2024-12-31-accounts

ST JOHN’S SOUP KITCHEN AND FOODBANK

Charity Registration Number: 1203125

Annual Report and Accounts 31 December 2024

ST JOHN’S SOUP KITCHEN AND FOODBANK

Annual Report and Accounts 2024 Contents

	Page
Legal & Administrative Information	2
Annual Report of the Trustees	3
Independent Examiner’s Report	5
Receipts & Payments Account	6
Statement of Assets & Liabilities	7
Notes to the Accounts	8

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ST JOHN’S SOUP KITCHEN AND FOODBANK

Legal & Administrative Information For the year ended 31 December 2024

Charity Name	St John’s Soup Kitchen and Foodbank.
Principal Address	St John the Evangelist Church, Queen’s Drive, N4 2LW
Charity Registration	1203125. The charity was registered with the Charity Commission on 18 May 2023.
The Governing Document	CIO Foundation.
Objects	To relieve persons in the London Borough of Hackney and the surrounding areas that are
	in financial hardship in such ways as the trustees from time to time think fit, in particular
	but not exclusively by:
	A) providing emergency food, essential toiletries, and household items to individuals
	and families in need and/or distribution by charities or other organizations working to
	prevent or relieve poverty.
	B) such other means, including (but not limited to) the provision of support, or
	signposting to relevant information and other advisory service, or through 'more than
	food' projects which remain consistent with the primary objective of the charity.
Trustees	The Trustees who served during the year or who were serving at the date of this report were:
	Krishan Ryan Neelendra (appointed 10 February 2025)
	Dr Nicola Susan Byrne
	Calum Douglas Docherty
	Katharine Nina Szamuely
	Nicholas Matthew Wilkinson
	Siu Man Alison Wong (Treasurer)
	Alice Smith (resigned 10 February 2025)
	Emily Finch (appointed 6 April 2025)
Bankers	The Co-operative bank, Floor 6,1 Ballon Street, Manchester, M4 4BE
Independent Examiner	John Helm ACA
	Tandem Accounting Limited
	17 Heathville Road
	London N19 3AL

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ST JOHN’S SOUP KITCHEN AND FOODBANK

Trustees Report For the year ended 31 December 2024

The Trustees submit their annual report and accounts of St John’s Soup Kitchen and Foodbank (“the Charity”) for the year ended 31 December 2024. The legal and administrative information set out earlier in this document forms part of this report.

1. Structure, Governance & Management

There are seven trustees who meet quarterly and more frequently as needed.

2. Activities

The Trustees have given due regard to the Charity Commissions’ guidance on public benefit. During the year the Charity carried out the following activities in the local neighbourhood and to benefit the community:

• provided of hot food and food parcels;

• provided emergency clothing, micro-grants for emergency living expenses; and,

• offered signposting, advice and support assistance.

The Soup Kitchen operates on a twice weekly basis to serve its community.

3. Achievements & Performance

Demand for our services continues to be very high, but the volunteer recruitment drive has been successful in keeping up with demand.

The charity has had a positive year from a fundraising perspective which has allowed it to complete some longer-term objectives.

Behind the scenes, work continues to formalise procedures and policies to distinguish from those of the church from which the charity has grown out of.

4. Financial Review

4.1 Financial Activity and Financial Position

The charity is funded by grants, with the majority of donations coming from individuals whose generosity on behalf of the less fortunate is to be commended.

The financial position at the end of 2024 is strong with sufficient in reserves for at least 6 months of operations.

4.2 Reserves Policy

The Trustees consider that, given the nature of the charity’s work, free reserves should be equivalent to approximately 6 months’ routine general fund expenditure, plus committed future expenditure on other projects, where funds permit. The Trustees are of the opinion that this provides sufficient flexibility to cover temporary shortfalls in incoming resources and will allow the Charity to cope and respond to unforeseen emergencies whilst specific action plans are implemented. At 31 December 2024 the Charity had net free reserves of £46,391 (2023: £9,766).

Total reserves Less: restricted funds Free reserves Free reserves requirement: 6 month’s budgeted routine expenditure	2024	2023
	£	£
	46,391	9,746
	-	-
	46,391	9,746
	36,000	17,000

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ST JOHN’S SOUP KITCHEN AND FOODBANK

Trustees Report For the year ended 31 December 2024

5. Responsibilities of Trustees for the Accounts

Charity law requires the Trustees to prepare accounts for each accounting year which record the receipts and payments of the charity for the year. The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable us to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011. The Trustees also have a responsibility to safeguard the assets of the charity and to take reasonable steps to prevent fraud or any other irregularities.

6. Approval

The report of the Trustees was approved by the Trustees on 3 August 2025 and signed on its behalf by:

Katharine Szamuely Interim Chair of Trustees

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ST JOHN’S SOUP KITCHEN AND FOODBANK

Independent Examiner’s Report For the year ended 31 December 2024

I report on the accounts of St John’s Soup Kitchen and Foodbank for the year ended 31 December 2024, set out on pages 6 to 9.

This report is made solely to the Trustees in accordance with section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Act). My independent examination has been undertaken so that I might state to the Trustees those matters I am required to state to them in an independent examiner’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by the law, I do not accept responsibility to anyone other than the Trustees for my independent examination, for this report, or the opinions I have formed.

RESPECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE TRUSTEES AND EXAMINER

The Trustees consider that an audit is not required for this period (under section 144(2) of the Act) and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to:

• Examine the accounts (under section 145 of the Act);

• To follow the procedures laid down in the General Direction given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Act); and

• To state whether particular matters have come to my attention.

BASIS OF INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S STATEMENT

My examination was carried out in accordance with General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the Trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the accounts.

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S STATEMENT

In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

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:

1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or

2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

3. the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements 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.

John Helm ACA 3 August 2025

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ST JOHN’S SOUP KITCHEN AND FOODBANK

Receipts & Payments Account For the year ended 31 December 2024

Note Receipts Donations Grants Fundraising Total Receipts Payments Charitable activities 2 Total Payments Net receipts Transfers between funds Total cash funds brought forward Total cash funds carried forward	Unrestricted Funds 2024 £ 24,330 42,500 15,554 82,384 61,303 61,303 21,081 15,544 9,766 46,391	Restricted Funds 2024 £ - 65,331 2,570 67,901 52,357 52,357 15,544 (15,544) - 0
			Total	Total
			2024	2023
			£	£
			24,330	13,613
			107,831	6,061
			18,124	-
			150,285	19,674
			113,660	32,611
			113,660	32,611
			36,625	(12,937)
			-	-
			9,766	22,703
			46,391	9,766

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ST JOHN’S SOUP KITCHEN AND FOODBANK

Statement of Assets & Liabilities As at 31 December 2024

Assets Stock Bankuet 4 Cash At Bank And In Hand Liabilities Total Assets Less Liabilities	Unrestricted Funds 2024 £ 2,290 6,187 40,204 48,681 5,810 42,871	Restricted Funds 2024 £ - - - 0 - 0
			Total	Total
			2024	2023
			£	£
			2,290	2,061
			6,187	3,468
			40,204	9,766
			48,681	11,827
			5,810	-
			42,871	11,827

The Accounts were approved by the Trustees on 3 August 2025 and signed on its behalf by:

Katharine Szamuely Interim Chair of Trustees

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ST JOHN’S SOUP KITCHEN AND FOODBANK

Notes to the Accounts For the year ended 31 December 2024

1. Accounting Policies

The accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis with a statement of assets and liabilities.

2. Payments – Charitable Activities

2. Payments – Charitable Activities
Labour costs Operational costs Office costs Property costs	Unrestricted Funds 2024 £ 1,506 44,111 1,680 14,006 61,303	Restricted Funds 2024 £ 525 33,153 - 18,679 52,357
			Total	Total
			2024	2023
			£	£
			2,031	3,267
			77,264	26,315
			1,680	-
			32,685	3,029
			113,660	32,611

3. Movement in funds

Current year Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Sink Fund Cost of Living		At 1 January 2024 £ 9,766 0 0 0 9,766		Income £ 82,384 2,570 65,331 67,901 150,285	Expenditure £ Transfers £ (61,303) 15,544 (1,735) (835) (50,622) (14,709) (52,357) (15,544) (113,660) 0	At 31	At 31
						December
							2024
							£
							46,391
							0
							0
							0
							46,391

The transfer from the Sink fund to the unrestricted general fund was in accordance with the agreement obtained by donors to treat the excess of this fund as unrestricted.

The transfer from the Cost of Living restricted fund to the unrestricted general one is to adjust retrospectively for expenditure incurred in 2023.

Prior year Unrestricted funds		At 1 January 2024 £ 22,703		Income £ 19,674	Expenditure £ Transfers £ (32,611) -	At 31	At 31
						December
							2024
							£
							9,766

Description of funds:

Sink Fund: This funded the purchase of a sink for the foodbank.

Cost of living Fund: This funded various areas of the activities of the Charity following the budget agreement with the donor.

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ST JOHN’S SOUP KITCHEN AND FOODBANK

Notes to the Accounts For the year ended 31 December 2024

4. Bankuet

Bankuet is a social impact organization that facilitates smarter food bank support by enabling donors to contribute funds online, which are then used to purchase and deliver essential items based on real-time needs. Our charity uses this system, whereby our supporters by donating directly to Banket are crediting the charity account, which then in turn enables the purchase of food supplies. Bankuet does not return the funds once paid, therefore any outstanding funds at year end are reflected in the accounts as cash.

5. Related Party Transactions

The Trustees gave a total of £280 (2023: 280) to the charity during the year.

There were no other related party transactions.

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