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← African Refugee Community

2023-03-31-accounts

African refugee community

TRUSTEE’S REPORT 2022-2023

African Refugee Community welcomes African Asylum Seekers, Refugees and Migrants living in Barnet in particular and in London in general. We are a local charity based in Barnet London to provide a wide range of interventions for African asylum, refugees and migrants.

African Refugee Community is a self-help organisation of those who themselves went through immigration process. Therefore, they understand the struggle that face asylum seekers, migrants and refugees.

• Our principal objective continues to be the advancement and self-empowerment, promotion of education, training and volunteering opportunities as well as reducing isolation through the provision of advocacy, case working, wellbeing, social and cultural activities in Barnet and surrounding areas.

• African Refugee Community was registered by the charity Commission in 2007. This annual report gives a flavour of what African Refugee Community has achieved. It is a snapshot of the range of services we provide, but, most importantly, it gives the people we work for and with the opportunity to contribute by telling their stories of hope.

• As our services to the community increased so did the number of beneficiaries and the staff capacity.

• Throughout the year 2022-2023 we have run successful projects on: General information related to integration and living in a new culture, advocacy, advice, case management and support, Mental health, wellbeing, food bank, meals on the wheels, hate crime, keep fit, employment, education, parenting, cooking healthy eating, language and IT support, referrals to other agencies and visit to seaside and other places in London.

We have provided individual as well as group support to families.

• All the trustees take this opportunity to thank all our funders, big or small, which helped us make a difference and allow us to extend our gratitude to all our staff, the volunteers, partners and service users for being part of this journey with us.

• Most of all, I would personally like to thank the amazing asylum seekers and refugees who take that first brave step on the bumpy road to safety , and worked through our doors so that we could guide and support them.

Their stories are of resilience, overcoming huge challenges, but they keep going when they are exhausted and together we have achieved positive outcomes that are right for them.

• The following summary highlights the activities we did throughout the year 2022/2023. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions by emailing africanrefugeecommunity@acrc.org.uk

It is our commitment, our past experiences that set us apart.

I. OBJECTIVES

African Refugee Community charitable objects are:

  1. The prevention and/or relief of poverty by the provision of advice and assistance to refugees, asylum seekers, migrants and their dependents particularly by the provision of education and training with a view to facilitating their social integration and contribution to the host country which improve their living conditions and quality of life.

  2. The advancement of education by the provision of training and advisory services; workshops and learning circles

  3. The relief of those in need because of their youth, age, ill health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage, or persons in similar situations who need charitable support; and

  4. The promotion of human rights particularly by the support of those suffering from human rights abuses and/or issues of injustice perpetrated by individuals, groups or governments on the grounds of race, religion, colour, sexual orientation, disability, or other condition.

Our Services

We run weekly service user-led activities and all are free of charge to our beneficiaries. Service users can access any of our weekly activities we offer “under one roof” and they can access the support as long as they wish.

Drop in sessions

• Every Wednesday and Friday from 10:00 to 17:00 held at our office, we provide a wide range of services to meet the needs of the communities we serve from translation and interpreting services to general information, advice and guidance, arranging GPs and hospitals’ appointments and help explaining contents of related correspondences, benefit checks, housing issues, grants, filling forms, destitution support as well as referring or signposting to specialist.

225 individual beneficiaries and families attended our holistic services during 2022-2023.

8 volunteers supported sessions throughout the year. These volunteers supported African Refugee Community through administrative tasks, translation and interpretation services. Under the direct supervision of our Programme Manager they also provided information and advice on different issues including making phone calls on behalf of our service users.

Feedback from a service user with no recourse to public funds, 47 Mrs Samantha said: “One of the reasons I came through African Refugee Community’s doors was to seek help with my “no recourse to public fund” issues. I’m delighted on the range of support I have received. Basically, I felt like they gave me a second chance as most of the organisation I was going could not offer me a holistic support. The good thing here Front line staff have a similar experiences and background. They could relate. I decided to volunteer with the wellbeing programme to support other women.

