# **THE POTTER’S HOUSE C.B.O (COMMUNITY BASED ORGANISATION) TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH 2023.**
## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS**
Name: The Potter’s House Community Based Organisation
The Potter’s House CBO Registered Charity number: 1183023
The board of trustees: Mrs Ruth Stevens
Mr Benjamin Gill Mrs Ruth Magness Mrs Jane Dodds
Registered office: Glyn Canol, Manafon Welshpool, Powys SY21 8BS
Email: info@thepottershousecbo.com
## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT**
The Potter’s House CBO is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation Registered 17 Apr 2019
Governing document: CIO Foundation Constitution
Policies and operating decisions rest with the Trustees who meet at least four times each year to plan, oversee and monitor the support provided to activities in Kenya of The Potter’s House CBO, Njoro. Trustees are responsible for ensuring the smooth running of the Charity, all trustees are voluntary. New trustees are considered and appointed by the Board of Trustees in accordance with the constitution, taking account of their skills and experience in relation to the Charity's objectives and any areas of expertise where it is felt that recruitment would be beneficial. All trustees are Board Members of The Potter’s House CBO, Njoro, Kenya.
## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES**
As stated in the constitution, the objects of the Charity are for the public benefit, the relief of those in need, in accordance with Christian principles, by reason of youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial or other disadvantage in particular but not
exclusively by: (A) Providing items and services to families who do not have the resources, skills or capability to provide for themselves, (B) By providing or assisting in the provision of education, training, healthcare projects and all the necessary support designed to enable individuals to generate a sustainable income and be selfsufficient, (C) By providing or assisting in the provision of accommodation and care for children who are in need and/or at risk of being neglected and suffering abuse in Njoro, Nakuru County, Kenya.
The Potter’s House CBO works exclusively with The Potter’s House CBO in Njoro, Kenya, a registered Community Based Organisation. The activities supported involve, education, skills training, healthcare projects, disability awareness and support, Christian outreach, counselling, family and community empowerment, community support groups. The Potter’s House CBO acts as a partner to each activity with the day-to-day management for activities in Njoro being the responsibility of the Board Members of The Potter’s House CBO, Njoro. All Trustees are Board members.
## **PUBLIC BENEFIT**
The charity trustees have complied with their duty in section 17(5) of the 2011 Charites Act to have due regard to the guidance on public benefit published by the Charity Commission in exercising their powers and duties. The trustees always ensure that the activities undertaken are in line with our charitable objects and aims.
## **ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE**
The Potter’s House CBO works exclusively with The Potter’s House CBO in Njoro, Kenya (hereby noted as TPH-N) a registered Community Based Organisation. TPH-N equip families with the knowledge and skills needed to break the cycle of extreme poverty and to be able to provide the safe, stable, and loving family home children need. TPH-N receives referrals from Njoro Children’s Services, social workers, police, village Chiefs, community health volunteers, schools, and other community level individuals. TPH-N meets the immediate and basic needs of a family but also offers long–term solutions. They support and strengthen families by providing items/services and provide training and work opportunities to parents so they can become selfsufficient. TPH-N provide school fees, school uniforms and school necessities for children not accessing education because of poverty. TPH-N also facilitate disability support groups, they run parent support groups, a project that provides equipment for disabled children, a community food bank, provide child counselling, a project to reduce period poverty and carry out evangelistic activities.
Through the partnership with TPH-N, The Potter’s House CBO has funded the following activities in the year 2022 – 2023.
TPH-N has provided services, support or activities to 721 children and adults throughout the year. The extent of support has been dependent on both the needs of the family collectively and the individual needs of family members. Support given has been emotional, spiritual, material and/or practical.
**Education** – We have been pleased to support TPH-N in funding uniforms, school admission fees, school lunches and exam fees for children in families referred to TPHN where parents were unable to do so due to poverty, ensuring that all school aged
children in these families are now receiving education. Our support with education also extended to placements in the local Polytechnic for 3 parents and 2 teenagers.
**Income generation** – For some of the families, the greatest need is regular income. To improve the lives of the children and reduce poverty for the family, parents have been supported to start up small businesses selling liquid soap and selling vegetables. The Parents were supplied with all the necessary equipment needed to start and mentored while establishing the business. 22 parents have been employed for the APT project on different days, enabling them to earn an income that helps them to feed their family and pay school fees.
