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← Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum Ltd

2025-03-31-accounts

Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum

Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum LTD

2025

Report and Financial Statements

Company Registration No. 8350097 Registered Charity No. 1153956

for the year ending the 31[st] March 2025.

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Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum

CONTENTS OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

for the year ending the 31st March 2025

Page
Trustee’s Report 3-5
Statement of Director’s/Trustee’s Responsibilities 6
Independent Examiner’s Report 7-8
Statement of Financial Activities 9
Balance Sheet 10
Notes to the Financial Statements 11-14

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Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

for the year ending the 31st March 2025

Reference and Administration Details

Name of Charity

Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum Ltd

Charity registration number 1153956 Date Registered 25th September 2013 Company Registration No. 8350097 Date registered: 7th January 2013

Principal Address

Astolat Coniers Way, New Inn Lane Burpham Guildford Surrey GU4 7HL

Names of Trustees/ Directors

Chair

Neelam Devesher MBE DL Chair Ajibha Judi Linney MBE Thomas Dunkley Treasurer Sunil Amar Hayet Shahrezaey David Munro Professor Aftab Ala Tekbahadur Gurung Elizabeth Tinsley

Independent Examiner

The Accounting Crew Limited

This annual report is prepared to meet the requirements of the directors’ report and accounts as required by company law.

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Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES (cont'd)

Our Charitable Objective

To help black and minoritised ethnic communities of Surrey integrate socially and to help raise their voice on their needs and aspirations. As a race equality charity, SMEF aims to address inequity in all aspects of life including health, housing, employment, education and cultural services.

Our Impact

It is with great pride and heartfelt appreciation that I present the Chair’s Report for 2024–2025. This year has been one of remarkable growth, resilience, and collaboration for the Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum (SMEF).

We continue to stand as a vital voice and advocate for Surrey’s ethnically diverse communities.

Despite a challenging social and economic climate, SMEF has remained a beacon of support and connection—building bridges between communities and the health, social care, faith groups, and statutory systems that serve them. Our strong commitment to co-production, cultural competence, and leadership grounded in lived experience has strengthened Surrey’s community fabric.

At the start of this year, the CEO and I agreed that her focus would be on strengthening organisational culture, improving project quality, enhancing fundraising, and building lasting partnerships across the county.

As a result, under the CEO’s leadership, SMEF has made significant progress in creating a positive, supportive workplace culture prioritising staff wellbeing, development, and collaboration between staff, ambassadors, and trustees. Fundraising is embedded, empowering the staff teams to expand existing programmes and confidently introduce new initiatives. We have adopted a full-cost recovery approach to budgeting for projects, ensuring that our fundraising targets are realistic and that we deliver high-quality programmes for the benefit of our communities, funders, and staff. Services have improved through comprehensive reviews of processes, introducing new templates and feedback systems to help improve staff efficiency.

Cross-team collaboration has been nurtured through organisational meetings, team events, and focused communication strategies, creating a creative and open environment that enriches our company culture.

To amplify the voices of diverse and often underrepresented communities, we completed five targeted needs assessments with our communities, and reaching specific groups such as taxi drivers. We have been planning more assessments to take place in the next few months with LGBTQ+ individuals, older people in care homes, multigenerational families, young people online, and the Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller (GRT) communities.

These steps have brought greater stability to SMEF, enabling staff and managers to build on existing projects and launch exciting new programmes, as highlighted throughout this report.

Health and Wellbeing Programmes

Our health and wellbeing initiatives have grown impressively from 8 to 11 projects, securing nearly £450,000 in funding. These programmes offer culturally sensitive, trauma-informed support across Surrey, tackling critical health inequities.

Together, these programmes directly supported over 1,000 individuals and indirectly reached up to 4,800 people.

The Trust Project

Dedicated to survivors of domestic abuse, the Trust Project provided support to sixty-nine survivors through monthly peer support groups and enhanced client services based on the ‘Save Lives’ framework. It also contributed to system-level advocacy to improve responsiveness across agencies.

This trauma-informed, survivor-led approach has generated considerable social value in public service cost savings across health, criminal justice, social care, and mental health sectors.

