Trustees' Annual Report for the period 21-22
| Trustees' Annual Report for theperiod 21-22 | Trustees' Annual Report for theperiod 21-22 | Trustees' Annual Report for theperiod 21-22 | Trustees' Annual Report for theperiod 21-22 | Trustees' Annual Report for theperiod 21-22 | Trustees' Annual Report for theperiod 21-22 | Trustees' Annual Report for theperiod 21-22 | Trustees' Annual Report for theperiod 21-22 | Trustees' Annual Report for theperiod 21-22 |
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| From | Period start date | To | Period end date | |||||
| Day 1 |
Month 10 |
Year 2021 |
Day 30 |
Month 09 |
Year 2022 |
Section A Reference and administration details
Charity name EARLY ESSENTIALS UK
Other names charity is known by EE Registered charity number (if any) 1186657 Charity's principal address 123 Cheadle Old Road,
Stockport Cheshire Postcode SK3 9RH
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graham Leech | Chief Finance Officer | From 10/11/21 | ||
| Christine Scott | ||||
| Lee Leech | ||||
| Martin Austin | ||||
| Sarah Hope | ||||
| Natalie Hands |
Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)
| Name | Dates acted if not for whole year | |
|---|---|---|
| NONE |
Names and addresses of advisers –
No advisors are engaged by EE
Name of senior staff members –
Sarah Newton-Smith – ‘Executive Officer’, Co-founder and the only employed staff (part time)
Section B Structure, governance and management
Description of the charity’s trusts
Type of governing document CONSTITUTION How the charity is constituted Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) Trustee selection methods Appointed by existing Trustees under para#10 of constitution
EARLY ESSENTIALS UK - TAR – 2021 to 2022 approved 12[th] July 2023
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Additional governance issues (Optional information)
| Youmay choose to include additional information, where relevant, about: policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees; the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works; relationship with any related parties; trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them. |
This reporting year is from 1stOctober 2021 to 30thSeptember 2022. Early Essentials UK (EE), and from now on in this report, ‘we/us/our’, received confirmation on 29thNovember 2019 that we were entered onto the Register of Charities as a CIO – Charitable Incorporated Organisation. We have therefore been a CIO for nearly 3 years. This is our third Trustees report as a charity/CIO. For the background information, how EE started in March 2015, and a short history of our operations, please refer to the 2020 TAR – Trustees Annual Report. EE UK is operated by a team known as Early Essentials Manchester, packing and delivering Moses Baskets from rented premises in the M22 postcode areas of south Manchester. We thank The Message Trust for their generous and much appreciated use of their various premises. There continue to be satellite groups known as Early Essentials Stockport, Warrington, Peterborough, Whitby and Ballymoney, each operating in their local areas during this reporting year. All our activities are undertaken by volunteers, except for one employed part-time Executive Officer. The ‘Covid-19’ restrictions were eased during this reporting year so all six EE teams have operated with increasingly more freedom from the various restrictions imposed by Government. This has been a relief for all locations. Our volunteers have worked tirelessly to continue to sort, wash, stock, pack, and supply Moses Baskets throughout the period to meet a demand from the referring agencies that is 32% higher than the previous year. It is concerning that the demand for Moses baskets/starter packs is so high but the trustees are pleased that EE has been able to increase the level of service it has provided in this period, and no eligible referral has had to be turned-away. Early Essentials operates for the ‘public benefit’ so does not ‘gift’ starter packs/Moses baskets directly to the eligible mothers, and therefore neither meets or knows the mothers and babies. The need is identified by ‘referring agencies’, and the professional staff/volunteers of these agencies apply to us explaining how the recipients meet the eligibility criteria. Our staff/volunteers then check the application and notify the referring agency whether or not the criteria are met, and if met, from where and when the starter pack can be collected by the referring agency. EE Manchester’s beneficiaries are all within Greater Manchester. Each of the five satellite team/location serves their local referring agency professionals and staff with beneficiaries in their local communities. The trustees note that none of EE’s activities involve or require face to face contact with vulnerable adults or children, and therefore there are no active safeguarding procedures necessary at this time. The trustees decided in July 2022 that a ‘safeguarding’ policy would be beneficial for the charity, the Executive Officer, and the volunteers, to maintain vigilance of the requirements to keep safeguarding under review. A Policy was agreed by the trustees in September 2022. The trustees will regularly review this. Insurance cover in the name of EE UK was continued in this period. This provides Public and Employer’s liability cover, and also includes cover for volunteers and material loss where packing and storage is in rented or leased property (at Manchester and Warrington). |
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EARLY ESSENTIALS UK - TAR – 2021 to 2022 approved 12[th] July 2023
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All six trustees remained in post during this period including Graham Leech, Sarah Hope, and Martin Austin, who were approved to continue as trustees for a further 2 years by the trustees on 20 October 2021, and Lee Leech who was approved to continue as a trustee for a further 2 years by the trustees on 7 March 2022.
