FRIENDS WITHOUT BORDERS (PORTSMOUTH) CIO 1194005
Annual Report for the year 2023 30 years and 10 years
(Published August 2024)
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Annual Report of Friends Without Borders (Portsmouth) CIO for the Year 2023
LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION CHARITY NUMBER- 1194005
Trustees 2023- 2024: Coleen Le -Chair Geoff Wilson - Treasurer Charles Leddy-Owen - Access to Justice
Lia Deyal Yenga Ikuse Jan Probert Majid Dhana
Aims and Organisation
The relief of immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees who are suffering hardships or distress or in need, particularly, but not exclusively, in the city of Portsmouth, by the provision of financial and other assistance and raising the awareness of the general public.
Organisation, The organisation is managed by an executive committee, consisting of the trustees, which meets every two months. Day to day management is by Coleen Le and client services manager Rachel McCormick.
Public Benefit Statement
The trustees have paid due regard to the guidance issued by charity commission on public benefit.
a) Friends Without Borders has relieved poverty through the provision of payments to meet particular needs, granting allowances to destitute clients for limited periods and assistance with travelling expenses.
b) Friends Without Borders has also provided free legal advice, regulated by the OISC, on immigration matters through Access To Justice.
c) Public Benefit has also been served by the education of the general public through the use of social media, and with collaboration with local press and liaison and network with relevant groups in the city.
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Chair’s Report
30 years and 10 years! …..Let me explain
30 years ago Haslar Visitor’s Group (now FwB) began, following John and Patricia Bingham’s visit to the Haslar Immigration Removal Centre (IRC). They were shocked by the illegal detention of many, and lack of facilities for the 100 plus detainees. Being people of action, the Binghams began the Haslar Visitor’s Group with Michael Woolley in place. From then, until 2014 when Haslar suddenly closed, a large number of local volunteers supported the men with regular visits, often trying to get legal help, giving emotional support and meeting their needs in practical ways allowed by the IRC (more about the IRC later).
Michael Woolley then suggested HVG joined the Red Cross at the drop-in at All Saints, the name was changed to FwB and this is where we still operate from. The Red Cross left after the pandemic. Both John and Michael are no longer with us and are still missed by clients and volunteers.
Also, we are proud to announce that Access to Justice, led by Dr. Charles Leddy-Owen, celebrates 10 years of immigration advice. However, Charles writes about this later in the report. Congratulations to you Charles!
We were delighted to employ two members of staff in 2023, after 5 years of being entirely run by volunteers. We welcomed Sam Bell, who looks after our admin needs and Rachel McCormick is manager of the day to day running of the service. How did we manage without you both?
Our database holds 1,400 client names. Obviously many of these people “just pass through” and are only seen once (we remove people every 5 years who have not been seen in that time) but we have new people arriving and a large hardcore of clients who have been in the city many years.
Our drop-in continues to be very busy with 40-60 men, women and children every session. The very important English classes are well attended. There are frequent art sessions and other activities. Clients are encouraged to play board games etc. while they wait to see a caseworker. Volunteers encourage befriending. We always want our centre to be a welcoming and safe space.
Casework continues to be challenging, with changes in the asylum process and the difficulty with our clients engaging a solicitor, among other things. This, and accommodation remain the biggest problem. Many clients, on receiving their leave to remain can find themselves homeless or in a hotel or BnB. There will be no cooking facilities and a wait for Universal Credit. One lady told me her 6 years old’s evening meal was milk and biscuits. Another client was sent to hospital by his GP suffering from malnutrition. We have to try and meet so many different needs; travel costs to hearings, solicitors, hospitals, and to Fareham to sign on at the police station. We have many clients in need of help with food while waiting for their Home Office support or Universal Credit.
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We usually have approx 6 clients receiving a regular destitution payment of £35 weekly, longer term. We have several people who are applying for leave to remain based on 20 years.
We have shared the joy of clients receiving their leave to remain and tried to support emotionally those whose asylum claim has failed.
In 2023 the Conservative Government continued its anti-asylum stance and focussed particularly on the small boats arriving, ultimately leaving the UK with no safe legal entry for asylum seekers. The language used has had a negative impact on the population; we went from Theresa May’s “hostile environment” to Suella Braverman’s “invaders”. Mixed with declaring certain human beings as “illegal”.
