## **CHARITY REGISTERED NUMBER: 1172522** ## **THE HUMAN MILK FOUNDATION** ## **TRUSTEES' REPORT** **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024** ## **THE HUMAN MILK FOUNDATION** ## **LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION** **Registered Charity Number:** 1172522 **Chair:** Tina Crombie; BSc, MSc, LLB **Treasurer:** Andrew Hopkins; BA,. MA, PGCE with QTS, Diploma in Book keeping and Accounting **Trustees:** Tina Crombie Dr. Gemma Partridge Emma Pickett Simon Morley Andrew Hopkins (appointed 11 September 2024) Andy Hodge (resigned 30 November 2023) Jim Rennie (appointed 21 March 2023, resigned 30 September 2023) **Registered Office:** Gossoms End Surgery, Victory Road, Berkhamsted, HP4 1DL **Independent Examiner** : Sandra Wise **Bankers:** Nat West Bank, 22 George Street, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 1JW HMF – 2024 Trustees Report 2 The Human Milk Founda�on, Gossoms End Health Centre, Berkhamsted, Her�ordshire, HP4 1DL ## Contents Report of the trustees ............................................................................................................. 3 Financial review ..................................................................................................................... 5 Accounting and reporting responsibilities ............................................................................... 7 ## Report of the trustees The Trustees present their Annual Report for the year ended 31 March 2024 under the Chari�es Act 2011, together with the Financial Statements for the year, and confirm that the la�er comply with the requirements of the Act, the Trust Deed, the Chari�es SORP (Financial Repor�ng Standard 102 (FRS 102)) 2019 and the Chari�es (Accounts & Reports) Regula�ons 2008. ## **Governing document** The Human Milk Founda�on is a Charitable Incorporated Organisa�on ("CIO") created under a Cons�tu�on dated 7 April 2017. ## **Trustees** The Cons�tu�on requires a minimum of 3 Trustees, who serve a renewable term of 3 years. They may serve un�l they either resign or their term ends without renewal. The Trustees are responsible for se�ng the Human Milk Founda�on's strategy and are responsible in law for the running of the Charity. The Trustees serving during the year under review were as follows: Tina Crombie (Chair) Andy Hodge (resigned 30 November 2023) Dr Gemma Partridge Emma Picke� Simon Morley Jim Rennie (appointed 21 March 2023, resigned 30 September 2023) Subsequent to the balance sheet date, Andrew David Hopkins was appointed as Treasurer. ## **Objec�ves and Ac�vi�es** - 1) Protec�ng and preserving public health through informa�on and access to donor human milk. - 2) Advancing educa�on and research related to human milk. HMF – 2024 Trustees Report 3 The Human Milk Founda�on, Gossoms End Health Centre, Berkhamsted, Her�ordshire, HP4 1DL ## community. The key features of the Charity's Public Benefit Statement are as follows:- 1) Opera�on and growth of the Hearts Milk Bank and its hubs, which screens milk donors and provides microbiologically safe heat-treated donor milk to hospitals and families in the community facing breas�eeding challenges. The milk bank also offers lacta�on support services. - 2) Development of the website, social media and educa�onal resources, including medical educa�on resources. - 3) Events that bring milk donors and recipients together with other key members of local communi�es. 4) Grant-making to the Hearts Milk Bank for the provision of donor human milk to families where no other funding for this resource was available. The Trustees are fully aware of the guidance issued by the Charity Commission for ac�vi�es of the charity related to public benefit. ## **Contribu�on made by volunteers** Volunteer support in milk bank logis�cs and opera�ons, donor milk hub coordina�on, communica�ons, event planning, day-to-day financial governance, book-keeping and fundraising was cri�cal to the success of the charity in the last year. The Board of Trustees expresses their hear�elt thanks to all our volunteers for their vital contribu�on. We also wish to express deepest thanks to our partner corporate and charity organisa�ons. Special men�on is made of individual SERV and blood biker groups, who support the logis�cs of donor human milk collec�on and delivery every day at all �mes. Our corporate partner Epson have provided funds and resources, for which we are very grateful, and we would also like to acknowledge many Epson team members who helped with our move to new premises. ## **Summary of main ac�vi�es and achievements during the year** After consistent growth in demand, the need for a larger premises for charity and milk bank was a key focus this year. The senior