Potters Bar foodbank BLAZE 4:16- POThERS BAR FOODBANK TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT YEAR ENDED 3110312024 Charity Number: 1185255 CIO-FOUNDATION- REGISTERED 11 SEPTEMBER 2019 CONTENTS Page Trustees Report 14 Recelpt and Payment Flnancial Statement Independent Examinerfs Statement Potter5 Bar foodb Dk BI￿￿4..15 TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT Blaze 4-16-Potter5 Bar Foodbank has again completed another successful year of providing food parcels to those who find themselves in crisis and making a difference in combating poverty. A5 part of the Trussell Trust Network. our principal aim is to provide emergency food relief to the local people in Potters Bar and its nearby areas. We continue to work with several agencies such as the Citizens Advice, Hertsmere Borough Council, Health Advisors, Schools, Probation Services, GPS, local churches and NHS Authorities. These agencies refer clients to us. At the foodbank, the service users are met by our friendly befrienders, offer tea and a welcome chat while they wait for their food parce15. In taking a more-than food approach, the clients are usually sign-posted to other support services to enable to address any significant problems may have. We also offer any pastoral support if needed. On a regular basis mea15 are served for our clients who are highly appreciative of the service and often stay and make friendship5 at the centre. This warm welcoming approach provides an avenue for those who are experiencing loneline55 and the atmosphere at the centre provides them opportunities to feel safe and valued. Achievements Our Charity is open to service-users once a week on Saturday for a two-hour period and we can proudly say that we have undertaken to meet the needs of our local community duringthe time we are open. This is done at the Wayside Community Centre in Potters Bar. EN6 5NE. Although we are open to service users once a week, our volunteers and trustees work throughout the week to ensure the work in carried out smoothly and efficiently. Work such as supermarket food collections, stock inventory, administration and management, liaising with referral agencies, donors and partners are all done in the free time during the week by volunteers, the value of their work cannot be understated. Apart from ensuring that we give the best service by providing well- balanced and nutritional food, we also provide energy assistance. wider essentials such as microwaves, blankets, hot-water bottles, toiletries, clothing, heaters and other e55entials. This financial year we served a total of 2043 clients1757 fulfilled vouchers), 901 of whom were children. 1074151%) of the 2043 client5, 467 of whom were children used the foodbank due to rising costs of essentials. There has been a significant rise of in the use of our services thSs year totalling to 2043 compared to 895 service users in 2023. Despite the increase, were able to Successfully provide the necessities due to the generosity of all our donors and the grants for food purchases from Hertsmere Borough Council. Although we work with several agencies. the referrals were mostly from Citlzens Advice Bureau, Hertsmere Borough Council, Causeway Church, Chrysali5, Health Visitors PB Hospital and Hertfordshire Country Council. We indeed owe our gratitude to all our benevolent donors for going beyond their call of duty to ensure we have the supplie5 needed to offer this vital service. The following donated generously this year.. TESCO and Sainsbur¢s patrons where we collect our weekly donations from their collection points. We would like to record our thanks to Kyri ISainsbur¢sl and Beatrice ITe5coI for their valuable support for the work of the foodbank Hertsmere Borough Council for the grants this financial year of £50,300 for food, energy payments and wider e55ential5. Councillor Abhishek, the Potters Bar Indian5 and the Potters Bar Community for the generosity during the Christmas period. Brookmans, Rotary Club and Tangent Club Local Businesses such as Alblon Potters Bar Local Schools such as Stormant School in Potter5 Bar Local churche5- Potter5 Bar Baptist Church & King Charles the Matyr Our partnership with Hertsmere Council and through the DWP grants is invaluable as this year we provided fuel vouchers and wider essentials up to £37.676.32. We also provided gift vouchers to enable clients to buy fresh food. As trustees and in agreement with the Council we enabled fLtel voucher payment5 either through top-up meter cards, direct debits or payments directly to the suppllers. Clients were asslsted with both electricity and gas assistance and water payments for those who needed help in this area. In December, for Christmas, our local councillor along