2022-10-31-accounts

The Family Forge

Reference and Administrative details

A Charitable lncorporated Organisation

Report and Annual Accounts For the period 1st Nov.2021-Oct 31[st] 2022 Charity Registration 1161900 www.familyforge.org

Registered Address Life Skills Centre Trustees

4 Cobbs Brow Lane 128 Sandy Lane Jocelyn Owens Newburgh Skelmersdale Michael Turner Lancashire WN8 8LH Ester Arrieta WN8 7ND (lately resigned Sept 2022) 07947 853502

Contents P1 Trustees Report P2-9 Independent Examiners Report P10-12 Receipts and Payments Accounts P13 Statements of Assets and Liabilities P14 Signatures on behalf of all the Trustees P14

The trustees Report and statement of Accounts have been prepared using guidance from the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and Charities SORP.

Signed on behalf of all the trustees,

Jocelyn Owens Michael Turner

Date: 22/03/2023

The Family Forge Trustees Report

For the period 1st November 2021 – 31st October 2022

Charity Structure/ Governance and Management

The Family Forge became a registered charity in May 2015. It is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation following the directions of its constitution amended on 25[th] March 2015. During the period the charity was led by 3 trustees supported by advisors (accountant, charity and management mentor) plus 2 skilled paid tutors and one voluntary work activity leader (two of whom were drawn from our beneficiary group, 2 admin volunteers (from the local community) and other volunteers. Beneficiaries were able to inform the decision making processes through our feedback systems.

In the spring of 2021, Ester Sanchez replaced Uche Ameh as a trustee but unfortunately as of September 2022 resigned due to unforeseen family commitments abroad leaving an opening for a new trustee. The trustees are appointed for three years or until retirement by a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees. The maximum number of trustees is three. Decisions are made by a 75% majority of the trustees. We will be selecting an individual to replace Ester who has the necessary skill to provide the effective oversight needed for the better administration of the CIO. Training is provided through the Trustee duties information pack and signposting to CVS training opportunities. No exemptions from disclosure apply and no trustee held title to a property belonging to the charity during the period as the charity currently holds no property.

In 2022 the Family Forge was staffed by one trustee working voluntarily on a full time basis together with two sessional paid staff, joined by a third sessional staff member overseeing the voluntary work initiative. (They included a professionally qualified teacher and both a female and male member drawn from the refugee community). Volunteers provided extra tutoring and administrative support.

Special thanks should be given to Prudence, Judy, Melanie, Jane and Lucy and everyone who spared their time and effort to assist in the work this year along with special thanks to our donors who made the work possible.

Objectives and Activities

The Family forge was formed to :

-advance education in the specific area of personal and family development,

• to advance the Christian faith by raising awareness and understanding of Christian beliefs and practices

-and to advance the relief of those in need by reason of youth, age, ill health, disability, finance and other disadvantage

This year the Family Forge embarked on our Richer Lives Post Covid19 Project operating between the hours of 10am -4pm Monday to Friday. This Combined the Community Champions aim- to assist health and wellbeing in the community and reduce the social isolation of individuals post Covid19, with our aim of personal development. So we embarked on a seven point program.

We provided (1)support work largely working among the asylum and refugee communities but also among local migrant families (i.e. we provided a place to go and access to problem solvers ), (2)language classes with the opportunity for certification aswell as other certification opportunities

such as Food Hygiene courses and maths ,(3) voluntary work opportunities( grounds-work in the main),(4) a cultural program, (5)physical activity via adult learn to swim classes and hikes,(6) driving theory and supervised driving opportunities and (7) a health improvement program through doctor and dentist registration and appointment support .

The run up to Christmas 2021 saw the general support work and Esol continue as usual with swimming classes on Fridays and the supervised driving sessions developed, led by a volunteer. A trip to Leeds and a home visit to a past pupil in Stockport was made and a mixed religious group attended two events at the local Baptist church and Christmas mass.

