Charity Registration Number: 1135072
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF HOLY TRINITY, SPRINGFIELD, DIOCESE OF CHELMSFORD
ANNUAL ACCOUNTS AND TRUSTEES REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF HOLY TRINITY, SPRINGFIELD, DIOCESE OF CHELMSFORD
TRUSTEES REPORT
Year ended 31 December 2024
The trustees present their report and accounts for the year ended 31 December 2024. For the rest of the report and accounts the name of the charity has been shortened to Holy Trinity, Springfield.
Administrative information
Holy Trinity, Springfield is situated on Trinity Road, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 6HS. It is part of the Diocese of Chelmsford within the Church of England.
Structure, governance and management
The charity is subject to the following governing documents: Parochial Church Council Powers Measure (1956) as amended and Church Representation Rules. Holy Trinity, Springfield is a charity registered with the Charities Commission under number 1135072.
The trustees are the members of the Parochial Church Council (PCC), who are elected from members of the electoral role of the church at the annual parochial church meeting (APCM). They are elected for a term of three years, so there is a rolling number of around three trustee vacancies that need filling each year.
Trustees can leave the PCC at any point during their term, usually due to moving away from Holy Trinity, Springfield. These temporary vacancies are not usually filled until the next APCM as there are sufficient trustees to continue with the business of the charity.
The Trustees who served during the year were:
Ex-Officio members:
Keith Roddy (Incumbent)
Ian Fuller (Non-Stipendiary Minister) Martin Charlesworth (Churchwarden to May 2024, then an elected member) Alexander Evans (Churchwarden)
Elected members:
Elaine Charlesworth (PCC secretary) John Dawson (Deputy Churchwarden) Eleanor Evans (from May 2024) David Harmsworth (until September 2024) Vicki Jones (from May 2024) Andy Parker Richard Scott (Deputy Churchwarden to May 2024, then ex-officio as Churchwarden) Mary Want
The trustees are responsible for making decisions on all matters of general concern and importance to the parish including deciding on how the funds of the charity are to be spent. The full PCC met six times during the year. All members of the church family are welcome to attend PCC meetings and minutes are circulated to the church family by email shortly after each meeting.
A standing committee made up of the Vicar, Assistant Minister, Churchwardens, Deputy Churchwardens and any additional co-opted members meets once a month. The standing committee can transact PCC business but may not make decisions which require the approval of the full PCC.
In addition, the PCC has appointed various officers to assist in specific functions as follows: Stewardship and Gift Aid Officer: Jo Roddy
Treasurer: Eleanor Evans
Parish Safeguarding Officer: Keith Roddy, pending a formal appointment
Objectives and activities
The object of the charity is promoting in the ecclesiastical parish the whole mission of the church. As a parish church, we are committed to developing effective and appropriate ways of communicating the gospel of Jesus to those in our community. We seek to see God’s kingdom grow in our parish, and to live as witnesses to Jesus in all we do.
The mission statement of the charity is as follows:
Holy Trinity, Springfield is an Evangelical Anglican Parish Church serving the Springfield Park, Chelmer Waterside and Parklands Drive communities in Chelmsford. We are a Bible believing church which seeks to glorify God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – by:
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Teaching the Word of God, to help all ages grow in Jesus Christ and to be released into His service;
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Praying and caring for everyone within our church community;
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Sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with our parish and the wider community;
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Supporting mission partners across the world.
In making decisions about how to meet our objectives and live up to our mission statement, the trustees have had due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charities Commission when exercising any powers or duties to which the guidance is relevant.
Achievements and performance
Worship and prayer
All are welcome to attend our regular services. Our 10.30am service runs every Sunday. Across the year, this had an average attendance of approximately 44 adults and 13 children and it has been encouraging to see the numbers steadily increasing. Most Sundays our Sunday School, Ignite, runs alongside the service but on the fourth Sunday of each month we worship together as a full church family in our ‘all-age’ service. Due to low numbers, our 6pm service ceased in April 2024, replaced by a second 8am service per month.
We meet once a month as a church to pray for the church and our community. These meetings are on a Saturday morning allowing us to share breakfast together before praying. It continues to be encouraging to see so many members of the church family participating.
We also have a small, informal, spoken service that takes place once a week called Time with God.
As well as our regular services, we enable our community to celebrate and thank God at the milestones of the journey through life. This year our ministers officiated at four funerals or committals, no weddings, one service of prayer and dedication after a civil marriage, one baptism and one thanksgiving service.
