Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From 01/03/2025 To 28/02/2026
Charity name: Knighton & Presteigne Foodbank
Charity registration number: 1200127
This is the annual report and independently examined accounts for the year ended 28 February 2026. The Trustees of Knighton & Presteigne Food Bank confirm that they comply with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011, the trust deed and the Charities SORP (FRS 102).
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
Context – A Foodbank has been operating in the Knighton and Presteigne area from October 2012 up to the present time. During these years, there have been many in the local communities who have struggled financially and have visited the Foodbank in need of a helping hand. The Foodbank was granted charitable status on the 19[th] August 2022 and its services have continued to be muchneeded and appreciated since that time.
Purposes – The prevention and relief of poverty by the provision of food, funds, goods or services for the public benefit of residents of Knighton, Presteigne and the surrounding area.
Activities – During the year the Foodbank has continued to respond to requests for the provision of crisis food parcels consisting of a minimum of three days’ worth of tinned & dried food, plus fresh items such as milk, bread, cheese and eggs. Referrals this year were predominately from the local support services and agencies such as Midwives, Social Services, Housing, Women’s Aid, Mental Health Services, District Nurses, Health Visitors and CAB. In addition, we saw an uptake of referrals from housing services homeless projects during the winter period. Many of these were for individuals and families being housed in temporary social housing.
Twice weekly sessions were held throughout the year at Knighton Baptist Church and the primary food store based there was used to provide Foodbank services to the Presteigne area, as we are without a permanent base in that location. We have strengthened the links and partnership working with the local schools in Presteigne and also family support services, to ensure urgent referrals are responded to promptly and no-one is disadvantaged by not having direct access to our Foodbank. We are grateful for the dedicated donations of food, cash and vouchers specifically for this purpose. In addition, we have received wonderful support and fundraising from local community enterprises, churches, schools and businesses in both Knighton and Presteigne. The Harvest Festival and Christmas donations this year were particularly generous and enabled us to react during the colder months by enhancing the food parcels and providing gifts and extra meat and vegetable vouchers. During the year, we distributed a total of £4,200 worth of vouchers to supplement the food parcels.
This has been another challenging twelve months for the Foodbank as we saw a significant increase in referrals and larger families needing our support, many of whom were working but unable to cover their food and fuel bills. Our direct food donations reduced considerably as many of our donors were finding the cost too great. Fortunately, we have been able to purchase significant amounts of food, laundry products, toiletries, pet food and vouchers for fresh food, from our cash donations and some grant funding.
It has been noticeable that there has been an increase not only in food poverty, but also hygiene poverty. We have been able to purchase and distribute toiletries for babies, tots, teens and young adults via our “Tots2Teens” project funding. An increase in levels of laundry poverty has also been
significant, the majority of requests for help coming to us from the local schools and family support services.
During the summer we supported hard-pressed families who were not able to access free school meals in the long holiday break, as part of our “Don’t Go Hungry” project. Then in the autumn and winter months we also provided essentials for our “Winter Warmth Project” by purchasing hot water bottles, blankets & electric throws, hats, gloves, socks and thermal leggings. During January and February we provided free pre-loved coats to anyone in need, as part of our “Wrap Up Knighton” project. We also supplied slow cookers, air fryers, sandwich toasters, microwaves and soup-makers to help families and individuals prepare nutritious meals for low energy costs.
Volunteers – A number of volunteers have served the Foodbank throughout the year by supporting the Manager, particularly in helping users to make up parcels of food and toiletries. They continue to be an essential and much-appreciated part of our operations.
Public benefit - In their decision-making and management, the Trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit.
ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE
Through its various activities, the Foodbank has succeeded in providing support to individuals and families in financial crisis, i) in the short term by the provision of food and hygiene parcels, ii) for the longer term by providing items that should last several years to help in keeping warm and in preparing meals whilst minimising energy costs.
Beneficiaries are always warmly welcomed and treated with dignity at the Foodbank. Allowing users to be involved in choosing the contents of their food and hygiene parcels and to be able to purchase from local retailers using vouchers they have been given has helped individuals in crisis to regain some self-respect. The feedback received shows that the services of the Foodbank are very much needed and appreciated.
A Table of Service Provision providing more detail on numbers supported is given below.
Table of Service Provision, March 2025 - February 2026
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New Repeat New Repeat Adults Children Adults Children Total Total Receiving
Month Referrals Referrals Referrals Referrals Supported supported Supported Supported Referrals Foodbank Support
Kn Kn P P Kn Kn P P (Meals)
March 2025 10 6 3 - 18 14 4 4 24 40 (360 meals)
April 10 4 1 1 15 13 2 3 16 33 (297 meals)
May 6 3 1 1 9 6 2 4 11 21 (189 meals)
June 6 - 2 - 7 6 3 1 8 17 (153 meals)
July 15 4 1 - 27 18 1 2 19 48 (432 meals)
Aug 16 8 1 1 32 29 2 4 26 67 (603 meals)
Sept 5 2 2 2 17 15 5 2 11 39 (351 meals)
Oct 9 1 3 - 11 9 3 6 13 26 (234 meals)
Nov 12 4 1 - 16 16 1 2 17 35 (315 meals)
Dec 19 34 4 - 25 26 4 7 27 62 (558 meals)
Jan 2026 1 6 3 - 7 14 3 2 10 26 (234 meals)
Feb 5 3 4 1 12 8 7 - 13 27 (243 meals)
TOTALS
114 45 26 6 196 174 37 37 191 660 (4,996 meals)
(YEAR)
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Kn = Knighton P = Presteigne
FINANCIAL REVIEW
Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period – The Foodbank is par�cularly blessed to have around 40 very generous financial supporters who donate on a regular monthly basis, enabling the Foodbank to plan with confidence for the future. These regular dona�ons increased by 3% compared with the 2024/25 financial year. On the other hand, one-off dona�ons from individuals reduced considerably by nearly 50%, possibly because of ongoing economic pressures and less media focus on foodbanks. Similarly, dona�ons from organisa�ons were down on the previous financial year by 25%. Overall, total income received reduced by nearly 10%.
Powys County Council provided a grant of £500 during the year from their An�-poverty Fund and there were dona�ons totalling £5,550, included within the dona�ons total, from local organisa�ons. These were also much-appreciated.
Total income for the year was adequate to cover the regular expenditure required to run the Foodbank and also to fund various projects as outlined earlier. Many vouchers from local retailers were distributed during the year and microwaves, slow cookers, air fryers and sandwich toasters were purchased and given to those in need. In addi�on, significant funds, £4,100, were allocated for dona�ng to other local chari�es/organisa�ons running projects in keeping with the Foodbank’s charitable objects. This was a significant increase compared to 2024-25 and was a result of the Trustees’ recommenda�on to reduce reserves to a target figure of £70,000.
decrease of £9,050 compared with the previous financial year.
– Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted The policy of the Foodbank is to hold all cash assets at minimum risk. All the cash assets have been held in a current account and a savings account with HSBC UK Bank plc. The total at the end of the period was below the Financial Services Compensa�on Scheme protec�on limit for chari�es of £120,000.
– A description of the principal financial risks facing the charity Throughout its existence, the Foodbank has benefited from free or no�onal rent for use of a building for its opera�ons. If this accommoda�on was no longer available, it would be necessary to locate suitable alterna�ve local premises, probably requiring significant extra expenditure on rent.
Should this deteriorate, it may affect the ability of individuals in our local communi�es to afford to donate, reducing Foodbank income. In conjunc�on with this there could also poten�ally be increased costs together with an increase in demand for the Foodbank services depending on Government priori�es for alloca�ng its limited resources.
into the future even if these risks materialise, the Trustees will keep the situa�on under close and regular review.
Statement supporting the policy and reasons for holding reserves – There is no indica�on at the present �me that the need for the Foodbank services is likely to reduce in the coming months and years. Even a significant number of individuals/families with income from employment are struggling to pay for essen�als, and the decline in one-off financial dona�ons and food dona�ons may reflect a general purse-�ghtening within the community. In addi�on, the current turbulence in the global economy and issues within the UK economy have added further uncertainty. Should the local or na�onal climate deteriorate there would likely be a two-fold impact on the Foodbank: the level of dona�ons would reduce and, the demand for Foodbank services increase.
The Foodbank is also faced with the likelihood of having to pay commercial rent for a suitable space for its opera�ons because its current low-cost accommoda�on is expected to become unavailable in
The Foodbank Trustees therefore believe it is prudent to maintain a rela�vely high level of reserves. A target level of £70,000 has therefore been agreed. This level of reserves should enable the Foodbank to con�nue opera�ng well into the future even if income from dona�ons and grants reduces significantly. Even at this increased level, there are currently sufficient funds available for the Trustees to con�nue to consider suppor�ng other local organisa�ons with suitable aims and look for more opportuni�es to benefit those in financial crisis. However, in light of the various concerns men�oned above, the financial posi�on will be kept under regular review.
STRUCTURE. GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT Type of gov•mlng docvmènt- Con5titubon How constituled- 00 Twuslee sel•ctlon m•thod- Appolnted by the Committee of Tru5tee5 REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DEfAILS Charfty nam•- KlllBhiun & Pre¢e Foodnk Reghl•r•d chortty numb•r- IiCQ117 Charfty's prfnclpal addrnu- Tower House. 29 StreeL Knithton. Powys LD7 IAT Nam•1 ol th• chorffy Truite5 who manage the chathy Truith• n•m• Offlc• {W xt•d 11 Njifor ol p•rnon ior bodyl•ntld•d to Inl tnr4t•• Madeleine M¢Don4h Allson Thomas Chairperson S•¢rt•ry Julia Roberts Comrnlttee of Tru5te¢5 Sally Mansell Ann Curfjs DECLARATIONS Th• tru•t••• d•el•r• thlt th•y h•¥• •pprov•d th• Tru•t•••' r•port •bov•. Slgn•d on b•ttll of th• ¢h•rlty'• Trust••• Sbyn•tuMl•l J4t Full nam•l•l P••ltl•n l•9 S•Gr•tsry I Chalr, •t¢l C44AI Dt• 26
CHARIIY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES iXrfTr127 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For lh¢ penod 01..235 To 26IOW2026 Section A Receipts and payments Unreslricled Jnds Re51ncled funds Erthment funds Total fund$ Last yeai A1 R•¢•i Dl XJ11 21.J11 J.142 Sub ¢ol•llGross irrne f ARJ 22A 2T&27 A2 Asset and Inv•sbn•nt Ml•& se• table Sub lot•1 22M AJPa m•nti kn¥ei r•npJnwaV MA22 •A53 2VJ 147 )7 74 (mr Sub total Jtr ?JJ•i A4Ai••t •nd Inv•ikn•nt urchases ee lablè Sub lot Toil paym1$ 32.C 23.381 Net ol recelpigfp•ymeffl¥ . A8 Transfera bettyeen funds A6 Ca$h funds last year e Cash funds thi$yw 9,052 78.017
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Re51ricled r.4owfncnt fund B1 Ca•h fund• luné• FwwJt•wlh D•tiTrs 83 Ihv•tstm•nt ••••t• B4 A•••ts r•t•ln•d for th• ¢harfty'• ¢JWn I D•tailB 85 LI11111• by b•DAff 014N Date ol Ivtc 0è14 CCXX fi2 ac<ourtsissi
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