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← Churchcentral Trust

2024-03-31-accounts

CHURCHCENTRAL TRUST

TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS for the year ended 31 March 2024

Central House, 13 Ravenhurst St, Birmingham, B12 0HD www.churchcentral.org.uk hello@churchcentral.org.uk

CONTENTS

Trustees’ Annual Report 3 to 16
Independent Examiner’s Report 17
Statement of Financial Activities 18
Balance Sheet 19
Cashflow Statement 20
Notes to the Accounts 21 to 28

CENTRAL HOUSE, 13 RAVENHURST ST, BIRMINGHAM, B12 0HD

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The trustees, who are the charity's Directors for the purposes of company law, have pleasure in submitting the Report and Accounts for the year.

Churchcentral was started over 25 years ago, as a small house church, and since then has grown to be a family of churches serving the communities of the city of Birmingham. The Church is not a building, but a gathering of ordinary people of different ages and backgrounds, whose lives have been changed by Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The New Testament picture of the Church is one of a community of people, properly taught and cared for who, by loving and serving Jesus Christ, are also committed to love and care for each other and be a blessing to the area in which they live. Churchcentral, its trustees, elders and members are committed to the restoration of those New Testament principles, and the vision of Churchcentral is to see Jesus the most talked about person in Birmingham, to be for the good of the city and to impact nations.

OBJECTIVES

The charity is a charitable company and is governed by its memorandum and articles of association. The objects of the charity, as set out in the governing document are:

2023-2024 AIMS, ACTIVITIES, AND ACHIEVEMENTS

Aims for the year

Our aims in the year were in alignment with our vision and charitable objects as listed above. Our main focuses for the year were:

  1. To advance the Christian faith and make Jesus the most talked about person in Birmingham by ensuring that members were knitted into a community with opportunities to grow in their faith as active participants, loving and worshipping God.

This was achieved through our services, small group gatherings, ministries, and events.

  1. To be for the good of our city, aiming to bring relief of the aged, poor, sick, and disabled, by serving the communities in and around our churches, especially looking to support those who were socially isolated, by providing a variety of opportunities to connect with others and where appropriate through practical help.

This was accomplished by:

Encouraging our members to serve Jesus and love others in all the contexts in which they are placed and equipping them to do this well.

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Running and developing ministries to serve specific communities and vulnerable individuals within our city, including families and children, young people, students, Christian artists, older people, those with English as an additional language such as refugees and asylum seekers and those leaving prison.

Partnering and supporting other organisations in Birmingham who seek to be for the good of the city.

  1. To advance the Christian faith abroad, continuing to impact nations through supporting the work of individuals and organisations abroad, pastorally, and financially.

Our specific plans were to:

MAIN ACTIVITIES AND ACHIEVEMENTS

The church has continued to grow, both in number and strength across the year. The church ended the year with 6 full time staff and 4 part time staff, however most of the activities are supported and carried out by volunteers, and none of our activities or achievements would be possible without their contribution. In the year over 150 people volunteered across our different church services and activities.

Hope Community Church

This was another encouraging year for Hope Community Church. Approximately 50 people now attend the church each Sunday, from 18 different nationalities. Each Sunday everyone gathers together to worship, but also to eat together which is a blessing and opportunity to celebrate the different cultures represented. 3 people were baptised in the year and over 55 people came for the Church Weekend Away at Cefn Lea in June 2023, several of whom were not believers.

We also continued to do many things outside of a Sunday morning, including a seminar on Overcoming Strongholds with David Devenish speaking, regular friendship meals with the opportunity for friends from outside of the church to be invited, and discipleship groups. The main achievement was the opening of the Food Pantry in July 2023, which is serving 35-40 people a week, some of whom are attending church services on a Sunday morning.

“In Hope Community Church we have found a new family who genuinely love and care for each other and a place we can grow in faith together.”

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Churchcentral North

The last year has been a year of strengthening and growth for Churchcentral North. Between 60 and 80 people were attending Sunday morning church services each week throughout the year, which is more than double the numbers 2 years ago. This has also included new people from a nearby estate and Hong Kong, both areas that the church has been working to reach. This has led to an increase in mid-week groups and activities, growth in all serving teams, and more people getting involved and engaged in belonging to the church. We also held our first baptism in our current venue.

The Ask Anything group meeting on Friday lunchtime has continued, and really enabled community to develop, and works to prevent isolation and loneliness. The church has also served the community in other ways, including taking part in the Wyerley Birch Festival of Fun for the third year running, feeding nearly 200 people by running the BBQ stand. Other events have also grown, including the church Christmas and Easter services.

We continue to hunt for a 'home of our own’ and have spent a lot of time considering, planning and praying about what we might use a space for and checking out venues.

“We joined Churchcentral after participating in a Welcome UK Course. Through this course, we learned a lot about British culture and well-being. We also discovered the leaders are Christians. Their enthusiastic teaching showed us the kindness and warmth of Christians. As a result, we decided to attend Churchcentral on Sundays. At church, we felt joy and love, and we came to understand God's gospel. We believe we will continue to grow in our knowledge of the Lord's righteousness and love.”

Churchcentral South

As a church we began the year living with a phrase that had been shared with us as a church, that described us entering a time of ‘ grafting and planting’ . It suggested we should expect to see numbers of people grafted into the church community from a range of backgrounds, as well as opportunities opening up to deliberately plant new church communities. We have seen God lead in bringing this to reality.

On Sunday mornings we gathered around 180 people, from a wider pool of 220, growing from the previous year, often filling every corner of our meeting room. We’ve seen a number of new people finding a home with us, settle in and begin to contribute to church life. Particularly since September, the number of students has really increased, with both Christians and those who are exploring faith getting knitted into community.

It was a joy to baptise four people throughout the year, and for each story to be celebrated. Hearing about the role community in Churchcentral South has played in catalysing people’s faith in Jesus was exciting. To help prompt meaningful growth in people’s walk with Jesus, we’ve continued pressing into Generosity Sundays - highlighting the counter-cultural call to be generous people - alongside our Action Groups, our microcommunities of 3-4 people who help each other put Jesus’ words into action.

