Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From: 1[st] October 2024 To: 30[th] September 2025
Charity name: Strood Gospel Mission Church (SGMC)
Charity registration number: 1137729
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | The principal purpose of the Church is the advancement of the Christian faith. SGMC may also advance education and carry out other charitable purposes in the UK and/or other parts of the world. |
| Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts. |
Para 1.17 and 1.19 |
Regular public worship, prayer, bible study, preaching, teaching and baptism. Education and training for Christian and community service. Giving and encouraging pastoral care. Supporting and encouraging social action. Supporting and caring for the local community. |
| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit |
Para 1.18 | The Trustees confirm that they have complied with their duty to have due regard to the Commission’s public benefit guidance when exercising any powers or duties to which the guidance is relevant. |
Achievements and Performance
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole. |
Para 1.20 | SGMC has continued to engage with the local community in a safe, helpful and encouraging way by running a myriad of activities to help meet the needs of people. Our “Grassroots” project continues to progress. It is a clothing (and other small, non-electrical, household items) project where items are donated, and then made freely available to anyone. Anyone can come into the church building and take what they need, for free. If they choose to make a voluntary cash donation, these are collected and 100% of these donations are then given to local good causes, such as foodbanks and hospices. Over £2500 of voluntary cash donations have been given by members of the public since the project began, and these monies have been donated to five Medway- based charities. SGMC covers all the costs of operating the project. The project continues to prove very beneficial - recycling clothing and goods that might otherwise go to landfill; helping people, particularly young families starting off in life, to obtain what they need in difficult times with cost-of-living pressures; and channelling 100% of voluntary cash donations to assist worthy local causes. We also held our popular Christmas Christingle and candle-lit Carol Services, our family-friendly Christmas Fayre, as well as providing a free Christmas lunch on Christmas Day itself, specifically for local people, particularly those that find themselves on their own. Our “Hope Hut”, which is a converted wheelie bin store placed outside the church building, is a continuing talking point within the community. The Hut has a display inside with a perspective front and lighting, and so the display is visible 24 hours a day, with arresting and colourful tableaux regularly changed through the year. Meal Club, which commenced a couple of years ago, is a project we undertake, working with volunteers from the Royal Mail. The Club provides a free hot meal to anyone that attends, and we also open up Grassroots at the same time to |
provide individuals with the opportunity to choose any items that they might need. We have a good following amongst the homeless community, and the Club is also popular with young mums and children, as well as more elderly residents, as it provides much needed social contact for those living alone. There are other activities for the community held in the church, almost every day of the week, including a Parents and Toddlers group, a coffee morning (Coffee Stop), a Quilting Group for those that enjoy sewing, quilting, crochet, embroidery, and Knit & Natter, an opportunity to chat and sew in a relaxed atmosphere at the Bread of Life café, near to the Church. These are in addition to our Sunday services (which include a Sunday School and a Bible Class) as well as a number of informal small groups that meet at various times during the day and evening to suit different working schedules, for bible study, prayer and pastoral support. We have also run a number of online “Alpha” courses throughout the year, to help those curious about understanding Christianity in more detail. SGMC was blessed to have three baptisms during the year, as well as two dedications. Our membership increased by 25%, and our wider fellowship also saw increased numbers.
