Providence Baptist Chapel, Cheltenham - Registered Charity No. 1010275 Trustees. Annual Re ort for the ear to 30th A ril 2024 The Trustees are pleased to subrnit their report and the financial statements of the Charity for the year ended 30th April 2024. Reference and Administrative Details Providence Baptist Chapel, Cheltenham is a Registered Charity, no. 1010275. The principal address of the Charity is: Providence Baptist Chapel, Naunton Parade, Leckhampton, Cheltenham GL53 7NP. The Charity Trustees for the year were as follows: Mr John Hope - Elder (until 29 February 2024) Mr Timothy Ilott - Deacon th Mr Richard Jeffers - Deacon {from 16 August 2023> Mr Pooyan Mehrshahi - Elder and Pastor (Chairman) Structure and Governance The governing Constitution of the Charity was first adopted on 20th February 1992, with subsequent amendments on 22nd November 2000, 30th September 2014 and 23rd October 2014. The Constitution requires that there shall be no fewer than three Charity Trustees, with no maximum number. The Elders (including the Pastor) and the Deacons of the Church are Charity Trustees by virtue of their office. Since the Pastor 15 also an employee of the Church his position as a Trustee is subject to appropriate financial safeguards to prevent a confLict of interest. If the number of 'ex offlcfo. Trustees faLls below three the Church shall eleci from among its Members enough other Charity Trustees to meet the minimum requirement. Trustees who are not appointed by virtue of their office may serve for only one year before being required to seek re-election. Throughout the 202312024 year the number of 'ex officio. Charity Trustees has always met or exceeded the required minimum. Therefore, it has not been necessary to appoint others. Object of the Charity The object of the Charity 15 to advance the Christian religion for the public benefit, particularly in accordance with the Statement of Faith and Church Covenant which are annexed to the Constitution. This object has been furthered throughout the year by the continued use of the Charity's Providence Baptfst Chapel premises in Cheltenham for the preaching and teaching of the Christian religion. by the provision of children's outreach work. by the support of open-air Christian outreach,. by the holding of worship service5 in a Local care home; and by the dissemination of the Scriptures and other Christian literature. Review of Activities Worshi Services Worship services have been held on Sunday mornings and evenings and on Wednesday evenings each week. All these meetings have been open to members of the public and there has been a continuing growth in attendance. Several additions to the membership of the Church have occurred this year. A video Live-stream of most of these services has been available on several online platforms enabling many to follow the services who have cannot attend in person. Regular on-line followers include a number from overseas. The archive of Providence Chapel sermons stored online at the SermonAudio website (including some in the Farsi (Persian) Language) has also attracted many downloads from across the world. Worship services have also been conducted once a month in a local care home for elderly people. 2023-24 TAR Page1of3 Charity Ref. 1010275 Other Activities Regular w￿klY Sunday School meetings have been resumed during the year, attended by ch7ldren aged 4-16. Also, weekday Meetings have continued in school term time to provide teaching and other activities for children of junior sch¢)ol age and for toddlers and their parentslcarers, providing good opportunities for contact with non-church families. Regular open-air street preaching and literature distribution has continued in both in Cheltenham and GLoucester town centres, aSs￿lated in part with the Open-Air Mission. Many items of Christian literature have been distributed and several people contacted through these events have subsequently attended Services at Providence Baptist Chapel. Many other opportunities have arisen for the distribut7on of free copies of the complete Holy Bible, Gospels of John, and of other Christian literature. To mark the coronation of HM King Charles 111 several hundred Coronation Commemoration Bibles were presented as gifts from the Church at Prowdence Chapel to children In several locaL schools in both the state and independent sectors. Public Benefit The Charity Commission requires the Trustees to ensure that due regard is given to its guidance on public benefit. The Trustees are Satisfied that the activities of Providence Baptist Chapel are fully focussed on the provision of benefit to the public. Central to the beliefs and practice of the Church worshipping at Providence Baptist Chapel is the conviction that truly lasting public benefit will only arise as people are brought to acknowledge their own sinfulne5S, to turn from it, to place their trust solely in the Lord Jesus Christ, and to live according to HT5 commands. Those who are granted this by faith WILL not only reap immea5urabLe personal spiritual benefit: they will also benefit society at large through their good citizenship. The Church therefore continues to carry the message of the Christian Gospel to a wide audience through the activities described previously (alway5 in dependence upon the blessing of the Holy Spirit). Most meetings held at the Chapel are open to any who May wish to come (with restrictions of age or