LONE BUFFALO
Trustees' annual report for the period ended 31 December 2020
Registered charity number 1169163; registered on 13 September 2016 Principal address 7 Mount Harry Road SEVENOAKS TN13 3JH
Trustees during the period to 31 December 2020 were
Jackie Thomas Andrew March Jeremy Richens Richard Johns
Structure, governance and management
The charity is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation and its constitution was adopted on 23 June 2016. All trustees give their time voluntarily and received no remuneration or other benefits.
Objectives
Each year the charity reviews its objectives with reference to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit. The charity's objectives for 2020 were to advance the education and improve the life chances of the young people in and around Phonsavan, Laos through the provision, maintenance and support of the Lone Buffalo English Development Centre.
Activities
The objectives are achieved by providing to students in Phonsavan:
-
(a) English language education and training;
-
(b) Sport and leisure activities to promote health and social wellbeing;
-
(c) Activities and other opportunities to develop skills, capabilities and resilience of young people, so they can participate in society as mature and responsible individuals;
-
(d) Presentations and field trips to inform young people about their local community and country; and
-
(e) Assistance with volunteer placements in local services and further education opportunities.
The main term runs for ten months from September to June although our Lao teachers do continue beginners classes through the summer for those students who can study in July and August.
Main achievements
An average of 200 boy and girl students (about 52%/48% ratio) between the ages of 11 and 18 were provided with up to 6 hours per week of structured English language lessons taught by qualified teaching professionals together with the opportunity to participate in team sports, mainly soccer, and individual exercise in the school gymnasium. Film making was a popular extra curricular activity and the LB Media Crew received recognition awards at Student Film Festivals in Taiwan and Korea. 101 new students were enrolled during 2020, and 40 finished their state school studies and 37 of these have progressed to university or college. During 2020 the Student Coffee Co-operative continued to develop basic business skills and promote local produce. 12 more students were recruited by their peers who departed to study at tertiary level. Develop Together, a new programme for senior students was launched in August and is already proving very successful in developing life skills.
Financial review
The charity receives donations from individuals and corporate bodies and sponsorship from the US and UK and other embassies in Vientiane, Laos, and others, towards the cost of specific activities. All funds received, except for some minor costs of governance, are used to support the school.
The charity maintains a cash reserve within unrestricted funds which is sufficient to cover at least six months regular support for the school. However because donations and sponsorship, especially from corporate bodies and embassies, are not received on a regular basis during the year and remittances to support the school are made only when needed by the school, the level of the reserves will from time to time exceed this minimum level.
Signed on behalf of the charity's trustees
Jackie Thomas
Date…… 8 July 2021 ………
Page 1
LONE BUFFALO
Receipts and payments account for the year to 31 December 2020
| Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Total funds £ £ £ Receipts Corporate donations 4,252 - 4,252 Personal donations 22,844 - 22,844 US Embassy 4,929 2,733 7,662 UK Embassy 1,460 - 1,460 NZ Embassy - 11,800 11,800 Gift Aid recovery 1,716 - 1,716 35,201 14,533 49,734 Payments Support for school 35,665 14,936 50,601 Cost of generating funds 216 - 216 IT costs 1,646 - 1,646 Bank charges 225 - 225 37,752 14,936 52,688 Net of receipts and payments (2,551) (403) (2,954) Funds at 1 January 2020 29,948 5,203 35,151 Funds at 31 December 2020 27,397 4,800 32,197 Cash at bank £27,397 £4,800 £32,197 Statement of assets and liabilities at 31 December 2020 |
2019 Total funds £ 12,248 17,063 11,026 4,325 - 1,342 |
|---|---|
| 46,004 | |
| 32,094 216 1,786 1,256 |
|
| 35,352 | |
| 10,652 24,499 |
|
| 35,151 | |
| £35,151 |
Approved by the Trustees on 8 July 2021 and signed on their behalf by
Jackie Thomas
Date…… 8 July 2021 ………
Page 2
LONE BUFFALO
Trustees' annual report for the period ended 31 December 2020
Registered charity number 1169163; registered on 13 September 2016 Principal address 7 Mount Harry Road SEVENOAKS TN13 3JH
Trustees during the period to 31 December 2020 were
Jackie Thomas Andrew March Jeremy Richens Richard Johns
Structure, governance and management
The charity is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation and its constitution was adopted on 23 June 2016. All trustees give their time voluntarily and received no remuneration or other benefits.
