ELY FOODBANK (A Charitable Incorporated Organisation )
REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022
Address: 10 Chapel Street, Ely CB6 1AD Charity Number: 1150746 Bankers: Lloyds Bank Independent Examiner: Dr Michael Williamson
The Trustees present their annual report and financial statement of the trust for the period 1 January - 31 December 2022
Status
The Charity was incorporated on 8 February 2013 and registered with the Charity Commission as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation with the charity number 1150746
Trustees
There shall be not less than 5 and no more than 8 trustees. The Trustees are appointed by the existing Trustees with regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the Trust.
Karl Relton (Chair) (term ended 25 Jan 2023) Stephen Greenish (new Chair) (appointed 23 Sept 2022) Sara Ochieng (Treasurer) (appointed 27 May 2022) Gordon Foster (Treasurer) (term ended 14 Sept 2022) Peter Whale (Secretary) (resigned 30 Jan 2022) Jenny Gage (resigned 15 Jan 2022) Mark Bonney Jenny Webb Caroline Barnes Stephanie Baxter Tabitha Griffin (appointed 20 Jul 2022) Jayne Roskell (appointed 8 Feb 2023)
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Objectives
Objectives:
The prevention or relief of poverty within a 20 mile radius of the City of Ely by providing small grants, emergency food parcels and other household items and services to individuals in need and/or to charities or other organisations working to prevent or relieve poverty.
Activities
Food is donated by members of the public, stored, and sorted into emergency food boxes. Frontline Care Professionals issue foodbank vouchers to people in crisis. These vouchers are exchanged for sufficient food for 3 days at the foodbank distribution centres where, in normal times, volunteers also take time to listen, and point clients towards further sources of support. This aspect of our activities was largely curtailed during the Covid 19 pandemic in order to protect the health of both clients and volunteers. Gradually during 2022 we were able to resume these ‘signposting’ activities which became even more relevant in the second half of the year with the onset of the cost of living crisis and enormous increase in fuel costs.
During 2022, our volunteers and staff continued to direct clients to a dedicated Citizens Advice advisor, enabling them to receive immediate and specific help with a wide range of benefit, housing, legal and other matters. The period of the initial grant we had received from Asda that has enabled us to fund this detailed in-depth assistance came to an end in August 2022. The success of the initiative was recognised by Trussell Trust who committed to continue to fund and extend the project for a further three years through to September 2025. This initiative has proved to be both successful and cost effective, with many positive outcomes for clients.
During 2022 83.0 tonnes (2021 - 72.9 tonnes) of food was donated or purchased and 80.5 tonnes (72.9 tonnes in 2020) was distributed as food boxes. This was the equivalent of approximately 88,000 meals (80,000 in 2020) for people, adults, and children, in crisis in the area stretching from Soham, through Ely, and out to March. Food was given out at distribution centres operated by the charity in Ely, Chatteris, Cottenham, Haddenham, March, Soham and Waterbeach.
The Charity relies upon the general public making donations of food at collection points at a number of supermarkets and other shops and centres. Local churches and schools often donate produce from their Harvest festival celebrations, and from other occasional collections, particularly in the run-up to Christmas. The positive impact on our financial donations that we saw during the pandemic has been maintained so that our income continues to be well above pre-pandemic levels. The generosity of new and existing supporters enables the charity to help more people in more ways.
The record level of reserves carried forward will enable the charity to help people in ways that have not previously been possible. In response to the cost of living crisis and specifically the massive increase in heating costs we were able to provide support to clients with small grants to top-up electricity/gas meters.
The trustees continue to actively plan and implement additional ways of helping people at the point of crisis.
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One such new initiative during the year was the funding of Form the Future a project which mentors children from disadvantaged homes through secondary schools. Another new initiative was to offer one-off grants to local secondary schools across our region of operation to enable them to better support needy children and their families.
The Charity could not operate without the loyal support of a team of dedicated volunteers; and the financial support of over 240 individual donors, local churches, schools, charities, and other organisations. As the Charity currently has very healthy financial reserves it has not sought funds from local charities for several years.
There were 6 Trustee meetings held during the year, two conducted via the medium of Zoom, one hybrid meeting and three in person.
Serious Incidents
The Trustees confirm that there are no serious incidents to report regarding operations in 2022.
Risk Analysis
The Trustees confirm that major risks to which the Trust is exposed are reviewed regularly.
Reserves Policy
The charity aims to hold free reserves sufficient to cover 6 months of normal expenditure, which is currently estimated to equate to £53,000. This reserves level allows sufficient cash to cover normal monthly expenditure, the main components of which are employment costs and rent & occupancy costs. In the light of changing circumstances this figure will be kept under review by the Trustees.
The trustees note that our reserves continue to rise well above the operating reserves that they would normally keep. The trustees have already committed to spend £140,000 in the coming three years by operating an energy grant scheme for Foodbank recipients, increasing client help with one-off grants, and supporting an additional part-time CA adviser to attend distribution sessions.. The trustees have also made provision for the purchase of food should public donations not keep up with demand. Beyond that the trustees are also considering strategic projects that may include taking on specific project workers or further support for the Ely CAP debt centre.
Cash Assets
Cash assets at year end totalled £268,642, of which £29,509 was in restricted funds. Total cash assets at the end of the previous year were £198,685, of which £14,916 was in a restricted fund.
Stephen Greenish (Chairman of Trustees)
Sara Ochieng (Treasurer)
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Independent Examiner’s Report
| Independent Examiner’s Report | Independent Examiner’s Report | Independent Examiner’s Report | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Report to the trustees/ members of On accounts for the year ended Set out on page |
Ely Foodbank | ||
| 31 December 2022 | Charity no (if any) |
1150746 | |
| 5 |
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31 / 12 / 2022 .
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner's statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
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the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
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the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
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the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 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 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.
Signed: R M Williamson Date: 25/10/2023 Name: R M Williamson Address: MiJan Ltd, The Willows, Long Drove Waterbeach, Cambridge CB25 9LW
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| Receipts and Payments for theyear to 31 December 2022 | Receipts and Payments for theyear to 31 December 2022 | Receipts and Payments for theyear to 31 December 2022 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds |
TOTAL 2022 | TOTAL 2021 | ||
| Receipts | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Charities | 11,140 | 5,000 | 16,140 | 11,720 | |
| Churches | 2,800 | - | 2,800 | 982 | |
| Schools | 522 | 522 | 2,927 | ||
| Local organisations | 15,487 | 15,487 | 2,753 | ||
| Companies | 17,561 | 17,561 | 15,897 | ||
| Trussell Trust | 6,750 | 45,000 | 51,750 | - | |
| Internet & Facebook | 67,027 | 67,027 | 56,061 | ||
| Single donations | 20,760 | 20,760 | 27,833 | ||
| Standingorders | 19,223 | 19,223 | 16,814 | ||
| Gift Aid | 4,994 | 4,994 | 5,439 | ||
| Cash & misc. | 3,433 | 3,433 | 414 | ||
| Pop-upshop | - | - | - | ||
| ASDA CABproject | - | - | 26,887 | ||
| BuildingSocietyinterest | 1,351 | 1,351 | 473 | ||
| Totals | 171,048 | 50,000 | 221,048 | 168,200 | |
| Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds |
TOTAL 2022 | TOTAL 2021 | ||
| Payments | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Trussell Trust | - | - | |||
| Rent & occupancycosts | 12,513 | 687 | 13,200 | 14,147 | |
| Insurance | 432 | 432 | 1,271 | ||
| Fitments for food stores & equipmen | 523 | 30 | 553 | 220 | |
| Admin | 2,191 | 120 | 2,311 | 1,178 | |
| Telephone & AnsweringService | 4,847 | 266 | 5,113 | 4,350 | |
| Stationery& Printing | 785 | 43 | 828 | 489 | |
| Training | 1,417 | 1,417 | 40 | ||
| Travel expenses | 1,307 | 72 | 1,379 | 2,946 | |
| Van hire | 9,079 | 498 | 9,577 | 8,900 | |
| Employment | 43,030 | 2,361 | 45,391 | 44,793 | |
| Foodpurchases | 2,674 | 147 | 2,821 | 5,237 | |
| Client help | 7,044 | 386 | 7,430 | 3,277 | |
| Fuel Poverty- client help | 7,106 | 390 | 7,496 | 614 | |
| ASDA CABproject | 8,137 | 14,916 | 23,053 | 30,486 | |
| Trussell Trust CA Project | 16,491 | 16,491 | - | ||
| Specialprojects | 13,600 | 13,600 | 18,136 | ||
| Totals | 114,685 | 36,407 | 151,092 | 136,084 | |
| Net receipts/ payments | 56,363 | 13,593 | 69,956 | 32,116 | |
| Balances b/fwd | ~~5~~ 183,770 |
14,916 | 198,686 | 166,570 | |
| Balances c/fwd | 240,133 | 28,509 | 268,642 | 198,686 | |