## BEACON (Bradford Ecumenical Asylum Concern)
Charity number 1119463
## Annual Report and Financial Statements
for the year ended 30 September 2025
BEACON (Bradford Ecumenical Asylum Concern)
Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 30 September 2025
|**Contents**|**Page**|
|---|---|
|Trustees' report|2 to 5|
|Examiner's report|6|
|Receipts and payments account|7|
|Statement of assets and liabilities|8|
|Notes to the accounts|9 to 11|
**Prepared by West Yorkshire Community Accountancy Service CIO**
1
## BEACON (Bradford Ecumenical Asylum Concern)
## Trustees' report for the year ended 30 September 2025
## **Reference and administrative details of the charity, its trustees and advisors**
The trustees during the financial year and up to and including the date the report was approved were: **Name Position** Mary Brooks Chair Heather Grinter Vice Chair Martin Lewis Treasurer Sarah Jemison William Sutcliffe Edward Sterling Lisa Ceesay Karen Thornton **Charity number** 1119463 Registered in England and Wales **Registered and principal address Bankers** c/o Touchstone Unity Trust Bank plc 4 Easby Road Nine Brindleyplace Bradford Birmingham BD7 1QX B1 2HB **Independent examiner** Alan Dodd FCCA **West Yorkshire Community Accountancy Service CIO** Stringer House 34 Lupton Street Leeds LS10 2QW
## **Structure, governance and management**
The charity is governed by a constitution adopted on 14 November 2006 as amended on 8 October 2019 and 28 January 2020.
## **Method of recruitment and appointment of trustees**
The trustees of the charity are appointed by the members at the AGM.
2
BEACON (Bradford Ecumenical Asylum Concern)
## Trustees' report (continued) for the year ended 30 September 2025
## **Objectives and activities**
## **The charity's objects**
The relief of hardship among those seeking asylum in the UK or who are refugees who reside in the Bradford Metropolitan District and surrounding areas.
To advance the education of the public in general about the issues relating to refugees and those seeking asylum.
## **The charity's main activities**
All of BEACON’s activities are underpinned by our vision that the Bradford district becomes a hospitable community where people seeking asylum and refugees are welcome, enjoy access to justice and fair treatment and are supported on their journey to independence and integration. We have enacted this primarily through our McKenzie Friends and CHAT.
McKenzie Friends support people seeking asylum through the legal system towards gaining sanctuary and refugee status; volunteers provide legal support and advocacy to navigate the complexities of the asylum system, including facilitating access to legal advice and accompanying unrepresented asylum seekers to appeal hearings.
CHAT hold weekly English conversation classes and activities group open to non-English speakers in the local community, for all abilities. The group provides a friendly and welcoming environment in which to improve English, form social connections, enhance wellbeing and enjoy a variety of additional activities from gardening, to theatre trips and cooking classes.
## **Public benefit statement**
In setting our objectives and planning our activities our trustees have given serious consideration to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit. In line with our charitable purposes:
1) Our work has been successful in relieving hardship among those seeking asylum and refugees who reside in the Bradford Metropolitan District and surrounding areas. Our two projects (McKenzie Friends, and CHAT) are dependent on a wide range of committed volunteers who enable us to deliver a high quality service. We have continued to recruit and train new volunteers thus increasing our capacity to support more people seeking asylum as they deal with the many challenges they face. This includes providing information, signposting, and support to access legal advice (McKenzie Friends), and the opportunity to improve English language skills, take part in volunteering activities and establish social networks leading to a reduction in isolation increased well-being and empowerment among those seeking asylum. (CHAT project).
In addition to the benefits to the people we have supported and the associated benefits gained by our volunteers, our work has a wider public benefit in enhancing social cohesion and opportunities for integration for people seeking asylum. Thus reducing the strain on other community services which are not as well placed to meet the unique needs of people seeking asylum.
2) We have furthered our objective to advance the education of the public in general about the issues relating to refugees and people seeking asylum.
We have continued to build strong relationships with partner organisations for the benefit of people seeking asylum in Bradford. We have been a regular attendee at ‘Your Space’ – a weekly multi-agency drop-in service that offers advice and information for people seeking sanctuary. We have also continued to work closely with partner organisations, in particular 'Bradford Community - Learning Together'- a monthly programme of networking, training and information open to all staff and volunteers in the sector in Bradford. We have also maintained our positive relationship with Inclusive Volunteering Bradford and District, who have been able to support some of our service users into volunteering positions. Our annual sponsored walk during Refugee Week and presence at various local events, including the Saltaire Peace and Crafts Fair provide opportunities to increase information amongst the public.
3
## BEACON (Bradford Ecumenical Asylum Concern)
## Trustees' report (continued) for the year ended 30 September 2025
## **Public benefit statement (continued)**
The public benefit arising from these activities is the increase in information given to the public which in turn enhances support for, and consideration of, the difficulties faced by the individuals we support, thus facilitating people to play a role in society as informed citizens, who are aware of humanitarian concerns affecting people seeking asylum.
