STA Byme Annual Report & Accounts 2023 ## _**Stand by Me**_ **’s mission is to rescue kids from terrible circumstances. Then do whatever it takes to provide the care, love and attention they need to thrive.** ## **A message from the director** **I am delighted to share with you our most recent Annual Report & Accounts which celebrates our children’s achievements in 2023, acknowledges God’s faithfulness and your incredible support in transforming the lives of thousands of children around the world.** It has been a year of huge trials, not least in Myanmar where our children have experienced flooding, food insecurity and have been living amid a civil war unlike anything they have experienced before. Despite the fear that has gripped Myanmar, our extraordinary staff, full of compassion and courage, continued to risk their lives by sharing food, aid and the love of God to those most in need. Throughout these challenging times, our staff have been uplifted and encouraged by our supporters’ generosity and commitment to prayer through the Christmas Myanmar Appeal. This year, a significant milestone for _Stand by Me_ was the news from our Bethany School, where the top five national exam results were achieved by our girls. As I reflect on my first visit to Ethiopia in 2005, when there wasn’t even a school, just an empty field, children could not read or write, many were starving and some even dying from preventable diseases. Back then, the possibility of a quality education seemed impossible. As a father of two girls, my hope has always been for our girls in Ethiopia to be liberated from oppressive social shackles and to realise their intrinsic worth. This year, thanks to our incredible staff, we saw this dream become a reality and our girls are now reaching their full potential. I am incredibly thankful for God’s provision and for you, our generous supporters, who, through your commitment, enabled us to raise revenues of £2.78m in 2023, the highest income in our history. However, the impact of inflation on our projects worldwide has meant the cost of providing essential care for our kids has increased significantly, resulting in a deficit of £267,000. There will be difficult decisions to be made in 2024, but for now, let us celebrate all that we have achieved together in 2023. On behalf of the 3,800 children in our care, thank you for all your love and faithful support. **Ahmad Ayoubi** Executive Director **2** **3** ## **Helping children become** ## **everything they are born to be** Each child is unique so we take care to meet each of their individual needs, from food and healthcare, to loving parents and a quality education. We’re motivated by Jesus’ example to make a lasting difference in our children’s lives by tackling each and every obstacle they face. ## **Our child-centred care** ## **Loving care** We get to know each child and invest our time raising them to know that they’re loved and accepted for who they are. ## **Strong families** We work hard to keep families together. In the absence of a stable family, we welcome children into our loving family homes. ## **Great education** Our education programmes equip our kids to rise above their circumstances and help change their communities. ## **Access to healthcare** We go the extra mile to make sure that our kids are fit and well, and can enjoy their childhood. ## **A reason for hope** It’s a privilege to demonstrate Jesus’ love to our kids through the quality of our care. ## **Caring relationships** Child sponsorship helps our kids to feel loved, cared for and part of a wider family. **Our care programmes** Each child is unique but like all children they need unconditional love and acceptance. Because they come from complex backgrounds, we have developed four key care programmes to meet their individual needs. ## **Care Centres** ## **Children's Homes** **----- Start of picture text -----**
Family Support
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Our care centres provide tutoring, meals, clothes, medical care and counselling for children and their families who need extra care. Our children’s homes are just like any family home should be – comfortable, safe and filled with love. We provide families with food, rent support, medical care and small business grants to enable them to stand on their own two feet. ## **Schools** Our schools provide a quality education, equipping children to rise above their circumstances and do great things. _Emmanuel Care Centre Colombia._ **4** **5** ## **Caring for over 3,800 kids worldwide** **Colombia** Providing care and psychological support to children overwhelmed by abuse, family breakups, neglect and poverty. ## **Dominican Republic** Educating children facing poverty, high unemployment and poor educational opportunities. Providing a loving home for orphaned and at risk children. **Romania** Supporting children and their families living in deep poverty in the community through the provision of a free education, daily food and family support. Caring for girls rescued from neglect. ## **Ethiopia** Providing an education to children living in poverty, a loving family for orphaned children and extensive healthcare for children and their family members. Offering a programme for those living with HIV and selfsufficiency projects for families. **Kenya** Giving orphaned and abandoned children loving care in our family homes. Providing a quality education to children trapped in poverty and offering community support, skills training and sustainability programmes. **India** Providing loving care and an education to children rescued from a life of civil unrest, violence and child trafficking. ## **Myanmar** Offering a loving family home to orphaned children from persecuted minorities and providing an education for children in our schools so that they can rise above their difficult circumstances. **----- Start of picture text -----**
Romania
Myanmar
Dominican Republic
Ethiopia India
Colombia
Kenya
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**6** **7** ## **Our impact** ## **295 children join the** _**Stand by Me**_ **family** We welcomed 295 children around the world into the _Stand by Me_ family during 2023. Although they are only embarking on their journey, we are confident that as we meet their individual needs, they can go far. Seven-year-old **Jane*** and her four-year-old sister **Valerie*** were two of our newest children at our **Open Arms Academy** in Kenya. Their grandmother rescued the sisters from an unsafe home where they lacked protection and they have lived with her ever since. _**“I felt completely helpless and hopeless. I brought them to my house. I had no idea how I would be able to provide for their school. But God heard my prayers. After a few months, I was informed that they had received a place to study at the Open Arms Academy. That was the happiest day of my life.”**_ **Jane and Valerie’s grandmother** Now, every morning, Jane and Valerie make their way through the dusty streets toward school, always cheerful and always sticking together. The school provides so much more than the chance of an education for Jane and Valerie, it is a safe haven for children who have experienced some of the worst situations. Jane and Valerie have teachers who show them they are loved and safe every day. This care is transforming their lives and the lives of many children like them. _**“I have seen my girls happier each day. I know their journey is long, but I now have confidence that I will be able to help them. For the first time in a very long time, I am hopeful for their future.”**_ ## **Jane and Valerie’s grandmother** _Jane and Valerie._ _* Names changed for child protection._ **8** ## **Taking a stand for our girls in Ethiopia** This year, we embarked on one of our most ambitious projects yet, to build a **High School Centre** in Ethiopia to provide a safe and supportive place for our students to learn. When children succeed at Grade 8 and finish at our Bethany Primary School, they can progress on to high school. But the government high school is a challenging place to learn where girls face discrimination, prejudice and gender inequality. As a result, girls are too afraid to seek the support they need. To ensure that both boys and girls can fulfil their potential at high school, we’re now building a High School Centre where our students can receive additional support and the teaching, guidance and encouragement they need to achieve. We know our girls are more than worth this investment as this year, for the first time ever, the top five Grade 8 students at our Bethany School were girls. One of the five is **Tigist** who joined our Bethany School in 2013 when her mother, a family cook, couldn’t afford to send her to school. Her older brothers, unable to go to school, worked as general labourers to support the family and if it were not for the chance of an education at our Bethany School, Tigist may have followed in the footsteps of her siblings. When Tigist started school, she struggled with her maths and English. But thanks to the support of her sponsors and teachers, she has made amazing progress, finishing second in Grade 8. Not only did Tigist succeed, but we are immensely proud to share that every Grade 8 student at the Bethany School graduated successfully. These kids have come from the most difficult backgrounds, facing many obstacles along the way and so this is a huge achievement. This wonderful news spurs us on to complete the construction of our High School Centre, which is progressing well, as soon as possible. This will enable our students to continue to thrive as they receive supportive tutoring in a safe environment by teachers committed to equality. **----- Start of picture text -----**
Construction of the new High School Centre.
