OpenCharities

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

2025-12-31-accounts

CITY SIKHS FOUNDATION

Charity number 1160843

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER 2025

CITY SIKHS FOUNDATION

CONTENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025

Page
Legal & administrative information 1
Trustees annual report 2 - 9
Independent examination report 10
Statement of financial activity 11
Balance sheet 12
Notes forming part of the financial statements 13 - 15

CITY SIKHS FOUNDATION

LEGAL & ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025

Charity Name: City Sikh Foundation
Charity Number: 1160843
Trustees: Jasvir Singh CBE
Param Singh MBE
Harry Virdee BEM
Meeno Chawla
Registered address: C/O City Sikhs Foundation
77-79 Charlotte Street
London
W1T 4PW
Independent examiners: Community360
Winsleys House
High Street
Colchester
Essex
CO1 1UG
Bankers: Barclays Bank
Leicester
LE87 2BB

1

CITY SIKHS FOUNDATION

TRUSTEE ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025

Joint Statement from the Trustees

The Trustees are pleased to present the annual report and accounts for City Sikhs Foundation.

In 2025, City Sikhs marked 15 years of volunteer-led service, civic engagement and community leadership. What began as a small network of British Sikh professionals has grown into one of the leading Sikh professional and representative bodies in the UK and Europe, supported by volunteers, ambassadors, advisers, partners and members across public, professional, interfaith and community life.

During the year, the charity continued to advance its objectives through parliamentary events, interfaith engagement, mentoring, professional leadership programmes, community recognition, and support for independent community research. These activities reflect City Sikhs’ ongoing commitment to education, equality, religious and racial harmony, citizenship, volunteering and public service.

The Trustees are grateful to all those who have contributed their time, expertise, venues, platforms and support to the charity’s work. The organisation’s estimated cumulative social impact now exceeds £1 million, reflecting the sustained dedication of volunteers and partners over the past fifteen years.

The Trustees remain committed to ensuring that City Sikhs operates with integrity, transparency and good governance, and that its work continues to strengthen community participation, representation and public benefit.

Structure, Governance and Management

City Sikhs Foundation began in 2010 as a small network of British Sikh professionals and has since grown into the largest network of Sikh professionals in the UK and Europe, as well as one of the leading Sikh representative bodies outside of India. With over 10,000 members and a wider global reach of more than 40,000 individuals, City Sikhs formally became a registered charity in 2015.

The organisation is governed by a Board of Trustees responsible for strategic oversight, good governance, and ensuring compliance with its governing document and legal obligations. Trustees are appointed for their alignment with the charity’s values and for their expertise across professional, interfaith, and community spheres.

2

City Sikhs is further supported by an Advisory Group made up of prominent individuals from corporate, interfaith, and civic life. In addition, a team of volunteer Ambassadors helps to represent and support the charity’s mission across all areas of British society. Our current volunteer headcount is 40.

Objectives and Activities

The charitable purposes of City Sikhs Foundation are:

These aims are fulfilled through leadership events, interfaith initiatives, public campaigns, mentoring programmes, and policy engagement at the highest levels of government and civil society.

Key Achievements in 2025

Impact at a Glance (2025)

Interfaith, Dharmic, and Community Engagement

City Sikhs has represented the Sikh community on the Faiths Forum for London continuously since 2010. The Forum brings together nine major world faiths and promotes interfaith understanding through literacy training, dialogue, and collaborative initiatives aimed at countering hate and fostering greater tolerance.

3

City Sikhs is recognised as a pioneer of interfaith engagement within the Sikh community. We have been the only Sikh organisation invited to present at major faith gatherings such as Limmud and Living Islam, and we have supported landmark moments for other communities, including the launch of Square Mile Muslims, the 21st anniversary of the National Hindu Students Forum, and the annual UK Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) Ceremony. City Sikhs has also been the only Sikh organisation to partner with the St Paul’s Institute, co-hosting the flagship Women in Faith interfaith event within the historic setting of St Paul’s Cathedral.

Since 2015, our Co-Chair Jasvir Singh CBE has been a regular contributor to BBC Radio 4’s Thought for the Day. As part of the Today programme, one of the UK’s most listened to radio programmes with over six million weekly listeners, this platform has brought Sikh teachings to a wide and diverse national audience.

In 2025, City Sikhs organised two high-profile receptions in the UK Parliament as part of its dharmic events series, marking significant moments in the Sikh calendar. These included events for Vaisakhi and the 350th Shaheedi commemoration of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, creating reflective spaces to explore Sikh values, service, and freedom of conscience within public life. The 350th event is believed to have been the very first time that the ‘taus’ musical instrument was performed in Parliament.

