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2021-07-31-accounts

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1109815

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES AND

UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2021

FOR

THE REGIONAL REFUGEE FORUM NORTH EAST

Read, Milburn & Co 71 Howard Street North Shields Tyne and Wear NE30 1AF

THE REGIONAL REFUGEE FORUM NORTH EAST

CONTENTS OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2021

Page
Report of the Trustees 1 to 13
Independent Examiner's Report 14
Statement of Financial Activities 15
Balance Sheet 16
Notes to the Financial Statements 17 to 28
Detailed Statement of Financial Activities 29 to 30

THE REGIONAL REFUGEE FORUM NORTH EAST

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2021

The trustees present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 July 2021. The trustees have adopted the provisions of 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) (effective 1 January 2019).

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES Objectives and aims

The objects of the Association are the advancement of education and the relief of poverty, distress and sickness amongst Asylum Seekers and Refugees in the North East of England and to that end to provide a mechanism for hearing the voice of Asylum Seekers and Refugees by bringing together in council representatives of Refugee Communities working in the area of benefit.

The organisation enables its members to collate their expert knowledge and evidence about the distinct and unique barriers and inequality experienced by asylum seekers and refugees living in the region. It then empowers them to present the authentic, collective advocate voice directly to decision makers to inform the development of evidence-based Policy and Practice with the aim of promoting the settlement and integration of all asylum seekers and refugees living in the region.

We are the only regional organisation in the refugee supporting sector that advocates for improvement in policy and practice as a core aim of the organisation rather than as an add on.

Significant activities

1 August 2020 - 31 July 2021 Our objectives have been:

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THE REGIONAL REFUGEE FORUM NORTH EAST

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2021

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

Public benefit

Our organisation delivers development, empowerment and advocacy support to the region's community of refugees and asylum seekers, who arrived in need of sanctuary. This direct beneficiary community is a community of experience rather than identity. It contains great diversity in terms of nationality, ethnicity, background and faith. However, they all share additional and specific needs arising from their experience of exile and status as asylum seekers and refugees, and face significant and multiple disadvantages, inequalities and social and economic exclusion. The organisation unites refugee communities from all continents: South America, Middle East, Africa, South East Asia and Eastern Europe, in collective action to gain a greater influence on Policy and Practice, in the interests of all refugees and asylum seekers in the North East region. Our work enables members to develop advocacy skills, build and widen networks and engage with a whole range of agencies and local and regional engagement platforms relating to economic inclusion, better health and wellbeing, and safety within the neighbourhoods they live in. By hearing the authentic voiced experience of the community, that reflects what is shared rather than what is personal and individual, policy makers and service providers can improve access routes and deliver support that responds to the specific and additional needs and barriers that this community faces, so that they benefit from those services and opportunities on an equal basis to all local residents.

We also support refugee-led community organisations and initiatives to access appropriate development and capacity building support and funding to enable them to provide a range of unique support actions and solutions to the multiple needs of their communities, particularly in the areas of health, community safety, education, training and employment.

Our founding aim is for the region's community of refugees and asylum seekers to strategically use their Collective Voice to influence policy and practice that are the systemic causes of the poverty, disadvantage and exclusion they experience in their daily lives. We deliver this Social Justice agenda through an empowering development practice that aims to be transformative on two levels: the first in that the change it effects in policy and practice will promote the opportunity of all Refugees and Asylum seekers to be full, equal and active citizens, participating in and contributing equally to the social, economic, political and cultural life of the region; the second is that by genuinely being part of the process through which those changes are brought about, our members gain the essential knowledge, skills, networks and confidence to be active agents in further change.

Overcoming marginalisation and exclusion within the region, and promoting the ability of the community of refugees to participate in and contribute to the social, cultural and economic wealth of the region on an equal basis, will be in the interest of the whole regional community.

The achievements of the charity have been recognised through several awards: 'Community Organisation of the Year' award at the Tees Valley BME Achievement Awards 2012 and 'Outstanding small/medium organisation' at the North East Voluntary & Community Sector Awards 2013.

Volunteers

The Charity's Board of Trustees are all themselves volunteers and dedicate many hours annually to their Governance and representational roles. Our Collective Action is lead by key volunteers from across the membership who constitute our issue based Working Groups. Other volunteers offer their specific skills for particular activities, such as IT work and video production. The success of the Charity depends on the degree of voluntary participation and contribution of the membership in the range of activities it organises.

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THE REGIONAL REFUGEE FORUM NORTH EAST

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2021

ACHIEVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE Achievements 1 August 2020 - 31 July 2021 Note: Impact of Covid pandemic restrictions on the delivery of our work

During this period our staff continued to work from home and we delivered all our activities online and by telephone.

