r D l N
REFUbLL
SPONSORSHIP
CIRCL
Edinburgh Refugee
Sponsorship Circle
Trustees, Annual Report
l July 2023 to 30 June 2024

i(EFUGE£
SPONSORSHIP
CIRCLE
Charity Information
Charity name
Scottish Charity Number
Address
Edinburgh Refugee Sponsorship Circle
SC050349
308 Ferry Road
Edinburgh
EHJf 3NP
Postcode
Website
Instagram
httPS:/iwww.retugeesponsorshipcircle.org/
https://www.instagram.com/edinsponsorcircle/
Charity Trustees
rrustee name
Date joined the Bnard Officebearer
Document
Trustees, Annual Report
Version
Date
25th March 2025
Page No.

REFUBEE
SPONSURSHIP
CIRCLE
Introduction
Edinburgh Refugee Sponsorship Circle {"ERSC")'s Board of Trustees is excited
to report on our fourth year as a charity. Building on the strength of our first
three years as a charity, this financial year has been another busy period as
detailed further in our "Achievements and performance" section below.
ERSC has several ambitious and wide-reaching objectives, and we continue
to be focused on resettling refugee families to Edinburgh, supporting those
we have welcomed in the past, and raising awareness of the UK Community
Sponsorship Scheme.
The Board of Trustees would like to thank all our Members, volunteers and
donors for helping us achieve so much in the charity's reporting period.
Strategic Report
Objectives and activitles
We started ERSC to help families fleeing conflict zones resettle in Edinburgh
through the Community Sponsorship Scheme. Our organisational objectives
go beyond this aim and are set out in our Constitution. In summary, our
objectives are to:
1. ensure that families arriving through the Community Sponsorship
Scheme and other refugees and asylum seekers are provided with
the appropriate services;
2. promote the advancement of citizenship by bringing diverse
communities together, establishing friendships and strengthening
support networks for refugees, asylum seekers and those who
support them;
3. promote the advancernent of human rights, conflict resolution and
reconciliation by working with local councils, other community
groups and individuals to advocate for the rights of refugees and
asylum seekers around the world; and
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Trustees, Annual Report
Version
Date
25th March 2025
Page No.

REFUGEE
SPONSORSHIP
CIRCLE
4. educate communities of the plight of refugees and asylum seekers
and raise awareness of the United Kingdom Home Office's
Community Sponsorship Scheme to empower other communities
to take part in the Community Sponsorship Scheme.
This year we have continued to address these ambitious objectives by
continuing to support the two families we resettled. To become a
Community Sponsor, the Home Office require groups to..
demonstrate that they have personnel with suff icient skills and
experience to support a resettled fa mily,.
demonstrate that they have sufficient financial resources to support
resettled family la minimum £9000 per family);
find and secure affordable housing;
obtain consent from local councils and the police service; and
develop a credible plan for supporting that family.
In September 2021, the first family arrived in Edinburgh following months of
preparation. There was a strong support network waiting for the family in
Edinburgh to assist with: setting up their home, registration with local
schools, doctors, dentists and Job Centre, English classes, and general
support.
In February 2023, the second family arrived in Edinburgh, again following
months of preparation.
We continued to run fundraising events which also provide the opportunity
for us to raise awareness of current refugee crises and promote the
Community Sponsorship Scheme. We have built strong relationships with
groups like STAR Edinburgh and Vegware, who are supporting us with
regular funds.
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REFUGEE
SPONSORSHIP
CIRCLI
Our objectives State that we will raise awareness of the scheme within
Scotland and more broadly the UK. In the reporting period, ERSC has played
an important role in bringing the Community Sponsorship Scheme to the
attention of many Scottish communities, We have become the Lead Sponsor
for a newly established Community Sponsorship group in Glas80W.
ERSC is also a member of the Community Sponsorship Alliance UK {CSA UK),
which is independent, grass-rooted, hands-on, strategists, researchers,
experts by experience, community mobilisers, educationalists,
entrepreneurs; and experienced in the Community Sponsorship way of
welcome that many of us have been involved with since the birth of the
scheme in 2016.
Achievements and performance
Family I
Family I has been thriving and continued to be actively involved in our
fundraising initiatives and community events. Two maths tutors have been
recruited to support two of their children and most excitingly, we have been
making great progress in our ambitious journey of purchasing the flat they
currently live in via a Declaration of Trust in winter 2025.
Family 2
Family 2 have settled in well and are close to celebrating their 2-year
anniversary in Edinburgh. ERSC volunteers are actively engaged in language,
health and social support and we have built a trusted relationship with both
family members.
Volunteers
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REFUGEI
SPONSORSHIP
CIRCLE
We are now a group of 37 volunteers. Every single volunteer has brought
incredible skills, enthusiasm and commitment to supporting the families we
welcomed and the wider organisation. We are particularly grateful for the
many volunteers with lived expertise giving us their time and invaluable
insight and experience.
We are in awe of the diversity in backgrounds and skills that volunteers bring
to our organisation and are particularly happy about the positive feedback
and the continuous engagement of volunteers who have moved away via for
example our grant-making subgroup.
FundrGising ond grants
Our previously mentioned grant team has been working tirelessly to secure
us additional financial support via grants. The monthly grant from Vegware is
pa rticu larly usef ul as it is un restricted fu nding a Ilowing us to fill any su pport
gaps, focus on organisational development and organise celebratory events.
We were delighted to hear that this grant was extended for another year.
Our dedicated fundraising team has organised several fundraising events
including at the Leith Walk Police Box and the Colony of Artists weekend.
We are unable to properly express how incredible our Members, volunteers
and community have been in supporting us during our first three years. As a
community and volunteer driven organisation, we rely on people's
generosity of time, money and expertise; something that we never lacked
during the reporting period !
What's ne)rt?
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Trustees, Annual Report
Version
Date
25th March 2025
Page No.

