Charlene's Project TRUSTEES' REPORT
for the financial year ended 31 August 2025
The trustees present their Trustees' Report and the unaudited financial statements for the financial year ended 31 August 2025.
The financial statements are prepared in accordance with the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008, FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland" and Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their financial statements in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).
The Trustees’ Report contains the information required to be provided in the Trustees' Annual Report under the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) guidelines. The trustees of the company are also charity trustees for the purpose of charity law and under the company's constitution are known as members of the board of trustees.
In this report the trustees of Charlene's Project present a summary of its purpose, governance, activities, achievements and finances for the financial year 31 August 2025. The company is a registered charity and hence the report and results are presented in a form which complies with the requirements of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 and, although not obliged to comply with the Statement of Recommended Practice (Charities SORP effective January 2015), the organisation has implemented_ its recommendations where relevant in these financial statements.
Mission, Objectives and Strategy
Objectives
We continue to aim to inspire and motivate people here in NI and further afield to make a difference in the lives of children and their families in Uganda.... just as Charlene set out to do when she first founded the project This is done through provision of education, sport and health promotion programs, the provision of clean water, humanitarian distribution, and assistance of any kind that will help the communities we are involved with in Uganda to become healthier, more self-sufficient and better educated communities.
Charlene’s Project was established in September 2009 by Charlene Barr, a teenager with failing health due to terminal cystic fibrosis. When Charlene became too ill to continue school, she decided to start fundraising to build a school in Uganda. Her enthusiasm, despite her poor health, motivated young and old right across Northern Ireland to support her efforts to build Hidden Treasure School in Mayo District, Kampala, Uganda. Charlene died in October 2010 but not before she achieved her fund-raising target and established Charlene’s Project as a Charity.
The main objectives of the Charity are the relief of poverty, hardship and distress, and the advancement of education for children in Uganda and beyond. The charity will aim to provide school and educational facilities, accommodation, staff to provide care and education, and financial and ongoing material support.
The continuing aims and objectives of the Charity will be to continue to tell Charlene’s story and journey to inspire the people in Northern Ireland, Uganda and beyond.
The information that follows is a snapshot of the progress and success of the charity over the last twelve months, which we trust will both encourage and inspire you as you see how Charlene’s vision continues to be fulfilled.
Structure, Governance and Management
Structure
The organisation is governed by its Trustees. All new Trustees go through an induction and training process and are appointed as and when required and based on their skills and experience. The Trustees do not retire on an annual basis.
The Trustees meet on a regular basis throughout the year to manage and control all aspects of the charity and also conduct regular risk assessments of the various operational risks impacting the charity and its projects at home and abroad.
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for the financial year ended 31 August 2025
Charlene's Project TRUSTEES' REPORT
Review of Achievements and Performance
INTRODUCTION
This past financial year has been one where we have been able to focus mainly on the work in Charlene Secondary School and the surrounding 8 primary schools. Phase 2 of Charlene Secondary School has commenced to allow for the school to increase its capacity and teach up to A Level. Several visits to Uganda have allowed for teacher training, community building and pastor training to occur. Charlene’s Project continues to serve the local Ugandan community through Charlene Education Foundation, empowering them to take forward themselves the vision of improving access to and quality of education and health services in their communities. Thanks to the support of people here, this past financial year saw the final cohort of sponsored children through Youth Sport Uganda complete their secondary education, which is a massive accomplishment for these young women who have hada difficult start to life. None of the work that we are able to do in Uganda would be possible without the financial and prayerful support of people here, and most importantly without the efforts of the community in Uganda and the Trustees of Charlene Education Foundation (CEF).
CHARLENE SECONDARY SCHOOL
Phase 1 of the building of Charlene Secondary School was completed in January 2023 ready for the first full intake of pupils at the beginning of the school year in February 2023. Phase | of the Secondary School build included 1 classroom block, 2 laboratories, teacher accommodation to house 4 teachers, a girl’s and a boy’s dormitory and shower block, kitchen and dining hall, school latrines, and resources such as lab equipment, laptops and desks.
Building work for the secondary school was always planned in two phases. The plan was that this would allow the school to begin to function with the second phase of building following soon after as numbers and classes in the school increased. This financial year substantial work was completed or started on Phase II including, staff and girls’ latrines, solar power and equipment for the dormitories as well as fittings and beds for the dormitories for students to sleep in. Additionally, the fence surrounding the school was completed, and a second boys dormitory was started as well as the A Level and Administration Block. There are a few remaining buildings to be completed and then Charlene Secondary School will be fully functional and operational. This is extremely encouraging and transformational in this community as more children will have the opportunity to attend and complete secondary school as a result.
