Middlewich & District Foodbank
Charitable Incorporated Organisation Registered Charity Number 1170679
Report and Accounts for the year ended 5[th] April 2025
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Middlewich& District Foodbank Report of the Trustees for the Year ended 5[th] April 2025
Trustees : Rev Simon Drew (Chair)
John Duley
Anne O’Keefe
Amy Townsend resigned
Duncan Soutar
Stephen Molesworth resigned
Hayley Saich
Registered Office and operational address : Unit 7 Holly House Estate,
Middlewich Road Middlewich Cheshire CW10 9LT
Independent Examiner : Michael Collier
59, Ravenscroft Holmes Chapel CW4 7HJ
Key Management Personnel : The Trustees consider themselves and the manager to be the key management personnel.
Food bank Manager : Nicky Colclough
Treasurer : Mike Worden
Warehouse Manager : Bryan Semple
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Middlewich& District Foodbank Report of the Trustees for the Year ended 5[th] April 2025
Objectives and Activities
Middlewich & District Foodbank (MDF) exists to provide emergency assistance to individuals and families in Middlewich and the surrounding area via a sustainable foodbank and other connected activities.
This is done by providing a food parcel which contains a seven-day supply of food to those in need who have been identified by our referral agencies. The foodbank also provides toiletries, household cleaning products and nappies. At times we have also been able to supply fresh fruit, vegetables and bread.
Food parcels have been distributed twice a week from locations in central Middlewich and if needed they are delivered to those unable to access our services any other way.
The charity can only support its clients because of the volunteers who give freely of their time and energy in a number of different ways.
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Collecting food from supermarkets
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Sorting and storing the food in the warehouse
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Liaising with referrers and ensuring that communication with the whole community including churches, schools and doctors’ surgeries is undertaken
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Making up parcels and transferring them to distribution hubs
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Providing food and much more to our clients and delivering to those who need it.
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Essential fundraising from individuals, businesses, community groups and grant applications.
MDF is a member food bank of Trussell which provides governance support and advice as required.
The Trustees have reviewed their governance documents in line with Charity Commission guidelines on public benefit and those of Trussell. The Trustees consider that during the year ended 5[th] April 2025 the key objective of
providing emergency assistance to people of Middlewich and the surrounding districts has been met and has been of benefit to the public. The Trustees, when forming the strategy for the year, are mindful of how the plans will help to meet MDF’s objectives.
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Achievements and Performance
As can be seen from the table below during the year we have seen the number of referral agencies increase to 48. By far the main reason for clients being referred is low income with other factors including benefit delays and changes, ill health and debt.
In line with other food banks in Cheshire we saw the number of people using the services of MDF fall during the year. There still, however, remains a serious need for food from our clients.
| Annual Statistics | 2022/23 | 2023/24 |
|---|---|---|
| Total number of people fed | 1726 | 1770 |
| Number of children fed | 728 | 731 |
| Number of adults fed | 998 | 1039 |
| Number of referral agencies | 48 | 67 |
| Total stock received • % purchased • % from supermarkets • % schools, churches, businesses, charities and individuals • % transferred from other foodbanks and charities |
25,343kg 3.85% 63.15% 29.15% 3.85% |
25,428 kg 1.04% 67.53% 12.89% 4.48% |
| Total food purchased | 974kg | 263kg |
| Total stock distributed to local people | 24,002kg | 22,704kg |
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We do not monetise our stock and it is not included in the accounts however stock held at 5 April 2025 was 6,616 kg with a value of £ 18,326.32. We use the Trussell estimate of the value of £2.77 per 1kg of stock.
During the year the Foodbank received the second installment of a grant from Trussell which covered the cost of the rent at the warehouse facility which had been secured on a five year lease.
The other major expenditure during the year was the purchase of a Vauxhall van to enable safe movement of stock from supermarkets to the warehouse and to and from our distribution hubs.
Financial Review
The formal accounts are attached to this report together with explanatory
notes. The Independent Examiner’s report is attached to the accounts. We are grateful to Michael Collier for undertaking the review for us again this year.
During the year the charity’s finances increased by £5,282.
This was helped by a grant of £12,000 from Trussell for the second year’s rent for the warehouse.
In addition MDF has continued to receive very generous support from the John Halford Charity of £20,000 towards the employment costs of the Foodbank manager, the only paid employee.
The other large purchase was for a Vauxhall van to enable stock movement safely. This was purchased in no small part by the generous support of Middlewich Community Church.
The remaining funding comes from generous donations from individuals, local businesses, community groups and fundraising activities.
MDF holds £45,000 as reserves to ensure that it can both meet its contractual obligations in relation to both employment and the warehouse lease and to ensure that it can cope with any short-term changes in its funding patterns. The level of reserves is reviewed annually by the Trustees or more frequently if there is a significant event with a financial commitment such as leasing a new warehouse.
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Structure, Governance and Management
The Foodbank is constituted as a charitable incorporated organization governed by its constitution whose only voting members are the Trustees. New Trustees are appointed at a meeting of the Trustee board and are selected to ensure that the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the charity is available.
The Trustees delegate operational control of the foodbank to the manager and an Operations Committee of volunteers.
The Trustees ensure that the necessary policies and procedures required are in place and MDF forms part of the wider Trussell network of food banks.
