African Women’s Group Scotland Year ending 31[st] October 2024
Accounts
Scottish Charity No SC047816
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The structure of Governance of AWGS
The AWGS is a registered Scottish Charity (SCIO) and it is run by board of Trustee comprise of a chair person, secretary, treasurer and two other members. The trustee meets as often as when require to make a decision on issues.
The trustee of African Women’s Group Scotland presents their annual financial report for the year ending 31[st] October 2024. The financial statements have been prepared to financial reporting standard applicable to the UK.
The Objective of African women’s group Scotland
The AWSG exist to:
Support African community; promote the development, advancement, wellbeing, and the education of African women, their families and promote racial equality.
Our Objectives:
To reduce isolation and promote friendship
To assist African women access appropriate, employment and services and building their self-confidence and self-worth through training, seminars and workshop.
To promote equality diversity and inclusion
To promote, cultural, religious and racial harmony
To support those in need or hardship or disadvantaged
Support women children and development in Africa.
We would like to acknowledge our funders. Without them, nothing much will happen. We appreciate the following: Aberdeen City Council, The Milne Family Foundation and the general donation from friends and individuals.
Our Activities:
AWGS continues to provide safe space for African women to meet and make friends and reduce isolation share information. Also acts as a community support system to those in need raising funds to support families and individuals with no recourse to public funds.
Our WhatsApp chat group is growing in number we have almost 300 hundred women who are in contact with each other. It has become a way of keeping in touch with families, friends and individuals in the community and also a source for sharing information, asking questions, providing services (cleaning, catering, beauty care, hair grooming, job advert, events) and discussing issues of the moment and great to our mental health.
Our monthly virtual group meetings continue to be source of empowerment and engagement with other organisations and service providers such as the City Council and the NHS. We organise online workshop and seminars on filling application, how to prepare for interviews. Some of our online seminar attracted over 400 participants.
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Our volunteers are the backbone of the organisation. Without them we could not do what we do. They work tirelessly to visit housebound, hospital, families and checking on them and shopping for those who are unable and organised the public events and fund raising activities. They make contact with new migrants to provide information and reduce isolation and bring issues to our attention.
Youth project -we had to pose our youth project because of funder’s insistence to strengthen our safeguarding training. Now we are up to date in our safeguarding policy and both the management and staff and volunteers have done the safeguarding training by consultants appointed by the BBC Children in Need. Hopefully the project is ready to start. We are looking forward to it.
Our fundraising gala was very successful in raising fund for those in financial hardship due to cost living and to help those with no recourse to public funds. We also celebrated our, founder who was given an MBE for her work with African Community. We also we celebrated International Women Day when celebrate women and appreciated them for their contribution at home, work place and in their communities.
Our Achievements of the year
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Our funds raising activities increased
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Gala night- We took a bold step to organise a fund raising event in December to support individual in hardship. It was a great success as we had the opportunity show case some culture with the community
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Story telling- We finished our story writing and telling events. Eight short stories were written and read in schools, old people’s home and in radio houses.
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Hardship - We are glad many of our people are working and looking after their families and themselves but unfortunately there are still individuals and families are still it heard to provide for the families. We are still helping those in hardship with food vouchers and cash for children clothing and heating to families and individuals.
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We continue to have more and more women joining the group and contributing their knowledge skills and expertise to the group making the group stronger and more focus on what to achieve. We now have women very interested in seeking elected office in the City. It is positive steps and we are in full support of them.
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Our virtual meetings continue with online presence where we audience from 20 to 400 when discussed employment issues.
Low points
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The lack of worker impact our work especially in the area of outreach and community engagement.
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The lack of mental health services, there is still high level of stress and anxiety especially with those with no recourse to public funds and students. Some confess suicidal thoughts.
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Some families and children live in extreme poverty and lack adequate food or heating in their homes.
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Immigration issues are still creating extreme anxiety, stress, and poverty in many families.
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We still don’t have an office so it is difficult to offer people opportunity to volunteer with us
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There is need for more capacity building within community for greater resilience
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I would like to take this time and thank the Trustees for their tireless works, the volunteers for their hard work and all of you for your support for this organisation. I hope we will continue supporting each other in order to support our community and build a stronger community.
