## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period**
**From 1[st] October 2022 to 30[th] September 2023**
## **Charity name: Hatfield Foodbank**
## **Charity registration number: 1174288**
## **Objectives and Activities**
||SORP reference||
|---|---|---|
|Summary of the purposes of
the charity as set out in its
governing document|Para 1.17|The relief of financial hardship amongst people
in Hatfield and the surrounding area or in other
parts of the United Kingdom in such ways as
the Trustees from time to time think fit - in
particular, but not exclusively by:
a) providing emergency food, essential
toiletries etc to individuals and families in need
and/or for distribution by charities or other
organisations working to prevent or relieve
poverty;
b) such other means, including (but not limited
to) the provision of support or signposting to
relevant information and other advisory
services and to provide such services with a
Christian ethos, supported by churches in
Hatfield.
Nothing in this constitution shall authorise an
application of the property of the CIO for the
purposes which are not charitable.|
|Summary of the main
activities in relation to those
purposes for the public
benefit, in particular, the
activities, projects or
services identified in the
accounts.|Para 1.17 and
1.19|During this, our sixth year of operation, we
have:
- collected 67 tonnes (previous year 44 tonnes)
of food from supermarkets, schools, businesses
and other individuals, and given out nearly 68¼
tonnes (previous year 44 tonnes). The growth
in demand means that – despite an increase in
donations – we’ve had to buy in over 13 tonnes
of food too.
There is an ongoing disparity between
donations and demand, and we’ve been
fortunate to be able to use donations to buy
stock to give out.
- continued with our amazing group of around
35 or so volunteers,
- opened every week to serve those who
were/are struggling in our local community (we
achieved this even throughout Covid|
|||- provided 8777 people (previous year 5230
people) in Hatfield and the surrounding area
(including 3385 children – previous year was
2290 children) [who were referred to us
through our partner agencies] with emergency
food parcels. These figures are again an
increase on previous years. Relieving hunger
amongst over 8770 of our ‘neighbours’ is an
amazing thing to be able to achieve – thank
you volunteers and referring agencies. (We
work with over 100 agencies, who can refer
their clients to the Foodbank as
necessary…schools, doctors’ surgeries, housing
associations, Citizens Advice, the Council,
churches – essentially anyone who may come
across those in our community who are
struggling).
We’ve been able to continue this year (started
Spring 2022) – with the assistance of a
significant grant from Trussell Trust – with
having a Citizens Advice worker present at all
our foodbank sessions. He speaks to all clients
who want his time…he’s a specialist in benefits,
debt etc; the aim is to deal with clients’ issues
at source wherever that’s possible and helpful
to clients. We pay his salary (via the grant),
and CA report quarterly on the growing
number of clients helped with benefits or debt
relief etc.|
|---|---|---|
|Statement confirming
whether the trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit|Para 1.18|Trustees have had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity Commission on public
benefit|
## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
||SORP reference||
|---|---|---|
|Policy on grant making|Para 1.38|Hatfield Foodbank does not make grants|
|Policy on social investment
including program related
investment|Para 1.38|We do not make investments (one bank
[current] account and a linked deposit account
for wise stewardship (i.e. to get some bank
interest rather than leave funds only in a
current account).|
|Contribution made by
volunteers|Para 1.38|The foodbank continues to be run almost
_entirely_by volunteers. (We had one part time
employee manager during the year – much
needed due to the growing demands). We are|
extremely grateful for all of our wonderful team of volunteers! Processing the donations given very generously especially at peak periods (Easter, Harvest Festival and, particularly, Christmas) is challenging, but done again successfully this year thanks to the tireless efforts of a number of our volunteers Other
## **Achievements and Performance**
||SORP reference||
|---|---|---|
|Summary of the main
achievements of the charity,
identifying the difference the
charity’s work has made to
the circumstances of its
beneficiaries and any wider
benefits to society as a
whole.|Para 1.20|In terms of identifying the difference that the
charity’s work has made to the circumstances
of its beneficiaries, the comments above really
say it all…..over 8770 people fed including
nearly 3385 children with over 68 tonnes of
food, toiletries etc. These are very significant
increases in demand (and thus our workload) -
the impact of the economic issues experienced
around the country manifests itself clearly at
Hatfield Foodbank. Some of the detail of our
work includes:
We continued our work with:
•
a warehouse which continues to have
stocks well below what we saw in our
first few years. This is perhaps not
surprising given the increased
demands; we continue to give out
more food than is donated.
Fortunately we are able to get grants
from a number of sources to enable us
to buy in food to make up the shortfall.
Some donations from some sources
remain strong.
•
backed by excellent admin - our annual
stocktake (all food etc is weighed in &
out to ensure and demonstrate
propriety) showed a very small margin
of error demonstrating good
warehouse management.
•
Tesco – with whom we have a
particularly good relationship
•
the local Waitrose who have also been
very generous, and
•
Asda across the road where the newer
relationship continues to develop year
on year (and which has improved
significantly following the appointment
of an excellent and supportive new
communitychampion),with donations|
|increasing across all three – our thanks|
|---|
|go to customers of all three|
|supermarkets|
|•
successful one-off donation drives|
|(including charity events at Tesco) as|
|well as the regular weekly donations.|
|•
Christmas, Harvest Festival and Easter|
|donations from all parts of the|
|community (many local schools,|
|churches & businesses (fuller list|
|below)|
|The queues at our doors each week have|
|grown significantly, and the difference we are|
|making to many lives in the local community is|
|noteworthy. We hear (and record|
|anonymously) many stories of what a|
|significant difference we’ve made to those who|
|had nothing to eat and no way of buying in|
|food.|
**Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
||||
|---|---|---|
|Achievements against
objectives set|Para 1.41||
|Performance of fundraising
activities against objectives
set|Para 1.41||
|Investment performance
against objectives|Para 1.41||
|Other|||
## **Financial Review**
|**Financial Review**|||
|---|---|---|
|Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end
of the period|Para 1.21|Despite a growing need to buy in food &
toiletries, thanks to some generous one-off
donations during the year, one particularly
generous gift from an estate, and the
consistent giving by others month by month &
year by year, the charity is in a sound financial
position. We need cash as well as donations of
food/toiletries because we have to buy in items
which are donated less frequently in order to
make up balanced food parcels detailed by
Trussell Trust_and, especially this year, we’ve_
_had to buy in 13 tonnes of food over & above_
_donations._Thus we have, as ever, valued both
cash and food donations this year; both have a
great part to play in supporting those who are
strugglingat any given time.|
|Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held|Para 1.22|Charity’s policy on reserves has been simply to
carry sufficient to ensure the ability to buy
what is needed to continue to function well,
pay our one part time employee which again
enables us to continue to function well,
purchase food for clients, pay a modest rent
etc.
The balance in our current account at
30/9/2023 included £23,019.45 of restricted
funds – designated for the Citizen’s Advice
project employee as mentioned above. This
was paid out right at the start of the next
accounting year (on 4/10/2022) when the bill
came in from Citizens Advice. We believe we
can continue to serve our community for up to
a year and longer whatever happens, and to
cope with anyemergencies which arise|
|Amount of reserves held|Para 1.22|Our bank account had around £100k funds –
made up of £53k restricted and 48k
unrestricted funds at the end of the year. Cash
on hand was £9.40.|
|Reasons for holding zero
reserves|Para 1.22|n/a|
|Details of fund materially in
deficit|Para 1.24|No deficits|
|Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern|Para 1.23|No uncertainty; charity appears to be on a
sound financial footing thanks to generous
donations, and our amazing unpaid volunteers.
We plan to continue to work closely with the
local Citizens Advice in the coming year in
order to address at the root some of the
challenges facing our clients. The associated
cost, is expected to be covered by a grant from
Trussell Trust with a small balance coming from
our own resources or from third party grants
where we can obtain these.|
**Additional information (optional)**
## You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
|The charity’s principal
sources of funds (including
any fundraising)|Para 1.47|Particularly generous donors have included:
• A significant sum from the estate of a
borough lady who supported the foodbank.
Her son was amazing in organising this for us
• Tesco, Waitrose, and Asda and their
customers – including “top-up” payments
received from the supermarkets via Trussell
Trust. This is a scheme whereby
supermarkets donate the profits they make
from people buying food to donate to the
foodbank.
• Local schools, churches & businesses such as
Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council, Infinis
Energy, Freemasons, Peartree Wellbeing,
Salisbury/Gasgoyne Cecil, The Macs Hart
Trust, Rotary Club etc. and many donations
made personally and via Stewardship (often
via our website), Charities Aid Foundation,
Charities Trust etc.
• We want to mention separately the grant
from Trussell Trust (over £45k) for the
project with Citizens Advice which is
mentioned earlier in this Trustees Return.
Many personal donors have made one-off
contributions which has really helped us
• A number of personal donors have started
making (and continue to make) regular
donations which is also_much_ appreciated,
and makes a huge difference. We could not
do our work without the generous giving or
personal and corporate donors; thank you all
again.
In addition, we receive a number of one-off
donations at key times in the year (in
particular, Christmas)|
|---|---|---|
|Investment policy and
objectives including any
social investment policy
adopted|Para 1.46|We don’t make investments.|
|A description of the principal
risks facing the charity|Para 1.46|The only risks of any significance facing the
charity are:
1. demand has continued its exponential
growth beyond this year – and we continue
to buy in significant amounts of food. In the
first 6 months of the following year we
bought in £11,000 – significantly more than
for the whole of the previous year.
Fortunately our amazing old & new donors
have, so far, continued their great
generosity so that we have had sufficient to
give to all who have“come our way”(been|
referred our way by our amazing referral agencies). We are so grateful to the generosity of personal, business, and company donors. 2. if its use of Gracemead House in the town centre was somehow to come to an end. Gracemead is conveniently located for volunteers and clients alike, and at a very reasonable rent. That said, firstly there seems little prospect of this happening given that two of the trustees have significant influence over allowing the continued use of Gracemead. And secondly, trustees are convinced that another suitable location would be found in any event. Other
## **Structure, Governance and Management**
|Description of charity’s
trusts:|||
|---|---|---|
|Type of governing document
(trust deed, royal charter)|Para 1.25|Constitution|
|How is the charity
constituted?
(e.g unincorporated
association, CIO)|Para 1.25|CIO|
|Trustee selection methods
including details of any
constitutional provisions e.g.
election to post or name of
any person or body entitled
to appoint one or more
trustees|Para 1.25|Elected by members|
## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
Policies and procedures adopted for the induction Para 1.51 and training of trustees The charity’s organisational structure and any wider Para 1.51 network with which the charity works Relationship with any related Para 1.51 parties Other
## **Reference and Administrative details**
|Charity name|Hatfield Foodbank|
|---|---|
|Other name the charity uses|none|
|Registered charity number|1174288|
|Charity’s principal address|Gracemead House, Gracemead House, Woods Avenue, Hatfield
AL10 8HX|
|||
**Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity**
|1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
17
18
19
20|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year**|**Name of person (or body) entitled**
**to appoint trustee(if any)**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||Heather Jane Dyce|Trustee|Wholeyear||
||Obafemi Oludare|Trustee|Wholeyear||
||Michael Laurence
Dyce|Treasurer|Whole year||
||Colin GeoffreyHill|Chair of Trustees|Whole Year||
||Alex Masters|Trustee|24/9/2023 to 30/9/2023||
||||||
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– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved
**Director name** None
Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity
|**Trustee name**|**Dates acted if not for whole year**||
|---|---|---|
|None|||
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## **Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others**
|Description of the assets
held in this capacity|none|
|---|---|
|Name and objects of the
charity on whose behalf the
assets are held and how this
falls within the custodian
charity’s objects|none|
|Details of arrangements for
safe custody and
segregation of such assets
from the charity’s own
assets|none|
## **Additional information (optional)**
## **Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**
|**Type of**|**Name**|**Address**|
|---|---|---|
|**adviser**|||
**Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)**
Dominic Long – Foodbank Manager (part time)
## **Exemptions from disclosure**
Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details
n/a
## **Other optional information**
We are a Trussell Trust foodbank – hence there being no entries under “advisers” above – Trussell provide excellent support and advice at the end of a phone (or email).
## **Declarations**
**The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.**
**Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees**
|**Signature(s)**
**Full name(s)**
**Position (eg Secretary,**
**Chair, etc)**
**Date**|Colin Hill (signed electronically)|**M L Dyce (signed**
**electronically)**|
|---|---|---|
||Colin Geoffrey Hill|Michael Laurence Dyce|
||
Chair of Trustees|Treasurer|
||26/5/2024||
||26/5/2024||
CHARITY COMMISSION
FOR ENGLAND AND WALES
Independent examiner's report on the
accounts
Section A
Independent Examiner's Report
Hatfield Foodbank
Report to the trustees
On accounts for the year
ended
30 September 2023
Charity no
(If any)
1174288
Set out on page
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above
charity ("the Trust") for the year ended 3010912023.
