2023-03-31-accounts - Baby Bank Network Exeter

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Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 01/04/22 Period start date To 31/03/23 Period end date

Charity name: Baby Bank Network Exeter

Charity registration number: 1180848

Objectives and Activities

	SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document	Para 1.17	The prevention or relief of poverty in the UK in particular by providing items and services to families with young children and/or to charities or other organisations who also work to prevent or relieve poverty amongst families with young children.
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	The Baby Bank is a simple yet effective idea. We collect good quality pre-loved and new baby items donated by members of our community and then re-distribute them to families in need, free of charge, via a referral system through their health visitors, social workers or support workers. The results of our service reduce parental stress, anxiety, reduce financial burden and depression. Improving mental health and allowing parents the ability to focus on other aspects of home life, in turn improves living environments for babies and children, allowing them to thrive. We are aware that re-using items is more environmentally friendly than making new items all the time, so not only are we re- distributing resources from where they are abundant to where they are lacking, we are promoting sustainable living by reducing the volume of items being disposed. We also work closely with organisations like our local cloth nappy & Sling library, supporting the work they do and enabling us to supply cloth nappies & slings safely in our bundles. We support other re-use and recycling projects to ensure best practice and minimal waste like our local food bank and charity shops.

		We continue to have to buy some items from new including mattresses, bottle teats, nappies and toiletries and rely on the support of our community, businesses and funding and grants. We offer a school uniform bank for older siblings. It is so expensive to get a child all set for the start of a new school term, for those in good financial positions, but for those less fortunate it must be an extremely difficult time. Everyone wants to provide for their child and have them in the correct and often strict uniform requirements, to be the same as their friends and not open to possible frightening bullying and peer pressure. Our annual Christmas toy appeal project is a big piece of work that enables every child to enjoy Christmas no matter their families financial struggles. This time of year is a huge pressure and stress for some parents and we can help alleviate this burden a little, freeing up their finances to warm the house or buy the weekly food shop.
Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit	Para 1.18	The board of trustees meet three times a year and full minutes are recorded. At these meetings trustees agree the main strategy and areas of activity for the charity and review the constitutional objects to ensure we are successfully benefitting the public. All trustees give up their time freely and no trustee remuneration was paid in the year.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

	SORP reference
Policy on grant making	Para 1.38
Policy on social investment including program related investment	Para 1.38
Contribution made by volunteers	Para 1.38	Baby Bank Exeter is entirely dependent on the commitment of our volunteers, who understand the needs of the local community and who are best placed to manage the daily organisation of the charity. They give their time freely every week, to ensure the charity responds promptly to the needs of local families with

good quality items. We have increased our volunteer numbers this year to enable us to open our hub for four days a week rather than just two. This offers a greater service and ore volunteering opportunities across the charity. We currently have 17 active volunteers contributing time across the week. 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	As we expected 2022-23 has been impacted by the Cost of living crisis and the Baby Bank have worked hard to continue to meet the referral requests and the need for donations and funding. Our referral rates have increased and as we came to the end of the financial year March 2023 saw our busiest ever month, with over 60 families supported. With an increase in demand and our volunteer capacity increased the Baby Bank has worked hard to manage its stock and storage space to ensure operations continue. The Christmas appeal was testing as we were unable to secure additional storage but as ever with the help of our community we completed the project with over 600 families receiving gifts. This project was a huge success with amazing support from so many including the Devon and Somerset Law Society who enabled us to reach our target. “Just wanted to thank you so much for all fantastic Christmas presents that I have distributed to approximately 20 families, They were all thrilled by what they received and cannot believe how well matched the presents are to their particular children’s needs. Not sure how Father Christmas manages this! You even manage to find something for older brothers and sisters so they don’t miss out either. You have really taken the pressure off these families and helped give then a great Christmas.” Another successful project is our ‘Sleep Safer’ project and this has seen us gain the support of The‘Regional Development

Fund’ for a second year running to secure enough mattresses to last a year, ensuring every cot, cotbed and moses basket goes out with a brand new mattress. “The little boy today was so so happy about his new bed it nearly made me cry! (His old one was covered in mould from damp in their flat) Your team do all the hard work behind the scenes and don’t see these special parts and I just wanted to share our gratitude to you all” We have worked closely this year with Refugee Support Devon helping those families resettling into the area. With regular bundles being sent out to a local hotel. “Thank you a lot and your team for such a beautiful thing for our kids. They are very happy. I really didn’t know that they will so happy. Your team’s job is fabulous, and fruitful from different points of view. Take care of yourself! Creating from our family and Ukraine!” Another trust who have supported our work more than once are the Norman Family Trust, we are very grateful to them for funding is and for believing in the work we do, helping to make a difference to local families. With 1022 families supported this year by the Baby Bank, 98 new referral partners and over 700 new social media followers our charity is very much in a time of growth. A Strategic Planning meeting has been scheduled for April 2023 and will allow our board of trustees with input from our volunteers and referral partners to look at a fiver year plan for Baby Bank Exeter, we know times are going to continue to be busy and our service is vital to so many. We anticipate our plan will path the to bringing all of our storage spaces under the one roof, to expand our stock levels, leading to a larger geographical reach across Devon, resulting in more families across Devon being helped through crisis. “I have used the babybank a few times as a family support worker. The resources you have provided have been so valuable for the families in need and the quick response to emails and gathering the items has been a

godsend. Families I have supported through your great service have had baby baths, stairgates, moses basket, nappies and other goods. These have often prevented families feeling they cannot cope and has boosted their confidence that that community does care in times of need. I have collected items today and these have already been gratefully received. Your staff have always been friendly and helpful which makes your service even more enjoyable to use. Please keep up the good work.”

