Together For Better Life Trustees Annual Report-2024-2025
Tablc of Contents Trustccs Annucil RLport 1/4/?0?4- 3113/?0?5........ Seciion Oiie: Organisation Ovcrvieiv . Scction Tiio: ProjLLts,..... l- AdN'ocac)' (2nd IVLII-beiiig: I'hc Robertson Trust:. ................................. -1. IIIoiiiLlI'S Cliib: A-courses:........................................... .......... B- Nlidday CoffcL:............ . .......... ... 4- Povcrti, ,Ind Education:.. 5- ESOL Courses: ... Financial Review: Independent Examiner's Report to Trustees of Together for Better Life....... Section Three: Budget summary 1/4/2024-31/3/2025:. Declaration:.
Trustces Anniial Report 114/2()24- 311.112()25 SeLtion One: ()rganisation OTr'erTr'ieiv Togcthcr For BLItLr Lifc (I"rB) Ili eslabli51iLd iii GlasgyoKI on 6 FLbruary ?016 by Sudanese iiidividii.Ils aiid rL'blSlLred a cliarity 011 98 April ?016. 1.he principal foundLr, was a PIID candidaiL in DLI'elopmL'ni Policy and PraLtice '11h 26 )'ears of experience in commuliity dLVLlopnient in Lurope and her hoine country. IiispirLd by researcli she condLlCtcd on hcr ethnic group. she foiiiided TfB to mobili5e communit), resourccs c1nd cnhcince tlie Ivell-being of those SLrved. TFB'S vision is to enipoi¥cr our targ)Lt groiip lo ILad digjiiificd lives in the UK. We priorilise eniploi abilit!. financial indLpciidciice. confidLncc and sclf-esteLin building, and awarLness of opponiiniliLS, 11 Iiile fostLringy social colicsion. Qiiulificd community members deliver our actii'ities, Iiliich also supports tliLir own skill development. OLir programmes inclLide seminars, 'orkshops. training. advocacv, researcli, and sports c2Ctivitics. As a communill'_led organisation. TFB Iises a participatorv approaLh: plc2cing service users at tlaL centre of project planningy. iinplciiientalion: aiid evalualion. Tlie board, coinprising four trusleLS Ivlth diverse qualifica11(5 and CLIItLiral e,xperience in botli tlie UK and Iheir hoine countries, meets every, tiio Inontlis. Decisions rLqiiire a 75 % quorum and are made by Inajority vote, V* uli Ilie chair casting a secoiid votL in Ilie eveiit of a tie. Tlie trustees are committed to supporting oiliers. Current trustees are: Name })OSiition Chair Secretary TrL(IsurLr NqLmbcr
SLCtion TM'O: Projcct.s TFII runs various projecls that meel Ihe nLcds of Ilie commiinity. Some of Ihcse projects Started in previous I cars, and others are in the current ones. BLloiv is a brief of thcsc projccts. l- Acli ocaci" dind Il'cll-l)cinR: The Gl,Isooiv C.oinmLinily Fiiiid is sui)porliiig tliis projLCt froiii April 2023 to March 2026: coi"ering st,qff, aclivitlLS, aiid oN'Lrhcad cosls. Tlic projcLI aiins to reduLe povL'rty amnnby Ilic tarbiLI group tlirougli indiN idual support, advocacy. aiid aH arciiLSS courses. Tlie firsl aLtii'it)' providLd individual siipport and advocacy. addressing issues from daily lasks to serious concenis like violence againsl Ivoinen and girls. SLlPPOrt was covailable throughout the eek. including evenings andqveekends. We responded proinptly to phone and WhatsApp messages. offering immediate assistance or schediilingi appointmcnts as reqiiired. The manager coordinated responses and appointments Ivith hcrself or the project coordinator. Some matters. such as letter translation. Jury Citation explanations: or employmcnt rcfcrrals. were resolved bN' phone Il'ithout meetings. After initial coiitact. 'e accoiiipanied service users to tliird parties, including job centres. housiiig associations. or solicilors. or contiiiued support c2t our office. their Iiome. or onliiie. For urgent cases like domcsiic violLnce, we respond iinmcdiatLly. 2417. If il aS safe, visited clienis ai Iiome. if not. li'e coniacted tliL police. Since January, we have operated rLmotely. meeiingy clients at tlieir Iiomes or in public places as needed. Most tasks, including Iiousing applications, wLre coinpleted online. Diirino the first in-person meeling, clients completed regyistralion and conseni forins after e.xplaiiied our confidentiality policy. We supported 60 cliLnls across 88 cases, cls sonie requirLd Iiclp Ivith miiliiplL iSSUL4i. Fifty cliLnts rLcLivLd face-to-face support. oftLii Ilirough mLiliiplc niLetingys or folloiv-up calls. tIIL rest were assisled online. Mosl casLS iiivoll'ed IIoufiing, social bL'nefil5, eniplo)mcni, aiid
