CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER 1195934
COMMUNITY ADVICE SERVICE
Annual Report and Accounts
For the Year Ended 31[st] March 2022
The Community Advice Service is established for the promotion of charitable purposes for the benefit of the Migrant Communities in the administrative area of the Black Country (Sandwell, Walsall, Dudley, and Wolverhampton) by the advancement of citizenship, culture, education and health, and promotion of racial harmony and the relief of poverty and financial hardship.
1 | CAS Annual Report and Accounts 2021-2022
Administrative Information
| Founded | | 6 February 2014 |
|---|---|---|
| Charity Registered: | | 27 September 2021 |
| Organisation Type | | Community Intertest Organisation CIO |
| Management Committee | |
Anamur Choudhury appointed on 8thFebruary 2022 |
| 2021-2022 | | Mazher Hussain appointed on 20thApril 2021 |
| | Sunara Bibi appointed 20thApril 2021 | |
| Central Office | | Lodge Youth & Community Centre |
| Lodge Road, West Bromwich | ||
| B70 8PJ | ||
| Insurance | | HISCOX (14619714) |
| Banker | | HSBC UK |
| Contact | | 0121 553 1820 |
| Website | | www.communityadviceservice.com |
| | info@communityadviceservice.com |
Contents
| [1] | Statement of Management Committees | 3 |
|---|---|---|
| [2] | Management Committees Report | 3 |
| [3] | Independent Examiner's Report | 7 |
| [4] | Movement In Funds | 8 |
| [5] | Charity Balance Sheet | 9 |
| [6] | Income Generation Plan | 9 |
2 | CAS Annual Report and Accounts 2021-2022
Annual Report 2021 - 2022
Report of the Management Committee for the Year Ended 31[st] March 2022
[1] Statement of Management Committees Responsibilities
The Management Committee members are responsible for preparing the report of the Management Committee in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards requiring the members to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the organisation and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, for that period.
[2] Management Committees Report
History
On 6th February 2014, a public meeting was held by a group of migrant communities with the aim of establishing an advice service that would meet their advice, information and guidance AIG needs. The group discussed the challenges of getting adequate AIG and decided that what is needed is ‘a user led advice service’. Subsequently, members decided to form the Community Advice Service CAS and elected a user led committee. As a gesture of support, Lodge Road Community & Youth Centre provided the use of its premises. Delivered through expert volunteers, in 2017, CAS was recognised by Channel S (a migrant media) News for high achievement in supporting the migrant communities in the Black Country www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwHcasv9AIw. In 2018, CAS was Awarded ‘Runner Up’ for delivering ‘Outstanding Partnership Work’ across the Wes Bromwich Town in Sandwell.
Objectives
The Community Advice Service has been established for the promotion of charitable purposes for the benefit of the Migrant Communities in the administrative area of the Black Country (Sandwell, Walsall, Dudley, and Wolverhampton) by the advancement of citizenship, culture, education and health, & promotion of racial harmony and the relief of poverty and financial hardship. According to the United Nations, a Migrant is someone who changes their country of usual residence for a period of at least a year, so that the country of destination effectively becomes the country of usual residence.
Governance and Management
Community Advice Service is a Community Interest Organisation CIO registered with the Charity Commission for England & Wale (1195934). The Trustees, who served during the year and up to the date of signature of this financial statement are: Mazher Hussain appointed on 20[th] April 2021, Sunara Bibi appointed 20[th] April 2021 and Anamur Choudhury appointed on 8[th] February 2022.
Independent Needs Assessment & Evaluation
At the end of the first year, CAS commissioned Marilyn Burrill Consultancy to produce an Independent Evaluation of its services. The evaluation concluded that: “Although CAS has had very limited funding, it has made an excellent start in providing an inclusive, efficient and effective advice service. It meets the requirements of Sandwell Advice Providers Network Service Standards….and the 21 Design Criteria produced by the Department of Health for sustainable User-Led Organisations.” CAS management also commissioned AdviceUK to produce an Independent Assessment of Advice Needs and CAS’s Capability. The Assessment concluded that: “The organisation is thoroughly rooted in the community; well connected with other local agencies and partners with whom it has mutual referral arrangements; is led by local needs and involves service users in its governance”.
