2025-12-31-accounts - Sacred Heart Foodbank

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ANNUAL REPORT 2025: SACRED HEART FOODBANK

Executive Summary

Throughout 2025 the Sacred Heart Foodbank (SHF) continued to address food insecurity, social isolation, and food waste within the London Borough of Islington. Our operations remained a vital support for households in need during a persistent cost-of-living crisis characterized by high food inflation. Operating from the heart of Holloway, where over 52% of the population resides in the lowest three income deciles , SHF provided a grassroots response to significant unaddressed needs. In 2025, we supported 268 unique households , distributing over 2,347 bags of essential supplies, plus significant amounts of fresh fruit and vegetables through our volunteer-led service.

Our Services: Addressing Food Insecurity and Waste

In 2025, SHF operated an alternating service model:

"Big" Foodbanks (twice monthly): We held 23 sessions providing surplus fresh produce, non-perishable food, toiletries, and household cleaning materials. The fresh produce was initially from local supermarkets. This supply was significantly boosted through a partnership with the Felix Project , established in June 2025, which enabled us to provide 300-350kg of high-quality fresh fruit and vegetables weekly, directly responding to client requests for healthier options. These sessions also fostered social inclusion by offering a hot vegetarian meal and a "warm hub" for clients to keep warm, and connect.
"Small" Foodbanks (alternating with the big foodbanks): We held 24 sessions focused on redistributing the surplus fresh produce delivered weekly by the Felix Project, and through donations from two local Tescos organised via FareShare Go.

Our Benefciaries: Reaching the Most Vulnerable

Between January 2021 and December 2025, SHF registered 728 households, which on average was 3.5 persons . While we saw a slight dip in registrations in mid-2024 due to a temporary funding crisis and consequent embargo on new registrations from May to September 2024, the last half of 2025 saw a strong revival in numbers , a trend that has accelerated into 2026. Our 2025 data highlights the diverse and vulnerable nature of our community:

Household Composition: 59% of registered households included children in 2025, down from 78% in 2021, while we observed a significant rise in single-person households from 6% in 2021 to 18% in 2025, and in childless households from 22% in 2021 to 41% in 2025. Families with children, or wanting to have children, find the cost of suitable accommodation very high in Islington and often move to one of the outer boroughs.
Vulnerability: 85% of our clients rely on benefits. We serve a high proportion of elderly residents (42% over age 65), and many face complex challenges including disability, chronic illness (such as cancer), and mental health issues.
Inclusion: Two-thirds of our clients are women. A survey of 99 clients in 2025, revealed that 52% had British nationality, though the majority (80%) were born abroad. The foreign nationals attending represented 18 different countries.

Impact and Achievements

Our 2025 impact survey (conducted in December) demonstrates the difference our services make:

Financial Stability: 95% of clients agreed that using the foodbank allows them to pay other essential bills like rent and utilities.
Health and Nutrition: 91% reported eating more regularly, and 95% stated the foodbank prevents their household from running out of food.
Social Connection: 93% felt more connected to their local community, and 99% felt treated with kindness and respect by our volunteers.

One client noted: "The impact is vast, touching on immediate nutritional needs, financial stability, health outcomes and the overall dignity and well-being of my family".

Strategic Partnerships

To address the underlying causes of poverty, SHF implemented a referral and signposting system with Help on Your Doorstep (HOYD) . Their staff attended one "big" foodbank in 2025 to assist clients with benefits, housing, and debt, and plan to return every quarter. We also maintain active roles within the Islington Food Partnership and the Octopus Network , ensuring our services meet the borough-wide standards for food aid, which SHF had a significant role in drafting.

Our People and Governance

SHF is 100% volunteer-led , with a dedicated team of 42 volunteers ranging from local schoolchildren to retirees. Since becoming an independent charity in August 2024, our Board of Trustees has provided robust oversight, meeting every six weeks to manage operations, safeguarding, and finances.

Financial Overview and Future Outlook

Starting 2025 with £26,000 of reserves, we raised £19,000 while spending just over £28,000, leaving a healthy balance at the start of 2026. Our 2025 operations were supported by grants from the Westminster Diocese Cardinal’s Appeal, and Islington Giving/Cripplegate Foundation, as well as donations and fund-raising activities by our volunteers and members of the Sacred Heart Parish, Eden Grove. The reserves at the start of the year benefited from the grant from the National Lottery Community Fund raised in 2024.

Now in 2026, our fund-raising target is £23,000 , with a projected expenditure of £34,290 , with the majority (over £33,000) dedicated to costs for food and essentials. This presents us with a major fund-raising challenge in 2026 since we cannot apply for another National Lottery Grant until October (with a lead in time of 4 months, even assuming we are successful). We will intensify volunteer fund-raising efforts, and step up our grant applications in an attempt to broaden our funding base. In the meantime, we have reduced the number of items that clients can choose from 15 to 12, and

We remain committed to securing core funding to ensure we can continue to meet the growing demand in our community.

FOR ENGLAF4JD AND IVALES Receipts aiid paynients accoLllIts For Ihe period Frnm CC16cl 07-Aug-24 To 31-Dec-25 Sectlon A Recelpts and.payments unl]cted Restricled lunds lunds to the nearest £ to rarest £ Endowrneiit funds to nearest £ Tolal funds Last year to the nearest £ to the nea$t £ Al Recelpts Grants Donabons &Yundraising 51750 17,717 52,750 17,717 ross Income or AR) 70,467 70.467 anc (see table). Inves en 70.467 A3Pa ments GroeS Bank & other charges 51,fA6 1,611 51.666 1.611 Sii.b total 53,277 A4 Asset and investment Siib total Total payiiieiits Nel of receipts/(pay117eiits) A5 Translers belween funds A6 Cash lunds last year end Casli luiids this y&7r eiirl ,19 CCXX R1 accounts (ss) 0410312026

Sectlon B Ststement of assets and Ilabllltles at the end of the perlod Unrestricted luncls to nearest £ 17,190 Restricted funds to nearest £ Endowment funds to nearest £ B1 Cash funcls Bank account Total cash funds 17,190 (agree balances wlth receipts and payments account(s)) Unrestricted funds to nearest £ Restricted funds to nearest £ Endowment funds to nearest £ Fund to which asset belon Current value tional Cost (optional) Fund to which asset belon Cost (optional) Current value tional B4 Assets retalned for the charity's own use Fund to which liabili relates Amount due tional When due tional B5 Licibilities Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees Signature Print Name Date of roval v2 AJ6A fk*KS G-frk) 03 CCXX R2 accounts (SS) 0410312026

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on thè accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trustees Sacred Heart Foodbank On accounts for the period ended 31st December 2025 Charity no (if any) 1209477 Set out on page I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity ("the Trust") for the year ended 3111212024. Responsibilities and basis of report 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 Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 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 I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or the accounts did not accord with the accounting records" or the accounts did 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. Signed: Date: /04 1zoZG Name: Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any): Address: EwKkfjEY %KQtET