**Company number: CE018159 Charity registration number: 1184348** 

## **WE  BELONG** 

**(A charitable incorporated organisation)** 

**TRUSTEES' REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** 

**FOR THE YEAR FROM 1 APRIL 2021 TO 31 MARCH 2022 (Unaudited)** 



## **WE BELONG** 

## **Contents** 

__________________________________________________________ 

|Reference and administrative information|1|
|---|---|
|Trustees’ report|2-16|
|Independent examiner’s report|17|
|Statement of fnancial activities|18|
|Balance sheet|19|
|Notes to the fnancial statements|20- 29|





## **WE BELONG** 

## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION** 

__________________________________________________________ 

|**Trustees**|Colin Falconer   - Chair||
|---|---|---|
||Jocelyn James - Treasurer|(resigned 19 October 2022)|
||Omolade Adedapo|(appointed 13 December 2021)|
||Sufna Ahmad||
||Mariam Ajibola||
||Muhammed Arkam Babar||
||Jamilla Hinds-Brough||
||Joel Carter||
||Maheraj Ahmed Lian|(appointed 30 June 2022)|
||Andrew Noel|(resigned 5 November 2021)|
||David Wolfe QC|(resigned 9 December 2021)|
|**Chief Executive**|Chrisann Jarrett MBE||
|**Charity registered number**|1184348||
|**Registered offce and**|EC 1 Offces||
|**operational address**|338 City Road||
||London||
||EC1V 2PY||
|**Banker**|Metro Bank||
||One Southampton Row||
||London||
||WC1B 5HA||
|**Accountants**|Charity Accounting Services|Ltd|
||Suite 109 - Spaces||
||6 Sutton Plaza, Sutton||
||London||
||SM1 4FS||
|**Independent Examiner**|Caroline Sharp FCA, DChA||
||55 Canberra Road||
||London||
||SE7 8PF||



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**WE BELONG** 

## **TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022** 

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charity  for  the  period  ended  31  March  2022.  Reference  and  administrative  information  set  out  on page  1  forms  part  of  this  report.  The  financial  statements  have  been  prepared  in  accordance  with  the accounting  policies  set  out  in  note  1  to  the  accounts  and  comply  with  the  charity’s  trust  deed,  the Charities  Act  2011  and  Statement  of  Recommended  Practice:  Accounting  and  Reporting  Charities preparing  their  accounts  in  accordance  with  the  Financial  Reporting  Standard  applicable  in  the  UK and the Republic of Ireland (FRS102). 

We  Belong  registered  with  the  Charity  Commission  on  10  July  2019,  becoming  a  new  stand-alone organisation.  We  Belong  builds  on  a  project  called  Let  Us  Learn,  which  was  previously  hosted  by  Just for  Kids  Law.  The  project  expanded  beyond  its  initial  remit  of  campaigning  for  equal  access  to  higher education  to  fighting  for  the  rights  of  young  migrants  in  the  UK,  including  higher  education  and tackling systemic barriers that prevent young migrants from living a fulfilled life. 

## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT** 

## **Legal structure of the charity** 

The  charity  is  constituted  as  a  charitable  incorporated  organisation  and  its  governing  document  is  a written constitution dated 10 July 2019. 

## **Recruit and induction of trustees** 

The  Trustees  are  appointed  by  the  members  or  the  charity  trustees  and  are  recruited  with  regard  to their  knowledge  skills  and  experience.  Trustees  are  appointed  to  a  fixed  2  year  term.  Trustees  may not  serve  more  than  three  consecutive  terms.  There  is  a  comprehensive  pre-appointment  briefing and a trustee induction process for new Trustees. Training is made available to Trustees as required. 

## **Management and administration** 

We  Belong  is  administered  by  Chief  Executive  Chrisann  Jarrett  MBE  based  on  the  strategic direction  set  by  the  trustees.  The  board  of  trustees  meets  four  times  a  year.  The  Chair,  Treasurer  and Safeguarding  Lead  trustees  also  provide  support  to  the  CEO  as  and  when  required.  Charity Accounting Services provide book-keeping and accounting services to the charity. 

## **OBJECTS AND ACTIVITIES** 

## **Objectives set out in the governing document** 

- ❏  to  help  young  people  advance  in  life  through  providing  support  and  activities  which  develop their  skills,  capacities  and  capabilities  to  enable  them  to  participate  in  society  as  mature  and responsible individuals. 

- ❏ socially  excluded,  relieving  the  needs  of  those  people  who  are  socially  excluded  and  assisting them to integrate into society. 

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**WE BELONG** 

## **TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022** 

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## **Charity activities** 

We  Belong  works  with  and  for  young  migrants,  who  are  subject  to  a  hostile  environment  in  the country  we  and  they  call  home.  We  fight  to  end  the  hostile  environment  around  immigration, ensuring  barriers  preventing  full  integration  for  migrants  are  removed  so  that  we  can  contribute  to British society. 

## **EXTERNAL CONTEXT** 

We  Belong  remains  the  only  organisation  in  the  migration  sector  focussing  solely  on  long  term  young migrants,  a  group  often  forgotten  due  to  wrongly  held  assumptions  on  young  people’s  status  and citizenship  despite  the  length  of  time  spent  in  the  UK.  Our  issue  is  extremely  niche  in  comparison  to the  rest  of  the  sector  who  focus  on  refugees  and  asylum  seekers.  Post-  Windrush  Scandal  we  have been  able  to  capitalise  on  the  opportunity  to  work  alongside  policy  makers  as  they  change  their internal  practices  and  engagement  with  external  stakeholders  and  communities.  The  year  2021 marked  the  ten  year  anniversary  of  the  introduction  of  the  ten-year  route  to  settlement  amidst  the ongoing  hostile  environment.  Although  we  have  secured  a  policy  win,  our  organisation  must  now  be proactive  in  sustaining  this  win  amidst  the  legislative  backdrop  which  continues  to  erode  the  rights of  migrants  living  in  the  UK.  In  2022,  the  government  announced  a  consultation  on  the  Bill  of  Rights which  threatens  to  dilute  the  Human  Rights  Act  and  the  main  basis  for  the  residency  of  our beneficiaries.  In  addition,  the  Nationality  and  Borders  Bill  2022  gives  the  Secretary  of  State  the power  to  revoke  citizenship  based  on  public  interest.  The  hostile  environment  will  continue  to impact  the  lives  of  our  young  people  and  their  community  due  to  the  discretionary  power  and  the reframing of what it means to really belong in the UK. 

## **OUR ISSUES AND APPROACHES** 

## **Advocacy The Challenge** 

There  are  over  332,000  children  and  young  people  growing  up  in  the  UK  without  any  formal immigration  status.  In  2012,  the  UK  Government  introduced  the  longest  route  to  settlement formally  known  as  the  ten-year  route;  young  people  are  entering  adulthood  facing  prolonged uncertainty  on  this  probationary  route.  The  young  migrants  We  Belong  support  are  often  granted  a limited  form  of  status  over  a  decade,  due  to  high  fees  and  complex  laws.  This  decade  is  rife  with difficulty  and  impacts  a  young  adult's  interaction  with  society  and  services,  and  impacts  a  young person's identity and sense of belonging. 

In  October  2021  after  four  years  of  campaigning  for  a  shorter  more  affordable  route  to  settlement, We  Belong  managed  to  secure  a  major  win  to  immigration  private  life  rules.  This  change  means  that young  migrants  who  entered  the  UK  as  children  and  were  granted  status  on  the  basis  of  private  life will now be on a five year route to settlement as opposed to a ten year route. 

We  Belong  has  a  great  task  ahead  to  ensure  young  people,  their  families  and  civil  society organisations  interacting  with  young  people  who  have  precarious  status  are  aware  of  their  rights  and entitlements  and  can  regularise  their  status  as  soon  as  possible.  Early  intervention  is  necessary  so that young people face fewer  years in legal precarity. 

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**WE BELONG** 

## **TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022** 

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## **Our approach:** 

and  contribute  to  British  society  we  work  with  young  people  to  help  advocate  their  concerns  to policy makers at the heart of parliament. 

seek  to  remove  those  barriers  and  support  them  in  accessing  their  rights  and  advocating  for  change. This  empowers  each  young  person  to  become  independent,  confident,  and  able  to  reach  their  full potential. Our advocacy work has the following aims: 

- to  aid  our 

- campaign  goals  calling  on  the  government  to  introduce  a  shorter  and  more  affordable  routes to settlement; 

- **To  raise  awareness** of  how  the  current  immigration  system  affects  the  life  chances  of  young migrants, as well as their ability to secure and maintain their status; 

- **To  work  with  young  people** on  a  one-to-one  basis  and  equip  them  with  the  tools  necessary  to change  the  status  quo.  Providing  opportunities  for  young  migrants  to  interact  with  the decision-makers.  We  do  so  by  employing  the  story  of  self  organising  tool  empowering  people to  develop their narrative and humanise the debate around immigration in the UK; 

- **Integrated  Communications** to  gather  case  studies  of  the  real  impact  of  UK  immigration policies on young people and build a case for support for our campaigns and wider advocacy; 

- **Collaboration  and  Partnership  to  advance  strategic  policy  aims:** We  work  with  and alongside  civil  society  organisations  to  prevent  duplication  of  work,  this  includes  writing  joint policy  papers  to  parliamentary  enquiries,  research  and  reports  as  well  as  focussing  on strategic litigation opportunities to accelerate the pace of change. 

