Living Word Church (Charity Number: 1013584)
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Trustees Annual Report & Financial Statements for the year ended
Sth April 2025
Living Word Church
(Charity Number: 1013584)
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Contents
Index Page
Report of the Trustees 1
Independent Examiner's Report 5
Receipts & Payments Accounts 6
Statement of Assets and Liabilities 7
Notes to the Accounts 8
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Living Word Church
Trustees’ Annual Report for the period 6 April 2024 — 5 April 2025
Charity’s Full Name — Living Word Church Registered Company Number — None Registered Charity Number— 1013584
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Objectives and Activities
Summary of the purposes of the charity set out in its governing document: Proclamation and furtherance of the Gospel of God by every means possible concerning his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord and the preaching and teaching of the Christian faith throughout the city of York and its environs.
Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular,
the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts: From the initial setting up of this charity in 1988, the Church has been inspired and motivated to use the gifts that God has given them to bless people and make their lives better. This includes the material demonstrations of unconditional love through acts of kindness and service, this is the charitable activities of this charitable trust. The Church gives to the poor and needy, both to people within the Church and those outside the Church. Many of the details in this report continue to be similar to the previouyear s ’ reports, but that is how faithfulneswork s , continuingto work with people and in an area to see hope and life flourish.
The Church’s main goal is to enable as many people as possible to hear the Gospel and discover the joy and freedom that Jesus Christ has made available for all. The Riverside Centre is used as a Place of Worship; built initially as a public house, the building provides great spaces for the Church to worship and fellowship together and spaces for the wider community to meet and find friendship. This has been such a valuable space for the church and communityto make connectionsas people finding fellowship and friendship in an increasingly separated society. The finances pay for the pastoral leader, hub manager and community worker, media creator and an administrator. In this year the trust also gained funding to pay for a café coordinator. These paid roles support the large number of volunteers that make the community of faith and the charitable work possible.
During the financialyear April2024to April 2025 Living Word Church used the Riverside Centre to support people in the York area. The Centre remained a placeof worship, prayer and fellowshipfor the churchcommunityand a base for the Christian outreach and charitable works particularly the increased requirement for the Foodbank services. The Hub Community Café opened 2 days a week, providing healthy, low cost and tasty meals in a warm, friendly environment to around 55 guests each week. The charity worked with York Foodbank Charity to provide free lunches for foodbank clients and their farnilies in the café; this gives them an additional meal and time out in the Hub Cafe. This community resource has welcomed many people from the surrounding area, providing homemade food and high-quality hot drinks at ‘not for profit’ prices. This has aiso allowed people a space to build friendships with café customers, helping to reduce the isolation lots of people feel. We have spoken to and given emergency food to over 593 vouchers, representing 876 adults and 559 children makinga total numberof 1453 individuals supported through runningone of the , Trussell Trust foodbanks in connection with York Foodbank (this was 17% of the York Foodbank provision this year). We work with volunteers from St Andrews and York Community Church in this project.This is a significant number of householdsbeing supported in the city from our centre and
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we praise our volunteer team for the additional work put in to support these families. In association with York Foodbank we work with the Peasholm Charity to provide community support and advice to people who come into the Riverside Centre. We also partner with the Restore (a charity supporting people out of homelessness) by providing time and space in the Riverside Centre for friendship and community.
The Riverside Centre remained a base for outreach into the community around Huntington Road and the Bell Farm Estate. The Little Stars toddler and baby group continued this year providing a great place for parents/carers and their small children to socialise, fellowship and learn. There are usually 40 families coming each week. This year saw the continuation of the CAP (Christians Against Poverty) Life Skills course being run at the Riverside Centre.
During this year we continued to work with the Ark Church and the Elim Church to provide a very needed youth group. This space for fun and friendship has seen up to 15 young people each week. The Riverside Centre has also been opened as a welcoming place for international students in combination with Friends International with up to 10 students each session.
