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Message from the Chair of Trustees 4
Message from the Chief Executive 6
Our Mission, Vision & Values 9
Our work in 2020:
How we helped survivors of torture 10
Changing Connections 12
How we helped survivors navigate the asylum system 14
How we created change through legal challenge 16
How we stood strong with torture survivors through the pandemic 18
How we empowered survivors 22
How our supporters rose to the challenge with us this year 24
Thank you to our major donors 29
Thank you to our supporters 30
Strategic report 31
Plans for the future period 33
Fundraising statement 35
Financial review 36
Risk management 40
Organisational structure 42
Statement of Trustees’ responsibility 44
Independent Auditor’s Report 45
Financial statements 50
Reference and administrative details of the charity 72
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## **Sue Berelowitz**
As we look back on 2020, many of us will still be reeling from the pain and disruption caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic. As the shock of lockdown descended, we knew our clients would likely be among those Feelings of isolation within four walls can be very triggering for some survivors of torture. Meanwhile vital care, therapy, and support threatened to recede out of reach. We knew that speed of movement was key and within just 2 weeks of learning about had moved to a completely remote model of therapy, ensuring no
Life changed for everyone. As a charity we were suddenly operating in a new world. Our donors and supporters, as have all had to stop and assess their priorities. As a sector we face uncertain times for a long time to come.
Over the year, we have had to think on our feet, be thoughtful and creative and above all determined to stand staying strong to our values and turning obstacles to opportunity. The digital doors we opened, out of necessity
**Over the year, we have had to think on our feet, be thoughtful and creative and above all determined to**
support to more people in new ways. We are hugely grateful to and hugely proud of our teams and what they have achieved despite all they have faced.
A line in the sand was drawn in May 2020, with the murder of George Floyd under the knee of an American persistent deliberate force intentionally uprising that followed, have brought all of these issues into sharp relief for us at Freedom from Torture.
Freedom from Torture | Annual Report 2020
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For 35 years, Freedom from Torture has borne witness to torture linked to racist oppression in many countries and we have helped many thousands of survivors to rebuild their lives and concerned about the rise of hate and normalisation of extremist views in the context of populist authoritarianism sweeping the world right now. Values our parents and grandparents fought are threatened, including in liberal democracies such as the US and here in the UK. The very concept of human rights is under attack.
At Freedom from Torture, we have a strong history of calling out injustice. But we must do more. One statement Ellison said that “some things are just too unjust for words”. So we call for action. It is time for the British government to show leadership and stand up to human rights abusers, even when they are allies or trading partners. And it must take concrete steps to address both structural and cultural beyond that have let Black people down time and time again.
What keeps us strong is our heart. And at our very centre is survivor empowerment. The global political climate we are in now is harsher than hostile. We are a long way from our vision of a world free from torture, and while others look away we will keep and expertise of survivors. That is why, as we head into 2021, we are building a new directorate of survivor empowerment, with co-founder of Survivors Speak OUT, Kolbassia Haoussou MBE, at its helm.
As we set our strategy for the next four years, we will make sure all our plans, decisions and actions, are driven by survivors. Because we will never back down on this: it is not enough to treat wrong. We are determined to build the movements and coalitions, to shape and strengthen political will, that will stop torture forever.
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Freedom from Torture | Annual Report 2020
## **Sonya Sceats**
torture survivors in the UK. Stories of COVID-19 restrictions were imposed. Survivors struggled to keep safe, feed themselves and their families and stay almost ground to a halt.
survivors’ pain. We delivered more than 17,000 remote client sessions welfare spend so that survivors could meet their basic needs. We rolled out smart phones to help survivors access our own and other services. Our micro grants scheme helped hundreds more survivors via smaller charities supporting them across the UK.
Authoritarian leaders have exploited the pandemic to repress their populations and reduce constraints on their power. It is harder for torture survivors to escape. The number of asylum seekers reaching Britain plummeted last year. But the politics of hate against them escalated. Freedom from Torture joined with survivors to confront this politics, call out structural racism in our immigration system and are delighted that our campaign against torture impunity led to two U-turns from the Prime Minister in early 2021.
**All of this was made possible by the activism and incredible generosity**
All of this was made possible by the activism and incredible generosity of our supporters. Together with our allies, we mobilised tens of thousands of people to campaign alongside survivors to raise asylum support rates, close unsafe army barracks accommodating asylum seekers and defeat UK government plans to decriminalise torture for British troops abroad. Our “Do What We Can” emergency appeal was among the most successful in our history. We are so grateful to everyone who contributed and to all the institutional funders who provided emergency grants to help us adjust to COVID-19.
We are determined to keep evolving Freedom from Torture to meet the challenges of this new world. Our
Freedom from Torture | Annual Report 2020
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in-person services re-opened at the end of 2020 but we will embrace digital services to expand access and choices for survivors into the future. We will heed the call of Black Lives Matter to champion anti-racism and pass power to survivors in line with our long-standing commitment to survivor empowerment at Freedom from Torture and beyond. We will redouble movements to defend the torture ban and Britain’s asylum system.
Our next strategy is taking shape now with survivors at the helm of the process. Thank you to all the survivors, donors, supporters and partners who are helping to shape it. We are a growing community of people committed to ending torture and ensuring that Britain remains a safe
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Freedom from Torture | Annual Report 2020
**Freedom from Torture is dedicated to healing and protecting people who health, we medically document torture, and we provide legal and welfare**
Through this tumultuous year, our mission and core values have steered us through unprecedented change. We committed, in our 2019-2021 strategy, to with it have called for some deep thinking about our ethos and how we adapt to deliver on our promise: to protect and heal more torture survivors in the UK and to prevent torture across the world.
with, and thanks to the enduring generosity of our supporters, we were able to steer into unchartered territory with success.
## We oppose torture
## **Our core values are:**
**COMPASSION:** Unlocking strength, moving from passive to active. **RESOLVE:** Never giving up, even in the hardest times. **HOPE:** Belief in the potential for making change.
While people are still being tortured, we place where survivors can rebuild their lives in safety and with dignity.
We will use the evidence we gather from the people we work with to expose torture, and we will campaign globally to ensure states responsible for torture are held to account.
We believe in the capacity of rehabilitation not only to rebuild lives, but to give power back to survivors so they are able to speak for change.
We provide physical, psychological, legal and welfare support to people in the UK who have survived torture. We also support rehabilitation services to survivors.
promoting social integration of torture survivors, raising public awareness of the use of torture and its terrible human impact and promoting a world free from torture.
with their duty to have regard to the by the Charity Commission in exercising their powers and duties.
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## **Torture attempts to break people to the point where they can’t**
In the response to COVID-19, we rapidly moved our services online and via telephone. We were aware that our clients were facing additional stresses and demands during this time, on top of the average stressors that the majority of the population were having to deal with. The social isolation caused by the lockdown was triggering for our clients, who were reminded of the loneliness of torture.
Our safeguarding referrals during this period revealed a range of concerns including domestic violence, physical and psychological deteriorating mental health, the impact of parental mental health on parenting, and coping mechanisms. This, combined with digital poverty, language barriers preventing access to health information, and reduced support networks, meant it was vital for us provide a consistent service provision for our clients. So, we increased our support in the immediate stages of the lockdown to our existing clients, and remained vigilant to any signs that our clients were experiencing a deterioration in their mental health, or any form of abuse or exploitation, so that our formal risk management and safeguarding procedures could be followed. We also held a ‘safeguarding week’ for clinicians which included specialist sessions on the safeguarding concerns most relevant to our clients.
We ensured all of our clients had access to a smart phone and had data, not only so they could access their therapy to continue their recovery, but also to enable them to maintain social contacts and have access to vital news services to keep informed about the public health situation. Those with mental health problems were more at
risk of deterioration caused by the lack of social contact during the lockdowns. Our clients face additional challenges in relation to social reintegration (including language barriers, poverty, and lack of familiarity with UK services), and so this provision ensured clients maintained social contacts.
We provided a total of 18,260 hours of therapy in 2020 and, despite the uncertainty during the year, welcomed 241 new clients for treatment. of recovery: 268 clients were successfully us. Despite the pandemic, we continued to roll out our radical new treatment model Pathways survivor co-delivery of rehabilitation services.
Throughout the year we have continued to therapy (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)), and Eye Movement Desensitisation systemic psychotherapy, and individual stabilisation (that helps survivors to manage
**clients were successfully discharged**
**Hours of therapy in 2020**
**New clients for treatment**
**MLR reports**
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positive response from our clients about our introduced validated assessment and outcome tools so that we can be sure of the exact nature to make treatment decisions, in collaboration with client wishes. The latest results show that
assessments to happen remotely during lockdown in spite of the considerable challenges. It is crucial that survivors’ scarring is documented by experts to prove their experiences, and sometimes the timing of this is critical. We were able to carry on with psychological assessments of clients’ past lockdown eased, we brought in a model that meant remote assessments could continue where appropriate, while vital in-person scarring assessments were reintroduced.
The service now has an established hybrid system of assessing clients both remotely
and in-person. This rapid adaptation was of torture the medical evidence they needed to further their asylum cases.
despite the pandemic. Some individuals received a grant of asylum following receipt of the remote psychological reports produced their reports to argue that their previously failed asylum claims should be considered afresh. We now plan to make ongoing use of the systems established while working and their legal representatives a service needs. Our medico-legal report writing team have described this pioneering model in an article in the ‘torture’ academic journal.
Through our clinical services we have ensured that our vital work in supporting survivors’ recovery has continued and that the conditions caused by the lockdown’s were mitigated so that survivors were protected from these additional hardships as far as possible.
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Zoe Cricks is a Clinical Nurse Specialist and the Pain Management Coordinator at Freedom from Torture. She works with our clients to help them manage the physical result of their torture. Usually, she’d do this in person. Last year, she adapted, like the rest of our organisation, to continue
Many people who have survived torture continue to experience physical as well as mental pain. Living with persistent pain can be a constant reminder of torture, and if it’s unaddressed can really hinder situation can be made worse if people are going without things that could help, like nutritious food, access to exercise, and a social network. For those forced to live in poverty, maybe in mouldy, damp accommodation, without a decent bed or heating, it can feel like all they have is their pain.
With professional medical and selfmanagement support, through relaxation classes, survivors can begin to improve their lives. Treating both the mental trauma and the physical pain helps rehabilitation massively.
“A number of our clients have existing health conditions, lots are on medications for PTSD the moment, they’re working really hard, but lots of people’s prescriptions are running out,
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Freedom from Torture client.
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**Treating both the mental trauma and the physical pain helps rehabilitation**
**“Our clinicians and welfare team are working hard to try and link our clients up with local organisations and other sending out care packages that can last them for a while, but situations like this that was happening before is still going on, yet anxiety, PTSD, health conditions**
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Mohammed is one of our community development workers. He runs a football group for survivors in Glasgow. The all-male football team would usually meet every week, but when the country went into lockdown, Mohammed set up a WhatsApp group so everyone could stay connected. Thanks to Mohammed, who’s been sending them exercises to do at home, the group has been able to keep up with their exercise as well as stay in touch even when they couldn’t meet in person. Through the virtual group, he normally would in person, like helping them with translations when he can.
“Thankfully, just before the coronavirus crisis hit, Police Scotland had donated shorts and jackets, which we distributed just in time. We also bought football shoes and kits not long before, so most of the
**Some of the guys have lived in Glasgow for years, but others had just arrived in the UK by themselves and were having not only that we check in with them, but that these friendships can keep going,**
**Having already been through so much, many survivors struggle to have are subjected to harmful detention, and failures in accommodation and**
Through the disruption of 2020, and against the backdrop of increased hostility from the survivors to navigate the asylum system. Our specialist in-house Legal and Welfare Service (LAWS) received 2,142 referrals this year and we were able to support 568 clients.
Our clients continue to express the value that they place on this service. It makes a legal immigration and welfare advisors are able to work together with their own legal representatives to make sure their needs are met.
accommodation is a rife, and is a considerable source of distress for our clients. Our LAWS and clinical teams work with survivors to
if necessary, where it isn’t possible for them to keep themselves safe, to make the needed referrals so they can be moved to more suitable accommodation.
**for [our clients] to know our skilled legal immigration and welfare advisors are able to work together with their own legal representatives to make sure their needs**
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**in-house legal expertise with our depth of experience in the issues that survivors of torture face again and again, so we can create systemic**
Our client, a single mother with a small child, was experiencing abusive and antisocial behaviour in her asylum support accommodation provider and made relevant safeguarding referrals. We referred our client to a community care solicitor (Deighton the client to alternative accommodation, though she would have preferred to remain in the accommodation and instead for the perpetrator to be moved. Even though the was still granted permission to proceed to a full hearing. We provided a witness statement for the hearing as well as evidence detailing scale by the issue of anti-social behaviour in asylum support accommodation.
before the scheduled hearing in December 2020. One of the main outcomes was that they agreed to amend the ‘Breach of Conditions’ policy on dealing with antisocial behaviour, harassment, verbal or physical abuse,
threatening behaviour or assault in asylum support accommodation (this covers anyone experiencing antisocial behaviour from someone outside their family, as behaviour of family members or intimate partners is covered by the Domestic Abuse policy).
## **to comment and feedback on policy**
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**A number of our clients experience physical and mental health disabilities and have faced unreasonable delays in being accommodation for prolonged periods,**
So we were keen to support a piece of strategic litigation brought by DPG regarding these unacceptable delays in relocation. We again provided a witness statement and wider evidence on the issue for the case.
In December 2020, the High Court handed down a judgment holding that delays in relocation in these cases is unlawful and discriminatory.
its private sector contractor was “chaotic”, their failure to know how the contract performed unlawful, and that their failure to monitor the provision of accommodation to those with disabilities a breach of duty.
The Judge rejected the submission by the Secretary of State that disability grounds of immigration control, rejected suggestions that claimants’ destitution was caused by their own “failure to travel” to that economic incentives in contracts with private accommodation contractors risks a negative impact on disabled people as their
Finally the judge also found that the Home services, and from NGOs, that the contracts are failing, allowing a situation to develop their essential living needs for prolonged periods, and that a more constructive approach from the Secretary of State is needed to ensure the asylum support
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**Against the stark backdrop of a worldwide backslide into authoritarianism and weakening commitment to the global torture ban, the global**
While Donald Trump set the global bar low with his claim that “torture absolutely works”, he never stood alone, with other supporters of torture in power from Brazil to the Philippines. In the UK, we have seen the government abandon their moral and contexts this year, in ways that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago.
In the face of new obstacles this year, we have taken the opportunity to think deeply this year and plan how we will counter this backslide. We have pushed forward the process of reaching out to partner organisations with whom we believe we momentum back up with the expansion of our survivor activism work in the coming year, including the planned creation of a Survivor Empowerment Directorate.
When the Overseas Operations Bill reared its head, outlining a “presumption against prosecution” for torture and other crimes, we played a key role in energising opposition to the Bill, in parliament and nationwide. We knew that if it passed unchanged into for perpetrators in most cases of torture
We worked with leading military and defence gained wide traction and impact. Members network of torture survivors who are former
**back up with the expansion of our survivor activism work in the coming year, including the planned creation of a Survivor Empowerment**
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clients of Freedom from Torture and who speak with authority on issues of torture, and life in the UK as asylum seekers and refugees who have survived trauma) drove much of the advocacy thinking, and spoke at key parliamentary events on the theme, including the Conservative Party Conference.
Over 14,000 of our supporters wrote to their MPs asking them to oppose the bill, and join them in taking a stand that torture should never go unpunished. By year -end, pressure. 2021 saw an incredible U-turn, with Parliament voting for a government amendment to exclude torture, genocide and crimes against humanity from the scope of the presumption against prosecution in the Overseas Operations Bill.
In June 2020, we published **Beyond Belief** , a report detailing how torture survivors are failed by the asylum interview process. The report, like our 2019 publication Lessons Not disbelief, and again called for change. During a cross-party parliamentary launch of the report, we highlighted parallels between the treatment of torture survivors and the acknowledged failures at the heart of the Windrush scandal. We inspired high-level commitments from the
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While the pandemic has thrown up many challenges, 2020 has also seen new energy in pushing against the most unjust government proposals and practice.
This year we brought attention to the ethnic disparities in health and other areas that we see through our work. In June we joined forces with Black Lives Matter UK, Hope Not Hate, The Joint Council For The Welfare Of Immigrants and others to project a **Black Lives Matter** message onto the Houses of Parliament, which gained international coverage and was featured in the Times, the Independent, Vogue, the Daily Mail and the Washington Post to name but a few media outlets.
We campaigned to close the decommissioned army barracks in Kent and Wales where many people seeking asylum were being held in outbreak in the barracks in January and
College of Psychiatrists and others and worked with ministers and the public to count, got more than 45,000 signatures. By year-end, the government was forced to rethink the barracks policy, the facility in Wales has since closed and we hope the Kent barracks won’t be far behind.
**Our petition to close the decommissioned army barracks got more than**
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In a year when the government introduced increasingly hostile policies for people seeking asylum, we pulled together with partner Initiative, a newly-created coalition for change. Pooling our expertise with other leading organisations in our sector, we tackled new in 2021, which look set to cut away at the very principles of seeking asylum in the UK.
We also led a campaign, beginning in April, to raise asylum support in the face of the pandemic. Joining forces with other organisations in the refugee, human rights and welfare rights sectors, we called for with the increase to Universal Credit.
We sent a letter to the Home Secretary that was signed by over 60 organisations, and ran a public petition that got over 21,000 signatures. We met with parliamentary allies on the Labour and SNP frontbench to discuss our campaign calls and exchanged several letters
with the Home Secretary and Chancellor of the the eventual minor 5% increase to support rates. We took an important leadership role support and collaboration from outside the sector and building public pressure.
**Secretary that was signed by over**
**and ran a petition that got over**
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**Survivor voices ran through all our activity this year, from our stance on anti-racism, to our expert opposition to the Overseas Operations Bill, to**
We are increasing our investment in our survivor activism work to make sure authoritative voices power the change we create. In 2021, we will welcome a Director for Survivor Empowerment to our senior management team. This new role, alongside increased representation of torture survivors among our Board, will add lived-experience authority at every level of the organisation.
Our survivor-led work has seen phenomenal growth in the past decade. It has been widely admired, and we hope will create a lasting legacy in the years to come. We know the model for building survivor-led work that we’re developing with Survivors Speak OUT (SSO) is eagerly anticipated by other organisations embarking on the journey.
Much of the Survivor Activism team’s work had to be delivered remotely this year, from creative workshops organised by Write to Life and Young Outspoken Survivors, to the core advocacy, campaigning and coalition-building work of SSO. It was a challenging pivot, but one which has laid the groundwork for remote working in future, which will open up new technological and geographic possibilities.
A new network, in development this year, may prove to be our greatest contribution yet to empowerment models within the UK migration sector. SSO worked with other selfled advocacy groups with lived experience to create a new movement of campaigners with lived experience of migration, seeking asylum, and refugee issues. The One Strong Voice network was launched at a successful remote event in December. They laid out their vision, mission and objectives and held meetings with
**Much of the Survivor Activism team’s work had to be delivered remotely this pivot, but one which has laid the groundwork for remote working in future, which will open up new technological and**
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Lucie volunteers as a receptionist and administrator with our Manchester team, experience in secretarial work and computer science to use for a cause she believes in.
She is also a refugee, and was a Freedom from Torture client herself.
and, together with her two children, sought asylum in the UK. She was later granted refugee status and her husband has since joined her.
