TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT and FINANCIAL STATEMENT st For the year ended 31 December 2024
MEDICAL AND SCIENTIFIC AID FOR VIEfNAM LAOS AND CAMBODIA Annual Re ort for the ear ended 31" December 2024 The Trustees present their report for the year ended 31 December 2024. The Charity is an unlncorporated association established in June 1965 as the Medical Aid Committee for Vietnam and is registered with the Charity Commission No. 252906. The Charitvs name was changed to Medical and ScientificAid for Vletnam. Laos and Cambodia when aid was also sent to Laos and Cambodia. A new constitution based on the Charity Commission's model was fomially adopted at the Annual General Meeting in July 2010. Medical and Scientific Aid for Wietnam, Laos and Cambodta, is also known by its abbreviated form of MSAVLC. Trustees are elected on an annual basis atthe Annual General Meetin8 of the Charity; new Trustees are inducted fully on all the charitvs projects and given appropriate literature. All new Trustees are required to be prepared to take on a specific role in the running of the charity. Trustees can be co-opted onto the Committee. if necessary, to fulfil a role. The Trustees during the year were: Mr Peter Lldgard Mrs Mary Lidgard Mr John Firth Mrs Lynn Firth Mrs Susmita Ghosh Ms Jenny Gold Chairman Honorary Secretary Honorary Treasurer The Honorary Offlcers of the Charity are". President of the Charity: Dame Judi Dench DBE Vlce-Presidents: Sir George Howarth Lord Balfe of Dulwich Medical & Scientific Advisor: Dr. Stewart Benzie Honorary Legal Advlsor: Simon Mumford BA The Prlnclpal Address of the Charity 15: Anchor Cottage. 3, Horsefair Street, Charlton Kings, CHELTENHAM. Gloucestershire, GL53 8JF Ob ects of the Cha The objects of the charty are:_ The relief of slckness, the promotion of good health and the advance of medical research in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. In furtherance of these objectives. the Charlty shall have power al To send medical. scientific and food aid. supplies, equipment and literature to Vietnam, La05 and Cambodia. b) To further. and to assist in the furtherance of. medical research provided that the useful results of such research shall be disseminated. cl To foster the exchange between Ifietnam. Laos and Cambodia and Brttain and other nations medical. scientific and technological infomiation and personnel.
nisation Governance and Artivities The control of the charity is vested in the Trustees and supporters who meet annually to elect Honorary Officers, to receive the Annual Report and Financial Statement for the previous year, and to elect the Trustees for the following year. The day-to-day management of the Charity is the responsibility of the Trustees who aim to meet three or four times per year and correspond with each other regularly via email and telephone duringthe year. Detailed project proposals from our Project Directors are submitted for approval by the Trustees, and decisions re8arding disbursements are taken by the Trustees at their meetin8s. New and existing projects are reviewed regularly. and accounts. reports and outcomes are provided. It is the aim of the Trustees to send a delegation to visit all funded projects at regular intervals. ideally every two years. During these visits receipts and invoices are checked and the outcomes and impact of projects recorded. New proposals are received, to be discussed and approved by the Trustees. The charity has considered that the risk of accidents or ill health may occur during the Trustees, visits to projects, and all Trustees are advisedtotake appropriate measures in theform of insurance and medications. A Safeguardin8 Policy is held by the charity and is reviewed every two years. Donations are received mainly as a result of publiclty campaigns. chiefly the publication of the news Bulletln three or four times per year, from leaflets. and by notifscations in Facebook and on our website. From time- to-time fund-raising activities are organised. Donations sent for a specific project, or specified purpose are recorded as Restricted Income and are only used for that specified purpose. All other donations are recorded as Unrestrlcted Income. Complete detailed records of Income and Expenditure are maintained by the Honorary Treasurer. and Financial Statement is prepared at the end of each month for the approval by the Trustee5. The Honorary Treasurerfs Report is included within the Trustees, Annual Report. The Charity financially supported durin8the year: Sponsorship of children at New Hope Children's Home, Poipet, Cambodia. The project helped the Home provide shelter and stability for orphaned and abandoned children. The children receive loving care, education, health, and welfare support. Continuation of the First Aid Project at New Hope Children's Home and in nearby villages. This project provides first aid to vulnerable children where no other care is available. The start of a new two-year Paraplegic and Quadriplegic Rehabilitation Project IPQR Project) run bv the Disability Development Services Program {DDSPI in Pursat Province, Cambodia. The project has improved the quality of lrfe for people with disabilities and their families, through access to health, rehabilitation, livelihood, and social inclusion. A qualified medical doctor to work at the All Ears Cambodia Clinic in Phnom Penh. The dottor was employed to enhance and promote AEC clinical setvices in Phnom Penh and at outreach level. He combined clinical and teaching skills with direct patient care. The Start of a two-year Hearing Screening Project for babies and school children in eastern Cambodia. run byAII Ears Cambodia. IAECI. The project combined screening of school children for chronic otitis media, the leading cause of hearing loss globally, with a neonatal hearing screening service to detect congenÉtal hearing loss. The continuation of a Health and Wellness Project at 'Daughters of Cambodia,. until its completion at the end of September 2024, and a new programme started to run until September 2025. The project helped young women and men in Cambodia escape the horrors of sex trafficking and start sustainable new lives for themselves. It provided skills and trainin& paired with vital health and support ser¥ices needed to aid their physical. psychological. and social recovery.