Section C Objectives and activities
| Section C | Objectives and activities |
|---|---|
| Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit) |
To relieve or prevent the financial hardship of parents or carers of new-born babies in the UK, in particular but not exclusively, by providing Moses baskets and items of baby clothing, bedding, toiletries and other essentials. |
| We provide emergency Moses Basket hampers or starter packs We provide Moses basket starter packs for the most vulnerable pregnant women, who would otherwise be unable to provide for their babies directly after birth. The women are referred to EE via either their midwife, health visitor, social worker or charity. Our criteria are that they must be 32 or more weeks pregnant and fall into one of the following categories: (a) homeless (b) refugee/seeking asylum (c) fleeing domestic abuse (d) in serious financial crisis (e) …or similar disadvantage. The starter pack includes essentials such as: baby clothes, blankets, nappies, wipes, breast pads, maternity pads, toiletries for baby and mum, toys, a towel and a gift for mum. The items donated are either brand new or pre-loved. All items are carefully inspected and checked that they are in very good condition. These are packed into a Moses basket along with a mattress and wrapped, as a gift, in cellophane ready to be collected. The starter pack is collected from our EE premises by the referring third party agency staff, who then deliver the pack to the mother. We would also provide a Moses starter pack in special but equally urgent and needy circumstances, for example, tailored to the needs of a father and new-born baby where a mother and baby are separated at birth. All trustees have been provided with applicable information, and each have signed the required Trustee eligibility declaration which states the purposes and object of EE, including its underlying requirements for public benefit. The declaration regarding working with vulnerable groups is not signed as staff and volunteers and trustees do not work with vulnerable people including children. Trustees regularly review the main activities undertaken by EE in their trustee meetings. The public benefit requirements are met by implementing a referral process, maintaining an independence of the team leaders and volunteers from the choosing of which mums-to-be receive the benefit of a Moses basket. The health care and other professionals and staff of the referring agencies make a referral against set out criteria, and this referral is checked by a team leader. If the referral meets the ‘public benefit’ criteria, the agency staff are informed when a basket is ready for collection. |
EARLY ESSENTIALS UK - TAR – 2021 to 2022 approved 12[th] July 2023
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Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)
| Youmay choose to include further statements, where relevant, about: policy on grantmaking; policy programme related investment; contribution made by volunteers. |
We do not make grants to others, and do not undertake financial investment. All our activities are undertaken by volunteers supported by our one paid part- time Executive Officer (EO). Our work, of sorting, washing, and storing of clothing, the packing of baskets with the many items we provide, replenishing stock, collecting donations, disposal of unsuitable items, communicating with referring agencies, social media promotion, admin, and website updating, has continued as demand has increased, enabling us to meet the much higher numbers of baskets provided to needy Mums and particularly, to never have to turn-down a valid referral. Public speaking/presentations, and the training and support of new volunteers, has resumed during this period. Some volunteers, who are also trustees, are involved in decision making, accounting/book keeping, banking/financial transactions, policy/procedure writing, and attending trustee/members meetings. The trustees extend heartfelt thanks and appreciation to all those who directly and indirectly volunteer and support the work of EE in providing the gifts of Moses Baskets packed to the brim with essentials. |
