2021-03-31-accounts - Aaina Women's Group

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AAINA WOMEN’S GROUP

Registered Charity No. 1081537 http//aainawomen.wordpress.com

Annual Report & Accounts 2020/ 2021

Chairs Report

Despite the challenges faced during the Covid-19 pandemic, I am extremely proud of the AAINA family pulling together to continue delivering vital support to our community. I am grateful that we are humbly still standing, exceeding our goals and expectations, achieving yet another successful year. I am hopeful to see the objectives through on behalf of Southwark Council and other funders who all believe in us to carry out the charitable work needed to build up and give back to our community.

Similarly to other organisations, we have endured another very difficult year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Although our office was closed to the public, we were still able to successfully deliver all our activities via Zoom, which proved to be very popular and easy for our users to access and be involved with.

We have been especially blessed to be supported by Southwark Council as our main core funder, as well as other funders who have helped support us in being able to deliver various activities. We have also been very fortunate for having dedicated and competent staff, such as Samina Akhtar who has kept us afloat with her funding expertise, and Sundus Saqi who has co-ordinated the activities and kept them going.

A special thanks to our ever supportive management committee and volunteers who have all dedicated their time and effort to help towards the smooth running of our centre.

Last but not least, I would like to thank our Vice chair Khosi Manaka who oversees the overall operation of AAINA, ensuring that we continue to provide the best we can in supportive services and that our objectives are being carried out as planned to achieve our purpose.

May we continue to be a centre for all women, irrespective of their colour, religion, disability, etc. All those who need help, support, to learn a skill or just meet a friendly face to talk to. Stop for a coffee and have a friendly chat.

Nadia Saleem

(AAINA Chairperson)

Vice Chair’s Report

I am delighted that as vice chair of AAINA, I continued being able to support in ensuring that the strategy set out is executed in line with our aims and objectives, merged with what our funders are also aiming to achieve. Our aims and objectives are that of supporting our women in many ways and in extension their children. We have had continued core funding from Southwark, and other funders, for our various projects. We have also benefitted from other shared charitable contributions which are non-monetary, that we have taken advantage of which help ensure the prosperity of our organisation. This we do through sharing resources with other groups or networking with other groups or sharing projects.

I would like to thank Samina Akhtar for all her dedication and hard work in helping to secure grant fundraising. Thanks also to Sundus Saqi for ensuring project uptake and coordination continues. We are also very grateful to our beloved Treasurer Pat Beckford for ensuring that are financial transactions held to form.

We would all like to give a massive show of appreciation to the following organisations for their charitable contribution and participation:

Southwark Council The Peckham settlement National Lottery. Age UK Lewisham & Southwark Tate Solace Katherine Pitt from Southwark council Awards for All Gilli Moorhawk Mental health workshop facilitator Foina Onasanya well-being workshop facilitator Katherin Tabu

Finally, I would like to give credit to the Management Committee and volunteers for their highly valued contribution, this year and for all the years before, and may their love and dedication be forever continuing. I wish AAINA a continually prosperous future, with its rich and varied activities which aim to not only benefit our members, but also the Southwark community as a whole.

Khosi Manaka (AAINA Vice Chair)

Our Project

Support and Information surgeries are one of the regular services provided by Aaina Women’s Group, where practical help and on-going support and assistance is available to all clients. We provide a free drop in service and free access to internet available for 3 days a week for women from BME communities. Information is provided on a range of issues including welfare benefits, education, childcare, health and immigration as well as information about other community and council projects.

In addition to the information service the drop in offers a confidential, non-judgmental support service for women. Aaina provides a confidential support service for women whatever their background, religion or culture.

We are thus able to work in a way with women, which promotes and fosters a cultural interchange and promotes mutual understanding and respect across cultures, ethnic groups and faiths.

Communities we are currently working with include Arabic speaking communities, Turkish, Bengali, Pakistani, Indian, Somali, Iranian and Nigerian and others. The majority of our clients are excluded from society due to a language barrier, which is further compounded through the lack of childcare provision, unemployment, poverty and economic disadvantage. Many of our clients are refugees and asylum seekers .

Services

At Aaina we offer the following services:-

Free internet access
Information and reference area
Referral service to other agencies.
Translation service.
Advice on courses available.
Help with housing, immigration, health issues, domestic violence and education.
provides a culturally sensitive environment where our members can discuss any problems in the strictest confidence.
Health awareness workshops.
Self development workshops.
Social events and activities to share and exchange cultural experiences.
Skill development courses.

Sewing Club

This club appeals to all ages from all different backgrounds. Our experienced tutors teach freehand cutting which is why there are many African and South Asian women in the club for whom freehand cutting is ideal for their style of national dress.

There is full use of industrial and domestic machines and all relevant equipment is provided. Women not only join the class to learn or improve on their skills but exchange ideas on latest designs, different cultural ideas and share soft furnishings styles and ideas. The club consists Knitting and Crochet lessons; crochet stitches, working in rounds and rows, shaping, following chart or instructions.