While we continued to develop our virtual activities, nevertheless our work programmes suffered some disruption due to Covid restrictions. This was due to a number of factors: the opportunity to meet new participants was reduced to introductions via members or other agencies; as services changed to digital online access only, our members faced the challenge of developing actions to support increasingly isolated and anxious community members. They also had children at home and had to prioritise use of smart phones and laptops for education access. The focus of policy and practice attention shifted away from longer term integration planning to crisis planning. Asylum Support services were unable to achieve steady state delivery, being forced into a continuous crisis response.

However, there were also some positives around virtual delivery. For those with digital access, more members were able to participate in more activities as there was no travel time required or childcare to arrange. More members met more members from other parts of the region, as virtual activities became regionally inclusive events rather than geographically focused. More members have also been able to explore the use of online platforms as tools to assemble and communicate with their own communities. So in several ways the Covid restrictions have increased inclusion in our work and increased relations between our members.

Another positive was that the unique role of co-community support became more widely recognised during Covid restrictions, as services and drop-ins tried to find other ways of accessing communities or providing support for isolated service users. Because of the relational rather than transactional nature of co-community, our members continued - and many increased - their communication with and support for their community. In response to staff working from home during Covid restrictions, and the move to online delivery with the prospect that our delivery might continue in a hybrid fashion when restrictions end, Trustees recommended downsizing our head office this year. This was completed in October 2020.

1. EMPOWERING RAS COMMUNITY ACTIVISM AND ADVOCACY

Our Community Advocacy Project (CAP) worked with 64 community mobilisers from the RAS community. The project organises group learning, one to one support, learning visits and training to support them to develop their knowledge, confidence, advocacy skills and networks so they can turn their ideas to support their community into practical action.

They were 45 women and 19 men, from 30 countries of origin and now living in 11 of the region's 12 Local Authorities. 20 had not participated in the RRF before. 38 members of 30 RCOs took part in our activities.

We held 35 Learning Communities, bringing members together online for peer learning and input from invited expert speakers, to increase knowledge and extend networks. They addressed issues of health, asylum support, advocacy, employment, community safety and orientation in UK systems and laws.

We also provided 128 one-to-one support sessions and brokered links for members to 33 agencies, including asylum support contractors, police, health foundations, CABs, local maternity systems, local development agencies, local VCS agencies, colleges, Universities, funders and NEMP multi-agency meetings.

We supported the emergence of 9 new refugee-led community organisations (RCOs).

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THE REGIONAL REFUGEE FORUM NORTH EAST

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2021

Urgent attention was focused on working through and responding to the Covid pandemic as the virus was having a disproportionate impact on BME communities. We created opportunities for our members to work with health professionals to co-produce key messaging for their communities that responded to their specific questions and concerns. We organised:

We brought our members together to share learning on the range of support actions they developed for isolated members of their communities during lockdowns and to provide space for mutual support.

We used our Facebook and members WhatsApp group throughout the pandemic to share official news and communications about Covid, health advice, the vaccination process, lockdown rules, changes to services, systems and processes as a result of restrictions.

Also this year we designed bespoke online training to build members' skills to be effective community advocates when engaging in online multi-agency meetings. This is now being delivered to all participants as they join the programme.

We worked with The Open University to co-ordinate delivery of their national project, 'Participatory Arts based Methods for Civic Engagement of Migrant Organizations' in the North East region. 14 members took part in 11 online workshops with Theatre specialists, gaining skills in using participatory theatre methods for exploring and raising issues. This is on-going.

2. INFLUENCING PRACTICE THAT WILL PROMOTE SETTLEMENT AND INTEGRATION OF RAS

a) Training front line workers and students in the distinct needs of RAS service users

Our Stronger Families Working Gorup continued to deliver online training sessions to front line workers. These sessions help workers gain greater insight into the impact of pre-arrival trauma and post-arrival stressors on the dynamics of RAS family life, and the specific challenges that newly arriving families face when they arrive overnight into a context of different laws, social norms and expectations around parenting in the UK, and a clearer idea of what works in supporting these families.

This year, in addition to delivering the session to Local Authority Social Work and Looked After Children teams and student social workers studying at the region's Universities, we also focused on engaging with teams that can provide early intervention and step down roles. We began delivery to Early help teams and ethnic minority achievement teams.

Feedback continues to demonstrate that the training offers unique and new insights, even for those who have worked with RAS for years, and it increases empathetic understanding. Trainees describe the experience as transformative rather than merely informative.

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THE REGIONAL REFUGEE FORUM NORTH EAST

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2021

We promoted awareness and use of the digital 'Employment Routeway' and 'Customer Support and Progress Checklist' through online demonstrations with our members, at the Move on & Economic Inclusion Subgroup and at an online event with Strategic Migration Partnerships across the UK. These are online tools we developed in partnership with the DWP and NEMP in 2019-20 to help new status refugees find relevant employment and to match their employability needs with local support offers.

