## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period**
From 22 January **2020** Period start date To **21 January 2021** Period end date
Charity name: **SADAKA** Charity registration number: **1171075**
## **Objectives and Activities**
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SORP
refere
nce
Summary of the Para Sadaka provides free weekly lunches and basic
purposes of the 1.17 items for those struggling financially / homeless in
charity as set Reading. Sadaka provides a place to enjoy a hot
out in its meal, hot/cold drinks and a chat, at Fairview
governing Community Centre, 90b Great Knollys Street,
document Reading RG1 7HL. Sadaka operates every
Saturday (11:30am-1:30pm). We also provide free
toiletries, secondhand books and clothing;
fruit/ambient food and sign-posting to similar
services.
However, since 17 March 2020, all public
buildings in Reading have been closed and so,
throughout the pandemic, Sadaka has had to
adapt its service to a takeaway food bag service
only, and in the outdoors as we do not have our
own premises. Sadaka has also launched a training
programme for its service users since September
2020 called StepUpwithSadaka.
CHARITABLE OBJECTS:
1) The prevention and relief of poverty and
financial hardship in greater Reading by
providing: food, clothing and basic household
items to individuals in need and supporting other
organisations working to prevent or relieve
poverty in greater reading
2) The promotion of equality and diversity for the
public benefit by promoting activities to foster
understanding between people from diverse
backgrounds and in particular, different religions.
3) The promotion of religious harmony for the
benefit of the public by:
(a) Educating the public in different religious
beliefs including an awareness of their distinctive
features and their common ground to promote
good relations between persons of different faiths;
(b) Promoting knowledge and mutual
understanding and respect of the beliefs and
practices of different religious faiths.
4) To advance Islam in greater Reading for the
benefit of the public, in particular by arranging
visits to mosques by school children to enlighten
them about the Muslim faith and by such other
means as the trustees may determine.
Pl N t S d k t t d Ch it
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SORP
refere
nce
Summary of the Para The charity has supported the relief of poverty and
main activities 1.17 financial hardship in Greater Reading by a twice
in relation to and weekly free, nutritional, warm meal service,
those purposes 1.19 provided alongside, toiletries and ambient food to
for the public those struggling financially, including refugees
benefit, in who have been accommodated in Reading during
particular, the the pandemic. We have extended our meal service
activities, to both Saturdays and Sundays. Sadaka has also
projects or launched an ESFA and ESF funded training
services programme since September 2020, called
identified in the StepUpwithSadaka It is for those service users
accounts. who wish to improve their quality of life, with an
opportunity to take up courses at local colleges in
basic skills, job-related and employability skills.
Having had to provide this service outdoors,
Sadaka trustees and volunteers have been able to
personally engage less with service users
especially due to social distancing requirements.
However, Sadaka has been able to directly refer
beneficiaries to local existing organisations to
ensure support is provided wherever it was
identified.
Reading Borough Council also supplied tons of
ambient food and fresh vegetables, fruit and meat,
during the first lockdown to local charities
including Sadaka (worth in excess of £1k). Sadaka
also continued to receive donated toiletries from
Clean Conscience and distribute these along with
the food bags.
Sadaka services are available to all beneficiaries
without judgement or bias. The charity is
privileged to have trustees members and
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**Main Activities in 2020** : Despite a challenging year of lockdowns due to COVID-19, we expanded our meal services to another group of struggling vulnerable people, i.e. refugees in Reading. In addition, we launched a year-long ESFA and ESF funded training programme for our service users in September 2020.
## **Meal services for sustenance** :
We continued with our weekly Saturday service in the outdoors, despite closure of the community centre we normally use, providing 3052 meals, and distributing 2731 bags of ambient food to those in need. We have also provided 1250 meals to refugees on Sundays, since July 2020. We served on average, 60 people every Saturday and 40-45 people every Sunday. Saturday service: Main meals were purchased by Sadaka from local restaurants, from March to August 2020. The main meal costs on average £200 and the ambient food costs £100, every week. In addition, our volunteers donated vegetarian meals, fresh fruit, snacks and dessert to complete the meals. From September 2020, Sadaka purchased only one meal a month, the rest made by our cooks or were covered by donations. We also provided masks, hand sanitiser and soap (donated by Clean Conscience) to our guests to keep them as safe as possible from COVID-19. Gift bags were also given out for Eid, Diwali and Christmas (donated by Open Text, including thermal flasks, moisturiser, scarves and choccies).
