## **The Hub@BA15** **Church Street, Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire, BA15 1LS Tel. 01225 920748 Charity no. 1160807 Email boacommunityhub@gmail.com Website : www.boahub.co.uk** ## **Annual Report 2020-2021** ## Contents 1. Trustees & Management Group 2. Annual Report ## 3. Additional Reports - 3.1 Foodbank - 3.2 Hope Debt Advice Service 4. Treasurer’s Report 5. Acknowledgements ## **1. Trustees & Management Group** ## **Trustees** Flossie Battle Co-opted - until 22.10.20 Laurie Brown Town Council - Chair until 11.01.21 Jim Clarke Churches Together Angie Hill Co-opted John Hutchinson BoACAN - Treasurer David Jewell Churches Together - Chair from 11.01.21 Mike Roberts Town Council - from 22.10.20 Philip Secretan Co-opted - from 12.01.21 Alison Wells Churches Together - ## **Management Group** Trustees The named Trustees above, plus Flossie Battle Co-opted Robert Beesley Co-opted until 12.01.21 Avril Clarke Coordinator Caroline Medani Co-opted to take minutes Peter Owen Catholic Church, link to Diocese ## **Wiltshire Council Liaison** Ros Griffiths Community Engagement Manager ## **2. Annual Report** ## **a. The Hub @ BA15** The Trustees of The Hub@BA15 have taken considerable care to ensure that the statutory requirements needed for running the Hub in compliance with its charitable status have been met. The annual report and finances were submitted to the Charities Commission as the annual return in January 2021. The following insurances have been renewed: - Public Liability - Building and Contents The following policies have been reviewed and are available for inspection on the premises: - Safeguarding (Vulnerable Adult & Child Protection) - Equal Opportunities - Data Protection - Health and Safety - Health and Safety Risk Assessments - Fire Risk Assessments - Covid 19 risk assessment (Aug 2020) - Lone Working - Confidentiality - Complaints Procedure - Conflict of interest - Volunteers A Health & Safety poster and Manual Handling Guide are on display. There is an in-date First Aid Kit, accident book and posters naming the appointed first-aider and safeguarding officer. The Hub@BA15, has now been open for six years and the lease on premises continues until 2025, with the option to extend for a further two years. During the year covered by this Annual Report the Hub’s activities were curtailed by lockdowns and associated safety measures resulting from the pandemic. A sub-group was established to review and recommend covid-safe practices and their recommendations were acted upon. Even during the short period when lockdown was lifted – from August to November - only limited access was permitted to the Hub. A chain was added to the inner door, preventing people walking in, and everyone attending was required to sign in for track and trace purposes, to wear a mask and to apply hand sanitising gel. Social distancing, ventilation and safe working practices were prioritised and a professional cleaner was employed. Food parcels were left in the entrance porch to be collected by clients or were delivered by a small group of new volunteers. The Hub’s services during this year consisted of: - The foodbank (parcels collected or delivered) - Emergency computer access (when permissible) - Advice and signposting (via phone or email, with occasional on-site support for homeless clients). - Hope Debt Advice Service (affiliated to Community Money Advice) volunteers worked from home, offering free phone and email support. - Age UK – support via email. Rental of the Hub premises or the use of the space for other purposes could not be permitted. The Hub continued to be available from 10am to 1pm Monday to Friday for the foodbank only, staffed by the coordinator and a volunteer, with welcome additional support from volunteers, including Philip Secretan. We acknowledge and thank all the many members of the community, local businesses, authorities, voluntary support groups and charities who during the year so generously offered their support, whether by way of gifts, offers to assist, grants or financial and food donations. The generosity of so many allowed us to support those most in need during a period of crisis, to purchase additional food stocks and equipment to support rough sleepers and to continue to provide holiday food boxes to our client families over the Easter, Summer and Christmas holidays, and October and February half term breaks. Inspired by the national ‘Local Pantry’ scheme, the Hub opened its own version – a Summer Cupboard - for a trial period over the summer holidays. Each Monday afternoon, families in receipt of free school meals were offered a choice of items from which to select. These were supplied from excess stock, together with purchased items not usually included in food parcels, such as washing powder, anti-bacterial cleaner, large jars of coffee and other items suitable for families with children. Take-up, however, was low, probably due to the constraints on movement during the pandemic and for this reason it was decided not to continue the scheme at this time. The Hub was unable to offer hot lunches this year but partnered with The Swan Hotel who generously provided take away meals on a referral basis during the months of February and March 2021. Between 6 and 14 meals were provided each week. Most management and other meetings took place online. Our Annual General Meeting was held on 29[th] October, with the guest speaker being Paul Robertson, organiser of