WOMEN'S INCLUSIVE TEAM LTD
A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE
ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021
COMPANY REGISTRATION NO: 07148997 (ENGLAND AND WALES)
CHARITY REGISTRATION NO: 1178296
Accountability Europe Limited Omnibus Workspace 39-41 North Road London N7 9D
WOMEN'S INCLUSIVE TEAM LTD
COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021
The trustees, who are also directors for the purposes of company law, present their report and the unaudited financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2021.
REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS
Registered charity name
Women’s Inclusive Team
Charity registration number Company registration number Registered office
1178296 07148997
202 Mayfield House Cambridge Heath Road London E2 9LJ
Trustees Stephanie Colquhoun Marjolaine Druart Amina Abdi Shakila Ali Zeinab Ali Farah Dualeh Richa Ellis Natasha Hanckel-Spice Sabaad Hassan Hannah Lind Susannah Nelson Sahra Mire Sieda Omer Isman Jasmine Wun
Chair Treasurer (appointed 1 December 2020)
(resigned 1 December 2020) (appointed 1 December 2020) (resigned 1 December 2020) (appointed 27 September 2021) (appointed 1 December 2020) (appointed 1 December 2020) (appointed 27 September 2021) (appointed 1 December 2020) (resigned 1 December 2020)
(appointed 1 December 2020)
Bankers
Barclays Bank 240 Whitechapel Road London E1 1BJ
Independent examiner
Accountability Europe Limited Omnibus Workspace 39-41 North Road London N7 9DP
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WOMEN'S INCLUSIVE TEAM LTD
COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021
INTRODUCTION AND CHAIR’S REPORT
It gives me great pleasure on behalf of Women’s Inclusive Team Ltd (‘WIT’) to introduce our Annual Report 2020-21.
In this report, we outline our agile response during the unprecedented period of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a women-led local charity, our emergency response provided essential and lifesaving services to the Tower Hamlets community throughout the pandemic. The WIT team worked alongside an army of volunteers and collaborated with local groups and networks to support the community, many of whom were already facing adversity and inequality.
The human compassion and kindness shown throughout this period has been humbling to witness, and it has demonstrated the power of what communities can achieve when provided with the right tools. WIT accessed a number of emergency grants throughout the pandemic and these enabled us to redesign and expand our services to better support the changing needs of our community. For example, we partnered with the Department of Education to provide over 500 local Somali children and young people with access to education and wellbeing sessions throughout the lockdowns. We also offered additional services such as a food bank and community meal service for those in need, as well as making ‘befriending calls’ to isolated members of the community. WIT also moved into Mayfield House, our new home in Bethnal Green, and transformed the larger space into a ‘community hub’ and ‘one-stopshop’ for services and support.
The power of our work lies in the connectivity and relationships the WIT team holds with our members. WIT staff and volunteers have gone the extra mile throughout this past year, engaging with the issues and struggles that mattered to our women and their families throughout the pandemic. WIT operated as an ‘emergency service’ and the team were accessible throughout the day and night, including at weekends. We supported our community in a variety of ways and helped over 530 children, young people, and adults, who suffered directly from the pandemic. For more detail about our work during the pandemic, please read our Impact Report, which is available on our website (wit.org.uk).
The scale of WIT’s response during the pandemic was only made possible thanks to the support of over 540 volunteers. These volunteers have been tireless in their contributions to WIT’s services, including assisting with community meals and delivery, carrying out welfare and safeguarding checks, coordinating events and communicating with the community via social media, and engaging with NHS services to ensure people are safe and well at home. These volunteers also brought with them renewed skills and expertise (and energy) and their knowledge and enthusiasm only further fuelled WIT’s growth during the pandemic.
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WOMEN'S INCLUSIVE TEAM LTD
COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021
Like many charities during the pandemic, we expanded our online presence and found new ways to engage with the community. We embraced Zoom and WhatsApp and also strengthened our existing communication channels on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, with notable support from many skilled volunteers with experience in media and marketing. Our members, staff and volunteers have become so adept at using these platforms that WIT has since hosted 12 online workshops (for over 1,200 attendees in total) and WIT communicates with over 3,000 members, volunteers, partners and community leaders via various WhatsApp channels. Our increased presence online helped us share upto-date information with our members during the pandemic, working in partnership with Public Health, the Barts Health NHS Trust and the NHS, and we provided a strong community voice in relation to government guidelines and vaccinations, working against the spread of misinformation.
Further thanks and gratitude must also go to the funders who stood alongside us during this unprecedented time. Thank you for your trust, adaptability and partnership, and for always believing that there was more that we could do.