Service Expansion: Sadaka has expanded its service to Sundays, to feed the refugees temporarily placed in Reading hotels by the Home Office. This service was initially trialled for 6 months via a collaboration with Reading Red Kitchen (RRK) which manages the overall daily food provision for the refugees. During this trial period a small team of dedicated volunteers worked together to devise a cooking rota which included new chefs and new drivers to help stretch the limited budget by cooking the meals at home. During this period, we secured 27 new chefs and 9 delivery drivers; some of the chefs have now gone on to become our regular Saturday chefs too which is an incredible achievement. Collaboration: The drive to secure more active chefs and volunteers continues and the Sunday service team have recently collaborated with another charity (the Association of Asian Professionals) whom have on many occasions stepped in to help with cooking when one of our chefs was unable to cook. This relationship is of course bilateral, and we have been as helpful where there has been a gap. Our relationship with RRK too has flourished in many ways, especially with Saturday service where they have volunteered on many occasions. The collaborations are extremely important as charities rely on the generosity of time and effort of volunteers. Indeed Sadaka has become a local brand which other charities and groups are comfortable/seek to work with. We also have to acknowledge the fantastic help of RBC and New Beginnings this last year. The latter charity’s premises has been used since late September 2020 by Sadaka, as it got colder, to provide our service and mentoring for
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Training programme, StepUpwithSadaka, to
improve service users’ quality of lives:
It is a 3 stage programme, with the first stage to
Build Confidence, the second stage to provide
Preparation for the workplace including managing
stress, building personal effectiveness and
resilience and the third stage, Employability skills
like interview skills. We have enrolled students on
IT, Math and ESOL and English classes at New
Directions, a local college. There has been a lot of
interest in this ESFA and ESF funded programme.
Our aim is to be able to register 12 students, with
each completing a minimum 7 hours of training,
before progressing to further training,
apprenticeships or jobs.
Nine volunteer mentors have been trained on
Mentoring by an accredited trainer at Starting
Point and are providing support to ‘matched’
mentees. The closure of colleges due to COVID-19
is a huge obstacle to the StepUpwithSadaka
programme as the majority of our service users do
not own their own computers nor have access to
WiFi to carry on with online only classes. Due to
the commitment and enthusiasm of our volunteer
Mentors, makeshift sessions are taking place in
the outdoors, under gazebos, to run IT
assessments, English and ESOL classes on
Saturdays (11.30-1.30pm). Fortunately, five
laptops have been donated to us, to run these
makeshift classes.
Mentors will continue with this, until colleges re-
open, along with maintaining good relations and
providing support to their mentees throughout.
Courses
We have been very successful in building good
relations with local course providers/colleges like
New Directions and Earley Crescent Resource
Centre and have identified a selection of courses
to offer our service users, across the 3 programme
stages.
Unfortunately, due to the pandemic some of the
soft skills and face-to-face courses, such as
drawing, cookery, and art and crafts skills have
been suspended but most courses are still
available either remotely or after the lockdown
restrictions are lifted The most popular courses
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Statement Para N/A
confirming 1.18
whether the
trustees have
had regard to
the guidance
issued by the
Charity
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## **Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
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SORP
referen
ce
Policy on grant Para N/A
making 1.38
Policy on social Para N/A
investment 1.38
including
program related
investment
Contribution Para All volunteers devote time, effort and care to the
made by 1.38 service (meal services, training programme) with
volunteers members contributing a little more outside of
Saturday service hours to administration, training
and other efforts.
The Volunteer Committee’s main objective is to help
new volunteers navigate Sadaka’s ethos, policies
and the meal service, gain the required training
while being supported and recognised for their
efforts. It hosted a Zoom gathering during National
Volunteers Week in June 2020. The Committee chair
leads overall, one member has the responsibility to
provide clarity on governance matters and the other
on volunteer wellbeing. Sadaka has progressed in
up-skilling volunteers and members to take up
leadership roles during (Session Leaders) and
outside service hours.
The latter has included members running the
Members Committee meetings, voting on changes
to the charity’s direction including expanding its
services and devising a Members Code of Conduct.
