## **Friends of the Drop in for Asylum Seekers and Refugees** **Charitable Incorporated Organisation number: 1176524** **Trustees' Report and Financial Statement for the year ended 31 March 2022** ## **Legal and Administrative Information** Name: **Friends of the Drop in for Asylum Seekers and Refugees** Charitable Incorporated Organisation number: 1176524 Structure: Charitable Incorporated Organisation Directors of FODI: Stephen Newman Chair Felicity Livsey Treasurer Jane Nikolarakis Zeinab Cummings Abraham Eiluorior Zara Juma Mali Saha Fannie Ng'ambi (Resigned March 2022) Sally Vivyan Address: The Co-op Centre, Whitehouse Road, Hendon, Sunderland, SR2 8AH Bankers: Santander Bank. Independent Mark Thompson MAAT Examiner: 42 Lesbury Road Newcastle NE6 5LB ## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT** |**Report to the**|**Friends of the Drop in for Asylum Seekers**| |---|---| |**trustees of**|**and Refugees**| |**On accounts for**
**the year ended**|**31 March 2022**
**Charity no**
1176524| |**Respective**|The trustees of the organisation are responsible for the preparation of| |**responsibilities of**|accounts; they consider that an audit is not required for this year under| |**trustees and**|section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 and that an Independent| |**examiner**|Examination is needed.| ||It is my responsibility to| ||• examine the accounts (under section 145 of the 2011 Act),| ||• follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the| ||Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Act), and| ||• state whether particular matters have come to my attention.| |**Basis of**|My examination was carried out in accordance with General Directions| |**independent**|given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review| |**examiner’s**|of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the| |**statement**|accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of| ||any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking| ||explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The| ||procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be| ||required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion| ||on the accounts.| |**Independent**|In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention:| |**examiner's**|1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in, any material| |**statement**|respect, the trustees have not met the requirements to ensure that:| ||• proper accounting records are kept (in accordance with section 130| ||of the Act); and| ||• accounts are prepared which agree with the accounting records and| ||comply with the accounting requirements of the Act; or| ||2. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a| ||proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.| |**Signed:**|**Date: 10 October 2022**| |**Name:**|Mark Thompson MAAT| |**Address:**|42 Lesbury Road| ||Newcastle| ||NE6 5LB| ## **FRIENDS OF THE DROP IN FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS AND REFUGEES Registered Charity No. 1176525 Trustees’ Annual Report for year 1.4.2021 to 31.3.2022** ## **Friends of the Drop In (FODI) has the following purposes:** We aim to improve the mental health and the well-being of the asylum-seeking and refugee community in Sunderland, lessening their social isolation and promoting their integration into the wider community. We seek to provide opportunities for the clients of the Drop-In to participate in wider societal activities of a suitable nature. We seek to extend links with the wider community giving our clients opportunities to interact with others. We seek to work in partnership with other local organisations/groups to further this aim. ## **FUNDING:** We have been supported for the year under review by the NHS Sunderland Clinical Commissioning Group, Lloyds Bank Foundation England and Wales, SCC- Sunderland City Council (SBMEN partners) Covid Champions Fund, SCC COVID Targeted Community Champion partners SBMEN (Enhanced Winter Offer) Sunderland Black and Minority Ethnic Network, Covid Champions funding SCC, Community Foundation Tyne and Wear Roseline Foundation and Pea Green Boat Community First Foundation and Justice Together Initiative. Barrow Cadbury Trust Covid 19 Support fund, as well as most welcome donations from a range of organisations including the St Vincent de Paul Society, Seaburn Rotary Club and other organisations and individuals who prefer not to be named. **FUTURE FUNDING** : FODI was successful in its five year bid to the National Lottery Community Fund and a three year bid to the Tudor trust. This puts FODI in a very firm footing for the future and will allow for expansion of staffing and services. **STRATEGIC PLAN :** A strategic plan covering the period 2022-2025 was discussed and agreed by trustees and manager at a meeting in November 2021. The plan took account of a SWOT analysis of the charity and classified its operations into essential, desirable and aspirational. A financial plan was put in place and key steps for 2022 identified. Finally a skills matrix of trustees was completed covering eight areas of expertise pertinent to the charity's operation. **MOVE TO FISCUS** : After a successful collaboration with the baby bank based at FISCUS in Hendon, FODI explored the idea of a move to a more suitable office premises that