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2025-03-31-accounts

BABY BASICS CHELMSFORD

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR YEAR FROM 01.04.24 TO 31.3.25

CONTENTS

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BABY BASICS CHELMSFORD

YEAR FROM 01.04.24 TO 31.3.25

A. REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

Charity name: Baby Basics Chelmsford

The charity is not known by any other names

Registered charity number: 1204686

Principal address: 257 Linnet Drive, Chelmsford, Essex CM2 8AZ

The charity trustees who manage the charity are:

Joelle Mortimer, Chair, Stephen Mortimer, Treasurer, Gillian Booth, Susan Hardy, Yvonne Goodall (until 7.3.25), Eleanor Cleland.

All the above, unless otherwise stated, were in post for the whole period There are no trustees for the charity, e.g. custodian trustees

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BABY BASICS CHELMSFORD

YEAR FROM 01.04.24 TO 31.3.25

B. TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE INITIAL PERIOD

1. Structure, governance and management

Structure and governance

Baby Basics Chelmsford has a constitution as its governing document and the charity is constituted as a foundation model Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO).

Trustees’ selection method

Appointment of trustees is governed by s.10.1 of the charity’s constitution from a

resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees.

Management

The charity is managed by the trustees and other volunteers with no paid sta?.

Wider network

The charity is a?iliated with the charity Baby Basics UK as part of the Baby Basics UK network of Baby Banks and is a member of the Baby Bank Alliance.

Other related parties

Baby Basics Chelmsford has kindly been allocated space, free of charge, at Moulsham Lodge Methodist Church, Chelmsford, Essex, for use in storing donations, preparing baskets and as a collection point for the health and social care professionals who in turn pass the gifts over to their clients in need.

The use of this space is at the Church’s discretion and there is no lease or hire agreement in operation.

We are very grateful for the ongoing support from the Church, both material and spiritual in the form of prayers, that has enabled this Charity to operate.

Risk review

In meetings trustees have discussed and identified areas of risk and from this the following policies, procedure and measures have been adopted: Handling goods training; safeguarding policy with designated safeguarding lead appointed; health and safety policy; volunteers’ policy; reserves policy.

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2. Objects and activities

Objects

The objects of the charity are set out in its constitution as follows:

The relief of poverty in England and Wales by providing clothing, toiletries and equipment for babies, children and their parents / carers to persons who are in conditions of need, hardship or distress by reason of their social and / or economic circumstances. And / or charities, or other organisation working with people in need, hardship or distress by reason of their social and / or economic circumstances.

When planning activities, the trustees have considered the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.

The provision of Moses baskets and related items to vulnerable Mums, carers and their babies is based upon referrals received from health and social care professionals who in turn pass the gifts over to the clients in need. This methodology aims to ensure that the beneficiary is engaging with a health and social care professional who can provide ongoing support. We have no contact with the beneficiaries who remain anonymous to us. The charity relies upon the referrer’s professional judgement as to whether a donation is required and subject to their decision making, our service is open to all.

Activities

The following main activities are for the public benefit in furtherance of the above objects:

The core activity of the charity is to provide Moses Basket Starter Packs to families struggling with the provision of the essentials to support the arrival of a new born in the Chelmsford and mid Essex locality, referred by a health or social care professional or other charitable organisation to which they are known. We accept the referrer's decision and request for help for their client.

Each pack consists of:

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All the families receiving a Moses basket are referred by health and social care professionals ensuring not only that the need is valid, but more importantly, that as a vulnerable family there is ongoing professional support.

In carrying out these activities the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit.

Most items given to beneficiaries have been received by the Charity as donations. We gratefully accept donations from our local community of both new and pre-loved items.

Over time we have made many connections with local craft groups and knitting circles who provide us with beautiful new items. Many members are elderly and this in turn provides purpose to their activity and reduces social isolation.

We also are fortunate that families who have had babies donate items to help those that are currently in need. We have on occasion been profoundly moved when we one of our beneficiaries has taken the time and trouble to later locate us and donate back the items received by us in their time of need for re-use again.

All pre-loved items are checked for quality and carefully laundered and ironed by our volunteers before inclusion in a basket. We aim for all items given to beneficiaries to ideally be “as good as new.”

Volunteers

The volunteers who have worked closely alongside the trustees throughout the whole of this period are:

Susan Reynolds, Julie Braine, Louise McCormack, with Bethany Braine and Marion Rich joining us during the year.

We thank them for their fantastic hard work and commitment to the charity’s cause; their contribution has been very significant indeed.

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3. Achievements and performance

The charity’s work has made the following positive di8erence to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and to wider society as a whole

Baby Basics Chelmsford started activities on 8[th] September 2019 and was registered as a CIO with the Charity Commission on 12[th] September 2023.

From its commencement until 31[st] March 2025 there have been a total of 448 baskets given out to vulnerable Mums and their babies (326 by 31[st] March 2024) , 122 of these during the financial year (74 in previous reporting period 12.9.23 to 31.3.24). We are experiencing increased demand for our services and believe that this will continue for the foreseeable future.

One measure of Baby Basics Chelmsford’s impact would be the monetary value of its gifts to beneficiaries however, this can never be accurately established because most of items have been kindly donated to us. We conservatively estimate that each basket and its contents would cost at least £504 (£350 at 31[st] March 2024). Therefore, to date, Baby Baby Basics Chelmsford has provided c. £225,792 (£114,000 by 31[st] March 2024) worth of vital items to vulnerable Mums and their babies, many who sadly have literally nothing in terms of the necessary equipment, clothing and associated items needed to care for a new born baby.

