THROWI A STARFISH Throw A Starfish Annual Report and Flnanclal Statements l Aprll 2023- 31 March 2024 Charlty Reglstratlon number 1180888 Contents Reference and Admlnistrative Inforn￿￿On..................................................................................................... Structure. Governance and Management....................................................................................................... ObJettlve5 and actl¥ftles................................................................................................................................... Achlevements and perh)mwn¢e...................................................................................................................... Futurè Plans ................................................................ ..................................................................................... Flnanclal re¥iew......................................................................-....................... Independent Examiners report on theacmunts............................................................................................. Accounts.......................................................................................................................................................... io Recelpts and PaymentsAccounts.................................. .....................................................................,.......... io Notes on accounts........................................................................................................................................... li Throw A Starfish 2 Reference and Adminlstrative information Patron Rt Rev Peter Hill Trustees Mrs Alison Biggs Rev Laurence Bi885 Mrs Catherine Mwangi - from 414123 Mrs Irma Mullins IChairl- from 414123 Rev Canon David Hague- to 414123 Mr Thomas Salisbury-to 4/4123 Mlsslon Dlrector Rev Lauren￿ Biggs Reglstered offite 24 Woodlands Road Chapel-en-le-Frlth Hi8h Peak Derbyshire SK23 OXR Webslte www.ThrowAStarflsh.o Emall Info ThrowAStarf15h.or Telephone 0330 229 0482 Charlty reglstratlon number 1180888 8ankers Uoyds Bank plc 25 Gresham Street London EC2V 7HN Throw A Starfish 3 Strurture. Governance and Management Governing Document Throw A Starfish is a Charltable Incorporated Organisation ICIOI whose only members are its Trustees. It was registered on 28 November 2018. The governlng document Is a constitution dated ioth September 2018. Trustee recruitment and appointment Apart from the first charity trustees, every trustee Is appointed by the existin8 trustees for a term of three years, which can be subsequently renewed. In selectSng individuals for appointment as appointed charity trustees, the charity trustee5 have re8ard to interest In the charity and the areas where we work, as well as the skills, knowledge, and experience needed for the effertive administratlon of the CIO. Mrs. Irma Mullins and Mrs Catherine Mwangi were appointed trustees on 7th March 2023 and took up their roles on 4th April 2023, when Rev David Ha8ue and Mr Thomas Salisbury stood down. The Mlsslon Director Is {"ex-officio") a charlty trustee. for as long as he or she holds that offlce. Trustee Meetings The trustees met on three occasions during the year196% attendance) to plan the charity's development and monltor and rewew Its flnancial affairs. At the end of 2023, an operations team was set up, reportin8to the trustees and workingto carry out the charity's work. Rlsk management The trustees have examlned the malor 5trate8ic, buslness, and operational risks that the charlty faces and confirm that systems have been established to enable regular reports to be produced so that the necessary steps can be taken to mltlgate these rlsks. Overseas travel to developing countries on Throw A Starfish business, whether by trustees or others, will take cognisance of Forelgn O￿lCe advice and wlll always have valld medical and travel insurance for the countrles and reglons concerned. Consideration will also be given to input from In-country partners. Service overseas risk assessments are reviewed annual￿. Again, thls year, the only person to travel overseas was the Mission Director, who visited Kenya twice. As Internatlonal travel returns to normal. overseas travel is expected to increase In the forthcomin8 year. The charlty has a safeguarding policy, and DBS checks are taken for all volunteers serving with us. Publlc Benefft Throw A Starfish operates for the public benefrt by providin8 charitable relief to the poor and needy, currently mainly in Africa. No