McConnell International Foundation Scottish Charity No SC043201 Annual Report of the Trustees & Financial Statements For the year ended 30 June 2025
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Annual Report of the Trustees
For the year ended 30 June 2025
The Trustees have pleasure in presenting their report together with the financial statements and the independent examiner’s report for the year ended 30 June 2025.
Reference & Administrative Information
Charity Name
McConnell International Foundation Charity No SC043201
Registered address
Current Trustees
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Structure Governance & Management
Constitution
The Charity is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO). It is governed by its constitution which was approved by the Trustees on 19 March 2012. The Foundation was granted charitable status by OSCR on 7 June 2012.
Appointment of Trustees
The charity’s Trustees are the only members of the SCIO and form the Board. They meet approximately four times per year as required. Trustees are appointed by the Board and serve a term of up to three years. They are eligible for further terms of reappointment at the Board’s discretion. The constitution requires there to be a minimum of 3 and not more than 12 Trustees.
Management
The Board of Trustees is responsible for the strategic direction and governance of the Foundation. During the period covered by this report there were no paid members of staff directly employed by the SCIO. Payments were made to third parties as contractors to help deliver the charity’s activities.
Objectives & Activities
Charitable purposes
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The Foundation exists to support the:
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prevention or relief of poverty,
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advancement of education,
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advancement of citizenship or community development,
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advancement of human rights, conflict resolution or reconciliation,
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relief of those in need by reason of age, ill health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage
Objects
The Foundation has been established for charitable purposes only and its objects are, to:
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establish and facilitate innovative and collaborative partnerships to build capacity in post-conflict and developing countries, with the aim of relieving poverty and promoting peace
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advance the education and training of children and young people in postconflict and developing countries
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educate individuals about the issues facing individuals in post-conflict and developing countries
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advance community development
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advance human rights, conflict resolution and reconciliation
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relieve those in need by reason of age, ill health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage.
Our activities
The Foundation makes grants, donations, loans, gifts or pensions to individuals and organisations to enable it to meet its purposes. It can also carry out activities or services itself.
Achievements & Performance
Trustees continue to discuss and plan the future development of the Foundation, while overseeing and approving ongoing activities.
The Foundation continues to fund a programme of scholarships in Malawi targeted towards vulnerable teenage girls who are likely to fail to complete their school years as a result of economic and social pressures. The MIF Keep Girls in School scholarship scheme began in 2022, expanded in 2023 and was maintained for another year through 2024-25
The scholarships now support 200 girls in 8 Community Day Secondary Schools in rural Malawi to attend school. Following evidence of successful impact, Trustees agreed plans to replenish the pupil numbers each year with the objective of maintaining numbers and successfully complete four years of secondary education for each girl.
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The Foundation has contracted the Women’s Legal Resource Centre (WOLREC), an NGO in Malawi, to organise the scholarships and appropriate payments. The Foundation continued to receive funding from Keep a Child Alive and other donors to match fund the funds raised by individual supporters of this programme throughout the year.
Financial Review
For the year ended 30 June 2025, the Foundation has raised or generated £42,364.
The two largest donations were both for the Keep Girls in School (KGIS) initiative in Malawi: £10,000 from the Postcode Lottery Charitable Trust; and £10,051 from Keep a Child Alive (KCA). It is intended that over time this income will be matched with expenditure as it is incurred. Any excess of income over expenditure in this respect is due to timing. Other material income has come via donations from the Chair of £3,500 and from Susan Dalgety (£1,006).
Of the total income £37,405 is classified as restricted and, in this case, is only to be used for the Malawi projects. The balance of £4,958 is unrestricted income and may be used on the general running of the Foundation.
Expenditure to 30 June 2025 totaled £39,359.
Expenditure on projects in Malawi totalled £35,606 the biggest single item of which was £29,298 paid to WOLREC in respect of the KGIS initiative. Payments totalling £6,309 were made in respect of project management, fundraising, monitoring and evaluation of KGIS in accordance with arrangements approved by the Trustee Board. A donation of £500 was made to UNICEF.
In this financial year 2024-25, income exceeded payments by £3,005 and the Foundation had a healthy reserve balance of £41,673 on 30 June 2025.
Reserves Policy
The Trustees’ policy is to maintain reserves in order to meet future commitments and to cover any unexpected expenditure. Reserves at the end of the year were £41,673 which is considered to be at a level more than sufficient to meet the Foundation’s needs for the foreseeable future.
Plans for Future Periods
The Trustees intend to continue to develop the Foundation in line with the charity’s purpose and objects.
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_________ Approved by the Trustees on and signed on their behalf by:
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Independent Examiner’s Report For the year ended 30 June 2025
I report on the accounts for the Foundation for the year ended 30 June 2025 which are set out on pages 7 to 10.