Lucie says: **“I have been a client of Freedom from Torture so I wanted to use my professional skills to support the noble purpose of defending human rights and providing therapy and**
**I’ve gained new skills, with training on how to work therapeutically through interpreters I can use my skills and aid my professional At times I have helped the interpreters**
Survivors are involved in every aspect of our services, whether it’s being greeted at our centres by volunteers like Lucie, leading campaigns, or co-designing our services.
We put people with lived experience of torture at the heart of all we do. While 2020 was a year of change in many ways, one in which we adapted fast, it was also a time for us to stay steadfast in our mission. Our commitment to collaborate with, and be led by, survivors of torture is integral to that.
Lockdown has posed critical problems for survivors of torture this year, as it has for millions across the UK. An important part of being able to heal and rebuild your life as a survivor is being able to continue personal learning and development.
So the team at our Glasgow centre were delighted to take a donation of believe in reuse over buying new.
**The PCs will be sent out to survivors**
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**Every year, survivors turn to us in moments where it might feel as**
Our supporters understood that too, showing incredible generosity. We are deeply grateful to all our supporters for coming together in the face of change this year, adapting with us to make sure we’re still there for survivors. .
seeking refuge in the UK to pay for food, warm clothes and bus fares to meet solicitors. A little support can be life-changing for people like Seko, a hardworking father of two from who was tortured for his atheist views for taken away with only three days’ notice.
It’s not easy to describe in words how painful it is to receive a letter telling you you’ll be homeless in three days. So, with Seko’s permission, we included an image of the letter he received when we launched our appeal in March.
Many survivors are already isolated and support the UK government lacks to provide. Our campaign highlighted the impact of the pandemic for survivors of torture in emails and social media posts. The appeal was low cost, simple and genuine. It felt tangibly real - because it was. Seko’s story and the harsh, inhumane letter resonated with supporters across the UK and they responded with empathy, kindness and
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## **“Our work as a local group has never been**
says Joanna, a volunteer with a local Freedom from Torture group in London.
The group has been putting a lot of energy into digitally adapting their meetings and activities, because they know the pandemic will severely impact our ability to fundraise, and so of course our services.
Although Joanna has just moved to Brussels, she’s continuing her work with the group online.
**“There is a long way to go for our immigration system to treat people with the respect, dignity and humanity they**
Author Mark, who was once a client of ours, has just donated the rights of one of his books to support other survivors of torture.
Mark, who survived a year of imprisonment war, came to the UK in 1989 where he had therapy with us and became a member of Write to Life, our creative writing group for survivors of torture.
With the group’s support, he became a passionate writer and went on to pen an incredible 30 books, 25 novels and
**“There is a long way to go for our immigration system to treat people with the respect, dignity and**
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**lockdown, we piloted and delivered our well as A-listers like Dame Helen Mirren, Thandiwe Newton and Prue Leith, who wouldn’t normally be able to support an**
It enabled us to build relationships and attract supporter joined our literary committee as a direct result of hearing how passionate our celebrity supporters are about our work. And the auction raised almost
We also delivered a series of “Surviving opportunity to hear directly from our frontline workers about the struggles our clients are facing and the need for their continued support. For many people who can’t usually
and a chance to understand the impact of their donations in helping survivors.
an exclusive “Meet the Patrons” event for donors. John McCarthy, Michael Palin and Fiona Shaw spoke about their support and commitment to Freedom from Torture and an entertaining mix of heartfelt sentiment and hilarious anecdote, this event exceeded our expectations and raised
We ended the year on a high with an evening to run online as a three-day event featuring celebrity speakers and author sessions, we attracted hundreds of new supporters. The stars of the show were members of Write to Life, who delivered
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incredibly powerful, moving accounts of their journeys, inspired by the a special performance from the amazing Sing for Freedom choir.
supported by best-selling authors and artists including Margaret Atwood, Edmund de Waal, Ian McEwan, Anne Fine, Quentin Blake and Ken Follett.
As well as attracting a host of coverage including in Vogue, GQ and Tatler, and exceeded both our reforecast and original targets, raising **£56,500** the most our literary events have ever raised!
In March, as COVID-19 was spreading rapidly in the UK and dominating the news cycle, survivors who were already living even more threatening conditions.
We changed direction in our campaign planning, knowing we had to be responsive to the fact our supporters were likely to be distracted, facing worries and challenges with the language and visuals we used, working with a local artist, reaching out approach to particular audiences. The result was Do What We Can, an emergency relief fund campaign. It was our most successful digital appeal to date, raising over
With the enduring generosity of our supporters, we’ve been able to run a COVID small grants scheme this year, supporting charities who, like us, work with survivors of torture across the UK. In 2020, we
**hundreds of new of the show were Life, who delivered incredibly powerful, moving accounts of their journeys, inspired by the**
granting funds to charities that work with groups that are underrepresented within our own services, such as certain nationalities, single parents, older adults and people who identify as LGBTQIA+. This scheme has supported meaningful programmes and projects providing vital services to survivors of torture beyond our own services.
The Comfrey Project is a safe and welcoming community space for refugees and people their journey to safety. They foster personal wellbeing, social integration and community health through activities like allotment
The Comfrey Project received a grant from us and is putting it to use providing emergency support during the pandemic to the survivors they work with.
One young woman from Nigeria, who is among the Comfrey Project clients receiving much-needed help through the grant, has been struggling with depression and a decline in her physical health. She is currently being the travel costs to her various appointments at the hospital. Despite being physically exhausted, she would walk for over an hour during a dizzy spell.
Thanks to your support, the Comfrey Project is able to provide her with funds to travel to her hospital appointments and therapy sessions, as well as supermarket vouchers for fresh fruit and vegetables to help her regain her health.
**The Comfrey Project received a grant from us and is putting it to use providing emergency support during the**
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## **Freedom from Torture would not be able to continue without the grateful to those funders who have given particular support through**
## The **Paul Hamlyn Foundation** is supporting
reforms that will mean better treatment for people in these systems. We’re achieving this through three interwoven work streams: the leadership and culture through insight into the lived experiences of our shared clients. The second has created a programme of powerbuilding among migration activism groups, which has culminated in the creation of One Strong Voice, a self-led activist group with lived experiences of the UK migration system. The third work stream continues to build public campaigning, media work and advocacy system reform.
The Paul Hamlyn Foundation also gave a generous donation towards expenditure generated by COVID-19.
The **Sigrid Rausing Trust** donates a core grant for our work at the global level to support new approaches and achieve greater impact in through the development and promotion of survivor empowerment models.
**This year more than ever, we are grateful to those funders who have given particular support through**
## The **Esmée Fairbairn Foundation** has
provided multi-year donations to the Survivors Speak OUT network. The funding supports with the UK government, as well as building our youth activism group: Young Outspoken Survivors.
The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation also gave a generous unrestricted donation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The **City Bridge Trust** , via the London emergency grant to support our IT costs to remote working in March 2020, and also supported our client relief fund, which enables clients to access essential items.
The **Open Society Foundation** , through the New Executives Fund, has funded a programme of work that supports us in playing to the absolute torture ban.
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**Everything Freedom from Torture has achieved in the past year depends penny donated counts towards the rebuilding of lives and there are far**
Mr Julian Barnes Ms Caroline Bilbrough The Brook Trust The Chillag Family Trust Mr Alan Cristea Mr Sebastian Gibson Mr Duncan and Mrs Barbara Greenland Mrs Laura and Mr Graham Hazell Mrs Kate and Mr Marcus Hill
**Every single penny donated counts towards the rebuilding**
The Wyn and Ken Lo Memorial Fund The Mercers’ Company M&S on behalf of Dame Helen Mirren The Points Family Trust Mr Chris and Mrs Joyce Pountain The Bryan and Sirrka Sanderson Foundation Mr Alexei and Mrs Linda Sayle The Sheila Truman Trust The Bertha Foundation Professor Angela Vincent Mr Martin Wolf The Victoria Wood Foundation
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## **of crisis, we’re still only too aware that our values are under threat, with**
**and logistical barriers to our movementbuilding in 2020, we know how vital it will**
**there are people, organisations and decisionmakers, globally and nationally, who share**
**will bring them together to stand against the backslide into authoritarianism and merciless**
We were determined in our stand against the Overseas Operations Bill this year, as we always are in the face of regressive legislation. Even when it seemed an impossible task, we fought on against the “presumption against prosecution” of torture
Survivors Speak OUT voiced their concerns and knowledge at political committees and conferences, and representatives spoke to the of our supporters wrote to their MPs. We worked
across 14 charities through our small grants charities in this way, we’ve helped survivors of torture in communities we wouldn’t otherwise have reached.
We’re also proud of what has been a strong performance in fundraising and engagement for budget. Driven by over-performance in Trusts and Grants, Digital and Appeals, our budget was helped by an unexpected legacy, and we’ve also increased by an incredible 350%.
Meanwhile, we have laid the foundation for the growth of the One Strong Voice network in 2021. At a successful remote launch event in December, they laid out their vision, mission and objectives. impact of this network in the coming year.
on other war crimes too.
We refused to press pause on our trailblazing work models of torture rehabilitation this year, despite the pandemic. We continued to roll out our radical new treatment model, Pathways, and prepared rehabilitation services. Meanwhile, we worked to turn challenge into opportunity, staying committed to in-person therapy where possible while embracing the possibilities of digital services to expand our reach.
**fellow charities, we’ve helped survivors of torture in communities we wouldn’t**
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**The voluntary sector is under unprecedented strain as a consequence of sector is facing a shortfall of at least £6 billion and charities that are slow to adapt, evolve and show their impact will face losing donations in the**
Up to this point, Freedom from Torture has been resilient to this challenging hostile environment by remaining close to our core mission and values while we’ve adapted, ways to keep supporting and standing with survivors and through pivoting to more agile and digitally focused activity.
