## **Oromo Community in Brighton & Hove** **Charity no. 1192959** ## Trustee Annual Report 2022-23 ## Governance The Oromo Community in Brighton and Hove was established in 2006. We became a registered charity on 4th January 2021. Our charity is run by volunteers. We hold an AGM once a year to elect our trustees. Our trustees meet once a month to oversee the work of the charity. Our work is guided by our members and we receive feedback from them at all our activities and events. We have the following policies which are reviewed every two years: Safeguarding, Equalities, Health and Safety. ## Our Trustees and address Jatani Boru Dida Elias Tuffa Dechasa Hassen-Sule Fatouma Wario Wako Our registered address is: 42 Manor Way, Brighton, BN2 5EF. ## Our Charitable Objectives The charity’s objects are to promote social inclusion for the public benefit by working with people in Brighton, Hove and Sussex who are socially excluded on the grounds of their ethnic origin, religion, belief or creed (in particular, members of the Oromo community) to relieve the needs of such people and assist them to integrate into society, in particular by: - a. Providing a local network group that encourages and enables members of the Oromo community to participate more effectively with the wider community; - b. Providing education in the Oromo language, history and culture for children, to enable them to communicate and engage with their relatives and others in the Oromo community and build their self esteem - c. Providing recreational opportunities to promote mental and physical wellbeing - d. Providing opportunities to meet and share experiences with Oromo communities around the UK - e. Providing opportunities for the wider community in Brighton, Hove and Sussex to learn about Oromo culture through attendance at events ## Our activities & achievements In 2022-23 - 150 adults and 40 children came to our cultural celebration - 54 people came on our family outing - 40 children and 15 adults came to our weekly Saturday Club - 16 men came to the men’s wellbeing club - 17 women came to our women’s group ## Every activity and every person matters Our Saturday Children’s Club has continued to be at the centre of everything we do. The children get to connect and spend time together, but so do the adults. We have refreshments for everyone and our traditional meal once a month. Whilst the children are in their classes the women have a chance to spend time together. The parents talk about how their children are doing, the committee catch up and check-in with each other. We have open discussions with everyone about how things are going and what we need to change. ## Our highlights Our cultural celebration on 14th January 2023 was definitely the highlight of our year. We were joined by Oromo people from London, Manchester and other cities in the UK, plus our friends from other communities in Brighton and Hove. Our children put on a fantastic performance that they had been working on at the Saturday Club, the young adults performed traditional Oromo dances wearing their traditional clothing. An elaborate spread of Oromo food and our musicians transported us back to our homeland in our minds. All of these things together let everyone forget their troubles for a day - everybody was just so happy and joyful. Our other key event was our outing. Many of us still can’t afford holidays for our children, so this gives them something they can look forward to in their summer holidays and helps them feel included in conversations with other kids at school. ## Learning from our experiences We have now been in Brighton and Hove for 17 years and the Oromo Community in Brighton and Hove has ben central to all of our lives for all of that time. We have been together to celebrate all of our success, but also to understand and support each other when things are difficult. Over the years we have learnt the most important thing for everyone is our consistency. Everyone relies on us to keep doing what we do because our model is so simple and so effective. At the same time, we have got a lot better at discussing things and encouraging everyone to have a voice. Through this we make small changes when we need to. For example, we have increased the amount of informal social time our children have at the Saturday Club and our women’s activities have expanded over the last few years. Our connections to other communities in the city has become stronger, so the Sudanese Women and Children always come to our celebrations, along with other local organisations. We ensure that all our activities are for the public benefit as outlined by the Charity Commission guidance. ## A Statement from our Chair In 2022-23 we continued to support our community to be fitter, healthier and stronger together. Our children’s school, women’s activities, men’s wellbeing club, outing, cultural event and family meals have helped us to maintain a community that feels connected within and across the generations. We do everything we can to make sure people don’t feel alone or isolated—we give everyone A chance to socialise together, support each other and ask for help when they need it. Without the support of Brighton and Hove City Council we wouldn’t be able to do this. “When people come to our clubs and events