## **The Bridge International**
## **Charitable Trust**
## **Reg No: 1193523**
Trustees Annual Report and Financial Statements for year ending 31 December 2024
> _James 1:27: TPT ‘True spirituality that is pure in the eyes of our Father God is to make a difference in the lives of the orphans, and widows in their troubles, and to refuse to be corrupted by the world’s values._
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## **Contents**
1. Charity Information
2. Trustees’ Annual Report
3. Statement of Financial Activities
4. Independent Examiner’s Report
5. Notes to the Account
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## **1. Charity Information**
**Charity Registration No:** 1193523
**Governing Document** : Model Trust Deed dated 3 August 2018 and registered with the Charity Commission on 12 February 2021
Address: 2 Tiger Moth Drive, Southam, CV47 1AS
**Trustees** Mrs Heather Alcock Mrs Jean Hale Mrs Johanne Vermeulen
## **Independent Examiner**
Ms Dawne Austen
**Bankers** NatWest 4 High Street, Solihull B91 3 TF Sort Code: 51-61-26 Account: 73023310
**HMRC Registered** : EW91480
**Website** : www.thebridgeint.org
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## **2. Trustees’ Annual Report for the period ended 31 December 2024**
2024 was another successful year for The Bridge International.
We are very grateful for the ongoing contribution of our supporters, many who have been with us on our journey over the past years watching us grow and successfully make a real impact to the lives of people in rural Zimbabwe. Our success has built on a strong network of personal connections, which is one of the chief advantages of being small. This report outlines the work that you have enabled over the last year and plans going forward. Thank you for helping to make this possible.
## **Charity Details and Purpose**
The Bridge International is a UK registered charity that relieves poverty through the provision of grants, facilities and services to individuals, families and organisations primarily in Zimbabwe, for the public benefit.
The charity is governed by its Trust Deed and trustees are appointed according to these rules. Trustees are responsible for setting strategy, overseeing governance, and ensuring compliance with charity law. Day-to-day operations are carried out by volunteers, with the support of local partners in Zimbabwe.
Our charity’s purpose is to relieve poverty in Zimbabwe, with a particular focus on:
- Supporting orphans, widows, vulnerable or disadvantaged people.
- Delivering microenterprise training and resources to informal vendors and microentrepreneurs, empowering them with income-generating skills to address poverty.
- Coordinating short-term mission and volunteer teams in collaboration with local communities.
## **What we do**
The Bridge International supports grassroots organisations in Zimbabwe to deliver projects for the vulnerable and marginalised, through the voluntary contributions of our supporters. The Bridge International provides financial and physical support to disadvantaged people in Zimbabwe. Although our primary focus is orphans, children and widows, we also support vulnerable families, the carers of children, prisoners and those who have been left with very little or without other means of support. Provision is made through grants, the donation of items such as food parcels, basic medical supplies, furniture, bedding, clothing, fuel, school fees or building supplies or repairs and whatever is needed for survival in times of difficulty and crisis. Provision is also made to include educational and life skills training for skills development or education that results in improved quality of life.
## **How we do it**
The Bridge International raises funds in the UK, and worldwide primarily through donations. These funds are sent to the Bridge team in Zimbabwe. We work very closely together to maximise the outcomes for our beneficiaries. The Zimbabwe team have excellent relationships with the local community and very valuable local knowledge which enables us to reach those in need in practical ways.
The Zimbabwe team identify individuals, families, groups or projects in need of support and where necessary, purchase items, distribute parcels or watch over the projects. Many of the beneficiaries are without other means of support, and the help they receive is critical and life giving.
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## **Public benefit statement**
In setting our objectives and our activities our Trustees have considered the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit and in particular tackling the effects of poverty.
## **Income**
The largest source of income for the Trust is from individual donors who generously contribute either one off or monthly amounts. This source has been boosted by Gift Aid. There have been no Government grants.
## **Investments and Reserves**
The Trustees have agreed to keep in reserve the equivalent of 3 months support for the ongoing contribution to the food distribution projects, which is at present approximately £1100 per month. The Trust holds no investments.
## **Grant Making Policy**
The Bridge International as a grant making trust, remains satisfied to work closely with the local team in Zimbabwe, to achieve its objects. Current projects remain in line with our goal to alleviate poverty through providing food, facilities, services, skills training, school fees, medical equipment and other survival basics. Activities in Zimbabwe are verified with periodic reports, communications, photographic evidence and Trustee visits to inspect delivery and interview beneficiaries.
## **The Zimbabwe Team**
This is an invaluable small but dedicated group on the ground who are familiar with local customs, networks and policies. Presently, most of the projects we are involved in are in the town of Chinhoyi in the Midlands of Zimbabwe.
