All Saints Asylum Seeker Project Charity Number 1197642
Chairs Report on 2023
2023 was the busiest year so far for our charity. The Twice weekly drop-in ran on all but about 4 weeks of the year. The exact numbers we have supported directly or indirectly is not easy to determine. We know in 2022 we made donations of clothing and toiletries over 500 times and I’m sure this was not much different in 2022.
At this AGM I want to pay a special tribute to our faithful volunteers. With the minimum of red tape, we have involved a wide variety of helpers including those who were themselves Asylum seekers to help sort and distribute clothing, make refreshments, entertain children and offer a kind word of welcome to those who walk through the door. Throughout the year there was a remarkable unity of spirit in the volunteering with everyone finding their niche and doing whatever needed to be done.
Donations of pre used clothing came in from a wide variety of sources along with financial gifts. Bulk buys of underwear, joggers and T shirts, often totalling around £1000 a delivery were brought in from the best value suppliers we could find. At the Drop in we had Craft activities for children and adults, Informal conversational English and benefitted from help in maintaining our gardens and buildings. We celebrated the Persian New Year festival “Norwuz” with the traditional meal and festivities.
Outside the drop in there was Football skills training with Luton Town Community Trust and our team won the cup competition in Bedford. A group came to watch the mighty hatters lose a preseason friendly but I’m afraid we were not able to get first team match tickets. We had visits from our MPs, a Sunday Times journalist researching a story about child migrants, and our Bishop. Even the Papal Nuncio met with a group of those we had been supporting during his visit to Luton.
In the winter of 2023, we joined others in an effort to provide Winter clothing. Coats came via local Round Table groups, and we worked in partnership with staff from Luton Borough Council and other agencies to make sure everyone had the basics they needed to stay warm and dry. At its peak Luton was hosting over 1300 people across 5 hotels and hundreds more in self-catering accommodation.
Through the rest of the year we received donations from a variety of sources. Toiletries came from Harpenden Hygiene. Suitcases came from Luton Airport. SIM cards were obtained from Vodaphone. Luton Foodbank provided kettle packs of food that could be made up with hot water. These were distributed for families with children who could not stomach the
hotel food. In the first part of the year, we matched people up with bicycles from the Luton Borough Councils scheme to restore abandoned cycles. The biggest donation of 2023 came from an unexpected source. The Latter Day Saints (formerly known as the Mormons) provided £15,000 worth of donations comprising essential wear, Primark vouchers, toiletries and some board games.
Many of those we have supported have needed a lot more than just clothing. Debbie, Susan and others provided advocacy support which involved giving advice and helping to arrange appointments that the hotel welfare staff should really have been taking the initiative on. The pressure of supporting people with complex cases meant they both stepped back from the drop in during the year but all those volunteering have sought to signpost and support individuals and families to get access to the services they were entitled to.
During the year we undertook some safeguarding training that was developed with the needs of Asylum seeker support in mind. About 12 of our volunteers undertook this in-person training that had been developed by Courtney Cuffy from Bedfordshire Care4Calais. We had several conversations about safeguarding and safety of volunteers and Asylum seekers at our drop in and remained alert to possible issues and disclosures. Where needed, we liaised with Clearsprings, the company then overseeing the Chiltern and Skyline hotels and with the Luton Borough Council Safeguarding team. Two cases were escalated during the year and individuals were moved to alternative accommodation as a result.
We have supported Asylum seekers of all faiths and none. At Easter 2023 we had 23 baptisms with a further 8 later in the year. The Diocese hosted an Iranian meal for over 80 Persian Christians the following day on Easter Monday. Around a year later there was an outcry that the church was helping people “game the system” and we were quoted in the national press. Our view was and is that while there may be one or two who were not genuine, the vast majority wanted to publicly profess their Christian faith which they had in Iran or for a few, that they had embraced here. Again and again the freedom to believe was mentioned as one of the most powerful factors in their new lived here.
The most powerful and simplest impact of the work has been that Asylum seekers have had the experience of being treated kindly. In a bureaucratic system that has been hostile and in the hotels that have not been much better, Asylum seekers have been further demonised after difficult and dangerous journeys to get here often fleeing from danger in their own countries. We know that so many have left loved ones with the hope of one day being reunited.
As I write this report, the faces and names of some of those that have passed through the building come to mind. Bonds have been quickly formed and the repeated “goodbyes and good luck” have at times felt like tiny multiple bereavements. If we are remembered as being the side of Britain that showed kindness – then I think that is no small contribution to what I hope will be a new and productive life in this country that benefits all of us.
