**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: sankirtanfest@gmail.com ## ॐ ## _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**| 2 ॐ Website: www.sankirtanfest.org Email: sankirtanfest@gmail.com ## 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: info@sankirtanfest.org, 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: 3 Website: www.sankirtanfest.org Email: sankirtanfest@gmail.com ## ॐ - 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. 4 Website: www.sankirtanfest.org Email: sankirtanfest@gmail.com ## ॐ ## 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.| 5 ॐ Website: www.sankirtanfest.org Email: sankirtanfest@gmail.com ## 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.| 6 Website: www.sankirtanfest.org Email: sankirtanfest@gmail.com ## ॐ ## 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.| 7 ॐ Website: www.sankirtanfest.org Email: sankirtanfest@gmail.com ## 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.| 8 ॐ Website: www.sankirtanfest.org Email: sankirtanfest@gmail.com ## 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| 9 Website: www.sankirtanfest.org Email: sankirtanfest@gmail.com ## ॐ ## 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| 10 ॐ Website: www.sankirtanfest.org Email: sankirtanfest@gmail.com ## **Corporate trustees and those holding title to property belonging to SankirtanFest** Not applicable ## **Funds held as custodian trustes on behalf of others** Not applicable 11 ॐ Website: www.sankirtanfest.org Email: sankirtanfest@gmail.com ## 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 12