WIRRAL FOODBANK
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED
31 AUGUST 2024
Registered Charity Number: 1167967
Hailwood & Co. Chartered Accountants
WIRRAL FOODBANK
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
CONTENTS
| Page | |
|---|---|
| Organisation information | 1 |
| Report of the Trustees | 2 - 4 |
| Independent examiner's report | 5 |
| Statement of financial activities | 6 |
| Balance sheet | 7 |
| Notes to the financial statements | 8 - 12 |
| Detailed income and expenditure account | 13 |
WIRRAL FOODBANK
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
INFORMATION
REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 1167967
TRUSTEES P L Davies (Chair) S Rahman L Milns (Appointed 1 September 2024) D Sharples Ms S J Caines Ms L Cross M Cleave P C Franklin Dr S Chadwick M Donnan BSc FCA AMIMechE REGISTERED OFFICE Wirral Foodbank Office Unit 14 Wirral Business Centre Dock Road Birkenhead Merseyside CH41 1JW BANKERS HSBC 31 The Pyramids Grange Road Birkenhead Wirral CH41 2ZL CAF Bank 25 Kings Hill Avenue Kings Hill West Malling Kent ME19 4TA INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS Hailwood & Co. Chartered Accountants 392-394 Hoylake Road Moreton Wirral CH46 6DF
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WIRRAL FOODBANK
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
The Trustees present their report and financial statements for the year ended 31 August 2024.
Reference and Administrative Details of the Charity, its Trustees and Advisers
The name of the Charity is Wirral Foodbank. All the Trustees who served during the year, details of the registered office and the Charity's professional advisers are listed on a separate page at the front of the accounts.
Structure, Governance and Management
Governing document
The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust, and constitutes a Charitable Incorporated Organisation.
Organisational structure
The strategic direction and management of the charity is governed by its Trustees.
Risk management
The major risks to which the Charity has been exposed, as identified by the Trustees, have been reviewed and systems have been established to mitigate those risks.
Activities and Objectives
Objectives and aims
The charity was registered on 30 June 2016 in order to take over the operations of Wirral Foodbank Charitable Trust, a Trussell Trust Foodbank on the Wirral. It is governed by its constitution, as amended on 17 July 2019.
Public Benefit
The Trustees have complied with the duty in section 4 of the 2006 Act to have due regard to public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission.
Charitable objectives
To relieve persons in England and Wales and specifically the Wirral and its surrounding areas, who are in conditions of need or distress in such ways as the Trustees from time to time think fit.
Achievements and Performance
The Foodbank operates 11 distribution centres located in churches and community centres, which are supplied by our warehouse in Wallasey. Individuals in need of food are directed to one of the many agencies authorised to hold our vouchers. Non-perishable food is donated by members of the of the public at supermarket collections and at our many collection points.
We believe that the provision of emergency food is not the solution to poverty, regardless of how it is
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WIRRAL FOODBANK
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
Achievements and Performance (continued)
distributed. To address this we developed Foodbank Plus as a separate charity, which we support via donations.
During the year, the Charity supported 15,660 clients, including 5,437 children.
Financial Review
Results
At 31 August 2024, the Charity had total resources of £520,755, all of which are represented by net current assets. This position is strong, and has resulted from a surge in donations as a result of the pandemic and careful management of funds since.
The charity has made a surplus for the year of £58,744.
Reserves policy
The policy of the Charity is to retain a level of reserves sufficient to enable the Charity to continue to operate for the short term. It is hoped that an unrestricted reserve of at least six months typical expenditure can be maintained.
General unrestricted reserves currently stand at £222,010, 8.2 months running costs.
Investment policy and objectives
It is not the Trustees intention to retain sufficient long term reserves to merit a detailed investment policy, however, to maximise income for the charity any surplus funds are held in short-medium term deposit accounts.
Related parties
The Charity is controlled by its Trustees, and as such its Trustees are related parties of the Charity.
Auditors
Hailwood & Co. offer themselves for re-appointment as auditors of the Charity, although under current charity law they not required to report on the accounts in this capacity.
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WIRRAL FOODBANK
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
Statement of Trustees' Responsibilities
The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
The law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period.
