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← School Food Matters

2024-08-31-accounts

Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 August 2024

Registered Company Number: 06657048 • Registered Charity Number: 1134094

School Food Matters • Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 August 2024

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Contents

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||| |---|---| |A word from our Chair of Trustees|3| |Our impact in 2024|4| |Report of the Trustees|6| |Independent auditor’s report|19| |Reference and administrative details|22| |Statement of financial activities|23| |Balance sheet|24| |Cash flow statement|25| |Notes to the financial statements|26|

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A word from our Chair of Trustees

Having been a trustee of School Food Matters (SFM) for over five years, I am honoured to have taken up the role of Chair. What an exciting year it has been!

The election announcement in May came earlier than expected, but SFM was ready with its manifesto, and able to quickly mobilise its extensive network to highlight the manifesto asks. Since then, SFM has continued to both lead and work in coalition to influence school food policy, including through the School Food Review.

This year, SFM’s report on The Cost of a School Meal dug deep into the complexity of school food funding and revealed a significant shortfall. This vital research informed campaigning and advocacy work in support of a fair, healthy and sustainable school food system. And through the newly established Food Education Network, SFM brought together 40 food educators in readiness for a coordinated response to the government’s curriculum review, taking forward the charity’s aim to “kickstart a food education revolution”.

School Food Matters knows schools and recognises that whilst policy reform is vital to fix our broken school food system, grassroots action is needed to transform school food culture. SFM’s programmes continue to drive this change and have gone from strength to strength this year. Young Marketeers has held markets in Bedford, Birmingham, Stroud, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, Manchester and London, raising thousands of pounds for local food banks and attracting coverage in local and national media. These programmes have helped put SFM firmly on the national map, a priority this year that was aided by the charity’s brilliant Two Cities film highlighting school food inequities between London and Liverpool.

This year has also seen SFM’s work being spread and scaled through working with more local authorities in new and exciting ways. In Hillingdon, SFM has been commissioned by the council to audit food in primary schools. In Wandsworth and Islington, SFM has trained up local authority officers to deliver Healthy Zones. In Westminster, the charity has been teaching parents and children to cook nutritious meals together. And in Southwark, SFM is supporting schools to embed a whole school approach to food. This piece of work takes SFM into nurseries as well as primary and secondary schools, and the team has been working with early years providers to help tailor the approach in these settings.

Finally, in preparation for our Strategy Day in October 2024, SFM’s Impact and Strategy Manager led a series of interactive workshops to refine our Theory of Change and embed learning from the charity’s focus on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. The workshops involved staff, trustees and volunteers from across the country, and will enable us to set our strategic priorities for the next five years. Undoubtedly, SFM’s future direction will also be informed by SFM’s Chief Executive’s participation in the renowned Forward Institute Fellowship Programme, which brings together leaders from private, public and charity sectors to share ideas and consider the challenge of responsible leadership.

As we look forward to our 20252030 strategy, we do so with greater resources and energy to bring SFM’s work to more children and schools across the country. We go forth with determination to challenge the inequities and injustices of the current school food system and with renewed hope that the new Labour government, with its mission to “break down the barriers to opportunities” for children, will commit to investing in school food to fully realise the potential of the next generation.

Rebecca O’Connell Chair of Trustees

School Food Matters • Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 August 2024

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Since 2012, more than 300,000 children across England have benefitted from our projects in schools*

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Our
impact in
2024
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WE CONNECT CHILDREN TO THEIR FOOD IN NEW WAYS

783

visited a farm with us this year

55%

54%

learned more about tasted a food or where their food flavour they’d never comes from through tried before our programmes

WE GET CHILDREN GARDENING

WE BUILD LIFE SKILLS TOO

3,517 67% attended our gardening who attended workshops this year, our sessions are with our Welcome now interested sessions supporting in gardening or the integration of 141 growing their own refugee children into a fruit and veg new school

79%

922

sold food they’d told us that they’d grown or cooked at improved their their local market, teamworking managing money, skills through our interacting with the food enterprise public, and practising programmes sales techniques

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WE INSPIRE CHILDREN TO COOK

Their teachers benefitted too – 100% of teachers that attended one of our teacher training sessions felt more confident to teach cooking at school

1,041 51% attended our became more cooking sessions interested in this year cooking AND WE SPREAD JOY!

62%

involved in our projects tell us that they’re happier at school as a result

*The figure reflects cumulative programme data since 2012. School Food Matters collects both qualitative and quantitative data from each and every programme in order to ensure that we are on track, making an impact and delivering our mission.

School Food Matters • Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 August 2024 5

Report of the Trustees

The Trustees, who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 August 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

Our mission

Activities

School Food Matters exists to teach children about food and to improve children’s access to healthy, sustainable food during their time at school.

School Food Matters provides fully funded food education programmes to schools. Our experience delivering these programmes informs and strengthens our campaigns, bringing the voices of children, parents and teachers to government policy. The charity is engaged in the following activities:

Objectives and aims

The objectives of the charity are to advance the education, and promote the health, of school children and their families in particular but not exclusively by:

Public benefit

The Trustees are aware of Charity Commission guidance on public benefit reporting as set out in Section 17 of the Charities Act 2011. They believe School Food Matters fulfils a fundamental public benefit by promoting the health, and advancing the education, of school children and their families.

