CHARITY NUMBER 280542 GOAN WELFARE SOCIETY UK REPORT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
GOAN WELFARE SOCIETY UK For the year ended 31 December 2024 CONTENTS: Page Legal and Administrative Information Trustees, Roport Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees Recéipts & Payments Accounts
GOAN WELFARE SOCIETY UK Legal and administrative infonnation For the year ended 31 December 2024 TRUSTEES.. Mr Flavio Gracias (Chair) Mr Paul De-mendonca (freasurer) Mrs Nonna Menezes-Rahim (Secretary) Mrs Jaine Meena Endro (Appointed on 17 July 2024) Mrs Rosy De Souza REGISTERED OFFICE.. 'The Firs" 17 Firs Drive Cranford Middlesex TW5 9TA CHARITY NUMBER.. 280542 BANKERS: HSBC Bank PIC 46 The Broadway Ealing London W5 5JR INDEPENDENT EXAMINER.. Carringtons Limited Chartered Accountants & Ststutory Auditors 6 Maple Grove Business Centre Lawrence Road Hounslow Middlesex TW4 6DR
GOAN WELFARE SOCIETY UK Tyustses, Annual Report from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024 The Trustees have pleasure in submitting their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024 with respect to the Goan Welfare Society UK (GWS). The TrUStS have adopted the receipts and payments basis in preparing Ihe Annual Report and Financial Statements of the charity. Legal arKI administrative information set out on page 1 forms part of this report. Structure, governanc• and management The charity is governed by a deed of constitution and operates via a committee comprising the Trustees and other members appointed by the Trustees. The Trustees are elected and confirmed at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). The Goan Welfare Society (GWS) was founded in March 1983. to provide limited assistance to the community living in the UK. When the original Trustees passed away, responsibility for the Charty was handed over to the G.O.A. (UK) in October 2004. However, the Charity Commission required GWS to operate as an autonomous body with its own membership and raising tts own funds. The presenl Trustees are.. Paul De-MendonGa, Norma Menezes-Rahim, Rosy De Souza. Jaine Endro and Flavio Gracias (Chair). Objects of the charity set out in its governing body The objectives of the Charity have not changed Sin its inception and the Trustees continue to maintain the commitment to assist persons of Goan origin, who are in need of help, residing in the UK or elsewhere. In addition to the Trustees. four Committee members provide administrative support, two of which, were appointed at the previous AGM. All office-bearers serve in a voluntary capacity. The Board of Trustees meet On a year to review the performan of the Charty, but day-ttrday decisions are effected via emails. The AGM was again held by Zoom" on Thursday, 12 December 2024 at 7.30 pm and apart from the Trustees & committee members. no other members attended the meeting which was extremely fwstrating. Public benefit In planning and reviewing our services the Trustees have given careful consideration to the guidan contained in the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit. Risk managèmant The Trustees have examined the major strategic, business and operational risks, which the charity fas. and confirm that adequate operational, legal, and financial systerns are in place to enable regular reports to be produced so that necessary steps can be laken to minimise these risks.
GOAN WELFARE SOCIETY UK Trustees, Annual Report from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024 Reserve policy The Board of Trustees has reviewed the charity's need for reserves in line wrth the guidan issued by the Charity Commission and has concluded that unreslricted reserves are needed Provide funds which can be designated to specific projects on short notice. or for which no funding can be raised. which further the organisation's charitable aims as stated in its constitution. Cover administration and support costs without which the organisalion could not function. Protect against risk and unforeseen expenditure which may arise that is beyond the organisation's control, and cannot be met from existing income. Ensure the viability of the organisation beyond the immediate future, and provide reliable and ongoing ServIS over the longer term. At the year end, the unrestricted reserves amounted to £223,871. Financial Review This annual report covers the Financial Year 2024, which runs from January to December, the period under review. The Trustees are the custodians of all assets held by the Charity. A large part of this asset, surplus to our requirements, is held in a Deposit Account and the Charty continues to enjoy a strong balance sheet with liquid assets held in bank accounls with HSBC Bank totaling £223.871. However, at the end of the financial year the capitsl showed a moderate increase of £3,245 from last year's figure of £220,626. The money held in the Deposit Account gave us added security and also accrued a better level of income amounting to £4,288, because of the increasing trend in interest rates over the last twelve months. Due to lack of volunteers and other commitments. the Charty's fund-raising activities have been minimal during the period under review. The Planned-Giving Scheme has shown a slight improvement in 2024 and the current annual income from this source was £1,396 compared to £1,347 in 2023. We would like to encourage more members to join the scheme and to request members to consider nominating GWS in their Wills or at signrficant events like anniversaries and funerals of their loved ones. The Trustees have examined the major strategic, business and operational risks, which the charity faces. and confirm that adequate operational, legal. and financial systems are in place to enable regular reports to be prodUd so that steps Can be taken to minimise these risks. Achievement & performance The pandemic continued to be kept at bay with on-going vaccination programs with no known loss of life due to Covid. However, we are concerned about the increasing number of deaths due to cardiac problems which we put down to lifestyle cholS and plan to encourage dietary changes and exercise regimes. GWS continued to help many of the bereaved families with the registration of the deaths and funeral arrangements. Repatriations of deceased Goans to their families in Goa resumed following the pandemic but much of these were self-funded by the family & friends of the deceased. We have been inforned by Southall Funeral servi that there were 45 repatriations in 2024 and the price for this service has been stable at around £2,900. 2b
