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2025-04-30-accounts

CharChar Literacy

(A registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation in England and Wales)

Trustees’ Report and Financial Statements For the Year Ended 30 April 2025

Charity Number: 1192510

CharChar Literacy Contents

Contents

Reference and administrative details ............................................................................................................... 3 Report of the Trustees ...................................................................................................................................... 4 Independent Examiner's report…………………………………………….…………………………………………….……………..…….14 Statement of Financial Activity for the year ended 30 April 2025 ................................................................. 15 Balance Sheet as at 30 April 2025 .................................................................................................................. 16 Notes forming part of the Financial Statements for the year ended 30 April 2025………………………….…..17-22

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CharChar Literacy Reference and administrative details

Charity Registration Number:

1192510

Trustees Victoria Williamson
Nicola Mary Robertson
Andrew David White
Natalie Lisa Conti (Appointed 16th October 2025)
Registered Office Ashley
Mortehoe Station Road
Woolacombe
Devon
EX34 7EZ

Independent examiner Michael Webb FCCA Haines Watts Swindon Limited Old Station House Station Approach Swindon SN1 3DU

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CharChar Literacy Trustees Report

Chair's Introduction:

Striving to Improve Literacy Outcomes in Malawi

1”The education sector in Malawi is facing a learning crisis, with only 19 per cent of children aged 7 to 14 having foundational reading skills while only 13 per cent have foundational numeracy skills. This implies that while children may be in school, they are not learning optimally. One significant factor contributing to poor learning outcomes in primary education is the notably low attendance rate in early childhood education (ECE), which was only 34 per cent in 2023.”

Although our primary focus stays in Malawi, the obstacles to effective literacy instruction are not unique to that country. Studies and on ‑ the ‑ ground experience throughout Sub ‑ Saharan Africa reveal shared ‑ challenges in early grade reading outcomes. The insights CharChar has gained from rolling out evidence ‑ based literacy programmes in Malawi can help shape similar efforts elsewhere, especially when it comes to sustainable teacher professional development and systematic phonics instruction—areas that are frequently neglected.

Our Strategy

‑ ‑ ‑ We pursue a two pronged approach: first, we showcase low cost, high impact literacy gains in the initial four years of government primary schools; second, we leverage those results to guide and bolster national primary ‑ teacher ‑ training frameworks and governmental structures.

CharChar delivers evidence ‑ based foundational ‑ literacy programmes within Malawi’s primary ‑ education system. In close partnership with the Ministry of Education, we have proven effective interventions in public primary schools through systematic teacher development and focused classroom support. The model ‑ prioritises cost effective, sustainable solutions in a sector that faces severe resource constraints.

‑ As part of our strategy, we continue to develop supplemental foundational literacy resources—such as ‑ training videos that connect theory with classroom practice—and provide cost effective, readily accessible ‑ continuous professional development (CPD) materials.

Fundraising

CharChar maintains a strong financial position as of April 2025, with charitable income reaching £66,706.

Safeguarding

During the year we conducted refresher training for staff in our safeguarding policy. We are pleased to confirm that CharChar encountered no safeguarding issues during the reporting period. Our commitment to ensuring a safe and secure environment for all children and adults we work with remains paramount.

1 https://www.unicef.org/malawi/media/11756/file/2024-25%20Education_Budget_Brief_Final.pdf.pdf

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CharChar Literacy Trustees Report

CharChar Literacy CIO

CharChar Literacy supported all aspects of field work during the year. Trustees have been involved in all decision making, finance, reporting etc.

During the year we continued with three funding streams which supported organisational impacts. We continued to work with UK based professional volunteers, particularly in our work in the development of foundational literacy instruction in Teacher Education, and the supporting government systems.

CCL had to invest considerable effort towards the close of the reporting period, initially addressing a work suspension in January 2025 and subsequently managing the fallout from USAID’s funding termination. This meant that the work in support of Teacher Education strengthening and the parallel system of support to government systems development effectively ceased in January 2025. This, along with defunding by USAID has been detrimental to the whole development sector in Malawi, with thousands of people made redundant overnight.