Revd Canon David Kesterton
Chair of Trustees
All Saints Luton Refugee and Asylum Seeker Support Project Trustees, Report and Accounts For the period-ended 31 December 2023 Charity Registration No. 1197642
All Saints Luton Refugee and Asylum Seeker Support Proirft Contents Trustee5' Annual Report to the Charity Commission Statement of Flnancial Activities Balance sheet Notes to the accounts 5-6 Independent ExamSner's Report
All Salnts Luton Refugee and Asylum Seeker Support Proie¢t Trustee5' Annual Report 2023 Ch•rlty N¥me All SaFnts Lutty) Refvgee and Wum Seeker Support Project Charlty Réglstwatlon Number1197642 Report for the finKlal p•riod24th January to 31st Dè¢embÈr 2023 Address411 Saints Vicar<e Shaftesbury Road Luton LU4 8AH Ch•rftyTrust¢esRev Dawid Kesterton Ichairnianl Sandra Miller Rtv Kate Lomax Rev Lynne Sandle Susan Kesterton Const$tuQncharrtab1e Incorporated 0r8anisaty.on 6overnln8 Documentconsts'tut'on dated 22nd January 2022 ObJKts of the dmrfty To provlde pra¢tlcal and emotlonal support Asylum Seekers housed in Luton. malnly in local Hotels. To relleve persons who are in condltlons of need, hardship or who are a8ed or sick or disabled and to relieve the distress ¢aused hereby. Summary of artknties The ¢harity funs a twice weewy drop Fn where dothin8 and tolletries can be a¢tessed and the prwslon of a s(xial space with refreshmen Advtta¢y and support is provided by a ftumber of trained volunteers. The charity Wor closely with partners Including Care4CaSais. Red Cross and thstover Islam. VduntÈs The tharity relie5 on volunteer5 to tarry cwt ils actlvltles.
Reser¥es pollcy The charity aims to keep sufficient unall(ted funds in resèrve in order to maintain its charitable work and meet Its regular commltments for about three month5 regardless of levels of income. and in order to be able to un(Sertake occasional projects invol¥ing larger than r*orrnal expenditure. Curr•nt rÈs•r¥•s £6,889 Iunrestn.c Current assets) 1)ttl The trustees dedare that they ha¥e approved the above trustees, report. Si8ned on behalf of the charlty'$ trustees.. Sl8natu F1 name Poslllon Date natur• F1 nam• Poshl(
All 10t$ L0 Refugee and Asylum Seeker 5pport Projert Statement of Financial Adivities for the perlod ended 31 Dember 2023 Total f¢r 2023 fvnds fvfftds Donations Grants reIVed Total llonatlons •nd Le8ades 4.027 4.027 5.435 9,462 5.435 SM5 427 Prolett costs Hall Hlre Gross Wage5 4.207 10.751 28 2.828 et Mo¥•m•nt In fvnds 13,937) 5.3171 Total funds brought foTh¥ard 8,279 3,937 12.216 Transfers between funds Total funds carried forward 6,899 6,899
All Saints luton Refugee and Asylum Seeker Support Projert Balance Sheet a5 at 31 December 2023 Charfty Re8 Ntsmber: 1197642 Totsl as #t 3111212023 nds funds Current asset$ Cash at bank & in hand 7,399 7.399 Total assets 7,399 Current Hobllttle5 CreditQTS & Accrua15 SC Net current assets Total assets less current Ilabllltles 6,899 6.899 Funds of the charlty Unre5trlcted fund5 6.899 6,899 Approved by the Trustees on.. Sl8ned by. on behalf of all the Trustees: Name.. Date- 14108n024
All Salnts iuton Refugee and Asylum Seeker SPPort fvoJeLt Notes to the Accounts lor the period ended 31 December 2023 l Accountlre bas1$ These accounts have ten wepared on the bèsis of histoit tost with item5 recognwl at cost or transaction value unless otherwise ststed In the relevant notelsl tothese acCnts. The accounts have been prepad In accordan wth the Statement of Recommended Prxtlce.. Accountlng and Reportlng by Charttyes ppar1n8theIt atCOUnts in accordance wlth the Flnanclal Reportlfi8stsndard appllcable In the VK and Republlc of Irèland IFRS 102115wed gn 16 luty 2014. 2 A(ntIl¥ Polkl Donatlons.188acles and slmllar Incomln8 restyJrces are Induthd In the actounts when the charlty betomts to the donatton, It Is more Ilketythan thatthe trustees will le1¥t the resour.. andthe monetary value can be measured wlth sufflcient relbabilty. Tax reclalmed on donatfjons Is Included In the accounts at the sameMe asthe 8fft tOTwhlch they relate. Volunteers- lh• value of any Voluntary help reCed Is not Iuded In the actounts. Investment Intomt l.t. bank Interest Included In tht when recdpt wobable •nd the amount recefvable can be measured reliabfy. Liabilr(ies are generaltyretognlsed as soon as there 15 a al or ConStrtI 0kIn commrttsng the charltyto the expendltufe and the obllgatloTr (an be measured wlth reasonable cert31nty. Debtors are measured In81 wcfjnltlon at setllement•mountafteran¥ trade dtscounts. bseqUentIy, theyare rneasured atthe cash orother conslderatkn experted to be recel¥ed. Governance Costs Include tosts of wtparatlon and examlnatknn of statutory accounts. th• costs of trustèes mtetlngs and the cost of any legal ath4ke t¢ trustee> 3 At£ountants F•es Incllthd In these Is £51YI12022. £50QI In fees ld for tht exarnlnathjn ofthese attounts. Ernployws Number ofernployees 2023 2022 stsff Costs 2023 2022 Gr055 Salaries Employer's Nl Contributu)n 2.828 743 There were no empkns receId empW benefitsor the reFQrting perJd of more than £E.l0.
