2025-12-31-accounts

Financial Report for the Year Ended 31 December 2025

Basic Information

Community Life Church, North Baddesley is a charity registered with the Charity Commission number 1053552.

The Trustees during the year (the Church Council) were:

Andy Blakeman John Higson Jo Wheeler Ali Tuft Jon Northey Jess Jacobs

Registered Office: Community Life Centre 23 Fleming Avenue North Baddesley SOUTHAMPTON SO52 9EJ

Telephone: [phone]

E-mail address: [e-mail]

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Statements of Financial Activities 2025

2024 General Funds Restricted Funds Notes Total £ £ £ £ Income: General Offerings 24,136 Direct Payments 24,860 24,860 5,835 Offering 6,709 6,709 20,824 Donations 702 702 Other Income: 3,917 Tax recovered re Gift Aid 3,894 3,894 275 Interest (Lloyds) 506 506 191 Events 142 142 23 Fundraising 41 41 260 Grants 838 1 838 Speaking engagements and funerals 400 400 55,461 Total Income: 37,254 838 38,092 Expenditure: 275 Ministry 350 350 3,448 Hire of Premises 4,341 4,341 0 Printing, administration etc 99 99 158 Equipment etc 773 773 654 Catering / Events 95 95 642 Affiliation Fees (AoG and EA) 0 Training/conferences (& Travel) 1,011 2 1,011 263 CCLI 802 3 802 938 Insurances 274 274 Gifts to Others: 960 960 3,747 Charitable Giving 23 Gifts 6,820 4 6,820 18,312 Salaries 19,647 19,647 498 Pension Costs 590 590 60 Christian Safeguarding Services 114 Refreshments and Consumables 211 211 530 Travel 1,730 3 1,730 1,002 Subscriptions 1,085 1,085 296 Other expenses 80 80 30,960 Total Expenditure: 38,868 0 38,868 24,501 Surplus / (Deficit) for the year: (1,614) 838 (776) 55,443 Balance in hand 1 January 79,944 0 79,944 79,944 Balance in hand 31 December: 78,330 838 79,168 General Income and Expenditure Account Year to 31 December 2025	2024 General Funds Restricted Funds Notes Total £ £ £ £ Income: General Offerings 24,136 Direct Payments 24,860 24,860 5,835 Offering 6,709 6,709 20,824 Donations 702 702 Other Income: 3,917 Tax recovered re Gift Aid 3,894 3,894 275 Interest (Lloyds) 506 506 191 Events 142 142 23 Fundraising 41 41 260 Grants 838 1 838 Speaking engagements and funerals 400 400 55,461 Total Income: 37,254 838 38,092 Expenditure: 275 Ministry 350 350 3,448 Hire of Premises 4,341 4,341 0 Printing, administration etc 99 99 158 Equipment etc 773 773 654 Catering / Events 95 95 642 Affiliation Fees (AoG and EA) 0 Training/conferences (& Travel) 1,011 2 1,011 263 CCLI 802 3 802 938 Insurances 274 274 Gifts to Others: 960 960 3,747 Charitable Giving 23 Gifts 6,820 4 6,820 18,312 Salaries 19,647 19,647 498 Pension Costs 590 590 60 Christian Safeguarding Services 114 Refreshments and Consumables 211 211 530 Travel 1,730 3 1,730 1,002 Subscriptions 1,085 1,085 296 Other expenses 80 80 30,960 Total Expenditure: 38,868 0 38,868 24,501 Surplus / (Deficit) for the year: (1,614) 838 (776) 55,443 Balance in hand 1 January 79,944 0 79,944 79,944 Balance in hand 31 December: 78,330 838 79,168 General Income and Expenditure Account Year to 31 December 2025	2024 General Funds Restricted Funds Notes Total £ £ £ £ Income: General Offerings 24,136 Direct Payments 24,860 24,860 5,835 Offering 6,709 6,709 20,824 Donations 702 702 Other Income: 3,917 Tax recovered re Gift Aid 3,894 3,894 275 Interest (Lloyds) 506 506 191 Events 142 142 23 Fundraising 41 41 260 Grants 838 1 838 Speaking engagements and funerals 400 400 55,461 Total Income: 37,254 838 38,092 Expenditure: 275 Ministry 350 350 3,448 Hire of Premises 4,341 4,341 0 Printing, administration etc 99 99 158 Equipment etc 773 773 654 Catering / Events 95 95 642 Affiliation Fees (AoG and EA) 0 