Wheelchairs for The ITietnamese Association for Wictims of Agent Orange IVAVA). Wheelchairs were provided to assist the victims of Agent Orange to become mobile and more self-sufficient. Start-up Businesses for victims of Agent Orange. This enabled disabled victims to become economically self-sufficient. thus enhancing their health and wellbeing. The Joan Mcmichael prize for staff excellence at the British Friendship Hospital, Ky Anh, Vietnam. This prize encouraged good medical care for the patients atthe hospital. The Blue Dragon Children'5 Foundation. Money was sent to this organlsation to assist with the emergenci aid, medical care and rehabilitation of people suffering from the effects of Typhoon Yagi. Further details of clients benefitting directly or indirectly from the chariws funding 15 provlded in the 'Projects' section of the charitys website Iwww.msavlc.or81, in the quarterly Bulletlns and on our Facebook pa8e. The Trustees believe that all of the funding for the projects supported in 2024 was for the public benefft, as set out in the Chaiity Commlssion's public benefit guidance. Revlew of Ob ress and Athievements durln 2024 As well as conducting their respective executive roles, Peter Lldgard complled and edited the Bulletin, Mary Lldgard lialsed regularly with all project directors, and mana8ed all ernails sent to the website contact address, and John Flrth maintained the charit(s mailing list. Lynn Firth was responslble for the distribution of the Bulletin by post and email, each quarter, and for compliance with General Data Protection Regulations. Susmita Ghosh mana8ed the MSAVLC Facebook page. Jenny Gold liaised with New Hope Children's Home forthe welfare of our children thÈre. The Trustees held meetings three times during 2024, and were Sn touch regularly by telephone and emall. when necessary. A meetln8 of the Trustees took place in January 2024. The main points from that meetln8 follow: The signatory for MSAVLC was to be changed from Deborah Dainton to Jenny Gold. Money had been sent to Dau8hters of Cambodia to cover a further Health and Wellness Project and a vaccination program. A half-yearly report had been received from All Ears Cambodia and a financial report from Daughter5 of Cambodia from 2022 to 2023, alon8With an Autumn News Bulletin. All reports were examined and found to be satisfactory. The Vietnamese Association for Vlctims of Agent Orange had sent us a report and photographs of the wheelchairs that had been purchased by MSAVLC in 2023. The Director of the Disability Development Services Program in Pursat Province, Cambodia {DDSPI, had been chosen to attend a conference in Vienna to explain the work of DDSP to a delegation from many other countries and organlsations. It was hoped that this would promote the work of DDSP and maybe encourage more sponsors. Fundraising money had been received via Facebook appeals, and from the sale of books at the Farm Shop in Cirencester. It was reported that the First Aid Project was still running at New Hope Children'5 Home, and this project had been visited by Trustees on their last evaluation visit in 2023. The Trustees were saddened to hear of the death of John Pilger, one of our Ifice-Presidents. He was great man and one of our first and most loyal supporters. The Annual General Meetingwas arranged to take place on the 11 June 2024.
