The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025.
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 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)" (effective 1 January 2019).
Our Aims and objectives
Faithworks Wessex (FWW) is a registered charity working across the conurbation of Poole, Bournemouth, Christchurch and the surrounding area.
We help people at their point of crisis (food, finance, shelter), walk alongside people on their journey connecting them with the best help, and then help them rebuild their lives so that they don’t go back into crisis. Everything we do, we seek to do with local churches, as we want them to find relational and spiritual hope as well as practical support.
We long for people to find new personal resilience – to have their lives restored and “re-storied” for the future and so prevent them needing crisis help again.
And through this we long to see a new community resilience in our local neighbourhoods where homelessness and food insecurity are effectively ended, and where everyone is within 15 minutes of a place of practical support, friendship and God-inspired hope: we call these “Life Centres”
Our approach is set out in the strap-line under our logo
We will listen to your story
We will give hope for the future: mind, body and spirit
We will act through the most appropriate practical support
And through our Life Centres and Volunteer teams, we will be there for as long as it takes, inspiring and alongside
As a faith-led organisation, FWW will always seek to act in accordance with our Christian ethos, which includes serving all regardless of their circumstances or beliefs. We are working with many partners, and are particularly successful in inspiring and enabling churches to identify and then meet the needs of their local communities.
This year, the new vision, mission and values were developed into a fresh branding toolkit, which formed the basis of both a new website and a fresh approach to appraisals.
Charitable purposes
The charity’s purposes in the governance documents are:
“The relief of financial hardship, sickness or distress, particularly amongst the elderly, homeless, children and young people in care and those caring for a family member with a physical, mental or sensory disability, by the provision of information, advice and support and to provide or assist in the provision of facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation or other leisure time occupation of individuals who have need for such facilities by reason of their youth, age infirmity of disability, financial hardship or social circumstances with the object of improving their condition of life in particular through facilitating churches and Christians to work for the benefit of their local communities by addressing such issues of disadvantage, social exclusion and other areas of need for the public benefit in such parts of the united kingdom as the directors from time to time may think fit.”
How our activities deliver public benefit
This report demonstrates the activities that the charity has provided in the past year, and how those have benefited some of the most vulnerable people in our community, thereby demonstrating the “public benefit” of the charity.
D. We appointed our first Financial Resilience lead who developed and led our first Money Course in Nourish (Blandford Foodbank), seeing 5 individuals changing their approach to money, and thus reducing their likelihood of ending up in more debt.
E. We ran our first “mini-summits” with Moorlands Bible college for over 80 people from local churches who are opening up their churches to welcome people during the week; we shared good practice, identified areas of challenge (confidence in praying for people), and prayed together for our towns.
F. And supporting all of this, we successfully moved to a new finance system (Xero), which was no small task for our finance officer and business support manager, and will allow us to bring payroll in house from April 2025.
Also during the year, we stopped our Recovery work (April 2024) and transferred Southbourne Foodbank to be managed under Bournemouth Foodbank (Oct 2024).
Faithworks Wessex as a “Going Concern”
Despite financial challenges across the sector, FWW can demonstrate that it has been, and continues to be, managed in a financially sound way:
It now has sufficient and growing dedicated reserves in place for core costs
It is growing less reliant on one form of funding
Each new project’s funding includes an element to cover central core costs
It is building longer term relationships with key funders such as Southall, Albert Hunt, Valentine and Cooper Dean.
When staff leave, trustees review funding and options for the future shape of the team. It maintains liquid assets to cover at least three months of salaries;
The auditor inspects the accounts annually and have been signed off without a problem each time.
Reserves Policy
As part of its Christian ethos, Faithworks Wessex (FWW) is committed to an openness and integrity with regard to its finances. Therefore, it seeks to ensure that it works within an appropriate level of financial reserves.
