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2023-12-31-accounts

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(Registered charity, number 1155645) Financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2023

Page Contents
2 - 5 Trustees’ annual report
6 Independent examiner’s report
7 Receipts & payments account
8 Statement of assets & liabilities
9 - 10 Notes to the accounts

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Trustees’ annual report for the year ended 31 December 2023

Full name SFICE Foundation

Organisation type Charitable incorporated organisation

Registered charity number 1155645

Principal address

SFICE Foundation, All Saints Church, 75a Raleigh Street, Nottingham, NG7 4DL

Trustees

Parminder Dhanjal Joseph Harvey Goodman Chris Skelly, from 23/03/2022 Treasurer Tim Stonehouse, from 03/02/2023

Independent examiner

John O’Brien, employee of Community Accounting Plus, Units 1 & 2 North West, 41 Talbot Street, Nottingham, NG1 5GL

Governance and management

The charity is operated under the rules of its constitution/trust deed adopted and most recently amended February 2022.

Parimnder Dhanjal is the Director and she is the only person who has a senior management role. She is unpaid and receives no benefits from the charity.

We work in collaboration with Nottingham Community and Voluntary Service. They advertise for trustees on our behalf. We invite the potential trustees to fill in an application form and send it to us including two references and their CV. The applicants are interviewed by at least two trustees prior to selection.

Objectives and activities

The relief of those in-need and the advancement of community development in the UK, by reason of age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantages.

Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit

Café

The SFiCE Café provides free meals to vulnerable adults using food which has been donated by local businesses, allotments and food waste charities. In 2023 we served, on average, 420 meals (up from 237 in 2022) and saved, on average, 136.54kg of food from going to waste per month.

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Health and Wellbeing

Our health and wellbeing service provides health checks and support for those needing help with emotional and practical issues, or who require signposting to other mental and physical health organisations in the area.

ESOL Classes

Our ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Languages) classes help to improve the spoken and written language skills of local people who do not have English as a first language.

Music for Wellbeing Group

This is a pilot project aimed at homeless and others who have mental health issues. The project ran as a pilot and the intention is going for funding in 2024. At present we are holding the sessions using borrowed instruments. Feedback is indicating that service users are enjoying the sessions and are leaving in a better frame of mind. We are intending to continue providing this service subject to funding.

Public benefit statement

The Trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty in section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit, 'Charities and Public Benefit'.

SFiCE prides itself on being a part of the community as well as serving it. We have become well known amongst a community of vulnerable people in the area, many of whom are experiencing periodic or sustained homelessness, and harbour a strong sense of community spirit. Some of these service users have become volunteers after years of our support.

We see the café programme as meeting two core public needs: reducing food poverty and reducing food waste, as well cultivating a strong sense of community cohesion by helping to destigmatise food poverty.

SFiCE has a good working relationship with local homelessness charities, Emmanuel House and Framework and Friary for example, all of which are involved in providing housing support. As we exist to meet the immediate needs of our service users, many of which are experiencing homelessness, we receive referrals from them while also signposting some of our service users to them when appropriate. Filling this gap in services in the local community places us in a unique position and proves our relevance in meeting the needs of our local community. Currently, service user referrals are being made for our projects by YMCA, Framework Housing, St. Augustine school, Djanogly Academy, Claremont School, Begin, Nottingham College, the Job Centre, and other parties highlighting both the need for our services and our embedded status within the local community.

Primary beneficiaries of our projects include: Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities; young people, and their parents, living in poverty; communities experiencing health inequalities; older people; people who are pushed into crisis; people experiencing homelessness; people experiencing poor mental health; people experiencing loneliness and social isolation; refugees, asylum seekers; people with

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addictions & drug or alcohol dependencies; people with learning or physical disability and people experiencing domestic abuse and violence. We support circa 500 people per year in addition to 20-30 volunteers, many of whom are former service users.

We have cultivated a good of our immediate churches and our local politicians. Our Member of Parliament was so impressed that she had made a substantial donation for the Homeless project.

Summary of the main achievements during the period

The Reaching Communities funding began in August 2023 and the new Charity Manager started in Sept. 2023. Parminder, our Charity Director, has been busy transitioning the day to day management of the charity to the Charity Manager.

The social cafe seems to be going from strength to strength in terms of the consistent attendance of frequent service users, quality of food, positive feedback and volunteer numbers and attendance. We consistently have 3 volunteers at the social cafe each day which is great and they are reliable, happy and good workers. The atmosphere at the Cafe is positive, service users are talking between each other and with staff and volunteers quite openly and people are happy to come here and be recognised, helped and fed.

The café has continued to provide an invaluable service, and we want to share two recent comments which reflect the experience of service users:

“I find SFiCE very helpful and supportive to my needs. If I need anything SFiCE will do whatever they can to help me.”

“It is a high quality service that offers meals to the local community. It is the best service in the city for people in financial difficulties that offers support with meals. I hope that this service will remain to give security to all the people that rely on its quality service.”

The cost-of-living crisis continues and has resulted in an increased demand for all our services over the past year - the café served 5,043 meals in 2023, which is over double the 2,467 meals served in 2022.

Financial Review

We have a balance of £119,202 at the end of 2023. This has increased significantly from 2022.

The main reason for the increase is that we received funding from a major donor in the second half of 2023 for staffing costs. We had difficulties recruiting to some of the grant funded posts, so some of the funding remained unspent at the end of the year.

2023 marked the beginning of a major growth phase for SFiCE Foundation. We created the new post of Charity Manager and recruited to it. There will be further recruitments of new posts in 2024. This increasing capacity helps us broaden the range of services we offer and reach more service users.

