## **Fightback Charity**
Society of Disabled Refugees and Asylum Seekers
## Annual Accounts and Reports
April 2024
## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the Year 2023/2024**
## **Overview**
Fightback was formed in Sunderland in 2004 as a multicultural, one-stop, holistic, user-led, not-for-profit organisation. Fightback continues to be one of 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 provides 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 well-being of our clients by involving, supporting and engaging marginalised and disadvantaged individuals, facilitating autonomy, building confidence, reducing social isolation, and promoting integration into the wider community and community cohesion.
## **Practical Services**
## **Drop-in Service**
Our twice-weekly Drop-in service provides a wide range of practical support, offering clients advice and assistance with everyday challenges. From reading and replying to letters to making appointments, paying bills, dealing with utilities, and navigating complex systems like housing, benefits, or job applications, we’re here to help. Fightback takes a holistic approach, advocating for, and supporting clients while also empowering them with the skills and understanding needed to tackle these issues independently. Many clients tell us that these everyday tasks are a significant source of stress due to their complexity, but knowing they have access to help in a welcoming, non-judgmental environment makes a big difference.
By reducing anxiety and providing practical tools and guidance, we aim to increase resilience, build autonomy, and enhance life chances for those who we serve. We also provide access to phones, the internet, the use of a laptop and a printer.
From April 2023 to April 2024, we provided Advice to 1,008 clients and Advocacy/Mediation on behalf of 225 clients.
## **Form Filling**
Our service is an absolute lifeline for many clients who face challenges with language, reading, writing, or understanding complex forms that are required to access essential support.
Fightback provides hands-on assistance by writing letters and completing forms on behalf of clients with language or cognitive difficulties. These forms include housing applications, housing and council tax benefits, PIP, DLA, Universal Credit, ESA medical questionnaires, driving licenses, passports, and more. Between April 2023 and April 2024, we have successfully filled out 211 forms, ensuring our clients can access the services and benefits they need, while alleviating stress and providing essential support to navigate these oftencomplicated processes.
## **Provision of Food Parcels**
The demand for food support at Fightback continues to increase weekly and extends beyond our usual user groups, such as, refugees, asylum seekers and failed asylum seekers, to other BME groups, the elderly, disabled, students, benefits claimants, and low-income working families. In recent months we have had increasing numbers of people requesting support and accessing our services from Ukraine, Afghanistan, Sudan and some South American countries.
Although utility prices have fallen over the past year, according to National Energy Action (NEA, 2024) around 6 million people are still struggling to pay gas and electricity charges, with over 5.3 million in debt to their energy suppliers, as prices remain significantly higher than the pre-cost-of-living crisis. In October 2024 the inflation rate for food prices was 1.9%, compared to the record high of 19.1% in March 2023. However, the prices of food products have not fallen back to their pre cost of living crisis levels, making staples such as, Eggs, Bread, Milk, Oil, Meat, Rice, Potatoes, Cheese, Pasta, Vegetables and fruit, unaffordable for
many households. The high costs of food and utilities are massively impacting millions of people as they struggle with debt, and forcing them to choose between warmth, food, and juggling other household and living expenses. Fightback continues to receive referrals from other agencies, such as CAB, churches, Sunderland City Council and other charities.
From April 2023 till April 2024, we provided 6,002 food parcels to single people and families with children.
## **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, mental well-being and social interaction **.**
At Fightback we provide hygiene products to clients. From April 2023 to April 2024, we gave out 1,575 hygiene items.
## **Social Services and Activities**
Fightback holds a twice weekly **'Coffee Morning' and 'Befriending Service'.** These social activities enable people to come together and enjoy a selection of refreshments in a safe and welcoming environment. Our aim is to reduce social isolation and loneliness, while promoting social inclusion and good mental health wellbeing amongst our user groups. 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 and socialize in safe and relaxed atmosphere.
From April 2023 to April 2024, we have provided refreshments to 8,580 people.
The **Chat Club:** gives people the opportunity to engage with others, make positive social connections and break down 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 worries 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 self-esteem, self-worth, and selfawareness, promote autonomy and increase motivation.
## **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. This helps vulnerable individuals access everyday essentials, which can often be expensive and unaffordable for many people, fosters community support, and benefits the environment by reducing waste and promoting reuse, creating a positive impact on society and sustainability.
## **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 20 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, or providing free haircuts, this support is valuable and appreciated. 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. Providing our clients/users with volunteering opportunities helps them to gain new skills or enhance transferable skills which they can then use to secure paid employment or go on to enrol on college or university courses. Fightback is always happy to provide volunteers with references and letters of support.
