Staplehurst Free Church Reports and Financial Statements For the year ended 31 October 2023 Company numbor: 06725987 Charity number: 1127205
REFERENCE AND ADMINSTRATION INFORMATION T Hawgood R Howse R Laming Mrs K Minett G. Smith Addross of tho wlnclpal offlc• of the charfty Staplehurst Free Church Station Road Staplehurst Kent TN12 OQQ Indep•ndont Examln•r Mr L.C. Seal FCCA FAIA Blain Pritchard 74 College Road Maidstone Kent ME15 8SL Tr•••urnr Mrs Carol Skov B•nk•r• National stmin$tor Bank plc Maid8tone Branth 3 High Street Maidstone Kent ME14 1XU
TRUSTEES REPORT The trustees are pleased to Present their repcrft togets with the firwKial statements for the year erKJed 31 October 2023. The finanryal ststements COM with current statutory requirements, the Companies Act 2(Th and the Statement of Recommen Pradice 'Accounting arKI ReFQrting by Charities. (SORP) effe've fr(Mn January 2015. STRUCTURE. MANAGEMENT AND GOVERNANCE The d)atity is a company limited by guarantee. wilh a memorand aThJ Articbes of Association a8 its goveming document. h was IncorFM)Thed on 16th October 2CQ8. Previously Staplehurst Free Church, which Wan in the trne of one of the fcMJnder member8 in 1969, was an unincorporated Charity govemed by a Trust Deed. The Constitulion of Stapbhurst Free Church 8ets out the rules on the organisation Iwll operate on a day-to4ay basi8. This dOJment 8ets out purpose. 8tstement of faith, vi8ion, mission and go813. It also ¢ontsin8 Kmisions regarding membership. the governance of the church through the leadership team (comprising elders and deacons) and their appointment and responsibilities, the option to appoint a remunerated pastor, the conduct of church meetirw8 and reference to the role of tnJ8tee8. In the event of a conflict belween the constitution 8nd the MemorarKlum and The Loadership Téam laker winopal Tpsl.1ty for the day to day wnniro of the church and overseeing it8 numerou8 volunteer led actNrti88. This team is made up of member8 With significant historic involvement in and expeiience of Church lrfe and comwises: Terence Hawgocxl (Senior Elder) Clive Jones (Elder) Mary Howse {Assistant Loader) Kate Henry {A88i8tsnt Leader) Bob Ho*%e (Deacon) Succes8ion planning for the Leadership Team has been a priorTty for the year. Several of th08e currèntly ading have been dorng so for many years and WF8h to transition out of leadership ljjt in managed way that doe8 not leave the church lead8r4888. Since significarrt drfficults'es prevK)usty experienced after recruiting someone completely unkno% to the Church. a 8trategy w88 adopt8d to openly approach a cohort of people who have some previous knowledge or involvement in Church lrfe. Since our financial situation woukl likely only enable any new church lèader to be appointed on a part-time basis, this approach also provide(I scope for those with different skills and other sourlxs of income to exw86s interest; there would be flexibility to scopè role rather than it be rye8bed arKJ entIallY exdude gocxl candidates. Various expression8 of interest were received and after a seledion and consultation wo¢e38, Peter BrooK a long-standlng Christian who had joined the Church within the last year, was nominated to the membernhip to be the new remunerated dr¢h leader. His fml apPnts is planned for early in the nexl financial year. The members of the Charity may by ordinary resolution appoint a person vtho is willing to act as a Twstee either to fill a vacancy or as an additional Trustee at a General Meeting in accordance with th8 Artides of Association. Trustees a also reaF4)oint8d. rf desired. on a rotational basis in the order in which ttw were oppointed a8 also defined in the ArtTrcles. As at the dats of this report the following are the charity's trustees and directors for the purposes of the Companies Act: _ Bob Ho% TenCe Hawgood
Roy Laming Graham Smith Kathryn Minett The Leadership Team and the Trustees ensure the various poliaes of th8 church are revIev1 annually to ensure li uses best wa¢ti¢e across all activities. Polioes in place indude but are not limited to the Equal oprtUnie3 Policy and Ethos Statement, Safeguarding Policy for Children and Vulnerable Adults, Pastoral Care Policy. Ap1ale Behaviour Poiicy. Mtssion Funding Policy, Heafth & Safety Policy induding the Food Hygiene Policy. Premises Secuiity Policy and the Fire Safety Policy. A new a Memtws arKI Vdunteer8 Har¥Jbook was also comwed this year. CHARITABLE OWECTIVES & ACTNITIES The objects and goals of Stsplehurst Free Churth are set txrt in tho Memorandum of A880ciation and expanded in the Constitution, these being a vbsion being for a Sprrit-filled ¢hurch released into corporate waise and worship and to be an effedive witness to the communty, to 8erve some of the many and diverne needs of the Lxmmunty of Staplehur8t and to be Invoed in the wider mission of the church overseas. The mission statement is summed up in the key 8tatement- 'Enabling everyone to know Jesu8 and in a p8r80nal relationship with Him.. We strive to monrtor the needs of the communty matchirvJ them to Ixr re8ource8 and Idents'n9 opportunrties for offering God's love to those in need. PUBLIC BENEFIT All Trustee8 give their time voluntarily and f1ve no benefit from the tharlty. The truste88 have complied with the duty in section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to Publi¢ Benefft guidance published by tt Charities Comrni88ion. Our social, health arKS wellbeing acilvlti88 have continued to Ilourish and expand alongside our well-e8tsblished faith-based programmes. The Church 1]dIng continues to be in UBe 8very day of the week, with 8essions on most mornings, afternoons and evenings, whiL benefft church members, regu&r attondee8 and the wider commuruty as follows.. Monday8- Debt Advice Centro, Men's Walkir¥a Grp. SFC Choir Tuesdays- Friends Together, Wam Spaces. Communrty Fndge, Home Group8 (off site) Wednesday8 - Prayer Meeting. C(xnmunty Fridge. Home Groups (off site) Thur8day8- FreeBe88. Communty FIKlge. Mixed Badminton Fridays- Interest Group, Lad Badminton, Worship Group Rehear8als Saturdays- Communty Fndgfr. Leadership Meetings, Social Events Sundays- Church Services, Sharing Lunches aThJ Social Events (occasional) Kay developmerts in the year have been 88 follthvs: The tmlol 'Emmaus Project. was started in partnershlp with Share Jesus Intemational. Thi8 new iniiiatbve aims to improve and irKfease communrty engagement18vels using sequenced outreach events. tt has been very motivational and nietrics have shi)wn increased attendance al many of th8 Church actsifjties. This more 8tru(aured thinking in way events are planned and orJr anised IB bw'ng embedded into the Churth events prc¥Jramme. Wrth increased financial hardship beirvJ expwlenced by many people nationally. Pa as a result of the erwy crisis, we have tn a synificant increase in usage of our Communty Fridge Project which kYovides food at no cost. Fortunately this demarKI has been mirrored by generous finance and fo(xl donations by local people and businesses. We have also had a gr(Ming volunteer team, many of whom colloct food from local supemarkets that
would otrterwrse go to waste or else are atterKlants of the Frty and guide and support those coming in to use the servi. Themed events including the Coronth'on of the r1 KirvJ and a mLtlti4ay Walk Through Bible. educational event was organised and very well attended and received. A community quiz night and bam dan were very well attended and will be reteated in 2024. The Wfirrter Wami Room proie(a at the Church was very successful and received very high levels of attendan compared to other venues hosts'ng the project. It wa8 obwved tha( not onty was this helpful for people on low incomes struggling to heat their homes, but it ovid8d an opportunty for those living alone to meet arKI soclIse with other people. As a result, the prqe( continued for the wlK>le year as a communty benefft activity ts¢kling social isolation. It operates on a TdaY aftemoon alOne the Communrty Fridge 80 impact of both Is multiplied. Increase in attendance of Church ad1vit by families. with the numbers who could tentially attend Kids Church. for ex. risiry from less than doub18 figum to 23 children. A grant application for the installation of 8 801ar panel 8yStem on the Church roof was successful. This will snIficant1Y reduce future rumirvJ costs e8pecrally as the building 18 all electric. Installalion is expected in Spring 2024. One of the comerstone activities of the Chur¢h is providirYJ financial support for a variety of third- paty charitable organisations and we are pleased to be able to report we havé sustained thi8 activity through the continuous rrOUS donations of our members and reguLqr attendee8. The88 financial gifts are channelled through our Mi88ionary Fund- for detalls see the Note 2 under the heading 'Projects' in the Notes to the finanual statements. sakIng opportunities were also provided to representatives of fjome of these organi8ations which stimulat&l additional donation8. In addrtion, the Church once again 8UPPOrted and acted 88 a 'dropy'ng off poinf for shoeboxes filled wrth toys as part of Samaritan Pur3e's Operation Christmas Child Appeal. Rent-free offic space and funding 8UPPOrt also Kyovvjed to Staplehurst'8 Debt Advtce Centre. FUTURE PLANS The Church continues to be very active, sustainable and vibrant with a fulkyear of activitm. events and 88rvic88 already anned. These indude: Appointment of a w Church ader Consideration of additional new leadern Continuing delivery of the Emmau8 Propct arKI expaThling our events programme. Developing a strategy to better supp)rt children aThJ familie$ in the local communty and increase their usage of the Church premises and activrties. Continuing to maximise use of the thurth wemise8 for our own activities and for the benefft of the wthr communlty through events. Installing a solar panel system Continuing to service the mortgage debt FINANCIAL REVIEW Cash at hand in the bank account at 31* Odober 2023 was £45.285.74. An amount within this of £10.000 is ringfenced as reserves which covers 6 months of fixed experKJiture which the trustee8 consider to be adequate. Some is also restricted for spending on specif FYoje¢ts for which the money was donated. The remainder is available for and adivrties as needed; Th•B ildin AU income to the buikjing furKI was wiorilised Imrds th8 monthly paym8nt$ arKI
repayment of interest free loans resulting frcrfn the compl redevewnent of th8 Church site culminating with the opening of the new tAJilding in Decemiw 2012. The tsrget was to repay all interest free loans by the end of October 2024 but a generous donatton re(zived enat4ed this to happen in October 2023. (See Notes 3 and 4 of the Notes to the financ4al statements). Company law requires the trustees to wepar8 financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair vivw of the state of affairs of the chanty at the year and of its income and expenditure durirffj the year. In weparing th88e financial statements, ts truste88 are required to: • select suitable accounting policies aThJ apply them CCABislently: make judgments and ests'mates that are reasonable and wudert . state whethar applicabkn accounting stalardS arKI statements of recanmended practice have been followed • subj'ect to any material dep8rture8 d18clo arK explained in the financlal 8tatements', prepare the financial statements on a wng concem basis unles8 it is inappropnats to presum8 that the charity will continue in lneS8. The trustees are required to k88p proper accounting records which disclo88 wilh reasonable accuracy at any time the financial positFon of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statemerrts mplY with the Companie8 Act 20CO. They are al80 responsible for 8af8guarding the assets of the Chanty and for takiNJ reasonabb steps for ts prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularits. Approved the managing tru8tees and signed on thetr behalf by R Laming i
Indop•ndent Ex•mln•Vs Report to tho Tru•t•M of stsplohurnt Frne Church I report on the financial statements of Staplehurst Free Churd) for the year erK18d 31 October 2023, wthich are set out on pages 8 to 14. R•8p•ctlv• mponslbllltl•s of and examln•r trustees {bvho are a180 the directors of the company for the purposes of company18w) are responsiblè for the preparation of the financial statements in accwdanc8 With ts requiremènts of th? Companies Act 2Crt)6 (Ihe 20( Arf). Having satiSfd myself that the financial statements of the chanty are not required to be audtted under Part 16 of the 20C6 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in resp8d of my examination of chartty's financial statements as carried out und8r section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act). In carying out my eXaminatic I have foll(Med tfk8 'rectionS given by the CharTty Commission under section 145(b) of