A member has taken responsibility for organising
training; another has begun assisting the Secretary,
by taking Trustee meeting minutes and following up
on actions, since September 2020.
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The charity will continue to encourage diversity and
Other inclusion at all levels. With this in mind, a new non-
BAME trustee with a service user perspective,
joined the Board in December 2020.
It will continue to build up funds, through
fundraising (this was restricted to grant
applications and JustGiving campaigns due to
lockdown restrictions), and approaching sponsors
(Sadaka registered as a member of Connect
Reading in late financial year 2020, to access help
from its business partners in Reading), to enable
the continuation of support to those in hardship in
the local community. A very generous donation by
OpenText of £33,500 has allowed us to continue
with our expansion in a very comfortable financial
position this financial year.
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## **Achievements and Performance**
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SORP
refere
nce
Summary of Para Sadaka has served about 4,752 meals during its
the main 1.20 service in 2020, winning much satisfaction from its
achievements service users for our freshly cooked hot meals and
of the charity, for providing a warm and welcoming environment
identifying the since January 2017. This has been particularly
difference the appreciated during the pandemic due to increased
charity’s work social isolation, stress and job losses.
has made to
the Note: The charity was nominated by OpenText for
circumstances Ecclesiastical’s 12 days of Giving and the Pride of
of its Reading 2020 awards.
beneficiaries The following sections are contributed by Trustees
and any wider with operational responsibility:
benefits to
society as a Meal Sessions - Fatima Alla-Saouiki
whole. Growth in service users has resulted in the need
for more trained volunteers to lead different areas
of the Saturday meal sessions in a COVID-19 safe
manner.
Volunteers have generously donated snacks,
homemade desserts, fruits and even water bottles
which are packed along with fresh and hot main
meals, in takeaway bags.
•
–
Business and Supplies Management Shajna
Rehan
Pantry Update: The pantry supply was one of the
most difficult tasks to manage during the
pandemic, as it was dependent on the national
restrictions. We often faced quantity restrictions
on our ambient food stock or the shortage of
delivery slots from supermarkets. To manage the
supply better in the foreseeable future we have
secured a second unit at the Lok’n’Store facility,
which will be used to store ambient food only, from
late February 2021. The ambient food will be bulk
purchased at pallet quantity in order to secure
minimum 3 months supply at a time. This will
cover both Saturday and Sunday services.
We intend to re-establish our connections with
local businesses this year to drive corporate
donations and interest from local businesses. This
will later expand to supermarket and Costco’s
bakery and fresh produce donations once we
resume our normal services indoors.
We will also be promoting our work through our
branded merchandise which will be available to
purchase via our brand new website and also
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showcased at local stall exhibits.
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Para
1.20
cont’d Website/IT - Youssef Alla
A new website was designed by a volunteer with
professional website design experience together
with our digitally savvy trustee, Youssef. It was
realised that the website needed to be updated to
better promote Sadaka’s services and to gain new
volunteers and donors.
An initial version of the front-page and layout was
shared with Trustees and members for feedback in
the final quarter of the 2020 financial year. The
website is expected to be launched at the 2021
AGM on 21 March 2021. It will be linked to
Sadaka’s social media and publish content from
volunteers and about events and campaigns. An e-
commerce option is also being considered in the
next phase to promote and sell Sadaka
merchandise to raise funds.
Training update - Sofa Asghar/Joe Gibbons
The last Induction training conducted face-to-face
was in January 2020. Due to the pandemic, f2f
training could no longer be held safely. On 18 Sept
2020, Neelam Ahmed (Safeguarding Lead)
delivered an online Safeguarding Training course
to thirteen attendees made up of members and
volunteers. It covered Safeguarding Principles and
the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA).
She explained how Safeguarding Responsibility
was everyone’s responsibility in Sadaka and the
escalation process, should we suspect any
safeguarding issue. The Training was interactive
and much discussion took place.
Training
-Food Safety course - Sadaka has 35 cooks
volunteering their service. 7 volunteers completed
in 2020. Courses will be allocated to those who
need to re-take the course, which lapses after 3
years.
-Safeguarding/Professional Boundaries -
conducted for Mentors on the training programme,
by the Safeguarding Lead.
