Hertford & District Foodbank
Annual Report and Accounts
Year Ended 31st March 2026
Charity Number 1157028

Hertford & District Foodbank
Trustees Report
Year Ended 31st March 2026
Trustees
Trustees ser¥ing throughout the perfod and slnce the year end
are:
Trustees
Reverend Davld Ronco (Chair)
Mrs Janet Linda Bird
Mrs Cheryl Noreen Jackson
Mrs Frances Jean Spence (resigned 12 January 2026)
Mr David Alan Timson
Mrs Heather Dawn Hookway (resigned 12 January 2026)
Professor Jeremy Forrester
Mr Ian Hamilton (appolnted 12 January 2026)
Ms Jacqueline Turner (appointed 12 January 2026)
We would like to acknowledge with our grateful thanks, the long
service given to the charlty by Fran Spence, who was one of the
orlglnal founders of the Foodbank, retiring after 12 years as a
trustee.
Structure, Governance and Management
Hertford & District Foodbank Is constituted as a Charitable
Incorporated Organisation ("CIO-) and became a registered
charity (number 1157028) on 13th May 2014.
The powers of appointment or removal of Trustees rest with the
CIO. New Trustees are appointed for 3 years (renewable) and are
primarily selected from the members of local churches. On being
appointed, new Trustees spend time with the existing Trustees to
ensure they understand the responsibilitSes and the legal and
financial framework in which the Foodbank operates.
Hertford & District Foodbank is a member of the Trussell Trust
Foodbank Network which works in partnership with local churches
and organisatlons to bring foodbanks to cornmunities across the
UK.

Objectives and Activities
The Foodbank's objettive is to dlstrlbute food and consumables to
people from Hertford, Ware and the surrounding district in short
term financial need.
Food Is donated
Most of the food given out by the foodbank is donated. Often this
is from schools, churches, buslnesses, individuals, or through
supermarket collections. Supermarket collections help foodbanks
engage the public. Fresh food has also been distrlbuted, which is
purchased weekly.
Food Is •orted •nd stored
Volunteers welgh and sort the donated food according to type and
'best before date.. They also check it is undamaged and suitable
for use before packing It into boxes for storage.
Frontline profe•8lonals Identlfy people In need
Professionals from statutory and voluntary organisations such as
doctors, health visltors, social workers, Citizens Advlce Bureau
staff, welfare offlcers, the police and probation officers, identify
people in crisis and issue them wlth a foodbank voucher.
Cllents recelve •m•ryency f¢*od
Clients. requlrements are covered by vouchers which are issued
by agencies electronically. These allow for three days, supply of
emergency food to be dlstributed. The list of foods in each parcel
has been designed by dieticians to provide recipients with
nutritionally balanced food.
Cllents are signposted to further support
Foodbank volunteers signpost clients to agencies who can offer
additional help and begin to resolve any underlying problems.

Achievements and Performance
The Foodbank operates almost entirely with volunteers, who
number around 50 presently. The Trustees acknowledge the huge
contribution to the work of the Charity made by all the
volunteers.
Durlng the perlod (25/26) we received donated food totalling
31,398kgs. This is lower than the last couple of years but the
number of food parcels Issued to cllents Increased to 3,418
including 1,222 to children (2025 - 3,114 and 1,145
respectively). Donations are thought to be lower due to the
ongoing cost of living crisis. We still had to purchase basic stock
as well as fresh food.
During the year we received a grant of £8,100 from Ware
Charitles towards the rent of our Ware premises and a second
grant of £5,000 from the Adams Trust to buy food for cllents in
Ware.
During the year we distrlbuted £1,565 (2025 £4,025) In
emergency energy grants and £1,580 In fresh food vouchers
(2025 £1,060) as a supplement to the food nomally glven out.
Flnancial Review
The Foodbank had a deflclt of £4,717 in the period. Total funds at
31 March 2026 were £117,603 of which £15,787 is represented
by food stocks and £101,816 in cash funds. £37,800 of our cash
funds is held as designated to cover the net costs of the
remalning period of our 5 year lease to premises at Ware Priory.
Income was driven by another exceptional year of donations
totalling £133,406 (2024/25 £156,904) - £47,409 in money and
food to the value of £85,997.
Food to the value of £86,714 (2024125 £97,940) was distributed.
Cash expendlture was £65,799 (2025 £63,749) comprising
primarily Ware premises costs of £16,200, food purchased of
£22,666, contributions totalling £4,000 (including improvements)
to the United Reformed Church which houses the Hertford depot,
warehouse materials of £1,270, van insurance and ￿paIrS of
£3,558 and general insurance p￿rnIuM5 of £472. In addition to
paying our part-tlme worker, the trustees awarded honorariums
totaling £560 to a small number of volunteers who continue to

