Annual Report and Financial Statements
For the year ended 31[st ] August 2023
Report of the Trustees
Charity Name
OSCAR UK Information Service for World Mission
Registered Charity Number 1093265
Address City Works Alfred Street Gloucester GL1 4DF
Trustees Mrs Susan O’Dell Mr. Michael J. Frith Mrs. Tracey Ryland Mr. Mark Billage (Appointed 21/11/2022)
Director Mr. Michael J. Frith
Structure
OSCAR is governed according to a trust deed and managed by a board of trustees. Trustees are appointed by a resolution of the trustees passed by a majority of the trustees.
Objectives and Activities
As stated in the trust deed: `The objects of OSCAR are to advance the Christian faith in accordance with the Statement of Beliefs appearing in the Schedule hereto in such parts of the United Kingdom and the world as the Trustees may from time to time think fit by the management of an information website on the world-wide internet to:
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provide a comprehensive resource for United Kingdom missionaries and overseas Christian workers
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research new ways of providing more effective transport and propagation of the Trust's services
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provide a network for mission organisations, associations and services in order to pool resources and
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to develop teaching, training and consultation services for missionaries, mission organisations and their supporters to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of Christian mission work throughout the world
and to fulfil such other purposes which are exclusively charitable according to the law of England and Wales and are connected with the charitable work of the Trust.’
We review our aims, objectives and activities each year. This report is part of that process that helps us remain focused on our stated purposes. We have referred to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit when conducting this process. In particular, we consider how planned activities will contribute to the aims and objects of the charity and provide public benefit.
We have had four people providing regular, paid-for services to OSCAR throughout the year – one acting as Director, the others in roles including Administration, Marketing, SEO and Website Development. All but one of these have been self-employed and contracted to provide these services. The Director moved during the year from being self-employed to being employed by OSCAR. In addition to these, three regular volunteers helped with database checking and at exhibitions.
The trust continues to maintain and develop the OSCAR website as its main activity in achieving the trust’s objectives. In addition, in support of the website and to further these objectives, a significant amount of email, online, telephone and face-to-face support (particularly at exhibitions, conferences and training events) is conducted. Access to our website and other information services is provided free and without restriction to all who wish to access them.
OSCAR’s Unique Selling Point
There are few organisations in the UK which offer independent advice and help to anyone with questions about Christian mission. Most are either linked to an individual mission organisation or have other agendas or restrictive criteria when giving out advice. OSCAR remains the only completely independent, comprehensive service offering free advice and help across the board. Our users/beneficiaries may be Christian mission workers in active ministry, those enquiring about opportunities, or those who support mission in one way or another. We help them free of charge, regardless of their associations or particular Christian beliefs.
'Thanks so much for all you do through the Oscar website, it’s been very helpful to us at different times and in different ways, and we always try to point people in your direction when we can.'
Katie, missionary
Review of the Year, Achievements and Performance
Website
Website visits climbed 30% during the year from just over 26,000 to around 34,000 per month. Page views remain at around 170,000 per month.
At the start of 2023, to facilitate a range of developments we were hoping to undertake, we decided to start the process of moving the website from one development platform (Zend) to another (Laravel). We are also taking this chance to refresh the website design and hone many of its current features. This is in process at time of writing and we aim to have it finished and ready to roll out around the end of 2023.
We continue to monitor the optimisation of many of OSCAR’s key web pages to improve ranking with Internet search engines. This means that as well as the homepage, many other specific web pages on the OSCAR website appear high up in search returns when an individual uses a relevant search term to that page or section. The above website development includes further work in this area.
Social Media
OSCARactive, our separate online mission-focused community website, continues to have over 750 registered members (and many other visitors who browse the community).
We also maintain a strong presence in various social networks, particularly Facebook (1.6K likes/1.7K follows), X - formerly Twitter (2170 followers), Linkedin (220 members) and Instagram (373 followers), in order to provide OSCAR’s advice and services beyond our regular user base.
Mission Participation
We have an open content management system, where mission organisations, support organisations and churches can have their own account and update their own information, opportunities, events and resources. In 2022, as it was five years since we launched our latest website, we implemented a purge of login accounts that are older than 5 years without activity. However, we still had 93 new organisations join us during the year meaning the number of organisations having accounts with us stood at 652 at year end. We advertised 2459 opportunities during the year, averaging 205 each month.
‘OSCAR is by far our best online source of new enquirers seeking to go into mission' Mark Cook, Mission Mentor & Partnership Development Manager, Pioneers UK
Our directories include 703 agencies, 716 service providers, 1090 mission-minded churches, 1182 resources and 46 events.
All UK based mission agencies, support organisations and mission-minded churches on our database (over 2000 in total) were sent an annual email during the year informing them of their entry on our site and highlighting how OSCAR can benefit them in their mission interest and involvement.
OSCAR Email Newsletters
Subscription to our main monthly OSCAR Update email climbed 10% to just over 2230. Our three other mailing lists, some of which have increased in subscribers by nearly 20%, include our email news to organisations who utilise our services (705), to churches who have requested it (966), and to individuals looking for opportunities (1728). These are tailored with advice, information and news relevant to them.
Conference Exhibitions
Exhibitions and some face-to-face activities are just about back to pre-pandemic levels now. Therefore, income and expenditure in these areas have settled to what can be assumed as the new normal.
This year we participated in five major conference exhibitions. At most of these we host a Christian jobs and mission opportunities board, as well as a resources board profiling a range of key resources and services from other organisations of benefit to those interested or involved in mission. It has been well received by those who have visited the stand.
Training &Consultancy services
Training services income has now settled to a lower level than before the pandemic, partly due to some moving permanently online where we charge less.
During the year we carried out a mix of online and face-to-face training courses/sessions. These numbered 17 in total.
Reserves Policy
In normal times, we aim to maintain, as an ongoing reserve, a cash balance of between three and six months expenditure. Further reserves may be carried over from year to year where a significant grant or donation has been made and the planned spending of the donation is spread over more than one year. We also built up further reserves for the new website development that we are in the process of undertaking.
This year’s unrestricted reserves of £37,817 (2022 - £45,163) equates to 58% of the total annual expenditure figure. Our overall income for the year was 4% less than our expenditure. The charity ended the year in a healthy position financially.
Signed by
Date 28/09/2023
Michael Frith, Trustee (on behalf of all trustees)
Receipts and Payments Account for the year ended 31[st ] August 2023
| Receipts and Payments Accounts | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total | Total | ||
| Note | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Receipts | |||||
| Donations | 1) | 700 | 700 | 869 | |
| Sponsorship | 2,318 | 2,318 | 3,246 | ||
| Fees | 2) | 33,843 | 33,843 | 33,990 | |
| Grants | 3) | 3,500 | 1,000 | 4,500 | 7,000 |
| Training services | 2,340 | 2,340 | 3,054 | ||
| Exhibitions | 4) | 5,818 | 5,000 | 10,818 | 8,089 |
| Office | 4,718 | 4,718 | 4,515 | ||
| Legacy | 5) | 4,638 | 4,638 | 0 | |
| Other income | 6) | 515 | 515 | 46 | |
| Total Receipts | 58,390 | 6,000 | 64,390 | 60,809 | |
| Payments | |||||
| Fundraising and Publicity | 3 | 3 | 82 | ||
| Charitable payments: | |||||
| Office | 7,315 | 7,315 | 6,739 | ||
| General admin | 319 | 319 | 213 | ||
| Website direct costs | 835 | 835 | 592 | ||
| Website development | 2,325 | 2,325 | 4,409 | ||
| Worker development | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Travel | 7) | 858 | 858 | 248 | |
| Equipment purchase | 884 | 884 | 205 | ||
| Workers | 47,934 | 47,934 | 40,069 | ||
| Insurances | 8) | 603 | 603 | 593 | |
| Training services | 346 | 346 | 412 | ||
| Exhibitions | 3,917 | 1,500 | 5,417 | 5,027 | |
| Job sponsorship | 177 | 177 | 556 | ||
| Grants given | 9) | 55 | 55 | 80 | |
| Other payments | 10) | 220 | 220 | 380 | |
| Total Payments | 65,736 | 1,555 | 67,291 | 59,605 | |
| Net Receipts (Payments) | -7,346 | 4,445 | -2,901 | 1,204 | |
| Cash funds last year end | 45,163 | 207 | 46,574 | 45,370 | |
| Cash funds this year end | 11) | 37,817 | 4,652 | 43,673 | 46,574 |
The above Receipts and Payments Account was approved by the trustees on 28/09/2023 and is signed on their behalf by trustee Michael Frith
Assets & Liabilities
| Cash Funds_(see note 13) 31/08/23 £ 43,673 Debtors Amounts owing to the charity(see note 14) 31/08/23 £ 2,193 Creditors Amounts owed by the charity(see note 15) 31/08/23 £ Restricted 4,500 Unrestricted 1,531 Total creditors 6,031 Assets retained for the charity’s own use(see note 16)_ Apple iPad 2022 (NEW) Purchased 05/12/22 iPhone 7 Plus (>1 year old) Purchased 27/12/21 Dell XPS13 9300 laptop (>2 year old) Purchased 27/10/20 TOTAL VALUE |
31/08/22 £ 46,574 31/08/22 £ 2,909 31/08/22 £ - 1,331 1,331 £869 (100%) £115 (75%) £929 (50%) |
|
|---|---|---|
| £1,913 |
Notes to the Accounts
Receipts
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1) Donations include cash donations from individuals and organisations, including Gift Aid where appropriate, as well as income from affiliate schemes. Restricted amounts £0 (2021/22 - £80).
