Annual General Meeting
Monday 15 June 2015 7:30pm All Saints Church Hall Oakham
Chairman’s Report
Suzanne Johnson April 2014 to March 2015 has been a very busy and productive period for Rutland Foodbank, mainly due to the huge commitment and work ethic of our wonderful volunteers. In September 14, we incorporated our non-registered charity into a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, and some of this report, including the accounts, reflects the two different vehicles and accounting periods. On the ground, following a nomadic period, we were delighted to receive sponsorship from Mr Dan Gill, a local businessman, who sponsored us to lease our own premises. We took possession of 40 Melton Road, Oakham, in June 14 and after some refreshing of the décor, we moved in in July. It was good to have a home! In September, we celebrated our first anniversary with an afternoon tea at Oakham Castle, attended by a number of our supporters, agencies and volunteers, together with the Lord Lieutenant of Rutland, the High Sheriff, the Mayor of Oakham and Leader of Rutland County Council. Refreshments were provided and served by a team of young people from Great Casterton College. The following weeks brought a huge influx of
“harvest” donations, which were sorted by a small, but very dedicated, warehouse team in Langham. We then began to prepare for the Christmas period, which always brings generous donations from the public, including non-food items such as toys, books, and a large sack of woolly hats and mittens from the Oakham Knit and Natter group. We ambitiously targeted 200 hampers of Christmas treats for people in crisis in Rutland, which we achieved during the second week of December. The packing was undertaken in our new premises, which was a bit of a squeeze, but it felt good to be in our own place. The hampers were distributed through our various agencies, and were very gratefully received at a time when the extras at Christmas can cause a huge amount of stress for people who are struggling to put food on the table. The hampers were funded by individual donations, mostly from across the churches of Rutland. Page 2
After Christmas, we entered a period of consolidating our practices, and developing better working relationships with our agencies. So far this has resulted in closer working with the CAB, being invited to present and join the Rutland Homelessness Forum, and partnering Rutland Adult Learning Services and Spire Homes in delivering a Cooking on a Budget course at Rutland College. The team at Uppingham continue to be very committed, and have consistently developed good relationships with their clients, many of whom have visited in subsequent weeks, even if they don’t have a voucher. The numbers at Uppingham are quite low, but it is felt that they are providing a valuable service in Uppingham, and their dedication is very much appreciated. Looking forward, we seek to continue developing our partnering work with local agencies, to be part of the response to people in crisis in Rutland.
Financial Report April – September 2014
Caroline McCabe At the start of the period, Rutland Foodbank had reserves of £6,801. Income for the period was £3,859 and expenditure was £5,850. This means we are now carrying forward a surplus of £4,810. The charts below analyse income and expenditure by category. Rutland Foodbank accounts only report the cash transactions (‘cash accounting’). In addition to the cash recorded, 3.2 tonnes of food has been donated (valued at an estimated £5,376), warehousing has been donated and everyone involved in delivering the service of the
Foodbank has volunteered their time. Since the end of this reporting period, 2 grants totalling £3,000 have been received. These are to be used specifically for either refurbishment of the premises at 40 Melton Road, or for ongoing premises running costs.
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Reserves are held to cover the charity’s liabilities in the unforeseen event of loss of income. As we move forward, the trustees aim to have more secure funding through regular donations/grants in order to plan for future developments.
Distribution Centre Manager’s Report
Dominic Coad In June of last year, we finally found a permanent home for Oakham’s Food Bank distribution centre. Whilst we are grateful to those who helped provide places in which to operate in our first year, we were very pleased to be able to lease 40 Melton Road. Here we have been able to create a permanent set up in which, three times a week, we welcome our guests and give them the food they desperately need. Thanks to the hard work of many volunteers, the premises have received new vinyl flooring, fresh paint on all the walls, lovely window blinds, furni-
ture and pictures for the walls. We were determined to create a really welcoming and attractive environment with a café feel. We believe that our gusts should feel cared for and wanted; that begins with creating an environment in which people want to spend time. Over 70 volunteers help us to pick and pack food
The steering group of Rutland Foodbank outside the new premises in Melton Road. From left, Helen Baggott, Caroline McCabe, Cathy Dyson, Dominic Coad, Suzanne Johnson and Mark Melluish. (Photo: Rutland Times)
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parcels, make tea and sit and chat. Some of our guests don’t want to say much and that’s okay but many appreciate having a friendly, non-judgmental ear; talking to someone outside of their situation, with no agenda, can be really helpful. We point them to resources where we can but most of all we just want to let them know someone cares about them. Most of our clients we see a few times and then not again – they have recovered from their crisis and moved on – but we know from the gratitude and relief they feel at receiving their food that we are making a real difference in the lives of struggling people here in Rutland today.
Voucher Holders Report
Helen Baggott During the year I have continued to train and inform new voucher holders as replacement workers join Social work teams in Rutland. There are 90 voucher holders registered, including Citizens Advice Bureau, Surgeries, Schools, Churches, Housing / Spire Homes and from Social Care teams, including Children’s work / Adult support/ Revenues and Benefits team/ Youth work. Of these voucher holders 30 have referred clients since we commenced and most referrals in the past year have come from less than 15 agencies. I issue all new vouchers as needed by agencies and after the vouchers are used by clients they come back to me for recording. This means I have a complete picture and the following reports offer a selection based on the Trussell Trust site that records all this data.
