## Collective Aid Charitable Foundation **Trustee Annual Report (TAR)** for 04th December 2023 until 04th December 2024 **Approved** 31st August 2025 **Charity Name:** The Collective Aid Charitable Foundation **Charity Status:** CIO (1206028) **Governing Document:** Constitution of The Collective Aid Charitable Foundation **Registered Address:** 57 Preston Street, Faversham, Kent, ME13 8PG **Trustees:** Bryce Cleborne-Berube Roanna Kong Matthew Cowling Amber Bauer Emma Musty Myriam del Alba Correa Zamorra - **Chief Executive Officer:** Noah Hatchwell - **Independent Examiner:** Robert Cowser 162 Kingsquarter, Maidenhead, SL6 1AW ## **Signed:** Name Myriam del Alba Name Bryce Correa Zamorra Cleborne-Berube Title Chair Title Treasurer Date 03.09.2025 Date 03.09.2025 ## 1.0 Contents _1.0 Contents ............................................................................................... 2 2.0 Structure, Governance and Decision Making ......................................... 2 3.0 Objectives and Activities ........................................................................ 4 4.0 Impact ................................................................................................... 5 5.0 Financial Review .................................................................................... 8 6.0 Risk Management ............................................................................... 10 7.0 Plans for 2025 ..................................................................................... 11_ _Page_ **2** of 11 ## 2.0 Structure, Governance and Decision Making ## **2.1 Legal Structure** The Collective Aid Charitable Foundation _(CACF)_ is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation _(CIO)_ registered in the United Kingdom _(Charity Number: 1206028)_ . It is governed by a constitution adopted on 5 March 2024, which sets out the purposes, powers, and governance arrangements of the organisation. ## **2.2 Governance** The CACF is governed by a Board of Trustees _(the “Board”)_ . Trustees are legally responsible for upholding the best interests of CACF, the International Collaborative Framework of Collective Aid _(ICFCA)_ , and for ensuring compliance with the constitution. Trustees are recruited by nomination and unanimous approval of the Board. Each must sign a Trustee Agreement before appointment. The Board must consist of at least three members, including a Chair and Treasurer. The current trustees are listed on the cover of this report. The Chief Executive Officer _(CEO)_ is appointed by the Board and is responsible for leading the CACF and ICFCA Programmes. They have final say over senior leadership and management decisions. The Senior Management Team implements CACF and ICFCA objectives, reporting to the CEO. Programme Managers lead each ICFCA Field Programme and report to the Senior Management Team. Coordination contractors may be engaged to support programme delivery, reporting to Programme Managers and Senior Management. ## **2.4 Decision-Making** The Board meets monthly, with extraordinary meetings held in urgent cases. Decisions are generally made by a two-thirds majority vote. Trustee appointments and financial compensation decisions require unanimity. The Chair facilitates meetings, ensures fair process, and has a casting vote in case of deadlock. Senior Management also meets monthly (or more frequently as required), with the CEO retaining final authority over decisions. In accordance with Charity Commission guidance, the trustees careful oversight of all decisions to ensure CACF decisions and subsequent activities provide public benefit. The CACF’s decisions directly support vulnerable populations, including asylum seekers, refugees, and displaced people across Europe, by funding, advising, and overseeing ICFCA programmes promoting health, dignity, and safety. Trustees are satisfied that the CACF decisions support ethical, sustainable, and inclusive activities that are accessible to those in need. ## **2.5 Policies** The CACF has adopted policies and practices to prevent conflicts of interest, ensure safeguarding, uphold transparency, and maintain high ethical standards. The CACF overall works to ensure and uphold the broader standards and protocols defined by the ICFCA. _Page_ **3** of 11 ## 3.0 Objectives and Activities ## **3.1 Objectives** The objectives of the CACF, as set out in its constitution, are: **3.1.1** To facilitate, coordinate, and manage international collaboration among ICFCA programmes, to ensure that ICFCA programmes continue to provide adaptive and multidisciplinary aid and advocacy for refugees and displaced populations. **3.1.2** To provide funding, key advisory support, governance, and oversight to ICFCA programmes, supporting the delivery of humanitarian aid, human rights observation, and advocacy. **3.1.3** To uphold the Code of Ethics of the ICFCA, which emphasises impartial humanitarian aid, safeguarding, professionalism, fairness, respect, integrity, trust, transparency, cultural