## **Oadby Baptist Church**
Statutory Information
## **Registered Address**
OADBY BAPTIST CHURCH LEICESTER ROAD OADBY LEICESTER LE2 5BD
## **Charity Registration Number** 1132009
## **Trustees**
## Name
Rev Tom Cox Mark Jones ACMA (Treasurer) Paul Neville (Secretary) Jill Chapman Paula Jones Christine Swan Andrew Brockbank Everton Osbourne William Device
## Date appointed / resigned
August 2017 March 2011 / reappointed March 2023 March 2019 / reappointed March 2023 March 2020/retired March 2023 September 2021 September 2021 March 2022 March 2019/retired March 2022 September 2021/resigned February 2022
## **Property Trustees**
The Baptist Union Corporation Limited Baptist House 129 Broadway Didcot Oxfordshire OX11 8RT
## **Bankers**
HSBC
## **Independent Examiner -**
Dipesh Patel ACA
_Page 1_
|Oadby Baptist Church Financial Statements at 31st December 2022||
|---|---|
|**CONTENTS**|**Page**|
|Trustees Report|3-7|
|Independent Examiners Report|8|
|Statement of Financial Activities|9|
|Balance Sheet|10|
|Notes to the Accounts|11 -14|
_Page 2_
## **Trustee report**
## **Annual Report for 2022**
The trustees present their Annual Report and financial statements for 2022
## **Charitable Object**
The Charity is governed by an Approved Governing Document which states that the principal purpose of the charity is the advancement of the Christian faith according to the principles of the Baptist denomination to include the advancement of education, community service and such other general charitable purposes in such parts of the United Kingdom and the world as the Church shall determine.
The Church occupies premises which are held by the Baptist Union Corporation Ltd, on Trusts which are entirely compatible with the above object.
## **Organisational Structure and Decision making processes**
Oadby Baptist Church welcomes anyone who wants to meet together to worship, pray, explore their faith, and encourage each other to live their lives in close relationship with God. Members of the church are accepted in accordance with the Constitution.
The Church Members’ Meeting normally takes place five times per year and has responsibility for the overall policy of the church. In accordance with the Constitution, the Membership appoints up to six Trustees (plus Church Officers; Church Secretary. Admin Secretary and Treasurer), who together with the Minister (who is also appointed by the Membership), and collectively known as the Leadership Team, are responsible for the day to day running of the church’s work and witness, and the financial and legal aspects of the charity. All Members are encouraged to take an appropriate part in the spiritual and practical tasks involved in the furtherance of the charitable objective.
Relevant matters may be submitted to the Church Meeting by the Trustees for guidance, or may be raised by Members in Church Meetings for further consideration by the Trustees. Though the Constitution permits decisions to be made at Church Meetings by appropriate majorities, the church seeks to work by consensus wherever possible.
## **Objectives and Activities**
In order to achieve the principal objective which is set out above, the church provides a variety of activities both to its membership and to the community generally. The aim is to show the love of Jesus Christ in both word and deed, and to bring people into a closer relationship with Him as living Lord.
The Church’s activities are now back to pre-pandemic levels with the majority now being held face to face although in many cases the Church continues to offer online options. Over the past two years the Church has invested in improved IT equipment to enable it provide high quality online services and events and engaged the services of a local IT company (Black Owl) to support this activity.
Central to the work and witness of the church is the provision of regular public services of Christian worship. The Church’s Sunday morning worship services at 10.30am continue to be well attended with a diverse range of members from all sectors of the local community. The church seeks to be a friendly and welcoming community and anybody is free to attend any of its activities whether on line or face to face.
The church runs a series of house groups for the growth of faith and discipleship in the homes of some members, and further details of these can be obtained from the church office on request, or at Sunday worship services.
_Page 3_
Youth work is a core part of the church’s work in the local community. The church has successful Boys’ and Girls’ Brigade Companies. On Sundays there is also all-age appropriate provision in the morning for babies, children and young people from age 0 to school year 13. Toddlers and their parents or carers are welcome to attend ‘Bulrushes,’ our weekly stay-and-play toddler group, which meets every Thursday morning during termtime. The Church also runs a weekly house group for teenagers as well as supporting their attendance at an annual young people’s Christian festival – Limitless. The young people also have the opportunity to attend a monthly Friday night youth club – ‘the Meet-up’ at which they have the opportunity to spend time with similar aged young people, play computer and board games, table tennis and pool as well as eat pizza.
Following the redevelopment of the Church’s community garden in 2021 the Church established a new group called ‘A Place to grow’ which meets on a Wednesday morning in the garden for ‘Coffee, Cake, Chat and tending the plants’. This group is again seeing growing numbers and providing an important link between the Church and the local community.