What also cannot be quantified is the positive impact these gifts bring to society as a whole. However, we know from anecdotal evidence given by feedback from the referrers that many of the recipients have been overwhelmed by the gifts, when from often being in a situation of poverty, loneliness or being exploited, they realise that there are people who care about them.

Many of these vulnerable Mums and families are having a baby in very challenging circumstances. As a positive sign, with every basket there is a little card attached, with a quote from the Old Testament book of Isaiah- “You are wonderfully made,” hoping that these gifts may be the start of new directions for the beneficiaries which, with the ongoing support of the carers and health care professionals, may lead to better outcomes in their lives.

A successful promotional “Baby Shower” event was held to bring together many of our donors, partners and referring professionals, aiming to a?irm links and contacts and to continue raising awareness of Baby Basics Chelmsford’s mission.

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We also give thanks to our retiring trustee, Yvonne Goodall, for her dedication and support to Baby Basics Chelmsford, from its inception onto becoming a registered charity.

Fundraising

Donations are received from individuals, including proceeds from a sponsored walk and sales of homemade jam; and from local community groups e.g. after making a presentation at a meeting. Applications were successful to bodies o?ering grants linked to our work and we have been delighted to receive support from local businesses. The charity does not employ outside or commercial fund-raisers, nor employ any sta? itself for this purpose and therefore, has not subscribed to any fundraising regulator.

We thank the many individuals who, within this accounting period, made personal donations whether financial or of new and pre-loved items for passing onto beneficiaries and the following organisations who also generously gave support, either financial or in supplying items for distribution to beneficiaries:

Asda Grassroots Baby Bank Alliance Coop Foundation Ellisons Solicitors Gallagher Community Fund Postcode Lottery Walter Farthing Trust

4. Financial review

Reserves policy

There are no endowment funds held by the Charity.

The restricted funds are made up of a number of funds received for specific purposes.

A designated fund has been established to ensure we have a balance in hand to cover the cost of baby change bags as these are bought new and are then donated to families.

The trustees have determined that Baby Basics Chelmsford holds the equivalent of a minimum of 6 months normal expenditure as Free Reserves so as to provide a bu?er to give trustees time to properly respond to circumstances when it needs to be drawn down.

At 31st March 2025, free reserves amounted to £3,547 which are considered adequate to meet running costs as per the policy and will, in the future, hopefully grow in line with the increasing demand for the charity’s services so as to always provide a bu?er against future operating deficits as the potential for larger cash flow variations increases.

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Financlal performanco durlng reportlng perlod: Income Total income for the period of £9,000 included £2,350 into restricted funds, £900 into designated funds and £5.750 into unrestricted funds. Expendlture Total expenditure for the period of £5.542 included £1.149 from restricted funds. £772 from designated funds and £3.621 from unrestricted funds, ofthe latter, £2,846 on purchasing items to be g￿￿n directlyto charity's beneficiaries and £775 on support costs which enable the preparation of baskets and other items (consisting of donated goods and purchases) beinggiven to the charity's beneficiaries. Flnancial po8ltlon at31.3.25 Overthe period the General Fund had an operating surplus of £2.129, resulting in it having 8 free reserrfes balance of £3,547 at year end. Investments Because of the small scale of the charity's finances. at this stage, there has been no need to consider investment policyand objectives. including an ethical policy. The trustees will consider such matters as and when financial circumstances are in en appropriate position. Golng concern The trustees believe thatat 315r March 2025. the'charity is financiallyviable and are not aware of anycircumstances financial or otherwise which challenge this opinion. 5. Declaration The trustees declare thatthey have approved the trustees, report above attheir meeting on 12th September 2025 Signed on behalf of the charity's trustees Signatures: A //fvK elle Mortimer halr Stephen Mortimer Treasurer

BABY BASICS CHELMSFORD YEAR FROM 01.0￿25 TO 31.3.25 C. RECEIPTS & PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS 01.04.24 to 31.3.25 Tot•L 13•n4y•lunrw￿ct•￿￿0Tr•110n$ JS.7U D••lebltQJ¢J forbbycharb8ebts to uppDrtthoadmln1JTrn￿0n prnparntlon Df th IrWiyttDih•b•nvllc4•rlM o1th•Oh•r￿•tsl• actlOti W•Lt•r F•rthln#: Orant re￿1¥•￿ CO￿rIn# purchBaoB Df tollBtrfow fOr#I￿n￿dIr9￿lYlQ 2.1100 Ih•b•n•llol•vl•• olth• eh•¢lt•tsl•erI￿rF•• Co1 uppOrttho DdminlBtrntlon and ttIots of baln# tothe banvficiarfobB of thacharftsbi•actl￿￿ ?? Dohrylgn•i%wIYunclYor tyoby¢n•rd8• D• ?7Z 77Z the .•J• 8•v• lh• Chlldr•n." CotofQurthlrt8 b•byrh•rlKln¥ b•XxfOrK￿1n4dir￿to th •27 ? Mots￿•￿t01 8IWr8 dTr•cttyto th• oltha rhorltsbl•Bcilbt 772 Tot•¢fund• Approved bythe trustees on 12" September 2025 and signed on their behalf by: elle Mortimer. ChaSr Stephen Mortimer. Treasurer