School Food Matters • Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 August 2024

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About School Food Matters

School Food Matters was born out of a grassroots campaign led by one parent to transform the food on offer at her children’s primary school. The campaign successfully transformed school food in 38 primary schools in London from frozen ready meals to freshly prepared food made from good quality ingredients. Take up of school meals doubled and the price to parents was reduced by 38p, proving that delivering fresh, sustainable school food was possible.

From its grassroots beginnings, School Food Matters has grown into an influential charity which exists to teach children about food and to improve access to healthy, sustainable food during their time at school. In 2007 our campaign was about the quality of school meals. In 2024 our focus has been on system change ; to create a school food system that works for every child. To do this we must address three areas in urgent need of reform: access, quality and funding of school food.

Our work is guided by a Theory of Change and three areas of work: food education, food provision and food policy.

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THEORY OF CHANGE
Healthier
children
Our work contributes towards... and healthier
planet
We devise,
Every child leaves school
develop and Every child can enjoy
deliver food nutritious, sustainable food understanding the impact of the food
education in during their time at school they eat on their health and the planet –
schools so that... and with the skills to lead a healthy life
We provide
Every school has a
support to
schools so that.. good food culture
The government creates
We campaign,
effective policy for schools to
lobby and
research so that... drive improvements to school
food and food education
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Food policy

Food provision

Food education

At School Food Matters we believe that every child in every school should have access to food education and the good nutrition they need to thrive. For that to happen we must change policy.

Our focus on food provision is about supporting schools to create a food environment that puts children’s health first and ensures that the school food system works for every child.

Food education in England requires our attention as, despite food and nutrition being a mandatory part of the national curriculum, delivery is patchy, and the policy does not come with government funding for teacher training or resources for schools.

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School Food Matters • Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 August 2024 9

Strategy for 2020-2025

This year staff and Trustees came together to review our strategy for 2020-2025 to ensure we’re on track and delivering our mission. Our framework of five priorities for success is still relevant and we are making excellent progress towards our goals.

1. Grow our profile to improve

our charity’s ability to influence government policy

Progress this year

We produced research, adding to the growing evidence supporting investment in free school meals. Our Two Cities campaign highlighted the “unfair” disparity that exists in access to school meals across the country

We provided evidence to the House of Lords Food, Diet and Obesity Committee on the issues of children’s health and school food, earning a citation in its report, A Plan to Fix Our Broken Food System . We gave public speeches on these topics at major events, including the World Public Health Nutrition and Food Active conferences

2. Increase our impact by delivering more projects at more schools in and outside London

Progress this year

Young Marketeers expanded again in 2024 to run in 82 schools across the country, including the new cities of Manchester, Bedford and Leicester

Young Marketeers was supported by a wide range of funders including Ocado, Borough Market, The Dulverton Trust, The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, Stroud Town Council and the Torus Foundation in Liverpool

Our Welcome programme continued in 12 primary and secondary schools in London, Sheffield, Birmingham and Leeds

We’ve had great success on social media, with our Instagram and LinkedIn followings nearly doubling this year. Engagement has been strong, with our Two Cities film receiving over 200,000 views across all channels

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3. Strengthen our funding with

a broader mix of long-term contributors

Progress this year

We have secured a healthy mix of funding: 24% corporate partners, 73% trusts and foundations, 3% public donations and other sources

On the back of our huge success at Chelsea Flower Show, we launched our firstever crowdfunding campaign to translate public support into outdoor learning opportunities for more children. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we surpassed our target of £20,000, enabling us to deliver over 100 additional gardening sessions

We are becoming more successful at securing multiyear grants. United Saint Saviour’s Charity has invested in our Welcome programme in Southwark for two years. The Dulverton Trust is funding Young Marketeers for two years, and Garfield Weston is supporting all our food education for two years. This is in addition to the three year grant from The Fishmongers’ Company

4. Improve the charity’s resilience

Progress this year

We have continued to build our team outside London and now have 14 freelance project officers and gardeners to support our rapidly growing food education programmes

Our commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion has seen our EDI values embedded, including a complete transformation of our recruitment processes

This year, we have continued to use Airtable to support the management of programmes and the collection of quantitative and qualitative data for evaluation reports and internal learning. Additionally, we now use it to track communications with journalists, policymakers, and campaign supporters and a Superuser Group has been established to support this work

5. Build our network to enable us to campaign more effectively, reach more schools and deliver more projects

Progress this year

We have played a significant role in establishing the Food Education Network, an alliance of organisations and individuals committed to championing food education in England. In addition, we continue to play an active role in the Eating Better alliance, which unites 68 organisations to work towards a fairer, healthier and more sustainable food system

This year has seen some impactful research collaborations. Our Cost of a School Meal research revealed a critical shortfall in government funding to guarantee nutritious and sustainable school food, positioning School Food Matters as a key player within the policy and research space

Our ongoing collaboration with ICF on the longitudinal mixedmethods evaluation of the Healthy Zones work in Lambeth, Southwark, Westminster and Tower Hamlets continues and is in the last stages, all of which will be used to shape the programme for the final tranche of delivery.