Our commitment sets us apart- This may seem a common statement but African Refugee Community is run by staff, volunteers and trustees who care deeply about the people and the community we serve as we share the same life experience. The passion, energy and drive African Refugee Community’s management team coming together to address something they care about because they have been through similar life experience and that spurs them to action.

Activities covered:

Outsourced Legal Advice Clinic We hold a weekly clinic supported by qualified immigration advisors to provide free initial advice on immigration and asylum law. The Legal advice clinic offers assistance and expert advice for any enquiry they may have.

Service users benefit from impartial advice and information or help with an immigration application, appeal or extension.

Type of support provided in relation to Immigration

Emotional and Wellbeing support

• Providing one to one and group support activities to reduce isolation, improve social network and empowerment: Activities include fitness and wellbeing activities covering different aptitudes and interests and peer support.

• Befriending services: this is an informal befriending support offering companionship. The role can also include advocacy and support for clients including by accompanying them to appointments. • Counselling services outsourced by a qualified counsellor to provide specialist counselling and therapeutic support to asylum seekers, refugees and victims of witchcrafts accusations, women survivors of FGM and breast ironing practices alongside women who have been affected by the trauma of domestic abuse and/or sexual violence. Beneficiaries can access as many sessions offered as needed until when they feel that they have come to their natural therapeutic close. 88% of

participants reported improved emotional wellbeing, less isolated with increased fitness as result of attending these activities. Training and Education

• We provide free English conversation and ICT club for adults in the community. Our conversation club coupled with the wellbeing group is a place for asylum seekers and refugees, particularly women survivors to meet other women who can empathise with their situations, providing peer support and enduring friendships. There is no pressure to discuss personal circumstances but participants report that they find strength and comfort through the group support is as valuable. 65 adults enrolled in our English conversation and ICT club with 5 drop out. 82% reported increased confidence, improved English language and ICT skills.

• Weekly support to adults who are planning to further their education and prepare their GCSEs and promote personal development. 10 adults helped with their GCSE needs. Attending these counselling sessions open my eyes to see the light at the end of the tunnel of my life. Gracia.

• Maths and English supported classes for young people primary and high schools within our afterschool club and Homework club. 55 young people helped from Y1 to Y11. African forum and the Golden Age Project (G.A.P)

• The activities support older people from African Francophone, Lusophone and Portuguese background. The main aim is to reduce their isolation and ensure that they are socially connected with increased access to help and support, improved physical and emotional wellbeing providing them with opportunity to learn new skills, keep active with befriending opportunities.

• Monthly café to discuss and challenge harmful traditional practices such as FGM, Breast Ironing and witchcraft branding as well as dementia awareness session.

• Arts for wellbeing: These sessions provided opportunities for self-expression, creativity, inspiration, exploration of ideas and provided a sense of accomplishment Volunteering and Placements Warm Hut UK puts volunteering at the heart of our work. Volunteers help us in a wide range of activities from helping newly arrived asylum seekers and refugees to settle down in their new communities. They are well embedded in all our activities and bring a great wealth of experience. Volunteering here gave me so much confidence Nenette N I’m grateful that you helped me improve my career’s opportunities and this is a stepping stone for my aim to further my education at University’s level. 8 Volunteering in return increase their skills and knowledge, improve personal well-being and employment prospects whilst helping support the community we work with. We also regularly offer work placements hours to local students undertaking a degree. Public Benefit The Charities Act 2011 requires charities to demonstrate that their work is of direct benefit to the public. When planning Warm Hut UK’s activities each year, the Trustees take due regard of the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit. The main beneficiaries of our work are asylum seekers, refugees and migrant workers. These people benefit directly from our information, advice and related community projects. All our services are free of charge as they are funded and benefit many who are disadvantaged, poor or destitute. We provide free, confidential and nonjudgemental support services to French, Lingala and Portuguese speaking communities in Barnet and London in general.

