2025-03-31-accounts

Walking With in North Tyneside

Charitable Incorporated Organisation

CIO number 1202661

Trustees Report and Financial Statement for the year ending 31 March 2025

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Legal and Administrative Information

Name: Walking With in North Tyneside

Registered Charity ( CIO ) number: 1202661

Trustees: Martin Hood (Chair) Enid Gordon Valerie Jamieson Maureen Madden Malcolm Railton (treasurer to 11 February 2025, remains trustee) Robert Wylie Gwyn McKenzie Elizabeth Thompson Richard Mawer ( trustee and treasurer from 11 February 2025) Address: Church House Hugh Street Wallsend Tyne and Wear NE28 6RL Bankers: Unity Bank Nine Brindley Place Birmingham B1 2HB

Independent examiner: Alexander Robinson FCCA Essell Accountants Ltd. 29 Howard Street North Shields Tyne and Wear NE30 1AR

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Trustees’ Annual Report

The Trustees present their Annual Report together with the, immediately following below, financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31[st] March 2025. The trustees confirm that the Annual Report and Financial Statements of the charity comply with the current statutory requirements and the requirements of the charity’s governing document.

Objectives and Activities

The Objectives of the charity are:

• The promotion of health and well-being, and the relief of financial hardship amongst those seeking asylum in the United Kingdom, or who are refugees, and who reside in North Tyneside.

• The promotion of social inclusion and community integration for the public benefit among people who are refugees and asylum seekers who are socially excluded on the grounds of their social and economic position, by providing:

• Such support as is necessary to increase the physical and emotional well-being of the client group;

• Education and training in the English language;

• Social and recreational facilities and events involving the local community;

• Access to local and national support dedicated to the welfare of the asylum seeker and refugee community.

• The prevention or relief of poverty in North Tyneside by providing grants, items and services to individuals in need at the discretion of the trustees

• The three areas of work are grouped into three graphical pillars, illustrated in the full-page figure below:

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WW Freedom to achieve wellbeing SUPPORT EMPOWER EDUCATE A voice In the community Community Forums in the Walking With centre Campaigning - Lift the Ban l Anti-Refugee Re-settlement Food Clothes Health and schools Everyday English sessions Training for organisations about asylum issues Wellbeing knowledge Education bursaries University and college support Volunteer I staff training Bikes Bef riending linked to Host Nation Social support and drop-in Shared meal 121 support Wellbeing I health l Fit and Well Employment (Education Development Trust and links with local employers) and work tlt Signposting to relevant support - RISEIMEARSIMigrant HelplRed Cross etc experience Volunteering roles IVODA. roles within the center and links to other organisalionsl Council of Sanctuary Engagement with other agencies School of Sanctuary I Engagement with schools Raising awareness across the community

Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees have control of the charity and its property and funds.

Trustees are elected for a period of three years. After this period Trustees are eligible for re-election for a further two periods of three years. The chair and treasurer are elected by the Board of Trustees from its membership. Periods of service for these officers are the same as for other Trustees.

The Board of Trustees has the following powers in the administration of the charity:

• To appoint honourary officers including chair and treasurer;

• To delegate any of their functions to sub-committees consisting of two or more persons appointed by the Board, and in which case at least one member of each sub-committee must be a Trustee, and proceedings of such sub-committee must be reported promptly to the Trustees;

• To make standing orders consistent with this charity’s constitution to govern proceedings at meetings;

• To make rules consistent with this constitution about the Board of Trustees and subcommittees;

• To make regulations consistent with this constitution about the running of the charity, including the operation of bank accounts and the commitment of funds;

• To resolve or establish procedures to assist the resolution of disputes within the charity; To adopt procedures governing complaints and conduct.

Risk Management

The Trustees believe that the following reserves should be held to allow necessary confidence for the continued financial stability of the charity:

• Designated funds and general reserves representing a minimum of three months of General Expenditure, including contracted services and salaries; and at least six months of rental costs

Walking With in North Tyneside Reserves Policy

Definitions are drawn from the Charity Commission guidance:

‘Reserves are that part of a charity’s unrestricted funds that is freely available to spend on any of the charity’s purposes. The starting point for calculating the amount of reserves held is therefore the amount of unrestricted funds held by a charity. However, some or all of the unrestricted funds of a charity may not be readily available for spending. This is because spending those funds may adversely impact on the charity’s ability to deliver its aims. The items that should be excluded from reserves are:

tangible fixed assets used to carry out the charity’s activities, such as land and buildings

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social investments

• designated funds set aside to meet essential future spending, such as funding a project that could not be met from future income

commitments that have not been provided for as a liability in the accounts

Restricted funds

Restricted funds fall outside the definition of reserves, but the nature and amount of such funds may have an impact on a charity’s reserves policy. Where significant amounts are held as restricted funds the nature of the restriction should be considered, as such funds may reduce the need for reserves in particular areas of the charity’s work.’

