NEIGHBOURS TOGETHER CIO
- Trustees Annual Report 2022 23
This has been a year of momentous changes for our work and our charity. We started it as an organisation with one part time manager, and a team of committed and skilled volunteers serving a client base of circa 200, opening two days a week to provide help and support to all asylum seekers and refugees arriving here in Burnley. We had begun a huge change process over the previous year in response to the growing numbers of clients approaching us for help but as this reporting year commenced, the sudden and unexpected resignation of our manager, with no obvious replacement, and client demand growing week on week caused the Board to immediately come together to review the serious position we found ourselves in. Following a thorough evaluation of our options and the immediacy of the need for strong service leadership to take the charity forward the Chair of the Board agreed to step down into the Chief Executive Officer position and our Treasurer was voted in as Chair of Trustees with immediate effect.
As Spring 2022 moved on we were amazed to learn that we had been awarded the Queens Award for Volunteers in her Platinum Jubilee Year. This was a wonderful honour and one we will forever treasure as we move forward.
There was a pressing need to obtain immediate bridging and substantial longer term funding. We were successful through the next months in obtaining smaller short term grants which enabled us to get through to December 2022, when we were granted Long Term Funding payable over 3 years by Reaching Communities. Two other part time members of staff were recruited providing operational support and managing our hospitality and welcoming service. The hospitality appointment was filled by a former client, who had volunteered for us for several year after she gained leave to remain. Our Charity was very proud to welcome her into the management team.
The demographics of our client base shifted from predominantly families to single adults (mainly men) over this year. We had to swiftly adapt our services offer, to meet varying needs as single adult numbers grew throughout the year, and by the end of this year our client base was circa 350. Our charity has provided ESOL/Sport+ Leisure Activities/ Wellbeing support activities/ free café social space and Welfare needs support throughout the year whilst also delivering work with our women around empowerment and helping them adapt successfully to life here in England. Our charity has also been very committed to ( reflecting our mission and values) to recruiting and developing client volunteers. Alongside ongoing client evaluation of services this helped ensure that we were offering the services that people wanted and which helped them rebuild safe and happy lives here in Burnley.
Another significant change on receipt of our 1[st] payment from Reaching Communities was the decision to increase from 2 to 3 days of Drop In services and rent office premises to ensure we could properly support service needs and all our statutory and legal obligations.
Our sessional Drop In costs dramatically increased owing to the cost of living rises which hit the whole of the UK in late 2022. We paid 50% more for our Drop In premises rental to cover both the extra day and the cost of heating price rises. Food and supplies costs all increased. More of our clients and client volunteers have needed support with bus fares as their available incomes have been so stretched by increased costs in the shops etc. in addition more of our refugee clients have come to us for help as they were struggling to put food on the table due to increased fuel and general prices. It was a hard year for many people.
Throughout the year we developed our partnership work promoting mental and physical wellbeing, with other local organisations, sharing our ethos and values. In addition, as part of our development plan, we commenced a period of targeted training for trustees/staff and volunteers as part of our Reaching Communities agreement. We moved to an individualised client based bespoke IT system to facilitate our Advice& Advocacy services, ensure confidentiality and enabling better report production which guides our work going forward.
This has been a significant year in our history. We have all worked hard, learned a great deal and made positive progress across all areas within the Charity. We work as united team sharing the same mission and values and valuing every team member for the unique contribution they bring. We have moved from a really small organisation to an aspiring medium size charity, recognised across Burnley as ‘the go to’ 3[rd] sector organisation for all things asylum and refugee related.
Our charity would like to close this report by thanking all our funders large and small for their support this year. Burnley Borough Council have supported our charity since it was set up, not just financially, but in so many ways. Reaching Communities for believing in us and giving us the financial means to develop and grow our services and Calico, the Arts Council, Allen Lane Foundation, ICB Lancs& Cumbria, New Philanthropy Capital, Burnley United Reform and Mount Zion Churches. In addition, all those people who donate generously to our giving page and local donors who have contributed so many goods in kind to clothe people, help them furnish and set up homes. Working together in Burnley we are a truly a community of welcome.
Many challenges lie ahead but this has been a year to remember.
Co authored by: Ruth Haygarth CEO Michael Hewitt Chair of Trustees
WFErtry)ix i New Neighbours Together (Regd Charity No.1179812) FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023 CONTENTS: Income and Expenditure Account Balance Sheet Page I Page 2 Audit Report Officers, Statement Page 3 Page 4
New Neighbours Together (Reg'd Charity No.11798121 Co1 & EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT.YIE 31 March 2022123 2021122 COME Grants RecoThd General Specific Burnley Borough Council other Incoff Donations Local Giving Services to Bum Youth TheatsTr Sundry Income 40580.LK) 55C(J.LKI 25710. 5328.(Xt 5712 C)J 7563.V2 2844.78 4735.WJ 2685.49 2500.C¥J 16980 Totsl INCOME 81998.68 26431.19 Managèmènt F S8larie$ Pension Costs Est8blishmenl Offi¢e Costs Rents Insurances SubsCriptn5 Oper8twal Costs Drop Ins Travel Weffare Outings Volunteer Costs Wellbeing Sundnes 3900.CKI 5712.CKI 45771.57 1(Xl.17 9788.51 4932.14 157.77 155.CM) 369.99 2615.88 533.51 5273.66 1722.50 1622.30 3308.51 2054.95 886.84 1944.89 3947.85 1C63.20 Totsl EXPENDMJRE 73821.60 22699.69 8URPLU8 of INCOME 81n.08 3731.50 P•J• I
New Nelghbourn Together (Reg'd Charity No.11798121 BALAIICE SHEET M at 31 IAa¥¢h 2023 2022Q3 2021122 27512.04 8 51 27320. CoBh Har 252.19 00684 HMRC CrvAlitor IPAYFNI 4478 51 1427.51 14164.CU 11891.$1 20101.12 11929.04 11929.04 817T.L 8197.54 3n1.50 20106.12 11929.04
New Neighbours Together (Regd. Charity No. 1179812) Audit SCOPE OF REVIEW I have reviewed the Financial Statements Jet out in PAses 1- 4 of this rel, comprising the StAtement of Income and EXndItUr¢ for the Year Ended 31 March 2023, #nd the Balancc Sheet 31 March 2023 of New NeishLwrs Tog¢ther. The Tn45t¢cJ And Officers of the Resistered Charity T¢spnsible for the Financial Statements and have determined that the Accounting Policies consistent with the Charity'5 Financial Controls Policy. I hav¢ viewed the Financial Slalements, along with infonnation and explanAtiOnS gtven to me, in order to cxprus on opinion on them to the Trustccs and Officers of New Neishix)un Together No opinion is expre&*d as to whether th¢ accountins Fkilicies appr(4)ri84te. REVIEW OPIMON In my opinion the Financial Slotements: A) thseni fairly, the Financial Pojition of New NeliX)urS Together 4L8 at the 31 March 2023, and the Ults (rf its OtrationS for the year then ende4t bl Comply with th¢ Requ1ments of the Management ConttDls Policy. I hAve nol verified the 4ccura¢y or completeness of the a¢¢owiting or infOrn"9rt and explAnAtions thAt have Eten given to mt And l &i no4 therefore, express Any opinion on the Financial Infonnation Pet¢r F Nuttall, ACMKCGMA Honorary Auditor Datrd: Jg t 0>3 Pa8e 3
New Neighbours Together (Regd Charity No.1 179812) Statement by Officers In the opinion of the Trustee3 and Officers of New Neighkxiurs Together- a) The accompanying financial rewrt presents fairly the flluncial px)sition of New Neighbours Together as at 3 Imarch 2023. b) The operations of th¢ organisation hav¢ Ir¢n carri¢d out in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of the Charity. c) At the date of this Ststement there are reasonable grounds to believe that the Charity will be able to pay its debts as and when they fall due. P4e4