Training/conferences (& Travel) 1,011 2 1,011 263 CCLI 802 3 802 938 Insurances 274 274 Gifts to Others: 960 960 3,747 Charitable Giving 23 Gifts 6,820 4 6,820 18,312 Salaries 19,647 19,647 498 Pension Costs 590 590 60 Christian Safeguarding Services 114 Refreshments and Consumables 211 211 530 Travel 1,730 3 1,730 1,002 Subscriptions 1,085 1,085 296 Other expenses 80 80 30,960 Total Expenditure: 38,868 0 38,868 24,501 Surplus / (Deficit) for the year: (1,614) 838 (776) 55,443 Balance in hand 1 January 79,944 0 79,944 79,944 Balance in hand 31 December: 78,330 838 79,168 General Income and Expenditure Account Year to 31 December 2025	2024 General Funds Restricted Funds Notes Total £ £ £ £ Income: General Offerings 24,136 Direct Payments 24,860 24,860 5,835 Offering 6,709 6,709 20,824 Donations 702 702 Other Income: 3,917 Tax recovered re Gift Aid 3,894 3,894 275 Interest (Lloyds) 506 506 191 Events 142 142 23 Fundraising 41 41 260 Grants 838 1 838 Speaking engagements and funerals 400 400 55,461 Total Income: 37,254 838 38,092 Expenditure: 275 Ministry 350 350 3,448 Hire of Premises 4,341 4,341 0 Printing, administration etc 99 99 158 Equipment etc 773 773 654 Catering / Events 95 95 642 Affiliation Fees (AoG and EA) 0 Training/conferences (& Travel) 1,011 2 1,011 263 CCLI 802 3 802 938 Insurances 274 274 Gifts to Others: 960 960 3,747 Charitable Giving 23 Gifts 6,820 4 6,820 18,312 Salaries 19,647 19,647 498 Pension Costs 590 590 60 Christian Safeguarding Services 114 Refreshments and Consumables 211 211 530 Travel 1,730 3 1,730 1,002 Subscriptions 1,085 1,085 296 Other expenses 80 80 30,960 Total Expenditure: 38,868 0 38,868 24,501 Surplus / (Deficit) for the year: (1,614) 838 (776) 55,443 Balance in hand 1 January 79,944 0 79,944 79,944 Balance in hand 31 December: 78,330 838 79,168 General Income and Expenditure Account Year to 31 December 2025	2024 General Funds Restricted Funds Notes Total £ £ £ £ Income: General Offerings 24,136 Direct Payments 24,860 24,860 5,835 Offering 6,709 6,709 20,824 Donations 702 702 Other Income: 3,917 Tax recovered re Gift Aid 3,894 3,894 275 Interest (Lloyds) 506 506 191 Events 142 142 23 Fundraising 41 41 260 Grants 838 1 838 Speaking engagements and funerals 400 400 55,461 Total Income: 37,254 838 38,092 Expenditure: 275 Ministry 350 350 3,448 Hire of Premises 4,341 4,341 0 Printing, administration etc 99 99 158 Equipment etc 773 773 654 Catering / Events 95 95 642 Affiliation Fees (AoG and EA) 0 Training/conferences (& Travel) 1,011 2 1,011 263 CCLI 802 3 802 938 Insurances 274 274 Gifts to Others: 960 960 3,747 Charitable Giving 23 Gifts 6,820 4 6,820 18,312 Salaries 19,647 19,647 498 Pension Costs 590 590 60 Christian Safeguarding Services 114 Refreshments and Consumables 211 211 530 Travel 1,730 3 1,730 1,002 Subscriptions 1,085 1,085 296 Other expenses 80 80 30,960 Total Expenditure: 38,868 0 38,868 24,501 Surplus / (Deficit) for the year: (1,614) 838 (776) 55,443 Balance in hand 1 January 79,944 0 79,944 79,944 Balance in hand 31 December: 78,330 838 79,168 General Income and Expenditure Account Year to 31 December 2025
2024	General Funds	Restricted Funds	Notes	Total
£ 24,136 5,835 20,824 3,917 275 191 23 260 55,461 275 3,448 0 158 654 642 0 263 938 3,747 23 18,312 498 60 114 530 1,002 296 30,960 24,501 55,443 **79,944 **	£ 24,860 6,709 702 3,894 506 142 41 400 37,254 350 4,341 99 773 95 1,011 802 274 960 6,820 19,647 590 211 1,730 1,085 80 38,868 (1,614) 79,944 78,330	£ 838 838 0 838 0 838	1 2 3 4 3	£ 24,860 6,709 702 3,894 506 142 41 838 400 38,092 350 4,341 99 773 95 1,011 802 274 960 6,820 19,647 590 211 1,730 1,085 80 38,868 (776) 79,944 79,168

