Cambridge Refugee Resettlement Campaign
Annual Report & Financial Statement Period ended 30 June 2025 Registered Charity (CIO Foundation) in England: 1172836
CRRC Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statement Period ended 30 June 2025
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Cambridge Refugee Resettlement Campaign
Cambridge Refugee Resettlement Campaign (CRRC) is a volunteer-led, Cambridgebased organisation providing a broad range of support, assistance, and activities for refugees and asylum seekers in our local communities.
CRRC c/o Friends Meeting House ∙ 12 Jesus Lane Cambridge CB5 8BA ∙ UK
Editor
Catharine Walston
Editorial assistant
Claire Coates
Writers and contributors
Jan Ayton, Bob Brimblecombe, Rose Elgar, Lawrence Grasty, Cathy Lynch, Adrian Matthews, Alison Cooke, Monica Poulter, Kay Powell, Andrii Smytsniuk, Sue Spencer, Catharine Walston.
Cover photo
Chris Cellier
Published
January 2026
Queries regarding CRRC should be directed to: admin@cambridgerefugees.org
A warm thank you to everyone who has contributed to this report
CRRC Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statement Period ended 30 June 2025
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Contents
| 1. Organisational Information | 4 |
|---|---|
| 2. Introduction | 5 |
| 3. Who we are | 6 |
| 4. Meeting our charitable objectives | 7 |
| 5. Risks and strategy | 8 |
| 6. Services | 9 |
| Family support | 9 |
| Gardening group | 16 |
| Donations and DIY | 17 |
| IT provision | 17 |
| Mobility | 18 |
| ESOL for adults | 18 |
| Educational support for children | 21 |
| Activities and culture | 22 |
| Report from Cambridge4Ukraine | 25 |
| Communications and outreach | 27 |
| Volunteer events | 27 |
| Fundraising | 28 |
| 7. Statement of Financial Activities and Balance Sheet | 29 |
| 8. Independent Examiner’s Report | 33 |
| 9. Donors | 34 |
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Organisational Information
Board of Trustees as of 30 June 2025
Khalil Abu-Dahab Claire Coates Aryan Frahmand Adrian Matthews Adriana Sandu Aisha Shuamazzi Andrii Smytsniuk Sue Spencer Catharine Walston
Treasurer: Cathy Lynch
Registered address
CRRC c/o Friends Meeting House, 12 Jesus Ln, Cambridge CB5 8BA.
Constitution
Cambridge Refugee Resettlement Campaign (CRRC) is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO – foundation, number 1172836) registered on 2 May 2017 with the Charity Commission for England, followed by a transfer of assets from the Unincorporated Association (UIA) of the same name on 1 July 2017.
Bank
Cooperative Bank, PO Box 101, 1 Balloon Street, Manchester M60 4EP
Report of the Trustees
The Trustees are pleased to present their annual report and financial statement for the year ended 30 June 2025. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out by the Charities Commission and comply with the charity’s constitution.
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Introduction
Welcome to CRRC’s Annual Report for the year ended June 2025. The reporting period began with the advent of a new Government in July 2024. Although the Safety of Rwanda Act was quickly repealed and the processing of asylum claims was restored, official policy towards refugees and asylum-seekers did not change significantly. The rise of right-wing nationalism and the ubiquity of online misinformation have emboldened anti-immigrant activists, leading to rioting in some areas in summer 2024. Fortunately, Cambridge remained a calm and welcoming place, despite the fears of many of our beneficiary families, and there were no anti-immigrant protests.
The Best Western hotel at Bar Hill closed as asylum accommodation at the end of June 2025. Some former residents have been housed in the area, requiring our help to furnish their homes and access services. To mark the closure of the hotel, during Refugee Week we were proud to mount an exhibition with Oblique Arts, entitled Finding Home , of artwork produced by the residents.
Our association continued with Cambridge4Ukraine, who provided welcome packs, information and signposting to Ukrainian refugees fleeing the Russian invasion. Their focus is now on support for teenagers and young people to make the most of their new lives in Cambridge.
The current reporting period encompasses our 10 year anniversary, reflecting our growth from a group of community activists in 2015, to charitable status in 2017, and now supporting over 170 families in Cambridge and the surrounding villages. This has meant applying for grants to expand our ability to provide services. It has also meant supporters organising some wonderful fundraising events on our behalf. As ever, we are extremely grateful to all our volunteers for their dedication and hard work. We’d also like to thank the many individuals, faith groups, trusts and foundations who have generously supported us.
Finally, we were deeply saddened by the death in March 2025 of Dan Ellis, our Chair of Trustees for five years, and a passionate advocate for the rights of refugees and asylum-seekers. He and his wife Amy were right at the heart of our organisation and we miss them greatly.
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CRRC Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statement Period ended 30 June 2025
Who we are
Cambridge Refugee Resettlement Campaign (CRRC) began as a community group in 2015 before becoming an Unincorporated Association in March 2016. We registered with the Charity Commission as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) on 2 May 2017. CRRC is entirely volunteer-led and relies on volunteers’ time and donations to deliver its statement of purpose. It is led by the Board of Trustees, and its activities are coordinated by a Core Committee.
Areas of activity include family support, donations, DIY, education (children’s tutors), ESOL, gardening, IT provision, employability and mobility, activities, socials and holiday programmes. We have around 150 active volunteers.
