Give Back (NI)
Trustees’ Annual Report
Year Ended 31 March 2024
The Trustees present their report and the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2024. The trustees have adopted the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) “Accounting and Reporting by Charities” (FRS 102) in preparing the annual report and financial statements of the charity.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in notes to the accounts and comply with the charity’s governing document, the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 and Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).
Structure, governance and management
The charity is a company limited by guarantee and was incorporated on 3 March 2017.
The trustees’, who are also directors for the purpose of company law, and who have served during the year and since the year end were:
Tanya McCuaig
Aisling Cartmill
Harlie Louise Cochrane
The company actively promotes a board of trustees which includes a range of skill, experience and knowledge in keeping with the pursuance of its Objects and to this end it is entitled to advertise and interview eligible candidates to be potential trustees of the board.
None of the trustees has any beneficial interest in the company. All of the trustees are members of the company and guarantee to contribute £1 in the event of a winding up.
New trustees are invited and encouraged to attend a series of short training sessions to familiarise themselves with the charity and the context within which it operates. These sessions cover the obligations of trustees, the main documents which set out the operational framework for the charity, resourcing and the current financial position and future plans and objectives. New trustees are also referred to the Charity Commission’s guide “The Essential Trustee”.
The Trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate exposure to the major risks.
Objectives and activities
Give Back (NI) is committed to providing a training academy which provides a supported employment training program, working with individuals and groups suffering from and dealing with social and economic disadvantage and social exclusion. This could be due to a health or mental barrier preventing them from accessing and sustaining work. It will provide help to those in need by reason of youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage.
The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the charity should undertake.
Achievements
Building on the success of our program for unemployed adults, we have also reached out to youth, which has proven to be very effective. We are currently pilot-testing a program designed to support and empower young people to take control of their mental well-being. This initiative is being implemented in secondary schools as a personal development program aimed at empowering students.
The focus is on delivering training within secondary education, specifically targeting students aged 11 to 16 years old.
Financial review (including reserves policy)
The accounts have been prepared for the year ended 31 March 2024. The results are set out on page 8 of the financial statements. The charity had recorded a net surplus of £215 for the year.
It is the policy of the charity that unrestricted funds which have not been designated for a specific use should be maintained at a level equivalent to between three and six months expenditure. The trustees consider that reserves at this level will ensure that, in the event of a significant drop in funding, they will be able to continue the charity’s current activities while consideration is given to ways in which additional funds may be raised.
Risk Identification and Management
The Board of Trustees has assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed, in particular they have highlighted those related to the short-term revenue funding leading to insecurity. This is a risk faced by most voluntary and community organisations. The board proactively work towards self-sustainability by developing the income generating services and facilities provided within the new premises. The Board are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate exposure to the major risks.
Compliance with Public Benefit
The company 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 the charity’s objectives and activities, as well as providing public benefit.
Trustees’ responsibilities
The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Report and the accounts in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company law requires the trustees to prepare accounts for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that year.
In preparing these accounts, the trustees are required to:
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select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
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observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
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make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures
disclosed and explained in the accounts; and
*prepare the accounts on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will
continue in operation.
The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the accounts comply with the Companies Act
- They 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.
On behalf of the board of trustees
Tanya McCuaig
Trustee
Dated: