Good afternoon. Can you state your name and the community interest company that you're uh in charge of? Good afternoon. Uh, I'm Mohammad Ainul Islam. I'm the president of Bangladesh Association Bristol and Bath in Bristol

Excellent, brilliant. And um. So I, I can hear them working now

Yeah. Uh, so you applied for the Community resilience fund, you were successful in being allocated a portion of funding, which is brilliant. So what have you decided to spend the money on? Well, great

Thank you very much for asking that question. Um, to, after lockdown, um, when I was elected as the President of Bangladesh Association, The building, uh, partly, I will show you, wasn't, um, you know, a usable. Part of it, like, you know, cannot be used, and, um, upstairs was really cramped, and it wasn't fit for the purpose

Uh, the lighting wasn't good, uh, health and safety wasn't, um, up to the standard, roof was leaking, and there was many other issues, uh. electric system, uh, you know, the gas and everything was kind of crammed in one area. It's an organised mess

So we decided to apply for the CRF funding to having, uh, in our idea in my mind or our mind that we're going to do like, you know, X, Y, Z, kind of renovation. And thankfully, uh, we received the grant, we were successful to get that fund. And uh we have implementing all of this work uh what we have planned and or um gave our uh dream idea project outline what we would like to do with our money

OK, I can see behind you a lot of work's going on. Uh, we could even hear a, there's a guy downstairs show you, um, that was um. Old main entrance that will be fire exit now

So you've got a new fire door, brilliant fire door. Um, there wasn't like, you know, uh, fire system in place, so all are in the place now. We had to take it out, um, support wall, and we needed to put metals into the place, one up here, and then we need to take out the wall here

So there is another one. This building is a Victorian, typical Victorian building, and uh you will see there's one step here and there's another step. So the building was actually structurally in two levels

And if you go on the roof, you'll see similarly the main roof and there is like a drop down flat roof and there's another the heap of the back of this building. So there were lots of issues with the dump issue we needed to address that we didn't know before we opened up the project. So, and there was some, um, uh, extraordinary things I would say

The roof actually was normally supported by the beam, but somehow in this building, It was sitting. The support was sitting on the wall. So when we removed the wall from here, we needed to put that RJS to support the roof

So there were lots of other issues. Um, the flooring in our mind, it was, we can say some of the floor, part of it, just for the cost saving exercise. But eventually, um, it was ruined and we needed to get it out, all of it

And, um, you know, it looks nice. It's like a one floor of the building and it looks nice on the wall as well. Before we move out, I switch the light off here, um, and just to show you something

If it's a dark, rainy day outside, and we say like, you know, we will take all the green effect on the building. So we installed some sun tunnel on a sunny day, uh, it will be like, you know, flooding natural light, so we don't need to use the electricity. And that will be like, you know, less CO2

Uh, released from the building and we try in our project time to make it as like, you know, efficient, the electric efficient, gas efficient, the heating efficient as well. All these things will be costing money for the long run in the, uh, you know, in the future. Uh, we also, um, retained some of the character window

Uh, it's, um, you know, uh, very, uh, elegant looks like door frame, you know, wooden frame. And uh it looks nice on it. Yeah

Is this what you were telling me about, you said that this was a wall and now you've put a window in or is that downstairs? That's in downstairs so we're gonna walk in and walk with you downstairs. OK, excellent. Which is great, so you've got

So that's a bathroom there, yes, um, and that there will be another, uh, extra storage for the cleaning material, um, vacuum cleaner, uh, things like that. And then all the walls, um, was like, you know, um, really old wood chip and uh so it's all like scraped off and re-schemmed and plastered and it looks nice. It's like, you know, fresh breath of life here brilliant

If you walk here, do you play? Um, oh yes, I'm not good in football, but, um, I'm, uh, I play cricket. I was a founder secretary for Bristol Banamji Cricket Club in North Somosa Cricket League. I played, um, 78 years

We did win the Sunday Premier League. And uh I said I've done my bit. I hand over to the new fresh blood young people, and they're still running out

That's brilliant. That's excellent. What I would like to show in this corner here is that was a kind of dead space

So idea in our mind that we might, uh, you know, create a hot desk or we might use a. Uh, storage area, but as you know, um, more kind of digital world we are, um, moved in and, um, less kind of if you put like a shelf paper, it's all just like built up on it and uh there's no usage of it and behind here was the most iconic like, you know, work, um, we undertook. We installed a lift here

Fantastic. And the whole exercise of that funding, um, we wanted to make the building more accessible to people, people living longer, lots of people are on the wheelchair, and again, uh, many disability. are not visible

All the disabled people are not on the wheelchair, so they cannot climb up the stairs, and there are many, many growing elderly people within the community. So that would be like a huge welcoming, uh, for them to this lift. And then shall we go downstairs in the lift? Yeah, sure

And uh still got the uh cellophane on it because um you know when they're working, I didn't want it to get dust and ruined the uh the nice look of it. So I remember when I got my phone, it had cellophane on it. I didn't take it off for ages until it came off, so yeah, nice

So. Here we are landing. And downstairs

Thank you. This was um kind of a dead space, no use of, of anything, and uh we created the landing area here, uh, installed double glazing main entrance door and uh new electric switchboard. Uh, fuse board, everything like in a new cabling, everything was like in a renewed, uh, electrical, uh, sense

And you can see there is a new, there wasn't a new window, so we created a new window so that, um, the natural light coming in. So was that brick before it was brick brick before, brick before, and you can see there's still like a lots of building materials left. This was, uh, wasn't used at all before, but what is in our mind is 2nd room, 2nd office

Uh, we might, uh, look out for charity, you know, charity might look out for the renting out, if anybody want to rent out, because what we would like to achieve to make the charity, um, self-sufficient, so they do not need to like rely on, like, you know, funding, uh, here and there. Obviously, there will be projects we'll be creating. Different types of activities will be running

So need more space. The workforce needs to deliver it. So that will be a nice second office for them to work in here

This area before, it was a dead space, no usage of whatsoever. There wasn't any heating installed, the electric wasn't properly done. And behind you here, this window was kind of half of the window

It's like a really narrow window. There wasn't any natural light was coming into the area. So we have created like a bigger window and natural light coming in

Excellent. And this will be the main workstation for the staff, nice big room. And we are looking out to buy, you know, those are like really horrible, so we're going to be chucking away, looking out for some donation, and maybe we'll be looking out some like, you know, corporate those who like renew their furniture, some of the charitable things, so that will look nice once it's done and that's a nice really office room and this will be here

Landing area for the people to wait. We'll put some furniture in here and people will be waiting and that will be a waiting, nice waiting area. And as we go out here

That was, uh, fire exit before and uh we needed to a lots of like work to be done because behind the wall charity rent out a restaurant, a portion of the building, front of the building, and their gas connection and electric connection run through those, um, you know, boxes, so, uh, we needed to be very careful, uh, when we were opening all the, uh, building work. And uh you can see like you know project is going on. We are almost um uh coming to the final phase of it

Um, we had lots of issues when we applied for the grants, we was granted, but then again we had some complication with the governance side of it. Uh, how, um, the charity, charity as a registered charity, we were a limited company or, uh, you know, um, you know, where the liability for the trustee myself or the, you know, charity management for like myself do not have a limited, um, you know, guarantee. If anything was gone wrong, we would have been liable personally

So there was lots of risk element we needed to. Uh, analyse and I have to like give full credit to Bristol City Council CRF funding Community Resilience Fund team. Um, I had probably the most um patience, kind

Uh, tolerable, uh, officers have been working, particularly, uh, Robin and Maurice, uh, um, Laura Morris, and I've been working and recently, and, and the team member, uh, Bryony, uh, it's been fantastic and phenomenal to work with them. Then, uh, we needed to, for the safety for the charity management, BSWN stepped in. And they were kind of guarantor or the recipients of the fund

Uh, Bristol City Council was releasing to the fund to the BSWN. And BSW went to Bangladesh Association. We were weekly, uh, was sending the invoices to them

What the work was carried out. So we sent the invoice to the BSWN and BSWN released the fund or the bill to the builder. So 3, it would have been, uh, council to the Bangladesh Association, but because of the governance issue

The council released the fund to the BSWN and, uh, big, huge thanks to the management and the staff of the BSWN. Uh, they did not charge any of their officers' time, management, admin costs, nothing whatsoever. That was kindly managed and processed

All of it has been very, very efficient. And, uh, I'd like to thank, uh, on behalf of the whole team of Bangladesh Association, and the management of PSWN and especially, uh, Sona Mahtani and, uh, uh, Mina and the Merck, the finance team. They were amazing to deliver this project

Without these key people. Uh, I didn't know what I would, I would have been done. Oh, that's fantastic

It's really, I've, I've heard lots of good things about the CRF team, Robin, Laura, um, and, uh, Lauren as well, and, um, I, I spoke to Sonia the other day. Um, she seems to really know her stuff, so I'm, I'm so happy that you are happy with BSWN and, um, um, uh, CRF team. Um, so just continuing, uh, you might have touched on some of these, so, um, er, er, what difference has this funding made to the staff that work here and the community, the wider community? I would like to break it down into two parts

Um, one for the, uh, people who work or in the future who will be working. Uh, it is a very nice, friendly, welcoming environment being created for the people. And before, it was really, really not a nice place to work

And as you know, people work in those kind of sector for the hurts. If we do not have hubs for serving the people, there's not a lot of money, you know, people earn as an employee of those charitable organisations. So I'm glad with that funding, we managed to give a nice, friendly, welcoming

