## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period** Year in Review: During 2024/25, MACA celebrated its 40th anniversary with community events, expanded youth engagement programmes, and strengthened partnerships with local organisations. The charity secured significant grant funding and maintained a strong financial position, ensuring continuity of services for seniors, young people, and the wider community. ## **Charity name:** Medway African and Caribbean Association ## **Charity registration number:** 1179545 ## **Objectives and Activities** ||SORP
reference|| |---|---|---| |Summary of the purposes of
the charity as set out in its
governing document.|Para 1.17|To advance any charitable purpose for the
benefit of the inhabitants of Kent and
Medway, in particular, but not exclusively,
persons of the African-Caribbean
community, in particular advancing
education and/or assisting in the provision
of facilities for recreation and other leisure-
time activities in the interests of social
welfare with the object of improving the
condition of life for said inhabitants.| |Summary of the main
activities in relation to those
purposes for the public
benefit, in particular, the
activities, projects or
services identified in the
accounts.|Para 1.17
and 1.19|The main activities carried out during the
year include the following:
1. Senior citizens activities
2. Events, arts, heritage
3. Work with young people
4. Work with partners
5. Fundraising
6. Media
7. MACA development
8. Health and well being| |Statement confirming
whether the trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit.|Para 1.18|The trustees of MACA can confirm that we
had had due regard to the guidance issued
by the Charity Commission on public
benefit We further confirm that all the
activities undertaken are for public benefit.| **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: ||SORP
reference|| |---|---|---| |Policy on grant making.|Para 1.38|NA MACA does not make any grants.| |Policy on social investment
including program related
investment.|Para 1.38|NA MACA does not make any social
investments.| |||| |---|---|---| |Contribution made by
volunteers.|Para 1.38|Volunteers make up a substantial
contribution to the work of MACA.
All the trustees are volunteers, and all take
part in the work of the charity.
This includes applying for funding for the
charity.
Organising events and activities for the
public.
Attendance at partnership meetings
Volunteers also work alongside the senior
citizens coordinator to plan and facilitate
the weekly senior citizens group.
In addition, young people worked with our
youth coordinator to plan and develop
activities for young people.| |Other||| ## **Achievements and Performance** ||SORP
reference|| |---|---|---| |Summary of the main
achievements of the charity,
identifying the difference the
charity’s work has made to
the circumstances of its
beneficiaries and any wider
benefits to society as a
whole.|Para 1.20|The 2024-2025 period was transformative
for MACA, marked by significant growth,
successful major events, and enhanced
service delivery to vulnerable members of
our community. We successfully celebrated
40 years of MACA with a Gala Night and
Documentary, secured major long-term
funding from the National Lottery
Community Fund, and expanded our digital
reach to over 4,000 subscribers and
followers—an increase of 1,000 from the
previous year.
Our focus on Health and Wellbeing and
Youth Development has resulted in
tangible, life-improving outcomes,
demonstrating MACA’s vital role in
championing race, culture, and diversity for
all in Medway.
**Work with Senior Citizens**
Our services for senior citizens focused
heavily on combating isolation and
addressing critical health and social care
inequalities.
•
**Growing Engagement:**Weekly
drop-in sessions maintained strong
and steady attendance, reaching**in**
excess of 50 on Tuesdays in peak
periods, offering a crucial social and
recreational outlet.