More positively, we still have a power house of 30 volunteers. I can never thank them enough for all they bring to the drop-in, even making time for special events throughout the year, such as Eid, Diwali, Christmas and other activities in between. Our volunteers deserve so much in the way of thanks but are happy just to serve our clients.
We thank Stephen Morgan MP for his willingness to support our clients and Citizen’s Advice Portsmouth (Immigration ) for their continued attendance at our drop in. We enjoy and benefit from collaborating with so many gifted people and organisations throughout the city. Finally and most importantly, a huge amount of thanks and gratitude go to our friends and supporters. Without you we wouldn’t be able to offer a degree of humanity to our deserving clients.
Coleen Le Chair FWB.
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Green Woodworking Project
Once a month a group of FWB clients go on a trip to Rushmere Farm in Hambledon to learn the skills of green woodworking. Last year we finally put the finishing touches to the bench we had been working on for several months and set to work on the next project. Our tutor Ivan landed a fantastic job in Wales using his woodworking skills, but luckily for us, Jim, who had been volunteering alongside Ivan, offered to take over. It was decided that we would construct a pole lathe made from the local wood, which could later be used to make bowls and cups.
After much hard work sourcing the wood from the forest and sawing and chopping it to the right size, the lathe gradually began to take shape.
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Once completed, Jim demonstrated how to use the device and we all had a practice at ‘turning’. It will take a long time to become skillful, but hopefully one day we will be able to make some utensils.
A huge ‘thank you’ to Jim for his patient tuition, and to George Crossley, the farmer, for his generous hospitality.
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Gardening
The Community Allotment at Moneyfields, Portsmouth, had a good year in 2023. We grew lots of vegetables including tomatoes, potatoes, raspberries, corn, herbs, onions and beans.
We also grow relationships between people who wouldn’t normally get the opportunity to meet. Our group continues to be a mixture of local Portsmouth residents and refugees who I meet at our Thursday Friends Without Borders refugee drop-in at centre at All Saints Church where I am a volunteer English mentor.
Our allotment meeting time is 10 till 1 on Wednesdays. We sow seeds, plant, strim grass and weed depending on our capabilities.
At some point in the morning we all stop and sit round our big table and have a cup of tea or coffee and chat.
We are organic, trying to save the bees and we recycle and upcycle as much as we can
Last year a few of our allotmenteers received Right to Remain and each time we celebrated with a cake of course!
If you would like to join us email me at janprobert@hotmail.com
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Haslar Immigration Removal Centre
Friends without Borders was formerly known as Haslar Visitors Group. HVG was started in 1994 by local people concerned by the detention of foreign nationals at Haslar in Gosport. Haslar was used for the detention of foreign nationals from 1989 and was designated an Immigration Removal Centre in 2002. The proposal is to re-open Haslar Immigration Removal Centre to hold 600 detainees. (Previously Haslar IRC had 160 beds.) Haslar detention centre closed in 2015.
As a member of HVG, I visited weekly from 2003. I visited about 50 people, some for just one visit but 5 people for over a year. Every person I visited should not have been detained. None should have had their freedom removed. None should have been denied the right to be with their children and families. Many had the most terrible stories of torture, amazing stories of bravery, of standing up to corrupt government of being caught up in conflict, of incredible and dangerous journeys to reach the UK, of losing family members and of not knowing if family members were still alive and if they were safe.
One person I visited for 17 months had been detained for working. He had a good case. At his third bail hearing he was released. Two years later he came to visit me with his wife and child. He had a job at the airport. What a waste of life to detain.
Now the Government is wanting to reopen Haslar as a detention centre for 600 people. Caroline Dineage the Gosport MP says it will be for offenders. For offenders who have served their sentence in prison only to be re-detained on release. The offences include arriving on small boats, working, overstaying, not having a passport, false documents etc. immigration offences. It can be impossible to have the correct documents when seeking asylum and there are no safe routes.
In 2003 the detainees went on hunger strike. The conditions at Haslar were reported to be the worst in the country. Michael Woolley, Haslar Visitors Group, the University STAR group at Southampton organised pressure and protest and conditions did improve. However the condition of having no release date, no idea of what was going to happen to you and the fear of being returned to the country you fled from remained. The Guardian reported in 2018 that there were two suicide attempts every day in immigration detention.
Writing this and researching for it fills me with dread and abhorrence to what my country is doing. 600 frightened people living within walking distance of my house and the Drop In. 600 people who should be helped, supported and welcomed by the UK. Legal help for 600 people in Gosport- the IRC is not easily accessible. Haslar IRC was run by the prison service. When the IRC reopens it will be run by a private company. My understanding is that the private companies running IRCs are less professional and less humane than the prison service. AND 600 people who it would be good to think could have the offer of a visitor. There is a WhatsApp group ‘No Detention, No Haslar’ and a dozen FWB volunteers are on that. It’s a small group of 24 people, our aim is to prevent the reopening of the detention centre but also looking to making it as humane as possible.
Bibby Stockholm has been recognised to be inhumane and cruel and will be closing in January 2025. The Rwanda Plan has been abandoned. These and the reopening of Haslar are costing millions. Money that could be so much better spent on welcoming and integrating refugees and asylum seekers into our country.
How is FWB going to meet this challenge?
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Stats Page
2023 What We Achieved..
Our drop-in gets steadily busier, but our volunteers continue to do an outstanding job in helping our clients.
Our small team of caseworkers have helped between 17 and 37 clients each week. The casework is getting more complex and involved, so we are looking to recruit more caseworkers for next year. Many thanks to the caseworkers for your dedication and support.
There were between 10 and 22 clients attending our small group English classes each week. English classes are so valuable for clients to navigate life in Portsmouth and to make new friends when they move here. Thank you to all our volunteer English mentors.
Overall, we had between 29 and 53 clients attending the drop-in each week (data taken from Aug to Dec). Clients attend for casework, English and for a safe social space. It is wonderful that we are welcoming so many people to our drop-in service.
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A New Experience
Hello everyone, this is Loveleen! I am currently studying MRes in Humanities and Social Sciences at Portsmouth University. I am currently researching the motivations and perceptions of NGOs participating in HQAI’s (Humanitarian Quality Assurance Initiative) for my project. I am particularly interested in understanding the factors that drive NGOs to join HQAI, the perceived effectiveness of independent verification, and the potential for policy recommendations based on these findings.
I joined Friends without Borders in April and have been in love with everything that happens here! I first came in contact with Rachel and from Day 1, I knew I wanted to stay here. I learnt about everything that the charity does: English classes, social space for anyone to come and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee, caseworkers to provide guidance and much more. I was amazed when I came to know all this and it’s been over 6 weeks now, and my interest in becoming a caseworker has strengthened as I learn more about the role and people. One thing that always stunned me was how everyone volunteering there knows and welcomes anybody who comes in the drop-in, they have a special bond, a connection of understanding and respect. There is no doubt that whoever comes in, feels comfortable and understood!
The drop-in service can be very busy at times, many come to learn English and have seen them regularly on Thursdays, this shows their commitment to exploring their language skills and meeting new people. On my first day, I was shadowing Clive (English teacher), and I got to learn about both his and people’s passion for learning. We talked about where we all come from, the months and the weather. It was really interesting how Clive managed to get everyone to speak a little by giving everyone examples which teach about different months and seasons with expressions, hand gestures and sounds too!
After Day 1, I have been shadowing caseworkers (Geoff mainly). I learnt a lot about the role, the different complications behind each case, the challenges that we as caseworkers may come across, the common difficulties of people seeking asylum, language barriers and much more. There is no end to learning whenever I go to the drop-ins. Everyone tries their best to support whoever comes in the best way possible, we are not trained legal professionals but we can guide each person to the right place. It can be very disheartening at times, as you learn in all the difficult situations people may be in, but we keep our hopes up. From financial assistance to requesting solicitors, we can guide everyone through all the steps and their needs in their current situation. No matter how hard the role is, it’s very rewarding because in one way or another, help is provided and nobody goes unassisted. However, it can be challenging to explain when some things are out of our control as clients are in vulnerable situations.
Everyone volunteering here has amazed me, I learn about different ways they all participate to help and provide support to each person who enters that door. It’s a place where we grow and learn, a place where we help our community, a place where we have fun and a place to cherish forever!
Loveleen Kumari
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Access To Justice
The Access to Justice project, which started in 2014, provides free legal advice and casework in immigration law. The UK’s immigration law is notoriously complex and was explicitly and consciously designed as a ‘hostile environment’ for those deemed undesirable by the recently departed government.
