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2021-12-31-accounts

FiLiA Trustees' Annual Report and Accounts Year ended 31 December 2021

FiLiA Report and Financial Statements

CONTENTS PAGE
Report of the trustees 1-11
Reference and administrative details 12
Independent examiner's report 13
Receipts and payments account 14
Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the year 15
Notes to the accounts 16-19

PAGE 1

FiLiA Trustees’ Report for the year ended 31 December 2021

The Trustees present their report together with the receipts and payments accounts of FiLiA for the year ended 31 December 2021. The Trustees confirm that the Annual Report and Accounts of the Charity comply with the current statutory requirements, the requirements of the Charity's governing document and the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP).

This report outlines the work of FiLiA during the year of 2021.

OBJECTS AND ACTIVITIES

In brief, our charitable objects are:

FiLiA’s mission is to contribute to the Women’s Liberation Movement by:

♀ Building Sisterhood and Solidarity (locally, nationally, globally).

♀ Amplifying the Voices of Women (particularly those less often heard or purposefully silenced).

♀ Defending Women’s Human Rights

The focus of our work during this reporting period was to build the capacity of the organisation; to amplify the voices of Women via our podcasts, blogs and conference and to deliver a number of projects. The FiLiA conference is run entirely by volunteers.

PAGE 2

FiLiA Trustees’ Report for the year ended 31 December 2021

PUBLIC BENEFIT

The trustees confirm that they have referred to the recommendations contained in the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit when reviewing FiLiA’s aims and objectives, and in planning activities and setting policies and priorities for the year ahead.

The activities that FiLiA carries out to further its charitable purposes for the public benefit (as described under Achievements and Performance below) are guided by the Objects above.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

CAPACITY BUILDING

The FiLiA team consists of approximately 80 Women who gift their time.

We continue to build capacity within our team. We have created an events and accessibility team, expanded our Legal Advisory Board and taken on leads for various countries (e.g. Nepal, Croatia) and topic areas (e.g. obstetric violence, environment).

LabrysLit, a global book group run by, for, and about lesbians was launched successfully and the FiLiA network of Women exited from the sex trade continues to grow.

Internal Education is important to FiLiA, and our weekly meetings provided time for sessions covering (among others) sex-based rights (Maya Forstater), Polygamy (Halaleh Taheri), Feminism, Fundamentalism and Racism (Gita Sahgal), Podcast Training (Rebecca Mordan) and FGM (Hibo Wardere). Our thanks to those who gifted their time to support our ongoing education as a team.

FUNDRAISING

In order to be able to implement our FiLiA-2025 strategy, which expands our work beyond simply conferences to include international network building alongside focused projects, we recognise the need for sourcing short-, medium- and longterm funding as well as achieving and maintaining a higher financial sustainability threshold. FiLiA will continue to apply for core and project funding.

PAGE 3

FiLiA Trustees’ Report for the year ended 31 December 2021

Our Friends of FiLiA scheme has been well received and doubled through 2021. We thank the 323 individuals who have signed up to become regular supporters of our work. All funds will go directly to support Women to participate in FiLiA, who otherwise would not be able to.

2021 saw merchandise taken to new highs, both at conference and online sales. Our FiLiA online shop was launched, and merchandise focused on three images - the FiLiA banner, Leeds Spinners "Wrong Side of History My Arse" banner and "End Prostitution Now". High quality cotton digitally printed tea towels, notebooks and clothing proved very popular and sold out at conference. Ethical production was a focus for us.

We look forward to working with more feminist creators in the coming years.

We were pleased to win Access - the Foundation for Social Investment Grant funding to expand FiLiA merchandise expertise and sales.

CONFERENCE

The FiLiA2020 conference had to be postponed due to covid, but thanks to generous contributions to our crowd funder, providing a financial cushion, we were delighted to go ahead with #FiLiA2021.

This two-day event, held in Portsmouth was a monumental success, with speakers representing many countries e.g., India, Iran, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe as well as a broad range of topics such as:

PAGE 4

FiLiA Trustees’ Report for the year ended 31 December 2021

• A SERIES OF MEET-THE-AUTHOR SESSIONS

As with previous years, we were able to showcase the art of many Women, and our theme this year was to show thanks and gratitude to our second wave Sisters, many of whom attended and spoke at the conference. With thanks to the funders who made the recreation of second wave banners possible, and thanks to artist Emma Dolan for her continued contribution to that artwork.

