Trustees’ Report and Accounts for the year ending 31st December 2024
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 to 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 2023, it was decided by the staff team and board of a little bit of HOPE (Uganda), in partnership with the UK board, to further streamline our work into two project areas: Education and Livelihoods. The decision was also made to bring more focus to the geographical area we operate, within Butaleja District. We now work specifically with ten schools and the three sub-counties they are a part of. All of our projects (as listed below) take place within these ten schools and villages, in three sub-counties within Butaleja District. The main reasons for this re-focus were a reduced budget (due to fundraising context in UK and cost of living increase in the UK and Uganda), and the opportunity it presents to have a longer-lasting impact on the people we work with in Butaleja.
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Education: including school farms, re-usable menstrual pad programme, and community library.
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Livelihoods: including apprenticeships, agricultural training, and group savings.
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 2024
In the UK, we delivered our first ‘Big Give’ fundraising appeal with great success, raising over £5,000 for our re-usable menstrual pad programme. Two of our UK Trustees visited Butaleja District with our UK Development Manager in November 2024. Here are some of the highlights and key achievements from our programmes in 2024:
Education
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6,410 kilograms of maize was harvested from our 10 partners schools’ farms. They also grew aubergines, tomatoes, leafy greens, cassava and onions.
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11,017 pupils received a midday meal from food grown on the farms in our 10 partner schools, and from harvests contributed by parent groups.
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Eight smokeless stoves were constructed in our partner schools. Food can be cooked more efficiently and with less smoke impacting the health of those preparing meals.
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342 parents were given seeds as well as training on how to effectively prepare their land for planting. These parents contributed a total of 1,968kg of harvested maize to our partner schools.
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Three schools sold vegetables harvested from their land, enabling them to buy more seeds to plant next season.
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• 819 pupils and 22 teachers learnt how to make reusable menstrual pads. The sessions also provide education and empowerment, including myths and facts about menstruation and sexual reproductive health issues.
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85 parents and caregivers received training in making reusable menstrual pads, to equip their girls and enable them to attend school.
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One sewing machine was donated to a parents group, who use it for making pads for pupils at their local school.
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1,589 pads were donated to pupils and families impacted by flooding at the beginning of the year, thanks to the incredible response to our emergency appeal, and the hard work of our team in Butaleja.
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165 new books were added to the mobile library that Esther takes to each of our partner schools.
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850 biro pens were given to pupils in their final year of primary school, as well as 470 reusable menstrual pads, to enable them to sit their exams.
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20 literacy sessions were delivered across 10 schools by Esther, our Librarian.
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2,060 pupils in ten schools participated in literacy sessions and enjoyed storytelling, spelling bees and quizzes.
Livelihoods
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62 young adults graduated from our apprenticeship programme. All of them had to drop out of school at a young age, but have now learnt skills that enable them to earn a living and support themselves and their families. This included 16 hairdressings apprentices, 29 tailoring apprentices, 2 welding apprentices, and 15 mechanics apprentices.
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429 parents were active in the parent groups attached to each of our 10 partner schools. This number rose from 300 to 429 in 2024.
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66,000 tree seedlings were distributed to eight partner schools, eight parent groups, and to the local hospital, thanks to a partnership with Mount Elgon Tree Growing Enterprise (METGE).
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179 group members took part in smokeless stove training and 143 smokeless stoves were constructed after the training.
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336 parents and children took part in HIV awareness training.
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194 group members took part in Village Savings and Loans Association (VSLA) training. All 10 groups embraced the scheme and are now saving together and loaning to group members.
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Reference and administrative details
Registered Charity (England and Wales) No. 1162178 Registered Office: 57 Tuddenham Road Ipswich Suffolk IP4 2SU Trustees: Malcolm Bebb (Co-chair) Noah Birumi (resigned 17/03/25) Hannah Green Phil Green (resigned 18/12/24) Kathryn Lifford (appointed 13/01/24) Temitope Olusi (Co-chair - appointed 12/03/24) Eliza Reger (resigned 16/07/24) Amy Smyth Amy Spooner 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 historically been shared between the trustees.
Our UK Development Manager (part-time) continued her position as the charity’s only UK employee. The role has continued on a part-time basis, at two days per week. The main responsibilities of the Development Manager are to manage the day-to-day activities of the charity, with a focus on fundraising and communications.