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At Christmas, across two Carol Services, we saw dozens of guests join us to engage with the meaning of Christmas. A particular highlight was our Crafts & Carols event, a creative all-age service attended by over 200 people, including many families who connect in with our wider ministries.

After exploring community outreach opportunities in a range of locations in the south of Birmingham through the previous year, this year saw momentum really grow in Bournville, Northfield, the west of Birmingham and Shenley.

In Northfield, our outreach group has continued supporting several existing projects, as well as hosting outreach events alongside other churches in Northfield. In Bournville, creative community gatherings of many varieties have taken off, building webs of meaningful relationships between those in the church and those from the wider community. In the west of Birmingham, our Bearwood Community Group partners with other churches to support a Wellbeing Hub, offering activities such as Wellbeing Walks and a Food Pantry.

And in Shenley, alongside our Minikidz stay and play group reaching record numbers of 87 in attendance by the end of the year, we launched our English Conversation Club Shenley Welcomes. Across the year, we’re thrilled to have helped 25 people from 14 different nations find friendship and community as we practice our English together.

As the year went on, we were praying to plant a new church community in Shenley, and as the year ended, plans had landed into place, and we were readying to share this news with the church. As we step into a new year, we feel God with us for this new chapter, and are excited for another year of ‘grafting and planting’.

“I have really enjoyed our community group and getting to know individuals who are a part of it. One of the highlights was celebrating Thanksgiving which we opened out to friends and neighbours in the community. Many came and all enjoyed the vast array of Thanksgiving dishes!”

Church Weekend Away

As a whole church we enjoyed a fantastic time away together in June 2023. Over 270 of us gathered together at Cefn Lea in Wales as an expression of us being a family together. We welcomed David Devenish to speak to us, and there were specific activities for our children and youth. As well as times to gather together to worship Jesus and hear from the Bible, we enjoyed walks, games and a bonfire together. We also celebrated the fact that the event was largely funded by donations from people eze ae= kcaeFe ote‘ eee ; %, eS across the church, enabling more people than ever before, from a diverse range of backgrounds, to attend, regardless of personal circumstances and income.

“It was great to catch up with people from across the churches and celebrate all God has done and is doing. There were great times of worship, and the teaching was inspiring and equipping. It was also brilliant to see thoughtfulness and body ministry care from so many throughout the weekend.”

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Ministries

During the year all our ministries continued, and we were able to grow and strengthen many of these, as well as launching the Food Pantry and an English Conversation Group, Shenley Welcomes.

Working with families - Hope Stay and Play and MiniKidz

Hope Community Stay and Play ran on termtime Thursdays throughout the year. We enjoy chatting with parents from the community, providing a space for play and conversation. The children enjoy free play, story and song time and crafts.

In the second half of the year the Stay and Play worked alongside Hope Community Food Pantry, which has helped us build a more consistent group and increase the number of people coming each week.

The Christmas party provided by HCC for families from the group is always a highlight - this year the kids and the parents enjoyed a puppet show explaining more about the Messiah who came to help us clean up our mess!

As a team we’ve continued to invest in friendships. We’ve seen parents whose own children have moved on into school return as helpers because they love the group and want to help others receive the support they did.

“As we complete our seventh year of this club (in various formats), we’re grateful to God for all the opportunities we have had to share stories and testimonies into the community around Central House.”

Minikidz, our playgroup meeting on Fridays during term time in Shenley, has grown considerably, and celebrated the highest ever number of attendees of 74 people in one week. Being based in this new location has continued to enable deepening relationships with people and organisations in the community, and the average is around 60 big and small people gathering for crafts, play, connection, healthy free snacks, and singing.

There has been a noticeable rise in the frequency of deep conversations which encourages us that people find safety here, and proves just how valuable and needed a safe, welcoming, friendly group is. MiniKidz Meals in homes have seen a much smaller group buy in to even more opportunities for deepening friendship and conversation.

Launching our Food Pantry

Following a long period of planning and preparation our Food Pantry opened for the first time in July 2023. Over the year there were 887 visits to the pantry, with a total of 461 people in the community actively supported. This included 247 adults and 214 children, and this number has continued to grow in the current financial year.

We are now serving between 35 and 40 customers per week and have over 100 clients registered to the pantry. Of these, less than half are Christians, 75% are unemployed and most are young families. People who first engaged

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with us through the pantry are now serving as volunteers and connecting in more widely with the church.

“Since opening the pantry in July 2023, Hope Community Church has been able to engage and connect with the community on a scale like we have never done before. The pantry has allowed us to demonstrate the love of Christ by serving our local community in a very practical way. As a ministry team we continue to be overwhelmed by God’s amazing provision for the pantry and have been greatly encouraged by the fruit that we have seen with multiple pantry members attending our Sunday services.”

Supporting young people

Our youth group, Emerge, has continued to meet on Friday evenings during term time. There have been a number of encouragements, particularly in the ways our younger youth have been engaging with their faith. They are showing zeal and passion, biblical knowledge, and spiritual sensitivity publicly. Many of them are inviting friends along and regularly talking about praying for their friends to know Jesus. There has also been growth in the team; God has provided older, wiser people to serve in our youth team.

Newday was a real highlight. We camped with two other churches for the event, which developed unity between churches, and enabled positive relationships to develop between the young people across the groups. God also used the Church to provide generously financially so that we could increase the budget and cut the cost for team. We have also continued to serve with Redeemer Church as they join us twice-termly, again increasing unity and enabling us to be a blessing.

“I love emerge Friday nights because they are fun and encouraging – the team do such a great job for us. Newday is the highlight of my year.”

Gathering students and 20s

Our work with students and 20s continues to grow. The number of students attending our church has grown further, and we also have an increasing number of international students connecting in with the church.

Three Student Community Groups ran during the year, where people have shared their testimonies, grown in faith and shared communion together. These groups have also seen students who are exploring their faith connecting in to find out more, as well as friends being invited. Many more of our students and 20s were also part of the wider community groups running across the church.

35 students and 20s also went away together for the weekend where we grew in understanding of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Others also attended the full Church Weekend Away, enjoying fellowship with the whole church family.