The Zimbabwe team includes:
Bryn Oliver: Operations Manager Liz VH: Administrator and Operations Pastor Sam Shumba: Sourcing food for distribution/advice Stanley Mudzwinga: Administrator Gogo Food Distribution Timothy Chamanga: Social Worker/ Trainer Taurai: Trainer
## **Situation in Zimbabwe 2024**
In 2024, The Bridge International supported projects to improve the lives of widows, orphans, and vulnerable groups in Zimbabwe, which faces major challenges.
**Economy:** Zimbabwe introduced its sixth currency in 15 years, the ZiG (ZWG), but it quickly lost 40% of its value, leading to further devaluation of savings and ongoing hyperinflation. Around 90% of people are unemployed and rely on informal microbusinesses.
**Social & Health:** An El Nino-driven drought severely affected agriculture, water supplies, and food security, leaving over 5 million in need of aid. Crop yields fell, hydropower generation declined, and electricity shortages worsened. Without a welfare state, healthcare is only accessible to those who
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can pay. Zimbabwe faced a polio outbreak with emergency vaccination for 4 million children, alongside persistent cholera concerns.
Due to the increased pressures, there is a growing drug problem among the youth.
**Politics & Governance:** Zimbabwe remains under a dominant-party regime with limited democracy, increased repression, weak rule of law, entrenched corruption, and few protections for rights.
In this fragile and complex environment, The Bridge has endeavoured to bring practical relief, moral support, encouragement and comfort to groups in Chinhoyi and to alleviate the distresses of poverty.
## **Support for Widows (Gogos)**
Support for widows and orphans remains our largest area of contribution. We maintained our commitment to supporting widows, widowers, and their extended families in Chinhoyi by distributing monthly food packs to 55 households. These essential parcels included staple groceries such as maize, soya chunks, oil, kapenta (dried fish), sugar, soap, and tea. The distribution took place at the Presbyterian Clinic, providing a central and accessible location for beneficiaries.
This year, we also introduced a brief Bible teaching session and a time of prayer during each distribution. This spiritual support aimed to offer comfort and encouragement alongside practical assistance. In addition, several Shona Bibles were handed out to those who attended, further supporting their faith journeys.
Our team conducted visits to the homes of some of the elderly widows (gogos). These experiences were both humbling and moving, highlighting the resilience of these women in the face of adversity. We hope that these visits brought a sense of comfort and reassurance, reinforcing our ongoing support and solidarity within the community.
## **Support for Orphans and ‘Aged Out Orphans’**
A key contribution in our support for orphans at The Good Shepherd Centre this year was in medical supplies, esepcially for a young orphan, who contracted meningitis. Sadly, even after medication and hospitalisation, Tadiwe passed away.
In 2024, we became increasingly aware of the challenging circumstances faced by ‘aged out orphans’ in Zimbabwe. To fully appreciate their situation, it is important to consider the wider context affecting orphans and vulnerable children across the country.
Nearly half of Zimbabwe’s population—approximately 47 percent—are children under the age of 18, according to UNICEF. Strikingly, more than 26 percent of these children do not reside with either parent, highlighting the prevalence of alternative care arrangements and the vulnerability experienced by many young people.
Children in Zimbabwe are confronted by multiple hardships, including poverty, food insecurity, and limited access to essential services such as health care, education, and social protection.
Zimbabwe’s social services are under significant strain, particularly due to reductions in donor funding. For example, the decrease in support from USAID has further stretched programmes aimed at assisting vulnerable children, compounding the difficulties these young people face.
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## **The Plight of ‘Aged Out Orphans’**
Against this backdrop, children who reach the age of 18 and must leave orphanages or residential institutions—referred to as ‘aged out orphans’—experience an especially abrupt and challenging transition. The lack of support structures and the difficult environment make this period of their lives particularly fraught with uncertainty and hardship.
To address this situation in a fractional way, we have supported one intern with a monthly amount. The young man works for a local business, where he has the opportunity to learn both work skills and life skills.
## **Small Grants**
There was an increase in the number of small grants awarded this year. These grants, though limited in value,(average $100) are specifically designed to assist individuals or families facing crisis situations. By providing targeted support at times of acute need, the small grants programme aims to offer immediate relief and help vulnerable people regain a measure of stability during difficult periods.
Several grants awarded this year were directed towards medical situations, helping to cover the costs of much-needed medicine and treatment. (There is no welfare system in Zimbabwe.) In addition, small grants were allocated for food packs to alleviate immediate hunger, tuition and school fees to enable continued education, funeral costs to support families during bereavement, and equipment repairs essential for day-to-day living. Each grant, though small in value, has played a vital role in addressing urgent needs and providing a measure of stability and relief to vulnerable individuals and families.
## **Training Programmes to alleviate poverty**
‘ _Microentrepreneurs don’t need charity. They need someone to help them use the gifts God has given them.’ Source unknown._
_‘When there are no jobs, the single most effective solution to poverty is micro entrepreneurship.’ Source unknown_ .