A meeting of the Trnstees took place in May 2024. The main points from that meeting follow: The remainingmoneyfrom thejoan Mcmichaelfund had been senttothe British Friendship Hospital in Ky Anh, Vietnam. The flnal term report of the 2023 projects had been received from All Ears Cambodia. and they proved satisfactory. Daughters of Cambodia's Spring Report was forwarded to the Trustees in May, this was satisfactory. The Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Hoang long was returning to Vietnam as he had completed his three year posting. More money had been donated to us by David Smethurst frorn the sale of second-hand books at the farm shop. The charities annual accounts had now been signed off. A satisfactory report had been received from New Hope Children's Home and it was agreed to cover care of the children for the next six months. The last instalment to be sent off in six months, time if all is well. MSAVLCS Safeguarding Policy was reviewed and renewed for a further two years. Peter Lidgard agreed to remain as the Designated Safeguarding Officer. A meetlng of the Trustees took place in November 2024. The main points from that meeting follow: More photos of the recipients of wheelchairs sent in 2023 had now been received from VAVA and forwarded to the Trustees. Mr Do Minh Hung had been appointed as the new Vietnamese Ambassador. The venue forthe AGM had been chan8ed from the Vietnamese Embassy to The Royal Garden Hotel In Kensington. The meeting was a 8reat success and attended both by supporter5 and Vietnam officials. An illustrated account of the Trustees last visit to S.E. Asia was presented. Followingthe AGM the Annual Report was submitted to the Charity Commission. Three proposals for funding had been received, from All Ears Cambodia, Daughters of Cambodla and the Disability Development Sep4lces Program in Pursat Province, Cambodia and all were approved. By agreement of the Trustees £5,OLK) had been sent to the Blue Dragon Children's Foundation to help the suffering of the people caused by the effects of Typhoon Ya81. A Newsletter had been received from Dau8hters of Caml>odia and a Narrative and Financial report from DDSP. Both were satisfactory. Lynn Firth was compilinga Data Protection Policyfor MSAVLCand she would submit itto theTrustées for approval in due course. John Firth was to sort out a secure database password. It was agreed to send the final payment to Rostttus at the New Hope Children's Home for his care of the remaining six children. It was noted that all the children in his care had been given a good education and Christian upbringin& and all their medical care had been taken care of. The Trustees were delighted that they had been able to help in this way. A request was received from VAVA to supply more wheelchairs for Agent Orange victim5. and thls was approved. The Trustees were saddened to hear of the death of Mr. Geoffrey Hill, one of our long term supporters, but very thankful that he had made a bequestto MSAVLC in his will. During 2024 Three Trustees meetings took place. Satisfactory reports were received from all our project leaders, and regular contact made with them Funding was agreed, where requested, for our present projects in Vietnam and Cambodia. The Bulletin was published in February, May, August and November, and circulated to all our supporters by post or email.
The Annual General Meeting took place in June at The Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington. The MSAVLC Safeguarding Policy had been renewed. Mr. Do Minh Hung had SLscceeded Mr Nguyen Hoang Long as Ambassador of Vietnam to the UK. Future Plans and K Ob"ertives The Trustees aim to meet regularly during 2025 and consuft with all the project leaders of the projects which we are currently supporting. We will make arrangements to carryouta monitoring and evaluatlon visit to all ourcurrent projects in 2026. We aim to keep ourwebsite, Facebook. Mailing List and Policies upto date. and to publish our Bulletin three or fourtimes a year, in orderto inform our donors and supporters of the charl5 artivities. We will support fund-raising activities where approprlate. Finances The attached Financial Statements show the state of the charitVs finances on 31sr December 2024 which the Trustees consider to be satlsfactory. The Charl5 main bankers are: The Cooperative Bank plc 25 Islington High Street London Nl 9LQ The Charl$ Independent Examiner is: Mrs Nicola Hewlett MAAT 43, West Street. Minehead, TA24 5EJ.