management team identified and visited multiple sites across Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire. Through our connections within Dacorum borough and with generous support from our supporters and Herts Valleys CCG, we were able to secure a unique opportunity to transform an existing unused space within Gossoms End NHS Health Centre in Berkhamsted, into a custom-built new air-conditioned laboratory with large storage rooms for equipment and freezers and office space for our administration and support teams. The renovation work and the move to our new home was complete by February 2024. The new ground floor space has been transformational for our operations, providing convenient access for blood bikers to collect and deliver donor milk. Space is also available within the building which could support our continued growth over the coming years. Having our main base within an NHS community healthcare setting also provides opportunities for collaboration with other services to help local families, including health visitor teams and GPs. HMF – 2024 Trustees Report The Human Milk Founda�on, Gossoms End Health Centre, Berkhamsted, Her�ordshire, HP4 1DL 4 With expected increases in demand for donor milk following BAPM recommendations, our priority for donor milk provision remained increasing stocks of donor milk for hospital use and recruiting more milk donors. A large-scale donor recruitment drive was launched, including television pieces, national press, social media and local community outreach. In this financial year, 244 new milk donors were recruited, 3496 litres of donor milk pasteurised and 1940 litres were supplied to over 50 neonatal units supplied across England and Wales, whilst 809 litres were supplied to families in the community. (2023; 1766 litres to hospitals and 1909 litres to the community). We have continued to emphasise hospital supply over supply to the community where milk is suitable for tiny babies in hospital. During the year, we had worked towards the transfer of co-founder Dr Natalie Shenker’s UKRI supported fellowship from Imperial College to be hosted at the HMF. This position was reviewed and the transfer was not pursued. In August 2024, the Human Milk Foundation celebrated its fifth year of operation this financial year and the achievement of pasteurising over 17,000 litres of donor milk, donated by over 1800 milk donors since the charity was founded. To commemorate this milestone, our Director of Communications produced an impact video which included video messages from donor milk recipient families, milk donors, supporters and volunteers and a page on our website with stories and photographs of our 5 years of activity. ## Financial review The Human Milk Foundation incorporating the Hearts Milk Bank total income during the financial year was £511,460 (2023 - £522,422) and expenditure was £529,638 (2023 - £566,060), which resulted in a deficit for the year of £18,178 (2023 loss of £43,637). Income this year derived from four principle sources: 1. income from the provision of milk to NHS hospitals 2. direct dona�ons from individuals, either directly or through their private founda�ons 3. corporate partnerships 4. charitable grants 5. research grants Total revenues from sale of processed and traceable donor milk to NHS hospitals £302,530 (2023 - £223, 948). Consultancy services provided £6,666.68 and our online shop provided £836.98 income. We disposed of assets (a car and a computer) to gain £2,035. Charity activities (donations, corporate partnerships, charitable grants) supplemented income with £199,392 of which grants from Imperial College and the first of the Norfolk County Council moneys was £84,813. The Charity's charitable ac�vi�es income comprised dona�ons from individuals either directly or through private founda�ons, dona�ons from corporate bodies such as Epson UK Limited, with whom we have a very ac�ve and frui�ul partnership. Epson provide cash support, encouraging staff to engage in payroll giving and running events for our benefit. The have also provided laptops and IT support and prin�ng supplies. In addi�on, members of staff from Epson have a�ended our new premises and helped with decora�ng and gardening. HMF – 2024 Trustees Report 5 The Human Milk Founda�on, Gossoms End Health Centre, Berkhamsted, Her�ordshire, HP4 1DL Income is directed to the objects of the Charity in the opera�on of the Hearts Milk Bank, including covering salaries and pathology costs for the provision of donor human milk. Total administrative costs were £188,213 (2023; £162,579). In addition, total employment costs for paid staff were £278,911 (2023 £309,798). This comprises £266,716 gross salaries, £5,383 of employer national insurance