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----- Start of picture text -----
Community Life Centre
Year to 31 December 2025
Designated Restricted
2024 Notes Total
Funds Funds
£ £ £ £
Income:
600 Grants 126 126
8,521 Other donations 4,882 5 4,882
372 Interest 165 165
2,725 Fund Raising 66 66
Other income 50 50
12,218 Total Income: 5,163 126 5,289
Expenditure:
5,000 Rent 5,000 5,000
0 Admin, Printing and Stationery 0
21 Maintenance, furniture and equipment 123 123
64 Refreshments, Supplies & Consumables 156 156
0 Salaries 0
2,454 Electricity, water and telephone 1,734 1,734
0 Rates refunded (469) 6 (469)
Other expenses 28 28
49 Subscriptions 211 211
3,744 Homework Club Teaching Support 4 0
1,060 Community Wellness Gardening Project 0
99 Events 239 115 354
12,491 Total Expenditure: 7,022 115 7,137
(273) Surplus / (Deficit) for the year: (1,859) 11 (1,848)
(15,798) Balance in hand 1 January (16,071) 0 (16,071)
(16,071) Balance in hand 31 December: (17,930) 11 (17,919)
----- End of picture text -----

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31 December 2024 General Funds Designated / Restricted Funds Notes Total £ £ £ £ Balance on Funds: 79,944 General Fund 78,330 838 79,168 1,416 North Baddesley Youth 1,416 1,416 1,816 Building Fund 1,816 1,816 (16,071) Community Life Centre (17,930) 11 (17,919) 67,105 Total - all Funds 63,632 849 64,481 Represented by: 39,124 Investment - Lloyds 24,346 Charity Bank 7 15,377 Bank etc Balances: 13,031 Bank - General Fund 11,135 459 Bank - North Baddesley Youth 459 6,920 Bank - CLC 5,931 7,742 Bank - CLC Savings 6,830 0 Giving 8 0 (1,250) Accruals: Rent 750 Charitable giving 0 Cash in hand - General 293 271 Cash in hand - CLC 21 6 Cash in hand - North Baddesley Youth 6 52 Event Float 83 67,105 64,481 Balance Sheet as at 31 December 2025	31 December 2024 General Funds Designated / Restricted Funds Notes Total £ £ £ £ Balance on Funds: 79,944 General Fund 78,330 838 79,168 1,416 North Baddesley Youth 1,416 1,416 1,816 Building Fund 1,816 1,816 (16,071) Community Life Centre (17,930) 11 (17,919) 67,105 Total - all Funds 63,632 849 64,481 Represented by: 39,124 Investment - Lloyds 24,346 Charity Bank 7 15,377 Bank etc Balances: 13,031 Bank - General Fund 11,135 459 Bank - North Baddesley Youth 459 6,920 Bank - CLC 5,931 7,742 Bank - CLC Savings 6,830 0 Giving 8 0 (1,250) Accruals: Rent 750 Charitable giving 0 Cash in hand - General 293 271 Cash in hand - CLC 21 6 Cash in hand - North Baddesley Youth 6 52 Event Float 83 67,105 64,481 Balance Sheet as at 31 December 2025	31 December 2024 General Funds Designated / Restricted Funds Notes Total £ £ £ £ Balance on Funds: 79,944 General Fund 78,330 838 79,168 1,416 North Baddesley Youth 1,416 1,416 1,816 Building Fund 1,816 1,816 (16,071) Community Life Centre (17,930) 11 (17,919) 67,105 Total - all Funds 63,632 849 64,481 Represented by: 39,124 Investment - Lloyds 24,346 Charity Bank 7 15,377 Bank etc Balances: 13,031 Bank - General Fund 11,135 459 Bank - North Baddesley Youth 459 6,920 Bank - CLC 5,931 7,742 Bank - CLC Savings 6,830 0 Giving 8 0 (1,250) Accruals: Rent 750 Charitable giving 0 Cash in hand - General 293 271 Cash in hand - CLC 21 6 Cash in hand - North Baddesley Youth 6 52 Event Float 83 67,105 64,481 Balance Sheet as at 31 December 2025	31 December 2024 General Funds Designated / Restricted Funds Notes Total £ £ £ £ Balance on Funds: 79,944 General Fund 78,330 838 79,168 1,416 North Baddesley Youth 1,416 1,416 1,816 Building Fund 1,816 1,816 (16,071) Community Life Centre (17,930) 11 (17,919) 67,105 Total - all Funds 63,632 849 64,481 Represented by: 39,124 Investment - Lloyds 24,346 Charity Bank 7 15,377 Bank etc Balances: 13,031 Bank - General Fund 11,135 459 Bank - North Baddesley Youth 459 6,920 Bank - CLC 5,931 7,742 Bank - CLC Savings 6,830 0 Giving 8 0 (1,250) Accruals: Rent 750 Charitable giving 0 Cash in hand - General 293 271 Cash in hand - CLC 21 6 Cash in hand - North Baddesley Youth 6 52 Event Float 83 67,105 64,481 Balance Sheet as at 31 December 2025	31 December 2024 General Funds Designated / Restricted Funds Notes Total £ £ £ £ Balance on Funds: 79,944 General Fund 78,330 838 79,168 1,416 North Baddesley Youth 1,416 1,416 1,816 Building Fund 1,816 1,816 (16,071) Community Life Centre (17,930) 11 (17,919) 67,105 Total - all Funds 63,632 849 64,481 Represented by: 39,124 Investment - Lloyds 24,346 Charity Bank 7 15,377 Bank etc Balances: 13,031 Bank - General Fund 11,135 459 Bank - North Baddesley Youth 459 6,920 Bank - CLC 5,931 7,742 Bank - CLC Savings 6,830 0 Giving 8 0 (1,250) Accruals: Rent 750 Charitable giving 0 Cash in hand - General 293 271 Cash in hand - CLC 21 6 Cash in hand - North Baddesley Youth 6 52 Event Float 83 67,105 64,481 Balance Sheet as at 31 December 2025
31 December 2024	General Funds	Designated / Restricted Funds	Notes	Total
£ 79,944 1,416 1,816 (16,071) 67,105	£ 78,330 1,416 1,816 (17,930) 63,632	£ 838 11 849		£ 79,168 1,416 1,816 (17,919) 64,481
39,124 13,031 459 6,920 7,742 0 (1,250) 750 0 271 6 52 67,105			7 8	24,346 15,377 11,135 459 5,931 6,830 0 293 21 6 83 64,481

J Wheeler, Treasurer. February 2026

Disclosures to above accounts

• 1 Grant received, however yet to be used.