In 2019-20 our members provided evidence of the specific barriers they face in transferring their prior skills and experience in construction into employment in the region. In 2020-21 we became part of the regional Task Group to develop a Refugee-specific SWAP in Construction, alongside the DWP Regional Partnership Manager, Refugee Employment Network, NERS and Newcastle City Council. The Sector Based Work Academy will offer 10-15 Refugees a 2 week ESOL for construction, followed by 6 week training, and ending with a guaranteed job interview with a local construction firm. The first SWAP will be in Newcastle. If successful, the SWAP will be rolled out in more areas of the North East.

We contributed evidence and recommendations to consultation organised by the North East Migration Partnership to shape the delivery model for the North East region's bid to the Home Office RTOF (Refugee Transition and Outcomes Fund). This will fund a limited number of pilot programmes across the UK in 2021-2023 to deliver housing, employment and integration case work support to new status refugees. Since the Home Office ended funding for national RIES programme (Refugee Integration & Employment Service) in 2011, we have played a constant active role in advocating for continued need and the right to equivalence for new status refugees in comparison to the employment support provided to refugees arriving under resettlement programmes. The Home Office has taken gradual but progressive steps to 'own' this gap, first with a DWP/ Home Office pilot of an assisted transition from asylum support to benefits in 2016-17, then with the Positive Move on Service element of the AIRE contact in 2019, and now with the RTOF pilots, which have the potential for successful practice to be rolled out nationally for the benefit of all new status refugees.

c) Influencing dispersal and resettlement practice in the North East region

We contribute evidence and recommendations for the continuous improvement of Home Office Asylum Support contacts and Refugee Resettlement programmes via our membership of the North East Migration Partnership's core Asylum Stakeholder and Lead Officer Group, which met 4 times this year. We are one of two VCS organisations sitting on the group.

3. INFLUENCING POLICY THAT WILL PROMOTE SETTLEMENT AND INTEGRATION OF RAS

a) Ensuring newly arriving RAS systematically receive induction information to help them navigate the UK's laws, social norms, and systems

We continued our partnership with the North East Migration Partnership (NEMP) to develop parts of the 'Welcome & Induction programme' to provide newly arriving RAS with an introduction to life in the UK, insights into social norms, expectations, rights and responsibilities and the tools to navigate unfamiliar systems.

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THE REGIONAL REFUGEE FORUM NORTH EAST

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2021

In 2019-20 we were commissioned to create the 'Parenting & Education in the UK' session. Its content is based on what our members wished they had known when they first arrived in the UK and which is usually only found out after problems arise. And we also contributed to the content of the 'Looking after your Health' and 'Laws & Life in the UK' sessions. The resulting resources being powerpoint presentations, printable leaflets with key messages, and an e-learning session after Covid restrictions meant face to face group learning workshops could not be held.

The resources and learning from the Welcome & Induction Programme were shared with Strategic Migration Partnerships across the UK at an online event in November 2020. We made a presentation on the process through which the content of the 3 sessions had been developed and co-produced with RAS communities, as an example of inclusive design practice and COMBI (communication for behavioural impact - as advocated by the World Health Organisation). We also shared this learning at similar events organised for the North East's Local Authorities and VCS.

Because of continuing Covid restrictions, face to face group learning sessions have still not been possible. So this year the North East Migration Partnership commissioned us to create translated video versions of the three induction sessions. Our members translated the three sessions and voiced over videos in 10 languages: Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Farsi, French, Tigrinya, Kurdish Sorani, Pashto, Urdu and simplified English with sub-titles for speakers of minority languages. This will enable newly arriving RAS to access the information in a more accessible form. The videos can be accessed on the RRF YouTube channel and via the NEMP website.

We then focused on promoting awareness of the video resources to encourage their use by a wide range of private, public, voluntary and community sector organisations who have face to face contact with newly or recently arrived RAS. We made presentations to 11 Local Authority Multi-agency Meetings (part of the North East Migration Partnership stakeholder structure) which resulted in invitations to meet with specific teams within councils tasked with refugee resettlement and locality partnership working. We also held workshops with our members to promote use of resources with their communities. And we presented to the Mears management team (AASC provider) to discuss how their Welfare Managers could give information about the resources to newly dispersed asylum seekers as part of induction.

b) Advocating for an end to policy based on creating a 'hostile environment'

Our members contributed evidence to research into the impact of policies based on the principle of deterrence carried out by the think tank Institute of Public Policy Research's report 'Access Denied: the human impact of the hostile environment', published in September 2020 (IPPR North).

We also held focus groups with our members and Trustees to collate their views on 'The New Plan for Immigration' proposed by the Home Secretary in April 2021. We submitted a deeply critical written response to the open consultation call in May.

We became members of the UK-wide coalition, 'Together with Refugees', to support national advocacy against The Nationality and Borders Bill after it was presented to Parliament in July. Some of our members gave interviews to the press about the impact proposed measures would have had on their lives had they been law at the time they needed sanctuary.

c) Advocating for empowerment of RAS led action and processes for hearing the collective voice to be an integral part of settlement and integration planning

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THE REGIONAL REFUGEE FORUM NORTH EAST

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2021

Following our presentation to Strategic Migration Partnerships (3a above) on inclusive processes for producing messaging with the RAS community, we were contacted by the Northern Ireland Strategic Migration Partnership. We met online with them and colleagues from their Refugee Asylum Forum and Law centre to share learning from the development of the RRF as a collective voice platform to help inform their planning for hearing the collective voice of RAS in Northern Ireland.

As part of our CAP programme, we engaged an independent researcher to investigate and report on: What type of support empowers and enables RAS mobilisers to turn their ideas to support their community into action? To date, the research process has involved a scoping exercise, a Research Steering Group has been established with Trustees and Staff and 14 members have been interviewed, selected for a range of factors. Findings and recommendations from the research will be shared at a regional event to be held next year.

We were also contacted by a Researcher from the Innovation Lab in the Northern Ireland Civil Service with whom we shared learning from our experience of developing participatory approaches to qualitative research with families resettled under the VPRS programme (2017).

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Principal funding sources

Principal funding sources Funding for the organisation's programmes is derived from grant funding from charitable foundations, the grants being restricted funds.

Core costs for influencing policy and practice are provided by The Millfield House Foundation as one of their Strategic Partner organisation and by a grant from the Community Foundation serving Tyne & Wear and Northumberland.

Our empowerment of RAS community advocacy and action is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, as is our work to strengthen the capabilities of our organisation.

We secured two new grants and one new commission in this financial year.

We also recovered £618 (£1,412 in 2019-20) in direct costs associated with the delivery of upskilling workshops with University and professional workforce development programmes and engagement events with external agencies.

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THE REGIONAL REFUGEE FORUM NORTH EAST

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2021

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Reserves policy

We are mindful of challenges our organisation faces in terms of sustainability particularly in the current environment. Employment contracts relate directly to project funding secured and the tenancy on both our offices has been negotiated for short notice. Where we receive grant income for a year in advance we seek the best no risk investment routes in order to provide interest on our income as a source of adding to our reserves. Whenever possible we operate a reserves policy of maintaining reserves at 3 months full operational costs.

Financial position

Incoming resources in the year were £169,567 of this £165,531 related to project restricted activities.

There was a surplus of £26,099 in the year. At 31 July 2021 total reserves were £107,968 of which £52,912 represented unrestricted funds.

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THE REGIONAL REFUGEE FORUM NORTH EAST

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2021

FUTURE PLANS 1 August 2021 - 31 July 2022

The change we aim to make:

To achieve this change, we will deliver the following activities:

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THE REGIONAL REFUGEE FORUM NORTH EAST

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2021

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT Governing document

Regional Refugee Forum North East is a registered Charity and governed by a Constitution signed on 4th March 2003 and incorporating changes made at the EGM held on 20th March 2012.

Recruitment and appointment of new trustees

The Committee, when complete, consists of at least three and not more than nine individuals serving as Trustees, all of whom must be members (but must not be paid employees) of the Association. The Committee is made up of up to seven members, each elected to serve for 3 years, and up to two members co opted by the Committee to hold office until the next AGM.

The membership of the organisation is determined by the Constitution as are the rules for electing its Trustees. Full Membership of the organisation is open to any refugee community organisation interested in promoting the objects whose application for membership has been approved by Trustees and ratified by the full membership at a general meeting. Trustees must belong to a member organisation. All member organisations may nominate representatives of any member organisation to stand for election to Committee. Each member organisation has 2 votes to exercise in an election. A third of the members of the Committee retire from office at the end of each AGM, but they may stand for re-election. Officers are elected by the Trustees at their first meeting following the AGM. Trustees can also appoint Advisers as they see fit. Advisers serve in a non-voting capacity.

Only one member of any member organisation can serve as a Trustee at any one time. Trustees do not serve on the Committee as representatives of their member organisation, but are elected to serve the interests of the whole membership. Trustees bring with them the experience of serving a member organisation. They are elected on the basis of their individual skills, expertise and commitment to service and support the aims of the organisation and interests of the whole community of refugees and asylum seekers in the region.

Trustees dedicate their time and expertise voluntarily to the organisation.

Organisational structure

The Trustees are tasked with overseeing the development and implementation of the organisation's Annual Plan, ensuring that it is rooted in the needs and priorities of the membership. Trustees carry responsibility for ensuring that the organisation is run according to its Constitution, adopted policies and procedures, legal requirements and within its financial means and the agreements made with our funders.

Trustees held 4 governance meetings in this year. No AGM was held in this year due to Covid restrictions on face-to-face gatherings. Trustees considered Government guidance for charities which outlined the circumstances in which an AGM may be cancelled or postponed. In January 2021 they decided that, rather than hold a virtual AGM, we would wait until the membership could gather together as being a membership organisation a core feature of AGMs is renewal of relationships and making of new ones. A virtual gathering would also exclude and disadvantage those without digital access.

