Trustees' Annual Report for the period
Period start date Period end date 01 April 2022 31 March 2023 From To
Section A Reference and administration details
Charity name Refugee Aid from Taunton Other names charity is known by RAFT Registered charity number (if any) 1180367 Charity's principal address Unit 4, Enterprise Park Priorswood Road Taunton, Somerset Postcode TA2 8DU
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole **year ** |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kate Swann | Resigned 25 May2022 | |||
| Elaine Dew | ||||
| Fareda Fakhrai | ||||
| Federica Smith- Roberts |
Chair | |||
| Jessica Wintrip | ||||
| Jill Denton | Resigned 5 November 2023 |
|||
| Keith Dew | Treasurer | |||
| Lynette Clark | ||||
| Mark Curtis | ||||
| Michelle Ferris | ||||
| Paul Roylance | ||||
Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)
Name Dates acted if not for whole year
TAR
March 2012
1
| Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) Type of adviser Name Address |
Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) Type of adviser Name Address |
Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) Type of adviser Name Address |
|---|---|---|
| Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information) | ||
Section B Structure, governance and management
Description of the charity’s trusts
Constitution dated 18 October 2018 Type of governing document
(eg. trust deed, constitution) Charitable Incorporated Organisation How the charity is constituted (eg. trust, association, company) Trustees are appointed by the current board, based on their expertise and Trustee selection methods experience of the charity. (eg. appointed by, elected by)
Additional governance issues (Optional information)
New trustees receive a copy of the charity’s constitution, accounts and You may choose to include major policies on appointment. It is anticipated that any new trustees are additional information, where likely to already be aware of the charity’s operations but full briefing will be relevant, about: given by existing charities if required.
- policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees;
The charity is run on a day to day basis by its trustees. All trustees are volunteers and practically the operations are carried out by volunteers, both trustees and others. The charity does not have any paid staff.
-
the charity’s organisational structure and any wider The trustees consider the major risks to the charity at every meeting and network with which the charity what is being done to manage them. works;
-
relationship with any related parties;
-
trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them.
Section C Objectives and activities
Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document
-
The objects of the CIO are: 1) For the public benefit to relieve and assist the victims of war, conflict or natural disaster throughout the world, in particular but not exclusively, by the provision of clothing, sanitary wear, volunteers, funds, food, medical aid, accommodation, access to water and sanitation and other humanitarian assistance.
-
2) The prevention or relief of poverty or financial hardship in particular, but not exclusively, by providing persons in need with grants or money or by providing or paying for services, items or facilities.
TAR
March 2012
2
- 3) The protection and preservation of the environment, in particular but not exclusively, by the promotion of recycling and sustainable waste management;
4) To further such other purposes which are charitable under the laws of England and Wales as the trustees from time to time determine.
The charity carries out its objects in practice by receiving donations from members of the public (both financial and of goods and clothes) and distributing these to refugees, both in the local community and across the world. Any items unsuitable for distribution are sold at a reduced rate to the local community.
We aim to be zero waste wherever possible, using all donated items in some form, donating to other charities where no other options are available.
Summary of the main Public benefit is achieved throughout all our operations, primarily through activities undertaken for the the distribution of aid to those in need, and the availability of reduced rate public benefit in relation to clothing (including school uniform). these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit)
Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)
TAR
March 2012
3
We provide grants to other organisations who share similar charitable objectives. These are assessed by the trustees and full due diligence undertaken to ensure that the organisations that we provide funding to are registered charities.
You may choose to include further statements, where relevant, about:
- policy on grantmaking;
Our entire organisation is run by volunteers, for which we are hugely indebted. We would not be able to operate without the generosity of our volunteers, some of whom give large amounts of time to assist us. We are unable to recognise this value in our financial statements, however wish to express our thanks to anyone who has volunteered with the charity during the year.
-
policy programme related investment;
-
contribution made by volunteers.
Section D Achievements and performance
TAR
March 2012
4
Section D Achievements and erformance p
Summary of the main During the year to 31 March 2023, our major achievement was moving achievements of the charity the location of our operations. Following 6 years based at the warehouse during the year that was our previous centre of operations, we were notified in Autumn 2021 that the warehouse was due to be knocked down as part of a larger development. Following a lot of investigation work, we identified a potential new unit for operation and are pleased to have moved over the prior year end, from end March – start April 2022. We would particularly like to thank Somerset Community Foundation, for providing a grant to assist us with the costs of moving and settling into our new home. Our operations in the year continued to be impacted by Covid, with many supply routes to our usual donation points unable to operate. Due partly to this, and partly to the increased need within our local communities, our focus for donations of aid has been more local than in previous years. Our local community has become home to many refugees during the year, both from Ukraine and across Europe, as well as housing refugees placed in the community by government. We are incredibly grateful to both the people who continue to bring us donations, and the volunteers who assist with collating and sorting, which allows us to help so many people locally. We have also not been able to run any fundraising activities such as local sales in our new location, but are fortunate to still receive some donations, and have continued to sell items online. Our previous success with online selling (particularly eBay and Vinted), selling items donated to us that are not suitable for onward distribution, has continued. This has allowed us to maintain sufficient reserves to enable us to make monetary donations to organisations working in the overseas areas that we would normally ship to, to allow some aid to still be delivered. We are also very conscious that the move to a more formal lease arrangement with our premises, whilst providing more security for the charity, it puts financial pressure on the charity due to our commitment to pay rent. We are therefore extremely grateful to have been able to generate such significant funds from sale of items unable to be distributed. Going forward, we will need to retain a significant focus on fundraising to allow us to remain financially viable. As a result of the operational difficulties outlined above, we have succeeded in making 44 shipments during the year, which has been distributed primarily across the Middle East, Ukraine and France, providing 48 tonnes of aid (2022 – 33 shipments, providing 35 tonnes of aid). Whilst this is an increase from the prior year, for reference, in 201920, we made 96 shipments, delivering 100 tonnes. We respond to need across the world and more recently the need has been more local to us in assisting local refugees.
TAR
March 2012
5
Section E Financial review
Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves
The charity is aiming to build reserves sufficient to enable an orderly run down of the charity should it ever be required. It is considered that around 6 months of expenditure should enable this, which is approximately £20,000. In addition, we would like to retain sufficient funds to pay our rent for the committed 2 year period without further income (approx. £30,000). We therefore consider that the balance at the year end of £56,590 is both reasonable and appropriate. We will be seeking to increase our donations in future years once the stability of the charity is confirmed.
Details of any funds materially in deficit
Further financial review details (Optional information)
You may choose to include additional information, where relevant about:
- the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising);
The income for the charity primarily comes from donations and the sale of goods that are unsuitable for distribution as aid.
Expenditure is spent primarily on carrying out our charitable objectives. Due to our move to rented premises, we are now incurring some more significant overhead costs such as rent, service charge, insurance and some small admin expenses such as printing and postage.
-
how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity;
-
investment policy and objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted.
Section F Other optional information
Section G Declaration
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
| Signature(s) Full name(s) Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Date |
K Dew | F Smith- Roberts |
|---|---|---|
| Keith Dew | Federica Smith-Roberts | |
Treasurer |
Chair | |
| 24 January 2024 | ||
| 24 January 2024 |
TAR
March 2012
6
Refug Aid From Taunton Ind?nd•Tht Examin•fs R•port to th• Truslws ot R•lugo• Ald From Taunton I rep)rt to the trustees on my examination of the accounts ot Refugeè Aid From Taunton for the year ended 31 Morch 2023. Responlbllltles and bal* of r•port As the charity trustees of the Charfty you are responsibl8 for the preparatlon of the accounts In accordance with the requirements of tha Charities Act 2011 ('the Act.). I report in rèspect of my examinatlon of the Charivs accounts wrried out under sèction 145 of tha 2011 Act and in carying out my examination I have followed all the appiicoble Dlrectlons given by thè Chority Commlsslon under section 145(5)(b) ot tho 2011 ACL Ind•p•nd•nt Examln•f• $t¢rt•m•nt I have completed my examlnatlon. I conffmi that no moterial matters hove come to my attenllon in connection wlth the examlnatlon glving m8 couse to believe that In any mat8rlal respecL' accounting records were not kept in respect of the Charlty as raquired by sectlon 130 01 the ACL. or 2. tho accounts do not accord wlth those records. I have no concerns and have come across no oth8r matters in connection wSth the exominatlon to whlch attention should ba drawn in this report in order to enabl• a prop8r und8rstanding of the occounts to be reoched. Sarah Twist FCA DChA Chartered Accountant Acmole Stafford House Blackbrook Park Avenue TAUNTON TAI 2PX 31 January 2024
| Refugee Aid From Taunton | 1180367 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Receipts and payments accounts | CC16a | ||
| 01/04/2022 For the period from |
To | 31/03/2023 |
| Section A Receipts and payments | Section A Receipts and payments | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 Receipts | Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ 6,661 37,440 100 240 1,000 - - - 45,441 - - - 45,441 6,725 1,410 96 672 70 - 19,218 7,337 35,528 - - - 35,528 9,913 1,300 45,377 56,590 |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ - - - - 5,000 - - - 5,000 - - - 5,000 - 600 - 2,320 - - 780 - - 3,700 - - - 3,700 1,300 - 1,300 - - |
Endowment funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
Total funds to the nearest £ 6,661 37,440 100 240 6,000 - - - 50,441 - - - 50,441 6,725 2,010 96 2,992 70 - 19,998 - 7,337 39,228 - - - 39,228 11,213 |
Last year to the nearest £ |
|
| Donations | 6,661 | 7,875 | ||||
| Sale of donated items | 37,440 | 27,015 | ||||
| Fundraising | 100 | - | ||||
| Gift aid received | 240 | 199 | ||||
| Grants received | 1,000 | - | ||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) |
45,441 |
35,089 | ||||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
||||||
| - | ||||||
| - | - | |||||
| Sub total | - | - | ||||
| Total receipts A3 Payments |
||||||
| 35,089 | ||||||
Grants and donations |
6,725 | 1,109 | ||||
| Transport | 1,410 | 620 | ||||
| Insurance | 96 | 96 | ||||
| Warehouse expenses | 672 | 344 | ||||
| Advertisingandprinting | 70 | - | ||||
| Professional fees | - | 1,320 | ||||
| Rent and rates | 19,218 | 2,773 | ||||
| DBS checks | - | |||||
| Postage | 7,337 | 4,483 | ||||
| **Sub total ** | 35,528 | 10,745 | ||||
| A4 Asset and investment purchases (see table) |
||||||
| , | - | |||||
| - | ||||||
| **Sub total ** | - | - | ||||
| Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end |
||||||
| 10,745 | ||||||
| 9,913 | 1,300 | - | 11,213 |
24,344 | ||
| 1,300 | - 1,300 | - | - | - | ||
| 45,377 | - | - | 45,377 | 21,033 | ||
| 56,590 | - | - | 56,590 | 45,377 |
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
30/01/2024
1
| Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at | Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at | the end of the period | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Categories Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees B1 Cash funds B2 Other monetary assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B5 Liabilities B3 Investment assets |
K Dew Signature F Smith-Roberts Details Details Bank account Paypal account Cash Details Details Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Details |
Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ 54,872 - 1,683 - 35 - 56,590 - OK OK Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - - - - - Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) - - - - - Print Name Federica Smith-Roberts Keith Dew |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| OK | |||
| Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| When due (optional) |
|||
| Date of approval |
|||
| F Smith-Roberts | Federica Smith-Roberts | 24/01/2024 | |
| K Dew | Keith Dew | 24/01/2024 |
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
30/01/2024
2
Refugee Aid From Taunton Notes to the Accounts for the Year Ended 31 March 2023
-
The accounts have been prepared on the receipts and payments basis and in accordance with Charity Commission’s guidance.
-
Neither the Trustees, nor any person connected with them, have received any remuneration or expenses during the year (2022: NIL).
-
The Charity holds no Restricted funds at 31 March 2023 (2022: Nil).
-
The trustees confirm, in accordance with the Charitable Incorporated Organisations (General) Regulations 2012, that at year end the CIO did not have any outstanding guarantees to third parties nor any debts secured on assets of the CIO.