contributions and £6,811 of employer pension contributions. At the balance sheet date there were 8 paid employees (amounting to 4.8 full-time equivalent staff). One employee received annual total employee benefits during the period of £80,148.49. Many of the Charity's activities are performed by unpaid volunteers. ## **Consul�ng fees** During the year, the co-founders of the charity, Dr Natalie Shenker and Gillian Weaver continued to provide support to the Charity on a consulting basis. The total consulting fees paid during the year were £55,440 (2023; £33,495). ## **Organisa�onal structure** One of our co-founders, Dr Natalie Shenker, has stepped away from an opera�onal role within the organisa�on to focus on her research work and we wish her every success and thank her for her role in the crea�on and growth of the HMF. ## **Reserves policy** It is our policy to maintain reserves of a minimum of three months' budgeted cash outflows. We have achieved an average of 2-3 months of budgeted cash outflows. The Trustees anticipate returning to full policy adherence as soon as possible but do not anticipate building significant reserves of cash. ## **Going concern** The Trustees are of the view that the Charity will be able to operate as a going concern at least for the next 12 months from the date the Financial Statements are signed. The physical move to Gossoms End did have an impact on our ability to supply processed milk to hospitals, which we mitigated as far as possible through advanced warnings for early ordering and distribution of processed milk throughout our network of hubs. We applied an increased price to milk supplies from 1 January 2024, the first increase for 4 years, which did cause hospitals in London to seek to increase the use of their in-house donor milk banking facilities rather than ordering from us. However, successful donor recruitment drives give us confidence that we can source donor milk to meet otherwise growing demand. The Norfolk County Council (NCC) supported project commenced in February 2024 will conclude in March 2025 and we have reasonable confidence that there will be follow-up activity supported by the NCC. In addition, the performance of the NCC project is likely to lead to related opportunities on a smaller scale with Bright Start Islington and with the University of Swansea. We are recruiting administrative management and support roles that will free up staff who have been covering this activity to pursue lactation support activities and it will reduce consulting and temporary staff costs. Taking all of the above into account, the Trustees believe the Charity will be able to pay its debts at least for the next 12 months. HMF – 2024 Trustees Report 6 The Human Milk Founda�on, Gossoms End Health Centre, Berkhamsted, Her�ordshire, HP4 1DL ## Accounting and reporting 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 applicable to charities in England and Wales 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: select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently; - observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP; - make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; - state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; - prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation. The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which 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, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008, the Charities SORP (FRS 102) 2019 and the provisions of the Trust Deed. 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. ## **Additional governance issues** A full set of policies related to the opera�on of the charity was developed and formally approved by the Board during the previous financial year, including equal opportuni�es, staffing and recruitment, expecta�ons, health and safety. The Board meets monthly due to the rapid change and growth and development of the Charity. Approved by the Trustees on 27 January 2025 and signed on their behalf by: Andrew Hopkins (Treasurer) Date:- 27 January 2025 HMF – 2024 Trustees Report 7 The Human Milk Founda�on, Gossoms End Health Centre, Berkhamsted, Her�ordshire, HP4 1DL ## **The Human Milk Foundation** ## **Charity Number 1172522** ## **For The Year Ended 31 March 2024** ## **Statement of Financial Activities** ||**Note**||||**2024**||**2023**| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |||**Unrestricted**|**Restricted**|**Total**||**Total**|| |||||**£**||**£**|| |**Incoming resources**|||||||| |Voluntary income|6|111,317|||111,317||63,427| |Income from Donor Human Milk|7|302,530|||302,530||223,948| |Grants & other income|8|76,314|21,300||97,614||235,048| |**Total incoming