Islami Darasgah Bristol
Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 December 2020
The trustees present their annual report and audited financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2020 and confirm they comply with the Charities Act 1993, as amended by the Charities Act 2006, the trust deed and the Charities SORP 2005.
Reference and Administrative Information.
Charity Name : Islami Darasgah Bristol Charity Number : 260804 Principal Office : Hazrat Bilal Centre 41 Sevier Street St Werburghs, BRISTOL, BS2 9QX Board of Trustees Chairman Tahir Mahmood Treasurer Fiaz Ahmed Secretary Mohammed Yassir Governing Committee Members Sajid Mahmood, Mohammad Sharif, Faizaan Hussain, Akram Hussain, Shaukat Ali, Malik Yasin, Nomaan Hussain Mohammed Iqbal, Mohammed Younis Imam Mohammed Altaf Principal Administrator Tahir Mahmood Accounts Prepared by Mohammed Farooq Auditor Mohammed Shakeel 18 Ingmire Road BRISTOL
Bankers Barclays Bank PLC 15 Queen Square, Harbourside BRISTOL, BS1 4NP
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Islami Darasgah Bristol
Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 December 2020
Objectives aims and Strategies
Our aims
The objects of the charity are set out in the charity's constitution and are summarised as follows: To promote Islam in accordance with the Holy Quran, Sunnah and Hadith for the benefit of the public, in particular, through spiritual teaching and by conducting regular congregational prayers and ceremonies.
To promote Islamic education amongst both children and adults through holding regular classes and organising events and functions from time to time.
To relieve those Muslims who are in need.
Our objectives
Our objectives are set to reflect our faith and community aims.
They are:-
To establish an efficient and effective governance structure with clear policies and procedures. To improve the educational services offered by establishing a high quality centre of learning for both religious and secular teachings meeting the broad needs of the community.
To ensure women are provided with the highest standard of prayer facilities, educational services and social support.
To maintain and strengthen our partnerships with local and central government, interfaith forums and many other groups including local mosques.
To effectively manage the operations and expenditure of the Mosque with clarity and transparency. To promote and encourage the participation from youth and women.
To reject and condemn extremism and terrorism in all its forms and develop the self-confidence of Bristol's Muslims in their faith, and through our facilities and activities, help make our city a peaceful, vibrant and harmonious community. .
To make the Mosque a vibrant, welcoming and active focal point for the whole community, Muslim and non-Muslim.
Each year our Trustees review our objectives and activities to ensure they continue to reflect our aims. In carrying out this review the trustees have considered the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit and in particular its supplementary Public guidance on the advancement of religion for the public benefit.
Strategies
We want to ensure that we have a robust management structure, operational team and team of volunteers to deliver our objectives.
We want to engage with the community to ensure our objectives are aligned with their needs and expectations and secular teachings meeting the broad needs of the community.
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We want to engage with the non-Muslim community, local authority and local charities to strengthen relationships with the wider community and deliver support and services for all.
We want to ensure that the Mosque supports those in need through the effective and robust collection and distribution of Zakat and Sadaqah payments.
We want to continually review the educational needs of the community and identify how the offering can be strengthened.
We want to make our organisation an accessible and welcoming venue where aII Muslims, or those who wish to know more about our faith, can gather together to learn about their religion and worship.
Islami Darasgah Bristol is open for all five daily prayers, the Friday prayers being a focus of our weekly activities.
The charity aims to promote the Islamic faith by continuing to provide facilities for teaching both children and adults and through the holding of regular events for Muslims and non-Muslims alike.
We participate in the ‘Diverse doors open day’ event each year as part of the Bristol Diverse Doors Open Day event organised by Bristol Multi faith forum. We open our doors to the public of Bristol to visit us look around and learn about our faith so that misconceptions can be rooted out and common faith tractions recognised.
An important part of our strategy is community welfare and education. AII our community facilities and activities including classes, health initiatives and seminars are advertised and we welcome the participation of aII in our local community, Muslim and non-Muslim alike. Most of our activities are free and supported by donations. Where a charge is made, concessions are made for students, people on means-tested benefits and pensioners. Funds are raised to meet the charity's objectives by voluntary collections at the Masjid and from yearly donations from our members.
Structure, governance and management
Governing Document
Islami Darasgah (Bristol) is registered with the Charity Commission under Charity number 260804.The governing instrument is the Charity's Constitution.
