Finance Score: 1
Governance Score: 6
Support Score: 12
  • Low unrestricted reserves: -2
  • Strong growth: +2
  • Multiple Deficits: -2
  • Fundraising costs low: +3
  • Dynamic board: +3
  • Gender balanced board: +3
  • Overall weighted support: +12
Overall GiG Score: 19 ?

WEST END REFUGEE SERVICE (WERS)

West End Refugee Service has developed into one of the major support agencies for asylum seekers and refugees in Newcastle Upon Tyne offering a range of integrated services which complement the statutory package of government support. A programme of activities has been designed to address the social exclusion, poverty, disadvantage, poor health and worklessness of its client group.
Analysis by Giving is Great

Positives:

  • There has been strong growth in spending over the last 5 years
  • Fundraising costs are unusually low relative to funds raised
  • A significant proportion of recent income was derived from major grant makers including the Government
  • The Board appears to be well diversified in terms of gender and dynamic in terms of composition

Regulatory & Governance issues to consider:

  • Over half the Board have joined recently

Financial issues to consider:

  • Unrestricted reserves appear to be dangerously low at the latest year end
  • On several occasions in recent years income has been less than spending

Financial Data ?

Income & Spending ?
Sources of Income ?
Y/E Income
£k
Spending
£k
Surplus/
Deficit £k
Fundraising
Cost £k
Total
Funds £k
Unrestricted
Funds £k
Mths
Rsrvs
Staff Volun-
teers
31/03/24£570£645£-76£27£244£159314115
31/03/23£490£514£-24n/an/an/an/an/an/a
31/03/22£412£393£19n/an/an/an/an/an/a
31/03/21£477£355£122n/an/an/an/an/an/a
31/03/20?£255£285£-30n/an/an/an/an/an/a
31/03/18£267£262£5n/an/an/an/an/an/a
31/03/17£314£295£19n/an/an/an/an/an/a
31/03/16£304£272£32n/an/an/an/an/an/a
31/03/15£250£257£-7n/an/an/an/an/an/a
31/03/14£308£242£66n/an/an/an/an/an/a
31/03/13£225£223£2n/an/an/an/an/an/a
31/03/12£220£223£-3n/an/an/an/an/an/a
31/03/11£224£221£3n/an/an/an/an/an/a
31/03/10£223£229£-7n/an/an/an/an/an/a
31/03/09£231£213£17n/an/an/an/an/an/a
31/03/08£192£200£-8n/an/an/an/an/an/a
31/03/07*£183£149£35n/an/an/an/an/an/a
31/03/06£160£163£-3n/an/an/an/an/an/a
31/03/05*£166£149£17n/an/an/an/an/an/a
31/03/04*£147£140£7n/an/an/an/an/an/a

Financial Ratios
Fundraising Costs/Relevant Income: 4.9%
Fundraising Costs/Total Spending: 4.2%
Highest pay band: Less than £60,000
Liabilities/Assets: 7%
Liabilities/Income: 3%
Unrestricted Funds/Total Funds: 65%
Reserves/Spending: 3 months
Net Current Assets/Spending: 5 months
Quick Ratio: 14.1
Asset Split ?
Balance Sheet History
Established: 25 years

www.wers.org.uk

info@wers.org.uk

01912737482

Charity Commission for England and WalesFacebookX
UN SDGs
?
Listed activities
  • Education/Training
  • Other Charitable Purposes
  • The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty
GiG Classification
  • Support for refugees & asylum seekers
How it operates
  • Makes grants to individuals
  • Provides advocacy/advice/information
  • Provides buildings/facilities/open space
  • Provides human resources
  • Provides services
Where it operates
  • Newcastle Upon Tyne City,
Who it helps
  • Other Defined Groups

Who supports them? ?

Donations from Grant Makers ?

We have details on the following donations. Multi-year donations are allocated to the years for which they are earmarked.

