Reg. Charity No. 1110344

A report of activities to year end 31st March 2011

Annual Report 2010/11

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Contents

Legal and administrative information - page 4

Introduction - page 5

Meet the Trustees - page 6

Letter from the Chair of Trustees - page 7

Letter from the Director - page 8

Our aims - page 9

Strategic Organisational Changes - page 10

Summary of Progress:

Accommodation - page 12

Advocacy - page 15

Support services - page 16

Basic Needs - page 17

Meaningful Lives - page 17

Students and Volunteers - page 18

Campaigning and Awareness Raising - page 19

Update from NACCOM - page 20

Funding Update - page 20

Future Strategy, Objectives and Policies- page 22

Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities - page 23

Independent Examiners' Report - page 24

Statement of Financial Activities - page 25

Balance Sheet - page 26

Notes to the Accounts - page 27

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Legal and administrative information Status

The Boaz Trust was formed on 1st June 2004, applied for status as a charitable trust and was

registered as a charity on 6th July 2005. It was established under a model trust deed which

established the objects and powers of the charitable trust. Under this deed the Trust is governed by

a Board of Trustees, elected at the AGM, to serve a period of 2 years, subject to ratification at each

AGM.

Trustees

Mrs Jo Garbutt (Chair)

Mrs Alma Budd (Treasurer)(resigned as Trustee in June 2011)

Mrs Wendy Owen (resigned as Trustee in September 2011)

Mr David Bell

Mrs Stephanie Gilson

Mr Mike Arundale (Sept 2010 onwards)

Mr Graham Harrop (resigned as Trustee in Dec 2010)

Paid Staff

Director: Mr Dave Smith (1.0 FTE)

Service Manager: Mr Mark Cloherty (1.0 FTE)

Fundraising and Communications Officer: Mrs Lucy Smith (0.6 FTE)

Office Manager/Female Support Worker: Mrs Vicky Ledwidge (1.0 FTE)

Female Support Worker: Mrs Ros Holland (0.6FTE)

Male Support Worker: Mr Nigel Biggs (0.6 FTE)

Nightshelter Coordinator: Mr Asmerom Ghebru (0.4 FTE) (from Nov 2010– March 2011)

Registered Office and operational address: 1st Floor, 110 Oldham Road, Ancoats, Manchester, M4

6AG.

Independent Examiner: Independent Examination has been undertaken by Eric Langer. As our

income was less than the threshold (£500,000), a full audit is not required.

Bank: The Co-operative Bank, PO Box 250, Delf House, Southway, Skelmersdale, WN8 6WT

Solicitors: Kuit Steinart Levy, 3 St. Mary‘s Parsonage, Manchester, M3 2RD

Delivering our aims: The Boaz Trust aims to support asylum seekers and refugees through

accommodation, advocacy, support and campaigning. Whilst our organisation has grown and

developed in many ways during 2010-11, these aims, and the activities we are committed to

carrying out to achieve these aims, remain the same. We have reviewed last year‘s achievements

and have made new objectives for the year ahead.

Statement on Public Benefit: Since 2006 it has become a legal requirement for charities to

demonstrate how their work benefits the general public, or a defined group of beneficiaries within

the general public. Our work is conducted for the primary purpose of relieving the suffering of

destitute asylum seekers and refugees, and our work demonstrates how effectively we fulfil this aim.

We have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission‘s general guidance on

public benefit when reviewing our objectives and in planning our future activities. In particular, the

trustees consider how planned activities will contribute to the aims and objectives they have set.

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Introduction

Welcome to the Boaz Trust‘s annual report for 2010-11. We hope the following pages are both

inspirational and informative, letting you know what has gone on this year and where we are

heading in the future.

The Boaz Trust supports asylum seekers and refugees across Greater Manchester, serving as a vital

source of holistic care to those with no recourse to public funds. The organisation has been running

since 2004, and since then we have seen hundreds of lives transformed.

2010-11 has been a year of changes. It began back in April 2010 when we moved premises; this was

an exciting and much-needed event! We had simply outgrown our previous office space and the

lack of a waiting area, for example, made for a very noisy office and distracting working

environment. The new office allows space for confidential meetings and has room for new staff and

volunteers which has been essential.

Our new office is based within the Mustard Tree, an agency working with homeless people across

Manchester, and one of our long standing partners, on Oldham Road in central Manchester. We

are in close proximity to a wide range of businesses and charities, facilitating communication and

multi-agency working. We are also in a much more central location, only 15 minutes walk from

Manchester Piccadilly, which makes it a lot easier for both agencies and clients to find us.

The start of the financial year also saw the implementation of our new organisational structure

which you can read more about on page 10. This structure underpins all of the other developments

outlined in the subsequent pages, and we are grateful for the hard work of the trustees and team in

seeing these changes through to fruition.

On pages 12-17 you will find a summary of our progress in the main areas of our work;

accommodation, advocacy, support services and provision of basic essentials.

We are very grateful to the numerous volunteers and students who have supported Boaz this year,

and page 18 gives a brief overview of their wide-ranging input to the life of the organisation in 2010-

11.

