# **ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MAY 2025**
**Registered Charity Number: 1116344 Company Number: 05819537**
Action for Refugees in Lewisham F3 Leemore Centre Bonfield Road Lewisham SE13 5ES
**Trustees Report for the year ending 31st May 2025**
## **LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION**
|**Trustees**|M R Gravelle|
|---|---|
||D Burnett|
||G J Redmond-King|
||L S Barron|
||K A B Commons|
||N D Walker|
||K R Wildgoose|
||K Richards|
||H Khalifah|
||W Kurdi (appointed 01 February|
||2025)|
|**Secretary**|M R Gravelle|
|**Charity number**|1116344|
|**Company number**|05819537|
|**Principal address**|F3 Leemore Central Community|
||Hub|
||Bonfield Road|
||Lewisham|
||London|
||SE13 5ES|
|**Registered office**|F3 Leemore Central Community|
||Hub|
||Bonfield Road|
||Lewisham|
||London|
||SE13 5ES|
|**Independent Examiner**|F J Wilde FCCA MBA DChA|
||Warner Wilde|
||4 Marigold Drive|
||Bisley|
||Surrey|
||GU24 9SF|
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## **Trustees Report for the year ending 31st May 2025**
The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 May 2025. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements 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 the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)" (effective 1 January 2019).
The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the charity should undertake.
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## **Trustees Report for the year ending 31st May 2025**
## **Trustees Report: Table of Contents**
|**Foreword**|4|
|---|---|
|**About AFRIL:**Vision, Values and Strategy|6|
|**Activities, achievements and performance for the year**|7|
|Casework and Advocacy Service|8|
|Food Bank|9|
|Rainbow Club|9|
|Allotment of Refuge|10|
|Immigration Project|11|
|Policy and Influencing|11|
|**Future plans**|12|
|**Our funders, supporters, partners and volunteers**|13|
|**Organisational Structure, Governance and Management**|14|
|**Risk Management**|15|
|**Financial Review**|16|
|**Independent examiner’s report**|17|
|**Statement of financial activities**|18|
|**Balance sheet**|19|
|**Statement of cashflows**|20|
|**Notes to the financial statements**|21|
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## **Trustees Report for the year ending 31st May 2025**
## **Foreword**
A very warm welcome to our annual report, and thank you for taking the time to read about the outstanding work delivered over the last twelve months by AFRIL’s exceptional staff and volunteers, supporting ever more refugees and vulnerable migrants.
Despite the change of government last year, the political narrative and policy environment has only got more toxic, putting more pressure on some of the most vulnerable people, who need this country’s protection, and on the brave and committed people who work hard to support them.
AFRIL’s board of trustees and I are immensely proud of the expansion and development of AFRIL’s services over the last year. And I take this opportunity to thank every single one of AFRIL’s staff, and volunteers - including those who have moved on over the course of the year. I include in that my own personal thanks to each and every person who has served on AFRIL’s trustee board - volunteers who give their time and expertise to ensure the good governance essential to our successful service delivery.
But I also extend our thanks to everyone who makes it possible - each of our funders, large and small, whether company, trust or individual raising money to donate to AFRIL. You, your support, and your work to deliver AFRIL’s services are part of what give the lie to political narratives that suggest widespread public opposition to migration. In fact, this is a tolerant and welcoming city, in a tolerant and welcoming country; most people only need to hear the individual human stories behind that word, ‘migration’, to step up and offer a welcome, help, and support to those who need it most. That is the story of AFRIL - through the Rainbow Club, the foodbank, the allotment of refuge, and our advice service - offering that welcome, help and support.
This year, I also advance a very special thank you to AFRIL’s director, Sophie Wickham who is, unfortunately, moving on. It is her tireless commitment to innovation with fundraising that has enabled AFRIL to grow, sustainably, so as better to meet the growing demand. And it is her nurturing and thoughtful leadership that has grown and supported AFRIL’s outstanding team. We are very sad indeed to lose her, but very grateful indeed for everything she has brought to, and done for, AFRIL and AFRIL’s clients and community.
**Gareth Redmond-King Chair of Trustees**
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## **Trustees Report for the year ending 31st May 2025**
## Dear friends
I am so proud of AFRIL’s work in 2024/25. More people than ever engaged with our services, and they told us that this support led to meaningful and lasting improvements in their lives.
Peoples’ needs this year were increasingly complex, as they endured unacceptable treatment and were systematically denied access to support. They were threatened with dehumanising barge or army barracks accommodation, families were split up in asylum ‘hotels’ with damp conditions and food that their children refused to eat, and people were expected to navigate the complex immigration system without a lawyer. Those who secured refugee status faced street homelessness because their asylum accommodation was terminated before they could secure alternative housing. Children are placed in temporary accommodation, moved at short notice, disrupting their schooling and social development. In this context, it is unsurprising that many of our community members had poor mental health.
In response, AFRIL’s skilled and hardworking staff team provided tailored, holistic support to 749 people in 2024/25. This is more than ever before, and we still receive more requests for support than our capacity. AFRIL’s Casework and Advocacy service worked intensively to prevent and alleviate homelessness, to ensure that people secure the income, healthcare, and legal support they need to rebuild their lives. Our Food Bank and destitution support worked in tandem to ensure dignity and essential food during this process. Our Immigration Project with Southwark Law Centre ensured that complex cases including those ineligible for legal aid, had access justice. Our Rainbow Club provided fun, educational support and opportunities to the children of our clients. Giving parents respite on Saturdays, and supporting children to bridge the attainment gap, make friends and thrive. Our Allotment of Refuge is an oasis of calm in the city that helps people to nurture themselves as well as the crops. Members tell us that coming to AFRIL reduces their feelings of isolation and makes them feel a welcomed part of the community. Alongside intensive service delivery this year, we yet again increased our quality marks and accreditations demonstrating our commitment to the highest possible standards: Advice Quality Standard (AQS) Casework Level in a record 5 areas, and successful registration with the Immigration Advice Authority to provide regulated immigration advice.
Against the backdrop of increased hostility against refugees and asylum seekers this year, from the government and the far right, solidarity and indeed bravery is more important than ever. Here at AFRIL, we are willing and able to stand up, speak up, and use all advocacy and legal tools at our disposal to ensure that the rights of our members - refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants with human rights protection needs - are respected and protected. Our Policy work has taken off and we are punching well above our weight - advising the Greater London Authority on several asylum matters and appointed to the London Housing Panel, with a particular focus on improving temporary accommodation.
This will be my last annual report at AFRIL, as I am shortly moving overseas with my family. It has been an immense privilege to be entrusted with such a treasured local charity, and to work with such a dedicated and dynamic group of people who are willing to speak up in times of adversity and threat. I am delighted to be leaving AFRIL in such good hands with our new Executive Director Chloe White, who has spearheaded AFRIL’s Casework and Policy over the last 3 years and who will bring this expertise and passion to her new role. I would like to thank every member of staff, volunteer, funder, community supporter, donor, partner and importantly every client, for making this journey and this work possible. I hope you enjoy reading about the impact of your contributions this year and will join AFRIL in making our community even stronger in the year to come.
**Sophie Wickham Executive Director**
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## **Trustees Report for the year ending 31st May 2025**
## **About AFRIL**
Action for Refugees in Lewisham (AFRIL) is a dynamic local charity established in 2006. We support asylum seekers, refugees, and vulnerable migrants with human rights protection needs, to lift themselves out of poverty, assert their rights and rebuild their lives in the heart of our community. We provide both crisis support to meet immediate need, and longer-term, flexible programmes to tackle the underlying problems that lead people to be in crisis. We take a rights based approach, empowering people with the tools and support they need to improve their lives and fulfil their potential.
**Our vision** is a just and welcoming society for refugees, asylum seekers and migrants seeking sanctuary in the UK.
**Our mission:** to support asylum seekers, vulnerable migrants, and refugees to lift themselves out of poverty and rebuild their lives in the heart of our community. We provide the advice, support and legal interventions that people need to improve their living situation, advance the education of displaced children, provide practical food support, co-produce wellbeing projects with the people we support, and use our evidence base for policy and advocacy work to make our vision a reality.
