2025-03-31-accounts - Lucy’s UK Donkey Foundation

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Lucy's UK Donkey Foundation CIO

TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT AND ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT

for the year ended 31 March 2025

UK Registered Charity No. 1174959 www.lucysdonkeyfoundation.org.uk

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Lucy’s UK Donkey Foundation March 2025
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Reference and Administration page .............................................................................. 1
Trustee Annual Report .............................................................................................. 2-8
Independent Examiners Report .................................................................................... 9
Receipts and Payments Summary of Financial Activities .............................................. 10
Statement of Assets and Liabilities ............................................................................. 11
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Lucy’s UK Donkey Foundation March 2025
REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATION PAGE
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||| |---|---| |Trustees:|Mr James Duck| |Mrs Sian Wedgbury| |Mr John Wedgbury| |Mrs Rhona Duck| |Charity No:|1174959| |Registered office:|1-7 Station Road| |Crawley| |West Sussex| |RH10 1HT| |Independent Examiners:|Darren Harding ACA FCCA DChA| |Richard Place Dobson Services Limited| |1-7 Station Road| |Crawley West Sussex| |RH10 1HT|

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March 2025

Lucy’s UK Donkey Foundation

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

The Committee presents its report and the financial statements for the year ended March 2025.

LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE

The Charity is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation governed by a Foundation Model Constitution dated 3 October 2017. The Charity is registered with the Charity Commission under registration number 1174959.

PRINCIPLE ACTIVITIES AND OBJECTIVES

To promote a humane behaviour towards animals by providing appropriate care, protection, treatment, and security for animals which are in need of care and attention, by reason of sickness, maltreatment, poor circumstances, or ill usage.

To educate the public in matters pertaining to animal welfare in general and the prevention of cruelty and suffering among animals by the support of the charitable work of Lucy’s Sanctuary for Holy Land Donkeys.

The trustees have paid due regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the charity should undertake.

ORGANISATION

The organisation is run by the trustees, helped by volunteers all of whom are unpaid.

The charity financially directly supports a donkey sanctuary in Israel (Lucy’s Sanctuary for Holy Land Donkeys).

It pays for the upkeep of the animals and the premises as well as partly financing volunteers/part time workers who have accommodation on site at the sanctuary, as part of their package. In addition, it pays Lucy Fensom’s husband, Adi Zahor, to act, for the time being, as the manager. He is paid by the charity via an agency in order to comply with Israeli law. All this enables somebody to be on site most of the time, and for things to be as flexible as possible. Lucy Fensom is an unpaid volunteer. With rising costs for local accommodation, the trustees have, this year, agreed to pay the rent increases for Adi and Lucy.

The trustees would like to whole heartedly thank Lucy Fensom, her husband Adi, and all the volunteers in Israel for the huge amount of incredibly backbreaking, exhausting work they do day and often night, at the sanctuary. The work is both

Lucy’s UK Donkey Foundation

March 2025

physically and emotionally exhausting and can only be described as a dedicated labour of love and compassion. The Hamas- Israel war has continued to make things extremely difficult in every way and they have very much had to go the extra mile emotionally this past year.

The charity tries to keep costs to a minimum, and so has no physical office, but relies on unpaid trustees and volunteers in the UK to fulfil certain roles. The trustees and volunteers often contribute to some of the costs themselves. This year admin costs have amounted to 3% of income which means that 97% of money raised goes to support the work of the sanctuary directly. The 3% is for mandatory costs such as insurance, regulator/independent examiner fees, bank and pay pal charges and website costs.

Apart from the first charity trustees, every trustee must be appointed by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees.

REVIEW OF ACTIVITIES

1) Overall Note

This year has again been a particularly difficult year due to the Hamas – Israel war. Access has still been denied by the authorities to the West Bank which again means the outreach clinics have not been able to take place.

The sanctuary has been able to respond to what has been happening by helping to provide a home for cats that have been rescued from Gaza (see below paragraph 4). The landlord will not accept any more dogs.

Over the years the sanctuary has proven time after time, that there is nothing unusual about Jews and Arabs working side by side for the sake of our animals. Despite the restrictions, and thanks to the efforts of a Christian Arab lady, the sanctuary was able to receive a young Arabian foal who was really not in a good way (see paragraph 4).

