OpenCharities

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

2022-03-31-accounts

STA ..W29'. ¥x ' SM118 UW YYP J17 19 The Faith & Belief Forum Annual report 2021-22 Faith & Belief Forum

Organisational details

THE FAITH & BELIEF FORUM – REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS OF THE CHARITY, ITS TRUSTEES AND ADVISERS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

Trustees

Bankers

M V Sternberg KC KCFO, (Chair of Trustees) M Baluch (Treasurer) Professor M Hardy CMG OBE FRS B Mills KC D Hussain N Tamir H Wallace G S Jhans M F Anderson C Shanahan

CAF Bank Limited 25 Kings Hill Avenue Kings Hill West Malling Kent ME19 4JQ

Solicitors

Howard Kennedy LLP No.1 London Bridge London SE1 9BG

Charity registered number 1173369

Patrons

HE Cardinal Arinze, The Rt Hon John Bercow MP, David Dangoor DL, Professor David Ford, His Royal Highness The Duke of Bragança, Lord Hameed of Hampstead CBE DL, The Rt Hon Baroness Hayman PC GBE, Rabbi Professor Jonathan Magonet, Prof. Dr Klaus Schwab KCMG, Baroness Scotland of Asthal PC Q

Principal office Star House 104-108 Grafton Road London NW5 4BA

Director Phil Champain

Champions

HRH Princess Badiya bint El Hassan, Rt Hon Dominic Grieve KC, Sir Stephen Timms MP, Shabir Randeree CBE, Prem Goyal OBE JP, Mayor Andy Burnham, David Dangoor DL, Preet Kaur Gill MP, Bushra Nasir CBE DL

Independent auditor Blick Rothenberg Audit LLP Chartered Accountants & Statutory Auditors 16 Great Queen Street Covent Garden London WC2B 5AH

Annual report 2021-22

3

Director’s review

I’m reminded of the start of this financial year 2021/22 by my COVID vaccination certificate. It tells me my first jab was on 13th March 2021. The year came to a close with the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24th February 2022. Pandemic and war in Europe. These are huge bookends to a tumultuous year. Our mission has been more important than ever given these testing times. F&BF has played its role in building relations between people of different faiths, beliefs, and identities – strengthening the capacities of communities to cope and respond.

The year has certainly been a tough one – for trustees, staff, partners, donors, and most of all for our beneficiaries. Reduced social contact due to the pandemic has affected social relations, livelihoods, and mental health. In May 2021 the impacts of the war between Gaza and Israel were felt here in the UK as communities struggled with the issues at stake, reflected in a 400%+ rise in reported Antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents. MP David Ames lost his life in a terrorist attack in October, 5 years after the murder of MP Jo Cox. War in Ukraine came the following February. During all this, F&BF has worked to address social tension, educate the next generation not to hate, and celebrate the positive role faith-based organisations bring to our society.

Amongst the key organisation-wide goals that we set for the year, perhaps the most significant was ‘ a new multi-year strategic plan in place that addresses the change we want to make and has full buy-in from the organisation. ’ I’m glad to say we managed this, through wide discussions and consultations, both internal and external. At the heart of this strategy is a call for social change that will project the organisation into national conversations about the way we educate our young people and tackle rising hate crime.

As we embark on this new strategic path, it is heartening to know that it is built on solid foundations, documented in this annual report. Highlights from this year include:

• Reaching over 6,000 school pupils directly through our workshops and linking programme, despite the challenges schools have faced due to the pandemic. In addition, our online resources for schools, which gained fresh relevance in a climate of reduced school engagement, have been downloaded more than 3,000 times by teachers across the UK. This represents significant reach in challenging times.

There is much, therefore, to celebrate in this report that looks back on a year during which people’s lives have been badly disrupted by the COVID pandemic and conflict abroad. The positive role faith organisations and communities have played in responding to this context has been recognised by many and celebrated through F&BF’s community awards, also featured in this report.

Having said this, we should also recognise the fragility of social relations under these stresses. Looking ahead it seems likely that the political and economic situation will get worse before it gets better. It is vital we continue to work on strengthening social relations and addressing the issue that block this. Our own well-being depends upon the well-being of others. Collaboration across difference is an essential ingredient of strong, thriving communities.

Thank you to all our partners who we depend upon to deliver our work, to those who have and continue to support us, and to our wonderful staff and trustees who bring such energy and creativity to the important work we do.

Phil Champain

Director, The Faith & Belief Forum

Date: 20/12/2022

4 The Faith & Belief Forum

Annual report 2021-22

5

About us

Since 1997, the Faith & Belief Forum has been working to create understanding people of different faiths and beliefs.

We work to achieve our mission and vision by meeting the following three goals:

  1. To equip more learners with the skills and tools they need to handle and influence relations between different faiths and beliefs

Our vision is a connected and supportive society where people from different communities and cultures have strong, productive and lasting relations. We believe the future belongs to people of all beliefs, that intolerance has no place in society and that diversity adds value.

  1. To generate stronger community-based movement aimed at strengthening faith relations and social cohesion in communities, with youth at the forefront

Our mission is to promote and build meaningful and resilient relationships across lines of difference through education, encounter, and social action opportunities. We consider ourselves to be an areligious, apolitical organisation which has inclusivity and integrity at its core.

  1. To project the voices of those we support and the impact of our partnership with them

  2. Progress against these goals constitutes the report that follows.

Our work in 2021/22

As lockdowns and other social restrictions put in place during the pandemic began easing in 2021, we again started to deliver more of our work in person. Some restrictions were still in place for much of the year, so a significant portion of our delivery in 2021-22 was still online. Some initiatives, like the London Faith & Belief Community Awards, were delivered in a hybrid way, with both in-person and online components.

We were fortunate enough to obtain funding to welcome new people into the organisation using the Kickstart Scheme , the Government initiative which ran for a set period with the aim of creating new opportunities for 16 to 24 year olds. We secured two cohorts of talented young people and worked closely with them, providing training, mentoring and networking opportunities from a variety of providers which included our own Board of Trustees. This hugely successful project saw us draw 11 young people into our work and we managed to create opportunities to retain 4 of them with us, welcoming them on board into permanent roles within our dedicated team.

All in all, 2021-22 saw the Faith & Belief Forum deliver a wider range of initiatives and events, ranging from school linking and workplace training to reports and resources. We also organised the first ever London Interfaith Fun Run, built diverse partnerships, and continued developing our many programmes and projects – all with the aim of creating a more united society where people of different faiths and beliefs have positive and productive relations.

950,000

total engagements via digital channels

20,000 people engaged in F&BF programmes and events

11,500 engaged with our Faith & Belief Community Awards

10,000

accessed our reports and resources

6,100

people took part in F&BF’s education programmes

500

people took part in the first ever London Interfaith Fun Run

6 The Faith & Belief Forum

Annual report 2021-22

7

Goal 1: Equipping Learners

School workshops

Our workshops bring real-life experiences of faith, belief, and identity into the classroom via a panel of trained speakers. Our flagship workshop, Encountering Faith & Belief, brings to schools a model of respectful interfaith dialogue and co-operation.

The aim of the project is to help young people build religious literacy, empathy, and skills for dialogue and communication. In 2021-22 it took place online, with workshops being held on Zoom.

With an expert facilitator, two or three speakers from different faith and belief backgrounds share their personal stories and answer students’ questions. Online workshops are usually delivered as one session which is then split into two break-out rooms so that two facilitators can deliver a workshop at the same time.

Challenges this year included the pandemic and having to rework the programme to be delivered online, meaning the format had to be adapted and the experience was different for both speakers and schools. On the other hand, we were successful in facing this challenge, making the necessary adaptations, and continuing to deliver workshops to many children across the country.

“ It had a very powerful impact on my students who described the workshop as ‘inspiring’ and ‘eye opening”

Quote from Y8 teacher after EFB

Impact

2,620 Students engaged

245

Total number of children reached in Brent

475

Total number of children reached in Camden

580

Total number of children reached in Ealing

27 Total workshops delivered from 25/11/22 to 31/03/22

12

New speakers added to programme

----- Start of picture text -----
School EDI data
----- End of picture text -----

----- Start of picture text -----
Ethnicity
----- End of picture text -----

[23% Muslim majority]

[29% Mixed-faith]

[42% White]

[50% Asian]

[8% Other]

[18% Jewish majority]

83%

84%

70%

of students agreed: after the workshop I am curious to know more about people from different backgrounds to me

of students agreed: (in the post of students agreed: today, session survey) I feel confident I formed a new opinion about asking questions to someone someone from a different from a different religion or culture background to me

95%

94%

of students agreed: (in the post session survey) I can understand people who have different beliefs to me

of students agreed: in this session I have seen how people from different backgrounds can communicate effectively and respectfully about their identities

“ I found the workshop inspiring and thought provoking, giving me an insight into other people's religions and beliefs. I learnt what it means if someone is a humanist and the importance of being able to listen to people Student expressing their views, opinions and beliefs.”

8 The Faith & Belief Forum

Annual report 2021-22 9

We had the following number of schools sign up over this academic year:

School linking

The School Linking Programme matches students and classes from different cultural or faith backgrounds to explore issues of identity, community and belief. Two classes join for three link days, uniting learners from different backgrounds in fun and eye-opening activities.

The School Linking Programme has been a core part of the Faith & Belief Forum’s education and learning work for many years. The pandemic impacted this programme significantly over the past two years. This was the first year that some in-person school links and training has been able to take place. Overall, this year we have implemented a hybrid approach (combining in person and virtual CPD training and Link days).

We deliver the school linking programme across both London and Birmingham and connect with The Linking Network (the national umbrella organisation supporting Linking).

Due to the continuing crisis in schools as an outcome of the pandemic many of these schools were not able to deliver the school linking programme. Of the 14 schools 64% had managed to make contact with their school link teacher; only two schools had managed a link exchange.

The priority for F&BF was to continue to hold the relationship and offer support in challenging times with these schools through regular communication and sending through revised tools that could be used in classroom, as part of virtual link encounters, and as part of future in-person link days when they were permitted. Holding strong and supportive relationships with schools for the ongoing future of the programme was key and of primary concern.

At the beginning of the summer term (with the lifting of all restrictions and lower covid rates), we made the decision to go back to in-person delivery of an adapted combined CPD2/3. We delivered these in both Birmingham and London and had 25 teachers attend in total across both regions.

We also held two virtual mass link days open to all primary schools that were well received. We had 21 number of classes attend across both (approximately 630 students). Virtual mass link events brought together schools that were not able to link with another school and new schools interested in learning more about the School Linking programme.

Impact

School priorities

Some of the higher-level priorities for schools that helped support the prioritising of the School Linking programme:

London Primary

Birmingham Primary

16 schools, 25 schools, 24 classes, 46 classes, 666 students 1,400 students

London Secondary

Birmingham secondary

9 schools, 14 classes, 310 students

10 schools, 14 classes, 390 students

Breakdown of schools signed up to school linking by faith:

[3 Jewish]

10 The Faith & Belief Forum

Annual report 2021-22 11

Teacher participants at in-person CPD2/3 training:

----- Start of picture text -----
Faith
----- End of picture text -----

----- Start of picture text -----
Nationality
[1 Agnostic] [3 Muslim] [9 British Pakistani / ]
English / Black Caribbean / British
[10 Chistian] [2 Prefer not ]
to say [2 Irish / Swedish / ]
1 Jewish
White British / Polish
----- End of picture text -----

90%

Total number of teachers that attended CPD1 training (online)

of teachers agreed: after the CDP I have an understanding of the tools, methodologies and activities used in interfaith environments

46

Total number of teachers that attended CPD2/3 training (in person)

100%

of teachers agreed: after the CPD I have an awareness about the type of language an communication that is helpful in interfaith environments

25

Virtual Mass Link day two online events (spring and summer term):

100%

Total classes attending

of teachers agreed: after the CPD I feel confident Total classes attending with handling learner conversations around identity in the classroom 21 attendees

(11 spring term & 10 summer term)

100%

“ Something I found interesting was I met someone who has faith in different gods, which is different to me, but they like Minecraft, which is the same as me!”

of teachers agreed: after the CPD I have the skills necessary to encourage respect for, and celebration of, difference within my school setting.

Approximate number of students participating

630

Student feedback from a link between two primary schools after EFB

12 The Faith & Belief Forum

Annual report 2021-22 13

Online Resources

At the end of September 2021, we launched our Skills for Dialogue lesson plans for Primary Schools: on Building a Safe Space. After a trial period with our teacher reviewers, in February 2022 we officially launched our Skills for Dialogue primary resources. These resources have received overwhelmingly positive feedback from our teacher reviewers.

Furthermore, we have been continuing our review and adaptation process with teacher reviewers on our secondary resources. This suite of lesson plans with accompanying films, presentations, and worksheets for KS3 have distilled 20 years of The Faith & Belief Forum’s knowledge of equipping learners with tools for safe and meaningful dialogue. After a successful pilot, we launched an extensive range of online resources available to teachers to download and use. Detailed lesson plans with accompanying films, presentations and worksheets aimed at years 7, 8 and 9, to enable us to share our expertise and methodologies with education professionals in a scalable and sustainable way.

Our lesson plans are mapped to aid teachers in teaching RE, PSHE, Citizenship and more. Our most popular downloads have been lessons on environmentalism (related to COP26) and what is Identity? (a major element of RE curriculum).

“ Safe Space is an essential skill in PSHE, and I think the lesson objectives are especially useful.”

Teacher in community state school

“ I am excited to use these lessons to help my students move from a nebulous idea of Identity to actually being able to say ‘this is my identity and I am really proud of it...”

Impact

Our lesson plans have been downloaded all across the globe, in countries including: Hungary, Russia, Nigeria, Cyprus, United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, USA

5,000

Since first launching our online resources, they have been downloaded over 5,000 times from the Times Educational Supplement website

4,000

In addition to this, our resources for schools were accessed 4,000 times on the F&BF website

Skills for Dialogue lesson plans

We developed new lesson plans for exploring identity and respectful relationships. This suite of lesson plans with accompanying films, presentations, and worksheets for KS3 have distilled 20 years of The Faith & Belief Forum’s knowledge of equipping learners with tools for safe and meaningful dialogue. After a successful pilot, we launched an extensive range of online resources available to teachers to download and use. Detailed lesson plans with accompanying films, presentations and worksheets aimed at years 7, 8 and 9, to enable us to share our expertise and methodologies with education professionals in a scalable and sustainable way. Our in-house team of educationalists have created these resources in collaboration with specialist RE teachers. The resources cover many learning objectives in the following subjects: RE, PSHE, RSE, Humanities and Citizenship.

Promoting the Exploration of Religion and Worldviews in Schools

In 2021, the Faith and Belief Forum were funded by the Culham St Gabriel’s Trust to carry out research into stakeholders’ reception of Religion and Worldviews as presented by the Commission on Religious Education (CoRE) 2018. The research is in partnership with the Open University and Inform at King’s College London.

The aim of Religion and Worldviews is to recognise the diversity within faiths, and to make more room for both religious and non-religious worldviews to be explored in the classroom. The aim is that it should be a subject for all pupils, whatever their background and offers the opportunity for those with different faiths, beliefs, and worldviews to learn together.

Our Baseline report was launched in summer 2021, presenting a literature review relating to the development of Religion and Worldviews, and other studies investigating the reception of the recommendation. Through this report, and meetings with our advisory committee, we established that the greatest need was for research into the attitudes of our key stakeholder groups.

F&BF were tasked with carrying out targeted focus groups consisting of stakeholders outside the classroom (i.e. not teachers or pupils) that explored the opportunities, barriers and challenges associated with implementing Religion and Worldviews education.

We successfully facilitated multiple focus groups with: parents; Policy Makers and Academics; Head Teachers, Multi Academy Trusts, and Local Authorities (6 attendees); Standing Advisory Council on Religious Educations (9 attendees); and Community Focus Groups (31 attendees).

To collect a wider selection of data, we’ve also created surveys for stakeholders, with over 170 responses.

Our academic partners compiled and presented the research, which prepared the ground for the launch of an Open Learn course on Religion and Worldviews.

14 The Faith & Belief Forum

Annual report 2021-22 15

training sessions during induction

Goal 2: Generating Movement

ParliaMentors

ParliaMentors is a UN award-winning leadership programme where teams of university students of different faiths and non-religious beliefs collaborate to create real social change while being mentored by MPs. Through expertled training, support from local and national NGOs and access to Westminster, ParliaMentors gives students the networks and skills they need to effect real change in their communities, in their careers and in the political arena.

We run the ParliaMentors project to bring diverse students together, so that they can become leaders with an understanding of faith and belief diversity who are committed to empathizing and collaborating with people who are different than they are. We run the project to introduce students of different identities to politicians and to give them the experience they need to create change in society.

45 students are selected amongst hundreds of applicants to be part of the programme – 5 on each team at 9 universities. Each team is assigned an MP mentor. This year our mentors were Ian Byrne, Stephen Timms, Elliot Colburn, Taiwo Owatemi, Charlotte Nichols, Jess Phillips, Preet Gill, Kemi Badenoch.

Key activities included: online Induction (15 sessions on identity, faith and belief, politics and social change and guest speakers Elliot Colburn MP and Jess Phillips MP), workshop on campus about how to work on a social action project, Midpoint training (4 sessions on dialogue, facilitation, ParliaMentors alumni work, and reflecting on the year so far), and MP meetings throughout the year.

We recruited 4 new MPs this year (Charlotte Nichols, Elliot Colburn, Ian Byrne, and Kemi Badenoch). Many successful projects were ran by students, including one that brought local leaders in Tower Hamlets together to address food poverty, a series of events in Manchester to improve student engagement in politics, the creation of a book of stories that were distributed at a children’s hospital in Nottingham, and a campaign to collect donations for a shelter in Liverpool.

Impact

The University of Nottingham group – Kanie, Benny, Naeemah and Owen – are a great example of the impact of ParliaMentors. The participants started getting to know one another when they shared their stories at Induction. They expressed feeling relieved and moved by the experience of sharing their beliefs and feeling so embraced and supported by their peers from different religious backgrounds.

They then began to meet up every week to work on their social action project, though sometimes they ended up spending the whole time getting to know each other as people instead of working! They got together for Shabbat dinners, Iftars and social gatherings throughout the year.

They decided to work on a project related to refugees, and ended up organizing a fantastic event, attended by close to 100 people including many refugees, where they played games with children, hosted conversations for all to get to know one another, and created an opportunity for those who have been living in Nottingham for a long time to welcome those who have newly arrived.

“ By working with people from different faith and belief backgrounds, the programme has taught me key skills such as negotiation, problem solving, communication and team management.” 2021/22 programme participant

----- Start of picture text -----
Faith
----- End of picture text -----

[28% Muslim]

[22% Christian]

[19% Non-religous]

[14% Jewish]

[8% Hindu]

[5% Sikh]

[3% Buddhist]

Politcal affiliation[50% Labour]

[22% Not stated]

[9% Conservative]

[9% Liberal ] Democrats

[9% Green]

[3% Aliance Party NI]

Ethnicity

[42% Asian ]

(Asian British, Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Chinese, Other Asian Background)

[33% White ]

(White British, Other White Background)

[14% Black ]

(Black British, Caribbean, African, Other Black background)

[6% Mixed or Multiple ]

(White & Black African, White & Black Caribbean, White & Asian, Other Mixed Background)

[3% Iranian]

[3% Other ethnic group ]

(Arab, Arab British, any otherethnic group)

15

4 training sessions during midpoint

5

workshops on social action

8

social action projects delivered

24 MP mentorship sessions

80

one-on-one coaching calls with F&BF staff

45

student leaders who have completed ParliaMentors joining alumni movement

8

MPs engaged in our project

16 The Faith & Belief Forum

Annual report 2021-22 17

As a result of these events:

LGBT+Faith

The Faith & Belief Forum have been working with and advocating for LGBT+ people of faith for many years. We create affirming, inclusive spaces for LGBT+ people of faith to meet others from similar and different backgrounds to themselves, connect, and share.

F&BF’s LGBTQ+ interfaith network provided invaluable opportunities for LGBTQ+ people of faith across the UK and beyond to connect and support each other during the pandemic. Our online events focused on wellbeing, community, and solidarity, providing opportunities to spend time with others, build friendships, and take part in creative activities in a friendly and affirming environment.

We ran eight online events in collaboration with partners and creatives from across the LGBTQ+ sector, engaging 98 unique participants from diverse faith and belief backgrounds.

Hosting events online enabled people who would otherwise not have been able to or felt comfortable to join activities in at our offices in Kentish Town to take part.

We know that the pandemic was very challenging for many network members for multiple reasons. These special events really showcased the power of interfaith connection during difficult times, with many participants commenting that these events were the highlights of their week.

Impact

100%

Celebrating LGBTQ+ Interfaith Connections in May was a celebration event that concluded our Spring Sessions event series funded by Consortium to bring LGBTQ+ people of faith together during the pandemic.

of participants met someone new from a different background to myself

The event featured round-ups from our brilliant network partners, a video showcasing reflections from network members, a keynote talk from Asifa Lahore, Britain’s first out Muslim drag queen, and poetry from Jay Hulme, a Christian performance poet. Participants explored the similarities and differences between their personal journeys of faith, and celebrated the friendships forged through the network so far.

87%

of participants feel a sense of connection with other LGBTQ+ people of faith

87%

of participants feel positive about the future for LGBTQ+ people of faith

8

online events with 98 unique participants

73%

found out about a new organisation or service they intend to get involved with

28%

participants attended multiple events

Network members are diverse in terms of age and faith background.

Partnered with five community organisations (London Queer Muslims, House of Rainbow, Sarbat LGBT Sikhs, OneBodyOneFaith, York LGBT Forum)

In 2021-22 participants came from 12 different faith and belief traditions, with particularly good representation from Christian and Muslim backgrounds, 33% and 21% of members respectively.

Worked with seven expert facilitators / artists, who are LGBTQ+ people from different faith backgrounds

Established our community Facebook group

“ It’s been great, not just to meet other LGBTQ+ people, but to meet people who have a faith very different to my own. Together we are stronger!”

Participant

18 The Faith & Belief Forum

Annual report 2021-22 19

Of participants who shared their diversity data

Workplace Training and Consultancy

This year F&BF invested more time in our workplace training and consultancy programme, trialling various new approaches in partnership with clients from across sectors. Key partnerships this year were with Direct Line Group and OVO Energy: in both cases F&BF worked with their staff networks to deliver a bespoke programme of online events and webinars building faith inclusion skills and celebrating faith diversity in the workplace. Delivering sessions online worked well for engaging employees working from home or across multiple locations.

We heard from multiple participants this year that our sessions we the first opportunity they had ever had to discuss faith and belief in the workplace.

Impact

During National Interfaith Week 2021 we partnered with youth charity NCS to deliver a webinar for their staff and community partners on creating programmes that are inclusive to young people from different faith and belief backgrounds. Panellists included NCS staff, young people who have participated in NCS programmes, and staff of partner organisations. The panel shared practical recommendations and increased confidence of participants to meet diverse needs.

“ Thank you very much. Your session will prove invaluable for each of us individually, as a group, and for our organisation, as we go on this fascinating multi-faith journey”

Ethnicity

[20% Asian][20% Mixed]

[20% Black]

[40% White]

15 sessions delivered

334

Sessions included 334 participants from 13 workplaces (8 public sector, 3 private sector, 2 voluntary sector)

4

Four workplaces hired F&BF to design and deliver sustained programmes of work

2,700%

Income generation from this stream of work was up 2,700%, providing vital support to F&BF’s programmes in schools, universities and communities

3

We worked with three workplaces to plan and deliver events to mark National Interfaith Week in Novemberand Muslim backgrounds, 33% and 21% of members respectively.

Representatives from workplace partners took part in F&BF events including the London Faith & Belief Awards, ParliaMentors induction, and the Engage network

Faith

[80% ][20% ] People of faith non-religous

20 The Faith & Belief Forum

Annual report 2021-22 21

Goal 3: Projecting Voice

Faith & Belief Celebrations

Since 2017, F&BF have had the honour of hosting the London Faith & Belief Community Awards. These are the first awards to shine a much needed and direct spotlight on the wide variety of grassroots community services driven by London’s diverse faith and belief communities.

When society face issues and struggles, faith and belief groups are always there, leading the change and making a difference. Be it offering practical support, spiritual guidance, community outreach or any number of society-driven tasks, faith and beliefs group are a force behind it all. They are at the heart of London’s diverse neighbourhoods, and work tirelessly to ensure that collective action trickles down to the margins of our society.

The 5th London Faith & Belief Community Awards was hosted on 29 November with 35 projects awarded in 6 categories in over 20 boroughs.

Taking the scheme to the local level, we have the pleasure of partnering with Barnet Multi Faith Forum and Middlesex University to host the inaugural Barnet Faith & Belief Awards, celebrating 33 local groups. A highlight of this event was the involvement of young residents who hosted the online ceremony and provided performances.

In addition to celebrating and spotlighting our awards winners and challenging the commonly held narrative that faith communities are insular or irrelevant to wider society, this year we have been able to hand out £18,750 to 40 grassroots projects .

Impact

How has the recognition received through the London Faith & Belief Community Awards contributed to you work?

It has been great! As a small charity, the award brought some publicity to our cause and it has also been helpful for fundraising purposes - to evidence that we're recognised and respected as a faith provider.

It also allowed us to meet the Lord Lieutenant who advised that we should apply for the Queen's Voluntary Award and put us in touch with one of his team to support us.

Why is it important to celebrate and reward the work of faith and belief community groups?

The awards give many people a great sense of appreciation, value and recognition of their time. This award has been celebrated by many within the wider community and gives great confidence going forward.

Faith and belief community groups are often marginalised and misunderstood. Celebrating their works gives them a safe platform to promote awareness both of what they do and why their communities need them.

“ The event was a great reminder about the importance of listening to and learning from the projects and beliefs of others.”

----- Start of picture text -----
Faith
----- End of picture text -----

[1% Bahai]

[2% Budhist]

[25% Christian]

[8% Hindu]

[1% Jain]

[12% Jewish]

[17% Muslim]

[5% Sikh]

[1% Zoroastrian]

Of those asked:

The pandemic necessitated a hybrid awards event this year, with 200 guests in person and 1080 joining online. The event livestream was promoted online with a reach of 8000 on Facebook and 1750 views / 14,700 impressions on Youtube. 86%

met someone from a different faith or belief background

London Awards

Barnet Awards 5 projects received £250

35 projects received £500

86%

met someone who was working on similar issues

52 projects and 7 individuals received certificates of recognition

19

projects received certificates of recognition

When asked how well did this event fulfil its aims to raise awareness about faith and belief communities in London, 85% answered very well and 15% answered well

120

When asked how well did the event fulfil it aims to celebrate the work of exceptional projects across London, 57% answered very well and 43% answered well.

In total 120 people joined the online event, and a YouTube recording has been viewed 180 times

22 The Faith & Belief Forum

Annual report 2021-22 23

London Interfaith Fun Run “ What a wonderful way to On Monday 30th August 2021, hundreds of runners meet other people who are and their friends and family gathered at StoneX working to build a better, Stadium in London for the city’s first ever Interfaith Fun Run. This event, held in the background of the kinder and fairer London, pandemic brought together communities at a time of high isolation and limited social contact and raised and to forge links within our funds for charities impacted by the pandemic. community to support those The inaugural event last summer was an incredible success, with over 500 attendees, 200 runners and who need it the most.”

The inaugural event last summer was an incredible success, with over 500 attendees, 200 runners and £10,000 of funds being generated for 35 brilliant charities doing important work across the UK.

Guljabeen Rahman, CEO, Home-Start Barnet

The London Interfaith Fun Run offers options of a 10km, 5km or 1km to walk, run or jog, as well as the Tri-Run which includes all three distances. The races are open to people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities and the routes can be completed at any pace.

There is also a buzzing festival area with performances from a diverse range of faith and belief groups, interfaith encounters, activities for families and young people, food stalls and a picnic area, and much more.