REFUGEE
SPONSORSHIP
CIRCLE
We remain committed to SUPPOrting all families in a person-centred,
trauma-informed and community-powered way. As a Community
Sponsorship group our main objective, and commitment remains to the
continuou5 resettlement and support of refugee families and individuals in
Edinburgh.
We furthermore look forward to establishing the ERSC family committee, a
co-production group of representatives of ERSC-sponsored families initially
beginning in Edinburgh, aimed at sharing best practice and informing our
strategic p lanning.
As a member of CSA UK we are continuously involved in informing wider
Community Sponsorship related policymaking and will continue to advocate
for human rights, trust in Community, appropriate support and the Scottish
perspective.
We have recently become the Lead Sponsor for a Community Sponsorship
group in Glasgow. We are looking forward to supporting them in their
journey.
Principal risks & uncertainties
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IIEFUGEE
SPONSORSHIP
CIRCIE
The Board is aware of several key risks and uncertainties which guide our
decision-making and planning for the future.
The Board is monitoring the costs of living in the UK and the impact this will
have on a refugee family relying entirely on benefits.
The Board is conscious of a few other risk5 that could affect our activities
and the level of support we can provide. These risks include:
the availability of Arabic speakers and speakers of other community
language5 to provide crucial support to the family,
lack of availability of our experienced Members and volunteers to help
in a wide range of areas,.
the availa bi lity of housing;
the future of the Community Sponsorship Scheme.
the willingness of the community to continue donating to our cause.
The Board is aware that there are a range of uncertainties that exist with
each new family being resettled. Various levels and types of support are
needed for different families which makes it difficult to plan and resource for
each family at the outset. However, we are confident that as we continue to
build a strong network of volunteers and Members, we will be able to devise
contingencies and address future challenges.
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REFUGEE
SPONSOHSHIP
CIRCLE
Financial Review
During the reporting period our fundraising activities generated receipts of
£8,494. The sources of these funds are summarised below:
Donations - £4,271
Grants- £1,950
Receipts from other charitable activities £2,523
Statement of the charitvs policy on reserves
It is our policy to maintain funds at a level sufficient to cover administration
of the charity.
Our intended use of reserves include:
Spending on unforeseen emergencies or other unexpected needs. For
example, unexpected charges/fees that a resettled family might need
to pay urgently.
Planned commitments which may need higher levels of reserves.
Funds to allow for social activities that further the charity's objectives.
For example, a welcome gathering or tour of the city upon arrival of a
family being resettled.
Overheads for fundraising events, such as venue hire and food costs.
Details of any surplus
The overall surplus of funds reported in the period is a result of decreased
charitable expenditure due to family 2 now being resettled, and an increase
in our fundraising efforts moving forward with further resettlements in the
future.
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SPONSORSHIP
CIRCLE
Donated facilities and services
As part of our Chuffed fundraiser, there were a number of service5 that our
Members and volunteers provided as"Perks" to donors.
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REFUGEE
sptINSORSHIP
CIRCLE
Structure, Governance and Management
Organisational strurture
ERSC is a two-tier SCIO (table 2). ERSC is governed by its constitution which
was submitted to QSCR along with the application for registration as a
charity in June 2020.
A description of the roles and responsibilities of Members and Trustees is
summarised below..
Members
Our Members have important powers under the constitution. In
particular, the Members appoint the people that serve on the Board
of Trustees, can direct the activities of the Board and take decisions on
changes to the constitution itself.
Membership is open to any individual (aged 16 and overl who
supports the purposes of the charity. Individuals wishing to join ERSC
as a member must complete an application form (which is reviewed
by the Board) and undergo an onboarding process which involves an
interview and character reference check5. Members are also asked to
sign an agreement to comply with our Safeguarding and Data Security
policies.
Trustees
The Board of Trustees manage the activities of the organisation,
includin8 Member recruitment and controlling the financial position of
the charitv.
The Board is accountable to the Members and must arrange an annual
general meeting IAGM) in each year to report on the organisation's
activities and accounts.
Trustees are appointed for a term of one year and election/re-election
of Trustees takes place at the AGM.
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RIFUGEE
SPONSOHSHIP
CIRCLE
During the reporting period (July 2023 to June 20241 the Trustees met
four times via video conference/in person. Meetings minutes were
collated and were convened to discuss the financial position of the
charity, approval of new members, charity processes and
organisational/strategic planning. One half of trustees constitutes a
quorum for decision making.
Members and Trustees commit to give their time and expertise freely and
no remuneration was paid during this reporting period. There were no
conflicts of interest raised during this reporting period,
We are also fortunate to have the help of volunteers that help us with our
fundraising activitie5. Throughout the year they have supplied our stalls with
baking, crafts and much more, as well as helped to coordinate our
fundraising efforts. They are non-voting supporters of the charity who have
not undergone the on-boarding process and therefore don't have access to
privileged information.
Trustee recruitment and appointment
At any one time there can be a maximum of eleven Trustees.
In line with the Constitution, the Members may elect any Mernber to Serve
on the Board of Trustees at each AGM. At any time, the Board may also
appoint a Member or non-member to be a Trustee, if they have specialist
experience and/or skills which could assist the charity in meeting its aims. A
person is not eligible to serve on the Board if they have been disqualified
from being a charity trustee under the Charities and Trustee Investment
(Scotland) Act 2005 or they are employed by the charity.
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REFUGEE
SPONSORSHIP
CIRCLE
Auditors Report
Reference and Administrative Details
Declaration
Signed on behalf of the charity trustees..
Designation
CHARITY TRUSTEE I TREASURER
25103125
Date
Document
Trustees, Annual Report
Version
Date
th
25 March 2025

