## **LATIN LINK INTERNATIONAL**
## **REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
**Registered Charity No. 237483**
## **LATIN LINK INTERNATIONAL REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
The trustees are pleased to present their report together with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2024
## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS**
Charity number 237483 Registered office: 20 Quarry Close, Rugby,Warwickshire, CV21 1DR Trustees: The trustees who served during the year were as follows: Katharine Griggs (Chair) Raymond Miller Patricia King (Treasurer) International Team Leader: Suzanne Potter Bankers: Bank of Scotland, West End Office, St James' Gate 14 - 16 Cockspur Street, LONDON SW1Y 5BL
## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT**
## Governing document
First registered as a charity in March 1965 as the Evangelical Union of South America (EUSA), the name was changed to Latin Link International in March 2002 when the current constitution was adopted by its International Assembly, a representative group of all the Country Teams that make up Latin Link International.
## Recruitment and Appointment of Trustees
The International Assembly made up of representatives from all the Country Teams affliliated to Latin Link International meets every four years, and one of the points of business of this gathering is the election of members to the International Forum, which has responsibility to oversee the work of the International Team Leader and to champion the direction of the fellowship until the next International Assembly. Members of the International Forum who are resident in the UK are appointed as official trustees of Latin Link International
## Trustees induction and Training
Most of the trustees are already familiar with the work of Latin Link International due to their membership or former membership of one of the country teams. All trustees are nevertheless provided with copies of the international handbook which forms part of the constitution of the charity, and Latin Link International has its own induction **�** process informed by guidance from the Charity Commission concerning the roles and responsibilities of trustees.
## Volunteers
All the work of the charity is done by members of country teams on a voluntary basis alongside their other ministries.
## Public benefit
In fulfilling their roles and responsibilitiesduring the year in question, the trustees have taken due regard of the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit.
**Page 2**
## **LATIN LINK INTERNATIONAL REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 (cont'd)**
## Risk Management
The trustees have conducted a review of the major risks to which Latin Link International is exposed, and have compiled a Risk Assessment Register. Where appropriate, procedures have been established, or are in the process of being established, to mitigate the risks Latin Link International faces.
## Safeguarding
An updated version of Latin Link`s Policy for the Protection of Children and Adults with Care and Support Needs was approved by the trustees and issued in April 2022.
## Organisational Structure
Day to day management of Latin Link International is in the hands of the International Team leader who is elected by the membership for a 4 year period of service, with support from the Core Team, a group of Latin Link missionaries selected by the International Team Leader based on their background and areas of mission, and with oversight from the board of trustees.
Over the course of the year in question, the board of trustees met via zoom on 6 separate occasions,
* to review the 3 monthly reports of the activities of the International Team Leader and Core Team;
* to analyse and approve the budget for the year, review the 3 monthly accounts (income and expenses versus budget) and other financial issues;
* to review and approve various policy updates; and to discuss the possibility of changing the status of the charity to that of an charitable incorporated organization (CIO).
## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES**
The objects of the Charity shall be to fulfil the Lord's commission to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ throughout the world and to make disciples, with specific concern for the people of Latin America and in order to carry out these Objects, the Charity shall establish an international fellowship of individuals and organisations which agree to accept and abide by the Latin Link International Handbook, which document, and any revision thereto forms part of the constitution of the Charity.¨
We do this by supporting our country teams and individual members, through our regular activities of online meetings with team leaders, short term mission coordinators, mission mobilisers, member care facilitators, occasional training workshops, visits to teams, and production of our annual prayer calendar.
The vision of the charity as a community with a calling is:
_To be enabling the Latin American Church, flourishing in depth and numbers, to better fulfil its mission in the world._
To this end, we have set 3 strategic goals for 2022-2026. They are:
1. To listen to God, the Latin American church and each other, adapting our ways of doing things in response to God’s action and a changing world,
2. To increase our mobilization for missions, particularly amongst Latin Americans (including diaspora) communities,
3. To strengthen member care and enhance members experience of community at all levels of Latin Link.
**LATIN LINK INTERNATIONAL REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 (cont'd)**
**Page 3**
## **ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE**
In the area of listening (strategic goal 1), the Latin Link International Core team met virtually on a fortnightly basis, and met in person in Brazil in November 2023 to review progress and plan. The Core team also took time to reflect and pray for each Latin Link team, as well as to plan for our leaders event due in November 2024.
In May, the Latin Link Week of Prayer was held and included the opportunity for the whole Latin Link community to meet together virtually. We also launched a prayer channel in Spanish and Portuguese, using Telegram with information and prayer requests for our Latin American members, linking us with supporters in Latin America.
