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2021-04-30-accounts

Registered Charity No. 1177624

Trustees’ Annual Report and Accounts 2020-2021

Swindon City of Sanctuary brings people and organisations together, raising awareness and celebrating our diverse town through the national scheme of Sanctuary Awards

Contents

1. Introduction and Summary Our Year in Numbers

  1. Thanks

3. Charitable Objects

4. Culture and Values

  1. Our Impact:

Projects affected by the Pandemic

Projects which continued during the Pandemic

f. Schools

Responsive Support During Pandemic

i. FAB! Project

  1. Organisational Development and Governance

  2. Trustees and Staff 2020-2021

  3. Consultation

  4. Ambitions and Long-term Strategy

  5. The Year Ahead: 2021-2022

  6. Appendix 1 Finance Report

Introduction and Summary

Our focuses for 2020-2021:

It is fair to say that 2020-21 was a challenging year for Swindon City of Sanctuary, as it was for many charitable organisations. When we commenced this financial year (1[st] May 2020), the UK was in the first full Lockdown due to Covid, and none of us could foresee exactly what change this global crisis would have on our organisation. We are pleased to say that we have emerged from this crisis stronger than we were when it began, but this year’s Annual Report is heavily focussed on the significant changes that we were forced to bring about as a result of Covid-19.

Progress:

Changes:

Our financial year runs May to April but this report extends from the beginning of the first Covid-19 Lockdown (March 2020) to the end of April 2021.

Swindon City of Sanctuary has continued to have a positive impact. During this year of challenges, we have drawn on our strengths as an organisation to adapt and use our creative thinking. We have prioritised where our focus and expertise should be directed to enable us to meet the needs of people seeking sanctuary during the pandemic; most notably by supporting families seeking sanctuary new to Swindon with our Family Activity Boxes (FAB!) Project.

The continued engagement of people and organisations in our community reinforces our belief that Swindon is fundamentally a welcoming and inclusive town.

We’re excited for the future and, as always, we offer our deepest thanks to everyone who has supported our mission in the last twelve months.

Ben Jackson

Chair of Trustees

Nicola Wood Executive Officer

December 2021

A note about terminology:

UK law defines an asylum seeker as a person who has an asylum claim pending with the Home Office. A refugee has been given their ‘Leave to Remain’ meaning they have been granted the right to stay and live in the UK. We prefer to use the term, ‘people seeking sanctuary’ when referring to people we work with, instead of ‘asylum seekers’ and ‘refugees’.

Our Year in Numbers

200+ activities, puzzles and games in FABs!

20 FABs! created for families

3 We’re Virtually Open trial sessions

20 young people from families seeking asylum received FABs!

40+ IMAGINE Colouring Competition entries

3 new schools joined our Schools of Sanctuary Network

3 key Campaigns for change

2 innovative new Schools of Sanctuary projects

12 people with lived experience of seeking asylum involved in Consultation

2 guests accommodated in Room for All hosting scheme during Lockdown#1

9 bus passes donated by Swindon’s Bus Company

5 tablets

uploaded with word games and stories for FABs for schools

50+ school staff involved in

training, curriculum developments, special projects

1 person successfully advocated for

2,500 young people in local schools involved in projects and curriculum developments

5 online Well-being yoga sessions

Thanks

We thank all the organisations and individuals who have contributed to our work and the many others who pledge to do so in the future.

We thank all our volunteers and supporters for their pledges, individual donations, grant funds and time. These essential groups of generous people and organisations have enabled us to continue developing our work to meet our objectives.

Abdulaziz Gulay Staff in Schools of SanctuaryNetwork
Andrew Wood Swindon Advertiser
Angela Atkinson Swindon Borough Council
Artway,Melksham Swindon’s Bus Company
Arts and Humanities Research Council Swindon and Gloucestershire Mind
Asylum Matters Swindon Libraries
BBC Wiltshire Swindon Link
Bekah Grace(Illustrator) SwindonQuakers
BookTrust Swindon Stories - National LiteracyTrust
Carole Bent The Baker’s Café
Child’s PlayInternational The Co-operative Group
Cityof SanctuaryUK The Harbour Project
Coffee#1,Swindon The Joffe Charitable Trust
Create Studios The Medaille Trust
Curry’s PC World The Olive Tree Café
DisabilityExperts Viewpoint CommunityMedia
Dorset & Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service VoluntaryAction Swindon
GatewayFurniture Store Volunteer Centre Swindon
Good Gym Volunteers - We’re Open
Great Western Hospital Volunteers - HostingScheme
High Sheriff of Wiltshire Volunteerjudges - ColouringCompetition
HungryLittle Minds(LiteracyInitiative) Volunteer respondents for Consultation
INTEL Wiltshire CommunityFoundation
Justin Tomlinson,MP for Swindon North
Los Gatos
Mantra Lingua Publishers
Mike Horan Printers
Neil Griffiths
No Accommodation network
Office of Police and Crime Commissioner
Postcode Neighbourhood Trust
Refugee Action
Robert Buckland,MP for Swindon South
Sam Frith
Siobhan Nell
South Swindon Parish Council

Our Charitable Objects To advance the education of the public in general, especially in Swindon, about the issues relating to refugees and those seeking asylum.