• 2 AOG Affiliation Fees increased significantly during the year in line with AOG compliance requirements.

• 3 Event and Travel Fees increased over previous years due to funding 5 team members for AOG Conference and Area Days including travel and accommodation.

• 4 Charitable Giving includes funds given in previous year, however didn't leave the bank account until 2025.

• 5 Other donations include funds provided by Romsey Food Bank to support Centre costs for a branch of Food Bank in North Baddesley.

• 6 Test Valley Borough Council demanded Rates for 2024, then relented and refunded in 2025.

• 7 Charity Bank opened during the year to put some reserves on better interest rates.

• 8 Giving Account accumulates funds during the year and then funds are allocated to charities at the end of the year and the account is emptied completely.

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Community Life Church, North Baddesley Notes to the Accounts For the year ended 31 December 2025

Statement of Trustees' Responsibilities

Charity Law requires the Church Council (the Trustees) to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Church (the charity) as at the end of the financial year and of the surplus or deficit of the charity. In preparing those financial statements the Church Council is required to:-

• select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

• make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

• prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue to operate, and

• state whether applicable accounting standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements.

The Trustees are also responsible for maintaining proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and which are sufficient to show and explain the charity's transactions and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with regulations made under the Charities Act. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The Trustees are also responsible for the contents of the Trustees' report, and the responsibility of the independent examiner in relation to the Trustees' Report is limited to examining the report and ensuring that, on the face of the report, there are no inconsistencies with the figures disclosed in the financial statements.

These Financial Statements were approved by the Church Council on ####### .

ON BEHALF OF THE TRUSTEES:

Trustee Date

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Community Life Church, North Baddesley Notes to the Accounts f or the year ended 31 December 2025

Accounting policies

The accounts have been drawn up in accordance with the provisions of the Charities Acts, and include the results of the charity's operations which are described in the Trustees' Report, all of which are continuing.

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with Section 1A of Financial Reporting Standard 102 (effective January 2016).

The financial statements are prepared, on a going concern basis and the charity is dependent on donation income and as a consequence the going concern basis is also dependent on donation income continuing.

Incoming resources are accounted for on a receivable basis.

Bank interest is included in the income and expenditure account on a receivable basis.

Liabilities are recognised on an accruals basis in accordance with normal accounting principles, modified where necessary in accordance with the guidance given in the relevant Statement of Recommended Practice for Accounting and Reporting issued by the Charity Commissioners for England & Wales

The policy for including items within the relevant activity categories of resources expended is to allocate costs to the most appropriate activity. In particular the policy for including items within costs of generating funds, charitable activities and governance costs is:

Costs of generating funds

The costs of raising and generating funds includes the incidental costs of staging various events.

Charitable activities

Charitable expenditure includes all expenditure directly related to the objects of the charity.

Governance costs

Governance costs include all expenditure directly related to the administration of the charity, organisational administration and compliance with charitable and statutory requirements.

The charity maintains a general unrestricted fund which represents funds which are expendable at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the objects of the charity. Such funds may be held in order to finance both working capital and capital investment.

The charity has designated certain funds for specific uses – these are: the Building Fund (unrestricted element), the Community Life Centre Account, and the Youth Account. Once funds have been designated for a particular purpose, use of those funds for general purposes will require formal approval of the Trustees.

Restricted funds have been provided to the charity for particular purposes, and it is the policy of the Trustees to carefully monitor the application of those funds in accordance with the restrictions placed upon them.

If upon winding up or dissolution of the charity there remain any assets, after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities, the assets represented by the accumulated fund shall be transferred to some other charitable body or bodies having similar objects to the charity.

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Community Life Church, North Baddesley Notes to the Accounts f or the year ended 31 December 2025

Accounting policies - continued

Apart from Ali Tuft (for which approval is given within the Church’s Constitution) neither the Trustees nor any persons connected with them have received any remuneration, either in the current year or the prior year

The Disclosures to the Accounts on page 4 should be read alongside these accounting policies.

Reserves policy:

The Church Council believes that the Church should hold sufficient balances on its general and other accounts to allow it to continue operating even if there was a significant reduction in the level of giving.

The Church Council considers that the minimum level of these balances should be the equivalent of 16 weeks’ operating costs calculated and reviewed annually – on the basis of expected spend in 2026 this will be in the order of £10,000. The Balance Sheet as at 31 December 2025 shows that the unrestricted balance on the General Fund, plus the designated balances of the Building, Youth and CLC Funds stood at £64,500.

Statement of Public Benefit for the year ended 31 December 2025

Because we are legally a “smaller charity” and below the audit threshold, we must include only a brief summary in our Annual Report of the main activities undertaken - you can find that in the main report.

As Church Council (the Trustees) we confirm that we have had regard to the Charity Commission’s public benefit guidance, where relevant.

The Objects of the Church – as set out in its Constitution – are:

“The Church is formed:

• [1] to advance the Christian religion in accordance with the doctrinal basis as set out in Clause 3 [of the Constitution].

• [2] to provide such services to the community that are in keeping with the Christian ethos and exemplified in the Bible.”

We consider that Object [1] above passes the “public benefit test” because advancing the Christian religion in our community has a positive impact on the moral and ethical behaviour of those with whom we come in contact.

Furthermore, our Christian faith and our relationship with God – as Father, Son and Holy Spirit - gives meaning to our lives and encourages us to live in such a way as to benefit the wider society by being good citizens and following the Bible’s teaching on how we should conduct ourselves in society.

Object [2] was added to our Constitution as a result of opening the Community Life Centre – which clearly provides benefit to the whole of the community. As can be seen from main report, the Centre is an open access facility and we have been delighted to assist people from all walks of life including those of other faiths and none.

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Community Life Church, North Baddesley

Independent Examiner's Report to the Church Council

For the year ended 31 December 2025

Report of the Independent Examiner to the Trustees on the accounts of the Charity

Respective responsibilities of Trustees and examiner

The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’). The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed and I am qualified to undertake the examination by being a qualified member of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA)

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 examiner’s statement

My examination was carried out in accordance with all applicable Directions given 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 material matters have come to my which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

• the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or

• the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or

• the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.

I 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.

Andrew J Clarke cpfa

The date upon which my opinion is expressed is 9 March 2026

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Community Life Church

AGM 2026

Treasurers Report

Our income during the year was relatively stable, and in some areas, well exceeded what we budgeted for. We are continually grateful for everyone who generously contributed to the functioning of the church throughout the year.

We opened an account with Charity Bank so that some of the money we have in reserves benefits from higher-than-normal interest. We know that Charity Bank will invest the money in ventures that are morally appropriate for church funds.

If you’ve had a chance to look at the Finance Reports then you’ll probably have noticed that the bottom line was negative at the end of 2025. This looks worse than it actually is. Some of our 2024 charitable giving unfortunately only left the account into 2025 and if this is factored in then the bottom line is still negative, however much less alarmingly.

A number of other factors have significantly impacted the finances in 2025. These included the following:-

1. We pay a portion of our income to AOG, and during the year we were required to more than double our contributions to stay compliant with their requirements.

2. We sponsored our Vision and Strategy team to go to all the AOG Area Days and the Annual Conference. This included travel expenses and accommodation costs in addition to the event tickets. This is good practice, and we all benefit from their attendance through what they learn as well as them receiving excellent teaching and encouragement.

3. We increased Ali’s salary in line with inflation and also gave him a bonus towards a new laptop as we are aware of how much he uses his personal laptop for church purposes.

4. We made use of the Village Hall for more events.

We were blessed with some generous grants, particularly from Food Bank, to refurbish the Centre and so we now benefit from the new facilities and chairs in the front room. Another grant will be coming soon once the new radiators and lights are installed. Thanks to Andy for arranging the supplies and fitting everything and enabling us to take advantage of significant discounts. As Ali has already mentioned we are hoping to initiate fund raising efforts this year to cover the rent.

We were once again able to give away over 10% of our income to other wonderful charities and causes. We again gave to:-

• Growing Nations – who teach Godly farming methods in Lesotho.

• Wildfires – who provide bible-based teaching to youth.

And for the first time we gave to:-

• Hope from Above – Tim and Carol Derbyshire visited us in early 2025 to tell us about reaching unreached people groups all over the world using technology.

• Freedom Church Building Fund – We’ve had such valuable support from Romsey Food Bank we thought we could give some value back to them.

• Jesus For the Nation – Mario has visited us a couple of times with his family and is now doing outreach in prisons.

With the extra costs of sending the Vision and Strategy Team to the AOG events, rising costs of facilities and utilities, higher payments to AOG, increasing Ali’s salary in line with inflation and giving him a bonus, our goalposts of employing Ali full time have sadly moved again. Continue to pray that God shows us how to grow our church to sufficient levels of income so we can employ him and perhaps even more staff in the years to come.

Looking forward into 2026, you are probably aware that Ali has requested, and been granted by the Trustees, a much deserved 3-month sabbatical starting in May. We have agreed to pay him a fulltime wage whilst he is on leave so that he can fully rest and be able to pray and seek God during his time off. The church will benefit from him having a proper rest, and we have confidence that the rest of the Vision and Strategy team will ably look after church affairs in his absence.

I would like it noted that we are once again grateful to Andrew Clarke for auditing the accounts again this year. He is very efficient, rigorous and does it out the kindness of his heart with no charge to the church.

Thank you to all the leaders who put up with my requests to count money, sign expense forms, provide invoices and any other requests I put to them. I am grateful for such an accommodating leadership team.

I also thank God for such a wonderful congregation and we are abundantly blessed by all those who give so generously. Without you we could not function, so thank you again.

Pastor’s Report for the Year

Church Meetings

This past year has been marked by God’s continued faithfulness to us as a church family. Week by week, we have gathered together, and it has been a real gift that we have been able to consistently use the village hall as our meeting place. We recognise this provision as God’s hand upon us—creating space for worship, encounter, and community.

We also give thanks for the missionaries we support in Lesotho and for Hope from Above, recognising that our reach as a church extends far beyond our immediate setting. It is a privilege to partner in what God is doing both locally and globally. Alongside this, we are deeply grateful for the faithfulness of people’s giving. Your generosity enables the ongoing life and ministry of the church, and we carry a growing vision and desire to see our income increase—not for its own sake, but so that we may do even more for God’s Kingdom in the future.