sensitivity, and teamwork. ## **3.2 Public Benefit** The Trustees confirm that they have had due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit when planning activities. The CACF’s work directly supports vulnerable populations, including asylum seekers, refugees, and displaced people, by strengthening field operations and ensuring programmes operate ethically, sustainably, and with dignity. ## **3.3 Activities** During 2024, the CACF pursued these objectives through: **3.3.1** Grant-making, providing funding to ICFCA Programmes in Bosnia & Herzegovina, France, Serbia, and Greece. **3.3.2** Programme oversight, supporting the CEO, Senior Leadership and Programme Managers to deliver humanitarian aid and operate human rights observation. **3.3.3** Capacity-building, supporting the implementation of training, safeguarding practices, and compliance across ICFCA programmes. **3.3.4** Governance and management, ensuring strong oversight of ICFCA programmes through monthly board and management meetings, and ensuring accountability via reporting and financial controls. _Page_ **4** of 11 ## 4.0 Impact ## **4.1 Overview** Over the course of 2024, the CACF facilitated and the ICFCA programmes provided a wide range of humanitarian assistance and advocacy for people on the move across Europe. Despite an increasingly hostile political and legal environment for ICFCA programmes, teams delivered essential aid, strengthened advocacy networks, and adapted operations to new challenges. On average, more than 1,700 service users per month were supported across programmes and trustees are satisfied that these activities advanced the charity’s objectives and delivered tangible public benefit. ## **4.2 ICFCA Serbia Programme** **4.2.1** Adaptation and relocation: Operations were moved from Subotica to Belgrade in early 2025 to maintain service continuity amid heightened policing and militarisation in northern Serbia. **4.2.2** Humanitarian assistance: Distributed non-food items (NFIs) to meet survival needs of displaced populations affected by raids, pushbacks, and lack of reception centre access. **4.2.3** Advocacy: Testimonies of border violence were collected and shared via the Border Violence Monitoring Network (BVMN). Research expanded to Bulgaria, highlighting deteriorating conditions and criminalisation of aid. ## **4.3 ICFCA Bosnia & Herzegovina Programme** **4.3.1** High demand: The Sarajevo team distributed an average of 3,800+ items monthly, responding to persistent humanitarian needs. **4.3.2** Innovation: Introduced an online ordering system for distributions, ensuring accessibility and efficiency. **4.3.3** Advocacy and partnerships: Engaged with UN roundtables and collaborated with local NGOs such as Medical Volunteers International and No Name Kitchen. _Page_ **5** of 11 ## **4.4 ICFCA Greece Programme** **4.4.1** New programme: The free shop only opened in July 2024 but visitor numbers grew rapidly from the start, peaking at 686 in October and stabilising above 700 by March 2025. **4.4.2** Services: Provided clothing and essentials to camp residents facing overcrowding, poor sanitation, and lengthy asylum procedures. **4.4.3** Advocacy: Contributed to BVMN reporting on systematic pushbacks in the Aegean and raised awareness of the Greek government’s plans to open the Vastria Closed Controlled Access Centre. ## **4.5 ICFCA France Programme** **4.5.1** Service delivery: Until December 2024, the programme supported over 1,200 service users at its peak. Activities included distributions and advocacy on police harassment and forced evictions. **4.5.2** Strategic decision: Operations were paused at year-end to redirect resources, with continuity supported by partner organisations. ## **4.6 ICFCA Advocacy, Communications and MEAL** Over the course of the year, the charity’s advocacy and communications work has continued to link frontline experience with wider policy engagement. Programmes in Serbia and Bosnia have played a particularly important role in gathering testimonies of abuse and human rights violations, ensuring that these accounts are systematically recorded and shared. This evidence directly informed 18 policy engagements at both EU and national levels, allowing the ICFCA to present first-hand insights into the realities faced by displaced people. Alongside this engagement, the ICFCA published more than 30 blogs and reports, including a Bulgaria Needs Assessment and a series of situational updates from Lesvos, Serbia, Bulgaria and Calais. These publications provided both qualitative and quantitative analysis, helping stakeholders and the wider public understand the complex and evolving migration landscape. Advocacy has also been strengthened through collaborative action: in Calais, for example, the charity joined with ten other organisations to press the French government for improvements to water and sanitation provision for displaced populations. This combination of