2025-12-31-accounts - Caterham Foodbank

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4, Beechwood Road Caterham Surrey CR3 6NA 07523 983122 www.caterham.foodbank.org.uk info@caterham.foodbank.org.uk

CATERHAM & DISTRICT FOODBANK TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR YEAR TO 31 DECEMBER 2025

OUR AIMS AND PURPOSES:

We adopted our new working name of Caterham & District Foodbank in early 2025, to reflect better the full area we cover across the northern half of Tandridge District. Our legal registration and other formal details including contact information remain unchanged as Caterham Foodbank.

We remain part of the Trussell network of foodbanks, focussed on providing emergency food and associated support to people trapped in food poverty. The twelve months of this reporting period saw ongoing demand in the numbers of people using the foodbank, with cost of living increases (including food and energy price inflation) amongst the factors continuing to have a considerable impact. As in previous years, the primary reasons for people coming to the foodbank were a mixture of low income, benefit changes/delays and unexpected life events including long-term health and personal issues. In the course of this reporting year, we fulfilled 1563 food vouchers, each voucher providing a minimum of three days’ nutritionally balanced emergency food to those in difficulty. Our data for 2025 shows that thanks to the hard work and commitment of our staff and volunteers, we were able to provide food for 3720 people (2381 adults and 1339 children) – an average of about 75 people per week.

Overall in 2025 our client numbers showed a reduction, to the levels seen in early 2022 (still higher than pre-pandemic, but reduced from the peak demand of 2023 and 2024). That partly reflected a more structured approach, with Citizens Advice and other close partners, to ensuring we were targeting support on those most in need and those engaging with longer-term help to reduce their need for emergency food. We were also able to support some like-minded partners within and neighbouring the District with food supplies. Taking into account the additional clients supported by other organisations through such transfers of available stock, the percentage reduction in clients we supported in 2025 was close to the 12% national reduction reported by Trussell for foodbanks across the country.

During this period we maintained our in-person contact with clients, and have referred users to various agencies who offer help in their current situation by providing additional support, with an ultimate aim of ensuring they will not need to use foodbanks in the future. Users have been connected with Citizens Advice, employment support, energy support, budget planning, debt and welfare and other agencies and services as appropriate.

OUR OBJECTS AND ACTIVITIES:

The electric Foodbank van purchased in 2022 continued to prove its worth for collections of donations from local supermarkets and for delivering goods to the distribution centres – as well as a mobile

advertisement for our services! Given the ongoing amounts of both donations into our warehouse, and deliveries from it to our food centres - this has proved a very worthwhile investment.

We have also been able to continue to fund the presence of an experienced Citizens’ Advice colleague at our two busiest food centres, partly funded through a restricted grant received from Trussell Trust for this purpose - as part of the national Financial Inclusion scheme. This has been instrumental in signposting users to the various agencies and benefits available to people on low income and those reliant on state benefits, as well as those dealing with the ongoing problems of debt. The presence of this advisor continues to be greatly welcomed by our users, with the service in constant demand at all sessions.

In the course of the year under review, our warehouse records showed total stock inward of 33,314kg (a 15% reduction on the previous year), and stock outward of 32,818kg (a 20% decrease on the previous year). These downward trends have been operationally manageable in the context of decreasing client numbers, as already noted – but we are closely monitoring the impacts going forward, and have mitigating plans in place if the situation changes unfavourably.

During this period, our three person part-time staff team of Project Manager, Operations Manager and Warehouse Manager have remained in place. Following a request from our Warehouse Manager to reduce hours (for personal reasons) we recruited an additional part-time Warehouse and Administrative Assistant, to share those duties. The new post-holder has made a strong start from autumn 2025, bringing additional skills and experience to the team. We also gratefully acknowledge the huge contribution of our voluntary Honorary Treasurer in supporting the staff team and Trustees in their duties.

During this year there were a number of changes to the Trustees, bringing in individuals from a wider group of supporting churches, with significant relevant experience, including as volunteers in our Foodbank. Departing Trustees John Baldwin, John Lord and Stephen Bidwell were thanked for their huge contribution and service to the Foodbank over many years.

Despite the difficult economic conditions faced nationally, we have again benefitted from the extraordinary generosity of our local community. It has been gratifying to see the selfless support of so many people in Caterham, Oxted and many other towns and communities across northern Tandridge District, who continue to respond to those needing help in our society with such heartwarming and selfless willingness to donate food and funds. The thanks of the Trustees go to each and every one of these vital donors, including those who give regularly to sustain our underlying plans and operations.

We are also grateful for the continuing support of the local Rotary clubs and particularly the generosity of the COGS Lions Club for their donation to help fund again in 2025 the supply of Christmas hampers to nearly 300 local individuals and families, who otherwise would go without at that festive time.

Finally the Trustees wish to acknowledge and appreciate the UK government’s support, through tranches of the Household Support Fund administered via Surrey County Council. This grant funding has contributed to us supporting the crisis food needs of hundreds of local households through this reporting year.

PLANS FOR 2026

We are able to continue to run 3 distribution centres on different days each week at Caterham Baptist Church, Oakhall Church (both in Caterham) and the King’s Church Centre in Oxted. We continue to offer fresh produce at the Caterham venues, and increasingly in Oxted, in addition to the tinned and dried foods already provided. This is popular with users and is a cost-effective addition to our offering.

We are continuing our funded relationship with Citizens Advice in light of the demand for their service, with the partial support of the Financial Inclusion grant received from Trussell. Helping people to cope with the burden of debt and the complexities of the benefits system remains a key component in our longterm aim of removing the need for foodbanks in line with Trussell’s strategic plans.

The problem of fuel poverty has continued for some of our clients through this reporting year. With the sustained increase in energy prices, many people are confronted with harrowing choices between eating or heating and we feel that helping them is part of the wider role of the Foodbank. Our project in conjunction with the Fuel Bank charity, which provides energy top-up vouchers to people at immediate risk of disconnection from gas and electricity supply, successfully continued throughout 2025. The Trustees recognise the generous support from Fuel Bank at national level in supplementing our own funds available for this service to clients.

In autumn 2025, we were invited to participate as a voluntary sector member in the North Tandridge Neighbourhood Area Committee (NAC), one of six such pilot bodies set up by Surrey County Council. This has allowed us to extend our joint-working with a number of statutory, voluntary and other partners in the communities we serve. We have also been centrally involved in a NAC initiative to consider the setting up of a Food pantry (community grocery) in the area, on which work is continuing in to 2026.

FINANCES

The attached financial report shows that we had a total income of £72,590 although our expenditure was £78,105 which resulted in a small deficit of £5,516 for the year ending 2025. Under Trussell rules we are required to hold sufficient funds to cover 6 months of running costs, which our current financial reserves allow. Our finances are therefore in sufficiently robust health to enable us to fund our plans for the coming year.

VOLUNTEERS

Our thanks go as ever to our wonderful and hugely valued volunteers, without whom none of our services would be possible – whether in the public eye or behind the scenes. We are grateful not only for their ongoing commitment to filling the roles week by week which need to be covered, but also for the way in which they respond so willingly to supporting the individuals seeking our services and support. The past few years have seen unexpected and specific challenges in their duties – and significant growth in our operations - and their response in coping with the added work load has been magnificent.

We are also grateful for the willingness of Caterham Baptist Church, Oakhall Church and King’s Church Oxted for allowing the use of their premises gratis, which has benefitted the Foodbank so greatly in terms of the resultant financial savings, and access into the communities we serve.

DECLARATIONS

Trustees in office in 2025 :

Gemma Zarembski (Chair)

Gillian Bailey (appointed August 2025)

John Edward Baldwin (resigned July 2025)

Stephen Martin Bidwell (resigned July 2025)

Anne Brownless (appointed July 2025)

Edward Cooke (appointed July 2025)

Diana Gwynn

Chris Jackson (appointed July 2025)

John Lord (resigned July 2025) Christine March (appointed August 2025) Ronald Francis White

The Trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees’ report above. Signed on behalf of the charity’s Trustees:

Name: Gemma Zarembski Position: Chair of Trustees Date: 30.07.2026

Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of the Caterham Food Bank (Registered Charity Number 1155330) I report on my examination of the accounts of Caterham Food Bankforthe yearended 31 December 2025. Responslbllltles and basls of report A5 the Charitvs Trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirement5 of the Charities Art 2011 {'the ACV). I report in respect of my examination of the Charitrfs accounts (which are attached) carrled out under section 145 of the Act and in carryin8 Out my examination I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145{5){bl of the Act. Independent Examlner'5 Statement I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination givinB me cause to believe that in any material respect: accounting records were not kept in $pert of the Charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or the accounts do not accord with those records. I have no concerns and have not come across any 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. David R Ling FCA Chartered Accountant 36a Chaldon Common Road Chaldon Surrey CR3 5DB 15fh April 2026

CATERHAM FOOD BANK (Registered Charity Number 11553301 INCOME AND EXPENDITURE FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025 2025 2024 GENERAL FUND: INCOME: Donations and Grants 69,096 64,945 Bank Inte$t 2A03 1.091 1,901 774 Gift Aid 72,590 67,620 EXPENDITURE: OPERATING COSTS Staff costs 45,040 35,620 Warehouse.. Rent 933 Cleaning etc. Christma5 Harnpers Food purchases Fuel Bank 8.735 10,716 7,685 10,640 1.288 Flnanclal In¢luslon Inet deficltl Equipment purchases Van operatSng costs Van depreclation Insurances 1,901 2,428 1,630 1.673 3.158 449 2,235 449 Fleeces (net of receipts) Other operating costs 1,146 78,105 70.320 DEFICIT FOR THE YEAR 5,516 2,700 DESIGNATED FUND: (Financlal Incluslon) Balance at l January 2025 Grants receivable from the Trussell Trust 7?78 8.913 5,380 14.388 less: Expenditure durin8 the year Net defictt transferred to General Fund 18,192 1,901 13,928 Balance at 31 December 2025 5.840

CATERHAM FOOD BANK (Registered Charity Number 11553301 STATEMENT OF ASSEfs AND LIABILMES AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2025 2025 2024 FIXED ASSETS Van, at Cost less: Deprecation to date (See Note) 17.328 17,328 10.223 7,855 7,105 9,473 CURRENT ASSETS CASH AT BANK CAF Current Account 23,517 51,386 31,564 50,119 CAF Deposit Account Redwood Bank LimSted Dep051t Account 47W3 46,322 112.706 128,005 DEBTORS AND PREPAYMENTS Bankuet 4.750 9.055 Accrued bank Interest 1.034 1,441 Other 4.770 5,502 10,554 15,998 less: CREDITOR 217 140,365 153,259 CHARITY FUNDS: GENERAL FUND: Balance at I january 2025 Deficlt for the year 145.881 148,581 5,516 2,700 Balance at 310ecembef 2025 140.365 145,881 DESIGNATED FUND.. 7,378 140,365 153,259 Note.. Depreciation is provided at 25% per annum on the written down value of the Van