•
**Advocacy Support:**We
successfully secured funding and
appointed a Seniors Advocate
Officer to provide one-to-one| ||independent advocacy, and work| |---|---| ||with local statutory organisations in| ||signposting those with care and| ||support needs to those services.| ||This vital role successfully| ||navigates complex NHS and social| ||services systems for vulnerable| ||members.| |•|**Community Safety:**We hosted a| ||successful and well-received talk by| ||**Kent Police**on fraud and| ||scammers to enhance the safety| ||and awareness of our senior| ||members.| |**Work with Young People**|| |We have significantly invested in the|| |development, mental health, and historical|| |awareness of our Young People United|| |(YPU)|members, while also expanding our| |infrastructure for long-term growth.|| |•|**Major Funding Secured:**We| ||successfully secured a substantial| ||**National Lottery Community**| ||**Fund Grant (over £200k)**to| ||support the development of YPU,| ||projects, activities, and the overall| ||strengthening of MACA’s| ||infrastructure.| |•|**New employees:**We recruited| ||MACA’s**first-ever employed**| ||**Youth Coordinator and Youth**| ||**Assistant, plus administrator**to| ||support the Young People United| ||(YPU) team and future projects.| |•|**Youth Voice and Mental Health:**| ||Launched the**Young Adults Voice**| ||**Project / YPU Talks**workshops,| ||spreading awareness of youth| ||mental health, fostering community| ||cohesion, and equipping| ||participants with self-help| ||techniques.| |•|**Involvement and Outreach:**YPU| ||members presented their heritage| ||project at the Medway Creative| ||Schools meeting and were invited to| ||host a stall at the Medway Youth| ||Council conference.| |**MACA in the News**|| |While dedicated 'news' coverage is|| |continuous, our communications and media|| |efforts|achieved significant milestones.| |•|**Digital Growth:**Our social media| ||presence and mailing list expanded| ||to**over 4,000**followers and| ||subscribers, representing an| ||**increase of 1,000**over the last| ||year, drastically widening our| ||communication reach.| |•|**Online Resources:**The**Black**| |---|---| ||**History Live website**was| ||revamped and updated to host new| ||educational and heritage resources| ||created by young people.| |**MACA in the Community**|| |MACA strengthened key partnerships and|| |delivered high-impact community-focused|| |initiatives.|| |•|**Community Partnership Events:**| ||Successfully completed the**'Men**| ||**Empower project**in partnership| ||with the Sunlight Centre and| ||delivered a**Culture and Identity**| ||**workshop**for Kings School| ||Language and Culture Week.| |•|**Volunteer & Sponsorship**| ||**Success:**Fundraising efforts were| ||successfully supported by**over**| ||**£11,000**in sponsorship (including a| ||successful Big Give match-funding| ||campaign) for the 40th Anniversary| ||Gala.| |**Arts, Heritage, and Well-being Projects**|| |This year saw the successful execution of|| |major|projects that celebrated heritage and| |promoted vital public health messaging.|| |•|**40th Anniversary Gala Night:**A| ||resounding success, the event| ||celebrated four decades of MACA| ||and involved the delivery of multiple| ||workshops including Dance,| ||Fashion, Filming, Public Speaking,| ||and Stage Management. We had| ||Richard Blackwood host the event,| ||plus messages of congratulations| ||from Beverley Knight, ITV Meridan| ||and BBC South East today, plus the| ||NHS and Kings School, MS Webb,| ||Kent Fire and Rescue| |•|**Heritage Resource Creation:**The| ||**Medway Heritage Fund project**| ||('Uncovering Histories, Medway| ||Memories') was completed. This| ||project, co-created by young| ||people, produced a valuable| ||educational resource on**Black**| ||**British history in Medway**, which| ||was then uploaded to the Black| ||History Live website for public| ||access.| |•|**Major Health Event:**The**June**| ||**Well-being Event**was highly| ||successful, with**over 100 people**| ||**booked**. It featured stalls on blood| ||and organ donation, collaborative| ||activities run by**Public Health**, and| ||workshops led by MACA dance| ||tutors.| |•|**Ongoing Health Promotion:**| |---|---| ||Continued to host 'Walking with| ||Friends' events and an 'Organ| ||Donation event' at Jerk Cafe to| ||raise awareness on the aims of the| ||NHS Blood & Organ Donation| ||project.| |**Events and Campaigning (Including**|| |**work with the Police and the NHS)**|| |MACA actively engaged in campaigning,|| |partnership work, and events to tackle|| |inequalities and promote community|| |welfare.|| |•|**NHS Partnership and Health**| ||**Education:**We maintained our| ||strong partnership with the NHS,| ||focusing on the**Blood and Organ**| ||**Donation**project to raise public| ||awareness and increase sign-ups.| ||We also ensured health education| ||was a core component of the large-| ||scale June Well-being event in| ||collaboration with**Public Health**.| |•|**Police Engagement:**The visit from| ||**Kent Police**to our senior citizens| ||group focused on a key social| ||challenge—fraud and scams—| ||demonstrating active campaigning| ||for community safety and security.| |•|**Organisational Development:**The| ||recently secured**National Lottery**| ||**Community Fund**grant is being| ||strategically used to**refresh our**| ||**business plan**and**strengthen our**| ||**infrastructure**, ensuring long-term| ||sustainability and effectiveness in| ||all our future events and| ||campaigning efforts.| |**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements|where relevant about:| |---|---|---| |Achievements against
objectives set.|Para 1.41|We set the following objectives last year,
which were:
**Objectives for 2024-25**:
1. increase longer term sustainable
funding.
