2025-11-30-accounts

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 1 Dec 2024 To 30 November 2025

Charity name: Comfort C.A.F.E.

Charity registration number: 1188833

Objectives and Activities

	SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document	Para 1.17	1) For the public benefit, the prevention or relief of poverty in the Blackpool Borough Council area by the provision of food, items, advice, information and support to people aged 18 and over who are living in poverty as a result of homelessness, being at risk of homelessness (by virtue of being vulnerably housed) and financial hardship. 2) To promote social inclusion for the public benefit by preventing people who are aged 18 in the Blackpool Borough Council area from becoming socially excluded, relieving the needs of those people who are socially excluded and assisting them to integrate into society. For the purpose of this clause ‘socially excluded’ means being excluded from society, or part of society, as a result of being a member of a socially and economically deprived community.
Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts.	Para 1.17 and 1.19	Comfort C.A.F.E. runs a weekly public drop- in session at St.Thomas’s Church Hall in Caunce Street, Blackpool. Those attending are befriended and served with a hot meal, a drink and takeaway sandwiches and snacks. We have known for a long time that many of our community struggle to feed themselves properly between payment of wages or benefits. There are no soup kitchens available mid-week, and this is a particularly lean time. The situation has got worse with the current economic situation and shows no signs of improving. Over the Winter of 2024/2025 we set up the ‘Winter Warmth’ project, supported by grants from Blackpool Council/ HM Government’s Household Support Fund, and the D.J. Sidebottom/Glasdon Charitable Programme. Over the Winter of 2024/25 we provided many of our clients with warm clothing and

		fleece blankets. We handed out thermal vests, long-johns, gloves, hoodies, snoods, scarves, tracksuit tops and bottoms, and jumpers throughout the Winter. Some were given flasks for hot drinks. The weekly attendance was around 78-95 people of various ages, gender, family situation and employment status. In addition to providing a weekly hot meal and takeaway food, we served a full Christmas dinner to 94 clients, plus our volunteers, and were joined by the Mayor and Mayoress of Blackpool. During the year we saw a steady rise in the number of people attending our sessions who had no permanent residence. This includes rough sleepers, people ‘sofa- surfing’, and those in B&B and hostel accommodation. Where funds allowed, we provided sleeping bags.
Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit	Para 1.18	The charity has complied with its duty to have due regard to the Charity Commission's public benefit guidance when exercising powers or duties to which the guidance is relevant.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

	SORP reference
Policy on grant making	Para 1.38	The charity does not make grants, but in desperate situations, we have a limited number of vouchers that can only be used for food. These are issued at the discretion of a Trustee.
Policy on social investment including program related investment	Para 1.38	Not applicable
Contribution made by volunteers	Para 1.38	All activities of the charity, (other than that of the Wellbeing Counsellor mentioned below), are performed by unpaid volunteers.
Other		We have funded the weekly attendance of a Wellbeing Counsellor who is available to all clients, and one of our volunteers provides a hair and beard trimming service. We have regular visits from Fylde Coast Medical Services who offer blood pressure. pulse and cholesterol checks and administer COVID and Flu vaccinations. They often encounter clients who rarely access preventative medical services. We also facilitate visits by representatives of the Hepatitis C Trust who have tested clients and referred them for treatment when

appropriate, and welcomed representatives of the Horizon service which is funded by Blackpool Council to provide support to people with alcohol and drug dependency problems. We also have regular visits by representatives of the Empowerment Charity, United Utilities, Shelter, the Citizen’s Advice Bureau and Blackpool Council who support clients in various ways.

Achievements and Performance

	SORP reference
Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole.	Para 1.20	Comfort C.A.F.E. has run the weekly sessions described above, helped people on low incomes to feed themselves and provided friendship and, via our Wellbeing counsellor, wellbeing advice. We also refer people to other organisations for help and advice as appropriate.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Achievements against objectives set	Para 1.41	We have met all objectives for the year.
Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set	Para 1.41	We have raised more than sufficient funds to meet our objectives during the year from a mixture of regular donations, one-off donations from local churches and organisations, and grants.
Investment performance against objectives	Para 1.41	The charity has made no specific investments and operates with a basic bank account to handle donations and pay for operational expenses.
Other

