2025-03-31-accounts

Trustees' Report and audited Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

Trustees: Sheila Ngunga - Chair Patience Chigumira Jesuina Diogo Shazia Noor

Charity Number: 1178936

Registered Office: RHEMA HOUSE 2 PORTRACK LANE STOCKTON ON TEES TS18 2HG.

Independent Examiner: Joe Goredema ACMA, CGMA, MSC Fin & Acct, MiP Director, JG Accounting Ltd 26 Cowley Close, Wootton, Northampton Northamptonshire, NN4 6JL.

Banker:

Barclays Bank 49 High Street Stockton on Tees,

Table of Contents

TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31MARCH 2025 ........................... 3 CHARITY OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES ............................................................ 3 OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................................... 3 ACTIVITIES ................................................................................................................. 3 OUR VISION .......................................................................................................... 4 RISK MANAGEMENT ........................................................................................... 4 NEEDS OF PEOPLE SUPPORTED .............................................................................. 5 MAIN SUCCESSES ...................................................................................................... 5 BIGGEST CHALLENGES ............................................................................................. 5 FINANCIAL REVIEW ............................................................................................. 5 FUNDERS .................................................................................................................... 5 STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES' RESPONSIBILITIES ............................................... 5 RESPONSIBILITIES AND BASIS OF REPORT ............................................................. 5 INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF OCL .................. 6 INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S STATEMENT ................................................................. 7 STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES .................................................................... 9 DIRECTORS’ RESPONSIBILITIES ....................................................................... 21

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TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31MARCH 2025

The Trustees of the charity for the purposes of the Charities Act 2011 regarding the keeping of accounting records, to the preparation and scrutiny of statements of account, and to the preparation of annual reports and returns, here present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2025.

The trustees have adopted the provisions of 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. The statements of account, reports and returns must be sent to the Charity Commission, regardless of the income of the CIO, within 10 months of the financial year end.

CHARITY OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

OBJECTIVES

The charity’s objective is to promote social inclusion for the public benefit, focusing on individuals in the Tees Valley who experience social exclusion due to their ethnic origin, religion, belief, or creed. A core part of our purpose is to challenge racism, hate crime, and structural inequalities that marginalise Black and Global Majority (BAGM) communities.

This is achieved by addressing individual and systemic barriers and supporting people to integrate fully into society through the following aims:

• Providing a trusted local network that enables members of the BAGM community to engage more effectively and confidently with wider society.

• Promoting and protecting positive mental health and emotional wellbeing for individuals and families experiencing social exclusion, particularly those from ethnically diverse communities.

• Coordinating opportunities for BAGM community members to interact with service providers, improving access to fair, culturally competent, and inclusive services.

• Challenging racism, discrimination, and hate crime through education, advocacy, and community-led action.

ACTIVITIES

The charity undertakes a wide range of activities to support social inclusion, empowerment, and racial justice, including:

• Raising awareness of racism and hate crime, and empowering BAGM communities to recognise, report, and respond to discrimination safely.

• Delivering anti-racism education and training, supporting individuals, organisations, schools, and institutions to challenge structural racism and create safer, more inclusive environments.

• Promoting social integration and personal development through ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) and sewing classes.

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• Providing culturally sensitive mental health awareness sessions, workshops, and peer support activities.

• Offering psychosocial, community-based interventions through group activities that promote wellbeing, resilience, and peer support.

• Providing volunteer opportunities that build skills, confidence, and pathways into employment or further learning.

• Supporting asylum seekers and refugees to participate in community life and reduce isolation.

• Addressing barriers faced by BAGM individuals when accessing statutory and voluntary sector services.

• Assisting asylum seekers and refugees with housing, employment pathways, immigration signposting, and access to mainstream support services.

• Delivering workshops that challenge myths, stereotypes, and misinformation about refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants.

• Partnering with other organisations to design and deliver workshops and events that tackle structural racism in schools, public services, and institutions.

• Fostering skills, knowledge, pride, leadership, and confidence within the BAGM community in the Tees Valley.

• Working to improve understanding of the causes and impacts of hate crime, contributing to prevention and more positive community relationships.

• Enhancing awareness around immigration, asylum, and refugee issues to actively combat xenophobia and racial injustice.

OUR VISION

We envision a society free from hate crime,racism, and discrimination, where justice, dignity, and equality are upheld, and where people from Black and Global Majority communities are able to thrive. We strive to provide a safe, welcoming, and empowering space where racism is actively challenged, voices are heard, and individuals and families are supported to integrate, belong, and participate fully in society.

