2019-12-31-annual-report

NORTHERN IRELAND INTER-FAITH FORUM

Trustees’ Annual report and Statements of Receipts and Payments and Assets and Liabilities

For the year ended 31 December 2019

Charities Number: NIC101337

NORTHERN IRELAND INTER-FAITH FORUM Annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2019

Contents

	Pages
Reference and administrative details of the Charity	1
Trustees’ report	2 - 3
Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees	4
Receipts and payments account	5
Statement of assets and liabilities	6
Notes to the financial statements	7

NORTHERN IRELAND INTER-FAITH FORUM Year ended 31 December 2019

Reference and administrative details

Charity Name: Northern Ireland Inter-Faith Forum Charity Registration Number: NIC101337 Contact Address: c/o Clonard Monastery 1 Clonard Gardens Belfast BT13 2RL

Trustees

Mr Edward Petersen (Chairperson), Mr Edwin Graham (Treasurer), Dr Wasif Naeem (Secretary), Dr Norman Richardson (Membership Secretary), Mr Raj Puri, Mrs Iulia Picu-Iwaisi, Mr Terry McKenna, Mr Jim Scott, Dr Gasser Abdelal, Ms Victoria Heslop, Mr Boyd Sleator.

Principal Office-bearers

Honorary President: Rev Maurice Ryan Chairperson: Mr Edward Petersen Vice-Chairperson: (position vacant) Honorary Treasurer: Mr Edwin Graham Honorary Secretary: Dr Wasif Naeem

Independent Examiner

CG Taggart Accountancy Services Chartered Accountants and Registered Auditor 49 Ashcroft Way Lower Ballinderry Lisburn Co Antrim BT28 2AY

Bankers

First Trust Bank 4-8 Market Street Lurgan Co Armagh BT66 6AQ

1

NORTHERN IRELAND INTER-FAITH FORUM Trustees’ Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2019

The trustees present the annual report and statements of Receipts and Payments and Assets and Liabilities for the Northern Ireland Inter-Faith Forum for the year ended 31 December 2019.

Objectives and Activities

The charitable purpose of the Northern Ireland Inter-Faith Forum is to provide a forum for the Bahá'í, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh Faiths to dialogue with one another on matters of religious, national and civic importance; and to support a wider inter-faith dialogue with other religious and belief groups as appropriate

The principal functions of the Northern Ireland Inter-Faith Forum are to represent those faith and belief communities when advising or collaborating with other organisations on matters relating to faith matters in Northern Ireland; to advise Government and other appropriate organisations or bodies on faith matters in Northern Ireland; to encourage and facilitate education and training in matters relating to faith diversity in Northern Ireland; and to organize and promote inter-faith activities and events in Northern Ireland.

Achievements, Performance & Public Benefit

The Northern Ireland Inter-Faith Forum through its activities during the calendar year of 2019 has continued to increase its activity in supporting inter-faith dialogue between faith communities and with other public bodies. The executive committee meets on a regular basis, usually at the Belfast Islamic Centre where the current Forum Secretary is based. A range of public meetings during the year highlighted relationships between faith communities and issues such as faith responses to the climate crisis and the challenges of hate crime. The Forum was engaged in the UK-wide Inter Faith Week programme and continued to develop its relationship with the UK Inter Faith Network and other interfaith bodies in the UK and Ireland. The Forum also maintains strong links with the local Remembering Srebrenica movement.

These activities implement our charitable purposes and provide public benefit.

Financial Review, including Reserves Policy

The Northern Ireland Inter-Faith Forum suffered deficits in both 2018 and 2019 and its bank balance at 31 December 2019 stands at £113. Unrestricted funds amounted to £(103) (2018: £235). All income is available for general purposes.

The trustees plan to build up their reserves by increasing income and reducing costs.

Going Concern

The main costs of the Northern Ireland Inter-Faith Forum are normally venue and catering costs associated with meetings. These costs have fallen dramatically in 2020, with the current pandemic having resulted in meetings being held virtually, an arrangement which is set to continue for some time.

An appeal for members to renew their subscriptions has just been launched and the trustees are confident that this will boost income in 2020.

As a result, the trustees are satisfied that there are adequate funds in place to ensure that the Northern Ireland Inter-Faith Forum can continue its activities for a period of at least 12 months from the date of approval and the financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2019 can be signed off as a going concern.

Structure, Governance and Management

Governing Document and Constitution of the Charity

The Constitution of the Northern Ireland Inter-Faith Forum was last revised and approved at an Extraordinary General Meeting on 24[th] April 2013 and has not been amended since then. In its present form it remains appropriate for the current purposes, structure and activities of the Forum.

2

NORTHERN IRELAND INTER-FAITH FORUM Trustees’ Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2019 (continued)

Recruitment and Appointment of Trustees

Trustees of the Northern Ireland Inter-Faith Forum are drawn from the Executive Committee. Members of the Forum have the opportunity each year at the Annual General Meeting to stand for election to the Executive, and most members of the committee opt to serve as Trustees for the period of their membership.

