2026-04-30-accounts - New Forest Basics Bank

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Registered charity number 1150170

New Forest Basics Bank

Report and Accounts

30 April 2026

New Forest Basics Bank Registered charity number: 1150170 REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2026

OUR OBJECTIVES

Guided by the Christian ethos expressing God’s love in action, we aim to relieve poverty or financial hardship in the New Forest and surrounding area by:

Providing food and other essentials to families and individuals referred to us by recognised social work agencies, local authorities, community bodies, churches, charities and other organisations whose purpose includes the prevention or relief or poverty (“referral agencies”);
Providing goods, services and discretionary grants in association with other referral agencies to alleviate poverty;
Providing, either on our own or in association with another organisation, practical guidance and training for local people to help them improve budgeting for limited resources, and to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle; and
Disposal of foods, goods or other stock which is considered to be surplus to requirement, to charities or other organisations whose purposes include the relief of poverty or financial hardship.

We provide these services freely, impartially, confidentially and non-judgementally, irrespective of religious opinion, race, nationality, colour, gender, age, sexual orientation or political opinion.

WHAT WE DO

We operate in the southern part of the New Forest, including Lymington, Pennington, East Boldre, Boldre, Brockenhurst, Sway, Burley, Milford-on-Sea, Everton, Bransgore, New Milton and Barton-onSea and the surrounding areas.

There are many reasons why people need a food parcel. It can be caused by something as simple as a benefit payment being late, or a more serious debt issue, an unexpected bill, a family breakdown, domestic violence, losing a job or illness preventing the client from working. Receiving a food parcel can help relieve the stress that food poverty causes.

We provide food parcels to allow our clients some respite while they find a way forward, for example providing a lead-in for the first Universal Credit payment to be received. We may also work with other agencies to help our clients find a way forward and to become more self-reliant.

We rely on the generosity of local people, as well as receiving support from local businesses and local government. Our process is simple:

Generous local people donate non-perishable food or money to us;
The food is sorted by our volunteers and supplemented with fresh items purchased locally and made up into bags designed to feed individuals or families for up to a week at the time;
People who are in need either collect the parcels from us or it is delivered direct to their homes, or their children’s schools, by our volunteers;

We also collaborate with the Fuel Bank charity and act as one of their accredited referrers to

facilitate access to fuel grants for local households in need.

The charity is run entirely by volunteers who make an invaluable contribution of their time and skills.

The Trustees have regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit when planning their activities.

CHAIRMAN’S REVIEW OF THE YEAR

We provided 4,274 (2025: 4,356) parcels in the year which gave over 9,555 (2025: 9,910) people food and basic supplies when they needed. Additionally, we referred 240 people (2025: 354) to the Fuel Bank to assist them with their fuel bills. As well as parcels picked up by or delivered to individuals and families, we also provided support for fuel bills and food to 338 (2025: 246) schools for lunches, breakfasts and after school clubs.

In addition, we continue to support the FareShare Community Larders in New Milton, Ashley, Pennington and Bransgore. We provide volunteer resources and take surplus food donated to the Food Bank for distribution. These Larders provide fresh and ambient food to people for a small weekly subscription and provide support for individuals and families struggling to make ends meet. The Larders act as a potential introduction pathway to the foodbank. Equally larders can provide a useful stepping stone away from the Food Bank as clients have to make a small contribution each visit and physically collect their food. On average, the four larders were used by 140 families per week. At each Larder location we provide a service whereby the main providers like Citizens Advice, Doctors' Surgery representatives, Universal Credit Advisors, specialists from the Housing and Tenancy teams attend along with free tea and coffee which makes for a very social occasion.

We continue to work closely with the Food Rescue Kitchen (which collects surplus food from the supermarkets and redistributes it to people in need . This service operates every evening from 2020-2145 and is invaluable in terms of supplementing both the NFBB and the FairShare Community Larders.

As ever, none of this could have been achieved without the endless generosity of our supporters in the local community and the enthusiasm of our many and varied volunteers who have worked tirelessly to ensure that anyone who has requested our help receives it – all of whom have my undying thanks!

HOW WE ARE STRUCTURED, GOVERNED AND MANAGED

New Forest Basics Bank is a registered charity, number 1150170.

We are a Charitable Association with 36 members. The Association is governed by our Constitution dated 20 September 2012, as amended on 18 September 2013 and 15 July 2016.

We are managed by a team of 8 trustees who are elected or re-elected annually by the members of the Charity at the Annual General Meeting.

The Trustees who served during the year were:

Oliver Stanley (Chairman) Charles Cooke-Hurle (Treasurer) David da Cunha Doug Knight Lynn Peck Hilary Tudor Sue Winnington Sarah Richards

New Forest Basics Bank Registered charity number: 1150170 FINANCIAL REVIEW for the year ended 30 April 2026

Donations and grants receivable

Income from donations and grants receivable reduced to £238k, compared with £256k in 2025. This included a legacy of £49k.

Resources expended

Resources expended on charitable activities reduced slightly by £20k in 2026. The average cost per parcel also reduced to £30.

Net incoming resources and total funds carried forward

Net incoming resources for the year were £25k which, combined with funds brought forward, give total funds carried forward of £523k at 30 April, 2026.

RESERVES POLICY

The purpose of our reserves policy is to ensure that the New Forest Basics Bank can continue delivering its mission of providing food and other basics to people in desperate need.

As a significant part of our funds are tied up in our new building, our general reserves policy looks at reserves after deducting the net book value of our fixed assets. These reserves equated to approximately £344k at 30 April 2026.

These general reserves are intended to provide an internal source of funds for situations such as a sudden increase in demand for our food parcels; a sharp rise in the cost of the food and other basic items we provide; or an unexpected reduction in either cash or food donations.

The Trustees reviewed the minimum target for these general reserves in the year and decided to retain it at 6 months of forecast running costs. For the year ending 30 April 2026, the minimum target equates to approximately £110k.

The Trustees review the minimum target at least annually to ensure it remains appropriate.

Additionally, the Trustees have created an Unristricted Designated Building Replacement Fund to set aside funds to replace the current building which has an anticipated life of 25 years. As the building was completed in April 2020 a transfer of £120k will be made this year and the Trustees intend to increase this by £20k each year. The Trustees do not expect the fund to cover the full cost of any replacement building but it will make a meaningful contribution to the cost.

NEW FOREST BASICS BANK INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES I report to the trustees on my examinab.on of the financial ststements of the Ftyesl Basics Bank ltt)e Charityl for the year ended 30 April 2026 set oul on wes 5 to 8. Responsibilities and basis of roport As the trustees of the Charty you are responSie for the preparatK)n of the financial statements in accordance wth the requirements of the Charib'es Act 2011 1.the 2011 Act). I report in respect of my examination of the Chanws financial ststements carrd out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrwng oul my examination I have followed all the applicabk Directions given by the Charity Commission under secthjn 14515)Ib) of the 2011 Ac. Independent ¢xaminge$ ststsmfjnt I have completed my examinab.on of the finar&al Statements. I confinn that no material matters have Come to my attention in connection V*ith the examinats.on giving me cause to believe that in any material SPect accounting records tre not kept in respect of the Charrty as required by section 130 of the 2011 Act., or 2. the financial slatements do not accord vlith those records. I have no concems and have come across no other rnatte in conne¢b"on the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enabbe a proper un<lerstanding of the financial statements to be reathed. Dawd Griffith$ FCA 202 We$tNiNe Ober Road Brockenhursl Hampshire S042 7ST

New Forest Basics Bank

STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2026

Note INCOMING RESOURCES Donations and grants receivable Donations Grant funding Gift aid Total donations and grants receivable Other income: Interest income TOTAL INCOMING RESOURCES RESOURCES EXPENDED Charitable Activities Food and household Emergency and Christmas Premises expenses Depreciation Admin and publicity Total charitable activities TOTAL EXPENDITURE Total funds brought forward TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD Net incoming/(outgoing) resources for the year	Unrestricted funds £ 189,272 35,200 13,470 237,942 7,247 245,189 144,643 18,552 14,714 12,216 28,950 219,075 219,075 26,114 473,764 499,878 Year	Restricted Total funds funds £ £ - 189,272 35,200 - 13,470 - 237,942 - 7,247 - 245,189 144,643 - 18,552 - 14,714 1,200 13,416 - 28,950 1,200 220,275 1,200 220,275 (1,200) 24,914 24,000 497,764 22,800 522,678 ended 30 April 2026	2025 Total funds £ 228,538 13,540 14,412 256,490 7,131 263,621 154,827 15,259 25,697 14,873 29,877 240,533 240,533 23,088 474,676 497,764

1150170

New Forest Basics Bank Registered number: Balance Sheet as at 30 April 2026

Notes Fixed assets Tangible assets 2 Current assets Stocks Debtors 3 Cash at bank and in hand Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 4 Net current assets Net assets Restricted funds Unrestricted funds: General reserves Unrestricted funds: Buiding reserves Accumulated fund 5	2026 £ 178,943 5,000 9,025 340,153 354,178 (10,443) 343,735 522,678 22,800 379,878 120,000 522,678	2025 £ 189,690 5,000 10,288 314,771 330,059 (21,985) 308,074 497,764 24,000 473,764 - 497,764

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees on ………………………..... and signed on their behalf by:

…………………………………..

Oliver Stanley Chairman

…………………………………..

Charles Cooke-Hurle Treasurer

New Forest Basics Bank Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 30 April 2026

1 Accounting policies

Basis of preparation

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice Accounting and Reporting by Charities (FRS 102) and applicable UK Accounting Standards and the Charities Act 2011.

Incoming resources

All incoming resources are recognised once the charity has entitlement to the resources; it is certain that the resources will be received; and the monetary value of incoming resources can be measured with sufficient reliability.

Food and household donations

As a small charity, we do not have the systems to enable us to accurately track the value of the food and household goods that are donated by the public so no monetary value is recognised for these in the financial statements. However, we estimate that these goods represent one quarter to one third of the value of the parcels we send out; this approximates to between £40,000 and £55,000 in monetary terms.

Volunteers

The charity does not have any paid members of staff and is dependent on the work of its volunteers and other volunteer organisations to collect food, pack and deliver parcels and manage all of the associated support activities. No monetary value is recognised in the financial statements for the work done by

volunteers.

Tangible fixed assets

Tangible fixed assets are stated at cost less depreciation. Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write off the cost of fixed assets, less their estimated residual value, over their expected useful lives on the following basis: asset evenly over its expected useful life, as follows:

Leasehold land and buildings straight-line method over the life of the lease Motor vehicles 25% reducing balance method Fixtures & fittings 10 years straight-line method

Stocks

As noted above we do not have a system to enable us to accurately track the value of donated goods. The stock figure included in the balance sheet is our best estimate of the cost of food and household goods in our store at the year end. This stock was distributed very soon after it was received.

2 Tangible fixed assets

Cost At 1 May 2025 Additions At 30 April 2026 Depreciation At 1 May 2025 Charge for the year At 30 April 2026 Net book value At 30 April 2026 At 30 April 2025	Land and buildings £ 210,087 - 210,087 42,000 8,400 50,400 159,687 168,087	Fixtures & fittings £ 6,586 2,672 9,258 2,420 660 3,080 6,178 4,166	Motor vehicles £ 37,209 - 37,209 19,772 4,359 24,131 13,078 17,437	Total £ 253,882 2,672 256,554 64,192 13,419 77,611 178,943 189,690

New Forest Basics Bank Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 30 April 2026

3 Debtors Prepayments Other debtors 4 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year Accruals Deferred income Trade creditors Taxation and social security costs Other creditors	2026 £ 7,025 2,000 9,025 2026 £ 1,980 276 4,226 187 3,774 10,443	2025 £ 8,288 2,000 10,288 2025 £ 7,353 276 9,138 - 5,218 21,985

Deferred income represents grants received where the associated costs have not been incurred before the year end.

5 Analysis of net assets between funds

Fixed assets Current assets Current liabilities Transfers Total net assets	Unrestricted Unrestricted Restricted Total general fund building fund funds funds £ £ £ 156,143 22,800 178,943 354,178 354,178 (10,443) (10,443) (120,000) 120,000 - 379,878 120,000 22,800 522,678 2026

Fixed assets Current assets Current liabilities Total net assets	Unrestricted Unrestricted Restricted Total general fund building fund funds funds £ £ £ 165,690 24,000 189,690 330,059 330,059 (21,985) (21,985) 473,764 - 24,000 497,764 2025

Restricted funds relating to fixed assets represent funds contributed towards the cost of the new building by New Forest District Council. If the Granary building is sold, New Forest District Council is entitled to receive the same proportion of the proceeds as it contributed to the cost of building. These funds are being amortised to unrestricted funds over the 25 year lease of the building.

Premises are essential to the charity's purpose. An unrestricted building reserve has been created to provide a contribution towards the eventual replacement of the building. An annual transfer between the unrestricted general fund and new unrestricted building fund of £20,000 is to be made. The first transfer is for the 6 years from April 2020 to April 2026.