fighting hate for three decades
The 20-21 financial year marks our 30th anniversary, so we’re taking a little look back at thirty years of SARI in our latest impact report.
Contents
- Chair’s Report
An introduction from our Chair of the Board of Trustees, Irvin Campbell. - Co-Directors’ Report
An insight into our year from our Co-Directors, Alex and Agnes. - A Brief History of SARI
A multimedia timeline that looks at the last 30 (yes 30!) years of our organisation, as well as some of the news and events that have shaped it. - Bristol
A look at the work we’ve been doing in Bristol. - Bath and North East Somerset
A look at the work we’ve been doing in Bath and North East Somerset. - North Somerset
A look at the work we’ve been doing in North Somerset. - Somerset
A look at the work we’ve been doing in Somerset. - South Gloucestershire
A look at the work we’ve been doing in South Gloucestershire. - Training
A round-up of some of the training and consultancy work we’ve carried out this year. - Education
A round-up of some of the work we’ve done with children and young people this year. - Statistical Breakdown
One for the stat fans – a brief breakdown of our year in numbers, graphs and maps. - Financial Information
A breakdown of our incomings and outgoings. - Donors and Funders
A big thank-you to all our donors and funders that have made our work possible, this year and in the future.
Chair’s report
Having been first a client of SARI and then on the Board of Trustees for 23 years, this year has been a year like no other and which I will never forget. This year has seen SARI make national news and achieve global recognition despite being only a small, regional charity. Following the tragic murder of George Floyd in May 2020, the Black Lives Matter marches that followed and the debate over racism in Britain, the need for us as an advocate for victims of hate crime and an equalities training provider is apparent now more than ever. SARI’s service has been reported on by the Guardian, the BBC and Stylist magazine to name just a few. We’ve also received support from all over the world, as people donate and fundraise to help us fight for equality and justice. We’re so grateful to those that support our work.
We’ve come through Covid-19 and the challenges it brings. I’m pleased to say we’re making the most of these challenges. We’ve delivered our first virtual Cultural Awareness Tour, funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, which was very well received. We’ve also further upgraded our digital infrastructure so our dedicated team are better able to remotely deliver casework, advocacy and training. This has come just in time, as we’ve seen a massive increase in demand this year. More people now know of SARI’s work, in large part due to the amazing people in our community raising awareness of the need for social justice.
In my position as the Chair of SARI, I have witnessed the strong leadership displayed by our Co-Directors. They have navigated a very busy year once again, with uncompromising dedication and strategic vision. I’d also like to acknowledge everyone in team SARI, who have worked so hard – under very difficult circumstances – to meet increased demand and continue to deliver high levels of service to our clients. The positive feedback received from our clients shows the fantastic work they have achieved.
I acknowledge and thank my fellow trustees for their hard work and governance – their support and dedication is a credit to SARI.
Finally, I would like thank our funders, our donors, our supporters and most importantly, our clients. All of them have a story, each one of pain and injustice, and they have all shown incredible bravery and determination.
Thank you reader, for sharing our in dedication and taking the interest to know more about what we have achieved this year.
With best wishes,
Irvin Campbell
Chair of The Board of Trustees
co-directors’ report
As we fast approach our 30th year supporting victims of hate crime, this year has been an especially poignant one, and will go down in history for its exposure of inequalities. No-one could have predicted the impact of Covid-19. It put a magnifying glass on the disproportionality of health outcomes with black and minority ethnic people, poorer people, disabled people and those working in frontline occupations facing far higher mortality rates – to such an extent it could not be ignored or brushed under the carpet. In addition, the tragic murder of George Floyd on May 25 2020 brought into stark relief the inequalities that organisations like ours see every day.
We cannot tolerate or turn a blind eye to racism and exclusion in any form.
Pope Francis
Floyd, along with Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, Breonna Taylor and many more who have lost their lives to the brutalising effects of hate-motivated treatment, catalysed an unprecedented discourse around social justice, structural racism and the wearisome fact that history just keeps on repeating itself when it comes to oppression and attacks on people for the colour of their skin. For many, this year has been a wake-up call that if we are to break this cycle, far more people need to be genuinely committed to and actively challenging racism in real terms. Just talking about and writing about it is not enough. Actions speak louder than words.