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Financial risks

We face financial risks due to increasing costs. The costs of gas and electricity, food and wages are increasing significantly due to high inflation. We also face potential financial risks from decreasing income. We are dependent on grant funding and will face difficulties if funding bids are unsuccessful.

The charity’s policy on reserves

In setting a reserves policy, the Trustees have sought to minimise risks to the financial stability of the charity. These could come for examle from reduced grant funding or from increasing costs due to rising inflation and other causes. The trustees have set a minimum reserves level of £20,000 and this will be reviewed every 3 months.

SFiCE Foundation is grateful to all funders who supported us in 2023. We had funding from:

We also want to thank all the local organisations, volunteers and paid staff who worked hard to ensure the charity continued to provide a high quality service in 2023.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees:

Signed ______ Date _ 14/10/2024 Parminder Dhanjal, Trustee Signed _____ Date ____ 14/10/2024 Chris Skelly, Trustee

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Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of for the year ended 31 December 2023

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of SFICE Foundation for the year ended 31 December 2023.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the trustees of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’). I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or

  2. the accounts do not accord with those records.

I have no concerns and have come across no 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.

15/10/2024 Signed ____ Date _______ John O’Brien MSc, FCCA, FCIE Employee of Community Accounting Plus

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Receipts & payments account for the year ended 31 December 2023

2022
Total
Unrestricted
Funds
Funds
£
Note
£
Receipts
68866
Grants & donations
2
63112
3992
Fundraising
-
-
Sundry receipts
314
72858
Total receipts
63426
Payments
1012
Activities
356
23338
Contractors
-
3114
Equipment
1278
1240
Food and drink purchases
1523
-
Insurance
65
238
Marketing
-
2186
Office, Telephone & I.T
1287
20340
Premises & utilities
11189
1770
Professional fees
-
26083
Salaries
25349
-
Travel & accommodation
43
2057
Vehicle
1568
-
Volunteer costs
40
81378
Total payments
42698
(8520)
Net receipts/(payments)
20728
77905
Cash funds at start of this period
44755
-
Transfers between funds
2480
69385
Cash funds at end of this period
67963
Restricted
Funds
£
70240
3280
-
73520
383
-
166
865
44
-
1672
6718
-
34543
-
40
-
44431
29089
24630
(2480)
51239
2023
Total
Funds
£
133352
3280
314
136946
739
-
1444
2388
109
-
2959
17907
-
59892
43
1608
40
87129
49817
69385
-
119202

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Statement of assets and liabilities at 31 December 2023

2022 2023
£ Cash assets Note £
69381 Bank accounts 119197
4 Cash in hand 5
69385 119202
Other monetary assets
616 Debtors - Prepayment 4 402
616 402
Assets retained for the charity’s own use
Freezer, Cost £868, purchased February 2021
Washer/ Dryer, Cost £1071, purchased November 2021
36 Office chairs, Cost £821, purchased November 2021
Vauxhall Combo Van, Cost £6900, purchased March 2021
Cooker & dishwasher, Cost £889, purchased January 2022
Hand wash unit, Cost £540, purchased May 2022
Liabilities
(1301) Creditors 5 (1475)
(1301) (1475)

These financial statements are accepted on behalf of the charity by: Signed Dated Parminder Dhanjal, Trustee Signed Dated Chris Skelly, Trustee

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Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 December 2023

1. Receipts & payments accounts

Receipts and payments accounts contain a summary of money received and money spent during the period and a list of assets and liabilities at the end of the period. Usually, cash received and cash spent will include transactions through bank accounts and cash in hand.

2. Grants & donations

Albert Hunt Trust
Derbyshire Trust
Donations
Hockley Hustle
Reaching Communities
Tudor Trust
Unrestricted

£
7000
3000
2612
2500
-
48000
63112
Restricted
£
-
-
6500
-
63740
-
70240
Total
£
7000
3000
9112
2500
63740
48000
133352

3. Funds analysis

Restricted funds
DEFRA
Near Neighbours
Nottingham City Council
Indian Project
Homeless
Reaching Communities
Reaching Communities - Main grant
Unrestricted funds
General Fund
Opening
balance
£
427
469
3000
12635
84
8015
-
24630
44755
44755
Receipts
£
-
-
-
-
9780
-
63740
73520
63426
63426
(Payments)
£
-
-
-
-
(822)
(8015)
(35594)
(44431)
(42698)
(42698)
Transfers
£
(427)
(469)
(1500)
-
(84)
-
-
(2480)
2480
2480
Closing
balance
£
-
-
1500
12635
8958
-
28146
51239
67963
67963

Explanation of restricted funds:

DEFRA - To provide emergency assistance during Covid. Near Neighbours - To provide 'Cooking On a Budget' courses. Nottingham City Council - To provide a Christmas party for local residents. Indian Project - To fund Indian children's education. Homeless – To support those who are homeless. Reaching Communities - Community development.

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Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 December 2023

The transfer of funds from the restricted funds to the general fund, represent the correction to opening balances, these funds were fully spent in 2022.

4. Debtors

Prepayments £
Vehicle 402
402

5. Creditors

Independent examination fee
HMRC
Pension
£
696
761
18
1475

6. Premises & staff

The premises are provided by the All Saints Church, with a three-year lease of £8,100 pa until 22 November 2027.

7. Trustees’ remuneration

Trustees received no expenses, remuneration or benefits in this period.

8. Related party transactions

No related party transactions in this period.

9. Glossary of terms

Creditors: These are amounts owed by the charity, but not paid during the accounting period.

Prepayments: These are services that the charity has paid for in advance, but not used during the accounting period.

Restricted funds: These are funds given to the charity, subject to specific restrictions set by the donor, but still within the general objects of the charity.

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