2025-03-31-accounts - The Welcome Project

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Charity registration number: 100583

THE WELCOME PROJECT TRUSTEES' REPORT AND UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

The Welcome Project Contents

	Page
Reference and Administrative Details	1
Trustees' Report	2—4
Independent Examiner's Report	5
Statement of Financial Activities (including Income and Expenditure Account)	6
Comparative Statement of Financial Activities (including Income and Expenditure Account)	7
Balance Sheet	8
Notes to the Financial Statements	9—12
The following pages do not form part of the statutory accounts:
Detailed Statement of Financial Activities (including Income and Expenditure Account)	13

The Welcome Project Reference and Administrative Details For The Year Ended 31 March 2025

Trustees

Chairman Charity Number Principal Address

Independent Examiner

Mr Adrian Bird Mr Denis Paisley Mr Slawomir Cichy Mr Francis Ferris Mrs Peggy Kambule Mr Adrian Bird 100583 30 Bridge Street Lisburn BT28 1XY Brian Stewart RBCA Limited Chartered Accountants Linenhall Exchange 26 Linenhall Street Belfast BT2 8BG

Page 1

The Welcome Project Company No. Trustees' Report For The Year Ended 31 March 2025

The trustees present their report and the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025.

Structure, Governance and Management

Governing Document

The charity is an unincorporated entity which was registered with the Charities Commission on 29 September 2014.

The Welcome Project is managed by a committee elected at an Annual General Meeting. This committee election is overseen by Lisburn Castlereagh City Council Good Relations Officer. This committee then elect officers and subgroups including Finance Committee and Festival Committee.

There are extensive policies adopted by the management committee, including Risk Management. Project workers are trained in quality and financial systems including Business Management degree.

Purpose and Beneficiaries

The Welcome Project provides advisory, information, advocacy and other support services to the migrant workers and their families and others from a Ethnically Minoritised background. Also, family days, cultural events and activities for young people, from a ETHNICALLY MINORITISED background, are organised with the aim of promoting inclusion, integration and equality. Training courses, parenting programmes and arts and crafts workshops have also been delivered for ETHNICALLY MINORITISED families.

Objectives and activities

The Welcome Project primary aim is to create a truly inclusive and safe community which welcomes all regardless of difference and ensure that communities will be less racist, more integrated and more sustainable with effective community network. Our other aims include:

Increase understanding of different cultures,
Improve understanding of ‘others’ in terms of families within disadvantaged communities,
Improve mutual understanding and dispel myths,
Reduce fear and mistrust and improve relationships between indigenous and ETHNICALLY MINORITISED families in communities.
Reduce numbers of hate crime and enhance community safety
Promote partnership working and community engagement
Implement awareness programmes/events that address racism, prejudices and hate crime and develop support mechanisms with the project providing a welcoming voice from the community;
Ensure that migrant workers coming into the area are welcomed and made part of the overall community so that they have a sense of belonging and through support to develop effective collaborative relationships with `others';

Activities

Interagency meetings and partnership working with relevant statutory agencies
Governance and other capacity building training and specific training for staff and volunteers.
Team Builder
Strategic planning event for ETHNICALLY MINORITISED project
Management Committee Meetings
Personal Development Training
Provide volunteering opportunities
One stop shop service (advocacy, advice, guidance and signposting) online services
Polish Counselling
Provide support to ETHNICALLY MINORITISED families living in Lisburn area through provision of Bi-lingual Youth Club, Lisburn Sure Start and Incredible Years etc
Co-ordinating and networking with statutory agencies & depts, V&C orgs, civic leaders
Programmes of inter cultural events (Diversity Fun Days, International Children’s Day, Art Programmes etc)

Outcomes

Greater access to public services Increased participate in all aspects of life

Greater sense of “belonging”

Enhanced cultural diversity and celebration of traditions Reduced Prejudice, Racism, Hate Crimes

Improved confidence to access services/programmes/activities Greater opportunity to develop language (ESOL, employment, self help groups) Greater access to training and skills to develop opportunities for personal and social education and employment Improved access to cultural identity and expression Improved sense of citizenship

Impacts

Impacts within the project for the ETHNICALLY MINORITISED community include;

There is a positive ETHNICALLY MINORITISED community identity
The wider community has well developed physical and social assets
The wider community is a more stable and safer place to live
The ETHNICALLY MINORITISED community has access to services to meet its needs
The ETHNICALLY MINORITISED community can attract investment and develop economic sustainability and resilience.

...CONTINUED

Page 2

The Welcome Project Trustees' Report (continued) For The Year Ended 31 March 2025

Governing Document - continued

Emerging Issues

“To create a truly inclusive community which welcomes all regardless of difference”

The Welcome House Good Relations Hub is becoming a centre for inclusion work with several Under-Represented groups meeting in the hub to deliver drop-in and group work including: .

