## Batley Food Bank
Charity number 1157520
Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 30 September 2024
## Batley Food Bank
Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 30 September 2024
|**Contents**|**Page**|
|---|---|
|Trustees' report|2 to 4|
|Examiner's report|5|
|Receipts and payments account|6|
|Statement of assets and liabilities|7|
|Notes to the accounts|8 to 10|
## **Prepared by West Yorkshire Community Accountancy Service CIO**
1
## Batley Food Bank
## Trustees' report for the year ended 30 September 2024
## **Reference and administrative details of the charity, its trustees and advisors**
The trustees during the financial year and up to and including the date the report was approved were: **Name Position Dates** Catherine Pinder Chair Leah Phillips Treasurer Appointed 23 November 2023 Graeme Simpson Secretary Appointed 15 July 2024 Carol Lightbody Safeguarding Lead Appointed 23 November 2023 Helen Wilde Aafaq Butt Resigned 3 October 2024 Clare Black Resigned 4 December 2024 Tracey Race Resigned 31 May 2024 Caroline Jones Resigned 3 May 2024 Gina Harding Resigned 31 May 2024 Sally Wallace Jones Resigned 24 October 2024 **Charity number** 1157520 Registered in England and Wales
**Charity number** 1157520 **Registered and principal address Bankers** Admiral House Lloyds Bank plc Co-operative Bank Blakeridge Lane 75 Commercial Street 47 Low Lane Batley Batley Batley WF17 8PD WF17 5EQ WF17 9EY
**Independent examiner** Rhys North ACA **West Yorkshire Community Accountancy Service CIO** Stringer House 34 Lupton Street Leeds LS10 2QW
## **Structure, governance and management**
The charity is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) foundation formed on 18 June 2014 and governed by a constitution.
## **Method of recruitment and appointment of trustees**
The trustees of the charity are appointed by the members at the AGM.
2
## Batley Food Bank
## Trustees' report (continued) for the year ended 30 September 2024
## **Objectives and activities**
## **The charity's objects**
To alleviate the effects of food poverty and specifically to create and operate a food bank for the people of Batley and its environs.
## **The charity's main activities**
Operating a food bank providing emergency food aid to people resident in an area of the North Kirklees local authority area covering Batley, Heckmondwike, Cleckheaton, Liversedge, Birstall and Birkenshaw, along with parts of Dewsbury including Mirfield.
## **Public benefit statement**
In setting our objectives and planning our activities our Trustees have given serious consideration to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit and in particular alleviating the effects of food poverty in our local area.
## **Achievements and performance**
The number of people supported by Batley Food Bank has increased over the years and we now support thousands of people each year.
Batley Food Bank meets a real need by supplementing statutory and voluntary provision for those in food poverty within the North Kirklees communities.
During 2024 we continued to provide a consistent, high-quality food bank service to the growing number of people needing crisis support in North Kirklees, despite the continuing financial strains.
Between 1[st] October 2023 and 30[th] September 2024, we received 3,190 referrals, feeding 6,798 people, providing a total of 142,758 meals. Each week we dealt with, on average 10 new clients who had not used our food bank before.
Throughout this time, we have continued to offer a home delivery service, for our most vulnerable clients, alongside clients being able to visit our premises to collect their parcels. We have maintained our opening hours of 11:30am to 3:30pm each weekday.
There have been discussions over the year about the financial viability of Batley Food Bank and whether we should move to a food pantry or food cooperative model, to allow the work to continue. Our referral system allows us to ensure that clients are genuinely in need when they come to us. Many of them are at crisis point for some time before reaching out for help. Even a small charge or change in system would put these vulnerable people at more risk. The referral system also allows us to ensure our clients are receiving support in other areas such as debt management, substance abuse, employment advice, which they would not receive if our current practices changed.
We have continued to work with Fareshare and Neighbourly to obtain food items which are surplus and would otherwise go to landfill. This allows us to reduce some of our food costs, as well as reducing waste.
In October 2023, we received some additional funding from the Government Household Support Fund to allow us to provide “Christmas Dinner” to those who applied or were referred. We were able to provide 84 hampers containing all the ingredients for a Christmas Meal, along with extra treats such as cakes, sweets and chocolates thanks to this funding and donations of items to the food bank.
In addition to our standard referrals, we contacted schools to ask them to refer their most vulnerable families for assistance during the school six-week holidays. This ensured families were not struggling to obtain a referral during this time and we were able to provide support to 12 families who did not fall into the category of other support during this period.
We are extremely grateful to our staff, volunteers and trustees, who worked incredibly hard over the year to ensure our service was maintained during some very challenging and uncertain periods. They also assisted with several fund-raising events, awareness events and supermarket food collections which helped to boost our finances and food stock.
