2022-03-31-accounts

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From Period start date 1.4.2021 To Period end date 31.3.2022

Charity name: Herts for Refugees

Charity registration number: 1167716

Objectives and Activities

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SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of Para 1.17 We collect vital aid to support asylum
the charity as set out in its seekers and refugees wherever there is
governing document need. We undertake fundraising activities
to support these vulnerable people and to
provide donations to grass roots
organisations working on the ground with
asylum seekers, primarily in France,
Greece, Ukraine and neighbouring
countries, Lebanon and Syria or wherever
there is need.
Summary of the main Para 1.17 and Collection of items donated for asylum
1.19
activities in relation to those seekers and refugees (clothing, shoes,
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Objectives and Activities	Objectives and Activities	Objectives and Activities
SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document Para 1.17 We collect vital aid to support asylum seekers and refugees wherever there is need. We undertake fundraising activities to support these vulnerable people and to provide donations to grass roots organisations working on the ground with asylum seekers, primarily in France, Greece, Ukraine and neighbouring countries, Lebanon and Syria or wherever there is need.
Summary of the main activities in relation to those	Para 1.17 and 1.19	Collection of items donated for asylum seekers and refugees (clothing, shoes,
purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts.		hygiene products, sleeping bags, tents and other items as required). Shipment of donated items to grass roots organisations. Distribution of clothing, shoes, hygiene products and other items as required to residents of initial accommodation in Hertfordshire (asylum seekers) Information sharing with many local schools to support their fundraising and learning with regard to the Ukraine Refugee situation. Education activities relating to the wider refugee situation globally. This was our largest single fundraising activity to date. Festival salvage re-started with many tents and sleeping bags collected and saved from landfill. These were taken to Northern France in collaboration with Hope and Aid Direct. Collaborative work with other refugee supporting charities on a local, national and international basis.

Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit	Para 1.18	Trustees have been reminded of and read the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

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SORP reference
Para 1.38
Policy on grant making
Para 1.38
Policy on social investment
including program related
investment
We continue to be a charity run by
Para 1.38 volunteers who take no salary. Our
Contribution made by volunteers are an invaluable part of our
volunteers team with a very large number helping at
festival salvage each summer. We are also
immensely grateful to the people who pay
to go to Calais and Dunkirk to volunteer on
the ground there.
Our volunteers contribute in the following
ways:
● Sharing and building awareness
through social media
● Helping at online and in person
events
● Collecting donations
● Delivering aid to initial
accommodation
● Organising shipments to other
countries
● Attending meetings
● Developing and running fundraising
events
● Sorting donations into boxes prior to
shipment
● Accounts
● Attending Refugee Charity Network
meetings
● Attending multi-disciplinary
meetings regarding support of
asylum seekers in initial
accommodation
Other
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Achievements and Performance

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SORP reference
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Achievements and Performance	Achievements and Performance	Achievements and Performance
SORP reference
Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole.	Para 1.20	April 2021 saw the UK and the world starting to return to some normality with the end of lockdown on March 29th. The world of refugee support was saddened by the passing of Brian Donnelly and Herts for Refugees took part in a collaborative fundraising effort with other refugee charities. Our first shipment to France following Brexit was delivered on 15thApril, which was much cause for celebration. We also got back to collecting aid in person at our collection point and inviting volunteers to sort the donations into boxes ready for shipment. Masks and social distancing were still required and groups of less than 6. To celebrate Eid, our new trustee, Salma Khanum, organised the Ten for Ten fundraiser. We raised over £1000 to support the residents of our local hotel to have some personal treat bags made up for them. It was a heartfelt and successful campaign. In June we celebrated Refugee Week (with the theme of ‘We cannot walk alone’) by having a wellbeing walk through the beautiful Ashridge estate. Our trustee, Laura Hussey, walked the 13.1 miles of St Albans Half Marathon to raise funds and awareness. We also held a street market to raise awareness and sell our T-shirts. Herts for Refugees is gaining a good reputation locally and nationally for the great work done by our volunteer run charity. The most exciting part of Summer 2021 was the return of Festival Salvage which sees us save hundreds of tents and sleeping bags from landfill. We were able to salvage at Reading and Isle of Wight festivals which is many fewer than normal but still great to be back. We worked with Hope and Aid Direct to send the tents and sleeping bags to Northern France ready for the hard and cold winter season. In September 2021 the Refugee Charity Network’s nappy appeal was launched

which was a national collaboration. Over September and October a huge amount of nappies were donated and funds raised to send money to Greece and a shipment of nappies to Syria. We also held another market stall in St Albans where we promoted the orange hearts campaign to celebrate 70 years since the signing of the 1951 Refugee Convention. Locals signed orange hearts and wrote messages of solidarity which we shared with Together with Refugees. In November we contributed to and raised awareness of the Big Give organised by the Refugee Charity Network and Donate for Refugees (now For Refugees). A huge £36, 000 was raised. In December Christmas gift bags were created to bring some festive cheer to the residents of the local hotel in which we were supporting. Our inaugural February Freeze, which saw a number of trustees and volunteers sleep in tents in freezing temperatures raised both funds and awareness of the inhospitable conditions in which many refugees and asylum seekers must live. The Russian invasion of Ukraine led to a huge global outpouring of support for refugees. We were approached by the head of a local school who wanted to coordinate a day of action. We explained how it would be more useful to us if we could use money raised to help all refugees and not just those from Ukraine and the young people agreed that this is what they wanted to do. We were delighted with the generosity of the local community during the ‘Reach out for Refugees’ day on March 21[st] . Schools did educational activities and fundraising activities. It allowed us to support so many vital charities on the ground in and near Ukraine, in the Balkans and in Northern France. As the Year 2021-2022 came to an end we were excited to be organising a trip to France for volunteers to support on the ground. Our trip in April 2022 would be the first one since the pandemic started in 2020. As always we could not achieve what we do without our volunteers and supporters. We thank them all.

