2025-03-31-accounts

THE OSWESTRY & BORDERS FOODBANK INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2025

THE OSWESTRY & BORDERS FOODBANK CHARITY INFORMATION FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2025 CHARJTY'S NAME The Oswestry & Borders Foodbank REGISTRATION NUMBER 1143519 ADDRESS 56 Beatrice Streel Oswestry Shropshire syl I low TRUSTEES Kathryn Eleanor Davies (Secreiary) Malcolm William Harold Hub6ell Michael Stewart Jackson (Treasurer) Andrea Irene Lce Carl Trevor Rogers (Interim Chair) Alison Baseley Utting

THE OSWESTRY & BORDERS FOODBANK TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2025 The Foodbank's Constitution was adopted on 20th June 2011 and amended {in respect of membership) on 12th June 2019. The Charity's objectives are "the prevenlion or relief of poverty in Osw'estry and Borders region by providing grants. ilems and services to individuals in need andlor charities or oiher organisa1ions workin8 to prevenl or relieve poverty,. In pursuit of these objeciives, the charily: provides food parcels to people referred to as being in need. To achieve this, the Foodbank has eniered into relaiionships with local churches, shops and other organisations to collect lood. -hosts a number of organisaiions who provide help and guidance to clients. these include The Samaritans. Menial Health Service. Citizen's Advice and West Mercia Women's Aid, Adult Social Care and Veterans Support. provides small grants lo people al risk of, for example, eviction or suspension of power supplies. partners with other agencies providing cash vouchers; such as Fuel Bank Foundation: Marches Energy Agency.. ComTnunity Resource Grant, Oswesiry TO￿,n Council and Shropshire's Welfare & Suppon Fund. The Foodbank's work is made possible through the effons of its volunieers. There are approximatel), 35 volunteers who work across different teams in stock. front of house. operations and deliveries. The Foodbank operates from three premises in Osii'estry. No. 56 Beatrice Streei is Ihe registered addrcss for the chariiy and houses the main administrative office as w¢ll as being the main food distribution hub. The Foodbank also rents the next-door premises No. 58 Beatrice Street Jhich is used to support its collaboration5 Wlth cxtcmal organsiations. In 2003. the Foodbank made a service level agrccmcnt with Citizens Advice for providingl funding a financial inclusion worker for at least a period of threc years, to SUPPOrt people with benefits. maximising income and oiher related issue5 in our work in ending the need for foodbanks. Unit 9 Radfords Field Industrial Estaie is used for th¢ storage of food stocks. The Foodbank continues to make deliveries to those households who are not mobile or are unable io collect iheir emergenc), food due to costs of iransport. The Foodbank has 6 volunteers who work in pairs. delivering to the outlying households. Volunteer drivers are offered mileage costs. Volunt¢ers are also given a free lunch in the forn) of bought sandwiches, if they are working over the lunch period. Initially. the Foodbank was wholly operated by volunteers. Some years ago. the Trustees look the decision to employ a pan-lime Project Manager. Subsequently an additional Deputy Project

Manager H'as emplo)wed also on a part-time basis. This enabled the Project Manager to deN'ole more time to mxking grani applicaiions and working with partner organisaiions. During the financial year 2023124: an additional posr was funded b), a Trussell Trust (no￿, know) as a Trussell) grant for 'Organising and Local Mobilisation,. Due lo ill-he31th. the post holder vacated thi5 role, and Ihe Foodbank refunded the unused portion of the grant in ihe financial year covered by this report. The Foodbank currenil}w works with 144 refe￿al agencies, both statutory and other charities, to support households in need. Signposting and referring go both ways. These agencies include housing. children s Services, GP surgeries, schools. the council, homeless, mental health and addiction services. Demands for help continue to be high, with 942 households being helped in th¢ financial year 2024125. 6,947 food parcels were issued during the year. 2434 of these going to households w'"ith children. Low income. physical and mental illnegs. as well as benefit delays and rising cost of e5seniials all coniribuie to the increasing need for the Foodbank. Thanks go lo New Life Church for the use of thcir upstairs rooms to pack Christmas hampers this }'ear where 210 hampers were created using 1,597kg of food, toiletries and gifts for nearly 780 people including childr¢n. The Foodbank's income dropped significantly from £217,962 in 2023124 10 £86.222. This occurred due io a decline in boih incotne from grants and general donations, however the drop in grant income was the most significanl. The figure for grant income is not. however: an exaci indicator as the third tran¢he of the Trussell Financial Inclusion grant which would normally have been received in March 2025 was slightly delaved. The amount of this grant is £34,852.57. This drop in income did noi affect the ability of the Foodbank io serve its clients as its bank balance al the beginning of the year was well in excess of the amounted Cited in its financial resen'es policy. However, the Truslees recognise ihal the Foodbank will be unable to function if similar losses are in¢urred in the future and are therefore actively recruiting a Trustee w'ith fundraising experience. Lasl year this report noted a significani rise in the expendiiure on food stocks and expressed the hope that ihe rate of increase would decline in fuiure years. In fa¢1. expenditure on food dropped by a considerable amount in this financial year. The Foodbank accepts donations of non-perishable food from sei'eral locations in the Oswestry and Borders area. These are supplernented by fresh food (e.g. bread: vegelable5 and milk) in the parcels handed out to clients. The fresh food is purchased from local supennarkets on the day. This year food donations have been at a level which has meant that there has been less need to purchase non-perishable items for food parcels. The financial reserves policv agreed by the Trustees in 2022123 requires them io maintsin a reserve io the value of 50 % of the projected yearly exp¢nditure. The trustees confidently believe thai they have complied fully with the legal duty of having regard to public benefit. as set out in Charily Commission guidance. Signed on behalf of the Trustees on 26th June 2025. Carl Trevor Rogers {Interim Chair) Kathryn Eleanor Davies (Secretary)

THE OSWESTRY & BORDERS FOODBANK INCOME AN'D EXPEf4DITURE ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2025 2025 2024 INCOME Grants (Note l) General Donations (Note 2) 17,228 68,994 86,222 140,463 77,499 217,962 LESS EXPEINSES Reni (Note 3) Utilities Insurances Salarie5 INote 4) Food Stocks Christmas Hampers Clieni Welfare Payments Winter Fuel Payments l.C.O. Membership Citizens, Advice Office Suppli¢s (Note 5) Volunteer Expenses (Note 6} Hedl(h & Safety Expenses (Note 7) I"raiiiing Trustee Expenses Employee Expenses Accountancy fees Donations Grants 23,775 6,774 1.308 41.079 45,065 11.830 687 2.580 47 29.434 3,274 1,220 167 414 363 1.076 690 13,800 6,565 1,253 43,571 72,374 9,720 1,093 35 26,159 2,503 1,873 658 18 32 456 612 50 9,410 179,193 180,772 EXCESS OF INCOME OVER EXPEP4DITLTRE (92,971) 37,190 Bank reeonciliation Opening balance Incorne less Expenditure Closing balance 244,522 {92,971 151,551 207,332 37,190 244.522 Funds Balance Restrictcd Funds Unrestricted Funds 8,503 143,048 151,551 44.612 199,910 244.522

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS 2025 2024 I. GRANTS Trussell Trust Shropshire Tow'ns & Rural Housing Marches Energy Powys CC Oswesiry Town Council The Neighbourly Foundaiion Joseph Keith Burgess Foundation Communiry Organisations Cost of Living Fund 7,200 55.508 5.000 500 4.298 5.000 230 1.510 8,000 30,445 40,000 140,463 17,228 2. GENERAL DONATIONS As noted in the Trustees Annual Report. general donations were 150/0 lower than 2023124. Donations from standing orders grew substantially from £17.370 in 2023124 to £27,727. The amouni donated as a "one_off. donation either through bank trdnsfer. cheque or cash was 300/0 smaller than in 2023/24. The Foodbank Trusiees are grateful to all donors for their generosity. 3. RENT This year's renial figure includes an advance paymeni of £9,720 for the industrial estale unit. This covered a t￿entY-foUr month period from I st September 2024. 4. SALARIES Gross Salary Project Manager Employer's Pension Con(ributions Adjustment re PA YE creditor 23,766 526 158) 24.234 22.684 493 (181) 22,996 Gross Salari, Deputy Project Managers Emplo)'er's Pension Contributions Adjusimerst re PA YE creditor 16,319 302 {239) 16.382 17,355 224 (145) 17,434 Gross Salan, Campaigns Manager Employer's Pension Coniribuiions Adjustment re PA YE creditor 3,267 36 {162) 3.141 463 463

1. OFFICEICONTAINER EXPE￿,SEs Printing, Stsiioner¥' & Postage 887 Repairs. Maintei)an¢e & ConsuTnabl¢s Shreddin8 Kitchen Equipment Room Reiital Broadband & Computer Costs Fumilur¢ & Blinds Supported Giving set-up cosls Capitsl expenditure - Lapiop and prinler 388 29 415 32 54 789 326 360 432 424 5?0 2,50i
2. VOLLTTrrrEER EXPENSES Gifts Parking Pemiii & Parking Lounsclling Ser¥'ices Travelling Expenses Volun￿er$, Meals & Exp¢nses 253 405 236 731 1,220 400 1,068 1,873
3. HF.ALTH & SAFETI, EXPENSES 14and Sanitis¢r, Masks. Scree115 & Hi-viz iiems Fire ExtiDgukshers & Services Fire Exir Signs Firsi Aid Kil 167 492 12 145 658 167 These accounts Mere approved by the Truslees on 26ih June 2025. and M'ere signed on ils behalf by '. Carl Trel'or Rogers (Interim Chair) Kath￿n Eleanor Davies (Secre(ary)

INDEPEP4DENT EXAMINERS REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE OSWESTRY & BORDERS FOODBANK I report lo the trustees on my examination of the accounts of ihe above charity for the year ended 31 sl March 2025. Re5pectii'e responsibilities of trustees and examiner The charity s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the financial siatements. The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act It is my responsibility to.. (i} examine the financial statements under seciion 145 of the 201 l Act; (li} to follow the procedures laid dow) in ihe general Directions given by the Charity (iii} io state whether particular matters have come lo m}, attention. Basis of independent examiner's report My examination was Carried oul in accordance with the general Direclions given by the c.harity Independent examiner's statement In connection w'ith my examination, no matter has come to my attention: (a) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any tnaterial resp¢¢l the requirementS= io keep accounting records in accordance wilh section 130 of the 2011 Acl: and lo prepare financial statements which accord with the accounting records and comply wilh the accounting requiretnent5 of the 2011 Act; have not been mei or lo which. in m). opinion. attenlion should be drawT) in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounis to be reached. (b) Simon Rivara Bsc (Hons) FCCA CTA Cadwallader & Co LLP Chartered Accouniants Eagle House 25 Severn S"trcrt We15hpool Powys SY217AD

THE OSWESTRY & BOIU)ERS FOODBANK TATEMEwf OF ASSETS AND LIAB JTIES AS AT 31ST MARCH 2025 Fun F￿ttd$ CASH FUNDS Curreni A¢¢ount 8.503 143,048 INVESTMEwf ASSETS Food Supplies Furniture and Equipmens Second-hand fre¢zer Trestle tsbles Shelving Weighing scales Kitehen equipment Plasiic boxes and crdies Anti-slip mats Sofa. footstool, eoffe¢ table & 4 chairs Second-hand sia¢king chairs As-ne￿, large privac!, sofa Second-hand kiieheii table Table and cl)airs Pictures Sundries 20 shelving units Trollevs Paper bags Christmas iiems OffL¢e Equipment Printer 58 Prinier 56 Computers Wi-Fi net￿Ork disks Second-halld filing cabinets 58 Filing cabinels 56 Desk top 51and-up desk tricltd 15.235 200 400 3.500 400 800 300 1.000 1,600 200 5.000 80 350 100 50 3.500 100 800 1.500 329 300 2.500 100 150 400 85 Signeden.behalf of the T2rus s on 26ih June 2025. revoT 56scrs (Inierim ChaiTI Kathri'n Eleanor Davies ISecreiAr)')