Riverside Church Annual Report & Financial Statements
## For year ended December 2025
Registered charity no. 1131872 Company no. 0 6983393
This report covers the period 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2025
Riverside Church, Thanet Way, Whitstable, Kent CT5 3JQ www.riversideuk.org
Page 1
## **Introduction**
Riverside is a vibrant and growing affirming church community of adults, children and young people meeting in Whitstable, Kent.
The church was established in 1925 and has been faithfully worshipping God and serving the local community for nearly a hundred years.
Our aim is to be a blessing to our community through sharing the love and compassion of God to those we meet.
Having our own building allows us to hire rooms to commercial and public-sector organisations during the week. This conference activity generates an income stream that supports our charitable activities.
We also have an on-site café which forms a community space right at the heart of the building. It provides a relaxed, friendly environment where everyone is welcome - old friends can come together, and new friendships can be made.
Our goal is to see the transformation of our communities through the goodness of Jesus.
We believe the goodness of Jesus is for everyone and we are passionate about helping people encounter his life-changing power.
Our broad aims continue to be the following:
- Creating spaces and opportunities for people to encounter the good news of Jesus and His transforming presence.
- Equipping and supporting people to do life well.
- Bringing practical and spiritual relief to the vulnerable and those in need.
- Doing things well.
Page 2
## **Review**
On 22 June 2025 Riverside celebrated its 100th birthday.
The church started back in 1925 when Mr Herbert Brabrook, and Mrs Evans thought it would be good to have a Christian presence in the Tankerton area of Whitstable.
By 1926, tent services were being conducted in a bell-shaped marquee on the corner of Ellis Road in Tankerton. In 1927 a new church building was completed at a cost of £554. The church began to outgrow this first building so a larger one was built on Northwood Road in Tankerton in 1933. This building became the home for the church for the next seventy plus years.
Above the original pulpit was a banner which said ‘All One in Christ Jesus.’ This is taken from a verse in the bible from a letter the apostle Paul wrote to a church in Galatia, where he said:
_‘There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.’_ (Galatians 3:28)
The church always had a vision to unite people, rather than to divide them, and Riverside continues to carry this vision today…
There have been so many great people and so many amazing things God has done through this church over the last century.
During the celebration service, we invited some of the longer standing members to share some of their memories and pray for the continued work of the church.
Our café team made some beautiful cakes in all the assorted colours taken from our Riverside logo, to symbolise the rich diversity and bounty from God that we’ve seen and will continue to see expressed through this church.
We encouraged people to reflect on God’s rich provision in their life and in the life of this church over the last 100 years.
And as they enjoyed their cake, to take a moment to give thanks and pray for the years ahead - that God would do as the apostle Pauls says, _‘immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine…’_
Page 3
## Objective 1: **Advance the Gospel**
_Creating spaces and opportunities for people to encounter the good news of Jesus and His transforming presence…_
2025 was a significant year of building new relationships with different churches, exploring what it means to become fully affirming and inclusive communities.
We had conversations with pastors and church leaders from a wide range of denominations who were discerning how to lead their congregations on a journey towards becoming welcoming and affirming spaces for LGBTQ+ people.
Across the country, many evangelical and charismatic churches are already fully embracing and integrating the ministries, leadership, and gifts of LGBTQ+ people, while many others are actively moving towards greater inclusion.
Throughout the year, we continued to collaborate with a growing network of church and ministry leaders who are committed to fostering supportive, inclusive communities and developing resources for churches and leaders navigating this journey.
Next year we will be hosting _Fruitful_ , a one-day conference for LGBTQ+ inclusive Christians and allies. Previously held at St Mary's Bryanston Square, London, the conference will take place in Birmingham and Whitstable in 2026.
_Fruitful_ brings together voices from across the evangelical spectrum, including Baptist, Anglican, Pentecostal, and Black majority churches, creating space for encouragement, learning, and shared vision for a more inclusive Church.
Riverside continued to grow, and we welcomed many new people, families, and children throughout the year. We hosted a Welcome Evening in January where twenty-five newcomers had chance to meet each other, share food and hear the history and vision of the church.
During this year we started a new series which ran throughout the year called _Rough Guide to the Bible_ . The aim of these talks was to give a better understanding of the larger narrative themes of the bible.
We continued to create spaces and opportunities to encounter the good news of Jesus. Riverside is a vibrant worshipping community that loved celebrating its 100[th] birthday and seeing the impact on so many people’s lives within the church and the local community.
Page 4
_Equipping and supporting people to do life well…_
Objective 2: **Improve Life**
The Hub includes a range of dedicated spaces designed to encourage connection, creativity, and community, including a kitchen and caféstyle area where young people can prepare food and drinks together, alongside gaming, activity, and relaxed chill-out zones.
Riverside continued to host and welcome a wide variety of people. Our Sunday morning services provide a place of connection, support, and practical teaching to equip people to do life well.
We continued to run our monthly Family Fun Mornings at Thornden Wood Primary School, providing free food, games, crafts, and music for families across the Herne Bay area. These gatherings remain a valued and well-attended resource within the local community, creating welcoming spaces where families can connect, build relationships, and find support. As well as offering fun and friendship, the mornings help combat isolation and provide opportunities to connect families with other Riverside projects, including Growbaby and our Holiday Hunger programme.
Alongside her work at the Hub, Abbie is highly respected within local schools, where she provided mentoring, pastoral support, and additional care for young people who may need encouragement and guidance.
In June we held our second Riverside Camping Weekend in Meopham. The event was an enormous success with around one hundred adults and children attending. We had lovely sunny weather and many great activities across the weekend, concluding with an open-air service on the Sunday morning. It was the perfect way to build community and enjoy extended time together.
