PROVIDE DEVON
TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND ACCOUNTS YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025
CHARITY NUMBER: 1181135
Registered Address:
Unit 12, Walkham Business Park, Burrington Industrial Estate, Plymouth PL5 3LS
Provide Devon – Trustees’ Report & Accounts - Year to 31 December 2025
Trustees’ Report
Aim and Purpose
Provide Devon was registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation with the Charities Commission on 12 December 2018.
The aim of Provide Devon is the prevention and relief of poverty for the public benefit in Devon, through the provision of food hampers to people who are in financial need. The initial area of operational focus since formation is the city of Plymouth.
Provide Devon uses surplus food that is donated by businesses and other food donations from individuals and supplements these supplies through the purchase of fresh produce, to create nutritionally-balanced food parcels. Basic hygiene products can also be added to the parcels.
The Trustees have taken into account the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit and this report outlines how Provide Devon has benefited the public.
Activities
The charity responds to those in financial need, without judgement or discrimination. Support is given to disadvantaged or marginalised individuals and families, meeting the basic requirements of clients through the provision of crisis food hampers.
Clients are referred to Provide Devon by a wide range of referral agents, as detailed in the Operational Review. Hampers are prepared by the charity’s staff and then collected by, or delivered to, those agencies who pass them on to their clients.
Provide Devon endeavours to keep abreast of the provision of food for those in need in Plymouth by maintaining frequent contact with other like-minded providers and agencies and by working together with them, particularly on larger-scale projects.
Operational Review
Summary
The ongoing cost of living crisis has resulted in the demand for Provide Devon’s services being unabated; the Charity has made provision to an average of 100 people each week (2024: 105). The number of referral agencies we work with has grown from 92 to 106 organisations, representing the growing number of people facing poverty and seeking emergency food provision across the statutory and voluntary services provided in Plymouth.
Provide Devon continues a referral-only operation with the referral agent collecting the food on behalf of the recipients and delivering directly to them. We have been operating this model since 2020 and this has allowed Provide to develop close working relationships with
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Provide Devon – Trustees’ Report & Accounts - Year to 31 December 2025
our referral agents and understanding the needs of their clients, helping us meet the dietary, cultural and religious aspects of the food they require.
Daily operations are undertaken by volunteers and supported by either the Operations Manager or Deputy Manager. Our volunteers are well established and knowledgeable with the workings of the charity and able to meet the demands of a busy day.
Food Provision
In addition to the food purchased in bulk from establishes suppliers, food donations are received from a number of local sources, the most prominent being donation boxes within Co-op stores across the city. Weekly collections are undertaken by volunteers, who empty the boxes and connect with the store managers to ensure authentic communication happens, enabling the stores to reflect the work of Provide Devon within their local community.
Crisis food packs still include long-life food items as well as fresh produce (such as bread, fruit and vegetables), chilled food (milk, butter, and cheese), and hygiene items where possible.
Our food provision comes through our well-established partnerships with:
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FareShare South West, who distribute surplus food to charities that turn it into meals;
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Tamar Fresh, who donate fresh fruit and vegetables each week;
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Warburtons, who have provided us with fresh bread each week;
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Cooperative Stores, who offer us any surplus food from several of their shops, as well as hosting food collection boxes in many of their Plymouth stores;
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Booker (via Foodiverse), Morrisons and Premier Foods (Ambrosia) who offer surplus food when available;
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Services Design Solution, YGrowers and other local businesses who support the charity through donations;
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Individuals in the local community, who support the charity with private donations.
Staff & Volunteers
The Board of Trustees have delegated the day to day running and operational decisions to the management and the volunteer team, which includes administrative support, stock management, health and safety management, food deliveries and parcel preparation.
During the period, Provide Devon was managed by a Charity Manager and Deputy Manager, who oversee the operations. Sadly, as the frequency and scale of incoming grants were reducing towards the end of the year and in order to preserve the continuity of service, the Trustees made the difficult decision to make the Deputy Manager redundant at the end of January 2026.
The service is also dependent upon 24 regular volunteers, the majority of whom are longserving and provided an amazing total of 4,131 hours of support in 2025. Our volunteers have all undertaken training in the day-to-day operations of the Charity, including health and safety.
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Provide Devon – Trustees’ Report & Accounts - Year to 31 December 2025
Crisis Food Parcels
The demand for our services in 2025 has remained high, with activity levels almost as high as the statistics recorded in 2024; the charity processed a total of 42.24 tonnes of food (2024: 44.25 tonnes). The number of food parcels was 2,399 (2024: 2,495) and the total number of people fed during the year was 5,205 (2024: 5,466), with 2,060 (40%) of those being children (2024: 2,261 (41%)).
Referral Agents
The number of referral agents increased to 106 during the year, falling within the following sectors:
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Housing (924 referrals) – Associations, homelessness assistance, temporary housing organisations
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Children & families (394 referrals) – Children services, family services
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Adult social services (351 referrals) - vulnerable adults
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Education (223 referrals) – Children’s centres, preschools, primary schools, secondary schools, colleges
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Women’s services (174 referrals) – abuse support agencies
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Crime and Justice services (121 referrals) – National probation services, ex-offending support services, Police
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Refugee services (120 referrals)
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Other (92 referrals) – including churches, youth clubs, community grass root groups NHS, private doctors, mental health & wellbeing practitioners, addiction and abuse support agencies, counsellors
Fundraising
In 2025, Provide Devon continued the relationship with Kairos Fundraising Solutions, for the purchase of fundraising services. Under this agreement the Charity paid £5,500 during the year (2024: £8,500) and, as a result of a series of bid requests, received grants totalling £31,100 (2024: £48,201), as detailed in the Financial Review. Provide Devon is very grateful for the direct and indirect support provided by Kairos.
Financial Review
Provide Devon generated net payments of £8,709 in 2025 (2024: net receipts of £6,643). At 31 December 2025, the General Fund balance was £13,576 and the Restricted Fund balance was £5,475 for Crisis Food
During the year, income comprised the following categories:
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Grants and donations from organisations totalling £23,300 (2024: £28,309), including donations of £500 or more from: Plymouth City Council - Household Support Fund, Hope Baptist Church, Plymouth Community Homes, Hector Pearce LLP;
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Donations from individuals totalling £11,126 (2024: £10,940), received directly by the Charity or via on-line giving through its People’s Fundraising webpage;
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Gift Aid reclaims totalling £689 (2024: £1,457);
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Provide Devon – Trustees’ Report & Accounts - Year to 31 December 2025
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Fundraising grants , via bids from Kairos Fundraising Solutions, totalling £31,100 (2024: £48,201) from: The National Lottery Community Fund, Fyrish Foundation, Souter Charitable Trust, The Wakefield Trust, Asda Foundation Foodbank Fundamentals, anonymous grantor;
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Local fundraising events and campaign totalling £2,635 (2024: £705).
The Charity is so grateful for all the financial support provided by these organisations, charities and individuals. In addition, the charity is indebted to all the individuals and organisations that have donated food and toiletry products.
Provide Devon operates from Unit 12, Walkham Business Park, Plymouth under a renewable rental agreement for which the landlord has continued to charge minimal costs through 2025, for which the Charity remains most grateful.
Apart from the cost of payroll and premises, the bulk of expenditure is focused on the specific role of the charity - the provision of crisis food parcels.
Reserves Policy
The Trustees have agreed a reserves policy of maintaining a balance on unrestricted funds (where possible) equating to at least three months of routine activity costs for the charity - approximately £12,000 at the current level of operation.
At the end of 2025, unrestricted funds of £13,576 were sufficient to cover three months of wages costs for the employed staff plus three months of premises and office costs for the distribution warehouse unit.
Structure, Governance and Management
Provide Devon is governed by the Trustees, as set out in the Constitution. The day-to-day management of the Charity is undertaken by the Charity Manager, who works with the Assistant Manager and a number of volunteers to take delivery of food supplies, to sort and stock food items, to receive parcel requests from referral agencies and to prepare the food hampers for delivery to those agencies.
Trustees meet every quarter during the year - more frequently if circumstances require it - to review operational activities, consider strategy and to respond to any changes in the local food-provision environment.
The charity is subject to occasional health and hygiene inspections and has remained compliant regarding the policies and the practices of food handling and storage.