To provide or assist in the provision of facilities and activities for recreation or other leisure time occupations in the interests of social welfare with the object of improving the conditions of life of those persons who have need of such facilities.

The promotion of equality and diversity for the public benefit by promoting activities to foster understanding and engagement between people from diverse backgrounds.

The prevention and relief of poverty amongst those granted refugee status and those seeking asylum in Swindon.

Culture and Values (updated version for 2020)

Our Values are woven into all of our Projects and Initiatives

TRUST

Trust is at the core of our organisation. We understand that those we support and collaborate with deserve and expect our trustworthiness in the ways we work and the decisions we take. We are open and approachable and take safeguarding seriously in personal and confidential matters.

INCLUSIVE

Being inclusive is essential in our work and for us this means we begin with consideration and care in each individual encounter. We support each sanctuary seeker in a consultative, empowering and respectful way, showing encouragement and patience. We actively and equally value the contribution that all of our staff, volunteers, trustees and those who benefit make, and involve them meaningfully in decisions about our work.

OBJECTIVE

Our kindness is not lessened by our objectivity and clarity, which are important in the way that we conduct our work internally and externally. We are non-judgmental, fair and focused. We ensure to work ethically in all we do and who we work with, as well as considering our environmental impact as a charity.

INFORMED

Across our organisation we stay informed and knowledgeable of the circumstances and laws affecting sanctuary seekers, and the issues around hate crime locally. We use our knowledge and awareness proactively to challenge preconceptions, to share knowledge across Swindon and to help create better understanding between us all.

INSPIRATIONAL

We use our creativity and innovation to make our expressions, our connections and our outreach work as educational and inspirational as they can be. We hope to inspire others to actively help make Swindon a welcoming place for all who live here. We believe in generous leadership and that the best work relies on different experiences and perspectives. We seek out the best ideas, wherever they come from.

POSITIVE and COMMITTED

We are strongly committed to work, educate and campaign in a responsible, coordinated and strategic way. We aim to focus on the positive, overcoming challenges and hostility by finding common ground. We respond with activities that bring our community together and enable us to listen and learn from each other, in order to break down stereotypes and resentment driven by fear.

Projects affected by the Pandemic: Room for All

Our hosting scheme contributed towards reducing homelessness in Swindon through arranging temporary accommodation for people seeking . sanctuary.

Projects affected by the Pandemic: Room for All

Providing a safe place to live for people seeking sanctuary who would otherwise face homelessness.

Room for All in numbers:

Room For All, Hosting Project meets one of our Charitable Objects:

“The prevention and relief of poverty amongst those granted refugee status and those seeking asylum in Swindon.”

OUR PROJECT

Having already coped with a traumatic journey to get to the UK, on arrival, people seeking sanctuary very often face a hostile environment. Ahead of them is a long and unpredictable asylum process. Even having gained their ‘Leave to Remain’ (ie. refugee status), the struggle for acceptance is still not over.

A whole series of new difficulties face people seeking sanctuary once they have been given their ‘Leave to Remain’. However, this process has been made even more challenging with the arrival of Covid-19.

The whole experience of the asylum process has become more precarious, with even longer delays than had previously been the case, before screening interviews and substantive interviews could take place – in fact, all substantive interviews were paused until July 2020; when they resumed, they could only be done by video call. This delay meant fewer people were able to complete their asylum claims.

On 27[th] March 2020, the Home Office announced that those people who had been informed of their positive decisions, (i.e. people being granted ‘Leave to Remain’) would NOT be sent ‘Notice to Quit’ or ‘Move On’ letters to leave their asylum accommodation within the pre-pandemic timeframe of twenty-eight days. Instead, the Home Office announced that people would NOT be asked to leave their asylum accommodation until at least the end of June 2020, possibly later. However, by October 2020, ‘Notice to Quit’ or ‘Move On’ letters were once again re-introduced, but the challenges of where people could be housed remained a serious concern.

– Video update on the asylum and immigration system Right to Remain

Home Office preparedness for COVID-19 (Coronavirus): institutional accommodation - Home Affairs Committee - House of Commons (parliament.uk)

For our Hosting Scheme, the situation became increasingly complex. From the end of March 2020, our priorities focussed on keeping hosts and guests safe; thus, we hosted only two guests over the three Lockdowns. During this time, we also received fewer referrals because Local Authorities were now taking on the responsibilities of housing, in hotels, people who were at risk of street homelessness and destitution. Formerly, this had been the point that our Hosting Scheme would have been activated.

OUR SUCCESSES

During 2020-2021, our third and most challenging operational year, we continued to use our funding from the Wiltshire Community Foundation (WCF) and the grant from the No Accommodation Network (NACCOM). In September 2020, we were successful in being awarded a Respond and Adapt Grant to help with our core running costs for our Room for All initiative.

NACCOM, which we joined in February 2017, nationally supports schemes like Room for All that work to prevent destitution amongst people seeking sanctuary. Our membership of NACCOM became especially vital this year with their weekly and monthly Zoom calls which featured support and guidance. With changing government advice, it was vital for us to be kept informed in this way.

OUR PLANS AND CHALLENGES

Projects affected by the Pandemic: Transport Fund

Being able to travel means that people seeking sanctuary can … begin to take part in the life of their new community.

Transport Fund in numbers:

• 9 free monthly bus passes

OUR PROJECT

Swindon’s Bus Company again generously pledged its support for another year by providing reduced bus passes for us to matchfund according to individual need. For 2020-2021, the fund was again supported by individual monthly donations from the public via Local Giving.

This partnership project with a significant local organisation, meets one of our Charitable Objects :

“The prevention and relief of poverty amongst those granted refugee status and those seeking asylum in Swindon.”

The project started in 2018 to provide monthly bus passes to some people seeking sanctuary who live on the outskirts of the town. Without means of transport, accessing English classes, asylum advice, health care, social activities and volunteering opportunities which enable participation in community life, can be an additional and unnecessary challenge.

A monthly TravelPass from Swindon’s Bus Company costs £55 (correct at time of writing), more than one third of the income of someone seeking asylum, therefore, the idea of travel into the town centre becomes untenable without support. To have a bus pass means greater opportunity for participating in community life.

OUR SUCCESSES

Despite the challenges of all three Lockdowns and subsequent travel restrictions, we were able to provide free travel to a person seeking sanctuary who was able to volunteer at the Great Western Hospital five days a week throughout the pandemic. It also helped them to attend their IT classes. This is an example of how a single opportunity has a remarkable ‘ripple effect’ in terms of its benefits: positive impact on mental health; social inclusion reducing social isolation; being of value to, and valued by, the community.

OUR PLANS AND CHALLENGES

Due to the challenges of Lockdowns and Covid-19 the need for bus passes was considerably reduced compared to previous years. Guests in our Hosting Scheme were not travelling due to restrictions. With our weekly social inclusion project, We’re Open, postponed, there was no longer a need for Day Rider tickets during this time.

Without the Hosting Scheme, we will focus our attention on providing Day Rider tickets to ensure people can travel to, and attend, our evening social inclusion project, We’re Open, which will be needed more than ever when restrictions are lifted allowing us to re-open.

Our plans for 2021-2022:

: Projects affected by the Pandemic Well-being Project

Although the Government’s measures led to more people being housed, concern for their personal safety, lack of privacy and general wellbeing increased. The closure of dropin centres means isolated people become even more lonely, while others are at risk because they no longer have access to the services they rely on …

: Projects affected by the Pandemic Well-being Project

Improving the mental health of people seeking sanctuary through exercise and access to counselling.

Well-being Project in numbers:

This initiative meets one of our Charitable Objects :

“To provide, or assist in the provision of, facilities and activities for recreation or other leisure time occupations in the interests of social welfare, with the object of improving the conditions of life of those persons who have need of such facilities.”

OUR PROJECT

At the beginning of 2020, we started our Well-being Project for people seeking sanctuary in Swindon. We wanted to focus on how those seeking sanctuary could best cope with their lives since arriving in the UK. Cultural changes can have a huge psychological impact on individuals as well as dealing with possible trauma experienced in their home-country. Language barriers, dealing with new forms of bureaucracy, new customs, even hostility, in their country of sanctuary, can all take their toll on physical and mental well-being.

We were conscious that any services we planned to provide would be undertaken with the strictest confidentiality and in accordance with our Safeguarding Policy. Reminders of difficult periods in the life of a person seeking sanctuary that may have happened in the past, or that may be occurring in the present, could cause

further stress and anxiety, so they would therefore need skilled and qualified volunteer support.

From January 2020, Yoga and 1:1 Counselling sessions were held fortnightly, every Thursday, in the function room at The Baker’s Café, a community café in the town centre. This venue was not only easily accessible for people to attend, it was also a welcoming and friendly place for meeting. Every fortnight, there were two yoga sessions: one class for men; one class for women.

Sadly, as with all of our projects and initiatives, there was no escape from the impact of Covid-19; this led to suspension of the Well-being Project from March 2020.

OUR SUCCESSES

OUR PLANS AND CHALLENGES

Pandemic: Projects affected by the We’re Open

Since the start of We’re Open in 2017, we have seen how different communities and perspectives have come together in the spirit of friendship.

Pandemic: Projects affected by the We’re Open

Having a place where worries about issues relating to asylum claims can be left behind and where people can meet in a friendly and inclusive environment, is crucial.

We’re Open in numbers:

This inspirational initiative meets two of our Charitable Objects :

OUR PROJECT

This year is the fourth year of We’re Open. Our unique weekly café evenings, funded by donations and a grant from Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), was temporarily put ‘on hold’ in March 2020 when the Government announced a nationwide Lockdown.

The focus of We’re Open is to bring our community together through our shared love of good coffee (or tea), conversation, acoustic live music and maybe a little competitive board game playing. Since the start of the project in 2017 we have seen how different communities and perspectives have come together in a spirit of friendship. The involvement of local volunteers being on hand to ensure people feel welcome, has helped to ensure that those who might be isolated within our community are less daunted about coming. In turn, the experience has helped to promote integration and social inclusion.