We are delighted to report the successful launch and outcomes of the training programmes introduced this year. The central purpose of these practical courses is to alleviate poverty by equipping participants with essential business skills, enabling them to initiate small enterprises and foster entrepreneurship. By focusing on the use of locally available resources, these programmes also aim to promote greater self-reliance within the community.
Over the course of the year, three separate training sessions were conducted. In January, we initiated a pilot course entitled ‘Doing Business God’s Way’, which involved three participants. All three women successfully applied the knowledge and skills acquired during the course to develop income-generating activities, and they have continued to earn a livelihood throughout the year.
In July, we partnered with an experienced local charity, Ndeipi, to deliver a second course, which was attended by 30 participants. This collaboration provided an opportunity for a larger group to benefit from practical business training and further expanded the reach of our entrepreneurship initiatives.
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The third course took place in October, in partnership with the local NGO, Bak2Eden. This session was a Drought Relief Course, grounded in the Foundations for Farming principles and specifically tailored to address the unique challenges posed by the ongoing drought.
Looking ahead to the coming year, we are eager to build upon the successes of our initial training programmes by refining and enhancing the workshops based on our experiences and participant feedback. Our aim is to further strengthen the content and delivery of these sessions, ensuring they remain highly practical and relevant to the needs of the community.
In addition to improving the workshops, we are committed to ongoing engagement with some of the course participants, providing guidance and encouragement as they continue to develop their small businesses. By supporting these individuals in their efforts to generate income, we hope to contribute to the growth of sustainable livelihoods and increased self-reliance despite the challenges and poverty in
We firmly believe that empowering people to establish and expand their own small enterprises is a proactive and effective way to combat poverty within the community. Through these continued efforts, we are confident that the training programmes will play a pivotal role in enabling lasting, positive change.
## **Volunteers**
Our local volunteers play a vital role in the success of our programmes. Among them, Stanley Mudzinga stands out as an exemplary administrator of the Gogo Distribution programme. His diligent approach ensures that all aspects of the programme are managed with precision and care. More than just an administrator, Stanley is regarded as a true shepherd to the community, maintaining a deep understanding of the individual circumstances and needs of the gogos he serves.
In addition, the Good Shepherd team, comprising Timothy and Taurai, are highly dedicated despite facing multiple challenges and the demanding realities of life in Zimbabwe. Both individuals juggle numerous responsibilities and lead exceptionally busy lives as they strive to make ends meet in a difficult environment. Nevertheless, they consistently make time to oversee the administration and safeguarding of the children and aged out orphans. Through their ongoing interaction and commitment, Timothy and Taurai provide essential support and guidance to some of the most vulnerable members of the community.
Our managers, Liz and Bryn are just as essential, providing valuable local knowledge and managing funds, programmes, and project details. Pastors Sam and Mucha consistently source groceries for food packs. We're also building a team of volunteer leaders, many of whom came from our training workshops. Their efforts are crucial to our work.
## **Looking Ahead**
Looking ahead, The Bridge International aims to:
- Increase the number of regular donors for the monthly Gogo food packs.
- Continue to develop the Bhiriji Workshops and engage with participants to encourage
- success in income generation.
- Develop stronger local leadership and capacity through training of trainers.
- Increase partnerships with UK churches and businesses for sustainable support.
To all our supporters and volunteers, we say Tatenda! Thank you! Siyabonga!
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## **Where the money went in 2024**
||**$**|**£ Equivalent**|**£ from**
**UK**|**Total in £**|**%**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|Gogos and Orphans|14025|10870||10870|38%|
|Widows cash support|6200|4800||4800|17%|
|GS extras medicine,stove|1290|1000||1000|3%|
|Small grants: Medicine,
food, funeral, tuition,
teacher support at
Transformation Centre|2765|2140|505.5|2645|9%|
|Intern: Simba|1900|1415||1415|5%|
|Training|810|600|3100|3700|13%|
|Volunteers|1200|930||930|3%|
|Resources|905|600||670|2%|
|Bibles|320|225||238|1%|
|Travel|||600|600|2%|
|Gifts|||439.98|440|2%|
|Running Costs: web
hosting, fuel, stationery,
meetings|1415.5|1050|357.52|1407|5%|
||**$30,830.5**|**£23,623**|**£5,003**|**£28,628**||
|||||||
## **3. Statement of Financial Activities**
The accounts and statement of assets for the period ending 31 December 2022 are attached. The Trustees believe the charity satisfies the public benefit test. In expectation of further donations, the Trustees believe that there will be sufficient funds to meet needs as they arise.
## **4. Notes to the Accounts**
1. Basis of preparation
These accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis. During the year and at the Trustees’ meetings, funds are allocated to projects which we support in Zimbabwe.