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Entrance to Charlene Secondary School Fence around school compound
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Completed Girls Dormitory New Girls Latrines
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Charlene's Project TRUSTEES' REPORT
for the financial year ended 31 August 2025
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Boys Dormitory nearing completion Work started on A Level Block
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Connections between pupils in Uganda and pupils in Northern Ireland have continued to occur as well as training via zoom with teachers and pastors in Uganda and teachers/pastors here. This has been enabled due to good internet connections as well as laptops and technology at the school. This is a great tool to allow continuous learning and awareness of pupils here of the needs of those across the world.
SELF-SUSTAINABILITY AND TEACHER TRAINING
Once all the buildings are in place, the long-term vision for Charlene Secondary School has always been selfsustainability. This has included ensuring a well-balanced and experienced Board of Governors at Charlene Secondary, working alongside the Trustees of Charlene Education Foundation and Charlene’s Project. In the April visit to Uganda it was extremely beneficial and encouraging to be able to carry out training of Charlene Education Foundation Trustees as part of this overall long-term goal.
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Charlene's Project TRUSTEES' REPORT
for the financial year ended 31 August 2025
MASINDI CLUSTER PRIMARY SCHOOLS
We continue to be committed to the 8 local primary schools around Charlene Secondary School that we affectionately call the Kiryandongo Cluster. There continues to be so many needs in each of these schools. Being a small organisation, we are unable to meet all of these needs; however, this past financial year we have been able to focus some finances, resources and time on teacher training in each of these primary schools to help support the teachers and management who are doing an amazing job in very difficult situations. This has involved visits from individuals in Northern Ireland in November and April to carry out management training with Headteachers and training with teachers. Additionally, we have started to partner with Red Earth, a Ugandan NGO, who are carrying out literacy training with teachers in each of the 8 primary schools to improve outcomes for students in early years to help improve outcomes in upper primary and secondary school, as well as retainment of students. Additionally, IT training was also provided for the Headteachers in the 8 cluster primary schools in the use of laptops to help improve collaboration between the primary schools and improve outcomes from the literacy training.
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Low-cost resources being demonstrated
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Primary Head Teacher training
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Charlene's Project TRUSTEES' REPORT
for the financial year ended 31 August 2025
Additionally, other extra-curricular projects have occurred between the cluster primary schools including a ‘Premier League’ boys and girls football competition, debating competitions, and collaboration on school community gardens to help improve relations between the schools and encourage mutual and shared learning. Finally, in addition to providing deckers (bunk beds) at Charlene Secondary School, we were able to fund deckers for the dormitory at Kahara Primary School so children had a bed to sleep on, where previously they had been sleeping on concrete floors.
SPONSORSHIP
We are so thankful for those who sponsor children in Destiny Christian High School, Kahara Primary and Youth Sport Uganda. Some of these children are now moving into employment or tertiary level courses. All of the sponsored young women through Youth Sport Uganda have now completed their secondary education, which is a massive accomplishment for them and will help them and their families due to greater opportunities as a result of completing their A Levels. None of this would have been possible without the help of their sponsors. The long-term vision is that as Charlene Secondary School becomes established in the community, more children will be able to attend there, reducing the need for scholarships that have been used in the past to enable young people to receive a secondary education.
DIIKA HEALTH CENTRE
We still connect with and work alongside staff at Diika Health Centre to ensure good medical care and provision for the local communities and the surrounding primary schools; for example ensuring equipment is up to date and running well. The new maternity ward is up and running thanks to the support of a church partner here in Northern Ireland. This is and will continue to make a massive difference in the lives of women and their babies in this community. Charlene’s Project has been supporting Diika Health Centre now for the last seven years in areas of Health Systems strengthening, specifically, improving efficiency in administration and supply chain management in addition to supplementing government efforts on drug supplies. The completion of a stand-alone maternity block constructed by Charlene’s Project, gives more hope for the much-anticipated upgrade of the facility to Health Centre 3. In order to achieve this, there is a need to continue supporting the facility to close the funding gap (Government still supplies the facility as level 2 while the facility operates functionally at level 3). This will help the management of the facility to sustain the needs of the community and support the numbers attending for both deliveries and other medical needs.
We will continue to work closely with local government officials to see Diika upgraded to a Level 3 Heatlh Centre so that it can receive more staffing, funding and resources to function at an ever greater capacity.
