Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From 1/1/2024 Period start date To 31/12/2024 Period end date Charity name: Surgical teams Working in Africa Together for Safer Surgery
Charity registration number: 1186564
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | The purpose of the Charity is, for the public benefit, the advancement of health and the saving of lives, in particular (not not limited to) by facilitating improvements in surgical care in Africa and elsewhere. |
| Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts. |
Para 1.17 and 1.19 |
The main activity of the charity is to offer training for surgical teams to improve services and provide better and safer surgical care. We do this in such a way as to achieve long-lasting, locally driven sustainable change. |
| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit |
Para 1.18 | The trustees have regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit. |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
SORP reference Para 1.38 Policy on grant making Para 1.38 Policy on social investment including program related investment Para 1.38 Contribution made by volunteers
Other
Achievements and Performance
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole. |
Para 1.20 | The Charity’s flagship project is the Affordable Mesh Hernia Initiative (formerly the Tanzania Mesh Hernia Project). Hernia surgery is the most common general surgical procedure performed worldwide. , The burden in Africa is great, with an estimated 1,000,000 hernias currently requiring treatment in Tanzania (for example). The morbidity rate is very high due to a lack of resources, training and inadequate procedures. The Project adopts a well- established procedure using mesh for hernia repair, rather than a traditional suture plication technique. Phase 1 of the Project was undertaken in March 2020, when 72 surgeons (of all grades) and 5 centres were involved. Feedback and results were again very encouraging. The centres continue to use the Mesh technique and as of December 2022, 320 surgical procedures had been performed with no recurrences. Progress slowed during the Covid-19 pandemic, but the relationship with the Tanzanian surgical community continued to flourish. Furthermore, the successes seen in Tanzania led to significant interest from countries. In 2024 ongoing expansion included further centre enrolment in Tanzania and Sierra Leone. In total, 3 countries are involved, with 121 surgeons inducted across 16 centres. 1,298 hernia operations have been carried out in programme. We have a number of other workstreams including promoting quality improvement practices and research skills. We have worked collaboratively with other partners including the University of Winchester. |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| Achievements against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | |
| Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | |
| Investment performance against objectives |
Para 1.41 | |
| Other |
Financial Review
| Financial Review | ||
|---|---|---|
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | For this year, the Charity received income from donations only was minimal spend due to Covid-19 pandemic. |
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | Currently, the reserves are -£16,372.99. Expenditure covered Admin and travel costs associated with a trips to Tanzania in June 2024 and September 2024 and Sierra Leone in August 2024 |
| Amount of reserves held | Para 1.22 | -£16,372.99 |
|---|---|---|
| Reasons for holding zero reserves |
Para 1.22 | |
| Details of fund materially in deficit |
Para 1.24 | |
| Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern |
Para 1.23 | The COVID-19 pandemic has hindered the Charities ability to raise awareness of the Charity and to raise money, mainly because the main grant holders have diverted their funds to address COVID-19 challenges. |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising) |
Para 1.47 | |
|---|---|---|
| Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted |
Para 1.46 | |
| A description of the principal risks facing the charity |
Para 1.46 | |
| Other |
Structure, Governance and Management
| Description of charity’s trusts: |
||
|---|---|---|
| Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter) |
Para 1.25 | Our governing document is a trust deed. |
| How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO) |
Para 1.25 | CIO. |
| Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees |
Para 1.25 | Any person who is willing to act as a Trustee, and who would not be disqualified from acting under the provisions of Clause 10 in the CIO constitution, may be appointed to be a Trustee by a decision of the Trustees. |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees |
Para 1.51 | |
|---|---|---|
| The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works |
Para 1.51 | |
| Relationship with any related parties |
Para 1.51 | |
| Other |
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | Surgical teams Working in Africa Together for Safer Surgery |
|---|---|
| Other name the charity uses | SWIFTSS |
| Registered charitynumber | 1186564 |
| Charity’s principal address | 6 Balniel Gate, London, SW1V 3SD |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Szymankiewicz |
||||
| Katharine Szymankiewicz |
||||
| Karen Nugent | ||||
| Christian Wakefield | ||||
| Helena Kelly | Secretary | |||
| Jonathan Linton | ||||
| Richard Constant | Chair | |||
| LesleyHunt | ||||
– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved
Director name
Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity
Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year
Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others
| Description of the assets held in this capacity |
Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects |
Not applicable |
| Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets |
Not applicable |
Additional information (optional)
Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
| Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) | Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) | Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) |
|---|---|---|
| Type of adviser Name Address |
||
| Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information) |
Exemptions from disclosure
Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details
Other optional information
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature(s) Full name(s) Helena Kelly Position (eg Secretary, Secretary Chair, etc)
Date
SWIFTSS Financial Activities
January - December 2024
| Income Donations and legacies Other Income (Gift Aid etc) Total Income Total Expenditures Accounting/Project Management Computer Costs Legal & Professional fees Purchases Travel and Accommodation T&S Total Travel and Accommodation Total Expenditures Net Operating Income Net Income/(Expenditure) |
Total |
|---|---|
| 4,171.59 1,320.01 |
|
| £ 5,491.60 |
|
| £ 5,491.60 450.00 374.88 35.00 2,650.69 12,021.98 |
|
| £ 12,021.98 |
|
| £ 15,532.55 |
|
| -£ 10,040.95 |
|
| -£ 10,040.95 |
SWIFTSS Balance Sheet
As of December 31, 2024
Total
| Total | |
|---|---|
| Fixed Asset Total Fixed Asset Cash at bank and in hand Charity Bank account Foreign Cash Total Cash at bank and in hand Debtors Debtors Total Debtors Net current assets Creditors: amounts falling due within one year Trade Creditors Creditors Total Trade Creditors Current Liabilities Mark Shim Richard C Loan Total Current Liabilities Total Creditors: amounts falling due within one year Net current assets (liabilities) Total assets less current liabilities Total net assets (liabilities) Charity funds Retained Earnings Surplus/(Deficit) Total Charity funds |
4,166.89 129.00 |
| £ 4,295.89 0.00 |
|
| £ 0.00 |
|
| £ 4,295.89 668.88 |
|
| £ 668.88 0.00 20,000.00 |
|
| £ 20,000.00 |
|
| £ 20,668.88 |
|
| -£ 16,372.99 |
|
| -£ 16,372.99 |
|
| -£ 16,372.99 -6,332.04 -10,040.95 |
|
| -£ 16,372.99 |