the Bradford on Avon Community Volunteers. ## **b. Volunteers** Many volunteers had to absent themselves as they needed to shield due to age and/or health issues. However, over the year a number of new volunteers offered their services and, although the number permitted in the building was limited, we were grateful for their assistance with the delivery of food parcels. In addition to client-facing services, administrative tasks continued as before, with Wendy Brown regularly collecting our foodbank vouchers and updating the database with in-coming donations and stock going out mainly as food parcels. In January, Rosi Lewis joined our team in the newly-created role of outreach worker. Again, outreach work was limited by the pandemic, but Rosi established contact with some of our local schools and the Citizens Advice Bureau and succeeded in encouraging clients who were initially reluctant to sign up for e-referrals to participate in the scheme. ## **c. Digital and Social Media** The Hub Website continued to be maintained by Tom Vaughton of VarnMedia. Through the website we were able to provide up to date information regarding the Hub’s Covid 19 arrangements, notify foodbank donors as to items in short supply and respond to private requests for food parcels. Frances Hopwood oversaw and maintained the Trussell Trust cloned website and Belinda Dean and David Jewell updated the Hub’s Facebook Page, which attracted a good following. ## **d. Future developments & sustainability** The Hub has consolidated its position in the local community whilst being open to possible new initiatives to host or support. Our delivery service, for example, was greatly expanded due to the pandemic. It is planned in the coming year to improve and increase the methods by which donors can donate, through the purchase of a card reader and by offering online-giving. It is hoped to implement some internal improvements which will add considerably to the range of support services the Hub offers to its clients. The Hub continues to network locally, particularly with the agencies and by sourcing additional funds to ensure its future sustainability. ## **3. Additional reports** ## **3.1 Bradford on Avon Foodbank at The Hub: Annual Report (2020-21)** ## **a) Description** Early in lockdown we received several requests from Wiltshire Council departments for food parcels for them to store and give out themselves. Whilst we could not supply food in this way, we were able to deliver to those in difficult circumstances. As referrals from agencies were relatively low at the start of the year, reminders were sent to each to increase their awareness of the Hub and its services. The re-launch of the Trussell Trust e-referral system resulted in more agencies, particularly some of the schools and the CAB, requesting food parcels for their families/clients. A donation of eggs just after the October half term holiday enabled us to strengthen our relationship with all the local schools by offering them to children on free school meals. It is hoped that the contacts forged during the pandemic will endure into coming years. Food parcel requests were higher than the previous year, as clients were unable or unwilling to venture out during lockdown. At the height of lockdown the number of requests rose from an average of 5 to 8 per week to around 30. This had settled to around 12 to 14 a week by the end of the year. The foodbank continues to operate from the old bank vault within the Hub. In this way the Hub differs from many other Trussell Trust Foodbanks in housing both the warehouse and the distribution centre. By virtue of its relationship with the Trussell Trust the Hub benefited from the Fareshare scheme, which provided a large quantity of stock from April through to June. A system was developed to deal with the large amounts of food being processed, whereby items were arranged on shelves in approximate packing order. Additional shelving was also installed for storing items with a longer date. ## **b) Contributors** Donations were brought directly to the Hub or collected from supermarket collection points. The foodbank also received generous monetary donations from Zion Baptist Church Trowbridge in lieu of a food delivery, as the Hub is their nearest Trussell Trust foodbank. ## **Collection Points:** **Sainsburys** - emptied twice weekly by volunteers. The weight of food donated during the year was an incredible 9739kg! **Co-op, Bridge Yard** - 281.5kg was donated and two collection boxes raised £220. **Co-op, Winsley Road** - 1374kg was donated, collected weekly by Kathy van Griethuysen and her husband **Winsley (St Nicholas Church & Winsley residents)** the box was moved into Kathy and John’s garden during the pandemic, for which thank you. 523.45kg was collected and delivered. **Westwood Stores -** 82kg was donated and this was delivered to the Hub by Sue Field. **South Wraxall Residents** - 61.35kg was donated and this was delivered to the Hub by Frank Garner. **Bathford Stores** - 20.5kg was donated and delivered. ## **c) Stock** During the Lockdown the foodbank received a weekly delivery from Fareshare, totalling 2625kg over the three months. The beginning of November saw the receipt of just under 3,840 eggs donated for half term school lunches. The eggs were gratefully received by the local schools and helped increase schools’ engagement with the Hub. The increase in the provision of school holiday boxes used much of the surplus stock, allowing the half term boxes and Christmas hampers to be provided from the remainder. The generous financial donations received during this unusual year were critical in allowing the Hub to top up where food items were in short supply and to ensure variety and parity in the school holiday parcels **The total amount of food donated during the year was a staggering 22,786.4 kg - an increase of 10,000kg over the previous year!