## Coppice Mission Church
Report and Accounts Year ended 31 March 2025
## **COPPICE MISSION CHURCH**
## **LEGAL & ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
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 resigned 22.11.25 Margaret Gough passed away, 14.5.25 Brian James Carol Johnson Nelson Pallister Angela Short CUSTODIAN TRUSTEES Church Growth Trust INDEPENDENT EXAMINER Nick Spear ACCA 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 2025**
The Trustees have pleasure in submitting the Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025.
## **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. 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. Bi-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. One person has made a commitment to Christ and has been baptised. Others continue to receive support in their questioning and searching of the Christian faith.
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. Initial plans have been drawn up but due to retirement of the pastor in August 2025, appointment of the new pastor is awaited to continue this review.
The focus for the church late 2024 / early 2025 was prayer and discernment for a new pastor. The trustees began drawing together a job description and person specification both of which drew on the vision casting of the previous year.
Page 2
## **Financial review**
The trustees report a deficit for the year of £4,621 (2024: £33,527) but maintain a high level of cash reserves of £375,371. 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 continues to 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 £17,500. With the level of unrestricted reserves at the year end of £375,371, 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 4, 2026 18:48:56 GMT) Angela Short - Chair of trustees
Jan 4, 2026 Date:_______________________
Page 3
## **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 2025 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:
1. accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; or
2. 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.
## Nick Spear
Nick Spear (Jan 5, 2026 12:16:56 GMT)
Nick Spear ACCA Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage LONDON EC1Y 8AB
> Date: Jan 5, 2026
Page 4
## **COPPICE MISSION CHURCH**
## **RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
|Notes
**_Income receipts_**
Donations
Gift aid receipts
Interest
Investments - rental income
Other
**_Total receipts_**
**_Payments_**
2
3
**_Total payments_**
**Net movement in funds**
Cash funds as at last year end
**Cash funds at this year end**
A
Grants
paid
in
relation
to
charitable
activities undertaken by others
Payments in relation to charitable activities
undertaken directly|Unrestricted
General
Funds
2025
£
17,831
1,350
27,789
18,000
387
65,357
66,378
3,600
69,978
(4,621)
379,992
375,371|Unrestricted
General
Funds
2024
£|
|---|---|---|
|||16,623
1,797
5,607
18,000
2,148|
|||44,175|
|||63,562
14,140|
|||77,702|
|||(33,527)
413,519|
|||379,992|
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 2025**
|**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**
**Falling due within one year**
Gift aid overclaim
Trade creditors
Taxes due
Fee for Independent Examination
Tenant deposit
Accrued expenses
**Total**
**D**
**Assets retained for charity's own use**
Freehold land and buildings - church building
Building improvements
Fixtures, fittings and equipment
**E**
**Investment assets**
Investment property
Fixed asset investments|Unrestricted
General
Funds
2025
£
12,988
362,308
75
**375,371**
1,253
1,069
**2,322**
279
443
720
1,000
1,539
3,981
Fund to
which asset
belongs
UR General
UR General
UR General
Fund to
which asset
belongs
UR General
UR General
-|Unrestricted
General
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|
|||Cost
£|
|||31,898
115,080
2,030|
|||149,008|
|||Current
value
£|
|||400,000
6,257|
|||406,257|
The accounts were approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by:
Angela Short ___________________________________ Angela Short (Jan 4, 2026 18:48:56 GMT) Angela Short - Chair of trustees Date:_______________________ Jan 4, 2026
The notes on page 7 form part of these accounts.
Page 6
**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## **COPPICE MISSION CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **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.
|**2**
**Payments in relation to charitable activities undertaken directly**
Employment costs
Ministry expenses
Subscriptions
Outreach activities
IT & communications
Maintenance of buildings & equipment
Utilities
Insurance
Independent examination
Accounts
Catering
Office costs
Admin services
Professional fees
Bank charges
**3**
**Grants paid in relation to charitable activities undertaken by others**
Grants for:
Transform Bromley Borough
Spinnaker Trust
Grants to individuals who serve as missionaries|Unrestricted
General
Funds
Total
2025
£|Unrestricted
General
Funds
Total
2024
£|
|---|---|---|
||44,943
934
1,299
430
1,788
4,056
7,407
1,775
660
1,580
667
30
195
539
75|38,960
554
875
345
1,284
9,266
4,009
1,755
600
1,760
1,108
333
1,388
1,264
62|
||66,378|63,562|
||3,600
-
-|6,000
5,100
3,040|
||3,600|14,140|
## **4 Transactions with related parties**
The Chair of Trustees, Angela Short, was reimbursed £77 (2024: £nil) for expenses related to church activity during the year. Her husband, Rob Short, was also reimbursed £499 for church activity expenses.
## **Movement of funds**
|Unrestricted general funds
Total funds|Opening
balance
£
379,992
379,992|Receipts
£
65,357
65,357|Payments
£
(69,978)
(69,978)|Transfers
£
-
-|Closing
balance
£
375,371
375,371|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Page 7