Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
1[st] January 2023 to 31[st] December 2023
Born Equal
1182740
Born Equal provides support to people affected by in-equality across the world, with particular focus on those considered hidden or ignored. We provide support through grant making, advocacy and supporting the work of other charitable organisations.
Like many charitable organisations, Born Equal, its partners and beneficiaries were heavily affected by the coronavirus pandemic and continue to be reshaped by global events. Following significant global events, all Trustees took the decision to refocus the priorities of Born Equal to a period of strategic reflection.
While Born Equal has continued to operate through this period the charity has cautiously and intentionally adapted initial plans of growth and scale to best monitor the changing and shifting priorities of those we exist to serve and support.
The refocusing of our priorities and objectives has continued into 2023, where the Trustees are continuing to monitor the effect of in-equality all over the world. Whilst our focus remains on persistent, invasive and multi-faceted in-equalities perpetuated by phenomena such as accusations of witchcraft, we are acutely aware of the ever-changing geopolitical landscape and continue to monitor the in-equality experienced by those affected by such events.
Our advocacy work continued via membership of the Stop Child Witch Accusations (SCWA) steering group. SCWA works with churches and communities to prevent and reduce the harm caused by witchcraft accusations against children.
Born Equal is committed to achieving its objects of the elimination of discrimination and recognises the challenging and unstable landscape in which it operates. The Trustees of Born Equal are committed to the proper management of the organisation to ensure it is able to meet those objects, conduct activities for the public benefit and continue as a vehicle for change.
Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From Charity name: Born Equal
Charity registration number: 1182740
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | (1)The promotion of equality and diversity for the public benefit by: (a) The elimination of discrimination on the grounds of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, age or religion; (b) Advancing education and raising awareness in equality and diversity; (c) Promoting activities to foster understanding between people from these diverse backgrounds; (d) Cultivating a sentiment in favour of equality and diversity. (2)The prevention or relief of poverty for the public benefit anywhere in the world. (3)The promotion of human rights for the public benefit throughout the world by all or any of the following means: (a) Monitoring abuses of human rights; (b) Obtaining redress for the victims of human rights abuse; (c) Relieving need among the victims of human rights abuse; (d) Research into human rights issues; |
| (e) Providing technical advice to government and others on human rights matters; (f) Contributing to the sound administration of human rights law; (g) Commenting on proposed human rights legislation; (h) Raising awareness of human rights issues; (i) Promoting public support for human rights (j) Promoting respect for human rights amongst individuals and corporations; (k) International advocacy of human rights; (l) Eliminating infringements of human rights. |
||
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Born Equal continues to be an active member of the Stop Child Witchcraft Accusations Now Coalition (SCWA), and sits on the steering group. The Trustees’ continue to operate a successful local online community group, celebrating and raising the profile of local charitable organisations in the North West of England. The local charitable organisations are aligned with Born Equal’s charitable objects. The Trustees remain in a period of strategic reflection and are committed to advancing towards the goal of the elimination of the promotion of equality and diversity for public benefit in a way that achieves value for money. |
| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit |
Para 1.18 | Yes, Born Equal Trustees are aware of the guidance issued by the Charity Commission regarding charitable activity being completed for public benefit. Trustees have all read the guidance and are committed to keeping up-to- date with this guidance on an annual basis, or sooner where new guidance is issued. |
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 | Born Equal continues to be an active member of the Stop Child Witchcraft Accusations Now Coalition (SCWA), and sits on the steering group. Born Equal administers a successful online community with a membership of nearly 1000. The group celebrates and raises awareness of local charitable organisations in the North West of England. All of the member organisations share charitable objects with Born Equal. As an organisation with a global remit, Born Equal values and champions local charitable organisations who advance towards our shared charitable objects in a local setting. Following the first successful pilot of the Small Grants Scheme, the Trustees have continued to undertake a period of strategic reflection. The Trustees consider it is of utmost importance that Born Equal, with a global remit, is continuously aware of in-equality across the world and maintains a posture to address and tackle such in-equality. Owing to global events, the Trustees have shifted the focus of the charity from growth and scale to monitoring the changing priorities of those already supported by Born Equal and emerging in-equality across the world. The Trustees consider that Born Equal, a small charity with limited resources, must be able to use those resources effectively in order to achieve the greatest public benefit. It is therefore appropriate that the Trustees take the time to reflect and develop strategy according to greatest need and societal benefit. |
Financial Review
