2024-03-31-accounts

Trustees’ Annual Report

2023-24

Registered charity number 1178499

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Section A:

Administration Details

This report covers the period from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024.

Friends For Families (Sevenoaks) was established in January 2018 and became a registered charity on 23 May 2018. The registered charity number is 1178499 and the address the charity is registered to is currently subject to change.

The charity’s name is Friends For Families (Sevenoaks) and it is not known by any other name, though it is often abbreviated to Friends For Families or F4F.

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

Shona Campbell (Chair), first charity trustee.

Claire Davison (Treasurer): Claire was appointed as a trustee and as Treasurer in January 2021 and reappointed in January 2024.

Hannah Gwyther: Hannah was appointed as a trustee in February 2019 and reappointed in February 2022, and stepped down in January 2024

Hayley Hansford: Hayley was appointed as a trustee in February 2020 and reappointed in February 2023, and stepped down in September 2023

Kelly Barlow: Kelly was appointed as a trustee in February 2020 and reappointed in February 2023

Heather Brightwell: Heather was appointed as a trustee in January 2024

Helen Buttivant: Helen was appointed as a trustee in January 2024

Katya Wickham: Katya was appointed as a trustee in January 2024

There are at present no other trustees, and there are no staff members.

Section B: Structure, Governance and Management

The charity is governed by its constitution and is a Foundation Charitable Incorporated Organisation. Apart from the first charity trustees, all trustees are appointed for a term of three years by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees.

The charity is managed and run by the trustees, and there are no paid staff members. There are several volunteers who work with the trustees on an ad hoc basis.

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Section C:

Objectives and activities

The objects of the charity are

To relieve the poverty of families with children who are living within the Sevenoaks district and Dartford or are otherwise clients of West Kent Children’s Services at Kent County Council, specifically families who do not have the resources to provide themselves with the normal things of life which most people take for granted, by

• providing items including but not limited to furniture, bedding, clothing, food, fuel, heating appliances, washing machines and fridges or by providing grants to purchase these items.

• payment for services including but not limited to essential repairs, hairdressing or outings and entertainment for children.

• providing facilities including but not limited to the supply of equipment, books, and travelling expenses to attend school, and equipment and funds for recreational pursuits intended to bring the quality of life of the beneficiaries to a reasonable standard

• financing any other items, services or facilities that the trustees agree should be provided to bring the quality of life of the beneficiaries to a reasonable standard.

The main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects are

• The purchase of beds and bedding, basic furniture and white goods, whether new or second hand. Where appropriate donated second hand items are also provided.

• The purchase of clothing, nappies, basic baby equipment, cleaning equipment and products. Where appropriate donated second hand items are also provided.

• The purchase of food. Much of the non-perishable food we supply is donated, and we fund the rest and specifically perishable foods.

• Payment for children’s groups and classes, particularly where these are therapeutic and/or prevent a child being isolated on grounds of poverty.

• Payment for school uniform, shoes, bags and equipment and travelling costs to school where no alternative is available that can be funded by the family or statutory services.

In all cases the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit.

The charity does not give cash grants to families, and all activities are undertaken in conjunction with and through the intermediary of West Kent Children’s Services.

The charity benefits greatly from the support of the local community, both in volunteering their time and making financial donations, but also in supplying the charity with second hand items and ensuring they are in a good condition to be donated, purchasing food supplies, and providing the charity with advice and support on a range of issues.

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Section D Achievements and performance

The trustees raise the funding for the work to be undertaken from two sources: individual and corporate donations, and grants. In 2023-2024 the trustees successfully applied for and received several grants, raising £38,945 in grant income. The trustees also worked to raise awareness within the local community, resulting in many individual donations to the charity. Further financial details may be found in the annual accounts.

All trustees worked to develop the pool of volunteers willing to assist with the workload (particularly important as the charity has no paid staff). This included building relations with local businesses and community groups.

The charity met 262 referrals in 2023-24 and spent £92,077 helping families in need. In addition to this, the charity also provided 461 Christmas gifts for children identified by the social work teams, and 196 Christmas food parcels for their families. Whilst most of these were donated, the charity spent £2,853 of its funds on the Christmas Appeal

Section E: Financial review

Reserves

Trustees have agreed that reserves of 4-6 months of expenditure should be maintained either in the current account or an instant access savings account split as follows: £30,000 in the current account and the remainder in an instant access savings account.

Any other funds in excess of this can be transferred to a savings account with a maximum of 1 month’s notice. A maximum of £85,000 can be held in any individual account. Account balances should be regularly reviewed and transfers between accounts made as needed on a timely basis.

Cash reserves should be monitored at least monthly to ensure their adequacy and actions taken (eg increased grant applications) to address any potential shortfall.

The charity has no funds in deficit.

The charity’s principal sources of funds are grants from grant-making bodies and businesses and individual donations. The charity also organises fundraising events and raffles.

The charity has been fortunate enough to raise enough funds from these sources to enable it to meet all the referrals made to it that were found to be consistent with its objects.

The charity does not have sufficient funds to make investments and does not anticipate this situation changing in the foreseeable future, and therefore has no investment policy.

Section F:

None.

Other optional information

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Section G: Declaration

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above. The Trustees are of the view that there are no uncertainties at present as to the charity’s status as a going concern.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees:

Signature Full Name Shona Agnes Brown Campbell Position Chair of Trustees

Date 16/10/24

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CHARITY COIAMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Friend5 for Far¥ Isevenoaksl 1178499 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For Ihe perknd To 1st W 2￿23 31st March 2(ll4 Section A Receipts and payments Unrestrtcted fvnds Restricted E￿dowmQnt fttnd$ Totsl lund$ Last ye•r Ivlb•nMr•#t ￿+th•￿•S12 m•thr•stt A1 R•cel tbrOtion$ Gfft Aid 70.181 lo.￿1 170 2.316 71497 73,176 11,694 301 79.1 6.803 170 Grarrts FurwJTa&J IIKori rk4iad Ilerns iee•w¢ BanK Intere 1,433 16.610 147 647 Sub 1gtal( ross in¢ome lor ARJ A2 A•••t and Inv￿lm•￿t skn. ls•#t8tAel. 2211 ta•.70J 198,921 Sub rotsl Tot•lrK8lpts 116.892 22.811 1J•,703 193,929 A3Pa drill 2.113 078 4.J•l Énd 6.412 liiminin 112 ¢r•ftB rts XlMts Weith Tochmi 7.813 160 304 116 3.474 494 1.561 101 r4urd Tra Iliu vtyJ¢her6 •12 4X $41 4Q3 2,8 3,706 43$ 1.367 261 607 FuMrai¥i Cl￿r ¢iWB $12 Item9 d 16.610 22.3 Sub folal 25.911 111.004 124.778 A4 A¥¥•t and Inv•slm•nt rchases. Ise• table Sub total 85.088 25.916 111.OD4 124,778 Nel of rOc￿pt￿l(paYrnts) AS fran$fvrs betwe￿ funds A6 Cash fund5 last yeai er Cash fvnds thi$ 31.8 3.105 28.699 69.151 127.470 3.311 130,781 155,480 169.274 69,151 CCM R1 (Kunls ISSI Xe S>loql

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unfestrtet•d Resid¢tea funds nd$ to A•ttYStÈ Endowment nd$ tv nearest£ CategoF￿5 81 Cash lunds 90217 40,171 rot¥l cash funds 1fj9.274 Unrestrlcted nds R•strfcted fund$ bj Thw•%t£ Endowrnent nds DBtalls Pur￿ Detall$ Ca%t{Won•l) ¢tsrw•ntv•lu• B3 Inv•$tment ass•ts Fund lo whlch Delalls ¢￿rI•m valu• onal 84 Assots r•tslned for th• harity's own u5 Dthalls int du• Wh•fi du• ¢Mal BS Llabilitie SvJntyJ by ¢rt•or ￿￿1￿#•11 on behoK¢lall htruges S*Jnalure Pr#)t Name rovel CLA ieÉ Dktr'i SDfvl 161￿12 CCXX R2 8¢ww)ts ISSI CQ12024

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examtner's Report Report to the tfusteesl members of Friends lor Families On a¢counts forthe year ended 2023124 Charlty no 1178499 lif any) Set out on pages I report lo the trusiees on my exafflinalion of Ihe accounls of thé above charty (Yhe Tnjstl for the year ended 31103124 Responslbilitles and As the chanty trustees of thè Trust. you are responsible for Ihe pRparation bas18 of report ofthe accnunts in accordance wrth Ihe requirements of the Charit￿5 Act 2011 {Ihe Act.). I rèport In respect of my examinatlTh) of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Ad and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commlsslon under section 145{5)Ib) of the Ad. I have completed my examination. I confim that no material matters have ome lo my attention (other than that disclosed below ") in ronne¢lion with the examination whbth gives Me cause to believe that in, any material speci. accounling records were not kept in accordan￿ with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accoftj with the accounting ￿COrdS Independont examIne￿8 ststement I hav• no concems gnd hav• come across no othcr matter¥ in connection with the examinal•)n lo which att&ntion should ba drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. ' Please delete the words in th8 bRc4(ets ilthey do not awy. Slgned: Date: 3010912024 Name: Emily Chandler Relevant professlonal qualificatlon{sl or body (if any): MICB - Institule ot Certified Bookkeepers Address: 16 Vthite Friars Sevenoaks KentTN13 IQG IER October 2018

Section B Disclosure Onty complete if tne examinei needs to highlight matters of Goncefn (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts.. directions and guidance for examiners). Glve here brief details of any items that the examlner wishes to dlsclose. IER October 2018