2) General Costs

Currently at the end of the year we are supporting the care of 49 donkeys (20 female and 31 male), 2 male horses, 4 sanctuary guard dogs and about 45 cats.

Examples of general everyday annual sanctuary costs were:

Food (hay and oats) = £ 3696, very close to last year’s prices which was a Jubilee year (prices were higher than normal due to the shortage). The weather at the beginning of the year has meant a reduced yield so that prices have not come down, which would have been expected.

Rent, Water and electricity = £ 1076, almost the same as last year.

Sawdust for bedding = £706, £30 more than last year.

Lucy’s UK Donkey Foundation

March 2025

Material and labour for the year = £7381 compared to £21,649 last year. This year the drainage was sorted out. Last year the boundary fence was replaced.

3) Sanctuary matters

The new flood defences have been built but this Spring has been much dryer, so they have not been tested.
New feeding containers have been made by Adi to keep the hay bales off the ground and so not waste so much food. A US supporter paid for the containers which were then adapted.

The new feeding containers.

4) Rescues and medical needs

We were able to help rescue a little 10-week-old horse which we called Danny. He came from a West Bank Palestinian village near Bethlehem, where he had been abused, injured and neglected. Even though he is, at least in Br part, of the Arabian breed, which should incidentally make him ‘valuable’, he had sustained a significant injury to his eee eS7 el A2 ‘ > = lower, right back leg, which was left ee ; untreated, resulting in him being forced to walk on his fetlock. At first, we were is — x a unsure whether he may have been born with a deformity or whether it was an ORs e injury, but our vet confirmed that it was a result of severed ligaments that had likely happened at least a month Danny previously. He prescribed antiinflammatory medicine along with some physiotherapy and rest.

Lucy’s UK Donkey Foundation

March 2025

All the animals need regular worming every 4 months as well as tending minor injuries. Eyes are routinely cleaned, and anti-fly ointment put on, legs are routinely sprayed with anti-fly ointment, and all animals are regularly groomed.
We now have approximately 45 rescued cats living around the site of the sanctuary in perfect harmony with the donkeys. Most of the cats we have were found within Gaza by IDF soldiers, and also the south of Israel in areas near military bases. A few have also come from the north of the country as well as other areas. A special large enclosure was built where each cat spends the first month or so, before being released. They have a constant supply of dry food and fresh water at the sanctuary, and of course plenty of wonderful, comfortable places to sleep. All female cats are spayed, and all males are neutered before they come to the sanctuary. A local man called Erez helps us a lot: He himself does the collection of cats and delivers them to the sanctuary. He covers the costs of spay/neuter operations, any cat related veterinary needs, food and he also paid for the cat’s enclosure.

5) Outreach

It has not been possible to conduct outreach clinics because of the war.
Despite the war some low-level outreach has still been carried out with the rescue of Danny (see above).
We were very pleased to have a really lovely group of school children come to visit the sanctuary on 27th March. They came from En Iron school near Pardess Hanna, as part of a school volunteering project. They were brilliant, adored all the animals and made themselves very useful grooming donkeys, giving lots of love and cuddles to all our animals. We hope to be able to continue with these sorts of visits on a regular basis.

Lucy’s UK Donkey Foundation

March 2025

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School visit
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6) Veterinary Activity

In July Joey was found dead in the stables and after examination by the vet it was realised that he had been bitten by a venomous snake whilst lying down.
The vet came out 4 times to give out medication.

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Joey
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7) Farrier

The farrier came four times over the year, to tend to up to 53 animals each time, at a total cost of £1830.

8) Staff

During the year there have been on average 2 or 3 part time staff/ volunteers on site, managed by Adi who lives off site.
Issa has been with us for 8 years.
Eyal and his donkey Chips has been with us for nearly 2 years.
Elias has joined the team.

March 2025

Lucy’s UK Donkey Foundation

9) Update on issues faced last year

To seriously explore further, a possible link with a local charity. Despite making contact with the charity, and them visiting, it had not been possible to make progress. Other charities have been contacted but they will only support projects and not sanctuaries. We continue to explore possibilities.

The flood defences have been built.

