OPERATION
5ABRE
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ANNUAL REPORT 2020/21
## **Table of Contents**
|**Subject:**|**Page:**||
|---|---|---|
|Welcome|2||
|Charity Particulars|3||
|Overview|4||
|Our Vision and Mission|5||
|Where we operate|6||
|Summary of our activities|
7||
|Protecting Communities
Protection from fire
Supporting the
Vulnerable
Our Income and
Expenditure
Our Accounts 2020/21
Acknowledgements
_Appendix A: Business_
_Plan 2020/21_|8
9
10
11
12
13
14||
|_Appendix B: Code of_
_Conduct_|15||
|_References_|16||
**OPERATION SABRE ANNUAL REPORT 2020/21 ©**
**1**
## **Welcome**
Welcome to the 2020/21 Annual Report of Operation Sabre, a report presented in truly unprecedented times as nations around the world battle an invisible enemy – coronavirus. And in addition, we in the UK come to terms with being independent of the European Union.
However, despite these challenges, Operation Sabre has endeavoured to continue its efforts to support remote rural communities in Romania through the provision of fire engines, humanitarian aid and Covid 10 personal protective equipment.
As a charity we remain indebted to the generosity of our benefactors and partners for their much appreciated support. And as our charity’s president, I am extremely grateful to the Trustees and members of Operation Sabre for their tireless efforts and enthusiasm that continues to change so many lives in Romania.
_**Steve Worrall BEM PhD MBA President Operation Sabre**_
## **WHAT’S IN A NAME?**
Operation Sabre takes its name from the predominant type of fire engine the charity has delivered to Romania, the _DENNIS SABRE_ . The charity’s emblem depicts two crossed sabres denoting _‘readiness to protect’_ surmounted by a Victorian fire helmet, representing the _‘traditions and values’_ of the fire and rescue service. The crossed sabres and helmet are encircled by an eight pointed star that signifies the cross of Saint John. The eight points or _'tenets'_ represent the knightly virtues of - _Tact, Gallantry, Dexterity, Observation, Perseverance, Loyalty, Explicitness and Sympathy._
**OPERATION SABRE ANNUAL REPORT 2020/21 ©**
**2**
## **Charity Particulars**
## **CHARITY DETAILS**
- UK Charity Commission Registration Number: 1163222
- UK HMRC Charities Reference: EW38284
- Registered Address: Millwright Barn, Stoney Stretton, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY5 9PZ
- Facebook:
- www.facebook.com/operationsabre
## **TRUSTEES**
- Dr Steve Worrall (President)
- Mr Malcolm Price (Vice-President)
- Cllr Leslie Rennie
- Ms Jean Jones
- Mrs Kathy Hall
- Mr Steve Purslow
- Mr John Harrison
- Mr Mark Briscoe
- Email:
- operationsabre@btinternet.com
_(This report was submitted to the Charity Commission on 13 December 2021)_
## **Copyright © 2021 Operation Sabre**
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form without the prior written permission of the Board of Trustees.
Operation Sabre is a _Charitable Incorporated Organisation_ with voting rights for members and Trustees. All Trustees are required to stand down after twelve months, with new elections taken at the Annual General Meeting. Trustees are required to sign the Charity Commission’s _Trustee Eligibility Declaration_ and abide by the Commission’s prescribed responsibilities for Trustees.
**OPERATION SABRE ANNUAL REPORT 2020/21 ©**
**3**
**Overview…**
Operation Sabre’s vision is to assist in shaping the future of Transylvania, by preserving and protecting its communities and heritage from the effects of fire and other emergencies. In doing so, public benefit is achieved through the sharing of knowledge, expertise, equipment and resources to advance the understanding of fire protection, prevention and emergency response arrangements.
During 2020/21 two fully equipped fire engines together with firefighting uniforms and specialist equipment were provided to professional and volunteer firefighters operating in Transylvania.
In addition, and working within the constraints imposed through the pandemic, Operation Sabre successfully managed to:
- Provide Covid 19 personal protective equipment to all of the residential care homes supported by the charity.