One of our chief aims is to raise awareness and campaign for change, and our progress in this area

is reviewed on page 19. This is followed by a brief report from NACCOM, the national network of

organisations working with destitute asylum seekers, which is overseen by our director, Dave Smith.

On page 20 you will find an overview of our funding this year, from a range of individuals, churches

and charitable trusts. In a year of great economic uncertainty it is little wonder that we have seen

ups and downs in this area of our work, but we are so grateful to all those who have shown us

generosity and enabled us to plan ahead.

On page 22 we look ahead to 2011-12, identifying key objectives for the year and laying out our

intended strategy. The report concludes with the 2010-11 accounts, which have been

independently examined.

Along the way, we‘ll introduce you to new members of staff and let you know how we have

implemented changes outlined in last year‘s report. We hope you find it as exciting and dynamic as

we do – thanks for reading and supporting our work!

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Meet the Trustees

Our Board of Trustees are all long-term supporters of the Boaz Trust and most have been trustees

since the charity was founded. Each individual plays an active part in the work of the organisation,

and we are grateful for their range of expertise and perspectives.

Jo Garbutt (Chair of trustees)

Jo is a retired teacher, who recently completed an MA in Theology at Nazarene College,

Didsbury, including a thesis on asylum. She has maintained her commitment to promoting the

work of the Boaz Trust through fundraising and networking since stepping down from her more

formal voluntary role as hosting coordinator, in November 2010. She has been involved since

the inception of the Boaz Trust in June 2004.

Alma Budd (Treasurer)

Until resigning earlier this year, Alma served as the Boaz Trust Treasurer since 2005. A new job,

alongside other commitments outside of work, led to a decision to leave the Board of Trustees in

June 2011. Alma continues to be a great supporter of Boaz, and we are very grateful for all her

hard work over the past few years.

Mike Arundale

Mike is a freelance consultant, and a long-standing supporter of Boaz, who became a trustee

in June 2009. He resigned from his position as trustee between Dec 2009 and Sept 2010 whilst he

worked as our much-needed interim service manager, and has returned to his original role since

Mark has been employed. Mike continues to take a hands-on role with supporting the Boaz

staff team on a regular basis.

Steph Gilson

Steph has been a dedicated supporter of the work of Boaz for many years, and works as an

administrator at The Manchester College in Newton Heath. She has been a trustee since 2007.

Wendy Owen

Until resigning in Sept 2011, Wendy had been involved with Boaz since June 2004. Wendy works

a GP in Salford, and we are particularly grateful for her commitment and dedication to our work

over the last seven years. She continues to be a great supporter of our work.

Graham Harrop

Graham stood down as a trustee in Dec 2010 after six years of dedicated support. Until this

point, Graham had worked as a college lecturer in Manchester. However, after taking early

retirement, since the start of this year Graham and his wife have been providing support for

missionaries through WEC, an international Christian organisation. This has meant spending

much of his time in South Africa over the last twelve months. We are very grateful for all his input

into the life of the Boaz Trust during his time as a trustee.

Dave Bell

Dave is a consultant in Hand, Plastic and Reconstructive surgery at one of the hospitals in

Liverpool, and in 2007 spent 6 months in India as part of his job. He has been a trustee since the

inception of Boaz in June 2004.

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Letter from the Chair of Trustees

Global unrest, all too apparent in the last twelve months, has

resulted in many people losing their homes, loved-ones and

status, the political developments particularly in North African

countries causing an influx of refugees into Europe. Whilst the EU

debates the need for further legislation to control the problem,

the British Government is once again at odds over the number of

asylum seekers granted leave to remain in the UK.

Recently, the reported 40% of legacy cases who, after waiting

for so long, have now been given the right to stay, has been

referred to as an ‗amnesty.‘ Despite the protests of the minister for immigration that the asylum

system has "significantly" improved, it is still popularly believed in Britain that we are a ‗soft touch‘ as

far as asylum seekers are concerned.

However, a recent article in the Guardian suggests that this is far from the truth, citing a far greater

percentage of refugees ultimately accepted in other European countries, and suggesting that, in

terms of our treatment of refused asylum seekers ‗whilst attitudes to immigration are hardening

across the developed world, Britain remains the most hostile.‘ (Matt Cavanagh, guardian.co.uk

2.06.11)

Contrary to popular opinion, whilst the huge backlog of ‗legacy cases‘ is reportedly causing the

Home Office to allow all-comers into the country, many of our clients are still waiting anxiously for a

letter giving them the right to remain, or refusing their case once more.

For some there have been tears of joy and relief: one such is a lady from Iran who first came to

Boaz‘ attention through the destitution project at St Brides, in 2009. As the hosting co-ordinator then,

I was her first contact and my initial response was one of appalled disbelief as I heard her harrowing

story – how anyone in her situation could have been refused and made destitute was beyond my

understanding. I wondered if Boaz could do anything for her as she was mentally fragile and

physically scarred from serious injuries. I underestimated the love and compassion of Boaz hosts, as

she was given a home, security and much needed help with her complex case.

Then in May I received a phone call – and a voice almost incoherent with emotion said ‗Jo – I‘ve

got my leave to remain.‘

This lady was not just a statistic, or a problem to the authorities – she was a suffering human being

who found a place of refuge, and eventually, after months of intense anxiety, found a form of

justice too. But there are still many destitute asylum seekers waiting for help, whilst a significant

number who have successfully accessed Boaz still wait for their leave to remain, uncertain as to their

future. I want to commend our staff for their patience and perseverance – without them so many

lives would still be hanging in the balance, and so many people would be losing hope.

On the subject of staffing – you will find details of significant changes to Boaz in this report, all of

which carry great potential for good, but will need to be sustained by regular funding. We are

deeply grateful to all those volunteers who give so generously of their finances, of their skills and of

their time. We are also aware that this is a work done in the service of God, by the grace of God

and through the power of God - who values each individual and knows all our needs.

Jo Garbutt (Chair of Trustees)

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Letter from the Director

The last 12 months have seen great changes at Boaz. We have, with the

help of Tearfund and some major input from Mike Arundale and the other

trustees, undergone a major structural overhaul. As a result there is now a

new staffing structure and an organization that is fit for the next phase of

growth – and grow we must if we are to achieve our aim of eradicating

destitution amongst those seeking sanctuary in the UK.

In some ways this restructure is simply a bigger version of what we have

done virtually every year since Boaz started in 2004 with me sitting on my

own in a tiny office in a church building miles from asylum seekers, and

wondering what to do next. Year on year, starting with Nigel in 2005, we have added good

people to the staff team. Year on year we have expanded to fill the increasing void left after

genuine refugees are refused asylum in the UK, and left without food, shelter and hope.

The difference this year has been that we have seen the fruit of our labours for almost the first time.

For years our houses were full of people who could not move on, as most had no fresh evidence,

no legal aid, no solicitor. The number granted leave to remain could be counted on one hand.

Then, suddenly, the floodgates began to creak open, and in the past 12 months we have seen

dozens of clients – and friends, in most cases – coming in to the office with the biggest smile

imaginable, brandishing the coveted Home Office letter granting leave to remain in the UK.

The places left by those moving on to main benefits have been rapidly filled by others. With the

economic situation as it is, and many refugee organisations facing cuts, the need for Boaz is only

going to grow. In December the temperature dropped to -20˚. That night our night shelter had to

use the overflow facility. On many nights the 12 beds could have been filled twice over.

Destitution has not gone away – it has got worse.

So what is the solution? We have 8 houses at the moment – all full. We could have 10 times as

many, and still not accommodate half of those who need a safe place to stay. Should we spend

our energy campaigning instead? The truth is, we need both. We cannot ignore the serious

practical needs for housing, food and other essentials like a GP or trauma counselling, but if that is

all we do, the underlying causes of destitution will never be tackled.

Because we are a relatively small organisation, that means forming alliances with those of like

mind to change policy. Without direct help, people die. Without advocacy, their lives are

blighted. Without legal help, they are at risk of deportation or at best stagnation. Without

campaigning, the problem will never go away.

It has been clear from the experiences of the last few years that Boaz has to be a holistic

service and the recently developed 'Catch -hold -release' model aims to address all the needs of

our clients. Catch is the initial phase that prevents the fall into utter destitution. Those who have no

stable accommodation can barely think straight, much less progress their situation. Hold is the

second phase, when lives begin to take on shape and substance: medical issues can be

addressed, volunteering opportunities found, and asylum cases re-visited. Release is the final

phase, hopefully into full refugee status. Ideally the whole process would take less than 12 months,

but sometimes it can last much longer.

We often talk of Boaz being like a family. For some, we are the only family they have. Families

don't always run smoothly. There can be tensions and misunderstandings. Harmony doesn't come

automatically. Yet, like most families, we want to see our offspring flourish and succeed in life, and

we will work hard to see that come about, whatever the cost. I am looking forward to many more

joyful celebrations in the coming months as those we have come to love are granted the right to

live in peace and safety in our country.

Dave Smith

(Director)

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Our aims and objectives

The Boaz Trust serves destitute asylum seekers and refugees

in Manchester. Destitute asylum seekers are those who,

after being refused sanctuary in the UK, face a life of

homelessness and destitution on the streets of the UK.

Once a claim has been turned down and appeal rights

exhausted, applicants are evicted from Home Office

accommodation and prevented from receiving any

benefits. With nowhere to live, no source of income and no

right to work, these individuals become destitute.

The Boaz Trust began back in 2004 with the intention of

providing support for those who have nowhere else to turn.

It has often been said that the measure of a society is how

it treats its most vulnerable members, and those who seek sanctuary here, fleeing persecution

from across the world, are surely amongst the neediest

of all.

In the last year we have had contact with over 240

individuals, and have accommodated 113 male and

female clients across Greater Manchester.

We have grown in lots of different ways, with more

clients attending classes and accessing basic needs

than ever before. We have also been delighted to see

a record number of clients receive ‗leave to remain‘!

However, we have also seen an increasing number of

clients threatened with deportation, and two Boaz

clients are currently in detention centres across the UK.

Many destitute asylum seekers continue to be referred

to the Boaz Trust, and unfortunately we cannot help

everyone. We have a continual waiting list of

approximately 100 clients, largely because we are the only provider of accommodation for this

client group in the Manchester area, so receive referrals from organisations across the city.

