## **Croeso Teifi Annual Report** ## **February 9[th] 2020 –February 8[th] 2021** ## Reference and Administration CroesoTeifi charity registration number: 1173014. St Mary’s Old School Hall, Pontycleifion, Cardigan, Wales, SA43 1DR. Celia Lang-Secretary Trustees: Sharon Carter: Chair Rev. John Bennett: Vice-Chair Vicky Moller: Project Director Louise O’ Neill Hywel Davies Tim O’ Neill: Treasurer ## Structure and Management Croeso Teifi is registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) with voting members other than its charity trustees. ## Objectives: The objects of the CIO, for the public benefit are: To provide aid to refugees, those seeking asylum or granted leave to remain in the U.K., who reside or wish to reside temporarily or permanently in the town of Cardigan and the surrounding area, and to promote their harmonious integration into the local communities. The main activities undertaken to further these objectives are: - assistance with provision of accommodation, furnishings, clothing and other requirements essential for security and wellbeing. - arrangement with the refugees of education, providing English and Welsh language tuition, training and work activity leading to fulfilment, skills and employment. - facilitation of access to local services e.g. health, banking, schools, job centre, as well as social activities and the sharing of friendship, knowledge and skills leading to linguistic and social integration. - working with support organisations and members of the local community to share any or all of the above charitable purposes. ## For the Public Benefit: The trustees have understood the guidance on Public Benefit and use it to guide decisions, such as to ensure funds are used to maximise the number of people we can benefit. The activities of Croeso Teifi explained below have helped to build community cohesion through bringing diverse people to work together as volunteers. The publicity, fundraising and information events have extended awareness of global situations in particular the situation of Syrian refugees forced to leave their war torn homes for camps in Lebanon. Preparing for and bringing a refugee family to Cardigan has advanced cultural awareness, as has the provision of social opportunities for cultural exchange. The work of the charity has provided opportunity to extend welcome, empathy and kindness, which have enhanced individual self-esteem as well as pride in the local community. ## Achievements of Croeso Teifi: This year has been marked by the Covid-19 pandemic which has tested the wider community and the nation. Whilst Croeso Teifi has endeavoured to maintain support for both families, we have had to rely on the internet to ensure that they are well, that they understand the varying levels of social restrictions and to maintain contact during the pandemic peaks. This has been maintained through text messages, phone calls and facetime and we understand that they have been able to speak to their families in Syria similarly. Both families appear to have coped very well with the situation although schooling was rather problematic as access to a laptop was difficult for the family with older children. As a result, we provided the family with a laptop and had it serviced to ensure that it was working up to speed. Child Two was struggling with English and so we have put in place a programme of three English lessons a week provided by Croeso Teifi members. This was initially provided face- to –face when restrictions were eased midway through 2020 and family visits were possible. However, with the return of lockdown, these have been carried out via zoom. The second father still has his part-time job with the new barber which has opened in Cardigan but has twice been furloughed during lock downs. This is the situation at present until we await confirmation of the reopening of these businesses from the Senedd. He has had to postpone his driving test owing to covid restrictions and at this point we are awaiting for a date when he can safely take the test. However, with support, he has purchased a car and Croeso Teifi have provided a donation for insurance purposes. His wife has used her artistic talents to illustrate her Syrian recipes with a view to publishing a Syrian cookbook, costs to be covered by Croeso Teifi. With support, she has added a few personal stories to go with some of the recipes and thank you to those involved for instigating this idea and pulling it all together. During the first lockdown, the parents of the second family wanted to thank the people of Cardigan: “You helped us in our crisis and we want to help you in yours”. They cooked meals for a local care home and a home for vulnerable adults. The ITV news featured their story and they received a special mention during the Citizens UK conference on December 6[th] 2020, for their outstanding contribution. The first family are enjoying life in Cardigan. They have now moved to larger premises in Cardigan and the father has passed his driving test. He has bought a car and Croeso