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2024-03-31-accounts

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From April 2023 Period start date To April 2024 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 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
Midwives, social workers or support
workers.
The results of our service reduce parental
stress, anxiety, reduce financial burden and
depression.
Improved mental health allows 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
redistributing 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 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.
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 currently have 16 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 Our year started with a Strategic planning
Meeting between our board of trustees with
input from our volunteers and referral
partners. This gave us a strong direction
and development plan for the year 23/24.
In April 2023 we secured funds from The
National Lottery and employed a part time
Service Manager to help the charity reach it
targets in growing and developing its work
to meet demand.
In October 2023 after much searching we
found and moved into a new premises. The
unit is much larger than where we had
been and enabled us to increase our stock
levels, volunteers numbers and family
reach.
In 2023 we gifted 451 families essential
items to a value of £192,693. This is an
average saving for each family of £427.
This equates to 3 months of energy bills or
3.3 weeks of grocery shopping.
Alongside this we also supported 500
children through our Christmas appeal,
gifting over 3500 presents.
In our new unit we have been able to
welcome Corporate Volunteers, who have
used their Corporate Social Responsiblity
(CSR) time to help us sort and package
goods. We appreciate that they see the
value in our work and we think it is vital to
form these partnerships for our future
sustainability.
We have also welcomed many Health
visitor and Young Devon students on
volunteering sessions to aid their
knowledge of local services.
We continue to build strong partnerships
and relationships within our community,
maintaining sponsors from the beginning of
our journey and receiving continuation
funding from grant holders.
We have developed our data collection
systems, in particular how we can seek the
voices of those we serve.
This year has seen us join The Baby Bank
Alliance, who are uniting Baby Banks
nationally and collecting data to ensure
babies and children have the essentials
they need to thrive, raising the profile of
Baby Banks, campaigning for change and
increasing available funds.

Looking ahead to our future plans, we hope to continue to reach more families by building more connections with referral partners across Devon. We have made good progress with our Social Media presence and wish to continue this as it is vital to bringing in the all important donations and raising awareness.

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 04/04/24 was £53,613 in
funds. (£26,925 unrestricted and £26,688
restricted). The main financial risk to the
charity is loss of funding from the local
businesses, grants and reduced donations
to cover our core costs.
Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held		 Para 1.22 The funds are held to cover 12-18 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 N/A
Details of fund materially in
deficit		 Para 1.24 N/A
Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern		 Para 1.23 N/A

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:
•
Normans Family Charitable Trust
•
The Regional Development Fund
•
The Arnold Clarke Community Fund
•
Northbrook Community Trust
•
John Lewis Community Giving
•
The National Lottery
•
Toy Trust
•
Southwest Water
•
Jamieson Bystock Trust
•
Skipton Building Society
•
Feed
•
Rotary Club
•
The Gibbons Family Trust
•
St Sidwells Parish
We also are thankful to our committed
sponsors who help to cover our charities
overheads:
•Muddy Boots Childcare
•Toddler Sense Exeter
•Munchkins Day Nursery
•Little Ones childcare
•Turtle Tots Exeter
•The Baby Room
•Thrifty Stork
•VWS Exeter
•Many Hands Brewery
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 26th November
2018. Last reviewed February 2024
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 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 Baby Bank Network Exeter
Other name the charity uses Baby Bank Exeter
Registered charity number 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(if any)
Melanie Smith Treasurer
Amanda Fulford Chair
Steve Buckell
Vicki Andrew Secretary 02/05/2023

– 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)
Position (eg Secretary,
Chair, etc)
Date
Melanie Smith Amanda Fulford

Treasurer		 Chair
23/09/24
23/09/24
Charity Name

Baby Bank Network Exeter
 Charity Name

Baby Bank Network Exeter
 Charity Name

Baby Bank Network Exeter
 No (if any)
1180848		 CC16a
For the period
from		 Period start date
Apr-23		 To
 Period end date
Apr-24
Section A Receipts and payments
A1 Receipts
Grants
-
Fundraising
336
Donations
14,411
Sponsorship
-
Interest
242
-
-
-
14,989
-
Sub total -
Total receipts 14,989
A3 Payments
-
Rent
Baby Essentials
Hub costs
Insurance
Bundlepackaging
Storage costs
Salary costs
General expenses
Marketing and social media
Utilities
New volunteer costs
Project costs - Refurb
-
Sub total -
Total payments -
Net of receipts/(payments) 14,989
A5 Transfers between funds
-
A6 Cash funds last year end
11,936
Cash funds this year end 26,925
Unrestricted
funds
to the nearest £
Sub total(Gross income for AR)
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
Project costs - Christmas
Appeal		 to the nearest £
41,890
-
-
2,580
-
-
-
-
44,470
-
44,470
202
15,800
321
940
710
244
- 264
11,290
842
900
421
357
197
3,414
35,374
35,374
9,096
-
17,592
26,688
Restricted
funds		 to the nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Endowment
funds		 Total funds
to the nearest £
41,890
336
14,411
2,580
242
-
-
-
59,459
-
59,459
202
15,800
321
940
710
244
264
11,290
842
900
421
357
197
3,414
35,374
35,374
24,085
-
29,528
53,613		 Last year
to the nearest £
41,890 8,540
336 -
14,411 9,414
2,580 2,880
242 9
- -
- -
- -
59,459 20,843
-
-		 -
-
- 59,459 20,843
-
-
-		 202 1,013
15,800 2,400
321 1,028
940 467
710 129
244 71
264 2,264
11,290 490
842 342
900 -
421 -
357 -
197 515
3,414 -
35,374 8,719
- 35,374 8,719
9,096 -
-
-
-		 24,085 12,124
- - -
17,592 29,528 17,404
26,688 53,613 29,528

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		 Details
Current Account
Savings Account
Petty Cash
Details
Details
Details
Details
Total cash funds
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))		 to nearest £
26,513
345
67
26,925
OK
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
Unrestricted
funds
Unrestricted
funds
Fund to which
asset belongs
Fund to which
asset belongs
Fund to which
liability relates		 to nearest £
12,134
14,554
-
26,688
OK
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
Cost (optional)
-
-
-
-
-
Cost (optional)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Restricted
funds
Restricted
funds
Amount due
(optional)		 to nearest £
Endowment
funds
-
-
-
-
OK
to nearest £
Endowment
funds
-
-
-
-
-
-
Current value
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-
Current value
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
When due
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-

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

Signature Print Name
Melanie Smith		 Date of
approval
Melanie Smith 9/10/24

Independent examiner's report on the accounts

Section A Independent Examiner’s Report

Report to the trustees BABY BANK NETWORK EXETER

On accounts for the year 31 MARCH 2024 Charity no 1180848 ended (if any) Set out on pages (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31/03/2024.

Responsibilities and As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the basis of report 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 carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that disclosed below *) which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with 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: 09/10/2024 Name: Paul Benney Relevant professional Chartered Accountant qualification(s) or body

Oct 2018

1

IER

(if any):

Address: WR Frost, Tourism House, Pynes Hill, Exeter, EX2 5WS

Section B Disclosure

Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).

Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .

Oct 2018

2

IER