2021-03-31-accounts - The Convert Muslim Foundation

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

The Convert Muslim Foundation (Registered charity, number 1187573) Financial statements for the period 24 January 2020 - 31 March 2021

Page	Contents
2 - 4	Trustees’ annual report
5	Independent examiner’s report
6	Receipts & payments account
7	Statement of assets & liabilities
8	Notes to the accounts

The Convert Muslim Foundation Trustees’ annual report for the period ended 31 March 2021

Full name The Convert Muslim Foundation

Organisation type Charitable incorporated organisation

Registered charity number 1187573

Principal address

6 Frog Island, Leicester, LE3 5AG

Trustees

Andrew Barson (from 24/1/20), Chair Benjamin Abu Ismail (from 24/1/20) Zoe Hibell (from 24/1/20) Warren Clementson (from 04/3/20) Sariya Cheruvallil (from 4/3/20)

Independent examiner

John O’Brien, employee of Community Accounting Plus, Units 1 & 2 North West, 41 Talbot Street, Nottingham, NG1 5GL

Governance and management

The charity is operated under the rules of its constitution adopted 24 January 2020.

The CMF is an equal opportunities organisation (and employer) that aims to have a diverse mix of skills and backgrounds amongst staff and the members of the Board of Trustees that reflects the diverse community we work with. These values guide the process of selecting new Trustees to the organisation. A document reflecting our values and the role of Trustees is available to all those expressing an interest in the organisation. The existing Trustee board is presented with a CV and Bio on the CMF website. Potential Trustees are discussed by the current board and voted in (recorded in meeting minutes) pending all relevant checks and acceptance of the role.

Objectives and activities

In general terms, The CMF aims to advance the Islamic religion in the United Kingdom for the benefit of the public through the holding of prayer meetings, lectures, public celebration of religious festivals, and producing and/or distributing literature on the Islamic religion to enlighten others about the Islamic religion, specifically (but not exclusively) with the needs of converts and their families in mind.

The charity also looks to advance the education of the wider public in the United Kingdom in the subjects of Islam and of conversion to Islam. We aim to promote research in these subject areas for the public benefit and to publish the relevant results.

The Convert Muslim Foundation

Public benefit statement

The Trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty in section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit, 'Charities and Public Benefit'.

Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit

The CMF in the last year has planned several projects to reach our objectives, including, but not restricted to:

1-1 support for converts to Islam, their families and other relevant persons, including pastoral support, signposting and financial support (charity and scholarships). In this way the CMF has reduced the isolation, stigma and difficulties often associated with conversion, experienced by converts and their non-muslim families.
The CMF looks to further expand the scope of our support offer to converts with the ‘Faithful companions’ scheme that will offer peer support through volunteers.
- The CMF have attended and hosted events to raise the profile of the charity and to promote awareness of the need for Convert support, such as an event to promote best practice and research in supporting converts pre/post release from prison.
We have setup social media pages to further support the wider convert community to promote a positive view of Islam.

Summary of the main achievements during the period

The recent Covid-19 pandemic has somewhat delayed the progress of many planned objectives of the CMF for 2020. However, despite the pandemic, the CMF has managed to make headway in beginning to achieve its objectives and goals. A full review of CMF projects can be found in the directors’ report to the AGM, but to summarise:

During our first year as a charity (following our registration) we have sought to lay the foundations of the charity in terms of networking, organisational infrastructure, management structure, policy development and consultations with the convert community in terms of its future plans.
Exploring and understanding conversion to Islam in prison and the needs of exconvict converts was a priority project this year and the CMF continues to make progress in this area, having held conferences and establishing a steering group with the intention of forming a national development plan.
The CMF has progressed with establishing key relationships with academic institutions leading to a research programme looking at the role of converts in developing a ‘British Islam’.
Collaborative work has been undertaken to complete the first mapping exercise of all convert support available in the UK, which in turn will be utilised to create the first convert care website, able to signpost converts to local support.
Other projects that have been created this year include an oral histories project and a plan to capture the experience of Black Converts in the UK.

The Convert Muslim Foundation

The charity’s policy on reserves

Given that the CMF is currently still in its early stages, certain policies are yet to be finalised by the board of Trustees. However, the CMF is already looking at sustainability for the future in terms of utilising a mix of volunteer recruitment and producing a portfolio of chargeable services (training e.g.) as well as fundraising initiatives.

Currently CMF’s income is mainly through the generosity of supporters and sympathisers and is modest in its size and makeup. In this light, financial decisions are currently made to reflect what we can afford with a healthy reserve (particularly need in these uncertain times).

We hope to create a future financial plan that will consider current and future developments of the organisation and the degree and level of work proposed. By the time of our second AGM the CMF hopes to have a reasonable assessment of what its ‘baseline’ running cost will be, alongside more detailed cost projections of the various projects currently on going (such as maintenance of the convert care website e.g.).

However, other than protecting baseline costs, it is the firm intention of the staff and trustees of the CMF to ensure the charity is able to carry out as much work as is possible and needed to complete objectives with appropriate levels of expenditure to match.

As we present to the public some of the projects being worked upon now and our future vision, The CMF hopes to attract a greater degree of funding that will put us in a position to reach a stable financial position. At that point and, where the Trustees deem appropriate and necessary, the intention will be to create reserve funding where it is considered appropriate to the future development and best interests of the CMF.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees:

Signed _Andrew Barson_ Date _09/09/21___ Andrew Barson, Trustee

Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of The Convert Muslim Foundation for the period ended 31 March 2021

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of The Convert Muslim Foundation (the charity) for the period ended 31 March 2021.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the trustees of the charity, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’). I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
the accounts do not accord with those records.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Signed Date 23/09/2021

John O’Brien MSc, FCCA, FCIE Employee of Community Accounting Plus

The Convert Muslim Foundation Receipts & payments account for the period ended 31 March 2021

Note Receipts Opening transfer 2 Donations 2 Total receipts Payments Activities & events Consultancy fees Technical support Telephone & postage Total payments Net receipts/(payments) Cash funds at start of this period Cash funds at end of this period	*2021* £ 6800 45291
	52091 282 12000 1444 72
	13798 38293 -
	38293

The Convert Muslim Foundation Statement of assets and liabilities at 31 March 2021

Cash assets Note Bank accounts Liabilities Creditors 3	*2021* £ 38293
	38293 (540)
	(540)

These financial statements are accepted on behalf of the charity by:

Signed _Andrew Barson_ Date _09/09/21___ Andrew Barson, Trustee

The Convert Muslim Foundation Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2021

1. Receipts & payments accounts

Receipts and payments accounts contain a summary of money received and money spent during the period and a list of assets and liabilities at the end of the period. Usually, cash received and cash spent will include transactions through bank accounts and cash in hand.

2. Grants & donations

Opening transfer Sundry donations	£ 6800 45291
	52091

The opening transfer represents cash at bank held at the date of registration accumulated within the previously unregistered association.

3. Creditors

£ Professional fees 540 540

4. Trustees’ remuneration

Trustees received no expenses, remuneration or benefits in this period.

5. Related party transactions

There were no related party transactions in this period.

6. Previous period comparison

The previous period’s figures have not been included for comparison because this is the charity’s first accounting period.

7. Glossary of terms

Creditors: These are amounts owed by the charity, but not paid during the accounting period.