The trustees consider that they have complied with their duties to have due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission.
Additional details of objectives and activities:
The vast majority of the Church's income is from gifts from members. These gifts are split between incomes related to tithes, general offerings and earmarked gifts (for specific purposes). Where Gift Aid is applicable this is added to any earmarked gifts before these are passed on. The rest of the Gift Aid is used for projects and outreach, We encourage all members who can work to find work and we support them in that aim. Specific gifts were earmarked by the givers to support those who are poor or needy in the local area and abroad. ;
Achievements and Performance
Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole: Details of the performance and achievements are included in the sections above.
We continued to work with the York based Christian charity Bundles of Joy to store their baby equipment, clothing and consumables in the second-floor rooms of the Riverside Centre. They distribute a bundle of baby items to families in the York area who are having a baby and are in need. During this financial year the Besom Charity also used space in the Centre to supply furniture and white goods to households in need, as well as preparing many Christmas hampers for those in need.
The Church continued to make the Riverside Centre available to the international congregation of the York Elim Church. We work with the churches across York and the York One Voice group where there are common outreach goals and missions.
Financial Review
Review of the charity's financial position at the end of the period:
The trustees have increased the reserves with a plan to have a couple of months’ worth of essential outgoings. Income remains strong with generous gifts from church members. The mortgage and energy cost have remained high this year, taking a high proportion of the income. The staff costs remain the highest proportion of expenditure.
Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held:
The new reserve fund, separate from the Seed Fund has been put aside to support the employment of the paid employees, leaving the Seed Fund for gift for ministries to the Church and a fund to support those in need. Reserves are also kept ensuring liabilities can be met by easing the cashflow.
Amount of reserves held: ; We ended the year with an increased combined reserves of £12,000 in the Reserve Fund and Seed Fund.
Reasons for holding zero reserves: N/A
Funds materially in deficit:
None
Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern: N/A
Additional Information: None
Structure, Governance and Management
Description of the charity's trusts: Type of governing document — Trust Deed
How the charity is constituted — Trust Trustee selection methods — Appointment by current trustees
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Additional governance issues:
if there is an even number of trustees and a decision is not unanimous then the lead trustee will vote twice and a simple majority will be adhered to.
if a trustee is related to any employee receiving a salary or benefit, that trustee cannot be involved in the decision-making process that affects the salary or benefit.
The trustees will review the benefits and disbenefits of changing the charity constitution to be a charitable incorporated organisation.
Reference and Administration Details
Charity's full name — Living Word Church
Other names the charity is known by — None Charity’s principal address — 187-189 Huntington Road, York. YO319BP
Names of the trustees who manage the charity:
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Trustee Name Dates acted if not for Name of person (or body)
whole year entitled to appoint trustee (if
any)
Matthew Staples |leadTrustee| CT
iasonGeorge [Trustee | |
Amy Ellis Ttustee | CP
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Corporate trustees— names ofthe directors at the date the reportwas approved: None
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|Name of trustees holding|title to property belonging to the charity:|
|Dates|acted|if|not|for whole year|
|MatthewStaples|||
|Franklyn|Allsup|Trustee up to 12|November 2022,|will|be|relinquishing this|responsibility.|
|Richard|Renier|Trustee up to 3 July|2021,|will|be|relinquishing|this|responsibility.|
|Amy|Ellis|To take on|this|responsibility|once the transfer process|is completed.|
|To take on|this|responsibility once the transfer process|is completed.|
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Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others:
Description of the assets held in this capacity - None Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects — None
Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity's own assets — None
Names and addresses of advisers — None
Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members: James Topliss (Lead Elder/Pastor — Employed by the Charity)
The trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees Annual Report and Accounts Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees:
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Signature AEE AP, - De
Full Name — Matthew Staples
Position — Lead Trustee
Date — 9" January 2026
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Signature
MEM .