I'inlence agclinst IiomLn and girls. Minnr concern%, such as c()nflicts ()r FS()L class infonnation. erc addrcssLd b) ph()IlL. Tlic second aclii iti, dLlivercd a arLllLSS C()urscs on poverty. ith a focu% on fiiel poverty and cncrgi: cflicienc!. We hLld fil'e courses, eacli lili ti¥() sessions, for tLn participants. 2- TIIL. R()l)Lrl%nii "fru%t: The Robertson Trust lias funded a part_timc I"FB giencral manaocr position for three years. This support strcngiilicned TF B's slriicture. cnabling the mancigcr to lead additional projects, such as ESOL. granimar courses. and Digyital C()Iineclivily. dcspile I lin ited resources. -1. 11 onicn'sj Clul): The Nalional Loiier), ConiniLinilJ Fuiid supported Iliis yrojLct for IlirL'L )'cars. DUL to its success and gyroi% ing dciiiand. fiiiidiiigy has bL'Lll L.xILndcd for an addii ioncll Iliree years, incl udingv the current )'ear. Tl)c girani covcrs stiiff, actiN'ity. and Tii()st ovcrliead cosls. Tlie projeLt dinis to prol idc a IVLlcoiiiing? space INliere N%oiiiL'n cali SPLnd tlieir tiiiie prc)duclivcl! arid Lnjoyably. Its viliiin activities are coursLS and Midday CoffL'e gyatlieringr). A-courses: Each Near. we select themes based on Ilie coiiimunily's Iiecds. Tliis lund fully covercd all course cosis. Our flexible hours. biling)ual lulors. and creLIIL SL'fwicL'S allowed us 10 support IvoinLn ith )'oung children and limited Englisli skills. We also offer mobilL courses c2t venuLS convenienl tor participaiits. Tliis Jear. M e dLlivered si,x cour5cs: each Ivitli four sLssions: tliree focused on digital literacv aiid tlirce 011 chi Id prolLCtion. The child protection courses providcd a valuablc space for woiiicn to discuss relalLd issiiLS, learn hoiv to communicate scnsitive int-orniatioii to Iheir cliildrcn. and teaLlI IIILM self-proicction skills. feedbclck indicated a need tor additional pareiilingp courses.
11- ll(l(la. Cnffcc: Tlie second activ'ily. 'Midday C of"Ice,' ol.lirs social gatlierings wlicre wonieii nicct over tca to discuss lopics of Ilicir choice. ollcn with a volLintLer expcrt. Whcn an expert is unavailable, participants Ic,Id Ilieir oivn discussions or activilics. Tliis J'car: wc held fourteen gatherings, inclijdingi tlirLL B13Qs in iiarioiis L ily Ic)Ccl1ions, 1% IIiLlI pro%'idLd opporlunitics for women <2nd cliildrcn lo coiiiicct and ciijo) Ilie oiitdoors. 4- crti an(1 E(IIiL.'Ilinn: This pr()jLCt slartLd tllo NL,Irs ablo. li a5 tIIL firsl projeLI to directly address poverty in our targict group. A part-tiiiic 11 orker as hircd to iiivestigiate povLny ainong Bl<iLk (2nd Minority Ellinic pLople. including its causes. and lo dLvelop classLs Ihat would help tlIL commLinity understand Ihe issue. This l'ear. i¢g ran tliree classes in tivo sessions. The c1(S focuscd on Ilie education si'steni in Scotland, exploring its dif"fLrenccs from the system in the home country. li also cftcouraoLd parLiils 10 get involved iii tlicir childrcn's education and school life. Tlie second part of Ilic project foLused on supporiiiigy cliildrcn's education. We also ran ti¥elve eeks of extra help 11 itli schooli¥'ork. one da)} each wcek. On Iliis day. priinary school studLnts gol extra lessons in English and Matli, wliich are iinportant subjccls for Iheir success. 5- F.£iC)L Courscs: This fin]Cial ycar, offered six Engilisli COLirses, e,Ich spanning five lively scssions focused on phonelics and grammar. Sevcnty eaLier learnLrs, mgstlj collegye slLidents, took part. ManNI expressed giratitude for haviiig English grainmar explained in Arabic. making the lessons niore accessible.