In the last year we

have had a 2:1 ratio of

females/males, with

clients from 26 different

countries. This graph

indicates the number

of clients from each

country, and shows

that the majority of

Boaz clients come

either from Eritrea or

Zimbabwe:

The Objects of the Trust

1) To relieve financial hardship amongst those seeking asylum, those granted asylum and their dependents who are destitute and living temporarily or permanently in Greater Manchester and the surrounding area. This will be done particularly- but not exclusively- by the provision of temporary accommodation, advice, information, support and advocacy.

2) Such other charitable purposes for the benefit of those seeking asylum, those granted refugee status and their dependents who are destitute in such ways as the Trustees shall determine.

According to 2010 Home Office statistics...

There were 17,800 applications for asylum last year... 75% of asylum applicants were refused... 73% of these were refused again at appeal stage. It is at this stage that, if not deported, individuals become destitute.

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Strategic changes

In the last financial year the Boaz Trust has undergone a number of significant changes.

Out of a period of consultancy in 2009, 2010 saw the launch of a new, sustainable staffing

structure, with two key aims. The first was to match staff competencies to roles, ensuring the best

use of resources across the organisation. The second aim was to employ a service manager to be

responsible for managing operations. The latter has been fundamental to all the subsequent

adjustments and restructuring.

The below chart sums up the changes:

We now have an office manager and two dedicated client support workers for our female and

male clients, along with a hosting coordinator. All of this work is overseen by our new Service

Manager, Mark Cloherty.

Mark was employed in September 2010, filling a role that had previously been occupied by Mike

Arundale, who temporarily resigned as a trustee in 2009 in order to be retained on a consultancy

basis to carry out this work. Mike has since been reappointed as a trustee in October 2010.

We also now have a fundraising and communications officer, Lucy Smith, replacing Rachel

Todhunter, who left in July 2010 after several years of dedicated service to the organisation.

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‘Catch-Hold-Release’

The primary adaptation in the last year was to implement an operational system known as ‗Catch

Hold Release‘. This three-fold system ensures that our clients get the most holistic support possible

as they seek to rebuild their lives with dignity and hope.

Catch

When clients are first taken on by Boaz we provide safe

accommodation, appropriate to their needs through

our night shelter, host families and houses. Our primary

aim at this stage is to ensure stability and safety for

those with nowhere else to go.

Hold

Once immediate and practical needs have been

met, the allocated support workers at Boaz offer

holistic support in a variety of ways. These include:

Access to ‗Meaningful Lives‘ programme of

classes/activities.

One-to-one support with their Boaz support

worker.

Access to advocacy (legal) support with their

case.

Referrals onto specialist support services.

Access to volunteering/training placements,

both within Boaz and other agencies.

Release

Independence is an important long-term aim in our work. We

encourage clients to do all they can to assist in this, so that most are

able to move on within a year.

The ‗best case scenario‘ is that, after a year of holistic support and

advocacy assistance, they are granted leave to remain.

Whilst this does not always happen, some can move back into

statutory accommodation (for instance, if there are developments in

their case or situation or due to health needs), whilst other clients find

other alternative accommodation elsewhere.

We are starting to develop training packages for clients to aid them

in finding employment upon receipt of ‗leave to remain‘, and we

refer into other agencies to help build up a strong support network

around them at this time.

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Summary of Progress

At the start of this financial year, Mike Arundale worked as our interim

Service Manager. With the help of some external consultancy, Mike

and the team developed the aforementioned ‗Catch-Hold-Release‘

structure and employed several new members of staff.

Mike was replaced by Mark Cloherty (left) in September 2010. Mark

had recently returned from an operational role with ‗Medair‘, based

in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Mark quickly settled into his

role of Service Manager and has been a welcome addition to the

Boaz team.

In this section the report looks at developments in our day-to-day work: accommodation,

advocacy, support services, basic needs provision and Meaningful Lives activities.

Accommodation

This really is the lifeblood of Boaz– as the only accommodation

providers for destitute asylum seekers in the Manchester area, it is the

main reason that individuals are referred to us and the

overarching component in our ‗catch-hold-release‘ structure.

Primarily, we house clients in properties which have been loaned to

us by supporters, or bought in partnership with Green Pastures

Housing (logo pictured right), a social housing provider based in

Southport. However, we also accommodate some through our

innovative hosting scheme, as well as offering emergency

accommodation during the winter through the night shelter.

Housing

Our housing stock over the last year has fluctuated

considerably. We began the year with seven houses, gained

one, lost two and then regained another two properties

over the course of the year, concluding in March 2011 with

eight houses, for up to 35 beneficiaries at a time.

We pay utility bills and council tax for each of the houses,

and carry out basic maintenance work. Including

management costs, the average house costs us £5,000 per

year. We are extremely grateful to the generous

supporters who have donated houses, and to all those

volunteers who have offered practical services and tools.

Of the eight houses, seven are used by destitute asylum

seekers. The eighth house is reserved for refugee clients

who, after receiving Leave to Remain, struggle to find their

own accommodation, either because they do not have

the money to make a deposit, or because of the council

waiting list.

Our refugee residents pay rent from their housing benefit,

with any profit subsidising the other houses. For more on

how this helps us financially, see the funding report on p. 21.

