Report and Financial Statements 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2021
Contents
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Board Members, Officers, Advisors and Bankers
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Trustee Report
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Operating and Financial Review
Board Members, Officers, Advisors and Bankers
Trustees
Ralph John Jennings Stephanie Mitchell Paul Adam Mcloughlin
Registered office
Registered number
17 Byram Street Huddersfield West Yorkshire HD1 1DR 1029055
Auditor
Not required
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Bankers
Royal Bank of Scotland 27 Market Place Huddersfield West Yorkshire HD1 2AD
Trustee Report
Introduction:
The shop has been well established serving the community for since 1993. Our dedicated team of Volunteers have used their skills to run the shop in these difficult times when we have seen several Christian Book Shops close in surrounding areas especially during the Pandemic.
There has been an enormous commitment to the shop that the trustees are truly thankful for.
Principal Activities
The shop sells Christian cards, books, CD’s, and gifts to individuals and Church fellowships in Huddersfield and sometimes beyond due to people travelling into Huddersfield from surrounding areas.
Our Public Benefit:
People from all walks of life have come in to find a kind listening ear with no obligation to purchase anything. The shop has been more accessible to people who might not have the confidence to go elsewhere for support. The location in the heart of Huddersfield Town Centre, opposite the main Parish Church, Methodist Centre Mission and Welcome Centre Foodbank has been key to this.
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Our public benefit has extended to supplying Churches with materials that they need for Christian growth of groups and individuals.
The bookshop partners with Speaking Volumes that funds free Christian books in schools, prisons, libraries, and other places.
The shop is a collection point for the Samaritans Purse Operation Christmas Child Shoe Box Appeal and was overwhelmed with the support given by the public during the times of the Pandemic.
The people visiting the shop can find spiritual support through prayer and face to face encouragement and engagement.
Some of our volunteers have gone on to find paid work and other volunteers have said that they have benefitted in different ways from serving in the shop.
Mission strategy
Our mission is to support people with literature of hope that is found in the bible and supporting also local Churches to share “the good news” in some desperate times people find themselves
The achievement of this mission is underpinned by four key strategic objectives:
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Sharing the love and message of Jesus within our communities
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People focused being non judgemental
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Organised to meet the challenge
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Keeping the shop open for face to face access as opposed to online access
Achievements made during the year:
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Reorganised the shop to make the material more accessible and visible
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Increased second hand donated books to make these goods more affordable
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Partnership with another Charity to sell / give donated essentials etc
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Maintained and developed a strong committed team of volunteers
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This year we have worked in partnership with another Charity
to develop our pre-Loved range, Design Xchange, this activity supports the shop to engage in FUND RAISING and to further support the community to obtain pre-loved goods at an affordable price. The supporting Charity enables Design Xchange to obtain donated items both pre-used and New.
The Charity has also engaged in CROWD FUNDING, and we are so thankful to the community for their continued support.
Future Developments
The Board of Trustees would like to continue to pursue the following areas of development of services over the next five years:
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Ensure the stock is managed effectively using a stock reporting system
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Increase a core number of trained volunteers
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Make connections with more Church fellowships and other charities
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Review the shop layout
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Increase online sales
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Increase sales from donated goods
Going Concern
The charity has had a difficult couple of years due to illness which resulted in a decline in sales. The Covid Pandemic has also had an immense effect on the charity due to the periods of lockdown faced. However, with the help of the Government funding programme and fund-raising streams there has been adequate cash in the bank to the date of writing this report to help with the sustainability of the charity. The trustees are aware that they need to address the sales decline, taking into consideration the climate of the times and are therefore making every effort to turn this around with redesigning the shop to include bestselling stock in prominent areas, developing online sales and promotions along with increasing sales within Church Fellowships. Also, the charity has been supported by various personal donations including “The friends of Christian Books” as there is keen support to keep this shop serving the community. Should all the above measures materialise as the trustees expect, there is no concern about the charity not continuing.
Related Party Transactions
There were no related party transactions made in the year
Accounting Policies:
In preparing those financial statements the Board is required to:
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select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently;
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make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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state whether applicable United Kingdom Accounting Standards, subject to
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any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
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prepare financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is
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inappropriate to assume that the company will continue in business.
Stephanie Mitchel Trustee
Operating and Financial Review
Business and financial review
The shop has undergone a significant change in management due to illness that has impacted on the results of the previous year, and we are still dealing with the aftereffects of this. Then lockdown measures significantly affected the shop. However, our volunteers remained committed and came back with fresh ideas to develop going forward.
Reserves policy
The current reserves to provide 6 months running costs. However, trustees are aware of slow-moving stock and that half of these reserves are fixed assets so they are aiming to build the reserves to 2018 levels.
Statement of Financial Activities
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Stephanie Mitchell Trustee
Date signed: 27[th] October 2022
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