The Sharan Project
Annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 July 2021
1
Contents
Page number Trustees’ report…………………..…………………..3 – 6 Independent examiner’s report………………………...7 Statement of financial activities………..………………8 Statement of financial position ……….……………….9 Notes to the accounts………………....…………..10 - 13
2
The Sharan Project
Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 July 2021
Introduction
The Trustees, who are also the directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report and the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 July 2021.
The financial statements comply with the charity’s Memorandum and Articles of Association, the Companies Act 2006 and the Charities SORP (FRS102).
Section A Reference and administration details
A1 The name of the charity is The Sharan Project
A2 The legal registration details are:
Company registration number: 06635024 Charity registration number: 1149094 Registered address: Crown House 27 Old Gloucester Street London WC1N 3AX
A3 The names of the Trustees who have managed the charity (all of whom served for the whole year) are:
Name
Kai Akram Gerry Campbell Polly Harrar Jeff Prescott FCA Karen Townsend
Section B Structure, governance and management
B1 The charity is a company limited by guarantee regulated by Companies House and the Charity Commissioners. In the event that the company is wound up, members are required to contribute an amount not exceeding £10.
B2 The charity is governed by its Articles of Association.
B3 New Trustees are appointed by the existing Trustees. The charity seeks to recruit new Trustees who support its aims and who are able to contribute to the overall development of a sustainable organisation. All Trustees are directors of The Sharan Project.
3
Section C Objectives and activities
C1 The primary objective of the charity is to ensure that South Asian women (or women of South Asian descent) who have been estranged from their families due to forced marriage, domestic violence or honour abuse have access to support, information and resources to support them in becoming productive, independent members of society. The strategies we are using to meet this objective are:
-
providing a range of free web-based information for women, professionals, and others;
-
providing face to face support and telephone support to individual clients;
-
engaging with government and policy makers to influence decisions at a national level to introduce policy and laws to support our client group;
-
working in partnership with other agencies to secure the widest range of services to match the needs of our clients; and
-
delivering cultural awareness training to charities, government agencies and interested parties.
C2 We have referred to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit when reviewing our aims and objectives and in planning our future activities.
D Achievements and performance
D1 The challenges posed by covid-19 global pandemic and repeated lockdowns have made this year one of the most difficult for a generation, both for the charity and for its clients. During the year under review, we have made significant progress with limited resources. We have been busy during and post the pandemic to maintain our services, projects and client support. Here is a brief summary of activities and highlights for this period:
-
Reviewed Covid business contingency plan and activity risk assessment to include: o Renewed telephony systems to handle increase in calls to service o Implemented CRM systems to enhance effective team communications and client file management
-
Increased engagement with a range of partners, stakeholders and supporters
-
Received funding from several funders
-
Appointment of 2 volunteers, 2 account managers, 1 IDVA and 1 Project Coordinator
● Continued to maintain our core service to support women affected by domestic abuse and harmful practices, to include an increase in high-risk high harm, complex cases and attendance (virtual and in person) at various client, legal and multi-agency meetings.
● Contributed to various Government and MOPAC consultations to inform strategies in relation to Violence Against Women and Girls, Domestic Abuse and Harmful Practices.
● Public speaking and engagement with NPCC/CPS HBA Stakeholders Group, Domestic Abuse Commissioner’s Office, Department for Works and Pensions, Metropolitan Police, Home Office, Forced Marriage Unit, CPS Sikh Society, Women’s Equality Party, London Policing College, NHS, Public Policy Exchange, Women of the Future, Hillingdon Women’s Centre, HOPE Training and Barnardos Children’s Charity.
- Applied for various funding applications and submitted associated reports, no scheduled fundraising activities took place during this period.
4
● Launched the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant (EDAC) and website and commissioned an independent monitoring and evaluation provider to measure impact.
● Founder, Polly Harrar, instructed as subject matter expert on HBA case, advised police officers, produced report for child social services, attended client review meetings and supported minor in regards to processes and recognising risks.
● Developed Employability Course (Birmingham) with thanks to funders Futures for Women charity, which was postponed due to Covid conditions and restrictions.
● Co-chaired a series of London Harmful Practices Working Group (LHPWG) meetings with the Metropolitan Police.
● Raised profile of our services through a series of articles published on various news outlets and platforms.
● Delivered harmful practices training (virtual) to a group of Y11 students as part of their citizenship module and as guest lecturer at the School of Oriental African Studies (SOAS) on Honour Based Abuse for students on the Law, Multiculturalism and Rights Module.
● Founder, Polly Harrar co designed and moderated 2 workshops at the 3rd International Education Policing Conference attended by global law enforcement Representatives.
● Delivered a series of training on harmful practices as part of the Workplace Safe Space initiative with Hillingdon Council and Hillingdon Women’s Centre.
D2 We are only able to provide these services with the grateful support of a network of dedicated volunteers, staff, ambassadors, partners, supporters, donors and the flexible understanding of our funders.
E Financial review
E1 Our long-term policy on reserves remains that we will aim to maintain between three and six months of the annual running costs in the form of unrestricted funds. We continue to seek long-term funding for our services and this level of reserves enables us to continue our activities while securing alternative sources of funding. The Charity has made significant progress in achieving this target over the past two years.
