## **THE GESHEREU SUPPORT NETWORK** ## **Registered Charity Number 1157062** ## **ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS** **for the year ended 31[st] December 2021** Registered Address: 21 Maple Street London, W1T 4BE 1 ## **THE GESHEREU SUPPORT GROUP** ## **TRUSTEES** Bernard, Robert Appointed 11[th] November 2020 Weber, Peter Appointed 11[th] November 2020 Lewis, David Appointed 11[th] November 2020 Name withheld by agreement with Charity Commission Appointed 11[th] November 2020 ## **GOVERNING DOCUMENT** The activities of the Charity are governed by its Constitution dated 4[th] May 2014. ## **STRUCTURE** The Charity commenced activities on 1[st] January 2014 and those involved at the start agreed to formalise the organisation by registering with the UK Charity Commission as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) whose voting members are its charity trustees. The registration was completed on 15[th] May 2014. This is the eighth annual report. ## **APPOINTMENT OF TRUSTEES** Apart from the first charity trustees, every trustee must be appointed by resolution passed at a meeting of the charity trustees. Every trustee so appointed must satisfy the eligibility requirements as set out in the constitution. ## **OBJECTIVES** The objects of the charity set out in the constitution are as follows:- been raised in or have spent a significant part of their lives in strict closed religious communities (in particular ultraorthodox Jewish communities) and having left their communities, from remaining socially excluded, relieving the needs of those people who are socially excluded and assisting them to integrate into society and to do all such other things as are necessary for the achievement of the objects. For the purpose of this clause 'socially excluded' means being excluded from society, or parts of society, as a result of one or more of the following factors: unemployment; financial hardship; youth or old age; ill health (physical or mental); substance abuse or dependency including alcohol and drugs; discrimination on the grounds of sex, race, disability, ethnic origin, religion, belief, creed, sexual orientation or gender reassignment; poor educational or skills attainment; relationship and family breakdown; poor housing (that is housing that does not meet basic habitable standards); crime (either as a victim of crime or as an offender rehabilitating into socie 2 ## **MAIN ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT** The activities described in the section below are focused on: - 1) Rebuilding a community for each individual who has lost contact with family and friends from the community in which he or she grew up. Many of our service users now keep in touch with each other outside meetings. The use of a secure WhatsApp group and secret Facebook group both restricted to those who attend GesherEU has continued to be popular and improves communications outside meetings. - 2) Have contact in social settings, with volunteers of all ages, who have not come from a Charedi background. This enables service users to build a network of friends and contacts that do not originate from their old communities and introduces them to colloquial language skills. - 3) Introduce service users to concepts and culture (art, theatre, science, sports etc.) with which they did not grow up. - 4) Supporting service users through the family court system. However, we do not finance legal costs from core funds. - 5) Giving the GesherEU community a voice. - Often the above activities overlap or are combined. ## **MAIN ACHIEVEMENTS DURING THE YEAR** GesherEU has continued to operate within its financial means and has been effective in both strengthening the GesherEU community and helping individuals. During the year there has been a continuing increase (approximately one or two, most months) in the number of individuals using the services of GesherEU. They range in age from 20 - 46, with approximately an equal number of men and women. We continue to welcome these new service users, some of whom are just starting their journey into the wider community and others who have been living outside of the Charedi community for a number of years. New service users continue to come from across the various Charedi communities with the vast majority now living in Barnet, Harrow and Manchester/Salford. Moving into a new world remains a challenging process and we have had many calls from those who never make the move. We continue to encourage service-users to engage with governmental bodies as part of our efforts to give them a voice. We cooperate with other charities where appropriate. Our concerns are primarily with education provision and arranged marriages at an early age (1820) as these are significant obstacles to our service users exercising their choice to lead a lifestyle of their choosing. 