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Annual Report 2002-2003 Full Members 2002/03 Associate Members 2002/03 Management Committee Members 2002/03 Mr. Edmond Michaels - Chair (Middle East Christian
Minorities Advice Centre) Ealing Refugee Forum WHO ARE WE? Ealing Refugee Forum was established in 1996 as the representative body for refugee community organisations with clients in the London Borough of Ealing. WHY ARE WE HERE? We believe that " Refugees should control their own destinies WHAT DO WE DO? We provide a voice for refugee organisations in the London Borough of Ealing in discussions and negotiations with statutory, voluntary and other relevant organisations. We act as a forum to discuss issues relating to refugees and asylum seekers. We act as a consultative body for the discussion of the Council's as well as other statutory agencies' policies/strategies on refugee and race related issues. We seek funding from a wide variety of sources to assist refugee organisations within the London Borough of Ealing. We provide a network for the dissemination of information, good practice and the sharing of skills and support refugee community organisations to develop services for their community members. We actively promote the valuable contribution refugee organisations make to the community. We enter into partnership with appropriate agencies to further the aims of the Forum and to produce tangible benefits for refugee organisations within the London Borough of Ealing.
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS Partnership and Networking The Forum was represented in a number of partnership
bodies where it works alongside other statutory and voluntary organisations
to find solutions to common problems. Open Meetings Since ERF's last AGM in September 2002, we have organised
2 open public meetings. One in Children's Fund The Ealing Refugee Forum successfully raised £17,640
from Ealing Children's Fund for summer projects benefiting refugee
children. The grant has been distributed fairly depending on the
size of the project and activities involved. BMER Community Involvement Fund The ERF has part-managed the BMER Community Involvement Fund with Ealing Racial Equality Council to enable local RCO's and other ethnic minority community groups access £30,000 for specific projects. Training On July 3rd, 2003, the Ealing Refugee Forum successfully
organised a special one-day The ERF re-started publishing its newsletter in 2003.
The re-designed Newsletter with ERF's One to One work with RCO's The new co-ordinator, Misak Ohanian has met with the
following local RCO's to advice and Refugee Week 2003 As in previous years, Ealing Refugee Forum organised
a very successful Refugee Week Multi-cultural event on 28th June
2003 at Ealing Town Hall. Fourteen refugee community organisations
and a number of outside agencies working with refugees contributed
to the event by providing stalls, diverse food and cultural presentations
promoting their communities and work. The wide-ranging cultural
programme featured Armenian, Persian and Egyptian dancing, Russian
and Kurdish singing, an African drum performance, a Tae Kwon Do
display by Afghan children. To a packed hall, Edmond Michaels, chair
of ERF welcomed and praised the contribution of refugee communities
to society. Guest of honour was the Worshipful Mayor of Ealing Cllr.
Gurcharan Singh who expressed his and the Council's warmest greetings
for the event. Other speakers included, Stephen James, programme
Manager of Renewal SRB 6 Partnership who funded the event and Cllr.
Harvey Rose, leader of the Liberal Democrats within Ealing Council.
It was gratifying to see so many refugees, particularly children
and young people participating and supporting this annual event. New Members Since the last AGM, the ERF has welcomed several new
members. In particular "Znaniye" Russian School, Tamil
Refugee Action Group, Nirari Arts and the Hillingdon Chinese School.
Associates members which have joined include, Ealing Racial Equality
Council and Dekh Bhal Women & Girls Support Group. Others who
have applied from whom we are waiting to receive additional information
include the East African Women & Children Group and Common Community
Group. During this same period we lost two member organisations.
The first, the Common Training Group as a result of the sad passing
away of Barbara Busbridge and secondly the Horn of Africa Advice
Centre who have relocated with no forwarding address. The ERF Management Committee met 7 times during the
year to ensure that the organisation meets its annual targets is
managed in accordance to its aims and objectives and is accountable
to members and funders. All their meetings were in quorum. Incorporation & Charitable Status The ERF registered and started operating as an incorporated organisation as from 2nd May 2002. The process to gain charity registration has been more difficult and complicated. The ERF has been in correspondence with the Charity Commission in the past year and is slowly progressing towards gaining registration. The ERF is grateful for Mr. Paul Boielle from Ealing CVS and Mr. Roger Bronkhurst from Interchange Legal Advisory Services who have both been helping us with this. Funding and Finances The ERF is grateful for the continued support it receives from Ealing Council. The ERF is also grateful for receiving a grant of £4,000 from Ealing PCT for the first time that paid towards the cost of employing a temporary administrator. For 2003/04, the ERF obtained a grant of £4,000 from Ealing Community Network towards the cost of widening the circulation of its newsletter and organising an Awayday to produce its first 3-year Business plan later this year. In April 2003, the ERF successfully extended its grant from RENEWAL SRB 6 Partnership for another three years to continue employing a co-ordinator and pay for its running costs. The ERF expresses its appreciation to the Renewal Board for its generous support toward its core expenditure as well as for the support to mark Refugee Week. Funders 2002/03
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