Flnanaal review of year ending 31 December 2024 l. Flnandal position In the absence of any significant and dramatic increase in the level of grants made to beneficiaries, the trustees have not identified any factor5 that would adversely affett our financial position. 2. Investments (al Our investments are held in the "COIF Ethical Fund" managed by CCLA Investment Management Ltd. leaders in the field of managing investments on behalf of charities. We rely on their proven expertise in both growing capital and generating Income. Ib} The trustees acknowledge the risk of a reduction in capital in the event of a market correction or 'crash', but are confident In the skills of their investment managers to mitigate such risk via active stock selection and diversification. Icl We currently hold 88.7% of our total assets in the investment fund. The trustees wlll regularly review this ratio and are prepared to sell some of our investment holding, if we consider it necessary to boost the level of ourcash on deposlt. During 2024, we did not sell any of our investment unrts. {dl In the event of a shortage of funds for grant-makln& our investments in the COIF Ethical Fund are readily available and can be sold in whole or in part with one working day's notice. 3. Fundralslng (al Our prlmary method of fundraising Is through the publlcatSon of quarterly news bulletins. The trustees report a 25.8% increase in the level of donations recelved: to £29,383 in 2024 from £23.357 in 2023. rt should be noted that most of the Increase was due to a single large donation from one of our generous supporters. Ib) sn addition, our investment income remains robust and accounted for 40% of our total income (excluding legacies). 4. Restrlcted funds We held no restricted funds at the end of the year and there were no material amounts designated or otherwise committed. S. Reserves The overall reserves of the charity- effectively our total a55ets {in the absence of any non-financial assets}- remain in excess of £1 Million and, in the opinion of the trustees, put the charity in a very strong position, which guarantees our financlal stability for many yearsto come. 6. Expendlture (al Our expendlture continues to fluctuate widely. In 2024 it was £166,221 (comprising grants of £163,573 and non-projectxpenses of £2,648). Project spending was up by 56% year-on-year, but as always the level of our project spendin8 is entirely dependent on the applications received. {bl We made a small one-off grant of £5.000 to Blue Dragon Children's Foundation in response to an emergency appeal in the wake of Typhoon Yagi. No other new grantees were added to our existing list of regular beneficiaries. all of whom are longstablished. Non-projert expenditure remains very low indeed at £2,648 which includes fundraisin8 costs of £1.171. The trustees are justtfiably proud of the extremely low level of our charitvs running costs: 1.6% of total spending in 2024, which reduces to a meagre 0.9% if we exclude fundraising costs {printing and distribution of our quarterly bulletin).
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Report to the trustees of Medical & Saentffic Aid for Vietnam, Laos & Cambodia On accounts for the year endad 31 December 2024 Charity number 252906 Set out on pages 8and9 I report to the trustees on my examination of the a¢¢ounts of the above charrty (Ihe Trusr). Responsibilities and As the charty trustees of the Tn1, you are respcnsibl8 for the preparation basis of r•port of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Acr). I report in respect of my examinats'on of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the Act and, in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity C¢ynmission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in Connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in. any material respect.. accounting records wer8 not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records Independent examlner's statement I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection wrth the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Signed: Dats: Name: Mrs Ntcola Hewlett . Relevant professional qualificallon(s> or body (if any): MAAT Address: 43 West Street Minehead Somerset TA24 5EJ
. statement of Recelpts and PayMts for the year ended 31 D9comber 2024 2024 total 2023 total INCOME Donations not glft4id8d single payments regular payments Donations gift•aided single payments regular payments L•gacios Glft ald- lax rwlalmed Intor•sl r9¢•ld Inve3tmont In¢omo Oth¢r In¢om• 14.836 2.791 14.836 2.791 10,427 2,798 2%) 4.263 5,869 s.7 55.375 5.W7 55,375 3.097 6,679 25,921 2,524 3,557 28,555 6,679 25.921 Totsl rncelved (Al 120.142 313 120,454 57,993 EX ND Projoct 0xpendIrn Projects in tnam. La & Caff Proj•¢t ¥•••Mm•nt vl•lt Non-proify¢t •xp•nd1rO 8ull•tl Go1 admlnlstrallon aCCJntin9 wJl$ travel postage adrnln copying bank Charg stalionery 162.918 163.573 102.240 2.235 1.171 1.171 1.030 11)) 471 39 725 1CKJ 49 35 471 39 725 29 124 81 I,033 110 33 166221 Total s1 IB) 165,567 NET URPLUS I DEFICIT IA- B- C) 45.425 -342 45.767 48,040 ADJUSTMENT & TRANSFERS revaluation ol inve8trneF 24.413 24,413 81.997 Total adjustments & transfgrs ID) 24.413 24.413 81,997 NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS IC + D - E) -21.012 -342 -21.353 33.957 ECONCIUATION OF FUNDS from 20231 (Mfrom 20231 (Mfrom 2023) Ibtt from 20221 1.051.016 342 1.051.358 1.017,401 brought forward from prevIS year IF) carri forward to n•xt IE + F} 1.030.006 1.030.005 1.051.358
Slatem¢nt of Assots and LiabiMi08 a at 31 D•c•mber 2024 2023 10ts1 10 Cash fund Co-op Bank cJJrrent acc(MJnt Santsnder current account Paypal account COIF d8POSit fund 23.580 17,307 701 483 143,232 161.722 12 13 .831 115,955 90.831 115,955 Investmentfundj COIF ethical invgslment frjnd 914.049 914.049 889.636 Other monotsry assets Tolal I• 1,030,005 1.030.006 1,061.368 IE Commlttod lundB held Joan M¢Mhael prize lund New Hope Chilthen's Homg 10 13 14 307 342 Not•$ to the •¢¢ounts 1 Thesè acLounts have been prep¥ed in accordance wrth guidelines 881 ty th& Charity Commission. 2 Single payments ieceNed by c4sh, cheque or BACS transfer into Jr Cw Bonk ac£ount, and by dlreci transfer or debWug(lrt card into our PayPal ac(xnI. 3 Regular paymenis remvod by standing order into tyjr Cw) Bank aThJ PayPat nts. 4 From the estste of Geoffrey Hill deceased. S As at 310ec 2024 we had reclaimed on all gfft-aNled donatrons received prior to 1 Dec 2024. 6 See back page for projects. Charges Irrred in transfem'rMJ money overseas are dassed as woject expendllure. 7 Cost of Sanding trustees lo Vielnam and C8mb(Jia lo revi•Af SUp•d proie(as. 'Bullelins' rtem indudes all asscoated postage. printiThJ stationery costs. Indudes cost of gill to independent examiner. finarK4al report (year ending 31 Dec 2023) examined free of charge. 'Admin' is mainty hire of hall fr)rAGM, W also inckths of grft to owwebsite manager, who th8rges no f9&. 10 The chartty owns no property. ha$ no emFdoyees, no borrovirvJs arKI no debts. 11 Sanlander accounl charged 3(¥> monthty 301ety lo receive 8 £2 monthly stsnding Order. Aetounl dosed J8n 2024. 12 The Paypal account mainty reeeives d(al)n$ made thrOh wr vbsrte and five monthty Stsdg Ord5. 13 All restrided Jnds are commrtted to the pro kXJryK)se speofigj ty Ihe dorKXS. 14 The Joan Mcmichael pvize was •Karded annu*ty at Ky Anh Hoswial. The final avard was in J8nuary 2024.
MSAVLC . 2024 PROJECT EXPENtXTVRE 10 2510112024 British Friendship HO$tal- final Joon MCMIe4 award 326.17 2810312024 New Hope Children's Home. frsl-aJ propd (th years". 2024-202n 7.676.42 1&0512024 New Hope Chiklren's Homo. 8 chiklren ts 8 monlhs 1,268 13 3110712024 DDSP- PQR jr3.. 2024-20261 48.6n.84 1010912024 1 Ears CarnlKxfia- ¥ueeniw of bobies & chldren {ytr8r l of 21 15,205 00 10109r2024 hJl Ear5 CaMbJ18. spcwship ol ¢knkn (year 1 of21 8,442.00 2310912024 Dragon Chkkn's Foundalh)n. Typhoon Yagi ap 5,orAJ.00 11110r2024 Daughters- Healh 8 welk woiec 26.LKK).00 C611112024 New Hope Chlklrfjn's Home. 6Fr 6 thibkni fry 6 month$ 918.93 1212024 VAVA. theekh8hrs 50.062.09 183.572.58