3 During this year, GesherEU continued to benefit from a Trust for London grant to fund a community coordinator and a number of smaller grants including one from JJBS. We thank them all for their support. The social sessions are a key starting place for service users to make new connections to replace those lost when family and friends break off contact when individuals leave or are - forced to leave their communities. We started the year with biweekend visits and Friday night meals. Due to COVID-19 our sessions for most of the year were mainly online via Zoom. These sessions have been very successful in keeping service-users in touch with each other and have continued to enable us to widen their horizons by welcoming session leaders from a wide range of backgrounds, cultures and professions. The variety of session types has attracted a very good attendance from service-users in London, Manchester, as well as those away at University and who have moved to Israel and the USA. Towards the end of the year we were able to re-establish face-to-face activities, many outdoors, as prescribed by the prevailing legislation and advice. With a continuing significant donor commitment we have been able to offer professional counselling to a number of service users from two counsellors who have undertaken training in the impact of leaving high control communities. Again this year, we have provided emotional and practical support to a number of individuals as they negotiate the family court system. Our volunteer social worker continues to meet service users and provides invaluable guidance. We have again helped a number of service users with small zero interest loans or bursaries (or a combination). A number have lost income and employment due to the series of lockdowns and restrictions in place over the year. We prioritise those that will help in earning a living in the short or longer term but also help in emergency situations such as an unexpected cut in or non-payment of benefits. We see this as replacing the family support our service users no longer enjoy and believe our rapid assessment process has prevented use of high cost alternatives that may be the start of a debt crisis. We see a high adherence to repayment schedules which enables us to help others. Education has continued to be a focus for our support this year. ## **CHALLENGES** The COVID-19 restrictions have continued to make it very difficult to integrate new serviceusers into the GesherEU community. Zoom is not the best place to get to know new people and make new friends. With the lifting of restrictions however, we look forward to them cementing relationships and towards the end of the year, started to plan for our residential and in person events in 2022. We continue to see service-users struggle to catch up on their education. Although we have relationships with organisations that can give tuition, the need to work in low paid jobs in order to pay high rents leaves little time and energy to catch up some 15 years of missed education. We have seen little real change in the education of service users leaving the community. We are still being contacted by young men with not a single recognised qualification nor having effective spoken or written English skills. We need to seek new ways of ensuring that those responsible give all young people emerging from Charedi communities the life skills they require to function in the outside world. 