1,250 tickets were sold, with 350 Solidarity Tickets being gifted (an increase on previous years).

Our FiLiA2021 evaluation reflected strongly the reasons why women attend FiLiA: learning, connecting, organising and mobilising. Overwhelmingly the feedback was positive, with women asking that we expand the FiLiA annual conference to a three-day event and broaden our activities to include setting up consciousness raising groups, campaigns, projects and build on our international connections. As a volunteer group, we are limited by capacity and funds, but we will look to see what might be possible for the coming years.

PROJECTS

F-WORD

The aim of this project was to facilitate workshops around feminism and to support them to create a resource about feminism. Successive workshops explored historical and modern achievements of Feminism, gender stereotypes and sexual objectification. The girls designed and created clothes with Feminist messaging and took part in two field trips, including one to Manchester to learn more about the suffragettes. A film of the F-Word, alongside an exhibition of their clothes were displayed throughout the weekend of the FiLiA2021 conference. Lesson plans have also been created to accompany the project and we hope to build on this work in the near future.

With thanks to Yes Matters, Build A Girl and the funders for making this project possible.

With particular thanks to the girls who took part.

PAGE 5

FiLiA Trustees’ Report for the year ended 31 December 2021

FiLiA LEGACY PROJECT

Thank you to all the Women in Portsmouth who welcomed FiLiA into their city, and worked together with us to make the city a better place for Women and Girls. Locally run activities included the creation of a Cross Cultural Cookbook, understanding County Lines lectures, a series of Find Your Voice workshops, monthly meet-the-author Feminist Book Clubs, Consciousness Raising training, the creation of materials to combat local sexual exploitation establishments, Feminist Leadership sessions and more. A new independent Portsmouth Feminist network emerged from this work, and they are already planning their strategy for the coming years.

Sadly, a year-long series of sessions for girls excluded from school (or at risk of being excluded) was sabotaged. This programme would have benefitted girls in Portsmouth immeasurably, and we put it on record that disruption of programmes that benefit disadvantaged girls is unacceptable. We are hopeful that we will be able to use the programme in other areas and will be seeking specific funding to do this. We apologise to the girls who were unable to access this series. With enormous thanks to the funders of the FiLiA Legacy Project, who saw the potential of the grassroots work we were doing in each FiLiA city and are supporting us to enhance this work.

Some projects have necessarily been postponed due to covid, and we thank funders for their understanding. We look forward to our exchange with Japanese Feminists in 2022 and our event celebrating the International Conference on Violence, Abuse and Women’s Citizenship.

BUILDING SISTERHOOD AND SOLIDARITY

AMPLIFYING THE VOICES OF WOMEN

PODCASTS AND BLOGS

Recognising the need to amplify the voices of Women beyond our annual conference, we expanded our podcasting team and we have now hosted #166 podcasts with voices from all over the world, including Spain, India, Ethiopia, Armenia, Canada and many others on a diverse array of topics that affect Women and Girls.

PAGE 6

FiLiA Trustees’ Report for the year ended 31 December 2021

We have also continued to increase the number of FiLiA guest blogs, amplifying the words of Women from Rojava, Argentina, Honduras, Kenya, Brazil, Macau and more.

As well as providing ongoing updates from many countries and on varied topics, these blogs and podcasts will serve as an archive of Women’s voices for future generations. We thank all the Women who gifted their time to make the FiLiA podcasts and blogs happen.

COMMUNICATIONS

Raquel Rosario Sanchez, Trustee and SpokesWoman gave oral evidence on behalf of FiLiA at the Women and Equalities Select Committee meeting on Reform of the Gender Recognition Act and represented FiLiA at numerous media opportunities.

FiLiA responded to the Department of Health and Social Care consultation - Home use of both pills for early medical abortion up to 10 weeks gestation and to the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy Consultation as well as the Women and Equalities Select Committee Inquiry on Reform of the Gender Recognition Act.

Our communications team has grown, and we are developing a communications strategy. Some of the positive results this year are:

PAGE 7

FiLiA Trustees’ Report for the year ended 31 December 2021

CAMPAIGNS

KAKUMA REFUGEE CAMP

It was another tough year for the lesbians housed in Block 13, the LGB&T area of Kakuma refugee camp Kenya. The year started with fire attacks as they slept with several members of the block suffering burns. In an awful attack in March, 2 men were seriously injured, one of which, Trinidad sadly died of his injuries a month later. No one has been held accountable. In June there was another attack on some of the women, who managed to escape before being raped. A further arson attack in August, again during the night, destroyed all theirs shelters, most of their possessions and the school and all its equipment – again still no action from UNHCR.

