## Three Bridges Free Church
Report and Accounts Year ended 31 December 2021
1 Lamb's Passage, London EC1Y 8AB www.stewardship.org.uk
## **THREE BRIDGES FREE CHURCH**
## **LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021**
ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE Three Bridges Road Three Bridges Crawley RH10 1LS GOVERNING DOCUMENT Trust Deed dated 17 November 1998 (amended February 1999) CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER 1074518 TRUSTEES RESPONSIBLE FOR Graham Bell MANAGING THE CHARITY Steven Collingham Robert Cranfield Nelson Lucero Andrew Morgan (resigned April 2021) Mark Pash Peter Taylor BANKERS Santander INDEPENDENT EXAMINER Jaimée Young Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage LONDON EC1Y 8AB
## **INDEX**
Page 1 Legal and Administrative Details Pages 2-3 Trustees' Report Page 4 Independent Examiner's Report Page 5 Receipts and Payments Account Page 6 Statement of Assets & Liabilities Pages 7-8 Notes to the Accounts
Page 1
## **THREE BRIDGES FREE CHURCH**
## **REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021**
The Trustees have pleasure in submitting the Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 December 2021.
## **Objects of the charity**
The charity, which is a church, is governed by a trust deed and is constituted as a trust. The charity's principal objects, as set out in its governing document, are to advance the Christian faith.
## **Summary of the charity's main activities and achievements**
The Trust seeks to demonstrate the Christian faith in action by acting as a church in the area of Crawley, Sussex. To further the above objects and vision, the charity's main activities and achievements were as follows:
We began the year by considering how our verses for the year (1 Timothy 6:11-12) should shape our lives as Christians. We held regular Sunday worship services during which we preached through the books of Acts, Genesis, James, the Fruit of the Spirit and Exodus. Our midweek Home Groups did the Christianity Explained course together, did some follow up Bible studies in Genesis and some evangelism training through resources produced by Passion for Life.
The Covid pandemic continued to affect many of our ministries and there were significant periods when we could only gather online or in restricted numbers as a church. Through the purchase of new technology we were able to start livestreaming our morning services via You Tube. We continued to use Zoom initially for our Explorers Sunday School, Home Groups and regular prayer meetings. However, with the lessening of Covid restrictions we were pleased to restart our Friday morning Toddler Spot group on Friday mornings with an encouraging number attending from the local community. We were also able to gather in greater numbers in person for our Sunday services and restart our Sunday children’s ministries in the church.
During the year we also ran our Christianity Explored course on a number of occasions online and were encouraged to baptise 5 people during two baptismal services. We ended the year celebrating Christmas which included organising an open air carol service for the community in Worth Park.
During the year we reviewed our Safeguarding Policy and held our annual training course in January.
Membership at the end of 2021 stood at 83.
In planning the activities the Trustees have applied the guidance on public benefit issued by the Charity Commission.
## **Financial review**
During the year income decreased by £24,300, to £105,400, and expenditure increased by £4,800, to £129,300. As a result the cash held by the charity decreased by £23,900, to £95,500, of which £90,400 is unrestricted and can be used for any charitable purpose.
## **Reserves policy**
The trustees have determined that the charity should aim to hold unrestricted cash of no less than £37,500 (which equates to approximately 3-4 months of unrestricted expenditure) so that the charity could continue to operate should income and / or expenditure vary adversely. At the year end, the charity held unrestricted cash of £90,400. As part of long term planning for capital projects, the trustees have identified the need for investment over a number of years. This means the trustees are holding reserves over £37,500.
Page 2
## **Governance**
Responsibility for setting policy and for making operating decisions rest with the Trustees who meet regularly to monitor the activities of the charity. The Trustees have ultimate responsibility for the management of the trust and do so with the assistance of the Elders and Deacons on a day to day basis. New Trustees are appointed by a full meeting of the church members, in consultation with the Trustees.
## **Responsibilities of trustees**
Charity law requires us as Trustees to prepare financial statements for each accounting year which record the receipts and payments of the charity for the year.
We are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable us to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011.
