NEnMoRK FOR A BErrER WORLD Registered Charity Number 1151591 TRUSTEES, REPORT FOR YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024 Reference and administration details Charity name: Network for a Better World Other names Charity is known by: N4BW Registered Charity Number: 1151571 Charity's principal address: St Vincent's School, Yew Tree Lane, Liverpool, L12 9HN Contact: Telephone". Website: Email: Mrs Barbara Charles 0151228 9968 www.n4bw.org,uk nauiries n4bw.or Names of trustees who managed the charity during 2024: Mr Andrew Clark (Chair) Mrs Mary Clark (Data Protection) Ms Sheila Cogley {Safeguarding) Ms Alice Davidson (Founder and main fundraiser) Ms Marian Kearney (Projects & Publicity) Principal Bankers: The Co-operative Bank, PO Box 250, Delf House, Skelmersdale, WN8 6WT Independent Examiner: Dominic lon Structure, governance and management Governing Document Network for a Better World became a registered charity on 10th April 2013 under a trust deed signed on 4th February 2013 and operated in accordance with the provisions of that document. Trustees Network for a Better World appoints trustees according to skills and experience, especially relevant experience of working in the developing world. The trustees administer the charity and take decisions on the deployment of funds and human resources to meet the charitable objectives of N4BW. The trustees who Served during the year are listed above. Officers In addition to the trustees a number of other officers are appointed to assist with the organisation and administration of the charity. Together with the trustees they form the management team and regularly attend or report to quarterly meetings. Secretary and Administration Officer: Treasurer: M rs Barbara Cha rles Professor Ken Holden. Active Supporters A nurnber of other people attend meetings regularly and play an active part in fundraising, promotional activities and short-term volunteering overseas.
Meetings Trustee meetings are held quarterly with an Annual General meeting held usually in the spring. At the AGM all trustees present will vote for the office bearers. The annual accounts will also be presented and a review of the organisation's yearly objective will take place. The organisation will also agree on priorities for the next year. In 2024 the trustees met 4 times and the AGM was held in April. Induction and training Induction and training is through attendance at trustee meetings and the Annual General Meeting. All trustees, officers and supporters give their time voluntarily and receive no remuneration or other benefits. Volunteers receive induction and training prior to travelling overseas and are required to hold a DBS Clearance. N4BW is registered with CSAS (Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Service). This means that we are able to process DBS checks for our volunteers rather than relying on other agencies. There is a Safeguarding policy which all trustees, officers, active members and volunteers are required to follow. This includes a reporting proced ure in case of any safeguarding issues occurring either in the UK or in our overseas field of operations. To date no safeguarding incidents requiring investigation have been reported. Objectives and activities The objects of the charity are: (l) The prevention or relief of poverty anywhere in the world by providing grants, items and services to individuals in need and/or charities, or other organisations working to prevent or relieve poverty. (2) The prevention or relief of poverty anywhere in the world by providing or assisting in the provision of education, training, healthcare projects, and all the necessary support designed to enable individuals to generate a sustainable income and be self-sufficient. Public Benefit The objects of the charity are to act as a forurn for the missionary members to promote their aims and objectives within the wider context of the Roman Catholic Church of England and Wales. When planning the activities of the charity, the trustees have considered the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit. Our humanitarian work in the developing world is primarily focused on the relief of poverty and sustainable development to enable disadvantaged people to support themselves and their families. Although we are a lay missionary organisation we make no distinction in the religion or cultural background of our beneficiaries and seek to help people of all faiths or none. Overview of Attivities in 2024 2024 turned out to be a very busy and productive year with seven volunteers spending a total of 40 weeks in Sitima. Each volunteer brought with them their own particular skills which greatly enhanced the experiences of the people living, learning and working in this vibrant yet impoverished community. Our education prograrnme continued together with ongoing improvements to school buildings and the provision of desks for older classes. Community work too, continued with craft workshops, support for kitchen gardens, tree-planting and entrepreneurial initiatives. Other activities include support for families with disabled members and the local prison.