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**10** ## **Providing hope in disaster in Myanmar** Our children in Myanmar are living in the midst of a vicious civil war. Every day, our children in the north hear the terrifying sounds of bombs and gunfire. Hundreds of villages across the country have been left in ashes, many people have died and thousands are constantly on the move, fleeing for shelter. In the south, our children also faced the devastation of flooding. Heavy rain and thunderstorms resulted in a cracked dam flooding acres of land and submerging our **Myanmar Agape Home** waist-deep in water. Our 45 children had to evacuate during the night and travel by canoe to the safety of temporary accommodation. After assessing the extent of the damage, we discovered furniture and many of our children’s possessions had been destroyed and the home was in need of significant repairs. Our rice crop, which we were relying on to provide food security for our children was also completely destroyed. This devastating news came at the worst possible time as inflation _Our children's flooded bedrooms._ has caused rice prices to skyrocket from £15 to £55 per bag, bringing concerns for our ability to feed our 2,000 children. Our generous supporters joined with us to bring hope to Myanmar through our **Christmas Appeal** by providing vital food and essential repairs. This outpouring of love, kindness and prayers showed our children they are loved and were a huge encouragement to our children and staff who are living through adversity. Thanks to the provision of the Myanmar Christmas Appeal, we were able to ensure our children have sufficient food, keeping them fed and healthy. Also, our Myanmar Agape Home family were able to move back into the home with a new fridge, furniture and vital repairs to the home. In a heart-warming gesture, Myanmar Agape Home distributed rice and oil to 100 neighbouring houses, accompanied by a Christmas message. This act of kindness brought not just material support but also a sense of community and shared joy. Many of our homes around Myanmar continue to deliver aid to their community. _Unloading rice for 100 houses at Christmas._ ## **Growing in knowledge and character** Long lasting care in a family and our commitment to our kids doesn’t only impact our kids education but transforms every aspect of their lives. **Estefany** is originally from Haiti but was brought to the Dominican Republic when she was only young. Not long after, she was rescued from an abusive home by the police and brought to **The Casa Children’s Village** , becoming part of our _Stand by Me_ family. Over the years she grew and thrived thanks to the excellent care provided by her home parents and the loving support of her sponsors, receiving regular nutritious meals, access to healthcare and the opportunity to receive an education. Estefany took advantage of every moment to learn. When she arrived, she hardly spoke any Spanish, speaking only Creole. Determined, she made everyone proud by learning to read and write in Spanish, learning to knit, cook and take care of herself. This year, Estefany turned 18 and graduated from Grade 9, her final grade at school, which is a wonderful achievement. She is a natural leader and her kind and respectful character set a great example both at the children’s home and at school. As well as an excellent student, she also found time to help at her church. Now an adult, we are excited for Estefany’s future, for her to reach her many dreams and goals. The foundation she has received at _Stand by Me_ has given her the knowledge, skills and character needed to succeed and have a bright future. **13** **Grace** was one of the first mums to join the programme. For years, Grace worked as a day labourer and she struggled to afford to send her children to school, buy medication when needed and some days she even was unable to provide food for them. ## **Community Empowerment groups bring hope in Kenya** A new community empowerment programme is supporting the families of our kids in Kenya to improve their livelihoods. Parents and guardians of our children meet regularly with Winnie, our community empowerment programme leader. Winnie has a deep understanding of each family and of the community and is committed to seeing them flourish. Grace’s son, eight-year-old **Clifford** , was welcomed into our school and, soon after, Grace, due to her positive attitude and determination, was invited to join one of the new savings groups. Grace had always wanted to raise chickens like her mother had done when she was just a girl, but she never had enough resources to get started. After attending the training and starting to put what she had learned into practice, it wasn’t long before Grace began to believe that she and her family The families meet regularly in groups to receive vital parenting training, pastoral support and business coaching to help them start a life-changing business and raise a strong and stable family. could have a new life. She took a business loan from her savings group and bought her first chickens! Today, Grace's chicken rearing business is enabling her to feed her children and send her daughter to high school. _**“In November when my daughter did her class 8 exam, I didn’t know if I would be able to take her to high school, but then my business grew and she is now in school.”**_ Grace is experiencing hope as Clifford receives a fantastic education and she is now feeling empowered and working hard to improve the security of her family. ## **Transforming early years education in Ethiopia** In Ethiopia we celebrated the momentous occasion of the arrival of a shipping container brimming with donated uniforms, books, bags, football kits and classroom resources and furniture specifically designed for early years education. **School in a Bag** provided a school bag and educational resources for every child at the Bethany School, enriching our children’s experience of learning. **KitAid’s** donation of football kits has allowed the Bethany School football teams to train and compete with greater identity and purpose. Generous _Stand by Me_ supporters funded the new early years educational resources within the container, enabling us to enhance our youngest children’s education at its most formative stage. This included everything our four classrooms need from tables and chairs, toys, books, reading corners and even outdoor learning equipment to make learning engaging and fun. _**“With the aid of the items in the container, I am fully confident that by next year, our kindergarten students will experience substantial academic growth. They will demonstrate enhanced cognitive abilities, critical thinking skills and a genuine passion for learning. By providing them with the appropriate resources and opportunities, we are empowering our kindergarten students to reach their full potential, ensuring they are well-prepared and ready for success in Grade 1 and their academic journey moving forward."**_ **Brook, Bethany Project Director** _Early years children._ To ensure that these resources are put to the best possible use, in spring 2024, a team of passionate and experienced teachers from Northern Ireland will be travelling to Ethiopia to provide comprehensive training on how to effectively utilise these wonderful resources in the classroom. Through the impact of the uniforms, bags, kits and educational resources we hope our children in Ethiopia will have the best start to their education and a more promising future. **14** **15** **How we did it** Everything we are able to achieve is thanks to our amazing supporters and sponsors who share their skills, resources, finances and time to change the lives of some of the most vulnerable children worldwide. _Denisa Care Centre, Romania._ _**Bethany School, Ethiopia.