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Charitable Incorporated Organisation
Middlewich & District Foodbank Registered charity number 1170679
Receipts and Payments Account For the year ended 5th April 2025
| Previous year ended 5th April 2024 £ 32000 19778 709 52487 395 255 19527 2056 376 2822 1343 3362 2300 404 1231 1685 35756 48114 16730 64845 30668 16898 5527 11639 112 64845 |
Income Notes Restricted Funds £ Grants (Employment & Lease) 1 32000 Donations 2 0 Bank Interest 0 32000 Expenditure Acct charges 0 Equipment 0 Employment 3 21196 Food shortages/fresh food 0 Insurance 0 Rent 6 12782 Summer/Christmas Projects 5 0 Sundries 0 Supermarket Vouchers 8 0 Training 0 Utilities 360 Vehicle costs 4 0 34338 Balance of Funds at 6/4/2024 20462 Net Movement in Funds -2338 Balance of Funds at 5/4/2025 18126 The notes on the following pages form part of these accounts Represented at close of play 5/4 /25 Postal CCD account Savings account Operations Account Business Reserve Account Petty Cash Total |
Restricted Funds £ 32000 0 0 |
Unrestricted Funds Total £ £ 2887 34887 21924 21924 1443 1443 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 32000 | 26254 58254 |
||
| 0 0 21196 0 0 12782 0 0 0 0 360 0 |
661 661 215 215 0 21196 20 20 586 586 0 12782 58 58 2380 2380 1700 1700 98 98 2527 2887 10390 10390 |
||
| 34338 | 18635 52972 |
||
| 20462 -2338 |
44382 64845 7619 5282 |
||
| 18126 | 52001 70127 |
||
| £ 31657 35741 76 2596 57 70127 |
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Charitable Incorporated Organisation
Middlewich & District Food Bank Registered charity number
1170679
Balance Sheet
5[th] April 2025
| 5thApril 2024 £ 64733 112 64845 20420 8962 -30,000 -618 45,000 15043 5420 0 20463 64845 4227 310 |
Notes Monetary Assets Bank Balances Petty Cash Represented by: Accumulated Fund Balance brought forward Deficit / Surplus in Year Transfer to Reserve Reserve Fund 7 Restricted Funds 1 Rent Grant CF Employment grant CF Other remaining grants Total Funds Non-Monetary Assets and Liabilities Motor Vehicle 4 Supermarket Vouchers 8 |
£ 70070 57 |
|---|---|---|
| 70127 | ||
| 44382 7619 0 |
||
| 52001 | ||
| 45000 13901 4224 0 |
||
| 18126 | ||
| 70127 | ||
| 9958 | ||
| 740 |
The notes on the following pages form part of the accounts. The Trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees’ report and the Accounts and Notes.
Signed on behalf of the Trustees
John Duley (Act Chair) Anne O’Keefe (Treasurer)
Date 2 July 2025
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Middlewich & District Foodbank Charitable Incorporated Organisation
Registered charity number 1170679
Notes to the Accounts for the Year ended 5[th] April 2025
- 1 Grants / Restricted funds
During the year the Trustees have received grants as follows:
£20,000 from JHC towards the Employment costs of the Foodbank manager and £12000 from the Trussell Trust towards the rent of our new warehouse premises. There was also a grant for warehouse equipment which was received in 24/25 after the equipment had been purchased from Foodbank funds in 23/34. It has therefore been listed as unrestricted.
2 Donations
These were up just over 10% on the previous year. Through Just Giving, regular standing orders and general one-off donations, from the Coates, Freemasons, Dane Housing, Halpin Hands. There has also been a regular monthly donation from Middlewich Community Church.
Without the continued generosity of our supporters the Foodbank would not be able to
support its clients and we are extremely grateful.
- 3 Employment
The Foodbank has one paid member of staff, Nicky Harris the manager. The Foodbank uses TCS accountants to run the payroll.
- 4 Motor Vehicle
In the year the Dacia estate vehicle was replaced with a newer, larger van which reduces multiple journeys for stock collection and parcel deliveries, and safer for the driver. The cost was £11064, offset by £3500 part exchange for the old vehicle. Total paid was £7564
Depreciation of the vehicle value for 6 months is calculated at 10% on a straightline basis for this fiscal year.
- 5 Summer/ Christmas Parcels
There were no summer parcels this year, as the government provided funding through schools. Christmas parcels were once again provided, mainly from stock, with just large bags purchased.
- 6 Rent
The warehouse is on a 5 year lease which started in Feb 2024, with 3 year break clause. Annual rent is £12,000 and £720 contracted maintenance and the first two years are being paid from grant funding.
7 Reserve Funds
The Reserve Fund has been maintained at £45,000 in accordance with the reserves policy. The fund is there to ensure that the Foodbank can honour all its financial commitments if it could not continue to operate. The increase results from the rental commitments under the warehouse lease.
Reserve funds are held across, a charity Postal account and a savings account, both of which generate interest. The level is reviewed annually or if there are major changes in the Foodbank operations.
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Supermarket Vouchers
Vouchers totalling £1700 were purchased primarily to hand out with the Christmas parcels. These were used to give clients the opportunity to obtain fresh food to supplement the standard parcels. At the end of the fiscal year the Foodbank held £740 of vouchers.
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