SloughRefugeeSupport

Annual Review2018-2019

Celebrating SRS People

Page 3 Chair’s Report 2017-2018

Page 4 Objectives and Activities

Page 5 Thanks to Funders and Supporters

Page 6 Chief Executive’s Report

Page 7 Chief Executive’s Report cont’d

Page 8 Celebrating SRS People

Page 9 Celebrating SRS People cont’d

Page 10 Client Statistics

Page 11 Client Statistics cont’d

CONTENTS

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATION DETAILSCharity Name Slough Refugee SupportCharity Registration Number 1079776Principal Office 28 Bath Road, Slough, SL1 3SRBankersUnity Trust Bank plcNine Brindleyplace, Birmingham B1 2HB

CAF Bank Ltd25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent ME19 4JQ

Independent Examiner - Rehan Kamal

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Our Annual Review this year celebrates Slough Refugee Support’s people. It never ceases to amaze me how committed, enthusiastic and creative our volunteers and staff are. Their dedication to our clients is second to none. The friendliness and welcome they offer to all who enter 28 Bath Road is heart-warming and their resilience in tackling demanding workloads and thought-provoking cases means clients are supported through the challenges they face.

Throughout the year, we welcomed more than 500 clients and their families. Between them they spoke 27 languages, which meant the services of our interpreters were in great demand. We supported our clients in dealing with asylum and benefit claims and the introduction of Universal Credit was a learning curve for both the advisers and the clients. Thanks to the generosity of local companies and supporters, we were able to offer emergency food and provisions for our clients – at a time when austerity continues to bite in the UK.

Our financial situation remained less secure than we would have wished, but, through careful budgeting and the securing of a variety of income streams, we managed to continue to open four days a week to provide advice, creche facilities, classes and employment support. Our premises have often been bursting at the seams with staff, volunteers and clients. However, thanks to the National Lottery’s Awards for All

CHAIR’SREPORT

2018-2019

funding, we were able to build a small portacabin in our back yard and furnish it with help from Tesco. This has served as a useful additional office or small interview room.

We had much to celebrate during the year. In the summer, we congratulated ourselves on reaching our 21st anniversary and were glad of the excuse to party together in our garden during the hot, summer weather. Our Caseworker, Rose Njoroge, achieved her Office of Immigration Services Commissioner Level 2 Award and we were granted the Slough Council for Voluntary Services Bronze Award in recognition of completing the Slough Quality Assurance Programme.

As mentioned, our continued success this year would not have been possible without the dedication of our many volunteers, key workers, interpreters and trustees. The Board thanks all the SRS people for their important contribution and the hope and support they offer to our worthy client group.

Chair of Trustees

2018-2019

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OBJECTIVESAND

ACTIVITIES

4

MISSION STATEMENTSlough Refugee Support is a friendly organisation committed to impartially helping all asylum seekers and refugees in Slough and surrounding areas to achieve their rights and settle with dignity in a new community. CHARITABLE OBJECTSThe charity was established to provide for the relief of poverty, the preservation and protection of physical and mental health, and the advancement of education of asylum seekers and refugees in Slough and neighbouring Local Authority areas, at the discretion of the Trustees.

KEY OBJECTIVES AND MAIN ACTIVITIESSRS has identified five key objectives and operates programmes designed to deliver outcomes against each objective, as follows.

1. To welcome asylum seekers and refugees in Slough and surrounding areas, and to help them to become integrated into the local community and life in the UK. Drop-in initial advice sessions on immigration and asylum claims, appeals, etc, and follow-up casework.Referring clients as appropriate to our partner organisation K&B Solicitors for more in-depth advice on immigration and asylum matters.Signposting relevant external services and agencies as appropriate to clients’ individual needs.

2. To assist our clients to stay safe, avoid destitution and to maintain their physical and mental health. For refugees and asylum seekers identified at high risk of destitution, we provide basic assistance as necessary, including arranging foodstuff donations from local businesses.Outreach casework with refugee families in the Slough area.Providing highly personalised advice and day to day support for our most vulnerable clients, including those with complex health problems: e.g. assisting with booking and attending hospital appointments. Raising awareness of female genital mutilation (FGM).Sewing classes and other group activities that reduce risks of social isolation and build confidence.

3. To support our clients to achieve their rights and entitlements and to access life sustaining services provided by government and other authorities and agencies.Tailored advice and casework on accessing basic services such as housing, benefits, healthcare, and school places.Awareness raising of partner agencies’ staff and volunteers about issues that particularly affect asylum seekers and refugees.

4. To support our clients’ own desires to be independent and self-reliant, including where appropriate to pursue opportunities for employment.English language and I.T. classes.Building Better Opportunities’ programme: support for all stages of preparing for and seeking employment.For those not yet ready for paid employment: help with obtaining volunteering placements.

5. To celebrate and enhance the cultural richness and diversity that refugees contribute to British society, locally and nationally.Organising activities and events that bring refugees together and also into contact with the settled community in Slough.Whenever possible, giving talks to local groups that raise awareness of the contribution of refugees to local life.

PUBLIC BENEFITIn setting our aims and objectives and planning our activities, the Trustees have given careful consideration to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit.

QUALITY ASSURANCESRS is registered with the Office of Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) to delivery Level 2 immigration advice. Additional Level 3 advice is available from solicitors by appointment.

Thanks to our Funders and Supporters

Amaya AzrielDorrett WynterHelen NivenIan Malcolm RiggJenny GriffinJohn KennedyKate PattinsonLuciane DalaneyMargaret HorwitzMargus IjazRhoda Strachan

Ali MayeAndrew HartAnissa BenazizaAnissa FialaBakr AhmadDiane LewisDorina DodaGeraldine O’DonoghueKarin van der PlasSantok YadavStephen TaylorTom KellySalman HababKamila ImtiyasImtiyas RiyalFahima AminYassin Abdallah

GRANTSGarfield Weston FoundationSlough Prevention Alliance Community EngagementAB Charitable TrustBBC Children in NeedRoyal Borough of Windsor and MaidenheadSlough Borough Council (Syrian Resettlement Programme)Building Better Opportunities

DONATIONS IN KINDFather NeilDavid ImperialiSt George’s ChurchHitcham VicarageSt Andrew’s Methodist ChurchSlough Jamia MasjidChalvey Community CentreSt Mark’s Crescent Methodist ChurchMrs Bernadette MacKenzie RossThe Parish of St. Mary the VirginAl-Madani Girls SchoolChalvey Supermarket (Mr Iqbal Ali)Zainab FoundationIan Malcolm RiggLinda ChananEden SchoolFood Bank SloughTesco Food ShareBerkshire Community Foundation

BOARD OF TRUSTEESJean Kelly (Chair)Ray BarkleyNigel WoofRupert YoungAna Catovic (Treasurer) (co-opted in September 2018)Mohamed Al-MansouriGeeta BhugobaunIqbal AliJohn Kennedy (from September 2018)Luciane Delaney (from September 2018)Jamila Ali (from September 2018)Ifrah Mohamed (resigned September 2018)Michelle Boundy (resigned September 2018)

SRS STAFFTaz Mohammed - Chief Executive OfficerMahmuna Hasnath – SolicitorAtiqa Gilani - SolicitorRose Njoroge - Senior Case WorkerKeriann Belcher - Family Support WorkerZarmane Dogar - Communications OfficerDiane Khechab – Building Better Opportunities (BBO) Employment Development OfficerAbobaker Mohamed - Finance OfficerZabihullah Liwal-Saam -

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) OfficerRebecca Quinn – HousekeeperSahra Jibril – Sewing Class TeacherAjma Rai- Sewing Class Teacher

VOLUNTEER ADVISERS

GENERAL VOLUNTEERS

Abubaker Ahmad (Baqr)Dalia ArabHamad Mohammed

INTERPRETERS

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This last year saw a big rise in demand for our

services and this, together with the changes from

benefits to universal credit, has put additional

strain on our staff and volunteers. It continues

to be increasingly challenging to resolve cases of

destitution and homelessness and we are grateful

to the support offered by the local community to

help us do this.

