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← Oscar UK Information Service For World Mission

2025-08-31-accounts

Annual Report and Financial Statements

For the year ended 31[st ] August 2025

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 Mr. Michael J. Frith Mr. Mark Billage Mrs. Gemma Locke (Appointed 02/10/2024) Mrs. Susan O’Dell (Resigned 09/06/2025)

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:

  1. provide a comprehensive resource for United Kingdom missionaries and overseas Christian workers

  2. research new ways of providing more effective transport and propagation of the Trust's services

  3. provide a network for mission organisations, associations and services in order to pool resources and

  4. 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 five 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 is employed. In addition to these, four volunteers helped at exhibitions, with research and with database checking.

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.

'Thank you for all you do through Oscar - in keeping cross-cultural mission on the map at so many events, giving us all a platform to advertise roles and opportunities and providing such a range of resources and guidance for people in mission. It’s a brilliant ministry!'

Philip Bingham, CMS Mission Personnel Manager

Review of the Year, Achievements and Performance

Website

Website visits continued to climb during the year from around 38,000 to 44,000 per month (16% increase). Website ‘hits’ (all webpages/files downloaded/accessed) now consistently measure around 1 million per month.

At the start of 2023, we began the process of refreshing the website and moving it from one development platform (Zend) to another (Laravel). Whilst we were able to do a lot of research and preliminary work, our web developer was diagnosed with cancer in the latter part of 2023 followed by lengthy treatment that took over a year. Unfortunately, he died in June 2025. At the start of 2025 we brought in another web developer to assist him and that developer has now taken over the whole project. We plan to launch our new website in late 2025.

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 (1.9K followers), X - formerly Twitter (2175 followers), Linkedin (310 followers) and Instagram (605 followers), in order to provide OSCAR’s advice and services beyond our regular user base.

Organisation Participation

We have an open content management system, where organisations and churches can have their own account and update their own information, jobs/opportunities, events and resources. We had 67 new organisations join us during the year meaning the number of organisations having online accounts with us stood at 768 at year end.

We advertised 1572 opportunities during the year, averaging 131 each month. This is just over 300 down on the previous year reflecting the general slump in the UK jobs market.

'We’re very pleased with the personalised service and would highly recommend OSCAR. Our data shows a clear return on investment, with applicants specifically stating they heard about the vacancy through the platform. I just pulled a report on my side and can see a couple that have selected Oscar under the question, "Where did you hear about the vacancy?" For me, Oscar will be a regular platform on which to advertise our roles.'

Lori van Wyk, Talent Acquisition Specialist, Compassion UK

Our directories now include 841 agencies, 919 service providers, 1185 missionminded churches, 1204 resources and 41 events.

All organisations and churches on our database (over 2500 in total) were sent an annual email during the year informing them of our services and highlighting how OSCAR can benefit them in their own mission or ministry.

OSCAR Email Newsletters

Subscription to our main monthly OSCAR Update email climbed 15% to 3089. Our three other mailing lists, some of which have increased in subscribers by nearly 30%, include our email news to organisations who utilise our services (675), to churches who have requested it (1851), and to individuals looking for opportunities (2764). These are tailored with advice, information and news relevant to them.

Conference Exhibitions

This year we participated in five major conference exhibitions and a number of smaller one day events. 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, especially those at new events who have never heard of OSCAR. The cost of exhibiting at many big Christian events has increased significantly in the last few years and, with our increase in online activity, we are currently weighing up whether physical exhibitions is still a cost effective way for OSCAR to profile jobs and resources going forward.

Training &Consultancy services

During the year we carried out a mix of online and in-person training courses/sessions. These numbered 11 in total.

Office Situation

Whilst all OSCAR workers now work from home, we still retain a storage room at the City Works building in Gloucester (mostly for exhibition equipment) and have occasional free use of two rooms belonging to another charity, suitable for training and meetings. The building remains our official address and post is collected for us by GRC Ltd, who own the building.

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 if the grant allows. 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 £24,085 (2024 - £38,783) equates to 36% of the total annual expenditure figure. Our overall income for the year was 22% less than our expenditure. The charity still ended the year in a healthy position financially.

Signed by

Date 21/10/2025

Michael Frith, Trustee (on behalf of all trustees)

Receipts and Payments Account for the year ended 31[st ] August 2025

Receipts and Payments Accounts 2024/25 2023/24
Unrestricted Restricted Total Total
Note £ £ £ £
Receipts
Donations 1) 3,015 242 3,257 1,748
Sponsorship 2,652 2,652 1,890
Fees 2) 33,970 33,970 35,437
Grants 3) 2,500 2,000 4,500 11,000
Training services 1,951 1,951 3,210
Exhibitions 4,919 4,919 5,171
Office 0 0 926
Other income 4) 711 711 948
Total Receipts 49,718 2,242 51,960 60,330
Payments
Fundraising and Publicity 41 41 19
Charitable payments:
Office 360 360 1,359
General admin 249 249 221
Website direct costs 630 630 654
Website development 4,325 2,000 6,325 3,020
Worker development 0 0 19
Travel 5) 759 759 738
Equipment purchase 49 49 214
Workers 51,960 51,960 49,245
Insurances 6) 606 606 588
Training services 510 510 232
Exhibitions 4,696 4,696 8,535
Job sponsorship 0 0 4
Grants given 7) 0 124 124 76
Other payments 8) 230 230 220
Total Payments 64,415 2,124 66,539 65,144
Net (Payments) -14,697 118 -14,579 -4,814
Cash funds last year end 38,783 76 38,859 43,673
Cash funds this year end 9) 24,086 194 24,280 38,859

The above Receipts and Payments Account was approved by the trustees on 21/10/2025 and is signed on their behalf by trustee Michael Frith

Assets & Liabilities

Cash Funds_(see note 11)
31/08/25
£
24,280

Debtors
Amounts owing to the charity(see note 12)
31/08/25

£
1,582

Creditors
Amounts owed by the charity(see note 13)
31/08/25

£
604

Assets retained for the charity’s own use(see note 14)_
Various equipment (NEW)
Purchased 24/25
iPhone 11 (>1 year old)
Purchased 31/07/24
Apple iPad 2022 (>2 year old)
Purchased 05/12/22
iPhone 7 Plus (>3 year old)
Purchased 27/12/21		 31/08/24
£
38,860
31/08/24
£
1,137
31/08/24
£
485
£49 (100%)
£160 (75%)
£435 (50%)
£38 (25%)

TOTAL VALUE

£682

Notes to the Accounts

Receipts

Payments

10) Related Party Disclosures

Mr Michael J Frith, trustee, was paid salary and pension contributions for his services as the charity director totalling £42,210 (2023/2024 - £40,100) in the year ended 31 August 2025. OSCAR pays a 6% pension contribution into a private stakeholder pension for Mr Frith. He also received £1706 (2023/2024 - £2367) for claimed travel, meals and

accommodation expenses 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

11) Cash Funds constitutes the following:

Epworth Cash Plus £10034.26
HSBC BMM £10000.00
HSBC Community £3062.44
PayPal £1183.63
TOTAL £24280.33

Debtors

Creditors

Assets & Liabilities

Independent Examiner's report on the unaudited accounts to the trustees of OSCAR UK

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 August 2025.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity’s trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).

I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all 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 that in any material respect:

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or

  2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

  3. 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 this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Mary Adlard The Pippins Gambles Lane Woodmancote Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL52 9PU Date: 21/10/2025