## **Burgess Hill Community Cupboard CIO Annual Report**
Also known as: Burgess Hill Local Pantry; Burgess Hill Pantry
## **Registered Charity Number:** 1191035
**For Period:** 1st August 2024 - 31st July 2025
**Principal Address:** Unit 18 The Market Place Shopping Centre, Burgess Hill, RH15 9NN
|**Trustee Name**|**Dates Acted**|**Name of Person/Body**
**Entitled to appoint trustee**|
|---|---|---|
|Cllr Joseph Foster (Chair)|Whole Year|Burgess Hill Town Council|
|Joanne Kent|Unit August 2024||
|Liz Laybourn|Whole Year||
|Sandra Hill|Whole Year||
|Vanessa Cordell|Whole Year||
|Suneal Ram Kissun|From 16 October 2024||
## **Names of Senior Staff Members:**
Claire Fuller - Pantry Manager & Project Officer
## **Bankers:**
CAF Bank, 25 Kings Hill Avenue, West Malling, Kent, ME19 4JQ
The trustees present their annual report alongside the financial statements for the year 1st July 2024 to 31st July 2025.
## **2. Structure Governance & Management**
Burgess Hill Community Cupboard is constituted as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) and is governed by its constitution document. The charity is registered with the Charity commission under registration number: 1191035
Trustees are selected via a combination of appointment by an outside body (Burgess Hill Town Council), and through advertising & selection from the general population. The trustee board seeks to ensure a balance between appointed trustees and selected trustees, as well as to ensure that the board has a wide gamut of experience to allow the charity to be successful. All trustees are appointed under the provisions of the CIO’s constitution. The board may consist of up to 11 trustees.
The charity has a franchise arrangement with a parent organisation, Your Local Pantry, which is run by Foundations Stockport and Church Action on Poverty, which provides a range of support services including branding, marketing, information technology and training. Additionally, the charity also works with Fareshare Sussex to gain access to food from Fareshare’s national network.
## **3. Aims & Objectives**
Burgess Hill Community Cupboards objects are:
_The relief of financial hardship amongst people in Burgess Hill and surrounding areas in such ways as the trustees from time to time think fit. In Particular, but not exclusively:_
- _Providing food, essential toiletries and household items to individuals and families in need._
- _Such other means, including (but not limited to) the provision of support or signposting to relevant information and other advisory services._
In seeking to deliver these objectives, the trustees & pantry team will seek to deliver services to those most in need locally, and particularly those who may be excluded, marginalised or otherwise disadvantaged.
In setting objectives & planning for activities, the Trustees have given due consideration to the general guidance published by the Charity Commission relating to public benefit, including the guidance Public benefit: running a charity (PB2)
## **Main activities undertaken to achieve these objectives:**
During this time period the pantry continued to see an increase in demand for its services and had to:
- Continue to develop relationships with local supermarkets to increase quantity and number of collections of short dated goods
- Find strategies to develop relationships with local businesses who can donate goods or money on a regular basis to assist the pantry
- Continue to grow the membership of the pantry to allow more local residents to access the service
The biggest single objective achieved during the year was to secure a new property within the town centre, get it refurbished and move before the year end. Many of the costs were not invoiced until the new year and are therefore not reflected in these figures.
We are fortunate to have a dedicated & diverse volunteering team who are vital to the effective operation of the pantry, performing a number of critical roles including, but not limited to, welcoming members & checking them in, stock control & management, food delivery & pickup and fundraising.
The board would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our volunteers present and past for their efforts and ongoing commitment to making the pantry run smoothly and effectively on behalf of all of our members. A number of our members are also volunteers. We have seen low attrition of our volunteers, which is especially appreciated as it helps ensure continuity of service and operation with the pantry. We are also delighted to have welcomed new volunteers to the team.
Given the increased demand on the pantry and food inflation we have seen an increase in costs of goods purchased, but this is in line with the increased membership income.
## **Achievements & Performance**
As of July 2025 the Pantry had 250 members and during that month 415 visits, but due the move of premises we were closed the final week of July. The average over the 12 month period was 456 visits per month, totalling 5,483 for the year, the busiest month had 502 visits.
Over this period the Pantry has trialled and introduced Family Memberships allowing households with 4 members or more to pay £8 for a larger “shop”. It
has proved extremely popular with members, making the Pantry an even greater support for those families in need. Stock levels are standing up to the increased demand that family shops are placing on them. We continue to offer the standard shop to smaller households although the cost of a standard shop was increased to £5 during this period to cover increasing costs of stocks and electricity.
We continue to work with local retailers, strengthening relationships and reducing food waste by collecting surplus from a number of stores throughout the week. The stock obtained through this process is invaluable to the Pantry, it offers diversity, quality and quantity which we would otherwise not be able to afford it. We are now working with Marks and Spencer, Waitrose and Sainsburys in Haywards Heath and Lidl, Tesco and Waitrose in Burgess Hill.
Our Education Liaison programme increased donations of food at Christmas and also Harvest festivals from several local schools. We received over 200 reverse advents calenders of the Christmas period.
We have also over this period offered an opportunity for schools to visit the Pantry and understand the service and its importance in the community with 60 year six students visiting the Pantry from London Meeds School during the Summer term. We have hosted 11 work experience students from Woodlands Meed College, an enriching and beneficial experience for the students and the Pantry alike.
Our Christmas Reverse Advent Calendar campaign was extremely successful. We received Over 200 completed calendars by engaging the community in this and the donations helped us to cover the hungry gap in the early months of 2025. The Pantry Coat Swap was another successful venture over the Winter period offering an opportunity to donate unwanted outerwear and for those in need to come and collect one.
In March 2024 the Pantry took on the lease of Unit 2, this space has been refurbished and offers a space for wraparound support, social activities, meetings and more for both the Pantry and the wider community.
## **4. Financial Review**
## **Charities Policy on Reserves:**
The charity maintained its reserves for the year as stated in its reserve policy. The money’s set a side cover replacement cost for equipment, a sum for an expected move, operating expenses and unexpected electrical costs.
## **Financial Outlook:**
The trustees, having made appropriate enquiries & reviewed the appropriate management accounts, are satisfied that the charity remains a going concern, and therefore continue to manage the charity on this basis.
## **Principle Sources of funds:**
The charities principle sources of funds, other than membership income, included grants from local grant making bodies including but not limited to:
- Burgess Hill Town Council
- West Sussex County Council
- Mid Sussex District Council
- Sussex Community Foundation
- Clarion
- Chalk Cliff
- Focus Foundation
The pantry also benefited from a growing number of individual donations during the period, and other support from local businesses, private individuals etc donating both funds and food supplies. The board would like to thank all parties who have supported the pantry during this financial year for their continued support.
## **5. Declaration**
Signed on Behalf of the Charities Trustees:
|Signature|||
|---|---|---|
|Full Name|Joseph|Vanesa Cordell|
|Position|Chair|Trustee|
|Date|9 March 2026|9 March 2026|
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Charity Name No (if any)
Burgess Hill Community Cupboard CIO 1191035
Receipts and payments accounts CC16a
For the period Period start date To Period end date
from 1-Aug-24 31-Jul-25
Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricted Endowment
funds Restricted funds funds Total funds Last year
to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
A1 Receipts
Membership 32,314 - - 32,314 26,163
fundraising 370 - - 370
Donations 18,399 - - 18,399 13,328
Grants 15,000 50,430 - 65,430 24,875
Interest 121 - - 121 108
Rent 95 - - 95 357
- - - - -
- - - - -
Sub total (Gross income for AR) 66,299 50,430 - 116,729 64,831
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
- - - -
- - - - -
Sub total - - - - -
Total receipts 66,299 50,430 - 116,729 64,831
A3 Payments
Stock 2,511 26,631 - 29,142 24,684
Other direct expenses 1,835 - - 1,835 -
Wrap around services 635 700 - 1,335 -
Advertising 77 - - 77 84
Accountancy 1,364 - - 1,364 211
Bank Charges 395 - - 395 306
Cleaning 103 - - 103 52
Donation Fees 216 - - 216 216
Entertaining 117 - - 117 150
Fees and licences 784 - - 784 1,751
General Expenses 374 - - 374 582
Inusrance 710 - - 710 305
IT Software and consumables 931 - - 931 420
Light, power and heating 4,800 - - 4,800 2,895
Waste costs 589 - - 589 247
Water charges 574 - - 574 143
Pension costs 214 - - 214 149
Postage and freight 123 - - 123 7
Printing and stationery 360 - - 360 871
Professional fees 1,615 - - 1,615 -
Rent (including deposit) 5,600 - - 5,600 3,515
Rates (499) - - (499) 499
Repairs and maintenance 2,729 5,000 - 7,729 262
Salaries 20,270 - - 20,270 15,526
Small Equipment 487 - - 487 4,482
Staff training - - - - 103
Subscriptions 199 - - 199 67
Sundry purchases 31 - - 31 661
Telephone and internet 533 - - 533 510
Travel 129 - - 129 460
- - - - -
Sub total 47,806 32,331 - 80,137 59,158
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
Equipment 4,026 - - 4,026 1,700
- - - -
Sub total 4,026 - - 4,026 1,700
Total payments 51,832 32,331 - 84,163 60,858
Net of receipts/(payments) 14,467 18,099 - 32,566 3,973
A5 Transfers between funds (10,500) (1,500) - (12,000) -
A6 Cash funds last year end 49,015 - - 49,015 45,042
Cash funds this year end 52,982 16,599 - 69,581 49,015
**----- End of picture text -----**
CCXX R accounts (SS)
**Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period**
|**Categories**
