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2021-03-31-accounts

Charity Registration No. 1121560

Company Registration No. 05352679 (England and Wales)

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Trustees

Amdani Juma Roger Tanner Jennifer Fleming (Chair) David Hewitt Stella Nickolay (Vice Chair) David Sadler (Treasurer) Allan Njanji Helen O’nions Elizabeth Pritchett Peter Strauss Edith Iheama Appointed 9th March 2020 Ankunda Matsiko Appointed 9th March 2020 Darren York Appointed 26th November Caroline Mombeyarara Appointed 26th November

Management team Matt Atkins, Director from 4th February 2019 Sonia Bilkhu, Team Leader from 8th July 2019 John Gordon, Finance Manager from 4th March 2019 Siobhan Gosrani, Team Leader from 1st November 2020 Debbie Royle, Deputy Director from 14th September 2020 Barbara Spreiz, Volunteer Coordinator from 1st May 2019 Olivia Wood, Fundraising Manager from 16th December 2019 – 15th

Charity number 1121560 Company number 05352679 Principal address The Sycamore Centre 33A Hungerhill Road Nottingham NG3 4NB Auditor Rogers Spencer Newstead House Pelham Road Nottingham NG5 1AP

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Bankers

CAF Bank 25 Kings Hill Avenue Kings Hill West Malling Kent ME19 4JQ

Unity Trust Bank PO Box 7193 Planetary Road Willenhall WV1 9DG

Lloyds TSB Bank plc Birmingham OSC Ariel House 2138 Coventry Road Sheldon B26 3JW

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

CONTENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

Page
Trustees' report 1 - 12
Independent auditor's report 13 - 16
Statement of fnancial activities 17 - 18
Balance sheet 19 - 20
Consolidated statement of cash fows 21
Notes to the fnancial statements 22 - 37

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

The trustees present their report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2021.

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 Companies Act 2006 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)” (as issued in October 2019).

Objectives and activities

Objects and aims:

The aims of the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Refugee Forum (NNRF) are expressed in the Objects of the Memorandum of Association, stated as 'the promotion and provision of any charitable purpose directed to meet the needs of refugees and asylum seekers living in the City of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.' The activities of the charity include the free provision of:

Advice, information and support for refugees and asylum seekers; specific services are incorporated into the following projects - General Advice (gateway advice), Into the Mainstream (Health), One Stop Shop (Housing), Welfare Benefits (advocacy), Young People and Destitution (working with refused asylum seekers). All specialised projects contribute to the aims of the organisation.

Vision:

A society where Asylum Seekers and Refugees are welcomed, receive just and compassionate treatment and support in rebuilding their lives.

Mission:

To support asylum seekers and refugees in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire in gaining just outcomes, rebuilding their lives and integrating into society. We do this by:

1.Providing a safe and welcoming space where everyone is treated with respect, compassion and dignity;

2.Offering free and impartial advice;

3.Positively embracing and celebrating differences;

4.Offering practical support to those who have no means to support themselves;

ildi ff i hi i h i d l i i NNRF runs the following services:

General advice service drop-in, specialist advice in housing, welfare benefits, health provision, ESOL classes, social activities, an anti-destitution service including food bank, interpreting, help finding employment, services for young people, a children's project and a community café.

It does this through a combination of drop-in services, one-to-one appointments and home visits, clinics and social events.

Public benefit

The Trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty in section 4 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit, 'Charities and Public Benefit', in particular the charity seeks to benefit the public through:

The relief of poverty, suffering and distress among individuals seeking asylum and support in the United Kingdom and in particular but not limited to the provision of specialist services and practical help.

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

Grant making policies

NNRF's Communities of Identity (COI) project gives grants to other community organisations working with refugees and asylum seekers. The COI is run by a steering group, who jointly decide who should receive funds on the basis of an application process held every three months. Applicants for funds fill in a form which is then vetted by the steering group against the criteria approved by the Council for such purposes

Use of volunteers

NNRF continues to receive support from many individuals and organisations, including those who give money and those who volunteer with us. Volunteers continue to be indispensable with over 144 including asylum seekers and refugees, working across the Forum and this year taking on a wider range of roles.

Volunteering at NNRF is a challenging and exciting opportunity. We are only able to deliver such a wide range and scope of services because of the invaluable contribution of our volunteers. Up to a third of our volunteers come from a refugee or asylum seeking background themselves. Volunteering at NNRF enables them to maintain their existing skills and develop new ones. It increases their confidence, improves their communication skills and motivates them to keep active and engaged. Our volunteers embody diversity, enthusiasm, resourcefulness, professionalism and compassion.

The Refugee Forum joined the Investors in Volunteers (IiV) Achievers’ Club in April 2019 becoming

Achievements and performance

Volunteering at the Refugee Forum is an opportunity to make a positive impact on asylum seekers and refugees in Nottingham. That is true for both volunteers from the host community showing their welcome and support to those seeking safety in our city, as well as for asylum seekers and refugees themselves, who volunteer to gain skills and experience, increase their social networks, and improve their confidence.

Especially during the COVID crisis, our volunteers have overcome the challenges of remote volunteering and really helped us redefine the methods and goals of volunteering. Even though COVID kept us physically apart, we have become more connected, and everyone really gave their all to keep the Refugee Forum up and running during the pandemic.

The refugees and asylum seekers we support have experienced incredible traumatic events, both in their home countries that led them to seek asylum, and during their journey to safety. When they do arrive in the UK they are met with the ‘hostile environment’ and negative feelings stirred up by politicians and the media. Yet what is always striking is how so many are still able to display compassion and generosity and present with such humble dignity and resilience. It really does say something that over 40% of our volunteer team come from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds. It’s fair to say that everyone at NNRF feels inspired and privileged to work with and support such individuals.

To achieve the best support for refugees and asylum seekers, we work in partnership with other key organisations across Nottinghamshire. We have actively sought to improve our partnership work this year. Communication, sharing of resources and information as well as mutual support has all improved and we are exploring options for joint funding and the co-running of services.

Covid has made the lives of the asylum seekers and refugees we work with even more difficult than before. It has resulted in amongst other things homelessness or overcrowded and inadequate accommodation, increased uncertainty due to delays in life changing decisions, lack of social contact and increased isolation and for some exacerbated mental health issues.

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

Despite the immense challenges of the past year, there are some highlights and these include:

Number of clients by project

Number of clients by project
No of
Project clients
Anti-Destitution 88
Children and Families 59 See 1
General Advice 1120
Into the Mainstream 182
Money Sorted 39
Opportunity and Change 9
Specialist Advice Team 514
Early Action Project 61 See 2
VPRS and Employability 344
Women's Group (Pamoja) 98
Youth Project 60
Initial Accommodation Project 194
1.
CAF –59 adult clients and 70 dependent children.
2.
Early Action – the 19/20 report reported 247 clients, and this
year we have 61.This is because we had less
dispersals of new asylum seekers due to the
pandemic and lockdown restrictions.