"Reserves" is taken to describe that part of a charity's funds that are freely available to fund its general operations and so is not subject to commitments, planned expenditure or other restrictions. Consequently, Reserves do not include endowment funds, restricted funds and designated funds.
In the Trustees’ view, the reserves should provide the charity with cover for redundancy and payment of its contractual requirements should the charity have to be wound up.
The trustees updated their reserves policy this year recognising that for some projects 2 months cover is sufficient to cover these contractual requirements, but other projects like our foodbanks which have higher personal donations want to have greater cover (3 or even 6 months) to guard against a turn down in donations, and to show that in the monthly reporting so that cash flow forecasts include that figure.
Core reserves continued above the minimum of 3 months. In addition, a target of at least 2 months was set for all project areas but increased to 6 months for all foodbanks. The Hope into Action work has very specific reserves requirements as there are payments to investors to take account of – so a set figure of £15,000 has been set for reserves.
At the end of the year, all foodbanks continued to operate at more than 3 months reserves. Most other areas had more than 2 months cover, except
HIA which was lower because of Housing Benefit payment delays and a void room that has now been filled
And Training, which ended the year with a loss due to a lack of income from commissions; this has led to a major change in the way that this project is delivered with a focus on 3 courses all of which charge a fee for referrers who want to place someone on the course. Core income was used to cover the loss, and there is a renewed push through additional recharges to increase core costs again to a much higher level
On the back of this loss, a new deficit management procedure has been agreed by the trustees in June 2025.
Income & Funding
Total income reduced by 12% to £1.31m. This came from several areas. The key reduction was from core funding grants which reduced to £580k (down 24%); this included the final of 3 years of funding from the Dept of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities specifically targeted at faith charities who have previously run a night shelter and are now developing creative solutions like our Recovery, Training and We-re Here Network (i.e.. move on long term support, and less on community shelters).
Individual donations dropped slightly (down to £354k), and we saw a small increase in other business donations over the last year (although a slight decrease in donations from churches). There were no legacies this year.
We are enormously grateful to many foundations and trusts for their confidence in us, many of them having done this for many years, included the following:
Night Shelter Transformation Fund (Govt) | Homelessness (yr. 3 of 3) | £100,000 |
National Lottery Community Fund | SMILE (yr. 2 of 3) | £86,110 |
National Lottery Cost of Living Fund | Essentials, CMA | £45,683 |
Valentine Community Trust | FW, Nourish, HIA, PFB, | £51,000 |
Alice Ellen Cooper Dean Charitable Foundation | HIA, SMILE, Nourish | £30,000 |
Dorset Community Foundation | All Foodbanks, SMILE, CMA | £77,847 |
Dorset County Council | BFB/Nourish, WFB | £24,000 |
Garfield Weston | FW CMA | £15,000 |
Bere Oak | CMA | £8,125 |
RP Foundation | CFB | £5,000 |
Talbot Village trust | HIA | £14,700 |
The Albert Hunt Charitable Trust | Homelessness | £8,000 |
Action Funder | CMA, ARCH, Nourish | £5,500 |
Blandford Town Council | Nourish | £5,000 |
29May1961 Trust | Arch | £5,000 |
Cooperative Society | WFB | £5,550 |
St Mary’s Fund | SMILE | £7,604 |
… plus, many grants under £5k. In addition, Mazars, Tesco’s and Sainsburys all provided various forms of support. We are grateful for every organisation.
Expenditure
Expenditure increased to £1.49m, an increase of 6% compared to 2023-24.
The main changes in costs this year come from the following areas:
Salary levels increased between 4 and 10%: the trustees committed themselves to the Living Wage Foundation levels of minimum wage: this increased by 10%, and so to ensure that more senior staff were not “squeezed”, all salaries were increased
There was significant turn-over of staff with 10 people leaving and 6 new starters (7 more in 2025-6); of the leavers, 6 were in foodbanks, 3 of whom retired and one left as we ended our support of Southbourne Foodbank. 3 left our homelessness/HIA work, all of whom have been replaced. But one core staff member has not been replaced.
