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2022-04-02-accounts

Fightback Charity

Society of Disabled Refugees and Asylum Seekers

Annual Accounts and Reports

April 2022

Overview

Trustees’ Annual Report for year 2021/2022

Fightback was formed in Sunderland in 2004 as a multicultural, one-stop, holistic, user-led, not-forprofit organisation. Fightback continues to be one the only a few projects that works with people who experience multiple disadvantages arising out of intrinsic factors, such as, disability, race, ethnicity, language, cultural barriers and immigration status.

Fightback charity provided a range of practical, social and educational services and activities to refugees, asylum seekers, failed asylum seekers and other BME and marginalised groups. Fightback’s holistic approach aims to improve the mental health and the well-being of our clients by involving, supporting and engaging marginalized and disadvantaged individuals, facilitating autonomy, building confidence, reducing social isolation, and promoting integration into the wider community and community cohesion.

In March 2020, it was clear that the Covid19 pandemic was now a significant threat to public health. On 17/ 03/ 2020, Fightback held a committee meeting and decided that as our clients have complex physical and mental health issues and are therefore considered to be vulnerable, it was necessary to temporarily suspend our coffee morning, befriending service, and drop-in to minimise the risk of transmitting the virus.

However, as all the other partner organisations within the refugee network were closing their doors, we did not feel that it was in the best interest of our clients who are already some of the most vulnerable sections of society to close our doors and leave our clients cut off, isolated and without the help and support they need. Fightback Charity stepped up to become a frontline service provider by providing essential food supplies to our existing clients, while also supporting the disabled and elderly in the local community who are having to isolate or shield due to the Corona Virus. We adapted our services in the following ways:

Practical Services

In July 2020, Fightback was one of only a few organisations to reinstate our face-to-face services to provide practical help, advice and support they needed.

Fightback's holistic approach aims to reduce or remove this anxiety by engaging with, supporting, advocating, mediating and representing clients, while also providing practical information, advice, facilitating and enabling clients to deal with everyday practical issues, such as, reading, writing and

replying to letters, making appointments, paying bills, dealing with utilities, doctors, solicitors, hospitals, schools, social services, debt agencies and other service providers, applying for bank accounts, housing, driving licences, college courses, benefits, and jobs etc.

Clients often tell us that dealing with these practical everyday issues causes them the most stress in their lives because the processes, forms and criteria can be so complicated and confusing. However, feedback from our beneficiaries has indicated that knowing they can access help with working through these practical issues, in a welcoming, non-threatening, non-judgemental atmosphere really helps. It not only reduces stress and anxiety, but provides them with understanding, skills, and autonomy to be able to cope with the everyday issues and processes that effect their lives and improves resilience and life chances.

The Table below shows the amount of people we have helped from April 2021 to April 2022 .

Drop-in Advice Advocacy and Mediation Signposting
845 782 262 50

Form Filling

Fightback Charity reads and write letters on behalf of clients with language or cognitive difficulties and fills in a variety of forms including Housing application forms, housing benefit and council tax benefit, PIP, DLA, Universal Credit, ESA forms including medical questionnaire forms, driving licence, Passports, etc. Since April 2021 until April 2022, we have filled in 199 forms.

Provision of Food Parcels

Covid 19 created exceptional circumstances, and highlighted the issue of food poverty in Sunderland, increasing the demand for food parcels and hygienic products from 34 to 100+ parcels a week. This has increased again due to the increase in food prices and utility costs, making everyday living expenses less affordable.

We continue to distribute much needed food parcels each week to refugees, asylum seekers, failed asylum seekers, BME groups, the destitute, and local elderly and disabled residents who have no family or friends to support them, families on low income or universal credit.

A standard Food parcel will have a mixed selection of basic meal base makers, such as, Rice, Pasta and Potatoes, a selection of difference fresh vegetables and fruit, tinned foods such as tuna, ham, corned beef, beans and tomotoes, and every day essentials, such as, eggs, milk, bread, teabags etc, with food parcels varying in size according to the size of the family, to ensure that people have enough food for at least one nutritious cooked meal per day.

People struggled to get supplies for various reasons, such as:

Since April 2021 to April 2022, we have provided 5,466 Food Parcels to single people and families with children.

The following photos illustrate the work we are doing and the wide range of single people and families we help, including deliveries to the disabled, elderly, those who are shielding or live on the outskirts of Sunderland and are unable to travel on public transport due to the virus or lack of funds to

do so. We currently have clients throughout Sunderland and some clients in Gateshead, Newcastle, Washington, Fence Houses, Houghton-le-Spring, Hebburn, Murton and South Shields.

