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2024-03-31-accounts

Laurence's Larder Trustees, Report & Financial Statements 2024

Contents

Page Page
About Laurence’s Larder
1–2
People
3
Supporters
4
Report of the trustees:
5–13
Strategy
5
Grants donations and in-kind support
5–6
Fundraising activities
7
Staffing and volunteers
7
Delivery of services
8–10
Future plans
11
Financial summary
12
Financial review
13
Independent examiner’s report to the trustees
14
Financial statements
15–22
Statement of Financial Activities
16
Net movement in funds
17
Balance sheet
18
Notes to the accounts:
19–22
1. Basis of accounts
19
2. Accounting policies
19
3. Income from charitable activities
20
4. Expenditure on charitable activities
20
5. Trustee expenses
20
6. Analysis of funds
21–22

About Laurence’s Larder

Objectives and activities

Laurence’s Larder provides food aid, clothing, and other services to prevent or relieve poverty in the London Borough of Brent. It operates from Christ Church with St. Laurence, Brondesbury, but is an independent charity. We welcome people of all faiths and none.

The charity seeks to reduce social isolation and help those who struggle to make ends meet. We take great care to maintain the dignity of our guests. Almost uniquely amongst food aid charities, Laurence’s Larder requires no referrals from other agencies to enable beneficiaries (‘guests’) to access our services.

Most of our guests live within Brent — specifically Kilburn, Willesden and Cricklewood.

Our origins

Laurence’s Larder, established by Stephen Chamberlain, has been in operation for more than twelve years. For the first seven years, it was under the auspices of and with financial support from Christ Church with St Laurence, Brondesbury.

Following receipt of a start-up donation from the church, Laurence’s Larder was registered as an independent charity on 24 October 2019, and a board of trustees now governs it.

Structure, governance and management

The last financial year has been one of both considerable change and strong achievement. We have recruited new trustees as others stepped down. The changes are on page 3.

We are sorry to lose those trustees who can no longer serve, but we have taken the opportunity to review the board’s composition and skills.

We aim to constitute a board with the breadth of experience and expertise to support current operations and governance and help us move the charity forward as we respond to the challenges and opportunities ahead.

We strive to ensure that the board is as diverse as the communities we serve but acknowledge there is more to accomplish.

The board meets formally at least bi-monthly, with ad hoc meetings as necessary and subcommittees in between. To streamline discussion and decision-making, there are three subcommittees which bring recommendations to the main board:

Page 1

New constitution and name change

During the year, we identified unnecessary complexity and a need for greater clarity in our constitution. Following legal advice, we updated the constitution which the Charity Commission has accepted.

At the same time, we changed the charity’s name from ‘St. Laurence’s Larder and Open Kitchen’ to ‘Laurence’s Larder’. The trustees wanted to ensure that potential beneficiaries and funders understood that Laurence’s Larder is not a faith-based charity.

Legal and administrative information

Charity constitution Charitable Incorporated Organisation (“CIO”)

Governing document CIO Constitution (both the constitution and name were revised and updated on 26 April 2024 and the Charity Commission has registered the changes)

Appointment of trustees Current trustees vote on the election of trustees to the charity, following an open recruitment process.

Significant risks and risk register

We have invested significant time in developing a robust risk register, which is now in place. Significant risks that we’ve identified include:

Page 2

People

Patron Zadie Smith

Trustees

David Alexander (from 26 September 2023 until 22 January 2024) Karen Barke, Treasurer (until 16 June 2024) Victoria Bentley Sally Burrell, Vice chair and Chair of Operations and Organisation Development Chloe Court (from 26 March 2024) Michael Krzyzanowski Louise Pudney (from 26 September 2023) Anne Taylor (from 26 September 2023) Jolyon Tilley (until 5 May 2023) Saul Venit, Chair of Finance and Risk Mark Wakefield, Chair Toby York, Treasurer (from 17 June 2024)

In attendance at trustee meetings (not a trustee)

Sara Jade-Hussein, Operations Director

Independent examiner

Keith Stephenson MA, FCMA, MBA, DipHE

Page 3

Supporters

Our thanks go to the many supporters of Laurence’s Larder who have contributed, whether through financial donations, equipment, food, clothing, services or simply their time.