4 ## **POLICY ON RESERVES** The charity does not intend to build up reserves other than those required to ensure that it can meet its day to day expenses and budgeted projects. ## **TRUSTEE APPROVAL** ROBERT BERNARD Trustee 22[nd] February 2022 PETER WEBER Trustee Hon Treasurer 22[nd] February 2022 5 THE GESHEREU SUPPORT NEfwoRK Icharlty number 11570621 INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE GESHEREU SUPPORT NETWORK I report to the Trustees on my examination of the accounts of The GesherEU Support Network Ithe Trust) for the year ended 31, Dc¢cmbcr 2021 which are set out on page5 7 and 8. Responsibilitie5 and basis of report A5 the charitws trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts In accordance with the requirement5 of the Charities Act 20111'the Art'l. I report in respect of my examination of the Trust'5 accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 14515llbl of the Att. Independent examinerfs statement I liave conipleted rtiy ¥XdlWlilliiLiuii. I cunfirm that no rnaterlal matiers have come to my airenrion In onnection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in any material respect-. l. the accounting record5 were iiot kept in aLLordariLV WILII SVLliun 130 of the Act= or 2. the accounts did not accord with the accounting records.. or 3. the account5 did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and tontent of account3 set out in the Charities (Accounts and Report51 Regulations 2008 other thén any rp.qiJirpmpnt that thp accoijnts eivp 3 'true and fairf view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I havo no toncerns 3nd havp c.nmp ar.rn££ nti nthpr m)ttpr4 in cnnnertion with the examination to which attention should be drawn In thls report In order to enable a proper undersianding of Ihe accounts to be reached. Signed.. Donald Glazer B.A, F.C.A. A r)xrnhill%. Watford Road, Radlett. WD7 8LQ Date.. 29 January 2022 THE GESHEREU SUPPORT NETWORK Reglstered Charfty number 1157062 FIN￿CIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER 2021 RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT GENERAL FUNDS DESIGNATED FUNDS RESTRICTED FUNDS TOTAL 2021 TOTAL 2020 RECEIPTS Income from Charltable Aetlvltles Loans & Advan￿ rep2id Inc(￿[￿ from Sh¥bbal & Festiv81 Events IncomB from Residential Events InconEfrom other Events Sub Total 1.890 yo 810 565 3.605 1,89D 2.218 810 565 3,605 830 60 3.208 Voluntary Income Sources Donal4)ns received Grants re￿￿ed 9,000 6.000 1.375 19.980 9,484 13,100 3M5 29,534 17,634 23.200 224 44.2ee 7.100 220 7( Sub Totsi 8.850 Other Income Interest 17 T¢)tsl Rèt*lpts £707 £19,980 £8,850 £29,537 U4,283 PAVMENTS Ch¥rit•b19 A¢tivitio$ Em8rgency Support EnErgency Advan￿5 EdU￿tiOnal Support Shabbai & Feslwal Dinners Couns#lling Svpport Droplns & so￿als Exp lind virtual events) Community Deve￿￿nI Pro1& Exwdiiure on Residential Events ExrEnditure on Oiher ￿en Sub Total 2.914 111 2,914 2,604 6,708 2,1S3 7,130 1,503 9,099 6,366 1,79S 40,272 2.535 3.600 4.545 430 2.880 671 7.336 474 293 22.864 2.604 2.150 2.153 7.130 108 4.558 1.395 9.099 4.347 2.019 1.795 20.873 19.399 opera￿n9 Costs Insuran Tèlephonè Travel Expenses Bank & Credit Trrd charges Sub Totsi 43 262 305 43 Z1 520 37 271 2S8 262 Totsl Paytngnt$ £2 £20,873 £19,661 £40,792 £23,135 Surplus for the Perlod 449 21.148 Cash & Bank Balances at 1st January 2,242 17.229 19.837 39,308 18.160 Balance5 at 31st Decernber £2.691 £16 336 £28.053 £39 308 STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES 2021 2020 Mongtary A889ts Bank CU￿ent Account Bank Deposit Aett￿nI P8ypal A¢¢ount SoldD Accounts 671 26,432 654 37.930 920 720 Balances at 31st Decernber £28.053 £39 308 THE GESHEREU SUPPORT NETWORK Reglstered Charfty number 1157062 NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER 2021 I. STATEMENTOF AccouNfiNG POLICIE8 The finan￿al slaternenls of the charity have been prepared on a R￿elP1S and Payments basis and generAlly In Accordance ¥*ilh the181esl Charitses St81ement of Re0Mmer￿e￿ PraCt￿e and The eh8rilies Act 2011 Fund$ and Rè80N8S G¥ner¥l fvnds represent the fund$ of th¢ ¢h$rity Ih¥i ¥rt $ubj*d kn $p&¢i¥l r6$iri¢bon$ r￿8rdIng Ih#ir use and ?re available for 8ppliGation lo the general purposes. D8signaled Funds are held al th8 discretion of thetruslees and therefore Unreslricled. Restricted Funds are he￿ lo be used specffically In aG¢xrdance with the donovs instructions 2. DESIGNATED FUNDS Balance 1 Jan 2021 Transfer5 Gen Funds RKeived in 2021 Paid out in 2021 Balance 31 De¢ 2021 Emttrgen¢ie$ Fund- Grants E￿￿rgencieS Fund- Advances Educational Enablement ShabbaUFeslival Dinners 3.043 718 3.644 927 1.095 1.259 4.196 2.347 3,000 1,000 500 1,500 2.914 2.604 2.150 2.153 7.130 108 2.019 1.795 3,129 1,004 1,994 614 2,340 1.890 340 9.275 Drop-In$ & Sotyal$ Expense$ Res￿8￿1131 Events Other Even15 soo 50D 810 565 3,487 1,617 £17,229 £7,000 £12,980 £20,873 £16,336 3. RESThCTED FUNDS Balhrhtè 1 Jan 2021 Rwlvèd in Pald irb 2021 2021 31 2021 Trust for London Educ£llonal Fund 13,637 6,200 7.100 1.750 15.104 4.557 5,633 3,393 £19,837 £8,850 £19,661 £9,026 Sfjgned on behawof the Trustees Rob Peter Weber 29th January 2022