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2021-08-31-accounts

Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants jwNwJw•illlllllUIIIII

Annual Report and Financial Statements to 31 August 2021

CONTENTS

Page
Reports from our Patron, Chair and Chief Executive 3
Review of the Year 8
Reference and Administrative Details 32
Trustees’ Annual Report 33
Independent Examiner’s Report 38
Statement of Financial Activities
(including Income and Expenditure Account)		 39
Balance Sheet 40
Notes to the Financial Statements 41

2

A word from our Patron, Juliet Stevenson

2020-21 was unquestionably one of the most challenging years the Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants has ever faced. Covid-19 meant that the Centre’s doors remained closed, which was unavoidable and very difficult indeed for the people for whom the Centre is often the only home or community that they have.

Andy and the staff worked hard to support everyone in our community and to offer everything that was wonderful about the Centre online or by phone.

Firstly, they sent support packages to those most in need throughout the year.

Secondly, staff personally ensured that clients were included and reached out to regularly, to prevent individuals backsliding into depression and many kinds of need. The Support Service offered practical help with any issues people were facing, for example with finding accommodation or with their legal cases which were inevitably delayed.

Thirdly, and this is what impressed me the most, 2020-21 was a year of Zoom, with classes moving online so that clients could keep working alongside their teachers and have a sense that their education was continuing. An online community was created – something we never thought would be possible – allowing people to feel that they were still maintaining a live link with the Centre even during the most difficult days of lockdown.

Now, as I write this in the early months of 2022, I am so proud and delighted to say that the physical Centre is back operating again offering hot food, activities and a place of comfort and acceptance every Wednesday – this now runs alongside the online ‘school’ which developed over the years of Covid.

Again, and as ever, I am so impressed and in awe of the commitment across the board of the staff at the Centre, and also of the extraordinary resilience and courage of the clients.

I remain very proud to be a Patron, and would strongly encourage anyone in a position to do so to offer as much financial support to the Centre as possible. With thanks and best wishes,

Juliet Stevenson

3

Message from our Chair, Victor de Waal

Reading the Report for the last very challenging year of the Pandemic our friends and supporters will see the remarkably imaginative way our staff and numerous volunteers, under the leadership of the Chief Executive Andy Ruiz Palma, have responded to the pressing needs of our valued and so vulnerable clients. The majority in the context of the increasingly hostile and shameful regime of this country remain asylum seekers with no other means of support and our Centre has enabled them not only to survive but to prosper.

This year marks the end of my chairmanship of the Trustees. It has been a great privilege to serve in this role and as a volunteer over many years. I am delighted to welcome Victoria Rae as my successor and we look forward to her contributing her many gifts and experience for the future.

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Report from the Chief Executive, Andy Ruiz Palma

This year has seen some of the greatest changes and developments in the Centre’s history. As I write, we are thankfully finally starting to see the lifting of Covid restrictions and a move towards a more recognisable post pandemic society. However, looking back at the start of the year in September 2020 it was a different story.

By that time, we had closely examined everything we do and worked out how to ensure continuation of our activities and services. We had identified the key areas that we support clients with and taken them all online and developed them into a three point plan that met clients’ immediate needs:

1. Emergency Support Packages

2. Support Service

3. Learning and Enrichment Activity Sessions

During this year 2020-21, we further developed these activities and services and the three point plan to enable engagement with clients at the level that met their particular individual needs.

We quickly realised that, due to the continued restrictions, that this strategy was here to stay for the foreseeable future. Work began to ensure sustainability and to continue to develop our way of engaging with clients dealing with ever increasing hardship and the complexities of sustained isolation and fear experienced by our clients. Our clients’ issues and problems intensified and the team got stuck in.

During the year, we learned to be continually growing and to be flexible and nimble in order to make the work responsive to need and also scalable. We created a sound base on which to either continue within the pandemic or be ready at a moment’s notice to move into our hybrid delivery service of both online and in-person. It has not been easy but we did it. We ensured that the clients continued to be engaged throughout the year by listening to them and adding new sessions and activities as requested; within the Support Service we engaged with an increasing and deeper need among the client group in areas of support including accommodation, access to healthcare, hardship and digital poverty; we brought in essential support for women on a systematic and regular basis to combat period poverty; we responded to an increasing workload by expanding the team to add the essential roles of Activities and Services Coordinator and Reception and Referrals Lead.

We carried with us much of the learning from the previous year and taking a moment to review, we said:

We have learned that: we can weather the storm because we keep the clients close; we can provide a service online to our clients through overcoming hurdles like digital exclusion and loneliness; community can be sustained seemingly through any form of contact and not just physical presence; as a team we can come together and overcome situations that challenge every corner of our comfort zone.

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I can confidently say that this learning and our development as a team have carried us through the year 2020-21.

A quick glance of our strategic perspective through the pandemic reads as follows:

Phase 1 - Crisis Response

An immediate response to ensure clients’ immediate needs are met.

Phase 2 - Transformation

To maintain regular contact with clients to ensure ongoing support; To establish the services we offer to clients and to develop them to fit in with the new remote online world; Establish funding security. Phase 3 - Sustainability.

Move to a more sustainable model of online delivery of our activities and services.

Phase 4 - To develop a ‘hybrid’ model of both in-person and online activities and services.

Post Lockdown when restrictions are lifted. Offer a hybrid integrated service to our clients with a digital inclusion and also at the Centre’s premises.

The year’s work mostly fell into Phase 3 and Phase 4 of the strategy. During this time we continued to test our own systems and constantly tweak and improve them to create a robust mechanism to meet the needs of our clients as best as possible remotely and online. This would enable us to continue with this online service even when we moved out of the pandemic and reintroduce in-person activities.

Examples of these systems include: a more targeted and more systematic referral mechanism to help clients find ways of moving on and engaging with specialist organisations; a refining and increasing of the Sessions we offer including the excellent and engaging English classes that have been so well attended..

In the previous report, we also said:

We of course look forward to a time when we are able to return to meeting our community again in person but we will be carrying forward alongside it our new-found digital engagement. This forms part of our Phase 4 and will be a hybrid model of both in-person and online activities and services.

Looking back at the strategy, the entire year 2020-21 was spent in lockdown with a plan to open in-person in September 2021. I am so pleased to say this has now begun. Since the writing of the report, we have started back in person on a regular basis at the Centre’s premises and that client numbers and engagements are building healthily.

