Company no. 07607693 Charity no. 1143313 

# **Borderlands (South West) Limited Report and Unaudited Financial Statements 31 March 2023** 



## **Borderlands (South West) Limited** 

## **Reference and administrative details** 

**For the year ended 31 March 2023** 

|**Company number**|07607693||
|---|---|---|
|**Charity number**|1143313||
|**Registered office and**|The Assisi Centre||
|**operational address**|Lawfords Gate||
||Bristol||
||BS5 0RE||
|**Trustees**|Trustees, who are also directors under company law, who served during||
||the period and up to the date of this report were as follows:||
||Andrew Bent|Resigned 11 April 2023|
||Kimberlee Carstensen||
||Mary Hopper|Resigned 4 December 2022|
||Patrick McAlees||
||Richard McKay|Resigned 11 August 2023|
||Bernard Morris|Appointed 5 December 2022|
||Cynthia Ochieng||
||Nicholas Tarr||
|**Bankers**|Co-operative Bank|CAF Bank Ltd|
||PO Box 250|25 Kings Hill Avenue|
||Delf House|Kings Hill|
||Southway|West Malling|
||Skelmersdale|Kent|
||WN8 6WT|ME19 4JQ|
||Aldermore Bank||
||Western House||
||Lynch Wood||
||Peterborough||
||PE2 6FZ||
|**Independent**|Godfrey Wilson Limited||
|**examiners**|Chartered accountants and statutory auditors||
||5th Floor Mariner House||
||62 Prince Street||
||Bristol||
||BS1 4QD||



1 



## **Borderlands (South West) Limited** 

## **Report of the trustees** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2023** 

Reference and administrative information set out on page 1 forms part of this report. The financial statements comply with current statutory requirements, the Memorandum and Articles of Association and the Statement of Recommended Practice - Accounting and Reporting by Charities (effective from January 2019). 

## **1. Structure, governance and management** 

Borderlands (South West) Limited is constituted as a registered charity and company limited by guarantee. Our governing documents are the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company. 

New trustees are recruited by advertising – and sometimes by recommendation – in order to bring new expertise, fill certain skill gaps and increase diversity to reflect the communities we work with. As part of our ambition to be more member-led, we intend to recruit people with lived experience of the UK asylum system to the board as we go forward. Following a detailed selection process approved by the Board, and the appropriate background checks, they are formally appointed after discussion at a meeting of the trustees. 

## **2. Objectives and activities** 

Borderlands aims to create a community of welcome which supports asylum seekers, refugees and migrants with insecure status in the Bristol area to move ‘from exclusion to belonging’. 

Established in 2011, the charity grew out of the activities of St Nicholas Church in Easton, a deprived and diverse inner-city area. We have a Christian ethos which respects and values every individual; we do not promote religion and work with people of all faiths and none. Our values are Warmth, Sharing, Dignity and Respect Everyone. 

Our mission is to support people from a time of crisis when they first arrive in Bristol to a point where they can live independent lives. We have a strong focus on empowering the people we work with to take charge of their own lives, working alongside them and learning from them. We also aim to advocate for a fair and humane immigration system where people seeking refuge are treated with dignity and respect. We have a vision for a world where refugees and asylum seekers can seek sanctuary and justice, make full use of their talents and abilities, feel valued for their contributions, and build worthwhile lives. 

The purpose of Borderlands as set out in our governing document is: 

- to relieve asylum seekers and refugees in need, hardship and distress by reason of their social and economic circumstances by the advancement of education, relief of poverty and the preservation and protection of good health; 

- to promote social inclusion by preventing people from becoming socially excluded, relieving the needs of those people who are socially excluded and assisting them to integrate into society; and 

- to advance the education of the public regarding asylum seekers and refugees with the aim of increasing community cohesion and informing public policy. 

## **Our members** 

Around 35% of the people we work with (our members) are refugees, 55% are asylum seekers and 10% are other vulnerable migrants including survivors of trafficking and modern slavery. They come from many different countries, most fleeing some of the world’s most dangerous and repressive countries such as Afghanistan, Eritrea, Sudan, Syria, Iran, Iraq and Ukraine. 

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## **Borderlands (South West) Limited** 

## **Report of the trustees** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2023** 

Having already experienced huge trauma and loss, our members are often re-traumatised by an asylum system which is increasingly dehumanising. More and more people are being housed in hotels, many in isolated areas far from far from support agencies and local services. Prolonged stays and the huge backlog in asylum claims leaving people waiting in limbo for many months or even years is causing severe isolation, damaging people's health and wellbeing and worsening mental health problems. Our members fear for their safety, with an increase in far-right activity and harassment and reports of people going missing suspected to have been trafficked. People are also often moved to new hotels in other parts of the country at short notice, making it even more difficult to build connections and community in their new home. 

At the same time, new government policies which will criminalise refugees for how they travel to the UK are putting our members at greater risk of destitution and exploitation. The new Nationality & Borders Bill makes an artificial distinction between asylum seekers who journey here seeking safety and those who manage to access resettlement schemes, ignoring the reality that most people crossing on small boats are genuine refugees (as proven by the Home Office's own data). The upcoming Illegal Migration Bill represents a deepening of this damaging approach, promising more detention and deportation of people seeking asylum, blocking trafficking victims from receiving vital support and weakening their rights. 

The hostile political discourse and criminalisation of people seeking safety in the UK is further increasing fear, trauma, destitution and exploitation amongst our members. They fear being left in limbo with no status, rights or future as the new legislation removes any permanent right to settle for asylum seekers. 

## **Main activities** 

## **Welcome Centre** 

Borderlands' Welcome Centre is a safe, trusted and well-known space for asylum seekers and refugees to get support, make connections and build community in their new home in Bristol. Open on Mondays and Tuesdays at the Assisi Centre in Easton, we provide: 

- a friendly welcome and help for new arrivals to register as Borderlands members and access our projects and wider support in Bristol; 

- a delicious and nourishing shared hot meal, breakfast table and ‘social supermarket’ where members can choose fruit, vegetables and groceries to take home (distributed according to the number of people per household); 

- a social space with a cafe vibe where members can use the internet, have a drink, socialise or read the paper, with board games and a football table; 

- one-to-one support to help people solve problems they are facing, advocating on their behalf and referring them to relevant services, including emergency accommodation for those who are destitute; 

- an art table where members can enjoy a safe, creative atmosphere, illustrate feelings they may not be able to express in words, and find some relief from fear, anxiety and stress; 

- local excursions to help people get to know the Bristol area, including guided walks, boat trips round the harbour, visits to local museums and attractions and an annual trip to the seaside; and 

- hosting of agencies offering specialist advice or support including The Haven health clinic and Herbalists without Borders. We also invite organisations in to run workshops such as printmaking, floristry, cooking, film-making, music therapy and public speaking. 

3 



## **Borderlands (South West) Limited** 

## **Report of the trustees** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2023** 

## **Feel Good Wednesday!** 

On Wednesdays we offer a range of activities to improve health and wellbeing. Activities currently include: 

- fortnightly sleep and relaxation sessions for members who have difficulty sleeping due to anxiety, nightmares and flashbacks, facilitated by Recovery Coordinators from Hope: Asylum Seekers and Refugees Trauma Service; 

- weekly sewing classes through Bridges for Communities Stitch Together programme, which enable women to create beautiful textile-based art, practise English, make friends and gain confidence; and 

- weekly yoga classes for women and fitness classes for men, both taught by Borderlands members. 

