Charity registration number:1169819
The Roma Project
Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31st March 2021
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The Roma Project
Contents
for the year ended 31st March 2021
| Reference and Administrative Details | 3 |
|---|---|
| Trustees’ Report | 4 |
| Objectives and Activities | 4 |
| Achievements and Performance | 4-5 |
| Financial Review | 5-6 |
| Structure, Governance and Management | 6 |
| Trustee’s Responsibilities | 6 |
| Independent Examiners Report | 7 |
| Statement of Financial Activities | 8 |
| Balance Sheet | 9 |
| Statement of cash flows | 10 |
| Notes to the financial statements | 11-13 |
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The Roma Project Reference and Administrative Details for the year ended 31st March 2021
Trustees Dave Faires - Chairperson Michelle Webb - Treasurer Rosamaria Kostic Cisneros Secretary Anca Pop Principal Office Oakwood House Cheylesmore Coventry CV1 2HL Charity Registration Number 1169819 Bankers Barclays Bank Independent examiner Wendy Stanyon
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The Roma Project
Trustees’ Annual Report
for the year ended 31st March 2021
The Trustees are pleased to present the annual report of The Roma Project which was registered as a charitable incorporated organisation number 1169819 on 20th October 2016.
Objectives and activities
The Roma Project, which is based in Coventry, offers free and confidential information, advice and support across the city.
Main activities
We help to identify and claim benefits, to challenge decisions, to advise on strategies for dealing with problem debt, housing, education, to negotiate with creditors and to provide information and support on a range of other social welfare issues.
Our service is delivered from community outreach venues across the city where we offer a mix of ‘drop-in’ sessions and pre-booked appointments. Our service model is focused on reaching Roma people where they live, in their own neighbourhoods, in areas of greatest need.
By offering high quality advice and information services within the city we will help the Roma people to make informed decisions and choices that affect their lives. We do not seek to create a dependency on our service for assistance; instead we strive to empower people to recognise their rights and entitlements, to claim the benefits they need and to help find realistic solutions to financial problems.
Long-time objectives
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To continue to offer accessible advice and information services in neighbourhoods across the city;
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To seek opportunities for enhancing our service to Coventry Roma community;
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The Roma Project
Trustees’ Annual Report
for the year ended 31st March 2021
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To help address poverty and inequality by increasing the take-up of benefits and by offering debt advice and casework ;
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To attract additional volunteers to support our service delivery ;
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To play a part in the life of the city through engagement with local initiatives, policy work and campaigns;
Achievements and Performance
We know that we made a real difference for the people who come to see us. We assisted people to secure income that they are entitled to. We helped people to take more control of their finances. We increased income security and stability. Our work has had wider impacts, such as improving health, self-confidence and employability. We opened and resolved over 1994 new case files in 2020/2021. Enquiries about welfare benefits remain the highest category and issues with debt, housing and money advice issues remain the second largest category of work. Settled status enquires have become one of the main issues due to Brexit Settlement Scheme. More than a half of our open cases have been about residence and settled status applications. With the new Coronavirus situation, our organisation had to close down during the first lockdown and our staff had to provide support and assistance through our social media platforms, email and telephone. Due to the pandemic our organisation had to adjust and started to offer support to clients how and where to seek medical advice, how to get tested for the new Coronavirus but also how to stay safe and protect other people. Our service continues to have 1 day drop-in advice sessions per week and 4 days appointment sessions per week, but as mentioned above due to lockdown the number of people contacting our services via telephone, email and through social media platforms has increased.
Financial Review
During the year, the Roma Project was successful in securing funding from the Big Lottery to continue its charitable objectives for 2 more years. Additional funding Big Lottery was granted to ensure the continuance of the project due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
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The Roma Project
Trustees’ Annual Report
for the year ended 31st March 2021
The trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity will continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future (being over 12 months from the date of signing this report) and have therefore, used the going concern basis in preparing these financial statements.