Food Parcels Referrals

Fightback continues to receive referral from other agencies, such as, the Red Cross, CAB, Churches, Sunderland City Council and Charities.

Provision of Hygiene Products

Many people who are locked in poverty or those who find themselves in times of crisis often experience severely restricted options. This leaves them caught between being able to heat their home, pay their rent, buy food or keep clean. Hygiene poverty can be shaming, humiliating and excluding and can result in social isolation. Hygiene poverty can lead to a lack of confidence and can negatively affect good health and mental well-being and social interaction . At Fightback we provide hygiene products everymonth to over 70 clients

Since April 2021 untill April 2022 we have provided 772 hygenic products to our clients.

Remote Practical Services

Fightback charity continued to maintain contact and provide advice, support, help and reassurance where possible remotely on a daily basis even during weekends. As a result, we were able to continue to:

Since April 2021 until April 2022, we have dealt with 824 enquiries.

Tabletop Day

Fightback takes in donations of previously loved items and then redistributes them free of charge to anyone in need at our tabletop days. Items include clothing, toys and household items.

Social Provisions

Coffee Morning and Befriending Services

As lock down was clearly having a negative impact on the mental health wellbeing of many of our clients we sort permission to use the large courtyard outside in July 2020 in order to reinstate our coffee morning to help to try and in-still a sense of normality to promote mental health wellbeing amongst our user groups.

This was vitally important as the aim of the coffee morning is to reduce social isolation and promote social inclusion. It also enables our clients to enjoy a range of hot and cold refreshments, such as, tea, coffee, drinking chocolate, dilute juice, fresh fruit, sandwiches, cheese and crackers, cakes, crisps, nuts, biscuits, toast, and soups, ensuring that some of our isolated clients can have hot food as this maybe the only hot food they have that day.

Throughout the summer and winter months our activities have remained outside to ensure we minimised the impact of spreading covid infections. Many families and single parents with children attended our coffee morning illustrating that people needed to socialize.

We have received positive feedback from our clients who are so happy to be able to get out again in a

safe and relaxed atmosphere.

Remote Befriending

Fightback adapted its befriending service to maintain contact through remote means to provide ongoing help, support, and reassurance via, phone, text, WhatsApp, Facebook, Messenger and Zoom.

Chat Club

Our ‘Community Chat Club’ gives people the opportunity to engage with other people, make positive social connections, make friends, have refreshments and breakdown barriers.

We provide a safe, friendly, relaxed environment where clients can talk about everyday life, their hopes, fears, plans for the future and mental health without being judged. They can share experiences, information, and strategies for coping with life’s ups and downs, connect with others who understand what they are going through, and be heard. This service is designed to build selfesteem, self-worth, and self-awareness, promote autonomy, and increase motivation.

Educational Services

Job Skill Support

Fightback provides advice on how to look for jobs and apply for them online, creating and updating CV's, advice on approaching an employer with you CV or where to look for advertised vacancies. We also provide guidance on updating Universal Credit journals and fulfilling job search requirements. This service increases skills, promotes autonomy, enables clients to take advantage of employment opportunities when they arise, prevents clients who are already economically and socially disadvantaged from being sanctioned by the DWP, and increases positive life chances.

Volunteers and Volunteering Opportunities

We have 15 dedicated volunteers on rotation who organise and run our weekly coffee morning, befriending service and drop-in services, collecting, packing, distributing and delivering food parcels. Fightback is a continuously evolving user led project that actively encourages user participation at every level and to take up various roles within the project, such as, acting as trustees and using their skills and competencies for the benefit of the whole project.

Whether it is simply giving their time to help organise and run the coffee morning, befriending, or drop-in service, provide or enhance their clerical skills and IT support, use their bilingual or multilingual skills to act as an interpreter or assemble and distribute food parcels. User participation through volunteering is essential as it helps us to continue to provide a wide range of services that are responsive to the needs of the users themselves. Also, providing our clients/users with volunteering opportunities also helps them to gain new or enhance transferable skills which they can then use to secure paid employment, college or university courses and Fightback is always happy to provide volunteers with references.

Other Services

Free Hair Cuts

As our clients have many challenges to face, one of them often being low self-esteem. A haircut can have a great effect on someone’s self-esteem, by giving them a real boost and feel good about themselves. We continued to provide free haircuts for our clients.

Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) and Christmas party

In December 2021 Fightback held two family fun days in conjunction with Sunderland Council and the Education Authority (out of school meals) to provide children with activities and a hot meal. 165 children and their families attended. Additionally, each child engaged in fun educational activities, got to see Santa, and received a present. While the parents were provided with 12 days of Christmas Food Hamper, providing enough fresh fruit, veg and other foods to make a breakfast, and main meal for a family of 4 for 12 days. We have been asked to provide similar events during the summer or in the winter break, illustrating our success at being able to support families with children with out of school activities.

Working in Partnership

Although many other organisations closed down to the general public and their clients during Covid19, Fightback maintained contact with these agencies and engaged in regular updates, urgent case referrals and collaborations behind the scenes via Zoom and Teams meetings. Many of these other organisations have now reopened and we continue to work closely with various charities, organisations and agencies, such as, NERS and the wider Connect network, MEARS, FODI, City of Sanctuary, ICOS, Action Foundation and Sunderland City Council.

Medical Placement

Fightback has been working with Sunderland University and have had three year 6 medical students assigned to our Charity as part of their community placements.

The students have visited our organisation on a few occasions and observed our activities, interacted with volunteers, did some background research and interviewed Fightback Charity’s staff. The students also spoke to other clients/ service users, to gain insight into the experiences of refugees, asylum seekers and minority ethnic groups.

British Empire Medal

In June 2021 Fightback charity received the fanastic news that our manager Matti had been awarded a BEM for charitable service in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear. Matti said: “It’s been team work though - without our team of fantastic volunteers, our trustees, our funders, we wouldn’t have been able to provide support during the pandemic and beyond.

Funding

National Lottery Community Fund

In Nov 2021, the, National Lottery Community Fund kindly donated funding for five years to cover the costs of our accommodation, rental, salary of our existing part-time manager and accountancy charges.

Fundraising 2021-2022

Thank You for your Support.

Business Information

Committee Members

Chairperson: Diana Lambton

Secretary: Sabina Bain Treasure: Claudia Conteh Committee Member: Monique Gorvel

Committee Member: Naghey Amine Masola Committee Member: Mohammad Azizi

Committee Member: Mahmood Sharif Rahim

Committee Member: Janet Nalweysio Committee Member: Daniel Pearce Committee Member: Ali Mirzaei

Accountants

Accountability Nautilus House, Durham Rd, Birtley, Chester-le-Street DH3 2PA

Bankers

4 Brindley Pl, Birmingham B1 2JB

Address

Fightback (Society for Disabled Refugees and Asylum Seekers) Registered Charity; Charity number: 1168874

Units 4-6. Eagle Building High Street East Sunderland SR1 2AX. Phone: 01915652707

Fightback Approval statement l approve these accounts which comprise the Income and Expenditure Account, the 8alan¢e Sheet and the related notes. l acknowledge my responsibility for the accounts. including the appropriateness of the accounting basis as set out in note 1, and for providing all the information and explanations necessary for their compilation. Diana Lamblon 30 September 2022

Fightback Accountsnts. report to the members on the unaudited accounts to Fightback You have approved the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2022 which comprise the Income and Expenditure Account, the Balance Sheet and the related notes. In accordance with your instructions. we have compiled these unaudrted accounts from the accounb'ng records and information and explanations Supplied to us. Accountability Accountants Nautilus House Durham Road 8irtley County Durham DH3 2PA 30 September 2022

Fightback In¢omg and Exp$ndlture Account for the year ended 31 March 2022 Totsl Funds 2022 Total Funds 2021 Unrestricted Restnded Funds Funds Incomlng mour¢ 29.6B3 73,253 103.136 154,757 Resources expended Wages, salaries and other staff costs Travel, volunteer expenses & ¢on$umables Rent. rates, power and insurance wsts Telephone, fax. static￿ery and other office costs Food parcels Bank. ¢redrt card and other finarTh charge$ Accountancy, legal and other wJfe$>onal lees Oth&r business expenses 29.313 7,015 29,313 7.490 23.171 7.376 8,403 2.650 41,524 144 558 3.191 475 2.1CYJ 1,226 521 39.930 93 $05 2,071 2,621 41.156 153 505 3,688 1.617 5.478 93.832 87.017 Surplus 24.405 15.101 67,740 Ba18nce brought forward 45,144 26.204 71,348 3,608 Balance carried forward 69,549 11.103 80.652 71,348