I am continually thankful for the faithfulness of those who serve. When I spend time with other leaders, I often hear a longing for more people to be actively involved in church life. In those moments, I am reminded of God’s goodness to us, because so many of you give so willingly, week in and week out, to make church and the centre happen. Your service is an expression of your faith and love for God and for one another, and it is building something significant in our midst.

I also want to honour and thank Karen for her leadership of the village hall. The renovations that have already taken place—and those still to come—are not just practical improvements, but part of a greater vision. We believe this space will continue to become increasingly hospitable, welcoming, and fit for the purposes God has for it in the life of our church and wider community.

Children and Young People

We have seen encouraging growth and momentum in our work with children and young people this year. As a Vision and Strategy Team, we have been prayerfully and intentionally seeking how to outwork our Know, Grow, Go vision in their lives. We carry a strong sense that God is calling us to invest deeply in the next generation, raising young people who will know Him personally, grow in their faith, and go out with confidence and boldness.

Our children’s activity mornings have been a real highlight, reaching into our local community with warmth and creativity. These have been wonderfully attended and are already beginning to bear fruit for the Kingdom. We believe this is just the beginning of what God wants to do.

I want to express sincere gratitude to every leader and volunteer who has given time to plan, pray, and prepare for these moments. Your faithfulness behind the scenes is creating opportunities for lives to be touched and transformed.

Outreach

This year has also been one of intentional and growing outreach. Through women’s events, men’s curry evenings, and whole-church socials, we have created spaces for connection, invitation, and relationship-building. These moments matter, and we trust that God is at work through each one.

We have also been blessed by opportunities to gather with other churches, strengthening unity and reminding us that we are part of the wider body of Christ. There is a real sense that God is knitting hearts together across our community for His purposes.

Our prayer week in January stands out as a significant spiritual moment. It was deeply encouraging to see so many from across the church join together with one heart and mind to seek God—for our church, our community, and His Kingdom to come. There was a tangible sense of unity and expectation, and we believe those prayers are already shaping what lies ahead.

Leadership Update and Affirmations

Since establishing our updated leadership structure, the Vision and Strategy Team has been meeting twice a month to pray, discern, and plan. These times have been marked by faith, hope, and a growing sense of anticipation for what God is leading us into.

We are not simply looking at what is in front of us, but are seeking to step into all that God has prepared. There is a shared commitment within the team to listen well, move faithfully, and partner with the Holy Spirit in every step forward.

Closing and Looking Ahead

As we look ahead, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the trustees for granting me the opportunity to take a sabbatical. I see this not simply as a time of rest, but as an investment into the future of the church. During this season, I plan to connect with leaders both within AOG and beyond, creating space for learning, encouragement, and fresh perspective. I will also take time for retreat and renewal, seeking God for all He has ahead for my ministry, and our church.

In addition, I am prayerfully preparing for an opportunity to take part in a mission trip to Uganda in June. I trust this will be a time of both giving and receiving, and that what God does in that context will be a great development opportunity for me that will affect my ongoing leadership and ministry.

As we move forward, we do so with confidence—not in our own strength, but in God’s faithfulness. He has been with us, He is with us, and He will continue to lead us. Thank you for walking this journey together. The best is still to come.

AGM 2026

Centre Report – By Ali Tuft

Just an update on Mario. He is still doing the prison ministry, but he's also been invited to lead a church as well. It's a bit of a similar position to me as in that families need income. He's leading the church and doing the prison ministry, so the money's gone to the prison ministry, but the money came in at an ideal time where he was. He'd quit his other job to start leading the church and he was in that flux of not getting a salary that month. God's timing went, here you go, you can feed your family now and Mario is so grateful for that.

We are so grateful for the wonderful volunteers that make running the Community Life Centre possible. So, for those of you that are here, thank you so much, we really appreciate the time and effort that you put in, the fact that you go the extra mile, and I love the fact that people, apart from me, try to leave it looking better than when they arrived. I tend to leave in such a flurry of, I've got to be on the next thing, that I'm probably the worst of everyone that works at the Community Life Centre, and I'm aware, and I'm sorry, but thank you for your grace and your love.

We have these things throughout the week. We have our Monday morning drop-in that Linda and Carol oversee that has now been joined by a lovely lady who's recently moved to the area called Katie, who wanted to provide for our community affordable foot care. And so, she's coming in on Monday mornings to use the little room, and she gives a little cut of what she makes, but mainly, we were aware that Mondays were quite quiet, and it was the only one that didn't have a real focus, so hopefully as Katie's endeavour grows, we'll get more people from the community coming in that, as Linda and Carol make them feel really welcome and loved, they'll be able to share more about why the centre, what the centre does, who runs the centre, and what it's for, and things like that.

Monday Afternoons, is the reflective gardening group, which kind of grew out of nothing like a germinating seed. It kind of sprung up. No one really had planted it, but Hazel and Joan and Carol were talking about, why don't we make the backyard nice again, and it kind of developed into a lovely little group where everyone shares. It’s got a Christian focus, but it's gentle, and so they don't do a Bible study, but they will talk Bible and pray together and talk about things of faith, all with the idea of making the backyard a bit like a sanctuary.

