Velmore Church
Report and Accounts Year ended 31 March 2024
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VELMORE CHURCH
LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
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 MANAGING THE CHARITY
BANKERS INDEPENDENT EXAMINER
Andrew Watt Richard Stannard Jonathan Cox Lloyds Bank plc Santander UK plc
Jaimée Young Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage LONDON EC1Y 8AB
INDEX
Page 2 Legal and Administrative Details Pages 3-4 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 2024
The Trustees have pleasure in submitting the Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2024.
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:
Over the past year, the leaders have continued to make progress toward appointing a new pastor for the church. The leaders have spent time in prayer, in preparing a person and job description, and writing an advert for a new pastor. The advert will be published in the next financial year. We believe that the Lord will lead and direct us in this matter as he has in the past. It is also worth mentioning that we are delighted to have both our previous pastors and their wives back at Velmore, playing an active role in the fellowship.
We have seen new folks joining us on Sundays, which has been a real encouragement. We also note that several of our elderly friends have been called home to be with the Lord since our last report. We have fond memories of all of them and hope to meet again.
Once again during the past year we have been blessed in our Sunday services in our times of worship and in the faithful preaching of God’s Word by visiting speakers and by our own folks. We are blessed indeed to have so many who are willing to give their time to prepare and preach. We have welcomed a new speaker, Richard Cole, as well as many ‘old’ friends and representatives of the various missions that Velmore supports. We are particularly grateful to Shaun Sweeney, who came to us for four Sundays, plus Good Friday, in the approach to Easter. Our subjects on Sundays have included:
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A selection of psalms
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Colossians
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Daniel
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The Light of the World (Advent and Christmas)
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John’s Gospel
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‘Roads’ (leading to Easter)
On Wednesday evenings, where we have seen increased attendance, our subjects for discussion have included:
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When God doesn’t fix it
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Transformed (becoming like God’s Son)
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Gospel in Life (Tim Keller)
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Service
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Vital Christianity (the books of 2 Timothy and Titus)
We have also had special evenings of prayer for local, national and international missions. We have held special Sunday services, including a Carol Service which was well attended, and a number of meal services, which have become increasingly popular with friends from the community. Around 70 people have attended the most recent of these, which is close to the maximum we could accommodate. We also held a fun afternoon in August for friends from the community which was wellreceived. The Church also had a stall at the Velmore Centre Christmas Fayre, where we sold homemade cakes and invited people to our Christmas services. All these times help us build bridges with our local community, as does our regular contact with people in the Centre Café.
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Another task the leaders have accomplished this year is writing material for a new website for the church (www.velmore.org): we are very grateful to Gareth for his technical help in this area. Other ways people in Velmore church keep in touch include an informal WhatsApp group, where there is usually a daily thought and prayer, a weekly praise and prayer sheet and a monthly bulletin. Gratitude is a word that sums up much of what we feel, looking back. Gratitude to everyone who comes to Velmore for their loyal support, and gratitude to God, who has blessed us in so many ways. We do not take anything for granted. Although prayer is not a magic formula where God acts like a genie (‘your wish is my command’) we do believe that it is no coincidence that we have seen blessing at Velmore this year at a time when there has been increased prayer, particularly in our Wednesday meetings. Let’s keep going as we look to the future, committing our way to the One who can do ‘immeasurably more that we can ask or imagine.’
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 £8,700, to £34,700, and expenditure decreased by £3,400, to £9,900. As a result the cash held by the charity increased by £24,800. At year end the charity held unrestricted cash of £64,100 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 £64,132 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:
_JCox__ AWatt_____
Jonathan Cox Andrew Watt
Date:_22_January_2025________
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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 2024 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: 23 January 2025
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VELMORE CHURCH
RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
| 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 Payments in relation to charitable activities undertaken directly Grants paid in relation to charitable activities undertaken by others |
General Designated Funds Funds £ £ 33,553 - 262 - 33,815 - - - 33,815 - 8,059 - - - 8,059 - 8,059 - 25,756 - (819) - 24,937 - 39,195 - 64,132 - Unrestricted Funds |
Restricted Funds £ 851 - 851 - 851 - 1,816 1,816 1,816 (965) 819 (147) 456 309 |
Total 2024 £ 34,403 262 34,665 - 34,665 8,059 1,816 9,875 9,875 24,790 - 24,790 39,651 64,441 |
Total 2023 £ 25,921 82 26,003 - 26,003 12,552 746 13,298 13,298 12,705 - 12,705 26,946 39,650 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 2024
| 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 £ £ 50,062 - 14,070 - 64,132 - - - - - - 630 - 3,100 - 3,730 - Unrestricted Funds |
Restricted funds £ 309 - 309 - - - - - - |
Total 2024 £ 50,371 14,070 64,441 - - - 630 3,100 3,730 Value 2024 £ 1,734,999 48,275 1,783,274 |
Total 2023 £ 25,710 13,941 39,651 - - - 630 3,100 3,730 Value 2023 £ 1,694,335 48,275 1,742,610 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 2024 £ 4,000 4,000 |
Value 2023 £ 4,000 4,000 |
|---|---|---|
The accounts were approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf
by JCox___ Jonathan Cox
AWatt___ Andrew Watt
date
_22_January_2025______
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 2024
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 Individuals |
Unrestrict | Designated funds £ - - - - - - - ed Funds |
Restricted Funds £ - - - - 1,529 287 1,816 |
Total 2024 £ - 4,805 3,254 8,059 1,529 287 1,816 |
Total 2023 £ 2,406 2,851 7,295 12,552 601 145 746 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General funds £ - 4,805 3,254 8,059 - - - |
- 4 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 Winchester Beacon Other Mission Total funds |
Opening balance £ 39,195 39,195 296 160 456 39,651 |
Receipts £ 33,815 33,815 282 569 851 34,665 |
Payments £ (8,059) (8,059) 558 - (1,258) (1,816) (9,875) |
Transfers £ (819) (819) - 819 819 - |
Closing balance £ 64,132 64,132 20 289 309 64,441 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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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