Trustees’ Report and Accounts for the year ending 31st December 2022
Nurturing hope in the Butaleja District of Uganda by enabling people to overcome the hurdles that prevent them reaching their full potential.
Registered charity no. 1162178
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Introduction to a little bit of HOPE
a little bit of HOPE’s vision is to nurture hope in the Butaleja District of Uganda by enabling people to overcome the hurdles that prevent them reaching their full potential.
The objects of a little bit of HOPE are, for the public benefit:
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! To provide grants to charities, other organisations and individuals in the Butaleja district of Uganda in fulfilment of the following charitable purposes:
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! the advancement of education;
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! the advancement of health and/or saving of lives; and
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! the relief and/or prevention of poverty; and
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! The advancement of education in the United Kingdom in particular as regard issues concerning the relief and/or prevention of poverty.
Money raised by a little bit of HOPE in the UK was given to a little bit of HOPE (Uganda), a registered NonGovernmental Organisation in Uganda, registration number 10219, to fund a wide range of grassroots development programmes in line with the objects of a little bit of HOPE. Our key activities are to raise awareness and funds, and to ensure that money raised is spent effectively.
In 2022 we re-organised the way our programmes are divided into three categories rather than four, from Education , Health, water & sanitation , Business & innovation , and Vulnerable households , to:
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! Education: including school farms, community library, reusable sanitary towels
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! Water and sanitation: including community-led total sanitation (CLTS) programmes, pit latrine construction and borehole repairs
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! Livelihoods: including apprenticeships, agricultural training, and supporting vulnerable groups with income-generating activities
Our work is guided by a number of ‘approach' statements. They are:
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! We focus our resources on the poorest of the poor
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! We endeavour to promote sustainability, not dependency
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! We only fund projects initiated and led by local people
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! We take monitoring and evaluation seriously
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! We account for every penny we spend
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! We support people of all faiths, because our work is founded on Christian principles.
We confirm the trustees have had regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.
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Highlights from 2022
2022 was a busy year for our teams both in the UK and Uganda. Phil Green, Chair of Trustees in the UK visited Uganda in March this year to celebrate our 10[th] anniversary with the team there. A celebration event took place and was attended by many local people from across Butaleja District who were keen to acknowledge and appreciate the work of a little bit of HOPE over the last ten years. It was a great success and an encouragement to the team in Uganda who have worked so hard to make a difference in the community over the years.
In the UK we held a fundraising event in June, attended by supporters and friends. The aim was to thank those that donate to our work and increase exposure and support. Approximately 50 people joined us for the online event and we were successful in raising additional funds for our work and gaining a number of new regular supporters.
Here are some of the achievements from our projects in 2022:
Education
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32,356 pupils from 40 schools had lunch while at school as a result of our school farm project.
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We took pupils from 25 schools to an agricultural expo event where they learned about commercial farming.
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A total of 621 reusable menstrual pads were made by volunteers at the production centre.
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We trained 57 teachers and 119 pupils in 8 schools in how to make reusable menstrual pads.
This year our Agricultural Officer also created a new initiative for headteachers to gather and share ideas with each other about the farms that their schools are running. It has provided great opportunities for them to share ideas on improving sustainability on the farms, diversifying crops, and increasing school-to-school collaboration.
Livelihoods
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We provided agricultural training and vegetable seeds to 44 farmers from vulnerable groups.
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3 vulnerable groups were trained in group savings and income-generating activities.
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28 apprentices graduated and were provided with start-up kits for their trades in hairdressing and tailoring.
Brenda is a tailoring apprentice who graduated this year from our apprenticeship programme. The skills she has learned, along with her new sewing machine, have made a huge difference to her life. She is a single mother and is now able to support her family with basic needs and has also bought a hen. She’s now planning to save her earnings to rent a shop space that she can carry out her tailoring business from. Brenda expressed that a little bit of HOPE has “restored hope in her life”.
Water and Sanitation
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We repaired 9 boreholes, providing safe drinking water for 8,072 people across the district.
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We conducted a community-led total sanitation triggering exercise in 5 villages.
“As a result of this project, cases of illnesses in children and adults caused by drinking unsafe water have reduced in communities served. This also means that parents are not spending more money and time in treatment, and so they have enough time to engage in income generating activities like farming to boost the economic status of their households.” - Project Manager
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Reference and administrative details
Registered Charity (England and Wales) No. 1162178 Registered Office: 100 Mile End Lane Stockport SK2 6BP Trustees: Malcolm Bebb David Elton (Treasurer) Isobel Elton (resigned 10/02/22) Hannah Green Phil Green (Chair) Eliza Reger Amy Smyth Amy Spooner (appointed 24/02/22) Bankers: The Co-operative Bank P.O. Box 101 1 Balloon Street Manchester M60 4EP Independent Examiners: Stewardship 1 Lamb’s Passage London EC1Y 8AB
Structure, governance and management
a little bit of HOPE was registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) on 12th June 2015*. Trustees are appointed by existing trustees. The day-to-day activities – for example, communications, fundraising, and administration have been shared between the trustees.
In February 2022 our UK Development Manager started their employment, to manage the day-to-day activities of the charity and increase our fundraising efforts for future growth and sustainability. The parttime role has proved invaluable and already boosted activity here in the UK, in terms of communications and fundraising, and improved UK-Uganda relations as well. Our Development Manager started a period of maternity leave in October 2022 and plans to return to the position in 2023.