the 2011 Aca. Thls report, including my statement, has béen prepared for and onty for t} (*8rity'8 truste as o body. My Vrk has been undertaken so that I rnht state to the Ch,$ trust808 those matters I am required to 8tata to them in an independent examinerf8 report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, I do not accem or a88ume responsibility to anyona other than the charrty and the charity's Iru8tees 88 a body for my examlnatim worK tr thls rewt, or for the 8tatements I have mad•. Ba819 of Indep•nd•nt wmln•e• r•port My examlnation wa8 carried out in accoTdance with the general Threction8 glven by the Charty Commi88ion. An examination indudes a r8vi8w of the accounting records kept by the Charty arKI a comparison ol the financial statements pre8ented with those rewd8. It al80 includos consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the financial statements seekiw explanations frfxn you a8 trustees conceming any such matter8. The procedure8 undertaken do not provid8 all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and ¢on8equently no opinion is given as to whether the financial statement$ presant a Irue and fair viow, and the rewt 18 limit8d to those matters 80t out in the statement below. Ind•pond•nt examln•rfs statom•nt In connection wrth my examination. which18 c(xnplete. no matters have come to rny attention which giv8 me rea8<)nable ¢au8e to believe that in any material respecL accounting records were not kept in respect of Stapknurnt Free Church In accordance wrlh section 386 of the 2006 Act; or the financial Statements do not acCd th those re¢ord8; or the financi81 statements do not comply with the ac¢ounting requirements of sertkon 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the financial statements give a knie and fair, view which 18 not a matter considered as part of an indewthnt examination: or the financial statements have not been prepared in accordance with the method$ and principals of the Statement of Recommended Practi for a¢counting and reporting by chariti88 [applicable to Charities wep8ring their ac£ounts in aCrdance with the Financial Reportmw Standard appfuble in the UK arKI Rewblic of Ireland (FRS 102)]. I have no conwn8 arKI have acxoss no th matters in connection wlth the examination to which, in my opinion, atlenlion should be drawn in order to enable a wopw understandirvJ of th8 financial statements to be reached.
Signed.. Mr L. C. Seal FCCA FAIA Blain Pritchard, Chartered CertIfd Accountants 74 College Road, Maidstone, Kent ME15 6SL Date.. i-l
Stapknhuvst Frne Chur¢h Statsment of financial a¢tlvlU•s T¢ytsl Fufid Fund 1.375 ,638 135,Xffj 87. 97 15.W23 18.844 3r2 Sundry SncJ Bank int•re8t Inlwd R•v•nue 15.582 11.884 11.884 12.971 Tolal In¢om• 91.817 1.619 70.107 183.543 97,804 Ev19 Proleds 2240 17,985 20,225 11,171 38• 35,584 12,679 11.228 11.0&8 10.096 78 25,21% 25.208 Profe88bnal and lyl IM8 S•É8rie8 and w Innd 11.038 207 25.2( TolAI •xp•n¢llr• .4T2 17.985 J),530 11A,988 93.823 31,346 .18.367 39.677 64,558 3.961 -18.529 18.454 75 M•t In¢Mi•l{•xp•ndkn) 14,817 87 39.652 54.S53 3.981 8•l•nc• broughtlorw*NI •11 N¢)nb•r 29.470 124 845,463 875.047 871,CI18 211 885.10S 929.603 875.047 at 31 Octob•r 44.287
Stsplohurnt Fm Church Balance sheot at 31 Octob•r 2023 Totsl 2023 Tolal Fund Fw Fund 2022 Flxed assets Buikling cx)st 1.2PA).4(W) 1,4 1W).4(KI Depreciation for the year Accumulated depreciatson -25.X .25J -25,208 -252.819 -252.819 -227.611 Net buibjing value 982 373 982.373 1.(X)7W1 Curr•nt auots Cash at bank and In hand D•btors Grtl Aid recoverable 211 6.327 7.749 Ll•bllltb••: •mount• fallln9 du• wlthln on• yoar Accrual8 Holiday pay accruals Loan8 Mortgage 1217 1217 1.162 53,333 5.467 5.487 N•t cUrrt a•s•tsl(IlabllltlM) 211 45,356 -28,687 44,287 Long4•mi Ll•bllltto• Mortgage 96.127 98,127 101847 44.287 211 a85,1 s29.2 875.047 N•t •s••ts Funds: General FurKI Missionary Fund Youth Fund Building Fund House party FurKI 44287 29.470 124 211 211 885.11 885.105 845.453 Totsl funds 211 685.1 V29.803 875.047 10
