Faiths Against Child Sexual Exploitation Trustees Annual Report and Accounts
For the period: 1st April 2023 - 31st March 2024 Registered charity number 1188740 (England and Wales)
Administrative details
Charity name: Faiths Against Child Sexual Exploitation Also known as: FACES Registered charity number: 1188740 (England and Wales) Principal address: Hope Church Luton, Villa Road, Luton, LU2 7NT Structure and governance Trustees: Peter Adams 24th March 2020 - current Tony Thompson 24th March 2020 - current Rehana Faisal 24th March 2020 - current Sujel Miah 24th March 2020 - current Structure: Charitable Incorporated Organisation Governing document: Constitution
New trustees are selected in consideration of the skills, knowledge and experience they have, and are appointed by resolution passed by the existing trustee’s. All trustees must read and understand all organisational policies, which reflect statutory and legal requirements and good practice procedures.
Faiths Against Child Sexual Exploitation was set up as a local coalition of Christian and Muslim places of worship and charities. These partner organisations are Azalea, Discover Islam, Inspire FM, Lantern, Luton Council of Mosques, Luton Sunni Council of Mosques and St Mary’s Centre for Peace and Reconciliation and Youthscape in July 2016.
The charity has 7 members on the steering group including its trustees, and 2 paid members of staff.
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Objectives and activities
Charitable objects:
1) The promotion of religious harmony for the benefit of the public by:
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a) Educating the public in different religious beliefs including an awareness of their distinctive features and their common ground to promote good relations between persons of different faiths.
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b) Promoting knowledge and mutual understanding and respect of the beliefs and practices of different religious faiths.
2) To advance in life and help safeguard young people through:
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a) Providing support and activities which develop their skills, capacities and capabilities to enable them to participate in society as mature and responsible individuals.
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b) To develop the capacity and skills of the members of the socially disadvantaged community of Luton in such a way that they are better able to identify, and help meet, their needs and to participate more fully in society.
Projects
Youth Work
Young people
We supported a number of youth club sessions, supporting conversations and expression through art around current and emotive topics.
Schools work
We’ve built new relationships with schools, in particular a newly set-up alternative provision. This saw us engage with young people who had been excluded from mainstream school on a weekly basis, building rapport and planning ways to best engage them in our existing materials, and ways to provide support on a wider scale.
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Mentoring
Building on our group-focused approach, we’re developing a one-to-one provision for young people, including a faith-informed programme of engagement. This is rooted in research which shows faith guides through life challenges, offers a pathway to resilience, and has positive associations with happiness, well-being and life satisfaction. It also incorporates ideas of belonging and connectedness to promote resilience and mental health; is underpinned by a valuing of self; recognises the benefit of kindness and giving back; and utilises the cognitive reappraisal benefits of having belief.
Research
Further funding from The Tudor Trust has facilitated building on our research, expanding from the views young people have around Relationships and Sex Education (RSE), into the experiences of parents relating to the wider school culture along similar lines of perceptions and assumptions linked to faith and ethnicity. This project will be completed during our next financial year.
Podcast
The following podcasts were released during this period:
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Part 2 Face to Face with Amran Malik & Nauman Javaid (Cricket East and Wicketz)
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Face to Face with Amran Malik & Nauman Javaid (Cricket East and Wicketz)
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Luton Refugee Week discussion with Maria from Noah Enterprise
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Luton Refugee Week with Pauline and Nahida From Squared
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Luton Refugee Week Peter and Linda from Hightown Baptist
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Luton Refugee Week - Abderrahmane Mezdidioua from Discover Islam
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Luton Refugee Week with Revd David Kesterton
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Facing Issues: Thoughts around the investigation into Mike Pilavachi
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Facing the News: The Illegal Migration Bill moves to the Lords
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Facing Issues: Does the government ‘do God?’ Discussion on The Bloom Review
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Facing the News: Responding to Suella Braverman’s comments
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Facing Issues: Volunteers, Refugees and Safeguarding
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The Casey Report with Chief Constable Trevor Rodenhurst
Refugee Week 2023
We marked Refugee Week 2023 by hosting a number of local organisations on our podcast, to discuss how they support refugees locally.