During the year, the International Team Leader (ITL) made 8 different visits to our country teams, sometimes coinciding with their annual team conferences. During one of those visits, we supported a team in offering the ´Sharpening Your Interpersonal Skills´ course, to their members. The ITL also attended a COMIBAM event in Costa Rica, connecting with other mission agencies and colleagues.
In 2023, the Core team and working group continued a consultation process, using the services of an external consultant. The process involved one to one interviews, focus groups, and an online questionnaire, with many of our members as well as ex-members, friends, colleagues, partner projects and churches.There have been a few delays in the process but we are now hopeful to work through the results and move on to the next stage of the process in 2024.
We held our first meeting of our International Advisory Board (made up of Latin American leaders) in May 2023, listening to their views regarding our strategic goals.
The Core team and trustees wrote and updated a number of policy documents. We also began to investigate, and took legal advice regarding possible changes of our registration to a Charitable Incorporated Organization. We consulted our members regarding the possible changes, and now intend to follow up during 2024.
In the area of mobilization (strategic goal 2), we organised our first international ´Connecting Step´ team with participants from different countries. We also encouraged our Brazil team to send their first Step team. Both were ways of expanding our accessibility from within Latin America, and expanding our fellowship. We produced a recruitment pack for new Short Term Coordinators and Mission Mobilizers, and continue to recruit for these roles. We recruited and trained a new Short Term Coordinator in Colombia. We continue to partner with Scatter Global and are looking to recruit members to be sent in international employment opportunities.
Our international communications team provided training for our Short Term Coordinators and Mission Mobilizers regarding the use of social media to promote our programmes and expand our reach. The communications team also produced a series of digital resources for our Mission Mobilisers. We also enabled a group from different country teams to work together to develop some resources and guidelines for involving volunteers in our work.
In the area of member care and community (strategic goal 3), 6 members of Latin Link continued in the third year of Harry Hoffman´s CARE course funded by Latin Link International, and training was provided to the Member Care Facilitators in regular zoom meetings by the International Member Care Team.
Over the course of the year, our International Member care team organised different virtual workshops for members about stress and bringing up third culture kids (in Spanish). We also facilitated support groups for those going through transitions, and for parents of third culture kids (English speakers).
We arranged and covered the cost for a number of psycological assessments undertaken by external professionals recognising some signs of burn out amongst some of our members , as the long term effects of the COVID pandemic show themselves. In response to individual cases, ongoing counselling or support was arranged where appropriate
**LATIN LINK INTERNATIONAL REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 (cont'd)**
**Page 4**
The ITL supported 4 teams in leadership transitions. The Core team member care coordinator provided or arranged mediation processes within 2 country team leadership teams.
We held 2 virtual ´Times Together´ throughout the year to enable members in different teams to connect. We also organised 2 leadership connect groups as well as regular meetings for leaders, short-term coordinators and mobilizers, and member care facilitators to help build a sense of community.
We are also in the process of developing a new partnership with a similar organisation in the Netherlands to enable members sent from that country and to expand our international fellowship.�
## **FINANCIAL REVIEW**
The work of Latin Link International is largely funded from membership fees from Country Teams and with a small proportion of income from voluntary giving from partner churches, friends and supporters and occasional grants from various trusts and foundations .
The main costs during the year in question relate to the work of the International Team Leader and the Core Team providing leadership support to the country teams as well as developing international policy and best practice. As the charity operates on an international basis, travel costs for meetings of the Core Team, to visit country teams, and to attend relevant international conferences, have been one particular item of significance in the current year.
## Reserves Policy
The trustees have examined the charity's requirements for reserves in the light of the main risks that face the charity and updated its reserves policy in 2023. The current balance of budgeted undesignated reserves of £60,668 is well in excess of the target of 45-55% of predicted income from members’ fees.
## Going Concern
The trustees have reviewed the circumstances of the charity and consider that adequate resources continue to be available to fund the activities for the foreseeable future. The trustees are of the view that the charity is a going concern.�
Approved by the trustees on 25th November 2024 and signed on their behalf by:
Katharine Griggs
**Chair of the Trustees**
**Page 5**
## **LATIN LINK INTERNATIONAL REPORT OF THE INDEPENDENT EXAMINER FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
I report on the accounts of Latin Link International for the year ended 31 March 2024 which are set out on pages 6 to 11.
## Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year (under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act)) and that an independent examination is needed.
## It is my responsibility to:
- examine the accounts (under section 145(1)(a) of the 2011 Act);
- to follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity
- Commissioners (under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act); and
- to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
## Basis of independent examiner’s report
My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.
## Independent examiner’s statement
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
- (1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements
- to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; and
- to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act have not been met; or
- (2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Name: Greville Parmenter ACMA, BA (Hons) Address: 86 Okus Road, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN1 4JP
Date: 2nd December 2024
**Page 6**
## **LATIN LINK INTERNATIONAL STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
|**Notes**
**Incoming resources**
**Incoming resources from**
**generated funds:**
_Voluntary income:_
Donations
Investment income
Sundry income
_Activities for generating funds:_
**Incoming resources from**
**charitable activities:**
Britain & Ireland
Switzerland
Other Country Teams
**Total incoming resources**
**Resources expended**
**Costs of generating funds:**
**2**
**Charitable activities**
Leadership
Assembly and events
**General (Office) Fund**
**2**
**Total resources expended**
**Net income/(expenditure)**
**3**
**before other recognised gains**
Realised (losses)
**Net income/expenditure for the year**
Transfers between funds
**Net incoming/(outgoing) resources**
**before other recognised gains**
**Unrealised gains on investments**
**Net movement in funds**
**Reconciliation of funds**
Total funds brought forward
**FUND BALANCES CARRIED FORWARD**
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses in the year.
All incoming resources and resources expended derive from continuing activitie|**Unrestricted**
**Designated**
**Total**
**Total**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**2024**
**2023**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
-
205
-
205
-
-
1,270|
|---|---|
||205
-
205
1,270
-
-
-
34,583
34,583
30,327
8,512
8,512
7,585
5,486
5,486
3,557|
||48,786
-
48,786
42,739|
||-
-
-
-
-
18,386
18,386
23,071
1,519
1,519
8,653
-
8,653
5,651|
||8,653
19,905
28,558
28,722|
||40,133
(19,905)
20,228
14,017
-
-|
||40,133
(19,905)
20,228
14,017
(42,932)
42,932
-
-|
||(2,799)
23,027
20,228
14,017
-
-
-
-|
||(2,799)
23,027
20,228
14,017
63,467
71,839
135,306
189,282
-|
||60,668
94,866
155,534
203,299|
||`
s.|
**LATIN LINK INTERNATIONAL BALANCE SHEET AT 31 MARCH 2024**
**Page 7**
|**2024**
**Notes**
**£**
**FIXED ASSETS**
Tangible Assets
**6**
-
Investments
-
**CURRENT ASSETS**
Stock
Debtors
34,583
Cash at bank and in hand
121,402
155,985
**Liabilities**
Creditors falling due within one year
**7**
451
**Net current assets**
155,534
**Total assets less current liabilities**
Creditors falling due after more than one year
-
**Net assets**
155,534
**The funds of the charity**
Unrestricted income funds:
Designated
**8**
94,866
General
**8**
60,668
155,534
**Total charity funds**
155,534
The notes on pages 8 to 11 form part of these accounts
Approved by the Board on 25th November 2024 and signed on its behalf by:|94,866
60,668|**2024**
**£**
-|71,839
63,467|**2023**
**£**
-|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||-||-|
|||34,583
121,402||21,857
113,518|
|||155,985||135,375|
|||451||69|
|||155,534||135,306|
|||-||-|
|||155,534||135,306|
|||155,534||135,306|
||||||
|||155,534||135,306|
||||||
Katharine Griggs **Chair of the Trustees**
**LATIN LINK INTERNATIONAL NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
**Page 8**
## 1. **ACCOUNTING POLICIES**
## a) BASIS OF PREPARATION
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant notes to these financial statements. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Companies Act 2006, Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (Charities SORP (FRS 102)) and Financial Reporting Standard 102 (FRS 102).
Latin Link meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102.
## b) GOING CONCERN BASIS OF ACCOUNTING
The trustees have considered the net incoming resources and cash flow forecasts for a period of twelve months from the date the accounts were approved. They believe that sufficient resources exist for the charity to continue its activities and meet all liabilities as they fall due for that period and therefore deem it appropriate to prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis.
## c) FUND ACCOUNTING
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity.
Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure imposed by the donor or through the terms of an appeal.
## d) INCOME RECOGNITION
All incoming resources are included in the statement of financial activities when the charity is entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy. The following specific policies are applied to particular categories of income.
Voluntary income is received by way of grants, donations and gifts and is included in full in the Statement of Financial Activities when receivable. Grants, where entitlement is not conditional on the delivery of a specific performance by the charity are recognised when the charity becomes unconditionally entitled to the grant.
Investment income is included when receivable.
## e) EXPENDITURE RECOGNITION
Expenditure is recognised on an accrual basis as a liability is incurred. Expenditure includes any VAT which cannot be recovered and is reported as part of the expenditure to which it relates.
Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be directly allocated to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.
Governance costs include those costs associated with meeting the constitutional and statutory requirements of the charity and include professional fees and costs linked to the strategic management of the charity.
