Trustees' Annual Report for the period
Period start date Period end date Day Month Year Day Month Year From 06 04 2021 To 05 04 2022
Section A Reference and administration details
Charity name AFRICAN HOSPITAL LIBRARIES Other names charity is known by AHL
Registered charity number (if any) 1170968
| Charity's principal address | 56, ELMS DRIVE, |
56, ELMS DRIVE, |
|---|---|---|
| OXFORD | ||
| Postcode | OX3 0NL |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole **year ** |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claire Blacklock | |||||
| Alexander Blacklock |
|||||
| Edward Carberry | Resigned from post 11.7.22 |
||||
| TraceyLumsden | |||||
| Stephanie (Stevie) Russell |
Resigned from post 31.1.23 |
||||
| Rhys Whelan | Startedpost 25.4.22 | ||||
| Fatmata Kanjia Jalloh |
Started post 5.3.22 | ||||
| Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees) | |||||
| Name | Dates acted if not for whole year | ||||
| n/a |
Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
| Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) | Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) | Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) |
|---|---|---|
| Type of adviser Name Address |
||
| n/a | ||
| Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information) | ||
Section B Structure, governance and management
Description of the charity’s trusts
Type of governing document (eg. trust deed, constitution)
Constitution
TAR
March 2012
1
Charitable Incorporated Organisation How the charity is constituted (eg. trust, association, company)
Trustee selection methods
Appointment by existing Trustees
(eg. appointed by, elected by)
Additional governance issues (Optional information)
You may choose to include additional information, where relevant, about:
-
policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees;
-
the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works;
-
relationship with any related parties;
-
trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them.
Ongoing development of improved organisational and governance processes
During this reporting period, African Hospital Libraries participated in the THET Health Partnerships Capacity Development Programme, which commenced in April 2021 (18-month duration).
This programme has provided us with a rich team learning experience, from online interactions with experienced teachers and peers from other health partnerships. Most importantly the programme has provided us with a structured platform to work through some of our organisational governance processes as a team, with two participants from the AHL
board of trustees in the UK, and three members of staff in Sierra Leone. This has given us opportunity for important reflection and discussions, and we have begun the process of making improvements and reforms as a result.
We drafted an organisational risk register, and we are continuing to develop this and related organisational policies. In addition, we conducted a SWOT analysis and a whole-team vision scoping exercise.
We were delighted to appoint our first Sierra Leone trustee during this reporting period and have been reflecting on how we can improve our internal governance structures.
Assets
African Hospital Libraries supports the set-up and running of hospital libraries in Makeni, Bo and Kenema Government Hospitals, in addition to three link-up libraries in Makeni School of Clinical Sciences, the Department of Community Health Sciences (University of Sierra Leone) and Princess Christian Maternity Hospital/ Ola During Children’s Hospital in Freetown.
AHL has Memoranda of Understanding with all partners (for example Hospital Management Teams) representing the institutions where the libraries are situated. The MoUs set out the parties involved and their roles and contributions. The libraries are entities within themselves, and as such assets within a specific library are the property of that library. The assets are therefore not owned by the hospital, but by the library. Likewise, AHL does not therefore own these assets, but instead they are the property of the library. This is reflected on our CC16a form, to show that no assets belong to AHL. However, AHL does maintain an oversight role in the ongoing stewardship and replenishment of library assets, particularly in the libraries at Bo, Makeni and Kenema Government Hospitals.
Section C Objectives and activities
Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document
TO ADVANCE EDUCATION FOR CLINICIANS AND HEALTHCARE STUDENTS BY FACILITATING ACCESS TO CLEAR, RELEVANT, UP-TODATE, LIFESAVING HEALTH INFORMATION IN SUCH WAYS AS SHALL BE THOUGHT FIT, REGARDLESS OF GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION, RELIABLE ELECTRICITY SUPPLY, OR TECHNOLOGY AND DISSEMINATING ACCURATE HEALTH INFORMATION CONTRIBUTING TO QUALITY PATIENT CARE, CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND STRENGTHENING HEALTH SYSTEMS.