**_ **16** ## **Child Sponsorship** We are grateful that this year that a further 286 people provided a child with an extended worldwide family by becoming a sponsor. We are thankful for all our wonderful child sponsors who have made our children feel so loved, sending a total of 4,159 emails and 5,076 monetary gifts to their sponsored children. **Child Sponsorship** is a fantastic way to impact a child’s life. It’s so much more than a monthly donation providing for a child’s food, clothes, medical care and education; it means a child feels loved, cared for and part of a family. The commitment and encouragement means the world to our children, no one expresses this better than **Esayas** who recently wrote to his sponsor Rose, on the occasion of starting his first job after graduating university. “Dear Rose, I’m writing this letter to express my deepest gratitude for all the support and love you have shown me throughout my life. You have been my family, my friend and my mentor. You have been there for me in every step of my journey since you started to sponsor me. You have provided me with everything I needed to continue my education without any worries. You gave me food, clothes, shoes, learning materials and most importantly, your love and care. You supported me through the years at Bethany and you continued your support when I went to secondary school and university, and I was able to graduate with a BA degree in marketing management. Thanks to God and your help, I was able to get a job and make my dream come true. You have been _Esayas at his graduation._ my second family and stood by me in my ups and downs. Your financial and emotional support has been invaluable to me. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you have done for me. You have played a significant role in shaping who I am today. I will always keep you in my heart and respect what you did for me. May God bless you all, and I love you all.” **Esayas, Ethiopia** We thank our sponsors who make it possible for us to continue to provide outstanding childcare. It has been an extremely challenging year for many of our children around the world, particularly for our children in **Myanmar** who faced a brutal civil war, food insecurity and flooding. Even in the midst of the most difficult circumstances our children know they are loved, thanks to the support of sponsors. One of our incredible directors in Myanmar, shared a message which wonderfully expresses the gratitude and appreciation our staff feel to our sponsors. _**“Your partnership with us has made an immeasurable impact on the lives of the children. We have witnessed incredible growth, transformation and hope in the eyes of these remarkable children. It is your generosity, prayers and belief in our mission that have ignited this journey of love and compassion. I am deeply moved by the sense of family and community that we have cultivated together. Your support not only provides for the basic needs of these children but also opens doors to education, healthcare, and opportunities they might have never dreamed of. Our commitment to you is persistent. We pledge to continue nurturing, educating, and empowering these young lives with the same dedication and love that you have shown us. Together, we will walk hand in hand with them on their journey towards a brighter future.”**_ **The Director of our Myanmar Agape Home** **18** **19** ## **Appeals** Our appeals allow us to respond to our children’s urgent needs. Our **High School Centre Appeal** raised an incredible £91,473.64 enabling us to provide a safe and supportive environment for high school students in Ethiopia. _**“I can’t wait for the High School Centre to be completed because there will be people around me who will encourage me to be courageous and work hard. There will be good teachers who will teach us properly at our tutorial classes.” Mihiret, Ethiopia.**_ This year, due to the challenges our children are facing in Myanmar, the focus of our **Christmas Appeal** was to raise funds to provide food and repairs in Myanmar. Our Christmas Appeal raised a fantastic £118,589 which enabled us to bless our children and their families throughout Myanmar, bringing hope to those caught up in this forgotten war. _**“I would like to give thanks to God for you, since the children under our care are safe and fed marvellously by God’s people around the world.”**_ _**North Myanmar Director.**_ _Mihiret, Ethiopia_ **----- Start of picture text -----**
Gifts that make a world of difference
CATALOGUE
2023-2024
GIFT
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## **Greatest Need donations** **Unrestricted giving** allows us to meet the needs of children and communities around the world as and when they arise. We value every donation from the smallest to the largest and pride ourselves on thanking and updating our amazing supporters regularly, ensuring they know exactly where their money is used and how it is making a difference to our children. ## **Alternative Gifts** Our **Alternative Gift Catalogue** raised a fantastic £33,246 from supporters who purchased school uniforms, books, medical care, food packs, underwear, toys and other daily necessities and treats to help our children fulfil their potential. _Lunch at the Bethany School, Ethiopia._ **20** **21** **----- Start of picture text -----**
22 Lunch at the Emmanuel Care Centre, Colombia.
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## **Fundraising** Amazing fundraisers take on ambitious challenges to raise money for our children around the world. Whether they are running a marathon or sleeping on the floor, their motivation to make a difference is inspiring and raises essential funds to support our kids. This year our annual **February on the Floor** fundraising event raised **£55,855** to provide the best start to their day for **391** children around the world. ## **Legacy and in memoriam gifts** Our children are unlikely to ever be included in anyone’s inheritance, so legacy and in memoriam gifts left to _Stand by Me_ mean so much and allow us to continue to make lasting and far reaching improvements in children’s lives. ## **Spreading the word** We spoke in schools and churches throughout the year. New speaking opportunities and our existing relationships with schools, churches, clubs and youth groups resulted in more children being sponsored as well as one-off donations impacting children’s lives. ## **Trusts** We would like to thank the Charitable Trusts who have together contributed to our projects this year and without whom we would not be able to complete essential projects. **23** ## **Message from the Chair of the Board of Trustees** I find it a real privilege to draft a short note on behalf of the _Stand by Me_ Board to thank all of you, our supporters, who give freely of your time, money or both. Your unwavering support and gracious giving are never taken for granted and we think very hard and seek God’s guidance before any of it is spent. The thanks doesn’t just come from the _Stand by Me_ Board and staff, but also from all of the children and families that we are able to support because of your graciousness. It comes from Jane and Valerie’s grandmother who felt completely helpless and hopeless and had no idea how she would support the girls who needed a safe home. They are now in our Open Arms Academy. It comes from all the girls who will now be able to study safely in our Ethiopian High School Centre. Also, from all our children and staff in Myanmar for their replaced furniture and food after the floods and for your continued love during the terrible civil war. The faces of all the children standing next to the container of kindergarten supplies just shout gratitude and thanks. Finally, Esayas’ letter of thanks to his sponsor after his graduation sums up in his terms exactly what your support means. Our Northern Myanmar Director succinctly wrote, “I would like to give thanks to God for you, since the children under our care are safe and fed marvellously by God’s people around the world.“ Looking forward, with your help and God’s provision and guidance we will continue to improve how we deliver education, love and care to our children around the world so they can become what God wants them to be. Lastly, but by no means least, on behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Ahmad and all his UK and overseas staff for their continued dedication and hard work. **Mark Clayden** Chair of the Board of Trustees _Open Arms Project in Kenya._ **25** Costs of raising income Financial Summary £98,768 Expenditure 2023 Totsl eXpendi￿re in the year was £3,048,348. 