Other key stats:

Volunteering:

Initial Accommodation Project

Anti-Destitution Project

Language Justice

Communities of Identity

General Advice

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TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

Specific projects:

Anti-Destitution

The Anti-destitution project helps refused asylum seekers with their immediate needs such as food and disposable cash, but also provides help and support around their immigration cases via referrals. The project takes a holistic approach as there is very rarely only one area of concern when dealing with this vulnerable group.

Children & Families

This project aims to reduce social isolation and build stronger social networks among refugee children, young people, and families. We encourage the involvement of parents, and strive to strengthen internal community links, as well as those with the wider society. We also promote better access and integration to mainstream services and provisions. Through our work we have successfully helped vulnerable families experiencing serious difficulties into social care and improved their orientation and engagement within Nottingham, providing support regarding children’s health, education, and safety. We are committed to developing communication skills and to lessen the burden of adulthood placed on young lives through holistic and compassionate support, enabling children to thrive in their new home in Nottingham.

Communities of Identity (COI)

The Communities of Identity Project (CoI) is a consortium of 13 organisations delivering a range of activities and services that help asylum seekers and refugees access information, advice and guidance, and providing a range of skills and confidence building activities including intergenerational work and youth activities, to enable them to become active citizens. Managed by a Partnership Coordinator, it also provides support to smaller groups and organisations through bespoke training/advice and a small grassroots grant scheme. This project is funded by Nottingham City Council.

Community Café

In times when there is not a global pandemic dictating our social interactions, the NNRF Community Café is a welcoming space for our clients whilst waiting for their appointments or classes. Unfortunately, due to COVID, the Café had to close its doors at the end of March 2020, and has not re-opened since. This does not mean that it has been forgotten! Even though we did not have volunteers cooking lunch and serving coffee, our Café Working Group came up with a plan for redesigning everyone’s favourite space at NNRF, and thanks to generous funding by the National Lottery, the Café has been transformed. It is now patiently waiting for the first visitors after the pandemic is over.

Early Action

Early Action Project empowers newly dispersed asylum seekers by providing information and advice. It provides them with the skills, confidence and resilience to navigate the system, with the aim of preventing and de-escalating the crises people face as early as possible in their asylum journey. At NNRF we do this through the New Arrivals Clinic where the newly dispersed asylum seekers are registered for English classes. Here, they are able to access health care services, obtain legal advice and by assistance with other immediate needs. Via Refugee Action’s Asylum Guides, we provide information, through interpreters, on the asylum system to help them understand the process.

General Advice

The General Advice service provides advice, information and assistance on a wide range of issues including destitution, housing, debt, welfare benefits, health, legal and asylum support. It is a volunteer-led service offered four times a week. The objective is to provide basic support and assistance to service users, resolve queries, signpost to external services, and refer to specialist inhouse projects and partner agencies where appropriate. It is the main point of contact for new and existing service users and is currently operating as a remote phone-based service.

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

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TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

Grass roots

Is an exciting new project! The closure of our community café due to COVID restrictions has denied our clients the opportunity to meet safely. NNRF has the rights to a large allotment garden adjoining our building and the ‘Grassroots’ project is creating a green open space there, where our clients can meet, work together, many using their knowledge and skills, and where they can feel valued as they make a contribution to a facility that will benefit many others apart from themselves. Many of our clients have been deeply affected by the isolation experienced during lockdown; this project will provide the potential to enhance their mental health and address the need for socially distanced safe spaces. Work started at the beginning of 2021 with volunteers clearing the overgrown area.

Into the Mainstream

ITM aims to provide the necessary support and advocacy to ensure access to health services for all of NNRF’s clients. The project’s main activity is to ensure GP registration of new arrivals and we also ensure clients are linked to dentists, opticians, mental health services, maternity care and any other health services needed.

In addition to ensuring that clients are able to exercise their rights to NHS services, we document the health needs of asylum seekers and other vulnerable migrants, identify and address barriers to health services and use data collected to improve the health of the community.

Language Justice

The Language Justice programme comes from the idea that the use of trained, professional and salaried interpreters and learning English serve the same purpose - giving service users the means to make decisions for themselves rather than having them made for them. We also strive to help Refugees and vulnerable migrants into work they may struggle to obtain due to an unfamiliarity with UK employment practices. Over the last year most of our services have switched to online. We’ve trained 40 new interpreters in 3 Zoom courses and have continued to interpret either online or over the phone and when it’s been permitted, have done so in person. We’ve recruited 12 new teachers/teaching assistants and temporarily converted all of our English classes to online versions.

Money Sorted

To help unemployed or economically inactive people experiencing financial difficulties and worries living in D2N2. Money Sorted provides support and personally tailored interventions to build confidence and skills to improve financial well-being and support return to work, education, or training.

Opportunity & Change

Opportunity and Change is a support programme for people with multiple and complex needs. Participants on this programme engage with an individually tailored and holistic package of support, training and therapeutic interventions. By increasing their self-confidence and teaching them new skills, the ultimate aim is to help these clients become socially and economically included, through access to education, training and employment. It is part of the Building Better Opportunities programme and is funded by the European Social Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund.

Specialist Advice Team

The Specialist Advice Team provides advice and assistance in accessing mainstream services. These include housing & accommodation; social care support; racial harassment support; domestic violence support; asylum accommodation; new refugee resettlement; support for families with no recourse to public funds & welfare rights and benefits amongst others.

Initial Accommodation Project

The purpose of the Initial Accommodation Project is to support, advise and advocate on behalf of asylum seekers currently housed in initial accommodation sites in the City. We facilitate access to

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

services, support and community networks for our clients as well as ensuring that their basic needs are met.

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS) formerly Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme ( VPRS ) & Employability

The Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS) was launched by the UK government in 2014 to resettle several hundred Syrians most at risk from the conflict. In 2015, the VPRS expanded to resettle 20,000 of the most vulnerable individuals and families affected by the Syrian conflict in five years, not only those with Syrian nationality. These individuals and families have been identified by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), based on criteria including serious medical conditions, survivors of torture and violence, and women and children at risk.

The VPRS was due to end in 2020, however the COVID-19 pandemic meant that the original VPRS ended in March 2021 due to the ban on international travel last year. The scheme has now been renamed the UK Resettlement Scheme and although initially the scheme will focus predominantly on Syrian refugees the intention is the scheme is widened to include refugees from other countries.

The Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Refugee Forum (NNRF) has worked in partnership with Nottingham City Council since the expansion of the VPRS in 2015, to provide specialist support to newly arrived refugee families. The team at the NNRF work with families from their arrival in the UK for a period of five years. When they first arrive, families receive intensive support from caseworkers, ensuring that they have access to benefits, healthcare, housing and education. As they continue to settle into the community, we support their integration through learning English, developing their skills to support employability and nurturing their individual goals and passions. The overall aim is to empower families to become independent and integrate into the UK.

Our VPRS clients are predominantly Syrian, but we also support clients from Iraq, Kurdistan, Somalia and Sudan.

Pamoja Women’s Group

Pamoja means ‘Together’ in Swahili. We empower women through weekly sessions which encourage creativity, English language practice, confidence building and friendship. The women’s group meet every Friday to make friends, practise English, skill share and raise aspirations and esteem through activities, for example Zumba, dance, music, art, pottery, yoga, confidence boosting and stress reduction, trips to the coast and London, guided

walks around Nottingham - all chosen by the women themselves. Since the COVID restrictions, all our services are currently remote. To stay connected, a WhatsApp Chat group meets weekly, and we partnered with Nottingham Contemporary and artist Meera Osbourne to run virtual creative activities and relaxation techniques. These were sent in pre-made videos and voice clips, translated into Farsi and Arabic and weekly pamphlets in English, Arabic and Farsi with creative activities, which were sent to the women's homes. Women who had previously not been engaging with the group due to living far away or having childcare commitments could actually access the group's activities again.

Youth

The Youth Project supports young asylum seekers aged 13-21. Our aim by running a weekly youth club and other activities is to help young people grow friendships and support networks, gain confidence with English and develop a fulfilled life in the U.K. This helps young people navigate a complicated asylum system, which often has a negative impact on their emotional well-being. Lockdown has been tremendously difficult for young asylum seekers and refugees. For new arrivals, not being able to meet young people their age and being stuck indoors has added to the trauma many have experienced on their journey to the UK. Offering online support, friendship and community through virtual youth club and homework support has been a huge help. Often with months between arriving and starting college, online zoom sessions were the only way for newlyarrived young people to meet friends and were a lifeline and a significant help to their mental health and general well-being. Young people who have been here a few years are often desperate to “get on” and lockdowns have been a huge frustration. Weekly drop-in homework sessions provided one-toone time with young people, offering the kind of parental academic support many unaccompanied asylum seekers and refugees lack. The maths classes in particular became really popular with the help of a retired maths teacher attending each week to lead workshops and offer support. These groups also help us to keep in touch with young people and, importantly, ensure they understand changes in regulations.

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

Director’s Report

What a year this has been!

The COVID–19 pandemic has affected all aspects of the Refugee Forum. Changes to client support needs, service delivery, funding availability, staff and volunteer wellbeing and future uncertainty have all had to be considered and worked through.

As the prospect of a national lockdown was becoming a reality, NNRF staff, volunteers and trustees came together to plan how we would continue to support the clients. Within one week, each service had its own strategy that balanced the desire to meet client needs alongside ensuring staff, volunteers and clients were kept as safe as reasonably possible. This collaborative approach has continued throughout the pandemic, with regular meetings taking place to allow for reflection, review, new ideas and modifications to existing plans. It’s been a privilege to be part of this and everybody involved should be proud of their part in this client-focused, inclusive piece of work. Well done and thanks to all of you!

Most NNRF services are now able to offer a hybrid model of support: clients contact the forum via a telephone triage/advice line, supported by our interpreting service, four days a week. Depending on the issue, clients may be invited to a face-to-face appointment. The Advice Hall, Café space and outdoor waiting area have all been modified to allow for safe Covid-compliant meetings with clients. All staff can book space in the building for face-to-face meetings. Currently clients who attend the building in person without an appointment are guided to the telephone helpline. Some services organise to see clients in person by visiting them in their homes, gardens or community venues.

A delivery system was put in place to continue supporting destitute clients with food and toiletries. There was an amazing response from the local community, dropping off donations of essential items every Friday for the service. NNRF has also been able to increase cash support from £10 a month to £40 per month to destitute clients to substitute for reduced provision of community meals, as our Community Cafe had to cease operations. Most destitute clients are now able to collect food and cash in person from the Refugee Forum although several still have volunteers/staff who deliver directly to them.

NNRF successfully accessed specific Covid funding to help respond to the increased demands caused by the pandemic. General Advice, the Specialist Advice Team and the Anti-Destitution Service all received monies for additional staffing and resources. The Refugee Forum also created 2 dedicated posts to work with newly-arrived clients being housed in the Initial Accommodation Hotels. The 2 posts provided direct casework to clients and strengthened the support available in the hotels by helping to coordinate key partners to deliver services within their specialist areas. These innovative roles have been lauded by national and regional partners as examples of best practice.

Unfortunately, these temporary funding streams have recently come to an end, resulting in the loss of staff in both General Advice and Specialist Advice Team. This, alongside the impact of Covid, the difficulties of supporting people remotely and the rising numbers of clients in Nottingham has resulted in a significant increase in waiting lists for some services. New funding is being sought and new ways of running projects are being piloted to try to maintain efficient and responsive services.

The people we support have been impacted greatly by Covid. Many of the services that provided direct support were forced to close due to lockdown restrictions. The pandemic exacerbated the issue of “tech-poverty” amongst our clients. Many did not have access to the internet or lacked computer/smart phone devices that would allow them to interact with remote online services or children access online learning. A lack of services to deal with existing trauma, family separation, isolation, together with delays in Home Office decision making, have all had a detrimental impact on the mental health of clients. Ensuring clients are kept safe has been difficult to ensure via a phone call. Physical indicators of concern, such as domestic abuse, cannot be seen, and clients are not able to attend a safe space to openly share their concerns.

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The Refugee Forum has attempted to tackle these difficulties and to make remote services available to all clients. NNRF has helped source laptops and smart phones for families. Staff and volunteers have made continuous wellbeing checks for those we were concerned about, and a safe space was made available at the forum for those who needed to be seen urgently.

NNRF’s finances have been impacted by Covid with fundraising activities such as “Come and Sing” being cancelled. Services such as the Vulnerable Person’s Resettlement Scheme, that bring in a large portion of NNRF’s income, have been financially reduced because new participants have not been allowed into the country. The Grants Team was forced to pause the work it had begun on several multi-year bids when funders paused their traditional grants in favour of short-term Covid-response support. These funding streams have since reopened but the competition for grants has substantially increased leaving no guarantees of future success.

The lockdowns/isolation significantly impacted staff, volunteers and trustees. Wellbeing is an ongoing concern and many conversations and options for support have been put in place to ensure a healthy workforce. This has included flexible working hours, regular wellbeing checks, fun online activities, ‘open hour’ chats where staff could talk to any manager about any issues, as well as regular lockdown/group discussions. We all had to learn how to use Zoom! Working from home is fully established now, although staff have been able to attend the building by choice for some time and plans are being drawn up for a ‘hybrid’ model of working to become the new norm for all staff. Significant numbers of volunteers continue to isolate and shield, which impacts the number of clients that can be seen face-to-face in General Advice. New volunteers are being trained to deliver in person while those shielding have been offered opportunities to work remotely.