Surrey Faith Links

Surrey Faith Links (SFL) has played a key role in promoting interfaith dialogue, community cohesion, and social action in Surrey. In 2024–2025, SFL organised thirty events engaging over seven hundred participants, with an estimated indirect reach of over two thousand people through community conversations and social media.

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Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES (cont'd)

These efforts strengthen social cohesion, reduce community tensions, and contribute social value to public sector services through prevention and early intervention.

Membership and Capacity Building

SMEF’s membership grew this year, welcoming four new full members and three associate members. Capacity-building support included assisting member groups with Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) applications to enhance their sustainability and funding prospects.

Two member groups were shortlisted for the prestigious King’s Award for Voluntary Service, a testament to SMEF’s high standards of community impact. Grant funding workshops, delivered in partnership with the Community Foundation for Surrey, helped member groups secure over £18,000 in successful applications.

Our collaboration with Surrey Hills through the Growing Together project promoted ethnic minority community participation in Surrey’s heritage and environmental initiatives.

Community Voice & Hate Crime Partnership

In response to the 2024 summer disturbances, SMEF engaged all eighty member groups to provide reassurance, counter misinformation, and promote Operation Skylark , encouraging community vigilance.

The Hate Crime Conference, attended by over eighty participants, featured powerful testimonies that galvanized collaboration among organisations tackling hate crime. The Hate Crime Scrutiny Panel expanded with five new volunteers, including four from the LGBTQIA+ community, strengthening community oversight of police case reviews.

SMEF led a needs-based assessment with taxi drivers to raise their concerns around hate crime and safety directly with Surrey Police and Surrey County Council. Ongoing partnerships through the Community Cohesion and Oak Review groups continue to embed SMEF’s influence in hate crime strategies.

Importantly, these efforts have helped increase trust in Surrey Police, reflected in a rise in hate crime reporting—a vital step towards safer communities.

Engagement with Marginalised Communities

Recognising the historical marginalisation of Gypsy, Roma, Traveller (GRT) and LGBTQIA+ communities, SMEF has intensified outreach efforts to build trust, amplify voices, and identify unmet needs. Through partnerships and tailored engagement, we work to reduce isolation and ensure these communities receive appropriate support.

Community Events and Celebrations

Our community events have been vital in promoting unity and celebrating diversity.

Household Support Fund

Through the Household Support Fund, SMEF distributed £56,000 to 324 households from various ethnic backgrounds including African, South Asian, Latin American, and Eastern European communities. This financial assistance provided both practical relief and emotional support during difficult times and was deeply appreciated by recipients and partner organisations alike.

Communications and Outreach

SMEF saw consistent growth across communication platforms such as LinkedIn and Facebook, enhancing our visibility and engagement with both professional and community audiences. Improvements in communications planning, including detailed event checklists and mini communication strategies, have strengthened our ability to promote our work effectively.

Organisational Development

This year, we improved operational efficiency and governance by moving the AGM online for greater accessibility and advancing the implementation of Salesforce to streamline data and relationship management.

Looking Ahead

With a total fundraising achievement approaching £607k—SMEF is well-positioned to build on this year’s successes. Our continued focus on organisational development, strategic partnerships, and community-led initiatives will ensure that SMEF remains a powerful, trusted voice for Surrey’s ethnically diverse communities.

I extend my deepest thanks to SMEF’s staff, volunteers, trustees, partners, and especially the communities who entrust us to represent and support them. Your dedication and collaboration are the foundation of everything we achieve together. As Chair, I am inspired daily by the passion and resilience of the people and communities we serve. Together, we are shaping a Surrey where inclusion is lived every day, and all our communities and localities can thrive. Thank you for your ongoing support and commitment to this vital work.

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Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES (cont'd)

Financial review

The past year saw a continued scale up in activity for SMEF, we have investment from both our existing and new funders and now have a range of longer term grants which secures SMEF's sustainability in the medium term.

During 24/25 SMEF received 49% more income which is indicative of the focus in strengthening organizational culture, improving project quality, enhancing fundraising, and building lasting partnerships across the county. Following the embedding of the new CEO, SMEF feels confident it can continue to diversify it's income streams to increase income received in future years.

Reserves are needed to bridge the gap between the spending and receiving of income to cover unplanned expenditure, and also to provide opportunities for investment in new activities. Our reserves policy gives the ideal range for reserves of between 3 and 12 months operating costs. As at the end of March 2024 this range was £120k-£480k based on the year's performance and so the closing balance of £460k which is within this range.