S Related PartyTr8nsartSons The church had the followlng transaciionswlth related parties Servkes from related charrties Name of Chaitty RelatbThshlp 2023 2022 6 Credltors Amounts falllng due wlthln oneitar Accruals 202> 2022 7 R•strkted Funds Fund Name Purpose Asylurn Seekers To prrwkle pracllcal and ernoknol supportto Refugees and Aswum Seekers hwsed In Luton. MINemeTrt on Restrt¢dfunds In the year.. Transfer btheen funds 2023 Openlng BalaTh Intorne In Expendtturè lft 2023 Closln8 8alance 2023 Asylum Seekers Supwt 3.937 5,435 (9.3721 8 Unrestrfrtod r&l Deslyat•d Fund5 Fund Name Purp Genernl Unrestricted To spd at the d4scrththi of the charity trusteos for any purp05e5 ofthe charity. Movement on Unrestrlrted Funds In the ye•r'. Transfer Ewdlture In between fursd5 2023 2023 Openlna Balance Incorne In Closin8 Balance 2023
All Salnts Luton Refu and Asylum Seeker Project Independ¢nt examineys rwirtto tttrwlees All Salnts LOrt Refu8ee and Asylum Se¢ker5upi PxtiiÈct I report on the accounts for the period ended 31st December 2023. whith are set out on pages 3 to 6. Resydl¥e responslbllltlesol trustees examhw The tntstees are responsible forthe preparaifion of the accounts. The trustees consider thatan audit is not required for this period under section 144121 of the Charities Art 2011 Ithe 2011 Artl and that an independent examination is needed. The chariws gross income exceeded £25.CiM) and l am qualified to undertake the examination by being a qualified member of the Institvte of Chartered Accountsnts in En8land and Wales IICAEWI. Havin8satisfiedmyselfthatthecharityi5notsubiecttoaudilundertompanylawandlseliw'bleforindependent examination, it Is my responsibility to.. ' examlne the accounts under 5ectlon 145 of the 2011 Act * to follow the procedures laid down in the genernl Directions given bythe Charity Commission under section 14515llbl of the 2011 Acl • to state whether partKular matters have come to my attention 8•515 of Independert MInerf5 report Myexamlnatlonwastarrledoutlnaccordancewiththegeneral Direttn58Iyenby¢htChantyCOmMis$Its. examlnationin¢ludesareviewoftheatcounts"n8recordskeptbythecharltyandacomparisonoftheaccounts presentedwiththoserecords.)talsoincludesconsiderationofanyunusualltemsordlsdosuresintheaccounts.and seekin8explanationsfromyouastwsteeseonteminganysuthmatters.Theproceduresundertakendonotprovide alltheevidencethatwouldberequiredinanauditand¢onsequentlynoopinionis8ivenastowhethertheaccounts present a 'twe and faIrtIe and the report Is Ilmited to those matters set out in the next statemenL An Ind•pend•nt •xamlns stat•m•nt In conne¢tlon my èxamination. no matter has come to my attention: 111 which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respertthe requlrements.. • to keep x¢ountin8 rerS in at¢ordan¢e section 386 of the Companie5 Art 2(M)6 and • io Ppare accounts whlth accord vAth the accounting records and compty with the ac¢ountin8 requlrements of the 2011 Act have not been met or 12ltowhich,inmyoplnion,attentionshouldbedYawniF)ordertoenableapropernnderstandln8oftheaccountsto be reached MAP Name.. Mark Plane Relevant professional qualrfKation or body= ICAV Address: 2nd Floor. Apex House 34 Upper George Street. Luton, LUI 2RD 1410812024