Effective partnership work has been one of the keys to meeting the challenges posed by Covid. The Anti-Destitution Service’s food/cash support for residents in NAT accommodation and the coalition of partners who came together to provide holistic support for clients in the Initial Accommodation Hotels are just two of the many examples of great collaborative practice.

With all the focus on the pandemic we cannot forget that 2020 was the 20[th] anniversary of the founding of the Refugee Forum. NNRF had big plans to celebrate this milestone with multiple events and opportunities to bring all stakeholders together, both old and new. Alas, the majority of these were not possible under lockdown restrictions. However, this shouldn’t take anything away from the fact that tens of thousands of people have been provided with empathy, comfort and support over the past 20 years and that so many people have had improved life outcomes thanks to the Refugee Forum and the support of all of you.

This year saw the further exploration of BAME issues in the Refugee Forum. Communities Inc helped facilitate honest and reflective meetings with all stakeholders. There is always a risk that, as a refugee-focused charity, we are complacent and believe we have already got it right. However, these meetings highlighted that more work needs to be done to ensure the Refugee Forum is a diverse, equal and inclusive place to work for, volunteer with and receive support from. Work has begun to ensure that best practice principles are embedded throughout the Refugee Forum.

The uncertainty caused by the pandemic has made it difficult to create concrete long-term plans. The work on implementing a new business plan, started towards the end of 2019, was put on hold to allow staff and managers to focus on changes to operational delivery. The challenges of the pandemic, the increase demand on services and the uncertainty around future funding have made it nearly impossible to plan more than a few months ahead. However the picture is starting to become clearer and the Refugee Forum intends to author a realistic, ambitious multi-year business plan that engages all stakeholders

To end this, I want to mention once again the fantastic contributions and work provided by staff, volunteers, trustees and our supporters. Because of you, and despite an incredibly challenging year, the Refugee Forum as been able to provide support and comfort to thousands of people in the most desperate of situations. Thank you.

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TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

Future Plans

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TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

Financial Review 2020-21

The year to 31 March 2021 was very challenging from a financial perspective with the unique challenge of COVID. All services were provided remotely rather than face to face. Fortunately most funders continued their financial support and in addition we secured grants of circa £250k to help manage the COVID impact. The main financial impacts were on fundraising events, interpreter sales and UKRS revenue.

In the year to 31 March 2021 we made a surplus of £49k. Our unrestricted reserves grew by £13k to £223k, sufficient to meet NNRF’s reserves policy. As project funding ends the trustees review projects to see if unrestricted funds should be utilised so the project can run for a short period while other funding options are explored. Full details of transfers between unrestricted funds and restricted funds for this purpose are given in Notes 17 & 18 of these accounts.

Income from Charitable Activities increased by £98k in 2020/21 to £935k, primarily as a result of the Covid grants. The support for our General Advice team from Henry Smith of £40k per annum finished in June 2020 and we are yet to find replacement funding. Nottingham City Council approved that £20k of UK Resettlement Scheme Funding to be re-allocated to General Advice to cover the project manager’s salary. £560k of our charitable activity income comes from Nottingham City Council contracts. This income dropped in 2021/22 because of the impact of the Covid travel ban on UKRS. There was a gap of 18 months when no new families were allowed to enter the UK & therefore we received no extra income. We do have £205k of deferred revenue available to smooth out this income variation. The latest view is we’ll need to use £80k of this deferred revenue to fully fund the UKRS team in 2021/22 with the rest required in 2022/23.

Other income declined by £8k although targeted campaigns based around the challenges of Covid raised nearly £30k, more than offsetting the revenue lost from not running fund raising events. VIR income declined by £20k however, as the demand for interpreters dropped with offices closed.

Staff costs increased by £56k as new staff were taken on to manage the Covid contracts. Most new staff were recruited on short term contracts however a number of these staff found alternative roles within NNRF when their contract finished. £50k was spent on refurbishing our offices to make them Covid compliant and to improve the work environment. These costs were fully funded by a grant from the National Lottery Covid Response Fund.

The Forum’s consolidated bank balances remain healthy at £689k growing by £183k in the year. £80k of the increase in the bank position is due to the growth in deferred revenue. Year on year growth in deferred revenue is explained by the receipt of Covid grants in 2020/21 which are spread across 2020/21 & 2021/22.

Looking ahead to 2021/22 we are forecasting a balanced budget. The Covid challenge is expected to impact on finances for most of 2021/22. The balanced budget forecast is reliant upon us achieving replacement funding or funding extensions for a number of our core projects. Since the year end we have secured new finance from Children In Need for our Children & Family & Youth projects and we have also received £15k towards destitute legal claims work, £40k towards core costs and £45k of additional Covid funding.

We have submitted new bids to support Destitution, General Advice & Early Advice and are awaiting the outcome of these bids. We continue to be the administrator of UKRS and to run a variety of local services for Nottingham City Council. We have also agreed to support a number of families under the Afghan Relocation & Assistance Programme. This will net us an estimated £115k total income spread over the next 2 years including a 15% contribution to core costs.

The Board have decided that Voices in Refuge CIC will cease trading in 2021/22 with all management and control coming back in house. VIR generated £15k of revenue In 2020/21 which is insufficient to justify accounting for it as a separate entity. The VIR board have approved a dividend payment to NNRF of £5,000 to help with general costs.

Looking further into 2022/23 we have a number of challenges. Nottingham City Council face budget cutbacks and this could impact on the revenue we receive from them. We may have to re tender for

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TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

the UKRS contract and most of our external contracts will need new funding in the next 12 months. The NNRF Board and management team work hard at establishing positive relationships with our funders to place us in the best position possible to get repeat funding. We also through the dedication of our staff & volunteers are always on the lookout for new funding opportunities so we can continue to run excellent services for our clients.

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Structure, governance and management

The charity is a company limited by guarantee and is a registered charity (number 1121560). It is operated under the rules of its memorandum and articles of association dated 13 January 2005. It has no share capital and the liability of each member in the event of winding-up is limited to £1.

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:

Patsy Brand (Former Chair) (Resigned 26 November 2020) Richard Chamberlain (Resigned 26 November 2020) Amdani Juma Jean-Didier Mualaba (Resigned 26 November 2020) Roger Tanner Jennifer Fleming (Chair) David Hewitt Jane Daffe (Resigned 26 November 2020) Stella Nickolay David Sadler (Treasurer) Allan Njanji Helen O’Nions Elizabeth Pritchett Peter Strauss Darren York (Appointed 26 November 2020) Edith Iheama Ankunda Matsiko Caroline Mombeyarara (Appointed 26 November 2020)

Recruitment and appointment of trustees

Trustees are appointed at the AGM through vote by the membership, unless there are fewer applicants than spaces, in which case they are automatically appointed.

