**Let Yourself Trust** (Registered charity, number 1159017) **Financial statements for the year ended 1 March 2021**
|**Page**|**Contents**|
|---|---|
|2 - 13|Trustees’ annual report|
|14|Independent examiner’s report|
|15|Receipts & payments account|
|16|Statement of assets & liabilities|
|17|Notes to the accounts|
## **Let Yourself Trust Trustees’ annual report for the year ended 1 March 2021**
**Full name** Let Yourself Trust
**Organisation type** Charitable incorporated organisation
**Registered charity number** 1159017
**Principal address** PO BOX 37, Cardiff, Wales, CF64 2YU
## **Trustees**
Roger Oldfield, Chairman Ruth Oldfield Clare Harris Judah Armani
## **Independent examiner**
John O’Brien, employee of Community Accounting Plus, Units 1 & 2 North West, 41 Talbot Street, Nottingham, NG1 5GL
## **Governance and management**
The charity is operated under the rules of its CIO – Association constitution registered 29 October 2014.
The trustees are all elected and appointed at the AGM as set out in the constitution.
## **Objectives and activities**
Let Yourself Trust’s Objects, as defined in its Association Model Constitution are as follows:
1. Relief of poverty: the prevention or relief of poverty anywhere in the world by providing grants, items and services to individuals and/or communities in need, or other organisations working to prevent or relieve poverty for individuals. The prevention or relief of poverty (or financial hardship) anywhere in the world by providing or assisting in the provision of education, training, or healthcare projects and all the necessary support designed to enable individuals to generate a sustainable income and be self-sufficient.
2. Equality & diversity: the promotion of equality and diversity for the public benefit by a) the elimination of discrimination on the grounds of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation or religion;
- b) advancing education and raising awareness in equality and diversity;
- c) promoting activities to foster understanding between people from diverse surroundings;
- d) cultivating a sentiment in favour of equality and diversity.
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## **Let Yourself Trust**
## **Public benefit statement**
The Trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty in section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit, 'Charities and Public Benefit'.
## **Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit**
In practical terms, Let Yourself Trust supports people affected by poverty, disability, discrimination and those deprived of natural, educational and professional resources via partnership with 2-4 organisations per year. These organisations are at a grassroots level and devote themselves and their lives to the vulnerable people they support, and Let Yourself Trust partners with 2 of them for a 6-month period each, as well as providing smaller community development donations to 1-2 other projects to help promote their work and to raise funding for their efforts building better lives for families and communities.
Funding and awareness are raised in part due to the Founder of Let Yourself Trust, Martyn Joseph, and his long established career as an internationally acclaimed touring artist. Martyn performs 170+ shows each year all over the globe, and Let Yourself Trust is featured prominently at each performance, both via Martyn’s highlight from the stage as well as via literature at the merchandise table. This, in addition to the use of social media shared with Martyn’s pre-established global audience, provides the framework for Let Yourself Trust to spotlight these issues of vulnerability, discrimination and disadvantage that our partners work hard to stabilise.
## **Summary of the main achievements during the period**
When Covid hit, essentially all of our partners were concerned about retaining support for their work, as some of the small trusts that fund them suspended grant giving, companies that supported their projects were struggling and in arrears with their payments, and several of their monthly donors cancelled standing orders, much like us. Thankfully, we found ourselves in the fortunate position to have maintained a steady budget for the year despite some cancellations, largely in part due to some VIP donors who graciously made up the difference of cancelled funding, as well as the release of “Kiss the World Beautiful, Volume 2”, an album released by LYT founder Martyn Joseph whose proceeds go directly to Let Yourself Trust. Consequently, we decided to temporarily shift our focus from one new major project per 6 months, to instead support as many of our previous partners as we could who were in emergency situations due to Covid.
As a result, we gave donations to 6 projects in this financial year, 5 to our current partners in Haiti, Africa (Kenya and Uganda), Gaza, Guatemala, and Wales, as well as one donation to a new project in South Africa, whose need was dire and who came to our attention via one of our current partners.