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Review of activities

School Food Matters has built strong relationships with project partners, and together we develop flagship programmes which continue to grow year on year. Our partnerships are key to the success of our charity and enable us to deliver high quality food education programmes to our beneficiaries. We value the role our partners play and will continue to nurture these important relationships. We appreciate our partners’ longterm commitment to the projects highlighted below.

Whole Foods Market & Whole Kids Foundation

This year marked our 12th year working with the Whole Kids Foundation. Despite Whole Foods Market store closures in Richmond and Fulham, our Schools to Market programme was another huge success. School children raised more than £1,400 selling their chutneys on Market Day, all the money going back to the schools to support food education projects. This year, we expanded our Honeybee Programme, adding an assembly to the elements delivered to schools. In total, almost 3,000 students learned about the importance of pollinators. We awarded 48 Garden Grants to schools in seven London boroughs, providing them with funds to create or update their edible growing space and support from our school gardeners.

It’s amazing that the children have seen from harvesting to making to eating. Fantastic for all children involved!”

Teacher, Schools to Market programme

Impact on Urban Health

Our flagship Healthy Zones programme, designed to create sustained improvements to school food environments, continues to expand and develop. Our work in Lambeth and Southwark is now solidly established and the evaluation findings are helping us to devise a plan for a streamlined version of the programme to scale and expand beyond London.

It’s brilliant what’s happening, it’s making me feel like I should choose a healthier option. It’s changing my mindset and if I can change my mindset, I can help the kids.” Secondary school staff member, Healthy Zones

Whilst Healthy Zones is making changes at a local level, Impact on Urban Health recognises that to tackle health inequalities, school food policy needs to change. With Bite Back 2030, Chefs in Schools and The Food Foundation, School Food Matters continues to co-ordinate the School Food Review (SFR). Our shared mission is to realise the full potential of the school food system through government reform so that no child misses out on good nutrition at school. This year we updated the SFR research evidence base to inform our briefings to MPs. Post-election, to enable the new government and ministers to implement and deploy better school food policies, we worked together to develop a School Food Policy Toolkit.

I would like to congratulate the School Food Review for the work undertaken this year at a time of significant change and uncertainty. It has never been more important to create a school environment which is both welcoming and nurturing. Establishing a great school food culture is the best way to do this as it gives children an overwhelming feeling of belonging.” Dr Nick Capstick OBE, Chair of the School Food Review

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Kristian Gerhard Jebsen Foundation & The Orp Foundation

This year we developed two new relationships to support our activities around policy development, campaigns and communications. Together, Kristian Gerhard Jebsen Foundation and The Orp Foundation have enabled us to grow our team and deliver a hard-hitting media campaign. Two Cities highlights the disparity in access to school meals, focussing on two cities in England: Liverpool and London, seen through the eyes of school children and the school cooks who serve them.

The Two Cities campaign is incredibly important in shining a light on the disparity in accessing free school meals across England. A child in Liverpool, whose family earns just above the low threshold to qualify, might miss out on vital nutrition, while in London, universal free school meals access ensures no child is excluded. As part of Two Cities, our school children were able to voice their opinions on this reality, calling it ‘unfair’ and urging for change.” Headteacher, Phoenix Primary School, Liverpool

United St Saviour’s Charity

Borough Market & Dulverton Trust

In partnership with United St Saviour’s Charity, we have been able to further develop and roll out our Welcome programme, piloted in 2022 from core funds. As part of a two year programme, we have delivered small, intimate food growing sessions for children who are newly arrived in the UK. These sessions are focussed on the wellbeing of the children and are often led by their interests and curiosities. They provide a different pace to school life, and many children report that they feel calmer after gardening with us.

In 2024 we continued our successful partnership with Borough Market to support our Young Marketeers programme in London. Now in its 12th year, the programme has expanded to cities across the country, thanks to The Dulverton Trust, which continues to support schools in Liverpool, Manchester, Bedford and Gloucestershire.

It’s been amazing, it exceeded all expectations. I was a bit nervous on growing food as I’m learning myself. We have learned so much through the project. The children have gained confidence, they’ve got a thirst for growing their own produce and by creating the menus they have realised what they can do with what they’ve grown. They’ve learned so many skills.” Teacher, Young Marketeers programme

This is so much fun! I love

the feeling of the soil and the clay in my hands, it is really relaxing. I think I want to do it again at home.” Child, Welcome programme

Belazu Ingredient Company

Our Fresh Enterprise programme continues to be popular with eight schools now participating. This year’s winning paste was Chef’s Spicy Kiss from Kingsley Academy, a great achievement from a school that had only just introduced cooking classes. And Belazu continues to support our Holiday Food and Fun programme during the Easter and summer holidays, with 88 children invited to engage in fun activities, including gardening and cooking, and enjoy a nutritious hot meal each day.

We’d never done cooking at our school before this year. The cooking was the best bit of the project, and I loved it. I loved combining all the flavours, visiting the factory and coming to the Taste Panel today.” Student, Fresh Enterprise programme

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Financial support

We are grateful for the support received from our funders and project partners over the course of this financial year:

Charitable Foundation

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Financial review

For the year ended 31 August 2024, total incoming resources amounted to £1,217,527 compared to £1,217,861 last year. Expenditure for the year to 31 August 2024 was £1,188,195 compared to £1,193,560 last year.

Any funds described as “restricted income” are available only for the specific projects or purposes determined by the funders. In addition, the charity holds “designated funds” which have been raised for a specific purpose or project. The full Statement of Financial Activities is set out in the accounts that follow.

Reserves

As part of the 2023/24 year end process, School Food Matters’ finance sub-committee reviewed the charity’s Reserves Policy. It was confirmed that the policy was still considered appropriate and that School Food Matters would maintain free reserves:

To this end, School Food Matters aims to accumulate unrestricted reserves equal to at least three to six months’ unrestricted expenditure. Our unrestricted reserves currently stand at £135,512. Therefore, it is deemed that in this financial year there were adequate funds to ensure the charity was able to meet all current, known and some estimated possible future liabilities.

Our reserves currently stand at £148,306 which includes £12,794 in respect of designated funds that are anticipated to be spent during the financial year to August 2025.

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Structure, governance and management

Governing document

School Food Matters is a company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 28 July 2008 and registered as a charity on 4 February 2010.

The company is governed under its Articles of Association. The Trustees have a responsibility to ensure that all aspects of the charity’s activities are properly conducted and carried out in full compliance with its Articles of Association. The Trustees meet at least four times a year and attend an additional strategy day together with School Food Matters staff. All Trustees give their time voluntarily and receive no benefits from the charity. No expenses were claimed by any Trustee during the year.

Recruitment and appointment of new Trustees

The Trustees are appointed under the terms of the Articles of Association. Each new Trustee is given a copy of the Articles of Association, details of their responsibilities as a charity trustee, background on the charity’s strategy and current projects and other information useful in pursuing their role. They will also have access to all SFM policies including our insurance policies. Trustees are invited to visit our projects so that they can familiarise themselves with our work. The Trustees are recruited in consultation with the Chief Executive to ensure that the requisite skills are available to support the charity’s activities.

Staff, training and fair pay

School Food Matters has 20 core members of staff (15.3 FTE) and is governed by a board of nine Trustees. We continue to be able to recruit highquality volunteers to undertake a range of useful tasks in all areas of our work. School Food Matters is very grateful for the many benefits they bring. This year, School Food Matters has had over 109 days work delivered by a group of 49 talented volunteers, many of whom are going on to enjoy professional development opportunities delivered by the charity’s staff.

In January 2018, School Food Matters became an accredited Living Wage Employer, committed to paying the London Living Wage, as calculated by the Living Wage Foundation, which reflects the cost of living.

In November 2022, our Chief Executive was accepted onto the Forward Institute’s Fellowship programme, a 16 month leadership programme which aims to equip senior leaders with the skills to lead responsibly, supported through collaboration with fellows from the private, public and charity sectors. School Food Matters received a bursary, to the value of £25,000.

Fundraising

A proportion of the charity’s income is from grants from the trusts and foundations listed in this Annual Report. All funding bids are developed by School Food Matters staff. In this financial year we have allocated £20,800 to raising funds from trusts and foundations which covers staff time and overheads.

Role of Trustees

The Trustees provide governance and develop the policies of the charity, and accept ultimate legal authority for it. The Trustees formulate and regularly review the long and short term strategic aims of the charity as well as setting specific goals and priorities. The Trustees approve budgets and are responsible for the good stewardship of the charity’s resources. They work in partnership with the Chief Executive with a view to furthering the charity’s objectives. The Trustees, who are also directors of the company, each have a limited liability of £1 in the event of the charity being wound up. Biographies of Trustees can be found on the School Food Matters website.

Role of Chief Executive

The Chief Executive provides leadership to employees and is responsible for the operational detail and implementation of the charity’s strategy. The Chief Executive is also responsible for the management of the charity, including control of expenditure in line with budgets and delegations approved by the Board. The Chief Executive reports regularly to the Trustees on progress against agreed priorities and objectives and seeks opportunities to expand and promote the organisation.

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Risk management

The Trustees have reviewed the major strategic, business and operational risks to which School Food Matters is exposed. These include governance and compliance issues, loss of key members of staff, changing government policy, project or campaign failure and loss of income. The Trustees confirm that systems have been established to mitigate any such risks, that appropriate insurance cover has been obtained and that the assessment of risks is kept under review. The charity’s risk register, a working document for which the senior management team and Trustees are responsible, is reviewed annually by Trustees and School Food Matters’ management team. It considers the possible risks to the charity and prudent ways to avoid such risks arising, as well as mitigation should problems occur.

Principal risks and uncertainties

The Trustees consider the principal risks to School Food Matters to be:

Risk Mitigation Loss of School Food Matters has a senior management team senior of four. Losing one or more of the team members risks management interruption to financial reporting, fundraising, advocacy team and campaigning activities. Should the charity lose its Chief Executive, there would be significant recruitment costs, and Trustees would be engaged in the recruitment process. To mitigate these risks, the senior management team meets monthly to share information. All management documents are accessible to the management team, our succession plan is regularly reviewed and updated by Trustees, and the wider staff team has received media training to develop a pool of well-informed advocates to comment on our campaigns.

Damage to We are proud of our reputation and review our activities reputation and relationships carefully to reflect this. Mitigating activities include compliance with Charity Commission and Companies House regulations, embedding policies and practices that reflect our commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, carrying out risk assessments and ensuring HR policies, such as safeguarding, whistleblowing and data protection and confidentiality, are in place. With our Press and Communications team in place, we are better able to respond to challenges to our reputation in a timely and efficient manner.

Failure to Fundraising is always challenging and the charity must meet funding forecast effectively and be prepared for shortfalls. targets Mitigating activities include monitoring reserves on a monthly basis to ensure our minimum target is reached, reporting monthly cashflow to the finance sub-committee, building a project contingency fund to address shortfalls and cancelling any proposed work that remains unfunded. We must be prepared to reduce staffing levels if a significant shortfall is forecast. We will continue to diversify our income streams so that we are not over-reliant on trusts and foundations.

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Statement of Trustees’ responsibilities

The Trustees (who are also the directors of School Food Matters for the purposes of company law) 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).

Company law 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 charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company 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 charitable company and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

In so far as the Trustees are aware:

Report of the Trustees, incorporating a strategic report, approved by order of the Board of Trustees, as the company directors, on 16 January 2025 and signed on the Board’s behalf by

byCe Mr Paul Smith Trustee

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auditors report.

Opinion

Conclusions relating

to going concern

We have audited the financial statements of School Food Matters (the ‘charitable company’) for the year ended 31 August 2024 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet, the Cash Flow Statement and Notes to the Financial Statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the Trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least 12 months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

In our opinion the financial statements:

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the Trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

year then ended The Trustees are responsible for the other information. The other • have been properly prepared in information comprises the information accordance with United Kingdom included in the Annual Report, other Generally Accepted Accounting than the financial statements and our Practice Report of the Independent Auditors • have been prepared in accordance thereon. Our opinion on the financial with the requirements of the statements does not cover the other Companies Act 2006. information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our Basis for opinion report, we do not express any form of We conducted our audit in accordance assurance conclusion thereon.

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the auditors’ responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charitable company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact. We have nothing to report in this regard.

Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the Report of the Trustees.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

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Responsibilities of Trustees

As explained more fully in the Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities, the Trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the Trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the Trustees are responsible for assessing the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the Trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue a Report of the Independent Auditors that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed, right.

We assessed the susceptibility of the company’s financial statements to material misstatement, including obtaining an understanding of how fraud might occur, by:

To address the risk of fraud through management bias and override of controls, we:

In response to the risk of irregularities and non-compliance with laws and regulations, we designed procedures which included, but were not limited to:

There are inherent limitations in our audit procedures described above. The more removed that laws and regulations are from financial transactions, the less likely it is that we would become aware of non-compliance.

Auditing standards also limit the audit procedures required to identify non-compliance with laws and regulations to enquiry of the directors and other management and the inspection of regulatory and legal correspondence, if any.

Material misstatements that arise due to fraud can be harder to detect than those that arise from error as they may involve deliberate concealment or collusion.

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our Report of the Independent Auditors.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditors’ report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and the charitable company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Christopher Julian Brigstocke FCA (Senior Statutory Auditor)

for and on behalf of

Collards Chartered Accountants 5-9 Eden Street Kingston upon Thames Surrey KT1 1BQ 16 January 2025

School Food Matters • Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 August 2024

21

Reference and administrative details

Company Registration Number 06657048 (England and Wales) 06657048 (England and Wales)
Charity Registration Number 1134094
Patrons Baroness Rosie Boycott
Princess Dora Loewenstein
Directors/Trustees Max Beazley
Jared Brading
Alayna Francis
Ossie Gray
Mecca Ibrahim (appointed 19 October 2023)
Nyasha Kambarami (resigned 19 October 2023)
Rebecca O’Connell (Chair from 27 October 2023)
Ben Reynolds
Paul Smith
Katarina Zlateva-Bowles (appointed 19 January 2024)
Chief Executive Stephanie Slater
Registered Office The Bridge
7b Parkshot
London TW9 2RD
Independent Auditors Collards Chartered Accountants
Statutory Auditors
5-9 Eden Street
Kingston upon Thames
Surrey KT1 1BQ
Bankers Santander Triodos Nationwide Building Society
2 Triton Square Deanery Road Kings Park Road
Regent’s Place Bristol Moulton Park
London NW1 3AN BS1 5AS Northampton NN3 6NW

School Food Matters • Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 August 2024

22

Statement of financial activities

(incorporating an income and expenditure account) For the year ended 31 August 2024

Note
INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM
Donations and legacies
3
Other income
Trusts and Foundations
Charitable activities
5
Project management and services
Membership
Grant–making
Investment income
4
Total
EXPENDITURE ON
Staf costs
11
Cost of raising funds
6
Project management and services
7
Overheads and governance
8
NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE
RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS
Total funds brought forward
TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD		 Unrestricted
funds
£
28,658
2,570
90,333
–
600
–
3,649
125,810
84,678
20,800
–
–
105,478
20,332
115,180
135,512		 Designated
funds
£
–
–
200,894
579,314
–
62,517
–
842,725
487,569
–
255,820
90,336
833,725
9,000
3,794
12,794		 Restricted
funds
£
–
–
–
248,992
–
–
–
248,992
50,036
–
198,956
–
248,992
–
–
–		 2023
Total
funds
£
66,943
19,263
120,395
915,727
1,500
92,881
1,152
1,217,861
572,593
20,209
514,234
86,524
1,193,560
24,301
94,673
118,974
2024
Total
funds
£
28,658
2,570
291,227
828,306
600
62,517
3,649
1,217,527
622,283
20,800
454,776
90,336
1,188,195
29,332
118,974
148,306

School Food Matters • Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 August 2024

23

At 31 August 2024

Balance sheet

2024 2024 2023
FIXED ASSETS
Tangible assets		 Note
12		 Unrestricted
funds
£
7,843		 Designated
funds
£
–		 Restricted
funds
£
–		 Total
funds
£
7,843		 Total
funds
£
6,853
CURRENT ASSETS
Debtors
Cash at bank		 13 –
163,621		 158,517
155,226		 –
90,199		 158,517
409,046		 111,843
210,120
163,621 313,743 90,199 567,563 321,963
CREDITORS
Amounts falling due within one year		 14 (35,952) (300,949) (90,199) (427,100) (209,842)
NET CURRENT ASSETS 127,669 12,794 – 140,463 112,121
TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES 135,512 12,794 – 148,306 118,974
NET ASSETS 135,512 12,794 – 148,306 118,974
FUNDS
Unrestricted funds
Designated funds
Restricted funds		 16 135,512
12,794
–		 115,179
3,795
–
TOTAL FUNDS 148,306 118,974

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on 16 January 2025 and were signed on its behalf by:

one Mr Paul Smith Trustee

School Food Matters • Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 August 2024

24

Cash flow statement

For the year ended 31 August 2024

Notes
Cash flows from operating activities
Cash generated from operations
18
Net cash provided by/(used in) operating activities
Cash flows from investing activities
Purchase of tangible fixed assets
Interest received
Net cash (used in)/provided by investing 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
19		 2023
£
(177,318)
(177,318)
–
1,152
1,152
(176,166)
386,286
210,120
2024
£
198,953
198,953
(3,676)
3,649
(27)
198,926
210,120
409,046

School Food Matters • Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 August 2024

25

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 August 2024

1. Statutory information

School Food Matters is a private company, limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales. The company’s registered number and registered office address can be found in the report of the Trustees. In the event of the charity being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £1 per member of the charity.

2. Accounting policies

Basis of preparing the financial statements

The financial statements of the charitable company, 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)”, the Financial Reporting Standard 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” and the Companies Act 2006. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.

School Food Matters meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102..

Income

Income, including grants, is recognised when::

Income received in advance of the provision of a specified service is deferred until the criteria for income recognition are met. Membership income is accounted for in the year that it is received. Income is stated after trade discounts, other sales taxes and net of VAT.

Tangible fixed assets

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

Fixtures and fittings are depreciated by 25% on reducing balance and 20% costs.

Taxation

The charity is exempt from corporation 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.

Designated funds are unrestricted funds allocated by the charity for particular purposes.

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

Pension costs and other

post-retirement benefits

School Food Matters operates a defined contribution pension scheme administered by NEST. Contributions payable to the charitable company’s pension scheme are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities in the period to which they relate.

Expenditure

Liabilities are recognised as expenditure:

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.

School Food Matters • Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 August 2024

