Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From 1 October 2024 To 30 September 2025
Charity name: GLOBAL RECONCILIATION, ADVOCACY AND COMMUNITYBUILDING ENGAGEMENT (GRACE) IN WAR-AFFECTED REGIONS
Charity registration number: 1199786
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | The objects are for the benefit of the public, the advancement of the wellbeing of children born of war, their families and communities in any part of the world, by providing grants to projects, charities, organisations working to reduce hardship and stigmatization, to promote and protect their physical/mental wellbeing, education, social inclusion, economic empowerment and human rights. |
| 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 |
Since its launch in October 2022 GRACE in War Affected Regions (GRACE hereafter) and its registration with the Charity Commission, and after the initial period of operationalising the charity’s core activities, including the development of policies relating among others to financial management, grant making, information security, data protection, safeguarding, mandatory training, health and safety, volunteering, anti-harassment and bullying, campaigns and political activity, in its third year of operating, GRACE has focussed on the consolidation of the governance structure, and the further expansion of the Board of Trustees, the charity’s advisors, friends and volunteers. We continued to concentrate on partnership development and the further development of a communications strategy to enable the charity successfully to fulfil its public benefit commitments. Furthermore, we have continued fundraising and public awareness raising, and collaboration with likeminded charities and foundations. At the same time, we |
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| have implemented our first charitable project, which was completed in July 2025. An area of activity of increasing significance throughout the reporting period has been the development of an advocacy agenda and the collaborative engagement with international stakeholders in advocacy projects, specifically in a project on the permanent legal protection of children born of war in Ukraine and beyond. |
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| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit |
Para 1.18 | The trustees have had regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit. |
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
SORP reference |
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|---|---|---|
| Policy on grant making | Para 1.38 | GRACE grant-making policy, filed with the Charity Commission, is reviewed annually. It has been confirmed by the AGM on 15 November 2025. |
| Policy on social investment including program related investment |
Para 1.38 | n/a |
| Contribution made by volunteers |
Para 1.38 | GRACE is entirely based on volunteer engagement. Beyond trustees and associates, GRACE has been supported by a range of volunteers with contributions ranging from ad hoc support e.g. event organisation, to more extensive and sustainable engagement, e.g. as communications support, research advisor, or events panner. In addition, we have benefitted from the hosting of two University of Birmingham Collaborative Research Interns, funded by the University’s student experience programme; and a Masters student on University placement as part of a credit- bearing module in the Global Ethics Programme. The interns have contributed to strategic communications development as well as content creation around two projects (Peer-to-peer counselling project in Uganda, and policy development project with Ukrainian stakeholders). The Placement student developed an ethical decision making tool based on GRACE profile and structure. In addition, GRACE–for part of the |
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reporting period – was supported by a student communications officer, another student experience role through the University of Birmingham (committed to the charitable objectives of GRACE via its endorsement of the FCDO’s Platform for Action supporting the rights and wellbeing of Children Born of Conflict-related Sexual Violence.) As the charity’s activities grow in number and size, it is expected that more volunteers will make more significant contributions. One volunteer has joined the Board of Trustees: Adrijana Hanisic Becirovic (international and human rights law) In addition, Maariyah Jamil (social media), Becky Alexander (communications, event support), and Shreeniket More (communications) have supported activities throughout the reporting period.
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 | Events and achievements this year included: Trustee contributions to FCDO work on promoting the rights and wellbeing of Children Born of Conflict-related Sexual Violence (ongoing) Trustees engaged film for social change (FIFDH Impact Days), and GRACE agreed in principle to support impact campaign for The Other Side of Silence, a CBoCRSV- focussed documentary. GRACE supported, through grant-making and mentoring a peer-to-peer counselling in support of CBOW in Northern Uganda (completed in July 2025), with follow-on support for sustainable improvements for CBOW being developed in collaboration with in-country grassroots partner organisation. GRACE, as part of a cross-sectoral project with the University of Birmingham and the FCDO, supported the development of a toolkit for review of legal protection for CBoCRSV. This was piloted reports and policy brief will be developed for wider international use. GRACE initiated an international collaborative engagement with three other international charities/foundations (Global |
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Survivors Fund, Mukwege Foundation, Stand Speak Rise Up!) for collaborative projects to support CBoCRSV.