Our community projects empower our beneficiaries by enhancing their skills, their knowledge, and their self-confidence. In everything we do we seek to empower our beneficiaries and build their skills, confidence and self-esteem. Therefore, the Trustees confirm that they have complied with their duties as per guidance on public benefit published by the Charity Commission. Some stories behind the statistics: The trustees felt it was important to have a record of what the charity has achieved, but also (We don’t do enough of this) to show the difference we are making. We are proud of our record of delivering top-quality services in Salford and beyond. We are proud of how we involve our service users. We are proud of our unique, innovative approach. And we are proud that we have not only sustained services during the challenges of the Covid pandemic, but have continued to thrive and grow.

Information and Advice Case study: Afiam, 46, is originally from DRC and moved to the UK in 2019 and could not speak English. She has moved to Barnet to join her husband Lola. Her leave to remains’ visa limited her access to benefit- No Recourse to Public Fund and her husband prevented her from working nor to go to the college to learn English. Thus, Afiam has no friends and little experience of going out alone in Salford as result of her husband’s controlling behaviour. She did not have access to her passport nor her N.I. Her husband told her that as his wife she was unable to be “legal” in UK independent of him. Then the pandemic came and the 9 man lost his job as a security man in the hospitality sector. He became violent and abusive leaving Afiam vulnerable. Lola managed to secure a loan using Afiam’s details without her consent. When she founds out she confronted him. She was severely beaten by her husband who left her bleeding on the floor telling her not to be in the house when he returned. She managed to escape to their pastor’s house and the pastor’s wife called the police. The police took a statement and the Police Domestic Violence Officer came around to speak to her in the house the next day and offered to take her to the hospital due to the injuries she had sustained. Next day when the police returned to offer additional support she decided to withdraw her statement, didn’t go to the hospital, refused the offer to contact Salford Women’s Aid on her behalf to get a refuge space and said she wanted to stay in the house with the pastor’s family. Her leave to remain was expiring and without benefit it became difficult for her to manage and developed depression with attempted suicide. During our mental health outreach programme Afiam left us a messenger message to contact her as a matter of urgency. The wellbeing team contacted Afiam and offered tailored support on weekly basis at Warm Hut UK through counselling, one to one session alongside group activities. With the support of her case worker who has lived experience of domestic violence and s he did access the legal advice clinic, had the opportunity to talk with other women, weekly attending our English class she has greatly improved her English and decided to volunteer with our short break project. She has gained valuable work experience and employability skills. In November 2022 she received the news that her immigration status has been granted- Indefinite Leave to Remain and she is working now with our careers coach for further advice about her employment. She managed to get a Level 2 food and hygiene certificate and we have secured a placement for her to gain work experience with La Buka - African Restaurant to enable her set up her own catering business. We connected Afiam with another African restaurant -ChopnGo- to further improve her English, build networks and continue to develop her employability skills. Afiam’s confidence has greatly improved and she no longer needs a translator. Afiam said: “I had found a warm, welcoming team of skilled people, passionate about helping anyone who arrived at their door. You empowered me and gave me back my selfesteem and confidence. Thanks a million. I can’t believe so much has happened to me in just 2 years.

