The Friends of St Leonard’s, Flamstead (charity no – 1074485)
Annual trustees’ report and accounts
31 December 2024
Trustees Timothy Wright (Chair) (at time of reporting) Rev Joanna Burke Jonathan Mark Jenkin Carol Gibson Gregory Parsons Sarah Parsons Jack Reyland Janet Bowie Registered address Wilton Cottage, River Hill Flamstead St. Albans Hertfordshire AL3 8BY
Charity registration number 1074485 Website www.friendsofstleonards.org
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Trustees’ Report
The trustees of the Friends of St Leonard’s, Flamstead (FoSL) present their report with the accounts of FoSL for the year ended 31 December 2024.
Objectives and activities
FoSL is an unincorporated body, registered with the Charity Commission. It was established by a trust deed dated 5 February 1999.
The trust deed decrees that the trustees make available the funds, whether capital or income, including contributions and subscriptions from time to time in their absolute discretion for the preservation, restoration, improvement and ornamentation of the parish church of St Leonard's, Flamstead, Hertfordshire. St Leonard’s is an ancient Grade I listed church that has stood at the heart of the village of Flamstead in Hertfordshire for over 900 years.
Applications for funds from the Flamstead Parochial Church Council (the PCC), which has ultimate responsibility for the maintenance of the structure and the fabric of St Leonard’s, Flamstead, are considered and decided in accordance with the provisions of the trust deed.
In order to raise funds and awareness, FoSL seeks to arrange and participate in a number of fundraising activities, including the Flamstead Scarecrow Festival, fundraising dinners and evening events in conjunction with the PCC to raise awareness of the historical church and funding required to ensure the future of the church and grounds. FoSL also raises funds from supporters’ subscriptions, donations and legacies.
The trustees are of the view that, through these activities, a public benefit is provided with due regard to guidance on public benefit published by the Charity Commission.
Achievements and performance
In 2024 FoSL continued with its fundraising activities. Events included a village supper and the Flamstead Scarecrow Festival, the latter raising a surplus of just over £10,000 which was divided between FoSL and other charitable organisations in Flamstead in recognition of the assistance provided by villagers and those organisations in making the festival a success.
Almost £54,000 was paid to the PCC in 2024 which included £16,655 contribution to heating and gas safety from when the church reopened in 2021, £6,530 on North Aisle exhibition area, £1,176 to North Porch slab works, £500 on churchyard tree, hedge and wall works, £3,100 on tree and hedge works at God’s Acre (churchyard extension) and £23,619 as the final instalment for a major restoration and repair of the bells. This amount was less than originally provided due to VAT recovery and an outside grant.
The contribution to heating was agreed by the Trustees at 2/3 of the total gas usage.
These payments have enabled St Leonard’s to remain fully open for both religious and secular events and to meet the obligations to the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
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Financial review
Results for the year
The accounts for YE 2023 were prepared on an accruals basis following the basis for YE 2022 when the revenue threshold necessitating such accounting had been exceeded. Although the revenue was less than the threshold for YE 2024, the decision was made to continue preparing the accounts on an accruals basis.
FoSL’s incoming resources in the year totalled £64,313 slightly up from 2023 (2023 £45,205) due mainly to interest received on Bank deposit accounts. Resources expended for the charity’s purposes totalled £20,438 (2023: £124,227). This has resulted in a net surplus of incoming resources of £43,626 (2023: deficit of £79,021).
Amounts paid out in the year included grants approved to the PCC of £53,646 (2023: £70,997). Liabilities for grants approved but not yet paid were £11,984 (2023: £62,156). Loans totalling £79,802 advanced to the PCC prior to 2022 to fund works on the church prior to the receipt of funding have yet to be repaid. This is because there has been an agreement to cover “cash-flow” for expenditure on the Heritage Project by the PCC, given that grants from the National Lottery Heritage Fund are paid 6-monthly in arrears. The project ended in 2024 and repayment of the loan has been made in 2025.
Reserves policy and financial position
It is the policy of the trustees to ensure that FoSL maintains maximum reserves to be able to support the needs of St Leonard’s when requested. These needs continue to be very significant both in the short term and the longer term. Although the financial position looks very positive at present, the Trustees are aware of a number of items of significant expenditure in coming years and consequently, a 25-year strategic review of income and expenditure was undertaken in 2023 resulting in the resolution passed by the Trustees on 29 Nov 2023.