Its positive impact cannot be over-stated.

We’re Open, valued by so many in our local community, from individuals to organisations working with the many new arrivals in Swindon, is a place where people seeking sanctuary can temporarily leave behind the worries about issues relating to their asylum claim and meet other people in a friendly and inclusive environment; a perfect setting for developing understanding of other cultures and nurturing the common things shared by humanity. Where people were born, what languages they speak or faiths they follow can often be things that divide people; at We’re Open, they are a strong uniting force.

We’re Open, was run solely by volunteers pre-pandemic, and will continue to run in the same way post-pandemic. This is testament to its success and the continued commitment of all volunteers.

OUR SUCCESSES

OUR PLANS AND CHALLENGES

The IMAGINE Colouring Book is for young people to celebrate being part of a community made up of people with different pasts and to help them to 'imagine' our shared future.

Projects which continued during the Pandemic: Refugee Week – The IMAGINE Colouring Book

Refugee Week in numbers

The IMAGINE Colouring Book meets one of our Charitable Objects :

OUR PROJECT

With Covid-19 restricting the physical reach of our plans for Refugee Week 2020, we took our - celebrations for the week online. Imagine Colouring Book Refugee Week 2020 | Swindon City of Sanctuary

In May 2020, a chance meeting at a monthly Zoom gathering of Harbour Project volunteers led to a unique collaboration between Swindon City of Sanctuary and Swindon-based artist and children’s illustrator, Bekah Grace. After an intense two weeks of inspiration, vision and consultation, Bekah created a truly amazing colouring book for all pre-school and school-age young people in Swindon, built around the Refugee Week 2020 theme of IMAGINE. The IMAGINE Colouring Book was a further development of the Schools of Sanctuary FAB! project.

The IMAGINE Colouring Book was created for young people everywhere who want to celebrate being a part of a community of people with different pasts. It is for young people everywhere who want to imagine and create a shared future of understanding, respect and fairness. It is more than just a colouring book – it is a spark for imagination!

Each of the twenty children and young people in the families who had received FAB! received specially printed editions of the IMAGINE Colouring Book, signed by its creator. These young people, along with others living in, or attending school in Swindon, had the chance to enter a special Colouring Competition.

OUR SUCCESSES

OUR PLANS AND CHALLENGES

Projects which continued during the Pandemic: Schools of Sanctuary

It’s sad that we’ll not be meeting together soon…for our celebration of artistic expression from young people in our schools…but, rather than regret what we couldn’t do, let’s embrace what we can do!

(Extract from News Update to Swindon Schools of Sanctuary Network, June 2020)

Projects which continued during the Pandemic: Schools of Sanctuary

We all have a part to play building a welcoming and inclusive society.

(Home | Schools of Sanctuary (cityofsanctuary.org))

Schools of Sanctuary in numbers

“I feel that wearing the SENCO hat in school now increases my understanding of the importance of inclusion even further…It would be great to be part of moving this (Schools of Sanctuary) forward into the future.”

Primary School Deputy Headteacher, March 2021

Photos from Westlea Primary School – showing what ‘welcome’ looks like in their school foyer

OUR PROJECT

Our project meets two of our Charitable Objects :

From March 2020, the scope and nature of our schools’ work inevitably changed.

OUR SUCCESSES

At the end of last year (end of March 2020), the challenges facing us at the start of Lockdown#1 meant we were unsure about our developments and the impact of the work we had begun. Halted plans and school closures was not the ideal backdrop for staging success, but with our Schools of Sanctuary team’s creativity to adapt the way we approached our work, our successes were abundant.

October 2020 saw Swindon City of Sanctuary Schools’ team, in collaboration with The Harbour Project, run our first remote whole staff CPD at Westlea Primary School.

The workshop, Seeking Sanctuary – Shaping Our Understanding: How to Work Supportively in Our School was a bespoke 90-minute session responding to the school’s request for assistance with language support for children newly arrived at the school whose families were going through the asylum process.

This need to find language support is not new, it is repeated across our town and country, but meeting the need is challenging; it is not as straightforward as simply finding someone to translate the language.

Behind this need for language support is a cultural gap; a gap often filled with media-sourced (mis)information and unhelpful stereotypes – hence the school’s desire to be well-informed in order to welcome new families and know how best to support them.

With all families being unique, we are keen to inform all schools that there are no quick-fix answers. Given that people seeking asylum are likely to have experienced a range of very difficult challenges which may have impacted on their mental and physical health, and their confidence with settling into entirely new contexts, we ensure that our staff CPD sessions for all schools, begin with an understanding of:

Exploring these challenges, enables schools

to begin to find their own solutions to meet the needs of the families in their communities. This approach, along with more specific information about the countries from which the families have had to flee, and some generic detail about what may have led to the need for people to flee and seek asylum outside their home countries, was well-received.

Feedback from the staff was very positive, “Really good background knowledge to help us understand where our children are coming from and what their lived experience might have been… ‘Home’ poem (by Warsan Shire) was especially thought-provoking.”