Organisational structure
The charity’s Management committee are responsible for the general control and management of the charity. The committee members give their time freely and receive no remuneration or other financial benefits. The committee meet together as a body monthly and as and when necessary and are responsible for all decisions taken in relation to running facilities and the activities provided by the charity. The day-to-day management of facilities and projects are delegated to staff and volunteers where appropriate.
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Appointment of Committee Members
The Committee Members are appointed at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) every year through an election process by the general members of Islami Darasgah Bristol.
In selecting new committee members, general members seek to identify people who regularly attend programmes, events and functions organised by the charity, are known to the members, who fully support the constitution, and are willing to volunteer themselves practically to help in the management and running of the charity. New committee members are guided as to their role and responsibilities by more long standing committee members.
Risk management
The Management committee regularly assess the risks the charity faces and are satisfied that systems are in place, or arrangements are in hand, to manage the risks that have been identified. In particular, insurance cover is in place and the finances of the Masjid are kept under review.
Appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, supported by regularly reviewed policies, are made for those who work with children or other vulnerable groups within the charity. These systems and/or arrangements are periodically reviewed to ensure that they still meet the needs of the charity.
Use of volunteers
Volunteers are an important source in both our faith and community work. Volunteers are involved in most of our faith and community activities and we have over 10 people regularly giving their time. AII our committee members also give of their time freely. We encourage aII members of our organisation to be involved in voluntary activities and to share their skills with others. AII those volunteers working with projects involving children or other vulnerable groups are DBS checked.
Activities and achievements
How our activities deliver public benefit
The charity carries out a wide range of activities in pursuance of its charitable aims. The trustees consider that these activities, summarised below, provide benefit both to those who worship at Islami Darasgah and the wider community of Bristol.
Religious activities
Islami Darasgah provides a centre for our prayers and worship and for the activities associated with our faith. During the year under review, we offered a range of religious services and activities including:
Prayers: Hazrat Bilal Centre is open for the 5 times daily and Friday prayers. In normal times, during the week we have over 30 people who regularly attend daily prayers and over 200 who regularly attend Friday prayers.
2020 has been a challenging year insofar as the management committee had to close the Masjid for prayers on 17 March 2020. It was reopened for congregational prayers on 4 July 2020, with a further period of closure from 4 November until 22 January 2021.
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Daily after school classes: Islami Darasgah provides after school classes for children to be schooled in Islamic Education including reading the Muslim holy Book the Holy Quran. Students are taught the Islamic way of life so they can be Model Muslim citizens. The classes are run by the Imam Hafiz Muhammad Altaf alongside two part time teachers. There were approximately 60 children attending after school classes.
Classes were discontinued throughout much of 2020 as the country went into lockdown and the Masjid closed for after school classes on 17 March 2020. They were only resumed once the Covid threat was much reduced in May 2021.
Islamic lectures: Islamic lectures are held on a daily and weekly basis to promote Islamic knowledge and awareness. Muslims are encouraged to attend these events. Special lectures are also organised throughout the year for the benefit of all people in the community.
No lectures were able to be held during 2020.
Festivals : The two Eid festivals are our focal points of the year and facilities are provided for the Muslims of Bristol to celebrate Eid in an Islamic manner. We also participate in the annual peace march held to commemorate the Prophets Muhammads Birth date.
In normal years Islami Darasgah provided facilities during Ramadhan in the new Hazrat Bilal Centre for those who wish to break their fast together and join the night prayers called taravee. We also commemorated important Islamic events including the Prophets Birth, Muharram, Night of Power on the 27th of Ramadan, the completion the Quran on the 29th of Ramadan and the night of 15th of Shabaan.
Unfortunately during 2020 gatherings during Ramadhan were cancelled, although some online content was provided through social media. Eid Prayers for Eid ul Fitr were cancelled but a reduced service was provided for Eid ul Adha in July 2020.
Nikkah (Islamic marriage) The Masjid provides Muslim couples with an appropriate location for their Nikkah (Islamic Marriage). A much reduced service was provided during 2020.
Inter-faith dialogue:
Islami Darasgah Bristol is an active member of the Bristol Multi Faith Forum and our Masjid chair is part of the multi faiths steering group committee. We use this platform to promote inter-faith dialogue and social cohesion.
Charitable giving:
The alleviation of poverty and suffering lies at the heart of Islam and therefore giving charity is greatly encouraged. Islami Darasgah provides an avenue from time to time, for registered charities to appeal to the Congregation to give to worthwhile causes. Unfortunately due to the Masjid being closed, and reopened with limited places collections were unable to take place.
Community activities
Islami Darasgah both facilitates and participates in a number of community activities and initiatives to help make our City peaceful, vibrant and harmonious. During the year under review, we offered a range of community activities including:
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Open doors day: Diverse Doors is an annual day when a wide variety of religious institutions and places of worship are opened to the public for viewing and to talk to those of that faith on an open, one-to-one basis, without barriers. We participated in diverse doors open day event and kept our doors open on the Day for the public to walk into our place of worship and ask any question on our faith. This event promoted diversity and respect for each other’s faith and gave message of Unity and being proud to be part of diverse society.
Council of Bristol Masjids (CBM) :
The Council of Bristol Masjids is run with strong input from our organisation which gives the Masjids a stronger and united Voice within the community at large. The Council of Masjids has continued to work with key stakeholders including NHS, Police, Bristol City Council, Government agencies, Government office of Southwest and is considered a key Muslim stakeholder in Bristol.
Partnership working
In developing our community programmes we are pleased to work in partnership with NHS, Police, Bristol City Council, Government agencies, Government office of Southwest, Building the Bridge (Prevent). We are also active participants in Partnership Advisory Group (PAG) which is made up of Government office of Southwest, Muslim community, Police, Bristol City Council, and other agencies. We work with aII of these agencies in promoting harmony, unity and diversity across aII communities and are a key Muslim organisation in Bristol.
This was even more important during 2020 as we worked to protect our congregation and the wider community.
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Financial review
2020 Review
Reserves Policy
The trustees have reviewed the reserves of the charity. Their policy is to hold enough funds to meet four months’ operating costs of the Masjid. After deducting the value of the Masjid building at 109 Lower Cheltenham Place, the charity has free reserves of £16,563 which is equal to between two or three months expenditure during the year ended 31 December 2020. Whilst this is significantly lower than one would expect in normal times, the trustees are confident that should the need arise the congregation would provide additional emergency funding if an appeal was made.
Principal funding sources
The charity’s main source of income is giving. Giving at Friday prayers amounted to £13,107 (£28,443 - 2019). This demonstrates the challenge faced during 2020 especially in view of the period when Friday prayers could not be conducted and the reduction in collections due to having a smaller congregation due to social distancing. Members of the masjid pay an annual subscription of £180. Subscriptions for the year were £5,031 (£7,280 - 2019). Class fees were much reduced for 2020 at £6.516 (£17,553 – 2019) due to the Masjid not being able to continue with classes during the lockdown period.
Investment policy and objectives
The charity has purchased a property next door (43 Sevier Street) to the Masjid for £301,867. This was purchased with the help of loans from our members £277,300. In the medium term the property at 109 Lower Cheltenham Place (which served as the old Masjid) will be sold and the proceeds used to repay the loans to members. The property at 109 Lower Cheltenham Place which was returned into a 2 bedroom house, has been let out during the financial year 2020 generating income of £12,264 (£12,138 – 2019) whilst some legal issues relating to ownership are resolved.
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Statement of Trustees’ responsibilities
The charity trustees are responsible for preparing an annual report and financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
The law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the charity trustees to prepare financial statements for each year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period. In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are required to:
Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; Observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
State whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue its business.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 1993, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the trust deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The trustees for the purposes of charity law who served during the year and up to the date of this report are set out on Page 1.
Approved by the trustees and signed on its behalf by :
TAHIR MAHMOOD
Tahir Mahmood (Chair) 30 June 2021
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| ISLAMI DARASGAH BRISTOL | ISLAMI DARASGAH BRISTOL | ISLAMI DARASGAH BRISTOL | 260804 | 260804 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Receipts and payments accounts | |||||
| For the period from | 01-Jan-20 | To | 31-Dec-20 | ||
| Restricted funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - |
Endowment funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - |
||||
| Section A Receipts and payments | |||||
| A1 Receipts | Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ 6,516 6,785 535 39 0 13,107 900 12,264 5,031 0 424 14,693 60,293 |
||||
| Class Fees, Bag Sales, Book Sales | 6,516 | - | - | 6,516 | |
| General Donations including Donation Box | 6,785 | - | - | 6,785 | |
| Eid Namaz Collection / Grand Iftar | 535 | - | - | 535 | |
| Fitrana | 39 | - | - | 39 | |
| Hazrat Bilal Centre Fund | 0 | - | - | 0 | |
| Jummah Donations | 13,107 | - | - | 13,107 | |
| Marriage Registration Fees | 900 | - | - | 900 | |
| Rental Income | 12,264 | - | 12,264 | ||
| Membership Subscriptions | 5,031 | - | - | 5,031 | |
| Sponsorshipof Timetables | 0 | 0 | |||
| Collections for Appeals | 424 | 424 | |||
| Furlough Grants from HMRC | 14,693 | 14,693 | |||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) | 60,293 | - | - | 60,293 |
A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table).