direct testimony, formal policy engagement, written outputs and coalition-building demonstrates the breadth of the advocacy approach, ensuring that the voices of service users remain central to efforts for change. _Page_ **6** of 11 Monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) capacity was significantly strengthened during the year. In early 2025, the charity introduced a new data collection framework designed to standardise reporting across programmes. Under this system, staff and volunteers now provide weekly, indicator-driven debriefs that are consolidated into a central dashboard. This has already resulted in a marked improvement in the consistency, transparency and reliability of data collection. The system has also enhanced the ICFCA’s ability to identify trends, adapt activities in real time, and report impact with greater confidence. It has reduced gaps in monitoring caused by staff transitions or programme relocations, while providing trustees with more robust information on which to base oversight. In short, the new MEL framework has laid stronger foundations for accountability, transparency and ICFCA learning, which will continue to benefit both service delivery and advocacy work in future years. ## **4.7 Summary** The CACF is pleased to report that, despite considerable external challenges, the CACF and ICFCA have continued to make significant progress towards their mutual objectives. Across all programmes, humanitarian services were sustained and adapted as circumstances required, ensuring continuity of support even where operations were relocated or closed. Advocacy outputs were strengthened, with evidence from the field translated into policy engagement, public reporting and joint campaigns that amplified the voices of displaced people. At the same time, important focus on monitoring and evaluation has raised the standard of rigour and transparency across the ICFCA, helping to ensure that impact is properly evidenced and communicated. Trustees wish to recognise the resilience and commitment of programme teams, volunteers and partners, who worked under difficult and often hostile conditions to deliver support to those most in need. Taken together, these achievements demonstrate that the CACF has remained faithful to its objectives: to provide humanitarian aid, to promote dignity and safeguarding, and to advocate for the rights of people on the move. Trustees are satisfied that the activities carried out in 2024 have provided clear public benefit and have strengthened the CACF’s capacity to meet the challenges of the year ahead. _Page_ **7** of 11 ## 5.0 Financial Review ## **5.1 Background** The financial year covered in this report marks the first full year of operations for the CACF since formally opening its bank account in July 2023 and establishing basic financial systems. During this period, the CACF transitioned from initial setup into active financial operations as a registered UK charity. ## **5.2 Income and Expenditure** The charity’s total income for the year ending 31 December 2024 was £50,968, the majority of which came from grants (£49,082), with the remainder from individual donations (£1,886). No significant fundraising activities were undertaken during the period, as the primary focus was on establishing robust governance, compliance and operational systems. Looking ahead, the charity plans to expand its fundraising efforts significantly in the coming year, diversifying income streams to support programme sustainability. Total expenditure during the year was £41,079, primarily on charitable activities and consultancy costs (£22,309) and programme-related charitable costs (£18,722), alongside routine charges and expenses. This reflects the organisation’s model of working through contractors to deliver services and provide programme continuity in line with the constitution. 41.58% of expenditure went to costs supporting the ICFCA activities overall. 56.10% of expenditure went to the ICFCA SRB programme, 1.81% of expenditure went to the ICFCA BIH programme and 0.52% of expenditure went to the ICFCA FR programme. The year closed with net receipts of £9,889, carried forward as reserves. ## **5.3 Reserves Policy** The trustees have adopted a formal reserves policy in line with Charity Commission guidance and ISO 22301 standards. The purpose of this policy is to ensure the continuity and sustainability of operations, safeguard against unforeseen financial risks, and provide flexibility to respond to humanitarian emergencies. Under the policy, CACF aims to maintain emergency reserves of between 10% and 50% of annual operating costs, equating to between one and six months of expenditure. These reserves can be used in emergencies affecting service delivery, to address unforeseen operational disruptions, or to seize strategic opportunities essential to the CACF’s mission. The current year-end reserves of £9,889 represent an important first step in building towards this target