DONCASTER CONVERSATION CLUB
Charity number: 1159775
DONCASTER CONVERSATION CLUB
(A registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation)
Financial Statements For the year ended 31 March 2023
| CONTENTS | Page |
|---|---|
| Legal and administrative information | 2 |
| Report of the trustees | 3-10 |
| Statement of financial activities | 11-14 |
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DONCASTER CONVERSATION CLUB
LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Governing Document
Doncaster Conversation Club is a charitable incorporated organisation (“CIO”) registered as a charity on 8 January 2015. The charity was established under a Foundation Model CIO constitution by which it is governed.
Trustees
The trustees of the CIO are its trustees for the purpose of charity law and throughout this report are collectively referred to as the trustees. The trustees serving during the year were as follows:
Chair
Alan Robinson until resignation then Nic Burne
Other trustees
Annette Dews
Jan Foster Akeela Mohammed Basil Nadeem Alan Robinson Resigned Jan 2023 Ann Hindley Resigned Jan 2023
Principal Office
Bankers
Quaker Meeting House Shotton Walk Doncaster South Yorkshire DN1 3RH
Co-Operative Bank Limited
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DONCASTER CONVERSATION CLUB
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2023
Structure, Governance and Management
The trustees submit their annual report and the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2023.
Trustees
The trustees who served during the year and up to the date of this report are set out on page 2.
Trustees’ Induction and Training
Trustees are provided with key documents. The trustees are encouraged to attend and participate in appropriate training activities that will help them in their role.
The Trustees have the constitutional power to appoint new trustees and keep the composition of the Board under review.
Organisation Structure and Decision Making
The trustees manage the charity. The full Board of Trustees meets a minimum of five times a year, including general meetings. The full board is mainly concerned with policy matters and the strategic direction of the organisation while more detailed trustee management issues can be dealt with through sub committees.
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DONCASTER CONVERSATION CLUB
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2023
(continued)
It is normally the case that sub committees can have delegated responsibility for:
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Finance, dealing with financial decisions and monitoring of income and expenditure
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HR related matters
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Audit, including local and regional government and external audits;
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Governance matters such as the continued relevance of the constitution and of other policy documents.
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The DCC has a Finance Sub Committee and a Policies Subcommittee.
Individual members of the board also have input to the work of the charity by way of their individual skills and knowledge, which frequently leads them to take on projects to improve and extend the work of the charity. If important matters arise in between meetings the Chair and the board members communicate via email and telephone in order to reach a decision..
During the year the day to day management of the charity is in the hands of Nic Burne and Jan Foster.
Related parties
The charity rents the use of premises from the Balby (Doncaster) Local Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) (“the Meeting”). The Meeting forms part of the Sheffield and Balby Area Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (“the Area Meeting”) (Registered Charity number 1134536). The following trustees of Doncaster Conversation Club were also trustees of the Area Meeting:
Nic Burne
Alan Robinson
Neither of the above received any payment for their trusteeship with either charity.
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DONCASTER CONVERSATION CLUB
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2023
(continued)
Risk Management
The trustees have examined the major risks to which the charity is exposed and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate those risks. Areas reviewed included: governance and management, operational, financial, IT, data protection, environmental and compliance. During the year under review and the subsequent period, the Trustees have carried out a complete revision of the policies of the charity, including risk assessments.
Objectives and Activities
The objects of the CIO are to relieve the needs of people in Doncaster who are seeking asylum or who have been granted refugee status for the public benefit by providing resources and services which will help them to adapt within a new community.
How our activities deliver public benefit
Our main activities and a description of our client group are both described below. All our charitable activities focus on work with refugees and asylum seekers and are undertaken to further our charitable purposes for the public benefit.
Activities
The year 2022- 2023 has seen many changes in the national asylum system as well as in the DCC.
The biggest change was the punitive Nationality and Borders Act which became fully operational on 28[th] June 22. In general terms it means that all those arriving by an undocumented route (i.e. boat in Kent or via a lorry) will be treated as inadmissible. The effects of this were slow to manifest themselves in the DCC as most people had arrived before that date. However, as the year dragged on, more and more people came through our doors with concerns that they would be deported to Rwanda. There was a noticeable increase in the distress and worry caused by this new Act. Subsequent amendments that expanded on the original Act
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DONCASTER CONVERSATION CLUB
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2023
(continued)
enabled the DCC to calm some of these worries but still the label of “inadmissible” is an albatross asylum seekers have to carry around their necks.