## **Student Finance: The Challenge:** 

Six  years  after  the  landmark  Supreme  Court  judgement  in  the  case  of _R  v  Tigere_ ,  we  have  tracked many  young  people  who  as  a  result  of  the  intervention  are  successfully  securing  their  student  loans on  the  basis  of  long  residence.  However,  we  continue  to  support  a  large  number  of  young  people  who are  wrongfully  denied  student  loans.  Through  fact  finding  and  interacting  with  Student  Finance England  these  errors  are  attributed  to  general  lack  of  awareness  of  advisors  on  the  rules  of  eligibility and  resistance  to  approving  student  loans  for  young  people  with  a  limited  form  of  immigration status.  Advisors'  reluctance  comes  from  the  fact  that  they  act  as  gatekeeper  simply  ‘safeguarding public  funds’  from  those  whose  immigration  status  is  questioned.  This  leads  to  young  migrants  being discriminated  against  at  the  assessment  stage  when  engaging  with  the  Student  Loans  Company (SLC).  In  addition,  we  continue  to  see  SLC  demand  evidence  that  young  people  with  limited  leave  will not  be  able  to  provide  for  example,  bank  statements  and  in  some  cases  evidence  of  presence  in  the UK post 18 where a young person is going through the process of regularising their status. 

## **Our approach:** 

**Our  Communities** ensuring  that  students,  teachers  and  parents  we  come  in  contact  with  understand  the  stakes  and 

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## **WE BELONG** 

## **TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022** 

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begin  to  work  towards  gathering  evidence  and  preparing  themselves  for  what  can  be  a  trying  period should the application to student finance not go according to plan. 

**Collaboration** :  We  work  alongside  other  organisations  within  the  sector  such  as  Access  to  Higher Education  Working  Group  and  Student  Finance  Vulnerable  Stakeholder  Group  on  finding  solutions to the policy issues. 

**Student  Loans  Company** :  We  established  a  relationship  with  Student  Loans  Company  (SLC),  through their  Funding  Information  Partners  Manager,  who  is  willing  to  assist  the  young  people  we  work  with who  have  struggled  to  access  student  finance  despite  being  eligible.  Since  making  contact,  we  have successfully  intervened  in  9  urgent  cases.  We  have  quarterly  meetings  with  members  of  the  SLC team  ranging  from  customer  services  to  senior  management  in  our  quest  to  provide  training  to advisors and simplify communications so that young people are clear on evidence criteria. 

**Training  to  University  Widening  Participation  Staff:** since  June  2021  we  have  been  providing training  to  widening  participation  staff  at  universities  so  that  staff  are  able  to  understand  the  types of  status  students  may  have;  tuition  fee  eligibility;  pre-uni  interventions  and  post-uni  support systems  so  that  students  with  limited  leave  to  remain  are  provided  ongoing  mental  health  and wellbeing assistance. 

## 

_This  young  person  came  to  We  Belong  following  one  off  advice  that  had  been  provided  to  her  mother  who was  seeking  student  finance  support.  The  Student  Loans  Company  (SLC)  had  asked  the  young  person  to provide  further  evidence  concerning  her  immigration  status  in  the  UK  without  stating  the  specificities  on what  evidence  she  needed.  Our  Youth  Development  Lead  spoke  to  the  young  person,  who  at  the  time  had been  feeling  overwhelmed  for  months  due  to  constant  letters  from  her  university  demanding  her  funding issue  to  be  resolved.  She  was  at  risk  of  being  removed  from  her  course  and  despite  sending  SLC  a  myriad  of documents  to  prove  her  long  residence  in  the  UK  in  the  form  of  school  letters,  home  office  documents,  her passport,  British  Residence  Permit,  SLC  still  demanded  more.  We  Belong  supported  the  young  person  by raising  an  escalation  with  SLC’s  Funding  Information  Partners  Managers  Team  and  spoke  to  SLC  advisers  on her  behalf.  The  case  was  resolved  and  the  young  person  found  our  intervention  in  advocating  for  her  very useful as it alleviated the burden of having to deal with the situation by herself._ 

## **IMPACT** 

## 

We  have  successfully  worked  with  cross  party  MP’s  throughout  the  year  building  on  the  success  of our  Chasing  Status  Campaign  in  2020-21.  This  includes  working  with  Dame  Meg  Hillier  MP  who secured  a  debate  with  the  Backbench  Business  Committee  raising  awareness  across  parliament  of the  issues  young  people  face  when  on  the  ten-year  route  to  settlement.  We  have  capitalised  on  this publicity  by  continuing  our  bi-weekly  meetings  with  Home  Office  Civil  Servants  and  working alongside allies who are members of the  Law Commissions Simplification of the Immigration Rules. 

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## **WE BELONG** 

## **TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022** 

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## **We have  done the following to initiate  reform to the ten-year route to settlement:** 

- **Engaged in roundtables** highlighting the impact of  the New Plan for Immigration 

- **Worked  with  the  Shadow  Immigration  Minister** to  submit  an  amendment  to  the  new immigration  rules.  This  amendment  led  to  Keven  Foster’s  definitive  response  that  his department  will  be  prioritising  changes  to  the  immigration  private  life  rules  for  young  people in the We Belong cohort 

- **Hosted  a  joint  parliamentary  event** with  the  Young  Europeans  Network  (YEN)  joined  by conservative  MP’s  Tim  Loughton  and  former  Immigration  Minister  Caroline  Nokes  MP  as speakers 

- **Empowered  over  30  young  people** to  engage  with  parliamentarians  and  develop  ongoing relationships 

- **Launched  our  Deintegration  Generation  Report** highlighting  the  impact  of  the  ten-year route to settlement on young migrants and wider societal impact 

- **Submitted  evidence  in  the  form  of  15  case  studies** and  a  witness  statement  to  Islington  Law Centre’s  challenge  to  the  ten-year  route,  this  strategic  litigation  contributed  to  the introduction  of  the  concession  rules  in  October  2021  where  young  people  who  have  accrued five years on the ten year route were immediately eligible for early indefinite leave to remain 

## _**Summary of the New Private Life Rules: Who does this concession apply to?**_ 

_Those  who  were  either  born  in  the  UK  or  entered  as  children  (below  the  age  of  18),  but  are  now  young adults (aged 18 and over)_ 

- _Be  aged  18  years  and  over  and  has  spent  least  half  of  his/her  life  living  con�nuously  in  the  UK (discoun�ng any period of imprisonment);_ 

- _Have either been born in or entered the UK as a child;_ 

- 

- _Be eligible for further leave to remain under paragraph 276ADE(iv) of the Immigra�on Rules and have made an applica�on under those rules._ 

- **Worked  alongside  5  senior  civil  servants  to  widen  the  eligibility  under  the  concession** to include  those  over  25  who  were  granted  leave  between  the  ages  of  18-24,  these  cases amount to over 60% of our beneficiaries 

- **Conducted  an  information  session  attended  by  90  young  people** to  raise  awareness  of  the accelerated route to settlement as a result of our campaign win 

- **Conducted  68  New  Client  Enquiries  between  October  2021-March  2022** on  young  people with precarious immigration status 

- **Collaborated  with  Islington  Law  Centre,  escalating  over  20  cases** and  hosting  an  advice clinic  providing  10  young  people  free  legal  advice,  since  then  over  12  young  people  have secured Indefinite Leave to Remain 

- **Engaged  15  young  people  in  a  Day  of  Action** where  students  went  to  their  schools  and  asked their  peers  to  complete  a  survey  with  exercises  on  the  Life  in  the  UK  Test. **Over  400 students  and  80  members  of  the  public  completed  this  survey.** This  enabled  the  team  to address some assumptions of the UK’s immigration rules and what it means to belong. 

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**WE BELONG** 

## **TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022** 

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- **Hosted  a  Creative  day  of  action  -  created  an  ‘** _**Our  Home’**_ **poster  as  well  as  storyboards where 15** young people chartered their journey in the  UK 

- **Supported  3  young  people  in  the  recording  of  the  BBC  Panorama  documentary  ‘Am  I British?’** This  increased  interest  with  the  Home  Office  and  assisted  with  our  advocacy narrative. 

- **Hosted  an  online  learning  event  titled  ‘Youth-Led  Intervention** s:  Reflections  and recommendations  on  the  ten-year  route  win’  attended  by  68  civil  society  organisations  and funders interested in our campaign win and systems change 

- **Submitted  a  response  to  the  Human  Rights  Act  Reform  Consultation  in  March  2022** highlighting  the  importance  of  the  principle  of  proportionality  for  marginalised groups  in society 

Case  studies  and  quotes  from  young  people  who  have  received  early  ILR  since  October  2021  as  a result of our campaign win: 

## **Zara** 

Zara  is  25.  She  came  to  the  UK  when  she  was  9  years  old.  In  2014,  when  she  was  17  years  old,  she was  granted  LLR  under  a  private  life  route.  Originally,  this  meant  that  she  could  only  apply  for  ILR when  she  was  27  years  old.  However,  due  to  the  campaign  win,  Zara  applied  for  ILR  early,  as  she  had already clocked up 8 years on the private life route. She was granted ILR. 

_“Being  granted  early  ILR  has  been  life  changing  and  honestly  brings  me  a  sense  of  security  and  stability.  Not having  to  worry  about  the  possibility  of  leaving  a  country  I  have  called  home  for  16  years  makes  me  feel happy, accepted and most importantly at peace in my home”_ 

## **Leah** 

Leah  came  to  the  UK  when  she  was  4  years  old.  She  is  now  24,  and  has  had  Limited  Leave  to  Remain under  private  life  since  2013.  She  had  spent  9  years  on  the  10  year  route,  but  under  the  new  rules she has just managed to get ILR. 

_“Getting  my  ILR  really  feels  surreal.  I  cannot  believe  I  have  settled  status  after  14yrs  of  living  in  this  country with  anxiety  and  fear  every  year.  I  came  across  We  Belong  7yrs  ago  and  I  know  I  wouldn’t  have  gotten  to this  point  (and  so  soon)  without  God  or  We  Belong’s  advice  and  advocacy.  Literally  means  the  world  to  me and my family & friends”_ 

## _**Ahmed**_ 

Remain  in  2017,  which  he  renewed  again  in  2019.  He  has  now  clocked  up  over  5  years  on  the  Private Life route, and has just been granted ILR under the new rules. 

_“Receiving  ILR  after  such  a  long  wait  was  a  life  changing  moment  for  me  and  has  finally  made  me  truly  feel  a sense  of  belonging  to  the  society.  The  best  thing  about  this  status  is  that  I  am  relieved  of  worrying  about  my stay in the country that I call home and that I’m no longer subject to immigration control._ 

_This  status  has  given  me  a  clear  view  about  my  future  and  certainty  of  my  residence  without  having  to  stress about financial aspects._ 

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## **WE BELONG** 

## **TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022** 

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_I  now  feel  much  healthier  mentally  after  a  great  burden  has  been  lifted  off  my  shoulder.  More  paths  have opened up for me and now I feel like I am in control of my future thanks to the status of ILR._ 

_I cannot wait for the day that I will receive  British citizenship and accomplish my dream.”_ 

## **Impact- Student Finance Work** 

We  have  worked  with **6  schools  across  London  Boroughs** barriers  whilst **engaging  with  1,400  young  people** through  webinars  and  in  person  presentations supported by our Core Group of young activists. 

We have also had impact in the following ways: 

- **Worked  with  16  young  people  facing  barriers  to  higher  education  with  9  cases  resolved** with the Student Loans Company as a result of our intervention 

- **Supported  7 young people who successfully went on to secure scholarships** 

- **Delivered 3 university trainings to 72  widening participation staff members** 

Case study and Quote  from a young people who received a scholarship: 

**Gracie’s  sister  Amanda  had  been  supported  by  We  Belong  to  attain  the  same  scholarship  the  year before.  Gracie  accessed  our  personal  statement  clinic,  hardship  fund  for  her  immigration  status regularisation and was supported with her wellbeing through one-to-one meetings.** 

_"Thank  you  for  the  preparation  you  did  with  me  for  my  interview.  I  didn’t  stumble  and  it  really  went  well.  The questions  we  practised  went  well  and  it  went  smoothly.  Also,  Thank  you  to  We  Belong  for  the  support  that they  gave  me  with  the  Leave  to  Remain  situation  and  the  money  they  finance  me  to  apply  for  it,  I  got  it  last week."_ 

## **Leadership Programme** 

**16  young  people  have  graduated  from  our  Emerging  Young  Leaders  programme  contributing  207 hours  to  our  CPD  accredited  course  between  April  2021-May2021** .  Since  then,  we  have **enrolled  a further  12  young  people** onto  the  course  and  for  the  first  time  we  have  co-delivered  the  training with  one  of  our  young  activists.  We  continue  to  focus  on  intergenerational  leadership  with  senior mentors  contributing  on  average  4  hours  of  their  time  to  mentees  on  the  course.  Senior  leaders  cut across industries which include tech, journalism, music, enterprise and law. 

## **Summit** 

## **Rise to the Challenge 2021 Youth Summit** 

The  3-day  event  was  delivered  with  over  108  young  people  signed  up  to  workshops  on  the  three pillars,  Mental  Health;  Digital  Story-telling  and  Activism.  We  were  supported  by  8  young  people  to co-design  and  deliver  sessions  making  full  use  of  our  new  Contribution  Policy.  The  team  worked  hard to  develop  a  great  programme  of  activity  and  engaged  60  young  activists  across  the  three  days.  The summit  was  a  crucial  part  of  the  launch  of  We  Belong  Contribution  Policy  which  enables 

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## **WE BELONG** 

## **TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022** 

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planning and delivering the summit over a three month period . 

## **Youth Engagement: Our Approach** 

We  believe  in  providing  opportunities  for  young  people  to  lead  and  equipping  them  with  the  tools  to thrive as they engage in activism. We engaged with young people in the following ways: 

- **1-1’s** to develop a relationship, assess support needs,  skills and mental wellbeing 

- **New Client Enquiries-** direct information to young people with precarious status 

- **Core  Group** engaging  with  young  activists  with  lived  experience  who  want  to  participate  in our projects and day-to-day decision making 

- **Work Experience** with young people between ages of  16-18 years old 

- **Co-facilitation** where  young  people  in  our  wider  network  have  the  opportunity  to  deliver  our programmes,  the  introduction  of  Co-producers  as  a  structured  programme  is  an  extension  of this 

- **Monthly  gathering** to  foster  a  sense  of  community  and  a  safe  space  for  young  migrants  to gather 

## **Impact in London: Youth Engagement** 

- **178 1-1’s conducted** in London boroughs 

- **211 New Client Enquiries** conducted 

- Enrolled **8 new core group members** 

- **3 young people have completed work experience** with  We Belong 

- **13 workshops** delivered by young activists 

- **Engaged 98 young people** through 9 monthly gatherings 

## **Case study of a Core Group Member:** 

_This  young  person  came  to  We  Belong  following  our  advertisement  for  Core  Group  Members.  As  they attended  more  meetings  and  engaged  with  other  young  people,  the  young  person  began  to  feel  more confident  and  disclosed  during  one  of  our  one  to  one  meetings,  that  they  were  undocumented  and  facing difficulties  with  their  guardian  at  home.  We  Belong  were  able  to  assess  the  young  person  using  our Safeguarding  procedures  and  provide  wellbeing  support  as  the  young  person’s  mental  health  had  been negatively  impacted.  We  were  also  able  to  encourage  the  school  to  have  discussions  with  the  young  person’s guardian  to  ensure  more  action  was  being  taken  to  resolve  their  immigration  issues.  We  Belong  supported the  young  person  by  helping  them  to  gain  access  to  free  legal  advice  and  representation.  The  young  person was  offered  opportunities  to  progress  their  skills  through  Core  Group  involvement,  whilst  we  maintained regular  contact  with  their  teachers  at  their  school  to  seek  opportunities  for  them  to  develop  skills  over  the Summer months._ 

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**WE BELONG** 

## **TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022** 

## **Expansion: Manchester Chapter** 

In  November  2021,  We  Belong  opened  the  Manchester  Chapter  after  conducting  a  scoping  enquiry which  evidenced  that  62%  of  our  outside  London  enquiries  in  the  previous  financial  year  were located  in  Manchester.  We  have  since  employed  two  members  of  staff,  a  Youth  Engagement  Officer and a Community Engagement Officer to develop our work in Manchester and the North. The  new  chapter  works  closely  with  We  Belong  colleagues  from  the  London  head  office  and  gives  the organisation  greater  reach  across  the  country,  ensuring  young  migrants  nationwide  are  supported and  platformed.  This  new  chapter  is  supported  by  funding  from  the  John  Ellerman  Foundation  and the National Lottery Community Fund. 