with the Potters Bar Indian5 and local community provided Christmas gifts and gift vouchers for 35 families. We also served a sumptuous buffet for about 100 clients who had come with their families. The Causeway church put up a Nativity play for the children and balloons were given to all children who were thrilled playing with them and overwhelmed with the glfts they received as well. Many families had expressed such gratitude and reported that these gifts and food parcels made a big difference to their Christmas celebrations. It was truly a wonderful and remarkable way in which those who had nothing to look forward to during Christmas were blessed with the generosity of well-meanin8 people in the community. For Mother's Day celebrations, we gave out gift vouchers to all mums, including our volunteers to thank them for their excellent work they do each day we are open. Clients who received the gift vouchers were exceptionally grateful for making their Mother's Day celebrations extra special. Reserves Policy Blaze 4.'16-Potters Bar Foodbank aims to keep approximately twelve months running costs in reserves In their agreed reserve5 policy. Thi5 15 also to cover mainly rental and other regular runnin8 C05ts, To achieve this, we aim to put £5000 in the event of any major problems. Staff Throughout the year we have a pool of 25 volunteers, 20 of whom serve regularly and tirelessly to ensure our clients are served and treated in a respectful and non-judgemental way. The trustees record their heartful gratitude to the sterling work of all our volunteers who so willingly offer their free time to serve their community and help those who need a551Stance. Income and Reporting All income is recognised when received. The accounts have been prepared on a Receipt5 and Payments basis and as an on-going concern. Our charity'5 principal source of funds 15 through donations which are cl35sified at general funds. Our income for the year ended 15 shown as 88,274, which is largely grants classified as designated funds of £66,592. Our receipt of unrestricted funds is also substantial Inventory Istockl Like most Trussell Trust foodbank, stocks of food and other distributed items are not valued due to the difficulty of valuing them reliably and consistently. In addition, these stocks are restricted to foodbank distribution and have no realisable value. As at 31$1 March 2024, our Stocks amounted to 1870.23 which using the Trussel Trust guidance, it worth approximately £4,432.45. Deslgnated Funds Two major grants were made this year. Hertsmere Borough Council gave our charity each quarter up to a total grant of £50,300 via DWP for additional food purchases, fuel payments and wider essentials. These funds were used for the intended purposes this year. Our plan for last year was implemented this year which leads us to the second grant which was from Trussell Trust for our Financial Inclusion Project of 16,292 plus a payment towards our general fund of 2443.80 to assist with administrative costs. The aim of this project is to reduce the effects of poverty and reliance on food parce15 by providing a money advice & mentoring service within Potters Bar foodbank. This is in the form of advice from a qualified Citizens Advice and Red Cro55 advisers for advice up to, and includin& complex debt and welfare benefits i55ues. Clients therefore had access to dedicated 5UPPOrt to help them with their immediate and underlying problems to reduce their need for foodbank assistance and build financial resilience for the future. Additionally, we offered a referral & triage service and advocacy sUPPOrt for the m05t vulnerable clients. We paid our external partner5 this year the amount of £16292 directly to CA and Red Cross and a second grant of £16,292/- was received forthe same project aims for the year 202412025 and is carried over to the next financial year. To Show the accuracy of the designated funds of £16292 that was received, the additional £2442.80 for both years was reclassified as general funds. Benefits Trustees No benefits were paid to the trustee5 in 23124 other than expenses incurred while on foodbank business. These were agreed upon and approved and wholly for the benefit of the CIO. Finally, we will continue to work with our new partner Causeway Church who have supported the work by being onsite to assess and refer client5 to our service. This report s submitted and accepted at the Trustees, Meeting on 2511112024 Easther elliah of Trustees Date: 2511112024 8LJIE 4:16- POTTERS BAR FOODBANK RECEIPTSAND PAYMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED315t MARCH2024 2Q24 2023 foodbank Designated Fullds RECEIPTS Donatlons. GeneralFund General Funds 21681.99 Total 21681.99 Total 24461.84 Design￿e