**2025**
## **SURREY MUSLIM ASSOCIATION**
## **REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
## **REGISTERED CHARITY NO: 1176291**
For the year ending the 31[st] March 2025
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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:
1. 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:
- Providing a local network groups that encourages and enables members of the community to participate more effectively with the wider community; ·
- 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.
2. To promote the efficiency and effectiveness of Islamic charities through the provision of advice and guidance, in particular but not exclusively on governance.
3. 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**
Over the past year, Surrey Muslim Association (SMA) has continued to play a vital role as a bridge between statutory services across Surrey and the Muslim community. Our work has focused on strengthening relationships, improving mutual understanding, and ensuring that Muslim voices are represented in key forums and decision-making spaces.
A key example of this has been our engagement with Surrey Police and local mosques, helping to build positive and constructive working relationships. In this context, the attacks at Epsom Mosque were deeply concerning. However, it was reassuring to see the swift and coordinated response from Surrey Police and the local council, demonstrating a clear commitment to safeguarding communities and tackling hate crime.
## **Representation and Engagement**
## **Surrey Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE)**
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Sadia Irfan continues to represent Surrey Muslim Association on the Surrey Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE). Through this role, she contributes to the development of Religious Education (RE) across Surrey and ensures appropriate representation of Islam within the curriculum. Details of all SACRE members are now publicly available on the SACRE website.
Following the Government’s publication of the final report of the Curriculum and Assessment Review, there has been renewed acknowledgement of the importance of Religious Education. The report recommends that RE be included within the national curriculum in due course, subject to consultation with relevant stakeholders.
Looking ahead, Surrey SACRE will be developing its next two-year development plan. It will also be formulating a response to the national curriculum review and considering the implications of local government reorganisation, under which current councils will be abolished in 2027 and Surrey will be divided into two new unitary authorities.
## **Supporting Refugees**
Sabrina Rambech has continued her invaluable voluntary work supporting refugee communities across Surrey. Her efforts have focused on helping refugee students to enhance their academic skills, improve English conversational abilities, and integrate more effectively through mentoring opportunities with students from St George’s College.
Almost all Syrian refugee families supported through this work are now living independently and progressing well within Surrey, seeking assistance only when needed. Despite ongoing challenges, particularly around financial and family matters, the overall progress has been encouraging.
Tutoring support has continued to be highly effective, supporting children and young people aged between 8 and 16. Many have successfully secured places at colleges and universities, and several students have graduated with excellent results. This programme has been delivered through the generous volunteering of private school students, coordinated by Sabrina Rambech in partnership with headteachers from participating schools.
## **Death Management Support**
Adeel Hussain has continued to provide support and guidance in relation to death management, keeping the Association informed of any changes to policies and procedures and offering advice to the community where needed. This remains an important area of support for Muslim families across Surrey.
## **Other Activities and Engagement**
- We have maintained active engagement with mosques across Surrey, identifying needs, sharing information, and fostering opportunities for collaboration and improvement.
- We continue to participate in the Surrey Interfaith Forum and a range of local interfaith initiatives, ensuring that the Muslim voice is well represented. This year, in particular, we have been actively involved in developing a county-wide hate crime strategy in partnership with Surrey County Council, Surrey Police, and other faith communities.
- Surrey Muslim Association continues to represent the Muslim community across social media platforms and in local and regional media, including regular engagement with BBC Radio Surrey.
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## **Conclusion**
I would like to thank all our volunteers, representatives, and partners for their commitment and dedication throughout the year. Surrey Muslim Association remains committed to serving the Muslim community, strengthening relationships across Surrey, and contributing positively to social cohesion and mutual understanding.
## **Dr Syed Abbas Naqvi**
Chairman Surrey Muslim Association
## 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 2025/26. 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 2024 this range was £13,114 based on the following years forecast and so the closing balance of £13,188 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:
· Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
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- Observe the methods and principles in the Charity SORP;
· 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.
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 2025**
## **Receipts and Payments Accounts from 01/04/2024 to 31/03/2025**
||Unrestricted Funds|Restricted Funds|Total Funds|
|---|---|---|---|
|**Receipts**|to the nearest £|to the nearest £|to the nearest £|
|Donations|134|-|134|
|**Total Receipts**|**134**|**-**|**134**|
||Unrestricted Funds|Restricted Funds|Total Funds|
|**Payments**|To the nearest £|To the nearest £|To the nearest £|
|Bank charges|60|-|60|
|**Total Payments**|**60**|**-**|**60**|
|||||
|Net movement in funds|**74**|**-**|**74**|
## **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 £|
|---|---|
||13,188
-
13,188|
K. Hashmi Trustee 9[th] January 2025
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