We’d especially like to acknowledge:

23rd Willesden Scout Group Lusa Nsemba-Ngoy, Bishop of Willesden Alexandra Shulman Maida Vale School Brent Council Mapesbury Residents Association (MapRA) Brent CVS The Mayhew Animal Home Brent Hubs The NHS Roving Team C3 Collaborating for Health National Lottery Community Fund City Harvest ParkLife Singers Cllr Ryan Hack The PCC of Christ Church with St. Laurence, Brondesbury Cllr Erica Gbajumo Diocese of London (Willesden area) Quality Chophouse / Quality Wines Felix Project Queens Park Books Gift Your Neighbour Queens Park Residents Association (QPARA) Helen Coleman Queens Park Singers John Morrison Quinine Kempe Road Fruit Pickers Sainsbury’s Kingsbury Charity Sufra Lawstop Synergy Vision The Lexi Cinema Wenzel’s Bakery Louis Theroux Zadie Smith

We sincerely apologise for any inadvertent omissions of individuals or organisations.

Page 4

Report of the trustees

Strategy

Last year, we started developing a new strategy for Laurence’s Larder. This was concluded in mid-2023, following much work led by our Vice Chair, Sally Burrell, supported by SaraJade Hussein and many others, including extensive pro-bono support from a local design consulting company, Quinine.

Potentially existential issues — such as whether we will be able to retain our current operational base at Christ Church — await resolution. Nevertheless, these uncertainties have not prevented us from implementing and developing the strategy.

We recognise that ‘food banks’, although currently a necessary response to the cost-ofliving crisis, may recede in importance. They are inefficient and, to some extent, an ineffective means of supporting those experiencing food insecurity.

Consequently, like other food aid charities, we increasingly work with our guests to assist them in addressing the underlying causes of their circumstances. To this end, we have begun work with partners to help us do this.

Our strategy highlights that many of our guests are elderly, have significant health challenges, or live alone, often in poor accommodation, which results in social isolation. In a cruel irony, research tells us that social isolation begets further health problems. Our guests value Laurence’s Larder for the social opportunities we and our partners provide.

Food remains at the heart of what we do — for some, it will always be a need, but others have different or additional needs. Whichever, it is an enabler for wider conversations and opportunities. Through our work, we continue to nourish our community physically and mentally in increasingly diverse ways.

Grants, donations & in-kind support

The last year has been very positive, with two substantial grants: a Kingsbury Charity grant of £45,000 and a National Lottery Community Fund grant of £67,974.

However, it’s not all about big grants. We had a good flow of smaller grants and donations from a wide range of individuals and trusts:

Page 5

We have benefitted too from support in kind:

Once again, we must express our particular thanks to our host, Christ Church with St. Laurence. The Parochial Church Council and congregation are loyal supporters of Laurence’s Larder. They provide us with the space to deliver our services, at minimal cost, celebrate our successes with us, and, we hope, forgive us our occasional transgressions.

We sincerely apologise if we have missed anyone from the numerous ‘honourable mentions’, and thank everyone for their support, in whatever form, large, small, regular occasional, in person, in kind, tangible or intangible, whatsoever.

We are deeply grateful to you all.

Page 6

Fundraising activities

We have raised significant funding through our own efforts, whether through sales of ‘Larder Hot Sauce’ at a festival, brandishing a collecting bucket at Queens Park Farmers Market, and, most successfully, our clothes sale.

The clothes sales raised over £20,000 — an unexpectedly large sum — by selling vintage and high-end fashion clothing. The event was hosted by Zadie Smith, our patron, and Alexandra Shulman, former editor of Vogue UK. The sale generated priceless publicity and awareness—an article in the Observer, a reference in the London Evening Standard, and much local interest and engagement.

Staffing and volunteers

Paid staff

For much of its existence, Laurence’s Larder was run entirely by unpaid volunteers. Last year, we employed one of those former volunteers on a part-time basis. During the current financial year, given the rapid increase in demand for our services, we were able employ our Project Director, Sara-Jade Hussein on a full-time basis. Latterly, with the benefit of a ‘cost of living crisis’ grant, we took on Jono Ayling as a part-time coordinator. We are extremely fortunate to have them in our team.

Volunteers

Despite the increased number of paid staff, we are a lean organisation, and volunteers remain firmly at the heart of what Laurence’s Larder does. They make it the valued service that our guests admire and appreciate.

We started the last financial year with around 40 volunteers. Currently, our volunteer team has increased to 62 people, which bucks the national trend of falling volunteer numbers. Between them, they contributed nearly 7,300 hours of service, for which we are enormously thankful.

Staff development

With the development of Laurence’s Larder has come the need to ensure that our operation is as safe and effective as possible. We have made significant investment in training and development, with staff and volunteers trained in areas such as conflict resolution and deescalation, first aid, safeguarding and food safety and hygiene.

Page 7

All staff and volunteers undertake full Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks and we plan to provide safeguarding training for staff and volunteers.

Staff and volunteer recognition and appreciation

Our positive financial position in the last year means that we can acknowledge the value which our staff and volunteers bring, by investing in events which recognise and thank them for their contribution to the community.

They enjoyed a reception in the home of Lusa Nsemba-Ngoy, the Bishop of Willesden; they were nourished with a well-earned Christmas lunch and laughed and cried at a special film showing at the Lexi Cinema, a local social enterprise.

Chandra Gulsani

With great sadness. we must mention Chandra Gulsani who passed away in September 2023 following a period of illness. Chandra was one of our longest-serving and most stalwart volunteers. She was a valued and much-loved volunteer and force of nature. We miss her greatly.

Delivery of services

----- Start of picture text -----
Nearly
6000
meals and
5500
food parcels
over the year
----- End of picture text -----

We are immensely proud of what we deliver. We make a fundamental difference to individuals who would otherwise go hungry. Their circumstances vary. Some suffer from housing issues, and others from substance abuse or poor mental health. Many are simply too frail, lonely or poor to cope without our help.

Our investment of time, funding and care builds community and so benefits us and the wider community. This is evidenced both by the esteem in which we are held by our guests and other agencies, and through the support of our local communities in Willesden, Kilburn and Cricklewood.

Background to increasing demand for services

Over the year, demand has increased by more than 100% across all services. The response from Laurence’s Larder has correspondingly gone from strength to strength — almost to the point that we fear having to limit the number of guests. We attribute the increasing demand to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis — and to our location within Brent, London’s second most disadvantaged borough.

Increasing capacity

It was fortunate then that we were successful in our bid to the Government’s Cost of Living Crisis Fund, which gave us a substantial sum to both cover our own increasing costs (despite donations of food we still need to spend around £300 per week from our own funds supplementing the donations, to ensure consistency in what we can provide), and we were able to commit to opening up the church we operate from for an extra two days a week, as

Page 8

a ‘warm space’. The funding has also paid for additional part time staffing, staff development, new equipment and a new website.

Community lunches

Laurence’s Larder runs a weekly community lunch, which provides a warm welcome and a freshly cooked nutritious meal to all who attend. During the past year, numbers have increased to around 100 people each week and at peak times (our annual Christmas dinner) we have fed up to 130 people.

This amounts to nearly 6,000 meals served over the year. With funding from our own activities, we invested in a complete refurbishment of our kitchen, bringing in portable hobs, stainless steel preparation tables and, pride of place, a modern multi-function highspeed oven.