Financial Review
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | SGMC posted a modest surplus of £3,053.74 for the financial year, compared to a small surplus of £784.08 for the previous financial year. Total income increased by 10.5%, compared to 2023/24, principally due to an increase in donations (up 14%), and increase in the recovery of Gift Aid. Total expenditure also increased, by 7.6%, primarily due to higher day-to-day expenditure in running the church, particularly utilities. SGMC is the beneficial owner (subject to the relevant trusts) of the church building at Brompton Lane, as well as the Manse, the legal title to which is held by the Church’s custodian and holding trustee, the Property Trustees. These properties are together insured for £2.02m. |
|---|---|---|
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | When setting and/or reviewing the appropriate level of reserves, the Church takes into account the level of funds required to cover immediate commitments and planned expenditure, as well as an analysis of future needs, opportunities, contingencies and risks that are not likely to be met out of forecast income, and the consequences of not being able to meet them. At just under £114,000, the level of reserves covers just under 1.5 years of current expenditure. In addition, the Church is undertaking the process to convert SGMC to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, for the benefits that brings in being able to hold property in its own right, and reduce charity trustee unlimited liability. This will result in additional expenditure, principally legal costs, over the next few years to complete these tasks. Given the above, and in addition, given the ages of the Church building and the Manse, and the likely need of significant maintenance expenditure over the coming years, as well as the reliance on a relatively small number of donors, the level of reserves is felt appropriate to ensure that SGMC can meet commitments when they fall due. |
|---|---|---|
| Amount of reserves held | Para 1.22 | Total reserves have reduced from £124,675.45 to £113,646.12, excluding a reserve of £8,872.19 specifically designated for use in Youth Work. In addition, we also hold £8,679.49 in a restricted legacy reserve, held in a separate account, to be used for Mission and Outreach. The reduction has been due principally to the end of the Borstal Secondment Agreement in September 2025. This agreement had been providing additional funding of approximately £37,000 spread over the previous three financial years. |
Structure, Governance and Management
| Description of charity’s trusts: |
||
|---|---|---|
| Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter) |
Para 1.25 |
Constitution |
| How is the charity constituted? (e.g. unincorporated association, CIO) |
Para 1.25 | Charitable Unincorporated Association |
| Trustee selection methods including details of any |
Para 1.25 | Trustees are appointed and removed by the Church Members, as detailed under |
| constitutional provisions e.g., election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees |
the Constitution. This process is public, clear and open, but the vote is undertaken by way of a secret ballot of the membership of the Church. The Church membership will also vote for the appointment to the roles of Minister, Minister-in-Training, Church Secretary, Church Treasurer, Elder and Deacon. |
|
|---|---|---|
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | Strood Gospel Mission Church |
|---|---|
| Other name the charity uses | N/A |
| Registered charity number | 1137729 |
| Charity’s principal address | Brompton Lane, Strood, Rochester, Kent. ME2 3BQ |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee(if any) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nigel Briston | Deacon | |||
| Hayley Prestidge- Briston |
Minister | |||
| Stephen Gee | Treasurer & Deacon | |||
| Diana Morgan | Deacon | |||
| Rick Morgan | Deacon | |||
| Femi Okanlawon | Deacon | |||
| Marion Hollebon | Deacon | |||
| Mark Wicker | Deacon | |||
| Karen Charles | Deacon | |||
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature(s) Full name(s) Stephen Gee Position (e.g., Secretary, Treasurer, Deacon & Charity Chair, etc) Trustee Date
STROOD GOSPEL MISSION CHURCH
FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2025
GENERAL RECEIPTS & PAYMENTS ACCOUNT
| Note Income Sunday Offerings Regular Giving Rental Income Designated Mission Giving Sundry Income Interest Received Gift Aid Recovery Borstal Secondment Agreement Total Income Expenditure Payroll College Accommodation & Travel (NAM’s Training) Pastor’s Discretionary Fund Tithe Fund Mileage Designated Mission Gifts Outreach & Publicity Training & Teaching Materials Preaching Gifts Ministry (incl Sundries) Licenses & Website Resources Youth Work Property Church Property Manse Property Bortsal Utilities Church Utilities Borstal Total Expenditure Net income / (expenditure) for the year 1 Transfers to/from Reserve Accounts Balance at previous year end Balance at current year end |
2025 2024 3,342.50 5,322.60 37,684.61 30,606.47 13,799.24 13,513.80 311.91 833.56 1,628.51 2,451.70 5,891.57 3,903.03 7,432.23 12,506.77 5,562.61 12,506.77 82,597.34 74,700.54 36,439.61 34,961.43 676.10 648.10 750.00 750.00 3,592.90 3,072.94 - 311.91 1,457.92 600.00 75.00 1,263.91 554.72 1,752.93 300.90 4,206.74 1,226.21 13,826.00 6,962.01 5,546.74 - 833.56 986.03 50.00 150.00 1,021.87 515.30 1,630.80 173.20 4,465.31 3,729.19 12,809.88 5,373.73 2,745.12 79,543.60 73,916.46 3,053.74 784.08 - - 26,667.01 25,882.93 29,720.75 26,667.01 |
|---|---|
Page 1 of 3
STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITES AT 30 SEPTEMBER 2025
| Note Assets Bank and other cash balances Current Account Reserves Account Restricted Legacy Account (Mission) Charity Bank Account United Trust Account Other monetary assets: Debtors Loans made Gift aid claimed but not received Investment Assets Assets Held for Church’s own use 2 Total Assets Liabilities Current Liabilities Long Term Loans Pension Scheme liability 3 Other liabilities Total Liabilities* |
2025 2024 16,605.81 19,443.64 25,930.38 8,679.49 42,108.78 8,527.94 56,969.51 39,618.42 54,322.22 37,116.64 - - - - - - - - 2,028,247 1,961,658 |
|---|---|
| 2,176,050.61 2,123,177.22 - - - - - 21.00 - - |
|
| - 21.00 |
- Included within the Reserves Account is a figure of £8,872.19 representing the outstanding balance from the closure of the Playgroup, and is to be used for Youth Work.