Below is a summary of the 6 partners we worked with this year, their need due to Covid, and where the funding was used.
## **Haiti Allies, Haiti - Cite Soleil Community School**
Schools closed again in April 2020 (they closed earlier in the year due to violence). Students have been in school 2-3 months this year in total. With school closed, there is no food for the kids. The major focus for Haiti Allies this past year was doing what they can to provide money for families to purchase food to cook at home.
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## **Let Yourself Trust**
Additional Covid related issues this year for our partners in Haiti included no access to medical care of any kind if sick from Covid, and social distancing was not an option, leading to higher rates in local communities. Inflation increased food prices, and our partners at Haiti Allies were also hit economically by Covid, so the funding they sent monthly decreased this year as well.
Beyond the political and Covid situation, gang violence was the “worse in 30 years that I’ve seen” per our partners on the ground. Staff in Haiti purchased and distributed bags of food to parents of students to pick up at a safe location to take home to their families for a few days’ food at a time, but with the increased food prices and their decreased funds they never felt like they’re doing enough.
Let Yourself Trust stepped in and donated £10,000 to help support their efforts to continue to provide food and hygiene supplies to hundreds of families for the over 250 children who attend the Cite Soleil Community School during this desperate time.
## **Advantage Africa - Albinism & Disability in Uganda and Kenya**
Covid caused food shortages, price increases and massive uncertainty caused by the restrictions, which were often violently enforced, especially in Uganda. Many Advantage Africa projects were temporarily suspended and others were modified as a result, focusing on providing immediate food aid and hygiene support. Let Yourself Trust aided their efforts with a donation of £15,000 in support of their providing for the most vulnerable people in Uganda and Kenya during this time.
## **Kenya (COVID-19 response)**
In rural East Africa where piped water is the exception rather than the rule, keeping to Covid-19 handwashing recommendations can be very difficult. However, local artisans have been quick to devise new hand-washing machines, operated by foot to avoid surface transmission. LYT funded the installation of these devices to five medical centres where we have been working on Covid-19 responses for people living with HIV and disabilities, and a further two machines at our partners’ premises. Our partner Rescue Team also provided health talks, hand-washing demonstrations and information about the prevention of Covid-19 alongside the machines.
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## **Let Yourself Trust**
Covid-19 has hit the most vulnerable families hardest. Those already living precarious lives are not only scared of the virus but they have seen meagre incomes and services diminish further because of the COVID-19 lockdown. Advantage Africa, with Let Yourself Trust, have responded by supporting the most vulnerable families in greatest need to cope. Because our partners are embedded in the community, they know who is at most risk, and given resources, can respond quickly and appropriately. Our funds have contributed to supplying food, bedding, mattresses and beds to 15 families and building houses for two families whose meagre shelters were at risk of total collapse as the rainy season started.
## **Kenya (services for people with disabilities)**
LYT has also helped secure a supply of 172 highly subsidised wheelchairs and mobility tricycles for people with disabilities in eastern and western Kenya through partner Motivation. The wheelchairs are appropriately designed for the rough terrain and can be custom fitted for the needs of children and adult users.
Additionally, funds were sent from LYT’s grant to partner Special School in Mitaboni to repair the school cooking stoves and carry out essential building repairs. This work will benefit around 60 pupils with learning disabilities at the school and ensure they can continue their education `.`
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## **Let Yourself Trust**
## **Uganda (COVID-19 response)**
The lockdown restrictions in Uganda meant that the most vulnerable people who live a hand-to-mouth existence faced extreme hunger and anxiety. Throughout this crisis, working with our partners the Source of the Nile Union of Persons with Albinism (SNUPA) and Single Parents’ Association of Uganda (SPAU), Advantage Africa supported families living on the margins with emergency packages including maize flour, rice, beans, sugar, salt, cooking oil, paraffin and soap. The paraffin ensures people can have light in their homes, particularly important for people with albinism and others with visual impairments.