could house both staff, volunteers and have a bike project on site. This move was agreed to by all trustees before the end of March 22 and was scheduled for May 22. ## **STAFF:** We have a full-time manager, Sandra Watt, who has managed FODI throughout the year with the essential support of volunteers and trustees and in collaboration with other partners across the city. Covid Champion volunteer coordinator Zara Juma was also appointed for 6 months to deliver a supported programme to disperse key messages and encourage vaccine uptake. ## **VOLUNTEERS:** Our volunteers include both locals and clients who form a very committed team. Long term volunteers continued to work both directly face to face with clients as well as distanced support and we have taken on a number of new volunteers who are both clients and local community members to reopen all of our services throughout this year. We have been grateful to a small number of volunteers recruited during the first COVID wave who have supported us at the Minster Drop-In with their presence and enormous amounts of donations from the community. ## **TRUSTEES** The committee is a well-knit group of committed individuals from a wide range of backgrounds including people with lived experience of the asylum system. They did not know each other prior to their involvement with FODI but all value the culture of mutual respect within the charity. The trustees have continued to show full commitment throughout the year. The use of virtual platforms has allowed all meetings to take place online regularly with no gaps. ## **CLIENTS:** Sunderland had 410 asylum seekers – applicants and dependants – in Dec 21 which grew to over 500 in March 22 with new arrivals and the addition of an initial accommodation centre. Dispersal continued throughout this period – a few were families straight into dispersed accommodation without initial accommodation and a number of single people who had generally been housed in hotels or similar sites during the pandemic. Numbers for decisions (positive and negative) were lower as in the previous year due to the ongoing impact of the pandemic. This meant that many clients became increasingly anxious not having any interview and, in some cases, having had no communication with the Home Office at all. FODI clients come from over 40 countries and speak more than 25 different languages. ## **SERVICES PROVIDED:** We gradually reopened all of our regular services throughout this year with additional ones started during COVID remaining as permanent. • **SUNDERLAND MINSTER COLLECTION DAYS** The fortnightly collection day at the Minster was open throughout the year giving much needed additional food provided by our partners Social Chef CIC funded by Roker Life, Sunderland City Council and the Community Foundation funds listed above, as well as clothes, toys, kitchen equipment and toiletries. These sessions were very generously supported by some individuals and the wider support of the Sunderland community. The Minster sessions proved to be a hugely successful way of keeping in contact with and supporting our clients where we started giving out gym and swim vouchers again and key messages for covid vaccinations. • **SUPERMARKET FOOD VOUCHERS** were distributed to over 500 clients (refugees and asylum seekers in need) in this period. For example, in March 22 we gave out supermarket food vouchers to 327 adults and children to the value of £4,510 using the Enhanced Winter Support offer. This was essential as these clients faced increased hardship. • **ST MARY’S DROP IN** We reopened the St Mary’s Drop-In in September 21. Numbers were low at first as we did not advertise it widely to allow for an organic growth and to avoid overcrowding. We followed strict guidelines of masks worn inside as required and we provided simple drinks and snacks. Numbers grew from 30 up to 70 by March 22 and we were gradually able to reopen pool and table tennis as well as welcoming some service providers back to the Drop-In– in particular NERS – North of England Refugee Service, Action Language, MEARS asylum housing worker and Community Engagement team from the Police. • **NEW ARRIVALS:** FODI ran a successful pilot of the New Arrival Pathway project from April – September where all new arrivals who gave consent were contacted and either visited in their homes (or doorsteps) or invited to our Drop-In ~~,~~ being given first option on clothing and in some cases new clothing provided. Each person was given a welcome voucher and phone top up using SCC and Community Foundation funding. Survey feedback from the clients to NEMP (North East Migration Partnership) was generally positive although as organisations we realized that we had to control expectations. This project has now been extended to other VCS in the NE region. • **WOMEN’S GROUP** We continued to run the women’s group as both indoor and outdoor dance classes in both St Luke’s until summer 21 and from September 21 back at Trinity church. The women, teachers and volunteers were very happy to be reunited in these spaces and were able to lift their whole mood and well-being through movement and relaxation classes provided by dance artist Tracey West. ## • **ADDITIONAL PROJECTS AND COLLABORATIONS:** ## • **SEASCAPES BLUE WAVE DANCE PROJECT** FODI was invited by Suzy O’Hara from Seascapes Project Sunderland