OpenCharities

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

2023-03-31-accounts

WADAJIR SOMALI COMMUNITY CENTRE

CHARITY NO: 1104972 COMPANY NO: 5509129

WADAJIR SOMALI COMMUNITY CENTRE (WSCC)

(Registered Charity & Company Limited by guarantee)

STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

WADAJIR SOMALI COMMUNITY CENTRE

CONTENTS Page
Contents 2
Charity’s Information 3
Report of the Trustees 4-7
Statements of Trustees Responsibilities 8
Independent Examiner’s Report 9
Statement of financial activities 10
Balance sheet 11
Notes to the Accounts 12-16

WADAJIR SOMALI COMMUNITY CENTRE

LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2023

TRUSTEES:
Ms. Sahra Digaleh Chair
Ms. Agram Shira Musa Treasurer
Ms Luul Mohamed Jama Member
Mrs. Hodan Ahmed Liban Member
Ms. Agram Shira Musa Secretary
REGISTERED OFFICE:
Teviot Community Hall
156 St Leonards Road
London
E14 0QZ
ACCOUNTANTS Anderson Pierce & Co
Accountants and Business Advisers
14 Alexandria Road
London
W13 0NR
BANKERS: Lloyds TSB
Commercial Banking
P.O. Box 1000
BX1 1LT

WADAJIR SOMALI COMMUNITY CENTRE

CHARITY NO: 1104972 COMPANY NO: 5509129

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FYE 31.3.2023

Mission

Wadajir Somali Community Centre is a user-led voluntary organisation operating in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. WSCC is striving to support and empower Somali people living in the borough.

We deliver our services in a holistic way, through our work we wish to make a lasting difference to the Somali community.

Aims

The Charity’s Services include:

Wadajir’s Advice Drop-in

Wadajir’s advice drop-in service is the organisations longest running project, it is at the heart of what we do as a charity. The majority of our service users have come to the UK as refugees; they have very basic English skills and thus require help accessing services and overcoming everyday issues for example housing concerns which include overcrowding, repairs and utilities companies. Our organisation provides free advice sessions with a trained and qualified advice worker, as well as volunteers, for two days a week. The sessions are not pre booked, they provide our clients the opportunity to come with any issues they may have. If the advice worker is unable to provide the level of support that’s needed the person will be sign posted to a more appropriate service. The drop-in sessions have given us a great deal of insight into the key issues that affect the Somali community, allowing us to build and mould our service around the needs of the community. Wadajir has the Matrix quality standard for information, advice and guidance demonstrating its ability to provide effective, appropriate, accurate and efficient support meeting the needs of service users. With our limited resources, we

WADAJIR SOMALI COMMUNITY CENTRE

have supported users with a range of issues which included welfare rights, housing, education and financial issues. The service is oversubscribed and due to various welfare reforms initiated at a national government level we expect the demand to continue to rise.

Youth Football club

Wadajir Somali Community Centre (WSCC) helps the isolated Somali community in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets to integrate into wider society and gain access to essential services. We promote activities connected to education, health, welfare, social/cultural and recreation to increase skills, foster social integration and build capacity to improve economic opportunities and quality of life. Our beneficiaries are Somali children and young people (C&YP), many of whom either are struggling to find a safe space to meet and need positive influences or possibly those who face school exclusion. They also face significant barriers to active and healthy living; they are often ghettoised into occupying cramped and unsuitable living spaces on dangerous estates. And where physical activities would provide them with a much-needed safe-space to improve both physical and mental health, they either feel too culturally or linguistically marginalised- or are simply too poor- to access most local activities.

Therefore, we have secured £24,500 in revenue funding to provide opportunities for these Somali C&YP to engage in sports. The funds will cover the venue hire (sports pitches), light refreshments, remuneration for two sports coaches, two group guidance mentors, volunteer expenses and administrative costs. This project, co-designed with beneficiaries themselves (through our youth drop-in service) and volunteers with lived experience of our beneficiaries' challenges, will offer sports-based activities - particularly football, to up to 50 male disadvantaged Somali C&YP aged 11 to 16. We will deliver 26 weekly 2-hour sessions, held every Saturday, beginning in the summer of 2023.

