Rainbow Baby Bank Trustees’ Annual Report And Financial Statements
Period From 6-4-24 to Period End 5-4-25
Charity number 1187710
Rainbow Baby Bank Trustees’ report for the period from 6-4-24 to period end 5-4-25
Legal and administrative information
Board of Trustees: Georgina Lucy Surtees Georg-Ann Walker Amel Bashford Charity number: 1187710 Registered Office: 19-21 Westgate Heckmondwike WF16 0HE Independent Examiner: Zahid Khan, Principal Tax Assist Accountants 18 Market Street Heckmondwike WF16 0JJ
Bankers: Lloyds Bank (Chesham 309191) 79 High Street Chesham HP5 1BT
Structure, governance and management
Rainbow Baby Bank is a registered charity with the Charity Commission for England and Wales since 3 February 2020 (Charity Number 1187710). Rainbow Baby Bank is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)
Method of recruitment and appointment of Trustees
The Trustees are appointed by the Trustees following an official recruitment process
Public benefit statement
The Trustees have fulfilled their obligation to consider the guidance on public benefit provided by the Charity Commission for England and Wales. When establishing our goals and designing our initiatives, the Trustees have taken into account the public benefit, with a specific focus on the prevention and relief of poverty.
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Rainbow Baby Bank Trustees’ report for the period from 6-4-24 to period end 5-4-25
Objectives and activities
The objects of the CIO are the prevention and relief of poverty in Kirklees and the surrounding area by providing:
- Items to families in need and/or charities, or other organisations working to prevent or relieve poverty
Our geographical focus of the metropolitan borough of Kirklees comprises of Huddersfield, Dewsbury, Batley and Spen. This is an area of 408km2. A report by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation found that 35% of the borough’s children are living in poverty and 12% of the communities are classed as being in the most deprived in England.
Rainbow Baby Bank believes that every child deserves the best start in life. We provide disadvantaged families and mothers-to-be with new and pre-loved essential baby equipment, nappies, toiletries, clothing upto 18-24m, baby food and infant formula via external agency referral only. These include: health visitors, midwives, family support & social workers, Perinatal Mental Health, schools and other charitable organisations.
Our service users are families experiencing poverty, domestic abuse, asylum seekers with no recourse to public funds, unemployment, housing issues, imprisonment and human trafficking/sexual exploitation.
We are the only baby bank, in Kirklees, to offer a delivery service - removing barriers for families who cannot collect items due to transport, health, or financial difficulties. We employ a driver for 30-hours a week enabling us to also offer a collection service for our donations. Our external agencies have said how vital our delivery service is to them and our service users.
Alongside referrals for individuals, we also proudly support 5 domestic violence refuges in Dewsbury and Huddersfield.
We also support Palm Cove Society and Ashiana. Both organisations offer support to vulnerable refugees, victims of human trafficking, modern day slavery, forced marriage and honour-based violence. In addition, we also support HMP New Hall Mother & Baby Unit.
We have a small Community Hub situated within the baby bank offering signposting, discrete collections, drop-in sessions run by outside agencies and community groups. Our hub is a Safe Place and a Safe Zone.
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Rainbow Baby Bank Trustees’ report for the period from 6-4-24 to period end 5-4-25
Next door to the baby bank is our charity shop. It is in the heart of Heckmondwike town centre and is a vital link to our community.
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Every child deserves the best start in life
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Rainbow Baby Bank Trustees’ report for the period from 6-4-24 to period end 5-4-25
Achievements and performance
During the period 6-4-24 to period end 5-4-25, we helped 982 families, with total beneficiaries of 2,962. This is a decrease of 17% compared to the same period 23-24. The decrease is due to the charity taking the difficult decision to stop our clothing provision to children over the age of 18-24m. This was in the best interests of the charity to enable us to concentrate solely on babies and very young children.