Since passing an exam and moving up to a higher advice level at the end of 2022 Charles has been able to take on far more complex immigration cases. Many of these relate to clients’ rights as family members, as long-term residents of the UK, or as children. The majority of these cases involve situations where the individual or family has no recourse to public funds, either as a condition of their current leave, or because they have no immigration status whatsoever (and therefore cannot work either). Around one third of our clients are homeless. In nearly all such cases there is no right to legal aid, meaning that the Access to Justice project offers a lifeline for clients seeking to renew or regularise their status in the UK.
During the summer of 2023 Access to Justice moved offices to the University of Portsmouth. This has enabled Charles to take on more clients because his ‘day job’ is as a lecturer there. Access to Justice now sits alongside (though is distinct from) the University’s general Legal Advice Clinic. This move has contributed to a very substantial rise in the numbers of clients the service has assisted. 21 clients were taken on in 2023, as compared to 12 in 2021 and just 2 in Covid-affected 2020. At the time of writing 30 clients have been seen in 2024, and next year’s Annual Report will be able to introduce the trainees and student placements Access to Justice have recently taken on. In short, the service is growing fast.
In 2023, successes of Access to Justice included – renewals of leave to remain for three families based on their right to a family life; British citizenship achieved for two children; change of conditions to access public funds for someone who had left an abusive relationship; indefinite leave to remain for someone whose relationship had broken down due to domestic abuse.
It is worth noting that many of the applications submitted in 2023 remain caught up in the Home Office’s lengthy waiting times for processing applications (around 12 months for human rights-based cases) but we hope to have further good news about these in next year’s report.
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English Mentor
This has been another fascinating and interesting year, helping our remarkable clients from around the world with English language. We all find it a privilege (and rarely a chore) to engage with them,
get to know them and impart some English grammar with plenty of good humour on the way. My experience is now over about 6 years working with FWB English teachers.
This is a dedicated and committed group of people and we all share a very strong feeling that refugees who have struggled against the odds to get here should be given proper support and care. They need to feel truly welcome, just as any of us would. The English teaching group, and FWB, has invested in a really up to date set of learning materials, books that work easily and visually for adult learners (thank you Andrew!). We use these consistently as a basis for our sessions as they cover all the subjects that become essential for a newcomer to UK.
I have found flash cards with images are an excellent and impromptu way of getting a session started with fun and shared engagement. Remembering of course, that a group may be a mix from several countries, languages and cultures.
We have learnt over time, that our clients are under a lot of pressure in so many areas of their lives that even weekly commitment to an organized sequence of lessons is not always realistic. As a former teacher, I will always have a basic plan for them to explore but we all find it is better to be ready to work in a spontaneous way depending on who can attend that day. Also, some clients are passing through or on the move anyway for various reasons. Good basic grammar is often the biggest drawback for people who have had to learn a new language hastily and ‘on the hoof’ to get by. Our house style is rather ‘ad hoc’ but with plenty of good materials always at hand.
A very important role, apart from developing grammar skills in our clients, is to engage and befriend. A prime directive of Friends Without Borders of course! I think we do this consistently in the English group by working with themes of culture, empathising with types of food, weather, hobbies, wildlife etc. This often develops out of simple conversation about their week, activities, problems etc. This is a flexible and dynamic approach which seeks to engage more fully with our clients, making them feel valued and connected while teaching some of the grammar basics.
It has been a year of helping and getting to know some remarkable and interesting people who enrich us with their own stories, backgrounds and unique personalities.
Rob Johnston
Treasurer’s Treasurer’s Report Report
From a financial perspective, again for much of the year we operated with two Friends Without Borders charities – in place the original Friends Without Borders (charity number 1080187) and the more recently established – Friends Without Borders Portsmouth CIO Charitable – Incorporated Organisation (charity number 1194005). This required us to take considerable care and effort to manage the transition between the two to ensure that all of our supporters and donors, individual and organisational, moved across to the new organisation. We are pleased to confirm that this process was completed early in 2024.
After discounting the effects of moving finances between the two organisations, there are a number of factors which stand out. Firstly our income in 2023 increased by more than 10% over that for 2022. This is such a great testimony to our regular donors and supporters which is absolutely breathtaking. Secondly this amazing level of income enabled us to spend more of our money on our clients and our direct client expenditure increased by just over 50% compared with 2022.
Perhaps inevitably our overheads also increased but not by a significant amount although we will continue to monitor these carefully. After all the above transactions, as you can see from the Assets and Liabilities Summary, as at 31st December 2023, we are pleased to report that at the end of the year our total financial assets had increased by over £10,000.
