Sight Relief
Charity No SC051191
Trustees’ Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended
31 August 2024
SIGHT RELIEF
Contents of the Receipts and Payments Accounts for the Year Ended 31 August 2024
| Page | |
|---|---|
| Charity Information | 3 |
| Report of the Trustees | 4 |
| Report of the Independent Examinar | 13 |
| Receipts and Payments Account | 14 |
| Balance Sheet | 15 |
<Isisht Relief Ch&rity forMatiOn for the Year Ended 31 August 2024 Sight Relief (SCIO) SCOTTISH CHARITY NUMBER: SC051191 REGISTERED ADDRESS: Mar1 Lodge 357 AYT Road Newton Meatlls Glas8QW G77 6RT BsrrE: wiviv.si Il-i-eliel.c)i- INSTAGRAM: edia sightrelief INDEPENDENT EXAMINER: Allmad & Nabi Mcmiillan Accountants 95-107 Lancefield Street Glasgow G3 8HZ
Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 August 2024
The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the Year Ended 31 August 2024 and confirm they comply with the Charities Act 1993, as amended by the charities Act 2006, the trust deed and the Charities SORP 2005.
Board of Trustees
Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 August 2024
Governance and Structure Governing document
Sight Relief operates as a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) sanctioned by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR). It was officially registered as charity number SC051191 on August 11, 2021, in compliance with the charities and trustee investment (Scotland) Act 2005. The organization is bound by a constitution known as the deed of trust.
Organisational Structure
Board of Trustees:
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The charity is governed by a proactive board of trustees who convene regularly to determine the strategic direction and policies of Sight Relief. The current board comprises individuals with diverse expertise:
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A qualified independent prescribing optometrist registered with the College of Optometrists in the UK. Tasked with overseeing and coordinating eye camps and patient care.
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A senior member with a deep understanding of target areas in rural Pakistan and East Africa. Responsible for identifying target communities and handling on-ground support, logistics, and community engagement.
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An experienced financial and management consultant dedicated to managing the organization's finances, administration, and formal interactions with hospitals and local government.
Trustees' Responsibilities:
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The trustees offer their services voluntarily without receiving any remuneration or financial incentives.
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They convene monthly to make decisions regarding all aspects of the eye camps and services provided by the charity.
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To streamline operations, the trustees have established a sub-committee that assists in overseeing specific areas of the charity's initiatives.
Sub-Committee:
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A sub-committee has been established to aid in the planning and organization of eye camps.
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The sub-committee convenes weekly and presents its recommendations to the full trustee meeting.
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These recommendations guide decisions on camp locations and related activities.
Day-to-Day Management:
- The main trustee is responsible for the administrative tasks that ensure the smooth functioning of the charity.
Objectives and Activities:
The core objectives of the charity, as outlined in the constitution, encompass the following key areas:
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Providing essential eye care services to underprivileged individuals, focusing on children and women in developing countries.
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Combating preventable blindness through screenings for those lacking access to eye care services.
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Offering free or heavily subsidized eye surgeries, medical treatments, and spectacles.
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Promoting awareness of general eye care and building local screening capabilities through training, funding, and backing grassroots projects and local government initiatives.
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Extending financial or other forms of support to individuals significantly impacted by financial hardships.
Mission and Impact of Sight Relief
Mission Statement:
Sight Relief is a dedicated team of Scottish-Pakistani heritage committed to providing sightsaving eye care and building sustainable solutions to combat preventable blindness in underprivileged communities, particularly in rural areas of Pakistan. Our mission goes beyond financial aid, aiming to restore the invaluable gift of sight and empower individuals to lead fulfilling lives.
Impactful Experiences:
During our frequent visits to impoverished rural regions in Pakistan, we witnessed firsthand the profound impact of visual impairment on individuals and communities. We observed how poor eyesight hindered individuals from working, children from accessing education, and the elderly from experiencing the joys of everyday life, including seeing their loved ones. Dense cataracts posed a significant threat to vision, highlighting the critical need for comprehensive eye care services.
Focus on Sustainability:
Recognizing the transformative power of clear vision, we strive to create lasting change by raising awareness of general eye care practices and enhancing local screening capabilities. Through initiatives such as training programs, financial support, and partnerships with grassroots projects and local government bodies, we aim to build a sustainable framework for eye health services in underserved communities.
Community Support:
At Sight Relief, we prioritize supporting individuals facing severe financial challenges by offering tailored assistance and ensuring access to essential eye care services. Our commitment to inclusivity and equity drives us to provide holistic support to those in need, empowering them to overcome barriers to vision health.
Gratitude and Achievements:
The year 2024 marked a successful chapter for Sight Relief, made possible by the unwavering support of our sponsors, donors, and dedicated team members who share a common goal of eradicating preventable blindness. Their collective passion and generosity have fuelled our efforts to ensure that no individual remains blind from treatable conditions.
