One Step at a Time ++ One Step at a Tim 20 Annual General Meeting - - PDF document

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One Step at a Time One Step at a Tim 20 e

Annual General Meeting Wednesday 6th April 2016 7.30pm Sharnbrook Methodist Hall, Sharnbrook MK44 1LS AGM Minutes 2014 ­ 2015 Attendees­ Sandra Murphy, Keighly Murphy, Karen Holton, Lynne Gray, Trevor Jones, Helen Norman, Carolyn

Norman, Ross Clayton, Lianne Beddan, Ronald Oming, Matt Beddan, Beth Beddan Jackson, Richard Morgan, Heather Morgan, Carole McDonald, Mary McDonald, Debbie Saunders, Rachel Griggs, Paul Allen, Gary Allen, Liz Stone Apologies­ Catherine Fisher, Kate Simpson

Minutes of the previous AGM were approved by those present. Sandra welcomed everyone and all were given the agenda for the meeting All were invited to stay for refreshments after the meeting. Reports and Accounts Please see attached Finance Report and AGM Powerpoint presentation which covered General Information, Volunteers, Work in Uganda, Office Building, Sponsorship, Achievements, Public Benefit, Finance and Activities in 2016 to date. It was acknowledged that a high proportion of income generated was spent in Uganda supporting families in a practical way. Very little was spent in the UK which was agreed by all present to be highly satisfactory. Appointment of Trustees All trustees present expressed a wish to continue as trustees. Kate Simpson has made the decision to stand down as trustee, letter of resignation to follow. Sandra expressed her understanding on this and advised that she will continue her involvement with OSAAT. Everyone present wished her well with her recovery. Trustee nominations Trustee Nominated by Seconded by Richard Morgan Keighly Murphy Lynne Gray Karen Holton Keighly Murphy Lynne Gray Lynne Gray Sandra Murphy Karen Holton Trevor Jones Sandra Murphy Keighly Murphy Sandra Murphy Keighly Murphy Karen Holton Keighly Murphy Trevor Jones Karen Holton AOB Lynne spoke to a community manager in Brazil at the Street Child Games who spoke to her about getting involved with the OSAAT football team. Lynne to be advised on this. Lynne also looking into the possibility of acquiring Arsenal boots when the players no longer use them. There was a message from Tim to say that he is always available in an HR capacity. Sandra was in Uganda in 2014 – 2015 and would like to return again in 2016 Sandra concluded by thanking everyone for their continued support and looking forward to a productive 2016 Next Trustees meeting to be held on 27th April 2016 www.one­step­at­a­time.org.uk Charity No 1127562

stance: 15.9 miles (show in km) Time: 0 hr 22 min

A5028 0.00 Start out on Higham Road B645 0.05 Turn right onto Northampton Road ­ B645 0.86 At roundabout take the 2nd exit

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A45 0.94 At Jct 17 roundabout take the 2nd exit onto the A45 Northampton 5.25 At Wilby Way roundabout take the 1st exit onto the A45 Northampton 11.52 At Lumbertubs Way Interchange branch left, then merge onto unnamed road A43 11.81 At roundabout take the 3rd exit

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www.one­step­a­time.org.uk Charity No 1127562

www.one­step­at­a­time.org.uk Tel 07765156123 Registered charity number 1127562

Annual General Meeting 6th

th April 2016

Founder Sandra Murphy Uganda Team Isaac Okwir Lillian Dennis Trustees who have served for the year are

• Sandra Murphy
• Trevor Jones
• Keighly Murphy
• Kate Simpson
• Sadly one trustee had a serious illness, which restricted her involvement during the latter part of this period.

Administrative information

• One Step at a Time UK is registered at
• 80, High Street, Higham Ferrers, Northants NN10 8BJ
• The Ugandan registered office is

Sam Eyul Road, Kichope Village, Ojwina Division, Lira District, Uganda PO Box 493.

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 1127562

General information

• Trustees met 10 times in this period with an attendance record of 80%.
• One trustee lives in Devon but joins the meeting each time via skype which is successful.
• Sandra Murphy was absent from 3 meetings during her 4 months reviewing and

monitoring of Osaat project in Uganda.