At 31 December 2024, the reserves represented by bank balances, debtors and creditors were £872,816 (2023: £828,940). Of these reserves, following the resolution passed by the Trustees on 29 November 2023 and documented in the report and accounts for the year ended 31 December 2023, £100,000 is reserved for unexpected emergencies, £499,949 designated for an annual drawdown of £20,831 into the unrestricted funds which stands at £272,867.
In order to reduce the risk of banks in financial difficulty and to secure better rates of interest, £677,000 was placed into a deposit platform operated by Flagstone on behalf of CAF Bank, the monies then being distributed amongst several banks within the £85,000 limit of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.
Post 31 December 2024 and future plans
In 2025, FoSL is continuing with its grant-giving to assist the PCC with capital works. This includes works to improve and enlarge the cemetery in Flamstead known as God’s Acre, payment of 2/3rds of the gas usage bill reflecting the requirement to maintain a constant temperature and humidity in St Leonard’s for the preservation and stabilisation of the medieval wall paintings, as well as ongoing maintenance. The Trustees have agreed to meet 50% of the church buildings insurance.
A Quinquennial Inspection Report (QIR), a major inspection carried out for all Church of England churches every 5 years, was carried out for St Leonard’s in March 2024 and resulted in
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identification of significant repairs as well as maintenance in 2025 and 2026. Moreover, some of the works planned after the last QIR in 2019 are yet to be carried out as a consequence of Covid
and the major roof works. Repair and restoration of the vestry roof is likely to be a significant cost in 2025.
Plans are in hand to run another Flamstead Scarecrow Festival in August 2025, the net proceeds to be shared with other Flamstead-based non-commercial local groups and charities. A Village Supper is proposed to be held in October 2025.
Trustees
The following trustees served during the year ending 31 December 2024.
Jonathan Mark Jenkin
Timothy Wright (Chair)
Reverend Joanna Burke
Carol Gibson
Gregory Parsons
Sarah Parsons
Jack Reyland
Janet Bowie (appointed as Trustee 17 January 2024)
As ever, we are hugely grateful for the financial support and support by way of time and ideas that are given so generously by our supporters. We very much look forward to drawing on that again in the rest of 2025.
“Thank you.”
Signed on behalf of the trustees:
Tim Wright Chair Date: 15 September 2025
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Independent Examiner’s Report to the trustees of The Friends of St Leonard’s Flamstead (FoSL)
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of FoSL for the year ended 31 December 2024 which are attached on pages 7 - 9.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the trustees of FoSL, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
I report in respect of my examination of FoSL’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the Act and, in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner’s statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe in any material respect:
accounting records were not kept in respect of FoSL as required by section 130 of the Act; or
- the accounts do not accord with those records; or
the accounts do 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 no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Date: 11 February 2025
Vladimira Cosier ACCA 13 Dammersey Close Markyate AL3 8JS
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The Friends of St Leonard’s, Flamstead Statement of financial activities for the year ended 31 December 2024
| Year Ended 31 December 2024 | Year Ended 31 December 2024 | Year Ended 31 December 2024 | TOTAL | Year Ended 31st December 2023 | Year Ended 31st December 2023 | Year Ended 31st December 2023 | TOTAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted Funds |
Designated Funds |
Reserved Funds |
2024 | Unrestricted Funds |
Designated Funds |
Restricted Funds |
2023 | |||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |||
| Incoming resources | ||||||||||
Subscriptions |
4,243 | - | - | 4,243 | 5,628 | - | - | 5,628 | ||
| Donations | 12,717 | - | - | 12,717 | 8,024 | - | - | 8,024 | ||
| Legacies | - | - | - | - | 8,713 | - | - | 8,713 | ||
| Fundraising events | 9,146 | - | - | 9,146 | 9,589 | - | - | 9,589 | ||
Income from investment |
31,944 | - | - | 31,944 | 13,251 | - | - | 13,251 | ||
| - | - | |||||||||
| VAT reclaimed by PCC offset | 6,263 | 6,263 | ||||||||
Total incoming resources |
64,313 | 64,313 | 45,205 | - | - | 45,205 | ||||
