unity Church ~ River of Life (Haverhill) Annual Report and accounts 2024/2025
Rolcc.org.uk
Index
| Legal and Administrative Details | Pages 2 - 3 |
|---|---|
| Trustees’ Report | Pages 4 - 8 |
| Independent Examination’s Report | Page 9 |
| Receipts and Payments Account | Page 10 |
| Statement of Assets and Liabilities | Page 11 |
| Notes to Accounts | Pages 12 - 13 |
Registered Address: Chalkstone Community Centre, Millfields Way, Haverhill, CB9 0JB Registered Charity No. 1115810 Page 1
RIVER OF LIFE COMMUNITY CHURCH (HAVERHILL)
LEGAL & ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
Trustees
Paul Turner (reinstated 22 May 2023) David Howell (resigned 09 2023) Joanna Nicholas (Chair from April 2018) Roy Graham Henry Wilson (resigned 09 2023)
Book Keeper Angela Wilson
Key staff Paul Turner (Pastor) Jacqueline Lowry (Operations co-ordinator) Jenna Keenan (LHOH Manager)
Governing Document CIO Constitution as accepted by the Charities Commission 22 July 2019
Charity Registration Number 1115810
Registered Office Chalkstone Community Centre Millfields Way Haverhill Suffolk CB9 0JB
Lisa King FCCA MAAT Burdett King Accountancy Limited Tel: 07825 317323
Independent Examiner
Registered Address: Chalkstone Community Centre, Millfields Way, Haverhill, CB9 0JB Registered Charity No. 1115810
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Banks
Nat West 18 High Street Newmarket CB8 8LH
Kingdom Bank Ltd Ruddington Fields Business Park Mere Way Ruddington Nottingham NG 11 6JS Limited
Registered Address: Chalkstone Community Centre, Millfields Way, Haverhill, CB9 0JB Registered Charity No. 1115810
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RIVER OF LIFE COMMUNITY CHURCH (HAVERHILL)
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 2023.
Charitable Objects: this is why we exist.
a) to advance the Christian faith in accordance with our Statement of Beliefs in Haverhill and the surrounding area and in such other parts of the United Kingdom or the World as the trustees may from time to time think fit and other such purposes which are exclusively charitable according to the law of England and Wales and are connected to the charitable work of the Charity;
b) to relieve persons who are in conditions of need and hardship and sickness and who may be aged and to relieve the distress caused thereby in Haverhill and the surrounding area in such other parts of the United Kingdom or the World as the Trustees may from time-to-time think fit.
c) to further or benefit the residents of Haverhill and the surrounding area by associating together the said residents and the local authorities, voluntary and other organisations in a common effort to advance education and to provide facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation and leisure time occupation with the objective of improving the conditions of life for the residents.
Chair of Trustees Report
With regards to our Charitable Aims, the continuation of ‘Little Hub of Hope’ from its beginnings in summer 2022, initially as a suicide prevention/support group, which has now expanded to support improving mental health through connection and creativity is certainly benefitting our community. The hub has linked with other mental wellbeing initiatives within the town and church communities, and these are providing a range of support to those who are taking up the services. Our thoughts for the progression of this initiative now turn to identifying funding streams to help expand and develop this further.
We have continued to support and promote the activities within the community which promote the Christian Faith, including the Christmas and Good Friday activities jointly with the Churches Together in Haverhill and District, the work of Haverhill and District Youth for Christ and the support of workers in East Africa, working in their own communities.
We continue to support the work of Reach Community Projects to alleviate financial and social poverty in our community.
Registered Address: Chalkstone Community Centre, Millfields Way, Haverhill, CB9 0JB Registered Charity No. 1115810
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The Church has joined with ‘Pioneer’, a network of Churches with a common aim. This network assists in providing peer support to church workers, whether employed or voluntary, through networking opportunities and development accordingly. River of Life, Haverhill was officially welcomed as a Pioneer Church at the Leadership conference held in February 2024.
Following our unsuccessful search for a new Senior Leader in 2022-3, we began the search again in 2024, with Paul Turner staying in post for an additional 15 months (to August 2024) to accommodate the search. We were able to use the lessons learned previously, along with our connections with the Pioneer Network to appoint a new leader in Autumn 2024. Paul will be standing down as a Trustee at that time, and we have been actively in discussions with others about joining the team of Trustees.
Like many charitable organisations, we have noted a reduction in the number and willingness of volunteers to return to the roles that were being filled prior to the lockdowns in 2020, and so we have been actively recruiting volunteers during this time and will do so moving forwards. This is particularly relevant with respect to our Trustees, as we have two Trustees who stood down in 2023 due to ill-health, or other commitments.
Finally, I would just like to say thank you to all those who support the work of our charity, whether financially or in practical ways. We really couldn’t do it without you and as trustees we do appreciate your support.
Joanna Nicholas
Chair of Trustees
Organisation
Our trustees have responsibility for the overall running of the trust, in particular the financial activities that enable the working of the trust. The spiritual side of the church is overseen by the Leadership Team. However, both the trustees and the Leadership Team recognise the need to communicate well and to not take actions that involve committing sizeable resources without agreement between the two bodies.
The Leadership Team delegate responsibilities as appropriate to individuals who lead teams within the church, for instance connect group leaders, children's leaders, music leaders etc.
Financial Review
| ITEM ~~=~~ |
POLICY ~~=~~ |
~~=~~ | ROLCC ~~=~~ |
CCC ~~=~~ |
~~=~~ | MINIMUM RESERVES 24/25 ~~=~~ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salaries ~~=~~ |
2 months ~~=~~ |
~~=~~ | £3,880 ~~=~~ |
£5,820 ~~=~~ |
~~=~~ | £9,700 ~~=~~ |
| Running costs ~~=~~ |
2 months ~~=~~ |
~~=~~ | £10,176 ~~=~~ |
£3,392 ~~=~~ |
~~=~~ | £13,568 ~~=~~ |
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| £23,268 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ITEM | POLICY | ROLCC | CCC | MINIMUM RESERVES 23/24 |
||||
| Salaries | 2 months | £2,571 | £3,449 | £6,020 | ||||
| Runningcosts | 2 months | £6,350 | £2,075 | £8,425 | ||||
| £8,921 | £5,524 | £14,445 | ||||||
additional funds were received through loans and mortgages. Total Expenditure including fixed asset purchases and loan repayments was £131,935. As a result, the cash held by the charity reduced by £9,821 to £85,240. Unrestricted cash held at the year-end is £85,240 although £19,922 of these funds are currently designated for other purposes. These designated funds could be used for general purposes should the need arise, and therefore, the Trustees are confident the reserves are in line with the trustees reserves policy.
Reserves: Our policy is to keep 2 months of core operational costs.
Risk Statement: The trustees are aware of the need to manage the risks associated with running our charity and seek to identify, monitor, review and develop our ability to manage those risks on an ongoing basis.
Public benefit statement: The trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the charity commission on public benefit as reflected in the structure of ROLCC.
Appointing trustees: The Chair of the trustees will approach individuals who have been in the church for some time and who are known and considered to have skills that benefit good governance. A potential trustee is invited to attend a trustee meeting prior to deciding if the role is correct for them. A new trustee is given a copy of the governing documents, the staff handbook (which includes all policies) and recent accounts plus a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check.
Trustees
Roy Graham, Jo Nicholas, Paul Turner
Mission: To take responsibility for the legal and financial running of the organisation. All teams are accountable to the trustees.
Leadership Team
Paul Turner, Bill Reynolds, Steve Watts, Annette Illingworth
Registered Address: Chalkstone Community Centre, Millfields Way, Haverhill, CB9 0JB Registered Charity No. 1115810
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Mission: To uphold the vision, values, direction, cultures, and spiritual health of the church and all its activities. To put the annual vision and programme into practice. To oversee the general wellbeing of the church congregation.
Church Life
In 2023 /4:
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We held Church gatherings on a Sunday morning, we also stream this via Facebook as a way of enabling those unable to get out to join us.
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In addition to the usual worship and preaching / teaching our Sunday mornings followed the following structure from January 2024:
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1[st] Sunday is community Sunday. We invite another community group or regular hirer from the Chalkstone to share about their project. We then pray for them and encourage people to consider volunteering. On these Sundays we sometimes had a bring and share lunch after the service. Community groups that have been included or invited are: Town Pastors, Befrienders, Little Hub of Hope, REACH, the Hearing Clinic, Open Mind and Haverhill and District youth for Christ.
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2[nd] Sunday for the first six months we sought to include speakers from ROLCC on a theme of miracles in the Bible.
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3[rd] Sunday we sought to have teaching on a book of the Bible and to hear about overseas missions.
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4[th] Sunday is Communion and a message to support this theme.
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We have also had the occasional visiting speaker.
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We have a Sunday Children’s church for children up to 7 years old.
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We had mid week ‘connect’ groups in peoples homes. Connect group are smaller church gatherings for prayer, Bible study and friendship.
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We held an online connect group.
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We had Regular prayer meetings
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We provided a church Bible reading programme
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We took part in the annual Good Friday services with Churches Together.
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In July 2023 we partnered with the local town council in a Funday on the field near our community centre
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In September 2023 we took part in the ‘Ride and Stride’ event whereby people visit a number of churches in the region.
We also continued to offer support to organisations in developing countries as well as some local organisations. These include:
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New Life homes and Barnabus Ministries in Kenya
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REACH community projects
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Haverhill and District Churches together
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Haverhill and District Youth for Christ
During 2023/24 we continued to look for a new Church leader. Our current Pastor, Paul Turner will step down in August 2024 and a new leader Alién Cañizares will start on 1[st] September.
Registered Address: Chalkstone Community Centre, Millfields Way, Haverhill, CB9 0JB Registered Charity No. 1115810
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Working with Others
We are part of the Evangelical Alliance, as well as part of Haverhill District Churches Together working with other mainstream Christian denominations for the greater good in the town. We have a good relationship with the local government having been given the Community Centre we now own back in 2015, and a plot of land from 2011. At the Pioneer Leadership conference in February 2024 ROLCC was officially welcomed in to the Pioneer Network.
Chalkstone Community Centre
“A Resource for our community and the Home of River of Life Community Church”
Community Focused
The Chalkstone Community Centre was transferred into our ownership in 2015 by the local authority with the understanding that it would continue to be somewhere the local community could hire as well as a base for our church. Since then we have developed the centre and significantly increased the use by the local community. We see the centre as an expression of our desire to be a community focused church. The building is used throughout the week by an assortment of support groups, community activity clubs and private parties.
The Community Centre is self-funded as the lettings income covers all costs and provides a space for The River of Life Community Church. The relationship benefits both parties and allows for the community to be in the Church building 7 days a week and for the Church to be visible to the community every day. Should the Church wish to use the facilities more often then they can book rooms in the same way that the public can.
Projects
LHOH is a support group for anyone who is struggling with their mental health. We offer peer support and creative activities to support and promote wellbeing.
Registered Address: Chalkstone Community Centre, Millfields Way, Haverhill, CB9 0JB Registered Charity No. 1115810
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Responsibilities of the 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:
…………………………………………………………..
Joanna Nicholas
Date: 2 October 2024
Registered Address: Chalkstone Community Centre, Millfields Way, Haverhill, CB9 0JB Registered Charity No. 1115810 Page 9
Registered Address: Chalkstone Community Centre, Millfields Way, Haverhill, CB9 0JB Registered Charity No. 1115810
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02.10.2024
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Registered Address: Chalkstone Community Centre, Millfields Way, Haverhill, CB9 0JB Registered Charity No. 1115810
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Registered Address: Chalkstone Community Centre, Millfields Way, Haverhill, CB9 0JB Registered Charity No. 1115810
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Registered Address: Chalkstone Community Centre, Millfields Way, Haverhill, CB9 0JB Registered Charity No. 1115810
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