Activities:

For our beneficiaries, this project will:

Increase opportunities to participate in sports activities that previously seemed out of their

reach due to cultural or financial challenges.

WADAJIR SOMALI COMMUNITY CENTRE

BBC Children in Need Emergency Essentials Programme & Winter Support Packages Grants

Wadajir partnered with BBC Children In Need and Family Fund to offer grants designed to help vulnerable children and young people in the Cost of Living Crisis. BBC Children in Need Emergency Essentials Programme supports children and young people who are facing exceptionally difficult circumstances, and is delivered by Family Fund Business Services. The programme provides items that meet a child’s most basic needs such as a bed to sleep in, a cooker to provide a hot meal and other items or services critical to a child’s wellbeing. Our organisation was applied for roughly 50-60 grants for families securing items like, fridge freezer, cooker, bed frames and mattresses, bedding and duvets, slower cooker, air fryers, kettles, toaster, microwave ovens, washing machines and more, saving families hundreds of pounds over the winter period.

Foodbank

Our new food bank project funding supports one year of weekly food parcels to 20-30 disadvantaged families, primarily from BAME backgrounds, living in Tower Hamlets. According to the local council, BAME residents face more difficulties than their white counterparts due to structural and institutional racism, resulting in unequal access to services, employment and unfair treatment and opportunities (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Inequalities Commission Report, 2021) – a situation that has now been exacerbated due to the pandemic and high living costs, as many have lost their jobs and are experiencing increased food insecurity. Food parcels are organised and made available every Friday at Teviot Community Hall with the participation of three volunteers. By donating their time to the project, volunteers will be able to gain valuable work related experience, develop and practice skills adaptable in the workforce, help to build selfconfidence and will provide an opportunity to make a real difference within our community. In order to prioritise beneficiaries, such as those with young children and with unemployed adults in the household, we will ask applicants to complete a short questionnaire about their financial situation. The success of the food bank will be assessed every three months through surveys and interviews with our beneficiaries. In addition, we will follow up on the families through our drop-in sessions to continuously assess their financial situation and need for support. Specifically, funds will allow us to purchase non-perishable foods, buy cleaning equipment (to be used to clean the hall), as well as pay for volunteer expenses, utility bills and insurance. During the pandemic, we were forced to close all of our primary activities but managed to stay afloat by reducing costs and staff. However, we still have not recovered financially. The grants we secured would also allow us to hire a part-time accountant to assist us in becoming more financially stable while continuing to meet the urgent needs of a community reeling from the effects of a pandemic followed by sharp inflation, all this exacerbated by deprivation and marginalisation. In 2020 we received a £10,000 grant for the food bank, but those funds ended within six months, as the money awarded was used to provide daily food parcels, to be delivered to beneficiaries’ homes. Your assistance will help us to cover costs as we work to financially recover.

Wadajir Elderly Lunch Club Elderly Lunch Club – Impact report

Wadajir’s elderly lunch club is a social club for local elderly women aged 55 and above. The lunch club was initially established in 2006 to tackle the isolation and poor health of elderly Somali women living in Tower Hamlets. The club creates a safe space for these women to relax, socialise, gain knowledge and access services in the borough. Wadajir’s elderly lunch club is the only lunch club in Tower Hamlets that specifically targets women from the Somali community. Elderly Somali women are one of the most isolated segments of society. The majority are illiterate, have limited English language skills and comorbidities, therefore find it difficult to integrate well into society and access the available services. We find that many suffer in silence and are unable to effectively communicate their needs. We aim to not only help them to socialise but to also provide them with the advice and guidance to improve their health and quality of life. The 2011 Tower Hamlets census found that 70% of older Somali-born residents living in the borough (aged 65 and over) have a limiting health condition. The feedback that we have gathered from our 14 years working with the Somali community in Tower