**Our values:** Our work is grounded in the values of professionalism, empowerment and inclusivity. We strive to be community-led and community-based.
## **Our approach:** at AFRIL we:
- Work with our members to develop services and support that meet their real and not perceived needs.
- Work with our members to enable them to build their knowledge, confidence and skills.
- Work collaboratively with local and national organisations to ensure that services are relevant, appropriate
- and effective.
We are a team of 15 majority part-time paid staff (7 FTE) and over 100 volunteers. Our office is based in the Leemore Centre in central Lewisham and we deliver services across South East London, including the Church of the Good Shepherd with St Peter in Greenwich, St Saviours primary school in Lewisham, One Tree Hill Allotments in Honor Oak, and outreach at local asylum hotels and community hubs. Our clients travel from across South East London to access our services.
**Our core services are:** Casework and Advocacy, Food Bank and Destitution Support, Rainbow Club supplementary school, the Allotment of Refuge, an Immigration Project in partnership with Southwark Law Centre, and our monthly Members Forum.
In addition, we use our knowledge and expertise from frontline service delivery, along with the lived experience of our clients, to **influence positive policy change** in housing, asylum support, and related issues. We advise on London wide housing policy through our position on the London Housing Panel, advise the GLA on several asylum and safeguarding related working groups, and work closely with Local Authorities to challenge and support them to deliver services that meet the needs of our client group.
## **Strategic Plan 2022 - 2026**
Our strategic priorities, as set out in our Strategic Plan 2023-26 are to:
- Support people to transition from dependence to independence
- Meet crisis needs
- Advocate with and for our clients
- Maintain a sustainable and effective organisation
AFRIL is currently in the strategic planning process to develop our next organisational strategic plan, together with our staff, Trustees, clients and key partners.
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**Trustees Report for the year ending 31st May 2025**
**Activities, achievements and performance for the year**
## **The people we support**
The people we support come from a range of backgrounds and countries. Their **immigration status** is a prominent feature in their lives, but they should not be solely defined by their immigration status; they are **parents, siblings, daughters, sons, community members, volunteers, employees and friends.** However, their immigration status does have an adverse impact on their lives, particularly by affecting their ability to access housing and income, and to **integrate** and **put down roots** in the community.
Our clients, whom we also call **our members** , are all seeking sanctuary in the UK and broadly fall into three categories: newly recognised **refugees** , people who are still **seeking asylum,** and **migrants with human rights protection needs** who are ‘vulnerabilised’ by the system and their experiences. Many of the latter have protection issues that include gender based violence or trafficking, but have been unable to successfully claim asylum due to complexity, the scope of the Refugee Convention, and/or the culture of disbelief in the system, so are now on a longer human rights based route to settlement due to having children in the UK but without access to public funds.
This year, the majority of the people we supported had made an application for asylum at some point in their protection journey. Their current immigration status was a mix of those still in the asylum system, newly recognised refugees, and other vulnerable migrants. We have seen an increase in the number of elderly vulnerable migrants with complex care needs on the 20 year route to settlement. Upon approaching AFRIL this year, **88% of people were living in insecure housing arrangements** like asylum hotels or temporary accommodation, including **38 households who were street homeless** . In addition to this, **50% had no formal income** whatsoever and **47% had very low income** - the majority of those with low income were in receipt of asylum support payments which is just £49.18 per person per week, or for those living in **overcrowded asylum “hotels”** just £9.95 per week and food that is often inedible.
## **Our Impact**
_“AFRIL is truly a lifeline for people in need. They go above and beyond to support individuals and families, offering not just practical help but also kindness, respect, and understanding. Their team is compassionate and dedicated, treating everyone with dignity and making sure no one feels alone in difficult times. The work they do has a real and lasting impact on people’s lives, and I am deeply grateful for their support and commitment to the community.”_ Ayomide, 2025
This year we supported **749 people from 321 families** , the majority of whom accessed more than one AFRIL service. Demand increases year on year, reflecting the impact of hostile immigration policies, high cost of living, and the quality and relevance of our services. This results in increasing numbers of people arriving at AFRIL in crisis, often experiencing destitution and homelessness. They require intensive holistic support and complex casework in order to resolve the interwoven issues resulting from their immigration restrictions. We prioritise the most vulnerable and those with complex needs who may otherwise struggle to access mainstream services e.g. people with high mental health needs, trafficking survivors, destitute families with young children, and asylum seekers with disabilities.
Our approach is one of longer-term, holistic support. We provide emergency relief during crises, alongside support to resolve the underlying issues that are the root cause. This year, our food bank distributed food parcels, food vouchers, and other essential items to 181 people from 64 families; our Casework and Advocacy Service supported 489 people from 280 families with comprehensive advice, complex casework and legal interventions; Rainbow Club provided early intervention to support 122 children from 77 families to improve their educational attainment, confidence and wellbeing. Our Immigration Project in partnership with Southwark Law Centre supported 82 people with complex immigration matters.
Since working with AFRIL, **45% of the people we supported improved their immigration status and a further 39% were supported to maintain their leave to remain status, or remain in the asylum system whilst they awaited a Home Office decision.** In addition to this, **51% reported that their access to formal income had improved since**
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## **Trustees Report for the year ending 31st May 2025**
**joining AFRIL, and a further 33% were supported to maintain regular access to their income entitlements** . With regards to housing, **50% reported that their housing arrangements had become more secure since joining AFRIL, and a further 33% were supported to maintain access to their housing entitlements** , for example by resolving disrepair issues or addressing safeguarding issues in asylum support accommodation.
As well as supporting our members with the practical matters of income, housing and immigration, we have a keen awareness of the impact of experiences prior to, during and after forced migration on the wellbeing, confidence and sense of community belonging of our members. We have therefore developed our projects to support our clients in these areas too. In our 2025 annual survey, **98% of people said coming to AFRIL had improved their wellbeing, 95% said coming to AFRIL improved their confidence, 89% said AFRIL has helped them to feel less isolated, and 95% said AFRIL has helped them to feel a part of a community** . The people we support have often been let down by structures, systems, and organisations that should support them, which impacts their trust and engagement. We build strong professional relationships with our members and prioritise building trust - **98% of people said they trust AFRIL a lot or mostly.** Supporting people from the dependence that is inherent in the asylum system framework, to independence, is an AFRIL strategic priority. This year, 82% of our clients said that coming to AFRIL has helped them become more independent.
## **Casework and Advocacy Service**
_"One to one service and you can ask questions and be advised fairly."_ Anwar, 2025
Our Casework and Advocacy service provides Advice Quality Standard (AQS) accredited advice and casework support in complex welfare rights, asylum support, community care, housing and homelessness, and related matters. In March 2024, we were awarded AQS Casework Level in a record five areas: Housing, Refugees and Asylum Seekers, Welfare Benefits, Disability, and Community Care. In April 2025 AFRIL became accredited to provide Level 1 regulated Immigration Advice from the Immigration Advice Authority (previously OISC), and the team are working to Level 2 under formal supervision from Praxis Community Projects, through support from the Refugee Action Frontline Immigration Advice Project funded by the GLA.
In the last year **this service supported 489 people from 230 families.** 63% of clients this year had complex needs and 40% of households presented as statutorily homeless. Our skilled and tenacious Casework team engage in advocacy with statutory bodies to support clients to access their entitlements. We have worked hard to establish and utilise escalation routes when faced with gatekeeping. **Our success rates are high** : **97% of households this year resolved part or all of their co-produced casework actions.** We secured **safe accommodation** for all but one of ou **r** street homeless clients (for whom we have a solicitor representing). This is no small feat when the people we work with are frequently ineligible for statutory housing and benefits. Our intensive advocacy ensured **100% of homeless families** with children were accommodated within 12 hours. When informal advocacy has been exhausted, our Caseworkers prepare Pre Action Protocol Letters (PAPs), checked by solicitors with a **100% success rate this year, ensuring access to justice** .
