Registered number: 06989504
Charity number: 1152555
MERCY LOGISTICS
(A company limited by guarantee)
UNAUDITED
TRUSTEES' REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023
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MERCY LOGISTICS
(A company limited by guarantee)
CONTENTS
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Reference and administrative details of the company, its Trustees and advisers
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Statement of financial activities
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Notes to the financial statements
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MERCY LOGISTICS
(A company limited by guarantee)
REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS OF THE COMPANY, ITS TRUSTEES AND ADVISERS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023
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Mr Paul Reynolds, Trustee (appointed 12 August 2009)
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Mrs Katie Reynolds, Trustee (appointed 12 August 2009)
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Mrs Merrie Reynolds, Trustee (appointed 12 August 2009)
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Company registered number
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Charity registered number
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24 Boxley Close
Penenden Heath
Maidstone
Kent
ME14 2DN
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IT & Accounting Solutions Limited
Certified Public Accountants
28 Harrow Way
Maidstone
Kent
ME14 5TU
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MERCY LOGISTICS
(A company limited by guarantee)
TRUSTEES' REPORT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023
The Trustees present their annual report together with the financial statements of the company for the 1 September 2022 to 31 August 2023. The Annual report serves the purposes of both a Trustees' report and a directors' report under company law. The Trustees confirm that the Annual report and financial statements of the charitable company comply with the current statutory requirements, the requirements of the charitable company's governing document and the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS102) (effective 1 January 2019).
Since the company qualifies as small under section 382 of the Companies Act 2006, the Strategic report required of medium and large companies under the Companies Act 2006 (Strategic Report and Directors' Report) Regulations 2013 has been omitted.
Objectives and activities
l Policies and objectives
The principle object of the company is to partner with and support organisations working to fight poverty in the developing world. To elicit donations of appropriate resources from the Corporate/Public sector which can be reused by NGOs/charities/voluntary organisations and transport them to their projects, and to provide reduced cost logistical/transport services that enables such organisations to transport goods, equipment and resources to further their work more cost-effectively.
Our approach focuses on the following key areas:
(1) Building and developing Partnerships with NGOs/Charities
(2) Building and developing Partnerships with Logistics/Shipping companies
(3) Building and developing Partnerships with donors of Materials
In setting objectives and planning for activities, the Trustees have given due consideration to general guidance published by the Charity Commission relating to public benefit, including the guidance 'Public benefit: running a charity (PB2)'.
l Strategies for achieving objectives
1. Building and developing Partnerships with NGOs/Charities
This is still a key element to our work and one which we see as vital to our work moving forward. We believe that focusing our partnerships - with a narrower and more specific approach may well serve us well.
2. Building and developing Partnerships with Logistics/Shipping companies
We noted that costs for transport have been challenging for recipients and the huge cost of imports into destination countries has often proved too great a stumbling block to the people we seek to serve. We believe that we need to create a new ‘model’ for funding.
3. Building and developing Partnerships with donors of Materials
This is still a key element to our work and one which we see as important to our work moving forward.
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MERCY LOGISTICS
(A company limited by guarantee)
Objectives and activities (continued)
Achievements and performance
l Review of activities
At the conclusion of our previous year of operations, we as trustees concluded the following:
As trustees, we are delighted that the charity has achieved what it has in previous years. The following are our reflections on the strategy of Mercy Logistics:
We believe that it is important to approach the next stage of the work of Mercy Logistics with a clear way forward and decided jointly that we would implement a hiatus (‘pause’) of operations for a minimum of the next 12-18 months in order to explore further the implications of our reflections above.
We are keen to continue to explore relationships with partners working on the ground in developing countries.
We want to continue to ‘re-distribute global resources to fight poverty’ and are committed to recycling of goods for the benefit of those in need and are delighted at the positive effects this can also have from an environmental perspective.
We want to develop a new ‘funding’ model – to enable funds to achieve as much as possible.
We are keen to explore a focusing of strategy on vocational training.
We would also be happy to rebrand our work in order to facilitate this process. The current website will be pulled from view while on hiatus.
Our previous discussions led us to conclude that after 12 years of operations, we needed to pause operations due to a very different operating climate and to explore how we might develop strategy for Mercy Logistics to continue into the future.”
During this year on hiatus, we have been encouraged by preliminary discussions with prospective vocational training partners in Tanzania and our friends at TWAM regarding the supply of refurbished vocational toolkits. We believe that we have formulated a possible new model of operations, but want to ensure that we can run a thorough pilot prior to a complete relaunch/rebrand of our work.
We also need to establish commitment from our prospective vocational training partners in Tanzania regarding finance and governance structures prior to undertaking the pilot.