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Hosting

The hosting scheme is coordinated by Catriona Arundale (right), who

previously volunteered for Boaz in an administrative capacity, as well as

being a host herself.

Through networking and promotion in various churches and

communities across Manchester, we have recruited several new

candidates for our hosting scheme, although restrictions and

circumstances have retained previous years‘ levels of support. We can

currently support 15 clients at any one time, and are very grateful to all

those who give up their time and spare rooms to accommodate those

in greatest need.

Volunteers house clients on a short-term or long-term basis in spare rooms across Greater

Manchester. Care is taken to ensure that both clients and hosts are comfortable with each other,

and hosts receive regular communication and training from the Boaz team.

Hawani (left, pictured with her hosts) is one of our

hosted clients. She came from Ethiopia and sought

asylum in the UK in 2004. In 2006 she was refused

asylum and became destitute.

Hawani slept on the streets for some time during that

winter, and when she could, she ‗sofa-surfed‘ with

friends. She describes this as a very difficult and

frightening time. Hawani came to Manchester in

2008, where she made a fresh claim.

After 2 years of receiving government support, she

was refused and faced a life of destitution on the

streets once again. This is what she says about being

hosted by the Boaz Trust:

„When I was made destitute, I was frightened and depressed. But when Boaz arranged for

me to be hosted, that was a big thing for me. Living [with hosts] makes a difference because

now I have family. When I came they did not know me, but they still accepted me. Being

hosted is different to relying on my friends, because it is like my own house. I have my own

food and my own room, it is very good.

I go to church each week; this has helped me by giving me hope. My health is much better

now, and I do not take medication for my depression anymore... Through Boaz I always have

someone who will fight for me, who will look after me if there is a problem. Boaz picked me

up from the street and gave me life. I needed help but I didn‟t expect this- it is amazing for

me what Boaz has done.

When I am feeling down my host family look after me, they try to help me and they

understand my problems. I have learnt English and I enjoy practicing by speaking to my host

family. Now I go to college 3 days a week and I have passed my Level One English

qualification. I am waiting to do my Maths Level One exam soon.

I love learning, and I hope for the future that I will be able to live, not just for myself, but to

help others. Boaz have rescued me from the cold, they have given me shelter and food and

hope and a life. Before my future was dark but now it is light. Thank you to Boaz.‟

14

Night Shelter

This was the third year of the Boaz winter night shelter and we are grate-

ful to all the funders, churches and volunteers who made it possible.

The project was run in partnership with eight churches across Greater

Manchester, with seven being used on a weekly basis, and the eighth

when extra space was required. The churches used were based in

Ardwick, Didsbury, Brunswick, Burnage, Salford, Longsight and

Manchester city centre. The project was coordinated by Asmerom

Ghebru (right) and managed by our service manager, Mark Cloherty.

The winter night shelter supported 31 male asylum seekers over the course of six months, beginning

on 1st November 2010 and finishing on 30th April 2011.

„It‟s great helping people in need. As someone who has been an asylum seeker

myself, I know the problems people go through- depression, worries, not being able

to find a place to stay. There are eight night shelters across the city, and at each

one we provide a comfortable environment. When volunteers show them care and

consideration this gives them a lot of peace, understanding that there are people

who care about them.‟ [Asmerom]

Key Statistics

6 individuals visited the night shelter for an average of 160 nights; this means these individuals used the winter night shelter approximately 89% of the time.

The majority of residents stayed for between 6-15 nights.

The busiest times for the night shelter were in December, January and February, when the weather was particularly bad. In January the ‘overflow’ night shelter was required for the first time. At most, the winter night shelter hosted 14 male asylum seekers in one night.

Residents came from 19 countries, with the largest groups coming from Iran and Zimbabwe.

The ages of individuals in the night shelter this year ranged from 22 to 47, with the majority aged between 26-30.

Quotes from Night Shelter residents

―The Boaz Trust's overnight shelters are there for you. You are guaranteed food,

accommodation and teams of dedicated well caring people. I have loved and appreciated

their efforts.‖

―Boaz help us, which is good because us failed asylum seekers live like animals. People should

be equal and have the same social rights but they don‘t give us those rights. It helps to have

Boaz Trust there. Maybe we would be sleeping outside forever if they didn‘t come.‖

―Boaz Trust has been so helpful to us, particularly to me, in the way that they have been

providing places to stay for the night. I would have been on the street if they did not

exist. Thank you.‖

15

Advocacy

Since September 2010, Mark Cloherty worked with Ian Pollock, one of our long-standing volunteers,

to develop a robust and sustainable advocacy service. A key part of this has been developing links

with regional legal organisations such as the Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit (GMIAU) and

the Immigration Advisory Service (IAS).

Free legal representation for our client group has

been in dramatic decline this year, in light of

cuts to Legal Aid across the board. The ‗Sound

off for Justice‘ campaign, which we joined in

March 2011, estimates that 10 million people

could be affected by proposed changes over

the coming years. Asylum seekers are amongst

some of the hardest hit.