Impact  of  our  work  in  Manchester  since  January  2021  when  the  team  started  conducted  client enquiries and 1-1’s with young people: 

- 35 1-1’s conducted with young migrants 

- 5 University and Careers Events attended reaching over 1,000 students 

- participation 

- Three  gatherings held reaching on average 8 young people per month 

- 10  Partnership  Engagements  developing  potential  collaborations  with  youth-led  groups  and community organisations in Manchester 

- Ongoing  relationships  with  the  University  of  Manchester,  Manchester  Metropolitan  and  the University of Salford 

## **Case studies of young people we have worked with in Manchester:** 

## 

A  is  a  young  person  who  has  had  contact  with  We  Belong  before  the  Manchester  Chapter  opened through  the  London  office.  She  has  really  thrived  since  the  opening  of  the  Manchester  chapter,  keen to  get  the  ball  rolling  with  creating  a  network  of  young  migrants.  Following  an  initial  meeting,  where our  Community  Engagement  Officer  assessed  her  interests,  skills  and  passion  for  the  arts,  we signposted  her  to  a  range  of  opportunities  around  the  city,  including  a  social  media  course  at Manchester  International  Festival.  As  someone  who  is  currently  without  status,  and  thus  unable  to work,  she  has  been  really  keen  to  get  involved  with  as  many  other  opportunities  as  possible.  A  has developed  so  many  skills  during  this  period  including  public  speaking  as  she  told  her  story  of  self  at the  first  Manchester  youth  gathering.  She  has  also  joined  a  migrant  arts  group  that  We  Belong signposted  her  to,  and  has  since  been  appointed  a  volunteering  role.  Her  confidence  has  been boosted  massively  during  this  time.  She  has  developed  her  skills,  which  she  has  also  brought  to  her volunteering  at  We  Belong.  Our  Youth  Engagement  Officer  has  assisted  her  with  two  scholarship applications and we are now awaiting a positive result. 

## **HB** 

HB  is  a  very  bright  young  person  who  is  interested  in  engineering  and  was  very  determined  to  go  to 

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**WE BELONG** 

**TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022** 

_______________________________________________________________________________________ 

university.  Due  to  status,  HB’s  only  option  was  to  apply  for  an  Article  26  scholarship.  Our  Youth Engagement  Officer  supported  HB  in  writing  a  personal  statement  that  fitted  the  required  criteria, went  through  interview  preparation,  completed  a  mock  interview  and  offered  additional  support. HB  was  successful  in  receiving  an  Article  26  Scholarship  offer  from  the  University  of  Manchester and will be starting their degree in September 2022. 

## **FUNDING PROCESS** 

We  Belong  submits  funding  applications  either  by  open  grant  processes  or  by  invitation  from grantmakers.  The  executive  team  undertakes  a  scoping  exercise  to  identify  and  assess  prospective funders  ensuring  alignment  with  our  work  before  adding  them  to  our  fundraising  pipeline.  Once  a prospective  grant  is  on  the  Fundraising  Pipeline  it  is  then  tracked  from  submission  to  assessment  and finally  through  to  decision.  In  addition,  trustees  approved  an  18-month  Fundraising  Strategy  which further  documents  grants  on  the  organisational  radar,  potential  revenue,  expenditure  and approximate reserves. 

## **FUNDRAISIN G** 

**Barrow Cadbury Trust: Ayesha Saran, Migration Programme Manager** 

_‘The  Barrow  Cadbury  Trust  has  funded  We  Belong  since  its  establishment  and  we  have  been  extremely impressed  by  how  quickly  it  has  established  itself  as  an  important  and  powerful  voice  for  change.  It  has worked  tirelessly  to  both  empower  and  change  the  lives  of  thousands  of  young  people  facing  injustices within  the  UK’s  immigration  system,  its  recent  contribution  to  the  policy  change  on  the  ten  year  route  being an  outstanding  example  of  its  effectiveness.  It  also  continually  strives  to  ensure  that  those  affected  by injustice  guide  and  lead  its  strategy  and  campaigning,  which  undoubtedly  increases  its  impact.  Despite  the difficult external context, I have no doubt that We Belong will continue to go from strength to strength.’_ 

**as  core  unrestricted  grants** enabling  the  organisation  to  focus  on  sustaining  projects  and  staff  roles.. **We  raised  £372,646  in  total  income,  including  a  noteworthy  grant  from  the  National  Lottery Community  Fund  covering  5-years  of  organisational  expenditure  focussing  on  developing  the Manchester  Chapter.** The  flexibility  we  saw  throughout  the  pandemic  continued  as  our  relational funders  welcomed  changes  to  restricted  submitted  budgets  enabling  us  to  respond  to  need  and reallocate  budget  lines.  This  year  we  saw  income  from  workshops  and  conferences  amounting  to **£3,025.** 

We  were  able  to  maintain  our **Covid-19  Emergency  Grants** and  extend  the  Hardship  fund throughout  2021  helping  an  additional **75  young  migrants  who  faced  financial  difficulties,  totalling an amount of £15,184.** 

We  appreciate  all  our  supporters;  without  them  we  would  not  be  able  to  continue  this  purpose driven work. 

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## **WE BELONG** 

## **TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022** 

_______________________________________________________________________________________ 

## **ONGOING DEVELOPMENTS** 

## 

1. **Concessions  have  to  be  made  in  favour  of  incremental  change:** Advocacy  is  a  sustained  effort  to engage  with  different  stakeholders  who  have  the  power  to  make  the  change  you  desire,  as highlighted  in  your  campaign.  This  requires  a  deep  focus  on  systems  and  relationships.  While  the campaign  sets  the  direction  of  travel,  our  advocacy  strategy  needs  to  be  agile,  and  reactive  to external  events  in  the  policy  world  and  society.  It  requires  us  to  be  realistic,  to  make  compromises, where needed, and break down our campaign asks into achievable, incremental change. 

**2.  For  policy  wins  to  be  sustained  they  must  be  activated  and  monitored:** it  is  important  that  we work  on  a  live  implementation  plan  for  the  next  2  years  to  ensure  we  activate  the  policy  win, identifying  those  who  are  now  eligible  for  a  5  year  route.  In  addition,  we  must  ensure  that  we  track where  and  how  the  policy  is  not  being  implemented  by  the  Home  Office  as  intended  and  maintain dialogue with senior civil servants to escalate and resolve ongoing issues. 

**3.  We  require  strategic  partnerships,  collaborations  and  increased  local  presence  to  disseminate the  policy  win:** the  win  was  secured  through  a  national  framework,  we  now  need  to  actively  seek partnerships  with  local  and  grassroot  organisers  to  reach  black  and  ethnic  minority  groups  impacted so  they  can  self-identify  status  issues  and  support  needs  to  regularise  their  status.  This  may  also mean  that  We  Belong  will  need  to  broaden  the  beneficiary  group  to  work  with  children  and  the families younger than 16 years old for early intervention. 

4. **Lived  Experience  Activists:** as  an  organisation  should  always  prioritise  the  wellbeing  of  young people  with  lived  experience;  this  takes  primacy  over  campaigning,  and  associated  project  delivery demands.  This  includes  pausing  or  decreasing  engagement  in  projects  so  that  young  people  are  not pressured or overwhelmed by social change. 

## **Governance** 

We  have  strengthened  our  board  of  trustees  by  recruiting  another  lived  experience  trustee Omolade  Adedapo  who  has  strong  expertise  working  in  governance  and  policy  as  well  as  acting  as community  and  welfare  officer  at  her  student  union.  Her  expertise  and  passion  will  contribute  to  the decision  making  of  the  board  across  both  our  Let  Us  Learn  and  Chasing  Status  Projects  as  we  try  and improve  conditions  for  young  migrants  at  universities  and  within  wider  society.  Our  commitment  to lived  experienced  leaders  has  led  to  senior  board  members  rotating  the  development  needs  of younger  trustees  through  shadowing,  mentoring  and  increased  dialogue  every  quarter.  This  will foster  an  intergenerational  way  of  working  as  well  as  intentionally  developing  the  confidence  of younger  lived  experience  trustees  to  engage  in  high  level  decision  making  in  finance,  risk  and strategic areas. 

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**WE BELONG** 

## **TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022** 

_______________________________________________________________________________________ 

## **Engagement and Relationship Building: Beneficiaries (New Client Enquiries)** 

**record  of  285  new  client  enquiries  from  across  the  UK.** This  is  an  83%  increase  from  the  previous year,  meaning  an  increase  in  our  visibility  through  our  social  media  channels  and  referrals.  In particular,  we  saw  an  increase  in  calls  over  the  period  of  October  2021-March  2021  due  to  the announcement  of  the  campaign  win  .  Overall,  we  provided  information  and  support  on  immigration, student  finance,  scholarships,  no  recourse  to  public  funds,  housing  and  mental  health.  For  complex cases  we  worked  with  external  civil  society  organisations  through  signposting  and  referrals  keeping a close relationship with these services to track outcomes for our young people. 