As provision of the adapted meal service, risk
reduction and governance are the priority during
the pandemic, several new volunteers have joined,
with guidance from senior volunteers, but without
having gone through a formal f2f induction. Going
forward we intend to remedy this working closely
with the Volunteer committee. The Volunteer
committee will identify individuals who need
induction training and a trustee will be nominated
to provide the training.
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**Sadaka’s Achievements:**
|||**Sadaka’s Achievement**
**s:**
1.Expansion of services-
- to a new disadvantaged group in Reading;
refugees, since July 2020
- Launched a training programme for service users
called StepUpwithSadaka (funded by ESFA and
ESF) to improve their quality of life
2.Sadaka’s frst (e-) newsletter was conceived,
developed and launched (with the help of
Reading University undergraduates) to promote
Sadaka’s work and raise awareness of the plight
of those in need in the community
2.Conference paper, ’Resilience and Health under
COVID-19’ - Chair, Sunila Lobo and a Sadaka
member, Sabine Mayeux, presented a paper at
the virtual 2nd UK conference on Food and
Poverty, ENUF2020 (23-24 June 2020). It is
based on Sadaka’s experience and the
importance of charity resilience, especially when
those most vulnerable need us the most
3.Fundraised to nearly triple 2019 income,
enabling Sadaka to expand its services to more
of
those
in
need
4. New collaborations with RRK & APB enabled
feeding of 120 people in need, every week -
nearly
250%
vs
2019
numbers
5.Employees hired, for the frst time - Sadaka
hired an Administrator and a Project
Coordinator
to
reduce
the
growing
administrative burden, which freed up Trustee &
Member time for service to the community
6.Diversifed our Board of Trustees - to refect our
community and service users, aligned with our
ethos
7.Corporate partner mega donation- OpenText
rewarded what they recognised as Sadaka's
commitment to those in need, with a £33,500
donation
(https://www.inyourarea.co.uk/news/reading-
based-charity-boosted-by-donation-as-part-of-1m-
usd-donation-to-fght-global-food-insecurity/|
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## **Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
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Achievements Para N/A
against 1.41
objectives set
Performance Para N/A
of fundraising 1.41
activities
against
objectives set
Investment Para N/A
performance 1.41
against
objectives
Other N/A
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## **Financial Review**
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Review of the Para The year 2020-2021 saw Sadaka’s financial position
charity’s 1.21 improve greatly with income increasing from
financial £23,842 last year to £63,372 this year. While
fundraising income went down considerably, it was
position at the
more than compensated by increase in Covid
end of the
related grant funding from organisations like MCKS
period Charitable Foundation, Crisis UK, Charities Aid
Foundation (CAF), Berkshire Community
Foundation and supermarket charitable
foundations. The biggest driver was a large
corporate donation from OpenText, who also
contributed generous Christmas gifts for our service
users worth just over £1400.
While expenses increased at a similar rate (from
£7,205 to £19, 059), largely due to the reduction of
donations in kind during the pandemic, the year
ended with a healthy balance of £59,500 in total.
In addition to reserves and restricted funds, 65% of
this comprised of unrestricted funds. In line with
our Financial Controls policy, trustees have agreed
to designate a portion of this to the continuation of
the training project beyond its funded by date of
August 2021 and securing a lease for premises in
the next few months.
The trustees also plan to increase the reserves as
explained below.
Statement Para Sadaka maintains free unrestricted r eserves to
explaining the 1.22 provide a level of working capital that protects the
policy for continuity of our core work, supports any
holding unexpected opportunities and covers any
reserves stating unforeseen expenditures.
why they are
held
Amount of Para Sadaka currently holds £8,000 in Reserves.
reserves held 1.22 Trustees have agreed to increase this to £10,000,
which will cover 3 months of operating costs should
the need arise.
Reasons for Para N/A
holding zero 1.22
reserves
Details of fund Para N/A
materially in 1.24
deficit
Explanation of Para There are no ongoing concerns as Sadaka enjoys a
any 1.23 comfortable financial position and sufficient
uncertainties sustainability for upcoming plans and expenditures.
about the
charity
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continuing as a
going concern
## **Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
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The charity’s Para
principal 1.47
sources of funds
(including any
fundraising)
Investment Para
policy and 1.46
objectives
including any
social
investment
policy adopted
A description of Para Attrition of volunteers, members and Trustees as life
the principal 1.46 circumstances and priorities change. COVID-19 has
risks facing the added to the loss of volunteers due to health
charity concerns. Some may return to becoming active once
risks reduce.