We’ve seen the Black Lives Matter campaign gather momentum and galvanise citizens and communities; organisations from the small business to the large corporate; schools and charities. Bristol has been at the epicentre of this change, when on June 7 2020, in a decisive demonstration, the city challenged the legacy of slavery and colonialism by toppling the statue of the slave trader Edward Colston. This event has caused a wave of communities around the world to question the legacies and heritage that celebrate the atrocity of the slave trade.
Whilst we have seen many steps in the right direction, levels of hate crime and discrimination have not abated; backlashes to George Floyd and Covid saw spikes of race hate against black, Chinese and South East Asian communities. Covid saw short-term downturns in attacks on LGBTQ+ and disabled people, hateful bullying in schools and faith-based attacks only because people were locked in, schools were closed, places of worship put their celebration online and people were not going about their normal day-to-day business. When the world opened up again, the police, housing providers and charities such as SARI saw a huge rise in incidents. For us this meant up to 20 referrals each day, which meant we had to introduce a waiting list for the first time ever.
Attempts to reform the Gender Recognition Act since 2016 came to a head this year with public consultation and after a long delay the government published its conclusions. The extremely divisive rhetoric around this led to high levels of transphobia and tensions between those for and against trans inclusive reform.
Operationally, it has been another challenging – but rewarding – year for us, as we continue to navigate and support our clients in light of disruptions caused by the pandemic. We have made significant changes to our service delivery model by creating a service-wide risk assessment, and enacting other safety measures, to ensure the safety of our staff and clients. We have further upgraded our technology infrastructure to secure against cyber-attacks and have provided our staff with the equipment they need to continue almost all of their work remotely and safely at home – and in doing so, adapting and building resilience in our service delivery. We’re also working on a bespoke online case management system to improve the efficiency and processes of our casework.
On another positive note, SARI – both as an organisation advocating for those who have faced hate and discrimination, and one engaging in proactive work to prevent tragic outcomes brought about by hate prejudice – has been in the national and international spotlight. We’ve received a truly overwhelmingly level of exposure and generous support from Belgium to New Zealand and everywhere in between. Individuals have got in touch to donate, fundraise (even cycling around the world!), and offer in-kind support. We’ve also been published in international publications including the BBC, the Guardian, and the Charities Aid Foundation. We’ve been featured multiple times by PayPal as part of the ‘PayPal Giving Fund’ programme and our social media handle @SARIcharity was featured by Liam Gallagher and Little Mix. We have also received countless letters of support from well-wishers expressing the need for our work.
We’ve also seen an increase in the requests for training and education interventions, which continues to be the preventative backbone of our service. Due to the increased exposure, more organisations are aware of the need to promote, protect and nurture equality and diversity among their staff and service users in a more meaningful way. We’re pleased to be a large part of that. Our physical space has reflected that commitment, as a safe space for our community, we continue to improve and adapt our grade I listed building so that the entrance and ground floor have accessible facilities.
We continue to deliver strongly and consistently for our funders and we thank them wholeheartedly for their invaluable support, insight and shared passion for the work we do. We will continue to be an organisation who continually strives to improve and be there for those who have experienced injustice.
Our heartfelt thanks go to our team for their incredibly hard work over the past year and to our dedicated and committed Board of Trustees.
With your support, we’re privileged to say we’ve achieved another year protecting the right to live without fear, prejudice or inequality. Thank you.
Alex Raikes MBE
Director, Strategic
Agnes Yeomans
Director, Finance & HR
a brief history of sari
1991
the beginning
‘Support Against Racist Incidents’ is set up in response to the failure of existing agencies to provide the specialised support that is desperately needed by victims of racial abuse in Bristol. Batook Pandya was employed as Project Manager, and with Agnes Yeomans as part-time admin, they began setting up the organisation in March. Six months later Alex Raikes joined as the first project worker. Based out of The Coach House in St Pauls, they opened 44 cases in the first year.
1993
the murder of stephen lawrence
On the evening of 22 April, Stephen Lawrence, aged just 18, is brutally murdered while waiting for a bus by a group of white youths in an unprovoked, racially-motivated attack in Eltham, London. An abysmally poor police investigation as the result of institutional racism means that it would be more than 18 years, with unwavering challenge by his parents Doreen and Neville Lawrence, before two of his attackers are finally found guilty.
SARI expands
SARI moves from a small office in The Coach House on Upper York Street to an office on St Mark’s Road, Easton. If you drive past today, you’ll still see the metal SARI dove hanging above the shop front.
1994
the assault on marlon thomas
Marlon Thomas is left with a profound long-term disability after he is savagely beaten in a racist attack at a funfair on Durdham Downs, Bristol. The four perpetrators are convicted of GBH – all but one are released within five years.
Marlon will not walk or talk ever again.
1996
1998
a royal visit
Prince Charles visits the SARI office in St Mark’s Road. His visit marks ten years since SARI was first conceived by a steering group in 1988, and draws attention to the issue of race and racism in Britain.
Colston defaced
The statue of Edward Colston is defaced when ‘SLAVE TRADER’ is written in paint on the base of the statue. Black councillor Ray Sefia says:
It’s like having a monument to Hitler. we don’t have a statue to Hitler and we shouldn’t have one to Colston, who was one of the worst offenders in the slave trade.
Councillor Ray Sefia
Councillor Sefia’s remarks are not taken well – an edition of the Bristol Evening Post carries a number of reader responses that highlight how Bristol feels about the statue.
1999
london nail bombings
Over three successive weekends a series of bomb explosions in London target the black, Bengali and LGBTQ+ communities. Tensions rise among minority communities across the UK, and SARI issues a letter to communities of Bristol in the hopes of a) reducing this tension; and b) keeping communities safe in the event of an attack. The bombs killed three people, including a pregnant woman, and injured 140 people, four of whom lost limbs. The perpetrator, a Neo-Nazi militant, gives himself up and is convicted of murder; he receives six life sentences.
The Macpherson report
The Macpherson Report, a result of the public enquiry into the murder of Stephen Lawrence, is released. It condemns the Metropolitan Police as being institutionally racist, and calls for the reform of major government bodies to address the issue of institutional racism.
The report introduces ‘the Macpherson principle’, which says that complaints about racism should be recorded and investigated as such, when they are perceived by the complainant or someone else as an act of racism. This means that crimes and other incidents where racism may have played a part are accurately recorded and not understated or forgotten in official records. This also paves the way toward the person-centred definition of all hate crimes and incidents that we now have, whereby any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim or any other person to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based upon protected characteristics is treated as such.
ANOTHER ROYAL VISIT
Her Majesty the Queen visits Bristol on April 1st to distribute the Maundy money. While here, she also enjoys the pleasure of sharing a meal with Batook.
2000
2001
9/11
Terrorists launch a series of attacks on America, killing 2,977 people. Anti-Muslim sentiment rises across the West, resulting in vicious reprisals on innocent victims. In Bristol, SARI and other community organisations are quick to publicly condemn the attacks, and emphasise the need for unity.
national recognition
SARI wins a National Charity Award in the category of Social Care, Welfare and Religion. Ten years since we opened our first case, by 2001 we’ve opened 1,668 cases.
2002
2004
a new home
SARI moves again – this time into our current home at 15 Portland Square.
There’s a lot of a moving to be done, as well as painting and decorating over five floors. Batook enlists the help of a few skilled staff members for a spot of DIY!
2005
2009
2010
2011
2013
2014
a city mourns
Our founding director Batook Pandya passes away suddenly. It’s a profound shock and great loss to everyone. Thoughts and prayers pour in from every community, in every language. A blue plaque is unveiled during a celebration at 15 Portland Square to mark Batook’s working achievements in race equality across the region.
2016
2017
Britain under attack
In a short period over the summer there are a number of ‘so-called Islamic’ terrorist attacks. The Westminster attack, Manchester Arena bombing, London Bridge attack shock and anger the British public. Despite outright and vocal condemnation from Imams and other religious leaders, Islamophobic hate crimes increase fivefold, and culminates in the Finsbury Park attack.
Bristol Impact Fund
SARI and partners receive further funding for 2017–2021 from Bristol City Council to both continue and develop Bristol Hate Crime Services. The new project adds two more partners, Bristol Law Centre and Resolve West, and becomes Bristol Hate Crime and Discrimination Services.
Grenfell fire
The world watches on in horror as Grenfell Tower burns, with people still trapped inside. A lawyer for the survivors later says:
a majority of the Grenfell residents who died were people of colour … Grenfell is inextricably linked with race. It is the elephant in the room.
Leslie Thomas QC
2018
2019
2020
the murder of george floyd
In Minneapolis, Minnesota, George Floyd is murdered by a police officer during an arrest after a store clerk suspected he may have used a counterfeit $20 bill. Footage recorded by teenager Darnella Frazier goes viral. It shows a subdued Floyd pleading ‘I can’t breathe’ while officer Derek Chauvin kneels on his neck – for eight minutes and 46 seconds.
colston comes down
During a Black Lives Matter march, protestors forcibly remove the statue of Edward Colston from his plinth in the city centre and throw him into the docks. It begins a nation-wide conversation on racism, legacy, heritage and memorabilia that institutions and communities celebrate, which have links to the dark days of the slave trade.
Many argue that it was an act of vandalism, while others say they had tried every other avenue to remove the statue for decades.
2021
bath and north east somerset
at a glance
We had 47 hate crime referrals from the Bath and North East Somerset region. Of those:
- 40 were race hate;
- 3 were disablist;
- 3 were homophobic; and
- 1 was transphobic.
Out of the five authority areas we cover, this was the second lowest reporting area – so one of the areas where less hate crime is reported. But this doesn’t mean it isn’t happening – just that maybe less people are telling us about it.
Our work in the area
We’ve helped set up a hate crime and community cohesion partnership which meets every three months. Chaired by Avon and Somerset Police, members include SARI, Council departments, universities, local victim support and advocacy providers and specialist groups that work with LGBTQ+, disabled and faith groups.
We’re proud to have also worked with B&NES Council, local schools, the police and others to set up the Race Equality Task Force which is looking to promote race equality and tackle racist incidents in local schools.
We also help to run a case review panel which reviews and problem solves high risk hate crime cases.
We’ve also helped set up an LGBTQ+ Action Network that is now independently chaired and represents a range of sectors.
covid hate crime (case #037-20/21)
Mark is a Malaysian man in this thirties. Just as the coronavirus pandemic started, an unknown man coughed at Mark as he was leaving a cafe. He had done it on purpose – and even laughed at him, saying “now you’ve got coronavirus.”
The incident was reported to the police, and they referred Mark to us as it was race-related hate. We kept Mark up to date with the progress the police were making, and supported him through the legal process as the case came to court.
PCSO Kim Tanner was able to trace the perpetrator through CCTV. Because of the pandemic, it took nearly a year for the case to reach court. The suspect was charged with racially aggravated harassment and threatening and abusive behaviour. The suspect pleaded guilty and he was fined £349 and ordered to pay £300 in court fees. Mark was awarded £500 in compensation.
Bristol
at a glance
Bristol is our highest reporting area with 534 referrals. Of these,
- 407 were race hate;
- 76 were disabilist;
- 29 were homophobic;
- 8 were faith-based;
- 4 were transphobic;
- 2 were gender-based; and
- 1 was due to pregnancy and maternity.
With a large population, living closer together, and a higher percentage of minority communities, it’s only natural that Bristol makes up the majority of our casework – despite the welcoming, inclusive attitude of most Bristolians.
our work in the area
In Bristol, our City Council grant funds Bristol Hate Crime & Discrimination Services (BHCDS) which we lead, along with Brandon Trust, Bristol Mind, the Law Centre, Resolve West and Off The Record. This year we took management, delivery and planning meetings into the new (and now very familiar) territory of ‘Teams’ and never skipped a beat.
We’re a part of Bristol’s Strategic Partnership Against Hate Crime (SPAHC) in which statutory and voluntary and community sector partners working together to tackle hate. We also host the Bristol Case Review Panel which reviews and problem-solves high risk hate crimes.
We also help to coordinate a number of other groups that help to tackle hate and promote equality. This includes the Gypsy, Roma, Traveller Strategy Group; the Gypsy, Roma, Traveller Voices Group (GR8T+); the Tackling Islamophobia Working Group; the Public Transport Safety & Equalities Group; the Tackling Hate in High Support Services Group and others. Each group has been set up in response to disproportionate targeting of said communities.
We’ve sadly had some very serious cases in Bristol, including two race hate murders in recent years, which have led to major learning plans – both were found to have been avoidable, had more been done to prevent the murders. These two cases are Bijan Ebrahimi, murdered in July 2013 by Lee James and accomplice Stephen Norley; and Kamal Ahmad Ali, murdered in July 2016 by Jeffrey Barry. For several years supported both families with their cases to make sure all possible justice and learning was achieved, and we’ll continue to be there for them whenever they need any help with the severe trauma caused by these horrific hate crimes.
GEt up, stand up, stand up for your rights (Case #414-20/21)
Patricia was racially abused at a bus stop in Bristol. As she waited for the bus, students from a local college called her “n****r”, and attempted to provoke her into retaliating. They would play reggae music, shouting the lyrics at Patricia.
This happened week in, week out, until Patricia came to us for help. We contacted the college, who found the students and with our help created an action plan that tackled their behaviour.
The racist abuse stopped for good, and Patricia told us she was pleased with the outcome. Now she waits in peace, knowing she has successfully challenged and stopped racist behaviour. Don’t give up the fight!
racial Hit and run (Case #134-20/21)
On 22 July 2020 a young NHS worker was seriously injured in a racially aggravated hit and run. The 21-year-old musician, electronics student and part-time hospital worker, known as K-Dogg, was on his way home from work when the car was driven at him. The force of the impact threw him into the front garden of a nearby house. The perpetrators got out, shouted racial abuse and fled.
Despite a high-profile campaign and four arrests, nobody has been charged. This has left him and his family feeling both frustrated and vulnerable.
even let’s say I recover, I don’t feel like I’m safe anymore to do anything.
K-Dogg
We’ve been working hard to support K-Dogg and his family through what has been a harrowing experience.
escaping hate (Case #362-20/21)
Rob is a Gay man, living in a Bristol City Council flat. One day a new neighbour moved in and began being homophobic towards Rob. Rob could hear him through the walls shouting things like “stick it up my a** and call me babe.”
The neighbour began to threaten Rob: “I’ll put a saw through your head … get the f*** in before I knock you out.” He would also steal parcels and other post addressed to Rob.
The never-ending verbal abuse and intimidation meant Rob started spending more and more time inside his flat, afraid to go out. He stopped going out to buy food, or take his rubbish out. Unfortunately, Rob could also hear the abuse through the wall, and so he began spending days on end away from the flat, just to escape the abuse.
After Rob came to us, we set up several multi-agency meetings to get his situation sorted as fast as possible. Rob began recording the abuse and it became clear to everyone it was unsafe for him to live there.
With all agencies working together, Rob was given priority banding and moved into a new home shortly after. He’s now doing much better.
north somerset
At a glance
North Somerset was our lowest reporting area, with 37 referrals, of which:
- 30 were race hate;
- 6 were disabilist; and
- 1 was homophobic.
Often, more densely-populated areas are the biggest source of referrals. In North Somerset, this means Weston-super-Mare. Unfortunately, Weston is also home to nine of the most economically deprived wards in England.
Studies have shown that in economically deprived areas, minority groups can be seen as a threat in competition for limited resources, such as access to jobs or welfare services. This becomes much worse when times are hard, like during the pandemic.
our work in the area
Tragically, we had the first known race hate murder in North Somerset last year – Mikhail Hanid was killed by cousins Samuel and Curtis Ford in June 2020. SARI supported the Hanid family throughout the court case and continues to be there for them as they struggle to come to terms with their loss.
There is a long standing and proactive strategic partnership called Responding to Hate Incidents in North Somerset (RHINS) which brings together key statutory and VCS organisations to tackle hate jointly and to promote a cohesive area. We’re proud to have been involved since it began, and continue playing a role to this day.
We’re also one member of a multi-agency Case Review Panel which can be called at any time when there is a need to problem solve serious hate crime cases.
a senseless murder (Case #105-20/21)
At around 11pm on Friday 26 June 2020, Mikhail Hanid was murdered by cousins Sam and Curtis Ford. Sam believed, incorrectly, that Mikhail had stolen his bike from a house party the night before.
Mikhail was chased down in the street and stabbed 11 times by Curtis. Witnesses report hearing Curtis say:
You have to stick the knife in and twist it so they can’t sew it back up together.