**Parent Support Group –** We have supported TPH-N to run a weekly parent support group. The support group gives an opportunity to discuss and address issues that families may be facing and the parents are taken through the Yekokeb Berhan “Better Parenting Training” course. The focus is on improving parenting knowledge, attitudes, and skills. Feedback from parents has shown that the group has helped them to provide a more loving and supportive environment for their children and helped them to cope with the challenges of parenthood. Improvements in living conditions and relationships have been seen by the social worker.
**Counselling** – Many children living in poverty have been exposed to some trauma during their life and so we have supported TPH-N to employ a child counsellor one day a week to counsel traumatised children. TPH-N has forged good relationships with local schools and the counsellor has been able to work in Ndege Primary School, counselling the children referred to TPH-N one to one, as well as taking group sessions requested by the school. These sessions have had a positive impact on the children’s mental wellbeing and on family life.
**Disability awareness and support** – We have been able to support TPH-N facilitating Disability Support Groups. Disability groups have been formed in 4 areas within Njoro sub-county with a total of 133 members. The groups provide a fully inclusive space where the members feel accepted and equally valued. During the meetings education is given on topics such as cerebral palsy, WASH, parenting and farming. Skills such as rug making, calabash decorating and soap making are taught and emotional support is given. As a result of these groups more parents and carers have started integrating their disabled children into their communities and children have been supported into school who were not previously attending due to disability. Through these groups we have supported the supply of wheelchairs and other needed disability aids as well as some medical costs for those who could not afford. Support with applications for disability cards, birth certificates and NHIF cards has also been given.
**APT –** Through our support TPH-N has made 120 APT devices (chairs, standing frames and wheelchair inserts) for children with disabilities using locally sourced cardboard, paper and a flour and water paste. This technique is known as Appropriate Paperbased Technology (APT). The workshop has also benefitted families TPH-N work with financially by providing jobs for the parents. The APT devices are made to fit the individual child and help the child to maintain a comfortable and functional position in either sitting or standing. This equipment helps prevent contractures, spinal deformity and can improve digestion, bowel function and maintain skin integrity. The equipment also enables the child to play and communicate with those around them, increasing both the amount and the quality of their participation in home activities, as well as
increasing independence, communication and quality of life. For some children, having an APT chair has meant that they can attend school for the first time.
APT has also been used as an activity for street connected boys on a Saturday to help keep them off the streets and teach them new skills. 12 boys have benefitted from the APT Saturday Club.
**Cycle with Dignity –** We have been pleased to support the Cycle with Dignity project. This project’s aim is to reduce period poverty by supplying girls in local schools with needed cloth reusable sanitary pads. The project employs a local woman to make the pads using locally sourced materials. Alongside the distribution of pads, boys and girls in classes 7 and 8 were educated about menstrual health and hygiene. 306 girls received a pack of 6 pads.
**Food Bank –** Many parents in Njoro struggle to feed their families and many children suffer from malnutrition as a result. TPH-N runs a community food bank where donated food is distributed to families in need. Due to the cost-of-living crisis there has been a reduction in donated items over the last year.
**Christmas food package –** In addition to normal food support, we were able to support TPH-N giving 28 families a food package at Christmas.
**Spiritual–** TPH-N continues to host a weekly bible study for parents and the wider community. TPH-N also provides spiritual guidance to families and actively seeks to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.
**Bible Club –** We have supported TPH-N in providing a bible club for children. The clubs ran Tuesday – Friday during each school holiday with on around 90 children attending. During the club children enjoyed games, teaching from the bible, discussion and mentoring as well as some snacks. On the last day of each club parents were invited to hear about what the children had been taught and share a meal together. Out of this TPH-N was able to identify children who had family challenges. Wider social issues were also addressed.
In conclusion, the number of children and adults accessing services, support and activities from TPH-N has increased greatly with the aid of our financial support. There has been a positive impact on all families as a result of the various support they have received and relationships between TPH-N and government agencies, churches and the wider community have been strengthened.
## **FINANCIAL REVIEW**
At the end of the financial period the Charity had cash funds of £14,760 of which £5,875 is restricted for the purposes of supporting the APT and Cycle With Dignity projects. These were the result of a cash funds at the opening of the financial period of £12,212 then Receipts totalling £21,868 and Payments totalling £19,320 over the financial period.
As evidenced in the report above, the work has grown over this year, and as such so has the expenditure. What is so heartening is to see that the income has likewise increased (when including restricted funds) meaning that we have not needed to cut
into our reserves in any meaningful sense, in order to meet this growing need. At any point this would be wonderful, but especially in the midst of a financial crisis!
Once again, our most regular and numerous sources of funds were direct donations from individuals or churches; the exception being a specific grant from APT for Social Development to support the APT project this year and next year. This was designated as restricted funds and has, as such, been used exclusively for supporting the APT project.
