## **Annual Accounts to 30 September 2023** The Besom in Taunton ## Company No. **8500773** ## (A company limited by guarantee) ST JAMES CHURCH St James Street Taunton Somerset TA1 1JS Directors’ Report - A) The principal activities of the company - (94910 - Activities of religious organisations). The Besom in Taunton is a charity which helps Christians go out and serve their community. It provides links between social agencies and churches, so that those who are in need can be reached by those who feel called to serve. - B) Details of the company directors (Trustees) - Roger Keith Habgood (Chairman); Jeremy Peter Gainsford; Elaine Fenton; Mark Christopher Turner (Treasurer) - C) Political donations and expenditure - none - D) Charitable donations - The Besom Network (£914); Taunton Foodbank (£100) - E) Acquisitions of own shares - none - F) Employment of disabled persons - none Page 1 of 4 Treasurer: Mark Turner Signature: Date: 12/02/24 ## **Income & Expenditure Trends** |**Income**
General
Crisis Food Boxes
Seasonal Hampers
Starter Packs
Warehouse
Interest
Besom Network Insurance
**Total Income**
**Expenditure**
General / Admin
Crisis Food Boxes
Seasonal Hampers
Starter Packs
Projects
Warehouse
Van running costs
Website
Charitable donations
Besom Network Insurance
Van Depreciation
**Total Expenditure**
**Net Surplus /Deficit**
Funds Brought Forward
**Funds Carried Forward**|**2018-19**
**2019-20**
**2020-21**
**2021-22**
**2022-23**
£10,862
£8,906
£11,827
£12,620
£16,687
£699
£2,794
£3,514
£3,516
£695
£60
£35
£150
£50
£10
£3,947
£3,909
£3,753
£3,553
£6,450
£9,281
£8,163
£9,255
£8,850
£8,850
£23
£4,509
£6,127| |---|---| ||**£24,849**
**£23,808**
**£33,008**
**£28,589**
**£38,842**
£1,145
£3,514
£3,312
£3,011
£2,873
£1,477
£3,269
£5,535
£4,513
£2,941
£18
£9
£50
£202
£3,714
£5,691
£5,816
£7,217
£12,411
£1,334
£107
£72
£531
£694
£8,249
£10,261
£9,715
£9,865
£8,212
£2,155
£2,163
£1,940
£1,651
£2,158
£438
£85
£164
£319
£163
£1,014
£4,509
£6,127
£388
£310
£248
£199
£159| ||**£18,918**
**£25,409**
**£31,361**
**£27,306**
**£36,955**| ||**£5,931**
**-£1,602**
**£1,647**
**£1,283**
**£1,887**
£20,475
£26,406
£24,804
£26,452
£27,735| ||**£26,406**
**£24,804**
**£26,452**
**£27,735**
**£29,621**| Page 2 of 4 Treasurer: Mark Turner Signature: Date: 12/02/24 ## **Balance Sheet for the Year Ending 30 September 2023** |**Fixed Assets**
**Cost**
**Depreciation**
Diesel Van
£5,920
£5,284
Warehouse rental deposit (see note)
**Current Assets**
HSBC Current Account
HSBC Deposit Account
Credit balance on ASDA pre-pay card
Gifts & Cheques Awaiting Banking
**Total Assets**
**Current Liabilities**
**Total assets less current liabilities**
**Share Capital and Reserves**
Share Capital
Retained Funds
Reserves
**Total Capital and Reserves**|**Net**
£636
£3,100
£6,963
£22,023
£82
-
**£32,803**
-
**£32,803**| |---|---| ||-
£20,603
£12,200
**£32,803**| Note: The deposit for the rented warehouse has been held by the landlord since the 2016-17 financial year. The trustees acknowledge their responsibility for complying with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts. The accounts for the year ending 30 September 2023 have been independently examined, and the examiner has confirmed that: 1. the accounting records have been presented correctly; 2. the accounts were in agreement with the records presented; and 3. the formatting of the accounts was correct. The examiner has made no comment in relation to any other concerns about the accounts. Page 3 of 4 Treasurer: Mark Turner Signature: Date: 12/02/24 **Notes to the accounts** In line with the accounting framework set out by The Charity Commission: - an examination of the accounts is required under section 145(1) of the Charities Act 2011 - section 144(1) (audit) of the Charities Act 2011 does not apply to the charity - the current thresholds for audit are not exceeded - the charity is exempt from audit in accordance with section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 - the accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis under section 133 of the Charities Act 2011 The directors and members of the core [management] team receive no remuneration for their support of the charity. No HMRC taxation of income is required as Besom is a non profitmaking charitable company. ## **Designated funds** The designated funds are as follows:- 1. Crisis Food Boxes 2. Seasonal Hampers 3. Starter Packs 4. Warehouse 5. Website 6. Reserves (see below) The purpose of the individual funds is to keep track of any income and expenditure associated with the appropriate fund. ## **Reserves and Depreciation** The general reserves fund stands at £5,000 in line with the reserves policy. The main concerns of the trustees are:- - to conform to the Charity Commissions Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP); - to ensure that there are sufficient funds for committed expenditure (ie the warehouse lease); and - to have some time in trying to secure new funding. The general reserves fund would enable the current level of activity to continue for at least 3 months if a crisis in ongoing funding should occur. The van is being depreciated at 20% per annum on a reducing balance basis. A separate reserve fund has been established to fund the eventual replacement of the van; this stood at £7,200 at 30 September 2023. Page 4 of 4 Treasurer: Mark Turner Signature: Date: 12/02/24 ## **Financial Review – The Besom in Taunton for the year 1st October 2022 to 30th September 2023** **Gross income in this financial year was £38,842** ; this included £6,127 received from other Besoms in the UK to allow The Besom in Taunton to pay a single collective insurance premium on behalf of the Besom network. Excluding this sum, the **net income was £32,715** – an increase of £4,126 compared with the 2021-22 financial year. Net expenditure (excluding the additional insurance premium of £6,217 paid on behalf of the other Besoms) was £30,828 – an increase of £3,522 compared with the previous year. In line with accounting framework set out by the Charity Commission, and as income exceeded £25,000, an independent examination is being carried out of the accounts for 2022-23. The Annual Return will be completed and submitted to the Charity Commission within six months of the financial year end date (30[th] September 2023), and will detail our spending and reserves. Our thanks, once again, go to the following churches for their regular financial support, without which the Besom would not be in a position to lease the warehouse: - All Saints Church, Trull - Living Light Church - North Street Church - Riverside Church - St. James Church - Vineyard Church We are also deeply appreciative for the continuing generosity of all our regular givers, and for those who have contributed one-off donations throughout the year. This year we have received corporate donations from: - J P Gainsford Associates - LiveWest In addition, we have also been generously supported by the following people and organisations that have held fund-raising events on our behalf, or have forwarded the proceeds from events they have arranged: - Marion Steed - Wellington Methodist Church Page 1 of 5 The Besom in Taunton – Financial Review 2022-23 ## **Fund Movements** Donations have been matched with the appropriate designated fund where possible. On the basis that individual funds cannot operate with deficits, any shortfalls in specific donations have been made up from the general fund. ||**Opening**|**Income**|**Expenditure**|**Closing**| |---|---|---|---|---| |Crisis Food Boxes||£695|£2,941|| |Seasonal Hampers|£227|£10|£202|£35| |Starter Packs||£6,450|£12,411|| |Warehouse||£8,850|8,212|£638| |Website|||£163|| ## **Reserves** There are two reserve funds: the general reserve and a fund for replacement of the Besom’s van. The general reserve fund stands at £5,000 in line with the reserves policy. This fund is required to: - conform to the Charity Commission’s Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP); - ensure that there are sufficient funds for committed expenditure (specifically the warehouse lease); and - have some time in trying to secure new funding if such need should arise. The general reserve fund would enable the current level of activity to continue for 3 months in case of an income hiatus, assuming that expenditure on starter packs was suspended. The reserve fund for replacement of the Besom’s van stood at £7,200 on 30 September 2023. Page 2 of 5 The Besom in Taunton – Financial Review 2022-23 ## **Income and Expenditure** A breakdown of income and expenditure is presented in the table below. **Income & Expenditure Trends** |**Income**
General Fund
Crisis Food Boxes
Seasonal Hampers
Starter Packs
Warehouse
Interest
Besom Network Insurance
**Total Income**
**Expenditure**
General / Admin
Crisis Food Boxes
Seasonal Hampers
Starter Packs
Projects
Warehouse
Van (running costs)
Website
Charitable donations
Besom Network Insurance
Depreciation of Van
**Total Expenditure**
**Net Surplus /Deficit**
Funds Brought Forward
**Funds Carried Forward**|**2018-19**
**2019-20**
**2020-21**
**2021-22**
**2022-23**
£10,862
£8,906
£11,827
£12,620
£16,687
£699
£2,794
£3,514
£3,516
£695
£60
£35
£150
£50
£10
£3,947
£3,909
£3,753
£3,553
£6,450
£9,281
£8,163
£9,255
£8,850
£8,850
£23
£4,509
£6,127| |---|---| ||**£24,849**
**£23,808**
**£33,008**
**£28,589**
**£38,842**
£1,145
£3,514
£3,312
£3,011
£2,873
£1,477
£3,269
£5,535
£4,513
£2,941
£18
£9
£50
£202
£3,714
£5,691
£5,816
£7,217
£12,411
£1,334
£107
£72
£531
£694
£8,249
£10,261
£9,715
£9,865
£8,212
£2,155
£2,163
£1,940
£1,651
£2,158
£438
£85
£164
£319
£163
£1,014
£4,509
£6,127
£388
£310
£248
£199
£159| ||**£18,918**
**£25,409**
**£31,361**
**£27,306**
**£36,955**| ||**£5,931**
**-£1,602**
**£1,647**
**£1,283**
**£1,887**
£20,475
£26,406
£24,804
£26,452
£27,735| ||**£26,406**
**£24,804**
**£26,452**
**£27,735**
**£29,621**| Page 3 of 5 The Besom in Taunton – Financial Review 2022-23 The pie charts below indicate the income and expenditure under each heading. Page 4 of 5 The Besom in Taunton – Financial Review 2022-23 The column chart shows how expenditure has varied over the last five years. ## **Comments** Expenditure on crisis food boxes in this financial year reduced by 35%, mainly due to the continued arrangement with Taunton Foodbank, but also partly due to the pausing of food box deliveries towards the end of the financial year. In contrast, expenditure on starter packs increased by 72% this year (and was 113% higher than in 2020-21). Expenditure on projects was 31% higher than it was in 2021-22. General / admin expenditure reduced by 5% compared with 2021-22. The main elements within this expenditure were regular utility bills (37%), insurance (17%) and management of safeguarding (8%). The trustees decided to donate tax recovered through Gift Aid during 2022-23 and in future to support the national Besom Network. Also, the Besom had been providing financial contributions to Taunton Foodbank, recognising that the Foodbank was providing food to Besom recipients that we would otherwise have had to source ourselves. Following the decision to pause food box deliveries, the trustees decided to continue the donations to the Foodbank until the end of 2023; with effect from September 2023 these have been counted as charitable donations, rather than being included as food box expenditure. Mark Turner **Treasurer, The Besom in Taunton** November 2023 Page 5 of 5 The Besom in Taunton – Financial Review 2022-23 CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Rw>rt to the trusttt The Besom In Taunton On accounts lorthe yur Ch•rity no {If any) 1152511 1and2 I report to the trustees on my examination of a(￿unts of th8 above chwity llhe Tntsn for the year ended 31)10￿23. RMpon8lblllYa• *nd As thè tnthes of th8 TN8t. YQU 8ro ￿p￿￿1b16 for the preparatlon basis of r•port ofthè ac(y)unts in &caxdarK* With the requirements ofthe Chariti88 Act 2011 llh8 kr). I report in of ry éxarninat￿n of ts Trusys ￿Count8 carried out under SeCtK￿ 145 ofthe 2011 Act and in carrying out ry examinat￿, I have follv**d ￿ awuble Directi￿ given by tho Charity Commissbn under Sec1K￿ 145(5Xbl of the A(a. Independent I have (X)mp￿d my examinati￿. I confimi thot r￿ npterial matteT8 have examlnofs 8tatemont to my attth in (￿nneCt￿)n with the examwl8t￿n which gFV6S me cabJ8e to believe thot in. any materigl resp&X'. •xounb'ng re¢tyts were not kept in ￿nce with 8eLlion 130 of the Act or tho accounts do rnt ￿1th the accounting records I have no concem8 and have C(￿ auoss no othor matters In connection wrth the examinat•)n to wh￿h attent￿ 8htyJkl be drawn in ¢xder to enable proper understanding of the ￿￿nIS to l)è reached. ' Ple888 d8lele the in the brad(ets ilthey do not *¥)ply. SJL5,- Stephen Winks 8ignod: 3011112023 R8l•vant prof•88lon*l qu•IMcatlon(•) or body (If any): Athlr•s8: 20 BrOTh￿h Ro•J Shefflehj S8 OGF IER October 2018 Seclion B Disclosijre Onty cornp￿e rf the examiner needs to hvJhlvJht matters of concem (see CC32, Independent examin￿ ofd)arity directi￿ gu¥Jance for ex8ffMner51. Give hw• brlef details of any items that tho gxaminer wishes to disclose. IER Octobor 2018