Organisational Structure

The Executive Committee meets on average once every four to six weeks to manage the business of the Forum and to organise meetings for members. Meetings are notified to members and the wider public via a Google Groups email system, via a Facebook group and also via the Forum website; the latter, however, is currently undergoing a major review and update. Members make a small administration donation to the Forum in order to cover the costs of hiring venues, speakers’ expenses, light refreshments and similar ongoing costs.

Meetings are normally held in the Belfast area in publicly accessible buildings, varying according to the nature of each meeting.

Compliance with Public Benefit

The Northern Ireland Inter-Faith Forum has given careful consideration to the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland’s guidance on public benefit to ensure that the activities entered into during the year have helped to achieve its purpose and objectives, as well as providing public benefit.

Statement of Trustees' Responsibilities

The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Report and the statement of receipts and payments and statement of assets and liabilities in accordance with applicable law and regulations.

The law applicable to charities in Northern Ireland with income of less than £250,000 requires the trustees to prepare a statement of receipts and payments and a statement of assets and liabilities for each financial year.

The trustees are responsible for keeping accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charity’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the assets and liabilities of the Northern Ireland Inter-Faith Forum. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Northern Ireland Inter-Faith Forum and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Signed on Behalf of the Trustees

Norman Richardson

Edwin Graham

Date October 2020

3

Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of NORTHERN IRELAND INTER-FAITH FORUM

I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 December 2019 which are set out on pages 5 to 7.

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

As the charity’s trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with 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 my 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 my attention giving me 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; or

4. That there is further information needed for a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Independent examiner's statement

I have completed my examination and have no concerns in respect of the matters (1) to (3) listed above.

In respect of matter (4) above, I would draw your attention to that section of the Trustees’ Annual Report dealing with Going Concern which explains that whilst deficits and the bank balance indicate that an uncertainty exists that may cast doubt on the ability of the Northern Ireland Inter-Faith Forum to continue as a going concern, the trustees are optimistic that significantly reduced costs in both 2020 and on into the future, coupled with increased subscription revenues, will help secure that continuation for a period of at least twelve months from the date of approval of these financial statements.

In connection with following the Directions of the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, I have found no matters that require drawing to your attention.

Grace Taggart FCA CG Taggart Accountancy Services Chartered Accountants and Registered Auditors

49 Ashcroft Way Lower Ballinderry Lisburn BT28 2AY

Date

4

NORTHERN IRELAND INTER-FAITH FORUM

Receipts and Payments Account for the year ended 31 December 2019

			Unrestricted	Restricted
			Funds	Funds	Total	Total
		Note	2019	2018	2019	2018
			£	£	£	£
Receipts
Members’ subscriptions			190	-	190	295
	Total Receipts		190	-	190	295
Payments
Venue costs			536	-	536	690
Travel			-	-	-	186
Insurance			100	-	100	-
Bank fees			27	-	27	28
Subscriptions			200	-	200	-
Office equipment			7	-	7	-
	Total Payments		870	-	870	904
Excess of Payments over Receipts for the	Excess of Payments over Receipts for the		(680)	-	(680)	(609)
year
Opening cash balance			793	-	793	1,402
Closing Cash Balance			113	-	113	793

Approved by the trustees on

and signed on their behalf by:

Norman Richardson

Edwin Graham

5

NORTHERN IRELAND INTER-FAITH FORUM Statement of Assets and Liabilities as at 31 December 2019

	Note	Unrestricted	Restricted	Endowment
		Funds	Funds	Funds	Total	Total
		2019	2019	2019	2019	2018
		£	£	£	£	£
Cash Funds
Current Accounts		113	-	-	113	793
Total Cash Funds		113	-	-	113	793
Creditors and accruals		216	-	-	216	558
Total Funds		(103)	-	-	(103)	235

Approved by the trustees on

and signed on their behalf by:

Norman Richardson

Edwin Graham

6

NORTHERN IRELAND INTER-FAITH FORUM Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2019

1. Accounting policies

Set out below are the principal accounting policies which have been adopted in the compilation of the Receipts and Payments Account and the Statement of Assets and Liabilities

(a) Receipts and Payments Account

All items of income and expenditure included within the Receipts and Payments Account have been accounted for on a cash receipts basis.

2. Transactions with Trustees

Travel expenses of £nil (2018: £186) were paid to Dr Norman Richardson during the year. Dr Richardson is a trustee of the Northern Ireland Inter-Faith Forum.

7

Certificate Of Completion

Envelope Id: 5A62606A9DBD443190EBBEDCAA14DEB1 Subject: 2019 Draft Trustees' Annual Report.docx Source Envelope: Document Pages: 10 Signatures: 3 Certificate Pages: 1 Initials: 0 AutoNav: Enabled EnvelopeId Stamping: Disabled Time Zone: (UTC-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada)

Status: Completed

Envelope Originator: Edwin Graham [e-mail] IP Address: 64.207.219.71

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