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/charities-and-reserves-cc19/charities-and-reserves [accessed June 2024]

The Trustees aim to have a secure funding stream for a year ahead to cover essential items/ core costs, and any additional projects.

As a minimum, Trustees aim to have funds in place which approximates to 3 months total running costs, but ensures that contractual obligations (including staff costs, rent and utilities) can be met, including - in the worst case scenario - of having to wind-up/ dissolve the charity. Much of the core/ essential costs will be, at any one time, covered by restricted funds (from grant making bodies), or designated funds, which the charity has allocated to cover such costs. The balance of such funds and cash flow will be under constant review, at least at every Trustee Board meeting. The budget allows for 5% contingencies (unforeseen/ non-budgeted items) The policy will be reviewed annually.

Serious Matters or Incidents

The Trustees confirm that there were no serious matters or incidents to advise the Charity Commissioners during the year.

Volunteers

Volunteers make a significant contribution to the work of Walking With. Their commitment and ongoing support throughout the year is gratefully acknowledged by the Trustees.

All volunteers are appropriately trained, supported and supervised by our Operations Manager on an on-going basis. This post received funding from the Big Lottery Reaching Communities Fund. At the end of the year volunteers numbered 58 (including 22 service users). No monetary value is included in the accounts in relation to the unpaid services provided by volunteers, however we are indebted to the volunteers for their support that ensures the success of Walking With.

Statement of Activities

Walking With in North Tyneside supports over 650 people in North Tyneside who have been displaced from their home countries. We support people who are seeking asylum here in the UK, and those who have been granted leave to remain and continue to live in this area as refugees. We support these service-users by providing:

welcome, food, clothing,

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household items, English lessons and practice, social and sporting activities, signposting to other partners and services,

and general supportive-advocacy, including opportunities to integrate with the local community, especially through work with local school becoming ‘Schools of Sanctuary’.

Regular service-user community fora have enabled users to voice their needs and aspirations, and these comments continue to influence the type of provisions of support offered by the charity. Many service-users have been enabled to act as volunteers within the Walking With community, under supervision, bringing their lived experience to other service-users.

We have supportive partnerships with North Tyneside Council and the local NHS Clinical Commissioning Group (which then transitioned into the new Integrated Care System, ICS), as well as the local football club and other charitable organisations and grant-making bodies. Visits to schools and colleges, and some voluntary work-placement positions at the centre, have been enabled, as well meetings with the local MP. We are a key agent in supporting the developing of Schools of Sanctuary, locally, which includes exchange visits and sharing of experiences between service-users and local school-children.

We are indebted to the following funders who have supported our work during the year:

• Albany Furniture

• ASDA foundation

• Barbour Foundation

• Caro

• Comic Relief: Groundworks

• Community foundation

• Grassroots

• Greggs Foundation

• Hadrian Trust

• HAF Travel

• Hilden Charitable Trust

• Karbon Homes

• Lowes (Financial Advisers)

• Newcastle Building Society (Community Funding)

• NHS : Integrated Care System

• North Tyneside Council: Ukrainian Fund; Winter Support

• RC North East and Cumbria Region

• Ringtons Pantry Fund

• Screwfix

• The Squires Foundation

• The National Lottery Community Fund, Awards for All, and Reaching Communities Fund 29th May 1961 Trust

as well as many individuals and groups, including schools and churches.

In addition to the routine activities, indicated above, some highlights in the year were:

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• Celebrating International Women's Day in Spring, and supporting Refugee Week in the Summer.

• Service users meeting local MPs Alan Campbell and Mary Glindon.

• We regularly host placement volunteers, from local schools/ colleges, which aids their learning about asylum and sanctuary.

• Ongoing expansion of schools registered as Schools of Sanctuary.

• Involvement with the ‘we-are-all-from-somewhere’ exhibition at the Baltic Art Centre.

[Inspected accounts are in the pages below]

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Walklng Wlth In North Tyneside FlnancL41 Stat•m•nts for thè yèar ènd•d 31 March 2025 Charity number 1202661 Legal & Adminsstrative Information Trustees Chair Martin Ho￿1 Treasurer Rev Malcdm RaiKon Membefs Rev Enid Gordon Valerie Jamieson Gwyn McKenzie aureen Madden Elizabeth Thomp50n Robert Wylie Dr Harnde Nazar (Appointed 10 April 2W251 RiLI)aid Mawer IApFK)inted 11 Febru8ry 20251 Address Chuich HoLtse Hugh Street Wallsend Newcastle upon Tyn9 NE28 6RL Bankers Unty Trust Bank Nine Brindley Place Birrningham 81 2HB Indèpendent Examinèr Mr Alexander Robinson FCCA Essell Ar￿UntantS Ltd 29 Howard Street North Shiehls NE30 1AR

