## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period** **From: 6 April 2024 To: 5 April 2025** **Charity name: Mbedza Projects Support** **Charity registration number: 1162581** ## **1. Objectives and Activities** ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Summary of the purposes of
the charity as set out in its
governing document|Para 1.17|The object of the charity is the prevention
or relief of poverty in Malawi, in particular
but not exclusively by:
•
providing assistance to groups and
individuals suffering from hardship
•
providing resources to support HIV
education, testing and counselling
•
Creating sustainable environments
through tree planting and other
projects.
•
Improving livelihoods through stove
building.
•
Providing more equitable access to
education.| |Summary of the main
activities in relation to those
purposes for the public
benefit, in particular, the
activities, projects or
services identified in the
accounts.|Para 1.17 and
1.19|In this reporting period the main activities of
the charity were:
•
Ongoing development of the
Songani Centre and continuation of
the HIV project and its associated
youth and education activities.
•
Continued provision of fuel-efficient
stoves.
•
Planting of new tree saplings and
ongoing monitoring of trees planted
in previous years.
•
Continuation of the sponsored
orphans’ secondary education
program following the merger with
sister charity MOSES in the last
reporting period.
•
Continued provision of nursery
school provision at Chiyambi,
Monkey Bay.| 1 |||•
Continued support of the Heart of
Mercy project working with families
of children with special needs.
•
Continued support and monitoring
of a maize mill.
•
Continuation of a small-scale
textiles/sewing project producing
sanitary kits and items for sale in
the UK and Belgium.
•
Improved financial monitoring in
Malawi with the employment of a
finance manager.
•
Media and communications support
in the UK and Malawi.
•
Preparation for visit of 12 adults in
April 2025.
•
Preparation for visit of two UK gap
students in June 2025.
•
Preparation for visit of 30 students
from Manor Academy York in
October 2025.| |---|---|---| |Statement confirming
whether the trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit|Para 1.18|The activities outlined contribute to
achieving the purposes of the charity as
summarised above.
In making decisions about the activities the
trustees declare that that they have
complied with their duty to have due regard
to the guidance on public benefit provided
by the Charity Commission.
It is understood that since the aims for the
charity are to prevent or relieve poverty, the
public benefit requirement is met by
satisfying the ‘benefit’ aspect only without
need to separately consider the ‘public’
aspect.| ## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Policy on grant making|Para 1.38|MPS is not a grant making organisation.| |Policy on social investment
including program related
investment|Para 1.38|No policy on social investment or
programme related investment.| |Contribution made by
volunteers|Para 1.38|UK staff (Director, Deputy Director,
Associate Directors) are mainly volunteers.| 2 |||The Deputy Director received £300/month
in recognition of the work involved in
managing the finances of the charity.
The Associate Director for Orphan
Education and Visits received £180/mnth
(April 2024 to Aug 2024) and £400/mnth
(Sept 2024 to March 2025).
Volunteers often organise and oversee
fundraising events such as sponsored
events, concerts, meetings, coffee
mornings and sales of textiles.
The charity also benefits from short in-
country activity programmes undertaken by
volunteers (students and others).
Appropriate induction/training is given
which includes safeguarding, orientation
and first aid.| |---|---|---| |Other||N/A| ## **2. Achievements and Performance** ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Summary of the main
achievements of the charity,
identifying the difference the
charity’s work has made to
the circumstances of its
beneficiaries and any wider
benefits to society as a
whole.|Para 1.20|•
Continued expansion of the HIV
outreach activities at the Songani
Centre:
-
HIV testing at the centre: 1008
tests (749 last year, 499 the
year before).
-
HIV testing in the community:
2318 tests (2030 last year, 1809
the year before).
-
Numbers of HIV positives
found: 15 (26 last year and 16
the year before).
-
Distribution of 54,310 condoms
to sex workers (36,608 last year
and 34,339 the year before).
-
Use of theatre and drama as a
vehicle for conveying sex and
relationship education.