• As well as the annual visit from a trustee, regular weekly contact is made with Uganda

project manager and staff via skype. Often our beneficiaries are part of the skype conversation to maintain contact and give them confidence in the future of the charity. Regular contact is made between the 2 countries by e mail, text and letters between sponsors and children.

• Monthly reports are sent from Uganda to trustees and 2 meetings are held annually

between the Ugandan Management Board, UK chair and Ugandan project manager. 1 being during the monitoring visit and another via a skype contact.

• The resignation of Julius Ongom on work transfer to another district saw us welcome

John, a senior teacher in a local girls senior school, onto our Ugandan board.

Volunteers Thank You

Trustees would like to thank so many people who gave their time so willingly and unconditionally during this period. To all of those who directly fund and support so many of our children through sponsorship. Many have taken children into their own heart and given the gift of survival and hope supported by direct contact of gifts and letters. To all who tirelessly give monthly to support our work. To those who hold their own fundraising events and donate funds. To Pam Mullett who held 2 gong baths To Gareth Williams for maintaining our web site so efficiently To David Forman for auditing our accounts To Debbie Paterson for managing our finances To Catherine Fisher for maintaining the secretary role To Debbie Paterson for setting up and managing a knitting and stitching group, which has continued to grow. Blankets, teddies and clothing are knitted and funded to be posted to our families in Uganda. For the first time children are covered at night with a warm and comforting blanket. To Sue Trudgian who set up a sponsorship scheme for these teddies which raises funds and provides children with their very first toy in all parts

• f Lira District.

To Self Store, Wellingborough for providing us free of charge a sizeable storage unit within their establishment. To Helen Carey for her designs of posters I cannot neglect a big thank you to Osaat staff in Uganda who face daily challenges and overcome them all to successful conclusions.

Work in Uganda

The office in Uganda is now complete and owned directly by Osaat. The transfer of the land from Sandra Murphy to Osaat is almost complete. The land survey has been done and the land title now being processed. The Osaat project is managed by 4 Ugandan staff. 3 social workers and a house keeper, administrator. An armed guard is employed for night time duties. During this time Salim Abud left the employment of Osaat and Dennis Oporoson was employed in his position. Dennis is an experienced, qualified social worker. During this period Salim Abud experienced a serious motor cycle accident which hospitalised him for a week. Osaat funded all the medical bills and he has made a full recovery. All of our staff are Ugandan to reflect the cultural requirements of our families and children. They deliver the services with love, respect and acceptance of any person regardless of any religion, sexuality, health issues, state of mind or body. Osaat office receives many people asking for help and staff will offer free counselling, love and advice to all within our financial and human resources limitations. To comply to the Ugandan requirement, Osaat is going through the registration with the National NGO board. The process has been found very slow, which can be typical of this country, but should be completed in the next reporting period. This would enable Osaat to apply to Ugandan sources for project funding. Our application to Register of Companies continued, again a very slow administrative process.

Office Building

Electricity has been installed to the building with many challenges. Local landowners challenged our applications as permission was required to plant a power pole in their compound. Challenges came from the electric company Umeme who constantly demanded more payments. Jealousy from local residents, which is common practice, gave us threats but Osaat persevered and we are happy with the connection. However, power is intermittent and can be present only 4 days a week. However, it has improved the ability and efficiency of staff. Rain was heavy during the early 2015 period and washed away a lot of the office compound and a decision to fund guttering and a large water tank was made to preserve water and the compound. This will be completed during the next reporting period. The final perimeter wall was constructed and the office is now secure 100% behind the wall and a large metal gate. Concrete decorative balustrade was erected around the veranda at the front of the office which enhances the entrance The office internal walls were painted and cracks appearing due to drying plaster repaired. A secure metal door was installed on the store and on the boys quarters outside.

Sponsorships

During this period 52 children received full sponsorship.

• 3 in nursery school
• 21 in primary
• 16 in senior school
• 12 in vocational courses
• 1 child moved to Sudan as we traced his father and we are investigating sponsorship from the Sudanese church to sponsor him to study

theology at degree level.

• Fathers of 2 other children were traced and both children reunited and resettled with family.
• 6 young people qualified in their vocational skills.
• 1 hairdressing
• 3 tailors
• 1 welder
• 1 motor cycle mechanic
• All are equipped with the tools and equipment they need and are succeeding.

