# **Basford, Bestwood & Bulwell Foodbank Registered Charity Number 1153963**
**Trustees Report**
**April 2021 to March 2022**
Basford, Bestwood & Bulwell Foodbank (working name Bestwood & Bulwell Foodbank) is an unincorporated association governed by a constitution adopted on 19[th] March 2013.
Our charitable purpose is the prevention or relief of poverty which we do through the distribution of food and essential items to people in crisis within the City and County of Nottingham.
We are part of the Trussell Trust network of foodbanks and our principal place of operations is St. Philip’s Church, Knights Close, Top Valley, Nottingham. NG5 9AJ.
In accordance with the constitution, Trustees are appointed or reappointed annually at the Annual General Meeting which was held in November.
The Trustees for the period covered by this report were Ms. Adele Brooksbank, Mr. John Gregory (Greg) Cowley BEM (Chair), Rev. Christine Little & Mr. Peter Newbold.
All trustees gave their time voluntarily and received no remuneration or other benefits.
The Trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by The Charities Commission on public benefit and are satisfied that the charities operation continues to satisfy those criteria.
## **Report on Activities**
This year’s report is set against continuing challenging operating difficulties as we emerged from the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis began to take hold.
We continued to work in a COVID safe manner, limiting the number of volunteers and also initially restricting clients access to the Foodbank Centre although these restrictions were gradually eased throughout the year and we moved away from home deliveries.
We have retained a strong core of volunteers although it is fair to say that a large number of those who volunteered before the pandemic have not yet returned.
We have always attempted to help clients address the underlying issues which cause them to seek help from our charity and before the pandemic were regularly hosting advisors from Nottingham City Homes and Bestwood Advice Centre who were able to discuss housing and benefit needs with our clients. This year, we were successful in securing grant funding which has allowed us to part fund an advisor from the Bestwood Advice Centre and this
has enabled us to ensure that an advisor is available to our clients one morning per week. This facility is being well used and we are confident that we will be able to secure funding for the post for a further two years.
We have also received some funding from Nottingham City Council through the Household Support Fund which has allowed us to top up some of our food stocks and to provide energy support vouchers through our partnership with the Bestwood Advice Centre.
As all pandemic restrictions were removed we had expected to see demand for our services fall, particularly as the Universal Credit top up was retained until the end of September. This year we have provided food parcels of ten meals each to 3,718 people which is only 266 lower than last year. Donations of food also decreased significantly this year, down to 27,500 tonnes compared to nearly 45,000 tonnes in the previous year, meaning that we distributed almost 5,000 tonnes more food than we received. However, due to a surplus from the previous year, we still maintain a healthy stock balance. Early indications are that as the cost of living crisis really starts to bite, we will see demand exceed the level experienced during the pandemic.
## **Declaration**
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
John Gregory Cowley Chair of Trustees 9[th] December 2022
## **Bestwood & Bulwell Food Bank**
Accounts to 31 March 2022
|**GENERAL FUND**
**INCOME**
Donations
Donations via Virgin Giving/CAF
TESCO donation based on food collection
Gift Aid
**GENERAL FUND TOTAL INCOME**
**EXPENDITURE**
Payments to Trussell Trust
Food Purchases
Health & Safety
**Employee costs**
Salary & Pension
Agency fees
Volunteer Support
Insurance
Contribution towards centre running costs
Telephone
Post & Stationary
Warehouse costs
Legal Costs
Energy Support via Bestwood Advice Centre
Equipment purchased
**GENERAL FUND TOTAL EXPENDITURE**
**Excess of income over expenditure**
**RESTRICTED FUNDS**
Computer Equipment/Debt Support
**Income**
**Expenditure**
Debt Support via Bestwood Advice Centre
**Surplus of income over expenditure**|**Year to 31 Mar**
**2022**
22908
9709
32617
3403
510
**36530**
0
8743
18
16121
0
16121
619
343
2500
0
188
286
35
2500
792
**32145**
**4385**|**Year to 31 Mar**
**2022**
22908
9709
32617
3403
510
**36530**
0
8743
18
16121
0
16121
619
343
2500
0
188
286
35
2500
792
**32145**
**4385**|
|---|---|---|
||16121
0||
|||**36530**
0
8743
18
16121
619
343
2500
0
188
286
35
2500
792|
||||
|||**32145**|
|||**4385**|
||||
||||
|||14834
0|
|||4159|
|||10675|
||||
## **REPRESENTED BY**
As at 31 Mar 2022
As at 31 Mar 2021
|**Cash at bank**
General Fund as 1 April 2021
Add surplus on General fund
**GENERAL FUND AT 31 Mar 2022**
Restricted Funds as 1 April 2021
Add surplus on Restricted fund
**RESTRICTED FUND AT 31 Mar 2022**
**TOTAL ALL FUNDS**|47435
4385|65128||20470
26965|50068|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||**65128**|||**50068**|
|||
**51820**
**13308**|||
**47435**
**2633**|
||2633
10675|||3275
-642||
|||||||
|||**65128**|||**50068**|
|||||||
## **Notes to Accounts**
Not all of our activities are cash based, we had the following transaction in the period.
||Kilograms|£ Value|
|---|---|---|
|Food held in store at 1 April 2021|18523|31119|
|Food donated to Foodbank during the year|27587|46346|
|Food given out by Foodbank during the year|32393|54420|
|Food held in store at 31 March 2022|13717|23045|
Food is valued at an average price of £1.68 per Kg as recommended by Trussel Trust.
## **Policy on Reserves**
It is the policy of Bestwood & Bulwell Foodbank to hold in General Reserve a sum of not less than 50% of the general expenditure of the current financial year. As at 31 March 2021 Bestwood & Bulwell Foodbank held in General Reserve £51820 a figure in
excess of the minimum requirement of this policy of £16072
**Independent Examiners report to the Trustees of the Bestwood and Bulwell Food Bank**
I report on the Financial Statements for the year ended 31[st] March 2022
## **Respective Responsibilities of the Trustees and the Examiner**
As members of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation of the Financial Statements. You have requested that an independent examination is carried out. It is my responsibility to issue this report on those Financial Statements.
## **Basis of this report**
I have examined the accounts kept by the Trustees and agreed those to the Financial Statements and the bank account statements. I have traced all items of expenditure back to supporting documentation. I have agreed the calculation of the value of food donations and other gifts. I have reconciled the bank account at the end of the accounting period. I have received your assurances that the grants received during the period are not restricted.
## **Independent Examiners Statement**
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention
- 1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements
- To keep accounting records
- To prepare Financial Statements
have not been met; or
- 2) which in my opinion. Attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached
M P Powditch ACA 11 Gerrard Close Arnold Nottingham NG5 9QL
7[th] November 2022