2023-03-31-accounts - Bradford African Community

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Bradford African Community

Charity number 1191374

Annual Report and Financial Statements

for the year ended 31 March 2023

Bradford African Community

Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2023

Contents	Page
Trustees' report	2 to 4
Examiner's report	5
Receipts and payments account	6
Statement of assets and liabilities	7
Notes to the accounts	8 to 10

Prepared by West Yorkshire Community Accountancy Service CIO

Bradford African Community

Trustees' report for the year ended 31 March 2023

Reference and administrative details of the charity, its trustees and advisors

The trustees during the financial year and up to and including the date the report was approved were: Name Position Dates Asumani Susho Resigned 15 April 2022 Catherine Kembabazi Mangala Hussein Clive Whittaker Appointed 7 September 2022 Resigned 1 October 2023 Faith Nyambane Appointed 27 July 2023

Charity number 1191374 Registered in England and Wales Registered and principal address Bankers Quaker Meeting House Lloyds TSB Bank plc Russell Street Ariel House Bradford 2138 Coventry Road BD5 OJB Birmingham B26 3JW Independent examiner Rhys North ACA West Yorkshire Community Accountancy Service CIO Stringer House 34 Lupton Street Leeds LS10 2QW

Structure, governance and management

The charity is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) foundation formed on 21 September 2020 and is governed by a constitution.

Method of recruitment and appointment of trustees

The trustees of the charity are appointed by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees.

The charity's objects

To promote social inclusion for the public benefit by preventing people, in particular (but without limitation) African refugees and asylum seekers residing in Bradford and Yorkshire, from becoming socially excluded, relieving the needs of those people who are socially excluded and assisting them to integrate into society through: a. Education and training in the English language; b. Providing workshops/courses, homework support classes and general support; c. Social and recreational facilities and events involving the local community directed to promoting social inclusion. For the purpose of this clause ‘socially excluded’ means being excluded from society, or part of society, as a result of being a member of a socially and economically deprived community.

The prevention or relief of poverty in Africa by providing: grants, items and services to individuals in need and/or charities, or other organisation’s working to prevent or relieve poverty.

Public benefit statement

In setting our objectives and planning our activities our Trustees have given serious consideration to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit and in particular the promotion of social inclusion.

Bradford African Community

Trustees' report (continued) for the year ended 31 March 2023

Achievements and performance

This report is about the activities that took place at the community between from April 2022 to March 2023.

During the year April 2022 to March 2023 there were 2,615 individuals attended and visited Bradford African Community's (BAC) community centre for learning and for receiving support on a range of matters affecting their lives. (BAC Visitors log book).

BAC visitors and attendance logbook summary figures

Drop in Centre

In total, 497 support sessions were offered on-site and 253 were conducted remotely. Most individuals who visited were assisted and signposted to the appropriate services across the district. Among the most common types of support provided were:

l Universal Credit and other related benefit matter
l Job: Assist with job applications and job searches and CV
l Housing and bidding houses
l Council tax
l GP registration
l Utility bills (Gas and Electric)
l EU settlements
l Home office application for BRP/passport office
l Other IDs: Application for Driving licence.
l Improving understanding of life in the UK and life in UK practice test

Homework Club

BAC engage project provided support to young people and families in need to improve their English literacy and maths skills.

Engage Project has helped our young people to get extra teaching that has provided the impetus and knowledge that they missed out early on in their lives because of living a long time in refugee camps and long journey where they had no access to formal education before arriving to safety in the UK.

Other Engage project activities

The funding has enabled BAC to bring different communities together and build strong relationships amongst us and others by organising engagement and celebration cohesion events. It enabled BAC beneficiaries’ participation in UNIFY festival, Yorkshire Integration Festival, Refugee Week, Black History Month, and selfdevelopment, the Roots programme which aim was to bring the voices of people who battle and care the dream of better Bradford.

With the funding, we were able to hire space, buy food, and invite another group to meet with us in a safe environment to encourage members of our community who are refugees to engage, participate, and contribute fully to UK society. In addition to organising English and Maths homework clubs for young people and parents, it has allowed us to support them in the long run as they move on to work.

Funding has helped our community members with limited income get out and meet the Bradford people, maintain health and wellbeing, organise workshops, and improve links with the community.

Bradford African Community

Trustees' report (continued) for the year ended 31 March 2023

Achievements and performance continued

Other Engage project activities continued

We were able to participate in an event organized by Bradford Council on Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion, with Dame Sara Khan, an independent advisor for social and resilience on behalf of the government. The goal of the event was to build resilience against the negative impact of extremism on local communities. Sara Khan spoke to council, schools, West Yorkshire Police, Bradford Hate Crime Alliance, and Bradford African Community about how to support and protect victims of extremism and those working to stamp it out as well as affected communities.

The grant has enabled us to host other programmes such as sewing in partnership with the skills house and Bradford College and hair dressing in partnership with Realise which facilitate our service users to learn skills needed to go in the fabric industry, textile industry, and hair and beauty industry. Additionally, these programmes have been useful for individuals who are isolated or have experienced trauma, as they have kept them occupied, practiced their English, and engaged with services.

For further details, please refer to the brief report summary of project achievement.

First Year Challenges

The size of the hole we hired as part of our agreement sometimes is becoming too small for us to carry out the work involving multiple service users; therefore, we had hire additional halls to meet the project's growth requirements.

For the practice of life in the UK and the support of homework clubs, the number is increasing more laptops are needed.

Big thank you to the National Lottery Community Fund and Bradford Metropolitan District Council (BMDC) for making the happen.

Further achievement published reports are available on our website: https://bradfordafrican.co.uk/engageproject

Financial review

The net receipts for the year were £12,130, including net receipts of £7,015 on unrestricted funds and net receipts of £5,115 on restricted funds, after transfers.

Reserves policy

The charity's free reserves, at the year end were £13,544.

The general purpose of BAC reserves policy is to help to ensure the long- term financial stability of the organisation and position it to respond to varying economic conditions and changes affecting the organisation’s financial position and the ability of the organisation to continuously carry out its mission.

To enable the organisation to sustain operations through delays in payments of committed funding and to
l accept reimbursable contracts and grants without jeopardizing ongoing operations.

To promote public and funder confidence in the long-term sustainability of the organisation by preventing

l chronic cash flow crises that can diminish its reputation and force its leaders to make expensive shortterm, crisis-based decisions; and
l To create an internal line of credit to manage cash flow and maintain financial flexibility.

The trustees have agreed the target reserves should be between three and six months expenditure. Based on 2022/2023 expenditure this represents a reserves target of between £23,500 and £47,000.

Approved by the board of trustees on 25/1/2024

Mangala Hussein (Trustee)

Bradford African Community

Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Bradford African Community

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the CIO for the year ended 31 March 2023, which are set out on pages 6 to 10.

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 as carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act. In carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiner's statement

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

1 accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Charities Act; 2 the accounts do not accord with those records.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Rhys North ACA

29/1/2024

West Yorkshire Community Accountancy Service CIO

Stringer House 34 Lupton Street Leeds LS10 2QW

Bradford African Community

Receipts and payments account for the year ended 31 March 2023

Notes 2023 Unrestricted funds £ Receipts Grants and donations (2) 3,733 Bank interest 7 Other income 1,280 Total receipts 5,020 Payments Salaries NI and pensions - Payroll charges 616 Freelance costs - Activity costs 536 Equipment 3,038 Car purchase - Insurance 30 Rent 1 Transport and travel 21 Office, printing and stationery 131 Internet - Marketing 50 Refreshments - Volunteer expenses 252 Training - volunteers and staff - Independent examination - Grant repayment - Other expenses (410) Total payments 4,265 Net receipts / (payments) 755 Transfers between funds 6,260 Net movement in funds 7,015 Fund balances brought forward 6,529 Fund balances carried forward (3) 13,544	2023 Restricted funds £ 101,041 - - 101,041 50,212 - 3,897 11,816 - - 1,588 8,499 5,094 3,367 409 1,147 1,372 27 286 840 - 1,112 89,666 11,375 (6,260) 5,115 34,978 40,093	2023 Total funds £ 104,774 7 1,280 106,061 50,212 616 3,897 12,352 3,038 - 1,618 8,500 5,115 3,498 409 1,197 1,372 279 286 840 - 702 93,931 12,130 - 12,130 41,507 53,637	2022 Total funds £ 87,330 - - 87,330 11,714 186 7,149 18,740 4,271 6,787 1,157 6,040 3,107 1,237 444 539 307 3,242 1,220 720 1,057 264 68,181 19,149 - 19,149 22,358 41,507

