The Trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the Charity's governing document, the Companies Act 2006, FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland" and the Charities SORP "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)".
The Charity's objects are:
1. To empower, promote and protect the rights and the physical and mental health of children and young people with learning difficulties through:
the provision of arts, culture, recreational and leisure time activities provided in the interests of social welfare and with emphasis on (but not strictly limited to) Asian culture and designed to improve their health and wellbeing,
the provision of support activities and training which develop their skills, capacities and capabilities to enable them to participate in society as mature and responsible individuals,
the relief of unemployment in such ways as may be thought fit, including assistance to find employment,
the development of relationship and emotional skills,
any other means that would improve the health and wellbeing for the above group of people living in the United Kingdom.
2. To relieve persons who are caring (carers) for the above group of people through:
the provision of recreational and leisure time activities in the interests of social welfare designed to improve their health and wellbeing,
the provision of respite care,
the provision of a platform for airing their needs and requirements to the relevant authorities and government bodies, and
the creation of a social and united Charity to understand and interact with similar and like minded care charities.
Fees
Fees for the Health and Wellbeing Centre being run on Saturday mornings is £5.00 per activity. The current activities include Yoga, Bollywood dancing, Speech and Drama. To date, we have about 20 service users and 20 carers attending regularly. 80% of our service users are from Harrow borough and the rest of our subscribers are from the boroughs of Brent, Barnet and Hounslow.
Ashiana has been supporting and empowering children and young people in all forms of indoor and outdoor activities for the past twenty five years and the experience and skills gained in the past will endeavour us to take on new projects.
Projects undertaken during the year to achieve objectives for public benefit include:
Weekly well-being in person centre runs on Saturday mornings at the Byron NRC Centre from 9.45am to 12pm.The activities include yoga, Bollywood dance and speech and drama sessions.
Monthly activity days where we have indoor and outdoor activities such as quiz nights, theatre and cinema visits, fun days, ten-pin bowling, picnics, lunches, fun and sports days, golf range, theme park visits and cultural and festival events taking place. Around 20 to 25 service users, 30 carers and 4 to 8 volunteers attend regularly.
Community cohesion and integration - our service users are regularly invited to perform in the local borough events and community organisations.
Our organisation meets the principles of good practice: involves disabled people in the planning, management and running of the project, welcomes people of all backgrounds and value diversity and address value and support volunteers.
Volunteering
Volunteers are recruited through the local voluntary sector, our website, community organisations and the local council. All our volunteers are trained and go through CRB checks and are given opportunities to be reimbursed for out of pocket expenses.
Advocacy, Advice and Information
The Charity has commenced to provide informal advocacy and advice service to all it's service users and carers in order to access social care services including benefits, personal budgets, etc through the Harrow Council and the voluntary sector. Information is regularly distributed to all our subscribers, donors, sponsors and funders. Talks were held for Wills & Trust, social care provision, benefit changes, diabetes and health related subjects periodically with the Harrow Fire Service attending earlier this year to give a talk on fire safety and a look inside the fire truck for all members and carers.
Fund raising
The Charity regularly organises fund raising events in partnership with local community and charitable organisations. The Charity has increased it's resources through other fund raising activities through our regular sponsors, donors and events.
Outreach
The Charity has built a relationship with Harrow Council social workers, residential homes and special schools and colleges for learning difficulties to outreach work of our Charity to support children and young people who have no knowledge or cannot access the activities provided by our Charity. Ashiana is invited to do presentations to local community for awareness and tackling of stigma and discrimination.
Community Cohesion and Public Benefit
Ashiana, for the past 25 years, has been actively involved in raising difficulty awareness in the local community organised by other community and charitable organisations.
In view of the current economic conditions and cuts in funding for voluntary organisations (including Ashiana Trust Limited), the Trustees are conscious of the need to build appropriate reserves to ensure sustainability of the Charity's services and activities.
Principal Funding Sources
Ashiana is currently not in receipt of any funding from any sources. We are looking at various funding sources to continue sustaining our current services and hopefully commence new projects. In the meantime, Ashiana Trust Limited will use the monies from the reserves.
Investment Policy
Aside from retaining a prudent amount in reserves each year, most of the Charity's funds are utilised in the short term. However, as new projects are approved specific fund raising activities would be developed to raise appropriate funds.
Surplus funds are maintained in a current account with HSBC Bank Plc. Long-term investments are not possible as the funds are utilised for ongoing activities.
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 month’s expenditure. The Trustees considers 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. This level of reserves has been maintained throughout the year.
The Trustees has 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.
Plans for the future
The Charity plans to continue the activities outlined above in the forthcoming years subject to satisfactory funding arrangements. Plans are also being developed to work on a number of schemes with local employers to place adults over 18 years who have been through our training projects on mentoring schemes which, it is hoped, will lead to long-term gainful employment or volunteering.
The Charity is a charitable company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 2 July 2008 and registered as a Charity on 13 November 2008. The Charity commenced operating on 1 January 2009. The company was established under a Memorandum of Association which established the objects and powers of the charitable company and is governed under its Articles of Association. None of the directors have any beneficial interest in the company. All of the directors are members of the company and guarantee to contribute £1 in the event of winding up.
The Trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, and who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were:
Recruitment and Appointment of Trustees
The directors of the company are also Trustees of the Charity for the purpose of charity law. Under the requirements of the Memorandum and Articles of Association, one-third of the directors who are elected to serve must retire and can be re-elected at an Annual General Meeting. The Charity's work focuses upon children and young people with learning disabilities.
Organisational Structure
The Charity has a management committee of up to eight members who meet quarterly and are responsible for the strategic direction and policy of the Charity. At present the committee has members from a variety of professional backgrounds relevant to the work of the Charity. Mrs S Parekh has been appointed as a Director of Operations to whom day to day management of the Charity is delegated. Currently, the Charity has two part-time staff on their payroll.
Related Organisations
In so far as it is complementary to the Charity's objects, the Charity is guided by both local and national policy. Local partnerships are established with Harrow Council, voluntary sector, community and charitable organisations.
The Trustees, who are also the directors of ASHIANA TRUST LIMITED for the purpose 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).
The Trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
In order to assist you to fulfil your duties under the Companies Act 2006, we have prepared for your approval the financial statements of ASHIANA TRUST LIMITED for the year ended 31 December 2024, set out on pages 6 to 13 from the charity’s accounting records and from information and explanations you have given us.
As a practising member firm of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, we are subject to its ethical and other professional requirements which are detailed at https://www.accaglobal.com/gb/en/member/standards/rules-and-standards/rulebook.html.
This report is made to the charity's Trustees, as a body, in accordance with the terms of our engagement. Our work has been undertaken solely to prepare for your approval the financial statements of ASHIANA TRUST LIMITED and state those matters that we have agreed to state to the charity's Trustees, as a body, in this report in accordance with the requirements of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants as detailed at https://www.accaglobal.com/content/dam/ACCA_Global/Technical/fact/technical-factsheet-163.pdf. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than ASHIANA TRUST LIMITED and the charity's Trustees as a body, for our work or for this report.
It is your duty to ensure that ASHIANA TRUST LIMITED has kept adequate accounting records and to prepare statutory financial statements that give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and deficit of ASHIANA TRUST LIMITED. You consider that ASHIANA TRUST LIMITED is exempt from the statutory audit requirement for the year, and is not required to obtain an independent examiner's report.
We have not been instructed to carry out an audit or a review of the financial statements of ASHIANA TRUST LIMITED. For this reason, we have not verified the accuracy or completeness of the accounting records or information and explanations you have given to us and we do not, therefore, express any opinion on the statutory financial statements.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
ASHIANA TRUST LIMITED is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is 4th Floor Elizabeth House, 54-58 High Street, Edgware, HA8 7EJ.
The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the Charity's Articles of Association, the Companies Act 2006 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)” (as amended for accounting periods commencing from 1 January 2016). The Charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
The Charity has taken advantage of the provisions in the SORP for charities applying FRS 102 Update Bulletin 1 not to prepare a Statement of Cash Flows.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the Charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, [modified to include the revaluation of freehold properties and to include investment properties and certain financial instruments at fair value]. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
At the time of approving the financial statements, the Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the Charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the Trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives.
Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors or grantors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the Charity has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.
Where income is received in advance it is deferred until the Charity is entitled to that income.
Membership subscriptions paid yearly by each service user contribute towards the administration costs of Charity.
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 are allocated on the portion of the asset’s use.
Charitable activities include costs of providing recreational and leisure activities and facilities that assist and improve the health and lifestyles of people with learning disabilities living within the Borough of Harrow and elsewhere in the United Kingdom. It also includes costs of providing guidance and assistance or any other means to improve the conditions of such people and of their families and carers as well.
Governance costs represent those costs of the strategic management of the Charity and of complying with constitutional and statutory requirements.
Support costs are those costs which have not been directly allocated to an activity of the Charity but nevertheless support those activities. These costs have been allocated between charitable activities and governance costs.
Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.
Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:
The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is recognised in the statement of financial activities.
At each reporting end date, the Charity reviews the carrying amounts of its tangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any).
Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.
Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.
Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.
Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.
Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of operations from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
Financial liabilities are derecognised when the Charity’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.
The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.
Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the Charity is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.
In the application of the Charity’s accounting policies, the Trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.
Mrs S Parekh was reimbursed all expenses and costs incurred for activities for the Charity amounting to £624 (2023 - £144).
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
The unrestricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants which are not subject to specific conditions by donors and grantors as to how they may be used. These include designated funds which have been set aside out of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes.
There were no related party transactions during the year (2023 - none) other than those disclosed in note 7.