2023-03-31-accounts

Trustees' Annual Report for the period

Period start date Period end date Day Month Year Day Month Year From 1 April 2022 To 31 March 2023

Section A Reference and administration details

Charity name Friends of Kolkata Bhalobashi Foundation (KBF) Other names charity is known by Friends of KBF Registered charity number (if any) 1176527 Charity's principal address 2 Stamford Road Carrington Manchester Postcode M31 4BA

Registered charity number (if any) 1176527

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20	Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any)
	Catherine Meredith	Chair
	Monika Wiselka	Trustee
	Anke Raabe	Trustee
	Elizabeth Peppiatt	Trustee

Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees) Name Dates acted if not for whole year

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Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Type of adviser Name Address

Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

Section B Structure, governance and management

Description of the charity’s trusts

Type of governing document

Trust deed

• (eg. trust deed, constitution)

How the charity is constituted

Trust

• (eg. trust, association, company)

Appointed by existing trustees by majority vote Trustee selection methods

• (eg. appointed by, elected by)

Additional governance issues (Optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant, about:

• policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees;

• the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works;

• relationship with any related parties;

• trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them.

• “Friends of KBF” exists to support the work of “Kolkata Bhalobashi Foundation”(KBF), a charitable organisation based in Kolkata, India which runs an educational project for children from the slum area, a hospice/carehome for people who have been left to die with no one to care for them; and children’s clubs in a variety of locations. “Friends of KBF” achieves this by raising funds, providing resources and visiting/being in contact with KBF on a regular basis in order to support its leaders and assist in decision making.

• “Friends of KBF” is managed by 4 trustees as named in section A, plus 1 associate who meet at regular trustee meetings. Named trustees have the final vote on decisions, but all contribute to the discussions, perform administrative and fundraising tasks, and have contact with the leaders of KBF in India.

• Issues considered to present risk to the running of “Friends of KBF” or “KBF” in India are discussed between the two parties as soon as possible by telephone/WhatsApp call as detailed in the “Joint working agreement”, in order for a decision to be made. A special meeting may be called as detailed in the Trust Deed if required.

• In terms of policies/procedures, a signed joint working agreement is in place between the trustees of “Friends of KBF” and the leaders of “KBF” in India. A safeguarding policy and visiting policy are also in operation.

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Section C Objectives and activities

The objects of the charity are, for the benefit of people living in Kolkata and West Bengal, India:

1. The advancement of education of children who, due to disability and/or poverty are otherwise unable to access education, in particular but not exclusively by assisting in the provision of schooling including the provision of educational materials and school meals.

Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document

1. The prevention or relief of poverty, in particular but not exclusively by providing grants, items and services to individuals in need and/or charities, or other organisations working to prevent or relieve poverty.

2. The advancement of health, the relief of sickness and/or the saving of lives by supporting individuals who, due to poverty, homelessness or other factors are unable to access healthcare by assisting in the provision of medical aid, access to a care home or hospice and medical care or facilities and services not normally provided by the statutory authorities.

The above objects to be furthered by providing grants and support to Kolkata Bhalobashi Foundation (KBF) in India.

The trustees of Friends of KBF have read the Charity Commission’s public benefit guidance and have regard to this when making decisions about activities to be carried out. These must be of benefit to the people served by Kolkata Bhalobashi Foundation in India and must seek to manage any risks to their welfare as far as possible.

To this end, Friends of KBF supports and raises funds for the three main projects run by Kolkata Bhalobashi Foundation in India:

Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit)

• A school project for children from the slum and surrounding poor area whose families would otherwise be unable to afford for them to be educated. The project provides education for these children and then supports them to attend local government schools. Funding is provided for uniforms, books and admission costs, and these children continue to attend the project for support with their studies. They also receive food and clean drinking water daily at the project.

• In addition, the school project runs a class for children with disabilities and special educational needs living in the area. They receive some basic education, stimulation and physiotherapy input whilst in attendance.

• Children’s clubs run in three locations in Kolkata which seek to provide an opportunity for children from very poor backgrounds to play, socialise and learn away from the challenges and responsibilities of their everyday life.

• A hospice/care home project which provides shelter, food and basic healthcare for people who have been left to die with no one to care for them. Residents are cared for by a nurse and have weekly input from a doctor and physiotherapist. With basic care, some will recover and will then be able to move on from the care home. Others choose to remain and continue to be cared for at the care home. Those who do not recover will be allowed to die with dignity in a safe environment.