•
Continued expansion of the
sanitary kit programme at the
Songani Centre with the distribution
of 961 kits with associated health
and sex education (666 last year
and 514 the year before).| 3 |•|Completion of the first Hope| |---|---| ||Ambassador Mbedza Award Youth| ||Leadership Scheme offering a| ||development programme in sports,| ||learning, sex and relationship| ||education and community service.| |•|Improved library provision at the| ||Songani Centre with more| ||resources and the building of a| ||reading hut for early readers.| |•|Continued provision at the Songani| ||Centre of recreational activities,| ||games and TV for the school-age| ||population in the area.| |•|Stove-building programme.| ||-
Completion of 671 Esperanza| ||stoves (262 last year and 591| ||the year before).| ||-
Distribution of 100 Gamba| ||Tinsmith stoves (140 last year,| ||300 the year before).| ||Each stove reduces the cost to a| ||household of buying firewood or the| ||time spent collecting it, as well as| ||providing other economic, health,| ||social and educational benefits.| |•|Trees planted: 35,000 (35,377 last| ||year and 5,100 the year before).| ||Trees are planted in village| ||communities and schools. Tree-| ||planting projects in village| ||communities include training, the| ||establishing of tree nurseries and| ||woodlots, and the distribution of| ||trees to households. In time the| ||project will provide the economic| ||benefit of a sustainable supply of| ||firewood and the environmental| ||benefit of reversed deforestation| ||locally with reduced risk of soil| ||erosion and flood damage. Tree-| ||planting projects in schools provide| ||learning and hands-on experience| ||about raising saplings and caring| ||for trees.| ||Continued monitoring is an| ||essential component of each| ||project:| ||-
the sixth year of a community| ||project in several local villages| ||(these villages have received| 4 ||training in sustainable| |---|---| ||cropping).| ||-
the fifth year of a school project| ||based in Songani Primary| ||School.| ||-
the fourth year of a community| ||project (villages Malemusi I and| ||II, Minyanga and Mikulumu).| ||-
the third year of a community| ||project (Katete and| ||Makanganya villages).| ||-
The second year of the 35,544| ||trees planted across 22 villages,| ||Luwi Primary School and the| ||Mbedza staff themselves.| ||The 35,000 trees this year were| ||planted across a number of| ||villages.| |•|20 farmers were trained in the| ||Tiyeni method of sustainable| ||agriculture which enables maize| ||crops to be grown without| ||expensive fertiliser.| |•|This year was the first after the| ||merger of sponsored education| ||charity MOSES with Mbedza.| ||Secondary education was provided| ||for 100 students this year (100 last| ||year and 80 the year before).| ||These students have lost one or| ||both parents and would be| ||otherwise unable to afford to go to| ||secondary school, forfeiting the| ||benefits it brings. (Currently 15% of| ||Malawian children complete| ||Secondary Education overall,| ||though 10% for rural communities| ||and only 2% for the poorest| ||communities. The latter figure is| ||likely to apply for the students we| ||support).| |•|Completion of the second year of| ||improved nursery provision for 70| ||under-fives at Chiyambi, Monkey| ||Bay. Education is a key route out of| ||poverty and intervening in early| ||years education is known to have| ||benefits in later years.| |•|Further development of the| ||relationship with UK charity| ||Accomplish Children’s Trust| ||providing support for the Heart of| ||Mercy project working with around| ||70 rural families of children with| 5 ||special needs. The foundations of| |---|---| ||a new centre near Zomba have| ||been completed with school groups| ||expected in summer 2025 to help| ||progress the build. These families| ||are particularly disadvantaged with| ||the children being neglected in the| ||community, and relatively small| ||interventions can have large| ||impacts.| |•|The purpose of the maize mill has| ||been recast as a non-profit| ||enterprise to reduce poverty in the| ||local area. However poor harvests| ||have meant that income this year| ||has been lower than last and the| ||mill has had to be subsidised.| |•|The small-scale textiles/sewing| ||project is now producing sanitary| ||kits for schoolgirls who often lack| ||suitable provision as well as textiles| ||for sale in the UK and Belgium.| |•|Continued communications support| ||in Malawi to provide stories and| ||images. Information and updates| ||are important to retain the| ||engagement of existing| ||donors/supporters as well as raise| ||awareness among others.| |•|Development of contacts with other| ||organisations in Malawi such as| ||Medicins Sans Frontieres, Care| ||International and Mary’s Meals.| ## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |||| |---|---|---| |Achievements against