We work closely with Cambridge City Council, South Cambridgeshire District Council, Huntingdon District Council, Cambridge Ethnic Community Forum, and a
range of other partners, including the East of England Strategic Migration Partnership, Anglia Ruskin University, University of Cambridge Centre for the Study of Global Human Movement, Cambridge University Press & Assessment, Cambridge City Foodbank and GYROS. CRRC has been a member of Cambridge Council for Voluntary Service since 2016.
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Meeting our charitable objectives
Cambridge Refugee Resettlement Campaign (CRRC) was set up with the following objectives:
(a) to promote any charitable purpose for the benefit of persons who have become displaced persons or refugees from the countries of their origin or domicile by reason of hostilities, persecution, oppression, discrimination, natural disasters or other like causes, including through the relief of poverty, the advancement of education and training, and the promotion of good citizenship.
(b) to advance the education of the public in general about issues relating to persons who have become displaced persons or refugees from the countries of their origin or domicile by reason of hostilities, persecution, oppression, discrimination, natural disasters or other like causes.
Over the reporting period, we have continued in our aim to facilitate the resettlement and integration of displaced people into our community. We accept referrals from refugees themselves or from other individuals, organisations, or authorities.
CRRC assists refugees resettled in Cambridge and Cambridgeshire with their settling-in process, and encourages local communities to engage with our efforts to foster and promote diversity and social cohesion. Relevant statutory authorities, politicians, and others involved in policy-making and decision-making on issues affecting refugees benefit from our experience and are supported in the delivery of their statutory functions. We have also continued in our mission to engage and inform by giving talks to local groups and schools and promoting refugee-related issues and events on our social media platforms.
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Risks and strategy
During the financial year ending June 2025, the Trustees considered the major risks to which the charity was exposed. The main risks identified were:
Service users
There continued to be a rapid increase in the number and needs of service users. Resettlement families receive support from Council caseworkers but usually have additional needs. They often find themselves in financial difficulties due to the imposition of the Benefit Cap on their Universal Credit payments and the high cost of living in our area. Those who have come through the asylum system receive very limited support from local government. There is a severe shortage of ESOL provision. The Regional College has no creche facilities, which restricts access for women with young children. Our strategy has been to remain responsive and flexible. We have sought to establish closer ties with other groups in order to signpost to sources of specialist assistance and have offered hardship grants where necessary. We have begun to address the issue of ESOL provision.
Financial Security of CRRC
Our principal source of funding is now through grants from charitable trusts and foundations. We also benefit from personal gifts, donations from faith groups and businesses, fundraising events and payroll giving. The demands on our resources are increasing. We aim to maintain reserves of 6 months of annual spend to enable the orderly winding down of support services to families in the event of unforeseen changes in income or the operating environment.
Operational Risks
CRRC carries out risk assessments for all activities to ensure that risks are understood. CRRC has continued to review and update policies and procedures around some key risk areas including safeguarding and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks.
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Services
Family support
Over the reporting period there has been a further significant growth in the number and type of households CRRC supported. By 1 July 2024, at the start of the reporting period, CRRC had registered 91 families (excluding Ukrainians) on our database over 8 ½ years. By 30 June 2025 this had risen to 150 – adding a further 57 households to the number supported. In addition, we registered 15 new Ukrainian households – mostly those needing help with moving on into independent accommodation. This was the sharpest growth in both number of household units and absolute numbers of beneficiaries supported of any year in CRRC’s 10 years of existence.
Table 1- New households registered over the reporting period by country of origin
| Country | No. of new housholds |
|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 32 |
| Ukraine | 15 |
| Iran | 8 |
| Iraq | 5 |
| Eritrea | 4 |
| Syria | 3 |
| Sudan | 2 |
| Ethiopia | 1 |
| Egypt | 1 |
| Uganda | 1 |
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Historically, most of those supported by CRRC have been families resettled under Government schemes whereby the local authority immediately provides a house commensurate with the size and profile of the family, as well as wrap-around support from a dedicated local authority caseworker to assist them with the early stages of their orientation and resettlement.
This pattern changed when first a hotel in St Ives began housing single male asylum-seekers in 2021 and then a hotel in Bar Hill started accommodating asylum-seeking families and single women in early 2023. By the end of the reporting period both hotels had ceased operation as asylum accommodation, with many of the residents granted refugee status. Table 2 below shows the immigration ‘route’ by which CRRC’s 72 new registrations came into Cambridgeshire.
Table 2 - Immigration ‘route’ by which new registrations arrived in Cambridgeshire
| Immigration route to arrival in Cambridgeshire | Numbers of households arriving by ‘route’ |
|---|---|
| Asylum seekers granted refugee status | 28 |
| Afghan resettlement schemes | 24 |
| ‘Homes for Ukraine’ scheme | 10 |
| Ukraine - family scheme | 5 |
| Family reunion | 1 |
| Community sponsorship | 1 |
| Not known | 3 |
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Asylum-seekers granted refugee status
Asylum-seekers are required to live in Home Office designated ‘dispersal accommodation’ while their claim is being considered. Lengthy delays in decisionmaking are common and many asylum-seekers wait up to 2 years or more before an initial decision is made on their claim. CRRC is able to offer only limited support to asylum-seekers before a decision and we do not register households with us prior to a positive decision. As a registered charity, we have accessed free SIM cards from Vodafone and have provided these to the local support groups working around the hotels, offering a vital lifeline for people still in the asylum system.