Finally an Independent Examination of our accounts has again this year been carried out by Trevor James and his report confirms that he has no concerns with these accounts. We should like to thank Trevor for his support and wise counsel again this year.
– Geoff Wilson and Sharon Brooks FWB Treasury Team
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FWB: Receipts and Payments for 2023
| Original Account (1080187) | **CIO Account (1194005) Total for 2023 ** | **CIO Account (1194005) Total for 2023 ** | Total for | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Income Receipts | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Regular Donations | 2,687 | 17,536 | 20,223 | 25,613 | |
| Unique Donations | 8,508 | 24,990 | 33,498 | 13,092 | |
| Portsmouth High School | - | - | 10,150 | ||
| Gift and Recovered | 1563 | 1,866 | 3,429 | 3,200 | |
| Bank Interest | - | 603 | 603 | 25 | |
| Total | 12,758 | 44,995 | 57,753 | 52,080 | |
| Transfer from Original Acct | - | 14,574 | 14,574 | 90,016 | |
| Total Receipts | 12,758 | 59,569 | 72,327 | 142,096 | |
| Direct Charitable Expenditure | |||||
| Destitute Asylum Seekers | - | 16,814 | 16,814 | 10,135 | |
| Client Travel | - | 3,509 | 3,509 | 814 | |
| Social Activities | - | 4,972 | 4,972 | 4,825 | |
| Legal Fees | - | 3,127 | 3,127 | 300 | |
| Other Expenditures | |||||
| Freelance Adminstrator | - | 7,129 | 7,129 | 4,326 | |
| Volunteer Travel Expenses | - | 1,922 | 1,922 | 1,941 | |
| Rent | - | 7,233 | 7,233 | 6,222 | |
| Phone/ Other Admin Costs | - | 3,274 | 3,274 | 4,211 | |
| Independent Examiner Fee | - | 900 | 900 | 450 | |
| Insurance | - | 393 | 393 | 656 | |
| Just Giving Fees | - | 216 | 216 | 216 | |
| Transfer to FWB CIO | 14,574 | 14,574 | |||
| Total Payments | 14,574 | 49,489 | 64,063 | 34,126 | |
| Net Receipts for Year | 1,816 | 10,080 | 8,264 | 107,970 |
FWB Assets and Liabilities as at 31st December 2023
| Original | CIO | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Organisation | Organisation | ||
| (Charity No. | (Charity No. | ||
| 1080187) | 1194005) | ||
| Bank and Cash | |||
| in Hand: | |||
| Bank account | 300 | 104,862 | 94,534 |
| Cash | 121 | 132 | |
| Debtors: | |||
| Gift aid | 109 | 1588 | 834 |
| recoverable | |||
| Liabilities: | |||
| Freelancer | 0 | 0 | 729 |
| Rental | 0 | 960 | 630 |
| TOTALS: | 409 | 105,611 | 94,141 |
Clients Thank you Messages
“Everything is good. Before, when I was pregnant you helped me a lot, you helped me with everything, food, clothes for me and my daughter. You’ve helped me for 7 years. Thank you very much. I remember Michael, he helped me a lot and visited me at home and brought me food. I will never forget this in all my life. Coleen thank you very much. Thank you everyone. When I come here I am happy.”
“Thank you very much. I am happy for your help.”
“It’s very good. Thank you to the caseworkers, very good.”
“Thank you very much for doing this job, to look after asylum like me and homeless people.”
“Thank you for what you are doing. It’s not easy being a volunteer. Please continue your good work.”
“Thank you for helping every day. I am happy for the nice classes, they are good.”
io Pictures from the year
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Friends Without Borders Registered Charity no 1194005 This is a multi-purpose form. Please fill in such parts as are relevant
Count Me In As A Supporter
Please add me to your support list to receive the Occasional Newsletter
Name:
Email Address:
Address:
Post Code:
I agree to be contacted by Friends Without Borders by post and email for fundraising purposes.
I give consent to Friends Without Borders to keep my personalised information to keep my information (as above) for the purpose of administering our supporters mail list in accordance with our privacy policy.
I give consent to Friends Without Borders contacting me by post and email with, for example, the Occasional news and Annual report.
I understand that I can withdraw my consent at any time by contacting coordinator@friendswithoutborders.co.uk
Gift Aid Certificate
-
Donations from UK taxpayers are supplemented by a grant from the treasury.
