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2023-12-31-accounts

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 1[st] January, 2023 To 31[st] December, 2023

Charity name: Liskeard & Looe Foodbank

Charity registration number: 1183375

Objectives and Activities

SORP
referenc
e
Summary of the purposes
of the charity as set out in
its governing document		 Para
1.17
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 Foodbank helps individuals and families in
crisis, through the provision of emergency
supplies. A network consisting of health visitors,
social workers, and other community-based
support workers, refer people to the Foodbank
centre where people collect food and toiletries.
Other services are also available to help them out
of their crisis. To clients in rural areas or those
unable to reach us, we deliver. Each person
receives enough nutritionally balanced food for at
least three days. This process directly helps
members of the public in crisis.
Food is collected from donors, mainly at
supermarkets, churches and through local groups.
Money is also donated by the public to cover
administrative costs and, increasingly in the last
year, to purchase food when items run short. Food
is seen as a catalyst for change: providing
emergency food immediately meets a crisis with
practical help. However, we also work closely with
Care Professionals and other agencies to look at
longer-term strategies and to identify those in
crisis, provide greater support and ensure the
public's donations only go to those really in need.
Statement confirming
whether the trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit		 Para
1.18		 The Trustees are aware of and follow all guidance
from the Charities Commission.on the need for
public benefit.

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

SORP reference

Policy on grant making Para
1.38		 Not Applicable
Policy on social investment
including program related
investment		 Para
1.38		 Not Applicable
Contribution made by
volunteers		 Para
1.38		 We have a small, employed team, led by Sharon
Sissons, our Strategic Manager, who mainly deal
with clients in the Liskeard office. Otherwise, the
overwhelming majority of those who work for the
Foodbank do so on a voluntary basis. They
undertake roles in every area of operations, from
‘face to face’ meetings with clients, delivering
goods, collecting and receiving donations and
working in our warehouse. Without this voluntary
work, the Foodbank could not operate on the scale
it does.
Other The Foodbank’s client-facing activities take place
principally in two locations – in Liskeard (which
accounts for roughly 90% of all activity) and in a
satellite office in Torpoint.

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		 We cover a wide but only informally defined area with
Liskeard at its centre – from Torpoint (where we opened a
satellite office in 2023) in the east to the Fowey estuary in
the west, from Looe on the south coast to Bodmin Moor to
the north. It is a largely rural area of at least 500 sq miles.
Liskeard is the largest town with a population of just over
10,000, Torpoint has c7,000, Looe c5,000. Given that, the
total population of the area we service is presumably
c50,000.
That is the backdrop to the table below which shows the
number of referrals we have received in the last 4 years –
just over 4,000 in the last two years. It shows a c50% rise in
referrals in the spring of 2022 when the cost of living and
fuel prices rises took hold: in response, in that year we
relocated into separate and larger office and warehouse
premises. However, as the table shows, despite government
assistance to households and the subsequent falls in both
inflation and fuel prices, the demand for our services did not
fall in 2023.
Vouchers
Fulflled
Adults
Helped
Children
Helped
Total
Helped
2020
1601
1871
998
2869
2021
1136
1694
1095
2789
2022
1292
2372
1752
4124
2023
1681
2566
1507
4073

Just as the area we service is wide, so our clients are referred to us from a wide range of agencies - 151 separate Referral Agencies made referrals to us in 2023. The 3 largest (listed below) accounted for 970 or 58% of all vouchers fulfilled. The third largest Agency (We Are With You) made over 3 times are many referrals as the 4[th] : indeed, the top 10 referring agencies still only accounted for 1168 of all vouchers (69%). 54 (so over a third of all) Agencies made just 1 referral in the year.

Referring Agency Dealt
with by
Liskeard		 Dealt with
by
Torpoint		 No of
Referrals
Liskeard and
Looe Foodbank		 581 73 654
Job Centre Plus 180 20 200
We Are With You
(formerly
Addaction)		 107 9 116

Low income is the most common reason people are referred to us for help, whether that is low wages or benefits or a combination of both. The other reasons people are referred to us are debt, homelessness, domestic abuse, benefit changes and sickness/ill health.

