Velmore Church
Report and Accounts Year ended 31 March 2023
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VELMORE CHURCH
LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023
ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE
Falkland Road Chandler's Ford Eastleigh SO53 3GY
GOVERNING DOCUMENT
Declaration of Trust dated December 1966, amended February 2002 and November 2007
CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER 1102248
TRUSTEES RESPONSIBLE FOR Andrew Watt MANAGING THE CHARITY Richard Stannard Jonathan Cox
BANKERS Lloyds Bank plc Santander UK plc INDEPENDENT EXAMINER Jaimée Young Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage LONDON EC1Y 8AB
INDEX
Page 1 Legal and Administrative Details Pages 2-4 Trustees' Report Page 5 Independent Examiner's Report Page 6 Receipts and Payments Account Page 7 Statement of Assets & Liabilities Page 8 Notes to the Accounts
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VELMORE CHURCH
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023
The Trustees have pleasure in submitting the Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023.
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 hold the property known as Velmore Chapel for the use of believers for preaching the gospel, worship and prayer, and ministry of the Word.
Summary of the charity's main activities and achievements
To further the above objects and vision, the charity's main activities have been focussed on providing a place for Christian worship and witness, and reaching out to serve the community of all ages around the church. The main achievements were as follows:
During the year the regular Sunday services have been continued to benefit from the ministry of a good number of visiting speakers. We have also been encouraged by the number of those of our regular worshippers who continue to lead or preach at our regular services, and the variety of styles and approaches we enjoy as a result. Themes have included:
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‘Living as the family of God’ based on 1 John;
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‘What is Church?’ looking at both its foundation in Christ, and its purposes; and
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‘Key questions asked of Jesus’ as recorded in the gospel of Luke.
The midweek Wednesday evening meetings ceased to be on Zoom after the Winter term and returned to being in-person at the Velmore Centre and the ease of face-to-face discussion has led to some engaging and profitable times spent in Bible study and prayer. The Wednesday morning prayer meeting is now also firmly established as another key focus for the prayer-life of the church.
With the departure of our community worker, Jamie, earlier than expected at the end of May 2022, we currently have no employed workers, but the church has been prayerfully reflecting on the future direction for the church. The Church leaders have met with a number of Leaders from other churches to draw on their experience in appointing a new Pastor/worker. The church leaders need to be satisfied that the whole church is committed to the support (including financial) of such a Pastor before any firm proposals are put before the church membership.
The church has continued to engage with the local community in various ways. The Sunday meal services which have become a tradition within the Velmore Community were held in April, August and February and were well attended.
Regular Church services have continued to be held in Surrey Court the local sheltered housing flats. These are generally attended by a number of residents who have difficulty accessing services outside their premises. Church meetings with a social flavour have also been held in Fernhill another sheltered accommodation home. These meetings generally are arranged every first and third Sunday of the month and again serve a community who struggle to access outside activities and are often lonely and isolated.
The Church Toddler group has continued to run on Tuesday mornings and as there are no youngsters of the church currently this is only attended by local community parents/guardians/children.
A small team of Church volunteers stepped in to lead Kids' Club after Jamie’s departure. This continues to run on a monthly basis on a Sunday afternoon and though attendance remains small, the families who attend do so regularly and appreciatively.
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The church members continue to support the events of the Velmore Community Centre. Besides supporting the special events such as the Fayres, some members regularly volunteer in the Community Café with the express desire to integrate the Christian message and ethos into the community. In June the Church and Community Centre worked together to produce a Jubilee tea to mark the Platinum Jubilee of the late Queen Elizabeth II to which members of the church and community came.
In planning the activities the Trustees have applied the guidance on public benefit issued by the Charity Commission.
Financial review
During the year income increased by £4,100, to £26,000, and expenditure decreased by £15,400, to £13,300. As a result the cash held by the charity increased by £12,700. At year end the charity held unrestricted cash of £39,200 which 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 £18,000 (which is an estimate of the equivalent - over three years (£6,000 p.a.) - of the potential shortfall between income and total expenses including the anticipated cost of employing a fulltime worker on a fixed term contract of up to three years). At the year end, the charity held unrestricted cash of £39,195 and the charity is complying with its reserves policy.
