**Trustees’ Annual Report For the period 16 April 2025 to 28 February 2026**
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## Table of Contents
**Trustees’ Annual Report** .......................................................................................................... 1 **For the period 16 April 2025 to 28 February 2026** ........................................................... 1 **Reference and Administrative Details** .................................................................................... 3 **Charity Name** ..................................................................................................................... 3 **Scottish Charity Number** .................................................................................................. 3 **Principal Office** .................................................................................................................. 3 **Charity Trustees** ................................................................................................................ 3 **Independent Examiner** ...................................................................................................... 3 _**Chairperson’s Report**_ ....................................................................................................... 4 **Objectives and Activities** ......................................................................................................... 5 **Structure, Governance and Management** ............................................................................... 6 **Type of Governing Document** .............................................................................................. 6 **Trustee Recruitment and Appointment** ............................................................................... 6 **Achievements and Performance** ............................................................................................. 7 **Financial Review** ...................................................................................................................... 8 **Reserves Policy** .................................................................................................................... 8 **Treasurer’s Report** ............................................................................................................ 8 **Donated Facilities and Services** .......................................................................................... 8 **Future Plans** ............................................................................................................................. 9 **Declaration** ............................................................................................................................... 9
## **Reference and Administrative Details**
## **Charity Name**
Navigating Sanctuary Life (SCIO)
## **Scottish Charity Number**
SC054150
## **Principal Office**
½ 3 McAslin Court Glasgow
## **Contact**
Telephone- +447376598889
Email – kabivan50@gmail.com or info@navigatingsanctuarylife.org
Website - https://navigatingsanctuarylife.org/
## **Charity Trustees**
## **Trustee Name Position**
Ivan Kakembo Trustee Sedia Dibassey Trustee Pius Matovu Trustee Stella Maholo Trustee
## **Independent Examiner**
Brett Nicholls Associates Ltd Herbert House 24 Herbert Street Glasgow G20 6NB
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## _**Chairperson’s Report**_
The reporting period marked an important foundation year for Navigating Sanctuary Life as the charity moved from initial community consultations into a formally established organisation with charitable status. Although the charity’s operational activities were still developing during this period, significant progress was made in establishing governance structures, building community relationships, identifying local needs, and developing plans for future delivery.
The trustees are particularly encouraged by the positive engagement received from the community, partner organisations, and individuals from ethnic minority, refugee, and asylumseeking communities. Community consultation highlighted the continuing need for culturally sensitive support services, safe social spaces, and practical assistance that promotes dignity, inclusion, and wellbeing.
The charity remains committed to developing activities that respond directly to these needs while ensuring that the organisation grows in a sustainable, accountable, and community-led manner. The trustees are grateful to all volunteers, supporters, partner organisations, and community members who have contributed to the establishment of Navigating Sanctuary Life during its first year.
Looking ahead, the charity aims to expand its wellbeing activities, strengthen local partnerships, and continue building a welcoming and supportive environment for individuals experiencing poverty, exclusion, and hardship in Glasgow Scotland.
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## **Objectives and Activities**
Navigating Sanctuary Life was established to support ethnic minority communities, asylum seekers, refugees, and individuals experiencing poverty, social exclusion, and hardship in Scotland. The charity was set up in response to increasing concerns within local communities relating to food insecurity, isolation, barriers to accessing services, and the wider challenges experienced by newly arrived and vulnerable individuals.
The charity’s purposes, as set out in its constitution, are:
- the prevention or relief of poverty
- the advancement of education
- the relief of those in need by reason of age, ill health, disability, financial hardship, or other disadvantage
The charity aims to achieve these purposes through community engagement, practical support, culturally appropriate activities, partnership working, and initiatives that promote wellbeing, dignity, inclusion, and social cohesion. During the reporting period, the trustees focused primarily on establishing the organisation on a sustainable and accountable basis. This included developing governance structures, undertaking trustee training, engaging with local communities, and applying for funding to support future charitable activities. The trustees also carried out community consultation through discussions, surveys, and engagement with residents and community organisations. These consultations identified several recurring issues affecting beneficiaries, including:
- loneliness and social isolation
- food insecurity
- financial hardship
- barriers to accessing support services
- language barriers and cultural exclusion
The trustees used this feedback to inform the charity’s developing programme of activities and future priorities. Navigating Sanctuary Life also recognises the importance of lived experience in shaping effective services. Trustees bring direct experience and understanding of the challenges faced by asylum seekers, refugees, and ethnic minority communities, which has informed the charity’s approach to community support and engagement.
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## **Structure, Governance and Management**
## **Type of Governing Document**
Navigating Sanctuary Life is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) registered with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) on 16 April 2025.The charity is governed by its constitution, which sets out the charity’s purposes, powers, governance arrangements, and procedures for decision-making. The trustees are responsible for ensuring that the charity operates in accordance with its governing document and complies with relevant charity law and regulatory requirements. The charity is managed by a board of trustees who are responsible for the strategic direction, governance, safeguarding, financial oversight, and general administration of the organisation. Trustees meet regularly to discuss the charity’s activities, finances, governance matters, and future plans. Records of meetings and decisions are maintained appropriately. The charity had no employees during the reporting period.
## **Trustee Recruitment and Appointment**
Trustees are appointed in accordance with the charity’s constitution. During the reporting period, trustees worked to strengthen governance arrangements and develop the organisational capacity of the charity. The charity recognises the importance of maintaining a diverse and skilled board that reflects the communities it serves. Trustees have experience and understanding of community development, lived experience of migration and resettlement, and engagement with vulnerable groups. During the reporting period, trustees also undertook governance and organisational development training delivered through CEMVO Scotland to strengthen understanding of charity governance, compliance responsibilities, safeguarding, and financial oversight. The trustees intend to recruit additional trustees and volunteers during the next reporting period to support the continued growth and sustainability of the organisation.
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## **Achievements and Performance**
During the reporting period, Navigating Sanctuary Life achieved several important milestones as a newly established charity.
Key achievements included:
- successful registration with OSCR as a SCIO
- development of governance and operational structures
- completion of trustee governance and organisational development training through CEMVO Scotland
- submission of funding applications to support charitable activities
- establishment of relationships with local community organisations and stakeholders
- completion of community consultations and needs assessments
- securing restricted funding of £10,000 from the Glasgow Wellbeing Fund
- securing venue arrangements at Ashgill Recreation Centre, Milton, Glasgow
- development of plans for culturally appropriate food support and wellbeing activities
The charity intends to continue hosting community sessions every two weeks to provide safe and welcoming spaces where individuals from ethnic minority communities can come together around food, share experiences, build social connections, and access local support services. Although operational activity remained limited during much of the reporting period due to the charity being newly established, the trustees consider the work undertaken during the year to be essential in creating a stable foundation for sustainable future service delivery. The trustees believe that the charity’s activities have already contributed positively to community engagement, inclusion, wellbeing, and the reduction of social isolation within the local community.
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## **Financial Review**
During the reporting period, the charity secured restricted funding of £10,000 from the Glasgow Wellbeing Fund to support the development and delivery of community wellbeing activities. As the organisation only became operational towards the end of the reporting period, financial activity remained relatively limited during much of the year. Expenditure primarily related to organisational setup, project preparation, venue arrangements, and planning for future activities. The trustees are satisfied that funds received during the reporting period were applied in furtherance of the charity’s purposes and in accordance with funding conditions.
## **Reserves Policy**
As a newly established charity, Navigating Sanctuary Life is in the early stages of developing a formal reserves policy. The trustees recognise the importance of maintaining appropriate unrestricted reserves to support the long-term sustainability of the organisation, manage unforeseen financial pressures, and ensure continuity of charitable activities. The trustees intend to formally review and adopt a reserves policy as the charity’s activities and financial commitments continue to develop.
## **Treasurer’s Report**
During the reporting period, the charity’s financial activity remained relatively limited as Navigating Sanctuary Life was newly established and only became operational towards the latter part of the year. Nevertheless, the charity successfully secured restricted funding of £10,000 from the Glasgow Wellbeing Fund to support future community wellbeing activities and organisational development.
The trustees have sought to ensure that all funds received are managed responsibly and applied in furtherance of the charity’s purposes. Expenditure during the reporting period mainly related to organisational setup, governance development, project planning, and preparations for future service delivery.
As the charity continues to develop, the trustees recognise the importance of maintaining appropriate financial controls, transparent record keeping, and sustainable financial planning. Work will continue during the next reporting period to strengthen financial procedures and develop an appropriate reserves policy to support the long-term stability of the organisation.
## **Donated Facilities and Services**
During the reporting period, the charity benefited from volunteer support, community advice, and governance training opportunities provided through partner organisations, including CEMVO Scotland. The trustees are grateful for the contribution of volunteers, community supporters, and partner organisations whose assistance supported the establishment and early development of the charity.
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## **Future Plans**
During the next reporting period, the charity intends to:
- develop regular community wellbeing and drop-in activities
- expand culturally appropriate food support initiatives
- strengthen partnerships with local organisations and community groups
- recruit additional volunteers and trustees
- continue community consultation and evaluation activities
- improve awareness of services through outreach and engagement
- gather feedback and evidence to improve future service delivery
- develop activities that promote dignity, inclusion, wellbeing, and social cohesion
The trustees remain committed to supporting ethnic minority communities, asylum seekers, refugees, and individuals experiencing disadvantage across Scotland. **dditional Information**
The trustees recognise that the reporting period largely involved organisational establishment, governance development, and community consultation rather than extensive operational delivery. The trustees nevertheless consider this period to have been essential in ensuring that the charity develops on a sustainable, accountable, and community-informed basis capable of delivering long-term public benefit.
## **Declaration**
Signed on behalf of the charity trustees:
**Name:** Ivan Kakembo
## **Designation:** Trustee
**Date:** __26 May ,2026
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