The trustees present their report and financial statements for the year ended 28 February 2023.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the charity's articles of association, the Companies Act 2006 and "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)" (effective 1 January 2019).
The charitable purpose of the organisation is the prevention and relief of poverty. We receive donations of non-perishable food and other household items from the local community through support from churches, businesses, individuals and community groups. Individuals and families in need can access our services through external referral agencies, front line service providers including churches, schools, MLAs and Health and Social Care Trust Keyworkers.
The charity's objects are to tackle poverty borne problems by working together and looking to the community for solutions. Supported by a network of businesses, churches and individuals, the charity has provided a daily safety net for at-risk families, those over 65 years of age and other individuals in the North Down & Ards Peninsula area. We have a proud history of working closely with a wide range of community organisations and front line service providers to provide better outcomes for people.
BFCS continues to provide emergency food to those in financial crisis within the Ards and North Down Council area.
BFCS have been in operation for ten years and has one full time member of staff, assisted by three part time staff members along with a team of 32 volunteers. It remains part of the national foodbank network seeded by the Trussell Trust. BFCS is one of more than 22 Independently run foodbanks/satellite distribution centres in Northern Ireland.
In the period from 1st March 2022 to 28th February 2023 BFCS collected 46,971 kg of food in donations and distributed 60,141 kg. This represented an increase in donations of 18% and a staggering increase of 132% in food distributed. This provided around 143,192 individual meals. Once again we have seen an increase in the number of local organisations/agencies partnering with us in the distribution of food vouchers.
We have also supplied household items such as cleaning materials, toiletries, nappies, and washing powder. We have seen a marked increase in the number of young families we are able to assist through the introduction of our new babybank, Ten Tiny toes. Through this new service we are able to provide a wide range of items such as; prams, cots, moses baskets, highchairs, walkers, bouncers, walkers and a range of toilteries.
In addition to the above food we delivered directly to those in need we supplied food items to The Simon Community, North Down YMCA and The Warehouse Newtownards, who all received support to assist them with projects they are delivering in the local community.
Working closely with The Warehouse Newtownards they collectively distributed over 1,100 Christmas Hampers. Families receiving hampers were nominated by our referral agencies and local church organisations connected to BFCS and The Warehouse. This was the ninth year we have been able to provide hampers thanks to the generosity of our supporters who donate food throughout the year. Also during the Christmas period BFCS was able to provide meat vouchers and toy vouchers to a number of families in need within the community.
Tesco Springhill, Sainsburys and ASDA Bangor continue to have a "Permanent Collection Point" (PCP) allowing their customers to donate food on a regular basis. Once again Tesco Springhill facilitated our annual three-day collection in November which provided great support to us in the run up to the Christmas season.
In December we saw a major increase in donations from customers to the “Permanent Collection Points" situated within Tesco, Sainsburys and Asda stores. This would not have been possible without the effort and co-operation of the store managers, staff and generosity of the general public.
We have identified that those in financial crisis are not only people who are currently unemployed but also working families. The increased trend of part time contracts, or zero-hour contracts, can mean that family incomes are much reduced or can cease without warning. Access to Universal Credit continues to cause hardship to families and individuals requiring help. In many cases people who are already finding it difficult to cope financially, are under more pressure in providing the very basic necessities for their families. A delay in benefit payments which could take weeks following a change of circumstances continued to cause stress to many families in need. This is more devastating to families with no savings, and remains a major factor in those needing to call on our foodbank in helping to feed their families. This year seen the completion of Phase 1 of our building work which comprises of a multi-function meeting space and refreshment area. This new facility has enabled us to provide valuable meeting space for several service providers such as; Women’s Aid, uHub, MenCap, Sure Start and Home Start.
To spread some much need Christmas cheer and with the help of the Catering and Hospitality department from the Bangor Campus of the South Eastern Regional College, we provided over 350 members of our local community with a 4 course festive feast complete with live entertainment. For a lot of the guests this was the only Christmas meal they would be enjoying.
During the year the Charity generated incoming resources of £216,952.