This is my focus for my next grant writing endeavour, because people with as good mobility find the slope of the backyard quite troublesome, and the steps quite hard as well, so what we're hoping is that we can fund some kind of decking or level seating area that will still allow us to pull a car in, but we'll be safe for everybody. So that's Monday Afternoon. Tuesday mornings is Tots and Toddlers, which ebbs and flows, because kids and carers move on and sometimes it takes a while for them to come back.

Katie, who started on a Monday, has started to come along on a Tuesday as well, which is really lovely, and we are hoping for some more families to join, and Jan is also hoping for some more help to run the group, so if anyone is feeling passionate about supporting new families, Jan would love to talk to you, because it's a lot to hold on your own, as Rosie will

testify to. We are getting, regularly I suppose, four or five children with mums on Tuesdays. It almost got to 19 at one point, it was almost too many for the space.

Wednesdays, 10am-12pm is Coffee and Cake, still going strong. Again, ebbs and flows, last time I was there for it, there wasn't enough seating for everyone, and I took a wonderful picture that nobody knew that I took, and it's just full of life, and full of conversation, and full of fun. Thursday morning, a grant that Jo missed off was the grant for the Arts and Crafts Group, that was something like £857.84, something obscure like that, for buying things that will set the group up to run well and be sustainable. So that's going really well, we're getting a really nice group there, kind of steady numbers of about five. We usually sit round the double tables. From that, we've seen Stan come to church fairly regularly, and that's been a really great contact that we've made. He's come along to the curry night as well. We've just been able to encourage people and help people grow in confidence there. Foodbank, Tuesday afternoons and Fridays, I'm going to come back to that.

And the allotment group, that needs lots of prayer, because it's not really a group. It's pretty much me and Rosie. Which is great, because I really like Rosie, she's fab. But the idea, the vision of this, was to be a place where people who are struggling with mental health, who want to be part of a group that's not heavy-handed, it's outside, it's in nature. You get the gratification of seeing stuff grow that you've nurtured, and you get the joy of taking that home and seeing it on your plate. And as you're eating your dinner, you can be, I did that, I grew that. And so, we'd really appreciate your prayers that more people would join that group.

And also, I would value anyone who feels like they could step up for the three months that I'm not here on sabbatical, who can commit to helping Rosie. So that she's not there on her own, because from a safeguarding perspective and leader and lone working perspective, that's not ideal. So, please consider that.

So, over the last year, Foodbank, and this was only on Thursday that I wrote this, and we've given out more on Friday, so add a couple. From April 25 to April 26, the Community Life Centre gave out 151 food packs to people who are in need. They could be families, they could be individuals. Broken down, 215 adults and 170 children have benefited from our efforts, your efforts, to come out of food poverty, or at least have that alleviated. So, thank you so much. And a total of 385 people have been helped throughout the year.

We cannot do this without the generous donations from the public, from yourselves, from local organisations and groups, and it's great. We, this week, were two kilograms shy of our record-breaking output. We gave out, this week, 255 kilograms of food to families that needed it. 255 kilograms is about three of me. It could easily fill a smallish van.

And so, there are people out there who need, and it's a real privilege to be able to meet that need. As Jo mentioned, the centre's gone through a lot of changes this year. I've got some before and after pictures of how we've put the three and a half-ish brand, Trussell Trust Grant, to use. The ones that are shining on the screen.

Trying to work out how to remodel the centre was a little bit like a jigsaw puzzle, or like one of those slidey tile puzzles. Because, in order to make this happen there, you had to move

this bit of it to there, and get that bit over there. And so, one of the most important changes was putting this drink service area into the main hall. That freed up space in the kitchen to put racking for the food bank, which meant that I could come out of the cupboard and myself and our volunteers didn't have to bend like this to reach food. And so, this is a fantastic resource. It also has the added bonus of we never need to leave centre users in order to go and make them a drink.

Whereas before, our volunteers had to go, I'll make you a drink, wait there a minute, go out. Now we can keep the conversation flowing, we can keep the welcome going as we welcome our volunteers. So, what it is, we've got lovely seating now, much comfier, much more coordinated. It looks like someone has planned it, rather than coffee tables that someone gave us, a sofa that someone gave us, and a coffee table, and all things like that. And someone who came in in the past said, it looks like four people live here with very different tastes. And it did.

And it served a function at the time and it was good, but thanks to the Trussell Trust grant, we've been able to make it even better. And we have a new admin area, which is able to provide food bank clients with a bit more privacy when we're initially talking about things. And of course, we can go into the other area. We can go into the other small meeting room to have even more private conversations. This is why we needed to move the drink service area into the main room, because it enabled us to get rid of that half of the kitchen and put this higher capacity storage system up.

We have been able to double our storage capacity for food bank, which, because more people in the area now need food, unfortunately, we have needed and we still run short occasionally. And by the way, on these shelves, the green trays, there's one in front of the other, so they're double deep as well. That is me in the original food bank cupboard.

I didn't quite get that close to the shelves when I first started at food bank. But that's what it was like. And now, we can get up and down a ladder if we need to. We don't have to bend sideways anymore. Two people can be out there filling up a food bank package for people. And it has just absolutely transformed how we do things at the centre and for food bank.

These are the new lights that Andy and his brother David installed, and the new radiators as well. The radiators are operated by an app on Wi-Fi. The new lights are twice as efficient as the other ones. They need half as many watts to light up. And they are daylight coloured, so it's the best one to be in, apparently. Best kind of lighting to be in. We are really grateful for Andy and David for all the hard work that they put into that

I think that's the end of what I was going to say about the centre.