In addition the Board may co-op up to four members.

Organisational structure

The Governance on the charity is performed by the Board of Trustees who delegate some authority to sub-committees: Finance, Funding, Fundraising, HR and Health & Safety. The day-to-day running of the organisation is delegated to the management team.

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

Statement of trustees' responsibilities

The trustees, who are also the directors of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Refugee Forum for the purpose of company law, are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company Law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that year.

In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements 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 Disclosure of information to auditor

Each of the trustees has confirmed that there is no information of which they are aware which is relevant to the audit, but of which the auditor is unaware. They have further confirmed that they have taken appropriate steps to identify such relevant information and to establish that the auditor

The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions The trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.

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

Jennifer Fleming (Chair) Trustee Dated: 4 November 2021

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

David Sadler (Treasurer)

Trustee Dated: 4 November 2021

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT

TO THE MEMBERS OF NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Refugee Forum (the ‘parent charitable company’) and its subsidiary (the ‘group’) for the year ended 31 March 2021 which comprise the consolidated statement of financial activities, the consolidated and charity balance sheet, the consolidated statement of cash flows and the notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic f I l d (U it d Ki d G ll A t d A ti P ti )

In our opinion, the financial statements:

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the group and parent charitable company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our i i

Conclusions relating to going concern

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the ISAs (UK) require us to report to you where:

Other information

The trustees are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT (CONTINUED)

TO THE MEMBERS OF NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

Extent to which the audit was considered capable of detecting irregularities, including

f d Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect

of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities

Identifying and assessing potential risks related to irregularities

Our approach to identifying and assessing the risk of material misstatement in respect of irregularities, including fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations, was as follows:

We assessed the susceptibility of the charity’s financial statements to material misstatement, including obtaining an understanding of how fraud might occur, by

To address the risk of fraud through management bias and override of controls, we:

In response to the risk of irregularities and non-compliance with laws and regulations, we designed procedures which included, but were not limited to:

There are inherent limitations in our audit procedures described above. The more removed that laws and regulations are from financial transactions, the less likely it is that we would become aware of non-compliance. Auditing standards also limit the audit procedures required to identify noncompliance with laws and regulations to enquiry of the directors and other management and the inspection of regulatory and legal correspondence, if any.

Material misstatements that arise due to fraud can be harder to detect than those that arise from error as they may involve deliberate concealment or collusion

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT (CONTINUED)

TO THE MEMBERS OF NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of our audit:

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the group and parent charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the statement of trustees' responsibilities, the trustees, who are also the directors of the charity for the purpose of company law, are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the group’s and parent charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the group or the parent charitable company or to cease operations, or have no li i l i b d

Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

We have been appointed auditor under the Companies Act 2006 and report in accordance with this Act.

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered t i l if i di id ll i th t th ld bl b t d t i fl th

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: http://www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor's report.

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT (CONTINUED)

TO THE MEMBERS OF NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the charitable company's members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company's members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditors' report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and the charitable company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

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

11 November 2021

Melvin Bailey FCCA DChA (Senior Statutory Auditor) for and on behalf of Rogers Spencer

Chartered Accountants Statutory Auditor

Newstead House Pelham Road Nottingham NG5 1AP

Rogers Spencer is eligible to act as an auditor in terms of section 1212 of the Companies Act 2006.

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

Current fnancial year
Unrestrict Restricted
Total
funds
funds
2021
2021
2021
Note
£
£
£
Income from:
Income from donations and legacies
3
64,243
5,516
69,759
Income from charitable activities
4
187,152
748,378
935,530
Income from other trading activities
5
43,521
-
43,521
Income from investments
6
166
-
166
Total income
295,082
753,894
1,048,976
Expenditure on:
Charitable activities
8
276,360
718,094
994,454
Other trading activities
7
4,088
-
4,088
Total expenditure
280,448
718,094
998,542
Net income/(expenditure)
14,634 35,800
50,434
Transfers between funds
17
(130) 130
-
Tax on activities
12
(1,065
-
(1,065)
Net movement in funds
13,439
35,930
49,369
Fund balances at 1 April 2020
209,656
81,575
291,231
Fund balances at 31 March 2021
223,095
117,505
340,600		 Total
2020
£
72,035
837,649
51,997
486
962,167
863,022
9,380
872,402
89,765
-
(1,457)
88,308
202,923
291,231

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.

All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.

The statement of financial activities also complies with the requirements for an income and expenditure account under the Companies Act 2006.

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (CONTINUED) INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

Prior fnancial year
Unrestrict Restricted
funds
funds
2020
2020
Note
£
£
Income from:
Income from donations and legacies
3
64,075
7,960
Income from charitable activities
4
176,924
660,725
Income from other trading activities
5
51,997
-
Income from investments
6
486
-
Total income
293,482
668,685
Expenditure on:
Charitable activities
8
247,273
615,749
Other trading activities
7
9,380
-
Total expenditure
256,653
615,749
Net income/(expenditure)
36,829 52,936
Transfers between funds
17
(14,933)
14,93
3
Tax on activities
12
(1,457
-
Net movement in funds
20,439
67,869
Fund balances at 1 April 2019
189,217
13,706
Fund balances at 31 March 2020
209,656
81,575		 Total
Total
2020
2019
£
£
72,035
115,406
837,649
987,087
51,997
81,150
486
146
962,167
1,183,789
863,022
1,101,042
9,380
14,414
872,402
1,115,456
89,765
68,333
-
-
(1,457)
(1,280)
88,308
67,053
202,923
135,870
291,231
202,923		 Total
2019
£
115,406
987,087
81,150
146
68,333
-
(1,280)
67,053
135,870
202,923

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.

All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.

The statement of financial activities also complies with the requirements for an income and expenditure account under the Companies Act 2006.