We are the main provider of asylum support casework locally. We deliver regular outreach advice sessions in the largest local asylum hotel as well as community locations. **We resolved 100% of asylum support payment cases,** ensuring people access their full entitlement. As the Home Office is clearing the backlog of asylum claims, we are supporting more recently granted refugees with intensive casework - welfare benefits, employment and housing, in the face of the housing crisis. The extension of the cessation period to 56 days during the year was a welcome relief, although the increase in numbers of recently granted refugees meant that this period was very time pressured. We have worked with local Councils this year to curate effective housing pathways to prevent these clients from becoming street homeless. At the time of writing this had unfortunately been rescinded for single people without priority need so street homelessness is again on the rise.
_“After three years of homelessness, I lost everything in me, including my health and confidence. After meeting AFRIL, things turned round positively although not completely, but I am on the right course now.”_ Faheem, 2025
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## **Trustees Report for the year ending 31st May 2025**
## **Foodbank and Destitution support**
AFRIL runs one of the few local food banks dedicated to supporting vulnerable asylum seekers, migrants and refugees with no recourse to public funds to access culturally appropriate food on a cash first approach. It runs fortnightly on Saturdays in conjunction with the volunteer team from Good Shepherd St Peter’s Church, in Lee. All the families registered with the food bank have sought sanctuary in the UK, with priority given to residents from Lewisham and Greenwich. Notwithstanding our Casework team working hard to maximise the income that families are able to access, 87% of clients reported that they do not have access to enough money to support themself and their family without help from charities. This reflects low levels of government support, and policies of the hostile environment such as asylum seekers being prohibited from working whilst they await a decision on their claim, unless they meet very specific requirements. This results in people being unable to meet their essential needs, especially in the current context of high living costs.
This year we distributed **1904 food parcels** (double parcels fortnightly) consisting of supermarket vouchers, fresh produce from our allotment, grocer’s surplus and donated household supplies to 181 people from 64 families. In our 2025 annual survey, **92% reported that knowing they will have a regular supermarket voucher with fresh food, or food parcel helps them to feel more secure.** This year we consolidated our destitution work under one project and in addition to food bank clients, we provided emergency destitution grants or small essentials grants to an additional **83 households** across AFRIL services during moments of crisis whilst our Casework and Advocacy service worked intensively to resolve these problems. **This brings the total families supported with food support to 147 households.** We also distributed donated winter coats, blankets, baby items, household items, sim cards and data.
Client feedback: _"The best thing about [the] food bank is the way they support families with kindness and respect. They provide not just food but comfort and hope during difficult times. The items received are very useful and it helps us get through the week. The staff and volunteers are really friendly and caring, they make everyone feel welcome. It is a place where you feel seen, supported and not alone."_ Binta, 2025
The networks that our clients in poverty are forced to rely on are frequently exploitative. This year we co-produced a **Support and Safety Guide** with our food bank members to help people identify the signs of different types of exploitation and know what to do. **95% said that the guide helps them to know what to do when they feel unsafe, and 90% said that they feel safer since coming to AFRIL.**
People can be supported by our food bank for extended periods whilst our Caseworker and Advocacy service and Immigration Project work to resolve the often complex immigration, housing and income issues that have caused destitution. This has resulted in a strong community feel and trusting professional relationships with AFRIL staff and volunteers. Members are keen to share their feedback and lived experiences with AFRIL staff, particularly when this is used to improve policy and practice within and outside of AFRIL, for example we have recently successfully advocated for a cash first approach locally. This is a result of consistent feedback from our members that they prefer supermarket vouchers to food parcels because it promotes choice and dignity. Food bank members provided their evidence and views in AFRIL’s consultation response to the government on the Healthy Start Scheme.
## **Rainbow Club**
_“It is a supportive and welcoming environment. The teachers are patient and encouraging which helps the children to learn better. The classes also give my child extra help with school subjects and build her confidence. It is a safe space where they feel happy and motivated to learn. As a parent, I really appreciate the dedication of the staff and how they genuinely care about each child’s progress.” Rainbow Club parent 2025_
AFRIL’s Rainbow Club Supplementary school supports primary aged displaced children. Every Saturday morning during term time, children receive specialised English, maths, music, art and sport lessons, pastoral support and termly school trips. The school is split into 3 classes, whose names were chosen by the children themselves: Passion Fruit (ages 4-6), Starfruit (ages 6-8), and Mango (ages 8-11).
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## **Trustees Report for the year ending 31st May 2025**
Rainbow Club children experience destitution and poverty due to hostile immigration policies, which can create challenging environments at home. They experience multiple disadvantages - it is well evidenced that both living in poverty and being from a refugee or asylum seeking background affects a child’s educational attainment. This year, Rainbow Club continued to provide a consistent, supportive and fun environment to make sure children can bridge the attainment gap, develop their future aspirations, and thrive both socially and in their mainstream education.
**In the last 12 months, 122 children from 77 families attended Rainbow Club** where they each received 50 hours of English and Maths lessons, in addition to music, art and sports activities and school trips. In our formal assessments **72% of children showed a marked improvement in English level** , with 21% of children moving fully up into the next band. In the children’s end of year pupil questionnaires, 84% felt they had improved at English, and 86% felt they had improved at Maths. We provide **creative sessions and team working** opportunities including Art, Music and Sport that help empower children to **express themselves, developing confidence, self-esteem and social skills** . The sessions also serve as an alternative medium for English acquisition, particularly for those who have English as an additional language (EAL). **79% of children felt their confidence improved** over the year, and 80% felt their social skills improved. **89% of parents also reported positive changes in their children’s confidence** . Feedback from parents when asked about the impact of Rainbow Club: **“[My daughter] has become more confident in speaking and interacting with others. She now more excited about learning. I also noticed she is more focused and happier in general [sic].”** We organise termly trips and extracurricular activities for our students to local museums, city farms and our Allotment of Refuge. We developed our Rainbow Club Youth Council this year to give the children more voice and influence at the Saturday School, alongside our Youth Volunteer Programme to provide leadership opportunities to Rainbow Club alumni and older siblings.
**Literacy skills** are essential for unlocking attainment in all other subjects and for supporting children from refugee, asylum seeking and migrant backgrounds to **integrate** and make friends. This year we have been taking a **deep dive into our literacy provision** thanks to multi-year funding from the St Paul’s Schools Foundation, managed by the Mercers Company. We have been working with a learning partner at the **Open University** to further develop our literacy expertise and evaluate our activities so that more children can reach their full potential. We are focusing on Reading and Writing for Pleasure after research from the Open University showed that levels of Reading for Pleasure of 8 to 18 year olds in the UK are the lowest they have been since 2005, and highlighted the social and emotional benefits of those who choose to read and/or write in their own time. In addition to this, we **expanded our reach** this year to Lewisham’s **pre-school children** and their parents through our BookTrust Storytime Project which aims to encourage positive and regular reading habits whilst children are very young. We joined Literacy Link, a new network where literacy focused charities and programmes collaborate and share learnings and experience.
In June 2024, **Rainbow Club was officially awarded sanctuary status** following a detailed assessment process, and we have been encouraging mainstream schools through Lewisham’s Schools of Sanctuary working group by sharing good practice and resources on how best to support their sanctuary seeking children. This means that Rainbow Club children will have a **more positive mainstream experience** and that we can **improve the educational and cultural environment** for far more children in this diverse part of London.
