Annual Report 2024 oDB￿ ERE FORYO Uist & Barra Foodbank |**Contents**|| |---|---| |**Chairpersons Report**|**Page 3**| |**Treasurers Report**|**Page 4**| |**Governance**|**Page 5**| |**Activities**|**Page 6**| |**Accounts**|**Page 7**| 2 ## **Chairpersons’ Report** The launch in 2018, of the Foodbank serving Uist and Barra residents has been continuously available, to help those who find themselves in a crisis. By providing emergency food parcels, support and signposting to other agencies, we can help in times of need. Rising food and energy costs still affect our residents and have contributed to this need. Despite this challenge, we’ve remained committed to providing support to those in crisis, working tirelessly to make a positive impact in our community. The Scottish Government has also taken steps to address food insecurity and reduce the need for Foodbanks. This has had a significant effect, resulting in a notable decrease in the number of people we support. In June 2023 the government published a plan outlining a human rights-based approach to tackling food insecurity. The key initiatives outlined were a ‘cash-first approach’, a new ‘Scottish crisis Fund’, and increasing the child payment amount. Also included in the plan was, working with local councils, the third sector and community food initiatives to provide money advice and support to help residents strengthen their incomes, and looking at welfare reforms that could give potential benefits if they were reversed. The potential benefits predicted are that it could pull 700,000 people out of poverty in Scotland, including 30,000 children. We continue to build on our close collaboration between different organizations that allow us to work together, to help those in crisis. Currently we work with Citizens Advice, Police Scotland, Tighean Innse Gall, NHS including Midwives, Health Visitors, Community Psychiatric Nursing, Substance Misuse and GP Practices, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar including the Homeless Service, Adult Support and Children’s services, schools, local charities Tagsa Uibhist, Cothrom, UCVO, Caraidean, Western Isles Community Care Forum and the local branch of the national charity Action for Children, local housing association Hebridean Housing Partnership, local DWP and all of our faith groups across the islands and of course, our much valued Volunteers. All these people help to connect us to those who require assistance. We were successful in receiving funding from the National Lottery and community initiatives to enable us to continue to employ a Project Manager. I would like to thank the individuals from our community and beyond, and the many local businesses , who have continued to give their support generously. We could not achieve what we do without the donations, contributions and ongoing support that we receive, for which we are extremely grateful. Lastly, I would like to give my thanks to all our volunteers, without whose time and support, we would really struggle to operate as efficiently as we do. Chairperson ## **Treasurers Report** As in previous years the need for a local foodbank is continuing and the generosity received from our local community continues. We continue to have rent free premises in East Camp. Our only costs are insurance, phone and broadband and bank charges for our CAF Bank account. We are always searching for the best deals so as not to take monies from those who need our services. Our accounts, on page 7, show that we received £28,819. 45 from a variety of sources. Donations come from many different places including fundraising events in the community, individuals, businesses, grants, and cash donations. We received funding from the National Lottery in 2024 that enabled us to continue to employ a Project Manager. In July 2024 we received £7,500, and in November 2024 we received £15,000 to cover this role further ahead. We also received from the Co-op Local Community Fund in March 2024 £1,154.13 and then another payment in November 2024 of £1,806.47 which has helped us massively to buy food for our shelves and allow us to make a complete parcel. This was thanks to the Co-op customers who used their card in store and contributed towards our fund amount. I wish to thank everyone in our community, and from afar who have continued to support us. Thank You Treasurer 4 ## **Trustees** ## **Volunteers** ## **Auditor** ## **Bank** , CAF Bank LTD, 25 Kings Hill Avenue, West Malling, KENT, ME19 4JQ ## **OSCR Registration** Charity Number SCO47999 – 14 December 2017 ## **CNES** Registered as a Food Establishment Business on 30[th] July 2018 ## **Our Benefactors** East Camp Trust The community of Uist & Barra Church of Scotland Free Church Carnan Stores TIG UCVO Morrisons Shop NHS Western Isles Creagorry and Daliburgh Coop Mowi Tagsa Uibhist Individuals in Uist and Barra and on the Mainland National Lottery 5 ## **Activities** The Uist and Barra Foodbank accepts donations from the