2025-09-17-accounts - Centre For Social Change And Development

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Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 18.09.2024 To 17.09.2025

Charity name: Centre for Social Change and Development

Charity registration number: 1198499

Objectives and Activities

	SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document	Para 1.17	To advance education for the public benefit in the fields of health, education, environmental awareness, advancement of religion, arts, culture, heritage, science, advancement of citizenship and community development, and the relief of poverty using information and social technology to improve outcomes for socioeconomically deprived communities in the United Kingdom and beyond, including by conducting research and disseminating the useful results of that research.
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	Over the financial year, the charity has launched and executed its flagshipDigital Learning Room Project (https://tinyurl.com/y6mns5z6 ), aimed at young children from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds in India. Following approval for an expanded scope, the charity has also established the Manchester Vedanta Study Circle (https://manchestervedanta.org/ )in the United Kingdom, a forum dedicated to discussing and experiencing Vedantic philosophy, religious harmony, and universal brotherhood.
Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit	Para 1.18	All trustees can confirm following the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on 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
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	This charity is a recently established organisation. Nonetheless, significant efforts have been dedicated since its inception to establishing a suitable charity account and registering with the Fundraising Regulator, the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, and JustGiving, among others. During the previous financial year, in close consultation with its advisers, the charity has undertaken various activities, as detailed below. Digital Learning Room Project (DLRP) The charity has successfully conceived and initiated its flagship project, the Digital Learning Room Project (DLRP). In this endeavour, the charity, in collaboration with two other reputable overseas organisations, has funded and facilitated the establishment of two small, geographically remote digital learning schools for children aged 4 to 7 years. This initiative by CSCD will ultimately involve twelve monthly interventions across two schools located 267 km apart (Sargachi and Raidighi), serving children from socioeconomically disadvantaged communities in the Gangetic delta. The schools, with 30 and 31 students respectively, have adopted a blended learning approach on Sundays (10 am – 12 PM), replacing traditional chalk-and- blackboard methods with a SMART TV, a laptop, and smartphones, supported by a lead teacher and an assistant teacher. An interim analysis has been presented at an academic meeting at the Centre for Digital Development, University of Manchester.

(https://tinyurl.com/y6mns5z6 ).
Manchester Vedanta Study Circle
(MVSC)
The charity has also broadened its scope of
activities to encompass the promotion of
religion, arts, culture, heritage, and science;
the development of citizenship and
community engagement, incorporating
social technology; and has obtained
approval from the Charity Commission in
March 2025. Additionally, it has launched its
second project in the United Kingdom,
known as the Manchester Vedanta Study
Circle. (MVSC,
https://manchestervedanta.org/ ).
The Manchester Vedanta Study Circle
constitutes a collective dedicated to the
study, discussion, and practice of Vedanta
philosophy. Vedanta is a spiritual and
philosophical system deeply rooted in
ancient Indian scriptures, including the
Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita,
Puranas, and Brahma Sutras. It
emphasises self-inquiry, spiritual
development, and the comprehension of the
unity of all existence. Vedanta asserts that
the fundamental reality underlying all
phenomena, names, and forms is singular.
Historically, Indian scriptures have
confirmed that Truth is one, and the wise
refer to it by various names.
Core features of the Manchester Vedanta
Study Circle include weekly discourses on
philosophical concepts and meditative
practices, such as guided meditation and
mindfulness, which complement the
philosophical discussions. MVSC is open
and inclusive, welcoming individuals from
all backgrounds who are interested in
spirituality, philosophy, or self-improvement.
The circle advocates for universal
brotherhood, selfless service, and the
pursuit of truth.
To date, there has been a significant rise in
voluntary participation in MVSC, with the
current number of beneficiaries amounting
to 110 individuals. These participants hail
from geographically diverse regions,
including Manchester, Birmingham,
Sheffield, Chesterfield, Leicester, and
London in the United Kingdom; Dresden in
Germany; Lille in France; Kolkata in India;
and Australia.

Additional information (optional)

You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Achievements against objectives set	Para 1.41	The charity has proudly established its presence in the areas of promoting education for the public benefit, specifically focusing on young children from underprivileged backgrounds, as well as advancing cultural heritage and community development within the United Kingdom.
Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set	Para 1.41
Investment performance against objectives	Para 1.41
Other

Financial Review

Financial Review
Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period	Para 1.21	This is a newly established charity. The charity has received modest personal donations from trustees, supporters, and a private limited company. To date, no additional fundraising activities have been undertaken. Expenses have encompassed payments for grants provided to partner organisations, equipment purchases, venue hire fees, catering costs, ongoing registration with the fund-raising regulator, web hosting, and other miscellaneous expenses.
Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held	Para 1.22	The charity will hold reserves in a secured UK Bank exclusively designed for charitable banking. These bank details have been added to the Charity Commission Account.
Amount of reserves held	Para 1.22	£768.11
Reasons for holding zero reserves	Para 1.22	Not applicable
Details of fund materially in deficit	Para 1.24	Not applicable
Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern	Para 1.23	Currently, the primary sources of funding are small personal donations and ongoing contributions from a limited company. The charity aims to raise funds through a variety of activities in the near future. It has registered with organisations such as Just Giving and intends to apply for Gift Aid status with HMRC to enhance existing donations. However, the current economic climate and cost of living crisis are expected to hinder its fundraising objectives.

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	The charity has received small personal donations from 3 trustees and from a private limited company.
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	Constitution
How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO)	Para 1.25	The charity is constituted as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)
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	There must be at least 3 charity trustees. If the number falls below this minimum, the remaining trustee or trustees may act only to call a meeting of the charity trustees, or appoint a new charity trustee. There is no maximum number of charity trustees that may be appointed to the CIO. Apart from the first charity trustees, every trustee must be appointed for a term of 3 years by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees. In selecting individuals for appointment as charity trustees, the charity trustees must have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO. Eligibility of trusteeship, as defined by the constitution, are as follows: (a) Every charity trustee must be a natural person. (b) No individual may be appointed as a charity trustee of the CIO: • if he or she is under the age of 16 years; or • if he or she would automatically cease to hold office under the provisions of clause [12(1)(e)]. (c) No one is entitled to act as a charity trustee whether on appointment or on any re-appointment until he or she has expressly acknowledged, in whatever way the charity trustees decide, his or her acceptance of the office of charity trustee. (d) At least one of the trustees of the CIO must be 18 years of age or over. If there is no trustee aged at least 18 years, the remaining trustees may only act to call a meeting of the charity trustees, or appoint a new charity trustee.

Additional information (optional)

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Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees	Para 1.51
The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works	Para 1.51
Relationship with any related parties	Para 1.51
Other

Reference and Administrative details

Charity name	Centre for Social Change and Development
Other name the charity uses	CSCD
Registered charity number	1198499
Charity’s principal address	19 Queen Anne Drive Worsley Manchester, England M28 1ZF United Kingdom

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year
Dr Anirban Maitra	Trustee and Chair	18.09.24 – 17.09.25
Dr Chandrani Maitra	Trustee	18.09.24 – 17.09.25
Mr Niladri Sekhar Das	Trustee	18.09.24 – 17.09.25

– 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

The charity does not hold any funds on behalf of others, it does not work as custodian trustees

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 adviser	Name Address	Name Address
Academic	Professor Sugata Mitra	Gateshead, U K
Strategic	Mr Bipradas Bhattacharyya	Kolkata, India

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) Anirban Maitra

Position (eg Secretary, Trustee and Chair Chair, etc)

Date

12[th] of June 2026