Edinburgh Refugee 8ponsorship Circle
Independent Examiner's Rèport on the Accounts
Report to the Edinbur9h Refugee Sponsorship Circl8
trusteeslmembers of
Reglstsr9d ¢harlty numbor sc050349
On the accounts of the ' 30th June 2D24
chari
.￿for the year ended
RespeetiVO
responsibilities of
truste￿ and examin8r
The charity's trust••8 are r&8ponsible for the preparation of
the accounts in accordance with the terms of the Charities
and Trustee Investment (Scotlandl Act 2005 {'Ihe 2005 Act,)
and the Charities Accounts IS¢ollandl Regulats'ons 2006las
amended) I'the 2006 regulations. l The charity trustees
consider that the audit requirèment of Regulation 10(11 Id) of
the Accounts Regulakn'ons does not appty. It is my
responsibility to examine the aGcounls as required under
se¢lion 44{1 I Ic) of the 2005 Act and to stste whether
articular matters have come to m" attention.
Ba8is of independent My examination is carried out In accordance with Regulation
examln8r'8 Statement 11 of the 2006 Regulation5. An examination includes a
revièw of Ihe accounting records kept by the chanty and
comparison of the accounts p￿sented with those records. It
also includes consideration of any unusual items or
disclosures in the accounts and seeks explanations from the
trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures
undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be
required in an audit and. consequendy, I do express an
audit 0￿inIon on the accounts.
Indopondent examiner's In the course of my examinats'on, no malter has come to my
8tstement attention
which gives me reasonable cause to believe Ihal in any
rnal6rial respect the requirements..
to keep accounting records in 8ccord8nce with section
4411) (al ol the 2005 Ad and Regulation 4 ofth8 2006
Accounts Règulatlons, and
to prèpare secounts with accord with the accounting
records and comply wilh Re9ulation 9 of the 2006
Accounts Regulations have not been meL or
2. to which, in rny opinion, allenlton should be drawn in order
lo enable a proper understanding of the ac¢ounts to be
rea'ljff d.
Signed
Name
Relevant professlonal
-quallflcatlon
Address

