Coppice Mission Church
Report and Accounts Year ended 31 March 2024
COPPICE MISSION CHURCH
LEGAL & ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE Hollingworth Road Petts Wood Orpington Kent BR5 1AQ GOVERNING DOCUMENT Declaration of Trust dated 16 March 1990, amended by supplemental deed on 12 October 1994 CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER 1001741 TRUSTEES RESPONSIBLE FOR Donna Carroll MANAGING THE CHARITY Janet Ching Margaret Gough Brian James Carol Johnson Nelson Pallister Angela Short CUSTODIAN TRUSTEES Church Growth Trust INDEPENDENT EXAMINER Ajay Rajani FCIE Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage LONDON EC1Y 8AB
INDEX
Page 1 Legal & Administrative Details Pages 2-3 Trustees' Report Page 4 Independent Examiner's Report Page 5 Receipts and Payments Account Page 6 Statement of Assets & Liabilities Page 7 Notes to the Accounts
Page 1
COPPICE MISSION CHURCH
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
The Trustees have pleasure in submitting the Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2024.
Objectives and activities
The charity is a charitable trust. The charity's objectives, as set out in its governing document, are the worship of God, the instruction and edification of Christians, the care and Christian instruction of young people and children and the evangelisation of non-Christians, the relief of sickness or poverty and the advancement of the Christian faith generally.
To this end, we aim to be a Christian church that advances the Christian faith and tries to relieve distress among residents of the neighbourhood - be it caused by loneliness, sickness and poverty. Specifically, we aim to be an evangelical Christian Church which shares the love of God in Jesus Christ by concern and practical help to the community, regardless of age, gender identity, culture, creed, social status, disability or ethnic origin.
Summary of the charity's main activities and achievements
In planning the activities the Trustees have applied the guidance on public benefit issued by the Charity Commission.
We provide Christian worship services on Sunday mornings, prayer meetings on Monday evenings, a men’s fellowship group on Tuesday mornings and a Craft Club on Tuesday afternoons. Bible study is held on Friday mornings. Pastoral care includes listening to anyone who approaches us for help, particularly the elderly, bereaved or disabled. We participate in several national and borough-wide projects including Hope into Action, Churches Together, and Transform Bromley Borough. During the year, two congregation members graduated as street pastors to serve the wider community with Churches Together. The Pastor visits local care homes and sheltered housing schemes, and participates in a rota of volunteers taking Sunday services. The Pastor also visits local primary schools as a volunteer with Spinnaker Trust to take assemblies.
The charity continues to run social groups to help address social isolation, particularly for the older members of the community. A number of sessions were hosted for South East London Community Energy (SELCE) to visit and give advice to the community on keeping warm and reducing energy bills. Monthly bring and share lunches also encourage community cohesion.
The charity creates opportunity for people who want to find out more about the Christian faith, which may involve discussion over a meal and around a short film. Two people have made a commitment to Christ and have been baptised. Others continue to receive support in their questioning and searching of the Christian faith. Sadly, a funeral and memorial service was held for one of the local community. However, this event was a celebration of the life that was lived and meant that the church could reach out to guests in a positive way.
Outreach based from the local convenience store promotes the different activities run by the church and a number of people have connected either into the church or one of the group activities on offer.
We have continued to be able to support our missionaries who are able to continue in their work and are encouraged by our prayer, financial and practical support.
Again this year the church community put together 'shoebox' gifts, partnering with Link to Hope who send shoeboxes to impoverished families and elderly people in Eastern Europe (particularly Ukraine, Moldova, Romania and Bulgaria).
The charity is looking at the buildings on site with a view to updating them and to see how they could be opened up more for community use.
In June an away day was held in order for the church to take time out and consider where things were at now and what things could be like in the next 5-10 years. Some ideas have already been put into practice and the church is keen to build on this momentum.
Page 2
Financial review
The trustees report a deficit for the year of £33,527 (2023: £20,826) but maintain a high level of cash reserves of £379,992. All of the cash held by the charity is unrestricted and can be used for any charitable purpose. During 2021/22 an investment property was sold and the proceeds were placed on deposit; the charity continues to benefit from the interest paid by these deposit accounts. The charity plans to gradually move towards a breakeven position as growth takes place.
Reserves policy
It is the policy of the charity that unrestricted funds which have not been designated for a specific use should be maintained at a level equivalent to between three and six month’s unrestricted fund expenditure. The trustees consider that reserves at this level will ensure that, in the event of a significant drop in funding, they will be able to continue the charity’s current activities while consideration is given to ways in which additional funds may be raised.
Three month’s expenditure on unrestricted funds amounts to approximately £19,400. With the level of unrestricted reserves at the year end of £379,992, the policy is more than adequately satisfied with many months’ worth of reserves covered. It is likely that the trustees will consider setting aside some of the excess unrestricted reserves in future years for further longer term investment, potentially in the church building.
Risk statement
The trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed, and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate exposure to the major risks.
Responsibilities of trustees
Charity law requires us as Trustees to prepare financial statements for each accounting year which record the receipts and payments of the charity for the year.
We are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable us to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011.
We also have a responsibility to safeguard the assets of the charity and to take reasonable steps to prevent fraud or any other irregularities.
Approval
This report was approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by:
Angela Short
Angela Short (Jan 24, 2025 11:17 GMT) _________ Angela Short - Chair of trustees
Jan 24, 2025 Date:_____
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INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT
TO THE TRUSTEES OF
COPPICE MISSION CHURCH
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Coppice Mission Church for the year ended 31 March 2024 on pages 5 to 7 following.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the trustees of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’).
I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
Independent examiner’s statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
-
accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; or
-
the accounts do not accord with the accounting records.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Ajay Rajani Ajay Rajani (Jan 24, 2025 12:20 GMT)
Ajay Rajani FCIE Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage LONDON EC1Y 8AB
Date: Jan 24, 2025
Page 4
COPPICE MISSION CHURCH
RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
| Unrestricted | Funds | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | Designated | Restricted | |||||||
| Funds | Funds | Funds | 2024 | 2023 | |||||
| Notes | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | ||||
| Income receipts | |||||||||
| Donations | 16,623 | - | - | 16,623 | 19,282 | ||||
| Gift aid receipts | 1,797 | - | - | 1,797 | 1,444 | ||||
| Legacies | - | - | - | - | 917 | ||||
| Interest | 5,607 | - | - | 5,607 | 1,292 | ||||
| Investments - rental income | 18,000 | - | - | 18,000 | 13,000 | ||||
| Other | 2,148 | - | - | 2,148 | 1,686 | ||||
| 44,175 | - | - | 44,175 | 37,620 | |||||
| Capital and similar receipts | |||||||||
| Sale of investments | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| Total receipts | 44,175 | - | - | 44,175 | 37,620 | ||||
| Payments | |||||||||
| Payments in relation to activities undertaken directly |
charitable | 2 | 63,562 | - | - | 63,562 | 55,576 | ||
| Grants paid in relation to charitable activities undertaken by others |
3 | 14,140 | - | - | 14,140 | 2,870 | |||
| 77,702 | - | - | 77,702 | 58,446 | |||||
| Purchase of fixed assets | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| Total payments | 77,702 | - | - | 77,702 | 58,446 | ||||
| Net of receipts / (payments) before transfers |
(33,527) | - | - | (33,527) | (20,826) | ||||
| Transfers between funds | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | |||
| Net movement in funds | (33,527) | - | - | (33,527) | (20,826) | ||||
| Cash funds as at last year end | 413,519 | - | - | 413,519 | 434,345 | ||||
| Cash funds at this year | end | A | 379,992 | - | - | 379,992 | 413,519 |
The notes on page 7 form part of these accounts.