We operated a 'delivery only' model during the pandemic, but now ask our clients to collect from us if they can, as they did pre-pandemic. We do continue to deliver to those clients that have either physical or mental health issues or those who, given our rural area, do not have the use of a car as many of our villages are not on a bus route to Liskeard or Torpoint. Having most clients attend our offices now allows us to talk to them and guide them towards support from other agencies. In our main Liskeard offices, we offer clients a warm welcome in a cafe style room. We can offer tea or coffee while we sit and talk to clients to establish what further help we can guide them to. We have a team trained to help offer a free benefit check online, using the Turn2us website, making sure our clients aren't missing out on income they are entitled to and which could alleviate their need to turn to the foodbank. Whilst not recorded numerically, we have had notable success in doing this, saving or providing people with access to hundreds and, on occasions, thousands of pounds of support they were not getting.

In 2024 (so not directly relevant to this 2023 Return but still worth mentioning), we have altered our model in two ways.

range we stock, again with the same aims. Both these systems have been operated successfully at other foodbanks in the West Country which we have liaised with and visited: they have also been well-received by our clients. Also in 2024, with the support of the Bennelong Foundation, we have employed someone to work full time on our school’s engagement project. As a result, we have received very positive feedback and the number of families we supported over the 2024 summer break has more than doubled from its number in 2023. We also continue to provide one-off support at specific times of the year, notably Christmas and Easter, to families nominated by local schools. We also periodically supply food to some schools’ Breakfast Clubs. Finally, in 2024 we have begun a Rural Project, going out to some of the more remote villages on a weekly or fortnightly basis to try and reach those who cannot easily come to us in Liskeard.

Additional information (optional)

You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:


Achievements
against objectives
set
Para
1.41
As a Foodbank, our objective is simply to help people in
crisis. It would be wrong to expect or hope that we will ever
achieve our objective – plainly, in our ideal world we would
have no role.
Performance of
fundraising activities
against objectives
set		 Para
1.41		 We undertake a range of activities to raise either funds or,
more often, donations of food and other goods – as well as
raise awareness. For example, we periodically man a stand
for a week at our principle, local supermarket, Morrisons in
Liskeard, but we are also lucky enough to be a chosen
charity for some local events such as the Cornish Marathon
which takes place each Autumn and the Duloe Cider and Ale
Festival (September).
Our objective is obviously to not only raise as much as we
can but to raise our profile to encourage donations at other
times. To that end we also work to encourage support for the
Foodbank by engaging with the local media, politicians,
business and community groups. We have accounts with
Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to keep clients and donors
up to date with our news. Indeed, having an online presence
is proving vital: whilst overall donations by individuals has
fallen in the first half of 2024, it is rising online.
We are grateful for all the help we receive from our
supporters and volunteers, without whom we could not do
what we do.
Investment
performance against
objectives		 Para
1.41		 Not Applicable. We have no profit motive – other than we aim
to remain solvent and to help as many people as we can, we
have no obvious financial objectives.
Other As measured by weight, in 2023 we continued to roughly
balance the amounts of stock we receive (almost all donated)
and give out to clients. However, the signs are that in 2024

----- Start of picture text -----
this is no longer proving possible.
----- End of picture text -----

Kg Stock In Stock Out
2021 36186 43296
2022 39763 43296
2023 42587 40453

This next table shows that in 2023 we saw a marked fall in donations from individuals which we had to compensate for by buying in stock – it is a trend that has accelerated in 2024. However, bear in mind that even the food donated by ‘Supermarkets’ and ‘Churches’ represents food that has been purchased or donated by an individual: we are almost entirely reliant on the generosity of our local community for the food we supply.