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | The Charity has no financial liabilities and has little financial expenditure on administrative costs. Born Equal is structured with voluntary labour at the heart of the organisation. This means that Born Equal can maximise the funds donated to it for direct charitable purposes. Although the Trustees appreciate that Born Equal needs to raise additional funds to support its work there is no present concern that the Charity’s financial position will prevent the delivery of our charitable aims. |
|---|---|---|
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | For at least the next year, the Trustees do not anticipate that Born Equal will commit itself to regular financial liabilities and therefore there is no present need to establish a reserve. No reserves held. |
| Amount of reserves held | Para 1.22 | £0 |
| Reasons for holding zero reserves |
Para 1.22 | Born Equal has no anticipated financial liabilities for the next 12 months. Therefore, there is no current requirement to build up reserves. The Charity’s intention is to build reserves over the next 3 years to support the grant giving programme to offset against deficit in expected income or unexpected costs. At present, the Trustees do not consider there to be a financial risk in holding zero reserves. This will be reviewed on a regular basis. |
| Details of fund materially in deficit |
Para 1.24 | The Charity does not hold any funds materially in deficit. |
| Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern |
Para 1.23 | The Trustees consider that there are no uncertainties about the Charity’s ability to continue as a going concern. |
Structure, Governance and Management
| Description of charity’s trusts: |
||
|---|---|---|
| Type of governing document |
Para 1.25 | Constitution |
| (trust deed, royal charter) |
||
|---|---|---|
| How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO) |
Para 1.25 | Born Equal has been established as a CIO with Charitable purposes |
| 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 | As part of our constitution the Trustees have agreed that a Chair and Treasurer will be elected on an annual basis with this being agreed and minuted by the Trustees at one of their standard meetings, this will typically be the AGM. We will recruit/select new Trustees based on the needs of the Charity and this will be informed by the Advisory panel when this is established. |
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | Born Equal |
|---|---|
| Other name the charity uses |
None |
| Registered charity number |
1182740 |
| Charity’s principal address |
33 Arnold Drive Rugby CV23 9FU |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 1 2 3 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lisa Atkinson | Chair | |||
| Emilie Secker | ||||
| Aimee Smith | Treasurer |
Born Equal has no Corporate Trustees, no Director and no paid staff. No trustees hold title to property belonging to the charity.
Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others
Description of the assets None held in this capacity Name and objects of the n/a charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements n/a for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature(s) Aimee Smith Full name(s) Lisa Atkinson Position (eg Chair Treasurer Secretary, Chair, etc) Date 30-10-2024
Born Equal 1182740 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period 01-Jan-23 31-Dec-23 To from
Section A Receipts and payments
| payments | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 Receipts | Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ 270 - - - - - - - 270 |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - |
Endowment funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - |
Total funds to the nearest £ 270 - - - - - - - 270 |
Last year to the nearest £ |
| Individual donations | 270 | - | - | 270 | 540 |
| - | - | - | - | - | |
| - | - | - | - | - | |
| - | - | - | - | - | |
| - | - | - | - | - | |
| - | - | - | - | - | |
| - | - | - | - | - | |
| - | - | - | - | - | |
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) |
270 | - | - | 270 | 540 |
A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table).
None - - Sub total - Total receipts 270
270 540
A3 Payments
Administrative costs (domain) 27 - - - - - - - - Sub total 27
27 26 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 27 26
A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table)
| None | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | - | ||||||
| - | - | - | - | ||||||
| Sub total | |||||||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| Total payments | 27 | - | - | 27 | 26 | ||||
| Net of | |||||||||
| receipts/(payments) | 243 | - | - | 243 | 514 | ||||
| A5 Transfers between funds | |||||||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| A6 Cash funds last year end | |||||||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| Cash funds this year end | |||||||||
| 243 | - | - | 243 | 514 |
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment funds funds funds to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £ 243 - - - - - - - - 243 - -
Categories Details B1 Cash funds All cash funds Total cash funds
B2 Other monetary assets
B3 Investment assets
B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use
| (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Details None Details None Details None |
OK Unrestricted funds to nearest £ - - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Fund to which **asset belongs ** |
OK Restricted funds to nearest £ - - - - - - Cost (optional) - - - - - Cost (optional) - - |
OK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
|||
| None | - | - | |
| - | - |
B5 Liabilities
Details
Fund to which Amount due When due liability relates (optional) (optional) - - - - -
Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees
Date of Signature Print Name approval Aimee Smith (Treasurer) 30-10-2024 Lisa Atkinson (Chair) 30-10-2024