objectives set|Para 1.41|| |Performance of fundraising
activities against objectives
set|Para 1.41|The notional income target of £152,000
was exceeded with total income £162,966.| |Investment performance
against objectives|Para 1.41|N/A| 6 Other ## **3. Financial Review** |Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end
of the period|Para 1.21|Brought forward 6/4/2024: £18,361
Income during the year: £162,966
Expenditure during the year: £169,986
Balance at 5/4/2025: £11,341
Expenditure in the UK:
UK Core Costs £15,684 (9.2%)
Easter Visit flights etc £10,968 (6.5%)
Global Gardens £500 (0.3%)
Cash Reserves £61 (0.04%)
Total £27,214 (16.0%)
Expenditure in Malawi:
Malawi Costs £129,522 (76.2%)
Cash Reserves £13,250 (7.8%)
Total £142,772 (84.0%)| |---|---|---| |Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held|Para 1.22|The purpose of the risk reserves and cash
reserves policies is to ensure financial
stability and to have reserves to cover both
expected and unexpected eventualities.| |Amount of reserves held|Para 1.22|Cash reserves: £3,936 (£300 in the UK and
£3,636 in Malawi) plus staffing reserves to
cover salaries for at least 10 months (over
£7,000).
Risk reserves: £3,073 (£3,000 in the UK
and £73 in Malawi)| |Reasons for holding zero
reserves|Para 1.22|N/A| |Details of fund materially in
deficit|Para 1.24|N/A| |Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern|Para 1.23|N/A| |**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements|where relevant about:| |---|---|---| |The charity’s principal
sources of funds (including
any fundraising)|Para 1.47|Restricted income totalled £132,350 as
follows:
Monthly Donations £34,501
Other Donations £25,263
Fundraising Campaigns £37,532
Grants £5,017
Sales £3,308
Visits £26,730
Unrestricted income totalled £30,616 as
follows:
Monthly Donations £1,802| 7 |||Other Donations £4,667
Fundraising Campaigns contribution to
core costs: £2,843
Gift Aid/GASDS £16,183
Grants £5,120 (£5,000 Farthing Trust)| |---|---|---| |Investment policy and
objectives including any
social investment policy
adopted|Para 1.46|No policy on investment/ethical investment.| |A description of the principal
risks facing the charity|Para 1.46|The organisation’s risk register was
reviewed in May 2025 with appropriate
mitigating actions and costs identified. The
largest risks with estimated cost are:
•
Hunger, poor harvests, price of
maize. Poor harvests and
consequent hunger cause an
increase in safeguarding incidents
in the Orphan Education
Programme, anxiety/stress among
staff and even theft of project
materials. £1,200.
•
Economic turbulence. National UK
economics and international events
potentially strain donors and donor
sustainability. High inflation in
Malawi (food inflation at 30+%)
require continual staff pay increases
to keep pace. £1,200
•
Visits Programme. All visits come
with risks and the potential for
things to go wrong. £1,050.
•
Extreme weather events eg
cyclones. Malawi appears to be
increasingly prone to severe
weather events which cause
widespread flooding and disruption.
£1,000.
•
Long term sustainability of Mbedza.
The board of trustees need to work
out a plan for continuing the work of
key UK staff when they retire.
£1,000.
•
Safeguarding. This is a challenge in
Malawi, compounded by cultural
complexities. £625.
•
Critical illness of key staff. Absence
of key staff would impact project
delivery. £500.| |Other||N/A| 8 ## **4. Structure, Governance and Management** |Description of charity’s
trusts:||| |---|---|---| |Type of governing document
(trust deed, royal charter)|Para 1.25|Trust Deed| |How is the charity
constituted?
(e.g unincorporated
association, CIO)|Para 1.25|Charitable Trust| |Trustee selection methods
including details of any
constitutional provisions e.g.
election to post or name of
any person or body entitled
to appoint one or more
trustees|Para 1.25|Appointment. In accordance with the
Charitable Trust Deed 19 May 2015 Par
9(1) amended 27 March 2025 “There must
be at least 5 trustees. Apart from the first
trustees, every trustee must be appointed
by a resolution of the trustees passed at a
special meeting called under clause 15 of
this deed”.| |**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements|where relevant about:| |---|---|---| |Policies and procedures
adopted for the induction
and training of trustees|Para 1.51|No policies or procedures at present
specific to induction although ongoing
training for all trustees is sometimes
provided at meetings.| |The charity’s organisational
structure and any wider
network with which the
charity works|Para 1.51|Mbedza’s structure in the UK is that of a
mostly voluntary team comprised of a
Director, Deputy Director and several
Associate Directors (one of whom is based
in Brussels).
In Malawi, where overwhelmingly our funds
are spent (84.0% this year), we have a
salaried Director, Deputy Directors and
team of staff.
Contact is maintained informally with other
charities in the sector, both in the UK and
in Malawi.| |Relationship with any related
parties|Para 1.51|Mbedza has a memorandum of
understanding with Accomplish Children’s
Trust (a UK charity) and a developing one
with Mbedza Belgium (a Belgian ASBL,
Association Sans But Lucratif).| |Other||N/A| 9 ## **5. Reference and Administrative details** |Charity name|Mbedza Projects Support| |---|---| |Other name the charity uses|Mbedza| |Registered charity number|1162581| |Charity’s principal address|11 Bayswater Square
Stafford
ST18 0YH| ||| **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** |1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year**|**Name of person (or body)**
**entitled to appoint trustee**
**(ifany)**| |---|---|---|---|---| ||Paul Grinstead|||First trustee| ||June Wilson||Until 27 March 2024|First trustee| ||Nicola Davies|||Trustee board| ||Mike Cook|Chair||Trustee board| ||Anthony
Wilson|Previously advisor|Until 27 March 2024|Trustee board| ||Catherine
Greenaway|||Trustee board| ||Simon Barber|||Trustee board| ||Denise Ellis|Previously MOSES
trustee||Trustee board| – Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved **Director name** Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity **Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year** 10 ## **6. Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others** Description of the assets None held in this capacity Name and objects of the N/A charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for N/A safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets ## **Additional information (optional)** ## **Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)** **Type of Name Address adviser** ## **Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)** Julian Watson, Director Martin Paisley, Deputy Director Finance Sue Bird, Associate Director Songani Centre Amanda Flashman, Associate Director Tree-Planting Dave & Diane Collett, Associate Directors Chiyambi Nursery Jessica Watson, Associate Director Sponsored Education and Visits Programme ## **7. Exemptions from disclosure** Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details N/A 11 **8. Other optional information** ## **9. Declarations** **The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.** **Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees** **Signature(s) Full name(s)** Michael Cook **Position (eg Secretary,** Chair of Trustees **Chair, etc) Date** 14 June 2025 12 **Charity Name No (if any) Receipts and payments accounts** ## **CC16a** **For the period** Period start date Period end date **To from** 06-Apr-24 05-Apr-25 ## **Section A Receipts and payments** |**A1 Receipts**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**
**6,470**
**2,843**
**16,183**
**5,120**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**30,616**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**30,615.99**
**13,250.00**
**4,300**
**7,595**
**3,850**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**28,995**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**28,995**
**1,621**
**-**
**2,172**
**3,793**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**
**59,764**
**37,532**
**-**
**5,017**
**3,308**
**26,730**
**-**
**-**
**132,350**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**132,350**
**129,522**
**-**
**500**
**10,968**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**140,991**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**140,991**
**- 8,641**
**-**
**16,189**
**7,548**|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**Total