Chaplaincy Report

April 2025 – March 2026

Over the last year I (Julie) have had the joy of being able to carry out a variety of Chaplaincy visits in Supportive Living and Care Home settings. I am grateful to God for the opportunities that have opened up and thankful for the warmth of reception I have received.

There is a specific Supportive Living Place, that I visit every two weeks to lead a meeting with a small group that varies from about 5 – 10 people. The group functions quite like a Life Group and we have focused our fortnightly studies on The Lord’s Prayer; The I AM statements of Jesus and more recently Psalm 23 as well as seasonal services. In addition to our regular meetings, I also make some ad hoc visits as required.

There are several Local Learning Disability Care Homes that I visit every few months, either for individual visits, as requested, or to take small interactive services. For one place in particular, that is home to adults with profound and multiple learning disabilities and complex health needs, I have been developing a series of sensory story services. These have been well received by both the residents and care staff who welcome the additional stimulation these services bring. It has been encouraging to see how those present have responded to the sensory stimulation and the joyful and worshipful atmosphere. Hazel accompanied me on one of these visits and this has led to us having a preliminary meeting at another home more local to North Baddesley, where there is the opportunity for us to visit regularly.

Last June I was delighted to visit a care home in North Baddesley along with a team of people from the church here. We took a service on the theme of Jesus being the Bread of Life. Afterwards we were able to spend time chatting with the residents.

More recently I have been asked to join a team of people, local to where I live, who have the vision to work together to ensure that all the elderly care homes in our vicinity have some form of connection with Christian believers. I am looking forward to seeing how this unfolds and would value your prayers.

I usually work with other volunteers when I go into different Chaplaincy settings and I appreciate the time others give to this ministry; it is also beneficial to do this as part of a team.

As well as the Chaplaincy volunteering, I do, going out from Community Life Church, I am privileged to be part of AoG’s National Chaplaincy Team as Sector Lead for Supportive Living and Care Homes. Being part of this group has raised my awareness of the need for professional supervision. As a consequence, I have found a local supervisor who is an accredited member of APSE (The Association of Pastoral Supervision and Education). We have regular meetings, approximately every 6 weeks.

Thank you for being a sending church for this incarnational ministry of taking Spirit-filled, Christ centred mission-focused ministry into the places where people need to know the love and power of Jesus. I value your prayers going forward as we see how this ministry develops.

Julie Reilly April 2026

MISSION REPORT APRIL 2026

We continue to support two mission partners. These are:- Hope From Above (HFA) and Growing Nations.

The HFA Network is committed to continue sharing the Good News in the most challenging and isolated environments, fulfilling the Great Commission with hope and purpose. The regular newsletters we receive from HFA are shared in our church updates. One vision that was shared with us is that HFA intended to set up a new network in this country called Hope BB (Hope Beyond Barriers). This has now happened and has enlarged the network that carries out the wider work of using aviation and technology for God’s mission purposes.

Our mission partners from HFA Tim and Carol shared their reflections that the latest season with HFA has been the most rewarding, stretching their faith, strengthening their prayer life and showing them what an awesome God we serve. Seeing Hope BB established in the UK and continuing the vision of reaching the unreached for Christ is their hope and prayer for the future.

Our partners within Growing Nations are Heather and Barry. They asked us to continue to join with them in their overall prayer for 2026 that all those involved would grow in their love for the Lord, seek His will and guidance in all that they do and serve Him and Him alone, so that the glory goes to Him.

Heather and Barry have spent a lot more of their time in Lesotho seeing for themselves how the mission work is being carried out on the ground. The latest enterprise Heather and Barry have been involved in in Lesotho has been Farming Quest. This involved a two week intensive course designed specifically for missionaries, Pastors and church workers, which equips them for agricultural mission and Farming God’s Way. Their prayer is that the training not only changes the lives of those attending but also the lives of those they subsequently minister too. They also planned to host a mission conference during their last visit.

Trustees Report - 19th April 2026

The current Trustees are:

• Ali Tuft (Chair)

• Jo Wheeler (Treasurer)

• John Higson

• Andrew Blakeman

• Jessica Jacobs (Secretary)

The Trustees have met three times in the last year, in June, October and February. Trustee meetings focused on key areas of policy and procedure, with a particular focus on ensuring that the pastor was supported, and in turn, able to support the church, the centre and his wider role as AoG Zone Leader.

The Trustees also discussed and approved grant applications, which resulted in the the refurbishment and installation of new heaters and lighting in the centre. Other areas of discussion have been around the wider vision for the church and specifically for children’s and youth work, for which conversations remain ongoing.

The Trustees also agreed to make part of our annual giving this year for the Village Hall as a donation towards a new PA system which will be installed over the next few months.

The Trustees were approached by the pastor in February regarding his taking of a sabbatical, and after careful consideration, agreed to grant a three month sabbatical which will take place from 18th May to 18th August 2026. The Trustees also agreed that the pastor will be paid full time for the period of sabbatical and wish Ali and the Tuft family the very best during this time.

Quarterly Trustee meetings remain are in place and will continue, with the next Trustees meeting due later in April 2026.