% of Total 2022 2023
Donated By
Supermarket 28.4 29.3
s
Churches 22.9 24.4
Individuals 23.3 12.7
Purchased 0.7 12.6
Other 24.7 21.0
Total 100.0 100.0

Financial Review

Financial Review
Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end
of the period		 Par
a
1.21		 Whilst financially sound at the end of 2023, as will
become clear the signs in 2024 are that the Trust is
now operating at a loss and, sadly, faces material
and growing financial risks.
Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held		 Par
a
1.22		 Reserves are held to ensure we are able to continue
to provide our vital support to what is proving a still
growing number of people. Reserves are split
between those allocated for specific projects (all
being funds donated by outside bodies, notably the
Trussell Trust) and unallocated funds. However,
within unallocated funds we have designated funds
for specific potential costs (eg, food loss, warehouse
upkeep, van replacement).
Amount of reserves held Par
a
1.22
Reasons for holding zero
reserves		 Par
a
1.22		 Not Applicable
Details of fund materially in
deficit		 Par
a
1.24		 Not Applicable
Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern		 Par
a
1.23
Whilst superficially the Trust appears to be in
sound financial health, 2024 is already seeing
our losses rising. A continued fall in donations
of cash and rising costs have led in January-
June 2024 to the Trust’s losing £21,772
compared to a loss of £1,990 in the same
period in 2023.

Para 1.46 below outlines the specific, possible
risk that a legal action by a former employee
would present: if successful, this claim would
present a very large financial challenge to the
Trust and even the costs of a successful
defence alone now appear to represent the
equivalent of the current operating loss for a
6-month period.

Finally, the fall in donated food we saw last
year is accelerating this year which means
that there is a growing risk we will need to use
our financial reserves to purchase food to
distribute.

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
Grants, from Trussell Trust and others

Unsolicited cash donations from individuals

Fund raising activities that we undertake
Investment policy and
objectives including any
social investment policy
adopted		 Para
1.46		 Not applicable
A description of the principal
risks facing the charity		 Para
1.46
As already mentioned, in 2024 we are seeing
a fall in donated food (a trend that began in
2023) – the food donated to us was 27% or
3000kg below that despatched in May-August
2024. These shortfalls are having to be made

up by ourselves, purchasing food using our financial reserves.  We face a possible financial loss due to a legal action by a former employee, due to be settled in Q1 2025. The costs alone of contesting this claim (which is for over £80,000) are now estimated to be £17,000 plus VAT. Other

Structure, Governance and Management

Description of charity’s
trusts:
Type of governing document
(trust deed, royal charter)		 Para 1.25 CIO Foundation, registered 13'"May 2019.
It is based on the Charity Commission
Model Constitution.
How is the charity
constituted?
(e.g unincorporated
association, CIO)		 Para 1.25 CIO Foundation
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 Trustees are formally appointed or
reappointed each year at an Annual
General Meeting. Their appointment
requires both a nominee and someone to
second the nomination. Applicants undergo
a structured interview prior to their
appointment, carried out according to
Trussell Trust guidance, and they must
provide two references, at least one of
which must be independent, all references
being checked.
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:		 Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:		 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 Foodbank has an Induction Pack for
new trustees which is revised annually.
The charity’s organisational
structure and any wider
network with which the
charity works		 Para 1.51 The Foodbank operates under the
'umbrella' organisation the Trussell Trust.
The Foodbank therefore follows the
Trussell Trust's operations and procedures
as laid out in their Operating Manual.
Relationship with any
related parties		 Para 1.51 The Foodbank operates under the
'umbrella' organisation the Trussell Trust. It
only receives financial support from the
Trussell Trust for specific projects relating
to relieving hardship.
Other

Reference and Administrative details

Charity name Liskeard & Looe Foodbank
Other name the charity uses
Registered charity number 1183375
Charity’s principal address 21 Dean Street
Liskeard
Cornwall
PL14 4AB