community and processes them in line with agreed policies. Our team of volunteers, undertake these tasks throughout the week, as and when we receive donations. The items are weighed in line with stock control measures. The dates are checked and items stored in the correct date order, in either our ‘ shop ’ side, or our ‘ warehouse ’ side. This then allows us to let clients choose what they would like (up to their allowance) picking off the shelves. This helps to create a shopping experience, which helps us to maintain a level of dignity and respect with our clients. ’ Through these means we can cater to individual needs like dietary requirements, and client s likes and dislikes; therefore, preventing products going to a user ’ s home and ending up sitting in a cupboard unused. This helps us to fully utilise the donations we are given. This all helps to cut down on food waste and helps those in crisis in the process. We also offer toiletries, and household cleaning products as required and available. The Foodbank is used by many different people - individuals and families. We have many who are new to the Foodbank and the feedback we have received has been very positive. Many feel the strain of living from pay day to pay day and having this service available when the unexpected happens is very much welcomed in our community. It also means we are there to help and support as required. Our numbers have increased substantially since our first full year of operation in 2019 when we delivered 167 parcels feeding 253 adults and 66 children. Last year we delivered 273 parcels that covered 324 adults and 72 children. This was made possible by the donation of 3538kgs of food and cleaning materials. We also helped with the provision of school clothing and shoes to families in need. We have a great community that assist with what is needed and we are so grateful for that help and support. 6 ## **Uist & Barra Foodbank Accounts 1[st] January 2024 to 31[st] December 2024** Balance Carried Forward 31/12/23 34,129.51 Income 28,810.45 **62,939.96 Expenditure** Phone/Internet 557,73 Food Stocks 6,554.88 Bank Charges 60.00 Sundries 149.00 Stationery/Office 136.80 Insurance 673.67 Subscriptions 35.00 Salary Costs 13.198.43 Volunteer Costs 290.81 21,656.32 Represented as **41,283.64** Cash at Bank as at 31/12/2024 Audited by Date 01 May 2025 7 Uist & Barra FoodbankAccounts 1 st January 2024to 31 st December2024 Balance Carried Forward Income 3111212023 34,129.51 28,810.45 62,939.96 Expenditure Phone/lnternet Food Stocks Bank Charges Sundries Stalionery/Off ice Insurance Subscriptions Salary Costs Volunteer Costs 557.73 6,554.88 60.00 149.00 136.8 673.67 35.00 13,198.43 290.81 21,656.32 Represented as Cash at Bankas at3111212023 41,283.64 APPENDIX 3 OSCR Independent examiner's report on the accounts Report to the Charty name trust8oslmembers of uisr + roooe*JL . R•gl8t•r•d charlty SC OLt79 99 number On thè aceounts of thè charity for the perlcd Period stsrt date Period end date Yfrar Yeor 01 IL)L3 Sel out on page$ I Irernernbel b irK4ude the rysnberB oladdiknd Bheelsl Rèspectlvè Tho Charity's tfUSt90S are responsible for the preparats'on of the ac¢ounts in accordance rnsponsl)ilities of tTUStees and examlner with th8 torrns of tha Charitie$ and Trustee Inveslmenl (Scotlandl 2005 Act and th8 Charities Accounts (Scotlandl Regulations 2006 (as amended). The charity tnjstees consider tha.. t￿e audit requirement of Regulation 10(1 I Id) of th8 Ac¢ounls R8gulatons does not apply. It my responsibility lo examine the accounts as required under section 44(11 {¢} of he Act and to state whether particular rnatters trove come lo my attention. Basis of 1nd8￿nd8nt My ¥xamination is carried out in accordanc8 *ith Regulation 11 of 2006 AGcounts . exarnin•r's statement Regulations. An examination includes 8 review of the accountin9 records kept by the charty 8nd e comporison of the aGcounts presented wth those record8. It also) indudes consideration of any unusual itgms or disclosures in the accounts se8k8 èKplanation$ from the tnjstees conc8ming any such matterg. The Frocedures undèrtaken do not provi¢le all the evidenc£ that would be required in an audit and. consequently. I do not express an audit opinion on the vi&w given by the accounts. Ind•pond•nt oxamlngr's In thg cowse of my examinats'on, no rnatter has corno to my attèntion [oth9r than that statomont disch)sèd on th8 attach&d page'l wfvich gknes me reasonable cause to belleve that in any matwial respecl the requirernenls.. lo keep 3ccounting records in accordance w(th section 44(1) lal of Ihe 2005 Act and RegulatK)n 4 of the 20D6 Accounts Regulations, and lo prep&e ac¢ounts vthich ac￿rd with the accounting records and comply with RegulatDn 9 of tre 2CQ6 Accounts Regulations have not been met, or in or(ler to enabk a p￿per Slgned.. Name: Relevant professlonal quallflcallon(s) or body Ilf any).. Addross.. U1 IG61IoL9. 'Pkry•¥e delele In Ihe bra fd￿n9 p&J8. vhith hove (xjneto ￿ra1{enI￿n