97% of expenditure was spent on charitablè aetivities with fundrai%ng and govemance costing just 3%. Governance £6.282 Charity is a tool that we use to meet the needs of children. But we're not here to just run a charity, we're here to change the lives of the children in our care, then to reach out and rescue more. When we spend money, it s because it's the best way to make a difference in our kids, lives. Our trusted staff use money wisely to provide the best care possible for our children and through our annual budgets, audits and frequent monitoring visits, we make sure that the money is spent prudently. Ja Charitable activities £2.943,298 97% Other income What we sperfc directly on our projects in 2023 Reclaimed GIft￿d £301,385 £31,567 Team income E73,896 3% Ethiopia £1.089,060 Income 2023 We are incredibly gratefijl to everyone who has supported our work over the past year enabling us to raise £2.781,975. Colombia £416.468 Myanmar Othe¥ donations rJ90,869 Sponsorship (committed giving) £1.254,699 45% £567,223 20% Keny £244.412 Romania £73.171 Dominican Republic £65,556 India £19,498 Totsl direct spending on projects Total: £2.398.366 STAND Byme Response to appea15 £502.596 18% £99,332 Legacyfin mem¢xiam donations £50,615 2% 26 27 ## **Looking forward** **As we celebrate all we have achieved over 2023, we also look forward to all we hope to achieve in 2024. As we continue to rescue children from terrible circumstances and do all we can to provide them with nutritious food, essential healthcare, family support and a life-changing education, we know their lives will be transformed. Here are our main aims for 2024:** ## **Education** We are providing an excellent education in all our schools around the world. To ensure our children get the most out of the opportunity of an education and have the best start to their time at school, we will enhance our Kindergarten (early years) education, providing the resources to help staff enrich the learning environment with a team of early years specialists visiting Ethiopia to train our staff. To provide a safe and supportive place for our high school students to study in Ethiopia, we will complete our High School Centre and look forward to equipping and opening this quality facility to ensure our older children can transition well and safely into independence and be in the best position to thrive as an adult and reach their potential. We will also introduce and resource a quality IT lab at our Abdi Academy in Ethiopia to provide our students with essential IT skills. To enhance the educational opportunities of our children in Kenya, our Open Arms Academy will add a workshop and Technical Drawing Office to provide technical and vocational skills to children, opening up employment opportunities for them. ## **Sustainability and Stability** We will continue to meet the complex needs of our children, particularly in Colombia where many of the children in our care lack love in their home environments and are in need of counselling. We will seek additional support for the project to fund further intervention in their lives by loving staff. Regular support is incredibly important to us as a charity as it allows us to plan with confidence for the year ahead. Alongside child sponsorship, we will encourage regular support through four options: feeding a child, supporting a family, providing further education for a student and supporting an entire class. This year we will work closely with Open Arms International with the aim they will become _Stand by Me_ at the beginning of 2025. Having taken responsibility for the project in Kenya two years ago, this is the final part of the plan which will enable the work of _Stand by Me_ to be shared in the USA. We hope this will result in many more people supporting our amazing children for the first time. ## **Quality Care** _Stand by Me_ is dedicated to furthering our commitment to the highest standards of care for the children we look after. A significant area of focus will be the continued development of our child safeguarding protocols and practices. We recognise the paramount importance of ensuring the safety and well-being of every child in our care, and as such, we will be conducting thorough audits of our current safeguarding procedures to identify areas for improvement and enhancement. Alongside this we are dedicated to providing ongoing training and development opportunities for our overseas staff, empowering them with the knowledge and skills necessary to uphold our safeguarding standards. Over the course of this 18-month development project, we will be implementing necessary changes at our projects to strengthen our safeguarding framework. **----- Start of picture text -----**
Emmanuel Care Centre, Colombia. 29
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**28** ## **Structure, governance and management** ## **Registered Charity** _Stand by Me_ is a registered charity in England and Wales. The charity is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. Its governing document is a Constitution dated 2nd September 2019. The charity is governed by a Board of Trustees which is responsible for approving strategic decisions having taken advice from the Executive team. ## **Going concern** After appropriate research, the Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue to operate for the foreseeable future. For this reason, they continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements.. ## **Method of appointment & training of Trustees** New Trustees are appointed by the Board and approved at a meeting of the Trustees. Stand by Me Trustees are expected to be pro-active in supporting the work of the charity. Trustee recruitment is achieved through a blend of professional associations, local networks and prospective members being individually identified and approached. A periodic review of existing skills and expertise is undertaken and an assessment made as to what is required to meet the strategic needs of the charity. This shapes the recruitment and selection of prospective Trustees along with evidence of their motivation and support for the vision and mission of the charity. **Remuneration policy** The Board of Trustees annually reviews the remuneration of the charity's key management personnel. The Board is well aware that these individuals are paid below the benchmark criteria or "norm" for other similar charities and are therefore grateful that the current staff, conscious of the great needs of our children, are satisfied with their present level of remuneration. The Board of Trustees annually reviews the remuneration of the charity's key management personnel. The Board is well aware that these individuals are paid below the benchmark criteria or "norm" for other similar charities and are therefore grateful that the current staff, conscious of the great needs of our children, are satisfied with their present level of remuneration. ## **Public benefit** The Trustees have considered the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit and continue to be satisfied the charity is acting in the public benefit, as stated in our objectives, and believe this report contains the explanation of the significant activities undertaken during the year which confirms this. ## **Reserves** The Board of Trustees considers the key measure of sustainability for _Stand by Me_ to be current and future liquidity cover, rather than the surplus or deficit accounting position. Consequently Trustees have set an appropriate reserves policy which is reviewed annually relating to liquidity, based on the relationship between readily realisable assets and the cash required to meet agreed obligations to ministries overseas in respect of monies that cover their regular support outgoings. Reserves are also required to sustain the charity’s operations in England and Northern Ireland. **----- Start of picture text -----**
Denisa Day Care Centre, Romania.