Fundraising costs continue to account for less than 1% of total costs, equally Governance costs are also low at 0.5% of total spend.
Ongoing support costs (i.e.. not including one-off costs such as the website, the changes to Nourish, and specific repairs to buildings) are constantly reviewed to identify alternatives to minimise spend. Support costs to the end of March 2025 were £240k or 16% of total costs.
Overall
This year our income was generally less than our expenditure for most of our projects, which was not unexpected. The difference being satisfactorily covered by project reserves.
The trustees recognise that the financial challenge for charities is increasingly difficult: there is more competition for funding as the extra support of the Covid years disappears; and a certain level of giving fatigue is seen in the wider general public.
The trustees continue to take action where resources are not being well used: the Storehouse furniture operation will close in April 2025 as demand has collapsed, and as noted above, the workshop operation has been refocused.
A new financial advisor to the board has been appointed (with significant charity experience as a previous finance director of another local Christian charity); on his advice, the trustees have agreed a budget for 2025-6 that builds unrestricted resources so that the core of the charity is protected.
In addition, the reputation of the charity means that not only are we recognised as providing a sound professional service that sees real change for individuals, but we are trusted by key funders to deliver on our promises.
The trustees also recognise that it continues to be a testimony of God’s grace that the charity continues to have good financial strength in the midst of ongoing challenges.
Risk management
The trustees now receive a risk management report every quarter to give focus to their discussion. The trustees have identified the following as the most significant risks to the business:
Finance: Both unrestricted funds for core operations and to build up a greater reserve; and project funds in key project areas, especially Training and HIA
People: the loss of the CEO in the later part of 2024-5 was a key risk following the departure of the Life Centres manager (and thus more reports for the CEO) – this has now been mitigated as a new manager started in April 25;
Safeguarding: The quarterly trustee sub-group have identified the need to ensure that all partnerships have clear safeguarding arrangements in place; during the year, more reports came forward predominantly from client welfare issues showing the value of our increased training and awareness
Reputation: partner dispute or damaging article.
Aims for forthcoming year (2025-26)
Our key theme for the year is “Strengthening”
Strengthen our financial support by piloting and then embedding financial resilience teams in our life centres:
Strengthen our relational and spiritual support by developing our connections with local churches (see separate church connections strategy and plan);
Strengthen our approach to caring for guests and volunteers by implementing specific actions as part of our Trauma Informed Care plan; also consider a celebration event for guests who have made steps forward from across all projects
Strengthen our finances by adding capacity into our fundraising and story-telling (see separate fundraising plan);
Strengthen specific operations:
Implement actions to put the carpentry workshop on a sustainable footing
Grow the HIA network
Bring payroll in house
Strengthen our staff team:
Ensure salaries respond to cost of living changes (inc. maintaining membership of Living Wage Foundation)
Roll out Faithworks management and leadership skills progression program
Provide basic pensions advice
Continue to support well-being offer (Clinical Supervision, well-being days, flexible working, safeguarding round-tables)
The charity is governed in accordance with its trust deed dated 18 March 2004 and amendments 13 January 2005 and 19 March 2008.
Trustee team
The Faithworks’ trustees has been enhanced by another addition this year: Colette Riggs, a senior officer in the BCP Council housing team joined the trustee board. The other trustees remained the same: Cliff James (treasurer), Ben Griffiths, Neil Stevens, Rev Sarah Yetman, Richard Stamp, Rev Chris Beaumont and Liz Davies. Karen Todd left the trustee body during the year. Neil Stevens continued as chair.
Monthly business meetings on-line continue to be a successful model allowing strategic, financial and operational issues to be taken at each meeting, including a cash flow forecast and a review of at least one policy (to ensure that all are covered every 2-3 years). The whole trustee group meet in person with the CEO and Business Support Manager for a strategy day in November.