These negotiations continue.
Financial review
l Going concern
After making appropriate enquiries, the Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. For this reason, they continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements. Further details regarding the adoption of the going concern basis can be found in the accounting policies.
l Principal funding
Currently funding is through gifts and donations.
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MERCY LOGISTICS
(A company limited by guarantee)
Structure, governance and management
l Constitution
Mercy Logistics is registered as a charitable company limited by guarantee and was set up by a Memorandum of Association dated 12 August 2009 and is a registered charity number 1152555.
The principal object of the company is (1) the relief of poverty, hardship, sickness and distress across the developing world by locating and receiving donated goods/resources/materials from donors primarily in the UK, but extending to worldwide and arranging transport of said items to enable local projects to respond to local needs. (2) the advancement of education in areas described above (3) other such charitable purposes to further the work as the directors may determine.
l Methods of appointment or election of Trustees
The management of the company is the responsibility of the Trustees who are elected and co-opted under the terms of the Memorandum of Association.
Plans for future periods
In light of the ongoing negotiations with prospective partners in Tanzania, we have therefore decided that we will extend this current hiatus and that the charity should lie dormant/in ‘furlough’, until we have firm commitments from prospective partners and the economic uncertainty has settled.
We remain committed to effectively utilise and steward the small amount of funds we receive and to ‘make the money go as far as possible’.
Members' liability
The Members of the company guarantee to contribute an amount not exceeding £10 to the assets of the company in the event of winding up.
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MERCY LOGISTICS
(A company limited by guarantee)
Statement of Trustees' responsibilities
The Trustees (who are also the directors of the company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees' report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial . Under company law, the Trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:
∙select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
∙observe the methods and principles of the Charities SORP (FRS 102);
∙make judgments and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
∙state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards (FRS 102) have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
∙prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in business.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the company's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Approved by order of the members of the board of Trustees on 14 March 2024 and signed on their behalf by:
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MERCY LOGISTICS
(A company limited by guarantee)
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (INCORPORATING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023
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Total funds brought forward
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Total funds carried forward
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The Statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.
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The notes on pages 8 to 11 form part of these financial statements.
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MERCY LOGISTICS
(A company limited by guarantee)
REGISTERED NUMBER: 06989504
BALANCE SHEET
AS AT 31 AUGUST 2023
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Total assets less current liabilities
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Net assets excluding pension asset
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The company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006.
The members have not required the company to obtain an audit for the year in question in accordance with section 476 of Companies Act 2006.
The Trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and preparation of financial statements.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to entities subject to the small companies regime.
The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Trustees on 14 March 2024 and signed on their behalf by:
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The notes on pages 8 to 11 form part of these financial statements.
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MERCY LOGISTICS
(A company limited by guarantee)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023
Mercy Logistics was setup on 12 August 2009 as a charitable company limited by guarantee and registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1152555) on 24June2013. The registered address is 24 Boxley Close, Penenden Heath, Maidstone, Kent, ME142DN.
2.Accounting policies
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Basis of preparation of financial statements
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The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) - 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) (effective 1 January 2015), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.
Mercy Logistics meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy.
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges allocated on the portion of the asset’s use.
Expenditure on charitable activities is incurred on directly undertaking the activities which further the company's objectives, as well as any associated support costs.
All expenditure is inclusive of irrecoverable VAT.
Cash at bank and in hand includes cash and short-term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.
The company only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
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MERCY LOGISTICS
(A company limited by guarantee)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023
2.Accounting policies (continued)
General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the company and which have not been designated for other purposes.
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Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities
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Analysis of expenditure by activities
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Activities undertaken directly
2023
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Trustees' remuneration and expenses
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During the year, no Trustees received any remuneration or other benefits (2022 - £NIL).
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During the year ended 31 August 2023, no Trustee expenses have been incurred (2022 - £NIL).
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MERCY LOGISTICS
(A company limited by guarantee)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023
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Financial assets measured at fair value through income and expenditure
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Financial assets measured at fair value through income and expenditure comprise cash balances.
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MERCY LOGISTICS
(A company limited by guarantee)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023
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Statement of funds - current year
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Balance at 1 September 2022
£
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Balance at 31 August 2023
£
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General Funds - all funds
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Summary of funds - current year
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Balance at 1 September 2022
£
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Balance at 31 August 2023
£
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Analysis of net assets between funds
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Analysis of net assets between funds - current year
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Related party transactions
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The company has not entered into any related party transaction during the year, nor are there any outstanding balances owing between related parties and the company at 31 August 2023.
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