2023-12-31-accounts

RUGBY UNITED REFORMED CHURCH CHARITY

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER 2023

This report includes information required by the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the Statement of Recommended Practice for Accounting by Charities 2005

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Rugby URC Charity is a local church of the United Reformed Church in Great Britain, and is a member church of the West Midlands Synod of the United Reformed Church. It was registered on 1[st] May 2009 as Charity Number 1129370.

The Church is situated at 40 Hillmorton Road, Rugby, CV22 5AD. The website is www.rugbyurc.org

The members of the Elders' Meeting for the time being are recognised as the charity Trustees. Those who served during the period of this report are: Ros Burne Ron Henderson until April 2024 Bill Howard Gill Kingston up to 20[th] August 2023 Judith Lewis Lorna Maloney until July 2024 Robert Maloney until July 2024 Alan Martin until Sept 2024 Jenny Martin John Paxton up to 1[st] Sept 2023 Barbara Rose until Dec 2023 Isobel Wearing until Sept 2023 Carol Woodall John Mawson from 3[rd] Sept 2023 June Mawson from 3[rd] Sept 2023 Roger Baker from 3[rd] Sept 2023 Lynne Baker from 3[rd] Sept 2023

The church buildings are vested in the Synod Trust Company as trustees and held for the benefit of Rugby URC in accordance with the trusts applicable to URC properties The manse was sold in 2020 and the agreed transfers of money between the Synod and Rugby URC was completed in May 2022.

OBJECTIVES AND PUBLIC BENEFIT

As a local congregation of the United Reformed Church, Rugby URC seeks to advance the Christian religion through its activities and the facilities offered to the Community by its buildings and described more specifically in its mission statement which states: In the name of Jesus, Rugby United Reformed Church is committed to sharing the love of God in its fellowship, in the local community and in the wider world

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The Elders' Meeting is aware of the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit in "The Advancement of Religion for the Public Benefit" and has regard to it in the administration of the Church. The Elders' Meeting believes that the Church provides benefit to the public by:

• Providing resources and facilities for public worship, pastoral care and spiritual, moral and intellectual development, both for the congregation and for anyone else who wishes to benefit from what the Church offers;

• Promoting Christian values and service by members of the congregation to the community, for the benefit of individuals and society as a whole.

STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES RESPONSIBILITIES

The Trustees are responsible for preparing the financial statements for each financial year in accordance with applicable laws and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Charity law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements each year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of funds 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 applicable Charities SORP;

• Make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

• Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business.

The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act. 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

The activities of Rugby URC are overseen by the Elders Meeting of the Church in accordance with the provisions of The Structure of the United Reformed Church determined by the General Assembly of the United Reformed Church. The governing document of the registered charity is a statement adopted by the Church Meeting on 10th January 2009. The Elders' Meeting is responsible for the financial administration of the Church, and the care and maintenance of the Church premises. The Church Meeting of all members wishing to attend gives general guidance on the life and work of the Church. The members of the Elders Meeting consist of the minister in pastoral charge (or Interim Moderator during a vacancy) and members of Rugby URC nominated and elected by the members in Church Meeting to the role of Elder. The members of the Elders' Meeting are the trustees of the registered charity during their period of service as Elders. The Elders' Meeting meets four times during the year. The Finance Committee assists it in the administration of the Church’s finances and its properties. The Church Meeting meets quarterly.

CHAIRMAN'S REPORT

Rugby URC promotes a strong Christian ethos of love and caring which is reinforced in both words and actions. There is a Sunday morning worship service each week and twice a month on Sunday evenings there is a second, more informal, act of worship. We open our facilities

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to an increasingly wide range of groups within the local community, both religious and secular. We work closely with other churches in Rugby under an umbrella organization named Revive which enables us, as a group of churches to achieve more than we could possibly manage individually.

REVIEW OF ACTIVITIES

A number of outreach activities are undertaken from the church. Our Wednesday Group has diversified into a wider range of activities which is of benefit to those with some mental impairment. Afternoon tea is served at three with china cups and cake stands and has proved a very popular addition. Our Friday Community Lunch continues with a variable number of guests which has risen gradually to around 50 older people from the community. There is a 2 course hot meal each-week but perhaps as importantly is the fostering of friendships and reduction in isolation. "Tiny Tots Music Fun” now meets twice a month and continues to be successful.

Both a weekly Newsweek and our website are maintained as sources of information to the members and friends in the congregation. Our premises are also used once or more each week by a number of faith groups including Seventh Day Adventists and Chinese Christian Worship. A growing number of community groups, including U3A groups, are attracted to using our premises and a range of uniformed youth organizations also meet weekly. We actively support the Rugby Food Bank which operates for those in need. Our website is updated on a regular weekly basis principally with details of our church activities through our weekly Newsweek and Banner headlines.

Volunteers are the backbone of our church, providing not only the core of all church activities but also providing vital support to the broader community in terms of outreach and the provision of marriage services, baptisms and funerals to members and non-members alike. Volunteers (mainly from the local community) also staff the Community Lunch on a monthly rota basis. Our network of Elders, all volunteers, offer pastoral care to those in need in our community. Two of our members are Street Pastors and are part of a growing band of Street Pastors in Rugby to provide a much-needed support to the local community at night.

Maintaining our premises in a safe and welcoming condition is important. While our members undertake some of the general work, we continue to employ a tradesman to undertake more major repairs. We employ local contract cleaners to keep the premises in a good clean condition for all users. To ensure that our premises are suited for community activities we have a Premises Licence in accordance with the licensing Act 2003.

FUTURE PLANS.

The West Midlands Synod of the URC engaged in a major redeployment exercise which concluded during 2023. Rugby URC is now part of the South Warwickshire Pastorate which consists of 4 churches. Our minister, Rev. Robert Maloney, retired in February 2023 and with the other 3 churches in the pastorate we will be advertising the vacancy for a minister for the pastorate in the future.

FUTURE RISKS

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Sadly, our membership and congregations at services continues to decline due to the age and infirmity of a number of church members and friends. The major risk in the near future is with respect to the financing of any building project or refurbishments as we have to use some of our reserves to finance paying our M&M contributions.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

The total financial assets of the charity decreased by £12,673 during 2023, decreasing from £183,282 to £170,609. This total represented a decrease in the general fund of £12,077. This resulted from the general expenditure of £87,880, the major item being the M&M contribution of £42,324, exceeding the general income of £75,207 where the membership voluntary donations were £26,706.

The designated funds previously for fabric, Community Hall development, St Margarets Hall development and Solar panel fund have now all been amalgamated into the general fund.

The restricted fund for the Community Hall development remains unchanged at £31,744.

This report was approved by the Trustees and is signed on their behalf by

Rev Nick Stanyon Chair of Trustees

Rev Nick Stanyon is the new Minister at Rugby URC from July 2024 and is now Chair of the Trustees, however he was not in post at the time this report covers.

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