Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From 01/04/2021 Period start date To 31/03/2022 Period end date
Charity name: Freetown Secondary School for Girls Ex-Pupils Association UK and Ireland
Charity registration number: 1191039
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | The advancement of quality education, particularly for the pupils of the Freetown Secondary School for Girls, Sierra Leone. (2) Support and assist the provision of educational facilities and a safe learning environment for pupils at the Freetown Secondary School for Girls, resulting in improved pupils’outcomes |
| 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 |
We had a virtual annual Thanksgiving Service in January 2022 which was our only exclusive public fundraising event. In October 2021 FSSGians UK and Ireland in collaboration with other diaspora branches in the USA, Gambia and Freetown organized a virtual Gala and a virtual Thanksgiving Service in honour of our Alma Mater celebrating its 95th Anniversary. The proceeds from these two events will go towards the cost of the electrical rewiring of the school in Freetown. Regrettably, due to the pandemic we were not able to host our annual Luncheon Sale and our annual Africana Night events. We continued with our monthly meetings, virtually. Our members continued with their annual subscription and voluntary donations. |
| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit |
Para 1.18 | Trustees are aware of the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit/funds and that none of the income of the charity may be paid or transferred directly or indirectly by way of dividend, bonus or otherwise by way of profit to any |
member of the charity. All funds raised are for public benefit.
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Policy on grant making | Para 1.38 | |
| Policy on social investment including program related investment |
Para 1.38 | |
| Contribution made by volunteers |
Para 1.38 | Our members are very generous with their donations in the form of monetary donations or paying for goods and services which in turn reduce the charity’s expenditure. |
| 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 | In September 2021, the school transitioned into single shift from double shifts. FSSGians UK & Ireland together with other branches in the diaspora paid for extra chairs and tables to seat two thousand five hundred pupils. We built a new lunch stall for the pupils, erected three water tanks to supply water to the refurbished toilets, raised the perimeter fence to increase security for the girls. We paid for the school buildings and environment to be cleaned and fumigated. We have also provided the school with large bins and cleaning equipment to enable a clean and healthy environment for the pupils learning experience. |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
We submitted the accounts for the previous financial year and successfully Achievements against Para 1.41 submitted our very first Annual Returns objectives set within the time frame.
| We also successfully registered with the HMRC and can now benefit from claiming Gift Aid from our donations. We opened an Online Bank Account in congruent with the Charity commission’s requirements. We finalized the Code of Conduct and Bye Laws to complement our Constitution. In collaboration with the other Diaspora branches, we funded multiple projects in the school in Freetown enabling the transition from double shifts to a single shift in September 2021. |
||
|---|---|---|
| Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | Fundraising activities were restricted to virtual events as a result of the covid 19 pandemic. However, we managed to hold our Annual Thanksgiving Service on Zoom in Jan 2022. This event was very successful and raised substantial proceeds as evidenced in the accounts. The virtual event was more profitable as it incurred less overheads. Prior to this, we joined the Diaspora Branches in the USA, Gambia and Sierra Leone in October 2021, to host a virtual Gala event and a virtual Global Thanksgiving Service. Donations received in the UK is being held in our account and will go towards funding the electrical rewiring of the school in Freetown. |
| Investment performance against objectives |
Para 1.41 | N/A |
| Other | N/A |
Financial Review
| Financial Review | ||
|---|---|---|
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | FSSGians UK & Ireland CIO maintains a healthy financial position at the end of the financial period despite not being able to fundraise as expected due to Covid restrictions. |
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | The objective of our Charity is to aid our school in Freetown. Most of our income is designated for projects such as the maintenance of buildings and other facilities, improvement to the educational development of the students through provision of adequate teaching equipment. We aim to retain sufficient reserves for our fundraising events, unforeseen circumstances and sustainability and, to enable Trustees to respond rapidly to urgent matters or requests from the school in Freetown. |
| Amount of reserves held | Para 1.22 | £8794.00 |
| 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 |
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 | Donations from well -wishers, supporters and members. The CIO organizes a Thanksgiving Service, a Luncheon Sale and an Africana Buffet dance annually. However, for this financial year we were only able to hold our Annual Thanksgiving Service and participated in the Global virtual Gala and virtual Thanksgiving Service. |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
A constitution |
| How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association,CIO) |
Para 1.25 | CHARITY INCORPORATED ORGANISATION (ASSOCIATION) |
| 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 | Trustees are appointed or re-appointed at the Annual General Meeting. The term of office for each elected Trustee is two years. A Trustee shall hold the same office for no more than two consecutive terms. |
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 trustees will make available to each new charity trustee, on or before his or her first appointment: (a) a copy of this constitution and any amendments made to it; and (b) a copy of the CIO’s latest trustees’ annual report and statement of accounts. |
| The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works |
Para 1.51 | FSSGians UK & Ireland is managed by the Trustees and Executives. The organisational structure is as follows: President / Chair Trustee Vice President /Trustee General Secretary /Trustee Assistant General Secretary / Trustee Treasurer /Trustee Assistant Treasurer /Trustee Social Secretary /Trustee Assistant Secretary / Trustee Publicity Officer / Trustee Assistant Publicity Officer / Trustee Pastoral Officers x 2 Ex-Officios x 4 |
| Relationship with any related parties |
Para 1.51 | FSSGians UK work in collaboration with our sister branches in the Diaspora; the school in Freetown; the Board of Trustees and the Board of Governors in Freetown. The Diaspora presidents meets monthly. |
| Other |
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | Freetown Secondary School for Girls Ex-Pupils Association UK and Ireland |
|---|---|
| Other name the charity uses | FSSGians UK & Ireland |
| Registered charity number | 1191039 |
| Charity’s principal address | 68 BELLINGHAM ROAD London SE6 2PT |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madlyne Harding | President / Chair Trustee |
|||
| Sitnah Palmer | Vice President / Trustee |
|||
| Grace Elizabeth Christiana Akinlusi |
Treasurer / Trustee | |||
| Angela Fubara | Assistant Treasurer / Trustee |
|||
| Harolda C.E.O. Williams-Babin |
General Secretary / Trustee |
|||
| Amorette Decker | Assistant Secretary / Trustee |
|||
| Kadijatu McEwen | Social Secretary / Trustee |
|||
| Jasmil Thelma Cole-Smith |
Assistant Social Secretary/ Trustee |
|||
| Leona Macauley | Publicity Officer / Trustee |
|||
| Willis Olu-Williams | Assistant Publicity Officer / Trustee |
|||
| Reverend Bernice Lemon-Thomas |
Pastoral Officer / Trustee |
|||
| Vida Wills | Pastoral / Trustee | |||
| Elizabeth Jinadu | Trustee | |||
| Adekemi Bull | Trustee | |||
| Doris Crompton- Thomas |
Trustee | |||
– 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) Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Date |
MHarding | A Fubara |
|---|---|---|
| Madlyne Harding | Angela Fubara | |
Chair |
||
| 24/01/2023 | ||
| 24/01/2023 |
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Charity Name
N
Freetown Secondary School for 11
Girls Ex-Pupils Assoc UK& Ireland
Receipts and payments acco
For the Period start P
To
period from Apr 1, 21date
Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestrict Restrict Endowme
ed funds ed funds nt funds
to the to the
to the
nearest nearest
nearest £
£ £
A1 Receipts
FUNDRAISING EVENTS
4,843 - -
Thanksgiving Service (virtual)
Global Weekend Event (virtual) 3,597
MEMBERSHIP, BENEVOLENCE &
DONATIONS
Members Subscriptions 1,145 - -
Birhday Donations 90 - -
MERCHANDISE
Sale of Hatbands, Badges & Face
577 - -
Masks
OTHER RECEIPTS
Bank Interest 2 - -
Prior year debt recovered 1,970 - -
Hall Deposit Refund 500 - -
- - -
12,724 - -
Sub total (Gross income for AR)
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
- - -
Sub total - - -
Total receipts 12,724 - -
A3 Payments
FUNDRAISING EVENTS
Thanksgiving Service (virtual) 350 - -
Global Weekend Event (virtual) 430
MEMBERSHIP, BENEVOLENCE &
DONATIONS
Benevolent donations 1,712 - -
Donation to St Edward's Secondary
School Event 30 - -
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DIRECT SUPPORT TO THE
SCHOOL
Contribution to the school's (FSSG)
one shift programme 5,538 - -
MERCHANDISE
Hatbands, Badges & Face Masks
350 - -
GOVERNANCE & ADMIN
EXPENSES
Consultancy fees - - -
Website fees 101
Zoom charges 273
AGM & Election expenses 150
Meeting hall hire 164
- - -
Sub total 9,098 - -
A4 Asset and investment
purchases (see table)
- - -
Sub total - - -
Total payments 9,098 - -
Net of receipts/(payments) 3,626 - -
A5 Transfers between funds - - -
A6 Cash funds last year end - -
Cash funds this year end 3,626 - -
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
Unrestrict
ed funds
Categories Details
to nearest
£
B1 Cash funds Account no.36730351 18,626
Account no. 38537591 8,794
Account no. 26265788 10,817
PayPal 576
Total cash funds 38,813
(agree balances with
receipts and payments Agreement
account(s)) Error
Unrestrict
ed funds
to nearest
£
Details
B2 Other monetary assets -
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B3 Investment assets
B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use
B5 Liabilities
Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees
which Details asset b l Fund to which asset Details belongs Fund to Details which Signature Print Angela
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o (if any)
191039
CC16a
ounts
Period end date
Mar 31, 22
Total funds Last year
to the to the
nearest £ nearest £
4,843 6,405
3,597 -
1,145 3,505
90 165
577 1,190
2 1
1,970 907
500 -
- -
12,724 12,173
- -
- -
12,724 12,173
350 790
430
1,712 450
30
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5,538
350 3,021
- 275
101
273
150
164
- -
9,098 4,536
-
- -
9,098 4,536
3,626 7,637
- -
- -
3,626 7,637
Restricted Endowmen
funds t funds
to nearest £ to nearest
£
- -
- -
- -
- -
OK OK
Restricted Endowmen
funds t funds
to nearest £ to nearest
£
- -
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Current Cost value (optional) (optional) - - - -
Current Cost value (optional) (optional) - - - - Amount due When due (optional) (optional) - - Date of t Name approval a Fubara