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Section D Achievements and performance
| Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year |
Early Essential’s (EE’s) ‘core’ activity is the supply of packed Moses baskets/ starter packs to ‘referring agency’ staff who deliver them to the needy or vulnerable Mums. Please refer to each EE location’s Facebook pages to see what achievements, successes, and highlights each location has reported through the year. These social media pages also identify our supporters - organisations, companies, schools, church groups, faith groups, and individuals who have made it possible to maintain and grow our ‘core’ activity. All 6 existing EE locations have continued to operate during this period. In this reporting year the numbers of baskets provided have been 617across our 6 locations, which is a 32% increase on the previous 12 months total of 471. LOCATIONBaskets THIS YEAR Total since starting – start date EE Manchester – 400(+125)1,570 March 2015 EE Stockport – 116(+36)810 July 2015 EE Warrington – 25(-26)231 March 2016 EE Peterborough – 42(-5)194 March 2017 EE Whitby - 16(+11)21 February 2021 EE Ballymoney – 24(+11)37 April 2021 Totals 623(+152)2,863 (Number in (xx) brackets shows the change compared to previous 12 months) Our total baskets/starter packs provided since March 2015 is 2,863, which we find both humbling and sad. It highlights a tremendous need which we prefer didn’t exist, but we are privileged to make a difference for this many babies and their mums. EE functions with a heart to show unconditional love through a free gift to Mums in difficult circumstances, based on the verse “For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may |
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Our total baskets/starter packs provided since March 2015 is 2,863, which we find both humbling and sad. It highlights a tremendous need which we prefer didn’t exist, but we are privileged to make a difference for this many babies and their mums.
EE functions with a heart to show unconditional love through a free gift to Mums in difficult circumstances, based on the verse “For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may
EARLY ESSENTIALS UK - TAR – 2021 to 2022 approved 12[th] July 2023
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not die but have eternal life.” [John 3:16 GNB] . We thank God for his continued provision of resources this year and since we started. We give heartfelt thanks to all those who, during the year, donated goods and supplies that together make up a full Moses Basket. You are an essential and appreciated part of the work we do, and we thank you for joining us in meeting the needs of so many needy Mums. There are too many individuals to name, but thank you to each of you for giving so generously of new and ‘as-new’ used items. We also wish to thank the many community groups, churches and church groups, faith groups, schools, businesses and shops who give so generously or make/knit/crochet baby-items:- including Baba+Boo, BLM Solicitors, Childs Farm, Clare de Lune, Connect Christian Fellowship, Dunelm Stockport, Gatley KnitWits, Ivy Church Manchester, John Lewis & Partners Cheadle, Life Church Warrington, Link Case Management, Lok’nStore Warrington, Lush Manchester Arndale, Manchester Libraries, Morrisons Community Champions at Bredbury, Cheadle Heath, Chorlton, and Swinton, Neighbourhood Charity Crafters, Panache in Gatley, Read Manchester, Stotts Opticians, Tesco Community Champions at Baguley and Handforth Dean, Tesco Extra Walkden, The Connect Centre, The Message Trust and Message Enterprise Centre, Turves Road Co-Op, Usborne Books, Waitrose Poynton, and Whitby Co-Op.
The trustees thank the many individuals who have joined one of our location teams in sorting items and packing baskets, both regularly or just for a few hours; including a group of ladies form the Northern regional College Ballymoney campus. We also give heartfelt thanks to individuals, groups, churches and companies who have so generously supported us financially this year. (See also the financial review at section E below).