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Volunteers Report
Pat Anderson I have been a volunteer at the foodbank since it opened and have along with all other volunteers I have met ,have found it ,though sometimes challenging !! a very enjoyable and worthwhile experience .
We do not know from one session to the next who will walk through the door, but our aim is to first and foremost make them feel welcome and valued.
When they come to us they have already been assessed for eligibility so all we need to do is provide them with their food,make them feel comfortable and try and help anyway we can whilst their food is being prepared.
them a chance to chat if that is what they wish.
In some cases we see people on many occasions and it is wonderful to follow their progress and get to know them a little better. It is very special if when they walk through the door there is recognition and a smile.
If necessary we try and signpost them to any other sources of help that they may require ,or just give
One particular occasion was a lady who had felt so welcomed and understood by one of the volunteers that she had seen the previous week, she had put on some make up done her hair and made a real effort
Linda is a woman in her 40s who has worked for a number of years as a buyer in various industries. She shares a house in a Rutland village with her partner. She has a daughter in her 20s and a grandchild on the way.
been working to find a new one, she is awaiting the result of a recent interview. Her partner is leaving her and they are currently in dispute over who will remain in their rented accommodation, so Linda fears becoming homeless.
Linda lost her job just before Christmas and has
She is a tenacious person and says that she will not Page 6
to show that volunteer how she was moving on!
Unfortunately that volunteer was not there that day but I assured her that I would let her know how well she was looking, which of course I did. A lot of the clients when they first arrive are feeling very vunerable, in some cases ashamed, it has taken a great deal of courage to actually come to us, it is so rewarding as they relax with a drink and start to chat and anguished faces relax into a smile, that makes it all worth while! give up until she has a job. She has visited Foodbank twice to help her get through this period of unemployment. Linda is very grateful for the help she has received from Foodbank and hopes to volunteer as a helper when she is back on her feet.
Sarah is a well-spoken and smartly dressed young woman from the south of the country. She has 4 young children including a small baby. She has moved into the area to escape from domestic violence. Sarah has found somewhere to live but her present situation means she is unable to work. She is beginning to get to know some local people but has no family nearby. Sarah hopes that when her eldest child goes to school and she is able to get a job things will become easier
Mary has a husband and 2 children. She had a bad accident at work and is unable to work again. She was assessed by the benefits team, and failed the threshold for Disability Benefit by one point. She is appealing the decision, but in the meantime is left without any benefits until it is resolved. She was incredibly embarrassed to be in the Foodbank, as she had previously donated food to Foodbank on a regular basis.
Pupils from Leighfield Academy in Uppingham collect for Rutland Foodbank. Year 6 pupils, from left, Amelie Ryan, Pablo Kearney and Louis Holbrook. The pupils decided to help Rutland Foodbank at their Key Stage 2 harvest service this year. All the children were invited to take in a donation of tinned or dried food to school.
Leighfield Academy administrator Jeanette Wedge said: “We collected a great amount which we then took to St Peter and St Paul’s Church in Uppingham so that it could be distributed to those who need it.” (Photo: Rutland & Stamford Mercury)
Dave is a young man living in a Rutland village. Dave was finding it extremely difficult to get to job interviews because of the cost and inconvenience of public transport. He therefore had his Jobseekers Allowance sanctioned, even though he is desperate to find work. Social Services are helping him to relocate to a flat he can just about afford in Oakham, where he hopes to gain work. He was absolutely mortified to find himself at the Foodbank, and had to be dragged in by a social worker.
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First Birthday Party Dominic Coad
As of September 23rd 2014, Rutland Food Bank had been feeding clients for a whole year.
In this time we provided three days of meals for 754 people – 544 adults and 210 children. We worked with 65 voucher holders to issue our clients the red vouchers they need to access Food Bank. Our 70 volunteers sorted, transported and packed 20 tonnes of food to feed our clients and made over 350 cups of tea to make them feel at home.
Members of the steering group welcome distinguished guests to the tea party
Tea was served by members of Casterton Business and Enterprise College (photo: Rob Persani, Rutland Radio)
On the afternoon of Tuesday 30th of September we held a tea party at Oakham Castle to celebrate. With the kind help of pupils of , we served tea, sandwiches and cakes to a number of our supporters and partners. We were pleased to be able to thank those who have helped us and were delighted to welcome the Lord Lieutenant of Rutland, Laurence Howard, the High Sheriff of Rutland, Air Commodore S Miles D Williamson-Noble, the Mayor of Oakham, Jayne Woodcock, and the leader of the County Council, Roger Begy.
We are enormously grateful for all the support and generous donations we have received over the past year. More importantly we are grateful that we have been able to help those in our county who find themselves in crisis. Life on a tight budget is difficult, both for those in and out of work, and we have been very pleased not only to provide the safety net of a few days food but also to provide a safe and friendly space for people who are sometimes at their lowest ebb. Rutland Foodbank - Registered Charity No 1158460 http://www.rutland.foodbank.org.uk
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