2022-12-31-accounts

SankirtanFest Project Management Office Annual Report

Period start date: 17 January 2023 Period end date: 31 December 2022

Charity name: The Sankirtan Events Society (UK) (‘SankirtanFest’) Charity Number: 1199114

Website: www.sankirtanfest.org Email: [e-mail]

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Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

Opening letter from SankirtanFest’s Project Management office (‘PMO’)	2
Objectives and activities	4
Achievements and performance	6
Financial review	7
Structure, governance, and management	8
Reference and administrative details	9
Name of PMO members	10
Declarations	12

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Website: www.sankirtanfest.org Email: [e-mail]

Opening letter from SankirtanFest’s Project Management office (‘PMO’)

Dear devotee,

We hope this finds you well and under Lord Krishna’s grace. We trust that you are reading this because SankirtanFest has, in some shape or form, assisted you in your journey towards the Lotus Feet. May our service to you be impactful and effective and we thank you wholeheartedly for your support. If this is the first time you are reading about SankirtanFest, we welcome you and please do get in touch should you have any queries at: [e-mail], or please do visit our website for insights into our work at: www.sankirtanfest.org.

How it all started

One afternoon in January 2022 - two years after the start of the Covid-19 pandemic - six community members received a call from a fellow community member. The community member was excited to speak to them and share their vision for the UK Sankirtan community. They wanted the UK to experience and benefit spiritually from a first of its kind event: a national Ashtaprahar Sankirtan Music Festival in 2022. From that initial impassioned phone call, they were all fully onboard, engaged, and committed to make this event a success and assist in propagating the principles ordained by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. So, on 17 January 2022, they hosted their very first Sankirtan community 'Town Hall' and with Lord Krishna's grace and blessings; as well as the utmost support from the UK Sankirtan community: 'SankirtanFest' was born.

Our purpose

SankirtanFest is a not-for-profit, charitable organisation and our purpose is to advance the Hindu religion in the UK through the medium of Sankirtan. A spiritual artform that originates back to 15th century Bengal, when Chaitanya Mahaprabhu ('Mahaprabhu' - who is revered as a Saint in the Sankirtan community) took part in Sankirtan on the streets of Bengal, and reconnected the masses to their love and devotion for Lord Krishna.

Through the grace of Lord Krishna, his blessings, and taking Mahaprabhu's principles as our 'modus operandi' - through our events and activities - we want to, for the benefit of the public:

• Propagate Mahaprabhu's principles involving the utmost devotion to Lord Krishna, the respect of all living beings, and to accept all peoples irrespective of caste, creed, gender, sexual orientation, and social standing.

• Propagate Mahaprabhu's Sankirtan movement through Sankirtan festivals and activities, such as:

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Website: www.sankirtanfest.org Email: [e-mail]

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• Ashtaprahar, Mahasankirtan;

• Udoy Astha Mahasankirtan; and

• Dance, drama, music, recitations, talks, and debates.

• Encourage and assist with the development of Sankirtan artists and the artform in general.

• Introduce Sankirtan devotees to key ‘flavours’ of Sankirtan during music festivals and events, such as: traditional UK groups, groups from Bengal (West Bengal and Bangladesh), as well as contemporary and modern forms of Sankirtan and youth Sankirtan.

• Develop the future Sankirtan community through hosting Sankirtan based workshops to further the Sankirtan artform. But in addition, we also want to host Sankirtan festival management workshops to ensure future generations have the capability, know-how, and confidence to deliver Sankirtan festivals themselves

• Promote the wellbeing aspects associated with partaking in Sankirtan.

• Ensure that those in need (especially the homeless) in close proximity to our events, do not go without food and we will be distributing wholesome prasadam to them

• Encourage and engage the youth of the community to come forward and partake in projects, which not only helps SankirtanFest be progressive and innovative, but provides an avenue of support for disadvantaged youth.

Annual report

This report summarises the achievements of SankirtanFest for the financial year and its financial position. We thank you for your time and patience and we hope to continue our seva to you.

In your humble service,

SankirtanFest PMO.

