Cornwall Refugee Resource Network (CRRN)
Charity number: 1184187
Registered office: All Saints Church Highertown, Tresawls Road, TRURO, TR1 3LD
Email: info@crrn.org.uk
Annual Report for the Year 2022, presented at the AGM on 8 November 2023 at 18:00 (online)
About our charity
Cornwall Refugee Resource Network (CRRN) is a network of organisations and people who work together to ensure that Cornwall provides refuge and sanctuary to those most in need. We celebrate good news stories of how the refugee resettlement shapes Cornwall for the better and we campaign for positive change in policy and in attitudes so that people seeking sanctuary and asylum are treated with dignity and fairness. Cornwall Refugee Resettlement Network was established at All Saints Highertown Church, Truro, in 2016 in direct response to the acute crisis caused by the war in Syria and the number of people fleeing from danger. In 2018 CRRN renamed itself Cornwall Refugee Resource Network. On 1st July 2019 CRRN became a registered charity.
Summary of the CRRN’s main activities during 2022
Homes for Ukraine:
With community sponsorship groups well established, Cornwall responded positively to the call for safe homes following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia on 24 February 2022. There was a loud call to action in Cornwall, with groups forming in parts of Cornwall that had not previously engaged in welcoming refugees. CRRN became an active member of the Refugee Steering Group, as Cornwall Council grappled with the challenges of the Homes for Ukraine scheme, providing advice directly and signposting hosts to organisations and people who could help.
We launched a new page on our website with detailed signposting information and resources for hosts, as well as attending, organising and speaking at meetings to share information and offer support for hosts and guests. We were invited to meetings organised in collaboration with faith-based and charitable organisations in Truro; Launceston; Wadebridge and Falmouth, as well as organising an event in collaboration with CN4C in Looe. We continued to host regular drop-in events online to provide a space for hosts to ask questions and seek support.
A group of Ukrainian guests in Looe organised an extracurricular, educational 3-day trip to London for their children, to visit museums, theatres and galleries and to learn
more about British culture and history. CRRN supported a request for donations towards the cost of this trip and Falmouth and Penryn Welcome Refugee Families very kindly donated £500. The Marazion Male Voice Choir agreed that they were also happy for their donation to be used towards this. Rae Preston directly booked the group's accommodation, and the total booking cost was £837.51, which shows on the bank statement/account sheet as paid direct to Rae.
People seeking asylum:
Newquay Refugee Support Group (NRSG) led the response to support around 120 people seeking asylum who were temporarily relocated to the Beresford Hotel during the winter of 22/23. This is the first time that people seeking asylum have been dispersed to Cornwall. CRRN organised online knowledge shares and meetings to try and bring partners together and learn from experiences elsewhere in the county.
The trustees considered individual requests for funding and approved the funding of some translations of key documents to support an asylum claim.
Supporting refugees in Europe and beyond
The Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit have had a severe impact on moving donations and provisions from Cornwall, as it was almost impossible to travel or to get goods through, and Brexit changes compounded difficulties as regulations changed. Trips were organised and primarily funded by One And All Aid. Local groups got involved in taking the opportunity to gather up discarded tents and sleeping bags from local festivals. Cornwall continues to be very generous with donations, but storage and rising transportation costs are challenging. As a result, CRRN donated £800 to One and All Aid towards their transportation costs.
Campaigning and educating
We launched our online ‘Insights’ series, with online talks on specific subjects, including learning English, interpreting and mental health, in May 2022.
We also wrote a number of statements in response to proposed changes to government policy, e.g. Rwanda, and have published these on our website and shared them with partners.
With the subject of refugees and asylum seekers constantly in the news, please see our media page from the CRRN website for an overview: https://www.crrn.org.uk/media-archive.html.
Truro Community Refugee Support and Charis Steering Group
In 2021, CRRN helped set up and then chaired the steering group to support TCRS as the group worked to raise funds, find a property and to prepare to welcome a refugee family under one of the Home Office resettlement schemes. This is ongoing, but a family is now due to arrive in the autumn of 2023.
Financial Review
Total income from 1st January 2021 to 31st December 2022: £1156.24
Total expenditure 1st January 2021 to 31st December 2022: £2097.51
The accounts have been independently checked by an accountant who had no further comments. Most activities that continued in 2022 required no expenditure, due to the restrictions placed on us all by the pandemic.
Thanks from the Trustees
I would like to pass on thanks on behalf of the Trustees to everyone in Cornwall who works to support refugees, people seeking asylum and other vulnerable migrants in Cornwall and beyond.
Ellie Stacey
November 2023
Cornwall Refugee Resource Network (CRRN)
Charity number: 1184187
Statement of Financial Activities: Income and Expenditure for the period from
| period from | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2022 to 31 December | 2022 | ||
| Income | year to 31/12/22 | year to | |
| 31/12/21 | |||
| £ | £ | ||
| Donations – Truro Quakers | 0 | 619.34 | |
| Xmas catalogue | 0 | 250.00 | |
| Donation Falmouth and Penryn | 500 | 0 | |
| collection at concert | 656.24 | 0 | |
| funds held for Penwith Welcomes | 0 | 27087.61 | |
| TOTAL INCOME | 1156.24 | 27956.95 | |
| Expenditure | |||
| Translation for asylum seeker | 460 | 115.85 | |
| Funds returned to Penwith Welcome | 0 | ||
| 27087.61 | |||
| payment for London trip | 837.51 | 0 | |
| Donation One and All Aid | 800 | 0 | |
| TOTAL EXPENDITURE | 2097.51 | 27203,46 | |
| NET (DEFICIT)/SURPLUS FOR YEAR | (941.27) | 753.49 | |
| Balance Brought Forward | 2494.84 | 1741.35 | |
| Balance Carried Forward | 1553.57 | 2494.84 | |
| Balance Sheet as at 31 December 2022 | |||
| Current Assets | |||
| Cash at Bank and In Hand | 1553.57 | 2494.84 |
| Total Assets | 1553.57 | 2494.84 |
|---|---|---|
| Current Liabilities | - | - |
| Total Net Assets | 1553.57 | 2494.84 |
| Funded byBrought forward | 2494.84 | 1741.35 |
| **(Defcit)/ Surplus for year ** | (941.27) | 753.49 |
| TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD | 1553.57 | 2494.84 |
These financial statements have been approved for issue by the Board of Trustees
on _______
and signed on their behalf by:-
______ Trustee (signature)
Name in capitals
______ Trustee (signature)
Name in capitals