Safeguarding and Visitors policies are in place to ensure protection of the wellbeing of children and vulnerable adults served by the projects.

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Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)

1. Friends of Kolkata Bhalobashi Foundation sends money to Kolkata Bhalobashi Foundation to support the work of its projects as outlined above, on a monthly basis. The amount of money to be sent is agreed in advance between the two organisations in accordance with the “Joint working agreement”. Restricted donations must be used only for the purpose for which they have been donated. The accounts of both organisations are independently audited on an annual basis in order to ensure funds are properly used.

2. All trustees and associates of Friends of KBF are volunteers and are not paid for their time. Other volunteers may also contribute to the work by carrying out fundraising activities/events or by visiting the projects in India in order to assist with activities for the people served by the projects.

You may choose to include further statements, where relevant, about:

• policy on grantmaking;

• All visitors to the projects are supervised at all times by the leaders and staff of Kolkata Bhalobashi Foundation, and are safer recruited and vetted beforehand by the trustees of Friends of KBF, including DBS checks.

• policy programme related investment;

• contribution made by volunteers.

Section D Achievements and performance

In the financial year running from April 2022 to March 2023 normal Summary of the main activities resumed after the Covid-19 pandemic. achievements of the charity during the year Below is a summary of the work of KBF in India during this time which is fully funded by Friends of KBF in the UK. School project All classes of the KBF school have resumed. Numbers are slightly reduced after Covid as some families seem to have moved to villages during the pandemic. Children have continued to receive additional lessons in Bengali and English as well as opportunities for after school craft lessons. The children with disabilities have their own class which includes a physiotherapist to help with the children`s physical development and mobility. With ongoing support positive developments are seen in most of these children. One of them has now joined a standard class both in the

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Section D Achievements and erformance p

KBF school and a local government school. Overall, education has been provided for up to 55 children during this financial year. This has included 18 children enrolled in government schools. 3 children were new admissions to government schools in January 2023. KBF has continued to assist with a yearly ‘school starter kit’ for the children who attend government school with a set of uniform, bag and stationery to help children with their studies and integration. A grant was again received to continue to provide a physiotherapist and nutritional food for the school children. Hospice/Care Home project

After the hospice/care home moved to new premises on the outskirts of Kolkata in March 2022, positive effects of the new environment on the residents became evident. For example, the location near a lake means a better climate in summer with reduced heat. However, the cooler temperatures in winter required provision of additional warm clothing and blankets for the residents as well as boilers for warm water. This was paid for with money raised by some of our supporters when they ran the Chester marathon in support of Friends of KBF.

Children’s clubs

The main childrens club has been increasing in numbers again, after the interruptions during Covid. This childrens club sees many children attend from the local community and is a highlight of their week. Two other smaller children’s clubs also continued.

KBF Staff

As elsewhere, after the Covid pandemic there was a significant rise in inflation in India with increased pressure on cost of living. In recognition of this and after salaries had been static for a number of years, a salary increase for all long term staff of KBF was agreed from September 2022. With the end of the Covid pandemic and international flights resuming, one of the Friends of KBF trustees visited KBF in May 2022 and January 2023 respectively. Friends of KBF has continued to update supporters via letters sent by email.

Section E Financial review

We aim to keep 3 months’ worth of supporting money in reserve at all Brief statement of the times to ensure that the work of Kolkata Bhalobashi Foundation in India charity’s policy on reserves may be maintained. Details of any funds materially Not applicable in deficit

Further financial review details (Optional information)

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You may choose to include additional information, where relevant about:

• the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising);

• how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity;

• investment policy and objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted.

“Friends of KBF” raises funds via:

• a small scale child sponsorship programme, which raises monthly donations from regular sponsors, specifically for the running of the school project.

• a small scale care home sponsorship programme, which raises monthly donations from regular sponsors, specifically for the running of the care home.

• Ad hoc donations from supporters which may/may not be specified as restricted to a particular area of the work.

• Fundraising activities such as sponsored events, coffee afternoons and alternative Christmas presents.

• Applying for grants for specific purposes such as to fund a physiotherapist to work in the care home and with the children with disabilities.

Any restricted donations or grants must be spent only on the purpose for which that money has been donated. This is confirmed with the leaders of KBF in India via ongoing reporting on expenditure.

As detailed in Section C, an agreed amount of funding is sent to Kolkata Bhalobashi Foundation in India on a monthly basis in order to support the work of the projects.

Section F Other optional information

Section G Declaration

[The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above. ]

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s) Anke Raabe Full name(s) Catherine Meredith Position (eg Secretary, Chair, Chair Treasurer etc) Date 17/11/23

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CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGIAPID ANO WALES Frtendsof Kolkala BhBknb4shl FoundaNo Receipts and pa ments accounts CC16a Fortho P8FiO fyo To 01104r20 31A)3r2023 Section A Receipts and payments UDTeslwi¢ted fund$ Reslricle funds Endowment fund$ Tothl funds Laslyear Ihen•arest tolhe lolhp Hearest£ the￿￿re$l A1 R•¢¥l ts Donath)Ths GIftA 11,13B 7,29 IA¢J 0,301 3,23 28859 3,643 4fj5 3.¥411 IAVJ J,530 Inier 17 I$￿￿Jj IKomg 3.158 ss income for AR) .746 10.070 41,921 setan table, Investment sa tola Total r•¢•lpts 26.746 14075 61.5BJ A3Pa ent$ Cost 0fchart4l￿aCtiWth 32MBO 2D2 Sub tot•1 17A*B 16,664 3JM82 67.432 A4 Asset and investment Sub totsi 17.418 1s,e84 JJ,•È2 67.132 NetoffftOl￿(paY￿e￿tsj A5 Tran5fÈrs bÈtwetrM A6 Cash funds last yeatend Cash lunds thls yearend 0.328 2,171 11,499 4580 14,319 11.129 2.821J CCXX R1 ¥¢¢ounts ISSI 24111r2023

Section B Statement of assets and Ilablllties at the end of the period Unresfiicted fund5 lo REw51£ Restrlcted fvnd8 Endowmèni funds iok1È8t¢stt B1 Cash funds 11,499 2M21 Total ¢8sh funds 11,4Bg 2%21 vuDttsJ) Unrestrictsd funds R51rlGted Imnds eaYèstÉ Endowment funds tr*neaw¥tE towh￿￿ a5S¢ttelon Costlopllonal Cbrrenl Val￿￿ al B3 Invetstmènt ass•ts Fvndttswhlch a$5etbelo ¢￿Iran1¥a lonal Co5tfvpiknnal) B4 Assèts r•talned forth charity'$ own us• Fundtowhl¢h ImDunld eTrdue B5 Llabililies Signed by one ortyioliu61Ées on béh•Jlof elthelru6te8s Date ol Slgttature Print Name Catherinemèrodlh 24111r2tr23 CCXX R2 ￿t¢ountr{S$? 24111120Y6

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Sectlon A Independenl Examlner's Report Reportto the trusteesl members of Friends of Kolkata Bhalobashi Foundation (KBF) On accounts forlhe year onded 3110312023 Chailty no lif any) 1176527 Set out on pages I reportto the tmslees on my examinalion of the a¢counl$ of the above chaiily I"Ihe Trusl,) for the year ended 3110312023. Responslbllltles and As the charity trustees of the Trust. you are rEsponsible for the preparation basls of report of the accounts in ac¢oftlance with the requ1￿mentS of the Charities Act 2011 C'lhe Acr). I report in respect of my examination of the Trusl's accounts carried cwt under seclion 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination. I have followed the applicable Direclions given by the Charity Commission under section 145151{b) of the Acl. I have completed my examination. I confirm that no materi81 matters have )tne to my allenlion (other than Ihal disclosed below") in conneclion wllh the examination which gives me cause lo believe that in. any material respect.. accounting records were not kepl in accordan￿ ￿th section 130 of the Acl or the accounts do nol accord with the accounling reo)rds Independènt examinerfs statement I Iwe no conceins and have come across no other matters in connection with the examinalion to which attention should be drawn in order to enablé a proper understsnding of Ihe accounts to be reathed. . Please delete Ihe Wo￿lS in the bTrckets if they rjo not appty. Slgned: Date: Nam•: Relevant professional qualiflcatlon(s) or body (if any): Address: IER October 2018

Section B Disclosur? Only complete if the examiner needs to highlighl matlers of c(mcem (see CC32, Independent examinaljon of charity accounts= directions and guidance for eXa￿￿nerS>. Give here brlef details of any Items that the examinerv4ishes to disclose. IER October 2018