Our members often struggle to access healthcare and may be reluctant to do so for fear of being charged or detained by the authorities. To address this issue we also work with healthcare providers to run workshops e.g. on vaccine awareness and women's health, and pop-up clinics for vaccination, dental check-ups and general health checks. 

## **Mentoring Project** 

Our Mentoring Project provides one-to-one practical and emotional support from trained volunteer mentors to support asylum seekers and refugees to achieve some personal goals over six to nine months. Mentors help mentees to get to know Bristol, find volunteer placements and jobs, improve conversational English, access education or training, and cope with isolation and anxiety. Most importantly, they stand in solidarity with their mentees as they navigate the complex and challenging process of claiming asylum in the UK, as well as with resettlement after they receive leave to remain. Mentors and mentees meet once a week for at least an hour and are available by phone or social media at agreed times for more support if needed. We offer a thorough training for our mentors before they join the programme and support them through regular supervision and training. 

## **Learning Project** 

Our Learning Project offers classes in English for Speakers of other Languages (ESOL) and helps our members to explore other learning opportunities. We focus on providing pre-entry and entry level classes for those who speak little or no English as they are most at risk of isolation and exclusion. We also support our learners through creative activities, including working with Phosphorus Theatre and Bristol Old Vic to teach English through theatre and body language and running a weekly reading and poetry group. We work closely with other local ESOL providers in the refugee sector, meeting regularly to collaborate and share training, ideas and volunteers. 

## **Outreach work** 

Since the beginning of 2022, Borderlands has been working with the local refugee sector and South Gloucestershire Council to deliver outreach support for asylum seekers housed in an Initial Accommodation hotel in Filton on the outskirts of Bristol. The residents experience many barriers including a lack of cash to travel to appointments or drop-in centres, and limited access to the internet, mobile phones and data/phone credit. Most people are desperate to access college courses but rules about how long you have been in the country, access to transport and long waiting lists all act as a barrier. Access to legal advice is near impossible. 

4 



## **Borderlands (South West) Limited** 

## **Report of the trustees** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2023** 

We run a weekly drop-in service in the hotel alongside Bristol Mind where we help the residents connect with relevant services while answering their many questions (some people have been in the UK as little as one day and don’t even know which city they are in). We provide listening and problem-solving support, distribute bus tickets, sim cards and phones, help coordinate activities, and assist The Haven healthcare clinic with assessments, referrals and booking doctor’s appointments. 

## **Campaigning and advocacy** 

Borderlands engages in campaigning and advocacy on behalf of asylum seekers and refugees on a national, regional and local level, working with our partners in the Bristol Refugee and Asylum Seeker Partnership (BRASP) and Bristol City of Sanctuary. We continue to campaign for a fair and safe asylum system where people seeking refuge are treated with respect and allowed to live in dignity, and have a team of volunteer members trained in public speaking so they can tell their story at campaign events. Our work includes giving talks in schools, colleges, churches and community groups to raise awareness of the issues facing asylum seekers and refugees in the UK. We also give TV and radio interviews and participate in national campaigns such as Refugee Week and local events such as Bristol Refugee Festival. We seek to counteract the negative stereotyping of asylum seekers and refugees presented in the media, and to present a more factual and informed insight into their lives in Bristol. By challenging prejudice and changing attitudes, we aim to contribute to better integration and social cohesion. 

## **Our volunteers** 

A team of over 60 volunteers delivers most of our frontline work, around 50% of whom are asylum seekers and refugees. They include chefs and kitchen assistants, Welcome desk and Help volunteers, mentors, English language teachers, teaching assistants, drivers, IT support and office assistants. Our members have much to contribute in terms of skills, knowledge and lived experience, and volunteering can help them to make friends, gain skills and confidence and alleviate stress and anxiety while they wait to hear a decision on their case. We provide all volunteers with training and guidance for their professional development, meeting one-to-one every six months to set new objectives and help understand which opportunities and career path they want to follow. 

## **Our partnerships** 

Borderlands aims to foster a culture of inter-agency working to make best use of everyone's resources and avoid duplication. We are part of the Bristol Impact Fund and Bristol Refugee and Asylum Seeker Partnership (BRASP), both of which aim to improve partnership working and promote a culture of peer support, learning and sharing best practice. These partnerships include joint members’ consultation, co-production work and a common needs assessment approach to inform the activities we develop as a sector and as individual organisations. Collectively we also have a stronger campaigning and advocating voice to impact on local and wider policy-making and to support emerging partnerships in other regions. We play an active role in several forums including the Bristol Refugee Forum, Asylum Seeker and Refugee Wellbeing Forum and Young People's Forum. 

## **3. Public benefit** 

The trustees confirm that they have complied with the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit **.** Borderlands delivers public benefit both directly to our members and to the wider public through improved community cohesion and inclusion and by increasing understanding of issues relating to asylum seekers and refugees. 

5 



## **Borderlands (South West) Limited** 

## **Report of the trustees** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2023** 

## **4. Achievements and Performance** 

In 2021-22 we invested in building a robust staff team in response to the increased number of asylum seekers in the Bristol area, especially in South Gloucestershire, which has left the local refugee sector stretched. This enabled us to grow and develop our work this year to better meet the needs of our members. 

## **Welcome Centre** 

This year our Welcome Centre supported over 300 asylum seekers and refugees, including welcoming 170 people for the first time. 

The cost of living crisis has had a huge impact on our members; most live on very low or zero incomes, and those with cash often have to choose between buying healthy ingredients or a bus ticket for an essential appointment. The food provided in initial accommodation hotels is usually very poor quality, inadequate and often inappropriate. Both of these factors have significantly increased demand for our weekly hot meal and social supermarket, and this year we expanded our food provision to benefit around 150 members and their families each week. 

Food continues to be very important to us at Borderlands; our members come together once a week to share a nourishing and delicious meal, creating social connections and friendships. The diversity of our community is reflected in our kitchen, as volunteer chefs from different parts of the world cooked and delighted us with amazing food and recipes. This year we organised a workshop delivered by Tiffins, a local Gujarati Indian food business, who taught our chefs how to cook authentic, regional Indian foods. We hope to offer these cookery workshops to all our members next year, to help them turn the food from our social supermarket into culturally appropriate meals for their families. 

Working with our partners, we organised an Eid celebration at the Trinity Centre in Easton for around 150 people, open to all faiths and none. The event was a great success, with a delicious hot lunch, craft and play activities for children and music and dancing that filled the air with laughter and smiles. 

53 of our members came on our annual beach trip to Exmouth in August to enjoy the beautiful Devon coast and fresh sea air - an opportunity to get out of Bristol, relax and get to know each other. This was just one of the many socials we organised throughout the year, such as guided walks and boat trips, which help to reduce feelings of isolation and engage people with their local community. 

## **Feel Good Wednesday!** 

In addition to our usual Monday and Tuesday drop-in, at the start of 2022 we launched our ‘Feel Good Wednesday' project, which provides health and wellbeing activities usually inaccessible to our members due to their financial situation. In addition to Sleep and Relaxation sessions, yoga and fitness classes and sewing classes, we have established a new partnership with Easton Leisure Centre which means our members who live in Bristol can access the gym, swimming pool and some classes for free. 

We also organised a six-week floristry course in collaboration with Bread and Roses – a charity who run floristry training for refugee women around the world. Eight women were invited to come and learn how to arrange flowers in a calm and friendly environment led by two wonderful florists. The florists offered employment advice and entrepreneurial conversations about how to work with flowers, and the feedback we received was fantastic. 