Structure, governance and management
The Roma Project is constituted as a registered charitable incorporated organisation. Trustees of the charity are appointed following a skills-based audit and interview process with recommended appointments subject to election at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). At each AGM, one-third of the trustees must retire from office but are able to seek re-election. The trustees are also able to co-opt board members during the year, using the same skillsbased approach.
Trustee’s responsibilities
The trustees are responsible for preparing the trustees' report and the financial statements in accordance with the United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law and regulations. Charity law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under law the trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for that period. The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charity’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity.
The annual report was approved by the trustees of the charity on 21 September 2021 and signed on its behalf by;
Dave Faires
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The Roma Project
Independent Examiner’s Report
for the year ended 31st March 2021
I report on the accounts of the Roma Project for the year ended 31 March 2020 which are set out on pages 8 to 13.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
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examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act;
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to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and
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to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of independent examiner's report
My examination was carried out in accordance with the general directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair view' and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
Independent examiner's statement
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
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(1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
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to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; and
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to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act have not been met; or
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(2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Wendy Stanyon
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The Roma Project
Statement of Financial Activities
For the year ended 31 March 2021
| Note Income from: Donations 2 Charitable activities 3 Other Total Incoming Resources Expenditure on: Charitable Activities 4 Total Resources Expended Net income/(expenditure) for the year Total funds bought forward Transfers Funds Carried Forward |
Unrestricted Funds £ 550 21,628 - |
Restricted Funds £ - 109,022 - |
2021 £ 550 130,650 - |
Unrestricted Funds £ 4,885 - - |
Restricted Funds £ - 90,980 - |
2020 £ 4,885 90,980 - |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22,178 | 109,022 | 131,200 | 4,885 | 90,980 | 95,865 | |
| (1,700) | 104,473 | 102,773 | (2,451) | 98,628 | 96,177 | |
| (1,700) | 104,473 | 102,773 | (2,451) | 98,628 | 96,177 | |
| 23,878 52 200 |
4,549 54,221 (200) |
28,427 54,273 - |
7,336 (7,085) (199) |
(7,648) 61,670 199 |
(312) 54,585 - |
|
| 24,130 | 58,570 | 82,700 | 52 | 54,221 | 54,273 |
The Statement of Financial Activities includes all gains and losses in the year.
All incoming resources and resources expended derive from continuing activities. There were no other recognised gains or losses other than those stated above. Movements in funds are disclosed in Note 8.
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The Roma Project
Balance Sheet
at 31 March 2021
| Notes Current Assets Debtors 6 Cash at bank and in hand 7 Current Liabilities Amounts due within 1 year 8 Net Current Assets Total Assets less Current Liabilities Net Assets Financed by: Restricted Funds 9 Unrestricted Funds 10 |
£ £ 1,453 86,561 88,014 (5,314) 82,700 82,700 82,700 58,570 24,130 82,700 2021 |
£ £ 1,453 86,561 88,014 (5,314) 82,700 82,700 82,700 58,570 24,130 82,700 2021 |
£ £ - 59,788 59,788 (5,515) 54,273 54,273 54,273 54,221 52 54,273 2020 |
£ £ - 59,788 59,788 (5,515) 54,273 54,273 54,273 54,221 52 54,273 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 88,014 (5,314) |
59,788 (5,515) |
|||
| 82,700 | 54,273 | |||
| 82,700 | 54,273 | |||
| 58,570 24,130 |
54,221 52 |
|||
| 82,700 | 54,273 |
The Trustees declare they have approved the accounts above. Signed on behalf of the Board of Trustees:
Signed _____ Director
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The Roma Project
Statement of Cash Flows
For the year ended 31 March 2021
| Net cash provided by/ (used in) operating activities Net income/(expenditure) for the reporting period (as per statement of financial activities) Increase in debtors Decrease in creditors Change in cash and cash equivalents in the year Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year |
2021 £ 28,427 (1,453) (201) |
2020 £ (312) - (6,428) |
|---|---|---|
| 26,773 59,788 |
(6,740) 66,528 |
|
| 86,561 | 59,788 |
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The Roma Project
Notes to the accounts
For the year ended 31 March 2021
1. Accounting policies
Basis of the preparation of the accounts
These financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention and the Financial Reporting Standard 102.