We also have a responsibility to safeguard the assets of the charity and to take reasonable steps to prevent fraud or any other irregularities.
## **Approval**
This report was approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by:
Graham Bell
Date: 10 August 2022
Page 3
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT**
## **TO THE TRUSTEES OF**
## **THREE BRIDGES FREE CHURCH**
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Three Bridges Free Church ('the charity') for the year ended 31 December 2021 on pages 5 to 8 following.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the trustees of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 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 I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 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 that in any material respect: 1. accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; or
2. the accounts do not accord with the accounting records.
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.
Jaimée Young
Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage LONDON EC1Y 8AB
Date: 10 August 2022
Page 4
## **THREE BRIDGES FREE CHURCH**
## **RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021**
||||||Unrestricted|Funds|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||General|Designated||Restricted|Total|Total|
||||||Funds||Funds|Funds|2021|2020|
|||||Notes|£||£|£|£|£|
|**_Income receipts_**|||||||||||
|Donations|||||78,286||-|2,650|80,936|79,991|
|Gift aid receipts|||||14,241||-|900|15,141|16,645|
|Legacies|||||-||-|-|-|25,000|
|Income from charitable activities|||||402||-|-|402|265|
|Use of church and car park|||||7,200||-|-|7,200|7,350|
|Interest|||||5||-|-|5|262|
|Other|||||1,579||-|100|1,679|133|
|**_Total receipts_**|||||101,713||-|3,650|105,363|129,645|
|**_Payments_**|||||||||||
|Payments
in
relation
to
activities undertaken directly||charitable||2|109,796||-|170|109,965|100,054|
|Grants
paid
in
relation
to
activities undertaken by others||charitable||3|-|16,320||3,000|19,320|24,391|
|**_Total payments_**|||||109,796|16,320||3,170|129,285|124,445|
|Net
of
receipts
/
(payments)
transfers|||before||(8,083)|(16,320)||480|(23,923)|5,199|
|Transfers between funds||||5|9,018||(9,186)|167|0|-|
|**Net movement in funds**|||||935|(25,506)||648|(23,923)|5,199|
|Cash funds as at last year end|||||-|114,960||4,444|119,404|114,205|
|**Cash funds at this year end**||||A|935|89,454||5,092|95,481|119,404|
The notes on pages 7 - 8 form part of these accounts.
Page 5
## **THREE BRIDGES FREE CHURCH**
## **STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021**
|**A**
**Cash funds**
Cash at bank with immediate access
Notice deposits
**B**
**Other monetary assets**
Gift aid due to charity
Other debtors
**C**
**Liabilities**
**Falling due within one year:**
Fee for Independent Examination
Accrued expenses
**D**
**Assets retained for charity's own use**
Freehold Church building
Freehold Manse
Contents and equipment|General
Designated
funds
funds
£
£
935
53,223
-
36,232
**935**
**89,454**
10,291
-
1,500
-
**11,791**
**-**
1,200
-
-
-
**1,200**
**-**
Unrestricted Funds|Restricted
funds
£
5,092
-
**5,092**
-
-
**-**
-
-
**-**|Total
2021
£
59,250
36,232
**95,481**
10,291
1,500
**11,791**
1,200
-
**1,200**
Cost
£
1,150,000
510,000
-
**1,660,000**|Total
2020
£|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||73,178
46,226|
|||||**119,404**|
|||||9,809
1,400|
|||||**11,209**|
|||||2,400
1,245|
|||||**3,645**|
|||||Insurance
value
2021
£|
|||||-
-
136,091|
|||||**136,091**|
The purchase cost of the Manse and the construction cost of the Church are shown.
The trustees have used insurance values for equipment since they are unable to reliably estimate current values; insurance values may differ materially from current values.
The accounts were approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf
by date Graham Bell 10 August 2022
The notes on pages 7 - 8 form part of these accounts.