TAR
March 2012
2
Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit)
Activities of African Hospital Libraries overlap in their fulfilment of the objects of the charity. Activities within the reporting period are summarised below, under the following headings: 1. Communication and travel 2. Skills development within team 3. Shipments of books 4. Makeni Hospital Library and Resource Centre 5. Bo Hospital Library 6. Kenema Hospital Library 7. Link-up libraries 8. Fundraising and support 9. Volunteers 1) Communication and travel There were no in-person visits to Sierra Leone by UK trustees during this reporting period. This was in part due to remaining travel restrictions associated with the covid-19 pandemic. However, communication between the UK and Sierra Leone has strengthened over the reporting period in the following ways: • Continuation of regular WhatsApp and email communications • Participation in regular online interactive learning workshops together, as part of the THET Health Partnerships Capacity Development Programme (zoom) • Monthly staff meetings, attended by chair of board of trustees (zoom) • Initiation of monthly Chair of board of trustees – Country Coordinator meetings (zoom) • Remote appraisal for new member of staff by chair of board of trustees (zoom) • Annual General Meeting for all staff in Sierra Leone (with zoom attendance by UK chair of board of trustees during second day session). • Appointment of new trustee based in Sierra Leone (March 2022) – active in next reporting period 2) Skills development within team • During the reporting period we have continued to invest in the professional development of staff and trustees, for example in the following ways: o Appointment of professionally qualified librarian in Sierra Leone. This has enhanced the skills of the team in Sierra Leone and has led to innovations. This new member of staff has conducted support visits to all AHL-supported library sites, to support and guide staff. o Participation in the THET Health Partnerships Capacity Development Programme, funded by UKAID. Health Partnership Capacity Development Programme - THET (see above section) o Continuation of AHL support for BSc degree of Bo Library Administrator, with successful graduation in May 2022 with Batchelor of Science in Business Administration (Procurement and Logistics). o Successful registration to participate in Research4Life MOOC by five members of AHL staff in Sierra Leone (participation in next reporting period). o Renewal of AHILA membership. o Member of AHL staff from Bo Hospital Library gave online PowerPoint presentation alongside trustee at a company event of a UK donor. This was a great learning opportunity to prepare and deliver a presentation to an international
TAR
March 2012
3
audience.
-
Increasingly skilled staff in Sierra Leone have been supported to undertake outreach visits to training facilities outside of the immediate catchment of their libraries, to build relationships and to promote the resources in the libraries. They have been supported to take initiative when building new local partnerships.
-
Staff in Sierra Leone formed a collaborative relationship with WHO office in Sierra Leone and received a donation of highquality new books for the libraries.
-
Induction of new trustees (in next reporting period)
3) Shipments
- One shipment of educational books and computer equipment was made by UK trustees to Sierra Leone during this reporting period. The majority of these were books donated by the BMA Information Fund.
4) Makeni Hospital Library
-
During this reporting period, the purpose-built Resource Centre at the Makeni Government Hospital site was opened to members of staff and students at the hospital to use, following its official opening in March 2021. The new Resource Centre replaced the tiny previous library space, and now offers two study halls, office space, and toilet facilities. AHL paid for the construction costs of the Resource Centre, with water, electricity and land provided by the hospital management team.
-
With the increased space, use of the library by staff and students increased during this reporting period, and the new Librarian also conducted computer training classes in the group study hall.
-
A new professional librarian started working for AHL (based at Makeni Resource Centre) during this reporting period. This was a newly developed role, and the new Librarian has brought innovations to the team.
-
AHL continues to support the Makeni Library Administrator’s salary and the Makeni Library Assistant’s salary, the costs associated with shipping and transporting books, and the day-to-day library consumables, etc. AHL pays for a Library Coordinator to support all AHL-run and AHL link-up libraries in Sierra Leone. AHL supports the salary costs of the new Librarian, which are partly sponsored by AnatomyStuff.
-
The new Resource Centre was the site for the 2021 AHL staff Annual General Meeting.