Together, these two parliamentary events are conservatively estimated to have delivered a combined community impact value in excess of £35,000. This reflects the in-kind contribution of parliamentary venue access, senior civic and community speakers’ time, event organisation, and post-event engagement across media and social platforms.

Photo: Jasvir Singh CBE speaking at the Vaisakhi Reception 2025

In addition to discrete events, City Sikhs has provided ongoing interfaith representation and engagement on an in-kind basis through volunteer leadership. For reporting purposes, a conservative annual in-kind value of £10,000 has been applied, based on an estimate of

4

professional time contributed across the year, to reflect this sustained contribution to the wider community.

Together, these spiritual and interfaith activities are conservatively estimated to represent a combined community impact value in excess of £45,000 for the year.

Leadership and Careers

City Sikhs held its first corporate panel discussion in 2011 at Barclays Wealth and subsequently delivered its flagship Recipes for Success events at leading organisations including State Street, Herbert Smith Freehills, Deloitte, Norton Rose Fulbright, UBS, Lloyds Bank, and others. These early corporate panels created inclusive spaces for professionals to share career journeys and leadership experiences.

Photos: Earlier City Sikhs leadership events at State Street, Canary Wharf, 2013, and Herbert Smith Freehills, 2012

Building on the success and learning from this programme, City Sikhs evolved its events strategy in 2022, transitioning from corporate-hosted panels to a parliamentary-based series delivered in partnership with City Hindus Network and the Association of Asian Women Lawyers. This newer series has focused on convening senior executives, entrepreneurs, and legal professionals within a national civic setting.

Since its launch, the parliamentary series has attracted over 2,000 attendees and generated sustained engagement across platforms including LinkedIn. Events have been timed around key cultural and awareness moments including International Women’s Day, South Asian Heritage Month, Diwali, and Black History Month, supporting professional development while promoting inclusion and cross-community dialogue.

In 2025, City Sikhs co-hosted three parliamentary events attended by over 500 professionals, generating an estimated social value in excess of £45,000. The initiative has been recognised through the Faith and Belief Community Awards and featured in the World Economic Forum Faith in Action report, presented at Davos 2024, where it was highlighted

5

as a model for how diverse faith communities and corporations can collaborate to deliver positive global impact.

In addition, City Sikhs organised a corporate partnership event with KPMG Sikh Network titled Sikh Leaders: Journey to Success , hosted at KPMG’s Canary Wharf offices. This event is estimated to have delivered £10,000 of in-kind community value.

All valuations reflect the provision of venue and AV facilities, senior professional speakers’ time including partner-level contributions, and organisational delivery. Together, these activities are conservatively estimated to represent a combined community impact value in excess of £55,000 for the year.

City Sikhs Career Mentoring Programme

Running since 2021, City Sikhs’ flagship nine-month mentoring programme connects Sikh and South Asian professionals with experienced mentors from a wide range of sectors. The programme, which was among the first of its kind globally for Sikhs, is primarily open to graduates and early-career professionals, while also seeking to facilitate appropriate mentoring matches for more senior participants where possible. It is designed to support career development and future community leadership.

In 2025, the programme was nationally launched at the House of Lords for the second year running, providing a platform for mentors and mentees to share their learning and reflect on their journeys. To date, over 500 professionals have participated, forming meaningful mentoring relationships and progressing in their careers. The programme has been recognised as Best Community Initiative at the Faith and Belief Community Awards and the British Sikh Awards.

6

Photo: National Career Mentoring Programme Launch 2025

In 2025 alone, the programme delivered over 150 hours of mentoring provided by senior professionals, representing an equivalent market value in excess of £22,000. Across five years, the cumulative economic value of mentoring support provided through the programme is conservatively estimated in excess of £110,000.

Economic valuation assumptions:

The mentoring programme is valued on the basis of approximately 50 mentors each delivering three one-hour mentoring sessions per year. A market rate of £150 per hour has been applied to reflect the minimum equivalent cost of professional mentoring or coaching services. All figures are rounded conservatively.

British Sikh Report

Originally created by City Sikhs in 2012 and subsequently established as the independent charity Sikh Research in 2022, the British Sikh Report has been collecting and analysing data across a wide range of themes affecting the British Sikh community. All work is conducted on a voluntary basis and supported by public donations, ensuring the report remains independent of political influence and accessible to all.

The British Sikh Report is one of a small number of faith-specific data sets globally to provide a comprehensive and independent examination of contemporary views, social attitudes, and lived experiences within its community. Since 2023, following its first ten years of publication, the report has transitioned to a biannual publication cycle. It continues to deliver community-led analysis that offers insight into the evolving identity, priorities, and needs of British Sikhs. As such, it serves as an important resource both within the UK and internationally as an example of contemporary faith-based social research.