Fightback Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2022 Notr• 2022 2021 ¢urr•nt assets BankJbui￿In9 society balances Cash In hand 81.225 71.269 79 N•t ¢urr•nl ••••t• 80.652 71,348 Not 48s•ls 71.348 A¢cumulat•d fund Balance it sthrt of ￿r￿)d N•1 su￿1V$ Unr•stiKted R•strtt•d 45.144 26.204 24.40S 115.101 71.348 3.608 87,740 69.S49 11.103 80.852 71.348

Fightback Notes to tho Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2022 1 A¢eountlng ba•1• The acc¥)unts have bgtrn compil•d on a basis that enables Surplus￿ to te calculated in acci)rd8n￿ wfth UK Generally Accept¢d Accounbng Pracce and that provKs suffioent aTrJ re￿vant inftsmab.on to 8nable the complob.on ol a return rf n8cwary. 2 Sncom• and Exp•ndltur• a¢¢ount anaty• FuThJs FuThJ$ 2022 2021 InGomlng rg•our¢o• Fundraising 73.253 103,138 1S4.757 W•ge•. salirle• and oth•r •tsff co•ts Wages and sal8ri&s Pensions PAYE & NI 19,601 2.027 19.601 2,027 7.885 15,036 1,750 8.313 Bulldln9 C•p•b511tl•• Training & Developmenl & Ntsth'ng 72 29.313 Tr•v•l, volunt••r •xp•nM• •nd ¢onurnabl Con$umabl88 lor cJtszen5hip dasso$ Volunteer exper&￿5 lor des￿$ Volunteer teather •xwnse$ Volunt•8f ganeral exFen8•$ 475 7,015 R•nt. r•t••. pow•r and In¥urnn¢• ¢o•ts Rent Ra¢•8 Prop•rty in5urone• Expensed ¢qulpm•nt 7.805 276 825 7,805 276 825 8,175 278 318 1.834 8,403 T•l•phon•. lax, •tatlon•ry nd oth•r Offi￿ co•ts T8l•phone and lax & stats"onery Stats'on?ry and pnnltrng so1￿4r• 381 187 334 $88 722 1.331 2,621 1,040 512 1.098 1.331 2,100 521 Fogd par¢• Food parcel$ C88h dongtioni to lal￿d 8e¢k•rs T01kn￿$ for foibd asylum Mokors 39.134 39,213 38,298 20 5,206 41.524 1,147 1.943 41.156 39,930 Bank. cr•dlt cartl •nd oth•r fln•nu char9 Bank ¢har9e3 93 153 144 Aceountan¢y, 1ggAI and oth•r prof•ulon•l I Accountsnts fees 505 S58 othor bu•lM• •xp•n•o• Oth¢r suThJry costs Cov1￿19 Relatad costs Christmas Celebrationg 1.140 926 85 2.131 477 1.145 2.071 1.822 3.668 3,191

Fightback Note¥ to the Acctsunt8 for th• yearondgd 31 March 2022 3 Rejtrfjcted funda Balance a# 0¢ 1 Aprfl 2021 Tran•fvr B•tw••t) Funds B•l•nce 0$ at 31 March 2022 In¢omlng Outgolng Big Lottery F￿n￿ Grant Greatham Hospital 6.187 31,032 1,0 24,OCM) 29.882 1.000 22.378 5.000 1.OOD 17.233 9.350 2.513 88.3 7,337 1.771 3,395 Jame$ KnottTru$l Gr¢undwtyk (One Stop Bag Lovyl PoslGode T[￿•t￿ For c￿l￿ren Di$abiltyA¢bon 17.233 9,721 371 73,253

(HARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND ANO WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of Fighlback On accounts for the year ended 3010412022 Charity no (if any) 1168874 Sèt out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity {'the Trust") for the year ended 3010412022. Rosponslbllltlo8 and basis of rèport As the charity's trustees, you are r88ponsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the A¢t'l. I report in respect of my examination of the Trust'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)Ibl of the Act. Independent I havè completed my examination. l Gonfim that no material matters have examlner's statement come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than thal disclosed below ') which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect.. the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act., or the accounts did not accord with the accounting records., or the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements Con￿rning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair, view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no concems and have come across no other matters in connection with the examinalion to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a prop8r understanding of the accounts to be reached, Please delete th8 words in the brackets if they do not apply. Signed: Date: 2410112023 Name: Mr Chnstopher Younger MAAT Relevant professional qualification{sl or body (If any): Association of Accounting Techni¢ians Addr88S: 1 Burnway, Albany IER Oct 2018

Washington Ne37 1 BG Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts.. directions and guidanGe for examiners). Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose. IER Oct 2018