The other issue that continues to make problems for the DCC is the dispersal of asylum seekers to the surrounding villages. This causes acute isolation and loneliness as a bus to town is the large part of a daily allowance. The DCC encourages new arrivers to attend our drop-in at least once so they know where to come for support. Transport for this initial visit is usually reimbursed.
The average weekly attendance at the Charity’s Drop-in at the Quaker Meeting House is in the region of 50. This is considerably lower than pre-pandemic but that is because we do not offer a hot meal at lunch and so social visitors are not attending. Also people cannot afford a bus ticket to come in from outlying villages. Those who do attend are the ones who are seeking help. The Thursday drop-in is also attended by a solicitor and representatives from the DMBC Moving On team. The solicitor is employed by Legal Justice Solicitors in Sheffield to whom we are very grateful. Having in house legal advice is invaluable. The Council moving on team look after new refugees, people who have been granted leave to remain and have to move into the world of work and independence in a very short length of time. This service smoothes the transition from the support offered by the DCC. The Doncaster Hygiene bank generously supply the DCC with products to pass on to asylum seekers
There are two asylum hotels in the area, one very remote. Though these are supposed to be autonomous with Mears providing all the services and support the DCC does get involved from time to time.
At the start of the year, at the initiative of Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council (DMBC), the DCC started working with local elected Ward members to make them aware that asylum seekers were being housed in their Wards. This was an attempt to improve community cohesion and integration. However this initiative did not engender much enthusiasm in the Wards and the initiative has faded. Despite this lack of support, two volunteers have set up a satellite group that supports people in one of the villages.
The retired doctor who volunteers for the DCC has arranged for the Health Bus (mobile clinic) to visit the DCC drop-in every fortnight. That, the commitment of her health volunteers, themselves asylum seekers, and her personal enthusiasm ensures that the best possible medical care for the asylum seekers is achieved.
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DONCASTER CONVERSATION CLUB
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2023
(continued)
The two long standing and valued members of the Trustees, Ann Hindley and our chair Alan Robinson, have resigned as they have moved away. We thank them for their help and commitment to getting the Conversation Club more formally structured and resilient.
There is an enthusiastic team of volunteers who provide ESOL lessons both in the centre of Doncaster and at one of the hotels.
Football twice a week near the town centre hosted by Club Doncaster Foundation and sponsored by Amnesty's Football Welcomes programme makes a valuable contribution to the mental and physical health of those who participate. Up to thirty turn up in all sorts of weather. We appreciate very much the services of the volunteers who support this activity.
There is a bike recycling scheme also run by enthusiastic volunteers. This is an increasingly needed service as so many live out of town.
The DCC had a Lottery Community Fund Grant which kept us financially sound for the year. It paid for our rent and the office support needs for the Thursday drop-in. The DCC also had a grant from the Southall Trust that sponsored outings and activities which are greatly appreciated by people who otherwise have nothing to look forward to or remember.
Different volunteers are involved in meetings and training events with other organisations, both health and asylum related. Relevant information and changes are passed on to all volunteers allowing the DCC team to keep up to date.
The work done by the DCC was acknowledged by two volunteers being invited to one of the garden parties at Buckingham Palace and one being invited to a reception for King Charles and Queen Camilla when they visited Doncaster.
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DONCASTER CONVERSATION CLUB
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2023
(continued)
Trips and activities organised by the DCC in 2022-23.
2[nd] June 2022 Epworth Music Festival. 16[th] July 2022 Picnic at Cusworth. 17 attendees. 1[st] Aug 2022 Bridlington beach. 80 attendees. 27[th] Aug 2022 Doncastrian Chalk Circle. Theatre performance with asylum seeker involvement. (4 performances) 31[st] Aug 2022 Annual trip to Lifewise centre. 58 attendees. 20[th] Sept 2002 Yorkshire Integration Festival. 50 attendees. 19[th] Nov 2022 Walk in Sandal beat Woods and meal at Meeting House. 22 attendees. 6[th] Dec 2022 Bowling. 23 attendees. 14[th] Jan 2023 Food and Fun at Stainforth. 92 attendees. 25[th] Feb 2023 Barn Dance. 56 attendees. Monthly Village Dance. Barn dance with live music.
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DONCASTER CONVERSATION CLUB
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2023
(continued)
Contribution of volunteers
DCC is run entirely by volunteers and the report above makes clear our reliance on them. We rely on grants and donations to keep going. We are extremely grateful to Doncaster Quakers for their continued support and for the use of their Meeting House for our Thursday drop-in.
Achievements & Performance
The charity continues to work for the benefit of refugees and asylum seekers in the area. Large numbers of individuals and families have been helped by our activities. As a side effect, many volunteers have acquired skills which they are able to use for the benefit of the community in all kinds of activities.
