2024-08-31-accounts - The Oscar Romero Award Trust

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THE OSCAR ROMERO AWARD TRUST

(Registered Charity Number 1174108)

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024

THE OSCAR ROMERO AWARD TRUST

(Registered Charity Number 1174108) CHARITY DETAILS YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024

Trustees Dave Hartnett (Chair) (Appointed 1 September 2023) Matthew Quinn Dr. Ashley Beck Dennise Mitchell (resigned 13 February 2024) Julie Oldroyd Susannah Watchorn (appointed 1 September 2023) Dr. Marie Cooke (appointed 1 September 2023) Sr. Jane Livesey (appointed 1 February 2024) Andrew Hollas (appointed 1 February 2024) Co-ordinator Mugeni Sumba Patron The Most Rev. John Wilson, Archbishop of Southwark Postal Address Oakland Catholic School Stakes Hill Road Waterlooville PO7 7BW Email Address contact@romeroaward.co.uk Website www.romeroaward.co.uk

THE OSCAR ROMERO AWARD TRUST

ANNUAL REPORT

YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024

Introduction

The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 August 2024.

Objectives and Activities

The objectives of the charity are to advance the Catholic faith for the benefit of the public in accordance with the teachings of Archbishop St. Oscar Romero by encouraging the understanding and practice of that faith as it applies to the equitable relief of spiritual, moral, and material poverty by use of an accredited award system in Catholic education institutions.

The award scheme provides a framework to support schools to recognize and celebrate what they do to promote Catholic Social Teaching (CST) and challenges them to weave CST into the culture and ethos of the school by way of strategic planning, curriculum development, and practical choices.

The Oscar Romero Award is available at three levels as follows

Participator Level

The school promotes Catholic Social Teaching through charitable work or support of charities as well as having regard for human dignity and justice in its policies and practices. At this level, the school will self-assess to see what they already do and how are they living their mission as a Catholic community. Do they already take part in any social justice awareness or promotion activities?

Developer Level

The school develops resources and starts embedding Catholic Social Teaching principles in its every-day life. At this level the school community will be challenged to develop what they are already doing. The school develops an image that shows and identifies with the Church’s call to the ‘preferential option for the poor’. What impact do these activities have on the school community?

Innovator Level

The school works with other schools to promote Catholic Social Teaching and social justice is embedded in every aspect of the school’s life. At this level, the school community is challenged to become fully alive, working to promote social justice awareness in and beyond the school. The school actively engages in changing the culture of its practice and life so that all its members see it as their duty to challenge inequality wherever they see it.

In administering the charity, the trustees have complied with duty under section 17(5), Charities Act 2011, to have regard to the public benefit guidance issued by the Charity Commission.

THE OSCAR ROMERO AWARD TRUST

ANNUAL REPORT

YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024 (continued)

Achievements and Performance

The Trust has moved in the operational phase, focusing on supporting schools which have registered for the Award and promoting the Award in schools and dioceses throughout the country. At 31 August 2024, 295 schools had registered for the Award 118 schools had achieved Participator Level 25 schools had achieved Developer Level.

Archbishop John Wilson, Patron of the Trust, continues to encourage schools in his Archdiocese of Southwark to join the Award Programme. During the annual celebration of Mass at St. George’s Cathedral (Southwark) to mark the feast day of St. Oscar Romero in March 2024, Archbishop Wilson presented certificates to 15 schools that had achieved Participator Level of the Award and 10 schools that had achieved Developer Level of the Award.

Volunteer Validators are key to the delivery of individual school assessments. They assess the evidence schools submit in their applications, offer guidance on activities that schools can do to meet the threshold of each level, and can also visit schools to support them. The Coordinator provides training and support for our volunteer Validators, and is actively recruiting additional volunteers to look after the growing number of schools registering for the Award. We continue to use the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency to complete all DBS checks for all our volunteers.

Principal risks and mitigations

The trustees have identified the following as the principal risks to the achievement of the charity’s objectives:

Child protection and safeguarding

The charity has safeguarding policies and DBS procedures in place and is registered with The Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency. Safeguarding policies and procedures are evaluated every year. We have two Designated Safeguarding Leads.

Funding requirements

We aim to develop additional relationships with major donors, trusts and foundations in order to fund the next stages of our planned activities.

Volunteers to act as Validators.

At the date of this report the charity operates with one Coordinator and 10 volunteers qualified to act as Validators. As the number of registered schools increases, we need additional volunteers to work with us in these important roles.

THE OSCAR ROMERO AWARD TRUST

ANNUAL REPORT

YEAR ENDED 31[ST] AUGUST 2024 (continued)

Financial review and reserves policy

The total income of £104,460 was raised during the year (2023: £10,885). Full details are set out in notes to the accounts. The result of the year was a surplus of £77,098 (2023; a deficit of £4,270).

