News From Loose Ends
New Appointments
All Loose Ends volunteers are unpaid and some roles take a while to fill with the right person. We are therefore pleased to announce that Guy West has been appointed as our new Treasurer and Trustee. Guy has been a regular volunteer since June 2024 helping out at both Loose Ends and Northcroft Kitchen sessions. He is a Chartered Surveyor by profession and worked for 25 years in the Thames valley on building developments.
While we are very happy to welcome Guy as our new Treasurer we are also sad to say goodbye to Ian Nichol who did such a great job for us for a number of years. In particular he guided us through the process of moving to our new home in the Cricket Club and was also instrumental in setting up Northcroft Kitchen. It is, in no small part, down to Ian's hard work that we enjoy such a healthy financial position in 2025. THANK YOU IAN!
​
We were also delighted that in November 2024 Alice Fogg agreed to join our team of Trustees. Alice has been a fantastic volunteer and supervisor since joining us in October 2023. Below is a bit about Alice in her own words.
Guy West -
our new Treasurer
Alice Fogg - Trustee
" I'm a Primary School teacher by trade but am currently taking some time out to pursue other interests and spend more time with my family. When I'm not creating various sweet bakes and savoury dishes in the kitchen, I enjoy participating in a variety of volunteering roles, including helping at Loose Ends.
​I find it very rewarding supporting the community in which I live and helping with the challenges of food poverty. As a Trustee I'm looking forward to helping Loose Ends maintain and develop its presence within Newbury to ensure those in need are assisted in the best way possible."
Christmas 2024
Christmas is always a busy time for us and this year was no exception. We had Christmas feasts with turkey and all the trimmings on both 16th December for our families at Northcroft Kitchen and again on 22nd December for our Loose Ends clients when 43 people squeezed into the cricket club.
Our Chefs looking happy after a job well done!
An impressive Yorkshire pud display - and plenty of custard to accompany pudding.
Getting ready to serve.
A lovely card from one of our Northcroft Kitchen regulars.
With the help of many generous donations from local businesses, many individuals via our Amazon Wish List and local organisations we were able to give small gifts to adults and children alike.
Thank you to everyone who made our celebrations
such a success!
Bart Ingredients
We are thrilled to announce that Bart Ingredients have agreed a sponsorship agreement ​with us. The staff at the Newbury site have supported Loose Ends previously with generous donations and this new collaboration will provide financial support and encourage employees to volunteer with Loose Ends during their regular working hours.
“Samantha Walker, Chief Finance and Sustainability Officer at Bart Ingredients said "We are excited to join forces with Loose Ends, an organisation providing a vital service to the Newbury community, and we are passionate about making a difference within our communities and have been incredibly impressed with the commitment and ethos of Loose Ends.”
Diana Lacey, Chair of Trustees at Loose Ends Newbury added “we are delighted with the sponsorship being provided by Bart Ingredients. We have a common interest in food and a shared commitment to making a positive difference to our local community so look forward to working closely together in the future.”
A Celebratory Lunch!
On December 13th we hosted a special lunch at the Cricket Club to celebrate being awarded the Kings Award for Voluntary Service. We were delighted to be joined by many of our friends and supporters from the local community including local MP Lee Dillon who gave a short speech.
The lunch was a very happy event and gave us an opportunity to thank some of the people who support us and to show them our premises.
​
​
Lee Dillon with our Chair, Diana Lacey, and Loose Ends volunteers.
Our AGM - 14th October 2024
We held our AGM of Loose Ends Newbury Members and Trustees at the Newbury Cricket Club on 14th October. The previous AGM minutes were formally approved with no matters arising.
Our Chair, Diana Lacey, gave a report starting by paying tribute to Richard Westall who died earlier in the year. Richard founded Loose Ends 34 year ago and it is because of his hard work and vision that Loose Ends is the successful charity it is today. Diana went on to describe the successful year Loose Ends had enjoyed. As well as providing continued support to our regular clients via regular Loose Ends sessions, our weekly family sessions provided by Northcroft Kitchen had flourished. We also enjoyed working with West Berkshire Action for Refugees enabling them to provide a facility where refugees could cook, eat and socialise together.
Diana also reported that Loose Ends was in a very strong and stable financial position and that we also enjoyed a secure food chain thanks to the work of Pat Burke and the Food Group and she also highlighted the subscription LEN has with SOFEA.
​Ian Nichol then presented the Treasurer's report and reiterated the strong financial position Loose Ends was in. The meeting approved the submission of the Accounts to the Charity Commission.
​It was then announced that Pat Burke was standing down as a Trustee after three terms of service. She will however remain as a volunteer and as member of the Food Group. Gill Downs was re-appointed as a Trustee for a second term.​ Ian Nichol said he wished to resign as a Trustee and Treasurer but would remain until a replacement was found.
​There followed a very interesting and informative talk from Richard Kennel who is CEO of South Oxfordshire Food and Education Alliance (SOFEA). He talked about the amazing work SOFEA do helping young people and redistributing food to prevent waste. There were several questions form the audience and Richard's answers provided further insight into the charity and the work it does.
We wrapped up with a social gathering over drinks and nibbles.
​
If you would like to read our full annual report for 2023/24 please follow the link :