One of the trustees' main responsibilities is to monitor how monies we grant to a little bit of HOPE (Uganda) is spent. The treasurer receives detailed monthly finance updates, the chair of trustees talks regularly with both the director and chairperson of a little bit of HOPE (Uganda), and the UK Development Manager meets weekly with the Ugandan staff team. Phil Green was able to visit Butaleja in March to join the 10th Anniversary celebrations with the team and community there.
a little bit of HOPE has a Safeguarding Committee to ensure our safeguarding policies and procedures are of a high standard. The Committee regularly reviews the safeguarding policies and procedures of a little bit of HOPE (Uganda). We are members of Thirtyone:eight – an independent safeguarding charity which helps individuals and organisations protect vulnerable people from abuse. Both a little bit of HOPE and a little bit of HOPE (Uganda) use their international safeguarding audit tool to review all procedures relating to safeguarding and develop action plans to ensure continual learning and improvement.
*Previously a little bit of HOPE was a registered trust (1147623) – following the transfer of assets, the trust has been closed and removed from the Charity Commission’s register of charities.
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Financial Review
Reserves policy
Our current reserves policy is to retain a minimum of £4,000 in unrestricted reserves at all times. The charity ended 2022 with a cash balance of £8,539. Of this, £0 was restricted, leaving £4,539 in unrestricted free reserves and thus £4,000 designated as reserves.
Income
Our total income in 2022 was £46,083. The majority of our income comes from individuals and churches. During 2022 we also received income from trusts and foundations that we had applied to for funding.
Expenditure
Our total expenditure in 2022 was £55,307. 85.0% of this went to fund the work of a little bit of HOPE (Uganda). This calculation excludes that expenditure restricted for fundraising – primarily as a result of income we received in 2017 specifically to enable fundraising from trusts and foundations.
End of year balance
Our total end of year cash balance was £8,539. (2021: £17,763)
Independent Examination
As our total charitable income exceeded the threshold of £25,000, our accounts are subject to an independent examination.
Declaration
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees ’report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees.
Signatures: DAVID ELTON PHILIP GREEN Full names: David Elton Philip Green Position: Trustee – Treasurer Trustee – Chairperson Date: 01 / 10 / 2023 01 / 10 / 2023
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Independent Examiner’s Report
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of A little bit of Hope ('the charity') for the year ended 31 December 2022 on pages 1 to 5 and 7 to 9 following.
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 2011 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 2011 Act.
Independent examiner’s statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material 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 accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; or
- the accounts do not accord with the accounting records.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
JAIMÉE YOUNG
Jaimée Young
Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage LONDON EC1Y 8AB
Date: 04 / 10 / 2023
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Detailed summary of accounts
Money brought forward from previous years
| 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Reserves | 4,000 | 4,000 |
| Restricted funds | 3,209 | 9,033 |
| General funds | 10,554 | 4,647 |
| Total | 17,763 | 17,680 |
Income
| 2022 | 2021 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | Restricted | Total | General | Restricted | Total | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Regular giving | 17,556 | 4,332 | 21,888 | 19,971 | 6,602 | 26,573 |
| Single donations | 13,960 | 635 | 14,595 | 17,496 | 1,275 | 18,771 |
| Trusts | 1,500 | 3,000 | 4,500 | 3,500 | - | 3,500 |
| Gift aid | 4,750 | 351 | 5,101 | - | - | - |
| Total | 37,765 | 8,318 | 46,083 | 40,967 | 7,877 | 48,845 |
Expenditure
| 2022 | 2021 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | Restricted | Total | General | Restricted | Total | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Grants given to a | ||||||
| little bit of HOPE | 35,932 | 8,586 | 44,518 | 33,158 | 11,707 | 44,865 |
| (Uganda) | ||||||
| Professional fees | 2,191 | - | 2,191 | 1,902 | - | 1,902 |
| Fundraiser | 281 | 1,115 | 1,396 | - | 1,995 | 1,995 |
| Employment | 5,376 | 1,825 | 7,201 | - | - | - |
| Total | 43,780 | 11,527 | 55,307 | 35,060 | 13,702 | 48,762 |
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Summary of restricted funds
| Brought forward £ |
Income £ |
Allocated Expenditure £ |
Carried forward £ |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Education (general) | - | 1,020 | 1,020 | - |
| Education (school farms) | - | 5,100 | 5,100 | - |
| Education (RUMPS) | 612 | 36 | 648 | - |
| Health (general) | - | 252 | 252 | - |
| Vulnerable Households (general) |
292 | 1,275 | 1,567 | - |
| Fundraiser | 2,305 | 635 | 2,940 | - |
| Total | 3,209 | 8,318 | 11,527 | - |
Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Cash funds | ||
| Reserves | 4,000 | 4,000 |
| Restricted funds | - | 3,209 |
| General funds | 4,539 | 10,554 |
| Total | 8,539 | 17,763 |
| Other monetary assets | ||
| Gift aid: claimed, not received | - | 2,703 |
| Gift aid: unclaimed | 711 | 697 |
| Total | 711 | 3,400 |
| Liabilities | ||
| Fee due for Independent Examination | 600 | 570 |
| Total | 600 | 570 |
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Notes to the accounts:
1. Basis of preparation of accounts
The accounts have been prepared under the receipts and payments method as permitted by s.133 Charities Act 2011 and in accordance with guidance from the Charity Commission.
2. Restricted funds
Expenditure incurred by a little bit of HOPE (Uganda) from grants received in the year has been allocated to restricted funds using an average exchange rate of 1 GBP: 4,299 UGX.
3. Trustees’ remuneration
A relation of trustee David Elton was paid £7,201 (2021: £0) in their role as UK Development Manager; these payments are permitted by the charity’s governing document.
4. Guarantees and debts outstanding
The charity has not given any guarantees and has not provided its assets as security for any liabilities.
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