rynancial Rci iciv IndLpcndcnt Exaniincr's Rcporl to Truslces of Togclher f()r Better Life Iiidepeiideni Accoiiniaiils in Scotlcind l.iiii itLd rLP()rt on tIIL aLCOUllts of tlie cli,Irity for the yecir endcd JI 51 Nlcirch 20?.5 11 Iiicli is SLI oiil on pagiL's 7. Ilcsi)c'ctll L Rcsponsibilitics of Tru6*tces und F.xaniiner Tlie charil) s trustL'CS lire responsiblc for Ilic prcparalion of the accoiints in accordance with Ilie terms of Ilie Charitlcs ciiid TrustLC Iiii'c.stiiiciil (Scoiland) Act 9005 and the charities Accounts (Scoil,Ind) Regiiil;Ilj()11(i ?OOC_). Tlic cli,Irity truslLes Lc)IisidLr tliat IliL aiidit rcquircmcnt of RLNg)Iilati()n l O( l ) (d) of tliL Accouiits Rcgiulaliuiis aocs nol apply. li is niy rcspoiisibility to excllllillL tIIL aLcounts as rLquircd undLr scction 44(1) (c) of IliL Act and to stalL 11 IILthcr matters hai'e COlllL lo InN aitcniion, Basis of Indcpcndcnt Eiamincr's 4it.qtcmcnt Our cxaminalion is L£2rricd ()Iit iii accord,'IncL lili Rcgjulalion I l of the Charities Accoiints (Scotland) RLbiilalions ?006. Ali &.xaiiiinalion iiicludLs a rLV1e of IliL accountiiig rLcords kept b), IliL charity aiid a coiiiparis01i Of tlie accounls prLSLrilLd 11 lili Iliose records. It also includes considLraiion of aiiv unlisual itcnis or disclosures iii (lie accounts and SLLks e,xplanations froni Ilic trusiLLS conccrniiig aiiN SULII mailers. Tlie proccdLires uiidcrtaken do not provide all the eN'idence Iliat Iiould be required in an audit. and consequently do not express an audit opinion on Ilie vieiv giNen by Ihe accounts. Independent Examiner's Statement In tlic course of our exainin,Ition. no m<ltler lias comL lo our atteiition l. Which giN'LS Ine rLasonable caLise to bclieve Ilial in. any InLItLrial respect, tliL requireinents: To keep accountiiigi records in accordaiice wilh Section 44(1) (a) of thL Act and Regiulalion 4 of the 2006 Accounts Regyulations. and To prepare accoijnls Iwhich accord Iwitli the accoiinting records and comply Ivith Regulatioii 9 ofthe 2006 Accounts Rcgiulations Iiave not been met, or 2. To which. on our opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper uiidersianding of Ihc aLcolJnts to bc reached.
Section Thrce: Ilii(Igct suinm4qry 11412024-311.312025: Together for Better Llfe Receipts and Payments Account For the year ended 31st March 2025 Unrestrlcted Funds Restrlrted Funds Total 2025 Receipts Glasgow City Council Other CAants Donations- Fund Raising 25985 680 25985 680 200 200 TOTAL 26865 26865 Payments Unrestricted Funds Restrlcted Funds 785 2065 74226 Total 2025 Volunteers Sessional Wages Stationery & Consumables Actiwties Creche Financial Hardship Overheads 785 2065 74226 12242 2040 12242 2040 4458 4458 fbTAL 95816 95816 Total Receipts Total PrnentS 26865 95816 26865 95816 Surplus/(Deficit) for Year (68951) (68951) Together for Better Life Statement of Balances at 31st March 2025 Bank and Cash in Hand Opening Balances Bank Account Cash Account 2024 75452 1390 Closing Balances Bank Account Cash Account Re-lmbursement due to J Hassan 2025 9624 127 (1860) Surplus/(Deficit) for Year (68951)
Declaration: The trustCC5 dL'clare Ilia( Ilic). l)ai'e ai)i)r()I'cd tliL' IruslL'ey' rc'port aboi e. .Si2ncd on bch.2lf ()f thc chiqrit! s Irustces .Sign4turc(s) Full nimc(s) l)ositi()n seor* lorJ Date Lilic(L5