From depression with suicidal thoughts to meeting new friends and build on my English. Being with people with similar life experience and having support from people with similar lived experience gave me the confidence to look at opportunities and try new experiences.” This is the kind of empowerment story and progress report that we aim to replicate for everyone that walks through our doors. This kind of feedback speaks for itself. Thus, people we support often return to attend further projects, keeping in touch with new friendship groups and actively supporting Warm Hut UK through volunteering. Homework Club and Youth activities: The young people we work with are disadvantaged with limited English language. They are vulnerable and easy target of predators and they might end up dropping school and on streets as result. 10 Our support increases the opportunity for these young people to take charge of their own learning journey and the project is specifically designed to inspire young people, provide a new challenge and help them learn something new about themselves so they can build their confidence to succeed, improving their opportunity to widen the career horizons with increased life chances, shaping their lives and future. I’m coming to Homework Club because it has helped my maths and spelli ng because I used to struggle a lot, especially with the spelling. (Abdullah). Mariama The Moseka Project is one of our youth programme focusing on increasing young girls understanding about healthy, unhealthy, and toxic relationships and give young girls and young women the knowledge and confidence to keep themselves and their friends safe. 33 young girls and women aged 14-21 were supported with a wide range of issues and mental health was the main concern including cyberbullying and body image. Rebacca, 17, said : “ I have a friend (Kankou) I care so much about her and I believe she is in an abusive relationship but whenever I raised the issues with her Homework club is our Youth club and it keeps us off the streets in a safe and friendly environment while we do receive extra curriculum support to make us much better in school and in life. 11 she gets upset as she does not think she is. I feel like there is nothing I could do about it until the day I attended the “learning from someone’s else experience” learning circle and it opened my eyes on how to start the conversation that saved my friend’s life. Kankou’s feedback reads: “ I wish I knew the Moseka Project a year ago and all the support available to me, I’d have not got myself involved in that relationship but I have learned and I’m a better person now”. Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing Support Evidence show that asylum seekers and refugees have higher than average mental health issues due to a wide range of trauma experience. Our service users may have diagnosed or undiagnosed mental health issues. However, mental health is a taboo with stigma. Our mental health programme raises awareness with additional support to enable service users to seek help and take control of their mental health needs to ensure they are met. A wide range of activities were delivered: From keep fit, walking, drama and arts singing together and more. These activities enable beneficiaries to engage in discussions about their wider wellbeing needs and levels of mental wellbeing. Alongside the main activity, volunteers and staff were able to support beneficiaries with other issues, signpost to other services and activities, support them to develop friendships with other group members and develop their confidence. A range of 1-1 support and practical help and health advocacy were also provided.

Case study Mbuyi, 67, lost her husband of 50 years to COID-19 and she had developed a severe form of depression. Covid-19 and the lockdown made things worse as she felt she was going to die and nobody would know because she lives alone. She came to African Refugee Community to access the food club with no intention of staying for other activities. She did not want to mix with other people

due to her depression with early sign of dementia and people would often accuse her of witchcraft as she used to be forgetful but she did not know anything about dementia. Mbuyi with her depression was also showing early sign of dementia but denial of her situation was hampering recovery. Mbuyi had support with our befriending team then started to attend the GAP Programme and made new friends with some of the other group members. She co-designed the craft and recycling group that they run themselves. They meet every Thursday from 11-2pm and after the crafts session they all go for coffee at a local café. They even meet at each other’s houses, take food and have lunch together. Community Safety and Hate Crime These activities were designed to give beneficiaries an understanding of how to keep themselves safe from crime, and when issues arise, how to interact with each of the agencies and gain confidence in speaking to their local police and firefighters. Participants took part in role play exercises on a number of subjects including how to report a crime, reinforcing what they need to remember if they witness a crime and how to call emergency services. It is great to be out of the lockdown and meet new people. Social isolation made my depression worst and I did not about dementia until I got here. Thanks for all the support. 13 Volunteering programme Designing a range of interventions which support refugees in their paths to the labour market and employment is very challenging, given the range of barriers they face. Through this programme, refugees access a tailored programme that help them to gain work experience. We help them develop both soft skills – confidence, self-esteem, motivation to work – and hard skills – office skills, IT capability, updated job-specific skills – in order to make a successful transition into the labour market. At the same time, support, advice and mentoring are provided. 62 volunteers were recruited for all our projects and the project succeeded in assisting 78% of beneficiaries into paid work and 90% felt, as a result of participating in the programme, they were now more confident about finding paid employment. This is one of the main services we provide at Warm Hut UK and a successful way in supporting long-term unemployed people into work and beneficiaries report that the programme is clearly effective in supporting individuals some distance from the labour market. Of those participated in this programme and who found paid work following participation in the project, 90% had been out of work for over 12 months. Beneficiaries were surveyed three times through the lifetime of the project and they reported seeing improvements of between 66% and 75% in ‘skills and experience, completing job applications and confidence in attending interviews. They linked these improvements directly to their involvement in the Volunteering programme, with between 14 two-thirds and four-fifths reporting the project had made some difference on ‘motivation to find work’, ‘confidence in holding down a job’, ‘skills and experience to find a job’, ‘completing job applications’, and ‘confidence in attending interviews’. We are proud to have been able to support our community over 13 years since embarking on this ambitious task of supporting asylum seekers and refugees. The vital support pays off and we are beginning to see small changes as result of our support. Below some of the distance beneficiaries travelled with us and we are happy to have been a small part of this journey with them. Ms Bassagal came to us with little English language, from Togo. She attended our FGM programme, enrolled to our English class. She wanted to be a teacher and helped with our Adult learning programme. She sets up the homework club programme and the conversation club for adults. These provided her with experience and she progressed to college and empowered to further her studies at university level and we are so proud to celebrate her graduation with Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE). We are proud to celebrate her graduation as a teacher.