Five Student Central events ran during the year exploring topics ne” a @ ‘ such as: ‘God’s will for my life’, ‘God’s design in creating me’, ‘Leading a worshipful life’, ‘Church: Commitment to the Body of Christ’ and ‘When life gets tough’. Over 15 people attended each of these events.

The church also held a Leadership Course for those specifically in the Students and 20s group and nine people engaged and grew in their leadership gifting over this time.

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It has been great to see our students and 20s growing in community, faith, and leadership, and celebrate as two of them were baptized.

“Being a part of the student ministry has brought so much joy! I consider it a deep privilege to do life, easy and hard, alongside committed friends who point you to Jesus. It has been a true encouragement seeing God raise up strong disciples who love God and his ways so sincerely. Praise him for the students and 20s at Churchcentral!”

Partnering with Christian artists – Sputnik

This year we have implemented some significant operational changes to our Sputnik ministry. We closed our Edinburgh and London hubs and centralised our network meet-ups to create Sputnik Saturdays where all the artists within the Sputnik network converge in Birmingham 3 times a year.

We’ve also streamlined the way our artists connect with each other. We have launched ‘Folio Fridays’ - online meet-ups 3 times a year for artists in various disciplines to meet and discuss their work as well as dedicated WhatApp groups on our new WhatsApp Community that allows artists deeper interaction with each other.

The main area we’ve seen growth is in our grants scheme. This year we saw a total of 47 applicants for Sputnik grants and awarded 8 grants totalling £4,000 to applicants outside of the West Midlands who had not previously interacted with the Sputnik network. The increase in quality of applications we have received has been impressive and we’re celebrating the increase of Christian artists who are being drawn to Sputnik.

Some of the projects we funded were

“As an artist it’s fairly easy to feel like what you care about is marginal to others, that your creative practice isn’t really that important in the big scheme of things. This Sputnik Saturday event in a phrase said: actually, what you do is most definitely important. Hearing people share their work, especially visual and conceptual artist Elizabeth Kwant was deeply inspiring and necessarily challenging. Having an overarching theme (in this case Uncomfortable Art) for a creative get-together encourages more expansive thinking and provides natural starting points to conversations with people you’ve never met before. I left the event with new ideas, a new friend and new energy.”

Working with those with English as an additional language, refugees, and asylum seekers: Men’s Drop-In and Shenley Welcomes

Our work in this area continues to be a source of community, friendship, support and encouragement to all involved.

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Our Men’s Drop-In continues to meet every Friday and provides English classes, as well as a space for friendship with other men. 35 people came to the men’s drop in during the year. Most were refugees from. China, Iraq, Iran, Chad, Sudan, Eritrea, central Africa, and some other African Muslim countries. Some of them had quite painful stories and which they shared with us at men’s drop in.

The group has been a source of connection and community for those involved, many of whom are isolated. It has also led to improved English, which for some has enabled them to find work or education in the UK.

The Drop-In is also able to provide access to experiences that many attendees have never encountered before. During the year a small group visited a farm, shared lunch, and read a Bible story together. The ministry has also been able to provide practical support, including Christmas presents to the families of those attending. Many have also connected in with church services and other church activities.

“I have appreciated the opportunity to speak with some of the men from the drop in and find out about their lives and home countries. It was encouraging that some have also come along to the Sunday service.”

At the beginning of the financial year, we also launched Shenley Welcomes a brand new English conversation club in the Shenley part of Selly Oak. Approximately 30 different people have joined over the year from 14 different nations, most weeks around 10 people gather together to connect and develop English conversation skills. Highlights have included spin off meals in homes, friendships with us and within the group, and four families coming along to Sunday gatherings at different times.

"I am thinking about yesterday's session. I can't believe I could talk so much. I know that my English is not very good, but my confidence is at its highest levels. When I started, I didn't expect that I would be able to speak so comfortably. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to you and to all the friends who participated and helped."

Supporting those leaving prison – Prison Bags Project

We were able to give out 30 dignity bags to those leaving prison, with a specific focus on supporting those who need them most, particularly those who may experience isolation and do not have family to support them upon release.

Working with older people in our city – Time for Tea and Seniors

During this year, we have continued to support Seniors through our partnership with the Karis Befriends Project (Karis Neighbour Scheme). We have enjoyed 7 Time for Tea events throughout this year, 6 at Queen Alexandra College, Harborne and our Christmas Party at Central House. 70 Participants have come along to one or more, with many coming to each one.

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“I'm very grateful for Time for Tea, because it feels like family, a community I’m comfortable with. I love meeting new people and listening to their stories of life. Time for Tea is an opportunity to have fun and laugh. I'm so thankful to all those people I have met and to all those who make this experience happen.”

Our weekly Senior Life Group met 44 times during the year, with up to 37 participants connecting in, including 12 new people.

Through Time for Tea and Senior Life Group we have enjoyed social time together and discussions, shared our stories, skills, and opinions with one another. We’ve taken ae ea4\ part in exercises, puzzles, and quizzes, enjoyed singing, 2 Owe laughter, tears and eating together and even planted some as -< Se Nas \ 4 bg New! X crocuses together. We have spent time celebrating birthdays, the Coronation, International Older Persons Day, | - 4 eb growing older in Birmingham, looked at what help we need and how we can continue to contribute in our communities. a eb be oe | ee We’ve enjoyed one of our Time for Tea participants (in her 70’s) performing with her flamenco dancing group, a real inspiration to us all to remain active! We’ve had lunch trips out, trips to Winterbourne Gardens and some of those connecting into the work for Seniors also came along to the Churchcentral South Carol Service.

We have given out 621 gift bags connected to these events during this year, including delivering 100 Christmas gift bags in the run up to Christmas to those we support in the local community. These bags were provided by the generosity of individuals, as well as money from the Seniors and Karis Befriends budgets. The Christmas bags included handmade decorations crocheted by one of our volunteers as well as some Christmas cards made by children at Churchcentral South Craft & Carols event. One gentleman, thanked us , saying “the gift bag was the only Christmas gift I have received and I’m very grateful.”

In June we celebrated 15 years of Time for Tea (our 80th one!) and in January 15 years of our Senior Life Group. Remembering those who have been with us on the journey and those who have joined us more recently.