This event is organised by The Faith & Belief Forum and Maccabi GB with the generous support of Dangoor Education and the Greater London Lieutenancy’s Council of Faith.

Impact

A heart-warming moment came in the 5K where Claire, 58, heard the voice of one of the women from Muslimah Sports Association, a charity supporting creating pathways for Muslim and BAME women in sports. She called out to Claire “we’ll run together with you” and they completed the course together in true community spirit.

----- Start of picture text -----
Faith
----- End of picture text -----

[5% Agnostic]

[11% Hindu]

[3% Atheist][12% Jewish]

[14% Christian]

[1% Humanist]

[1% Zoroastrian]

500 attendees 220 runners 35 charities

Ethnicity

24 The Faith & Belief Forum

Annual report 2021-22

25

Reports

In 2021-22 we published two reports exploring the impact of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s Race, Faith and Hate Crime Programme which ran between November 2020 and March 2021. The Faith & Belief Forum and seven other organisations received grants as part of this programme aimed at improving social cohesion, feelings of belonging and relations between faith and race communities across the country.

As part of the programme, the Faith & Belief Forum ran the Building Closer Communities project, which enabled residents in two regions – Birmingham, and Barking & Dagenham in London – to meet, share, and explore issues related to faith, belief, and culture.

Together, We Can Achieve Unity

This paper from the Race, Faith and Hate Crime Programme explored the shared learning and best practice examples from the Faith & Belief Forum and seven other organisations.

The report found that more than 48,300 people across England participated in the funded organisations’ programme activities. Because of the pandemic, all plans had to be revised to shift from in-person delivery to online delivery. Research indicated that communities which had already invested in community cohesion work prior to a crisis hitting tend to be more resilient than others. MHCLG funded projects in many of these areas and the Building Closer Communities F&BF ran continued building on past relationships in the region either through F&BF’s own work or through our partners at The Feast.

The report also found that while in person dialogue is hard to replace, there were certain benefits to online work. As well as being able to deliver across wide geographical areas with relative ease, F&BF and other organisations engaged many people who otherwise would have been unable to attend in-person sessions.

Building Closer Communities: An evaluation report

This external evaluation was led by Dr Lucy Peacock from The Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations, Coventry University.

This report detailed the design and delivery of the Building Closer Communities programme evaluation. The programme was designed to ‘promote shared values among people of all backgrounds through sustainable social integration and meaningful civic participation. The report shows that the programme was largely very successful in meeting this aim, and a subsequent, longer programme is recommended.

Both reports found that across the programme activities, participants reported substantial increases in: openness towards other people; trust in people from different backgrounds and groups; increased knowledge about faith and race-based prejudice and discrimination; greater confidence to challenge prejudice and hate speech; and greater openness to mixing with people from different ethnic, faith and cultural backgrounds.

Celebrating our legacy

2021 and 2022 saw the centenaries of two of the Faith & Belief Forum’s founders, the late Sir Sigmund Sternberg and Dr Zaki Badawi.

Wednesday 2 June 2021 would have been the 100th birthday of Sir Sigmund, who passed away in 2016, and Friday 14 January 2022 was the centenary of Dr Zaki

Badawi, who passed away in 2006. Both these dates were marked by F&BF online, with content celebrating their important legacy.

Through blogs, visual content, and emails, we told the story of how Dr Zaki Badawi and Sir Sigmund Sternberg got together with Revd Dr Marcus Braybrooke and broke new ground by establishing the Three Faiths Forum, which over time evolved into the Faith & Belief Forum. We also looked to the future of F&BF, how we can further widen our impact, and how our supporters can get involved in strengthening our work of bringing communities together.

Carrying on our founders’ legacy, the Faith & Belief Forum passionately continues the work they established over two decades ago to reach and transform the lives of thousands of people from all faiths and beliefs.

1,250

The reports were viewed 1,250 times on the F&BF website.

26 The Faith & Belief Forum

Annual report 2021-22 27

Priorities for 2022/23

Priority

Milestones

Deepen Footprint

Visualise Social change agenda

Revisit structure

Measure impact

Improve financial sustainability

Structure, governance and management

Trustees are responsible for the strategic direction of the organisation and delegate management to the Director. The Director reports to the board on organisational performance against operational plans approved by the Board. The Director and Head of Operations report regularly via the Finance Committee on the financial position of the organisation.

Organisational structure and decision making

The Faith & Belief Forum is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). The organisation was founded in 1997 as an unincorporated charitable trust called Three Faiths Forum (1092465). All activities, liabilities and assets transferred to the CIO (1173369) in 2017, and in 2018 the CIO changed its name to The Faith & Belief Forum.

The organisation seeks to create an internal culture that embodies the inclusive and welcoming values that we want to see in wider society, and are delighted that in summer 2018, more than 90% of staff surveyed said they are proud to work at this charity, enjoy the work they do and believe they are making a difference.

The object of the CIO is to promote religious harmony and good communal relations through promoting knowledge and mutual understanding of, and respect for, the beliefs and practices of different religious faiths, and beliefs. Our vision is of a connected and supportive society where people of different faiths, beliefs and cultures have strong, productive and lasting relations.

The charity is grateful to its team of staff, consultants, freelancers, interns and volunteers for their outstanding dedication, hard work and commitment during the year.

The organisation is governed by a board of trustees who meet regularly during the year. Finance and Compliance Committees meet before each board meeting to monitor and review relevant matters in more depth.

The board of trustees is authorised to appoint new trustees, as required, who are selected on the basis of their relevant skills, experience and knowledge and the active contribution they can make to the organisation. New trustees are briefed on the organisation’s constitution, strategic plan, policies, and procedures. They receive a copy of the previous years’ financial statements and a copy of the constitution and are expected to sign a declaration of interests form.

28 The Faith & Belief Forum

Annual report 2021-22

29

Financial review

sufficient funds for between one and three months’ unrestricted expenditure, an amount equivalent to between £45,000 and £145,000.

First, I want to express my deep thanks and my warm gratitude to both my co trustees, who always give so generously of their time, and of course to our excellent staff who work tirelessly above and beyond the call of duty, to ensure the success of the charity. No financial review would be complete without this being vividly highlighted, which I am more than delighted to do.

The free reserves amounted to £269,449 at 31 March 2022. The Charity is in a position where significant funds are received for specific projects and restricted funds at 31 March 2022 amounted to £32,000. The charity’s assets are held for the purpose of the aforesaid charitable purposes and the trustees consider that the financial position of the charity at 31 March 2022 is satisfactory to enable it to continue its activities.

Turning now to the specific finances: the charity generated incoming resources of £884,335 (2021: £1,028,241) The decrease in income was caused by lower donations (£884,321 against £1,028,197).

Pay policy for staff:

There has been a consequent decrease in total costs which fell to £820,468 from £878,330 in the previous year. The decrease is principally due to a decrease in direct costs which decreased to £596,737 from £649,796.

We are committed to a fair and transparent pay structure that ensures we treat all staff equitably with regards to terms and conditions of employment, including pay.

The charity recorded a net increase in funds of £63,867 being a surplus of £94,773 on unrestricted funds and a deficit of £30,906 on restricted funds.

