The Equiano Project
Registered Charity Number: 1198468
ANNUAL REPORT AND UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the year ending 1 October 2023
The Equiano Project
Trustees
Oliver Langton Wright (Chair) Katharine Moana Birbalsingh CBE Inaya Folarin Iman Dr Marie Kawthar Daouda LLA
All trustees appointed on 31 March 2022
Charity number 1198468
Registered office: 87-90 Paul Street, London, EC2A 4NE
Trustee report
Objectives and activities
To advance the education of the public in general and young people in particular on the subjects of tolerance, universalism, freedom of expression and citizenship in such ways as the charity trustees think fit. The charity aims to promote equality and diversity for the public benefit by:
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A. the elimination of discrimination on the grounds of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation or religion for example, by delivering training and advisory services to organisations;
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B. advancing education and raising awareness of equality and diversity for example by publishing reports, reviews, and articles and making available resources to the public;
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C. promoting activities to foster understanding between people from diverse backgrounds; D. cultivating a sentiment in favour of equality and diversity;
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E. hosting events, talks and discussions
The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the charity should undertake.
Achievements and performance
The Equiano Project has engaged with a wide range of people in order to promote equality and eliminate discrimination.
Our monthly newsletter went out to our ever-growing subscriber list and keeps them informed about our work.
We launched a 20-episode podcast ‘Equianopod’ where Equiano project founder and now trustee Inaya Folarin Iman spoke to influential and compelling thinkers on race, identity politics and culture. The podcast has had tens of thousands of listeners.
We launched a Substack which has become a platform for prominent and non-professional writers to share their thoughts and ideas about the direction of travel of contemporary anti-racism. We have published dozens of articles, book reviews, and commentaries on these matters to an audience of several hundred (and growing).
We hosted our own events and spoke nationally and internationally at events on racial equality. We partnered with the magazine Persuasion on an event which asked ‘Where will (and should) the future of the centre-left lie?’.
In November 2023, Equiano Project director Inaya Folarin Iman spoke at a town hall-style debate in Doha, Qatar. In a collaboration between Doha Debates, Lusail Museum and VCUarts
Qatar, the panel investigated the evolution of Western perceptions, the potential for redemption in Orientalist art and its role in shaping cultural understanding.
In September 2023, Equiano Project director Inaya Folarin Iman went to Warsaw, Poland to speak at a ‘Culture Tensions’ panel on decolonising the arts for the gallery U-Jazdowski.
In August 2023 Equiano Project director Inaya Folarin Iman interviewed the writer and critic Tomiwa Owolade about his new book ‘This is Not America: Why Black Lives in Britain Matter’ for Intelligence Squared.
In collaboration with The Equiano Project Ltd (which is in the process of being closed down so that the organisation can cooperate fully as a charity), the charity hosted the conference Towards the Common Good: Rethinking Race in the 21st Century which took place at Emmanuel College and King’s College, University of Cambridge on January 12th and 13th 2023.
We have an active social media account where we share and post content related to the themes of the charity. We have also appeared in a wide range of newspapers and media outlets including BBC, The Times , The Telegraph and Bloomberg .
We are satisfied that this, and the range of other activities we have delivered, demonstrate that we have been effective in promoting our charitable objectives.
Financial review
The financial results are set out in the following statement of financial activities. The year ended 1 October 2023 shows a net surplus of funds amounting to £7,609.42 to be used in furtherance of our charitable objectives.
Given the charity has only been established for a short period of time, the trustees would like to see more fundraised for the charity and are keen to see its reserves grow in the periods to come.
It is the policy of the charity that unrestricted funds which have not been designated for a specific use should be maintained at a level equivalent to between three and six month’s expenditure. The trustees consider that reserves at this level will ensure that, in the event of a significant drop in funding, they will be able to continue the charity’s current activities while consideration is given to ways in which additional funds may be raised.
This level of reserves has been maintained throughout the year. The trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed, and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate exposure to the major risks.
Structure, governance and management
The organisation was awarded charitable status on 31 Mar 2022.
The Equiano Project consists of four trustees, a voluntary director (who is also one of the trustees), a freelance Head of Content and around a dozen voluntary writers.
The trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
Oliver Langton Wright (Chair of trustees)
Inaya Folarin Iman (trustee)
STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES' RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 1 October 2023
The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Trustees are required to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity for that year.
In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
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select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
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observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
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make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
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prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate 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 charity law. 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.
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 1 October 2023
| Income from | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Donations | £10,280.71 | 0 |
| Gift aid | £2,500 | 0 |
| Total income | £12,780.71 | 0 |
| Expenditure | ||
| Charitable activities | £6,171.29 | 0 |
| Net | ||
| Fund balances at 1 October 2022 |
7,609.42 | 0 |
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.
All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
The statement of financial activities also complies with the requirements for an income and expenditure account under charity law.
| 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| Staff costs | £2,100.00 | 0 |
| Event and podcast costs | £2,139.89 | 0 |
| Subscriptions | £120.50 | 0 |
| Admin (website, virtual mailbox etc) |
£645.90 | 0 |
| Bank charges and finance costs |
£25.00 | 0 |
| Travel | £140.00 | 0 |
| Total | 5,171.29 | 0 |
None of the trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration during the year
The charity is entitled to the exemption from the audit requirement under charity law, for the year ended 1 October 2023. This is because the trustees of charities with gross incomes of £25,000 or less do not usually have to arrange for any scrutiny of their charity’s accounts.
The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the charity law with respect to accounting records and the preparation of financial statements.
The financial statements were approved by the Trustees.