As we continue to journey with people for longer, we have lost a number of older people during the year, so this year volunteers have been involved in visiting those during end of life care and we’ve even been with one lady as she passed away, where she did not have family of her own. We’ve contributed and enabled funerals and attended many more. It is such a privilege to know and journey with people in their later years.

Partnering with individuals and organisations

During the year Churchcentral partnered with individuals and organisations, in Birmingham and across the world, to help us be for the good of our city and impact nations.

Within Birmingham we worked with youth clubs at the Open-Door Friendship Centre, supporting with serving families who would otherwise be unreached by the gospel. We also worked with Birmingham City Mission in providing Holiday Clubs for children, and a Day Camp, which was attended by 200 families. We continued to work with Karis Neighbour Scheme, in our work with older people in the city, and the local council, who provided grant funding for projects we have been running.

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Churchcentral continues to play a central role in the work of the Birmingham Collective, working with other church leaders to plant new churches and see struggling churches revitalised in Birmingham and the West Midlands.

Grant making is another important aspect of this, and Churchcentral works to provide financial support to individuals and organisations, for specific activities or services to support work which aligns with Churchcentral’s charitable objectives, and the charity only supports things that are proper ways of furthering Churchcentral’s purpose for the public benefit.

Locally we provided a monthly grant of £200 to Karis Neighbour Scheme towards their work helping the lonely and isolated in the city, and gave money to individuals to alleviate hardship, making use of the money in our Hardship fund.

We gave £16,500 to the work of the Catalyst Network of churches across the year, supporting their general work around planting new churches and training new church leaders. We gave £680 to the work of Jubilee+, and became a Jubilee+ partner church, meaning that we are able to access resources and learn further how to effectively change the lives of those in poverty in Birmingham.

We also supported individuals and churches working on mission overseas, pastorally through ongoing support, friendship, and prayer, and financially through regular grants to enable their work in advancing the Christian Faith and providing relief. We supported individuals in Beirut, Cairo, Chad, and Myanmar throughout the year, and provided grants of just over £55,250 towards the work of individuals and churches in some of these areas. The individuals in Beirut had to leave the country due to safety concerns during the financial year, so we have supported them in planning the next steps.

Ongoing factors affecting the church

There were no significant events affecting the church in the financial year 2023-2024, however the continuing effects of the national financial context have affected church finances, mainly through significantly increased costs, with a resultant impact on reserves.

In planning these activities, the Trustees have applied the guidance on public benefit issued by the Charity Commission.

PLANS FOR FUTURE PERIODS

Our plans for the future period are to:

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FINANCIAL REVIEW

2023-2024 Financial Overview

This year income increased by £62,000 to £594,000 and expenditure increased by £38,000 to £578,000. As a result the charity has reported a surplus of £16,000 compared with a deficit of £8,000 in the previous year.

Total net assets increased by this year’s surplus of £16,000 to £472,000. These net assets were represented principally by the carrying value of our church building for £411,000, plus cash of £203,000, less a mortgage of £137,000. At the year-end our cash balance comprised unrestricted cash of £37,000 and cash of £166,000 held for restricted purposes.

When looking at this year’s surplus of £16,000:

We ended the year with restricted funds of £164,000, which mainly comprised £69,000 in our Missionary Support fund, £57,000 in funds for ministries aimed to be for the good of our city (this includes our Food Pantry, Shenley Welcomes, MiniKidz, Social Action and Income Maximisation Funds), £16.000 in our Building fund and £10,000 in our Hardship fund.

Fundraising policy

Churchcentral receives just over 75% of its income through giving by its members plus gift aid on that giving, and limited fundraising activities are undertaken beyond the encouragement for members to give generously is undertaken. However, we do receive income from our activities and retreats, and grants towards the work of our charity, in particular to cover staff costs when working in a specific ministry area. The trustees are committed to ensuring that all income meets ethical and legal standards.

Reserves policy

The trustees have determined that the charity should aim to hold unrestricted cash of no less than £100,000 so that the charity could continue to operate should income and/or expenditure vary adversely. At the year end, the charity held unrestricted cash of £37,000 which the trustees are aware falls below the threshold set in the reserves policy. The trustees are satisfied that charity can continue to operate with this level of reserves and are taking steps to try to increase reserves. They are continuing to monitor income, expenditure, and reserves closely. They note that the ongoing effects of inflation, and its related impact on the cost of living, could have an adverse impact. Should the need arise, the trustees will take further steps to try to increase income and reduce expenditure.

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Key risks and uncertainties

Churchcentral recognises that in relation to ‘Risk Assessment’, risk is defined as ‘the threat of any action or event which will adversely affect an organization’s ability to achieve its objectives and execute its strategies’. It also accepts that the term ‘risk’ can include any circumstances that may, or do, have an adverse effect, and is wider than financial matters. ‘Risks’ relate not only to the negative consequences of a threat, but also to the impact of not taking advantage of opportunities. The charity is exposed to various risks in a variety of forms, including operational, financial, or reputational. The trustees have a risk register which enables the review of the charity's activities regularly to identify significant risks and, where possible, they take appropriate measures to mitigate those risks, believing that we are more likely to achieve our aims if we assess the risks we face and take steps to reduce or offset these where possible. When considering the risks, the following areas are taken into account; strategy and leadership, employment, legal and governance structures, communication and publicity, buildings and property, children and youth, pastoral care and data protection.

The trustees recognise that the greatest risk to the charity currently is the general economic situation and the ongoing impact this may have on donations, alongside the financial situation of reserves being lower than ideal. Mitigations have been put in place to try to ensure income is maximized and expenditure has been cut where possible.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE, AND MANAGEMENT

Governing document

The church is a charitable company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 1st June 2006, and registered as a charity on 27th March 2007. The company was established under a Memorandum and Articles of Association which established the objects and powers of the charitable company. The review of these was continuing in the financial period of 2023-2024. In the event of the company being wound up, should it be necessary, members are required to contribute an amount not exceeding £1.

Recruitment and appointment of trustees, including induction and training

Trustees are selected by existing trustees. They are responsible people who demonstrate a strong Christian faith. They are those with a particular area of expertise/acumen in their secular workplace which is relevant in overseeing a significant charity which is also a Christian church.

