2021-06-30-accounts

Alnwick District Food Bank

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period 01/07/2020 to 30/06/2021

(Charitable Incorporated Organisation - Registration no.for England and Wales : 1173294)

Objectives and Activities

As a registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation our Governing Document defines our objects as “the relief and prevention of poverty in Alnwick and the surrounding areas by means of food provision, information, advice, guidance, education and any other means, as deemed appropriate”.

Our main activity focuses on providing food for individuals and families in need of help, in particular to those struggling financially. When Covid-19 restrictions have allowed, we have encouraged those we help to visit the food bank. Whilst we are not professionally trained to give advice we maintain close contacts with those organisations which can, and do our best to signpost should advice be sought.

As Trustees we acknowledge the Charity Commission’s public benefit guidance, and we are satisfied that the Charity complies.

Additional information

The Charity is run entirely by volunteers. No salaries have been paid during the year, although volunteers are entitled to reclaim legitimate expenses. A number choose not to do so, and for those that do it is in compliance with, and does not exceed, Government taxable restrictions.

Our operations are reliant on donations of both food and money from individuals, other charitable organisations, including schools and churches, and corporate bodies. We are not grant making.

We maintain good relations and cooperative working with neighbouring food banks to ensure our communities, both rural and urban, are covered effectively. To this end we belong to the North Northumberland Food Group, which in recent months has been meeting on Zoom. The work of this group has been recognised by Northumberland Communities Together, launched by Northumberland County Council since the start of the Covid-19 crisis.

Achievements and Performance

The reporting year has been dominated by Covid-19. At times it has been necessary to work 5 days each week. In parallel to this demand our number of volunteers greatly reduced due to isolating and shielding. Management meetings were carried out via Zoom and, when restrictions allowed, with socially distanced face to face meetings. We have been successful in meeting additional demand and have been able to increase both food and cash donations by maintaining an active social media presence.

We have tailored our activities to match the changing levels of need, and restriction, and for this we thank our volunteers for their flexibility and willingness to adapt. We also noticed changes in the type and demographic of our clients. Pre-Covid we supported families in the main but, at the time of writing, we currently serve 70% singles/couples and only 30% families. The pandemic has also seen new food banks and food assistance initiatives pop up in the area. These we have welcomed, being in direct

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response to increased need. We, ourselves, have been able to extend the range of food on offer and all clients are now offered butter, eggs, fruit, fresh meat and vegetables, in addition to our usual food parcels.

After a brief lull, demand increased again from January to April. In total we have distributed 3,042 parcels from lock-down in March 2020 through to 31[st] March 2021. In comparison 645 parcels were distributed in the same period the previous year - a 470% increase in demand overall for that period.

For the financial year 1[st] July 2020 to 30[th] June 2021 we sent out 2,651 parcels.

Northumberland County Council continue to offer good support being our landlord of the premises we occupy at Lindisfarne Adult Learning Centre. Their redevelopment plans for the Lindisfarne site have been seriously delayed due to Covid-19 but are moving forward. We are in dialogue with them as to our future needs and their ability to meet them.

Financial Review

The Financial Return is submitted with this report. Total income for the year was £49093, to the nearest pound, inclusive of HMRC Gift Aid, refund of which the charity is approved. Expenditure of £32314 was incurred, of which food purchases accounted fo r £27338 or just over 85% of the total.

Available funds at the year end totalled £55000

Our policy is to hold a minimum of 2 years expenses, and our year end accounts reflect this. As other charities were struggling, in January of this year to temporarily decline substantial, one off donations and to keep reserves under review. All funds are held in the charity’s Business Account with Lloyds Bank. The exception is Petty Cash maintained, as close as possible, to a balance of £100.

Northumberland County Council assure us we are included in their plans for redevelopment of the Lindisfarne site and we have confidence the charity can continue as a going concern. This includes our ability to fund our move, with expenditure on IT and office needs, insurance, security and shelving anticipated.

Structure, Governance and Management

As a Charitable Incorporated Organisation it is a “Foundation” model constitution with only its Trustees being voting members. The number of Trustees appointed must be a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 12. Currently there are 5 appointed Trustees, and no one individual Trustee is entitled to appoint.

All Trustees and volunteers undergo induction.

The Charity is totally independent and unrelated to other parties. As stated previously, it works cooperatively, with integrity, with other charitable organisations, and a wide variety of professionals, in pursuance of common aims

Reference and Administrative details

The address of the charity is:Alnwick District Food Bank C/o Lindisfarne Adult Learning Centre, Lindisfarne Road, Alnwick, Northumberland NE66 1AX

During the financial year ending 30[th] June 2021, John Knight requested to retire as a

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Trustee, when his term of appointment came up for renewal in May. The Trustees unanimously appointed volunteer and team leader Marlene Gray in replacement.

Appointed Trustees as at 30[th] June 2021 are:Clive Gibson Chairperson Deborah Baker Treasurer Maureen Buchanan Marlene Gray Christine McElhone

There are no corporate trustees and, as the charity does not own any property, the Trustees confirm none of them hold any title to property belonging to it.

All funds are unrestricted and none are held as custodian trustees on behalf of others. The Trustees confirm that no advisers are appointed, or paid for, by the charity.

This Annual Report was unanimously approved by all appointed Trustees, as named above, at a meeting held at Lindisfarne Adult Learning Centre on 15[th] July 2021

C R Gibson Signed : Clive Robert Gibson (Chairperson)

Dated 15[th] July

2021

Registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation with The Charity Commission for England and Wales i i b 329

Alnwick District Food Bank 1173294

Receipts and payments accounts For the period Period start date Period end date To from 1 7 20 30 6 21

----- Start of picture text -----
Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment
Total funds
funds funds funds
to the nearest
to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
£
A1 Receipts
Donations 48,007 - - 48,007
HMRCGift Aid refund 1,074 - - 1,074
Refunds 13 - - 13
- - - -
- - - -
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total (Gross income for - - - -
AR) 49,093 - - 49,093
A2 Asset and investment
sales, (see table).
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total [ - ] - - -
Total receipts 49,093 - - 49,093
A3 Payments
Food Purchases 27,338 - - 27,338
Equipment/packing/expenses 3,709 - - 3,709
Mileage 273 - - 273
Insurance 274 - - 274
Rent 720 - - 720
- - - -
- - - -
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total 32,314 - - 32,314
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total - - - -
Total payments 32,314 - - 32,314
Net of receipts/(payments) 16,779 - - 16,779
A5 Transfers between funds - - - -
A6 Cash funds last year end [ 38,221 ] - - 38,221
Cash funds this year end 55,000 - - 55,000
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Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period

			Unrestricted		Restricted
Categories	Details		funds		funds
B1 Cash funds	Lloyds Current Account Total cash funds		to nearest £ 55,000 - - 55,000		to nearest £ - - - -
	(agree balances with receipts and payments account(s))		OK	OK
			Unrestricted		Restricted
			funds		funds
	Details		to nearest £		to nearest £
B2 Other monetary assets	Petty Cash		125 - - - - -		- - - - - -
B3 Investment assets	Details		Fund to which asset belongs	Cost (optional) - - - - -
B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use	Details		Fund to which asset belongs	Cost (optional) - - - - - - - - -
			Fund to which		Amount due
B5 Liabilities	Details		liability relates		- - - - - (optional)
Signed by one or two trustees on bhlf f ll th tt		Signature	Print	Name

Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees

----- Start of picture text -----
CC16a
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Last year

to the nearest £ 24,512 633 - - - - - - 25,145

-

25,145

9,383 3,956 215 294 1,500 - - - - 15,348

15,348 9,797 - 28,424 38,221

d

Endowment funds to nearest £

-

OK

Endowment funds to nearest £

-

Current value (optional)

-

Current value (optional)

When due (optional)

Date of approval

To whom it may concern

I have examined the accounts of Alnwick District Food Bank for the year ending 30[th] June 2021. To assist in this, I have had access to all bank statements, bank reconciliations, income and expenditure statements and invoices received. I am satisfied that the year-end account presented to me and signed by me on 14[th] July 2021 is a true record of the financial position of this charity.

Jean Barr 37 Springfield Park Alnwick Northumberland 14[th] July 2021