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2024-03-31-accounts

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1119905

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES AND

UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

FOR

THE CHICKEN SOUP SHELTER

Venitt and Greaves Chartered Accountants 115 Craven Park Road South Tottenham London N15 6BL

THE CHICKEN SOUP SHELTER

CONTENTS OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

Page
Report of the Trustees 1 to 4
Trustees' Responsibility Statement 5
Independent Examiner's Report 6
Statement of Financial Activities 7
Statement of Financial Position 8
Statement of Cash Flows 9
Notes to the Statement of Cash Flows 10
Notes to the Financial Statements 11 to 17

THE CHICKEN SOUP SHELTER

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

The trustees present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2024. The trustees have adopted the provisions of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019).

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

Objectives and aims

The objectives for which the charity was formed are the relief of poverty, sickness and infirmity amongst the members of the Jewish faith, and such other purposes as are charitable according to English Law.

In order to achieve the charitable objective, the charity is operating a soup kitchen to provide hot meals for those in the unfortunate position of being unable to provide for themselves.

Our mission:

Our mission is based on our understanding of the centrality of decent food to human existence. At the most fundamental level, nutritious satisfying food is essential for good physical and mental health. Access to food of a reasonable standard is therefore a basic human right. However, the importance of food goes beyond this: eating keeps us alive, but eating with friends and family makes life worth living. We therefore use food as a way of helping lonely and vulnerable people integrate into the community to the maximum possible extent, and to help fragile families become more functional and happy.

We aim to ensure that:

Page 1

THE CHICKEN SOUP SHELTER

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

Significant activities

The Chicken Soup Shelter is dedicated to helping vulnerable people lead healthy, meaningful, and dignified lives. We continue to expand our range of services in Hackney and Haringey supporting families and individuals struggling with poverty, hunger, and loneliness.

The charity currently operates four projects to achieve its mission.

1. The Soup Kitchen

The Chicken Soup Shelter was founded to ensure that no Jew in London has to go hungry or choose between keeping kosher and eating a decent meal. We provide hot, nutritious meals, 6 days a week throughout the year to anyone who walks through our doors with no questions asked.

The beneficiaries of the soup kitchen are diverse, but most fall into one of these three categories:

In addition, The Chicken Soup Shelter has become the first port of call for visitors to the community who lack a place to eat.

Relief from loneliness

A central feature of our soup kitchen is the benefit of community and belongingness that it gives to those who attend. For most vulnerable people in the 21st century, poverty is not so much about lack of access to money, as an absence of 'social capital', access to the social networks that all of us rely on every day to get on and get ahead.

In addition to the meal, those who attend our soup kitchen get the benefit of conversation, companionship, and camaraderie that they desperately need to improve their social situation. Our volunteers do much more than serve soup, they provide a listening ear, guidance, and assistance with the little things in life vulnerable people otherwise have to handle on their own.

A nutritious meal

In a country like Great Britain, poor people are more likely to be obese than those better off. Vulnerable people generally have limited access to high quality food which costs more and takes longer to prepare. Many studies confirm that excessive consumption of cheap and easily available junk food leads to depression, locking people in the cycle of poverty. Unhealthy diets are one of the main causes of chronic illness that makes it hard for people to hold down a job or lead a functional life.

That’s why we at The Chicken Soup Shelter are careful to serve up a balanced meal including protein, vegetables, and fruit each and every day.

Our soup kitchen now serves meals twice a day, providing dozens of vulnerable people with the hearty breakfast they need to kickstart their day, and a nutritious evening meal before they go to bed.

2. Meals on the wheels

Our soup kitchen serves hot meals to needy people six days a week, all year round. However, there are some people who cannot always make it to our location or for whom the soup kitchen is not an appropriate environment. For this reason, we deliver the same meals that we prepare every day in the soup kitchen to a wide range of people from across the Jewish community, including:

3. Family crisis support

Page 2

THE CHICKEN SOUP SHELTER

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

One of our most important projects at The Chicken Soup Shelter is supporting families who are experiencing a crisis, and need extra help to ensure that their family life does not unravel. We help dozens of widows and orphans, as well as families where a parent is suffering a mental health crisis or has become suddenly unemployed.

The subsidies that we provide to these families give them the ability to maintain a dignified family life during these upheavals. When families in crisis have the security of knowing that the costs of food and decent accommodation are covered, they have the space to take the action they need to improve their situation. Intervention at crisis points is often instrumental in helping families stay together, avoiding untold pitfalls in future years.