charges are made for any charitable activities. Needs and priorities are assessed, and plans for the effective use of funds are made through visits to partners and further information 8athered from telephone and email communication. Throw A Starfish 4 Trustees Responslbllities The Charities Act 2011 requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. The Trustees have taken advantage of the option available under that Act, to charities with a gr055 income of less than £250,000, to prepare a simple receipts and payments account rather than full accounts on an accruals basis. The trustees are responslble for keeping proper accounting records that disclose the trust's financlal position with reasonable accuracy at all times. They are also responsible for safeguardlng the trust's assets and, hence, for taking reasonable Steps to prevent and detect fraud and other irregularities. Objectives and actlvities Vlslon To Insplre and enable volunteers to use thelrtlme, talents or flnances to Impact poverty one step at a tlme. Charftable objects l. The rellef of poverty, slckness and distress in all reglons of the world 2. The advancement of the Chrlstlan rellgion throughout the world Actlvltles We alm to: Insplre individuals to recognise that although they may not be able to chan8e the world as individuals, they can certalnly change the world for one person or group of people. Enable Individual volunteers to use their skills, to vislt trusted partners and make a dlfference at a tlme convenlent to the volunteer. See that some people have time, and others have other resources which they can use to make a dlfference. Identify and establish relationships wlth trusted partners and develop projects In situatlons of poverty around the world. Throw A stsrflsh 5 Achievements and performance We have recently spent a lot of time reviewing our structures and objectives to better prepare for the work ahead. Two of ourfounding trustees have left the charityto be replated bytwo new trustees, but a skills audit among the board members recently identified gaps that need fillin8-see below. Makutano Plastic Re clin Centre Solar power was installed at Makutano this year. In addition to the obvious environmental benefits, this has given the site a cheap ongoing elettriclty supplv, which has enabled the process of recycling plastics to start up. Quantltles recycled are currently lower than experted due to major chan8es In handling plastlcs In Kenya during the year, but throu8hput is expected to increase In the months ahead. The trustees have decided that the project should now be handed over to the local Kenyan partner. Although we will keep an interest in pro8ress, no future Investment Is envlsaged In the project. Future Plans We wlll recrult at least two new trustees who have knowled8e and experience in finances, marketln& and digital media. We will start a di8ital marketing campaign to increase fvnds and grow our database. Focus for the next two ears- Autlsm In Afrlca Autlsm Spectrum Dlsorder (ASDI is a developmental disorder affecting communicatlon and behaviour. In Kenya, many autlstlc Indlviduals remain undiagnosed due to a lack of resources and awareness. The 2019 census reported that in the Mount Kenya region, which is the focus of this project: The total population numbÈrwho are autistlc 1.626.472 65,059 Children aged under five 232,520 numberwho are autistic 9,301 Each year another approximately 46,000 children will be born of whom 1840 will be autistic Throw A Starfish 6 As births exceed deaths each year, there will be a growing number of autistic people in the target area and at present, there are no specialist facilities to 5UPPOrt them and their families. NB Although there has been limited research in this area, it can be assumed that approxlmateFy 4% of the population will be on the autism spectrum. Current challen Lack of Diagnostic Ser¥lces: LlmFted availability of dia8nostic tools and tralned professionals. Late Intervention: Scarcity of early intervention programs. Llmited Access to Therapies: Inadequate availability of speech and occupational therapies and high costs Educational Barrlers: Insufficient special needs schools and lack of trained educators. Public Stigma: Perslstent miscon¢eption5 and stigma surrounding autlsm. Policy Gaps: Weak policies and lack of enforcement to support autlstlc Indlvlduals. Goal We want to work with a local partnerto setup Establlsh hl8h-quality autlsm care centres in the Mount Kenya South region of Kenya Provide early and affordable comprehensive dia8nosls, Sntervention, and