Full Name — Amy Ellis
Position — Trustee
Date — 9" January 2026
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| report on the accounts of: Living Word Church for the year ended: 05 April 2025 which are set out on pages6 to 8.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity trustees of theTrust you are responsible for the preparation of the accountsin accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 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 | have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner's statement
| have completed my examination.| 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 keptin respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or
2 the accounts do not accord with those records
| have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention shouldbe drawn in this reportinorder toenable a proper understandingof the accounts to be reached.
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Jeff Todd (FCA)
Date:
Outsource independent examination
services
24 First Avenue York
¥O31 7YQ
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Living Word Church (Charity Number: 1013584)
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|2025|2024|
|Unrestricted|Restricted|Total|Total|
|funds|funds|funds|funds|
|Receipts|£|£|£|£|
|Tithes & offerings|124,045|-|124,045|128,237|
|Earmarked|gifts &|offerings|14,359|-|14,359|13,758|
|Contributions to events|16,542|-|16,542|23,744|
|Gift|aid|21,070|-|21,070|24,984|
|Hub income|24,825|-|24,825|3,081|
|Interest|763|-|763|70|
|Other|income|35|-|35|195|
|Total|receipts|201,639|-|201,639|194,069|
|Payments|
|Tithe|of income|17,732|-|17,732|12,716|
|Salaries and expenses|91,104|=|91,104|71,348|
|Conferences,|training and|travel|842|-|842|212|
|Seed fund spend|7,222|-|7,222|2,057|
|Building|costs &|refurbishment|4,558|-|4,558|875|
|Hospitality|219|-|219|213|
|Visiting|ministry|7,445|-|7,445|1,140|
|f€armarked|gifts|26,808|-|26,808|19,937|
|Sponsorship & Ministry|420|-|420|371|
|Meeting costs|542|-|542|531|
|Outreach events & evangelism|999|-|999|385|
|Administration|(inc|utility|costs)|24,311|-|24,311|28,100|
|Mortgage|repayments|27,217|-|27,217|25,965|
|Total|payments|209,419|-|209,419|163,850|
|Net of receipts/(payments)|(7,780)|-|(7,780)|30,219|
|Balance brought forward|43,236|-|43,236|13,017|
|Balance carried forward|35,456|-|35,456|43,236|
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Living Word Church (Charity Number: 1013584)
| StatementofAssetsandLiabilities at: | StatementofAssetsandLiabilities at: | 5thApril2025 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2024 | |||
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total | Total | |
| funds | funds | funds | funds | |
| Assets | £ | £ | £ | £ |
| Cashatbankand inhand | ||||
| Current bankaccount | 4,693 | - | 4,693 | 37,451 |
| Savingsbankaccount | 30,763 | - | 30,763 | 5,785 |
| 35,456 | - | 35,456 | 43,236 | |
| AssetsretainedforCharity's | 2025 | 2024 | ||
| ownuse | £ | £ | ||
| Building | 325,000 | 325,000 | ||
| 2025 | 2024 | |||
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total | Total | |
| funds | funds | funds | funds | |
| Liabilities | £ | £ | £ | £ |
| Independent Examinationfee | 400 | - | 400 | 400 |
| Mortgageforbuilding | 183,643 | - | 183,643 | 197,860 |
| 184,043 | - | 184,043 | 198,260 |
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Living Word Church (Charity Number: 1013584)
Notes to the Accounts for the year ended:
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5th April 2025
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The Trustees have taken advantage of section 144 (2) of the Charities Act 2011 and prepared the accounts on a receipts and payments basis.
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Approval ofAccounts for the year ended: 5th April 2025 :
The report and accounts were approved at a} / /
meeting of the Trustees hetd on: & / 202E
Date
Signed for and on behalf of the Trustees:
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Signature Signature ;
MATa) Stele | Amy EWS :
Name Name
Position (e.g. Chair etc) Position (e.g. Chair etc)
[3/1 (2026 | WB fot 12026-
Date Date
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