2021-03-31-accounts

- WSSAG ANNUAL REPORT 2020 2021

SECTION A: REFERENCE and ADMINISTRATION DETAILS

Charity name: Women Seeking Sanctuary Advocacy Group Wales

Registered Charity number: 1165259

Charity Principal Address: 3, North Church Street, Butetown, Cardiff - CF10 5HB

Names of the charity Trustees who manage the charity

• 1- Mrs Valerie Adela Jones – Whole year

• 2- Miss Constance Nzeneu – Whole year

• 3- Ms Cheryl Brooke Martin -- Whole year

• 4- Miss Joyce Nangwa – Whole year

• 5- Mrs Gill Webber – Whole year (on sabbatical)

• 6- Emina Redzepovic – Since December 2020

• 7- Funke Madamidola – Since December 2020

SECTION B: STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE and MANAGEMENT

Type of governing document: Constitution

How the charity is constituted: Association

Trustees selection methods: Appointed

SECTION C: OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

SUMMARY: To promote social inclusion for the public benefit amongst women asylum seekers and refugees in Wales by preventing them from becoming socially excluded, relieving their needs and assisting them to integrate into society. For the purpose of this clause ‘socially excluded’ means being excluded from society, or part of society, as a result of being a member of a socially and economically deprived community.

To advance the education of the public in general about the issues that relate to refugees and those seeking asylum.

Summary of the main activities : Due to Covid 19 which triggered the national lockdown in March 2020, our only Part-Time Staff was put on Furlough for most part of the year (from

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April 2020 to August 2020). Upon her return in August, the staff member had to reconnect with partner organisations to rebuild and strengthen our collaborative relationships and create new working relationships styles due to Covid19.

Link was established with EYST (Ethnic Youth Support Team) to bring in an Admin Assistant through their Youth Investment Placement Project (this is a project which helps Black and Minority Ethnic Youth - Women) to gain some experience working with Partner Organisations. This opportunity enabled the beneficiary to gain some skills and experience from working with us (From August 2020 to January 2021).

Contact was also made with the Open University in respect to Free Online Courses for the ladies with hope the view that WSSAG would be one of their Open Learn Champions.

We liaised with NEA (National Energy Action) Charity who offered us several workshops on Energy advice, Fuel Poverty and Health and Fuel Debt Advice. .

As in previous years, we ran courses in partnership with Cardiff University in their Project ‘Live Local, Learn Local’. in respect to them offering some free courses online such as ‘Understanding Childhood’ Course and more which will start at different times of the year.

As always, WSSAG is committed to consult and involve the women in the running of the whole project. Therefore over the period of the last 12 months, the ladies were constantly asked with regards to the activities and projects they would like being run by the organisation. To adapt to the new way of life following Covid 19, several Zoom Coffee Mornings were organised which were also a great opportunity for the ladies to catch up with each other, sharing ideas and thoughts on the new way of life and how everyone is adapting to it.

Due to Covid19, we had to redirect every course and workshop online such as Confidence Building and managing stress and anxiety Courses and Importance of Emotional and Mental Health Wellbeing and self-Care during Covid 19 (all delivered by trained professionals). One of the positives taken from these well-being courses, we developed a Thursday Evening (weekly) wellbeing group with activities such as cookery sessions, art sessions, fitness/dance sessions and relaxation sessions with guided meditation. The ladies have found these activities quite interesting, useful and relaxing.

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In continuity to demystifying mental health in our community especially to the category of people who uses our charity and to research support available to them, partnership was discussed with Newport Mind. We believe there is no better time than now to support sanctuary seeking women and their families who may be experiencing mental health problems. Discussions with their Operations Manager were held on collaborative working approaches and the possibility of them offering their Mental Health First Aid short courses to some of our ladies (which in turn will train other women) in a bid to create awareness about Mental Health and also promote their wellbeing. While waiting to finalise the partnership, a Zoom Coffee Morning would be held to discuss mental health from women seeking sanctuary perspective.

It is vital to note that throughout the lockdown, the volunteers were relentless in their commitment from making welfare calls, offering online support to our networks of women to carrying on bi –weekly foodbank distributions at our centre (still ongoing) and occasional deliveries to the most vulnerable. This foodbank has been possible through the food donated by FareShare Cymru, Tesco, Asda and St. Mary’s Church (Butetown).

Every week, the attendance at our foodbank is approximately 20-25 families (men and women).

SECTION D: ACHIEVEMENTS: - Summary of the main achievements of the charity during this year:

We work to support women who are asylum seekers and refugees in Wales by preventing them from becoming socially excluded, relieving their needs and assisting them to integrate into society. These conditions directly impact the women's mental health and have been exacerbated by the pandemic. A time when isolation, exclusion and a lack of community have been deeply felt on top of the feelings already experienced by the women. With limited resources but with lots of passion to support women in their journey, WSSAG supported women over 100 from different religious backgrounds, various countries (Nigeria, Syria, Iraq, Uganda, Morocco, Congo, Cameroon, Venezuela, Somalia, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Egypt, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Ukraine, Pakistan and Wales).

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“ I will like to say Thank you to WSSAG for all the year round support. The organisation has been offering me support by making me feel comfortable, giving me assurance to keep on fighting the good fight to become a better me; not making me to starve when I am short of food, they are always there to offer food, clothes, emotional support and befriending. I must say that they have really change lives in so many ways and I am sure the organisation will continue to grow from strength to strength ” BH from Nigeria.

“I wanted to say how much receiving the food from WSSAG helps me to eat more healthily and with much more variety and to save money for when I move from temporary accommodation to a permanent place. Also the love and care that you give is such a great comfort; it makes me feel less alone and that I’m being cared for as an individual. God bless you for helping us, the food you give is my favourite! Thank you for a whole trolley of food, it is such a great help – Love from M” - M from Wales.

“During this pandemic, the Zoom sessions the organisation organised helped me a great deal; I managed to keep contact to feel less isolated and the sessions helped my mental health and wellbeing; the exercises and cooking sessions were beneficial and fun with laughter and joy” – S from Zimbabwe.

SECTION E: FINANCIAL REVIEW (Brief statement of the charity’s policy reserves)

Women Seeking Sanctuary Advocacy Group Wales closely manages its finances. An up-todate financial summary is presented to the Board of Trustees at every meeting when required. We are currently in a good situation to continue our work into the next year. The board of trustees acknowledges that unrestricted funds which have not been designated for a specific use should be maintained at a level equivalent to between three months expenditure. Statement of Trustees’ responsibilities: Charity law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which show a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and its financial activities for that period. In preparing those financial statements, the trustees are required to:

1. Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently,

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1. Observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP,

2. Make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent,

3. State whether applicable accounting standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements

4. Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operational existence. 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 financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011. 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.

Details of any funds materially in deficit: NONE

SECTION G: DECLARARTION: The trustees declare that they have approved

the trustees’ report above

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature: CNzeneu

Full name: Constance Nzeneu Date: 23.04.21

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WSSAG WALES

- ANNUAL STATEMENT 2020 2021

INCOME (£)	AMOUNT (£)	AMOUNT (£)
BALANCE B/F		9,110.85
Grants (CF in Wales)	2,000.00
Grants (HMRC)	2,600.00
SustainabilityHea	2,000.00
Stacey Canha & Others	733.00
Total Grants/Donations for the year		7,333.00
TOTAL FUNDS		16,443.85
OUTGOINGS
Salaries		6,717.00
Phone		584.00
WCVA		421.01
Foodbank		975.00
Transfer		500.00
Total Outgoings		9,197.01
BALANCE C/F		7,246.84