- Provide fire alarms, extinguishers, emergency lighting and exit signage to the care homes.
- Provide several tonnes of humanitarian aid (clothing, toys, blankets, shoes, toiletries etc).
- Provide specialist thermal imaging cameras to professional firefighters.
- Fund a number of care home refurbishment and outdoor recreational projects.
All of the above activities were achieved from the UK, with no travel possible to Romania as a direct consequence of Covid 19 restrictions.
**OPERATION SABRE ANNUAL REPORT 2020/21 ©**
**4**
## **Our Vision and Mission...**
**OUR VISION:** Helping to shape the future of Transylvania, Romania by preserving and protecting its communities and heritage from the effects of fire and other emergencies
**OUR MISSION:** To share knowledge, expertise, equipment and resources to advance the understanding of protection, prevention and response to fire and other emergencies
## **OUR OBJECTIVES:**
- The preservation and protection of health by the provision of fire and rescue vehicles and equipment to Transylvania, enabling them to provide a lifesaving and humanitarian service
- To advance education in relation to all aspects of preserving and protecting health for the benefit of the public in Transylvania
## **MAKING IT HAPPEN:**
The strategy for turning our vision into reality is set out in our Business Plan 2020/21 (see attached Appendix A), a Plan underpinned by Good Governance arrangements and a genuine passion to help others. A summary of our _income_ and _expenditure_ is provided at pages 11 and 12.
## **OPERATION SABRE ANNUAL REPORT 2020/21 ©**
**5**
**Where we operate…**
Since 2012, Operation Sabre has operated in Transylvania, supporting both professional _(Inspectoratul pentru Situaţii de Urgenţă (ISU) – Emergency Situations Inspectorate)_ and community volunteer fire services in the counties of Alba, Bihor, Brasov, Harghita and Mures. During 2020/21, the total number of vehicles delivered by the charity since 2012 now stands at 53.
**OPERATION SABRE ANNUAL REPORT 2020/21 ©**
**6**
**Summary of our activities…**
## **Our Strategy for 2020/21**
_**To operate with professionalism, integrity and honesty, demonstrating at all times respect and dignity towards each other and the communities we strive to support**_
_**To create and promote partnerships that supports the advancement of Operation Sabre’s objectives in Romania. Specifically, this will include awareness raising, fundraising, grant applications and vehicle/equipment/uniform acquisitions**_
## **Summary of our activities during 2020/21**
Operation Sabre continually strives to deliver humanitarian assistance as a professional _proactive_ initiative to enhance the fire protection, prevention and response arrangements provided by Transylvania’s fire and rescue services. In delivering such assistance, we are proud to declare that we continue to be formally recognised as signatories to the _Code of Conduct[1 ]_ of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Operation Sabre has reviewed and enhanced its arrangements for the _Safeguarding of Vulnerable Persons_ and also _Data Protection_ . The charity is compliant to the Data Protection Regulations 2018 and registered with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office.
Operation Sabre has created partnerships with a number of UK fire and rescue services and CAFFRA[2] that assist in the provision of uniform, equipment and vehicles. In addition, Operation Sabre is a formal member of the UK’s overarching fire related charity - FireAid.[3]
Within Romania, Operation Sabre is grateful for the continuing assistance, support and friendship received from key partners responsible for professional fire service provision in Alba, Bihor and Mureş counties together with the many local mayors who act as our hosts.
During 2020/21 Operation Sabre endeavoured to deliver information events to community groups in the UK via online Zoom presentations with the objective of raising awareness. Sadly, the number of events has been limited, and as a consequence, fundraising through these events has diminished considerably.
_**To establish, in collaboration with professional Romanian Fire & Rescue Services a medium and long term partnership strategy for the protection, prevention and response to fire and other emergencies in Transylvania**_
_**To promote and foster the spirit of ‘volunteering’ for the benefit of public goodwill, community wellbeing and health in Transylvania**_
_**To undertake an impact assessment of the implications of ‘BREXIT’ upon the achievement of Operation Sabre’s Objectives**_
Operation Sabre continues to have constructive and productive professional partnerships, particularly with ISU Bihor and ISU Mures, partnerships that enable the protection of communities and prevention of fire.