Ethnically Minoritised Groups;
Newcomers including Asylum Seekers and Refugees;
LGBTQIA+ and Allies; and
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

The Good Relations Hub promotes a vision of mutual understanding of the diverse and rich cultural diversity within our city with the view of reducing potential friction and dispelling myths that various communities may have of each other.

Priorities for Welcome House include:

Provide support and mentoring to ensure safety within community;
Create more inclusive communities ;
Provide bespoke support for Under-Represented Groups;
Provide educational and training opportunities; and
Implement awareness programmes and events.

Linking with Good Relations stakeholders including: Northern Ireland Housing Executive and Lisburn Castlereagh City Council CRO’s; PSNI Neighbourhood Policing Team; SE Health and Social Care Trust.

PEACEPLUS

The Welcome Project will tender for upcoming opportunities from the EU funding arising out of Lisburn Castlereagh Partnership. Groups supporting this will include Resurgam Youth Initiative, Connected Minds Youth Committee and Resurgam Healthy Living Centre – all stakeholders in work targeted at under-represented groups and borne from the original objectives of the Welcome Project in the late noughties related to Migrant Workers and easing of birder restrictions who integrated into the City with support from local structures.

Community Support Grant

This grant is the core funds enabling the Welcome Project to deliver core services in their hub, the Welcome House. This has included working in partnership with local groups and statutory provides to deliver their objectives and activities which are working towards a more inclusive society

Community Facilities Fund

The Welcome Project secured investment to refurbish their Welcome House office and drop-in from Lisburn Castlereagh Facilities Fund to complete the ‘adaption of facility to increase multi-use space to accommodate drop-in clinics’. This enabled the groups to feed into a process that made the space more inviting and fit for purpose.

Community Festival Fund

The Foods of the World event was similar activities to pre-pandemic festivals and included the range of National Dishes and Cultural Traditions in the format previously used with each Nationality showcasing their Nations food and traditions while entertainment was provided by Slaw and accompanying guests.

This was held in Highway Inn Garden which has hosted Foods of the World for the past number of months including the Lisburn Castlereagh City Council Good Relations grant which seen a similar event. It is a proven success and attended by a wealth of Nationalities and groups including Arabic, Polish, Fijian, Indian and Northern Irish.

This project embraced the Ethnically Minoritised Groups in Lisburn City and gave a space where Newcomers could feel safe. The opportunity for locals and those from Ethnically Minoritised Groups to engage in a Shared Space where community feels safe and gains an understanding of the rich cultural traditions in Lisburn City was significant . Community influencers took the lead in this activity to ensure a message of tolerance was sent out to the wider community with publicity and support from elected members also sending a message of acceptance.

Groups participating made their traditional dishes for people attending to sample, along with a flavour of their cultural identity, for example, dress, flags etc, improving Good Relations outcomes for those talking part and the wider community in terms of having a voice, creating a safe space and gaining an awareness of the City.

...CONTINUED

Page 3

The Welcome Project Trustees' Report (continued) For The Year Ended 31 March 2025

Governing Document - continued

The Welcome Project has met Charity Commission NI guidance on Public Benefit by:

(i) Adhering to the constitutional purposes, namely providing support for those from the ETHNICALLY MINORITISED community;

(ii) Providing reports to funders, demonstrating impact upon the public targeted;

(iii) Delivering activity that benefits the target public;

(iv) Having no management or individuals within the group gaining private benefits.

(v) Highlighting earlier in this report the benefits for those targeted, namely ETHNICALLY MINORITISED community within Lisburn City and those working to improve outcomes for the ETHNICALLY MINORITISED community.

The Welcome Project addresses barriers to participation by the beneficiaries, namely provision of materials in multi languages and interpreters aimed at ensuring maximum participation.

The Welcome Project complies with the duty to have regard to the Commission’s Public Benefit requirement statutory guidance: In setting our objectives and planning our activities for the year the trustees have given careful consideration to the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland’s guidance on public benefit to ensure that the activities have helped to achieve the charity’s purposes and provide a benefit to the beneficiaries.

The trustees' report was approved by the board of trustees and signed on its behalf by:

A Bird

Mr Adrian Bird Trustee

Date

02 Feb 2026

Page 4

The Welcome Project Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of The Welcome Project For The Year Ended 31 March 2025

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Charity for the year ended 31 March 2025.

Responsibilities and Basis of Report

As the charity’s trustees of The Welcome Project you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 (‘the Act’).

Having satisfied myself that the charity is not subject to audit under Charity law, and is eligible for independent examination, it is my responsibility to:

examine the accounts under section 65 of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008;
follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland under section 65(9)(b) of the Charities Act; and
state whether particular matters have come to my attention.