The new year to July 13[th ] (when the centre closed to open again on 5[th] Sept), saw the addition of 4 cookery sessions and several cultural trips – to local Croston, Southport and Formby as well as to the World of glass in St Helens, the World museum in Liverpool, Castle Rigg stone circle near Keswick, Whatmore plastics factory in Burnley and several trips to the Village Market in Liverpool to obtain world foods familiar to those from the countries of our beneficiaries.

A further 6 home visits were made; one to Sale and others locally in Skelmersdale and Kirby.

March saw the health program become more efficient with the introduction of a volunteer specially assigned to this work and the keeping of accurate records. Several individuals were in need of special or emergency attention and funds were found for their needs.

The groundswork program became underway in March and ran until end June.

May 24[th] saw our first Ukranian refugee registration and June saw the centre manager/trustee seconded to Jury service.

The period ended with the memorable Platinum Jubilee trip to the home of Queen Elizabeth IIWindsor Castle and an inside tour of the Houses of Parliament. This trip included visiting Runnymead and a talk on the Magna Carta and taking in the view of London at Greenwich Village where the origin of Greenwich mean time was explained to the group.

The autumn saw a hike up the Dungeon Ghyll and an amble around Ambleside.

23 individuals participated in the adult swimming classes over the period and 13 people were assisted with supervised driving.

The charity was closed mid- July through August as a window was needed to secure further core funding following a failed fundraising attempt. During this period we lost two of our sessional workers to other employment opportunities. However, funding was finally secured through St Johns Cof E parish in Burscough and although further funding is needed the charity was operational in September and October but utilising more volunteers with a slightly reduced program.

The Family Forge liaised this year with the CVS and Community Champions, the Parbold Outreach Group, the Ecumenical Centre and local hosts of Ukranian refugees.

Specific work undertaken by The Family Forge under the 7 point program

(1)Support work

Home visits-reducing social isolation were made Liaised with and Emailed solicitors Listening ear and advice where needed Communicated with some past pupils Applications for ARC cards were made Liaised with local school on behalf of a minor asylum seeker Brakes on bike mended and bike toolkit and pump kept available for use Shortage occupation card advice UCAS application and university selection advice and liaison Advised on pathways for accountancy courses Applied for travel documents Bike supplied Job application and CV development undertaken Bank account applications made Transport provided for new mum –various journeys Provided second hand sofa Booked speed awareness virtual course for refugee Second hand and surplus items distributed- eg bedding and baby clothes and pram Car seat sourced Reference letter for bank produced when needed References for university applications provided Provisional licence applications made Online banking set up assistance provided Universal credit claims set up Assistance provided with courier and customs declaration for parcels sent abroad Money belt provided for one individual

Post- natal visits for new mum Car insurance obtaining assistance provided Taxi driving test coaching and taxi license application

Budgeting class

Shengen visa application Sourced funding for an appeal to be lodged in an asylum case Assistance to self- employment for one individual assembling furniture Employment reference provided Read and assisted understanding of employment contracts with agencies Assisted beneficiaries to send emails to MP regarding lengthy asylum processes and problems Applied for shortage occupation work permits Assisted with taxi driving test learning material

(2) Types of Language classes and other opportunities and certificates

Ielts preparation given Organised, funded and transported individual for Ielts exam at Liverpool exam centre Duolingo test preparation given Organised and funded Duolingo online tests Opportunities provided to Read English story books

Adult phonetics and learning to read classes given English conversation class provided Online Elementary English course offered and tutor supported Maths classes given GCSE Maths exam at private centre booked and funded and transport provided Food safety Level 2 and 3 undertaken Fire Safety Certificate undertaken Manufacturing food safety Certificate undertaken Organised in-house ESOL tests Ladies transport to class service operated for part of the year

(3)Types of Voluntary work opportunities

Mowing /digging/brushcutting/rubble clearing /shed organisation and tidying/ chopping wood at St John’s Burscough once a week from 22/03/2022 to July 2022 -15 persons took part in the gardening project.