Financial Review

Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period	Para 1.21	At the start of the year Comfort C.A.F.E. had funds of £15,801.31. The bank balance of the charity at the end of the year was £33,433.59 which was carried forward to the 2025/2026 financial year. The increase was due to grants for the Winter of 2025/2026 arriving in our account close to the end of the financial year.
Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held	Para 1.22	The charity trustees review the accounts at each meeting and aim to retain reserves sufficient to pay for our rent and core services for a period of at least 6 months.
Amount of reserves held	Para 1.22	£5,000
Reasons for holding zero reserves	Para 1.22	Not applicable
Details of fund materially in deficit	Para 1.24	Not applicable
Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern	Para 1.23	Not applicable

Additional information (optional)

You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising)	Para 1.47	The charity has supporters who make regular monthly donations with many others making one-off donations. Fund-raising events have been held by a number of local churches and we have received grants from Blackpool Council/ HM Government’s Household Support Fund and the D.J. Sidebottom/Glasdon Charitable Programme
Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted	Para 1.46	All funds are kept in a Cooperative Bank charity account. There are no other investments and no plans to make any.
A description of the principal risks facing the charity	Para 1.46	No specific risks but we are dependent on our supporters and volunteers.
Other		As a provider of food, Comfort C.A.F.E. is inspected by the Local Authority and was awarded a Five Star food hygiene rating in November 2025. Food is prepared and labelled in accordance with Food Allergy and Intolerance guidance issued by the Food Standards Agency, including labelling pre-prepared items like sandwiches for the presence of allergens.

Structure, Governance and Management

Description of charity’s trusts:
Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter)	Para 1.25	Constitution approved by the Charity Commission
How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO)	Para 1.25	CIO
Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees	Para 1.25	(1) Apart from the first charity trustees, every trustee must be appointed for a term of three years by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees. (2) In selecting individuals for appointment as charity trustees, the charity trustees must have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO. (3)Eligibility for trusteeship (a) Every charity trustee must be a natural person. (b) No individual may be appointed as a charity trustee of the CIO: if he or she is under the age of 16 years; or if he or she would automatically cease to hold office under the provisions of clause [12(1)(e)] of the Constitution. (c) No one is entitled to act as a charity trustee whether on appointment or on any re-appointment until he or she has expressly acknowledged, in whatever way the charity trustees decide, his or her acceptance of the office of charity trustee. (d) At least one of the trustees of the CIO must be 18 years of age or over. If there is no trustee aged at least 18 years, the remaining trustees may only act to call a meeting of the charity trustees, or appoint a new charity trustee.

Additional information (optional)

You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees	Para 1.51	New volunteers are provided with copies of all policies and procedures and their duties are explained to them.
The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works	Para 1.51	The charity is managed by the Board of Trustees. A Kitchen Manager, who has a Level 2 Food Hygiene and Safety for Catering certificate, is appointed to supervise all matters relating to food preparation and storage.

Relationship with any related parties	Para 1.51	Comfort C.A.F.E. works closely with the Blackpool Food Bank, St. Thomas’s Church and attends forums organised by Blackpool Council
Other

Reference and Administrative details

Charity name	Comfort C.A.F.E.
Other name the charity uses	New Comfort Zone (being phased out)
Registered charity number	1188833
Charity’s principal address	C/O Brian Watson 19 Ulverston Crescent Lytham St. Annes FY8 3RZ

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20	Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee(if any)
	Gwen Cross	Secretary
	Brian Watson	Treasurer
	Sian Livesey
	Justin DeRizzio- George

– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved

Director name None

Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity

Trustee name	Dates acted if not for whole year
None

Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others

Description of the assets held in this capacity	None
Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects
Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets

Additional information (optional)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)	Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)	Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of adviser Name Address
Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

Exemptions from disclosure

Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details

Not applicable

Other optional information

Declarations The trust•os declare that they have approved the trustees. report above. Sign•d on behalf of th¢ charity's trustees Signaturelsl Full name($l Position leg Secretary* Chair, etcl Gwen Cross Brian Walson Secretary Treasurer Date 20 April 2026