Independent Examiner's Statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:

accounting records were not kept in respect of the Charity as required by section 63 of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008
That the accounts do not accord with those accounting records;
the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).

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.

Brian Stewart

Brian Stewart, for and on behalf of: RBCA Limited Chartered Accountants Linenhall Exchange 26 Linenhall Street Belfast BT2 8BG

Date:

02 Feb 2026

Page 5

The Welcome Project Statement of Financial Activities (including Income and Expenditure Account) For The Year Ended 31 March 2025

Unrestricted funds £ - 1,535	Restricted funds £ 18,816 -	2025 Total funds £ 18,816 1,535	2024 Total funds £ 8,265 1,159
1,535	18,816	20,351	9,424
(1,898)	(18,816)	(20,714)	(9,640)
(363)	-	(363)	(216)
(363) 1,921	- -	(363) 1,921	(216) 2,137
1,558	-	1,558	1,921

The notes on pages 9 to 12 form part of these financial statements.

Page 6

The Welcome Project Comparative Statement of Financial Activities (including Income and Expenditure Account) For The Year Ended 31 March 2025

Unrestricted funds £ - 1,159	Restricted funds £ 8,265 -	2024 Total funds £ 8,265 1,159
1,159	8,265	9,424
(1,375)	(8,265)	(9,640)
(216)	-	(216)
(216) 2,137	- -	(216) 2,137
1,921	-	1,921

The notes on pages 9 to 12 form part of these financial statements.

Page 7

The Welcome Project Balance Sheet As At 31 March 2025

Unrestricted funds £ 3,918 1,300	Restricted funds £ - -	2025 Total funds £ 3,918 1,300	2024 Total funds £ 6,070 5,134
5,218 (3,660)	- -	5,218 (3,660)	11,204 (9,283)
1,558	-	1,558	1,921
1,558	-	1,558	1,921
1,558	-	1,558	1,921
		1,558	1,921
		1,558	1,921

02 Feb 2026

These financial statements were approved by the trustees on ..................................... and authorised for issue on

02 Feb 2026

..................................... and signed on their behalf by

A Bird

Mr Adrian Bird Trustee

Date 02 Feb 2026

The notes on pages 9 to 12 form part of these financial statements.

Page 8

The Welcome Project Notes to the Financial Statements For The Year Ended 31 March 2025

1. Statement of Compliance

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the second edition of the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice issued in October 2019, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2008.

2. Accounting Policies

2.1. Basis of Preparation of Financial Statements

The Welcome Project meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. The accounts (financial statements) have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant note(s) to these accounts.

2.2. Going Concern Disclosure

The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue as a going concern.

2.3. Presentation Currency and level of rounding

The presentational currency is £ and the level of rounding is to the nearest £.

2.4. Income and endowments

All incoming resources are included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SoFA) when the charity is legally entitled to the income after any performance conditions have been met, the amount can be measured reliably and it is probable that the income will be received.

For donations to be recognised the charity will have been notified of the amounts and the settlement date in writing. If there are conditions attached to the donation and this requires a level of

performance before entitlement can be obtained then income is deferred until those conditions are fully met or the fulfilment of those conditions is within the control of the charity and it is probable that they will be fulfilled.

Gift aid tax recoverable is recognised on the date of the respective donation.

Fundraising income is recognised on the date of the event taking place.

Grants are recognised when the charity has an entitlement to the funds and any conditions linked to the grants have been met. Where performance conditions are attached to the grant and are yet to be met, the income is recognised as a liability and included on the balance sheet as deferred income to be released. Gifts, legacies and grants that provide core funding or are of a general nature is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured with sufficient reliability.

2.5. Donations and legacies

Donations and legacies are recognised on a receivable basis when receipt is probable and the amount can be reliably measured.

2.6. Expenditure

All expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to that expenditure, it is probable settlement is required and the amount can be measured reliably. All costs are allocated to the applicable expenditure heading that aggregate similar costs to that category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated on a basis consistent with the use of resources, with central staff costs allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges allocated on the portion of the asset’s use. Other support costs are allocated based on the spread of staff costs.

2.7. Charitable activities

Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.

2.8. Taxation

The charity is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 of the Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes. Accordingly, the charity is potentially exempt from taxation in respect of income or capital gains received within categories covered by Chapter 3 Part 11 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992, to the extent that such income or gains are applied exclusively to charitable purposes.

2.9. Trade debtors

Trade debtors are amounts due from customers for merchandise sold or services performed in the ordinary course of business.