Outgoing resources were £119,375 leaving net incoming resources of £97,577 for the year to 28 February 2023.
Our aim in the coming year will be to continue to serve our local community and support people experiencing food poverty and financial crisis and we will endeavour to further embed financial inclusion and income maximisation support into our everyday operations to ensure that people who visit our foodbank are receiving all of the financial support they are entitled to. We will also be continuing our campaigning efforts and allocating additional time and resources to aid our mission to end poverty and hunger in our city through the engagement of local communities and policy makers
The charity is a company limited by guarantee and incorporated on 2nd February 2021. The company was established under Articles of Association which set out the objectives and powers of the charitable company and the company is governed by these Articles. In the event of the company being wound up, board members are required to contribute an amount not exceeding £1. BFCS is in compliance with legal and other government obligations. The company was formally granted charitable status by the Northern Ireland Charities Commission on 22nd February 2022.
The trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, and who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were:
None of the trustees has any beneficial interest in the company. All of the trustees are members of the company and guarantee to contribute £1 in the event of a winding up.
BFCS operates with the support of in excess of 32 volunteers from the local community including a number of individuals that we have supported in the past. The volunteers offer support in the foodbank three sessions per week, and in the collection and transferring donations from Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and other local donors that provide food to BFCS.
BFCS would not been able to operate efficiently and effectively without the help and support from our incredible and dedicated team of volunteers who in the past year have contributed 2,796 hours of their time processing donations and packing and distributing food parcels. In addition the support afforded by donors, trustees and supporters is invaluable and has supported BFCS in achieving their aims and objectives. Their enthusiasm, generosity and commitment to tackling and eradicating hunger in our city drives our mission forward and we are inspired by their unwavering dedication, passion and kindness.
The trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Bangor Foodbank & Community Support (the charity) for the year ended 28 February 2023.
As the trustees of the charity (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (the 2006 Act).
Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the charity are not required to be audited under company law and are eligible for independent examination, it is my responsibility to:
- examine the accounts under section 65 of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008;
- follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland under section 65(9)(b) of the Charities Act, and
- state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
I have examined your charity accounts as required under section 65 of the Charities Act and my examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland under section 65(9)(b) of the Charities Act. The examination included a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes a consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as charity trustees concerning any such matters.
My role is to state whether any material matters have come to my attention giving me cause to believe:
accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
the financial statements do not accord with those accounting records; or
the financial statements do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 and with the methods and principles of the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland ; or
That there is further information needed for a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
I have completed my examination and I have no concerns in respect of the matters (1) to (4) listed above and, in connection with following the Directions of the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, I have found no matters that require drawing to your attention.
Charitable expenditure
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.
All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
Bangor Foodbank & Community Support is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in Northern Ireland. The registered office is .
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's [governing document], the Companies Act 2006 and “Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)” (as amended for accounting periods commencing from 1 January 2016). The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
The charity has taken advantage of the provisions in the SORP for charities applying FRS 102 Update Bulletin 1 not to prepare a Statement of Cash Flows.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, modified to include the revaluation of freehold properties and to include investment properties and certain financial instruments at fair value. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
At the time of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.
Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Income and expenses are included in the financial statements as they become receivable or due.
Expenses include VAT where applicable as the company cannot reclaim it.
Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.
Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:
The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is recognised in net income/(expenditure) for the year.
At each reporting end date, the charity reviews the carrying amounts of its tangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any).
Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.
The charity has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.
Financial instruments are recognised in the charity's balance sheet when the charity becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.
Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.
Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.
Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.
Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.
Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of operations from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
Financial liabilities are derecognised when the charity’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.
The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.
Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the charity is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.
Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due.
In the application of the charity’s accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.
Grants
Charitable expenditure
Charitable expenditure
Motor expenses
Rent
Rates and water rates
Insurance
Telephone
Repairs and maintenance
Heat and light
Computer expenses
Advertising
Bank fees
Legal and professional fees
Vouchers
Food
General costs
Corporation tax charge for the period
The average monthly number of employees during the year was: