2023-03-31-accounts - Leicester City Of Sanctuary

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

ANNUAL REPORT 2023_COS 13/10/2023 18:06 Page 1

NEST

(NEW EVIDENCE SEARCH TEAM)

An average of 10 volunteers attend the monthly online NEST meetings that take place on the first Wednesday of each month. NEST currently has ten open cases. While traditionally all our cases have come from the British Red Cross in Leicester, a number of referrals over the past year have come from the British Red Cross in Derby. The clients referred by Derby meet with NEST volunteers online or over the phone. Since August 2022, NEST has had a good mix of volunteers drawn from the University of Leicester and from the wider Leicester community; previously, volunteers were mainly university students. From March – July this year a number of volunteers attended an eight session online training course delivered by TACTIC aimed at individuals supporting people who have been through the asylum process and been rejected. The feedback from attendees was very positive, so much so that we are now planning for TACTIC to deliver a bespoke training session for NEST volunteers. In January we had a NEST social in Kayal restaurant, which was a valuable occasion for volunteers to meet together as a group.

FOOTBALL

The Saturday morning football session continues to thrive, with regular attendances of about 50 young men each week. We now have a 5-person volunteer team, which has helped to spread the workload, especially at the beginning of each session. We entered two tournaments this summer. We won the first, which was organised by LCitC and held at the Belvoir Drive training ground. The second was organised by Sound Cafe and held at St.Margaret's Pastures. We won the fair play trophy at this event. We’re very appreciative of the on-going support from LCitC who fund one of our pitches.

AND FINALLY...

We’re really grateful for the support from our volunteers, partners and the local community for the goodwill we receive to deliver our services. We’ve benefited from donations of goods from local schools, churches, other groups and individuals, which have really helped us to keep distributing essential goods to those so desperately in need.

ESOL AND UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER PARTNERSHIP

All our ESOL face-to-face and online classes are going well. Classes have moved from Readson House to the Charles Wilson Building, where we now have a Sanctuary lending library. Students can borrow course books and fiction books for all levels from the Sanctuary library. From this year students from refugee background have also been able to use David Wilson - University of Leicester library for free. So far, we have created 15 accounts for students, but hope to welcome more. Students are able to use the library seven days a week until midnight each day.

Maggie Edgington - Interim Operations Lead, 2023

TEXTILE GROUP

Many of the women attending the group have been accommodated in hotels, and membership of the group has fluctuated due to those in hotels being moved to other cities. However, new asylum seekers have continued to arrive, and in order to manage the demand and turnover, a waiting list has been set up. A small grant has been vital in paying for on-going supply of consumables and replacing some equipment. Second-hand machines have continued to be donated and are passed on to the women in turn, so that they can sew at home. This is very important to all of the women, especially those with children. From this autumn the volunteers will be offering knitting and crochet lessons, and for this reason, the group has been renamed The Textile Group.

Shali Bullough - Strategic Lead, 2023

If you would like to know more about Leicester City of Sanctuary, contact us via:

Email: contactus@leicester.cityofsanctuary.org Website: www.leicester.cityofsanctuary.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/leicestercityofsanctuary

Committed to creating a culture of welcome for asylum seekers and refugees in our city and county

ANNUAL REPORT 2023_COS 13/10/2023 18:06 Page 3

It’s been a year when refugee issues have seldom been far from the headlines, and usually not in a good way from our perspective. The way the ‘small boats in the channel’ issue has been weaponised seems emblematic of a failure to properly address the UK’s obligations under international law – but, in the meantime, our primary task remains to address the needs of those who do reach our city and its surrounding areas in search of sanctuary. Our staff report shares more of what that has involved over the past 12 months or so, but overall we continue to deliver against both our own strategic goals, and the particular activities and outcomes agreed with our various external funders.

roles into one to lead the charity across all its functions. I’m happy to say that Anna Goodman (Project Officer) and Alex Jakeman (Finance and Admin) remain valued team members, all working alongside the various volunteer teams, who enable us to do so much across wide ranging areas of work.

