2024-04-05-accounts

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 05TH APRIL 2024

TRUSTEES:

Jacques Kamwa

Frank Ngonji

Cleeve Morgan Njiomou

Desmond Tilley

Dany Pharel Njiadeu

Professional advisers:

Melanie Ngangen

Blaise Nsangou

REGISTERED OFFICE: 342 Oldham Road, Naylor street Manchester M40 7NS CHARITY NUMBER: 1165797

ACCOUNTANTS: Xpert Accountants

Chartered Certified Accountants 671 Manchester Road Manchester M34 2NA

BANK: Unity Trust Bank

Nine Brindleyplace Birmingham

B1 2HB

ENSEMBLE MANCHESTER REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 05TH APRIL 2024

The trustees present their report for the year ended 05th April 2024

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Ensemble Manchester is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation registered with the charity Commission on 29th February 2016. The Trustees have assessed the major risks to which charity is exposed, in particular those relating to the operations and finances of the charity, and believe effective Governance, insurance, checks, controls and procedures are in place to mitigate those risks.

The Trustees meet monthly to attend legal and administrative affairs of the Charity, to review and set policy and to establish long-term strategies for the charity.

Introduction

Ensemble Manchester exists to serve the needs of Manchester residents with a central African background or heritage particularly those who speak French as their native language or those whose parents/heritage is French speaking African. We are concerned to support children, young people, and their families in Manchester, preserving a rich and proud cultural heritage. Thus combating poverty and preventing identity crisis and poor Mental Health.

We work with parents to help retain cultural identity and support children and young people to connect with their heritage, maintain the multilingual and multicultural heritage and through this to understand, acknowledge and share their background positively.

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES The Charity’s objects are:

1) The advancement of education in all aspects of French African culture and heritage, in particular by the provision of educational activities and cultural events.

2) To advance in life and help young people of the French African community in Manchester by providing support and activities which develop their skills, capacities and capabilities to enable them to participate in society as mature and responsible individuals.

3) To develop the capacity and skills of the members of the French African community of Manchester in such a way that they are better able to identify and help meet their needs and to participate more fully in society in particular by the provision of training opportunities, advocacy and support.

Our aims also include: To build bridges that help connect different generations and cultures within and between French speaking Africans;

To raise achievement and attainment of children and young people in mainstream schools and society. Promote culturally appropriate physical activities, Healthy eating and mother tongue languages and cultures

1. ENSEMBLE MANCHESTER REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 05TH APRIL 2024

Our Vision: Multilingual and united Franco-African Community that embraces the past and achieves their full potential.

Mission To build bridges that help connects generations and communities through identity awareness and heritage maintenance. Our core provision is the French Supplementary School; we are also involved in healthy eating and exercising, heritage preservation, training and advocacy support for children and young people struggling with identity conflicts.

A big that you to our long term Funders Manchester City Council, Manchester Active.

The Greater Manchester Community and Voluntary Organisation (GMCVO) for allowing us to project ourselves, make plans towards becoming sustainable and more resilient

We are grateful to Canal river Trust for funding to develop more focused work at local level (Miles Platting and Newton Heath Ward), which is proving to be very successful .

We are also saying a big thank you to all the trustees, volunteers, partners and young people and advisers who have contributed to the charity successfully working towards a much clearer vision.

Our Plan for the year ending 5th April 24 was to pilot French Supplementary School and cookery classes at our own premises using seed loan from GMCVO.

Through the mentoring scheme established with the Holidays Activities and Food program (HAF), young people have been showing genuine interest and making a positive contribution in the delivery of activities for younger children.

This financial year, our focus was on supporting the development of a United Cameroonian Community of Greater Manchester. We have achieved this aim by supporting former leaders in the development of a transitional team

Empowering community lead church to deliver Holidays Activity and Food program

Offering one to one consultancy to Cameroonian Social entrepreneurs,

Supporting and contributing toward the Annual Cameroonian Family Fun Day at Manchester Communication Academy

ENSEMBLE MANCHESTER REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 05TH APRIL 2024

We have improved our understanding of the needs of our young people and have gained better understanding of the journey of young people through the Mental Health System. we have developed our partnership with Cameroon Community, through Cameroon Forum by appointing a trainee youth manager and trainee youth worker to supporting vulnerable young people in properties owned by Cameroon Forum as well as other landlords (social or private sector).

We wish to develop our expertise and our interventions to focus more upon improving the Mental health and wellbeing of young people not in Education employment or training, Known to the criminal justice system, struggling with identity crisis, addictions and alcohol and drugs dependency. Our absolute priority is to have a financially resilient French Supplementary School, Youth Club and Holidays activities that can have an impact on

reducing the number of young people admitted to hospital or referred to early intervention team due to Mental Health crisis.

We have been delivery our Holiday Activities and Food program with goal to empower young people to offer interventions to children and young people experiencing or at risk from tier 1 mental health challenges including depression, anxiety, aggressive behaviour, etc. More beneficiaries will be offered counselling, advocacy, mentoring, group work, and receive one-to-one support to help them access Ensemble’s services. Assessment will identify those who need other support from elsewhere, e.g. CAMHS but there will be an attempt to prevent escalation of problems.

We wish to develop young people and Community Led approaches to the delivery of the French Supplementary School. Thus, Provide an alternative to out of school provision that meets the needs of Children and young people Not in education, employment or training.

We want to support the training and development young people through volunteering, placements, and apprenticeships

We aim to have an extensive programme of health and wellbeing

interventions co designed and delivered with the community and partners. We will have a sustainable youth work and play offer, delivered in partnership with other local organisations and taking into account the specific needs to preserve Children’s cultural heritage.

In order to achieve those aims, we need to invest in the development of our teams and systems. We need to build the capacity and strength of our board of trustees, and the quality of systems that serve them.

We aim to have a marketing strategy that makes the best use of traditional and new media to ensure that we are selling the benefits of engaging with our charity to individual, group or commissioner of services.

We aim to develop a new approach to our branding that unifies our different services.

We shall ensure that our IT systems are appropriate for new ways of working, including offsite working.

We shall invest more resources into the training and development of current and future leaders.

Our impact

• Reduce isolation amongst children and young people - Deliver a range of well planned and structured activities that help connect children with their heritage - Increase Access to culturally appropriate Food and physical activities in the local area - Connect community and social Business entrepreneurs within the Community - Improve our understanding of what it takes to develop a structured and well managed partnership – Through the Greater Manchester Community and Voluntary

Organisation (GMCVO) and Manchester Active Holidays activities and Food program, We have gained knowledge and experiences in how to demonstrate the impact we are making on children and young people within our community

6 - We have offered volunteer, training with inbuilt placement to 6 young people and sessional work to 4 adults /parents.

Our “Friendly Meal” Scheme to those isolated, housebound or infirm within the community did not survive due to the cost of living crisis. The Cooking with Afroganic Meal kit provision continues with new culturally adapted Food and drinks. we are continuing to consult with different stakeholder groups regarding a new long-term strategy for French Supplementary school. This emergent strategy is driving us to ensure that our services and outcomes are co-produced with the communities that we are here to support. This will be achieved through the design of a youth curriculum that will meet the needs of children and young people from 14 French Speaking African countries, particularly Cameroon. In doing so, we are developing a sustainable workforce able to serve the needs of the wider community.

Activities we have done in order to achieve these objective are 30 sessions of French classes using Songs for teaching French with a group of 36 young people (516Years) from Diverse Francophone African Background (Congo, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Senegal and Guinea) Outcome our activities - Aspiration to develop and become volunteer assistant French Tutor within Ensemble’s French Supplementary School - better family relations as children reported they have been able to engage more often with extended family back home - Feeling comfortable about going to France or French Speaking African country during holidays - Increased confidence during French lesson at school - Good grade at French GCSE

Ensemble Annual General meeting on the 23th December 2024

Planning Our Work

Report on Funding from MCC Youth and participation to develop the Governance and legal Structure of Ensemble Manchester

Governance

• Review of the constitution (Ensemble will become a Youth organisation catering for young people of Francophone African Background specifically but with an open door access

• Young people and adult work together as equal partners in decision making

Administration

o The membership of Ensemble Cycle speedway club will administer the charity

Finances

• Financial review and audit into the way GMCVO Loan to pay for the time of Project manager (Melanie Ngangen ) to make Ensemble Sustainable and independent from Funding will be carried out with view to decide on way forward with payment

• Bring clarity into new relationships to reduce conflict of interest

• Allow Ensemble Youth to take ownership of their own finances

Managing our Projects

o Young people and adults will continue to work together in decision making process regarding projects they want to get involved in

Current and recent Projects

Holiday activities and Food program Bike Kitchen project in partnership with Astley and Tinsley Ring doorbell project with Sported

Ensemble Cycle Speedway project with Astley & Tinsley Cycle speedway Club Manchester European Capital of cycling Grant (Manchester Active) One To One Bike Maintenance & Up cycling (Mr Albert Mulando) Making Local Material Work Project in Cameroon ( Mia Feu Sooh , Buildwork Solutions, Mipromalo , BoueBi, Bi Construction) Ensemble Youth Zone project in Cameroon with FAECLyCK Future Projects & Applications for funding opened Connecting with our Cameroonian Roots ( National Lottery Heritage) Ensemble Cycle Speedway club (Cash4clubs grant with sported) Ensemble Cycle Speedway Club (The Geraint Thomas Cycling Club)

Prospective Funding Applications

Keeping Children Safe Youth Play and Participation Wraparound provision with Manchester Communication Academy Building Stronger Communities with

Networking, collaboration and Partnership

Cameroonian lead Communities: VT Creation, United Community and Hope Church, Longstu sport Management , Cameroonian Doctors, Cameroon Forum, Tropical Mini Market , United Community and hope church, 2-Zero Manchester Congolese Community: Union Bantu, NECOF TV, Mama Africa Ivory Cost Community: Kalisha African Food store Senegalese Community: Thiane Hair Dressing Local Communities and Businesses Miles Platting Community & Age Friendly, Nurturing Foundation, Manchester Settlement, Manchester Supplementary School Network,

ENSEMBLE MANCHESTER STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES RESPOSIBILTIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 05TH APRIL 2024

RESPONSIBILITIES OF TRUSTEES:

The Trustee are required to

• prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of its surplus and deficit for that period, In preparing those accounts, the Trustees are required to:

• Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently.

• Make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent.

• State whether applicable accounting standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that this basis applies.

• The Trustees are responsible for ensuring proper accounting records are maintained which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity.

• They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

• The Trustees may, in respect of any accounting year, elect under s133 charities Act 2011 to –

• (a) Prepare a receipts and payments account, and (b) prepare a statement of assets and liabilities, instead of a statement of accounts under section 132 (1) Charities Act 2011 if gross income in any financial year does not exceed £250,000. The Trustees have confirmed that an independent examination is required under section 145 Charities Act 2011.

(b) DECLARATION

The Trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees’ report above.

Signed Mr Jacques Kamwa (Trustee)

Date 04th February 2024

Unrestricted Restricted Endowment

Total Funds 2024 Incoming Resources

Donation, Grants and Legacies – (Restricted Funds) £21,167 Charitable Expenditure (Restricted & Unrestricted) £24,944

Net of Receipts/(Payments) £ -3,777

Income resources from generated funds £11,359

Resources Expended £9,700 Net of receipts/Payments £1659

Balance Brought down, At 06 April 2023 £7,017

Balance Brought forward, At 05 April 2024 £ 1664.97

ENSEMBLE MANCHESTER NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 05TH APRIL 2024

Accounting Policies Basis of preparation

The trustees have taken advantage of section 133 of the Charities Act 2011 and the Accounts have been prepared on receipt and payments basis in accordance with the Charity Commission guidance.

Analysis of resources expanded:

Project MANAGEMENT FEES Including Professional advisers: £24944 Premises Cost £9700 Volunteer Expenses 1,336 – Publicity Marketing 220 Interest on Loan 2,504 – Holiday activity programme – £21,167 Bank Charges £216 Trustees Declare that Xpert accountant will be reviewing current account no later than the end of week beginning 03/02/2025