2023-03-31-accounts

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BANBURY FOOD FOR CHARITIES

CHARITY: 1159862 : Registered 8 January 2015

We present the Trustees’ Annual Report and the Annual Accounts for Banbury Food for Charities and confirm that they comply with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 and the governing document of the Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). This Report covers the period 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023

AIMS

• I. The promotion of food waste reduction and the recycling and use of surplus food products within the Banbury area.

• II. The relief of the disadvantaged, living in or around Banbury, through the provision of food.

OBJECT :

What we do

In order to reduce food waste, we negotiate with food suppliers in the Banbury area so as to collect their surplus food that would otherwise be lost to human consumption, principally fresh fruit, vegetables and bakery products past 'sell-by', or ‘display by' dates, but still within 'use-by' date. The food is collected from the supplier premises by Banbury Food For Charities (BFFC) volunteers using their own vehicle and then delivered directly to local registered Charities to be used by their users and clients, in their kitchens for hot meals and in the promotion of cooking skills and healthy eating. There are no charges made for either collection or for distribution of the food.

Key objectives

• a. To grow the Charity finding new suppliers and volunteers.

• b. To ensure we reach charities representing a wide range of vulnerable people

• c. To ensure we comply with legislation

• d. To promote our presence within Banbury

• e. To raise operational funds

• f. To work with others to promote recycling

Plans for 2022/2023

1. Together with our volunteers, to consider the on-going viability of BFFC.

2. Review IT, web page management and fund-raising platform

3. To explore wider opportunities to attract more volunteers and to promote Banbury Food for Charities as an entity within Banbury.

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PART 1 : REVIEW OF ACTIVITIES

Achievements & Performance in the Year Ending 31 March 2023

Volunteers: In support of key objectives and year plan

Our ongoing viability is solely due to the commitment, enthusiasm, and flexibility of our regular volunteers: Kieron, Jane, Philip, Ed, Juliet and Cath who have worked for us during this very challenging year. It is because of them that the Charity continues.

Food Recycled: In support of all Aims and objectives:-

As with other food recycling Charities, BFFC has seen a drop in supplies. Customer awareness and improved store stock control means less excess food at day end. At the same time there has been national focus on both food waste and food banks with new organisations set-up to tackle both food waste and redistribution. The amount of handled food has fallen recently from about 30 to about 10/15 equivalent crates a week.

This supports Aim I – the reduction of supermarket food waste - although it does mean less to share among the Charities we support (Aim II)

We saved the equivalent of about 6 builders’ skips of food from waste. This food would otherwise have been driven by lorry to land fill or bio-digester with a consequent cost in CO2 emissions and water usage to the detriment of the environment.

Main foods collected are fresh fruit and vegetables, bakery products and cut flowers.

Suppliers : In support of our Aim (I), objective (a & f) and Specific Plan (1)

Excess unsold food has been supplied by Aldi, Produce Warriors, Waitrose, Tesco Grimsbury and occasionally Morrisons. Each one of these supplies other Charities as well as BFFC.

Regular suppliers are located within Banbury minimising environmental impact when collecting food in vehicles. Only damaged/spoiled food is refused to avoid more waste.

Charity Reach :- I n support of Aim (II) and Objective (b)

During the year, we have operated 3 days a week supplying between 10 and 16 local Charities who in turn supported a wide range of vulnerable people of all ages within Banbury

To maximise distribution while minimising waste, we delivered according to a rota, levelling out shortages and gluts; liaising with eachother and the charities to check requirements, closures, specific events and preferences. In this way volunteers ensure that charities receive a fair share of the reduced collections, even if less frequently.

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Risks in Legislation and Guidance compliance:

In support of objective (c)

Food Safety : Cherwell District Council conducted a Health Protection and Compliance Review in July 2018 and agreed handling procedures. Trustees Riki Therivel and Valerie Richards hold Food Safety Certificate level 2. Food safety, handling and date information forms part of the Volunteer induction pack and a separate sheet showing meanings of food dates is provided as a quick look up guide. This was also copied to the charities for guidance and display.

Data Protection : We have attended OCVA Charity training events including GDPR requirements. Data necessary for communication is controlled by administrator and is not used outside BFFC or for fund raising purposes. Records reviewed and updated/deleted annually. There have been no requests for data held.

Safeguarding : Volunteers have no direct or unsupervised contact with Charity Clients. Our Induction Pack includes a code of conduct and details of how volunteers can raise concerns or complaints.

Management of Other Risks objective (c)

Reputation : The reputation of BFFC stands on the commitment, enthusiasm and reliability of volunteers to deliver services & close contact is maintained. We have received no complaints either internal or external. Trustee Liability Insurance is held.