## **FINANCIAL REVIEW** 

The  Trustees  reported  net  incoming  resources  of  £55,526  (2021:  £184,662)  on  all  operations  for  the period  under  review.  The  income  for  the  year  was  £372,646  (2021:  £417,589)  and  expenditure  was £317,120  (2021:  £232,927).  The  fund  balance  at  the  end  of  the  period  of  £387,464  (2021: £331,938)  comprised  unrestricted  funds  of  £342,605  (2021:  £251,106)  and  restricted  funds  of £44,859  (2021: £80,332). 

## **RESERVES POLICY:** 

for 3-6 months. 

The  unrestricted  reserve  balance  at  31  March  2022  was  £342,605  (2021:  £251,106).  Based  on  the budget  for  2022/23  this  represents  8  months  expenditure  and  therefore  the  Trustees  consider  that the  value  of  the  funds  at  31  March  2022  meets  these  objectives.  This  was  due  to  changes  in expenditure  as  most  programmes  were  delivered  online  due  to  the  pandemic.  In  addition,  we  delayed the  recruitment  of  our  Immigration  Caseworker  until  22/23  financial  year.  The  reserves  will  be utilised across the upcoming financial years. 

## **RISK MANAGEMENT: `** 

The  Trustees  actively  review  the  major  risks  which  face  the  charity  on  a  regular  basis,  with  a  risk assessment  report  available  online  and  highlighted  at  every  Trustee  meeting.  Financially  the Trustees  believe  that  maintaining  reserves  at  adequate  levels,  combined  with  an  annual  review of  the  controls  over  key  financial  systems  will  provide  sufficient  resources  in  the  event  of adverse  conditions.  The  Trustees  have  also  examined  other  operational  and  business  risks  faced by  the  charity  and  believe  that  the  systems  in  place  to  mitigate  significant  risks  offers  the  Trust adequate protection. 

## **GOING CONCERN** : 

The  Trustees  believe  that  by  maintaining  reserves  at  the  levels  required  by  the  reserves  policy and  by  regularly  reviewing  the  charity’s  key  financial  systems,  they  can  ensure  that  sufficient resources  are  in  place  to  mitigate  significant  financial  risks.  The  Trustees  have  examined  the 

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## **WE BELONG** 

## **TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022** 

next  12  months  together  with  the  reserves  in  place  offer  the  charity  adequate  protection  to ensure  its  continuance  as  a  going  concern.  The  Charity  has  in  place  a  three  year  budget  to  ensure future planning is secure. 

## **PUBLIC BENEFIT:** 

When  planning  our  activities  for  the  year,  the  Trustees  have  considered  the  Charity Commission's  guidance  on  public  benefit.  Trustees  are  clear  that  there  are  identifiable  benefits to the work that we do - some of these are identified below; 

- ● Trustees are clear that those benefits relate to our aims. 

- 

## **UPDATE ON FUTURE PLANS** 

## **Manchester Office :** 

Throughout  this  year  we  have  initiated **Phase  1:** Identify  young  migrants  with  lived  experience  and those  interested  in  the  work  of  We  Belong.  The  team  have  also  focussed  on  networking  and developing  the  We  Belong  branding  and  presence  in  Manchester  and  formalising  a  local  group  of activists and change agents.  Over the next 2-4 years  we will be committing to the following. 

- **Phase  2:** Build  community  ties,  and  positively  engage  with  the  wider  sector  through  support, social  actions  and  collaboration.  Expand  We  Belong’s  network  through  participation  and ensure We Belong identity is rooted in Manchester. 

- **Phase  3:** Increase  engagement  of  young  people  and  develop  regional  advocacy  for  shorter and  more  affordable  routes  to  settlement.  Deliver  training  on  youth  organising  where  young people  can  become  change  agents,  develop  their  public  speaking  proficiency  and  start  an open dialogue with policy makers. 

utilise the learning as we look to expand We Belong Chapters in the next two years into other cities. 

## **The Three Pillars: Education, Empowerment and Employment:** 

We  will  be  assessing  the  needs  of  young  people  post-pandemic  so  that  as  an  organisation  we  can better  respond  to  needs  and  support  young  people  along  the  way.  We  will  be  strengthening  our engagement  and  offer  to  young  migrants  within  schools  through  three  key  pillars,  Education, Empowerment  and  Employment.  In  both  the  empowerment  and  employment  pillars  we  will  be collaborating  with  external  partners  to  bolster  our  package  of  information  and  opportunities  whilst ensuring  young  people  are  inspired.  This  will  include  sessions  facilitated  by  corporates  for  students to  gain  insight  and  explore  potential  career  and  job  opportunities,  with  particular  focus  on representation of young people from black and ethnic minority backgrounds. 

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## **WE BELONG** 

## **TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022** 

_______________________________________________________________________________________ 

## **Implementation Plan: 19 Co-Producers across London and Manchester** 

**By  2025** we  hope  to  engage  over  2,000  young  migrants  so  they  can  become  aware  of  their immigration  status  and  pathways  to  settlement.  This  requires  additional  capacity,  in  line  with  our lived  experience  activism  model  as  well  as  partnership  working  with  allies.  Thus,  we  plan  to  recruit Co-Producers  initially  in  London  followed  by  Manchester.  Co-producers  will  be  remunerated  to work  alongside  our  Community  Engagement  Officers.  Once  inducted  we  aim  to  advance  these  three objectives so that we can reach, engage and empower young people with precarious status: 

## 1. **Improve young people’s individual outcomes:** 

- Upskilling  and  educating  them  on  the  inner  workings  of  local  authorities,  schools  and community groups 

- Empowering them to speak in public about issues that matter to them 

- Developing  strategic  skills  as  they  collectively  create  a  dissemination  plan  with  a  hyperlocal focus 

## 2. **Unlock  potential  so  that  young  migrants  can  lead,  build  and  sustain  movements  which  will fundamentally change the nature of the migration sector,** with: 

   - Increase in new and existing voices of young people empowered to create change 

   - Clear  pathways  for  young  people  to  become  social  change  agents  and  contribute  to  We Belong activities 

3. 

   - Relationships:  Our  young  activists  will  continue  to  be  trusted  partners  working  with  the  home office to scrutinise and improve policies, cultures and practices 

   - Insight:  Our  community  outreach  will  help  us  to  identify  emerging  problems  and  engage  with 

   - young people and local stakeholders to provide viable solutions 

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**WE BELONG** 

## **TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022** 

_______________________________________________________________________________________ 

## **STATEMENT OF THE TRUSTEES' RESPONSIBILITIES** 

statements  for  each  financial  year,  which  give  a  true  and  fair  view  of  the  CIO’s  financial  activities during  the  year  and  of  its  financial  position  at  the  end  of  the  year.  In  preparing  financial  statements giving a true and fair view the trustees should follow best practice and: 

- ❏  Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; 

- ❏  Observe the methods and principles in the applicable Charities SORP; 

- ❏  Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; 

- ❏  State  whether  applicable  accounting  standards  and  statements  of  recommended  practice have  been  followed,  subject  to  any  material  departures  disclosed  and  explained  in  the financial statements; and 

- ❏ presume that the charity will continue in operation. 

The  Trustees  are  responsible  for  keeping  adequate  accounting  records  which  disclose  with reasonable  accuracy  at  any  time  the  financial  position  of  the  charity  and  which  enable  them  to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011. 

The  Trustees  are  also  responsible  for  safeguarding  the  assets  of  the  charity  and  hence  for  taking reasonable  steps  for  the  prevention  and  detection  of  fraud  and  other  irregularities.  The  Trustees confirm  that  to  the  best  of  their  knowledge  there  is  no  information  relevant  to  the  Independent Examination of which the Examiner is unaware. 

are  aware  of  all  relevant  financial  information  and  that  this  information  has  been  communicated  to the Examiner. 

The  Trustees  are  members  of  the  charity,  but  this  entitles  them  only  to  voting  rights.  The  Trustees have no beneficial interest in the charity. 

This  report  was  approved  by  the  Board  of  Trustees  on  1  December  2022  and  signed  on  their  behalf by: 

## COLIN FALCONER 

Colin Falconer Trustee and Chair 

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**REPORT OF THE INDEPENDENT EXAMINER TO THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022** 

_______________________________________________________________________________________ 

I  report  to  the  charity  trustees  on  my  examination  of  the  accounts  of  We  Belong  for  the  period  ended 31 March 2022. 

This  report  is  made  solely  to  the  trustees  as  a  body,  in  accordance  with  the  Charities  Act  2011.  My examination  has  been  undertaken  so  that  I  might  state  to  the  trustees  those  matters  I  am  required  to state  to  them  in  an  independent  examiner's  report  and  for  no  other  purpose.  To  the  fullest  extent permitted  by  law,  I  do  not  accept  or  assume  responsibility  to  anyone  other  than  the  charity  and  the trustees as a body, for my examination, for this report, or for the opinions I have formed. 

