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2020-12-31-accounts

“ The UK is one of the richest countries on the planet. We have more wealth; more resources; more knowledge; more understanding; than at any time in history. Yet still too many children grow up familiar with hunger, a cold home and exclusion from the norm of their peers. We are giving children a troubled start to life and wonder why we end up with troubled communities that cost us a fortune in social and health care public services. This is false economy on a massive scale. We have the means and the wherewithal to eradicate poverty in the UK once and for all. Therefore, we have a moral obligation to do so.”

MARK GOODWAY - FOUNDER THE MATTHEW TREE PROJECT

2020 ANNUAL REPORT

The Matthew Tree Project 3[rd] Floor Temple Way Bristol BS2 0BY

© The Matthew Tree Project, 2020

WWW.THEMATTHEWTREEPROJECT.ORG Registered charity no. 1146401

Contents

Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 4 Summary ................................................................................................................................................. 8 Recommendations ................................................................................................................................ 12 Client Voice: Co-production .................................................................................................................. 17 Rebuilding Lives Programme ................................................................................................................ 18 The Client Journey ............................................................................................................................. 19 Full ‘wrap-around’ Joined-up & Individually Tailored Support Programme ..................................... 20 Client Goal Setting & Progression ..................................................................................................... 21 It can happen to anyone ................................................................................................................... 22 Improving Health and Wellbeing ...................................................................................................... 23 The Power of Volunteering ............................................................................................................... 24 Client Case Study ............................................................................................................................... 26 Poverty Drivers .................................................................................................................................. 28 Collaborative Partnerships ................................................................................................................... 29 Systemic Change ................................................................................................................................... 30 Theory of Change .................................................................................................................................. 31 Case Management & Reporting ........................................................................................................ 31 Christmas Gifts for our Children ........................................................................................................... 32 RISE Social Enterprise ........................................................................................................................... 33 Future Sustainable Food System ....................................................................................................... 33 City-wide Food Collection & Distribution.......................................................................................... 34 Urban Food Growing ......................................................................................................................... 37 Food Processing Kitchen ................................................................................................................... 38 Food Shoppé and Café ...................................................................................................................... 39 10 years of rebuilding ........................................................................................................................... 40 Client vVoice...........................................................................................................................................41 Rebuilding Lives 2020 Factsheet ........................................................................................................... 43 Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2020 .............................................................. 46

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Introduction

It is a great privilege to be able to help people in the way we do. We believe everyone is remarkable and capable of achieving great things. ‘Rebuilding Lives’ - our innovative social change model is built on the fundamental belief that people are our nation’s greatest asset and every individual has something to offer and a life’s purpose. Sometimes, challenging circumstance - life events, ill health, lack of opportunity and a wide range of other individual and/or societal issues - intervene and leave people in desolate and desperate situations.

The objective of the ‘Rebuilding Lives Support Programme’ is to stabilise the crisis and address the underlying causes of the crisis - empowering people to rebuild a happier, healthier, better future.

2020 has been a brutal year for so many people because of the worldwide pandemic which has claimed the lives of 122,849 people in the UK (people who died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19) as of 28 February 2021.

Covid-19 has sharply

increased demand: (+108% since March 2020); and has significantly increased operational costs. It has also placed un-imaginable pressure on the resources and processes of the charity – at entry point by way of food supplies and further down the line in addressing the underlying causes of the crisis. Due to Covid-19, the way services are delivered has been completely repurposed:

Support Centres /

Community Hubs Temporarily Closed All five ‘Rebuilding Lives Support Centres / Community Hubs’ closed for the safety of the clients, many of whom are vulnerable; and our volunteers and staff.

City-wide Home Delivery

Foodservice Launched

Weekly home delivery foodservice introduced. By the end of December, The Matthew Tree Project were distributing the food equivalent of circa. 9000 meals per week – up from 6000 (Feb, 2020).

New Crisis Support Phone Line Launched A (lifeline) weekly crisis support phone service has been introduced which has enabled the programme to continue to help people address their crisis situation and rebuild a better future.

Whilst it has been the most challenging of years, it has also been one of great achievements for The Matthew Tree Project.

On 23 July the charity celebrated its 10[th] birthday and won the Bristol Prestiege Award for best in charitable community services 2020.

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who to trust.

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plot a pathway out of

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A hand written letter from a client, whose case had recently closed, was received by royal mail into The Matthew Tree Project head office on 4 January 2021. It read as above. The client signed his name in full. This has been removed for confidentiality purposes.

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Summary

Higher Living Costs : combined proportion of household income devoted to housing, food and fuel costs by households in the bottom income decile:

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2003 2012 2019
31%
40% 42%
58%
60%
69%
Housing, food & fuel Housing, food & fuel Housing, food & fuel
All other items All other items All other items
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NB: Spending on food, housing and fuel make up 42% of total expenditure for households at the bottom decile of income distribution, compared with 26% for those in the richest 10%. ONS statistical bulletin, January 2021.

Falling Incomes

Whilst housing, food and fuel costs have increased significantly for the poorest households, growth in income of the poorest fifth of people did not keep pace with -3.8% inflation, INCOME which led to the median income of the poorest fifth falling by an average of 3.8% per year between FYE 2017 and FYE 2019. Meanwhile, median income of the richest fifth continued to grow steadily

over the same period, meaning that some measures of income inequality have increased.

Widening Inequality Gap

During the 10-year period leading up to FYE 2020 (April 2019 – March 2020), income inequality increased by an average of 0.2% per year to 36.3%, as measured by the Gini coefficient.

Covid-19

Throughout 2020, households’ finances have been affected because of

restrictions and subsequent financial support measures put in place because of Covid-19. The labour market shocks associated with the Covid-19 pandemic have been felt more by young people and the lowest paid; people aged under 30 years and those with household incomes under £10,000 were around 35% and 60%, respectively, more likely to be furloughed than the general population. Of those who have not been able to work, over half (52%) of people in the top income quintile continued to be paid in full, while this was

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the case for only 28% of those in the lowest income quintile.

Impacts to household spending have been felt differently across groups, with parents less able to afford either a holiday or an unexpected but necessary expense than non-parents; they were also roughly 50% more likely to have difficulty meeting their usual expenses. Throughout the pandemic, employed parents were almost twice as likely to report a reduction in income than the general population.

Growing Debt

By December 2020, nearly 9 million people had to borrow more money because of the Covid-19 pandemic; the proportion borrowing £1,000 or more also increased from 35% to 45% since June 2020.

Fewer Jobs

By January 2021 the UK economy had shrunk by 12% since the pandemic started and is forecast to contract still further throughout the remainder of 2021. Since February 2020; 828,000 fewer people were in payrolled employment and the loss of a job is disproportionately higher amongst the lowest paid.

wide home delivery foodservice, has seen an unprecedented 108% increase in demand. By the end of 2020 the project was distributing the food

New Working Patterns Disadvantage Low Paid Those in higher-income groups reported that they were more likely to be able to work from home. 55.1% of people with income over £20,000 are able to work from home compared with 19.1% of people with income less than £20,000.

equivalent of over 9,000 meals each week – making the charity one of the largest, if not the largest, provider of food aid across the Bristol region that works directly with those in need.

Rapid Rise in NEED

Since February 2020 The Matthew Tree Project’s ‘Rebuilding Lives Crisis Support Programme’ which always starts with a city-

The programme delivered 4584 individual one-2-one crisis support sessions. An increase of 60.8%.

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Risk of Homelessness

The Rebuilding Lives Support programme is primarily designed to intervene early and prevent people at risk of losing their homes from becoming homeless.

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90%
63.8% success
at risk
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At the point of referral, 63.8% of people are at risk of becoming homeless. The programme is highly effective at preventing this, with a 90% success rate (prior to the ban on evictions due to Covid-19). Feeling safe and secure is one of the Rebuilding Lives Support Programmes higher level outcomes.

Support Needs

The most pressing support needs, as identified by the clients themselves are:

Pathways to Poverty

Over the course of 2020 we have seen a big shift in the causes as to why households are referred to the crisis support programme:

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DEBT
+16.5%
Sickness
+1200%
Domestic Abuse
+300%
Loss of JOB
+125%
Addiction
+57%
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Work Status

A staggering 64.7% of those referred to the programme are unable to work due to poor health (47.9%); childcare (12.6%); or immigration status (4.2%). These households are completely reliant upon the welfare benefit system for their income. The sad reality is that for far too many, it is woefully inadequate and impacts negatively on health; overall wellbeing; and future life chances where children are involved.

Long-term

Unemployed

As of December 2020, all unemployed clients are those furthest away from the job market (unemployed for 6 months or more). Statistically, long-term unemployment is the biggest barrier to securing a job and with competition for employment now so fierce, the future for these people is extremely challenging.

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Work Status
Employed, 6% Other, 9%
Unemployed:
seeking work,
20%
Unable to
work:
Immigration, Unable to
4%
work: Health,
48%
Unable to
work:
Childcare, 13%
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Income Sources

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Child Tax
Wages, 4%
Credits, 10%
Other, 3%
PIP, 11%
Universal
ESA, 18% Credit, 36%
Housing
Benefit, 18%
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Employed

Of those clients who are classified as employed 1.2% are on zero-hour contracts, often going weeks without any work; 0.7% have fulltime work; 3.3% are parttime, many of whom have lost shifts or hours during the pandemic; and 1.2% are self-employed.

There are also 3.1% of clients who are retired; 0.4% are students; and 5.7% who prefer not to say.