University to work with dance artist and choreographer Constance Humphries on the Blue Wave dance project. A group of FODI and Sangini women worked with Constance to develop a creative response to the sea through dance, art journals and costume making. They used Roker URC due to its proximity to the sea and its continuing welcome to all FODI members. This culminated in an extraordinary moving and visually stunning performance on Roker beach in October 21. Film/images can be seen on Seascapes co/lab website. ## Blue Wave at Roker Beach - Explore Seascapes • **SPORTS -** funded by Barrow Cadbury Trust Covid Recovery fund until June 21 and fitting with COVID regulations we were able to run some football and badminton sessions in collaboration with YAV – Young Asian Voices, as well as provide both outdoor and indoor dance classes for our women’s group. This funding was also used to provide gym and swim vouchers for our clients as they reopened. CCG Activity fund continued to fund the gym/swim project for the second half of the year and the SCC Health Inequalities fund assisted with funding some swimming classes and the women’s weekly dance class from Sep 21 – March 22. • **BIKES** - FODI has continued to work on donated bikes and give them out to adults and children desperate for a way of getting around the city. We are supported extensively by Recyke y Bike in Byker, Newcastle, who give us donated bikes for repair and distribution, offer volunteering opportunities to train and allow us to purchase locks, lights and other items at trade price. Our funding from Quakers (given an extension) was used during the first half of the period to cover all costs including a Velotech gold award training course for our bike volunteer. • **JUSTICE TOGETHER INITIATIVE** As a partner in this project, FODI has been able to refer family reunion cases, refused clients and those with no recourse to public funds to get immigration advice from the North East Law Centre. Lawyers respond as they are able and have provided FODI with funding to assist in the holistic support of these clients through our Drop-In and making our premises available if needed. ## • **GARDENING PROJECTS** **CEED and ROKER LIFE GARDENING PROJECT** took place in the spring and summer of 21 with 8 FODI volunteers helping to rebuild and tidy up the much used Roker URC church garden. Clients loved working alongside the Roker Life team. The same volunteers were then invited to join the **SECRET GARDEN** project partially funded by SCC Connecting Communities and managed by David Banks of Northern Allotment, Leisure and Community Gardens (NALCG) to help establish the clearance and development of this community garden in the Ford Estate in Sunderland. The aim is for the garden to become a resource for the local community as well as invited groups. ## • **MEDICAL STUDENTS : Sunderland University Medical Students** FODI was assigned six second-year medical students on community placement for a second year running. The students were able to engage in both our Drop-Ins and, for the female students, our women’s group. This was a largely successful placement where the students developed a clearer understanding of the pressures and problems our clients face. Those joining the women’s group had the advantage of seeing the impact of positive intervention on the well-being of our clients. We also had a fourth-year student from Sheffield University who did his medical elective with FODI over a sustained period of four months and was a true asset to the team as well as gaining a significant insight into our clients. • **SBMEN Covid Champions Project** FODI successfully continued this project as one of five partners with SBMEN and appointed a part time worker Zara Juma for six months who championed the cause and was able to arrange vaccination for many clients as well as relay key messages throughout the period using our team of Covid Champion volunteers who came from diverse refugee backgrounds. Throughout the 12 months, 585 clients were given key messages and 260 were assisted with obtaining vaccinations. The total number of staff and volunteer hours to deliver this project was 1039. • The **NE RISE** project funded by the government and based out of NERS started to take referrals. It aims to help resettle new refugees by assisting with housing, integration and routes to employment. It is made up of NERS for support and housing for new refugees, Jewish World relief for employment pathways and TOP – The Other Perspective - who assist those who received their status in the last 18months. Referrals were slow as many clients still went to people they know in Sunderland VCS and the huge backlog at the Home Office. It is hoped that the project will develop positively as good assistance, with housing in particular, is vital to help resettlement. • **HERITAGE PROJECT and CITIZEN SONGWRITERS** FODI members were offered engagement to visit Heritage sites and share stories of their own history and culture whilst learning of Sunderland’s past. Workshops with Citizen Songwriters on Stories of Sanctuary funded by SCC Connecting Communities ran alongside the visits and subsequently at Sunderland Minster. Songs and a potential choir developed with plans for refugee week 2022. • **ACTION FOUNDATION** a) ESOL- FODI continued to work closely with Action Language to