In addition to this, we face an increasingly hostile political environment, with attacks on the torture ban worldwide and on the UK’s refugee protection system. The need to deliver and demonstrate concrete impact for survivors of torture is greater than ever.
Over the last year, we have all kept connected through digital technology, more than ever before. Even during an era of social distancing, we saw global movements rise up against racism, xenophobia, food poverty, and more. The potential for technology to accelerate social change has never been clearer.
We believe that a thriving anti-torture movement is essential if we’re to realise our vision of a world free from torture. That’s why approach in 2021. We will experiment, test and learn new approaches using modern tools and technology to engage supporters and activity, and vice versa.
demonstrating the impact of their work. We’ll be looking at bringing in a comprehensive Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning framework and approach that’s improve, and is part of a bigger system.
The development of this system needs to align with our goals to disrupt power systems and take an anti-imperialist approach. We plan to bring in a partner to make sure the system is given the proper investment of time and resources so it’s true to our values, meaningful and sustainable, and so we can continually and implement it.
leading on our strategy review to shape our review of our current strategy, a forecast and exploration of challenges ahead and framework discussions, our subject experts will develop milestones, objectives and our Board in October.
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A key focus for us in 2021 will be working which launched in May. We co-founded
As we face the critical challenges over the coming months, including the Government’s New Plan for Immigration and Sovereign Borders Bill, we’ll come together as a coalition and unite hundreds of civil society groups against such highly regressive reforms, sharing plans and strategising side by side so we can build long-term public and political support for our vision of a
piece of work in our defence against the attack on the rights of people seeking asylum. We’ll narratives that can change hearts and minds and build support for people seeking asylum.
The words and messages we choose are powerful tools for persuasion. Drawing on expert international work on this subject, as well as media and communications output from migrant and refugee advocacy organisations in the UK, we plan to create a language guide to help the refugee and migrant advocacy sector think tactically, play to our strengths and win.
Our Legal and Welfare service specialists were involved in two key strategic litigation during 2020. In 2021 we’ll place greater focus on combining our in-house legal expertise with our depth of experience in the issues that survivors of torture face again and again. This way, we can create deep and lasting systemic changes where we know they’re needed.
We plan to form a trailblazing Survivor Empowerment Directorate in 2021, led by a new Director of Survivor Empowerment, to bring survivor perspectives and voices onto our senior management team for the founder of Survivors Speak OUT, has now been appointed to this role, which will be key as we build coalitions with other organisations working with torture survivors in the UK and globally as well as driving survivor empowerment internally in our organisation. This directorate will both underpin and oversee the placing of survivor voices at the heart of everything we do.
hhvv
Freedom from Torture | Annual Report 2020
34
**Our fundraising strategy and approaches are periodically reviewed and evaluated to ensure that the money we invest is maximising allows us to raise funds in an ethical way and help as many torture**
All of our fundraising activities are driven by the needs of the survivors we help and are conducted with our generous supporters in mind. We ensure that we do not engage in practices that are inconsistent with Freedom from Torture’s values and have established principles to maintain this. Our Supporter Promise highlights these principles and is openly available to all supporters and members of the public. It can be found here:
We are members of the Institute of Fundraising and the Lotteries Council, are registered with Code of Fundraising Practice. We also follow all relevant legislation and best practice in the charitable sector and are fully compliant with
The donations, engagement and involvement of supporters is vital in allowing us to help survivors of torture. Without this, we simply wouldn’t be able to do the life changing work that we do. Our dedicated supporter care team is available every week day and complaints within 5 working days. They can be contacted on: or by phoning
## **Complaints**
To maximise the impacts of our investment in fundraising, we do sometimes work with external specialists. Before we work with any external organisations, including telephone agencies and creative and marketing organisations, we ensure they comply with our high standards and with all relevant legislation. All of our contracts with these agencies and organisations, as well as any other partners, are General Data Protection Freedom from Torture’s own supporter and privacy policies.
We regularly review all partnerships, monitor
‘We received 46 complaints over the course of 2020, all of which were responded to individually and handled accordingly.’
## **Vulnerable adult fundraising**
Freedom from Torture work in compliance Charities (Protection and Social Investment) Act 2016, the DMA’s guidelines for call centres, as well as the document by the Institute of Fundraising (IoF): Treating Donors Fairly: Fundraising with People in Vulnerable Circumstances.
regulatory fundraising compliance how to deliver against that in practice. For more information, please refer to our Vulnerable Adult Supporter Policy.
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in the Statement of Financial Activities. The given the challenges brought by COVID-19. We were able to generate higher income than we had budgeted for, enabling the retention of a safe general reserve level, while increasing expenditure on charitable activities.
(28%), even though some fundraising activities were severely impacted by the pandemic and the lockdowns during the year.
more than compensated for drops in areas like community fundraising and challenge event income. Several activities moved to being virtual or digital based. We were able to generate much more income through online campaigns and appeals than in previous years. This helped drive an increase in income through our website of 180%.
related appeals to our supporters. In addition,
Several Trust and Foundations gave support to This generous support was very important as it came very early in the pandemic, when
uncertainty about how stable our underlying income would be was very high. These grants and donations allowed the organisation time to review the situation.
The biggest single reason for our increased unprecedented in the history of the organisation. In addition, we were also informed of another coming in the relatively near future. This is not included in our 2020 income. Both legacies are a mixture of property, cash and shares, which be used. Trustees have decided that the funds, once received, will be used for developing infrastructure and long-term income generation to ensure Freedom from Torture can grow its
Although our income results for 2020 were very good, there are massive challenges facing the organisation. We have extremely loyal and generous supporters, most of whom have supported the organisation for more than 10 years, a strong legacy pipeline and close links with many trusts, foundations, and grant giving bodies. However, the economic outlook for 2021 and beyond is the most uncertain in living memory and even pre-COVID, many traditional fundraising
## **Income**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
**----- End of picture text -----**
Freedom from Torture | Annual Report 2020
36
The environment we face means Freedom from Torture will need to change and develop its fundraising activities, a process that started in 2019 and continued in 2020 with increased investment in income generation, particular in the recruitment of new donors. We will continue to invest in new fundraising initiatives, with the knowledge that not all the initiatives will work. However, we believe that this strategy is the best way to achieve our mission and strategic goals.
Pre the pandemic we had planned for some increases in charitable expenditure in 2020. However, because of the uncertainty the Senior Management Team and Trustees immediately implemented a set of cost control measures. compared to budget.
The reductions were implemented in a targeted work remained intact. The delivery of all working, with therapeutic, legal and welfare services moving to a remote model. This saw the number of appointments with survivors increase compared to the previous year. In addition, we assistance to survivors of torture during the lockdowns. We expanded the scope, remit and amounts given through our emergency relief to survivors of torture. Plus, we gave support to other survivors of torture connected to the organisation, including former service users, medico-legal reports clients and volunteer survivor activists working with us. Finally, we were able to help other survivors receiving help from fellow NGOs in the UK by providing a small
Even with the uncertainty caused by the pandemic, in 2020 Freedom from Torture was able to spend almost exactly match overall expenditure on delivering its services and
to remote working because of the pandemic. needed to be replaced to comply with health and safety regulations.
It is the policy of the Trustees to maintain a months’ direct charitable expenditure, which
- to make up for any shortfall in budgeted
- to cover any unbudgeted expenditure which may become necessary.
The policy is designed to ensure that Freedom from Torture can meet these two eventualities in cut back services. In the event of unforeseen loss of budgeted income or increased expenditure, it gives Freedom from Torture a period in which to seek to remedy the situation by securing additional funds and, only if this should not be possible, to plan an orderly reduction of expenditure commitments. The policy is reviewed annually by our Finance, Governance and Audit Committee.
**Charitable Expenditure**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
**----- End of picture text -----**
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Freedom from Torture | Annual Report 2020
## **Fundraising costs**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
**----- End of picture text -----**
Freedom from Torture’s main source of income is donations from the general public. The level levels of reserves to cover potential income shortfalls. The level of reserves is set by identifying the potential risk and level of shortfall for all of our main income streams. This year. The potential risks for each income stream are added together to make a “worst case” scenario and the reserves level is set to cover this scenario. In addition, the level of reserves retained will cover the period during which any and implemented.
The Trustees have designated funds as shown long term donation, major building repairs and working capital reserve.
is slightly above the upper limit of 4 months policy at (4.2 months. This is due to the excellent income results in 2020 and the cost control measures implemented during the pandemic.
Trustees have agreed to use some of the General in early 2021.
These reserves, coupled with strong income and control of expenditure, are ensuring maintained during the COVID-19 lockdown and economic uncertainty. Trustees and the Senior Management Team will ensure that the use of any reserves over and above what is planned, delivery of our strategic aims. Should income reduce as a result of the pandemic, or for other reasons, measures will be implemented as managed safely and maintained or replenished
These relate to income the use of which has been include donations from trusts and foundations and grants from public bodies towards the Trustees expect to use the funds held at the end
The Trustees consider that it is not prudent to invest any of the reserves long term. The investment policy is therefore to manage funds so as to obtain the best rate of interest on them.
Freedom from Torture | Annual Report 2020
38
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Fund Total
Designated Funds
Total Funds £11,636,763
**----- End of picture text -----**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Designated Value at
Designation Use of fund
Funds
Fixed Assets Property (two buildings This represents the extent to which
Reserve owned by the charity, unrestricted funds are tied up in the
used as clinical centres) organisation’s property and other
is funded by loans.
Long-term Trustees have authority to use
Donation Donor expressed a
wish that the donation it was planned to use the fund
be invested and the to invest in donor recruitment in
proceeds be used for 2020 and then replenish the fund
psychotherapy.
was not implemented because of
the pandemic.
Major Building Fund to cover any
Repairs large- scale repairs 2020, as per our policy and
or refurbishments to
property owned by the
charity. Current policy to our London Centre.
into the fund.