Section E Financial review
Please refer to our Annual Accounts, published together with this Annual Brief statement Report. We started the year with £12,058. Our Receipts were £41,705. Our of the charity’s Payments were £35,289. Our end of year balance is £18,474. policy on reserves The increase in payments is spread over our whole operational costs: payments on supplies for starter packs have increased nearly £6,000 since the previous year; printing, promotion, website costs etc. are up over £370; payroll costs have increased by £7,711; and spending on assets, such as a laptop for the Executive Officer, racking and tables for our storage and packing units, is up over £1,300. These increased payments have been more than matched by an increase of nearly £25,000 receipts compared to the previous year. Each starter pack we provide to a needy Mum would cost around £300 if the Moses Basket, mattress, and contents were all purchased new. However, the majority of these items have been donated by individuals, groups, organisations or companies (see 7[th] paragraph of section D above), leaving us to need to purchase only items that must be new or are needed to make good any shortfalls in the donated goods and supplies. This means we are able to give away far more in value than we pay for. This year, we have given out 623 starter packs with a value of around £186,900 for an expenditure of £33,373 (excluding the costs of assets). This indicates a remarkable uplift/added value in financial terms: each starter pack worth around £300 costing Early Essentials less than £54 to provide. In the three years since becoming a charity, Early Essentials, from all six locations, has
EARLY ESSENTIALS UK - TAR – 2021 to 2022 approved 12[th] July 2023
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given out over £457,000 value of starter packs with an expenditure of just under £66,000.
The trustees’ written and agreed Reserves Policy is to maintain a 3 months financial continuity reserve, identifying payroll and lease of premises as outgoings necessary for EE’s ‘core activity’. £0 reserve is held whilst the Manchester unrestricted funds bank balance is greater than £8,500. At the end of the financial year 2022, this balance is £9,333. This is a healthy financial position, with which the Trustees are satisfied.
The trustees have agreed and issued three policy and procedures for trustee, staff and volunteer expenses in this period.
Disclosure about related party transactions in this reporting period:
- there are no trustees’ remuneration and benefits; - no trustees’ expenses have been claimed or paid; - transactions: an employment contract was entered into with EE’s Executive Officer on 1[st] October 2021, with payroll set up for 2 days per week. One of the trustees, Christine Scott, is a ‘related party’, being the mother of the Executive Officer. Christine is neither present nor involved in any discussions and meetings concerning the performance, salary and payroll, nor terms and conditions of the appointed Executive Officer, leaving any meetings whilst these matters are discussed. The trustees consider and record this, and any other ‘conflicts of interest’ at the start of trustee meetings. - there are no other transactions of this type. Details of any funds materially in deficit There are no funds materially in deficit.
Further financial review details (Optional information)
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You may choose We do not have monies to invest. If and when we do, we shall prepare an to include investment policy. additional information, Of the £41,705 receipts in the year, we received £23,950 in grants and funds, where relevant having received none in the previous reporting year. £20,950 of this funding is
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about: restricted to spending on the starter packs (Moses Baskets, mattresses and
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the charity’s basket contents), and therefore shown as restricted funds in the accounts. Of principal the £18,474 end of year cash funds held, £7,829 of this is restricted funds yet
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sources of to be spent.
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funds (including any We have received: -
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fundraising);
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how £14,959 in donations from: expenditure has (a) generous individuals or couples who give either regularly or by ‘one-off’ supported the donations;
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key objectives (b) churches, Christian centres, and schools. Thank you to Ivy Church
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of the charity; Manchester, Didsbury CofE primary school, Burnage Family Church, Elmwood
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investment Church; Life Church Warrington, and Baby Chat Mums, policy and (c) retailers/companies/bank; thank you to, Lush Arndale, Stotts Opticians, and objectives NatWest bank with apologies for a delayed setting-up of an Early Essentials including any UK bank account, and the Co-Op.
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ethical investment £2,057 from sponsorship raised by one of EE’s founders, running the Tatton
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policy adopted. half marathon; £738 in HMRC tax relief on individual’s Gift-Aid donations,
EARLY ESSENTIALS UK - TAR – 2021 to 2022 approved 12[th] July 2023
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and £23,950 in grants or funds: thank you to Manchester Relief in Need, the National Lottery Community Fund, Amazon Charitable Giving, Tesco Community Grant via Groundwork UK, and the Albert Hunt Trust.