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**30** **31** Trustees have decided that _Stand by Me_ should at all times maintain cash and readily realisable assets, being regarded as restricted funds, sufficient to fund between not less than 3 and not more than 12 months of budgeted regular support outgoings in relation to overseas ministries. At 31 December 2023 that liquidity cover stands at **7.1 months.** Alongside this, Trustees have also decided that, at all times, cash and realisable assets should be maintained to finance a minimum of 3 months and not more than 12 months of budgeted operating costs. At 31 December 2023 that liquidity cover stands at **3.7 months.** This Reserves Policy, which was agreed by Trustees at a meeting on 26 April 2023, updates and refines the earlier policy by linking solvency awareness in relation to funds for ministries overseas very specifically to monitoring liquidity cover for regular support outgoings. Also the assessment of solvency has been standardised as not less than 3 months and not more than 12 months for both restricted and unrestricted funds. ## **Restricted funds** Restricted funds are funds subject to specific conditions imposed by donors. The costs of raising and administering such funds are charged against the specific fund in accordance with the Reserves Policy set by the Trustees. _Stand by Me_ aims to hold sufficient balances in all funds to cover 25 – 100% of budgeted regular support outgoings, plus any donations previously received for specific projects scheduled to take place in the subsequent years. At the end of the period total restricted funds were £1.04m (at 31 December 2022 £1.196m) all of which is earmarked for agreed regular support payments and specific projects. For each fund, _Stand by Me_ ’s assets are available and adequate to fulfil its obligations. **Investment Policy and Performance** The Trustees have the power to invest in such assets as they see fit. Our objective is to maintain high liquidity while ensuring maximum security. To achieve this Stand by Me invests with institutions with a high security rating in fixed-term or call deposits. During the year _Stand by Me_ 's sterling deposits achieved an average rate of interest of 2.9% (2022: 0.93%) compared with average bank base rate for the same period of 4.68% (2022: 1.47%). **Risk management** The Trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed, in particular those related to the operations and finances of the charity and are satisfied that systems and procedures are in place to mitigate our exposure to the major risks. Principal risks considered can be categorised as follows: - Financial risks – potential reduction in the level of public voluntary donations leading to inadequate reserves. - External risks – (a) poor public perception, albeit that Trustees consider this to be an extremely low risk, with consequent damage to the charity’s reputation and (b) turbulent economic or political environment. - Safeguarding risks – failure to adequately protect our beneficiaries and staff around the world. There are four basic strategies that can be applied to manage an identified risk: - Transferring the financial consequences to third parties, or sharing it, usually through insurance or outsourcing; - Avoiding completely the activity giving rise to the risk, for example by not taking up a contract or stopping a particular activity or service; - Management or mitigation of risk; - Accepting or assessing it as a risk that cannot be avoided if the activity is to continue i.e. where the Trustees recognise that a core activity carries a risk but take steps to mitigate it. Our reputation as a world class child care organisation is intertwined with our most important concern and the area we constantly monitor i.e. the protection of our children. Our comprehensive Child Care Standard document is our global standard for all the charity’s projects which includes policies common to all our work around the world, is how we manage this risk. Also each member of staff is given our Staff Handbook which has, as its first section, the highest standards of behaviour expected in all dealings with children and fellow members of staff. Another key strategic risk identified was our additional funding needs. This is due to the fluctuation of sterling in political and economic uncertainty, combined with meeting the costs of the increasing number of our children attending further education. To mitigate this, we will maximise our key strengths and look to diversify our fundraising portfolio. ## **Overseas monitoring** Our Executive Director and Founding Director regularly visit the projects and work with our in-country boards as they report against objectives and abide by policies set out for each of our homes, care centres and schools. _Lois School, Myanmar._ **32** **33** Each country we work in has at least one director who is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day work taking place and they have regular meetings with the Executive Director to discuss how the projects are progressing and any current issues that need addressing. On an individual child level, we monitor the progress of every child, physically, emotionally and academically throughout the year to meet any needs as they arise and ensure they are able to do well. By having teams visit regularly, many with professional members such as doctors, dentists and teachers, we encourage them to provide professional reports to aid our work as we seek to improve our effectiveness, efficiency and awareness of future challenges. ## **Organisational structure & decision making** The Board of Trustees meets every two months, subject to travel commitments, and is responsible for the overall strategic direction and policy of the charity. The Executive Director has delegated responsibility for the day-to-day leadership and management of the charity, implementing strategy and providing overall leadership to ensure that the core values of the charity are maintained. The Board has reserved to itself certain important decisions including changes to the charity’s governing document and approval of the longterm objectives and strategy. The key responsibilities of Trustees are set out in the statement on page 37. **Fundraising ethos** Whether a long-standing supporter or someone hearing about Stand by Me for the first time, we endeavour to inspire people to get involved in rescuing children from extreme circumstances and providing the opportunities they need to thrive. In our 27 year history we have always focused on building long term relationships with our supporters, exemplified by the foundation of regular sponsors and donors who know the tangible difference their support is making. We allow our supporters to choose the ways in which they wish to be involved as well as where they would like their money used, as we understand how important ownership and choice can be for our supporters. The following principles guide our fundraising strategy and operations: • We aim to inspire people to donate or raise money for _Stand by Me._ • We thank supporters appropriately and demonstrate the tangible difference their money is making to the children around the world. - When we contact our supporters it’s because we think they will be interested to hear how our children are thriving through their support. We listen to supporters and act on their communication requests. - We keep our supporters’ data secure and never pass their personal information on to any other company or charity and we don’t buy or sell data. - Fundraising and marketing is only carried out by our staff so that we are in control of the standards employed. This ensures that supporters and the wider public do not feel pressured to give and are treated with respect at all times, with a particular focus on the protection of vulnerable people. _Stand by Me_ ’s fundraising activities and compliance with fundraising regulations and best practice are closely scrutinised by the Board of Trustees. **Accounts 1 January 2023 - 31 December 2023** _Emmanuel Care Centre, Colombia_ **34** **35** **Stand by Me** (Charity Registered number 1185124) **Trustees' Report for the year ended 31 December 2023** ## **Reference and administrative details of the charity, its trustees and advisers for the year ended 31 December 2023** The Trustees present their report together with the audited financial statements of _Stand by Me_ (the charity) for the year ended 31 December 2023. The Trustees confirm the report and financial statements of the charity comply with the current statutory requirements which are contained within the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) (FRS 102) updated in January 2019. ## **Independent