Employee salaries are awarded based on the

organisation’s salary scales. The scales are reviewed annually, taking into account inflation and cost of living increases (based on the Consumer Price Index and Retail Price Index), sector benchmarking, and funding available. The Faith & Belief Forum fully supports the living wage (as set by the Living Wage Foundation) and will aim to pay at this level, subject to affordability. Risk management the trustees assess on an annual basis the major risks to which the charity is exposed, in particular those related to the operations and finances of the charity and are satisfied that systems and procedures are in place to mitigate exposure to the major risks.

At 31 March 2022 the charity had net assets of £309,033 which was split between unrestricted funds of £277,033 and restricted funds of £32,000.

Going concern

The measures that the charity took to control expenses during the pandemic have proved useful in managing the post-pandemic context. The on-going ‘cost of living crisis’ has created a more challenging economic environment which has reduced income due to a more competitive funding landscape with reduced funds available, while also increasing costs due to inflationary pressures.

The principal risks faced by the charity are the security of its funding streams and the operational risks from working with young people in areas dealing with sensitive subjects. The trustees mitigate the risk to funding streams by diversifying as much as possible the sources of income. The operational risks are mitigated by having an effective safeguarding policy to which all staff adhere to. In addition, there is a staff handbook which reflects updated policies and procedures on whistleblowing and staff data handling and protection.

To date, the trustees are managing its activities within that reduced budget. The trustees have considered a budget out to 31 March 2024 on the basis of known income and will revisit this in line with committed income once that has been received.

Having considered that budget, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. For this reason, the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements Reserves policy The trustees have examined the requirement for free reserves, which are those unrestricted funds not invested in fixed assets. It is currently the policy of the charity to maintain free reserves at a level considered adequate to provide

Safeguarding the charity trustees take their responsibility in relation to safeguarding seriously and have adopted a Safeguarding policy to protect vulnerable people from abuse and to prevent abuse from happening in the first place. Conflict of interest all trustees give of their time freely and no trustee remuneration was paid in the year. The trustees and staff are required to disclose all relevant interests and where necessary withdraw from decisions

where a conflict arises. The trustees also confirm that there is an appropriate and approved anti bribery policy. Information on fundraising practices.

The charity does not fundraise from the general public, but focuses its activities on specific charitable foundations. Therefore the trustees do not consider that the requirements of the fundraising code to be applicable to the charity.

Trustees’ responsibilities statement

The trustees are required under the law applicable to charities in England and Wales to prepare a trustees’ report and financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the charity’s financial activities during the year and of its financial position at the end of the year. In those financial statements the trustees are required to:

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charity’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the trust deed.

They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

This report was approved by the trustees, on and signed on their behalf by:

Michael V Sternberg KC KCFO (Chair of Trustees)

Date: 20/12/2022

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF THE FAITH & BELIEF FORUM FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2020

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of The Faith & Belief Forum (the ‘charity’) for the year ended 31 March 2022 which comprise the Statement of financial activities, the Balance sheet, the Statement of cash flows and the related notes, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 ‘The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland’ (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

give a true and fair view of the state of the Charity’s affairs as at 31 March 2022 and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure for the year then ended;

have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and

have been prepared in accordance with 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) and in other respects the requirements of the Charities Act 2011.

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the Charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the United Kingdom, including the Financial Reporting Council’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the Trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events

30 The Faith & Belief Forum

Annual report 2021-22

31

or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the Trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The other information comprises the information included in the Annual report other than the financial statements and our Auditor’s report thereon. The Trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the Annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Opinion on other matters prescribed by the

Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:

the information given in the Trustees’ report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements.

the Trustees’ report has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

In the light of our knowledge and understanding of the Charity and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the Trustees’ report.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or

the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or

certain disclosures of Trustees’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or

we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or

the Trustees were not entitled to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the small companies regime and take advantage of the small companies’ exemptions in preparing the Trustees’ report and from the requirement to prepare a Strategic report.

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the Trustees’ responsibilities statement, the Trustees are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for such internal control as the Trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the Trustees are responsible for assessing the Charity’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the Trustees either intend to liquidate the Charity or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial

statements

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an Auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of

non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below:

the engagement partner ensured that the engagement team collectively had the appropriate competence, capabilities and skills to identify or recognise non-compliance with applicable laws and regulations;

we identified the laws and regulations applicable to the charity through discussions with trustees and other management, and from our knowledge and experience of the charity sector;

we focused on specific laws and regulations which we considered may have a direct material effect on the financial statements or the operations of the charity, including the Charities Act 2011, taxation legislation and data protection, employment and health and safety legislation;

we assessed the extent of compliance with the laws and regulations identified above through making enquiries of management and inspecting legal correspondence; and

identified laws and regulations were communicated within the audit team regularly and the team remained alert to instances of non-compliance throughout the audit.

We assessed the susceptibility of the charity’s financial statements to material misstatement, including obtaining an understanding of how fraud might occur, by:

making enquiries of management as to where they considered there was susceptibility to fraud, their knowledge of actual, suspected and alleged fraud; and

considering the internal controls in place to mitigate risks of fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations.

To address the risk of fraud through management bias and override of controls, we:

tested a sample of journal entries to identify unusual transactions;

assessed whether judgements and assumptions made in determining the accounting estimates were indicative of potential bias; and

investigated the rationale behind significant or unusual transactions.

In response to the risk of irregularities and

non-compliance with laws and regulations, we designed procedures which included, but were not limited to:

agreeing financial statement disclosures to underlying supporting documentation;

reading the minutes of meetings of those charged with governance;

There are inherent limitations in our audit procedures described above. The more removed that laws and regulations are from financial transactions, the less likely it is that we would become aware of non-compliance. Auditing standards also limit the audit procedures required to identify non-compliance with laws and regulations to enquiry of the directors and other management and the inspection of regulatory and legal correspondence, if any.

Material misstatements that arise due to fraud can be harder to detect than those that arise from error as they may involve deliberate concealment or collusion.

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: www.frc.org.uk/ auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our Auditor’s report.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the Charity’s trustees, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the Charity’s trustees those matters we are required to state to them in an Auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the Charity and its trustees, as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Blick Rothenberg Audit LLP

Chartered Accountants & Statutory Auditors Statutory Auditor 16 Great Queen Street

Covent Garden London WC2B 5AH

Date: 20/12/2022

Blick Rothenberg Audit LLP is eligible to act as auditor in terms of section 1212 of the Companies Act 2006.