## **Allotment of Refuge**
"Being at the allotment, in the nature itself makes me feel happy as well as being with the people at there is." Nsaku, 2025
AFRIL’s Allotment of Refuge is part of the One Tree Hill Allotment Society (OTHAS) allotment site at Honor Oak Park. The Allotment of Refuge is a welcoming and integrated community of food growers **improving health, wellbeing, dignity and food access** for sanctuary seekers and other members of the local community alike, through regular volunteer sessions. **Co-production is a key** - with all decisions made together with our Allotment Steering Group. This year **205 people participated in activities** at the Allotment of Refuge, with **29 regular volunteers** coming to the weekly growing and harvest sessions, around half of whom have lived experience of forced migration, making it a **truly integrated project** . Our Allotment Project Lead led weekly Tuesday gardening sessions where activities included food growing and harvesting, learning and sharing knowledge, and generally maintaining and improving the site. Each session ended with a **shared lunch and warm drinks** where volunteers
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## **Trustees Report for the year ending 31st May 2025**
come together to make plans and share ideas for the site. During harvest season, we also ran fortnightly Friday sessions to harvest fresh produce which was distributed at AFRIL’s Food Bank. **This enabled 181 individuals from 64 families experiencing destitution to access fresh, locally grown, healthy produce.** We ran ad hoc work days where volunteers including local residents and employees helped with larger tasks, such as building a shed and moving manure. We **improved site accessibility** so that more people can benefit from this restorative space, for example improving and maintaining paths, removing ditches, creating a walk-in shed for easy access to tools, and improving seating in the polytunnel. Our Allotment members with lived experience of seeking sanctuary were asked if coming to the project had any impact on their wellbeing and sense of belonging. **100% of members said that coming to the Allotment of Refuge regularly improved their wellbeing** and likewise people unanimously said it made them feel part of a community, since this is exactly what it is. 67% also said that they had particularly learned climate friendly growing practices at the project. When asked this year by a visiting staff member what they hoped to grow at the Allotment, one of our new and now very regular members said: ‘just myself’.
**Climate friendly practices,** climate resilience, and **environmental protection** are a priority at the Allotment of Refuge. We have continued our transition of the site into an eco-friendly hub and used climate friendly practices for example through creating deadwood areas for habitat and ponds for **biodiversity** and using organic matter and **no chemicals** to feed our plants. We have used climate friendly practices, for example we have improved soil health through making our own compost, practicing the “no dig” method, and mulching once a year with manure from a local farm. Members reported that they have learnt about climate friendly ways to grow food and about protecting the environment.
Once a term, children from Rainbow Club came to the Allotment of Refuge to use the site as an **outdoor classroom** , with 48 children attending fun, educational allotment workshops. **The children learnt about sustainable food growing and environmental protection** which is important as the climate crisis will only become a more prominent part of each of their lives as they grow up. These sessions also gave them an opportunity to have **fun and play in a safe outdoor space** .
## **Immigration Project**
Our Immigration Project in **partnership** with **Southwark Law Centre** provides **free immigration advice and representation** to people with insecure immigration status, no recourse to public funds and little to no income, most of whom fall outside the scope of legal aid, meaning they are not able to afford the expensive legal fees to regularise their status. This **service is interlinked** with AFRIL’s other services, supporting our members to resolve complex immigration issues that so often result in housing problems and destitution. Our Casework and Advocacy Service’s recent **Level 1 IAA accreditation** means that our immigration solicitor can focus on the most complex immigration cases, whilst the Casework team can deal with more straightforward immigration matters.
Last year, the project solicitor provided representations in 33 cases plus 9 instances of one-off detailed immigration advice to **34 clients with 48 dependents (82 individuals** ). So far, 7 of these clients have received a **successful grant of leave to remain** , 1 client was successful in appealing their asylum decision, and 2 children from families with insecure immigration status were supported to regularise as British Citizens. The majority of the remaining clients are waiting for decisions from the Home Office. Since the project started in 2021, all Home Office decisions but one have been granted leave to remain, with the one being represented at appeal stage. The high costs of LLR applications are a barrier for many of our clients in regularising their status and we have a **100% success rate in fee waiver applications** ."
## **Policy and Influencing**
AFRIL is a **small charity that punches well above our weight** in using our frontline evidence to **positively influence systemic change** . We are increasingly approached by statutory bodies and national charities for input and have been a key sector voice on **asylum hotel maximisation** and **migrant housing** . As a small organisation working on the ground and conducting complex casework, we see **trends as they emerge** , meaning that our policy responses are dynamic, timely and relevant. Due to our strong working relationships and high levels of trust with our clients, our policy work is **rooted in the lived experience** and voices of our clients. We work with our clients to provide **political education** and ensure opportunities for people to share their experiences, opinions
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## **Trustees Report for the year ending 31st May 2025**
and ideas as part of our Policy work. AFRIL sits on the **London Housing Panel,** through which we advise the **Mayor of London** on housing policy as it impacts our client group. Through this forum we have worked on amendments to expand the standards in the Renters Rights Bill to include Asylum Support and NRPF housing, in order to prevent embedding a two tier housing system. This year AFRIL was appointed **Chair of the Panel’s Temporary Accommodation Working Group** , to coordinate the Panel’s work on improving temporary forms of housing across the capital. We advise the GLA on 3 **asylum related working groups** , D/deaf asylum seekers, asylum hotels, and asylum safeguarding, and this year we co-produced GLA commissioned **research** on migrant sector resilience to emergencies. AFRIL has submitted a number of formal policy submissions to **central government consultations** on the extension of healthy start vouchers, asylum support safeguarding, the impact of temporary accommodation on children with SEN and standards of temporary accommodation. Through developing strategic relationships with our Local Authorities AFRIL has successfully curated **escalation routes** to prevent gatekeeping and reduce homelessness. Our clients **formally advise Lewisham Council** on their sanctuary strategy and are central to our policy and influencing work.
## **Other Activities**
As is customary, we started the year with our annual celebration of **Refugee Week** at our Allotment of Refuge, with the 2024 theme being ‘Our Home’. Our **Members Forum** continues to thrive, as a forum for bringing people together to build social connections, partake in workshops on topics decided by our members, and have voice and influence over AFRIL services and Policy priorities.
_"The best thing about [the] members forum is having a safe space to connect with other parents who understand what you are going through. It’s been so helpful to share experiences, get advice and feeling that you are not alone in your journey."_ Amina, 2025
**Staff support:** vicarious trauma and burnout are common in frontline delivery, and the rise in far-right violence in the UK exacerbates this risk. We have maintained our regular **clinical supervision** for staff, alongside our Employee Assistance Programme support. Staff had an **away day** this year thanks to the AB Charitable Trust, with a brilliant, facilitated session on work profiles and ways of working, and a much needed wellbeing session. We continue to review our policies and offer to our staff and volunteers to do everything in our control to provide support in this difficult line of work.
## **Future plans**
In 2025/26 we welcome our new Executive Director, Chloe White, who has been instrumental in the development and growth of AFRIL’s Casework and Policy functions over the last three years. We plan to maintain the scaled up services that we have developed in response to need, supporting asylum seekers, refugees and ‘vulnerablised’ migrants to lift themselves out of poverty, assert their rights, and rebuild their lives in the heart of our community. We will ensure that these services continue to be delivered to the highest possible standards and aim to secure sustainable funding for them to continue so long as they are needed.
We plan to become registered to provide regulated immigration advice at IAA Level 2, which will be embedded within our wraparound casework support model. Our Food Bank will continue to make the case for cash first approaches, providing dignity and essential support for people on the journey to rebuilding their lives. Our Allotment of Refuge will continue to work holistically and welcome clients from other AFRIL Projects and play our part in local climate resilience. Our Rainbow Club will take a deep dive into Literacy, not only improving our own offer to displaced children, but contributing to learning and research in this area with the Open University. Policy and Influencing will be a key focus in the coming year, using our frontline experience in pursuit of systems change, with a growing number of key partners, at a time when it is more needed than ever.
We are in the final year of our current strategic plan, and we have started our inclusive strategic planning process with a focus on increasing lived experience in our governance decisions. At the time of writing, we have just recruited our first Expert by Experience Coordinator to lead on our Members Forum activities and development of our co-production across the organisation.