auditor** ## **Trustees** Mark Clayden, Chairman Edward Carpenter, Treasurer Jo Clark (resigned 8 March 2023) Gordon Haynes (appointed 11 July 2024) Nathania MacGregor (resigned 9 May 2024) Alan Ramsay (appointed 14 March 2024) Sharon Seymour Greg Smith (appointed 22 April 2024) Elizabeth Staniforth John Tillett Robert J Baxter FCCA Chartered Certified Accountants Statutory Auditor Cooper & Co 9 Palmers Avenue Grays Essex RM17 5TX ## **Bank** Lloyds Bank Danske Bank Market Place PO Box 183 Romford Donegall Square West Essex Belfast RM1 3AA BT1 6JS ## **Minutes Secretary** Fay Garrett **Executive Director** Ahmad Ayoubi **Offices** England Office Ireland Office **Charity registered number** 630 Upper Brentwood Road 16 West Street 1185124 Romford Carrickfergus Essex Co. Antrim RM2 6HS BT38 7AR ## **TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES STATEMENT** The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). The law applicable to charities in England & Wales requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to: - select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; - observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP; - make judgments and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent; - prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation. The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charity’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the charity's constitution. 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 are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the charity and financial information included on the charity’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions. This report was approved by the Trustees on 21 October 2024 and signed on their behalf by: **Mark Clayden** Trustee **Edward Carpenter** Trustee **www.standby.me** **36** **37** ## **Stand by Me Independent Auditor’s Report to the Trustees of Stand by Me** ## **OPINION** We have audited the financial statements of _Stand By Me_ (the 'charity') for the year ended 31 December 2023 which comprise the Statement of financial activities, the Balance sheet, the Statement of cash flows and the related notes, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standards applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) in preference to the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice issued on 1 April 2005 which is referred to in the extant regulations but has been withdrawn. This has been done in order for the accounts to provide a true and fair view in accordance with the Generally Accepted Accounting Practice effective for reporting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2015. In our opinion the financial statements: - give a true and fair view of the state of the charity's affairs as at 31 December 2023 and of its incoming resources and application of resources for the year then ended; - have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and - have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011. ## **BASIS FOR OPINION** We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the United Kingdom, including the Financial Reporting Council's Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. ## **Stand by Me Independent Auditor’s Report to the Trustees of Stand by Me** (continued) - the Trustees' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is not appropriate; or - the Trustees have not disclosed in the financial statements any identified material uncertainties that may cast significant doubt about the charity's ability to continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting for a period of at least twelve months from the date when the financial statements are authorised for issue. ## **OTHER INFORMATION** The Trustees are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the Annual report, other than the financial statements and our Auditor's report thereon. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact. We have nothing to report in this regard. ## **MATTERS ON WHICH WE ARE REQUIRED TO REPORT BY EXCEPTION** We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion: - the information given in the Trustees' report is inconsistent in any material respect with the financial statements; or - sufficient accounting records have not been kept; or - the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or - we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit. ## **RESPONSIBILITIES OF TRUSTEES** ## **CONCLUSIONS RELATING TO GOING CONCERN** We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the ISAs (UK) require us to report to you where: As explained more fully in the Trustees' responsibilities statement, the Trustees are responsible for the preparation of financial statements which give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the Trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. **38** **39** **Stand by Me Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 December 2023** ## **Stand by Me Independent Auditor’s Report to the Trustees of Stand by Me** (continued) In preparing the financial statements, the Trustees are responsible for assessing the charity's ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the Trustees either intend to liquidate the charity or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so. ## **AUDITOR'S RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE AUDIT OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an Auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements. A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council's website at: _www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities_ . This description forms part of our Auditor's report. ## **USE OF OUR REPORT** This report is made solely to the charity's trustees, as a body, in accordance with Part 4 of the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charity's trustees those matters we are required to state to them in an Auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity and its trustees, as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed. ## **Robert J Baxter FCCA** Chartered Certified Accountants Statutory Auditor Cooper & Co, 9 Palmers Avenue, Grays, Essex, RM17 5TX |**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Note**
**2023**
**£**
**INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM:**
Donations and legacies
2
**524,158**
Investments
3
**33,080**
**TOTAL INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS**
**557,238**
**EXPENDITURE ON:**
Raising funds
4
**98,768**
Governance costs
7
**6,282**
Other charitable activities
**771,178**
**TOTAL EXPENDITURE**
8
**876,228**
**NET INCOME / (EXPENDITURE)**
**BEFORE TRANSFERS**
**(318,990)**
Transfers between Funds
16
**207,840**
**NET EXPENDITURE BEFORE OTHER**
**RECOGNISED GAINS AND LOSSES**
**(111,150)**
**NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS**
**(111,150)**
**RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS:**
Total funds brought forward
**1,024,418**
**TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD**
**913,268**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
**2,224,737**
**-**
**2,224,737**
**-**
**-**
**2,172,120**
**2,172,120**
**52,617**
**(207,840)**
**(155,223)**
**(155,223)**
**1,195,919**
**1,040,696**|**Total**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
**2,748,895**
**33,080**
**2,781,975**
**98,768**
**6,282**
**2,943,298**
**3,048,348**
**(266,373)**
**-**
**(266,373)**
**(266,373)**
**2,220,337**
**1,953,964**|_Total_
_funds_
_2022_
_£_
_2,581,797_
_20,440_
_2,602,237_
_114,761_
_5,599_
_2,709,416_
_2,829,776_
_(227,539)_
_-_
_(227,539)_
_(227,539)_
_2,447,876_
_2,220,337_| |---|---|---|---| Date: 21 October 2024 Robert J Baxter FCCA is eligible to act as an auditor in terms of section 1212 of the Companies Act 2006. The notes on pages 45 to 58 form part of these financial statements. **40** **41** **Stand by Me Statement of Cash Flows for year ended 31 December 2023** ## **Stand by Me Balance Sheet as at 31 December 2023** |**Note**
**FIXED ASSETS**
Tangible assets
12
**CURRENT ASSETS**
Debtors
13
Cash at bank and in hand
**CREDITORS:**amounts falling
14
due within one year
**NET CURRENT ASSETS**
**TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES**
**CREDITORS:**amounts falling
15
due after more than one year
**NET ASSETS**
**CHARITY FUNDS**
Restricted funds
16
Unrestricted funds
16
**TOTAL FUNDS**|**£**
**250,336**
**1,133,312**
**1,383,648**
**(81,314)**|**2023**
_2022_
**£**
_£_
_£_
**801,630**
_809,980_
_253,975_
_1,458,089_
_1,712,064_
_(101,707)_
**1,302,334**
_1,610,357_
**2,103,964**
_2,420,337_
**(150,000)**
_(200,000)_
**1,953,964**
_2,220,337_
**1,040,696**
_1,195,919_
**913,268**
_1,024,418_