IPPENThX 2
Edinburgh Refug80 Sponsorshlp Clr¢le
Receipts and
ments accounts
SC050349
Forth• port00
Irom
OUi5h(harify Wior
July
JUD2
i ¥ts¥i
ditru
R¢$tfi¢tv
Expendatyle
P8mi8nènt
Totsl fund8
Total iunds last
A1 R•¢•¢
.271
782
1.70f*
2W
1.9￿*
1.12S
1.6•3
R**pts from lu￿ra15
Gross Iradiw receipts
ncome rom inv8S
mèn
tivrtigs
or
an
Ronis Im l•nd & ￿11￿1￿
ross rwip $ rom o
Al Subto¥•l
250
8.744
2K•
Pio¢ood$ Irorn of filed a5seis
Pr￿8£d3 from sgle of iThveslmen
A2 Svb total
Total r•c•lptS
250
1Q$
A3 Payrnents
Exp8nsK lorfundwing 3cllvilleg
Gr05s wsthng p8ymonts
Invgstm8nl management ¢*
Paumgnls relp.liiioAiieEIwothulabl2
Grani$ 8rhd dDnaUoD5
Govern8nce CDsi5.
193
417
411
260
Audll I iThJep2ndent examiwion
Preparation ol annual ¥￿￿niS
Le98l¢o$ts
120
461
461
A3 Sub tolal
701
250
A4P
men16 reiatlTh
to a8aet
Purcha88s offixeo assets
purch￿ of I￿￿￿ènts
A4 Sub total
Totslpayrnorf¥
2SII
S,573
A5 Tran&fvrs tol (from) fvnds
$￿u6/(der•¢rt) foryear

APPENCIX2
Edlnbur
h Refu
Section B Statement of balanees
ees
onsorship Circle
SC050349
TDlal cutronl
pthod
fund
po
fvnd
tundÉ
B1 CAshfvnd5
Cash bAnk balAn￿OI
6M61
6,461
12,034
SUr￿￿$1{de1k4lI 5￿Yn 0nrÉcèi￿1&￿d
paymonrsa¢tCvrtt
<793
4793
Cèsh and ba￿￿CeS alend of>wr
11354
tl.2fpl
6.461
￿jPay￿rL4
Dclals
L•ityMr
Tot
Oetall$
3 Othoraaoets
Doillls
T41
E]*tsll*
Fu4dthwJh*hIablhty￿*
L•#¥Wi
B5 Contlng¢Thl lIe￿IllIeS
Tth
SIBn•d tyunB0rh￿lrUS1p
PrntP4amp
D•t• trf
pproval
2SI312025
2&f312D25
t*¢Lthbcr3N)T

