2023-03-31-accounts

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 01/04/22 Period start date To 31/03/23 Period end date

Charity name: Cary Cares

Charity registration number: 1196363

Objectives and Activities

Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document	To relieve either generally or individually persons resident in the Parishes of Castle Cary and Ansford who are in conditions of need, hardship, or distress by making grants of money or providing or paying for items, services or facilities calculated to reduce the need, hardship, or distress of such persons or to advance the educational or recreational activities of such persons or groups for the benefit of thepublic.
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.	Our constitution and objectives limit the main services we provide to any residents and organisations within the parishes of Castle Cary and Ansford. The main activities carried out this year were as follows: • The free provision of emergency food and essentials to residents in need • The free provision of a community larder, reducing food waste within the community. • The free provision of a signposting service to provide help with benefit applications etc. • The provision of grants to organisations and individuals in particular to offset financial hardship arising as a result in unforeseen changes of circumstances.
Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the	The trustees confirm that they have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity

guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit	Commission’s guidance on public benefit when agreeing Cary Cares’ aims and objectives, in planning services & activities and when setting thegrant making policy for theyear.

The Charity has established its grant making policy to achieve its objectives to relieve Policy on grant making. conditions of need, hardship or distress to any persons or organisations in need within the parishes of Castle Cary and Ansford. In the past year, we have focussed our provision to assisting families, individuals or organisations suffering hardship arising because of an unforeseen change of circumstances. We have actively promoted the availability of our grants through social media, newsletters, the town website and through a telephone campaign specifically reaching out to local organisations. Many of our referrals for individual grants come from the health professionals, local schools, and churches, in addition to the CAB and other ‘signposting’ services. When considering grant applications, the trustees carry out appropriate due diligence and ensure that the application meets with both our charitable purposes and our current priorities. Our policy allows us to respond very quickly to hardship requests when needed. All ‘group’ beneficiaries are asked to provide a report giving evidence to show that the grant has been used appropriately. Cary Cares currently has 25 volunteers, and we are hugely grateful to the many hours they Contribution made by spend in running the Community Food Bank volunteers. and larder and providing emergency help and support. Without this valuable contribution of time, energy and expertise we would not be able to operate. All our volunteers and trustees provide their time free of charge.

Achievements and Performance

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.

Our Main Services: • The on-going provision of an emergency food and essentials service has ensured that residents experiencing financial hardship have had free local access to food and essentials alleviating the requirement for beneficiaries to travel to Food banks in neighbouring towns, saving both time, cost and fuel consumption. During the past year we provided 135 food and essentials boxes which equates to about 420 days of food support. In addition, as part of our ‘signposting’ service users of this scheme are invited to have discussions with one of our trustees who has up to date knowledge of the benefits system to assess whether other support may also be available to them. Through this initiative we have successfully assisted residents with applications for various benefits. • In conjunction with Castle Cary Town Council, we have established a Food Bank and Community Larder in the Millbrook Hub in the town. This facility ensures we have a secure base from which to provide our emergency food and essentials service whilst at the same time ensuring that food waste within the town is minimised. The larder currently has 75 registered local families who are using the service on a regular basis, equating to about 225 individual beneficiaries. On average we see around 50 visitors per week and distribute around 165kg of food in total. We have established relationships with local supermarkets and organisations which has assisted us in significantly reducing the cost of this service. • This year, following discussions with staff at Ansford Academy, we established a ‘Community cupboard’ within the school. The purpose of the cupboard is to ensure that all students regardless of their home situation have access to certain essentials, including emergency snacks. The contents of the cupboard are available to any student in need as

identified by the staff. Items include toiletries, ‘breakfast bars ‘, essential stationery items, washing detergent, underwear etc. • This year we have assisted many individuals and families in dire financial need thus reducing their hardship and distress. We have awarded 7 specific financial grants to individuals and families, totalling £1449 and numerous grants of goods or services, including for example the sourcing of furniture, and providing blankets for families experiencing fuel poverty. • In the past year we have issued 9 grants to local organisations totalling £1727. This included assistance towards a ‘warm space’ initiative in the scout hut and a well-being initiative being run by Cary moor Environmental Trust. • In December, for the third successive year, we coordinated our very successful Christmas Gift Box scheme; collecting festive donations and distributing them to over 100 residents who would be spending Christmas alone and providing 80 bags of festive food to families experiencing financial hardship. This seasonal initiative is very well received and helps to alleviate feelings of isolation and loneliness that are often heightened during the festive season

Financial Review

Financial Review
Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period	Cash at bank at 31/03/2023 was £20101 which includes restricted funds of £5 to cover specific requests to offset fuel poverty, £9875 to cover costs associated with provision of the Food Bank, larder and emergency food and essentials
Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held	The trustees have examined the charity’s requirements for reserves in the light of the main risks to our organisation. It has established a policy whereby the unrestricted funds held by the charity should be between 6 & 9months of the essential expenditure, to allow time to seek external funding if necessary. As we are currently in our first full year of operation for the larder, we have had to estimate this amount and the trustees review the funds available at the monthly meetings.
Amount of reserves held	Currently our ‘free’ cash reserves stand at £10222(Cash at bank less restrictedfunds)

Additional information

Our main sources of funds this year have been donations from the community, in particular The charity’s principal a large donation of £4230 resulting from a sources of funds (including any fundraising) Community Cookbook project. In addition, we received two grants of £3000 from both Somerset District Council and from HUBBUB towards the cost of provision of the larder and emergency food & essentials In the current financial climate, the trustees are aware that there may well be increased A description of the principal demand for emergency food and essentials. risks facing the charity We are closely monitoring the demand to ensure that we have funding in place to meet it.

Structure, Governance and Management

Structure, Governance	and Management
Description of charity’s trusts:
Type of governing document	Constitution
How is the charity constituted?	Unincorporated Association
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	Trustees are appointed or re-appointed annually at the Annual General Meeting. In addition, a further two trustees may be appointed during the year who will stand down at the end of the year.

Additional information

Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees.	There is a safeguarding policy in place and DBS checks are carried out prior to the commencement of trusteeship and again in line with statutory requirements. A training pack is made available to new trustees joining the team, this includes the ‘Trustees Welcome Pack” provided by the charity commission.
The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works.	The trustees oversee the day to day running of the charity supported by a team of volunteers who assist with queries and the running of the Community larder. The trustees actively seek the views of its volunteers and wider community when deciding the objectives and servicepriorities of the charity.
Relationship with any related parties	Castle Cary Town Council actively supports Cary Cares in the running of the Community Larder. They provide and maintain the premises where the larder is located free of charge.
Other	All trustees give their time voluntarily and receive no remuneration or other benefits.

Reference and Administrative details

Charityname	Cary Cares
Other name the charityuses	None
Registered charity number	1196363
Charity’s principal address	Cavendish House Fore Street Castle Cary Somerset BA7 7BQ

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8	Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany)
	Ainsley Creedy	Chair or Trustees
	David Knight	_Secretary _
	Geoffrey Woolston	Treasurer
	Karin Hurd
	Mark Hutton
	Susan McKenzie
	Richard Needle
	Rosemary Rymer

Declarations

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

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s) Full name(s) Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Date	AinsleylCreedy	Geoff Woolston
	Ainsley Creedy	Geoff Woolston
	Chair	Treasurer
	24/10/23
	24/10/23