In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
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select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently;
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observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP 2019 (FRS 102);
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make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
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prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
The trustees are also responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The trustees who served during the year and up to the date of the report are set out on page 1.
Signed for and on behalf of the trustees
M Donnan (Jun 23, 2025, 11:47am)
M Donnan BSc FCA AMIMechE
Trustee Unit 14 Wirral Business Centre Birkenhead CH41 1JW
19 June 2025
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WIRRAL FOODBANK
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
I report on the financial statements of Wirral Foodbank for the year ended 31 August 2024 which are set out on pages 6 to 13.
Respective responsibilities of the Trustees and examiner
The Trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The Trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (The Act) and that an independent examination is required.
Your income exceeds £250,000 and I am qualified to undertake the examination through being a member of The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
It is my responsibility to:
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Examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act;
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to follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and
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to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of independent examiners' report
My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners.
An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and the seeking of explanations from you as Trustees concerning any such matters.
The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit a "true and fair view" and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
Independent examiners' statement
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
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(1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material respect, the requirements:
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to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Act and
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to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and to comply with the accounting principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities (FRS 102).
have not been met; or
- (2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the be reached.
A D French FCA
392-394 Hoylake Road, Moreton, Wirral, CH46 6DF
19 June 2025
Hailwood & Co. Chartered Accountants Registered Auditors
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WIRRAL FOODBANK
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total Funds | Total Funds | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Incoming resources | Note | Funds | Funds | 2024 | 2023 |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||
| From generated funds | |||||
| Voluntary income | |||||
| Donations | 2 | 350,233 | 14,763 | 364,996 | 340,777 |
| Gift aid | 2 | 18,468 | - | 18,468 | - |
| Grants receivable | 2 | - | 120,000 | 120,000 | - |
| Other income | 2 | 9,253 | - | 9,253 | 426 |
| Total incoming resources | 377,954 | 134,763 | 512,717 | 341,203 | |
| Resources expended | |||||
| Charitable activities | 3 | 324,183 | 127,372 | 451,555 | 337,679 |
| Governance costs | 4 | 2,418 | - | 2,418 | 2,322 |
| Total resources expended | 326,601 | 127,372 | 453,973 | 340,001 | |
| Net movement in funds before transfers | 51,353 | 7,391 | 58,744 | 1,202 | |
| Transfers between funds | 11 | - | - | - | - |
| Net movement in funds for the year | 51,353 | 7,391 | 58,744 | 1,202 | |
| Brought forward at 1 September | 462,011 | - | 462,011 | 460,809 | |
| Carried forward at 31 August | 513,364 | 7,391 | 520,755 | 462,011 |
Movements in reserves are shown in notes 10 and 11.
None of the charity's activities were acquired or discontinued during the above two financial years.
There are no recognised gains and losses in the years ended 31 August 2024 or 31 August 2023 other than the surplus/deficit for those years.
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WIRRAL FOODBANK
BALANCE SHEET
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
| Note | 2024 | 2024 | 2023 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||
| Current assets | |||||
| Debtors | 8 | 42,925 | 42,242 | ||
| Cash at bank | 628,801 | 427,693 | |||
| 671,726 | 469,935 | ||||
| Creditors: | |||||
| Amounts falling due within one year | 9 | (150,971) | (7,924) | ||
| Net current assets | 520,755 | 462,011 | |||
| Total assets less current liabilities | 520,755 | 462,011 | |||
| Funds | |||||
| Unrestricted | |||||
| General | 10 | 222,010 | 462,011 | ||
| Designated | 10 | 291,354 | - | ||
| Restricted | 11 | 7,391 | - | ||
| Net assets | 520,755 | 462,011 |
The financial statements on pages 6 to 13 were approved by the Trustees on 19 June 2025 and signed on their behalf by:
M Donnan (Jun 23, 2025, 11:47am)
M Donnan BSc FCA AMIMechE Trustee
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WIRRAL FOODBANK
NOTES ON FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
1 Accounting policies
Basis of accounting
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost accounting rules, and comply with the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice (FRS 102) and The Charities Act 2011.
The charity is of such a size that it must prepare its accounts using the accruals basis.
Legal status
The Charity is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation.