SMEF has an excellent track record and reputation for high quality delivery and has extensive reach into the minority ethnic communities living and working in the county. We continue to have funding applications in the pipeline and we have received positive feedback.

My Trustee Board, CEO and I are extremely confident that SMEF can further diversify its funding streams to increase income it receives in future year.

Structure, Governance and Management

The Charity is constituted as a Company limited by Guarantee and is therefore governed by its Memorandum & Articles of Association.

The Directors of the Company are also Trustees of the Charity.

Eligibility for membership of the Charity and membership of the Board of Trustees is governed by the Memorandum & Articles of Association.

There are no restrictions on the operation of the Charity or on its investment powers, other than those imposed by general Charity law.

Trustees are appointed in consultation with the members of SMEF, and given a formal induction by the Chair of the Board.

Statement of responsibilities of the Trustees

The Charities and the Companies Acts require the Board of Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity as at the end of the financial year and of the surplus or deficit of the charity. In preparing those financial statements the Board is required to:-

· prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will not continue on that basis.

The Trustees are responsible for maintaining proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with both charity and company law. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The Trustees are also responsible for the contents of the Trustees’ report, and the responsibility of the independent examiner in relations to the Trustees’ report is limited to examining the report and ensuring that, on the face of the report, there are no inconsistencies with the figures disclosed in the financial statements.

Neelam Devesher DL Chair Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum

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Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examinerfs Report Report to the trustees Surrey Minorrty Ethnic Forum LTD On accounts for the ￿r ended 31st March 2025 Charity no Irf any) 1153956 Set out on pages I rew>rt lo the twstees on my examination of the accounts of the above charrty llhe Trustl for the year ended Responsibilities and basis of report As the charl￿$ trustees, you are responsible for Ihe preparat)n of the accounts in aC￿rdan￿ with the rquirements of the CharitEs Act 2011 rthe Arf). I report in respect of my examination of the Trusys accounts carried out under 5ectK)n 145 of the 2011 AGI atKI iwi ￿TryI￿Y vut rrry e￿[TIl[latiO1). I have followed all the applicable Directions gNen by the Chanty CorTwnissbon urKler sectK)n 145(5Mb) irf the Act. Independent trhe chari￿s gross income exceeded £250,000 and l am qualrfied lo exarninerfs statement undertake the examination by being a qualffied rrEmber of linsert name of appl￿ble listed bo(tyl]. Delete l ] rfnot applicable. I have eompleted my exami1￿lIOn. I confim that no matèrial matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that disclosed bel￿-) which gNes me ¢xuse to believe thal in, any material TesKct.' the accounting records were not kept in accordance with seclion 130 of the char￿e$ A(a' or the accounts did not ac￿rd with the accounting records., or the a¢￿Unts dKI not ￿Mpty with the applM?bk requirements conceming the fomi and content of accounts *t out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulatk)ns 2008 other than any requirement that the aco)unls gNe a Irue and fai¢ viw which is not a matter consmjered as part of an independent examination. I have concems and have CO￿ across no other matters in connection with the examination to Wh￿ attention should te drawn in this report in order lo enable a proper understarbdirMJ of the accounts to be reached. . Please delete fhe words in the brackets rftheyth) not appty. Slgned: 0811012025 Name: Rowan Keyte Relevant professional qualificationlsl or body Certffied PublK Accountants Assrtiation IER Oct 2018 71Page

Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum {if any): Address: office Suite 3, Shrieves Walk Slratford upon Avon CV37 6GJ Section B Disclosure Only complete rf the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32. Independent examination of chanty accounts.. directions and guidance for examiner5). Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to dlsclose. IER Oct 2018 81Page

Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum

Statement of Financial Activities for the year ending the 31st March 2025

including the Income and Expenditure account

Notes Unrestricted
Funds
£
Income from:
Charitable activities
31,582
Donations
Total
31,582
Expenditure on:
Charitable Activities
Community engagement and events
2
14,505
Total
14,505
Net Income/( Expenditure)
17,077
Transfers between funds
(15,545)
Total Funds brought forward at the 1st April
131,876
Total Funds carried forward at the 31st March
5
133,408		 Restricted
2025
Unrestricted Restricted
2024
Funds
Total
Funds
Funds
Total
£
£
£
£
£
575,668
607,250
177
405,735
405,912
-
915
915
575,668
607,250
1,092
405,735
406,827
465,564
480,069
11,441
546,798
558,240
465,564
480,069
11,441
546,798
558,240
110,104
127,181
(10,349)
141,063
-
(151,412)
15,545
-
-
-
-
201,347
333,223
142,225
342,410
484,635
326,996
460,404
131,876
201,347
333,223

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Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum

Balance Sheet at 31st March 2025

Notes 2025 2024
£ £
Current Assets
Debtors 6 6,496 11,147
Cash at bank and in hand 479,947 360,000
486,443 371,146
Liabilities
Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year 7 18,429 37,924
Creditors: Amounts held on behalf of members 11 7,610 -
Net Current assets 460,404 333,223
Total Assets less Current Liabilities 460,404 333,223
Total Net Assets 460,404 333,223
The funds of the charity:
Unrestricted Funds 133,408 131,876
Restricted Funds 326,996 201,347
Total Funds 5 460,404 333,223

The directors are satisfied that for the financial year ended 31[st] March 2024 the charitable company was entitled to exemption from the requirement to obtain an audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006. The members have not required the company to obtain an audit in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006 and under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011.

Under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 the accounts have been examined by an independent examiner, whose report appears on page 5.

The director’s acknowledge their responsibility for complying with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 with respect of accounting records and for the preparation of accounts.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small charitable companies and with the Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller Entities (effective April 2008, revised July 2014).

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees on 28 Nov 2023 and

were signed on its behalf by:

Thomas Dunkley (Co-Treasurer)

…………………………… ………………………….

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Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ending the 31st March 2025

1. Accounting Policies

Basis of Preparation

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller Entities (FRSSE), effective April 2008, revised July 2014, and all other applicable accounting standards, as modified by the Statement of Recommended Practice for Accounting and Reporting issued by the Charity Commissioners for England & Wales (revised July 2014). The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the Companies Act 2006.

Cash flow exemption

Exemption has been taken from preparing a cash flow statement on the grounds that the Charity qualifies as a small company.

Fund Accounting

Restricted Funds is money received which has been earmarked for a specific purpose by the donor or which has been raised by the charity for particular purposes. This includes both specific costs of delivering the work, and a proportion of the overheads costs, which are general administration and office management expenses related to the charity as a whole.

Unrestricted Funds is money available for any purpose agree by the trustees within the general objectives of the charity and which have not been designated for any other purpose.

Income

All incoming resources are included in the Statement of Financial Activities where the Charity is entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy.

Expenditure

All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis; which means the date the expense relates to, rather than when the payment was made.

Measurement of Financial Assets & Liabilities

All debtors, creditors and financial instruments are measured at amortised cost; which means, the original value less any amounts paid.

Pension

SMEF operates an autoenrolment pension scheme with Nest. This benefit is extended to all employees who wish to join. The scheme commenced during 2017/18 in line with our staging date.

Taxation

The charity does not incur any corporation tax on its charitable activities.

VAT

The charity does not have any income subject to VAT.

Reserves policy

Unrestricted reserves are regularly reviewed by the trustees to ensure they are sufficient to meet existing commitments and cover any expenses already committed or in the event that the Charity is wound up.

2.Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities
Direct expenditure (note 3)
Support costs (office and admin costs)
Governance (note 4)
Community engagement and events		 2025
2024
Unrestricted Restricted
Total
Total
(36,460)
465,433
428,973
496,802
44,770
131
44,902
48,396
6,195
-
6,195
13,041
14,505
465,564
480,069
558,240

Of the total expenditure in 2024/25 £465,564 was restricted funds and £14,505 was unrestricted funds

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Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ending the 31st March 2025