The Church’s Tuesday Fellowship group provides an opportunity for the older members of the church and community to meet together. This group has seen an increase in members in 2022 since re-starting face to face meetings again in the second half of 2021.
The church operates systems to ensure that all people working with children and vulnerable adults are appropriately vetted. All our adult volunteers undertake a disclosure (criminal records) check and are trained to provide a safe and caring environment for all children.
## **Achievements and Performance**
The church does not measure the success of its programmes only in numbers of members or attendees, but also in less tangible areas like fellowship and encouragement. The Trustees recognise that these are difficult to measure and whilst total Church Membership remains relative static at around 100, we are trying to create a wider number of connections in the local community which are not always measured in terms of membership.
The church’s main Sunday morning services have returned to pre-COVID numbers with a good number of attendees also continuing to join virtually. The church’s youth organisations – Boys’ Brigade and Girls’ Brigade are continuing to grow and support the young people in the local community. The Church is very grateful to the support of its volunteer leaders in running these organisations.
The church aims to play a positive part in the life of the community of Oadby. This is achieved through the use of its premises for non-church-related activities such as a line dancing class, a table tennis group as well as by its Members serving the community in activities not formally linked to the church, for example working with local charities such as Street Pastors, Helping Hands, Age UK Leicestershire & Rutland and acting as school governors and local councilors.
The church is active in supporting local, national and overseas charities. The church’s largest charitable donations are made to the Baptist Missionary Society (BMS) and the Baptist Union Home Mission Fund. In addition, each quarter a £400 donation is made to a charity chosen by the Mission and Social Action team. Our donations in 2022 included over £2,500 being donated to support the people of Ukraine, as well as supporting BMS (Baptist Missionary Society) harvest appeal raising funds to support projects in Nepal. In total over £14,000 was donated via the church accounts, with further funds being donated directly by individuals to charities.
## **Pollard Estate**
The Church was very grateful to receive the proceeds (over £300,000) from the estate of Mr. Norman Pollard. Mr Pollard and his late wife were married at OBC in February 1952 and although for the majority of their married life lived away from Leicester, the church remained in their lives resulting in them leaving their estate to the church following Mr. Pollard’s passing in 2021.
The cash proceeds from the estate have been invested in Baptist Union deposit accounts whilst the Church membership discuss and consider various initiatives in which to invest the funds. The funds, whilst not subject to any restrictions, are identified separately in the Church’s financial statements.
_Page 4_
## **Financial Review**
The church continues to raise the majority of the funds it needs to carry on its activities from within its own Membership and congregation.
The principal costs of the Church are employment related costs. These costs relate to the stipend of its Minister, Revd. Tom Cox, the Church Administrator (this post was vacant for the majority of 2021) and the costs of the Children’s and Family Worker from November 2021. The Church’s Youth Leader role came to the end of its 3 year period in August 2022. The new part-time youth leader role is currently vacant.
The church expresses its part in the life of the wider Church by making donations to national and international Christian organisations and societies with Christian aims and objectives compatible with the church’s own charitable purpose. Charities who received donations in 2022 included Leicester South foodbank, Christians Against Poverty, BMS, and Project Ruth.
The church is heavily dependent on its Membership working as volunteers in all aspects of the church’s activities, many of which run with little or no impact on the church’s expenditure, but nevertheless contribute substantially to the achievement of the church’s objectives.
The financial results for the year, together with a summary of the accounting policies adopted are set out in the accompanying financial statements.
In 2022 the Church’s reported income benefitted from the Pollard bequest reported above. Excluding this bequest income reduced by £9k reflecting lower grant income (2021 reported higher grant income as a result of the redevelopment of the Church garden) and lower donations from members.
The Church’s expenditure reduced in 2022 primarily as a result of lower premises maintenance costs.
The Church’s finances remained resilient during COVID 19 and have continued to show a healthy position during the current ‘cost of living’ crisis. The introduction of new cardless donation terminals and collection boxes in the Church together with increased bookings for the use of its Oasis Centre rooms is expected to result in an increase in Sunday morning cash collections and room rental income in 2023.
## **Investment policy**
The Trustees, having regard for the liquidity requirements of the Church and to the reserves policy, have kept all available funds (excluding the Pollard estate) in either a bank current account or an interest bearing deposit account with all funds accessible within a 7 day period.
As interest rates increase the Church will seek to maximize it returns in an ethical manner. The Church uses the Baptist Union to invest any of its deposit account reserves with its day to day finances held in accounts with HSBC. HSBC being a major worldwide bank and considered a ‘safe’ organization in which to hold its funds.
## **Reserves policy**
The Trustees have established a Reserves Policy, and are satisfied that they have sufficient reserves at the Balance Sheet date (31 December 2022), together with ongoing income anticipated, to enable the church to function effectively in the coming year.
The reserves policy states that the charity aims to have sufficient unrestricted funds available to cover at least 3 months of normal operations. Any expenditure that would reduce the reserves below this level, even temporarily, is subject to agreement from the Trustees together with an agreed plan to address any deficit. Total bank balances at 31 December 2022 were £71,201 (Dec 21: £75,648) (excluding the Pollard estate)
_Page 5_
## **Plans for the future**
During 2023 the Church is planning to continue to grow and enhance the activities it offers its members and the local community.
The Church’s Youth Leader contract came to an end of its 3 year term in August 2022. The Membership reviewed the job description and concluded that the role needed to change from a full time to a part time role reflecting the current needs of the local young people. Despite significant recruitment activity the Church has yet to identify a suitable candidate to fill this role. The Church will continue to seek an individual to fill this role in 2023.
The Church will continue to employ its Minister, Children’s and family worker and Office administrator. The Church is already a Bronze Eco Church (ECO Church is a Rocha UK project). In 2023 the Church will seek to continue to deliver its activities in an environmental considerate format as well as encouraging its membership to consider using environmentally friendly consumables within their every day life.
During 2023 the Church will continue to develop and implement its ideas for the use of the Pollard estate funds and ensure that this bequest is used to maximise the benefit for both current and future generations of church members and the local community.
The Church is aware of the volatile economic outlook and the impacts this could have on its membership and local community. The Church is ready to support its congregation as and when required and believes its finances are adequate to be able to manage through the current difficult time without any curtailment of activities.
## **Statement of risks**
The trustees confirm that they have given consideration to the major risks to which the charity is exposed and that systems have been designed and established to mitigate those risks.
## **Trustee’s responsibilities for the financial statements**
Charity law requires the trustees of the charity to prepare statements of account for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of its incoming resources and application of resources for that period. In preparing those financial statements, the trustees are required to:
- Select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently;
- Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- Prepare the financial statements in accordance with the methods and principles set out in the Statement of Recommended Practice Accounting and Reporting by Charities and to state whether or not the accounts have been prepared in accordance with that statement and applicable accounting standards
- Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which are sufficient to show and explain the charity’s transactions and to disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity, and to enable them to ensure that any statements of account comply with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
## **Signed on behalf of the trustees**
Revd. Tom Cox October 2023
Mr Mark Jones (Treasurer)
_Page 6_
Oadby Baptist Church Financial Statements at 31st December 2022 **INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS REPORT**
## **TO THE TRUSTEES OF OADBY BAPTIST CHURCH**
I report on the accounts for the year ended 31 December 2022, which are set out on pages 8 to 14.
## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner**
The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to:
- examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act,
· to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act, and
- to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
## **Basis of independent examiner's report**
My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a "true and fair" view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
## **Independent examiner's statement**
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
- (a) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
- to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act;
- to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act have not been met; or
- (b) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
## **Dipesh Patel ACA**
**Dated:.... 28/10/2023**
_Page 7_
## **Statement of Financial Activities for year ended 31 December 2022**
||**Unrestricted**
**DesignatedRestricted**
**Total**
**Prior year**
**funds**
**funds**
**funds**
**funds**
**total funds**|
|---|---|
|**Income and endowments from:**
Donations and legacies
Income from charitable activities
Investments & Rental income
**Total income**
**Expenditure on:**
Expenditure on charitable activities
**Total expenditure**
**Net income / (expenditure) resources**
**before transfer**
**Total funds brought forward**
**Total funds carried forward**|409,699
4,750
414,449
120,759
8,110
430
8,540
8,655
4,461
—
4,461
1,963|
||**422,270**
**5,180**
**427,450**
**131,378**
99,879
5,180
105,059
130,955|
||**99,879**
**5,180**
**105,059**
**130,955**|
||
**322,392**
**0**
**0**
**322,392**
**423**|
||**1,721,539**
**0**
**25,000**
**1,746,539**
**1,746,116**|
||**2,043,931**
**0**
**25,000**
**2,068,931**
**1,746,539**|
_Page 8_
## **Balance Sheet as at 31 December 2022**
## **Balance sheet**
|**Fixed assets**
**Current assets**
**Liabilities**
**Reserves**|**Description**|**31 Decmber 2022**
**31 December 2021**|
|---|---|---|
||The Church building
The Manse
**Total Fixed assets**
Bank accounts
BAU
HSBC community account
HSBC Money manager
BU deposit account
Pollard bequest
BU 3 mth notice acct
BU deposit account
HSBC community account
Cash in hand
Accounts Receivable
**Total Current**
**assets**
Pension deficit
Accounts Payable
**Total Liabilities**
**Net Asset**
**surplus(deficit)**
Excess / (deficit) to
Starting balances
**Total Reserves**
Unrestricted
Restricted
**Total**
Other bank accounts (BB,GB,Tues Fellowship)|1,504,564
1,504,564
180,000
180,000|
|||**1,684,564**
**1,684,564**
5,631
3,797
37,805
41,448
18,735
19,399
101,106
-
50,000
-
154,452
-
9,030
11,005
100
8,491
6,400|
|||**385,349**
**82,048**
—
18,619
982
1,454|
|||**982**
**20,073**|
|||**2,068,931**
**1,746,539**|
|||322,392
423
1,746,539
1,746,116
**2,068,931**
**1,746,539**
2,043,931
1,721,539
25,000
25,000|
|||**2,068,931**
**1,746,539**|
_Page 9_
## **Analysis of income and expenditure**
## **Donations and legacies**
The Church receives regular weekly/monthly donations from its members, some of which can be gift aided. Total income was significantly higher in 2022 as a result of the Bequest (see trustee report for more information). Regular giving reduced slightly as a result of changes in church membership. The Church also received a number of grants during 2021 for the redevelopment of its garden (see main trustee report for more details). Charitable donations relate to money collected for charitable causes.
|Regular giving
Sunday morning cash collection
Sundry collections
Gift aid recovered
Bequest
Grants received
Charitable donations
|**Unrestricted**
80,054
1,967
937
17,515
305,558
-
3,669|**Designated**
**2022**
**2021**
80,054
84,586
1,967
1,584
937
2,625
17,515
18,049
305,558
-
4,750
4,750
12,500
3,669
3,519|
|---|---|---|
|**Total**
|**409,700**
|**4,750**
**414,450**122,863|
## **Income from charitable activities**
Within the Church there are a number of different organisations which generate income through subscriptions, donations and activities. The majority of this income is related to our Boys’ Brigade and Girls’ Brigade organisations and is spent on activities for young people.
|Youth camp income
Youth organisation income
Bulrushes income
Home mission income
Tuesday Fellowship
BMS Birthday|**Unrestricted**
1,776
5,489
614
50
182
|**Designated**
430
|**2022**
1,776
5,489
614
50
182
-|**2021**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||153
4,866
182
80
758
515|
|**Total**|**8,111**|**430**|**8,111**|**6,554**|
## **Investment and Rental income**
The church receives interest income on its HSBC and Baptist Union bank accounts. Interest income has increased reflecting the higher UK Bank of England Base rate and the receipt of the Pollard Estate funds (see Trustee Report). The Church lets out its Hall for use by individuals and groups. Rental income is increasing as a result of increased demand for premises in which to hold children’s parties and local community events.
|Interest received
Letting Church Hall
|**Unrestricted**
484
3,978|**Designated**
**2022**
**2021**
484 44
3,978 1,918|**2021**|
|---|---|---|---|
|**Total**
|**4,461**|**4,461 1,962**||
_Page 10_
## **Maintenance and premises costs**
The cleaning cost reflects the full 12 month cost of using a professional cleaning company to clean the Church on weekly basis. As part of the Ministerial contract the Church pays all the utility and Council tax bills relating to the Manse. Maintenance costs in 2022 were significantly lower than in 2021 (2021 costs reflected the renovations to the garden, a new boiler for the Oasis centre and repairs to the Oasis centre roof.). All the Church’s office equipment is fully depreciated.
|Insurance
Cleaning
Heating, light and water
Maintenance - church
Maintenance - manse
Light, Heat, Rates - Manse|**Unrestricted**
3,091
5,223
4,564
3,420
537
3,191|**Designated**|**2022**
**2021**
3,091
2,816
5,223
3,107
4,564
2,807
3,420
29,901
537
2,652
3,191
3,030|**2021**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|**Total**|**20,026**|**20,026**
**44,313**|||
## **Employment and administration costs**
The Church employed 4 individuals in 2022 – a full time minister, an office administrator (appointed November 2021), a Youth Leader (until July 2022) and from November 2021 a part-time Children and Families Worker. None of the Trustees, other than the Minister, received any remuneration during the year. Administration costs include the cost of the Church’s leased photocopier, church web site, subscriptions and licence fees as well as external IT support for the live streaming of Sunday morning services.
The pension payments reflect movements in the calculation of the future deficit payments expected to be made by the Church to the Baptist Union Pension Fund. In 2022 the Pension fund confirmed that the deficit had been cleared.
|Minister stipend
Administration costs – salary
Pension Payments
Administration costs – photocopier,
web site, licence fees
Training
Youth & Childrens & Family leader
costs|**Unrestricted**
23,512
5,878
-8,868
11,983
338
18,879|**Designated**
**2022**
**2021**
23,512
23,425
5,878
1,038
-8,868
7,178
11,983
13,378
338
457
4,750
23,629
21,918|**2021**|
|---|---|---|---|
|**Total**|**51,722**|**4,750**
**56,472**
**67,394**||
## **Charitable donations**
The Church makes a number of charitable donations each year. The two largest donations are made to BMS and the Baptist Home Mission fund. The church makes a quarterly donation of £400 to individual charities
_Page 11_
chosen by the Church members. Other Charitable donations include donations of over £2,400 to Project Ruth and BMS World Mission in respect of appeals related to the War in Ukraine.
|Other charitable donations
BMS
Home Mission
Quarterly Focus
BMS Birthday|**Unrestricted**
4,115
5,100
4,250
1,600|**Designated**
430|**2022**
4,115
5,100
4,250
1,600
430|**2021**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||2,850
5,100
4,280
1,600
515|
|**Total**|**15,065**|**430**
**15,495**
**14,345**|||
## **Other activities**
In 2022 the Church’s youth work had returned to pre-covid levels and hence the increase in expenditure.
|Tuesday Fellowship
Youth work and youth camp
Worship costs
Kitchen equip and maintenance
Other costs|**Unrestricted**
100
10,791
1,049
1,126|**Designated**
**2022**
—
100
—
10,791
—
1,049
—
1,126
—
-|**2021**|
|---|---|---|---|
||||330
3,397
803
361
11|
|**Total**|**13,066**|**13,066**|**4,902**|
## **Debtors**
As at 31 December 2022 the Church’s debtor related to gift aid due from HMRC.
||**2022**|**2021**|
|---|---|---|
|HMRC Gift aid|8,491|6,400|
|**Accounts Receivable**|8,439|6,400|
## **Creditors**
As at 31 December 2022 the Church was awaiting invoices and was expecting to make payments in respect of PAYE and employee pension contributions and the Church December cleaning costs. All creditors have been paid at the date of signing these accounts.
||**2022**|**2021**|
|---|---|---|
||||
|**Accounts Payable**|982|1,454|
_Page 12_
## **Fund movement by type**
||**Opening**|**Incoming**|**Outgoing**|**Transfers**|**Gains/losses**|**Closing**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**Youth/Childrens & family**|||||||
|Restricted|25,000|||||25,000|
|**General fund**|||||||
|General|1,721,539|427,451|105,059|||2,043,931|
|**Grand total**|**1,746,539**|**427,451**|**105,059**|||**2,068,931**|
The Church maintains a policy of keeping at least 3 months normal expenditure in reserve in an instant access or 7 day notice bank account. The Church employs its own Youth leader and Children & Families Worker. The Church has established a separate reserve to cover 2/3 of the 12 month cost of these roles.
|**Statement of assets and liabilities**|||
|---|---|---|
||**2022**|**2021**|
|**The Manse**|||
|General fund (Unrestricted)|180,000|180,000|
|**The Church building**|||
|General fund (Unrestricted)|1,504,564|1,504,564|
The valuation of the Church Building and the Manse are subject to market fluctuations. The Church building has been valued for insurance purposes at a higher value but the Church believe the valuations included in the accounts are appropriate (albeit prudent). During 2022 the Church had a desk-top valuation of the Manse which indicated a current market value of over £300,000. The increased valuation would not impact the Church’s operations or alter the financial position reported and has not been included in the balance sheet.
The Church‘s fixtures and fittings have all been fully depreciated. The Church believe this is a prudent position.
## **Pension Scheme Liabilities**
The Church is a participating employer the Baptist Pension Scheme (“the Scheme”), which is a separate legal entity administered by the Pension Trustee (Baptist Pension Trust Limited). The assets of the Scheme are held separately from those of the Employer and the other participating employers.
The Scheme, previously known as the Baptist Ministers’ Pension Fund, started in 1925, but was closed to future accrual of defined benefits on 31 December 2011. Since 1 January 2012, benefits have been provided through a Defined Contribution (DC) Plan.
In 2022 the Pension Trustee confirmed that the previous deficit had been cleared.
_Page 13_