## **THE BAKAU COMMUNITY PROJECT** **Charity # 1177933** **ANNUAL REPORT as of 31[st] MAY 2021** ## **Registered Address** **6 Ashton Close, Swindon SN25 2AH** ## **WHO WE ARE** Our aim as **The Bakau Community Project** is to provide a safe, healthy and functional learning environment with readily available resources for the children of Bakau because we believe that the future prosperity of our community depends on the quality of education we give to the children of today. The Bakau School Project is a community outreach initiative created and sponsored by the school’s alumni. Bakau Primary School was built in 1947 during the Colonial Gambia, it has been administered by various Head Masters, hundreds of teachers and attended by thousands of pupils. The primary school has provided an excellent curricula and lasting social networks for many Gambians who will forever cherish their early childhood friendships and memories. Below are snapshots of the current state of some of the buildings when we started working with the school. This is where children used to have their lessons. We aim to raise funds through direct one-off donations from the alumni of the school or anyone who loves Bakau or believes in the gift of education. We are also soliciting pledges of regular monthly contributions from our members. Our third strategy is to organize community based fundraisers in different towns. Our final strategy is to approach other charities or institutions to help support our noble cause. We haven’t started on the strategy yet because we wanted to complete the initial project first to enable us to showcase our work. ## **WHY DO WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT?** Our aim is to make our community a better place to live however; the progress and accomplishment of our intentions depends on the generosity of donors like you. Your participation and support of this project will add great value to the entire Bakau Community; your generous contributions will provide the students the foundation they need to achieve their academic potential. ## **OUR APPROACH** We have set up sub-committees in the UK, USA, Scandinavia and The Gambia. The Gambia team is made up of elders from the community, community activists, academics, and members of the school management committee. They are responsible for the execution of the projects. The diaspora committees are responsible for the mobilization of the alumni and solicitation of donations. You can support our cause by visiting our website at **https://www.thebakaucommunityproject.com** or visit us on Facebook at: **The Bakau School Project** . ## **THIS YEAR’s ACTIVITIES** Building on the success of 2020, in 2021 we successfully renovated another two completely run-down classroom blocks thanks to the generosity of our donors and volunteers. tllh ## **FINANCIAL REVIEW** The accounts declared in this report have been prepared in accordance with Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting for Charities (SORP 2015) and with relevant companies and charities legislation and regulations. The Statement of Financial Activities shows THE BAKAU COMMUNITY PROJECT’s income from all sources and how this was expended, and the split of activity between restricted and unrestricted funds. The charity’s income was £4151 for the year ended 31[st] May 2021. This mainly from donations received and were dedicated specifically to the school building program. This was added to the previous balance of £2853 to give us a total of £7004. We spent £4380 on the renovations of the two buildings. We have balance on the account of £2624. ## **Investment policy and performance** The Memorandum and Articles of Association provides that the organisation invests moneys not immediately required for its own purposes or upon such investments, securities, or property, as may be thought fit. At the present time, the trustees’ policy is to maintain all such monies on deposits earning a market rate of interest. ## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT** ## **Constitution and Organisational Structure:** The organisation is a charity incorporated organisation. It was registered as a charity on 12 April 2018 under charity # 1177933. THE BAKAU COMMUNITY PROJECT was established by Memorandum and Articles of Association which describes the objects and powers of the charitable company; it is governed under its Articles of Association. Under those Articles, the trustees are appointed at the Annual General Meeting. The organizational structure of THE BAKAU COMMUNITY PROJECT consists of a Board of Trustees which delegates the day-to-day management of the charity to an Executive Board. The Board is assisted by Advisory Committees which are chaired by the trustees. The key committees are the Finance and the Project Development and Fundraising Committee (PDFC). The operations, projects and programmes of the charity are carried out by the Executive, Project Managers, and other staff. Consultants are also hired to undertake work for the charity. The consultants report to Project Managers. ## **Governance and Decision-Making:** The Board of Trustees govern THE BAKAU COMMUNITY PROJECT and meet regularly to discuss and review strategy, planning, development, and financial matters. day-to-day management of the charity is delegated to the trustees. Every three years, a strategic review is undertaken, involving trustees, staff, funders, partners, beneficiaries, and other stakeholders. ## **Recruitment and Appointment of New Trustees:** The trustees are elected from the members according to their knowledge, skill and experience of the themes and activities undertaken by the charity; commitment to THE BAKAU COMMUNITY PROJECT mission, objectives and activities; and in accordance with the requirements for the governance of charities. THE BAKAU COMMUNITY PROJECT provides information and updates about operations to the donors and members. Board and relevant committee meetings consider and discuss matters relating to the strategic direction and focus of the charity. ## **Induction and Training of new Trustees:** New trustees receive induction training on: their legal responsibilities as charity trustees; the management and operational structure of the charity; and the key management issues, e.g. policy, personnel, finance, projects and funding matters. They are also guided on how to have optimum input and influence in the current and future development of the charity. ## **Risk Management:** The trustees have a duty to identify and review the risks to which the charity is exposed and to ensure appropriate controls are in place to provide reasonable assurance against fraud and error. ## **STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES** The trustees THE BAKAU COMMUNITY PROJECT for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable for that year. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to: - Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently. - Observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP. - Make prudent judgements and estimates that are reasonable. - State whether applicable UK Accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements. - Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in business The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time of the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. 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. This report has been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice – Accounting and Reporting by Charities and in accordance with the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies. ## **APPROVAL** This report was approved by the Board of Trustees on 9th July 2021 and signed on its behalf by: **………………………………** Alhagie Sanneh – Treasurer