Income and expenditure
All income and expenditure is accounted for using the accruals basis. Income is recognised only when the Charity is legally entitled to it and its value can be accurately quantified.
Pension costs
Payments are paid into a defined contribution scheme, and accounted for on an accruals basis.
Taxation
The Charity is exempt from tax on its charitable activities.
Fund accounting
Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the Trustees.
Trustees may decide to designate some of their unrestricted funds for a specific purpose.
Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the Charity, and arise when specified by a donor or funds are raised for a specified purpose.
The purposes and uses of the more significant funds are set out in note 11 to the accounts.
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Funds | Funds | 2024 | 2023 | ||
| 2 | Incoming resources | £ | £ | £ | £ |
| Voluntary income | |||||
| Donations | 350,233 | 14,763 | 364,996 | 340,777 | |
| Gift aid | 18,468 | - | 18,468 | - | |
| Grants received | - | 120,000 | 120,000 | - | |
| Other income | |||||
| Bank interest received | 9,253 | - | 9,253 | 426 | |
| 377,954 | 134,763 | 512,717 | 341,203 |
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WIRRAL FOODBANK
NOTES ON FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Restricted | Total | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Funds | Funds | 2024 | 2023 | |||||
| 3 | Charitable activities | £ | £ | £ | £ | |||
| Salaries & wages | 77,093 | 14,763 | 91,856 | 74,582 | ||||
| Staff travel | 1,753 | - | 1,753 | 548 | ||||
| Food purchases | 56,343 | 112,609 | 168,952 | 90,795 | ||||
| Foodbank Plus | 13,110 | - | 13,110 | 39,591 | ||||
| Rent | 42,524 | - | 42,524 | 47,772 | ||||
| Warehouse costs | 6,613 | - | 6,613 | 9,837 | ||||
| Motor expenses | 16,061 | - | 16,061 | 2,175 | ||||
| Payroll costs | 540 | - | 540 | - | ||||
| Subscriptions | 360 | - | 360 | - | ||||
| Sundry | 395 | - | 395 | 900 | ||||
| Utilities | 5,718 | - | 5,718 | 5,979 | ||||
| Office costs | 5,763 | - | 5,763 | 4,764 | ||||
| Telephone and internet | 2,857 | - | 2,857 | 2,137 | ||||
| Insurance | 6,394 | - | 6,394 | 5,733 | ||||
| Professional fees | 9,085 | - | 9,085 | 6,716 | ||||
| Bank charges | 842 | - | 842 | 351 | ||||
| Distribution centres | 23,700 | - | 23,700 | 22,700 | ||||
| Client advice and support | 55,032 | - | 55,032 | 20,230 | ||||
| Donations | - | - | - | 1,964 | ||||
| Staff training | - | - | - | 905 | ||||
| 324,183 | 127,372 | 451,555 | 337,679 | |||||
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total | Total | |||||
| Funds | Funds | 2024 | 2023 | |||||
| **4 ** | Governance costs | £ | £ | £ | £ | |||
| Independent examiner's remuneration | ||||||||
| In their capacity as examiners | 967 | - | 967 | 929 | ||||
| In respect of other services | 1,451 | - | 1,451 | 1,393 | ||||
| 2,418 | - | 2,418 | 2,322 |
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WIRRAL FOODBANK
NOTES ON FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
| 2024 | 2023 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Salaries and wages | £ | £ | ||
| Staff costs | |||||
| Wages and salaries | 88,231 | 71,973 | |||
| Employers' national insurance | 7,020 | 5,178 | |||
| Employment allowance | (6,526) | (5,178) | |||
| Pension contributions | 3,131 | 2,609 | |||
| 91,856 | 74,582 | ||||
| Average number of full time equivalent employees | 2024 | 2023 | |||
| Management and administration | 3.69 | 4.00 | |||
| 3.69 | 4.00 |
In neither year did any employee earn in excess of £50,000, nor were the Trustees paid remuneration or expenses. Pension costs are paid into a defined contribution scheme.
6 Taxation
As a registered charity, the company has no liability for taxation.
7 Related parties
Control
The Charity is controlled by its Trustees whose names are shown on page 1.
Some of the Trustees also control Wirral Foodbank Plus (Charity No. 1190395).
Transactions with related parties
The Charity does not remunerate or pay expenses to Trustees.
During the year the Charity made grants of £13,110 (2023: £39,591) to Foodbank Plus. Foodbank Plus began operations on 1 September 2020, and was set up so as to separate the advisory element of the Foodbank's work from its core activities.
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WIRRAL FOODBANK
NOTES ON FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
| 2024 | 2023 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Debtors | £ | £ | |
| Other debtors | 42,925 | 42,242 | ||
| 42,925 | 42,242 | |||
| 2024 | 2023 | |||
| 9 | Creditors due within one year | £ | £ | |
| Other tax and social security | 3,407 | 3,657 | ||
| Deferred income | 126,261 | - | ||
| Sundry creditors and accruals | 21,303 | 4,267 | ||
| 150,971 | 7,924 |
This is deferred income in respect of restricted funding for the period 1 September 2024 onwards from the Household Support fund, as distributed by the central Government and administered by Wirral Council and Trussel and is restricted for food purchase and the funding of a new post of Community Organiser respectively.
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WIRRAL FOODBANK
NOTES ON FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
| Balance | Balance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 September | Incoming | Outgoing **Fund ** |
31 August | ||
| 2023 | resources | resources transfers |
2024 | ||
| **10 ** | Unrestricted funds | £ | £ | £ £ |
£ |
| General fund | 462,011 | 221,689 | (311,284) (150,406) | 222,010 | |
| Designated reserves | |||||
| Trussel Trust | - | 2,207 | (2,207) - |
- | |
| Foodbank Plus fund | - | 154,058 | (13,110) 150,406 |
291,354 | |
| 462,011 | 377,954 | (326,601) - |
513,364 |
The Foodbank Plus project has been committed by the trustees up to 31 August 2026, and the balance on the fund represents that commitment.
During the year, Foodbank Plus supported 2,369 clients, and dealt with 4,873 issues (mostly involving debt, benefit delays/enquiries and housing). Individuals received £532,082, comprising of debt writeoff, benefit entitlements, grants from other sources and the provision of white goods.
| Balance | Balance | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September | Incoming | Outgoing | **Fund ** | 31 August | |
| 2023 | resources | resources | transfers | 2024 | ||
| **11 ** | Restricted funds | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ |
| Wirral Borough Council Household fund #1 | - | 20,000 | (20,000) | - | - | |
| Wirral Borough Council Household fund #2 | - | 100,000 | (92,609) | - | 7,391 | |
| Trussel Trust | - | 14,763 | (14,763) | - | - | |
| - | 134,763 | (127,372) | - | 7,391 |
Wirral Borough Council
Is funding for the purchase of emergency food.
Trussel Trust
Is funding for the Community Organiser and Campaign Manager.
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WIRRAL FOODBANK
DETAILED INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
| 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| Income | £ £ |
£ £ |
| Donations | ||
| Unrestricted | 350,233 | 340,777 |
| Restricted | 14,763 | - |
| Gift aid | 18,468 | - |
| Grants received | 120,000 | - |
| Bank interest received | 9,253 | 426 |
| 512,717 | 341,203 | |
| Less Administration & Support Costs | ||
| Salaries & wages | 91,856 | 74,582 |
| Staff travel | 1,753 | 548 |
| Food purchases | 168,952 | 90,795 |
| Foodbank Plus | 13,110 | 39,591 |
| Rent | 42,524 | 47,772 |
| Warehouse costs | 6,613 | 9,837 |
| Motor expenses | 16,061 | 2,175 |
| Payroll costs | 540 | - |
| Subscriptions | 360 | - |
| Sundry | 395 | 900 |
| Utilities | 5,718 | 5,979 |
| Office costs | 5,763 | 4,764 |
| Telephone and internet | 2,857 | 2,137 |
| Insurance | 6,394 | 5,733 |
| Professional fees | 9,085 | 6,716 |
| Bank charges | 842 | 351 |
| Distribution centres | 23,700 | 22,700 |
| Accountancy fees | 2,418 | 2,322 |
| Client advice and support | 55,032 | 20,230 |
| Donations | - | 1,964 |
| Staff training | - | 905 |
| 453,973 | 340,001 | |
| Net surplus/(deficit) for the year | 58,744 | 1,202 |
Net surplus/(deficit) for the year
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