Sponsorships contd.

10 new sponsorships were registered

• 1 nursery
• 4 primary
• 2 senior school
• 1 mobile phone technician training
• 1 boy began electrical engineering training
• 4 families were taken for support.
• 3 with new born babies to women street dwellers. 1 of these has mental health issues which is being

addressed.

• 1 grandmother carer was supported with seeds and beans, chickens and set up in business of selling

charcoal and tomatoes from home in order to support her 8 grandchildren.

• 1 tailor was supported to begin training other students
• 1 girl supported to begin a catering business.
• 8 small businesses were funded and are all currently successful

Achievements

In addition to all fees and equipment for education/training/tools, health care, our families were supported with

• 15 goats
• 18 chickens
• 3 bicycles
• 3 homes built
• 12 hoes
• 250kgs of seeds for planting
• 650kgs beans and maize for school feeding to support boarding school
• 30 blankets
• 6 sewing machines

Achievements contd.

• 30 mango trees
• 150kgs clothing
• 25 boxes of soap
• Water purification tablets for all
• Mosquito nets for all
• A family day was held in the Osaat Office with every family from local areas and those deep in the

bush being facilitated to travel to Lira town.

• For many of our vulnerable children and families this was their first ever time out of their villages

and certainly to set foot in an Urban environment.

• The impressions and lessons they gained will be invaluable to them.
• They attended workshops on nutrition, health status, women’s and children’s rights and all went

home well fed loved and happy with school uniforms and requirements

• 1 young woman was brought on board following her move to prostitution. She is considering a

vocational training.

Public benefit

In consideration to the public benefit requirement of the Charity Commission One Step at a Time pay consideration to this in every activity we undertake. In the local area we are seen as an organisation that works with street children and so reduce the number sleeping on the street or roaming late at night raising the fear of crime. Osaat works closely with local authorities and fully participates in activities to develop communities. Local children are welcomed to join formal and informal workshops and fun within the Osaat compound and are given counselling and guidance on life skills and health and hygiene.

Public Benefit contd.

Osaat is known as a local sanctuary for those in need who often come for some love and

• care. We have provided health, feeding, clothing, counselling, love and company to many in

trouble and supported them to solve their own issues or signposted them to relevant help and support. Consideration is given to purchasing locally made products and locally grown produce. Osaat directs all business to those educated and trained by Osaat. Guidance and education takes place as part of the day to day working of Osaat on health, human rights and environmental issue as an example. This is from the office and also with individuals and groups deep in the villages where we visit our children. Trustees and staff are committed to the delivery of loving, targeted, dedicated and relevant teaching in a holistic way to achieve self-belief, self-confidence and academic, vocational, emotional, social development all in a sustainable and lasting way.

Finance

Incoming

• In total £34,774 was received in this reporting period
• £12,503 came for direct sponsorship
• All direct sponsorship is held as restricted funding for individual beneficiaries.
• £22,271 came from fundraising and donations

Outgoing

• In total payments this year were £33,629
• £1048 was spent directly in UK on fundraising costs and postage to deliver children’s letters to sponsors.
• £594 was the cost of bank charges jointly UK and Uganda
• Our largest expenditures were £1,392 for a replacement motor cycle for our work in the field and £2,408 for office refurbishment.
• New concrete floor tiled to strengthen in office and counselling room and the external veranda
• Security doors on the office store and boys quarters
• Balustrades on the veranda
• Internal and external painting
• Replacement electric meter
• The trustees also made a decision during this period to fund one trustee per year to visit Uganda to carry out the monitoring and evaluation process.

This year the cost of that was £505 with the individual meeting all other expenses and living costs, insurance, visa etc.

• We are delighted to say that £30,595 was spent directly on our children and families of Osaat
• Osaat is pleased to report such a high proportion of our funds are spent on practical work in Uganda
• Trustees voted to increase our contingency fund to £5000 in order to cover 2-3 months running costs.

Finance report

2016 2016

2016 has been extremely successful to date with our children moving forward in education, vocational training and careers in the community. The Osaat football team is established and kitted out with the help of valued volunteers and donations. New families are being sponsored and our staff continue to support current families in the spirit of love that has always been fundamental to the Osaat story. Thank you to everyone involved in this continuing support.