The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 30 August 2025.
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 objects of the organisation as set out in the constitution are as follows:
1. Relief of poverty
2. Advancement of education
3. Advancement of religion
4. Helping the needy and poor including widows and orphans
5. Aiding where natural disasters have occurred
When planning activities for the year, the trustees have considered the Commission's guidance on public benefit.
Strategies
We want to make our educational project to be accessible and a catalyst to a new future with bright options as a passport out of poverty. We ensure that they receive the appropriate English language teaching and that the successful children are helped into places at higher, further and post graduate education.
All classes, open days and seminars are widely advertised and we welcome the participation of all neighbours (both Muslims and non-Muslims) in our educational initiatives and workshops where we share our values, culture, traditions and our faith with wider society. We also hold an open week each year when we invite congregations from all the local places of worship to visit us and learn more about our work. An important part of our faith is charitable giving we are pleased to receive Zakat. Fitrana, qurbani. Mawlid and sadaqa donations for the sole purpose of the relief of need, overcome financial hardship and provide future social progression opportunities to younger generations especially those who have insufficient income or savings to cover their basic essential needs for shelter, food, clothing or who are destitute with no means of support.
We are mindful that all staff, students, volunteers and partners are upright people that are law abiding good citizens and that we be smartly vigilant to protect them from crime, corruption, hatred, extremism and terrorism.
Grantmaking
The charity through various campaigns and appeals receives money from the generosity of caring donors. The charity awards these monies to partner education facilities in which we allocate and budget funds to help overcome some short term financial problems of parents thus enabling pupils' education to continue. We also administer the receipt and distribution of zakat, fitrana, qurbani, sadaqa. Mawlid and Ghiyarveen shareef donations.
Volunteers
Volunteers are an important resource in our work and are involved in most of our community activities. We encourage all members of our community to be involved in voluntary activities to share their skills with others. All volunteers working with projects involving children or elderly people are CRB checked or vetted with verified professional references provided for each.
The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the charity should undertake.
Charitable activities
We directly benefit through our main project that is educational:
- 60 hostel resident children and their families
- and 250+ local area children
Daily
- A safe and organised space is provided for cultural and religious needs of the local community serving them at times of need, celebrations, festivities, births, marriages and deaths.
- The pastoral needs, spiritual surgeries and devotional guidance is provided for by an appointed qualified learned respected Imam.
- Daily worship five times a day is organised and the daily prayer services are lead to a timetable.
- Children receive a structured moral, spiritual, cultural and religious education.
- All the children attend a mainstream school for education where all the teaching resources for the school and students are provided for by the charity.
- After school all residential children are provided lunch daily.
- Organised games activities are provided every day at playtime with a range of different sports that include football, basketball, cricket and hockey etc.
- In the evening the residential children have tutors provided to them to help them with revision for one hour each day.
- Some popular skills development classes are provided including I.T, Tailoring.
- Every two weeks the hostel children are sent home for a weekend the home-trip funded by the charity.
- We have a monthly review of the residential and local children's progress after which is decided on what area we need to work together on their development.
- The Children with the best progress are recognised and rewarded.
- All children are offered from Nursery all the way up to university studies (degree, masters and phd etc) if any of the children choose to pursue these pathways.
- Children are provided training about the modern methods of farming, growing seasonal vegetables which can help them to do agribusiness in future.
Bi-annually
Every six months the children are taken on trips to local theme parks, zoo, tourist destinations like Lahore, Islamabad, Mirpur and other relevant places for either study visits and leisure.
Annually
- Annually we hold a Reports Day in which parents of the children are invited and updated on their child’s progress.
- Children with achievements, good progress and successful results provided with awards certificates. Medals, trophies.
- During red-letter festivity seasons and at the end of the educational year we arrange for guest respected public speakers different professionals are invited to speak to the children to motivate, envision, inspire and provide positive role models to boost their potentials.
- We collect used clothes and shoes from the local community and cargo them to Pakistan where we distribute them to the deserving families. This year we had sent over 5,000 kilogram with of shoes and clothes to Pakistan and helped needy people in many areas e.g. Gujrat, Sialkot, Mandi Bahawaldin, Multan and Sindh.
- we have providing safe housing to people who are either homeless or living in extremely poor houses. This year we helped 50 families, which consist of atleast 300 people with safe housing.
In the learning centre the resident Children are provided with all their basic needs including but not limited to:
- Free accommodation, food, cloths, study material
- onsite access to computer lab, library
- Free mentoring.
- Solar panel and backup generators for 24×7 supply of energy.
- Highly qualified teachers, tutors and learning assistants for children with special needs.
- For security we have 24/7 CCTV cameras and security guards to ensure safety.
Community Hall:
Hall and rooms: Our hall and meeting rooms are available for use by local groups and organisations.
Homework club and IT classes: At weekends and during school holidays a supervised homework club is supported and supervised by volunteer tutors, and over 35 children regularly attend the club. In addition we have a small IT suite and hold classes on a weekly basis for those who want to learn more about computers.
Prayers: The community prayer area is open all day for daily and Friday prayers. During the week we have over 350 people who regularly attend daily prayers and over 400 who regularly attend Friday & Eid prayers.
Festivals: The place of worship prepares food during Ramadan for those attending our place of worship who wish to break their fast together. Eid was also celebrated at the Mosque with a family day and communal meal. We also celebrate Saints’ days and offer a monthly service of thanksgiving celebrating the birth of our religious and spiritual figurehead Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.
Funeral facilities: The Mosque provides a complete funeral service in line with the teachings of Islam. We relieve the deceased’s bereaved relatives of the burden of organising burials. We also hold special classes to teach people how to proceed with Islamic burial procedures.