32 The Faith & Belief Forum

Annual report 2021-22 33

THE FAITH & BELIEF FORUM STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

Unrestricted Restricted Total funds As restated
funds 2022 funds 2022 2022 Total funds
2021
Note £ £ £ £
Income from:
Donations and legacies 3 516,308 65,686 581,994 442,080
Charitable activities 4 - 302,327 302,327 586,117
Other income 14 - 14 44
Total income 516,322 368,013 884,335 1,028,241
Expenditure on:
Raising funds 78,745 - 78,745 57,789
Charitable activities 342,804 398,919 741,723 820,541
Total expenditure 5 421,549 398,919 820,468 878,330
Net movement in funds 94,773 (30,906) 63,867 149,911
Reconciliation of funds:
Total funds brought 182,260 62,906 245,166 95,255
forward
Net movement in funds 94,773 (30,906) 63,867 149,911
Total funds
carried forward		 277,033 32,000 309,033 245,166

BALANCE SHEET FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

2022 2021
Note £ £
Fixed assets
Tangible assets 11 13,154 17,539
Current assets
Debtors 12 25,575 49,825
Cash at bank and in hand 428,590 486,221
454,165 536,046
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 13 (158,286) (308,419)
Net current assets 295,879 245,166
Total assets less current liabilities 309,033 227,627
Total net assets 309,033 245,166
Charity funds
Restricted funds 14 32,000 62,906
Unrestricted funds 14 277,033 182,260
Total funds 309,033 245,166

The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Trustees and signed on their behalf by:

Michael V Sternberg KC KCFO (Chair of Trustees)

Date: 20/12/2022

The Statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All of the activities of the charity are classified as continuing.

The notes on pages 13 to 24 form part of these financial statements.

34 The Faith & Belief Forum

Annual report 2021-22

35

STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

2022 2021
Note £ £
Cash fows from operating activities
Net cash used in operating activities 17 (57,645) 146,946
Cash fows from investing activities
Dividends, interests and rents from investments 14 44
Purchase of tangible fxed assets - (17,724)
Net cash provided by/(used in) investing activities 14 (17,680)
Cash fows from fnancing activities
Net cash provided by fnancing activities - -
Change in cash and cash equivalents in the year (57,631) 129,266
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year 18,19 486,221 356,955
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year 428,590 486,221

1. General information

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) - Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011.

The charity has elected to apply all amendments to FRS 102, as set out in the Financial Reporting Council’s triennial review published in December 2017, and included in Update Bulletin 2 to the Charities SORP (FRS 102), prior to mandatory adoption for accounting periods beginning on or after 1 January2019.

2. Accounting policies

2.1 Basis of preparation of financial statements The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) - Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011.

The financial statements have been prepared to give a ‘true and fair’ view and have departed from the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 only to the extent required to provide a ‘true and fair’ view. This departure has involved following the Charities SORP (FRS 102) published in October 2019 rather than the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice effective from 1 April 2005 which has since been withdrawn.

The Faith & Belief Forum meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy.

2.2 Going concern

After making enquiries, the Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to

continue in operational existence and meet its liabilities as they fall due for the foreseeable future, being a period of at least twelve months from the date these financial statements were approved. In making that assessment they have considered the impact that the downturn in economic outlook has had on the charity. Accordingly, they continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements.

2.3 Income

All income is recognised once the Charity has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of income receivable can be measured reliably.

Donated professional services and facilities are recognised on the basis of the value of the gift to the charity which is the amount it would have been willing to pay to obtain services or facilities of equivalent economic benefit on the open market; a corresponding amount is then recognised in expenditure in the period of receipt.

Grants are included in the Statement of financial activities on a receivable basis. The balance of income received for specific purposes but not expended during the period is shown in the relevant funds on the Balance sheet. Where income is received in advance of entitlement of receipt, its recognition is deferred and included in creditors as deferred income. Where entitlement occurs before income is received, the income is accrued.

Other income is recognised in the period in which it is receivable and to the extent the goods have been provided or on completion of the service.

2.4 Expenditure

Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis

The notes on pages 13 to 24 form part of these financial statements

36 The Faith & Belief Forum

Annual report 2021-22

37

of time spent, and depreciation charges allocated on the portion of the asset’s use.

Expenditure on raising funds includes all expenditure incurred by the Charity to raise funds for its charitable purposes and includes costs of all fundraising activities events and non-charitable trading.

Expenditure on charitable activities is incurred on directly undertaking the activities which further the Charity’s objectives, as well as any associated support costs.

All expenditure is inclusive of irrecoverable VAT.

2.5 Government grants

Government grants relating to tangible fixed assets are treated as deferred income and released to the Statement of financial activities over the expected useful lives of the assets concerned. Other grants are credited to the Statement of financial activities as the related expenditure is incurred.

2.6 Interest receivable

Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the Charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the institution with whom the funds are deposited.

2.7 Tangible fixed assets and depreciation

Tangible fixed assets costing £NIL or more are capitalised and recognised when future economic benefits are probable and the cost or value of the asset can be measured reliably.

Tangible fixed assets are initially recognised at cost. After recognition, under the cost model, tangible fixed assets are measured at cost less accumulated depreciation and any accumulated impairment losses. All costs incurred to bring a tangible fixed asset into its intended working condition should be included in the measurement of cost.

Depreciation is charged so as to allocate the cost of tangible fixed assets less their residual value over their estimated useful lives, -

Depreciation is provided on the following basis:

Office equipment - 25% reducing balance

2.8 Debtors

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.

2.9 Cash at bank and in hand

Cash at bank and in hand includes cash and short-term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of

the deposit or similar account.

2.10 Liabilities and provisions

Liabilities are recognised when there is an obligation at the Balance sheet date as a result of a past event, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefit will be required in settlement, and the amountof the settlement can be estimated reliably.

Liabilities are recognised at the amount that the Charity anticipates it will pay to settle the debt or the amount it has received as advanced payments for the goods or services it must provide.

Provisions are measured at the best estimate of the amounts required to settle the obligation. Where the effect of the time value of money is material, the provision is based on the present value of those amounts, discounted at the pre-tax discount rate that reflects the risks specific to the liability. The unwinding of the discount is recognised in the Statement of financial activities as a finance cost.

2.11 Financial instruments

The Charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

2.12 Fund accounting

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 and which have not been designated for other purposes.

Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors or which have been raised by the Charity for particular purposes. The costs of raising and administering such funds are charged against the specific fund. The aim and use of each restricted

2.13 Prior year restatement

The Trustees have reviewed the allocation of income received from donations and legacies in the current and prior year and have concluded that elements of the income would be better classified as income from charitable activities. Income in the prior year has been restated to reflect this revised allocation. The reclassification has not had an impact on the surplus for the year ended 31 March 2021 or the balance sheet position at that date.

