The annual general mee,ng of Friends of Gambia (NIC104757) was held on 28/11/2023. All persons who served as trustees on this date aIended the mee,ng.
In AIendance were:
Mrs Fiona Higgins
Mrs Diane Davison
Mr Harold McGrath
Mr David Higgins
Mr Philip Davison
No other persons served as trustees for the charity during the financial year 2022/2023. In accordance with charity commissions rules Mr Harold Mcgrath stood down as chairman and Mrs Diane Davison was elected chairperson. (Details to be updated on charity commission website)
At the mee,ng the work carried out by the charity for the financial year 2022/2023 was discussed. All trustees have had regard for the commission’s public benefit requirement statutory guidance.
The chari,es main work throughout the year was again child educa,on. 10 children currently have their school fees, uniforms and books paid for. These are all paid for via dona,ons given to the charity.
The main achievements of the year were:
- (A) 10 children whose parents can not afford to pay for their educa,on have received an educa,on which will hopefully stand not only them in good stead in later life but perhaps help the Gambian people as a whole.
The Chari,es financial report for 2022/2023 then presented to the trustees. It shows having paid school fees, uniforms books and costs associated with the container of goods. The charity received £4105 in dona,ons and outgoings of £3407. This is a profit of £700 and currently has £3725 in bank and in hand.
No funds held by the charity are in deficit.
No funds held by the charity as a custodian trustee.
The charity was founded by a cons,tu,on formally adopted at its inaugural mee,ng on 18/10/2007 which states ‘’ the associa,on is established to support any charitable project in the Gambia’’ and lists the main objec,ves as:
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(A) To advance educa,on by the provision of educa,on facili,es in the interests of social welfare for recrea,on or other leisure’s the occupa,on, which the object of improving the condi,ons of life for benificaries.
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(B) To relieve poverty and hunger in the area of benefit by any charitable means.
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(C) To promote the preserva,on of health of the people in the area of benefit by the provision of resources as determined necessary by the commiIee/trustees.
The charity is administered by trustees five in number.
The purpose of the charity as listed on the register of chari,es are:
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(1) To promote the preserva,on of health of the people of the Gambia West Africa.
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(2) To advance educa,on among children in the Gambia West Africa.
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(3) To relieve poverty and hunger for the people of West Africa.
Which are consistent with our cons,tu,on.
Trustees agreed that all was in order with our accounts and approved their publica,on (subject to them being approved by an independent examiner) and that all work carried out in the year stated fell in line with our cons,tu,on objects and charity register purposes.
The chari,es plans for the next financial year (ending April 2024) were discussed and it was agreed that clothing and medical supplies which have been donated by supporters of the charity should be sent to the Gambia and distributed on their arrival via air freight. The decision to send via air freight was based on the small amount of goods donated and the fact that normal sea shipping has become very expensive and cannot be depended on to arrive in a ,mely maIer due to ongoing problems with Banjul Port authori,es cranes.
Diane also reported that having inspected the borehole at Kotu. The drilling company thought it would be too expensive to repair and recommended star,ng again but wondered but due to the overuse and abuse at the site whether it would be sensible to go to such expense again. With the possibility of the same thing happening again. It was agreed by all present not to repair/ replace the Kotu borehole.
Diane suggested that as we had agreed not to do anything at Kotu borehole it might be more sensible to upgrade the borehole sited at Bansang to solar powered instead of hand pump with storage facili,es for the water, and agreed to price this upgrade when she next visits Gambia. This plan of ac,on was agreed by all in aIendance.
There being no other business the mee,ng ended.
Signed
Diane Davison