MERSEYSIDE REFUGEE SUPPORT NETWORK
ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS TO 31ST MARCH 2024
St Anne'5 Centre
7, Overbury Street
Liverpool
L7 3HJ
q6IDEREFUGEE Suppopr
0151-709-7557
info
mrsnliver
ool.or
MRSN
www.mrsnliver
ool.or
Stspport - I nformaiitso .
Registered Charity No 1093033
Liverpool City of
Sanctuary
MRSN Report & Accounts 2023 - 2024

CONTENT,S
GOVERNANCE.............................................-....................................................................................................................
THE TEAM - SESSIONAL & SUPPORT COLLEAGUES AND VOLUNTEERS."
MEMBERSHIP POLICY......................................................................................................................................................
TRUSTEES, REPORT APRIL 2023-MARCH 2024..............................................................................................,.................
RESERVES POLICY STATEMENT....................................-................................ ....
RECEIPT AND PAYMENT ACCOUNTS 2023-2024.
.10
MRSN Report & Accounts 2023 - 2024

GOVERNANCE
The following have served the Network as Trustees during the year:
S. 8uaye Ilndependent) - appointed 29.2.2024
C. Dersch {Independentl
H. Gray Ilndependentl - Choir
J. Luff Ilndependent} - Treasurer
S. Newall Ilndependentl- appointed 29.2.2024
E. Roberts {Asylum Link Merseyside)
H. Santamera Ilndependentl - resigned 30.1.2024
S. Semoff Ilndependent)
M. Taher Ilndependentl
THE TEAM SESSIONAL & SUPPORT COLLEAGUES AND VOLUNTEERS:
S. Roberts- Director/Case Manager
A. Ahmed- Integration, Interpreter Caseworker/Community Health Champion
M. Lucas- Integration Caseworker
E. Melling- Integration & Wellbeing Caseworker
Thanks to the numerous and talented volunteers who have supported our work from April 2023-March 2024 and
ongoing, in particular:
Abdul; Araya; Ashkan; Clare; Di; Elhadi; Maryam and Mike.
MRSN Report & Accounts 2023 - 2024

MEMBERSHIP POLICY
The Network seeks to establish, through its Membership Policy, two principles. The first is that the Network
supports the local refugee and asylum sUPPOrt sector members and wider network partners in orderto support
the needs of our collective service users. The second is that we continue to work in partnership with the public
and private sector partners to support the accessibility for se￿Ice users to their provision, and to address issues
when they arise.
Membership of the Network represents your/your organisation's good will and intent to support the work of
the charity, its members and membership organisations through the principles.of partnership working and a
Community of Practice to enable shared learning, problem solving and information sharing.
Full membership is open to any interested organisation or individual making an application to the Network
whose application is accepted.
Full members are able to vote at meetings and to nominate a person to stand for election as a Trustee.
MRSN Report & Accounts 2023 - 2024

TRUSTEES REPORT APRIL 2023-MARCH 2024
This Annual Report & Accounts for the financial year 2023-24 demonstrates how our work has continued and
developed over the last year and, in celebration of the Charity's 22. year of supporting refugees and other
sanctuary seekers in the Liverpool City Region and beyond. Moreover, it represents the continuing benefits of
the Network and support for the member organisations of the local refugee and asylum support sector.
Each year, our annual report provides an important opportunity to reflect on the past financial year and asse55
how the charity worked to meet its core charitable aims and objectives, as required by the Charity Commission.
We experienced an exceptionally busyworking year, leadingto an upscaling of our refugee crisis and integration
casework to meet increasing demand. In addition, we have continued with our health & wellbeing support
projects and awareness raising/myth busting work. We have consolidated our staff and volunteer teams
Strengthening the charity and its onward strategic growth and sustainability.
Context
The overall aim of Merseyside Refugee Support Network IMRSN) includes "the relief of refugees or asylum
seekers in Merseyside.,
and, as a Network, to bring together local and regional organisations concerned with
their welfare, to share information and good practice, discuss and address issues across the sector.
In meeting our aims, we provide a combination of networking and information sharing services, supported
through the email newsgroup, directories of refugee and asylum support agencies and Network and or thematic
meetings.
Over the past 19+ years, we have also offered "relief, through integration casework Support with refugee clients
moving-on from the asylum stream benefits and housing systems, as well as other integration matters such as
employability skills, access to education and language support and, access to and engagement with health and
wellbeing projects and services.
The shared asylum/refugee"sanctuary hub" at StAnne's continues to enable MRSN to work in close partnership
and provide reciprocal asylum and refugee client support and signposting in a very effective way with colleagues
from Asylum Link Merseyside (ALM) and Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit IGMIAU).
As ever, we continue to maintain and develop our close working relationships with Network Members to
collectively help and support our vulnerable refugee and asylum-seeking clients, as well as each other. As in
MRSN Report & Accounts 2023 - 2024