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET

AS AT 31 MARCH 2021

2021 2020
Notes £ £ £ £
Fixed assets
Tangible assets 13 1,483 3,618
Current assets
Debtors 14 38,911 67,067
Cash at bank and in hand 689,351 506,106
728,262 573,173
Creditors: amounts falling due
within one year 15 (389,145) (285,560)
Net current assets 339,117 287,613
Total assets less current liabilities 340,600 291,231
Income funds
Restricted funds 17 117,505 81,575
Unrestricted funds 223,095 209,656
Total consolidated funds 340,600 291,231

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 and authorised for issue by the Trustees on 4 November

.............................. ..............................
Jennifer Fleming (Chair) David Sadler (Treasurer)
Trustee Trustee
Company Registration No. 05352679

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

CHARITY BALANCE SHEET

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

2021 2020
Notes £ £ £ £
Fixed assets
Tangible assets 13 1,483 3,618
Current assets
Debtors 14 46,798 85,638
Cash at bank and in hand 652,176 464,612
693,974 550,250
Creditors: amounts falling due
within one year 15 (383,748) (281,986)
Net current assets 315,226 268,264
Total assets less current liabilities/Net 316,709 271,882
Income funds
Restricted funds 17 117,505 81,575
Unrestricted funds 199,204 190,307
Total charity funds 316,709 271,882

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 and authorised for issue by the Trustees on 4 November

.............................. .............................. Jennifer Fleming (Chair) David Sadler (Treasurer) Trustee Trustee

Company Registration No. 05352679

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

Notes
Cash fows from operating activities
Cash generated from/(absorbed by)
operations
24
Corporation tax
Net cash infow/(outfow) from
operating activities
Investing activities
Purchase of tangible fxed assets
Interest received

Net cash generated from/(used in)
investing activities
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash
equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year		 2021
£
£
184,144
(1,065)
183,079
-
16
166
183,245
506,106
689,351		 2020
£
£
179,732
(1,457)
178,27
5
(514)
486
(2
8)
178,24
7
327,859
506,106

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

1 Accounting policies

Charity information

Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Refugee Forum is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is 33a Hungerhill Road, Nottingham

1.1 Accounting convention

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's governing document, the Companies Act 2006 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)” (as issued in October 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, modified to include the revaluation of freehold properties and to include investment properties and certain financial instruments at fair value. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out

1.2 Basis of consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the financial statements of the parent charitable company and its subsidiary undertaking, Voices in Refuge CIC (company number 10517672).

1.3 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

1.4 Charitable funds

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives unless the funds have been designated for other purposes.

Designated funds comprise funds which have been set aside at the discretion of the trustees for specific purposes. The purposes and uses of the designated funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements

Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors 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.

1.5 Incoming resources

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

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.

Grants are recognised when the charity has an entitlement to the funds and any conditions linked to the grants have been met. Where performance conditions are attached to the grant and are yet to be met, the income is recognised as a liability and included on the balance sheet as deferred income to be released.

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

1 Accounting policies (continued)

Deferred income represents amounts received for future periods and is released to incoming resources in the period for which it has been received. Such income is only deferred when:

Turnover is measured at the fair value of the consideration received or receivable and represents amounts receivable for goods and services provided in the normal course of business, net of discounts, VAT and other sales related taxes.

1.6 Resources expended

All expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to that expenditure, it is probable settlement is required and the amount can be measured reliably. All costs are allocated to the applicable expenditure heading that aggregate similar costs to that category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated on a basis consistent with the use of resources, with central staff costs allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges allocated on the portion of the asset's use. Other support costs ll d b d h d f ff

Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the Charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.

1.7 Tangible fixed assets

Tangible fixed assets costing more than £500 are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost, net of depreciation.

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:

General equipment 20% straight line IT 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 net income/(expenditure)

Intangible assets with indefinite useful lives and intangible assets not yet available for use are tested for impairment annually, and whenever there is an indication that the asset may be

1.8 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

1.9 Retirement benefits

Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due.

1.10Taxation

The tax currently payable is based on the subsidiary’s taxable surplus for the year. Taxable surplus differs from net surplus as reported in the income and expenditure account because it excludes items of income or expense that are taxable or deductible in other years and it further excludes items that are never taxable or deductible. The company’s liability for current tax is calculated using tax rates that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the reporting end date.

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

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

3 Income from donations and legacies

Income from donations and legacies
The 29th May 1961 Charitable Trust
Other donations
Analysis by fund
Unrestricted funds
Restricted funds		 2021
£
-
69,759
69,759

64,243
5,516
69,759		 2020
£
5,000
67,035
72,035
64,075
7,960
72,035

NNRF raised £69,759 in donations (2020: £72,035). NNRF had 142 regular monthly donors who contributed £30k of donations. 41 of these donors joined in 2020/21. The rest of the donations represented one off donations ranging from £5 to £5000.

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

4 Income from charitable activities

The Lady Hind Trust
Nottingham City Council
Henry Smith Fund
Lloyds Bank Foundation
Tudor Trust
St Ann's Advice Group
Children in Need
Framework
AB Charitable Trust
Refugee Action
Whitaker Charitable Trust
JN Derbyshire
Martin Lewis Corona Fund
Evan Cornish Fund
Barrow Cadbury Trust
National Lottery Covid Response
Tampon Tax Fund
Anonymous Donation
Other income
Analysis by fund
Unrestricted funds
Restricted funds		 2021
£
5,000
560,021
7,000
16,655
-
31,788
30,769
31,374
8,000
48,089
-
5,333
10,324
5,000
28,368
96,422
5,833
25,887
19,667
935,530
187,152
748,378
935,530		 2020
£
5,000
583,549
43,250
21,968
833
37,595
45,354
34,051
20,000
22,411
5,000
-
-
-
-
-
-
9,113
9,525
837,649
176,924
660,725
837,649

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

5 Income from other trading activities
2021 2020
£ £
Other income - 700
Fundraising income 28,826 19,247
Interpreting fees 14,695 32,050
43,521 51,997
6 Income from investments
2021 2020
£ £
Interest receivable 166 486
7 Other trading activities - expenditure
2021 2020
£ £
Interpreter costs 97 5,323
IT Costs 1,017 -
Travelling - 106
Volunteer expenses - 237
Subscriptions 4 144
Legal and professional fees 13 171
Accountancy 1,980 1,380
Stationery 20 99
Telephone 186 -
Staf Welfare - 237
Venue hire - 395
Computer running costs - 411
Bank charges - 60
Insurance 771 717
Entertaining - 100
4,088 9,380

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

8 Charitable activities - expenditure

Staf costs
Depreciation
Activities
Advertising
Bank charges
Cleaning
Donations & grants awarded
Food & refreshments
Insurance
IT software & maintenance
Legal & professional fees
Other expenses
Photocopying & printing
Premises, repairs & maintenance
Publications & subscriptions
Rent & services
Stationery & ofce supplies
Telephone, post & internet
Training
Travel
Volunteer expenses
Share of governance costs (see note 9)
Analysis by fund
Unrestricted funds
Restricted funds		 2021
£
722,602
2,134
6,018
18
1,248
61
31,600
4,684
5,006
16,842
22,919
17,530
6,992
53,578
8,525
38,398
920
19,042
7,767
2,806
16
968,706
25,748
994,454
276,360
718,094
994,454		 2020
£
666,725
2,134
12,075
-
1,013
833
24,012
12,572
4,252
7,062
12,072
8,979
14,088
1,399
8,166
39,912
1,681
14,623
3,217
7,493
8,414
850,722
12,299
863,021
247,272
615,749
863,021
9
Governance costs
Staf costs
Audit & accountancy fees		 2021
£
12,906
12,842
25,748		 2020
£
7,049
5,250
12,299

Included within Audit & accountancy fees above is £4,350 (2020 - £4,000) in relation to audit fees.