range. The trustees will review reserve levels annually to ensure they remain appropriate to the charity’s risk profile, financial outlook, and strategic priorities. _Page_ **8** of 11 ## **5.4 Accounts Compliance** The accounts for the year were prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Charity Commission for England and Wales. They have been independently examined by Robert Cowser, whose report confirms that, to the best of his knowledge and belief, the accounts give a true and fair view of the CACF’s financial activities and position. Trustees have approved the accounts and are satisfied that the financial statements provide a transparent and accurate reflection of the CACF’s financial performance and compliance with statutory obligations. ## **5.5 Future Financial Planning** Looking ahead, the trustees recognise that the charity is entering a period of growth. The priority for 2025 is to diversify and strengthen income through grant-making opportunities, partnerships, and the gradual introduction of structured fundraising activities. With stronger income streams, the charity aims to expand its reserve base, reduce dependency on a narrow set of funders, and increase its capacity to support field programmes and advocacy work. The trustees are confident that the charity is financially sound, with clear systems in place, appropriate oversight, and a prudent reserves policy to underpin its long-term sustainability. _Page_ **9** of 11 ## 6.0 Risk Management ## **6.1 Overview** The trustees are diligent in upholding their responsibility for identifying, assessing, and managing risks faced by the charity. Risk management is defined as an integral part of the governance, decision-making, and operational support that CACF provides to ICFCA programmes and to ensure activities remain resilient, compliant, and effective in delivering public benefit. ## **6.2 Risk Identification** Trustees and the Senior Management Team review and document risks on a quarterly basis, covering: **6.2.1** Strategic and Operational Risks: External political, social, or economic factors affecting programme delivery, programme continuity, team turnover, contractor reliability, and safeguarding. **6.2.2** Financial and Compliance Risks: Income volatility, grant dependencies, liquidity, and fraud alongside related and unrelated legal and regulatory obligations, safeguarding, data protection, and reporting requirements. **6.2.3** Reputational Risks: Public perception of the CACF and ICFCA, media scrutiny, partner relationships, and advocacy activities. ## **6.3 Risk Assessment and Mitigation** Each risk is assessed in terms of likelihood and potential impact. Mitigation strategies include diversification of funding sources to reduce financial dependence; implementation of robust safeguarding policies and mandatory training for teams; establishment of robust financial controls regular audits, and independent examination; crisis response planning, including contingency reserves to maintain operational continuity; and close monitoring of political and security developments in ICFCA programme regions, with adaptive operational planning. ## **6.4 Review and Oversight** The Board reviews the risk register frequently and receives reports on any emerging risks. The CEO directly oversees and implements risk mitigation measures and reports on their effectiveness, and as such trustees are satisfied that systems are in place to monitor and manage risk proportionately and prudently. The trustees confirm that they have understood the risks facing the CACF, ensured appropriate systems and procedures are in place to mitigate these risks, and are satisfied that the risk management approach is adequate to protect the CACF’s objectives, assets, reputation, and the public benefit it delivers. _Page_ **10** of 11 ## 7.0 Plans for 2025 ## **7.1 Overview** The trustees recognise that 2024 represented the charity’s first full year of financial and operational activity, during which the foundations of governance, finance, and programme delivery were established. Building on this, the CACF and the ICFCA are entering a period of planned growth and consolidation. The trustees are confident that with the below priorities, the CACF will continue to advance its charitable objectives, strengthen resilience in the face of external pressures, and ensure sustainable public benefit in the years ahead. ## **7.2 ICFCA Programme Development** The ICFCA Programmes are all seeking to consolidate and strengthen operations in Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and Greece, and the CACF will support further exploration of opportunities for programme expansion in under-served regions, while ensuring sustainability of existing projects. The CACF will continue to support ICFCA field operations through grants, advice, and oversight. ## **7.3 ICFCA Advocacy and Policy Engagement** The ICFCA Programmes are all seeking to expand their advocacy functions to ensure