Key achievements of 2024:
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Conducted 7 large-scale eye camps.
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Screened 4,672 individuals.
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Performed 142 cataract surgeries.
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Dispensed 2,671 pairs of glasses free of charge.
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Expanded the core Pakistan team to 13 members, including new local hires.
Eye Camps
In May 2024, our dedicated volunteers ee embarked on an unforgettable journey in the Hindu Kush mountains. They fully embraced the local culture and engaged hands-on in providing eye care, dispensing glasses and eye drops after completing a one-day training workshop.
Upon their arrival, Pe explored the main sites of Islamabad, immersing themselves in the vibrant atmosphere. Their adventure continued in Rawalpindi, where they navigated bustling bazaars and experienced the rich local culture, including a visit to the optical wholesale market to see how affordable glasses can be. Their next stop took them to a rural village in the foothills of the Himalayas, starting with their first eye camp in Rehana, Haripur. Here, the Sight Relief team screened 604 patients and dispensed over 500 pairs of glasses. The following day, they held another eye camp in Swabi, assisting 391 patients.
Pe worked wonderfully with the local team, witnessing the entire patient journey firsthand. A 4×4 ride took them to Chitral, where they enjoyed a rest day exploring the local culture. The next day involved a scenic yet bumpy three-hour trip on a single-track road to Bindo Gal Valley, where they treated 220 patients. While | found the off-roading challenging, she shone at the eye camp and displayed remarkable patience on the return journey.
Volunteering in Upper Chitral is perfect for you if you seek a thrilling off-roading adventure. However, if you prefer smoother travels, consider projects in the Karakoram Mountain range, which offer more accessible roads.
In total, the team tested 1,297 patients, experienced breathtaking scenery, and savored some of the world’s finest cuisine. As their trip came to an end, a reflected on their incredible experiences.
<Isisht Relief In June 2024, our dedicated Sighl Relief team in Pakistall provided vital eye care to 1,535 patients in Upper Chitral. The team consisted of four optowetrists, two dispensing opticians, and four support staff for patient i'egistration and vision eaS'eMent. The teatn worked tirelessly in Mulkhow Valley for two days before moving to the village of Booni foi. all additional two days of sci'eenings. Their enthusiasm 2nd commitment were buly inspiring, leading dlem to extelld their efforts to Kalash Valley, which was not part of the ori8illal plan. Demonstrating illiliative, they visited patiellts 118ht at the dooi'steps, condlict8 exall hoeS and dispensing glasses la eye drops dectlY froin the vehicle! We would like to take this oppotttullty to express our heartfelt gratitude to our dedicated team for the hard Work and conipassion. Due to tlie peak sulluneT heat, llQ screellillgs were conducted in July.
<Isight Relief August 2024 Sehberg TIst Screenillg InAugust 2024, our team revisited the Sebberg Trnst. wbere we conducted eye screenillgs for 233 women and children. This initiative aitned to adih'ess ibe specific needs of ibese con]munities, ensurin8 they received esselltial eye care and access to glasses. The event was a great success. higbligbtillg our on80in8 con]mitmenl to in]provin8 vision health foi unde[Seed populations. We are Iwatefiil foT the support of the Sehberg T[St and look forward to ContU8 our collaboTatioll to ake a positive impact in the co[nU[ty
Total donations from 1[st] September 2023 to 31[st] August 2024 £34,617.65
The total amount spent from 1[st] September 2023 to 31[st] August 2024 was £10,048.81
It was used for
-cataract surgery
-anterior eye management
- -treatment for wet Age related macular degeneration
-Yag laser capsulotomies
-diabetic retinopathy management
-spectacle glazing
-purchasing ready readers
-cross linking procedure for keratoconus
Plan for future periods
The longer-term strategy is to establish local primary eyecare centres in these rural areas, with locally trained staff, providing a sustainable facility for eye examinations and create employment opportunities. These will also facilitate future outreach activities including eye camps. As we become more established with our pathways and systems, we are looking for opportunities in other countries across the world. Volunteers will be welcome to join us in our campaigns, we are currently working on pathways for this.
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Partnerships: Collaborate with local eye care professionals, vision clinics, and eyewear companies in Pakistan to create a partnership with Sight Relief in order to provide expertise, resources, and possible sponsorship.
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Fundraising Events: Organize fundraising events such as charity walks, auctions, gala dinners, or online campaigns to raise funds for sight relief programs.
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Awareness Campaigns in Scotland: Using social media, local press, and community outreach to raise awareness about the importance of eye health and the impact of vision impairment. Educate the public about preventable eye conditions and the need for early detection and treatment. Collaborating Scotland with Pakistan.