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| - | - | - | - | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||||
| Sub total | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||
| Total receipts | 60,293 | - | - | 60,293 | 97,736 | ||||||
| A3 Payments | |||||||||||
| Imam Wages(1) | 21,462 | - | - | 21,462 | 25,296 | ||||||
| Teaching Assistant / 2nd Jummah | Imam Fees | 3,286 | - | - | 3,286 | 4,174 | |||||
| Tax/NI | 586 | - | - | 586 | 3,387 | ||||||
| Superannuation | 677 | - | - | 677 | 1,045 | ||||||
| Premises Expenditure | 2,641 | - | - | 2,641 | 3600 | ||||||
| Insurance | 974 | - | - | 974 | 930 | ||||||
| Legal Fees | 8,772 | 8,772 | 3,390 | ||||||||
| Council Tax / Utilities | 2,397 | - | - | 2,397 | 4,787 | ||||||
| Security | 0 | - | - | 0 | 445 | ||||||
| Advertising /Printing / Stationary / | |||||||||||
| Consumables / Bank Charges | 851 | - | - | 851 | 1,568 | ||||||
| Fund raising | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| HBC Building Costs | 0 | - | - | 0 | 3,267 | ||||||
| Fitrana | 0 | - | - | 0 | 834 | ||||||
| Collections for Appeals | |||||||||||
| 174 | 174 | 6,835 | |||||||||
| Sub total | |||||||||||
| 41,820 | - | - | 41,820 | 59,559 | |||||||
| A4 Asset and | investment purchases, (see | ||||||||||
| table) | |||||||||||
| - | - | - | - |
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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 |
|||||
| 59.559 | |||||
| 38,177 | |||||
| - | |||||
| 45,511 | |||||
| 83,688 | |||||
| Section B Statement of assets and liabilities | |||||
| at the end of the period | |||||
| Categories B1 Cash funds |
Details | Unrestricted funds to nearest £ 190 4,299 742 16,563 21,794 Agreement Error Unrestricted funds to nearest £ |
Restricted funds to nearest £ - - - - OK Restricted funds to nearest £ |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|
| Cash in Hand | - | ||||
| Current Account | - | ||||
| Youth Club Account | |||||
| Hazrat Bilal Centre Bank Account | - | ||||
| - | |||||
| OK | |||||
| Endowment funds to nearest £ |
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| B2 Other monetary assets | - | - | - | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - |
| B3 Investment assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use |
Details 109 Lower Cheltenham Place 43 Sevier Street Details 41 Sevier Street |
Fund to which asset belongs Restricted Restricted Fund to which asset belongs Restricted |
Cost (optional) - - - - - Cost (optional) - - - - - - - |
Current value (optional) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| Current value (optional) |
||||
| 41 Sevier Street | Restricted | - | - | |
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
| - | - |
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----- Start of picture text -----
- -
- -
Fund to which Amount due When due
liability relates (optional) (optional)
Details
B5 Liabilities Unrestricted 221,500
Outstanding Kardh-e-Hasana
-
-
-
-
Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all
the trustees Signature Print Name Date of approval
----- End of picture text -----
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Notes to the Accounts
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The Imam Qari Mohammed Altaf Sahib was paid gross wages of £12,069, the other part time Imam Hafiz Shakeel was paid £9093 he joined in August 2019 and resigned in February 2021.
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The property at 43 Sevier Street is rented out to the Imam Qari Mohammed Altaf Sahib of the Masjid to enable him to carry out his duties effectively.
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The Masjid allowed Harchial Muslim Society to collect donations of £174 from its congregation in Jan 2020.
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Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report Report to the trustees/ Islami Darasgah Bristol members of On accounts for the year 31 December 2020 Charity no 260804 ended (if any) Set out on pages 9 to 14 Respective responsibilities The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The of trustees and examiner charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
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examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act,
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to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act, and
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to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
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Basis of independent My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the
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examiner’s statement Charity Commission. 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 the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
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Independent examiner's statement
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention (other than that disclosed below *)
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which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in, any material respect, the requirements:
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to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; and
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to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act
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have not been met; or
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to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
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Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply.
Signed: M Shakeel Date: 30/6/2021 Name: Mohammed Shakeel Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any): Address: 18 Ingmire Road Eastville, BRISTOL,BS5 6XD
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