Curtis Ford
Mikhael’s older brother, Kassim, came to SARI shortly after the murder, believing that it had been racially motivated. We supported the family through a lengthy police investigation and trial.
The support and service that we received from sari was excellent, thank-you.
Kassim Hanid
Curtis Ford plead guilty after making a confession during a call from prison, unaware he was being recorded. He was sentenced to 26 years in prison. After trial, Sam Ford was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to 9 years in prison.
Man’s best friend (Case #389-20/21)
David is a 25 year old dual-heritage man with autism, who was being abused by his partner. She’d call him names like ‘spastic’ and hurt him, often giving him bruises. Once she even asked him “what would you do if I stabbed you?”
David told his brother what was happening, who told him to end the relationship and report what had happened to the police. David did both, but his ex kept contacting him on social media to threaten him.
The police told us about David’s situation, and we quickly opened a case to help him. David’s caseworker spoke with him on a regular basis, listening to his concerns and building his confidence.
David decided to adopt a dog, Max, to keep him company after the relationship ended. He’s in a much better place now. He’s started training Max and takes him for regular walks, which helps with his mental health. They’ve also entered the Weston Mercury ‘Pet of the Year’ competition – good luck!
somerset
At a glance
Somerset was our third highest reporting authority area, after Bristol and South Gloucestershire, with 57 referrals. Of these:
- 38 were race hate;
- 10 were disabilist;
- 7 were homophobic; and
- 2 were transphobic.
Somerset covers a huge geographical area – the biggest we cover – and getting the word out can be difficult. We’ve made good links with local organisations, and in the next year we’ll be starting a new initiative aimed at raising awareness of hate crime in rural communities.
our work in the area
We’ve helped set up the Somerset Hate Crime & Community Cohesion Partnership (SHCCP). This is chaired by the Somerset Police lead for Somerset West and the local authority, voluntary sector, equalities groups and other public bodies all attend. As a partnership, we’ve designed an action plan we’re all working to in order to reduce hate crime in the area. We’re also part of local priorities meetings (led by the police) and ‘One Teams’ (multi-agency problem-solving partnerships) where we support neighbourhoods to effectively tackle hate crime. Often, we’ll raise concerns about our cases that need a quick response. We’re also invited to talk to the Safer Somerset Partnership; the local safeguarding board, regional probation meetings and the Somerset Equality Officers Group, to name just a few!
Nightmare neighbours (Case #252-20/21)
Alesha is a black Caribbean client of ours. She had lived in Somerset since 2007, and recently moved home. Her new neighbours were racially abusive, calling her a ‘black b****’ and a ‘black c***’. One time they told her she should move back to Africa, and egged her property.
Alesha was moved by the police to a place where she would be safe. We then began working with Alesha’s housing provider and the police to find her a new property where she could live permanently.
We pushed for a resolution quickly, as the situation was becoming unbearable for Alesha. She had been racially abused, pushed out of her home, and as a result was now struggling at work.
Shortly afterward, Alesha was offered a new property by her housing association. She told us she was over the moon, and felt like she had been given her life back.
South gloucestershire
at a glance
South Gloucestershire was our second highest reporting area, after Bristol, with 64 referrals. Of these:
- 53 were race hate;
- 7 were homophobic;
- 2 were disabilist;
- 1 was gender-based; and
- 1 was faith-based.
South Gloucestershire is one of the fastest-growing areas in the region, with new housing developments everywhere. A booming economy, which includes the aerospace industry, and the Ministry of Defence, is drawing a diverse workforce to the area.
There’s a long and rich traveller history in the region, so it’s no surprise South Gloucestershire has the highest population of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) people in the West of England, and the highest number of GRT pitches – this means it’s also our highest source of referrals for GRT communities.
our work in the area
We have a number of well-developed equalities groups and partnerships in the area that SARI is very involved in – there’s the South Gloucestershire Racial Equality Network (which we started way back when), the South Gloucestershire Disability Equality Network, and also the South Gloucestershire LGBTQ Equality Network (which we also started). In addition, we’re part of the Community Cohesion Steering Group led by Southern Brooks which works to tackle hate crime and promote cohesion in the area.
LIVING IN FEAR (Case #273-20/21)
Terri is a single mother who lived in a block of flats with her three year old son. Terri came to us in a bad situation. Where she lived, she had seen and experienced:
- Racial verbal abuse.
- Knife attacks.
- Poo wiped on – and posted through – her front door.
- Damage to her car.
- Petrol set on fire outside her building.
Terri was desperate to get her son and herself out, as she lived in constant fear for their safety. We quickly opened a case, and contacted both the police and Terri’s housing provider to log each and every incident as it had happened, and urge them to take action immediately.
Terri’s case was taken to the housing panel, and with a supporting letter from SARI and a supporting letter from the police, she was offered a new property several weeks later.
Terri and her son are now safe and well in their new home.
TRAINING
We’ve been providing training for a long time, and we’ve become very good at it – from equality and diversity, to unconscious bias, and everything in between. We try to make sessions as fun and engaging as possible by using a range of activities and different resources that will really get you thinking. Our training packages are tailored to your needs. They’re designed to cover the issue of hate crime, equality, diversity and inclusion, and discrimination as a whole, or to look more closely at individual issues within your organisation. From a single session to a longer programme, they’re the perfect way to raise awareness and build a stronger, more welcoming workplace.
In the last year, we gave training to organisations including:
- Age UK
- Avon and Somerset Constabulary
- Avon Fire and Rescue Service
- Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership
- Bath and North East Somerset social workers
- Bristol Association for Neighbourhood Daycare
- Bristol City Council
- BrisDoc
- Bristol Drugs Project
- Clearsprings Ready Homes
- Creative Connex
- EcoSurety
- Gloucester City Council
- Keeping Bristol Safe Partnership
- Milestones Trust
- Montpelier Health Centre
Virtual SARI
They say necessity is the mother of invention – and, as we all found out – that was never more true than in lockdown. We had to take our ever-popular cultural awareness tours and make them Zoom-ready, without losing any of the atmosphere that makes them unique. With funding from the National Lottery Community Fund and help from digital media consultant Ashley Peevor, we got to work.
The first virtual cultural awareness tour went without a hitch and we’ve delivered many more since then. If you’re interested in booking a tour – in person or remote – contact us today.
EDUCATION
Hate-related incidents within schools are a serious issue. They can have a big impact on all students, not just those directly involved. And will become even more of a problem if they’re not dealt with properly. Our specially trained team help educate students from an early age, deal with any incidents and support victims. We want to build a better future for all young people, and that’s what we’re working hard to achieve.
In the last year we worked with schools all across the region, including:
- Castle Primary
- Farrington Gurney Primary
- Fairlawn Primary
- Newbury Manor
- Norton Hill Secondary
- Redmaids’ High School
- Roundhill Primary
- Royal High School Bath
- Shoscombe Primary
- St John’s Catholic
- St Mark’s Secondary
- University of Bristol
- University of Gloucestershire
- Yeovil College
If you’d like, you can read more about our work in schools, or contact us to talk about booking a session for your school.
EDUCATING for 25 years
Our work with young people first started in 1996. The National Lottery awarded us funding to employ a full-time dedicated education worker, who would deliver assemblies and classroom sessions to young people, often with other agencies like the police.
It was a great success – so much so that we’ve continued this education work ever since. We see it as an important way of stopping hateful attitudes at an early age – and preventing bigger problems in the future.
statistical breakdown
It’s easy to forget to that behind each of these statistics is a person – someone that has been targeted because of who they are, or what they believe in. It may be tough, but try to keep that in mind as you read through this section – it might help bring home the size of the problem we face.
How many incidents were there?
This graph shows the number of incidents reported to us in each calendar month. You’ll see the spike in July that coincided with lockdown ending and pubs reopening on July 4 2020. Similarly, there was an increase in January when another lockdown started on January 6 2021 – this time tensions were higher and led to more neighbourly disputes.
where did they happen?
We’ve plotted all the reported incidents we received in the last year on the interactive map below. Zoom in, move around, and click on the labels to find out what has happened where. You can even press the button in the top left to filter by incident type. We’ve removed any incident details to protect client identities.
how many victims did we support?
Hate crime has far-reaching effects beyond the original victim. Family members – if not also directly affected – will see and feel the traumatic effects of hate crime. Anger, anxiety and depression are all emotions we support our clients with.
why were they targeted?
