## **Hilltown Community Larder Annual Report April 2024 – March 2025** ## **SCO52021** The trustees of the Hilltown Community Larder are pleased to present this annual report. The Community Larder has had a very stable year and much has been achieved. ## **The main purposes of the Hilltown Community Larder are;** - **Advancement of community development, citizenship and social welfare for all.** - **Prevention of poverty and the relief of financial hardship.** - **The promotion of environmentally friendly lifestyles and reducing food waste.** To meet these objectives we operate two weekly Food Larder sessions. These sessions, on a Thursday evening and a Friday daytime, provide opportunity for those available day time and for those where evening is the best option. We aim to provide local residents access to low cost ambient and fresh food as well as fruit and vegetables. We target specifically the Coldside area of Dundee, but also have access time for those who live out with our geographic area. In addition to the food larder, we signpost members to services which will provide support to other areas of their lives eg. Benefits, housing and health. Reducing food waste is important to us and we used local suppliers for fresh produce and Fareshare to prevent food waste. ## **Funding** Our funding has come from a variety of sources during 2024-2025: - Dundee Partnership provided us with grants for Fresh Fruit and Vegetables, a Winter grant to help our members with the Cost of Living and a small grant to buy a new larder freezer for the store. - We received several cash donations, including from; local trusts, churches and individuals. - We were supported through the Fans Supporting Foodbanks project. - We have had a very successful fundraising partnership with the Hilltown Community Centre Management group, having monthly prize bingo sessions. We are grateful to everyone who has supported us financially during the year. ## **Membership and Larder Sessions** We have been working with 2 sessions per week. We operate a Thursday evening to allow access to those who are working or unavailable during the day, this session is for those with a Coldside ward postcode. Our Friday session is over 2 hours and the first hour is for Coldside residents and the second hour is for any other addresses in Dundee. Both sessions offer a healthy, diverse range of food, which they can choose themselves for a cost of £2.50 basic and £5 for ambient and fresh. Every session has free fruit and vegetables. Over the course of the year our numbers have stabilised and we have a regular weekly membership of 50 with a wider benefit of approx 150. We endeavour to only take Christmas off and so our service over the year will provide 2550 bags of food and has the capacity to reach 7,650 people. ## **Working Together** Working with others is at the core of what we do. We have a very strong relationship with the Hilltown Community Centre Management Group. The centre provides storage, support with admin and we share one of our main fund raising activities every month, we also have strong links with the Wee Bonnet Cafe and the Community wardrobe at St. Martins Church. We also have links with the Maxwell Centre, the local primary schools and work regularly with Dundee Food Network to promote and sustain food larders/projects across Dundee. We value the support received from all avenues. ## **Volunteers** There is a core group of 13 volunteers. Everyone has their roles and 5 volunteers are also Trustees. The volunteers work tirelessly for the benefit of our members and jobs range from service at sessions, shopping, handling cash, sorting stock, ordering food and fundraising. Everyone is a member and has a say in how we operate. Our volunteers make people feel welcome and contribute to making it an enjoyable and friendly experience for everyone. ## **Future** - **Moving forward we aim to continue to provide a sustainable service to our members, offering 2 sessions per week with a range of food at a reasonable price. This is a challenge as the costs of foodstuffs continue to rise.** - **We will continue to apply for funding to help improve the offer to our members.** - **We will continue to work with others to improve services to our members and to help those who are socially isolated, in poor health or struggling to make ends meet.** - **We will continue to work to reduce food waste and to use local suppliers when we can.** - **We will strive to improve the offer to members, including good quality food to reduce hunger and promote friendship to reduce loneliness.** Signed Hilltown Community Larder SC052021 Accounts For The Year Ending March 2025 Hilltown Community Larder SC052021 Contents Page I List of Trustees Page 2 Independent Examiners Report Page 3 Receipts and Payments Page 4 Statement of Balances Page S Notes to the Accounts Hllltown Community Larder SC052021 Trustees Treasurer Chairperson Secretary Registered Address Hilltown Communlty Centre 11, Alexander Street Dundee DD3 7DL Independent Examlners Report to the trustees of Hilltown Community Larder, registered charity number SC052021. I report on the accounts of the charrty for the year ended 31st March 2025, set out on pages.1-5 Respective Responslbllltles of Trustee and Examiner The chariws Trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the terms of the Charities and trustee investment (Scotland12￿5 Act and the Charities Accounts {ScotlandlRegulatlons 2006.The charity Trustees consider that the audit requirement of ReEulationlO{I){d} of the Accounts Regulatlons does not apply. It is my responsibility to examine the accounts as required under section 44(1) (c) of the Act and to state whether particular matters have ome to my attention. Basls of Independent Examlnerfs Statement My examination is carried out In accordance with Regulation 11 of the Charltles Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006,An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparlson of the accounts presented with those records. It 3150 includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeks explanation from the Trustees concerning such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be requlred in an audit and, consequentlv. I do not express an opinlon on the accounts. Independent Examlnerf5 Statement In the course of my examinatlon, no matter has come to my attention I whlch glves me reasonable cause to believe that In any material respert the requirements: To keep accounting records In accordance with section 44(1)la} of the21J)5 Act and Regulation 4 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations, and To prepare accounts which accord wlth the accounting records and comply with Regulation 9 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations have not been met, or 2 to whlch, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Signed Independent Examlner Date 23110/25 Hilltown Community Larder SC05021 Receipts and Payments Accounts From Perlod 11412024 to 3110312025 Statement of Recelpts and Payments Unrestricted Restricted Total Funds Funds Funds Total Funds La8t Period Recelpts Donations Grants Receipts from Fundraising Actlvities Gross Trading R8¢eipts Gr088 Receipt8 from other Charit8bte Activlties 4561 3599 3343 16903 842 15947 1353 3599 10228 10228 Total Receipts Paymènts Gross Tradlng P8yments Payments Relating to Charitable Activitles Other 8646 6365 15011 30006 2928 80 359 359 Tot81 Payments Net Receiptl Payments 05: 5874 (27661 3108 5374 Surplus for the Year Hilltown Community Larder SCO5021 Receipts and Payments Accounts Dor The Period 11412024 to 3110312025 Statement of Balances Unrestricted Restricted Total Current Total last Period Transferfrom LMG C8sh and bank balances at start of year SurpluslDeficit on Receipts and Payments C88h and Bank Balances at the end of year 10750 10750 4573 122&6J 9_4.7. No Trustee has received any remuneration during the year.