6 



## **Borderlands (South West) Limited** 

## **Report of the trustees** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2023** 

## **Mentoring Project** 

This year our Mentoring Project trained and supported 48 volunteer mentors to help 52 mentees achieve some personal goals. Mentors helped mentees with securing volunteer placements, accessing education and training, finding housing, writing CVs and attending job interviews, mental health and isolation, and getting to know Bristol and life in the UK. Many mentees focused on improving English as one of their goals, as this is key to studying, building independence and navigating the complex asylum process. 

Below are two examples of how the project has helped asylum seekers and refugees this year: 

- Ivan's mentor, Luke, supported him to find employment in Bristol. In their meetings, they discussed writing CVs and practised interview techniques. Ivan successfully applied for a job and now works for Bristol Hospitality Network; and 

- one partnership was focused on finding education for the mentee with the hope of securing a job in the future. During the partnership, the mentor helped the mentee on to an Administration course with Monarch Education and English classes at City of Bristol College. As a result of the courses, the mentee secured an admin job at Horfield Doctors Surgery four days a week. 

Of mentees taking part in the project in 2022-23: 

- 100% felt their spoken English improved, 85% say their written English improved and 85% say their reading improved; 

- 40% got involved in volunteering and 75% went into education/training during their mentoring partnership; 

- 45% found jobs with the NHS, other charities in the sector, in healthcare and with businesses (NB employment is only an option for refugees as asylum seekers are not allowed to work); and 

- ▪60% moved into more secure housing. 

_“I didn’t trust Borderlands at the beginning. When I see you accepted me, talked to me and made time for me, then I trusted you and opened up. When I joined Borderlands, I was lifeless. Now I am full of laughter and full of life.”_ (Mentee) 

We made two films about the Mentoring Project this year – available on our website - which we share with referrers and new mentees. We would like to thank the Bristol Video Company and Kate Fit Design for enabling us to do this. 

## **Learning Project** 

This year we provided eight English classes per week, supporting 60 asylum seekers and refugees to navigate the asylum process, make friends, study and build independence. The classes were taught by our Learning Manager alongside seven qualified volunteer teachers and seven volunteer teaching assistants. Classes were small – on average 10 students - with one teacher and 1-2 teaching assistants per class so each learner received a lot of individual attention. Below are two comments from members on our English classes: 

_"I am happy. Lessons are interesting. The class is friendly. I am confident. My English is getting better. My vocabulary is increasing. My teacher is good."_ 

_“I have learnt more in one week at Borderlands than I ever learnt before! I love coming here. The class is really nice and everyone is friendly and welcoming. Here I am not shy and I feel I can ask questions. The teacher always takes the time to explain things.”_ 

7 



## **Borderlands (South West) Limited** 

## **Report of the trustees** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2023** 

Following a successful three-month pilot project, this year we built on our partnerships with Bristol Old Vic and Phosphorous Theatre teaching English through drama and body language, culminating in students being involved in a play at Bristol Old Vic. We also started working with national literacy charity The Reader to develop a scheme supporting our members to improve their reading skills, including a weekly reading and poetry group and one-to-one support from our teaching assistants. 

As part of the Learning Project, we aim to help our members explore other learning opportunities. This year we worked with the International Arts Partnership to enable three young Afghan refugees to create a six-minute radio play in Pashto as part of the Transmission Project (www.thetransmission.eu). Our members really enjoyed their experiences, especially getting to record the play in a professional studio. 

## **Outreach project** 

We supported 207 people this year with our weekly drop-in service at the Initial Accommodation hotel in Filton. As well as providing signposting and problem-solving support and assisting with health assessments and referrals, we have distributed sim cards and mobile phones for those who needed them. We also helped around 50 residents a week to get out and about and access essential transport by distributing group bus tickets (funded by Bristol Red Cross), and are seeking a more permanent solution to address transport issues. We are still working to address the lack of access to education. Some residents who have bikes or volunteer with us now access our English classes and there have been a few classes running in the hotel but provision is patchy. 

Work in the Filton hotel has been a collaborative effort by the Bristol refugee sector and others. We have worked hard with our partner organisations to coordinate support and make the hotel as welcoming and full of activities as possible. The different agencies have worked together in a really positive way, being generous with their advice, resources, learning and knowledge. We have developed a successful partnership with Bristol Mind and will continue to work together to delivering our Drop-ins and coordinate other activities. 

Although there remain huge challenges, the situation in the hotel has greatly improved since early 2022. One resident said recently: “It's so much better now because we have things to do, there are activities.” All the waiting and lack of information can really get people down so offering people something to do has made a world of difference. 

## **Strengthening our partnerships** 

We put a lot of effort into strengthening our relationship with the local refugee sector this year, especially through the Bristol Refugee and Asylum Seeker Partnership (BRASP). Borderlands has 

- lived experience leadership – sharing share success, learning and challenges around creating pathways for participation and leadership for those with lived experience; 

- ▪service coordination – coordinating services and activities in the sector; 

- advocacy – making sure BRASP has a presence in strategic forums where key decisions and policies affecting asylum seekers and refugees in Bristol are discussed and taken; 

- information sharing - exploring ways we can legally share information on service users with other BRASP organisations in line with GDPR; and 

- we have also built a strong relationship with Bristol Mind this year through our outreach work in the Filton hotel, which combines Borderlands' experience of working with asylum seekers and refugees with Bristol Mind's expertise in mental health. 

8 



## **Borderlands (South West) Limited** 

## **Report of the trustees** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2023** 

## **Campaigning and awareness raising** 

This year much of our campaigning work was focused on the new Nationality and Borders Bill and stopping the flights to Rwanda. We also worked with the BRASP partnership to launch a campaign for free public transport in the Bristol area for asylum seekers, who frequently cannot afford to travel to crucial appointments, interviews and other important activities. 

We worked with Bristol Hospitality Network and Bristol Refugee Festival to run a series of workshops with the aim of skilling up asylum seekers and refugees to speak publicly in different forums: from protests, to events to meetings. Facilitated by experienced drama practitioners and a public speaking specialist as well as our Mentoring Manager, the sessions also helped participants to build confidence, express themselves, tell their stories and have fun together. 

We also collaborated with a PhD student in Social Policy at the University of Bath, Michelle James, whose thesis considers the impact of community-based welfare support on the wellbeing of asylum seekers in the UK. As part of her research, Michelle carried out a photography project with 10 Borderlands members who took photos of what makes their lives easier and happier, and what makes them harder. The resulting exhibition, ‘Being Human', was displayed at the Lecture Theatre Foyer at the University of Bristol. 

## **Member participation** 

We have continued to make progress towards becoming more member-led this year. Our new Welcome and Members Participation Officer (WAMPO) – a refugee herself - has led our Welcome Desk throughout the year. This means the first interaction new asylum seekers and refugees in Bristol have with Borderlands is with a person with lived experience, giving them confidence and a feeling of ownership over the space. The WAMPO is also supporting our CEO to plan and develop meaningful participation for our members so their voices can influence and inform strategic decisions. Our next step is to create an advisory board of experienced members to inform our strategy, support member consultation and attend trustee meetings. We plan to foster roles where our members can grow and take on leadership, managerial and trustee roles. 

## **Developing our organisation** 

We have made huge strides in improving our leadership, governance, HR, monitoring and evaluation, finance and marketing this year, with expert advice and guidance from Lloyds Bank Foundation and others. We carried out a governance review and skills audit led by an external consultant and are in the process of implementing our Governance Action Plan. Lloyds supported us to run a strategy workshop which has fed into a new three-year strategy produced in consultation with our members, volunteers, partners, funders, staff and trustees. Our CEO has had a mentor to improve her confidence in financial leadership, including developing a new reserves policy and measuring financial risks, and has benefited from connecting with other new CEOs to share experiences and challenges. 

## **Housing partnership** 

On receiving refugee status, people are given just 28 days to find rental accommodation and secure a job and/or benefits and many people become homeless at this stage. In 2017 a private donation enabled Borderlands to buy a four-bedroom house in Stapleton, a Bristol suburb with good transport links to the centre. We have used the house to provide short-term accommodation for refugees to support them in the transition to independence. 

9 



## **Borderlands (South West) Limited** 

## **Report of the trustees** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2023** 

This year we made the decision to partner with ACH – a social housing provider with expertise in working with refugees - in the management and support provision of the house. ACH were able to undertake essential improvement works, including painting and decorating, installing new flooring and carrying out safety checks. They will use the house to provide safe and secure accommodation for refugees, providing additional support to enable them to settle, integrate and gain valuable skills through training. 

## **Our impact** 

This year we developed a new theory of change (see table below) which describes the outcomes and long-term goals we want to achieve with our work. Our model is to enable asylum seekers, refugees and other vulnerable migrants to move from intensive support to independence. 

|**Activities and services**<br>**we provide**|**Short and medium**<br>**term outcomes:**<br>**changes that will start**<br>**the journey**|<br>**Long term outcomes:**<br>**changes that will help**<br>**us to bring about our**<br>**goal**|**Our long term goal:**<br>**the world we want to**<br>**see**|
|---|---|---|---|
|Hosting of other<br>agencies.<br>A Welcome Centre<br>offering community, food<br>provision, shared<br>activities & practical<br>support.<br>Mentoring Project.<br>Learning Project.<br>Wellbeing activities.<br>Outreach support in<br>hotels.<br>Signposting and referrals<br>to other services.|They have a chance to<br>learn/ improve their<br>English.<br>Their basic needs are<br>met (food, a hot meal,<br>SIM card/phone,<br>community).<br> <br>They have developed a<br>network and a<br>community.<br>They know how to<br>access education, jobs<br>and volunteering<br>opportunities.<br>They have access to<br>health care (physical<br>and mental health and<br>wellbeing).<br>People have the<br>knowledge and<br>information they need<br>to advocate for<br>themselves and their<br>rights.|New members hear<br>positive stories and<br>have positive<br>experiences, feel<br>welcome and safe.<br>A diverse range of<br>people have equitable<br>access to our services<br>and those of other<br>agencies.<br>People have moved on -<br>they have jobs, a<br>community, education,<br>opportunity.<br>Volunteers have<br>opportunities to<br>understand and learn in<br>a professional<br>environment.<br>People have choice<br>and dignity; they have<br>developed confidence<br>and self-esteem; they<br>have a sense of<br>purpose.|Borderlands is a model<br>of how to welcome and<br>support asylum<br>seekers and refugees,<br>working effectively with<br>our partners.<br>People can become<br>independent and live in<br>a compassionate, just<br>and understanding<br>community.<br> <br> <br>They can find safety,<br>have their basic needs<br>met and integrate into<br>society.|



10 



## **Borderlands (South West) Limited** 

## **Report of the trustees** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2023** 

This year we completed the installation of a new Client Relationship Management system (Lamplight) which will enable us to better monitor outputs and outcomes for individual members. We use an annual members survey and volunteer survey, feedback from specific activities, focus groups and case studies to measure our impact, using visual tools as many of our members do not speak much English. We also hold quarterly volunteer team meetings to discuss the way we are delivering activities and help us make improvements. The results of our evaluations are use to inform our future service and to share learning and best practice with our partners. 

In a members survey carried out in December 2022 with 48 respondents: 

- 85% of members said they feel part of Borderlands community and 40% have made new friends; 

- ▪66% said Borderlands has helped them or helped them a lot in difficult times; 

- 36% feel more independent and 59% feel a lot more independent since becoming a Borderlands member; and 

- ▪34% said Borderlands has helped them to improve their English. 

_“I have made many friends. We communicate with many people from different cultures. We have the opportunity at Borderlands to create community. That’s our great achievement. It’s great to connect people from different nationalities, backgrounds, and cultures.”_ (Member) 

We provided 30 volunteering opportunities for our members throughout the year. In a survey of our volunteers who are asylum seekers or refugees, carried out in December 2022: 

- ▪100% said that since they started volunteering at Borderlands they have made new friends; 

- ▪83% said they feel very much part of Borderlands community; 

- ▪50% felt more confident speaking English; 

- ▪100% said they had learnt new skills; and 

- ▪For those allowed to work, 67% felt more confident looking for a job. 

_“Training and skills acquired in Borderlands has enabled me to gain meaningful opportunities in other organisations.”_ (Volunteer) 

_“When this sort of organisation is helping us, we would like to give something back....also, speaking wise has helped me a lot because when I started, I couldn’t speak communicate that much but now I feel more confident I can speak with staff and other members.”_ (Volunteer) 

## **Case study** 

Like many of our members, Ayham came to Borderlands without many friends or any knowledge of other organisations that could help him. Below he describes how he felt when he first arrived at our doors and how Borderlands has helped him: 

_"I came to Bristol after a long and exhausting journey. The first two or three months I didn’t have any connection with the community, I didn’t leave the hotel I was in. After some time, I looked for charities that worked with refugees and I found Borderlands. I made a phone call, and the person who answered the phone was very friendly and welcoming."_ 

_"The first minute I arrived at Borderlands a staff member came and asked me about my situation, where I was living, and tried to be aware of my situation to give me the right help. The same day, I asked for volunteering, and started working at the breakfast table and later in the social supermarket. I felt part of this organisation from the first week. There’s a lovely environment and I felt comfortable and sometimes there are special activities I love to join like exhibitions or trips."_ 

11 



## **Borderlands (South West) Limited** 

## **Report of the trustees** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2023** 

_Borderlands also referred me to the mentoring project, and it was nice to have a person who helped in improving my English and meeting new friends. It also helped with my mental health because it kept me a bit away of my daily concerns. When you have nice friends around, life’s a bit easier.”_ 

## **5. Future plans** 

With expert advice and guidance from Lloyds Bank Foundation, this year we developed a draft Strategic Plan for the next three years. Our strategic aims are: 

a) to develop a more structured approach to welcoming asylum seekers and refugees, working with other agencies to develop a process which ensures all new arrivals to Greater Bristol are welcomed, wherever they are located. This will include developing our outreach services; 

b) to work closely with the BRASP partnership and others to ensure Borderlands is part of a comprehensive delivery of services for asylum seekers and refugees across Bristol. This will involve developing the ‘journey’ model so that members can access different services at different stages, and increasing lived experience participation and leadership; 

c) to support campaigning and advocacy on behalf of refugees and asylum seekers, engaging in national, regional and local debates on policy and legislative proposals and participating in specific campaigns such as free public transport for asylum seekers; and 

d) to develop the ‘infrastructure’ of Borderlands to ensure we are resilient, flexible and stable while operating in an uncertain and changing political and economic environment. We want to grow whilst ensuring we have a clear quality standards framework in place and are financially sustainable. This will involve strengthening our trustee board, investing in training for staff, trustees and volunteers, and assessing the capacity of our current premises. 

Our plans for the coming year include expanding our outreach to work in a hotel in central Bristol, increasing the number of English classes we offer, launching new IT skills sessions, relaunching our Peer Mentoring scheme, offering regular theatre workshops and working with Dentaid to provide dental care for our members. We will continue to improve participation for our members including creating an advisory group of members and reviewing our recruitment process for staff, volunteers and trustees. 

We will be recruiting new Trustees including a new Chair of Trustees to guide Borderlands in our next strategic and developmental chapter as our current Chair, Richard McKay, is stepping down. Richard was the original founder of Borderlands in 2011 and we are hugely thankful to him for all the commitment and dedication he has given to the charity over the last 12 years. We hope to attract a diverse range of candidates to diversify our board and bring new expertise and strengths. 

## **Thank you** 

We would like to thank all our funders this year, including the Albert Gubay Foundation, Lloyds Bank Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation, Bristol City Council, South Gloucestershire Council, John James Bristol Foundation, Postcode Local Trust, Bristol Churches City Fund, Feeding Bristol and others, including those who prefer to be anonymous. We are also most grateful to the individuals, local businesses, social enterprises and charities who have made donations and supplied us with food for our hot meals and social supermarket. Last but not least, thank you to all our wonderful members, volunteers, partners and staff who are the heart and the soul of this organisation. 

12 



## **Borderlands (South West) Limited** 

## **Report of the trustees** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2023** 

## **6. Financial review** 

Our accounts for 2022-23 show income of £315,360 against expenditure of £274,007 – a surplus of £41,353. Income and expenditure increased by around 25% and 18% on the previous year, respectively, due to the expansion of our work and our bigger staff team. Around 66% of our income in 2022-23 came from Trusts and Foundations, 18% came from local authorities, 12% came from individual donations (including gift aid) and 4% came from other sources (mainly rental income). 60% of expenditure was on salary costs, National Insurance and pension contributions for our team of 8 (5.5 FTE) staff. 

We were successful in securing a three-year grant this year from the Henry Smith Charity (to start in 2023-24). Alongside multi-year grants from the Bristol Impact Fund, Albert Gubay Foundation and Lloyds Bank Foundation, this new core funding will help to build sustainability as we develop and grow our work. 

## **Reserves policy** 

## **General reserves** 

The Trustees have a General Reserves Policy which follows the Charity Commission’s guidance on charity reserves. This protects our operations and essential services from the potential risk of disruption at short notice due to a lack of funds while ensuring Borderlands does not retain income for longer than required. The policy takes into account operating expenses and maintenance of essential services in the event of a downturn in income and/or unforeseen increases in costs. It also takes account of the contractual obligations to our employees and the costs of closure or winddown of our core operations. 

General reserves are not restricted to or designated for a particular purpose. General reserves are a part of net current assets and are equivalent to approximately 4-6 months’ committed expenditure at budgeted 2023-24 levels which the Trustees consider to be an appropriate level for Borderlands. The basis of determining the target reserves level is kept under periodic review and will be adjusted as perceptions of risk and other factors change. 

Our accounts show net current assets of £213,146 at 31 March 2023, of which £110,815 are free reserves (£102,331 are restricted funds to be spent in 2023-24). Our forecast expenditure for 202324 is £305,944, so free reserves represent approximately 4 months' operating costs going forward. 

Please note: a proportion of total unrestricted funds shown on the balance sheet relates to a fourbedroom house owned by Borderlands and managed by ACH to provide supported housing for refugees at risk of homelessness. These funds are therefore not available for spending. 

## **Restricted funds** 

Restricted funds are held separately within the charity’s financial accounts and are spent within the time-frame indicated by the donor which may cover more than one financial year. 

## **Statement of responsibilities of the trustees** 

The trustees (who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the trustees' report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102: The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). 

13 



## **Borderlands (South West) Limited** 

## **Report of the trustees** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2023** 

Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year, which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the income and expenditure of the charity for that period. In preparing those financial statements the trustees are required to: 

- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; 

- ▪ observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP; ▪ make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent; 

- state whether applicable UK accounting standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and 

- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation. 

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and which enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. The trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. 

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

Members of the charitable company guarantee to contribute an amount not exceeding £10 to the assets of the charity in the event of winding up. The trustees are company members but this entitles them only to voting rights. The trustees have no beneficial interest in the charity. 

## **Independent examiners** 

Godfrey Wilson Limited were re-appointed as independent examiners to the charitable company during the year and have expressed their willingness to continue in that capacity. 

Approved by the trustees on 4 September 2023 and signed on their behalf by 

## Kimberlee Lynn Carstensen 

Kimberlee Carstensen, Chair 

14 



## **Independent examiner's report** 

## **To the trustees of** 

## **Borderlands (South West) Limited** 

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Borderlands (South West) Limited (the charitable company) for the year ended 31 March 2023, which are set out on pages 16 to 29. 

## **Responsibilities and basis of report** 

As the trustees of the charitable 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 charitable 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 the charitable company'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** 

Godfrey Wilson Limited also provides bookkeeping and payroll services to the charitable company. I confirm that as a member of the ICAEW I am subject to the FRC’s Revised Ethical Standard 2016, which I have applied with respect to this engagement. 

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

- (1) accounting records were not kept in respect of the charitable 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. 

## William Guy Blake 

Date: 4 September 2023 **William Guy Blake Member of the ICAEW** For and on behalf of: **Godfrey Wilson Limited** 

Chartered accountants and statutory auditors 5th Floor Mariner House 62 Prince Street Bristol BS1 4QD 

15 



## **Borderlands (South West) Limited** 

**Statement of financial activities** _(incorporating an income and expenditure account)_ 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2023** 

|Note<br>**Income from:**<br>Donations and legacies<br>3<br>Charitable activities<br>4<br>Other income<br>Investments<br>**Total income**<br>**Expenditure on:**<br>Raising funds<br>Charitable activities<br>**Total expenditure**<br>6<br>**Net income / (expenditure)**<br>Transfers between funds<br>**Net movement in funds**<br>7<br>**Reconciliation of funds:**<br>Total funds brought forward<br>**Total funds carried forward**|Restricted Unrestricted<br>£<br>£<br>174,317<br>129,779<br>-<br>10,421<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>843<br>174,317<br>141,043<br>-<br>23,325<br>157,826<br>92,856<br>157,826<br>116,181<br>16,491<br>24,862<br>(7,500)<br>7,500<br>8,991<br>32,362<br>93,340<br>225,791<br>102,331<br>258,153|**2023**<br>**Total**<br>**£**<br>**304,096**<br>**10,421**<br>**-**<br>**843**<br>**315,360**<br>**23,325**<br>**250,682**<br>**274,007**<br>**41,353**<br>**-**<br>**41,353**<br>**319,131**<br>**360,484**|2022<br>Total<br>£<br>224,160<br>9,287<br>1,300<br>408|
|---|---|---|---|
||||235,155|
||||18,691<br>213,617|
||||232,308|
||||2,847<br>-|
||||2,847<br>316,284|
||||319,131|



All of the above results are derived from continuing activities. There were no other recognised gains or losses other than those stated above. Movements in funds are disclosed in note 15 to the accounts. 