Photos: British Sikh Report launches from 2018 and 2015

The BSR team has developed robust and widely respected statistical insights into the experiences and needs of Sikhs living in Britain. The publication has been cited in Hansard, referenced by Members of Parliament and Peers, and used in academic research and policy

7

papers on faith and society. It has also been utilised by public bodies and private organisations seeking to better understand and engage with the British Sikh community.

The report is produced by a multidisciplinary volunteer team and requires substantial voluntary input across research, coordination, and public dissemination, including national and regional launch activity. Each edition involves approximately 250 to 300 hours of volunteer input, alongside significant in-kind contributions such as civic venue access and event infrastructure, resulting in an estimated composite economic value of £25,000 to £30,000 per report. Since 2013, the production of ten editions has contributed a cumulative social value conservatively estimated to exceed £250,000, reflecting sustained voluntary effort and in-kind support.

This valuation reflects only the in-kind value of volunteer effort and civic and organisational support and does not seek to quantify any additional social value arising from media coverage, public discourse, or the use of the data by public, private, or charitable institutions in the UK or internationally.

In 2025, Sikh Research launched the eleventh British Sikh Report survey. The formal publication and launch of the report took place in January 2026 at the UK Parliament. The report reinforced the British Sikh Report’s role as a trusted evidence base for informed community engagement, public discourse, and policy development.

Photo: Parliamentary launch of the 11th British Sikh Report, January 2026, following the 2025 survey period

Community Recognition and Representation through National Honours

8

Since 2019, City Sikhs has been the only Sikh organisation to consistently document and celebrate Sikh recipients of national honours. This work helps ensure that the community’s wide-ranging contributions to British public life, including across the arts, education, civil society, public service, and business, are publicly recognised and preserved within the public record.

City Sikhs coordinates biannual communications activity aligned to the national honours cycles. This includes identifying Sikh honourees, preparing and issuing press releases, capturing recipient reflections, and sharing these stories through ethnic and community media channels. This activity provides a platform for honourees to reflect on their journeys and contributions, while also promoting positive and visible representation of Sikh participation in British society.

This work is delivered on an in-kind basis through volunteer leadership and communications expertise. For reporting purposes, a conservative annual in-kind value of £2,500 has been applied to reflect the sustained contribution of this activity to community representation and public discourse.

Since this initiative began in 2019, the cumulative in-kind value of this community recognition and representation work is conservatively estimated at approximately £17,500.

Social Impact Summary

In 2025, City Sikhs delivered an estimated social value in excess of £130,000 through its programmes. This included two public events forming part of its dharmic series, three parliamentary leadership panel discussions, a corporate partnership event with KPMG, a national mentoring scheme, national radio contributions on Thought for the Day on BBC Radio 4, and ongoing interfaith engagement and community recognition activity.

Across its 15-year history, City Sikhs has delivered a cumulative social impact conservatively valued in excess of £1.2 million.

Approved by the Trustees

J Singh CBE FRSA P Singh MBE FRSA H Virdee BEM M Chawla

Date: 17 July 2026

9

CITY SIKHS FOUNDATION

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025

I report on the accounts of City Sikhs Foundation for the year ended 31 December 2025 which are set out on pages 11 to 15.

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

The Charity’s Trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The Charity’s Trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year (under section 144 (2) of the Charities Act 2011 (The Act) but that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to:

Basis of independent examiner’s Statement

My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. 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 considerations of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.

Independent examiner’s statement

In the course of my examination, no material matters have come to my attention which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

I 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.

David Courtier FMAAT AATQB for and on behalf of: Community360 Winsley’s House, High Street, Colchester, Essex Date 21/07/2026

10

CITY SIKHS FOUNDATION

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITY FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025

Note
Income
Donations & legacies
2
Charitable activities
3
Total Income
Expenditure
Charitable activities
5
Cost of raising funds
4
Total Expenditure
Net income/(expense)
Transfers between funds
Total funds at 1 January 2025
Total funds at 31 December 2025		 Unrestricted
Funds
£
12,065
947
13,012
3,639
-
3,639
9,373
(251)
36,585
45,707		 Restricted
Funds
£
-
-
-
4,355
5,098
9,454
(9,454)
251
17,153
7,950		 2025
2024
Total
Total
£
£
12,065
7,664
947
20,350
13,012
28,014
7,994
5,760
5,098
4,962
13,092
10,722
(81)
17,292
-
-
53,738
36,446
53,657
53,738

The notes on page 13 - 15 form part of these financial statements.

