2025-03-31-accounts - Advance Myanmar Ltd

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Advance Myanmar

Advance Myanmar Ltd

Report & Financial Statements

For the year ended 31 March 2025

Registered Charity Number 1139662 Registered Company Number 07368015

Advance Myanmar Ltd Report and Financial Statements Contents

	Page
Report of the trustees	1-5
Legal and administrative information	6
Independent examiner's report	7
Statement of financial activities	8
Balance sheet	9
Statement of cash flows	10
Notes forming part of the financial statements	11-16

Advance Myanmar

The trustees have pleasure in presenting their report and the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2025.

Principal aims

The objects set out in our Articles of Association, dated 13 April 2016 are:

To advance the education of the public with opportunities that will, in particular, enable them to investigate, question and evaluate the situation in Myanmar.
To develop the capacity and skills of members of the Myanmar community in such a way that they are better able to identify, and help meet, their needs and to participate more fully in society.
To promote human rights (as set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and subsequent United Nations Conventions and Declarations) and to advance the education of the public in the subject of human rights in Myanmar.
To prevent or relieve poverty in Myanmar and of refugees from Myanmar.
To advance the education of the public in the subject of Myanmar’s many cultures, heritage and arts.
To engage in any other charitable activity as the trustees see fit that supports people from Myanmar.

Our work

Supporting grassroots organisations and activists

The humanitarian crisis in Myanmar has continued to deepen, driven by ongoing attacks by the Burmese military, particularly through airstrikes on villages, schools and hospitals. An estimated 5 million people have now been displaced since the military coup. As well as a humanitarian crisis, Myanmar is facing a human rights crisis as the military continues to target civil society organisations, activists, journalists, family members or anyone they perceive as opposing them.

Over the past year, Advance Myanmar has supported local civil society organisations working hard to highlight the abuses of the Burmese military and to support their own communities. This is an overview of the support we provided.

Civil Society Organisation support

Advance Myanmar prioritises flexible support to local civil society organisations, which empowers local organisations to decide their own priorities. Too many grants come with strict limitations and are often project based. Through our support, the organisations have the freedom to allocate their own resources, to pay salaries and buy equipment

Advance Myanmar

that other donors won’t fund. We are repeatedly told by our partners that this sets our funding apart, and it is greatly appreciated.

We supported civil society organisations working across Myanmar, who:

Engaged in advocacy and campaigning.
Provided information to journalists, embassies and the UN.
Conducted research, documented human rights violations, and provided analysis about the situation in Myanmar.
Provided life-saving humanitarian support, including food, shelter and medicine to their communities.
Supported political prisoners.

Humanitarian aid

The work we supported over the past year included:

Emergency food, medicines and clothes to people who fled attacks by the Burmese military, or fighting between the Burmese military and local armed groups, in Rakhine, Shan and Karenni States, and Magway and Sagaing Region.
An ambulance in Karen State used to transport civilians injured by Burmese military airstrikes, women with complicated pregnancies to hospital and medicine deliveries from Thailand.
School books to Rohingya children in a refugee camp in Bangladesh, in a school run by a local Rohingya organisation.

Human rights defenders

Advance Myanmar funding:

Helped activists avoid arrest by providing funding for safehouses and safer communication tools, and for safer transport.
Supported a partner organisation to assist around 100 political prisoners and their families every month, so they could receive additional food in prison, as well as medicines and access to books for their mental health.
Supported internet access in remote places, which helped activists and organisations communicate with each other and the outside world and share information about impending attacks by the Burmese military.
Supported local journalists who had to flee with costs for livelihoods and transport.

Support after the earthquake

On 28 March 2025, Myanmar was hit by a devastating earthquake. Local civil society organisations and volunteers worked heroically, under the threat of arrest, to bring emergency aid into the hardest hit areas. Thanks to our most successful emergency appeal ever, Advance Myanmar has to date been able to support such local relief efforts with grants totalling over £127,000, all made possible by our generous supporters.