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WF12, WF13, WF14,
WF15, WF16, WF17
HD1, HD2, HD3, HD4,
HD5, HD7, HD8, HD9
BD11, BD19
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Rainbow Baby Bank Trustees’ report for the period from 6-4-24 to period end 5-4-25
We supported 1,184 children, of which 294 were referrals for newborn babies.
We have seen an increase in the different external agencies using and knowing about our service. This has included other charities, local schools and different teams from Kirklees Council. 36% of our referrals are placed by Health Visitors after a visit to our service user’s homes.
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Rainbow Baby Bank Trustees’ report for the period from 6-4-24 to period end 5-4-25
We employ a driver, for a 30-hours week, as 95% of our referrals are delivered direct to our service user’s home. During this period, we covered over 7,800 miles. We were fortunate to receive funding from the Wharfedale Foundation in June 2024 to cover our driver’s salary and cover fuel costs.
In March 25, we were absolutely delighted to receive a donated Mercedes Benz all electric e-sprinter van from the Baby Bank Alliance and Multibank. We are already seeing significant cost savings. Estimated yearly saving of a staggering 90% compared to diesel consumption.
Our charity shop, which is next door to the baby bank, continues to help us to be more sustainable and promote a circular fashion economy. It provides the charity with a modest income. The opening of our dedicated children’s section upstairs continues to be extremely popular, especially with families experiencing working poverty who may be unable to access our service. It is a vital connection to the local community.
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Rainbow Baby Bank Trustees’ report for the period from 6-4-24 to period end 5-4-25
Within the baby bank is a small Community Hub, which was opened in January 23. We continue to offer this space for free to any organisation or community group. We have welcomed private sessions from Resilient Kids Academy. A local organisation helping children build confidence, resilience, and life skills through fun, supportive learning. Empowering children to thrive at school, home, and beyond.
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Rainbow Baby Bank Trustees’ report for the period from 6-4-24 to period end 5-4-25
We have welcomed Community Plus, a local Council service that aims to help people to live healthier, happier lives and feel more able to look after themselves, with a commitment to building stronger, more connected communities.
Maternity Befrienders – an NHS initiative advising expectant mothers who are new to the country and may experience health inequalities.
We also welcome Auntie Pam’s on every second Friday of the month. They are a service which forms part of Kirklees Council run by peer support volunteers. They offer self-weigh for babies, advice on breastfeeding, weaning, child development and so much more.
Our space is warm, small and inviting, with participants feeling more at ease in neutral, welcoming surroundings.
In July 2024, we received funding from One Community Foundation via Big Local and The National Lottery Community Fund. This enabled us to take the baby bank into the community of Dewsbury Moor for 12 months. Dewsbury Moor is in the top 20 per cent most deprived areas in England.
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Rainbow Baby Bank Trustees’ report for the period from 6-4-24 to period end 5-4-25
We were able to provide our beneficiaries with timely access to essential baby equipment including nappies, infant formula and baby food, emotional support and dignity. It empowered parents to care for their children with confidence and reduced stress during vulnerable periods. We reached families who might otherwise remain invisible-those facing crisis, isolation or poverty.
For the wider community, our outreach efforts have fostered stronger collaboration between the community, support services and the local stay and play group. We hope it's helped build a more compassionate and connected Dewsbury Moor, where no child is left behind due to circumstance. When families are supported, communities grow stronger.
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Rainbow Baby Bank Trustees’ report for the period from 6-4-24 to period end 5-4-25
In January 2025, we launched our website: www.rainbowbabybank.org.uk. This was thanks to funding from Sir George Martin Trust.
The website has made a significant impact on our organisation. We aren’t totally reliant on the Facebook algorithms to promote our charity. We are reaching a larger audience and can demonstrate our impact. We have already boosted our fundraising efforts and have links to our Amazon wishlist, Paypal Giving and contact details for monetary donations. The quality of our donations has also improved as items we can and can’t accept are clearly and thoroughly defined on the website. We can also direct people to the website for any frequently asked questions etc.
We continue to be extremely well supported by local supermarkets such as Morrisons, Tesco, Sainsburys, Co-Op and we are proud to be a part of Dunhelm’s Delivering Joy Christmas campaign.
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Rainbow Baby Bank Trustees’ report for the period from 6-4-24 to period end 5-4-25
In November 2024, ITV’s Lorraine programme launched a special appeal to support baby banks across the UK. Lorraine’s Big Baby Bank Appeal, in partnership with The Baby Bank Alliance and Morrisons supermarket. It helped to provide essential items for families experiencing hardship in winter . We were extremely proud to be involved in this appeal. We were very well supported by the Community Champions and Customers from three local Morrisons branches.
We continue our involvement with local schools and nurseries. We visit the schools, explain about the baby bank and how they can help us. We welcome class visits where the children are always excited to bring in their donated items. The children are very enthusiastic and ask some very good questions.
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Rainbow Baby Bank Trustees’ report for the period from 6-4-24 to period end 5-4-25
We are very well supported by local organisations who believe in the work that we do. Snowdon Masjid offer their support every Christmas and are unbelievable with their donations. Often filling the baby bank with items.
Two local mattress manufacturers, Duvalay (part of Raskelf group) and Bed Kingdom, continue to generously provide our cot and cot-bed mattresses free of charge. This is a huge saving to our charity, and we are extremely grateful for their incredible support.
We are in the second year of three-year funding from The National Lottery Community Fund. This covers the rent for the baby bank and the salary of our Baby Bank Manager. We are very thankful for their support.
We have 13 amazing volunteers who are the heart of Rainbow Baby Bank. They play a vital role in delivering support to families across our community. Their dedication, compassion and generosity of their time make is possible for us to respond effectively to growing demand. Together, our incredible volunteers contributed over 2,000 hours of their time in this period.
We have also welcomed Duke of Edinburgh students, Callum, Elliott & Kanif, reflecting the powerful impact of young people helping other people.
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Rainbow Baby Bank Trustees’ report for the period from 6-4-24 to period end 5-4-25
In summary, the Rainbow Baby Bank team worked tirelessly throughout the year to support families in need across our community, providing essential baby items and equipment to those facing hardship. This vital work would not have been possible without the dedication of our volunteers, the commitment of our core staff, and the generosity of our supporters who donated pre-loved baby items, purchased items from our Amazon Wishlist, and raised funds on our behalf.
We are also deeply grateful to our funders for believing in our mission and for their continued encouragement and support. Their investment has enabled us to maintain our core services and respond to increasing levels of need.
The past 12 months have been both challenging and rewarding. Due to unforeseen personal circumstances, we were regrettably unable to commit to attending fundraising events during this period. Despite this, the charity continued to deliver its services effectively, supported by strong community goodwill and partnerships.
Rainbow Baby Bank remains a service that is not only necessary but deeply valued within the community. The continued demand for our support reinforces the importance of our work and our commitment to ensuring that every child has the best possible start in life.
