## **2024** # **ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024** ## **YAKUM ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS** ## **YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024** CONTENTS PAGE |Chairman’s Report|1| |---|---| |Trustees’ Annual Report|2| |Independent Examiner’s Report|5| |Financial Review|6| |Statement of Financial Activities|7| |Balance Sheet|8| |Notes on the Financial Statements|9| CHAIRMAN’S ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024 ## CHAIRMAN’S REPORT ## **Chairman's Letter – YAKUM 2024 Annual Report** 2024 was a year of extremes. In Ecuador, we felt climate change firsthand — droughts, record heat, and power cuts hit the Amazon hard, disrupting ecosystems and communities. Yet amid these challenges, Indigenous nations stood strong, leading the way in defending biodiversity, culture, and food sovereignty. YAKUM grew its mission this year, surpassing 125,000 trees planted across over 400 hectares and 390+ culturally significant species. These trees aren’t just reforestation — they are medicine, memory, and food, rooted in Indigenous knowledge. In Archidona, our Global Grant project planted 13,500 trees, integrating traditional foods into every workday. In Siekopai territory, 22,000 trees went into the ground, a community house was built to supervise the reforested area (previously logged by land invaders), and we laid plans for a Food Product Lab in 2025. In the north, we partnered with The Nature Conservancy in Kofán Sinangue and launched a biocultural credit system with Naturatech, based on jaguar monitoring as a biodiversity indicator. We also hosted a major gathering in Cotundo, where dozens of communities and local businesses came together to celebrate ancestral foods, exchange seeds, and form new alliances. These “food diplomacy” spaces are vital to scaling our impact beyond direct planting. Our Superfoods Guide research is now complete, showing the power of Amazonian plants like açai to replace deforestation-linked imports like milk. The guide will be published in 2025 — funding permitted — to support our growing work in food sovereignty and community nutrition. It wasn’t all smooth. Delays in two major grants impacted our ability to hire key administrative and communications staff. This stretched our team and slowed internal systems. But the fieldwork was delivered — and we’ve laid a clear path to reinforce our foundations in 2025. Most importantly, we’re entering a new phase: a transition toward Indigenous governance — of our land, our leadership, and our future. It’s a natural next step after years of co-creation and trust-building. To everyone who stood with us in 2024 — thank you. In 2025, we’ll plant fewer trees and focus on building YAKUM’s Restoration Centre and long-term structure. Your continued support will be key. With gratitude and motivation to make 2025 the strongest year ever for YAKUM, Chairman, YAKUM 1 TRUSTEE’S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024 ## **Objects and Activities** Summary of objects of the charity set out in its governing document. ## **The mission and objectives of the CIO are:** Mission - Regenerating Amazonian rainforests, foods and cultures with indigenous communities. Objectives: - Food Sovereignty – Understanding local food systems through literature review and field time spent with local communities to build a collaborative idea for restoration projects - Amazon Seed Network – Building a network where local communities, local businesses and authorities, NGOs and permaculture farmers can come together to exchange seeds and knowledge - Cultural Food Forests – Restoring soil through composting, bokashi and biochar and replanting forests with fruit, nut and medicinal trees corresponding to community cultural objectives - Forest Harvests & Finance – Harvesting wild and forest-garden-grown forest food and medicines and processing these products for commercialisation and community consumption. Finance mechanisms to incentivise conservation and reforestation The trustees confirm that they have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the