Haywards Heath Foodbank CIO Annual Report and Accounts
For the 12 months ended
31[st] March 2024
Charity Registration Number: 1195937
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Contents
| Charity Information and Administrative Details | 3 |
|---|---|
| Trustees Report | 4 - 9 |
| Independent Examiner’s Report | 10 |
| Financial Statements | 11 |
| Notes to the Financial Statements | 12 - 13 |
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Charity Information and Administrative Details
Registered charity number 1195937 Registered name Haywards Heath Foodbank (CIO) Registered office 9A Delaware Road, Haywards Heath, RH16 3UX Principal Bankers CAF Bank Insurers Markel Limited
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Trustees Report
The Trustees of the Charitable Incorporated Organisation present their Report and Annual Accounts for the year ended 31[st] March, 2024.
Trustees
Barry Prior (Former Chair - resigned 12[th] June, 2023) Michael Downes (Trustee & Hon Treasurer) Jill Sargent David Goodchild (resigned 18[th] March, 2024) Rob McWilliam (Chair of Trustees appointed 12[th] June, 2023) Peter Brown Susan Osborne Joan Galelli (Deputy Chair of Trustees appointed 18[th] September, 2023
Structure, Governance and Management
Haywards Heath Foodbank was originally formed under a Trust Deed dated 28[th] October 2011, and achieved charitable status on 6[th] March 2012. On 27[th] September 2021 the Charity Commission approved an application to change its structure to a CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation) under a new charity number, 1195937.
The charity's objectives, through a Christian initiative, is the prevention and relief of poverty and hardship in Haywards Heath and the surrounding areas, in particular but not exclusively by:
a/ providing local people in crisis and need with emergency food supplies - a minimum of three days’ supply of nutritionally balanced foodstuffs and b/ by the provision of such other help for the beneficiaries including signposting for relevant information and to other advisory services, as may be required.
The charity is an affiliated member of the Trussell Trust Foodbank Network, which operates a ‘social franchise’ model whereby it provides member organisations with procedural support and advice.
Trustees have responsibility to manage the financial and legal administration of the funds of the charity and are appointed for a period of three years. Trustees constitute the board of the charity and meet a minimum of four times annually.
The Chair circulates an agenda in advance of each meeting. Minutes are taken, in which decisions and actions are recorded. Following the meeting, draft minutes are circulated by the Chair, with final minutes being approved at the following trustees meeting.
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Risk management
The Trustees identify risks and regularly review both the potential risks to which the charity is exposed and the processes in place to manage those risks ~~.~~
Objectives and Activities – overview:
Board Trustees including the Chairman and Treasurer, have further responsibilities to determine policy, objectives and strategies, as well as to ensure good governance. A ‘Management Group’ including Trustees, meets regularly to implement policy and manage day to day operations via a part time and paid Foodbank Manager reporting to the Chair.
A pool of more than 38 volunteers support the running of all areas of the organization including a warehouse; a distribution centre; food collections at supermarkets, churches and other community organisations; client deliveries; fundraising; Agency network development plus other essential and administrative functions.
Frontline professional carers from Social Services, CAB, Medical Practices, Job Centres, Schools, Churches and other local organisations form our Agency network of more than 80 outlets. They identify clients in need, and ‘issue’ a (Haywards Heath) Foodbank voucher, which is then forwarded electronically to the foodbank for food stock list building with subsequent delivery. In line with recommendations from the agencies who issue vouchers for clients, we prepare and deliver / or give on collection, packaged (at the warehouse, by the team) breakfast meals for needy school children.
As an affiliated member of the Trussell Trust (TT) national Foodbank Network, Haywards Heath Foodbank is assessed for its competence via a TT Governance Heath Check, (GHC). The GHC in 2023 has found Haywards Heath Foodbank to be outstanding in the key areas of activity including:
Governance arrangements; Management & Insurance; Finance & Accounts; Safeguarding and Data Protection
• Strategy
April 2023 onwards: confirmed our agreement to support the Trussell Trust vision and future strategy with ‘Together for Change’ - and continued its franchise agreement for a further 2 years (providing benefits including access potential to development grants, volunteer and trustee specialist training, branding, marketing initiatives, and more. We have continued to benefit from the reorganization, to receive clients visiting our Delaware Road warehouse wherein parking arrangements are easier. The Baby Bank initiative has proven a most necessary support for needy mothers and continued to grow with better use/ efficiency of the space allocated to us.
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Financials
The start of the new financial year was 1[st] April, 2023 running to 31[st] March, 2024 (12 months). Our financial status continued to strengthen with available reserves at £165,635 compared with £159,923 (31st March, 2023). We had received £27,500 in grant aid from a number of Council sources - that combined with our almost £39,989 in other donations (£15,893 less than the prior year) increased our net assets by £5,712.
The Delaware Road warehouse is costing us an annual fee of £15,000 . We have started to provide fresh food since early February, 2024 wherein we needed, both, a good size freezer and also a fridge. The extra cost had not budgeted for and is significant at £1,974, to meet nutritious food needs for young families, which we support.
We are finding that we are having a substantial extra food need beyond the envisaged food donations, costing an estimated £ 12 -15,000 annually. This is almost completely being purchased from Sainsbury, in the Haywards Heath town.
Our annual costs of £65,437 (+67.8% ) over 12 months compared with the 2022/ 2023 11 months (-8.33% less time), will need to increase to a new budgeted level of £70,000 (+7%) which does not include a van purchase (which proved after sound analysis to be a financially, unwise potential move). The extra costs, inevitable in agreeing the warehouse (5 year) lease commitment, have proven to have given us the stability, solidity and efficiency long sought. Our service levels in supporting an increasing demand level have coped with the extra packaging needs. The level of increased demand of food has driven a large extra food purchase to develop.
Increases were highlighted in:
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£5,238 staff salaries, due to extra hours worked.
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£10,355 Warehouse rent and energy charges
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£5,375 Promotional materials to improve awareness
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£3,371 L D Van costs
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£2,692 Equipment, food costs and baby bank
Total increases were a total of £ 27,031 which were a reflection of both 12 months costs compared with 2022/ 2023 which was an 11 month financial year driving at least an 8.33% increase but also the exceptional costs of a new year at Delaware Road warehouse. The large elements of these increased costs, therefore, are Staff (+19%) and warehousing (+38.3%), Promotional materials (+19.4%)
Savings: £ 2,334 legal expenses.
Our Net Assets at £165, 635 (effectively our bank balances) represent 236% of our projected 2024/2025 annual costs, which leaves us in a continuing position of stability.
We should not allow ourselves to be in any way complacent, with such position, as we rely solely on our most generous donators and supporters
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Activity 2023/24
Food Collected & Distributed in Kgs
The local community continues to be splendidly, generous - food and hygiene products donations dropped by 9% to 44,512kgs. Food and hygiene products delivered to clients at 41,205 kilos were 3.37% higher than 2022/2023year.
Food deliveries to clients were at an average of 27 kilos per delivery marginally lower (-0.36%), to 89 clients per week (average) - 792 kilos /week delivered to 2103 children and 2,501 adults during the financial year. This figure of persons delivered to is 6.4% higher than 2022/2023 year.
A further 5,732 kgs was donated to other nearby foodbanks which were in short supply of essential food items.
Vouchers Issued
The number of vouchers issued to families in 2023/24 was at 1,536 (9.8% higher than the previous year).
Vouchers Issued by the Agency Network
The number of clients supported increased by 275 to 4,604 – the adult/child ratio has widened to a level of 54 / 46.
Warehousing
We have developed a very good working relationship with the owner of our new leased warehouse, which is proving to give much easier working conditions for our team of volunteers who operate there. The racking system is seen to be working very well for us.
Volunteer numbers
This has remained consistent over the past 3 years at around 37, and the new premises have enabled substantial operational and service delivery efficiencies.
The Board of volunteer trustees has reduced to 6 which is now providing enough depth and experience, for our currently envisaged tasks.
Babybank
Launched in February 2023, Haywards Heath Babybank, a spin off from the foodbank, was created to help alleviate child poverty in homes within the town and surrounding areas, to support families in need at times of financial and emotional stress. The Babybank is a simple yet effective idea where good quality pre-loved and new baby items donated by members of the community are collected and then redistributed to families in need, free of charge, via the existing Foodbank referral system
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Foodbank in the Community
Haywards Heath Foodbank is very much a community project underpinned by several local, multi-denominational churches. It is run by local volunteers for local people in crisis. It is wellsupported by West Sussex County Council, Mid Sussex District Council, Haywards Heath Town Council as well as several organisations within the business community, local schools, scout groups, voluntary groups and the public at large.
The MSVA (Mid Sussex Voluntary Association) supported successful grant applications to the National Lottery and Sussex Community Foundation, to fund transport and some staff costs. O verall HHFB has been most grateful for the incredible and continuing response to our appeals for help with donations of food, money, volunteers and other resources. The support comes from all sectors of the community.
For 2024/25 our main objectives will be to:
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continue to provide good support for those in need in our community, and to grow our collection service, which enables face to face client contact at the Distribution Centre (DC), while still providing a van-based delivery service to those unable to travel to the DC
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find and implement innovative ways to use our discretionary funds for the benefit of the communities we serve in line with our charitable mission
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maximize the opportunity for support made available through the renewed franchise agreement with Trussell Trust (grants, training, governance)
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develop our commitment to this vison via the ‘Together for Change’ future strategy.
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seek opportunities to further develop the Board in its mission to provide the very best service to enable HHFB to broaden its support for those in need in the community.
Reserves policy
In line with Charity Commission guidance, the Trustees reviewed their policy on unrestricted funds and consider that when fully operational Haywards Heath Foodbank (CIO) should retain the equivalent of at least 12 months operating costs.
Public Benefit Statement
The Trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty set out under section 4 of the Charities Act 2006 to have due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit ‘Charities and Public Benefit’ in developing the objectives for the year and in planning activities.
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Statement of Trustees’ responsibilities
Charity law requires the Board of Trustees, to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of its incoming resources and resources expended for the period. In preparing those financial statements, the Trustees should follow best practice and are required to:
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Select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently;
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Observe the methods and principles in the applicable Charities SORP;
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Make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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State whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements, and
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Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records, that are sufficient to show and explain the charity’ transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with relevant legislation. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Approval
This report was approved by the Board of Trustees on …………………………….. signed on their 16th September 2024 behalf by:
MR R A MCWILLIAM CHAIR OF TRUSTEES
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Independent Examiner’s Report
Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Haywards Heath Foodbank CIO
Year Ended 31st March 2024
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the CIO for the year ended 31[st] March 2024.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner’s statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
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accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or
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the accounts do not accord with those records.
I 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.
18th December 2024 Kim Lo FCA Date ………………… Chartered Accountant (ICAEW)
PRB Accountants LLP Kingfisher House Hurstwood Grange Hurstwood Lane Haywards Heath RH17 7QX
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Statement of Financial Activities
(Incorporating the Receipts and Payments Account) For the period to 31[st] March 2024
| Notes to | Restricted | Unrestricted | Year | Year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| the | Funds | funds | ended | ended | |
| accounts | 31/03/24 | 31/03/23 | |||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||
| Incoming receipts | |||||
| Grants2 | - | 27,500 | 27,500 | 16,250 | |
| Donations3 | - | 39,989 | 39,989 | 55,882 | |
| Transfers1 | - | - | - | 125,711 | |
| Investments (interest income) | - | 836 | 836 | - | |
| Total income | - | 68,325 | 68,325 | 197,843 | |
| Resources expended as payments | |||||
| Direct charitable costs4 | 2,067 | 63,370 | 65,437 | 38,988 |
|
| Net receipts/payments | (2,067) | 4,955 | 2,888 |
158,855 | |
| Statement of assets and liabilities | |||||
| As at 31st March 2024 | |||||
| Notes to | 31 Mar-24 | 31 Mar-23 | |||
| the | |||||
| accounts | £ | £ | |||
| Current assets | |||||
| Cash at bank and in hand | 5 | 162,235 | 159,437 | ||
| Prepayments | 6 | 4,000 | 1,500 | ||
| Net current assets | 166,235 | 160,847 | |||
| Current liabilities | |||||
| Liabilities: | 6 |
(600) | (924) | ||
| Net assets | 165,635 | 159,923 | |||
| Funds | 6 | ||||
| Restricted funds | - | 2,067 | |||
| Unrestricted funds | 165,635 | 157,856 | |||
| Total Funds | 165,635 | 159,923 |
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Haywards Heath Foodbank CIO Notes to the Accounts
For the year ending 31[st] March 2024
1. Accounting policies
Basis of Preparation
The accounts have been prepared on Receipts and Payments basis. Receipts and payments accounts contain a summary of money received and money spent during the period and a list of assets and liabilities at the end of the period. Usually, cash received, and cash spent will include transactions through bank accounts and cash in hand.
Income
Transfers represents amounts transferred from the charity Haywards Heath Food Bank (reg: 1146247) from which the charity operated up until 30 April 2022.
Other income represents the total value of grants and donations received.
Note 2. Grants (restricted)
| Note 2. Grants (restricted) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2023 | |
| £ | £ | |
| From public bodies | ||
| West Sussex County Council | 27,375 | 13,750 |
| Haywards Heath Town Council | 40 | 2,500 |
| Mid Sussex District Council | 85 | - |
| Total Grants Received | 27,500 | 16,250 |
Note 3. Donations Received
| Note 3. Donations Received | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2023 | |
| £ | £ | |
| Corporate Donations | 8,424 |
26,506 |
| Individuals' Donations | 21,843 | 12,732 |
| Charity Aid Foundation | 1,710 | 1,069 |
| Church Donations | 1,315 | 1,100 |
| Community Organisation Donations | 3,160 | 13,705 |
| Other donations | - | 770 |
| Gift aid | 3,537 | - |
| Donations Received | 39,989 | 55,882 |
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Note 4. Direct charitable payments
| Note 4. Direct charitable payments | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2023 | ||
| £ | £ | ||
| Staff costs* | 20,175 | 14,937 | |
| Warehousing costs and rent | 17,733 | 7,378 | |
| Promotional materials | 5,578 | 203 | |
| IT and communications | 232 | 261 | |
| Insurance | 392 | 393 | |
| Travel costs | 938 | 162 | |
| Cleaning | 1,398 | 657 | |
| Vehicle Costs | 10,350 | 6,979 | |
| Equipment and renovations | 4,446 | 3,568 | |
| Payments for Independent examination | 924 | 594 | |
| Administration and office costs | 1,322 | 738 | |
| Food purchases | 940 | 31 | |
| Baby bank* | 754 | 433 | |
| Legal expenses | 80 | 2,414 | |
| Other expenses | 175 | 240 | |
| Direct charitable costs | 65,437 | 38,988 | |
| *Donates part restricted expenditure | |||
| Note 5. Cash and Bank and in Hand | |||
| 2024 | 2023 | ||
| £ | £ | ||
| Cash at Bank | 161,979 | 158,700 | |
| Cash in Hand | 256 | 647 | |
| Cash and Bank in Hand | 162,235 | 159,347 | |
| Note 6. Funds | |||
| Restricted | Unrestricted | Total | |
| £ | £ | £ | |
| Opening balance 1st April 2023 | 2,067 | 157,856 | 159,923 |
| Receipts | - | 68,325 | 68,325 |
| Less: Payments | (2,067) | (63,370) | (65,437) |
| Add: prepayment: rent expense | - | 2,500 | 2,500 |
| Less change in creditor: independent examination fee | - | 324 | 324 |
| Funds 31st March 2024 | - | 165,635 | 165,635 |
Creditors: These are amounts owed by the charity, but not paid during the accounting period.
Note 7. Trustees’ remuneration
Trustees received no expenses, remuneration or benefits in this period.
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