TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT Year ended 31** December 2023
Administrative details
The church is registered asacharity in the name of Ramsbottom Community Church Charity registration number - 1052544
Address — Carr Street, Ramsbottom, BURY, Lancashire, BLO 9AE
The trustees registered with the Charity Commission and who served as trustees in the reporting period are:
Mr. Stephen Mark Gaskell
Mrs. Catherine Rosemary Coward
Mrs. Patricia Ann Lucas
Mr. David Andrew Robert Brummitt
Providers of professional services are:
- Banking: The Co-operative Bank p.l.c., P.O.Box 101, 1 Balloon Street, Manchester. M60 4EP
Independent Examiner: Mark Heaton FCCA FCIE, KM Chartered Accountants, Burnley Wharf, Manchester Road, BURNLEY, Lancashire, BB11 1JG Insurance: Kingdom Bank, Ruddington Fields Business Park, Mere Way, Ruddington, NOTTINGHAM, NG11 6JS Holding trustee: Assemblies of God Property Trust, Ruddington Fields Business Park, Mere Way, Ruddington, NOTTINGHAM, NG11 6JS Legal advice: Geldards LLP, 21-22 Burns Street, ILKESTON, Derbyshire, DE7 8AA
Objectives and activities
The objectives of the church are to benefit the public by:
-
Advancing the Christian faith in its local community and, through various missionary organisations, in other parts of the world;
-
Contributing to the relief of sickness and financial hardship and to promote and preserve good health by the provision of funds, goods or services including through the provision of counselling and support; and
-
Contributing to the advancement of education.
In pursuance of these purposes the church provides services, buildings and facilities to the local community and makes grants to missionary organisations.
The trustees confirm that we have paid due regard to the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit reporting in deciding what activities the charity should undertake.
The main activities undertaken in relation to these purposes are:
Weekly activities:
Sunday morning service Kids Church on Sundays (5-11 years old) Wednesday morning open prayer
- Tuesday evening Youth Connect (11-18 years old)
Wednesday evening service
Wednesday afternoon Chatterbox (Incorporating Warm Spaces)
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (continued)
Year ended 31% December 2023
Objects and activities (continued)
Monthly activities: Housebound support Supporting overseas missions
Quarterly activities:
“Let’s do Lunch”
Other, less frequent activities are: New believers’ course
Men’s and women’s church activity and social meetings
Grant making - The church is committed to the furtherance of the gospel in other parts of the world by providing a proportion of its undedicated income (currently 7.5%) to missionary organisations.
Volunteers — The activities of the church are carried out principally by volunteers (approximately 26). Social investment - The church seeks to provide help and relief to those who suffer from social disadvantage or are experiencing particular difficulties from time to time.
Achievements and performance
The various department and project leaders have submitted written activity reports to the annual general meeting setting out in further detail the aims, objectives and achievements in each area. Funds are raised by voluntary donations from church members and members of the public attending church services. During 2023 a grant was received from Bury VCFA towards the cost of setting up and running Chatterbox.
The charity is recognised by HMRC for Gift Aid and tax recoveries provide a significant enhancement of the voluntary donation income.
There have been no material fundraising activities and no material expenditure was incurred to raise income in the future.
Financial review
Financial statements are attached.
These reports set out the principal funding and how these resources supported the key objectives of the charity. They also illustrate the financial effect of significant events during the year and their effect on the financial performance and financial position of the charity during the reporting period. They include a review of insurance cover for the principal risks.
Investments
The charity does not make financial investments for the purpose of income or capital growth. Monies held in the bank accounts are being set aside for development and refurbishment of the church facilities. Funds which are not required at short notice are held with Kingdom Bank which shares the church’s ethos in providing funding for church developments throughout Great Britain.
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (continued)
Year ended 31** December 2023
Pension liabilities
The church has established a Workplace Pension scheme with NEST, the government sponsored provider, and contributions, both by the Minister and the Church, have been made since April 2017. There are no pension liabilities.
Reserves
Reserves at the year end amounted to £269,758 of which £243,249 relates to fixed assets (land & buildings), leaving £26,509 in general funds, held in bank and cash.
The trustees take the view that funds are provided for the immediate work of the church and for development and refurbishment of the church facilities. Because of the envisaged use of existing funds it is not considered necessary to dedicate assets to each fund.
