environments, supported by love, education, and skills training.
We are deeply grateful to all who make this work possible, including Marcia Summers & Krystyna Gadd, who together have raised nearly £33,000 for WDC and the Heartbeat Centre over the past three years and generously volunteered their time to teach weaving skills, helping girls gain confidence, creativity, and marketable skills for the future.
Volunteer Highlight
We’re celebrating all the dedicated volunteers who have generously given their time in Sri Lanka this year and worked tirelessly to share their knowledge and skills during the recent scorching heat wave.
Jasmine Farleigh and Rebecca Rowe volunteered at Mercury Holidays - TFT International Preschool. Rebecca returned after a 9-year absence as a volunteer teacher, not only to teach the children, but also to educate the teachers.
Rebecca revisiting Mercury Holidays TFT International Preschool
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“It has been so lovely to reconnect with the preschool. In some ways, it is very familiar… the morning prayers, National Anthem, the children’s packed breakfasts, order of the day, not to mention the absolutely delightful children themselves. But there is so much more English spoken now, both by the teachers and the children. The teachers’ English is really very good, especially Chathuri, who I have been able to chat with throughout the mornings which has been really nice. I have been very impressed with all of the teachers’ abilities and they are still so enthusiastic about improving their English. My lessons with them after school have been a real joy… they have shared a lot about their lives and Sri Lankan culture and have a sincere thirst for learning more English. Plus there has been a lot of laughter! The baby class is essentially sweet. The internet is a big bonus and teachers are using it for ideas of craft and lesson activities resulting in more inspired and interesting teaching than I remember last time. Overall I have been struck by what a loving safe environment the teachers create for the children and how generally happy the children seem to be.” Rebecca..
Public Benefit
The charity trustees have complied with their duty to have due regard to the guidance on public benefit published by the Charity Commission in exercising their powers and duties.
Financial Review
Total income for the year was £248,249 (2024 - £187,723). The main source of income was donations received £184,009 (2024 - £111,333).
Total expenditure for the year was £232,371 (2024 - £250,637). The main areas of expenditure was grants payable to Sri Lanka £50,789 (2024 - £60,217) and UK staff costs £78,534 (2024 - £77,059) of which £70,992 (2024 - £64,315) was on charitable activities.
At the end of the year the charity held unrestricted reserves of £99,603 (2024 - £113,267).
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STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES
Charity law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year, which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of its financial activities for that year. In preparing those financial statements the trustees are required to:
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a) select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently;
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b) make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
c) state whether the policies adopted are in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice, “Accounting and Reporting by Charities (effective January 2019)”, and with applicable accounting standards, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
d) prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to assume the charity will continue operating.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud or other irregularities.
Approved by order of the Board of Trustees on
……………………………………………………………… and signed on its behalf by: 11th November 2025
................................................................. D Gibson – Chair of Trustees
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Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Their Future Today
Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Their Future Today
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of Their Future Today for the year ended 31 March 2025.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act').
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner's statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
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accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or
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the accounts do not accord with those records; or
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the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form 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 part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns 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.