Community wellbeing and goodwill was further enhanced during 2020/21 through the donation several tonnes of humanitarian aid to care homes supported by Operation Sabre. The aid was shipped out in large palleted boxes and distributed by personnel from ISU Bihor and ISU Mures.
Operation Sabre continues to monitor the impact of BREXIT. The immediate impact is the prevention of the import of non-EU right-hand drive vehicles into Romania effective from 1[st] January 2021.
**OPERATION SABRE ANNUAL REPORT 2020/21 ©**
**7**
## **Protecting Communities…**
During 2020/21 two fully equipped fire engines, sourced from Merseyside and Shropshire Fire and Rescue Services, were provided to ISU Bihor.
Operation Sabre is particularly grateful to Romanian firefighters - Cristian, Daniel, Claudiu and Adrian (above) of ISU Bihor who flew to Rotterdam in November 2020 to collect the vehicles, having been shipped earlier from Hull.
The vehicles were heavily laden with firefighting uniform and also specialist thermal imaging cameras donated by Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service.
Following a swift re-registration process, the vehicles entered operational service in Oradea County in December 2020, serving and protecting local communities.
**OPERATION SABRE ANNUAL REPORT 2020/21 ©**
**8**
**Protection from fire…**
Expanding upon a new initiative launched in 2019, Operation Sabre has continued to provide fire safety equipment to the residential care homes it supports. The initiative aims to improve the early detection and warning of fire, and aid evacuation.
During 2020, Saint Stephen’s Orphanage in Saniob, Bihor County, benefited from the following donated items:
- Installation of modern UK fire extinguishers, tailored to the identified hazards.
- Installation of standalone battery operated fire alarm points throughout common areas.
- Installation of 3 hour battery back-up emergency lighting units on all escape routes.
- Installation of new smoke detector alarms.
- Installation of FIRE EXIT signage ( _with running man symbols and directional arrows)_ throughout the Home.
Similar actions will be rolled out to the remaining homes supported by Operation Sabre during 2021/22.
**OPERATION SABRE ANNUAL REPORT 2020/21 ©**
**9**
## **Supporting the vulnerable…**
Members of Operation Sabre continue to hold a deep and meaningful passion to support the most vulnerable in Romanian society. To this end, and despite not being able to visit in person due to the pandemic, the charity successfully arranged the shipment of several one cubic metre palleted crates of humanitarian aid to Romania in 2020. With the assistance of partners in ISU Bihor and ISU Mures, the crates were distributed to the various residential care homes supported by the charity, with residents receiving clothing, blankets, toys, toiletries, watches, jewellery and mobile phones etc.
In addition, a number of capital projects were also funded which includes:
- The provision of outdoor play furniture at the Sângeru De Pădure day-care orphanage.
- The provision of play furniture and the construction of an outdoor play area at the Targu Mures Child Protection Unit.
- The refurbishment of further bedrooms at the Sighisoura Old Peoples Home
Operation Sabre has also funded and shipped Covid 19 personal protective equipment to support the care home staff and residents in their attempts to protect against the coronavirus.
**OPERATION SABRE ANNUAL REPORT 2020/21 ©**
**10**
## **Our income and expenditure…**
We remain extremely grateful to those Romanian communities who have received fire engines during
2020/21, and have contributed towards the cost of these vehicles and their preparation. Their contributions account for a significant proportion of our annual income. The remaining balance of our funds is received through public donations, sponsorship, local grants and membership subscriptions. Operation Sabre is not in receipt of any UK Government or European Commission/Union funding, nor does it hold any assets or investments.
Special thanks must go to the numerous UK associations, groups and institutions that collectively donate each year several tonnes of humanitarian aid for distribution to the most vulnerable in Romanian society.