3. Analysis of direct expenditure
Staff costs (note 8)
Facilitators fees/expenses
Meeting costs
Grants
Management Expenses
Other
4. Governance costs
Staff costs
Independent Examiner’s Report
Annual return		 Unrestricted
Restricted
79,536
266,648
4,603
2,541
300
66,120
117,053
-
117,053
756
8,468		 2025
2024
Total
Total
346,184
414,801
4,603
1,668
2,541
27,151
66,420
50,650
-
-
9,224
2,532
36,460
-
465,433		 428,973
496,802
-
-		 2025
2024
5,740
11,958
420
360
35
723
6,195
13,041

5. Funds

These represent specific grants from supporters towards various programmes undertaken by Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum. The amounts carried forward

Unrestricted Funds
Restricted Funds
Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner for Surrey
Active Communities
Community Foundation - Being Ourselves/MWG/Diwali
Community Foundation - Capacity Building
UK Community Foundations - BAME Infrastructure
Fund
Mixed Funding - Health & Race
The National Lottery - Many Hands
Independent Mental Health Network - Mental Health
Survey
Surrey County Council - Household Support
Liase Project
Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner for Surrey
SMEF Trust Project
Surrey County Council - Surrey Faith Links
Let's Create
Perinatal Equity
Total Funds		 Balance
Income
Expenditure
Transfer between funds
Balance
1.4.2024
31.3.2025
£
£
£
£
131,876
31,582
14,505
15,545
133,408
-
40,174
-
40,174
-
0
-

886
-
886
-
0
-
37,717
37,717
0
51,420
51,140
280
0
-
49,558
299,964
161,211
188,311
24,650
110,749
10,289
125,110
9,979
9,979
0
7,759
-
70,000
70,000
7,759
-
0
-
2,016
5,493
3,477
-
0
-
-
46,742
50,186
72,009
24,919
10,728
-
38,799
39,415
11,344
-
1,246
-
1,246
-
-
40,058
40,058
0
201,347 575,668 465,564 - 15,545 326,996
333,223
607,250
480,069
-
460,404

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Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ending the 31st March 2025

Comparative information for the movement in funds in the previous year is as follows:

Unrestricted Funds
Restricted Funds
Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner for Surrey
Active Communities
Community Foundation - Being Ourselves/MWG/Diwali
Community Foundation - Capacity Building
UK Community Foundations - BAME Infrastructure
Fund
Mixed Funding - Health & Race
The National Lottery - Many Hands
Independent Mental Health Network - Mental Health
Survey
Surrey County Council - Household Support
Liase Project
Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner for Surrey -
SMEF Trust Project
Surrey County Council - Surrey Faith Links
Let's Create
Perinatal Equity
Total Funds		 Balance
Income
Expenditure
Transfer between funds Balance
1.4.2023
31.3.2024
£
£
£
£
142,225
1,092
11,441
-
131,876
-
-
-
40,174
40,174
-

914
-
12,750
12,722
886
-
22,028
27,038
11,348
37,717
36,059
80,000
64,639
51,420
114,971
12,030
77,443
49,558
70,162
-
45,512
24,650
20,128
38,400
48,549
9,979
5,709
-
60,000
62,050
7,759
-
-
29,241
27,225
2,016

11,708
94,476
59,441
46,742
2,434
-
38,800
47,094
10,728
-
1,246
-
1,246
-
77,657
13,000
50,599
40,058
342,410 405,735 546,798 - 201,347
484,635
406,827
558,240
-
333,223

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Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ending the 31st March 2025

6. Debtors
Debtors
7. Creditors - amounts falling due within one year
Deferred Income
Creditors
Accruals
8. Staff costs
Salaries
Employers Pension
Employers NI
The average Head count in the year
No employees received emoluments of more than £60,000
9. Trusteee remuneration
Reimbursement of trustee travel costs (2025: 3 people)		 2025
2024
6,496
11,147
6,496
11,147
2025
2024
24,601
17,974
12,950
455
373
18,429
37,924
2025
2024
314,916
381,202
15,235
18,429
21,773
27,129
351,924
426,760
11.9
15.2
2025
2024
2,192
1,533
2,192
1,533

10. Related party declaration and conflict of interest

There were no related party transactions to declare during the financial year 24/25

11. Amounts held on behalf of members

SMEF supports its members in many ways, one of which has been holding cash on behalf of members who do not have a designated bank account for their group, allowing them to access funding from donors they would otherwise not be eligible for.

Camberley Nepali Society 2025
2024
7,610
-
7,610
-

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