Objectives
Each year the charity reviews its objectives with reference to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit. The charity's objectives for 2020 were to advance the education and improve the life chances of the young people in and around Phonsavan, Laos through the provision, maintenance and support of the Lone Buffalo English Development Centre.
Activities
The objectives are achieved by providing to students in Phonsavan:
-
(a) English language education and training;
-
(b) Sport and leisure activities to promote health and social wellbeing;
-
(c) Activities and other opportunities to develop skills, capabilities and resilience of young people, so they can participate in society as mature and responsible individuals;
-
(d) Presentations and field trips to inform young people about their local community and country; and
-
(e) Assistance with volunteer placements in local services and further education opportunities.
The main term runs for ten months from September to June although our Lao teachers do continue beginners classes through the summer for those students who can study in July and August.
Main achievements
An average of 200 boy and girl students (about 52%/48% ratio) between the ages of 11 and 18 were provided with up to 6 hours per week of structured English language lessons taught by qualified teaching professionals together with the opportunity to participate in team sports, mainly soccer, and individual exercise in the school gymnasium. Film making was a popular extra curricular activity and the LB Media Crew received recognition awards at Student Film Festivals in Taiwan and Korea. 101 new students were enrolled during 2020, and 40 finished their state school studies and 37 of these have progressed to university or college. During 2020 the Student Coffee Co-operative continued to develop basic business skills and promote local produce. 12 more students were recruited by their peers who departed to study at tertiary level. Develop Together, a new programme for senior students was launched in August and is already proving very successful in developing life skills.
Financial review
The charity receives donations from individuals and corporate bodies and sponsorship from the US and UK and other embassies in Vientiane, Laos, and others, towards the cost of specific activities. All funds received, except for some minor costs of governance, are used to support the school.
The charity maintains a cash reserve within unrestricted funds which is sufficient to cover at least six months regular support for the school. However because donations and sponsorship, especially from corporate bodies and embassies, are not received on a regular basis during the year and remittances to support the school are made only when needed by the school, the level of the reserves will from time to time exceed this minimum level.
Signed on behalf of the charity's trustees
Jackie Thomas
Date…… 8 July 2021 ………
Page 1
LONE BUFFALO
Receipts and payments account for the year to 31 December 2020
| Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Total funds £ £ £ Receipts Corporate donations 4,252 - 4,252 Personal donations 22,844 - 22,844 US Embassy 4,929 2,733 7,662 UK Embassy 1,460 - 1,460 NZ Embassy - 11,800 11,800 Gift Aid recovery 1,716 - 1,716 35,201 14,533 49,734 Payments Support for school 35,665 14,936 50,601 Cost of generating funds 216 - 216 IT costs 1,646 - 1,646 Bank charges 225 - 225 37,752 14,936 52,688 Net of receipts and payments (2,551) (403) (2,954) Funds at 1 January 2020 29,948 5,203 35,151 Funds at 31 December 2020 27,397 4,800 32,197 Cash at bank £27,397 £4,800 £32,197 Statement of assets and liabilities at 31 December 2020 |
2019 Total funds £ 12,248 17,063 11,026 4,325 - 1,342 |
|---|---|
| 46,004 | |
| 32,094 216 1,786 1,256 |
|
| 35,352 | |
| 10,652 24,499 |
|
| 35,151 | |
| £35,151 |
Approved by the Trustees on 8 July 2021 and signed on their behalf by
Jackie Thomas
Date…… 8 July 2021 ………
Page 2
Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of Lone Buffalo
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Lone Buffalo Trust (the Trust) for the year ended 31 December 2020.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation 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 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 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:
-
the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act; or
-
the accounts do not accord with the accounting records; or
-
the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities [Accounts & Reports] Regulations 2008 other than any requirement to give a “true and fair” view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and 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.
Signed:
Name: Anthony S Weston Smith Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England & Wales Address: 132 Oakhill Road, Sevenoaks TN13 1NX Date: 15th July 2021