** ## **d) Vouchers** |**d) Vouchers**|| |---|---| |Total vouchers honoured:|776| |Total adults helped:|1044| |Total children helped:|725| Around 50% of the parcels went to support families with children in our local schools in particular need during the holiday periods. ## **Participating Schools** - Fitzmaurice Primary School, Bradford on Avon - Christchurch Primary School, Bradford on Avon - Churchfields Village School, (Atworth & Monkton Farleigh) - Winsley Primary School - Westwood and Iford Primary School, - Staverton Primary School, - Holt Primary School, - Wingfield (part of the Mead school) - St Laurence School This year all the schools responded to the offer of Christmas hampers for their families in receipt of free school meals, and a total of 150 parcels were delivered. Schools can refer children by means of the Hub’s red vouchers which can be used any time and some also chose to make use of the e-referral system whereby teachers/colleague are empowered to issue the voucher/code. Food parcels which couldn’t be collected were delivered to the family’s home address. ## **e) Agencies which distribute vouchers** 81 agencies in the Bradford on Avon area hold foodbank vouchers. Those which issued vouchers this year include: - Schools - Hope Debt Advice Service - The Health Centre, Health visitors, Age UK, The Alms House Board - The Children’s Centre (Trowbridge) - The CAB (all in Trowbridge) - ## **f) Summary** 2020-21 was the year of the pandemic. Few of the services normally operating from the Hub were able to continue, although unsurprisingly the foodbank experienced a surge in demand, particularly in the early months. The financial support of the local community was amazing and there can be no doubt the Hub@BA15 is known within the town. ## **g) Plans for 2021-22** - To continue to collect sufficient food items to include the range recommended by the Trussell Trust to meet the needs of clients of the foodbank. - To promote the foodbank to ensure that it is known to the agencies and the people of Bradford on Avon. - To increase the number of registrations for e-referrals and build upon the increasing uptake of e-vouchers by some of the schools, the CAB and Selwood Housing in the coming year. - To explore the possibilities of expanding food provision by revisiting the pantry / larder / cupboard concept of offering a low-cost selection of food and other items for sale to qualifying recipients. - To identify further future fundraising opportunities. ## **3.2 Hope Debt Advice Service : Annual Report** During the past year we have not been able to see clients on a face to face basis at the Hub but we have continued to deal with debt and welfare benefits clients by telephone and e.mail. Below there is a copy of our statistics for the past year and they reflect the fewer clients and cases that we have been able to deal with during the restrictions imposed by the pandemic. The national and local news has included information about people who have either lost their jobs or have been on furlough, in both instances with a reduction in their take-home pay. Similarly there has been news of people who have had moratoriums with their mortgage, rent and debt repayments which have provided them with short-term easing of their financial problems. These problems have also been alleviated by temporary increases in Universal Credit payments. However looking towards the time when these restrictions will be permanently lifted it is anticipated that many people will be confronted by the longer term consequences of their financial problems, and we have sought to be in a position to assist a greater number of people in the coming months. During the past year members of the debt advice team have met online by Zoom and have had one face to face meeting on a restricted basis. Several have attended an online training course run by Community Money Advice (C.M.A.) and two of us attended an online national conference that C.M.A. ran on a well organised basis. We have a Management Support Group which overseas our activities, and that group has also met on an online basis during the year. Plans are in hand to run another welfare benefits and general advice training course for other volunteers at the Hub in the near future, and we are always willing to hear from anyone who is interested in joining our debt advice group. These activities continue to be important and integral features of the services which the Hub seeks to provide. ## **STATISTICS** |



|ACTIVITY|2019|2020|2009/20| |---|---|---|---|---| ||New Clients|17|6|221| ||Clients seen|36|17|206*| ||No. of appointments|137|42|729*| ||Cancelled appointments|30|16|143*| ||Abortive appointments|39|9|218*| ||PriorityDebts|24|12|408*| ||Value ofprioritydebts|£37188.45|£9980.66|£531042.76| ||Non-priority Debts|73|61|1382*| ||Value of non-prioritydebts|£158131.11|£95313.84|£2426114.85| ||Welfare Benefits cases|47|30|253*| ||Welfare Benefits sessions|105|43|482*| ||Budgeting cases|2|1|6| ||Foodbank Vouchers|67||132| ||Restart Applications
A.D.H.P.
D.R.O. Applications
I.V.A’s
Bankruptcy cases|7
1
3
None
None|1
None
None
None
None|19
2
8
None
1| *2015/20 ## **Acknowledgements** **The Hub acknowledges and offers thanks for donations both financial and food items, support and interest** All who donate financially both organisations charities and individuals All who contribute to the foodbank All who host or contribute to the collection boxes All who deliver food parcels All our wonderful volunteers All who hold and distribute foodbank vouchers and e-vouchers ## **Treasurer’s Report for the year ended 31[st] March 2021** The Hub is now in the sixth year of operation and continues to enjoy the generous support of the legacy fund from Holy Trinity Church underwriting the rental cost, which is the Hub’s principal expenditure item. 2020/21 is the first year of the new 5 year lease which is extendable to 7 years, with Clifton Diocese. Income from donations has increased significantly in comparison with 2020, especially at the beginning of the year reflecting generosity in the light of the Coronavirus pandemic and public awareness of the financial pressure being placed upon foodbanks. The Treasurer’s Report contains: The Income and Expenditure Account The Balance Sheet Notes to the Income and Expenditure Account The Independent Examiner’s Report ## **Income and Expenditure Account for Year Ended 31st March 2021** ||**Income**
Note
Grants
1
Other Income
2
Total Income
**Expenditure**
Rent
Insurance
Printing Postage & Stationery
Food for Foodbank
Light Heat & Power
Water
Telephone & Internet
Repairs & Maintenance
Fire Alarm maintenance
Refreshments
Advertising & Publicity
Coronavirus Safety
Computer Equipment for School
Cleaning
Bank Charges
Website Support
Data protection registration
Honoraria
Foodbank :Trussell Trust Membership
Gifts & donations
Sundry
Depreciation of assets
Prior year adjustment
Total Expenditure
**Surplus as at 31st March 2021**|2021
**£**
15000
42636
57636
7000
437
26
2499
562
178
562
20
374
7
37
320
4160
995
0
68
35
4500
0
356
26
2309
1750
26221
£31415|2020
**£**
12500
19325| |---|---|---|---| ||||31825
7000
436
108
342
416
202
661
115
402
10
0
0
0
0
78
68
35
3500
360
0
45
2705
351| ||||16834
£14991| ## **Balance Sheet at 31st March 2021** |**2021**
**Assets**
Current Assets
Rent Deposit
1750
Rent paid in advance
0
Cash in Hand
199
Bank - Coventry Building Society
96675
Bank - Lloyds
35698
Equipment
At Cost
2347
less Depreciation
939
Fixtures and Fittings
At Cost
10295
less Depreciation
9042
Computer Equipment
At Cost
3420
less Depreciation
2645
Total Assets
**Net Assets**
Represented by
Friends of BoA Community Healthcare Capital Fund
Holy Trinity Community Rent Fund
Utilities & Trussell Trust Fee Fund
Food for Foodbank Fund
Reserves b/fwd
Surplus for the year
**Reserves c/fwd**|**2020**
134322
1750
1750
104
76134
13097
1408
2347
469
1253
8729
7517
775
2451
2331
£137758
£137758
40000
5052
3698
13600
43993
31415
£137758|92835
1878
1212
120| |---|---|---| |||£96045| |||£96045| |||40000
12052
29002
14991
| |||£96045| ## **Notes to the Income and Expenditure Account for Year Ended 31st March 2021** |**1.**
Grants
Holy Trinity Community Fund
Bradford on Avon Town Council
Wiltshire Council Area Board
Wiltshire Foundation Coronavirus Recovery
Total Grants
**2.**
Other Income
Room Hire
Donations