Funding
The charity continues to rely on grants and donations, and is grateful to those who have contributed.
Public Benefit Statement
Trustees confirm that they have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission’s general guidance on Public Benefit when reviewing the charity’s aims and objectives, and in planning its future activities, which is an annual process. Many examples of such public benefit have been described earlier in this report.
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DONCASTER CONVERSATION CLUB
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2023
(continued)
Trustees’ responsibilities in relation to the financial statements
Company and charity law require 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 the incoming resources and application of resources, including the net income or expenditure, of the group for the year. In preparing those financial statements the trustees are required to:
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select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
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make sound judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
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prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis, unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
The trustees have overall responsibility for ensuring that the charity has appropriate systems of control, financial and otherwise. They are also responsible for maintaining proper accounting records, which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the group and charity, and which enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. 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.
In accordance with company law, as the company’s directors, we certify that so far as we are aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the company’s auditors are not aware and as the directors of the company we have taken all the steps that we ought to have taken to make ourselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the charity’s auditors are aware of that information.
Approved by the board on 26/01/24 and signed on its behalf by Nic Burne (Chair)
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| Doncaster Converstion Club | Doncaster Converstion Club | 1159775 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Receipts andpayments accounts | CC16a | |||
| For the period from |
01/04/2022 | To | 31/03/2023 |
Section A Receipts and payments
| A1 Receipts | Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ 3,503 500 - - - - - - - - - - - - 4,003 - - - 4,003 2,783 288 100 500 - - - - - - - - - - - 3,671 - - - 3,671 331 - 4,386 4,717 |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ - - - 1,275 - 81 775 - - - - - - 2,131 - - - 2,131 - - - - - - - - 384 - 1,026 8,977 775 - - 11,162 - - - 11,162 - 9,031 - 10,912 1,881 |
Endowment funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
Total funds to the nearest £ 3,503 500 - 1,275 - 81 - 775 - - - - - - 6,134 - - - 6,134 2,783 288 100 500 - - - - 384 - 1,026 8,977 775 - - 14,834 - - - 14,834 - 8,700 |
Total funds to the nearest £ 3,503 500 - 1,275 - 81 - 775 - - - - - - 6,134 - - - 6,134 2,783 288 100 500 - - - - 384 - 1,026 8,977 775 - - 14,834 - - - 14,834 - 8,700 |
Last year to the nearest £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DCC J Hastings AFCL Trips Fund RAS Fund B Gillhan Southall Trust Lottery Fund DoY Activity Grant SYCF Covid 19 XP School Bikes |
3,503 | 3,637 | ||||
| 500 | - | |||||
| - | 1,474 | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | 9,246 | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | 44 | |||||
| - | 450 | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) |
4,003 |
14,851 | ||||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
||||||
| - | ||||||
| - | - | |||||
| Sub total | - | - | ||||
| Total receipts A3 Payments DCC Gainsborough Yvonne and S Hadley J Hastings Arabic Class AFCL Brelms Trust Laptop Fund Trips Fund RAS Fund B Gillhan Southall Trust Lottery Fund DoY Activity Grant SYCF Covid 19 XP School Bikes **Sub total ** |
||||||
| 14,851 | ||||||
| 1,603 | ||||||
| 12 | ||||||
| - | ||||||
| - | ||||||
| 111 | ||||||
| 877 | ||||||
| 3,497 | ||||||
| 1,067 | ||||||
| - | ||||||
| 1,045 | ||||||
| - | ||||||
| - | ||||||
| - | ||||||
| 432 | ||||||
| 450 | ||||||
| 9,094 | ||||||
| A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) |
||||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| **Sub total ** | - | - | ||||
| Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end |
||||||
| 9,094 | ||||||
| 331 | - 9,031 | - | - 8,700 | 5,757 | ||
| - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 4,386 | 10,912 | - | 15,298 | 9,540 | ||
| 4,717 | 1,881 | - | 6,598 | 15,297 |
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
21/01/2024
1
| Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Categories Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees B5 Liabilities B3 Investment assets B2 Other monetary assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B1 Cash funds |
Details Details Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) DCC, Gainsborough, St George Restricted Funds Details Details Details Signature |
Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ 4,717 - - 1,881 - - 4,717 1,881 OK OK Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - - - - - Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) - - - - - Print Name Nic Burne |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| OK | |||
| Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| When due (optional) |
|||
| Date of approval |
|||
| Nic Burne | 26/01/2024 | ||
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
21/01/2024
2