HM FORAGE water for a better life
## **HM Forage Annual Report 2024 -2025**
## **1. Introduction**
HM Forage is constituted as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation Charity Registration Number: 1192132
## **2. Charitable Objectives**
The relief of poverty for the public in the Gambia, in particular but not exclusively by supplying drilling equipment needed to provide access to safe and clean drinking water and improve sanitation and assist in the provision of education and training in local water management to enable individuals to generate a sustainable income and be self-sufficient.
## **3. Background**
HM Forage was set up by its sole benefactor Howard Measham. Howard had a passion and vision for HM Forage which can best be described in his own words, as stated to the Charity Commission in September 2020 where he expressed his ambition for HM Forage:
“For many years I have been involved in a charity which provides funds and technical expertise to establish wells for clean drinking water alongside related hygiene and agricultural advice to villages in certain parts of Africa. The provision of clean water for all has long been my passion. The new charity will fund and provide technical expertise and equipment to local people indigenous to Africa in the building of wells for clean drinking water and provide related advice.”
“Although I am founding this charity and will initially act as its CEO I am aware through my involvement with other charities that it is important that all trustees have an equal say in the decision-making processes. It may be relevant to inform you that I am 89 years of age, 90 in November 2020, and will rely heavily on the input from other trustees who I anticipate will continue to run the charity after I am no longer able to be involved.”
Through Howard’s personal donation of over £50,000 and his ‘must do’, ‘no barrier cannot be overcome’ attitude, he had overseen HM Forage being incorporated as a Gambian Charity. He had purchased drilling equipment from the USA, purchased vehicles and had established a base. In October 2023 with the Gambian team he employed and trained, HM Forage Gambia had become operational and was commissioned to drill its first well.
## **4. Statement from the Chair of Trustees**
It was with a sad heart that I took over as Chair of Trustees in April 2024 following Howard’s death in March 2024. It was however comforting to all Trustees that his vision for The Gambia had come to fruition prior to his death and he had seen our Gambian team successfully establish themselves and commissioned to drill wells.
As we started the year, the three Trustees agreed to share the management of the charity and were committed to continuing Howard’s legacy. As Trustees however we were realistic about this task. The charity has been solely funded by Howard, and the plan was for this to continue in the short to medium term until the operations in The Gambia had become selfsufficient and making a surplus. His sudden death changed this. We had a reserve to operate for 6 months but knew it was very early days for the charity. It had only just become operational it would take time for HM Forage Gambia to become fully established in The Gambia. As Trustees we needed to ascertain how the charity could operate moving forward to become self-sufficient within 6 months.
It was pleasing when we met with our operational lead in The Gambia to outline the situation that he was very confident that HM Forage Gambia would become self-financing within the 6 months.
It was even more pleasing to the Trustees that as the year progressed we were able to secure further commissions for wells in Guinea Bissau and in The Gambia. At the end of the 6 months HM Forage Gambia was in a stronger financial position. Not only were we able to cover ongoing operational costs, but during this period we were also able to upgrade our manual drilling equipment with an electric motor and purchase 6 pumps for future wells.
With the continuing hard work of the Trustees and the Staff in The Gambia the year has seen us build some strong working relationships, continue to drill wells and maintain a positive financial position in The Gambia.
In December 2024 we received a gift from Howard’s estate of £10,900. The Trustees made the decision to dedicate this money to projects next year that will bring water to needy rural communities in The Gambia.
Without Howard’s regular trips to The Gambia however the Trustees have found distancemanaging the operation and reporting a challenge and we will be looking to improve this in the coming year.
This really has been the only negative in a year which has seen remarkable impact and unforeseen progress which the Trustees hope Howard would be very proud of. Our mission remains clear and unwavering: to provide clean, accessible water to those in need. As we look ahead, we remain committed to the sustained employment of our Gambian team, expanding our impact, strengthening our partnerships and ensuring that every well brings lasting change.
## 5 **. Governance**
Board of Trustees
Graham Hawkes – Chair
Tim Greenwood
Will Luff
Board meetings occur three to four times annually, convening either in person or through video conferencing. Decisions made by trustees outside of these meetings via email are subsequently ratified at the following Board meeting.