The Trustses o)nshder that the charity ts entilled to exenv1 from the requtrernt to have an audit under the pmvisions ofsec1m 477 ofthe Crywies Aci 20 rTr Arf) and have rK)t required the ¢hartty to obtsin an alt for year in x£ovdance with SeK 476 of tho fv£t Tho Trustees acknobthge their re¥Sibilit$ for ensuring Ihat the ctiafity keeps a3n1g records which cOmY with se¢tion 386 of the Act and lor preparuw financid stateffnts gr4e a true and fair of tho state of affrdirs of the chanty 89 at 311)Xober 2023 and of its suWu8 ts Ihe year then etxled in a(%Ofdan( with th requirements of 396 of the ki and otheme C(x with the requireffwts of Compan Act 20(b relats'ng to the flnancial statsrnits 80 fw as apr1* to the aging Tnthes on WKI signed tsir behall ty pproved ty the Roy LamiNJ 11
Staplehurat Frn• Church Notss to the financial ststements for the year ended 31 October 2023 Accounllng pollcles Basis of accounting The finan¢ial statements have been w8pared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with applicable United Kingdom accounting standards and the compan Act 2006. In preparing the financaal statements the trust follows best prod1 as laid down in Ihe Statement of Recommended Practice "Accounting and Repo.n9 by Chartties., issued by the Charity Commission effe(aive from January 2015. Income Donations and interest receivad are accwnted for in the year in which the tru8t is entffjed to receive them. Expondltur• All expenditure is accounted for on an acuuals basis and, in accordance wTrth the requirement of the SORP, and has been c4a88ffied urKl8r headsngs that aggregate all costs related to that category. In aGcordance with the requirements of the Statement of Recommended Practice "Accounting and Reporting by Charities. all expendrtur8 has been dassifd under Standard headings- Ithe charity has taken advantage of conc888ion8 wovided by SORP and prepared headings to surt the tharity as opposed to by activty categories which would apply to larger charitses suty'8Cted to an alIt]. Deweciats'on on the building 18 deprlated on a straight4ine basis over 50 years. Fund• The general furKI is available for use at the disuetirm of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the chanty. Designated funds are Unre8trtC fur)ds eannarked by the Trustee8 for particular purp08e8. Details of designated furKls are as follow8.. Missionary fund- used for the support of mk8sionaries ovewas and in the UK and charitieslmission organisations as approved by the Leadership Team. R8Strided funds are funds which are to be used in accordance wilh Specific restrictions imposed by the donor. Details of restricted fiJr¥Js are as follows.. Building fund - SFecffically for the repayment of loans taken out to complete the construction of the church building. 12
Projects Totsl 2023 Total 2022 Bamabus Fund Communty Centre for Debt AdVI- Staplehurst Compassion UK Emmanuel Press UK Falconer Trust Family Trust GideonslGood News for Everyone How Leb8dyn Maidstone Str88t Pastors Open Doors Orphaids UK Project Ecuador Release Internatnal Samartian's Purse SASRA Share Jesus Internation81 Smgthurst Ministries Tearfund Torch Trust Walk Through tho Bible 200 200 300 100 1,8(XJ 609 1,300 1.775 250 432 832 1,850 200 500 200 500 2,400 1,130 1.100 875 1,780 75 138 Loan• Loans totalling £311,(MXI have been made by Church members sin¢8 March 2012. Over the past year £53,333 has been repaid from a donation. The balance of £53,333 has been repaid wthin 2 yearn as reqsted by the lerrfler. Mortgage A loan of £150,000 was completed on 3 April 2012 from the ChTlds Charitable Trust at rate of 5.5% (variable) repayaNe over 25 years payable by monthly in6talments of capital and interest of £876.89 the first payment having been made on 1 June 2012. The loan is secured on the land and building at Station Road, StaKAehur8t. Analysls of staff costs, trusts• r•muneratkn and expenM• 2023 2022 Salaries arKI wa Social secu costs Pension costs 11035.55 207.00 929.33 10.095.74 75.90 856.64 No employees had employee benefits in excess of £60.000 (2022.. £nib. The *lministrator role continued to be filled on a part time basis throughout the whol8 year. 13
The charity trustees were not paid or Teceiv&J any otfw berefits in year for undertaking this voluntary role (2022: £nil). Any expenses incJJrred were reimbursed in the same way as with other thurch members. No thanty trustee received payment for wofessional or other services supplied to the charity {2022.' £nil). Related Party Transactlons There hav8 been no related pty transaclions in the year (2022.. £nil). 14