This pie chart breaks down all of the cases we opened by protected characteristic. Race is still the biggest category, making up around 70% of our total caseload. Religion is often low because it can be difficult to tell whether people are being attacked because of their race or their faith, because these can be so closely connected. This past year it has been much lower than normal because of the lockdown – places of worship were closed, with services going online, which massively reduced the number of incidents.
We’re always working hard to reach communities that under-report hate crime. We’ve recently recruited a dedicated LGBTQ+ worker to build stronger relationships and increase reporting.
What did they say about us?
For us, the most powerful and rewarding part of the work that we do, is hearing how we’ve helped our clients. Whether that’s giving them information, helping them find their own path, supporting them through their journey, or hearing they no longer live in fear. This is what makes our work worthwhile. You can read more about the difference we made in the last year by reading our 2020-2021 Service User Evaluation Report.
Financial information
As a charity, each year we’re required to send an annual return to the Charity Commission, reporting on our spending and income in the year. The accounts, which forms the basis of the return, are reviewed by an independent examiner, and submitted alongside a report by the board of trustees. Below is an abridged version of the full document.
statement of financial activities for the year ended 31 march 2021
| Unrestricted funds | Restricted funds | Total funds | ||
| 2021 | 2021 | 2021 | 2020 | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Income from: | ||||
| Donations | 322,161 | – | 322,161 | 1,775 |
| Investment income | 901 | – | 901 | 1,864 |
| Charitable activities | ||||
| Training and other income | 15,960 | – | 15,960 | 43,714 |
| Grants and contracts | 96,901 | 409,210 | 506,111 | 459,451 |
| Total | 435,653 | 409,210 | 844,863 | 506,804 |
| Expenditure on: | ||||
| Charitable activities | 355,973 | 408,888 | 764,961 | 623,430 |
| Total | 355,973 | 408,888 | 764,961 | 623,430 |
| Net income / (expenditure) | 79,680 | 222 | 79,902 | -116,625 |
| Total funds brought forward | 1,228,743 | 7,484 | 1,236,228 | 1,352,853 |
| Total funds carried forward | 1,308,424 | 7,706 | 1,316,130 | 1,236,228 |
BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 MARCH 2021 |
||||
| 2021 | 2020 | |||
| £ | £ | £ | ||
| Tangible assets | 426,555 | 425,106 | ||
| Current assets | ||||
| Debtors and prepayments | 18,102 | 17,410 | ||
| Cash at bank and in hand | 899,772 | 816,721 | ||
| 917,874 | 834,131 | |||
| Current liabilities | ||||
| Creditors: amounts falling due within 12 months | -28,299 | -23,009 | ||
| Net current assets | 889,575 | 811,122 | ||
| Net assets | 1,316,130 | 1,236,228 | ||
| Unrestricted funds | ||||
| General funds | 332,044 | 215,744 | ||
| Designated funds | 976,380 | 1,013,000 | ||
| Restricted funds | 7,706 | 7,484 | ||
| Total funds | 1,316,130 | 1,236,228 | ||
The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies’ regime and in accordance with the Reporting Standard [FRS]102.
The members have not requested the company to obtain an audit in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.
The Directors acknowledge their responsibility for complying with the requirements of the act with respect to accounting records and for the preparation of the accounts.
On behalf of the trustees:
Irvin Campbell
Chair
Christine Fernandes
Treasurer
As an Independent Examiner of the company I have reviewed the summarised accounts above and consider they are consistent with the full accounts on which I gave my opinions.
Independent Examiner Dick Maule FCA
12 Picton Street, Bristol, BS6 5QA
Donors and funders
Donors
In the last year we’ve seen a big increase in donations. Unfortunately, we’re not able to include the name of every person or organisation that has donated to us – as we don’t get given that information by some platforms – but we want to thank you all from the bottom of our hearts. Donations make such a difference to the work we’re able to carry out for victims of hate crime, and you are the ones making that difference possible.
Our list of donors for the financial year 2020-2021.
Funders
Our work just wouldn’t be possible without the help of our funders. We’ve got a long history with some, and we’re at the beginning of a new relationship with others, but the assistance of each is vital in allowing us to help victims of inequality and injustice across the region. Thank you all for your continued support.
Contact us
Our Mailing Address
PO Box 2454
Bristol
BS2 2WX
Contact us
Our Funding Partners