Discipleship and fellowship
The incumbent and PCC have continued to implement the annual plan put in place in 2022 (to be reviewed and updated during 2025), with a focus on building up the church through formal and informal discipleship. We have four fellowship groups which meet regularly to study the bible, encourage one another and to support each other in prayer. Three of these are groups open to all with one being particularly welcoming to those who wish to bring young children with them; the fourth group (known as 24/7) is aimed at young adults. In addition, we have a men’s group which meets for bible studies and social gatherings and a women’s social group, and we hold ad-hoc lunches for the whole church family to meet and eat together after a Sunday service.
Pastoral care
Ian Fuller heads up our pastoral team, caring for our community in whatever way we can. This includes visiting the sick, elderly and bereaved. Both Keith Roddy and Ian Fuller will celebrate the Lord’s Supper in homes or hospital with those who request it.
Our Care Fund is available to provide funds to those in our community who are in need. Anyone can recommend someone for help from this fund; decisions regarding the disbursement of funds are made by Ian Fuller in conjunction with our vicar Keith Roddy and our treasurer, Eleanor Evans. The PCC are keen to see this fund used and welcome ideas in that regard.
Activities of the church (mission and evangelism)
We seek to promote the whole mission of the Church and use our facilities for the public benefit through the provision of activities in the church hall for various groups. The PCC regularly considers the viability of our existing community outreach activities and what additional activities might be possible; our main constraint is volunteer resources.
At the time of writing, we have a weekly group, Green Pastures, which provides activities and fellowship for elders in our community and a monthly group, Trinity Dads, for dads and carers of young children. We held another successful holiday club in October 2024 and are pleased that the half-term slot seems to be a popular time.
The church hall is regularly hired by community groups including Gamblers Anonymous, Brownies, Karate and Strollercise and is available for members of the community to hire for parties and other gatherings. Our church and hall are also hired on an occasional basis by the Peniel Church of God and we welcome our partnership with them.
We continue to have a good relationship with Trinity Road School and have been pleased to welcome them to our building during 2024 for Harvest Festival, Christmas and Easter and occasional other visits related to their Religious Education curriculum, as well as conducting assemblies and some lessons at the school. Keith Roddy is now co-chair of the governing body of the school.
Wider church engagement
We retain strong links with the Chelmsford Diocesan Evangelical Fellowship (CDEN) which brings together Church of England evangelical churches in the Chelmsford Diocese and sits within the wider Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC). We became a partner church of the Church Society during 2024 and support the work of The Alliance, an informal partnership of leaders from networks within the Church of England including the CEEC. We are also developing a relationship with an “Alternative Spiritual Overseer” through our relationship with the CEEC and our parish share is now paid to the Chelmsford Diocese via the Ephesian Fund which is operated by the CEEC.
Financial review
The primary source of funds is the giving of the church members which, together with tax recovered through the Gift Aid and GASD schemes, accounts for the majority of income. This is received either through planned giving, collections in church or other donations. Additional regular sources of income are fees for weddings and funerals, hall rentals and interest on monies held. Both our giving income and our hall hire remained relatively steady in 2024.
Total receipts for 2024 across unrestricted funds were £88,164.
As part of our stated aim to be active in our partnership with the world church, we support various mission partners, prayerfully and financially. We hold regular “Mission Sundays” where the congregation can choose to support a specific mission partner and this is supplemented by giving from our general income. Overall giving to our mission partners in 2024 was £8,412.
In 2024, the general fund had a deficit of £1,806 (2023: surplus of £4,596) and the hall fund had a deficit of £1,080 (2023: deficit of £361). As with previous years, the charity did not meet its required parish share in full (we paid £46,000 of a required £72,909). The trustees continue to focus on how best the charity can manage its day-to-day operations while paying as much as possible towards our requested parish share.
Quinquennial fund
To provide for any big expenditure required as a result of the statutory quinquennial survey of the church buildings and property, the trustees seek to put aside up to £2,000 at the end of each financial year (giving £10,000 over each five year ‘quinquennial’ period). However, in 2024, due to high expenditure on work arising from the most recent quinquennial survey in November 2022, the trustees concluded that no amount would be put aside, since that money had essentially been spent rather than needing to be saved.
The quinquennial survey identified various areas of work to be undertaken, including two major items: (1) repairs relating to tree damage to our buildings and (2) repairs to certain areas of the church roof. Following extensive discussions with Essex County Council, the trustees reached an agreement for a number of trees in the churchyard to be removed which are responsible for subsidence to both the church building and the church hall. Both the tree works and the roof works took place during 2024 and work to repair the subsidence damage to the buildings is expected to take place in summer 2025. With a view to potential future expenditure, the trustees have also sought and obtained initial legal advice relating to the extent of the closed churchyard and the Council’s responsibility for maintaining it. Internal and external discussions regarding this remain ongoing.
Reserves policy
More generally, the trustees’ policy is to have three months’ expenditure available in our current account to deal with any unexpected drop in income. The church’s reserves policy is due for annual review by the trustees in May 2025.
The unrestricted reserves of the charity (not including the value of the church hall which is accounted for at its 2013 insurance valuation of £560,000) decreased in 2024 from £19,420 to £4,670, mainly due to the major works expenditure described above.
Format of the accounts
These accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis.
Volunteers Finally, we would like to thank all the volunteers who work so hard to make our church the friendly, caring and vibrant community it is. The trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees, Report above. Richard Scott Church Warden
Independent examiner's report to the Trustees of THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF HOLY TRINITY, SPRINGFIELD, DIOCESE OF CHELMSFORD
I report on the accounts of the PCC for the year ended 31 December 2024, which are set out on the following sheets: Receipts and Payments Account, Fund movement by type, Analysis of receipts and payments, Balance Sheet and Notes to the Accounts.
Respective responsibilities of the PCC and the examiner
The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 (the " Act ").
The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Act and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility:
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to examine the accounts under section 145 of the Act;
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to follow the applicable directions given by the Charity Commission (under section145(5)(b) of the Act); and
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to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of independent examiner’s statement
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 these 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 material matters have come to my attention which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect:
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the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section130 of the Act; or
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the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
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the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 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.
I have no concerns and have come across no matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
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Date: 6 May 2025 Name: Keith Jones, FCA Address: 4 Lister Tye, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 9LS
Holy Trinity Springfield
Receipts and Payments Account
For the period from 01 January 2024 to 31 December 2024
| Unrestricted | Designated | Restricted | Total | Prior year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| funds | funds | funds | funds | total funds | |
| Receipts | |||||
| Donations and legacies | 73,388.29 | 6,190.25 | 10,195.40 | 89,773.94 | 91,735.01 |
| Income from charitable activities | 384.75 | 192.92 | — | 577.67 | 286.96 |
| Other trading activities | 490.00 | 7,370.00 | — | 7,860.00 | 7,430.00 |