----- Start of picture text -----
Comfort C.A.F.E. No (if any)
1188833
Receipts and payments accounts CC16a
For the period Period start date Period end date
To
from 01-Dec-24 30/11/2025
Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment
Total funds Last year
funds funds funds
to the nearest
to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
£
A1 Receipts
One-off Donations 3,543 - - 3,543 9,653
Regular Donations 3,770 - - 3,770 2,921
Grant from National Lottery 19,999 - 19,999 -
Grant from Blackpool Council 9,790 - 9,790 -
Grant from Glasdons 5,000 - - 5,000 -
Misc. Refunds 33 - - 33 -
Santander match funding 500 - - 500 -
- - - - -
Sub total (Gross income for
12,846 29,789 - 42,635 12,574
AR)
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
- - - -
- - - - -
Sub total - - - - -
Total receipts 12,846 29,789 - 42,635 12,574
A3 Payments
Food purchase 4,353 5,830 - 10,183 9,229
Clothing purchase 37 - 37 278
Office Expenses and postage 377 - - 377 674
Warm clothing, Sleeping bags, blankets
etc 100 2,970 - 3,070 571
Toiletries - 450 - 450 30
Rent and Insurance 3,107 - 3,107 2,880
Food Prep and storage 3,035 - - 3,035 1,408
Misc. Expenses 4,204 - - 4,204 1,620
Food vouchers 540 - 540 -
Sub total [ 15,213 ] 9,790 - 25,003 16,690
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total [ - ] - - - -
Total payments 15,213 9,790 - 25,003 16,690
Net of receipts/(payments) - 2,367 19,999 - 17,632 - 4,116
A5 Transfers between funds - - - - -
A6 Cash funds last year end 15,801 - 15,801 -
Cash funds this year end 13,435 19,999 - 33,434 - 4,116
----- End of picture text -----

CCXX R1 accounts (SS)

24/06/2026

1

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unrestrlcled funil Restrlcted funds Endowment funds tD￿￿3r￿1E t¢>nBareBt 81 Cash funds 13,4J5 19.9 Tot•1 cosh funds 13N3S 19,gY9 t¢t¢￿I$ll Unr•8trlci4d funds to n•ir•¥l£ R•strfct•d funds lo nv•ro¥l£ Endowmgni fund FundlowNth Curr•nl v•1 Futsd ttsvAilÈh CoBtloptknBII C￿rrIn￿WIlu8 B4 Assets retalnqd for the charity's own use FundlolGh f￿1• Amount du• tkn¥l du• BS Liabilities S￿Tre￿ byone or tru5t&s behf olall the tr￿Slee5 Dat8 or roval ture Prwll N￿¢ o¥e*d] CCXX R2 a¢cwntslSSI 1110512tr26 CCXX R2 accounts ISSI 2410612026

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report R•port to th• tru•t• Comfort C.A.F.E. On accounts for the year Onded 30 Novwnber 2025 Charlty no (If any) 1188833 S•t out on pago8 1to12 I report to the trustees on my examination of the aco)unts of th8 above charty Trust.) for tho year endad 3011112025. Ro8ponslbllltl•s and ba818 of r•port As the tharity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparatlon of th accounts in aG￿rdance with the requirements of th8 Charities Act 2011 (Ihe Act.). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carrfed out under sectSon 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions gNen by the Charity Commlsslon urKl8r section 14515Xb) of the ACL Ind•p•nd•nt examln•rfs stat•m•nt I have completed my èxamination. l ￿nriMi that no material matters have come to my attenlion in ¢onnect•on wlth the examination whlch glves me cause lo believe that in. any material respect.. the accounting records were not kept in a(￿rda￿e wlth sectlon 130 of the Charities Act. or the accounts did not accord with the accounlSng records. or the accounts did not compty wlth th8 applicable rgquirements conceming the form and content of accounts set out In lh8 Chadties (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a Irue and fair, view which is not a matter considered as part of an IndeperKlent examination. I have rK> concems and have come auoss fK> other matters in Connection with the examtnation lo which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the acrA)unts to be r8ach8d. ' Please delet8 the In lh6 brackels rf th8y do not apply. Slgn•d: Dato: 21-OLF- 20z6 Namo: Ic6klopK Relevant professlonal quallflcatlon(s) or body (If any): Addro88: r Ik)£LtswJf) QofvD, E(sT￿j I 1 7 IER Oct 2018

Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs lo highlighl material rnatters of concern {s88 CC32, Indep*)d8nt 8xaminatKJn of charity accounts.. directions and guKlance for examiners). Glvo hor• briof details of any it•m8 that th• exami￿r wl$hg• to dlsclose. IER Oct 2018