The charity needs to hold reserves in order to ensure a measure of resilience against unexpected costs or income shortfalls. Given the current rapid expansion of activities and making realistic estimates of time taken to secure grant funding, the trustees have determined that unrestricted funds of not less than six months’ staff costs should be held in reserve, based on the budget for the forthcoming year. At 31 August 2024 this target amounted to £15,000, and actual unrestricted reserves amounted to £ £117,402.

Future plans

In 2023 a five-year plan was prepared. The Oscar Romero Award Trust will

Promote a framework that will enable schools to reflect and promote Catholic social justice.
Develop meaningful partnerships with like-minded organizations to ensure its growth and development in promoting evangelization in schools.

To fulfill this mission, we will pursue the following goals

Build stronger relationships between Catholic schools, the Church, schools of other Christian denominations and organizations that promote Catholic Social Teaching
Strengthen programs within Catholic schools that promote Catholic Social Teaching
Deepen the identity of schools in their commitment to their faith
Develop organizational agility and competence within the Trust
Ensure sustainability through stewardship of resources.

Structure, governance and management

The Oscar Romero Award Trust is

Constituted as a Charitable Incorporated Organization (CIO), governed by its CIO constitution dated 3 August 2017 as amended 6 May 2022 and
Registered as a charity in England and Wales, number 1174108.

The members of the CIO are the trustees for the time being.

The constitution requires a minimum of three trustees and a maximum of seven trustees. It further requires that there must always be a majority of trustees who are baptized and practicing Catholics.

THE OSCAR ROMERO AWARD TRUST

ANNUAL REPORT

YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024 (continued)

Trustees are initially appointed for a term of four years and retiring trustees are eligible for reappointment. New trustees are selected for appointment having regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the charity to achieve its objectives. Trustee training is provided when required.

The Coordinator, Mugeni Sumba, is appointed by the trustees to manage the day-to-day operations of the charity with delegated authority. Mr. Sumba is employed by a school, and the charity compensates the school for Mr. Sumba’s time spent on the charity’s affairs as appropriate.

By order of the board

Dave Hartnett

Chair 12 June 2025

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT

THE OSCAR ROMERO AWARD TRUST

YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024

I report to the trustees of the Oscar Romero Award Trust on my examination of the accounts of the above Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) for the year ended 31 August 2024.

Responsibilities and Basis of Report

As the trustees of the CIO 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 CIO'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 Examiners 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 any material respect:

1) Accounting records were not kept as required by section 130 of the Charities Act; or
2) The accounts did not accord with the accounting records.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination in which attention should be drawn in this report to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Richard Solomon, FCA

30 Paines Lane, Pinner, Middlesex

12 June 2025

THE OSCAR ROMERO AWARD TRUST RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024

	2024 Total *	2023 Total *
	£	£
Income from
Grants and donations	93,000
Charitable Activities	11,460	10,550
Other income	0	335
	104,460	10,885
Expenditure on
Charitable activities	27,362	15,155
Other expenditure	0
	27,362	15,155
Net surplus/(deficit) for	77,098	(4,270)
the year
Funds at start of year	40,304	44,574
Funds at the end of year	117,402	40,304

All funds are unrestricted.

THE OSCAR ROMERO AWARD TRUST

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

31 AUGUST 2024

1 AUGUST 2024
	2024	2023
	£	£
Current assets
Cash at bank and in hand	117,402	40,304
	117,402	40,304
Current liabilities
Payables - amounts falling due within	Nil	Nil
one year
Net current assets	117,402	40,304
Net assets	117,402	40,304
Funds of the charity
Restricted funds	Nil	Nil
Unrestricted funds	117,402	40,304
Total funds	117,402	40,304

Approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by

Dave Hartnett

Chair 12 June 2025

THE OSCAR ROMERO AWARD TRUST

NOTES TO THE RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS

YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024

1. Accounting Policies

(a) Basis of preparing the financial statements

The accounts are prepared on a receipts and payments basis as permitted by Section 133 of the Charities Act 2011.

(b) Going Concern

Having reviewed the financial position and future plans for the charity, the trustees have identified no material uncertainties related to events or conditions that cast significant doubt on the charity’s ability to continue its activities for the foreseeable future. Accordingly, they continue to adopt a going concern basis in preparing the financial statements

(c) Fund Accounting

Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.

2. Trustees and employees

No trustees received any remuneration or other benefits, 2023/2024 (2022/2023 none). Trustees received re-imbursement of travel expenses as follows

Julie Oldroyd £26.30
Matthew Quinn £72.00

The CIO employed no staff in 2023/2024 (2022/2023: none).