| Resources expended | ||||||||||
Grants made for church repairs and improvements |
3,474 | - | - | 3,474 | 110,813 | - | - | 110,813 | ||
| Costs of fundraising events | 14,925 | - | - | 14,925 | 12,244 | - | - | 12,244 | ||
Other |
1,705 | - | - | 1,705 | 920 | - | - | 920 | ||
| Accountancy expenses | 250 | - | - | 250 | 250 | - | - | 250 | ||
| Events | 83 | 83 | ||||||||
| Total resources expended | 20,438 | - | - | 20,438 | 124,227 | - | - | 124,227 | ||
| - | - | |||||||||
| - | ||||||||||
| Net incoming resoures before transfers | 43,876 | - | - | 43,876 | (79,021) | - | - | (79,021) | ||
| - | - | |||||||||
| Tranfers between funds | 20,831 | (20,831) | - | -620,780.00 | 520,780 | 100,000 | - | |||
| - | - | |||||||||
| Net increase (decrease) in funds | 64,707 | (20,831) | - | 43,876 | (699,801) | 520,780 | 100,000 | (79,021) | ||
| - | ||||||||||
| Fund balances at 1 January | 208,160 | 520,780 | 100,000 | 828,940 | 907,961 | - | - | 907,961 | ||
| - | ||||||||||
| Fund balances at 31 December | 272,867 | 499,949 | 100,000 | 872,816 | 208,160 | 520,780 | 100,000 | 828,940 |
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The Friends of St Leonard’s, Flamstead Balance Sheet at 31 December 2024
Approved by the trustees on 7[th] May 2025 and signed on their behalf:
| As at 31st December 2024 | As at 31st December 2024 | As at 31st December 2024 | TOTAL | As at 31st December 2023 | As at 31st December 2023 | As at 31st December 2023 | TOTAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted Funds |
Designated Funds |
Reserved Funds |
2024 | Unrestricted Funds |
Designated Funds |
Restricted Funds |
2023 | |||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |||
| Current assets | ||||||||||
| Cash at bank and in hand | ||||||||||
| NatWest Current account | 20,610 | - | - | 20,610 | 16,770 | - | - | 16,770 | ||
| NatWest Reserve account | 440 | - | - | 440 | 434 | - | - | 434 | ||
| Paypal | (0) | - | - | (0) | 546 | - | - | 546 | ||
| Paypal CAF Bank Cash |
(0) 6,476 |
- | - | (0) 6,476 |
52,849 | - | - | 52,849 | ||
| CAF Bank Gold | 93,391 | - | - | 93,391 | 91,125 | - | - | 91,125 | ||
| Flagstone HoldingAccount | 78,988 | 499,949 | 100,000 | 678,937 | 29,220 | 520,780 | 100,000 | 650,000 | ||
| 199,907 | 499,949 | 100,000 | 799,856 | 190,944 | 520,780 | 100,000 | 811,724 | |||
| Debtors due within oneyear | ||||||||||
| Loan to the PCC | 79,802 | - | - | 79,802 | 79,802 | - | - | 79,802 | ||
| HMRC Gift Aid repayment | 5,392 | 5,392 | ||||||||
| 285,101 | 499,949 | 100,000 | 885,050 | 270,746 | 520,780 | 100,000 | 891,526 | |||
| Liabilities: amounts falling due within oneyear | - | |||||||||
| Grants approved but not yet paid | (11,984) | - | - | (11,984) | (62,156) | - | - | (62,156) | ||
| Grants approved but not yet paid Accountancy accruals |
(11,984) (250) |
- | - | (11,984) (250) |
(62,156) (250) |
- | - | (62,156) (250) |
||
| SCF 2024 accruals | - | - | - | (180) | - | - | (180) | |||
| Net current assets | 272,867 | 499,949 | 100,000 | 872,816 | 208,160 | 520,780 | 100,000 | 828,940 | ||
| Net assets | 272,867 | 499,949 | 100,000 | 872,816 | 208,160 | 520,780 | 100,000 | 828,940 | ||
| Funds at 31 December | 272,867 | 499,949 | 100,000 | 872,816 | 208,160 | 520,780 | 100,000 | 828,940 |
Trustee Trustee
Tim Wright
Jack Reyland
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The Friends of St Leonard’s, Flamstead Notes to the financial statements
Accounting policies
The principal accounting policies adopted in the preparation of these accounts were as follows: a) Basis of preparation The accounts have been prepared on an accruals basis, under the historical cost convention and in accordance with applicable accounting standards and the Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (the Charities SORP). The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102.
The accounts are presented in sterling and are rounded to the nearest pound.
b) Fund accounting Restricted funds comprise monies raised for, or their use restricted to, a specific purpose, or contributions subject to donor imposed conditions. Unrestricted funds represent those monies which are freely available for application towards achieving any charitable purpose that falls within the charity's charitable objects. Designated funds represent those monies set aside from unrestricted funds by the trustees for a specific purpose.
c) Income recognition Income is recognised in the period in which the charity has entitlement to the income, the amount of income can be measured reliably, and it is probable that the income will be received.
d) Expenditure recognition Expenditure is recognised as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.
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