shoulder substantial workloads to ensure continuation of the
foodbank's activities.
Public Benefit
In planning its attivities, the Trustees have given regard to the
Charity Commission's Public Benefit guidance.
Chalr of trustees
28 May 2026

HERTFORD & DISTRICT FOODBANK
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT
TO THE TRUSTEES OF HERTFORD & DISTRICT FOODBANK
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2026
l TeFOrt on Ihe accounts of the the ye¥ ￿ded 31 March 21Y28 whth are set (xrt on the
following pages
R￿￿tI¥• rnspoMlblllll•8 oftru•tee8 and •x•mln•r
The trustees are responsible for the Fy¢par￿ ofthe &xyyJnts. The Intstees C￿S*￿erth9l an audit is
not required for this year under sec*on 144 of the Chanbes hd 2011 Ilhe Charitss Act) and th81 an
independent examftat￿ k8 needed.
It ts my responslbilty to.
eyAmine the xwunts under Sect￿ 145 of the Cr￿li￿ A¢
follow the w(￿ju￿5 Is•J da￿ in the Direcbons gNen iry the Charty Comrrtssb)n {und8r
Soction 145151{bl ofthe charrf￿ 14 and
My èxaminabon was camed OLrt In ac£ordanee wilh genwal Dwttlyons gfven by the Charty
CoMm￿S1on. kn exafflinatK￿ indude8 a rv4i8w of the accx)unting r&ord$ kept by the charity and
comparison ofthe actounts presented w*h those records It also ￿ClUdeSr￿sIJerat￿1 0f￿Y unusual
rtems or dwk)sures in the ￿COUnts and seekTrng explanabons from you as trustees cKJnteming any
such matters. Tl* prorndures undertaken do not provKbe all the e¥idenc* that would be required in an
oudrt. and consequenty no opm*)n is gNen as to whets the awunls present 8-true and fair view.
and the report 15 Iiffrfted to those matters sel out in the Stolerr￿nl beknw.
1nd•p￿d0nt •xamln•rfs stat•m•nt
In connec￿￿ wth my eXarThnaIi￿, ￿ matter has to nry attenl*)n".
w￿h gwes me msonablg cause to l**t in any Maten￿ the wuirem8nts'.
to keep accounbng reccKds in wth sth)n 130 ofthe Charit￿ ACL. and
io prepare &tCAmts whKth the *xy￿nIry rncuds and C*jMp￿ WFth the
accounbng requir•ff¢nts ofthe Chth Act
2 to wh￿, in my 0[Hn￿)n, atten￿7 sIKJulO be in ortsr to enth a woper understanding of the
Phllllp Col•man
28 Atsy 2028

Hertford & District Foodbank
Statement of Financial Activities
Period Ended 31st March 2026
Total
funds
2026
Total
funds
2025
Notes
restrirted Restrlcted
funds
funds
Xncomlng resources
Incomlng resources from
generated funds
Voluntary Income
133,634
13,100 146.734 152,649
Incoming resources from
charitable activltles
1,062
1.062
3,055
Total Incomlng rewurce•
13 100 147 796
Resources expended
Charitable activltles
Staff costs
129,630
11,347
11,536 141,166
11,347
149,081
11,408
140 977
11536 152513 160489
t4et Incomlng resources
(6,281)
1,564
(4.717) (4,785)
Funds at the start of the
year
Funds at the end of the
ear
121,120
1,200
121320 127,105
114 839
117 603 122 320

Hertford & District Foodbank
Balance Sheet
At 31st March 2026
2026
2026
2025
2025
Notes
Current assets
Stock
Cash at bank and In hand
15.787
15,818
Total n¢t assets
Represented by:
Funds and reserves
Restricted funds
Unrestrlcted funds
2764
1,200
Approved on 28 May 2026
Chalr of trustees
. Treasurer

Principal Accounting Policies
Basis of accounting
The financial statements have been prepared on a Receipts and
Payments basis induding stock donated and Issued.
Incoming resources
All Income is credited to the statement of financial activities on a received
basis.
Donations are credited to the statement of financial activities in the year
in which they are received as recelpt is the earliest point at which
entitlement is considered certain.
Restricted grants and awards are included once the amount is reasonably
certain to be received. The income is matched to the period of
expenditure for grants extending beyond the financial year.
Resources expended and the basls of apportlonlng costs
Expenditure is charged to the statement of financial artlvlties on an
actual basis.
Govemance costs are negligible, and no separate cost has been
Identified.
Fund ac¢ountlng
The RestrEcted Funds are monles ralsed for, and their use restricted to, a
specific purpose, or donations subject to donor-imposed condition.
The General Fund represents unrestricted and designated monies used
to fund working capital and which the organisation may use In
furtherance of the charity's objettives.

I Voluntary income
Unrestricted Restricted
funds
fijnds
Total
2026
Total
2025
Donatlons In money
Donations In kind - food
Fundraising
47.409
85,997
228
13.100
60,509
85.997
228
57.898
94,230
521
133.634
13.100
146.734
152,649
2 Incomlng resourcu from Charitable actlvities
Unrestricted Restdrte
fvnds
funds
Total
2026
Total
2025
Revaluatlon of stocks at year end
Interest
686
376
2820
235-
376
1.062
1.062
3,055
3 Cost of charltable actlvltles
Unrestricted Restrlcted
funds
funds
Total
2026
Total
2025
Premlses
Rent deposlt
12.100
8,100
20.200
22,300
(1.200)
Warehouse materlals
Admlnlstration and general
Stock purchases
Food Issued
Other stock donated
Energy grants
other grants
Insurance
Van operatlng costs
Honorartums
Fresh food vouthers
1,270
2,581
19.230
86,714
1,270
2.581
22,666
86,714
1.634
2,403
18,422
86,022
11,918
4,025
3.436
1.565
1.565
472
3.558
560
1,580
472
3,558
560
468
1.402-
627
1.060
129,630
11.536
141.166
149.081

4 Staff costs
2026
2025
Staff c05t5 during the year were as follows:
Wages and salarles Includin9 pension
Social security costs
Total staff costs
10.915
432
11.347
11.114
294
11,408
It has not been possible to quantify the monetary value of the servI￿S of
approximately 50 volunteers who glve theirume freely. providing a wlde range
of support to the charity.
There was one employee durfng the perfod.
5 Stock
2026
2025
Food
15,787
15,818
15,787
15,818
6 Cash at bank and In hand
2026
2025
Bank attounts
I1￿,566
105,252
Rent deposlt
1.200
1.200
Petty cash
50
50
101,816
106,502

7 Movements in funds
At 1 Aprfl In¢omlng I￿going
At 31 March
2026
RestrtGttd fund•
Ad8m$ Twst {Food ts Ware)
{3,436)
1,564
Ware foodbank project
8,11)0
18,100)
Total restricted funds
1.200 13.100
(11.536)
764
Unrestricted funds
General Fund
121.120 134,696 (140.977) 114,839