Alice Foundation Annual Report 2023 ## ALICE ## FOUNDATION LIGHT FOR LIFE ## ANNUAL REPORT 2023 – 2024 ## Changing lives in Jaranwala, Pakistan **Registration Number: 1161281** **Date of Registration: 15th April 2015** **Principal Office: 167 Risca Road, Newport, NP20 3PQ** **Website: www.alicefoundaton.co.uk** **Tel: 07951 068305** **Email address: rakhelsmith167@gmail.com** **Trustees: Mrs Rakhel Smith, Mrs Marilyn Priday, Mrs Cynthia Bafico** **Advisors: Mr Iven Smith, Mrs Susan Lewis, Mrs Elaine Harris, Ms Heather Eynon** **Secretary: Siama Smith** 1 Alice Foundation Annual Report 2023 ## **Alice Sponsored Walk – Porthcawl – July 2023** ## **Sponsored Walk in Porthcawl** As usual, Chris and Elaine organised another great day out and one of our best fundraisers. Quite a few of us met at Rest Bay, Porthcawl, on a windy but sunny day on Saturday 3[rd] June 2023. The plan was to walk to the Marina and back, which was approximately 4 miles. It was an easy walk and enjoyed by everyone. Plans are afoot to include a more difficult walk one day. 2 Alice Foundation Annual Report 2023 **Rakhel family and friends catering for events for the following organisations – sometimes more than once.** - For Amy/food Winding Snake film company - Sue/ Ponthir curry night  Urban circle  For Maxine’s anniversary party  Curry and Carols at Trinity  Coffee Morning at Trinity  Lunch for Eton Rd  Lunch for Older People's Commissioner event - Events for police  Asian costumes and food tasting  Food for Maindee Library  International Women’s Day at the Riverfront As you can see from the list, Rakhel and her catering volunteer team have been very busy - in fact, have become the “go to” option for a tasty buffet for many organisations around Newport. These organisations are so important to us for their ongoing support – and this would not happen if the quality of what the team delivers was not consistently great. ## **Salaries** – which we pay towards We have been busy spreading the word - letting people know about the story and achievements of the Alice Foundation. Our “spread the word” team: Rakhel, Iven, Cynthia, Marilyn and Susan, in varying combinations, have spoken to: The University of the Third Age (U3A) St. Julian’s Methodist Church Coffee’n’Laughs at Community House Probus a church women’s group in the Ebenezer Centre, Pontnewynydd and Ponthir Women’s Institute (WI) We are happy to do the same with any organisations that will invite us. 3 Alice Foundation Annual Report 2023 ## **Some Alice Foundation Events this year** Our annual Curry and Carols went off very well, as usual. Special thanks to Trinity for hosting and Roger Bafico and Roger Thomas for leading the singing. The Trinity ladies, led by Cynthia, are also to be thanked – and then, so are Rakhel’s family and friends who did the cooking and the serving. It was a lovely evening, a good introduction to the season of Advent. Rakhel and some women from Coffee’n’Laughs and from Age Alive were invited to several Police Stations (not under arrest!) to have events where they showed, and talked about, cultural costumes and food. What a good idea! And it all helps to fill the Alice coffers. Besides that, they had a lot of fun. 4 Alice Foundation Annual Report 2023 ## **The Disastrous event in Pakistan in August 2023** Sad events in Jaranwala on 16th August 2023 left us reeling. Many churches and Christian homes were destroyed in and around the area. **----- Start of picture text -----**
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Alice Foundation Annual Report 2023 How wonderful it was to see the school up and running in just a few days! How resilient were the marvellous people in our little village! Learning out in the open air. ## Signs of Regrowth Much sooner than we expected the builders started their work of putting everything right. Soon the children could go back into the school building but sitting on the floor. Now, although there is still work to do on the building it has been in full use and the children have been able to sit their annual exams as normal. We are delighted. 