Individuals have given to EE UK for the work of EE Manchester and EE UK, or for specified EE locations. The attached accounts are for all 6 Early Essentials locations combined. Many individuals and couples donate to us through ‘Stewardship’ on their web giving pages. We do not pay any subscription nor ‘platform fee’. Stewardship pays us the donation plus any gift-aid tax relief, less a small percentage service fee. (Currently 3.5%)
We could not continue as a charitable service without the very generous financial support of all the above, and we thank you with grateful hearts.
Payments this year, rounded to the nearest whole %, and only listing line items greater than 1% (with the previous year’s % shown in brackets), are identified as follows:
42% (43%) (a) supplies for Moses Baskets where- we do not have donations or - we must buy new, including Moses Baskets themselves 2% (2%) (b) promotion including website development 2% (3%) (c) miscellaneous items, including training 15% (25%) (d) rent of premises for storage/sorting/packing 1% (3%) (e) insurances 33% (18%) (f) salary and payroll costs 0% (3%) (g) fundraising
- 5% (3%) (h) Laptop/shelving and racking etc: assets
Each of these ‘line items’ support the key objectives of EE – to provide Moses Baskets pack full of essentials for a needy Mum and her new-born baby.
Section F Other optional information
Full details of the work of EE including: details of what we pack in baskets; a video showing what we do; contact details of all locations; testimonials from referring agency staff and mums who have received the baskets – and more – can be found on our website – http://earlyessentials.org.uk
The website also provides links to Facebook and other social media pages run by each location, or you can search Facebook for Early Essentials xxx and insert the location (xxx) in which you are interested.
Section G Declaration
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
EARLY ESSENTIALS UK - TAR – 2021 to 2022 approved 12[th] July 2023
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CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLINO AND WALES EARLY ESSENTIALS UK Receipts and payments accounts
1186657
CC16a For the rIOd 0111012021 ro Section A Receipts and payments Unrestricted fund• Restricted Endowment Totsl funds Last year b)the nparii£ ioth• tou rwr•¥t£ to the nearpbt£ A1 R•celpts donatn5 14.959 15.792 11.0 sro1s0rsp Emergw C(119 I05T Fund eic tsx rehef. GA1rrd by EE 738 Sub total(Grnss income for ARJ A2 A8S•t and Investrnt sales, Is•e tsbl•l. none 755 41.705 18,772 Sub total 20.755 41.705 16,772 A3Pa suprdies foi Baskets pnnbng, staknwy, 8ra 11121 14,721 187 112 671 5.114 187 112 Day 25 627 5,292 555 0,114 rraisiro vunteers. exse$ Staff exp8Dses pay1. 1 part.tme Exvthe Off Insurar 559 Sub fotal 14121 33J74 A4 A98et and investment urchage¥, see tsble 8hdvirulraoirutrolleyl8torag8 1.197 718 1.915 572 71B 1 J15 Sub total 572 21168 13.121 20,891 Net of re¢eipW(paynJentsJ . AS Trnnsf•rs between funds A6 Cash funds last ar •nd Cash funds Ihls yearend 1A13 6,41 4,119 12.058 10. 12,058 18A74 16.177 12.058 729 CCXX R1 acwunts ISS}
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unr•stricted Restricted Endowmerrt fund¥ Cat8gorfe5 Detall8 Bl Cash fun D#11 Details ehaws own 139 Details B5 Liabllllles 411Avrt P LEELI+ .IW712023 CCXX R2 a(%)xvts ISSI
Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
| Report to the trustees On accounts for the year ended Set out on pages |
Early Essentials UK | Early Essentials UK | Early Essentials UK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 September 2022 | Charity no (if any) |
1186657 | |
| 1-7 |
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 30/09/2022.
Responsibilities and As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the basis of report 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.
Independent I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
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the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
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the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
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the accounts did 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.
Date: 14/07/2023 Signed: Name: Keith Nelson Relevant professional ICAEW qualification(s) or body (if any): Address: 43 Park Avenue, Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire
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Section B Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
Give here brief details of N/A any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .
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