In July, LYT’s support enabled 185 people affected by albinism in 26 families in eastern Uganda to receive emergency packages to help them get through the crisis.
The Covid-19 restrictions have made it very difficult for people with albinism to attend our skin clinics and receive checks and cryotherapy to remove pre-cancerous lesions. With some people isolated at home since March, the incidence of cases of lifethreatening cancer have risen dramatically.
Our partners at SNUPA became aware of two people with albinism in the Mbale District whose skin cancer was growing very quickly and who had given up on life. The mother of the first, a 13-year old girl called Charity told us, ‘ _She no longer wants to talk to anyone but has decided to confine herself indoors only praying and praising God as she waits for her death.’_
The other person Isa is 49, cares for 10 dependents and 4 of his children are still in school. He rang Fazira of SNUPA who recorded the following comments from him: ‘ _I am sure I’m left with less than a month to go and see my creator. These wounds on my back have lasted for some time since the onset of Covid-19. They bring out water from time to time and are very painful and itchy. Who will I leave my children with?’_ Thanks to LYT, Advantage Africa were able to provide Charity and Isa with urgent surgery which has saved their lives. They are both recovering well and now due for reviews to check that they are fully cancer free. They and their families are overjoyed.
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## **Let Yourself Trust**
## **Uganda (services for people with disabilities)**
LYT has enabled 16 people, who have previously lived isolated lives and found it hard to take part in community activities, to receive mobility appliances. This support has had a life-changing impact and transformed their confidence and independence. Two people have been fitted with above and below the knee prosthetic limbs. Also with LYT’s support our partners have secured 14 subsidised wheelchairs which orthopaedic technicians have adapted and fitted to meet people’s specific needs. These wheelchairs are sturdy, suitable for rough terrain and easy to maintain. Working with our partner SPAU, they have been distributed to people with disabilities in poor rural communities in western and central Uganda.
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## **Let Yourself Trust**
As evidenced above, each partner in our work in Africa is focusing on their most vulnerable. We were so thrilled to be able to give them Covid-emergency financial support in the form of £15,000.
We were told one woman’s response when given food and sunscreen was she was “so happy to see some people in the world still value her life”.
## **Guatemala - Project Somos**
As per government rules, when Covid descended this year Project Somos temporarily suspended their programs. With a curfew in place, no public transportation and the airport closed, rendering Project Somos shifted their focus to emergency relief. They opened a food bank to provide fresh veggies, fruits, beans, eggs, bread, rice to local families, as well as sanitary necessities.
With 1000 people in their community in Chivarabal, that’s 208 families. Previously their food bank was helping 34 families- the local mayor provided a list of other families whose situations were worsening and Project Somos doubled their support to 100 families (432 people) at that time, with more applying every week. They also did trips to Tecpan where they would do food drop offs at the homes of other families they have worked with.
For a period, there was no water in Chivarabal, so they hooked up a hose and opened their gates and allowed people to fill up. Another incentive they started during this time was lending books to kids in the hopes that they’ll read when bored, with the hope that it will inadvertently raise their reading level. There are literally no books in the homes of any of these families, and of course, there are no libraries. So many of the kids fail because of basic literacy. It’s become a huge part of their focus with all the kids that attend Project Somos.
A major source of income for Project Somos’ operating costs is volunteer trips that come throughout the year. With the airports closed and a travel ban in effect for the year, Project Somos were facing reduced funding at a time when they were increasing their emergency food production to feed the local community.
As a result, Let Yourself Trust donated £10,000 to their ongoing efforts to help them get through this incredibly difficult period.
Since July of last year (at time of donation) Project Somos has served almost 12,000 people. This has increased since the 2rd Quarter and now also includes some families, single mothers, and widows from the other local village of Chuatzunuj. They continue to work with the local village council and mayor to evaluate new applicants and existing clients.
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## **Let Yourself Trust**
They also continue to work with a local family that delivers fresh fruits, beans, rice, eggs, and vegetables to the Food Bank every week. The fresh items include pineapple, papaya, bananas, plantains, tomatoes, and squash. They maintain their focus on healthy nutrition.