PPENDIX 2
Edinburgh Refugee Sponsorship Circle
SC050349
Section C Notes to the Accounts
C1 Nature and purpose of
funds Irn8y be s1818don
tysis oflunds wuksheets)
FWQS held by Edinbur￿ Refug8e Spmsor5hip Giwdg IERSCI are donations and grants rewved I￿oUgh
fundraising acllvitièg In ordor 10 sponsor and resfjtt￿ relugg8 familillgs Into Edlnburgh tP*ough the UK
Gov$mrnenfs Community Sponsorshlp Sch&me. The UK (knvernmenl requires ihal spDnsoT5tr¥p groups.
such as ERSC. f￿r￿￿alSe at least £9.000 piior 10 bern9 given per[n￿s1on to apply 8$ a sponsor. ERSC raises
fiJnds a￿ve £9.000 lo as5isI in coverlng fundrai￿n9 a¢fvity overhead5. cover govsmarce costs1s￿h as
Public Llablllly Insuranc8 and ItKlepEndenl Ex8minabon fees), 8ThY cow8r any unfor¢$¢6n emargenues that
arise in connethon wlh charilable activllles.
NLthb•rof grarty
C2 Grants
Toial
C3a Trustee rgmuneratFon
If no rernunerabon was during Ihe p0rityJ Io any L*8Dly Irustee or person toMad•d to
8 Iwtslee cro$$ th&¥ box lolhermse COM￿ete seclion 8bl
Authorfty uhd•r i i'.Ilt') paid
C3b Trustee remul￿ratIOll .
det￿lS
C4a Trustèe expenseg
If no èKpènséÈ wefy paid to any charity Iru818tr durwwj perNx4 then cross box
IoihgtWS8 fA)rnplpie seclion 4bl
Nwhbv¢l
C4b Tru5tse exp8nse8-
detslls
B•hn¢•
C5 Trarbsactlons wlth trusiees
and connected persons
C6 Other Information
ERSC knunts Pf24. 4n4d. 31-0>25 INotes
D¢¢ember2007

APPEhVII 2
Edlnburgh R0fvge• Sponsorship Circlo
SC050349
Additional analysis111
ANlydls olrer•ipis4n6
P•nninirt
doWTh￿￿t
fur
fun
p*rfod
•bt
r•¥t£
Iswyei
ChL￿fEd
Lish
497
LUS
CAF
QD
4271
2 Gr•Nts
Totil<LYrtM
To￿￿1112rt0l
V•wèContrNrtyFurtd
1J
EC>J
CW1iden1
2S0
To
1.7
1.550
3 Gr￿ rBcoiptr Irrffl Qitr¢F¢hwh*b￿*Ét￿itl1*
lurrff•
enOD*me
t¢
1.¢TJ
150
Lrt3or￿ng lun&41
2,¥23
1513
2.l*J
f•ff•p4•+v*r
ds
It
FAk11
Fwfay I
F¥tty2
G￿￿ra
Swpprcvb
rhamyaTrdV￿Ow¢W¢jts
857
1,292
FA113
sup
163
164
161

ENDLX2
SC050349
Additional analysls121
4 liif
Tvw
Trt
b I
782
GranL%
￿￿1
1.7QO
t.093
bLd
GiossrfiG
om
60B
Proreeth Tromsq*
ProLEedJfroms4* ￿11n￿t￿t￿fft
Gross tr￿a￿9p*yMtyITrl
1nyesunenlm￿19tm1rt(￿ry
Pa
Grants*￿￿Or￿*knn5
GPSO
AUD
Le4¥lL¥Jsts
rhtsts ollxèdÈs6¥
Subl•tsl
Trar&•r& M I Ilr¢rnlluA*

APPE￿)1% t
Edinburgh R•fuge• Spon$otship Circlg
SCO50349
Additional analysis131
BtgakdDwnof rqstrf¢tsd funds
25D
Is
GnJs&
camefFominwwff¢ntso1h¥t￿Im I9￿ja￿d
ReN5 tr9fft1?n¢ &builJl
150
Recei
rmmass* & bnYe5trnEnt4￿q4
Pr(¢èÈJÉfiem &Èlè oFlixBd
Subtol•l
250
525
EyJ¢ns¢sf¢rlundf4iS*ty aCti￿ti¢5
Gross kadln
knies'.m?rtimgh99wi c45ts
250
Avdlliind•pnd8m exarnlTh*l
Legal rApSts
Sub •)
250
nv•stm•nt
Su6
Yof•lpJypJ•nl3
250
TAn&lBrntoA(ftoml fvnds
525
un
*mLYi2Q07