Our youth work continued to grow and thrive under the leadership of our Youth Pastor, Abbie Beale. The Youth Hub has become a vibrant and welcoming space, fulfilling our vision of creating an environment where young people feel safe, valued, and able to build positive relationships while engaging in meaningful activities. Our evening sessions regularly welcome up to 45 young people from the two local secondary schools.
We have invested in our volunteer leaders with two events and lunches, with guest speakers Danny Brierley from Chester Road Baptist Church in Birmingham and Rachel Humphrey one of the ministers of Bonny Downs Baptist Church, who is studying for a PhD in safeguarding in the context of charismatic worship.
Page 5
## Objective 3: **Bring Relief**
_Bringing practical and spiritual relief to the vulnerable and those in need…_
Growbaby, our ministry providing high-quality clothes, equipment, and essential items for children up to the age of five to families in need, continued to grow and flourish.
Each Monday, we regularly welcome up to forty families, with many travelling from across the region, including Medway, Folkestone, and Dover, to access support, connection, and practical help through Growbaby.
At the heart of Growbaby is a remarkable team of dedicated volunteers whose generosity and commitment make this ministry possible. From the warm welcome offered by our reception team to those sorting donations, supporting families as they choose the items they need, cleaning and assembling equipment, and carefully preparing clothing for redistribution, every role plays a vital part.
All donated equipment is thoroughly checked and PAT tested, and many volunteers faithfully take items home to wash, organise, and prepare for families. Growbaby has become a significant community operation, sustained by an extraordinary team of hardworking volunteers whose compassion and dedication we are deeply grateful for.
In 2025 we completed the third summer of holiday hunger. Over the holiday period, we supported forty families, including one hundred and eighteen children, helping to ensure that families had access to food and practical support during a particularly challenging time of year.
Each week, one hundred and twenty food bags were distributed, providing the equivalent of five hundred and ninety lunches to local children and families.
The impact of this support is perhaps best expressed by one parent who shared:
_“I was so grateful to be accepted for the help — it really made such a difference to us. The two people who delivered the food were so kind and helpful, and they took the time to stop, talk, and have a chat with me.”_
All Wrapped Up 2025 was also an enormous success. The parents and carers of over seven hundred referred children came to Riverside and chose Christmas presents at our free Winter Wonderland. We also gave two hundred and ninety-four families food vouchers to help with Christmas costs.
Page 6
## **Doing Things Well**
_This involves everything, from the way we relate to people, to the way we manage our facility & develop our organisation…_
**Staffing:** This year we said goodbye to our Assistant Pastor Jacob Perrins who moved to be closer to family and take on another role in Woodland Church, Bristol. Martin Franks, another one of our Assistant Pastors also retired at the end of August.
**Site:** We continue to invest in our site to make it a welcoming and safe space. In 2025 we carpeted our main children’s room and the entrance foyer. We also installed new CCTV cameras in our Youth Hub and created a new Donation Station in the café area. We also created a new space called the ‘Hub Lounge’ which provides additional capacity for the café and other events.
**Events:** Our conferencing and event hire continued to grow throughout 2025 with many organisations seeing Riverside as their venue of choice. Here is some recent feedback from one of our clients:
‘ _We now organise and operate monthly networking events at this beautiful venue. The conference facilities are amazing, the staff are wonderful and it’s a great place to work from whether you require peace and quiet, or a little buzz in the cafe. We highly recommend Riverside Conference Centre.’_
**Volunteers:** We actively encourage people to volunteer their time and get involved, serving in some capacity.
Projects like Growbaby, All Wrapped Up and Holiday Hunger mobilise hundreds of volunteer hours from within the church and the wider community to serve families in need.
We have a large volunteer Sunday team which facilitate our welcoming and serving culture.
We have also had new volunteers joining the office team during the week.
Riverside could not operate at the level we do without the dedication of our volunteers in the church, and from the local community, and we are hugely appreciative of their ongoing generosity.
Throughout 2025 we’ve continued to grow in the ways that we can use our facility, our community, and our individual opportunities to purposefully be ‘good for everyone’ – helping people encounter God’s love through all we do.
Page 7
## **Connected Charities & Partner Projects**
Riverside continues to be an active supporter of Churches Together in Whitstable (CTiW).
CTiW provide Street Pastors who patrol every Friday night providing a caring and reassuring presence on the streets.
Haven is a joint church initiative supporting the homeless and vulnerable in the Whitstable area.
CTiW jointly support a local Christians Against Poverty (CAP) centre. CAP provides free debt counselling and additional life skills services.
Working in Romania to alleviate poverty, though partnership with churches.
OM’s Ship Ministry is sharing knowledge, help and hope in and around the world's port cities.
We hold our monthly Herne Bay Hub meetings at the school and also support them with projects like All Wrapped Up and Holiday Hunger.
_Riverside is proud to support the following organisations…_
Coastal Family Hub provides mental health support to children, young people and families in Whitstable, Herne Bay, and Reculver.
Inclusive Church is a network of churches, groups and individuals uniting around a vision of church which celebrates and affirms every person and does not discriminate.
Riverside supports the work of Mission Aviation Fellowship which enables over 2,000 aid, development, and mission organisations to bring medical care, emergency relief, long-term development, and Christian hope to thousands of communities.
Riverside supports the work of Open Doors which is an international ministry serving persecuted Christians and churches worldwide.
Riverside support the work of Oasis Trust who are working to transform
neighbourhoods and tackle exclusion.
Riverside support the global work of Tearfund.
Page 8
## **Strategic Report** Business Review
Riverside Church is in a stable position both financially and in terms of attendance.
Our total income from all sources was £547,304
Our expenditure totalled £620,742
Our room hiring and cafe income generated income of £259,738
Our financial statements at the end of this report provide more information.
