2022-03-31-accounts - Acts West Wales

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Acts West Wales Annual Report and Accounts for 1st April 2021 to 31st March 2022 Charity number: 1157963

Acts West Wales ANNUAL REPORT AND INDEPENDENTLY EXAMINED ACCOUNTS - CONTENTS

	Page
Charity information	3
Independent examiner’s report	4
Annual reports and accounts	5
Receipts and payments	7
Statement of assets and liabilities	8

Acts West Wales CHARITY INFORMATION 1st April 2021 to 31st March 2022

Registered Office

Accountants

Grace Court House Market Square Narberth SA67 7AU Easy Accounting Services Ltd Unit 3 Narberth Bridge Business Park Narberth Pembrokeshire SA67 8RA

Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Acts West Wales

I report on the accounts for the year ended 31[st] March 2022, which are set out on pages seven and eight.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity’s trusteed you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).

I have examined your charity’s accounts as required under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.

My role is to state whether any material matters have come to my addition giving me cause to believe:

That accounting records were not kept as required by section 130 of the Act;or
That the accounts do not accord with those records; or
That the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of the Act; or
That there is further information needed for a proper understanding of the accounts.

Independent examiner’s statement

I have completed my examination and have no concerns in respect of the matters (1) to (4) listed above and, in connection with following the Directions of the Charity Commission I have found no matters that require drawing to your attention.

Easy accounting Services Ltd Unit 3 Narberth Bridge Business Park Narberth Pembrokeshire SA67 8RA

Date: …………………………..

Acts West Wales Annual Reports and Accounts for 1st April 2021 to 31st March 2022.

History

Acts West Wales was created by the Leadership of Grace Church West Wales to enable the church to have a better legal and financial entity to operate some of its charitable work in the community. Acts West Wales registered with the Charity Commission in July 2014. The first piece of work it took on was the creation and operation of Pembrokeshire Food Bank. The Trussell Trust franchise was transferred from Grace Church to Acts West Wales in April 2015. At present the Foodbank is its sole activity. In the initial development phase, foodbanks were set up in Narberth, Haverfordwest and Letterston. Pembroke Dock Foodbank opened in 2016. In March 2020, Neyland Foodbank opened and Letterston was relocated to Fishguard town.

This year

In Pembrokeshire, during 2021- 2022, the latest figures show that 4,637 local people received emergency food supplies from Pembrokeshire Foodbank network and that 2301 of these were children. This number is a small decrease compared to the 2020-21 period when 5132 people received emergency food supplies. The Covid restrictions and regulations eased in part allowing a welcome partial recovery of the local tourism economy on which the area heavily relies. However, Covid and its far reaching implications were still major factors in this demand. Pembrokeshire Foodbank and P.A.T.C.H. a large independent foodbank, have actively collaborated with one another, allowing those in need to redeem food vouchers and access services in any foodbank centre across the county.

A partnership between Trussell Trust and Asda has enabled us to successfully bid for a grant for partial funding of staff salaries of which we are in the final year . Monthly private donations also continue to increase through our Handful of Rice donation scheme. These income sources are essential in securing our managerial and administrative capacity, which, year on, is in greater demand than ever before.

Activity …2021 / 2020

Adults Fed ………….2499 / 2851 Children Fed ……….2138 / 2301 Stock received …….34,236 kg / 41,898 kg Stock distributed ….35,923 kg / 32,560 kg Volunteers…………. 39 (active)./ 40

During the year under review, the continuation of the Covid pandemic and subsequent changes in lockdown restrictions, Pembrokeshire’s five Trussell Trust Foodbanks remained open and operational with minimum volunteers to ensure a safe and compliant environment for our teams and our clients. In compliance with the restrictions, our community cafes remained closed to the public, and the appointment system for both emergency parcels and Fairshare worked well. Each centre opened every week during the crisis without a COVID outbreak and is a credit to the hard work and due diligence of our amazing volunteers through this difficult and challenging time.. Local schools, businesses and churches continued to provide vital support to the Foodbank network. Clients receive a very generous five day supply of non perishable nutritionally balanced food with additional Fairshare perishable produce when available. This intervention resolves the immediate issues of hunger. They are also offered support and guidance on where to find further expert help to resolve the contributing issues that created the food crisis. Major supermarkets including TESCO, MORRISONS & ASDA continued to be significant supporters and donors over this challenging time.

As well as providing emergency food, Pembrokeshire Foodbank provides essentials like toiletries, cleaning and laundry supplies and pet food to individuals who are struggling, as well as signposting them to other services in the local area. Pembrokeshire Foodbank, continues partnering with the Fare-Share Charity. Through this initiative, good food destined for waste is sent to charities and community groups who transform it into nutritious meals. In addition, surplus

perishable food can be taken, free of charge and no food voucher is required. The food redistributed is fresh, quality and in date surplus from the food industry. Pembrokeshire Foodbank is thankful to many local food shops, growers, as well as TESCO & CO-OP, our main partners, for their ongoing commitment and provision to this scheme. Fare-Share food is available at all five Foodbanks during their opening hours. Covid compliance has been met by pre bagging a selection of items and closely managing the distribution. Our collaboration continues between businesses, Foodbanks and Community Fridges to reduce food waste and support the community.

The Trustees are grateful to the Foodbank management team and the amazing band of able volunteers across Pembrokeshire, who week by week enable people to get access to good quality emergency food supplies and who allowed the Foodbank network to remain open throughout the ongoing Covid crisis.

Pembrokeshire Foodbank opening times and locations :

Haverfordwest: Hill Park Baptist Church Tuesdays 10am - 1pm Narberth: Grace Court House Wednesdays 10am - 1pm Fishguard: Bethel English Baptist Church Thursdays 10am - 1pm Pembroke Dock: Bethel Baptist Church Thursdays 10am - 1pm. Neyland: Bethesda Baptist Church, Tuesdays 10am -1pm

Cilrath Acre. A new Acts West Wales community initiative.

At a Trustees meeting held in November 2021 Trustees unanimously voted in favour of the launch of a new initiative to be called “Cilrath Acre”. It was to be in support of the charity’s objectives and to dovetail harmoniously with the charity’s existing work and effectively create a sister project to Pembrokeshire Food Bank.

The new project focuses on an acre of land at Cilrath Fach Farm near Narberth, which has been made available to the charity free of charge for a community food growing project. The vision for Cilrath Acre is for it to become a productive and regenerative growing space, bringing together community and connecting people to nature, the land and locally grown food with the aim of taking positive action in response to the climate emergency whilst addressing food poverty and building community resilience.

In January 2022 the Trustees approved a budget of £30,000-00 of undesignated funds to be allocated to the project with the intention that Cilrath Acre should endeavour to become self sustaining in the future. This budget was to include employment of a Project Manager for 16 hours a week to help launch the project and ensure its long term success.

In March 2022 a substantial 70ft commercial polytunnel was erected with funding provided by Pembrokeshire County Council and a season of activity commenced, during which essential infrastructure items were established on Cilrath Acre including fencing and a water supply.

A working partnership was formed between Acts West Wales and the Charity ‘Tir Coed’ who had a proven track record concerning land-based community projects, and who wanted to establish short term horticultural training programmes with local people interested in gaining food growing skills and in particular those who were identified as under employed and in need of support and encouragement.

Peter Sargent Chair of Trustees - Acts West Wales

Acts West Wales 1st April 2021 to 31st March 2022