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2) Fees include the income from OSCAR’s ‘extra services’: the annual package (profile page & vacancies) and the posting of individual vacancies on the website.
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3) Includes grants from four charitable trusts (2021/22 - £7,000)
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4) One unrestricted legacy payment was received with no further residual payments due.
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5) The restricted amount is for an advance contribution made by CRE towards the Mission on the Map (MOTM) exhibition in Nov 2023. This is for OSCAR to make a refund of £500 to each of ten mission organisations participating in the exhibition. Only three of these were paid out within the year. The rest, including a £1000 refund due back to CRE, are included in creditors (see note 15).
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6) Includes bank interest and expenses reimbursed
Payments
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7) Amounts paid to the trustees for travel to trustee meetings amounted to £0 (2021/2022 - £0). No remuneration was paid to trustees in the year (2021/2022 - £0) except as detailed in Note 10.
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8) Insurances include charity liability, trustee indemnity insurance, contents and cyber insurance, which all come under one policy.
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9) Grants given relate exclusively this year to payments made from the TCK/Xenos restricted donations
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10) Other payments refers to the fee for the independent examination (£220).
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11) The Restricted total is all from the TCK/Xenos fund.
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12) Related Party Disclosures
Mr Michael J Frith, trustee, was paid fees and pension contributions for his services as the charity director totalling £38,337 (2021/2022 - £32,180) in the year ended 31 August 2023. This comprised of £24,245 in self-employment payments and gross remuneration of £14,092 from employment. OSCAR pays a 6% pension contribution into a private stakeholder pension for Mr Frith. He also received £2492 (2021/2022 - £1137) for claimed travel, meals and accommodation expenses or where items were paid for with cash and subsequently reimbursed from the charity. The charity received specific permission from the Charity Commission on 26/11/16 to appoint a member of staff as a trustee, providing authority for these payments for services.
The charity’s insurance provides trustee indemnity cover.
Cash Funds
- 13) Cash Funds constitutes the following:
| HSBC communityacc. | £7434.01 |
|---|---|
| HSBC deposit acc. | £35201.97 |
| PayPal acc. | £1036.95 |
| TOTAL | £43672.93 |
Debtors
- 14) Includes outstanding invoices and office rent advance payment.
Creditors
- 15) Includes office rent portion, expenses due, exhibition grant payments and refunds promised but not yet made, and Independent Examination fee.
Assets & Liabilities
- 16) Items are grouped together under the year of purchase. Single items over £100 in value are listed separately. The cost of tangible fixed assets is written-off by equal annual instalments over their expected useful lives (4 years).
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF OSCAR UK
I report on the accounts of the Trust for the year ended 31 August 2023
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to:
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examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act;
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to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and
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to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of independent examiner’s report
My examination was carried out in accordance with the general 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 you as 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 matter has come to my attention:
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1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements
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to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; and
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to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and to comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act.
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2) have not been met; or to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Mrs Mary Adlard Pippins Accountancy Services The Pippins Gambles Lane Woodmancote Cheltenham GL52 9PU
Date: 28/09/2023