## **13-15 Brewer Street Maidstone ME14 1RU**
## **Registered Charity No.1123130**
## **20[th] September 2025**
## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND REPORTS 1[st] April 2024 – 31[st] March 2025**
**Trustees: Bankers: Independent Examiner:** Christopher Eke (Chair) The Co-Operative Bank Melanie Crooks FCA David Thompson P O Box 250 Melanie Crooks Alan Pitt Skelmersdale Associates Ltd Peter Jackson WN8 6WT Bellfield House Jennifer Rhodes 33 Stafford Road Bloxwich West Midlands WS3 3NJ
The Life Church Maidstone- Charity Number:1123130 Trustees Annual Report and Financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025
**CONTENTS:**
**Trustees Annual Report Pages 2 to 5 Independent Examiner’s Report Page 6 Financial Statements Pages 7 to 21**
1
The Life Church Maidstone- Charity Number:1123130 Trustees Annual Report and Financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025
## **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT**
The Trustees present their annual report and the accompanying financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025 . The financial statements comply with the current statutory requirements, the Charities Act 2011 and have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice for Charities (FRS 102)
## **Objectives**
The Life Church seeks to demonstrate the Christian faith in action by advancing the Christian faith, relieving sickness and financial hardship and promoting and preserving good health, and advancing education, in all such ways and in such parts of the United Kingdom or the World as the trustees may from time to time think fit.
The Life Church is a gathering of people who are committed to love and care for each other and the community they live in, as was taught by Jesus Christ, believing that lives can be changed and bettered by Godly and Biblical principles.
The church is affiliated to Assemblies of God and Evangelical Alliance organisations.
## **Public Benefit**
When planning our activities for the year, the ministry team and the trustees have considered the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit and in particular, the specific guidance on charities for the advancement of religion. In particular we try to enable ordinary people to live out their faith as part of our church community through:
- Worship and prayer, learning about the Gospel, and developing their knowledge and trust in Jesus.
- Provision of pastoral care for people living in the community
- Missionary and outreach work
The church is led by Pastor Christopher Eke and two Elders Mr. David Thompson (accredited Assemblies of God minister) and Mr. Peter Jackson.
## **Activities and Performance during the year**
## _**Church Life**_
The Sunday morning services are very well attended and the congregation has grown to over 300 adults and young adults. To accommodate as many people as possible, 2 Sunday morning services commenced as from 28[th] April 2024. The teenagers and the children stay in the main church meeting for about 45 minutes and then attend their own church classes. The second Sunday morning service is available live on YouTube and all the Sunday services
are available to view on the church website. Subscribers to the facility have reached 500 at times. Midweek services include times for prayer and Bible study. The Little Sparkles Club for babies and toddlers and their parents/carers meet each Thursday morning during term times and an after school club called Explorers started in September 2024 and is held on
2
The Life Church Maidstone- Charity Number:1123130 Trustees Annual Report and Financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025
Thursday afternoons. The teenagers attend an after school club each Wednesday between 3pm and 6pm. The Alpha course was appreciated and another course is planned to start in May 2025.
The shop area, used by the church to sell handmade crafts, has continued to provide support for Starfish Malawi and almost £3000 was transferred to the charity. The monthly Saturday morning ‘Sat Chat’ has proved beneficial in funding Starfish Malawi (Registered Charity No. 1130350) and providing friendship and fun for church members and the public.
Other events include music evenings, Children’s Light Party, social evenings for young adults, taking some teenagers to NewDay Youth Camp in August, Christmas Carol services and parties, and days to fast and pray – all of which have benefited the church.
As part of our outreach work, we regularly support other charities: Starfish Malawi, Open Doors ministry, the Salvation Army food bank, the Family Trust and Crossline Counselling; the last 3 being local charities. The church provides help for Alcoholics Anonymous and Cocaine Anonymous and is associated with Alpha courses in various prisons in Kent.
## _**The Building and Maintenance:**_
The building and fitments have been renovated or renewed and carpeted throughout at a cost of £59,000. It is appreciated that as parts of the building are old (1831) there will always be maintenance projects to face. However, the building is kept in good order and, apart from being not big enough for the growing congregation, provides good accommodation for our needs and plans.
## **Structure, Governance and Management**
The church was set up by a trust and is governed by a constitution adopted on 10 March 2008.
## _**Trustees**_
The trustees named on page 1 have serves throughout the year unless otherwise stated. The trustees are responsible for the control and management of the church who meet regularly to monitor the activities of the Charity. The 5 Trustees are Mr. Christopher Eke (Chairman), Mr. David Thompson, Mr. Peter Jackson, Mr. Alan Pitt and Mrs. Jennifer Rhodes (Secretary).
The method of appointment of Trustees is set out withing the church’s constitution. All Trustees must be a member of the church to be eligible for appointment. The minimum number of trustees under the constitution is three. The Trustees will include the Senior Minister and other Ministers of the church, along with the roles of Treasurer and Secretary. The Senior Minister is the Chairperson of the Trustee body.
Trustees on appointment receive induction that includes the Charity Commission guidance on being a trustee and the church constitution so that they may be familiar with its provisions.
The Trustees met 5 times in the year ended 31 March 2025.
## _**Employed ministry team**_
Mr. Christopher Eke as full-time minister Mr. Charlie Olliver as minister to the teenagers and young people
As from 17[th] June 2024, Mrs. Jenita Merin Punnoose as lead to the children’s ministry and help with the social media applications.
3
The Life Church Maidstone- Charity Number:1123130 Trustees Annual Report and Financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025
## **Plans for the Future**
The ministers, leaders and Trustees are in the process of choosing and appointing new Trustees and Elders for the church as it moves forward.
## **Risk Management**
The Trustees are in the process of formally documenting their assessment of the major risks to which the church is exposed to and their mitigation activities.
## **Financial Review**
This year we saw our income grow to £254,416 compared to £172,708 in 2024. As noted in our Activities and Performance section of this report, we have been blessed by a growing congregation and with it a rise in congregational offerings. We are grateful for our many gift aid donors. We received £2,530 in venue hires from organisations using the building (mainly AA and CA). Our Tender Loving Craft Shop raised £3,796 for Starfish Malawi.
Our total expenditure was contained at £207,216, a slight rise on £184,576 in 2024. The building and fitments have been renovated or renewed and carpeted throughout at a cost of £59,000. The women of the church enjoyed several social and ministry events and a restricted fund was established for future events. The church gave monthly support to 4 charities and various needs in the congregation. This totalled £8,706 over the year.
We generated an overall surplus of £43,237 for the year (2024:£15,307 deficit). This surplus is split as £45,420 in our unrestricted fund, £2,617 deficit in our designated funds and £434 in our restricted funds.
During the year, in order to comply with accounting standards (Statement of Recommended Practice for Charites (FRS102), the trustees have undertaken an exercise to recognise the deemed cost of the church building on the balance sheet. This has included the consideration of the current replacement cost of the building as at 31 December 2024 and discounting it backwards for the time value of money to the date when the building was structurally configured in its current state 1980). This was resulted in a prior year adjustment of £711,679 to the 31 March 2024 financial statements within the designated building fund. Details of this adjustment is given in notes 9 and 12 to the financial statements.
Our total funds as at 31 March 2025 stand at £836,991 (including the building deemed cost). However, excluding the building, our funds stand at £125,312 ( 2024: £82,075 on a comparable basis) split as general unrestricted funds of £121,198, designated funds of £2,947 and restricted funds of £1,167.
The Trustees are given a monthly statement of income and expenditure to ensure all are informed of financial matters. The 5 Trustees keep in contact at all times to ensure unity in all financial decisions made for the church.
## **Reserves Policy**
The church holds a policy of ensuring there are unrestricted funds which equate to at least 3 months unrestricted expenditure, equivalent to £35,000, to cover emergency situations that may arise from time to time. The balance of funds held in unrestricted funds after designations, at 31 March 2025 more than met this target.
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The Life Church Maidstone- Charity Number:1123130 Trustees Annual Report and Financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025
## **Going Concern**
The Trustees consider that it is appropriate to prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis. They have assessed the church’s ability to continue by reviewing their plans for 2025-2026 having due regard to the level of regular income.
## **Statement of trustees responsibilities**
The Trustees are responsible for preparing the annual report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdon Accounting Standards. The law applicable to charities in England and Wales 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 charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
- Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- Observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP (FRS102);
- Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- State whether applicable accounting standards have been followed;
- 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 charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 20211 and the provisions of the Constitution. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
## **Approval of the Annual Report**
The Annual Report was approved by the Trustees and authorised for issue on 20 September 2025.
Signed on its behalf by:
J Rhodes – Administrator & Treasurer
5
The Life Church Maidstone- Charity Number:1123130 Trustees Annual Report and Financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025
## **Independent Examiners Report to the Trustees of The Life Church Maidstone - Charity number 1123130 ( “the Charity”)**
I report to the Charity trustees on my examination of the accounts for the Charity for the year ended 31 March 2025 which are set out on pages 7 to 21.
## **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 the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011Act.
## **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 which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
- Accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act: or.
- The accounts do not accord with the accounting records.
- The accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities ( Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a “true and fair” view, which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
- The trustee’s annual report is not consistent with the accounts
I have no concerns and have 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.
Melanie Crooks Date: 30.9.2025 Melanie Crooks Associates Limited Bellfield House Bloxwich West Midlands WS3 3NJ
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The Life Church Maidstone- Charity Number:1123130 Trustees Annual Report and Financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025
## **Statement of Financial Activities For the year ended 31 March 2025**
|**Note**
**Income from**
Donations
_2_
Activities for generating
funds
_3_
Income from Church
activities
_4_
Other income
**Total income**
**Expenditure on**
Raising funds
_5_
Charitable activities:
Ministry & Mission
_6_
Building & Administration
_6_
**Total expenditure**
**Net income/(expenditure)**
**Transfer between funds**
_12_
**Net movement in funds**
**Reconciliation of funds**
Total funds brought forward
as originally reported
_12_
Prior Year Adjustment
Total Funds brought
forward as restated
**Total funds carried forward**
_12_|**Unrestricted**
**General**
**funds**
**£**
**Unrestricted**
**Designated**
**funds**
**£**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**£**
**Total**
**2025**
**£**
Restated
Total
2024
£
242,604
1,136
2,118**245,858**
149,377
-
-
3,796
**3,796**
3,426
640
2,530
170
**3,340**
2,910
1,422
-
-
**1,422**
16,995|
|---|---|
||244,666
3,666
6,084**254,416**
172,708|
||306
-
3,657
**3,963**
3,439
97,085
2,588
4,344**104,017**
81,707
43,555
58,539
1,105**103,199**
102,869|
||140,640
61,127
5,449**207,216**
184,576|
||103,720
(57,461)
(3,022)
**43,237**
(15,307)
(58,300)
54,844
3,456
**-**
-|
||45,420
(2,167)
434
**43,237**
(15,307)|
||-
-
-
**-**
97,382
711,679
75,778
717,243
733**793,754**
793,754|
||121,198
714,626
1,167**836,991**
793,754|
For the analysis of transfers between and composition of funds see note 12
7
The Life Church Maidstone- Charity Number:1123130 Trustees Annual Report and Financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025
|**Balance Sheet**||||
|---|---|---|---|
|**As at 31 March 2025**||||
|||**2025**|**2024**|
||||**Restated**|
||**Note**|**£**|**£**|
|**Fixed assets**||||
|Tangible assets|_9_|**713,863**|711,679|
|||**713,863**|711,679|
|**Current assets**||||
|Debtors|_10_|**6,432**|-|
|Cash at bank and in hand||**117,941**|82,075|
|||**124,373**|82,075|
|**Liabilities**||||
|**Creditors:**amounts falling due within one year|_10_|**(1,245)**|-|
|**Net current assets**||**123,128**|82,075|
|**Total assets less current liabilities**||||
|**Net assets**||**836,991**|793,754|
|**Funds**||||
|Restricted funds|_12_|**1,167**|733|
|Unrestricted funds:||||
|Designated funds|_12_|**714,626**|717,243|
|Undesignated funds|_12_|**121,198**|75,778|
|**Total funds**||**836,991**|793,754|
The Statement of Financial Activities, Balance Sheet and the Notes form part of these financial statements. These financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Trustees on 20 September 2025 and were signed on its behalf by:
**Jennifer Rhodes** _Trustee_
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The Life Church Maidstone- Charity Number:1123130 Trustees Annual Report and Financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025
9
The Life Church Maidstone- Charity Number:1123130 Trustees Annual Report and Financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025
## **Notes**
## _**(Forming part of the financial statements)**_
## **1.Principal Accounting Policies**
## _**Basis of accounting**_
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities Act 2011, applicable accounting standards (FRS102) and Charities SORP (FRS102) and under the historical cost accounting rules except that, operational fixed asset freehold land and buildings.
The charity meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102.
## _**Going concern**_
The trustees assess whether the use of the going concern principle is appropriate i.e. whether there are any principal uncertainties, related events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the ability of the charity to continue as a going concern. The trustees make this assessment in respect of the period of at least one year from the date of the authorisation for issue of the financial statements and have concluded that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future and there are no material uncertainties about the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern thus they continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.
The principal accounting policies and estimation techniques are as follows:
## _**Income**_
Income is shown within four categories in the Statement of Financial Activities:
- Income from donations;
- Income from activities for generating funds
- Income from church activities;
- Other income.
Income from donations includes legacies, appeals and gifts. Income from activities for generating funds relates to the Tender Loving Craft shop. Income from church activities includes event and venue hire receipts.
All income is included in the Statement of Financial Activities when the charity is legally entitled to them as income or capital respectively, ultimate receipt is probable and the amount to be recognised can be quantified with reasonable accuracy.
## _Donations and appeals_
Such voluntary income is recognised when the cash is received. Any Gift Aid thereon is accounted for a receivable basis and is added to unrestricted funds as appropriate. Where the use of income has been restricted in accordance with the donor’s wishes, donations and appeals income is credited to an appropriate fund until it can be spent for the purpose for which it was given.
## _Legacies_
Legacies are accounted for on a receivable basis. Pecuniary legacies are recognised following formal notification from the estate. Residuary legacies are recognised only when the group’s interest can be ensures, which is normally on the grant of probate. Where there are uncertainties surrounding the measurement of the group’s entitlement to an estate no income is recognised until the uncertainty is resolved.
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The Life Church Maidstone- Charity Number:1123130 Trustees Annual Report and Financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025
## _Activities for generating funds and church activities_
Income from activities for generating funds and church activities is recognised in the period to which it relates.
## _**Expenditure**_
Liabilities are recognised as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to pay out resources. Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all costs related to the category. The Statement of Financial Activities defines costs into two specific categories:
- Raising funds;
- Charitable activities
Raising funds includes the costs of the Tender Loving Craft shop and contactless payment processing fees.
Costs of charitable activities relate to the work carried out on the core purposes of the charity including ministry and mission activities and the upkeep of the church building and administration costs.
## _**Operating leases**_
Rentals payable under operating leases are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities on a straight line basis over the term of the lease.
## _**Defined contribution pension scheme (NEST)**_
The pension costs for the NEST pension scheme that the charity contributes to is recognised in the period in which it is incurred.
## _**Taxation**_
The charity is exempt from taxation on its income and gains where they are applied for charitable purposes. Irrecoverable VAT incurred is charged against the category of resources expended for which it was incurred.
## _**Tangible fixed assets and depreciation**_
Non property tangible fixed assets are stated at historic purchase cost less accumulated depreciation and accumulated impairment losses.
Depreciation is provided on a straight-line basis using rates calculated to write down the cost of each asset to its estimated residual value over its anticipated useful economic life, as follows:
Computers & Equipment - 3 years
Freehold land and buildings included in tangible fixed assets are stated a deemed cost. The trustees have undertaken an exercise to recognise the deemed cost of the church building on the balance sheet. This has included the consideration of the current replacement cost of the building as at 31 December 2024 and discounting it backwards for the time value of money to the date when the building was structurally configured in its current state 1980).
Depreciation is not provided on the freehold land and buildings as any provision (annual or cumulative) would not be material, due to the very long expected remaining useful life of the building, and because its expected residual values are not materially less than its carrying value. The charity has a policy of regular structural inspection, repair and maintenance and the property is therefore unlikely to deteriorate or suffer obsolesce.
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The Life Church Maidstone- Charity Number:1123130 Trustees Annual Report and Financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025
## _**Funds**_
These divided into two distinct categories: unrestricted and restricted.
## _**Unrestricted funds**_
The use of these funds has not been restricted to a particular purpose by donors or their representatives. They are subdivided into the General Fund and designated funds.
## General Fund
The General Fund is the working fund of the group and is available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the charity’s objectives. In addition to expenditure to fulfil the objects of the charity, such funds may be held in order to finance capital investment and working capital.
## _Designated funds_
Designated funds are those which have been allocated by the Trustees for particular purposes.
## _**Restricted Funds**_
## _Restricted income funds_
Donations or legacies received which are earmarked by the donor for specific purposes within the overall aims of the charity. From these funds, the donation and income deriving there from will be used in accordance with the specific purposes.
## _**Critical accounting estimates and areas of judgement**_
The preparation of the financial statements requires management to make judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported for assets and liabilities at the balance sheet date and the amounts reported for revenues and expenses during the year.
## _**Accounting estimates**_
The charity makes estimates and assumption concerning the future. The resulting accounting estimates and assumption will by definition, seldom equal the related actual results. The estimated and assumptions that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next financial year are discussed below:
## _Carrying value of the freehold land and buildings_
The trustees have undertaken an exercise to recognise the deemed cost of the church building on the balance sheet. This has included the consideration of the current replacement cost of the building as at 31 December 2024 and discounting it backwards for the time value of money to the date when the building was structurally configured in its current state 1980).
## _**Areas of judgement**_
Non depreciation of freehold properties held in tangible fixed assets. Depreciation is not provided on these freehold land and buildings as any provision (annual or cumulative) would not be material, due to the very long expected remaining useful life in each case, and because their expected residual values are not materially less than their carrying value.
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The Life Church Maidstone- Charity Number:1123130 Trustees Annual Report and Financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025
All estimates and judgements are continually evaluated and are based on historical experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances.
## **2. Donations**
||**2025**|**2025**|**2025**|**2025**|2024|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**General**|**Designated**|**Restricted**|**Total**|Total|
||**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|£|
|Offerings|107,319|-|-|**107,319**|73,711|
|Gift Aids donations|94,971|-|-|**94,971**|58,858|
|Small donations|9,960|-|-|**9,960**|11,623|
|Gift aid recoverable|30,324|-|-|**30,324**|-|
|_Total Congregational Giving_|242,574|-|-|**242,574**|144,192|
|Little Sparkles|-|1,136|-|**1,136**|386|
|Youth Ministry|-|-|1,023|**1,023**|500|
|Technical/Media|-|-|-|**-**|2,949|
|Church Renovation|-|-|-||1,350|
|Women’s Ministry WOW|-|-|1,095|**1,095**|-|
|Christians Against Poverty|30|-||**30**|-|
|_Total Donations & Appeals_|30|1,136|2,118|**3,284**|5,185|
||**242,604**|**1,136**|**2,118**|**245,858**|149,377|
|_Prior year comparatives:_||||||
||**2024**|**2024**|**2024**|**2024**||
||**General**|**Designated**|**Restricted**|**Total**||
||**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**||
|Offerings|73,711|-|-|73,711||
|Gift Aids donations|58,858|-|-|58,858||
|Small donations|11,623|-|-|11,623||
|Gift aid recoverable|-|-|-|-||
|_Total Congregational Giving_|144,192|-|-|144,192||
|Little Sparkles|-|386|-|386||
|Youth Ministry|-|-|500|500||
|Technical/Media|2,699|-|250|2,949||
|Church Renovation|-|1,350|-|1,350||
|_Total Donations & Appeals_|2,699|1,1736|750|**5,185**||
|Total|242,604|1,136|2,118|245,858||
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The Life Church Maidstone- Charity Number:1123130 Trustees Annual Report and Financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025
## **3. Activities for generating funds**
|Tender Loving Craft Shop
Total
**4.Income from Church Activities**
Venue Receipts
Event Receipts
Total
_Prior year comparatives:_
Venue Receipts
Event Receipts
Total
**5. Expenditure on raising funds**
Tender Loving Craft
Sum Up costs
_Prior year comparatives:_
Tender Loving Craft
Sum Up costs|**2025**
**2025**
**2025**
**2025**
2024
**General Designated Restricted**
**Total**
Total
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
£
-
-
3,796
**3,796**
3,426|
|---|---|
||**-**
**-**
**3,796**
**3,796**
3,426|
||**2025**
**2025**
**2025**
**2025**
2024
**General Designated Restricted**
**Total**
Total
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
£
20
2,530
-
**2,550**
2,085
620
-
170
**790**
825|
||**640**
**2,530**
**170**
**3,340**
2,910|
||**2024**
**2024**
**2024**
**2024**
**General Designated Restricted**
**Total**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
-
2,085
-
2,085
825
-
-
825
825
2,085
-
2,910
**2025**
**2025**
**2025**
**2025**
2024
**General Designated Restricted**
**Total**
Total
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
£
-
-
3,657
**3,657**
3,220
306
-
-
**306**
219|
||**306**
**-**
**3,657**
**3,963**
3,439|
||**2024**
**2024**
**2024**
**2024**
**General Designated Restricted**
**Total**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
-
-
3,220
3,220
219
-
-
219
219
-
3,220
3,439|
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The Life Church Maidstone- Charity Number:1123130 Trustees Annual Report and Financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025
## **6.Expenditure on Charitable Activities**
|_Ministry & Mission:_
Salaries
Accommodation for Pastor
Pastor expenses
Ministry & gifts
Youth expenses
Church events
Sparkles baby group
Children’s ministry
Alpha course
Women’s ministry
Youth ministry
Christians against poverty
Hospitality
_Building & Administration:_
Electricity & Gas
Water waste
Building expenses
Insurance & licences
Telephones & internet
General expenses
Stationery & printing
Sundry expenses
Technical & media
Depreciation in year
Total|**2025**
**2025**
**2025**
**2025**
2024
**General Designated Restricted**
**Total**
Total
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
£
65,055
**65,055**
45,464
18,100
**18,100**
19,200
894
**894**
1,693
7,997
709
**8,706**
6,088
348
**348**
2,661
1,073
**1,073**
3,237
56
1,284
**1,340**
302
1,883
50
**1,933**
1,842
159
**159**
-
1,666
**1,666**
-
228
545
2,678
**3,451**
1,010
55
**55**
-
237
**237**
210|
|---|---|
||97,085
2,588
4,344**104,017**
81,707
8,850
**8,850**
7,818
1,459
**1,459**
3,925
749
58,539
**59,288**
70,335
11,266
**11,266**
7,254
2,039
**2,039**
1,875
10,929
**10,929**
2,995
2,124
**2,124**
2,636
3,832
**3,832**
1,624
(264)
1,105
**841**
4,407
2,571
**2,571**
-|
||43,555
58,539
1,105**103,199**102,869|
||**140,640**
**61,127**
**5,449 207,216**184,576|
15
The Life Church Maidstone- Charity Number:1123130 Trustees Annual Report and Financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025
## _Prior year comparatives:_
|_Ministry & Mission:_
Salaries
Accommodation for Pastor
Pastor expenses
Ministry & gifts
Youth expenses
Church events
Sparkles baby group
Children’s ministry
Alpha course
Women’s ministry
Youth ministry
Christians against poverty
Hospitality
_Building & Administration:_
Electricity & Gas
Water waste
Building expenses
Insurance & licences
Telephones & internet
General expenses
Stationery & printing
Sundry expenses
Technical & media
Depreciation in year
Total|**2024**
**2024**
**2024**
**2024**
**General Designated Restricted**
**Total**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
45,464
45,464
19,200
19,200
1,693
1,693
5,188
900
6,088
2,661
2,661
3,237
3,237
-
302
302
1,793
49
1,842
-
-
-
-
402
608
1,010
-
-
210
210|
|---|---|
||79,848
1,859
-
81,707
7,818
7,818
3,925
3,925
-
70,335
70,335
7,254
7,254
1,875
1,875
2,995
2,995
2,636
2,636
1,624
1,624
3,916
491
4,407
-
-|
||32,043
70,335
491 102,869|
||111,891
72,194
491 184,576|
## **7. Staff costs and numbers**
|Wages and salaries
Employer National Insurance
Employer Employment Allowance
Pension costs
Pastor Housing Allowance|**2025**
2024
**£**
£
**64,333**
42,899
**5,322**
3,172
**(5,322)**
(3,172)
**1,400**
2,565|
|---|---|
||**66,055**
45,464
**18,100**
19,200|
||**84,155**
64,664|
16
The Life Church Maidstone- Charity Number:1123130 Trustees Annual Report and Financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025
The average number of employees during the year was 3 (2024:2). No employee received total emoluments in excess of £60,000 during the year (2024: nil)
## _Key Management Personnel_
The charity’s key management personnel are deemed to comprise the Senior Minister and other trustees names within the Trustee’s Report. Total employment renumeration paid to key management personnel during the year ended 31 March 2025 was £40,821 for 1 person (2014: £38,988 for 1 person). Employment renumeration for key management personnel is determined by the independent trustees with reference to salary benchmarking as appropriate.
## **8. Trustees**
Four trustees received reimbursement of expenses incurred on behalf of the charity, totalling £11,362
The charity maintained insurance for the trustees throughout the financial year ended 31 March 2025 and such indemnity insurance was in place at the date of approval of these financial statements. For the financial year under review the cost of the indemnity insurance was covered with the charity’s general insurance policy and note separately identifiable – total insurance premium was £3,737 and the cover £100,000.
## **9. Tangible Fixed Assets**
|**Cost or valuation**
At 1 April 2024(as originally stated)
Prior year adjustment
At 1 April 2024 (restated)
Additions
At 31 March 2025
**Depreciation**
At 1 April 2024
Charge for the year
At 31 March 2025
**Net book value**
At 31 March 2025
At 31 March 2024 ( as restated)|**Unrestricted**
**General**
**Fund**
**Unrestricted**
**Designated**
**Fund**
**Total**
**Funds**
**Freehold**
**land and**
**buildings**
**Equipment**
**Total**
**£**
**£**
**£**
-
-
-
711,679
-**711,679**|
|---|---|
||711,679
-**711,679**
-
4,755
**4,755**|
||**711,679**
**4,755 716,434**|
||-
-
-
-
(2,571)
**(2,571)**|
||-
(2,571)
**(2,571)**|
||**711,679**
**2,184 713,863**|
||711,679
- 711,679|
17
The Life Church Maidstone- Charity Number:1123130 Trustees Annual Report and Financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025
The trustees have undertaken an exercise to recognise the deemed cost of the church building on the balance sheet. This has included the consideration of the current replacement cost of the building as at 31 December 2024 and discounting it backwards for the time value of money to the date when the building was structurally configured in its current state 1980). This was resulted in a prior year adjustment of £711,679 to the 31 March 2024 financial statements as shown in the prior year funds in note 12 and the statement of financial activities note 14.
## **10. Debtors and Creditors due within 1 year**
|**10. Debtors and Creditors due within 1 year**||
|---|---|
|**Debtors:**
Gift Aid recoverable from HMRC
**Creditors due within 1 year:**
Accruals|**2025**
2024
**£**
£
**6,432**
-|
||**1,245**
-|
## **11. Net Assets by Fund**
|Tangible Fixed Assets
Debtors
Cash at bank
Creditors less than 1 year
_Prior year comparatives:_
**As restated:**
Tangible Fixed Assets
Debtors
Cash at bank
Creditors less than 1 year|**2025**
**2025**
**2025**
**2025**
**General Designated Restricted**
**Total**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
2,184
711,679
-**713,863**
6,432
-
-
**6,432**
113,827
2,947
1,167**117,941**
(1,245)
-
-
**(1,245)**|
|---|---|
||**121,198**
**714,626**
**1,167 836,991**|
||**2024**
**2024**
**2024**
**2024**
**General Designated Restricted**
**Total**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
711,679
- 711,679
75,778
5,564
733
82,075|
||75,778
717,243
733 793,754|
18
The Life Church Maidstone- Charity Number:1123130 Trustees Annual Report and Financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025
## **12. Funds**
|**Unrestricted**
**General fund**
**Unrestricted**
**Designated**
**fund:**
Little Sparkles
Visiting
Ministry
Youth
TLC Building
**Restricted fund**
Media
TLC
Women of
Worth
Youth
**Total funds**|At 1 Apr
2024
Originally
stated
Prior
Adjustment
At 1 Apr
2024
Restated
Income
Expenditure
Transfers
At 31
Mar
2025
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**75,778**
**-**
**75,778**
**244,666 (140,946)**
**(58,300)**
**121,198**
273
273
1,135
(1,283)
**125**
709
709
(709)
**-**
(343)
(343)
(545)
1,843
**955**
4,925
711,679
716,604
2,531
(58,590)
53,001**713,546**|
|---|---|
||**5,564**
**711,679**
**717,243**
**3,666**
**(61,127)**
**54,844 714,626**
59
59
(1,105)
1,046
**-**
424
424
3,796
(3,659)
2
**563**
-
-
1,265
(1,665)
619
**219**
250
250
1,023
(2,677)
1,789
**385**|
||**733**
**-**
**733**
**6,084**
**(9,106)**
**3,456**
**1,167**|
||**82,075**
**711,679**
**793,754 254,416**
**(211,179)**
**- 836,991**|
19
The Life Church Maidstone- Charity Number:1123130 Trustees Annual Report and Financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025
_Prior year comparatives: ( as originally stated)_
|**Unrestricted**
**General fund**
**Unrestricted**
**Designated**
**fund:**
Little Sparkles
Visiting
Ministry
Youth
TLC Building
**Restricted fund**
Media
TLC
Youth
**Total funds**|At 1 Apr
2023
Originally
stated
Income
Expenditure
Transfers
At 31
Mar
2024
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**86,407**
**164,681 (112,110)**
**(63,200)**
**75,778**
188
386
(302)
-
273
1,609
(900)
-
709
-
-
(608)
264
(343)
8,959
3,465
(70,385)
62,886
4,925|
|---|---|
||**10,757**
**3,851**
**(72,194)**
**63,150**
**5,564**
-
250
(491)
300
59
218
3,426
(3,220)
424
-
500
(250)
250|
||**218**
**4,176**
**(3,711)**
**50**
**733**|
||**97,382 172,708**
**(188,015)**
**-**
**82,075**|
Details of the funds are as follows:
## _**Unrestricted funds:**_
_General fund_ – the general fund is the charity’s unrestricted, undesignated fund available for any of the charity’s purposes without restriction.
_Designated funds_
Little Sparkles Fund – this is a fund that supports the activity of the Little Sparkles Mother & Toddler, Baby & Carer Group.
Visting Ministry Fund– this is a fund that supports ministry when the church is in interregnum between Pastor appointments
Youth Fund – this is a fund that supports youth ministry
The Life Church Building Fund – this fund contains the church building and handles building related transactions, notably venue rentals and maintenance works.
## _**Restricted Funds:**_
Media Fund– this fund relates to specific gifts and donations received to support media and technology requirements in the church
Tender Loving Craft Fund – this fund includes the income and expenditure on the making and sale of craft items for the benefit of the Starfish Malawi charity.
20
The Life Church Maidstone- Charity Number:1123130 Trustees Annual Report and Financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025
## Women of Worth Fund – this fund supports women’s ministry and fellowship
Youth Fund – this fund is used to administer the income and expenditure of attendance at specific youth events.
## _**Transfers between funds**_
Details of inter fund transfers in the year are as follows:
|Unrestricted fund to designated youth
Unrestricted fund to designated building
Unrestricted to restricted Media
Unrestricted to restricted Tender Loving Crafts
Unrestricted to restricted Women of Worth
Unrestricted to restricted Youth
**Total transfers between funds**|**Unrestricted**
**Undesignated**
**Unrestricted**
**Designated**
**Restricted**
**£**
**£**
**£**
(1,843)
1,843
(53,001)
53,001
-
(1,046)
-
1,046
(2)
-
2
(619)
-
619
(1,789)
-
1,789|
|---|---|
||**(58,300)**
**54,844**
**3,456**|
## **13 Commitments**
As at 31 March 2025, the charity was committed to making the following payments under a non cancellable photocopier operating lease:
|Within one year
Between one and two years
Between two and five years
More than five years
Total|**2025**
2024
**£**
£
**2,650**
1,416
**2,650**
1,416
**7,949**
2,201
**2,650**
-|
|---|---|
||**15,898**
5,133|
21
The Life Church Maidstone- Charity Number:1123130 Trustees Annual Report and Financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025
## **14 Prior Year Statement of Financial Activities**
|**Note**
**Income from**
Donations
Activities for generating funds
Income from Church activities
Other income
**Total income**
**Expenditure on**
Raising funds
Charitable activities:
Ministry & Mission
Building & Administration
**Total expenditure**
**Net income/(expenditure)**
**Transfer between funds**
**Net movement in funds**
**Reconciliation of funds**
Total funds brought forward as
originally reported
Prior Year Adjustment
Total Funds brought forward as
restated
**Total funds carried forward**|**Unrestricted**
**General**
**funds**
**£**
**Unrestricted**
**Designated**
**funds**
**£**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**£**
**Total**
**2024**
**£**
146,891
1,736
750
**149,377**
-
-
3,426
**3,426**
850
2,085
-
**2,910**
16,965
30
-
**16,995**|
|---|---|
||164,681
3,851
4,176
**172,708**|
||219
-
3,220
**3,439**
79,848
1,859
-
**81,707**
32,043
70,335
491
**102,869**|
||112,110
72,194
3,711
**184,576**|
||52,571
(68,343)
465**(15,307)**
(63,200)
63,150
50
**-**|
||(10,629)
(5,193)
515**(15,307)**|
||86,407
10,757
218
**97,382**
711,679
86,407
722,436
218
**809,061**|
||75,778
717,243
733
**793,754**|
22