I (HARITY COMMISSION | FOR INGIANO ANO WAIIS ry Cares Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the penod 01n4tt022 Section A Receipts and payments Unrestricted lunds trlh• n••rwt Restricled fvnds Endowrnen¢ lunds Total fvnds toth• tolh•ffl••M¥iÉ toth• I A1 Recfripts Tiantsr4lOonolMAI W by T¢J•nChAnty SSCL F¢LbJ Ban4 Gr 14U8BUg Grant Irfmdual FryKJ 8ar (Joriati￿$ bark Donat￿￿5 CAF Donations w# Paw Pal Rv0aw￿l ol l)onalii?r)s Sa of Co￿t￿l 270 270 4.732 100 &732 4,2JO 1230 14.369 Sub totaliGross ￿COrne for ARI 1410$ 2¢.054 21.140 A2 Asset •nd Inv￿￿ent￿l￿. (see tsblol. Sub total rol•l recoipts 11.Z49 14.105 26.OSI 21,140 AJPa E mPi9vri¢y tyoies F•(1 ￿ EM•r 172 117 Cjiants to kncal Dr44ruSaty Lirèllty 4ThJ tamiie4 1.727 1.U9 1,449 913 224 3.329 912 224 224 VLI Powc Laroei EX￿￿$¢9 IhVBBUBI PayP84 Ftes 195 2.136 2.136 Sub total 13.QJO 14.061 A4 A85et and inveslment purchas0, Ise8 tabi8 Sub total Tolalpayments 11.086 14.061 Net orr￿elP￿{P&YM9nts} AS Transfers funds A6 Cash fvnd$ last ￿￿r*nd Cash lund$ this ènd 3,71 13,024 7,079 1.745 7.079 2I.IDJ 14,63 7.079 Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period R¢$iricted fvnds Eiidowrnont funds C,ItegoriQS Oetslts lunds CCXX Rl ISSI io

B1 Cash funds 14.$39 Total cash funds 11.6J9 5.464 Unrestrlcted nds to Tr••rnl E Re8tricte4 funds to n••r••iÉ EndowmoTht funds ¢tip¥ovd•ll Cury•ffltvllu• 83 Inve8tm?nt assets NE ¢wl (OP￿￿1) eurr•nt v•lu• B4 Assets reialned lor th• hanty's own use Fufid Am•￿Trt d onal Wh•h du• 85 Liabilitiès NE s9￿￿ by one ortwo vustee5 S 811 ol Bll the InJs Oale of rvval SignLwe Pnnt Name fl1￿3L(--Y L Ct?fiJl Z4110120ZJ CCXX R2 èxounts Iss)

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Sectlon A Independènt Examlner's Report Report to the trustèèsl members of On a¢counts lor th• year •nd•d S( *oL3 Charity no Ilf any) Set out on pages I report to Ihe Iwslees on my ex8min3lion of the attounls of the above ¢hanty1lhe Trust-l for the year ended 3 1105120 23 Responslbllltlo$ and As charity trustees of the Trusl. you are res[￿sIble for the preparation basls of report of the accounts in aC£t￿r￿ wilh the requiremgnts of the Charities Acl 2011 1.the Act"). I report in respect of my examinalion ol ihe Tnjst's a￿Unts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act arxl in carying out my examination. I have followed the appIl￿ble D1￿CtIOnS givgn by the Charity Commission under section 1451511bl ol Ihe Act. I have completed my examinabon. I confimi that no material matters have come lo my attention10th￿￿.￿eloW¥ in connection with Ihe examinalK>n which gives me cause lo believe U)al in, any material respecl.. a¢o)unlirYJ records were nol kept in accordanee sec¢ion 130 of the Acl or th8 actounts do not acc(Yd the attounting fecords Independont examlnerf$ statement I have concems and have come auoss no other matters in connection th Ihe examinaknon lo which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper underslanding of the accounts to be reached. ' Please delete the words in the brackets illheydo not 8ppIy. Slgn•d: Date: Nam•: Relèvant prof¢sslonal quaiificationlsl OF body lil any): Addrnss: SQ, IER October 2018

Section 8 Disclosure Only complete ￿ the examiner needs to highlight rnatter5 of concem (see CC32. Independent examinalion of chanty accounts.. direclion5 and guidance for examinetsl. Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclo$è IER October 2018