2. Restricted donations
The funds held by the trustees are unrestricted. The Trustees may accept donations where the donor expresses a wish that the funds be used in a particular project and take into account such wishes when distributing funds.
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|**The Bridge International**|**The Bridge International**|**The Bridge International**|**1193523**|
|---|---|---|---|
|**Receipts andpayments accounts**||||
|**For the period**
**from**|01/01/2024|**To**|31/12/2024|
## **CC16a**
**For the period** 01/01/2024 31/12/2024 **To from**
## **Section A Receipts and payments**
|**A1 Receipts**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**
**13,870**
**16,236**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**30,106**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**30,106**
**127**
**439**
**230**
**23,625**
**3,100**
**600**
**506**
**28,627**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**28,627**
**1,478**
**-**
**-**
**1,478**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**Total funds**
**to the nearest £**
**13,870**
**16,236**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**30,106**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**30,106**
**-**
**-**
**-**
|**Total funds**
**to the nearest £**
**13,870**
**16,236**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**30,106**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**30,106**
**-**
**-**
**-**
|**Last year**
**to the nearest £**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|Gift Aid|**13,870**|||||**1,652**|
|Gifts and Donations|**16,236**|||||**72,040**|
||**-**|||||**-**|
||**-**|||||**-**|
||**-**|||||**-**|
||**-**|||||**-**|
||**-**|||||**-**|
||**-**|||||**-**|
|**_Sub total_**_(Gross income for_
_AR)_|
**30,106**|||||**73,692**|
||||||||
|**A2 Asset and investment sales,**
**(see table).**|||||||
||**-**||||||
||**-**|||||**-**|
|~~**_Sub total_**~~|**-**|||||**-**|
|**_Total receipts_ **
**A3 Payments**|||||||
|||||||**73,692**|
||||||||
|Advertising||||||**46**|
|Bank Charges|**127**|||||**104**|
|Gifts and Donations|**439**|||||**698**|
|Software and Website|**230**|||||**288**|
|Subscriptions||||||**42**|
|Zimbabwe Grants|**23,625**|||||**23,320**|
|Training|**3,100**|||||**10**|
|Travel and Ent|**600**|||||**279**|
|Smallgrants|**506**|||||**-**|
|**_Sub total_ **|**28,627**|||||**24,787**|
||||||||
|**A4 Asset and investment**
**purchases, (see table)**|||||||
||**-**||||||
||**-**||||||
|**_Sub total_ **|**-**|||||**-**|
|**_Total payments_ **
**_Net of receipts/(payments)_**
**A5 Transfers between funds**
**A6 Cash funds last year end**
**_Cash funds this year end_**|||||||
|||||||**24,787**|
||||||||
||**1,478**|**-**|**-**|||**48,905**|
||**-**|**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**|
||**-**|**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**|
||**1,478**|**-**|**-**|||**48,905**|
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
21/10/2025
1
|**Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period**|**Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period**|**Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period**||
|---|---|---|---|
|**Categories**
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees
**B1 Cash funds**
**B2 Other monetary assets**
**B4 Assets retained for the**
**charity’s own use**
**B5 Liabilities**
**B3 Investment assets**|jeanhale@hotmail.com
Signature
halcock@live.co.uk
**Details**
**Details**
As per NatWest on 31/12/2024
**Details**
**Details**
**_Total cash funds_**
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))
**Details**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**53,443**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**53,443**
**-**
Agreement Error
OK
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**liability relates**
**Amount due**
**(optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
Print Name
Heather Alcock
Jean Hale|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||OK|
||||**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**Current value**
**(optional)**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**Current value**
**(optional)**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**When due**
**(optional)**|
|||||
|||||
|||||
|||||
|||||
|||||
||||Date of
approval|
||halcock@live.co.uk|Heather Alcock|25/09/2025|
||jeanhale@hotmail.com|Jean Hale|25/09/2025|
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
21/10/2025
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## **Independent examiner's report on the accounts**
**Section A Independent Examiner’s Report**
**Report to the trustees/** Charity Name **members of** The Bridge International **On accounts for the year** 31/12/2024 **Charity no** 1193523 **ended (if any) Set out on pages** (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended **31 / 12/ 2024**
- **Responsibilities and** As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation **basis of report** of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
**Independent** I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have **examiner's statement** come to my attention (other than that disclosed below *) in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
- accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or
- the accounts do not accord with the accounting records
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
* _Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply._
**Signed:** D Austin **Date:** 19/10/2025 **Name:** Dawne Austin **Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any): Address:** 35 Whitby Road Ruislip Middlesex HA4 9DT
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**October 2018**
**IER**
**Section B Disclosure**
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
**Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose** .
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**October 2018**
**IER**