2. Engage support to assist with
funding and develop a funding
strategy aligned with the business
plan.
We have been able to make significant
progress towards our objectives set last
year.
We have been able to secure funding from
the National Lottery community fund for 3
years, that has secured us some
consultancy support to develop our| |||business plan, and strengthen our
infrastructure.
In addition secure the services of a bid
writer to apply for funding and strengthen
our funding strategy.
**Volunteer recruitment**
We have manged to increase the number
of volunteers, who have assisted with our
activities throughout the year.
**Trustee recruitment**
We did not recruit any new trustees ,
however we have co opted YPU
representatives onto the board’
**Policy reviews**
MACA reviewed and revised policies on
Whistleblowing, Safeguarding, code of
conduct
**Objectives 2025/26**
1. Strengthen the infrastructure of
MACA, which includes having in
place staff to run MACA on a day-
to-day basis, aligned with the
business plan.
2. Strengthen the working
relationships between the board,
project staff, young people and
those who access MACA services.
3. Succession planning for the board,
to ensure that MACA is sustainable
into the future.
4. Have a costed business plan and
financial /commercial strategy| |---|---|---| |Performance of fundraising
activities against objectives
set.|Para 1.41|We have been successful in our fundraising
activities for projects we have delivered as
well as secured other income streams from
donations and Medway lottery and
donations.| |Other||| |||| |Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end
of the period|Para 1.21|Balance carried forward (Closing balance
2023/24): £66,592.32
**Item**
**Amount (£)**
Total Income
£122,998.06
Total Expenditure
£95,491.27
Net Movement in
Funds
£27,587.56| ||||Closing Bank
Balance|£94,179.88| |---|---|---|---|---| |Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held.|Para 1.22||MACA's reserve policy is to maintain a
minimum level of reserves equivalent to two
months of its average annual expenditure,
unrestricted funds, based on the average
expenditure the previous 3 financial years.
This is based on an assessment of the risks
and uncertainties that MACA faces, such as
fluctuations in income, changes in demand
for services, unexpected costs, and legal
obligations. MACA's reserve policy also
considers the availability of other sources of
funding, such as restricted funds,
designated funds, and loans. This figure is
reviewed annually.
Purpose of Reserves
Reserves are essential for providing
financial stability and flexibility to the
organisation. The primary purposes of
reserves within MACA are:
a. Financial Stability: To safeguard the
organisation against unforeseen financial
challenges, economic downturns, or
unexpected expenses.
b. Strategic Investments: To support the
implementation of strategic initiatives and
projects that align with MACA's mission and
goals.
c. Operational Continuity: To ensure the
uninterrupted delivery of programs and
services even in the face of funding
fluctuations or short-term financial
constraints.
Types of Reserves|| |||MACA recognises the need for different
types of reserves to address various
financial needs. The following are the key
categories:
a. General Reserves: Unrestricted funds set
aside to cover day-to-day operational
expenses, mitigate financial risks, and
address unforeseen circumstances.
b. Designated Reserves: Set aside for
specific purposes, such as capital projects,
program expansion, or other strategic
initiatives, as determined by the Board of
Trustees.
c. Restricted Reserves: Funds earmarked
for a particular project or purpose, in
accordance with donor restrictions or
specific fundraising campaigns.| |---|---|---| |Amount of reserves held|Para 1.22|£64,441.36| |Reasons for holding zero
reserves|Para 1.22|Not applicable| |Details of fund materially in
deficit|Para 1.24|Not applicable| |Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a
going concern|Para 1.23|NA| **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |The charity’s principal
sources of funds (including
any fundraising)|Para 1.47|The majority of the funds received during
the year derived from the following sources.
Grants: this constituted over 80% of the
income.
The remaining income was from donations,
and income from events**.**| |---|---|---| |Investment policy and
objectives including any
social investment policy
adopted.|Para 1.46|NA| |A description of the principal
risks facing the charity|Para 1.46|MACA has developed its business plan and
sustainability plan; we are working with
partners to undertake a feasibility study to
secure long term funding for our own
building and our long-term objectives.| |Other||| ## **Structure, Governance and Management** |Description of charity’s
trusts:||NA| |---|---|---| |Type of governing document
(trust deed, royal charter)|Para 1.25|Constitution| |How is the charity
constituted?
