2020-12-31-accounts - Epping Forest Foodbank

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EPPING FOREST FOODBANK

Charity Registration Number: 1182270

Annual Report and Accounts 31 December 2020

EPPING FOREST FOODBANK

Annual Report and Accounts 2020 Contents

	Page
Legal & Administrative Information	2
Annual Report of the Trustees	3
Independent Examiner’s Report	6
Receipts & Payments Account	7
Statement of Assets & Liabilities	8
Notes to the Accounts	9

EPPING FOREST FOODBANK

Legal & Administrative Information For the year ended 31 December 2020

Charity Name	Epping Forest Foodbank.	Epping Forest Foodbank.
Principal Address	38c Chigwell Lane,	Loughton, IG10 3NY.
Charity Registration	1182270. The charity was registered with the Charity Commission on 28 February 2019.
The Governing Document	CIO Foundation
Objects	To relieve persons in Epping Forest district and surrounding areas that are in financial
	hardship in such ways as the trustees from time to time think fit, in particular but not
	exclusively by:
	A) providing emergency food, essential toiletries, and household items to individuals and
	families in need and/or distribution by charities or other organizations 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 service, or through 'more than
	food' projects	which remain consistent with the primary objective of the charity and
	to provide such services with a Christian ethos, supported by churches in Epping
	Forest district.
Trustees	The Trustees who served during the year or who were serving at the date of this report
	were:
	Caroline Jane Macdonald
	Charlotte Elizabeth Prosser
	Christopher Russell Blackham
	Claire Elizabeth Moles
	Jenny Ann Thompson
	Zach Cook	(appointed 26 February 2020)
Bankers	CAF Bank Ltd
	25 Kings Hill Avenue
	Kings Hill
	West Malling
	Kent, ME19 4JQ
Independent Examiner	John Helm ACA
	Simply Churches Limited
	17 Heathville Road
	London N19 3AL

EPPING FOREST FOODBANK

Trustees Report For the year ended 31 December 2020

The Trustees submit their annual report and accounts of Epping Forest Foodbank (“the Charity”) for the year ended 31 December 2020. The legal and administrative information set out earlier in this document forms part of this report.

1. Structure, Governance & Management

There are six trustees who meet monthly.

2. Activities

The Trustees have given due regard to the Charity Commissions’ guidance on public benefit. During the year the Charity carried out the following activities in the local neighbourhood and to benefit the community:

The Charity operates in the Epping Forest District and surrounding areas. Of those referred, the majority are residents within 27 Epping Forest wards with many others being supported in 21 wards outside the District and those with no fixed address.
Customers are referred by statutory, charity and community organisations based in the advice, criminal justice, DWP, educational, faith, health and mental health, local government and social welfare sectors.
• Under usual circumstances the foodbank operates weekly distribution centres at The Box in Epping, St. Mary’s Church in Loughton and St Johns on the Broadway in Debden. During 2020, owing to Covid restrictions, food parcels have been delivered to customers’ homes by volunteers.
Customers receive a parcel of non-perishable food which is designed to provide for either 3 or 7 days emergency rations. Additional fresh food is offered in partnership with FareShare, local supermarkets and bakeries.
As well as providing food the Charity in partnership with statutory and other agencies offers ‘signposting’ to direct customers to the appropriate agencies and resources to assist with their longer-term needs, and also offers spiritual support.
Surplus food is donated to Norway House, the district’s homeless shelter or offered to other foodbanks in the surrounding areas.
Packaging and food which is damaged or out of date when received are recycled.
The charity has one part-time member of staff and services are provided by over 100 volunteers.

3. Achievements & Performance

The work of the charity has increased substantially during 2020. We now partner with over 150 referral agencies and over the year we received 846 referrals, up from 637 in 2019 and provided over 25,000 meals for 2,483 people, up from 1,831 in 2019, with particularly high levels during the lockdown periods in the spring and towards the end of the year when demand was 100% higher than last year.

The increased demand was met by significantly increased donations. Gifts of food from supermarkets, local businesses, community groups, churches and individuals in 2020 totalled 37.7 tonnes, a 77% increase over last year. Supplies of unsold fruit, vegetables and bakery items provided by local supermarkets and bakeries allowed us to supplement nutritionally balanced emergency parcels with fresh food items. In addition to food the charity also purchases and supplies items such as cleaning products and nappies where these are required by the customer.

The coronavirus pandemic has impacted the work of the charity in several ways. Redundancies, business closures, sickness, furlough and short hours have led to significantly increased demand, while lockdowns, social distancing and other restrictions have required changes to working practices and the service provided. Customer referrals are now notified electronically rather than by provision of paper vouchers; distribution centres have been temporarily closed and it has been necessary to recruit volunteer drivers to deliver food packages direct to the customers’ doorsteps; social distancing and increased demand have made it necessary to move to more spacious premises and to restrict access to the office and warehouse. The plans to open a distribution centre in Waltham Abbey were delayed because of lockdown and eventually cancelled because the premises were no longer available. In April 2021 we will be opening a new

EPPING FOREST FOODBANK

Trustees Report For the year ended 31 December 2020

distribution centre at St Martins Church Rooms in Ongar and hope to open at least one and possibly two more during the year.

Providing a continuous service through these difficult times has required a magnificent effort particularly by our project managers, warehouse volunteers, packers and delivery drivers.

Thanks are due to The Box, Epping, St. John’s and St. Mary’s Churches, Loughton who host our distribution centres when this is possible at no cost to us and to Epping Forest District Council and Loughton Town Council and Mayor for their financial support and encouragement and to Tesco’s for collecting food and to Gail’s Bakery and Morrison’s and Marks & Spencer for providing unsold fresh goods. Thanks are also due to the many individuals, local churches, businesses and schools who generously donate financially and in kind.

We would like to recognise the following organisations from which we have received financial and moral support during the year:

Schools:

Lambourne Primary, Alderton Hill Infants

Churches:

St John’s, St Mary’s and Restore Community Church, Loughton, Loughton Baptist, Loughton Methodist, Woodford Green URC, Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception, Epping, St John’s, Buckhurst Hill, St Mary’s and All Saints, Chigwell, St Alban the Martyr, Coopersale, Theydon Parishes

Community Organisations: Loughton 41 Club, Moreton & District WI, Roding Rotary, Epping WI, Loughton Rotary, Chigwell Parish Residents Assoc., Epping Forest Rotary

Businesses:

Standard Chartered, Coca Cola, Bank of England, Debden, Capital Space, The Tea Hut, High Beech, Robert Woodland & Sons, Jackson & Jackson, Accountants, Waitrose, Brookes Hairdressers

Trusts and Foundations:

Charles S French Charitable Trust, Joseph and Lilian Sully Foundation, Neighbourly Community Fund

Local Government:

Epping Forest District Council, Loughton Town Council, Chigwell Parish Council.

4. Financial Review

4.1 Financial Activity and Financial Position

The charity is funded by donations and grants, with the majority coming from individuals whose response to the pandemic fuelled increase in demand has been remarkable in its generosity.

In 2020 we received £11,000 in grants from local authorities and £12,500 from charitable trusts, nearly £11,900 was received in donations from churches, £24,000 from corporations and local businesses, £9,900 from community groups and £84,700 from individuals. At the end of the year, we had 92 regular donors giving £2,263 per month. As the majority of our community work is to distribute donated food the majority of our expenses are taken up with the costs of storage and organisation. Warehouse rental costs amounted to £24,300 and employment costs for one part time employee were £17,113 out of total expenditure of £51,043.

In 2021 we will have additional expenses equipping at least two new distribution centres and we will be spending more on supplementary food and household essentials in support of ‘Holiday Hunger’ campaigns for children who receive free school meals.

The Charity’s cash resources increased by £101,337 during the year to £135,046.

EPPING FOREST FOODBANK

Trustees Report For the year ended 31 December 2020

4.2 Reserves Policy

The Trustees consider that, given the nature of the charity’s work, free reserves should be equivalent to approximately 6 months’ routine general fund expenditure, plus committed future expenditure on other projects, where funds permit. The Trustees are of the opinion that this provides sufficient flexibility to cover temporary shortfalls in incoming resources and will allow the Charity to cope and respond to unforeseen emergencies whilst specific action plans are implemented. At 31 December 2020 the Charity had net free reserves of £133,840 (2019: £31,760).

Total reserves Less: restricted funds Free reserves Free reserves requirement: 6 month’s budgeted routine expenditure	2020	2019
	£	£

	135,046	31,920
	(1206)	(160)

	133,840	31,760


	40,000	10,000

5. Responsibilities of Trustees for the Accounts

Charity law requires the Trustees to prepare accounts for each accounting year which record the receipts and payments of the charity for the year. The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable us to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011. The Trustees also have a responsibility to safeguard the assets of the charity and to take reasonable steps to prevent fraud or any other irregularities.

6. Approval

The report of the Trustees was approved by the Trustees on 24 March 2021 and signed on its behalf by:

Christopher Blackham Chair of Trustees

EPPING FOREST FOODBANK

Independent Examiner’s Report For the year ended 31 December 2020

I report on the accounts of Epping Forest Foodbank for the year ended 31 December 2020, set out on pages 7 to 10.