This year has indeed seen more designated giving as specific projects have grown and flourished requiring more expenditure which has been responded to by the cultivation of specific fundraising efforts, such as the Cycle with Dignity GoFundMe page, or partnering with dedication specific interest groups, such as APT for Social Development. This has allowed us to sustain these projects without cutting into funds needed for the ongoing more general work of the charity in fulfilling its charitable objectives in Njoro.
There are already encouraging signs of these dedicated income streams continuing in the coming year to preserve the longterm viability of such works but we will continue to raise awareness and seek specific partnerships as the year continues and not get complacent but striving to keep this work sustainable.
## **Independent Examiner’s report to the Trustees of Potters House For the year ended 31 March 2023**
I report on the accounts of The Potters House CBO for the year ended 31 March 2022, set out on pages 2 and 3.
## **RESPECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE TRUSTEES AND EXAMINER**
The Trustees consider that an audit is not required for this period (under section 144(2) of the Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to:
- Examine the accounts (under section 145 of the Act);
- To follow the procedures laid down in the General Direction given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Act); and
- To state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
## **BASIS OF INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S STATEMENT**
My examination was carried out in accordance with General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from the Trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the accounts.
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S STATEMENT**
In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the church as required by section 130 of the Act; or
2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or
3. the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true 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 to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
**John Helm ACA 13 July 2023**
0
**Charity Name No (if any) The Potter's House C.B.O. (Community Based 1183023 Organisation)**
||**Charity Name**
**No (if any)**
**The Potter's House C.B.O. (Community Based**
**Organisation)**
**1183023**|**Charity Name**
**No (if any)**
**The Potter's House C.B.O. (Community Based**
**Organisation)**
**1183023**|**Charity Name**
**No (if any)**
**The Potter's House C.B.O. (Community Based**
**Organisation)**
**1183023**|**Charity Name**
**No (if any)**
**The Potter's House C.B.O. (Community Based**
**Organisation)**
**1183023**|**Charity Name**
**No (if any)**
**The Potter's House C.B.O. (Community Based**
**Organisation)**
**1183023**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**Receipts andpayments accounts**|||||
||**For the period**
**from**|Period start date
01/04/2022|**To**|Period end date
31/03/2023||
|||||||
|**Section A Receipts and payments**||||||
|**A1 Receipts**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest**
**£**
**9,837**
14
**9,851**
**-**
**-**
**9,851**
**10,342**
**178**
**10,520**
**-**
**-**
**10,520**
**- 670**
**-**
**12,212**
**11,542**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**
**12,017**
**12,017**
**-**
**-**
**12,017**
**8,658**
**82**
**60**
**8,800**
**-**
**-**
**8,800**
**3,217**
**-**
**-**
**3,217**|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**||**Total**
**funds**
**to the**
**nearest £**|
|Voluntary Income|**9,837**||||**21,854**|
|Interest|14||||**14**|
|**_Sub total_**_(Gross income for_
_AR)_|**9,851**||||**21,868**|
|||||||
|**A2 Asset and investment sales,**
**(see table).**||||||
||**-**||||**-**|
|**_Sub total_**|**-**||||**-**|
|**_Total receipts_**
**A3 Payments**||||||
||||||**21,868**|
|||||||
|Grants|**10,342**||||**19,000**|
|Bank Charges|**178**||||**260**|
|DBS|||||**60**|
|**_Sub total_**|**10,520**||||**19,320**|
|||||||
|**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_**||||||
||||||**19,320**|
|||||||
||**- 670**|**3,217**|**-**||**2,**
**548**|
||**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**|
||**12,212**|**-**|**-**||**12,212**|
||**11,542**|**3,217**|**-**||**14,760**|
2
## **Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period**
**Categories B1 Cash funds**
**B2 Other monetary assets**
## **B3 Investment assets**
**B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use**
## **B5 Liabilities**
**Unrestricted Restricted funds funds to nearest £ to nearest £ 11,510 3,168 32 29 - - 11,542 3,217**
**Details**
CAF PayPal
## _**Total cash funds**_
(agree balances with receipts and payments accounts(s))
OK OK **Unrestricted Restricted funds funds to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - - - Fund to which Cost asset belongs (optional) - - - Fund to which Cost asset belongs (optional)**
## **Details**
## **Details**
## **Details**
**Fund to which Amount due Details liability relates (optional)** Independent Examination Fee £500 **-**
Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees
## Signature
Print Name
3