-
5) Bo Hospital Library
-
During this reporting period renovations to the entrance walkway to the library were made due to disrepair.
-
The disrepair of the library led to vulnerability to break-ins (see last annual report) and damp problems in the rainy season. Since we have not yet successfully gained funding for building a Resource Centre at the hospital, significant renovations were made to the current library space in the next reporting period.
-
Bo Hospital Library continues to be very well-used by hospital staff and healthcare students from surrounding training facilities.
-
Staff at Bo Hospital Library have continued to conduct regular outreach to the large training institutions in Bo and the surrounding area.
-
Bo staff excelled in academic achievement and self-motivated working during this reporting period, including completing the final year of his BSc, forming a relationship with WHO SL Office, giving an
TAR
March 2012
4
| • • 6) • • • • • 7) • 8) • • • • • • |
online presentation to an international audience, participating in the THET programme and actively looking for funding opportunities for construction of a Resource Centre. AHL continues to support the Bo Library Administrator and Library Coordinator (based in Bo) salaries and professional development activities. During this reporting period the salary costs of the Bo Library Administrator became sponsored by Oxford Pharamagenesis. The costs associated with shipping and transporting books, and the day-to-day library consumables, etc. have continued to be met by AHL. Bo Hospital Library hosted a short-term student intern on placement from a local business training school. Kenema Hospital Library AHL has supported the following renovations at Kenema Hospital Library during this reporting period: - Air conditioning - New signage to the exterior of the library building Kenema Hospital Library has been continuing its provision of library services to hospital staff and students from the adjacent Eastern Polytechnic. A list of requested books from library users and faculty of the Eastern Polytechnic were proactively collated by the Kenema Library Administrator. This was used to form the basis of an application to the British Medical Association Information Fund, for books, particularly relating to nutrition. These books were successfully shipped to the library during this reporting period. AHL employs a Library Administrator to run the operations of the library, and pays for library consumables, furniture, shipping of books etc. The Kenema Hospital Library Administrator has received peer support from the Library Administrator in Bo and the Librarian in Makeni. Link-up libraries During this reporting period, AHL has continued to support the link-up libraries at Makeni School of Clinical Sciences, Department of Community Health, Fourah Bay Campus, and Princess Christiana Maternity Hospital/ Ola During Children’s Hospital (PCMH/ODCH) joint library service, through contact with staff, and monitoring activities. In addition, books donated by the BMA Information Fund were shipped to the library service at PCMH/ODCH. Fundraising and support In the reporting period, a trustee organised a fundraising cycle ride, and a volunteer (who is now a new trustee, appointed end of April 2022) undertook a sponsored run. We gratefully received co-sponsorship for the new Professional Librarian role from AnatomyStuff, and sponsorship for the Bo Library Administrator’s salary from Oxford Pharmagenesis. We continue to benefit from donations of books from the Oxford Book Transplant scheme, Book Aid International, and the BMA Information Fund. We were the grateful recipients of a donation from the Souter Foundation. We continue to be supported by the generosity of several committed individuals, who give to AHL regularly through standing order. We applied for funding to enable construction of a Resource Centre in Bo, which was unfortunately unsuccessful. |
|---|---|
TAR
March 2012
5
-
9) Volunteers
-
We continue to benefit from IT support from a long-standing volunteer.
-
We have also received support with fresh thinking regarding IT from a volunteer.
Declaration
Trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit
Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)
You may choose to include further statements, where relevant, about:
-
policy on grantmaking;
-
policy programme related investment;
-
contribution made by volunteers.
Section D Achievements and performance
Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year
Main achievements:
-
Continued partnership with healthcare and educational institutions in Sierra Leone
-
• Increasingly responsive services, initiated and led by AHL library staff.
-
• 1626 borrowing episodes across the three libraries in Bo, Makeni and Kenema Government Hospitals, with an additional 1044 readers in the libraries.