26

Notes to the financial statements (continued) For the year ended 31 August 2024

3. Donations and legacies Total
2023
£
66,943
Total
2023
£
1,152
Donations Unrestricted
funds
£
28,658		 Restricted
funds
£
–		 Total
2024
£
28,658
4. Investment income
Deposit account interest Unrestricted
funds
£
3,649		 Restricted
funds
£
–		 Total
2024
£
3,649
5. Income from charitable activities
Unrestricted &
designated funds
£
Project management & services
29 May 1961 Charitable Foundation
–
Abel & Cole
–
Belazu Ingredient Company
26,000
Borough Market
9,975
Clearwater Wealth Management
–
Fishmongers’ Company Charitable Trust
–
GLA Kitchen Social
–
Gosling Foundation
–
Honourable Company of Gloucestershire
1,000
Impact on Urban Health
298,696
NWF
–
Ocado
48,183
Pukka Herbs
9,428
Schools/Local Councils
61,722
St Walter St John
–
Tesco
5,000
Torus
8,800
United St Saviour’s Charity
–
Whole Kids Foundation
110,510
579,314
Membership Income
600
Grant–making funds
62,517
642,431		 Restricted
funds
£
–
–
–
–
–
24,315
2,000
–
–
199,610
16,667
–
–
–
–
–
–
6,400
–
248,992
–
–
248,992		 Total
2024
£
–
–
26,000
9,975
–
24,315
2,000
–
1,000
498,306
16,667
48,183
9,428
61,722
–
5,000
8,800
6,400
110,510
828,306
600
62,517
891,423		 Total
2023
£
5,000
1,500
28,205
–
20,916
23,389
2,000
7,000
1,000
668,364
–
–
–
29,106
1,000
–
–
–
128,247
915,727
1,500
92,881
1,010,108

School Food Matters • Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 August 2024 27

Notes to the financial statements (continued) For the year ended 31 August 2024

6. Raising funds

Staf costs
Rent, rates and water
Insurance
Telephone
Stationery & ofice costs
Travel
Depreciation		 2024
£
10,300
5,459
323
309
3,767
399
243
20,800		 2023
£
10,588
4,861
244
359
3,763
165
229
20,209

7. Charitable activities costs

Staf costs
Cost of raising funds
Project management and services		 Direct
costs
£
622,283
10,300
374,942
1,007,525		 Support costs
(see note 8)
£
–
10,500
79,835
90,335		 Total
£
622,283
20,800
454,777
1,097,860

8. Support costs

Cost of raising funds
Overheads and governance		 Overheads
£
10,500
73,835
84,335		 Governance
costs
£
–
6,000
6,000		 Total
£
10,500
79,835
90,335

9. Net income/(expenditure)

Net income/(expenditure) is stated after charging/(crediting):
Depreciation–owned assets
Auditors remuneration
Deficit on disposal of fixed assets
Operating lease costs – rent		 2024
£
2,686
6,000
–
44,175		 2023
£
2,297
6,000
256
44,175

School Food Matters • Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 August 2024

28

Notes to the financial statements (continued) For the year ended 31 August 2024

10. Key management personnel

There were no salaries or other benefits paid to Trustees for the year ended 31 August 2024 nor for the year ended 31 August 2023. There were no expenses paid to Trustees for the year ended 31 August 2024 nor for the year ended 31 August 2023.

The total employee benefits of key management personnel, including pension contributions, for the year to 31 August 2024 were £197,833 (£135,972 for the year to 31 August 2023).

Pay for key management personnel at School Food Matters has been benchmarked and reflects the market rate for comparable jobs in comparable organisations. Pay also reflects level of knowledge, skills and experience required, and the responsibilities and accountabilities associated with each role. Staff pay is reviewed annually and agreed with the Trustees.

11. Staff costs

2024 2024 2023
Wages £
562,336		 £
518,649
Social security 49,984 45,008
Pensions 20,263 19,524
632,583 583,181
In addition to employing staf, the charity also benefits from the use of unpaid volunteers. During the year this amounted
to the equivalent of 109 days work which if paid at the London Living Wage would have cost the charity £11,467 in wages.
(£13,260 for 150 days work for the year to 31 August 2023).
The average monthly number of employees during the year was as follows:
Admin & support staf 2024
18		 2023
19
Full Time Equivalent (FTE) 15.3 16.0
The number of employees whose employee benefits (excluding
employer’s pension costs) exceeded £60,000 was::
2024 2023
£60,001 - £70,000 1 0

12. Tangible fixed assets

Fix
Cost
At 1 September 2023
Additions
At 31 August 2024
Depreciation
At 1 September 2023
Charge for year
At 31 August 2024
Net book value
At 31 August 2024
At 31 August 2023		 tures and fittings
£
16,265
3,676
19,941
9,412
2,686
12,098
7,843
6,853

School Food Matters • Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 August 2024

29

Notes to the financial statements (continued) For the year ended 31 August 2024

13. Debtors: amounts falling due within one year

Trade debtors
Accrued income
Other debtors
Prepayments
Trade debtors relate to amounts due in respect of unrestricted fund programmes.		 2024
£
22,030
129,743
782
5,962
158,517		 2023
£
12,150
95,219
–
4,474
111,843

14. Creditors: amounts falling due within one year

2024 2024 2023
Social security and other taxes £
14,691		 £
11,200
Trade creditors 67,338 4,312
Accruals and deferred income 345,071 194,330
427,100 209,842
Accruals and deferred income includes £47,041 (£17,946 in 2023) in payments due to suppliers for costs incurred
during the year. Deferred income relates to food education projects that have either spanned into the next financial
year or where the payments received do not match the timing of the spend.
The movement on deferred income is as follows:
The movement on deferred income is as follows:
2024 2023
Brought forward £
176,383		 £
319,242
Recognised this year (155,583) (300,342)
Income received this year being deferred 277,230 157,483
Carried forward 298,030 176,383
Within the above £0 (2023: £20,800) is expected to be deferred by over 12 months.