In addition, an Operational sub-group consisting of the treasurer, Richard Stamp, Liz Davies and the CEO and Business Support manager meet 4 times a year to review progress on actions, look at more detailed operational points and ensure that financial targets are being met.
A safeguarding sub-group chaired by Sarah Yetman (FW safeguarding trustee lead) also now meets 4 times a year, again with 2 trustees (Sarah and Neil) plus the CEO and Business Support manager; it uses the Charity Commission 10-point plan of good practice to review progress in creating a sound safeguarding culture and responding to cases.
The whole trustee body meets to pray with the CEO in advance of every board meeting.
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:
In accordance with the company's articles, a resolution proposing that Harrisons be reappointed as auditor of the company will be put at a General Meeting.
The trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
The trustees, who are also the directors of Faithworks Wessex for the purpose of company law, are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company Law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that year.
In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
In so far as the trustees are aware:
- there is no relevant audit information of which the charitable company’s auditor is unaware; and
- the trustees have taken all steps that they ought to have taken to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the auditor is aware of that information.
Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that year.
In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Opinion
We have audited the financial statements of Faithworks Wessex (the ‘charity’) for the year ended 31 March 2025 which comprise the statement of financial activities, the balance sheet, the statement of cash flows and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
In our opinion, the financial statements:
Basis for opinion
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.
Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.
Other information
The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial statements and our auditor's report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.
We have nothing to report in this regard.
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:
the information given in the financial statements is inconsistent in any material respect with the trustees' report; or
sufficient accounting records have not been kept; or
the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records; or
we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.
As explained more fully in the statement of trustees' responsibilities, the trustees, who are also the directors of the charity for the purpose of company law, are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.
We have been appointed as auditor under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 and report in accordance with the Act and relevant regulations made or having effect thereunder.
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud, is detailed below.
Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk is also greater regarding irregularities occurring due to fraud rather than error, as fraud involves intentional concealment, forgery, collusion, omission or misrepresentation.
As part of an audit in accordance with ISAs (UK), we exercise professional judgment and maintain professional scepticism throughout the audit. We also:
Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.
Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the charitable company’s internal control.
Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and related disclosures made by the trustees.
Conclude on the appropriateness of the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in our auditor’s report to the related disclosures in the financial statements or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditor’s report. However, future events or conditions may cause the charitable company to cease to continue as a going concern.
Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the financial statements, including the disclosures, and whether the financial statements represent the underlying transactions and events in a manner that achieves fair presentation.
We communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit.
Use of our report
This report is made solely to the charity’s trustees, as a body, in accordance with Part 4 of the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charity’s trustees those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity and the charity’s trustees as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
Harrisons is eligible for appointment as auditor of the charity by virtue of its eligibility for appointment as auditor of a company under section 1212 of the Companies Act 2006.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
Faithworks Wessex is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Heron Court Road, Winton, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH9 1DE.
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) (effective 1 January 2019)". The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
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. 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.
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives.
Designated funds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the trustees for particular future projects or commitments.
Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors or grantors 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.
Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the charity has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.
Fixed asset gifts in kind are recognised when receivable and are included at fair value.
Where practicable, gifts in kind donated for distribution to the beneficiaries of the charity are included in stock and donations in the financial statements upon receipt unless impracticable or if the costs to undertake such a valuation outweigh any benefits.
Government grants are recognised at the fair value of the asset received or receivable. Grants are not recognised until there is reasonable assurance that the charity will comply with the conditions attaching to them and the grants will be received.
Expenditure is recognised on an accruals basis as a liability is incurred. Expenditure includes any VAT which cannot be fully recovered, and is classified under headings of the statement of financial activities to which it relates:
expenditure on raising funds includes the costs of all fundraising activities, events, non-charitable trading activities, and the sale of donated goods.
expenditure on charitable activities includes all costs incurred by the charity in undertaking activities that further its charitable aims for the benefit of its beneficiaries, including those support costs and costs relating to the governance of the charity apportioned to charitable activities.
other expenditure includes all expenditure that is neither related to raising funds for the charity nor part of its expenditure on charitable activities.