Structure, Governance and Management
The charity’s governing document is a Trust Deed dated 5 December 1993, amended on 4 December 2005 and 7 December 2009.
The trustees registered with the Charity Commission form the Church Council. This body, chaired by the minister, is responsible for the overall leadership and governance of the church.
Trustees are recruited from the church membership. Potential candidates are proposed by the minister and approved by the Church Council. Approved candidates are provided with the governance and policy documents and any explanations necessary to understand the requirements of the role of trustee before signing the Declaration of Eligibility for newly appointed Trustees.
The charity has one full-time employee (the minister — Mr. S.M. Gaskell). The minister's pay and remuneration are reviewed annually by the Church Council members sitting independently of the chair on this one occasion. The Church Council is guided by recommendations published annually by Assemblies of God headquarters.
The charity is an autonomous part of the Assemblies of God network of churches from whom support is available, if requested, to deal with recruitment of ministers, significant investment decisions and major disciplinary or governance issues. AOG Property Trust acts as Holding Trustee of the church.
Approved by the trustees on 2? [ 3 [2024 and signed on their behalf by:
S.M.Gaskell
Trustee & Minister
Ramsbottom Community Church - 1052544 Receipts and Payments Account Year ended 31st December 2023
----- Start of picture text -----
||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|Receipts|2022|2023|
|Voluntary income|
|General|Offerings|15,861.72|18,144.73|
|Gift Aid|21,895.00|23,865.00|
|Miscellaneous|Income|1,129.75|2,983.47|
|Bury VCFA|Grant|0.00|1,980.00|
|Missionaries|1,860.25|9,798.00|
|Other|Dedicated|Gifts|0.00|0.00|
|Tax|Recovered|General|6,231.28|6,959.33|
|Total|Voluntary|Income|46,978.00|63,730.53|
|Investment income|
|Bank|Interest|-|Kingdom|Bank|12.96|51.08|
|Bank|Interest|General|Account|0.00|0.00|
|Total|Investment|Income|42.96|51.08|
|Total|receipts|46,990.96|63,781.64|
|Payments|2022|2023|
|Charitable|activities|
|Bank|Charges|90.00|120.00|
|Catering|832.52|1,197.59|
|Computer|Sundries|259.47|206.46|
|Donations|1,137.87|1,313.70|
|Events|2.00|0.00|
|Grants|Missions|5,675.00|12,095.62|
|Heat|Light|Water|2,178.13|4,485.34|
|Insurance|980.49|977.99|
|Men's|Ministries|0.00|32.58|
|Ministers|Expenses|730.40|988.60|
|Ministers|Salaries|31,532.55|32,892.89|
|Miscellaneous|Costs|314.73|416.36|
|Outreach|Other|545.96|308.00|
|Printing|Postage|19.45|8.00|
|Repairs|Renewals|1,155.32|3,119.81|
|Telephone|Internet|338.72|349.83|
|Visiting|Speakers|440.00|100.00|
|Youth|Schools|Work|16.50|17.50|
|46,249.11|58,630.27|
|Governance|costs|
|Professional|Fees|691.80|689.40|
|Total|payments|~~|46,940.91|59,319.67|
|Net|Receipts|50.05|4,461.94|
|Total|brought|forward|balance|21,996.79|22,046.84|
|Total|carried forward|balance|22,046.84|26,508.78|
----- End of picture text -----
Ramsbottom Community Church Statement of Assets and Liabilities As at: 31 December 2023
----- Start of picture text -----
Fixed Assets 2022 2023
Land & Buildings 208,286.15 208,286.15
Furniture & Equipment 34,963.17 34,963.17
Total 243,249.32 243,249.32
Current Assets
Kingdom Bank 3,099.38 3,150.46
Co-op Bank Current Account 18,922.68 22,840.60
Cash General 24.78 517.72
Total 22,046.84 26,508.78
Creditors 270.00 283.20
Approved by the Trustees on XL? 3 and signed on their behalf by:
----- End of picture text -----
S.M.Gaskell Trustee & Minister
Independent Examiner's Report to the Ramsbottom Community Church
| report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31.12.23
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity's trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).
| report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 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:
- accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity 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 should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
----- Start of picture text -----
RSQ
----- End of picture text -----
Mark Heaton FCCA FCIE DChA
KM 1* Floor, Block C The Wharf Manchester Rd Burnley BB11 1JG
27" March 2024