Health & Safety : Volunteers are provided with Hi-Vis jackets and name badges. Volunteer drivers agree in writing that they are covered by their own insurance. Food handling and written expiry date advice was given to volunteers. Inedible food or food past its use-by date is refused.

Environmental Costs : BFFC operates solely within the town of Banbury to reduce environmental impact of moving food, compared to the cost of transport to landfill or recycling plants.

Avoiding further food waste : On the rare occasions when supply exceeds demand, alternate uses have been found; e.g. as animal food, forwarding to Oxford City Charities.

Variations in supplies and Equity of treatment : Following a decline in supplies, we started group emails to inform volunteers of weekly shortages and which charities, if any, were missed to ensure equity of treatment.

Promotional Activity & Fund Raising: Aim (I), objective (a, (d), (e), specific plan (2)

• Web and Twitter and Facebook accounts exist but need to be refreshed to promote our activities and to link to other organisations. See Difficulties and Challenges.

• Marked magnetic signs for volunteers’ vehicles have raised our profile. Talk given at Oxford Co-operative Party meeting about activities

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Working with partners: In support of Aim (I), objective (d), (f) specific plan (3)

Apart from the Charities we serve, BFFC has worked with others to reduce food waste:

• Referring offers of food to Charity partners where we cannot handle them.

• • We are advised and supported by OCVA (Oxfordshire Community & Voluntary Action) their seminars and network.

• We explored practical ways of working more closely with Oxford Food Bank as they considered their own long-term plans to extend operations.

Difficulties and Challenges

1. We have just sufficient volunteers to cover our shifts. Recruits largely come from word of mouth and have by luck been found just in time to replace leavers. It would however be undesirable to have too many volunteers, without a regular round to cover. Volunteer numbers remain critical for our future operations. This is an on-going issue, carried forward to 2023/24 annual plan.

2. Fluctuating supplies affected onward food deliveries, while lack of storage space by Charities means food has sometimes been refused.

3. Although planned for 2021/22, there remains a need for IT/Tech savvy input, for web, Facebook, Twitter and a fundraising platform. These plans were ‘on hold’ during COVID-19 and have become more urgent.

Future Plans

• a. Apply for a Grant to help fund food storage solutions at our partner community Food Bank.

• b. Review IT, web page management and fund-raising platform

• c. Continue to work closely to ensure fairness in deliveries.

• d. Explore wider opportunities to attract more volunteers and to promote Banbury Food for Charities as an entity within Banbury.

• e. Continue to explore closer working with Oxford Food Bank.

PART 2 : STRUCTURE AND MANAGEMENT

The number and method of appointing Trustees is set out in the Governing document. The Manager since January 2022 is Catherine Leefe.

Financial records held by Valerie Richards who has attended OCVA seminars on accounting for Charities and GDPR.

Trustee Riki Therivel holds ILM level 3 qualifications in volunteer management to act as an arbiter and has attended OCVA seminar on Trustees’ legal responsibilities. Riki maintains the web-site.

None of the Trustees has received any benefit from the Charity. The first formal meeting of Trustees and volunteers was 30 June 2015. The Annual Meeting is held in June/July.

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Trustees

The current Trustees are:

Valerie Richards Appointed 8 January 2015 Riki Therivel Appointed 8 January 2015 Kieron Mallon Appointed 8 January 2015 Maurice Humphris Appointed September 2015

PART 3 : FINANCES

Note 1: Accounts prepared on the Receipts and Payments basis, as allowed by the Charities Act, since income is less than £250, 000.

Note 2: External scrutiny is not required under the Charities Act as income was less than £25,000.

Reserves Policy: BFFC looks to maintain a balance on unrestricted funds sufficient to cover expenses and outgoings for two years. The current balance of £177.33 just complies with that policy. Items of regular expenditure are Annual Insurance (£88) and any Hi-Vis, or promotional signs. There have been no claims for reimbursement of petrol.

BFFC is registered for Gift Aid boosting donations from UK tax payers by 25%.

Funds are held at Virgin Money where the account earns small monthly interest. There are no restricted funds.

STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS 1 APRIL 2022 TO 31 MARCH 2023

INCOME & EXPENDITURE

INCOME Bank Interest EXPENDITURE Trustee Insurance Dec 2022 NET LOSS BALANCE SHEET BALANCE B/F 1 APRIL 2022 LESS LOSS BALANCE C/F 31 MARCH 2023	£ 0.94 £ 88.94- £ 88.00- £ 265.33 £ 88.00-
	£ 177.33

(Balance Confirmed by Bank Statement Number 32, 1 April 2023 = £ 177.33)

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