**Charity Commission No: 100329** **ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] AUGUST 2025** **FRIENDS OF AFRICA ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST AUGUST 2025 CHARITY INFORMATION** |**Board of Trustees**|| |---|---| ||Dearbhla McGuone| ||Ciaran McShane| ||Ryan O’Neill| |**Chair**|Grainne Kelly| |**Secretary**|John Toner| |**Registered Office**|Accidental Theatre Company| ||12-13 Shaftesbury Square| ||Belfast| ||County Antrim| ||BT2 7DB| |**Principal Bankers**|Danske Bank| ||PO Box 183| ||Donegall Square West| ||Belfast| ||BT1 6JS| |**Charity Commission Number**|100329| **FRIENDS OF AFRICA ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST AUGUST 2025 CONTENTS** ||**Page**| |---|---| |**Trustees’ Annual Report**|1| |**Independent Examiner’s Report**|3| |**Statement of Receipts and Payments**|4| |**Statement of Assets and Liabilities**|5| ## **FRIENDS OF AFRICA TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] AUGUST 2025**_ The Trustees’ present their report for the year ended 31[st] August 2025. ## **Objective and Activities** The objectives of Friends of Africa are: - Educate the beneficiaries (beneficiaries refers to young people in Africa and Ireland) in any charitable way, but in particular by creating opportunities for young people in Ireland to take part in voluntary work in Africa on projects that will benefit young people in Africa; - To assist the beneficiaries to help develop their physical, mental, and spiritual capacities so that they may develop to full maturity as individuals; - To provide assistance to our beneficiaries so that their conditions of life may be improved and by developing qualities in our beneficiaries through service to the community in Africa; - To promote racial harmony between young people in Ireland and Africa by promoting awareness of diverse issues, spirituality, and culture; - To assist in the advancement of community development programmes for people living in Africa, which will enhance their future opportunities and conditions of life; and - To support the means of voluntary work and financial assistance to various charitable projects for the prevention or relief of poverty, the advancement of education, and the preservation and protection of health in Africa. ## **Trustees** The following Trustees served during the year ended 31[st] August 2025: - Grainne Kelly - John Toner - Dearbhla McGuone - Colum Hegarty - Ryan O’Neill - Ciaran McShane ## **Achievements and Performance** During the year we launched our first Warm Welcome Programme, supporting new arrivals through learning, social activities, and community partnerships. Long-term volunteering resumed, with a volunteer spending six months in Tsholofelo and the Western Cape. Youth Work training returned in South Africa. Our GSP group completed a successful placement in the Western Cape and Tsholofelo. Throughout the year, we stood in solidarity against racism and injustice, continuing our advocacy at rallies across Belfast. Our members took on a series of major fundraising challenges, including the St Patrick’s Day 10k, the Belfast Marathon, and the demanding Causeway Coastal Marathon. We also launched our second Standing Order Appeal, which contributes sustainable annual income. 1 **|** P a g e ## **FRIENDS OF AFRICA TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] AUGUST 2025**_ Our membership is continuously growing and allows the organisation to keep moving forward and supporting people at home and in Africa. The board continues to meet regularly and deal with all the legal and statutory requirements for charities. The Trustees of Friends of Africa have complied with their duty to have due regard to the commission’s public benefit guidance when exercising any powers or duties to which the guidance is relevant. ## **Financial Review** Reserves are at a level to meet the working capital requirements of the charity. Neither during the year nor at the balance sheet date, was any fund in deficit. ## **Structure, Governance, and Management** The charity is governed by its constitution. Trustees are appointed as required, and in accordance with the constitution. ## **Responsibilities of the Trustees** The Trustees are responsible for maintaining proper accounting records which 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 applicable legislation. The Trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. Approved by the Trustees on 26[th] May 2026 and signed on their behalf by: …………………………… John Toner ## **Secretary** **2 |** P a g e ## **FRIENDS OF AFRICA INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES ON THE UNAUDITED FINANCIAL INFORMATION** I report on the accounts of Friends of Africa for the year ended 31[st] August 2025, which are set out on pages 4 to 5. ## **Respective responsibilities of charity trustees and examiner** As the charity trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008. It is my responsibility to: - examine the accounts under section 65 of the Charities Act; - follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland under section 65(9)(b) of the Charities Act; and - state whether particular matters have come to my attention. ## **Basis of independent examiner’s report** I have examined your charity accounts as required under section 65 of the Charities Act and our examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland under section 65(9)(b) of the Charities Act. My examination included a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also included consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as charity trustees concerning any such matters. My role is to state whether any material matters have come to our attention giving us cause to believe: 1. That accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 63 of the Charities Act; 2. That the accounts do not accord with those accounting records; 3. That the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act; and 4. That there is further information needed for a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. ## **Independent examiner’s qualified statement** I have completed my examination and have no concerns in respect of the matters (1) to (4) listed above and, in connection with following the Directions of the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, I have found no matters that require drawing to your attention. I can confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of Chartered Accountants Ireland, which is one of the listed bodies. ## **Richard Whan FCA** Chartered Accountant Date: 26[th] May 2026 3 **|** P a g e ## **FRIENDS OF AFRICA STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] AUGUST 2025**_ **----- Start of picture text -----**
Total Total
Unrestricted Restricted Funds Funds
Note Funds Funds 2025 2024
£ £ £ £
Income and endowments
from:
Donations and legacies 2,377 - 2,377 13,764
Charitable activities - 54,158 54,158 42,194
Other trading activities 10,888 - 10,888 45,120
Total 13,265 54,158 67,423 101,078
Expenditure on:
Raising funds 2,459 - 2,459 17,232
Charitable activities 1 10,806 88,486 99,292 66,637
Total 13,265 88,486 101,751 83,869
Net income / -
(34,328) (34,328) 17,210
(expenditure)
Transfers between funds (14,378) 14,378 - -
Net movements in funds (14,378) (19,950) (34,328) 17,210
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought
84,224 19,950 104,174 86,964
forward
Total funds carried
-
69,846 69,846 104,174
forward
**----- End of picture text -----**
4 **|** P a g e **FRIENDS OF AFRICA STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] AUGUST 2025**_ ||**31st August 2025**|**31st August 2024**| |---|---|---| ||**£**|**£**| |**Bank and cash balances**||| |Danske bank current|69,379|106,805| |AIB account|672|672| |Danske credit card|(205)|(204)| ||**69,846**|**107,273**| |**Liabilities**||| |Creditor balances|-|(3,099)| ||**-**|**(3,099)**| |**Net assets**|**69,846**|**104,174**| Approved by the trustees on 26[th] May 2026 and signed on their behalf by: …………………. ……………………… Grainne Kelly **Chair** John Toner **Secretary** 5 **|** P a g e **FRIENDS OF AFRICA NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] AUGUST 2025**_ ## **Note 1 – Expenditure on charitable activities** |_Direct costs_
Direct expenditure on projects
_Costs in support of charitable activities_
Staff costs
Insurance
Website costs
Telephone and internet
Training
Rent
Audit and accountancy fees
Software
Printing, postage, stationery
Bank fees
**Total expenditure on charitable**
**activities**|**Unrestricted**
**Funds 2025**
**Restricted**
**Funds 2025**
**Total**
**Funds**
**2025**
**Total**
**Funds**
**2024**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
-
58,498
58,498
28,735| |---|---| ||-
58,498
58,498
28,735| ||**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**2025**
**Restricted**
**Funds 2025**
**Total**
**Funds**
**2025**
**Total**
**Funds**
**2024**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
6,712
18,625
25,337
29,311
254
704
958
958
169
469
638
613
179
497
676
757
365
1,013
1,378
2,723
1,866
5,179
7,045
2,035
672
1,867
2,539
780
203
564
767
90
222
615
837
-
164
455
619
635| ||10,806
29,988
40,794
37,902| ||**10,806**
**88,486**
**99,292**
**66,637**| 6 **|** P a g e