L M Howson MAAT
Finansure Ltd, 2 Sheppard Street, Brymbo, Wrexham, LL11 5FF
Date: ............................................. 11th November 2025
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Their Future Today
Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
| Unrestricted funds Notes £ INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM Donations and legacies 2 108,211 Donated services 3 59,952 Charitable activities 4 3,042 Investment income 5 1,246 Total incoming resources 172,451 EXPENDITURE ON Raising funds Raising donations 6 19,796 Charitable activities Direct costs of Sri Lanka activities 7 Grants sent to Sri Lanka 8 161,786 4,533 Total resources expended 186,115 NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE) (13,664) Transfers between funds - Net movement in funds (13,664) RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS Total funds brought forward 113,267 TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD 99,603 |
Restricted funds £ 75,798 - - - 75,798 - - 46,256 46,256 29,542 - 29,542 7,500 37,042 |
2025 Total funds £ 184,009 59,952 3,042 1,246 248,249 19,796 161,786 50,789 232,371 15,878 - 15,878 120,767 136,645 |
2024 Total funds £ 111,333 71,288 3,839 1,263 187,723 27,837 162,583 60,217 250,637 (62,914) - (62,914) 183,681 120,767 |
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The notes on pages 17 to 22 form part of these financial statements
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Their Future Today
Balance Sheet 31 March 2025
| 2025 | 2024 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total | Total | ||||
| funds | funds | funds | funds | funds | funds | ||
| Notes | £ | £ | £ | £ | |||
| FIXED ASSETS | |||||||
| Tangible assets | 12 | - | - | - | 201 | ||
| CURRENT ASSETS | |||||||
| Debtors | 13 | 20,446 | - | 20,446 | 10,122 | ||
| Cash at bank | 84,354 | 37,042 | 121,396 | 114,988 | |||
| Total Current Assets | 104,800 | 37,042 | 141,842 | 125,110 | |||
| CREDITORS | |||||||
| Amounts falling due within one year | 14 | (5,197) | - | (5,197) | (4,544) | ||
| NET CURRENT ASSETS | 99,603 | 37,042 | 136,645 | 120,566 | |||
| NET ASSETS | 99,603 | 37,042 | 136,645 | 120,767 | |||
| RESERVES | |||||||
| Unrestricted funds: | 16 | ||||||
| General reserves – six-months’ running costs | 53,000 | 35,000 | |||||
| General reserves – other | 6,603 | 38,267 | |||||
| Designated fund – Alternative Foster Care Training | 40,000 | 40,000 | |||||
| Restricted funds | 37,042 | 7,500 | |||||
| TOTAL FUNDS | 136,645 | 120,767 |
11th November 2025
The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on …………………………………… and were signed on its behalf by:
.............................................
D Gibson – Chair of Trustees
The notes on pages 17 to 22 form part of these financial statements
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Their Future Today
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis of preparing the financial statements
The financial statements of the charity, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Charities Act 2011. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.
Income
All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.
Gifts in kind for services provided are recognised at the time they are provided and are calculated at market value using the charge-out rates the donor would normally charge for their services.
Expenditure
Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.
Expenditure still required to be incurred in respect of grants received are noted as a commitment but not accrued as expenditure.
Tangible fixed assets
Depreciation is provided at the following annual rates in order to write off each asset over its estimated useful life.
Office equipment - 25% on reducing balance (consistent with 2024).
Taxation
The charity is exempt from tax on its charitable activities.
Reserves
Our reserves policy is currently set to keep unrestricted reserves of at least six months’ running (operational) costs. This would enable core activities to continue for six months should the charity need to wind up operations completely, or should an unforeseen, significant or temporary shortfall in income and/or cash flow occur. This is based on the assumption that six months would be enough time for an emergency fundraising campaign to be undertaken to enable the charity to raise the funds needed to continue operating. Six months’ running costs would equate to approximately £53,000 (2024: £47,000) and the actual general reserves were £99,603 at 31 March 2025 (2024: £113,267).
Some of reserves is held as designated reserves due to current inflation costs and costs of living in the UK. TFT Trustees are committed to reducing the high level of reserves which were a direct impact of the Covid pandemic and not being able to operate and deliver some of the TFT vocational training and advocacy programmes, which are scheduled to be reinstated in 2025.
Fund accounting
Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.
Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.
Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.
Pension costs and other post-retirement benefits
The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme. Contributions payable to the charity's pension scheme are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities in the period to which they relate.