## **Other Services**
## **Free Hair Cuts**
Many of our clients face numerous challenges, with low self-esteem being a common hurdle. Something as simple as a haircut can have a profound impact, offering a real boost to their confidence and helping them feel good about themselves. Recognizing this, we have continued to provide free haircuts for our clients, ensuring they experience this small but meaningful gesture of care and support. More recently, we now have a female hairdresser, who provides free haircuts for women.
## **Christmas Hampers**
In December 2023, we provided Christmas Food Hampers to family and single people in need. This heartfelt initiative aimed to bring joy and warmth to those facing challenges during the holiday season, ensuring that they could experience the spirit of Christmas. We also made the holidays special for the children of our clients by providing each of them with a thoughtful gift,
ensuring that the magic of the season reached the younger members of the community as well.
## **Coronation Honor for Our Charity**
Our manager was deeply honoured to attend the Coronation at Westminster Abbey, a historic and momentous occasion. Representing our charity, city and region, at such a prestigious event was a privilege and a testament to the impact of our work within the community
## **Medical Placement Partnership with Sunderland University**
Fightback Charity has teamed up with Sunderland University to host medical students as part of their community placements. The students have observed our activities, interacted with volunteers, and gained valuable insights by speaking to clients, staff, and learning about their diverse experiences. At the end of the placement, the students provided informative posters about our services.
## **Sunderland University Business School**
In addition, business students externally reviewed our services and provided detailed recommendations to help improve our operations and impact.
## **Funding**
## **National Lottery Community Fund**
In Nov 2021, the, The National Lottery Community Fund – Reaching Communities, kindly donated funding for five years to cover the costs of our accommodation, rental, salary of our existing part-time manager and accountancy charges.
## **Household Support Fund**
Between November 2023 and March 2024, Fightback acted on behalf of Sunderland City Council to distribute Household Support Fund grants to families and individuals in need. Fightback distributed £5,630 of grants.
## **Fundraising 2023-2024**
- Jill and Norman Franklin Trust
- City of Sunderland Council
- Barbour Trust
- Community Foundation
- Groundwork
- Cash Philanthropy Donation
- Fightback is currently being supported by Sunderland City Council with Fareshare donations which help us to provide a wide range of food products in our food parcels.
## **Thank You for your Support**
- To all our funders for their kind generosity
- Greggs (Union Street Sunderland), who provides unsold pastries for our coffee mornings.
- Sunderland City Council for financially supporting us with Food share contributions towards our weekly food bank.
- SVP Charity for their kind donations
- Sunderland Police Constabulary Community Officers.
- Northumbria Fire Brigade.
- Chris Howson, Sunderland University Chaplin
- Fightback charity trustees, staff and volunteers.
## **Business Information**
## **Committee Members**
Chairperson: Diana Lambton
Treasurer: David Lowther
Committee Member: Monique Gorvel
Committee Member: Claudia Conteh
Committee Member: Sabina Bain
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**
Unity Trust: 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**
I approve these accounts which comprise the Income and Expenditure Account, the Balance Sheet and the related notes. I 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 Lambton
10 January 2025
## **Fightback**
## **Accountants' report to the members on the unaudited accounts to Fightback**
You have approved the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2024 which comprise the Income and Expenditure Account, the Balance Sheet and the related notes. In accordance with your instructions, we have compiled these unaudited accounts from the accounting records and information and explanations supplied to us.
Accountability Accountants
Nautilus House Durham Road Birtley County Durham DH3 2PA
10 January 2025
## **Fightback**
## **Income and Expenditure Account for the year ended 31 March 2024**
|**Fightback**
**Income and Expenditure Account**
|||
|---|---|---|
|**for the year ended 31 March 2024**
**Incoming resources**
**Resources expended**
Wages, salaries and other staff costs
Travel, volunteer expenses & consumables
Rent, rates, power and insurance costs
Telephone, fax, stationery and other office costs
Food parcels
Household Support Fund
Bank, credit card and other finance charges
Accountancy, legal and other professional fees
Other business expenses
**Surplus**
Balance brought forward
Balance carried forward|Total
Unrestricted
Restricted
Funds
Funds
Funds
**2024**
**£**
**£**
**£**
48,673
51,278
99,951
-
21,158
21,158
6,825
-
6,825
644
9,674
10,318
1,902
-
1,902
29,364
17,646
47,010
-
5,630
5,630
143
46
189
634
2,208
2,842
1,058
-
1,058
40,570
56,362
96,932
8,103
(5,084)
3,019
71,956
14,099
86,055
80,059
9,015
89,074|Total
Funds
**2023**
**£**
78,732
18,715
6,920
9,295
2,906
33,121
-
193
640
1,539|
|||73,329|
||||
|||5,403|
|||80,652
86,055|
## **Fightback Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2024**
|**Notes**
**Current assets**
Bank/building society balances
Cash in hand
**Current liabilities**
Trade creditors
**Net current assets**
**Net assets**
**Accumulated fund**
Balance at start of period
Net surplus
**3**|98,478
171
98,649
9,575
Unrestricted Restricted
71,956
14,099
8,103
(5,084)
80,059
9,015|98,478
171|**2024**
**£**
89,074|86,665
49|**2023**
**£**
86,055|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||98,649||86,714||
|||9,575||659||
|||||||
||||89,074||86,055|
||||86,055
3,019||80,652
5,403|
||||89,074||86,055|
**Fightback Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2024**
## **1 Accounting basis**
The accounts have been compiled on a basis that enables surpluses to be calculated in accordance with UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice and that provides sufficient and relevant information to enable the completion of a tax return if necessary.