11

CITY SIKHS FOUNDATION

BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2025

Note
Current assets
Cash at bank and in hand
Debtors
7
Total current assets
Current liabilities
Creditors
8
Net assets
Unrestricted funds
10
Restricted funds
10
Total funds		 2025
£
53,932
-
53,932
275
53,657
45,707
7,950
53,657		 2024
£
54,013
-
54,013
275
53,738
36,585
17,153
53,738

The Trustees declare that they have approved the accounts.

H Virdee 21 July 2026 Signed Date Name: Harpreet Singh Virdee

12

CITY SIKHS FOUNDATION

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025

1. Accounting policies

The principle account policies are summarised below. The accounting policies have been applied consistently throughout the year and in the preceding year.

Basis of the preparation of the accounts

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement on Recommended Practise applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.

Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy or note.

Cash flow

The financial statements do not include a cash flow statement because the charity, as a small reporting entity, is exempt from the requirement to prepare such a statement under Financial Reporting Standard 1 "Cash flow statements".

Fund accounting

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

Restricted funds are subject to restrictions on their expenditure imposed by the donor or through the terms of an appeal.

Incoming resources

All income is included in the statement of financial activity 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.

Resources expended

Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is classified under the following activity headings:

• Costs of raising funds relate to the costs incurred by the charitable company in inducing third parties to make voluntary contributions to it, as well as the cost of any activities with a fundraising purpose.

Allocation of support costs

Resources expended are allocated to the particular activity where the cost relates directly to that activity. However, the cost overall direction and administration of each activity, comprising the administrative and overhead costs of the central function apportioned based on trustee/volunteer time, of the amount attributable to each activity.

13

CITY SIKHS FOUNDATION

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025

Where such information about the aims, objectives and projects of the charity is also provided to potential donors, activity costs are apportioned between fundraising and charitable activities on the basis of area of literature occupied by each activity.

2. Donations and legacies
Unrestricted
£
Donations & gift aid recoverable
12,065
12,065
Total 2024
7,664
3. Charitable activities
Unrestricted
£
Grants
-
Bank interest
402
Other income
545
947
Total 2024
374
4. Cost of raising funds
Unrestricted
£
Event costs
-
-
Total 2024
-
5. Expenditure of charitable activities
Unrestricted
£
Printing costs
-
Subscriptions
698
Accountancy & professional fees
390
Marketing
127
Insurance
153
Miscellaneous
-
IT & computer costs
175
Donations
2,000
Bank charges
96
3,639
Total 2024
982		 Restricted
£
-
-
-
Restricted
£
-
-
-
-
19,976
Restricted
£
5,098
5,098
4,962
Restricted
£
-
-
-
3,363
-
-
992
-
4,355
4,778		 2025
£
12,065
12,065
7,664
2025
£
-
402
545
947
20,350
2025
£
5,098
5,098
4,962
2025
£
-
698
390
3,490
153
-
1,167
2,000
96
7,994
5,760		 2024
£
7,664
7,664
2024
£
19,976
225
150
20,350
2024
£
4,962
4,962
2024
£
1,509
360
275
2,378
140
81
849
-
167
5,760

14

CITY SIKHS FOUNDATION

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025

6. Trustee remuneration and expenses

No trustee or other person related the the charity had any personal interest in any contract or transaction entered into by the charity during the year (2024: Nil). The trustees received £Nil for expenses incurred.

7. Debtors
Other debtors
8. Creditors
Accruals		 2025
£
-
-
2025
£
275
275		 2024
£
-
-
2024
£
275
275

9. Analysis of net assets between funds

General Restricted
Total funds
funds funds 2025
£ £ £
Current assets 37,110 16,822 53,932
Current liabilities (275) - (275)
36,835 16,822 53,657
10. Movements in funds At 1 January Incoming Outgoing At 31 December
2025 resources resources Transfers 2025
£ £ £ £ £
Restricted funds:
NHSBT Kidney 257 - 508 251 -
AWA Grant 16,896 - 8,946 - 7,950
Total restricted funds 17,153 - 9,454 251 7,950
General fund 36,585 13,012 3,639 (251) 45,707
Total unrestricted funds 36,585 13,012 3,639 (251) 45,707
Total funds 53,738 13,012 13,093 - 53,657

11. Number of staff

In 2025, there were Nil employees for the organisation (2024: One) No staff earned over £60,000 per annum.

12. Going Concern

The charity is operating on a going concern basis

13. Related Parties

There were no related party transactions during the year.

15