charity’s aims and objectives and in planning future activities. ## **Policy on Social Investment** . We do not make cash investments, although we consider our field work to be a considerable investment in community development and forest conservation. ## **Contribution made by volunteers** . Volunteers in Ecuador attending work “minga” days to help bagging up saplings and planting trees in Napo province. Volunteers in Indigenous communities helping to conduct and monitor reforestation in their territory, support from them to accommodate our staff during visits. Volunteer support in communications and artwork from UK and Spanish friends. Some in-person medium-term volunteers have participated in diverse activities. YAKUM has an Ambassador team in the UK and abroad which sets up events and fundraisers to support YAKUM which has been set up this year (December) and will be active in 2025. 2 TRUSTEE’S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024 ## **Reference and Administrative details** |Charityname|YAKUM| |---|---| |Registered charitynumber|1186064| |Charity’s principal address|2 BARKER CLOSE
RICHMOND
TW9 4ET| |Bank|The Co-operative Bank
6th Floor,
1 Balloon Street,
Manchester M60 4EP| |Independent Examiner|Best4Business
44-45 Beaufort Court
Admirals Way
London
E14 9XL| ## **Trustees** Alexander McFarlane-Watts Georgina White Zygmunt de Goris Jedrzejowski ## **Corporate trustees** Director name: Nicholas Ovenden ## **Structure, Governance and Management** Description of charity’s trusts: Foundation Charitable Incorporated Organisation (“CIO”) Type of governing document: Constitution of a Charitable Incorporated Organisation who’s only voting members are its Charity Trustees Charity constitution: CIO Trustee selection methods: Personal search and recommendation ## **Trustee selection policies and procedures.** - Apart from the first Charity Trustees, every Trustee must be appointed by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the Charity Trustees. - In selecting individuals for appointment as Charity Trustees, the Charity Trustees must have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO. 3 TRUSTEE’S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024 ## **Risk Management** The Trustees updated the risk assessment during the year and continue to monitor identified risks and seek appropriate mitigations. The Trustees believe that systems are in place to mitigate the most significant risks. ## **Policy for Induction and Training of Trustees** New Trustees are taken through an induction process by the Chairman or another Trustee. Information for new Trustees is contained in an Induction Pack containing relevant policy documents. Trustees have access to courses and seminars relevant to their positions and have peer support through regular meetings. ## **Trustees’ Responsibilities in Relation to the Financial Statements** The charity Trustees are responsible for preparing a Trustees' annual report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards. Company law requires the charity Trustees to prepare financial statements for each year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company 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 judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent. - state whether applicable UK accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements. - prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in business. The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that 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 Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company 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 corporate and financial information included on the charitable company’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions. Statement as to disclosure to our Independent Examiners As far as the Trustees are aware at the time of approving our Trustees’ annual report: - there is no relevant information, being information needed by the auditor in connection with preparing their report, of