## **Trustees Annual Report Yearr end 31/01/2025 from Chair of Trustees Nick Bashford** Our core activity is the distribution of emergency food parcels and I am pleased to report that overall our 2024/25 use figures have reduced from those of the previous foodbank year. Whilst it’s important to report the levels of support we have provided we should never forget that these numbers represent real people living in our area needing that support. The fact that anyone has to rely on an emergency food parcel is a sad reflection of the times we live in. During our last foodbank year we provided emergency food to 2,568 local people an 8% reduction on the previous year. Sadly however, the number of children supported has increased from the previous year to 855 children reflecting the increase in the number of families referred to us for emergency food. In total we provided 1,243 food parcels, 67% of which were given out from our Highbridge distribution point at Hope Baptist. In simple terms these numbers equate to in excess of 23,000 meals – food that 2,568 local people would have gone without had our food parcels not been available As always, my goal, & I believe the goal of all our team, is to be able to close this foodbank because it’s no longer needed. Sadly, once again, despite an encouraging reduction in overall numbers, closure seems very far away. We rely on the generosity of donors to support us. In common with foodbanks across the country we have seen a reduction in donated stock. During the year we took in over 22,000 Kg of stock & distributed virtually the same amount. We purchased 16% of our distributed stock. Food spend represented 25% of our total unrestricted income for the year. The board of trustees regularly review our income and food spend and have no concerns about our financial capacity to continue to meet current levels of need for emergency food support. As you are aware our Foodbank does not actively fund raise, but we have received financial support from others for which we are very grateful. Our Treasurer will give more detail on all our financial matters in his report to the AGM. At the end of the 2024/25 FB year our total cash funds managed across 3 accounts were £49,618 I would like to pass on the boards grateful thanks to our Treasurer for his clear and professional handling of the foodbanks finances. Also, to our Auditor for volunteering her expertise. We continue to provide food primarily through referral from agencies linked to our foodbank such as Schools, Doctors, Health Visitors, Homes in Sedgemoor, probation and mental health workers, Citizens Advice and the Village Agent team. The Village Agent team no longer attend foodbank sessions but are available in the Waffle Hub in Burnham during foodbank opening times and still work closely with us. In Highbridge they are now based in the Purple Spoon Café. Myself, MB & AB have attended a series of community breakfasts networking with other organisations and community groups and explaining the foodbank referral process which was well received & increased understanding of how our foodbank works dispelling some myths along the way! In April 2024 we entered into the 2[nd] year of our Financial Inclusion Project supported by Trussell Trust grant funding. This project allows us to offer one to one advice & support to foodbank users around income, outgoings, debt and other matters associated with financial wellbeing to remove or reduce their need for emergency food support. We are very grateful to DD & VE who have taken the lead on the project, & who have continued to liaise with Citizens Advice & TT over the year. 2025/26 will be the final year of Trussells funding for the project. The Trustees have given their agreement for DD to investigate alternative sources of funding to ensure we are in a position to continue the project in some capacity if the board so decides post April 2026. Other services are available to our clients such as energy advice from onsite advisors. They offer both practical advice & financial support with energy bills. One client benefitted from a complete central heating re-fit including a new boiler, all free of charge from this service. We continue to have access to SIM cards providing 6 months completely free data & calls which have been a huge benefit to some clients struggling to maintain internet connectivity Our volunteers continue to signpost clients to other services available locally, many of which are on the premises in Burnham at the Methodist Church through the work of the Waffle Hub. This year, following Trussells corporate re-branding we have changed our volunteer work-ware and foodbank signage. We have retained our foodbank “green” which has become recognisable in the town over the years. Whilst it’s beneficial, particularly for our front of house & collection teams to be easily identifiable, I think it’s fair to say our clients haven’t noticed the logo changes. From the very start our foodbank we have been based at the Methodist Church and at Hope Baptist. We are very grateful to both Churches for the support they continue to offer. The trustee board regularly consider this generous arrangement and maintain a reserve of funds to ensure alternative premises can be sourced should the need arise. Looking ahead I am mindful of the forthcoming proposed changes to the country’s benefit systems and, as a board, we must be mindful of the potential impact on our service if these changes go ahead in their current planned format. Trussell are actively lobbying against the most harsh of these changes, informed by foodbanks and their users across the country. Trustees will receive regular updates in Trussells Network Update emails In closing I’d like to give a very special mention to all of our wonderful volunteers without whom our foodbank would not exist. Some volunteers have been with us for many years, once people join us its unusual for them to leave! We have now worked for a number of years with volunteers from Somewhere House. We welcome this partnership and have been blessed to meet and work with many of their clients. We consider this to be a very important part of our work within the community and look forward to its ongoing success. Each of our volunteers play an individual vital role – including our trustee board. No part of the foodbank works effectively unless all the parts work. If no one collects the food or manages the accounts or weighs and sorts the donations, or packs food parcels or looks after the compliance of our operation or makes the teas, our buys in stock or updates our data systems or or or …. Then our community doesn’t have a foodbank to support them in challenging times. Thank you all for the part you play – you make a difference. CHARITY COMMISSIO FOR ENGLAND AND WAI -.dge A-, ta Fnoii.-an Receipts and payments accounts CC16a F¢x perlod To 01A)V2024 31m1r2025 Section A Receipts and payments n(ts Tctsl funds ty•ar A1 R8Cg1 DoTh9b￿sfrDrn Indivituals TA￿81 TN81 FI￿(1￿ In&Jwi (>arrt 710 61.7 787 13 Sub total(Gmss income for AR) 7&035 Isefr tsble). Sub total S,036 A3Pa mwts Insurance 1.117 38 772 11,338 Equiomertl S.n2 212 Volunte•r Expense¥ CAB Fin￿e1￿1 Indusk)n t)onaton$ lo Churc MarkotinglPnnting Vcdurn¢erCbt 212 33317 16.100 155 1*14 Sub total 74,671 A51 A4 Assèt and inv•Btn*nt Sub totsl 18,325 74fll .231 Net o1rec*W(payn￿tsj A6 TMn¥f•Ys funds A6 Cash funds W ygar gnd C•sh funds this y•ar •nd 11348 45246 11,038 49,620 11104 CCXX R1 xo)unts ISS) 2W07r2021 Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unresirtcthd Restrfcted tunds tun(ts to ngaTo#£ Endowment funds Itagories Details to n0ar•5t£ to B1 Cash funds 32 D• ￿At￿jffl Total cash lun(ts 49.618 End￿Trn￿ fun(ts funds Detalls Detsi Cun•rtv•ly• Details 84 A$80ts rotsinod for tho charftys own use Fundknt*ffi*h Ylh•n Details BS Uabllltlos S•J Print Name Date of roval I BPONFOQ Li4AiR. 29A)7r2W25 CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Rèport to the truste•s HIGHBRIDGE AREA FOODBANK On accounts for the year andod Charity no (If any) 3110111025 1147078 Set out on pagès I report to the trustees on my examinatK)n of the accounts of the above charity (Ihe Trust.) for the year ended As the charity's trustees. you are responsible for the proparation of the accounts in accordan￿ with the requirernents of the Char5ties Act 2011 (Yhe Act"). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in caryng out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. Responslbllltles and basis of report Independent examinerfs statement I have completed my examination. l ¢onfirn that no material rnatters hav8 come to my attention in ￿nnectIOn with the examination (other than that disclosed bekm ") which gives me (xuse to believe thal in. any material respect: th8 accounting records were not kept in accordan￿ with section 130 of the Chariiies Act: or the accounts did not accord with the accounting records" or the accounts did not compty wtth the applicable requirements Con￿mIng the fonn and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulat￿nS 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair. view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no con￿M$ and have come across no other matters in connectson 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. . Plaase delete Ihe words in th& brackets if they do not apply. Sign￿. 02104J102S Name: EMNq SHORE Relevant professional qualification(s) or body lif any): AAT L&VÉL4 DIPLOMA IN PRoFQS510NIAL AciOut)l TivJfr Address: 2 POPHft￿ cu)sE. EFtSf eRGN[ kllCd@RI DGF TAq tsRY IER Oct 2018 Section B Disclosure Only complete rf the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32. Independent examination of charty accounts: directions and guidance for examiners). Give here brief detalls of any items that the examiner wlshes to dlsclo80. IER Oct 2018