People receiving the assistance are very grateful and Project Somos now have a program for the recipients offering a half-day of labour exchange in the garden, once every two months. This has greatly assisted the Somos workers, as the expansion of agriculture for the Food Bank required a bigger investment of time.
## **Gaza - NECC & TVET**
Dr Issa Tarazzi who heads up our partner NECC told us: “There is a massive shortage of testing kits in Gaza, something like half of all the people they test are coming up positive. So the official numbers only show how many people they have tested, not how many people have it. As well as the shortage of testing kits there is also shortage of PPE – we are sourcing PPE for our essential health staff at a cost of about $15,000. But there is also a massive shortage of Ventilators. There were 67 ventilators in the whole of Gaza, the World Health Organisation has given another 28 – but they are all now being used.”
He went on to say that there is widespread lack of understanding of how to keep safe and that many people are unable to do so, as:
- Gaza is so densely overcrowded;
• Unemployment levels are enormous – pre-Covid they were at 49% which has increased even further;
• Family incomes are so low (over 80% are dependent on food aid) that people cannot afford face masks and hand wash;
• Those in work are mainly in casual employment and if people don’t work then they won’t eat. A number of sources relayed that people are keeping it quiet if they are ill or family member are ill as they think they will lose their jobs.
These factors led Abdelnaser Soboh emergency health co-ordinator in World Health Organisation's Gaza Office to warn on 24th November that: "The healthcare system in the Gaza Strip is near collapse as a result of Israel's stifling siege and the rise in coronavirus cases… within a week, we will become unable to care for critical cases”. As a result of social distancing being impossible in refugee camps, violence and mental health issues increased, especially in and toward women and girls, the most vulnerable.
Consequently, Let Yourself Trust felt it urgent to give an emergency donation of support of £15,000 to our partners in Gaza to aid them through the monstrous difficulties piled on by Covid.
Emergency food and sanitary packages were supplied to hundreds of families in the immediate stages of giving. Further, in part by this funding, NECC, who’s focus is on adolescent health, turned their resources toward online psych support services and individual counselling via phone calls.
Additionally, with our support, the Vocational Education and Training programme (TVET) continued to be successful in 2020, with 162 trainees graduating from the programme despite the incredibly difficult added circumstances of Covid. Many of those graduating benefitted from a range of ongoing support into employment: mentoring; extended placements and small grants for those pursuing their own start up’s.
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## **Let Yourself Trust**
Within this young women’s employment prospects still continue to outstrip their male colleagues. NECC is expecting another successful year in 2021 although they are highly concerned by the shrinking employment market in Gaza.
## **Swansea, Wales - Zac’s Place**
In March of this year at the start of Covid in Wales, homeless and vulnerable people in Swansea began to see a reduction or a withdrawal of the many services on which they depend. For many, a lack of food provision was their greatest anxiety - for good reason, as without food, physical and mental ill health can worsen rapidly. Consequently, when the pandemic first hit, Zac’s Place, in partnership with another project in the city, Matt’s Cafe, were asked by the NHS homeless nursing outreach team to set up a food provision programme to see a hot meal delivered to what became nearly two hundred people every day.
Many of these people were in emergency accommodation with no cooking facilities. Zac’s Place very quickly engaged the local community in partnership including Swansea Council, The Liberty Stadium, Mecca Bingo, and SCVS who provided delivery vans and drivers, additional kitchens and volunteer recruitment. It was a truly huge effort and made a significant impact on the health and well-being of some very vulnerable members of our city.
When the initial lockdown was over, however, many of those who were helping due to being furloughed or in the case of the Council staff, were diverted to a role with Zac’s Place, had to return to their usual work responsibilities. While the support was removed, the need for food remained for many. Zac’s Place took the decision therefore to continue to provide a takeaway hot meal for those who had been receiving the delivered food.
