## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period**
**From 6[th] April 2023 Period start date To 5[th] April 2024 Period end date**
**Charity name:** Dress It Forward
## **Charity registration number:** 1189810
## **Objectives and Activities**
||SORP reference||
|---|---|---|
|Summary of the purposes of
the charity as set out in its
governing document|Para 1.17|The relief of financial hardship among
disadvantaged and impoverished
individuals living in South Africa by
providing such persons with formal clothing
(including but not limited to outfits for
graduation celebrations or job interviews)
which they could not otherwise afford.
The prevention or alleviation of poverty
either generally or individually, of people
living in South Africa, by providing: grants
and services to charities, or other
organisations working to prevent or relieve
poverty.|
|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 charity sources and collects donations
of second-hand, formal clothing (especially
prom dresses and suits) from within the
UK. Using partner organisations it then
distributes this clothing to disadvantaged
and impoverished individuals living in South
Africa, allowing these individuals to attend
their high school graduation ceremonies
and so inspiring the next generation of
pupils.
During the financial year 2023 to 2024, the
charity continued to fundraise to replenish
funds following its first two years that had
been significantly negatively impacted by
the Covid 19 pandemic. More expenses
were incurred and we were able to give
grants to the charity Dress It Forward SA in|
|||order to fulfil our objectives.|
|---|---|---|
|Statement confirming
whether the trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit|Para 1.18|The charity supports and benefits those
living in poverty or facing financial hardship,
especially but not limited to, graduating
high school students. We rely on trusted
partner organisations (i.e. the South African
registered non-profit organisation ‘Dress It
Forward SA’) to manage the donations
once they arrive in South Africa and
distribute them to the appropriate
recipients. We do not means test the
individuals who receive our donations but
instead operate on a trust basis in terms of
assessing financial hardship. We target
poor communities and schools with a high
level of students living in poverty and
therefore ensure that the clothing reaches
those who need it most. To qualify for
clothing, students must be in Grade 12 in
the year that they choose their outfit. They
also need to provide a copy of their ID and
proof that they are in matric (the final two
years of high school). This could be either
their latest school report or a letter from the
school confirming their attendance. Other
non-student recipients of clothing (e.g.
those in need of clothing for job interviews,
weddings or other church services) will be
referred direct to us from other
organisations or individuals who will testify
to their need on a case by case basis. We
have found this to be a successful way of
operating.
The trustees have had 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 The charity provides grants to charities and organisations in South Africa share our objectives and can carry out this work on Para 1.38 our behalf, i.e. those who can administer Policy on grant making and manage our donations of clothing once they have arrived in South Africa. The
charity has an already established working relationship with the South African registered NGO ‘Dress It Forward SA’ but may also use other organisations that have been approved by our trustees. Para 1.38 Policy on social investment including program related investment All the charity’s activities are undertaken by volunteers, there are no paid staff. Para 1.38 Contribution made by volunteers Other
## **Achievements and Performance**
SORP reference **Trustee Annual Report Year: 2023–2024 Summary of Achievements** Summary of the main During the financial year 2023–2024, achievements of the charity, **Dress It Forward (DIF)** made significant identifying the difference the Para 1.20 strides in both our local and international charity’s work has made to activities, positively impacting the lives of the circumstances of its our beneficiaries in South Africa and beneficiaries and any wider strengthening our connections in the UK benefits to society as a and beyond. whole.
## **Key Achievements**
1. **Expanding Our Reach**
||○|This year, DIF gained a|
|---|---|---|
|||volunteer representative in|
|||the United States, enabling|
|||the collection of dresses|
|||from a new region. These|
|||donations are shipped|
|||directly to South Africa,|
|||increasing the diversity and|
|||quantity of outfits available|
|||to disadvantaged students.|
|||Notably, this expansion|
|||incurs no additional financial|
|||overhead for the charity.|
|2.|**Community Engagement and**||
||**Fundraising**||
|○|Our annual quiz night and|
|---|---|
||the Bath Half Marathon|
||fundraiser proved highly|
||successful. These events|
||collectively raised|
||substantial funds,|
||contributing significantly to|
||our operational budget. The|
||Bath Half Marathon was|
||particularly impactful, with a|
||dedicated full-time volunteer|
||overseeing the event,|
||easing pressure on trustees|
||and boosting event|
||efficiency.|
|○|With these successful|
||events, we have established|
||a reliable and repeatable|
||income stream, ensuring|
||financial sustainability.|
## 3. **Strengthening Operations in South Africa**
- The South African NGO, **Dress It Forward SA (DIFSA)** , who we have given grants to with the remit of achieving our own charity’s objectives, achieved a milestone by
|||securing dedicated|
|---|---|---|
|||premises and employing a|
|||full-time staff member. This|
|||development has enhanced|
|||their operational capacity,|
|||allowing for the distribution|
|||of over 620 outfits this year|
|||—a record-breaking|
|||achievement.|
||○|These outfits provided a|
|||lifeline to many families,|
|||covering 80% of the matric|
|||class at one high school. As|
|||DIFSA grows in reputation,|
|||their ability to support|
|||communities continues to|
|||expand.|
|4.|**Promotional Efforts and**||
||**Educational Outreach**||
- We launched targeted school talks in the UK, reaching new audiences and fostering partnerships. Schools such as St Laurence in Bradford-onAvon have demonstrated enthusiasm for supporting our mission, with plans to act as key sponsors moving forward.