WADAJIR SOMALI COMMUNITY CENTRE

Hamlets has indicated that many elderly residents are unaware of the services available to them. We know that these residents could greatly benefit from activities that promote physical activity and provide information on nutrition and healthy living. Budget cuts in local councils have led to many organisations losing funding, greatly impacted Somali organisations. We are one of the few Somali led organisations left in Tower Hamlets, which has led to an increase in our number of service users. Quote from a participant:

The following quote has been translated from Somali to English. “I feel lucky to have this community of women that I can talk to and rely on, ever since my daughter moved away, I have felt lost and lonely. Being able to form friendships and close bonds at my age has given me renewed hope. I can keep in contact with everybody through this service and it is nice to have people thinking of me too.” Story of change:

Hibo’s story - Hibo has been a regular member of our lunch club for many years and has relied on the centre as a way of socialising with others. A month prior to the Covid-19 crisis, Hibo had taken a fall down her stairs and broken her leg. During her recovery, our members organised trips to visit her at home and bought her food and company. However, when the lockdown was enforced and the lunch club closed, Hibo was closed off from the group. A distant family member would normally top-up her electricity meter, this person fell ill with covid. Her electricity meter eventually ran out and she was left alone with no electricity for a day. Hibo eventually reached out to us and we were able to send a volunteer to top-up her gas and electricity. Since this incident, we have helped her access care services and a family member has moved in with her for additional help. In Hibo’s case if she did not have such close ties with our organisation, she would have had no way of getting the help she desperately needed at the time. Unfortunately, many of the elderly women in our organisation are living alone in isolation and are unaware of the services they can access. The lunch club project is vital to the overall health and wellbeing of many of the women we serve and its very important to us to keep it going for as long as possible.

We are continuously striving to secure funding to keep this service open as it is a muchneeded service and continues to engage new and old services-users, bringing people together in a health-positive setting. As most of our older service users are of Somali ethnicity, Somali dance sessions are popular and are often launched spontaneously when members push back chairs and start to dance. We encourage them to join in regular physical activities and organise regular exercise sessions while reminding members of the importance of regular exercise for their physical and mental health. Healthy eating workshops complement discussion at meals where we work to provide traditional food with improvements for healthy eating. Crafts and traditional skills are also shared to help members stay active and engaged and improve their mental wellbeing. We also invite speakers monthly to give health talks or to encourage service users to keep active through volunteering, exercising, and staying active. During the last year, we provided support to 30 people through the Elderly Lunch Club and other activities aimed at older people.

____ _______ Ms. Sahra Digaleh Ms. Agram S. Musa Chair Treasurer 2[nd ] June 2023

WADAJIR SOMALI COMMUNITY CENTRE

STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITY

The Management Committee are responsible for preparing the accounts in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice.

Charity’s Act in England and Wales required the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year, which give a true and fair view of the charity’s financial activities during the year and of its financial position at the end of the year.

In preparing those financial statements the trustees are required to:

The trustees are responsible for keeping accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time during the financial year of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

____ _______ Ms. Sahra Digaleh Ms. Agram S. Musa Chair Treasurer

Dated: 2[nd] June 2023

WADAJIR SOMALI COMMUNITY CENTRE

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF WADAJIR SOMALI COMMUNITY CENTRE

I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2023, which are set out on pages 10 - 16.

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

The trustees, who are also the directors of WADAJIR SOMALI COMMUNITY CENTRE for the purposes of company law, are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011, the 2011 Act, and that an independent examination is needed.

Having satisfied myself that the charity is not subject to audit under company law and is eligible for independent examination, it is my responsibility to:

(i) examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act;

(ii) to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and

(iii) state whether particular matters have come to my attention.

Basis of independent examiner's report

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

Independent examiner's statement

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

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

(i) to keep accounting records in accordance with section 386 of the Companies Act 2006; and

(ii) to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records, comply with the accounting requirements of 396 of the Companies Act 2006 and with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities; have not been met; or

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

Mr. A Abdulahi BA AFA Incorporated Financial Accountant

………………………………………………………………………………..…….