Client Set Goals

57.4% of the personal goals set by clients were achieved of significant progress was made towards them.

Typical goals include:

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Recommendations

Ethical Taxation Reform

It is widely accepted that in societies where there is less inequality there are fewer social and health problems, and the demand on publicly funded services, and therefore government spending, is greatly reduced.

Not all organisations and services/products are ethically equal. Some contribute more to health and social problems (fast food outlets, bookmakers); some are neutral (accountants, opticians); and some actually contribute positively towards better health and a better social fabric in society (health food shops, social enterprises, gyms, fruit & veg growers).

The ‘polluter pays’ concept should be central to a radically progressive and ethical tax system (corporation tax and VAT) that rewards organisations who contribute positively and penalises organisations who contribute negatively. The sugar tax recognises this concept but on its own does not go far enough.

Start-up grants: Social Enterprise

Social Enterprise organisations make a significant contribution towards the social fabric of our local communities. They do not benefit individual shareholders but rather the wider community. We need to do all we can to encourage more social entrepreneurs to launch Social Enterprise’s that tackle deep seated social and health problems.

Measures to stimulate and support Social Enterprise organisations to start-up are desperately needed. There has been a growth in the availability of ‘social investment’ funding but this is expensive and takes the form of a loan that needs to be paid back – with interest. This could be helpful for a social enterprise that is established and needs funding to up-scale but does not help where capital is needed for the start-up phase. Grant funding for the start-up capital needed by a Social Enterprise would enable more great social change ideas to become reality.

Enable Charities to reclaim VAT

Analysis in June 2020 by independent charity Pro Bono Economics predicted a £6.4bn loss of income over the six months to December 2020 for the UK’s 170,000 charities, leaving one in 10 potentially facing bankruptcy. Smaller, local charities are especially exposed to the crisis.

Office supplies cost The Matthew Tree Project 20% more than office supplies bought by a commercial company. This is because charities who do not trade are unable to reclaim VAT.

Charities – who make such a positive contribution to society – should not have to pay 20% more for goods and services than commercial organisations

At a time when funding for charities has been hit significantly by the pandemic this is just wrong and needs to be addressed urgently.

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Public Assets & Planning

New Developments

For all new developments over a certain scale, planning permissions to be granted subject to a % of buildings & land being made available for affordable housing; food growing; community amenities; by way of long-term peppercorn lease, i.e. 35 years or more; for local community based social and health service providers.

Publicly Owned Land

Central and local government to work with third sector representatives to establish a long-term strategic plan for publically owned land that accommodates the needs equally for housing, food growing, transport and public amenities.

Non-Use of Capital Assets

Prohibit local councils from ‘sitting on’ capital assets for an ‘open-ended’ time. If the asset is not utilised by the local council within a reasonable time, it should be made available for asset transfer to a local not-forprofit organisation, and not sold to the highest bidder.

Discounts for those on Low Incomes

Being able to fully engage with all areas of ‘normal life’ is something most of us take for granted. Sadly, for those on low incomes this is not a reality. It is absurd that people on very low incomes should pay the same as those on high incomes for essential services and we are calling upon the

Government to engage with the providers of the following ‘essential’ services to find ways to offer partial or full discounts for those on means tested benefits:

The concept already exists for pensioners and students who receive various discounts including bus and rail cards and we strongly believe this should be extended to those in the lowest income decile.

Benefit System Reforms

Many of the reforms to the benefit system that we are calling for do not require additional funding. A small change in administrative procedure will make a big difference in the experience of many.

Prisoner Pre-Release Protocols

Currently, someone being released cannot begin the benefit claim or housing bidding process until after they have left prison. This creates a period where they have no income and are homeless which is completely unnecessary. The dates when people are being released is known and it should be possible to change the system so that benefit claims and housing provisions can be applied for and granted before the release date.

Universal Credit (UC)

Currently, when someone moves from legacy benefits onto UC there is a mandatory ‘waiting period’ of at least 5 weeks before UC benefit payments begin. However, the legacy benefit stops immediately meaning that for at least 5 weeks the claimant receives no

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income. This is inhumane and totally unnecessary. We are calling on the government to change the process so that legacy benefits are maintained until UC benefits begin. If, during this time, there has been an overpayment then this is reclaimed over time at an affordable rate for the claimant.

This one measure alone would remove up to 30% of The Matthew Tree Project clients overnight. It is fair to assume the same would apply to other crisis support providers right across the UK.

We believe that it is essential the £20 UC top-up that was introduced at the beginning of the pandemic is made permanent. The poorest in society have been hit the hardest by the pandemic, even with the top-up, and there is no case whatsoever that it is fair or reasonable to remove it.

Abolish Benefit Cap

The benefit cap applies to larger families and as such unfairly penalises the children as it is impossible for them to be properly provided for. It is cruel and there is no rational argument for the benefit cap to remain in place as it

has failed on every measure that was set for it.

Furthermore, the DWP report that the benefit cap saves only 0.1% of the total welfare bill and this is just the money it takes from households’ benefit income, and not any of the costs of administering the cap.

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CASE STUDY:
N
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Age: 32.

Referred to the Rebuilding Lives Support Programme by the Centre for Sustainable Energy

N’s marriage broke down 5 years ago and he took custody of their 5 children; 3 of whom are now primary age and 2 secondary but were then all primary age. As his ex was the tenant of their home and wanted her new partner to move in with her, N and the children had to leave and went to live with his mother – sleeping on her living room floor. For a long time, his ex-wife was claiming the benefits for the children and not passing them on and he acquired significant debts. (His ex has since been denied access to the children by Social Services). He had been working as a scaffolder since he left school but had to stop to look after the children. After 9 months, Social Services found him a four-bedroom private rented house. By this time the “grace period” – when those who had previously been working can claim full benefits – had expired and the benefit cap kicked in immediately. He had to apply for discretionary housing payments but these are limited and eventually ran out. Now he has, after paying the rent, which was increased last March by the landlord, approximately £550pcm to feed, clothe, entertain and educate his children, and keep the home running.

He cannot see himself returning to work as a scaffolder due to his childcare commitments. He doubts whether he could manage without support of The Matthew Tree Project.

N enrolled in a training course in Spring 2020 but that had to be cancelled because of COVID. He cannot, at this point, see how his situation can ever improve.

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Establish FAIRNESS ALLIANCE

In 2014 Bristol City Council published the final report and recommendations from the work of the Fairness Commission. The panel was chaired by Alison Garnham, Chief Executive of the Child Poverty Action Group and consisted of local and national experts including the CEO of The Matthew Tree Project. The commission took evidence from a wide range of local service providers together with evidence from many who had/have lived experience of deprivation. Sadly, the next stage in this process never happened due to a lack of funding. It was to establish a Fairness Alliance Panel to oversee the implementation and progress of the recommendations. The issues the commission addressed; inequality; deprivation and fairness are even more pressing today than they were in 2014.

The Matthew Tree Project highly recommend that a Fairness Alliance Panel is created to review and update the findings from 2014 and then oversee the implementation of its recommendations.

Stimulate a Local Food Economy

For every £1 spent on food in a supermarket chain 80p leaves Bristol. For every £1 spent at a local independent trader, £1 stays within the Bristol economy. When the item purchased was produced within Bristol from natural resources, i.e. food, the wealth of the city itself increases.

Bristol has an abundance of natural resource and it is incumbent upon us to do all we can to stimulate local communities, local people, local economy, local council and create a framework which is conducive to the creation of a ‘new and thriving’ local food economy causing the proliferation of ‘new’ skilled and semi-skilled jobs, engaging communities to work together to solve their problems and build a better future, whilst at the same time protecting the environment and improving the quality of life for all citizens of Bristol.

This would be an exciting project which ‘liberates’ our natural under-utilised resources (land; buildings; unemployed / underemployed people) to create a range of city-wide

strategically linked-up food activities which are positive for people; positive for our poorer communities, positive for the environment, and positive for the wealth of individuals and the wealth of the city.

When fully established, a project such as this and all the related stakeholder activities it would spurn will have a major impact on food security and food sovereignty for future generations and by producing a significantly higher proportion of the food we consume, money stays within the city and does not flow out to multinational corporations elsewhere.

By creating a vertically integrated ‘field-2-fork’ working ‘live-axis’ of the four legs of the food chain (growing; processing; distribution; retail), barriers to entry are removed for others and it becomes viable for new enterprises to launch and existing ones to upscale.

Vertical integration also ensures a fair and equitable distribution of the margin earned across the whole food chain.

For further information, see page 33.

© The Matthew Tree Project 2021

Fund New TMTP Services

The Rebuilding Lives Programme is extremely effective as it provides a holistic joined-up approach to the full wrap-around service support it offers. This makes it much easier for people to engage with the help they need. The new or increased needs, as identified by the clients themselves, make a strong case for new services to be provided. New services require new funding. The identified service needs are not accessible elsewhere in the sector either because they are over-subscribed or conditions of access exclude some of our clients.

Debt advice/budgeting

57% of clients say they need help with unmanageable personal debt and/or budgeting. Debt advice requires a qualified and skilled person and is very time consuming but is an absolutely essential, and growing, need. Money budgeting support does not require the same degree of expertise and by combining the two functions into one integrated service, the clients will receive the most effective overall solution. Debt advice services across

the sector are massively over-subscribed and conditions of access can be a barrier to some of our clients.

Counselling/mental

health support

Here we are not referring to clinically diagnosed mental illness; but poor mental health caused by events such as: anxiety; abuse; fear; loneliness; exclusion; loss; bereavement; failure; depression; insomnia; illness; etc.