In November 2010, the advocacy team began working

with law students from local universities. This has been a great way to ensure clients have the best

possible chance of succeeding with their fresh claim/appeal, and has led to several major

breakthroughs. Indeed, over the course of the last year, 30 Boaz clients have received Leave to

Remain which has been cause for great celebration. This serves as a practical testimony to the

necessity of our advocacy service, as without our dedicated support, these individuals would have

struggled enormously to progress with their claims.

The following table highlights some of the significant ways in which our advocacy service has made

a difference in the lives of our clients over the last year:

Clients in receipt of advocacy support in 2010-11 -

Number of ongoing advocacy clients (from previous year) -

Number going to appeal/judicial review -

Number of fresh claims submitted -

Number of cases taken by external agencies / solicitors -

48

16

6

12

14

16

Support service

Our support service has developed considerably over the last year, with structural changes

implemented in the summer of 2010 leading to the employment of male and female support

workers to handle the needs of our clients with greater sensitivity.

Female clients

Our therapeutic support for our female clients has developed considerably in the last year. We

operate on a roughly 2:1 ratio of female/male clients, and roughly 75% of our female clients have

at some stage disclosed rape, domestic violence and/or torture, so needs are varied and

complex.

Here at Boaz we appreciate that we cannot solve all of those problems, but we can refer clients

on for specialist support, as well as promoting wellbeing through a range of in-house services and

activities. For instance, many of our female clients have benefited from volunteering placements,

and most attend our weekly ESOL/sewing classes run by volunteers. This has developed their

confidence and skills, and helped many to avoid isolation.

Our female support workers are Ros Holland

and Vicky Ledwidge. Ros moved from her

previous role as Office Manager to a 0.6 FTE

role as Female Support Worker in November

2010, when Vicky was employed by the Boaz

Trust to work as a part-time Office Manager

and part-time Female Support Worker.

Male clients

Our male support worker, Nigel Biggs (below), moved from his previous role as Housing Manager in

January 2011, to serve as a Male Support Worker (0.6 FTE).

Nigel‘s role involves empowering

and encouraging male clients,

supporting them in volunteering

and other roles that help them to

grow in confidence and skills. For

instance, last summer our male

clients got involved in several

gardening projects, carried out in

partnership with teams from

‗Faiths4Change‘ and ‗Addleshaw Goddard‘, which facilitated

the development of community links, skills and friendships.

Grant (name changed) is one of our Zimbabwean clients. He

became involved with the Boaz Trust in 2010 after being refused asylum. He describes his

experiences of that time below:

“[When I was refused asylum] my life was like hell- I felt like I was going crazy. I was so stressed...

I felt like I could just end my misery. [Moving into a Boaz house was] amazing- there are so many

things you take for granted, like sleeping or having a shower... I used to be walking round the

roads with my big bag, sleeping in the parks and under bridges. Boaz is incredible. If it wasn‘t for

Boaz I don‘t think I‘d be here.‘

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Basic Needs

A key part of the work of the support team is providing basis essentials. For those refused asylum,

these are truly a lifeline, and once clients are no longer able to access food parcels from the

British Red Cross (destitute asylum seekers are now eligible for up to one year after being refused),

Boaz residents come to us to meet this need.

We also provide travel costs for clients, which are

essential for those attending healthcare or solicitors

appointments, as well as for those required to sign

regularly at the local Immigration Office in Salford.

In February this year we also launched the Free

Shop (pictured below), a monthly service where we

offer clients the opportunity to access donations

given to the organisation in a relaxed, informal and

welcoming setting.

Meaningful Lives

‗Meaningful Lives‘ is a programme of activities, classes and

placements run by staff and volunteers at the Boaz Trust, and it

operates as a simple, yet highly effective, solution to a problem.

Refused asylum seekers, who frequently struggle with mental

and physical health problems as a result of their experiences in

their countries of origin, cannot work and cannot access many

of the basic facilities British citizens take for granted. This means

that they often do not have things to do during the day, and life

can come tedious and isolating.

We are so grateful to the volunteers who have run the classes

and groups this year, in particular to Olwyn Ridyard, Beth Smith,

Beth Kwant, Sue Tomlinson and Sarah Peck, for all their hard

work and dedication.

The ‗Meaningful Lives‘ programme has provided ESOL, sewing, craft, gardening, IT and art courses

this year, alongside facilitating individuals to access external training and voluntary placements.

The below table shows some ‗outcome‘ highlights...

In the last year we provided: food parcels and... bus fares

This is an increase of 15% and 51% respectively since last year!

2750

1149

Attending ESOL class each week -

Attending sewing classes each week -

Attended an IT course -

Attending volunteering placements -

Attending higher education courses across Manchester -

No. of refugee clients who have started employment in 2010-11 -

No. of refugee clients attending ‗back to work‘ training programmes -

33

17

12

23

6

1

2

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As one of our female asylum seekers explains below, these classes are a key part of the holistic

care offered by the Boaz Trust:

Students and Volunteers Students

The Boaz Trust continues to work in partnership with the University of Manchester and Manchester

Metropolitan University, and have hosted a number of student placements from courses including

Human Rights, Social Work, Social Change, and Youth & Community Work.

Students are on placement for between 4 weeks and 6 months, and have run Meaningful Lives

projects, assisting clients with day to day needs, and working with ex-clients who have Leave to

Remain or are in Section 4 or 95. All students make a very valuable contribution to Boaz, and in

turn Boaz are able to expand their knowledge of the reality of asylum issues. We are pleased that

these partnerships continue to grow and are looking forward to the next academic year.