6 Alice Foundation Annual Report 2023 The burning happened because it was considered that some Christians had broken the blasphemy law. Many of us met to protest on the steps of the Sennedd. This was very well organised by Revd. Irfan John of the Methodist Church of Wales and Jim Stewart of Open Doors Charity. As a charity board we met with Jessica Morden MP and she promised to bring it up, together with other problems with Pakistan, in the House of Commons. It was also brought up by Revd. John and Marilyn Priday in the Racial Justice meeting of Churches Together in Wales. Daud John made a presentation to the meeting after Revd. Irfan, and he went to Pakistan. Consequently, **a letter was sent to the Foreign Commonwealth and Development office, asking them to investigate the affair** ## **The reply stated** ‘ The British High Commission in Islamabad continues to engage with Pakistan on the crucial need to ensure the safety of the Christian community. We would like to thank you for your engagement on the challenges facing Pakistan’s religious minorities. We can assure you that the UK will continue our important work in Pakistan, including through We would like to direct engagement with the new Government, to protect and promote freedom of religion or belief for you to our website all of Pakistan’s citizens. **www.alicefoundation.co.** Yours sincerely, **uk** and our Face Book Pakistan, Afghan Security and Operations Department page **Alice Foundation -** Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. ‘ ‘ **Joyous Christmas Light for Life** Unfortunately, we have heard of other such atrocities since then. There is **celebration** obviously much work still to be done. 7 Alice Foundation Annual Report 2023 ## Thanks We are so thankful for the love, generosity and support that came from friends and organisation when it was so much needed. We are grateful to the Bristol Asian Church and the care they have shown to us. The Pakistani government helped to rebuild in a very timely manner, but this only went so far. Now we are finishing where they left off. We had donations of computers, tables and chairs from different organisations, some from American agencies: many people visited the site to see the devastation, and this prompted donations. Mustafa Fareed from Dubai donated the ceiling fans originally and thankfully did the same thing again after the destruction. Special thanks also go to Mustafa Ibrahim and family and Zaib Ahmed for donating money for schoolbooks. The Charity relies on a huge number of family and friends of Rakhel and Iven and those of other trustees and advisors who embrace the ethos of Alice. We would like to thank everyone who has donated money to this cause and all who have volunteered and given their time to make all this achievable. All trustees and volunteers have worked exceptionally hard. We continue to receive help from folk connected in one way or another to Community House, Eton Road and we are particularly thankful for the continued support from Trinity Methodist, which has once again adopted The Alice Foundation – Light for Life as their designated charity. Cynthia and Roger are joined by so many others of that church in working for the cause. In fact, special thanks are due to Roger and Cynthia, when in lieu of gifts on celebrating their 50[th] wedding anniversary, they asked for donations to The Alice Foundation. Brian Selby from Community House Presbyterian Church of Wales started collecting 2p to pee when we first set up the charity. He was collecting from the TLC senior’s lunch club. Now that he has retired, he contributes from his own pocket. Rakhel, Iven and all the Trustees thank you most sincerely for your continuing support. Yet again, despite the very disturbing events in Jaranwala of August 2023, it has been a very successful year. We can only hope and pray that everyone there is recovering from the trauma. ## **John Mountford** to me Good Afternoon, Marilyn. 8 Alice Foundation Annual Report 2023 I am pleased to confirm that I audited the Account of the Charity known as ‘THE ALICE FOUNDATION for the year ending 5/4/24. The Income for the period was £11947 and all details on the account were found correct. JOHN MOUNTFORD (Independent Auditor) 9 Accounts Alice Foundation-Light for Life 2023-2024 INCOME EXPENDITURE 2022/2023 Item 2023/2024 202212023 Item 2023/2024 £2,366.40 Pefsonal Donations £3,042.74 £0.00 Gift Aid IApplication being made £0.00 £2,300.00 To Pakistan, towards salarie5 and donations £4,500.00 £16.63 Easy Fundraising £0.00 £844.00 Groceries for Events £6,812.15 Catering for Events sponsored Walk £1,472.19 £7,620.05 £827.00 £629.lJO £1,125.12 Trinity Methodist Collections Bristol Brltish Asians Collection £556.00 £172.00 website annual subscription £O.OD £181.26 £100.00 Total Fundraising £11,947.79 £11,147.30 £7,831.30 Total £11,947.79 £3.316.00 Total Expenditure Excess for Year £6,153.45 £5,794.34 Balance Barik 31st March 2023 £11,837,66 £17,632.00 M, P.J4J Bank 31st March 2024 Increase in Balance £5,794.34 ../&k Accounts Alice Foundation-Light for Life 2023-2024 Fund Raising for events 7620.05 Financial Report Groceries for events 1472.19 Total Money raised from Catering events The Alice Foundation - Light for Life 6147.86 Charity Number:1161281 For AGM at Trinity Methodist, Glasllwch and on Zoom