(e.g. unincorporated
association, CIO)|Para 1.25|CIO| |Trustee selection methods
including details of any
constitutional provisions e.g.
election to post or name of
any person or body entitled
to appoint one or more
trustees|Para 1.25|Individuals who wish to be a trustee need
to submit a written application, the form of
which is available on the MACA website.
Applicants are then interviewed by existing
trustee members which include the
Chairperson, a board member, a
representative of the senior citizens and
young people’s group.| |**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements|where relevant about:| |---|---|---| |Policies and procedures
adopted for the induction
and training of trustees.|Para 1.51|Whistleblowing
Code of Conduct
Safeguarding| |The charity’s organisational
structure and any wider
network with which the
charity works.|Para 1.51|MACA has a board of trustees who are all
volunteers.
We engage staff on a self-employed basis
when we receive funding for specific
projects.
Our strategic partners include Medway
Council, Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust,
Mid Kent College, The University of Kent,
Sunlight Development Trust, Public Health
Medway, Kent Police Creative Medway,| |Relationship with any
related parties|Para 1.51|None| |Other||| ## **Reference and Administrative details** |Charity name|Medway African and Caribbean Association| |---|---| |Other name the charity uses|MACA| |Registered charity number|1179545| |Charity’s principal address|CO
The Sunlight Development Trust
105 Richmond Rd
Gillingham
Kent
ME7 1LX| ||| ## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** |1
2
3
7
8
9
10
11|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for**
**whole year**|**Name of person (or body)**
**entitled to appoint trustee**
**(if any)**| |---|---|---|---|---| ||Carol Stewart|Chairperson|2018-2025|MACA trustees| ||Patricia Gayle|Vice Chairperson|2018-2025|MACA trustees| ||Jane Brown|Treasurer|2023-2025|MACA trustees| ||Amanda Halpin|Trustee|2018-2025|MACA trustees| ||Wendell Henry|Trustee|2018-2025|MACA trustees| ||Patricia Cooper|Trustee|2018-2025|MACA trustees| ||Carol Valentine|Trustee|2020-2025|MACA Trustees| ||Andrew Leslie|Trustee|2024-2025|MACA Trustees| – Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved. **Director name NA** Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity |**Trustee name**|**Dates acted if not for**
**whole year**|| |---|---|---| |**NA**||| |||| |||| |||| |||| |||| |**Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others.**||| |Description of the assets
held in this capacity.|NA|| |Name and objects of the
charity on whose behalf the
assets are held and how this
fall within the custodian
charity’s objects.|NA|| |Details of arrangements for
safe custody and
segregation of such assets
from the charity’s own
assets|NA|| ## **Additional information (optional)** ## **Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)** |**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**|**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**|**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**| |---|---|---| |**Type of**
**adviser**
**Name**
**Address**||| |||| |||| |||| |||| |**Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)**||| |||| ## **Exemptions from disclosure** Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details NA ## **Other optional information** ## **Declarations** **The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.** **Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees** **Signature(s)** Andrew Leslie **Full name(s)** Dr Carol Stewart **Position (e.g. Secretary,** Chairperson Trustee **Chair, etc) Date** 3/12/2025 3/12/2025 **Medway African and Caribbean Association 1179545 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period** Period start date Period end date **To from** 01/04/2024 31/03/2025 |**Section A Receipts and payments**|**Section A Receipts and payments**|**Section A Receipts and payments**|||||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |**A1 Receipts**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**||**Restricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**
**3,000**
**54,514**
**12,674**
**9,093**||**Endowment**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**
**-**
**-**||**Total funds**
**to the nearest £**
**3,000**
**54,514**
**12,674**
**9,093**||**Last year**
**to the nearest £**| |Arts Counil England|||**3,000**||**-**||**3,000**||**27,000**| |National LotteryCommunotyFund|||**54,514**||||**54,514**||**-**| |Kent Community Foundation
seniors|**-**||**12,674**||**-**||**12,674**||**-**| |MedwayCouncil(heritage)|||**9,093**||||**9,093**||**200**| |donations /events.other grants|**28,505**||||**-**||**28,505**||**16,143**| |Senior citizens subscriptions|**8,350**||||**-**||**8,350**||**7,629**| |Philip And Connie Grant Seniors