The Matthew Tree Project should employ a qualified full-time worker to provide effective first stage counselling support and develop closer working links with the wider mental health care providers.

Mental health services are massively over-subscribed with long waiting lists and are not so easy for clients to access due to the requirement for a health care professional, such as a GP, to make the referral.

A working group, overseen by Public Health England, should be established to develop a closer working partnership between frontline community based organisations, such as The Matthew Tree Project, and

the mental health care providers so that (a) the community organisation is better equipped to do more; and (b) where necessary people can be referred to more specialised support by the community based organisation, so they get the help they need, when they need it.

Language /

interpretation support

The Matthew Tree Project have a number of clients who only speak their native language, which includes: Arabic, Bengali, Cantonese and Mandarin, Farsi, Kurdish, Punjabi, Somali, Turkish, Urdu, Vietnamese.

Providing weekly food

supplies is all we can do for these households and as a result they tend to stay in the programme for a very long time. Bristol City Council provide an interpretation service but this is chargeable and extremely difficult to access.

The Matthew Tree Project needs to bring this expertise in-house so that these clients can get the help they need to move out of crisis.

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Client Voice: Co-production

From ‘Day One’ 10 years ago, the foundation of The Matthew Tree Project has been built on a fundamental approach which is firmly rooted in co-production. This critical process is to harness the collective voice, experience and opinions of the people the charity seeks to help. Then, with key involvement from current and ex-clients, and those with ‘lived experience’; working with the executive board, the service delivery team (staff and volunteers), and strategic partners; collectively we translate this ‘intelligence’ into effective services that meet the client needs most effectively.

No-one is excluded from the programme and every single client have equal voice in shaping how it develops. The insight gained by this approach is also used to affect systemic change where the system is unfair and people suffer unnecessarily. Our recommendations in this report has come by way of this process.

KEY ELEMENTS TO THE CO-PRODUCTION PROCESS

All clients are regularly Client Involvement asked “how do you rate the In 2020, on average, support you have received volunteers contributed from The Matthew Tree hours per month. The Project?” For 2020 the amount provided by current client rating rose from and ex-clients was: 90.9% in 2019 to: 45.0% 98.5%

In 2020, on average, volunteers contributed 747 hours per month. The amount provided by current and ex-clients was:

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Rebuilding Lives Programme

‘Rebuilding Lives’ is a unique, innovative and pioneering early intervention crisis support programme, progressively developed by The Matthew Tree Project since 2010, which is available to anyone who is in crisis.

The programme is particularly effective at engaging with those who have slipped through the gaps of other support services across the sector.

62.5%

of clients are isolated and have no other form of support. They say that if it were not for The Matthew Tree Project they would have nowhere else to turn and wouldn’t know what to do.

Fully Inclusive

No-one, no ethnic group, no crisis type, no postcode, no age is excluded from access to the ‘Rebuilding Lives Support Programme’.

We have an extensive network of over 90 officially appointed referral agencies which includes statutory and voluntary organisations such as the council, advice agencies, schools, etc.

Referrals are made via a secure online portal on our web site. Each new referral receives a ‘welcome’ phone call within 24 hours of being referred where everything is explained and the client can tell their story.

Recognising how difficult and challenging it can be to come to somewhere new to ask for help, our online system enables us to make contact with those who are referred but do not come. A simple phone call to say “we were expecting you and are you ok” is highly effective in breaking down barriers that may be preventing someone from accessing the help they need.

¹ this is the weekly demand on the service, i.e. a family of 4 attending for 6 weeks would count as 24.

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The Client Journey

Every client has complete control over how much they engage with the programme and the speed at which they progress. Once registered as a client the household is supported for as long as necessary and until they do not need us anymore.

We place great emphasis on treating all clients with the upmost dignity and respect. A compassionate, nonjudgemental approach is absolutely essential if we want to help people achieve sustainable, transformational change.

People only fully engage in an open and honest way when they feel they are in a safe, secure, supportive, non-judgemental place.

This level of engagement is the key factor in the effectiveness of the ‘Rebuilding Lives Support Programme’ and enables us to get to the heart of the matter and help people rebuild a better, healthier and happier future.

‘ Rebuilding Lives Support Programme’ enables people to:

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Some of the Outcomes Reported by Clients
More able to access specialist
services 77%
Increased self-sufficiency 89%
More positive about the future 69%
Improved mental wellbeing 94%
Debt reduced 38%
More in control of own life 50%
Feeling happier 79%
Feel more confident 69%
Client case sample size: 68
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The Matthew Tree Project were proud to be selected as a ‘Best Practice Representative’ in the Parliamentary Review for community based health and social care services.

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Full ‘wrap-around’ Joined-up & Individually Tailored Support Programme

6 Higher Level Outcomes of the ‘Rebuilding Lives’ Social Change Model:

Since being established in 2010, The Matthew Tree Project has grown from operating one ‘Rebuilding Lives Support Centre’, to running five by 2020 - all of which are located in the most deprived areas of Bristol and South Gloucestershire.

The aim is to look at the issues people face, and the underlying causes, from their basic needs, to their physical and mental health, to skills and employment.

People are supported to draw on their personal experiences to build on their skills and strengths so they are ready to seize the opportunities, and overcome the challenges, ahead.

The ‘Rebuilding Lives Support Programme’ enables people who are experiencing, or are at risk of hardship, to overcome the difficulties they are facing and to plan for a better future.

‘Rebuilding Lives’ is a

holistic, person centred approach which is a crucial part of developing the kind of relationship which builds trust and allows support to be tailored to an individual and their circumstances.

By working collaboratively with others, the ‘Rebuilding Lives Support Programme’ offer people advice, advocacy and support which matches their personal circumstances.

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Client Goal Setting & Progression

57%

Examples of the personal goals clients set themselves:

set, and progressed towards - or achieved - personal goals in 2020

When we first meet people who have been referred there is a tangiable sense of hopelessness. The experience of falling into poverty for the vast majority is soul destroying, degrading and painful.

Our first task is to re-set the situation: stabilise the crisis and give people ‘hope’ of a better future – belief that the problems and issues can be overcome and a renewed sense of focus and motivation to work towards a better, happier life.

We are patient with clients who upon arrival are often in a state of distress and confusion.

Falling into the poverty trap does not happen overnight. It is a long, painful and disempowering experience that can scar someone very deeply. This is why we do all we can to give ‘control’ back

What is the Client Journey?

We refer to the time a client spends with us as their journey because we encourage clients to plot a pathway out of their initial situation. The client manages their own journey, including the decision that they no longer need our support. The journey metaphor is a useful way to frame their experience as a process they themselves are making, rather than something they are obliged to do by others.

to the clients in every interaction we have.

language and approaches among all those involved.

The ‘Rebuilding Lives

People with lived experience (clients and ex-clients; some staff; and some volunteers) work alongside everyone else to shape every aspect of the programme: bringing an empathy and experience to our planning, practical development and external communications.

Support Programme’ is built around the people it seeks to help and is guided in what it does and how it does it by the clients themselves through formal and informal feedback, discussion and involvement.

Co-production is central to the development of the service: creating priorities,

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Prior to Covid-19 Britain’s household debt mountain had reached a new peak, with UK homes owing an average of £15,385 to credit card firms, banks and other lenders, according to the TUC.

By December 2020, nearly 9 million people had to borrow more money because of the Covid-19 pandemic; the proportion borrowing £1,000 or more also increased from 35% to 45% since June 2020.

Household debt levels stood at 128.7% in Q3 2020.

There were 31,059 individual insolvencies in England and Wales in Q4 2020, up by 11,304 on the previous quarter. This is the largest increase since the current series began in 2010.

The Q4 2020 level is 9.4% higher than the level in Q3 2019.

It can happen to anyone

People from all walks of life come through our doors including well-educated business owners and professionals. The unexpected happens. Sometimes, challenging circumstances - life events, ill health, lack of opportunity, a world-wide pandemic and a wide range of other individual and/or societal issues - intervene and can leave people in desolate and desperate situations.

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Improving Health and Wellbeing

[Good] food is vital to sustain life and improve / maintain good health.

Food insecurity is a massive issue for the households referred to the programme. People are often in poor health, physically and mentally when they first arrive - missing meals, losing weight, weak and disorientated, low in confidence, confused and scared are all common traits displayed.

Our Foodservice improves physical and mental health and wellbeing so that people are better equipped to overcome the considerable challenges ahead and engage in life more fully.

When first launched in 2010, the charity was only able to offer people a selection of tinned and packaged foods, a listening ear and basic signposting. Whilst this was beneficial it was very limited in what it was able to achieve for people in crisis.

The charity is now able to provide a professional city-wide home delivery Foodservice - which promotes good health and wellbeing - alongside an expert full-time client navigation support service

that ensures people get the help they need – in a way that works best for them.

The professional

Foodservice provides weekly nutritionally balanced grocery supplies which includes fresh fruit, vegetables, dairy and meats for the whole family.

By the end of 2020 the charity was distributing food the equivalent of 9,000 meals a week and only differs from that of any other food retailer inasmuch as the food is provided free of charge at the point of delivery.

Clients are referred to the programme because they are penniless and this approach removes affordability as a barrier to a good food diet which we believe everyone should have access to.

79% said they are

happier

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The Power of Volunteering

The Matthew Tree Project has a small staff team and a large army of volunteers, without which this work would not be possible.

It is the policy of the charity to, wherever possible, involve clients and ex-clients in the delivery of services, either as volunteers or as employed members of staff.