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Their Future Today
Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
| 2. DONATIONS AND LEGACIES Unrestricted donations Restricted donations Unrestricted grants received Restricted grants received Gift Aid income Fundraising events 3. DONATED SERVICES Gifts in kind 4. INCOME FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES Event ticket sales 5. INVESTMENT INCOME All investment income is interest receivable on cash at bank. |
2025 £ 46,779 17,081 8,225 58,717 12,099 41,108 184,009 2025 £ 59,952 2025 £ 3,042 |
2024 £ 56,551 18,620 - 22,000 10,962 3,200 111,333 2024 £ 71,288 2024 £ 3,839 |
|---|---|---|
| 6. COSTS OF RAISING FUNDS Staff costs (note 10) (a) Fundraising events Consultancy Marketing & promotion Other costs |
2025 £ 7,542 4,844 2,699 4,711 - 19,796 |
2024 £ 12,744 7,819 5,199 786 1,289 27,837 |
|---|---|---|
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Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
7. DIRECT COSTS OF SRI LANKAN ACTIVITIES
| DIRECT COSTS OF SRI LANKAN ACTIVITIES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Staff costs (note 10) (a) Subcontractors Alternative care specialists (b) Sri Lanka programme and monitoring costs (c) Sri Lanka travel Support costs |
2025 £ 70,992 600 45,700 19,333 3,058 22,103 161,786 |
2024 £ 64,315 3,045 66,400 1,590 8,879 18,354 |
| 162,583 |
(a) The allocation of time and costs between fundraising and charitable activities has varied from the previous year. This change is primarily due to the focus on programme development and implementation work designed to strengthen delivery, improve efficiency, and enhance the impact of the charity’s resources and outcomes. Approximately 65% of the CEO’s salary is allocated to the Alternative Family and Foster Care Programme. This proportion may increase in the coming year reflecting the critical timing of developments in Sri Lanka to prioritise family-based care over institutional care.
(b) Alternative care specialists costs are entirely made up from gifts in kind, which are included in note 3.
(c) Increase in gifted professional time (included in note 3) and a Sri Lanka programme visit in the current year.
8. GRANTS SENT TO SRI LANKA
| Grants to Their Future Today (Sri Lanka) | 2025 £ 50,789 |
2024 £ 60,217 |
|---|---|---|
9. TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS
There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 31 March 2025, nor for the year ended 31 March 2024.
Trustees' expenses
During the year one trustee was reimbursed for travel expenses totalling £24 (2024 – one trustee, £55.)
10. STAFF COSTS
Staff costs for the year analysed by department were as follows:
| Wages Social security Pensions |
Raising funds £ 7,250 111 181 7,542 |
Charitable activities £ 67,750 1,547 1,695 70,992 |
Total 2025 £ 75,000 1,658 1,876 78,534 |
Total 2024 £ 74,167 1,041 1,851 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 77,059 |
The average number of employees during the year was two, both of whom were full-time (2025: two full-time).
No employees received emoluments in excess of £60,000 (consistent with 2024).
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Their Future Today
Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
11. COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
| Unrestricted fund £ INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM Donations and legacies 160,621 Charitable activities 3,839 Investment income 1,263 Total incoming resources 165,723 EXPENDITURE ON Raising funds Raising donations and legacies 27,837 Charitable activities Direct costs of charitable activities 162,583 Grants sent to Sri Lanka 45,717 Total resources expended 236,137 NET INCOME (70,414) RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS Total funds brought forward 183,681 TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD 113,268 12. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS COST At 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025 DEPRECIATION At 1 April 2024 Charge for year At 31 March 2025 NET BOOK VALUE At 31 March 2025 At 31 March 2024 |
Total Restricted funds funds 2024 £ £ 22,000 182,621 - 3,839 - 1,263 22,000 187,723 - 27,837 - 162,583 14,500 60,217 14,500 250,637 7,500 (62,914) - 183,681 7,500 120,767 Office equipment £ 5,779 5,578 201 5,779 - 201 |
|---|---|
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Notes to the Financial Statements - continued or the Year Ended 31 March 2025
13. DEBTORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR
| 2025 £ Gift Aid debtor 20,000 Prepayments 446 20,446 CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR 2025 £ Accruals 1,000 PAYE liability 3,021 Pension liability 1,176 5,197 |
2024 £ 9,700 422 10,122 2024 £ 750 2,618 1,176 4,544 |
|---|---|
14. CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR
15. RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES
During the year remuneration was paid in the normal course of business to Lynn Stanier (CEO) and Joel Stanier (General Manager) of £75,000 (2024: £74,167) in aggregate. This has been included in the related party disclosures note by virtue of the fact that one trustee, Ryan Stanier, is the son and brother of these individuals respectively. Ryan Stanier does not participate or vote on salary decisions which are decided and approved by the independent trustees.
