2024
SURREY MUSLIM ASSOCIATION
REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
REGISTERED CHARITY NO: 1176291
For the year ending the 31[st] March 2024
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Surrey Muslim Association
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
For the year ending the 31[st] March 2024
Reference and Administration Details
Name of Charity
Charity registration number 1176219 Date Registered 14[th] December 2017
Principal Address
Flat 1,
Shah Jahan Mosque,
149 Oriental Road,
Woking.
GU22 7AB
Names of Trustees/ Directors
1. Dr Syed Naqvi (Chair)
2. Hafiz Saeed Hashmi (Shah Jahan Mosque) (Vice Chair)
3. Kawther A Hashmi (Secretary)
4. Rashid Laher (Elmbridge Multi Faith Forum)
This annual report is prepared to meet the requirements of the directors’ report and accounts as required by the Charity Commission.
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Objectives and Activities
Objects
The charity’s objects’ (‘Objects’) are specifically restricted to the following:
The charity’s objects are, for the public benefit:
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To promote social and financial Inclusion for the benefit of the public by working with members of the Muslim and Non-Muslim communities in Surrey who are socially and financially excluded on grounds of their ethnic origin, religion, belief or creed so as to relieve the needs of such members of the communities and assist them to integrate into society by:
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Providing a local network groups that encourages and enables members of the community to participate more effectively with the wider community; ·
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Increasing or co-ordinating opportunities for members of that community to engage with service providers so as to engage with service providers to adapt services so as to better meet the need of that community.
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To promote the efficiency and effectiveness of Islamic charities through the provision of advice and guidance, in particular but not exclusively on governance.
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The relief of charitable need amongst Muslim and Non-Muslim community in Surrey for the Public Benefit.
The Trustees have paid regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit and are confident that the charity’s intent and its performance clearly demonstrate that Surrey Muslim Association provides a public benefit.
Achievements and Performance
Chair's Report
Ramadan Initiatives
During Ramadan, we launched a dedicated resource on our website, providing information and prayer timetables from mosques across Surrey. This resource served both Muslims and non-Muslims, fostering understanding and accessibility. We collaborated with statutory organisations such as Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Trust (SABP), the NHS, and Surrey County Council, offering talks, guidance, and signposting for Muslim staff during this holy month.
Statement on Palestine
We issued a public statement condemning the ongoing violence and suffering of the Palestinian people. We urged our MPs to take decisive action to stop the genocide and uphold human rights.
Response to Summer Riots
In the wake of the summer riots, we organised a meeting with representatives from mosques and Islamic centers across Surrey. The aim was to understand their experiences, assess any security
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concerns, and provide support where needed. We also acted as a bridge between these institutions and Surrey Police and Surrey County Council, feeding into their hate crime prevention efforts.
Support for Refugees
Our unwavering commitment to supporting refugees in Surrey continues. We are particularly grateful to Sabrina Rambech, who has generously volunteered her time to assist this cause. She is supporting refugee students enhance their academic skills, improve English conversational abilities and integrate more effectively with student mentors from St. George’s College.
Representation and Engagement
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Sadia Irfan represents us on the Surrey Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE), contributing to the development of religious education and representation of Islam across Surrey.
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Adeel Hussain was appointed as our ‘death management’ lead following a detailed discussion around changes that have been enforced around death management, which will impact the time to conduct funerals and burials.
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We maintain active engagement with mosques across Surrey, identifying needs and fostering collaborative opportunities for growth and improvement.
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We participate in the Surrey Interfaith Forum and other local interfaith initiatives, ensuring the Muslim voice is well-represented.
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We continue to represent the Muslim voice on all forms of social media and local news including BBC Surrey Radio.
Youth Support Pilot Project
We are thrilled to announce a pilot project led by Harris Irfan, focusing on supporting young people with university applications, interview preparation, and CV writing through mentors. We look forward to sharing updates on this initiative in next year’s report.
Call for Volunteers
As we continue our mission to unite Muslims in Surrey and enhance our community services, we are actively seeking volunteers to join us in making a difference. If you’re interested, we would love to hear from you.
Dr Syed Abbas Naqvi
Chairman
Surrey Muslim Association
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ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES (cont'd)
Financial review
The financial position of Surrey Muslim Association continues to remain the same, and we end this year with healthy balances of restricted and unrestricted funds which are allocated to delivering the remainder of the programs which continue into 2024/25. We hold significant cash balances as our funders largely provide cash in advance of need. Debtors, which are people who owe us money or services are low, and Creditors, people to whom we owe money is minimal.
Reserves are needed to bridge the gap between the spending and receiving of income and also to cover unplanned expenditure and provide opportunities for investment in new activities. Our reserves policy gives the ideal range for unrestricted reserves of between 3 and 6 months unrestricted operating costs. As at the end of March 2023 this range was £13,844 based on the following years forecast and so the closing balance of £13,114 is in line with what was expected, and the Trustees have agreed a plan to fundraise to the desired level in the following two years.
The principal uncertainty for the continued operation of Surrey Muslim Association is the lack of secured mid to long term funding, however, several multiyear grants are being looked into and on this basis the Trustees are of the view that the Surrey Muslim Association is a going concern.
Structure, Governance and Management
The Charity is constituted as a Company Incorporated Organisation. The Directors of the Company are also Trustees of the Charity. Eligibility for membership of the Charity and membership of the Board of Trustees is governed by the Constitution. There are no restrictions on the operation of the Charity or on its investment powers, other than those imposed by general Charity law.
Trustees are appointed in consultation with the members of Surrey Muslim Association and given a formal induction by the Chair of the Board.
Statement of responsibilities of the Trustees
The Charities Acts require the Board of Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity as at the end of the financial year and of the surplus or deficit of the charity. In preparing those financial statements the Board is required to:
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Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
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Observe the methods and principles in the Charity SORP;
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Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
· Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will not continue on that basis.
The Trustees are responsible for maintaining proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with both charity and company law. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
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The Trustees are also responsible for the contents of the Trustees’ report, and the responsibility of the independent examiner in relations to the Trustees’ report is limited to examining the report and ensuring that, on the face of the report, there are no inconsistencies with the figures disclosed in the financial statements.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
The charity’s trustees (who are also the directors of the company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements. The trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act). The charity’s gross income did not exceed £25,000.
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Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31[st] March 2024
Receipts and Payments Accounts from 01/04/2023 to 31/03/2024
| Unrestricted Funds | Restricted Funds | Restricted Funds | Total Funds | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Receipts | to the nearest £ | to | the nearest £ | to the nearest £ |
| Donations | 208 | - | 208 | |
| Total Receipts | 208 | - | 208 | |
| Unrestricted Funds | Restricted Funds | Total Funds | ||
| Payments | To the nearest £ | To the nearest £ | To the nearest £ | |
| Energy project | - | 708 | 708 | |
| Expenses | - | 170 | 170 | |
| Bank charges | 60 | - | 60 | |
| Total Payments | 60 | 878 | 938 | |
| Net movement in funds | 148 | 878 | 730 |
Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Cash at bank | Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds Total Funds To the nearest £ To the nearest £ To the nearest £ |
|---|---|
| 13,014 5,000 13,114 |
K Hashmi Trustee 26[th] December 2024
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