This has a huge positive impact on the confidence, skills and self-worth of the client; whilst having a significant and very positive impact upon the quality of service support the charity is able to offer.

There is real power in the empathy one client can show towards another; whilst also being living proof that a better future is attainable with hard work and determination.

Tina’s Story

Tina first came to TMTP as a client and was also suffering with depression and anxiety. She had spent the last 20 years as a homemaker caring for her 5 children, and was low in confidence and self-belief. After some time, Tina expressed an interest in volunteering with the charity and started in the role of ‘meet and greet’ at our Community Hub

Above: Tina providing client telephone support at our central Bristol office

Support Centre in Filwood. Tina quickly became a key member of the service delivery team. In March 2020 as Covid-19 struck, Tina rose to the challenge of becoming a client telephone support volunteer, learning new skills, and blossomed. Tina then moved on to work with the Foodservice team at our food distribution warehouse and now divides her time between both teams volunteering 4 days a week. Tina is no longer a client and is now also employed one day a week as a food warehouse operative and cleaner.

“Volunteering has really boosted my confidence and steadied my mental health, I am learning so many new skills; able to talk to people both on the telephone and in person with more ease and it has enormously improved my computer skills. It has also helped me to get into work - something I never thought would be possible.

I love volunteering for The Matthew Tree Project, it doesn’t feel like work, it’s like a second family to me, and it makes me want to get up in the morning.”

When asked what

volunteering has done for her and what it is like to volunteer with TMTP, Tina said:

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© The Matthew Tree Project 2021

In addition to the vital role clients and ex-clients play in the development and delivery of services, many people, from all walks of life, are drawn to volunteer for The Matthew Tree Project, for many different reasons.

What everyone has in common, is compassion and a determination to make a difference.

Mark Goodway, the Founder and CEO of The Matthew Tree Project said:

“It’s is a privilege and an honour to have had the opportunity to work with so many amazing people over the years and to see

what we have been able to achieve together.”

One such person is Chris Cook who has been volunteering with the charity since the Autumn of 2019.

Chris (pictured above in his role as volunteer van driver collecting surplus food from a major distribution centre near Bristol) commented:

“I retired after 35 years as a shop keeper and started volunteering for The Matthew Tree Project immediately. I’ve been volunteering for over 15 months now and I thoroughly enjoy it, and look forward to coming

to TMTP every day. I feel useful and it has given me a sense of purpose, and a strong feeling of goodwill that I am doing something for the community.”

The services provided by the charity are highly professional and as such volunteers undertake the same training and supervision as our staff, for the role they are in, be it food handling and storage for the foodservice team; or ‘help through crisis support’ for the front line client engagement roles.

Below: a small selection of the volunteers who have been involved

during the past 10 years .

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Client Case Study

Systemic failure can take many forms. In this case poor and conflicting advice from Job Centre Plus (JCP) staff and officials from two local councils created a completely unnecessary crisis that spiralled out of control causing significant human suffering to the parents and the children. It also incurred great expense to the tax payer by way of publicly funded services that were subsequently involved. A more joined-up and consistent approach from local councils is desperately needed and much better training for JCP staff.

way, however, because Bristol City Council decided they were intentionally homeless and therefore not entitled to go onto HomeChoice. Nevertheless, because of children, Social Services got involved and placed the family in emergency accommodation.

R is a 29-year-old female diagnosed with bi-polar disorder.

R self-referred by turning up at our Filwood Support Centre in January 2020. R told us her story and we accepted her as a client. R was 7 months pregnant.

During this time, we were supporting R and her family, practically, with food, and also emotionally. We enlisted the debt advice services of one of our strategic partners, SPAC.

She and her partner, along with their four children, had recently arrived in Bristol after having been evicted from their council home in Cornwall. This was due to rent arrears brought about by confusion concerning her partner’s irregular zero-hour employment and its effect on their eligibility for Housing Benefit, which they should have claimed but didn’t know.

R gave birth to her fifth child who was poorly and initially was not released from hospital, causing anxiety.

Then the first lockdown came. R found it helpful to be able to speak to someone regularly amidst the isolation via our telephone support service. This was particularly important to her as the family were getting harassed by a neighbour. They also felt cramped in

Cornish council staff advised them to leave their home before the bailiffs came and as they had family in Bristol they decided to make a fresh start where there were people to support them. Things did not work that

CASE STUDY: R

the small flat they were allotted. After two further moves, they settled into a home. Social Services had no criticism of their parenting abilities. They redecorated their new home and we helped with a grant for flooring. Her partner found a job and they closed their case.

Then came the second lockdown and her partner lost his job so they returned for support. He volunteered to help us in the warehouse and was very reliable.

Her partner then found another job and R said that they would not need food aid but would like to stay as clients so that they could get continuing emotional and practical support as and when they needed it. This happened immediately; we provided a laptop - donated by strategic partner Digi Local - so that R’s children could do their schoolwork.

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Client Case Study

S, 58, referred herself to TMTP in June 2019. S had been living ‘off grid’ for the best part of 40 years, in caravans and live-in vehicles as part of the ‘new age’ travelling community. S supported herself with casual jobs on the land or at festivals and prided herself on being self-sufficient and resourceful. S had been ordered to leave the static caravan she was living in by the council. S moved into a tent on a friendly farmer’s field and was anxious the planning department would find her again.

and this frightened her. It was therefore necessary to proceed in three stages: finances; health; and then housing.

After much discussion, we supported S to make a claim for Universal Credit, accompanying S to the first two interviews at the Job Centre. S was relieved to find that her job coach was friendly and fully accepted that she was not well enough to work. S then suffered a ruptured appendix and was admitted to hospital. After discharge, she developed postoperative problems and had to be re-admitted.

It became clear that S had deep-seated anxiety and was fearful of the authorities. S had once tried to claim benefits but found the process so hostile and humiliating she vowed never to try again. S had long-standing medical problems arising from a road traffic accident when she was 20 but had encountered an unsympathetic GP and so stopped seeking treatment. S was in constant pain with an arthritic spine and other, undiagnosed, problems. It was clear that S needed to change her entire way of life

After her second discharge, we supported S to visit a GP and, to her surprise, she found the doctor to be empathetic and clearly concerned for her wellbeing. She obtained the necessary fit note for the JCP coach and the doctor discussed setting up a holistic treatment plan, including mental health support. The scans performed at the hospital also showed the extent of the internal damage from her earlier accident.

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CASE STUDY:
S
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Housing was now the next hurdle and S was very resistant to asking the council for help - fearing that she would be placed in emergency housing that she would not be able to tolerate. We supported S in visits to the Housing Dept. who accepted their homeless duty to her but also agreed that they would waive the rule that she must accept any offer they make.

S feared being in a house – away from the direct contact with the elements that she was familiar with. She feared the responsibility of paying bills and being tied down. It took her a long time – during which she had regular emotional support from TMTP – before finally, in January 2021, S accepted a bungalow in a supported housing estate in a small village.

In partnership with her new Housing Support Worker, we made applications to various charities to get essential furniture and also a small temporary cash grant in order to help her settle in her new home.

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Poverty Drivers

A key question we ask each client upon first arrival is the reason why they need our support.

All clients have multiple and complex issues but we are interested to know what caused the ‘tipping point’ or ‘the straw that broke the camel’s back’.

Knowing this enables us to help people more effectively and it also provides us with a unique insight into what systemic issues need to be addressed by national and local policy makers.

The reasons why people are referred to the ‘Rebuilding Lives Support Programme’

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9.4%
18.8%
24.9%
21.8%
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Domestic Abuse Debt Welfare Issues Other

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Collaborative Partnerships

By working collaboratively with a wide range of strategic partners, the ‘Rebuilding Lives Support Programme’ is able to offer people advice, advocacy and support which matches their personal circumstances.

Partnership networks sit on either side of The Matthew Tree Project. On the one side are the 90+ officially appointed referral agencies who refer people in need to the ‘Rebuilding Lives Support Programme’. On the other side are the key strategic partners who provide different support services in a joined-up way.

The support provided is personally tailored to each

individual case and most importantly, the abilities of each person to engage with the help they need.

“our clients are at the centre of everything that happens in relation to their situation. We maintain a close relationship which ensures nothing slips through the gaps.”

The client determines the plan for their future and is in complete control of the process throughout, including the closing of their own case when they do not need our support anymore.

MICHELLE GOODWAY CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER THE MATTHEW TREE PROJECT

Some of the KEY strategic partnerships:

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Systemic Change

The Matthew Tree Project is a nationally recognised pioneer in systemic approaches for the alleviation of poverty in the UK.

Using the unique insight provided to us by our client group (client voice) we aim to Influence policy makers and create a systemic environment that is more fair and conducive to enabling citizens living in deprived communities to improve their income, health, wellbeing and quality of life.

The close relationship we develop with our client group enables us to capture the whole client experience and then by using this ‘intelligence’ give the client a voice to influence policy makers and seek to create a systemic environment that addresses social injustice and inequality.

The data collected by the programme is made available to local councils and national government in a very constructive way and is always supported by reallife case studies.

16% of clients are referred to the programme due to

The Matthew Tree Project is recognised nationally by

The unique insight captured by the programme is due to:

welfare benefit delays. In November 2018 we wrote to the Secretary of State at the DWP arguing; instead of all benefit payments being stopped when someone’s situation changes, until a decision is made - which can take months – the current award should continue whilst the decision is being made. There has been some movement in this direction but there is still some way to go for the system to be not so inhumane.