WIT achieved more in 2020 than we could ever have imagined and I am incredibly grateful for the effort and dedication shown by our team, our volunteers, our trustees and supporters during this time of challenge. Nevertheless, the pandemic continues to provide immense challenges for our women, their families and our community, laying bare inequalities and injustices that existed before the pandemic regarding personal safety, access to jobs and finance, health and wellbeing, education and racism. As we look forward, the pandemic has only renewed our sense of urgency in - and commitment to - addressing these inequalities together as a community.
And, a final special thank you to our women and their families for encouraging us and always inspiring us to do more.
Stephanie Colquhoun Chair of Trustees
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WOMEN'S INCLUSIVE TEAM LTD
COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021
STRATEGIC REPORT
Achievement and performance
Women’s Inclusive Team Ltd (‘WIT’) had an incredible year. WIT adapted to meet the needs of its beneficiaries and the wider Tower Hamlets community and spearheaded a community-led response to the COVID-19 pandemic with a particular focus on supporting the most vulnerable, including children, young people and the elderly.
Throughout this time, WIT contributed to the ongoing development of strategies to increase the inclusion and equality of Black, Asian and ethnic minority communities and worked with stakeholders to raise the profile of people whose voices are excluded, including the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, the Barts Health NHS Trust and East London Foundation Trust.
The pandemic and adjacent social movements, including Black Lives Matter, have exposed the disproportionate inequalities and racism faced by certain communities. WIT, led by our CEO Safia Jama, has been instrumental in advocating for and raising the profile of Black and Asian communities in Tower Hamlets, including via participation in local stakeholder groups, such as the Equalities Commission and Somali Task Group. WIT has also collaborated with public and third sector partners to increase awareness of these inequalities and to work towards improved outcomes for the community.
Public benefit
In shaping our objectives for the year and planning our activities, the trustees have considered the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit, including ‘Public benefit: running a charity (PD2)’. The achievements and activities provided in this Annual Report demonstrate the public benefit arising through WIT’s activities.
Objectives and activities
WIT’s objective is to promote social inclusion for the public benefit, in particular but not exclusively among women and young people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority communities who are socially excluded on the grounds of their sex, race or ethnic origin, and to relieve the needs of such people and to help them integrate into society. WIT also works to enhance the development and education of children under statutory school age by encouraging parents to understand and provide for the needs of their children.
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WOMEN'S INCLUSIVE TEAM LTD
COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021
Vision
WIT seeks to create a world where women are happy, safe and valued, and can realise their full potential.
Mission statement
WIT is a women-led organisation and was originally founded in 2004 by a group of Somali mothers in response to the exclusion they experienced when accessing support services. WIT has grown to become a highly regarded local charity that delivers services designed to support the unmet needs of Black, Asian and ethnic minority women and their families.
WIT collaborates with key stakeholders and partners in relation to housing, employment, health and education, working together to deliver better outcomes. As a charity, WIT focuses on supporting women who are disadvantaged and helping them develop skills, access services and become independent. WIT also works with stakeholders to improve their understanding of these challenges and thereby better equip them with the tools required to address the needs of these women and their families.
ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE 2020 to 2021
“I have been struck through the last year living through the pandemic how organisations like WIT have responded to the needs of the community. They have expertly adapted key services, and ensuring quality is at the heart and focus of everything they do.” Sonia Renzo - Matrix Quality Standard Assessor
WIT has continued to build strong and trusted relationships with Black and Asian women in our community, with a particular focus on Black Muslim Somali women and girls, who remain especially overlooked and excluded within Tower Hamlets and face additional challenges and barriers as a result.
Worryingly, the tremendous responsibilities on many of these women and girls (and their limited support networks) has led to many becoming further isolated during the pandemic, which in turn has further exacerbated low levels of self-esteem and self-confidence. Through our responsive programme of activities, we have been able to provide support that is both practical and motivational to these women and girls, with the overall goal of improving their wellbeing by addressing the wider determinants of housing, money, skills and relationships. We refer to this support as our ‘holistic hug’.
Programmes and activities delivered
WIT has transformed during this period and as part of its emergency response has grown to be four times in size, including harnessing new funds and providing new activities and support. In order to improve community access to health and wellbeing support during the pandemic, WIT expanded its offerings to include a food bank, community kitchen and a befriending service. Our new home at Mayfield House in
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WOMEN'S INCLUSIVE TEAM LTD
COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021
Bethnal Green was also restyled into a community hub and one-stop-shop (the ‘Mayfield Hub’) and has also served as a vaccination centre and Census centre for the community.
During the period of April 2020 to March 2021, we delivered the following:
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Rise and Shine : An education and wellbeing programme designed to mitigate the disproportionate effects of the pandemic. WIT delivered an exciting timetable of activities online to over 500 primary and secondary school children as a partner on the ‘See, Hear, Respond’ programme, a Barnardo’s-led initiative funded by the Department of Education.