The online and the in-person models are successfully running simultaneously and we are able to reach a greater number of clients and retain clients who would otherwise not have been able to continue due to moving accommodation or increased other commitments in their lives.

Our main achievement is that we have delivered on Phase 4 of our Strategy. We developed a hybrid service of both online and in-person activities and services!

Embedded well throughout were two key offerings:

Support Packages. The support packages started as soon as the pandemic began and continued to ensure hardship support for our destitute asylum seeker clients who were most in need. It was a tremendous achievement that we were concerned would become unsustainable but thankfully through a focussed fundraising strategy has continued to this day. It is a lifeline to assist with essential food and items and also to access ours and other organisations services.

Digital Inclusion Programme. Digital engagement is essential in accessing any services in any organisation. For us this means providing phones and laptops, topping up clients’ data, training clients to use Zoom and other applications, demonstrating and teaching the language around the texts and helping clients to become conversant in the digital conversation.

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Team cohesiveness has been essential in every aspect of the Centre. The staff, volunteers and Session leads have all learned to work together in new ways to reach the overall goals of the Centre. It has not been easy and as a team we have faced challenges on how to best carry out our work online and keep strong working relationships. But with an understanding of our common drive to help the clients, we have travelled far together and some of the achievements that you will see later on in this report we thought we could never achieve. Each step has been character building and has strengthened the cohesiveness and effectiveness of the team overall. I offer a huge thank you to each and every person active in the Centre.

So what can we say we have learned and can carry with us into the next year? We have learned to work effectively online; to open channels of communication to all clients to mirror the simplicity of being at a physical Centre; to create and develop staff roles to make regular proactive contact with all clients; to manage ever changing Covid restrictions and politics to get the right balance to help people back in-person post pandemic; to hold our nerve in testing times. Other significant steps were building a waiting list for a post pandemic time: a two stream programme where clients on the waiting list could access English classes while awaiting full enrolment post pandemic. I am pleased to say that all have now been offered places and many have stayed with us in our community.

Looking ahead, we are excited to continually develop our activities and services in line with demand and to refine and scale up both the online and in-person offering. We have built a strong team with a wealth of experience and as we understand our clients more and more we will be able to better utilise this experience and deploy skills effectively to accompany and support clients on their journey. Now we are post pandemic, we will be preparing a new three year strategy over the coming months to ensure we are resourced to meet our objectives. We continue to welcome new clients and form new relationships and they bring with them new stories from around the world and new struggles which we will work together to overcome.

At the heart of the Centre is this relationship with the client. The time and space to hear their story and respond to any rising need. The clients who come to us work with us to help us help them help themselves. It is a beautiful cycle of support. The Centre was born of the need to help its clients. The Centre is ever changing to meet those needs as they change but always circling around the connection with the client that is the spark that we believe ignites a beautiful upward cycle.

Andy Ruiz Palma Chief Executive

7

Review of the Year 2020-21

What we do

At the Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants we have been welcoming people to our community since 1997, wherever they have come from, whatever has happened in their lives. Our approach is not political or institutional but individual, compassionate and human. We welcome people, listen to what they need and respond to that. Whether someone is looking for English lessons, advice on housing, accessing healthcare, applying to college or any of the many challenges of being a migrant in London – we are here for them. You can visit our website here: https://islingtoncentre.co.uk/

Our mission

The Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants works to create a strong, positive, community for people who have been displaced from their countries of origin due to persecution, war, and poverty.

We create a sense of belonging and comfort for those who have left their homes. We provide practical tools and structure to help displaced people to rebuild their lives. We link asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants with local people to build a stronger community for everyone.

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Our impact in 2020-21

For the people who come to us 2020-21 was an extremely challenging year. The national lockdown in the early months of 2021 and the ongoing social distancing measures meant real hardship. Destitute asylum seekers struggled with food and basic supplies as the charities which usually would have supported them – including ours – continued to operate remotely. For others, the government measures meant being moved at short notice to areas where they knew no one, delays in their asylum cases, difficulties making health appointments and a deepening sense of isolation.

At the Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants, we are a small team, but we are dedicated and we did everything we possibly could to be here for people. For asylum seekers who are legally barred from working and must get by on £5.66 a day, or nothing at all in the case of those who are destitute, we provided support packages to allow people to access food, basic supplies and phone and internet credit. Across the year we sent 2340 support packages costing us a total of £93,600 – a huge undertaking for a charity of our size, but we did it because we knew that it was the right thing to do – we know for some of the people we work with this was all they had and was a real lifeline. They knew that someone cared.

We are so proud that in a survey completed at the end of the year 86% of people said that, despite the hardships of another very difficult year, their sense of happiness had either remained the same or increased.

We were humbled by the resilience and strength people showed in coming to our Support Service to look for the help they needed to create a better life for themselves.

Through our new Support Service referrals process we helped 15 people into college and worked with 2 people studying at university. Meanwhile, we supported 12 people to gain refugee status – one of the biggest milestones in people’s journey towards a better life here in the UK – and through our interventions helped 20 people out of destitution.

It was a year like no other we have known. It made our team stronger and it taught us so much. After hundreds of hours of 1-1 phone calls to check in that people were doing ok in the pandemic, and more than 10,000 Zoom sessions with small groups, we now have a much deeper understanding of the people we work with.

Now, in 2022, taking everything we have learned and the new hybrid model we have developed, we look ahead to the future with a sense of optimism and will continue finding new ways to be here for everyone in our community.

Meanwhile, we offered English lessons, Art and Writing classes, Choir, Gym, Yoga and much more remotely via Zoom. Working this way, we were able to keep our community together and give people much needed sense of human contact.

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Our impact in 2020-21 133 clients supported throughout the year 15 people helped to enrol on college courses 105 clients to enable We digitally included access to online services

20 people helped out of destitution

12 people were supported through the process of obtaining refugee status 2340 We gave out over support packages for food and essentials to asylum seekers

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2020-21, a year online – digital inclusion

An online staff and volunteer meeting

By September 2020 we had started to create something which we never thought was possible – a community of refugees and asylum seekers meeting and learning online.

We started the academic year with a ‘pilot phase’ offering the English classes we had established in the early days of the pandemic and broadening the timetable to include more online activities and groups, including Art and Writing, online Choir, online Gym and online Support Service group sessions for the first time. By Christmas, we could see that – just as English classes had worked online – so did many of our other activities.

Empowering people to join our online activities became a key part of our work. Many lacked equipment, others lacked digital skills.

We secured funding for equipment and recruited Shannon, our Activities and Services Coordinator, whose role partly involved buying and sending out phones and laptops, and talking people through the technical process of getting on the internet and joining Zoom sessions.

We were humbled by how people stepped up to the challenge of joining us online and are proud to say that by August 2021, the end of our academic and financial year, we had 123 people out of 133 regularly joining us online.

Now, in 2022, digital inclusion remains key to our work. Our online timetable continues to grow and develop and alongside it, we offer hot food, a warm welcome, advice and support and activities at our Centre in Islington.

“Zoom lesson is good because I can do it from home.” S told us.

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Who are our Clients?

In 2020-21 we worked with 133 people from 39 countries across the world who came to the UK seeking sanctuary and a better life. We had clients from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Syria, Russia, China and many other countries. We welcomed people regardless of their immigration status, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age or any other factor. Having fled persecution, war, or human rights abuses, they arrive in London suffering from the effects of their experiences.

In 2020-21 we worked with:

In 2020-21 the people who chose to come to us originated from 39 countries including:

Country of origin Number of
people		 % of our client group in
200-21
Democratic Republic of Congo 59 44%
Turkey 10 8%
Nigeria 8 6%
Ethiopia 5 4%
Eritrea 4 3%
Pakistan 4 3%

Other countries of origin included : Abkhazia, Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, China, Colombia, Congo, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Gabon, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Ivory Coast, Kosovo, Kuwait, Mauritius, Namibia, Russia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, Vietnam, Zambia.

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Where do our clients live?

The people who come to us often stay in hostels or are ‘sofa surfing’, not knowing where they will sleep from one week to the next. Those who are seeking asylum may be in government accommodation, usually sharing a house with other families. One of the best solutions for people is to find a refugee hosting family – a family which offers a room to a refugee or family without charge.

In 2020-21 people came from many boroughs across London

The people we work with move from place to place across London, sometimes finding themselves transferred at very short notice. The top 10 boroughs our clients were staying in are:

For many, the Centre offers a sense of home. When people come to us, they find kindness and a safe space where they are heard and valued and have the chance to make friends.

Raphael (not his real name), an asylum seeker said: ‘Islington Centre is a family to me.’

Map showing where our clients were staying in London in 2020-21

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We understand that there is confusion around different types of displaced people and their rights in the UK

An asylum seeker is someone who has left their country because of persecution, human rights abuses and war. They cannot return because they fear for their life and have asked the UK government for the right to stay in this country. While they make this application, they receive £39.63 a week and are mainly unable to work. 88 of our clients were asylum seekers.

A destitute asylum seeker is someone who is trying to appeal the government’s refusal of their application for asylum, having reached the end of the asylum system. While they try to make this appeal, they have no access to financial support or housing and are unable to work. Of the 88 asylum seekers we worked with, 57 were destitute asylum seekers.

A refugee is someone who has been given the right to stay in the UK for five years as the government has believed and accepted their claim for asylum. Although refugees have

the right to stay, they still need help to rebuild their lives in an unfamiliar country. 34 of our clients were refugees.

A migrant is someone who has come to this country to make a better life for themselves. Often migrants send money back to support family in their own country. There are restrictions on services they can access, such as healthcare. A lack of English language can make it hard for migrants to fit in. 9 of our clients were migrants.

In 2020-21:

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Rebecca’s story

Rebecca has the most amazing laugh. If you hear her laugh, you will want to laugh too.

We are on Zoom. She is on the staircase in the house she and her husband and two teenage children share with two other families. It is the most private place she can find for this conversation.

‘I set my alarm for this appointment, I was sleeping,’ she tells me. It is six-thirty in the evening on a Monday. Rebecca is tired because she has been at college all day and shares a bed with her 15-year-old daughter, in a tiny bedroom of the National Asylum Support Service accommodation she has been provided by the government.

‘Thank you for speaking with me,’ I tell her. She smiles at me and I smile back. Screen to screen. This is how it works now.

I ask her about her life before coming to the UK to seek asylum. This is her story:

Rebecca grew up in the Democratic Republic of Congo where she trained to be a nurse: ‘Nursing is my vocation, it is what I want to do,’ she explains. She married and had two children and life was good, except that she could see around her inequality and injustice. ‘In Congo there is not freedom. You have no right to express yourself or claim your rights,’ she explains. Wanting a better country for her children to grow up in, she began going to political meetings and became involved with opposition activity.

The government became aware of her opposition and she was taken from her home and imprisoned. Eventually, she found a way to escape and left the country, travelling through Angola, to Portugal and France and eventually to England.

‘When I came to England, my friends, they told me if you want to learn English there is a centre where you can learn and they help you with many many things, there are many activities. You can do gym, you can do choir. But what I like most at Islington Centre is meeting people. When we go to the centre, we laugh, we joke, we take coffee, tea, we eat. The staff are ready to help, they help me too much.’

We helped Rebecca contact an agency which put her in touch with her 14-year-old son who had become separated from the family on the journey and was still in France. Meanwhile we supported Rebecca as she went through the difficult process of finding legal representation, applying for accommodation, applying for college and making an asylum claim.

More recently, throughout the pandemic, we have been here for Rebecca with a support package every fortnight.

Now, Rebecca is waiting for a decision on her asylum claim. If granted leave to remain, I ask her: What does she hope for? ‘I don’t wish for special things, I wish to have a good life. To live normally, as a human being...I wish to have my family and work as a nurse so that I can help other people as they have helped me.’

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What problems do we help our clients overcome?

Insecure immigration status: Insecure immigration status limits access to housing, income, healthcare, employment and education. It leaves people at risk of detention in the UK and removal to their country of origin. Navigating the asylum and immigration system in the UK is incredibly difficult. Our Support Service is here for people who need help to seek legal representation and negotiate the system. In 2020-21 we supported 12 people through the process of gaining refugee status. Looking ahead, in 2022 we hope to achieve OISC accreditation so that we can give immigraion advice for the first time.

Communication: Lack of English means people are reliant on support from English-speakers to access services. Important letters, phone calls, or conversations can be misunderstood or accidentally ignored. It is extremely difficult to build supportive social networks, without being able to communicate. In 2020-21 our highly experienced English teachers provided a range of online English classes online. We worked with 121 people and 86% reported feeling they had improved or maintained their ability to communicate in English during the year.