Volunteers

The Boaz Trust simply couldn't function without the wonderful volunteers we have, and we are

constantly seeking to expand our support from organisations (such as churches, businesses etc.) as

well as facilitate involvement from within Boaz (e.g. residents/ex-clients are often our most

committed volunteers).

This year we have seen our voluntary community grow and develop considerably. Over 40 people

regularly give their time in a number of roles, including advocacy, driving clients to appointments,

and office admin. A committed group give their time to run ESOL, Sewing and Craft classes, and

others are involved in running our monthly Free Shop. We have welcomed a group from YWAM

(‗Youth With A Mission)‘, and other organisations, who have spent time in our houses completing a

variety of DIY projects. We estimate that 1/3 of the hours given to Boaz each month are voluntary!

Beth Smith (below), one of our regular volunteers, says this about her experience of Boaz:

“I came to the UK after experiencing trouble in my family‟s life because my husband did

not support the president of my home country, Guinea... After I was refused asylum I was

sleeping on the floor of a friend‟s house for a long time, but now [because of Boaz] I have

my own home. I have much counselling and take lots of medication to help me, but I

can‟t relax, I cannot sleep and when I close my eyes it is like I am there again and I hear

voices telling me terrible things. I have flashbacks and I can‟t see how it will ever get

better, but when I am at church and at [the Meaningful Lives] sewing class, I feel normal

again. It calms me to be with my friends here and it stops the anger inside of me. I feel

really better when I am here.”

“Volunteering at Boaz is the best thing I have ever done. I have had the opportunity to do

things I never thought I would have the privilege to do; I have helped people crying in distress, I

have laughed with people who haven't so much smiled in months, I've seen people find their

worth, I have been treated as family and I have made friends with 'nobodies'. I have never felt

so much a part of a community - it was the first thing that struck me as I stepped foot in Boaz

Trust. Everyone on the team has made me feel valued and they have encouraged me to use

my skills. I love it here and never want to leave!”

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Campaigning and Awareness-Raising

In August 2010, we ran a Boaz stall at ‗Greenbelt‘, a festival in Cheltenham. This was the 5th year of

Boaz attending the festival and it continues to be a highlight in the calendar. At the end of the

festival we received lots of donations of food (including a huge amount of parsley left over from

one of the traders!) and sleeping bags/blankets, all of which were given out over the following

months.

City of Sanctuary (right) was launched in Manchester this year, headed

up by our director Dave Smith. It has been exciting to see this gather

momentum since the inaugural meeting in November 2010.

In February 2011, we teamed up with

Student Action for Refugees and Am-

nesty International, sleeping on the

streets of Manchester for one night as

part of a national sleep-out to raise

awareness about the plight of destitute asylum seekers (left). This

was part of the national ‗Still Human Still Here‘ coalition, which

we are committed to.

The sleep-out was a great event, with lots of publicity in the local

press, 100 individuals taking part (making it one of the largest

sleep-outs across the UK) and our local MPs, John Leech and

Kate Green, joining us for the night! Sponsorship for those sleep-

ing out also raised over £3,000 for the work of the Boaz Trust.

We joined the ‗Sound off for Justice‘ Campaign in March 2011,

campaigning against cuts to legal aid. For this we have

contributed a number of statements and case studies to add to their body of work.

Awareness-raising has continued, with the media providing an important outlet for our clients to

share stories and generate awareness about their specific situations. We have had 15 media

opportunities this year, with articles published in the Guardian, Manchester Evening News and the

Big Issue amongst others, and radio interviews on BBC Radio Manchester and UCB Radio.

We have run stalls and roadshows in 11 locations this year, and trustees, staff and volunteers of the

Boaz Trust have had 45 speaking engagements across the country. We are continually developing

links with churches and are looking to expand our coverage across the region in the next financial

year. This is all within our wider aim of equipping and empowering an increasing body of churches

and community organisations to bring an end to destitution.

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Update from NACCOM

NACCOM (the No Accommodation Network) has continued to grow during the year. There is

great concern about destitution across the UK, and new groups have started in Glasgow, Ipswich,

Oxford and Swansea. The latter 3 have all begun small hosting projects, which many see as a low

cost and manageable way of tackling the problem. There are now 25 projects nationwide in 21

towns and cities.

The group continues to meet quarterly, each time hosted by one of the partner organisations. The

sharing of knowledge, expertise and good practice has increased, with a number of groups

arranging visits to others on their own initiative. The annual conference, held in Birmingham this

year, was attended by around 80 people, and was very warmly received. One positive result was

a follow-up meeting in Southend, where a hosting scheme is now likely to come into being shortly.

Boaz took the opportunity to showcase various NACCOM projects on our stall and through an

interactive session at the Greenbelt festival in August. Some projects benefited through new

volunteers or supporters as a result.

In order to make information-sharing easier, NACCOM now has its own blog-site. This enables

contributors to get immediate access to help from others. There are plans to develop this further in

the coming months, and we hope to continue to see the network flourish.