16 



## **Borderlands (South West) Limited** 

## **Balance sheet** 

## **As at 31 March 2023** 

|Note<br>**Fixed assets**<br>Tangible assets<br>10<br>**Current assets**<br>Debtors<br>11<br>Cash at bank and in hand<br>**Liabilities**<br>Creditors: amounts falling due within 1 year<br>12<br>**Net current assets**<br>**Total assets less current liabilities**<br>Creditors: amounts falling due after more than 1 year<br>13<br>**Net assets**<br>14<br>**Funds**<br>15<br>Restricted funds<br>Unrestricted funds<br>General funds<br>**Total charity funds**|**£**<br>**44,353**<br>**200,272**<br>**244,625**<br>**(31,479)**|**2023**<br>**£**<br>**216,088**<br>**213,146**<br>**429,234**<br>**(68,750)**<br>**360,484**<br>**102,331**<br>**258,153**<br>**360,484**|2022<br>£<br>226,769|
|---|---|---|---|
||||29,262<br>190,301|
||||219,563<br>(33,451)|
||||186,112|
||||412,881<br>(93,750)|
||||319,131|
||||93,340<br>225,791|
||||319,131|



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 period by virtue of section 477(2), and that no member or members have requested an audit pursuant to section 476 of the Act. 

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for: 

- (i) ensuring that the Company keeps proper accounting records which comply with section 386 of the Act; and 

- (ii) preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Company as at the end of the financial year and of its profit or loss for the financial year in accordance with the requirements of section 393, and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Act relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the company. 

These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies' regime. 

Approved by the trustees on 4 September 2023 and signed on their behalf by 

## Kimberlee Lynn Carstensen 

Kimberlee Carstensen, Chair 

17 



## **Borderlands (South West) Limited** 

## **Notes to the financial statements** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2023** 

**1. Accounting policies** 

## **a) Basis of preparation** 

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities in preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006. 

Borderlands (South West) Limited meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note. 

## **b) Going concern basis of accounting** 

The accounts have been prepared on the assumption that the charity is able to continue as a going concern, which the trustees consider appropriate having regard to the current level of unrestricted reserves and confirmed future funding. There are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue as a going concern. 

## **c) Income** 

Income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the item of income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably. 

Income from the government and other grants, whether 'capital' grants or 'revenue' grants, is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the grants have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably and is not deferred. 

## **d) Interest receivable** 

Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity: this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the bank. 

## **e) Funds accounting** 

Unrestricted funds are available to spend on activities that further any of the purposes of the charity. Designated funds are unrestricted funds of the charity which the trustees have decided at their discretion to set aside to use for a specific purpose. Restricted funds are donations which the donor has specified are to be solely used for particular areas of the charity's work or for specific projects being undertaken by the charity. 

## **f) Expenditure and irrecoverable VAT** 

Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. 

Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure was incurred. 

18 



## **Borderlands (South West) Limited** 

## **Notes to the financial statements** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2023** 

## **1. Accounting policies (continued)** 

## **g) Allocation of support and governance costs** 

Support costs are those functions that assist the work of the charity but do not directly undertake charitable activities. Governance costs are the costs associated with the governance arrangements of the charity, including the costs of complying with constitutional and statutory requirements and any costs associated with the strategic management of the charity’s activities. These costs have been allocated in full to the cost of charitable activities this year, on the basis that the charity has not expended any significant resources towards fundraising this year, outside of the staff time already allocated. 

## **h) Tangible fixed assets** 

Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write down the cost of each asset to its estimated residual value over its expected useful life. The depreciation rates in use are as follows: 

|Freehold property|50 years|
|---|---|
|Furniture and equipment|4 years|
|Phone equipment|2 years|



Items of equipment are capitalised where the purchase price exceeds £100. 

## **i) Debtors** 

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due. 

## **j) Cash at bank and in hand** 

Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account. 

## **k) Creditors** 

Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due. 

## **l) Concessionary loans** 

The charitable company is in receipt of concessionary loans for furtherance of their charitable activities. Concessionary loans are recognised when the commitment is entered into and the relevant loan documentation has been completed. The loans are initially recognised and measured at the amount received, with the carrying amount adjusted in subsequent years to reflect repayments and if necessary any accrued interest. 

## **m) Financial instruments** 

The charitable company only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently recognised at amortised cost using the effective interest method. 

19 



## **Borderlands (South West) Limited** 

## **Notes to the financial statements** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2023** 

## **1. Accounting policies (continued)** 

## **n) Pension costs** 

The company operates a defined contribution pension scheme for its employees. There are no further liabilities other than that already recognised in the SOFA. 

## **o) Accounting estimates and key judgements** 

In the application of the charity's accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and underlying assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates. 

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised if the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods if the revision affects both current and future periods. 

The key sources of estimation uncertainty that have a significant effect on the amounts recognised in the financial statements are described below. 

## **Depreciation** 

As described in note 1h to the financial statements, depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write down the cost of each asset to its estimated residual value over its expected useful life. 

## **2. Statement of financial activities: prior period comparatives** 

|**Income from:**<br>Donations and legacies<br>Charitable activities<br>Other income<br>Investments<br>**Total income**<br>**Expenditure on:**<br>Raising funds<br>Charitable activities<br>**Total expenditure**<br>**Net income / (expenditure)**<br>Transfers between funds<br>**Net movement in funds**|Restricted<br>£<br>£<br>168,316<br>55,844<br>-<br>9,287<br>-<br>1,300<br>-<br>408<br>168,316<br>66,839<br>-<br>18,691<br>122,921<br>90,696<br>122,921<br>109,387<br>45,395<br>(42,548)<br>15,874<br>(15,874)<br>61,269<br>(58,422)<br>Unrestricted|2022<br>Total<br>£<br>224,160<br>9,287<br>1,300<br>408|
|---|---|---|
|||235,155|
|||18,691<br>213,617|
|||232,308|
|||2,847<br>-|
|||2,847|



20 



## **Borderlands (South West) Limited** 

## **Notes to the financial statements** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2023** 

## **3. Income from donations and legacies** 

|Companies and trusts<br>Individuals<br>Gift aid<br>**Total income from donations and legacies**<br>**Prior period comparative:**<br>Companies and trusts<br>Individuals<br>Gift aid<br>**Total income from donations and legacies**<br>**Income from charitable activities**<br>Rental income<br>Other charitable activities|Restricted<br>£<br>£<br>174,317<br>91,799<br>-<br>36,085<br>-<br>1,895<br>174,317<br>129,779<br>Restricted<br>£<br>£<br>168,316<br>11,593<br>-<br>42,473<br>-<br>1,778<br>168,316<br>55,844<br>**2023**<br>**£**<br>**9,990**<br>**431**<br>**10,421**<br>Unrestricted<br>Unrestricted|**2023**<br>**Total**<br>**£**<br>**266,116**<br>**36,085**<br>**1,895**|
|---|---|---|
|||**304,096**|
|||2022<br>Total<br>£<br>179,909<br>42,473<br>1,778|
|||224,160|
|||2022<br>£<br>9,287<br>-|
|||9,287|



**4. Income from charitable activities** 

All income from charitable activities is unrestricted. 

## **5. Government grants** 

The charitable company receives government grants, defined as funding from Bristol City Council, South Gloucestershire Council, and the Bristol Impact Fund 2 to fund charitable activities. The total value of such grants in the period ending 31 March 2023 was £56,582 (2022: £64,580 from Bristol City Council and South Gloucestershire Council). There are no unfulfilled conditions or contingencies attaching to these grants in 2022/23. 

21 



## **Borderlands (South West) Limited** 

## **Notes to the financial statements** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2023** 

## **6. Total expenditure** 

|**Total expenditure**|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|Staff costs (note 8)<br>Other staff costs<br>Drop-in costs<br>Mentoring consultancy<br>Other project costs<br>Premises costs<br>Insurance<br>Accountancy<br>Consultancy<br>Legal expenses<br>Admin costs<br>Depreciation<br>**Sub-total**<br>**Total expenditure**<br>Allocation of support and<br>governance costs|Raising funds<br>£<br>10,487<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>12,838<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>23,325<br>-<br>**23,325**|Charitable<br>activities<br>£<br>140,350<br>-<br>11,630<br>696<br>6,449<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>1,590<br>-<br>160,715<br>89,967<br>**250,682**|Support and<br>governance<br>costs<br>£<br>11,740<br>7,735<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>25,786<br>1,560<br>9,952<br>3,750<br>500<br>18,263<br>10,681<br>89,967<br>(89,967)<br>**-**|**2023 Total**<br>**£**<br>**162,577**<br>**7,735**<br>**11,630**<br>**696**<br>**6,449**<br>**25,786**<br>**1,560**<br>**9,952**<br>**16,588**<br>**500**<br>**19,853**<br>**10,681**|
|||||**274,007**<br>-|
|||||**274,007**|



Total governance costs were £2,040 (2022: £1,920). 

22 



## **Borderlands (South West) Limited** 

## **Notes to the financial statements** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2023** 

|**6.**<br>**Total expenditure (continued)**<br>**Prior year comparative**<br>Raising funds<br>£<br>Staff costs (note 8)<br>9,010<br>Other staff costs<br>-<br>Destitution payments<br>-<br>Drop-in costs<br>-<br>Mentoring consultancy<br>-<br>Other project costs<br>-<br>Premises costs<br>-<br>Insurance<br>-<br>Accountancy<br>-<br>Consultancy<br>9,681<br>Legal expenses<br>-<br>Admin costs<br>-<br>Depreciation<br>-<br>**Sub-total**<br>18,691<br>-<br>**Total expenditure**<br>18,691<br>Allocation of support and<br>governance costs|Charitable<br>activities<br>£<br>100,753<br>-<br>20,205<br>13,905<br>2,703<br>1,459<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>650<br>4,281<br>-<br>143,956<br>69,661<br>213,617|Support and<br>governance<br>costs<br>£<br>4,915<br>455<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>28,057<br>1,303<br>6,388<br>-<br>2,400<br>16,353<br>9,790<br>69,661<br>(69,661)<br>**-**|2022 Total<br>£<br>114,678<br>455<br>20,205<br>13,905<br>2,703<br>1,459<br>28,057<br>1,303<br>6,388<br>9,681<br>3,050<br>20,634<br>9,790|
|---|---|---|---|
||||232,308<br>-|
||||232,308|



23 



## **Borderlands (South West) Limited** 

## **Notes to the financial statements** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2023** 

**7. Net movement in funds** 

This is stated after charging: 

|Depreciation<br>Trustees' remuneration<br>Trustees' reimbursed expenses<br>Independent examiner's remuneration (excluding VAT):<br>Independent examination<br>Other services|**2023**<br>**£**<br>**10,681**<br>**Nil**<br>**Nil**<br>**1,700**<br>**6,171**|2022<br>£<br>9,790<br>Nil<br>Nil<br>1,600<br>3,289|
|---|---|---|



**8. Staff costs and numbers** 

Staff costs were as follows: 

|Salaries and wages<br>Social security costs<br>Pension costs|**2023**<br>**£**<br>**152,420**<br>**7,300**<br>**2,857**<br>**162,577**|2022<br>£<br>107,711<br>4,551<br>2,416|
|---|---|---|
|||114,678|



No employee earned more than £60,000 during the current or prior year. 

The key management personnel of the charitable company comprised the Trustees and Director. The total employee benefits of the key management personnel were £35,160 (2022: £19,896). 

|Average head count|**2023**<br>**No.**<br>**8**|2022<br>No.<br>6|
|---|---|---|



## **9. Taxation** 

The charity is exempt from corporation tax as all its income is charitable and is applied for charitable purposes. 

24 



## **Borderlands (South West) Limited** 

## **Notes to the financial statements** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2023** 

## **10. Tangible fixed assets** 

|**Cost**<br>At 1 April 2022 and at 31 March 2023<br>**Depreciation**<br>At 1 April 2022<br>Charge for the year<br>At 31 March 2023<br>**Net book value**<br>**At 31 March 2023**<br>At 31 March 2022<br>**11. Debtors**<br>Prepayments<br>Other debtors<br>Accrued income<br>**12. Creditors : amounts due within 1 year**|**Cost**<br>At 1 April 2022 and at 31 March 2023<br>**Depreciation**<br>At 1 April 2022<br>Charge for the year<br>At 31 March 2023<br>**Net book value**<br>**At 31 March 2023**<br>At 31 March 2022<br>**11. Debtors**<br>Prepayments<br>Other debtors<br>Accrued income<br>**12. Creditors : amounts due within 1 year**|**Furniture &**<br>**equipment**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>238,500<br>26,900<br>28,620<br>10,011<br>4,770<br>5,911<br>33,390<br>15,922<br>**205,110**<br>**10,978**<br>209,880<br>16,889<br>**2023**<br>**£**<br>**1,614**<br>**1,895**<br>**40,844**<br>**44,353**<br>**Freehold**<br>**property**|**Furniture &**<br>**equipment**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>238,500<br>26,900<br>28,620<br>10,011<br>4,770<br>5,911<br>33,390<br>15,922<br>**205,110**<br>**10,978**<br>209,880<br>16,889<br>**2023**<br>**£**<br>**1,614**<br>**1,895**<br>**40,844**<br>**44,353**<br>**Freehold**<br>**property**|**Total**<br>**£**<br>**265,400**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||**38,631**<br>**10,681**|
|||||**49,312**|
|||||**216,088**|
|||||226,769|
|||||2022<br>£<br>391<br>18,871<br>10,000|
|||||29,262|
||||||
||Loans<br>Trade creditors<br>Accruals<br>Pensions payable<br>Other taxation and social security||**2023**<br>**£**<br>**25,000**<br>**1,336**<br>**2,172**<br>**484**<br>**2,487**<br>**31,479**|2022<br>£<br>25,000<br>203<br>4,561<br>475<br>3,212|
|||||33,451|



|**Creditors : amounts due within 1 year**|||
|---|---|---|
||**2023**|2022|
||**£**|£|
|Loans|**25,000**|25,000|
|Trade creditors|**1,336**|203|
|Accruals|**2,172**|4,561|
|Pensions payable|**484**|475|
|Other taxation and social security|**2,487**|3,212|
||**31,479**|33,451|



25 



## **Borderlands (South West) Limited** 

## **Notes to the financial statements** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2023** 

## **13. Creditors : amounts due after 1 year** 

Loans 

|**2023**|2022|
|---|---|
|**£**|£|
|**68,750**|93,750|



The loan is a 10 year loan from a former trustee for purchase of a residential property, secured by a legal mortgage over the property. The loan commenced in 2017 and is repayable at £25,000 per annum. No interest is charged. 