Isolation: For people who have left their country of origin, this can mean leaving behind friends and family. Poverty, insecure immigration status, and lack of communication skills in English further increase the isolation that our clients face. In 2020-21 we offered online groups and classes throughout the week where people could speak to our staff and see one another, and we made regular phone calls to check in with everyone on our register. For some, this was often the only contact they had each day.

Poverty: Everyone who comes to the Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants experiences a level of poverty. Asylum seekers are effectively barred from working, and must get by on £5.66 a day. Some groups, such as asylum seekers who have received a negative decision and are gathering evidence to challenge it, are not eligible for any financial support from the government at all, and are not able to work, leaving them destitute and homeless. In 2020-21 we provided support packages to those most in need every two weeks allowing people to live with dignity and access food, essentials and – increasingly important – digital credit. Now, in 2022 we are continuing the support package programme for people who are destitute and we offer hot food at our Centre every Wednesday and a ‘free shop’ of ambient food and toiletries.

Physical wellbeing: Many people at the Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants have injuries or illnesses caused by their experiences in their country of origin or in the UK. A significant number experience chronic illnesses. We support people to improve their physical wellbeing by offering support to access the NHS, offering gym and yoga classes online and by welcoming visiting organisations to speak to people about health issues, for example we work closely with NHS CLASH which provides information on sexual health.

Emotional wellbeing : People seeking asylum have often experienced traumatic events in their country of origin and are haunted by what has happened to them. Perhaps the most important part of our work is that we listen to people who chose to come to us, allowing them to feel valued and regain a sense of dignity.

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In the Garden of my Mind

In Lockdown I have painted

planted and painted

In Lockdown I have painted

my way back to spring

In the garden of my mind

flowers and fruit have blossomed

In the garden of my mind

I have survived

Now I hear birdsong calling me outside

Poem by Ntela

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Our team

We are a small but very dedicated team of eight members of staff (seven paid and one voluntary) with a broad range of experience and expertise. We worked closely during the pandemic, meeting on Zoom and speaking on the phone every day to find ways to keep reaching our clients through the challenges we faced. During the year, we recruited two new members of staff and the team included: two highly experienced English teachers, both of whom have extensive experience working with vulnerable people; our Support Service Coordinator who has lived experience of being a refugee and speaks ten languages; two recent graduates, a retired immigration and asylum solicitor, our fundraiser who is a former journalist and Andy, our Chief Executive who has successfully led the charity since 2000. We also would like to recognise the excellent work of Stephen Spencer who worked as Support Service Coordinator since 2015 who has now moved on.

Andy Ruiz Palma – Chief Executive .

I am the Chief Executive of Islington Centre. I lead on the strategy and direction of the work and work closely with all staff and trustees to ensure we are delivering the best service possible to our clients.

(Joined the Centre in 2000)

Anna Giokas – Head of Fundraising .

As Head of Fundraising I work closely with the Chief Executive to raise funds for the essential work through creating applications to trusts and grantors, managing individual donations and developing community fundraising partnerships.

(Joined the Centre in 2020)

Anya Paul – English Teacher, Community Liaison and Group Leader.

I am an English Tutor to the clients and work to improve integration and encourage community through language learning. I also liaise with community partners to bring a range of visitors and partner organisations to our classes to encourage diversity and inclusion. I am also a Group Leader supporting a specified group of clients on a regular basis.

(Joined the Centre in 2001)

Martha Maclachlan – English Teacher, Volunteer Coordinator and Group leader.

I am an English Tutor to the clients and work to improve integration and encourage community through language learning. I manage our current team of volunteers and support new volunteer applications. I am also a Group Leader supporting a specified group of clients on a regular basis.

(Joined as a member of staff in 2018 after 6 years as a volunteer)

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Farida Mohammadi – Support Service Coordinator and Group Leader.

I support clients with a wide range of problems and issues that are preventing their personal development and learning. I work with clients on different issues including homelessness, destitution and health. I am also a Group Leader supporting a specified group of clients on a regular basis.

(Joined the Centre in 2021)

Shannon Rayner – Activities and Services Coordinator .

As the Activities and Services Coordinator I work with staff, clients, session leads and volunteers to ensure that the timetable is running smoothly and that we are offering our sessions in the best way possible.

(Joined the Centre in 2020)

Ruth Hill - Referrals and Reception Administrator

I work as an administrator and receptionist and work closely with the Activities and Services Coordinator to ensure everything runs smoothly. I also support and encourage the making of referrals which supports clients to connect with other organisations.

(Joined the Centre in 2021)

Gwen Morris – Group Leader and Support Service Volunteer .

I work closely with the Support Service Coordinator to support clients who are experiencing difficulties in their lives. I am also a Group Leader supporting a specified group of clients on a regular basis.

(Joined the Centre in 2019)

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English Language Lessons

We have always believed that learning English is the most important first step our clients take towards living independently in the UK and teaching English remains at the heart of what we do. Our model is holistic, unique and extremely flexible. Our highly experienced English teachers, Anya and Martha, get to know our clients well during English classes and support people to keep learning throughout the challenges they face.

Developments in 2020-21

There is a severe shortage of English classes for the people we work with, particularly for destitute asylum seekers who are not able to access the limited free provision, and who cannot afford fees. In 2020-21 we made it a priority to increase the number and variety of classes we offer and across the year we

provided 560 classes on Zoom with 121 people joining regularly. The high level of attendance is a mark of the determination and strength people showed to keep learning English during the very difficult days of lockdown and restrictions.

Lottery Funding

In April 2021 we secured funding from the National Lottery to develop our online English school over three years. We are so grateful for the funding which will allow us to continue our work and expand, reaching more asylum seekers and refugees across London with our high quality, free English classes. Thanks to the funding, we were able to recruit two freelance online teachers to work alongside Anya and Martha.

We are proud to report that 86% of clients reported feeling they had improved or maintained their ability to communicate in English during the year.

An email from Josephine to her English teacher: ‘I'm Very Happy For your class, because your Teaching Really Good, during 2021 has gotten really good because of your teaching. Thank you. And I like your classes I'm happy to continue taking your Classes this years. Me I'm like Reading and Writing Lower and Higher. Thanks again Anya Paul.’

