## **The John Aves Education Project (JAEP)**
Charity Number 1170414
## TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24
(1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025)
JAEP has been operational since 2007. JAEP has been an independent charity since the end of November 2016. The Trustees’ annual report outlines progress made in respect to compliance and financial control, philosophy and working practices, as well as a progress update on numbers of students supported and our current financial position.
## The John Aves Education Project team
JAEP’s policy has always been to enrol Trustees and committee members with relevant experience and skills to fulfil the objects of the JAEP. This is to identify and monitor selection of suitable candidates from the Dheisheh Refugee Camp in Palestine as well as to manage efficiently and with compliance the administration of the charity.
JAEP currently has four Trustees and two committee members who join in the Board of Trustees meetings and regularly liaise ~~s~~ with the Trustees. The experience, skills and interest of the team are wide and all are mentioned here:
## Trustees:
Anne Aves is JAEP’s Chair and Treasurer. Anne is the widow of John, in whose memory JAEP was founded. Anne worked at City College Norwich from 1984 until her retirement in 2017. Her roles have included teaching, Head of Department and managing regional projects to re-engage vulnerable young people. Anne has returned to Dheisheh Camp, Al Quds and Bethlehem universities more than ten times.
Liz Magem is the secretary for JAEP’s committee. Liz has been involved in education for over 30 years. Her roles have included Head of Department at City College Norwich, a training consultant for Aviva, a principal lecturer for QA, the UK's leading learning company and 10 years as a freelancer trainer. Liz and Anne Aves have been friends for over 40 years, and through that
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friendship Liz came to know John. Liz has accompanied Anne on her visits to Dheisheh Camp in 2018, 2020 and 2023.
Nick Taylo ~~r~~ is a retired local businessman with solid financial and management skills. His companies won many local and national business awards and he brings a discipline and focus to the charity.
Ben Aves is a son of John and Anne. Ben is Director – Global Communications Strategy at The LEGO group the UK base is in London.
## Committee members
Edmund Aves is a son of John and Anne. Edmund works as a freelance photographer.
Samia Tabari is a social development expert with a focus on refugee programmes, in the Middle East. She retains professional and personal connections to the Middle East and speaks Arabic. Samia leads on JAEP’s scholarship process. She is based in Geneva.
## Compliance
We have a Trust Deed that fully complies with the requirements of the Charities Commission. We have further controls beyond our statutory obligations which are outlined in our Procedures and Policies documents. Here we outline some of our key working procedures that enable full and accountable management of our charity.
- We only commit to the funding of a student if we have sufficient funds (plus a reserve) to finance the entire duration of their course.
- **The Reserve.** We quantify the total financial commitment to our students for their entire course. To this figure we add 10% and a further £1,000. This becomes our reserve and no expenditure can dip into this amount.
- Risk Register. This is regularly updated to ensure that risk is identified, measured and minimised. If weaknesses are identified then the Procedures and Rules are amended to mitigate any identified risk.
- Data Protection. We take our responsibilities seriously and do not share any individual’s information with any other organisation except with Inland Revenue in respect to claiming Gift Aid and according to our data protection. JAEP takes all reasonable precautions to preserve the integrity of personal data and uses personal data in accordance with its Privacy Policy.
- Safeguarding Policy. Informed by attendance at a Charity Commission International Engagement Team webinar our safeguarding policy and procedures have been updated and embedded in our procedures and policies.
## Financial control & Report
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## Changes to income.
During the 2024/25 financial year our income almost doubled. The main reason was a £50,000 individual donation.
In addition, the events in 2024 to remember the 20[th] anniversary of the death of John Aves resulted in a 20% increase in standing orders to 60. Giving from SO increased by 25%
JAEP received two one off donations (GA) of over £1000 from individuals.
JAEP received £4000 from QPSW and £2000 WDP
JAEP received £6825 from Unipal.
JAEP continues to receive donations from parishes, Quaker meetings and other organisations.
After the significant number of events in 2023 – 2024 to mark the 20 anniversary of the death of John Aves JAEP purposefully did no significant fund raising in 2024-2025.
The changing political, economic, and social situation for students and impact on expenditure.
