Manchester Sikh Foundation
Charitable Incorporated Organisation
Charity Number 1191992
Working Name: Feed My City
Annual Report and Unaudited Accounts
For the period 1 April 2022 – 31 March 2023
MANCHESTER SIKH FOUNDATION
Report of the trustees for the year ended 31st March 2023
Trustees : Mr Sukhbir Singh (Chair)
Mr Resham Gulab Singh
Mr Sukhsimran Singh – Appointed 10 October 2022 Mrs Jasvant Bhadare – Appointed 10 October 2022 Mrs. Ambrat Kaur Singh – Resigned 10 October 2022
Charity Office: Unit 2
63-65 Beswick Street Manchester M4 7HR
Independent Examiner:
HHK Accountancy Services Limited Suite 212, Oakland House
21 Hope Carr Road
Leigh WN7 3ET
Charity Objectives:
The key activities of the Manchester Sikh Foundation are:
The prevention or relief of food poverty in North West England through:
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Emergency food kitchen to cook, serve and deliver hot meals and dry food parcels.
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Working in partnership with local food banks.
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Delivering hot meals to those in need.
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Mobile food van, cooking and serving hot nourishing meals in deprived areas.
The advancement of employment, education & health for the Sikh Community by:
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Employment workshops, Job Applications CV writing and skills development.
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Improve education opportunities by working with schools, colleges, and universities.
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Working with NHS, and other agencies to improve health promotion and wellbeing.
The promotion of religious harmony for the public benefit through:
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Raising awareness, mutual understanding and knowledge sharing about faiths.
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Creating relationships and respect for the beliefs of different faiths and none.
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Working together to support religious freedom and to prevent hate crime.
Structure, Governance and Management
The charity was formed as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation on 26 October 2020. The charity is governed by its constitution which is a CIO Foundation. It is governed by its trustees who meet regularly. It is managed by a Board of Trustees, a management team, and volunteers.
Progress and Achievements
We continue to make strong progress in line with the objects of the charity in challenging times. This is particularly due to the ‘Cost of Living Crisis’, which is impacting many in the community we serve. As a result, we have seen a massive increase in demand, especially around the emergency food provision.
In last year’s annual report, we stated that we aimed to grow the charity and offer a greater number of services and this has been achieved successfully.
We have met the challenge with the increased number of volunteers, recruitment of some parttime staff through grant funding and by working in partnerships with other similar organisation and charities to support those in most need.
We have been able to grow in other areas of the charitable objects, specifically around education, employment and religious harmony.
We made great progress on recruiting two additional trustees and said goodbye to one trustee, Ambrat Singh, to whom we are very grateful for her very significant contribution. Our management team has also been strengthened and better gender balanced.
We have successfully partnered with many organisations: NHS Care Navigators, Agencies supporting the homeless, Asylum Seekers, Housing Associations, those supporting offenders, Citizens’ Advice Bureaux, Churches, Food Banks and many, many more by delivering several dry food bags on a weekly basis for onward delivery to those in emergency need.
The 7 days a week emergency food provision is extensively used by many of the above partners for referrals, especially late into the evenings and weekends, and this is crucial service to our partner agencies.
Our financial situation is strengthening with a wide range of funding streams.
Our food van was involved in an accident Whilst there were no injuries, the financial impact was over £10,000 for insurance renewal and repairs. We did not have funds to cover this so, for the time being, the mobile food van operation has been suspended and the van returned to the owner.
We continue, and have strengthened, our partnership with Stuarts for delivering hot meals and dry food parcels. They increased their deliveries, still with no cost, from 1 day a week to 2 days and this has contributed positively to service delivery.
We have established a new project under the MSF umbrella, ‘Sikh Studies’, which runs every Tuesday at Stretford Grammar School to teach Oral & Written Punjabi mainly, but not exclusively, to Sikhs. This will in the future be expanded to Sikh teaching.
We have been in discussions to establish a group with senior citizens to reduce loneliness and isolation. We have also explored how we can support young people. In both cases, there is considerable interest from the community to establish these groups and have had initial meetings to progress this, which we should see the fruits of next year.
Bhagwant Singh our treasurer and one of the lead volunteers resigned and our accounts are now being done digitally by the newly appointed accountants. We thank him for his great contribution to the charity and wish him well.
Our achievements include:
Our mobile food van went into full operation 5 days a week at 2 locations daily, following funding from SW for a driver to drive the food van for three years. The mobile van provides hot, nourishing, vegetarian food in the most deprived areas of Manchester.
We acquired a second-hand minibus to help all communities across Greater Manchester with transport. This has enabled older, vulnerable and young people to better access activities, thus reducing isolation, loneliness and improving community cohesion. In its first 8 months of operation, the minibus has been used by many hundreds of people from different faith, races and age groups. Minibus being used by Christ Church from Moss Side, Manchester for an outing.
Providing hot meals 6 days a week and served over 40,000 hot meals to people in need by self-referral or via agencies e.g. NHS Care Navigators, Social Workers, Food Banks and other larger charities. Our positive impact has increased as we operate late into the evening and at weekends when most other organisations are not operating. We both deliver and offer pick up from our base.
The demand for emergency dry food parcels has increased and we have expanded the number of volunteer drivers continuing to store dry food bags in the boots of their cars to enable them to deliver to people in need in their local area. Our partnership with organisations such as Citizens Advice Bureaux are very productive and emergency food parcels can quickly be provided to those in most need.
To remember Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II, and in conjunction with other faiths, Manchester Sikh Foundation held a memorial walk from Manchester Cathedral to St Anne’s Church. This went from Manchester Cathedral to St Anne’s Church in the city centre and was supported by many faiths and none, showing religious harmony across the City Region. We were truly grateful for the support of all partners and especially the two churches.
We were welcomed as an affiliate member of the #WeStandTogether charity. This related to our charitable objects that include a commitment to celebrate differences, combat intolerance and hatred, and build a stronger and safer UK. This will enable us to help create stronger relationships by mutual understanding and respect. We received a #WeStandTogether Affiliate Award for our work supporting deprived communities and cohesion across Greater Manchester.
We held our bi-annual event to thank our volunteers for their amazing contribution at Limelight with the Dean of Manchester, The Very Reverend Rogers Govender was guest of honour. We also used the session to seek feedback from our volunteers as to how we improve our service provision. It was a very enjoyable session, where our volunteers had the opportunity to meet each other.
We ran two successful sessions for ‘Improve Life Chances Through Employment’ at Guru Gobind Singh Gurdwara and Singh Sabha Gurdwara in North and South Manchester respectively. This was supported by private, public and third sector organisations benefiting well over 100 people.
MSF established a new project to promote and enhance the understanding of the Punjabi language.
Teaching of Punjabi Language classes, written and oral, are running every week at Stretford Grammar School, in a professional environment for all ages and with opportunity to gain recognised qualifications. The students are largely from the Sikh faith but others are welcome to attend.
This project also focuses on religious harmony between the Sikh and wider community to improve two way understanding and closer working together thus building community cohesion and mutual respect.
MSF in partnership with Jewish Action for Mental Health (JAMH) and other partner organisations received a total of £93,900 to further progress our work and that of other food support agencies. This also enabled us to run tailored mental health provision and provide other support to those in need.
By working in partnership with Jewish and Muslim communities, we were able to strengthen ties with Councils and health services to deliver food to those in need. It also helped establish cross-referral between food and mental health charities based in Greater Manchester.
With this funding MSF was able to support those accessing our food support and direct those needing to mental health support.
Singh Sabha and Sri Guru Harkrishan Sahib Gurdwara’s with support from MSF organised Prabat Pheri, Sikh religious chanting walk, five times over 2 months at 5.00am. Attendance increased to over 300 people, young and old. Amazingly successful, peaceful and enjoyable. We are grateful to all the relevant authorities who supported these events.
Feedback from our users: What support did you receive from Feed My City? IntÉJrm3ty04AthKe& SeewAe10w} Did thesUPPJrtveceivedhelpyou to rnainlain>wr h6th? Dwj the SUPkKYt1p 11 ¢edlot? Ll Did Iht supportprevtnty(>ufa¢ing hungt Dvj the 5UPPL¥Idecr&75eyouranx regarding mone 4A3 Howwouha you describeyouifeelingstowardsFeed My City7
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Rating of feelings about situation before and after support
from Feed My City
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70.00
60.00
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Rating from Hopeless to Hopeful
Before After
Average Rating 3.28 8.68
Percentage +ve 28.3% 92.5%
percentage
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What the users of service said about us:
“Absolutely a huge help thank-you so much”
“Thank you so much for your help it means so much to see people do care and want to help those in need without judgment on them so thank you so much and god bless you”
“My support worker has helped me fill out this form but I wanted to pass on my thanks and appreciation.”
“Feed My City are absolutely amazing me & my kids faced a huge problem financially & they completely helped us out a lot with a food parcel and hot food we really wouldn't of got through the weekend without them, so reliable too thank you very much!”
“Just a very good service, very polite. Feel cared for”
“Absolutely amazing”
“Thank you so much for helping me in my time of need how amazing you are doing to help us”
“I was out of Manchester so having the support proved invaluable” “Send my blessings people to care so much”
“Thanks for the money for electric. I will have power after a few days – thank you” “They came out straight away”
“Highly recommend to other people amazing what you do”
“Just a big thanks to you all helping us out in these hard time”
“They do a wonderful job helping people in need it helps to know there are still people out there”
“Worried about gas/electric”
“Thank you for the food I’m living hand to mouth”
“I'm so thank full for the help of the service. I think your all local heroes.” “Excellent service! Keep up the good work!” “Thanks for translation”
“FMC gave lots of food, quickly, earlier than expected. Nice and friendly man deliver the food.”
“Thankful and great service.””
“Really grateful for what feedmycity has done - thank you”
“I've never been in such a predicament and I cannot thank the help of Feed My City enough” “Incredible service and greatly appreciated.”
“You guys deserve a 5star for saving me a fortune.”
“Just thank you to everyone who helped me...May God bless ye all and your families ❤ ”
Plans for the Future
We are looking to continue to focus on our current objectives whilst enabling the charity to grow and expand the services we deliver. Our growth has continued with increased funding, number of volunteers, services we provide, and area we cover.
Our priority continues to be our flagship project of FeedMyCity, ensuring that we meet the demands for emergency dry food parcels and hot meals. We aim to respond to all emergency requests on the same day and plan to take this service to more areas of Greater Manchester.
Following the accident with the mobile food van, we aim to acquire a new van and introduce a new model for hot meal provisions for the most deprived areas of Greater Manchester.
We aim to increase the focus on fundraising for the recruitment of full and part-time staff to manage the food van operations as well as food preparation, deliveries and other work in line with our charity objects.
The charity will continue to support our volunteers through training and development with a special focus on the needs of new volunteers.
We have undertaken community surveys and ran several information sessions during the year to assess ongoing needs of both the local Sikh community as well as our volunteers. The information received shows that there is an ongoing need for health advice and expanded diverse services. For example, in relation to mental health, loneliness and isolation, we will be looking to expand our work around mental health and wellbeing.
The charity will also be commencing more activities around education, employment and religious harmony. Active engagement with the Sikh Community will be undertaken, especially focusing around gender, disability, young and older people’s needs with the aim of addressing.
We plan to further develop our partnership with the United Sikh Mothers, by supporting, organising and funding their activities aiming to combat loneliness and enhance education.
Active engagement with the Sikh Community will be undertaken, especially focusing around gender, disability, young and older people’s needs with the aim of addressing issues earlier and providing an outlet for people to get peer support, enjoy life more and, overall, have improved mood, confidence and self-esteem.
Work is required to update our website and social media presence and this will be a priority to both improve our service delivery and outward communications.
There have been challenges this year, especially with allocations of shared restricted and unrestricted costs. Our management team have now taken an approach to split these costs on a percentage basis where required.
We are now using digital software; this allows us to have real-time data on our charity income and where we are spending our money.
We have, as an organisation, started to take donations though electronic means. This has allowed us to take more donations whilst we have been out promoting the organisation, including at events we have attended.
Public Benefit
The trustees confirm that they have complied with the guidance contained in the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit and the supplementary public benefit guidance for charities whose aims include food poverty, religious harmony and wellbeing of the Sikh Community when reviewing the charity's aims and objectives and in planning future activities.
Risk assessment
The trustees regularly identify and review major risks facing the charity and have, where necessary, put measures in place to mitigate them.
Financial Review
The charity received £107,512 this year.
Grants £53,220 (£30,000 in 2022) Donations £53,012 (£22,128 in 2022) Sikh Education £1,280
Our annual expenditure in the year was £74,723 (£30,873 in 2022) resulting in cash funds as of 31st March 2023:
Unrestricted £27,633 (£3,294 in 2022) Restricted £40,855 (£32,404 in 2022)
Grants
During the year Feed My City received grants from the following organisations:
The Clothworkers’ Foundation £15,000 Postcode Neighbourhood Trust £23,060 JAMH (Mental Health) £14,660 Community Affiliate Award £500
To these organisations we are truly honoured.
Donations in Kind
Feed My City has been very fortunate to have received support from many individuals and local businesses in the form of donations and support for the provision of food supplies, specialist labour for refurbishment and many other services.
The trustees are very grateful and thank each and every one of our supporters. Many have requested to remain anonymous out of personal humility and their desire to do a selfless service without being given any credit or recognition. We most humbly respect their wishes.
We would like to specifically thank the following partners:
AD, Fareshare, Kara, HSK, Willow Tree Trust, Stuart, the National Lottery Community Fund, Postcode Lottery, Biffa, VSPG Housing, SW and many other organisations and individuals for their generous support
We have received over £200,000 in donations in kind. The majority of this represents over 15,000 volunteer hours in the year, which, when costed at £10 an hour, works out as over £150,000. Many other donations of food or services were highly significant, including from well-wishers, local businesses and volunteers. The Board of Trustees of the Manchester Sikh Foundation are very grateful for these valuable contributions which have had an immense impact on our capacity and quality of our operations.
Monetary donations have more than doubled this year, exceeding £50,000. The largest contribution was a donation of £15,000 from a hugely supportive individual.
Sukhbir Singh On behalf of the Trustee Board
Resham Singh
MANCHESTER SIKH FOUNDATION
FOR THE PERIOD 1 April 2022 – 31 MARCH 2023
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
| Statement of Financial | Activities | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feed My City | ||||
| For the year ended 31 March 2023 | ||||
| Account | Restricted Funds |
Unrestricted Funds |
Year Ended 31.03.23 |
Year Ended 31.03.22 |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Incoming Resources | ||||
| Donations | 10,020 | 42,992 | 53,012 | 22,128 |
| Grants | 53,220 | 0 | 53,220 | 30,000 |
| Sikh Education | 1,280 | 0 | 1,280 | 0 |
| Total Resources | 64,520 | 42,992 | 107,512 | 52,128 |
| Charitable Activities | ||||
| Counselling | 3,119 | 0 | 3,119 | 0 |
| Food Purchase | 5,766 | 25,310 | 31,076 | 6,020 |
| TeachingVolunteers | 875 | 0 | 875 | 0 |
| Volunteer / Casual Drivers | 7,169 | 0 | 7,169 | 0 |
| Volunteer Food Support | 7,349 | 785 | 8,134 | 0 |
| Volunteers Expenses | 1,843 | 100 | 1,943 | 3,810 |
| Total Charitable Costs | 26,121 | 26,195 | 52,316 | 9,830 |
| Gross Resources | 38,399 | 16,797 | 55,196 | 42,298 |
| Support Costs | ||||
| Advertising& Marketing | 625 | 1,462 | 2,087 | 400 |
| Audit & Accountancyfees | 0 | 300 | 300 | 0 |
| Bank Fees | 0 | 26 | 26 | 0 |
| BuildingProject Expenses | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10,651 |
| Charitable Donations | 1,335 | 0 | 1,335 | 1,593 |
| Depreciation Expense | 5,124 | 1,052 | 6,176 | 0 |
| Equipment | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4,006 |
| General Expenses | 0 | 25 | 25 | 719 |
| Insurance | 1,333 | 702 | 2,035 | 1,700 |
| Legal Expenses | 414 | 0 | 414 | 0 |
| Light,Power,Heating | 457 | 2,172 | 2,630 | 1,974 |
| Motor Vehicle Expenses | 790 | 2,606 | 3,396 | 0 |
| Printing& Stationery | 132 | 0 | 132 | 0 |
| Room Hire | 3,850 | 0 | 3,850 | 0 |
| Total Support Costs | 14,060 | 8,346 | 22,407 | 21,043 |
| Net Resources | 24,339 | 8,451 | 32,789 | 21,255 |
| Total Funds Brought Forward | 3,294 | 25,400 | 28,694 | 7,439 |
| Total Funds Carried Forward | 27,633 | 33,851 | 61,483 | 28,694 |
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Some costs have been apportioned on a percentage basis using a “common sense” approach.
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Volunteering costs have been analysed and categorised accordingly to the charities specific roles to give more visibility to the trustees.
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The profit and loss includes deprecation which spreads the cost of the assets over their useful life.
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MANCHESTER SIKH FOUNDATION
BALANCE SHEET
FOR THE PERIOD 1 April 2022 – 31 MARCH 2023
| Balance Sheet Feed My City As at 31 March 2023 |
Balance Sheet Feed My City As at 31 March 2023 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Account | Restricted Funds Unrestricted Funds 31 Mar 2023 31 Mar 2022 |
|
| £ £ £ £ |
||
| Fixed Assets | ||
| Tangible Assets | ||
| Motor Vehicles | 11,621 0 11,621 0 |
|
| Office Equipment | 2,500 2,156 4,655 6,754 |
|
| Total Tangible Assets | 14,121 2,156 16,276 6,754 |
|
| Total Fixed Assets | 14,121 2,156 16,276 6,754 |
|
| Current Assets | ||
| Cash at bank and in hand | ||
| FMC main | 12,253 38,499 50,752 28,694 |
|
| Sikh Studies | 1,259 0 1,259 0 |
|
| Total Cash at bank and in hand | 13,512 38,499 52,011 28,694 |
|
| Other Debtors | 0 500 500 550 |
|
| Total Current Assets | 13,512 38,999 52,511 29,244 |
|
| Creditors: amounts falling due within oneyear | ||
| Accruals | 0 300 300 300 |
|
| Total Creditors: amounts falling due within one year Net Current Assets(Liabilities) Total Assets less Current Liabilities Net Assets |
0 300 300 300 |
|
| Net Current Assets(Liabilities) | 13,512 38,699 52,211 28,944 |
|
| Total Assets less Current Liabilities | 27,633 40,855 68,487 35,698 |
|
| Net Assets | 27,633 40,855 68,487 35,698 |
|
| Capital and Reserves | ||
| Current Year Earnings | 24,339 8,451 32,789 21,255 |
|
| Retained Earnings | 3,294 32,404 35,698 14,443 |
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| Total Capital and Reserves | 27,633 40,855 68,487 35,698 |
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Depreciation on the charity’s assets has been calculated at 25% on a straight-line reducing balance.
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Other debtors are funds deposited with suppliers.
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Accruals are for accountancy fees.
Signed on behalf of the trustees on the 21[st] September 2023
Sukhbir Singh On behalf of the Trustee Board
Resham Singh
Independent Examiners
Report to the trustees of Manchester Sikh Foundation - Charity number: 1191992
We report to the trustees our examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31 March 2023.
Responsibilities and basis of the report
As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
We report in respect of our examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out our examination, we have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner's statement
We have completed our examination. We confirm that no material matters have come to our attention in connection with the examination (other than that disclosed below *) which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
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the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
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the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
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the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
We have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Date: 21st September 2023
Mrs Rupinder Howard For an on behalf of HHK Accountancy Services Ltd Suite 212, Oakland House 21 Hope Carr Road Leigh WN7 3QW
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