Our principal role with those arriving locally via the asylum route has been in helping them accrue basic household furniture and fittings once they are given a tenancy. After a grant of asylum, families have 56 days and single people 28 days to leave the hotel and find somewhere else to live. Those without other options present to the local authority in the asylum hotel’s area as ‘at risk of homelessness’ and if deemed in ‘priority need’ (for example a family with children) will be moved into temporary accommodation while a first permanent tenancy is found for them. The process of obtaining a permanent tenancy can take up to a year or even longer in some cases.
The local authority will normally equip households with children with essential white goods – a cooker, fridge and washing machine along with sufficient beds for the family and 1 sofa. No other goods are provided such as bedding, curtains, dining table and chairs, vacuum cleaner, cooking equipment, crockery, wardrobes, drawers etc. In addition, local authorities tend to strip out any existing flooring from previous tenancies often leaving the new tenant with bare concrete floors. Having to provide basic furniture and household goods has been a significant call on CRRC’s resources over the year. The growth in registered households of former asylum-seekers led us to apply to the National Lottery Community Fund for a grant specifically to support those moving into a first tenancy with a basic set of furniture and other necessary items. Our application was successful and from April 2025, we have been able to use this grant for purchases to support households moving to a new tenancy. On pages 12 and 13 we illustrate via two case studies how we work with households starting new tenancies.
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Case Study 1 – request for assistance received on 31 March 2025
Dear ………..,
My name is Volodymyr ***. I am writing to kindly request your assistance with essential household items for my new flat.
I arrived in the UK under the Ukraine Family Scheme in January 2022 to visit my daughter and grandson. Due to the war in Ukraine, my wife and I were unable to return home. I have been battling cancer (multiple myeloma) and am currently undergoing continuous chemotherapy and immunotherapy. My medical condition has created a challenging living situation. After a lengthy process, I have finally been allocated a flat through housing support, which will provide a safer environment for my medical needs. Unfortunately, as we came under the Ukraine Family Scheme rather than the Homes for Ukraine program, there is no additional support available from Cambridge City Council to furnish the flat with essential appliances. I am unable to work due to my medical condition and rely on Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment for my basic needs.
I would be extremely grateful if your organisation could help me with the following essential items: Gas cooker, Washing machine, Iron, Microwave. If possible, I would also greatly appreciate: A small dining table and chairs for two people, Rugs for the flat.
Any assistance you can provide would make an enormous difference in helping me establish a proper living space during this difficult time. Thank you for considering my request. I am available to provide any additional information you may require. Yours sincerely,
Volodymyr & Tetiana *****
Our response to this request was to say that we would consider what we could contribute. A calculation of the four main items requested (washing machine, cooker, microwave and iron) would put the total cost, including installation of gas cooker and washing machine, at £802 (incl £165 for professional installation costs). Before committing to this, we asked for further information about the daughter’s circumstances, whether she had a credit rating and could purchase some items through monthly instalments to assist her parents. We decided on the % of the purchases we could assist with after receiving this information.
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Case Study 2 – request for assistance received on 6 March 2025
Hi Adrian
I just spoke to you on the phone, I'm Sara from the Council, Mrs P’s support worker. She has just moved to temporary accommodation provided by South Cambs. The address is ***, and she moved in today.
As I mentioned Mrs P has only been given a sofa, a bed, and white goods. She has no curtains, carpet, kitchen essentials or any other basics. I would be really grateful if you could help her. I will copy her in the email.
Please call me if you need a translator.
Our response to this request was to first send a volunteer to assess the household needs. This woman was a Kurdish single parent from Iran recently granted refugee status following an asylum claim. The volunteer took the client to our storage garage where she was able to select from donated items of kitchen equipment, crockery, glassware and bedding. Within her first two weeks at her new property, we purchased a (new) vacuum cleaner, dustpan and brush, collapsible clothes dryer, and sourced a wardrobe, curtains and rug through donations. We purchased curtain rails for the donated curtains and some paint to smarten up the wardrobe.
A volunteer helped put up the curtain rail. We have a policy of not providing carpet to those in temporary accommodation but will consider a contribution to this when a permanent tenancy has been provided. We also provided this beneficiary with a refurbished laptop to enable her to improve her English and to access services.
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Distribution across Cambridgeshire
Of the 72 new households registered over the reporting period, 57 were not from Ukraine. We record Ukrainian households we support on a separate database. Of the 57 non-Ukrainian households, 21 (36.8%) were accommodated in the city while 36 (63.1%) were accommodated in villages or new towns. Other clusters of newly registered households were in Waterbeach (6), Northstowe (6) Cambourne (4) Willingham (3) Cottenham (3) and Brampton (2 – joining an established community there).Eleven families were placed in fairly remote villages with poor transport links making it very challenging to attend college, find work and access essential services.
The majority of Ukrainian families assisted had previously been hosted by city residents and therefore received help with finding independent accommodation in the city. Accommodation for this group was a mix of social and private rented properties.
Families from Afghanistan
We registered 32 new Afghan households over the reporting period. Twenty-four households were resettled by Cambridge City Council under one of the two programmes established by the Government. A further 7 Afghan households arrived via the asylum route and 1 Afghan household arrived via the Homes for Ukraine scheme as he’d been a Ukrainian resident when the war broke out.
Of 32 new Afghan households, 10 (31.25%) were accommodated in the city and 22 (68.75%) in villages/new towns mostly in South Cambridgeshire. Village-based families face particular challenges with accessing ESOL, travelling to appointments, shopping, and finding employment. When unable to find work, most families find their benefits ‘capped’ which, for large families, can mean that they simply can’t afford to pay their rent, utilities bills and food. Some families have had to turn to food banks to feed their families, for which we are able to issue vouchers.
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Families and individuals from Ukraine
The number of new registrations from Ukrainian families fell in the reporting year from 29 families in the 2023/24 reporting year to 15 this year. There may be several reasons for this. Many of those originally hosted in the city had already moved on into independent accommodation the previous year. A lack of new hosting offers from city residents meant that very few new Ukrainian ‘guests’ arrived in the city under the ‘Homes for Ukraine’ scheme during the year. The Ukraine ‘family’ scheme whereby Ukrainian citizens could join settled family members in the UK closed in February 2024.
Ukrainian families assisted continued to be mostly women with children and/or an elderly parent, or elderly couples. We received a grant from Cambridge City Council in October 2023 and by the end of October 2024 had assisted 28 Ukrainian families to move on into independent accommodation. You can find a link to our final report on how the grant was used here.
As well as purchases using the grant funding, we put out appeals for donations through social media and received huge local support in providing needed items, from tables and chairs to sofas, wardrobes, and even an electric piano. CRRC volunteers coordinated the collection and delivery of donated items to beneficiary families.
Brampton / Huntingdon area support
At the start of the financial year there were 13 CRRC-registered refugee families living in Brampton and 2 in Huntingdon. Most of the families were from Afghanistan, resettled here under the Government ARAP/ACRS schemes. There was also one asylum-seeking family from Georgia (they are still seeking leave to remain) and another family from Iran, who came by boat, had been in asylum accommodation in Bar Hill and have leave to remain (LTR).
With one exception, all the families are still on Universal Credit. Only one man, with a large family, is in full-time work. The other men all do 16 hours/week parttime work (e.g., working in restaurants, supermarkets, food delivery). Two are building the experience and expertise to set up their own businesses.
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With the exception of one woman with a young baby, all the women now attend ESOL classes at least once a week. Outings and events have been organised over the year for the women, as a way of helping them to get to know the area and enjoy time out of the home.
Gardening group
The gardening group has visited 16 new families during this period from Afghanistan, Eritrea, Iraq and Sudan. We also returned to assist two Afghan families and three single parents needing long-term help in their garden.
After an initial visit and discussion with each new family, we provided basic gardening tools, according to need, and this typically included spades, watering-cans, trowels and secateurs. This year the majority of families have been housed in new-builds in new towns outside Cambridge, most having semilarge lawn gardens. All the newbuilds needed electric mowers. Some of the families also had new sheds so we were able to buy them mowers which could be stored and shared with other families living close by. We were donated two electric mowers, plants, veg plants, an apple tree and herbs.
A lot of the new families wanted to help us in their garden and learn what flowers, herbs and vegetables they may be able to grow in our climate. Our aim is for all families to become independent gardeners.
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Visiting the families in their homes is always a rewarding way to get to know them, especially as they generously offer us tea and snacks. Apart from discussing gardening, other issues arise, which we try to help solve, often regarding refuse bin collections, local schools, English classes, transport etc. One family had 5 broken bikes in the garden so we co-ordinated with Owl Bikes (Papworth Trust) who collect, recycle and sell. We regularly liaise with CRRC’s donations and DIY teams. We are fortunate that all the gardening group are experienced and knowledgeable gardeners who have been prepared to turn up and work on a regular basis.
Donations and DIY
When refugees move on into permanent or even short-term accommodation, there is sometimes nothing there. CRRC, liaising with landlords and a limited number of support organisations, can often manage to provide flooring, a cooker and fridge. For everything else, we are heavily reliant on donations. People in and around Cambridge are generous. We are routinely offered cutlery, crockery and cookware. We are given furniture and soft furnishings. Desks, swivel chairs and bookcases are in demand for study areas. And toys, too: children need teddy bears and fluffy rabbits. We have a simple rule: we only accept things which we would be happy to own ourselves. All electrical items are PAT tested; all furniture is checked for fire safety and all sewing machines and bicycles - both much in demand - are serviced and tested before distribution. Many thanks to all our donors and especially to Sheila Hakin for the use of her garage for storage.
IT provision
Over the reporting period, we have distributed to beneficiaries of many nationalities some 65 laptops and 30 phones, and about 50 SIM cards. A further batch of SIM cards was given to residents in the Bar Hill asylum hotel. Ukrainian beneficiaries have received 5 laptops.
The large majority of our IT provision has been purchased from Sustainable Tech4Good, our partner organisation based in Stevenage, with a smaller amount of direct donations where these came already wiped. Most laptops are Windows 10 or 11, with one or two Apple Mac devices.
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Mobility
The demand for CRRC grants towards the cost of driving lessons continued to be high this year. All CRRC-registered adults are eligible to apply once they have passed their theory test, and the applications are then assessed by a CRRC team.
Successful applicants are funded for 10 hours if they have driven before, 20 hours if not. We brought in a new dimension this year, whereby if instructors feel that a learner needs just a few more hours to stand a good chance of passing on the first attempt, we pay 50% of the cost of up to 10 extra hours, with the learner committing to paying the instructor the other 50%.
Initially, CRRC partnered with two driving schools, but by early 2025 it was clear that it was more cost-effective, better for ‘additional language’ learners and easier administratively to partner with only one, Neomotion Driving School, with whom we now have a very good working relationship.
This year, grants were awarded to 24 applicants. Of these, nine passed on their first or second attempt. Among the applicants were three women, an encouraging trend.
We continued our fruitful relationship with The Liberation Cycle, a local charity which collects, refurbishes and redistributes second-hand bicycles. Over the reporting period they provided our service users with 50 bicycles.
ESOL for adults
In the year to June 2025, there were some pleasing successes as well as ongoing challenges in meeting needs for accessible language learning opportunities. CRRC ESOL for adults continued to respond to the needs of those (mainly women) who were unable to access college provision or classes set up in libraries.
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Those in need of language support fell into two categories - more established residents and newcomers to the area. Newcomers were generally being housed outside Cambridge, which created challenges in meeting demand as travel to the CRRC-run class in central Cambridge was no longer viable. It was therefore decided not to continue with the class in central Cambridge but instead to provide one-to-one tuition for those living in Cambridge. Tuition took place either in the central library or in the home. Those who had been resident in the area for a few years worked towards citizenship with 2 women passing the requisite language test. In another case the teacher reported that her learner had the ability to pass the language test, but domestic responsibilities and an ongoing health issue were impacting on her motivation to prepare for the assessment. Passing the citizenship test has proved more challenging due to the very specific areas of knowledge required. Assurances were given by teachers that they themselves would not pass the test without intensive study!
One-to-one tuition in the home was provided by qualified volunteer ESOL teachers for 4 women who needed basic language support but who were unable to attend college classes as they had pre-school children. In one case the tutor reported good progress both orally and with literacy, and her learner was able to do some things independently, such as visiting a local charity for clothes and nappies, attending a local playgroup with her 3 year-old son, and visiting neighbours of different nationalities.
Teachers generally reported that there needed to be more opportunities to integrate into the local community and to be more immersed in English with more opportunities to use English outside the lessons. Although most women worked hard, teachers sometimes expressed disappointment that in some instances there was little evidence of study or use of English between lessons, and the presence of children was at times challenging. In one case, however, although limited progress in English was made, the teacher was able to give considerable support in relation to benefits and medical issues.
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Two women who had fled domestic abuse were referred to CRRC and were supported by volunteer teachers, with one of the women receiving considerable support both with language, job-related training, domestic and health issues. Online lessons for elementary-level learners were set up for 3 individuals, with limited success. Lack of confidence in use of technology was a factor, and participants did not show the level of engagement and commitment evidenced in in-person classes.
Provision of language support for those living outside Cambridge continued to be challenging. Women with pre-school children were a particular cause of concern. CRRC was very grateful for a generous donation from the Angela Webster Trust which enabled us to recruit two qualified teachers on a self-employed basis.
In addition, a small team of childcarers was recruited to supervise the children in a stay-and-play session at the community venue in Northstowe where the class was held. The class ran once a week during term time on a Tuesday morning to coincide with the Council playgroup session. There were 8 students with a core of 3 who attended regularly and, as a result, were the ones who benefited the most. There was a range of experiences of education, from illiterate to confident in reading and writing. This model of a venue outside the home with childcare facilities in place has proved the most effective means of building confidence and ensuring progress in language learning. CRRC hopes to extend it to other communities.
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CRRC’s continued formal provision of English language tuition in Brampton was not necessary because, from September 2024, nearly all the women were able to successfully progress to the Functional English course at Huntingdon Regional College (CRC) attending twice a week. Some continued to attend church-run ESOL classes in Huntingdon on 1-2 days a week, popular because they could take preschool children there. Only one mother remained out of the ESOL loop (because of a young baby), but plans were in hand for her to start the Council-run Huntingdon Library ESOL lessons in September 2025.
CRRC has also continued to support an ever-expanding project which provides daily online classes for Ukrainians. Donations from Cambridge University Press & Assessment to support this project have been much appreciated.
Educational support for children
We have benefitted from consistent support for school-age children from a team of 20 experienced primary and secondary school teachers who provide subjectspecific as well as language development. This is an important and muchappreciated means of support for families. Many school-age children from CRRC’s beneficiaries have been enrolled in the one-to-one tuition programme provided by the CRRC children’s tuition team. Some pre-school children have also had support from tutors. CRRC volunteers were matched with the families and normally met the children once a week. The aim of this support is to help the children to develop language skills, encourage conceptual understanding, increase knowledge of their cultural community, and to build their confidence and self-esteem.
The one-to-one teachers supporting school-age children have often helped with liaising with a child’s school so that the child was supported in following the curriculum at the appropriate level. Many of the English tutors worked with different families.
We are particularly grateful to Amy Brookman and A Learning Place for offering a place to a young Afghan teenager who was struggling with his mental health after being told he would have to wait nine months to go to college. He benefitted enormously from the personal care and attention ALP were able to give him and shared a taxi with another student with funding from Cambridgeshire County Council.
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Activities and culture
The Activities Group has run a programme of events over the reporting period. In addition to organising twice-termly Saturday afternoon socials, the group also organised a coach trip to an adventure park and an indoor climbing activity for the children. Both events were very popular and full reports of both events are detailed on page 23. There is also a thriving refugee community based at Brampton (half an hour away from Cambridge) and Kay Powell – a locally-based volunteer – organised several additional events for this community.
Discounted activities
We have approached various sports clubs and swimming academies, who have been more than happy to offer a very discounted fee structure for the children, often waiving the joining fee. Through this route we have been able to support swimming lessons, martial arts and gymnastics classes for several families who otherwise would not have been able to participate in these. We have also funded cycling tuition.
Saturday afternoon socials held at Mayfield Primary school, Cambridge
These socials are very popular and 6 were held in the reporting period. We invite families to bring a dish of food along; there is always a children’s craft table, as well as an outdoor play area and seating for the adults to gather for a chat.
There were several special socials: one involved a circus workshop, one had a visit from Father Christmas, and there was henna painting and dancing for Eid. If a family is struggling to reach the venue by public transport we will help by covering the cost of a taxi or driving a minibus (We have strict guidelines for this aid).
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Wicksteed Park Excursion
A trip to Wicksteed Park near Kettering was organised on Saturday 31 August 2024. We took two coaches, one departing from Brampton with 7 families (one Brampton family went in their own car) and another coach departing from Milton Park and Ride site with 11 families. In total we had 116 family members, 12 of whom went free as they were under 0.9m. There were 2 volunteers on each coach.
We purchased 109 tickets in advance to get the best price. The site is very large but every family had a volunteer phone number in case of emergency. Everyone was invited to meet up at a picnic area but, in the end, the families were too busy having fun to join the volunteers for lunch!
Wicksteed has an old-fashioned vibe, with fun, traditional amusements and rides, and is set in lovely parkland with a lake. Everyone was very appreciative, with the children particularly excited by the outing.
Clip & Climb
Thirteen families were booked onto the activity in November and there was also a significant waiting list. In all 23 children took part, ranging in age from 4/5 years old to early teens. One girl told us she had been counting down the days ever since she found out about it. Another family said their children had chosen to come to Clip & Climb rather than do their usual Saturday morning football training. The Clip & Climb employees were very accommodating, helping families to complete the waiver forms and allowing late-comers to join the briefing session and take part in the climbing.
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Brampton trips
C ambridge bus tour
On this day out in Cambridge in July 2024, there were 3 volunteers, 10 Afghan women, 5 toddlers and 3 babies. The day began with an open-top bus tour of the city, followed by a stroll through the Grand Arcade (shopping is high on the women’s list of favourite things to do) and then on to a picnic lunch on Parker’s Piece. An unplanned activity there was a ride for some of the women on the Ferris wheel, where the operator kindly gave us a generous discount.
Ladies’ Art Day
On 25 April 2025 we held a Ladies’ Art Day in the home of one of the volunteers. CRRC provided the paper, paints, palettes and pencils, while the women brought along food for a light lunch. The silence as everyone (including the volunteers) concentrated hard to produce a painting of some object near them was most unusual – these gatherings are normally very noisy occasions, with much chatter!
Riverboat Cruise, St Ives
The 11 women and two toddlers from Brampton and Huntingdon were joined on 20 June 2025 by 5 women from Cambourne for a riverboat cruise on the Great Ouse. Four volunteers came along too. One boat set off at 11 am, going downstream from St Ives, carrying 12 people, while the rest of the group went to the St Ives Friday market (which included a great spices/olives/baklava stall that proved very popular) and then had coffee and cake in a local church café.
At midday, the first group set off on the St Ives walkabout, while the second went down the Ouse. At one point on this boat trip, a Brampton woman took the helm, followed shortly by her 4-year-old son Abdul having a go too! The weather was perfect, all the logistics worked well and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. A Cambourne woman later reported: ‘It was a great place, I felt refreshed.’
CRRC Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statement Period ended 30 June 2025
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Report from Cambridge4Ukraine (C4U)
Although on a smaller scale than before, Cambridge4Ukraine continues to support the Ukrainian community with its main focus on our youngest members. With support from CRRC, we managed to conduct two projects which help the social integration of young Ukrainians.
Climbing Programme in Partnership with Urban Uprising
We arranged for two climbing courses for Ukrainian children, where Urban Uprising covered most of the costs, while the final portion of funds came out of the CRRC account.
Group 1 September–November 2024
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10 sessions
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10 participants (children) Group 2 May–July 2025
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10 sessions
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10 participants (children)
Here are some comments from the parents about the importance of these courses for their children:
We are sincerely grateful for this wonderful opportunity for Ukrainian children to take part in such an incredible bouldering course! A huge thank you to all the organisers and instructors! The instructors are true professionals—attentive, safetyconscious, supportive, and inspiring. They teach, supervise, share their experience, and keep the children motivated. Bouldering builds endurance and life skills that will undoubtedly be useful in the future. Thank you once again!
The children absolutely loved it—it was not only exciting but also very beneficial for both their physical development and mental resilience. Even when they came home tired from school on Mondays, they couldn’t wait to head out to the sessions. They always returned full of positive energy and emotions. They had great fun, made new friends, and truly enjoyed every moment. Huge thanks to the entire team for your work, your care, and this fantastic opportunity!