RISK MANAGEMENT

Each activity undertaken by the charity is subjected to a thorough risk assessment. The Trustees, through the Finance & Risk Sub-Committee, regularly review the Risk Register to identify and address both current and emerging risks. The Trustees ensure that decisions on policy, strategy, and finances are made with consideration of these risks. Internally, risks are mitigated by implementing protocols to monitor transactions and ensure consistent performance across all operations. These processes are reviewed periodically to ensure they meet the evolving needs of the charity. A robust risk management framework, along with a clearly defined risk appetite, guides the charity’s operations.

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NEEDS OF PEOPLE SUPPORTED

Service users face overlapping challenges including poverty, racism, immigration insecurity, poor mental health, and social isolation. Demand for culturally competent advocacy and wellbeing support has increased significantly.

MAIN SUCCESSES

• 5,120 individuals were supported during the year.

• 450 sessions delivered supporting 3,138 people

• Anti-racism education reached 1,982 people

• 12,000 hot meals served

• Mental health support provided to 546 people

• Implementation of Pixels for HR and Upshot systems

• Strengthened national partnerships

• Six staff completed IAA Level 1 training

BIGGEST CHALLENGES

Rising poverty, discrimination, hostile immigration policies, mental health pressures, and increasing isolation continue to challenge the organisation.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

During the reporting period, the charity’s financial position strengthened, with income increasing from £84,000 to over £100,000. This growth reflects successful fundraising and prudent financial management . Looking ahead, OCL anticipates increased demand for services among Black and Global Majority communities due to rising poverty, mental health needs, discrimination, and immigration-related vulnerabilities. The charity projects a break-even position for 2025–2026, dependent on successful grant applications currently in progress. The charity is actively exploring diverse and sustainable approaches to income generation to support its charitable objectives.

FUNDERS

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the following funders for their generous support: National lottery community fund, Comic Relief/ Charity Projects, Lloyd’s bank foundation, Tees Valley / Tees Million and Postcode Lottery.

STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES' RESPONSIBILITIES

The charity trustees may from time to time make such reasonable and proper rules or byelaws as they may deem necessary or expedient for the proper conduct and management of the CIO, but such rules or bye laws must not be inconsistent with any provision of this constitution. Copies of any such rules or bye laws currently in force must be made available to any member of the CIO on request.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND BASIS OF REPORT

In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation. The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate 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. They are also responsible

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

The Trustees’ report was approved by the board of trustees.

…………………………………………. Sheila Ngunga

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OCL INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S STATEMENT CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLANO ANO WALES Independent oxamlnorfs roport on the accounts ¥•￿1•n A lTrd•p•nd•nt Ex•mln•e• R•wt R•port lo th• On• Communlty Llnk On ecount for th• ymr •nd•d 31M312025 Chrlty no.: 11789 Cowny no.: I repyt to th• carity tr￿ta@S on my •￿￿rr￿n811on oflh• artounts of th• Ccthpany y•ar andtrd 3110312025. R•winsSbllltl•• •nd ba•1• ol r•wl As the ¢hwiVs Irustees of tho CoM￿Y Iwho are also lh8 diroctors of lh• company the purpc¢ses of cornpany lawl. you are TespovAible the •pBrntson of th8 accounts in accordar1￿ th Iho r•quir8rn•nts of th• CoMpan￿S Aci 2006 llhe 2006 A¢r}. Havbng yatisfi•d mysdf Ihat accouThts of Company Ar• not rnquir•d to ba audtied for thts y•ar und•r Part 16 of thè 2006 Act and are •1Sgiblé 1rKI•p￿nt exarnination. I report in r85P&Ct of my exam1￿1)[¥n of your charity's accounts as Gqrried out und•r wcbon 145 of Charit&s Act 2011 llhe 2011 Act"). In carrylng out my exanwnation. I havo followed tho rhrodiony gI￿n by Charity Commiysion IL4nd•r saction 1451SMb) of lh• 2011 Act Ind•pgnd•nt •x•mln•f• t•t•m•nt I have ¢ornploted my examiAaUon. I confirni ￿at no matorial mattws ha¥• come to my attenti(￿1 which 9￿&S rne Cau￿ to believe that. . ￿COUn￿ng rocofd¥ were not kwt in 8c¢wdan￿ ￿ a•cah)n 386 of tlk• Cthnpanies Aci 2006. Of . th8 accounts do tK)t ￿COrrf wilh suth rncorrls" or . thè Accounts do not comply ￿th r8l•vant aCc￿ntIng wwrgrn•nls under sctlofi 396 of Ihe Cotnpanies Aci 20C6 otheT than any roquirement that th ccounls give a'twe and vibw which Ya not a rnalt•r conydor•d As of an ir*J•pendent examinatK)n.' or accounts have not been prgpared In aGCL¥YlarKe 7Mih tho Chaittlo¥ SORP IFRS1021. I have C￿￿0￿$ and hav• com• acmss no othw matters in connectlon h the exarninalion to whith att@rit￿ sh¢Jdd be in this rep¢xt dar to anable a prop8r und•rslanding ofth• account5 to be r8ath•d. SlgTr•d: D•t•.' 1211212025 IER Octobw 2018