Donations for Food
Interest
Total Other Income|2021
**£**
7000
3500
2000
2500
15000
7
40777
1725
127
42636|2020
**£**
7000
5500| |---|---|---| |||12500
803
16265
1670
587| |||19325| **Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of the HUB@BA15** ## **Treasurer’s Report for the year ended 31[st] March 2021** The Hub is now in the sixth year of operation and continues to enjoy the generous support of the legacy fund from Holy Trinity Church underwriting the rental cost, which is the Hub’s principal expenditure item. 2020/21 is the first year of the new 5 year lease which is extendable to 7 years, with Clifton Diocese. Income from donations has increased significantly in comparison with 2020, especially at the beginning of the year reflecting generosity in the light of the Coronavirus pandemic and public awareness of the financial pressure being placed upon foodbanks. The Treasurer’s Report contains: The Income and Expenditure Account The Balance Sheet Notes to the Income and Expenditure Account The Independent Examiner’s Report ## **Income and Expenditure Account for Year Ended 31st March 2021** ||**Income**
Note
Grants
1
Other Income
2
Total Income
**Expenditure**
Rent
Insurance
Printing Postage & Stationery
Food for Foodbank
Light Heat & Power
Water
Telephone & Internet
Repairs & Maintenance
Fire Alarm maintenance
Refreshments
Advertising & Publicity
Coronavirus Safety
Computer Equipment for School
Cleaning
Bank Charges
Website Support
Data protection registration
Honoraria
Foodbank :Trussell Trust Membership
Gifts & donations
Sundry
Depreciation of assets
Prior year adjustment
Total Expenditure
**Surplus as at 31st March 2021**|2021
**£**
15000
42636
57636
7000
437
26
2499
562
178
562
20
374
7
37
320
4160
995
0
68
35
4500
0
356
26
2309
1750
26221
£31415|2020
**£**
12500
19325| |---|---|---|---| ||||31825
7000
436
108
342
416
202
661
115
402
10
0
0
0
0
78
68
35
3500
360
0
45
2705
351| ||||16834
£14991| ## **Balance Sheet at 31st March 2021** |**2021**
**Assets**
Current Assets
Rent Deposit
1750
Rent paid in advance
0
Cash in Hand
199
Bank - Coventry Building Society
96675
Bank - Lloyds
35698
Equipment
At Cost
2347
less Depreciation
939
Fixtures and Fittings
At Cost
10295
less Depreciation
9042
Computer Equipment
At Cost
3420
less Depreciation
2645
Total Assets
**Net Assets**
Represented by
Friends of BoA Community Healthcare Capital Fund
Holy Trinity Community Rent Fund
Utilities & Trussell Trust Fee Fund
Food for Foodbank Fund
Reserves b/fwd
Surplus for the year
**Reserves c/fwd**|**2020**
134322
1750
1750
104
76134
13097
1408
2347
469
1253
8729
7517
775
2451
2331
£137758
£137758
40000
5052
3698
13600
43993
31415
£137758|92835
1878
1212
120| |---|---|---| |||£96045| |||£96045| |||40000
12052
29002
14991
| |||£96045| ## **Notes to the Income and Expenditure Account for Year Ended 31st March 2021** |**1.**
Grants
Holy Trinity Community Fund
Bradford on Avon Town Council
Wiltshire Council Area Board
Wiltshire Foundation Coronavirus Recovery
Total Grants
**2.**
Other Income
Room Hire
Donations
Donations for Food
Interest
Total Other Income|2021
**£**
7000
3500
2000
2500
15000
7
40777
1725
127
42636|2020
**£**
7000
5500| |---|---|---| |||12500
803
16265
1670
587| |||19325| **Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of the HUB@BA15**