The trustees continue to meet bi-monthly as a body. At last year’s AGM we thanked Jenny Dnes and Eric Nkundumubano for their service as they stepped down – with Sadiq Ahamed also resigning at the end of 2022. Four new trustees were confirmed in post at the AGM – Sarah Jones, Annabel Mwagalanyi, Anne Senior and Noel Singh, and Danny Myers was re-elected for a second term. They have served alongside myself and Hagar Al-Katheri. Both of us will come to the end of our current terms at this AGM, though both are eligible for re-election for a further period.

We’re glad to have continued to work in partnership with a number of bodies in the city, such as the British Red Cross, the City Museum, Leicester City in the Community and the University of Leicester, to mention just a few, and our ongoing chairing of the Multi-Agency Forum keeps us in the centre of activity and knowledge.

Our overall position for the financial year 2022-23 shows an operating deficit of just under £17,000 – with income of £90,742 and expenditure of £107,673 – the full figures will be presented in detail at the AGM. This means we enter the current year with reserves of just under £50,000. This is also the last of our 4 years of lottery grant, and trustees have been looking hard for ways to replace that funding and maintain levels of activity. We recognise the funding climate is challenging for small charities such as ours working in contested areas. As well as pursuing grants and monies from bigger funders, we are deeply grateful for all the various donations the charity receives. We are keen to grow our income from regular giving, which at the moment equates only to 5.5% of the total, so are working hard to increase this. For supporters reading this we would be grateful if you consider supporting us in this way.

The staff team has undergone several changes since our last AGM. We were especially glad to add Omid Lohoni to our team in November 2022, replacing Chloe Woods as a Project Officer, as he brings his own lived experience of the asylum system which is proving invaluable to our work. We were sorry to lose our Operations Lead Caroline Hickey, who left us in March 2023 to take up a new and exciting opportunity in London and we wish Caroline all the best in her new role and thank her for her contribution in the time she was with us. We have other upcoming changes to our senior team with Shali Bullough, currently working for one day a week as Strategic Lead, due to end working for us by the end of 2023. Shali has been with us for an extended period and has been a driving force in the development of the charity over the years and will be sorely missed. We hope to maintain our links with Shali and to continue to draw on her skills in a different way going forward.

I’m convinced Leicester remains a welcoming place which benefits from the diversity its many residents bring – however they get here. But we can’t and shouldn’t take that for granted. It is bodies like us, alongside many, many others, that help make that vision a reality. And that needs people like you, reading this, to play your part – whatever that may be.

In this challenging time in terms of leadership of the work, the Trustees are deeply grateful to Maggie Edgington, who has stepped up from being lead volunteer for children and families to be our interim Operations Lead and keep the show on the road. As I write in early September, we are recruiting to a new post which will combine our two previous

Pete Hobson – Chair 2022-23

SPORT & WELLBEING ACTIVITES

HUB

Our Soccercise sessions, led by a member of the Leicester City In The Community Team, restarted in January. As well as our indoor space, we’ve been able to use the outdoor facilities at nearby Cruyff court in the summer months. To respond to interest in playing cricket, we took a group to a Walking Sports Festival in Spinney Hills Park, where they were able to join other members of the community to play cricket and football. Following this, a special cricket session for our group was arranged in Victoria Park, by Leicestershire Cricket.

We are still catering for large numbers of people being accommodated in three hotels in the city, some having lived there for over a year. The hub continues to provide a warm welcome, space to socialise and access to resources such as clothing, SIM cards and toiletries. Omid, our caseworker, supports individuals and, when appropriate, refers them to other services in the city. Our orientation course, for those new to the city, has continued and includes conversational English classes, combined with lifeskills and trips into the local community. We have had a fantastic workshop led by Lena Santoro from National Energy Awareness round ‘Understanding Your Household Bills’: how to use energy wisely, and healthily, with advice on how to manage debt.

Many of our group experience low mood and depression, as they live with uncertainly, whilst waiting for their immigration status to be settled. We have arranged a number of outdoor activities to support wellbeing, such as a mindfulness walk and a Tree Trail Walk at Abbey Park.

FAMILY ACTIVITIES

The parent and toddler play group continues to be very popular and provides a space for parents to make friends as their children play and learn. During winter school holidays, families with older children have joined social events at the Hub session, where we have organised creative activities, games and a communal lunch – our new caseworker Omid discovered he had balloon modelling skills at one of these sessions and was very popular with the children. In the summer holidays we have taken up our usual spot in Abbey Park for a picnic and games – an average of 12 families attend these sessions each week. We also developed a partnership with the Community Food and Wellbeing Hub, who donated school holiday food bags for our families and also invited us to a community meal.

TRIPS

Highlights this year have included a bush craft afternoon at Brocks Hills County Park; visits to Leicester Museum, the Guildhall and Abbey Pumping Station; a stadium tour and attendance at two football matches at the King Power Stadium, thanks to Leicester City in the Community (LCitC) - one was a women’s match and the other a men’s Under 21s international event between France and England; a trip to East Lanes Bowling Alley; and a visit to Go Kids Go soft play centre for the families.

We have been facilitating a research project run by the Department for Respiratory diseases at Leicester University, who are researching how the UK health system is experienced by those seeking asylum and this will continue during 2023/4.

Additionally, we have had a strong media presence, with interviews on BBC Radio Leicester and Channel 4 News, and regular contact with a nationally acclaimed visual journalist, who is working on a project, which will present a positive view of those seeking asylum in the UK.

CREATIVE ACTIVITES

We have been able to offer a wide range of creative activities, including some sketching activities, led by one of our group members, who was a graphic designer in his home country. We’ve also had great fun decorating log coasters, making macramé plant pot holders, learning about Mehndi drawing and planting herbs and bulbs. The activities were well received, and sparked interesting conversations about home and cultural traditions.

EMERGENCY FUND

We continue to maintain a small emergency fund to assist asylum seekers and refugees with essential costs, focusing on housing, healthcare and food - especially for those with specific dietary needs. We also support families with a contribution towards the cost of school uniforms for their children.

A highlight, this year, was the visit from Julia Masli, an award winning clown, who ran a two-hour World of Play workshop, which involved using games, drama, play and physical expression and generated a lot of laughter and fun.

Leicester City of Sanctuary (Registered charity, number 1172819) Financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2023

Page	Contents
2	Trustees’ annual report
3	Independent examiner’s report
4	Receipts & payments account
5	Statement of assets & liabilities
6 - 7	Notes to the accounts

Leicester City of Sanctuary Trustees’ annual report for the year ended 31 March 2023

Full name Leicester City of Sanctuary

Organisation type Charitable Incorporated Organisation

Registered charity number 1172819

Principal address

c/o The Bridge Offices, 43 Melton Street, Leicester. LE1 3NB

Trustees

Rev Peter Hobson Anabel Mwagalanyi Noel Singh Anne Senior

Hagar Al-Katheri Danny Myers Sarah Jones

Independent examiner

John O’Brien, employee of Community Accounting Plus, Units 1 & 2 North West, 41 Talbot Street, Nottingham, NG1 5GL

Governance and management

The charity is operated under the rules of its constitution adopted 02/05/2017.

Objectives and activities

To advance the education of the public, especially in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, about issues relating to refugees and to people seeking asylum or sanctuary. To advance education and relieve poverty and financial hardship amongst refugees, people seeking sanctuary and people refused asylum in the UK, and their dependants, residing in Leicester, Leicestershire, or Rutland. To provide facilities for training, recreation or other leisure time occupation with the object of improving the conditions of life for those persons who have need of such facilities. The promotion of equality and diversity for the public benefit by promoting activities to foster understanding between people from diverse backgrounds.

Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit

A full summary of the activities in the year is provided in a separate Annual Review.

Public benefit statement

The Trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty in section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit, 'Charities and Public Benefit'.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees:

Signed ______ Date _ Rev Peter Hobson, Trustee

Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of Leicester City of Sanctuary for the year ended 31 March 2023

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Leicester City of Sanctuary (the charity) for the year ended 31 March 2023.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the trustees of the charity 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 charity’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 matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
the accounts do not accord with those records.