Fund to cover working
Reserve capital needs. Level unrestricted funds are tied up
in working capital (in particular
calculated as Current
Assets, excluding Bank due but not received).
and cash, less Creditors.
TOTAL £8,267,536
**----- End of picture text -----**
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Freedom from Torture | Annual Report 2020
We take a robust approach to identifying, monitoring and actively managing risks facing Freedom from Torture. Consideration of risk is streamed into all of our senior management meetings and we use a risk register to capture and manage the most important risks. Our risk between strategic and operational risks.
The register is formally reviewed and updated every month by the Senior Management Team. At every Board of Trustees meeting the register is reviewed and feedback is used to ensure we continue to identify and have the most place. We have implemented many actions to
## **Risk 1**
consultation with people who use our services deliver a wider range of interventions via our
## **Risk 3**
A treatment client of Freedom from Torture harms or kills themselves, or another person, or commits other serious crime.
## **Mitigation includes:**
assessments for all treatment clients, with relevant policies agreed and regular review of
## **Risk 4**
and dies of COVID-19.
## **Mitigation includes:**
assessments and action planning for each centres regarding: distancing, hand washing perspex screens and other protective furniture further facilities for alternative ways of getting and tools.
## **Risk 2**
on remote working / lack of face-to-face appointments
**Mitigation includes:** Operational planning
COVID causes serious disruption to our medico-legal reporting services.
**Mitigation includes:** Strategic and operational services, including how to improve value for
## **Risk 5**
deliver our strategic plans.
**Mitigation includes:** Increased investment in Fundraising and Communications to protect funding agreed to roll out new initiatives, engagement working group set up to monitor
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Freedom from Torture is legally constituted as a company limited by guarantee, registered as Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture since 1985. The organisation changed its legal name to Freedom from Torture on 28th February 2020.
Our governing instruments are the memorandum and articles of association.
We are registered with both the Charity Survivors Trading Limited, is dormant and has
The remuneration of the key management post holders, who consist of the individuals on page (?) has been established in accordance with market rates, taking into account the level remuneration policy is being reviewed and it is currently planned that changes will be implemented in 2021.
In March 2018, Freedom from Torture adopted the Charity Governance Code to continue to drive forward improvements in its governance. The governing body is the Board of Trustees (the Board) which met four times in 2020. The Trustees are also Directors of the company.
During 2020 the following three standing Committees of the Board, each consisting of a number of Trustees met during the year: Finance & Fundraising (4 meetings), Clinical and Legal Governance (4 meetings) and Policy and Advocacy (2 meetings).
In 2019, we carried out a governance review to ensure our structures, systems and processes were appropriate and enabled our organisation to improve transparency recommendations of the review were considered by the Board and the previous standing committees were replaced by the Committee (4 meetings), the Finance Governance and Audit Committee (4 Working Group (4 meetings). This new governance structure will commence in 2021.
The Board received reports from the Chief Executive, members of the Senior Management Team and the Board Committees covering in our work and in the environment in which we operate.
The Board includes senior professionals in key disciplines relevant to the management of the organisation: human rights, medicine, mental governance, child protection, fundraising, and
42
communications who are able to appreciate
We are also proud to have a Trustee with lived experience of torture who is a former service user. We have internal controls in place to Charity Commission guidelines.
New Trustees are appointed by the Board when the need arises to replace leavers and strengthen particular core competencies Trustees is through an open process with vacancies advertised on various websites and applications are particularly encouraged from former service users with expertise in the up to a maximum of two terms. In exceptional circumstances, the Board of Trustees has the power to permit two Trustees to serve two years beyond a third term if the Board of Trustees considers it in the best interests of the Charity.
In 2020 the Treasurer resigned from the Board for personal reasons and we are currently recruiting a replacement.
New Trustees receive a comprehensive induction covering the organisation’s mission, their own responsibilities. The Board approves the strategy, annual budgets and major management accounts and assessing overall performance. The Senior Management Team has delegated responsibility for operational management of the charity taking day to day decisions in the interest of the charity. Away days are held to review longer term strategic
issues. Details of changes to Trustees during the year are on page (?).
Chair of Freedom from Torture is Susan Berelowitz who was elected in October 2017. Sonya Sceats has been the Chief Executive since March 2018.
Clinical services (including medical, psychotherapeutic & social work) are provided through our centres in England (London and South East, North West, North East and West Midlands) and Scotland. We deliver one to one, group and family rehabilitation to survivors of torture and produce forensic medico-legal reports. Our clinical services directorate also provides training and capacity building services to external partners and organisations involved in the welfare of survivors of torture including NGOs and statutory services, the legal sector and immigration judiciary as well
Clinical Services also deliver outreach work which includes psychotherapy, legal and welfare casework provided in outreach centres.
We employed an average of 188 people during the year and the organisation was fortunate to have the services of 107 part-time volunteers. Most worked in the area of medical, clinical centres.
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The Trustees (who are also directors of Freedom from Torture for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
(Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Amendment
They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
In so far as the Trustees are aware:
which give a true and fair view of the state of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for
- select suitable accounting policies and
- observe the methods and principles in
- make judgments and estimates that are
- state whether applicable UK Accounting been followed,subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the
- the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to
The Trustees are responsible for keeping with reasonable accuracy at any time the statements comply with the Companies Act 2006, the Charities and Trustee Investment
- there is no relevant audit information of which the charitable company’s auditor is
- the Trustees have taken all steps that they ought to have taken to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the auditor is aware of that information.
The Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate charitable company’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation the Trustees of the Charity.
their capacity as directors in company law of the charity.
Signed on their behalf by:
**Sue Berelowitz Chair, Freedom from Torture** Approved on 22 June 2021
44
Freedom from Torture for the year ended 31 December 2020 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet, the Cash Flow Statement and notes to the
reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
- give a true and fair view of the state of the charitable company’s and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for the year
- have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting
- have been prepared in accordance with the Companies Act 2006, the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 (as amended) and regulations 6 and 8 of the Charities (as amended).
statements section of our report. We are independent of the charitable company in other ethical responsibilities in accordance and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
concluded that the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation
Based on the work we have performed, we relating to events or conditions that, doubt on the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at statements are authorised for issue.
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs(UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s
The other information comprises the information included in the annual report, auditor’s report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information. Our not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of
45
## assurance conclusion thereon.
statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we statements or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other fact.
We have nothing to report in this regard.
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:
- the information given in the [strategic report and the] trustees’ annual report
- [the strategic report and the] trustees’ annual report have been prepared in accordance with
In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the charitable company and its environment obtained in the course misstatements in the strategic report or the trustees’ annual report.
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where the Companies Act 2006 or the Charities Accounts (Scotland) report to you if, in our opinion:
- the parent charitable company has accounting records, or returns received from branches not visited by
- the parent charitable company’s agreement with the accounting
- certain disclosures of trustees’
- we have not received all the information
As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement set out on page [x], the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the
fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
46
trustees are responsible for assessing the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.
This We have been appointed as auditor under Section 44(1)(c) of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and under the Companies Act 2006 and report to you in accordance with regulations made under those Acts.
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in aggregate, they could reasonably be statements.
Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below.
The objectives of our audit in respect of fraud, audit evidence regarding the assessed risks of material misstatement due to fraud, through designing and implementing appropriate respond appropriately to instances of fraud or However, the primary responsibility for the prevention and detection of fraud rests with both management and those charged with governance of the charitable company.
Our approach was as follows:
- We obtained an understanding of the applicable to the charitable company and considered that the most Act 2006, the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 (as amended), regulations 6 and 8 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) reporting standards as issued by the
- We obtained an understanding of how the charitable company complies with management and those charged with governance.
- We assessed the risk of material statements, including the risk of material misstatement due to fraud and how it might occur, by holding discussions with management and those charged with governance.
47
those charged with governance as statements or, if such disclosures are to any known instances of noncompliance or suspected nonOur conclusions are based on the audit compliance with laws and regulations. evidence obtained up to the date of our auditor’s report. However, future events Based on this understanding, we designed or conditions may cause the charitable company to cease to continue as a going identify instances of non-compliance with concern.
- Based on this understanding, we designed identify instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. This included those charged with governance and obtaining additional corroborative
- Evaluate the overall presentation, statements, including the disclosures, represent the underlying transactions and events in a manner that achieves fair presentation.
As part of an audit in accordance with ISAs (UK) we exercise professional judgement and maintain professional scepticism throughout the audit. We also:
- Identify and assess the risks of material whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that basis for our opinion. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.
- information of the entities or business activities within the charitable company to express an opinion on We are responsible for the direction, supervision and performance of the charitable company audit. We remain solely responsible for our audit report.
We communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit we identify during our audit.
- Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purposes of expressing an charitable company’s internal control.
- Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and related disclosures made by the trustees.