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

1 Trustees

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

No expenses were incurred by the trustees on behalf of the charity during the year.

1 Employees

Number of employees

The average monthly number of employees during the year was:

Employment costs
Wages and salaries
Social security costs
Other pension costs		 2021
Number
40
2021
£
678,034
43,222
14,567
735,823		 2020
Number
37
2020
£
615,599
45,083
13,092
673,774

There were no employees whose annual remuneration was £60,000 or more.

Remuneration of key management personnel 2021 2020
£ £
Aggregate compensation 57,978
 41,3

Salaries for Key Management Personnel are set by the Trustees. When recruiting into a position the role is advertised at a salary commensurate with the quality and experience expected of the role.

Increases to salary are initially considered by the trustees on the Finance Committee and then sent to the Board of Trustees for approval. The trustees are currently involving a firm of HR consultants to benchmark the salaries of all our staff including key management personnel with similar organisations and to recommend pay increases where appropriate.

A deputy director was recruited in September 2020 who worked alongside key management personnel from last year, hence the rise in remuneration for the year.

1 Taxation
Corporation tax payable		 2021
£
1,065
1,065		 2020
£
1,457
1,457

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

13
Tangible fxed assets – Group & Charity
General
equipment
IT
equipment
£
£
Cost
At 1 April 2020
44,465
45,524
At 31 March 2021
44,465
45,524
Depreciation and impairment
At 1 April 2020
43,725
42,647
Depreciation charged in the year
432
1,702
At 31 March 2021
44,157
44,349
Carrying amount
At 31 March 2021
308
1,175
At 31 March 2020
741
2,877		 Total
£
89,989
89,989
86,372
2,134
88,506
1,483
3,618

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

14 Debtors Group 2021 £ Group 2020 £ Charity 2021 £ Charity 2020 £

Trade debtors 12,759 59,926 9,497 54,848 Other debtors 1,141 - 7,290 8,984 Prepayments and accrued income 25,011 7,141 25,011 21,806

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

38,911 67,067 41,798 85,638 15 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year Group 2021 £ Group 2020 £ Charity 2021 £ Charity 2020 £ Trade creditors

1,246 2,336 1,246 2,043

Other creditors

1,065

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

Accruals and deferred income

1,457 - - 386,834 281,767 382,502 279,943

389,145 285,560 380,656 281,986

Accruals and deferred income includes £352,806 (2020 - £273,443) in relation to deferred income. This relates to grants received that span the year end.

16 Retirement benefit schemes

Defined contribution schemes

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.

The charge to profit or loss in respect of defined contribution schemes was £14,567 (2020 - £13,092).

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

17 Restricted funds

The income funds of the charity include restricted funds comprising the following unexpended balances of donations and grants held on trust for specific purposes:

Movement in funds Movement in funds Movement in funds
Balance at Incoming Resources Transfers Balance at
1 April resources expended 31 March
£ £ £ £ £
Communities of Identity Fund 5,544 21,919 (7,450) (6,000) 14,013
United Kingdom Resettlement 62,829 255,162 (219,656) (5,000) 93,335
Volunteer Coordinator Fund 799 22,300 (28,347) 6,000 752
Opportunities & Change Fund 4,279 31,374 (32,022) (3,631) -
Money Sorted Fund 6,506 31,788 (28,899) (9,395) -
Tesco Bags of Help 1,000 - - - 1,000
Youth Project 618 9,254 (9,163) - 709
National Lottery Project - 78,422 (77,745) - 677
Fundraising Manager - 28,765 (29,022) 258 -
Children and Families - 23,643 (25,641) 1,998 -
General Advice Fund - 20,000 (25,094) 5,094 -
Early Action - 25,089 (25,101) 12 -
ESOL - 15,224 (13,561) 1,663
Into the Mainstream Project - 44,149 (44,580) 431 -
Food Bank Worker Fund - 9,797 (13,730) 3,933 -
Anti-Destitution Worker Fund - 28,205 (28,205) -
Initial Accommodation Project - 23,000 (22,384) (12) 604
SAT One Stop Shop - 68,800 (62,334) (2,081) 4,385
Safety Ofcer Fund - 3,900 (10,867) 6,967 -
Tampon Tax Fund - 5,833 (5,463) 370
Part time General Advice Support - 7,271 (8,827) 1,556 -
81,575 753,895 (718,093) 130 117,505

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

Prior year: Movement in funds Movement in funds Movement in funds
Balance at Incoming Resources Transfers Balance at
1 April resources expended 31 March
£ £ £ £ £
Early Action - 16,637 (17,094) 457 -
Anti-Destitution Worker Fund - 21,968 (31,528) 9,560 -
Into the Mainstream Project - 21,921 (21,921) - -
Tampon Tax Fund 217 1,387 (1,600) (4) -
General Advice Fund - 57,288 (63,063) 5,775 -
Communities of Identity Fund 1,225 31,595 (27,286) 10 5,544
Specialist Advice Fund - 86,745 (102,343) - -
Fundraising Manager - 9,113 (9,113) - -
United Kingdom Resettlement - 255,247 (172,418) 62,829
Volunteer Coordinator Fund - 30,000 (29,201) - 799
Opportunities & Change Fund 3,619 34,248 (33,588) - 4,279
Money Sorted Fund 5,632 37,595 (36,721) - 6,506
Children & families 2,013 32,725 (37,726) 2,988 -
Tesco Bags of Help 1,000 - - - 1,000
ESOL - 15,224 (15,773) 54 -
Youth Project - 16,992 (16,374) - 618
13,706 668,685 (615,749) 14,933 81,575

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

17 Restricted funds (continued)

Anti-destitution Worker Fund

This fund is part funded by Lloyds Bank Foundation. This is used to meet the costs of the antidestitution Project Coordinator. A mixture of smaller grants and donations are used to fund the rest of the project, which includes food and cash support, to our destitute refugees.

ItM Fund

This fund is provided by Nottingham City Council to cover the cost of the Project Coordinator, any additional staffing as well as the core costs associated with the delivery of the project. The project focuses on providing information, advice and practical assistance to help our clients access mainstream health services.

General Advice Fund

Part of the funding was provided by the Henry Smith Charity up to 30[th] June 2020 to cover the cost of the General Advice Coordinator, volunteer expenses and a contribution to the running costs of the organisation.