This has transformed our operation, even if it didn’t magically increase the size of our kitchen. Our efforts were rewarded with a 5* food hygiene rating by Brent’s environmental health service.

We were also pleased to host the then mayor of Brent, Cllr. Orleen Hylton at one of our weekly lunches and were delighted that she took time to meet and talk to each of our lunch guests.

Weekly food parcels

Our weekly food parcels are particularly focused on those who struggle to make ends meet in our community and beyond. This is a particularly vital service in the context of the current cost of living crisis. Almost uniquely in the area, no referrals are required to benefit from the food bag service. During the past year we have distributed around 5,500 food bags, containing a mix of non-perishable staples and fresh fruit and vegetables, depending on what is donated to us. Some of our guests start queuing at 7.30am to ensure that they receive a food bag. Substantial organisational effort has gone into streamlining the operation, to make it a positive experience for both volunteers and our guests.

Clothes bank

We also operate a small clothes bank, which is very well used. Given the high usage of the clothes bank it has inevitably suffered from a lot of wear and tear. With the help of funding from the Kingsbury Charity we were able to undertake a full overhaul of the clothes bank, with new carpeting, stronger handrails up the stairs, more storage cupboards and clothes rails being put in place. Our ‘guests’ now feel that they have some dignity in the process and clothing donations have also increased. In the past year we have distributed nearly 4,000 individual items of clothing. We were delighted that Cllr. Erica Gabajumo formally opened the refurbished clothes bank at our Christmas celebration.

Advice and guidance services

A key element of our strategy is to provide access to specialist advice and guidance services, to help our guests address some of the underlying issues that have contributed to their needs for our services. We are therefore particularly pleased that we have been able to

Page 9

work in partnership with a range of services and agencies to enable our guests to access some of the support they need. There are few ‘quick fixes’, but nevertheless, progress is being made. Some of those organisations include:

Community Arts Cafe

Most recently, in April 2024, thanks to the success of our fundraising efforts we were able to open a new service: a ‘Community Arts Cafe’, to support people experiencing social isolation. The café offers guests the opportunity to participate in arts and crafts activities, enjoy a light lunch and to socialise (in the warmth). Understandably take-up is slowly but surely increasing.

Social isolation

Lastly, but arguably at least as important as our other services, we are helping to address the social isolation our guests tell us they experience. It’s a simple but intangible contribution: we provide a warm, comfortable and welcoming place for guests to come together to socialise and provide peer support to each other, we interact with all of our

guests and increasingly we are deliberately engineering our programme to foster greater engagement with our guests. It’s vital: validated health research tell us that those who

experience social isolation have a 29% increased risk of heart disease, a 32% increase in the risk of strokes and a massive 50% increase in their risk of developing dementia.

Page 10

Future plans

The past year has been challenging – mostly in a positive way, with new opportunities presenting themselves unexpectedly as the year progressed.

This year will be similar. Some objectives remain, while others are fresh onto the list:

need that we see each week, including by extending our hours / days of operation.

We look forward to reporting on these and other achievements in our next annual report.

Page 11

Financial Summary

Major grants received

Income from donations

653% 164% £112,974 ↑ £36,829 ↑ (2023: £15,000) (2023: £13,949) Income from fundraising events Spending on charitable activities £26,777 ↑ 1,628%1,628% £124,264 ↑ 117% (2023: £1,549) (2023: £57,198) Net surplus for the year Funds available at the year end –% 77% £50,327 ↑ £115,370 ↑ (2023: Deficit £26,612) (2019: £65,042)

£26,777 ↑ 1,628%1,628% (2023: £1,549) Net surplus for the year

Page 12

Financial Review

Funds brought forward at the beginning of the year were £65,043, and at the end were £115,370. The surplus for the year of £50,327 compared to a deficit in 2023 of £21,612.

This is a summary of funds for the year. The notes to the financial statements provide a more detailed analysis.

more detailed analysis.
Kingsbury Brent 31 March
Unrestricted Charity Food Aid 2024
Funds brought forward 52,552) 7,598) 4,893) 65,043)
Surplus (deficit) for theyear 28,563) 26,657) (4,893)
50,327)
Total funds on 31 March 2024 £81,115) **£34,255) ** —) £115,370)

Income

Total income for the five months to 31 March 2024 was £177,161 (2023: £30,587). Two significant grants were awarded during the year: £45,000 from Kingsbury Charity and £67,974 from the National Lottery Community Fund.

The National Lottery Community Fund is treated as a government grant.

Expenditure

The year’s expenditure was £126,834. Expenses related to raising funds were £2,570 (2023: £334), and the costs of charitable activities were £124,264 (2023: £57,198). This is analysed in more detail in Note 4 to the accounts on page 20.

Reserves policy

The charity’s income is uncertain and sporadic, so the trustees aim to reserve the equivalent of six months’ running costs in unrestricted funds. Unrestricted funds on 31 March 2024 were £81,115. This represents 60% of planned expenditure to 31 March 2025.

The trustees created a facilities development fund designated for anticipated costs relating to the continued use of the premises. See Significant risks and risk register on page 2 .

Declaration

This report was approved by the trustees on 24 September 2024 and signed on its behalf by:

Mark Wakefield TSYork
Mark Wakefield Toby York
Chair Treasurer

Page 13

Independent examiner’s report to the trustees

I report to the trustees of Laurence’s Larder on my examination of the accounts of the charity (“the Trust”) for the year to 31 March 2024 set out on pages 15 to 22.

As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the 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 which give 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.

KeithStephenson

Keith Stephenson MA FCMA MBA DipHE

25B Montpelier Road London W5 2QT 24 September 2024

Page 14

Financial Statements For the year ended 31 March 2024

info@laurenceslarder.org.uk laurenceslarder.org.uk Registered charity 1185983 Registered address: 233 Fordwych Road, London NW2 3LY

Statement of Financial Activities

For the year ended 31 March 2024

Note
Unrestricted
Funds
£
Restricted
Funds
£
2024
£
Income from:
Donations and legacies
36,829)
–)
36,829)
Charitable activities
3
26,776)
112,974)
139,750)
Interest received
582)
–)
582)
64,187)
112,974)
177,161)
Expenditure on:
Raising funds
2,570)
–)
2,570)
Charitable activities
4
33,054)
91,210)
124,264)
35,624)
91,210)
126,834)
Surplus for the year
28,563)
21,764)
50,327)		 2023
£
13,949)
16,550)
88)
30,587)
334)
56,864)
57,198)
(26,611)

Page 16

Net movement in funds

For the year ended 31 March 2024

Reconciliation of funds
Balances at 1 April 2023
Surplus for the year
As at 31 March 2024		 Unrestricted
Funds
£
Restricted
Funds
£
2024
£
52,552)
12,491)
65,043)
28,563)
21,764)
50,327)
81,115)
34,255)
115,370)		 2023
£
91,654)
(26,611)
65,043)

A more detailed analysis of funds is set out in note 6 on pages 21 and 22.

Page 17

Balance sheet

As at 31 March 2024

Note
Unrestricted
Funds
£
Restricted
Funds
£
2024
£
Current assets
Debtors
Cash at bank
170)
80,969)
–)
38,277)
170)
119,246)
81,139)
38,277)
119,416)
Liabilities: amounts falling
due within one year
(24)
(4,022)
(4,046)
Net assets
81,115)
34,255)
115,370)
Funds
Unrestricted funds
Restricted funds
6
6
81,115)
–)
–)
34,255)
81,115)
34,255)
81,115)
34,255)
115,370)		 2023
£
380)
65,213)
65,593)
(550)
65,043)
52,552)
12,491)
65,043)
Approved by the trustees on 24 September 2024 and signed on its behalf by: Approved by the trustees on 24 September 2024 and signed on its behalf by:
Mark Wakefield TSYork
Mark Wakefield Toby York
Chair Treasurer

Page 18

Notes to the accounts

For the year ended 31 March 2024

1 Basis of accounts

These accounts have been prepared on the accruals basis and under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value. The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) issued on 16 July 2014 and with the Charities Act 2011.