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	Cash at bank on 31/03/23 was £29,528.00 in funds. The main financial risk to the charity is loss of funding from the local businesses, grants and reduced donations
Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held	Para 1.22	The funds are held to cover 18 months operational costs in the event of a loss of income and to meet any unforeseen expenditure that may occur
Amount of reserves held	Para 1.22
Reasons for holding zero reserves	Para 1.22
Details of fund materially in deficit	Para 1.24
Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern	Para 1.23

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	We are grateful to the following organisations for supporting our work this year with grants and funding:  Devon and Somerset Law Society  Normans Family Charitable Trust  The Regional Development Fund  Arnold Clarke  Amicus Law  Exeter Neonatal Unit We also are thankful to our committed sponsors who help to cover our charities overheads:  Muddy Boots Child care  Toddler Sense Exeter  Munchkins Day Nursery  Little Ones childcare  Turtle Tots Exeter  The Baby Room  Thrifty Stork  VWS Exeter  Many Hands Brewery  Exeter Newborn studio
Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted	Para 1.46
A description of the principal risks facing the charity	Para 1.46

Other

Structure, Governance and Management

Description of charity’s trusts:
Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter)	Para 1.25	Constitution dating back to 26thNovember 2018. Last reviewed February 2023.
How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO)	Para 1.25	Charitable Incorporated Organisation Registered Charity number 1180848
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	There must be at least three charity trustees. Apart from the first charity trustees, every trustee must be appointed for a maximum term of three years by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees.

Additional information (optional)

You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees	Para 1.51
The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works	Para 1.51
Relationship with any related parties	Para 1.51
Other

Reference and Administrative details

Charity name	Exeter Baby Bank Network
Other name the charity uses
Registered charitynumber	1180848
Charity’s principal address	15 Wiltshire Close Exeter Devon EX4 1LU

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 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 (ifany)
	Kate Smith
	Melanie Smith
	Amanda Fulford
	Steve Buckell

– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved

Director name

Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity

Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year

Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others

Description of the assets held in this capacity

Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects

Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets

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)

Exemptions from disclosure

Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details

Other optional information

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) Melanie Smith

Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Treasurer

Date

14/11/23

	Baby Bank Network Exeter	Baby Bank Network Exeter	Baby Bank Network Exeter	1180848	CC16a
	For the period from	4/1/2022	To	3/31/2023

Section A Receipts and payments
A1 Receipts Grants - Fundraising - Donations 9,414 Sponsorship - Interest 9 - - - 9,423 - - Sub total - Total receipts 9,423 A3 Payments Mattress costs - Rent - Deliverycosts - Babyessentials 363 Hub costs 368 Insurance 129 Bundlepackaging 52 Storage costs 126 SalaryCosts - General expenses 216 PettyCash expenses - Project costs 196 Sub total 1,450 - - Sub total - Total payments 1,450 Net of receipts/(payments) 7,973 A5 Transfers between funds - A6 Cash funds last year end 10,963 Cash funds this year end 18,936 Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ *Sub total*(Gross income for AR) A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table)		to the nearest £ 8,540 - - 2,880 - - - - 11,420 - - - 11,420 1,013 2,400 - 665 99 - 19 2,138 490 126 - 319 7,269 - - - 7,269 4,151 - 6,441 10,592 Restricted funds	to the nearest £ Endowment funds	Total funds to the nearest £ 8,540 - 9,414 2,880 9 - - - 20,843 - - - 20,843 1,013 2,400 - 1,028 467 129 71 2,264 490 342 - 515 8,719 - - - 8,719 12,124 - 17,404 29,528	Last year to the nearest £
			- - - - - - - - -	8,540	4,500
				-	20
				9,414	1,305
				2,880	3,340
				9	-
				-	-
				-	-
				-	-
				20,843	9,165

			- - -	-
				-	-
				-	-

			-	20,843	9,165

			- - - - - - - - - - - - -	1,013	1,789
				2,400	2,200
				-	152
				1,028	700
				467	305
				129	126
				71	54
				2,264	1,692
				490	520
				342	202
				-	-
				515	166
				8,719	7,906

			- - -	-
				-
				-	-

			-	8,719	7,906

		4,151	- - - -	12,124	1,259
		-		-	-
		6,441		17,404	16,145
		10,592		29,528	17,404

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period

Categories B1 Cash funds B2 Other monetary assets B3 Investment assets B5 Liabilities B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees	Details Current account Savings account Petty cash Details Details Details Details Signature *Total cash funds* (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s))	to nearest £ to nearest £ 18,725 9,017 108 1,575 103 - 18,936 10,592 OK OK to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - Cost (optional) - - - - - Cost (optional) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Print Name Melanie Smith Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Fund to which asset belongs Fund to which asset belongs Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional)	to nearest £ Endowment funds
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			-
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			OK
			to nearest £ Endowment funds
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			Current value (optional)
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			Current value (optional)
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			When due (optional)






			Date of approval
		Melanie Smith	14.11.23