Halesworth Community Church
Registered Charity No. 1125417
Report and Accounts
For the year ended 31 March 2025
Halesworth Community Church
Report and Accounts Year ended 31 March 2025 Contents
Contents
| Page 2 | Legal and Administrative Details |
|---|---|
| Pages 3-6 | Trustees’ Report |
| Page 7 | Independent Examiner’s Report |
| Page 8 | Receipts and Payments Accounts |
| Page 9 | Statement of Assets and Liabilities |
| Page 10 | Notes to the Accounts |
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Halesworth Community Church
Legal and Administrative Details For the year ended 31 March 2025
| Charity name | Halesworth Community Church |
|---|---|
| Address for | School Farm |
| correspondence | Church Road |
| Cratfield | |
| Halesworth | |
| Suffolk | |
| IP19 0BU | |
| Registered Charity | 1125417. The charity was registered with the Charity Commission on 7th |
| Number | August 2008 |
| Governing Document | Trust Deed dated 1stMay 2008 |
| Objects | (a) To advance the Christian faith in accordance with the Statement of Beliefs |
| appearing in the Trust Deed in Halesworth Suffolk and in such other parts of the | |
| United Kingdom or the world as the Trustees may from time to time think fit and | |
| to fulfil such other purposes which are exclusively charitable according to the law | |
| of England and Wales and are connected with the charitable work of the Trust. | |
| (b)To relieve sickness and financial hardship and to promote and preserve good | |
| health by the provision of funds, goods or services of any kind, including through | |
| the provision of counselling and support in Halesworth and in other parts of the | |
| United Kingdom or the world as the Trustees from time to time may think fit. | |
| (c) To advance education in accordance with Christian principles by such means | |
| as the Trustees may consider appropriate in Halesworth and in such other parts | |
| of the United Kingdom or the world as the Trustees may from time to time think | |
| fit. | |
| Trustees | The Trustees who served during the year were: |
| Stephen Hall | |
| David Sillett (Chair) |
|
| Tim Sparkes (Pastor) |
|
| Jennifer Basey-Fisher | |
| Graham Nixey | |
| Bankers | Barclays Bank PLC |
| Leicester | |
| LE87 2BB | |
| Independent | John Helm ACA |
| Examiner | 17 Heathville Road |
| London, N19 3AL |
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Halesworth Community Church
Trustees’ Report For the year ended 31 March 2025
The Trustees have pleasure in submitting the Report and Accounts for the year to 31[st] March 2025.
Government
The policy and operating decisions of the charity rest with the Trustees who meet regularly to monitor the activities of the Church. New Trustees are appointed by the existing Trustees of the church.
Conflict of interest policy
This was reviewed during the year and the Trustees decided that the present procedure was adequate. When the payment for pastoral services is reviewed annually it is discussed and decided only by Trustees who are not remunerated by the Trust and who are not related to anyone who is remunerated by the Trust. Those Trustees who are remunerated or who are related declare an interest and leave the meeting while the remuneration is discussed.
Activities, Achievements and Public Benefit
In planning the activities of the church, the Trustees have applied the guidance on public benefit issued by the Charity Commission in September 2013.
1. Church Meetings
The Trust has continued to run a Community Church, and everyone is welcome to attend our Sunday morning meetings. At the year-end we had 18 members and average attendance for the year was approximately 20. We regularly welcomed visitors and friends of the church, especially during holiday times. Junior church is available when visitors and friends of the church attend with children. A Zoom link continues to be provided for friends and members of the church who are not able to attend in person. This continues to work well and is appreciated. We have introduced home church, which allows people to meet informally as well as giving the opportunity to experience other local churches. We have also added ‘small church’, this has a more intimate approach and becomes a time for reflective sharing.
Special services were held at Christmas, Easter and Harvest.
In addition to our Sunday morning meetings, we hold weekly prayer meetings and members of the church have continued to meet and pray together regularly in small informal groups.
2. Pastoral Care and Wider Support
The leadership team meets regularly to discuss the church's operations and pastoral matters. As a church, we strive to serve those who seek our help, and many individuals continue to turn to us for support. Throughout the year, we have made several new contacts through our church website.
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Halesworth Community Church
Trustees’ Report For the year ended 31 March 2025
These include Christians from the UK and abroad, as well as people with no faith. Those who come to us for help do so based on recommendations from others who have benefited from our support.