Additional information (optional)

You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Achievements against objectives set	Para 1.41
Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set	Para 1.41
Investment performance against objectives	Para 1.41
Other

Financial Review

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Review of the charity’s Para 1.21 Income during the year: £40, 081.47
financial position at the end Spending during the year: £24, 773.
of the period
Closing balance: £26, 619.82
Statement explaining the Para 1.22 We retain funds in order to be able to
policy for holding reserves respond to emergency requirements. We
stating why they are held aim to keep at least £1, 000 in reserve and
up to £5, 000.
Amount of reserves held Para 1.22 Closing balance at the end of financial year:
£26, 619.82
Our most successful campaign occurred in
March/April 2022 (spanning two financial
years). Trustee spending decisions were
made in April 2022 to use increased funds
to support refugee groups operating on the
ground.
Reasons for holding zero Para 1.22 n/a
reserves
Details of fund materially in Para 1.24 n/a
deficit
Explanation of any Para 1.23 n/a
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern
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Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising)	Para 1.47	Donations through JustGiving, Facebook, Paypal and our bank account (as advertised on our website). Fundraising activities – February Freeze, Reach out for Refugees, Ten for Ten, market stalls.
Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted	Para 1.46	n/a
A description of the principal risks facing the charity	Para 1.46	Difficulties created by the departure from the European Union with regard to the shipment of aid to Europe. Dependency on CEO (trustee) for logistics and day-to-day running of charity. Finding enough volunteer time to run social media sites, run campaigns, manage volunteers.
Other

Structure, Governance and Management

Description of charity’s trusts:
Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter)	Para 1.25	CIO foundation as registered on 20thJune 2016.
How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO)	Para 1.25	CIO
Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees	Para 1.25	Discussion amongst trustees and noted in the trustee minutes that agreement had been reached.

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Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
Policies and procedures
adopted for the induction Para 1.51
and training of trustees
The charity has a horizontal hierarchy. All
strategic decisions are discussed and
The charity’s organisational agreed by trustees.
structure and any wider Para 1.51
network with which the The charity collaborates with and is part of
charity works the Refugee Charity Network, which is a
national network of similar charities. The
aim is to pool resources and expertise and
to increase awareness of the plight and
needs of refugees and maximise
effectiveness of fundraising and aid.
Relationship with any Para 1.51
related parties
Other
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Reference and Administrative details

Charity name	Herts for Refugees
Other name the charity uses
Registered charity number	1157716

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Charity’s principal address 178 Bishops Rise
Hatfield
Herts
AL10 9QY
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Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

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Nam
e of
pers
on
(or
body
Dates acted if not for whole )
Trustee name Office (if any)
year entitl
ed to
appo
int
trust
ee (if
any)
Angus Clark CEO (day-to-day
1 running of the
charity)
2 Laura Hussey Chair
3 Flip Pike
4 Sue Billington Safeguarding lead
5 Helen Furse Treasurer
6 Mark Lampert
7 Salma Khanum
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
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– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved

Director name

Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity

Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year

Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others

Description of the assets held in this capacity Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets

Additional information (optional)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

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Type of Name Address
adviser
Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)
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Exemptions from disclosure

Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details

Other optional information

Declarations

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

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

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Angus Clark
Signature(s) Laura Hussey
Angus Clark
Full name(s) Laura Hussey
Position (eg Chair
Secretary, Chair, etc)
Date
23.1.23
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- Herts for Refugees Income and Expense Statement to 31.03.22

Metro Bank Paypal Total Bank Balance Income Subscription Donation Campaign Donation Other Income Total Income Expenses Gift Purchases Expenses Travel Training Rental Insurance Branded Website Marketing Just Giving Facebook Bank Charge Miscellaneous General Currency Conversion Total Expenses	Opening Balance 01.04.21	Closing balance 31.03.22
	10,208.47 1,105.84 11,314.31 Movement inyear	17,358.23 9,261.59 26,619.82 15,305.51
	704.00 8,018.89 28,833.44 2,525.14
	17,107.50 2,518.61 2,644.77 641.06 91.00 132.96 157.00 784.34 15.00 20.00 316.00 184.96 59.09 5.20 98.47	40,081.47 24,775.96
	Total Income over Expenses	15,305.51

Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of Herts for Refugees (Charity number 1167716) I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Herts for Refugees for the year ended 31 March 2022

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity trustees of the Charity, Herts for Refugees you are responsible for the preparation of I report in respect of my examination of the Charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

I have completed by examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in

1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Charity as required by section 130 of the Act;

2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

3. the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content

of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to

Signed:

Name: Elizabeth Russell (CIMA) Address: Chouans Barn, Hawridge Lane, Bellingdon HP5 2XX Date:30.01.2023