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Website: www.sankirtanfest.org Email: [e-mail]

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Objectives and activities

	SOPR reference
Summary of the purposes of SankirtanFest as set out in its governing document	Para 1.17	To advance the hindu religion for the benefit of the public by means of the Sankirtan artform.
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	The main activity for SankirtanFest in financial year 2022 was organising, managing, and hosting a large scale Ashtapahar Sankirtan festival in London which included a 24 hour non-stop Sankirtan marathon. A first of its kind event in the UK. The festival was open to all members of the public. Through the delivery of this festival, SankirtanFest was able to deliver against its public benefit mandate to propagate the hindu religion through the Sankirtan artform for the benefit of the public. This was also the financial year that SankirtanFest commenced its voluntary work to help food banks meet their objectives and feed those in need. Our Save Crew (volunteers) attended food bank distributions premises on a quarterly basis.
Statement confirming whether the PMO (members of which are also trustees) have had regard to the guidance issued by SankirtanFest on public benefit	Para 1.18	PMO confirm that they have regard to the guidance issued by SankirtanFest on public benefit.

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Website: www.sankirtanfest.org Email: [e-mail]

Achievements and performance

	SORP reference
Summary of main achievements of SankirtanFest, identifying the difference SankirtanFest’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole.	Para 1.20	The main achievements of SankirtanFest includes the successful delivery of a first of its kind for the UK Ashtaprahar Sankirtan festival in London which saw c. 3,000 devotees descend upon East London to come together, as one, and sing the praises of Lord Krishna per the principles ordained by the 15th century Bengali saint, Chaintanya Mahaprabhu. By hosting this event, SankirtanFest was able to unite a divided community within the UK and see youth involvement like never before with c. 70% of the Seva Crew (volunteers) being within the youth demographic. SankirtanFest also arranged for the successful attendance of specialist Sankirtan groups from India. This enabled disadvantaged groups within the UK community to experience the beautiful Sankirtan that would have been sung during the time of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu; otherwise not possible to them to experience in-person.

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Website: www.sankirtanfest.org Email: [e-mail]

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Financial review

Financial review
	SORP reference
Review of SankirtanFest’s financial position at the end of the period	Para 1.21	SankritanFest’s receipts for the year was: £74,000 and its expenditure for the year was £54,000 rounded to the nearest £1,000. All receipts were generated from public donations and SankirtanFest PMO would like to extend its thanks to all supporters for making the first of its kind for the UK Ashtaprahar Sankirtan possible.
Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held	Para 1.22	SankirtanFest has in place a policy of holding reserves, where possible, in its bank account to apply to future activities and initiatives of SankirtanFest.
Amount of reserves held	Para 1.22	£17,000
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 SankirtanFest continuing as a going concern	Para 1.23	There are no uncertainties that PMO have identified in relation to SankirtanFest continuing as a going concern.

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Website: www.sankirtanfest.org Email: [e-mail]

Structure, governance, and management

	SORP reference
Type of governing document	Para 1.25	Constitution
How is SankirtanFest constituted?	Para 1.25	Unincorporated Charity
PMO selection method including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more PMO	Para 1.25	PMO are selected on the basis of their passion for the furtherance of Sankirtan and SankirtanFest, as well as their capability to assist with the management of large scale Sankirtan projects.

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Website: www.sankirtanfest.org Email: [e-mail]

Reference and administrative details

Charity name	The Sankirtan Events Society (UK)
Other name the charity uses	SankirtanFest
Registered charity number	1199114
Charity’s principal address	68 Avenue Road, Birmingham, B14 7TG

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Website: www.sankirtanfest.org Email: [e-mail]

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Name of PMO members

Name of PMO members
Name of PMO member	Dates in office
Amit Dev	January 2022 - not resigned in FY
Himanish Goswami	January 2022 - August 2022
Raj Das	January 2022 - not resigned in FY
Samrat Sen	January 2022 - August 2022
Shyamal Ray	January 2022 - not resigned in FY
Shilpi Baidya	January 2022 - not resigned in FY
Supriya Dev-Purkayastha	January 2022 - August 2022

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Website: www.sankirtanfest.org Email: [e-mail]

Corporate trustees and those holding title to property belonging to SankirtanFest

Not applicable

Funds held as custodian trustes on behalf of others

Not applicable

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Website: www.sankirtanfest.org Email: [e-mail]

Declarations

PMO declare that they have approved the PMO report above.

Signed on behalf of SankirtanFest PMO:

Signature:

Full name: Amit Kumar Dev

Position: PMO Member and trustee

Date: 31 October 2023

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