**Soul Food Edinburgh Trustees’ Annual Report** Period From 01 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 **1** ~~9~~ ## **Charity contact information** Soul Food Edinburgh Scottish Charity Number: SC048599 ~~so~~ **2** Charity Trustees Trustee name Office (if any) YDates acted if not for whole year ## **Objectives and activities** ## **Charitable purposes** The charity is established to assist individuals in poverty or at risk of poverty, or who are in need by reason of age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage by providing hot meals, accommodation, community support, signposting support, employment and skills training and drop-in cafes for such people whether they are homeless or otherwise vulnerable or in need and by providing such other support services as the trustees in their sole discretion consider appropriate, including (but not limited to) the provision of meals, clothing, education and guidance. ## **Summary of the main activities** Our main activity is hosting healthy, home-cooked meals in churches across the city of Edinburgh and also, recently in Livingston. We work with Life Church Edinburgh, Central Church, Oxgangs Community Church and Edinburgh City Mission. Further afield, we work with Livingston United Parish Church and with B&A Church in Bristol. There are meals held four days a week across the City of Edinburgh. We support all the churches who host Soul Food meals in the recruitment of volunteers, training of volunteers, financial support, signposting help, and day to day availability with the general running of their meals, if required. **4** ## **Structure, governance and management** Soul Food Edinburgh is governed by a constitution adopted 02 August 2018 Trustee recruitment and appointment Soul Food Edinburgh is entirely managed by the Trustees, who act in a voluntary capacity, completely independent of any other body. There are a minimum of three Trustees, who alone appoint their successors, on a rolling basis. ## **Achievements and performance** 2024 was a significant year for Soul Food Edinburgh as we continue to provide hot delicious, home cooked meals for people dealing with the challenges of homelessness, poverty, isolation and loneliness. During the year we created two new meals, and another existing meal saw a significant transition of leadership. This saw an increase in budget as we now finance two meals completely from central funds as we seek to better meet the needs of our guests. Our first new meal is held at Grace Church, Shrub Hill in Leith. This replaced the Mustard Seed Meal on a Thursday. An excellent venue, with an up-to-date kitchen, it was able to grow rapidly regularly catering for over 90 guests. The response to it has been overwhelmingly positive with guests loving the space and the modern feel of the venue. We have been especially delighted with the new team of volunteers who understand our vision and go the extra mile to serve and walk alongside our guests. St George’s School is the next new venue. Very kindly they agreed to form a team made up of teachers, school workers, parents and pupils to hold a monthly meal in their refectory for the over 60s. This has **5** become a much-loved event. It feels very special. Up to 40 guests make their way up the hill for what is often a three-course meal. Our Central Methodist meal changed leadership from Edinburgh City Mission to become a centrally funded event. We were very grateful to Edinburgh City Mission for pioneering this meal for us and handing it on to us in such good health. The existing team continued to make the meal happen as we took over the leadership and funding. It was a very smooth transition, with a lovely team of volunteers who work so hard to create lovely food, a warm welcome and a safe space for our guests. This year we provided 26,000 meals for our guests at these venues and our more established Soul Foods at Life Church Edinburgh, Central Church, Oxgangs Community Church, Edinburgh City Mission, Livingston United Parish Church and B&A Church in Bristol. Over 500 people a week attend a Soul Food Meal. We continue to be grateful to all our partner churches and charities who walk with us and work so hard to create such excellent venues. The compelling vision for Soul Food has always been that by setting a table and sharing a meal we hope to provide a context that offers a place of safety and security where people feel accepted, respected, valued, loved, and heard. We hope that the ordinary setting of a dinner place becomes a space of life-changing relationship and community. In these uncertain economic times, where the cost of living is rising ahead of benefits and wages, there is certainly extra demand for our meals. **6** Yet, it is in the invisible more pastoral support that we see a rise in our activities. The pressures of living with uncertain housing arrangements and less money means more of our guests are living with increasingly poor mental health. The effects of loneliness, isolation and addiction are more visible at our meals. We are finding we are having to support more in filling in forms, signposting benefit and housing advice, providing supermarket vouchers, electricity top ups and referrals to Food Banks. Our volunteer team continues to be excellent in helping facilitate this. We are committed to training them and helping them reach the most of their potential. Alongside this we are grateful to partner charities and other organisations who help us support and walk with our guests. **7** A Key issue for the coming 12 months will be around the leadership of Soul Food. We recognise that as the present leadership is no longer living in Edinburgh, we will have to find the right way to transition the management to a more local team. However, in the meantime, our Soul Food meals will continue to offer the warmest of welcomes to all people, whatever their situation. No referrals are ever needed to access our meals; they continue to be open to anyone in need of a free meal and a safe space to be. Chair of Trustees **8** ## **Financial review** A full financial statement is attached as Appendix to this report |**Movement on**|**Balance at**|**Incoming**|**Outgoing**|**Balance at**| |---|---|---|---|---| |**Funds**|**31 March**|**Resources**|**Resources**|**31 March**| ||**2024**|||**2025**| ||**£**|**£**|**£**|£| |Unrestricted Funds|6,100|47,559|-34,249|19,410| |Restricted Funds|13,562|36,440|-36,949|13,053| |**Totals***|**19,661**|**83,999**|**-71,199**|**32,462**| * All totals to nearest whole pound Statement of the charity’s policy on reserves Soul Food Edinburgh employ no staff and hold no assets. Therefore, there is minimal need for reserves other than to ensure restricted funds are used for the purposes specified by the respective donors. Details of any deficit During the year of this report, there was a net surplus of £12,801 (previous year surplus £12461). **9** ## **Declaration** Signed on behalf of the charity trustees: Treasurer Designation Date 18 November 2025 **10** Appendix Flnanclal Statements For the year ended 31 March 2025 Independent Examinerfs Report to the Board of T￿￿tee$ of Soul Foods Edinburgh I report on the accounts of the charity for the year to 31" March 2025. Respective responsibilities of the Trustees and examiner The charit￿5 trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the terms of the Charities and Trustee Investment {Scotland) Act 21K)5 and the Charities Accounts {Scotland) Regulations 2LK16(as Amended). The trustees consider that the audit requirement of Re8ulation 10{11{a} to {c} of the Accounts Regulations does not apply. It is my responsibility to examine the 3ccounts 35 required under section 44111 (cl of the Act and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention. Basls of Independent examlnerfs statement My examination is carried out in accordance with Regulation 11 of the Charities Accounts (Scotlandl Regulations 2(X)6las amended). 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 seeks explanations from the trustees concerninB any such matters. The pr(￿edureS undertaken do not provide all the evidence that ￿￿Uld be required in an audit. and consequentty I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts. Independent examinerfs statement In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention l. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements: to keep 3ccountTng records in accordance with Section 4411){a) of the 2￿5 Act and Regulation 4 of the 2C()6 Accounts ReEulations: and to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with Regulation 9 of the 2QK)6 Accounts Regulations have not been tnet, or 2. to which, in my opinion. attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Signed Date 28 October 2025 Chartered Accountant Page I ## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** ## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025** |**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**|||| |---|---|---|---| |**Receipts**
Donations received
Sales of merchandise
Sales of event tickets
other (inc gift aid)
**Total Receipts**
**Payments**
Consultancy
Website and branding
Pants
Clothing
Meals
Soultalk Costs
Print and Postage
Donations to SF meals
Soul Food families
Merkut
Books
Cards
Commission on donations
Parking, mileage and bus
Miscellaneous
**Total Payments**
**Net Surplus for the Year**
**Reconciliation of Funds**
Total Funds Brought Forward
Net Surplus for the Year
**Total Funds Carried Forward**
**Statement of Balances**
**Current Assets**
Cash at bank
Petty cash
Total Cash
**Total Assets**
**Reserves**
Unrestricted funds
Restricted funds
**Total Funds**||**2024-25**
**£**
**£**
**£**
37,278
36,440
73,718
439.88
0
440
0
0
0
9,841
0
9,841
**47,559**
**36,440**
**83,999**
-26,500
-2,000
-28,500
-1385.73
-1,386
-935.08
-935
-1033.28
-596.5
-597
0
0
-458.71
-459
-30,614
-30,614
-270.79
-271
-1500
0
0
-650.87
-651
-720.06
-720
-542.25
-542
-3,992
-3,992
**-34,249**
**-36,949**
**-71,199**
**13,310**
**-509**
**12,801**
6,100
13,562
19,661
13,310
-509
12,801
**19,410**
**13,053**
**32,462**
32,462
0
32,462
**32,462**
19,410
13,053
**32,462**
**As at 31 March 2025**
**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**Total**
**Funds**|**Period ended**
**31 March 2024**| ||**2**
**3**
**5**
**6**
**Notes (see**
**following**
**pages)**||**Total**
**Funds**
**£**
57,998
618
0
1,090| ||||**64,725**| ||||-27,500
-592
-310
-168
-70
-721
-17,500
-633
-20
-4,068| ||||**-52,225**| ||||| ||||**12,500**| ||||7,160
12,500| ||||**19,660**| ||||**Period ended**
**31 March 2024**
19,661
0
19,661| ||||**19,661**| ||||6,100
13,562| ||||**19,661**| ||||**7,161**| _**Approved by the Trustees on 2024 and signed on their behalf by:**_ _**Treasurer**_ Page 2 ## **Notes to the Financial Statements** ## **1. Principal Accounting Policies** ## a. Basis of Preparation: The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention and are consistent with Accounting Standards and the recommended practice for charities. ## b. Cash Flow Statement: The Charity has taken advantage of the exemption from preparing a cash flow statement. |**2. Donations Received**
**Unrestricted**
**Receipts**
**Restricted**
**Receipts**
**Total**
**Receipts**
Donations received comprise:
**£**
**£**
**£**
Meals
30,000
30,000
Clothing etc
894
894
MERCUR Community
1,500
1,500
Community Foundation Ireland
4,046
4,046
Viridor
5,000
0
5,000
Other donations
32,278
0
32,278
**Totals**
**37,278**
**36,440**
**73,718**
**Year Ended 31 March 2025**|**Period ended 31**
**March 2024**
**£**
30,000
0
0
0
0
27,998
**57,998**| |---|---| ## **3. Consultancy Fees** Soul Food Edinburgh had no employees during the year. Consultancy payments totalling £28,500 were made to a connected person of a Trustee. ## **4. Taxation** Soul Food Edinburgh, being a registered charity, is exempt from corporation tax. Page 3 |**5. Movement on Cash**|**Balance at 31**|**Incoming**|**Outgoing**|**Balance at 31**| |---|---|---|---|---| |**Balances**|**March 2024**|**Resources**|**Resources**|**March 2025**| ||**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**| |Cash at bank|19,661|83,999|-71,199|32,462| |Petty cash|0|0|0|0| |**Totals**|**19,661**|**83,999**|**-71,199**|**32,462**| |Unrestricted Funds
Restricted Funds
**6. Movement on Funds**|**£**
6,100
13,562
**Balance at 31**
**March 2024**|**£**
47,559
36,440
**Incoming**
**Resources**|**£**
-34,249
-36,949
**Outgoing**
**Resources**|**£**
19,410
13,053
**Balance at 31**
**March 2025**| |**Totals**|**19,661**|**83,999**|**-71,199**|**32,462**| All amounts rounded to nearest whole pound Page 4