- Conclude on the appropriateness of the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast company’s ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material to draw attention in our auditor’s report
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This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006 and to the charitable company’s trustees, as a body, in accordance with Section 44(1) (c) of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s members and trustees to them in an auditor’s report addressed to them and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to any party other than the charitable company and charitable company’s members as a body, and the charity’s trustees, as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
**Luke Holt Senior Statutory Auditor For and on behalf of Moore Kingston Smith LLP, Statutory Auditor**
Devonshire House
London EC1M 7AD
Moore Kingston Smith LLP is eligible to act as an auditor in terms of section 1212 of the Companies Act 2006
Approved on 29 July 2021
49
## **Incorporating Income and Expenditure Account for the year ended 31 December 2020**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Total Total
funds funds
Unrestricted Restricted
2020 2019
funds funds
Notes £ £ £ £
Income from:
Donations and legacies 2 10,653,213 769,442 11,422,655 8,665,431
Charitable activities 4 260,578 737,568 998,146 900,817
Other trading activities (incl. fundraising) 3 367,373 - 367,373 400,741
Investments 23,680 - 23,680 23,278
Total 11,304,844 1,507,010 12,811,854 9,990,267
Expenditure on:
5 3,081,948 - 3,081,948 2,794,274
Charitable activities 5,487,107 1,578,145 7,065,252 6,949,336
Total 6 8,569,055 1,578,145 10,147,200 9,743,610
Net gains/ (losses) on investments 9 (2,967) - (2,967) 1,066
Net income 2,732,822 (71,135) 2,661,687 247,723
Net movements in funds 2,732,822 (71,135) 2,661,687 247,723
Reconciliation of funds:
Total funds brought forward 8,095,976 879,100 8,975,076 8,727,353
Total funds carried forward 10,828,799 807,965 11,636,763 8,975,076
**----- End of picture text -----**
In the current and previous year the only restricted income was included in Donations and legacies and Charitable activities (see
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## **Balance Sheet as at 31 December 2020**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Notes 2020 2019
£ £
Fixed Assets
Tangible assets 8 4,320,300 4,468,811
Intangible assets 8 22,092 24,566
Investments 9 14,204 17,171
4,356,596 4,510,548
Current Assets
Debtors 10 4,246,073 1,911,658
Short-term deposits 621,307 1,211,815
Cash at hand and in bank 3,477,618 2,390,512
8,344,998 5,513,985
Creditors:
amounts falling due within one year 11 (850,819) (732,934)
Net current assets 7,494,179 4,781,051
Total assets less current liabilities 11,850,775 9,291,599
Creditors:
12 (214,012) (316,522)
Net assets 11,636,763 8,975,076
Funds 14
Unrestricted funds:
Designated funds 8,267,536 6,081,174
General reserve 2,561,262 2,014,802
10,828,798 8,095,976
807,965 879,100
11,636,763 8,975,076
**----- End of picture text -----**
The accounts were approved and authorised for issue by the Board of Trustees on 22nd June 2021
Manraj Sandhu, Treasurer
51
**----- Start of picture text -----**
2020 2019
£ £
Net cash provided by/(used in) operating activities 746,220 482,648
Dividends and interest from investments 23,680 23,278
(167,193) (239,575)
(143,513) (216,297)
(100,908) (96,882)
Interest paid (5,200) (8,749)
(106,108) (105,631)
Change in cash and cash equivalents in the reporting period 496,599 160,712
3,602,327 3,441,615
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the reporting period 4,098,925 3,602,327
2020 2019
£ £
2,661,687 247,723
Adjustments for:
Depreciation charges 306,524 280,172
Amortisation charges 11,654 17,420
Dividends and interest from investments (23,680) (23,278)
Interest paid 5,200 8,749
(Gains)/Losses on investments 2,967 (1,066)
(Increase)/decrease in debtors (2,334,415) (161,837)
Increase in creditors 116,283 114,766
746,220 482,649
Analysis of cash and cash equivalents
Cash in hand 3,477,618 2,390,512
Notice deposits (one year) 621,307 1,211,815
4,098,925 3,602,327
**----- End of picture text -----**
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these accounts.
52
implement plans to achieve this. Trustees are also sure that enable time for plans to be developed and implemented stability.
## **General information and basis of preparation:**
Freedom from Torture is a charitable company limited by guarantee. In the event of the charity being wound up, statements. The nature of the charity’s operations and
losses. Depreciation is provided at rates per annum over its useful life, as follows:
|over its useful life, as follows:||
|---|---|
|Freehold land|0%|
|Freehold buildings|2%|
|Long leasehold building|2%|
to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with updated through Update Bulletin 1 published on 2 February 2016 and Update Bulletine 2 published on 5 October 2018, 2011, the Companies Act 2006 and the Charities Accounts
retain a value to the organisation.
Intangible assets are amortised over their expected useful life, as follows:
UK Generally Accepted Practice as it applies from 1 January 2015.
## **Investments**
include certain items at fair value.
expenditure, assets or liabilities of the trading company as disclosed in note 9 due to their immateriality.
Listed investments are initially measured at cost and and gain and losses arising on disposal of investment are balance sheet date. Investments in subsidiaries are stated at cost less any provision for impairment.
## **Cash and cash equivalents**
These policies have been consistently applied to all years presented unless otherwise stated.
## **Going concern**
The Trustees have assessed whether the use of the going concern basis is appropriate and have considered possible the ability of the charitable company to continue as a going concern. The Trustees have made this assessment for a period of at least one year from the date of approval particular about the potential impact of the COVID-19 on income generation and operations, the Trustees have concluded that there is a reasonable expectation that the operational existence for the foreseeable future. Should implementation of new ways of working, Trustees
with original maturities of three months or less.
## **Financial instruments**
other than investments which are measured at fair value.
## **Income recognition**
All incoming resources are included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SoFA) when the charity is legally entitled met, the amount can be measured reliably and it is probable that the income will be received.
For donations to be recognised the charity will have been If there are conditions attached to the donation and this
53
## **Foreign exchange**
obtained then income is deferred until those conditions the control of the charity and it is probable that they will be
For legacies, entitlement arises when the charity is aware the charity, or the charity is aware of the granting of probate, and the criteria for income recognition have not been met, then the legacy is treated as a contingent asset and disclosed if material.
Income from trading activities includes income earned from fundraising events and trading activities to raise funds for the charity. Income is received in exchange for supplying goods and services in order to raise funds and is recognised when entitlement has occurred.
## **Expenditure**
Direct charitable expenditure is analysed under four and relief grants for individuals and families. Under each of shared costs such as premises and telephone usage on generating funds includes direct expenditure incurred in directly attributed to this activity and shared costs which are allocated as above. Support costs represent those functions which are wholly or mainly in support of the above activities including senior management, human resources and costs associated with maintaining the charity as a legal, rather than an operational entity. See note 6.
Transactions in currencies other than pounds sterling are recorded at the rates of exchange prevailing at the dates of the transactions. At each reporting end date, monetary assets and liabilities that are denominated in foreign currencies are retranslated at the rates prevailing on the reporting end date. Gains and losses arising on translation are included in the Statement of Financial Activities for the period.
## **Operating leases**
The rentals paid on operating leases are charged to expenditure on a straight line basis over the term of the lease.
## **Pension cost**
for its employees and contributions payable for the year are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities.
## **Funds**
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees, in furtherance of the general charitable objectives of the charity. Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the Trustees for particular purposes. The aim and use of each designated of unrestricted funds not designated by the Trustees. an appeal to donors.
## **Critical accounting estimates and areas of judgement**
make certain judgements, estimates and assumptions that In the view of the Trustees, judgements, estimates and legacy income recognition and depreciation, as per the accounting policies previously disclosed.
Grants payable are payments made to third parties in furtherance of the Charity’s objectives. Unconditional grant of the grant award and the payment is probable. Where grant awards are subject to performance conditions that are outside of the control of the Charity these are accrued when
54
**----- Start of picture text -----**
2020 2020 2020
Unrestricted Restricted Total
2020
funds funds funds
£ £ £
Trusts & foundations 392,686 737,791 1,130,477
Companies 20,214 - 20,214
Individuals:
2,362,361 - 2,362,361
914,481 25,250 939,731
1,919,120 6,401 1,925,521
956,025 - 956,025
Legacies 4,088,326 - 4,088,326
Total 10,653,213 769,442 11,422,655
2019 2019 2019 2019
Unrestricted Restricted Total
funds funds funds
£ £ £
Trusts & foundations 320,063 843,712 1,163,775
Companies 11,237 - 11,237
Individuals:
2,364,049 - 2,364,049
808,141 5,000 813,141
1,106,228 47,147 1,153,375
772,901 - 772,901
Legacies 2,386,953 - 2,386,953
Total 7,769,572 895,859 8,665,431
**----- End of picture text -----**
55
Income from trusts and foundations included the following:
**Donor** Paul Hamlyn Foundation Open Society Foundation Esmee Fairbairn Foundation City Bridge Trust/London BBC Children in Need The Tolkien Trust Trust for London Stanley Thomas Johnson Foundation Islington Council Paul Hamlyn Foundation Unbound Philanthropy Barrow Cadbury Trust Zephyr Charitable Trust Philip King Charitable Trust The Three Oaks Trust BBC Children in Need The Volant Trust The Evan Cornish Foundation M & C Trust Delves Chariitable Trust Unbound Philanthropy Persula Foundation 29th May 1961 Charitable Trust Birmingham District Nursing Charitable Trust Trust for London/London DG Charitable Trust The Harrop Green Charitable Trust The Beatrice Laing Trust Barbour Foundation The Patrick and Helena Frost Foundation The Netherdale Trust D'Oyly Carte Charitable Trust BBC Children in Need Manchester Guardian Society Chartible Trust
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Purpose £
140,000
Core work 120,000
95,865
Survivor activism / Survivors Speak Out 45,000
ICT costs and COVID-19 relief 41,318
London Centre: Children, Young People & Families 36,000
30,000
UK Policy Work including SSO Survivor Activism 30,000
24,979
Capital Expenditure 22,500
20,000
19,500
UK Policy work / Survivors Speak Out 19,000
17,500
Training and Capacity Building 15,000
Scotland centre: Children and Young People 15,000
Legal Advice and Welfare Service 15,000
West Midlands Centre: Interpreting costs 10,000
Scotland Centre: Children and Young People 10,000
Scotland Centre: Supporting Women and Girls 10,000
North West Centre: Therapeutic Support 10,000
Child psychotherapy 8,000
Legal Advice and Welfare Service 8,000
6,000
Write to Life 6,000
West Midlands Centre:- Therapeutic Support 5,000
West Midlands Centre:- Therapeutic Support 5,000
5,000
5,000
Scotland Centre: Therapeutic Support 5,000
North West Centre: Therapeutic Support 5,000
Natural Growth Project 5,000
North East Centre: Core Support 5,000
Write to Life 5,000
Scotland Centre: Therapeutic Support 3,750
London Centre: Art Therapy 3,500
3,000
North West Centre: Therapeutic Support 3,000
North East Centre: Core Support 2,500
West Midlands Centre: Therapeutic Support 2,000
**----- End of picture text -----**
56
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Donor Purpose £
The Hugh Fraser Foundation Scotland Centre: Therapeutic Support 2,000
North West Centre: Therapeutic Support 2,000
1,650
Homelands Charitable Trust Family therapy 1,500
William Howarth Charitable North West Centre: Therapeutic Support 1,500
Settlement
JTH Charitable Trust Scotland Centre: Therapeutic Support 1,250
George Henry Collins Char Trust West Midlands Centre:- Therapeutic Support 1,000
The Ericson Trust London Centre: Children, young people and families 1,000
Gordon Fraser Charitable Trust Scotland Centre: Therapeutic Support 1,000
The Inchcape Foundation Scotland Centre: Therapeutic Support 1,000
Souter Charitable Trust North West Centre: Therapeutic Support 1,000
The Sutasoma Trust Natural Growth Project 1,000
938
Miss KM Harbinson's Charitable Trust Scotland Centre: Therapeutic Support 700
The Trace Charitable Trust Child psychotherapy 540
Lillie C Johnson Trust West Midlands Centre:- Therapeutic Support 500
The Brian Shaw Memorial Trust West Midlands Centre:- Therapeutic Support 500
The Westward Trust West Midlands Centre:- Therapeutic Support 400
Ian Fleming Charitable Trust Scotland Centre: Therapeutic Support 400
Scotland Centre: Therapeutic Support 250
Catherine Cookson Charitable Trust Physical Therapy 250
**----- End of picture text -----**
expiration of life trusts.
57
**----- Start of picture text -----**
2020 2019
£ £
135,829 122,990
Fundraising events 57,366 244,423
Christmas cards 46,319 17,201
123,685
Sundry 4,174 16,127
367,373 400,741
2020 2020 2020
Unrestricted Restricted Total
2020
funds funds funds
£ £ £
Grants from government and public bodies:
National Lottery Community Fund (see below) - 367,943 367,943
United Nations - 34,380 34,380
Scottish Government - 50,000 50,000
Scottish Government (Corra Foundation) - 97,028 97,028
Others - 188,217 188,217
-
Sub-total government and public bodies 737,568 737,568
Fees for medico-legal reports 258,227 - 258,227
Training fees & Others 2,351 - 2,351
Total 260,578 737,568 998,146
**----- End of picture text -----**
|**2019**
Grants from government and public bodies:
National Lottery Community Fund (see below)
Scottish Government
Others
Sub-total government and public bodies
Fees for medico-legal reports
Training fees & Others
**Total**|**2019**
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**2019**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**2019**
**Total**
**funds**
**£**
**£**
**£**
-
385,194
385,194
-
35,000
35,000
-
143,410
143,410|
|---|---|
||-
563,604
563,604
321,536
-
321,536
15,677
-
15,677|
||**337,213**
**563,604**
**900,817**|
of government grants.
The income shown above is comprised of the total funds received as adjusted for the movement in debtors.
Freedom from Torture | Annual Report 2020
58
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Restricted
funds
£
93,094
95,667
112,641
Holistic Support for Torture Survivors London ID 0010249444 41,541
25,000
367,943
**----- End of picture text -----**
The grants above contributed to integration of torture survivors into the community in Scotand , adult therapy in London, North West and West Midlands
Freedom from Torture was grateful to receive seven grants from the from the grant giving bodies below in 2020:
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Restricted
funds
£
Scottish Government via Corra Foundation 97,028
Core and Healing Neighbourhoods 50,000
Cohesion Fund
Supporting survivors of torture aged 10-21 48,000
based in London
Supporting survivors of torture in Manchester 19,800
Ministry of Justice Supporting survivors of torture in Birmingham 96,350
Newcastle City Council Supporting survivors of torture in Newcastle 4,299
The United Nations Voluntary Fund Supporting survivors of torture in London 34,380
for Victims of Torture
349,857
**----- End of picture text -----**
These funds are included as part of the relevant restricted funds in Note 14.
59
Freedom from Torture | Annual Report 2020
|Direct Marketing
Legacies
Trusts and Corporate
Events
Local Groups
Community
Major Donors
Grants
Cost of raising voluntary income
Cost of activities for generating funds
**Total cost of raising funds**|**2020**
**2019**
**£**
**£**
1,791,603
1,623,922
105,459
117,196
311,699
197,724
118,125
154,348
102,954
72,355
86,003
112,647
278,357
260,095
104,652
138,201|
|---|---|
||2,898,851
2,676,488
183,097
117,786|
||**3,081,948**
**2,794,274**|
|**2020**
**Raising funds:**
Donations and legacies
Trading activities
**Charitable expenditure:**
Activities in furtherance of our objects:
Medical/therapy/casework
Education/training/info
Human rights work
Support costs
**Total expenditure**|**costs**
**Other direct**
**costs**
**Support**
**costs**
**£**
**£**
**£**
1,018,381
1,382,476
497,994
39,862
124,335
18,900|**Total**
**2020**
**£**
2,898,851
183,097|
|---|---|---|
||**1,058,243**
**1,506,811**
**516,894**
3,670,470
112,857
1,123,734
419,173
10,858
173,448
860,599
182,707
326,598
15,844
162,792
6,172|**3,081,948**
4,907,061
603,479
1,369,904
184,808|
||**4,966,088**
**469,214**
**1,629,952**
736,372
1,410,473
(2,146,845)|**7,065,252**
-|
||**6,760,701**
**3,386,496**
**-**|**10,147,200**|
60
|**2019**
**Raising funds:**
Donations and legacies
Trading activities
**Charitable expenditure:**
Activities in furtherance of our objects:
Medical/therapy/casework
Education/training/info
Human rights work
Support costs
**Total resources expended**|**costs**
**Other**
**direct**
**costs**
**Support**
**costs**
**£**
**£**
**£**
928,171
1,316,634
431,683
29,364
73,282
15,140
**957,535**
**1,389,916**
**446,823**
3,388,722
231,629
1,217,869
441,476
42,710
188,038
734,027
206,757
287,452
11,735
194,587
4,334
**4,575,960**
**675,683**
**1,697,693**
689,965
1,454,552
(2,144,517)
**6,223,460**
**3,520,151**
**-**|**Total**
**2019**
**£**
2,676,488
117,786|
|---|---|---|
|||**2,794,274**
4,838,220
672,224
1,228,236
210,656|
|||**6,949,336**
-|
|||**9,743,610**|
was for emergency assistance, smart phones and mobile phone credit, to enable remote access to Freedom from Torture’s service while the COVID-19 prevented face to face therapy at our centres. In addition, clients appointments.
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Total Total
2020 2019
£ £
Auditor’s remuneration:
13,050 10,750
920 895
Operating lease rentals - Land and buildings 46,162 128,550
**----- End of picture text -----**
61
Support costs represent premises and other overhead costs which cannot be directly attributed to departments and projects. The allocation of support costs in the above table is as follows:
**----- Start of picture text -----**
HR & 2020
Financial Senior Total
Governance administration management training allocated
£ £ £ £ £ £
Raising funds:
Donations and
263,714 8,540 109,986 53,002 62,753 497,995
legacies
Trading activities 10,008 324 4,174 2,012 2,382 18,900
273,722 8,864 114,160 55,014 65,135 516,895
Charitable expenditure:
Activities in furtherance of our objects:
Medical/therapy/
595,075 19,270 248,185 119,601 141,603 1,123,734
casework
Education/training/
91,849 2,974 38,307 18,460 21,856 173,446
info
Human rights work 172,950 5,600 72,132 34,760 41,155 326,597
3,269 106 1,363 657 778 6,173
863,143 27,950 359,987 173,478 205,392 1,629,950
Total 1,136,865 36,814 474,147 228,492 270,527 2,146,845
HR & 2019
Financial Senior Total
Governance administration management training allocated
£ £ £ £ £ £
Raising funds:
Donations and
212,713 8,323 87,170 45,414 78,062 431,682
legacies
Trading activities 7,460 292 3,057 1,593 2,738 15,140
220,173 8,615 90,227 47,007 80,800 446,822
Charitable expenditure:
Activities in furtherance of our objects:
Medical/therapy/
600,111 23,481 245,925 128,122 220,230 1,217,869
casework
Education/training/
92,656 3,626 37,971 19,782 34,003 188,038
info
Human rights work 141,644 5,542 58,045 30,241 51,981 287,453
2,136 84 875 456 784 4,335
836,547 32,733 342,816 178,601 306,998 1,697,695
Total 1,056,720 41,348 433,043 225,608 387,798 2,144,517
**----- End of picture text -----**
62
**----- Start of picture text -----**
2020 2019
£ £
5,561,817 5,150,102
Interpreters 403,860 354,476
Social security 465,562 417,707
Pension contributions 313,956 286,743
Life assurance contributions 15,506 14,432
6,760,701 6,223,460
**----- End of picture text -----**
three months’ service who have not opted out of the scheme.
|**2020**|**2019**|
|---|---|
|1|2|
|3|2|
|-|-|
|1|1|
Key management personnel comprises of the Trustees and Senior Management Team (listed below):
National Director of Clinical Services
Director of Finance and Central Services Director of Fundraising and Communications Director of Policy and Advocacy
All the employees in the above categories participated in the pension scheme.
63
**----- Start of picture text -----**
2020 2019
Medical, therapeutic and casework 72 71
Interpreters services including admin 10 10
Education, training and information 9 9
Human rights work 16 14
Support 14 14
Fundraising 23 22
144 140
Interpreters self employed 8 8
152 148
Total on payroll, full-time and part-time 183 183
**----- End of picture text -----**
During the year the charity was fortunate also to have the services of around 49 (2019 - 107) part-time volunteers. Most worked in the medical, therapeutic and casework area.
