2024-03-31-accounts

Fourah Bay College Alumni Association, United Kingdom (FBC AA UK)

Trustees Report For Year Ending 31[st] March 2024

Charity Report of the Trustees for the year ending 31[st] March 2024

The Trustees of Fourah Bay College Alumni Association, United Kingdom (FBC AA UK) present their accounts for the year ended 31st March 2024 and confirm they comply with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011, the trust deed and the Charities SORP (FRS 102).

Brief History of Fourah Bay College

Since the founding of the University of Timbuktu in the Malian empire in the late 16th and early 17th century, the founding of Fourah Bay College in 1827 was the

fulcrum of Freetown, Sierra Leone's description as the 'Athens of West Africa/Africa' and it was the subsequent significant development of this type in the region in the 19th century. The UNESCO's website states that Fourah Bay College was the region's first institution of higher learning since the collapse of the University of Timbuktu.

Our Structure

Fourah Bay College Alumni Association, United Kingdom (FBC AA UK) was launched in November 2017 at the House of Commons, Westminster, London SW1A 0AA under the sponsorship and auspices of the

Right Honorable James Cleverly MP for Braintree, who later became the UK Minister of State for the Middle East, North Africa and North America, and subsequently the UK’s Foreign Secretary, and is also a former Co-Chairman of the Conservative Party. FBC AA UK became a registered UK Charity on 15th June 2020. As a charity, we aim to advance education equality for all students at FBC (USL) by providing aid in various ways, as set

out in our charity objects clause and governance document. As a result of its registration, the charity is managed by a Board of Trustees. The Board meets regularly to plan and implement fundraising programmes and activities, discuss implementation activities to meet our strategic goals, and monitor the outcomes and progress of the programmes and activities.

Our enlarged Executive and Establishment comprises six committees for the delivery of strategic aims and objectives.

These committees are :

• Constitutional and Governance

• Finance and Bid-Writing

• Communications and Public Relations

• External Relations - including a UK scope and Global Alumni

• External Relations in Sierra Leone - will include focusing on building relationships in Sierra Leone.

• The Secretariat which comprises an executive secretary, an administrative secretary, and an organising secretary. It is responsible for the organisation's administrative, support with strategy, and events planning.

Our stakeholders comprise of The Executive Administration (The University Senate); Lecturers and Tutors, The Student Body and global and Sierra Leone based alumni.

Risk management

The Trustees have a control system for the authorisation, payment, and monitoring of programmes and activities.

Our Vision

To facilitate the advancement of education at Fourah Bay College as a beacon of tertiary learning while supporting the student population, executive administration, lecturers and faculties through relationship building with global alumni and all stakeholders.

Our Objective

To advance the education of all students at Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone in Freetown in Sierra Leone, by assisting in various ways based on equality of opportunity, with mutual respect and positive encouragement to develop their full potential and contribute to their academic, professional and personal development and the community as a whole.

To relieve students of poverty and financial hardship by providing financial support through assistance packages and scholarships where necessary.

To improve the quality of education at Fourah Bay College by providing teaching and learning resources and a safe teaching and learning environment for students in Sierra Leone.

General Summary

After registration with the Charity Commission, the organisation undertook a full strategic review and prepared a rolling five-year strategic plan. This plan will continue to give a clear direction for the future and increase our activities and programmes.

Review of activities and achievements – 2023/24

The charity's total incoming for the financial year 2023/24, was £12,654.24. The total expenditure for the period was £8,024.80. A summary of the account is attached to this report.

Ongoing project

In the current year under review, 2023/24, a fundraiser was held which included Global Alumni to raise funds towards the purchase of new Library bindery equipment to replace the existing ones that have been in place since the inception of the Bindery Department in 1965.

The first of the three pieces of equipment ( Letterpress machine ) was purchased and shipped including additional materials for the library totaling £4,956.75 . Replacement of these machines will ensure the bindery department continues to be fit to bind newspapers and other reading materials in the Library and for student dissertations as needed.

The effective provision of these facilities in the College Library is key to improving the quality of education at the University.

New Letterpress machine

Current machine

2022/23 year's project

Office furniture was also purchased and shipped to the University at a total cost of £830.

Our medium-term plans now include (a) Continuation of replacement of the library bindery equipment, (b) Scholarship fund scheme and (c) Solar installation at the library, each of which will drive its own benefit.

Thank you to our donors and members.