The realisation that there was more to learn than

was possible in 90 minutes was important, “Time to do activities in groups was really good as we had time to talk and reflect… we could have spent much more time on this as I don’t think we managed to do a fraction of the things we could have done!”

These reflections have been important for the way the school has continued their positive work across the curriculum and enrichment programmes, and with the FAB! Extensions Project. We hope Westlea Primary School’s work will take them on their journey towards becoming an accredited School of Sanctuary by 2023.

The theme for Refugee Week 2021, We Cannot Walk Alone, was an invitation to us to extend our hands and welcome people who are new to our communities. Sharing The Walk project with colleagues in our Network at virtual workshops in April 2021 was not only an inspirational trigger for endless possibilities for Arts-based work and broader curriculum approaches to migration, it was also a tremendous boost to morale.

At the end of one of our April 2021 workshops (we ran the same one three times to enable as many colleagues as possible to attend) positive feedback comments were plentiful.

From a primary school Deputy Head, “It’s great to get back to the things I love doing in school!”

From our artistic mentor, Bekah Grace (inspiration behind the Refugee Week 2020 IMAGINE Colouring Book), “It was such a great meeting. I’m buzzing about the ideas that two of the teachers came up with after our session today…I love the good things that always come from learning about, celebrating and supporting Refugee Week!”

From a Citizenship Lead in one of our secondary schools, “I definitely want to celebrate Refugee Week this year in school… hopefully with restrictions lifting in schools and outside life, I can plan something for the whole school to participate in.”

We look forward to seeing and sharing the work that The Walk project inspired in classrooms, corridors and playgrounds around Swindon.

OUR PLANS AND CHALLENGES

Our campaigns advocate for systematic change for people seeking sanctuary

Projects which continued during the Pandemic: Campaigning

Campaigning in numbers:

OUR PROJECT

A key aspect to being part of the national City of Sanctuary network is campaigning for change to the asylum process so that it is more just and equitable. As such, we work at local, regional and national level engaging with key partners to help bring about positive changes for people seeking asylum.

This initiative meets more than one of our Charitable Objects :

OUR SUCCESSES

OUR PLANS AND CHALLENGES

Due to a number of political changes some of our plans were affected and delayed:

Planning for 2021-2022 we are now:

Responsive Support During Pandemic: Remote Befriending

Remote Befriending in numbers:

• 1 beneficiary

OUR PROJECT

When Covid19 Government restrictions began we first considered the support we already provide successfully which could also be adapted to remote support for people seeking sanctuary who were facing potentially long periods of social isolation like so many others in our Swindon community.

We made a plan to extend our already established volunteer befriending which we provided for guests on our Room for All Hosting Scheme through our Volunteer Support Workers. Many of our volunteers had spare time during the pandemic and reached out to see if they could help and we soon had a list of volunteers to provide Remote Befriending.

We opened up this support, usually provided only to guests and hosts in our hosting scheme to any person seeking sanctuary in Swindon (people in the asylum system, with their leave to remain and those with no recourse to public funds). The remote support was to give people someone to talk to and if any issues arose then our volunteers could direct them to the most useful support, agencies etc.

The Remote Befriending was in addition to keeping in touch with those we currently support and had relations with through our other projects. We planned to match volunteers with someone once we received a referral (though an agency or self-referral) and for the volunteer to be in contact with them on a weekly basis.

This initiative met our Charitable Objects :

OUR SUCCESSES

OUR PLANS AND CHALLENGES

Responsive Support During the Pandemic: FAB! and FAB! Extensions Project

FAB! in numbers:

20 families

28 school-age young people

2 pre-school children

20 FAB!

100 books

200+ activities and games

OUR PROJECT

In March 2020 our Schools initiative was faced with the challenges of Covid and imminent ‘lockdown’. We could foresee that for those families seeking sanctuary with school-age children the implications of this government decision might be particularly difficult. We realised that we must put a plan into action as soon as possible and that any action should be carefully researched and managed.

When schools closed Swindon’s City of Sanctuary Schools’ Team discussed the issues that would now arise for our town’s sanctuary seeking families. Their children were not eligible to still attend school, had few resources at home and no WiFi in their Home Office accommodation. This meant they were unable to access the work being set by their teachers. Out of the team’s discussions emerged the idea of the Family Activity Box (FAB!) which would contain ‘educational but fun’ activities, puzzles and games to support young people whilst they weren’t at school.

This project meets one of our Charitable Objects :

OUR SUCCESSES:

and volunteers to put together something special, unique and brand new, for twenty school-age children and young people in fifteen families seeking asylum known to The Harbour Project .

Having received funding from the Wiltshire Community Foundation’s Wiltshire and Swindon Corona Virus Response Grant, we consulted with The Harbour Project, who welcomed the initiative and agreed to help us in identifying the families who would benefit from FABs!