64
## **Tangible Fixed Assets**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Computer
Freehold Long
land and Leasehold Fixtures &
building building equipment Total
£ £ £ £ £
Cost:
At 01.01.20 5,419,752 435,331 877,250 879,355 7,611,688
Additions - - 82,210 75,803 158,013
At 31.12.20 5,419,752 435,331 959,460 955,158 7,769,701
Depreciation:
At 01.01.20 1,620,588 100,083 739,291 682,915 3,142,877
Charge for the year 105,722 6,705 68,049 126,048 306,524
At 31.12.20 1,726,310 106,788 807,340 808,963 3,449,401
Net book values:
At 31.12.19 3,799,164 335,248 137,959 196,440 4,468,811
At 31.12.20 3,693,442 328,543 152,120 146,195 4,320,300
Intangible
Fixed
Assets
£
Cost:
At 01.01.20 640,831
Additions 9,180
At 31.12.20 650,011
Amortisation:
At 01.01.20 616,265
Charge for the year 11,654
At 31.12.20 627,919
Net book values:
At 31.12.19 24,566
At 31.12.20 22,092
**----- End of picture text -----**
The freehold land and building comprised the charity’s main premises in Finsbury Park, London. The Long leasehold building, being the Newcastle centre is held under a 295 years lease running from 2006.
65
|Market value at beginning of year
Unrealised investment gain/(loss)
Market value at end of year|**2020**|**2019**
**£**
16,105
1,066|
|---|---|---|
||**£**||
||17,171||
||(2,967)||
||14,204|17,171|
in its trading subsidiary company, Survivors Trading Limited. Survivors Trading has been dormant since 2011 and
**----- Start of picture text -----**
2020 2019
£ £
Trade debtors (medico-legal report fees) 404,082 309,576
Bad debts provision (39,863) (27,033)
214,702 218,802
Legacies 3,537,469 1,312,302
Sundry debtors 68,584 39,661
Prepayments 61,099 58,350
4,246,073 1,911,658
**----- End of picture text -----**
|Bank loan repayable within one year
Trade creditors
Other accruals|**2020**|**2019**
**£**
100,174
337,809
119,503
227
175,221|
|---|---|---|
||**£**||
||101,776||
||420,233||
||127,115||
||-||
||201,695||
||**850,819**|**732,934**|
See details of bank loan below in note 12.
66
**----- Start of picture text -----**
2020 2019
£ £
Between one and two years 112,189 101,788
101,823 214,734
214,012 316,522
**----- End of picture text -----**
Total future minimum lease payments payable under non-cancellable operating leases are as follows:
**----- Start of picture text -----**
2020 2019
£ £
Up to one year 36,178 88,311
20,484 50,289
56,662 138,600
**----- End of picture text -----**
The charity had commitments under non-cancellable leases for land and buildings which relate to clinical centres in Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow.
67
Opening and closing balances and movements in funds were as follows:
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Brought Incoming Outgoing Transfers Carried
2020 forward at during during forward at
end 2019 2020 2020 gains 2020 end 2020
£ £ £ £ £
Restricted funds:
Medico-legal work 82,541 33,128 (115,669) - -
- 148,447 (148,447) - -
85,019 153,466 (184,209) - 54,276
1,416 16,822 (18,155) - 83
21,662 9,321 (26,816) - 4,167
Welfare advice and care 6,000 29,214 (32,406) - 2,808
North West centre 12,949 157,336 (148,778) - 21,507
Scotland centre 115,334 264,251 (255,566) - 124,019
North East centre 4,958 27,870 (30,120) - 2,708
West Midlands centre 80,446 242,425 (237,509) - 85,362
Yorkshire and Humberside hub 3,667 4,282 (7,949) - -
750 13,694 (9,777) - 4,667
Training & capacity building 6,666 15,000 (10,417) - 11,249
- 5,000 (5,000) - -
Human rights work 118,515 384,365 (337,732) - 165,148
501 2,390 (2,891) - -
Memorial events in memory 3,429 - - - 3,429
North East centre Fixed Assets reserve 335,247 - (6,705) - 328,542
879,100 1,507,011 (1,578,146) - 807,965
Designated funds:
Fixed assets reserve 3,743,064 - - (41,770) 3,701,294
1,278,898 - - 2,218,132 3,497,030
Long term donation 526,812 13,170 (13,170) - 526,812
Major building repairs 532,400 - - 10,000 542,400
6,081,174 13,170 (13,170) 2,186,362 8,267,536
General reserve (unrestricted fund) 2,014,802 11,291,673 (8,555,883) (2,189,330) 2,561,262
Sub-total: Charity funds 8,975,076 12,811,854 (10,147,200) (2,968) 11,636,763
**----- End of picture text -----**
68
|**2019**
**Restricted funds:**
Medico-legal work
Psychological therapy
Adults
Welfare advice and care
North West centre
Scotland centre
North East centre
West Midlands centre
Yorkshire and Humberside hub
Training & capacity building
Human rights work
Memorial events in memory
North East centre Fixed Assets reserve
**Designated funds:**
Fixed assets reserve
Long term donation
Major building repairs
General reserve (unrestricted fund)
Sub-total: Charity funds|**Brought**
**forward at**
**end 2018**
**Incoming**
**during**
**2019**
**Outgoing**
**during**
**2019**
**Transfers**
**gains 2019**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
1,167
100,000
(18,626)
-
13,576
88,942
(102,518)
-
73,613
216,830
(205,424)
416
42,084
(41,084)
-
18,850
20,744
(17,932)
-
-
8,000
(2,000)
14,948
297,540
(299,539)
-
117,878
201,597
(204,141)
-
2,061
26,150
(23,253)
-
83,700
186,939
(190,193)
-
-
11,000
(7,333)
417
18,500
(18,167)
-
4,583
10,000
(7,917)
-
50,683
223,377
(155,545)
-
22,927
7,760
(30,187)
-
27,330
(23,901)
-
342,089
(6,842)
-|**Carried**
**forward at**
**end 2019**
**£**
82,541
-
85,019
1,416
21,662
12,949
115,334
4,958
80,446
3,667
750
6,666
118,515
501
3,429
335,247|
|---|---|---|
||**774,238**
**1,459,463**
**(1,354,602)**
**-**
3,693,898
-
-
49,166
1,231,827
-
-
47,071
526,812
13,170
(13,170)
-
492,400
-
-
40,000|**879,100**
3,743,064
1,278,898
526,812
532,400|
||**5,944,937**
**13,170**
**(13,170)**
**136,237**
2,008,178
8,517,633
(8,375,838)
(135,171)|**6,081,174**
2,014,802|
||**8,727,353**
**9,990,267**
**(9,743,610)**
**1,066**|**8,975,076**|
69
on the building.
if necessary.
interest gained be used to help fund psychotherapy services over a sustained period. The intention of the donor was to provide long-term assistance but the Trustees have discretion to draw on it at times of great need. The charity plans to use these funds in the next 18 months to support fundraising.
in London and its leasehold property in Newcastle. Due to the nature of the costs covered it is not possible to anticipate the timing of the expenditure.
70
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Unrestricted Funds
Restricted Designated General 2020
Funds Funds Reserve
Total
£ £ £ £
328,542 4,013,850 - 4,342,392
assets
Investments - - 14,204 14,204
Net current assets 479,423 4,467,698 2,547,058 7,494,179
Long term loan - (214,012) - (214,012)
807,965 8,267,536 2,561,262 11,636,763
Unrestricted Funds
Restricted Designated General 2019
Funds Funds Reserve
Total
£ £ £ £
335,247 4,158,132 - 4,493,379
assets
Investments - - 17,171 17,171
Net current assets 543,853 2,239,564 1,997,631 4,781,048
Long term loan - (316,522) - (316,522)
879,100 6,081,174 2,014,802 8,975,076
**----- End of picture text -----**
Freedom from Torture is a registered charity and as such its income and gains are exempt from corporation tax to the extent that they are applied to its charitable objectives.
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Brought Carried
forward at forward at
end 2019 end 2020
£ £ £
Cash 3,602,327 496,598 4,098,925
Loans falling due within one year (100,174) (1,602) (101,776)
(316,522) 102,510 (214,012)
3,185,631 597,506 3,783,137
**----- End of picture text -----**
71
## **Board of Trustees**
Susan Berelowitz (Chair) Melanie Essex (Vice Chair) Fiona Goudie Joanne Stubley John Jacob Dalhuisen
Mahesh Wickramasinghe (Appointed 17 May 2021) Manraj Sandhu (Treasurer, appointed 17 May 2021)
Michael Johnson Sarah Taylor Peace Seibatu Amara Sonali Naik Andrew Farrell (Treasurer, resigned 6 October 2020)
## **Chief Executive**
Sonya Sceats
## **Charity Registration Number**
1000340
## **Bankers**
## **Registered Name**
Freedom from Torture
95 High Street, Huntingdon Cambs PE29 3DT
**Co-operative Bank plc** 80 Cornhill, London EC3V 3NJ
## **Scottish Charity Number**
## **Auditors**
SC039632
## **Moore Kingston Smith LLP**
## **Company Registration Number**
Devonshire House,
2398586
## **Finance, Governance & Audit Committee**
## **Solicitors**
**Howard Kennedy LLP**
Manny Sandhu (Chair) Sarah Taylor Peace (Vice Chair) Susan Berelowitz
1 London Bridge, London SE1 9BG
## **Performance, Standards and**
Melanie Essex (Chair) Michael Johnson Fiona Goudie Joanne Stubley Seibatu Amara
## **Remuneration Committee**
Sarah Taylor Peace (Chair) Manny Sandhu Sue Berelowitz Melanie Essex
Freedom from Torture | Annual Report 2020
72
To protect the identities of survivors of torture and shield their loved ones from persecution, names may have been changed and models have been used in some photographs. All stories are true, as told by survivors of torture.
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