**B1 Cash funds**|**Details**|**Details**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**|**Restricted funds**
**to nearest £**|**Restricted funds**
**to nearest £**|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||Bank||(
50,641)||(
16,599)||**(**
**-)**|
||Cash||(
62)|||||
||Equals card||(
2,212)||(
-)||**(**
**-)**|
||Gift Cards||(
67)||(
-)||**(**
**-)**|
|**B2 Other monetary assets**
**B3 Investment assets**
**B4 Assets retained for the**
**charity’s own use**
**B5 Liabilities**
Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of
all the trustees|**_Total cash funds_**
(agree balances with receipts and payments account
(s))
**Details**
Prepayments
Rent deposit
**Details**
**Details**
Computer
Plant and equipment
**Details**
PAYE
Pension
Utility provision
Signature||(
52,982)||(
16,599)||**(**
**-)**|
||||||||OK|
||||**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
(
1,594)
(
12,000)
**(**
**-)**
**(**
**-)**
**(**
**-)**
**(**
**-)**
**Fund to which asset**
**belongs**
**Fund to which asset**
**belongs**
Unrestriced
**Fund to which**
**liability relates**
Unrestricted
Unrestricted
Unrestricted||**Restricted funds**
**to nearest £**
**(**
**-)**
**(**
**-)**
**(**
**-)**
**(**
**-)**
**(**
**-)**
**(**
**-)**
**Cost (optional)**
**(**
**-)**
**(**
**-)**
**(**
**-)**
**(**
**-)**
**(**
**-)**
**Cost (optional)**
**(**
**674)**
**(**
**8,774)**
**(**
**-)**
**(**
**-)**
**(**
**-)**
**(**
**-)**
**(**
**-)**
**(**
**-)**
**(**
**-)**
**Amount due**
**(optional)**
**(**
**509)**
**(**
**120)**
**(**
**1,711)**
**(**
**-)**
**(**
**-)**
Print Name
Joseph Foster
Vanessa Cordell||**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**|
||||||||**(**
**-)**|
||||||||**(**
**-)**|
||||||||**(**
**-)**|
||||||||**(**
**-)**|
||||||||**(**
**-)**|
||||||||**(**
**-)**|
||||||||**Current value**
**(optional)**|
||||||||**(**
**-)**|
||||||||**(**
**-)**|
||||||||**(**
**-)**|
||||||||**(**
**-)**|
||||||||**(**
**-)**|
||||||||**Current value**
**(optional)**|
||||||||**(**
**164)**|
||||||||**(**
**6,156)**|
||||||||**(**
**-)**|
||||||||**(**
**-)**|
||||||||**(**
**-)**|
||||||||**(**
**-)**|
||||||||**(**
**-)**|
||||||||**(**
**-)**|
||||||||**(**
**-)**|
||||||||**When due**
**(optional)**|
|||||||||
|||||||||
|||||||||
|||||||||
|||||||||
||||||||Date of approval|
||||||Joseph Foster||9th March 2026|
||||||Vanessa Cordell||9th March 2026|
CCXX R accounts (SS)
Independent oxamlnar's report to the trust8as of the Burgess Hlll Communlty Cupboard CIO
I report to the tnjslees on my examination of the accounts of the Burgess Hill Community Cupt)oard
CIO Ithe Charity) foi the year ended 31 July 2025.
Responslbllltles and basis of report
As the charty trustees of the Charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in
accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 I'the Act'l.
I report in respect of my examination of the Charity's accounts carried out under section 145 of the
2011 A¢1 in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directs'ons given by the
Charity Commission under section 145{5llbl of the Act.
Indgpendont examiner's statement
I have completed my examination. I Confi that no material matters have come to my attention in
¢onne¢tion with the examination giving me Cause lo believe that in any material respect..
accounting records were not kept in respert of the Charity as required by section 130 of the
Act., or
2. the accounts do not accord with those records., or
3. the accounts do not Gomply with the applicable requirements concerning the lorm and content
of aocounls sel out in the Charitie5 (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any
reqU1ment that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part
of an independent examination.
I have no con¢ems and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to
which attention should be drawn in this report in ordor to enable a proper understsnding of the
accounts to be rea¢hed.
The ReiptS and Payments of the operation correctly exdudes non-cash accounting gntries L>ut does
adjust for prepayments and a¢¢Tuals where Income and costs straddle the financial year end. These
period end adjustments are reflected in Seth"on B, the Statement of assets and liabilities section.
I mention fDr information only that the ChaTily does not deploy an inventory accounting system. which
is both understandable and acceptable given the nature and scale of the Charity,. all purchases for
sale andlor distribution through the Charity are expensed immediately. The physical storage, rotation
and presentation of stock is of a high standard.
Also, to note for information, the SUssful move lo new premises in JulylAugusl 2025 entailed
minimum rentsl terw until April 2028. The Charity has secured additional funds towards this
commitment over the Ihree-year period. Costs of the rnove and set-up in the now premises a
expensed as in¢urred.
Signed..
Graham Moss
Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales from 1977 until retirement al
end 2022.
Burgess Hill RH15 OAN
31st IAarch 2026