Ilem 4 Report from the Chalr 2023-24 This report cover5 Westerhom Food Bank's tenth yeor of operalion. November 1)23- October 2024.11 Was noted ol last year's AGM that 05 no nominotion5 hod been received the posilion of Cha¥. the new Trustee Group would determine how il would work. In the event the roles of Choir ond Secrelory have allemoted between two TnJstee5. an arrangement which has worked effectively the group and lor the Foodbanl It has been a yeu of great charoe for Ihe Foodbonk. in dients. in donolions. in finances and its joumey along ihe route of becoming a grown up Charity. So the firsl mention must be to the Truslee Group. The Foodbank 15 fortunate to have an enthusiastic. decficoted and Ilexible group of Trustees guiding the charity through these times. Beeen them Ihey bring a mix of experience and capobli itie5 of which mony a commercial organisation would be proud. A5 volunteer5 Ihe tirne and tolenl they tying exceed any expeclolions. Thanks go to all of them. Cfjents ov1 CrngeS number5 WPPCXted dLwing the year (re shown belovr. Nool Nool Noof Noof households famllles Noof cou les sln les Asre Adults orted to 2022-23 AGM: number5 05 al end October 2023 21 75 Nool chlldren 62 As at end of October 2024 22 57 Twnover dg the ye 24 26 73 52 New referrols 18 24 49 36 11 15 iMpan* thol the Foodbank is a5wred thai those using it cwe tru in need of such sUPPOrt. It does not have the compelence lo make Ihis ossessment itself. ond has fvom the start of its operation only accepted cfients referred by iecogrNsed exlemol ogencies. IEeferrds Ckn txeferred refefrer is Citizen5 Advice (Edenbridge and Weslerhom) Which has the expertise to make this determination. Although occurTing outside Ihe peTFod of thi5 report. the Foodbank was shocked ond greatly saddened lo leam of the sudden dealh of the Chief Operaling Officer. Sian Hlller. Her Conlribution fo the extension of ils operation into Westerham was critical as was
her commitm8nl lo bull rfing relationships wilh Trvstees. Over the past year relerrols have olso been accepled from School Family Lioison 01fice. Social Prescriber5 altached lo Doclors Surgeries. Outreach Worker5 from churches. Housing A5sociolions and Social Wthers in o variety of fields. ReTeleN(Is: Trie feview process. deloyed d1rj and immecfKJlely after the pandemic wos resumed. on exercise which wos undertaken wilh great patience ond per5iStence by Iwo Trustees. This concluded wilh support to a number of clienls being withdrawn. Those who have nol used Ihe Foodbank f(x a p70d of 13 weeks ore asked to obtain a rerefeo1 to confirm continued need. All clienls are osked to obtoin a rereferral regvkxty and al least onnudty. The Foodbonk does not lighlly remove ils support and olways leaves o door open for clients to return if need relums. It Ireads Ihe often unclear palh belween helping ItSe wilh real needs and avoidirjg kng lerm reliance on lood wpp(xt. The main reasons for rele cre os ever. Undg debl. income insufficiency. inability lo find or undertake work and heolth issues. It hos been inslructive to discover Ihot olmost half of Ihe households supported have one hovsehold member in ieceipl of a dabilIty benefil. severol of Ihem children. Equally Some clienls ore unoble to work lor work enough) due the pressure ol caring for elderty parents yrKJII ctrdctren. Voluntew5 Without the derficoted team of volunleer5. operalion of the Foodbank would be impossible. There ore currenlly almost S) volunleers {including Trustees) who behveen Ihem cary out wilh Ihe greatest of good humour and flexibllity all the tasks needed lo k&p the Foodbonk's owolK)r6 gOij. The Kst is loro: ColecliTh3 (lonatM)n5 from coleclK)n tKtskets in and (Nound Weslerham and delivering Ihem to the Scout Hut Collecting fresh food from M0rri50ns on o Thursday moming Doing Ihe weekly shop at Morri50ns ernbled by 'Green bag. programme Meeting ond gTeeting centS. s(xting ond doting donaled stocL packing clienls. bags. restocking Ihe store sheds on a Thut5doy moming, Very spec#Jl mention to Ihe team of Detsvery t1V5 who t0ve ol Weathe lo lake bogs to clients who are unable lo come lo Ihe Scovt Hul. Coping with the increasing levels of behind the scenes manogement and admini51Tation which come V•ilh being o Regislered Charity Tumover ol vohJnleer5 is encOag1ngty low al less than IO% and il 15 heortening lo see a steady if small stream of new volunteer5 come for•Yard. Some volunteer5 Step back for a time due to heallh. fomfly or WOTk issues. yet most retunl
Donallons Donoffons In Klnd Collecllon baskets hove remoine(l al Woitrose Biggin Him. the Weslerhom CcFop, Wolfe Garoge. Weslerham Library ond Sl. Morys Church. Westerham Town Council offices have al conlinued lo accept food donotions. Dellverfes lo the Scoul Hul ore made regulorty by Ihe Catholic Parishes of Westerhom orKI Biggin Hll and from the bUs1r ol the Old Yard, Brc5ted. Sizeable donations of hygiene and hovsehold products are recerved through Ihe Foodbonk's partnSP wilh Oxled & Edenbrldge Hygiene Bank H(xvest. ClYisIm ond Easler donalioffj hove been as generous as ever. Churchill School. Holy Trinity Crockham Hill. Radnor House School. Sl Mark's Biggin Hli l. Sl Mary's Tat5field. Ta15field School. St Mory's Westerham ond Aquallome of Biggin Hlll all donoted generously. These donations enatAed the di5hibulion of the now troditional Christmos hampers lo oll cfients lo be made. Thonks are due lo Sl James. Place. who made Iheir Board Room ond a number of their stoff avoilable f(K Ihe packing exercise ond lo Steve Gfange and Poul Robertson who delivered a1160 of Ihem! Additional bags were defprfered ot Eoster and al Ihe slart of Ihe summer hofidays lo those clients wlh children. A speciol mention Tr15t be made of Ihe donolrons from Monts¢)ns of Oxted each week. The Foodbank benefits each week from Iheir Green Bog progromme which hamesses Ihe generostty of their customers and the organisalion ol Ihe¥ Community Champion ond enables the purchose of needed ilem5. Rnanclol Donallons Fuler delols of fnancial donalion5 ore contained in Ihe Tre05urer's Report. The Foodbjnk hos been forlunote to receive sevefol tronche5 of Ihe government Household Support Fund vio Sevenoak5 DislTiCt Council, a fund whose demise has been announced 5everol limes bLrt 15 continving for Ihe cuent year. There have been several olher fnancial donalions. the importance of which lo the Foodbank is explained in Ihe Treaswer's reporl. All ore much valued ond the don0 have received the Foodbank's Ihonks. The 'Back Office, Last ye(rfs report noled Ihcrt one of Ihe chdlenges facing Ihe Foodbank in Ihe coming year wos 'odapling and growing as on organisalion.. This ha5 certainly proved lo be Ihe case. The key areas hove been:
Dlglllsallon: The move to online accounts Ixerol ond online client requests (Jotform) hos considefobly increosed efflenCy both of opefotion and reCd keeprng. Initi concems obout how clien15 would adopt lo th new syslem proved vnfounded ond the benefits ore ovtlined in the Treasurer's report. labhtties The same Jottorm opplicotion has been used lo galher volunteer5, avoi for Ihe production of the rota. Again it has rewlted in a more efkient rycKess. Thanks are due to Roberl and Liz Vlicks who hove worked wilh Ihe appficotions lo toilor them lo Ihe Foodbank's needs. The lime. energy and patience they have devoted ond continue to devote, have enabled great slrides to be made in increang the Foodbank's elfecliveness ond efflenCy. Use of the 5hcued (*ive and its inf¢ymalion conlinues to be in kyogess. Pollcy lormvlallon Following the pubficotion of the Charily Commissions, requyements for CharFlie5 wilh an income exceeding £IO.OCK) effective for financiol years ending on or after l January 2023. the Trustees reviewed necessary action lor the Foodbank. a result policies covering Safeguarding. Health and Safety. Financial matteT5 and a Volunteer hondbook were drown up. This wort is ongoing. wilh the opplication of GDPR to the Foodtxjnk a 11 fcx the rW Truslee &oup. Pubmclly. sockd meda and ?11 Facebook postings have continued and have resulted in a raised profle and increased interest in the work of the Foodbank Work h05 begun on a website wilh o Duke of Edinburgh student working with tsvo Twstees lo produce o dedicaled sile. Record keeplng. on boardlng and repfig The need for all ol Ihe5e has increased dIng the year. Necessary for ony well nJn organisation. they ore requwed for grant applications. reports lo Trustee5 and others and for new clienls and volunteers. Thi5 applies equally to financial record keeping ond management. Slgnposllng to olher oreas ol help It is imporlont Ihol the clients do nol become unneCeoY dependenl on the Foodbank's support. To this end Citizens Advice ottend once a monlh to make clienls who come in to collect uwore of Ihe services they can offer and lo encouroge them lo make face to face appointments wlh the Advisor who is in Westerham every Wednesday. Addilionolly. Sevenook5 Dislricl Council HERO team ottend once o monlh. again lo moke clients aware of the SW4bces offered. Looklng f¢xward In on uncertain workl: Increasing cosls Referrals incre05ing: client5 With increasingly complex lives needing support for longer periods of time". ensuring validity of retettals. io
Mointaining levels of donation5 both financial and in kind Improving the efficiency and effectiveness ol all intemal syslems and proce55es Volunteer and Trustee recruitmenl and succession The Foodbonk'5 ullimate aim 15 to become redundant and it sincerely hopes that one day Ihal situation will be o reality. It does nol look achievable in Ihe foreseeoble Ivlure. condusion. a huge debt of thonks is due to all who give lime, tolenls. lunding or food to make the continuation of 5UPPOrt to those in need in ond around Westerham. Special Ihanks are due lo Ihe Truslee Group in their iole of steering Ihe Foodbank through on ever changing lond5cape. 11 is re(75suring Ihot Ihi5 Group is more Ihan equol lo the task. ona Owen Helen Ogden Attwnate Chakn 2023.4 li
Item 5: Summary Examlned accounts for Ihe year 2023-24 Tre 888%$ 8&S88- revi 888= 88888ts8ts wo wa foll 8$8888, 8888S 8888888, Ad 88888888 DI 8888 88S(8888 88888 8888888¥', re 88888 8&8888*1 th 8888888, 8888888 88888 88888 8844B88 12
Treasufws Report 2023-2024 Weslethom Foodbank started Ihe finonciol year wilh o heolthy bank balance. In light of this, a ieview of our banking needs. spending poltem5 and policies led to a number of positNe changes which I'm pleased to ovifine below. Banklng Nalwesl advised us that 05 0 nevAy registered charity our (xiginal Communty Bank Account would no longer be acceptable and a new Business Current Account. suitable for small charilies, w05 duly opened in Moy 2Y24. Don0 have been notified of Ihe new bank details over Ihe followng monlhs and the Community Account wal close completely this monlh. . AddlIK. an inte51-bearlng 91kday savings account was opened in order for the resee$ to generate Income. As of 3151 January. it is eaming 3.44% gross. 3.49% AER which is competilive. | LxJt ttys is kept under regular review. Dlgitisatlon Xefo Cashbook occounling 50ftware has streomtined our accounts and Teduced the amounl ol administrative time spent on bookkeeping. Xero stores copies of invoices and receipls securely and can Frodvce report5. The subscriplion is currentty paid by Weslerhom Brewery Co Ltd. Jolform is a vl>baSed lool thot user5 to creale bespoke f(JTns. The Foodbonk'5 recipien15 have all adapled well lo the new 'ordering' system and Ihe weekly odministrative burden hos been gre(Jlty reduced. The Foodbonk quafified for 0 50% charity discount, reducing the subscription cost lo £191.67. The forrns, which ore needed in hard copy for packnng bogs on a Thuv5doy mcIng. ore printed ol Westerham Brewery. Saving the ITUStees the pet50nal cost of paper and ink. tfcxm is GDPR compltont ond has been o huge boon lo our weekly operation. Spendlng We have reviewed our spending. swrfeyed recipients about Iheff food prefefences and given i con5ideralion to heollhier choice5. A5 a result. we now offer fresh eggs and fruit ond have Tecenlly exlended this to fresh vegetables and bread. The digitol JolfO allov#S instant edtling so item5 can be added or removed accordtng lo stock levels. physical donations received ond seosonol voriotions e.g. brussels sprouts al Christmas. It atso ensures that fresh goods go onty to Ihose reqvesling Ihem. avoiding woste. Healthier options In oddilion to the ilems donated vio McrfTison5 ond al Ihe Varic$ cc41eclion points, slock ttems ore purchased and delivered to the Scout Hut every Thursday. This has allowed us to take posilive steps in ensuring healthier options are avali able on a regular basi5. whli st being mindtul of our recipients, food preferences. kllchen facilities and varying cooking skn'us (some clients only have o microwave). We ore grotefijl fcy Ihe information made public by The Tnjssell Trust in ther nulritionol analysis of Q typical 3-doy emergency food parcel which helped inform our decisions. Some exomples are shown below: . 13
Choosing heallhier 5nocks such as dried twit ond nul rNx ' offering orange iiAce as on Ywxloni sowce of WrtorT¥n C Selecting good quolty Iwined meots V•ilh a tr¥gkw ryolen conlent Grants. Donqtlons & Fun<tralslng This year our shed mointenance costs, both materiats and labovr. were generously covered by Sl James Place and Iheii leam of volunteer5. This saved u5 an eslimled £7X).(K). We ore hvgdy grateful for grant5 received Irom Sevenoaks Eisltict Councl's Household SUppCl Fund and The Borley Trusl ond for donotion5 from individuab. local businesses and community events. Morrison5' weekly allowance sustains us wilh on overoge weekty sum of £1 15 to be spenl in slore. This is thank5 in large part to Ihe work of Mike BUM al the Oxted store who OYSee5 Green Bog Scheme and regular Foodbank 7ve5 Nthich pubficise this importanl community outreach and encourage new sUPPOrt. Unlortunalely. despite Ihis support. it looks fikely Ihot going forwoTds donations wll not cover the cost of additional goods Ihot ore needed eoch week so we VAI be spending reserves. We are monitoring this dosely and inihole fvndroi5ing activities when necesscmy. Rlsks The boord of tnJslees hos delennined Ihol our unteshicted reserves should be maintoined at o minimum of 6 months of operoling expenses. This level will allow us to cover e55entiol cosls during unforeseen crcumsSance5. such 05:_ Withdrawal of supp(yl by MlsOnS supefftiaet- {apFrfOL £6([) in 2)2314) . Withdrawal of free u of Ihe Scout Hal by 171h SeverK)ak51WestertKMnl Scout . Wilhdr(Jwd of Seven(xJks Dis1• Cwncl's HOU SuF4Xt Fund l£l13Y2 n 2Y23141 Drops in incOff Idonalions. gants) . Emergency expendihxes wch 05 weather doiwe to storage sheds Our Reseprfes Policy 15 avokjble upon Tequesl. Llz Wocks Treasurer l attoch the Treasurer's Report ond Acc exomined. un15 submitt y Liz which I hove independenmy Jenny 5mllh. Independent Examlner 14