FBC AA UK relies heavily on funding from donors and members and fundraising activities. We thank all our donors and the entire organisation's membership for their generous donations and subscriptions. Our membership currently stands at over 50 and continues to grow from strength to strength

Constitutional and Governance Committee - Summary of Activities (2023/24)

The following highlights the Committee's key activities during the reporting period. While some activities have been completed, others are nearing completion.

1. Monitoring Compliance on Communication Platforms

2. The Committee regularly monitors members' adherence to the WhatsApp Rules of Engagement to ensure alignment with the Association's ethos and legal obligations.

3. Review of the Scholarship Committee's Statement of Intent

4. The Committee reviewed and recommended that the executive team approve the scholarship committee's statement of intent. This included setting eligibility criteria for awarding scholarships to prospective beneficiaries from the Fourah Bay College (FBC) student body.

3. Clarification of the Proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)

• This MoU is intended to support FBC's Chemistry department's fundraising efforts in collaboration with FBCAAUK.

• Notification and Coordination of Vacancies

The Committee facilitated the advertisement and coordination of various vacancies, including Administrative Secretary, Non-Executive Trustee, and PR & Communications Lead positions.

5. Ongoing Constitutional Review (2024/25)

The Committee reviews key sections of the Constitution, including Sections 12, 13, 16, and 27. A new section on Dispute Resolution is being developed to address potential conflicts among members.

Additional completed action:

Support for a Member

The Committee provided moral and practical support to a member facing a particularly challenging personal situation.

This report reflects the Committee's dedication to upholding the Association's governance standards and supporting its objectives.

Charity Trustees

• Mr Magnus Nathaniel Cole

• ▪ Mrs Henrietta Harding

Chair

Vice Chair

• Ms Fatumata Gassama Executive Secretary

• ▪ Mr Rowland Gordon Financial Lead (Treasury + Bid-writing) ▪ Mr Frank Musa Constitutional & Governance Lead

• Mrs Ajaratu Sesay Communications & Public relations Lead

• ▪ Mr Ivor Patnelli Non-Executive Trustee ▪ Mr Victor Benjamin Non-Executive Trustee ▪ Mrs Kankay Barlay Non-Executive Trustee

Contact Details

Address:

Flat 16 Sarnesfield House Pencraig Way London SE15 1ND Phone: [phone]

Email: [e-mail]

Charity Registration Number: 1189939

Bankers: Cooperative Bank

Trustee: Ivor Patnelli

Date: Friday 20[th] December 2024

Statement of Trustees Responsibilities

The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with the Charities Commission and the Statement of Recommended Practice in the United Kingdom.

The law applicable to charities in England and Wales, the Charities Act 1993, Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the trust deed requires trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charity for that period. In preparing those financial statements, trustees are required to:

• Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently

• Observe the methods and principles in the Charity SORP

• Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent

• Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business.

• They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Trustee: Ivor Patnelli

Date: Friday 20[th] December 2024

Fourah Bay College Alumni Association (UK) Financial Statement

For Period 1st April 2023 to 31st March 2024

2023-24 Incoming Resources Subscription 1,710.00 Meet and Greet Event 1,012.95 Thanksgiving Service 2,259.90 Library Project 7,111.97 Scholarship Fund 420.00 Hall Deposit Refund (Meet & Greet) PayPal Deposit Other Donations 139.46 Total Income Resources Resources Expended Direct Expenses Office Funiture - Freetown 830.00 Library Project 4,956.75 Hall Hire - Meet and Greet Event Entertainment - Meet and Greet 145.02 Thanksgiving Service 2,019.25 Total Direct Expenses Admin & Management Expenses Sum-up Reader 49.00 Monthly Mobile Phone Charges (Bami) Website Hosting and Management Printing and Stationery Election Software Payment 24.78 Total Admin & Management Expenses Total Expenses Excess Income / Expenses Opening Balance Closing Fund Balance Balance Sheet as at 31st March 2019 Fixed Assets Net Book Value Current Assets Bank - Current Account 6,724.79	2023-24 2022-23 1,505.00 1,012.44 230.00 0.01 12,654.28 1,029.07 750.00 150.00 7,951.02 170.00 136.80 159.20 73.78 8,024.80 4,629.48 2,095.31 6,724.79 0.00 2,095.31	2022-23
		2,747.45
		1,929.07 466.00
		2,395.07
		352.38 1,742.93
		2,095.31
		0.00

Current Liabilities

0.00

0.00

Total Assets Represented by: General Fund Balance	6,724.79 6,724.79	2,095.31
		2,095.31