funds**
**to the nearest £**
**66,234**
**40,375**
**16,183**
**10,137**
**3,308**
**26,730**
**-**
**-**
**162,966**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**Total funds**
**to the nearest £**
**66,234**
**40,375**
**16,183**
**10,137**
**3,308**
**26,730**
**-**
**-**
**162,966**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**Last year**
**to the nearest £**| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |**Donations**|**6,470**|||||**74,787**| |**Fundraising Campaigns**|**2,843**|||||**32,588**| |**Gift Aid/GASDS**|**16,183**|||||**13,736**| |**Grants**|**5,120**|||||**29,722**| |**Sales**|**-**|||||**2,381**| |**Income for Malawi Group Visit**|**-**|||||**15,959**| ||**-**|||||**-**| ||**-**|||||**-**| |**_Sub total_**_(Gross income for AR)_|**30,616**|||||**169,172**| |||||||| |**A2 Asset and investment sales, (see**
**table).**||||||| ||**-**|||||| ||**-**|||||**-**| |**_Sub total_**|**-**|||||**-**| |**_Total receipts_**
**A3 Payments**||||||| |||||**162,966**||**169,172**| |||||**142,772**
**4,300**
**8,095**
**10,968**
**3,850**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**169,986**
**-**
**-**
**-**||| |
**Malawi Costs(Projects and Group Visit)**|**13,250.00**|||||**134,235**| |**UK Core Costs**|**4,300**|||||**5,771**| |**UK Consultancy**|**7,595**|||||**17,205**| |**UK Costs for Group Visit**||||||**3,879**| |**UK Costs for Malawi Visit to UK**|**3,850**|||||**-**| |**UK Costs for Director's Visit to Malawi**|**-**|||||**1,495**| ||**-**|||||**-**| ||**-**|||||**-**| ||**-**|||||**-**| |**_Sub total_ **|**28,995**|||||**162,586**| |||||||| |**A4 Asset and investment purchases,**
**(see table)**||||||| ||**-**|||||| ||**-**|||||| |**_Sub total_ **|**-**|||||**-**| |**_Total payments_**
**_Net of receipts/(payments)_**
**A5 Transfers between funds**
**A6 Cash funds last year end**
**_Cash funds this year end_**||||||| |||||**169,986**||**162,586**| |||||**- 7,020**||| ||**1,621**|**- 8,641**|**-**|**- 7,020**||**6,587**| ||**-**|**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**| ||**2,172**|**16,189**|**-**|**18,361**||**11,774**| ||**3,793**|**7,548**|**-**|**11,341**||**18,361**| ## **Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period** |**Categories**
**B1 Cash funds**|**Details**
**_Total cash funds_**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**3,793**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**7,548**|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**| |---|---|---|---|---| |||**-**|**-**|**-**| |||**-**|**-**|**-**| |||**-**|**-**|**-**| |||**3,793**|**7,548**|**-**| CCXX R1 accounts (SS) 26/08/2025 1 |Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all
the trustees
**B2 Other monetary assets**
**B4 Assets retained for the charity’s**
**own use**
**B5 Liabilities**
**B3 Investment assets**|Signature
**Details**
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))
Ring making machine
Songani Centre Building
Songani Centre Equipment
**Details**
Chiyambi Building
Chiyambi Equipment
**Details**
**Details**|OK
OK
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**-**
6,000
**-**
125,000
**-**
36,000
**-**
29,000
**-**
9,000
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**liability relates**
**Amount due**
**(optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
Print Name
Michael Cook|OK| |---|---|---|---| ||||**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**Current value**
**(optional)**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**Current value**
**(optional)**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**When due**
**(optional)**| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||Date of
approval| |||Michael Cook|14-Jun-25| ||||| CCXX R2 accounts (SS) 26/08/2025 2 CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Sectlon A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl mèmb8rs of Mbedza Projects Support On accounts for the year ended 5 April 2025 Charity no (if any) 1162581 Set out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination charity (Ihe Trust.) for the year ended O fthe ccounts of the above Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust. you are responsible for the preparalion basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 {"the Act.). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's aGwunts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5){b) of the Act. I have completed my examination. I confim that no material matters have come lo my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect". accounting records were not kept in accordan￿ with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records Independent examiner's Statsment I havé no concems and have Gome across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply. Signed: Date: Name: Relevant professional qualificatlonls) or body (if any): Address: IER October 2018