GOUK Trustees Annual Report for Financial Year 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023
Company registered number: NI036107
Charity registered number: XR32472
Charity Commission NI number: 101920
1. The Purpose of the Charity
1.1 Purpose: The Advancement of Religion
Per the Company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association, the Charity’s objectives are for the advancement of the Christian faith (religion) and in pursuance of this objective it may:
(i) Spread the gospel of Jesus Christ at home and abroad in word and in deed;
(ii) Engage in religious preaching, teaching, crusading, ministering, counselling, witnessing, missions (domestic and foreign) and soulwinning for the Lord Jesus Christ.
(iii) Operate in an evangelistic manner to support local churches and various religious youth activities, and where possible to assist in support for worthy benevolent humanitarian projects.
1.2 Purpose: Benefit to the Public
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Provision of training to ministers of the religion.
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Spreading the principles of the religion.
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Raising awareness and understanding of the religion’s beliefs and practices.
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Carrying out missionary and outreach work.
1.3 Purpose: Intended Beneficiaries
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The general public i.e. anyone and everyone.
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By any and all means possible, for example, radio, videos, internet and public meetings.
1.4 Purpose: Benefits of the Charity
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To help others at their point of need, for example, food.
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To contribute to the mental health and wellbeing of others, for example, counselling.
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To provide relief to those in need, for example, medical supplies.
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To promote and maintain beliefs in the region.
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To attract new followers in same beliefs as the region.
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To establish and support the establishment of new churches in the region.
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To support the maintenance of existing churches in the region
1.5 Purpose: Benefit for the Public
- The charity’s benefits are all, the general public, anyone and everyone.
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- The adoption of a moral framework which encourages people to be good citizens.
1.6 Purpose: To be beneficial, not harmful
- To demonstrate respect, caring, kindness and compassion to everyone at all times including those who do not share the same region.
1.7 Purpose: Incidental Private Benefit
- Any private benefit to be incidental in nature.
2. Public Benefit Report
This reporting period is for 1[st] April 2022 to 31[st] Mar 2023, for the most part distanced us from most all of the COVID-19 constraints. During this period the team standing with GOUKL continue to do our normal work while being ever wary of ever lurking newer strains.
During the COVID years almost every angle of GOUKL fundraising was challenged, with serious repercussions in most divisions. Not the least of which was the annual fundraising banquet for each of those COVID years – this needs to be re-structured to re-commenced. The loss of this annual boost to all facets of ministry is far reaching, affecting constraints at every turn of domestic or overseas endeavour. An ever-resourceful team have continued to minister within the scope of their skillset.
As funding permits here in the UK, we are able to fund some of our overseas project. These are from some small feeding project in a far-flung rural village to a small training seminar somewhere on health and wellness.
The national worker is so innovative at times, we are excited to work through their idea give a small project fund package, and encourage them with, for instance, a sewing machine. If they have no material, our funding enables them to buy fabric, make and sell it item for a small profit. This is most encouraging for them and can be the beginning of a micro business for a previously un-employed person. This can be multiplied so other machines may be added.
The concept can be developed on other levels also; for example, a small plot of ground rented by the national with our help, then a few seeds and the locals care and in a few weeks’ time a few vegetables’ can remarketed for a small profit.
Requiring a little more financial help and a little more training, a small plot of land can be rented (with our assistance) a small animal, a few laying hens, ducks, a couple of goats or pigs and in a short time the national is overjoyed to have a tiny ‘micromanaged’ project with a tiny profit margin. The self-worth experienced for these individuals is beyond telling. A project of this nature has been introduced in Uganda by one of our team and is showing interesting results.
As we continue to slowly recover financially after the COVID-19 debacle, the ministry can, with trepidation continue to explore and develop in small ways, the above tiny projects, managed by the national, but in partnership with this ministry. The possibilities are endless and exciting for them and us. Training and leadership continue to be two important pillars that we continue to build on.
2.2 Summary of achievements and outcomes during the year
Our UK team has given leadership ministry to foreign countries for forty years. In recent years we have worked in fewer countries, but at the outset many other countries were laboured in. The growth and development we see in the national worker continues to reward us beyond expectation.
With the quantum leap taken by technology in recent decades and years helps us track with the national in ministry and skill-set ways. Zoom alone, not to mention so many other platforms and services is enabling us to explore exceptional leads and project that the national may readily train for and explore his opportunities. From my office, in whatever country I happen to be in Zoom opens a world of audio/visual communication un-heard of a few years ago.
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For example, with Zoom, recently I lectured from my office here, to an Asian country. Several hundred were in the auditorium, with two simultaneous interpreter’s, that venue re broadcast to two other auditorium’s each with several hundred people. From that site, twelve smaller study groups each with ten or more smaller groups also tuned in. In total from my office the team was able to teach at least 1,200-1,500 students, all understanding three languages. This was accomplished with the minimum of cost or effort.
2.3 Summary of benefits and impact made during the year.
With the passing of each year we in leadership look back on earlier years with guarded delight. In the beginning we used our best skills, we worked with the raw material we had and were delighted to have just a few who allowed us to pour into them of our own, then, limited skills and resources.
Little by little, over many years, the team, as we ourselves have grown, we have watched with delight as each new person has joined the team in one of our overseas ‘ports of call’, so to speak! Year on Year, decade on decade we review past years, mostly with delight but sometimes with a twinge of anxiety as we spot areas that need a slight ‘tweaking’.
Probably no better way to summarize than to relate the following: As each year’s efforts build on the former, we now see solidarity with the national team. Years of working together has developed skills with real confidence.
On the occasion that we visit a country, they have a national luncheon to celebrate our being there. On one occasion they invited their spouses and children, even adult children. Many of these adult children had university degrees, some with theological, business and music degrees to supplement the work the father was doing.
When visiting one assembly of people, the pastor asked, how many people in the audience responded to making life changing decisions when I lectured there about thirty six years ago, and sixteen people stood to their feet attesting to this being their home assembly, beginning that day.
Going to these countries now, after forty years of working with them (GOUKL has been around since 2001) it’s easy to summarise showing hard work, and persistence produces satisfactory long-term legacy.
The continuing substantial progress in so many individual lives, now for us with a legacy spanning four decades, and having touched lives for the greater good in every way and is only possible as this charity (GOUKL) has shed blood sweat and tears in good times and not so good, to honour our commitments to our ‘vital people projects’ overseas.
2.4 Mitigation of harm flowing from activities
It is the charities assessment that there is no possibility of harm to anyone flowing from the purposes of the charity and its activities carried out during the year.
2.4 Private benefit
It is the charities assessment that no private benefit was received by anyone who was not an intended beneficiary of the charity.
3. Charity commissions compliance statement
In setting our objectives and planning our activities for the year the directors/trustees have given careful consideration to the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland’s guidance on public benefit to ensure that the activities have helped to achieve the charity’s purposes and provide a benefit to the beneficiaries
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