Uh, working environment and thanks again to the CRF, um, you know, uh, funding to give out a charity like us in the city and bringing all the dead charitable organisation or organisation alive, you know, that's brilliant. Excellent. And second part of it, the people that, you know, those who will be receiving the service from the organisation

In our community, particularly after the lockdown and the COVID-19, and I didn't know many people probably know or don't. Bangladeshi community was the worst affected community in the whole UK, and there's a growing number of the elderly people who are the wheelchair users, and we've seen, we have a lift, and the whole project is to make the improvement, the accessibility. Uh, we didn't have any proper toilet, let alone having the disabled access toilet

So now we have a fully accessible toilet. If I may show you. Yeah, sure

Uh, we'll walk, um, to the toilet area. Uh, which is the underwear steel. Um, Uh, that needed to open it up and nice, uh, waterproof, uh, floor, and some of the work started, but mostly still, um, needs to be done

Uh, you can see the, uh, you know, um, if anybody, um, needed for emergency, and there is a, uh, you know, recessed panel over the door here. And uh I can show you that rubber handle waiting to be fitted nearby the toilet. OK

So, This is the fully accessible toilet for the wheelchair users, and, uh, we have, um, uh, I need to be very careful here. We have, uh, uh, you know, one of the best eco-friendly, the boiler, uh, you know, to, which is like, you know, very, um, uh, energy efficient, and, um, the work surface, and All the cabinet, everything was like it was a complete shell here and everything was recreated. So new fresh kitchen functioning kitchen, uh, fully accessible disabled toilet, and then a nice friendly welcoming, uh, office rooms and, uh, which charity will be looking um to one perhaps like we can let out and, um, you know, raise, um, fund, uh, or the, you know, grant for the charity

How did you find out about the application process for the um community resilience fund? What I like the application process this time, instead of like you know submitting a full big application, and then you will have a short letter, uh, you know, we are sorry, we, we don't have enough fund, you know, all this thing, but they just like, you know, give you the interest, form of interest and um project outline. And then if they say like, you know, we like your project, then we needed to do the full application. So you knowing you're already on board and that you are in a third sector, voluntary sector, there is a serious lack of, uh, you know, those, uh, making application

Um, and, uh, grant related application, um, there is not many people around, and we are charity volunteers, and we do struggle about that, but those kind of process, I would say like, you know, it was brilliant, and that council to council and the other funding, um. Uh, organisations, those who give out the fund, they should adopt that. Yeah, it, it might be obvious because I can see all the work you're doing, but what made you apply specifically for the CRF grant or fund? The key was to apply to make this building accessible

With a growing number of the people, wheelchair users, and it is this building sits in the stand of the community, iconic Saint Mark's Road, and everything community related, all the community here, uh, BME community, white community, newly arrived community, everyone come here. So it is an iconic location. And Bangladesh centre is a building belong to the commun Bangladeshi community

They own the building and it's an iconic in that sense for the community to live in the Bristol, Bath and West country. Excellent. Um, so what has impacted the delivery of your project, so from filling out the application form, then receiving the funding to delivering the upgrades and changes, have you had any setbacks or any problems or? Yeah, when we started, um, once we um submitted the application, everything was granted

The major setback was the governance issue. Luckily, luckily and thankfully, BSWN stepped in and they undertook, uh, they received the fund on our behalf as a limited company and to, uh, do the risk management for the management committee member of the Bangladesh Association here. So to resolve that, we needed a bit of time and we needed a bit of extension, uh, of the project life

And luckily, um, you know, uh, we worked with the council and the officer, uh, from the CRF team understood the situation very well. And, and at the end of the day, these are the very, uh, you know, I'm privileged to work with such a, uh, knowledgeable in their area. And understand how does it impact

So that was, um, even though it was a problematic time, but because of the people's skills and knowledge and you know, everyone was willing to accommodate everything, it was amazing to work with these people. If I need to, I don't want to be in this job again, but if I want to do it again. Uh, if we're given another chance, I'd love to work with this group of people from the CRF team, from the BSWN

Amazing. Excellent. Um, so have your future plans changed now since receiving this grant and, and starting the work that you've started? I haven't mentioned one important element of it

Obviously we were given 97,140, and we, because of the timing, um, the governance issue, project was delayed about a year. In the meantime, the cost of everything gone up, so we need to get the revised quotation received and then like, you know, eventually we had. Um, you know, the final court was agreed and, uh, you know, all of it done

In an old building, when you start working, you start pulling one thing, 10 things will be coming with you. And we finally now today, from the beginning of the project to now, about 25,000 pounds extra work was, you know, um, um, what would be the word? I didn't know, not created like, you know. Emerged from like, you know, nasty surprise, we needed to address things like RGS upstairs, things like some of the wall was, uh, you know, missing, needed to do, uh, some of the window dump issue, and the major issue when we'll go outside, you will see on the roof that was like, you know, big things, and we needed to find another $200,000 to 25,000 pounds

And we didn't have any. I had an amazing accounting firm I work with, and because of the charity and the accessibility issue, government had a clause, and you can save those money. And thanks to Robin and Laura, they organised during the process of the application, they have organised lots of workshops and seminars which we attend

And uh other people like in a big organisation who delivered such project before, what was their experience. So we went those kind of meetings and training, uh, whatever you call, and that was like in my opinion. And the amazing work

I would say good practise. Those who delivered and have the experience, get them together, which they did. We learned

I'd love to, like, you know, in the future, I want to pass on my knowledge. That accounting firm worked through with the HMRC and saved our skin, creating a saving our VAT of 20,000 pounds, and that was. Those extra uh work we needed to do, we uh funded that

That's brilliant. That's really good. Um, if you hadn't received the grant, where would your organisation be? What would you have done? There wouldn't be any organisation

It would have been, it would have been, it's simple. This building was, uh, we was, uh, using a part of the building. And it wasn't welcoming at all

It wasn't the heating wasn't there, and we was running some, you know, welcoming space upstairs. Only part of it was like, you know, heating, electricity, and Uh, basic need was available, but now thankfully with that fund, we have the whole building being renovated. It's going to be secured at least I would say like in the next 2025 years, and I'm hoping that extra space, open up space and the extra office room

be like, you know, a new way to generate fund for the charity by letting out to the community. And also, the community, uh, from the local area, uh, all sorts of, you know, all kinds of community that can, if they want to use the building, it's open for them. Yes, that's good

Uh, so time to dream a little bit now. If money was no object, where would your priority be for the future? Where would you like to take this organisation? So just imagine like someone gave you 10 billion, but where would you like to take this? Yeah, we have 10 billion. But um, yeah, as you say, like, you know, if we, if the money wasn't an object

If that building I could have bought the next door, as I said, like, you know, this is an iconic location, about 15 to 20,000 Bangladeshi people own this community centre, the building. If the money wasn't an object, we'd love to make it a bit bigger. The downstairs within the Bangladeshi community, badminton is a very, very popular game

We'd love to have it like in a sports hall. And also make it like in a hall downstairs, like in a big sports hall where people can come together, community can come together, enjoy the game, and they have like, you know, uh, nationwide, every 2 or 3 months, they have like in a tournament. People come from all over the UK and it's kind of like in a league system

So that would have been like, you know, a big hall to accommodate to them. Upstairs, since in Bangladesh, you know, in Bangladeshi wedding ceremony is a big one. When you say big one, I'm talking about 500 people, guests in a small number, 70 800 people

If we had it like in a bigger hall, if we had a bigger Uh, you know, the upstairs, we could have like, you know, uh, created a whole room where people can hold their, you know, wedding ceremony, and that would have been easily generating a good income for the charity and you know all around the year. Was there anything different or unique about the resilience fund application or the process compared with other funding opportunities? I suppose the initial interest form, you know, to show the expression of interest for the funding, that was the key. And that was made us to apply because knowing like, you know, we don't we have limited capacity within the organisation, so we utilise that and then once we knew we're going to be like you know going to the next level, then uh you know we um took the help and support from other organisations who have like lots of capacity building programme like BS in our case we had a BSWN

And um, you know, um, uh, I've been working, uh, one of the development officer, uh, Natalie, um, she's been amazing, uh, along with other um members. Excellent. Um, and last question, uh, lastly, how do you feel about the Community Resilience Fund? Has it met your expectations and would you apply again if the opportunity arose? The question you said, did they meet my expectation? Yes

If I am 200% happy to work with the team, I did work. If I have another opportunity, definitely I'll go ahead and apply the fund again, definitely. Just before we go, shall I just lead you to the outside and give you the biggest work is going on on the roof

We haven't covered that. Shall we just go and, of course, of course. Let's see, the door is open this way

We need to walk that way to that to that door. Well, actually, my last question is, is there anything else you would like to show me, mention, um, so that's absolutely fine. I'd love to show you that

Oh gosh, it's raining now, and you gonna be OK with it? Yeah. I want you to see, show the, you know, um building in front of me. The scaffolding and the roof we cannot see, but I have some footage and picture

We've got some footage we can show you and we'll be rendering, painting the outside wall and rendering the front of it. Front is like a very damaged and need to get it done. OK, excellent

Uh, anything else you'd like to add? I think we covered most the most part of it. Thank you very much. Thank you very much

Thank you so much. And thank you BSWN. Thank you CRF team

Thank you everyone. Thank you. Alright, thank you

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