The use of a special bulletin has helped to raise awareness, and give feedback from supporters so our financial situation was improved.
We have yet to try and get better use GAYL (Give as You Live) to raise awareness and generate income.
Work has continued to upgrade the website to raise awareness and increase giving and should go live soon.

10) Forthcoming issues

To continue trying to develop links with charities for either short term or long term support and co-operation

To finish the new website and develop a digital fundraising strategy.

11) Fundraising

We are very grateful for all those supporters who give regularly, as well as those who have made much bigger one-off donations often in response to urgent need.

Funds are raised primarily by supporters giving directly through the charity bank accounts or through Pay Pal, Go fund Me or GAYL.
Gift aid has proved a valuable source of income but less than 40 supporters at present gift aid.

One supporter puts a donation box in a shop.

The charity produces 3 newsletters a year. It is paid for privately by volunteers and supporters give stamps to save costs. To supplement this, if needed, a short bulletin can be sent out by email and a reduced mailing list if there is an urgent need.

12) Financial Review, Reserves and Risk Management

(a) Net incoming resources for the period amounted to £27,845 as shown on page of the financial statements. All of the charity’s assets are held in the furtherance of the charity’s objectives and are adequate and sufficient to meet the charity’s needs.

Lucy’s UK Donkey Foundation

March 2025

(b) It is the policy of the charity to maintain unrestricted funds, that is free reserves of the charity at a level that will enable the charity to continue its operations while it looks for alternative funding if it suffers a significant reduction in income.
(c) The committee has identified the major risks to which the charity is exposed and has produced a Risk assessment policy to put systems into place to mitigate those risks. This policy will be regularly reviewed by the trustees and updated when necessary.

Trustees

The following trustees have served throughout the year and up to the date of signing the financial statement:

Mr James Duck (appointed 14 July 2022)
Mrs Sian Wedgbury (appointed 7 September 2022)
Mr John Wedgbury (appointed 7 September 2022)
Mrs Rhona Duck (appointed 15 January 2024)

Signed on behalf of the Trustees:

……………………………………………………

Trustee: (name)

Date:

Lucy’s UK Donkey Foundation

March 2025

INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF LUCY’S UK DONKEY FOUNDATION FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025.

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2025 which are set out on pages 10-11.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity’s trustees 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 charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 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:

accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
the accounts do not accord with those records.

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

Darren Harding ACA FCCA DChA

Richard Place Dobson Services Limited

1-7 Station Road

Crawley West Sussex RH10 1HT

Dated : 16 December 2025

March 2025

Lucy’s UK Donkey Foundation

RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

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||||| |---|---|---|---| |Unrestricted|Total|Total| |Funds|Funds|Funds| |Year ended|Year ended|Year ended| |2025|2025|2024| |£|£|£| |Income from:| |Donations|124,197|124,197|91,862| |Charitable Activities (Gift Aid)|9,995|9,995|9,665| |Interest|251|251|326| |Total Received|134,443|134,443|101,853| |Expenditure on:| |Donations for Support of Sanctuary|104,198|104,198|117,864| |Fundraising| |Support Costs|2,400|2,400|2,473| |Total Paid|106,598|106,598|120,337| |Reconciliation of Funds| |Net Income|27,845|27,845|(18,484)| |Funds at 1 April 2024|32,572|32,572|51,056| |Funds at 31 March 2025|60,417|60,417|32,572|

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Lucy’s UK Donkey Foundation

March 2025

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES AS AT 31 MARCH 2025

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||||| |---|---|---|---| |Unrestricted|Total|Total| |Funds|Funds|Funds| |2025|2025|2024| |£|£|£| |Assets:| |Bank and Cash|60,417|60,417|32,572| |Bank and Deposit Accounts|60,417|60,417|32,572| |Net Assets:|60,417|60,417|32,572|

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Liabilities:

At the year end the following estimated liabilities existed (all to be paid from unrestricted funds).

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|||| |---|---|---| |2025|2024| |£|£| |Accruals|1,602|1,575| |1,602|1,575|

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This Financial Report for the year ended 31[st] March 2025 was approved by Lucy’s UK Donkey Foundation and signed on its behalf by John Wedgbury.

Date:

NOTE:

These accounts have been prepared on the receipts and payments basis as permitted by, and in accordance with, the Charities Act 2011.