The charity trustees have considered the major risks to which the charity is exposed and have a plan to manage identified risks.
## **Achievements and performance**
We are pleased to report that our achievements this year have continued to have significant impact on the lives of the people using our services, and on the asylum sector in Bradford. The services and support we have provided were thanks to hard work of our small staff team (Team Leader, CHAT Coordinator, McKenzie Friends Coordinator and Admin & Finance Officer) and our fantastic team of volunteers.
CHAT has become a well-established community conversation class that has been attended by 115 people from 29 different nations in the past twelve months. The growth in numbers attending our weekly sessions meant that we had outgrown the space available in our Touchstone offices so we successfully relocated our classes to the Global Café which is run by the Sherbourne Church Trust. Over the past year the class has also welcomed visitors from various groups aimed at helping them settle in to and understand life in the UK, in addition to which participants in the class have been provided with opportunities to explore the local community and to visit places that they may not have had chance to go to otherwise: for example they enjoyed a day out at Saltaire Village enjoying the village and the canal.
In the past twelve months our McKenzie Friends project has supported 73 people seeking asylum, and our McKenzie Friends volunteers are currently working with 46 of those people. Our clients have come from 28 different countries with the most coming from Pakistan, Nigeria, Iraq and Afghanistan. McKenzie Friends have had many positive outcomes over the past year - 10 people seeking asylum that we supported have been given Leave to Remain in the UK; we have helped find solicitors for 11 of our clients, three of whom have now lodged their further submissions; 12 clients have been supported to make an appeal so helping them access justice and stay in their accommodation.
## **Financial review**
The net receipts for the year were £9,708, including net receipts of £15,082 on unrestricted funds and net payments of £5,374 on restricted funds after transfers.
## **Reserves policy**
The charity's free reserves, at the year end were £67,731.
BEACON depends on grants and donations to sustain its activities. We run the risk of closure if funding difficulties were to happen, if there were a temporary shortfall in income, or an unforeseen rise in spending requirements and costs.
To prevent immediate closure in these instances, the trustees have agreed to keep a certain level of financial reserves to ensure that main operations can continue until alternative provision can be made.
The main concerns are to ensure:
- that service users are supported to move on to other services in a timely and sympathetic manner;
- an ability to develop new projects and grasp new opportunities should they arise;
- that staff can continue working to develop another funding stream to continue the work of BEACON;
- that staff will be provided with redundancy payments where applicable.
4
## BEACON (Bradford Ecumenical Asylum Concern)
## Trustees' report (continued) for the year ended 30 September 2025
## **Reserves policy (continued)**
BEACON’s reserves comprise restricted reserves – the amount of unspent restricted grants received – and free reserves – the amount of unrestricted funds available. The ideal amount of reserves has been set as the full amount of restricted reserves plus an amount equivalent to between 6 and 12 months of unrestricted running costs, as this is deemed an appropriate period of time to achieve the above Aims. Of the available free reserves, the Trustees may agree to use an amount equivalent to between 2 and 4 months to support the development of new projects.
Anticipated expenditure is kept under constant review throughout the year and cash flow projections are amended to reflect any changes. Target reserve levels are adjusted accordingly.
Approved by the board of trustees on …………..……...…….
Signed: ………………..…………. (Trustee) Name: ……………..…..………….
5
## BEACON (Bradford Ecumenical Asylum Concern)
## Independent examiner's report to the trustees of BEACON (Bradford
## Ecumenical Asylum Concern)
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the charity for the year ended 30 September 2025, which are set out on pages 7 to 11.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity trustees 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 charity's accounts as carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act. In carrying out my examination I have followed all the 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 charity as required by section 130 of the Charities Act; 2 the accounts do not accord with those records.
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.
Signed: …………………………………… Name: Alan Dodd FCCA
Date: …………………….