For many women the sewing club has been a successful way of making new friends and the way of socializing where perhaps they would not have the opportunity. They are able to meet women from different religious and ethnic backgrounds and are able to learn about each other’s culture – cultural diversity is promoted.

Unfortunately, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we could not have face-to-face workshops this year. However we were able to provide our members with crochet tools so that our members could still be involved and participate in virtual lessons being delivered via Zoom.

Health Workshops

The Health Awareness workshops covered huge range of subjects in a relaxed and comfortable way to participate in the sessions and Making new friends.

The guest speakers were all specialized within their fields and from recognized organizations. We would like to thank Gilli Moorhawk and Fiona Onasanya for their informative workshops.

The feedback from the women that participated the Mental health and wellbeing workshops was very positive. The response we have received has been very encouraging and we are planning to apply for funding to run the health information services again in the future. These workshops carried out via Zoom.

Social Activities and Events

Aaina has a strong commitment to community development, social justice and empowerment with the primary aim to identify and address barriers to cultural inclusion and social and economic participation for our members. Aaina celebrates cultural diversity and engages its constituency and the wider community to share and exchange cultural experience.

Aaina organises a number of free social activities and events to their members including EID, Black History month, international women day and pampering sessions.

Unfortunately, because of the Covid-19 pandemic this year, we could not have gathered events, yet we still manged to have a few outings whenever we allowed to do so once the lockdown restrictions began to ease.

Fitness Classes

The Yoga and aerobics classes will run whenever fund will be available.

The classes are very popular as they provided a culturally sensitive environment for women who due to religious or cultural reasons are unable to access mainstream activities. The classes were for all ages and fitness levels, the sessions promoted well being and healthy living and encouraged participation in physical activity.

A huge thank you to the ladies for participated and kept us motivated! This year, this activity was carried out via zoom every Tuesday.

Chai and Chat

To keep our members connected while we were going through very difficult time because of lockdown and pandemic, we organised Chai and Chat workshops, these workshops were so successful, we had very positive feedback from our members who requested us to continue having them even when we will open the office to the public.

A huge thank you to all the ladies who participated! The activity continues to be carried out via Zoom every Tuesday.

ESOL CLASSES

The project is an ESOL class for newly arrived women and who have no writing or speaking skills for many different reasons. Tutor feedback was very positive, she found that 95% of the women progressed and they started to speak long sentences, the women were eager to learn. The session was very well attended and greatly appreciated by our members and encouraged members to interact with other women of different cultures ,we realized many women have not been in education, each woman had her own lesson planner. We then focused on individual’s needs.

As well as the information provided during the sessions the members were given information and encouragement to join other activities and we have managed to get these women involved in future projects. Many of the women are looking for part/time jobs or volunteering jobs.

This activity carries out whenever funds are available.

Who’s Who

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

CHAIR Nadia Salimi

VISE CHAIR Khosi Manaka

SECRETARY Sajida Habib TREASURER Patricia Beckford

EXECUTIVE MEMBERS

Nusrat Raja

Mariam Mohamed

Naseema Syed

Nasmin Begum Ruksana Khan Shamoli Shamme

Our Funders & Partners

On behalf of the Management Committee, staff and members we would like to thank our funders: Southwark Council. Peckham and Nunhead Community

We would like to thank our partners for their support.

London Councils Community Grant. The Peckham settlement Award for us Age UK. Age Concern. Big Lottery. Peter Mints.

Southwark Community Refugee Forum. Southwark Refugee Project. Southwark Work. Volunteer Centre Southwark. British Red Cross. NHS Southwark. Foyle Foundation. Community Southwark. LAP. STAG. Solace Women’s Aid. FSI. Cycle Confident.

Statement Of Financial Activities For The Year Ended 31st March

INCOMING RESOURCES London Borough of Southwark - Revenue Grant Other income Total Incoming Resources OUTGOING RESOURCES Charitable Activities Total Resources Expended	2021 2020 Unre- stricted Restrict- ed Total Total Fund Fund Fund Fund £ £ £ £ 32,073 8,050 40,123 36,274
	32,073 8,050 40,123 36,274
	2021 2020 Unre- stricted Restrict- ed Total Total Fund Fund Fund Fund £ £ £ £ 41,401 34,825
	41,401 34,825

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2021

I report on the accounts of the Charity for the year ended 31[st] March 2021, which are set out

on pages 5 to 9.

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to:

examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act;
to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and
to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.

Basis of independent examiner's report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair view' and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

Independent examiner's statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

(1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:

to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; and
to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act have not been met; or

(2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Signed……………………………………………… Date …………………

A .Adebambo MBA, ACIS, ACMA, London Accountancy Practice 161 Sumner Road, London SE15 6JL.