help provide hardware and some ESOL support for new arrivals. b) AF HOUSING – Action Foundation decided to close its houses in Sunderland including the destitute house in Washington which housed four men. FODI had helped to support these clients with a weekly allowance for many years but understood the need for some changes. The men were rehoused and we have links with AF for other destitute individuals. • **ROKER LIFE SUMMER STATIONS FAMILY DAYS** As an alternative to our past collaborative playschemes, Roker Life offered post lockdown family days in the summer holidays. The families really enjoyed these sessions and, blessed with good weather, they headed to the beach after. ## • **CHRISTMAS:** Fresh Food Boxes for Christmas: As the families had received hampers and support from Fightback and other organisations, FODI trustees agreed to focus on the single clients. Social Chef with Roker Life teamed with FODI funding and volunteers and delivered food hampers to our single person’s households in the whole Sunderland region - 52 hampers were delivered to 221 clients. Unable to hold any party or celebration again in December 21, we instead gave gift vouchers to FODI children (partly funded again by Seaburn Rotary Club) but were also able to give many new toys to families through the donations passed to us by the charity Hope4Kids Sunderland. ## **CHALLENGES FACING FODI :** ## **LACK OF FACE TO FACE APPOINTMENTS** As in the first year of the pandemic, most appointments with lawyers or GPs will now be by telephone rather than face to face. Our clients are adjusting to this but still many want to be seen in person and don’t like interpreters on the phone. There are additional issues with internet costs as they do not have Wi-Fi and so have to use precious phone internet for these meetings. ## **SOCIAL ISOLATION** We did see some of the same problems due to the pandemic spill over into this year with a number of people who felt unable to mix, who were affected by a medical condition or were given housing far out of the city centre making it very difficult to have any friends or support services near where they live. We have continued to advocate for our clients arguing the need to have addresses with easy access to the city - to halal shops, support projects, ESOL classes and friendship groups but there is a continuing policy to house clients more widespread throughout the region. ## **MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS DUE TO HOME OFFICE DELAYS** A number of individuals have had severe mental distress in having no answer or no Home Office interview. In nearly all cases, the lawyer has contacted the HO many times but it has made no difference to the wait time. Gradually, we have seen some much relieved clients getting their status but there are equally many others waiting for such long periods their mental well-being is severely compromised. We have taken many referrals from psychological services, GP alliance and other statutory bodies. ## **CHANGE IN NATURE OF DEMANDS** Many clients are continuing to struggle with the increase in cost of living and the need for essentials from us and other support organisations. They all equally face the problem of lack of internet in their homes despite the increasing reliance on this for all parts of life e.g. booking appointments, downloading Covid passports, buying school uniform etc. **NEW PLAN FOR IMMIGRATION – ‘** _SHOW YOUR HEART_ ‘ In response to the challenges of the new Immigration Bill, FODI joined with Asylum Matters to protest the inhumane proposals within the Bill and all clients at our Drop-Ins held a “Heart for Refugees” as part of a nationwide week of action on March 21[st] , 2022. ## **OPENING OF INITIAL ACCOMMODATION CENTRE AT A SUNDERLAND HOTEL** FODI welcomed 60 single men who were placed in a hotel just days after arriving in the UK in mid- March 22. These clients have no allowance when they arrive and usually very few clothes. In an immediate response to assist them, we gave all of them a supermarket voucher and a £10 phone top up and referred those without phones to Red Cross or supplied them from our donations. We also started to purchase shoes and essential clothes from donated money and SCC winter support. As these clients are three miles out of the city, it was agreed to adjust budgets to help them with travel costs to our Drop-Ins . As part of the New Arrivals Pathway, we helped to facilitate ‘Living safely in the UK’ talks with the police community engagement team. We shall continue to collaborate with all partners in their future support. Information on our activities can be found on our website to ensure that what we can give information, news, etc. to a wider audience. There have been no serious incidents. **In organising and running these activities, we have borne in mind the duties set out in the Commission’s public benefit guidance and believe we have complied with** Signed on behalf of the Trustees: Stephen Newman, chair....................................................... Felicity Livsey, treasurer…………....................................... ## **Friends of the Drop in for Asylum Seekers and Refugees** ## **Income & Expenditure Account** |**Income & Expenditure