New trustees have access to trustee training and induction into the role, and existing Trustees attend organised training from time to time to refresh their knowledge and skills as well as learning informally from one another, their own external networks, and the Company Secretary.

Trustees receive no renumeration for their role. Trustees who are employed by the church receive salaries for the roles they are employed to carry out, not for serving as trustees; these payments are permitted by the charity’s governing document. Details of these can be found in the Notes to the Financial Statements. The salaries for all staff, including those who also serve as trustees, are reviewed annually by the non-staff trustees.

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Organisational structure and responsibilities

The Trustees of Churchcentral have overall legal and financial responsibility for the charity.

Responsibility for setting policy and for determining the parameters within which the charity should operate rests with the trustees who meet regularly to monitor the activities of the charity. The Trustees met 4 times in the 2023-2024 financial year.

The Trustees are regularly apprised of the financial position of the charity and at their formal meetings discuss and review any major changes in the direction of the charity or on policy issues as they evolve and develop.

The Trustees delegate responsibility for the spiritual and strategic direction of the church as well as its day to day running to a Central Leadership Team led by Jonathan Bell.

The Central Leadership Team meets regularly to discuss and oversee the affairs of the church. They work with the other full and part time members of staff and a wide range of volunteers to implement the vision, values, and objects of the charity.

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

Trustees

The current trustees of Churchcentral Trust and those who held office during the year are:

Jonathan Bell Timothy Brown Company Secretary Megan Haskell Christopher King Marc Kusicka Resigned December 2023

Company Registration Number

05834930

Charity Registration Number

1118562

Registered Office and Principal Address

Central House, 13 Ravenhurst Street, Birmingham, B12 0HD

Independent Examiner

Ajay Rajani FCIE, Stewardship, 1 Lamb’s Passage, London, EC1Y 8AB

Bankers

CAF Bank Ltd Nationwide National Westminster Bank PLC

Solicitors

Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP

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Statement of responsibilities of trustees under company law

The trustees are responsible for preparing the trustees' annual report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of the affairs of the charitable company as at the balance sheet date and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including income and expenditure, for the financial year.

In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

  1. select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently;

  2. observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;

  3. make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

  4. state whether the applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and

  5. prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Approval

This report, which has been prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies, was approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by:

Jonathan Bell

Jonathan Bell (Dec 12, 2024 18:28 GMT) _______

Jonathan Bell – director and trustee

Date: 11 December 2024

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INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT

TO THE TRUSTEES OF

CHURCHCENTRAL TRUST

('the Company')

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31 March 2024 on pages 18 to 28 following, which have been prepared on the basis of the accounting policies set out on pages 21 and 22.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity’s trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (‘the 2006 Act’).

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

Since the Company’s gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a Fellow of the Association of Charity Independent Examiners, which is one of the listed bodies.

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

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

  3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act 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; or

  4. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).

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.

Ajay Rajani

Ajay Rajani (Dec 13, 2024 06:54 GMT)

Ajay Rajani FCIE Fellow of the Association of Charity Independent Examiners Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage London EC1Y 8AB

Date: Dec 13, 2024

Page 17

CHURCHCENTRAL TRUST

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES WITH COMPARATIVES INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT

FOR THE YEAR TO 31 MARCH 2024

Note
INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM:
Donations and legacies
3
Charitable activities
4
Investments (interest on bank deposits)
Total income and endowments
EXPENDITURE ON:
Charitable activities:
5
Total Expenditure
Net income/(expenditure)
Transfers between funds
14
Net movement in funds
Reconciliation of funds:
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried forward
14		 Unrestricted
Funds
2024
£
371,712
3,821
1,871
377,404
392,401
392,401
(14,997)
1,358
(13,639)
322,004
308,365		 Restricted
Funds
2024
£
195,717
21,125
-
216,842
186,186
186,186
30,656
(1,358)
29,298
134,272
163,570		 Total
Funds
2024
£
567,429
24,946
1,871
594,246
578,587
578,587
15,659
-
15,659
456,276
471,935		 Unrestricted
Funds
2023
£
367,455
6,078
647
374,180
390,200
390,200
(16,020)
688
(15,332)
337,336
322,004		 Restricted
Funds
2023
£
151,442
6,721
-
158,163
150,092
150,092
8,071
(688)
7,383
126,889
134,272		 Total
Funds
2023
£
518,897
12,799
647
532,343
540,292
540,292
(7,949)
-
(7,949)
464,225
456,276

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.

The statement of financial activities also complies with the requirements for an income and expenditure account required by the Companies Act 2006.

The notes on pages 21 to 28 form part of these accounts.

Page 18

CHURCHCENTRAL TRUST

BALANCE SHEET

AS AT 31 MARCH 2024

Note
FIXED ASSETS
Tangible assets
7
CURRENT ASSETS
Debtors
8
Cash at bank and in hand
9
CREDITORS: Amounts falling
due within one year
10
Net current assets / (liabilities)
Total assets less current liabilities
CREDITORS: Amounts falling due
11
after more than one year
TOTAL NET ASSETS
FUND BALANCES
14
Unrestricted Funds
Restricted Funds		 Unrestricted
Funds
2024
£
410,591
4,569
36,955
41,524
(13,382)
28,142
438,733
(130,368)
308,365
308,365
-
308,365		 Restricted
Funds
2024
£
-
3,537
165,642
169,179
(5,609)
163,570
163,570
-
163,570
-
163,570
163,570		 Total
Funds
2024
£
410,591
8,106
202,597
210,703
(18,991)
191,712
602,303
(130,368)
471,935
308,365
163,570
471,935		 Total
Funds
2023
£
416,763
8,178
189,950
198,128
(22,270)
175,858
592,621
(136,345)
456,276
322,004
134,272
456,276

The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31 March 2024.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2024 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006 however, in accordance with Section 145 of the Charities Act 2011, the accounts have been examined by an independent examiner and their report has been included in these financial statements.

The directors (who are the charitable company's trustees for the purposes of charity law) acknowledge their responsibilities for:

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Directors and were signed on its behalf by:

Jonathan Bell

Jonathan Bell (Dec 12, 2024 18:28 GMT)

Date: 11 December 2024

Jonathan Bell - director and trustee

Company number: 05834930

Charity number: 1118562

The notes on pages 21 to 28 form part of these accounts.

Page 19

CHURCHCENTRAL TRUST

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

CASH FLOW STATEMENT

Note
2024
£
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities
A
18,550
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchase of property, plant and equipment
-
Net cash provided by/(used in) investing activities
-
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayments of borrowing
(5,903)
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities
(5,903)
12,647
B
189,950
B
202,597
Analysis of changes in net debt:
At start of
year
Cash-flows
£
£
Cash
189,950
12,647
Bank loans:
Falling due within one year
(6,087)
(74)
Falling due after one year
(136,345)
5,976
Total net funds / (debt)
47,518
18,550
Note A: Reconciliation of net income/(expenditure) to net cash flow from operating activities
2024
£
15,659
Adjustments for:
Depreciation charges and provisions for impairment
6,172
(Increase)/decrease in debtors
72
Increase/(decrease) in creditors
(3,353)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities
18,550
Note B: Analysis of cash and cash equivalents
2024
£
Cash at bank with immediate access
202,597
Total cash and cash equivalents
202,597
Net income/(expenditure) for the reporting period (as per the statement of financial
activities)
NOTES TO THE CASH FLOW STATEMENT
Cash and equivalents at the beginning of the year
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year
Change in cash and equivalents in the reporting period		 2023
£
223
-
-
(7,703)
(7,703)
(7,480)
197,431
189,950
At end of
year
£
202,597
(6,161)
(130,368)
66,068
2023
£
(7,949)
6,172
(2,734)
4,734
223
2023
£
189,950
189,950

Page 20

CHURCHCENTRAL TRUST

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

1 Statutory Information

The charity is a charitable company limited by guarantee and is incorporated in the United Kingdom. The company's registered number and registered office address can be found in the Trustee's Annual Report.

2 Accounting Policies

These financial statements are prepared on a going concern basis, under the historical cost convention.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the "Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) ("the Charities SORP"), with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland ("FRS 102"), with the Companies Act 2006 and with the Charities Act 2011. The charity meets the definition of a public benefit entity as set out in FRS 102.

The principles adopted in the preparation of the financial statements are set out below.

a) Going concern

b) Income

Income including investment income is recognised in the period in which the charity becomes entitled to receipt, the amount receivable can be measured with reasonable certainty, and receipt is probable. For the most part, income is generally recognised when it is received. Income is only deferred when the charity has to fulfil conditions before becoming entitled to it or where the donor has specified that the income is to be expended in a future period.

Income from donations and legacies includes recoverable gift aid, which is recognised when the related donation is received. Gift aid that has not been recovered by the balance sheet date is included as a debtor.

The charity relies on volunteers to carry out many of its activities, particularly the work with Seniors and Students. However, in accordance with the SORP, the value of these services has not been included in these financial statements as they cannot be reliably measured.

Income from charitable activities represents income receivable from goods, services and facilities supplied in furtherance of the charity's charitable objects. It includes income from church retreats and other events and courses.

The charity has taken the view that it has only one charitable activity, namely the advancement of the Christian faith, and all income from donations, legacies and charitable activities is in respect of this one activity.

The charity makes grants to other institutions and individuals to further its charitable objectives. Grants payable are recognised as constructive obligations arise, which is generally when the charity expresses a commitment to the recipient that can be measured reliably and then only to the extent that any conditions associated with the grant are outside of the control of the charity.

The cost of raising funds is not significant and has not been separately disclosed.

Governance costs, which are included in expenditure on charitable activities but are identified separately in the notes to the accounts, includes costs associated with the independent examination of the financial statements, compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements and any other expenditure incurred on the strategic management of the charity.

The Charities SORP requires charities with income over £500,000 to allocate costs to the various activities undertaken by the charity. The nature of the work of the charity is considered to be so integrated that the core charitable activity costs are considered to be for the one activity.

d) Fund accounting

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.

Page 21

CHURCHCENTRAL TRUST

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

2 Accounting Policies continued

e) Tangible fixed assets

Items purchased or donated for the charity's own use are capitalised when the cost of purchased items, or the fair value of donated items, is more than £1,000 and the item is expected to benefit the charity over more than one accounting period. Depreciation is charged on a straight line basis so as to write down the value of each asset to its estimated residual value (if any) over its expected useful economic life. To achieve this objective the following rates of depreciation are charged:

Leasehold property Over the shorter of the remaining term of the lease and useful life Equipment Over 3 to 7 years

The carrying values of tangible fixed assets are reviewed for impairment in periods when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable.

f) Pension scheme arrangements

g) Taxation

3 Donations and legacies

ations and legacies
Donations of cash and similar
Other grants receivable
Gift aid recoverable		 Unrestricted
Restricted
Total
Funds
Funds
2024
£
£
£
310,956
73,388
384,344
-
110,950
110,950
60,756
11,379
72,135
371,712
195,717
567,429		 Total
2023
£
384,390
54,783
79,724
518,897
me from charitable activities
Other activities
Church retreats and events		 Unrestricted
Funds
£
-
3,821
3,821		 Restricted
Funds
£
4,355
16,770
21,125		 Total
2024
£
4,355
20,591
24,946		 Total
2023
£
138
12,661
12,799

Page 22

CHURCHCENTRAL TRUST

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

5 Charitable expenditure

a
Costs incurred directly on specific activities
Church staff costs
Church staff expenses
Manse rental
Community outreach
Church retreat
Student work and weekend away
Events and training
Church meeting costs
Other costs
Building expenditure
Creative ministry expenses (Sputnik initiative)
Prison Bags expenses
Food Pantry expenses
Grants payable (note 5c)
b
Costs incurred on support & administration
Governance costs
Independent examiner's fee for examining the accounts
Legal and professional fees
Mortgage interest
Depreciation of tangible fixed assets
Office costs
Total expenditure
c
Grants payable
Grants for UK and overseas mission
Grants to help relieve hardship
The comparatives for the previous year are as follows:
Grants for UK and overseas mission
Grants to help relieve hardship
The charity's principal grants to institutions comprised:
Karis Neighbour Scheme
Catalyst Oxford Hub:
for their general work
for their work in Ukraine
Birmingham Collective
Jubilee Plus
Newday
Taunton Family Church
Myanmar church
Is Faith Reasonable
Other small grants		 Unrestricted
Funds
£
255,626
6,257
12,000
2,443
-
4,727
4,539
36,527
1,169
8,492
-
-
-
29,494
361,273
3,420
56
3,476
-
6,172
21,480
31,128
392,401		 Restricted
Funds
£
56,939
-
-
2,703
27,287
-
7,266
-
-
1,222
9,727
572
15,218
53,495
174,430
-
-
-
11,756
-
11,756
186,186
Institutions
£
26,580
-
26,580
Institutions
£
21,472
2,772
24,244		 Total
2024
£
312,565
6,257
12,000
5,146
27,287
4,727
11,804
36,527
1,169
9,714
9,727
572
15,218
82,990
535,703
3,420
56
3,476
11,756
6,172
21,480
42,884
578,587
Individuals
£
55,336
1,074
56,410
Individuals
£
53,880
2,037
55,917
2024
£
2,400
16,500
-
5,000
680
1,500
-
-
-
500
26,580		 Total
2023
£
310,890
8,608
12,000
4,272
22,390
4,125
8,851
32,561
965
7,399
13,459
782
160
80,161
506,623
3,180
677
3,857
5,836
6,172
17,804
33,669
540,292
2024
£
81,916
1,074
82,990
2023
£
75,352
4,809
80,161
2023
£
2,400
18,000
2,268
-
-
-
218
504
754
100
24,244

Page 23

CHURCHCENTRAL TRUST

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

6 Analysis of staff costs, the cost of key management personnel and trustee remuneration

ysis of staff costs, the cost of key management personnel and trustee remuneration
Gross wages and salaries
Social security
Pension costs		 2024
£
276,662
22,303
13,600
312,565		 2023
£
274,440
22,293
14,157
310,890

The average monthly number of employees during the year was 9 (2023: 9). Most of the charity's activities are carried out by volunteers.

No staff received salaries at a rate of more than £60,000 per annum.

The charity's key management comprise the trustees named in the Trustee's Annual Report. Total employment benefits payable to key management for the year were as follows:

Employer
Wages &
pension
salaries
contributions
Trustees:
Jonathan Bell
43,357
2,768
Timothy Brown
48,317
2,416
The following amounts were charged in the previous year:
Employer
Wages &
pension
salaries
contributions
Trustees:
Jonathan Bell
41,485
2,674
Timothy Brown
46,683
2,334		 2024
£
46,124
50,733
96,857
2023
£
44,159
49,017
93,176

J Bell and T Brown were both employed as Church Leaders. They received the above payments for serving in those capacities, not for serving as trustees; these payments are permitted by the charity's governing document.

In addition the charity leased a property from J Bell for £12,000 (2023: £12,000), which it then provided to him so that he could better perform his duties (as is customary for church leaders).

7 Tangible fixed assets

Tangible fixed assets
Cost
At 1 April 2023
Additions
At 31 March 2024
Accumulated depreciation
As at April 2023
Charge for the year
At 31 March 2024
Net book value
As at March 2024
At 31 March 2023		 Long
Leasehold
Property
£
456,758
-
456,758
39,995
6,172
46,167
410,591
416,763		 Fixtures &
Fittings
£
2,350
-
2,350
2,350
-
2,350
-
-		 PA and
music
equipment
£
33,257
-
33,257
33,257
33,257
-
-		 Office
Equipment
& Trailer
£
9,506
-
9,506
9,506
-
9,506
-
-		 Total
2024
£
501,871
-
501,871
85,108
6,172
91,280
410,591
416,763

The long leasehold property is a lease for Central House, which expires in October 2090.

Page 24

CHURCHCENTRAL TRUST

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

8 Debtors

Tax recoverable
Other debtors
9
Cash at Bank and in Hand
Cash at bank and in payment processing accounts (such as iKnow)
10
Creditors: liabilities falling due within one year
Accruals
Other creditors: Pensions
Deferred income
Mortgage liability		 2024
£
6,010
2,096
8,106
2024
£
202,597
202,597
2024
£
4,354
3,676
4,800
6,161
18,991		 2023
£
5,447
2,731
8,178
2023
£
189,950
189,950
2023
£
6,512
4,051
5,620
6,087
22,270

Deferred income comprises income received in advance for events that did not take place until after the year end when the income is recognised.

11 Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year

Mortgage liability 2024
£
130,368		 2023
£
136,345

The mortgage liability is secured on the building shown in note 7.

12 Loans and finance leases The mortgage liabilities referred to in notes 10 and 11 fall due for repayment as follows:

Loans and finance leases
The mortgage liabilities referred to in notes 10 and 11 fall due for repayment as follows:
Repayable:
Within one year
Between one and five years
After five years		 By
instalments
6,161
30,926
99,442
136,529		 2024
2023
£
£
6,161
6,087
30,926
29,776
99,442
106,569
136,529
142,432
Mortgage
142,432

The mortgage referred to in the above notes is secured on the charity's long leasehold property. Interest is payable at a variable rate, which at the balance sheet date was 8.92%. The loan is being repaid in monthly instalments and must be repaid in full by 2036.

13 Pension commitments

During the year employer’s pension contributions totalling £13,600 (2023: £14,157) were payable to defined contribution personal pension schemes. At the balance sheet date pension contributions totalling £3,676 (2023: £4,051) were owed.

Page 25

CHURCHCENTRAL TRUST

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

14 Funds

During the year the movements in the charity's funds were as follows:

Restricted Funds
Missionary Support Fund
Other Funds
Building Fund
Hardship Fund
Newday Fund
Sputnik Fund
Weekend Away Fund
Beirut Friendship Fund
Prison Bags
Food Pantry
Birmingham Leaders Network
Cross Cultural Work
Community Outreach
Social Action and Community Engagement
Shenley Welcomes
MiniKidz
Income Maximisation
Unrestricted funds
Aggregate of funds		 Opening
balance
2024
£
75,953
1,233
24,008
10,643
-
337
1,115
18
1,534
11,283
4,978
75
145
2,950
-
-
-		 Incoming
resources
2024
£
40,922
-
10,450
125
9,467
17,647
29,514
1,050
-
16,564
8,387
7,866
30,280
1,037
1,500
2,000
40,032		 Outgoing
resources
2024
£
(51,800)
-
(12,978)
(559)
(7,266)
(15,474)
(27,287)
(1,050)
(572)
(15,730)
(13,365)
(7,941)
(29,460)
(946)
(766)
(991)
-		 Transfers
in the year
2024
£
3,600
-
(5,903)
(55)
-
1,000
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-		 Closing
balance
2024
£
68,675
1,233
15,577
10,154
2,202
3,510
3,342
18
962
12,117
-
-
965
3,041
734
1,009
40,032
134,272
322,004
456,276		 216,842
377,404
594,246		 (186,186)
(392,401)
(578,587)		 (1,358)
1,358
-		 163,570
308,365
471,935

The transfers listed in the above table were made for the following reasons:

Analysis of net assets by fund

At the end of the year the assets and liabilities of the various funds were as follows:

ysis of net assets by fund
e end of the year the assets and liabilities of the various funds were as follows:
Tangible fixed assets
Debtors
Cash at bank and in hand
Creditors falling due within one year
Creditors falling due after one year		 Unrestricted
funds
£
410,591
4,569
36,955
(13,382)
(130,368)
308,365		 Restricted
funds
£
-
3,537
165,642
(5,609)
-
163,570		 2024
£
410,591
8,106
202,597
(18,991)
(130,368)
471,935

Page 26

CHURCHCENTRAL TRUST

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

14 Funds continued

In the previous year the movements in the charity's funds were as follows:

Restricted Funds
Missionary Support Fund
Other Funds
Building Fund
New Frontiers Regional Support
Hardship Fund
Coronavirus Fund
Is Faith Reasonable Fund
Sputnik Fund
Weekend Away Fund
Beirut Friendship Fund
Prison Bags
Food Pantry
Birmingham Leaders Network
Cross Cultural Work
Ukraine
Community Outreach
Social Action and Community Engagement
Unrestricted funds
Aggregate of funds		 Opening
balance
2023
£
69,120
1,451
34,497
250
6,236
255
754
2,478
(89)
328
2,316
2,000
3,322
1,893
2,080
-
-
126,889
337,336
464,225		 Incoming
resources
2023
£
53,354
-
3,050
-
6,250
-
-
15,951
23,594
1,050
-
9,443
12,683
2,320
188
30,280
-
158,163
374,180
532,343		 Outgoing
resources
2023
£
(50,120)
(218)
(5,836)
(250)
(1,307)
(255)
(754)
(19,092)
(22,390)
(1,360)
(782)
(160)
(11,026)
(4,138)
(2,268)
(30,135)
-
(150,092)
(390,200)
(540,292)		 Transfers
in the year
2023
£
3,600
-
(7,703)
-
(535)
-
1,000
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2,950
(688)
688
-		 Closing
balance
2023
£
75,953
1,233
24,008
-
10,644
-
-
337
1,115
18
1,534
11,283
4,978
75
-
145
2,950
134,272
322,004
456,276

Analysis of net assets by fund

At the end of the previous year the assets and liabilities of the various funds were as follows:

Tangible fixed assets
Debtors
Cash at bank and in hand
Creditors falling due within one year
Creditors falling due after one year		 Unrestricted
funds
£
416,763
5,901
51,856
(16,172)
(136,345)
322,004		 Restricted
funds
£
-
2,277
138,093
(6,098)
-
134,272		 2023
£
416,763
8,178
189,950
(22,270)
(136,345)
456,276

Page 27

CHURCHCENTRAL TRUST

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

14 Funds continued

The charity's restricted funds comprise:

The charity's restricted funds comprise:
Missionary Support Fund Created from donations received to help support the activities of individuals engaged in
advancing the Christian faith.
Other Funds Created from donations received for a varietyof other smallprojects.
Building Fund Created from donations received to help finance the purchase of, or expenditure on, property.
Hardship Fund Created from donations received to provide short- to mid-term practical assistance to those in
financial hardshipwithin the Church.
Newday Fund Created from monies received for youth activities.
Sputnik Fund Created from donations and grants received to support the work of Sputnik, which aims to
support and promote Christian artists across the UK.
Weekend Away
Created from monies received for church retreats.
Beirut Friendship Fund Created from donations received to help the mission teams in Beirut support those in Beirut
affected by recent crises in the area, for example through the provision of food parcels.
Prison Bags Fund Created from grants received to help equip those being released from prison.
Food Pantry Created from donations and grants received to help set up and run a Food Pantry for those in
need.
Birmingham Leaders Network Created from grants received to help pay for the work of Churchcentral staff on tasks relating to
building networks across church leaders in Birmingham.
Cross Cultural Work Created from donations and grants received to support the work of the church with those from
other cultures and nations, in particular refugees and asylum seekers.
Community Outreach Created from grants received to help support employment of a member of staff to work in
community outreach.
Social Action and Community Engagement Created from grants and donations received to help fund small social action and community
engagement projects and activities.
Shenley Welcomes Created from grants received to support the work of the church with those with English as a
second language. The focus on the money is expenditure on activities in the Shenley area of
Birmingham.
MiniKidz Created from grants received to support the work of the church with families and children,
particularly through our stay and play group, MiniKidz
Income Maximisation Created from grants received to support the work of the church with individuals and families
across Birmingham,helpingthem to maximise their income.
The following funds also existed in the previous year:
New Frontiers Regional support Created from donations received for pastoral and training support within the Newfrontiers
Catalyst network of Churches.
CoronavirusFund Createdfromdonationsreceived tohelp support thoseimpacted by the Coronavirus pandemic.
Is Faith Reasonable Fund Created from monies received to help pay for larger evangelical events in Birmingham; this
initiative is supported by a number of churches across the city.
Ukraine Created from donations received to help support those impacted the crisis in Ukraine, as part of
the wider Newfrontiers Ukraine Fund.

15 Transactions with related parties

Except as disclosed in note 6 'Analysis of staff costs', there have been no other transactions with related parties during the year.

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