...CONTINUED

Page 9

The Welcome Project Notes to the Financial Statements (continued) For The Year Ended 31 March 2025

Trade debtors are recognised initially at the transaction price. They are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method, less provision for impairment. A provision for the impairment of trade debtors is established when there is objective evidence that the charity will not be able to collect all amounts due according to the original terms of the receivables.

2.10. Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash on hand and call deposits, and other short-term highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to a known amount of cash and are subject to an insignificant risk of change in value.

2.11. Borrowings

Interest-bearing borrowings are initially recorded at fair value, net of transaction costs. Interest-bearing borrowings are subsequently carried at amortised cost, with the difference between

the proceeds, net of transaction costs, and the amount due on redemption being recognised as a charge to the Statement of Financial Activities over the period of the relevant borrowing.

Interest expense is recognised on the basis of the effective interest method and is included in interest payable and similar charges.

Borrowings are classified as current liabilities unless the charity has an unconditional right to defer settlement of the liability for at least twelve months after the reporting date.

2.12. Fund structure

Unrestricted income funds are general funds that are available for use at the trustees discretion in furtherance of the objectives of the charity.

Restricted income funds are those donated for use in a particular area or for specific purposes, the use of which is restricted to that area or purpose.

3. Income from Donations and Legacies

. Income from Donations and Legacies
		2025	2024
		Restricted	Restricted
		funds	funds
		£	£
Donations and gifts		18,816	8,265
he following donations and legacies are included within the total income from donations and legacies		above:
			2025
	Unrestricted funds £	Restricted funds £	Total funds £
LCCC	-	18,816	18,816
Other	1,535	-	1,535
	1,535	18,816	20,351
			2024
	Unrestricted funds £	Restricted funds £	Total funds £
LCCC	-	8,265	8,265
Other	1,375	-	1,375
	1,375	8,265	9,640
. Other Income
	2025	2024
	Unrestricted funds Unrestricted funds
	£		£
Other Income	1,535		1,159

The following donations and legacies are included within the total income from donations and legacies above:

4. Other Income

Page 10

The Welcome Project Notes to the Financial Statements (continued) For The Year Ended 31 March 2025

5. Analysis of Expenditure Charitable activities Charitable activities 6. Independent Examiner's Remuneration Independent examination of the financial statements 7. Staff Costs No employee received emoluments of more than £60,000 during the year 8. Taxation The charity is a registered charity and is therefore exempt from taxation. 9. Debtors Due within one year Grant Debtor Amounts due from related parties 10. Creditors: Amounts Falling Due Within One Year Other creditors Accruals and deferred income	2025 £ 1,979 1,979 2025 £ 501 3,417 3,918 2025 £ - 3,660 3,660	2025 Support costs £ 20,714
		2024 Support costs £ 9,640
		2024 £ 833
		833
		2024 £ 6,070 -
		6,070
		2024 £ 6,583 2,700
		9,283

Page 11

The Welcome Project Notes to the Financial Statements (continued) For The Year Ended 31 March 2025

11. Movement in Funds

1. Movement in Funds
Unrestricted funds General: General unrestricted fund Designated: Unrestricted Fund Total unrestricted funds Restricted funds Restricted funds Total funds Unrestricted funds Designated: Unrestricted Fund Restricted funds Restricted funds Total funds	As at 1 April 2024 £ - 1,921	Income £ - 1,535	Expenditure £ 2,010 (3,908)	As at 31 March 2025 £ 2,010 (452)
	1,921	1,535	(1,898)	1,558
	-	18,816	(18,816)	-
	1,921	20,351	(20,714)	1,558
	As at 1 April 2023 £ 2,137 -	Income £ 1,159 8,265	Expenditure £ (1,375) (8,265)	As at 31 March 2024 £ 1,921 -
	2,137	9,424	(9,640)	1,921

12. Related Party Disclosures

An amount of £3,417 was due to the charity by Resurgam Trust at the reporting date (2024: £6,583 due by the charity)

Page 12

The Welcome Project Detailed Statement of Financial Activities (including Income and Expenditure Account) For The Year Ended 31 March 2025

INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM: Donations and legacies LCCC Other Other Income EXPENDITURE ON: Charitable Activities: Charitable activities Cleaning Room Hire Repairs, renewals and maintenance Insurance Printing, postage and stationery Telecommunications Professional fees Subscriptions Bank charges Project Costs Accountancy fees NET EXPENDITURE	2025 Total funds £ 18,816	2024 Total funds £ 8,265
	18,816 1,535	8,265 1,159
	1,535	1,159
	20,351 - - (788) - (70) - - - (80) (18,816) (960)	9,424 (421) (97) - (278) (458) (1,008) (75) (20) (81) (5,952) (1,250)
	(20,714)	(9,640)
	(20,714)	(9,640)
	(363)	(216)

Page 13