-
• Opening of the new purpose-built resource centre at Makeni Government Hospital for library users
-
• Commencement of the new AHL post of professionally qualified librarian
-
Commencement of the THET Health Partnership Capacity Training Programme by five members of the AHL team
-
• Shipment of books from the UK to Sierra Leone
-
• Enhanced remote communication between the UK and Sierra Leone via zoom
-
Appointment of the first AHL trustee in Sierra Leone
Section E Financial review
Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves
Reserves Policy: AHL aims to hold the equivalent of two months’ salary costs in reserves in respect of library staff.
TAR
March 2012
6
Details of any funds materially N/A in deficit
Further financial review details (Optional information)
You may choose to include additional information, where relevant about:
-
the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising);
-
how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity;
-
investment policy and objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted.
Please see note in section B regarding assets.
Breakdown of money spent in Sierra Leone
In addition to the CC16a form, here is a breakdown to show how the money transferred by AHL to Sierra Leone was spent:
-
Salaries = 76.5%
-
Internal travel costs = 8.2%
-
• Consumables and equipment = 10.8%
-
• Other = 4.5%
Each library has its own registered bank account in Sierra Leone.
Section F Other optional information
Section G Declaration
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature(s)
Alexander Blacklock Full name(s) Claire Blacklock Position (eg Secretary, Chair, Co-Founder and Trustee Co-Founder and Trustee etc) Date 23.01.23
TAR
March 2012
7
| AFRICAN HOSPITAL LIBRARIES | AFRICAN HOSPITAL LIBRARIES | AFRICAN HOSPITAL LIBRARIES | 1170968 | 1170968 | 1170968 | CC16a | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| For the period from |
Period start date 06/04/2021 |
To | Period end date 05/04/2022 |
||||
| Section A Receipts and payments | |||||||
| A1 Receipts | Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ 19,735 - - - - - - - 19,735 - - - 19,735 285 17,779 - - - - - - 18,064 - - - 18,064 1,671 3,934 5,605 |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ 1,991 - - - - - - - 1,991 - - - 1,991 - 1,755 - - - - - - - 1,755 - - - 1,755 236 1,000 1,236 |
Endowment funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
Total funds to the nearest £ 21,726 - - - - - - - 21,726 - - - 21,726 285 19,534 - - - - - - - 19,819 - - - 19,819 1,907 |
Last year to the nearest £ |
||
| Donations | 19,735 | 32,354 | |||||
| - | - | ||||||
| - | - | ||||||
| - | - | ||||||
| - | - | ||||||
| - | - | ||||||
| - | - | ||||||
| - | - | ||||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) |
19,735 | 32,354 | |||||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
|||||||
| - | |||||||
| - | - | ||||||
| Sub total | - | - | |||||
| Total receipts A3 Payments |
|||||||
| 32,354 | |||||||
| Fund Raising | 285 | 445 | |||||
| Charitable Activities | 17,779 | 34,994 | |||||
| - | - | ||||||
| - | - | ||||||
| - | - | ||||||
| - | - | ||||||
| - | - | ||||||
| - | - | ||||||
| **Sub total ** | 18,064 | 35,439 | |||||
| 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 |
|||||||
| 35,439 | |||||||
| 1,671 | 236 | - | 1,907 | - 3,085 | |||
| - | - | - | |||||
| 3,934 | 1,000 | - | 4,934 | 8,019 | |||
| 5,605 | 1,236 | - | 6,841 | 4,934 |
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
04/02/2023
1
| Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Categories Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees B5 Liabilities B3 Investment assets B2 Other monetary assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B1 Cash funds |
Details Details Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Bank account Details Details Details Alexander Blacklock Signature Claire Blacklock |
Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ 5,605 1,236 - - - - 5,605 1,236 OK OK Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - - - - - Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) - - - - - Print Name CLAIRE BLACKLOCK ALEXANDER BLACKLOCK |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| OK | |||
| Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| When due (optional) |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Date of approval |
|||
| Claire Blacklock | CLAIRE BLACKLOCK | 23.01.23 | |
| Alexander Blacklock | ALEXANDER BLACKLOCK | 23.01.23 |
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
04/02/2023
2