Trustees’ Annual Report
Period covered by report: From 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022
Charity name: Bishop’s Stortford Food Bank
Charity address: The Methodist Church, 34b South Street, Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire CM23 3AZ
Charity registration number: 1154800
Objectives and Activities: Our objectives are as stated in our constitution:
The prevention or relief of poverty in Hertfordshire and Essex in particular, but not exclusively, by providing emergency food supplies and related provisions to individuals in need and to charities or other organisations working to prevent or relieve poverty.
In working to fulfil our objectives during the year, the Food Bank’s main activities involve the distribution of food items and supermarket vouchers to clients referred by other partner agencies. Food can either be collected in person by clients or delivered by a team of volunteer drivers. The Food Bank also provides assistance to those in fuel poverty by purchasing credit on the card or key of the client’s pre payment gas/electricity meter.
The Trustees take into account the commission’s public benefit guidance when making any relevant decision.
Achievements and Performance: During the twelve months covered by the report the Food Bank met a much higher level of demand than in previous years. The numbers of referrals received, and the total numbers of people fed, were both approximately 25% greater than the preceding twelve month period, which in turn was significantly busier than the year before that.
To cope with the increasing demand, the Food Bank has raised its profile in the community to ensure that donation of food items continue to meet the need and that high levels of volunteer recruitment is maintained.
During the year the Food Bank completed its refurbishment project, installing new racking and other storage equipment which has allowed it to utilise the space it has more effectively, improving the efficiency of its operations and providing a more pleasant environment for staff, volunteers, clients and visitors.
Financial Review of the Year: Income was primarily received in the form of donations. We remain very grateful to the people who so generously support our work. While income was down from the previous year, it has remained much higher than pre-pandemic levels which have allowed us to continue to meet the increasing demand for support.
Costs have increased in line with the increased use of the Food Bank. Additionally, as described above, this year saw spend to repair and revive the fabric of the Foodbank. We now have a fresh and functional space to meet with clients and undertake some storage, packing and administrative tasks.
Overall, the year saw a net expense. Without the premises costs there would have been a small net receipt. Reserves remain healthy at £65,031 and are in line with policy of approximately one year’s regular expenditure.
Structure, Governance and Management: The Food Bank is established as a CIO under a constitution document and is governed by a Board of Trustees who hold formal meetings, which have an agenda and full minutes, approximately once every two or three months. In addition to a Chair and Deputy Chair, the Trustees have appointed a Treasurer, and a Community and Schools Ambassador. Trustees are appointed by the existing Trustees under the terms of the constitution and have been appointed on the basis of their background, interests and expertise and as well as attending Trustee meetings and working in sub groups set up to consider specific areas of policy / strategy, they assist directly by contributing to a number of operational and promotional activities.
Trustees acting during the year and at the date of approval of this report:
Bill Macdonald (Chair) Jim Tatchell (Treasurer) Norma Symonds Jane Towns Christine Haynes Alison Jones Ian Williams Louise Taub Gillian Turner (appointed May 2022)
During the period covered by this report, the Food Bank employed two part time members of staff – a Coordinator to manage the day to day activities of the Food Bank and an Administrative Assistant who also acted as the Secretary to the Trustees.
The Food Bank could not operate without its loyal and hard working volunteers who have ensured that the ever increasing demands are met, sometimes in difficult circumstances, with efficiency and cheerfulness.
Charity Name No (if any) Bishop's Stortford Foodbank 1154800
Receipts and payments accounts
Period start date Period end date To 1-Apr-21 31-Mar-22
For the period from
Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment Total funds funds funds funds
to the nearest £
to the nearest £
to the nearest £ to the nearest £
A1 Receipts
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Donations 65,294 - - 65,294
Gift aid 1,286 - - 1,286
Refunds - - - -
- - - -
- - - -
- - - -
- - - -
- - - -
66,580 - - 66,580
Sub total (Gross income for AR)
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total - - - -
Total receipts 66,580 - - 66,580
A3 Payments
Direct costs 34,988 - - 34,988
Payments to Harlow Foodbank 4,200 - - 4,200
Contributions to other agencies 1,010 - - 1,010
General office costs 3,082 - - 3,082
Staff costs 19,708 - - 19,708
Insurance 426 - - 426
Accountancy services 216 - - 216
Bank fees 96 - - 96
Premises 21,650 - - 21,650
Sub total [ 85,376 ] - - 85,376
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
- - - -
Printers - - - -
Sub total [ - ] - - -
Total payments 85,376 - - 85,376
Net of receipts/(payments) - 18,796 - - - 18,796
A5 Transfers between funds - - - -
A6 Cash funds last year end - - - -
Cash funds this year end - 18,796 - - - 18,796
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Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Unrestricted | Restricted | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Categories | Details | funds | funds | ||
| B1 Cash funds | Cash | Total cash funds | to nearest £ 65,031 - - 65,031 |
to nearest £ - - - - |
|
| (agree | balances with receipts and payments account(s)) |
Agreement Error | OK | ||
| Unrestricted | Restricted | ||||
| funds | funds | ||||
| B2 Other monetary assets | Details | to nearest £ - - - - - - |
to nearest £ - - - - - - |
||
| B3 Investment assets | Details | Fund to which asset belongs |
Cost (optional) - - - - - |
||
| B4 Assets retained for the | Details | Fund to which asset belongs |
Cost (optional) - |
||
| charity’s own use | - - - - - - - - |
||||
| B5 Liabilities | Details | Fund to which liability relates |
- - - - - Amount due (optional) |
||
| Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees |
Signature | Name |
----- Start of picture text -----
CC16a
----- End of picture text -----
Last year
to the nearest £
----- Start of picture text -----
116,003
-
608
-
-
-
-
-
116,611
----- End of picture text -----
116,611
18,195 4,200 26,354 3,618 15,966 406 161 69 - 68,969
165 165 69,134 47,477 - 36,349 83,826
Endowment funds
to nearest £ - - - -
OK
Endowment funds to nearest £ - - - - - - Current value (optional) - - - - - Current value (optional)
When due (optional)
Date of approval
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of Bishop's Stortford Food Bank On accounts for tho year ended 311 March 2022 Charity no (if any) 11548QO Set out on pages Attached 2 pages - Receipts and Payments Accounts I report to the trustees on my exarninalion of the accounts of the above charity I'the Trust") for the year ended 3110312022. As the charity trustees of the Trust. you are responsible for the preparation of the 8ccounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 {"the Act"). I report in respect of my examinelion of the Trust's a¢¢ounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying OLJt my examination, S have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commisslon under secllon 14515)(b) of the Act. I hav8 completed my examinalion. I conflrm that no material rnatters have come to my altèntlon In connectlon wlth the axaminatlon ¢etheÈ s618&. which gives m8 caus8 to be118V8 that In. any material respe¢l', ac¢ountlng records were not kept in a¢cordan¢e with section 130 of the A¢1 or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records the accounts did not comply with the applicable r8qulrem8nts concerning the form and content of accounts set out in th8 Charltles (Accounts and Reports) Regulatlons 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts glve a 'true and falr, vlew whlch Is not a matter considered as part of an Independent examlnation. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection wlth the examination to whlch attention should be drawn in order to enable proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Please delete Ihe words in the brackets if Ihey do not apply. ResponsSbllStSe$ and basis of report Independent examlner's statement Slgned: Date: 1810112023 Name: Relevant professlonal qualification{s) or body (if any): Address: 5 Ducketts Wharf, South Street Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire. CM23 3AR IER October 2018
Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32. Independent examination of charity accounts.. directions and guidance for examiners). Glve here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose. IER October 2018