## Risk Management
We have systems of internal control which are designed to provide reasonable, but not absolute assurance against material misstatement or loss. They include: -
- an annual budget approved by the Trustees.
- regular consideration by the Trustees of financial reports.
- delegation of authority and segregation of duties.
- identification and management of risks.
We aim to review the main risks the church faces on a regular basis. The Trustees consider the key risks to a church like ours to be finances, safeguarding, health and safety and human resources. We employ staff with key skills in these areas. We also engage third party experts for advice when needed.
We believe that our internal financial controls conform to the guidelines issued by the Charity Commission.
## Investment Powers and Policy
Our Articles authorise us to invest our funds. Cash balances are currently held across four banks. We operate a policy of keeping available funds within interest-bearing deposit accounts. We maintain a level of free reserves to mitigate against the risk that the charity experiences an unexpected event which would put us in financial difficulty.
This might include an event which would bring Riverside Church into disrepute; the premises being forced to close for an extended period of time; or a serious decline in the economic environment we operate in.
Page 9
## **Plans for the future**
We believe the appropriate level of unrestricted reserves should be based upon a proportion of our regular costs as follows:
- Four months of our long-term commitments, such as mortgage and utilities payments and the cost of running our Sunday services which would be a vital activity to maintain.
- Three months of medium-term commitments such as permanent staff costs and the monthly financial support we provide to partner charities.
- One month of short-term costs, including the day-to-day ministry activity of the church.
Our review has estimated this target level is £120,000. The reserves held as of 31 December 2025 are at this level. We review, on a 6-monthly basis, the level of reserves held.
During the year, the Trustees conducted a full review of the reserves policy to ensure it remained up to date and relevant.
We are continuing to grow in the ways that we use our facility, our community, and our individual opportunities to purposefully be ‘good for everyone’ – helping people encounter God’s love through all we do.
Our Vision Sunday this year focused on our primary purpose as a church – seeing transformation in people’s lives through all the different expressions of what we do.
We are seeing more and more people encountering the grace and love of Jesus and experience this personal transformation, helping them to lead fuller lives, and bringing transformation to our coastlands.
The core values within the church, such as trust and authenticity, continue to grow. This is creating a safe environment for people to deepen relationships and explore faith, whilst wresting with life’s questions.
We ended 2025 with a profound sense of thankfulness, looking forward to all that God was going to do through the church in 2026.
Page 10
## **Information about Riverside Church**
We believe that we comply with the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit and specifically the advancement of religion.
## Charity Number: 1131872
## Company Number: 0 6983393
Associated Professionals
## Principal Bankers:
HSBC Bank 9 Rose Lane Canterbury Kent CT1 2JP
## Registered Office:
Accountants:
Riverside Church Thanet Way Whitstable CT5 3JQ
Website: www.riversideuk.org
## Governing Document & Organisational Structure:
We are a registered charity, constituted by means of our Memorandum and Articles of Association and operating as a church. We are also a company limited by guarantee, in which the company directors form the board of Trustees. The liability of each trustee in the event of winding up is limited to £10. The spiritual vision and direction of the church is set by the Senior Leadership Team who along with the Trustees form the membership of the company. The pay of the Senior Leadership Team staff is reviewed annually and benchmarked against pay levels in other churches of comparable size and operation.
Kreston Reeves Suite 2 Orchard House Orchard Street Canterbury Kent CT2 8AR
Independent Examiner:
Samantha M Rouse FCCA DChA Kreston Reeves LLP Suite 2 Orchard House Orchard Street Canterbury Kent CT2 8AR
Solicitors:
Parry Law Sols 12-14 Oxford Street Whitstable CT5 1DE
Page 11
## **Information** (continued)
## Trustees and Senior Staff
## Trust Board (TB)
The Trustees who have served during the year are as follows: -
Kirsteen Magee Chair Simon Bateson Lead Pastor Darlene Bushell Finance Sean Carter Health & Safety Rebecca Swansbury Safeguarding Mike Clements (Joined 23.03.26)
The company secretary is Kirsteen Magee
## Appointment of Trustees & SLT
New Trustees and SLT members are appointed when appropriate. Suitable candidates are generally selected from within the church and are considered based on their skills, experience, and sympathy with the aims of the church. Trustees and SLT members are appointed by the combined Trustees and Senior Leadership Team. These two teams constitute the membership of the charitable company. New Trustees have the opportunity of reviewing appropriate documents, including the management accounts, as part of their induction process.
## Senior Leadership Team (SLT)
The day to day running of the church is delegated to the employed pastoral staff and operational staff. The staff are led by Simon & Keely Bateson (Lead Pastors) and their Senior Leadership Team which is as follows: -
Simon Bateson Lead Pastor Keely Bateson Lead Pastor Martin Franks Assistant Pastor (Retired 30.08.25)
Jacob Perrins Assistant Pastor (Stepped down 28.02.25) Emma Perrins SLT (Stepped down 28.02.25)
Debbie Franks SLT Christine Gibson SLT Jackie Carter SLT Sean Carter SLT & TB
Page 12
## **Information**
(continued)
## Trustees’ / Directors’
## Responsibilities Statement
The Trustees (who are also directors of Riverside Church for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under company law, the Trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company 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;
- Make judgments and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- State whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
- Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in operation.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charitable company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
In preparing this report, the Trustees have taken advantage of the small companies’ exemptions provided by section 415A of the Companies Act 2006.
This report was approved by the Trustees on …………………………. and signed on their behalf by
-----------------------------
Simon Bateson Trustee / Director
Page 13
**RIVERSIDE CHURCH**
**(A company limited by guarantee)**
## **Independent examiner's report**
**For the year ended 31 December 2025**
## **Independent examiner's report to the Trustees of Riverside Church ('the Charitable company')**
I report to the charity Trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Charitable company for the year ended 31 December 2025.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the Trustees of the Charitable company (and its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 ('the 2006 Act').
Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Charitable company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of the Charitable company's accounts carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 ('the 2011 Act'). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
## **Independent examiner's statement**
Since the Charitable company's gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, which is one of the listed bodies.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:
1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Charitable company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or
3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act 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; or
4. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities [applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)].
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.
Page 14
**RIVERSIDE CHURCH**
## **(A company limited by guarantee)**
## **Independent examiner's report (continued) For the year ended 31 December 2025**
This report is made solely to the Charitable company's Trustees, as a body, in accordance with Part 4 of the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008. My work has been undertaken so that I might state to the Charitable company's 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 law, I do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the Charitable company and the Charitable company's Trustees as a body, for my work or for this report.
> Signed: S M Rouse Dated: 13 August 2026
S M Rouse FCCA DChA
**Kreston Reeves LLP** Canterbury
Page 15
## **RIVERSIDE CHURCH**
## **(A company limited by guarantee)**
## **Statement of financial activities (incorporating income and expenditure account) For the year ended 31 December 2025**
|**Note**
**Income from:**
Donations and legacies:
4
Weekly offering
Donations eligible for Gift Aid
Gift Aid
Gifts & miscellaneous income
. Other donations and legacies
Other trading activities
5
Investments
6
**Total income**
**Expenditure on:**
Raising funds
7
Charitable activities:
. Other charitable activities
**Total expenditure**
**Net movement in funds**
**Reconciliation of funds:**
Total funds brought forward
Net movement in funds
**Total funds carried forward**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**2025**
**£**
**23,967**
**178,449**
**51,906**
**4,536**
**5,350**
**171,888**
**91,854**
**527,950**
**54,080**
**543,381**
**597,461**
**(69,511)**
**1,066,401**
**(69,511)**
**996,890**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**2025**
**£**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**13,237**
**6,117**
**-**
**-**
**19,354**
**-**
**23,281**
**23,281**
**(3,927)**
**6,167**
**(3,927)**
**2,240**|**Total**
**funds**
**2025**
**£**
**23,967**
**178,449**
**51,906**
**17,773**
**11,467**
**171,888**
**91,854**
**547,304**
**54,080**
**566,662**
**620,742**
**(73,438)**
**1,072,568**
**(73,438)**
**999,130**|Total
funds
2024
£
25,937
148,754
35,575
26,894
16,370
164,288
67,480
485,298
53,940
592,560
646,500
(161,202)
1,233,770
(161,202)
1,072,568|
|---|---|---|---|---|
The Statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.
The notes on pages 19 to 35 form part of these financial statements.
Page 16
**RIVERSIDE CHURCH**
## **(A company limited by guarantee) Registered number: 06983393**
## **Balance sheet As at 31 December 2025**
|**Note**
**Fixed assets**
Tangible assets
12
**Current assets**
Debtors
13
Cash at bank and in hand
**Current liabilities**
Creditors: amounts falling due within one
year
14
**Net current assets**
**Total assets less current liabilities**
Creditors: amounts falling due after more
than one year
15
**Total net assets**
**Charity funds**
Restricted funds
16
Unrestricted funds
16
**Total funds**|**22,505**
**248,940**
**271,445**
**(41,766)**|**2025**
**£**
**1,181,039**
**1,181,039**
**229,679**
**1,410,718**
**(411,588)**
**999,130**
**2,240**
**996,890**
**999,130**|9,478
268,901
278,379
(39,492)|2024
£
1,256,544
1,256,544
238,887
1,495,431
(422,863)
1,072,568
6,167
1,066,401
1,072,568|
|---|---|---|---|---|
The Charitable company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006.
The members have not required the company to obtain an audit for the year in question in accordance with section 476 of Companies Act 2006.
The Trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and preparation of financial statements.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to entities subject to the small companies regime.
The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Trustees and signed on their behalf by:
## **Simon Bateson**
Trustee Date:
The notes on pages 19 to 35 form part of these financial statements.
Page 17
## **RIVERSIDE CHURCH**
## **(A company limited by guarantee)**
|**Statement of cash flows**
**For the year ended 31 December 2025**
**Cash flows from operating activities**
Net cash used in operating activities
**Cash flows from investing activities**
Dividends, interest and rents from investments
Purchase of tangible fixed assets
**Net cash provided by/(used in) investing activities**
**Cash flows from financing activities**
Repayments of borrowing
**Net cash used in financing activities**
**Change in cash and cash equivalents in the year**
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year
**Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year**
The notes on pages 19 to 35 form part of these financial statements|**2025**
**£**
**(13,053)**
**4,004**
**(515)**
**3,489**
**(10,397)**
**(10,397)**
**(19,961)**
**268,901**
**248,940**|2024
£
(76,420)
6,771
(44,246)
(37,475)
(9,479)
**(9,479)**
(123,374)
392,275
268,901|
|---|---|---|
Page 18
**RIVERSIDE CHURCH**
## **(A company limited by guarantee)**
**Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 31 December 2025**
## **1. General information**
Riverside Church is a charitable company limited by guarantee, incorporated in England and Wales with the company number 6983393 and the charity number 1131872.
The Charitable company's registered office is Riverside Church, Thanet Way, Whitstable, CT5 3JQ.
The financial statements have been prepared for the year ended 31 December 2025.
## **2. Accounting policies**
## **2.1 Basis of preparation of financial statements**
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) - Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.
Riverside Church meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy.
The financial statements are presented in pounds sterling are rounded to the nearest pound.