Our partners at both universities and Ibdaa Community Centre in Dheisheh have recommended that JAEP does not fund 100% of student tuition fees, to ensure that students do not rely on one source of funding. The remaining fees are paid either by the families or a government loan. Since the pandemic and then again by plummeting family incomes after 07/10/23 because there are no pilgrims, or tourists and all work in Israel is prohibited, families have struggled to pay their contribution to the fees. Students cannot graduate until the fees have been paid. Our partners at both universities update us with the outstanding fees for each student. JAEP includes these amounts in our calculations / commitments before offering scholarships to new students.
## Running of accounts.
Because of the £50,000 donation, student grants were not paid using some of our reserves.
The treasurer updates the ledgers once every month onto an Excel spreadsheet. After the bank reconciliation a copy of the account spreadsheets and bank statement is emailed to each of the Trustees to ensure that there is transparency but also to ensure that back-ups are available off site, in addition to regular on-site procedures.
At the year end we are holding £144097 in our bank accounts. £53470 is the amount already committed for grants, including reserve, this leaves us with £90627 to fund new students.
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The accounts are independently verified, and a letter of compliance issued annually.
## Selection and monitoring of students
To date, JAEP has funded eighty seven young people to achieve an undergraduate degree.
At Al Quds University (AQU) selection of new students is carried out in collaboration with the Financial Aid Department (FAD) at the University. JAEP reviews its scholarship guidance notes and application form with each university on an annual basis. The FAD uploads JAEP’s notes and form on the university’s website as part of the annual call for JAEP’s scholarship applications. At Bethlehem University (BU) the Student Finance Manager promotes the project to students from Dheisheh in need of financial aid.
JAEP Trustees and members review the scholarship applications and any supporting documents and then interview shortlisted candidates via Zoom. In 2024/25, three new AQU and 4 BU scholarships were given. This academic year universities have reopened, after being closed for the previous academic year after 07/10/2023.
In total, JAEP supported 18 students during the academic year 2024/25 (7 new and 11 continuing students). Thirteen students were studying at AQU and the remaining five were at BU.
The JAEP team continues to ensure and provide evidence that we are selecting young people who are academically able to benefit from and in need of our financial support. We further request transcripts of student results at the end of each academic year. Any student who either had poor results or did not complete the year would be contacted by JAEP for further assessment.
Unfortunately, no monitoring visit has been possible this academic year because of the security situation in the region. Studying continues to be very challenging for students and staff.
## JAEP management of the project
Trustee meetings and sub meetings throughout 2024/2025 were all in person, with the option of trustees joining via zoom. Members also have regular e- communications. JAEP does not have an office or paid staff members.
There have been no new in person or webinars offered by the Charity Commission International engagement team this year.
## Outreach and success with grant applications
We have continued to receive support from Unipal. In 2024/2025 Unipal funded three JAEP students at Bethlehem University studying nursing (2) and
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midwifery (1). Unipal have committed to fund the students for the remaining years of their course.
Quaker Peace Social Witness (QPSW) £4000 one off grant World Day of Prayer £2000 one off grant
JAEP produced a newsletter in November to over 150 supporters, the hit rate remains high at over 80%.
## The Future
JAEP will continue to look for funding opportunities.
JAEP is planning a fundraising evening on 21[st] October at Ipswich Road URC.
We look forward to the time peace returns to the area and we can resume our regular monitoring visits.