previous year5, these relationships have continued to develop and have been enhanced as the need for cross-
agency working and complex casework has never been so demanding in our working world.
We are delighted in this context to present our 22. Annual Report.
The numbers of people fleeing war and persecution, seeking sanctuary across the UK and Europe h'as not abated
and our service is constantly working to keep resources in place to help new refugees granted leave to remain
and, in the years beyond, to support their onward integration journey.
It cannot go unsaid that certain politicians, press and media outlets continue to regularly conflate the facts
around immigration and reinforce the "hostile environment" On too many occasions lies have been told to the
public along with the use of derogatory language and misinforrnation. This. is seen most notably in the
perception that the proportion of people seeking asylum is a significant element of overall UK immigration
(which it is not, in fact it is less than 5%}, popularising phrases such as 'ille8al migrants" and "stop the boats.
(The principles of the Geneva Convention do not seek to demonise anyone seeking sanctuary or their methods
of escape). Our work to raise awareness and understanding, therefore, continues through our daily advocacv
casework, regular information sharing, networking and connecting people.
The Facts Not Fiction publication remains an organic document, which we update regularly, to raise awareness
and share factual information to the wider public and communities of Merseyside and beyond.
We continue to also service the Liverpool City of Sanctuary group communication5 and the amazing work within
the Schools of Sanctuary in Liverpool and the wider LCR. We are also delighted by the commitment from City
of Liverpool College in its work to become a College of Sanctuary.
Our Work
During 2023-2024 our casework continued to grow, now in excess of 500 clients annually. A further 171 one-off
advice/information sessions and 300+ external advice requests, referrals and other information enquiries were
provided.
Key nationalities of refugees seeking our support include: Sudan- Yemen,- Kuwait- Iran; Eritrea; Afghanistan.
Our core casework included crisis intervention, destitution and wider integration support
including
applications and follow up on welfare benefits; housing referrals and applications; family reunion arrival and
integration support; DV/DA support,- referral to counselling/therapeutic services. Our in-house health and
wellbeing awareness and accessibility projects, both with Community Champions programme and others in
partnership with Asylurn Link included adult and child vaccine and immunisation awareness. women's health;
MRSN Report & Accounts 2023 - 2024

cancer awareness,. blood pressure checks and healthy heart awareness; rnental health awareness; access to
dental health and liver /Hep C screening.
Offering 1-2-1 advocacy and practical casework, supports the psycho-education needs of clients diagnosed or
experiencing symptoms of depression, stress and anxiety disorders and PTSD. In house and external referrals
to social and physical activities (Women's ESOL @MRSN or gardening. choir. music therapy and bike rides @ALM
and other activities run @ActionAsylum have all provided important and purposeful activity and wellbeing
incentives for hundreds of clients.
By August 2023 the "everyday" refugee support landscape dramatically shifted when we first experienced the
increase in refugee homelessness and destitution, as the government started to clear their "asylum backlog"
Decisions were being made in bulk and the local, regional and national housing systems came to breaking point.
In any previous year, we had not seen more than a handful of street homeless cases amongst our recently
granted refugee cohort. Changes in government interpretation of rules led some folk being given 7 days or less
to apply for benefits and housing, an impossible task and immediately leading to destitution amongst newly
granted refugees. We also witnessed issues with local authorities not applying their statutory housing duty,
which led us to closer working with legal housing professionals to appeal and challenge more and more cases
of housing need across the city region.
The local, regional and national networks collectively found their voice, challenged the government's actions as
well as the local and regional housing and homeless services on their legal responsibilities, accuracy of data
reporting and delayed actions - a picture emerged of many statutory services failing or not fit for purpose. In
the background, there was a risk that refugees would be blamed as the cause of national failures in housing
services rather than the lack of investment in social housing.
In over 25+ years, no-one in the sector had experienced anything like this. The press picked up on this too and
sought our comments and perceptions of the escalating refugee homelessness crisis.
The Guardian-various national reports, followed by a video documentary @MRSN
Liverpool Echo - local/regional report
Big1ssue- national report
RTE- Ireland
BBC News, ITV News and Le Monde also sought our comment5 and experience on the issues.
MRSN Report & Accounts 2023 - 2024