E2 The global pandemic meant that some of our projects and events had to be deferred and in cases where we had received funding for projects which were postponed or paused, we have treated this income as deferred income and carried forward to future accounting periods.
E2 The accounts presented reflect the costs relating to the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant. (EDAC), launched on 10th December 2020 and funded with the generous support of
MOPAC (The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime). This period also reflects funding from Rosa C19 BME Fund, London Community Foundation and The Global Foundation, in relation to capacity development, recruitment and staffing costs.
F Statement of Trustees’ and Directors’ responsibilities
F1 The Charities Act and the Companies Act require that the Trustees prepare financial statements for each financial year, which give a true and fair view of charity as at the end of the financial year and of its surplus or deficit for that year. In preparing these financial statements the Trustees/Directors are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently;
5
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
● prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue its operations;
● state whether applicable accounting standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements.
F2 The Trustees/Directors are also responsible for maintaining adequate accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and which are sufficient to show and explain the charity’s transactions and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006 and the regulations made under the Charities Act. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps to prevent and detect fraud and other irregularities.
F3 The Trustees/Directors are also responsible for the contents of the Trustees’ Report.
F4 These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small company’s regime.
G Declaration
G1 The Trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees’ report.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s Trustees
Polly Harrar
Trustee/Director 5 April 2022
6
Independent examiner’s report to the Trustees of The Sharan Project For the Year Ended 31 July 2021
Respective responsibilities of Trustees and Independent examiner
The charity's Trustees (who are also its directors for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements 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 this year under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for an independent examination, it is my responsibility to:
-
examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011;
-
to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act 2011; and
-
to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of independent examiner’s statement
My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from the Trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the financial statements present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
Independent examiner's statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention which gives me cause to believe that:
• accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 386 of the Companies Act 2006; or
• the accounts do not accord with such records; or
• the accounts do not comply with relevant accounting requirements under section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 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
- •the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS102).
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.
Andrew Donaldson ACA 7 April 2022
7
The Sharan Project Statement of financial activities for the year ended 31st July 2021
| Restricted | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted | income |
2021 | 2020 | ||
| Notes | funds | funds | |||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||
| Income | |||||
| Income from donations | 2,383 | - | 2,383 | 5,082 | |
| Income from charitable activities | 3 | - | 120,969 | 120,969 | 40,376 |
| Other income: fundraising & speaker fees | 19,547 | - | 19,547 | 8,901 | |
| Gross income in the reporting period | 21,930 | 120,969 | 142,899 | 54,359 | |
| Expenditure | |||||
| Charitable activities | 4 | - | 93,568 | 93,568 | 28,660 |
| Fundraising | 4 | - | - | - | - |
| Other expenditure | 4 | 415 | - | 415 | 1,991 |
| Total expenditure in the reporting period | 415 | 93,568 | 93,983 | 30,651 | |
| Net income | 21,515 | 27,401 | 48,916 | 23,708 | |
| Transfers between funds | 2,584 | 2,584 - |
- | - | |
| Total funds brought forward | 19,986 | 17,257 | 37,243 | 13,535 | |
| Total funds carried forward | 44,085 | 42,074 | 86,159 | 37,243 |
The notes on pages 10 to 13 form part of these accounts
All income derives from continuing activities
8
The Sharan Project Statement of financial position at 31 July 2021
| Unrestricted | Restricted |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Note | funds | income funds | 2021 | 2020 | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||
| Current assets | |||||
| Cash at bank and in hand | 45,622 | 138,151 | 183,773 | 197,618 | |
| Total current assets | 45,622 | 138,151 | 183,773 | 197,618 | |
| Creditors: amounts falling due within one year | 6 | (1,537) | (96,077) | (97,614) | (160,375) |
| Net current assets | 44,085 | 42,074 | 86,159 | 37,243 | |
| Funds of the Charity | |||||
| Total Funds | 44,085 | 42,074 | 86,159 | 37,243 |
The notes on pages 10 to 13 form part of these financial statements.
These accounts were approved by the Trustees on 5 April 2022.
Jeff Prescott FCA
Trustee/Director
9
The Sharan Project Annual accounts for the year ended 31 July 2021 Notes to the accounts
1 Basis of preparation
1.1 Basis of accounting
The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis in accordance with:
• “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 the Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015)”;
-
the Charities Act 2011.
-
the Companies Act 2006.
1.2 Change in basis of accounting
There has been no change to the accounting policies (valuation rules and methods of accounting) since last year.
1.3 Changes to previous accounts
No changes have been made to accounts for previous years.
1.4 Company limited by guarantee
The company is limited by guarantee and does not have a share capital.
Each member of the company undertakes to contribute an amount not exceeding £10 to the assets of the company if it should be wound up while he/she is a member for payment of the company's debts and liabilities contracted before he/she ceases to be a member and of the costs and charges of winding up and for the adjustments of the rights of the contributors themselves.
