COOKING UP
Registered Charity Number: 1198664
TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
For the Year Ended 31 December 2025
TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT
1. Reference and Administrative Details
Charity Name: Cooking Up Charity Number: 1198664
Principal Address: Capital Office, 124-128 City Road, London, EC1V 2NX
Trustees during the year and to the date of approval:
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Janet Hilton (Chair)
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Belinda Marozzi
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John Harrison-Church
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Anne-Marie Botha
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Alexia Maycock (appointed 10 March 2025)
Structure: Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) Governing document: Constitution dated 20 April 2022
2. Objectives and Activities
The charity was set up on 20 April 2022.
The charity’s objective and its principal activity is that of enhancing the health and wellbeing of people facing challenging circumstances in the London Borough of Richmond and neighbouring boroughs, by enabling them to cook healthy, tasty food for themselves and their families.
We achieve this by teaching cookery classes from our mobile kitchens and working out of fixed hubs in the borough’s most deprived wards.
Our objective over the next few years is to
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a. Further expand our reach by offering more classes in more locations through the borough and beyond;
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b. Develop our offer to include more opportunities for learning about food, including healthy vs unhealthy eating, nutrition and budgeting;
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c. Develop our offer to give clients more opportunities for social interaction.
3. Activities, Achievements and Performance
The trustees confirm that the activities of the charity since the start on 20 April 2022 are in accordance with the objectives set out.
Funding was secured from local authorities and local and national grant funding providers (£77,331) in furtherance of these objectives.
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Cooking Up continues to support people in challenging circumstances, including families living in food poverty, people with disabilities and poor mental health, people facing social isolation and bereavement, carers, refugees and asylum seekers and care leavers.
During the course of the year, the charity held 92 cookery classes across its hubs in the London Borough of Richmond.
We provided over 1400 portions of food to families in our borough.
Course evaluations indicate an increase of between 31% and 37% in people strongly agreeing that they (1) felt confident cooking from scratch, (2) had a good knowledge of how to eat healthily, (3) know how to cook and shop on a budget and (4) know how to cook without waste after completing a Cooking Up course.
In 2025 the charity ran focus groups with ex-clients to enable it to further understand their needs and to inform the development of the charity for the future.
The charity has the following objectives for 2026-2029:
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We will build the Charity's capabilities so that there is capacity for growth, with a focus on
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a. Accelerate fundraising;
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b. Digitising our finance operations to support growth;
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c. Technology implementation (CRM) to improve interaction with clients; and
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d. Recruiting additional operational resource.
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We will improve and diversify our course offer so that more clients
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a. Embed healthy cooking and eating habits;
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b. Receive input tailored to their needs; and
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c. Feel less isolated .
We will expand the Charity's reach by offering more classes in each hub, exploring a further location in LB Richmond and offering classes in neighbouring boroughs.
4. Financial Review
Total receipts for the year were £77,817 (2024: £43,776). Total payments were £50,245 (2024: £32,134).
Net movement in funds for the year was £27,572 (2024: £11,642).
Closing cash funds at 31 December 2025 totalled £83,893 (2024: £54,841), comprising:
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£11,969 unrestricted funds
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£71,924 restricted funds
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Reserves Policy
The trustees aim to maintain unrestricted reserves equivalent to approximately six months’ normal operating expenditure, with a minimum of £15,000 in cash.
5. Structure, Governance and Management
The charity is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), governed through its constitution in accordance with the requirements of the Charity Commission.
The trustees are responsible for strategic direction, financial oversight, and ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
The trustees have the power to appoint additional trustees as it considers fit.
Risk management
The trustees have approved a risk management policy to assess business risk and implement best practice in risk management and have concluded that adequate systems are in place to manage these risks.
Processes to manage risks include:
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a. Identifying the risks in each activity and attributing responsibility;
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b. Prioritising risks according to their likelihood and impact;
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c. Determining acceptable levels of risk;
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d. Adopting appropriate measures to reduce risk to a minimum; and
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e. Monitor the management of risk.
The risk register is reviewed and approved by the Trustees on a regular basis.
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Trustees’ Responsibilities Statement
The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.
The trustees are satisfied that the charity is eligible to prepare the financial statements on the receipts and payments basis and that the accounts comply with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011.
Approved by the trustees on: 6[th] May 2026
Signed on behalf of the trustees:
Janet Hilton
Janet Hilton Chair of Trustees
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ACCOUNTANTS’ REPORT TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES ON THE PREPARATION OF THE UNAUDITED STATUTORY ACCOUNTS OF
COOKING UP
Charity Number: 1198664
Responsibilities and Basis of Report
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Cooking Up (“the charity”) for the year ended 31 December 2025.
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”). I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 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
The charity’s gross income did not exceed £250,000 and I am qualified to undertake the examination by being a qualified member of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination 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.
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.
Signed: Frederick Rabie
Name: Frederick Rabie
Relevant professional qualification: Chartered Accountant (South Africa) Address: 21 Bridgman Road, London, W4 5BA Date: 6th May 2026
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STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS
For the Year Ended 31 December 2025
| Unrestricted (£) |
Restricted (£) | Total (£) Total 2024 (£) | Total (£) Total 2024 (£) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opening fund balances | 15,052 | 41,269 |
56,321 |
43,199 |
| Receipts | ||||
| Donations | 178 | - |
178 |
495 |
| Grants | - | 77,331 |
77,331 |
43,217 |
| Interest Income | 308 | 308 | 64 | |
| Total Receipts | 486 | 77,331 |
77,817 |
43,776 |
| Payments | ||||
| Direct Project Cost | 388 | 9,645 |
10,033 |
9,616 |
| Indirect Project Cost | - | 30,524 |
30,524 |
12,080 |
| Fundraising Costs | - | 2,874 |
2,874 |
- |
| Infrastructure Cost | 3,181 | 3,633 |
6,814 |
10,438 |
| Total Payments | 3,569 | 46,676 | 50,245 |
32,134 |
| Net movement for the year | (3,083) | 30,655 |
27,572 |
11,642 |
| Closing fund balances | 11,969 | 71,924 |
83,893 |
54,841 |
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STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
As at 31 December 2025
Cash Funds
| Cash Funds | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2025 (£) | 2024 (£) | |
| Bank current account | 68,683 | 54,851 |
| Instant Access Deposit Account | 15,210 | - |
| Total cash funds | 83,893 | 54,851 |
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NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS
1. Basis of Preparation
The accounts for the current year have been prepared on a receipts and payments (cash) basis.
Comparative figures for the prior year have been restated on a cash basis. As a result, amounts previously shown as debtors and creditors have been excluded, and only cash and bank balances are reported.
2. Trustee Remuneration and Expenses
No trustee received remuneration during the year.
Trustees were reimbursed for the following expenditure:
Belinda Marozzi: £883, of which £354 was for general office expenditure and £529 for food and consumables for cooking classes.
John Harrison-Church: £790, of which £129 was for general office expenditure and £661 for food and consumables for cooking classes.
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