membership status in some cases). Those worship services which are live.streamed or held in archive on the internet (as referred to above} are freely available to anybody. Flnancial Review Reserves The Trustees, policy is to keep in reserve a sum equivalent to not le55 than one yearfs running costs. This 15 to ensure that in the event of a significant unexpected reduction in income there is financial provision for a twelve month 'buffer period,, thus allowing time to find alternative sources of funding. The running costs have been taken as the total payments from the General Fund, Less any Significant non-recurring items. For 202312024 this has been estimated to be £73,317. The total year-end balance held by the Charity in unrestrfcted funds was £206,502. Thus, the planned level of Reserve can be held for the forthcoming year while still having available some £133,185 for other expenditure. The Trustees are therefore satisfied that the above stated Policy on Reserves has been met and that the present financial State of the Charity is sound. Financial Strate Some progress has been made in pursuit of the Financial Strategy adopted in 202212023. Invitations have been issued to quote for the external redecoration of the Chapel building and a contractor appointed. However, due to the un5Ultable weather and other factors, it has been agreed that the work should be deferred until 202412025. 2023-24 TAR Page2of3 Charity Ref. 1010275 In addition, a committee of the Trustees and others has been set up to consider altemative ways in which to meet the needs of the enLarged congregation. The work of this committee is ongoing. Progres5 on other aspects of the Strategy has been limited, mainly due to changes of personnel in key positions of responsibTlity. Signed Richard Jeffer5, Trustee and Treasurer Authorised to sign on behalf of the Trustees zi" February 2025 2023-24 TAR Page3of3 Chartty Ref. 1010275 CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Provlden¢o Chaptl 1010275 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period from 0110512D23 3010412024 To Section A Receipts and payments Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Endowment funds Total funds Last year totho n••rw £ toth• n••r•#£ lo th• no•r•st£ toth• Trwast£ ts) the n•*ro•t£ A1 Recel ts VrfeBkly Olfori Gdt Al 107.099 115,443 86,725 18.1n Sub total (Gross income for AR) 107.099 J.344 115,443 104902 A2 Asset and Invastmgnt #Ales, (seo tablo). Sub total Total receipts 107,099 113,443 104,902 A3Pa onts Dlrgcl ChBIilBb￿ Exp6ns¢S 73.317 9,JB7 B2,904 81,817 Sub total 71317 82.904 61,877 A4 Asset and Investmont urchases, sEè tablg Sub total 73.317 9.587 82.904 61,877 Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transf¢rs between funds A6 Cash fund$ last year end Cash fund5 thi5 year end 33,782 31539 41025 172,719 20Q501 29.126 27,883 201,84S 234.384 158,820 201, CCXX R1 accounts ISSI 25102r2025 Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unrestricted funds to n&ar8St£ Restricted fvnds Endowment funds to pe3￿¥t£ B1 Cash funds Cash at bank 206,501 27.883 Total cash fiinds 206.501 wilh 1gc* and pawmnts a[LI￿r(SI} Unrestricted tunds Restricted funds Endowmant funds Detai14 to nèar•Bt£ to Fund i• whl¢h I loptloTrBII Cutt•ntvalu• onpl DLltails 83 Investment assfjts Fund lowhich &88qt b•lon Currèntvaluo onal Doldils B4 Assets retalned for tho charity's own uso Fund lowhl¢h laté¥ vnl dy Ylhvn d Details B5 Llabllltles Slgth by one ortwD trustees on behalf of all thetrustees Date of roval Signalure Ptht Nwne .01.L5 CCXX R2 aLuunls {SS) 25102r2025 ## **Independent examiner's report on the accounts** **Section A Independent Examiner’s Report** **Report to the trustees/** Charity Name **members of** Providence Chapel **On accounts for the year** 30[th] April 2024 **Charity no** 1010275 **ended (if any)** ~~eeee ee~~ **Set out on pages** 1 (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets) ~~Po~~ **Respective** The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The **responsibilities of** charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under **trustees and examiner** section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to: - examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act, - to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act, and - to state whether particular matters have come to my attention. - **Basis of independent** My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given **examiner’s statement** by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below. ## **Independent** ## **examiner's statement** - In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention 1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in, any material respect, the requirements: - to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; and - to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act - have not been met; or 2. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. **Signed:** I Brotherton ~~Po~~ **Name:** Ian Brotherton **Date:** 25/02/2024 ~~|~~ **Relevant professional** ICPA **qualification(s) or body (if any):** ~~a~~ **Address:** Abbey Accountancy Ltd North Warehouse, The Docks, Gloucester, GL1 2EP ~~ee~~ 1 **IER** **March 2012** ## **Section B Disclosure** Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material problems. **Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose** . 2 **IER** **March 2012**