3
## Batley Food Bank
## Trustees' report (continued) for the year ended 30 September 2024
## **Achievements and performance (continued)**
We are proud of our work over the last year and thankful for the support of all our donors including individuals, organisations, small local businesses and supermarkets, as well as those businesses who allowed their staff the volunteer as part of their working days.
## **Financial review**
The net payments for the year were £16,472, including net payments of £1,890 on unrestricted funds and net payments of £14,582 on restricted funds.
## **Reserves policy**
The charity's free reserves, at the year end were £20,644.
The aim is to have enough money in reserve to meet the expenses of the food bank for 3 months. This includes rent, wages and all other essential expenses. The current reserves target amount is set at £40,000. This would allow the staff to be given notice and enable an orderly winding up should the charity need to close.
The trustees recognise that as at 30 September 2024 actual reserves were below their target level of reserves. In response to this the trustees approved a number of actions regarding cost reduction and increasing income, including:
1. Reduction of variety of food offered to clients.
2. Reduction of non-food provision.
3. Reduction of repeat food parcels through greater engagement with the referees.
4. Tighter controls on referral sources.
5. Challenging repeat attendees without a referral.
6. Drive for donations.
The impact of these measures is now being experienced and latest financial reports show an increase in unrestricted funds. The trustees will continue to closely monitor the charity's finances.
Approved by the board of trustees on 27/6/2025
Catherine Pinder (Trustee)
4
## Batley Food Bank
## Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Batley Food Bank
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the CIO for the year ended 30 September 2024, which are set out on pages 6 to 10.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity trustees of the CIO 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 CIO's accounts as carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act. 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 material 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 Charities Act; 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.
Rhys North ACA
30/6/2025
## **West Yorkshire Community Accountancy Service CIO**
Stringer House 34 Lupton Street Leeds LS10 2QW
5
## Batley Food Bank
## Receipts and payments account for the year ended 30 September 2024
|Notes
2024
Unrestricted
funds
£
**Receipts**
Grants and donations
(2)
37,052
Fundraising
1,115
**Total receipts**
38,167
**Payments**
Salaries NI and pensions
20,395
Food and consumables stock
8,131
Telephone
584
Insurance
550
Stationery
1,013
Equipment
306
Subscriptions
-
IT services
560
Other costs - service users
41
Vehicle leasing
-
Volunteer expenses
880
Professional fees
1,814
Rent and rates
3,125
Other expenses
948
Fundraising costs
510
Accountancy and independent examination
1,200
**Total payments**
40,057
**Net payments**
(1,890)
**Fund balances brought forward**
22,534
**Fund balances carried forward**
(3)
20,644|2024
Restricted
funds
£
91,359
-
91,359
23,757
73,083
301
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
8,800
-
-
-
105,941
(14,582)
19,515
4,933|2024
Total
funds
£
128,411
1,115
129,526
44,152
81,214
885
550
1,013
306
-
560
41
-
880
1,814
11,925
948
510
1,200
145,998
(16,472)
42,049
25,577|2023
Total
funds
£
129,981
543
130,524
38,992
82,070
823
512
989
132
108
529
231
1,872
744
1,453
9,600
156
444
809
139,464
(8,940)
50,989
42,049|
|---|---|---|---|
6
## Batley Food Bank
## Statement of assets and liabilities
|as at 30 September 2024
2024
Unrestricted
£
**Cash funds**
Cash at bank
20,564
Cash in hand
80
**Total cash funds**
20,644
**Debtors and prepayments**
Debtors
Prepayments
**Assets retained for the charity's own use**
Catering fridge and two upright fridges
Three chest freezers and one upright freezer
Computer tower, keyboard and monitor
Two printers
Shelving units
Two office desks
Henry vacuum cleaner
Shredder
**Liabilities**
Accruals
Taxation and social security
Other creditors|2024
Restricted
£
4,933
-
4,933|2024
Total
£
25,497
80
25,577
2024
£
595
92
687
2024
£
1,368
152
56
1,576|2023
Total
£
42,001
48
42,049|
|---|---|---|---|
The financial statements were approved by the board of trustees on 27/6/2025
Catherine Pinder (Trustee)
7
## Batley Food Bank
## Notes to the accounts
## for the year ended 30 September 2024
## **1 Accounting policies**
## **Basis of accounting**
The trustees have taken advantage of section 133 of the Charities Act 2011 and have prepared the accounts on a receipts and payments basis.
There has been no change to the accounting policies since last year.
No changes have been made to the accounts for previous years.