OCL Nam•: Joe Gor•d•rna R•l•vnt profMslon•l quallllctlon{s) or boty 111 any): In8titute of Charter8d M￿ag•Man1 Accounlrt8 Addr•s: 26 CrA¥ley Ckns Wootton NN4 6JL Northampton S•ets"an 8 Dl•elour• Onty cornpb&t8 rt th8 8xaminw rb88ds ts highli￿t mathrial mattern ot concwn 1s88 CC32. Indep8ndent examination of chaty accounts.. directions and guidance for examW￿r). Gl¥• h•r• brl•f d•tall¥ of any that th• •x•mlTr•r ¥A•h•• to dl8clos•. IER Octob•r 2018

OCL STATEMENT OF FINANCIALACTIVITIES One CDmmunity Link W￿5 1178131 knnual accounts for the er￿d PÈrhyJ 8IP 18t• 01104rk024 To P8rtod end do18 3110312025 Sectlon A ststement of flnanclal actlvhles R•itrici•d In¢om• thJThl• Utrw•itrltl•d luDd• Endom•nt fijn Prfory•ar Jnd• Tol•l lur Incomlng r•MurcM INot• 3 F01 F02 25.0(Xl 146.412 171.412 116.248 51 51 25.051 146.412 116,248 RttOur￿ •xp•nd•d Not• 6 ft•￿bj 25.0 151,130 176,130 91,403 810 Totsl so 25.OCrf) 151.130 176,130 91,403 N•t In¢omthll•xp•ndliurnl b•forn Inv•th•nl g￿n￿lI¢s￿lI 51 4.718 4,667 24,845 SM Il•t Incorn•ll•xp•ndltur• Extrnordlnary A•mi Tr￿•1•￿ b￿w••n fund• Oth•r r•MgfiiMd galn81lloM•81'. 51 4,667 24,e45 N•1 *Trowm•nl In lunds 51 4.718 4.667 24.845 RK?nclll•llon olfvnds.. 24.845 20.127 24,845 5).178 TO1￿￿undS ¢th•d fonvlnl 51 24.845

Signed by one or two trustees/directors on behalf of all the trustees/ directors	Print Name	Date of approval Dd/mm/yyyy
	Sheila Ngunga	22/12/2025
Signature

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OCL RVpubI￿ IrvlarKI (FRS 102) on 16 July 2014 •VJ7r•y•*• •f

OCL OFA 2.3 EXp￿ND￿TUR￿ ANO LIABILITIES

OCL S•ctbon C Not•• to th• accounts (cont} Not• 3 $19 of incom• T£tsl Prlw y•4r Donatlon d l•g•¢1•: D￿at￿Tr8 aTrJ grfts Grft AKI 25.OCKJ 146.412 171412 116.248 cios Gènèral grants provbjad by govéfnm•nVolh•r charrt￿5 Membership 5ubscrfptths and 3ponsorshi¥s ich are in Substar￿a donatK)ns Dc￿at•d gc(#15. fxlitk?s aTrJ Sérv￿88 Other Tot 25.000 146.412 171412 116248 Olh8r Tot Oth•rtrdlng Othor Tot Incom• from In¥•stm•nts: Interest ncom8 DN￿Ond ir￿orne Rental JFKI1ga81 Kom• Othèr 51 51 Tot 51 51 S•p¥at• m*t•rl41 It•ffl of In¢orn•', Total Othw. c￿verSk)n ol grmknimgnt fvnds Into ncorre Gain on disposal of a tangibh fix6d assét hekj lor ¢harty's own us• Galn on disposal ol a wogrammo ro￿t•d Wbvestmant Roya￿89 from tha aXpbtst￿Tr 0f￿telec￿al Yop8rty rwts Oth•r Total TOTAL INCOI 25,051 116 48

OCL S¢¢tbn ¢ Nrt¢• to ¢h •¢¢wnl• N•t• 6 AMlyl# ol•xp•ndur• Thth Luty Anaysll •ndlturn on rnlalm lundts: Inturrèd sÉ6kty dDnalw knth Owratrg •NJ agTq ￿ndra5￿g evenls agants Op3r8trg eharty shops Owratrg a trad￿￿ ¢¢YTwny Und￿￿k￿9 rKknthtsbltr tradiig acit4ty markaty. drectma 517 517 start w) tosLs VituN￿ i) ginèratrg 8(￿te￿IfulUr8 ncom Daabase dvék4xwtcoÉts Otrer tradrrfj aC(￿lS Invè8bm8nt c(th.' Émerncosts Cc¢l0f¢]bia￿￿g nVesthwntad¥￿8 Int8kctu7Ar*(V￿ty co&ts R￿t woperty r•par5 and th¥ge$ Tol41 •￿ID￿tt￿r•0￿ T￿¥1￿9 fvnd• EApthd#ym ¢m th¥ll•bl• #￿¥111••. Tolal •Ap•ndlturnon tharftabl• ar•t• mat•rf￿ tt•m Of 4• Totsl Oth•r Tothl oth•T•￿•￿I￿￿l1 TOTAL EXPENDifuRE 4.378

OCL S•ckn C Notes to th• •CCXM Nots 10 D•tall¥ of ¢•rtaln Il•m8 01 oxpon(Uluro 10.1 F•￿ for •xamSn•tk4n of th• iccounti Pl••Mpmvld• d•t•lls ol th• amounl p•ldlorany slalulory •xt•rn•lscThllny ol•ccounts d oth•rs•TrIC￿ pft)vld•d by &•urlnd•p•nd•nt •xnln•r. Mm)Ihlng w•# p11dpl•￿I •nlv V'ln th• •ppmprtit• box(•s). Thli y•ir Last y• Ind•p•ndMt •x•mln•rf$1••8 1.250 AssuMc• wvk•i oth•rthan audlt or Ind•p•nd•nt •xwnlnatlon Tu •dvknory Oth•r f•M Ifof •LYnph: flnancthl ad¥k•, coniu1t￿¢y, account￿￿ ••ThlcMI pad to th• Ind•p•ndMt •umln•f 727 928 Se¢tbon C |NX• 11 Pald •mploy••• PN••a• ￿￿pI•l• not• M th• ch•rlt 11.1 a¢•ff Co** 22.963.A4 4.059.2 P•n•&Dn c••t• nn•l Th• p4Wt• of lh• charlty whleh th•

OCL S•¢tkn C Noto1 tothe Acc￿8 {Cc￿) Ncl•12 DIfiMd ¢uftrlbullM $¢h•m• (Y d•flMd i¢hm• a¢¢ount•d lor li a ¢ontrihrtkJn gchm•. Ill Pl•M• compl•t• thli not• M• d￿￿•d￿n1￿UI1on￿Sloft sch￿• Is op•nl•d. Th L•il thount ¢1 Mntrfbutk)ni rnMgnh•d In th• SOFA u in •1p￿ 1,419 1Xp￿In th• bilh fwilloutlng th• Iliblllty ind •xp•nM of d•fln•d ¢ontsutlon p•nilon $¢h•m• b•tw•M •¢tlbttiK brtwmn trfd•d unr•strkt•d lunds, 1th r•strtct•d fundi 1ty)% r•strtci•d fvndi 112 Pl￿ compl•t• thh sKtlon wh•r• th• ch•typ￿klPl1lS lft * d•lln•d b•nlfftP￿￿fi plin but li Un￿1• to uc•rt&47 Its olth• undwtylfti Md hbAWkn. ￿nI￿1 thit illhough th• i¢hMn• %¢ount•d fori8 a d•fln•d ujnlrfbutlon pkn, tt18 i d•fin•d b•n•fK pkn. Y•1 Pth• prnvld• ￿ch InfoThMtlon ai li lknbh aout th• p￿n,1 SU￿lu1 or d•n¢ Ind th• Impllulloni, If iny, forth• r•portlng Ch￿ty forthli ymr ind lut y•v, If dlff•r•nt