resources**||490,160|21,300||511,460||522,423| |**Resources expended**|||||||| |Direct Expenses|9|62,515|0||62,515||81,729| |Total Employment Costs|10|276,202|2,708||278,911||309,799| |Other administrative expenses|11|167,483|20,730||188,213||174,532| |**Total resources expended**||506,200|23,438||529,638||566,060| |**Transfers between funds**|9||||0||0| |**Net movement in funds**||(16,039)|(2,138)||(18,178)||(43,637)| |**Total funds brought forward**||129,422|67,182||196,604||229,232| |**Total funds carried forward**||113,383|65,044||178,426||185,595| ## **The Human Milk Foundation** ## **Charity Number 1172522** ## **For The Year Ended 31 March 2024** ## **Balance Sheet** ||**Note**|||**2024**||**2023**| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||||**Total**||**Total**|| ||||**£**||**£**|| |**Fixed Assets**||2||54,139||76,657| |**Current Assets**||||||| |Debtors||3||90,224||50,774| |Accrued income||4||0||3,096| |Bank Accounts||||80,277||72936.45| |VAT recoverable||||3,174||5,103| |**Total Current Assets**||||173,675||131,909| |**Current Liabilities**||5||||| |Accounts payable||||(47,458)||(9,740)| |Accruals||||(250)||0| |Pensions Payable||||(1,680)||(2,222)| |**Total Current Liabilities**||||(49,388)||(11,962)| |**Current Assets less Current Liabilities**||||124,287||119,947| |**Net assets**||||178,426||196,604| |**Equity**||||||| |Unrestricted funds||||113,383||129,422| |Restricted funds||||65,044||67,182| |Designated funds||||0||0| |**Total Funds**||||178,426||196,604| These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions relating to the small companies regime within Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 and in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller Entities (effective January 2015). Approved by the Trustees on 20 January 2025 and signed on their behalf. Andy Hopkins, Treasurer The annexed notes form part of these Financial Statements ## **The Human Milk Foundation Charity Number 1172522 For The Year Ended 31 March 2024 Notes to the Financial Statement 2 Fixed Assets** |**Cost**
At 1 April 2023
Additions
Disposals
At 31 March 2024
**Depreciation**
At 1 April 2023
Charge for the year
Adjustment on disposals
At 31 March 2024
Net Book Value at 31 March 2024
Net Book Value at 31 March 2023
**3 Debtors**
Amounts falling due within one year
Amounts receivable from NHS Hospital
**4 Accrued Income**
The accrued income relates to accrued
**5 Accounts Payable**
Amounts falling due within one year
Trade Creditors
Wages payable
Social security payable
Pensions payable
Accruals
**Total Accounts Payable**|**Computer**
**Leasehold**
**Motor**
**Plant &**
**Fixtures &**
**Total**
**Equipment**
**Improvements**
**Vehicles**
**Machinery**
**Fittings**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
£
4,972
3,469
26,033
80,420
731
115,624
2,575
1,031
3,606
(2,700)
(600)
(3,300)|**Computer**
**Leasehold**
**Motor**
**Plant &**
**Fixtures &**
**Total**
**Equipment**
**Improvements**
**Vehicles**
**Machinery**
**Fittings**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
£
4,972
3,469
26,033
80,420
731
115,624
2,575
1,031
3,606
(2,700)
(600)
(3,300)| |---|---|---| ||4,972
3,469
23,333
82,395
1,762
115,931|| ||3,469
2,426
4,717
28,241
114
957
927
5,833
16,890
252
(1,840)
(195)|38,967

24,860
(2,035)| ||4,426
3,353
8,710
44,936
367|61,792| |||| ||545
116
14,623
37,459
1,395
54,139|| ||1,503
1,043
21,317
52,178
616
76,657
**2024**
**2023**
**£**
**£**
s
90,225
50,775
Gift Aid at 31 March claimed & received after the balance sheet date
**2024**
**2023**
**£**
**£**
28,824
9,740
14,388
31
4,246
(31)
1,680
2,223
250
0
49,388
11,963|| ## **The Human Milk Foundation** ## **Charity Number 1172522** ## **For The Year Ended 31 March 2024** ## **Notes to the Financial Statement** |**6 Voluntary Income**
Donations
Gift Aid|**2024**
**2023**
**£**
**£**
103,616
58,047
7,700
5,379| |---|---| ||111,317
63,426| ## **7 Income from Donor Human Milk** All income from Donor Human Milk relates to the provision of donor human milk to NHS Hospitals accounted for on an accruals basis. These transactions are not subject to VAT |**8 Restricted Funds**
Balance at 1 April 2023
Grants & Other Income
Total Restricted Funds Received
Operating expenditure out of restricted funds
Other administrative expenses - depreciation
Transfer of funds from restricted to unrestricted
Total Restricted Funds Expended
Balance at 31 March 2024
**9 Direct Expenses**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**£**
Pathology Costs
Other Direct Expenses
Research & Development
Total Direct Expenses
0
**10 Total Employment Costs**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**£**
Gross salaries
2,708
Employer national insurance
Employer pension contributions