Despite all this trauma, the women asked to be able to speak at the conference and we were delighted to link with them via Zoom so they could share their experiences with our FiLiA audience. It was a profoundly moving session. Women immediately wanted to help and subsequently we were able to raise some funds to support the women. We also recruited 2 volunteers specifically to work on the Kakuma campaign and the help of some women who work in Humanitarian aid in negotiating the systems. Our new volunteers have already collated the asylumseeking details of all the women which we are working with European partners to try and expedite. With the funds raised we have rebuilt and furnished the school and bought some medical supplies. We have also been able to replace some personal items and support two new mothers with their babies. We continue to work alongside International Human Rights Defenders to get them all safe and free.

ABOLITIONIST WORK

We have continued to work with local areas to support their approach to supporting women out of prostitution. We have supported the brilliant women-centered work in Devon as they have developed strong partnerships to provide holistic support to help women to exit, and prioritise their safety and recovery. We have seen other areas develop their approach and shift to a more woman-centered policy in addressing prostitution. We are linking areas with good practice as it develops.

PAGE 8

FiLiA Trustees’ Report for the year ended 31 December 2021

#WOMEN4NAZANIN

On December 20[th] we launched our Solidarity Action to support the #FreeNazanin campaign and inspired by Margaret Owen’s recent activism, FiLiA is organising the continuation of Richard Ratcliffe’s hunger strike in the form of a global fasting relay. Over 1,000 Women have, so far, signed up to this campaign.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

During the year the Charity received funds totaling £211,665 (2020: £69,913) and made payments of £162,774 (2020: £42,062). The charity held funds on hand of £77,897 at 31 December 2021 (2020: £29,006), including £47,065 (2020 £22,777) of restricted funds

PRINCIPAL FUNDING SOURCES

The charity raises funds for the annual conference mainly by ticket sales. The other principal source of funds is from grants and donations.

INVESTMENT POLICY

The charity does not currently hold sufficient funds to warrant investment. However, the charity banks with Triodos Bank, which has a sound ethical banking policy.

RESERVES POLICY

The general fund reserves at 31 December 2021 were £30,832. Discounting projects with restricted funding and conference costs, our ‘core’ other costs were £16,041. Our policy is that six months of core costs are maintained in reserves, £8,020.

2022 AND BEYOND

We look forward in our next year to:

PAGE 9

FiLiA

Trustees’ Report for the year ended 31 December 2021

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

GOVERNING DOCUMENT

The organisation is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, established and registered as a charity on 8 September 2015. The charity is established under a Constitution, which sets out the objects and powers of the trust.

RECRUITMENT AND APPOINTMENT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

The trustees are also the members of the charity, and as such have the power to appoint new trustees. All trustees serve a two-year term, after which they are eligible for re-election. The Constitution stipulates that there must be a minimum of three and not more than twelve trustees.

TRUSTEE INDUCTION AND TRAINING

Trustees are experienced in the area of the charity’s work and have been appointed by the members for the specific skills they can bring to the Board. All potential trustees are briefed prior to their election.

TRUSTEES’ RESPONSBILITIES IN RELATION TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Charity law requires the trustees to prepare accounts for each financial period which show a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of its financial activities for that period. In preparing those accounts, the trustees are required to:

PAGE 10

FiLiA

Trustees’ Report for the year ended 31 December 2021

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the accounts comply with the Statement of Recommended Practice. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

This report was approved by the board of trustees on 5 September 2022 and signed on its behalf.

Kruti Walsh, Trustee

PAGE 11

FiLiA

Reference and Administrative Details of the Charity, its Trustees and Advisers For the year ended 31 December 2021

Charity registration number: 1163473 Operational address: Women's Resource Centre 41 North Road London N7 9DP Website www.filia.org.uk

Trustees

Lisa-Marie Taylor Sally Jackson Kruti Walsh Raquel Rosario Sanchez

Independent Examiner

Frank McDowell FMAAT FJM Accountancy Limited 23 Shackleton Court 2 Maritime Quay London E14 3QF