## **2.2 Company status**
The charitable company is a company limited by guarantee. The members of the company are the Trustees and senior leadership team named in the Charity's information page. In event of the charitable company being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £10 per member of the charitable company.
## **2.3 Going concern**
The Trustees have considered the Charitable Company's level of reserves and future incoming resources and concluded that these are sufficient to enable the charity to continue its operations for the foreseeable future. Therefore the accounts have been prepared on a going concern basis.
Page 19
**RIVERSIDE CHURCH**
## **(A company limited by guarantee)**
**Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 31 December 2025**
## **2. Accounting policies (continued)**
## **2.4 Income**
All income is recognised once the Charitable company has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of income receivable can be measured reliably.
The recognition of income from legacies is dependent on establishing entitlement, the probability of receipt and the ability to estimate with sufficient accuracy the amount receivable. Evidence of entitlement to a legacy exists when the Charitable company has sufficient evidence that a gift has been left to them (through knowledge of the existence of a valid will and the death of the benefactor) and the executor is satisfied that the property in question will not be required to satisfy claims in the estate. Receipt of a legacy must be recognised when it is probable that it will be received and the fair value of the amount receivable, which will generally be the expected cash amount to be distributed to the Charitable company, can be reliably measured.
Grants are included in the Statement of financial activities on a receivable basis. The balance of income received for specific purposes but not expended during the period is shown in the relevant funds on the Balance sheet. Where income is received in advance of entitlement of receipt, its recognition is deferred and included in creditors as deferred income. Where entitlement occurs before income is received, the income is accrued.
Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.
Income tax recoverable in relation to investment income is recognised at the time the investment income is receivable.
Other income is recognised in the period in which it is receivable and to the extent the goods have been provided or on completion of the service.
## **2.5 Expenditure**
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.
Expenditure on raising funds includes all expenditure incurred by the Charitable company to raise funds for its charitable purposes and includes costs of all fundraising activities events and noncharitable trading.
Expenditure on charitable activities is incurred on directly undertaking the activities which further the Charitable company's objectives, as well as any associated support costs.
Grants payable are charged in the year when the offer is made except in those cases where the offer is conditional, such grants being recognised as expenditure when the conditions attaching are fulfilled. Grants offered subject to conditions which have not been met at the year end are noted as a commitment, but not accrued as expenditure.
All expenditure is inclusive of irrecoverable VAT.
## **2.6 Interest receivable**
Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the Charitable company; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the institution with whom the funds are deposited.
Page 20
**RIVERSIDE CHURCH**
## **(A company limited by guarantee)**
**Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 31 December 2025**
## **2. Accounting policies (continued)**
## **2.7 Taxation**
The Charitable company is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 of the Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes. Accordingly, the Charitable company is potentially exempt from taxation in respect of income or capital gains received within categories covered by Chapter 3 Part 11 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992, to the extent that such income or gains are applied exclusively to charitable purposes.
## **2.8 Tangible fixed assets and depreciation**
A review of impairment of a fixed asset is carried out if events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of any fixed asset may not be recoverable. Shortfalls between the carrying value of any fixed assets and their recoverable amounts are recognised as impairments. Impairment losses are recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities incorporating the income and expenditure account.
Tangible fixed assets are initially recognised at cost. After recognition, under the cost model, tangible fixed assets are measured at cost less accumulated depreciation and any accumulated impairment losses. All costs incurred to bring a tangible fixed asset into its intended working condition should be included in the measurement of cost.
Depreciation is charged so as to allocate the cost of tangible fixed assets less their residual value over their estimated useful lives, .
Depreciation is provided on the following bases:
|Freehold property|- Land - not depreciated, Buildings - over 20|
|---|---|
||years|
|Fixtures and fittings|- 5 years straight line|
|Computer equipment|- 3 years straight line|
|Other fixed assets|- Not depreciated|
## **2.9 Debtors**
Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.
## **2.10 Cash at bank and in hand**
Cash at bank and in hand includes cash and short-term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.
Page 21
**RIVERSIDE CHURCH**
## **(A company limited by guarantee)**
**Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 31 December 2025**
## **2. Accounting policies (continued)**
## **2.11 Liabilities and provisions**
Liabilities are recognised when there is an obligation at the Balance sheet date as a result of a past event, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefit will be required in settlement, and the amount of the settlement can be estimated reliably.
Liabilities are recognised at the amount that the Charitable company anticipates it will pay to settle the debt or the amount it has received as advanced payments for the goods or services it must provide.
Provisions are measured at the best estimate of the amounts required to settle the obligation. Where the effect of the time value of money is material, the provision is based on the present value of those amounts, discounted at the pre-tax discount rate that reflects the risks specific to the liability. The unwinding of the discount is recognised in the Statement of financial activities as a finance cost.
## **2.12 Financial instruments**
The Charitable company only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
## **2.13 Finance costs**
Borrowing costs associated with direct expenditure on properties undergoing major refurbishment are capitalised.
Interest is capitalised as from the commencement of the development work until the practical date of completion.
## **2.14 Pensions**
The Charitable company operates a defined contribution pension scheme and the pension charge represents the amounts payable by the Charitable company to the fund in respect of the year.
## **2.15 Fund accounting**
General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the Charitable company and which have not been designated for other purposes.
Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the Trustees for particular purposes. The aim and use of each designated fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors or which have been raised by the Charitable company for particular purposes. The costs of raising and administering such funds are charged against the specific fund. The aim and use of each restricted fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Investment income, gains and losses are allocated to the appropriate fund.
Page 22
**RIVERSIDE CHURCH**
## **(A company limited by guarantee)**
**Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 31 December 2025**
## **3. Critical accounting estimates and areas of judgment**
Estimates and judgments 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.