**1,953,964**
_2,220,337_| |---|---|---| |**Note**
**Cash fows from operating activities**
Net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities
18
**Change in cash and cash equivalents in the year**
Cash and cash equivalents brought forward
**Cash and cash equivalents carried forward**|**2023**
**£**
**(324,777)**
**(324,777)**
**1,458,089**
**1,133,312**|_2022_
_£_
_(226,049)_| |---|---|---| |||_(226,049)_
_1,684,138_| |||_1,458,089_| The financial statements were approved by the Trustees on 21 October 2024 and signed on their behalf by: **Mark Clayden Edward Carpenter** Trustee The notes on pages 45 to 58 form part of these financial statements. The notes on pages 45 to 58 form part of these financial statements. **42** **43** ## **Stand by Me Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2023** ## **1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES** ## **1.1 Basis of preparation of financial statements** The financial statements have been prepared to give a 'true and fair' view and have departed from the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 only to the extent required to provide a 'true and fair' view. This departure has involved following the Charities SORP (FRS 102) updated in January 2019. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant notes to these accounts. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) updated in January 2019 and Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and Charities Act 2011. _Stand By Me_ constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102. ## **1.2 Income** All income is recognised once the charity has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of income receivable can be measured reliably. For legacies, entitlement is taken as the earlier of the date on which either: the charity is aware that probate has been granted, the estate has been finalised and notification has been made by the executor(s) to the Trust that a distribution will be made, or when a distribution is received from the estate. Receipt of a legacy, in whole or in part, is only considered probable when the amount can be measured reliably and the charity has been notified of the executor's intention to make a distribution. Where legacies have been notified to the charity, or the charity is aware of the granting of probate, and the criteria for income recognition have not been met, then the legacy is treated as a contingent asset and disclosed if material. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation. _Open Arms Project, Kenya._ **45** ## **Stand by Me Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2023** ## **1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued)** ## **1.3 Expenditure** Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges allocated on the portion of the asset’s use. ## **Stand by Me Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2023** ## **1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued)** Tangible fixed assets are carried at cost, net of depreciation and any provision for impairment. Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write off the cost of fixed assets, less their estimated residual value, over their expected useful lives on the following bases: 1% of cost on a straight line basis Freehold property: ## **1.5 Interest receivable** Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the Bank. ## **1.6 Debtors** Support costs are those costs incurred directly in support of expenditure on the objects of the charity and include project management carried out at Headquarters. Governance costs are those incurred in connection to compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements. Costs of raising funds are costs incurred in attracting voluntary income, and those incurred in trading activities that raise funds. Charitable activities are costs incurred on the charity's overseas operations and administrative support costs. All expenditure is inclusive of irrecoverable VAT. ## **1.4 Tangible fixed assets and depreciation** A review for impairment of a fixed asset is carried out if events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of any fixed asset may not be recoverable. Shortfalls between the carrying value of fixed assets and their recoverable amounts are recognised as impairments. Impairment losses are recognised in the Statement of financial activities. Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due. ## **1.7 Cash at Bank and in hand** Cash at bank and in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account ## **1.8 Liabilities and provisions** Liabilities are recognised when there is an obligation at the Balance sheet date as a result of a past event, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefit will be required in settlement, and the amount of the settlement can be estimated reliably. Liabilities are recognised at the amount that the charity anticipates it will pay to settle the debt or the amount it has received as advanced payments for the goods or services it must provide. Provisions are measured at the best estimate of the amounts required to settle the obligation. Where the effect of the time value of money is material, the provision is based on the present value of those amounts, discounted at the pre tax discount rate that reflects the risks specific to the liability. The unwinding of the discount is recognised within interest payable and similar charges. **46** **47** ## **Stand by Me Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2023** **1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued)** ## **1.9 Financial instruments** The charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method. ## **1.10 Pensions** The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme and the pension charge represents the amounts payable by the charity to the fund in respect of the year. **1.11 Fund accounting** General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity and which have not been designated for other purposes. Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the Trustees for particular purposes. Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors or which have been raised by the charity for particular purposes. The costs of raising and administering such funds are charged against the specific fund. ## **Stand by Me Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2023** ## **2. INCOME FROM DONATIONS AND LEGACIES** |**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
Income from supporters
**150,396**
Gift aid tax recovered
**301,385**
Exchange rate differences
**(1,519)**
Income from teams
**73,896**
Total donations and legacies
**524,158**
_Total 2022_
_597,661_
**INVESTMENT INCOME**
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
Rental income
**9,951**
Bank interest & cash investments
**23,129**
**33,080**
_Total 2022_
_20,440_|**Restricted**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
**2,224,737**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**2,224,737**
_1,984,136_
**Restricted**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
**-**
**-**
**-**
_-_|**Total**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
**2,375,133**
**301,385**
**(1,519)**
**73,896**
**2,748,895**
_2,581,797_
**Total**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
**9,951**
**23,129**
**33,080**
_20,440_|_Total_
_funds_
_2022_
_£_
_2,266,932_
_308,988_
_3,152_
_2,725_| |---|---|---|---| ||||_2,581,797_| ||||_Total_
_funds_
_2022_
_£_
_10,700_
_9,740_| ||||_20,440_| ||||| ## **3. INVESTMENT INCOME** **48** **49** **Stand by Me Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2023** **Stand by Me Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2023** ## **4. COSTS OF RAISING FUNDS** |**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**funds**
**2023**
**2023**
**£**
**£**
Marketing - website
**8,970**
**-**
Marketing - fundraising costs
**14,443**
**-**
Marketing - consultancy
**2,550**
**-**
Marketing - publications
**6,402**
**-**
Fundraising staff costs
**66,403**
**-**
**98,768**
**-**|**Total**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
**8,970**
**14,443**
**2,550**
**6,402**
**66,403**
**98,768**|_Total_
_funds_
_2022_
_£_
_19,421_
_21,817_
_3,710_
_6,425_
_63,388_| |---|---|---| |||_114,761_| ## **5. DIRECT COSTS** |Travel, feld visits and volunteer costs
Funds and resources sent to ministries
Team expenses
Wages and salaries|**Charitable**
**Activities**
**£**
**15,300**
**2,262,788**
**52,989**
**67,289**
**2,398,366**|**Total**
**2023**
**£**
**15,300**
**2,262,788**
**52,989**
**67,289**
**2,398,366**|_Total_
_2022_
_£_
_17,537_
_2,062,631_
_1,142_
_65,909_| |---|---|---|---| ||||_2,147,219_| ## **6. SUPPORT COSTS** |Sundry offce expenses
Communications costs
Computer costs
Printing, postage and stationery
Insurance
Bank charges
Light, heat and services
Rent and rates
Offce equipment and leasing
Building maintenance
Landlord costs
Travel
Wages and salaries
National insurance
Pension cost
Depreciation|**Charitable**
**Activities**
**£**
**3,899**
**3,945**
**31,180**
**29,163**
**2,223**
**20,787**
**14,303**
**6,446**
**2,234**
**1,662**
**1,650**
**6,468**
**333,442**
**42,530**
**36,650**
**8,350**
**544,932**|**Total**
**2023**
**£**
**3,899**
**3,945**
**31,180**
**29,163**
**2,223**
**20,787**
**14,303**
**6,446**
**2,234**
**1,662**
**1,650**
**6,468**
**333,442**
**42,530**
**36,650**
**8,350**
**544,932**|_Total_
_2022_
_£_
_2,500_
_4,471_
_47,735_
_28,333_
_1,990_
_19,798_
_8,536_
_6,362_
_2,809_
_8,310_
_994_
_7,871_
_337,006_
_44,096_
_33,036_
_8,350_| |---|---|---|---| ||||_562,197_| **50** **51** **Stand by Me Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2023** **Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2023** ## **Stand by Me** ## **7. GOVERNANCE COSTS** |**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
Auditor's remuneration
**5,685**
Legal fees
**597**
**6,282**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**Total**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
**5,685**
**597**
**6,282**|_Total_
_funds_
_2022_
_£_
_5,405_
_194_| |---|---|---|---| ||||_5,599_| ## **9. NET INCOME** |**NET INCOME**||| |---|---|---| |This is stated after charging:

Depreciation of tangible fxed assets:
- owned by the charity|**2023**
**£**
**8,350**|_2022_
_£_
_8,350_| |Auditor’s remuneration - audit|**5,685**|_5,405_| During the year, no Trustees received any remuneration _(2022 - £NIL)_ . During the year, no Trustees received any benefits in kind _(2022 - £NIL)_ . 1 Trustee received reimbursement of expenses amounting to £95 in the current year, ( _2022 - £NIL)_ . ## **10. AUDITORS’ REMUNERATION** The Auditor's remuneration amounts to an Audit fee of £5,685 ( _2022 - £5,405_ ) ## **8. ANALYSIS OF EXPENDITURE BY EXPENDITURE TYPE** |**Staff costs**
**Depreciation**
**Other costs**
**2023**
**2023**
**2023**
**£**
**£**
**£**
Expenditure on raising
**66,403**
**-**
**32,365**
voluntary income
**Costs of raising funds**
**66,403**
**-**
**32,365**
Charitable Activities
**479,911**
**8,350**
**2,455,037**
Expenditure on
**-**
**-**
**6,282**
governance
**546,314**
**8,350**
**2,493,684**
_Total 2022_
_543,435_
_8,350_
_2,277,991_|**Total**
**2023**
**£**
**98,768**
**98,768**
**2,943,298**
**6,282**
**3,048,348**
_2,829,776_|_Total_
_2022_
_£_
_114,761_| |---|---|---| |||_114,761_
_2,709,416_
_5,599_| |||_2,829,776_| |||| ## **11. STAFF COSTS** Staff costs were as follows: |**STAFF COSTS**
Staff costs were as follows:||| |---|---|---| ||**2023**|_2022_| ||**£**|_£_| |Wages and salaries|**467,134**|_466,303_| |Social security costs|**42,530**|_44,096_| |Other pension costs|**36,650**
**546,314**|_33,036_
_543,435_| |erage number of persons employed by the charity during the year was as follows:||| ||**2023**|_2022_| ||**No.**|_No._| |Management
Administration and support|**3**
**11**|_3_
_11_| ||**14**|_14_| The average number of persons employed by the charity during the year was as follows: **52** **53** **Stand by Me Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2023** ## **Stand by Me Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2023** |The number of higher paid employees was:|**2023**|_2022_| |---|---|---| ||**No.**|_No._| |In the band £60,001 - £70,000|**1**|_1_| The total employee benefits of the Key Management Personnel were £147,819 ( _2022: £131,213_ ). One employee received remuneration over £60,000 in 2023 ( _2022:1_ ). The charity Trustees were not paid nor received any other benefits from employment with the charity in the year and no trustee received payment for professional or other services supplied to the charity. During the year Trustee expenses totalling £95 were incurred ( _2022 - £NIL)_ . ## **12. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS** |**12.**
**TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS**
||| |---|---|---| |**13.**
**DEBTORS**
Other debtors
Prepayments and accrued income

**Cost**
At 1 January, 2023 and 31 December 2023

**Depreciation**
At 1 January, 2023
Charge for the year
At 31 December, 2023
**Net book value**
At 31 December 2023
_At 31 December 2022_|**2023**
_2022_
**£**
_£_
**249,962**
_253,633_
**374**
_342_
**250,336**
_253,975_
**Freehold Property**
**£**
**835,030**
**25,050**
**8,350**
**33,400**
**801,630**
_809,980_|| |||**25,050**
**8,350**| |||**33,400**| |||**801,630**| |||_809,980_| |||_2022_
_£_
_253,633_
_342_| |||_253,975_| ## **14. CREDITORS: Amounts falling due within one year** |Other loans
Trade creditors
Other taxation and social security
Other creditors
Accruals and deferred income|**2023**
**£**
**50,000**
**11,036**
**13,083**
**1,615**
**5,580**
**81,314**|_2022_
_£_
_50,000_
_32,512_
_12,280_
_1,575_
_5,340_| |---|---|---| |||_101,707_| Other loans relates to an interest free loan of £400,000 given to _Stand by Me_ in September 2019 which the charity is repaying over a number of years. ## **15. CREDITORS: Amounts falling due after more than one year** |||**2023**|_2022_| |---|---|---|---| |||**£**|_£_| |Other|loans|**150,000**|_200,000_| **54** **55** **Stand by Me Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2023** **Stand by Me Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2023** ## **16. STATEMENT OF FUNDS** ## **17. ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS** ## **STATEMENT OF FUNDS - CURRENT YEAR** ## **ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS - CURRENT YEAR** |**Unrestricted funds**
General Funds - all funds
**Restricted funds**
Restricted Funds - all funds
Total of funds

**STATEMENT OF FUNDS - PRIOR YEAR**
**Unrestricted funds**
General Funds - all funds
**Restricted funds**
Restricted Funds - all funds
_Total of funds_|**Balance at**
**1 January**
**2023**
**£**
**1,024,418**
**1,195,919**
**2,220,337**
_Balance at_
_1 January_
_2022_
_£_
_1,129,479_
_1,318,397_
_2,447,876_|**Income Expenditure**

**£**
**£**
**557,238**
**(876,228)**
**2,224,737**
**(2,172,120)**
**2,781,975**
**(3,048,348)**
_Income Expenditure_

_£_
_£_
_618,101_
_(890,329)_
_1,984,136_
_(1,939,447)_
_2,602,237_
_(2,829,776)_|**Transfers**
**Balance at**
**in/out 31 December**
**2023**
**£**
**£**
**207,840**
**913,268**
**(207,840)**
**1,040,696**
**-**
**1,953,964**
_Transfers_
_Balance at_
_in/out_
_31 December_
_2022_
_£_
_£_
_167,167_
_1,024,418_
_(167,167)_
_1,195,919_
_-_
_2,220,337_| |---|---|---|---| |**Unrestricted**

**Funds**
**2023**
**£**
Tangible fxed assets
**801,630**
Current assets
**342,952**
Creditors due within one year
**(81,314)**
Creditors due in more than one year
**(150,000)**
**913,268**
**ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS - PRIOR YEAR**
_Unrestricted_
_Funds_
_2022_
_£_
Tangible fxed assets
_809,980_
Current assets
_516,146_
Creditors due within one year
_(101,708)_
Creditors due in more than one year
_(200,000)_
_1,024,418_|**Restricted**
**Funds**
**2023**
**£**
**-**
**1,040,696**
**-**
**-**
**1,040,696**
_Restricted_
_Funds_
_2022_
_£_
_-_
_1,195,919_
_-_
_-_
_1,195,919_|**Total**
**Funds**
**2023**
**£**
**801,630**
**1,383,648**
**(81,314)**
**(150,000)**
**1,953,964**
_Total_
_Funds_
_2022_
_£_
_809,980_
_1,712,065_
_(101,708)_
_(200,000)_
_2,220,337_| |---|---|---| **56** **57** ## **Stand by Me Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2023** **18. RECONCILIATION OF NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS TO NET CASH FLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES** |Net (expenditure)/income for the year
(as per Statement of Financial Activities)
**Adjustment for:**
Depreciation charges
Decrease in debtors
Decrease in creditors
**Net cash used in operating activities**|**2023**
**£**
**(266,373)**
**8,350**
**3,639**
**(70,393)**
**(324,777)**|_2022_
_£_
_(227,539)_
_8,350_
_18,976_
_(25,836)_
_(226,049)_| |---|---|---| **19. PENSION COMMITMENTS** The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charity in an independently administered fund. The pension cost charge represents contributions payable by the charity to the fund and amounted to £36,650 ( _2022: £33,036_ ). ## **20. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS** There were no related party transactions during the year. _Emmanuel Care Centre, Colombia_ **58** **59** **England Office 630 Upper Brentwood Road, Romford, Essex, RM2 6HS Tel: 01708 442271** **Ireland Office 16 West Street, Carrickfergus, Co. Antrim, BT38 7AR Tel: 028 9335 0009** **Stand By Me is a registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation in the UK (No. 1185124)** **www.standby.me**