22%

of referrals

caused by

BENEFIT issues

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Theory of Change

Case Management & Reporting

As we work with clients we record any positive or negative change they tell us about and place it within the context of our ‘Theory of Change & Social Impact Measurement Framework’ which underpins the ‘Rebuilding Lives Support Programme’.

If a client tells us, for example, that their benefits are now in payment we would record a positive outcome for the payments and also another for the fact their financial situation has improved. By classifying these two positive changes and mapping them to the Theory of Change outcome groups we arrive at a count of positive change outcomes which measures the impact of our work with each client.

So the client’s benefit

payment success will count towards ‘Reduced Material Deprivation’ and also ‘Increased feeling of being in control of money/budget’ as well as some Theory of Change measures.

Some of the outcomes in the Theory of Change Framework can occur frequently, such as the client having a more positive

The Matthew Tree Project long term goal is two-fold:

6 higher level outcomes of the ‘Rebuilding Lives

outlook or feeling happier, others will mostly be one time changes such as moving to better accommodation.

impact of the programme to stakeholders and policy makers.

“We believe we are pioneering the creation of a ‘blueprint’ that can be replicated in urban environments across the UK and Europe thus addressing poverty, at its root, on a significant scale.”

Over the course of the last 3 years the ‘Rebuilding Lives Support Programme’ have designed a bespoke online case management software system based on the Apricot platform. Impact data is being collected at every interaction the client has with the programme.

The case management system enables us to understand and improve the level of support provided and also report on the

MARK GOODWAY FOUNDER THE MATTHEW TREE PROJECT

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The present wrapping evening this year was dominated by Covid measures but all had a great time nonetheless. Above: some of the fabulous volunteers wrapping the gifts and the team delivering them to the children.

Christmas Gifts for our Children

One of the most damaging effects of living in poverty is the psychological scars caused by being excluded from ‘normal life’ activities that are happening for everyone else all around.

This is even worse for parents who are powerless to intervene and have to witness their children being unable to partake in the things that all the other children enjoy.

Christmas, in particular, highlights the stark reality of poverty.

The Matthew Tree Project’s holistic approach considers fully all aspects of life and we work extremely hard to make positive interventions wherever possible.

We are very fortunate that we enjoy the support of a number of large employers in Bristol who every year put out a call to their employees to select one of our children to buy a brand new Christmas present for to a value £15-£30. The gifts are then collected by our team and we have a Christmas present

wrapping evening during December each year. The wrapped gifts are then given to the parents at the last support session before the Christmas break, to give to their children to unwrap on Christmas Day.

We all had a great ‘socially distanced’ evening at our offices with music, food and fun wrapping the 300+ brand new donated gifts.

We would like to say a massive “THANK YOU” to everyone who purchased a brand new gift for the children under our care. Some of the gifts were unbelievable, costing much more than the £10-£15 guide we gave. The compassion being shown by so many, in so many ways is truly heart-warming.

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RISE Social Enterprise

Future Sustainable Food System

creation of a local circular food economy model that will reduce the destructive socio ecological impacts associated with the current production, distribution and retail of food.

A new system which vertically integrates a local food supply chain by working with strategic partners at a city scale can bring together innovations in regenerative production, skills building, market development, food systems mapping, multi-tiered pricing, nature recovery, community-led land

RISE Social Enterprise is a trading subsidiary wholly owned by The Matthew Tree Project charity which is focused entirely on the development of a local sustainable food production and distribution model.

The RISE vision is to contribute towards the

management, low carbon distribution infrastructure.

RISE seeks to remove affordability as a barrier to a good and healthy diet. The objective is to make nutrient rich food accessible, and desirable to those who need it most.

The innovation driving this vision is to design-out inequality & environmental damage. Instead forming a holistic, sustainable, demand-side led localised new city food system.

Such a model is unique in that it creates an expertly ‘joined-up, whole supply chain’ system that meets the food/nutritional needs of the poorest citizens; creates a fair, equitable and sustainable food production and supply chain; and radically reduces damaging environmental impact.

The innovative model harnesses local natural and built, under-utilised, resources such as land (green and brown field sites); empty buildings; and labour (the under-employed and unemployed).

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© The Matthew Tree Project 2021

The main food distribution centre in Lawrence Hill, Bristol; Mobile FoodStore & temperature controlled vans

City-wide Food Collection & Distribution

A key element of the Foodservice provided by The Matthew Tree Project is the full range of nutrition represented in the food distributed consisting of the full range of foodstuffs: chilled; fresh; frozen; and ambient.

Each household is given a weekly allowance of each food group based on what makes a healthy meal according to the ‘Eatwell’ plate. Within their allowance clients can then choose the foods they like.

Due to the Covid restrictions upon the hospitality sector donations of surplus foods from the food industry fell for the first time. In 2020 we collected 83.3 tonnes from a peak of 115.4 tonnes in 2019. This was especially challenging as Covid-19 also caused a steep rise in client

numbers. Thankfully, the loss of industry surplus food donations was partly made up for by way of donations from other charitable organisations, and a government grant of £62,500 for the purchase of food. In addition to this, we

were able to draw down on 16.6 tonnes of food we had in stock at the end of 2019.

Below: SOURCES of food distributed in 2020:

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9.60%
TMTP
16.90%
stock
General
14.60% Public
Purchased
food
7.90%
FoodBanks
0.62%
1.31%
1.09%
47.98%
Industry
Surplus
General Public Foodbank Pet Food Industry
RISE produced Other charities Inudtsry Surplus
Purchased food TMTP stocks
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Some of the charities who receive food from The Matthew Tree Project include:

The Matthew Tree Project work very hard to ensure all food received gets to the clients – the people who need it the most. However, as much of the food donated is perishable foods with very short shelf life, sometimes we ourselves have a surplus.

To ensure as little food of this surplus as possible actually gets wasted the charity has developed sophisticated processes that redistributes any surplus for beneficial use.

Tolentine

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How TMTP food is
distributed in order of
FOOD
priority:
GIVEN TO
89.4% - Clients CLIENTS
5.12% - Other charities
1.91% - Fareshare SW
369,955
1.75% - TMTP events
meals
0.56% - Animal feed
0.14% - Composting
0.81% - Waste
44% of the FOOD
GIVEN TO
food distributed OTHER
is fresh CHARITIES
5-a-DAY foods
35,852
meals
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163,890 meals provided to children in 2020

Above: Some members of TMTP Foodservice team, hard at work (top); and receiving a donation of £960 from Bristol Freemasons (bottom).

Key Facts:

159 tonnes collected

174 tonnes distributed =

333

tonnes handled 35

© The Matthew Tree Project 2021

. Reducing Food Waste

The vast majority of the food collected from the food industry are foods that never get to the store in the first place but are deemed surplus to requirements at the distribution depot.

During 2020 we saved 83.4 tonnes of food from being thrown away. To handle these volumes of chilled, frozen and fresh foods in accordance with the strict hygiene and safe handling regulations is a highly skilled and demanding operation.

The distribution hub is fully equipped with two walk-in fridges and one walk-in freezer.

198,515 meals

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© The Matthew Tree Project 2021

Urban Food Growing

Food is our vehicle to

educate, empower and help people move on from entrenched systematic deprivation.

We are tackling this by starting at the heart of the problem, Filwood and Hartcliffe are in the top 1% of most deprived wards in the UK.

This is where the largest Matthew Tree Project Rebuilding Lives Support Centre; our largest food growing site, the RISE food processing kitchen, and the RISE food shoppé/café are all located.

By seeding the local food economy within deprived communities we are providing the opportunity to permeate and advocate for positive social change.

In 2021 we are committed to the expansion of our community food growing activities and are seeking a larger plot of land in the region of 5-acres. A plot of this size will enable us to demonstrate fully all the positive impacts that can be achieved and will significantly increase the volume of food produced.

The principles that underpin our food growing activities

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Nat, delighted with the naturally
grown food produced by RISE
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© The Matthew Tree Project 2021

Food

The objectives of the RISE kitchen are:

Processing Kitchen

The first commercial grade RISE kitchen is located in Filwood Broadway, Knowle, and is focused on the production of a great range of nutrient rich food products which will be accessible to those who need it the most at affordable prices.

The Pilot

From April – May 2020, in partnership with Boston Tea Party, we produced a fabulous range of food products primarily from our short shelf life surplus food.

The food products produced were then distributed to our clients under our ‘So Good Food’ brand. They were unbelievably popular.

Food Products included:

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Food Shoppé and Café

Food is our fuel, and a nutritious diet is vital to support greater health and wellbeing. However, many disadvantaged communities have significantly fewer local outlets for fresh, healthy, affordable food; making it unobtainable for those who need it most.

Our innovative and socially responsible model will work with local growers and providers across the city, to bring healthy food to target areas, beginning with the pilot shoppé at 25 Filwood Broadway.

The ‘SO GOOD FOOD’

shoppé will seek to change eating habits to healthier choices, through greater

The principles of the ‘SO GOOD FOOD’ SHOPPÉ

access to better food and knowledge about how it’s grown and cooked.

create stronger inspired communities by gathering citizens in a common aim to address these problems together.

Using tools, such as attractive branding; tiered pricing; tasting sessions; and fun cookery classes to encourage healthier choices. RISE will be a catalyst to raise aspirations,

RISE Social Enterprise food production and distribution activites are demand-side led – driven by the demands of the people it serves.

