Trustees. Annual Report for the period 22-23 Period slart date Peri()J end date Month Year Year 10 2022 T030 2023 Section A Reference and administration details Charlty name EARLY ESSENTIALS UK Other names charlty is known by EE Registsred charlty number (If any) 1186657 Charlty's prfnclpal address Springfield House, Mill Lane Cheadle Cheshire SK8 2NT Names of tho charlty trustths who manage the charity N•n• of pornon lor bodyl entitled to appolnt tru8tre I an OITKe {Ifary) Graham Leech Chief Finance Officer Christine Scott Lea Leech Martin Austin Sarah Hope Natalie Hands Names of the trustees for the chaiity. rf any. (for example. any custodian trustees Name Datss acted rf not for whole NONE Names and addrgs808 of advlsers- No advisors are engaged by EE. Name of senior staff memb•rs- Sarah Newlon-smith - 'ExecLrtive Officerf. cfnder and the only employed staff (part time) Section B Structure, overnance and mana ement DorKrlption of the charlty's trusts Type of goveming document CONSTITisnoN How the charity is constrtuted Charitable Inccyporated Organisation (CIO) Trustee sdection nEthods Appointed by existing Trustees under para#10 of o)nst¢tution EARLY ESSENTIALS UK- TAR- 2022 to 2023 appro2j(* 2024
Addltlonal governance Issues (Optional inft)nnatftj You may chooee to include additional information, where rdevant, about: This reporting year is from 19¢ Odober 2022 to 30th September 2023. Earty Essentials UK {EE), and from now on in this rert, Wuslourf, received confirmatton on 29th November 2019 that we were entered onto the Register of Charities as a CIO- Charitable Incorporated Organisation. We have therefore teen a CIO for 4 years * 29th November 2023. This is our fourth Trustees report as a charttylCIO. For the background infornation. how EE started in March 2015, and a short history of our operations, please fer to the 2020 TAR - Trustees Annual Report. EE UK is orthted by a team known as Early Essentials Manchester, packing and delivering Moses Baskets from rented wemises in the M22 postcode area of south Manchester. We thank The Message Trust for their generous and much apprecialed use of their premises. We moved from their warehouse on Leestone Road to their fumished premises on Harper Road in January 2023. policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees,. the ¢harity'5 organisational Structu and any wider eork with which the chartty works,. relationship wtth any related parties., Irustees, ¢onsideratron of major risks and the syslem and prOdureS to manage them. There continue to also be satellite groups known as Eaty Essentials Stockport, Warrington, Peterborough, ilhrtby and Baltymoney. each operating in their local areas dunng this reporting year under the leadership of a local Team Leader. All our activities are undertaken by volunteers, except for one employed part-time ExecutNe Officer. Our volunteers have worted tirelessty to continue to sort, wash, stock, pack, and supply Moses Baskets throughout the Feriod to meet a demand from the referring agencies that is 37% higher than the previous year and 81 %% higher than hyo years ago. It is conceming that the demand for Moses basketslstarter packs continues to rise. but the trustees are pleased that EE has been able to increase the level of seryice it has provided in this period, arKI no eligible referral has had to be tumed-away. We aim to continue to be able to respond to eath and every eligible referral g(xng for4vard Early Essentials operates for the 'wblic benefft, so does not 'grft' starter packsimoses baskets directly to the eligible mothers, and therefore neither meets or knows th8 mothers and babies. The need is identffied by 'referring agencies,, and the professional stafflvolunteers of these agen¢Fes apply to us explaining how the recipients meet the eligibilty criteria. Our stafflvolunteers then check the application and notrfy the referrirKJ agency whether or not the criteria are met, and rf met, fr(Kn where when the starter pa¢k ¢an be Mllected by the referrsng ag8n¢y. EE Manchesterfs benefiaaries are all within Greater Manchester. Each of the fiv8 satellite teamllocation serves their local referring agency Fxofessionals and staff with benefi¢iaries in their local communth"es. The trustees note that none of EE'S activities inv0b or require face to face ontact with vulnerable adults or children. A Safeguarding Poli¢y is in place, being benefial for the charity, the Execub've Officer, and the volunteeryJ. The trustees regularly review this to ensure it is relevant and aPicable. A copy ts available to the pulJic on the EE website. Insurance cover in the name of EE UK continues to be in place. This provides Public and Employer's liability cover, and also includes Cover for volunteers and material loss where packing and storag8 is in rented or18ased property (at Manchester and Warrington locations). EARLY ESSEMfiALS UK- TAR- 2022 to 2023
All six trustees remained in post during thrs period induding Christine Swtt and Graham Leech and, who were aptKoved to (x)ntinue as trustees for a further 2 years by the trustees in February 2023 aThJ Jung 2023 respectively. Section C Ob'ectives and activities Summary ofthè objects ofthe tharrty set wt in rt8 goveming dccjment To relieve or prevent the financial hardship of parents or carers of new-iw)m babies in the UK, in particular but not exctusively, by providing Moses baskets and tiems of baby dothing. bedding. toiletries and other essentials. Early Essentials provide emergency IAose8 Basket hampers or startsr packs We provide Moses basket starter packs for the most vulnerable pregnant vmmen. vtho would oththse te unable to tKovide for their babies directly after birth. The women are referred to EE via etther their mi¢fv4Èfe, health vistlor, social worker or chanty. Our criteria are that they must be 32 or more vReks pregnant and fall into one of the following categories: (a} homeless (b) refugeelseeking asylum (c} fleeing domestic abuse (d) in serious financial crisis (e) . .or similar disadvantage. Th8 Starter pack indudes essentials such as: baby clothes. blankets, nappies, pes, breast pads, matemty pads, toiletries for baby and mum, toys. a towel arKI a grF( for mum. The items donated ar8 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 gfft, in ¢eltophane ready to be Cdlected. The starter path is collected from our EE premises by the referring third paty agency staff, vtho then deliver the path to the mother. We would also provide a Moses starter pack in skwial but equalty urgent and needy ¢irGumstan¢es, for exarnp, tailored to the needs of a father arKI new-bom baby wher8 a mother and baby are separated at birth. All trustees have been provided with apICable information, and eath have signed the required Trustee eligibilty declaration whith states the purposès and object of EE. including rts underlying requirements for public benefit. The declaration regarding working ¥th vulnerable groups is not signed as staff and volunteers and trustees do not work wrth vulnerable people including children. TTUStees regularfy review the main activities undertaken by EE in their truste8 meetings. The public benefft requirements are met by implementing a refeal process, maintaining an indeFendence of the team leaders and volunteers from the choosing of which mums-to-te receive the teneffl 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 benefft, uiietia, the agency staff a infomied when a basket is ready for collection. Summary of the main aCtiv8S undertaken for the public ben6frt in relation to these objects (include within this se¢1 the statutory de¢larion that trustees have had regard to the guidan issued by the Charity Commisston on public benefftl EARLY ESSENTIALS UK- TAR- 2022 to 2023 oppro¥pd2PJt
