Finance Score: 0

Governance Score: 5

Support Score: 8

Strong growth: +2
Multiple Deficits: -2
No PartB

No conflicts policy: -1
Dynamic board: +3
Gender balanced board: +3

Large volunteer base +3
Overall weighted support: +5

Overall GiG Score: 13

BIRMINGHAM COMMUNITY HOSTING NETWORK

Providing support through community hospitality to vulnerable asylum seekers in the West Midlands, including:- Hosting Network: short term accommodation for destitute asylum seekers in the homes of volunteers- Family Befriending: befriending scheme for young refugees living the UK without their families

Analysis by Giving is Great

Positives:

This charity has been successful in attracting volunteers relative to its size
The charity has received backing from several prominent grant makers recently
There has been strong growth in spending over the last 5 years
The Board appears to be well diversified in terms of gender and dynamic in terms of composition

Regulatory & Governance issues to consider:

This charity does not have a Conflict of Interests policy
Over half the Board have joined recently

Financial issues to consider:

On several occasions in recent years income has been less than spending
A PartB annual return has not been required and so detailed financial information is not available from the online data

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
01/04/23		£69	£69	£-1	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
01/04/22		£57	£44	£13	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
01/04/21		£14	£39	£-26	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
01/04/20		£85	£39	£47	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
01/04/19		£22	£26	£-4	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
31/03/18		£31	£31	£0	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
31/03/17	*	£34	£36	£-2	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
01/04/16		£38	£24	£14	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
01/04/15		£12	£15	£-3	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
01/04/14		£18	£11	£7	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a

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Highest pay bracket: less than £60,000

Established: 12 years

www.birchnetwork.org

birchnetwork@gmail.com

07834805276

Charity Commission for England and Wales

Tweets

Listed activities

Accommodation/Housing
General Charitable Purposes
Human Rights/Religious Or Racial Harmony/Equality Or Diversity
The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty

GiG Classification

Support for refugees & asylum seekers

How it operates

Provides services

Where it operates

Birmingham City, Coventry City, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall,

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	£19,910
CAF	£7,100
The Foyle Foundation	£6,000

Specific Donations

Amount	When Months	To be used for
The Foyle Foundation - Small Grants
£6,000	10/07/2023	towards core costs in yearend March 2024 to support work with asylum seekers and refugees living in Birmingham
CAF - Grant to Birmingham Community Hosting Network
£7,100	26/05/2023	To build resilience of this organisation
National Lottery Community Fund - Refugee Outreach Work
£9,960	07/10/2022	The funding will be used to extend and expand a pilot project to offer outreach and support to asylum seekers living in asylum accommodation (IA) in Birmingham. The pilot outreach work included delivering football sessions providing provisions and ....more The funding will be used to extend and expand a pilot project to offer outreach and support to asylum seekers living in asylum accommodation (IA) in Birmingham. The pilot outreach work included delivering football sessions providing provisions and enrolling on park runs while the continuation of the project will see outreach work broaden to include group introduction sessions English conversation classes and craft activity sessions. The project aims to improve wellbeing reduce isolation and provide activities to help people engage with and integrate with their local community.
National Lottery Community Fund - Family Fun Afternoons
£9,950	16/07/2021	The funding will be used as a contribution to deliver a range of activity and wellbeing sessions for asylum seeking families and children. The project aims to offer an environment of fun interaction and an opportunity for the targeted group to meet ....more The funding will be used as a contribution to deliver a range of activity and wellbeing sessions for asylum seeking families and children. The project aims to offer an environment of fun interaction and an opportunity for the targeted group to meet and form friendships with others with the same or similar experiences.
National Lottery Community Fund - Asylum seeking families with welcome project
£9,470	09/10/2019 12	The funding will be used to hold a weekly luncheon club for asylum seekers in the community, providing participants with the opportunity to leave their accommodation and meet friends in a friendly, social environment, reducing isolation.
Woodward Charitable Trust - Family Befriending Project
£1,000	03/04/2019	Towards the Family Befriending Project.
Woodward Charitable Trust - A Family Befriending Project for refugee children
£1,000	15/11/2017	Towards a Family Befriending Project that supports separated refugee children aged 16-25 years old.
National Lottery Community Fund - New Brummies Project
£10,000	17/05/2017 12	This group will use the funding to provide weekly activity and play sessions for asylum seeking families with children, improving their wellbeing.
Woodward Charitable Trust - Towards the Family Befriending Project
£1,000	04/11/2016	Towards the Family Befriending Project for vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers.
Woodward Charitable Trust - Towards the Family Befriending Project for refugees
£750	25/02/2016	Towards the Family Befriending Project for refugees.
National Lottery Community Fund - BIRCH Meet and Greets
£10,000	04/03/2015 12	Not Available
Woodward Charitable Trust - Towards the Family Befriending Project
£500	30/01/2014	Towards the Family Befriending Project for separated refugee children.

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Data sourced from Donors via 360 Giving

How is it governed?

Trustees (7)

Current Trustees appointed

Gender Split

CHRISTOPHER COLIN BENFIELD Appointed: 2017

EMMA HAWTHORNE Appointed: 2022

FATIMA BATOOL Appointed: 2023

ISOBEL SHIRLEY KNOWLES Appointed: 2023

KAMILA KHALID Appointed: 2022

KATHERINE GREEN Appointed: 2021

THE REVEREND PREBENDARY DAVID ELLIS NEWSOME Appointed: 2024

Legal constitution

Charity registered in England & Wales on 25/04/2013, number: 1151763

Gift Aid

Registered with HMRC for Gift Aid

Policies in force

Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
Complaints handling
Complaints policy and procedures
Financial reserves policy and procedures
Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
Internal risk management policy and procedures
Safeguarding policy and procedures
Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
Volunteer management

Filing Record

10 returns made; AR17: 85 days late,

Main office

204
Scott House
The Custard Factory
Gibb St

Objectives

THE RELIEF OF FINANCIAL HARDSHIP AMONGST THOSE SEEKING ASYLUM IN THE UNITED KINGDOM OR WHO ARE REFUGEES, AND WHO RESIDE IN THE WEST MIDLANDS.TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH OF THOSE AWAITING AND THOSE GRANTED REFUGEE STATUS AND THEIR DEPENDANTS.

Data Sources

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