Our AGM for 2025
The Trustees of Shaftesbury Refugee Group met in public on March 6th 2026 at Motcombe Memorial Hall to consider the Chair’s and Treasurer’s annual reports for the last calendar year and to formally appoint new Trustee, Luke Foy.
The Trustees present
Highlights from our annual report for 2025 include:
A summary of our achievements and performance:
The number of people our service has been in direct contact with, to provide support (displaced people, hosts) for this period was approximately 150. The majority are Ukrainian refugees but we have also supported Syrian and Iranian refugees.
In the period of this report we had an average of just under 1000 unique visitors per month, to our website, for advice and support online.
We have arranged many social events that have helped people in the Homes for Ukraine scheme to connect with each other. They included:
coach trips to Somerset in September and to Winchester in December
Stand with Ukraine
Masliana
Vyshyvanka Day
Ivan Kupala
Semley Music Festival
Gillingham and Shaftesbury Show
Independence Day
With our partner DonateIT, we have purchased and distributed approximately 12 laptops, tablets and phones, and offered a small number of grants for printers to meet the educational and professional needs of refugees.
We have provided 7 transport grants that have helped people become independently mobile through bicycles, driving lessons and tests.
We have given 3 small emergency dentistry grants.
With our partners Vodafone and The Good Things Foundation we have shared free data packages with 24 people.
With our partner The National Trust we have awarded over 100 complimentary day visit passes
With our partner Marnhull Tennis Club we have enabled children and adults to join and be coached during every school holiday period.
We have become affiliated with the City of Sanctuary and are working with Shaftesbury Town Council to support their adoption of City of Sanctuary status
We shared the emotions of song with Ukrainian choirs at Olia Hercules’ talk and in the rain of December as Shaftesbury opened for late night shopping.
We have maintained a group of 11 English Conversation volunteers helping 12 refugees
With our partners Skills and Learning (adult education) and their brilliant tutor Linda, we initiated a new beginners in English course for 6 Gillingham residents
We have 9 other volunteers supporting transport needs, health service visits, IT donations, translation and photography.
We have supported 5 families of Ukrainian guests who have moved into private accommodation by providing small grants, advice and help with arrangements.
We have supported Visa Extension scheme information events and, with the support of The International Organisation for Migration and our local MP, Simon Hoare, been an advocate for people whose visas were delayed.
We have supported Syrian refugees who have successfully applied for and gained their British citizenship. A wonderful thing to celebrate. We have helped them develop their businesses through opportunities for catering at 3 quizzes.
We have provided 17 week-long places at a summer school with our partners English Country Schools and Port Regis.
We have provided approximately 13 week-long places during the summer and shorter school holidays with our partners Prime Sports Coaching
We have provided grants for a series of music lessons via qualified tutors for 3 young people
We have provided grants for additional cultural activities such as swimming or ballet for young people who feel isolated or hope to build their confidence
We have provided a maths tutor to support Ukrainian examination preparation for 6 Ukrainian young people, giving 101, hour-long tutorials in total.
We have provided small relocation grants to 8 young people moving to Higher Education to study for degrees in subjects as varied as criminology, journalism and biotechnology.
We have liaised with the Dorset Council resettlement team and support workers locally where families have encountered hardship or additional challenges. We have very good trusting relationships with Dorset Council and other statutory agencies.
We have represented our group at Dorset Together meetings, enabling us to link to wider services and partners across Dorset. We were consulted on and contributed to the new resettlement team format of quarterly meetings.
We have met regularly as Trustees and scoped our future as a charity and amended our Business Plan accordingly with our ambitions and approach for the next four years.
We have secured sufficient funding to enable us to achieve our goals for the coming year.
Financial Position
The opening reserve balance on 1st January 2025 was £12237.96
Income in the period to December 31st 2025 totalled £19,001.67
Purchases totalled £ 18,211.02,
Administration, legal and professional costs were £657.92 (3.4% of total expenditure)
This resulted in a surplus of £132.73 for the period.
The closing balance on 31st December 2025 was £12,370.69
Thanks
We would like to thank all current and past Trustees for their support and dedication to our charity.
We would also like to thank all of the hosts who have welcomed Ukrainian guests; the Syrian and Ukrainian families and the Friends of Shaftesbury Refugee Group who have welcomed new refugees into our community.
We have been able to achieve more by working within a community of partners upon whom we can rely for additional services such as IT, clothing, furniture, fund raising and advice. In particular we have been helped greatly by Prime Sports Coaching, English Country Schools, Semley Music Festival, The Grosvenor Arms, Bill Hamilton of Compton McRae, Jamie Randall Photography, Simon Barfoot of Donate IT, Citizens Advice, Gillingham and Shaftesbury Show, International Organisation for Migration, Virginia Hayward Hampers, City of Sanctuary, Refugee Week, local schools, Open House, Skills and Learning (adult learning), Shaftesbury and Gillingham Town Councils and their respective mayors and Dorset Council.
We thank our donors who have been personal, charitable and organisational. Every contribution makes a difference, signalling support for displaced people and making the burden of a displaced life apart from connections and family a little easier. Their generosity is much appreciated.
Our English Conversation volunteers are in regular contact with families and meet a prime need to learn fluent English but also support in many ways, as friends and local support. Their assistance is invaluable for displaced people. Thank you!
Finally we welcome, and celebrate the courage and resilience of all refugees coming to Shaftesbury, Gillingham and the surrounding area. ‘No one leaves home unless home is the mouth of a lion’,Warsan Shire.
Our full report has now been submitted to the Charity Commission. It can be read here.