Anne Aves (Trustee)
Liz Magem (Trustee)
Nick Taylor (Trustee)
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## **JOHN AVES EDUCATION PROJECT YEAR END 31st March, 2025**
|INCOME|||**2024/25**||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|Regular Gift Aid Donations|||11,046||
|One-off Gift Aids|||4,183||
|Tax reclaim Gift Aid|||3,058||
|Other Donations|||69,123||
|Fund Raising|||136||
|St. Eds printing refund|||138||
|Bank Interest / other|||1,499||
|Cmas Cards and other sales|||3,549||
|||**£**|92,732|**£**|
|EXPENDITURE|||**2024/25**||
|Bank Charges|||0||
|Educational Grants|||44,572||
|Administration Expenses|||71||
|Fund raising|||57||
|Foreign Travel Expenses|||0||
|Other Costs squarespace &|google||259||
|Cmas /greeting cards|||2,364||
|||**£**|47,323|**£**|
||**STATEMENT of**||**FUNDS**||
|||**2024/25**|||
||**£**|**£**||**£**|
|Balance at beginning of year|||||
|Current & Busines|98,691|||112,589|
|||98,691|||
|Add Surplus (loss) for year|||||
|Income|92,732|||48,748|
|Expenditure|47,323|45,409||62,646|
**£** 144,100 **£**
Represented by Current Account Saving Account
**£** 1,276 **£** 142,821 **£** 144,097
## **2023/24**
8,276 3,544 2,931 12,236 15,594 270 1,197 4,700 48,748
## **2023/24**
0 53,938 442 5,527 0 111 2,628 62,646
**2023/24 £** 112,589
-13,898
98,691
||CHARITY COMMISSION
Independent examiner's report on the
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||Section A
Independent Examiner's Report
Section A
Independent Examiner’s Report||
|Report to the trustees
Reporttothe trustees||To
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Charity no
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||Set out on pages
Set out on
pages
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|||I report to the trustees on my examination ofthe accounts of the above
| report to the trustees on my examination ofthe accounts ofthe above|
||.|charity ("the Trust") for theyear ended
charity (“the Trust”) forthe year ended
E|
|Responsibilities and
Responsibilities and||As the charity's trustees, you are responsiblefor the preparation of the
As the charity's trustees, you are responsible forthe preparation ofthe|
|basis of report
basis of report||accounts in accordance with the requirements ofthe Charities Act 2011
accounts in accordance with the requirements ofthe Charities Act 2011|
|||("the Act").
(“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
| report in respect ofmy examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out
under section 145 ofthe 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination,
||
|||have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission
have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission|
|||under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
under section 145(5)(b) ofthe Act.|
||Independent
examiner's statement
Independent
examiner's statement|250,000 and I am_qualified to
[The charity's gross income exceed
Ing a qualified membä¯of[insert name of
undertake thyexäfiination
applicable-fisted body]].
elete [ ] ifnot applicable.
[The charity's gross income exceeded-£250,000eeto
undertake theexamination
ing a qualified
r of [insert name of
applicable Tisted body]].
Delete [ ] ifnotapplicable.|
|||I have completed my examination.
I confirm that no material matters have
come to my attention in connection with the examination-fother-than-that—
disclosed-below*) which gives me cause to believe that in, any material
| have completed my examination.
| confirm that no material matters have
come tomy attention in connection with the examination-fether-than-that-
disciosed-betow™~) which gives me cause to believe that in, any material|
|||respect:
respect:|
|||•
the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130
e
the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130|
|||ofthe Charities Act; or
ofthe Charities Act; or|
|||•
the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
e
the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or|
|||•
the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements
e
the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements|
|||concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities
concerning theform and content ofaccounts set out in the Charities|
|||(Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement
(Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 otherthan any requirement|
|||that the accounts give a 'true and fair' view which is not a matter
thatthe accounts givea ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter|
|||considered as part of an independent examination.
considered as part ofan 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
| 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.
order to enable a proper understanding ofthe accounts to be reached.|
|||* Please delete the words in the brackets ifthey do not apply.
* Please delete the words in the brackets iftheydo not apply.|
||Signed:||
||Name:
Name:||PARBARA
ANN SARGENT|
||Relevant professional
Relevant professional||AS
CC
AC.--C--C)C..,'
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QUALIFIED
AS
ACCA
ACCOUNTARWIT|
||qualification(s) or body
qualification(s) or body||
|IER
IER||1
Oct 2018
1
Oct2018|
> IER IER
(if any):
> Address: Address: (23 (74 Melton Ka West esf BnAqtnz Nottm ING ZG FE
Section Section[B] B Disclosure Disclosure Only Only[complete] complete[if] if[ the] the[examiner] examiner needs[needs] to[to][highlight] highlight[ material] material matters[matters][of] of concern concern (see (see CC32, CC32, Independent Independent examination examination[of] of charity charity accounts: accounts:[directions] directions and and guidance guidance for for[examiners).] examiners).
Give Give here here brief[brief] details details of[of] any any[items] items[that the] that the examiner wishes examiner wishes[to] to disclose. disclose.
> IER IER
> 2 2 Oct Oct 2018 2018