|**2**
**Income and Expenditure account analysis**
**Incoming resources**
Fundraising
**Wages, salaries and other staff costs**
Wages and salaries
Pensions
PAYE & NI
**Travel, volunteer expenses and consumables**
Volunteer general expenses
**Rent, rates, power and insurance costs**
Rent
Rates
Property insurance
Water rates
**Telephone, fax, stationery and other office costs**
Telephone and fax & stationery
Stationery and printing
Software
**Food parcels**
Food parcels
Household Support Fund
Toiletries for failed asylum seekers
**Household Support Fund**
Household Support Fund
**Bank, credit card and other finance charges**
Bank charges
**Accountancy, legal and other professional fees**
Accountants fees
Other legal and professional
Interpreter
Organisational Development
**Other business expenses**
Other sundry costs
Christmas Celebrations|Unrestricted Restricted
Funds
Funds
**£**
**£**
48,673
51,278|**2024**
**£**
99,951
9,910
1,333
9,915
21,158
6,825
8,863
372
439
644
10,318
761
374
767
1,902
44,665
-
2,345
47,010
5,630
5,630
189
189
708
26
-
2,108
2,842
1,058
-
1,058|**2023**
**£**
78,732|
|---|---|---|---|
||-
9,910
-
1,333
-
9,915||13,549
1,359
3,807|
||-
21,158||18,715|
||6,825
-||6,920|
||-
8,863
-
372
-
439
644
-||8,619
412
264
-|
||644
9,674||9,295|
||761
-
374
-
767
-||766
1,017
1,123|
||1,902
-||2,906|
||27,019
17,646
-
-
2,345
-||29,732
-
3,389|
||29,364
17,646||33,121|
||5,630||-|
||-
5,630||-|
||143
46||193|
||143
46||193|
||-
708
26
-
-
-
608
1,500||578
26
36
-|
||634
2,208||640|
||1,058
-
-
-||1,416
123|
||1,058
-||1,539|
## **Fightback Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2024**
## **3 Restricted funds**
|**Restricted funds**||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|The National Lottery Community Fund – Reaching Communities
Jill Franklin Trust
Community Foundation
HSF4 Fund
Groundwork UK -Tesco|**Balance as**
**at 1 April**
**2023**
**£**
13,987
-
111
-
-
14,098|**Incoming**
**£**
28,199
17,160
-
5,545
375
51,279|**Transfer**
**Between**
**Funds**
**£**
-
-
-
-
-|**Outgoing**
**£**
33,087
17,160
111
5,629
375
56,362|**Balance as**
**at 31 March**
**2024**
**£**
9,099
-
-
(84)
-|
||||||9,015|
(HARITY COMMISSION
FOR ENGLAND AND WALES
Independent examiner's report on the
accounts
Section A
Independent Examinerfs Report
Report to the trusteesl
members of
Fightback
On accounts for the year
ended
3010412024
Charity no
{if any)
1168874
Set out on pages
Irpmpmbpr to inr.IiJrJ?. thp oAnp nijmhp.rs tsl adc4ilional sheel8.,
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above
charity ("the Trust") for the year ended 30 104 12024.
Responslbllltles and
basis of report
As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the
accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011
("the Act").
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)(b) of the Act.
Independent I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have
examiner's statement come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that
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
concerning 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 concerns and have come across no other matters in connection
with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in
order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply.
Sig
Date:
3010112025
Name:
Miss Darna Leng MAAT
Relevant professional
qualification(s) or body
(if any):
Association of Accounting Technicians
Address:
46 Fordlance Place
IER
Oct 2018
Sunderland
SR4 6UR
Section B
Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern
(see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts.. directions and
guidance for examiners).
Give here brief details of
any items that the
examiner wishes to
disclose.
IER
Oct 2018