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← Refugee Women Of Bristol

2024-03-31-accounts

REFUGEE WOMEN OF BRISTOL CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION

Annual Report and Accounts Legal and administrative information

Status

Refugee Women of Bristol is a registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation with the Charity Commission in England and Wales on 20 February 2017. Refugee Women of Bristol was originally registered as a charity on 29 April 2010

Trustees and management committee

Mrs Marfat Shamat, Chair Miss Tatu Nampijji Mrs Safa Omer, Treasurer Miss Ayesha Ali, Secretary Miss Shazia Akhtar Miss Aminata Coulibali Miss Abir Ahmed Elected in November 2023 Mrs Jouwiryaiman Almaktary Elected in November 2023 Mrs Hibo Elmi Elected in November 2023 Mrs Samanta Haxhagiqi Resigned in November 2023 Mrs Muna Ali Resigned in November 2023 Mrs Amina Jama Resigned in November 2023 Mrs Nasra Gedi Resigned in November 2023

Registered charity number 1171683 Registered office

Unit 35, Easton Business Centre, Felix Road, Bristol BS5 0HE info@refugeewomenofbristol.org.uk http://www.refugeewomenofbristol.org.uk/

Bankers

Lloyds TSB

Accountants

AL Accounting Solutions Chartered Certified Accountants 21A Brighton Road South Croydon Surrey CR2 6EA

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REFUGEE WOMEN OF BRISTOL Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31ST MARCH 2024 Trustees' Report

Reflections from the Chair and Development Manager

2023-2024 was a very successful but challenging year. The cost-of-living crisis continued and has had a huge impact on the running of the organisation. However, we were fortunate enough to secure multi-year grants to sustain the vital work we are doing.

In October, we celebrated 20 years of our charity at Easton Christian Family Centre. It was a heartwarming day with speeches, singing, and lots of snacks. This was a testament to the continuing importance of women-led refugee and asylum services in Bristol. https://www.bristol247.com/news-and-features/news/celebrating-20-years-of-refugee-women-ofbristol/

Our membership has significantly increased with an average of 130 women and 30 preschool children attending our drop-in centre and free creche. We are anticipating that the demand for our services will continue to rise. We are so pleased that, along with our partners FORWARD and Home Girls Unite, we have been successful in securing funding from The National Lottery Community Fund to enable us to continue our Mend the Gap Project Phase 2, which is focused on tackling multiple forms of violence against women and girls within African communities in the UK.

Another significant success is that we secured another 3 years of unrestricted funds from Lloyds Bank Foundation’s Racial Equity Programme, to continue our vital work of supporting refugee and asylum-seeking women in Bristol.

RWoB in partnership with Bristol Somali Youth Voice (BSYV) became a Refugee Community Hub. We coordinate and share information and resources on the cost-of-living crisis with the Bristol Refugee and Asylum-Seeking Partnership (BRASP) and other refugee organisations in Bristol.

Psychological, Adversity and Trauma (PAT) training: Members of our staff, volunteers, and trustees attended two workshops led by Second Step and funded by Bristol City Council (BCC) that focused on increasing our knowledge around trauma and helping us to increase our resilience to better support our communities. RWoB is now working on a new Action Plan that will guide us through the next few months and beyond.

Ways of Working: We are also working on an exciting project which will help guide RWoB strategy over the coming years. The ‘Ways of Working’ was developed by and for staff and volunteers of RWoB.

Clockwise Charity Partner 2024: Clockwise Bristol got in touch late in 2023 and let us know that RWoB had been selected by the company to be their new charity partner. We were so happy with the news and have been enjoying the partnership. Our services were dependent on a dedicated team of volunteers who gave their precious time to deliver a lifesaving service in this difficult time and we would like to acknowledge and thank them. We would also like to express our utmost gratitude and appreciation to all our funders who responded generously during this unprecedented time and enabled us to deliver a unique and flexible service to a vulnerable group of women in Bristol.

Thank you to all those who donated, fundraised, and supported us this year to continue to deliver the unique service for and led by refugee and asylum-seeking women in Bristol and its surrounding areas.

Objectives and activities

Refugee Women of Bristol is a registered charity set up in 2003 by a group of refugee women to advance education, relieve poverty, promote, and protect the health of refugee women and those seeking asylum in Bristol and the surrounding area by provision of advice, information, and support. What we want to achieve

-To raise the educational status of refugee women and asylum seekers — giving them more choices, opportunities to gain employment and improved economic prospects.

-To ensure that women have access to relevant information on Issues concerned with welfare rights, health, education, and other appropriate issues.

-To raise awareness of the issues faced by the women and reduce barriers that prevent them from accessing other services and opportunities, building bridges, and improving integration.

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REFUGEE WOMEN OF BRISTOL Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31ST MARCH 2024 Trustees' Report

What we want to achieve continued.

*To assist the women to develop good social networks and include rather than exclude themselves from the community reducing isolation.

How we achieve our aims

-Providing access to information on issues such as health, welfare, childcare, education, housing, training, and employment.

-Delivering leisure and social opportunities.

Informing service providers about the needs of refugee women through workshops, presentations and by raising RWOB's profile at community events.

-Organising social events/outings to give women a chance to build friendship networks.

-Outreach work to increase participation of women in the group from a wide range of cultural backgrounds.

-Making links with local and national organisations, which will support the work and the development of the organisation. - Developing the Board of Trustees through a programme of support and training so the organisation can be managed effectively.

-Enabling women to have a say in the development of services that may affect their lives.

Summary of activities and achievements

2023-24: We had 155 new members and a total membership of 806. Our members speak 55 different first languages and have 63 different countries of origin.

-We had 41 volunteers; 24 volunteering places were allocated to members including trustees.

Our English language and life skills support service is run by volunteers at our weekly drop-in centre. The service focuses on teaching practical language skills that women can use in their daily lives, for example going to the doctors, and accessing information about local services. A total of 113 individual women attended these classes.

-Arts and Crafts: This is a very informal activity, where women can relax, chat and be creative. Activities include sewing, knitting and jewellery making. Women have been making cushions, cards and baskets to sell and fundraise for the organisation.

Our Community Workers provided over 288 individual advocacy and information sessions to 158 different women (of which 155 were new members this year).

Weekly and Monthly activities at the drop-in centre supported by Community Workers:

Changes Bristol provides monthly peer support through art activities while discussing concerns and worries about their health and wellbeing.

Bristol Family Hub navigators: A family navigator runs monthly sessions to help members find activities for their families. St Paul’s Children Centre : They provided outreach sessions with a focus on families with young children. WECIL charity : They deliver sessions at the drop-in once a month for disabled women. Most women access this service to find out about hidden disability or injuries caused by war. Some of them qualified for support but did not know before this service.

Citizens Advice Bureau : They provided fortnightly sessions at our Drop-in which gave guidance on benefits, money, debt, and energy bills.

Bristol Mind: A counsellor from Bristol Mind provided 1-1 counselling sessions at the drop-in centre. We referred some women who were struggling to the service and supported them while they attended these sessions.

Caafi Health ran several workshops at the drop-in centre addressing members’ health issues and gave them timely support.

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REFUGEE WOMEN OF BRISTOL Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31ST MARCH 2024 Trustees' Report

MMR awareness:

We worked with NHS England to increase MMR awareness, confidence, and uptake for all. We shared evidence-based information on the MMR vaccine in groups and offered 1-1 support. We facilitated smaller information-sharing sessions and events in our drop-in centre.

Mend the Gap phase two focuses on tackling multiple forms of violence against women and girls within African communities in the UK. Our team provided 340 1-1 emotional and practical support sessions to 36 women who are survivors of physical and emotional abuse. During these sessions, 68 referrals were made to practical and specialist support agencies and organisations.

Additionally, 36 outreach sessions were carried out with women, organisations, agencies and forums. These sessions highlighted the support our members need and the issues they are facing.

The team also run monthly Coffee Morning sessions facilitated by professionals to address violence, abuse and mental wellbeing.

Free bus fare tickets: We had 133 women access bus fare tickets (amount £800). 100 women accessed the free bus fare tickets that we received from the Bristol City of Sanctuary. An average of 20 women accessed the tickets every week. Vouchers: 70 Women received a £15 voucher each (£1050)

-We celebrated International Women's Day, Christmas, Eid, Chinese and Kurdish New Year.

-As part of the Refugee Festival in June 2023, we organised a dance event to celebrate the refugee contribution to Bristol. Over 100 women and some of their preschool children attended the event.

-Training for staff and volunteers: RWoB organised training for staff and volunteers to enable them to deliver safe, supported, and appropriate services to our members; training included Trauma-Informed Practices, Mailing Software and Event Ticketing Software, Community Development Training – Ways of Working update, First Aid, Management and Leadership, training on new legislation (Nationality and Borders Act, and Illegal Migration Act), Safeguarding, Level 2 food hygiene, Anxiety and Depression, and Peer Support ICE Mental Health Workforce training. Training was also delivered to staff and volunteers to implement our new Limelight Database.

-We delivered the following workshops for members: Art for Wellbeing, RWA- Royal West of England Academy, and Health Watch.

-Lunch club and food provision: The Lunch Club has become the highlight of the activities at the drop-in centre. Women and their preschool children enjoy well-balanced, nutritious, and warm meals. We were able to cook a variety of ethnic food. Providing breakfast and running the Lunch Club helps women fully engage in different activities and remain at the drop-in centre for longer. We cook for an average of 120 women and 30 preschool children every week.

Personnel 2023-2024

Layla Ismail - Development Manager Negat Hussein - Drop-in Co-ordinator and Community Outreach Worker Sherien Sheikh — Drop-in Assistant Azza Mustafa — Health and Well-being Coordinator Sana Elgoraish Finance Worker Vicki Harte - Admin and Communications Officer Jade Pang - Community Worker (Chinese) Muna Talha - Community Worker (Arabic) till October 2023 Azza Elnagmi – Community Worker (Arabic) from December 2023 Muna Mohamed – Community Worker (Somali) from November 2023 Negla Abdi Hadi - Kitchen Coordinator

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REFUGEE WOMEN OF BRISTOL Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31ST MARCH 2024 Trustees' Report

I would like to thank the trustees, staff and volunteers whose energy, determination, and commitment to improving the quality of life for women from the refugee community is immeasurable. Finally, on behalf of everyone at RWoB, t would like to express our gratitude and thanks to all our funders, donors, and fundraisers.

Layla Ismail Development Manager

Structure, Governance and Management Objectives and activities

The objects of the charity are:

To advance education, relieve poverty and promote and protect the health of refugee women and those seeking asylum in Bristol and the surrounding area by the provision of advice, information and support. Organisation

Refugee Women of Bristol is governed by a Constitution which operates as an Association. The Trustees are appointed or reappointed annually at AGMs and can be co-opted in between. Trustees are provided with a 4-session induction to introduce them to their role and responsibilities, They are then supported to undertake training appropriate to any special role they undertake on the management committee. This includes an introduction to the organisation's policies including:

*Information Security and Confidentiality policy

*Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion policy

*Safeguarding Adults Policy

Children Safeguarding policy Grievance and Disciplinary Procedures

*Complaints Procedures.

Financial policy and procedures Service user involvement policy *Reserve policy and procedures

RWoB is a registered charity with financial support from the local council and local and national trust funds. Bristol City Council has funded the organisation since its inception in 2003. RWoB has an excellent track record of engaging hard-toreach women from the refugee and asylum-seeking community. Refugee women have been at the heart of the organisation since its beginning, involved at all levels as volunteers, staff and trustees. The management committee is entirely led by women from refugee backgrounds who understand the needs and issues faced by refugee and asylum-seeking women from their own experience; they are therefore best placed to direct the development of services for the community and ensure that they are culturally appropriate.

The organisation is made up of trustees, paid staff and a team of volunteers. We actively support our members in developing their skills, so they can volunteer, be elected to the board of trustees or apply for paid positions. RWoB has formed successful partnerships with a range of voluntary and statutory organisations to deliver services at the drop-in centre and in the wider community. Key partnerships include FORWARD UK, BRASP, and Bristol City Council. The trustees closely monitor risks associated with running services for the organisation by carrying out risk assessments and implementing appropriate measures to mitigate risk.

Public Benefit

The Trustees have complied with their duty under Section 4 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission. We have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit when reviewing our aim and objectives and in planning our future activities. In particular, the trustees consider how planned activities will contribute to the aim and objectives they have set.

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REFUGEE WOMEN OF BRISTOL Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31ST MARCH 2024 Trustees' Report

Statement of trustees' responsibility

A UK Charity regulation requires the trustees to prepare financial statements that give a true and fair view of the charity's financial activities during the year and its financial position at the end of the year. In doing so the trustees are required to: -

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with applicable law, regulations, and the trust deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Reserve Statement

The trustees’ agreed to reserve 34% of unrestricted funds for 2023-2024. During this time period, the unrestricted funds held as general funds totalled £120,395, therefore the reserve will be £40,000. This is to build financial resilience and manage unexpected costs. The RWoB policy sets out clear aims and objectives for this reserve.

Signed…................................. Mrs Marfat Shamat Chairperson

Date:…..................................

6

REFUGEE WOMEN OF BRISTOL CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION Annual Report and Accounts Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees for the year ended 31ST MARCH 2024

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity for the above period.

Responsibilities 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 examiner's statement:

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

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.

Alhassan Bangura FCCA AL Accounting Solutions Chartered Certified Accountants 21A Brighton Road South Croydon Surrey CR2 6EA Date.....................................................

7

REFUGEE WOMEN OF BRISTOL CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION

Annual Report and Accounts

Statement of Financial Activities (including Income and Expenditure Account) for the year ended 31ST MARCH 2024

Unrestricted
Funds
Notes
£
Incoming resources:
Incoming resources from generated funds
Donations
26,155
Incoming resources from charitable activites
Grants and Service level agreements
500
Total Incoming resources
26,655
Resources Expended:
Charitable activites
6
26,638
Total Resources Expended
26,638
Net incoming resources
17
Opening funds balance
115,077
Adjustments/transfers
7
5,301
Closing funds balance*
7
120,395		 Restricted
Funds
£
1,501
175,953
177,454
166,857
166,857
10,597
49,813
(5,301)
55,109		 Total
Funds
2024
£
27,656
176,453
204,109
193,495
193,495
10,614
164,890
-
175,504		 Total
Funds
2023
£
30,493
178,395
208,888
182,173
182,173
26,715
138,175
-
164,890

*Includes £40,000 of unrestricted funds held as reserves

8

REFUGEE WOMEN OF BRISTOL CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION

Annual Report and Accounts

Balance Sheet as at 31ST MARCH 2024

Current assets
Debtors & prepayments
Cash at bank
Cash in Hand
Creditors: Amounts falling due
withn one year
Net Current Assets
Net Assets
Restricted Funds
Unrestricted Funds
REPRESENTED BY:		 Notes
4
5
7
7		 £
1,450
176,100
473

These financial statements were approved by the trustees on ........................................................................... and are signed on their behalf by:

………………………………………… Mrs Marfat Shamat Chairperson

9

REFUGEE WOMEN OF BRISTOL CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION Annual Report and Accounts Notes forming part of the financial statements for the year ended 31ST MARCH 2024

1. Accounting policies

a) The accounts (financial statements) have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) issued in October 2019 and the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011 and UK Generally Accepted Practice as it applies from 1 January 2019.

b) Grants and income are included in full in the Statement of Financial Activities in the year in which they are receivable, except as follows:

c) Resources expended are recognised in the period in which they are incurred. Resources expended include attributable VAT which cannot be recovered.

d) Unrestricted funds are donations and other incoming resources received for the objects of the charity without further specified purpose and are available as general funds.

e) Restricted funds are to be used for specific purposes as laid down by the donor.

2. Net incoming resources for the year

This is stated after charging:
Independent Examiners Fee
Staff cost and numbers
Wages & Salaries
Debtors & Prepayments
Prepayments		 2024
Number
9		 2024
£
112,003		 2024
£
1,440
2023
Number
9
2024
£
1,450
1,450		 2023
£
1,440
2023
£
110,372
2023
£
1,450
1,450

3. Staff cost and numbers

4. Debtors & Prepayments

10

REFUGEE WOMEN OF BRISTOL CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION

Annual Report and Accounts Notes forming part of the financial statements for the year ended 31ST MARCH 2024

5. Creditors & Accruals

Trade Creditors & accruals
Payroll Tax and National Insurance
Pension liability		 2024
£
1,440
670
409
2,519		 2023
£
1,440
1,331
299
3,070

6. Charitable activites

Salaries and pension cost
Events and workshops
Room hire
Volunteer expenses
Advocacy & support
Partnership and Engagement
Rent, rates & utilities
Postage, stationery & office sundries
Telephone & internet
Travel & subsistence
Recruitment & CRB checks
Non capitalised asset cost
Training
Membership & subscription
Legal and professional
Website & publicity
Insurance
Bookeeping & payroll cost
Bank charges
Trustee expenses
Accountancy fees		 Unrestricted
Funds
£
16,787
1,556
292
6
1,022
-
460
-
-
1,207
-
-
2,232
53
333
295
1,278
155
37
925
-
26,638		 Restricted
Funds
£
95,216
13,355
14,388
3,262
-
10,000
11,625
947
816
1,683
163
3,432
1,662
631
3,030
418
1,428
-
179
3,182
1,440
166,857		 Total Funds
2024
£
112,003
14,911
14,680
3,268
1,022
10,000
12,085
947
816
2,890
163
3,432
3,894
684
3,363
713
2,706
155
216
4,107
1,440
193,495		 Total Funds
2023
£
107,989
17,374
11,535
5,102
4,374
-
11,199
1,116
585
2,146
273
1,849
4,073
458
4,289
264
1,222
727
280
5,878
1,440
182,173

11

REFUGEE WOMEN OF BRISTOL CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION Annual Report and Accounts Notes forming part of the financial statements for the year ended 31ST MARCH 2024

7.
Movement in funds
Restricted funds
BCC Community Champion Grant
Anonymous
Bristol City Council COVID-19 Grant
Bristol City Council BRASP Community Hubs
D Gill KG
Anonymous
HT & LB Cadbury Trust
JJ Charitable trust
John James Foundation
Lloyds Bank Foundation
National Lottery Community Fund
North Bristol NHS
The National Lottery Community Fund
Quartet Community Foundation
Anonymous
Triodos Foundation
Winter Household Support Funding award
Total Restricted funds
Unrestricted funds
General Funds held as reserves
General Funds others
Pears Foundations
The Stephen Clark Charitable
Total funds		 At
01-Apr-23
914
13,990
1,773
2,234
1,052
4,001
500
742
9,538
7,670
-
-
6,371
-
1,028
49,813
33,000
65,234
10,000
6,843
115,077
164,890		 Incoming
resources
£
20,000
28,085
20,000
2,000
12,500
25,000
24,340
3,000
5,000
25,000
2,000
1,500
9,029
177,454
26,655
26,655
204,109		 Outgoing
resources
£
(914)
(11,210)
(1,773)
(26,684)
(1,052)
(16,676)
(2,250)
(742)
(12,596)
(32,670)
(15,868)
(3,000)
(11,371)
(14,795)
(3,699)
(1,500)
(10,057)
(166,857)
(9,795)
(10,000)
(6,843)
(26,638)
(193,495)		 Adjustment
& Transfers
£
(7,000)
1,699
(5,301)
7,000
(1,699)
5,301
-		 At
31-Mar-24
£
-
15,780
-
3,635
-
7,325
250
-
9,442
-
8,472
-
-
10,205
-
-
-
55,109
40,000
80,395
-
-
120,395
175,504

12

REFUGEE WOMEN OF BRISTOL CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION

Annual Report and Accounts Year ended: 31ST MARCH 2024

Registered CIO No: 1171683

REFUGEE WOMEN OF BRISTOL CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION Annual Report and Accounts Contents

Page No
1 Legal and administrative information
2-6 Trustees Report
7 Independent Examiner's Report
8 Statement of Financial Activities
9 Balance Sheet
10-12 Notes forming part of the financial statements