In order to maintain a sustainable and effective organisation, we will build on the work that has been done this year to diversify our funding streams, and we will resource our central support functions to provide strong governance
12
## **Trustees Report for the year ending 31st May 2025**
and organisational support in proportion to our growing front line services. We will continue to invest in wellbeing support for our outstanding staff and volunteer team so we can continue to deliver positive outcomes with and for asylum seekers, vulnerable migrants, and refugees across South East London in light of the increased pressure and threats aimed at our client group and sector.
## **Our funders, supporters, partners and volunteers**
**Thank you** to our funders, supporters, and partners. We would not have been able to provide the services and support detailed in this report without you. We are enormously grateful for your support, and for the solidarity and compassion that you show towards refugees, asylum seekers and migrants seeking sanctuary in our community.
**Thank you** to our wonderful team of volunteers for donating your precious time to AFRIL. We would not be able to deliver the quality of services that we do without your time, commitment, and dedication.
**Trusts and Foundations**
|**Trusts and Foundations**|||
|---|---|---|
|**Trusts and Foundations**|● The Childhood Trust|● Goldluxel Services|
|●AB Charitable Trust|●The Henry Smith Foundation|●Lewisham 14th Scouts|
|●Allen, Overy Shearman Stirling|●The Hillcote Charitable Trust|●Lewisham Food Bank|
|Foundation|●The National Lottery|●Lewisham Free Cakes For Kids|
|●Angus Lawson Memorial Trust|Communities Fund|●Lewisham Lottery|
|●Barnett and Sylvia Shine|●NACCOM (Guardian and|●Nowaal|
|Charity Trust No2|Observer Appeal)|●NEPOMAK|
|●Bromley Relief in Need|●St Paul’s Schools Foundation|●Read for Good|
|●The Bromley Trust|(The Mercers’ Company)|●Salvation Army|
|●Dentons Charitable Trust|●The Society of the Holy Child|●Schools include: Coinsborough|
|●Fund for Human Need|Jesus|College, Trinity Church of England|
|●Garfield Weston Foundation|●The Strategic Legal Fund|School, Deptford Green School,|
|●Heinz, Anna and Carol Kroch|●Swan Mountain Trust|Forest Hill School,|
|Foundation|●Topinambour Trust|●South East London Humanist|
|●The Lee Education Charity of|●Trust for London|Group|
|William Hatcliffe||●Staff at IBM|
|●Lewisham Local|**Community groups and**|●St. Augustine’s with St. Luke’s|
|●Lewisham Safer|**organisations**|Churches|
|Neighbourhoods Board|●ABC Book Club|●Vodafone|
|●London Catalyst|●Blackheath Quakers|●Women’s Institute ● WrapUp|
|●London Churches Refugee Fund|●Burgess Park Plant Nursery|London|
|●Robbins Family Charitable Trust
●Feed UK|●Dulwich College
●Forest Hill Quakers|●Youth Against Crime Not Crime
Against Youth|
Thank you to our **statutory funders:** the Greater London Authority, funding from the Shared Prosperity Fund, and Lewisham Council, London’s first Borough of Sanctuary, who have supported our work with contracts, grants and policy engagement.
Thank you to our **Service delivery partners** : Fairbeats, Creating Ground, the Church of the Good Shepherd and St Peter (Lee), The One Tree Hill Allotment Society, Southwark Law Centre, Deighton Pierce Glynn Solicitors, Lewisham Refugee and Migrant Network, Citizens Advice Lewisham, West London Welcome, Carlson Pepper Collaborative, Salvation Army Lewisham, Salvation Army Deptford, St Saviour’s Primary School, our referral partners GRACE Aid, Mammakind and Little Village, Catbytes, Facework, the Trussell Trust, and the museums and organisations that support our Rainbow Club trips and activities - the National Maritime Museum, the Horniman Museum, Discovery Story Centre, the Book Trust, Lewisham Youth Theatre and The Migration Museum.
13
## **Trustees Report for the year ending 31st May 2025**
Thank you to all our supporters who wish to remain anonymous, and those who regularly donated via direct debit, made one-off donations, or donated to one of our fundraising campaigns.
## **Organisational Structure, Governance and Management**
AFRIL has a strong and effective Board of Trustees that brings a diverse range of experience and expertise, including lived experience of forced migration and professional backgrounds in finance, law, policy, charity management, education, fundraising, and HR. The trustees, who are also the Directors for the purpose of company law, and who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were:
G J Redmond-King (Chair) L S Barron K A B Commons (Vice-Chair) N D Walker M R Gravelle (Secretary) K R Wildgoose D Burnett K Richards H Khalifah W Kurdi (appointed 01 February 2025)
**Trustee recruitment** is led by the Chair of the Board and the recruitment process is delivered by at least 2 trustees along with the Executive Director. We recruit trustees to meet a gap in board skills and experience identified via regular skills audit against needs, prioritising lived experience of forced migration. We advertise on Charity Job and publicise widely. Trustees are inducted by the Chair of the Board and the Executive Director in line with the charity’s Induction Policy, which includes an introduction and visit to the charity’s operations and activities. They are asked to read all relevant policies, the Charity Guidance ‘The Essential Trustee’, to declare any conflicts of interest, undergo a DBS check and sign fit and proper and confidentiality declarations. Trustees are provided with training where required to enable them to fulfil their duties effectively and a pairing up ‘buddy system’ to support first time trustees.
**The Charity is a Company limited by guarantee.** None of the trustees has any beneficial interest in the company. All the trustees are members of the company and guarantee to contribute £1 in the event of a winding up.
## **Organisational Structure**
**Executive Director:** Sophie Wickham (until October 2025); Chloe White (since October 2025)
## **Food Bank**
## **Allotment of Refuge**
Food Bank Coordinator: Louise Vangheluwe (until April 2025); Omar Shayah (since April 2025)
Allotment of Refuge Project Lead: Rose Kappling Allotment of Refuge Project Lead (Maternity Cover): Rue Refson-Dye (Jan-July 2024); Sarah Evans (July-September 2025)
## **Rainbow Club**
Rainbow Club Manager: Kieran Tang-Wright Evans (July-September 2025) Passion Fruit Class Teacher: Ruth Michaels Starfruit Class Teacher: Vita Baliaj **Casework and Advocacy Service** Mango Class Teacher: Ndaiziyei Murimba Art Teachers: Sadegh Aleahmad, Lucie Senior Caseworkers: Bevlyn Annokye; Jess MacGregor, Hannah Conway Fogarty; Sarah Evans (since May 2025) Sport Teacher: Daniel Espinosa Caseworker: Awaatif Muktar
Casework and Advocacy Manager: Chloe White Senior Caseworkers: Bevlyn Annokye; Jess Fogarty; Sarah Evans (since May 2025) Caseworker: Awaatif Muktar
## **Immigration Project**
Southwark Law Centre Immigration Solicitor: Ed O’Driscoll
## **Office**
Monitoring and Operations Officer: Jess Hughes (until May ‘25); Louise Vangheluwe (since May ‘25)
14
**Trustees Report for the year ending 31st May 2025**
## **Risk Management**
The trustees have given due consideration to the risks to which the charity is exposed and satisfied themselves that systems and processes are established in order to identify, manage and mitigate those risks. The charity has a risk management policy and maintains a risk register which is reviewed by Trustees every 8 weeks, alongside emerging risks and plans for mitigation as presented by the Director to the Board. In addition to this, the charity maintains and regularly reviews a wide range of organisational policies and procedures that address mitigating risk. Risk is a standing agenda item at the board meetings every 2 months.
## **Financial Review**
The financial results for the year which ended on 31 May 2025 are set out in the Statement of Financial Activities. The charity’s expenditure is similar to the year prior, but our income has increased.
**Income:** During 2024/25 our income increased by 19% to £573,017. The majority is grants (both restricted and unrestricted) from Trusts and Foundations, with an increasing proportion of Local Authority contracts for the provision of services to our client group. We maintain a consistent level of donations from individuals and local community groups each year. £69,520 is income passed directly to our partners for the delivery of services where AFRIL is the lead grant holder for a project, which this year included our Immigration Project with Southwark Law Centre (SLC), our Asylum Hotels Project with SLC and Lewisham Refugee and Migrant Network, and our PAP Project partnership with Deighton Pierce Glynn Solicitors. After a deficit of £41,091 in 2024, which was a calculated risk to use our unrestricted funding as we anticipated a number of funding sources to materialise in the first quarter of 24/25 which they subsequently did, we have made this up with a surplus of £51,064 in the current year. Our fundraising strategy has resulted in an increase in multi-year grant commitments, and income from services provided to our client group from statutory sources.
**Expenditure:** The total organisational expenditure during the year was £521,953 with 99% spent on charitable activities. Of the total expenditure 65% was on staffing, our greatest asset. Staff are key in delivering all our services and casework.
**Reserves:** It is the policy of the charity that unrestricted funds which have not been designated for a specific use should be maintained at a level equivalent to between three and six month’s expenditure. This calculation excludes the partner costs that we only incur should we secure funding for multi-agency projects for which AFRIL is the lead partner. The trustees consider that reserves at this level will ensure that, in the event of a significant drop in funding, they will be able to continue and adapt the charity’s current activities while consideration is given to ways in which additional funds may be raised. This level of reserves has been maintained throughout the year.
Reserves at the balance sheet date were £179,055, being £142,879 unrestricted reserves and £36,176 restricted reserves.
## **Going concern**
As a grant-funded organisation that depends on restricted grants for a large part of its income, AFRIL begins each financial year without having secured all the income to cover its operational costs in the year. Trustees and the Executive Director monitor the financial position regularly and identify any upcoming risks and mitigations that may impact our reserves position. Our fundraising strategy of increasing unrestricted funds and diversifying our income streams to include statutory contracts that align with our aims and values, means that we have an increasing number of multi-year funding commitments for sustainability. At the time of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue to operate for the foreseeable future. Thus the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.
15
## **Trustees Report for the year ending 31st May 2025**
The trustees’ report has been approved by the Board of Trustees. ………………………………… G J Redmond-King **Trustee** Date: ………………………… Z 2//0Las
16
## **ACTION FOR REFUGEES IN LEWISHAM**
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT**
## **TO THE TRUSTEES OF ACTION FOR REFUGEES IN LEWISHAM**
I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Action for Refugees in Lewisham (the charity) for the year ended 31 May 2025.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the trustees of the charity (and also its directors for the purposes of company law), you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.
Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the charity are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006 and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s financial statements carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011. In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act 2011.
## **Independent examiner's statement**
Since the charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000, the independent examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the Charities Act 2011. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, which is one of the listed bodies.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no 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 charity as required by section 386 of the Companies Act 2006.
- 2 the financial statements do not accord with those records; or
- 3 the financial statements do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 other than any requirement that the financial statements give a true and fair view, which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
- 4 the financial statements have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their financial statements in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).
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 financial statements to be reached.
## **F J Wilde FCCA MBA DChA**
Warner Wilde 4 Marigold Drive Bisley Surrey GU24 9SF 27/10/2025 Date: ............................
- 17 -
## **ACTION FOR REFUGEES IN LEWISHAM**
## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT**
## _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MAY 2025**_
|**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**funds**
**2025**
**2025**
**Notes**
**£**
**£**
**Income and endowments from:**
Donations and legacies
**3**
124,423
-
Charitable activities
**4**
115,000
320,232
Investments
**5**
1,151
-
Other income
**6**
2,851
9,360
**Total income**
243,425
329,592
**Expenditure on:**
Raising funds
**7**
120
-
Charitable activities
**8**
219,362
302,471
**Total expenditure**
219,482
302,471
**Net income/(expenditure) and**
**movement in funds**
23,943
27,121
**Reconciliation of funds:**
Fund balances at 1 June 2024
118,936
9,055
**Fund balances at 31 May**
**2025**
142,879
36,176|**Total**
**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**funds**
**2025**
**2024**
**2024**
**£**
**£**
**£**
124,423
121,528
3,869
435,232
84,155
259,972
1,151
1,259
-
12,211
179
12,157
573,017
207,121
275,998
120
90
147
521,833
224,476
299,497
521,953
224,566
299,644
51,064
(17,445)
(23,646)
127,991
136,381
32,701
179,055
118,936
9,055|**Total**
**2024**
**£**
125,397
344,127
1,259
12,336
483,119
237
523,973
524,210
(41,091)
169,082
127,991|
|---|---|---|
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
- 18 -
## **ACTION FOR REFUGEES IN LEWISHAM**
## **BALANCE SHEET**
## _**AS AT 31 MAY 2025**_
|**Notes**
**ixed assets**
angible assets
**13**
**urrent assets**
ebtors
**14**
ash at bank and in hand
**reditors: amounts falling due within**
**ne year**
**15**
**et current assets**
**otal assets less current liabilities**
**he funds of the charity**
estricted income funds
**18**
nrestricted funds
**19**|**2025**
**£**
9,469
184,471
193,940
(15,910)|**£**
1,025
178,030
179,055
36,176
142,879
179,055|**2024**
**£**
2,000
136,264
138,264
(10,312)|**£**
39
127,952|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||127,991|
|||||9,055
118,936|
|||||127,991|
The company is entitled to the exemption from the audit requirement contained in section 477 of the Companies Act 2006, for the year ended 31 May 2025.
The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 with respect to accounting records and the preparation of financial statements.
The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year in question in accordance with section 476.
These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime.
The financial statements were approved by the trustees on .........................
**----- Start of picture text -----**
..............................
G J Redmond-King
Trustee
**----- End of picture text -----**
Company registration number 05819537 (England and Wales)
- 19 -
## **ACTION FOR REFUGEES IN LEWISHAM**
## **STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS**
## _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MAY 2025**_
|**Notes**
**Cash flows from operating activities**
Cash generated from/(absorbed by)
operations
**22**
**Investing activities**
Purchase of tangible fixed assets
Investment income received
**Net cash (used in)/generated from investing**
**activities**
**Net cash generated from financing activities**
**Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash**
**equivalents**
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year
**Cash and cash equivalents at end of year**|**2025**
**£**
(1,334)
1,151|**£**
48,390
(183)
-
48,207
136,264
184,471|**2024**
**£**
-
1,259|**£**
(71,313)
1,259
-
(70,054)
206,319
136,264|
|---|---|---|---|---|
- 20 -
## **ACTION FOR REFUGEES IN LEWISHAM**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MAY 2025**_
## **1 Accounting policies**
## **Charity information**
Action for Refugees in Lewisham is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is F3, Leemore Central Community Hub, Bonfield Road, Lewisham, London, SE13 5ES.
## **1.1 Accounting convention**
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's governing document, the Companies Act 2006, FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (“FRS 102”) and the Charities SORP "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). The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
## **1.2 Going concern**
At the time of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.
## **1.3 Charitable funds**
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives.
Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors or grantors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Endowment funds are subject to specific conditions by donors that the capital must be maintained by the charity.
## **1.4 Income**
Income is recognised when the charity is legally entitled to it after any performance conditions have been met, the amounts can be measured reliably, and it is probable that income will be received.
Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the charity has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.
Legacies are recognised on receipt or otherwise if the charity has been notified of an impending distribution, the amount is known, and receipt is expected. If the amount is not known, the legacy is treated as a contingent asset.
- 21 -
## **ACTION FOR REFUGEES IN LEWISHAM**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MAY 2025**_
## **1 Accounting policies**
**(Continued)**
## **1.5 Expenditure**
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, 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 classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges are allocated on the portion of the asset’s use.
## **1.6 Tangible fixed assets**
Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.
Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:
Office equipment
20% straight line
The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is recognised in the statement of financial activities.