Arranged for Everton in the community experience for one footballer -football trials emails sent

(4) Cultural program offered

• Cultural Trips-9

• including Platinum Jubilee trip to Windsor and Houses of Parliament

-with additional trips to Village Market Liverpool for African and Arabic foodstuffs

-Spanish Omlette cookery session

-Chick pea potato and tuna salad cookery session

-Cooking Coltsunasi

-cooking paella -pub treat

- Religious events included

-Carols at Aughton Baptist church and coffee event

-Volunteer distribution of gifts to asylum seekers at Christmas,

-Christian denominations discussions

• Ash Wednesday and Shrove Tuesday talks

• Christian understanding of God talk

-Discussion on the Trinity and other aspects of Christianity

(5)Types of physical activity provided

-Adult swim classes for men and separately women

-hike up Dungeon Ghyll

(6) Driving theory and supervised driving opportunities provided

-Online driving theory program access via the computer suite at the centre and /or driving app advice for self- teaching

-classroom driving theory lessons given - Supervised Driving and pre- test preparation around the test centre in Southport and locally via a volunteer-13 people assisted with this specifically

-assisted online applications for driving licences

(7) Health improvement program provided

- Doctors and dentist search and registration service given

• appointment assistance given

• HC2 application service offered

• -transport to hospital and emergency dental appointments given

• Liaison with doctors given

• Arranged and sourced funding for private dental care where urgently needed

• -covid testing arrangements for individuals

Training of staff included data Protection training session, administration of health program training, safeguarding training session and fire procedure training.

Driving Instructor theory test part 1 undertaken and passed by supervised driving volunteer/Centre Manager.

Public Benefit Statement

The trustees are aware that any purpose to be considered charitable must be beneficial with any consequent harms not outweighing the benefits and that these benefits must be identifiable. As a consequence the Charity relaxed its Covid19 precautions as the government lifted mandatory requirements, distancing and mask wearing in March 2022- the benefits of operating deemed to have outweighed the risks of opening with such precautions as the year progressed.

To reduce any possible harm the swimming activity was undertaken at a local pool during public swim times ensuring there was always a life guard present beside the charity instructor thus allowing the considerable benefit of providing the opportunity of learning to swim to adult non swimmers.

The trustees also recognised that to be charitable any personal benefit must be incidental. No trustee benefitted personally from the activities of the charity except through travel expenses as a result of voluntary working; although a small number of online courses were purchased from the company of the spouse of a trustee amounting to £384 in total. These were offered at a discount to the charity making them cheaper than purchasing elsewhere. Also to assist the charity over a financially tight period over the summer, the second-hand charity car was purchased by a trustee for the £50 less than it originally cost.

The trustees were also aware that charitable activities must also benefit the public in general or a sufficient portion of the public with the exception of personal poverty. With this in mind the charity supported the private dental treatment for a couple of individuals whose situation was considered urgent and who didn’t have the means to support themselves.

The supervised driving was undertaken to upskill local refugees quickly in order to gain greater employment opportunities taking into account the fact revealed by the University of Oxford Centre on Migration Policy and Society study, Refugees and the UK labour market ,detailing that the employment rate among asylum migrants is 51%, compared with 73% for the UKborn.(2009-2017)

The study also stated that the gap in employment rates is smaller for asylum migrants who have been longer in the UK, but that it takes time for the gap to narrow and remains present – albeit smaller – even after more than 25 years of residence in the country.

It also indicates that Asylum migrants who are employees earn less than the UK born nationals and other migrants and the analysis suggests that adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics that asylum migrants earn, on average, 55% less per week than the UK-born and 38% less per hour.

The fact of asylum seekers living on £5 a day prior to gaining leave to remain makes upskilling an important task so the driving supervision offered was considered justified.

Achievements and Performance

A total of 98 people were served this year through the centre -30 women and 68 men Iranian Syrian and Ukranians forming the largest groups by nationality while the number of nationalities served increased slightly to 23 as the centre attracted local migrant women.

