OpenCharities

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

2023-12-31-accounts

Charity Name Charity Name Charity Name No (if any) No (if any) No (if any) CC16a
For the period
from		 Period start date To Period end date
Section A Receipts and payments
A1 Receipts Unrestricted
funds
to the nearest
£
2,330
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2,330
-
-
-
2,330
2,286
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2,286
-
-
-
2,286
44
-
-
44		 Restricted
funds
to the nearest £
19,800
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
19,800
-
-
-
19,800
4,540
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
4,540
-
-
-
4,540
15,260
-
-
15,260		 Endowment
funds
to the nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-		 Total funds
to the nearest £
22,130
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
22,130
-
-
-
22,130
6,826
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
6,826
-
-
-
6,826
15,304		 Last year
to the nearest £
863
2,330
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
Sub total(Gross income for
AR)		 2,330 863
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
-
- -
Sub total - -
Total receipts
A3 Payments
863
2,286 -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
**Sub total ** 2,286 -
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
-
-
**Sub total ** - -
Total payments
Net of receipts/(payments)
A5 Transfers between funds
A6 Cash funds last year end
Cash funds this year end
-
44 15,260 - 15,304 863
- - - - -
- - - - -
44 15,260 - 15,304 863

CCXX R1 accounts (SS)

12/09/2024

1

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
Categories
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees
B1 Cash funds
B2 Other monetary assets
B4 Assets retained for the
charity’s own use
B5 Liabilities
B3 Investment assets		 Signature
Duncan Catterall-Mason
Details
Details
Details
Details
Total cash funds
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))
Details		 Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
to nearest £
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Agreement Error
Agreement Error
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
to nearest £
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fund to which
asset belongs
Cost (optional)
-
-
-
-
-
Fund to which
asset belongs
Cost (optional)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fund to which
liability relates
Amount due
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-
Print Name
DUNCAN CATTERALL-MASON
(previouslyCatterall)		 Endowment
funds
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
OK
Endowment
funds
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
Current value
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-
Current value
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
When due
(optional)
Date of
approval
Duncan Catterall-Mason DUNCAN CATTERALL-MASON
(previouslyCatterall)		 09/09/2024

CCXX R2 accounts (SS)

12/09/2024

2

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 1[st] January 2023 Period start date To 31[st] December 2023 Period end date

Charity name: Help Close By

Charity registration number: 1190642

Objectives and Activities

SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of
the charity as set out in its
governing document		 Para 1.17 The objects of the CIO are: 1. The prevention or
relief of poverty in the UK by providing,
technological solutions and technology services
to individuals in need and/or charities, working
in partnership with statutory and other relevant
organisations as appropriate. 2. The relief of
financial hardship among people living or
working in the UK by providing technological
applications free of charge to such persons as
would benefit from being connected with local
charitable service providers to obtain help which
they could not otherwise afford through lack of
means.
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		 The turnover of Help Close By has
transformed more than 10 fold since year
end 2022 in response to the challenges
faced in 2023.
At the start of 2023 the Microsoft non-profit
grant of Azure meant our biggest cost from
the previous two years had external funding,
freeing up cash. A review of our insurance
massively reduced our second largest cost
of the previous two years.
Our largest cost in 2023 was food. Due to
the end of our surplus food supply for our
food deliveries we had to establish our own
delivery only food bank. Our first two non-
technology grants were from Birmingham
city council just for food. There have
therefore been a lot of extra costs for us in
setting up shelving and other storage to
keep food ourselves with costs related to
logistics like van hire. It took us a few
months of the first grant to establish a
process for bulk purchases. The winter food
grant will to spent by end of March 2024, not
spent by the end of the year due to volunteer
availability towards the end of 2023.
In addition to the Microsoft non-profit grants
– covering Azure, 365 software and heavily
discounted additional licence – we have also
gained grants in kind or in credit for many
other areas of our technology use. £400 a
year credit from Twilio for our SMS system,
which is used to contact our service user
base on a range of matters to their benefit
(delivery information, sign posting, etc).
Apple have waived their developer fee. We
have also had free access to the space used
in 2023 for our delivery only food bank.
Late in 2023 we received a grant from the
National Lottery Community Fund, with the
spend allocated to run from the start of 2024.
This means we have had nearly £20k in
cash grants.
Fundraising efforts by trustees and
volunteers totalled over £2000 and helped
us cover our unallocated costs, like our
general core costs for anything not funded
and fundamentally helped us pay for food
bank setup costs and logistical costs.
We continue to spend on technology not
covered by grants in order to progress the
development of our app as well as to
automate volunteer and partner organisation
sign ups, allowing aspect of our
administration to be automated and
therefore allow us to be more productive
whilst we are run by trustees and volunteers
who are time poor due to work
commitments.
2023 saw the introduction of the first advice
service from Karis Neighbour Scheme for
advocacy as well as an expansion into the
Lozells area of Birmingham, which we had
covered but had not directly targeted with
leafleting. Leafleting activities in combination
with CSR day volunteers became a
deliberate strategy for reaching service
users.
Statement confirming
whether the trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit		 Para 1.18 All Trustees have read the Charity Commission
guidance on public benefit and have confirmed
that they have done so.

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

SORP reference

SORP reference
Policy on grant making Para 1.38 Our technology, given to other non-profits
should be considered equivalent to an in-
kind grant in the same way technology
companies have given non-profit access to
their technology. It is free at point of use but
is not without costs to us. App use is subject
to vetting of organisations requesting the
app. We do not make cash grants.
Policy on social investment
including program related
investment		 Para 1.38 Although staffing is not covered by such
grants, the BCC grants received commit us
to pay a “Real Living Wage”, which we are
happy to commit to when funding to employ
staff becomes possible.
Contribution made by
volunteers		 Para 1.38 Help Close By has been entirely run by
volunteers with only a slight bit of freelance
support due in 2024. Everything achieved by
the charity in 2023 has been as a result of
the work by voluntary trustees or other
volunteers. Several major updates to the app
have been made by our co-founder Penny
who had chosen well to put her efforts into
vital work on our app rather than joining the
board of trustees. We are immensely
grateful for her work which has a huge public
benefit. Many of the local group volunteers
have become trustees and their efforts have
been vital in setting up and running our
delivery based food bank.
Other

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 We have three main objectives: identify,
support and change,
This year we identified Lozells ward as an
area to focus on finding people who needed
support and have been able to get deliveries
if food to people in need in that area.
We continue to support in Winson Green as
well, as well as more adhoc emergency food
requests.
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements		 Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements		 where relevant about:
Achievements against
objectives set		 Para 1.41 Expanded to other areas
Performance of fundraising
activities against objectives
set		 Para 1.41 Increased both grant and donation based
funding, to 10x turnover.
Investment performance
against objectives		 Para 1.41 n/a
Other

Financial Review

Review of the charity’s Para 1.21 financial position at the end of the period Statement explaining the Para 1.22 policy for holding reserves stating why they are held Amount of reserves held Para 1.22 Reasons for holding zero Para 1.22 reserves Details of fund materially in Para 1.24 deficit Explanation of any Para 1.23 uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern

Details of fund materially in
deficit
Para 1.24
Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern
Para 1.23		 Details of fund materially in
deficit
Para 1.24
Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern
Para 1.23
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
Investment policy and
objectives including any
social investment policy
adopted		 Para 1.46
A description of the principal
risks facing the charity		 Para 1.46
Other

Structure, Governance and Management

Description of charity’s
trusts:
Type of governing document
(trust deed, royal charter)		 Para 1.25 n/a
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 Appointed/approved by quorum of trustees.

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
The charity’s organisational
structure and any wider
network with which the
charity works		 Para 1.51 Charity has a working relationship with
Birmingham’s Food Justice Network and
occasionally has operated with members of
Birmingham’s various neighbourhood
networks.
Relationship with any related
parties		 Para 1.51
Other

Reference and Administrative details

Charityname HelpClose By
Other name the charity uses
Registered charitynumber 1190642
Charity’s principal address 20 Tennal Road
Harborne
Birmingham
B32 2JE

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 (ifany)
Duncan Catterall Treasurer
Oliver Armstrong Chair Ended January 2024
Leah Harvey Secretary
Naomi Robson
Indijit Sidhu
Anjali Parshotum

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

Director name
Duncan Catterall Treasurer
Leah Harvey Secretary
Naomi Robson Chair
Indijit Sidhu
Anjali Parshotum

Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity

Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year
n/a

Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others

Description of the assets n/a held in this capacity

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)

Additional information (optional)
Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)		 Additional information (optional)
Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)		 Additional information (optional)
Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of
adviser
Name
Address
n/a

Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

n/a

Exemptions from disclosure

Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details

n/a

Other optional information

Declarations

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s) Duncan Catterall Full name(s) Duncan Catterall Position (eg Secretary, Treasurer Chair, etc) Date 07.02.2024