About

Governance

How We're Governed

Biojemmss exists to rescue children from exploitation and abuse, restore them and their families, and release them into lasting freedom. That work demands trust — from donors, supporters, and the communities in Uganda we serve. Good governance is how we earn it.

As a Charitable Incorporated Organisation registered with the Charity Commission (No. 1177603), our trustees are accountable for every decision and every pound. Transparent finances, clear oversight, and sound stewardship keep the needs of children at the centre. Governance is not a formality. It is how we protect the mission.

Our mission, values, and approach are set out on our About page at: 

www.biojemmss.com/content/about. 

This document explains how the charity is governed and held accountable.

Our Trustees

Five trustees govern the UK charity. All share the Christian faith that shapes our work and serve as volunteers without payment.

Name	Role	Since
William Crump	Chair	2018
Charmian Eamus	Trustee	2018
Penny Hutchinson	Trustee	2018
Jenny Monjero	Trustee	2021
James Barton	Trustee	2025

Details of our Ugandan Trustees can be found on the Team Page.

Trustees are appointed through an open recruitment process and selected for their skills, experience, and alignment with our values. Three founding trustees provide continuity; newer appointments bring fresh perspectives and support succession. We are committed to building a board with the breadth of skills and perspectives our mission requires.

Leadership and Operations

Our CEO, Sian Ball, leads day?to?day operations across the UK and Uganda and reports directly to the trustees. As a small charity, our trustees contribute more than strategic oversight — we work alongside Sian to deliver our mission. This hands?on involvement gives us a grounded understanding of the realities of the work, not just the governance. We take care to balance this operational support with our formal oversight responsibilities, ensuring that key decisions are made through appropriate governance processes and that accountability remains clear.

How We Work

Meetings

Trustees meet regularly throughout the year, with additional meetings when significant decisions require it. Every meeting follows a standard agenda covering safeguarding, finance, operations, and strategic matters. We keep formal minutes of all decisions.

Conflicts of Interest

Trustees are required to declare any personal interests that could conflict with their duties to the charity. Declarations are made at appointment, updated annually, and confirmed at meetings where relevant matters arise. Given our close involvement in operations, we're particularly attentive to managing potential conflicts in line with Charity Commission guidance.

Policies

We maintain policies covering safeguarding, financial controls, risk management, complaints, and serious incident reporting. We also maintain a risk register which is regularly reviewed by trustees, to ensure emerging risks are identified and managed promptly.  Safeguarding and other critical topics are raised at each meeting, with their policies reviewed at least annually; others are reviewed as needed to ensure they remain fit for purpose..

Safeguarding

Our work involves children who have experienced significant trauma and abuse. Safeguarding is therefore not a compliance exercise for us — it is foundational to who we are and central to every decision we make.

• Safeguarding is a standing agenda item at every UK and Ugandan trustee meeting
• Both countries have Designated Safeguarding Leads, and each board includes Designated Safeguarding Trustees who provide oversight and accountability
• UK trustees, staff, and volunteers undergo appropriate DBS checks
• Ugandan staff and volunteers follow robust safeguarding procedures appropriate to their context, including mandatory police checks
• We follow safer recruitment practices across both countries, including references, vetting, and suitability checks for all staff and volunteers
• All staff, volunteers, and trustees undertake regular safeguarding training, ensuring consistent understanding of best practice
• Clear procedures exist for reporting, escalating, and responding to concerns, with defined pathways in both Uganda and the UK
• Our Safeguarding Policy is reviewed at least annually and updated in line with best practice
• We are active members of CRANE, Viva Uganda, a safeguarding and child?protection best?practice network, and Thirtyone:eight in the UK
• Our safeguarding practice has been reviewed by CRANE, and we have accessed Thirtyone:eight consultancy for specialist advice and case support
• Our approach is trauma-informed, recognising the impact of early adversity and ensuring that our environments, relationships, and practices promote healing, safety, and trust
• We take a preventative approach: not only responding to concerns, but actively creating environments where children are protected, nurtured, and able to thrive

This commitment to safeguarding is embedded across both organisations and is integral to our governance, culture, and daily practice.

UK-Uganda Partnership

Biojemmss UK and Biojemmss Uganda are legally separate organisations, each with their own independent board of trustees. Biojemmss Organisation Uganda (NGO No. 8224 S. 2914/8737) leads programme delivery on the ground, while Biojemmss UK focuses on fundraising, donor engagement, UK charity compliance, and wider organisational support. The two entities work in close partnership, with a strong, respectful, and collaborative relationship between their boards.

How accountability works

Financial planning and approval

• The Uganda team drafts the annual budget, which is reviewed by the CEO and approved by the Uganda Board before being submitted to the UK Board for final approval.
• Funds are released only after UK trustee review, ensuring alignment with donor intentions and regulatory expectations.

Financial controls and reporting

• Uganda provides regular updates to the UK through weekly communication with the CEO, supported by detailed financial reporting to the Uganda Board.
• All payments across both countries require dual authorisation, ensuring no single individual controls expenditure.
• Biojemmss Uganda undergoes independent external audit, and Biojemmss UK is subject to its own independent financial assessment.

Operational leadership

• In Uganda, day-to-day programme delivery, staff management, and local compliance are led by the Ugandan team under the oversight of the Uganda Board.
• In the UK, operational work includes fundraising, communications, donor relations, and UK charity compliance, overseen by the UK Board.
• The UK Board may offer insight or advice on programme matters when appropriate, but operational decisions within Uganda are led locally.

Governance relationship

• The two boards are independent but work together closely, with regular communication flowing through the CEO and engagement with Ugandan trustees as needed.
• The UK Board takes an active interest in reviewing policies, safeguarding standards, and organisational development, while recognising and supporting the strong governance structures already in place in Uganda.
• Partnership arrangements are reviewed annually, and trustees visit Uganda when circumstances allow.

This structure supports strong Ugandan leadership while maintaining the financial oversight, safeguarding assurance, and transparency expected by donors and regulators.

Regulatory Standing

Charity Commission

Biojemmss UK is a registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) and meets all ongoing requirements of the Charity Commission. We file our Annual Return and independently examined accounts each year, with examinations carried out by Wyatt & Co. Our full filing history is publicly available on the Charity Commission register.

Financial year: 1 April – 31 March

NGO Bureau

Biojemmss Uganda is registered with the National Bureau for Non-Governmental Organisations and maintains its regulatory standing through annual returns, renewals, and independent external audit.

Ongoing development

As a small, volunteer-led charity, we are committed to continually strengthening our governance. We use the Charity Governance Code as an aspirational framework, applying its principles proportionately to our size, resources, and context. This includes ongoing work to improve board effectiveness, risk management, safeguarding oversight, and organisational learning.

Contact

Questions about our governance are welcome.

Email: info@biojemmss.com

Website: www.biojemmss.com

Last reviewed: January 2026