Funding Update

When one of our long term staff members, Rachel Todhunter, left in July

2010, an element of her role was developed into a part-time fundraising

and communications post, taken up by Lucy Smith (left) in September

2010.

In many ways, fundraising in 2010-11 has been a year of two halves- the

first half saw a significant inflow of funds from grant-making trusts, totalling

over £100,000, much of which originated from an appeal for night shelter

funding and a presentation to Cross Pollinate in late 2009.

The latter half of 2010 was more difficult for a number of reasons, most

notably, there was a significant shift in the financial and political climate in the second half of 2010

that resulted in an increase in competition for funding from grant-making trusts.

Our budget for 2010-11 was £281,255 of which, by March 2011, £220,612 had been raised. This

shortfall has been met with some of the reserves (see financial accounts for further details) and

has been taken into account when finalising the budget for 2011-12.

Grants, large and small, made up 65% of our income this year, and a breakdown of these can be

seen on the following page. The rest of our income was comprised of smaller grants, individual

donations (both one-off and regular donations), fundraising activities (e.g. the ‗Lent Endurance

Challenge‘, STAR sleep-out and ‗Raise the Roof‘), craft sales and online giving.

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Our major fundraising event in 2010-11 was ‗Raise the Roof‘, an entertainment evening hosted by

St James and Emmanuel Church in March 2011. The event was a mixture of live music, comedy

and a charity auction, with the aim of raising money for Boaz. The evening was a great success

with over 100 attendees and £2,000 raised.

The table on the left below pays tribute to our largest funders. The table on the right highlights all

our other funders this year. We are very grateful to all of the trusts who have so generously

invested in our work.

Large funders 2010-11 (A-Z)

Allen Lane Foundation — £12,500 (3rd installment in 3

year grant)

Joseph Rank Trust — £20,000 (1st installment in 3 year

grant)

Lankelly Chase Foundation — £10,000 (2nd installment in 3 year grant)

Lloyds TSB Foundation — £15,000 (1st installment in 2

year grant)

Tearfund — £20,000 (3rd installment in 3 year grant)

Other funders 2010-11 (A-Z)

AB Charitable Trust

Addleshaw Goddard Charitable Trust

British Red Cross

Clothworker's Foundation

Coutts Charitable Trust

Eleanor Rathbone Charitable Trust

International Women's day

Josephine Butler Memorial Trust

Leigh Trust

Manchester Diocesan Fund for refugees

Marsh Christian Trust

N. Smith Charitable Settlement

Persula Foundation

Poverty Action Fund

Scurrah Wainwright Trust

Seedbed Christian Community Trust

Souter Charitable Trust

Truemark Trust

Trusthouse Charitable Trust

Total amount raised

£220,612

Breakdown of funding

2010-11

Large grants

Other grants

Donations

Gift Aid Events/activities/sponsorship

Housing benefit reclaimed

NACCOM

Interest

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Looking ahead...

Writing an annual report is a good opportunity for us to look ahead, as well as reflect on where we

have come from. 2010-11 has been an exciting and busy time for the Trust, and in the last few

months, we have begun to embed the realities of the new structural changes outlined in the

previous pages. This is a process which is by no means complete, and we continue to develop

aspects of the staffing structure and organisational framework. Major examples of this are outlined

below in our specific objectives.

Objectives for 2011-12

Develop an accredited in-house legal support service, offered to all clients in Boaz accommodation.

Balance income and expenditure and diversify our funding sources, e.g. through increasing support from churches, individuals as well as charitable trusts. Work towards sustainable funding for the future.

Empower clients to participate in Boaz and other activities and move beyond dependency towards contribution and ownership.

Commission a feasibility study for establishing a social enterprise and explore funding options.

Develop the profile of Boaz through wider and more strategic net-working and campaigning opportunities.

Policies

The annual report also gives us the opportunity to clarify a number of our policies regarding our

finances. These polices particularly relate to the £60,000 of reserves that the Boaz Trust has currently

invested in ‗Green Pastures‘ loan stock.

- Reserves Policy: A designated fund has been established to give the charity access to an

additional house or in the event that the charity ceased activity, it could be used to fund the

closure of activities, including but not restricted to the payment of any costs incurred in restoring

Boaz houses for return to their owners. The Trust also aims to maintain a reserve of uncommitted

funds of up to the equivalent of 3 months' running expenditure, based on the following years

budgeted expenditure on salaries and houses, within an undesignated fund.

- Investment Policy: The trustees may invest funds in any manner in accordance with the prevailing

law in connection with the investment of trust funds. The trustees have chosen to invest in low risk

investments. £60,000 has been invested in loan stock with a return of 5%, with the remaining

available funds invested in interest bearing bank accounts.

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The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). Law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that year. In preparing these financial statements the trustees are required to: - select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; - observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP (Statement of Recommended Practice); - make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; - state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and - prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation. The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 1993 and the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The Trustees Report on pages 4 to 23 was approved by the Board on 30th November 2011 and is signed on their behalf by:

Jo Garbutt Chair of Trustees

Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities

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We’d love to hear from you...

1st Floor, 110 Oldham Road, Ancoats,

Manchester, M4 6AG

0161 2021056

info@boaztrust.org.uk

www.boaztrust.org.uk