CRRC Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statement Period ended 30 June 2025
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The climbing gym is excellent, My daughter found it fascinating that each with a great variety of walls. The time, she had to find a different path to the top sessions are both engaging and —and that every child had their own unique useful. We are very grateful! way of solving the challenge. Just like in life, we Thank you so much! all choose our own pace, our own path, and our own summit. My son loved interacting with the coaches, helping girls in his group, and feeling proud every time he reached the very top. And after each session, the happy kids enjoyed a treat from the nearby café—something new and even tastier every time. Thank you so much! We truly loved it!
YOUkraine Teens in Cambridge
Cambridge4Ukraine is currently running a teenage club with various meetings for Ukrainian youth and their parents. Since the beginning of the programme, we have held over 25 meetings for Ukrainian teenagers in Cambridge. Around 40 teenagers have taken part in these events, among whom an active community of regular participants has already formed. We have invited 8 speakers and specialists to lead the sessions — including psychologists, coaches, educational consultants, creative mentors, and students.
The topics of the events have covered emotional well-being, the influence of social media, self-awareness, career choice, development of communication skills, integration into a new environment, and sports. We have also organised several festive and recreational events that contributed to a friendly atmosphere and mutual support.
Funds donated to CRRC for this purpose help to fund snacks and beverages for teenagers, which they enjoy during the meetings.
YOUkraine Teens in Cambridge continues to operate steadily and develop further. We are seeing growing interest from both teenagers and parents and are preparing new meeting formats and a programme for the winter season.
Andrii Smytsniuk
Chair, Cambridge4Ukraine
CRRC Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statement Period ended 30 June 2025
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Communications and Outreach
Our newsletter has continued to be published quarterly to about 500 subscribers and is further disseminated through the City of Sanctuary Faith Groups network. Our Facebook group has 1,500 members and our new Bluesky account is growing.
We joined colleagues from Anglia Ruskin University in a major multi-site research study, funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), inviting local refugees to have their say about access to healthcare, adequate housing and appropriate nutrition. This has involved organising community forums and workshops, mapping and data collection.
We gave presentations to the Rotary Club Huntingdon and again to the Homerton Changemakers. We also gave a series of Personal, Social, Health Education (PSHE) workshops to Year 10s at Comberton Village College.
Volunteer Events
Two volunteer events were held over the reporting period. With increasing numbers of Afghan arrivals, we thought it would be useful for volunteers to learn a bit about Afghanistan and Afghan culture. The Woolf Institute kindly allowed us to use their beautiful building to hold a seminar in July 2024, attended by 50 people. Traditional Afghan tea and snacks were provided by three Afghan women from Brampton, while speakers Dr Reza Husseini and Kamila Mohammadi gave presentations on the history of Afghanistan and its culture and
customs. Finally, two of our service users spoke about the experience of leaving Afghanistan and everything they had worked for there, to try to start a new life here, with one offering some excellent advice about what we can do to help.
A volunteer evening was held at the Friends Meeting House in April to enable volunteers to meet each other, share experiences and learn about areas of activity others are involved in. Some 30 volunteers came along for a relaxed evening of conversation over Syrian food.
CRRC Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statement Period ended 30 June 2025
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Fundraising events
We benefitted from a number of fundraising events organised by supporters. Children’s orchestras the Petit Ensemble and Kipu Orchestra held benefit concerts for us. The Cambridge Philharmonic also put on a major fundraising concert, which involved recruiting a refugee choir to perform Jonathan Dove’s composition Odyssey as well as the world premiere of Concerto for Kamancheh and Orchestra by Iranian composer and virtuoso Rouzbeh Parsa.
Volunteer Maria Aboukhshem had become very aware of the level of financial hardship faced by refugee families unable to find P we aayiaeAy re % work and wanted to raise funds for hardship Be ng te! eeAO grants. Enlisting her family and their business, Coffee World, she organised a magnificent fundraising dinner at their cafe in Milton with live music from folk singers Tom Ling and Ian Turner, and a silent auction run by her children. Food was provided by several local businesses while Maria did the cooking.
CRRC Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statement Period ended 30 June 2025
29
Financial Review
Receipts of £77,159 in unrestricted funds during the year covered most of the outgoings of £80,713 with the majority of funding coming from grants. We are grateful also for significant funds raised on our behalf from a number of events as well as individual donations both one-off and regular. The split of expenditure in unrestricted funds is shown in the chart below:
There are also two restricted funds: NVPR where funds are donated specially for the support of a specific case; and Cambridge4Ukraine. These funds have sufficient receipts to cover all expenses.
Reserves Policy
The charity aims to hold up to six months expenditure as a reserve in unrestricted cash so that the charity could continue to operate should income or expense vary adversely. At the year end, the charity held unrestricted cash of £55,809.