2 Accounting policies
2.1 Incoming resources
Recognition of incoming resources
These are included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SoFA) when:
-
the charity becomes entitled to the resources;
-
the trustees are virtually certain they will receive the resources; and
-
the monetary value can be measured with sufficient reliability.
Incoming resources with related expenditure
Where incoming resources have related expenditure (as with fundraising or contract income) the incoming resources and related expenditure are reported gross in the SoFA.
Grants and donations
Grants and donations are only included in the SoFA when the charity has unconditional entitlement to the resources.
Tax reclaims on donations and gifts
Incoming resources from tax reclaims are included in the SoFA at the same time as the gift to which they relate.
Contractual income and performance related grants
This is only included in the SoFA once the related goods or services have been delivered.
Gifts in kind
Gifts in kind for sale or distribution are included in the accounts as gifts only when sold or distributed by the charity. Gifts in kind for use by the charity are included in the SoFA as incoming resources when receivable.
10
The Sharan Project Annual accounts for the year ended 31 July 2021 Notes to the accounts (continued)
2.1 Incoming resources (continued)
Gifts in kind
Gifts in kind for sale or distribution are included in the accounts as gifts only when sold or distributed by the charity. Gifts in kind for use by the charity are included in the SoFA as incoming resources when receivable.
Donated services and facilities
These are only included in incoming resources (with an equivalent amount in resources expended) where the benefit to the charity is reasonably quantifiable, measurable and material. The value placed on these resources is the estimated value to the charity.
Volunteer help
The value of any voluntary help received is not included in the accounts.
Investment income
This is included in the accounts when receivable.
2.2 Expenditure and liabilities
Liability recognition
Liabilities are recognised as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to pay out resources.
Grants with performance conditions
Where the charity gives a grant with conditions for its payment being a specific level of service or output to be provided, such grants are only recognised in the SoFA once the recipient of the grant has provided the specified service or output.
Grants payable without performance conditions
These are only recognised in the accounts when a commitment has been made and there are no conditions to be met relating to the grant which remain in the control of the charity.
3 Income from charitable activities
During the period the charity received funds from Futures for Women and West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioners to fund an ongoing project to facilitate and support women in employment skills training.
4 Expenses
| Restricted income funds: Expenditure on Charitable Activities Salaries, consultants and pensions Staff recruitment Web hosting Travel Monitoring and Evaluation IT costs Other project delivery costs Total |
2021 2020 £ £ 71,614 23,940 1,459 - 6,880 1,996 - 844 4,182 - 2,252 - 7,181 1,880 93,568 28,660 |
|---|---|
11
The Sharan Project Annual accounts for the year ended 31 July 2021 Notes to the accounts (continued)
4 Expenses (continued)
| Unrestricted income funds: Other costs Premises hire Telephone Statutory fees Sundries Insurances Web hosting Equipment costs Total unrestricted income fund costs Salaries and pensions The average monthly head count was 2.25 staff (2020: 1 staff). 5 Analysis of staff costs and trustee remuneration and expenses |
2021 2020 £ £ 168 110 10 202 13 13 52 124 - 146 172 381 - 1,015 415 1,991 415 1,991 50,230 22,830 |
|---|---|
No employees received emoluments in excess of £60,000 (2020: nil).
The charity trustees were not paid and did not receive any financial benefits from the charity in their capacity as trustees (2020: nil), neither were they reimbursed expenses during the period (2020: nil).
Under the terms of the charity's Articles of Associations trustees are entitled to receive remuneration. During the year one trustee received £23,816 salary and pension (2020: £22,200) under an employment contract to provide project management services.
No charity trustee received payment for professional supplied services supplied to the charity (2020: £nil).
6 Creditors - amounts falling due within one year
| Other creditors Taxation and social security Deferred income received in advance* |
1,537 2,237 - 297 96,077 157,841 97,614 160,375 |
|---|---|
- Projects delayed because of covid restrictions
12
The Sharan Project Annual accounts for the year ended 31 July 2021 Notes to the accounts (continued)
7. Analysis of movement in Funds
| Brought | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fund name | fwd | Income | Expenditure | Transfers | Carried fwd |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Restricted Funds | |||||
| Employer's Domestic Abuse Covenant | |||||
| MOPAC | 6,029 | 49,578 | (55,290) | - | 317 |
| Bridge Trust | - | 25,506 | (15,804) | - | 9,702 |
| London Community Fund | - | 12,962 | (12,962) | - | - |
| Women's Employment project | |||||
| Futures for Women | 7,456 | - | (17) | - | 7,439 |
| West Midlands Crime Commissioner | 2,584 | (2,584) | - | ||
| Domestic abuse advisor | |||||
| MOPAC | - | 10,923 | (8,307) | - | 2,616 |
| Other projects | |||||
| MOPAC | 1,188 | (1,188) | - | - | |
| Charities Aid Foundation | - | 2,000 | - | - | 2,000 |
| Phoenix | - | 20,000 | - | - | 20,000 |
| Unrestricted Funds | 19,986 | 21,930 | (415) | 2,584 | 44,085 |
| Total | 37,243 | 142,899 | (93,983) | 0 | 86,159 |
8. Corporation Taxation
The charity is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within section 505 of the Taxes Act 1988 or section 252 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects.
13