The Food Club With the support of local authorities and other donors from the community (OJ Solutions) including Afro shops to secure donations and food at reduced costs to ensure food is diverted from waste we were able to supply fresh and ambient food to those who need it most in the community. The role of the food club is often misunderstood and you may not realise the scope of its impact. When we started the Food Club in 2019 it was mainly for destitute asylum seekers but this FYE 2022 the demand of the food has increased sixfold and we found out that 80% of new people accessing our food club due to benefits cuts and job loss. All the people that accessed our food club reported significant financial hardship. The financial hardship is often exacerbated by universal credit system. Our food club is also a social opportunity where people learn skills, get additional support and access training- recycling, reuse of food and awareness of environmental issues. Feedback received from participants indicated that the club is so supportive and nonjudgemental with opportunity to receive ethnic food.

Our service users from:

Funding received:

Organisational Challenges

Raised issues in need of more support / work:

Case study

Edmond recalled being slightly nervous and a little bit embarrassed to come to the food club and said: “ I was a bit embarrassed as a man to come and beg for food, but as soon as I woke in all my worries disappeared. I was impressed and surprised that staff neither volunteers did not judge me and I did not feel like a beggar as they all put me at ease. With a friendly face they made me understand that there are a lot more people out there, like myself, who are struggling to make ends meet as well.’ They treat me like a human being. I recall a bad experience I had with job centre where they only consider you as a name and number and staff will tell you rudely: “Well, you should work. You shouldn’t be on benefits.” But at the food club here it’s a lot better, a lot more human, where before it’s like more pen and paper, everything’s got to be done by the computer. You are making a difference and a lot better. Should we also tell you about how we supported service users access Household support Fund? Oh yes, we did. We supported vulnerable service users struggling to cover the costs of food, energy and water bills and some of them have even received a one-off payment for other essentials over winter.

Report prepared by:

Bitenge Makuka

Trustee

06.10.2023

Charity Registration No. 1120861 (England and Wales)

AFRICAN REFUGEE COMMUNITY (ARC) ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

AFRICAN REFUGEE COMMUNITY (ARC) ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS CONTENTS

Page
Charity information 3
Trustees' report 4
Accountants' report 6
Statement of income and retained earnings 7
Statement of financial position 8
Notes to the accounts 9
Detailed profit and loss account 11

AFRICAN REFUGEE COMMUNITY (ARC) CHARITY INFORMATION FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Trustees Bitenge Makuka Ma Mbombo Lukubika Mazuba Makwim Charity Number 1120861 (England and Wales) Registered Office Friary House, Friary Park Friern Barnet Lane London N20 0NR United Kingdom Accountants Accountae Ltd Union House 111 New Union Street Coventry CV1 2NT

AFRICAN REFUGEE COMMUNITY (ARC) ( CHARITY NO: 1120861 ENGLAND AND WALES) TRUSTEES' REPORT

The Trustees present their report and accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023.