Restricted|||**6,000**||||**6,000**||**7,500**| |YPU Income|**861**||||||**861**||**-**| ||||||||||| |**_Sub total_**_(Gross income for_
_AR)_|**-**||**-**||**-**||**-**||**-**| ||**37,716**||**85,281**||**-**||**122,997**||**54,177**| ||**-**
**-**
**-**||||||||| |**A2 Asset and Investment sales,**
**(see table).**|||||||||| ||**-**||||||||| ||**-**||||||||**-**| |**_Sub total_**
**_Total receipts_**
**A3 Payments**|**-**||||||||**-**| ||||||||||| ||**37,716**||**85,281**||||**122,997**||**54,177**| ||||||||**- 10,282**
**- 1,932**
**- 6,670**
**- 15,233**
**- 8,850**
**- 52,524**
**- 95,491**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**- 95,491**

**27,506**

**-**

||| |Senior Citizens|**- 10,282**||-||**-**||||**5,331**| |MACA Operational Costs|**- 1,932**||||**-**||||**6,125**| |Other Project activities|**- 6,670**||||**-**||||**-**| |events|**- 15,233**||**-**||||||**12,674**| |Phillip and Connie/KCF|||**- 8,850**||||||**- 8,851**| |Youth projects: Medway Council, other
grants and donations, ACE/National
Lottery|**-**||**- 52,524**||**-**||||**- 16,886**| |
**_Sub total_ **|**- 34,117**||**- 61,374**||**-**||||**- 1,607**| ||||||||||| |**A4 Asset and investment**
**purchases, (see table)**|||||||||| ||**-**||||||||| ||**-**||||||||| |**_Sub total_ **
**_Total payments_ **
**_Net of receipts/(payments)_**
**A5 Transfers between funds**
**A6 Cash funds last year end**
**_Cash funds this year end_ **|**-**||||||||**-**| ||||||||||| ||||||||||**- 1,607**| ||||||||||| ||||||||||**55,784**| ||||||||||**-**| ||||||||||**-**| ||||||||||| ||||||||||| CCXX R1 accounts (SS) 13/12/2025 1 |**Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at**|**Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at**|**the end of the period**|| |---|---|---|---| |**Categories**
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees
**B5 Liabilities**
**B3 Investment assets**
**B2 Other monetary assets**
**B4 Assets retained for the**
**charity’s own use**
**B1 Cash funds**|**Details**
None
ICT equipment and resources
**Details**
**Details**
minibus
music equipment
**Details**
**_Total cash funds_**
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))
None
**Details**
Bank balance at 01/04/24
None
Signature|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**26,114**
**68,066**
**-**
**£26,114.00**
**68,066**
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Cost (optional)**
**0**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Cost (optional)**
0
**-**
Children in Need
Children in Need
Youth Music
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**liability relates**
**Amount due**
**(optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
Print Name
Carol Stewart
Andrew Leslie|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||| ||||**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**Current value**
**(optional)**| ||||**-**| ||||| ||||**-**| ||||**Current value**
**(optional)**| ||||**-**| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**When due**
**(optional)**| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||Date of
approval| |||Carol Stewart|03/12/2025| |||Andrew Leslie|**03/12/2025**| CCXX R2 accounts (SS) 13/12/2025 2 CCXX R3 accoun18 ISSI 1311212025 CCXX R4 accoun18 ISSI 1311212025 CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trustees Medway African and Caribbean Association On accounts forthe year ended 311312025 Charlty no (if any) 1179545 Set out on pages I report lo the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity I'the Trust") for the year ended 3110312025 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 Iyhe Act"). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 14515llb) of the Act. Independent examiner's statement I have completed my examination. I confim) that no material mallers have come to my attention in connection with the examination {other than that disclosed below "I which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect.. the accounting records were not kept in accordan￿ with section 130 of the Charities Act., or the accounts did not accord with the accounting records., or the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts sel out in the Charities {Accounts and Reportsl Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'lrue and fair, view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. 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 lo enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply. Signed- Brian Pusser Date- 1111212025 Name: Brian Pusser Relevant professlonal qualification{sl or body lif any): ICPA B010 IER Oct 2018 Address: 24 Downsview Chatham Kent ME5 OAP Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of Concern Isee CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts.. directions and guidance for examiners). Give here brief dgtails of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose. IER Oct 2018