Advance Myanmar

Our support extended to earthquake affected areas in Sagaing region, Mandalay and areas surrounding the city, Inlay, Shan and Karen State, including:

Blankets, tents and mosquito nets to multiple affected areas, including Sagaing region, Mandalay and Karen State.
Emergency food supplies and water to multiple locations.
Body bags.
Medical costs for injured people, including amputations.
Local temporary clinics.
Generators and petrol for water supplies in Sagaing and Mandalay.
Solar-powered batteries for torches and generators.
Cash support.
Bamboo poles and other building materials for rebuilding of homes and infrastructure.
Toys for traumatised children.
Construction of new toilets to help with sanitation and prevent killer diseases like cholera.

Financial review

We have been able to secure further funding to respond to the human rights and humanitarian crisis resulting from the military coup. We have been working to broaden our donor base and secure new long-term funders. As well as individual giving, we are focusing on applications to grant making trusts. The need in Myanmar continues to grow and without new funders, we are not able to respond to all the requests for help that we receive.

Investment policy

The charity does not currently hold sufficient funds to warrant investment. However, the charity banks with The Co-op, which has a sound ethical banking policy.

Reserves policy

Advance Myanmar’s income depends on donations from supporters, major donor gifts and grants from trusts. This is inevitably subject to fluctuation. Advance Myanmar requires protection against and the ability to continue operating despite catastrophic or lesser but damaging events. The financial reserves that we have set aside provide a measure of financial stability and the means to safeguard Advance Myanmar’s commitments.

The Board of Advance Myanmar consider it prudent that reserves held should be sufficient:

to cover approximately six months’ of average core expenditure;
to provide a measure of security for members of staff to whom Advance Myanmar has responsibilities as an employer.

Advance Myanmar

Plans for the future

We will continue to support grassroots organisations and activists. We maximise our impact by supporting organisations and communities who receive little or no support from larger donors. Working directly with local community organisations reduces costs on administration ensuring more aid reaches the communities. In addition, by working with and supporting local community organisations, we help empower communities to address their own problems rather than being passive recipients of aid. Affected communities are best placed to ensure that help goes to where it is most needed and will have the most impact.

Related parties

Advance Myanmar and Burma Campaign UK share various resources, including office space, computer systems and telephone line.

Trustees and public benefit

The Trustees in office during the year covered by this report and at its date of publication are set out on page 6.

The Trustees confirm that we have complied with the duty in Section 4 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission.

Statement of Trustees’ responsibilities

The directors of the charitable company (the charity) are its trustees, for the purposes of charity law, and throughout this report are collectively referred to as the trustees. The trustees are responsible for preparing the trustees’ report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice.

Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs and of its surplus or deficit for that period. In doing so, the trustees are required to:

select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business.

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 Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Advance Myanmar Small company provlslons This report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions in Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 applicable to companies subject to the small companies, regime. This report has been prepared taking advantage of the small companies exemption of section 415A of the Companies Act 2006. This report was approved by the board of trustees on Ji signed on its behalf. 2025 and ennlfer Holroyd Director and Trustee

Advance Myanmar

Members of the board and professional advisors

The Board of Trustees	Jennifer Holroyd
	Bwa Bwa Phan
	Jack Dunford
	Eileen Seymour
	Wai Hnin Pwint Thon
Charity registration number	1139662
Company registration number	07368015
Registered Office	110 The Bon Marche Centre
	241-251 Ferndale Road
	London
	SW9 8BJ
Independent Examiner	Frank McDowell
	FJM Accountancy Limited
	23 Shackleton Court
	2 Maritime Quay
	London
	E14 3QF
Bankers	The Co-operative Bank PLC
	1 Balloon Street
	Manchester
	M60 4EP

Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Advance Myanmar Ltd charitable company (the Company)

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31 March 2025.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity’s trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (‘the 2006 Act’).

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.

The charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000 and I am qualified to undertake the examination by being a qualified member of The Association of Accounting Technicians.