Additional detalls of objectives and activiiies fOlal inflyynation) 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 tjothing, the packing of baskets with the many r(ems we provi(le, replenishing stcck, collecting donations, disposal of unsuttable items, communicating with referring agencies, social media promotion, admin, and websbte UF4lating, has continued as demand has increased, enabling us to meet the much highèr number5 of baskets provided to needy Mums and particulady, to never have to tum-d¢)wn a valid referral. Public speakinglpr8sentations, and the training and support of volunteers, has continued during this period. S¢yne volunteers. are also tNstees. are invow in decision making, accountinglbookkeeping. banktnglfinancial transactions. policylprocedure writing, and attending trUSteelmemtrs meetings. The trustees exiend heartFelt thanks and appreciation to all those who direGt and indirertly volunteer and supkY)rt the wc*k of EE in providing the gifts of Moses Baskets packed to the brim with essents"als. You may choo8e to include fv]rther ststements. where relevant, abouL' policy on grantm8knng; policy programm8 lated investment contribution made by volunteers. Section D Achievements and performance Early Essential's (EE'S) 'core' actNty is the suppty of pad(ed Moses basket starter packs to 'referring agency. slaff who deliver them to the needy or vuln8rable Mums. Summary ofthe maln athieverrEnts of the Charity during the year Please refer to each EE tocation's Faoebook pages (links can b8 found on the EE website) to see achievements, suGcesses, 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 wfm) have made it possible to maintain and grow our 'Gore' activty. All 8 existing EE locations have continued to operate during this pericKI. In this reporting year the numbers of baskets provided was 855 across our 6 locakn'ons, which is a 37% increase on the previous 12 months totsl of 623, and an 81% increase on the number two years ago of 471. LOCATION B8¥k•ts THIS YEAR Total since startlng - start dats EE Manchester- 535 (+135) 2,105 March 2015 EE Stockport- 1CQ {-T) 919 July 2015 EE Warrington- 91 {+86) 322 March 2016 EE PeterbcKough - 88 (+46) 282 March 2017 EE Whitby - 11 {4) 32 February 2021 EE Ballymoney - 21 {-3) April 2021 TOTALS.. 855 {+232) (NumbersVI (xx) brthts SIKWS the ¢hange tredI0 previous 12 nk)nths) Our total basketslstarter packs wovided Sin March 2015 is 3,718, which we find both humbling arKJ sad. It highlights a tremendous need vthich we prefer did not exist, but we are privileged to make a drfferen this year for 855 babies and their mums. EE functions wth a heart to show uncondttional love through a free gfft to Mums in difficuft circUmstans, based on the Bible verse "For God loved the worfd so much that he ve his onl Son, so that eve one who believes in EARLY ESSENTIALS UK- TAR- 2022 to 2023 3.718
him may not die but have etemal life." thank God for his continued provision of resour this year and Sin VR started. W8 gtve heartfelt thank6 to all those during the year, donated go¢)Js and supplies that tCN3ether make up a full Moses Bask8t. Yw are an essential and aFpreciated part of the work we do. and thank you for joining us in meeting the needs of so many needy Mums. There are too many individuals to name, bLrt thank you to each of you for giving so generously of new and 'as-new' used items. o(x We also wysh to thank the many community groups, churches and church groups. faith groups, schools, businesses and shops who give so generously or makeikntucrochet baby-items... induding Asda Foundation, Childs Fann. Clare de Lune, Gatley Knitwts, Ivy Church Manchester, Elmwood Church, John Lewis & Partners Cheadle. Llfe Churth Warringt¢)n, Gemma Tuson's Bu Clothes Swap. Good Aftemooners. Women's Institute, Lush Man¢hester Amdale, Manthester Libraries, Swinton Polic8 Station, Aristra Bar Swinton, Shrimad Rajchandra Love and