During the reporting period the Trustees employed 3 staff. The Chief Executive Officer (who is the senior staff member), the Project Manager and the Senior Community Empowerment Officer (to October 2020). The CEO has responsibility for day-to-day management of staff, activities and expenditure according to grant agreements. The CEO produces written reports which detail work in progress towards targets and refer a range of issues to the Trustees for consideration and decisions, which are presented to the Chair and Trustees. Trustees are responsible for final decisions relating to contracts, funding, recruitment, and employment issues.

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THE REGIONAL REFUGEE FORUM NORTH EAST

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2021

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Induction and training of new trustees

Trustees elected at the AGM attend an Induction Day with those continuing to serve and outgoing trustees to provide an opportunity to visit the objectives, values and principles of the organisation and consider its strengths and the opportunities and challenges faced. Senior staff provide a briefing on the Annual Plan and budget.

Training suitable to meet the needs identified by Trustees can be organised at any time throughout the year.

Related parties

Community sector relations:

The Organisation is related to refugee-led community organisations (RCOs) (some of which are registered charities) active across the North East region through their membership of the organisation or through their participation in our activities. Trustees are elected by the membership from the membership, and therefore our Trustees are all also members of member organisations. We also maintain communications with non-refugee new migrant community groups, particularly from Eastern Europe.

Voluntary sector relations:

The charity has a special relationship with the North of England Refugee Service Ltd as the two organisations complement each other's work; NERS as the regional refugee council and service delivery organisation, and our charity as the independent consumer and advocate voice. At a national level we contribute to national advocacy and campaigning. Where appropriate to pursue our objectives, we create regional campaign alliances with interested bodies.

Public Sector relations:

We work to develop constructive and collaborative direct engagement processes with public sector bodies who have a role in developing policy and in commissioning and delivering local services. Our willingness to proactively enter into on-going, open conversation as to potential issues impacting on asylum seekers and refugees, focusing on solutions rather than 'blame', has been identified as a significant positive for improving access to services.

We also work closely with the North East Migration Partnership, established in December 2014 under an enabling grant from the Home Office. Led by Middlesbrough Council, the Partnership is a local authority led collaboration of organisations across the statutory and voluntary sector and includes input from the private sector contractors who who deliver the asylum support contracts. They come together to provide strategic direction and insight on asylum and refugee related issues. The Partnership also seeks to provide policy and integration support and guidance on wider migration issues. We are members of its Asylum & Migration Stakeholder Group, its VCS Forum, the Multi-agency Meetings in all 12 ;ocal authority areas. We also Chair and Co-ordinate its Move On & Economic Inclusion Subgroup.

We maintain close working relations with key public sector agencies, including the the Home Office, DWP, Jobcentre Plus, Public Health, NHS, the region's three police forces and the Universities of Durham and Sunderland.

We also engage with Home Office contractors The Mears Group, who deliver the AASC (asylum seeker accommodation) contract in the North East, and with Migrant Help who deliver the AIRE contract. Our aim is to support the highest standards of contract delivery through brokering relations and enabling the consumer voice to inform service delivery.

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THE REGIONAL REFUGEE FORUM NORTH EAST

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2021

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Risk management

We have a range of customised Employment and Health & Safety policies and procedures created by professional Employment Law and Health & Safety specialists to ensure the organisation operates according to legislation and quality management standards.

The senior staff member is responsible for the overall day to day financial management. We outsource additional accounting functions for production of quarterly management accounts which are reported to the Treasurer and Trustees so that they can ensure the organisation remains within its financial capacity, and enables forward planning. Our Annual Accounts are independently examined by Read Milburn & Co.

The community we serve and volunteers who participate in our work are exceptional in that many are not entitled to work, receive support on a no-cash basis only, or have no recourse to any public funds. They therefore have no cash to purchase travel tickets to participate in activities or to purchase childcare. Consequently we have a high level of petty cash transactions to refund out of pocket expenses. We have a robust petty cash recording and accounting system to manage this.

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Registered Charity number

1109815

Principal address

A5 Design Works, William Street Felling, Gateshead Tyne and Wear NE10 0JP

Trustees

Elham Ahmed Chair Alice Mupaya Masuku Treasurer Suraiya Riyaz Secretary resigned 7 January 2021 Latifa Shomari Secretary from 7 January 2021 Ramatoulie Saidykhan Larry Amadi-Emina Printha Muthukumar Nishanthini Mayurathan Senior staff Georgina Fletcher Chief executive officer

Independent Examiner Read, Milburn & Co 71 Howard Street North Shields Tyne and Wear NE30 1AF

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INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE REGIONAL REFUGEE FORUM NORTH EAST

Independent examiner's report to the trustees of The Regional Refugee Forum North East

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of The Regional Refugee Forum North East (the Trust) for the year ended 31 July 2021.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act').