## **Responsibilities and basis of report** 

As  the  charity  trustees  of  the  CIO  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  CIO’s  accounts  carried  out  under  section  145  of  the 2011  Act.  In  carrying  out  my  examination  I  have  followed  the  Directions  given  by  the  Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act. 

## **Independent examiner’s statement** 

Since  the  charity’s  gross  income  exceeded  £250,000  your  examiner  must  be  a  member  of  a  body listed  in  section  145  of  the  2011  Act.  I  confirm  that  I  am  qualified  to  undertake  the  examination because I am a member of the ICAEW, which is one of the listed bodies. 

with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect: 

1.  Accounting  records  were  not  kept  in  respect  of  the  CIO  as  required  by  section  130  of  the Act; or 

2.  The accounts do not accord with those records; or 

3.  The  accounts  do  not  comply  with  the  applicable  requirements  concerning  form  and  content of  accounts  set  out  in  the  Charities  (Accounts  and  Reports)  Regulations  2008  other  than  any requirement  that  the  accounts  give  as  ‘true  and  fair’  view  which  is  not  considered  part  of  an independent examination. 

4.  The  accounts  have  not  been  prepared  in  accordance  with  the  methods  and  principles  of  the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities. 

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. 

## CAROLINE SHARP 

Caroline Sharp FCA, DChA Date:          December  2022 7 London SE7 

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## **WE BELONG** 

## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022** 

_______________________________________________________________________ 

|**Notes**<br>Income from :<br>Donations and legacies<br>4<br>Charitable activities<br>5<br>Total Income<br>Expenditure on:<br>Charitable activities<br>6<br>Total Expenditure<br>Net Income for the year<br>Transfer between funds<br>Net Movement in funds<br>Reconciliation of funds:<br>Funds brought forward<br>**Funds carried forward**<br>12|**Unrestricted**<br>**Funds**<br>**Restricted**<br>**Funds**<br>**Total 2022**<br>**Total 2021**<br>£<br>£<br>£<br>£<br>178,907<br>15,135<br>194,042<br>230,114<br>8,025<br>170,579<br>178,604<br>187,475|
|---|---|
||**186,932**<br>**185,714**<br>**372,646**<br>**417,589**<br>95,433<br>221,687<br>317,120<br>232,927|
||**95,433**<br>**221,687**<br>**317,120**<br>**232,927**|
||**91,499**<br>**(35,973)**<br>**55,526**<br>**184,662**|
||-<br>-<br>-<br>-|
||**91,499**<br>**(35,973)**<br>**55,526**<br>**184,662**<br>251,106<br>80,832<br>331,938<br>147,276|
|||
||**342,605**<br>**44,859**<br>**387,464**<br>**331,938**|



All  activities  derive  from  continuing  operations.  There  are  no  other  recognised  gains  and  losses other  than  those  stated  above.  Movements  in  funds  are  disclosed  in  note  12  to  the  financial statements. 

The notes attached on pages 20 to 29 form an integral part of these accounts. 

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## **WE BELONG** 

## **BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 MARCH 2022** 

|____________________________________<br>Notes<br>**CURRENT ASSETS**<br>Debtors<br>9<br>Cash at bank and in hand:<br>Total current assets<br>**LIABILITIES**<br>Creditors: amounts falling due within one<br>year<br>10<br>**Net Current assets**<br>**NET ASSETS TOTALS**<br>**THE FUNDS OF THE CHARITY**<br>Restricted Funds<br>12<br>Unrestricted Funds<br>12<br>**TOTAL FUNDS**|____________________________<br>**2022**<br>**2022**<br>**2021**<br>**2021**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>29,569<br>5,200<br>367,782<br>332,115<br>397,351<br>337,315<br>9,887<br>5,377<br>387,464<br>331,938<br>387,464<br>331,938<br>44,859<br>80,832<br>342,605<br>251,106<br>387,464<br>331,938|____________________________<br>**2022**<br>**2022**<br>**2021**<br>**2021**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>29,569<br>5,200<br>367,782<br>332,115<br>397,351<br>337,315<br>9,887<br>5,377<br>387,464<br>331,938<br>387,464<br>331,938<br>44,859<br>80,832<br>342,605<br>251,106<br>387,464<br>331,938|
|---|---|---|
||||
|||331,938|
|||80,832<br>251,106|
|||331,938|



Approved by the board of trustees on  1 December  2022 and signed on their behalf by 

## COLIN FALCONER 

Colin Falconer Trustee and Chair 

The notes attached on pages 20 to 29 form an integral part of these account s. 

19 



## **WE BELONG** 

## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022** 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

## **1.  Accounting policies** 

## **Statutory information** 

We  Belong  is  a  Charitable  Incorporated  Organisation,  registered  with  the  Charity  Commission  for England  and  Wales.  The  registered  office  and  operational  address  is  EC1  Offices,  338  City  Road, London EC1V 2PY. 

## **Basis of preparation** 

Charities:  Statement  of  Recommended  Practice  applicable  to  charities  preparing  their  accounts  in accordance  with  the  Financial  Reporting  Standard  applicable  in  the  UK  and  Republic  of  Ireland  (FRS 102)  -  (Charities  SORP  FRS  102),  The  Financial  Reporting  Standard  applicable  in  the  UK  and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011. 

The  financial  statements  have  been  prepared  to  give  a  ‘true  and  fair’  view  and  have  departed  from the  Charities  (Accounts  and  Reports)  Regulations  2008  only  to  the  extent  required  to  provide  a  ‘true and  fair  view’.  This  departure  has  involved  following  Accounting  and  Reporting  by  Charities preparing  their  accounts  in  accordance  with  the  Financial  Reporting  Standard  applicable  in  the  UK and  Republic  of  Ireland  (FRS  102)  rather  than  the  Accounting  and  Reporting  by  Charities:  Statement of Recommended Practice effective from 1 April 2005 which has since been withdrawn. 

Assets  and  liabilities  are  initially  recognised  at  historical  cost  or  transaction  value  unless  otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy or note. 

judgements,  for  example  in  respect  of  significant  accounting  estimates.  Estimates  and  judgements are  continually  evaluated  and  are  based  on  historical  experience  and  other  factors,  including expectations  of  future  events  that  are  believed  to  be  reasonable  under  the  circumstances.  The nature  of  the  estimation  means  the  actual  outcomes  could  differ  from  those  estimates.  Any significant  estimates  and  judgements  affecting  these  financial  statements  are  detailed  within  the relevant accounting policy below. 

are rounded to the nearest £1. 

## 

## **Going concern** 

The  Trustees  consider  that  there  are  no  material  uncertainties  about  the  charity's  ability  to  continue as a going concern. 

The  Trustees  do  not  consider  that  there  are  any  sources  of  estimation  uncertainty  at  the  reporting date  that  have  a  significant  risk  of  causing  a  material  adjustment  to  the  carrying  amounts  of  assets and liabilities within the next reporting period. 

20 



## **WE BELONG** 

## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022** 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

## **Income recognition** 

Income,  whether  from  exchange  or  non-exchange  transactions,  is  recognised  in  the  statement  of financial  activities  (SOFA)  on  a  receivable  basis,  when  a  transaction  or  other  event  results  in  an increase  in  the  charity’s  assets  or  a  reduction  in  its  liabilities  and  only  when  the  charity  has  legal entitlement, the income is probable and can be measured reliably. 

Income  subject  to  terms  and  conditions  which  must  be  met  before  the  charity  is  entitled  to  the resources is not recognised until the conditions have been met. 

Income  from  government  and  other  grants,  whether  ‘capital’  grants  or  ‘revenue’  grants,  is  recognised when  the  charity  has  entitlement  to  the  funds,  any  performance  conditions  attached  to  the  grants have  been  met,  it  is  probable  that  the  income  will  be  received,  and  the  amount  can  be  measured reliably and is not deferred. 

All income is accounted for gross, before deducting any related fees or costs. 

## **Accounting for deferred income and income received in advance** 

Where  terms  and  conditions  relating  to  income  have  not  been  met  or  uncertainty  exists  as  to whether  the  charity  can  meet  any  terms  or  conditions  otherwise  within  its  control,  income  is  not recognised  but  is  deferred  as  a  liability  until  it  is  probable  that  the  terms  or  conditions  imposed  can be met. 

## **Donated goods, facilities and services** 

Donated  professional  services  and  facilities  are  recognised  as  income  when  the  charity  has  control over  the  item,  any  conditions  associated  with  the  donated  item  have  been  met,  the  receipt  of economic  benefit  from  the  use  by  the  charity  is  probable  and  that  economic  benefit  can  be  measured reliably.  There  were  no  such  donations  during  the  period  in  question.  In  accordance  with  the Charities  SORP  (FRS  102),  the  general  volunteer  time  of  trustees  and  volunteers  is  not  recognised with any monetary value. 

## **Fund accounting** 

1) Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity. 

2) Designated funds are unrestricted funds set aside by the Trustees for particular purposes. 3) Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure imposed by the donor or through the terms of an appeal. 

## **Recognition of liabilities and expenditure** 

A  liability,  and  the  related  expenditure,  is  recognised  when  a  legal  or  constructive  obligation  exists  as a  result  of  a  past  event,  and  when  it  is  more  likely  than  not  that  a  transfer  of  economic  benefits  will be  required  in  settlement,  and  when  the  amount  of  the  obligation  can  be  measured  or  reliably estimated. 

Liabilities  arising  from  future  funding  commitments  and  constructive  obligations,  including performance  related  grants,  where  the  timing  or  the  amount  of  the  future  expenditure  required  to settle  the  obligation  are  uncertain,  give  rise  to  a  provision  in  the  accounts,  which  is  reviewed  at  the accounting  year  end.  The  provision  is  increased  to  reflect  any  increases  in  liabilities,  and  is  decreased by  the  utilisation  of  any  provision  within  the  period,  and  reversed  if  any  provision  is  no  longer 

21 



**WE BELONG** 

## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022** 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

required.  These  movements  are  charged  or  credited  to  the  respective  funds  and  activities  to  which the provision relates. 

## **Allocating costs to activities** 

Support  costs  are  those  functions  that  assist  the  work  of  the  charity  but  do  not  directly  undertake charitable  activities.  These  include  office  costs,  finance,  personnel,  payroll  and  governance  costs which support the charity's charitable activities. 

## **Debtors** 

Debtors are measured at their recoverable amounts at the balance sheet date. 

## **Creditors and provisions** 

## **Financial instruments including cash and bank balances** 

Cash  held  by  the  charity  is  included  at  the  amount  actually  held  and  counted  at  the  year  end.  Bank balances,  whether  in  credit  or  overdrawn,  are  shown  at  the  amounts  properly  reconciled  to  the  bank statements. 

## **Pension** 

amounts payable by the charity to the fund in respect of the period. 

## **Fixed assets** 

Items costing less than £2,500 (previously £1,000) are not capitalised. 

## **2 Liability to taxation** 

Finance  Act  2010  for  UK  corporation  tax  purposes.  Accordingly,  the  Charity  is  potentially  exempt from  taxation  in  respect  of  income  or  capital  gains  received  within  categories  covered  by  chapter  3 part  11  of  the  Corporation  Tax  Act  2010  or  Section  256  of  the  Taxation  of  Chargeable  Gains  Act 1992,  to  the  extent  that  such  income  or  gains  are  applied  exclusively  on  the  specific  charitable objects of the charity and for no other purpose. 

Value  Added  Tax  is  not  recoverable  by  the  charity  and  is  therefore  included  in  the  relevant  costs  in the Statement of Financial Activities. 

22 



## **WE BELONG** 

## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022** 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

## 

|**Notes**<br>**Income from :**<br>Donations and legacies<br>4<br>Charitable activities<br>5<br>**Total Income**<br>**Expenditure on:**<br>Charitable activities<br>6<br>**Total Expenditure**<br>**Net Income for the year**<br>Transfer between funds<br>**Net Movement in funds**<br>**Reconciliation of funds:**<br>Funds brought forward<br>**Funds carried forward**<br>12|**Unrestricted**<br>**Funds**<br>**Restricted**<br>**Funds**<br>**Total 2021**<br>**Total 9**<br>**months**<br>**period ended**<br>**31 March**<br>**2020**<br>£<br>£<br>£<br>£<br>230,114<br>-<br>230,114<br>120,954<br>2,575<br>184,900<br>187,475<br>145,043|
|---|---|
||**232,689**<br>**184,900**<br>**417,589**<br>**265,997**<br>74,533<br>158,394<br>232,927<br>118,721|
||**74,533**<br>**158,394**<br>**232,927**<br>**118,721**|
||**158,156**<br>**26,506**<br>**184,662**<br>**147,276**|
||(5,967)<br>5,967<br>-<br>-|
||**152,189**<br>**32,473**<br>**184,662**<br>**147,276**<br>98,917<br>48,359<br>147,276<br> -|
|||
||**251,106**<br>**80,832**<br>**331,938**<br>**147,276**|



23 



## **WE BELONG** 

## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022** 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

## **4  Donations** 

|**Donations**||
|---|---|
|**General donations**<br>**Grants from trust and foundations**<br>_AB Charitable Trust_<br>_Paul Hamlyn Foundation_<br>_Tudor Trust_<br>_Hollick Family Foundation_<br>_Esmée Fairbairn_<br>_Anonymous Family Trust_<br>_Anonymous Charitable Trust_<br>**Total Donations**|**Unrestricted**<br>**funds**<br>**Restricted**<br>**funds**<br>**Total 2022**<br>**Total 2021**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>11,907<br>135<br>12,042<br>22,114<br>25,000<br>-<br>25,000<br>25,000<br>60,000<br>-<br>60,000<br>77,000<br>30,000<br>-<br>30,000<br>-<br>10,000<br>-<br>10,000<br>-<br>42,000<br>-<br>42,000<br>96,000<br>-<br>15,000<br>15,000<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>10,000|
||**178,907**<br>**15,135**<br>**194,042**<br>**230,114**|



All donations in 2021 were unrestricted. 

## **5  Income from charitable activities** 

|**Income from charitable activities**||
|---|---|
|**Grants from trusts and foundations**<br>_Barrow Cadbury Trust_<br>_Ben & Jerry’s Foundation Fund of_<br>_Tides Foundation_<br>_Unbound Philanthropy_<br>_Trust for London_<br>_National lottery Community Fund_<br>_John Ellerman Foundation_<br>_Emergency COVID Grant_<br>**Workshop & Conference**<br>2021 analysis|**Unrestricted**<br>**funds**<br>**Restricted**<br>**funds**<br>**Total 2022**<br>**Total 2021**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>-<br>25,000<br>25,000<br>44,900<br>-<br>16,560<br>16,560<br>-<br>5,000<br>60,000<br>65,000<br>60,000<br>-<br>20,000<br>20,000<br>40,000<br>-<br>19,019<br>19,019<br>-<br>-<br>30,000<br>30,000<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>40,000<br>3,025<br> -<br>3,025<br>2,575|
||**8,025**<br>**170,579**<br>**178,604**<br>**187,475**|
||**_2,575_**<br>**_184,900_**<br>**_187,475_**|



2021 Unrestricted income is from workshops and conferences. All grants were restricted. 

24 



## **WE BELONG** 

## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022** 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

## **6  Charitable expenditure** 

## **6a Direct programme costs** 

||**Unrestricted**<br>**funds**<br>**Restricted**<br>**funds**<br>**Total 2022**<br>**Total 2021**|
|---|---|
||**£**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>**£**|
|Staff cost (note 7)|25,750<br>147,257<br>173,007<br>136,604|
|Communications|20,328<br>6,215<br>26,543<br>21,874|
|Other programme costs|7,882<br>20,129<br>28,011<br>3,283|
|Emergency Grant COVID19|(206)<br>15,184<br>14,978<br>22,473|
|**Total direct programme costs**|**53,754**<br>**188,785**<br>**242,539**<br>**184,234**|
|||
|**_2021 analysis_**|**_53,815_**<br>**_130,419_**<br>**_184,234_**|
|||



In 2022 Covid grants were made to 75 (2021: 102) individuals to cover essential needs and application costs. 

## **6b Supports costs** 

|Training & recruitment<br>Offce rent<br>Insurance<br>Telephone & internet<br>Printing, postage & stationery<br>Travel, accommodation & subsistence<br>IT support and software<br>Accounting service fee<br>Equipment costs<br>Other expenses<br>**Total support costs**<br>**_2021 analysis_**|**Unrestricted**<br>**funds**<br>**Restricted**<br>**funds**<br>**Total 2022**<br>**Total 2021**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>3,333<br>-<br>3,333<br>2,403<br>12,749<br>22,352<br>35,101<br>28,115<br>-<br>958<br>958<br>915<br>273<br>-<br>273<br>361<br>945<br>551<br>1,496<br>1,429<br>1,346<br>3,836<br>5,182<br>275<br>2,028<br>2,028<br>4,056<br>2,338<br>5,526<br>-<br>5,526<br>6,374<br>11,066<br>2,315<br>13,381<br>2,359<br>1,913<br>862<br>2,775<br>2,024|
|---|---|
||**39,179**<br>**32,902**<br>**72,081**<br>**46,593**|
||**_18,618_**<br>**_27,975_**<br>**_46,593_**|



25 



## **WE BELONG** 

## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022** 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

## **6c Governance costs** 

|Trustees’ meeting expenses<br>Independent examination<br>Total governance costs<br>**_2021 analysis_**<br>Total Charitable expenditure<br>**_2021 analysis_**|**Unrestricted**<br>**funds**<br>**Restricted**<br>**funds**<br>**Total 2022**<br>**Total 2021**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>750<br>-<br>750<br>600<br>1,750<br> -<br>1,750<br>1,500|
|---|---|
||**2,500**<br> **-**<br>**2,500**<br>**2,100**|
||**_2,100_**<br>**_-_**<br>**_2,100_**|
||**95,433**<br>**221,687**<br>**317,120**<br>**232,927**|
||**_74,533_**<br>**_158,394_**<br>**_232,927_**|



## **7 Staff costs and emoluments** 

|Wages and salaries<br>Social security costs<br>Employer's contribution to defned contribution pension scheme<br>The average number of headcount of staff|**2022**<br>**2021**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>157,468<br>125,109<br>10,815<br>7,811<br>4,724<br>3,684|
|---|---|
||**173,007 **<br>**136,604 **|
||6<br>5|



No employee received remuneration amounting to more than £60,000 in the period. 