## **14. Analysis of net assets between funds** 

|Tangible fixed assets<br>Current assets<br>Current liabilities<br>Non-current liabilities<br>**Net assets at 31 March 2023**<br>**Prior period comparatives**<br>Tangible fixed assets<br>Current assets<br>Current liabilities<br>Non-current liabilities<br>**Net assets at 31 March 2022**|£<br>£<br>-<br>216,088<br>102,331<br>142,294<br>-<br>(31,479)<br>-<br>(68,750)<br>**102,331**<br>**258,153**<br>£<br>£<br>-<br>226,769<br>93,340<br>126,223<br>-<br>(33,451)<br>-<br>(93,750)<br>93,340<br>225,791<br>Restricted<br>funds<br>Unrestricted<br>funds<br>Restricted<br>funds<br>Unrestricted<br>funds|**Total**<br>**funds**<br>**£**<br>**216,088**<br>**244,625**<br>**(31,479)**<br>**(68,750)**|
|---|---|---|
|||**360,484**|
|||Total<br>funds<br>£<br>226,769<br>219,563<br>(33,451)<br>(93,750)|
|||319,131|



26 



## **Borderlands (South West) Limited** 

## **Notes to the financial statements** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2023** 

## **15. Movements in funds** 

|**Restricted funds**<br>Drop-in fund<br>Future Project fund<br>Mentoring Project fund<br>Beach Trip fund<br>Covid-19 support<br>Internet Cafe<br>Outreach work<br>Health Activities<br>Legal fund<br>Learning Project<br>**Total restricted funds**<br>General funds<br>**Total unrestricted funds**<br>**Total funds**<br>**Unrestricted funds**|At 1 April<br>2022<br>£<br>-<br>7,500<br>48,432<br>2,038<br>16,600<br>3,000<br>8,570<br>6,000<br>1,200<br>-<br>93,340<br>225,791<br>225,791<br>319,131|Income<br>£<br>£<br>58,296<br>(58,272)<br>-<br>-<br>47,344<br>(42,251)<br>-<br>(707)<br>-<br>(16,600)<br>-<br>(3,000)<br>20,177<br>(8,570)<br>-<br>(6,000)<br>-<br>(500)<br>48,500<br>(21,926)<br>174,317<br>(157,826)<br>141,043<br>(116,181)<br>141,043<br>(116,181)<br>315,360<br>(274,007)<br>Expenditure|£<br>**£**<br>-<br>**24**<br>(7,500)<br>**-**<br>-<br>**53,525**<br>-<br>**1,331**<br>-<br>**-**<br>-<br>**-**<br>-<br>**20,177**<br>-<br>**-**<br>-<br>**700**<br>-<br>**26,574**<br>(7,500)<br>**102,331**<br>7,500<br>**258,153**<br>7,500<br>**258,153**<br>-<br>**360,484**<br>Transfers<br>between<br>funds<br>**At 31 March**<br>**2023**|£<br>**£**<br>-<br>**24**<br>(7,500)<br>**-**<br>-<br>**53,525**<br>-<br>**1,331**<br>-<br>**-**<br>-<br>**-**<br>-<br>**20,177**<br>-<br>**-**<br>-<br>**700**<br>-<br>**26,574**<br>(7,500)<br>**102,331**<br>7,500<br>**258,153**<br>7,500<br>**258,153**<br>-<br>**360,484**<br>Transfers<br>between<br>funds<br>**At 31 March**<br>**2023**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||**102,331**|
|||||**258,153**|
|||||**258,153**|
|||||**360,484**|



**Purposes of restricted funds** Drop-in fund 

Borderlands received multiple grants from various funders to support the work in our drop-in, including food provision, extra social activities, wellbeing and health related activities. In 22-23 our drop-in continued being funded by the multi-year grant through Bristol Impact Fund 2 (BIF 2) from Bristol City Council. We also received specific grants which aimed at tackling the difficult wintertime for our members, namely Feeding Bristol, Bristol Churches, and Quartet Foundation. The John James Bristol Foundation covered any costs related to the running of our welcome space at the drop-in. Burges Salmon also gave £3,000 towards a Food for Eid celebration. 

Future Project fund 

This is a restricted donation fund made to enable the charity to pursue a specific project, as and when one is identified and is approved by the donor. In 22-23, the donor approved the fund to be released into general reserves to support Borderland's wider charitable purposes. 

27 



## **Borderlands (South West) Limited** 

## **Notes to the financial statements** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2023** 

## **15. Movements in funds (continued)** 

- Mentoring Project fund The Mentoring Project was funded by a 3-year grant from the Albert Gubay Foundation and a one-year grant from the Swan Mountain Trust. 

- Beach Trip fund This is supported by a private restricted donation so that Borderlands can offer an annual trip to members to the beach and give them an opportunity to get outside of Bristol and enjoy nature. It's an opportunity to build relationships and support wellbeing. 

- Covid-19 support Two grants from Bristol City Council to provide practical and emotional support to members self-isolating and for communities facing the greatest barriers during Covid-19 pandemic. 

- Internet Cafe This was funded with a grant from Quartet Community Foundation Express Fund. 

- Outreach work South Gloucestershire Council continued funding our outreach and support work at Filton hotel aimed at supporting asylum seekers residing in initial accommodation in that area. 

Health Activities A grant from BNSSG Clinical Commissioning Group to deliver activities aimed at reducing health inequalities taking place in our drop-in space. 

Legal fund A fund established by the trustees, this provides assistance with legal costs to enable asylum-seekers and refugees to seek justice when public funds are not available. 

- Learning Project As our Learning Project has grown and developed its own identity within the Welcome Centre, we have applied for separate funding to support its development. In 2022-23, the project was funded by the Postcode Local Trust and Barnabas Trust. We also received funding from the John James Foundation and the Medlock Trust this year towards running the Learning Project in 2023-24. 

## **Transfers between funds** 

The transfer from the Future Project fund represents funds where the charity has obtained permission from the funder to remove the restriction and add to its general unrestricted reserves. 

28 



## **Borderlands (South West) Limited** 

## **Notes to the financial statements** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2023** 

## **15. Movements in funds (continued) Prior period comparatives** 

|<br>**Prior period comparatives**|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|**Restricted funds**<br>Drop-in fund<br>Future Project fund<br>Mentoring Project fund<br>Beach Trip fund<br>Covid-19 fund<br>IT Centre<br>Internet Cafe<br>Outreach work<br>Health Activities<br>Legal fund<br>**Total restricted funds**<br>General funds<br>**Total unrestricted funds**<br>**Total funds**<br>**Unrestricted funds**|At 1 April<br>2021<br>£<br>-<br>7,500<br>16,000<br>2,972<br>-<br>5,599<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>32,071<br>284,213<br>284,213<br>316,284|Income<br>£<br>£<br>66,287<br>(82,161)<br>-<br>-<br>62,229<br>(29,797)<br>-<br>(934)<br>16,600<br>-<br>-<br>(5,599)<br>3,000<br>-<br>10,000<br>(1,430)<br>9,000<br>(3,000)<br>1,200<br>-<br>168,316<br>(122,921)<br>66,839<br>(109,387)<br>66,839<br>(109,387)<br>235,155<br>(232,308)<br>Expenditure|£<br>**£**<br>15,874<br>**-**<br>-<br>**7,500**<br>-<br>**48,432**<br>-<br>**2,038**<br>-<br>**16,600**<br>-<br>**-**<br>-<br>**3,000**<br>-<br>**8,570**<br>-<br>**6,000**<br>-<br>**1,200**<br>15,874<br>**93,340**<br>(15,874)<br>**225,791**<br>(15,874)<br>**225,791**<br>-<br>**319,131**<br>Transfers<br>between<br>funds<br>**At 31 March**<br>**2022**||
|||||**93,340**|
|||||**225,791**|
|||||**225,791**|
|||||**319,131**|



## **16. Related party transactions** 

Included within the charity's creditors at the year end is a 10 year loan from a former trustee for the purchase of a residential property, secured by a legal mortgage over the property. The loan commenced in 2017 and is repayable at £25,000 per annum. No interest is charged on the loan. The balance outstanding on the loan at the year end is £93,750 (2022: £118,750). 

The total aggregate donations from trustees during the year were £300 (2022: £1,500). There were no restrictions attached to these donations in the current or prior year. 

29