I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiner's statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or

  2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

  3. the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Nick Liley FCA Read, Milburn & Co North Shields

25 April 2022

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THE REGIONAL REFUGEE FORUM NORTH EAST

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2021

Unrestricted
fund
Notes
£
INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM
Charitable activities
2
Grant income
-
Other income
4,036
Total
4,036
EXPENDITURE ON
Charitable activities
3
Salaries and NIC
144
General running expenses
69
Training staff and volunteers
-
Participant travel and childcare expenses
-
Activity expenses
57
Staff travel
-
Total
270
NET INCOME
3,766
Transfers between funds
13
6,123
Net movement in funds
9,889
RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS
Total funds brought forward
43,023
TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD
52,912
Restricted
funds
£
165,531
-
165,531
106,051
22,439
2,868
5,778
6,092
-
143,228
22,303
(6,123)
16,180
38,846
55,026
2021
Total
funds
£
165,531
4,036
169,567
106,195
22,508
2,868
5,778
6,149
-
143,498
26,069
-
26,069
81,869
107,938
2020
Total
funds
£
148,797
6,132
154,929
123,159
19,450
90
4,686
1,764
1,591
150,740
4,189
-
4,189
77,680
81,869

The notes form part of these financial statements

Page 15

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THE REGIONAL REFUGEE FORUM NORTH EAST

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2021

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of preparing the financial statements

The financial statements of the charity, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with 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) (effective 1 January 2015)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Charities Act 2011. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention

Income

All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.

Expenditure

Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

Tangible fixed assets

Depreciation is provided at the following annual rates in order to write off each asset over its estimated useful life.

Fixtures and fittings - 25% on cost Computer equipment - 33% on cost

Taxation

The charity is exempt from tax on its charitable activities.

Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.

Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.

Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.

Pension costs and other post-retirement benefits

The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme. Contributions payable to the charity's pension scheme are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities in the period to which they relate.

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2021

2. INCOME FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES

Millfield House Foundation
National Lottery Community Fund
Community Foundation serving Tyne &
Wear and Northumberland
Middlesbrough Council
Open University
2021
Grant
income
£
45,500
94,066
10,000
7,075
8,890
165,531
2020
Total
activities
£
42,000
91,618
10,996
4,183
-
148,797

3. CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES COSTS

Support
Direct
costs (see
Costs
note 4)
£
£
Salaries and NIC
102,361
3,834
General running expenses
-
22,508
Training staff and volunteers
2,868
-
Participant travel and childcare
expenses
5,778
-
Activity expenses
6,149
-
117,156
26,342
SUPPORT COSTS
Governance
Management
costs
£
£
Salaries and NIC
3,618
216
General running expenses
20,978
1,530
24,596
1,746
Totals
£
106,195
22,508
2,868
5,778
6,149
143,498
Totals
£
3,834
22,508
26,342

4. SUPPORT COSTS

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2021

5. TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS

There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 31 July 2021 nor for the year ended 31 July 2020.

Trustees' expenses

Trustees' expenses
6.
STAFF COSTS
Wages and salaries
Social security costs
Other pension costs
2021
£
-
2021
£
94,098
9,172
2,709
105,979
2020
£
623
2020
£
110,319
9,970
2,870
123,159

The charity's key management personnel comprise the Trustees and the Chief Executive Officer. The total employee benefits of the key management personnel were £50,762 (2020 - £43,788).

The average monthly number of employees during the year was as follows:

2021
Project
2
Finance
1
3
No employees received emoluments in excess of £60,000.
7.
COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
Unrestricted
Restricted
fund
funds
£
£
INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM
Charitable activities
Grant income
-
148,797
Other income
6,132
-
Total
6,132
148,797
EXPENDITURE ON
Charitable activities
Salaries and NIC
680
122,479
2020
4
1
5
Total
funds
£
148,797
6,132
154,929
123,159

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2021

7. COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES - continued COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES - continued COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES - continued COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES - continued COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES - continued
Unrestricted Restricted Total
fund funds funds
£ £ £
General running expenses 2,717 16,733 19,450
Training staff and volunteers - 90 90
Participant travel and childcare expenses - 4,686 4,686
Activity expenses - 1,764 1,764
Staff travel - 1,591 1,591
Total 3,397 147,343 150,740
NET INCOME 2,735 1,454 4,189
RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS
Total funds brought forward 40,288 37,392 77,680
TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED
FORWARD 43,023 38,846 81,869
8. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS
Fixtures
and Computer
fittings equipment Totals
£ £ £
COST
At 1 August 2020 and 31 July 2021 1,819 9,983 11,802
DEPRECIATION
At 1 August 2020 and 31 July 2021 1,819 9,983 11,802
NET BOOK VALUE
At 31 July 2021 - - -
At 31 July 2020 - - -