which the company’s external examiner is unaware, and - The Trustees, having made enquiries of fellow Trustees, have each taken all steps that he/she is obliged to take as a Trustee to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the examiner is aware of that information. By Order or the Board of By Order or the Board of Trustees Alexander McFarlaneWatts Chair Dated 30 June 2025 4 Ind¢endeNt F..YuTriiiien- Rttpor/for ilje }'ear ended 31 rf DeLernber 20 ?4 To the Trustees ofYAKUM IcL(iunis ()[ thL' clIAnt2ble ttust, I'.IKLLkl Ireg. no.: 118CI0641 for the l'ear ended .11 Decetnber ?024. Respective responsibilities of Trusrees and Examiner the clvrin-'s 'Friistees, l'ou 2re tcsptsnstble far the prepxrauon ¢if die accnunts. I c)u can￿]der tli81 on au(hr Is not reqU￿¢d for the !'t2r ended I￿1 December ?D? ujider seciion 144 of the Chariries.4ct ?01 I (the ".4ct'l, and ￿1[ 2n Andepeftdent exaTnin3tii)n i% Aeeded. It is mi, respnnsibiliry- tn.. il e.xamine the 2ccnunt4 (under section 14) of tlic_lctl, lll to fnlli)w the pwcedL￿cs kn"d in the GeneL21 Direction% given bi the C.hzAt%. c.nlillnLs8￿n lunder section 14ilil(bl of the .IcEI, and ill) to brxrc ￿￿ether particular m2tters l)aNe come ts) sjtreiition. Basis of independent examinees Statement li- elw1￿17&rJnIl cartird LTruI ￿ accuidAIicL' Il'lth thL. Charitses Act ?011. .411 exanunauon uK]udes re￿e￿.0( th¢ accou1)[￿¥ trcuids ki'pl b!" thL' cliarin. and a ciimp3ri¥on i)f tlie accounts presenr¢d ￿-11}I rlinsc recordb. li also includL'S cuiiiideraunn of an!. u1)￿$ual irems or disclosuteq ￿ Il)e account% and %eeking c%p]3natiun5 fr(Im the tru%te¢s concem￿g ani. .such mattets. The pruccdures undertaken do not proTr'ide a]L the eNidence that M-ouid be required in an auth'r. and con5egUentl!' no op￿i￿n 15 gii'ell as to M.lietlier t1￿ Rccounts pr￿ent a 'tNe and Ett￿, Ille￿. 2nd tlie report is iiiiuitd to thuse tnatter4 s¢r oui in rhe siatemctti belo￿. Independent examiner's statement In the course c?f nis. ciaminAtson, no matter hab come tn mr attention InEI)er Il)art rhat dificln%ed belnw).. .hicli ￿l-c5 mc rcason2blL' cause to bclicrc that m. an!. 1173terial re%p¢ct. tlie requremeiirs.. to ki'ep pr¢)per atcounting recnrd% in accordanct wirli secrion 130 of tht ..Icr' #nd tn prepAre 8ccnusiiq u'hicli 2ccorLI ii'jih Ihc aicountinR iecords and compli. with thL accniinring re911iremenis of the.lct hxi'L' not been met" 01 lll tn ￿h]CIN in m!. optruon, xttention should be in order et]abk a proi)er uAder4t2nditig of rhe accounts tu bi. ieathed. 0,1. Nutia Ortega ACCA The .Is%nci2tifJii nll-hineied Certified .4ccountants ()n b¢halt of Best4busine5s..Iccountants & Co. Ltd. 44-4? BeAulort Court .Idmirals IX 21. Date.. 19th k'piLmber ?0*5 FINANCIAL REVIEW FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024 ## **FINANCIAL REVIEW** Thanks to our partners we generated over £189,215 to fund projects through grants and donations, although we received $80k less funds than the previous year, we were able to surpass previous tree planting achievements to almost 50,000 (after planting 35,000 in 2023). In 2025 we are looking to maintain our highest level of fundraising ever to allow us to plan to scale our impact. Combined UK and Ecuador income was £189,215. YAKUM UK generated £7608, transferring £4745 to Ecuador. ## **Income** To avoid double currency conversions and costs donations received in currencies other than GBP are routed directly to Ecuador where possible. Funds transferred directly to Ecuador are not included in Income in the UK accounts. |**Income received in the year**
**UK**
1.UK Income
**Ecuador**
2. Ecuador Income excl. UK transfers
_3. Funds transferred to Ecuador from UK_
_were recognized as_
Total funds in Ecuador
**Total Yakum Income (1 + 2)**|**GBP**
**USD**
**2024**
**2023**
**2024**
**2023**| |---|---| ||**£7608**
**£66,630**
**$9,722**
**$ 82,881**| ||**£181,607**
**£186,352**
**$232,058**
**$ 234,836**
_£4,745_
_£45,244_
_$5,931_
_$ 55,869_| ||£186,352
£234,034
$237,989
$290,705| ||| ||**£189,215**