Major supporters in last 5 years
National Lottery Community Fund£164,000
Lloyds Bank Foundation£102,250
Community Foundation serving Tyne & Wear and Northumberland£55,500
The Shears Foundation£55,000
AB Charitable Trust£55,000
Community Foundation Tyne & Wear & Nthmbrlnd£50,000
DCMS£45,487
Virgin Money Foundation£30,000
Specific Donations
Amount When
Months
To be used for
The Shears Foundation - West End Refugee Service
£45,000 11/07/2023
WERS Delivery Support
National Lottery Community Fund - CAC Project (Communities Activities and Connections)
£154,000 17/05/2023
This funding will be used to cover salaries volunteer expenses and training activities interpreting publicity overheads and evaluation. This project aims to improve social cohesion make connections and friendships and support refugees/asylum seekers ....more
Community Foundation serving Tyne & Wear and Northumberland - Grant to West End Refugee Service
£1,000 12/01/2023
Supporting the charity's objects
Community Foundation serving Tyne & Wear and Northumberland - Grant to West End Refugee Service
£1,000 15/12/2022
Core costs in support of activities related to health, benefits and/or resettlement support for asylum seekers and refugees in newcastle
Community Foundation serving Tyne & Wear and Northumberland - Grant to West End Refugee Service
£7,500 15/12/2022
Increasing the organisation's capacity to provide more in-depth support to more refugees and asylum seekers living in and around newcastle
Lloyds Bank Foundation - One off gift towards cost of living crisis to West End Refugee Service
£2,250 14/12/2022
One off gift to support with the cost of living crisis
Lloyds Bank Foundation - Grant to West End Refugee Service
£50,000 07/12/2022
24
Unrestricted grant over two years towards the core costs of West End Refugee Service
Community Foundation serving Tyne & Wear and Northumberland - Grant to West End Refugee Service
£10,000 03/11/2022
Core costs to expand delivery to meet increased number of requests from refugees and asylum seekers
Community Foundation serving Tyne & Wear and Northumberland - Grant to West End Refugee Service
£1,500 22/09/2022
General charitable purposes
AB Charitable Trust - A grant to West End Refugee Service
£20,000 30/06/2022
An unrestricted grant of £20,000. West End Refugee Service provides refugees and people seeking asylum with services to develop their confidence, skills and helps to build connections within the community across the North East of England.
The Shears Foundation - West End Refugee Service
£10,000 29/04/2022
WERS Delivery Support
Community Foundation serving Tyne & Wear and Northumberland - A grant to West End Refugee Service
£1,000 02/12/2021
Provision of activities related to health, benefits and/or resettlement support for asylum seekers and refugees
Community Foundation serving Tyne & Wear and Northumberland - A grant to West End Refugee Service
£1,000 04/11/2021
Supporting the charity's objects
National Lottery Community Fund - Peers IAA
£10,000 15/10/2021
The funding will be used to set up a peer support information advice and advocacy (IAA) programme for asylum seekers and refugees in the North East. Volunteers will be trained as Peer Officers to help train other service users so vital information ....more
Community Foundation serving Tyne & Wear and Northumberland - A grant to West End Refugee Service
£10,000 24/06/2021
The ‘SkillsMatch’ volunteering project and a contribution to the organisation's core costs
Community Foundation serving Tyne & Wear and Northumberland - A grant to West End Refugee Service
£1,500 17/06/2021
Core costs
Community Foundation Tyne & Wear & Nthmbrlnd - The organisation’s work in West Newcastle arising from the COVID-19 pandemic
£20,000 27/05/2021
The organisation’s work in West Newcastle arising from the COVID-19 pandemic
Community Foundation serving Tyne & Wear and Northumberland - A grant to West End Refugee Service
£20,000 27/05/2021
The organisation’s work in West Newcastle arising from the COVID-19 pandemic
Community Foundation serving Tyne & Wear and Northumberland - A grant to West End Refugee Service
£500 20/05/2021
The organisation's charitable objects
Community Foundation serving Tyne & Wear and Northumberland - A grant to West End Refugee Service
£500 20/05/2021
The organisation's charitable objects
AB Charitable Trust - A grant to West End Refugee Service
£20,000 22/04/2021
An unrestricted grant of £20,000. West End Refugee Service provides wrap-around services for people seeking asylum and refugees by providing long term support and creating opportunities for individuals to develop their confidence, skills and to ....more
Virgin Money Foundation - Grant to West End Refugee Service
£30,000 09/03/2021
12
Grant to support the organisations running costs.
Community Foundation Tyne & Wear & Nthmbrlnd - salary costs of the Director and Operations Manager
£10,000 10/12/2020
salary costs of the Director and Operations Manager
Lloyds Bank Foundation - Recovery grant to West End Refugee Service
£50,000 02/12/2020
24
Unrestricted grant over two years towards the core costs of West End Refugee Service, awarded under the Foundation's Asylum Seekers and Refugees funding stream. Part of the Covid Recovery Fund to support charities to emerge from the pandemic.
DCMS - DCMS VSCE CMC Covid Funding
£45,487 02/12/2020
The Community Match Challenge is an £85M fund aimed at supporting the Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) in their COVID response. Awards were made to philanthropists, foundations and grant making organisations to match funds raised on ....more
Barrow Cadbury Trust - COVID-19 - West End Refugee Service
£10,650 25/08/2020
6
Support to enable additional capacity for delivering COVID-response activities, IT support for remote working, and PPE.
Community Foundation Tyne & Wear & Nthmbrlnd - Supporting refugees and asylum seekers in the West End of Newcastle during the Covid-19 pandemic
£10,000 03/07/2020
Supporting refugees and asylum seekers in the West End of Newcastle during the Covid-19 pandemic
Community Foundation Tyne & Wear & Nthmbrlnd - supporting refugees and asylum seekers in the West End of Newcastle during the Covid-19 pandemic
£10,000 03/07/2020
supporting refugees and asylum seekers in the West End of Newcastle during the Covid-19 pandemic
AB Charitable Trust - A grant to West End Refugee Service
£15,000 23/04/2020
An unrestricted grant of £15,000. West End Refugee Service provides wrap-around support to empower asylum seekers and refugees to live safe, healthy and fulfilling lives
Crisis UK - Grant to West End Refugee Service
£4,890 09/04/2020
Serving destitute migrants and rough sleepers
Community Foundation serving Tyne & Wear and Northumberland - a volunteer project for refugees in Newcastle
£5,000 04/07/2019
a volunteer project for refugees in Newcastle
The Shears Foundation - West End Refugee Service
£10,000 30/04/2019
WERS Volunteer Project: Support, Empowerment, Community
National Lottery Community Fund - WERS Volunteer Project: Support, Empowerment, Community
£109,318 22/11/2018
36
WERS Volunteer Project: Support, Empowerment, Community
AB Charitable Trust - A grant to West End Refugee Service
£15,000 15/10/2018
£15,000 towards core costs. West End Refugee Service provides asylum seekers & refugees in Newcastle upon Tyne with advice & advocacy provided through drop-in advice sessions, emotional support through their befriending service, education ....more
Garfield Weston Foundation - Main Grants award
£15,000 18/06/2018
Strength through Support/Strength through Society
Community Foundation Tyne & Wear & Nthmbrlnd - Contribution to core costs for the first six months of 2018-19
£3,000 04/10/2017
Contribution to core costs for the first six months of 2018-19
Community Foundation Tyne & Wear & Nthmbrlnd - Contribution to core costs for the first six months of 2018-19
£10,000 04/10/2017
Contribution to core costs for the first six months of 2018-19
Community Foundation Tyne & Wear & Nthmbrlnd - Supporting and empowering asylum seekers and refugees
£10,000 07/09/2017
Supporting and empowering asylum seekers and refugees
AB Charitable Trust - A grant to West End Refugee Service
£15,000 27/04/2017
£15,000 towards Operations Manager, Support Worker and Project Director. West End Refugee Service provides asylum seekers & refugees in Newcastle upon Tyne with advice & advocacy provided through drop-in advice sessions, emotional support ....more
Community Foundation Tyne & Wear & Nthmbrlnd - Towards Newcastle: City of Sanctuary - Creating a Culture of Welcome
£10,000 24/03/2017
Towards Newcastle: City of Sanctuary - Creating a Culture of Welcome
Community Foundation Tyne & Wear & Nthmbrlnd - Towards Tu support Syrian regugees in Newcastle
£5,000 06/04/2016
Towards Tu support Syrian regugees in Newcastle
Community Foundation Tyne & Wear & Nthmbrlnd - To support the running costs of a volunteers project (continuation funding) Year 3
£36,300 01/04/2016
To support the running costs of a volunteers project (continuation funding) Year 3
Lloyds Bank Foundation - Grant to West End Refugee Service
£75,000 16/03/2016
36
For the salary of a full-time multi-lingual support worker to support refugees and asylum seekers in the West End of Newcastle.
Esmee Fairbairn - Grant to West End Refugee Service
£5,000 24/02/2016
12
Towards Unrestricted core costs Towards the core costs of an organisation supporting refugees and asylum seekers in Newcastle.
Community Foundation Tyne & Wear & Nthmbrlnd - Towards City of Sanctuary - Response to the Syrian Crisis
£2,500 30/09/2015
Towards City of Sanctuary - Response to the Syrian Crisis
Community Foundation Tyne & Wear & Nthmbrlnd - To support the running costs of a volunteers project (continuation funding) Year 2
£35,200 01/04/2015
To support the running costs of a volunteers project (continuation funding) Year 2
Henry Smith Charity - Grant to West End Refugee Service
£105,900 13/03/2014
36
towards three years' continuation funding of the running costs of a volunteer project supporting asylum seekers and refugees in Newcastle
Esmee Fairbairn - Grant to West End Refugee Service
£30,000 21/05/2013
Towards the core costs of an organisation that supports the rights of refugees and addresses their needs in imaginative and empowering ways.
Northern Rock Foundation - Grant awarded to West End Refugee Service (Tyne & Wear)
£113,622 05/03/2013
To fund the full-time support worker's post and a contribution towards core costs of this organisation which supports refugees and Asylum Seekers in Newcastle.
National Lottery Community Fund - West End Refugee Service: Strength through support
£263,173 11/02/2013
48
This is the continuation of an existing project that aims to support asylum seekers and refugees in Newcastle, many of whom are traumatised by war, political persecution, torture, imprisonment, rape and bereavements suffered in their home county ....more
Esmee Fairbairn - Grant to West End Refugee Service
£45,001 02/06/2010
36
Towards Core costs Towards the salary of the project director.
Show more rows

Data sourced from Donors via 360 Giving

How is it governed?

Trustees (8)
Current Trustees appointed
Gender Split
Based on 7/8 persons

  • ALICE JACQUELINE MASON Appointed: 2024
  • CHARITY MWAURA Appointed: 2022
  • CHRISTOPHER MILLMAN Appointed: 2019
  • GEORGINA WRIGHT Appointed: 2022
  • GHADA SAEED Appointed: 2023
  • NADIA IGSIZ Appointed: 2023
  • REV JOHN CHARLES HOWARD-NORMAN Appointed: 2022
  • SIMON ELLIOTT Appointed: 2024, Occupation: Hr Manager
Legal constitution
  • Charity registered in England & Wales on 29/09/1999, number: 1077601
Gift Aid
  • Registered with HMRC for Gift Aid
Policies in force
  • Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
  • Complaints handling
  • Complaints policy and procedures
  • Conflicting interests
  • Financial reserves policy and procedures
  • Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
  • Internal risk management policy and procedures
  • Investing charity funds policy and procedures
  • Paying staff
  • Risk management
  • Safeguarding policy and procedures
  • Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
  • Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
  • Social media policy and procedures
  • Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
  • Volunteer management
Filing Record
20 returns made; AR07: 1 days late, AR05: 2 days late, AR04: 1 days late,
Main office

THE VICARAGE
ST. PHILIPS CLOSE
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
NE4 5JE

Objectives

TO RELIEVE REFUGEES AND ASYLUM SEEKERS WITHIN THE AREA OF BENEFIT WHO ARE IN NEED BY REASON OF THEIR POVERTY AND/OR SICKNESS AND THE DISTRESS ARISING THERE-FROM, PARTICULARLY BY THE PROVISION OF PRACTICAL SUPPORT.

Defined Area of Benefit:

CITY OF NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE

Data Sources

Charity Commission for England and Wales
360 Giving

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