Care, Byotrol, Tesco, Morrisons, Bare Necessities Toiietry Bank, The Little Green Sock Projec( Chamwooj Nursery, Lok n Store, Babyccino Coffee Mums, St Vincent De Paul Charity, Fusion 21, Warrington Hospital Maternty Dept, Northem Regional College, Conne( Centre, Both Lives Matter, Werrington Carol Singers. Neighbourhood Chartty Craftets, Northem Care Alliance Trust. ifitrth Love Steph, The Message Trust and Message Community Hub, Zac Guinan, Ctyde & Co. Solicitors, and more. Sorry rf we have missed your name or church or organisationl The trustees thank the many irKlividuals who have joined one of our location teams in sorting items and packirvJ baskets, both regularly or just for a few hours. We also give heartfett thanks to individuals, groups, churches and companies vtho have so generously supported us financially this year. (See also the financial review at section E bek>w). Section E Financial review Brlof 8Lthm&nt of tho charltys policy on reserves Please refer to our Annual Accounts, wblished tcgether with this Annual Report. We started the year with £18,474. Our Receipts were £38,404 which was £1,2fK) more than cr tAMty. Our Payments were £44,285 whith byas £3,065 less than our tAKlget. Our end of year balance is £12.593. The increase in paymerrts is spread over our whole OFerational costs arm refiects the resources required to provide 855 basketslstartw packs. Payments on supplies for *arter paths have increased £3,132 since the previous year, lease of premises at Warringion and Mandter is up by nearfy £3,530; payroll costs have increased by £3,486. Each starter pad( we provide to a needy Mum would cost £300 and £350 rf the Moses Basket, mattress, and contents were all purchased new. However, the many of these items have been donated by indNiduals. groups, organisations CK Mmpanies (see section D above), leaving us to need to purchase onty items that must be rwi or are needed to make good any shortfalls in the donated goods and supplies. This means we are able to gFve away far more in value than we pay for. This yéar, we have given out 855 starter packs with a value of around £278.000 for an expenditure of £43,822 (exduding the costs of 'assets' such as storage boxes, printer for the EO'S home office. and 'sail-flag' outside the Man¢h8Ster packing premises). This psents a remarkable upliftladded value in financial tems wth each starter worth around £325 costin Earl EARLY ESSENTIAL8 UK- TAR- 2022 to 2023
Essentials less than £52 to provtde. In the three year5 since becoming a chanty, EaTly Essentials, from all six locations. has given OLrt over £735,OCKJ value of starter packs an expenditure of just under £110.OIXI. The trustees apPlaj the leam leaders for each location in their efficient use of monies whilst embraang the large increase in referrals. Overall expeThJiture this financial year has reduc&J by £4.84 per basket. The trustees. wrttten and agreed Reseprfes Policy is to maintain a 3 months finanaal continuty reserve. identifying payroll and lease of premises as outgoings necessary for EE'S 'core activty,. £0 reserve is held whilst the Manchester unrestricted funds bank balance is greater than £8.500. and £5.500 when the balance falls below that figure. At the end of the financial year September 2023, this balan vms £7,528. The trustees are pleased to report that in October 2023 EE reiVed donations of more than £14,8W, meaning that the finances are in a heatthy posilion. and with whith the trustees are satisfied. The trustees have agreed four policy and procedures in this peri(xJ'. Volunteer Management" Safeguarding: Health and Safety Policy. and a procedure for handling cash donations. Disclosure about related party transactions in this reporting period.. - there are no trustees. remuneration and beneffts" - no trustees, expenses have been claimed or paid,. - no volunteers expenses have been ¢laimed,' - transactions.. an