2022-01-31-accounts

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Roma Support Group

Trustees Annual Report and Financial Statements Year ended 31 January 2022

Charity registation - 1103782

Company number - 04645981

Football team

Front page - Pavel - art competition winner

Year ended 31 January 2022

Roma Support Group Annual report and financial statements

Contents
Legal and administrative information	4
Trustees annual report	5
Reference and administrative details	5
Acknowledgements	5
Structure, governance and management	5
Objectives and activities	7
Achievements and performance	8
Financial review	17
Statement of board of Trustees’ repsonsibilities	17
Independent auditor’s report	19
Statement of fnancial activities	23
Balance sheet	24
Notes to the fnancial statements	25

Charity number 1103782 Company number 04645981

Year ended 31 January 2022

Roma Support Group Annual report and financial statements

Legal and administrative information

Charity name

Roma Support Group

Charity registration no.

1103782

Company registration no.

04645981

Registered office

17 Old Ford Road London E2 9PJ

Trustees

Prof. Thomas Acton OBE Ms Roza Kotowicz Ms Anthea Wormington Mr Peter Norton Mr Robert Czibi Ms Sharon Elliott Ms Dragica Felja Ms Michaela Jarosinska Mr Cornel Rezmives Mr Mircea Rostas Mr Michael Tarnoky Mr Leon Wisniewski

Patron Chair Treasurer Secretary

Company secretary

Sylvia Ingmire

Bank

HSBC Bank PLC 39 Tottenham Court Road London W1T 2AR

Independent auditor

Ferguson Maidment & Co 8th Floor 167 Fleet Street London EC4A 2EA

Accountants

Andy Nash Accounting & Consultancy Ltd Units 24 & 25, Goodsheds Container Village Hood Road Barry CF62 5QU

Charity number 1103782 Company number 04645981

Year ended 31 January 2022

Roma Support Group Annual report and financial statements

Trustees annual report

The Board of Trustees, who are also directors of the Charity for the purposes of the Companies Act, and Trustees for charity law purposes, submit their annual report and the financial statements of Roma Support Group for the year ended 31 January 2022. The Board of Trustees confirms that the annual report and financial statements of the Charity comply with current statutory requirements, including the Charity Act 2011, as well as the requirements of the Charity’s governing document and the provisions of the Charities SORP (FRS 102) - Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) second edition (effective 1st January 2019), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), and the Companies Act 2006.

Reference and administrative details

Legal and administrative details are shown on page 4 of the annual report, including a full list of the Trustees who served the Charity during the period up until the date of the signing of this report.

Acknowledgements

The achievements of the past year would not be possible without the support from the following organisations: Action Reconciliation Service for Peace, Aston – Mansfield, Barrow Cadbury Trust, Barrow Cadbury Trust – Covid-19 Support Fund, BBC Children in Need, Caritas Westminster (Astrea Asset Management), Charity Aid Foundation – CAF Resilience Support Fund, Department of Health and Social Care, Henry Smith Charity, Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, L.B. Newham, Newcastle University, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Respond and Adapt Programme, The Jack Petchey Foundation, The National Lottery Community Fund, Tudor Trust.

We would also like to acknowledge the generous donation from Mr and Mrs Chris & Joyce Pountain.

Structure, governance and management

The Roma Support Group (RSG) is a company limited by guarantee incorporated on 23 January 2003 and registered as a charity on the 17th May 2004. It is governed by its Articles of Association adopted by a special resolution passed at the Annual General Meeting on the 16 November 2017.

The RSG has an active and experienced Management Committee (MC) that is voted for at the Annual General Meeting. No person other than a Trustee retiring by rotation shall be appointed or reappointed at any AGM unless s/he is recommended by the Trustees or notice is given by a member who is qualified to vote at the meeting proposing that person for appointment or reappointment, not less than 14 not more than 35 days before the date of the meeting. The Articles of Association of Roma Support Group determines methods of appointment, retirement, disqualification and removal of Trustees (clause 34 - 42). There are no provisions in the Articles of Association that entitle any external body or person to appoint Trustee(s).

None of the members of the MC/ Trustees have any beneficial interest in the company and guarantee to contribute £10 in the event of winding up.

The RSG implements an Induction Policy and Staff Development Policy, which also applies to members of the Management Committee. These were agreed on the 2nd December 2002 and are reviewed annually. The RSG’s Chief Executive has prepared a MC Handbook, which is updated annually and given to all our MC Members/Trustees. This Handbook enables Trustees to have all information regarding the Charity, its history, mission, aims, service delivery, governing documents, annual accounts, etc. It also describes the duties and responsibilities of the Management Committee as a governing body of the Charity, as well as the duties and responsibilities of the MC Chief Officers and other MC Members/ Trustees. In addition to this, every new MC Member receives an induction from the RSG’s Chief Executive and an existing MC Member.

In order to continuously improve the effectiveness of the MC and the Charity, we have developed a Training Development Programme for MC Members/ Trustees depending on their individual and collective needs and/or changes from both within and outside the RSG.

Charity number 1103782 Company number 04645981

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Roma Support Group Annual report and financial statements

Organisational structure

As noted above, the work of the RSG is managed and developed by an elected MC, which comprises of Roma and non-Roma members/ Trustees. On the date of the signing of this report there were 13 members of the Management Committee, including the Chief Executive, who meet every 2 months. The MC oversees the current work/action plan of the Charity and sets the strategic agenda for the following year.

Specialist sub-committees are created, if necessary, to undertake specific tasks, such as developing and overseeing fundraising strategies; the infrastructure of the organisation; or supporting the development of new projects. These groups report to and are governed by the Management Committee.

The RSG’s work is organised and supervised by the Chief Executive, who is responsible to the Board of Trustees (MC), ensuring effective co-operation between the Trustees, staff members and volunteers. The Chief Executive prepares bi-monthly reports for the MC and bears responsibility for the running of the various teams, centres and projects.

Members of staff are responsible for their own work within clear boundaries with on-going support and supervision from the Chief Executive. The staff members are responsible to the Chief Executive.

The RSG also employs a part-time Deputy Manager, who is line managed by the Chief Executive and who shares the responsibility for line-management of selected members of staff and volunteers.

Volunteers are responsible to the relevant project workers and/or to the Chief Executive.

Whilst the structure of the organisation is hierarchical with the Management Committee making final decisions, in practice the RSG’s decision-making process is characterised by mutual influence. The RSG organises policy and strategy planning days, which involve Trustees and staff members, giving them an opportunity to review organisational aims, objectives and activities, as well as plan future developments and the ways to achieve them.

Volunteers

The RSG has been able to achieve much more than its resources would allow thanks to the hard work and dedication of our volunteers. They are responsible to and supervised by the relevant project workers, the Deputy Manager or the Chief Executive. The RSG has developed a Volunteer Training Programme for each service area and implements a Volunteer Policy in line with good practice guidelines.

During 2021-22, 45 volunteers helped with all our projects, e.g., Advice & Advocacy, Aspiration, Mental Health, Policy & Campaigning projects, as well as online activities, website, graphic design, interpreting and administration. Furthermore, the RSG has benefited from its partnership with the Action Reconciliation Service for Peace, which enables us to host volunteers from an EU country on a full-time basis for the duration of one year.

During the last year our volunteers have contributed an average 105 hours per week, which equals the manpower of 3 (Full Time Equivalent) members of staff.

Risk assessment

The Trustees have conducted their own review of the major risks to which the Charity is exposed, and systems have been established to mitigate those risks. Significant external risks to funding have led to the development of a strategic plan, which allows for the diversification of funding activities whilst reviewing our aims and strategies every four years.

As such, most projects are administered in a matrix system, funded as ‘stand-alone’ projects – should funding be withdrawn for any one project, other RSG projects will continue unhindered. Internal risks are minimised by the implementation of procedures for authorisation of all transactions and projects, and to ensure consistent quality of service for all operational aspects of the charitable company. These procedures are consistently reviewed to ensure they continue to meet the needs of the Charity.

Charity number 1103782 Company number 04645981

Year ended 31 January 2022

Roma Support Group Annual report and financial statements

Objectives and activities

Aims and objectives

The principal aims of the Roma Support Group are to:

• improve the quality of life and combat the social exclusion of Roma refugees and migrants by providing advocacy and advice regarding access to health, education, welfare, housing, money management, employability, etc;

• empower Roma communities with the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to challenge any discrimination that might prevent them from integrating into UK society and fulfilling their potential;

• raise awareness and help build an understanding of Roma culture, heritage and the significant challenges, which the Roma community face in the UK today;

provide social inclusion schemes for Roma children and youth.

The Roma Support Group’s objects are stated in our governing document, as follows:

Object 1

The relief of poverty by the provision of free advice and assistance to Roma people and other persons, who, for reasons of poverty would otherwise be unable to obtain such advice.

Object 2

To advance education and training of those Roma and other persons in need thereof as to advance them in life and assist them to adapt within a new community.

Object 3

To advance the education of the public about Roma arts, culture and history.

Object 4

The provision of facilities for recreation or other leisure time occupation with the object of improving the conditions of life of those persons, who have need of such facilities by reason of their youth, age, infirmity or disablement, financial hardship or social and economic circumstances.

Public beneft

The Board of Trustees have complied with their duty in section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to guidance published by the Charity Commission on the public benefit of the Charity.

The Board of Trustees has concluded that:

the aims of the organisation continue to be charitable;
the aims and work done, give identifiable benefits to the Roma community and both indirectly and
directly to the individuals in need;
the benefits are for public, are not unreasonably restricted in any way and certainly not by their
ability to pay;
there is no detriment or harm arising from the aims or activities to any group and/or person.

’ - Roma Support Group s main objectives for the year 2021 2022 and strategies for achieving them:

Continuation and development our existing frontline projects to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic’s
impact on our beneficiaries;

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Roma Support Group Annual report and financial statements

Developing our local and national Policy, Information and Campaigning work to empower Roma
communities and strengthening our effectiveness and capacity to influence policy and decision makers;

• Strengthening the sustainability of the organisation by implementing the Roma Support and Engagement Programme, which enables us to share our expertise and models of good practice with statutory and non-statutory agencies and develop our enterprising skills;

• Promoting an understanding of Roma culture and history, as well as sharing models of good practice through the delivery of our training, consultancy work and commissioned interventions, as well as dissemination of our reports and educational resources;

• Implementing our fundraising strategy to ensure the continuity of frontline services in the areas of advice & advocacy, education support, aspiration, as well as art/ culture, policy and campaigning projects.

Achievements and performance

The Roma Support Group’s activities were planned and delivered to fulfil the Charity’s aims and objectives. They are underpinned by its commitment to equal opportunities and carried out for the public benefit. In planning the activities for the year, the Trustees kept in mind the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit. In serving the aims and objectives of the RSG, the Charity offered the following services during the last year:

Advice, Advocacy, Policy, Campaigning & Engagement

Our frontline Advice and Advocacy support enables Roma beneficiaries to overcome some of the problems, which they face every day. Last year, we continued to focus on delivering support in response to the Covid-19 crisis helping them to overcome issues that were exacerbated by the pandemic, including destitution, homelessness, unemployment, as well as health and education inequalities.

Our services were delivered via phone, face-to-face and online, thus increasing our geographical reach beyond the London region and making them accessible for Roma community members UK-wide.

Last year, 2,723 Roma refugees and migrants directly benefitted from our frontline support services and approximately 66,525 people accessed our online information which helped them navigate through the crisis.

In December 2021, we successfully passed the audit and renewal of our Advice Quality Standard (AQS) accreditation and in July’21, we received the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner’s (OISC) accreditation for immigration advice/ services at Level 1 Immigration limited to EUSS work.

In 2021-22, our frontline Advice & Advocacy work included the projects listed below.

Roma Financial Inclusion Project aims to increase the financial inclusion of our beneficiaries by:

Enabling them to navigate post-Brexit benefits and migration systems and exercise their welfare
rights; and
Improve their financial literacy and confidence to budget and manage money.

Last year, we delivered one-to-one advice and advocacy sessions to 190 beneficiaries, helping them to:

Make new claims for benefits;
Challenge benefits decisions;
Deal with benefits-related problems;
Deal with debts related to rent and utility bills;

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Roma Support Group Annual report and financial statements

Access emergency support such as vouchers to buy essential goods including food, nappies and
white goods.

In addition, we supported 54 beneficiaries to submit their EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) applications.

We have facilitated focus groups meetings for beneficiaries, who were able to share their opinions on what support is needed. We have also delivered peer support sessions and eight online trainings, covering issues such as:

2021 Census
Saving money on phone and internet costs
Scams - warning people about the rise in scams during Covid-19
Covid-related issues including vaccinations

We created and shared information materials accessed by 9,844 people on:

Covid-19
Information for unpaid carers who are helping family and friends
Scams, debt and rent arrears
Welfare benefits
EUSS

We also worked with partner agencies such as the Financial Conduct Authority, to produce information resources for our beneficiaries in multiple languages on how to avoid scams such as fraudulent texts/ emails.

Covid-19 Emergency Support Projects supported additional 125 beneficiaries through one-to-one advice and advocacy sessions to access welfare benefits, manage debts and support with housing/ homelessness, employment, and equalities/ discrimination issues. Our work included:

Challenging DWP decisions in relation to beneficiaries’ eligibility for benefits post-Brexit (following
the 30 June’21 deadline for the EU Settlement Scheme).

• Helping to access disability-related benefits such as Disability Living Allowance for children and Personal Independence Payment.

Helping to deal with debts, particularly debt that had built up during the Covid-19 crisis.

• Helping to deal with housing issues, particularly following the ending of the temporary stay on evictions in June’21, including support for those, who had fallen into rent arrears as a result of the pandemic and were being threatened with eviction.

• Helping to improve employability by facilitating access to training, and helping with CV writing, and searching for non-exploitative employment.

Helping to ensure that beneficiaries were aware of their rights post-Brexit in accessing public
services such as healthcare.

We have also organised 4 digital inclusion workshops for our most digitally excluded beneficiaries to help them set-up/ use email/ Zoom accounts, apply online for Universal Credit, Warm Home Discount, manage online utility accounts, etc.

Furthermore, we have trained, supported and coordinated 15 new volunteers, involving them in our one-toone advice and advocacy sessions, digital inclusion workshops and training sessions, which enabled us to

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Roma Support Group Annual report and financial statements

increase our capacity to respond to beneficiaries’ needs.

We completed the Covid-19 survey with participants to reflect how the pandemic has affected their daily lives, and whether people were able to access the support and healthcare they need. With the Covid-19 vaccine rollout, we have placed more focus on providing our beneficiaries with reliable information regarding vaccination and improving its uptake in the Roma community.

We collaborated with Tower Hamlets and Newham Councils and delivered peer support meetings about vaccination programmes in these boroughs, which enabled people to ask questions and challenge myths and preconceptions about the vaccination.

The Roma Pop-up Advice Hub in Mayfair (Westminster) was developed in partnership with Caritas Westminster and Farm Street Church in Mayfair with support from Kings College London and the AIRE Centre.

During this eight-week project, we have outreached 52 Roma rough sleepers in Westminster and delivered weekly face-to-face sessions, offering support to 16 beneficiaries with their EUSS applications/ digital status/ National Insurance Numbers, access to healthcare/ welfare benefits/ bank accounts, and obtain ID documents.

During these sessions a group of volunteers from the Central London Catholic Churches provided a welcome space and hot meals.

We also assisted Roma from an informal encampment, who were evicted from their site by Tower Hamlets Council, and two other families with children, who were sleeping rough in central London, helping them to make EUSS applications, use their digital status and access emergency accommodations.

The ‘Stay Settled in Newham’ Project

As a result of our work to alert local authorities to the need to proactively engage with Roma communities with regards to their immigration status post-Brexit (EUSS), the “Stay Settled in Newham” project was funded by Newham Council to reach out to vulnerable groups of EU citizens in this borough in order support them to apply for settled status.

We shared our experience, advised Newham Council on setting up this project and became part of a consortium of 10 local community organisations led by the Renewal Programme. We delivered public events and outreach activities to Roma/ non-Roma residents and continued to inform local authority staff and decision-makers about EUSS.

We have mobilised a group of Roma advocates, whose outreach activities, direct support and drop-in sessions delivered in Newham primary schools, reached far beyond the Roma community. We also did media work with BBC London to inform about the EUSS deadline and help available.

Our work also included support for proving and managing EUSS status, and led to an improved engagement of Newham Council with community organisations on immigration issues.

In 10 weeks, we:

Informed 470 people about EUSS through 9 events in primary schools and Roma churches;
Supported over 90 people with their application for settled status;
Distributed 2,500 leaflets and posters to businesses and community spaces across Newham.

Roma Mental Health Advocacy Project

In July 2021, we published a self-evaluation report of our five-year Roma Mental Health Advocacy Project, which finished in Spring’21.

We have secured funding for a three-year continuation of this project and re-started our work in the Autumn’21 aiming to:

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Roma Support Group Annual report and financial statements

Enhance Roma community members’ understanding of mental health issues;
Improve access to mental health services for Roma beneficiaries;

• Support mental health professionals in engaging with Roma patients and enhancing their understanding of the Roma community and culture.

The project is developed as a three-pronged model of engagement with Roma community members and healthcare providers, including:

• One-to-one mental health advocacy – to improve beneficiaries’ access to mental health services;

• Peer-Support Group meetings – to facilitate guided discussions in the community with health professionals about mental health issues and services, treatment options and coping strategies; and

• Collaborating with mental health professionals through support for individual beneficiaries and the delivery of training sessions on the needs, culture and health inequalities experienced by Roma patients.

Since Autumn’21, 54 beneficiaries were supported by one-to-one advocacy sessions, being referred to mental health services; helped with arranging medical appointments and liaising with health professionals; and assisted with applying for mental health-related benefits.

The programme of peer-support activities involved hosting community meetings with health professionals and stimulating open discussions on health/ wellbeing -related topics.

The project team also supported health/ mental health professionals from Healthwatch in Newham, Romanian and Eastern European Hub in Barnet, Tower Hamlets Talking Therapies, Newham Care Navigators, etc.

Roma Policy and Campaigning Project aimed to increase the opportunities for Roma communities across the UK to successfully make applications under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) by:

• Campaigning and communicating with Roma communities in order to raise their awareness of the EUSS;

• Working with other organisations to raise their awareness of the concerns shared by Roma communities with regards to the EUSS;

• Influencing decision makers at local, regional and national levels on the EUSS impact on Roma communities.

Last year, the project has:

• Engaged directly with over 1,300 Roma and supported 500 people to submit their EUSS applications;

• Worked with more than 30 organisations to enable EUSS support for Roma communities across the UK, and raise awareness of their concerns;

• Developed and supported campaigns to influence decision makers at local, regional and national level on issues such as digital exclusion, physical EUSS status document, late applications, funding, comprehensive sickness insurance requirements, etc.

Some of our achievements last year include:

• Influencing Newham Council to fund the ‘Stay Settled in Newham’ Project, delivered by a consortium of 10 local NGOs, which – as a whole - liaised with 200 community groups, engaged directly with over 1,000 EU citizens in the borough through 64 public events, supported 310 residents to submit their EUSS applications, and reached around 160K people through its marketing campaign. (For more information about our role in this project, please see pages above.)

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Roma Support Group Annual report and financial statements

• Developing the Roma Pop-Up Advice Hub for Roma rough sleepers in Mayfair in collaboration with Caritas Westminster and Farm Street Church. (For more information about this project, please see pages above.)

• Working with the European Network on Statelessness to submit evidence for the Government’s new plan for immigration, focussing on children’s rights to British citizenship, which subsequently helped to influence the Government’s decision to create a fee-waiver system for low-income families applying for British citizenship for their children.

• Organising a national event in collaboration with the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Gypsies, Roma and Travellers to explore the EUSS situation during the post-grace period for Roma communities.

Policy, Campaigning & Information Project aims to promote social justice and fair treatment of Roma refugees and migrants in the UK and address the disadvantages and discrimination they face through:

• Developing /continuing a dialogue with key decision/policy makers in the UK to enhance their understanding about the needs and inequalities experienced by Roma refugees and migrants;

• Influencing national and European policies which affect Roma, ensuring that their voice/perspective is effectively communicated to the UK Government, EU, statutory sector, the media and other key stakeholders;

• Enhancing social inclusion and civic participation of Roma refugees and migrants by developing Roma-led campaigning work.

Last year, we have continued our work in relation to Covid-19, EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS), rough sleeping, education and 2021 Census, and started working on DWP benefits, health inequalities, the Nationality and Borders Bill, Elections Bill, and Early Marriage Bill. The project has also coordinated RSG’s response to the events related to Jimmy Carr’s incident and war in Ukraine.

Some of our achievements included:

• EUSS toolkit for local authorities. Influencing the Home Office to update its

• Influencing policy development of the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), Public Health and the NHS as well as raising awareness of local authorities and decision makers about the impact of the pandemic on Roma communities and publishing our good practice recommendations on supporting Roma communities through the crisis.

• Influencing (along with Gypsy and Traveller organisations) the Department for Education to designate £1 million government funding for 150 schools to support Gypsy Roma Traveller children returning to classroom education.

• Developing a new partnership with Friends, Families and Travellers (FFT) to become part of the Health and Wellbeing Alliance.

• Playing a vital role in the development of the Greater London Authority (GLA) “Rough Sleeping Roma Mediator Programme” with a dedicated budget for the homelessness sector.

• Influencing the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to introduce a ‘Roma’ tick box for the first time in the UK and to employ 8 Roma advocates to work in their communities to encourage them to tick the box.

• Facilitating Roma EUSS Network and organising annual events to raise our concerns directly with Government departments and parliamentarians.

Speaking about the impact our work had in developing positive collaboration between Roma communities and local authorities a Roma advocate in Liverpool noted: “This is all very important. We need to work together so please keep us connected, keep continuing to do this. […] I see difference in my own work because of what you do. My council works more with us now and I am able to do more for our Roma”

Charity number 1103782 Company number 04645981

Year ended 31 January 2022 Roma Support Group Annual report and financial statements Ada at the zoo Charity nurnber 1103782 Company nurnber 04645981 13

Year ended 31 January 2022

Roma Support Group Annual report and financial statements

NHS Health & Wellbeing Alliance (HWA):

The HWA is a 3-year project we are delivering in partnership with Friends Families and Travellers (FFT) as part of a programme run by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), Public Health England (PHE) and NHS England.

The programme aims to:

Amplify the voices of the people with lived experience of health inequalities;
Improve the ways of delivering health services which are accessible to everyone thus reducing
health inequalities;
Bring the expertise of the voluntary sector and communities they work with into national policy
making.

Last year, in addition to attending meetings with policy leads from NHS England, DGSC and PHE, we have been developing a ‘Roma Guide on Tackling Health Inequalities’, which will draw from our expertise around health inequalities experienced by Roma communities to feed into the national and system-level policy making.

The Roma Guide will help health and care professionals to better understand barriers to accessing healthcare for the Roma community, take action to improve services and build a relationship with our community. It will also provide suggestions for good practice developed in collaboration with a group of Roma advocates, health practitioners and NGO partners.

To develop realistic practical recommendations for frontline workers, team leaders and commissioners, we held a workshop with over 30 health practitioners from across the health sector: primary care, hospital trusts, community organisations and interpreting services.

We also organised a workshop for Roma advocates and met with health professionals and RSG advice workers to identify barriers and recommendations in the specific areas of mental health, child health and maternity care.

‘Ketane - Together: Roma Shaping Futures’ Project aims to:

Empower Roma communities with training, information resources, and specialist advice regarding
the post-Brexit changes which impact on their rights for settlement in the UK;
Increase self-help capacity of Roma communities through a peer advocacy programme;
Support the voice of Roma communities through campaigning and policy work.

The project delivers a programme of inter-connected training, advocacy and campaigning to improve Roma capacity for self-help actions and self-representation in post-Brexit Britain.

Last year, we have supported three Roma NGOs to create new partnerships with their local Law Centres in Liverpool, Nottingham and Newcastle and continued our support for two other partnerships in Ipswich and Glasgow.

We were in regular contact with 13 Roma Advocates in London, Glasgow, Newcastle, Liverpool, Ipswich, Nottingham, Bradford and Doncaster by involving them in all our focus group meetings, training sessions, and consultations.

We hosted 4 virtual training sessions, co-delivered with the Public Interest Law Centre (PILC) on immigration/ housing rights post-Brexit which were viewed by 12,685 people. Thanks to these training sessions, Roma Advocates from different regions were able to get in touch directly with PILC when they could not access their own local Law Centres, which ensures that legal expertise is shared across many Roma communities in Britain.

Furthermore, we produced several digital resources on post-Brexit matters and Covid-19 travel rules in collaboration with PILC and POMOC, which have been shared on various social media platforms, i.e.,

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Roma Support Group Annual report and financial statements

YouTube, Facebook reaching a total of 17,847 people.

In order to enhance self-help capacity of Roma communities, we created a programme of five online ESOL classes in collaboration with the East London Advice Technology Training (ELATT) reaching 2,258 people via social media.

Thanks to the regular consultations we have with our community members, our ESOL classes have the dual function of furthering our beneficiaries’ English language skills, as well as advancing their knowledge about important topics such as Covid-19, welfare rights, pregnancy/ what to do while pregnant, domestic violence and other matters.

Education Support & Aspiration Projects:

Roma Aspiration Project supports Roma children and young people through a combination of one-to-one education advocacy, in-depth outreach work and a programme of after-school activities. These activities shape our holistic approach to working with young Roma people aiming to enhance their self-confidence, life aspirations and improve their health and well-being.

Last year, the Aspiration Project assisted 138 beneficiaries through face-to-face, via phone and online support carrying out needs assessment, and helping them to communicate with schools, secure digital equipment, access online school/ teaching platforms and resources, school admissions, food vouchers, health services, etc. We have continued our work with children with disabilities, complex mental and physical health facilitating their access to appropriate services and supporting families on child protection register, foster care and/ or in court proceedings.

Beneficiaries were also internally referred to our Financial Inclusion team to help those whose parents lost their jobs and become destitute, and to local authorities for emergency Covid-19 support.

The Project provided homework support for 30 children and their parents, so they can access and benefit from online school education. We have coordinated a programme of online tutorials to help with maths, science and literacy delivered in partnership with volunteers from Turn Around (most of whom are teachers or former teachers) and tutors from the King’s College/ Traveller Movement tutoring programme. The Project Worker has provided technical support for beneficiaries and their parents and shared additional online educational resources.

During last summer, we organised outdoor activities such as football sessions, outings to London Zoo while throughout the year beneficiaries were involved in our weekly online youth club, which enabled them to stay socially connected with their friends and peers and develop their skills in music, media and visual art (e.g., by participating in our Gypsy, Roma Traveller History Month Art Competition).

As a result of our activities, young beneficiaries made significant progress in achieving the following outcomes:

67% of beneficiaries increased their life aspirations and satisfaction with their education attainment;
68% of beneficiaries enhanced their self-confidence in relation to their areas of interest, e.g., sport,
music and arts;
70% of beneficiaries felt that their health and wellbeing have improved.

Roma News Project aims to bring relevant information to Roma communities in the UK, enhance media skills and a voice of young Roma people and raise public awareness about Roma culture and their situation in Britain. The Roma News programme is a platform for young Roma to learn, improve and express their media skills and to empower them to become actors of the change they are seeking.

Despite the pandemic, the project has engaged 21 participants, who took part in various activities, including:

Roma News videos: 8 young Roma contributed to the development of 7 Roma News videos, which
enabled them to develop their social media, script writing and video editing skills.
“Engaging with the Media” training and peer support sessions: 7 participants took part in specialised
media sessions delivered by On Road Media.

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Roma Support Group

Annual report and financial statements

• Documentary filmmaking programme: 6 participants took part in online workshops, a face-to-face training session covering various aspects of filmmaking (e.g., camera, sound, writing and editing), and a face-to-face filming day.

Training and Capacity Building:

Roma Support & Engagement Programme (RSEP) aims to support statutory and voluntary agencies to respond effectively to the needs of Roma refugees and migrants across the UK.

In 2021-22, six members of our staff and eight Roma professionals took part in the delivery of this programme, including:

A specialist intervention service for professionals working with Roma individuals and families;
Training sessions for professionals and the community;
Specialist support for research and consultation.

Last year, we delivered:

19 training sessions and presentations including delivery of online training and awareness sessions
10 commissioned interventions and consultations;
Support for 883 professionals who work with over 600 Roma individuals.

In partnership with Law for Life, we also delivered two training sessions for Roma advocates and Roma grassroots organisations, providing an overview of the main aspects of child protection investigations and court proceedings as well as information how to effectively support Roma families affected by these issues.

Over 90% of respondents rated our training as ‘excellent’ or ‘good’.

Some of the agencies and organisations supported by RSEP include: Barnardo’s, Children’s Services (Bury, Tower Hamlets, Staffordshire, Waltham Forest), Bristol City Council, City Academy Bristol, Clifton Learning Partnership, Connecting Roma C.I.C, Community Renewal Glasgow, Govanhill Roma Youth Project, Granby Toxteth Development Trust - Roma project, Healthwatch England, Idea Rom Association Nottingham, Law for Life, Leigh Primary School, Luton Roma Trust, May Park Primary School, St James’s Centre- Derby, TGP Cymry, University of Nottingham, West Midlands Police, and several independent Roma activists.

Plans for the future

• Continuing to develop all our existing frontline projects while ensuring that they answer the needs of Roma communities going through cost-of-living crisis, Covid-recovery and post-Brexit period;

• Developing our local and national Policy, Information and Campaigning work in order to empower Roma communities and strengthen our effectiveness and capacity to influence policy and decision makers;

• Further developing the Roma Support and Engagement Programme, which enables us to share our expertise and models of good practice with statutory and non-statutory agencies and develop our enterprising skills;

• Promoting an understanding of Roma culture and history; and

Charity number 1103782 Company number 04645981

Year ended 31 January 2022

Roma Support Group Annual report and financial statements

Financial review

Financial position and available funds

The Charity incurred a deficit of £6,022 in the year ended 31 January 2022 (2021: £148,542), decreasing total funds at the year-end to £404,397 (2021: £410,419).

Of the total funds, £183,056 related to unrestricted funds/free reserves (2021: £185,841) and £221,341 to restricted funds (2021: £224,578).

Reserves policy

The Trustees have established a policy whereby the unrestricted funds, which have not been designated for a specific purpose and are not committed or invested in tangible assets, (‘the free reserves’) should be between three and six months of the resources expended. On present expenditure levels this equates to between £97,500 and £195,000 in general funds.

At this level, the Trustees feel that they would be able to continue the current activities of the Charity in the event of a significant drop in funding. In such a case, it would be necessary to consider how the funding would be replaced or activities changed.

Our present free reserves level of £183,056 falls safely within this limit.

Going concern

Based on the funding commitments in place both at the year-end and on the date of approval of this report, as well as the current free reserves level, the Trustees are satisfied that the Charity will be able to continue its objectives for the next financial year. Whilst COVID-19 has meant the Charity has had to modify some of its project implementation, the ongoing pandemic has had no significant impact on this assessment.

Statement of board of Trustees’ repsonsibilities

The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations. Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law they are required to prepare the financial statements in accordance with UK Accounting Standards and applicable law (UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice), including FRS 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Under company law the Trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the excess of income over expenditure for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:

select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material
departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and,
prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume
that the charitable company will continue its activities.

The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charitable company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They have general responsibility for taking such steps as are reasonably open to them to safeguard the assets of the charitable company and to prevent and detect fraud and other irregularities.

The Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company’s website. Legislation in the UK governing the preparation and

Charity number 1103782 Company number 04645981

Year ended 31 January 2022

Roma Support Group

Annual report and financial statements

dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions. In addition, the Trustees confirm that they are happy that content of the annual review in pages 5 to 18 of this document meet the requirements of both the Trustees’ Annual Report under charity law and the Directors’ Report under company law.

They also confirm that the financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in the notes to the accounts and comply with the Charity’s governing document, the Charities Act 2011 and Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with FRS 102, The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland published on 16 July 2014.

Information provided to the auditors

Each of the persons who is a Trustee at the date of approval of this report confirms that:

so far as the Trustee is aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the company’s
auditors are unaware; and,

• the Trustee has taken all the steps they ought to have taken as a Trustee in order to make themself aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the company’s auditors are aware of that information.

This confirmation is given and should be interpreted in accordance with the provisions of section 418 of the Companies Act 2006.

Preparation of the report

This report has been prepared taking advantage of the small companies exemption of section 415A of the Companies Act 2006.

Auditors

The auditors, Ferguson Maidment Accountants Ltd, have indicated their willingness to accept re-appointment under Section 485 of the Companies Act 2006.

This report was approved and authorised for issue by the Board of Trustees on 28 October 2022 and signed on its behalf by:

A.J.Wormington

A.J.Wormington (Oct 28, 2022 14:06 GMT+1)

ANTHEA WORMINGTON TREASURER

SYLVIA INGMIRE CHIEF EXECUTIVE & COMPANY SECRETARY

Charity number 1103782 Company number 04645981

Year ended 31 January 2022

Roma Support Group Annual report and financial statements

Independent auditor’s report

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of Roma Support Group (the ‘charity’) for the year ended 31 January 2022 which comprise the statement of financial activities (including income and expenditure account), statement of financial position and the related notes, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including FRS 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

• give a true and fair view of the state of the charity’s affairs as at 31 January 2022 and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for the year then ended;

have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting
Practice;
have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

Basis for opinion

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 responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees’ use of the going concern basis

of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial 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.

Other information

The other information comprises the information included in the annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements 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 are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial 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 information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Charity number 1103782 Company number 04645981

Year ended 31 January 2022

Roma Support Group Annual report and financial statements

Opinions on other maters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:

the information given in the trustees’ report for the financial year for which the financial statements
are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and
the trustees’ report has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

Maters on which we are required to report by exception

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the charity and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the trustees’ report.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been
received from branches not visited by us; or
the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
certain disclosures of trustees’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or
we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or

• the trustees were not entitled to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the small companies regime and take advantage of the small companies’ exemptions in preparing the directors’ report and from the requirement to prepare a strategic report.

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement, the trustees (who are also the directors for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charity’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 the trustees either intend to liquidate the charity or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the fnancial statements

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance 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 the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial 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.

Charity number 1103782 Company number 04645981

Year ended 31 January 2022

Roma Support Group Annual report and financial statements

The extent to which the audit was considered capable of detecting irregularities including fraud

Our approach to identifying and assessing the risks of material misstatement in respect of irregularities, including fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations, was as follows:

• the engagement partner ensured that the engagement team collectively had the appropriate competence, capabilities and skills to identify or recognise non-compliance with applicable laws and regulations;

• we identified the laws and regulations applicable to the charity through discussions with trustees and other management, and from our commercial knowledge and experience of the sector;

• we focused on specific laws and regulations which we considered may have a direct material effect on the financial statements or the operations of the charity, including the Companies Act 2006, taxation legislation and data protection, anti-bribery, employment, and health and safety legislation.

• we assessed the extent of compliance with the laws and regulations identified above through making enquiries of management and inspecting legal correspondence; and

• identified laws and regulations were communicated within the audit team regularly and the team remained alert to instances of non-compliance throughout the audit.

We assessed the susceptibility of the charity’s financial statements to material misstatement, including obtaining an understanding of how fraud might occur; by:

• making enquiries of management as to where they considered there was susceptibility to fraud, their knowledge of actual, suspected and alleged fraud.

To address the risk of fraud through management bias and override of controls, we:

performed analytical procedures to identify any unusual or unexpected relationships;
tested journal entries to identify unusual transactions;

• assessed whether judgements and assumptions made in determining the accounting estimates set out in note 1 were indicative or potential bias; and

investigated the rationale behind significant or unusual transactions.

In response to the risk of irregularities and non-compliance with laws and regulations, we designed procedures which included, but were not limited to:

• obtaining an understanding of the legal and regulatory framework applicable to the Charity and how the Charity is complying with that framework;

obtaining an understanding of the Charity’s policies and procedures and how the Charity has
complied with these, through discussions and sample testing;
obtaining an understanding of the Charity’s risk assessment process, including the risk of fraud;
designing our audit procedures to respond to our risk assessment; and

• performing audit testing over the risk of management override of controls, including testing of journal entries and other adjustments for appropriateness, evaluating the business rationale of significant transactions outside the normal course of business and reviewing accounting estimates for bias.

There are inherent limitations in our audit procedures described above. The more removed that laws and regulations are from financial transactions, the less likely it is that we would become aware of noncompliance. Auditing standards also limit the audit procedures required to identify non-compliance with laws and regulations to enquiry of the trustees and other management and the inspection of regulatory and legal correspondence, if any.

Charity number 1103782 Company number 04645981

Year ended 31 January 2022

Roma Support Group Annual report and financial statements

Material misstatements that arise due to fraud can be harder to detect than those that arise from error as they may involve deliberate concealment or collusion.

A further description of our responsibility for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor’s report.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the charity’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charity’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity and the charity’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

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PAUL MANALO (Oct 28, 2022 14:12 GMT+1)
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PAUL MANALO

SENIOR STATUTORY AUDITOR

For and on behalf of: Ferguson Maidment & Co. Chartered Accountants & Statutory Auditor 167 Fleet Street London, EC4A 2EA

Date: 28 October 2022

Charity number 1103782 Company number 04645981

Year ended 31 January 2022

Roma Support Group Annual report and financial statements

Statement of financial activities

Incorporating the Income and Expenditure Account & Statement of Realised Gains and Losses

For the year ended 31 January 2022

Notes Income from: Donations 3 Charitable activities 4 Investments Total income Expenditure on: Raising funds 5 & 6 Charitable activities: Advice, Advocacy & Campaigning 5 & 7 Art & Cultural Development 5 & 7 Early Years Education 5 & 7 Education Support 5 & 7 Mental Health Advocacy 5 & 7 Sport Inclusion 5 & 7 Support & Engagement Project 5 & 7 Total expenditure Net income/(expenditure) Reconciliation of funds: Total funds brought forward 11 & 12 Total funds carried forward 11 & 12	Unrestricted Restricted Total Total Funds Funds Funds Funds 2022 2022 2022 2021 £ £ £ £ 15,314 350,847 366,161 486,090 15,330 - 15,330 9,300 5 - 5 49
	30,649 350,847 381,496 495,439
	2,654 28,106 30,760 29,697 - 242,620 242,620 231,336 - 21,712 21,712 7,925 - - - 116 - 28,523 28,523 16,365 - 33,123 33,123 38,633 2,425 - 2,425 - 28,355 - 28,355 22,825
	33,434 354,084 387,518 346,897

	(2,785) (3,237) (6,022) 148,542 185,841 224,578 410,419 261,877
	183,056 221,341 404,397 410,419

The notes on pages 25 to 40 form part of the financial statements.

Charity number 1103782 Company number 04645981

Year ended 31 January 2022

Roma Support Group Annual report and financial statements

Balance sheet

As at 31 January 2022

£ - 1,406 555,111	Total Funds 2022 £ 101 404,296	£ 843 2,455 513,393	Total Funds 2021 £ 468 409,951
556,517 (152,221)		516,691 (106,740)
183,056		185,841
	404,397		410,419
	221,341 183,056		224,578 185,841

	404,397		410,419

The notes on pages 25 to 40 form part of the financial statements.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with section 415A of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies and FRS 102 Section 1A.

They were approved and authorised for issue by the Board of Trustees on 28 October 2022 and signed on their behalf by:

A.J.Wormington A.J.Wormington (Oct 28, 2022 14:06 GMT+1)

ANTHEA WORMINGTON

TREASURER

Charity number 1103782 Company number 04645981

Year ended 31 January 2022

Roma Support Group Annual report and financial statements

Notes to the financial statements

1. Accounting policies

Basis of preparation of the financial statements

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with ‘Charities SORP (FRS 102) - Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) second edition (effective 1 January 2019)’, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), including Update Bulletin 1, and the Companies Act 2006.

The effect of any event relating to the year ended 31 January 2022, which occurred before the date of approval of the financial statements by the Board of Trustees has been included in the financial statements to the extent required to show a true and fair view of the state of affairs at 31 January 2022 and the results for the year ended on that date.

The functional currency of the Charity is sterling and amounts in the financial statements are rounded to the nearest pound.

Under the exemption available to smaller charities the Board of Trustees has chosen not to include a Statement of Cash Flows within the financial statements.

The significant accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all years presented unless otherwise stated.

Going concern

The financial statements have been prepared on the going concern basis as the Board of Trustees is confident that future reserves and future income is more than sufficient to meet current commitments. There are no material uncertainties that impact this assessment, and the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic has had no material impact on this assessment.

Legal status

Roma Support Group is a charitable company registered in England & Wales and meets the definition of a public benefit entity. In the event of the Charity being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £10 per member. The registered address is 17 Old Ford Road, London, E2 9PJ.

Fund Accounting

General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the Charity and which have not been designated for other purposes.

Restricted funds are funds that are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors or that have been raised by the Charity for particular purposes. The cost of raising and administering such funds are charged against the specific fund. The aim and use of each restricted fund is set out in note 11 of the financial statements.

Income

Income is recognised when the Charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance indicators attached to the item(s) of income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.

Donations are recognised in full in the Statement of Financial Activities when entitled, receipt is probable and when the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy. Gift aid receivable is included when claimable.

Charity number 1103782 Company number 04645981

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Roma Support Group Annual report and financial statements

1. Accounting policies (continued from previous page)

Income (continued from previous page)

Grant income is credited to the Statement of Financial Activities when received or receivable whichever is earlier, unless the grant relates to a future period, in which case it is deferred.

Income from charitable activities, including contract income and client fees, is credited to the Statement of Financial Activities when received or receivable whichever is earlier, unless it relates to a specific future period or event, in which case it is deferred.

Interest is recorded when it is receivable.

Expenditure and irrecoverable VAT

All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been included under expense categories that aggregate all costs for allocation to activities.

Indirect costs, including governance costs, which cannot be directly attributed to activities, are allocated proportionate to total direct costs allocated to each project area, as outlined in note 5 of the financial statements.

Irrecoverable VAT is charged against the category of expenditure for which it was incurred.

Tangible fixed assets and depreciation

All assets costing more than £500 are capitalised.

Tangible fixed assets are stated at cost less depreciation. Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write off the cost of fixed assets, less their residual value, over their useful life of three years, on a straightline basis pro-rated over the proportion of the year in which it has been held. This rate applies to all three categories of tangible fixed assets.

Costs incurred in the development of the website have been capitilised as a tangible fixed asset as the combined direct cash flow benefits and indirect economic benefit through the provision of educational information to beneficiaries are expected to be greater than the amount capitalised.

Cash at bank and in hand

Cash at bank and in hand includes cash in hand, deposits with banks and funds that are readily convertible into cash at, or close to, their carrying values but are not held for investment purposes.

Debtors and prepayments

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount after any trade discount is applied. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.

Creditors and accruals

Creditors are recognised where the Charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party, and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably.

Critical estimates and judgements

In preparing financial statements it is necessary to make certain judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts recognised in the financial statements. The annual depreciation charge for tangible fixed assets is sensitive to changes in useful economic lives and residual values of assets. In the view of the Trustees in applying the accounting policies adopted, no judgements were required that have a significant effect on the amounts recognised in the financial statements nor do any estimates or assumptions made carry a significant risk of material adjustment in the next financial year.

Charity number 1103782 Company number 04645981

Year ended 31 January 2022

Roma Support Group Annual report and financial statements

1. Accounting policies (continued from previous page)

Financial instruments

Basic financial instruments are measured at amortised cost other than investments which are measured at fair value.

Pensions

The Charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme which is administered by an external independent pension provider. Contributions are recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities as they fall due.

Finance and operating leases

Rentals applicable to operating leases are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities over the period in which the cost is occurred.

No assets have been purchased under finance leases.

Charity number 1103782 Company number 04645981

Year ended 31 January 2022

Roma Support Group Annual report and financial statements

2. Comparative statement of fnancial activities

Notes Income from: Donations 3 Charitable activities 4 Investments* Total income Expenditure on: Raising funds 5 & 6 Charitable activities: Advice, Advocacy & Campaigning 5 & 7 Art & Cultural Development 5 & 7 Early Years Education 5 & 7 Education Support 5 & 7 Mental Health Advocacy 5 & 7 Sport Inclusion 5 & 7 Support & Engagement Project 5 & 7 Total expenditure Net income/(expenditure) Reconciliation of funds: Total funds brought forward 11 & 12 Total funds carried forward 11 & 12	Unrestricted Restricted Total Funds Funds Funds 2021 2021 2021 £ £ £ 80,102 405,988 486,090 9,300 - 9,300 49 - 49
	89,451 405,988 495,439
	2,137 27,560 29,697 - 231,336 231,336 - 7,925 7,925 - 116 116 - 16,365 16,365 - 38,633 38,633 - - - 22,825 - 22,825
	24,962 321,935 346,897

	64,489 84,053 148,542 121,352 140,525 261,877
	185,841 224,578 410,419

Charity number 1103782 Company number 04645981

Year ended 31 January 2022

Roma Support Group Annual report and financial statements

Income from donations and legacies

Grant income (see analysis below) Other donations Total income from donations Analysis of grant income Cash received in year Astrea Asset Management via Farm Street Church & Caritas Barrow Cadbury Trust (see note 13) Barrow Cadbury Trust (COVID-19 Support Fund) BBC Children in Need CAF Resilience Support Fund Department of Health and Social Care (see note 14) Henry Smith Charity The Jack Petchey Foundation Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust London Borough of Newham The National Lottery Community Fund Newcastle University Tudor Trust Deferred revenue Brought forward Carried forward	Unrestricted Restricted Total Funds Funds Funds 2022 2022 2022 £ £ £ - 350,847 350,847 15,314 - 15,314
	15,314 350,847 366,161
	- 12,560 12,560 - 20,000 20,000 - 300 300 - 15,857 15,857 - 86,600 86,600 - 19,479 19,479 - 44,300 44,300 - 2,700 2,700 - 30,000 30,000 - 18,000 18,000 - 102,941 102,941 - 3,165 3,165 - 33,000 33,000 - 94,968 94,968 - (133,023) (133,023)
	- 350,847 350,847

Charity number 1103782 Company number 04645981

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Roma Support Group Annual report and financial statements

3. Income from donations and legacies (continued from previous page)

Grant income (see analysis below) Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme Other donations Total income from donations Analysis of grant income Cash received in year Aston-Mansfeld Barrow Cadbury Trust (see note 13) Barrow Cadbury Trust (COVID-19 Support Fund) BBC Children in Need City Bridge Trust Henry Smith Charity Home Offce The Jack Petchey Foundation Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust The National Lottery Community Fund New Philanthropy Capital’s Transition Advice Fund Odin Charitable Trust Paul Hamlyn Foundation Respond and Adapt Fund Deferred revenue Brought forward Carried forward	Unrestricted Restricted Total Funds Funds Funds 2021 2021 2021 £ £ £ 60,250 405,988 466,238 672 - 672 19,180 - 19,180
	80,102 405,988 486,090
	- 208 208 - 20,000 20,000 - 22,700 22,700 - 31,404 31,404 10,250 43,800 54,050 - 43,650 43,650 - 54,210 54,210 - 1,250 1,250 - 48,756 48,756 - 115,212 115,212 - 11,250 11,250 - 3,000 3,000 20,000 60,000 80,000 30,000 - 30,000 - 45,516 45,516 - (94,968) (94,968)
	60,250 405,988 466,238

Charity number 1103782 Company number 04645981

Year ended 31 January 2022

Roma Support Group Annual report and financial statements

Income from charitable activities

Commissioned services and consultancy Training seminars & workshops Sales of resources Commissioned services and consultancy Training seminars & workshops Sales of resources	Unrestricted Restricted Total Funds Funds Funds 2022 2022 2022 £ £ £ 9,048 - 9,048 6,166 - 6,166 116 - 116
	15,330 - 15,330
	Unrestricted Restricted Total Funds Funds Funds 2021 2021 2021 £ £ £ 6,276 - 6,276 2,959 - 2,959 65 - 65
	9,300 - 9,300

Charity number 1103782 Company number 04645981

Year ended 31 January 2022

Roma Support Group Annual report and financial statements

5. Total expenditure

Costs of raising funds Charitable activities Advice, Advocacy & Campaigning Art & Cultural Development Education Support Mental Health Advocacy Sport Inclusion Support & Engagement Project Costs of raising funds Charitable activities Advice, Advocacy & Campaigning Art & Cultural Development Early Years Education Education Support Mental Health Advocacy Sport Inclusion Support & Engagement Project	Direct costs Indirect costs Total Staff costs Other costs Staff costs Other costs expenditure 2022 2022 2022 2022 2022 £ £ £ £ £ 22,779 - 2,609 5,372 30,760 160,178 24,709 18,871 38,862 242,620 8,547 10,170 979 2,016 21,712 20,804 318 2,419 4,982 28,523 24,529 - 2,809 5,785 33,123 - 2,425 - - 2,425 18,851 2,147 2,405 4,952 28,355
	255,688 39,769 30,092 61,969 387,518
	Direct costs Indirect costs Total Staff costs Other costs Staff costs Other costs expenditure 2021 2021 2021 2021 2021 £ £ £ £ £ 22,400 - 2,738 4,559 29,697 171,201 3,618 21,209 35,308 231,336 4,837 1,421 626 1,041 7,925 - 116 - - 116 12,344 - 1,509 2,512 16,365 29,140 - 3,562 5,931 38,633 - - - - - 17,216 - 2,105 3,504 22,825
	257,138 5,155 31,749 52,855 346,897

Indirect costs have been allocated based on a proportion of direct staff costs and direct other costs attributable to each activity.

An analysis of staff costs can be found in note 8.

An analysis of costs of raising funds split between restricted and unrestricted funds can be found in note 6.

An analysis of charitable activities split between restricted and unrestricted funds can be found in note 7.

Charity number 1103782 Company number 04645981

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Roma Support Group Annual report and financial statements

5. Total expenditure (continued from previous page)

Indirect costs includes:

Governance costs includes: Staff costs Staff travel and support costs Premises and venue hire Professional fees Administrative and other costs Governance Audit fee Insurance Meeting expenses	2022 2021 £ £ 30,092 31,749 10,384 11,724 28,385 18,291 16,388 13,968 3,669 5,837 3,143 3,035
	92,061 84,604
	2022 2021 £ £ 1,980 1,980 1,163 1,055 - 400
	3,143 3,435

6. Expenditure on raising funds

Direct staff costs Indirect costs Direct staff costs Indirect costs	Unrestricted Restricted Total Funds Funds Funds 2022 2022 2022 £ £ £ 1,965 20,814 22,779 689 7,292 7,981
	2,654 28,106 30,760
	Unrestricted Restricted Total Funds Funds Funds 2021 2021 2021 £ £ £ 1,612 20,788 22,400 525 6,772 7,297
	2,137 27,560 29,697

Charity number 1103782 Company number 04645981

Year ended 31 January 2022

Roma Support Group Annual report and financial statements

7. Expenditure on charitable activities

Advice, Advocacy & Campaigning Direct staff costs Direct other costs Indirect costs Advice, Advocacy & Campaigning Art & Cultural Development Direct staff costs Direct other costs Indirect costs Art & Cultural Development Education Support Direct staff costs Direct other costs Indirect costs Education Support Mental Health Advocacy Direct staff costs Indirect costs Mental Health Advocacy Sport Inclusion Direct other costs Sport Inclusion Support & Engagement Project Direct staff costs Direct other costs Indirect costs Support & Engagement Project	Unrestricted Restricted Total Funds Funds Funds 2022 2022 2022 £ £ £ - 160,178 160,178 - 24,709 24,709 - 57,733 57,733
	- 242,620 242,620
	- 8,547 8,547 - 10,170 10,170 - 2,995 2,995
	- 21,712 21,712
	- 20,804 20,804 - 318 318 - 7,401 7,401
	- 28,523 28,523
	- 24,529 24,529 - 8,594 8,594
	- 33,123 33,123
	2,425 - 2,425
	2,425 - 2,425
	18,851 - 18,851 2,147 - 2,147 7,357 - 7,357
	28,355 - 28,355

	30,780 325,978 356,758

Charity number 1103782 Company number 04645981

Year ended 31 January 2022

Roma Support Group Annual report and financial statements

Expenditure on charitable activities (continued from previous page)

Advice, Advocacy & Campaigning Direct staff costs Direct other costs Indirect costs Advice, Advocacy & Campaigning Art & Cultural Development Direct staff costs Direct other costs Indirect costs Art & Cultural Development Early Years Education Direct other costs Early Years Education Education Support Direct staff costs Indirect costs Education Support Mental Health Advocacy Direct staff costs Indirect costs Mental Health Advocacy Support & Engagement Project Direct staff costs Indirect costs Support & Engagement Project	Unrestricted Restricted Total Funds Funds Funds 2021 2021 2021 £ £ £ - 171,201 171,201 - 3,618 3,618 - 56,517 56,517
	- 231,336 231,336
	- 4,837 4,837 - 1,421 1,421 - 1,667 1,667
	- 7,925 7,925
	- 116 116
	- 116 116
	- 12,344 12,344 - 4,021 4,021
	- 16,365 16,365
	- 29,140 29,140 - 9,493 9,493
	- 38,633 38,633
	17,216 - 17,216 5,609 - 5,609
	22,825 - 22,825

	22,825 294,375 317,200

Charity number 1103782 Company number 04645981

Year ended 31 January 2022

Roma Support Group Annual report and financial statements

8. Staff costs

Gross salaries Employer’s NIC Employer’s pension	2022 2021 £ £ 260,610 263,537 16,793 16,872 8,378 8,478
	285,781 288,887

The average headcount during the period was 13 persons (2021: 13 persons).

No employee received employee benefits of more than £60,000 (2021: NIL).

The total employee benefits paid to key management personnel during the year was £45,558 (2021: £44,801).

9. Tangible fxed assets

Cost At 1 February 2021 Additions in year At 31 January 2022 Depreciation At 1 February 2021 Charge for year At 31 January 2022 Net book value At 1 February 2021 At 31 January 2022	Website Sports and development music Offce costs equipment equipment Total £ £ £ £ 1,800 410 4,516 6,726 - - - -
	1,800 410 4,516 6,726
	1,800 410 4,048 6,258 - - 367 367
	1,800 410 4,415 6,625
	- - 468 468
	- - 101 101

Charity number 1103782 Company number 04645981

Year ended 31 January 2022

Roma Support Group Annual report and financial statements

Creditors: amounts falling due within one year

Deferred grant income Accounts payable Accruals HMRC payable Pensions payable Deferred grant income As at 1 February 2021 Amount released to incoming resources Amount deferred in year As at 31 January 2022	Total Total Funds Funds 2022 2021 £ £ 133,023 94,968 9,560 1,752 3,711 3,711 4,614 5,130 1,313 1,179
	152,221 106,740
	94,968 45,516 (94,968) (45,516) 133,023 94,968
	133,023 94,968

Charity number 1103782 Company number 04645981

Year ended 31 January 2022

Roma Support Group Annual report and financial statements

11. Analysis of charity funds

Unrestricted funds General funds Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Advice & advocacy Art & Cultural Development Early years education Education support, youth aspiration & inclusion Health information Restricted funds Total funds	Balance Income Expenditure Transfer Balance brought for the in the between carried forward period period funds forward 2022 2022 2022 2022 2022 £ £ £ £ £ 185,841 30,649 (33,434) - 183,056
	185,841 30,649 (33,434) - 183,056
	129,855 252,751 (263,539) - 119,067 37,240 35,607 (23,584) - 49,263 33,626 - - - 33,626 21,228 24,057 (30,982) - 14,303 2,629 38,432 (35,979) - 5,082
	224,578 350,847 (354,084) - 221,341

	410,419 381,496 (387,518) - 404,397

Restricted expenditure in the period includes an allocation of costs for raising funds where permitted by those funding these specific projects and so this table does not directly reconcile to note 7 of the financial statements.

Advice, advocacy & cultural development:

These are funds that the Charity has received directly for its work advising Roma beneficiaries that have overcome some of the barriers they face in their process of integration within wider society, including, but not exclusively, the Roma Financial Inclusion Project, EU Settlement Scheme Project, Ketane Project and the Roma News Project. It is funded by several funding bodies, and also includes the wider policy and campaigning work carried out by the Charity.

Early years education:

These are funds that the Charity has raised through public fundraising and grant support to work with preschool Roma children and their families.

Education support, youth aspiration & inclusion:

These are funds the Charity has received for work aimed at increasing the academic attainment, inclusion and aspiration of Roma children and young people. These funds are received from a number of different funding bodies.

Health information:

These funds are restricted for use on health and mental health projects including for the Roma Mental Health Advocacy Project.

Charity number 1103782 Company number 04645981

Year ended 31 January 2022

Roma Support Group Annual report and financial statements

Analysis of charity funds (continued from previous page)

Unrestricted funds General funds Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Advice & advocacy Art & Music Development Early years education Education support, youth aspiration & inclusion Health information Restricted funds Total funds	Balance Income Expenditure Transfer Balance brought for the in the between carried forward period period funds forward 2021 2021 2021 2021 2021 £ £ £ £ £ 121,352 89,451 (24,962) - 185,841
	121,352 89,451 (24,962) - 185,841
	79,990 302,859 (252,994) - 129,855 18,890 27,017 (8,667) - 37,240 33,753 - (127) - 33,626 7,388 31,737 (17,897) - 21,228 504 44,375 (42,250) - 2,629
	140,525 405,988 (321,935) - 224,578

	261,877 495,439 (346,897) - 410,419

12. Analysis of net assets

Tangible fxed assets Current assets Current liabilities Tangible fxed assets Current assets Current liabilities	Unrestricted Restricted Total Funds Funds Funds 2022 2022 2022 £ £ £ 101 - 101 202,153 354,364 556,517 (19,198) (133,023) (152,221)
	183,056 221,341 404,397
	Unrestricted Restricted Total Funds Funds Funds 2021 2021 2021 £ £ £ 468 - 468 197,145 319,546 516,691 (11,772) (94,968) (106,740)
	185,841 224,578 410,419

Charity number 1103782 Company number 04645981

Year ended 31 January 2022

Roma Support Group Annual report and financial statements

13. Barrow Cadbury Trust

During the year the Charity continued to receive funding from the Barrow Cadbury Trust for its Roma Policy and Campaigning Project.

As per the figure in note 3, during the financial year 1 February 2021 to 31 January 2022, the Charity received total cash income of £20,000 and brought forward a balance of £6,962 from the prior year.

During the period, the Charity incurred expenditure of £18,456 resulting in a balance of £8,506 at the end of the period.

14. Department of Health and Social Care

During the year the Charity received funding as part of the Health & Wellbeing Alliance from the Department of Health & Social Care.

As per the figure in note 3, during the financial year 1 February 2021 to 31 January 2022, the Charity received total cash income of £19,479.

During the same period, the Charity incurred expenditure of £28,618, resulting in a deficit of £9,139 at the end of the period.

15. Trustee remuneration

During the year, no trustee received any remuneration (2021: £Nil). No members of the Board of Trustees received reimbursement of expenses (2021: £Nil).

16. Related party transactions

During the year there were no related party transactions (2021: £Nil).

Charity number 1103782 Company number 04645981

Roma Support Group

Contents

Legal and administrative information

Trustees annual report

Reference and administrative details

Acknowledgements

Structure, governance and management

Organisational structure

Volunteers

Risk assessment

Objectives and activities

Aims and objectives

Object 1

Object 2

Object 3

Object 4

Public beneft

Achievements and performance

Advice, Advocacy, Policy, Campaigning & Engagement

The ‘Stay Settled in Newham’ Project

Roma Mental Health Advocacy Project

Education Support & Aspiration Projects:

Training and Capacity Building:

Plans for the future

Financial review

Financial position and available funds

Reserves policy

Going concern

Statement of board of Trustees’ repsonsibilities

Information provided to the auditors

Preparation of the report

Auditors

A.J.Wormington

Independent auditor’s report

Opinion

In our opinion the financial statements:

Basis for opinion

Conclusions relating to going concern

Other information

Maters on which we are required to report by exception

Responsibilities of trustees

Use of our report

PAUL MANALO

SENIOR STATUTORY AUDITOR

Statement of financial activities

Balance sheet

ANTHEA WORMINGTON

TREASURER

Notes to the financial statements

1. Accounting policies

Going concern

Legal status

Fund Accounting

Income

1. Accounting policies (continued from previous page)

Cash at bank and in hand

Creditors and accruals

Critical estimates and judgements

1. Accounting policies (continued from previous page)

2. Comparative statement of fnancial activities

3. Income from donations and legacies (continued from previous page)

5. Total expenditure

5. Total expenditure (continued from previous page)

6. Expenditure on raising funds

7. Expenditure on charitable activities

8. Staff costs

9. Tangible fxed assets

11. Analysis of charity funds

12. Analysis of net assets

13. Barrow Cadbury Trust

14. Department of Health and Social Care

15. Trustee remuneration

16. Related party transactions