BLOXWICH & BLAKENALL FOODBANK
CHARITY NUMBER 1190583
ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023
BLOXWICH & BLAKENALL FOODBANK
ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023
| Contents | Page |
|---|---|
| Trustees Report | 1 |
| Financial statements | 4 |
| Notes to the accounts | 5 |
This page has been intentionally left blank
Bloxwich & Blakenall Foodbank
Trustee’s Report for the year ended 31[st] August 2023
Reference and administrative details of the charity, it’s trustees and advisors
The trustees who held office during the financial year, and up to the date the report was approved were:
| Name | Positon | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Carl John Bolton | Chair | Appointed 1stSeptember 2020 |
| Diana Louise Bolton | Appointed 1stSeptember 2020 | |
| Lynn Penn | Appointed 14thDecember 2022 | |
| Julia Forrester | Appointed 14thDecember 2022 | |
| Mari Brigid Frost | Appointed 14thDecember 2022 | |
| Anne Wood | Appointed 14thDecember 2022 |
Charity Number
The charity was registered with the Charity Commission of England and Wales, number 1190583 on the 28[th] July 2020, and commenced operation on the 1[st] September 2020.
Principal Address Bankers Blakenall Village Centre Walsave Credit Union NatWest Monzo 79 Thames Road 181 High Street 22 Market Place Broadwalk House Walsall Bloxwich Cannock 5 Appold St WS3 1LZ Walsall Staffordshire London WS3 3LH WS11 1BU EC2A 2AG
Structure, governance & management
The charity is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) formed on 28[th] July 2020 and governed by a foundation constitution adopted on 28[th] July 2020.
Independent Examination of the financial statements
Because the turnover of the charity is under the £25,000 gross income threshold, there is no requirement for an independent examination.
Method of recruitment and appointment of trustees
The trustees of the charity are appointed by the members of the AGM.
Objectives and activities
The charity’s objects
The prevention or relief of poverty in Bloxwich and surrounding area in particular but not exclusively by providing emergency food supplies to individuals in need and other similar charities.
The charity’s main activities
Operating a food bank providing emergency food aid to people resident in the greater Bloxwich area, within the local authority area of Walsall, including but not limited to Bloxwich, Blakenall, Coalpool, Mossley, Dudley Fields. The food bank operates within the Trussell Trust
Public benefit statement
In setting our objectives and planning our activities our Trustees have given serious consideration to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit and in particular alleviating the effects of food poverty in our local area.
1
Bloxwich & Blakenall Foodbank
Trustee’s Report (continued) for the year ended 31[st] August 2023
Objectives and activities (continued)
Achievements and performance
The Foodbank makes provision of food parcels to many hundreds of people in need, including single people, couples and families with children. Food parcels include food for 3 meals a day for all members of the household for 3 days, plus toiletries and cat and dog food as requested. Occasional provision of cooking utensils and other small household items are given out when available.
It provides volunteering opportunities for local people, with around 10 -15 people a week typically volunteering at least 2 hours each, sometimes significantly more.
The foodbank is sustained by the extremely generous donations of food and cash donations from members of the public, Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council, The Trussell Trust, other charities and local supermarket branches which is vital to keeping the service running efficiently.
Trustees and volunteers are committed to developing and maintaining excellent working relationships with the council, its agencies and other food and service providers to the greater benefit of the foodbank service .
Over the period, the food bank fed 1,467 children, and 1,770 adults. (2022: 1,135 children and 1,324 adults) this represents an increase of 32%, (2022: 44%) which is indicative of the continued and increasing demand on the food bank’s resources, due to the cost of living crisis which continues to affect the most vulnerable in our community.
Financial Review
The year ended 31 August 2023 remains challenging in maintaining enough stock of food to meet demand from donations, and it has only been able to meet demand through the extraordinarily generous donations from external providers which has enabled it to purchase stock. The cost of living crisis remains a huge challenge for local families, and in turn, impacts on the demand from the foodbank for the vital support it provides.