14 English classes were offered each week, including:

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‘Storm’ By Neda K. Fard

“When You leave your country, you find yourself alone in this space and you really need to find the way. You are lucky if you find artists who look at the human ways.” Neda K. Fard

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The Support Service

When people first come to us, they are often at a point of crisis. It may be a housing arrangement has suddenly fallen through, or they have received a negative decision in an asylum case, or they may be having difficulty finding a doctor. Our Support Service team is here to listen and take steps with that person to resolve the issue.

The support we offer is long term, often lasting two or three years but can be much longer. For example, over the course of a few years we might help the same person find a new solicitor, access trauma counselling, enrol on a college course, find a GP and access stable accommodation.

The Support Service provides support, referrals to partner organisations and advice on: housing; income and benefits; healthcare (both physical and psychological); education and training and negotiating the asylum system.

Our work during 2020-21

Appointments were offered by phone throughout the year which saw both a national lockdown and a continuation of social distancing restrictions. In addition to offering personalised support by phone, the service ran online group sessions where issues such as healthcare or homelessness are discussed. Occasionally guest speakers are invited to join, for example Lawyers Against Poverty delivered several sessions.

In March 2021, we were delighted to recruit Ruth, our Referrals and Reception Administrator, to carry out referral sessions online where people could come together and learn about opportunities that might be open to them, for example applying to college, or securing voluntary work.

In 2020-21:

‘Many of our clients are destitute, facing homelessness, have experienced trauma, may have complex needs, are faced with language barriers, and don’t know where to turn for support.’ Farida, Support Service Coordinator.

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Support Packages for Asylum Seekers - a lifeline

We have a long history of making small emergency grants to people in crisis.

During the pandemic, we knew that our most vulnerable clients – asylum seekers with no legal right to work, scant support networks and no income – would struggle to get food and basic supplies. We knew we had to act and we quickly created what became known as our ‘support packages’.

These packages went to up to 90 people every fortnight giving people access to food, phone top-ups, essentials and travel.

During the year 2020-21 we sent 2340 support packages costing us £93,600. This was a huge undertaking for us as a small organisation and we are so proud that, with the help of our funders who put their faith in us, we were able to achieve it.

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Abebi’s life in lockdown

A client from Nigeria, let us call her Abebi (not her real name), came to us in 2017. She was destitute having had a claim for asylum rejected. During the national lockdowns, Abebi, who is 61, was staying in emergency accommodation. ‘It was a big building, a lot of people were staying there,’ she said. ‘During the lockdown, it is not easy at all. It is not easy, everyone is inside, everyone is bored. The Islington Centre, they are nice people, Anya she calls me and talks to me.’

Throughout 2021, Abebi received support packages, including vouchers, from us every fortnight enabling her to live with dignity. ‘They are very good, you can buy some food with it, and I pay for my phone, my cleaning stuff, toiletries, everything.’

We are so delighted to say that with our support, Abebi was granted status to remain in the UK at the end of 2021, after 13 years of struggling as an asylum seeker. ‘I love the Islington Centre,’ she said. ‘When I go there, I see people and I feel happy. They are trying for us, they are very kind people there.’

Artwork by EE

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Art, Writing, Choir, Exercise and Community Groups

Overview

We take a ‘whole person’ approach to improving emotional well being, offering groups and activities where clients can learn new skills, explore their emotions and express themselves. This is crucially important to people who have experienced persecution for speaking out and may now feel like they have lost their voices. Our sessions also offer people the chance to make friends and practise their English in a supportive, welcoming and friendly environment.

Over the year we offered

Clients from our choir performed at the Southbank in ‘Swallow’s Kiss’ a novel inspired by the experiences of people who come to the Centre.

‘Swallow’s Kiss’ by artists in residence, writer Sita Brahmachari and illustrator Jane Ray, follows the story of seven year old Blessing and her family as she discovers a bag of lost paper birds with wishes written in different languages on their wings.

The story was performed at an event at the Southbank Centre to welcome Little Amal to London and involved music by members of the Islington Centre Refugee Choir and the Songworks Choir. Little Amal is a 9 foot tall puppet walking from Syria to raise awareness of the plight of refugee people.

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Our Volunteers

2020-21 was a year of extreme challenges and change. Thank you so much to our team of volunteers who stood beside us, adapting to working on Zoom to help throughout the year with English classes, IT, translating, admin and leading groups and classes and so much more.

One of our volunteers, Gary, tells his story

‘When I retired, I wanted to continue to make a worthwhile social contribution, so I decided to train to teach English to immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers.

In the nineteenth century, my paternal great-grandparents and maternal grandfather came to the U.K. as Jewish immigrants from Europe, seeking a better life for themselves and their families. So, I also wanted to give immigrants in the U.K. today similar opportunities to participate more fully in society.

Gary, a volunteer

I really love being on the volunteer team. Although it can sometimes be quite challenging, it is also extremely rewarding to meet, work with and learn from different people from all over the world and help them in whatever modest way I can.

After retirement, I have been fortunate enough to rediscover a sense of purpose, goal and aim in life, together with a positive day to day structure. It is truly humbling to see all the hard work and dedication of the small number of ICRM staff members and the miracles they have performed, on a very limited budget

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Painting by 'N' 27

Focus on our partner Speak Street – a fun, social learning programme based in London

Speak Street is a positive response to negativity towards newcomers to the UK. We offer free English classes to refugees, asylum seekers and migrants as well as foreign language classes and events. We are happy to celebrate over 6 years of working with our longest standing and closest partner, The Islington Centre. Over the years we’ve held sessions for Islington Centre clients in some exciting locations; from Gardens, Museums, top London headquarters and the Islington Centre, itself.

Our fun, social learning approach brings together volunteers from the community with clients seeking to improve their English. We are proud to say our weekly Tuesday sessions are some of the centre’s busiest. Originally these were just a temporary fix when Covid-19 forced us to go online, but they have maintained their popularity and we have honed our delivery skills including mastering the all important mute button!

“Our ‘virtual’ Tuesday session not only provides a lively, educational space for our clients to progress their English, but allows a warm and inviting community space to help our clients stay connected to one another, especially over the Covid period when we were all in isolation. This has proved invaluable and will continue to remain so.” Gee.

We’ve also developed and shared several learning resources for use at the Centre, to help overcome the digital divide and are pleased that they have been well received.

Further to this, we have restarted our monthly ‘Art Talks’ visits, led by Anya. We take a group of clients to visit some of London’s best galleries and museums as a way to get out and about and improve their English, as well as brush up on their knowledge of UK culture and history.

Our most recent ‘Art Talks’ visit to the Mercers’ Company.

We’re proud to say that we’ve successfully dealt with the ups and downs of the past few years and really appreciate the purpose we share with The Islington Centre and the ways in which we complement one another, and the delivery of our approach.

You can learn more about us at www.speak-street.com

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Our funders

In 2020-21 we faced a huge challenge of fundraising both for our running costs and for the support packages which we sent to those most in need for food and essentials every fortnight during the pandemic.

Thank you so very much to everyone who made donations and to all the trusts and foundations which made it possible to keep the support packages going alongside our day to day running costs.

Where our funding came from in 2020-21

Trusts - 80% of our income in the year came from grant-giving trusts and foundations. Trusts and foundations are charities set up for the primary purpose of giving money away

to other charities. We build close relationships with the trusts that support us and we see ourselves as working in partnership with them.

Individuals - 17% of our income in the year came from the very generous donations of individuals. We are so grateful to all those people who have chosen to support us. We couldn’t do what we do without them.

Community Partnerships - 3% of our income in the year came from our community partners, this includes a wide range of organisations many of which work with our clients directly, offering experiences and support alongside donations. For example Speak Street offers English lessons and Songworks offers the chance for clients to sing and perform.

Funding sources 2020-21

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Thank you to ALL the following trusts and foundations which supported us over the year with donations:

AB Charitable Trust City Bridge Trust Clothworkers’ Foundation Cloudesley Comic Relief Cripplegate Diana Parker Charitable Settlement French Huguenot Church Garfield Weston Foundation Hillcote Trust Islington Council through the VCS scheme Joseph Rank Charitable Trust Leathersellers’ Company Leigh Charitable Trust London Community Foundation M&H Maunsell National Lottery Reaching Communities Porta Pia 2012 Reel Fund Rhiannon Trust Sharegift Stanley Thomas Johnson Foundation Waylan Trust

Thank you especially to the following trusts and foundations which made donations towards our support packages and played such a key role in making sure that asylum seekers had the food and essentials they needed during the pandemic: City Bridge Trust, Cloudesley, Cripplegate, The National Lottery.

Multi-year grants gave us the confidence and stability to plan in the long term. We were proud during 2020-21 to have long-term funding partnerships with: Cloudesley, Comic Relief through their London Together scheme, The Garfield Weston Foundation, The Hillcote Trust, The National Lottery through their Reaching Communities programme, The Stanley Thomas Johnson Foundation, The City Bridge Trust, The Leathersellers’ Company, Islington Council via their VCS grant and the Joseph Rank Trust.

Macquarie Group Partnership

2020-21 marked the beginning of our partnership with global financial services firm, Macquarie Group, which chose to support us through its London Graduate Volunteering Network (GVN). The 2020-21 Graduate cohort based in Islington, their European Headquarters, raised funds through online events, such as a pancake challenge at Easter and invited Andy, our Chief Executive, to speak at an event for Refugee Week in June.

The Macquarie Group Graduate Volunteering Network

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Community Partners

Our Community Partners are at the heart of our organisation, and we could not do this work without them.

Our Community Partners offer donations, volunteers, activities and work with us to provide our clients with the opportunities and experiences they need to move forward in their lives.

Thank you so much to everyone who brought us through an incredibly difficult year:

Accumulate Bloody Good Period C4WS Christ Church Highbury Church on the Corner Fareshare Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for Girls Hackney Boxing Academy Hackney Migrant Centre Hampstead School of Art Hanley Art Club Highgate has Heart Institute for Contemporary Art (ICA) Islington Libraries Jesuit Refugee Services (JRS) Lawyers Against Poverty Mary’s Gym and Mary’s Community Partnership Neal’s Yard NHS CLASH Service Not Actual Size Ltd Notre Dame Refugee Centre RENAISI - RISE Room to Heal Songworks Choir Speak Street St Augustine’s Church St Mary’s Islington Church St Thomas’ Church Steve Hatt Fishmongers The Red Cross Wallace Collection

Individual Donors

A huge and heartfelt thank you for the commitment and support of all the many individuals who made donations throughout the year. We wouldn’t be here without you.

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REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER:

07076199

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER:

1135205

TRUSTEES: Victoria Rae (appointed Chair January 2022) Victor de Waal Teresa Dodgson Gladys Jusu Sheriff Beverley van der Sluis James Fletcher Edward Vargas Caceres Richard Nicholson REGISTERED OFFICE: Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants 16-18 Cross Street London N1 2BG 020 7354 9946 islingtoncentre@gmail.com www.islingtoncentre.co.uk

PRIMARY BANKERS: The Co-operative Bank PO Box 250, Delf House Southway Skelmersdale WN8 6WT INDEPENDENT EXAMINER: Mr J P Foxwell FCCA FCIE independent-examiner.net 39 Enfield Road Poole BH15 3LJ

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TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

The Trustees, who are also directors of the charitable company for the purposes of the Companies Act, submit their report and the financial statements for the year ending 31 August 2021.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the accounts and comply with the governing document, the Charities Act 2011, 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.

STATUS: The company was incorporated on 13 November 2009 and is limited by guarantee. The company is a registered charity (no: 1135205) and was registered on 25 March 2010. The Memorandum and Articles of Association form the governing documents of the charitable company. The limit of the members’ guarantee is £1. No provision for taxation has been made on the basis that the charitable company is exempt from Corporation Tax on its charitable activities.

PRINCIPAL ACTIVITY : The principal activity of the charitable company in the year under review was Education - Adult and other education

OBJECTIVES: The Objectives as described in the Memorandum and Articles of Association reads as follows:

  1. To advance education and relieve financial hardship amongst those seeking asylum and those granted refugee status by the provision of advice, training and support.

  2. To advance the education of the public in general about the issues relating to refugees and those seeking asylum.

  3. To advance the Christian religion by living out our love for neighbour and bringing the stranger of any or no faith into our community.

All work of the charitable company has been dedicated to the furtherance of these objectives.

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TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT (CONTINUED)

BANK ACCOUNTS

The Centre’s main bank account is with the Cooperative Bank. The Centre has a savings deposit account with Triodos and no further bank accounts were opened throughout the year. The Centre has an account with PayPal in order to receive online donations. Donations are also received via Charities Aid Foundation.

PUBLIC BENEFIT

Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants is committed to its objectives in all its activities. The principal activities, in line with Charity Commission’s public benefit description are: The advancement of education comprising the delivery of a range of services including: English to refugees, asylum seekers and migrants, art and creative writing, dance, choir and exercise based activities in order to build confidence within and up-skill all those who access our services. A Support Service offering practical help, referrals and guidance for clients needing help. Relief of Hardship destitute clients have access to a range of services that help to relieve both short and long term hardship. This includes our Support Package programme for destitute asylum seekers.

On completing activities at the Centre many of our clients progress onto additional higher level further education courses in their chosen subject area, volunteer roles in the community or to paid employment positions. Asylum seekers who are prohibited from working are welcomed to continue attending the Centre while they await the outcome of their asylum application.

Volunteering is a critical element in the development of a strong community and it is this which mutually benefits the wider community and the Centre. At any given time there are around 40 volunteers contributing to the work of the Centre undertaking activities as varied as preparing food parcels, supporting clients with their everyday (or more complex) problems, facilitating craft groups and furthering their experiences of British life through our enrichment programme.

Our Mission statement

We welcome people who have been displaced from their countries of origin, wherever they have come from, whatever has happened in their lives. Our mission is to offer people the emotional support, practical tools and sense of community they need to build a decent, happy life in the UK.

The refugees and migrants who come to us have been through extremely difficult times. Leaving your country because of war, persecution or incarceration takes real grit, determination and courage. But for many, arriving in London is just the beginning of a long journey towards settled status and a decent life.

At the Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants, we welcome people, talk with them, listen to what they need and respond to that. Whether someone tells us they need English lessons, advice on housing, accessing healthcare, applying to college or any of the many challenges of being a migrant in London – we are here for them.

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The change we want to see

We work to ensure positive, sustainable change for asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants.

Our Centre is a place where:

We support our clients to:

We do this through providing the following services and activities:

TRUSTEES

The trustees (who also act as directors for Companies Act purposes) who served during the year 2020-21 are as follows:

Appointment Start Appointment End
Rev Victor de Waal (Outgoing Chair 17/01/22) 01/09/10 Continuing as trustee
Teresa Dodgson 21/06/12 Continuing
Gladys Jusu-Sheriff 21/06/12 Continuing
Beverley van der Sluis 21/06/12 Continuing
James Fletcher 04/10/12 Continuing
Edward Vargas Caceres 04/10/12 Continuing
Richard Nicholson 26/11/18 Continuing
Note:Incoming Chair appointed 17/01/22:
Victoria Rae (Incoming Chair 17/01/22) 17/01/22 Continuing

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STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES

The trustees are required to prepare financial statements for each financial year, which give a true and fair view of the state of the charitable company’s affairs and of the surplus or deficit for the year.

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

The trustees are responsible for:

The systems of internal control are designed to provide reasonable, but not absolute, assurance against material misstatement or loss. They include:

RISK MANAGEMENT

The Centre has insurance policies as follows:

The Centre has in place a Safeguarding Policy for vulnerable adults and children that it works with.

The Centre has in place a Health and Safety policy which includes a Risk Assessment.

The trustees have compiled an active risk register in order to manage any issues and to minimise disruption in the event of a realised risk.

The trustees have prepared and agreed to comply to a Code of Conduct.

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RESERVES

The net current assets of £277,649 comprise restricted funds of £62,626, a designated redundancy fund of £25,000 and free reserves of £190,023. The free reserves element of the current assets represents approximately 5 months’ running costs of the expenditure budget for 2021-22.

This report was approved by the Board on 14th March 2022 and signed on its behalf by:

Victoria Shelley Rae Chair of Trustees

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INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF ISLINGTON CENTRE FOR REFUGEES AND MIGRANTS

I report on the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 August 2021 which comprise a Statement of Financial Activities, Balance Sheet and related notes.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity’s trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (‘the 2006 Act’).

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

Since the Company’s gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of both the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and the Association of Charity Independent Examiners (ACIE), both of which are listed bodies.

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

  2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

  3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act 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; or

  4. The accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Mr J P Foxwell FCCA FCIE

independent-examiner.net

39 Enfield Road Poole BH15 3LJ Date: 14th March 2022

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Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 August 2021 (including an Income and Expenditure Account)

----- Start of picture text -----
Notes Unrestricted Restricted 2021 2020
£ £ £ £
INCOME
Donations and legacies 98,718 125,220 223,938 155,723
Activities for generating funds - - - 65
Charitable activities 2 563 210,205 210,768 206,917
Other income 1,335 - 1,335 2,925
───── ───── ───── ─────
Total income 100,616 335,425 436,041 365,630
───── ───── ───── ─────
EXPENDITURE
Costs of generating income 1,469 - 1,469 733
Charitable activities 3 17,723 345,454 363,177 288,345
───── ───── ───── ─────
Total expenditure 19,192 345,454 364,646 289,078
───── ───── ───── ─────
Net income/(expenditure) and net 81,424 (10,029) 71,395 76,552
movement in funds
Funds brought forward 133,599 72,655 206,254 129,702
───── ───── ───── ─────
Funds carried forward £215,023 £62,626 £277,649 £206,254
═════ ═════ ═════ ═════
----- End of picture text -----

The Statement of Financial Activities reflects the results of continuing activities for the year.

There are no recognised gains and losses other than those shown in the Statement of Financial Activities.

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Balance Sheet at 31 August 2021

----- Start of picture text -----
Notes 2021 2020
£ £ £ £
CURRENT ASSETS
Debtors and accrued income 5 3,425 -
Cash at bank and in hand 274,224 207,124
──── ────
277,649 207,124
CREDITORS – amounts falling due in
-
less than one year (870)
──── ────
NET CURRENT ASSETS £277,649 £206,254
═════ ═════
FUNDS
General fund 190,023 117,599
Designated fund 6 25,000 16,000
──── ────
Total unrestricted funds 215,023 133,599
Restricted funds 9 62,626 72,655
───── ─────
Total funds £277,649 £206,254
═════ ═════
----- End of picture text -----

The directors are satisfied that the company is entitled to exemption from the provisions of the Companies Act 2006 (the Act) relating to the audit of the financial statements for the year by virtue of section 477, and that no member or members have requested an audit pursuant to section 476 of the Act.

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of financial statements. These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime.