Anderson Pierce & Co Accountants & Business Advisors

14 Alexandria Road London W13 0NR Dated: 2[nd] June 2023

WADAJIR SOMALI COMMUNITY CENTRE

Wadajir Somali Community Centre Statement of Financial Activities for Year ended 31 March 2023

Grants and Donations
Donations
Administrative expenses
Employee costs:
Wages and salaries
Volunteer Expenses
Teaching staff
Covid 19 response
Food Bank
Staff training and welfare
Travel Expenses
Premises costs:
Rent & Rates
Child Care cost
Light and heat
Cleaning
General administrative expenses:
Telephone and fax
Stationery and printing
Events and Activities
books and Teaching Materials
Bank charges
Insurance
Repairs and maintenance
Depreciation
Legal and professional costs:
Accountancy fees
Consultancy fees
Other legal and professional
Total Resources Expended
Surplus/ (deficit)
Balance brought Forward
Balance Carried Forward		 2023
2022
Unrestricted
Restricted
Total
Total
£
£
43,070
14,850
57,920
47,530
-
2,031
1,250
2,579
3,829
2,560
-
21,800
21,800
-
-
-
3,640
22,300
-
22,300
-
2,189
-
2,189
6,444
1,505
-
1,505
3,053
27,244
24,379
51,623
17,728
3,840
3,840
3,950
690
-
690
-
415
404
819
1,897
1,616
-
1,616
426
2,721
4,244
6,965
6,273
250
350
600
968
151
244
395
2,004
2,518
1,675
4,193
10,843
201
837
1,038
-
209
-
209
93
-
720
720
-
346
-
346
1,632
2,284
-
2,284
2,090
5,959
3,826
9,785
17,630
1,000
-
1,000
800
2,010
2,010
500
-
-
-
693
3,010
-
3,010
1,993
38,934
32,449
71,383
43,624
4,136
(17,599)
(13,463)
3,906
3,128
13,722
16,850
12,944
7,264
(3,877)
3,387
16,850

WADAJIR SOMALI COMMUNITY CENTRE

Wadajir Somali Community Centre Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2023

Notes
Fixed assets
Tangible assets
3
Current assets
Cash at bank and in hand
Creditors: amounts falling due
within one year
4
Net current assets
Net assets
Reserves
Income and expenditure
5
Total Funds		 4,819
(2,602)		 2023
£
1,170

2,217
3,387
3,387
3,387		 16,829
(2,463)		 2022
£
2,484

14,366
16,850
16,850
16,850

The director is satisfied that the company is entitled to exemption from the requirement to obtain an audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006.

The member has not required the company to obtain an audit in accordance with section 476 of the Act.

The director acknowledges his responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts.

The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions in Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime.

Agram S Muse Director Approved by the board on 2 June 2023

WADAJIR SOMALI COMMUNITY CENTRE

1.

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] MARCH 2023

ACCOUNTING POLICIES:

The company’s accounting policies are as follows:-

(a) Basis of preparation

The financial statements have been prepared under the historic cost convention, with the exception of investment, which are included at market value. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice – Accounting and Reporting by Charities (SORP 2005) issued in March 2005, applicable UK Accounting Standards and the Companies Act 1985. The principal accounting policies adopted in the preparation of the financial statements are set out below.

(b) Incoming Resources

Voluntary Incoming including donations, gifts and legacies and grants that provide core funding or are of general nature are recognised where there is entitlement, certainly of receipts and the amount can be measured with sufficient reliability. Such income is only deferred when:

Income from commercial trading activities is recognised as earned (as the related goods and services are provided)

Investment income is recognised on a receivable basis.

Income from charitable activities includes income received under contract or where entitlement to grant funding is subject to specific performance conditions is recognised as earned (as the related goods or services are provided). Grant income includes in the category provided funding to support performance activities and is recognised where there is entitlement, certainly of receipts and the amount can be measured with sufficient reliability. Income is deferred when:

(c) Volunteering and donated services and facilities

The value of services provided by volunteering in not these financial statements. Further details of the contribution made by volunteers can be found in the trustees’ annual report.

Where services are provided to the charity as a donation that would normally be purchased form our suppliers, this contribution is included in the financial statements of the charity.