Other
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## **Structure, Governance and Management**
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Description of
charity’s trusts:
Type of Para Constitution document
governing 1.25
document
(trust deed,
royal charter)
How is the Para Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)
charity 1.25
constituted?
(e.g.
unincorporate
d association,
CIO)
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Trustee Para See constitution document for full details
selection 1.25
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
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## **Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
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Policies and Para Trustee training is undertaken by Reading Voluntary
procedures 1.51 Action.
adopted for the
induction and
training of
trustees
The charity’s Para Sadaka comprises a Board of (6) Trustees, with
organisational 1.51 about 40 active volunteers and 12 members, in
structure and keeping with its CIO Model.
any wider
network with Sadaka works with Street Support Network, which
which the is a partnership of charities and statutory
charity works organisations working together to end rough
sleeping and homelessness in Reading.
Relationship Para
with any related 1.51
parties
Other
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## **Reference and Administrative details**
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Charity name Sadaka
Other name the charity
uses
Registered charity 1171075
number
Charity’s principal 46 EASTERN AVENUE
address READING
RG1 5RY
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## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity**
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Name of person
Dates acted
(or body) entitled
Trustee name Office (if any) if not for
to appoint trustee
whole year
(if any)
1 Sunila Lobo Chair Voted in at last AGM
2 Zobia Kalim Treasurer From 9 Voted in by serving
August 2020 Trustees
3 Fatima Alla- Operations Voted in by serving
Saouiki Manager Trustees and last
AGM
4 Shajna Rehan Business & Voted in at last AGM
Rashid Supplies Manager
5 Youssef Alla Secretary From 3 Voted in by serving
December Trustees
2020
6 Joe Gibbons Food Safety Lead From 12 Voted in by serving
December Trustees
2020
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Two Trustees, Abid Khalid and Wahid Issa (Secretary), have resigned due to personal circumstances. Three new Trustees have been co-opted in 2020; Zobia Kalim as Treasurer, Youssef Alla has taken on the role of Secretary, while Joe Gibbons brings the service user perspective to the 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
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Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole
year
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## **Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others**
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Description of the assets N/A
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 N/A
for safe custody and
segregation of such
assets from the charity’s
own assets
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## **Additional information (optional)**
|**Additional information (optional)**|**Additional information (optional)**|**Additional information (optional)**|**Additional information (optional)**|**Additional information (optional)**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**|||||
|**Type of**
**adviser**
**Name**
**Address**|||||
||||||
||||||
||||||
||||||
|**Name of chief executive or names of senior staf members (Optional**
**information)**|||||
||||||
## **Exemptions from disclosure**
Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details
## **Other optional information**
## **Declarations**
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The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report
above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees:
Signature(s) Zobia Kalim
Full name(s) Sunila Lobo Zobia Kalim
Position (eg Chair Treasurer
Secretary, Chair,
etc)
Date 4 March 2021 4 March 2021
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DocuSign Envelope ID: 0581DCF9-4F1D-4FED-AF35-A4F8881ADF20
DocuSign Envelope ID: 0581DCF9-4F1D-4FED-AF35-A4F8881ADF20
Youssef Alla
April 20, 2021
**Independent examiner's report on the accounts**
## **Section A Independent Examiner’s Report**
**Report to the trustees/** Sadaka **members of**
**On accounts for the year** 21[st] January 2021 **Charity no 1171075 ended (if any)**
**Set out on pages** 1-2
**Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner**
The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
- examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act,
- to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act, and
- to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
- **Basis of independent** My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given **examiner’s statement** by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
## **Independent examiner's statement**
In connection with my examination, no material matters have come to my attention which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
- the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
- the accounts did 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 and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have 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.
**Date:** 28/02/2021
**Signed: Name:** Rachel Eden
1
**IER**
**Relevant professional** ACMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) **qualification(s) or body (if any):**
**Address:** Holy Brook Associates, Spaces, 9 Greyfriars Road Reading Berks, RG1 1 NU
## **Section B Disclosure**
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
2
**IER**
**Give here details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose** .
3
**IER**