3 | CAS Annual Report and Accounts 2021-2022
LEARN WITH JULIE 4 | CAS Annual Report and Accounts 2021-2022
Services & Achievements
CAS supports an average 350 residents annually. In addition to providing Advice Information and Guidance services, CAS also supports service users to enhance their economic and social prospects through providing access to free skills & employability, healthy living, community capacity building, cultural and cohesion activities. Following are the list of core services delivered during the 2021-2022 Financial Year.
| Projects | Service Provided 2021-2022 |
|---|---|
| Coronavirus Job | Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme provided grants to continue to pay our staff during coronavirus related lockdowns, by furloughing |
| Retention Scheme | our Advice Manager at up to 80% of his wages. The scheme ended on 30 September 2021. |
| Advice Information | Advice Information and Guidance Project provided friendly AIG to help residents claim their personal independence payment, and |
| & Guidance | other welfare rights provisions including housing benefits as well as contacting lenders regarding debts and negotiating affordable |
| instalments. Additional AIG activities also included a language service for document translation and interpretation via telephone, | |
| video call or face to face. 2 volunteers provided support for this service with 307 people benefiting directly from the service. | |
| Health, Sports, | Health, Sports, and Physical Project provided free health, sports and physical exercise classes. Classes delivered emphasised playing |
| And Physical | sports and physical exercise as an opportunity to socialise, meet new people and making new acquaintances. An important strength |
| of the project has been the use of venues that local people already visit for other purposes. Trained volunteers provided support for | |
| this service. 2 volunteers provided support for this service with 50 people benefiting directly from the service. | |
| Skills & | Skills and Employability Advice Project delivered positive activities for young people through job coaching involving a personalised |
| Employability | diagnosis followed by action planning and 1-1 guidance with job search, applying for jobs online, updating CV’s, completing job |
| Advice | application forms, support with job interview; and volunteering. Participants were guided by an_Employment Potentials Framework-_ |
| a journey to ensure that they developed the confidence, knowledge, and skills to enter the job market. Trained volunteers provided | |
| support for this service. 1 volunteer provided support for this service with 10 people benefiting directly from the service. | |
| Climate Change & | Climate Change & Energy Advice Project focused on providing advice, information, and guidance towards encouraging households |
| Energy Advice | to make small changes to their behaviour at home that will help them use less energy, cutting their carbon footprint and their energy |
| bills. 1 volunteer provided support for this service with 30 people benefiting directly from the service. |
5 | CAS Annual Report and Accounts 2021-2022
| Interactive ESOL | The lack of English-speaking skills is identified as a contributory factor to much of the social unrest amongst different communities. |
|---|---|
| Language | The introduction of digital ‘Learn English with Julie’ on has enabled residents learn English from the comfort of their homes. The |
| programme has been viewed by over 1000 peoplehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMyaDNUUYls. | |
| Community Capacity | Community Capacity Building Project focused on interactive community sector learning to develop residents skills and competencies |
| Building | so that they can take greater control of their own lives and contribute to inclusive economic and social development across the |
| Black Country. 1 volunteer provided support for this service with 17 people benefiting directly from the service. | |
| Community Cultural | Census 2021 data highlights the increasingly multi-cultural society we live in. Our support for cultural events, therefore, provides a |
| Events | unique platform to connect, promote and communicate the vision with the wider society. Indirect Project Beneficiaries 500+. |
| Community Media | ‘Community Media’ refers to media created & controlled by a community, with the aim of serving that community. We have worked |
| Shows | closely with BEONTVUK & Bangla Kagoj to promote ‘grassroots’ journalism and ‘connect people to local and regional services’. |
| Forward Planning | Forward Planning Consultancy involves working with pro-bono and paid consultants in the sustainable planning, development and |
| Consultancy | management of the Community Advice Service. In the coming years, we have put in place plan to: |
| Secure Trusted Charity Quality Standard. |
|
| Secure New Partnerships and Collaborations. |
|
| Secure Revenue Funding to appoint a full-time delivery team. |
Our special thanks go to the funding organisations including the National Lottery Fund, Sandwell Council of Voluntary Sector Organisations, and the Heart of England Community Foundation. This report is approved by order of the Management Committee and signed on its behalf by:
……………………………………..
