SRG Annual Report 2022

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 8th July 2021 to 31st August 2022

Objectives and Activities

Our charity was established to provide assistance and support for the personal needs of refugee families living in the properties provided in or around Shaftesbury including Motcombe and Gillingham.

A summary of our main activities in relation to these purposes:

  • Provide befriending services that help refugees establish themselves within the local community and the life of the UK.

  • Provide some financial assistance to refugees to establish businesses, attend education, and meet domestic, health and well-being needs.

  • Develop an active website which provides advice and support to refugees and their hosts, and establishes a point of contact with the community.

  • Organise the distribution and collection of IT equipment for refugees with our partners, DonateIT

  • Arrange events to raise funds such as a Quiz Night in Motcombe.

  • Arrange events to welcome refugees and their hosts and establish their needs.

  • Support English language development through conversation partners and summer schools.

  • Help furnish accommodation for people new to our community.

  • Assist the matching and rematching of refugees from Ukraine and hosts in the area as part of the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

  • Develop a wider network of partners and friends that can provide support when necessary for the needs of refugees.

  • Raise awareness of the plight of displaced people through the website, media and our events.

  • Be advocates for refugees in situations where they need support to make their needs clear.

  • Signpost displaced people and those keen to support them to relevant services such as Local Authorities and Job Centres.

A summary of our achievements and performance:

The numbers of people (displaced people, hosts), our service has been in direct contact with so far this year is 213. 

In addition, we have had approximately 3,000 visitors to our website per month since May 2022, for advice and support on line. 

We have raised funds in the period of just under £ 2850; consisting of £2470 in donations from individuals or organisations, and £371 in net proceeds of fund raising events. 

We have recently been given notice of awarded grants of £5,500 to support the domestic, health, education and well-being needs of displaced people.

We have arranged three social events that have helped people in the Homes for Ukraine scheme to connect with each other.  These were attended by 130 people.

We have distributed 7 laptops, 2 phones, and a printer to meet the educational and other needs of refugees.

We have established a group of volunteer respite hosts who can provide support for hosts and refugees within the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

We have written articles for local papers, spoken on local radio and used our events to raise awareness of the plight of displaced people and these have generated 73 Friends of our charity from the local community, and 38 partner organisations.

We have established a group of volunteers who are providing conversational English sessions with new refugees.

We have been advocates for displaced people together with our local politicians in respect of visas, attendance at job centres and other matters affecting their life in the UK.

We have supported the rematching of a number of families in incompatible situations.

We have represented our group at every Dorset Together meeting since March 2022, enabling us to link to wider services and partners across Dorset.


Financial Review

Financial position:

The opening bank balance on 1 Jan 2021 was £1874.  Income in the year totalled £1000, including a £200 Gift Aid refund from HMRC.  Payments, all made under our Refugee Support criteria, totalled £905.    This resulted in a surplus of £95 for the year, reflected in the closing bank balance on 31 Dec 2021 of £1969.

Please see the Treasurer’s Report

Reserves policy:

We have been until recently a small charity with an income of less than £5000 per annum, and a typical balance less than £2000.  However, our work has been vital for the families that we have supported since 2017.   In order to continue with our vital work into the future we hold a small reserve of £500 which allows us to retain our capacity and to be resilient in the face of any issues such as declining donations.

The charity is not in deficit and there are no uncertainties about the charity as a going concern.

Governance of the Charity

The charity has a Small Charity Constitution as its governing document. https://www.shaftesburyrefugeegroup.org/constitution.

The charity is managed by a committee of trustees. There are currently 8 trustees, 7 trustees appointed at the AGM and 1 appointed in year.

Trustee name

Carolyn Godfrey, Chair

Sara Delano Jacson MBE, Secretary

John Macpherson OBE, Treasurer from 12th May 2022

Andrea Blows

Rosalind Hanby, Vice Chair

Monica Macpherson

Stuart Twiss, Health and Safety and Information Officer

Tim Cook, From April 26th 2022

Malcom Wilson, Treasurer until 11th May 2022


The trustees have held 7 quorate and minuted meetings since the last AGM. 

Trustees have agreed to and act in line with the following policies, 

  • Code of Conduct

  • Equality

  • Safeguarding

  • Health and Safety

  • Finance

  • Reserves

  • Expenses

  • Personal Data and Privacy

  • Risk

  • Complaints

See our website. https://www.shaftesburyrefugeegroup.org/our-policies 

Members acting as volunteers need to be aware of and agree to the same policies.


Public benefit

The Trustees of the charity are aware of the guidance on Public Benefit (PB1, 2 and 3) provided by the Charity Commission and have taken it into account when making decisions to which the guidance was relevant.  We have had no reason for departing from this guidance.

Thanks

I would like to thank all Trustees for their support and dedication to our charity during a period of significantly increased work and pressure.

I would also like to thank all of the hosts who have welcomed Ukrainian guests; the Syrian families and the Friends of Shaftesbury Refugee Group who have welcomed new refugees into our community.

We welcome, and celebrate the courage and resilience of all refugees coming to Shaftesbury and the surrounding area.


The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above. 


Signed on behalf of the charity’s Trustees 10th October 2022

Chair

Secretary

Correspondence:

Shaftesbury Refugee Group

Small charity: HMRC No. 061000042248EW88514

C/O John Macpherson OBE

The Treasurer

Shaftesbury Refugee Group

Hill Farm

Buckhorn Weston

Gillingham

Dorset

SP8 5HT