## **Taxation**
As a charity the organisation benefits from rates relief and is generally exempt from income tax and capital gains tax but not from VAT. Irrecoverable VAT is included in the cost of those items to which it
## **Fund accounting**
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity.
Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure imposed by the donor or through the terms of an appeal.
Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the accounts.
8
## Batley Food Bank
## Notes to the accounts continued
## for the year ended 30 September 2024
|**2 Grants and donations**
Arnold Clark Community Fund
ASDA Foundation
Batley & Birstall Community Fund
Birstall Rotary Club (Luddites)
Kirklees Council
National Lottery Community Fund
Neighbourly fund
One Community - Mayors Fund
One Community Foundation
Sir George Martin Trust
The Brelms Trust
The Foyle Foundation
The Trusthouse Charitable Foundation
West Yorkshire Hardship Fund
Yorkshire Building Society
Albert Hunt Trust
Freemasonry & Lieutenancies Partnership Fund
Huddersfield Town Foundation
Julia & Hans Rausing Trust
Morrisons Foundation
Other donations
**3 Restricted funds**
Balance b/f
£
Kirklees Local Welfare Provision
18,895
Morrisons Community Fund
591
Trusthouse Charitable Fund
-
Birstall Rotary Club Fund
-
National Lottery Community Fund
-
Kirklees Ward Budgets
-
The Brelms Trust
-
Neighbourly
29
One Community - Mayors Fund
-
Batley & Birstall Community Fund
-
West Yorkshire Hardship Fund
-
Asda Cost of Living Fund
-
Sir George Martin Fund
-
Kirklees Local Welfare Provision
-
One Community Kirklees
-
Neighbourly Fund - Sainsbury's
-
Kirklees Council HSF5 Funding
-
Yorkshire Building Society
-
The Foyle Foundation
-
19,515|2024
Unrestricted
funds
£
2,500
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
34,552
37,052
Incoming
£
-
-
6,768
500
16,040
7,000
4,968
-
8,000
5,000
4,219
800
2,500
5,040
1,500
500
22,024
1,500
5,000
91,359|2024
Restricted
funds
£
-
800
5,000
500
34,064
16,040
500
8,000
1,500
2,500
4,968
5,000
6,768
4,219
1,500
-
-
-
-
-
-
91,359
Outgoing
£
18,895
591
6,768
500
16,040
7,000
4,968
29
8,000
5,000
3,986
800
2,500
5,040
1,500
500
22,024
-
1,800
105,941|2024
Total
funds
£
2,500
800
5,000
500
34,064
16,040
500
8,000
1,500
2,500
4,968
5,000
6,768
4,219
1,500
-
-
-
-
-
34,552
128,411
Transfers
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-|2023
Total
funds
£
-
-
5,000
-
39,916
-
2,000
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2,000
2,675
1,000
11,280
3,000
63,110
129,981
Balance c/f
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
233
-
-
-
-
-
-
1,500
3,200
4,933|
|---|---|---|---|---|
For fund descriptions see next page
9
## Batley Food Bank
## Notes to the accounts continued
## for the year ended 30 September 2024
## **3 Restricted funds (continued)**
## **Fund name**
Kirklees Local Welfare Provision Morrisons Community Fund Trusthouse Charitable Fund Birstall Rotary Club Fund National Lottery Community Fund Kirklees Ward Budgets The Brelms Trust Neighbourly One Community - Mayors Fund Batley & Birstall Community Fund West Yorkshire Hardship Fund Asda Cost of Living Fund Sir George Martin Fund Kirklees Local Welfare Provision One Community Kirklees Neighbourly Fund - Sainsbury's Kirklees Council HSF5 Funding Yorkshire Building Society The Foyle Foundation
## **Purpose of restriction**
Towards food, toiletries and Christmas hampers Towards fresh food and dairy products Towards wages and rent Towards food Towards wages and rent Towards food and toiletries Towards rent and drivers Towards food, Christmas hampers and delivery costs Towards food and toiletries Towards food and toiletries Towards fresh food and toiletries Towards food and toiletries Towards rent, drivers, telephone, food and toiletries Towards food and toiletries Towards drivers wages Towards food and toiletries Towards food and toiletries Towards food and toiletries Towards rent
## **4 Related party transactions**
## **Trustee expenses**
No trustee received any expenses during this year or the previous year.
## **Trustee remuneration and benefits**
No trustee received any remuneration or benefit during this or the previous year.
|**Other related party transactions**
A Wilde
Husband of trustee
General assistance as
an employee
**Name of trustee**
**or related party**
**Relationship to**
**charity**
**Description of**
**transaction**|2024
£
3,093
3,093|2023
£
2,730
2,730|
|---|---|---|
10