Diika Health Centre Maternity
Babies born who have received knitted clothes
WORK WITH LOCAL PASTORS
In April, two retired ministers from Northern Ireland travelled as part of a small group to Uganda and carried out intensive 3 day training in Kiryandongo and Luwero for local Pastors. The first training was carried out at Destiny Christian High School in Luwero where around 100 Pastors attended for the 3 day training. In Kiryandongo, 57 Pastors attended the training. This was extremely beneficial for a group who have not received much in the way of formal training or theological education previously. These Pastors have a huge influence in their communities and have the capacity to impact their communities for the better; therefore, it was encouraging to be able to teach and challenge them on the role of leadership and how to serve their local congregations.
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Charlene's Project
TRUSTEES' REPORT
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for the financial year ended 31 August 2025
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Delegates at Pastors Conference Church leaders with their attendance certificate
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EMERGENCY NEEDS
We do keep a small budget for emergency needs. In the last year we have been able to help with medical costs and school emergencies out of[this][fund.][We][have][lost][dear][friends][and][have][been][reminded][often][that][ we][take][for] granted many things here — NHS, free education and ambulance service in emergencies. We continue to pray for a fairer world for all.
CONCLUSION
This was a busy year at Charlene’s Project with two extremely beneficial visits to Uganda in November and April. Each time we visit Uganda we are reminded that the biggest asset we have is the relationships we have formed with the people and communities we work with. It was encouraging to have time to work alongside the Trustees of CEF, Headteachers and staff at each of the 8 cluster primary schools and Charlene Secondary, as well as Pastors in the local communities. Phase II at Charlene Secondary School is now well underway and work has commenced with the 8 cluster primary schools alongside Red Earth to improve literacy provision in these communities. Thank you so much to all who have made the work of this past year and the vision of a secondary school and improved healthcare access in this community possible through their prayers and their financial support. We are so thankful to God for all the work that is going on in Uganda, and we are grateful to be able to do the small bit that we can as we work alongside our Ugandan partners.
Financial Review
The Trustees are once again very humbled and thankful for the support Charlene’s Project continues to receive and the 2025 year has been no exception:
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- Income of £213,796 has been introduced
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Expenditure of £197,264 has been incurred during this current financial year
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Expenditure continues to be spent directly on project costs
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Surplus of £16,532 (Note 14) as anticipated has been reported for the year
The Trustees are very satisfied with the financial results for the year and aim to continue to build on Charlene’s legacy.
Results and Dividends
At the end of the financial year the company has assets of £133,896 (2024 - £140,472) and liabilities of £600 (2024 - £23,708). The net assets of the company have increased by £16,532.
Reserves Position and Policy
The Trustees continue to monitor and update the reserves policy in order to establish the level of reserves that are required to continue to provide support and investment into all the projects for the next twelve months. Separately designated funds have been set up and are detailed in the notes to the Accounts.
Compliance with Sector-Wide Legislation and Standards The company engages pro-actively with legislation, standards and codes which are developed for the sector. Charlene's Project subscribes to and is compliant with the following: - The Charities SORP (FRS 102)
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Charlene's Project TRUSTEES' REPORT
for the financial year ended 31 August 2025
Going Concern
The trustees have reviewed the budgets for the year ahead and are satisfied that there are adequate funds in place to ensure that the charity can continue its activities and the current year financial statements have been prepared ona going concern.
Public Benefit
The Charity has given careful consideration to the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland’s guidance on public benefit to ensure that the actives entered into during the year have helped to achieve the organisation's objectives and activities, as well as providing public benefit. ‘
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Approved by the Board of Trustees on 3 March 2026 and signed on its behalf by: fi] \ A) eh i\ \ Michal WY Richard Barr ‘ Trustee
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Charlene's Project STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES
for the financial year ended 31 August 2025
The trustees are responsible for preparing the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.
The law applicable to charities in Northern Ireland requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities and financial position of the company as at the financial year end date and of the surplus or deficit of the company and otherwise comply with the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008.
In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
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select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently;
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- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP; ‘
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make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent,
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state whether the financial statements have been prepared in accordance with applicable accounting standards, identify those standards, and note the effect and the reasons for any material departure from those standards, and
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- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in operation.
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The trustees confirm that they have complied with the above requirements in preparing the financial statements.
The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the company's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Approved by the Board of Trustees on 3 March 2026 and signed on its behalf by:
A Kiehar, VTS Richard Barr 2
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