All costs are allocated between the expenditure categories of the SOFA on a basis designed to reflect the use of the resource. Costs relating to a particular activity are allocated directly, others are apportioned on an appropriate basis.
## **Page 9**
## f) TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS AND DEPRECIATION
Fixed assets are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. The costs of minor additions or those costing below £500 are not capitalised. Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write off the costs of each asset over its expected useful life, which in all cases is estimated at 6 years.
## g) LEASING AND HIRE PURCHASE COMMITMENTS
Assets obtained under hire purchase contracts and finance leases are capitalised as tangible assets and depreciated over the shorter of the lease term and their useful lives. Obligations under such agreements are included in creditors net of the finance charge allocated to future periods. The finance element of the rental payment is charged to the profit and loss account so as to produce a constant periodic rates of charge on the net obligations outstanding in each period.
## h) DEBTORS
Debtors are included at the settlement amount due and prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid.
## i) CASH AT BANK AND IN HAND
Cash at bank and in hand consists of all amounts held in banks and short term deposits with maturity value of 30 days or less.
## j) CREDITORS AND PROVISIONS
Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation arising from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are recognised at their settlement amount.
## k) FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS
The charity only has financial assets and liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value.
## l) FOREIGN CURRENCIES
Transactions in foreign currencies are recorded at the rate ruling at the date of the transaction. Balances denominated in foreign currencies are retranslated at the rate of exchange ruling at the balance sheet date and all differences are taken to the Statement of Financial Activities.
**LATIN LINK INTERNATIONAL NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS (ctd) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
**Page 10**
## **2 Total Resources Expended**
|**International**
**Assembly and**
**events**
**International**
**leadership**
**General /**
**Internationl**
**Office**
**Costs directly**
**allocated to activities**
**£**
**£**
**£**
Bank Service Charges
389
Books and Publications
31
Contract Labour
Dues and Subscriptions
Food
336
106
Professional fees
3,621
300
Gifts and Donations
406
4,678
Motor Expenses
Office Supplies
228
Postage and Delivery
38
Printing and Reproduction
262
Rent & Rates
Salaries & Wages
Software Expense
2,838
2,319
Telephone
530
Travel & Ent
1,519
9,733
Retreats & Conferences
1,224
**Total resources expended**
1,519
18,386
8,653
**3**
**Net incoming (outgoing) resources for the year**
This is stated after charging/(crediting) the following:
Depreciation
**4**
**Taxation**
The charitable activities of the charity are exempt from Corporation Tax.|**International**
**Assembly and**
**events**
**International**
**leadership**
**General /**
**Internationl**
**Office**
**£**
**£**
**£**
389
31
336
106
3,621
300
406
4,678
228
38
262
2,838
2,319
530
1,519
9,733
1,224|
**2024**
**2023**
**Total**
**Total**
**£**
**£**
389
1,212
31
882
-
-
-
-
442
163
3,921
16,470
5,084
-
-
-
228
-
38
-
262
-
-
-
-
-
5,157
2,938
530
334
11,252
56,577
1,224
18,139|
|---|---|---|
||1,519
18,386
8,653|28,558
96,715|
|||**2024**
**2023**
**£**
**£**
-
-|
||||
## **5 Trustee and staff information** No staff are employed by the charity No remuneration was paid to the Trustees during the year. The amount of donations made by trustees to the charity was £nil **6 Tangible Fixed Assets**
There are no tangible fixed assets
## **7 Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year**
The only creditors with an amount falling due within one year was the Balance of Team Leader's Credit card.
|**2024**|**2023**||
|---|---|---|
|**£**|**£**||
|451||69|
**Page 11**
## **LATIN LINK INTERNATIONAL NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS (ctd) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
## **8 Movements in Funds**
|**Movements in Funds**||
|---|---|
|**Designated funds:**
International Assembly
and events
International leadership
_Total designated funds_
**Unrestricted funds:**
General / Emergency
_Total unrestricted funds_
Total funds|**As at**
**Incoming**
**Outgoing**
**Transfers**
**As at**
**01-Apr-23**
**Resources**
**Resources**
**31-Mar-24**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
23,079
(1,519)
14,636
36,196
48,760
(18,386)
28,296
58,670|
||71,839
-
(19,905)
42,932
94,866|
||63,467
48,786
(8,653)
(42,932)
60,668|
||63,467
48,786
(8,653)
(42,932)
60,668|
|||
||135,306
48,786
(28,558)
-
155,534|
## **Purposes of Designated Funds**
## _International Assembly:_
To set aside funds each year to cover the costs of running the International asembly every 4 years and leadership conferences and events
## _International. Leadership :_
For travel of International Team Leader and Core team to support teams plus investment in training and resources in strategic areas.