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2021

9.
DEBTORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR
Other debtors
Prepayments
10.
CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR
Inter fund loan (see note 11)
Other creditors
11.
LOANS
An analysis of the maturity of loans is given below:
Amounts falling due within one year on demand:
Bank overdrafts
12.
ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS
Unrestricted
Restricted
fund
funds
£
£
Current assets
54,458
148,727
Current liabilities
(1,546)
(93,701)
52,912
55,026
2021
£
3,047
2,453
5,500
2021
£
3,047
92,200
95,247
2021
£
3,047
2021
Total
funds
£
203,185
(95,247)
107,938
2020
£
817
1,998
2,815
2020
£
-
69,800
69,800
2020
£
-
2020
Total
funds
£
151,669
(69,800)
81,869

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2021

13. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS

MOVEMENT IN FUNDS
Net Transfers
movement between At
At 1/8/20 in funds funds 31/7/21
£ £ £ £
Unrestricted funds
General fund 43,023 3,766 6,123 52,912
Restricted funds
Northern Rock
Foundation-Communications 292 - (292) -
Tyne & Wear Community
Foundation-Social Media Pilot 1,045 - (1,045) -
Millfield House Foundation-Strategic
Partners 6,326 (1,946) 198 4,578
Upskilling Delivery-Health Working
Group 476 - (476) -
Jill Franklin Trust-RCO Development 1,000 - - 1,000
Community Foundation serving Tyne
and Wear and
Northumberland-Working Group
Objectives 139 177 548 864
Better Health Outcomes for
RAS-Awards For All 3,949 - (3,949) -
Empowering Community
Organisers-National Lottery
Community Fund 17,057 24,117 (124) 41,050
Building Capabilities-National Lottery
Community Fund 2,577 (1,260) - 1,317
Community Foundation for Tyne and
Wear and Northumberland-Train the
Trainers 5,985 (2,268) - 3,717
Middlesborough Council-NEMP
Video Commission - 983 (983) -
Millfield House Foundation-Future
Planning - 2,500 - 2,500
38,846 22,303 (6,123) 55,026
TOTAL FUNDS 81,869 26,069 - 107,938

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2021

13. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued

Net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Unrestricted funds
General fund
Restricted funds
Millfield House Foundation-Strategic
Partners
Community Foundation serving Tyne
and Wear and
Northumberland-Working Group
Objectives
Empowering Community
Organisers-National Lottery
Community Fund
Building Capabilities-National Lottery
Community Fund
Community Foundation for Tyne and
Wear and Northumberland-Train the
Trainers
Open University-Arts based method
for Civil Engagement
Middlesborough Council-NEMP
Video Commission
Middlesborough Council-NEMP
Video Flyers
Millfield House Foundation-Future
Planning
TOTAL FUNDS
Incoming
resources
£
4,036
42,000
10,000
94,066
-
-
8,890
6,400
675
3,500
165,531
169,567
Resources
Movement
expended
in funds
£
£
(270)
3,766
(43,946)
(1,946)
(9,823)
177
(69,949)
24,117
(1,260)
(1,260)
(2,268)
(2,268)
(8,890)
-
(5,417)
983
(675)
-
(1,000)
2,500
(143,228)
22,303
(143,498)
26,069

continued...

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THE REGIONAL REFUGEE FORUM NORTH EAST

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2021

13. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued

Comparatives for movement in funds

Net
movement
At 1/8/19
in funds
£
£
Unrestricted funds
General fund
40,288
2,735
Restricted funds
Northern Rock
Foundation-Communications
292
-
Tyne & Wear Community
Foundation-Social Media Pilot
1,045
-
Millfield House Foundation-Strategic
Partners
-
6,326
Upskilling Delivery-Health Working
Group
476
-
Jill Franklin Trust-RCO Development
1,000
-
Community Foundation serving Tyne
and Wear and
Northumberland-Working Group
Objectives
-
139
Better Health Outcomes for
RAS-Awards For All
4,992
(1,043)
Empowering Community
Organisers-National Lottery
Community Fund
22,356
(5,299)
Building Capabilities-National Lottery
Community Fund
7,231
(4,654)
Community Foundation for Tyne and
Wear and Northumberland-Train the
Trainers
-
5,985
37,392
1,454
TOTAL FUNDS
77,680
4,189
At
31/7/20
£
43,023
292
1,045
6,326
476
1,000
139
3,949
17,057
2,577
5,985
38,846
81,869

continued...