employment contrad was entered into wtth EE'S Executive Officer on 1S1 October 2021, renewed on 1* O¢tober 2022. with payroll set up for 2.5 days per week. One of the trustees, Christine Scott, is a 'related party,, being the mother of the Executive offir. Christine is neither present nor involved in any discussions and meetings conceming the perfornan, salary and payroll, nor terms and conditions of the appointed Executive Officer. leaving any meetings whilst these matters are disrJJssed. The trustees consider arKI record this, and any other 'corfflirts of interest, at the start of trustee meetings. - there are no other transactions of this type. Detsils of any funds Mate1 in ¢Je¢tit There are no funds Materially in deficiL Further financial review details (Optional infonnation) You may choose to include additsonal informab'on. vthere relgvant abouL" • the chanty's principal sources of funds (including any fundraising)-, We do not have Mon to invest and the trustees have no plans to do so. If and when do, we shall epare an investrnent policy. Of the £38,404 receipts in the year, we received £12,024 in grants and funds. £3,537 of this funding ts restrictéd to spending on the starter pa¢ks (Moses Baskets, mattresses and basket contents), and therefore shown as restricted fvnds in the aG¢ounts. Al of this expt £212 has been spent. We have received". - £25,228 in donations from: nerous individuals or cou les who Ne either ulart orb 'one-off EARLY ESSENTIALS UK - TAR- 2022 to 2023
•how expenditure has supwrted the key objectives of the charity", investment policy and objectwes induding any ethral investrrEnt policy 0pted. donations.. thank you especially to Gemma for organising a dothes swap, and to PeterboroLfv3h Carol Singers. (b) churches, Christian ntres. arwj schools. Thank you to Ivy Church Manchester, Bumage Family Church. Joumey Church; (c) retailerslcompaniethnk: thank you to. MGPS sponsorship, Lush AmdaEe. Fusion 21, £681 from Zac completirKJ a sponsored run,. and £284 by a young lady doing a sponsored ¢2ke-bake. £185 in HMRC tax relief on individual's Gift-Aid donations. and £12,024 in grants or funds.. thank you to Asda, The Chartty Service. Manchester Guardians kniety Charitable Trust, Love Steph. and Tesco Groundwork UK. Individuals have given to EE UK for the work of EE Manchester and EE UK, or for speGffied EE locatior6. The attached accounts are for all 6 Early Essentials l¢)cations combined. Many individuals and couples donate to us through 'Stewardship' on their web giving pages. We do not pay any subscription nor 'atfOrM fee.. Stewardship transfers to EE the donation plus any gfft-aid tax relief, less a small percrtage ser¥ice fee. (Currently 3.5%) We could not Gontinue as a charitable service the very generous financial support of als the above. and those we have not mentioned by name, and we thank you with grateful hearts. Paymerrts thÉs year, rourKled to the nearest whole %, and only listing sine items greater than 1% {with the previous yea¢s % sh(7n in brackets), are identified as follows.. 40% (4V/o) (a) supplies for Moses Baskets wherep we do not have donations or- we must W new, induding Moses Baskets themselves 20% (1%) {b) womotion induding website development 2% (2%) {¢) miscellaneous items. induding training 19% {14%) {d) rent of FYemtses for storagelsorti@packnng 1% (1%) (e) insurances 34% 133%) (fj salary and payroll costs 1% {0%1 {g) furKlraising 1% {5%1 (h) Printerlshelving and racking etc: assets 0% (2%) (h) Printing Each of these 'line items, support the key 0.eCtiveS of EE- to provide Moses Baskets pack full of essentials for a rly Mum a1 her rw-bom baby. EARLY ESSENTIALS UK- TAR- 2022 to 2023
Section F Other optional information Full details of the work of EE including.. details of what we pa¢* in baskets; a video showing what Y 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- htt .'Ilearl essentials.or The website also provides links to Facebook and other sooal niedia pages run by each location, or you can search Facebook for Earfy Essentials 'locab'on' and irtsert the name of the location in which you are interested. Section G Declaration The trusteos dgGlare that they have approved the trustoes, report above. Signed on behalf of tho charlty's trustees Signatura(s) Full namels) P08itlon le.g. Seu•, Ctroi GRAFLAM PAUL LEECH Trustee & Chief Financial Offir NATALIE M HANDS Trustee 27r2024 EARLY ESSENllALS UK- TAR- 2022 to 2023
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES EARLY ESSENTIALS UK
1186657
Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the perlod 0IMof2022 To 3010912023 Section A Receipts and payments Unrestrtcted Restrlcted Endowment Totsl funds t year A1 R•e•lpi8 don8ti0ns (VollryTetsJ grantsrfuThls (V(lAWyC"pts) SPDnShip 14959 14.000 2,057 11024 FuThl etc 8ank Int65t t8x rel. GnlNid d8inwJ by EE 18$ Sub lolal(Grass Incon for AR) 3(198 04 41.706 A2 A1 and Invo¥lment [•. (see tsblo). non• Sub total TO rocdpts 34,198 41,TOS sur¢li&s for McÉ88 Baskets prinbry. 5tobEXW. etta prtymotyon inrjo tte de¥4cprrait Daygffts 1123 172 14721 741 187 112 671 &114 tof premises JNJRi$ng Stsftexpenses TNstees' ex¥e$ payrL41. 1 part-bme Exw)Jb%oifw InSUr8r 14(157 Sub to 31.3 33J74 A4 Asset and Invesknent urchases. see table shdWngI(lWr[Aleytslor prorn112 27 193 463 672 Sub total 672 32.462 44285 33,948 Net of CeIpts/(paymrts) A6 Tranthrn bètw••n funds Ae Cash funds last year eryl Cash funds thls ye•r end 1.736 7A17 6,881 7.759 10,845 12.381 18A74 12.593 12.058 19.817 212 CC16a
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Categorles Details fvnds funds to nèsr08t£ tr+ nparBst£ Bl Ca8h funds 11974 212 12,381 312 fundB funds fund$ to noartst£ Details to nBar95t£ B2 Other monetary assgts B3 Investment assots Ftsr•Jto *tach CuTh8ntvalu8 on81 1.268 84 A88¢ts rètalned for the charlty's own u IC42 75 FurNI to wM¢h Dunt du• Yhon dua onal Dptails B5 Liabilities Signgd t>y (x)& art trttstees fm behawof all the IrL¢lees D¥te of roval E N I+APD3 2210712024 2210712024 CC168 EE
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A lftdependent Examiner's Report Reportto the trusteosl mgmber8 of Earfy Essentials UK On accounts forth• yr ended 30 September 2023 Charfty no (Wanyl 1186657 Set ¢)ut on pag•s 1to2 I repNt to trustoas my oxamknation ofthe accojnts of Ihg aKJbV tharlty llhè Trusfi for Ihè year end 8171I7E 20109 12023 gsponslbllltle$ and As dwty Irustw of Ihe TrusL you ar8 re$A$)I& for Ihtr pmpar8Uon basls of roport of Ihe aco)Lnts ¥) ¥Lxydance wilh requirements of th8 Charits8s Act 2011 fthgP£ry I report in ra$¢1 of my examination of th$ Tntst's aciYAJnts carried out undpr secith 145 oflhg 2011 Act and in caffwng oyt my exarninatJn, I havè foll¢)wed aFghcabl& Dt¥ectics gN8n by lh• Charlty Commtsslon .. undef Soci 14515Mbl of the Ad. Independent I have (Thted nry 8xamInatk. I confimi that no matèrFal rnaltws hab •xaminets statemert com8 to my attent¥Jn lothèr1hèn that disrjowy bel(w"} in emnaction wrth Ihe eM$natiOn gives me cause to believe that in. any material arts)ng rocd$ wgre kept in accordance 5tction 130 of thg Act or th• attnts dD ty)t wilh the accountiFWJ iO)rds . I have Th) tt)nrems ha¥8 coff aLYOSS no otsr mattors in connèction '" wilh examintKffl to whith attantion Ul be drawn n ordtrrto 8nabl8 prope¥ Unde¥5tarKlIr of th8 ac(ljnts to be reached. ' Reesa delefr tIKg swrds iii th8 bTrakets rftheyoo notapply. 231T12024 Peter B811 Relevant profvsskxMI qu•lificallonlsl or body Ilf any): ICAEW Addrtss: 86, Bramhall Lane South. Bramhall. SK7 2EA
Section B DisGlosure - Onty c1)m8 ifthe ex¥rnN)èr ne8d8 to hljhlight matters of concom Isoo GC32, Independenl gxamination of charity acc(xmts.. dÈre¢tEons aThJ guldance for Give hor& bref d8tsils of any It8m$ that the examinerwtshe¥ to d110$*. NIA