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All members of
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All members of Operation Sabre are unpaid volunteers and undertake all fundraising, preparation and visit activities in their own time and chose not to receive any **Our Receipts and Payments during 2018/19…** personal expenses for their actions.
**OPERATION SABRE ANNUAL REPORT 2020/21 ©**
**11**
## **Our audited accounts for 2020/21…**
## **RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021**
|**RECEIPTS**
Mayors contribution for appliances
Sale of equipment
Incident Command System Training
Donations
Fundraising - events
Sale of donated goods
Sponsored events
Fundraising - talks
Members subscriptions
Gift for hosts
Wizzair refund (paid 2019/20)
Uniform sales
Gift Aid
**PAYMENTS**
Appliance and equipment costs - purchase 2019
- repairs and preparation
2020
Appliance and equipment costs - purchase
Transportation costs - fuel. tolls etc
- ferries/flights
- additional drivers, transport &
accomm
- aid transportation costs
- health & welfare, admin
Additional drivers,
transport & accomm May 2020
Incident Command System Training
Insurance
Handover ceremonies
Humanitarian aid
Humanitarian capital spend
Fundraising – donation gift sacks & pens
Gift for hosts
Storage
Miscellaneous
**BANK BALANCE**
Opening balance as at 1 April
Plus receipts
Less payments
Surplus
**Bank balance as at 31 March**|£ p
0.00
551.13|**2020/21**
£ p
12,000.00
0.00
0.00
2,390.75
150.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
240.00
46.00
96.00
0.00
306.48
**15,229.23**
£ p
551.13
0.00
2,757.40
0.00
0.00
726.85
32.77
2,535.02
2,467.49
133.90
155.10
468.99
243.00
10,071.65
£ p
16,475.16
5,157.58
**21,632.74**|**2019/20**
£ p
21,000.00
1,500.00
4,653.04
7,766.23
100.60
118.37
389.20
4,786.47
140.00
217.50
191.44
1,814.32|£ p
16,717.79
2,400.00
7,339.27
637.75
1,653.04
3,908.96
1,103.69
1,626.96
9,700.43
889.00
150.59
0.00
238.94|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||||**42,677.17**||
||||£ p
15,830.00
887.79||
||1,414.95
378.00
611.39
272.86
80.20||3,332.34
2,485.11
1,010.12
0.00
511.70||
||£ p
15,229.23
-10,071.65||£ p
42,677.17
-46,366.42||
|||||46,366.42|
|||||£ p
20,164.41
-3,689.25|
||||||
|||||**16,475.16**|
**OPERATION SABRE ANNUAL REPORT 2020/21 ©**
**12**
## **Acknowledgements…**
The trustees and members of Operation Sabre wish to record their appreciation to their families and friends, for their continued support, tolerance and perseverance.
To the numerous benefactors, be these individuals or corporate organisations, for their financial support and donated aid _(from knitwear to rescue equipment…)_ we thank you.
To Severn Transport Services (Welshpool) and Pallex (Romania) we are truly indebted to you for freely transporting several cubic metres of humanitarian aid to Romania.
To Herr Bernhard Würsch of Regensburg Fire Service, we wish you well in your recent retirement and thank you for your friendship, generosity and support received over the last fifteen years.
And finally, to our Romanian friends without whose friendship, support and Romanian hospitality our own lives would not have been so enriched through unique and life-changing experiences. In particular, we wish to thank Chief Inspectors - Handrea Cälin, Coba Sorin and all of their officers and staff from their respective ISUs, the staff and residents of the care homes we support in Căpușu de Câmpie, Saniob, Sângeru De Pădure Sighisoara, Targu Mureş, and to all the local Mayors and their communities in Bihor and Mureş Counties.