(d) Resources expanded

WADAJIR SOMALI COMMUNITY CENTRE

Expenditure is recognised when a liability is incurred. Contractual arrangements and performance related grants are recognised as goods or services are supplied. Other grant payments are recognised when a constructive obligation arises that result in the payment being unavoidable.

(e) Irrecoverable VAT

All resources expanded are classified under activity headings that aggregate all costs related to the category. Irrecoverable VAT is charged against the category or resources expended for which it was incurred: Wadajir Somali Community Centre is not VAT register so cannot recover any VAT incurred.

(f) Tangible Fixed Assets

Fixed Assets are classified as Computers, Office Equipments, Fixture and Fittings, The Charity recognised all Fixed Assets with any individual price and categorised in the Balance Sheet as follows:

Plant & Machinery, Fixture & Fitting,

(g) Funds structure

The Trusts has its main grants as restricted income funds to account for situations where a donor requires that a donation must be spent on a particular purpose or where funds have been raised for a specific purpose.

Other funds are classified as unrestricted Income funds. The Trustees intend to use part of the unrestricted funds for the development of the Charity to expanded and advance its services.

(h) Pensions

Employees of the charity are entitled to join the County Pension Scheme, but at the present time there is no employee volunteer to take any Pension Scheme.

(i) Restricted Funds

Restricted funds are to be used for specified purposes as lay down by the funder. Direct and support expenditure, which meets these criteria, is identified to the fund together with a fair allocation of other costs.

(j) Unrestricted Funds

Unrestricted funds are funds received which have no restrictions placed in their use and are available as general funds.

(k) Designated Funds

WADAJIR SOMALI COMMUNITY CENTRE

Designated funds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the committee of management for particular purposes.

(l) Revenue Income

Revenue grants are credited to incoming resources on the earlier of when they are received or when they are due.

(m) Allocation Costs

Costs are allocated directly to projects where they can be identified as relating solely to that project. Other costs are allocated between the funds based on staff time spent on the fund activities or other appropriate criteria.

(n)

Depreciation:

Tangible fixed assets are stated at cost less depreciation. Deprecation is provided at the following annual rates in order to write off each asset over its estimated useful life.

Plant and Machinery: 20% straight line

(o) Legal Status of the Trust

The Trust is Company Limited by Guarantee and registered Charity with Charity Commission and also. The liability of each member in the event of winding is limited to £10.

2. Management Committee

None of the Management Committee (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration or benefits from the charity during the year.

3. Accountancy Fees
Accountancy Fees – March 2023		 Unrestricted
Funds
-
1000
1000		 Restricted
Funds
-		 2023
-
1000
1000		 2022
800
800
3
Operating profit
This is stated after charging:
Depreciation of owned fixed assets		 £
2284		 £
2090

WADAJIR SOMALI COMMUNITY CENTRE

4 Tangible fixed assets

Cost
At 1 April 2022
Additions
At 31 March 2023
Depreciation
At 1 April 2022
Charge for the year
At 31 March 2023
Net book value
At 31 March 2023
At 31 March 2022
5
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
Other taxes and social security costs
Other creditors
6
Income and Expenditure
At 1 April 2022
surplus for the year
At 31 March 2023
7. Analysis of staff costs:
Unrestricted
Restricted
£
£
Wages & Salaries
Total Staff Cost		 2023
£
1602
1000		 Plant and
machinery
etc
£
10,448
970
11,418
7,964
2,284
10,248
1,170
2,484
2022
£
1,663
800
2602 2463
2023
£
16,850
(13,463)		 2022
£
2031
2031
3,387
2023
£
00
00

WADAJIR SOMALI COMMUNITY CENTRE

Trustees Remuneration

No Trustee received any remuneration or claimed any expenses during the year or the preceding year. No trustee or other person related the charity had any personal interest in any contract or transaction entered into by the charity during the year of the preceding year.

  1. Grants and Donations

----- Start of picture text -----
Date Details Amount
East End Comm Fund Grant 5,500
LB Tower Hamlet 7,570
Other donations from public 44,850
Total Income for the year 57,920
----- End of picture text -----