Principal activity

What we offer

? Advocacy and Case Management

Referrals and signposting to partner agencies such as: GP surgeries, medical health centres, solicitors, social services, job centre, hospitals, housing including other refugee organisations

? Advice and information

Education, immigration, health, employment agencies, training, housing, welfare benefit, individual and family grant

Healthy eating, obesity, well being, tackling youth violence, domestic violence, completion of CV, job Interview techniques, IT, basic English classes, cultural barriers and parenting skills

Trustees

The following Trustees held office during the whole of the period:

Bitenge Makuka Ma Mbombo Lukubika Mazuba Makwim

Charitable and Political donations

No poliical donations were made or received during the financial year

Statement of Trustees' responsibilities

The Trustees are responsible for preparing the report and accounts in accordance with applicable law and regulations.

Charity law requires the Trustees to prepare accounts for each financial year. Under that law, the Trustees have elected to prepare the accounts in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law). Under Charity law the Trustees must not approve the accounts unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Charity and of the profit or loss of the Charity for that period. In preparing these accounts, the Trustees are required to:

The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the Charity's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Charity and enable them to ensure that the accounts comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Small Company provisions

This report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions relating to small companies within Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006.

Signed on behalf of the board of Trustees

............................................................................

Bitenge Makuka Ma Trustee

Approved by the board on: 6 October 2023

AFRICAN REFUGEE COMMUNITY (ARC) ACCOUNTANTS' REPORT

Accountants' report to the board of Trustees of African Refugee Community (ARC) on the preparation of the statutory accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023

In order to assist you to fulfil your duties under the Companies Act 2006, we have prepared for your approval the accounts of African Refugee Community (ARC) for the year ended 31 March 2023 as set out on pages 7 - 10 from the Charity's accounting records and from information and explanations you have given us.

This report is made solely to the Board of Trustees of African Refugee Community (ARC), as a body, in accordance with the terms of our engagement letter dated 17 October 2021. Our work has been undertaken solely to prepare for your approval the accounts of African Refugee Community (ARC) and state those matters that we have agreed to state to them, as a body, in this report. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than African Refugee Community (ARC) and its Board of Trustees as a body for our work or for this report.

It is your duty to ensure that African Refugee Community (ARC) has kept adequate accounting records and to prepare statutory accounts that give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and profit of African Refugee Community (ARC). You consider that African Refugee Community (ARC) is exempt from the statutory audit requirement for the year.

We have not been instructed to carry out an audit or a review of the accounts of African Refugee Community (ARC). For this reason, we have not verified the accuracy or completeness of the accounting records or information and explanations you have given to us and we do not, therefore, express any opinion on the statutory accounts.

Thierno Bah Accountae Ltd Union House 111 New Union Street Coventry CV1 2NT 6 October 2023

AFRICAN REFUGEE COMMUNITY (ARC) STATEMENT OF INCOME AND RETAINED EARNINGS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Turnover
Raising Funds
Gross profit
Charitable Activities
Operating profit
Profit on ordinary activities before taxation
Tax on profit on ordinary activities
Profit for the financial year
Retained earnings at the start of the year
Profit for the financial year
Dividends
- -
Retained earnings at the end of the year		 2023
£
43,944
-
43,944
(38,862)
5,082
5,082
-
32,150
5,082
5
,082
37
,232		 2022
£
77,906
(13,889)
64,017
(56,142)
7,875
7,875
-
24,275
7,875
7
,875
32
,150

AFRICAN REFUGEE COMMUNITY (ARC) STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION AS AT 31 MARCH 2023

Notes
Fixed assets
Tangible assets
4
Current assets
Debtors
5
Cash at bank and in hand
Net current assets
Net assets
Capital and reserves
Profit and loss account
Shareholders' funds		 2023
£
7,934
11,924
17,374
37,232
37
,232
29
,298
29
,298
37
,232		 2022
£
11,902
-
20,248
32,150
32
,150
20
,248
20
,248
32
,150

For the year ending 31 March 2023 the Charity was entitled to exemption from audit under charity law and section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies. The members have not required the Charity to obtain an audit in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006 but have asked an independent examiner to examine the accounts.

The Trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts.

These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies' regime and in accordance with the provisions of FRS 102 Section 1A - Small Entities.

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on 6 October 2023 and were signed on its behalf by

Bitenge Makuka Ma

Trustee

Charity Registration No. 1120861

AFRICAN REFUGEE COMMUNITY (ARC) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

1 Statutory information

African Refugee Community (ARC) is Charity, registered in England and Wales, registration number 1120861. The registered office is Friary House, Friary Park, Friern Barnet Lane, London, N20 0NR, United Kingdom.

2 Compliance with accounting standards

The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions of FRS 102 Section 1A Small Entities. There were no material departures from that standard.

3 Accounting policies

The principal accounting policies adopted in the preparation of the financial statements are set out below and have remained unchanged from the previous year, and also have been consistently applied within the same accounts.

Basis of preparation

The accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention as modified by the revaluation of certain fixed assets.

Presentation currency

The accounts are presented in £ sterling.

Tangible fixed assets and depreciation

Tangible assets are included at cost less depreciation and impairment. Depreciation has been provided at the following rates in order to write off the assets over their estimated useful lives: 5

Computer equipment

Computer Equipment

Grants

Grants in relation to tangible fixed assets are credited to profit and loss account over the useful lives of the related assets, whereas those in relation to expenditure are credited when the expenditure is charged to profit and loss.

Turnover

Turnover is measured at the fair value of the consideration received or receivable, excluding discounts, rebates, value added tax and other sales taxes. Turnover from the sale of goods is recognised when goods have been delivered to customers such that risks and rewards of ownership have transferred to them. Turnover from the rendering of services is recognised by reference to the stage of completion of the contract. The stage of completion of a contract is measured by comparing the costs incurred for work performed to date to the total estimated contract costs.

AFRICAN REFUGEE COMMUNITY (ARC) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

4 Tangible fixed assets Computer equipment
£
Cost or valuation At cost
At 1 April 2022 20,174
At 31 March 2023 20
,174
Depreciation
At 1 April 2022 8,272
Charge for the year 3,968
At 31 March 2023 12
,240
Net book value
At 31 March 2023 7,934
At 31 March 2022 11
,902
5 Debtors 2023 2022
£ £
Amounts falling due within one year
Accrued income and prepayments 11,924 -

6 Average number of employees

During the year the average number of employees was 3 (2022: 3).

AFRICAN REFUGEE COMMUNITY (ARC)

DETAILED PROFIT AND LOSS ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

This schedule does not form part of the statutory accounts.

Turnover
Donations/Other Grants
Government Grants		 2023
£
43,944
-
43
,944		 2022
£
21,000
56,906
77
,906

Independent examiner's report on the accounts

Section A Independent Examiner’s Report

Report to the trustees/
members of
On accounts for the year
ended
Set out on pages		 AFRICAN REFUGEE COMMUNITY AFRICAN REFUGEE COMMUNITY AFRICAN REFUGEE COMMUNITY
31stMarch 2023 Reg 1120861
3 to 16 Of the financial statements

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31st March 2023 Responsibilities and As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the basis of report accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and 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 I am qualified to undertake the examination by being a part qualified examiner's statement member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)

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

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.

Date: 18/10/2023 Signed: Name: Mamadou Bah Address: 109 Poppleton Close, Coventry, CV1 3BN

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