Total Employment Costs
2,708|**8 Restricted Funds**
Balance at 1 April 2023
Grants & Other Income
Total Restricted Funds Received
Operating expenditure out of restricted funds
Other administrative expenses - depreciation
Transfer of funds from restricted to unrestricted
Total Restricted Funds Expended
Balance at 31 March 2024
**9 Direct Expenses**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**£**
Pathology Costs
Other Direct Expenses
Research & Development
Total Direct Expenses
0
**10 Total Employment Costs**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**£**
Gross salaries
2,708
Employer national insurance
Employer pension contributions
Total Employment Costs
2,708|**2024**
**2023**
**£**
**£**
67,182
59,127
21,300
24,273
88,482
83,400
2,708
0
20,730
15,259
0
959
23,438
16,218
65,044
67,182
**Unrestricted**
**Total**
**Total**
**Funds**
**2024**
**2023**
**£**
**£**
**£**
35,249
35,249
41,121
27,248
27,248
38,310
17
17
3,242|**2024**
**2023**
**£**
**£**
67,182
59,127
21,300
24,273| |---|---|---|---| ||||88,482
83,400| ||||2,708
0
20,730
15,259
0
959| ||||23,438
16,218| ||||| ||||65,044
67,182| ||0|62,515
62,515
82,673|| ||**Restricted**
**Funds**
**£**
2,708|**Unrestricted**
**Total**
**Total**
**Funds**
**2024**
**2023**
**£**
**£**
**£**
264,008
266,716
281,518
5,383
5,383
20,128
6,811
6,811
8,152|| ||2,708|276,202
278,911
309,798|| ## **The Human Milk Foundation** ## **Charity Number 1172522** ## **For The Year Ended 31 March 2024** ## **Notes to the Financial Statement** |**11 **|**Other administrative expensesRestricted**||**Unrestricted**|**Total**||**Total**|| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||**Funds**||**Funds**||**2024**||**2023**| ||£||£|£||£|| ||Advertising & Marketing||392||392||2,791| ||Audit & Accountancy fees||9,769||9,769||5,845| ||Bank Fees||463||463||386| ||Cleaning||124||124||2,714| ||Consulting|2,708|52,732||55,441||33,495| ||Depreciation Expense|18,022|6,838||24,860||22,680| ||Entertainment and gifts||488||488||1,379| ||Expenses for sponsored event||289||289||1,938| ||Insurance||23,703||23,703||1,429| ||IT Software and Consumables||9,742||9,742||5,836| ||Legal Expenses||5,181||5,181||1,227| ||Postage & courier||2,395||2,395||2,838| ||Printing & Stationery||609||609||1,974| ||Business Rates||0||0||4,927| ||Rent||30,514||30,514||44,158| ||Repairs & Maintenance||5,843||5,843||1,746| ||Staff meetings||1,674||1,674||5,909| ||Staff training||0||0||5,366| ||Subscriptions||8,977||8,977||9,210| ||Travel costs||4,516||4,516||4,282| ||Other general expenses||3,234||3,234||2,449| ||Total admin expenses|20,730|167,483||188,213||162,579| During the year, the founders of the Charity, Dr Natalie Shenker and Gillian Weaver, continued to provide support to the Charity on a consulting basis CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner s Report Report to the trustees The Hum* Milk F￿￿latIC On accounts for the year end•d 31" Marth 2024 Charity no (If any) IIIIS21 Sot out on pages I rep)rt to Ihe lJust&S my examvplM)n of U)è ofthe above chafrty {Ihe Tnjsf) for thè year ended 3110Y2024. R•sponsibilities and basls of report As the charitys INstees, arn re$w￿$￿til8 for thè preparation of th8J accounts in accordance v￿th the requIr￿ents of the Charities Act 2011 {Yhe A I reFK)rt in respect of my examinati¢M of the Trusys accourrts ¢arrred out u￿r seth1￿ 145 of the 2011 Ad and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the aWKable DirectK)ns giv￿ by Charity G￿nMISsil uThJer Secti￿ 145{51(bl of the ACL Independent The thartty's gross income exeeeded and l am qualified to examlnees statement urKlertake the examinatic** by beirvJ a qualified member ofthe Chartered Insbtrrte of Public •)d AccxJun* ICIPFAI. I have Comp￿ted my examinabon. I ccfflfimi that no material matters have come to my attents.on in connects'(￿ with the examination Ythich gives me cause to beI￿Ve thal in, matenal resFect". the accountirKJ r￿dS vKre rnt kept in acthrdarte thtylh section 130 of the Charities Acr Ix th8 aCO￿ts dHI not accord Vlith tr* act￿ntIng records; c the accwrrts did rb)t comply ¥￿th the applicable wuirem8nts concemirvJ the fom and cDntent of accc#Jnts set out in the Charitses (Accounts and Reports) RegUlati￿S 21)J8 olher than any requirement that the accounts give a 'thJe and fdirf view is not a matter conshjered as part of an IndeF￿kn e>Bminth"on. I no c(xKems aTrJ have cc*ne ￿ no othgr mattèrs in Connection vith the e￿lM￿￿t￿)n lo which attention Sh¢￿Id be drawn in this r9POrt in order lo enab￿ a proFer understandu)g of the accounts lo be reached. Signod: 30th January 2025 Name: SaTrJra Wse Relevant professional qualbfiGation(sl or body {rf any): Addrw: CIPFA 124 Bea￿ryrt Roal. 8oJmwll8, Bimin￿￿￿. 830 2DX Oct 2018 IER