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THE REGIONAL REFUGEE FORUM NORTH EAST

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2021

13. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued

Comparative net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Unrestricted funds
General fund
Restricted funds
Millfield House Foundation-Strategic
Partners
Community Foundation serving Tyne
and Wear and
Northumberland-Working Group
Objectives
Better Health Outcomes for
RAS-Awards For All
Empowering Community
Organisers-National Lottery
Community Fund
Building Capabilities-National Lottery
Community Fund
Middlesbrough Council-Orientation
Project and Parenting
Community Foundation for Tyne and
Wear and Northumberland-Train the
Trainers
TOTAL FUNDS
Incoming
resources
£
6,132
42,000
5,011
-
91,618
-
4,183
5,985
148,797
154,929
Resources
Movement
expended
in funds
£
£
(3,397)
2,735
(35,674)
6,326
(4,872)
139
(1,043)
(1,043)
(96,917)
(5,299)
(4,654)
(4,654)
(4,183)
-
-
5,985
(147,343)
1,454
(150,740)
4,189

Page 25

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THE REGIONAL REFUGEE FORUM NORTH EAST

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2021

13. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued

A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined position is as follows:

Net Transfers
movement between At
At 1/8/19 in funds funds 31/7/21
£ £ £ £
Unrestricted funds
General fund 40,288 6,501 6,123 52,912
Restricted funds
Northern Rock
Foundation-Communications 292 - (292) -
Tyne & Wear Community
Foundation-Social Media Pilot 1,045 - (1,045) -
Millfield House Foundation-Strategic
Partners - 4,380 198 4,578
Upskilling Delivery-Health Working
Group 476 - (476) -
Jill Franklin Trust-RCO Development 1,000 - - 1,000
Community Foundation serving Tyne
and Wear and
Northumberland-Working Group
Objectives - 316 548 864
Better Health Outcomes for
RAS-Awards For All 4,992 (1,043) (3,949) -
Empowering Community
Organisers-National Lottery
Community Fund 22,356 18,818 (124) 41,050
Building Capabilities-National Lottery
Community Fund 7,231 (5,914) - 1,317
Community Foundation for Tyne and
Wear and Northumberland-Train the
Trainers - 3,717 - 3,717
Middlesborough Council-NEMP
Video Commission - 983 (983) -
Millfield House Foundation-Future
Planning - 2,500 - 2,500
37,392 23,757 (6,123) 55,026
TOTAL FUNDS 77,680 30,258 - 107,938

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THE REGIONAL REFUGEE FORUM NORTH EAST

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2021

13. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued

A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Unrestricted funds
General fund
Restricted funds
Millfield House Foundation-Strategic
Partners
Community Foundation serving Tyne
and Wear and
Northumberland-Working Group
Objectives
Better Health Outcomes for
RAS-Awards For All
Empowering Community
Organisers-National Lottery
Community Fund
Building Capabilities-National Lottery
Community Fund
Middlesbrough Council-Orientation
Project and Parenting
Community Foundation for Tyne and
Wear and Northumberland-Train the
Trainers
Open University-Arts based method
for Civil Engagement
Middlesborough Council-NEMP
Video Commission
Middlesborough Council-NEMP
Video Flyers
Millfield House Foundation-Future
Planning
TOTAL FUNDS
Incoming
resources
£
10,168
84,000
15,011
-
185,684
-
4,183
5,985
8,890
6,400
675
3,500
314,328
324,496
Resources
Movement
expended
in funds
£
£
(3,667)
6,501
(79,620)
4,380
(14,695)
316
(1,043)
(1,043)
(166,866)
18,818
(5,914)
(5,914)
(4,183)
-
(2,268)
3,717
(8,890)
-
(5,417)
983
(675)
-
(1,000)
2,500
(290,571)
23,757
(294,238)
30,258

The restricted funds comprise grants received from funders for a specific purpose or project and can be expended only in the way already agreed to by the charity.

Transfers between funds

The transfers are of any remaining balances on the completion of the relevant project.

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2021

14. RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES

There were no related party transactions for the year ended 31 July 2021.

Page 28

THE REGIONAL REFUGEE FORUM NORTH EAST

DETAILED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2021

INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS
Charitable activities
Millfield House Foundation
National Lottery Community Fund
Community Foundation serving Tyne &
Wear and Northumberland
Middlesbrough Council
Open University
Other income
Other income
Total incoming resources
EXPENDITURE
Charitable activities
Wages
Social security
Pensions
Staff travel
Participants costs
Training
Working groups
Support costs
Management
Finance officer's salary
Rent and utilities
Insurance
Telephone and internet charges
Stationery and postage
Cleaning and office sundries
IT and software support
Professional charges
2021
£
45,500
94,066
10,000
7,075
8,890
165,531
4,036
169,567
90,480
9,172
2,709
-
5,778
2,868
6,149
117,156
3,618
5,220
558
2,318
410
500
2,084
9,888
24,596
2020
£
42,000
91,618
10,996
4,183
-
148,797
6,132
154,929
107,069
9,970
2,870
1,591
4,686
90
1,764
128,040
3,250
9,017
683
2,918
1,658
321
670
1,556
20,073

This page does not form part of the statutory financial statements

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THE REGIONAL REFUGEE FORUM NORTH EAST

DETAILED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2021

Management
Governance costs
Trustees' expenses
Accountancy and payroll charges
Total resources expended
Net income
2021
£
-
1,746
1,746
143,498
26,069
2020
£
623
2,004
2,627
150,740
4,189

This page does not form part of the statutory financial statements

Page 30