2025 Annual Report
ETHNIC HEALTH FORUM
YEAR 2024-25
FOREWORD
Dear Friends and Supporters,
It's with immense pride and gratitude that I reflect on the past year at Ethnic Health Forum. This has been a remarkable journey, and thanks to your unwavering support that we have been able to advance our mission of promoting health and empowering our diverse communities.
This past year, we have focused on tangible, impactful programs. We successfully delivered our Pathway to Prosperity Plus and Happy Homes Projects, in addition to women Yoga and Men’s badminton programmes. report.
As we look to the future, we are filled with optimism and a renewed sense of purpose. We are committed to building on this momentum, expanding our reach, and continuing to be a steadfast advocate for health equity.
Your partnership is the engine that drives our progress, and we are deeply grateful for your trust and generosity. Thank you for being a vital part of the Ethnic Health Forum family.
Hanif Bobat, Chief Officer
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ETHNIC HEALTH FORUM
YEAR 224 -25
A Year's Overview
WHERE WE ARE NOW
The Ethnic Health Forum (EHF), established in 2002, is dedicated to enhancing the wellbeing of underserved ethnic minority communities in Greater Manchester. Our approach is multifaceted, offering a range of health and social care programs including welfare rights advice, digital learning, English language skills, psychological support, perinatal psychosocial support and advocacy. Our success is built on a collaborative method that involves stakeholders and local communities who codesign and help us cocreate solutions, which is a best practice for achieving lasting positive results.
We are committed to innovative approaches to service delivery, grounded in a deep understanding of the cultural contexts and sensitivities inherent to our diverse communities. This enables us to provide culturally competent and tailored interventions that are both effective and respectful. We are a forward thinking organisation and thanks to Allied Manchester Business School volunteer students, we have introduced Social Return On Investment (SROI) calculations in our data for evaluating the social value our programmes are producing.
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E
ETHNIC HEALTH FORUM
YEAR 2024 -25
OUR
PARTNERS & SUPPORTERS
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
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Over the past five years, EHF has consistently served an average of over 1000 clients annually, primarily from South Asian and Middle Eastern communities.
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The Manchester Happy Homes Project (MHHP) has successfully provided perinatal support to 85 marginalized ethnic minority families in specific areas of Manchester. This support covers the period from pregnancy up to 12 months after the baby's birth. The DigitAll program has empowered mothers through digital literacy and online peer support groups, demonstrating a commitment to bridging the digital divide within the community.
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EHF offers a wide range of health and social care programs, including welfare rights advice, digital learning, English language skills, psychological support, and advocacy, to address the diverse needs of the community.
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The organization has established strong partnerships with key stakeholders, including Saint Mary's Midwifery Unit, Manchester City Council, and the NHS, which enables it to effectively deliver its services and address health disparities.
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The EHF's commitment to rigorous monitoring and evaluation, as demonstrated in the documents, allows it to make data-driven decisions and ensure its services are effective and have a tangible impact.
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ETHNIC HEALTH FORUM
YEAR 2024 -25
Last Year's
PATHWAY TO PROSPERITY PLUS - P2P+
68% Women
Reports are widely used by companies for documenting projects, cash flow and finances, employee performance, marketing st
32% Men
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Community Outreach
14.2%
English Learning
9.5%
Drop-ins
4.1%
Emotional Support
4.2%
Welfare Rights
68.1%
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The Pathway to Prosperity Plus project has continued to deliver comprehensive support in its second year, addressing a range of needs within the community. Our services, which include welfare rights advice, English language conversational sessions, digital literacy and psychological support, have been instrumental in improving the well-being and stability of our clients. Notably, our efforts in welfare rights have led to clients successfully claiming an average of £17654 in monthly financial benefits over the last six months, significantly improving their financial stability.
The program's focus on holistic support also includes a strong emphasis on volunteering and psychological support. By providing volunteering opportunities, we have helped clients gain practical experience, build valuable skills, and establish local professional networks, which in turn enhances their employability. The peer support for psychological well-being has strengthened community resilience and support networks, providing a vital resource for those facing mental health challenges and reducing isolation. These combined achievements highlight the project's success in addressing both the financial and personal development needs of our clients.
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White Black/Africans 7.7% 8.6% Kurdish South Asians 42.5% 14.1% Arabs 27%
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ETHNIC HEALTH FORUM
YEAR 2024-25
HAPPY HOMES PROJECT
The Manchester Happy Homes Project (MHHP) and Salford Happy Homes Project have demonstrated significant success in providing comprehensive psychosocial support to marginalized ethnic minority families in Greater Manchester during the crucial perinatal period. The project, led by a dedicated team of five women from diverse ethnic backgrounds, has successfully assisted 85 families in areas such as Gorton, Longsight, Moss Side, and Levenshulme over the past six months. This vital assistance spans from pregnancy until the baby is 12 months old, bridging a critical service gap for disadvantaged communities and complementing local midwifery and health visiting services.
Beyond direct family support, a key achievement of the project is the creation of a digital community through its "DigitAll" initiative. This has led to the establishment of three vibrant online peer support groups on WhatsApp for Kurdish, South Asian, and Arabic-speaking women. These groups serve as dynamic platforms where mothers can access and share valuable information on health and family support, while also providing a safe space to discuss perinatal concerns and offer peer support advice. This transformative digital approach ensures mothers are not only supported but are also actively engaged in a supportive community tailored to their needs.
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ETHNIC HEALTH FORUM
YEAR 2024 -25
LIVING WELL MENTAL HEALTH - PEER SUPPORT WORK
The "Manchester Living Well" Peer Support work is a collaboration of Manchester VCSE and NHS Living-well teams. The Ethnic Health Forum participation in this programme is aimed at helping individuals with mental health challenges, especially those who may not be adequately served by traditional primary and secondary care. A key component of this service is the use of lived experience to inform and guide the support provided. Peer support worker hold a caseload and offer a "valued listening ear". They also connect with peer support groups across the city to help clients access ongoing support. The service is built on the belief that building trusting and kind relationships can make a significant difference in a person's life.
LIVING LIFE TO THE FULL (LLTTF)
The "Manchester Living Well" Peer Support Programme is a key initiative of the Ethnic Health Forum, designed to provide emotional and mental support to clients and build their resilience. As part of this program, the organization has successfully delivered three workshops to its clients:
"Living Life to the Full," "Reclaim Your Life," and "Enjoy Your Baby." These workshops equip individuals with practical tools and strategies to help them manage stress and other mental health challenges.
Ethnic Health Forum also organised a half day training on “Empty Your mind - Stress management” as part of a series in helping communities to improve mental health and wellbeing.
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ETHNIC HEALTH FORUM
YEAR 2024 -25
New Initiative-2024-25
QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS INTEGRATION & UPGRADATION SERVICE - QSIUS
The Qualifications and Skills Integration & Upgradation Service (QSIUS) is a new initiative from the Ethnic Health Forum designed to help migrant community members overcome the professional challenges they face in the UK. Many of these individuals have a wealth of qualifications and experience from their home countries that are not recognised here, creating a significant barrier to finding suitable employment.
This program addresses these issues head-on by providing personalised, multilingual support. Our team work with each client to assess and reframe their existing skills, adapting their CVs to highlight transferrable abilities that are valuable in the UK job market. We also help them seek entry-level opportunities to gain local experience and guide them toward alternative educational pathways to upgrade their qualifications. This process, which we refer to as the "Staircase Rule," empowers clients to start small, build confidence and local knowledge, and progress toward their long-term career goals.
The QSIUS program is a testament to our commitment to empowering individuals and ensuring that no one is left behind due to systemic barriers.
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ETHNIC HEALTH FORUM
YEAR 24- 25
INFO@ETHNICHEALTH.ORG.UK | WWW.ETHNICHEALTH.ORG.UK | @ETHNICHEALTHFORUM
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Charity No. 1199687 (1123223)
Ethnic Health Forum (Charitable Incorporated Organisation)
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2025
| INCOME FROM: Notes Charitable Activities 4 Grand Total EXPENDITURE ON Charitable Expense 5 Grand Total Net Movement in Funds Reconciliation of Funds Funds brought forward 3 Funds carried forward 3 |
2025 2024 Restricted Unrestricted Funds Funds Total Total £ £ £ £ 184,926 67,638 252,564 |
|---|---|
| 184,926 67,638 252,564 211,838 |
|
| 185,613 44,855 230,468 |
|
| 185,613 44,855 230,468 199,228 |
|
| (687) 22,783 22,096 12,610 85,281 38,169 123,450 110,840 84,594 60,952 145,546 123,450 |
All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised during the year.
The notes on pages 12 to 17 form part of these financial statements.
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Ethnic Health Forum (Charitable Incorporated Organisation)
Charity No. 1199687 (1123223)
BALANCE SHEET
AS AT 30 APRIL 2025
| Notes FIXED ASSETS Tangible Fixed Assets 8 CURRENT ASSETS Debtors 9 Cash Deposits Cash at Bank and in Hand CREDITORS Amounts falling due within one year 10 NET CURRENT ASSETS TOTAL NET ASSETS THE FUNDS OF THE CHARITY Unrestricted 3 Restricted 3 Total Charity Funds |
2025 £ £ 1,242 - - 170,153 170,153 73,533 96,620 97,863 60,952 84,594 145,546 |
2024 £ £ 1,553 - - 168,292 168,292 52,988 115,303 116,856 38,169 85,281 123,450 |
|
|---|---|---|---|
The notes on pages 12 to 17 form part of these financial statements.
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Ethnic Health Forum (Charitable Incorporated Organisation)
Charity No. 1199687 (1123223)
STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE YEAR ENDING 30 APRIL 2025
RECONCILIATION OF NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS TO NET CASH FLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES
| Current | Prior | |
|---|---|---|
| Year | Year | |
| £ | £ | |
| Net movement in funds | 22,096 | 12,610 |
| Add back depreciation | 311 | 388 |
| Deduct investment income | - | - |
| Decrease/(increase) in | ||
| debtors | - | - |
| lncrease/(decrease) in | ||
| creditors | (20,545) | (217) |
| Net cash used in operating activities | 1,861 | 12,781 |
| Cash flows from investment activities: | ||
| Interest | - | - |
| Purchase of fixed assets | - | - |
| Net cash provided by investing activities | - | - |
| lncrease/(decrease) in cash and cash | ||
| equivalents during the year | 1,861 | 12,781 |
| Cash and cash equivalents brought forward | 168,292 | 155,511 |
| Cash and cash equivalents carried forward | 170,153 | 168,292 |
The notes on pages 12 to 17 form part of these financial statements.
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Ethnic Health Forum (Charitable Incorporated Organisation)
Charity No. 1199687 (1123223)
Notes to the Financial Statements Year Ended 30 April 2025
1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
(a) General information and basis of preparation
Ethnic Health Forum is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation registered in England and Wales. The address of the registered office is given in the charity information on our website (www.ethnichealth.org.uk).
The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with 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 issued in October 2019, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), the Charities Act 2011, and UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice.
The financial statements are prepared on a going concern basis under the historical cost convention. The financial statements are presented in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity and rounded to the nearest £.
The significant accounting policies applied in preparing these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all years presented unless otherwise stated.
(b) Funds
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the trustees' discretion in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity and which have not been designated for other purposes.
Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that the trustees have set aside for particular purposes. The aim and use of each designated fund are set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Restricted funds are funds that are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors or that have been raised by the charity for particular purposes. The cost of raising and administering such funds is charged against the specific fund. The aim and use of each restricted fund are set out in the notes to the financial statements.
(c) Income recognition
All incoming resources are included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SoFA); when the charity is legally entitled to the income after any performance conditions have been met, the amount can be measured reliably, and the income is probable to be received.
For donations to be recognised, the charity will be notified of the amounts and the settlement date in writing. If there are conditions attached to the donation and this requires a level of performance before entitlement can be obtained, then income is deferred until those conditions are fully met or the fulfilment of those conditions is within the control of the charity, and it is probable that they will be fulfilled.
No amount of volunteer time is included in the financial statements in line with the SORP.
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Ethnic Health Forum (Charitable Incorporated Organisation)
Charity No. 1199687 (1123223)
(c) Income recognition (continued)
Income from trading activities includes income earned from fundraising events and trading activities to raise funds for the charity. Income is received in exchange for supplying goods and services to raise funds and is recognised when entitlement occurs.
Income from the government and other grants are recognised at fair value when the charity has entitlement after any performance conditions have been met; the income will probably be received, and the amount can be measured reliably. If entitlement is not met, then these amounts are deferred.
(d) Expenditure recognition
All expenditure is accounted for on an accrual basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all costs related to the category. Expenditure is recognised where there is a legal or constructive obligation to make payments to third parties; the settlement will probably be required, and the obligation amount can be measured reliably. It is categorised under the following headings:
Expenditure on charitable activities:
Comprises those costs incurred by the charity in delivering 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.
Expenditure on raising funds:
Comprises costs which are directly attributable to the charity's fundraising activities for its charitable purposes and includes costs of all fundraising events and non-charitable trading.
Irrecoverable VAT is charged as an expense against the activity for which the expenditure arose.
Grants payable to third parties are within the charitable objectives. Where unconditional grants are offered, this is accrued as soon as the recipient is notified of the grant, giving rise to a reasonable expectation that the recipient will receive the grants. Where grants are conditional, relating to performance, then the grant is only accrued when any unfulfilled conditions are outside the charity's control.
(e) Tangible fixed assets
Tangible fixed assets are stated at a cost less than accumulated depreciation.
Depreciation is provided on all tangible fixed assets at rates calculated to write off the cost, less estimated residual value of each asset on a systematic basis over its expected useful life as follows: Computer equipment 33% straight line
(f) Debtors and creditors receivable/payable within one year
Debtors and creditors with no stated interest rate and are receivable or payable within one year are recorded at transaction price. Any losses arising from impairment are recognised in expenditure.
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Ethnic Health Forum (Charitable Incorporated Organisation)
Charity No. 1199687 (1123223)
(g) Foreign currency
Foreign currency transactions are initially recognised by applying to the foreign currency amount to the spot exchange rate between the functional currency and the foreign currency at the date of the transaction.
Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in a foreign currency at the balance sheet date are translated using the closing rate.
(h) Employee benefits
When employees have rendered service to the charity, short-term employee benefits to which the employees are entitled to be recognised at the undiscounted amount expected to be paid in exchange for that service.
The charity operates a defined contribution plan for the benefit of its employees. Contributions are expensed as they become payable.
(i) Tax
The charity is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 Finance Act 2010 and therefore, it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes. Accordingly,
the charity is potentially exempt from taxation in respect of income or capital gains received within categories covered by Chapter 3 Part 11 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992, to the extent that such income or gains are applied exclusively for charitable purposes.
(j) Going concern
The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis as the trustees believe no material uncertainties exist. The trustees have considered the funds held and the expected level of income and expenditure for 12 months from authorising these financial statements. The budgeted income and expenditure are sufficient, along with the level of reserves, for the charity to continue as a going concern.
2. INCOME
This represents grants, contracts, service level agreements, and sundry income receivables for providing care and social welfare services.
3. FUNDS OF THE CHARITY FOR THE YEAR 2025
| Unrestricted Restricted Total Charity Funds |
2025 2024 £ £ 60,952 38,169 84,594 85,281 |
|---|---|
| 145,546 123,450 |
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Ethnic Health Forum (Charitable Incorporated Organisation)
Charity No. 1199687 (1123223)
4. INCOME FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR 2025
| Related Projects | £ |
|---|---|
| COMMUNITY FUND | 67, 304 |
| GMCVO | 1,200 |
| GMMH Living Well | 28,000 |
| Man Uni NHSFT | 5,409 |
| Manchester CHEM | 15,990 |
| Manchester City Council | 27,622 |
| Manchester Mind Garden Project | 2,500 |
| MerseyCare NHS FT | 3,459 |
| NHS GREATER MANCHESTER | 4,000 |
| Salford CVS | 26,157 |
| SOCIAL PRESCRIBING FUND | 6,822 |
5. ANALYSIS OF EXPENDITURE ON CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES
| EXPENSES | TOTAL | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|
| FUNDS | LAST YEAR | |
| Salaries | 152,482 | |
| PAYE | 8,536 | |
| Project Expenses | 7,408 | |
| Rent Expenses | 7,200 | |
| Cost of Living Payments | 5,400 | |
| Professional Services | 4,426 | |
| Travel Expenses | 161 | |
| Grand Total | 185,613 | 194,719 |
6. STAFF COSTS
The average monthly number of employees and full-time equivalent (FTE) during the year was as follows:
| 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| Support staff | 7 | 5 |
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Ethnic Health Forum (Charitable Incorporated Organisation)
Charity No. 1199687 (1123223)
6. STAFF COSTS ( continued )
The total staff costs and employee benefits were as follows:
| £ | |
|---|---|
| Wages and salaries | 163,610 |
| PAYE contributions | 8,536 |
No employee received a total employee benefit of more than £60,000 (2024: none).
7. TRUSTEES' PERSONAL REMUNERATION AND EXPENSES
The Trustees neither received nor waived any remuneration during the year (2024: £Nil). The Trustees had no expenses reimbursed during the year (2024: £Nil).
8. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS
| Cost - O.B Additions Removals Cost-CB Accumulated Depreciation - O.B Depreciation on removals Depreciation for the year Accumulated Depreciation – C.B Net Assets – O.B Net Assets – C.B |
Office Equipment Furniture & Fixtures Total £ £ £ 6,942 1,571 8,513 - - - - - - |
|---|---|
| 6,942 1,571 8,513 |
|
| 5,558 1,402 6,961 - - - 277 34 311 |
|
| 5,835 1,436 7,271 |
|
| 1,384 169 1,553 1,107 135 1,242 |
9. DEBTORS
There are no debtors in 2025.
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Ethnic Health Forum (Charitable Incorporated Organisation)
Charity No. 1199687 (1123223)
10. CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR
The charity has received funds in advance to carry out its charitable activities in the next year. The following statement explains the restricted funds against the services.
Current Year Prior Year 73,533 52,988
The trustees aim to maintain free reserves in unrestricted funds at a level that equates to approximately six months of unrestricted charitable expenditure.
The trustees consider that this level will provide sufficient funds to respond to grant applications and cover support and governance costs.
11. TAXATION
Ethnic Health Forum is a registered charity in England and Wales and is therefore exempt from taxation.
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Independent examiner's report on the accounts
| Section A | Independent Examiner’s Report | Independent Examiner’s Report | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Report to the trustees/ | ETHNIC HEALTH FORUM | ||
| members of | |||
| On accounts for the year | 30/04/2025 Charity no |
1123223 | |
| ended | (if any) | 1199687 (CIO) | |
| Set out on pages | 11-19 | ||
| I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above | |||
| charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 30/04/2025. | |||
| 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 | have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission | ||
| under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. |
Independent The charity’s gross income exceeded £25, 000 and I am qualified to examiner's statement undertake the examination by being a qualified member of Institute of Financial Accountants (IFA) .
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:
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the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
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the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
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the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed: Date: 05/09/2025 Name: Iftikhar Mian, AFA ~~—~~ Relevant professional Membership No. 244768 qualification(s) or body Institute of Financial Accountants, (if any): Address: 1C Selworthy Road, Manchester M16 7UG
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Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners). Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose . Nil
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