## Tangible fixed assets
The charity has recognised tangible fixed assets with a carrying value of £1,181,039 at the reporting date (see note 12). The assets are stated at their cost less provision for depreciation and impairment. The charity's accounting policy sets out the approach to calculating depreciation for immaterial assets acquired. For material assets such as land and buildings, the company determines at acquisition reliable estimates for the useful life of the asset, its residual value and decommissioning costs. These estimates are based upon such factors as the expected use of the acquired asset and market conditions. At subsequent reporting date the Trustees consider whether there are any factors such as technological advancements or changes in market conditions that indicate a need to reconsider the estimates used.
Where there are indicators that the carrying value of tangible assets may be impaired the charity undertakes tests to determine the recoverable amount of assets. These tests require estimates of the fair value of assets less cost to sell and of their value in use. Wherever possible, the estimate of the fair value of assets is based upon observable market prices less incremental cost for disposing of the asset. The value in use calculation is based upon a discounted cash flow model, based upon the charity's forecasts for the foreseeable future which do not include any restructuring activities that the charity is not yet committed to or significant future investments that will enhance the asset's performance. The recoverable amount is most sensitive to the discount rate used for the discounted cash flow model as well as expected future cash flows and the growth rate used for extrapolation purposes.
Page 23
## **RIVERSIDE CHURCH**
## **(A company limited by guarantee)**
## **Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 31 December 2025**
## **4. Income from donations and legacies**
|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**2025**
**£**
**Donations**
Weekly Offering
23,967
Donations eligible for Gift Aid
178,449
Gift Aid
51,906
Gifts & miscellaneous income
4,536
**Subtotal detailed disclosure**
258,858
Donations
5,350
Grants
-
**Subtotal**
5,350
264,208
Total 2024
233,149
**5.**
**Income from other trading activities**
**Income from non charitable trading activities**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**2025**
**£**
-
-
-
13,237
13,237
6,117
-
6,117
19,354
20,381|**Total**
**funds**
**2025**
**£**
**23,967**
**178,449**
**51,906**
**17,773**
**272,095**
**11,467**
**-**
**11,467**
**283,562**
253,530|Total
funds
2024
£
25,937
148,754
35,575
26,894|
|---|---|---|---|
||||237,160|
||||9,294
7,076|
||||16,370|
|||||
||||253,530|
|||||
|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**2025**
**£**
Cafe income and other trading income
171,888
Total 2024
164,288|**Total**
**funds**
**2025**
**£**
**171,888**
164,288|Total
funds
2024
£
164,288|
|---|---|---|
||||
Page 24
**RIVERSIDE CHURCH**
## **(A company limited by guarantee)**
## **Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 31 December 2025**
## **6. Investment income**
|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**2025**
**£**
Use of building
87,850
Investment income
4,004
91,854
Total 2024
67,480|**Total**
**funds**
**2025**
**£**
**87,850**
**4,004**
**91,854**
67,480|Total
funds
2024
£
60,709
6,771|
|---|---|---|
|||67,480|
||||
## **7. Expenditure on raising funds**
## **Fundraising trading expenses**
|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**2025**
**£**
Cafe expenses
54,080
Total 2024
53,940|**Total**
**funds**
**2025**
**£**
**54,080**
53,940|Total
funds
2024
£
53,940|
|---|---|---|
||||
## **8. Analysis of grants**
|Mission support
Total 2024|**Grants to**
**Institutions**
**2025**
**£**
15,656
19,819|**Grants to**
**Individuals**
**2025**
**£**
669
989|**Total**
**funds**
**2025**
**£**
**16,325**
20,808|Total
funds
2024
£
20,808|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||
Page 25
**RIVERSIDE CHURCH**
## **(A company limited by guarantee)**
## **Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 31 December 2025**
## **9. Analysis of expenditure by activities**
|Charitable activities
Total 2024|**Activities**
**undertaken**
**directly**
**2025**
**£**
408,704
421,782|**Grant**
**funding of**
**activities**
**2025**
**£**
16,325
20,808|**Support**
**costs**
**2025**
**£**
141,633
149,970|**Total**
**funds**
**2025**
**£**
**566,662**
592,560|Total
funds
2024
£
592,560|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||||
## **Analysis of direct costs**
|Staff costs
Church Ministries
Equipment & maintenance
Insurance (church)
Utilities (church)
Other staff costs|**Total**
**funds**
**2025**
**£**
**315,620**
**31,661**
**22,719**
**5,242**
**27,200**
**6,262**
**408,704**|Total
funds
2024
£
319,677
38,965
19,769
5,061
32,269
6,041|
|---|---|---|
|||421,782|
## **Analysis of support costs**
|Depreciation
Photocopying/Storage/Postage
Professional fees
Catering
Music/Copyright fees/Equipment
Miscellaneous costs
Independent examiner's fee
Interest|**Total**
**funds**
**2025**
**£**
**76,020**
**914**
**8,490**
**1,105**
**1,737**
**14,670**
**3,335**
**35,362**
**141,633**|Total
funds
2024
£
77,671
1,067
8,297
1,117
1,227
21,928
2,385
36,278|
|---|---|---|
|||149,970|
Page 26
**RIVERSIDE CHURCH**
## **(A company limited by guarantee)**
**Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 31 December 2025**
## **9. Analysis of expenditure by activities (continued)**
## **Analysis of support costs (continued)**
## **10. Staff costs**
|Wages and salaries
Social security costs
Contribution to defined contribution pension schemes|**2025**
**£**
**288,390**
**17,038**
**10,192**
**315,620**|2024
£
293,391
16,356
9,930|
|---|---|---|
||||
|||319,677|
The average number of persons employed by the Charitable company during the year was as follows:
||**2025**|2024|
|---|---|---|
|Employees|**17**|18|
No employee received remuneration amounting to more than £60,000 in either year.
The total compensation paid in respect of the key management personnel amounts to £103,131 (2024: £111,441).
## **11. Trustees' remuneration and expenses**
Simon Bateson received remuneration in his capacity of Lead Pastor and not as a Trustee. This remuneration amounted to £58,465 (2024: £57,636).
During the year, no Trustees received any remuneration or other benefits (2024 - £NIL).
During the year ended 31 December 2025, no Trustees expenses have been incurred (2024 - £NIL).
Page 27
**RIVERSIDE CHURCH**
## **(A company limited by guarantee)**
## **Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 31 December 2025**
## **12. Tangible fixed assets**
|**Cost or valuation**
At 1 January 2025
Additions
At 31 December 2025
**Depreciation**
At 1 January 2025
Charge for the year
At 31 December 2025
**Net book value**
At 31 December 2025
At 31 December 2024|**Freehold**
**property**
**£**
**1,753,204**
**-**
**1,753,204**
**511,260**
**70,160**
**581,420**
**1,171,784**
1,241,944|**Fixtures and**
**fittings**
**£**
**111,604**
**-**
**111,604**
**97,004**
**5,860**
**102,864**
**8,740**
14,600|**Computer**
**equipment**
**£**
**147,452**
**515**
**147,967**
**147,452**
**-**
**147,452**
**515**
-|**Total**
**£**
**2,012,260**
**515**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||**2,012,775**|
|||||**755,716**
**76,020**|
|||||**831,736**|
|||||**1,181,039**|
|||||1,256,544|
Freehold land of £350,000 in relation to the Riverside Campus has not been depreciated as its residual value is likely to exceed its valuation and therefore its economic useful life is likely to be infinite.
## **13. Debtors**
|**Due within one year**
Trade debtors
Other debtors
Tax recoverable|**2025**
**£**
**16,559**
**229**
**5,717**
**22,505**|2024
£
5,906
45
3,527
9,478|
|---|---|---|
Page 28
**RIVERSIDE CHURCH**
## **(A company limited by guarantee)**
**Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 31 December 2025**
## **14. Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year**
|Bank loans
Trade creditors
Other taxation and social security
Accruals and deferred income
**Creditors: Amounts falling due after more than one year**
Bank loans
Included within the above are amounts falling due as follows:
**Between one and two years**
Bank loans
**Between two and five years**
Bank loans
**Over five years**
Bank loans|**2025**
**£**
**11,300**
**5,615**
**20,607**
**4,244**
**41,766**
**2025**
**£**
**411,588**
**2025**
**£**
**12,269**
**43,483**
**355,836**|2024
£
10,422
6,419
19,230
3,421|
|---|---|---|
||||
|||39,492|
|||2024
£
422,863|
|||2024
£
11,315|
|||40,102|
|||371,446|
## **15. Creditors: Amounts falling due after more than one year**
The aggregate amount of liabilities payable or repayable wholly or in part more than five years after the reporting date is:
|Payable or repayable by instalments|**2025**
**£**
**355,836**
**355,836**|2024
£
371,446|
|---|---|---|
||||
|||371,446|
The amounts in bank loans relate to a re-mortgage from HSBC UK Bank PLC, and were previously used to purchase the site for the new church building. There is a guarantee in favour of HSBC UK Bank PLC over the property at Riverside Works in relation to this loan.
Page 29
**RIVERSIDE CHURCH**
## **(A company limited by guarantee)**
**Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 31 December 2025**
## **16. Statement of funds**
## **Statement of funds - current year**
|**Unrestricted funds**
**Designated funds**
General fixed reserve
Designated fixed asset fund
Compassion Projects fund
**General funds**
General Funds
**Total Unrestricted funds**
**Restricted funds**
Defibrillator grant
Christmas Project
**Total of funds**|**Balance at 1**
**January**
**2025**
**£**
**120,000**
**823,259**
**5,445**
**948,704**
**117,697**
**1,066,401**
**31**
**6,136**
**6,167**
**1,072,568**|**Income**
**£**
**-**
**-**
**7,375**
**7,375**
**520,575**
**527,950**
**-**
**19,354**
**19,354**
**547,304**|**Expenditure**
**£**
**-**
**-**
**(4,213)**
**(4,213)**
**(593,248)**
**(597,461)**
**(31)**
**(23,250)**
**(23,281)**
**(620,742)**|**Transfers**
**in/out**
**£**
**-**
**(65,108)**
**-**
**(65,108)**
**65,108**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**Balance at**
**31**
**December**
**2025**
**£**
**120,000**
**758,151**
**8,607**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||**886,758**|
||||||**110,132**|
||||||**996,890**|
||||||**-**
**2,240**|
||||||**2,240**|
||||||**999,130**|
Page 30
**RIVERSIDE CHURCH**
## **(A company limited by guarantee)**
**Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 31 December 2025**
## **16. Statement of funds (continued)**
## **Transfers between funds**
Designated fixed asset fund - the transfer of £65,108 to unrestricted general funds represents the decision by the Trustees to show separate the funds allocated to fixed assets less any associated liabilities.
## **Purposes of designated funds**
General Fixed Reserve - this represents funds set aside in accordance with the Charity's reserves policy.
Designated fixed asset fund - this represents the book value of the fixed assets less any associated liabilities and are deemed by the Trustees not to be freely available funds.
Compassion projects fund- this represents gifts received towards pantry, growbaby and welfare projects.
## **Purposes of restricted funds**
Defibrillator grant - this represents amounts donated to the church in relation to the purchase of a defibrillator.
Christmas project fund- this represents amounts donated to the church in relation to the Christmas projects.