Up until September 2021 there were two Co-CEOs forming the key management personnel. Dami Makinde Co-CEO resigned from the organisation in September 2021. The total remuneration to the key management personnel, including employers NI and pension, was £65,901 (2021:£79,336). 

## **8 Trustees' remuneration and reimbursed expenses** 

Neither  the  trustees  nor  any  persons  connected  with  them  have  received  any  remuneration from  the  charity  or  any  related  entity.  One  trustee  was  paid  £  89  for  travel  and  meeting expenses in 2022 (2021: Nil). 

26 



## **WE BELONG** 

## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022** 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

One  trustee  received  a  hardship  grant  to  meet  essential  needs  of  £300  (2021:  One  trustee received  a  grant  of  £600)  under  the  same  terms  and  application  procedures  as  other  grant recipients. The trustee was not involved in the grant making process. 

## **9  Debtors** 

|Trade debtors<br>Prepayments<br>**10  Creditors: amounts falling due within one year**<br>Accruals<br>Pension payable<br>Trade creditors<br>HMRC Tax and NI payable<br>**11  Net assets by funds**<br>**Unrestricted**<br>**£**<br>**At 31 March 2022**<br>Fixed assets<br>-<br>Current assets<br>352,492<br>Current liabilities<br>9,887<br>Net assets<br>**342,605**<br>**Unrestricted**<br>**£**<br>**At 31 March 2021**<br>Fixed assets<br>-<br>Current assets<br>256,483<br>Current liabilities<br>5,377<br>Net assets<br>**251,106**|Trade debtors<br>Prepayments<br>**10  Creditors: amounts falling due within one year**<br>Accruals<br>Pension payable<br>Trade creditors<br>HMRC Tax and NI payable<br>**11  Net assets by funds**<br>**Unrestricted**<br>**£**<br>**At 31 March 2022**<br>Fixed assets<br>-<br>Current assets<br>352,492<br>Current liabilities<br>9,887<br>Net assets<br>**342,605**<br>**Unrestricted**<br>**£**<br>**At 31 March 2021**<br>Fixed assets<br>-<br>Current assets<br>256,483<br>Current liabilities<br>5,377<br>Net assets<br>**251,106**||**2022**<br>**2021**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>20,895<br>-<br>8,674<br>5,200|
|---|---|---|---|
||||**29,569**<br>**5,200**|
||||**2022**<br>**2021**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>4,410<br>4,180<br>1,050<br>772<br>272<br>425<br>4,155<br>-|
||||**9,887**<br>**5,377**|
||||**Restricted**<br>**2022 Total**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>-<br>-<br>44,859<br>397,351<br>-<br>9,887|
||**342,605**||**44,859**<br>**387,464**|
||**Unrestricted**<br>**£**<br>-<br>256,483<br>5,377||**Restricted**<br>**2021 Total**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>-<br>-<br>80,832<br>337,315<br>-<br>5,377|
||**251,106**||**80,832**<br>**331,938**|



27 



## **WE BELONG** 

## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022** 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

## **12  Movement in funds** 

|**Unrestricted Funds**<br>General fund<br>Total unrestricted funds<br>**Restricted Funds**<br>_Barrow Cadbury Trust_<br>_Ben & Jerry’s Foundation Fund of_<br>_Tides Foundation_<br>_Unbound Philanthropy_<br>_Trust for London_<br>_Nelson Family Foundation_<br>_Lush Charity Pot_<br>_National Lottery Community Fund_<br>_John Ellerman Foundation_<br>_Emergency COVID Grants_<br>_Anonymous Family Trust_<br>Total restricted funds<br>**Total funds**|**Balance 1**<br>**April 2021**Income<br>ExpenditureFunds<br>transfer<br>**Balance**<br>**31 March**<br>**2022**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>**£**<br>251,106<br>186,932<br>(95,433)<br>-<br>342,605|
|---|---|
||251,106<br>186,932<br>(95,433)<br>-<br>342,605|
||(135)<br>25,135<br>(25,000)<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>16,560<br>(7,418)<br>-<br>9,142<br>25,000<br>60,000<br>(60,000)<br>25,000<br>18,013<br>20,000<br>(38,013)<br>-<br>-<br>16,440<br>-<br>(16,440)<br>-<br>-<br>3,987<br>-<br>(3,987)<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>19,019<br>(18,302)<br>-<br>717<br>-<br>30,000<br>(20,000)<br>-<br>10,000<br>17,527<br>-<br>(17,527)<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>15,000<br> (15,000)<br>-<br>-|
||80,832<br>185,714<br> (221,687)<br>-<br>44,859|
|||
||**331,938**<br>**372,646**<br>**(317,120)**<br>**-**<br>**387,464**|



**12  Movement in funds (continued) - purposes of restricted funds** 

**Barrow  Cadbury  Trust-** To  support  We  Belong  campaigning  work  on  issues  relating  to  immigration; citizenship; higher education and support youth development. 

**Ben  &  Jerry’s  Foundation  Fund  of  Tides  Foundation** -  Leadership  Academy  which  includes Leadership programme and Youth Summit. 

**Unbound Philanthropy** - Organising and Mobilising Immigrant  Youth 

**Trust for London-** We Belong Chasing Status Project-  Pathways to settlement 

**Nelson  Family  Foundation** -  Allocated  to  our  Leadership  Academy  which  includes  Leadership programme and Youth Summit. Funds have also been allocated to developing our digital capacity. 

**Lush Charity Pot-** 

28 



## **WE BELONG** 

## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022** 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

**National  Lottery  Community  Fund-** We  Belong  Youth  Voice  Partnerships  covering  the  Manchester Chapter. 

**John Ellerman Foundation -** Funding activities empowering  young migrants **.** 

**Emergency  COVID  grants  -** Funding  from  Paul  Hamlyn  Foundation  and  Rayne  Foundation  to  enable us  to  give  support  during  the  COVID  crisis.  We  supported  75  beneficiaries  with  cash  grants  during the year, and 102 last year. 

**Anonymous Family Trust** -  For the delivery of Let Us  Learn and Leadership Academy programmes. 

## **Prior year movement in funds** 

|**Unrestricted Funds**<br>General fund<br>**Total unrestricted funds**<br>**Restricted Funds**<br>_Barrow Cadbury Trust_<br>_Ben & Jerry’s Foundation Fund of Tides_<br>_Foundation_<br>_Unbound Philanthropy_<br>_Trust for London_<br>_Nelson Foundation_<br>_Lush Charity Pot_<br>_Emergency COVID Grants_<br>Total restricted funds<br>**Total funds**|**Balance**<br>**1st April**<br>**2020**<br>Income<br>ExpenditureFunds<br>transfer<br>**Balance**<br>**31 March**<br>**2021**<br>£<br>£<br>£<br>£<br>98,917<br>232,689<br>(74,533)<br>(5,967)<br>251,106|
|---|---|
||98,917<br>232,689<br> (74,533)<br> (5,967)<br>251,106|
||-<br>44,900<br>(45,035)<br>-<br>(135)<br>9,287<br>-<br>(15,254)<br>5,967<br>-<br>2,882<br>60,000<br>(37,882)<br>-<br>25,000<br>15,750<br>40,000<br>(37,737)<br>-<br>18,013<br>16,440<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>16,440<br>4,000<br>-<br>(13)<br>-<br>3,987<br>-<br>40,000<br>(22,473)<br>-<br>17,527|
||48,359<br>184,900<br>(158,394)<br>5,967<br>80,832|
|||
||**147,276**<br>**417,589**<br> **(232,927)**<br>**-**<br>**331,938**|



## **13. Related party transactions** 

One trustee received an emergency grant of £300 (2001: £600) as disclosed in note 8. 

One  trustee  received  £563  for  w orking  on  co-facilitating  the  Emerging  Young  Leaders  Programme and data transfer prior to starting tenure on our board in June 2022. 

One  trustee  made  unrestricted  donations  to  the  charity  totalling  £240.  (2021:  Two  trustees  donated a total of £325) 

There are no other related party transactions to disclose for 2021 or 2022. 

29 