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.

Signed ____ Date _______ John O’Brien MSc, FAIA, FCCA, FCIE Employee of Community Accounting Plus

Leicester City of Sanctuary Receipts & payments account for the year ended 31 March 2023

2022 Total Unrestricted Funds Funds £ Note £ Receipts 28763 Donations 28253 572 Gift aid 735 49715 Grants 2 - 79050 Total receipts 28988 Payments 58544 Salaries 24730 - Other staff costs 2475 576 Accounting 374 3715 Emergency Fund 3305 - Consultants 575 1204 Equipment 678 3132 Food 640 918 Insurance 975 1250 IT/Software 283 5806 Venue Hire 259 650 Stationery & Materials 1584 210 Telephone 200 2300 Training 80 2178 Travel 339 - Staff loan 800 80483 Total payments 37297 (1433) Net receipts/(payments) (8309) 69838 Cash funds at start of this period 48188 - Transfers between funds (887) 68405 Cash funds at end of this period 38992	Restricted Funds £ - - 61733 61733 42793 6088 - 980 - 718 3083 - 200 11961 - 110 530 4743 - 71206 (9473) 20217 887 11631	*2023* Total Funds £ 28253 735 61733
		90721
		67523 8563 374 4285 575 1396 3723 975 483 12220 1584 310 610 5082 800
		108503
		(17782) 68405 -
		50623

Leicester City of Sanctuary Statement of assets and liabilities at 31 March 2023

----- Start of picture text -----
2022 2023
£ Cash assets £
67871 Bank accounts 50285
534 Cash in hand 338
68405 50623
Other monetary assets
- Debtors - staff loan 800
-
Prepayment - insurance 406
- 1206
Assets retained for the charity’s own use
General equipment.
Liabilities
-
Creditors - professional fees (660)
- (660)
----- End of picture text -----

These financial statements are accepted on behalf of the charity by:

Signed _____ Dated _____ Anabel Mwagalanyi, Trustee

Leicester City of Sanctuary Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023

1. Receipts & payments accounts

Receipts and payments accounts contain a summary of money received and money spent during the period and a list of assets and liabilities at the end of the period. Usually, cash received and cash spent will include transactions through bank accounts and cash in hand.

2. Grants & donations

Unrestricted Restricted £ £ Henry Smith - 10000 Leicester City Council - 6400 Leicester University - 1688 National Lottery Community Fund - 31299 Near Neighbours - 3550 Leicester & Rutland Community Foundation - 3000 Leicestershire County Council - 5796 - 61733	Total £ 10000 6400 1688 31299 3550 3000 5796
	61733

3. Funds analysis

Restricted funds Emergency Fund Knighton Ward Leicester Community Project Lottery fund Loughborough Town of Sanctuary Castle Ward VAL Henry Smith UOL LLRCF Nest LCC Covid Active Trust Near Neighbours Unrestricted funds General funds	Opening balance £ (887) 4291 589 14226 565 1000 433 - - - - - - 20217 48188 48188	Receipts (Payments) £ £ - - - (4291) - (589) 31299 (41910) - (565) - (1000) - (433) 10000 (4162) 1688 (11) 3000 (2863) 6400 (6400) 5796 (5796) 3550 (3186) 61733 (71206) 28988 (37297) 28988 (37297)	Transfers £ 887 - - - - - - - - - - - - 887 (887) (887)	Closing balance £ - - - 3615 - - - 5838 1677 137 - - 364
				11631
				38992
				38992

Leicester City of Sanctuary

The transfer from the General fund to the Emergency fund is to cover the deficit on this activity.

4. Trustees’ remuneration

Trustees received no expenses, remuneration or benefits in this period.

5. Glossary of terms

Creditors: These are amounts owed by the charity, but not paid during the accounting period.

Debtors: These are amounts owed to the charity, but not received in the accounting period.

Prepayments: These are services that the charity has paid for in advance, but not used during the accounting period.

Restricted funds: These are funds given to the charity, subject to specific restrictions set by the donor, but still within the general objects of the charity.