Approved by the trustees on 14th March 2022 and signed on their behalf by:

Victoria Shelley Rae Chair of Trustees

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Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 August 2021

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

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 (FRS102) (effective 1 January 2015) – Charities SORP (FRS102) and the Companies Act 2006.

Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy notes.

(a) Company status

The charity is a company limited by guarantee. The members of the company are those persons included in the register of members and include the trustees named on page [3]. In the event of the charitable company being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £10 per member.

(b) Fund accounting

General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charitable company and which have not been designated for other purposes.

Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the trustees for particular purposes. The aim and use of each designated fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.

(c) Income

All income is included in the Statement of Financial Activities when the charitable company is legally entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy.

(d) Pensions

During the financial year ending 31 August 2021 pension provision continued with the employer’s contribution being 8% for all staff. The Centre adheres to the Auto Enrolment Scheme and is compliant with the requirements as set out by the Pensions Regulator. The Centre's pensions’ service provider is The Pensions Trust.

(e) Expenditure

All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been included under expense categories that aggregate all costs for allocation to activities. Governance costs, now included within charitable activity costs, are those incurred in connection with administration of the charity and compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements.

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Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 August 2021

2. INCOME FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES

Unrestricted Restricted Total Total
funds funds 2021 2020
£ £ £ £
AB Charitable Trust - 20,000 20,000 15,000
Austin and Hope Pilkington - 1,000
City Bridge - 30,000 30,000 -
City Bridge – City of London Corporation - 16,800
City Bridge – Coronavirus - 4,200
Comic Relief – Recovery Fund - 7,200 7,200 28,800
Comic Relief Sport - 34,005 34,005 34,507
Garfield Weston - 30,000 30,000 -
Islington Council - 18,750 18,750 15,000
Joseph Rank - - - 7,500
Leathersellers - 10,000 10,000 20,000
London Churches Refugee Fund - 1,750 1,750 2,200
London Community Response – Wave 3 - 3,500 3,500 -
Cloudesley Charity (Catalyst) - 5,000 5,000 5,000
Cloudesley Charity (Welfare) - 20,000 20,000 18,000
Cloudesley Charity (Support) - 30,000 30,000 -
Stanley Thomas Johnson - - - 4,994
Stanley Thomas Johnson 2 - - - 18,103
Stanley Thomas Johnson Support Packages - - - 14,228
Victor de Waal Book Proceeds 563 - 563 1,585
──── ───── ───── ─────
£563 £210,205 £210,768 £206,917
════ ═════ ═════ ═════

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the Year Ended 31 August 2021

3. COSTS OF ACTIVITIES IN FURTHERANCE OF THE CHARITABLE OBJECTS

----- Start of picture text -----
Unrestricte Restricted Total Total
d funds funds 2021 2020
£ £ £ £
Client Activities - 16,679 16,679 8,421
-
Client Hardship Payments 94,646 94,646 58,121
Client Travel and Subsistence - - - 24,120
Governance Costs 3,972 849 4,821 1,969
Running Costs 4,871 21,670 26,541 27,271
Salaries and associated on-costs 5,676 193,887 199,563 144,646
Sessional Workers 3,204 15,764 18,968 15,532
-
Staff and Volunteer Development 1,959 1,959 4,589
Volunteer Costs - - - 3,676
───── ───── ───── ─────
£17,723 £345,454 £363,177 £288,345
═════ ═════ ═════ ═════
----- End of picture text -----

4. STAFF COSTS

TS
Total Total
2021 2020
£ £
Salaries and wages 173,401 126,263
Social security costs 12,457 7,426
Pension costs 12,842 10,165
───── ─────
£198,700 £143,854
═════ ═════

No employees had employee benefits in excess of £60,000 (2020 – nil).

The average monthly headcount was 7 staff (2020 – 7 staff).

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the Year Ended 31 August 2021

5. DEBTORS AND ACCRUED INCOME

AND ACCRUED INCOME
Total Total
2021 2020
£ £
Accrued grant income (RC Welfare fund) £3,425 £-
═════ ═════

6. DESIGNATED FUND

The trustees have designated £25,000 as a contingency against unexpected staff redundancy costs.

7. TRUSTEES

No trustee received any remuneration during the year. No expenses were reimbursed to any trustee during the year ending 31 August 2020 or 31 August 2021.

8. ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS

Unrestricted Restricted Total Total
funds funds 2021 2020
£ £ £ £
Current assets 215,023 62,626 277,649 207,124
Creditors - - - (870)
───── ───── ───── ─────
£215,023 £62,626 £277,649 £206,254
═════ ═════ ═════ ════

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the Year Ended 31 August 2021

9. RESTRICTED FUNDS

. RESTRICTED FUNDS
Balance b/f Income Expenditure Balance c/f
£ £ £ £
Islington Council - 18,750 (18,333) 417
Speak Street fund - 2,000 (2,000) -
London Churches Refugee fund - 1,750 (1,750) -
Comic Relief Sport fund 11,502 34,005 (36,691) 8,816
Comic Relief – Recovery fund 16,800 7,200 (24,000) -
Cloudesley – Catalyst fund 1,667 5,000 (5,000) 1,667
Cloudseley – Welfare fund - 20,000 (20,000) -
Cloudseley – Support Services - 30,000 (27,500) 2,500
City Bridge - 33,500 (33,500) -
Stanley Thomas Johnson 3,875 - (3,875) -
Stanley Thomas Johnson Support Packages 14,228 - (14,228) -
AB Charitable Trust 1,250 20,000 (12,917) 8,333
Leathersellers 8,333 10,000 (10,000) 8,333
Joseph Rank 7,500 - (7,500) -
Anonymous Donor - 3,950 (3,950) -
National Literacy Trust - 70 (70) -
Sharegift - 5,000 (5,000) -
National Lottery C-19 Response - Operation - 50,000 (50,000) -
National Lottery – Reaching Communities - 30,000 (15,000) 15,000
CRISIS Emergency Grant - 10,000 (10,000) -
National Lottery - 9,000 (9,000) -
Clothworkers Foundation - 5,200 (5,200) -
Garfield Weston - 30,000 (12,440) 17,560
London Community Response Wave 5 - 10,000 (10,000) -
Huguenots 7,500 - (7,500) -
──── ───── ────── ─────
£72,655 £335,425 £(345,454) £62,626
════ ═════ ══════ ═════

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