General Advice was funded for the rest of the year by the National Lottery Covid Response Fund and Nottingham City Council, who made a contribution from their Resettlement budget. We received additional funding from Barrow Cadbury Trust to recruit an extra post within the General Advice Team. The funding was to help cope with increased demands on the team because of Covid. The post was recruited in January for 6 months.

Communities of Identity Fund

This fund is provided by Nottingham City Council and is administered and allocated to other voluntary and charitable organisations to deliver activities and services that will help people from refugee and asylum seeker communities to get the right support and advice, provide appropriate skills and confidence-building activities, and enable them to become active citizens.

Specialist Advice Team

Independent Living Support Service funding is provided by Nottingham City Council and supports the running of our Specialist Advice Team (SAT). SAT provides complex casework support for clients.

United Kingdom Resettlement Scheme

This fund, previously called the Vulnerable Person Resettlement Scheme, is managed by Nottingham City Council on behalf of the Government and provides 5 year support to refugees from the Syrian conflict who have resettled in Nottinghamshire. The intention is to widen this scheme to other countries refugees.

Volunteer Coordinator Fund

This fund, funded by a number of funders, covers the cost of the Volunteer Co-ordinatior who oversees the recruitment and supervision of our volunteers. We have over 144 volunteers that support most of our projects through their invaluable contribution.

Tampon Tax Fund

This group known as the Pamoja Women’s Group delivers a range of skills-building and personal development activities for refugee and asylum-seeking women. The group was mainly funded in 2020/21 by a grant from the tampon tax fund

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

17 Restricted funds (continued)

Money Sorted Fund

This fund is provided by the National Lottery Fund and the European Social Fund and overseen by the St Ann's Advice Group. The project helps people throughout Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire with money management and supports them to improve their financial wellbeing.

Opportunities and Change Fund

This fund is received through Framework to deliver a support programme for people with multiple and complex needs throughout Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. The aim is to create a tailored package of support that will assist with a range of needs including accommodation, mental healthcare and education.

Children & Families

This fund is provided by Children in Need and is used to provide holistic support to asylum seekers and refugee families with younger children.

Youth Project

This project aims to reduce social isolation by running weekly group sessions and regular trips and activities. Children in Need have funded the cost of a part time youth coordinator plus interpreter fees and some of the activity cost. The activity budget is supplemented by other small grants and donations. In 2020/21 the activities of the group was restricted to home based activities because of Covid.

Tesco Bags of Help

A small grant to help the tidying up of an area of rough ground adjacent to the forum and to make it more accessible for users of the Forum to enjoy.

Early Action

This funding is provided by Refugee Action. This is designed to explore different ways of providing early intervention and advice to avoid clients falling into difficulty in future. Early action activities are designed to take some pressure off our very busy general advice clinic.

Fundraising Manager

Money received specifically to cover the employment costs of a Fundraiser Manager for a one year period. This funding finished in February 2021.

ESOL

This fund is provided by Nottingham City Council to provide English language training to our clients. Following the resignation of the ESOL trainer in June 2020 ESOL training was delivered remotely by the Language Justice Team, who also train up our Interpreters.

Safety Officer Fund

This one-off Covid funding from Barrow Cadbury Trust supports a security presence at the Forum whilst we are unable to provide full face to face services to our clients. This funding being Covid related finished in June 2021.

The National Lottery Covid Response Fund

This one-off fund is provided by the National Lottery to make improvements to our offices to enable our building to be Covid compliant and to ensure all staff had laptops so they could work from home. Funding for this is now finished.

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

18Designated funds

The income funds of the charity include the following designated funds which have been set aside out of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes:

Movement in funds Movement in funds Movement in funds Movement in funds Movement in funds Movement in funds
Incomin Resourc Transfer Balance Incoming Resources Transfer Absorbed by Balance
g es s at resource expended s general fund at
resource expende 31 March s 31 March
s £ d
£		 £ 2020
£		 £ £ £ £ 2021
£
Destitution Fund 30,000 (14,933) 2,341 13,912 (27,457) 14,715 (3,511) -
Children & Families - - - - - - (1,998) 1,998 -
Covid Appeal - - - - 17,715 (3,000) (14,715) - -
Fundraising - - - - - - (258) 258 -
Food Bank Worker - - - - - - (3,933) 3,933 -
Fund
Safety Ofcer Fund - - - - - - (6,967) 6,967 -
Opportunities & - - - - - - 3,631 (3,631) -
Change Fund
Money Sorted - - - - - - 9,395 (9,395) -
30,000 (12,726) (14,933) 2,341 31,627 (30,457) (130) (3,381) -

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

19Analysis of net assets between funds

Fund balances at 31 March 2021 are represented by:

Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds

2021
2021
Group:
£
£
Tangible assets
1,483
-
Current assets/
221,612
117,505
223,095
117,505
Charity:
Tangible assets
1,483
-
Current assets/
197,721
117,505
199,204
117,505		 Total Unrestricte
d funds
Restricted
funds
2021
2020
2020
£
£
£
1,483
3,618
-

339,117
206,038
81,575
340,600
209,655
81,575
1,483
3,618
-
315,226
186,689
81,575
316,709
190,307
81,575		 Total
2020
£
3,618
287,613
291,231
3,618
268,264
271,882

203rd party funds

During the year, the charity handled 3rd party funds from the Nottingham City Council's Communities of Identity grant. £92,052 (2020 - £99,639) was received as the lead organisation and passed on to other

21Operating lease commitments

At the reporting end date the charity had outstanding commitments for future minimum lease payments under

Within one year
Between two and fve years
In over fve years		 2021
£
5,474
40,960
-
46,434		 2020
£
5,474
75,475
-
80,949

Lease payments recognised as an expense totalled £34,516 (2020 - £37,748) during the year.

22Related party transactions

During the year £41,907 (2020: £34,523) was paid out in grants to Belong Nottingham. The trustee Amdani Juma is an employee of Belong Nottingham.

NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REFUGEE FORUM

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

23 Subsidiaries

Details of the charity's subsidiaries at 31 March 2021 are as follows:

Name of undertaking **Registere ** Nature of business Class of % Held
ofce shares Direct
Voices in Refuge CIC England & The provision of Subscriber 100.00
(Company number Wales interpreting services
10517672)

The aggregate capital and reserves and the result for the year of subsidiaries was as follows:

Name of undertaking Profit/ Capital and (Loss) Reserves £ £ Voices in Refuge CIC 9,542 23,891

24
Cash generated from operations
2021
£
Surplus for the year
50,434
Adjustments for:
Investment income recognised in statement of fnancial activities
(166)
Depreciation and impairment of tangible fxed assets
2,134
Movements in working capital:
Decrease/(increase) in debtors
28,157
Increase in creditors
103,58
Cash generated from/(absorbed by) operations
184,144		 2020
£
89,765
(48
2,134
(9,116)
97,435
179,732