The age profile was 16-69 of which the main group was aged between 20 and 30 but with a similar number in the 30s age group and even the 50s age group : 18 or under 2 30 or under 25 40 or under 22 50 or under 21 60 or under 2 70 or under 2 We didn’t have complete data on 24 individuals

Of these the majority were married: Single 27 Married 50 Other 7 Unknown 14

Achievements

Our support work was ongoing with individuals throughout the year and continues to be the backbone of our work.

This year saw an uptick in local migrant women coming to the centre for language classes – largely housewives whose social and cultural isolation made language learning difficult. Besides this we welcomed our first Ukranian family to the centre and began to expand this work.

The swimming program saw 6 Syrian ladies attempt to learn to swim which was a big step forward as they were refugees from the government’s resettlement program who had been living in Skelmersdale for 4-5 years already but had only just began to integrate to the extent of feeling comfortable going to a pool. They wore full body costumes and were proud that their husbands had allowed them to try this activity. In addition to the Syrians some of the migrant women began learning to swim for the first time or to improve. There were 23 participants in total on the swim program between the men and the women’s classes; 14 of whom could not swim at first; 8 of whom learnt to swim or made great progress- while all enjoyed the socialising and exercise.

Once again the voluntary grounds-work program kept a local cemetery trim through the growing season and a number of beneficiary backyards were brush-cut. At least 16 people took part in this program with 4 volunteer/ staff.

The efficiency of the health program was improved this year, administered by Melanie whose sole job it was to ensure our beneficiaries were registered with a doctor and where needed a dentist. This thus improved the mental and physical health of our beneficiaries by ensuring all

knew they had help and would be supported. In fact we supported individuals through their various treatment programs where needed including resorting to private treatment on occasion due to the shortage of NHS dentists.

13 individual refugees were assisted through the supervised driving program. 5 of whom passed their tests and all but one are ready to take their tests.

Of note

• one individual gained a grade 7 in GCSE maths and grade 4 GCSE equivalent in English.

• another achieved his Grade 4 equivalent English certificate and Level two, three and manufacturing level in Food Safety.

-one staff member spring-boarded from her first job in the UK working for us to her dream job inspired and mentored by the Family Forge

-another former beneficiary was supported through setting up in self employment

In all many people were assisted with their individual problems and many small successes were achieved.

Financial review

The funds during 2021/22 originated in the form of grants. The largest this year being from the West Lancashire Community Champions Fund distributed by the WLCVS. Other grants came from other distributing charities namely Pilkington Charity, Yapp and a small amount from Corsoraf Charity. Individual private donors contributed as did the St Johns C of E parish Council, Burscough. One payment from the Business support discretionary Omicron Grant was also received.

The grant funds carried over from the last financial year included monies from the Business Restart funding, the Foyle Foundation for educational work and Eleanor Rathbone monies for work with women.

Private donations this year formed 17% of The Family Forge income; for which, once again we are extremely grateful. Thank you to all our donors.

A small amount of income was raised through the sale of the second-hand car. This was needed to realise some cash during the summer when funding was tight due to an unsuccessful funding bid leaving the charity short of funds.

No reserves are kept at present.

Plans for the future

ln the coming year we will develop our new Richer Lives Project which is a seven point program consisting of:

Support ESOL and literacy Cultural Program Physical activity Voluntary work experience Driving Theory and supervised driving Doctor and dentist and HC2 registration program

We will also continue our search for funding to acquire a property to rent for refugees desiring

to remain in Skelmersdale. Refugees often find private property rentals difficult as they need to provide guarantors who are home owners as a condition of tenancy. If the Family Forge becomes a home owner we could provide such guarantees among other benefits.