SRS’s core work, to provide immigration and

benefit advice to refugees and asylum seekers,

continues to be much needed. Our dedicated

staff and volunteers have worked hard to meet

this demand and we continue to be faced with

challenges to fund this aspect of our work.

We are keen to offer a broadening range of services

to our clients to help them settle into their new

CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S

REPORTcommunity. The Building Better Opportunities’

programme aims to facilitate client access to job

seeking skills and employment. Embedded in this

programme is the Supported Employment Model

which enables SRS to engage in targeted employer

participation activity - building relationships with

companies to facilitate job opportunities for

our clients and, once placed, supporting both

the employer and the client to ensure a lasting

relationship.

Projects and courses, such as our allotments,

English and Sewing classes and creche, continue

to be very popular. This year we have added IT

classes as clients desperately need to be able

to deal with online applications for education, 6

benefits and local facilities. Our Family Support

worker has networked with Slough-based agencies

and, as a result, we have worked in partnership

with the local NHS to raise awareness of latent TB,

Diabetes, Female Genital Mutilation and HIV and

Aids.

In addition to the Slough-based families under

the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement

Programme, we have begun to support families

in conjunction with the Royal Borough of Windsor

and Maidenhead. This has entailed seeking

and furnishing accommodation, supporting the

children to settle into local schools and for families

to understand the help they can receive from

doctors, hospitals and dentists.

We are very grateful to all our funders (listed in

this review) who continue to assist us in providing

support for asylum seekers and refugees in the

local community. In addition, we are very grateful

to the local public who have supported us with

donations in both money and kind. In particular, I

would like to mention Mr Iqbal Ali, who has been

especially generous in donating food donations

each week throughout the year to help our

destitute clients.

I must put on record our huge appreciation for the

tireless efforts of all our volunteer advisors and

general volunteers, without whom SRS would not

be able to function. At the same time, I would also

like to acknowledge the hard work of all my staff

and the trustees which ensures that SRS makes a

positive difference to all the clients who come to

us for advice and support. Lastly I would also like

to thank my Chair, Jean Kelly, for all her support

and the way in which she is willing to roll up her

sleeves to help in any way she can.

Taz Mohammed

CEOCEO

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CELEBRATINGSRS PEOPLE

“Our parties at SRS are very special as they are the only occasions when people of all religions can come together to socialise and be together in peace.” Zabi

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ZABI RECEIVING HIS VOLUNTEER’S AWARD

“Clients enter the premises feeling misunderstood and helpless and leave feeling satisfied that someone is finally helping them with their immigration and housing needs. The smile on their faces when they realize I speak Farsi is priceless. I have never valued my bilingual skills as much as I have recently working here at SRS and am appreciative of the opportunity to help with life-changing outcomes for clients.” Amaya

“Dear Jean and all the Team It’s been a while since I have been in touch. Leo and I are well and have now settled in, in the Northeast Murton, Seaham in County Durham. I really would like to express my most heartfelt appreciation for the love you showed Leo and I as we went through a really difficult time in our lives. I know for a fact if it had not been for your love and support we would not still be around. At the point when I was lost and my NOREEN AND LEO

AMAYA AT WORK

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life was crumbling all around me, you never gave up fighting for us. It is because you welcomed us that we had a roof over our heads and were not left stranded. There are not many words that can truly express the gratitude and affection I have for all of you. I felt safe and could open up about what I was going through and that really made a special impact on how I live every day and regard myself, for I know I might be hours away, but you are all a part of my family and will carry you in my heart always. Keriann loved Leo and helped him flourish and the activities you always organised gave us both something to look forward. You are all in my heart, Jean, Taz, Keriann, Rose, Ajma and all the volunteers. It is my hope that you continue to touch as many lives as you have touched ours.

With the warmest of thoughtsLove

Noreen and Leo

“One of the reasons I come week after week to Slough Refugee Support is that I know the little bit of good that I do can makes a positive impact on someone’s life and the clients are always very thankful for the support they are getting.”

Luciane LUCIANE

CHOCS FROM SIMON

“Hello, Mahmuna

I sincerely wish to thank you for your precious time you gave in supporting my limited leave to remain renewal application.

I really appreciate your selfless & great work you’re doing as well as the rest of the team.

Thank you so very much.”Simon

AFGHANISTAN

ALBANIA

ALGERIABANGLADESHBHUTANBURUNDICHINAEGYPTERITREAGAMBIAGHANAGUINEAINDIAINDONESIAIRANIRAQKENYAKUWAITLEBANONMOROCCO

NEPAL

NIGERIA

OMANOTHERPAKISTANPALESTINESOMALIASOUTH AFRICASRI LANKASUDANSYRIATANZANIATIBETTRINIDAD & TOBAGOUNITED KINGDOMUNKNOWNYEMENTOTAL

USER BENEFICIARIES

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN

GENDER

Female 46% Male 54%

Male 186Female 157TOTAL 343

DROP-IN CLIENT STATISTICS 2018-2019

10

49

13731265511601022831611

2

3192134243315721033617

513

HOUSEHOLDS9.55170.19490.58481.36450.58480.19490.38991.16960.97470.97470.19490.19491.169601.94934.28851.55950.58480.19491.16960.19490.19490.38990.58483.70370.389926.12090.38998.38216.042911.11110.38991.94930.58487.01750.19491.3645100.0001

PERCENTAGE

Beneficiaries by Country

ALBANIAN

AMHARIC

ARABICDARIENGLISHFARSIFRENCHGHANAN

HINDI

KIKUYU

KURDISHNDEBELENEPALIOTHERPERSIANPUNJABIPUSHTO

SHONA

SINHALESESOMALISWAHILITAMIL

TIBETAN

TIGRINAURDUWOLOFZULUTOTAL

USER HOUSEHOLDS

LANGUAGES

9.9567

12.5541

0.43291.731616.45021.731627.70560.43293.03033.463215.58446.926499.9999

TOTALS

0.46950.93921.59624.22545.16432.81691.40850.46950.46951.87794.69480.46951.40850.9390.46953.75594.22544.22540.469520.18785.16437.51170.9391.40853.28640.9390.4695100.0004

PERCENTAGE

STATUS (USER VISITS)

IMMIGRATION STATUS BY ENCOUNTER

TOTALS PERCENTAGE

AS - ASYLUM SEEKER

BC - BRITISH CITIZEN***

DL - DISCRETIONARY LEAVE TO REMAINHP (5YRS) - HUMANITARIAN PROTECTION (5YRS)ILR - INDEFINITE LEAVE TO REMAINLLR - LIMITED LEAVE TO REMAINNO STATUSOVERSTAYER - NO LEAVE TO REMAINR - REFUSEDRA - REFUSED APPEALINGREF (5YRS) - REFUGEE (5 YEARS)REF (ILR) - REFUGEE (ILR)TOTAL

23

291438

4

64

1783616231

124691163114101321899143111623721213

***Please note British Citizens include: Clients who have recently acquired British citizenship, Vulnerable clients who have acquired British citizenship but still need extra support (e.g. clients on but some of their family members are not British yet.

9.1618

21.24768.57755.94545.0682

100

USER BENEFICIARIES

AGE GROUPS

TOTALS PERCENTAGE

0-5 year

6-1617-2021-60Over 60

TOTAL

47

1094428726

513

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L E V E L 2

SloughRefugeeSupport

28 Bath Road l Slough SL1 3SRT 01753 537 142F 01753 575 234

www.sloughrefugeesupport.org.uksrsinfo@ sloughrefugeesupport.org.uk

A B Charitable Trust

The Trustees’ Annual Report is available atwww.sloughrefugeesupport.org.uk