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
Achievements against objectives set |
Para 1.41 |
With regard to the development of a robust and transparent governance structure, we have achieved our objectives of having initial policies developed, approved and in place. With regard to grant-making, we have supported our first project completed in July 2025. Reports have been presented to AGM in November 2025. With regard to strategy development, judged against the medium-term objectives of developing a 3-year and 5-year strategy we are making progress alongside the increasing project work. |
|---|---|---|
| Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | Not yet applicable, as charity has not yet finalised the fundraising objectives which are part of the overall strategic planning and prioritisation. |
| Investment performance against objectives |
Para 1.41 | N/A |
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Financial Review
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of theperiod |
Para 1.21 | By the end of the reporting period (30 June 2025) GRACE, posted £ 8,945.67 credit. |
|---|---|---|
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | The AGM (11/25) has approved a reserve policy, and we will be holding a reserve of in compliance with the approved policy. |
| Amount of reserves held | Para 1.22 | £0-see above. |
| Reasons for holding zero reserves |
Para 1.22 | See above. |
| Details of fund materially in deficit |
Para 1.24 | n/a |
| Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern |
Para 1.23 | n/a |
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 |
Throughout 2024-25 the principal source of funds have been donations and fundraising. There has been one significant unrestricted donation; otherwise most donations are regular smaller contributions. We are yet to submit our Gift Aid application for Gift Aid on relevant donations that have been made this financial year. We aim to do this before the end of 2025. |
|---|---|---|
| Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted |
Para 1.46 | n/a |
| A description of the principal risks facing the charity |
Para 1.46 | The charity is still in the early stages of development. We have developed a risk register and have set up appropriate risk management processes. Identified risks include lack of funding, reputational damage, volunteer burnout, data privacy breaches, project delays, inadequate safeguarding, IT failure , fraud/,misuse of funds. |
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Structure, Governance and Management
| Description of charity’s trusts: |
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|---|---|---|
| Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter) |
Para 1.25 | Constitution of a CIO |
| How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO) |
Para 1.25 | 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 | Under development |
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees |
Para 1.51 |
We have established induction and new starter processes for new trustees and volunteers. These are reviewed annually and developed further as appropriate. |
|---|---|---|
| The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works |
Para 1.51 | There are no changes to the organisational diagram compiled last year. |
| Relationship with any related parties |
Para 1.51 | n/a |
| Other |
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | GLOBAL RECONCILIATION, ADVOCACY AND COMMUNITY-BUILDING ENGAGEMENT (GRACE) IN WAR- AFFECTED REGIONS |
|---|---|
| Other name the charity uses |
GRACE International |
| Registered charity number |
1199786 |
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Charity’s principal Holly Ridge address Crossing Lane Claydon Oxon OX17 1EX
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sabine Lee | ||||
| Rachel M Canty |
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| Dheeraj Akolkar |
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| Karen E Houghton |
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| Toni Smith | 19.11.23 | |||
| Lejla Damon | 3.3.24 | |||
| AndyCanty | 9.12.23 | |||
| Christoph Biehl | 3.3.24 | |||
| Erica Hall | 8.9.24 | |||
| Adrijana Hanusic Becirovic |
9.6.25 | |||
– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved
Director name
n/a
Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity
| Trustee name | Dates acted if not for whole year | |
|---|---|---|
| n/a | ||
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Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others
Description of the assets n/a held in this capacity Name and objects of the n/a charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for n/a 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 Name Address adviser
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
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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) Sabine Lee Position (eg Secretary, Chair Chair, etc) Date 12.11.24
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| Global Reconciliation, Advocacy and Community Buildin 1 | Global Reconciliation, Advocacy and Community Buildin 1 | Global Reconciliation, Advocacy and Community Buildin 1 | 199786 | CC16a | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Receipts andpayments accounts | |||||
| For the period from |
7/1/2024 | To | 6/30/2025 | ||
| Section A Receipts and payments | |||||
| A1 Receipts Donations,inlcudingGift Aid 2,675 Film screening (included in Donations, including Gift Aid- Interest on current and deposit account 264 Deposit SL(included in Donations,includingGift Aid) - Fundraising (included in Donations,includingGift Aid) - - - - 2,939 A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). - - Sub total - Total receipts 2,939 A3 Payments Monthlybank account charges 60 Production of brandingmaterials 80 Bank transfer charges 31 Website and hosting 241 Insurances 146 Grants awarded 7,564 - - - Sub total 8,121 Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ Sub total(Gross income for AR) |
to the nearest £ Restricted funds |
to the nearest £ Endowment funds |
Total funds to the nearest £ |
Last year to the nearest £ |
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| Donations,inlcudingGift Aid | - - - - - - - - - |
- | 2,675 | 2,501 | |
| Film screening (included in Donations, including Gift Ai Interest on current and deposit account Deposit SL(included in Donations,includingGift Aid) |
- | - | 1,214 | ||
| - | 264 | 185 | |||
| - | - | 500 | |||
| Fundraising (included in Donations,includingGift Aid) | - | - | 2,029 | ||
| - | - | - | |||
| - | - | - | |||
| - | - | - | |||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) | - | 2,939 | 6,428 | ||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). | |||||
| - - - |
- | - | |||
| - | - | - | |||
| Sub total | - | - | - | ||
| Total receipts A3 Payments |
2,939 | ||||
| - | - | 6,428 | |||
| Monthlybank account charges | - - - - - - - - - - |
- | 60 | 60 | |
| Production of brandingmaterials | - | 80 | 30 | ||
| Bank transfer charges | - | 31 | 12 | ||
| Website and hosting | - | 241 | 101 | ||
| Insurances | - | 146 | - | ||
| Grants awarded | - | 7,564 | - | ||
| - | - | - | |||
| - | - | - | |||
| - | - | - | |||
| Sub total | - | 8,121 | 203 |
| A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) |
- - - 8,121 - 5,182 - 14,127 8,945 |
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| - - - |
- | - | |||
| - | - | ||||
| Sub total | - | - | - | ||
| Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end |
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| - | - | 8,121 | 203 | ||
| - - - - |
- | - 5,182 | 6,226 | ||
| - | - | - | |||
| - | 14,127 | 7,901 | |||
| - | 8,945 | 14,127 |
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
B1 Cash funds
| Categories | Details Current account (closing balance) Deposit account (closing balance) Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) |
to nearest £ Unrestricted funds |
to nearest £ Restricted funds |
to nearest £ Endowment funds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 913 | - | - | ||
| 8,032 | - | |||
| - | - | - | ||
| 8,945 | - | - | ||
| OK Unrestricted funds |
OK Restricted funds |
OK | ||
| Endowment funds |
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B2 Other monetary assets
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B3 Investment assets
B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use
B5 Liabilities
Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees
| Details Details Details Details Signature Chris Biehl Rachel Canty |
to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - Cost (optional) - - - - - Cost (optional) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Print Name Fund to which asset belongs Fund to which asset belongs Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) |
to nearest £ |
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| Date of approval |
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| Chris Biehl | 11/15/2025 | |
| Rachel Canty | 11/15/2025 |