The Treasurer Account
Mailing Address:
Our Bankers:
Royal Bank of Scotland
St Nicholas Branch
78 Union Street Aberdeen
AB10 1HH
The Main Source of our income in the year
The main sources of our income are from the grants and donations
From:
| • Aberdeen City Council | £625.00 |
|---|---|
| • The Milne Foundation | £7,500.00 |
| • BBC Children in Need | £3,200.00 |
| • Gala Ticket sales | £5,894.08 |
| • Donations | £6,284.92 |
| • Total income for the Year | £23,503.92 |
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Account Statements
Income from Nov’22 to October’23
| From | Amount | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Income : | £23,503.92 | ||
| Funds brought forward from | : | £22,433.00 | |
| Total fund | £45,936.92 | ||
| Expenditure | |||
| Expenditure | See notes | ||
| Hardship | £4,500.00 | A | |
| African projects | £1,000.00 | B | |
| ICT | £2,770.09 | C | |
| Story Telling | £550.00 | D | |
| Wages | £3,085.72 | E | |
| Volunteer expenses | £1,698.59 | F | |
| Honorarium | £700.00 | G | |
| MBE Celebration Event | £2,657.00 | H | |
| Gala Fundraising Event | £5,687.81 | I | |
| IWD Celebration | £707.66 | J | |
| Assessor fee | £295.00 | ||
| Total Expenditure | £23,651.87 | ||
| Detail of expenses | |||
| Food Vouchers | Note A | ||
| Food vouchers from Spice of Asia | £1,750.00 | ||
| Cash payment for food and bills | £2,750.00 | ||
| Total Cash paid out | £4500.00 |
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Note B
African Project expenses
| African Project expenses | Note B | |
|---|---|---|
| Cash for Mikky children project in Uganda | £500 | |
| Cash Rural women income generating project in | £500.00 | |
| Nigeria | ||
| Total | £1,000.00 | |
| ICT expenses | Note C | |
| Subscriptions and webhosting’s | £1,691.22 | |
| Purchase of Cartridge | £143.88 | |
| ICT desk | £115.99 | |
| Making Organisation’s Banners | £544.00 | |
| Printing of publicity materials | £275.00 | |
| Total | £2,770.09 | |
| Story telling Activities | £550.00 | Note D |
| Total | £550.00 | |
| Celebration of MBE | Note E | |
| Venue and food | £1,402.00 | |
| Cake, flower and photographer | £255.00 | |
| Gift for the celebrant | £1,000.00 | |
| Total | £2,657.00 | |
| Staff Wages | F | |
| 2 Youth workers’ wages 2 @771.43 * 2 * months | £3,085.72 | |
| Honorarium | 700.00 | |
| Total | £3,785.72 |
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| Volunteers expenses | G | |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol for distributing food to struggling families | £497.65 | |
| and home visit | ||
| Thank you meal to volunteers that are relocating | £419.02 | |
| Coffee and Tea | £261.93 | |
| Transport fares | £293.43 | |
| Flowers and small gifts during visits | 226.56 | |
| Overall Total Expenditure | £1,698.59 | |
| Fund Raising Gala | H | |
| Venue and Food | £3,700.00 | |
| Entertainers | £1,000.00 | |
| Photographer and videographer | £400.00 | |
| MC | £250.00 | |
| Others (volunteers, ingredients of homemade soft | £337.81 | |
| drinks etc.) | ||
| Total | 5,687.81 | |
| International Women’s Day Celebration | I | |
| Food | £305.00 | |
| DJ | £250.00 | |
| Miscellaneous (cups, plates, tea, coffee etc. | £152.66 | |
| Total | £707.66 | |
| Assessor’s fee | £295.00 | J |
| Total | £295.00 |
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Balance Sheet at the end of 31[st] October 2024
| Total fund : | 2021/23 | 2022/24 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Income: | £53,110.00 | £45,936.92 | |
| Total expenditure: | £30,677.00 | £23,651.87 |
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| Total Balance | : | £22,433.33 | £22,285.05 |
| Restricted funds | |||
| Youth worker Salary | £3,200.00 | ||
| Educational platform | for Live classes | £4,058.00 | |
| Hardship | £2,500.00 | ||
| Mental health | £2,100.00 | ||
| Volunteer expenses | £2,000.00 | ||
| Total of restricted fund | £13,858.00 | ||
| Total Unrestricted Funds | £8,427.05 | ||
| Total Fund | £22,285.05 |
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B
APPENDIX 3
’ Independent examiner s report on the accounts V2
| Independent examiner’s report on the accountsV2 | Independent examiner’s report on the accountsV2 | Independent examiner’s report on the accountsV2 | Independent examiner’s report on the accountsV2 | Independent examiner’s report on the accountsV2 | Independent examiner’s report on the accountsV2 | Independent examiner’s report on the accountsV2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charity name African Women’s Group Scotland |
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| SC047816 | ||||||
| Period start date | Period end date | |||||
| Day | Month | Year | Day | Month | Year | |
| 01 | 11 | 2023 | to | 31 | 10 | 2024 |
| (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets) |
| Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner |
The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the terms of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) 2005 Act and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. The charity trustees consider that the |
The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the terms of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) 2005 Act and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. The charity trustees consider that the |
The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the terms of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) 2005 Act and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. The charity trustees consider that the |
The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the terms of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) 2005 Act and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. The charity 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. | Act and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention. | |||
| Basis of independent examiner’s statement |
My examination is carried out in accordance with Regulation 11 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. An examination includes a review of the |
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| accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with | accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with | 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 | 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. | and, consequently, I do not express an audit opinion on the accounts. | |||
| Independent examiner’s statement |
In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention [other than that disclosed on the attached page*] 1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements: • to keep accounting records in accordance with section 44(1) (a) of the 2005 Act and Regulation 4 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations, and • to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with Regulation 9 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations have not been met, or 2. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. |
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| Signed: | Date: | 26/08/2025 | ||
| Name: | ||||
| Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any): |
Chartered Institute Management Accountants | |||
| Address: | A7 Accountants | |||
| Centurion Court, North Esplanade West | ||||
| Aberdeen Scotland, AB11 5QH |
*Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply. If the words do apply, set out those matters which have come to your attention on the following page.
APPENDIX 3 Disclosure section Only eomplete rf the examiner needs to hilIght material problems. Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose None