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)Th￿ed on 16th October 2CQ8. Previously Staplehurst Free
Church, which Wan in the t￿rne 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 dO￿Jment 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 T￿p￿sl￿.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 rye8￿bed 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 d￿r¢h leader. His fml apP￿nts￿ 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%
Te￿nCe Hawgood

Roy Laming
Graham Smith
Kathryn Minett
The Leadership Team and the Trustees ensure the various poliaes of th8 church are revIev￿1
annually to ensure li uses best wa¢ti¢e across all activities. Polioes in place indude but are not
limited to the Equal op￿rtUni￿e3 Policy and Ethos Statement, Safeguarding Policy for Children
and Vulnerable Adults, Pastoral Care Policy. A￿p1al￿e 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 Invo￿ed 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 f￿1ve 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 Gr￿p. 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 t￿n 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 soc￿lIse 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 T￿daY aftemoon alOn￿e 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 s￿nIficant1Y 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 ￿r￿rOUS 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. s￿akIng 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 sta￿lardS 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 irregularit*s.
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 satiSf￿d 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 V￿rk has been undertaken so that I rn￿ht 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 acC￿d ￿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 aC￿rdance 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 CertIf￿d 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 Snc*J
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
Ev￿19
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
In￿nd
11.038
207
25.2(*
TolAI •xp•n¢ll￿r•
.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 cUrr￿t
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 requtrer￿nt 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 a￿lt for year in x£ovdance with Se￿K￿ 476 of tho fv£t Tho Trustees
acknobthge their re¥￿Sibilit￿$ for ensuring Ihat the ctiafity keeps a3￿￿n￿1g records which cOm￿Y with
se¢tion 386 of the Act and lor preparuw financid stateff*nts 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 dassif￿d 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 a￿lIt].
Deweciats'on on the building 18 depr￿lated 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 Internat￿nal
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 req￿sted 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