Training
Faith Sensitive Relationships and Sex Education
We continue to offer funded places (facilitated by Westhill Endowment funding) on our Faith Sensitive Relationships and Sex Education course after a successful pilot to a cohort including a head teacher, safeguarding leads, governors and teachers from four local special schools.
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Safeguarding: Working with refugees
We’ve delivered online and in-person sessions of this course, with an elearning option in the works. This process has led to a new resources page on our website with various information relating to safeguarding, working with refugees, and various types of harm.
Bespoke sessions
We’ve delivered bespoke sessions including as part of a teacher training inset day to a local faith school. This covered the updated Working Together guidance and a safeguarding refresher.
Staf training
Our staff completed Suicide Prevention training via the Ollie Foundation.
Holding space sessions
As a safeguarding charity, we know the wellbeing of teachers plays a fundamental role in enabling the safety and wellbeing of children in our schools. Following the violence in Israel and Palestine, we offered a space for teachers in Luton who feel affected, to come together and talk, listen, and connect. This session intended to nurture a sense of solidarity in our shared devastation over the loss of life and ongoing harm, and the harmful language which we see in politics and media.
We know schools want to look after teachers' and pupils' wellbeing. Listening to how they feel is part of this - especially when there's a local or global issue which is likely to affect them. During the session, teachers shared the emotions they are navigating and what young people are experiencing, including the responses they are getting, or feel they should be getting, from their schools, and much more.
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Future plans
We are looking forward to:
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Launching and growing our online training platform
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Developing our areas of research and sharing the findings nationally
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Establishing a one–to-one provision for young people, including wellbeing support and mentoring
Financial review
Funders
A special thanks to our funders during this period, The Tudor Trust and Westhill Endowment.
Reserves
An amount of reserves are kept in order to safeguard the charity from unexpected financial implications, including to:
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Ensure any urgent unexpected expenses can be met
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Prevent the interruption of existing operations due to a delay in receiving expected funds
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Ensure the charity can meet essential ongoing administrative costs for a period of 6 months if no other funding is received
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Facilitate options for urgent projects in response to beneficiary needs and circumstances
Our current reserves limit is £22,000. This means any amount of unrestricted
funds (ie. funds that are not designated to projects or other existing costs) up to and including £22,000 may be reserved by the charity, for the reasons set out above.
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustee’s report above.
Signed on behalf of the trustees:
Tony Thompson, co-chair of the trustees
29th May 2024
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INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF Faiths Against Sexual Exploitation of Children
on the accounts for the year to 31[st] March 2024 as set out on pages 9 – 14 in this document.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
Independent examiner's statement
It is my responsibility to:
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examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act,
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to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act, and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in, any material respect, the requirements:
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1) to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; and to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act have not been met; or
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2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed:
Mervyn Thomas 128 Putnoe Lane Bedford MK41 8LS
Dated: May 29th 2024
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STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
| At 31st March 2024 Notes Total Funds Total Funds 2024 2023 £ £ Incoming Resources 3 |
At 31st March 2024 Notes Total Funds Total Funds 2024 2023 £ £ Incoming Resources 3 |
At 31st March 2024 Notes Total Funds Total Funds 2024 2023 £ £ Incoming Resources 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Voluntary income | - | 25 |
| Activities for generating funds | 1,269 | 600 |
| Charitable activities - Grants | 81,200 | 40,000 |
| Total Incoming Resources 82,469 40,625 Resources Expended 4 Charitable activities 45,275 27,318 Total Resources Expended 45,275 27,318 Net movement in funds 37,194 13,307 Reconciliation of funds: Total funds brought forward 35,674 22,367 Total funds carried forward 72,868 35,674 BALANCE SHEET At 31st March 2024 Notes Total Funds Total Funds 2024 2023 £ £ Current assets Cash at bank and in hand 80,082 35,824 Total current assets 80,082 35,824 Short Term Liabilities 5 (7,214) (150) Total assets less liabilities 72,868 35,674 Charity Funds Unrestricted funds 72,868 35,674 |
82,469 | 40,625 |
| 45,275 | 27,318 | |
| 45,275 | 27,318 | |
| 37,194 | 13,307 | |
| 35,674 | 22,367 | |
| 72,868 | 35,674 | |
| 80,082 | 35,824 | |
| 80,082 | 35,824 | |
| (7,214) | (150) | |
| 72,868 | 35,674 | |
| 72,868 | 35,674 |
ON BEHALF OF THE TRUSTEES
Tony Thompson
Dated: May 29, 2024
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The notes on pages 8 to 9 form part of these financial statements.