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Provide Devon – Trustees’ Report & Accounts - Year to 31 December 2025
Trustees
The Trustees who served during the year were:
Marc Nash (Chair) Graham Stirling David Simpkins Jean Potter Chris Hayter
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Provide Devon- Trustees, Report & Accounts- Year to 31 December 2025 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025 RECEIPTS & PAYMENTS ACCOUNT for th• y•ar to 31 D•c•mb•r 2026 37,C(•J 70.510 11.940 1457 706 610 90,221 CL¢n8 Glt Aid Pfjcbm FLr%J gainG CArrpObgrtEw Bank nler+5t Total R•c•lpts 11,126 689 163S 276 19 126 33,126 37,LXKI Ccth of ThstritsA¢XI PaiThJ FurKIs Cffic6'Adrr•n cos15 Ice Sw LVRe4ur)sf Total Payment$ )0 77S J3,144 32 818 41.816 41.•84 N•l ot r•c•iptsllp•ymgnt•l 16,1901 12,7751 1,593 Tran•f•rs between funds Funds Balanc• blf at olan.23 lJ.333 .247 19,908 Fund• 8•lan¢• crt ai 31-D•c.25 .S8f STATEMENT OF ASSETS & LIABILITIES ax at 31 D•c•mb•r 2026 C4sh . 3anK accounts C4sh furtd . In Total Cash lunds 13.478 5,472 1&950 loo 19.050 27.661 lty) ri,761 13.578 5,472 Lbllle . EE hllPAYE 1.295 140 1.43S 1,05S 125 1,180 Total U4bllltl•s 1.438 N•1 Fund• s.gped try fwo vrJgtees ofj ¢1 1he Board =f TTbsiee5 N•t D•ie 13/DB12 C. ter
Provide Devon – Trustees’ Report & Accounts - Year to 31 December 2025
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS:
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The Financial Statements of Provide Devon have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS102) on the Receipts & Payments basis.
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Provide Devon has no Fixed Assets or Investments.
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The movements in Restricted Funds for the year to 31 December 2025 were:
| Restricted Fund Crisis Food Staff Support Other (Utilities) |
Balance b/f 8,247 - - |
Receipts 28,000 9,000 - |
Payments (30,775) (9,000) - |
Transfer - - - |
**Balance c/f ** |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,472 - - |
|||||
| 8,247 | 37,000 | (39,775) | - | 5,472 |
The Crisis Food Fund comprises grants given specifically for food for the hampers which can only be spent for that purpose.
The Staff and Utilities Support Fund comprises grants given specifically towards those support costs.
Grants for these restricted funds were received from the following organisations and we are most grateful for their support:
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Plymouth City Council - Household Support Fund
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The National Lottery Community Fund
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The Fyrish Foundation
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INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORTTO THE TRUSTEES OF PROVIDE DEVON I report on il)e account8 for the year ended 31 Deceniber 20?5, wliicli al'e aita¢hed to Iliiq report. Rasp•Gtlve responslbllltles of Iru8te8s and examiner Tlie charity's 1ftlees are rebponfible foi. the prepai'ution of the accoLiiils. They Lonsider tlia( ali audit is i)ot r¢quired for tl)is year (under Seciion 144(1) of tile Cl)arilies Act 2011 (the 201 l Act)) 21)d Iliai an independent &x)min2tioii is needed. 11 is my responsibility to.. examiiie th¢ ac¢oui)ts (linder se¢iion 14511 }la) of the Aci. (o follow ihe procedures laid down in tlie Generdl Directinn8 given by Charity coiiiiiii%1UneTr Iiiiider section 14515llb> L)f Ilie Act. and to state wheilier partlLular sniitlers have come (o Iny attention. Basls of Ind8P8ndent Examlnor's Stat•mont My exan)inntion was carried oul iii accord&ncc wilh Ihe General DIrli0n5 giveIi by the Cl)ariiy Coininissioncrs. An cxan)inalion includes a revie, of ihe acLounlÈng7 records kept by th¢ ¢liarily and a comi)arisoii nf Ilie aLCOIIDts preseiited wilh Ihest reLords. li also includes considei'ation ol any uiiu8ual items or digLlo%urcs in tlig iiccouiitq, and seekkjig explunÉLtions from Ilie trustees concerning any sucli matters. The procedures iiiidLrtsikeii do not provide all Ilic ¢vidence iliat would be required iii an audit, and consequently I do nol express ali audit opiiiioi) o the a¥counl5. Indopend•nt Examlner's Statomont lil connection with my exall)inatitsn, no maller has coille to my altciition.. whicli gives iiie reastsnable ¢ause 10 believe thai in aiiy nJai¢rial respect the reqiiiiri))enls'. 10 kccp accountin8 recoi'ds in accordance with section 130 of d)e 2011 Ac¢. aiid to prepaTe aceounis whicl) accord willi tlie accounting r¢¢ords and comply with tlie £ic¢oullling reiuiiriiients of tlie 2011 Aei liaiie iioi been ii)et'. or (21 lo which, iii illy opinion, attention should be drampn in order (o eiiablc a proper unclcrsiandiory of the accounts lo be reached. Merlin M in, FAAT, MIP Date {rellow of the Associarioi) of Accounting Teclinicians) Clear Blue Sky Aecount&n¢y Ltd. 30B City Business Park, Somersel Place, Pl)Imouih, PLI 411B