2023-12-31-accounts

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2023

1. Objectives and Activities

Black Heritage Fund’s Purpose and the Relevance of its Activities to such Purpose:

The vision that shapes the annual activities of Black Heritage Fund (BHF) is the promotion of equality and diversity for the public benefit by the elimination of discrimination on the grounds of race by any means charitable, including by making grants to charities, charitable institutions, charitable purposes or organisations as the trustees select and think fit.

In shaping BHF’s objectives for the year and planning its activities, the trustees have considered and had regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit. The BHF trustees consider that they have taken such guidance into account when making decisions during the period identified at the top of this report ( the “Period” ) in relation to selecting and supporting nominated organisations, such that the purpose as detailed above continues to be for the ‘public benefit’ within the meaning of the Charities Act 2011.

2. Achievements and Performance

2.1 Work with beneficiary organisations: Room to Heal

Room to Heal was BHF’s primary beneficiary during the Period. Room to Heal, a registered charity, works with around 140 refugees and people seeking asylum from over thirty countries. The organisation provides holistic support for those individuals through therapy, casework, community activities and general assistance. At the time of selection, BHF’s trustees noted that, although Room to Heal did not focus on the Black community specifically, a large proportion of those supported by Room to Heal were from the Black community.

Over the Period, BHF made two grants of £3200 to Room to Heal, totalling £6400. These grants supported two residential therapeutic retreats. The purpose of the therapeutic retreats was to provide dedicated time and space in a safe community environment for refugees and people seeking asylum to reflect, be in nature and share experiences together as a means of supporting them in their healing process from their traumatic experiences.

The first retreat took place in May over four days and saw four Room to Heal staff take ten of their community members to a retreat centre in Devon. The group included various refugees and asylum seekers who were struggling with poor mental health along with significant practical challenges such as unsafe housing, severe poverty and lengthy asylum claims. The activities included group therapy sessions, meditation, cooking, walks and picnics.

Of the ten people who attended the retreat, eight chose to complete an evaluation form. Of those, all reported that they enjoyed the retreat, and felt better psychologically and physically at the end of it. Free text comments expressed a wide range of individual benefits participants had gained from the retreat, as well as warm thanks to BHF and its donors for providing funding.

The second retreat was in October, taking place for four days in Kent for six participants, accompanied by three Room to Heal staff. The group made the most of spending time outdoors, noting that they lived in some of the most deprived areas of London, and gained

some form of peace from spending time in nature. The group collectively decided on the activities they wanted to do throughout the retreat which included: yoga, meditation, apple and berry picking, playing board games, cooking and a trip to Sevenoaks.

Of the six community members who attended the retreat, all reported that they enjoyed the retreat, and felt better emotionally and psychologically at the end of it.

2.1 Work with beneficiary organisations: Be Lifted Now

BHF also selected a secondary beneficiary organisation: Be Lifted Now, a community-led organisation with a vision to uplift women and young girls through activities such as book clubs, mother and daughter groups and debt advisory services. Be Lifted Now works in North London and focuses on those from Black and ethnic minority backgrounds, domestic violence survivors, single mothers, those living in poverty, ex-offenders and those who are otherwise atrisk.

BHF agreed to offer non-financial support to Be Lifted Now throughout 2023. BHF achieved this through its partnership with the financial institution BofA, which assists BHF beneficiaries with pro bono assistance with a legal focus. BofA worked with Be Lifted Now on options for its legal structure.

2.3 Fundraising event

Prior to this Period, BHF had received all of its donations directly, after appeals to the trustees’ networks. In this Period, the trustees organised a fundraising event for the first time. The aim of the event was threefold: (i) raise funds for BHF through ticket proceeds; (ii) raise awareness of BHF’s work to encourage future donations; (iii) celebrate BHF’s previous donors.

The fundraising event was held in October to coincide with Black History Month. A central London venue was hired and tickets made available for general sale in addition to encouraging sales in the trustees’ networks. The event was successful, with £1,452 received in proceeds from ticket sales and a further £1,654 received in direct donations (from those who were unable to attend, and donations made following the event from those who wanted to give further). BHF’s trustees will consider carefully the relative merits of fundraising through an event again.

3. Financial Review

Over the Period, BHF added £3,106 to its unrestricted fund, from direct donations (£1,654) and proceeds from ticket sales for a fundraiser event (£1,452). £1,121 was received in Gift Aid. This Gift Aid amount was allocated to BHF’s restricted fund as it arose from donations originally made to BHF’s 2021 fundraiser for The African Pot Project.

BHF made grant payments totalling £6400 to its primary beneficiary for the period: Room to Heal. Central London venue hire for BHF’s fundraiser cost £623 and payments of £338 were made for operational costs, including payment provider fees, insurance and maintaining a registered postal address and phone number.

4. Structure, Governance and Management

BHF is a CIO, and its governing document is a CIO constitution. BHF’s trustee selection methods are as follows: except for the first charity trustees, every trustee must be appointed for a term of three years by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees. In selecting individuals for appointment as charity trustees, the charity trustees must

have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO.

5. Reference and Administrative details

Charity Name : Black Heritage Fund Registered Charity Number : 1194332

Charity’s principal address : 71 to 75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2H 9JQ Names of the trustees who manage the Charity:

Trustee name	Dates acted	Office if any	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any)
Rosanna Barry	Whole year	Chair	N/A
Leonie Campbell-King	Whole year	N/A	N/A
Tanisha Onyenaoha	Whole year	N/A	N/A
Samy Samandjeu	1 January 2023 - 31 January 2023	N/A	N/A
Daniel Stone	Whole year	N/A	N/A

6. Declarations

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above. Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees:

Full name Rosanna Barry Position Chair Date of approval 13 October 2024

Tanisha Onyenaoha Trustee 13 October 2024

Receipts and Payments Accounts Black Heritage Fund (1194332)

For the period 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2023

Section A Receipts and Payments

	Unrestricted	Restricted	Total	Last
	funds	funds	funds	year
	to the	to the	to the nearest £	to the nearest £
	nearest £	nearest £
Receipts
Donations	1,654		1,654	8,305
Proceeds from	1,452		1,452	-
fundraiser ticket sales
Gift Aid		1,121	1,121	-
Total Receipts	3,106	1,121	4,227	8,305
Payments
Grants to beneficiary	6,400		6,400	0
Administrative costs	87		87	-
Venue hire for	623		623	-
fundraiser
Insurance	213		213	201
Payment fees on	38		38	359
donations
Total Payments	7,361		7,361	560
Net of	(4,255)	1,121	(3,134)	7,745
receipts/(payments)
Cash funds last	9,286	0	9,286
year end
Cash funds this	5,031	1,121	6,152
year end

Section B

Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period

	Unrestricted funds	Restricted funds	Total
	to the nearest £	to the nearest £	funds
			to the
			nearest £
Cash funds
Total cash funds	5,031	1,121	6,152

Notes to the accounts:

1. These accounts are prepared on a receipts and payments basis.

2. The CIO has two funds: an unrestricted general fund and a beneficiary specific restricted fund. All donations received in the Period were unrestricted. Gift aid received in the period was restricted.

3. The CIO has no outstanding guarantees to third parties nor any debts secured on the assets of the CIO.

4. No remuneration was paid to any trustee, nor were there any personal expenses paid during this period.

5. ‘Administrative costs’ cover the costs of maintaining a registered postal address and phone number.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees:
Full name Rosanna Barry	Tanisha Onyenaoha
Position Chair	Trustee
Date of approval 13 October 2024	13 October 2024