Bradford African Community Statement of assets and liabilities

as at 31 March 2023 2023 Unrestricted £ Cash funds Cash at bank 13,770 Bradford Community Payroll (244) Cash in hand 18 Total cash funds 13,544 Debtors and prepayments Prepayments - Insurance Assets retained for the charity's own use Motor vehicle Office furniture Liabilities Accruals - Independent examination Other creditors - Salary costs	2023 Restricted £ 40,093 - - 40,093	2023 Total £ 53,863 (244) 18 53,637 2023 £ 152 152 2023 £ 792 12,000 12,792	2022 Total £ 41,465 32 10 41,507

The financial statements were approved by the board of trustees on 25/1/2024

Mangala Hussein (Trustee)

Bradford African Community

Notes to the accounts

for the year ended 31 March 2023

1 Accounting policies

Basis of accounting

The trustees have taken advantage of section 133 of the Charities Act 2011 and have prepared the accounts on a receipts and payments basis.

There has been no change to the accounting policies since last year.

No changes have been made to the accounts for previous years.

Taxation

As a charity the organisation benefits from rates relief and is generally exempt from income tax and capital gains tax but not from VAT. Irrecoverable VAT is included in the cost of those items to which it relates.

Fund accounting

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

Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure imposed by the donor or through the terms of an appeal.

Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the accounts.

Bradford African Community

Notes to the accounts continued

for the year ended 31 March 2023

2 Grants and donations Bradford District Metropolitan Council (BDMC) Bradford Refugee Forum Community Action Bradford & Airedale District National Lottery Community Foundation (NLCF) The School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) Race Equality Network The VCS Alliance Other donations 3 Restricted funds Balance b/f £ BDMC Critical Thinking 1,896 BDMC Community Safety 3,289 NLCF Engage Project 20,500 BDMC HAF 2,306 BDMC Health & Wellbeing 6,000 The VCS Alliance 312 Bradford Refugee Forum 50 Community Action 625 Refugee Week - 34,978	2023 Unrestricted funds £ - - - - 1,500 - - 2,233 3,733 Incoming £ - - 82,000 18,791 - - - - 250 101,041	2023 Restricted funds £ 19,041 - - 82,000 - - - - 101,041 Outgoing £ - - 64,079 19,425 4,925 312 50 625 250 89,666	2023 Total funds £ 19,041 - - 82,000 1,500 - - 2,233 104,774 Transfers £ (1,896) (3,289) - - (1,075) - - - - (6,260)	2022 Total funds £ 58,415 750 625 20,500 2,000 3,540 1,500 - 87,330 Balance c/f £ - - 38,421 1,672 - - - - - 40,093

Fund name BDMC Critical Thinking

BDMC Community Safety

NLCF Engage Project

BDMC HAF BDMC Health & Wellbeing

The VCS Alliance

Bradford Refugee Forum Community Action

Refugee Week

Purpose of restriction

To support the African community in Bradford to challenge stereotypes and become engaged with other communities.

To promote safety in the African community in Bradford and also help communities to come together.

To develop a safe space for support and advice to refugees and to provide educational and support opportunities.

To support the provision of food and activities during school holidays. To enable the provision of ESOL courses that enhance health and wellbeing.

To enable the provision of a range of activities that promote physical and mental health wellbeing for people aged over 40.

To enable the purchase of football equipment.

To enable staff and volunteer training, bid writing support and business planning.

To support activities during Refugee Week.

All transfers represent unspent grant funding that the funder has agreed can be used by the CIO as unrestricted funds.

Notes to the accounts continued for the year ended 31 March 2023

Bradford African Community

4 Related party transactions

Donations from trustees and related parties

The total aggregate value of unconditional donations to the charity from the trustees or related parties was £nil (2021: £nil).

Trustee expenses

No trustee received any expenses during this year or the previous year.

Trustee remuneration and benefits

No trustee received any remuneration or benefit during this or the previous year in their role as a trustee.

Details of other remuneration and benefits Mangala Hussein Gross pay Social security Reason for remuneration Other transactions with trustees or related parties Asumani Susho Asumani Susho Trustee Payment for purchase of car Trustee Allowances for attendance at Community Champion and School of Social Entrepreneur training Name of trustee or related party Relationship to charity Description of transaction The trustee was employed in the role of a holiday scheme project worker.	2023 £ - - - 2023 £ - - -	2022 £ 2,340 62 2,402 2022 £ 6,787 1,400 8,187