We have a team that is responsible for caring for individuals inside the church. Claire Sillett organises visits for the elderly and those who are unwell. She works alongside a small team to ensure that needs are catered for. As a church, we have become aware of the need to work collaboratively with other local individuals and organisations that support each other in offering support to the community. It is in our future plans to have a facility to cater for the direct needs within the town of Halesworth. A space for counselling as well as the potential to move our Sunday meeting to a more urban setting will hopefully encourage an increase in attendance.
3. Website
David Sparkes has taken on the responsibility of running the website. He has created a more efficient and up to date version making it more user friendly. It remains well-used and is updated weekly. Each week, the Sunday talk is recorded and posted, along with a new Bible verse. The website continues to serve as an online resource for podcasts and materials from the 'Understanding Yourself' courses. New articles are posted regularly, and information about upcoming events is also available on the website. Tim Sparkes works with David Sparkes on the content for the website and it is hoped that they will continue to create resources to serve the needs of the local and wider community potentially through the use of an app.
4. General Data Protection and Safeguarding Regulations
The annual review of our Data Protection policies was carried out in June 2025, and the policies were updated. The information held by the Information Commissioner’s Office is current, having changed the contact details which ICO holds to David Sillett.
The church’s safeguarding policy and procedures have been updated in line with the current guidance from Thirtyone:Eight. Appropriate training has been carried out and the Trustees are all aware of current safeguarding practices.
5. Development
The church is in the process of looking for premises to use within the town of Halesworth. It is felt that we can be more effective in reaching more people and offering services that are needed, such as counselling and support. The 'Walking with God' residential course was widely appreciated and became a resource to use in the future. We are currently working with a couple of Christian men from Marlow who have begun a group dedicated to spiritual growth. We had an initial weekend supporting and developing the idea and now regularly have contact to provide input and guidance. We will offer a teaching weekend in the next few weeks. Tim Sparkes is researching courses to increase his ability and knowledge to more effectively counsel those who look for support. The church has continued to welcome visitors and those seeking help, and the church has grown in its depth of relationship with one another and with the Lord.
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Halesworth Community Church
Trustees’ Report For the year ended 31 March 2025
6. Financial Review
6.1 Financial Activity
-
The church reports a net surplus of £296 (2024: £10,497).
-
Payments - the cost of running the church for the year was £30,635 (2024: £26,061), an increase of £4,573 on the previous year.
-
Tim Sparkes has increased his consultancy and pastoral services to the church from two days a week to three days at a cost of £26,057 (2024: £22,130) for the year. The Trustees are delighted Tim has been able to increase the time he spends providing pastoral services to the church.
-
In order to continue to publicise awareness of the Church in the local community, advertising cards were placed in the library and newsagent’s windows advertising the church meetings and website. In addition, the church is advertised on the Findachurch website.
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The Trustees have decided to continue to support local charities in the area who seek to alleviate poverty and need in the town. This is in the form of a twice-yearly donation of £200 to the Waveney Foodbank and a monthly donation of £70 to the Dementia Carers Fund.
-
The church plans to hold three special collections during the year to raise funds for Open Doors, the Missionary Aviation Fellowship and Tearfund.
6.2 Financial Position
The balance held at 31[st] March 2025 was £7,673 (2024: £8,316) in the current account and £64,183 (2024: £63,244) in the Business Premium account, totalling £71,856 (2024: £71,560).
6.3 Reserves Policy
The Trustees consider that, given the nature of the church’s work, free reserves should be equivalent to approximately 6 months’ routine general fund expenditure, plus a reserve to cover rising costs due to increased Pastoral activity and potential increases in expenditure. The Trustees are of the opinion that this provides sufficient flexibility to cover temporary shortfalls in incoming resources and will allow the church to cope with and respond to unforeseen emergencies or plans such as a relocation into Halesworth. At 31 March 2025 the church had net free reserves of £71,856 (2024: £71,560) as follows:
Cash balances Free reserves requirement: 3 month’s budgeted routine expenditure |
2025 £ |
2024 £ 71,560 15,000 |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £71,856 | ||||
| 15,000 | ||||
The free reserves requirement has remained set at £15,000 and this amount is held in the Business Premium Account in order to gain interest. However, Trustees do not foresee a deficit in the next two years.
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Halesworth Community Church
Trustees’ Report For the year ended 31 March 2025
6.4 Outlook
With large amounts provided by a very few donors the Trust remains vulnerable to unforeseen fluctuations in line with the circumstances of its donors.
However, at the present time the income of the Trust continues to be sufficient to cover the anticipated expenses for the next financial year with a small surplus and allow potential future development. The level of giving during the year 2024-2025 has covered the expenditure on pastoral services and there is the capacity to increase payment to Tim Sparkes for an increase in his services if required.
7. Trustees’ Responsibilities
Charity law requires us as Trustees to prepare accounts for each accounting year which record the receipts and payments of the charity for the year. The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable us to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011. The Trustees also have a responsibility to safeguard the assets of the charity and to take reasonable steps to prevent fraud or any other irregularities.
8. Approval
This report was approved by the Trustees on 23 September 2025 and signed on their behalf by:
David Sillett, Chair of Trustees
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Halesworth Community Church
Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Halesworth Community Church
I report on the accounts of Halesworth Community Church for the year ended 31 March 2025, set out on pages 8 to 10.
This report is made solely to the Trustees in accordance with section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Act). My independent examination has been undertaken so that I might state to the Trustees those matters I am required to state to them in an independent examiner’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by the law, I do not accept responsibility to anyone other than the Trustees for my independent examination, for this report, or the opinions I have formed.
RESPECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE TRUSTEES AND EXAMINER
The Trustees consider that an audit is not required for this period (under section 144(2) of the Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
-
Examine the accounts (under section 145 of the Act);
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To follow the procedures laid down in the General Direction given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Act); and
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To state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
BASIS OF INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S STATEMENT
My examination was carried out in accordance with General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from the Trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the accounts.
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S STATEMENT
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
-
accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
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the accounts do not accord with those records; or
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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.
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.
John Helm ACA 23 September 2025
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Halesworth Community Church
Receipts and Payments Account For the year ended 31 March 2025
| Notes Receipts Donations under Gift Aid Tax refunds under Gift Aid Other Donations Other Receipts Interest received Total Receipts Payments 2 Church activities Gifts Paid Governance Total Payments Net Receipts Cash balances brought forward Cash balances carried forward |
Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds £ £ 23,932 - 5,529 - 532 - |
Total 2025 Total 2024 £ £ 23,932 22,362 5,529 8,246 532 5,358 |
|---|---|---|
| 29,993 0 938 - |
29,993 35,966 938 592 |
|
| 30,931 0 |
30,931 36,558 |
|
| 28,805 - 1,290 - 540 - |
28,805 23,821 1,290 1,760 540 480 |
|
| 30,635 0 |
30,635 26,061 |
|
| 296 0 71,560 - |
296 10,497 71,560 61,063 |
|
| 71,856 0 |
71,856 71,560 |
The notes on page 10 form part of these accounts.
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Halesworth Community Church
Statement of Assets and Liabilities As at 31 March 2025
| 2025 | 2025 2024 |
|
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ £ |
|
| Fixed Assets | ||
| Equipment (insurance value) | 2,470 | 2,470 1,400 |
| Debtors | ||
| Gift aid receivable | 5,565 | 5,565 918 |
| Bank Balances | 71,856 | 71,856 71,560 |
| Liabilities | 540 | 540 450 |
| Total Net Assets | 79,351 | 351 73,428 |
The accounts were approved by the Trustees on 23 September 2025 and signed on their behalf by:
David Sillett Chair of Trustees
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Halesworth Community Church
Notes to the Accounts For the year ended 31 March 2025
1 Accounting Policies
The accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis with a statement of assets and liabilities.
2 Payments
| Notes Church activities Pastoral Services 3 Insurance Copyright Licence Thirtyone:eight (previously Churches Child Protection Advisory Services) Advertising and Publicity Website Data Protection Repairs and renewals Miscellaneous Gifts Made Governance Accounts Examination |
Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds 2025 2024 £ £ £ £ 26,057 - 26,057 22,130 414 - - 414 402 - 402 346 168 - 168 145 46 - - 46 20 - 20 20 35 - 35 35 1,088 - 1,088 - 575 - 575 685 |
|---|---|
| 28,805 0 28,805 23,821 |
|
| 1,290 - 1,290 1,760 540 - 540 480 |
|
| 30,635 0 30,635 26,061 |
3 Pastoral Services and Trustees
The Trust has no employees. The amount for Pastoral Services is to support the pastoral ministry of the church for three days per week paid to Tim Sparkes.
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