Achievements and Performance in 2024 School Improvements. In the past 5-6 years our main focus has been on supporting schools, in particularthe primary sector, Our aim is to improve the learning environment for primary age children to give them the best possible means to access secondary education, which is not compulsory in Malawi but is the key to career opportunities and a better future. Our work involves not only improvements to school buildings, the provision of school furniture and other resources but also providing teacher training and supporting initiatives in partnership with the Education Authority to address the problem of absenteeism. a) School buildings. Thanks to some very generous donations frorn various funding groups, we were able to make improvernents to the physical environment of several schools. In January, one school, Milepa which had suffered severe damage from Storm Freddy in February 2023 received a new 3-classroom block, complete with desks and benches. Where we were unable to provide new buildings, we funded the refurbishment of several schools by replacing or repositioning windows to create more light, damp- proofing, repairing floors, re-plastering and re painting walls and chalkboards, and creating storage space. Christ the King Millennium Group, Childwall, Liverpool made a substantial donation to renovate Matunduzi, one of the poorest schools in the Sitima area. When we came across the School, the headteacher was poorly and not managing, the teachers were working under the shade of a mango tree, the buildings were in a rotten state. Thanks to their very generous donation we completely transformed the school. Classrooms were totally renovated with new windows, floors, doors and walls were painted. Access ramps were also fitted to classrooms. Toilets for boys and for girls were constructed. Also, instead of the headteacher and deputy headteacher operating from within a cupboard in the corner of a classroom, they now have a working space which they are sharing with the other teachers. b) Classroom desks. Few classrooms in the primary schools we support have desks for the children. Mostly the 100 or so children in each classroom sit on the floor with books resting on their knees. Over the last few years we have worked with schools to renovate some of the desks they already had but were broken through constant wear and tear. In 2023, having sourced a durable design, we installed new desks and benches in five classrooms for older learners. In 2024 w exceeded that number, installing desks in 12 classrooms. Our aim over the next 2-3 years is to provide every one of the 20 primary schools in our area with desks for Standards 7 and 8 {exam classes), so that the children can study for their exams in comfort and with dignity. A generous donation from the Passionists in June this year combined with a grant from the Ferguson Trust and a contribution from our own funds took us a huge step towards achieving this goal. c) Other renovations In one school, Mpyupyu a toilet was converted to a disabled toilet for a wheelchair user. Tippy taps were installed for handwashing. d) Work with headteachers, teachers and learners. Education is at the forefront of our work sometimes approached in a creative way as we work in partnership with a number of groups and organisations to break the cycle of poverty as we aim to build sustainable futures. This year our volunteers spent time teaching in schools, providing revision classes to secondary school students prior to sitting public exams and extending the skill base of primary
school teachers with targeted training programmes. In addition they helped with renovation work and repairs to bicycles donated by a US charity for distribution to schools. One volunteer delivered self- defence training to teachers, students and teenagers from the village. Another delivered training in compost-making and investigated problems with water pumps. Community Projects Work has continued in support of the community in the following areas: a) Green initiatives- training and supporting villagers in creating kitchen gardens, supporting teachers and pupils in growing fruit and vegetables, installation of fuel-efficient stoves in 5 schools, growing and providing shade and fruit trees to schools, churches and prisons. Sn June we were pleased to facilitate a research project by a student of Norwich University, the subject of which was the monitoring and evaluation of the fuel-efficient stoves which we had provided to ten schools. Her report gave detailed observations, conclusions and recommendations which we welcomed. b) Enabling self-employment- grants and guidance in setting up small businesses including tailoringi block making (for building), clothes selling, market stalls, soap making. c) Empowering girls and women- focussed work in schools and the community supporting them to achieve their personal potential. d) Sports leagues and competltlons- Netball and football leagues for people of differing ages. e) Distributions- girls, personal hygiene kits, baby clothes to new mothers, knitted woolly hats and clothing. Support for prisoners- regular assistance with toiletries and foodstuffs. Setting up of skill-based workshops. Priorities for the future Our focus in 2025 will continue to be on education since there is still much to be done in this area. We are delighted that several volunteers have expressed a wish to travel to Malawi next year, including one or two new recruits who will be accompanied and supported by experienced volunteers. We will continue our school improvement programme particularly the provision of desks and benches to all exam classes. We will continue to build on the success of the kitchen garden scheme, address the practical problems and extend to a wider area. We will continue to encourage the use of fuel*fficient stoves and address the challenges identified in the research project. We will continue to support development of entrepreneurial initiatives, such as the soap-making enterprise run by the women's group which has led to the creation of a small co-operative. Our Parish Appeals programme will continue - this is an important activity which not only generates much needed income but is also our main source of volunteer recruitment.
Financial Review Sources of funding As registered members of the CMU (Catholic Missionary Union of England and Wales) we have an annual programme of mission appeals in designated parishes. The purpose is not only to raise funds but to promote the missionary aspect of our work and encourage support from people who are inspired by our endeavours. Other regular sources of funding have continued: Standing orders Sponsored events by individuals 59 Club- lucky numbers scheme One-off donations Internet fundraising Accounting The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy the financial position of the trust and ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charity Commission's SORP 2005. Reserves Policy The General Reserve represents the free funds of the charity which are not designated for particular purposes. It is the policy of the trustees to maintain reserves at an adequate level, being at least 12 months, expenditure. The trustees continue to monitor the level of free reserves and believe that the charity will be able to fulfil its objectives in the short to medium term. Risk Management The trustees have considered the risks to which the charity is exposed and have reviewed those risks and established systems and procedures to manage them. The trustees consider the principal risks to be related to an inability to provide the necessary continuity of funding to enable the projects to continue. Financial Outcome For the financial year ending 31 December 2024 the charity's income was £60,883 and the charity's spending was £17,083. The bank balance on 31 December 2024 was £67,030 which included substantial amounts earmarked for further building and community projects.
Declaration The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees, report above. Signed on behalf of th charity's trustees Signature: Full Name: Position: Date: :.Ic-/J.r..........................................
N4BW Accounts 2024 (£) As agreed by the Independent Examiner Income Personal Donations HMRC Gift Aid Refund CMU Parish Appeals Other Corporate Donation5 Internet Fundraising Deposit Account Interest 59 Club Gross Income Total Income 2024 7,258.97 4,330.91 10,069.05 28,681.16 3,605.44 397.56 6 540.00 60.883.09 2023 14,126.50 3,792.12 5,824.20 6,842.50 2,222.15 375.03 6 845.00 40.027.50 Expenditure Charitable Expenditure Education & School Buildings Cyclone Relief Expenditure Community & Hea5th Projects Disabled Assistance Prisoners, Aid Small Projects Bessie's Place Total Charitable Expenditure CMU Fundraising Expenses Office Costs: internet, postage etc Bank Charges (UK & Malawil 59 Club Prizes Total Expenses Total Expenditure 11,491.42 43,410.66 9,892.00 10,734.99 254.27 314.91 240.03 325.45 845.46 79.30 353.12 271.03 137.67 13,178.00 65,172.31 332.10 169.25 68.76 3,335.00 243.77 98.93 138.15 3,345.00 3 905.11 17.083.11 3 825.85 68.998.16 Surplus/Deficit 43,799.98 -28.970.66 Available UK funds as at 111/25 Coop Current Account Coop Deposit Account Less Reserve for Emergencies Balance available for spending £2,030.39 £65,000.00 £5 000.00 £62.030.39 Malawi funds on 111/25 Current Account Cash held for Trustees Day Book balance Total Sterling value @ £1= K 2230 £3,166.73 £600.00 -£278.95 £3,487.78 Total Funds as at 31.12.24 £70,518.17
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Seclion A Independeni ExamineT'S Report Report to the trustees Network for a Better World On accouÈits for the year ended 31 st December 2024 Charity no (if any) 1151591 Set out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (Ylie Trust") for the year ended 31sI December 2024, As the charity's trustees, you are responsibla for the preparation of the accounts in accordaft with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (%he Act.). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of Ihe 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission und6r section 145(5)(b) of the Act. Responsibilities and basis of report Independent I have completed my examination. I confiTm that no material matters have examlner's statement Gome to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that. in any material respect: the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act. or the accounts did not accord with the a)Unting records; or the accounts did not comply with the applicabSe requirements conceming the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities {Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the aGcounts give a Irue and fair, view which is not a matter consioered as part of an independent examination. I have no concems and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. . Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply. 30 June 2025 Signed: Name: lan Dominic lon Relevaftt wofessional qualFfication(s) or body (if anyl: Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy {FCPFA) &ft269I8
Add 9 Oakrnere Drive Greasty Wirral Merseyside CH49 2RU Section B Disclosure Only complete tf the examiner nee(ts to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charty accounts: directions and guidance for examiners). Give heye brfef detalls of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose. None. IER Oct 2018