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2024-03-31-accounts

Trustees' Annual Report for the period

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Period start date Period end date
01 April 2023 31 March 2024
From To
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Section A Reference and administration details

Charity name Other names charity is known by Registered charity number (if any) 1180367

Refugee Aid from Taunton

RAFT

Charity's principal address Unit 4, Enterprise Park

Priorswood Road

Taunton, Somerset

Postcode TA2 8DU

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

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Dates acted if not for whole Name of person (or body) entitled
Trustee name Office (if any)
year to appoint trustee (if any)
Elaine Dew Resigned 28 September
1
2024
2 Fareda Fakhrai
Federica Smith- Chair
3
Roberts
4 Jessica Wintrip
Jill Denton Resigned 5 November
5
2022
6 Keith Dew Treasurer
7 Lynette Clark
8 Mark Curtis
9 Michelle Ferris
10 Paul Roylance
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)
Name Dates acted if not for whole year
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March 2012

TAR

1

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 9 June 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 The charity is run on a day to day basis by its trustees. All trustees are training of trustees; 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;

Section C Objectives and activities

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2

The objects of the CIO are:

Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document

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)

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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:

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.

Section D Achievements and performance

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4

Section D Achievements and performance

Summary of the main During the year to 31 March 2024, our major achievement (and indeed achievements of the charity our most significant achievement since the founding of the charity) was during the year being awarded the Kings Award for Voluntary Service. We were delighted to have been awarded such an honour for our work not only with refugees worldwide, but with our local communities. Following an invitation for our trustees to attend a royal garden party, we held a wonderful celebration with all our volunteers in May 2024, and were delighted to formally receive the award from Mohammed Saddiq, the Lord Lieutenant of Somerset. Our operations in the year continued to be impacted by issues with supply routes, particularly into unsafe areas such as Gaza, 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 continued to be locally, although we have once again increased our financial donations to overseas communities that we are not able to reach with physical aid. Our local community has continued to be home to many refugees, both from Ukraine and the Middle East, 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. Following our warehouse move, we were delighted to be able to bring back our local sales to continue our aim to be zero waste and to assist local families and communities with items unsuitable for onward shipping. Our previous success with online selling (particularly eBay and Vinted), selling items donated to us that are not suitable for onward distribution, or where we can obtain better value for our beneficiaries, 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, 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 the sale of items. 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 34 shipments during the year, which has been distributed primarily across the Middle East, Ukraine and France, providing 38 tonnes of aid (2023 – 44 shipments, providing 48 tonnes of aid). This is a decrease from 2023 and continues to drop since before Covid. For reference, in 2019-20, 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.

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Section E Financial review

Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves

Details of any funds materially in deficit

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 £43,496 is both reasonable and appropriate. The deficit incurred in the year of £13,094 was a conscious decision to spend down some of our funds to communities in need.

Further financial review details (Optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant about:

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.

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

F Smith-Roberts Signature(s) K Dew Federica Smith-Roberts Full name(s) Keith Dew Position (eg Secretary, Chair, Treasurer Chair etc) Date 16/11/24

March 2012

TAR

6

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Refugee Aid From Taunton 1180367
Receipts and payments accounts CC16a
For the period 04/01/2023 31/03/2024
To
from
Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment
Total funds Last year
funds funds funds
to the nearest
to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
£
A1 Receipts
Donations 3,991 - - 3,991 6,661
Sale of donated items 42,498 - - 42,498 37,440
Fundraising - - - - 100
Gift aid received 79 - - 79 240
Grants received - - - - 6,000
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
Sub total (Gross income for
46,568 - - 46,568 50,441
AR)
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
- - - -
- - - - -
Sub total - - - - -
Total receipts 46,568 - - 46,568 50,441
A3 Payments
Grants and donations 29,368 - - 29,368 6,725
Transport 1,950 - 1,950 2,010
Insurance 96 - - 96 96
Warehouse expenses 2,556 - 2,556 2,992
Advertising and printing - - - - 70
Rent and rates 18,574 - 18,574 19,998
Postage 7,118 - - 7,118 7,337
Sub total [ 59,662 ] - - 59,662 39,228
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total [ - ] - - - -
Total payments 59,662 - - 59,662 39,228
Net of receipts/(payments) - 13,094 - - - 13,094 11,213
A5 Transfers between funds - - -
A6 Cash funds last year end 56,590 - - 56,590 45,377
Cash funds this year end 43,496 - - 43,496 56,590
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CCXX R1 accounts (SS)

26/01/2025

1

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 £
42,287
-
1,147
-
62
-
43,496
-
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
16/11/24
16/11/24

CCXX R2 accounts (SS)

26/01/2025

2

Refugee Aid From Taunton Notes to the Accounts for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

  1. The accounts have been prepared on the receipts and payments basis and in accordance with Charity Commission’s guidance.

  2. Neither the Trustees, nor any person connected with them, have received any remuneration during the year (2023: NIL). Expenses totalling £50 were reimbursed to 4 trustees. (2023: None).

  3. The Charity holds no Restricted funds at 31 March 2024 (2023: Nil).

  4. 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.

Refugee Aid From Taunton

Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Refugee Aid From Taunton

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Refugee Aid From Taunton for the year ended 31 March 2024.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity trustees of the Charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).

I report in respect of my examination of the Charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent Examiner’s Statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Charity as required by section 130 of the Act: or

  2. the accounts do not accord with those records.

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.

Sarah Twist FCA DChA Chartered Accountant A C Mole LLP Stafford House Blackbrook Park Avenue TAUNTON TA1 2PX

26 January 2025