## _Multumesc, Diolch, Danke & Thank you_
**OPERATION SABRE ANNUAL REPORT 2020/21 ©**
**13**
Appendix A- Business Plan 2020/21
5AIRF
111
OPERATION SABRE ANNUAL REPORT 2020121
14
## **Appendix B – Code of Conduct**
**Operation Sabre, as a charity, is rooted in the traditions and values of the fire service and founded on mutual respect and trust between its membership and the communities it serves. To ensure the continuing integrity of Operation Sabre, the highest standards of ethical conduct must be maintained at all times. Incorporated within the** _**code of conduct**_ **are the ‘Standards of Conduct’ issued by the United Nations.[4]**
All participants involved in the activities of Operation Sabre ( _be these at the planning, preparation or execution stages_ ) are bound by the following rules:
1. Always conduct yourself in a manner that reflects positively on yourself, Operation Sabre, your employing Service/Organisation, your hosts, the United Kingdom and the fire service in general.
2. Dress, think, talk, act and behave in a manner befitting the dignity of a disciplined, caring, considerate, mature, respected and trusted member of Operation Sabre, displaying the highest integrity and impartiality.
3. Have pride in your position as a member of Operation Sabre and do not abuse or misuse your authority.
4. Respect the law of the land of the host country, their local culture, traditions, customs and practices.
5. Treat the inhabitants of the host country with respect, courtesy and consideration. You are there as a guest to help them and in so doing will be welcomed with admiration.
6. Do not indulge in immoral acts of sexual, physical or psychological abuse or exploitation of the local population or fellow members of Operation Sabre.
7. Respect and regard the human rights of all. Support and aid the infirm, sick and weak.
8. Show respect for and promote the environment, including the flora and fauna, of the host country.
9. Exercise the utmost discretion in handling confidential information and matters of official business which can compromise security or individual confidentiality.
10. Accept responsibility for your actions and for the consequences of your actions.
11. Support the concept of fairness and the value of diverse thoughts and opinions.
12. Avoid situations that would adversely affect the credibility or public perception of the fire service profession and that of Operation Sabre.
13. Be truthful and honest at all times and report instances of cheating or other dishonest acts that compromise the integrity of the fire service and that of Operation Sabre.
14. Conduct your personal affairs in a manner that does not improperly influence the performance of your duties, or bring discredit to the fire service profession and that of Operation Sabre.
15. Be respectful and conscious of your hosts and each member’s safety and welfare.
16. Recognise that you serve in a position of public trust that requires stewardship in the honest and efficient use of resources, which are funded through donations (including uniforms, vehicles and equipment), and that these are protected from misuse and theft.
17. Exercise professionalism, competence, respect and loyalty in the performance of your duties and use information, confidential or otherwise, gained by virtue of your position, only to benefit those you are entrusted to serve.
18. Avoid financial investments, business interests or activities that conflict with or are enhanced by your position in Operation Sabre or have the potential to create the perception of impropriety.
19. Never propose or accept personal rewards, special privileges, benefits, advancement, honours or gifts that may create a conflict of interest, or the appearance thereof.
20. Never engage in activities involving alcohol or other substance use or abuse that can impair your mental state or the performance of your duties and compromise safety.
21. Never discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, creed, age, marital status, national origin, ancestry, gender, sexual preference, medical condition or handicap.
22. Never harass, intimidate or threaten fellow members of Operation Sabre, your hosts or the public and stop or report the actions of other team members or hosts who engage in such behaviours.
23. Never take photographs and/or video of children, young adults, vulnerable persons, military personnel and military installations without the express permission of both the relevant host and a Trustee from Operation Sabre.
24. Responsibly use social networking/media, electronic communications, or other media technology opportunities in a manner that does not discredit, dishonour or embarrass Operation Sabre, your hosts, the fire service and the public.
**OPERATION SABRE ANNUAL REPORT 2020/21 ©**
**15**
## **References**
**1 http://www.ifrc.org/en/publications-and-reports/code-of-conduct/**
> **2 http://www.caffra.org/**
> **3 - http://www.fire aid.org/ 4 https:peacekeeping.un.org/en/standards-of-conduct**
**OPERATION SABRE ANNUAL REPORT 2020/21 ©**
**16**
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