GOAN WELFARE SOCIETY UK Trustees, Annual Report from 1 January 2024 to 31 Decembor 2024 We are most grateful to the Goan Chaplain in London. Fr Renato Andrade, who sUCeded Fr Patrick D'souza in 2024. We are also indebted to Fr Lucas Rodrigues, the Goan Chaplain in Swindon for his invaluable assistan. The Chaplains are extremely approachable and provide much-needed spiritual support to the Goan community. The new parish priest at St Anselrn's in Southall, Fr Felix D'silva, who succeeded Fr Jovito De Souza, has been a tremendous asset for the large number of Goans in the area and has continued to support the Youth Goan Association (Southall) under the lead of Mark Silva. The GWS has provided financial support to YGA with their projects and other activities. Other items of note are: Sadly, one of our long-standing welfare cases, Kenneth De Souza, whom we repatrialed to Goa in 2015, passed away suddenly and we offer our sinre condo[enS to his parents and family. Our work in assisling families with social and medical issues continues to increasing and, where necessary, we intervene on behalf of patients to ensure they re1ve timely care. We were instrumental in repatriating Shirley D'souza, a palliative care patient, back to her family in Goa, where she passed away three weeks later with her family around her. On the financial sne, we have assisted individuals with grants for essentials after they been made homeless and we support homeless Goans wishing to go back to Goa. Future Plans Membershi & Planned Givin Our membership at the end of 2024 was 228, which was an increase of 21 over the previous year equivalent to just over 10%. Our target remains to increase membership by at least 20 % per year. We would also like to double the number of donors in our Planned- Giving scheme so that our income from this source eXedS £2,000 l year. Buildin Relationshi We will continue to foster good relationships with the Indian High Commission, the Portuguese Consulate and other Organisations, in particular with the Goan Association (UK), in order that we can better serve the needs of the Community. We would like to record our sincere thanks to Rohan Renard for continuing to keep our website updated free-of-charge and to Carringlons Limited, ourAccountants, for their invaluable guidance on financial matters and for producing our Annual Accounts in line with the provisions of the Charity Commission. We would also like to note the tremendous help we receive from Peter Terry from Southall Funeral SeNice with the numerous repatriations during the year. Finally, we are indebted to Neil De MendonFa and Chloe De MendonF for their tremendous help and efforts in promoting the charity. The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees, report above. Signed on behalf of the Charity's Trustees.. Signature: Full name.. Flavio Gracias Posrtion: Chaimian of the Trustees Date.. 20th October 2025 2c
GOAN WELFARE SOCIETY UK Independent examinerfs report to tho trust•os of Goan Welfar• Society UK For the year ended 31 December 2024 I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the charty for the year ended 31 Dember 2024 which are set out on pages 4 and 5. Re8ponsibllltles and basis of report As the charity's trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act,). I report in respecl of my examination of the charty's accounts carried out under section 145 of Ihe Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5){b) of the Act. Independent •xamlner'8 Statement I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect: accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the 2. the accounts do not accord with those records. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination lo which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understsnding of the accounts to be reached. Anup Bhamm FCA Carringtons Limited Chartered Accountants & Statutory Auditors 6 Maple Grove Business Cenlre Lawrence Road Hounslow Middlesex TW4 6DR
GOAN WELFARE SOCIETY UK Receipts and Payments Accounts For the year ended 31 December 2024 Section A - Receipts and Payments Unrestricted Re8trfcted Endowment Funds Funds Funds Total Funds YE 31.12.23 Receipts Donations and legacies Bank interest Other 25,453 4.288 25,453 4,288 5,889 3,322 Sub Total (Gross Income for AR) 29,741 29.741 9,211 Assets and Investment sales Sub Totsl 29.741 29,741 9,211 Total R•c•ipts 29,741 29,741 9.211 Payments Charitable activities Donation Other 21.962 400 4.134 21,962 400 4,134 9,725 3,944 Sub Total Asset and Investment purchases 26,496 26,496 13,669 Total payments 26.496 26.496 13,669 Nèt of receiptsl(paymgnts) Transfers between funds Cash funds last year end 3,245 3,245 (4,458) 220,626 220,626 225,084 Cash funds this year end 223,871 223,871 220,626
GOAN WELFARE SOCIETY UK Receipts and Payments Accounts For the year ended 31 December 2024 Section 8 - Statement of Assots and Liabllitles at the End of the Period Categories Datalls Unrestrlcted Restrlcted Endowment Funds Funds Funds Cash funds Cash at bank - Current AC Cash at bank- Reserve AC 5,628 218,243 Total Cash Funds 223,871 Other monetary assets Funds to whlch asset belongs Cost Current Value Investment assets Assets retained for the charitVs own use Fund to whlch liablllty relates Amount Due Llabillties Signed on beh8lf of the Charity's Trustees: Flavio Gracias. Chaiman Paul De Mendonca, Treasurer Date