2024-03-31-accounts - Bishop's Stortford Food Bank

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator. This document is also available as Markdown.

: |

@°}| CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES

Trustees’ Annual Report

Period covered by report: From 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024

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:

The Bishop’s Stortford Food Bank’s (“the Food Bank”) charitable objectives are:

The prevention or relief ofpoverty 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 fulfilling our charitable objectives, the Food Bank’s main activity during the year was the distribution of food, household essentials and supermarket vouchers to individuals and families in need of support in Bishop’s Stortford and the surrounding area.

In addition, the Food Bank also

e Provided assistance to households in fuel poverty by purchasing credit on the card or key of the client’s pre-payment gas/electricity meter
e Provided white goods to a small number of clients in exceptional circumstances
e Fora limited period of time, the Food Bank distributed vouchers to a vulnerable group on behalf of another agency (the voucher cost was fully reimbursed)
e Began a collaborative project with Citizen’s Advice East Hertfordshire to provide access to a dedicated adviser for Food Bank clients.

Clients are referred to the Food Bank by local partner agencies. In addition, Clients may self-refer for their first food parcel and are signposted to other agencies where further support is indicated. Food can either be collected in person or delivered by a team of volunteer drivers. The Food Bank also maintains a stock of emergency food boxes which can be provided by other agencies in the community outside of our opening hours.

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 this report the Food Bank yet again met a higher level of demand than in previous years with 1,707 referrals for food support (1,395 in 22/23) and 241 referrals for fuel support (178 in 22/23). This trend was inline with the national picture for Foodbanks.

While the core focus of the Food Bank has been on short term relief for those in food crisis, Trustees have a longer-term strategic goal to do more to support clients to prevent and resolve the issues that result in food poverty. In October 2023 we began a sixth month trial for a project with Citizen’s Advice East Herts to provide a dedicated adviser for Food Bank clients. The project aims to bridge the gap between the Food Bank's frontline support and Citizen's Advice expertise and specialist advice. By providing a dedicated adviser physically based in the Food Bank for one day a week we can work together to build trusted professional and client relationships in order to reach and help those clients who may struggle to engage with or access support.

The Food Bank has continued to maintain its profile in the community, our relationships with schools, churches, community groups and individuals are vital to the support we provide. Our slogan of “Give Help, Get Help” emphasises our role as a conduit for the community to support for each other, and the donation of food items, financial support and hours of work by dedicated volunteers has continued to allow us to meet the need of the increasing number of households requiring our assistance.

Financial Review of the Year:

Receipts in the year ended March 2024 were £86,339 (£148,000 - 22/23). Income is almost exclusively from donations by individuals, community groups and local businesses. Receipts only reflect monetary receipts and do not include a valuation for food or other goods donated, without which our costs would increase considerably. Trustees continue to be humbled by the local community’s response to the need for our services.

Expenditure increased due to both the increased use of the Food Bank and the increases in underlying costs, with expenditure for the year at £115,978 (£88,438 - 22/23). Expenditure included £2,500 paid to Citizen’s Advice East Herts in respect of 50% of their costs related to the Food Bank Adviser project.

Overall, the year to 31 March 2024 saw net expenditure of nearly £30,000 (net receipts of £60,000 in 22/23) with reserves at 31 March 2024 standing at £94,556 (£124,195 at 31 March 2023).

Trustees have a policy of maintaining approximately one year’s regular expenditure in reserve. Notwithstanding this, Trustees have considered that available reserves may be needed to fund future deficits while demand remains high.

Trustees have a very prudent approach to investment of surplus funds. Cash not required for day-to-day operations is put on interest bearing deposit.

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 as required, but at least every three months.

The Trustees have appointed a Chair, Treasurer, Secretary and a Community Ambassador. New Trustees are appointed by the existing Trustees under the terms of the constitution and are appointed on the basis of their background, interests, experience and expertise, as well as their commitment to the Food Bank, its values and charitable objectives. New Trustees receive an informal induction including meeting with the Chair and other Trustees. Trustees attend meetings and may work in sub-groups set up to consider specific areas of policy / strategy. As we are a small charity with limited resources, Trustees also assist directly by contributing to a number of operational and promotional activities in line with their skills and experience.

Trustees acting during the year and at the date of approval of this report:

Bill Macdonald (Chair to January 2025) Jim Tatchell (Treasurer to January 2025, Chair from January 2025) Norma Symonds (resigned September 2023) Jane Towns (Community Ambassador) Christine Haynes (resigned February 2024 Alison Jones lan Williams (Secretary, from January 2025) Louise Taub (Secretary, to January 2025) Gillian Turner (Treasurer, from January 2025) Hana Hainsby (appointed September 2023, resigned December 2024)

‘

During the period covered by this report, the Food Bank employed two part time members of staff —- a Manager and a Deputy Manager — to manage the operational activities of the Food Bank. Trustees would like to recognise the fantastic job that our staff do and the very real impact that their work has.

The heart of the Food Bank is our dedicated and hard-working volunteers who do so much to support our clients and our community. There would be no Bishop's Stortford Food Bank without them.

Signed on Behalf of the Trustees

Jim Tatchell

Date Yo /\ / Ww

==> picture [454 x 592] intentionally omitted <==

----- Start of picture text -----
Ly Charity Name No (if any)
Receipts and payments accounts
Forthe period | °erou siart date To Period end date
from 01-Apr-23 31-Mar-24
Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment La
funds funds funds Forel Tunes styear
tothe nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest£
Ai Receipts
Loi fC
a +d
BankinterestTa EC PTC| dat | 88|
Ca SS 0 eS 6
a a (6
aee eS
eeee ||ee |es |
IIE =" "kD ee SE]PT
Sub total (Gross income for
AR) 85,889 86,339 148,081
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
ee
eees
Subtotal]-|
Total receipts [#58] ee |eee)
A3 Payments
[Directcostsoffuelsuppot| i624] |ee|]= [16,924] |
PpO—“C—t—sY SE 26281] 19,743
[Directofothersuppot costs | AT TTC |
Adviserprojectcosts[Contributionstootheragencies|| COO]HOOT p|| [t—“‘] “SOT| PT TC-fC- ]CC‘ST C500|jes [«8,056] |
[Staffcostsid] |
insurancesi‘idYSC(SSCCie HTTC f C T at [20,335]
Professionalservices
Bankfees,(‘SOS| A (| CAT
[Premises—“‘CSS!OC'iSOOOOOC#ésO@TCLO |COV] YOY TT zr |
Subtotal|‘sse]{—o]f | | T1300
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table
es ey |
esSub total|| |[isha [«7] bee|
Total payments [tesa] [=][—]
A5TransfersbetweenfundsNet of receipts/(payments) ee |CE|
| - es||
A6 Cash funds last yearend | [124,194] P| 124194| |65,0311
Cash funds this yearend| 94,556) pairs alt ULL L124,195
----- End of picture text -----*

CCXX R1 accounts (SS)

30/01/2025

==> picture [450 x 656] intentionally omitted <==

----- Start of picture text -----
|||||||||||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |Section|B|Statement|of|assets|and|liabilities|at|the|end|of|the|period| |Categories|Details|Unrestrictedfunds|Restrictedfunds|Endowmentfunds| |to nearest£|to nearest£|to nearest £| || ee| |Total cash funds|Pee]|ecu| |(agree|balances|with|receipts and payments| |account(s))|‘| |Unrestricted|Restricted|Endowment| |funds|funds|funds| |Details|to|nearest|£|to|nearest|£|to nearest£| |a| |Fund to which|.|Current value| |Details|asset|belongs|Cost|(optional)|optiona| |—|—=| |Details|assetFund to belongwhich|Susttontonel|Currentoptional] value| |BA Assets retained forthe|Es || |.| |Details|Fund to which|Amountdue|When due| |=—=liability|relates|optional|=optiona’| |Signed|by one|or two trustees on|7|Date|of| |behalf of all the trustees|Signature|Print Name|aecccval| || a|DAMES|TATCHELE|||1930/1|/2095°|

----- End of picture text -----

CCXX R2 accounts (SS)

30/01/2025

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND ANO 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 the year ended 31st March 2024 Charity no {if any) 1154800 Set out on pages Attached 2 pages - Receipts and Payments Accounts I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (°the Trust") for the year ended 31103 12024. As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirernenls of the Charities Act 2011 ("the Act"). I report in respect of rny examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charty Commission under section 145{5)(b) of the Act. I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection wilh the examination fetheFth dis610* which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: accounting records ware not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements Conrning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities {Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 olher than any requirement thal the accounts give a Irue and fair, view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. Responslbilities and basis of report Independent examiner's statement I have no GOnrnS and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply. Signed: Date: 0910112025 Name: I Piz CkiA Lfi£ AL4 C£J11<i£ts JC COsir•T Relevant professional quallfication(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). Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose. IER October 2018