they know their fares will be paid and they will get a free meal. They don’t have to feel stressed, embarrassed, or worry about whether they can afford it, so they come continuously all year and get the full benefit of everything we do. “We replicate our Oromo cultural norms, where all the generations mix and spend time together and nobody eats alone. This sounds very simple but means a lot. We provide a lifeline for every Oromo person who is struggling financially or emotionally. We make sure they feel part of Brighton and Hove, the city we now call home, and proud of their language, culture and heritage.” ## Our finances Our financial year runs from 1st April to 31st March. Our Income for 2022-23 was 26,703 and our expenditure was £35,854. We ended the year with restricted reserves of £19,632 and unrestricted reserves of £2,263. We rely entirely on grant funding for our core activities and any special projects we are running. Therefore, we have never been able to build up any significant free reserves. We manage all our grants , expenditure and cashflow using the Resource Centre Grant Tracker system, to ensure we use our grants for the purpose they are awarded and do not over-spend any of them. We have an Independent Examination of our accounts each year. Thank you to all our funders - you make all this possible Oromo Community in Brighton and Hove Accounts year ended 31st March 2023 Registered charity: Charity correspondent: 1192959 Elias Tuffa 42 Manor Way Brighton BN2 5EF These accounts have been prepared on the Receipts and Payments ba515 from information and explanations supplied by the charlty. Kate Chapman Resource Centre 6 Tilbury Place Brlghton BN2 OGY 7th September 2023 These accounts have been approved bythe Trustees of the charity. Signed by one or two Trustees on behalf of all the Trustees Date 23 2023 Pagelof4 Oromo Community in Brighton and Hove ststement of Flnanclal Actlvltles year ended alst March 2023 Residaed U•Mirtte 2112J R¢rtrf¢tod 22 erelpts Gr•nt5, don•tlons& l¢y¢lts OEherincome Total Recel 26,703 26,703 55.147 5S.147 19 19 i* 2470J 26.?03 pa￿ents endiiure Iharlthbl* atht￿$ Tatal P4 enls 35.593 35.59J 261 3S,854 3S,154 18.052 28,052 261 Net paymentsfor the yeii Tiansfer5 betweenlunds Funds It lil Apfll 2022 1&8901 5,647 19 5.666 2.155 369 30,677 31,046 25,030 350 25.380 14n(•offunds•t 3151 ￿￿h1o11 19,631 31 ¥r¢Idd￿￿1 M•y￿ry￿+1-EJ dwtofourthl PaEe2014 Oromo Community In Brighton and Hove Recelws and Payments Aceountye•r¢ndÈd 31st M•r¢h 2023 Il•rtrkted Umtstilcted Aeceipts Childien in Need Awards forAII Comlc Rdlef J55ex Commun5ty Foundathin Su55ex CAsi5 Fund &rfqhton and Hove City Council IRe5111ence Sundl BrlBhton and Hoye Cbtycountll Iwlnter Fund) brlihton and Hvve Ctycouncil (Mental Halthl Ea5¢ Brlthton Trust- foot￿11 klt sponso￿hIP East bri8hton Tru5t-f(¥JtballtDurnarnent 10.500 14,855 14,855 iO.C*)D 2.wo 5,WO 9,340 Y,340 7.892 7,892 863 863 500 Bank IDtEiest TolBI R•¢•l 19 19 55.1fj6 2&703 16.703 Payments Chlldren's Lan8uaKe school- thlldren'5 far•5 Chlldftn's L¥D8uaie s¢hool- advlts, bus fares Chlldren's Lèn8ua4e schDDI- tèacher'5 fee5 Ch51dren's Lan8ua8e school. r•fr￿hfflenis Chlldren's L•niuaiÈ sthool- tl¥ssfOOm m•tertals Chlldren'5 Lan8￿￿￿e School Insurance Chlldrén'5 Lan6￿•8@5¢hOol. volunteer exp•ns•s Chlldren 5 LinÉuJge 5chool-veDue hlTe ChlldTen's Lan8ua8e school- 590rt5 coach fee5 Chlldren's ian8tsaBo schod- prlnrin8 & publlclty GrJduatlon- fcvd & drlnk 1.507 1,962 1,660 2,311 1507 1.962 1.660 2.321 1,464 1,814 1,464 1,814 1,21A) 4,699 30D 855 5,875 540 30 350 869 2,B85 1,906 650 I,932 1.275 855 5.875 yo 30 350 864 2,885 553 2,251 485 1£ 2,252 106 Wornen's prolett- 5wlmmlniind sewlns WDmqn'5 prolect- exerc15e rlJs5e5 Women's prolert- teatlme club MeTh'$ prvjeci- 8ym m*mber$hip ènd swlrnmln8 clgsses Men'5 prolerl teatlme rlub Ccmmlttee admln IprlnUTri, phon•, 5t4tlon•ryl Committet me*tln8 expEnse5 Insurante CDmmunlty m•i15 Cultural •¥ont 1022 ¢￿tIll 2022 CovSd- food Covld- loDd Vouchèrs d- lue11iran5PDrt forvtsluntters co￿d- food allDWiThE• fDrvoluntMrs co￿d. l•piop CDVIO Ele(trlcltylphDne tDP-UPS MlscellaDeou5 ex Total Pèyments 3,141 l210 3,141 650 1.932 1,275 44 432 4Jl 157 41] 157 432 3Tr) 7,20D 1,235 2,465 13.324 2,040 1,371 2,560 3,7LbJ 4.289 2,216 3,700 4.289 2,216 I,Z35 2,465 13,314 1,37J 1SflJ 425 425 156 261 256 35.854 35593 49.5fA 49.50) et recÈlpts Ipaymentsl lorthè yeai Tran5fei between funds Funds ai isi Aprll 2022 (s.￿) 5,647 19 5,666 2.155 369 30,677 31,046 25.030 350 25,380 8•larKe of lunds at alst Mirth 2023 19.631 2.163 21.895 30*71 369 N85Dm?additions mayvllry by+l- £1 dueto roundini Pa£￿30￿4 Oromo Community in Brighton and Hove Statement of Assets and Liabilities at 31st March 2023 Monetary Assets Natwest account Cash in hand 21,895 Balance of funds held at 31st March 2023 21.895 Llabilitles None Breakdown of funds at 31st March 2023 RestrScted lynd$ Award5 for All Ireceived 2021-221 Brighton and Hove City Councll (Mental Health) Brlghton and Hove Clty Councll IReslllente Fund) Chlldren In Need Year 2 East Brighton TNst (for football tournament received 20211221 Su55ex Community Foundatlon 2023124 Irecelved March 20231 Unrestrlcted lunds General fund 894 447 2.940 5,510 5C(I 9.340 2,263 Total 21,895 NB somé addltlon5 may vary by +1. £1 due to roundln8 Page4of4