1 BASIS OF PREPARATION
1.1 Basis of accounting
These accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant note(s) to these accounts. The accounts 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
and with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102). and with the Charities Act 2011.
The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102.
1.2 Going concern
The Charity is a going concern. Income generation through donations and grants is maintaining adequate reserves.
1.3 Change of accounting policy
The accounts present a true and fair view and the accounting policies adopted are those outlined in note 2.
1.4 Changes to accounting estimates
No changes to accounting estimates have occurred in the reporting period (3.46 FRS 102 SORP).
2. ACCOUNTING POLICIES
The principal accounting policies are summarised below. The accounting policies have been applied consistently throughout the period.
2.1 Basis of preparation of financial statements
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 note(s) to these accounts. and in accordance with the Companies Act 2006 and the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and with the Charities Act 2011.
2.2 Fund accounting: There are no restricted or designated funds for the charity.
2.3 Incoming resources
All incoming resources are included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SoFA) when the church becomes entitled to the income, it is more likely than not that it will receive the resources and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy. Voluntary income is received by way of donations and gifts and is included in full in the SoFA when receivable. Grants are included in the SoFA when the general income recognition criteria above are met and in the case of performance related grants income is recognised to the extent that the specified goods or services have been provided. Donated services and facilities are included at the value to the church where this can be measured reliably. The value of services provided by volunteers has not been included in these accounts. Investment income is included when received.
2.4 Resources expended
Expenditure is recognised on an accrual basis as a liability is incurred. Expenditure includes any VAT that cannot be fully recovered, which is reported as part of the expenditure to which it relates. Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.
Governance costs include those costs associated with meeting the constitutional and statutory requirements of the church (as a charitable company) and include the audit fees and costs linked to the church’s legal constitution.
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2.5 Fixed assets
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: Equipment and fittings: 25% per annum on cost
No depreciation is provided on freehold land or buildings, following a change in accounting policy implemented in the Accounts for the period ended 31st March 2018.
2.6 Pension costs
Employees of the church are entitled to join a defined contribution pension scheme. The church contribution is limited to the contributions disclosed in note 3.
2.7 Debtors
Debtors (including trade debtors and loans receivable) are measured on initial recognition at settlement amount after any trade discounts or amount advanced by the charity. Subsequently, they are measured at the cash or other consideration expected to be received.
2.8 Creditors
Creditors (including accruals) are recognised when due at the balance sheet date.
3 ANALYSIS OF INCOME
| 3 ANALYSIS OF INCOME | ||
|---|---|---|
| Total Funds | Total Funds | |
| 2024 | 2023 | |
| £ | £ | |
| Voluntary Income - Donations | - | 25 |
| Activities for generating funds - Training Courses | 1,269 | 600 |
| Charitable Activities - Incoming Grants | 81,200 | 40,000 |
| Total Incoming Resources | 82,469 | 40,625 |
4 ANALYSIS OF EXPENDITURE
| 4 ANALYSIS OF EXPENDITURE | ||
|---|---|---|
| Total Funds | Total Funds | |
| 2024 | 2023 | |
| Expenditure on charitable activities | £ | £ |
| Payroll | 42,383 | 25,593 |
| Staff expenses | - | - |
| Office | 124 | 150 |
| Subscriptions | 1,229 | 285 |
| CPD Certificate | 1,389 | 1140 |
| Governance | 150 | 150 |
| Total Expenditures | 45,275 | 27,318 |
Transactions with trustees and related parties
None of the Trustees have been paid any remuneration or received any benefits from an employment with their charity or a related charity.
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5 CREDITORS AND ACCRUALS
| 5 CREDITORS AND ACCRUALS | ||
|---|---|---|
| Total Funds | Total Funds | |
| 2024 | 2023 | |
| £ | £ | |
| Accrual for Independent Examiner | 150 | 150 |
| Payroll Accrual | 7,064 | - |
| Total | 7,214 | 150 |
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