Page 31
**RIVERSIDE CHURCH**
## **(A company limited by guarantee)**
**Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 31 December 2025**
## **16. Statement of funds (continued)**
## **Statement of funds - prior year**
|**Unrestricted funds**
**Designated funds**
General fixed reserve
Designated fixed asset fund
Compassion Projects fund
**General funds**
General Funds
**Total Unrestricted funds**
**Restricted funds**
Defibrillator grant
Christmas Project
**Total of funds**|Balance at
1 January
2024
£
120,000
847,205
-
967,205
264,060
1,231,265
31
2,474
2,505
1,233,770|Income
£
-
-
4,482
4,482
460,435
464,917
-
20,381
20,381
485,298|Expenditure
£
-
-
(9,091)
(9,091)
(620,690)
(629,781)
-
(16,719)
(16,719)
(646,500)|Transfers
in/out
£
-
(23,946)
10,054
(13,892)
13,892
-
-
-
-
-|Balance at
31
December
2024
£
120,000
823,259
5,445|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||948,704|
||||||117,697|
||||||1,066,401|
||||||31
6,136|
||||||6,167|
||||||1,072,568|
Page 32
**RIVERSIDE CHURCH**
## **(A company limited by guarantee)**
## **Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 31 December 2025**
## **17. Summary of funds**
## **Summary of funds - current year**
|Designated funds
General funds
Restricted funds|**Balance at 1**
**January**
**2025**
**£**
**948,704**
**117,697**
**6,167**
**1,072,568**
Balance at
1 January
2024
£
967,205
264,060
2,505
1,233,770|**Income**
**£**
**7,375**
**520,575**
**19,354**
**547,304**
Income
£
4,482
460,435
20,381
485,298|**Expenditure**
**£**
**(4,213)**
**(593,248)**
**(23,281)**
**(620,742)**
Expenditure
£
(9,091)
(620,690)
(16,719)
(646,500)|**Transfers**
**in/out**
**£**
**(65,108)**
**65,108**
**-**
**-**
Transfers
in/out
£
(13,892)
13,892
-
-|**Balance at**
**31**
**December**
**2025**
**£**
**886,758**
**110,132**
**2,240**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||**999,130**|
||||||Balance at
31
December
2024
£
948,704
117,697
6,167|
|**Summary of funds - prior year**||||||
|Designated funds
General funds
Restricted funds||||||
||||||1,072,568|
## **18. Analysis of net assets between funds**
**Analysis of net assets between funds - current year**
|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**2025**
**£**
Tangible fixed assets
1,181,039
Current assets
269,205
Creditors due within one year
(41,766)
Creditors due in more than one year
(411,588)
**Total**
996,890|**Restricted**
**funds**
**2025**
**£**
-
2,240
-
-
2,240|**Total**
**funds**
**2025**
**£**
**1,181,039**
**271,445**
**(41,766)**
**(411,588)**|
|---|---|---|
|||**999,130**|
Page 33
## **RIVERSIDE CHURCH**
## **(A company limited by guarantee)**
**Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 31 December 2025**
## **18. Analysis of net assets between funds (continued)**
## **Analysis of net assets between funds - prior year**
|Tangible fixed assets
Current assets
Creditors due within one year
Creditors due in more than one year
**Total**|Unrestricted
funds
2024
£
1,256,544
272,212
(39,492)
(422,863)
1,066,401|Restricted
funds
2024
£
-
6,167
-
-
6,167|Total
funds
2024
£
1,256,544
278,379
(39,492)
(422,863)
1,072,568|
|---|---|---|---|
## **19. Reconciliation of net movement in funds to net cash flow from operating activities**
|Net expenditure for the year (as per Statement of Financial Activities)
**Adjustments for:**
Depreciation charges
Dividends, interests and rents from investments
(Increase)/decrease in debtors
Increase in creditors
**Net cash used in operating activities**
**20.**
**Analysis of cash and cash equivalents**
Cash in hand
**Total cash and cash equivalents**|**2025**
**£**
**(73,438)**
**76,020**
**(4,004)**
**(13,027)**
**1,396**
**(13,053)**
**2025**
**£**
**248,940**
**248,940**|2024
£
(161,202)
77,671
(6,771)
1,757
12,125
(76,420)
2024
£
268,901
268,901|
|---|---|---|
Page 34
**RIVERSIDE CHURCH**
## **(A company limited by guarantee)**
**Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 31 December 2025**
## **21. Analysis of changes in net debt**
|Cash at bank and in hand
Debt due within 1 year
Debt due after 1 year|**At 1**
**January**
**2025**
**£**
**268,901**
**(10,422)**
**(422,863)**
**(164,384)**|**Cash flows**
**£**
**(19,961)**
**(878)**
**11,275**
**(9,564)**|**At 31**
**December**
**2025**
**£**
**248,940**
**(11,300)**
**(411,588)**
**(173,948)**|
|---|---|---|---|
## **22. Pension commitments**
The Charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the Charity in an independently administered fund. The pension cost charge represents contributions payable by the Charity to the fund and amounted to £10,192 (2024 - £9,930). At the balance sheet date, no contributions were due (2024: £NIL) and were included in creditors in the previous year.
## **23. Related party transactions**
During the year, 5 (2024: 4) Charity Trustees have made donations to the Charity totalling £24,890 (2024: £24,657).
L Bushell, the daughter of D Bushell, a Trustee of the Charity was employed during the year. The total compensation she received was £26,235 (2024: £25,786) commensurate to this role.
During the year K Bateson, a member of Key Management and spouse of S Bateson, a Trustee and member of the key management personnel, was employed by the Charity and as such, was paid remuneration for their services. The total compensation she received was £34,728 (2024: £34,080) commensurate to the role. The remuneration is included within the key management personnel disclosure at note 10 and is conducted at arm's length and in accordance with the Charity's financial regulations and normal procurement procedures
Page 35