Signature
This report was approved by the trustees, and is signed on their behalf by:
30 Receipts & Payments Statement 16,gJ7 28,731 45,727 77.633 &ft Aid 1527 2.527 1>8nts 55.$24 55.524 T(AAI 77.158 31,258 IC6,418 4iMt 8.186 86.285 76.850 1.¥24 1.924 215 215 16,343 16.343 Staff C 475 475 Fund Tr1819 In Fund Tr8r6ffjrs ( Totsl C•sh FurKls Bwht FoNMrd 13.582 72.162 41,748 41.748 NVPR IRe51ri¢dl 14.393 14.393 4,423 &916 5.916 9.158 IRestsKt&Jl Trust (Csh0) Natknnal Lclt8ry C(fftTrJrMty FuTrY Itated) Evetyn TnMt IDes*3naknJ} 13,163 13,163
31
Asset & Liability Statement
Cash Assets
| CRRC unrestricted (Unrestricted) | CRRC unrestricted (Unrestricted) | 41,748 | 0 | 41,748 | 59,364 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NVPR | (Restricted) | 0 | 14,393 | 14,393 | 4,423 |
| Cambridge4Ukraine | Cambridge4Ukraine (Restricted) |
0 | 5,916 | 5,916 | 9,158 |
| Angela Webster Education Trust | 899 | 0 | 899 | 0 | |
| (Designated) | |||||
| National Lottery Community Fund | 13,163 | 13,163 | |||
| (Designated) | 0 | 0 |
Signature
These accounts have been approved by the trustees, and are signed on their behalf by:
Catharine Walston, Acting Chair of Trustees
19 November 2025
We acknowledge grants received from:
The Ann Docwra Area Meeting Fund The Hilden Charitable Fund National Lottery Awards for All Cambridge Aid Cambridge City Council Cambridgeshire County Council Cambridgeshire Community Foundation The Evelyn Trust
Big Lottery Community Fund Angela Webster Education Trust
32
Movement of Funds
Unrestricted
Notes to the Accounts
Accounting Policies
The accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis and comprise a statement that shows the charity's receipts and payments, a statement that summarises the charity's assets and liabilities and related notes. The accountancy profession have determined that only accounts prepared in accordance with applicable accounting standards present a 'true and fair' view and, as these receipts and payments accounts have not (and cannot) be prepared in accordance with accounting standards, these accounts do not present (and are not intended to present) a 'true and fair' view of the charity's financial activities and state of affairs.
General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity. Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the trustees for particular purposes. Restricted funds are donations which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors; they include donations received from appeals for specific activities or projects.
Transactions to Related Parties
There were no transactions with related parties during the accounting period.
33 Independent Examiners Report I rewt to the trusttts on my exInatIon of the accounts of CamtxNJge Refugee Resettlement Campayn ('the chan} for the year ended 301(W2025. Responsibiliti and Basis of R•port As thé trustoas of Ihe (thanty you are ponSIble f(Y the yeparabon ol the accounts in accordance wrth the requirwnents of the Charilies Act 2011 (Ihe 2011 Ad.). I report in respect of my eXaMinatn of Ihe chanty's accounts carried out under Mction 145 of th• 2011 Aci and in Carng out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charrty Commission uThJer sedion 14515){b) of tr* 2011 A¢t. Ind•porbd•nt Examin•rfs Stst•m•nt I have compknd my examinabon. I confimi that no matèrial matt•rs hav• ¢ome to my atterthon in connection wrth examination giving me cause to beIve that in any matenal respect: 1. &cnting records wefe not keFrt in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 AGt. ( 2. tho accounts do ncrt a¢c4xd with the accou1r recorrls. I have no CCJncems aryj have ccKne atyoss no other matters in cnei with the exJminJbon to whKh attention should tx drawn in order to enable a rxoper 4xKler5tanding of the accounts to be Ind•p•nd•nt Examinerfs Details Name: Hilary Seaward . Address: 9 Sherlock Road. CamlxKlsp. CB3 OHR (L4L?
We would like to extend our sincere appreciation and thanks to the following groups and individuals who have helped and supported us over the year:
A Learning Place The Evelyn Trust Al Amin Stores Experience Cambridge Al Casbah restaurant Friends Meeting House Jesus Lane The Angela Webster Education Trust Galleria restaurant Anglia Ruskin University Sue Gowling and Sustainable Ann Docwra Area Meeting Fund Tech4Good Meltem Avcil Great St Mary’s Church Jeff Bruner H.E.L.P. Cambridge Aid Hilden Charitable Trust Cambridge Botanic Gardens Homerton Changemakers Cambridge Carbon Footprint Huntingdon Rotary Club Cambridge City Council ILC Cambridge Coffee Academy Indus Festival Cambridge Econometrics Jack's Gelato Cambridge Junction Kan Zaman restaurant Cambridge Philharmonic Dr Ed Kessler Cambridgeshire Community Kipu Orchestra Foundation The Liberation Cycle Cambridgeshire County Council La Maison du Steak Cam:Care and Shrobona Susan Mealing Bhattachariya Midan World Foods Caroline Chambers National Lottery Community Fund Children of Nepal Naz's Kitchen Coffee World UK and the Oblique Arts Aboukhshem family OUP Comberton Village College Petit Ensemble CUPA St Bene’t’s Church, Cambridge The family and friends of Jean Ila St James’s Church, Cambridge Currie St Mary’s Primary School Delhicious Skincare Sancton Wood School Dorling Kindersley Soroptimist International Cambridge Downing Place URC Thomas Coram Research Unit East Leightonstone Parish and University Arms Hotel Brampton Hub Vodafone
To volunteer, donate or otherwise offer support, please visit our website or email us at admin@cambridgerefugees.org