## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period**
## **From 26[th] September 2023 to 5[th] April 2024**
## **Charity name: Bookbanks**
## **Charity registration number: 1204919**
## **Objectives and Activities**
||SORP reference||
|---|---|---|
|Summary of the purposes of
the charity as set out in its
governing document|Para 1.17|The advancement of education and literacy
for the public benefit amongst people who
are in financial hardship and who are
attending food banks, food pantries, food
support services, and other establishments
addressing food insecurity by the provision
of free, donated books, printed materials,
and other literacy and educational support.|
|Summary of the main
activities in relation to those
purposes for the public
benefit, in particular, the
activities, projects or
services identified in the
accounts.|Para 1.17 and
1.19|The key activities for the charity are as
follows:
●Running existing Bookbanks’
facilities within food banks and other
establishments providing food to
members of the public living in
financial hardship;
●Liaising with personnel within the
publishing industry to enable the
provision of books for existing book
bank facilities;
●Recruiting, training and coordinating
volunteers to attend Bookbanks
sites;
●Organising book-related events
within existing Bookbank venues for
the participation of food bank
attendees;
●Sourcing new Bookbanks sites and
liaising with food bank providers to
agree new collaborations.
These activities benefit members of the
public who attend food banks by providing
opportunities for dialogue and discussion
through
books,
increasing
literacy,
confidence and community.|
1
|Statement confirming
whether the trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit|Para 1.18|The Trustees confirm that they have had due
regard to the guidance issued by the Charity
Commission
on
public
benefit
when
exercising their powers and directing the
activities of the charity, as described in the
next section.|
|---|---|---|
**Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
||SORP reference||
|---|---|---|
|Contribution made by
volunteers|Para 1.38|Our volunteers are integral to the success of
each Bookbanks site. During the reporting
period, Bookbanks was developing and
implementing its training programme for an
initial cohort of volunteers. The training
supports volunteers to staff Bookbanks
stalls at food banks, where they advise on
book choices and initiate discussions with
members of the public. At least one
volunteer staffs the Bookbanks stall every
week.
Each volunteer receives training, including
in safeguarding and health and safety.
Volunteers commit to monthly shifts of 2
hours for at least 6 months’ at their
Bookbanks site, so that the whole volunteer
team provides a weekly 2-hour service at
the food bank.|
2
## **Achievements and Performance**
||SORP reference||
|---|---|---|
|Summary
of
the
main
achievements of the charity,
identifying the difference the
charity’s work has made to
the circumstances of its
beneficiaries and any wider
benefits to society as a
whole.|Para 1.20|**Achievements Sep 2023 – April 2024**
Bookbanks is a newly incorporated charity.
New policies applicable to its stage and
scale were created, volunteer training
materials prepared and training performed.
A bank account and insurance cover were
both set up.
The Newington Green Bookbanks site was
established in September 2023 at St Jude
and St Paul’s food bank, London.
Partnerships with publishers were created
for the purpose of providing books and other
resources for distribution at Bookbanks
locations.
Over 3% of UK individuals (2.3 million
people) are using food banks, and more
than 1 in 12 UK children do not have a single
book of their own. Meanwhile, a DWP study
demonstrates that being read to at the age
of 5 is “an important protective factor against
poverty at the age of 30”.
In a survey carried out at Bookbanks
Newington Green, 100% of respondents
agreed that the Bookbanks stall meant they
owned a book they wouldn’t have bought
otherwise, and 90% agreed that the
Bookbanks stall had encouraged them to
spend more time reading with their children.
Bookbanks guests
are wholeheartedly
positive about the charity, with praise
including: “if you haven't got money, but you
have a book, the book is knowledge and
knowledge is good” and “these books are so
uplifting. They've helped me a lot.”|
3
|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements|where relevant about:|
|---|---|---|
|Achievements against
objectives set|Para 1.41|During the period of this report, Bookbanks
provided over 60 hours of voluntary services
during which over 1,500 books were
distributed for free.|
|Other||**Activities and achievements April 2024 -**
**January 2025**
In June 2024, a team of regular volunteers
were deployed at Bookbanks Newington
Green and the charity opened a second site,
at the Wymondham Community Outreach
Project in Norfolk. Two teams of volunteers
began staffing the two Bookbanks sites,
distributing 30-50 books to food bank guests
at each site, each week.
Later in 2024, two author talks were held at
Bookbanks Newington Green and a writing
workshop, in partnership with Indie Novella
Press, was held at both sites. 25 copies of
the authors’ books were distributed, and
several guests engaged with the activities.
One said: “It’s the first time in a long time
I’ve really enjoyed a social situation.”
Regular visits from local librarians have also
been established at each site.
In November 2024, the charity opened two
more sites - one at the Hammersmith &
Fulham food bank and another at the
Norwich food bank.
At the start of February 2025, there are 25
volunteers staffing the four sites, where
more
than
5,000
books
have
been
distributed to food bank guests.|
4
## **Financial Review**
|**Financial Review**|||
|---|---|---|
|Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end
of the period|Para 1.21|Cash at bank on 5thApril 2024 was £9,684.
The bulk of the income received up to this
date originated from one private individual
donor, who donated £11,000.
The majority of the expenditure to the end of
the period was for contracted consultancy
fees, comprising £2,269.|
|Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held|Para 1.22|**Reserves Policy as at 5th April 2024**
The trustees have agreed to £3,000 as an
absolute minimum reserve.In addition, the
trustees have added a further £2,000 buffer.
If the £2,000 buffer has been exhausted,
then staff members who have been paid on
a consultancy basis will provide their
services on a voluntary basis until such time
as
sufficient
funds
are
available
to
adequately fund operations in accordance
with the charity’s reserves policy.|
|Amount of reserves held|Para 1.22|Cash reserves were in excess of £3,000.|
|Reasons for holding zero
reserves|Para 1.22|N/A|
|Details of fund materially in
deficit|Para 1.24|N/A|
|Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern|Para 1.23|N/A|
5
## **Structure, Governance and Management**
|Description of charity’s
trusts:|||
|---|---|---|
|Type of governing document
(trust deed, royal charter)|Para 1.25|Foundation Constitution|
|How is the charity
constituted?
(e.g unincorporated
association, CIO)|Para 1.25|CIO|
|Trustee selection methods
including details of any
constitutional provisions e.g.
election to post or name of
any person or body entitled
to appoint one or more
trustees|Para 1.25|Appointed by current trustees|
## **Reference and Administrative details**
|Charity name|Bookbanks|
|---|---|
|Other name the charity uses|Book Banks|
|Registered charity number|1204919|
|Charity’s principal address|31 BERESFORD ROAD, London, N5 2HS|
|||
**Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity**
|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year**|**Name of person (or**
**body) entitled to**
**appoint trustee (ifany)**|
|---|---|---|---|
|Pete MacIntyre|Chair|||
|Claire Davies|Treasurer|||
|Neil Griffiths||26/09/2023 – 07/10/2024||
|Asma Mani||||
|Annabelle Williams||||
|||||
– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved **Director name N/A**
Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity
|**Trustee name**|**Dates acted if not for whole year **||
|---|---|---|
|**N/A**|||
6
## **Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others**
Description of the assets N/A held in this capacity Name and objects of the N/A charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for N/A safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets
## **Additional information (optional)**
## **Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)**
Emily Rhodes Hattie Garlick
## **Exemptions from disclosure**
Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details
## **Other optional information**
7
**Declarations**
**Signature(s) Full name(s)** Claire Davies **Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc)** Treasurer **Date** 21st January 2025
8
## **Bookbanks Registered Charity Number: 1204919**
## **Receipts and Payments**
## **For the Period 6th April 2023 to 5th April 2024**
||Unrestricted|||
|---|---|---|---|
||Funds to the|Restricted Funds|Total Funds to|
||nearest £|to the nearest £|the nearest £|
|**Receipts**|**£**|**£**||
|Donations|12,200|0|12,200|
|Grants|0|0|0|
|Gift Aid|0|0|0|
|Interest Received|0|0|0|
||**12,200**|**0**|**12,200**|
|**Payments**||||
|Staff Remuneration|1,965|0|1,965|
|IT costs|270|0|270|
|Training|151|0|151|
|Travel|117|0|117|
|Stationery / postage|0|0|0|
|Subsistence|13|0|13|
||**2,516**|**0**|**2,516**|
|**Net of Receipts and Payments**|**9,684**|**0**|**9,684**|
|**Statement of Assets and Liabilities at the end of the Period**||||
||Unrestricted|||
||Funds to the|Restricted Funds|Total Funds to|
||nearest £|to the nearest £|the nearest £|
|**Cash Funds**|**9,684**|**0**|**9,684**|
|**Creditors**||||
|Staff remuneration invoices not paid March 2024|**1,570**|**0**|**1,570**|