Cbarlty Nunther 1183558 Southampton and Winchester VlsAtors Group Report and FillaBcial Statsments For the year ended 31st August 2024
Address Southampton and Wmch&8ter Visitors Group PO Box 1615. SouthamptOD S017 3WF eeko PatroDS Miriam MargoIs, OBE JOI Pilkington Dr. Shirley Firih Trnstees Cbair. Mark Courtice (Ig[led 16 October 2024) Vice Chair. Cathille Hartley Treasurer. David Robertson (apw)iDted 4 December 2023) C(H)rdin*or. Claudia Glyn Jeyatharslwi Vettivel Judith EvaDS (appoiDted 4 Decem 2023) Katie Gearing (appointed 4 Decetnber 2023) Khalid Omer (appointed 4 Drnber 2023) Sue J&ssup (appointed 4 December 2023) Andrew Taylor (appointed 31 Match 2024) David Smith (resi) 4 Decettther 223} William Brook-Hart {resigned 4 December 2023) Paul Munns (resigned 2 September 2023) Secretary t£a Haye5 Admlnistrator Travid B4nker5 HSBC Bank Plc. 19 MiDster StseeL SaEisbw SPI ITE LudepeDdeDt Euminer Peter Casson FCA
Southampton and Wmehester yAtorS Group The TrFJStcs prc5cat thcir rcpGrt aad'll fillanci stat¢Fneuts for the year ended 31 Augu512024. Fomalion The cRlty fornied as a Charitable IncryAed Organisalion to tske over the activities ond assets and liabilities of the unincorporated charAty of the sawe nam¢. It was lSred with tbe Charity Cottunission on 29 May2019. Governallee anageMellt The Trustee Board comwises a of 3 aud a maxim of12 meDAbers elthd at each Anllual General Meeting. Tntstees who held office during the year listed on page 2. The Board meets every six weeks and is Supted by a number of sub-comrnittees Mthich report to the Trustee& AEMS and objectives The nmin objects of the Group as set out in its constitution For the relief of nee& hardship attd distress in the United Kingdom anngSt refiigee4 people seeking asylullk and other ]mLallts by providing such cFLarÈtable assistaoce as the Trustees tbiDk fiL illcluding providing such p500S with advi¢c. &8sistanc¢. preSentatiOn. couL8ellin& in matteJE such as money, debts, welfaTe, nefit4 housillg, healt asyl iu]miwt1o educ10 ttainlng and etnploJillenL Foeus of ollr work The Group is a volunts led charity whose mernbeTS work with people seeking asylum and r¢fiLgees mainly living in SouthamptoL Our work includes providing Fglish and other teachin& and providing on¢-tO-one support for indAvidual pwple. who are assigned a Érdined visitor who meets with t1 rearlY to provide frffiendship and practical help. We supwt opproximatety 200 people in government accommodation. who are resident either in a Iwal hotel or in sharedhouse& We provide well-being support through social and cultsal activities. We bave 8150 funded the provision of gym acces4 phone4 as well as laptops and data to some of the students. SWVG operates a weekly droTriJA centre at the Avenue Multicultural Centre (AMQ in Southampton United Refonn Church (URC),whicb it previousty rdn in conjunction with CLEAR and Avenue St Andrews URC. AMC 15 8 very popular droFin centr4 which ru9 every Friday morning for IIN)se seeking asylunL We staff a belp desk with a small number of eXp]enCed volunteers providing inf0mtion and signposting. We also woth in partheTship with SCRATCIL where a number of people vohmfrffj with New Forest National Part where we n]n visits in conjunction with the Tangets. attd with lobn Hansard Gallery. MAST Studios, Sea City Museum and Southampton City Libraries forour cultUTe PTojecL We also bave IxnlLq to Rege¢ Action and Together with Rew and are membu5 of NACCOM and Hampshire and Isle of Wight Strategic Migration Gmup. Revlew of the year OUT core WOTL uatnely the pmvision of support to those secking asylum and newly given Leave To R¢Jnain continued. We have supported many young men placed in two hotels in Southajnpton (though one closed this year). The Horne Office Intr0th rnonMlwllig io I15 so the ovoall numbers we support bave not fallen sigllificaDtIy. The drop-in c¢ntre at AMC continued in operatioll and welcom&s more than 150 people cach weeL SollLe 21k30 people per week access our help desks (many on a ryeat basis). teceiving a variety of suppo¢ illcludiug assistatLce with finding solicitors. During th¢ y¢•r the number of individual refuge¢5 and people seeking asylum we saw at the help desk was over 250. The drop-in at AMC had been under threat ffls the partneTS found it difficult to coatinue to manage it. SWVG Trustees took on sole T&Spo911)i1ity for it this yearand devised maDagement systems to ensure smooth rullnillg. A wider rdnge of partners ore welcomed to joill in on a regular basi4 including the City Liknry, the Med8ill¢ Thist
supporting people who bave been trafficw and the R¢fiwe Employability Programll. As well as a specific help desk for accommodation rnatters and s¢hool placements. a fiJrtherd&8k is dedicated to managing the laptop scheme, gym memiwsbips and the bike sclKm4 at¥] anotber to finding volunts i)pportunities for those seelang asylunL Our management of AMC has enabled us to increase the involvernent of those seeking asylum and refugees in nll]ning the CentrL The team running the Friday morntt]g sOnS now include5 a large proportion of pcople with lived experiencq offering them a c1we to volunteer. We have also introduced hot soup cooked by voluntsErs who are sceking asylunL The aumber of people seeking asylu it) NASS aCMModatiOn wbo receive aDd individual 5UPPOrt from a Visitor Ims dropped over the year. to eÈghL after more people received positive decisions about their asylu laio)s. The help desk enables us to support greatcr numbers of people (many of whorn we see OD a regularb&4is). The Visitor relationship is now used for tIse with cOllle% need& However. a considmble nutnb¢r of people wbo Fe¢eived Leave To Remain still need support to transition into independeDce. Finding ac¢otDmodation is the most pressing problenL We cannot give prccise figures for t[se who received a positive decision over the year because we do not see all the residents ITh hotels and housGs but we estimate up to 30°h of our support 15 targeted at post Leave to Remain. We a separate help desk at the second hotel during tbe year until tbe end of March, when the botel was closed by th¢ Home Office al its residents were moved to the remaining hotel or elsewhere in the county. Whilst we have seen some fast decisions. too maoy people still have to wait years to have tbeir asyllm GlaittL assessed. A lack of legal sllpt is a key issuc nowadays. There ar¢ not enough itDmigration solicitors who work for Legal Aid and many people seekillg asylum now have to attelld their substsntive interview or even an appeaI bearsng wkthout prior discussion with a solicitor. It is increasingly dlffictht forthose a¢¢ommodated in hotels vAwe slwing rooms is the notm nowadays. which inevitably leads to a rise irA mental health i5su&8 and ocrAsiollally aggressive behaviour, because there are not ¢nou£b support facilitie& We have act&vely IxeD involved Ao arranging aod TrEllIRY attending a group including Migrant Help. tbe local authority, the Policc and the Home Office to support Cleawrings ad the residents to rrtonitor the problems. Engltsh tegchin Around 70 studcnts are curreDdy receivtng English lewn& either ¢)ne-tO-one or in a small group. though th¢ numbeTS fluctuate across the year due to frequent movement io and out ofthe hotel. Over 120 more have attended lessons during the past year. induding from the hotel that dosd ID Febnwy. About 36 teachers gre CUT¥ently aching at least one studenL We nm 2 ¢oJJversation groups {one in partnersknp with Sotsthwton Libr8ry).This can involve up to 30 people h weeL We have had donations of text booL8 and exercise book& and have pwchased more when necessary. Data and IT We have continue¢ on a stnaller scale tban before. with the schetne to lend laptops to people learning EnglLSty alld to provide 22 people (curTelltly dowll to three) with mobile datapackages for online learniD& A llcw initiative has supported people to buy their own laptop by n)akiog a regular contnl)ution to pay off the cost of the machine. Our IT and data schemes have also benefited bousetnates including family Jnernbe. Volunteers And eontro¢tsd staff We curreutiy have around 100 active Voluntee and coolinue to receive applications frojll potential volunteers. Our training activity bas now been refreshed and is c3ffied out ill pets0 The Trnstees have been grateful to note that the volunteer group now includes people with l?ved experience of the &sylllm systefft. Our two part time cont[d staff continue to PTovide essential support services. CapaIgnIng The Campaigning Group supports Dational campaigtL8 that call for a lllunane asylum system and we oppos¢ policies wbi¢h persecute people who claim asyhjm. We encourage members to Taise the issues with their MPS and
local councils aud we speak at local groups and fonm)s. We think ivs important for politicians to taIk to people who have lived experie1 of asylum. RefiCe Week in June is a special time lo celebrate the culturts and capabilities that refugees and other people who have sougbt sallctuary bring to our Iwal con]munities. Togetherwith many local organisalion5 and con]munity group& we organised a seri&s of events tncluding dram film4 music, dance, a sta]1, artwork and a parade in the centre of Soutlwllpto This improves the IiDks betweell ll)aDy local culturnl groups who came to showcase their positive con1nlltioDS to the city. We are gtateful for the support of Soutbampton City CoutLciL Gol Southampion representing the buslness conmnunity and City of S8n¢tsiary Southampton. We are also most gteI to those people with lived experieuce who gave radio alld TV intwviews. In pTepardtioffj we involved 8 local s¢hools with upwar<ls of1.600 lo SCEoIch[lden in discussion sessions meeting people who are Tthgees. the children also ¢ted amazing works of art in response to this yeaes theme of our home. Following oa from tiiis. Southampton City Coun¢il has Teaffimed its commitment to being a City of Sanctuary. We are gratefi to the Leader of the Council and the Lord Mayor for hosting a reception and for inviting SWVG'S Chair and two refugees to speak at this event. Wellbeing and Activities We provide activities to supp)rt wellbeing. iDcludiDg 160 peopleioining trips to the New Forest and Bournemouth B¢acty working on our allotmenL cooking meal4 providing ajyd repatrin8 bike& eEthiling volunteerillg opportunities, and organising cultural acliviti¢s. includiDg theatre trAPS (85 attendances 9 shows). Cooking for Friends Saturday eveuityd events and associ fundtaisiDg dinners have beell iotivjduced this year with great succes5. The issue of food is an ittwrtant one for residents of the hot¢1 as they do not have the opportunity to COOK nor to eat food from home. We develowt a scheme that involves two of the hotcl residents acting as chefs on a Sattwday evenin& They iDVite up to six frteEMls to eat with thenL This has led to 8 regular sharlng of food and good fiu4 and the Schen nlns every Saturday evening (subj£ to V¢Due availability). All the chefs are required to UlldertoJ(e basic food hygiene to Level l. providing a useful qualification for their Cvs. Five of the chefs have moved on to Level I The success of this scELeme ELas led to a spin-off series of fundtaisiDg diDnets which raise about £1,000 a titlle. These are iD]POrtant not jt because of money but also advertisement and Celebration of community and shared value4 with singing and dancing as well &s a very vatied menu. Reportillo Support At the end of Apiil. the 8overnment aDlloullced that they would use the R8ular &8ylwn bail reporting session5 to detain those they wished to remove to Rwand& This caused great disbEss and fear. It also insplred a coalition of local activists to set up a reporting support team. SWVG provides the undetpinning organisation behind this Work. collaborating with various otbers ill¢luding Stand Up to Racis Sollthampton and Soutbampton Action. We aim to build oa the positive relationships southampto Winche5t¢r and Deighbouring towns. to iroprove the lives of fUgeeS and people seeking asylum. Awards aDd achievements SWVG was awarded a &)lent UniveTsity Civic Charter Impact Award. Students at Solent uniVeity wer¢ iuspir¢d and helped by SWVG volunters to support people seekillg asylum in a Jrnriety of ways. Harnpshire Football Association (FA) Awar4t A Hompsbire FA Foundation Award is awarded for a contribution to one of Hampsbire FA Fow]dation's three key pi113rs: Disability Fooiball, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion, 8n(Vor Community Coaching. SWVG alld St Peter's Churcty WeSte4 were joint recipients of this award for the 2023124 se&wu. A proud moment for SWVG vrds the award of Brittsh Citizenship to Thatshan V¢ttiveL one of ow TtreS with ]ived experiellce. Thathan work5 tireLe551y foT SWVG and we are delighted that he ha5 beell fully embraced by our country.
Finance RciPts for the year wete £118.637 and payments wete£85.938 producing a SU1 of £32,699. This surplus included recelving £l1.238 when we became the lead forAMC and t¢)ok overtbe 8dMI during the year. this has bcen placed in a designated fund. The remaining 5UTplus was principal]y due to the closure of the Hostel in 2023 and replacement pmjects not yet being establishd The trustees plan for 2025 includes establishing new projects for those we support and purcbaslng some one off items to imptove the seryice we offer. Re¢elpts-Gr9nts Grants from charitable tn8 amoullted to £54,614. We are most gtatefid for a fitTther wt from the Tolkien TrtL%t of £22.000 which eoveES a significant pèrt of our support cos We are also grateful for an anonytnous institutional grant of £IO.000. a £7.500 grdnt from the Garfield Weston TTUSt and £1,500 from St Claire alld St Frattcis Parc¢bial Parish Council. We have also received a grant of £5,1)00 from the Hilden TrSt 2nd £2.000 from the Misselbrook TrusL We a150 gratefully ackDowledge continuing support from the One Per Cent scheme whicb amounted to £5.297. Detsils of grants received are set out on page 10 of this rep) Re¢eipts-Other iD¢ome We acknowledge the financial dOtiOn from the Girdle Tn]st £1750. We are also grateful for the donations we have received from cburche4 other orgauis*ioDS and many ftndAviduals who have continued to support us ill difficult circumstall¢cs. Paymeots. With the closure ofthe hosteL costs fOra(x0nn and Subs1ce for d&stitslte asylTlln seekers was £4,484 {2023 £37343). Taking on the AMC dropin has tDeant an increase in our costs for this year {2024 £6262r2023 £2,135). In the 2022r2023 annual report and accouots the Gmup's share of AMC costs, £2,135, were included in-other office and admin costs" With the Group taking on the nianagement of AMC the costs of AMC ate reported under%ocial actiYities-. The comparative figtjtts bave been adjustd to reflect the changc in accounting t&stament of AMC A sbift io our spending pattern tneans mor¢ has been invested this year in social activiti¢s to improve well-b¢in& inclttditig the Eating wtth Friends initiative, gym memberships and the bike project (2024 £1 Q02812023 £12.301). We bave provided an expanded English teaching proEfdmme including face to face teaching, internet acce&8 and books, this cost £7,409 ill the year. The increase in r&8idellts at the lyotels aud uewcomerJ to the city has meant more investment in mobile phOtS and sim cards. (2024 £9.63412023 £3,257) We continue to raDas¢ administstion expenses tightly. however. cost inflation and the need to cnlwice our on-line presence has meanl we have spent more on websites this year than weviously, £3,493 (2023 £1762) Our contracted staff costs have been impacted by infiatiO addttiona]ly, we bave had a change of secretary this year and the need to have a hand over and traill our tLew secretary meant we incurred some extra c05t. Emergency Response Fund This fjmd was created ID 2021 and now Stands at£15.000. AMC Designated Fund This fund has been created tbis yrar from the funds ttceived relating to the of AMC. Reserves The Trustees have agreed that the value of unrestricteA reserv&% should be in the region of £55.000 r¢pr¢senting approxirnately 6 motLths nollnal expenditure plw a provision for three months for contracted stsff costs. Usjrestricted reserves at 31 AugusL excluding the ED]ergency Response Fund and AMC fun(L were £85,464. This Yeport was approved by the Trustees on 21 October 2024 and signed on their behalf by Catherine Hartley (Wwe Chair
Southampton and Wmchester wltOrS Grollp IndepeDdellt Exaner'S report to the Trustees I report to the TnteeS on D]y examinthon of tbe accounts of Southampton and Wmch&8ter wltorS Group (the Group) for the year ended 31 Augiist 2024. ResponsK)ili(ies and basis of report As the Trustees of the Group you are responsible for the preparation of the cOUnts in accordance with the requir¢meDts of the Cl)arities Act 2011 ('the Act.). I report in respect of examination of tbe Group's accounts carried out uuts section 145 of the 2011 Act and in catrying out my eXamItion I bave followed all the applicable Directions given by the Chatity commion under section 145(5)(b) of the ACL Independent examiner's statement I bav¢ Completed examinatio I Collfi that no o]atetial matters have come to my attention in connection with the e%amiDation giving me cause to bejieve that in any niaterial respect l. Accouniing records were Dot kept in respect of the GTOUP as required by section 130 of the Ac¢ or 2. The accounts do not accord with those records. I have no conc¢TllS and have come across no Oth Inatte in connection with the examination to wknch attention should be drawn ill tbis report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reacb&l sson FCA £ox* J3 kylark Road TrEllllpiDgton Cambridge CB2 9AQ
Southampton and Willchter Visitors Croup Aecounts for the year ended 31 August 2024 Receipts and p2yments 2023 Total Unrestricted Restrieted Total RECEIPTS Donations from organlsatiolls Dottations from individuals including gift aid Grants from charitable trusts Proceeds of fund-rdisillg events AMC receipt Interest Total receipts 17.095 21,459 53297 9J68 11238 1863 11&320 2,IXIO 19.095 21.459 lJ17 54,614 9J68 11,238 2.863 3J17 11&637 8J67 36,281 54,466 8J65 1.554 109,033 PAYIKENrs Client-facing actrvities Campaigning Visitors. travel and otlker expen Pmf¢ssional fees Accommodation and subsistence Travel English teachiug Mobile phones Social a1VitieS (inc AMC & EWF) Otber Total payMets to or for dients 1.152 1.152 3281 4,193 3,365 1966 37,343 6,360 9.341 3257 14,436 1874 83,135 3281 4.484 6262 6262 7.409 7,409 9.634 9.634 22.290 22,290 1861 350 3211 56221 i2 57.723 Communications SalaTies Fund-rdising costs 142 20324 318 558 142 20.324 318 558 551 17212 216 182 616 2,762 3,121 X660 Website Other office and admin costs Total administration expe 3.493 2J32 28215 3.493 2,532 0 28215 Total payments 84,436 1.502 85938 107,795 Net excoss of receipts over payments for the year 30J84 I15 34699 1238 Balance brought forward Balance rried forward 80,818 111,702 1.110 81.928 l925 JJl627 80,690 81J28
Southampton and Wmchester WltOrS Croup Accounts for the year ended 31 August 2024 Stattment of and iiabilits¢$ at31 2024 OlJJ913 Reteived Paid 31.08.24 CASH FUNDS Unrestrictsd Funds General UDTestricted Funds Emergency Response Fund AMC Deskgnated Fund Total Unrestricted Funds 65,818 1(kl.082 84.436 15.(X)O 85.464 15.000 11,238 IJI.702 11238 8018 115J20 K436 Restricted Fllnds Legal Justice Fund Bike project Campaigning Total Restricted Funds 760 350 760 350 1,152 I02 3.317 3J17 2.165 Total Fllnds 8Jg28 11&637 85,938 114.627 Reprellted by: 31.0824 31.0813 HSBC current account Nationwide Building Society Redwood Bank Float for expenses Toknl Fund5 15.827 28,000 70.000 13.128 14,000 54.000 800 81928 114,627 Debtors Tax on gift aid donatioTrs Other debtors 1,193 1.657 533 1190 1.675 CTcditors For expense5 1,199 1,199 432 432 Signed for and on behalf of the Tntytees 21 October 21124 by Catherine Hardey (e Chalr)
Southampton and wcheSter VLSitors Group Accounts for the year ended 31 August 2024 Notes . Grants 2024 2023 Total 20,000 10.000 The Tolkien fn Anonyinous Garfield Weston FodatIon One Per Cent Scheme Knight Clwitable TnL%t Hildell Trust St Clare aod St Frdncis Tn Misselbrook Tftt Girdlers Tnt The French Huguenot CIwEch- social activÉties The National Lottery- subsistence aod teaching Willchester City Coun¢il- teachi social etc EneTgise M¢- football SouthaTDPton City Council - Refugee Week uooo 10,000 7500 5297 io.lxjo 7500 5297 4,496 300 s,0 1500 1000 1,51M) 1.500 1.600 5.000 6.492 1,360 1218 2.500 54,466 lJ17 1.317 1017 54.614 53297 TRUSTEE EXPENSES Expenses reimbursed to tntstees during the period amounted to £824 (2023 £1,028). io