Page 6
## **THREE BRIDGES FREE CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021**
## **1 Accounting policies**
The accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis and comprise a statement that shows the charity's receipts and payments, a statement that summarises the charity's assets and liabilities and related notes. The accountancy profession have determined that only accounts prepared in accordance with applicable accounting standards present a 'true and fair' view and, as these receipts and payments accounts have not (and cannot) be prepared in accordance with accounting standards, these accounts do not present (and are not intended to present) a 'true and fair' view of the charity's financial activities and state of affairs.
General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity. Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the trustees for particular purposes. Restricted funds are donations which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors; they include donations received from appeals for specific activities or projects.
|**2**
**Payments in relation to charitable activities undertaken directly**
Employment costs
Note 4
Church, property and related costs
Note 2a
Manse costs
Note 2a
Equipment
Office and admin costs
Guest speakers
Ministry and outreach activities
Children, youth and holiday club
Other expenses
**2a**
**Sinking funds expenditure (incl. property)**
Accounts, advice and Independent examination
FIEC affiliation
SGP affiliation
Professional fees
Insurance
Heating and lighting
Maintenance and cleaning - Church
Maintenance and cleaning - Manse
Council tax & water rates
**3**
**Grants and gifts paid to others**
Organisations:
European Christian Mission
Crosslinks
UFM Worldwide
Organisations under £1,000
Individuals||Unrestrict|Designated
funds
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Church
£
2,490
2,000
-
198
6,154
2,121
14,679
-
162
27,804
Designated
funds
£
1,920
1,200
12,000
900
300
16,320
ed Funds
ed Funds|Restricted
Funds
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
170
-
-
170
Manse
£
-
-
-
-
367
-
-
2,550
-
2,917
Restricted
Funds
£
-
-
3,000
-
-
3,000|Total
2021
£
74,068
27,804
2,917
1,208
941
-
2,058
933
37
109,965
Total
2021
£
2,490
2,000
-
198
6,521
2,121
14,679
2,550
162
30,721
Total
2021
£
1,920
1,200
15,000
900
300
19,320|Total
2020
£|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||||55,505
31,868
1,147
5,036
773
300
2,118
1,784
1,524|
|||||||100,054|
|||||||Total
2020
£|
|||||||90
2,000
1,000
198
8,965
3,782
16,097
783
101|
|||||||33,015|
|||||||Total
2020
£|
|||General
funds
£
-
-
-
-
-
-|||||
|||||||1,920
1,200
18,352
1,140
1,779|
|||||||24,391|
Page 7
## **THREE BRIDGES FREE CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021**
## **Transactions with related parties**
No payments were made to trustees or persons related to them, except for reimbursement of expenses paid out on behalf of the charity.
|**5**
**Movement of funds**
General funds
Designated funds:
Missionary Fund
Sinking Fund
Restricted funds
Church Library Fund
Hardship Fund
UFM Worldwide
Other Funds
Total funds|Opening
balance
£
-
5,617
109,343
114,960
431
3,938
-
75
4,444
119,404|Receipts
£
101,713
-
-
101,713
-
550
3,000
100
3,650
105,363|Payments
£
(109,796)
(16,320)
-
(126,116)
(70)
-
(3,000)
(100)
(3,170)
(129,285)|Transfers
£
9,018
17,424
(26,610)
(167)
-
167
-
-
167
0|Closing
balance
£|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||935
6,721
82,733|
||||||90,389|
||||||362
4,655
-
75|
||||||5,092|
|||||||
||||||95,481|
The designated Missionary Fund relates to funds set aside from giving to support missionaries in various countries including France, Uganda and the UK through organisations such as UFM, ECM and Gideons. The transfer from restricted to designated relates to these funds being previously classed as restricted.
The Sinking Fund is used for capital and one off yearly projects along with supporting the increased expense of a second full time pastor. Surplus general funds are transferred to this fund for this purpose. The transfers from the other designated projects are because these projects are considered to be capital or one off projects.
The restricted Church Library Fund relates to funds donated for the purchase of books for the church library. Due to the size of the original gift it has taken some time to spend this wisely and as new appropriate books become available additional books are purchased from this.
The restricted Hardship Fund is for the purpose of practically supporting others through difficult trials including situations of material need.
Page 8