## **West Yorkshire Community Accountancy Service CIO**
Stringer House 34 Lupton Street Leeds LS10 2QW
6
## BEACON (Bradford Ecumenical Asylum Concern)
## Receipts and payments account for the year ended 30 September 2025
|Notes
2025
Unrestricted
funds
£
**Receipts**
Grants
(2)
56,000
Donations:
Faith Groups
3,037
Individuals
6,573
Gift aid
1,956
Fundraising
914
Other income
275
Bank interest
1,256
**Total receipts**
70,011
**Payments**
Salaries NI and pensions
32,617
Payroll charges
671
Rent
6,570
Insurance
893
Office costs
856
Publicity and fundraising
3,787
Training
227
Subscriptions
613
Project costs
6,123
IT costs
743
Volunteer expenses
76
Other expenses
183
Governance costs
1,228
Independent examination
792
**Total payments**
55,379
**Net receipts / (payments)**
14,632
**Transfers between funds**
450
**Net movement in funds**
15,082
**Fund balances brought forward**
52,649
**Fund balances carried forward**
(3)
67,731|2025
Restricted
funds
£
12,100
-
-
-
-
-
-
12,100
14,353
176
-
102
58
-
231
280
1,754
-
62
8
-
-
17,024
(4,924)
(450)
(5,374)
17,474
12,100|2025
Total
funds
£
68,100
3,037
6,573
1,956
914
275
1,256
82,111
46,970
847
6,570
995
914
3,787
458
893
7,877
743
138
191
1,228
792
72,403
9,708
-
9,708
70,123
79,831|2024
Total
funds
£
71,400
3,458
8,093
249
50
226
855
84,331
43,598
732
6,690
600
1,186
2,275
331
646
5,354
544
232
115
704
726
63,733
20,598
-
20,598
49,525
70,123|
|---|---|---|---|
7
## BEACON (Bradford Ecumenical Asylum Concern)
## Statement of assets and liabilities
|as at 30 September 2025
2025
Unrestricted
£
**Cash funds**
Cash at bank
62,599
Cash at bank - Bradford CPA
5,112
Cash in hand
20
**Total cash funds**
67,731
**Debtors and prepayments**
Prepayments
**Liabilities**
Accruals|2025
Restricted
£
12,100
-
-
12,100|2025
Total
£
74,699
5,112
20
79,831
2025
£
670
670
2025
£
924
924|2024
Total
£
63,121
6,982
20
70,123|
|---|---|---|---|
The financial statements were approved by the board of trustees on …………..……...…….
Signed: ……………...………….…. (Trustee)
Name: ……………..…..………….
8
## BEACON (Bradford Ecumenical Asylum Concern)
## Notes to the accounts
for the year ended 30 September 2025
## **1 Accounting policies**
## **Basis of accounting**
The trustees have taken advantage of section 133 of the Charities Act 2011 and have prepared the accounts on a receipts and payments basis.
There has been no change to the accounting policies since last year.
No changes have been made to the accounts for previous years.
## **Taxation**
As a charity the organisation benefits from rates relief and is generally exempt from income tax and capital gains tax but not from VAT. Irrecoverable VAT is included in the cost of those items to which it relates.
## **Fund accounting**
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity.
Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure imposed by the donor or through the terms of an appeal.
Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the accounts.
9
## BEACON (Bradford Ecumenical Asylum Concern)
## Notes to the accounts continued
## for the year ended 30 September 2025
|**2 Grants and donations**
Benefact Trust
No Accommodation Network (NACCOM)
Postcode Neighbourhood Trust
The Brelms Trust CIO
The Garfield Weston Foundation
The Leigh Trust
The Lyndal Tree Foundation
The Methodist Church Yorkshire West District
Bradford Diocesan Council for Social Aid (BDCSA)
Lush Limited
National Lottery Community Fund (NLCF)
The Allen Lane Foundation
The Charles & Elsie Sykes Trust
The Scurrah Wainwright Charity
The Wharfedale Foundation
Other grants
**3 Restricted funds**
Balance b/f
£
Charles & Elsie Sykes Trust
757
NLCF - CHAT and MF
11,763
BDCSA
513
Scurrah Wainwright
3,543
Lush Retail Limited
898
Benefact Trust
-
NACCOM
-
17,474|2025
Unrestricted
funds
£
-
-
25,000
5,000
10,000
3,000
3,000
10,000
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
56,000
Incoming
£
-
-
-
-
-
11,000
1,100
12,100|2025
Restricted
funds
£
11,000
1,100
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
12,100
Outgoing
£
757
11,763
513
3,093
898
-
-
17,024|2025
Total
funds
£
11,000
1,100
25,000
5,000
10,000
3,000
3,000
10,000
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
68,100
Transfers
£
-
-
-
(450)
-
-
-
(450)|2024
Total
funds
£
-
-
-
5,000
-
-
3,000
20,000
3,000
1,000
19,900
4,000
3,000
5,000
2,500
5,000
71,400
Balance c/f
£
-
-
-
-
-
11,000
1,100
12,100|
|---|---|---|---|---|
## **Fund name**
Charles & Elsie Sykes Trust NLCF - CHAT and MF
## BDCSA
Scurrah Wainwright
Lush Retail Limited Benefact Trust NACCOM
## **Purpose of restriction**
To support the purchase of bus passes for people in the asylum process. To support the salary costs of the CHAT and Mackenzie Friends coordinators. To support legal and advice and friendship costs for the Mackenzie Friends project.
To support volunteer recruitment activities. The transfer is for a contribution towards management and overhead costs.
To support the Mackenzie Friends project. For a new legal support project.
To support staff and volunteer wellbeing.
10
## BEACON (Bradford Ecumenical Asylum Concern)
Notes to the accounts continued
for the year ended 30 September 2025
## **4 Related party transactions**
## **Trustee expenses**
During the year no trustees were paid travel expenses (previous year: 1 trustee and £119).
## **Trustee remuneration and benefits**
No trustee received any remuneration or benefit during this or the previous year.
11