HM Forage maintains sixteen established policies, such as safeguarding, equality, and reserves. All policies are documented and available upon request.
## **6. Activities and Achievements**
Through the dedication of our Gambian team, we have expanded our reach, drilled new wells and restored existing water sources, bringing hope and health to many.
## **Guinea Bissau**
In May, our team began drilling six wells in Guinea Bissau for a partner charity. The project faced major challenges from sedimentary rock and continued into August, overlapping with the rainy season's peak.
We returned in November and December, this time bringing an enhanced electric drill to rework wells where earlier water extraction attempts were hampered by geological difficulties. After a short holiday break, we resumed operations in January 2025 to finish the project.
Our work reached villages such as Nhinteh, Ndjocteh, Umaro Cosse, Sincha Imabe, Sincha Suncara, Cansamba, Bangacia, Tckmon, and Anambe. These wells should deliver dependable clean water access to hundreds in rural areas. Additionally, the initiative supports our partner charity’s efforts to improve health, food security, and sanitation, creating lasting positive changes throughout these communities.
## **The Gambia**
During September and October, several privately commissioned boreholes were drilled in The Gambia, including wells equipped with water towers and solar-powered pumps. Project sites included Wassu, Kubuneh, Cape Point, Giboroh, and WEC International.
These privately funded boreholes supply clean water to local families and residential compounds. Additionally, surplus resources generated from these wells will be allocated to support future initiatives benefiting rural communities in need throughout
## 4. Financial Review
As we have documented, HM Forage started 2025 with the maximum of 6 months operational funding. Within the UK all work to support the charity is carried out voluntarily by the trustees. Our only UK expense is £150 for the I.T. platform and an annual banking charge of £60 to CAF Bank. The remainder of our funds were used until October to support the infrastructure in The Gambia, predominantly on the salaries and national health of the 6 staff.
Our income this year primarily consists of a gift from Howard Measham’s estate of £10900, a £204 donation raised by Seer Green Baptist Church, at Howard’s memorial, and bank interest of £9.41.
Our total income was £11118, our expenses £7723, with the bought forward from last year our surplus for 2025 is £11600
This surplus will be used to fund projects that benefit communities in rural Gambia.
## 5. **Trustee Declaration**
We, the trustees of HM Forage confirm that this report is accurate and prepared in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 and the Charity Commission’s guidance.
Signed:
Graham Hawkes, Chair of Trustees
12[th] December 2025
## **HM Forage**
## **1192132**
## **Recei ts and a ments accounts p p y**
**For the period** 01/04/2024 **To** 31/03/2025 **from**
## **Section A Receipts and payments**
**Unrestricted Restricted Endowment Total funds funds funds funds to the nearest to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ £**
## **A1 Receipts**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Donations 205 10,904 - 11,109
Interest 9 - - 9
Income from charitable works - - -
- - -
Sub total (Gross income for
AR) 214 10,904 - 11,118
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total - - - -
Total receipts 214 10,904 - 11,118
A3 Payments
Charitable activities
- -
7,511 7,511
Equipment
- - -
I.T.
- 152 - 152
Travel
- - -
Accomodation
- - -
Legal
- - -
Bank Fees
- 60 - 60
- - -
**----- End of picture text -----**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
- - -
Sub total
- 7,723 - 7,723
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total
- - - -
Total payments - 7,723 - 7,723
Net of receipts/(payments)
214 3,181 - 3,395
A5 Transfers between funds
- - - -
A6 Cash funds last year end
8,261 - 8,261
Cash funds this year end
214 11,442 - 11,656
**----- End of picture text -----**
## **Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period**
|**Categories**
**B1 Cash funds**
**B2 Other monetary assets**|**Details**
CAF Bank
Metro Bank
**_Total cash funds_**
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))
**Details**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
Agreement
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|
|---|---|---|
## **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
## **Details**
## **Details**
## **Details**
Signature
**Fund to which Cost (optional) asset belongs - - - - - Fund to which Cost (optional) asset belongs - - - - - - - - - Fund to which Amount due liability relates (optional) - - - - -**
Print Name
GRAHAM HAWKES 12[th] December 2025