OCL ¢lkJnC Notsi lo ts ic¢ounts |¢ont Noti14 Tin9iblifixid ag91ts complot• thts nottrlflh• ¢lthtyh•suyluglblo 14.1 Co8twvaluatl¢Th Frqqthld Itnd I Othptlartd & Pla MaChI￿Ory Tol Alth& ÈggirmJoflh8 y￿1 Jitw 4,315 3,495 4,315 R￿a￿￿Jr Al¥dofth8 Ygal 7,810 7,810 142 DIP￿[￿lonInd Impilminti SLU RB (Straight Lm8 01 Rgducing Balancgl SLoiRB SLoiRB SL￿RE Al￿gInnI￿j oflhgygai 4,315 4,315 8a Trw8C Al¥dofth8 Ygal 4,315 4,315 143 N•t bookvilll Nèlknl atlhg bgginTring of the Y881 Nèlknl atlhg gTrJoflhi y881 3,495

OCL S•clon C Notei to the iccounii {¢ont) Ncl• 20 Cr•dhry8 •tKI accrua Pl••s• compht• Ihls nol•M lh• chI￿Y cr•dlloTr orxcrn•l& 20.1 of uldttord Afflounts falllng du• wlthln on• y•af Lut y•ar Amounts flllng du• aft•r mor• than on• y•af Thkn y•ar Last y•w Thkny Aecrualg fof gfant8 ptyabl• k loani and o¥•rdr•fts Trnd• cr￿110￿4 Paym•nts rncdv•d on account lor contrad• or p•rfonnanu.r•lal•d qranl$ A¢crual$ d•f•ff•d Incom• Taxillon Mcurf 24,2CI) 1,29) 26.29) Oth•r cr•dltor 1.815 1,815 Total 202 D•hrr•d I￿￿n• Pl••$• eompl•l• Ihls nèl• H lh• ehrtyh￿ d•l•n¥dln¢om Th18 Pl••s• •xpl•ln lh• r••Mni whylneam• li d￿•￿￿. Motrwn•nt In d•lwr•d In¢om• •ccounl Thknymr Lut y•w Balanc• at th• •l¥l ol th• r•portlng Amounts add•d In cunnl p•rtod Afflounts r•l•a8•d to Incom• from p￿￿¢US p•rfod¥ Blanu at th• •nd of th• r•pO￿n8_Pl￿0d •rfod

OCL ttlon C Nots$ toth iÈÈounts l¢onl N¥14 24 Ci$hii boThkind In ￿Thd Thls y La81 y•ar Short t•mi cajh STr¥￿tm•￿￿ IlbB3 than 3 months maturfty dat•1 Short t•mi d•po81ts Cajh ￿ bink and on hand oth Total 95.154 24 845 95.154 24é45 Si¢lhn C Notsi lolh accourrti Nots 27 27,1 Detaih ofmiiiihlfimth hbJirlmw•Ments duilrylhCURRENTiepJrtln9FrfoJ IKoftd4 to Yo￿11nd8'th thlbknKI￿l•L 'Kry,' ￿.￿n￿￿1￿l0wMllIfvMlS,' E. wMdthl•Mdowmnllundi R.rn1thdth¢0ffj•fvn￿,lftcIJdln9¥￿￿1￿srI illh•&l,'￿dU.￿ft￿th1v1th Fur Fund TypPIEE R orUR' PurpN•ind btouqm loN¥d Gthiv Io#M &F4ndku Fund n 68anlFounla NatMILott Ch NatMILott UR 25,OC Fw 24,845 55,IC 44.177 25. ,518 44.17F 25. ,127 Fw Ptttctth I T888 Te68V 2,5C 2,5C 2,5 2,5 Othvthftds TotslFundi 24,t45 176,1 ,127

OCL Niti 27 lu 272 Ditslbol ￿atri￿lIllI& MIIIMlhtsI￿IrtiIhèPRII1Jj$￿ipCrf11K¢l1ol htlinpoth'nipthlo￿tONh￿wlthiblts￿dRS[¥llTr[QIItbU[￿￿ttl', TIO'T&￿l￿dl'R9lTrl￿QWjbj￿ld IICORtlllo Tothllvnd5'th Llibknici Illlt, Fund Furl baic rypbPE, E R ,UR' Ri￿￿dI￿n5 bro￿ht fD￿[d IrKoni &pthdllu INng' loii l(r*ud Full CPL41I1PROIIT&COIAIC RIIEI 21,1 Othvlvrhs N'i 24,8 20