Independent examiner's statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

1 accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
2 the accounts do not accord with those records; or
3 the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act 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; or
4 the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).

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.

Frank J McDowell FMAAT

FJM Accountancy Limited 23 Shackleton Court 2 Maritime Quay London E14 3QF

Date:

Advance Myanmar Ltd Statement of Financial Activities

(incorporating Income and Expenditure Account) For the year ended 31 March 2025

2025 Restricted Unrestricted Total Notes £ £ £ Income Grants and donations 2 218,621 100,476 319,097 Total income 218,621 100,476 319,097 Expenditure Costs of generating funds 3 - 30,913 30,913 Expenditure on charitable activities 3 118,116 203,453 321,569 Total resources expended 118,116 234,366 352,482 Net (expenditure)/income for the year 5 100,505 (133,890) (33,385) Transfers between funds (3,015) 3,015 - Net movement in funds 97,490 (130,875) (33,385) Fund balances at 1 April 2024 - 61,940 61,940 Fund balances at 31 March 2025 12 97,490 (68,935) 28,555	2024
	Restricted Unrestricted Total £ £ £ 44,041 364,278 408,319
	44,041 364,278 408,319
	- 20,735 20,735 124,938 502,584 627,522
	124,938 523,319 648,257
	(80,897) (159,041) (239,938) (1,346) 1,346 -
	(82,243) (157,695) (239,938) 82,243 219,635 301,878
	- 61,940 61,940

The statement of financial activities includes all gains or losses for the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.

Advance Myanmar Ltd Registered Number: 07368015 Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2025

Current assets Debtors Cash at bank and in hand Creditors: amounts falling due within one year Net current assets Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year Net assets Funds Restricted funds Unrestricted funds General funds Total funds Notes 8 9 10 11 12		2025 2024 £ £ £ 1,919 381,564 383,483 161,543 28,555 221,940 160,000 28,555 61,940 97,490 (68,935) 61,940 28,555 61,940
	£ 1,920 190,416
	192,336
	163,781

The directors are satisfied that the company is entitled to exemption from the requirement to obtain an audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 and that the member has not required the company to obtain an audit in accordance with section 4 76 of the Act.

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts.

The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions in Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime.

The financial statements were approved by the trustees on[J ][t ][�'-A..� ][V ][2-,t.__v][---]

Jennifer Holroyd Director and Trustee

Advance Myanmar Ltd Statement of Cash Flows For the year ended 31 March 2025

Net cash used in operating activities: Net expenditure for the year (Increase)/decrease in debtors (Decrease)/increase in creditors (Decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents in the year Reconciliation of net debt (Decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents in the year Cash and cash equivalents brought forward Cash and cash equivalents carried forward	2025 £ (33,385) (1) (157,762) (191,148) (191,148) (191,148) 381,564 190,416	2024 £ (239,938) 4,076 320,038
		84,176
		84,176
		84,176 297,388
		381,564

Advance Myanmar Ltd Notes to the Accounts For the year ended 31 March 2025

1 Accounting policies

The principal accounting policies are summarised below. The accounting policies have been applied consistently throughout the year.

Basis of accounting

The accounts (financial statements) have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant notes to these accounts. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019), the Charities Act 2011 and the Companies Act 2006.

Funds structure and accounting

Restricted donations are available for the charity's use only in accordance with the terms under which, and for the purposes which, the funds were donated to the charity.

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity.

The nature and purpose of each fund is set out in Note 12.

Income recognition

All income is included in the statement of financial activities when the charity is entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy. The following specific policies are applied to particular categories of income:

Voluntary income is received by way of grants, donations and gifts and is included in full in the statement of financial activities when receivable.

Investment income is included when receivable.

Expenditure recognition

Expenditure is recognised on an accrual basis as a liability is incurred. Expenditure includes VAT which cannot be recovered, and is reported as part of the expenditure to which it relates.

Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.

Governance costs include those costs associated with meeting the constitutional and statutory requirements of the charity and include the independent examination fees and costs linked to the strategic management of the charity.