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Community Wellbeing : An umbrella term for a number of programmes and services offered by our team, including: our ‘Information, Advice and Guidance’ service, which provided support regarding health, housing and welfare benefits; our ‘Connecting Communities’ service which provided personalised support and connections with GPs, the NHS and other local service and speciality mental health support and accredited Mental Health First Aid Training; our ‘Let’s Talk About It’ sessions, which provided information from trusted sources to keep young people and families safe and informed; and our work alongside NHS Test and Trace delivering public health messages to the Somali community.
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Food Bank and Community Meals : A lifeline for families experiencing the economic effects of the pandemic. Originally targeting vulnerable women and their families in Tower Hamlets, the service was extended to vulnerable elderly people and also incorporated befriending calls as part of our community-wide response to the urgent need in Tower Hamlets during the pandemic.
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Chicksand Nursery : A programme for preschool children and offering of additional support for mothers. Even though government guidelines necessitated that our ‘in person’ nursery service was reduced, WIT pivoted to also provide online activities to connect isolated mothers during the pandemic.
Strategies for achieving our objectives
Through active collaboration with others, WIT has achieved the following objectives over the past year, all of which have enabled us to gain support and meet the changing needs of our women and their families:
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MATRIX assessment : WIT successfully completed the external accreditation of our Information, Advice and Guidance offering and meets a recognised and quality standard.
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Strengthen volunteer programme : WIT continued to develop and strengthen its volunteer programme. WIT’s volunteers come from diverse backgrounds and their involvement has provided us with a range of additional skills and expertise and allowed us to grow and scale our emergency response.
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Strengthen partnerships and networks: WIT established new (and agile) ways of working and developed a number of new partnerships and networks during this period, while also strengthening and building on existing relationships.
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Establish a central hub: WIT established itself at new premises, Mayfield House, and this new and larger space has allowed for the provision of blended in-person and delivery services for people in crisis in the community.
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Invest in IT and management systems: WIT invested in its IT and management systems to better support programmes and reporting.
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WOMEN'S INCLUSIVE TEAM LTD
COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021
Living with the pandemic
“You have supported me in achieving my goals, I’ve learnt that I shouldn’t limit myself.” WIT Member
Both government and civil society have relied on the efforts of charities like WIT to mitigate the worst effects of the pandemic, depending on our passion, agility and understanding of the communities we serve. Like many others in the charitable sector, WIT stepped-up and achieved incredible impact, supporting the most vulnerable residents in our community.
Our CEO, Safia Jama, continues to harness her position and WIT’s strong community relationship to advocate for and ensure the visibility of our Black, Asian and ethnic minority women and their families. Among other roles, Safia has been appointed to the Tower Hamlets Racial Equalities Commission, Barts Healthcare Advisory Panel and the Police Advisory Group. WIT has also become a voice of influence for local strategic policy makers in the wake of Black Lives Matter.
WIT grew financially during the pandemic in order to respond to the urgent needs of the community. With the short-term nature of available funds during this period, WIT is now moving into an uncertain environment, whereby our strong reserves position will bridge many of the activities and projects that do not have continuation funding, as we also seek new opportunities. Without the vital support WIT provides, our beneficiaries will be further exposed to desperate situations and risk spiralling into more difficult and complex positions, further impacting their mental wellbeing and life outcomes.
To sustain our impact, WIT urgently needs to fund its core and support services. We continue to develop and implement strategies and programmes for this next challenging strategic cycle, which sees us reaching out to new funders and partners while simultaneously innovating and improving our supportoffering. As a grassroot, women-led charity in Tower Hamlets, we will continue to lobby for equal access and draw attention to the impacts of structural racism. We know that strong partnerships allow us to make a real difference and build a better future for all.
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WOMEN'S INCLUSIVE TEAM LTD
COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
Governing Document
Women’s Inclusive Team Ltd (‘WIT’) is constituted as a Company Limited by Guarantee and is governed by a Memorandum and Articles of Association dated 28 March 2018. WIT was registered as a charity with the Charity Commissioner on 8 May 2018.
Organisation
WIT is governed by a board of trustees (each a ‘Trustee’) which determines the strategic direction of the charity. Governance issues are dealt with by the board of Trustees and they meet regularly throughout the year (a minimum of four times).
Management decisions are made by the CEO, who meets on a regular basis with the Chair and provides a full report at each meeting of the board of Trustees. Additional staff and experts also attend each meeting of the board to Trustees and share additional information and knowledge, as appropriate.
Appointment, induction & training of new Trustees
The Chair and board of Trustees take into consideration the experience of the current Trustees and any skill gaps when considering the recruitment and appointment of new Trustees. An annual skills audit is also conducted with respect to the Trustees in order to better understand the skills and experience contributed by each member of the board.
Trustee vacancies are advertised externally and using available networks, with a particular focus on filling skill gaps, as appropriate. Shortlisted potential Trustees are invited to discussions with the CEO and Chair and are invited to visit WIT at the Mayfield Hub in order to better understand our work. Shortlisted potential Trustees are also invited to observe a meeting of the board of Trustees, before confirmation of the appointment by all parties involved.
During induction, new Trustees are provided with information about WIT and its services, copies of all policy documents and the role and the duties of the board, including the decision-making processes responsibilities, and the Memorandum and Articles of Association. Other key documents shared with new Trustees to show the performance of the charity and its future direction may include, as appropriate, recent annual reports, the impact report, delivery plans and key financial documents. New Trustees are encouraged to visit WIT at Mayfield Hub and meet key employees, and are also invited to attend activities and events demonstrating the work of WIT throughout the year and to further engage with the governance team regarding WIT’s mission and work.
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WOMEN'S INCLUSIVE TEAM LTD
COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021
The CEO and Chair provide induction and support to Trustees, including training on roles and responsibilities of Trustees, the differences between governance and management, confidentiality, diversity, inclusion and equal opportunities. Trustees are also encouraged to attend appropriate external training events to facilitate the undertaking of their role and to further develop their contribution to the governance of WIT.
Board and sub-groups
WIT’s unprecedented scale and growth during the pandemic made it necessary to increase the size of the board of Trustees and establish a specialised ‘Finance Subcommittee’. All matters during this time continued to receive the oversight of the full board of Trustees during its regular meetings; however, the Finance Subcommittee provided additional dedicated and expertise oversight via more frequent meetings. This new board size and structure has better enabled WIT to provide an informed and agile response during the pandemic. The membership reported to the Chair and full board of Trustees throughout this period.
Risk management
The board of Trustees recognises the risks associated with the organisation and where possible has implemented actions to avoid or minimise that risk as far as possible, including:
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an annual review of the risks;
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implementation of actions to mitigate identified risks, so as to minimise the potential impact on the charity if they were to occur, including systems and procedures;
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attention to key risk areas, such as buildings and premises, HR and IT, and obtaining specialist advice as necessary; and
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annual policy review, with attention given to the safeguarding and risk of children and vulnerable adults and overall welfare of staff and volunteers.
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WOMEN'S INCLUSIVE TEAM LTD
COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021
FINANCIAL REVIEW
The Statement of Financial Activities shows incoming resources for the year ending 31 March 2021 of £842,577 (2020: £190,717) and total outgoing of £654,262 (2020: £187,782). A reserve of £233,639 (2020: £45,324) is carried forward, of which £189,921 (2020: £45,324) is unrestricted and £43,718 (2020: £0) is restricted.
Reserves
WIT requires reserves in order to allow for re-organisation in the event of a downturn of income in one or more areas of funding and to provide for unforeseen, and hence unbudgeted, expenditure that WIT may need in order to continue to meet its objectives and support the changing needs of our community.
As of 31 March 2021, unrestricted funds carried forward were £189,921 which are sufficient to support the running of WIT for approximately fourth months under the (unlikely) assumption of unchanged spending (including staffing) in a downturn. We estimate the necessary level of reserves at around £160,000 to sustain the charity for five months under the more realistic but still conservative assumption that a significant downturn would be accompanied by a material downsizing of some of WIT’s projects, and hence costs. More specifically, that level of reserves would allow WIT to continue to pay in full its support costs (both staff and overheads, including Mayfield House rent) as well as some selected project costs (e.g. Chicksand rent) for five months, along with about 50% of the project staffing costs to cover for notice periods (from a few weeks to three months) and potential redundancy compensations.
FUTURE PLANS AND STRATEGIES 2021 to 2022
The pandemic has highlighted the stark inequalities faced by our community and WIT Trustees, members and staff recognise the need to prioritise and invest in the following additional areas:
- Domestic Abuse: Tower Hamlets, like many communities, experienced large increases in domestic abuse cases during the pandemic and WIT saw an increase in domestic abuse cases in our own community. However, the frontline services for violence against women and girls (‘VAWG’) did not understand the cultural nuances that our women faced, due to the available domestic abuse services not reflecting the community. Tower Hamlets Council also only had one Somali caseload worker this past financial year. This lack of available and specialist support for local Black Somali women regarding VAWG contributed to these women not understanding VAWG and their options, which in turn led to them not accessing support. As a Black Somali specialist-organisation, WIT has identified this gap in support and awareness as an urgent need for the women and girls in our community.
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WOMEN'S INCLUSIVE TEAM LTD
COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021
- Racism in Tower Hamlets schools: Following our work with Barnardo’s, we had over 500 young people speak about some of the racism they face at school. Off the back of this, WIT also had discussions with parents in the community and many shared the view that Tower Hamlets schools and the local authority did not understand the issues faced by many Somali children in the borough. WIT is the main Somali youth provider in Tower Hamlets and is therefore strategically placed to act as a mouthpiece for the challenges and needs of our young people.