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## **Let Yourself Trust**
In aid of this incredible effort, Let Yourself Trust donated £15,000 to Zac’s Place to keep their food program running through the remainder of the year/for as long as needed.
Consequently, Zac’s Place set up a seven day a week lunchtime hot meal takeaway to help those in ongoing need of food. They continue to serve hot meals to approximately 150 people every week via a new window serving hatch to help with social distancing.
## **South Africa - Umthombo**
At the beginning of the year we were approached by one of our long-time partners, Amos Trust, regarding one of their projects in South Africa called Umthombo. Young people in South Africa face extreme challenges. The national unemployment rate is 29%, but for young people this rises to 59% (2019). Rates of gender-based violence in South Africa are some of the highest in the world: a woman is murdered every 3 hours in South Africa; human rights organisations have estimated that over 40% of South African women will be raped in their lifetime.
In KwaZulu Natal province, 80% of children live under the poverty line, 17% live in households where meals are irregular and 26% have lost at least one parent. In a recent study on homelessness in Durban, it was found that 15% of children on the streets are under 10 years old. This includes babies born to young mothers already living on the street. When chronic poverty is combined with domestic abuse, violence, drug and alcohol misuse, parental death through HIV/AIDS and TB it is no wonder that children are forced onto the streets. The majority of children and young people end up on the streets because they have experienced violence, abuse or neglect at home. Umthombo is a South African organisation started by Amos that reaches out to children and young people on the streets, offering psychological support, life-skills training, preparation for employment and long-term aftercare in communities. Through these programmes they support children and young people as they start to deal with traumas they’ve experienced and begin to find alternatives to a life on the streets. When Covid hit South Africa, an extremely difficult situation because even more life threatening. Emergency food needs were immediate, as were sanitary/hygiene needs. Consequently, Let Yourself Trust strongly felt the need to help, with a donation of £15,000 to Amos for their work with Umthombo and their more immediate needs, particularly the girls and young mothers living in abandoned buildings across the city.
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## **Let Yourself Trust**
Since the start of the pandemic, and with Let Yourself Trust’s help, Umthombo have reached a total of 1,875 children and young people, of whom 1/3 (637) were new to the team. In a standard year they would expect to reach approximately 150 new children; the massive increase in this year reflects the increased numbers of children forced onto the streets because of Coronavirus’ impact. Additionally, in this period they have:
• Distributed 331 monthly food parcels to young people living in abandoned buildings and townships around Durban – (each pack feeds six people for 3 weeks).
• Served 6,720 pre-cooked meals to children/youth living on the streets.
• Distributed 261 packs of sanitary towels and 72 packs of baby nappies to young mothers.
• Provided 220 hand sanitizers, 700 bars of soap, and 1,920 face masks.
As they had such strong relationships with children on the streets, at the start of lockdown they were able to respond at speed to the urgent needs being presented to them. While providing immediate relief was new to them, their staff report that it has further strengthened relationships with those on the streets which will have a positive impact on their ongoing work– especially with new young women who often take a significant amount of time to develop trust.
## **Outcomes**
To date (through 2021), LYT has worked in 15 Countries: West Bank Palestine, Gaza, Guatemala, Wales, Uganda, Canada, England, America, India, Europe (Belgium), Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Haiti and Nepal.
In its last financial year alone, and during a global pandemic, Let Yourself Trust has made a direct difference to thousands of people in 7 different countries facing extremely difficult circumstances, granting a total of £80,000 to 6 different projects.
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Let Yourself Trust
Flnancial review
As each 6 months brings a significant emptying of the coffers, Let Yourself Trust is
quite pleased with the continuation of sustainable income via its current 650+ monthly
donors. This database of monthly standing orders is vttal to Let Yourse. and this
generous and committed support has created a foundation and budget that has
conlinued to grow each year, and that leads us to be in a surplus at the end of this
reporting period. With this dependable funding comes the ability to increase charilable
expenditure beyond our two main 6 month projects via Community Development
Donations (CDD}, thus delivering greater impad among vulnerable people via our
current and future partners. Two such opportunities occurred during Ihis finanGial year
in our providing a Community Development Donation to a brand new partner as well as
one of our previous projects, one in Africa and our main partner in Haiti, with a badly
needed boost of support (more on this above}.
