## **ABOVE US ONLY SKY**
## **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] DECEMBER 2024**
## OBJECTS
The Objects of the charity are the relief of poverty for the homeless by meeting their immediate needs, as an expression of Christian faith.
## THE CHARITY: AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
The charity began as a response to meeting homeless people who were developing hypothermia as a result of sleeping rough in the winter. The main thrust of the charity’s activities is to provide warm, waterproof military-grade sleeping bags. Another means of providing relief is through warm clothing, such as fleeces, and necessary toiletries for the homeless.
The charity works very closely with Christian partner organisations, including Church-Without-Walls, East London Mission and Canning Town Friars, who are dealing with the homeless on a daily basis. This ensures that the needs that are being met by the charity are genuine. The work of the charity is conducted solely by a team of volunteers, who give their time and expertise freely to serve the needs of the homeless. The Trustees also volunteer with partner organisations, meeting with individuals who are homeless and assessing their needs.
## THIS YEAR
The number of arctic-grade, waterproof sleeping bags given out in 2024 in the London Boroughs and surrounding areas was 146 (2023 – 233). In addition, 80 warm fleeces were provided to those in need. From the grant fund, we provided much-needed toiletries to our regular partners and to the women and children in temporary accommodation in a local refuge.
Above Us Only Sky’s main focus continues to be on the immediate needs of the homeless, giving out life-saving sleeping bags and warm fleeces where there is need. A stock of 71 sleeping bags remained at the end of the year.
Our team of volunteers continued to manage the charity’s finances, administration and stock, and the Trustees wish to express their grateful thanks to all who continue to work to meet the charity’s aims and objectives.
The Trustees have had due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission.
## NEXT YEAR
The charity will continue to purchase and distribute warm, waterproof sleeping bags for as long as funds allow, and the need remains. The Trustees will also consider supporting the homeless with their individual needs as they arise.
## FINANCIAL REVIEW
The charity received £5,033 in income during the year (2023: £5,080). Regular donations dropped slightly during the year. Expenditure was similar to the previous year, with a total of £12,000 (2023: £11,286), with the difference being mainly due to purchasing more sleeping bags to replenish the low stock brought forward from the previous year. The resulting net decrease in funds for the year was £6,967 (2023: decrease of £6,206).
The charity aims to hold enough in reserves to buy stocks of sleeping bags (the cost of which have increased exponentially in recent years) to cover well into the next financial year. The trustees consider that the year-end balance of £22,379 will enable the charity to continue meeting the needs of the homeless into 2025 and beyond.
## STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES RESPONSIBILITIES
Charity law requires the trustees to prepare accounts for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Charity and of the profit and loss of the Charity for that period. In preparing these accounts, the trustees are required to:-
- Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently.
- Make adjustments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent.
- Prepare the accounts on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Charity will continue in operation.
The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Charity and to enable them to ensure that the accounts comply with the Charities Acts. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The trustees confirm that the accounts comply with current statutory requirements and those of the Charity’s trust deed.
## **Approved by the Board of Trustees on:**
**and signed on its behalf by:**
## **Above Us Only Sky?**
## **Receipts and Payments for the year ended 31st December 2024**
|**Income received**
Regular donatons
One-of donatons
Grants/Awards
Gif Aid claims - HMRC
**Expenditure**
Sleeping bags, jackets, feeces
General support for homeless
Other expenses
Fundraising expenses
Grant fund - toiletries
**Net increase/ (decrease) in funds**|**2024**
**£**
**£**
2,976
1,429
-
628
5,033
10,041
-
728
50
1,181
12,000
**- 6,967**|**2023**
**£**
**£**
3,105
1,277
-
698
5,080
8,497
747
545
50
1,447
11,286
**- 6,206**|**2023**
**£**
**£**
3,105
1,277
-
698
5,080
8,497
747
545
50
1,447
11,286
**- 6,206**|
|---|---|---|---|
||||5,080
11,286|
|||||
||||**- 6,206**|
## **Above Us Only Sky?**
||**Balance Sheet at**||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
||**31st December 2024**||||
||**2024**||**2023**||
|||**£**||**£**|
|**Current Assets**|||||
|Cash at bank and in hand||**22,379**||**29,346**|
|**Opening balance**||29,346||35,552|
|**Net increase/ (decrease) in funds**|-|6,967|-|6,206|
|**Closing balance**||**22,379**||**29,346**|
## **Above Us Only Sky?**
## **Funds for the year ended 31st December 2024**
## **Opening Income Payments Adjustments Closing balance balance**
|**Restricted Funds**||||
|---|---|---|---|
|_Warm Fund_
|- 360|(360)|-|
|_Grant Fund_
|3,048 -|(1,181)|1,867|
||**3,048 360**|**(1,541)**|**- 1,867**|
|**Unrestricted Funds**||||
|_General Fund_
|19,573 4,045|(10,041)|13,577|
|_Gif Aid_
|5,225 628|(418)|5,435|
||**24,798 4,673**|**(10,459)**|**- 19,012**|
|**Designated Funds**||||
|_Emergency Accommo_|1,000||1,000|
|_Travel home_|500||500|
||**1,500-**|**- **|**- 1,500**|
|**Total Funds**
|**29,346 5,033**|**(12,000)**|**- 22,379**|