Respective Responsibilities of trustees and independent examiner
The trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the terms of the Charities Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulation 2006. The trustees consider that the audit requirement of Regulation 10(1) (d) of the Accounts Regulations does not apply. It is my responsibility to examine the accounts as required under section 44(1) (c) of the Act and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of Opinion
My examination is carried out in accordance with Regulation 11 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeks explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and, consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the accounts.
Independent Examiners’ statements
In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
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which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
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to keep accounting records in accordance with Section 44(1) (a) of the 2005 Act and Regulation 4 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations; and
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to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with Regulation 9 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations have not been met; or
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to which in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Chartered Accountant
Date:
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| Statement of Receipts | Statement of Receipts | and Payments | and Payments | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forthe year ended 30 | June 2025 | |||||
| Receipts | Note | Restricted | Unrestricted | Total | Total | |
| Funds | Funds | 2025 | 2024 | |||
| £ | £ | £ | ||||
| Donations, GiftAid | 4 | 37,406 | 4556 | 41,962 | 40,460 | |
| and other income | ||||||
| Bank Interest | Nil | 402 | 402 | 616 | ||
| Transferfrom | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | ||
| unrestricted to | ||||||
| restricted funds | ||||||
| Total | Receipts | 37,406 | 4,958 | 42,364 | 41,076 | |
| Payments | 5 | (36,337) | (3,022) | (39,359) | (44,395) | |
| Surplus/(Deficit) for the | 1,069 | 1,936 | 3,005 | (3,319) | ||
| year |
Statement of Balances — As at 30 June 2025
| Funds Reconciliation | Restricted | Unrestricted | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Funds | Funds | ||
| £ | £ | £ | |
| Cash at Bank& In Hand at | 24,885 | 13,783 | 38,668 |
| 1 July2024 | |||
| Surplus/(Deficit) for the year | 1,069 | 1,936 | 3,005 |
| Cash at Bank& In Hand at | 25,954 | 15,719 | 41,673 |
| 30June2025 |
The notes on pages 7 to 9 form an integral part of these accounts.
Approved by the Trustees on
and signed on their behalf by:
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pO
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Chair
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Notes to the Accounts – For the Year Ended 30 June 2025
1. Basis of Accounting
These accounts have been prepared on the Receipts & Payments basis in accordance with the Charities & Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended).
2. Nature and purpose of funds
Unrestricted funds are those that may be used at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the objects of the charity. The Trustees maintain a single unrestricted fund for the day-to-day running of the Foundation and reserves. Restricted funds may only be used for specific purposes. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for specific purposes.
During the period, restricted and unrestricted income was received by the Foundation as identified in note 4 below.
3. Related Party Transactions
No remuneration was paid to any Trustee or to any connected persons during the period. No travel expenses were paid to Trustees in this period (2024 £Nil). Donations were received from Lord McConnell of £3,500.
4. Income Received
| Principal income sources | Restricted Funds |
Unrestricted Funds |
Total 2025 |
Total 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Donations from other charities |
13,442 | Nil | 13,442 | 27,155 |
| Postcode Lottery | 10,000 | Nil | 10,000 | |
| Donations from individuals/organisations |
||||
| Scottish Government | Nil | Nil | Nil | 3,540 |
| From individuals | 10,136 | 3,500 | 13,636 | 7,543 |
| Other | 1,552 | 50 | 1,602 | 105 |
| Total from charities/ individuals/organisations |
35,130 | 3,550 | 38,680 | 38,343 |
| Gift Aid | 2,276 | 1,006 | 3,282 | 2,117 |
| Bank Interest | Nil | 402 | 402 | 616 |
| Total income received | 37,406 | 4,958 | 42,364 | 41,076 |
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5. Expenditure
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|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|Expenditure|Restricted|Funds|Unrestricted|Total|Total|
|£|Funds|2025|2024|
|£|
|£|£|
|KGIS|Project|6,309|Nil|6,309|6,707|
|management,|
|monitoring|and|
|evaluation|
|Scotland|Malawi|Nil|Nil|Nil|115|
|Partnership|
|Volunteerin|
|Contractor costs|for|Nil|1,653|1,653|2,206|
|aE administration|
|Bank charges|Nil|213|213|175|
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6. Movement on Restricted Funds
| KGIS | Livingstone | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volunteers | Restricted | |||
| £ | £ | £ | ||
| Opening balance at 1 | 24,369 | 517 | 24,886 | |
| July2024 | ||||
| Income/Donations | 37,405 | - | 37,405 | |
| Expenditure | 5 | (35,607) | (730) | (36,337) |
| Transferfrom | Nil | Nil | Nil | |
| Unrestricted funds | ||||
| Closing balance at | 26,167 | (213) | 25,954 | |
| 30June2025 |
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