**£255,420**
**$241,780**
**$ 317,717**| ## **Reserves** UK reserves at the end of 2024 were £9,577 Ecuador reserves were $45,771 (£57,287). 6 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024 ## **Income and expenditure** |**Income and expenditure**|| |---|---| |**Note**
**Incoming**
**Resources**
Donations
1
**Total income**
**Expenditure**
Donation to Yakum
Ecuador
2
Donated Equipment
and Supplies
3
Release of Restricted
funds
3
Cost of charitable activities
Annual report
Professional fees
Travel
Service Fees
Fundraising
4
Insurance
Licenses and Internet
**Total expenditure**
**Net movement in**
**funds for the year**
Funds brought forward
1st January
**Funds carried forward**
**31st December**|**2024**
**2023**
**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**Total**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**Total**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
7,608
-
7,608
62,630
4,000
66,630| ||**7,608**
**-**
**7,608**
**62,630**
**4,000**
**66,630**| ||2,500
-
2,500
41,244
4,000
45,244
2,245
-
2,245
-
2,245
-
-
-
- 2,078
2,078
300
300
525
525
576
-
576
598
-
598
1,259
-
1,259
1,485
-
1,485
758
-
758
134
-
134
-
-
-
5,000
-
5,000
-
-
-
-
-
-
3,548
-
3,548
2,568
-
2,568| ||**11,185**
**-**
**11,185**
**49,476**
**6,078**
**55,554**| ||**- 3,577**
**-**
**- 3,577**
**13,154**
**- 2,078**
**11,076**
13,154
-
13,154
- 0
2,078
2,078| ||**9,577**
**-**
**9,577**
**13,154**
**- 0**
**13,154**| 7 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024 |**Balance Sheet**
**CURRENT ASSETS**
Debtors
Cash at Bank
Total Current Assets
**CURRENT LIABILITIES**
Creditors- amounts falling due within 1 year
Accruals
**NET CURRENT ASSETS**
**TOTAL NET ASSETS**
Represented by:
**Unrestricted funds**
**Restricted funds**|**Note**
5
6
7
8||**£**
0
11,136|**£**
0
11,136|**2024**
**£**
**9,577**|**2024**
**£**
**9,577**||**£**
34
14,423|**£**
34
14,423|**2023**
**£**
**13,154**|**2023**
**£**
**13,154**| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||||11,136
209
1,350|||||14,457
253
1,050|||| ||||||||||||| |||||1,559|||||1,303||| |||||||**9,577**|||||**13,154**| |||||||**9,577**
0|||||**13,154**
0| |||||||**9,577**|||||**13,154**| ## Z de Goris Jedrzejowski Treasurer 8 NOTES TO STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023 ## 1. **Donations received in the year** . |**Donor**
HMRC Gift Aid
Celebrate Planet Earth
Itzhak Beery
Hamza Aynashe
FOOD42MORROW Juma
Other|**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
2,323.50
1,900.00
1,200.00
550.00
366.39
1,268.57| |---|---| ||7,608.46
- 7,608.46| ## **2. Donations Made** Donations were transferred to Fundación Yakum timed to maximize exchange rates where possible. ## **3. Donated Equipment and Supplies** £2,245 Equipment climbing was purchased in the UK and donated to Fundación Yakum in Ecuador ## **4. Fund Raising** The Not for Profit Group (NPG) have been commissioned to write proposals and research donors in the UK. Five projects have been submitted to NPG to be prepared and submitted. NPG offer a money back guarantee if donations raised are less than the £5,000 cost and if they do not submit and write 24 proposals during the 24 month agreement. So far one proposal has been submitted to a donor and a batch of new proposals has been sent in early 2025 for review. We hope this will come through with donations. In June Yakum attended 3 events in Bristol, a festival in Kidderminster to build our UK network. In 2025 we plan to do the same to build contacts that wish to get behind YAKUM to find more funds. 9 NOTES TO STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023 ## **5. Cash at Bank** |**Cash at bank and in hand**
**Currency**
**Bank**
**Currency**
**amount**
Cooperative
GBP
5,955.91
Cashplus
GBP
84.14
Equals
USD
0.00
PayPal
GBP
5,095.71
**Total Cash at bank and in hand**|**GBP**
**amount**
5,955.91
84.14
0.00
5,095.71| |---|---| ||**11,135.76**| ## **6. Accruals** |Independent Examiner|550.00| |---|---| |Impact Report 2024|800.00| ## **7. Trustee Remuneration and benefits.** None of the trustees have been paid any remuneration or received any other benefits from employment with the charity or a related entity. 10