2 Accounting policies

Recognition of income

Income, including that from grants and donations, is included in the Statement of Income and Expenditure only when the charity becomes entitled to the resources, the monetary value can be measured with sufficient reliability and it is more likely than not that the trustees will receive the resource.

Liabilities

Liabilities are recognised when it is more likely than not that there’s a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to pay out resources and the amount of the obligation can be measured with reasonable certainty.

Tangible fixed assets

There were no fixed assets brought forward or acquired during the year.

Page 19

Notes to the accounts

For the year ended 31 March 2024

Unrestricted Restricted Funds Funds 2024 2023 £ £ £ £

3 Income from charitable activities

Fundraising events
Performance-related grants		 26,776
–)
–)
112,974
26,776
112,974
26,776
112,974 139,750		 1,550
15,000
16,550

Performance-related grants comprise a government grant from the National Lottery Community Fund of £67,974 and a grant from Kingsbury Charity of £45,000.

4 Expenditure on charitable activities

Delivery of services
Salaries and pension costs
Volunteer and staff development
Occupation of premises
Repairs and improvements
Other operating expenses		 6,413
6,820
639
1,688
13,341
4,153
25,297
31,507
5,493
5,362
17,165
6,386
31,710
38,327
6,132
7,050
30,506
10,539
33,054
91,210 124,264		 19,193
21,383
1,966
2,925
10,365
1,032
56,864

5 Trustee expenses

No trustees were paid expenses during this year or the previous year.

Page 20

Notes to the accounts

For the year ended 31 March 2024

6 Analysis of funds

On 31 March 2024

Restricted funds
Kingsbury Charity
Brent Food Aid
National Lottery – COLC
Unrestricted funds
General funds
Facilities development fund
All funds		 As at
1 April
2023
£
Income
£
Expenditure
£
Transfers
£
As at
31 March
2024
£
7,598)
4,893)
–)
45,000)
–)
67,974)
(18,343)
(4,893)
(67,974)
–)
–)
–)
34,255)
–)
–)
12,491)
112,974)
(91,210)
–)
34,255)
52,552)
–)
64,187)
–)
(35,624)
–)
(30,000)
30,000)
51,115)
30,000)
52,552)
64,187)
(35,624)
–)
81,115)
65,043)177,161)(126,834)
–)
115,370)

National Lottery – COLC refers to the National Lottery Community Fund’s Cost of Living Crisis (COLC) initiative.

The facilities development fund is designated for anticipated costs relating to the continued use of the premises. See Significant risks and risk register on page 2 .

Page 21

Notes to the accounts

For the year ended 31 March 2024

6 Analysis of funds (continued)

On 31 March 2023

Restricted funds
Brent Council – NCIL
Kingsbury Charity
Brent Food Aid
Sainsbury’s
Unrestricted funds
General funds
All funds		 As at
1 April
2022
£
Income
£
Expenditure
£
As at
31 March
2023
£
26,550)
13,583)
10,551)
1,244)
–)
–)
15,000)
–)
(26,550)
(5,985)
(20,658)
(1,244)
–)
7,598)
4,893)
–)
51,928)
15,000)
(54,437)
12,491)
39,726)
15,587)
(2,761)
52,522)
91,654)
30,587)
(57,198)
65,043)

Brent Council – NCIL refers to Brent Council Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy (NCIL) project grant.

Page 22

Registered charity 1185983

Registered address: 233 Fordwych Road, London NW2 3LY info@laurenceslarder.org.uk laurenceslarder.org.uk