Civil marriage and Nikkah: The Imams office provides Muslim couples with an appropriate location for both their civil marriage and Nikkah (Islamic marriage). About 15 couples were married at the Mosque in the year
Principal funding sources
The charity’s main source of income are seasonal donations, regular donors and sponsors. Giving at Friday prayers are declining due given the economic conditions currently affecting our local community this level of voluntary giving is both generous and encouraging.
The collection and distribution of Zakat, Fitrana, Qurbani, Sadaqa, Mawlid and Ghiyarveen shareef funds are of great benefit to those in poverty or need overseas, and the trustees were delighted to exceed last year’s collection in such difficult economic times.
Investment policy and objectives
The charity has no long-term investments. Our cash reserves are held in deposit accounts. The interest earned is considered as a gift of the UK banking system and supplements the work supported by the collection of Zakat.
The trustees have reviewed the reserves of the charity. Their policy is to hold enough funds to meet four months operating costs of the main project, excluding the collection and distribution of seasonal donations, and of our community educational activities and programmes.
Future plans
We intend to maintain our existing range of community activities working in partnership with the community and to further develop our community projects in collaboration with partners to make these sustainable and effective in the long term. We continue to place great importance on sharing a good understanding of different faiths and cultures as well as being neighbourly building cohesion and hope to be more proactive in educating communities against trends in crime and corruption, warning the wider public about the preying nature including pitfalls of extremism and terrorism.
OJAALA WELFARE FOUNDATION is constituted & registered trust with the Charity Commission in August 2013,under charity No 1154697 and it is governed by our constitution adopted in August 2013.
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:
The existing trustees are responsible for the recruitment of new trustees but in so doing the trustees seek the views and recommendations of both elders, professionals and community leaders. The trustees believe this approach ensures that new trustees are respected members of the local communities and ensures that good relations are fostered between different people building social cohesion in the local community that we serve.
When selecting new trustees, we seek to identify people who are vetted, skilled, committed and regularly attend events and functions organised by the charity and are willing to volunteer to help in our broader community work. Potential trustees are invited to attend trustees’ meetings as observers and are given more details of the charity’s aims and activities and, if all agree, they may be proposed as future trustees at the subsequent trustees’ meeting. This process allows due consideration of the person's eligibility, personal competence, specialist knowledge and skills.
The charity trustees are responsible for the general control and management of the charity. The trustees give their time freely and receive no remuneration or other financial benefits.
The trustees meet together as a body monthly and are responsible for all decisions taken in relation to activities provided by the charity. To assist in the smooth running of the charity the trustees have set up a number of sub-committees that help them oversee certain aspects of the charity’s work.
Sub-committees are currently set up for finance, education, distribution, day-to-day management of the building and report back with their updates and recommendations to the full meeting of the trustees.
The sub-committees each meet six times a year, on alternate months to each other. The chair of trustees or another trustee in his absence will chair sub-committees whose membership reflects the particular skills that trustees can bring to the work of the sub-committees. The day-to-day management of the community hub, educational site, hostel facilities, all resources and projects are assigned and delegated to the appropriate team. A separate committee deals with the collection and distribution of donations that meets monthly to review targets, milestones and future direction.
Following appointment, new trustees are introduced to their new role and given copies of the trust deed and a guide to the policies and procedures adopted by our charity. A number of publications from the Charity Commission are also provided including the Essential Trustee, guidance on charities and public benefit, on the advancement of religion and education for the public benefit. This ensures that new trustees are aware of the scope of their responsibilities under the Charities Act. Initially, new trustees work with an existing trustee assisting on particular activities and projects run by the charity. After satisfactory feedback from existing trustees, they are then given the task of leading a particular activity or project, reporting progress at trustees’ meetings.
Risk management
The trustees have assessed the risks the charity faces and have drawn up a risk matrix which identifies the major risks by area of activity, the nature of those risks, the likelihood of the risks happening and the measures taken to manage them. The trustees review this risk matrix regularly at their meetings and at meetings of the two sub-committees on finance and buildings. The trustees are satisfied that systems are in place, or arrangements are in hand, to manage the risks that have been identified. Appropriate Criminal Records Bureau (CRB), vetting and verification checks are supported by regularly reviewed policies, are made for all those who work with children or other vulnerable groups within the projects, school, hostel, or community spaces.
Partnership working and performance review
In developing our community programmes, we are pleased to work in partnership with both of which have provided funding and invaluable advice. Our charity support projects working close with Ojaala International English School, Masjid Asrar, and Jannat Bibi hostel. The have also been very supportive of our educational initiatives as have a number of local community organisations, in particular officials of Union Council Bagarianwala who have worked closely with us on a number of initiatives. We look to all our partners, including, to give feedback on the success of our initiatives, receive any criticisms, then the trustees review the progress and outcomes of our work at each meeting.
A liaison meeting is held each term with school staff, parents and members of the local education authority to assess the progress and improvements that can be made to this programme.
The trustees report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Ojaala Welfare Foundation (the charity) for the year ended 30 August 2025.
Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the charity are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006 and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s financial statements carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011. In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act 2011.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 386 of the Companies Act 2006.
the financial statements do not accord with those records; or
the financial statements do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 other than any requirement that the financial statements give a true and fair view, which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
the financial statements have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their financial statements in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the financial statements to be reached.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
Ojaala Welfare Foundation is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is 27-29 Chapel street, Brierfield, Nelson, BB9 5SH.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance 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 is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
The charity has taken advantage of the provisions in the SORP for charities 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. 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.
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.
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.
The charity is exempt from taxation on its activities because all its income is applied for charitable purposes.
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 disclosable related party transactions during the year (2024 - none).