The charitYs policy on reserves
In order to meet commitments to Gurrent and future partners, the Trustees and Director
aim lo maintain a level of reserves that will protect the charity against any dramatic fall
in unrestricted income or unexpected rise in expenditure. As a general principle, they
consider that Let Yourself Trust should maintain a minimum of £8,000 to maximum of
£12,000 in reserves between six months of budgeted expenditure. During 202012021
reserves remained within the target range.
Financial risks
Let Yourself Trust have reviewed the risks fad by a small charity working from within
the UK and operating intemationally with few employees, and quarterly financial
reports are used to monitor these risks.
Signed on behalf of the charily's ttees.
Signed
Roger Oldfield, Trustee
Date
02 (221
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## **Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of Let Yourself Trust for the year ended 1 March 2021**
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Let Yourself Trust (the charity) for the year ended 1 March 2021.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the trustees of the charity 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 charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the 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 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 charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
2. the accounts do not accord with those records.
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.
Signed _________________________ Date ______________________ 13/12/2021 John O’Brien MSc, FCCA, FCIE Employee of Community Accounting Plus
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## **Let Yourself Trust Receipts & payments account for the year ended 1 March 2021**
|_2020_
£
**Note**
**Receipts**
95482
Donations & fundraising
**2**
14805
Gift aid
2481
CD sales
-
Travel refund
112768
**Total receipts**
**Payments**
-
Bank & PayPal charges
68000
Donations paid
**3**
47
Equipment
271
Hospitality, refreshments & room hire
1223
Legal & professional fees
213
Payroll fees
119
Postage
2670
Printing & stationery
130
Sundry expenses
1120
Telephone
4685
Trips & travel expenses
26238
Salaries & NI
595
Website costs
105311
**Total payments**
7457
**Net receipts/(payments)**
33160
Cash funds at start of this period
40617
**Cash funds at end of this period**|**_2021_**
**£**
111929
15667
614
1047|
|---|---|
||**129257**|
||18
80000
236
-
524
369
540
33
318
777
48
29999
420|
||**113282**|
||**15975**
40617|
||**56592**|
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Let Yourself Trust
Statement of assets and liabilities
at 1 March 2021
2020
2021
Cash assets
Bank accounts
Note
40617
40617
56592
56592
Other monetary assets
Debtors- Trips & travel expenses
Debtors- Gift aid
1047
16710
16710
1047
Liabilities
Credilors
1113
(1113)
1104
1104
These financial statements are accepted on behalf of the charity by:
Signed
Ruth Oldfield, Trustee
Dated d2ÉG /sk 202/
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## **Let Yourself Trust Notes to the accounts for the year ended 1 March 2021**
## **1. Receipts & payments accounts**
Receipts and payments accounts contain a summary of money received and money spent during the period and a list of assets and liabilities at the end of the period. Usually, cash received and cash spent will include transactions through bank accounts and cash in hand.
## **2. Donations & fundraising**
**£** Individual donations 111929 **111929**
## **3. Donations paid**
|Advantage Africa - Covid
Amos/Umthombo - Covid
Haiti Allies
Project Somos
Zac's Place
Amos/Gaza Match Campaign|**£**
15000
15000
10000
10000
15000
15000|
|---|---|
||**80000**|
## **4. Creditors**
|Legal & professional - IE fee
Salaries & NI (HMRC)|**£**
462
642|
|---|---|
||**1104**|
## **5. Trustees’ remuneration**
Trustees received no expenses, remuneration or benefits in this period.
## **6. Related party transactions**
There were no related party transactions in this period.
## **7. Glossary of terms**
**Creditors:** These are amounts owed by the charity, but not paid during the accounting period.
**Debtors:** These are amounts owed to the charity, but not received in the accounting period.
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