Account**|||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---| ||||**2021-22**||**2020-21**| |||**Unrestricted**|**Restricted**|**Total**|**Total**| ||**Notes**|**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**| |**Receipts**|**4**||||| |Grants|||77756|77756|82277| |Donations & Sundry Income||13461||13461|3856| |Reimbursed Income||||0|120| |**Total Receipts**||**13461**|**77756**|**91217**|**86253**| |**Payments**|||||| |Salaries|||33541|33541|27113| |Payroll Charges|||585|585|145| |Client Activities|||12826|12826|2939| |Client Travel||160|4094|4254|867| |Clothing||22|1313|1335|546| |Creche|||1200|1200|0| |Freelance Work|||4813|4813|4240| |Volunteer Expenses|||1020|1020|235| |Food||36|12246|12282|6168| |Hardship Payments||2499|2262|4761|8554| |Rent & Room Hire|||11727|11727|8602| |Other General Running Costs|||1092|1092|187| |Electricity|||206|206|223| |Telephone & Internet|||1803|1803|813| |Insurance|||331|331|331| |Accountancy|||504|504|484| |Training||23|300|323|| |Legal & Professional||||0|0| |**Total Payments**||**2740**|**89863**|**92603**|**61447**| |Surplus/Deficit for the period||10721|-12107|-1386|24806| |**Funds as at 1 April 2021**||**20901**|**45761**|**66662**|**41856**| |**Total Funds at 31 March 2022**||**31622**|**33654**|**65276**|**66662**| ## **Friends of the Drop in for Asylum Seekers and Refugees** |**Balance Sheet**
**at 31 March 2022**
**Notes**
**2022**
**£**
**Monetary Assets**
Cash at Bank and in Hand
65276
**Total Cash Balances**
**65276**
**Assets less Liabilities**
**65276**
**Represented by**
**5**
Unrestricted Funds
31622
Restricted Funds
33654
**Total Funds**
**65276**|**2021**
**£**
66662
**66662**| |---|---| ||**66662**| ||20901
45761
**66662**| **The financial statements were approved by the following members of the Management Committee :** Stephen Newman, chair....................................................... Felicity Livsey, treasurer................................................... Date... June 2022 **Friends of the Drop in for Asylum Seekers and Refugees Notes to the accounts 2022** ## **(1a) Basis of accounts** The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with 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) – Charities SORP (FRS 102), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006 FODI 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 note(s). ## **(1b) Legal Status** Friends of the Drop in for Asylum Seekers registered with The Charities Commission 4 January 2018, registered no. 1176524, as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. ## **(2) Trustees and Staff** Two members of staff are employed. Total salary costs £33,541. ## **(3) Costs of independent examination** The cost for the independent examination of accounts for the year will be £325 |**(4)**|**Grants received in year**|**2021-22**|||| |---|---|---|---|---|---| ||Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales|25000|||| ||Barrow Cadbury Trust (Covid-19 Support Fund)|115|||| ||Roseline Foundation via the Community Foundation Tyne &||||| ||Wear and Northumberland|10000|||| ||Pea Green Boat Community First Foundation via the||||| ||Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland|7000|||| ||Justice Together Initiative|4000|||| ||Sunderland BME Network (Covid Champions Fund)|15398|||| ||Sunderland BME Network (Enhanced Winter Offer)|9743|||| ||Sunderland BME (Network Health Inequalities Fund)|2500|||| ||Sunderland City Council (Enhanced Winter Offer Poverty||||| ||Fund)|4000|||| ||**Total Grants Received**|**77756**|||| |**(5)**|**Funds Analysis:**|**Balance**|**Income**|**Expend**|**Balance**| |||**April 21**|||**March 22**| ||Barrow Cadbury Trust (Covid-19 Support Fund)|10856|115|10971|0| ||Roseline Foundation via the Community Foundation Tyne &||||| ||Wear and Northumberland||10000|8172|1828| ||Pea Green Boat Community First Foundation via the||||| ||Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland||7000|5997|1003| ||Justice Together Initiative||4000|2784|1216| ||Sunderland BME Network (Covid Champions Fund)||15398|15398|0| ||Sunderland BME Network (Enhanced Winter Offer)||9743|9743|0| ||Sunderland BME Network (Grassroots Development Fund)|||500|-500| ||Sunderland BME Network (Health Inequalities Fund)||2500|3765|-1265| |---|---|---|---|---|---| ||Mears Foundation|393||393|0| ||Sunderland City Council (Covid Winter Fund)|51||51|0| ||Sunderland City Council (Enhanced Winter Offer Poverty||||| ||Fund)||4000|1730|2270| ||Sunderland Partnership SCC (Womens Group)|1879||1200|679| ||Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales|9801|25000|19096|15705| ||City of Sanctuary/Seedbed|274||274|0| ||Clinical Commissioning Group (1)|17448||7776|9672| ||Clinical Commissioning Group (Project Development)|3908||862|3046| ||Quakers|1151||1151|0| ||**Restricted Funds**|**45761**|**77756**|**89863**|**33654**| ||**Unrestricted Funds**|**20901**|**13461**|**2740**|**31622**| ||**Total Funds**|**66662**|**91217**|**92603**|**65276**| |**(6)**|**Barrow Cadbury Trust (Covid-19 Support Fund)**||||| ||**Analysis of Expenditure for the financial period:**||||| ||Sporting Activities for clients run by Young Asian Voices||3569||| ||Gym and Swim vouchers for clients||4240||| ||Client travel to Women’s Group dance classes||83||| ||Teacher for Women’s Group dance classes||1300||| ||Hire of hall for Women’s Group dance project performance||328||| ||Contribution to Project Manager’s salary||1451||| ||**Total Expenditure**||**10971**|||