A board of trustees
Trustees meet at least twice a year and take key decisions collectively. Conflicts of interest are a standing item at every meeting and are minuted.
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Our governing documents are being formally adopted by the trustees alongside registration. Summaries appear below; full documents will be available on request and, once registered, via our Charity Commission entry.
Governance
How we govern ourselves.
We are constituted as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO, Foundation model) under the Charity Commission's model constitution, with bespoke safeguards for overseas grant-making.
Independent oversight
Our constitution caps connected trustees, and our board includes an independent trustee alongside family members. We keep that balance under review.
Overseas grants, controlled
Larger transfers abroad require a full trustee meeting and a written budget; this power can't be delegated to a sub-committee.
Annual reporting
We report children supported and confirm funds were applied as agreed, filing accounts and a Trustees' Annual Report each year.
Financial transparency
Our money commitments.
We have no accounts to publish yet — we're pre-registration. Here's what we commit to once funds start moving.
- No trustee is paid; only reasonable, evidenced expenses are reimbursed
- Every overseas grant follows a written, trustee-approved budget
- Refurbishment over £1,000 is paid in stages against invoices and photos
- Gift Aid is claimed and recorded transparently
- Annual accounts filed with the Charity Commission
- Donor records kept securely and lawfully
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Our estimated first-year income is modest by design (around £8,000). Detailed figures will be published in our first annual accounts.
Safeguarding
Keeping children safe.
Working with children carries the highest responsibility. Safeguarding runs through everything we fund.
A clear policy
A safeguarding policy with a designated lead, definitions, and a reporting procedure — including serious-incident reporting to the Charity Commission.
Safe partners
Our Pakistan partner must follow agreed safeguarding standards, with checks on those working directly with children.
Careful with images
We use children's images and stories only with informed consent and where it's safe — never to exploit, and never invented.
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Concerned about a child's safety? Contact us at info@shahida.org.uk. If a child is in immediate danger, always contact local emergency services first.
Questions about how we run things?
We're happy to share our constitution and policies. Just ask.