Stock at the end of the year amounted to 4,382 kg (2022 - 8,446kg) which if valued at the recommended figure from the Trussell Trust of £2.37 per kilogram would be valued at £10,385 (2022 £2.37 and £20,017). The unit value of the stock for 2023 remained at the same level as the previous year, following the large increase of 41% from 2021 to 2022. This is indicative of the slowing down and gradual correction to inflation. Although the rate of inflation has fallen since its peak of 11%, the cost of basic living essentials has not fallen to pre-inflation levels and remain high. This is therefore reflected in the unit stock value of £2.37/kg.
The food bank achieved a net surplus for the year of £12,881 (2022 - £2,348). Whilst this represents a large surplus for the organisation, this is due to a large amount of grant funding received in the year which will continue to resource the food bank in subsequent periods, and ensure the security of the provision of the service into the future. All income and expenditure is treated as unrestricted funds. There were no restrictions on any donations in the year.
2
Bloxwich & Blakenall Foodbank
Trustee’s Report (continued) for the year ended 31[st] August 2023
Achievements and performance (continued)
Going concern
The trustees have assessed the charity’s ability to continue for at least 12 months from the date the accounts were approved and conclude that no material uncertainties exist that cast doubt on the charity’s ability to meet its liabilities as they fall due.
Reserves policy
Free unencumbered reserves excluding fixed assets for the year ended 31[st] August 2023 was £21,601 (2022 - £8,082). The trustees have estimated that £12,000 would be sufficient to meet its needs for a 3-6 month period, in the event that they needed to use reserves to fund the running of the food bank. Although the current reserves exceed the reserves policy, trustees are satisfied that the level of current reserves are necessary to ensure the security of resource to fund the operation in future periods, as demand continues to increase significantly each year. In previous years, the food bank relied heavily on the donations of food from the public, however this has decreased significantly in proportion to the aid given, and the organisation relies more heavily now on external funding to meet this demand.
Trustees have identified this as the main threat to its operations, along with any reduction in grant funding it currently receives.
Approved at the trustees’ meeting held on 27[th] June 2024, and signed on behalf of trustees.
C Bolton Chair, Bloxwich and Blakenall Food Bank
3
Bloxwich & Blakenall Foodbank
Financial Statements for the year ended 31[st] August 2023
Included in grants and donations for 2023 was government grant funding of £8,000 from Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council (2022: nil)
These financial statements were approved and authorised for issue at the trustees meeting held on 27[th] June 2024 and signed on behalf of the trustees by:
Carl Bolton
Chair Bloxwich & Blakenall Food Bank
4
Bloxwich & Blakenall Food Bank
Notes to the accounts
For the year ended 31 August 2023
1 Accounting policies
Basis of accounting
The trustees have taken advantage of section 133 of the Charities Act 2011 and have prepared the accounts on a receipts and payments basis.
Taxation
As a charity the organisation benefits from rates relief and is generally exempt from income tax and capital gains tax but not from VAT. Irrecoverable VAT is included in the cost of those items to which it relates.
Fund accounting
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity. Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure imposed by the donor or through the terms of an appeal. There were no restricted funds in 2022/2023.
5
Bloxwich & Blakenall Food Bank
Notes to the accounts (continued) For the year ended 31 August 2023
4 Stock
Stock is recorded by weight, under the guidance of The Trussell Trust. As a value, this is not included in the balance sheet, as it is not for re-sale but distribution to the needy. The rates advised by the Trussell Trust for the period was £2.37 per kilogram (2022 £2.37 per kilogram). This is reflective of the inflation of food goods in the period.
5 Related party transactions
Trustee expenses
No trustee received any expenses during this year or the previous year.
Trustee remuneration and benefits
No trustee received any remuneration or benefit during this or the previous year.
Other related party transactions
There were no other related party transactions in the year.
6