All costs are allocated to expenditure categories reflecting the use of the resource. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs are apportioned between the activities they contribute to on a reasonable, justifiable and consistent basis.
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 the statement of financial activities.
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).
Financial liabilities and equity instruments are classified according to the substance of the contractual arrangements entered into. An equity instrument is any contract that evidences a residual interest in the assets of the entity after deducting all of its financial liabilities.
Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due.
Rentals payable under operating leases, including any lease incentives received, are charged as an expense on a straight line basis over the term of the relevant lease.
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 - organisations
The charity benefits greatly from the involvement of its many volunteers. In accordance with FRS 102 and the Charities SORP (FRS 102), the economic contribution of general volunteers is not recognised in the accounts.
The charity also benefits from the receipt of a large number of donated items for distribution to beneficiaries. Due to the volume of low-value items received it is impractical to measure reliably the fair value of these donated items.
Income from charitable activities
Raising funds
Charitable Activities
Charitable Activities
None of the trustees received any remuneration for their services or reimbursement of expenses during either the current or previous year.
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
Redundancy and termination payments totalling £1,151 were made in the reporting period.
Key management personnel include all persons that have authority and responsibility for planning, directing and controlling the activities of the charity. The remuneration of key management personnel is as follows.
The charity is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within section 505 of the Taxes Act 1988 or section 252 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects.
The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charity in an independently administered fund.
The restricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants held on trust subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used.
Hope Place: A temporary restricted fund to provide finance to evaluate the potential for a homelessness hub called "Hope Place" at St Stephens; the project was ended in March 2025 as the hub will be provided in a different way.
ARCH (Previously FW Home). A restricted fund for projects to help individuals who are rough sleeping in the area to move into more secure accommodation (including "Sleepsafe").
Poole Foodbank. A restricted fund for the purpose of running the food bank in the Poole area.
Money Matters (CMA). A restricted fund for the purpose of financial budget and debt counselling by volunteers.
Christchurch Foodbank. A restricted fund for the purpose of running the food bank in the Christchurch area.
Nourish (previously Blandford Foodbank). A restricted fund for the purpose of running the food bank in the Blandford area.
Smile. A restricted fund for the purpose of support to lone parent families.
Wimborne Foodbank. A restricted fund for the purpose of running the food bank in the Wimborne area.
Town Pastors CHP. A restricted fund for the purpose of funding Town Pastors who patrol the town centres on weekend nights to provide support to those in need.
Recovery. A restricted fund for the purpose of running community addiction recovery services with local churches.
Life Centres. A restricted fund (Lottery funding) for the purpose of developing and working with local churches to put in place one-stop centres for crisis support across urban Dorset.
Hope Into Action. A restricted fund for the purpose of enabling churches to house the homeless.
Southbourne Foodbank. A restricted fund for the purpose of running the food bank in the Southbourne area.
Night Shelter Transformation Fund. A restricted fund for homelessness projects run by the charity.
Community Garden: A restricted fund to provide financial and operational support to the volunteer-led Wimborne Community Garden project, with regular reporting to Wimborne Foodbank.
Financial Resilience: A restricted fund for a project to develop tools, good practice and volunteers teams based in other Faithworks projects to provide budget and basic money help to clients.
The unrestricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants which are not subject to specific conditions by donors and grantors as to how they may be used. These include designated funds which have been set aside out of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes.
At the reporting end date the charity had outstanding commitments for future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases, which fall due as follows:
Other related party transactions
During the year aggregate donations received from related parties without conditions were £7,450 (2024: £7,459).
Sarah Yetman, a trustee of the charity, is also the vicar at St John's Church. During the year rent totalling £3,347 (2024: £3,090) was paid to St John's Church.