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT Roport to tho truBteos of Walking With in North Tynosido On accounts for the period ended 314lar-25 Charity no 1202661 Set out on pages 4t08 I report lo the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity I'lhe Rosponsibilities and basis of report As the charity InJ$lees of the Twsl. you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance wlh the requirements of the Charities Act 20111.the Act'l. I report In respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts Carried out undei Indopendont gxamlmrfs statement I have completed my examin*ion. I confim that no m81enal matters have come to my attention in connection wth the examination ￿1¢h gives me cause lo believe that in, any material ￿speCt.. acwunts.ng records were not kept in accordance wth section 130 of the Act or the accounis do not accord wth the 3c¢ounb"ng records I have no concems ar￿ have come across no other matters in connection with the Signod: 03/ ILI Ioi5- Nam•: Mr Alexander Robinson FCCA Addre￿. Essell Accountants Ltd 29 Howard Street North Shields Tyne and Wear NE30 1AR

Walklng Wlth In North Tynesld Fln•n¢ial Stat•monta forth• y￿r trndwd 31 IA•rch 2025 Charlty rUm￿r 1202061 Statoment of Flrt•p¢wl Athlllos UnreslrLled FurK15 2025 Restricted Funds 2025 Totsi Fund5 2025 Tol 20 R•￿[pts NOTES Goni$ Donatlons 01t￿r In¢(ne 129.213 129.213 25.219 212 101.17 14.67 8.57 25,219 212 Total R•¢olpts Sala￿8 FU￿ra181r￿9 Ulilty Cos1$ Trayd & Entertainment Tewone & Interrel Po$t.Slallo￿ry & IT A¢¢owtsrKy Insura 12,6481 181 5.608 81 187 771 95.152 60 582 308 1,248 253 92.505 241 6.190 389 22 27 1.61 2.40 1,024 1,471 1,104 226 1,471 20,559 226 1.38 16.7 19,455 TralnlNJ Refreshments Professional fees Premises expèrtse Offi(* Equipment. fixtLnS & fftti￿$ I￿ & Lease 47 1.17 14.8 24 5.020 5.410 7.616 6.978 467 467 Totsi Payrn•nts 12 t37 818 Ilovqmon18 in Fullil¥ 11039 4n7 16.826 Cash FuThls at 01 A￿1 2024 23.972 74.860 96,832 Transfer furKl$ Irom Charty C85h Fund% at 31 March 2025 115,658 98,83

W•lkln9 Wllh kn North Tyn•4ld• Flnan¢W •wwn•nt• lh• y•w •fid•d J1 IAwch 2026 c￿rtty nymbv 1202661 811•n￿ 8h•th tr th• y••r •Trd 31 IA•r¢h 2 NOTES 116.80 2DJ 1LYJ.J37 100,869 Cr•dlt¢)M.' iiounl• l•lNng du• ¥thlthln on• ymr NaLCuww4 4•#4 CrnOknr: lmounty filllng dw •ft•r4)n• ymt N•1 31 IA•reh R••irt•d FuTh1• Unr•wxi•J Furrfi• 79 8•7 J6.012 118.889 88 71a 30 117 (￿￿(l Al￿11

￿￿k￿￿thIn N¢t1hT￿lIldE Ira1￿ sfwthdaw￿￿%•lA￿Ux￿￿RePLc1lrkn￿¢F￿S le JLty2014 Rwng (FFS 10 IfjCOIIE &atorrmKrtdF1n￿￿ ACb•JlS￿FA1tH 12FRS102 E￿￿ND￿UP￿ L1•bWtyrn￿1￿ldoft R￿Und￿¢0¢¢ FundA¢¢tyJnth Cl•h4nd Cuh

2025 2024 129213 12•213 25.219 1292t3 431 154644 Trrtal s￿C0s￿l￿r￿I yoar tsB278 4x7 bllwK••31 rrh2026 314tsrQS ￿0.￿ IY3.3431 Fw 1.034 16767 (fr.7531 NT¢UkWIW FL￿ &fll4 122 RCP4oth Eost Se￿1 R￿gE￿n&P•7Iry Nf¢WmÈrSi¢1 1.740 CtsYA￿￿lry 11.OWI b￿Y Furry>J 12LWI hlthnChBDtsYeFL 19,578 11,7TO 2.175 360 74810 129213 79￿7 3lw-24 RW 14.603 I8.2￿} 118.B491 I3.3￿} 12TQI 111 32$) 3.J¢3 F(thFu NHS IC£ ITC Uk￿ni￿ Tr4 Gr(w4nJE 0.673 t9.427 18.7È7 B.Q24 705 32.ll1 P￿￿ryFlbl 4.761 ITCW4rtsr8w LLWI FI￿c• 1.740 17mll 237 84428

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