Governance
Responsibility for setting policy and for making operating decisions rest with the trustees who meet regularly to monitor the activities of the charity. New trustees are recruited and appointed by the existing 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:
A Watt R Stannard
____ ____ Andrew Watt Richard Stannard
Date:2nd October 2024___
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INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT
TO THE TRUSTEES OF
VELMORE CHURCH
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Velmore Church ('the charity') for the year ended 31 March 2023 on pages 6 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:
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accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; or
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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: 03 October 2024
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VELMORE CHURCH
RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023
| Notes Income receipts Donations Interest Capital and similar receipts Total receipts Payments Total payments Transfers between funds 5 Net movement in funds Cash funds as at last year end Cash funds at this year end A Net of receipts / (payments) before transfers Loan repayments Payments in relation to charitable activities undertaken directly Grants paid in relation to charitable activities undertaken by others Loans made |
General Designated Funds Funds £ £ 25,077 - 82 - 25,159 - - - - - 25,159 - 12,552 - - - 12,552 - - - - - 12,552 - 12,607 - (338) - 12,269 - 26,926 - 39,195 - Unrestricted Funds |
Restricted Funds £ 844 - 844 - - 844 - 746 746 - - 746 98 338 436 20 456 |
Total 2023 £ 25,921 82 26,003 - - 26,003 12,552 746 13,298 - - 13,298 12,705 - 12,705 26,946 39,651 |
Total 2022 £ |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Funds £ 25,077 82 25,159 - - 25,159 12,552 - 12,552 - - 12,552 12,607 (338) 12,269 26,926 39,195 |
|||||
| 21,887 5 |
|||||
| 21,892 | |||||
| - | |||||
| - | |||||
| 21,892 | |||||
| 25,673 3,005 |
|||||
| 28,678 | |||||
| - | |||||
| - | |||||
| 28,678 | |||||
| (6,785) - |
|||||
| (6,785) 33,731 |
|||||
| 26,946 |
The notes on page 8 form part of these accounts.
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VELMORE CHURCH
STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023
| A Cash funds Cash at bank with immediate access Notice deposits B Other monetary assets Gift aid due to charity C Liabilities Falling due within one year: Taxes due Fee for Independent Examination Accrued expenses D Assets retained for charity's own use *Church premises and outbuildings Church contents |
General Designated funds funds £ £ 25,255 - 13,941 - 39,195 - - - - - - 630 - 3,100 - 3,730 - Unrestricted Funds |
Restricted funds £ 456 - 456 - - - - - - |
Total 2023 £ 25,710 13,941 39,651 - - - 630 3,100 3,730 Value 2023 £ 1,694,335 48,275 1,742,610 |
Total 2022 £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13,035 13,911 |
||||
| 26,946 | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| - - 2,800 |
||||
| 2,800 | ||||
| Value 2022 £ |
||||
| 1,355,619 37,912 |
||||
| 1,393,531 |
The trustees have used insurance values as the trustees are unable to reliably estimate current values; insurance values may differ materially from current values.
*The building used by the church is leased from Eastleigh Borough Council. The lease expires in 2031.
E Investment assets
| Income bonds | Value 2023 £ 4,000 4,000 |
Value 2022 £ |
|---|---|---|
| 4,000 | ||
| 4,000 |
The accounts were approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf
by A Watt R Stannard date 02/10/2024 _____Andrew Watt _____Richard Stannard _____
The notes on page 8 form part of these accounts.
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VELMORE CHURCH
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023
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 Building and facilities Church activities 3 Grants and gifts paid to others Organisations: Organisations > £1,000 Organisations < £1,000 Individuals |
Unrestrict | Designated funds £ - - - - - - - - ed Funds |
Restricted Funds £ - - - - - 601 145 746 |
Total 2023 £ 2,406 2,851 7,295 12,552 - 601 145 746 |
Total 2022 £ |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General funds £ 2,406 2,851 7,295 12,552 - - - - |
||||||
| 18,307 4,003 3,363 |
||||||
| 25,673 | ||||||
| - 2,815 190 |
||||||
| 3,005 |
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 Restricted funds Pastor fund Winchester Beacon Other Mission Total funds |
Opening balance £ 26,926 26,926 - 20 - 20 26,946 |
Receipts £ 25,159 25,159 - 276 568 # 844 26,003 |
Payments £ (12,552) (12,552) - - (746) (746) (13,298) |
Transfers £ (338) (338) - - 338 338 - |
Closing balance £ 39,195 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 39,195 | |||||
| - 296 160 |
|||||
| 456 | |||||
| 39,651 |
Winchester Beacon: donations given in support of the charity Winchester Churches Nightshelter [CC reg. 1080443] (aka The Winchester Beacon) Other mission: collections for supported charities and missionaries.
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