## Bradford African Community
Charity number 1191374
## Annual Report and Financial Statements
for the year ended 31 March 2025
## Bradford African Community
## Annual Report and Financial Statements
for the year ended 31 March 2025
|**Contents**|**Page**|
|---|---|
|Trustees' report|2 to 5|
|Examiner's report|6|
|Receipts and payments account|7|
|Statement of assets and liabilities|8|
|Notes to the accounts|9 to 10|
**Prepared by West Yorkshire Community Accountancy Service CIO**
1
## Bradford African Community
## Trustees' report for the year ended 31 March 2025
## **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**
Yassin Toyi Chair Appointed 4 January 2025 Catherine Kembabazi Mangala Hussein Resigned 16 April 2024 Faith Nyambane Ismail Adam Appointed 29 April 2024
## **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.
2
## Bradford African Community
## Trustees' report (continued) for the year ended 31 March 2025
## **Objectives and activities**
## **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.
## **Achievements and performance**
The table above shows the number of individuals who visited and attended Bradford Community centre for learning and to seek support with issues that impact their daily lives. They took part in various activities offered by the centre.
Bradford African Community (BAC) Drop-in-centre provided comprehensive support to individuals facing language and cultural barriers; unemployment; economically inactivity; and a lack of UK work experience, relevant qualification and skills. Our drop-in-centre helped participants to improve their jobs search skills, complete job applications and understand work expectations.
In addition, BAC supported individuals in managing essential tasks such as responding to universal credit and council tax correspondence, enabling them to set-up direct debits to avoid falling into arrears, and understanding eVisa requirement and housing related matters. Where specialist advice was needed, clients were signposted to trusted partners including Bradford Law centre, Manual Bravo project and Citizen’s advice Bureau for legal advice.
3
## Bradford African Community
## Trustees' report (continued) for the year ended 31 March 2025
## **Achievements and performance continued**
Our ESOL speaking and listening alongside cultural orientation workshops were delivered to help participants improve their English communication and deepen their understanding of life in the UK. The sessions supported refugees and migrants in developing the confidence to engage in everyday conversations, access public services and integrate more effectively into their local communities. Cultural orientation components also helped participants to understand British values, social norms and system, enhancing their ability to navigate daily life independently and contributing positively to society.
BAC organised a series of educational and recreational trips across Bradford and wider West Yorkshire to help beneficiaries explore different towns and cities, connect with new environments and gain a better understanding of life in the UK. These trips promoted social inclusion, cultural awareness, and community cohesion, while also providing participants, many of whom are refugees and migrants, with opportunities to build confidence, form friendships and feel more connected to their new home.
Through the Watoto (Children First and Great Little Mind) programme BAC delivered a range of activities for children and young people aimed at their language development. The play and Stay sessions, led by parents, provided safe and engaging spaces where children could learn, interact and build early communication and social skills. Through the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme BAC also offered enriching experiences such as swimming sessions, arts and crafts workshops, family cook and eat sessions and cinema visits featuring inspiring films. These activities were designed to enhance the physical, emotional and social wellbeing of young people, promoting confidence, creativity and positive relationships.
## **Key learning and reflections for the year 2024-2025, the Final years of BAC Engage project**
Over the past - and final - year of the Engage project, BAC has deepened its understanding of what drives meaningful engagement and sustainable impact within refugee and migrant communities.
We have learned that community-rooted approach remains central to building trust, participation and longterm inclusion. Our work has reaffirmed that language support is not only an educational need but a foundation for integration and meaningful participation and contribution to the wider British society, enabling access to employment, health and civic participation.
Through the HAF and Our Youth programme initiative, we have learned that early youth engagement helps prevent isolation and disengagement later in life, while community-led drop-in-centres continue to serve as effective first access points for individuals facing complex barriers, including language barriers.
Importantly, we have learned that social integration must be intentional and not incidental, requiring consistent collaboration between statutory agencies, voluntary organisations and local communities. Finally, we have seen the transformative potential of refugees and migrants as leaders, their lived experience and resilience have become powerful assets in co-designing and delivering inclusive services. These insights will continue to shape Bradford African Community's direction, guiding us towards a more responsive, partnership-driven and sustainable community development.
## **Financial review**
The net receipts for the year were £5,024, including net receipts of £21,757 on unrestricted funds and net payments of £16,733 on restricted funds.
4
## Bradford African Community
## Trustees' report (continued) for the year ended 31 March 2025
## **Reserves policy**
The charity's free reserves, at the year end were £38,136.
The general purpose of BAC's 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.
- l To enable the organisation to sustain operations through delays in payments of committed funding and to accept reimbursable contracts and grants without jeopardizing ongoing operations.
- l To promote public and funder confidence in the long-term sustainability of the organisation by preventing 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 2024/2025 expenditure this represents a reserves target of between £33,000 and £66,000.
Approved by the board of trustees on …………..……...…….
Signed: ………………..…………. (Trustee)
Name: ……………..…..………….
5
## 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 2025, which are set out on pages 7 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.
Signed: …………………………………… Name: Rhys North ACA
Date: …………………….
Stringer House 34 Lupton Street Leeds LS10 2QW
6
## Bradford African Community
## Receipts and payments account for the year ended 31 March 2025
|2025
Unrestricted
funds
£
**Receipts**
Grants and donations
(2)
25,500
Bank interest
44
Other income
848
**Total receipts**
26,392
Salaries NI and pensions
282
Payroll charges
571
Freelancer fees
700
Activity costs
518
Equipment
130
Insurance
-
Rent
-
Transport and travel
-
Office, printing and stationery
678
Telephone and internet
634
Marketing
-
Volunteer expenses
-
Training - volunteers and staff
-
Independent examination
-
DBS checks
-
Car repairs and maintenance
1,122
Water rates
-
Other Costs
-
**Total payments**
4,635
**Net receipts / (payments)**
21,757
**Fund balances brought forward**
16,379
**Fund balances carried forward**
(3)
38,136|2025
Restricted
funds
£
110,755
-
-
110,755
64,830
-
20,335
12,719
2,542
797
15,353
4,420
1,691
77
362
1,220
599
-
612
-
387
1,544
127,488
(16,733)
27,389
10,656|2025
Total
funds
£
136,255
44
848
137,147
65,112
571
21,035
13,237
2,672
797
15,353
4,420
2,369
711
362
1,220
599
-
612
1,122
387
1,544
132,123
5,024
43,768
48,792|2024
Total
funds
£
99,686
42
2,275
102,003
64,587
575
9,707
13,187
3,481
570
8,059
4,512
3,764
670
215
579
358
792
816
-
-
-
111,872
(9,869)
53,637
43,768|
|---|---|---|---|
7
## Bradford African Community Statement of assets and liabilities
|as at 31 March 2025
2025
Unrestricted
£
**Cash funds**
Cash at bank
38,043
Bradford Community Payroll
90
Cash in hand
3
**Total cash funds**
38,136
**Debtors and prepayments**
Prepayments
**Assets retained for the charity's own use**
Motor vehicle
Office and computer equipment
**Liabilities**
Accruals|2025
Restricted
£
10,656
-
-
10,656|2025
Total
£
48,699
90
3
48,792
2025
£
1,672
1,672
2025
£
2,040
2,040|2024
Total
£
43,034
731
3
43,768|
|---|---|---|---|
The financial statements were approved by the board of trustees on …………..……...…….
Signed: ……………...………….…. (Trustee)
Name: ……………..…..………….
8
## Bradford African Community
## Notes to the accounts
for the year ended 31 March 2025
## **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.
9
## Bradford African Community
## Notes to the accounts continued
## for the year ended 31 March 2025
|**2 Grants and donations**
National Lottery Community Foundation (NLCF)
Lloyds Bank Foundation
Groundwork UK
Bradford District Metropolitan Council (BDMC)
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award
Other Donations
**3 Restricted funds**
Balance b/f
£
NLCF Engage Project
25,814
BDMC HAF
1,575
Creating Pathways to Prosperity
-
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award
-
27,389|2025
Unrestricted
funds
£
-
25,000
-
-
-
500
25,500
Incoming
£
61,500
18,600
22,349
8,306
110,755|2025
Restricted
funds
£
61,500
-
22,349
18,600
8,306
-
110,755
Outgoing
£
87,314
17,634
22,349
191
127,488|2025
Total
funds
£
61,500
25,000
22,349
18,600
8,306
500
136,255
Transfers
£
-
-
-
-
-|2024
Total
funds
£
82,000
-
-
16,986
-
700
99,686
Balance c/f
£
-
2,541
-
8,115
10,656|
|---|---|---|---|---|
**Fund name** NLCF Engage Project
## **Purpose of restriction**
To develop a safe space for support and advice to refugees and to provide educational and support opportunities.
BDMC HAF To support the provision of food and activities during school holidays. Creating Pathways to Prosperity Groundwork UK funding towards a cost of employment support project. The Duke of Edinburgh's Award Towards the cost of Duke of Edinburgh award scheme activities.
## **4 Related party transactions**
## **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.
10