These two areas are deeply connected to the inequality faced by our members. WIT already has strong and trusted connections with young people and women in the community and is therefore wellpositioned to drive and support these additional areas and ensure that local VAWG services and schools better meet the needs of the Black Somali community. This additional work requires human resources and specialist support to better understand (and document) the barriers and issues and subsequently enable WIT to share these findings with stakeholders and work towards positive change.
WIT has evolved as a charity throughout the pandemic and continues to do so as we respond to the needs of our community and provide services, new and continuing, that enrich our mission and steer the charity into the next chapter. With this in mind, WIT also wants to invest in a consultant to assist and facilitate such growth internally and support our storytelling and fundraising.
“My children no longer see me just as a mum, but as a woman who is focused and driven to achieve her aspirations.” WIT Member
We will be working to achieve the following objectives:
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Support Somali girls and young women, who face unique challenges and barriers, and engage them in positive activities, ensuring that they are motivated and equipped with the knowledge and networks to reach their full potential.
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Advocate for Black, Asian and ethnic minority women (who are often unable to access services and support) and their families and work with stakeholders and partners to develop solutions to identifying and tackling barriers to inclusion.
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Promote the integration of our beneficiaries within the wider community by increasing their opportunities to meet other people and build self-confidence, and also promoting mutual understanding and respect.
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Address the stigma of mental illness and promote mental wellbeing, recognising cultural and religious sensitivities and providing safe spaces to talk and explore these topics without judgement or fear, with a particular focus on Black and Asian Muslim women. And, to provide awareness and training to our NHS colleagues, including mental health teams, so that they can better understand the issues from a community-perspective.
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Co-create and develop projects with our beneficiaries focused on health, education, employment, personal safety, community safety and housing, with a focus on the lived experience of exclusion and the impact of such inequalities.
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WOMEN'S INCLUSIVE TEAM LTD
COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021
WIT is in a chapter of change and further strategic development and will continue to address the increasingly complex needs of our beneficiaries, especially as they become further isolated and excluded as a result of the pandemic. WIT will continue to focus on providing wrap-around-support, our ‘holistic hug’ and working towards its mission to create a world where women are happy, safe and valued, and can realise their full potential.
We will achieve our objectives by providing activities and support under the following thematic programmes:
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Community Wellbeing at the Mayfield Hub : The Mayfield Hub addresses the wider determinants of wellbeing – employment, skills, education, housing, money, safety and relationships – through a range of individual, group, in-person, and online activities. The Mayfield Hub offers support by a trained Information, Advice and Guidance team, and also has other experts available to provide advice and support regarding mental health, domestic violence and family safety.
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Food Bank, Community Meals and Volunteer Befriending : These services address food insecurity, isolation and loneliness in the community and are an important ‘entry point’ for those in the community to connect and then access the wider support that WIT offers.
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Rise and Shine : This programme delivers holiday schemes to address physical activity, wellbeing, and food insecurity, along with youth service support for Somali young women and girls.
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Chicksand Nursery : Preschool nursery to support mothers (as primary caregivers) to increase knowledge and skills, with a particular focus on early years development, while also providing an ‘access point’ for mothers to access the wider support that WIT offers.
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Hooyo East Food Enterprise : Hooyo is the Somali word for “mum” and this food enterprise seeks to provide training and employment opportunities for women in the community, while also delivering fresh and tasty Somali food via food delivery and pick-up at catered events, and parties.
Women who look like me, supporting a trusted relationship in the community
WIT has an intimate understanding of the issues faced by Black and Asian women and their families. Our wrap-around services (the ‘holistic hug’) deliver activities to address the wider (and often interconnected) determinants of wellbeing and help equip our beneficiaries with the tools to reach their full potential.
As a trusted relationship holder, we will continue to identify and engage the most isolated and excluded in our community and provide appropriate services and activities, with a particular focus on those experiencing poverty, mental distress and abuse. These may include mental health seminars, housing support, money management, and skills for work and life.
WIT’s support is also increasingly important in developing the confidence, independence, access, and skills for Black, Asian and ethnic minority women, who experience exclusion and inequalities in one of London’s poorest boroughs where wealth and poverty sit side-by-side.
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WOMEN'S INCLUSIVE TEAM LTD
COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021
WIT will continue to tailor its services to the needs of its beneficiaries, including an ambition to deliver more targeted programmes for Somali young women and girls in Tower Hamlets. By working upstream, such targeted measures work towards prevention, without affecting WIT’s ongoing work supporting women in crisis.
What matters to our women and girls
In consultation with our membership and wider community, we have established the following priorities (which we will continue to develop):
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A safe place to live : partnering with national domestic violence charity, Solace, we will provide access to our specialist Domestic Violence Advisors.
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Economic prosperity : providing supported training and employment pathways via our food enterprise, Hooyo East.
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Early years wellbeing : providing skills development activities for mothers, with a particular focus on early years, including better health outcomes for children.