CHARIVY COMMISSION FOR ENGiANII AND WALE5 T￿t Fafftlly Forg 11619D Recei F¢rthg pvrfod Ir¥rn tsand ments accounts CC16a T• Section A Re¢eipts and payments Unrest￿¢￿4 Re$trfcigd fund¥ Endowm8nt lund6 Totsl funds Lasty•4r tolb•n￿￿t Al R¢o1 GAYL 715 Sub lota11G￿$SN￿tirn& for R) 24330 A2A••t4nd Irbwstmgnt •41g0. l•ee table). $iie tsf Sèat IblzA Sub &fj65 24,220 29,895 23.13¢ A3P¥ and Trainin 20,21B 13,a46 99E1th￿tywB 1,385 1.149 219 1439 Eduttabthamatnalstssl Èluc4b￿wITnpts Pw¥onpl NewJofw5tylDinth¥i¢kLyI Joi I.tEo Yl 331 a55 211 977 Z34 Id lurKts5 CwumwWe¥ink¥Wwyg 19E 105 Sub total XJJ7 Jl.754 m4 A4Ass91 and InY•6tmMI urchaBq%, tstl•l Sub total 7.417 24.337 Ji.Y04 30.094 N•tofrnC•ip￿paYrn•nt•} A5 Tr4n•f¢rn bgtwqen fynd¥ A6 ¢•$ fund• la$tyexr•nd •sh lund• thl*yeorw 1.859 11364 4.914 11$2 20,228 7102 2¥1 CCXX R1$￿￿nts rss)

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period En&owm&nt fund• fun Bl Ca•h lund• FthbityF Totalcash lund 4182 Un￿t￿¢ts En¢NThnt lund lundl Detallè IDnHrnt£ 82 thermonetary 4••ots Detall• B3 InY￿b￿•￿t FuN1towhkh OBtsII8 c￿tI￿py¢r￿lI 4A•￿t# r•tsln•rf lorth• ¢h•rfty'b OWII US• Fwdtothkh Dètails BS Uablllue Slgnalurè Pnnl Narn• Oale of UoL.SLY A/ Dw&WS CCXXR24rthrt%issi IW312￿3

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Sectson A Indeppndent Examlnefs Report Report to the trustees The Family Forge On a¢¢ounts lor th• y•ar ended 31 Octo￿r 2022 chorlty no lif anyl S•t oul on pog¢$ I report to the trustees on my examination of the attounls of the abDve charity I'the Twst'l for It￿ yaar ended qD I YYYY. ResPQnsibrlities and b&sls ol report A$ the charity's trustees, ycu are responsi￿e forthe p￿paratIon of the accounts in a¢¢ordance with the requirements of the Charitie5 Act 2011 I'the AL#'I. I report in respect of my exarnination of the Tru$t'$ a¢¢ount$ carried out under $ethon 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my exarnination, I have followed all the applicablg Diredions given by the Charity Ccrnmi5SlOn under $8Ction 14515llbl of the A¢t. Independent gxamingr'$ ¥tstgm8nt I have completed my examination. I confirm that rnatell81 matters have come lo my attention in connection %ilh Ihe examination (other than that di$¢losed b&low"I which gives me cause to believe that in, any mater￿1 re$pe¢i". the a¢¢ounting records were not kept in aC￿rdanCe with section 130 of the Charities A¢t", or the accounts did not aG¢ord wlh the a¢¢ounting ￿COrds., or the accounts did not comply %ilh the applicable requirements Gonceming the form and content of account8 Set out In the Charities (Accounts and Reportsl Regulations 2008 tstherthan any oquirement that the accounts give a'twe and fair, view whish not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection wrth the examination to which attention Should bg draNvn in this report in ordertc enable a prO￿r understanding of the a¢¢ounl$ lo te reached. . Please ¢Yelele the words in lh8 bfrsckets if Ih8y do nol 8ppty. Slgned.. Name: Philip Andrew Atherton Relevant professional quallflcatlonl81 or body Ilf anyl: Chartered AcGOUntant ICAEW IER Oct 2018

Addr898: 22 Beacon House. I Wulowwalk. Skelmetsdale, Lancashire, WN8 8uR Sectton B Disclosure Only Complete If the examiner needs lo hKJhlight matèrial matters of Goncem (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts." di￿￿10n5 and guidance for examiners). Gl¥¢ here brief det8118 of any items thatth? •xamI￿r wishes to flisclosg. IER Oct 2018