REFUGEES WELCOME Westminster Road Macclesfield SK10 1BX
Annual Report and Accounts 2023
Refugees Welcome Registered Charity No. 1169909
REFUGEES WELCOME Westminster Road Macclesfield SK10 1BX
Trustees’ Annual Report for the Year ended 31 December 2023
Charity registration number: 1169909
Objectives and Activities
| Objectves and Actvites | |
|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
1. To advance the educaton and training, in the area of Cheshire East, of those granted Refugee Status and their dependents in need thereof, so as to support them in life and assist them to adapt within a new community. 2. To provide relief from fnancial hardship and unemployment amongst those who have been granted refugee status and their dependents within the area of beneft. |
| Summary of the main actvites in relaton to those purposes for the public beneft, in partcular, the actvites, projects or services identfed in the accounts. |
The main actvites we have undertaken in this period have been to contract with Cheshire East Council to contnue to provide volunteers to support Syrians who came to the UK through the VPRS scheme, as laid out by the Home Ofce, even though this scheme has now fnished. We also contract directly with the Home Ofce to provide Community Sponsorship to refugee families in the Nantwich and Alsager areas of Cheshire East. We are also supportng 5 Afghan refugee families who came in September 2021 under the ARAP scheme. Since March 2022 we have worked as an umbrella organisaton alongside Cheshire East Council, to support Ukrainian refugees under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme. We work with CVS to recruit, select and manage 50 volunteers, who work with our families. The roles of the volunteers and the scope of their work are defned in role profles and are one of three roles – Family Support Volunteer, Task Volunteer or English Practce Volunteer. Volunteers working with the Ukrainians also help with our Conversaton Cafés and ESOL classes. All the volunteers go through safeguarding training in additon to trainingto become volunteers on theprogramme. |
| Statement confrming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission onpublic beneft |
The Trustees have had regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public beneft |
| Contributon made by volunteers | Volunteers working with Syrians and Afghans are assigned to individual families to carry out roles detailed above. Volunteers workingwith Ukrainians also helpat the cafés and ESOL classes. |
| Achievements and Performance | |
| Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identfying the diference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its benefciaries and any wider benefts to society as a whole. |
VPRS Cheshire East – Macclesfeld and Congleton. We have contnued to support 5 families. The mother and 2 children of one family have moved to Luton, leaving the father in Macclesfeld. The children atend either school or college, where appropriate, and ESOL tuiton has resumed. Several of the Syrian youngsters have completed formal educaton. Cheshire East has withdrawn from most of the family support since April 2022. The Syrian family, which experienced delay in receiving their “Leave to Remain” documentaton received it in Spring 2023. CS (VPRS) Cheshire East – Nantwich The family in Nantwich contnues to be supported through Community Sponsorship.. The father and mother of the family are in employment. CS (VPRS) Cheshire East – Alsager A Syrian family moved into Alsager in September 2021. The father of the family is in employment. Their rental accommodaton was no longer available to them from December 2023. They have relocated to Macclesfeld and the children are in school there. |
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Refugees Welcome Registered Charity No. 1169909
REFUGEES WELCOME Westminster Road Macclesfield SK10 1BX
| ARAP scheme for AFGHAN refugees. Two families live in Crewe, one in Wistaston, one in Macclesfeld and one in Alsager. The children all atend school regularly and adults in all 5 families have some type of paid employment. The Afghan families have setled very well and contnue to thrive. Most of the Ukrainian families are guests living within sponsor or host households in Cheshire East. The vast majority of the relatonships have worked very well. A small number have been rehoused. Most of the guests and hosts were matched by a variety of private local and natonal organisatons, with Cheshire East communites team stepping in to help with rematching if necessary. Gradually the Ukrainians are fnding independent accommodaton. This process has accelerated throughout 2023. |
|
|---|---|
| Achievements against objectves set | We have contnued to work alongside Cheshire East to support the Syrian families. They are all making progress. One family had to move because their accommodaton was required by the Church of England. However, they have been assisted in their search for alternatve accommodaton and have now setled in their new accommodaton. The Afghan families have setled well. The children are regularly in school or college and the parents are working. Many of the Ukrainians are working. Their children atend school. ESOL provision has remained a challenge, but it is being provided. |
| Performance of fundraising actvites against objectves set |
Boundless has been a successful fundraising scheme. We have received donatons from other individuals and from organisatons such as Rotary and local churches. In November 2023 Refugees Welcome organised a Cultural Event in the main shopping centre in Macclesfeld. The objectve was to raise awareness of the talents of our refugees. Representatves of all our refugee groups provided arts, crafs and music and the event was well atended by the Macclesfeld public. |
| Financial Review | |
| Review of the charity’s fnancial positon at the end of theperiod |
At the end of the year, the charity had monetary assets of £37,557. |
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves statng why they are held |
Our policy is to hold 6 months running costs in reserve. |
| Structure, Governance and Management | |
| Type ofgoverningdocument | Consttuton |
| How is the charity consttuted? | Refugees Welcome is a Charitable Incorporated Organisaton |
| Trustee selecton methods including details of any consttutonal provisions e.g. electon to post or name of any person or body enttled to appoint one or more trustees |
Appointed by interview and vote of members of the board. |
| Additonal informaton | |
| Policies and procedures adopted for the inducton and training of trustees |
All our policies appear on the charity’s website: htps://www.refugeeswelcome.co.uk/ |
| The charity’s organisatonal structure and any wider network with which the charity works |
The charity is run by a board of trustees. Our volunteers are organised by a paid member of CVSCE (Community and Voluntary Services, Cheshire East) |
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