## **1.7 Impairment of fixed assets**
At each reporting end date, the charity reviews the carrying amounts of its tangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any).
## **1.8 Cash and cash equivalents**
Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.
## **1.9 Financial instruments**
The charity has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.
Financial instruments are recognised in the charity's balance sheet when the charity becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.
Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.
## _**Basic financial assets**_
Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.
- 22 -
## **ACTION FOR REFUGEES IN LEWISHAM**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MAY 2025**_
## **1 Accounting policies**
**(Continued)**
## _**Basic financial liabilities**_
Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.
Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.
Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of operations from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
## _**Derecognition of financial liabilities**_
Financial liabilities are derecognised when the charity’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.
## **1.10 Employee benefits**
The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.
Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the charity is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.
## **1.11 Retirement benefits**
Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due.
## **2 Critical accounting estimates and judgements**
In the application of the charity’s accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.
## **3 Income from donations and legacies**
|**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**funds**
**2025**
**2025**
**£**
**£**
Donations and gifts
43,201
-
Grants
71,000
-
Donated goods and
services
10,222
-
124,423
-|**Total**
**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**funds**
**2025**
**2024**
**2024**
**£**
**£**
**£**
43,201
54,018
3,869
71,000
46,500
-
10,222
21,010
-
124,423
121,528
3,869|**Total**
**2024**
**£**
57,887
46,500
21,010|
|---|---|---|
|||125,397|
- 23 -
## **ACTION FOR REFUGEES IN LEWISHAM**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)**
## _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MAY 2025**_
|**3**
**Income from donations and legacies**
**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**funds**
**2025**
**2025**
**£**
**£**
**Grants**
AB Charitable Trust
16,500
-
Indigo Trust
-
-
Hillcote Charitable Trust
5,000
-
NACCOM Guardian &
Observer Grant
15,000
-
The Bromley Trust
30,000
-
The Northwick Trust
-
-
Other
4,500
-
71,000
-
**4**
**Income from charitable activities**
**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**funds**
**2025**
**2025**
**£**
**£**
**Charitable activities**
Services provided under
contract
115,000
8,000
Performance related
grants
-
312,232
115,000
320,232|**Total**
**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**Total**
**funds**
**funds**
**2025**
**2024**
**2024**
**2024**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**(Continued)**
16,500
16,500
-
16,500
-
20,000
-
20,000
5,000
-
-
-
15,000
-
-
-
30,000
-
-
-
-
10,000
-
10,000
4,500
-
-
-
71,000
46,500
-
46,500
**Total**
**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**Total**
**funds**
**funds**
**2025**
**2024**
**2024**
**2024**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
123,000
84,155
-
84,155
312,232
-
259,972
259,972
435,232
84,155
259,972
344,127|**Total**
**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**Total**
**funds**
**funds**
**2025**
**2024**
**2024**
**2024**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**(Continued)**
16,500
16,500
-
16,500
-
20,000
-
20,000
5,000
-
-
-
15,000
-
-
-
30,000
-
-
-
-
10,000
-
10,000
4,500
-
-
-
71,000
46,500
-
46,500
**Total**
**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**Total**
**funds**
**funds**
**2025**
**2024**
**2024**
**2024**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
123,000
84,155
-
84,155
312,232
-
259,972
259,972
435,232
84,155
259,972
344,127|
|---|---|---|
|||46,500|
|||**Total**
**2024**
**£**
84,155
259,972|
|||344,127|
- 24 -
## **ACTION FOR REFUGEES IN LEWISHAM**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MAY 2025**_
## **4 Income from charitable activities**
|**Income from charitable activities**||**(Continued)**|
|---|---|---|
|**Performance related grants analysis**|||
||**Charitable**|**Charitable**|
||**activities**|**activities**|
||**2025**|**2024**|
||**£**|**£**|
|Garfield Weston Foundation|25,000|-|
|Angus Lawson Memorial Trust|27,700|2,700|
|Henry Smith Charity|24,400|32,050|
|The National Lottery Community Fund|18,860|-|
|Trust for London|33,800|50,700|
|GLA Grow Back Greener Fund|-|8,751|
|The St Paul's Schools Foundation (Mercers Company)|70,000|-|
|London Community Foundation|-|31,250|
|AB Charitable Trust|2,175|-|
|Shared Prosperity Fund|42,125|-|
|London Catalyst Samaritans Grant|1,500|1,500|
|London Churches Refugee Fund|1,000|2,650|
|Lewisham Local Essentials Grant|7,290|8,350|
|The Lee Education Charity of William Hatcliffe|5,000|-|
|Hillcote Charitable Trust|-|5,000|
|Society of the Holy Child Jesus|10,000|-|
|GLA Migrant Advice and Support Fund|-|39,441|
|Other|43,382|77,580|
||312,232|259,972|
## **5 Income from investments**
|||||**Unrestricted**|**Unrestricted**|**Unrestricted**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||**funds**|**funds**|
||||||**2025**|**2024**|
||||||**£**|**£**|
|Interest receivable|||||1,151|1,259|
|**Other income**|||||||
||**Unrestricted**|**Restricted**|**Total**|**Unrestricted**|**Restricted**|**Total**|
||**funds**|**funds**||**funds**|**funds**||
||**2025**|**2025**|**2025**|**2024**|**2024**|**2024**|
||**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|
|Other income|2,851|9,360|12,211|179|12,157|12,336|
## **6 Other income**
- 25 -
## **ACTION FOR REFUGEES IN LEWISHAM**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MAY 2025**_
## **7 Expenditure on raising funds**
|**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**funds**
**2025**
**2025**
**£**
**£**
**Fundraising and publicity**
Advertising
30
-
Other fundraising costs
90
-
120
-|**Total**
**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**funds**
**2025**
**2024**
**2024**
**£**
**£**
**£**
30
-
14
90
90
133
120
90
147|**Total**
**2024**
**£**
14
223|
|---|---|---|
|||237|
## **8 Expenditure on charitable activities**
||**Charitable**|**Charitable**|
|---|---|---|
||**activities**|**activities**|
||**2025**|**2024**|
||**£**|**£**|
|**Direct costs**|||
|Staff costs|337,907|293,580|
|Depreciation and impairment|348|1,463|
|Advice and Advocacy project|7,573|7,329|
|Foodbank project|17,493|21,970|
|Immigration project|33,618|61,231|
|Rainbow Club project|33,397|35,222|
|Wellbeing Activities and Allotment of Refuge|9,718|17,204|
|Destitution fund|3,808|2,963|
|Interpreting|9,204|14,524|
|Other volunteer and other staff costs|1,785|1,965|
|Travel and training|2,820|2,427|
|External partner costs|35,902|33,750|
||493,573|493,628|
|**Share of support and governance costs (see note 9)**|||
|Support|25,028|25,522|
|Governance|3,232|4,823|
||521,833|523,973|
|**Analysis by fund**|||
|Unrestricted funds|219,362|224,476|
|Restricted funds|302,471|299,497|
||521,833|523,973|
- 26 -
## **ACTION FOR REFUGEES IN LEWISHAM**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)**
## _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MAY 2025**_
## **9 Support costs allocated to activities**
|**Charitable**
**activities**
**2025**
**£**
Office and core costs
24,362
Insurance
666
Governance
3,232
28,260
**2025**
**Governance costs comprise:**
**£**
Legal and professional
1,500
Independent examiner fees
1,680
Bank and other charges
52
3,232|**Total**
**2024**
**£**
24,956
566
4,823|
|---|---|
||30,345|
||**2024**
**£**
3,200
1,620
3|
||4,823|
## **10 Trustees**
None of the trustees (or any persons connected with them) received reimbursement of travel expenses (2024: £20) from the charity during the year.
## **11 Employees**
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
|**Employment costs**
Wages and salaries
Social security costs
Other pension costs|**2025**
**Number**
16
**2025**
**£**
306,620
18,171
13,116
337,907|**2024**
**Number**
14|
|---|---|---|
|||**2024**
**£**
266,396
15,252
11,932|
|||293,580|
The Trustees consider that they, together with the Executive Director, are the key management of the charity in charge of directing, controlling, running and operating the charity on a day to day basis.