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Mental wellbeing : partnering with Barts Health and the East London Foundation Trust, with a view to becoming a significant local partner under the NHS England Transformation programme, through our specialist team of ‘Community Connectors’.
This next strategic review period is significant for WIT as it will see the charity refresh its strategic goals in an ever-changing landscape and work towards its mission, guided by the following principles: we cannot allow any woman to be held back during the recovery and we cannot allow the pandemic to set back gender equality.
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WOMEN'S INCLUSIVE TEAM LTD
COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021
STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES
The Trustees are responsible for preparing the report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:
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select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
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observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
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make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
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prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on WIT’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the reparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies’ regime.
Approved by the board of Trustees on 31 January 2022 following a Trustee meeting and signed on its behalf by:
Stephanie Colquhoun Chair
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INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF
WOMEN'S INCLUSIVE TEAM LTD (COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021
I report to the Trustees on my examination of the accounts of Women’s Inclusive Team Ltd for the year ended 31 March 2021.
RESPONSIBILITIES AND BASIS OF REPORT
As the trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (‘the 2006 Act’).
Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S STATEMENT
Since the Charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000 I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of the ICAEW, which is one of the listed bodies.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:
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accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
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the accounts do not accord with those records; or
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the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
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the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached
…………………………… Aamer Shehzad FCCA ACA Accountability Europe Ltd Omnibus Workspace 39-41 North Road London N7 9DP
Date: 31/01/2022
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Womens Inclusive Team
Statement of Financial Activities (including Income and Expenditure account)
For the year ended 31 March 2021
| Funds Notes £ Unrestricted |
Funds Notes £ Unrestricted |
Funds £ Restricted |
Total 2021 £ |
Total 2020 £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Income from: | ||||
| Charitable activities 3 Total income |
365,396 365,396 |
477,181 477,181 |
842,577 842,577 |
190,717 190,717 |
| Expenditure on: | ||||
| Charitable activities 4 |
220,799 | 433,463 | 654,262 | 187,782 |
| Total expenditure | 220,799 | 433,463 | 654,262 | 187,782 |
| Net income for the year 5 Reconciliation of funds: Total funds brought forward at start of period Total funds carried forward at end of period |
144,597 45,324 189,921 |
43,718 - 43,718 |
188,315 45,324 233,639 |
2,935 42,389 45,324 |
The Statement of Financial Activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.
The attached notes form part of these financial statements.
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Womens Inclusive Team
Balance sheet
Company no. 07148997
As at 31 March 2021
| Notes Fixed assets Tangible assets 7 Current assets Debtors 8 Cash at bank and in hand Liabilities 9 Net current assets Net assets Funds: Unrestricted funds 11 Restricted funds 11 Total charity funds Creditors: amounts falling due within one year |
£ 120,350 145,799 266,149 (33,006) |
2021 £ 496 233,143 233,639 189,921 43,718 233,639 |
2020 £ - 21,765 28,427 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50,192 (4,868) |
|||
| 45,324 | |||
| 45,324 | |||
| 45,324 - |
|||
| 45,324 |
The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31 March 2021.
The members have not required the charitable company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2021 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions for small companies under Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006.
Approved by the trustees on 31/01/2022 and signed on their behalf by:
Stephanie Colquhoun (Trustee)
The attached notes form part of the financial statements.
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Womens Inclusive Team
Statement of cash flows
For the year ended 31 March 2021
| Note Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities (a) Cash flows from investing activities: Purchase of fixed assets Cash used in investing activities Change in cash and cash equivalents in the year Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year (b) a) Net income for the reporting period (as per the statement of financial activities) Depreciation Decrease / (Increase) in debtors (Decrease)/ Increase in creditors Net cash provided by / (used in) operating activities b) Analysis of cash and cash equivalents Cash at bank and in hand Total cash and cash equivalents Reconciliation of net expenditure to net cash flow from operating activities |
£ (661) £ 28,427 28,427 At 1 April 2020 |
2021 £ 118,033 (661) 117,372 28,427 145,799 2021 £ 188,315 165 (98,585) 28,139 118,033 Cash flows £ 117,372 117,372 |
2020 £ (14,390) - |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | |||
| (14,390) 42,817 |
|||
| 28,427 | |||
| 2020 £ 2,935 1,099 (21,032) 2,608 |
|||
| (14,390) | |||
| £ 145,799 At 31 March 2021 |
|||
| 145,799 |
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Womens Inclusive Team
Notes to The Financial Statements
For the year ended 31 March 2021
1 Accounting policies
Basis of preparation
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) - (Charities SORP FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.
The charitable company 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 or note.
Going concern
The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charitable company's ability to continue as a going concern. The trustees do not consider that there are any sources of estimation uncertainty at the reporting date that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next reporting period.
Income
Donations income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and that the amount can be measured reliably.