The ongoing consequences of the USAID withdrawal has necessitated careful administration by CharChar volunteers beyond this reporting period.

By the end of the year, our Demonstration school programme was also completed.

Objectives and Activities

The charity's primary purpose is improving literacy levels of underprivileged children in Malawi by improving teaching. Our approaches include:

In accordance with Charity Commission guidance, the Trustees confirm that CharChar’s activities have delivered a demonstrable benefit to the public by advancing education ensuring that all outcomes are tangible. These benefits are accessible to a wide section of the public without restrictive barriers or private gain, ensuring that our resources are used solely to advance our charitable mission for the collective good.

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CharChar Literacy Trustees Report

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.

Highlights and impacts

We have continued working in Malawi through a small local team:

At the Demonstration school we have

Nationally, with the STEP consortium[2] CharChar has

2 Strengthening Teacher Education and Practice

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CharChar Literacy Trustees Report

Figure 1. 2024 Year end gender-disaggregated Demonstration School results

The purpose of foundational literacy is to commence and develop fluency in reading, with comprehension.

Analysis of the gender disaggregated data from the end of the 2023-2024 academic year shows girls’ and boys’ progress is in line with expectations. Across a large data set we would expect to see girls outperform boys in the early stages of their education journey, as we see here in the figure above for Standards 1 and 2, where girls outperformed boys.

For the non-specialist reader, foundational literacy development follows a systematic progression, beginning with phonological awareness - the ability to recognise and manipulate sounds in spoken words. This provides the foundation for introducing letter-sound, letter-name relationships (phoneme-grapheme correspondence), where children learn individual letter sounds and how these combine to make words.

Decoding skills are developed through phonics instruction: children learn to blend and segment sounds to read (decode) simple words, typically starting with CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words such as ‘cat’. Simultaneously, they develop phonemic awareness, I.e. learning to hear, identify, and manipulate individual sounds in words. Children also learn high-frequency words, both decodable (E.g. 'it', 'and', 'on') and those requiring sight recognition, such as 'the', 'was'.

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CharChar Literacy Trustees Report

The CharChar model supports the development of these components, with fun lessons using songs, actions, games and real objects to build reading fluency and comprehension.

Writing development occurs alongside reading, with children learning to write (encode) sounds into written words. All these elements are taught through systematic, explicit instruction with opportunities for practice in meaningful, locally adapted contexts such as writing in the sand.

This progression ensures children develop the technical and broader language comprehension skills needed for effective reading and writing.

The assessment data demonstrates exceptionally positive outcomes in these essential foundational skills.

Figure 2. Comparative (intervention/non-intervention) Results.

Figure 2 presents the data for letter sounds and letter names. Teaching the letter sounds, as mentioned above, is critical for literacy acquisition for the majority of children. Comparing data from the Demonstration School literacy intervention with national data we can see a high average score of 90% for letter sounds was achieved in Standard 1 in 2023 with the literacy intervention. These children are now learning to read and write with confidence. Children in Standard 4 who did not receive the classroom literacy intervention at this school, achieved a much lower scores of 31% and 83% for letter sounds and names respectively showing the impact of the intervention. We note that the Standard 4 children achieve higher than the national test data scores for letter sounds at 31%, which we attribute to the impact of regular whole school assembly presentation of phonics.

In conclusion, the children who received this project intervention benefitted from a solid introduction to foundational literacy that has the potential to change the course of their education. Anecdotally we know from our former interventions in southern Malawi that the children in receipt of systematic phonics instruction in Standards 1-3 have the necessary tools to engage with the academic content. In the words of

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CharChar Literacy Trustees Report

the teachers receiving these children in Standard 5, they are seen to be “ very intelligent ”. English is the language of instruction from Standard 5 onwards, commonly this is when large numbers of children drop out of school due to the English language barrier. Longitudinal research on educational attainment and life outcomes is recommended to demonstrate actual long-term impacts.

CharChar Literacy’s work in photos

A “Phonics Assembly” with song and dance

CharChar Chest distribution Parents and Guardians Open Day

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CharChar Literacy Trustees Report

Regular whole-school phonics assembly

CharChar Chest resources (above centre).

The Demonstration School Foundational Literacy Teaching Team

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CharChar Literacy Trustees Report

Photo from video production: ‘A group activity for large classes demonstrating teaching Chichewa syllables (in meaningful words)

A CharChar video developed for Teacher Educators demonstrating phonics activities within a large class

Financial Review

Results for the period

CharChar Literacy maintains a strong financial position as of the conclusion of the financial period in April 2025. Existing cash reserves are substantial, providing a solid foundation to navigate any potential financial challenges. As at 30 April 2025, the balance of the unrestricted funds was £66,706. Free reserves at the year end stand at £66,706.

Reserves policy

The level of reserves is monitored and reviewed by the Trustees annually. The Trustees have approved a Reserves Policy. The Trustees believe that the charity should maintain 20% of its annual budget as reserves. In the incoming year the charity will hold £13,341 as reserves.

As of 30[th] April 2025, the charities’ free reserves were £66,706. This is comfortably above the reserves policy above.

Going concern

The Trustees have assessed whether the use of the going concern assumption is appropriate in preparing these accounts. The Trustees have made this assessment in respect to a period of at least one period from

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CharChar Literacy Trustees Report

the date of approval of these accounts. The Trustees of the Charity have concluded that there are no material uncertainties related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the ability of the Charity to continue as a going concern. The Trustees are of the opinion that the Charity will have sufficient resources to meet its liabilities as they fall due.

Structure, Governance and Management

CharChar Literacy is constituted as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) and is governed by a Board of Trustees. New Trustees are appointed through a vote by the existing Trustees, ensuring continuity and appropriate skills oversight. The charity is run entirely by volunteers, who manage day-to-day activities and delivery of services under the strategic direction of the Board. Trustees are responsible for governance, compliance, and setting the charity’s overall vision, while operational decisions are delegated to volunteer leads as appropriate.

Trustees’ responsibilities statement

The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

The law applicable to charities in England & Wales requires the 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 of the charity for that period.

In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the trust deed. 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.

The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the charity and financial information included on the charity’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

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CharChar Literacy Trustees Report

This report was approved by the Trustees and signed on their behalf by

Andrew White

Chair of the Board of Trustees Date: 1st February 2026

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CharChar Literacy Independent Examiner’s Report

Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of CharChar Literacy

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the company for the year ended 30 April 2025 which are set out on pages 15 to 22.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity trustees of the company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (‘the 2006 Act’).

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your company’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner's statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

  2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

  3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view’ which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or

  4. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Michael Webb FCCA

Haines Watts Swindon Limited Old Station House Station Approach Swindon SN1 3DU

Date: 26 February 2026

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CharChar Literacy Statement of Financial Activities (incorporating income and expenditure) for the year ended 30 April 2025

Notes
Income and endowments from:
Donations and legacies
2
Investments
3
Total income and endowments
Expenditure on:
Charitable activities
4
Total expenditure
Net income/(expenditure)
Transfers between funds
9
Net movement of funds
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought forward
9
Total funds carried forward		 Unrestricted
Restricted
Total
Funds
Total
Funds
2025
2025
2025
2024
£
£
£
£
231
123,685
123,916
120,455
8
-
8
99
239
123,685
123,924
120,554
3,406
109,894
113,300
135,791
3,406
109,894
113,300
135,791
(3,167)
13,791
10,624
(15,237)
31,208
(31,208)
-
-
28,041
(17,417)
10,624
(15,237)
38,665
17,417
56,082
71,319
66,706
-
66,706
56,082

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses in the year. All incoming resources and resources expended derive from continuing activities.

The notes on pages 17 to 22 form part of the financial statements.

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CharChar Literacy Balance Sheet as at 30 April 2025

Notes
Current Assets
Cash at bank and in hand
5
Debtors
6
Creditors: Amounts falling due with one year
7
Net current assets/(liabilities)
Net assets/(liabilities)
Funds
Restricted funds
9
Unrestricted funds
9
Total Funds		 2025
2024
£
£
49,014
54,574
22,884
17,721
71,898
72,295
5,192
16,213
66,706
56,082
66,706
56,082
(0)
17,417
66,706
38,665
66,706
56,082

The financial statements were approved by the Trustees on the 1st February 2026 and signed on their behalf by:

Andrew White

Chair of the Board of Trustees

The notes on pages 17 to 22 form part of the financial statements.

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CharChar Literacy

1) Accounting Policies

(a) General information and basis of preparation of financial statements

CharChar Literacy is a CIO registered under number 1192510 with the Charities Commission in England and Wales. It is a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102, it is domiciled in England and Wales and its registered address is at Ashley,Mortehoe Station Road, Woolacombe, Devon, EX34 7EZ.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), the Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006 and UK Generally Accepted Account Practice.

The financial statements are prepared on a going concern basis under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policies below or in the notes of the accounts.

The financial statements are presented in sterling which is the functional currency of the charity and rounded to the nearest £.

(b) Critical accounting estimates and areas of judgement

The preparation of financial statements in compliance with FRS102 requires the use of certain critical accounting estimates/ It also requires management to exercise judgement in applying the company’s accounting policies.

The following accounting policies have been applied:

(c) Assessment of going concern

The Trustees have assessed whether the use of the going concern assumption is appropriate in preparing these accounts. The Trustees have made this assessment in respect to a period of at least 12months from the date of approval of these accounts.

The Trustees of the Charity have concluded that there are no material uncertainties related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the ability of the Charity to continue as a going concern.

(d) Cash flow statement

The financial statements do not include a cash flow statement because the Charity, as a small reporting entity, is exempt from the requirement to produce a statement under Accounting and Reporting by charities Statement of Recommended Practice (Charites SORP (FRS 102)).

(e) Income

Income is recognised in the period in which the Charity is entitled to receipt, the amount can be measured reliably and it is probable that income will be received. Where income relates to future periods, this income will be deferred. Grants and donations received for the general purposes of the charitable company are included as unrestricted funds, grants and donations for activities restricted by the wishes of the donor are taken to restricted funds.

(f) Expenditure

Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the Charity to make payment to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefit will be required in the settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.

Expenditure is included in the accounts on an accrual basis and included attributable VAT, which cannot be recovered.

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CharChar Literacy

(g) Debtors and prepayments

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discounts and less any provisions for non-recoverability. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any discounts.

(h) Creditors and provisions

Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably.

(i) Financial instruments

The charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value

(j) Tax

The charity is an exempt charity within the meaning of schedule 3 of the Charities Act 2011 and is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes.

The charity is not registered for VAT purposes.

2) Income from donations and grants

Donations
Grants		 Unrestricted
Restricted
2025 Total
Unrestricted
Restricted
2024 Total
£
£
£
£
£
£
231
-
231
253
-
253
-
123,685
123,685
-
120,202
**120,202 **
231
123,685
123,916
253
120,202
120,455

3) Income from investments

Interest receivable Unrestricted
Restricted
2025 Total
Unrestricted
Restricted
2024
Total
£
£
£
£
£
£
8
-
8
99
-
99
8
-
8
99
-
99

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CharChar Literacy

4) Expenditure analysis of charitable and support costs

Audit fees
IT costs
Office costs
Other costs
Other professional fees
Outsourced staff function and
consultancy costs
Travel, accommodation and
subsistence
Trustee expenses
Volunteer costs
Total		 Fundraising
Charitable
Activity
Support
Costs
Governance
Costs
2025
Total
2024
Total
£
£
£
£
£
£
-
1,884
-
(1,537)
-
347
5,202
-
69
139
-
208
204
-
266
98
-
364
6,067
-
502
3,010
-
3,512
570
-
8,162
-
(651)
-
7,511
18,183
-
96,556
1,860
-
98,416
98,153
-
2,357
46
-
2,403
5,192
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
539
-
-
539
2,220
-
110,335
2,965
-
113,300
135,791

5) Employee and Trustees remuneration and expenses

No Trustees received any emoluments for their services as Trustees during the period. One Trustee was reimbursed for travel and related expenses incurred during 2025.

The charity did not employ anyone during the year (or prior year). Support was provided through partner organisations or consultants.

Key management personnel include all persons that have authority and responsibility for planning, directing and controlling the activities of the charity. The total compensation paid to key management personnel for services provided to the charity was £Nil (2024: £Nil).

6) Debtors and prepayments

Prepayments and accrued income 2025
2024
£
£
22,884
17,721
22,884
17,721

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CharChar Literacy

7) Creditors: Falling due within one year

Trade Creditors
Accruals and deferred income		 2025
2024
£
£
-
1,824
5,192
14,389
5,192
16,213

8) Taxation

As a charity, CharChar Literacy, is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within section 505 of the Taxes Act 1988 or s256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects. No tax charges have arisen in the Charity.

9) Movement in Funds

Current Year:
Restricted Funds
UK Trust
USA State University
UK Foundation
Unrestricted Funds
Total Funds		 At 1 May
2024
Incoming
Resources
Outgoing
Resources
Transfers
and
investment
gains/
(losses)
At 30 April
2025
£
£
£
£
£
235
-
(239)
4
-
13,760
123,685
(106,490)
(30,955)
-
3,422
-
(3,165)
(257)
-
17,417
123,685
(109,894)
(31,208)
-
38,665
239
(3,406)
31,208
66,706
38,665
239
(3,406)
31,208
66,706
56,082
123,924
(113,300)
-
66,706

Purpose of Restricted Funds:

CharChar Literacy was registered as a CIO in 2020, and the objectives follow the original interests of The CharChar Trust UK, and commitment to education, peace, and reducing poverty in developing countries and helping to develop teaching practices.

The restricted funds CharChar Literacy has received from a UK Foundation, a UK Trust and a University in the United States receiving USAID funds have all been utilised for the purpose of CharChar Literacy’s charitable objectives.

UK Trust & UK Foundation

A UK Trust and a UK Foundation supported Primary Teacher coaching and mentoring in foundational literacy at the demonstration school to Emmanuel University (EmUni)CharChar Literacy enhanced this work remotely by supporting with Volunteer Consultants who assisted the Senior Education Officer in lecturing at EmUni on foundational literacy topics.

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CharChar Literacy

USA State University

Under the USAID funding CCL supported training of Foundational Literacy in all teacher training colleges, and systems development support in government for improved literacy in the government primary teacher training sector. CCL also supported some programme staff with a professional coach, and other CharChar Volunteer support time provided a high level of in-kind support to the programme, including administration of the project.

Prior Year:
At 1 May
2023
£
Restricted Funds
Ferguson
6,689
Florida State University
20,085
Waterloo
5,958
32,732
Unrestricted Funds
38,587
38,587
Total Funds
71,319
10)Analysis of net assets between funds
Current Year:
Fund balances at30 April 2025are represented by:
Current assets
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
Prior Year:
Fund balances at30 April 2024are represented by:
Current assets
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year		 At 1 May
2023
£
6,689
20,085
5,958
Incoming
Resources
Outgoing
Resources
Transfers
and
investment
gains/
(losses)
At 30 April
2024
£
£
£
£

-
(6,454)
-
235

120,202
(126,527)
-
13,760

-
(2,536)
-
3,422
32,732
120,202
(135,517)
-
17,417
38,587
352
(274)
-
38,665
38,587
352
(274)
-
38,665
71,319
120,554
(135,791)
-
56,082
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
Total Funds
£
£
£
71,898
-
71,898
(5,192)
-
(5,192)
66,706
-
66,706
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
Total Funds
£
£
£
70,193
2,102
72,295
(16,213)
-
(16,213)
53,980
2,102
56,082

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CharChar Literacy

11) Related Party Transactions

There were no other related party transactions during the period that ended 30 April 2025.

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