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© The Matthew Tree Project 2021

10 years of rebuilding

OUR STORY

It was a Sunday morning in the summertime of 2010. I drove to church through Stokes Croft and as I waited at the red traffic light just outside Hamilton House, to my left side I noticed an elderly gentleman laying on the pavement motionless. He was dressed in jacket, tie and shirt. Admittedly, all had seen much better days but I felt it was an admirable attempt to retain at least some degree of dignity in the face of such humiliation.

People walked by going about their day, it seemed not even noticing the man on the floor. The immense sadness of the sight struck me to the core. This is someone’s son. Maybe someone’s father, brother or uncle. It was all so wrong. The light turned green and I drove on the 300 yards or so to my church in Jamaica Street. I got out of my car and locked the doors. I went into the church with a happy to see you ‘good morning’ to those I passed on the way to my seat.

Then, as I sat down in the chair I suddenly realised I had done the exact same thing as everyone else and just passed by the man on the floor.

I felt ashamed of myself and vowed there and then to do whatever I could to help the many ‘people on the floor’ and not walk by ever again. This was the moment I decided to establish a charity to tackle the problem.

I had no idea what I was going to do or how I would do it but just felt I had to at least try. Now, all these years later, I see the hundreds of amazing people who give of their time and money so freely to compassionately help the people off the floor because they too are not prepared to walk on by, and my heart jumps for joy.

Mark Goodway FOUNDER

© The Matthew Tree Project 2021

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Client Comments

On the next two pages are just a few representative comments of the hundreds we receive from the people who go through the programme.

“All at The Matthew Tree Project, myself and family owe you so much for all the help and support you gave us in time of need. Thank you all so much for all the food which helped tremendously. Also for the help with CV which was very grateful as I have now managed to get a job after such a long time. Also the friendliness you all showed without being judgemental, the laughs and chats will be missed. There will be times when I will be able to pop in for a chat and keep you up with progress. You haven’t quite got away from me yet (ha ha). Thank you again very much appreciated and truly grateful. Friends for Life.”

“When I was at rock bottom you pick me up, supported me, made sure I had healthy diet. You all have been so brilliant, listening, giving me smile when all I could do is cry. I’ve come back today not for food or support but to say THANK YOU.”

Ex-client of The Matthew Tree Project

Ex-client of The Matthew Tree Project

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© The Matthew Tree Project 2021

“My quality of life has improved with help emotionally and a better diet. I’ve actually put on weight. I’m very grateful to you all. Staff are amazing, make you feel most welcome. The environment is welcoming, everyone so kind, caring and loving make me feel important, and not alone. Someone’s caring for me and has my best interest at heart. Forever grateful xxx”

Ex-client of The Matthew Tree Project

“Well I have changed my life by coming and getting the support I need. You guys are fantastic and I’m very grateful for all the help I receive. Thank you!”

Ex-client of The Matthew Tree Project

“Couldn’t wish for better people, all the staff were there at my lowest and darkest place and they took the time to listen and talk to me when noone else did. They are amazing. Couldn’t get through it without them. They will always be in my heart and will always be forever grateful and thankful. To all the staff, my life would be nothing without them.”

Ex-client of The Matthew Tree Project

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Rebuilding Lives 2020 Factsheet

Measure 2020 2019
Number of unique beneficiaries
Adults 55.7% 58.6%
Children 44.3% 41.4%
Number ofpeople beingsupported at anyone time (case load) 667 320
Singleperson households 52.6% 45%
Families 47.4% 55%
Number ofpeople supported 17415 13316
New case referrals during period 240 350
Number of different agencies referring 26 50
Average length of supportprovided (in weeks)
All cases 28.6 18.2
One-2-One crisis support sessionsprovided 4584 2849
Length of time supportedprovided (in weeks)
1 7.7% 17.3%
2-6 13.8% 30.9%
7-12 10.9% 15.0%
13 – 18 10.1% 7.8%
19 - 54 25.4% 19.7%
55 + 32.1% 9.3%
Clients without anyother support 62.5% 69%
Client agegroups
16 - 25 7.1% 8%
26 - 40 40.1% 37%
41 - 60 43.7% 46%
61 + 9.2% 7%
Unknown 0% 2%
Average monthlyvolunteer hours 747 405

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© The Matthew Tree Project 2021

Measure 2020 2019
Client employment status
Casual labour 0% 0.2%
Employed full-time 0.7% 2.1%
Employedpart-time 3.3% 5.1%
Employed zero hour contract 1.2% 0.8%
Unpaid Maternityleave 0% 0.2%
Retired 3.1% 1.4%
Self-employed 1.2% 0.4%
Student 0.4% 0.4%
Unable to work – childcare/carer 12.6% 10.4%
Unable to work - health 47.9% 43.6%
Unable to work – Asylum/Immigration status 4.2% 6.4%
Unemployed 19.7% 14.6%
Unknown 5.7% 14.4%
Client original referral crisis type by group
Asylum/Immigration 5.6% 8.0%
Unmanageablepersonal debt 25.0% 22.5%
Welfare System Issues 22.6% 31.1%
Other 46.8% 38.3%
Client risk of homelessness
None 14.5% 36.4%
Low(butpossible) 26.1% 25.2%
Medium/High 63.8% 38.4%
What clients tell us theyneed support with
Mental Health 39% 31%
Physical Health 28% 17%
Addiction 17% 14%
Benefit Issues 26% 24%
Debt 57% 42%
Legal issues 5% 2%
Overall how would you rate the support you received from TMTP? (% - 7 out of
10 or higher)		 98.5% 90.9%
Client Goals showingsomeprogress or achieved 57.4% 63.0%

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© The Matthew Tree Project 2021

Measure 2020 2019
Reported changes (over aperiod of at least 6 weeks)
Sample size (cases) 68 260
Feelinghappier 79.4% 61.5%
Feelingcalmer 70.5% 50.8%
Managingstress better 66.2% 46.2%
Morepositive about the future 69.1% 56.9%
More able to access specialist services 76.5% 75.0%
Increased self-sufficiency 89.2% 87.0%
Improved independence and resilience 92.0% 92.0%
Improved self-belief 80.0% 80.0%
Feel more confident 69.1% 92.0%
Increased aspirations 78.0% 78.0%
More in control of own life (choices etc.) 50.0% 92.0%
Developed new skills to be able to earn a living 50.0% 50.0%
Improved budgetingskills/makingmoney go further 58.8% 44.0%
Debt has reduced 38.2% 38.5%
I have done skills trainingor other courses since comingto TMTP 7.2% 33.8%
Improved cookingskills 47.1% 36.9%
Eatingbetter 89.7% 80.0%
Feelinghealthier 70.6% 60.0%
Puttingon/losingweight - whichever is healthier 41.2% 33.0%
Understandingand acknowledgement of root causes/issues 58.8% 59.0%
Less worried about beinghomeless 23.5% 44.0%
Improved mental wellbeing 93.8% 99.0%
Better able to cope with crisis 99.0% 99.0%
Improved schoolperformance of children 47.0% 47.0%
Feel less isolated 52.9% 57.0%
FOODSERVICE statistics
Food collected – total (kg) 157078.76 142180.4
of which, food collected directlyfrom the food industry(kg) 83376.24 115400.6
of which, food collected from thegeneralpublic (kg) 29424.18 26222.5
of which, foodgrown orprocessed into meals byRISE (kg) 2113.92 557.3
Of which, fresh 5-a-dayfoods - fruit and vegetables(kg) 68802.64 79059.2
Food distributed – total(kg) 173766.11 131232.50
of which,given to RebuildingLives Support Programme clients (kg) 155381.20 90435.80
of which,given to other charities - free of anycharge (kg) 15057.71 30903.50
of which, food unfit to be used 3327.20 9893.10

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FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2020

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OFFICERS AND PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS

TRUSTEES who have served during the year and up until the date of signing the report are: Nigel Goodway

Jonathan Evans Roger Wooldridge @UK Plc (secretary)

TRUSTEES who were either appointed or resigned during the period and prior to signing these accounts: Lorraine Patch – resigned 29 May 2021

Colin Sainsbury – appointed 12 August 2021

INDEPENDENT MANAGEMENT ADVISOR

INDEPENDENT HR ADVISOR

Anstey Barton Consulting Huntsham Tiverton EX16 7NG

BrightHR Peninsula Consulting Victoria Place Manchester M4 4FB

FINANCIAL OFFICER

Sue McQuaid Libra Accounting Services Ltd 54 Petherton Gardens Hengrove, Bristol BS14 9BS

BANKERS

INSURERS

HSBC Bank plc 431 Oxford Street London W1C 2DA

Zurich Insurance plc The Zurich Centre 3000 Parkway Whiteley, Fareham PO15 7JZ

PRINCIPAL OFFICE OF THE CHARITY

REGISTERED OFFICE OF THE CHARITY

3[rd] Floor 3[rd ] Floor 1 Temple Way 207 Regent Street Bristol London BS2 0BY W1B 3HH

INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTS EXAMINER

IMPACT MONITORING ADVISORS

Neil M Kingston FCA Clarity CIC Burton Sweet Limited The Old Bakery, Old Road The Clock Tower, 5 Farleigh Court Harbertonford Old Weston Road, Flax Bourton Totnes TQ9 7TA Bristol BS48 1UR

CASE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

Fully integrated bespoke case management and impact monitoring system designed on the APRICOT® software platform and underpinned by The Matthew Tree Project ‘Theory of Change Framework’.

47

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

The Board of Trustees present their annual report and the independently examined financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2020. These are prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the Charity’s Trust Deed, the Charities Act 2011 and 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) and Financial Reporting Standard 102 and the Companies Act 2006.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

The Mathew Tree Project was established in July 2010 and is a registered charity, number 1146401. The charitable company is registered as a company limited by guarantee, as defined by the Companies Act 2006. The governing document is its Memorandum and Articles of Association, and it is a registered company (number 7324296).

The Charitable Company has no share capital, but under the terms of the Memorandum of Association, every member is liable to contribute a sum not exceeding £10 in the event of the Charitable Company being wound up.

The principal objects of the Charitable Company are:

“To relieve financial hardship amongst all peoples of all ages in the local communities in accordance with a Christian ethos.”

RISK MANAGEMENT

The Trustees confirm that they regularly review the significant risks facing the Trust and have systems and procedures in place to mitigate those risks. The risk policy has adopted a risk mapping methodology that is applied to each identified risk, assessing the likelihood of it occurring and the severity of the impact of occurrence on the Trust.

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT

The Trustees have complied with their duty to have due regard to the guidance on public benefit published by the Charity Commission when exercising their powers and duties.

RESULTS FOR THE YEAR

The charity received income for the year of £989,302, (2019: £877,642), including £449,225 (2019: £523,224) of food gifts for distribution to those in need. Expenditure for the year was £845,530 (2019: £794,946).

48

RESERVES POLICY

The trustees aim to hold no more than £100,000 of free reserves. Any funds over this level are reinvested in the development of client services. At the end of the year, free reserves were £71,125, and at the end of 2019 free reserves were £9,463.

GOING CONCERN

After making enquiries, the Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the Trust has adequate resources to continue its objectives and activities for the public benefit for the foreseeable future. Accordingly, they continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the annual report and financial statements.

Further details regarding the adoption of the going concern basis are in note 1 ‘Accounting Policies’ in the financial statements.

Covid-19 Pandemic

Covid-19 was first reported during the period covered by this annual report. The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 30 January 2020, and a pandemic on 11 March 2020.

As a result, 2020 has been a brutal year for so many people because of the worldwide pandemic which has claimed the lives of 138,852 people in the UK (people who died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19) as of 18 October 2021.

The crisis support services provided by The Matthew Tree Project has meant that the charity is regarded as a provider of key frontline emergency support services. Covid-19 has sharply increased demand on the charity: open case load rose from 320 people to 671 people between March 2020 and February 2021; and has significantly increased operational costs. Thankfully, additional Covid-19 specific funding was made available and TMTP has been successful in securing the funds and additional food supplies required to meet the growth in client numbers.

Covid-19 has placed un-imaginable pressure on the resources and processes of the charity – at entry point by way of food supplies and further down the line in addressing the underlying causes of the crisis. Due to Covid-19, the way services are delivered has been completely repurposed:

Support Centres / Community Hubs Temporarily Closed

All five ‘Rebuilding Lives Community Hubs’ closed for the safety of the clients, many of whom are vulnerable, and our volunteers and staff.

City-wide Home Delivery Foodservice Launched

Weekly home delivery foodservice introduced. By the end of December 2020, The Matthew Tree Project were distributing the food equivalent of circa. 9000 meals per week – up from 6000 (Feb, 2020).

New Crisis Support Phone Line Launched

A (lifeline) weekly crisis support phone service has been introduced which has enabled the programme to continue to help people address their crisis situation and rebuild a better future.

49

RELATED PARTIES

The Matthew Tree Project wholly own Rise Social Enterprise Limited, company limited by shares number 10740064.

AWARDS

The Matthew Tree Project were awarded the following accolades:

Best Practice Representative 2020; Health & Social Work, Support, Wellbeing, Awareness

A Message from Lord Pickles and Lord Blunkett

The ability to listen and learn from one another has always been vital in parliament, in business and in most aspects of daily life. But at this particular moment in time, as national and global events continue to reiterate, it is uncommonly crucial that we forge new channels of communication and reinforce existing ones. The following article from The Matthew Tree Project is an attempt to do just that. We would welcome your thoughts on this or any other Parliamentary Review article.

Rt Hon The Lord David Blunkett Rt Hon The Lord Eric Pickles

The article referred to in the aforementioned message from Lord Blunkett and Lord Pickles is on pages 17-19 of the full publication which can be found via the following link.

https://www.theparliamentaryreview.co.uk/editions/2020/health-social-work/health-social-worksupport-wellbeing-awareness

50

TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES IN RELATION TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The trustees (who are also directors of The Matthew Tree Project for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Report (incorporating the strategic report and directors’ report) and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102: The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom 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 income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and 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.

Approved by the Trustees on 29 October, 2021 and signed on their behalf by:

Colin Sainsbury – Trustee Chair

51

INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS REPORT

Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of The Matthew Tree Project

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31 December 2020 .

.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity’s trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (‘the 2006 Act’).

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

Since the Company’s gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I 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 matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

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

  3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act 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; or

  4. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).

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.

Neil M Kingston FCA Burton Sweet Limited The Clock Tower, 5 Farleigh Court Old Weston Road, Flax Bourton Bristol BS48 1UR

October 29, 2021

52

THE MATTHEW TREE PROJECT

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (Including Income and Expenditure account) YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2020

Note
Income from:
Donations
Grants receivable
Charitable activities
Other sources
Raising funds
Charitable activities
2
3
Total funds at 1 January 2020
10
10
Expenditure on:
Total income
Total expenditure
Total Funds at 31 December 2020
Net income/(expeniture) and net
movement in funds		 General
Restricted
Total Funds
Total Funds
Funds
Funds
2020
2019
£
£
£
£
503,976
-
503,976
584,157
182,386 298,779
481,165
245,424
- -
-
45,000
4,161
-
4,161
3,061
690,523
298,779
989,302
877,642
18,208
-
18,208
21,591
567,909
259,413
827,322
773,355
586,117
259,413
845,530
794,946
104,406
39,366
143,772
82,696
73,968
164,507
238,475
155,779
178,374
203,873
382,247
238,475
~~1~~

There are no recognised gains or losses other than the results for the year as set out above.

All activities are classed as continuing.

Fund-accounting comparative transactions are shown in note 4

The notes on pages 59 to 64 form part of these financial statements

53

THE MATTHEW TREE PROJECT

BALANCE SHEET

AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2020
AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2020 Company number: 07324296
Notes
Fixed assets
Tangible fixed assets
6
Investments
7
Current assets
Debtors
8
Food stocks
Rise Loan account
Cash at bank
due within one year
9
Net current assets
Total net assets
Unrestricted funds
Unrestricted funds
11
Restricted funds
11
Total funds
Creditors: amounts falling		 2020
£
42,744
1
1,250
32,918
163,886
149,111
347,165
(7,663)
339,502
382,247
178,374
203,873
382,247		 2019
£
44,500
1
1,250
66,352
97,228
41,855
206,685
(12,711)
193,974
238,475
73,968
164,507
238,475

For the period ending 31 December 2020 the company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions for small companies under Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006.

These financial statements were approved by the trustees on 29 October, 2021 and are signed on their behalf by:

Colin Sainsbury, Trustee Chair

The notes on pages 59 to 64 form part of these financial statements

54

THE MATTHEW TREE PROJECT

CASH FLOW STATEMENT

AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2020

Note
Net cash inflow from operating activities
A
Non-operational cash flows:
Investing activities
Investment income
Payments for tangible fixed assets
Net cash inflow/(outflow) for the year
B		 2020
112,127
2
(4,873)
107,256		 2019
40,500
2
(44,203)
(3,701)

Cashflow Restrictions

Charity law prohibits the use of net cash inflows on any endowed or other restricted fund to offset net cash outflows on any fund outside its own objects, except on special authority. In practice, this restriction has not had any effect on cash flows for the year.

**A ** Reconciliation of net movement in funds to net cash inflow from operating activities cash inflow from operating activities cash inflow from operating activities
2020 2019
£ £
Statement of Financial Activities: Net movement in funds 143,772 82,696
Investment income (2) (2)
Depreciation 6,629 20,833
(Decrease) / increase in creditors: current liabilities (5,048) 6,272
(Increase) in debtors (66,658) (29,010)
(Increase) in stock 33,434 (40,289)
Net cash (outflow)/inflow from operating activities 112,127 40,500
**B ** Analysis of changes in cash during the year
2020 2019 Change
£ £ £
Cash at bank and in hand 149,111 41,855 107,256
2019 2018 Change
£ £ £
Cash at bank and in hand 41,855 45,556 (3,701)
**C ** Analysis of changes in net debt
At Cash Non cash At
01-Jan-2020 flows flows 31-Dec-2020
£ £ £ £
Cash and cash equivalents
Cash 41,855 107,256 - 149,111
Total 41,855 107,256 - 149,111
At Cash Non cash At
01-Jan-2019 flows flows 31-Dec-2019
£ £ £ £
Cash and cash equivalents
Cash 45,556 (3,701) - 41,855
Total 45,556 (3,701) - 41,855
The notes on pages 59 to 64 form part of these financial statements

55

THE MATTHEW TREE PROJECT

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2020

1 Accounting Policies

a)The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006, Financal Reporting Standard FRS102, and the Charities' Statement of Recommended Practice (FRS102). Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note(s).

The charity meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS102.