-
Our Treasurer will make the claim, the only thing needed for the donor is their address and signature below that they are paying income tax.
I am a UK taxpayer paying tax at least equivalent to this claim and claim Gift Aid on this and future donations to Friends Without Borders. I have given my address above and understand this information will be kept by Friends Without Borders for six years, from the date of my last donation.
Signed Dated:
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FRIENDS WITHOUT BORDERS
We are a completely independent charity which has served asylum seekers and refugees in Portsmouth for the last 28 years. We have no Government contracts and rely entirely for support on the contributions of local people.
See our website for more information- friendswithoutborders.org.uk
WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP?
Become A Supporter
email: chair@friendswithoutborders.org.uk and we’ll send you an occasional newsletter.
Give Money For Grants
Asylum seekers still only get £49.18 a week enough to live any small emergency becomes a crisis.
Set Up A Standing Order
One of our strengths is a network of local supporters who pay small (whatever you like but £5 to £25 is typical) amounts each month. Giving us staying power. Friends Without Borders bank account is with Lloyds Bank. Sort Code- 30-98-97. Account number: 59923463.
Remember to add Gift Aid
Gift Aid adds 25p to every £1 you give, so anybody who pays income tax and donates should sign the form provided.
Leave a Legacy
Legacies enable us to plan for the future. They have helped us to run our drop in at which we see typically around 20 refugees requiring casework each week as well as many who come for a coffee and sandwich, destitution money, a chat or English lessons to name but a few activities.
Volunteer Yourself
Volunteering can be extremely rewarding. So if you would like to join us, whatever your availability please contact office@friendswithoutborders.org.uk FWB always needs willing volunteers and we have a variety of jobs and tasks to suit most people.
For those who have supported us in the past we want to thank you for all your contributions!
Standing Order
To the manager: Please pay Friends Without Borders the sum below by standing order untill further notice. Friends Without Borders account is with Lloyds Bank, Sort Code 30-98-97, Account Number: 59923463.
Monthly amount in figures: Monthly amount in words: Date of First Payment: My Bank: My Account Number: My Account Name: Signed Date:= Please send this form to your bank.
Frlends Without Borders CIO (Charity Number 1194005) Receipts and Payments Account for the Year to 31 December 2023 Totsl Funds Funds Fund¥ 2022 Income Recelpts rfJm Voluntary Scwrc Rts3uLar DonJ'on$ une Donat5 ptsru1h HI S(KK)I Gffli Aid Tax R¢ed 17.536 24.9 17. 24 990 3.439 10.1 44J92 392 182S2 603 TrnnAl•r from Fri•nth Wrthoth 8orders 14.$74 14,574 Total R•e•ipts Dlrect Charitablo Expgnditure Gr¥rts Supwt 18.814 3.509 4,9n 3,127 16,814 3,509 4.9r2 3.127 Chenl Travel Social L•Bal Fees Cash box 1.475 5.632 ¢xp¢ndrture Free1Cer VoluMW Trwet Expenses 7.129 7.129 1.¥22 7.233 3,274 7.rJ3 3.274 Jo 393 1619 814 Tephw cth¥ •thm1niAti0n ccts 1ndÈnd4nt Ei1r. f 20.851 201 7.903 FLrf#J.rwing cost Just GivirrfJ lees 216 218 216 Olher P•ym•rts Total paynwnts Ne* r•Gwts fortha ye Prye1 of2
Friends Without Borders CIO (Charity Number 1194005) Statement of Assets and Liabilities at 31 December 2023 2022 Bank and Cash in hand Bank Dep03rt AcrtsJnt Bank Current Arxount C05h in hand 90,K 142S4 121 94.5?9 132 104.983 94.666 Dgbtors Li•billtles Frèèlancer Samts .1 729 1.359 Appnwod by th• TnteI of Frnds Borde on and sign•d on th•lr b•h•ir ty:. Trusurér....... P¥Je2¢*2
Friends Without Borders (Charity Number 1080187) Receipts and Payments Account for the Year to 31 December 2023 Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds Total Funds 2022 Income Receipts From Voluntary Sources Regular Donations Unique Donations Legacies and Major Donations Gift Aid Tax Recovered 2,687 8,508 2,687 8,508 20,950 9,653 1,563 1,563 3,200 12,758 12,758 33,803 Fund Raising Bank Interest 25 Total Receipts Direct Charitable Expenditure Grants and Direct Support Destitute Asylum Seekers Client Travel Social Activities Legal Fees Laptops 6,267 705 3,350 150 10,472 Other expenditure Freelancer Volunteer Travel and Expenses Rent Telephone and other administration costs Independent Examiner's fee Insurance 1,242 1,055 3,603 3,397 450 156 9,903 Fund-raising costs Just Giving fees 18 18 Other Payments Transferred to Friends Without Borders CIO 14,574 14,574 90,016 Total payments Net {Payments)/Receipts for the year Page1 of2