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Rainbow Baby Bank Trustees’ report for the period from 6-4-24 to period end 5-4-25
Reserves policy
Rainbow Baby Bank should always have a minimum, in reserve, enough to cover rent, utilities and one month’s wages/sessional rates
Financial review
| Financial review | ||
|---|---|---|
| Grants and donations | 6-4-24 to 5-4-25 | 6-4-24 to 5-4-25 |
| Unrestricted funds | Restricted funds | |
| £ | £ | |
| The National LotteryCommunityFund | 0 | 30856 |
| Third Sector Leader Kirklees | 0 | 60 |
| Wharfedale Foundation | 0 | 21500 |
| One Community- BigLocal DewsburyMoor Fund | 0 | 4961.75 |
| Kirklees Council | 0 | 784.4 |
| Sir George Martin Trust | 0 | 3000 |
| Neighbourly | 0 | 500 |
| Skipton BuildingSociety | 0 | 1380 |
| One Community- Household Support Fund | 0 | 19867 |
| One Community- General Fund | 0 | 1753.88 |
| Charles & Elsie Sykes | 0 | 3000 |
| BatleySportingFoundation | 0 | 306.66 |
| Loose Change Charity | 0 | 200 |
| Neighbourly- Sainsburys | 0 | 500 |
| Co-OpCommunityFund | 0 | 1199.01 |
| Groundwork - Tesco Stronger Starts | 0 | 1125 |
| Sovereign Healthcare | 0 | 2000 |
| West Yorkshire Combined Authority | 0 | 8450 |
| Woodward Trust | 0 | 1200 |
| Save the Children(BBA Development Fund) | 0 | 1200 |
| Arnold Clark CommunityFund | 0 | 2000 |
Our largest cash, unrestricted donation was £1,250 from M Lister
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Rainbow Baby Bank Trustees, report for the period from 64-24 to period end 54-25 Financial review Source of Income Split Funding Chartty Shop Sa5 tnatOnS/FUndr£1s1ng 16
Rainbow Baby Bank Trustees’ report for the period from 6-4-24 to period end 5-4-25
Declaration
Signed on behalf of the charity trustees:
Print name: Georgina Lucy Surtees
Position: Head Trustee
Date: 28-01-26
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CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLANts AND WALES 4187740 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period from To Section A Receipts and payments Unrestricted funds to rnarest Restricted funds Endowment funds to nearest £ Total funds Last year to the rwarest £ to rnarest £ to the nearest £ A1 Recei Trade Sales Fundin DonationslFundraisin Wei hlns Sub total(Gross income forAR) ts 46.526 105,844 15,138 46,526 105,844 15,138 49,191 53,265 19,014 8,754 730,224 167,508 167,508 A2 Asset and Investment sales, see table . Vehicle Loan 17,000 Sub total 17,000 Total receipts 167,508 167.508 147,224 A3Pa ments Purchases (or COGS) Direct Costs Accountancy Bank Interest Card Machine Fees Cleaning Council Tax Equipment Insurance Light & Heat Printing, postage and stationary Professional fees Repairs and malntenance Rent Stall hire Telecommunications Water Rates Vehicle fuel & running costs Office and general expenses Training Travel expenses Employer pension contributions Vehicle purchase Wages PAYE PayntS 600 600 705 227 475 498 498 3,417 2,900 201 887 201 471 82 82 92 797 437 2,930 151 618 11,612 618 204 432 204 432 20,995 4,178 155,054 Sub total 162,586 162.586 A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) Vehicle loan repayments 3.550 Sub total 4,260 4,260 3,550 Total payments 166,846 166,846 158.604 Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end 662 662 11,380 2,863 2,863 3.525 14,817 3,525 3,437 CCXX R1 accounts (SS) 2310112026
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unrestricted Restricted funds funds to nearest £ Endowment funds to rnarest £ Categories Details to rnarest £ B1 Cash funds Bank 2.863 Cash at hand 662 Total cash funds 3,525 (ayee IAlms with acc(Krt(s)) O!. Unrestricted funds to nearest £ Restricted funds Endowment funds to rnarest £ Details to rnarest £ B2 Other monetsry assets FWKI to whlch asset belongs Cost (optional) Current valuo {optlonal} Details B3 Investment assets FLXKI to which asset belorys Tangible Assets Details Vehicles Cost (optiorwl) Cwrent val ue (opt11> B4 Assets retained for the charty's own use F¥1 to which liability relates Current Liabilities Amount ( (optlonal) wTrn due (optional) Details Vehicle Loan B5 Liabilities Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees Signature Print Name Date of approval CfeG(L¢¥- f¥yJKJL ALk 01 2£ CCXX R2 accounts (SS) 2310112026
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