- A unique tagging system was introduced to track individual donations from the UK to recipients in South Africa, ensuring transparency and enhancing donor satisfaction.
5. **Leveraging Media and Social Platforms**
- This year, we worked with a professional editor to create short video clips from our documentary footage. These engaging 15-second clips are now being shared on social media to increase visibility, inspire new supporters, and attract
||donations.|
|---|---|
|**Impact**|**on Beneficiaries and Society**|
|●|For the beneficiaries in South|
||Africa, a donated dress or suit|
||means far more than an outfit. It|
||symbolises hope, achievement, and|
||a brighter future. Attending the|
||matric dance is a profound|
||milestone for students in the Cape|
||Flats and other disadvantaged|
||communities, showcasing their|
||determination to overcome|
||significant socioeconomic|
||challenges.|
|●|By alleviating the financial burden|
||on families, DIFSA enables these|
||students to celebrate their hard-|
||earned success without incurring|
||further hardship. The ripple effect is|
||profound: younger community|
||members witness these|
||celebrations and are inspired to|
||remain in school despite the|
||obstacles of poverty, gangsterism,|
||and teen pregnancy.|
## **Environmental Benefits**
- Through our work, DIF contributes to the reduction of textile waste. In line with WRAP’s statistics, our efforts prevent significant volumes of clothing from ending up in UK landfills, aligning with broader sustainability goals.
## **Next Steps**
Moving forward, we aim to address challenges such as transport logistics in South Africa and security at DIFSA’s new premises. We are also exploring opportunities for expanding our reach into rural areas, where access to resources is even more limited.
In conclusion, 2023–2024 was a year of rebuilding, innovation, and impact. Thanks to the dedication of our volunteers, supporters, and partners, DIF continues to empower young South Africans, one dress
at a time. **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: Our objectives were to establish a premises this year in South Africa and we did this and managed to employ a part-time member of staff in addition (via DIFSA). Achievements against objectives set Para 1.41 We raised a total of £9028 this financial year which surpassed our objective to raise £6000 to enable us to open a premises in South Africa. 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|The charity had funds of
£???
at the end of
the financial year|
|Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held|Para 1.22|The charity intends to hold in reserve funds
equivalent to four months operating costs,
to cover unforeseen costs, uncertainties
about inflation and possible shortfalls in
expected income.|
|Amount of reserves held|Para 1.22|£0|
|Reasons for holding zero
reserves|Para 1.22|The charity’s income is currently too low to
be able to hold reserves, but in future, it is
the intention for the charity to hold in
reserve funds equivalent to four months
operating costs, to cover unforeseen costs,
uncertainties about inflation and possible
shortfalls in expected income.|
|Details of fund materially in
deficit|Para 1.24||
|Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern|Para 1.23||
## **Additional information (optional)**
## You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
|The charity’s principal
sources of funds (including
any fundraising)|The charity’s principal
sources of funds (including
any fundraising)|Para 1.47|**The charity’s principal sources of**
**funding were donations from individuals**
**via sponsorship, fund-raising events**
**and legacy donations:**
64% of our income came from individual
sporting sponsorships
15% of our income came from a single
legacy donation
15% of our income came from one
fundraising event
6% of our income came from corporate
sponsorship|
|---|---|---|---|
|||||
|||||
|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|The uncertainties about future inflation may
mean that the running costs of the
premises in South Africa that we fund
through grants to ‘Dress It Forward SA’
become higher than the charity has
budgeted for. The prolonged “cost of living
crisis” may lead to lower donations than the
charity has budgeted for.|
|Other|||
## **Structure, Governance and Management**
|Description of charity’s
trusts:|||
|---|---|---|
|Type of governing document
(trust deed, royal charter)|Para 1.25|Constitution|
|How is the charity
constituted?
(e.g unincorporated
association, CIO)|Para 1.25|Charitable Incorporated Organisation|
|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|All trustees are appointed by the members.
There are no ex-officio or nominated
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|Dress It Forward|
|---|---|
|Other name the charity uses||
|Registered charity number|1189810|
|Charity’s principal address|17 Pulteney Gardens
Bath
BA2 4HG|
|||
## **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**|**Nam**
**e of**
**pers**
**on**
**(or**
**body**
**)**
**entitl**
**ed to**
**appo**
**int**
**trust**
**ee (if**
**any)**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||Georgina Short|Chair|||
||Sharon Jelf|Treasurer|||
||Alexandra Ensom||||
||Tine Stapelfeldt||||
||||||
||||||
||||||
||||||
||||||
||||||
||||||
||||||
||||||
||||||
||||||
||||||
||||||
||||||
||||||
||||||
– 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 Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets
## **Additional information (optional)**
## **Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**
**Type of Name Address adviser 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)** Georgina Short Sharon Jelf **Position (eg** Chair **Secretary, Chair, etc) Date**
||**Dress it Forward**
|**Dress it Forward**
|**Dress it Forward**
|**1189810**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||**For the period**
**from**|4/6/2023|**To**|05/04/22024|
## **Section A Receipts and payments**
|**Section A Receipts and payments**|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|**A1 Receipts**
Bath Half Marathon Donation
**7,243**
Quiz Ticket Sales
**1,715**
other income - easyfundraising
**70**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**9,028**
**-**
**-**
**_Sub total_ -**
**_Total receipts_ 9,028**
**A3 Payments**
**-**
Charitable Donations to South Africa
**7,600**
Advartising
**1,308**
Shipping
**120**
Printing& computer costs
**330**
Bank/Finance charges
**47**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**_Sub total_ 9,405**
**-**
**-**
**_Sub total_ -**
**_Total payments_ 9,405**
**_Net of receipts/(payments)_ - 377**
**A5 Transfers between funds**
**-**
**A6 Cash funds last year end**
**8,274**
**_Cash funds this year end_ 7,897**
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**
**_Sub total_**_(Gross income for AR)_
**A2 Asset and investment sales,**
**(see table).**
**A4 Asset and investment**
**purchases, (see table)**|**to the nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Restricted**
**funds**|**to the nearest £**
**Endowment**
**funds**|**Total funds**
**to the nearest £**
**-**
**7,243**
**1,715**
**70**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**9,028**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**9,028**
**-**
**7,600**
**1,308**
**120**
**330**
**47**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**9,405**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**9,405**
**- 377**
**-**
**8,274**
**7,897**|**Last year**
**to the nearest £**|
|||**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**-**|**-**|
||||**7,243**|**-**|
||||**1,715**|**-**|
||||**70**|**-**|
||||**-**|**-**|
||||**-**|**-**|
||||**-**|**-**|
||||**-**|**-**|
||||**9,028**|**-**|
||||||
|||**-**
**-**
**-**|**-**||
||||**-**|**-**|
||||**-**|**-**|
||||||
|||**-**|**9,028**|**-**|
||||||
|||**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**-**|**-**|
||||**7,600**|**-**|
||||**1,308**|**-**|
||||**120**|**-**|
||||**330**|**-**|
||||**47**|**-**|
||||**-**|**-**|
||||**-**|**-**|
||||**-**|**-**|
||||**9,405**|**-**|
||||||
|||**-**
**-**
**-**|**-**||
||||**-**||
||||**-**|**-**|
||||||
|||**-**|**9,405**|**-**|
||||||
||**-**|**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**- 377**|**-**|
||**-**||**-**|**-**|
||**-**||**8,274**|**-**|
||**-**||**7,897**|**-**|
## **Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period**
|**Categories**
**B1 Cash funds**
**B2 Other monetary assets**
**B3 Investment assets**
**B5 Liabilities**
**B4 Assets retained for the**
**charity’s own use**
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees|**Details**
**Details**
**Details**
**Details**
**Details**
Signature
**_Total cash funds_**
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))|**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
Agreement Error
OK
**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
Print Name
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Fund to which**
**liability relates**
**Amount due**
**(optional)**|**to nearest £**
**Endowment**
**funds**|
|---|---|---|---|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||OK|
||||**to nearest £**
**Endowment**
**funds**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**Current value**
**(optional)**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**Current value**
**(optional)**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**When due**
**(optional)**|
|||||
|||||
|||||
|||||
|||||
|||||
||||Date of
approval|
|||||
|||||