Bankers

Triodos Bank UK Limited Deanery Road Bristol BS1 5AS

12

Independent examinefs report to the trustees of FILIA (the CIO) I report lo the trustees on my examinatMM of the accounts of the abjve charity for the year ended 31 De￿m￿er 2021. Responslbllllles and basis of report As the chanty trustees of the CIO. you are responsible for the preparat￿n of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charthes Act 2011 llhe Acf). I report in respect of my examinab'on of the CIO'S acwunts cam•J out under ￿tion 14S of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have folk￿ed the appluble Directions given by the Charity Commission under secllon 145(5llb) of the ACL Indepond•nt examln•t8 •tatsmenl I have completed my examination. I c4)nfim that no material matters have come to my attention In connection with the examinat￿n which gries me cause to bel￿¥8 Ihai in, any m*ial resp8Ct accounting records V￿re not kept in accordance I￿th section 130 of the Art or, the accounts do not accord wlth the ￿Un￿n9 rwds I have no con¢ems and have come across no other matters in connection with the examlnation lo which attention should be drawn in order to enalAe a proper understanding of the aco)unts to be reached. Frank J M¢Dowèll FMAAT FJM Accountancy Limited 23 Shackleton Court 2 Marrtime Quay London E14 3QF Dale.. 8 Septsmber 2022 13

FiLiA

Receipts and Payments Account For the year ended 31 December 2021

2021
Unrestricted Restricted
Total
Notes
£
£
£
Receipts
Grants and donations:
General
10,802
-
10,802
Friends of FiLiA
12,795
-
12,795
LISG
-
-
-
Gift Aid
5,345
-
5,345
Restricted project grants
4
-
117,647
117,647
Charitable activities:
Conference receipts
1
50,827
11,540
62,367
Sale of publications
331
-
331
Conference and meeting contributions
-
860
860
Investment income:
Bank interest
27
-
27
Other receipts:
Costs and expenses refunded
1,491
-
1,491
Total receipts
81,618
130,047
211,665
Payments
Charitable activities:
Grants and donations made
1,222
860
2,082
Project costs
4
-
92,133
92,133
Conference payments
2
40,978
11,540
52,518
Support costs:
Other costs
3
16,041
-
16,041
Oher payments:
Loans repaid
-
-
-
Expenses paid on account
-
-
-
Total payments
58,241
104,533
162,774
Net cash received in the year
23,377
25,514
48,891
Transfers
1,226
(1,226)
-
24,603
24,288
48,891
Opening cash balances at 1 January 2021
6,229
22,777
29,006
Closing cash balances at 31 December 2021
30,832
47,065
77,897		 2020
Unrestricted Restricted
Total
£
£
£
6,354
-
6,354
8,444
-
8,444
-
2,360
2,360
-
-
-
-
43,444
43,444
9,303
-
9,303
-
-
-
-
-
-
8
-
8
-
-
-
24,109
45,804
69,913
200
2,360
2,560
-
20,667
20,667
4,835
-
4,835
10,444
-
10,444
1,000
-
1,000
2,556
-
2,556
19,035
23,027
42,062
5,074
22,777
27,851
-
-
-
5,074
22,777
27,851
1,155
-
1,155
6,229
22,777
29,006

14

FiLiA Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the year

Note
Stock
Merchandise on hand for resale, at cost price
Prepaid expenses
2022 conference costs
2021 conference venue
Other debtors
Funds held in PayPal Giving Fund
Expenses repayable
Interest receivable
Cash funds
Cash at bank
Funds at PayPal
Funds at Stripe
Funds at Charity Checkout
Liabilities
Conference income received in advance
Expenses owed
Accrued accountancy fees		 2021
2020
£
£
1,076
-
1,686
-
-
8,000
1,686
8,000
-
562
-
598
-
5
-
1,165
76,452
27,962
603
370
-
251
928
423
77,983
29,006
2,881
14,196
86
-
-
500
2,967
14,696

Signed on behalf of the Trustees on 6 September 2022.

Kruti Walsh Trustee

15

FiLiA Notes to the Accounts

For the year ended 31 December 2021

1 Conference receipts

1 Conference receipts
2021 2020
Unrestricted Restricted Total Total
£ £ £ £
Donations - 11,540 11,540 -
Ticket sales 46,834 - 46,834 8,006
Merchandise sales 3,993 - 3,993 1,297
50,827 11,540 62,367 9,303
2 Conference payments
1
Conference receipts		 1
Conference receipts
Donations
Ticket sales
Merchandise sales
2
Conference payments		 2021
Unrestricted
Restricted
Total
£
£
£
-
11,540
11,540
46,834
-
46,834
3,993
-
3,993
50,827
11,540
62,367		 2020
Total
£
-
8,006
1,297
9,303
Ticket sales refunded
Ticket distribution
Payment processing fees
Venue hire
Insurance
Accessibility
Travel and subsistence support for women to
participate
Childcare
Event management software
Communications
Photographer
Session materials
Entertainment
Art
Merchandise purchases
Merchandise refunds
Other		 2021
Unrestricted
Restricted
Total
£
£
£
1,799
-
1,799
360
-
360
1,348
-
1,348
7,712
11,540
19,252
601
-
601
5,665
-
5,665
13,097
-
13,097
1,870
-
1,870
1,686
-
1,686
100
-
100
438
-
438
171
-
171
750
-
750
601
-
601
4,700
-
4,700
21
-
21
59
-
59
40,978
11,540
52,518		 2020
Total
£
407
-
246
3,000
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1,162
20
-
4,835

16

FiLiA Notes to the Accounts

For the year ended 31 December 2021

3 Other costs

Volunteer training
Publicity materials
Website
Conferences
Administrative support
Digital services
Travel and subsistence
Development meeting costs
Office costs
Subscriptions
Bank and payment processing fees
Accountancy
Consultancy
Legal fees
Costs refunded		 2021
2020
Unrestricted
Restricted
Total
Total
£
£
£
£
400
-
400
-
1,843
-
1,843
734
1,220
-
1,220
3,510
1,711
-
1,711
-
454
-
454
390
1,881
-
1,881
2,909
1,123
-
1,123
557
383
-
383
78
180
-
180
621
3,426
-
3,426
94
1,989
-
1,989
871
500
-
500
240
-
-
-
200
40
-
40
240
891
-
891
-
16,041
-
16,041
10,444

17

FiLiA Notes to the Accounts For the year ended 31 December 2021

4 Restricted funds

Restricted funds
Brought Carried
forward Receipts Payments Transfers forward
£ £ £ £ £
FiLiA legacy project 813 47,041 (42,229) - 5,625
Young women and radical social reform 2,000 - (2,524) 524 -
FiLiA and socialism 1,248 - (624) - 624
Revealing women's lost history through events, exh 18,716 - (1,100) - 17,616
Sex Matters Campaign - 45,000 (43,250) (1,750) -
Enterprise Development Fund - 20,000 - - 20,000
The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation - 3,200 - - 3,200
Kakuma Camp - 2,406 (2,406) - -
22,777 117,647 (92,133) (1,226) 47,065

FiLiA legacy project - Sisters Trust

Three years' funding for local community projects in each city. Partnership working with Women's community groups to develop a series of workshops and events to build awareness, confidence and engagement.

Young women and radical social reform - The Scurrah Wainwright Charity

Build a Girl and Yes Matters work with at risk girls. Project is for two leaders in youth work to create with the girls a presentation on Women's history and Feminism for them to present to the wider community.

FiLiA and socialism - Lipman Miliband

Pamphlet, exhibition and workshop on socialist Feminism.

Revealing women's lost history through events, exhibitions and webinars - People's Postcode Lottery

Digitalising cassettes from the 1996 Women's Liberation Conference and an event where we play the recordings to a new audience.

Sex Matters Campaign - funded via donations

Supporting Sex Matters, the UK-based not-for-profit organisation which campaigns, advocates and produces resources to promote clarity about sex in public policy, law and culture.

FiLiA Merchandise Development - Enterprise Development Fund

Funding to upskill volunteers and FiLiA's capability to develop its merchandise and relationships with feminist artists with the goal of commissioning and selling bespoke merchandise.

Building Global Abolition Networks - The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation

An educational exchange to share knowledge and strategy with a view towards finding ways to work together in the future to reduce sexual violence against Women and Girls in the UK, Japan and globally.

Supporting lesbian refugees in Kakuma Camp - funded via donations

Raising funds to support lesbian refugees in the Kakum Refugee Camp in Kenya, with food, medication and medical treatment, personal hygiene items and education.

18

FiLiA Notes to the Accounts For the year ended 31 December 2021

5 Transactions with related parties

Trustees made donations during the year totalling £180 (2020: £317).

During the year, one trustee was paid £32,497 (2020: £16,250) under a freelance contract with the charity for delivery of the 3 year FiLiA Legacy Project only.

No (2020: one) trustees reclaimed expenses (2020: £396).

19