Page 5
COPPICE MISSION CHURCH
STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
| Notes A Cash funds Cash at bank with immediate access Notice deposits Petty cash B Other monetary assets Gift aid due to charity Other debtors C Liabilities Gift aid overclaim Trade creditors Taxes due Fee for Independent Examination Salaries Tenant deposit Accrued expenses |
General Designated funds funds £ £ 9,190 - 370,603 - 200 - 379,992 - 1,385 - 994 - 2,379 - 50 - 1,889 - 351 - 660 - - - 1,000 - 1,650 - 5,600 - Unrestricted Funds |
Restricted funds £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
2024 £ 9,190 370,603 200 379,992 1,385 994 2,379 50 1,889 351 660 - 1,000 1,650 5,600 |
2023 £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12,381 401,018 120 |
||||
| 413,519 | ||||
| 3,883 925 |
||||
| 4,807 | ||||
| 50 330 - 540 1,500 1,000 1,500 |
||||
| 4,920 |
D Assets retained for charity's own use
| ets retained for charity's own use | ||
|---|---|---|
| Freehold land and buildings - church building Building improvements Fixtures, fittings and equipment estment assets Investment property Unlisted shares |
Fund to which asset belongs UR General UR General UR General Fund to which asset belongs UR General UR General |
Cost £ |
| 31,898 115,080 2,030 |
||
| 149,008 | ||
| Current value £ |
||
| 400,000 7,234 |
||
| 407,234 |
E Investment assets
The investment property is a residential property and is included at its probate value in 2019 when it was left to the charity in a legacy. The trustees have estimated the value of the unlisted shares based on the company's recent accounts.
The accounts were approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by:
Angela Short (Jan 24, 2025 11:17 GMT)Angela Short Jan 24, 2025 _____Angela Short - Chair of trustees _____Date:
The notes on page 7 form part of these accounts.
Page 6
COPPICE MISSION CHURCH
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
1 Accounting policies
The accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis and comprise a statement that shows the charity's receipts and payments, a statement that summarises the charity's assets and liabilities and related notes. The accountancy profession have determined that only accounts prepared in accordance with applicable accounting standards present a 'true and fair' view and, as these receipts and payments accounts have not (and cannot) be prepared in accordance with accounting standards, these accounts do not present (and are not intended to present) a 'true and fair' view of the charity's financial activities and state of affairs.
General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity. Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the trustees for particular purposes. Restricted funds are donations which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors; they include donations received from appeals for specific activities or projects.
| Unrestricted Funds General Designated funds funds £ £ 2 Payments in relation to charitable activities undertaken directly Employment costs (see note 4) 38,960 - Ministry expenses 554 - Subscriptions 875 - Outreach activities 345 - IT & communications 1,284 - Maintenance of buildings & equipment 9,266 - Utilities 4,009 - Council tax - - Insurance 1,755 - Independent examination 600 - Accounts 1,760 - Catering 1,108 - Office costs 333 - Admin services 1,388 - Professional fees 1,264 - Bank charges 62 - 63,562 - 3 Grants paid in relation to charitable activities undertaken by others Grants for: Transform Bromley Borough 6,000 Spinnaker Trust 5,100 - Other small grants to organisations - - Grants to individuals who serve as missionaries 3,040 - 14,140 - |
Restricted Funds £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
Total 2024 £ 38,960 554 875 345 1,284 9,266 4,009 - 1,755 600 1,760 1,108 333 1,388 1,264 62 63,562 6,000 5,100 - 3,040 14,140 |
Total 2023 £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 37,423 513 815 597 1,645 3,518 2,169 247 1,624 3,500 - 1,176 151 1,103 1,021 74 |
|||
| 55,576 | |||
| - - 230 2,640 |
|||
| 2,870 |
4 Transactions with related parties
There were no transactions with trustees or related parties during the period.
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