| Investments | 15.92 | 131.40 | — | 147.32 | 183.10 |
| Total receipts | 74,278.96 | 13,884.57 | 10,195.40 | 98,358.93 | 99,635.07 |
| Payments | |||||
| Expenditure on charitable activities | 76,084.52 | 26,819.12 | 9,510.93 | 112,414.57 | 95,019.70 |
| Total payments | 76,084.52 | 26,819.12 | 9,510.93 | 112,414.57 | 95,019.70 |
| Excess of receipts over payments before transfer | -1,805.56 | -12,934.55 | 684.47 | -14,055.64 | 4,615.37 |
| Transfers | |||||
| Gross transfers between funds - in | — | 1,079.86 | 10 | 1,079.86 | 1,799.80 |
| Gross transfers between funds - out | -1,089.86 | — | — | -1,089.86 | -1,799.80 |
| Excess of receipts over payments before other gain | -2,895.42 | -11,854.69 | 694.47 | -14,055.64 | 4,615.37 |
| Net movement in funds | -2,895.42 | -11,854.69 | 694.47 | -14,055.64 | 4,615.37 |
| Reconciliation of funds | |||||
| All assets at 01 January 2024 | 5,624.61 | 573,795.06 | 2,143.43 | 581,563.10 | 576,947.73 |
| All assets at 31 December 2024 | 2,729.19 | 561,940.37 | 2,837.90 | 567,507.46 | 581,563.10 |
Holy Trinity Springfield
Fund movement by type Selected period: 01 January 2024 to 31 December 2024
| Fund and type | Fund balances | Incoming | Outgoing | Transfers | Gains and | Journal | Fund balances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| brought forward | Resources | Resources | Losses | Entries | carried forward | ||
| Unrestricted | |||||||
| General | 5,624.61 | 74,278.96 | 76,084.52 | -1,089.86 | — | — | 2,729.19 |
| Sub-totals | 5,624.61 | 74,278.96 | 76,084.52 | -1,089.86 | — | — | 2,729.19 |
| Designated | |||||||
| Care | 1,534.02 | 11.25 | — | — | — | — | 1,545.27 |
| Hall capital value | 560,000.00 | — | — | — | — | — | 560,000.00 |
| Ladies' Group | 36.19 | 45.00 | 60.38 | — | — | — | 20.81 |
| Men's Group | 118.49 | 327.50 | 324.15 | — | — | — | 121.84 |
| Hall cash | - | 7,370.00 | 8,449.86 | 1,079.86 | — | — | — |
| Bookshop | 198.33 | 175.42 | 121.30 | — | — | — | 252.45 |
| Quinquennial | 11,908.03 | 5,955.40 | 17,863.43 | — | — | — | — |
| Sub-totals | 573,795.06 | 13,884.57 | 26,819.12 | 1,079.86 | — | — | 561,940.37 |
| Restricted | |||||||
| Bibles | — | 2,255.00 | 1,642.81 | — | — | — | 612.19 |
| Church hall and grounds | 146.68 | 120.00 | 266.68 | — | — | — | — |
| improvement fund | |||||||
| EcoChurch | — | 500.00 | 150.98 | — | — | — | 349.02 |
| Garden of Remembrance | 840.00 | 626.25 | 885.00 | — | — | — | 581.25 |
| Gift collections | — | 924.00 | 924.00 | — | — | — | — |
| Green Pastures | 421.25 | 1,259.00 | 1,047.40 | — | — | — | 632.85 |
| Outreach and Evangelism | 500.00 | — | 165.16 | — | — | — | 334.84 |
| Special Project | 300.00 | — | — | — | — | — | 300.00 |
| Mission/charities | 7.50 | 4,449.15 | 4,428.90 | — | — | — | 27.75 |
| Youth | -72.00 | 62.00 | — | 10.00 | — | — | — |
| Sub-totals | 2,143.43 | 10,195.40 | 9,510.93 | 10.00 | — | — | 2,837.90 |
| Totals | 581,563.10 | 98,358.93 | 112,414.57 | — | — | — | 567,507.46 |
Holy Trinity Springfield
Analysis of receipts and payments 01 January 2024 to 31 December 2024
| Gift Aid eligible planned giving - bank Gift Aid eligible planned giving - envelopes Other planned giving - bank Other planned giving - envelopes Loose plate collections Mission/charities appeals One-off Gift Aid eligible donations Other one-off donations Tax recovered (Gift Aid and GASDS) Non-recurring one-off grants General fundraising Donations and legacies totals Fees for weddings and funerals Trinity Dads fees Holiday club subscriptions Bookstall sales (bible notes) Income from charitable activities totals Church lettings Church hall lettings (regular) Church hall lettings (one-off) Other trading activities totals Bank and building society interest Investments Totals Receipts grand totals Other trading activities Investments Income from charitable activities Receipts Donations and legacies |
Total Unrestricted Designated Restricted This year Last year |
|---|---|
| 39,839.00 — — 39,839.00 44,963.50 4,223.00 — — 4,223.00 3,500.00 9,220.00 — 120.00 9,340.00 8,335.00 1,058.50 — — 1,058.50 875.00 726.91 — — 726.91 834.73 — — 3,801.14 3,801.14 2,527.57 4,320.00 10.00 2,165.00 6,495.00 7,195.00 811.41 300.00 3,296.64 4,408.05 6,862.97 12,811.47 56.25 812.62 13,680.34 15,766.37 — 5,824.00 — 5,824.00 855.00 378.00 — — 378.00 19.87 |