Stanaker Ltd, a company with a director related to a trustee (Ryan Stanier), provides health insurance services at market rate. During the year payments for services were made to Stanaker Ltd totalling £3,679 (2024: £1,404).
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Notes to the Financial Statements - continued or the Year Ended 31 March 2025
16. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS
| Transfers | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At 1 April | Incoming | Resources | between | At 31 March | |
| 2024 | resources | expended | funds | 2025 | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Unrestricted funds | |||||
| General reserves | 38,267 | 172,451 | (186,115) | (18,000) | 6,603 |
| General reserves – 6-months’ | |||||
| running costs * | 35,000 | - | - | 18,000 | 53,000 |
| Designated fund – Alternative | |||||
| Foster Care Training | 40,000 | - | - | - | 40,000 |
| ──── | ──── | ──── | ──── | ──── | |
| Total unrestricted funds | 113,267 | 172,451 | (186,115) | - | 99,603 |
| ──── | ──── | ──── | ──── | ──── | |
| Restricted funds | |||||
| Pre-school grant | 7,500 | 30,000 | (20,000) | - | 17,500 |
| Alternative Family Care grants | - | 28,717 | (9,175) | - | 19,542 |
| Feeding the Future | - | 13,470 | (13,470) | - | - |
| Womens Development Centre | - | 2,661 | (2,661) | - | - |
| Heartbeat Centre | - | 950 | (950) | - | - |
| ──── | ──── | ──── | ──── | ──── | |
| Total restricted funds | 7,500 | 75,798 | (46,256) | - | 37,042 |
| ──── | ──── | ──── | ──── | ──── | |
| Total funds | 120,767 | 248,249 | (232,371) | - | 136,645 |
| ──── | ──── | ──── | ──── | ──── |
* In previous years 3-months’ running costs have been included as a reserve but this has been changed to 6-months’ running costs in the current year to comply with the official reserves policy of the charity.
17. ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS
| Restricted | Designated | General | Total |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Funds | Funds | Reserves | Funds | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Fund balances at 31.03.25 | ||||
| represented by: | ||||
| Current assets | 37,042 | 40,000 | 64,800 | 141,842 |
| Current liabilities | - | - | (5,197) | (5,197) |
| ──── | ──── | ──── | ──── | |
| 37,042 | 40,000 | 59,603 | 136,645 | |
| ──── | ──── | ──── | ──── |
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Their Future Today
Detailed Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
| INCOME Donations and legacies Unrestricted donations Restricted donations Unrestricted grants received Restricted grants received Gift Aid income Fundraising events Gifts in Kind Charitable activities Event ticket sales Investment income Interest received Total incoming resources EXPENDITURE Costs of raising funds Fundraising costs & events Wages Social security Pensions Total costs of raising funds Costs of charitable activities Grants sent to Sri Lanka Alternative care specialists Sri Lanka direct costs Sri Lanka travel Wages Social security Pensions Subcontractors UK travel Bank charges Training costs Insurance Subscriptions Telephone Office rent & utilities Office expenses Trustee meeting expenses Bookkeeping & accountancy Independent examiner’s fee current year Independent examiner’s fee previous year Depreciation Total costs of charitable activities Total resources expended Net income/(expenditure) |
2025 £ 46,779 17,081 8,225 58,717 12,099 41,108 59,952 243,961 3,042 1,246 248,249 12,254 7,250 111 181 19,796 50,789 45,700 10,161 12,230 67,750 1,547 1,695 600 536 872 - 4,302 3,411 1,702 6,036 2,052 124 2,617 1,000 225 201 212,575 232,371 15,878 |
2024 £ 56,551 18,620 - 22,000 10,962 3,200 71,288 182,621 3,839 1,263 187,723 15,093 12,250 192 302 27,837 60,217 66,400 1,590 8,879 61,917 849 1,549 3,045 194 115 303 3,732 3,627 1,647 5,330 723 389 1,253 750 90 201 222,800 250,637 (62,914) |
|---|---|---|
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