All costs are allocated between the expenditure categories of the statement of financial activities on a basis designed to reflect the use of the resource. Costs relating to a particular activity are allocated directly, others are apportioned on an appropriate basis e.g. floor area or estimated usage, as set out in Note 3.

Pensions

The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme. Contributions are charged to the statement of financial activities as they become payable in accordance with the rules of the schemes.

Advance Myanmar Ltd Notes to the Accounts

For the year ended 31 March 2025

2 Grants and donations received Anonymity requested Canonesses of St Augustine Cauda Trust Changing Ideas Limited Earthquake appeal Fulmer Trust Good Care Business Henry Hoare Charitable Trust Network for Social Change Charitable Trust The Evan Cornish Foundation The United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture Unitarian Universalist Service Committee Vanguard Charitable Concierge Fund General appeal Others 3 Expenditure Basis of allocation Costs allocated directly to activities Grants paid and payable (Note 4) Project costs Communications and publications Travel Web development and IT Support costs allocated to activities Staff costs Usage Rent Usage IT, website and office costs Usage Bank charges Usage Pension and payroll processing Usage Project audits Usage Accountancy fees Usage Miscellaneous expenses Usage Governance costs: Staff costs Accountancy fees Miscellaneous expenses Total expenditure	2025 Restricted Unrestricted Total £ £ £ 28,432 2,000 30,432 4,750 - 4,750 - 10,000 10,000 - 12,500 12,500 33,511 - 33,511 - 1,500 1,500 40,000 - 40,000 - 10,000 10,000 33,402 - 33,402 - - - 78,526 - 78,526 - 11,331 11,331 - - - - 25 25 - 53,120 53,120 218,621 100,476 319,097 Fund- Capacity 2025 raising building Total £ £ £ - 227,691 227,691 - 3,866 3,866 - 2,976 2,976 - 1,188 1,188 4,500 - 4,500 25,303 63,860 89,163 - 15,000 15,000 - 3,447 3,447 1,110 - 1,110 - 363 363 - 960 960 - 130 130 - 286 286 - 1,168 1,168 - 600 600 - 34 34 30,913 321,569 352,482	2024 Total £ 11,000 4,750 - 10,000 - - 5,000 4,000 - 7,500 - 28,628 272,862 1,530 63,049
		408,319
		2024 Total
		£ 555,117 3,047 - 4,598 934 79,402 - 2,092 929 394 - - - 1,131 600 13
		648,257

£118,116 (2024: £124,938) of expenditure in the year was met from restricted funds.

Advance Myanmar Ltd Notes to the Accounts For the year ended 31 March 2025

4 Grants paid and payable Support to partner organisations Support was provided during the year via the following partner organisations: Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK Chin Human Rights Organisation Institute for Muslim Affairs in Myanmar Kachin Human Rights Watch Karen Environmental and Social Action Network Karen Peace Support Network Karenni Human Rights Group Karenni Mobile Health Clinic Phan Foundation Ta’ang Women’s Organisation Youth for Rohingya Development	2025 £ 214,265	2024 £ 555,117

The names of other partner organisations have been withheld, as the political climate in Myanmar is currently such that it is unsafe to disclose the names of all of the charity's grant beneficiaries.

5 Net (expenditure)/income for the year

This is stated after charging: Independent examiner's fees 6 Staff costs and numbers Staff costs were as follows: Salaries Redundancy Social security costs Pension costs	2025 £ 600 2025 £ 85,528 - 527 4,276 90,331	2024 £ 600
		2024 £ 73,353 3,692 - 3,488
		80,533

The Charity considers its key management personnel to be the Trustees. None of the Trustees received any remuneration or expenses during the current or preceding year.

The charity operates defined contribution pension schemes for its employees and made contributions during the year of £4,276 (2024: £3,488). At 31 March 2025 the charity owed contributions of £655 to the scheme (2024: £451).