Mr Mazher Hussain BA Hons Chairman. Signed on 30[th] of January 2023
6 | CAS Annual Report and Accounts 2021-2022
3] INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT
Responsibilities and basis of report
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Community Advice Service for the year ended 31/03/2022. As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and 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.
My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from the management committee concerning any such matters.
The procedure undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in a full audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the accounts.
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 which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
-
the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
-
the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
-
the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
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.
7 | CAS Annual Report and Accounts 2021-2022
Annual Accounts 2021 - 2022
[4] MOVEMENT IN FUNDS
| Income 2021 – 2022 |
Income 2021 – 2022 |
|---|---|
| SCVO EPIC £9,872.00 |
|
| Walsall MBC £0,194.77 |
|
| Awards For All £9,872.00 |
|
| 2020-2021 BF Funds £9,747.52 |
|
| Together for our Planet NLF £9,724.00 |
|
| Furlough Scheme HMRC Apr 21 - Sept 21 £5,834.40 |
|
| Heart of England Community Foundation £4,850.00 |
|
| Total Income £50,094.69 |
|
| Expenditure 2021 – 2022 |
|
| 1. Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme Payment | £05,656.00 |
| 2. Advice Information & Guidance Scheme | £11,650.00 |
| 3. Skills & Employability Advice & Training | £04,495.00 |
| 4. Community Capacity Building Training | £05,000.00 |
| 5. Health, Sports, and Physical Activities | £07,800.10 |
| 6. Energy Advice and Activities | £02,530.00 |
| 7. Community Cultural Event | £00,600.00 |
| 8. Interactive ESOL Language | £00,120.00 |
| 9. Community Media Shows | £03,340.00 |
| 10. Project Consultancy | £01,000.00 |
| 11. Design and Printing | £00,425.00 |
| 12. Project Evaluation | £01,200.00 |
| 13. Payroll Service | £00,300.00 |
| 14. HMRC Tax | £01,455.39 |
| 15. Office Rental | £01,275.00 |
| 16. Bank Charge | £00,015.00 |
| 17. Insurance | £00,092.40 |
| 18. IT Repairs | £00,114.00 |
| Total Expenditure £47,067.89 |
|
| Bank Balance on 31stMarch 2022 £03,026.80 |
8 | CAS Annual Report and Accounts 2021-2022
| [5] CHARITY BALANCE SHEET | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| BALANCE SHEET | 2021 – 2022 | ||
| FIXED ASSETS | |||
| Tangible assets |
None | ||
| CURRENT ASSETS | |||
| Debtors |
None | ||
| Cash at Bank |
£3,026.80 | ||
| CREDITORS:Amounts falling due | within one year | ||
| Provisions for liabilities |
None | ||
| Net Assets |
£3,026.80 | ||
| TOTAL FUNDS | |||
| Restricted Income Funds |
£3,026.80 | ||
| Unrestricted Income Funds |
None | ||
| TOTAL FUNDS AVILABLE 1ST APRIL 2022 | £3,026.80 | ||
| [6] INCOME GENERATION PLAN | |||
9 | CAS Annual Report and Accounts 2021-2022
Mazher Hussain, the Chairman with Oli Choudhury, the CAS Manager
10 | CAS Annual Report and Accounts 2021-2022