Teifi has made a donation towards his insurance costs. He works for a local builder two days a week and we are grateful to this individual for giving him invaluable paid building experience. Both mothers attend a zoom online English class run by Coleg Ceredigion. One of the adults is in need of urgent medical treatment for an ongoing and debilitating condition. In order to prevent a possible permanent disability the trustees have taken the decision to pay for private treatment to halt the deterioration. We are still awaiting a date for this private surgery, which should take place sometime in March. In response to the generous donation of £9000 last year, we built a new group of First Friends with the specific remit of welcoming a third family to Cardigan. Our application was approved by the Home Office and Ceredigion County Council late February 2020 but then everything was put on hold with the pandemic. In October the Home Office announced that flights to resettle vulnerable families would resume but Ceredigion County Council felt that given the high rate of virus transmission in the area, it would be considered unsafe to welcome a family in these conditions and so the process has been put on hold. However, recent communication with the Council recognizes Croeso Teifi’s commitment and hopes that we will be able to welcome our third family in the next six months or so, once the rate of transmission of the virus has dropped to acceptable levels in our communities. ## The Wider Community The wider community is a vital part of everything we do and we wish to especially thank those who have contributed in any way. In particular the plight of asylum seekers in Penally has featured in our discussions and three individuals from Penally were invited to meet the trustees. They told their stories so eloquently and we were all felt very privileged to have met them. Humanity never ceases to surprise with its ability to endure and reach out to others. Croeso Teifi were able to source five guitars and donate them to the camp in order to provide some sort of musical relief. Furthermore, Croeso Teifi also provided a funding platform to enable fundraising for the Penally asylum seekers group. The money raised provides tailored help to camp residents: eg medical assessments leading to relocation, emergency power to camps during a power cut. The funding appeared in Croeso Teifi’s account after the end of this financial year and so will feature in the financial year 2021-2022. Croeso Teifi has also paid for a laptop for a young refugee from Ireland, now resident in Fishguard. I think that we can all say that being involved in Croeso Teifi has impacted on us in such a positive and meaningful way, and most importantly the deep friendships with people from a wholly different culture and religion that have developed as a result. The opening minutes of the Conference on December 6[th] 2020 featured a UNHCR 4 minute film about our two families and the work we do in Cardigan. Over 300 people attended this zoom and it was an emotional tribute to our journey. Sharon Carter (Chairperson) CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES ROESO TEIFI Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period from To 09m2r2020 OW02r2021 Section A Receipts and payments Unrestricted funds Restricted fund¥ Endowment funds Total funds Last yeaf iothe n•8fOSt£ tothe n•arnst e tothe ￿areSt £ toth8 ￿￿reSt £ Al Recelpts Donab￿S EveDt&Fund RaI￿n￿c￿le￿oNa Semnd Famity Universal Credit Giants HenhurstTNs1 third family Other 7B 1.597 42 2,532 3,411 9,000 Sub total (Gross income forAR) A2 Asset and Investment sales. (Beg table). 2.532 16,093 Sub total Totsl rpeeipts 2,532 3.500 16,093 A3Pa ments Te8¢hing Translabon AdministrabonlFirsl FiieThts Insupn Petty Cash House Family 1 8 2 Supwrt Microgrdnt Dr Dewi Davies- SecOr￿ famil Second Family Universal Cred￿t House Move RefiJgee Suppcrt 282 2B2 2.135 495 3Bi 255 100 478 2.935 1.233 1.805 789 255 789 255 Sub total 6,752 2$2 7.034 10,81B A4 Asset and Inv•s￿•nt urchases, see table) Sub total 6,752 282 10,818 Net of ree*pt￿(PaYmentsj . AS Transfers befvleen funds A6 Ca$h fund$ la$t year Ond Cash funds this year end 5,784 2,250 3.534 5,275 10.064 4.280 10.388 12,63B 20,452 16,918 15.177 20,452 CCXX Rl accounts ISSI 1)410N2021 Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unrestricted funds to rwrest £ Restrictecl funds to rtarest £ Endowrllent funds to nearest £ Categori Detsils B1 Cash funds Bank ZBO 12,636 Petty Cash 102 Total Cash funds 4,382 12.638 NOTE CATAGORIES 82 TO B5 NOT APPUCABLEINOT USED FOR THIS AGM REPORT S*3n8ture Print Name Date of roval Prepared by Croeso Teffi Tfyasurer T.J. O'Neill 0410512021 Svan&1 by 0￿ or tru$te85 on tehair of 811 the t￿Stee6 Signabjre Print Name Date of rov81 S. Carter 0410512021 J. Bennett 0410512021 Tresure¢s Notes on Accounts 1. Accounts prepared on a Reoipts and PayTrnts basi5. 2 Refefence made 10 Ch￿ty Commisyty*tr4 uk CC bjt knnat AGk4 Repxt wuiiements 3. Ver￿d by Tom Wells date l$t May 2021 CCXX R2 accour¥ts ISSI 04105r2021