Income from grants is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the grants have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably and is not deferred. Income received in advance for the provision of specified service is deferred until the criteria for income recognition are met.
Investment income is recognised when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest or dividends paid or payable by the investment fund manager.
Expenditure
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure on charitable activities includes the costs of delivering services, exhibitions and other activities undertaken to further the purposes of the charity and their associated support costs.
Support costs are those functions that assist the work of the charity but do not directly undertake charitable activities. These costs have been allocated between expenditure on charitable activities on the basis of the staff time spent on the activity.
Fund accounting
Unrestricted funds are available to spend at the discretion of the trustees on activities that further any of the purposes of charity. Restricted Funds are restricted income funds given to the charity for specific purposes. They are expendable by the trustees in furtherance of particular projects within the charity objects.
Tangible fixed assets
Items of equipment are capitalised where the purchase price exceeds £500. Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write down the cost of each asset to its estimated residual value over its expected useful life. The depreciation rates in use are as follows:
Office equipment 25% straight line basis on cost Computer equipment 25% straight line basis on cost
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Womens Inclusive Team
Notes to The Financial Statements
For the year ended 31 March 2021
1 Accounting policies (continued)
Debtors
Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.
Cash at bank and in hand
Cash at bank and cash 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.
Creditors and provisions
Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.
Pensions
The company operates a defined contribution pension scheme and the pension charge represents the amounts payable by the company to the fund in the year.
2 Detailed comparatives for the statement of financial activities
| Unrestricted Funds Income from: £ Charitable activities: 151,887 Total income 151,887 Expenditure on: Charitable activities: 148,952 Total expenditure 148,952 Net income for the year 2,935 Reconciliation of funds Total funds brought forward at start of the period 42,389 Total funds carried forward at end of the period 45,324 |
Restricted Funds £ 38,830 38,830 38,830 38,830 - - - |
Total 2020 £ 190,717 |
|---|---|---|
| 190,717 | ||
| 187,782 | ||
| 187,782 | ||
| 2,935 42,389 |
||
| 45,324 |
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Womens Inclusive Team
Notes to The Financial Statements
For the year ended 31 March 2021
3 Income from charitable activities
| Unrestricted Funds £ London Borough of Tower Hamlets Early Years 74,173 Private Hire - Big Lottery Fund - Clarion Futures 25,149 Limehouse Project - Child Care - Tower Hamlet Homes - STEP - Tower Hamlets LTD -GP Care Group 2,850 Wise Youth Project - Prevent - East End Community Foundation - Be Inspired - LBTH - ELBA - Social Services Mental Health Training - Somali Speaking CS - Buzzacott- BSDMF 1,000 14 Mile End and Bow - Barnardo's 241,300 CAF - CAF Befriending Coordinator - CCLORS - City Of London - East London NHS Foundation Trust - GoFundMe 14,276 Good Things Foundation - Lloyds Bank Foundation - Play Association - The Dixon Foundation - The Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation - The London Community Foundation - Restricted-Others - General-Others 6,648 365,396 |
Restricted Funds £ - - 72,500 9,850 29,006 - - - 56,305 - 58,756 1,155 - - - - 1,350 - 30,170 50,000 34,990 40,688 - 6,491 61,434 6,000 3,000 7,500 5,000 2,986 - 477,181 |
Total 2021 £ 74,173 - 72,500 34,999 29,006 - 2,850 - 56,305 - 58,756 1,155 - - - 1,000 1,350 241,300 30,170 50,000 34,990 40,688 14,276 6,491 61,434 6,000 3,000 7,500 5,000 2,986 6,648 842,577 |
Total 2020 £ 81,825 6,062 24,328 - 14,502 8,415 15,922 8,400 - 2,781 - 1,500 15,600 3,000 2,431 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
|---|---|---|---|
| 190,717 |
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Womens Inclusive Team
Notes to The Financial Statements
For the year ended 31 March 2021
4 Analysis of expenditure Current year
| 4 Analysis of expenditure Current year |
4 Analysis of expenditure Current year |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted £ Direct cost - Salaries 112,970 Other staff Costs - Office cost - Premises costs - Professional fee - IT costs - 112,970 |
Restricted £ 194,972 147,532 250 - - - - 342,754 |
Support costs £ - - 3,730 59,649 29,025 99,373 6,761 198,538 |
Total 2021 £ 194,972 260,502 3,980 59,649 29,025 99,373 6,761 654,262 |
Total 2020 £ 9,294 123,245 10,378 14,645 16,458 11,647 2,115 |
|
| 187,782 | |||||
| Support costs allocation | 107,829 | 90,709 | (198,538) | - | - |
| 220,799 Analysis of expenditure Prior year Unrestricted £ Direct cost - Salaries 93,709 Other staff Costs - Office cost - Premises costs - Professional fee - IT costs - 93,709 Support costs allocation 55,243 148,952 |
433,463 Restricted £ 9,294 29,536 - - - - - 38,830 - 38,830 |
- Support costs £ - - 10,378 14,645 16,458 11,647 2,115 55,243 (55,243) - |
654,262 Total 2020 £ 9,294 123,245 10,378 14,645 16,458 11,647 2,115 187,782 - 187,782 |
187,782 | |
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Womens Inclusive Team
Notes to The Financial Statements
For the year ended 31 March 2021
| 5 Net income for the year Net income is stated after charging: Independent examiner's fee (excluding VAT) Depreciation |
2021 £ 750 165 |
2020 £ 480 1,097 |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Wages and salaries Social security costs Pension costs Analysis of staff costs, trustees remuneration and expenses and cost of key management personnel |
2021 £ 234,066 22,050 4,386 260,502 |
2020 £ 121,928 800 517 |
|---|---|---|
| 123,245 |
No member of staff received emoluments of more than £60,000 in this year (2020: None)
The total employee benefits including pension contributions of the key management personnel were £Nil (2020: £Nil). During the year there were no redundancy payments.