One of the trustees' main responsibilities is to monitor how monies we grant to a little bit of HOPE (Uganda) is spent. They receive detailed monthly finance updates, the chair of trustees talks regularly with both the programme manager and chairperson of a little bit of HOPE (Uganda), and the UK Development Manager meets weekly with the Ugandan staff team. Phil Green, Chair of Trustees, stepped down in December after many years leading the governance and direction of the organisation, for which we are very grateful. Malcolm Bebb and Temitope Olusi took on this role in a shared capacity as Co-chairs.
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 2024 with a cash balance of £7,054. Of this, £0 was restricted, leaving £3,054 in unrestricted free reserves and thus £4,000 designated as reserves.
Income
Our total income in 2024 was £46,057. The majority of our income comes from individuals and churches. During 2024 we also received income from trusts and foundations that we had applied to for funding.
Expenditure
Our total expenditure in 2024 was £52,956. 72.1% of this went to fund the work of a little bit of HOPE (Uganda), with the remaining 27.9% allocated to UK support and operations, including professional fees and employment.
End of year balance
Our total end of year cash balance was £7,054. (2023: £13,952)
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:
Temi Olusi
Malcolm Bebb
Temi Olusi (Sep 24, 2025 17:29:02 GMT+1) Malcolm Bebb (Sep 24, 2025 19:56:24 GMT+1) Full names: Temitope Olusi Malcolm Bebb Position: Trustee – Co-chair Trustee – Co-chair Date: Sep 24, 2025 Sep 24, 2025
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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 2024 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.
J. Young
J. Young (Sep 25, 2025 09:27:11 GMT+1)
Jaimée Young
Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage LONDON EC1Y 8AB
Date: Sep 25, 2025
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Detailed summary of accounts
Money brought forward from previous years
| 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Reserves | 4,000 | 4,000 |
| Restricted funds | - | - |
| General funds | 9,952 | 4,539 |
| Total | 13,952 | 8,539 |
Income
| 2024 | 2023 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | Restricted | Total | General | Restricted | Total | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Regular giving | 18,368 | 2,346 | 20,714 | 17,973 | 2,468 | 20,441 |
| Single donations | 8,123 | 11,937 | 20,060 | 12,163 | 91 | 12,253 |
| Trusts | 1,000 | - | 1,000 | 1,000 | 4,905 | 5,905 |
| Gift aid | 3,992 | 291 | 4,283 | - | - | - |
| Total | 31,483 | 14,574 | 46,057 | 31,136 | 7,464 | 38,600 |
Expenditure
----- Start of picture text -----
2024 2023
General Restricted Total General Restricted Total
£ £ £ £ £ £
Grants given to a
little bit of HOPE 23,594 14,574 38,168 20,802 7,464 28,266
(Uganda)
Professional fees 2,347 - 2,347 2,100 - 2,100
Fundraiser 598 - 598 - - -
Employment 11,770 - 11,770 2,821 2,821
Sundry 73 - 73
Total 38,381 14,574 52,956 25,723 7,464 33,187
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----- End of picture text -----
Summary of restricted funds
| Brought forward £ |
Income £ |
Allocated Expenditure £ |
Carried forward £ |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Education (general) | - | 960 | 960 | - |
| Education (school farms) | - | 700 | 700 | - |
| Education (RUMPS) | - | 5,128 | 5,128 | - |
| Livelihoods (general) | - | 3,666 | 3,666 | - |
| Solar panel installation – Uganda office |
- | 500 | 500 | - |
| Flood appeal | - | 3,620 | 3,620 | - |
| Total | - | 14,574 | 14,574 | - |
Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Cash funds | ||
| Reserves | 4,000 | 4,000 |
| Restricted funds | - | - |
| General funds | 3,054 | 9,952 |
| Total | 7,054 | 13,952 |
| Other monetary assets | ||
| Gift aid: claimed, not received | - | 2,023 |
| Gift aid: unclaimed | 574 | 479 |
| Recoverable amounts | 71 | - |
| Total | 645 | 2,502 |
| Liabilities | ||
| Fee due for Independent Examination | 600 | 600 |
| Employment costs due | - | 208 |
| Total | 600 | 808 |
| 8 |
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: 4,690 UGX.
3. 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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