Income
All material incoming resources have been included on a receivable basis – i.e. they are included if the date receivable falls within the period covered by these accounts.
Expenditure
These have been analysed using a natural classification.
Depreciation
There are no assets requiring capitalisation or depreciation.
2. Income from donations
| Income from donations | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Donations Income charitable activities The Big Lottery - COVID The Big Lottery - Reaching Communities Coventry City Council - Community Champions Fund |
Unrestricted Funds £ 550 |
Restricted Funds £ - |
2021 Total £ 550 |
Unrestricted Funds £ 4,885 |
Restricted Funds £ - |
2020 Total £ 4,885 |
| Unrestricted Funds £ - 21,628 - |
Restricted Funds £ 78,920 28,800 1,302 |
2021 Total £ 78,920 50,428 1,302 |
Unrestricted Funds £ - - - |
Restricted Funds £ 90,980 - - |
2020 Total £ 90,980 - - |
|
| 21,628 | 109,022 | 130,650 | - | 90,980 | 90,980 |
3. Income charitable activities
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The Roma Project
Notes to the accounts
For the year ended 31 March 2021
4. Cost of Charitable Activities by Fund Type
| Unrestricted Funds £ (4,000) - - - 400 - 446 - 1,110 - 341 - - - - 3 - - - - |
Restricted Funds £ 91,552 1,543 - - - - - 2,500 4,852 699 225 - 48 171 203 983 200 881 516 100 - |
2021 Total £ 87,552 1,543 - - 400 - 446 2,500 4,852 1,809 225 341 48 171 203 983 203 881 516 100 - |
Unrestricted Funds £ (3,000) - - - 105 120 - - - - - 320 - - - - 4 - - - |
Restricted Funds £ 76,615 5,020 120 239 1,592 50 - 4,000 - 1,701 - - 72 - 313 983 - 552 7,141 155 75 |
2020 Total £ 73,615 5,020 120 239 1,697 170 - 4,000 - 1,701 - 320 72 - 313 983 4 552 7,141 75 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (1,700) | 104,473 | 102,773 | (2,451) | 98,628 | 96,022 |
5. Staff Costs and Emoluments
| Total staff costs were as follows: Wages and salaries Social security costs Particulars of employees: The number of employees during the year was as follows: Number of administrative staff 6. Debtors Accrued income 7. Cash at Bank and In Hand Bank and cash balances 7. Creditors Other tax and social security Loan from employee |
2021 £ 85,167 2,385 |
2020 £ 45,149 (28) |
|---|---|---|
| 87,552 | 45,121 | |
| 2021 No 4 |
2020 No 4 |
|
| 2021 £ 1,453 |
2020 £ - |
|
| 1,453 | - | |
| 2021 £ 86,561 |
2020 £ 59,788 |
|
| 86,561 | 59,788 | |
| 2021 £ 5,314 - |
2020 £ 3,450 1,975 |
|
| 5,314 | 5,425 |
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The Roma Project
Notes to the accounts
For the year ended 31 March 2021
8. Restricted Income Funds
| Restricted Income Funds | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Big Lottery - COVID Unrestricted Income Funds General Funds The Big Lottery - Reaching Communities Coventry City Council - Community Champions Fund |
Balance at 31 March 2020 £ 54,221 - - |
Incoming Resources £ 78,920 28,800 1,302 |
Outgoing Resources £ (76,387) (26,984) (1,102) |
Transfers £ 1,816 (1,816) (200) |
Balance at 31 March 2021 £ 58,570 - - |
| 54,221 | 109,022 | (104,473) | (200) | 58,570 | |
| Balance at 31 March 2020 £ 52 |
Incoming Resources £ 22,178 |
Outgoing Resources £ 1,700 |
Transfers £ 200 |
Balance at 31 March 2021 £ 24,130 |
|
| 52 | 22,178 | 1,700 | 200 | 24,130 |
9. Unrestricted Income Funds
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