The services at MRSN have been developed and sustained thanks to new and existing grants or commissions
from Lloyds Bank Foundation,. Big Lottery Awards for All. PH Holt Foundation. Liverpool Council- Public Health;
Former Liverpool CCG. Merseycare NHS - Liferooms" SAS/CTMR.
Our integration and advocacy support work has been extended and enhanced through various grants and
donations which often span accounting years. In addition to those funders named above, we have had amazing
additional support from public donations. Together with existing project funds and programmes we were able
to:
Increase our staff hours and recruit to new or vacant roles for casework, finance and management.
Provide emergency cash grants {via SAS/CTMR and other donations) as well as commission food store
supplies (via ALMI.
Continue to support clients with integration and employability skills.
Provide insight into refugee community access and engagement with health services.
Continue to develop our data capture and evaluation systems and trial of the Integration Star.
Regularly share information across the Network with MRSN members, partners and City of Sanctuary
partners {n=500 recipients)
Respond to wider calls for client support, information and advice locally, regionally and nationally.
We continue to work hard as a Charity organisation and Network, highlightin8 the ongoing need to change
hearts and minds and address media myth and hype. We have also helped different refugee diaspora
communities reaching out for help, as well as helping to connect statutory services to various refugee cultural
communities.
Our combined advocacy casework, wellbeing, integration and refugee community support services and projects
are not limited in time or scope. We work with clients until they feel able or empowered to move-on
themselves.
Widening our reach and maintaining partnership arrangements is crucial in the support work we offer to both
clients and sector colleagues alike.
The MRSN trustees meet as a minimum on a quarterly basis to oversee the governance and administration of
the Charity and to discuss and respond to matters of urgent concern that are directly affecting refugees and
asylum seekers.
MRSN Report & Accounts 2023 - 2024

At time of writing, we can report that our updated charitable object5 have been approved by the Charity
Commission and we continue our goal to take forward the work to incorporate the charity as a Charitable
Incorporated Organisation as soon as possible, and as previously discussed.
All of our work fulfils our charitable objectives and once again we are so grateful to our grant funders, donors,
supporters and Network Members who trust in our work, our experience and ethics.
The summary "Receipt and Payment" accounts have been approved through external and independent
examination and are attached with this Annual Report.
RESERVES POLICY STATEMENT
The Trustees recognise that the MRSN reserves should be used appropriately and with due diligence to
maintain the sustainability of the charity.
During the period, for many reasons we have been highly fortunate in receiving new and significant donations
from the public. Increasingly funders are also offering unrestricted Erants for the delivery of the charitable
activities
Some reserves are deemed to be free and "unrestricted" and used for general purposes in delivery of the work
of the charity, governance costs and other compliance expenditure (such as insurances, official registration
costs etc), including 4-6 month buffer to meet financial cornmitments and obligations and/or contracts should
the charity have to close.
Certain donations and grants have been specifically assigned as "designated project funds" to ensure service
delivery for casework and Network functions, in the spirit of the grants or donations given.
The receipts and payment accounts which are prepared for the annual return to the Charity Commission show
all income received and whether this is restricted per funder, unrestricted donations and income or
designated funds for the financial year.
Thi5 policy and its effectiveness is reviewed and developed on an annual basis.
MRSN Report & Accounts 2023 - 2024

10
RECEIPT AND PAYMENT ACCOUNTS 2023-2024
MERSEYSIOE REFUGEE SUPPORT NETWORK
Receipts and Payments Accounts 2023-24
Year ending 31st March 2024
HSBC ACCOUNT
Project
Unrestrirted Reserve5lDonations
General- unrestricted/non designated
IncomelFunderlDonor
BIF
Income
E¥p
Balance
Vark)us
43,331.74
4,055.10
6,931.S3
40,455.31
Desl
nated Funds
General - designated project funds
inc. Llo
ds Bank Foundution r2, in¢. C Cerkett Trust
Various
36,100.50
0.00
17,057.39
19,043.11
Ib
Orjlirje donob'ons- inc homelessfunds
Various
0.00
10,197.43
2,720.50
7.476.93
Sub Total..
79,432.24
14,252.53
Z6,709.42
66,975.35
Restricted FundslGrants
NEW SAS client su
CLOSED Our Liverpool
LCC Community Cham
WEA ESF 22
LCCG Health and Wellbein
with ALM
MPCC_LCC Community cohe5￿n
Merseycarell iferooms 23124
Awards for All
Lolter
2024
PH Holtnew
ort
SAS
closed
LCC
closed
CCG LCVS
MPCCILCC
3,675.00
0.00
4 454.52
-o.io
-7.05
0.00
0.00
1,920,00
0.00
18,750.00
o.io
3,000.00
3,000.00
39.911.80
20,000.00
10,000.00
3,47S.00
0.00
21,583.99
0.00
2,894.71
3,000.00
18,461.22
0.00
0.00
2,120.00
0.00
1,620.53
0.00
98.24
15
18
19
20
22
23
ions
0.00
21,450.58
20,000.00
10,000.00
l rferooms
24
25
A4A
PH Holt
0.00
0.00
Sub Total..
8,122,37
87.554.61
96,581.90
110.834.43
49,414.92
76,124.34
55,289.35
122,264.70
Balan￿5 Per 8ank5tatement to 31.3.2024
I have examined these actounts and they are consistent wrch the books and records kept by
Merseyside Refugee Support Network
Mr B. Gray
Signed:
Date:
27101 lir
EMILY SPVRRELL
FFISFYslf￿ pTh ICF
& CRIMC ¢OMMISSIONCA Foil N DA TION
P.H. HOLT
.LLOYDS BANK
FOUNDATION
NHS
(heshire and Mer5ey5ide
COMMUNtrY
FUNO