Friends Without Borders (Charity Number 1080187) Statement of Assets and Liabilities at 31 December 2023 2022 Bank and Cash in hand Bank Cash in hand 300 2,116 300 2,116 Debtors Gift Aid recoverable 109 834 109 834 Liabilities Approved by the Trustees of Friends Without Borders on I,, Hty IIL and signed on their behalf by:" Chalrperson................. Treasurer . Page2of2
Independent Examiner's Report to the trustees of Friends Without Borders (Registered charity number 1080187) on the accounts for the year ended 31 December 2023 This report is made solely to the trustees of Friends Without Borders, as a body, in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 {"the Act"). My work has been undertaken so that I might state to the trustees of Friends Without Borders those matters l 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 trustees as a body, for any work, for this report, or for the opinions I have formed. Responsibilities and basis of report As the charity trustees of Friends Without Borders you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Act. You consider that the audit requirements of the Act do not apply. I report in respect of my examination of the accounts of Friends Without Borders for the year ended 31" December 2023 set out on the attached pages carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed 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 my examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect: the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act; or the accounts did not accord with the accounting 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. Trevor James FCA DChA Dormer Cottage West Broyle Chichester West Sussex P019 3PR
Friends Without Borders CIO (Charity Number 1194005) Receipts and Payments Account for the Year to 31 December 2023 Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds Total Funds 2022 Income Receipts From Voluntary Sources Regular Donations Unique Donations Portsmouth High School Gift Aid Tax Recovered 17,536 24,990 17,536 24,990 4,663 3,439 10,150 1,866 1,866 44,392 44,392 18,252 Interest 603 603 Transfer from Friends Without Borders 14,574 14,574 14,574 Total Recelpts Direct Charitable Expenditure Grants and Direct Support Destitute Asylum Seekers Client Travel Social Activities Legal Fees Cash box 16,814 3,509 4,972 3,127 16,814 3,509 4,972 3,127 3,868 109 1,475 180 28,422 28,422 5,632 Other expenditure Freelancer Volunteer Travel and Expenses Rent Telephone and other administration costs Independent Examiner's fee Insurance 7,129 1,922 7,233 3,274 900 393 7,129 1,922 7,233 3,274 900 393 3,084 886 2,619 814 500 20,851 20,851 7,903 Fund-raising costs Just Giving fees 216 216 198 216 216 198 Other Payments Total payments Net receipts for the year Page1 of2
Friends Without Borders CIO (Charity Number 1194005) Statement of Assets and Liabilities at 31 December 2023 2022 Bank and Cash in hand Bank Deposit Account Bank Current Account Cash in hand 90,608 14,254 121 94,529 132 104,983 94,666 Debtors Gift Aid recoverable 1,588 1,588 Liabilities Freelancer All Saints room hire 729 630 960 960 1,359 Approved by the Trustees of Friends Without Borders on and signed on their behalf by:_ Chairperson ....... Treasurer... Page2of2
Independent Examiner's Report to the trustees of Friends Without Borders CIO (Registered charity number 1194005) on the accounts for the year ended 31 December 2023 This report is made solely to the trustees of Friends Without 8orders CIO, as a body, in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 ("the Act"). My work has been undertaken so that I might state to the trustees of Friends Without Borders CIO those matters l 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 trustees as a body, for any work, for this report, or for the opinions I have formed. Responsibilities and basis of report As the charity trustees of Friends Without Borders CIO you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Act. You consider that the audit requirements of the Act do not applv. I report in respect of my examination of the accounts of Friends Without Borders CIO for the year ended 31" December 2023 set out on the attached pages carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed 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 my examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect: the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act; or the accounts did not accord with the accounting 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. Trevor James FCA DChA Dormer Cottage West Broyle Chichester West Sussex P019 3PR