support servlces. Ralse public awareness and reduce stl8ma. Advocate for more robust policies and support for Indlvlduals with autism. Financial review The CharitV5 income comes from private donations and occasional 8rants. Gift Aid is claimed on most ell8ible prlvate donations. Thls year, our total income amounted to £8,134, all of which was Unrestrirted. This is more than sufficient to cover our operating costs. The most signlficant items of expenditure this year were: £11,235 Ilncluding the remaining £2,486 of restricted income) for continued work on the Makutano plastic recycling facility. Thi5 covered the cost of purchasing and installin8 solar power at the plant. whlch enabled it to start operations and contlnue to benefit from cheap energy. £2,486 of unrestrlcted income for overseas travel by the Mission Director {2 visits to Kenya). Thls cost will Ilkely Increase In comln8 years as more people will travel with the charlty. The balance at the end of the yearwas £17.5151£24.919 last yearl. This, together with support from donors who give by monthly standin8 order, will provide for ongoing charitable actlvitles through the next financial year. A bank account is held with Lloyds Bank, but Throw A Starfish has no investments or investment policy. Throw A Starfish 7 The Charity does not have a formal reserves policy. but we lookto keep a bank balance to cover 6 months of operation. and there are no plansto incur expenditure beyond the current level of bank balances. Throw A Starfish wlll continue to raise funds from a mixture of personal applications and applications to grant-making bodies. Any Volunteers to serve overseas with Throw A Starfish are expected to cover their own costs. although support is budgeted to help initlal starfish throwers. Throw A Starfish 8 Independent Examiners report on the accounts Report to the Trustee5 of Throw A StartLsh on the accounts for the year ended 31SI March 2024 set out on pages 10 to 11. Respon51bllttles aml basls of repNt l. I report to the trustees on my examlnation of the &counts of the above ¢harity {"the Trurf) fDr the year ende¢ 31° March 2024. 2. As the charity's trustees, you are responslble for the preparatlon of the accounts In accordance with the ￿quIrements of the Charities l£t 2011 {"the AcW}. 3. 1 report in respect of rny examlnatlon of the Trusvs accounts carrled out under sectlon 145 of the 2011 Act and In carryln8 Out my examinatx•n, I have followed all the applicable Directions en by the char￿ Cornmlsslon under sectlon 14515}Ib) of the Act. Independont examlnrfs st•t•m•nt I have completed my examlnatlon. I confirni that no material matters have come to my attentlon In connectlon wlth the examlnation which 8lves me cause to belleve that in, any material respert: aceountln8 records were not kept In accordance wlth sectlon 130 of the Charltles Act or the accounts dld not accord wlth the accotsntln8 records I have no concems and have come across no other matters In connectlon wlth the examlnatlon to whlch attentlon should be drawn In this report In order to enable a proper UDderstsndin8 of the accounts to be reached. Signed: L,¥L Dated.. 202S Kelth Parkhouse Throw Astsrfish 9 Accounts Receipts and payments accounts t¥Jn*tions and 143 InT￿tTr￿nt Incon ?b Exptndthjre on th•ritsb attivltle5 FInan￿ costs £0 416,91 C•th fuNls last •Ad C&fvndJ thh 433 Mbmt 8•5 IM155knn fAre¢ty) 2LI,IIC Throw A Starfssh 10 Notes on accounts l. The annual report has been prepared on the Receipts and Payments basis os prescribed by the Charlty Commissioner5, and they meet the appropriate legal requirements. 2. Receipts Unr icted Restricted Current ear E[£th￿ear 2.a Donatlons and legacie5 Non Giftaid donations Gift aid donations Gift aid reclalmed £7,018 £1,125 £7,018 £1,125 £0 £10,854 £1,900 £540 Total £8,143 £0 £8,143 £13,094 2.b Investment income Bank Interest Total £0 £0 £0 £0 3. Payments Unrestrlcted Restrlrted Current Year Prevlous Year 3.a Expenditure on charltable actlvltle5 Afflllations Webslte hostlng Charity insurance offi￿ supplies Telephone Charity equlpment Web51te development Kithogondo well Makatanu Plastic recycling centre Overseas travel Misc £145 £355 £769 £145.00 £355.20 £769.38 £O.CM) £72.C £114.99 £360.99 £0.00 £2,486 £11.235.13 £2.485.65 £9.35 £15,548 £129 £400 £654 £0 £72 £115 £361 £0 £0 £0 £1,518 £25,338 £IA73 £8,749 £2,486 £9 £13,062 Total £2,486 £29,912 3.b Governance costs Independent examlnation Total £0 £0 £0 £0 3.c Finance costs Bank charges Total £0 £0 £0 £0 4. Restricted funds There are no restricted funds at year end Throw A Starfish 11