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13		 Trustee name Office (if any) Dates acted if not for
whole year		 Name of person (or body)
entitled to appoint trustee
(ifany)
Judith LesleyAnnells Chair Appointed 6/2/23
Steve Vinson Vice Chair
BeckyLear Safeguarding Appointed 15/1/24
Alan Hartridge Appointed 3/6/24
Andrew Fowler Secretary/Treasurer Appointed 8/7/24
Margaret Sylvester-Thorne Appointed 2/9/24
Maureen Godfrey Died, 5/8/24
John Ede, MBE Chair Resigned 3/24
Roger Jones Resigned 13/7/23
Laurence Ryley Resigned 15/7/24
Viv Morris Resigned 9/6/24
Oli Jones Resigned 28/6/23
Rajiv Chotai Appointed 3/23,
Resigned 18/3/24

– 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)

Sharon Sissons, Strategic Manager

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) Judith Annells

Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Chair

Date

18/10/24

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT ON THE ACCOUNTS

Report to the Trustees/Members of
On Accounts for the year ended
Set out on pages		 Liskeard & Looe Foodbank
3
1
1
2
2
3
13 - 17

Respective Responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner

The Charity's Trustees are responsible for the preparation of the Accounts in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’). The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Act, and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to:

Basis of Independent Examiner’s Report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the 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 you as Trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view, and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

Independent Examiner’s Statement

In connection with my examination, no material matters have come to my attention 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.

Andrew Farr
FCCA
52 Fore Street, Callington, Cornwall, PL17 7AJ		 8thOctober,2024

Financial statements

For year ended 31 December 2023

Section A - Receipts and payments

(all values to the nearest £)

(all values to the nearest £)
Notes Unrestricted
funds		 Designated
funds		 Restricted
funds		 Total
funds
2023		 Total Funds
2022
A1 Receipts
Donatons 39,612 0 0 39,612 ) 97,407
Friends Donatons 23,560 0 0 23,560 )
Other sources 6,443 0 0 6,443 84
Gif Aid receipts 3 0 0 0 0 5,027
Grants 2 11,127 0 90,143 101,270 136,291
Fundraising 4 4,762 0 0 4,762 570
Sub total 1 85,504 0 90,143 175,647 239,379
A2 Asset and investment
sales
0 0 0 0 0
Sub total 0 0 0 0 0
Total receipts
85,504 0 90,143 175,647 239,379
A3 Payments
Administraton 5 3,290 0 0 3,290 2,954
Accountng 5 1,080 0 0 1,080 480
Logistcs 5 5,657 0 0 5,657 6,979
Payroll 5 27,935 0 51,827 79,762 50,072
Governance 5 2,710 0 0 2,710 1,099
Client Purchases 5 3,680 0 38,960 42,640 3,599
Gifs 5 0 0 0 0 0
Premises 5 15,681 0 16,000 31,681 31,943
Sub total 60,033 0 106,787 166,820 97,126
A4 Asset and investment purchases
etc.
0 0 0 0 0
Sub total 0 0 0 0 0
Total payments
60,033 0 106,787 166,820 97,126
Net of Receipts less Payments 25,471 0 (16,644) 8,827 142,253
A5 Transfers between funds
(31,336) 30,000 1,336 0 0
A6 Cash funds
Last year end
Cash funds this year end		 28,829 150,000 105,511 284,340 142,087
22,964 180,000 90,203 293,167 284,340

Section B - Assets and liabilities

(all values to the nearest £)

Unrestricted
funds		 Designated
funds		 Restricted
funds		 Total
B1 Cash Funds
Lloyds Current Account 22,614 163,375 90,203 276,192
HSBC Current Account 0 16,625 0 16,625
PetyCash 350 0 0 350
Total cash funds 22,964 180,000 90,203 293,167
B2 Other monetary assets
December 2023 Gif Aid due October 2024 5,000 5,000
B3 Investment assets Fund to
which asset
**belongs **		 Cost Current
value
DesktopComputers and Printer Unrestricted 850 150
LaptopComputers and Printer Unrestricted 600 250
HenryVacuum Unrestricted 134 75
PublicityItems Unrestricted 427 175
Van Unrestricted 8,500 5,600
Laptops Restricted 252 200
Total 6,450
B5 Liabilites Fund to
which
liability
relates		 Amount
due		 When
due
Independent Examiner’s Fee 2023
Contngent Liability - Legal fees and claim by
former employee – exact amount unknown
at this tme		 Unrestricted 720 Oct 2024
Designated
Unrestricted		 Estmate
Estmate		 20,000
100,000		 Mar 2005
Mar 2025

Total 120,720

Section C – Notes on the accounts

1. Source of money

The table that follows shows a breakdown of the source of money received.