3. Income from donations and legacies

Unrestricted Restricted Total funds As restated
funds 2022 funds 2022 2022 Total funds
2021
£ £ £ £
Donations 429,208 302,327 731,535 922,239
Donated in kind 87,100 - 87,100 80,450
Government grants - 65,686 65,686 25,508
516,308 368,013 884,321 1,028,197
Total 2021 416,572 611,625 1,028,197

4. Income from charitable activities

Restricted funds 2022 Total funds 2022 As restated
Total funds 2021
£ £ £
Income from charitable 302,327 302,327 586,117
activities
Total 2021 as restated 586,117 586,117

5. Charitable expenditure

Unrestricted Restricted funds Total funds 2021 Total funds
funds 2021 2021 2021
£ £ £ £
Direct costs 246,608 350,129 596,737 649,796
Support costs 81,116 48,790 129,906 161,417
Governance costs 15,080 - 15,080 9,328
Fundraising costs 78,745 - 78,745 57,789
421,549 398,919 820,468 878,330
Total 2021 329,611 548,719 878,330

38 The Faith & Belief Forum

Annual report 2021-22

39

6. Direct costs

6. Direct costs
Unrestricted Education Community Total funds Total funds
balance balance 2022 2021
£ £ £ £ £
Facilitation and - - - - 450
School Expenses
Employment Costs 195,307 80,600 155,025 430,932 442,227
Freelance Assistants 51,137 54,916 33,885 139,938 154,922
Event Expenses 164 1,498 22,244 23,906 44,554
Mentoring Expenses - - 1,961 1,961 668
Rebrand - - - - 6,975
246,608 137,014 213,115 596,737 649,796

7. Support costs

7. Support costs
Unrestricted Education Community Total funds Total funds
balance balance 2022 2021
£ £ £ £ £
General 13,447 692 1,038 15,177 24,784
ofce costs
Bank charges and 386 - - 386 352
interest
Insurance 4,006 2,223 - 6,229 3,586
Intern expenses - - - - 54
Communication 8,532 - - 8,532 5,215
expenses
Travelling and 141 398 1,172 1,711 -
subsistence
Marketing and 2,571 160 1,531 4262 15,003
publicity
Professional fees 7,018 - - 7,018 30,762
Rent, rates and 40,330 14,937 26,372 81,639 72,880
maintenance
Bad debt write ofs - - - - 100
Staf training 300 240 27 567 2,862
Entertainment - - - - 9
Depreciation 4,385 - - 4,385 5,846
81,116 18,650 30,140 129,906 161,417

8. Governance costs

Unrestricted Education Community Total funds Total funds
balance balance 2022 2021
£ £ £ £ £
Other legal fees 15,080 - - 15,080 9,328
15,080 - - 15,080 9,328

9. Staff costs

The average number of persons employed by the Charity during the year was as follows:

2022 No. 2021 No.
Employees 25 18

No employee received remuneration amounting to more than £60,000 in either year.

The key management personnel of the charity comprise the Director and the Heads of Operations. The total employee salaries of the key management personnel of the charity were £121,398 (2021: £81,827).

10. Trustees' remuneration and expenses

During the year, no Trustees received any remuneration or other benefits (2021 - £NIL). During the year ended 31 March 2022, no Trustee expenses have been incurred (2021 - £NIL).

11. Tangible fixed assets

11. Tangible fxed assets
Ofce equipment
£
Cost or valuation
At 1 April 2021 42,870
At 31 March 2022 42,870
Depreciation
At 1 April 2021 25,331
Charge for the year 4,385
At 31 March 2022 29,716
Net book value
At 31 March 2022 13,154
At 31 March 2021 17,539

40 The Faith & Belief Forum

Annual report 2021-22

41

12. Debtors

12. Debtors
2022 2021
Due within one year £ £
Trade debtors 3,575 -
Other debtors 22,000 -
Prepayments and accrued income - 49,825
25,575 49,825

13. Creditors: amounts falling due within one year

2022 2021
£ £
Trade creditors 6,500 3,428
Other taxation and social security 17,931 14,364
Deferred income 121,791 231,230
Accruals 12,064 59,397
158,286 308,419

Deferred income represents grants and donations received in respect of projects to be run in the following financial year.

2022 2021
£ £
Deferred income at 1 April 2021 231,230 263,418
Resources deferred during the year 121,791 231,230
Amounts released from previous periods (231,230) (263,418)
121,791 231,230

14. Statement of funds

Statement of funds – current year

Balance at Income Expenditure Transfers Balance at 31
1 April 2021 in/out March 2022
£ £ £ £ £
Unrestricted funds
General Funds - 182,260 516,322 (421,549) (114,452) 162,581
all funds
Designated - - - 114,452 114,452
funds
182,260 516,322 (421,549) - 277,033

Restricted funds

Restricted funds
Education 2,692 147,172 (142,095) - 7,769
Community 60,214 220,841 (256,824) - 24,231
62,906 368,013 (398,919) - 32,000
Total of funds 245,166 884,335 (820,468) - 309,033

The designated funds relate to income received in the year, but intended to support the activities of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2023.

West Midlands and Education were combined in 2022, the balances of which were £2,692 and £nil as at 31 March 2021.

The Education fund represents workshops, school linking and training to help young people (and their teachers) handle different or controversial topics, learn dialogue skills, and to understand how people live their faiths or beliefs.

The Community fund covers our universities work including a national leadership programme where students collaborate to create real social change while being mentored by MPs

42 The Faith & Belief Forum

Annual report 2021-22

43

14. Statement of funds (continued)

Statement of funds – prior year

Balance at Income Expenditure Balance at
1 April 2020 31 March 2021
£ £ £ £
Unrestricted funds
All funds 95,255 416,616 (329,611) 182,260
Restricted funds
Education - 115,882 (115,882) -
West Midlans - 93,933 (91,241) 2,692
Community - 401,810 (341,596) 60,214
- 611,625 (548,719) 62,906
Total of funds 95,255 1,028,241 (878,330) 245,166

15. Analysis of net assets between funds

Analysis of net assets between funds – current year

Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Total funds
2022 2022 2022
£ £ £
Tangible fxed assets 7,584 5,570 13,154
Current assets 301,214 152,951 454,165
Creditors due within one year (31,765) (126,521) (158,286)
Total 277,033 32,000 309,033

17. Reconciliation of net movement in funds to net cash flow from operating activities

2022 2021
£ £
Net income for the year (as per 63,867 149,911
Statement of Financial Activities)
Adjustment for:
Depreciation charges 4,385 5,846
Investment income (14) (44)
Increase in fxed assets - (17,724)
Increase in debtors 24,250 13,267
Increase in creditors (35,681) (22,034)
Net cash provided by
operating activities		 56,807 129,222

18. Analysis of cash and cash equivalents

2022 2019
£ £
Cash in hand
428,590		 486,221
Total cash and cash equivalents
428,590		 486,221

19. Analysis of changes in net debt

At 1 April Cash fows At 31 March
2021 2022
£ £ £
Cash in hand 486,221 (57,631) 428,590
486,221 (57,631) 428,590

16. Analysis of net assets between funds – prior period

Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Total funds
2021 2021 2021
£ £ £
Tangible fxed assets 10,965 6,574 17,539
Current assets 328,726 207,320 536,046
Creditors due within one year (157,431) (150,988) (308,419)
Total 182,260 62,906 245,166

44 The Faith & Belief Forum

Annual report 2021-22

45

Acknowledgements

The Faith & Belief Forum’s work of building bridges and encouraging dialogue between people of different faiths and beliefs would not be possible without the following organisations. We would like to thank them for their continuing support.

Funders

Dulverton Trust LGBT Consortium City Bridge Trust Porticus Randeree Charitable Trust Direct Line Group OVO Energy Tudor Trust The Tamir-Sternberg Foundation

Dangoor Education

Exilarch’s Foundation Garfield Weston Martin Slowe Sigmund Sternberg Charitable Foundation

Culham St Gabriel’s

Leathersellers The Linking Network

John Lyons Saltley Trust Department for Work & Pensions (Kickstarter scheme)

46 The Faith & Belief Forum

Faith & Belief Forum