In addition to the practical support that this programme provides to widows, orphans, and families in crisis, they are also consoled by the knowledge that they are not alone. Experiencing support from others helps these suffering people to look forward to the future with hope.

4. The Chagim Project

The Chagim project is an initiative designed to help low-income Jewish families who can make ends meet during the year, but struggle with the extra burdens imposed by the festivals and high holy days. For these families, the Chagim are often less a source of joy than a source of worry, forced to choose between going into debt or telling their children that they will not be able to celebrate Yom Tov in the normal way.

Our programme operates twice a year: before Pesah, and before the Yamim Noraim and Sukkot. In the run-up to the festivals, we negotiate special accounts with local providers of meat, fish and other festival essentials, to ensure that every Jewish family can celebrate yom tov in a dignified and appropriate fashion. This assistance helps needy families meet the prohibitive cost of kosher food and get through the Yom Tov season without falling into a spiral of debt. We also provide funds for these families to buy clothing and shoes for their children so they can celebrate with dignity.

Public benefit

The trustees have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the aim and objectives and in planning the charity's future activities. The aims of the charitable company for the public benefit are detailed in the Objectives and Activities section of the report.

Grantmaking

Grants are made at the discretion of the trustees and in accordance with the principal objectives of the charity. During the year, the charity made donation totalling £48,690 [2023 - £44,259].

ACHIEVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE

Charitable activities

During the year the charity raised substantial funds, and has applied all of the funds towards activities, and some small charitable grants in furtherance of its objectives.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Principal funding sources

The charity is mainly funded many charitable organisations and individuals including those associated with the trustees.

Reserves policy

The reserves policy is to ensure there there is a sufficient stream of income to meet the ongoing needs of the charity.

Going concern

The trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue operational existence for the foreseeable future. For this reason, the charity continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the annual financial statement.

Page 3

THE CHICKEN SOUP SHELTER

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

FUTURE PLANS

There are no current plans to change the activities or modus operandi in the foreseeable future.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing document

The charity is controlled by its governing document, a trust deed and constitutes an unincorporated charity.

Recruitment and appointment of new trustees

It is not currently the intention of the trustees of the charity to appoint new trustees. Should this situation change in the future, the trustees will apply suitable recruitment and training procedures.

Related parties

Related party transaction and balances are disclosed in notes to the financial statement wherever necessary.

Risk management

The trustees have a duty to identify and review the risks to which the charity is exposed and to ensure appropriate controls are in place to provide reasonable assurance against fraud and error.

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Registered Charity number

1119905

Principal address

87 Vartry Road London N15 6QD

Trustees

J Margulies P Benedikt A Barchorin

Independent Examiner

Malcolm Venitt A.C.A. Venitt and Greaves Chartered Accountants 115 Craven Park Road South Tottenham London N15 6BL

Approved by order of the board of trustees on 13 January 2025 and signed on its behalf by:

A Barchorin - Trustee

Page 4

THE CHICKEN SOUP SHELTER

TRUSTEES' RESPONSIBILITY STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

The trustees are responsible for preparing the Report of the Trustees and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice) including Financial Reporting Standard 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland".

The law applicable to charities in England and Wales, the Charities Act 2011, Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the trust deed requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charity for that period. In preparing those financial statements, the trustees are required to

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the trust deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Page 5

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE CHICKEN SOUP SHELTER

Independent examiner's report to the trustees of The Chicken Soup Shelter

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of The Chicken Soup Shelter (the Trust) for the year ended 31 March 2024.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act').

I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under Section 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under Section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiner's statement

Since your charity's gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a listed body. I can confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, which is one of the listed bodies.

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by Section 130 of the Act; or

  2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

  3. the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Malcolm Venitt A.C.A.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales

Venitt and Greaves Chartered Accountants 115 Craven Park Road South Tottenham London N15 6BL

13 January 2025

Page 6

THE CHICKEN SOUP SHELTER

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

Unrestricted
fund
Notes
£
INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM
Donations and legacies
2
771,588
EXPENDITURE ON
Raising funds
3
209
Charitable activities
4
Soup Shelter running cost
720,790
Charitable donation
48,690
Other
5,008
Total
774,697
NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)
(3,109)
RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS
Total funds brought forward
222,763
TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD
219,654
Restricted
funds
£
155,672
-
155,672
-
-
155,672
-
-
-
31.3.24
Total
funds
£
927,260
209
876,462
48,690
5,008
930,369
(3,109)
222,763
219,654
31.3.23
Total
funds
£
873,382
262
635,727
155,095
8,159
799,243
74,139
148,624
222,763

The notes form part of these financial statements

Page 7

THE CHICKEN SOUP SHELTER

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION 31 MARCH 2024

Unrestricted
fund
Notes
£
FIXED ASSETS
Tangible assets
10
840
CURRENT ASSETS
Debtors
11
14,000
Cash at bank
531,933
545,933
CREDITORS
Amounts falling due within one year
12
(327,119)
NET CURRENT ASSETS
218,814
TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT
LIABILITIES
219,654
NET ASSETS
219,654
FUNDS
13
Unrestricted funds
TOTAL FUNDS
Restricted
funds
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
31.3.24
Total
funds
£
840
14,000
531,933
545,933
(327,119)
218,814
219,654
219,654
219,654
219,654
31.3.23
Total
funds
£
1,049
6,825
589,668
596,493
(374,779)
221,714
222,763
222,763
222,763
222,763

The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on 13 January 2025 and were signed on its behalf by:

P Benedikt - Trustee

The notes form part of these financial statements

Page 8

THE CHICKEN SOUP SHELTER

STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

Notes
Cash flows from operating activities
Cash generated from operations
1
Net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities
Change in cash and cash equivalents in the
reporting period
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning
of the reporting period
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the
reporting period
31.3.24
£
(57,735)
(57,735)
(57,735)
589,668
531,933
31.3.23
£
124,341
124,341
124,341
465,327
589,668

The notes form part of these financial statements

Page 9

THE CHICKEN SOUP SHELTER

NOTES TO THE STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

1. RECONCILIATION OF NET (EXPENDITURE)/INCOME TO NET CASH FLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES

ACTIVITIES
Net (expenditure)/income for the reporting period (as per the Statement
of Financial Activities)
Adjustments for:
Depreciation charges
Increase in debtors
(Decrease)/increase in creditors
Net cash (used in)/provided by operations
31.3.24
£
(3,109)
209
(7,175)
(47,660)
(57,735)
31.3.23
£
74,139
262
-
49,940
124,341

2.

ANALYSIS OF CHANGES IN NET FUNDS

At 1.4.23 Cash flow At 31.3.24
£ £ £
Net cash
Cash at bank 589,668 (57,735) 531,933
589,668 (57,735) 531,933
Total 589,668 (57,735) 531,933

The notes form part of these financial statements

Page 10

THE CHICKEN SOUP SHELTER

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of preparing the financial statements

The financial statements of the charity, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Charities Act 2011. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.

Income

All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.

Expenditure

Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

Grants offered subject to conditions which have not been met at the year end date are noted as a commitment but not accrued as expenditure.

Governance costs

Governance cost are those incurred in connection with administration of the charity and compliance with constitutional and statutory requirement.

Tangible fixed assets

Depreciation is provided at the following annual rates in order to write off each asset over its estimated useful life.

Motor vehicles - 20% on reducing balance

Taxation

The charity is exempt from tax on its charitable activities.

Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.

Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.

Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.

continued...

Page 11

THE CHICKEN SOUP SHELTER

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

2.
DONATIONS AND LEGACIES
Donations
Gift aid
Grants
Grants received, included in the above, are as follows:
Lottery Grant
LB Hackney Grants
Other Grant
3.
RAISING FUNDS
Raising donations and legacies
Depreciation
4.
CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES COSTS
Soup Shelter running cost
Charitable donation

Direct
Costs
£
845,462
-
845,462
Grant
funding of
activities
(see note
5)
£
-
48,690
48,690
31.3.24
£
650,768
56,881
219,611
927,260
31.3.24
£
-
155,672
63,939
219,611
31.3.24
£
209
Support
costs (see
note 6)
£
31,000
-
31,000
31.3.23
£
615,900
44,048
213,434
873,382
31.3.23
£
100,098
110,836
2,500
213,434
31.3.23
£
262
Totals
£
876,462
48,690
925,152

continued...

Page 12

THE CHICKEN SOUP SHELTER

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

5. GRANTS PAYABLE

GRANTS PAYABLE
Charitable donation
SUPPORT COSTS
Other resources expended
Soup Shelter running cost
31.3.24
31.3.23
£
£
48,690
44,259
Governance
Finance
costs
Totals
£
£
£
1,648
3,360
5,008
-
31,000
31,000
1,648
34,360
36,008
Totals
£
5,008
31,000
36,008

6. SUPPORT COSTS

7. TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS

There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 31 March 2024 nor for the year ended 31 March 2023.

Trustees' expenses

There were no trustees' expenses paid for the year ended 31 March 2024 nor for the year ended 31 March 2023.

8. STAFF COSTS

STAFF COSTS
31.3.24 31.3.23
£ £
Wages and salaries 44,510 42,778
44,510 42,778
The average monthly number of employees during the year was as follows:
31.3.24 31.3.23
Kitchen 3 4

No employees received emoluments in excess of £60,000.

continued...

Page 13

THE CHICKEN SOUP SHELTER

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

9.
COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
Unrestricted
fund
£
INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM
Donations and legacies
662,448
EXPENDITURE ON
Raising funds
262
Charitable activities
Soup Shelter running cost
535,629
Charitable donation
44,259
Other
8,159
Total
588,309
NET INCOME
74,139
RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS
Total funds brought forward
148,624
TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD
222,763
10.
TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS
COST
At 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024
DEPRECIATION
At 1 April 2023
Charge for year
At 31 March 2024
NET BOOK VALUE
At 31 March 2024
At 31 March 2023
Restricted
Total
funds
funds
£
£
210,934
873,382
-
262
100,098
635,727
110,836
155,095
-
8,159
210,934
799,243
-
74,139
-
148,624
-
222,763
Motor
vehicles
£
4,000
2,951
209
3,160
840
1,049
Total
funds
£
873,382
262
635,727
155,095
8,159
799,243
74,139
148,624
222,763

continued...

Page 14

THE CHICKEN SOUP SHELTER

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

11.
DEBTORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR
Other debtors
Prepayments
12.
CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR
Social security and other taxes
Other creditors
Accrued expenses
31.3.24
£
5,000
9,000
14,000
31.3.24
£
-
321,839
5,280
327,119
31.3.23
£
-
6,825
6,825
31.3.23
£
5,202
364,666
4,911
374,779

Creditors in the sum of £321,839 represent funds held in respect of other projects to be carried out by another charity.

13. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS

Unrestricted funds
General fund
TOTAL FUNDS
Net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:
Unrestricted funds
General fund
Restricted funds
LB Hackney U19 & other
TOTAL FUNDS
At 1.4.23
£
222,763
222,763
Incoming
resources
£
771,588
155,672
927,260
Net
movement
At
in funds
31.3.24
£
£
(3,109)
219,654
(3,109)
219,654
Resources
Movement
expended
in funds
£
£
(774,697)
(3,109)
(155,672)
-
(930,369)
(3,109)
At
31.3.24
£
219,654
219,654
(3,109)

Page 15

continued...

THE CHICKEN SOUP SHELTER

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

13. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued

Comparatives for movement in funds

At 1.4.22
£
Unrestricted funds
General fund
148,624
TOTAL FUNDS
148,624
Comparative net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:
Incoming
resources
£
Unrestricted funds
General fund
662,448
Restricted funds
Lottery funds
100,098
LB Hackney U19 & other
110,836
210,934
TOTAL FUNDS
873,382
A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined position is as follows:
At 1.4.22
£
Unrestricted funds
General fund
148,624
TOTAL FUNDS
148,624
Net
movement
At
in funds
31.3.23
£
£
74,139
222,763
74,139
222,763
Resources
Movement
expended
in funds
£
£
(588,309)
74,139
(100,098)
-
(110,836)
-
(210,934)
-
(799,243)
74,139
Net
movement
At
in funds
31.3.24
£
£
71,030
219,654
71,030
219,654
At
31.3.23
£
222,763
222,763
-
74,139
At
31.3.24
£
219,654
219,654

Page 16

continued...

THE CHICKEN SOUP SHELTER

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

13. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued

A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Incoming Resources Movement
resources expended in funds
£ £ £
Unrestricted funds
General fund 1,434,036 (1,363,006 ) 71,030
Restricted funds
Lottery funds
100,098 (100,098) -
LB Hackney U19 & other 266,508 (266,508) -
366,606 (366,606) -
TOTAL FUNDS 1,800,642 (1,729,612 ) 71,030

14. RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES

The charity was involved in the following related party transactions.

  1. The charity purchased food items for charitable purpose totalling £611,674 [2023 - £548,389 from a local registered charity North London Cost Shop where one of the trustee, Mr. Pinchas Benedikt, is also a trustee.

  2. The charity paid donation totalling £16,500 [2023 - £23,000] to a registered charity with a common trustee.

Page 17