The trustees consider that the charity is able to continue as a going concern for at least the next twelve months. Please refer to the trustees' consideration in the Trustees' Report.

b) Income from donations is included when it is receivable, except as follows:

I. When donors specify that donations given to the charity must be used in future accounting periods, the income is deferred until those periods;

II. When donors impose conditions, which have to be fulfilled before the charity becomes entitled to use such income, the income is deferred until the pre-conditions have been met.

c) Gifts in kind includes donated services and facilities which are recognised at a reasonable estimate of their gross value to the Charity. An equivalent amount has been included as expenditure under the appropriate heading in the Statement of Financial Activities.

d) Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all costs related to the category. Expenditure includes attributable VAT, which cannot be recovered.

e) Grants payable are charged in the year when the offer is conveyed to the recipient except in those cases where the offer is conditional, such grants being recognised when the conditions attaching are fulfilled. Grants offered subject to conditions which have not been met at the year-end are noted as a commitment, but not accrued as expenditure.

f) Tangible fixed assets costing more than £1,000 are capitalised and included at cost including any incidental expenses of acquisition.

Depreciation is calculated so as to write off the cost of an asset, less its estimated residual value, over the useful economic life of that asset as follows:

Equipment 25% per annum on a reducing balance basis Office equipment, furinture & fixtures 25% per annum on a reducing balance basis Motor vehicles 25% per annum on a reducing balance basis

g) Cash at bank includes cash and short-term highly liquid investments with a notice of withdrawal period of three months or less.

h) Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.

i) Creditors are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.

j) Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objects at the discretion of the trustees.

l) 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. Expenditure which meets these criteria is charged to the fund, together with a fair allocation of management and support costs. Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.

56

THE MATTHEW TREE PROJECT

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2020

2 Costs of activities in furtherance of charity’s objectives

Costs of activities in furtherance of charity’s objectives
Direct costs
Food costs
Premises
Salaries
Strategic partner grants
Hardship grants
Support costs
Salaries
Employer's pension costs
Other staff costs
Meeting costs
IT costs
Evaluation and consultancy costs
Motor and travel expenses
Insurance
Depreciation
Miscellaneous expenses
Governance costs
Legal and professional fees
Independent examiner’s fee
Accountancy
Printing and stationery		 Total Funds
Total Funds
2020
2019
£
£
551,843
483,783
7,925
12,923
111,792
124,515
30,000
3,000
250
-
701,810
624,221
83,259
91,297
2,565
2,602
581
1,367
9,821
9,685
565
1,435
7,573
424
-
9,113
5,296
3,642
-
4,491
6,630
20,833
5,519
2,049
1,664
-
-
180
2,039
2,016
125,512
149,134
827,322
773,355

3 Net income/expenditure is stated after charging:

Depreciation
Independent Examiner’s fee		 2020
2019
£
£
6,630
20,833
1,740
180

57

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

THE MATTHEW TREE PROJECT

YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2020

4 Fund-accounting comparative figures

Income from:
Donations
Grants receivable
Charitable activities
Other sources
Total income
Expenditure on:
Raising funds
Charitable activities
Total expenditure
Net income/(expeniture) and net movement in funds
Total funds at 1 January
Salaries
Salaries
National Insurance
Employer's pension contributions
Total Funds at 31 December		 General
Restricted
Total Funds
Funds
Funds
2019
£
£
£
584,157
-
584,157
81,268
164,156
245,424
-
45,000
45,000
3,061
-
3,061		 General
Restricted
Total Funds
Funds
Funds
2019
£
£
£
584,157
-
584,157
81,268
164,156
245,424
-
45,000
45,000
3,061
-
3,061
668,486 209,156
877,642
21,591
-
21,591
605,583 167,772
773,355
627,174
167,772
794,946
41,312
41,384
82,696
32,656 123,123
155,779
73,968 164,507
238,475
2020
2019
£
£
181,004
201,765
14,047
14,047
2,564
2,601
197,615
218,413

5 Salaries

The average weekly number of employees during the year was 9, (2019:9)

No employee received more than £60,000 during the year.

The trustees consider the key management personnel to be the Chief Executive Officer. Total employee benefits paid to key management personnel (including employer's national insurance contributions and pension costs) were £59,799 (2019: £56,767).

No trustees received remuneration or other benefits from the company during the year (2019: £Nil).

58

THE MATTHEW TREE PROJECT NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2020

6 Tangible Fixed Assets

Cost
At 1 January 2020
Additions
At 31 December 2020
Depreciation
At 1 January 2020
Charge for the year
At 31 December 2020
Net book value
At 31 December 2020
At 31 December 2019
7
Investments
100% holding in subsidiary		 Equipment
Office
equipment,
fixtures &
fittings
Motor
vehicles
Total
£
£
£
£
65,753
21,478
13,297
100,528
-
4,873
-
4,873		 Equipment
Office
equipment,
fixtures &
fittings
Motor
vehicles
Total
£
£
£
£
65,753
21,478
13,297
100,528
-
4,873
-
4,873
65,753
26,351
13,297
105,401
30,513
15,172
10,343
56,028
6,350
(452)
731
6,629
36,863
14,720		 11,074
62,657
28,890
11,631		 2,223
42,744
35,240
6,306		 2,954
44,500
2020
2019
£
£
1
1

RISE Social Enterprise Ltd (company number 10740064) is a subsidiary of the charity. At the end of the year, the company owed The Matthew Tree Project £163,886 (2019: £97,228) for equipment and other services.

8
Debtors
Rental deposits
9
Creditors Falling Due Within One Year
Creditors
PAYE and NI, salaries		 2020
2019
£
£
1,250
1,250
1,250
1,250
2020
2019
£
£
982
1
6,681
12,710
7,663
12,711

59

THE MATTHEW TREE PROJECT NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2020

10 Movement in funds

Restricted funds
Key personnel salaries
Food Distribution Operations
Rebuilding Lives
RISE Social Enterprise
Money Smart Work Wise
Mobile Foodstore
Data Analysis Officer
Community Kitchen
Food for clients during covid
Unrestricted general funds
Designated funds
Food Stock funds
Total funds
Movement in funds - prior year
Restricted funds
Key personnel salaries
Food Distribution Operations
Rebuilding Lives
RISE Social Enterprise
Money Smart Work Wise
Mobile Foodstore
Data Analysis Officer
Unrestricted general funds
Designated fund
Food Stock funds
Total funds		 At 1 January
2020
Income
Expenditure
Transfers
At 31 December
2020
£
£
£
£
£
34,967
53,800
(44,833)
-
43,934
61,675
30,000
(15,000)
-
76,675
30,347
82,017
(97,017)
-
15,347
5,000
20,463
(463)
-
25,000
5,000
-
(5,000)
-
-
15,018
-
(15,018)
-
-
12,500
25,000
(14,583)
-
22,917
-
20,000
-
-
20,000
-
67,499
(67,499)
-
-
164,507 298,779
(259,413)
-
203,873
9,463 690,523
(586,117)
-
113,869
64,505
-
-
-
64,505
238,475 989,302
(845,530)
-
382,247
At 1 January
2019
Income
Expenditure
Transfers
At 31 December
2019
£
£
£
£
£
17,333
52,900
(35,266)
-
34,967
44,175
30,000
(12,500)
-
61,675
30,347 101,256
(101,256)
-
30,347
5,000
-
-
-
5,000
5,000
-
-
-
5,000
15,018
-
-
-
15,018
6,250
25,000
(18,750)
-
12,500
123,123 209,156
(167,772)
-
164,507
8,439 145,262
(144,238)
-
9,463
24,217 523,224
(482,936)
-
64,505
155,779 877,642
(794,946)
-
238,475

60

THE MATTHEW TREE PROJECT NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2020

10 Movement in funds (continued)

Unrestricted funds are available to be used at the discretion of the trustees in line with the charity's purposes.

Designated funds - The Food Stock fund represents gifts of food received during the year and food distributed to those in need. The balance at the end of the year is the value of food stocks held by the charity. Restricted funds

The Key personnel salaries fund includes grants received to fund the Chief Executive Officer's salary The Food Distribution Operations fund includes grants received to fund the supervisor of this work

The Rebuilding Lives fund includes grants received towarsds running the charity's Rebuilding Lives Crisis Support Programme.

Rise Social Enterprise fund - funds were received for setup costs and for a kitchen.

Money Smart Work Wise - funds were received to enable work on this project

Mobile Foodstore funds were received to help with the purchase of a lorry to set up a mobile store.

The Data Analysis fund enables the charity to see where our work is needed most and evaluate the results of its operations.

The Community Kitchen fund is made up of the OVO Energy grant.

11 Analysis of Net Assets Between Funds

Analysis of Net Assets Between Funds
Tangible Fixed Other Total
Assets Net Assets Funds
£ £ £
Restricted funds - 203,873 203,873
Unrestricted general funds 42,745 135,629 178,374
42,745 339,502 382,247
Prior year
Tangible Fixed Other Total
Assets Net Assets Funds
£ £ £
Restricted funds - 164,507 164,507
Unrestricted general funds 44,501 29,467 73,968
44,501 193,974 238,475

12 Related parties

Jonathan Evans (trustee) is a director of Arthur David Limited, to whom the charity paid £47,997 (2019: £nil) for wholesale food supplies

No trustees received or waived expense payments during either the current, or previous year.

61

Contact Us INFO@THE-MATTHEW-TREE-PROIECT.ORG 0117 966 8071 The lJ1atthew Tree Project 3rd Floor, l Temple Way Bristol, BS2 OBY www.f3cebook.ccm/thematthewtreeprojectl www.facebook.com/Ri5eSoci31Enterpri5e/ WWW.THEMAFtHEWTREEPROIECT.ORG 62 The MatthÈw Tree Projert 2021