The average weekly number of employees during the year, calculated on the basis of full time equivalents, was as follows:

Executive director Other	2025 No. 1 4 5	2024 No. 1 5
		6

Advance Myanmar Ltd Notes to the Accounts For the year ended 31 March 2025

7 Taxation

As a registered charity, Advance Myanmar Ltd is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within Part 11 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects. No tax charges have arisen in the charity.

The charity is registered for Gift Aid with HM Revenue & Customs under reference number XT28698.

8 Debtors Other debtors 9 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year Accounts payable Grant making commitments Social security and other taxation Other creditors Accrued expenses 10 Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year Grant making commitments 11 Analysis of net assets between funds Current year Current assets Current liabilities Prior year Current assets Current liabilities Long term liabilities	Restricted funds £ 97,490 -	2025 £ 1,920 2025 £ 990 160,000 1,513 678 600 163,781 2025 £ - General funds £ 94,846 (163,781) (68,935) 383,483 (161,543) (160,000) 61,940	2024 £ 1,919
			2024 £ 30 160,000 439 474 600
			161,543
			2024 £ 160,000
			Total funds £ 192,336 (163,781)
	97,490		28,555
	- - -		383,483 (161,543) (160,000)
	-		61,940

Advance Myanmar Ltd Notes to the Accounts

For the year ended 31 March 2025

12 Movement in funds Current year Restricted funds Human rights defenders Humanitarian response Pass-through Landmine project Earthquake appeal Unrestricted funds: General funds (see below re deficit) Total funds Prior year Human rights defenders Humanitarian response Phan Foundation Unrestricted funds: General funds Total funds	At 1 Expend- April Income iture Transfers £ £ £ £ - 111,928 (84,509) (3,009) - 19,750 (19,750) - - 13,432 (13,426) (6) - 40,000 - - - 33,511 (431) - - 218,621 (118,116) (3,015) 61,940 100,476 (234,366) 3,015 61,940 319,097 (352,482) (3,015) 32,243 7,500 (39,368) (375) - 36,541 (35,570) (971) 50,000 - (50,000) - 82,243 44,041 (124,938) (1,346) 219,635 364,278 (523,319) 1,346 301,878 408,319 (648,257) -	At 31 March £ 24,410 - - 40,000 33,080
		97,490
		(68,935)
		28,555
		- - -
		-
		61,940
		61,940

Restricted funds

Human rights defenders

We provide support directly to human rights defenders, helping them to stay safe and continue their work.

Humanitarian response

We provide humanitarian aid at times of crisis. This year, we have provided humanitarian support across Myanmar and to refugees in bordering countries, including in Rakhine, Karenni, Karen and Shan States, Sagaing region, and the Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh.

Pass-through

As a UK registered charity, Advance Myanmar occasionally receives grants to pass on to civil society groups in and from Myanmar who are unable to receive funding directly from funders.

Advance Myanmar Ltd Notes to the Accounts For the year ended 31 March 2025

12 Movement in funds (continued)

Landmine project

Myanmar is the world’s deadliest country for landmine and unexploded ordinance casualties. Landmines not only kill and maim, they also contribute to poverty by preventing people returning to farms and homes in areas where conflict has ended or decreased. However, major international organisations are not running de-mining operations in Myanmar.

Advance Myanmar is developing a small-scale de-mining project with people from local conflict afflicted communities in Myanmar, to act as a learning pilot project for expanding local de-mining capabilities across the country.

Earthquake appeal

On 28 March 2025, Myanmar was hit by a devastating earthquake. This fundraising appeal was launched immediately after the earthquake to support local relief efforts. The appeal has provided support to earthquake affected areas in Sagaing region, Mandalay and areas surrounding the city, Inlay, Shan and Karen State.

Phan Foundation

A grant to support the work of the Phan Foundation to further their charitable objectives.

Unrestricted funds - in deficit

At 31 March 2025, the charity's general fund was in deficit due to multi-year grant-making commitments, funded by one of the charity's major donors. Significant funds were received shortly after the year end from the donor, which rectifies the general fund deficit.