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Volunteer Opportunities: Sight Relief will be taking volunteers in 2024 to participate in eye camps.
Responsibilities of the Board of Trustees in Relation to the Financial Statement
The charity law requires the Board of Trustees to prepare a financial statement, which gives a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity at the end of each financial year and of its surplus deficit for the financial year end. In preparing the financial statements, 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 Statements of Recommended Practice
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Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent.
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Prepare the financial statements on the going basis unless it is inappropriate to
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presume that the charity will continue in business.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 1993, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the constitution. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The trustees for the purposes of charity law who served during the year and up to the date of this report are set out on page 3.
Approved by the trustees and signed on its behalf by:
<Isight Relief Report of the Independent Examlner To the trust of Sight Relief. I report on the accounts of the charity for the Year Endol 31 August 2024. Reypectlve responslblutles of trustees and examlner Th¢ charity's trustees are ra8ponsible for the preparation of the accounts in accA)rdan¢¢ with th¢ t¢rnis of the charili¢s and Truslcc Inv¢stm¢nt (Scotland) Act 21)05 and th¢ Charities Accfiunts (Scotland) Regulation 2(X)6. The charity trustees consider that the audit requtrement of Regulation l O { l ) (d) of the Accounts Regulations does not apply. It is our responsibility to examine the accounts as requiral under section 44 (1) (c) of the Act and to state whether particular matters have come to our attention. Bajls of Independent examlner'j Jtatement Our examination is carria out in accordance with Regulation I l of the Charities Accounts {Scolland) Re8ulations 2006. An examination includes a review of the &CLX)untin8 reeA)rds kept by the charity and a Compls0n of the ac£ounts pr&8ented with tho$¢ rwords. It also Includ consid¢ration of any unusual it¢m$ or di$clo$ur¢s in the a¢unt and s¢¢ks ¢xplanation from th¢ trust¢cs ox)nc¢rning any such matt¢rs. Th¢ procalures und¢rtaken do not provide all the evidence that would be rquir¢d in an audit, and wnsquently we do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accx)unts. Independent exinthier's statement In the course of our examination. no matter has come to our attention.. l. Which gives reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements: To keep accounting r¢cords in ac(xirdanc¢ with S¢ction 44(1) (a) of th¢ 2005 Act and R¢8ulation 4 of thc 2006 Accounts R¢8ulations. and To prq)are acLounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with Regulation 9 of the 21)06 AcCot8 R¢gulations have not been met, or 2. To whiclL in our opinion. attention should be drawn to enable a proper understanding of thc financial r¢cords to rcachcd. 95-107 Lancefield Street Glasgow G3 8HZ
SIGHT RELIEF
Statement of Receipts and Payments for the Year Ended 31 August 2024
| Statement of Financial Activities | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year ended 31/08/2024 | |||||
| Unrestricted | Restricted | 2024 | 2023 | ||
| Funds | Funds | Total | Total | ||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||
| Incoming rescources | |||||
| Donations | 34,618 | - | 34,618 | 13,186 | |
| Total incoming resources | 34,618 | - | 34,618 | 13,186 | |
| Rescorces expended | |||||
| Surgeries | 3,173 | - | 3,173 | 1,300 | |
| Purchase of Optical Items | 2,645 | - | 2,645 | 655 | |
| Events AND Refreshments | - | - | - | 3 | |
| Telephone | - | - | - | - | |
| Volunteer Costs | 2,489 | - | 2,489 | 1,109 | |
| Food & PovertyRelief | - | - | - | 1,268 | |
| Paper, Postage and Stationery | 62 | - | 62 | 110 | |
| IT Costs | - | - | - | 150 | |
| Repairs & Renewals | - | - | - | 2 | |
| Equipment | 23 | - | 23 | 272 | |
| Advertising | 1,079 | - | 1,079 | - | |
| Travelling | 191 | - | 191 | 10 | |
| Professional | 386 | - | 386 | 240 | |
| Bank & Other Charges | - | - | - | - | |
| 10,049 | - | 10,049 | 5,120 | ||
| Net incoming resources | 24,569 | - | 24,569 | 8,066 | |
| Total funds brought forward | 14,416 | - | 14,416 | 6,350 | |
| Total funds carried forward | 38,985 | - | 38,985 | 14,416 |
SIGHT RELIEF
Statement of Balances for the year ended 31 August 2024
| Statement of Balances | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year ended 31/08/2024 | |||
| Year | Year | ||
| 2024 | 2023 | ||
| £ | £ | ||
| Bank and cash in hand | |||
| Opening balances | 14,416 | 6,350 | |
| Surplus / (deficit)forthe year | 24,569 | 8,066 | |
| Closingbalances | 38,985 | 14,416 | |
| Represented by: | |||
| Cash in hand and at bank | 38,985 | 14,416 |