Category
Type
Unrestricted
Donatons
Other
Grants
Fundraising
Restricted
Grants
2023 Receipts Total		 2023
Amount
£63,172
£6,443
£11,127
£4,762
£90,143
£175,647

2. Restricted Grants

Fund Restricted grants Received in
Year		 Spent in Year Balance
T Trust Facilites
T Trust
Pathfnder
T Trust Volunteer
Development
T Trust Financial
Inclusion CAB
T Trust Food
Purchase
T Trust Hardship
Grant
Bennelong
Smile Centre
CCF Crisis Fund
CCF Surviving
Winter		 Two Year Grant of £30,000
Development of Pathfnder
Scheme at this Foodbank
including payment for
Manager.
Joint Grant with Wadebridge
Foodbank.
Grant to pay for Debt
Specialist from CAB.
Grant to buy Food.
Grant to Help Clients Find
Support
Grant for Schools to develop
cooking skills of Pupils and
Parents.
Grant to Purchase Food
Crisis Fund. £1,000 received in
2021
Surviving Winter Fund. £1,000
received in 2020. £250 spent
inpreviousyears.		 £15,000
£35,053
£18,302
£0
£0
£275
£0
£0
£0
£0		 £22,121
£28,910
£18,479
£21,379
£3,611
£275
£6,476
£0
£0
£432		 £0
£34,313
£7,892
£23,397
£999
£0
£4,383
£2,272
£220
£318
T Trust School
Engagement
Ofcer		 To extend the reach and
profle of foodbank support to
hidden rural communites
through actve engagement
with schools		 £21,513 £5,104 £16,409
£90,143 £106,787 £90,203

3. Debtors

Gift Aid for 2023 has, at the time of this Financial Statements’ publication, not yet been claimed. It will be claimed during 2024.

4. Fundraising

This was raised from a marathon, a sponsored walk and a harvest supper.

5. P ayments breakdown

The table that follows shows a breakdown of payments made.

Category
Type
2023
Amount
Administraton
Telephone / Broadband
196
Statonery & Postage
304
Publicity Printng
160
Administraton
1,952
Ofce Equipment
678
Premises
Warehouse Barras Place
-
Warehouse Dean Street
7,763
Warehouse Trevecca
16,000
Torpoint
3,850
Ofce Rent
-
Utlites & Rates
2,360
Repairs & Maintenance
1,708
Logistcs
Warehouse consumables
1,288
Van
2,119
Transport / Mileage
763
Uniforms
643
Volunteer Expenses
844
Payroll
Salary
65,766
Tax / NI
9,597
Pension
3,960
Pension Services
198
Payroll Services
241
Client Purchases
Food/Client Expenditure
7,503
Grant Schedule
35,137
Accountng
Examinaton Fees 2 years
1,080		 2022
Amount
494
876
121
1,193
270
3,290
6,014
5,027
19,204
-
1,698
-
-
31,681
2,360
2,667
303
-
1,649
5,657
40,729
6,964
1,965
198
216
79,762
3,051
548
42,640
480
1,080
2,954
31,943
6,979
50,072
3,599
480

Governance

Insurance
1,265
Franchise fee
360
Data Protecton
35
Legal Fees
720
Bank Charges
60
Other Charges
270
Payments Total		 604
360
35
0
60
40
2,710
£166,820		 1,099
£97,126

6. Designated funds

The following designated funds were held at the end of the year:

Fund
Food Security
Vehicles
Warehouse & Premises, Storage, Fitments
Building Reserve
Legal Fees
Together for Change Project, with the Trussell
Trust
Total:		 2023
2022
20,000
10,000
40,000
10,000
20,000
30,000
80,000
80,000
20,000
-
-
20,000
£180,000
£150,000