Nicola Wood, Swindon City of Sanctuary

OUR PLANS AND CHALLENGES

FAB! EXTENSIONS PROJECT

FAB Extensions Project in numbers:

1 Project Coordinator

2 pilot schools

4 FAB! for schools 5 tablets

This project meets one of our Charitable Objects :

OUR PROJECT

Due to the success of the FAB! project during Lockdown1we realised there was exciting potential for refining, developing and expanding the project for the rest of the year. The boxes themselves had real value as a literacy resource in their own right and in this way FAB! could continue during subsequent Lockdowns and beyond. We also felt that FAB! might be something schools could use as part of their work on the Schools of Sanctuary Award and as support with their existing EAL provision. Our ideas for expansion were stimulated by enthusiastic feedback from families who had used the boxes.

We wanted to shift the focus from direct family support to looking at our support with schools to develop their work around ‘welcome’ and ‘inclusion’. This way, the project would sit holistically within our Schools of Sanctuary stream.

A crucial part of the extension work would be for schools to extend parental engagement in literacy, especially for families who have other first languages. We wanted to seek further collaboration with Swindon Central Library to help develop the National Literacy Trust’s work on Literacy Champions where we would encourage some parents (with sanctuary seeking backgrounds) to become (digital) Literacy Champions and engage with The Reading Agency collaboration and Reading Sparks.

We would also also aim to initiate meetings between schools, the Library and the creator of the original Story-sacks, Children’s Writer and Educational Guru Neil Griffiths.

Basically, our FAB Extensions Project would enable schools to provide literacy support in fun and engaging ways to involve families of multi-lingual learners by:

OUR SUCCESSES:

• In August 2020 we prepared and sent a funding application to Postcode Neighbourhood Trust for FAB! Extensions Project. In November 2020 we successfully received the £16,700 that we had costed and applied for. A press release was sent to our local newspaper to celebrate our success.

OUR PLANS AND CHALLENGES

Organisational Development and

Governance

This is our Third year as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation and it is also our fifth year since Swindon City of Sanctuary began as a small voluntary steering group.

This year has seen us face the challenges of a pandemic. Using our expertise and strength as a team staff, volunteers and trustees have risen to meet the changing needs within our local community and for people seeking sanctuary.

OUR SUCCESSES

OUR PLANS AND CHALLENGES

We have been unafraid to admit when projects have needed some reflection, reviewing, and revising. In some instances, we have made bold strategic decisions to move away from certain projects in order to maintain clearer focus on our work. We have learnt where we are most needed in Swindon and where to focus our time and attention using the skills and knowledge that we have within the charity. This way, we feel that we will have the best positive impact in making Swindon a Welcoming and Inclusive Town.

By the end of the year we were facing further challenges with the continuation of Covid19, more nationwide Lockdowns, and an uncertain and unpredictable year ahead for the whole of the UK.

next five years. With funding being key to the future of the charity we began to anticipate solutions:

• Taking up the free offer of support through our Respond and Adapt Grant to access expert consultants from the Lloyds Enhance Programme to guide us with our Theory of Change and small funders applications.

Trustees and Staff 2020-2021

----- Start of picture text -----
TRUSTEE GROUP
CHAIR of TRUSTEES - Ben Jackson (BJ)
TREASURER - Serena Juul (SJ
Cristina Bennett (CB), Hannah Parry (HP), Ian Howard (IH),, Johanna Tompsett (JT),
Kate Hudson (KH), Moses Lubanda (ML)
EXECUTIVE FUNDING GROUP
OFFICER SUPPORT
NW, HP, KH
IH, KH
PEOPLE and
POLICIES GROUP
BJ, JT, KH, IH
STAFF 1: EXECUTIVE OFFICER (EO): Nicola Wood (NW)
STAFF 2: HOSTING CO-ORDINATOR (HC) / Volunteer
Coordinator: Sarah Brunskill (SB)
Staff 3: FAB! Coordinator: Stella Mortazavi
VOLUNTEERS
----- End of picture text -----

During our consultation we researched people’s lived experiences of ‘welcome’ and ‘inclusion’ to help us establish need and actions for our future work.

Consultation

Consultation in numbers:

• 12 people with lived experience of the asylum system interviewed

THE CONSULTATION

A detailed analysis of our consultation – its process and results – is available on request. Please contact Nicola Wood: info@swindon.cityofsanctuary.org)

What follows here is a simple overview of the main finding which will influence the future direction of some of our work.

By talking to a small cross-section of people seeking sanctuary* who live in Swindon, we aimed to find out their experiences of ‘welcome’ and ‘inclusion’. What we found has helped us establish ‘need’ as well as ‘actions’ for our future work, especially in the light of the impact of the pandemic and how this might influence change.

“Welcome is more than just a greeting, and inclusion is more than an invitation to participate in something. The phrase, ‘welcome and inclusion’ refers to a whole inter-connected process which enables all people new to Swindon, especially those seeking sanctuary, to feel safe, settled, engaged with, involved in, and belong to the place where they live.”

Why is ‘welcome and inclusion’ important? Simply put:

The questions:

The Interviews (aka: Consultation Conversations):

Results

This simple overview reveals what we had anticipated:

“...joining a community organisation enables me to meet people.

“I feel safe and secure in Swindon,” but “I don’t go out a lot, I wait for my son to come home.”

“It (being trapped in the asylum process) can be an incredibly lonely experience. Two hours spent there (at We’re Open) once a week makes a big difference; it takes away a lot of sadness, stress and anxiety of isolation ”

OUR SUCCESSES

OUR CHALLENGES

OUR PLANS

Our consultation and the impact of Covid among our beneficiaries and the Swindon community has refreshed our strategic focus. Our new strategy for 2021 represents a shift from a ‘service delivery’ to a more ‘enabling’ organisation, and sets out our focus on 2 key areas – led by, and working alongside people with Lived Experience of Migration wherever possible:

Systemic Change & Awareness Raising

• Campaigning

Meaningful connections, building community

Ambitions and Long-term Strategy

We would like once again to take this opportunity to thank the institutions which have made our work possible through their generous funding, especially the Joffe Trust, whose support over the last three years has been fundamental to our success. our funding from the Joffe Trust was due to come to an end in May 2021. It is not overstating things to say that without this funding, we would not exist as a registered charity today.

We would also like to thank the following organisations for grants and continued support throughout 2020-21:

Again, we have to reference Covid-19. The strategy outlined below is consistent where possible with our previous strategic direction. We should make clear at this stage that after the first Covid Lockdown in March 2020, we had to make quick, tactical decisions to enable us to continue to support our beneficiaries despite the restrictions of the Lockdown. It is fair to say that our strategy for 2020-21 had to adapt very quickly from original plans. As we moved into the new year, our focuses were as follows.

We will continue:

We will review:

We will begin:

Our year ahead at a glance 2021-2022:

Projects:

Room for All – Hosting Scheme:

We’re Open:

Schools of Sanctuary:

Campaigns:

Training:

Governance:

Appendix I

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1177624

Report of the Trustees and

Unaudited Financial Statements For The Year Ended 30 April 2021

for

Swindon City of Sanctuary

1

Swindon City of Sanctuary Contents of the Financial Statements For year ended 30 April 2021

Page
Report of the Trustees 3-6
Statement of Financial Activities 7
Comparative Statement of Financial Activities 7
Balance Sheet 8
Notes to the Financial Statements 9-12
Detailed Statement of Financial Activities 13

2

Swindon City of Sanctuary Report of the Trustees For year ended 30 April 2021

The Trustees are pleased to present their annual report together with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 30 April 2021.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out on page nine of the attached financial statements and comply with the charity’s trust deed, the Charities Act 2011, regulations applicable to that Act, and 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 from accounting periods commencing 1st January 2015 or later.

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

Registered Charity number

1177624

Principal address Voluntary Action Swindon 1 John Street Swindon Wiltshire SN1 1RT

Trustees

K Hudson H Parry B Jackson (Chair) S Juul (Treasurer) J Tompsett C Bennett I Howard M Lubanda

Bankers

Metro Coop Plc One Southampton Row PO Box 250 London Skelmersdale WC1B 5HA WN8 6WT

3

Swindon City of Sanctuary Report of the Trustees

For year ended 30 April 2021

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing document

The charity is controlled by its governing document dated 6[th] March 2018 and constitutes a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO).

Recruitment and appointment of new trustees

Trustees are generally volunteers although some are contacted and recruited through other charitable organisations.

New trustees are requested to provide details of their key skills and competencies, which are used to complete a skills matrix for the entire board; this serves to inform training plans and to identify how best to deploy their skills in the service of the charity, and to identify skills gaps across the board. The charity holds strategy days and various workshops to inform trustees in respect of their roles.

Organisational structure

The trustees are ultimately responsible for the policies, activities and assets of the charity. They meet regularly to review developments with regards to the charity, its activities and to make any important decisions. When necessary, the trustees seek advice and support from the charity's professional advisers.

Risk management

In line with the requirement for trustees to undertake a risk assessment exercise and report on the same in their annual report, the trustees have looked at the risks. The trustees have identified five main areas where risks may occur and considered how they might mitigate against them:

Governance and management risk looks at the risk the charity might suffer from the lack of direction, the skills and training of the trustees and the good use of its funds.

Having assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed, in particular to its finances, the trustees believe that by monitoring reserve levels, by ensuring that controls exist over the key financial systems, and by examining the operational and business risks faced by the charity, they have established effective systems to mitigate those risks.

4

Swindon City of Sanctuary Report of the Trustees

For year ended 30 April 2021

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

Objectives and aims

Public Benefit

In setting the charity's objectives and planning its activities the trustees have given careful consideration to the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Reserves policy

The trustees will maintain adequate reserves to cover grant commitments and budgeted costs for the current financial year and maintain an appropriate budget for future years to cover longer term grant commitments.

Financial Summary

Income for the year was £48,885 (2020 £36,369). Expenditure amounted to £31,195 (2020 £36,247). As a result, for the year ended 30th April 2021 there was a surplus of £17,689 (2020 surplus £121).

5

Swindon City of Sanctuary Report of the Trustees

For year ended 30 April 2021

STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES

The trustees are responsible for preparing the trustees’ report and financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

The law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the trustees to prepare accounts for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the income and expenditure of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that 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, applicable Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations and the provisions of the charity’s 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.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD:

............................................. Ben Jackson

Date: ......28[th] February 2022.............................