- 27 -
## **ACTION FOR REFUGEES IN LEWISHAM**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)**
## _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MAY 2025**_
## **11 Employees**
## **(Continued)**
|The number of employees whose annual remuneration was more than £60,000|||
|---|---|---|
|is as follows:|||
||**2025**|**2024**|
||**Number**|**Number**|
|£60,001 - £70,000|1|-|
|**Remuneration of key management personnel**|||
|The remuneration of key management personnel was as follows:|||
||**2025**|**2024**|
||**£**|**£**|
|Aggregate compensation|64,270|56,491|
## **12 Taxation**
The charity is exempt from taxation on its activities because all its income is applied for charitable purposes.
## **13 Tangible fixed assets**
|**Tangible fixed assets**||
|---|---|
||**Office**|
||**equipment**|
||**£**|
|**Cost**||
|At 1 June 2024|4,522|
|Additions|1,334|
|At 31 May 2025|5,856|
|**Depreciation and impairment**||
|At 1 June 2024|4,483|
|Depreciation charged in the year|348|
|At 31 May 2025|4,831|
|**Carrying amount**||
|At 31 May 2025|1,025|
|At 31 May 2024|39|
- 28 -
## **ACTION FOR REFUGEES IN LEWISHAM**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)**
## _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MAY 2025**_
|**14**
**Debtors**
**Amounts falling due within one year:**
Other debtors
Prepayments and accrued income
**15**
**Creditors: amounts falling due within one year**
**Notes**
Other taxation and social security
Deferred income
**16**
Other creditors
Accruals
**16**
**Deferred income**
Other deferred income
Deferred income is included in the financial statements as follows:
Deferred income is included within:
Current liabilities
Movements in the year:
Deferred income at 1 June 2024
Resources deferred in the year
Deferred income at 31 May 2025
**17**
**Retirement benefit schemes**
**Defined contribution schemes**
Charge to profit or loss in respect of defined contribution schemes|**2025**
**2024**
**£**
**£**
511
2,000
8,958
-
9,469
2,000
**2025**
**2024**
**£**
**£**
-
3,987
12,350
-
1,111
954
2,449
5,371
15,910
10,312
**2025**
**2024**
**£**
**£**
12,350
-
**2025**
**2024**
**£**
**£**
12,350
-
-
38,086
12,350
(38,086)
12,350
-
**2025**
**2024**
**£**
**£**
13,116
11,932|
|---|---|
- 29 -
## **ACTION FOR REFUGEES IN LEWISHAM**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)**
## _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MAY 2025**_
## **17 Retirement benefit schemes**
## **(Continued)**
The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charity in an independently administered fund.
## **18 Restricted funds**
The restricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants held on trust subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used.
||**At 1 June**|**Incoming**|**Resources**|**At 31 May**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||**2024**|**resources**|**expended**|**2025**|
||**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|
|Casework and Advocacy Service|-|88,668|(87,163)|1,505|
|Client Grants|2,547|4,493|(7,040)|-|
|Core Costs|-|72,425|(71,675)|750|
|Destitution Fund|2,280|11,295|(8,768)|4,807|
|Foodbank and Allotment of Refuge|-|24,051|(18,218)|5,833|
|Rainbow Club|3,613|76,000|(70,399)|9,214|
|Immigration Project with SLC|615|33,800|(34,415)|-|
|Coproduction across Projects and Members|||||
|Forums|-|18,860|(4,793)|14,067|
||9,055|329,592|(302,471)|36,176|
|**Previous year:**|**At 1 June**|**Incoming**|**Resources**|**At 31 May**|
||**2023**|**resources**|**expended**|**2024**|
||**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|
|Advice and Advocacy Service|153|87,120|(87,273)|-|
|Client Grants|912|7,710|(6,076)|2,546|
|Core Costs|15,438|76,541|(91,979)|-|
|Destitution Fund|-|7,123|(4,843)|2,280|
|Foodbank and Allotment of Refuge|3,661|25,975|(29,636)|-|
|Rainbow Club|12,031|19,929|(28,346)|3,614|
|Immigration Project with SLC|18|50,700|(50,103)|615|
|Summer Projects: Summer school and refugee|||||
|week|488|900|(1,388)|-|
||32,701|275,998|(299,644)|9,055|
- 30 -
## **ACTION FOR REFUGEES IN LEWISHAM**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MAY 2025**_
## **18 Restricted funds**
## **(Continued)**
Casework and Advocacy Service (formerly Advice and Advocacy Service): costs related to the provision of Advice,Advocacy and Casework
Client Grants: grants secured from Trusts or specific donations for the purpose of specific items for individual clients.
Core costs: general running costs of the organisation, including central staff, rent and rates, and general running costs of projects that are not covered by project specific funding.
Destitution Fund: destitution payments for food or emergency accomodation.
Foodbank and Allotment of Refuge: costs relating to the delivery of Food Bank, Art@home group and Allotment of Refuge.
Rainbow Club: Costs relating to the delivery of Rainbow Club Supplementary School.
Immigration Project: costs relating to the solicitor employed by Southwark Law Centre and related costs.
Co-production across Projects and Members Forums:
Monitoring and Evaluation: costs related to monitoring and evaluation of projects.
Summer projects: Summer school educational activities.
## **19 Unrestricted funds**
The unrestricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants which are not subject to specific conditions by donors and grantors as to how they may be used. These include designated funds which have been set aside out of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes.
||**At 1 June**|**Incoming**|**Resources**|**Transfers**|**At 31 May**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**2024**|**resources**|**expended**||**2025**|
||**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|
|Lewisham Asylum Support||||||
|Contract|-|-|-|25,415|25,415|
|General funds|118,936|243,425|(219,482)|(25,415)|117,464|
||118,936|243,425|(219,482)|-|142,879|
|**Previous year:**|**At 1 June**|**Incoming**|**Resources**|**Transfers**|**At 31 May**|
||**2023**|**resources**|**expended**||**2024**|
||**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|
|General funds|136,381|207,121|(224,566)|-|118,936|
- 31 -
## **ACTION FOR REFUGEES IN LEWISHAM**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)**
## _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MAY 2025**_
## **20 Analysis of net assets between funds**
|**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**funds**
**2025**
**2025**
**£**
**£**
**At 31 May 2025:**
Tangible assets
-
1,025
Current assets/(liabilities)
142,880
35,150
142,880
36,175
**_Per balance sheet_**
142,879
36,176
**_Balance to allocate_**
(1)
1
**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**funds**
**2024**
**2024**
**£**
**£**
**At 31 May 2024:**
Tangible assets
39
-
Current assets/(liabilities)
118,897
9,055
118,936
9,055|**Total**
**2025**
**£**
1,025
178,030|
|---|---|
||179,055|
||179,055
-
**Total**
**2024**
**£**
39
127,952|
||127,991|
## **21 Related party transactions**
There were no disclosable related party transactions during the year (2024 - none). Two trustees accessed the charity's Service provision in line with the criteria for these projects.
## **22 Cash generated from/(absorbed by) operations**
|**Cash generated from/(absorbed by) operations**
Surplus/(deficit) for the year
**Adjustments for:**
Investment income recognised in statement of financial activities
Depreciation and impairment of tangible fixed assets
**Movements in working capital:**
(Increase) in debtors
(Decrease)/increase in creditors
Increase/(decrease) in deferred income
**Cash generated from/(absorbed by) operations**|**2025**
**£**
51,064
(1,151)
348
(7,469)
(6,752)
12,350
48,390|**2024**
**£**
(41,091)
(1,259)
1,463
(1,078)
8,738
(38,086)|
|---|---|---|
|||(71,313)|
The charity had no material debt during the year.
**23 Analysis of changes in net funds**
- 32 -