15. Leasing agreements

Minimum lease payments under non–cancellable operating leases fall due as follows:
Within one year		 2024
£
11,044		 2023
£
11,044

School Food Matters • Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 August 2024

30

Notes to the financial statements (continued) For the year ended 31 August 2024

16. Movement in funds At 31.08.24
£
137,022
11,284
–
148,306
148,306
Movement
in funds
£
21,842
11,284
(3,794)
–
29,332
–
–
–
–
–
–
29,332
Unrestricted and designated funds
General fund
Designated – Food education projects
Designated – Foresters School Gardens
Total funds
Net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:
Unrestricted and designated funds
General fund
Designated – Food education projects
Designated – Foresters School Gardens
Designated – Whole Kids Foundation Garden Grants
Restricted funds
Fishmongers’ Company Charitable Trust
GLA Kitchen Social
Impact on Urban Health
NWF
United St Saviour’s Charity
Total funds		 At 01.09.23
£
115,180
–
3,794
118,974
118,974
Incoming
resources
£
125,810
780,209
–
62,516
968,535
24,315
2,000
199,610
16,667
6,400
248,992
1,217,527		 Net movement
in funds
£
21,842
11,284
(3,794)
29,332
29,332
Resources
expended
£
(103,968)
(768,925)
(3,794)
(62,516)
(939,203)
(24,315)
(2,000)
(199,610)
(16,667)
(6,400)
(248,992)
(1,188,195)

School Food Matters • Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 August 2024

31

Notes to the financial statements (continued) For the year ended 31 August 2024

16. Movement in funds – continued At 31.08.24
£
115,179
3,795
118,974
Movement
in funds
£
20,506
–
–
–
3,795
24,301
–
–
24,301
Comparatives for movement in funds
Unrestricted and designated funds
General fund
Designated – Foresters School Gardens
Total funds
Comparative net movement in funds, included in the above, are as foll
Unrestricted and designated funds
General fund
Designated – Whole Kids Foundation School Garden Grants
Designated – Chelsea Garden Location
Designated – Food education projects
Designated – Foresters School Gardens
Restricted funds
Fishmongers Company Charitable Trust
GLA Kitchen Social
Total funds
 At 01.09.23
£
94,673
–
94,673
ows:
Incoming
resources
£
110,289
70,042
10,000
990,141
12,000
1,192,472
23,389
2,000
25,389
1,217,861
 Net movement
in funds
£
20,506
3,795
24,301
Resources
expended
£
(89,783)
(70,042)
(10,000)
(990,141)
(8,205)
(1,168,171)
(23,389)
(2,000)
(25,389)
(1,193,560)

The Whole Kids Foundation School Garden Grants Fund (a Designated Income Fund) is a fund from the Whole Kids Foundation which is available to schools to allow them to develop school gardens where pupils can learn about growing fruit and vegetables.

The Impact on Urban Health Fund (split between both Restricted and Designated) is a fund to support local schools in areas of high childhood obesity in Lambeth and Southwark to make positive changes to their food environment throughout the school day alongside influencing decision–makers to improve school food. As per the project agreement part of the fund is required to be treated as restricted funds.

The Fishmongers’ Company’s Charitable Trust fund (a restricted income fund) is to provide funding to deliver the Know Your Onions programme in secondary schools in Camden, Hackney, Islington and Tower Hamlets.

The NWF Fund (a restricted income fund) is to provide funding for the Healthy Zones Continuation Programme over two years.

The United St Saviour’s Fund (a restricted income fund) is to provide funding for Welcome gardening sessions.

The Kitchen Social restricted income fund is to provide funding for running school holiday food and fun programmes.

The food education projects fund (a designated income fund) is a collection of several similar funds which relate to providing food education to schools and other bodies. These funds are provided by various organisations, trusts and other charitable organisations.

17. Related party disclosures

There were no related party transactions for the year ended 31 August 2024.

School Food Matters • Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 August 2024

32

Notes to the financial statements (continued) For the year ended 31 August 2024

18. Reconciliation of net income to net cash flow from operating activities

Net income for the reporting period (as per the Statement of Financial Activities)
Adjustments for:
Depreciation charges
Loss on disposal of fixed assets
Interest received
Decrease/(increase) in debtors
Increase/(decrease) in creditors
Trade debtors relate to amounts due in respect of unrestricted fund programmes.		 2024
£
29,332
2,686
–
(3,649)
(46,674)
217,258
198,953		 2023
£
24,301
2,298
256
(1,152)
(24,107)
(178,914)
(177,318)

19. Analysis of changes in net funds

Net cash
Cash at bank
Total		 At 01.09.23
£
210,120
210,120
210,120		 Cash flow
£
198,926
198,926
198,926		 At 31.08.24
£
409,046
409,046
409,046

School Food Matters • Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 August 2024

33

School Food Matters

The Bridge 7b Parkshot London TW9 2RD T: 020 8878 8333

www.schoolfoodmatters.org

34 School Food Matters • Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 August 2024