6

Swindon City of Sanctuary Statement of Financial Activities

For year ended 30 April 2021

Notes
INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS
FROM
Donations and legacies
Total
EXPENDITURE ON
Charitable Activities
Support for Sanctuary seekers
NET INCOME
RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS
Total Funds brought forward
TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED
FORWARD		 Unrestricted

Fund
5,885
5,885
2,674
3,211
9,090
12,301		 Restricted
Fund
42,998
42,998
28,519
14,479
16,045
30,524		 2021
Total
Fund
48,883
48,883
31,193
17,690
25,135
42,825		 2020
Total
Fund
36,368
36,368
36,247
121
25,014
25,135

7

Swindon City of Sanctuary Balance Sheet As at 30 April 2021

Notes
FIXED ASSETS
Tangible assets:
TOTAL FIXED ASSETS
CURRENT ASSETS
Debtors:
Cash at bank:
TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS
Creditors: amounts falling due within
one year:
NET CURRENT ASSETS
Creditors: amounts falling due after one
year:
TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT
LIABILITIES
FUNDS
6 & 7
Unrestricted Funds
Restricted Funds
TOTAL FUNDS		 Unrestricted
Fund
-
-
-
12,300
12,300
-
12,300
-
-		 Restricted
Fund
-
-
-
30,525
30,525
-
30,525
-
-		 2021
Total
Fund
-
-
-
42,825
42,825
-
42,825
-
-
12,300
30,525
42,825		 2020
Total
Fund
-
-
-
25,136
25,136
-
25,136
-
-
9,090
16,045
25,135

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees on 03/02/2022 and were signed on its behalf by:

B Jackson (Chair)

8

Swindon City of Sanctuary Notes to the Accounts For year ended 30 April 2021

1. Accounting policies

Basis of preparation

The accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Companies Act 2006.

Income

All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.

Expenditure

Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, 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 accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings, they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

Taxation

The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.

Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.

Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objectives of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.

Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.

Hire purchase and leasing commitments

Rentals paid under operating leases are charged to the Income & Expense Account on a straight line basis over the period of the lease.

9

Swindon City of Sanctuary Notes to the Accounts For year ended 30 April 2021

2. NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)

2021 2020
This is stated after charging: £ £
Other operating leases - -

3. TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS

There were no Trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 30 April 2021 nor for the year ended 30 April 2020.

Trustees' expenses

There were no Trustees' expenses paid for the year ended 30 April 2021 nor for the year ended 31 April 2020.

4. STAFF

The average monthly number of employees during the year was as follows:


Administration
No employees received emoluments in excess		 2021
2
of £60,000		 2020
2

5. LOANS

Amounts falling due within one year:
Bank overdraft		 2021
£
-
-		 2020
£
-
-

10

Swindon City of Sanctuary Notes to the Accounts For year ended 30 April 2021

6. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS

UNRESTRICTED
General Fund
RESTRICTED FUNDS
Joffe + Bath spa
We’re Open
Room for All
Refugee Week
Wiltshire Community
Transport Fund
School of Sanctuary
Swindon Parish Council
Coop Community Fund
Respond & Adapt
Postcode Lottery
Local Giving Grant
TOTAL FUNDS		 O/Balance
Total
Fund
9,090
9,090
3,532
5,078
2,866
1,896
729
0
217
1,728
0
0
0
0
16,045
25,135		 Incoming
resources
5,885
5,885
20,000
(4,024)
0
0
(729)
0
0
0
210
10,000
16,700
841
42,998
48,883		 Resources
expensed
(2,675)
(2,675)
(17,266)
0
(2,866)
(175)
0
0
(29)
(395)
0
(4,466)
(2,596)
(726)
(28,519)
(31,193)		 C/Balance
Total
Fund
12,300
12,300
6,266
1,054
0
1,721
0
0
188
1,333
210
5,534
14,104
115
0
30,525
42,825

*N.B. The We’re Open and Wiltshire community funds have been reclassified as Unrestricted as permission given to redistribute.

11

Swindon City of Sanctuary Notes to the Accounts

For year ended 30 April 2021

7. RESTRICTED FUNDS

The charity operates the following restricted funds;

12

Swindon City of Sanctuary Detailed Income & Expense Account

For year ended 30 April 2021

INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM
Gifts
Donations
EXPENDITURE ON
Charitable Activities:
Wages
Other Operating Leases
Office Rent & Room Hire
Insurance
Telephone
Computers & software
Postage and Stationery
Travelling
Sundry expenses
Legal and professional costs:
Accountancy fees		 2021
£
-
48,883
48,883
23,182
-
1,210
304
532
297
100
283
4,325
30,233
960
960
17,690		 2020
£
-
36,368
36,368
23,552
-
3,729
304
608
921
162
2,093
3,668
35,037
1,210
1,210
121

INDEPENDENT REVIEW

An Independent review of these financial statements has taken place. The associated report can be made available on request.

13

Voluntary Action Swindon, 1 John Street, Swindon, SN1 1RT

Telephone: 07903 167 142

Registered Charity