The average monthly numbers of employees during the year was 20 (2020: 15).
The trustees of the charitable company were not paid or received any other benefits from employment with the charity in the year (2020: £nil) neither were they reimbursed expenses during the year (2020: £nil). No charity trustee received payment for professional or other services supplied to the charity (2020: £nil).
| 7 Tangible Fixed Assets Cost At 1 April 2020 Additions in the period At 31 March 2021 Depreciation At 1 April 2020 Charge for the period At 31 March 2021 Net book value At 31 March 2021 At 31 March 2020 |
Computer Equipment £ 4,397 661 5,058 4,397 165 4,562 496 - |
Office Equipment £ 10,633 - 10,633 10,633 - 10,633 - - |
Total £ 15,030 661 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15,691 | |||
| 15,030 165 |
|||
| 15,195 | |||
| 496 | |||
| - |
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Womens Inclusive Team
Notes to The Financial Statements
For the year ended 31 March 2021
| 8 Debtors Accrued Income Other Debtors Trade Debtors 9 Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year Taxation, social security and Pension Other creditors Accruals 10 Analysis of Net Assets between Funds (current year) Unrestricted Funds £ Tangible fixed assets 496 Current assets 222,431 Current liabilities (33,006) 189,921 Analysis of Net Assets between Funds (prior year) Unrestricted Funds £ Tangible fixed assets - Current assets 50,192 Current liabilities (4,868) 45,324 |
2020 £ - 14,681 105,669 120,350 2021 £ - 31,186 1,820 33,006 Restricted Funds £ - 43,718 - 43,718 Restricted Funds £ - - - - |
2020 £ 21,031 734 - |
|---|---|---|
| 21,765 | ||
| 2020 £ 2,712 336 1,820 |
||
| 4,868 | ||
| Total 2021 £ 496 266,149 (33,006) |
||
| 233,639 | ||
| Total 2020 £ - 50,192 (4,868) |
||
| 45,324 |
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Womens Inclusive Team
Notes to The Financial Statements
For the year ended 31 March 2021
11 Movements in Funds
Restricted Funds Restricted Funds Unrestricted Funds General funds Total Funds Movements in Funds (prior year) Restricted Funds Big Lottery Fund Limehouse Project - Child Care Unrestricted Funds General funds Total Funds |
At 1 April Incoming 2020 Resources £ £ - 477,181 - 477,181 45,324 365,396 45,324 842,577 At 1 April Incoming 2019 Resources - 24,328 - 14,502 - 38,830 42,389 151,887 42,389 190,717 |
Outgoing At 31 March Resources 2021 £ £ (433,463) 43,718 (433,463) 43,718 (220,799) 189,921 (654,262) 233,639 Outgoing At 31 March Resources 2020 (24,328) - (14,502) - (38,830) - (148,952) 45,324 (187,782) 45,324 |
Outgoing At 31 March Resources 2021 £ £ (433,463) 43,718 (433,463) 43,718 (220,799) 189,921 (654,262) 233,639 Outgoing At 31 March Resources 2020 (24,328) - (14,502) - (38,830) - (148,952) 45,324 (187,782) 45,324 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 43,718 | |||
| 189,921 | |||
| 233,639 | |||
| At 31 March 2020 - - |
|||
| - | |||
| 45,324 | |||
| 45,324 |
Restricted funds are for the following purposes:
The income of the charity includes grants received for specific restricted projects. The trustees' report includes a brief description of the activities of each project.
12 Company Status
The company is limited by guarantee of £1 per member without share capital.
13 Related party transactions
There are no related party transactions to disclose for the year (2020: none).
There are no donations from related parties which are outside the normal course of business and no restricted donations from related parties. There is no balance due to/from related parties at the end of the year.
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