Responsibilities and
basis of report
As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the
accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011
("the Act").
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out
under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carying out my examination, I
have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission
under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent
Examiner's statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have
come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me
cause to believe that in, any material respect:
the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130
of the Charities Act. or
the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements
concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities
(Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement
that the accounts give a 'true and fairf view which is not a matter
considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection
wlth the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in
order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed:
Date:
li
Name:
Keith Grover
Relevant professional
qualification(s) or body:
Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales
Address:
1 Hunt Close, St. Albans, Herts. AL4 9JH
IER
Oct 2018
Hatfield Foodbank
Receipts and Payments Account
Year ended 30 Se
tember 2023
Recei
Grants
Tesco top-up/Trussel I
Tesco collections
Stewardship/CAF donation/PayPal Giving Fund
Business/Company/Rotary Cliib donations
Personal donations
Food 'sales'
Sundries
87,229.50
7,979.67
409.89
14,889.58
19,539.84
4,672.75
853.94
3,748.68
139,323.85
ments
Employee costs & warehousing
Citizens Advice Bureau project
Equipment/ciipboards/carpet/slielving
Running costs - Iitilities & phone
Runniiig costs - rent & repairs
Running costs - stationery & postage
Food purchases (incl toiletries)
Gift Card purchases (from legacy)
Volunteer expenses
Insuraiice
Information Cominissioners Office
Training sessions and expensès
Sundries
18,951.96
47,970.50
6,412.99
6,596.20
2,719.84
607.32
16,724.22
3,528.00
215.70
202.79
35.00
120.00
22.39
104,106.91
35,216.94
Surplus for the year
Opening cash and bank ledger balances
Closing cash and bank ledger balances
66,370.51
101,587.45
Represented by:
Casli on Iiand
Bank ledger balance:
Ui)restricted funds
Restricted fiinds
9.40
48,563.55
53,014.50
101,578.05
101,587.45
CHARITY COMMISSION
FOR ENGLAND AND WALES
Independent examiner's report on the
accounts
Section A
Independent Examiner's Report
Hatfield Foodbank
Report to the trustees
On accounts for the year
ended
30 September 2023
Charity no
(If any)
1174288
Set out on page
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above
charity ("the Trust") for the year ended 3010912023.
Responsibilities and
basis of report
As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the
accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011
("the Act").
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out
under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carying out my examination, I
have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission
under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent
Examiner's statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have
come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me
cause to believe that in, any material respect:
the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130
of the Charities Act. or
the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements
concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities
(Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement
that the accounts give a 'true and fairf view which is not a matter
considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection
wlth the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in
order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed:
Date:
li
Name:
Keith Grover
Relevant professional
qualification(s) or body:
Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales
Address:
1 Hunt Close, St. Albans, Herts. AL4 9JH
IER
Oct 2018
Hatfield Foodbank
Receipts and Payments Account
Year ended 30 Se
tember 2023
Recei
Grants
Tesco top-up/Trussel I
Tesco collections
Stewardship/CAF donation/PayPal Giving Fund
Business/Company/Rotary Cliib donations
Personal donations
Food 'sales'
Sundries
87,229.50
7,979.67
409.89
14,889.58
19,539.84
4,672.75
853.94
3,748.68
139,323.85
ments
Employee costs & warehousing
Citizens Advice Bureau project
Equipment/ciipboards/carpet/slielving
Running costs - Iitilities & phone
Runniiig costs - rent & repairs
Running costs - stationery & postage
Food purchases (incl toiletries)
Gift Card purchases (from legacy)
Volunteer expenses
Insuraiice
Information Cominissioners Office
Training sessions and expensès
Sundries
18,951.96
47,970.50
6,412.99
6,596.20
2,719.84
607.32
16,724.22
3,528.00
215.70
202.79
35.00
120.00
22.39
104,106.91
35,216.94
Surplus for the year
Opening cash and bank ledger balances
Closing cash and bank ledger balances
66,370.51
101,587.45
Represented by:
Casli on Iiand
Bank ledger balance:
Ui)restricted funds
Restricted fiinds
9.40
48,563.55
53,014.50
101,578.05
101,587.45