Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From January 1[st] 2024 Period start date To 31[st] December 2024 Period end date
Charity name: Brighton Exiled/Refugee Trauma Service
Charity registration number:
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference |
||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | Brighton Exiled/Refugee Trauma Services (BERTS) is a dedicated trauma service, for refugees, asylum seekers and desttute migrants in Sussex. It is a purely voluntary service run for the beneft of the community. We ofer free specialist Cognitve Behavioural Therapy, EMDR, trauma counselling and psychotherapy to local people to help them come to terms with their relocaton in the UK. |
| Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts. |
Para 1.17 and 1.19 |
Mental health treatment and support General Charitable Purposes The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty Human Rights/religious Or Racial Harmony/equality Or Diversity |
| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit |
Para 1.18 | Yes |
| Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |
||
| SORP reference |
||
| Policy on grant making | Para 1.38 | Clinical Director is responsible for this activity with advice and support from Trustees |
| Policy on social investment including program related investment |
Para 1.38 | N/A |
| Contribution made by volunteers |
Para 1.38 | |
| Other |
Achievements and Performance
| SORP reference |
||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole. |
Para 1.20 | See annual report |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
Achievements against objectives set |
Para 1.41 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | |
| Investment performance against objectives |
Para 1.41 |
Other
Financial Review
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | Completed by Treasurer (chartered accountant) and audited by external/independent chartered accountant |
|---|---|---|
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | Reserves are held because funding is precarious from year to year |
| Amount of reserves held | Para 1.22 | Reserves at year end 31/12/24=£31,921. |
| Reasons for holding zero reserves |
Para 1.22 | N/A |
| Details of fund materially in deficit |
Para 1.24 | N/A |
| Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern |
Para 1.23 | N/A |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising) |
Para 1.47 |
Grants from local authority, partnerships with other third sector organisations, NHS grants. |
|---|---|---|
| Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted |
Para 1.46 | N/A |
| A description of the principal risks facing the charity |
Para 1.46 | Lack of funds for operational costs |
| Other |
Structure, Governance and Management
| Description of charity’s trusts: |
||
|---|---|---|
| Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter) |
Para 1.25 | Charity Commission CIO |
| How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO) |
Para 1.25 | CIO |
| Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees |
Para 1.25 | Election, discussion and agreement with existing Trustees |
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees |
Para 1.51 |
|
|---|---|---|
| The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works |
Para 1.51 | |
| Relationship with any related parties |
Para 1.51 | |
| Other |
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | Brighton Exiled/Refugee Trauma Service |
|---|---|
| Other name the charity uses | BERTS |
| Registered charitynumber | 1188586 |
| Charity’s principal address | Brighton Exiled/Refugee Trauma Service BERTS C/O COMMUNITY BASE 113 QUEENS ROAD BRIGHTON BN1 3XG |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sally Munt | Clinical Director and Trustee |
2020-onwards | ||
| Colin Blowers | Chair | 2020-onwards | ||
| Reem Abushawareb |
Trustee | 2020-onwards | ||
| Tessa Axelrod | Trustee | 2020-onwards | ||
| Mehran Toroghi | Trustee | appointed August 2025 | ||
| Lizzy West | Former Trustee: Withdrawn June 2025 due to personal reasons |
2023-onwards | ||
– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved Director name N/A
Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity
| Trustee name | Dates acted if not for whole year |
|
|---|---|---|
| N/A | ||
Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others
Description of the assets N/A held in this capacity Name and objects of the N/A charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for N/A safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets
Additional information (optional)
Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
| Type of adviser |
Name Address |
Name Address |
|---|---|---|
| GP Advisor |
DR Hannah Gould- Brown |
NHS St Peters Medical Practice, Brighton |
| Treasure r |
David Lewis | 151 Huddersfield Road Holmfirth W Yorkshire HD9 3TP |
| Clinical Supervis or |
Vicki Lidbetter | NHS West Sussex, Time to Talk Mental Health Service |
Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)
Exemptions from disclosure
Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details
Working with asylum seekers incurs personal risk from Far Right organisations who are well organised. We do not divulge personal details of Trustees or volunteers for this reason.
Other optional information
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature(s)
Full name(s) Colin Michael Blowers
Position (eg Secretary, Acting Chair of Trustees Chair, etc)
Date
10 Sept 2025
BRIGHTON EXILED/REFUGEE TRAUMA SERVICE (BERTS) INCOME & EXPENDITURE STATEMENT YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
| Income Grants Donations received Total income Expenditure Insurance DBS checks Therapist fees CEO Fees Administration staff cost Office expenses Sim card for vulnerable client Client support costs Resources Training Fixed asset depreciation Total expenditure Surplus/(Deficit) BALANCE SHEET at 31 DECEMBER 2024 Assets Cash at bank Fixed assets Liabilities General fund Fixed assets (write off over 3 years) Printer 2024 External HD 2024 |
2024 £ 31,090 550 31,640 247 50 5,305 6,000 3,670 1,177 - 829 180 - 154 17,612 14,028 2024 £ 31,611 310 31,921 31,921 Cost 379 85 464 |
Cash at bank General fund Dep'n 126 28 154 |
2023 £ - 50 50 247 50 12,900 6,000 3,830 577 252 998 179 (395) - 24,638 -24,588 2023 £ 17,893 17,893 NBV 253 57 310 |
|---|---|---|---|
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