|
| 73,388.29 6,190.25 10,195.40 89,773.94 91,735.01 282.00 — — 282.00 173.00 102.75 17.50 — 120.25 31.00 — — — — 45.00 — 175.42 — 175.42 37.96 |
|
| 384.75 192.92 — 577.67 286.96 490.00 — — 490.00 — — 5,485.00 — 5,485.00 4,890.00 — 1,885.00 — 1,885.00 2,540.00 |
|
| 490.00 7,370.00 — 7,860.00 7,430.00 15.92 131.40 — 147.32 183.10 |
|
| 15.92 131.40 — 147.32 183.10 |
|
| 74,278.96 13,884.57 10,195.40 98,358.93 99,635.07 |
|
| Mission giving from general income Mission giving (specific appeals) Parish share Salary of parish administrator Clergy expenses Clergy books and training General parish mission and evangelism Trinity Dads Messy Church Holiday Club Church insurance Payments Expenditure on charitable activities |
3,524.00 — — 3,524.00 3,840.00 — — 4,887.90 4,887.90 3,321.52 46,000.00 — — 46,000.00 43,000.00 8,439.60 — — 8,439.60 7,965.60 441.93 — — 441.93 485.65 510.43 — — 510.43 522.04 185.11 301.73 3,195.28 3,682.12 1,148.94 80.53 — — 80.53 73.61 — — — — 11.90 — — 125.09 125.09 452.03 2,211.12 — — 2,211.12 2,130.50 |
| Church office - phone/internet Organ tuning Church maintenance Cleaning Upkeep of services Ignite Upkeep of churchyard Church office/admin expenses Church legal fees Visiting speakers/locums Church running - equipment/sundries Church running - electricity Church running - gas Bookstall costs (bible notes) Hall running - electricity Hall running - insurance Hall running - maintenance Hall running - equipment/sundries Hall running - water and sewage Church major repairs - structure Hall major repairs - structure Expenditure on charitable activities Paymentsgrandtotals |
850.38 — — 850.38 773.56 292.80 — — 292.80 — 1,546.11 466.00 — 2,012.11 1,542.00 — 3,219.00 — 3,219.00 3,210.00 1,777.87 — — 1,777.87 664.49 481.05 — — 481.05 191.61 3,028.04 453.43 1,302.66 4,784.13 589.25 1,670.68 — — 1,670.68 1,514.88 1,596.00 — — 1,596.00 — 50.00 82.80 — 132.80 81.70 441.23 — — 441.23 612.55 1,245.60 — — 1,245.60 1,251.81 1,712.04 — — 1,712.04 3,662.38 — 121.30 — 121.30 108.41 — 2,441.06 — 2,441.06 2,252.34 — 1,591.23 — 1,591.23 1,547.64 — 977.38 — 977.38 213.18 — 146.58 — 146.58 202.28 — 74.61 — 74.61 365.83 — 16,944.00 — 16,944.00 — — — — — 13,284.00 |
|---|---|
| 76,084.52 26,819.12 9,510.93 112,414.57 95,019.70 |
|
| 76,084.52 26,819.12 9,510.93 112,414.57 95,019.70 |
Payments grand totals 76,084.52 26,819.12 9,510.93 112,414.57 95,019.70
Holy Trinity Springfield Balance sheet As at: 31 December 2024 Asat 31112rao4 As * 31n2r2023 Cash at bttd In hd CCLA Deit)Jrt C1Ve Currert 4,917.53 16.864.57 21.782.10 7,Th.46 7.Th.46 Olhw ass¢ts CChIl41 tu'ldiThJ Total 3s¥8ts .C.C ,Th46 .CAXJ.OJ 581.78110 Repre5entgJ by UnrestTirted Zrn.19 5.624.61 Dgslgnated c¥ef1 1.527 .((o. JA1 1.534.02 Hal es, Grcxp Men's Grc .19 121A4 118.49 Hdl cash f1 Bcd(slKy fu¥J 5245 1.33 11..03 Re5trlLt trjas Chxch hal g(xnYs lMwnertfiThl Ec(CMch 61219 146. G¥(kn of Rernntf 125 Grw PbJes 421.25 Missic¥Vctrwities 2T.75 7. Ilrtrexh Ev&1SM ia Prq&t yrth fij1 .72 Fundsof tho¢hurch 567.S)7A6 s81.10 Funds hekl on behalf of otha5 219 C() 567.726A6 219.Tr) 581,782.10 TOTAL FUNDS Signed on behalf of the trustees:
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS
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These accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis.
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Funds held on behalf of others:
Funeral fees double paid to Holy Trinity £219.00 £219.00
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The value of the church hall freehold is held in the accounts at the insurance valuation of 4 December 2013 (£560,000).
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The PCC reserves policy is for an amount up to £2,000 to be transferred to the Quinquennial Fund each year to cover any required expenditure arising from the quinquennial report. Given the level of expenditure during 2024 on matters arising from the most recent quinquennial report, the PCC decided not to make a transfer to the Quinquennial Fund in this financial year.