This report is made solely to the Trustees in accordance with section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Act). My independent examination has been undertaken so that I might state to the Trustees those matters I am required to state to them in an independent examiner’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by the law, I do not accept responsibility to anyone other than the Trustees for my independent examination, for this report, or the opinions I have formed.

RESPECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE TRUSTEES AND EXAMINER

The Trustees consider that an audit is not required for this period (under section 144(2) of the Act) and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to:

Examine the accounts (under section 145 of the Act);
To follow the procedures laid down in the General Direction given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Act); and
To state whether particular matters have come to my attention.

BASIS OF INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S STATEMENT

My examination was carried out in accordance with General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the Trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the accounts.

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S STATEMENT

In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
the accounts do not accord with those records; or
the accounts do 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 fair 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 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.

John Helm ACA 24 March 2021

EPPING FOREST FOODBANK

Receipts & Payments Account For the year ended 31 December 2020

Note Receipts Donations Grants Bank interest Total Receipts Payments Raising funds 2 Charitable activities 3 Total Payments Surplus of payments over receipts Total cash funds brought forward Total cash funds carried forward	Unrestricted Funds 2020 £ 128,964 23,500 48 152,512 50 50,382 50,432 102,080 31,760 133,840		Restricted Funds 2020 £ 1,705 100 - 1,805 - 759 759 1,046 160 1,206
				Total	Total
				2020	2019
				£	£

				130,669	25,276
				23,500	32,300
				48	15


				154,217	57,591



				50	78
				51,041	25,593



				51,091	25,671


				103,126	31,920

				31,920	-



				135,046	31,920

EPPING FOREST FOODBANK

Statement of Assets & Liabilities As at 31 December 2020

Assets Tangible Assets Debtors Cash At Bank And In Hand Liabilities Total Assets Less Liabilities	Unrestricted Funds 2020 £ - - 133,840 133,840 600 133,240	Restricted Funds 2020 £ - - 1,206 1,206 - 1,206
			Total	Total
			2020	2019
			£	£

			-

			135,046	31,920


			135,046	31,920

			600	600

			134,446	31,320

The Accounts were approved by the Trustees on 24 March 2021 and signed on its behalf by:

Christopher Blackham Chair of Trustees

Zachary Cook Trustee - Treasurer

EPPING FOREST FOODBANK

Notes to the Accounts For the year ended 31 December 2020

1. Accounting Policies

The accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis with a statement of assets and liabilities.

2. Payments – Raising Funds

2. Payments – Raising Funds
Bank fees Marketing	Unrestricted Funds 2020 £ - 50 50	Restricted Funds 2020 £ - - 0		Total 2019 £
			Total
			2020
			£

			-	28
			50	50

			50	78

3. Payments – Charitable Activities

Staff costs Net salary & PAYE Pension contributions Training Foodbank Food Purchases Travel/transport Refreshments Epping Forest Winter Warmer scheme Project Office Costs Insurance Telephone, broadband Bank charges Professional subscriptions Hardware & software Office supplies Buildings and facilities Heat, light & water Rent & rates Recycling Governance Independent examination	Unrestricted Funds 2020 £ 15,997 1,093 23 17,113 - 132 8 - 2,101 2,241 359 795 60 395 909 1,514 4,032 393 25,569 310 26,272 624 50,282	Restricted Funds 2020 £ - - - 0 639 - - 120 - 759 - - - - - - 0 - - - 0 - 759
			Total	Total
			2020	2019
			£	£

			15,997	11,392
			1,093	512
			23	3

			17,113	11,907

			639	514
			132	83
			8	11
			120	440
			2,101	-

			3,000	1,048

			359	357
			795	382
			60	76
			395	412
			909	-
			1,514	626

			4,032	1,853

			393	210
			25,569	10,575
			310

			26,272	10,785

			624	-

			51,041	25,593

EPPING FOREST FOODBANK

Notes to the Accounts For the year ended 31 December 2020

4. Restricted Funds

4. Restricted Funds
Voluntary Action Epping Forest Winter Warmer scheme Food/essentials	At 1 January 2020 £ 160	Income £ Expenditure £ Transfers £ 100 (120) -			At 31
					December
						2020
						£


						140
	-	1,705	(639)	-		1,066

	160	1,805	( 759)	0		1,206

Voluntary Action Epping Forest Winter has a scheme (Winter Warmer) for giving credit for pre-payment meters for people in need. The process is that VAEF makes a grant to a partner organisation. A volunteer accompanies the client to top up a prepayment key.

5. Related Party Transactions

There were no related party transactions.