testimonies of border violence and human rights abuses continue to inform national and EU-level policy debates, and the CACF will support them by helping to build processes and develop stronger coalitions with partner NGOs to amplify impact and share resources, overall working to increase the visibility of people on the move through evidence-based publications and communications outputs. The CACF will continue to support ICFCA advocacy activities through grants, advice, and oversight. ## **7.4 CACF and ICFCA Fundraising and Financial Sustainability** The CACF and ICFCA will benefit from a more diverse set of income streams beyond grants and donations, and will therefore begin developing more intentional and structured fundraising activities, strengthening donor engagement and cultivating long-term partnerships with institutional funders. The CACF will also prepare to grow reserves in line with the reserves policy (target: 10–50% of annual operating costs). ## **7.5 CACF Governance and Development** Ongoing trustee development and recruitment will continue in order to broaden expertise and oversight capacity for the ICFCA overall. The board is interested to also invest time and resources in advising Senior Management, building financial management systems, improving monitoring and evaluation systems, and improving training. Continuing to embed outstanding safeguarding, risk management, and accountability processes across all levels of the CACF and ICFCA will always be a central goal. _Page_ **11** of 11 **Charity number 1206028** **THE COLLECTIVE AID CHARITABLE FOUNDATION. RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS FOR THE PERIOD FROM 4 DECEMBER 2023 TO 31 DECEMBER 2024** **THE COLLECTIVE AID CHARITABLE FOUNDATION. RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS FOR THE PERIOD FROM 4 DECEMBER 2023 TO 31 DECEMBER 2024** |**CONTENTS**|**PAGE**| |---|---| |Charityinformation|3| |Receipts and payments|4| |Statement ofassets and liabilities|5| |Detailedreceipts and payments|6| - 2 - **THE COLLECTIVE AID CHARITABLE FOUNDATION. CHARITY INFORMATION FOR THE PERIOD FROM 4 DECEMBER 2023 TO 31 DECEMBER 2024** ## **TRUSTEES** **Charity Number** **Address** Amber Bauer Matthew Cowling Roanna Kong Bryce Cleborne-Berube 1206028 57 Preston Street Faversham Kent ME13 8PG England - 3 - **THE COLLECTIVE AID CHARITABLE FOUNDATION. RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS** ## **FOR THE PERIOD FROM 4 DECEMBER 2023 TO 31 DECEMBER 2024** ||Restricted funds| |---|---| ||**2024**| ||**£**| |Income|50,968| |Other charges|(41,079)| |Net of receipts|9,889| - 4 - ## **THE COLLECTIVE AID CHARITABLE FOUNDATION. STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2024** |Cash funds
**Net current assets**
**Total assets less current liabilities**
**Net assets**
**Reserves**
Approved by thetrusteeson
Trustee
Trustee
Charity number1206028|**2024**
**£**
9,889
9,889
9,889
9,889
9,889
Restricted funds|**2024**
**£**
9,889
9,889
9,889
9,889
9,889
Restricted funds| |---|---|---| |||9,889| |||9,889| |||| |||9,889| |||| - 5 - ## **THE COLLECTIVE AID CHARITABLE FOUNDATION. DETAILED RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS FOR THE PERIOD FROM 4 DECEMBER 2023 TO 31 DECEMBER 2024** |**Income**
Grants
Donations
**Other**
Bank charges
Loss/(profit) on foreign exchange transactions
Sundry expenses
Consultancy fees
Charitablecosts
**Net of receipts**|**2024**
**£**
49,082
1,886| |---|---| ||50,968| ||24
(16)
40
22,309
18,722| ||41,079| ||9,889| - 6 - ## **Independent examiner's report on the accounts** **Section A Independent Examiner’s Report** **Report to the trustees/** Charity Name THE COLLECTIVE AID CHARITABLE FOUNDATION. **members of On accounts for the period** 31[st] December 2024 **Charity no** 1206028 **ended (if any) Set out on pages** (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets) I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the period ended **31 / 12 / 2024** . **Responsibilities and** As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation **basis of report** of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”). 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 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 (other than that disclosed below *) in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: - accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or - the accounts do 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 order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. * _Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply._ |**Signed:**
**Name:**
**Relevant professional**
**qualification(s) or body**
**(if any):**
**Address:**|**Date:**
10/04/2025|10/04/2025| |---|---|---| ||Robert Couser|| |||| ||ICAEW - ACA|| |||| ||162 Kingsquarter|| ||Maidenhead|| ||SL6 1AW|| 1 **IER** **Section B** ## **Disclosure** Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners). **Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose** . 2 **IER**