The accounts and statement of assets and liabilities relating to the year ending 30[th] September 2025 are as approved by the Charity Trustees, and by the Members at the AGM of 30[th] November 2025.
Signed: Stephen Gee, Treasurer, Deacon & Charity Trustee (authorised to sign on behalf of the Charity Trustees)
Date: 30.11.2025
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS
1. Basis of accounts
These accounts have been prepared on a ‘receipts and payments’ basis and in accordance with Section 133 Charities Act 2011.
2. Assets Held for the Church’s own use
The Church is the beneficial owner (subject to the relevant trusts) of the following assets, the legal title to which is held by the Church’s custodian trustee, the Property Trustees:
-
Church premises at Brompton Lane valued in the accounts at £1,423,019 insured value.
-
Church manse at 1 Weston Road valued in the accounts at £527,020 insured value.
-
The Church also owns fixtures, furniture and equipment with an insured value of £78,208
Page 2 of 3
3. Pension Scheme Liabilities
The Church is a participating employer in 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. Prior to this date the main benefit provided through the Defined Benefit (DB) Plan was a pension of one eightieth of final minimum pensionable income for each year of pensionable service together with additional pension in respect of premiums paid on Pensionable Income in excess of Minimum Pensionable Income. Since 1 January 2012, benefits have been provided through a Defined Contribution (DC) Plan.
A formal valuation of the DB Plan as at 31 December 2019 was carried out by a professionally qualified Actuary using the Projected Unit Method. At the valuation date the market value of the DB Plan assets was £298 million, whilst the level of assets needed to pay benefits was £316m, giving a deficit of £18m (equivalent to a past service funding level of 94%). The Church and the other participating employers in the DB Plan were collectively responsible for funding this deficit. The next actuarial valuation of the DB Plan within the Scheme was due to take place not later than as at 31 December 2022. However, it was decided that the DB Plan would be wound up, and the process to wind it up was started with effect from 31 March 2024, and therefore no formal valuation took place.
Under the Schedule of Contributions, the Church made a monthly payment in respect of the DB scheme deficit, and historically these increased in line with increases in Minimum Pensionable Income. The Schedule of Contributions foresaw these contributions continuing until June 2026.
On 30[th] June 2022, the Baptist Pension Scheme signed an agreement with the insurance company Just Group (“Just”) to secure DB Plan members’ pension benefits. Just provided financial backing for all pensions provided through the Scheme’s DB Plan and following this transaction, the Scheme no longer had a shortfall. An updated Recovery plan was then signed in August 2022 under which recovery contributions from each participating employer in the DB Plan reduced to £1 per month from August 2022.
In October 2024, Just completed a buy out of the liabilities of the closed defined benefit scheme. From that date any remaining liability of the participating scheme members to the defined benefit scheme ceased and the £1 per month deficit contributions payable by the participating employers which were agreed in the recovery plan approved in August 2022, also ceased from that date. Administration of the closed defined benefit scheme transferred from the pension trustees to Just from that date.
Section 28.11A of FRS 102 requires agreed deficit recovery payments to be recognised as a liability. The present value of the agreed deficit contributions were fully extinguished once the buy out was completed by Just in October 2024.
Page 3 of 3
Independent examinerfs report on the accounts CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the tr*¢ members of Strood Goq)el MISS Churth On accounts for the year ended 30 September 2025 Charity no (rf any) General Receipts & PayTrnts A(Lount. Ststnt of Assets and Liabilities and Notes to Ac¢cxJnts 1-3 1137729 Set out on pages Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner The tharitys trustees are reswnsble hr the preparatK)n of the accounts. The chartty's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Chartbes A£t 2011 (Yhe CharTties Act") and that an independent eXaMinatn needed. It is my responsibilty to." examine the accounts under section 145 of the Chaiities Act, to follow the prctedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity ConM71iSsn (utmler section 145(5}Ib) of the Charities Act. and to state whether particular mattets have ctsme to my attention. asis of independent My enialK¥n vras rried oui in accordan wÈth gene1 Directions given examinevs statemènt by the Chanty Commission. An examination includes a review ofthe aixounting records kept by the charty and a mpariS0n of the ac(J)unts presented with those records. It also includes consideratK)n of any unusual items or dwlosures vi the accounts and seeking explanations from the tTUStees (xinceming any such rngtters. The prodUteS undertaken do not provhle all the eden that would be required in an audÈt, and consequenty no opinv)n i8 given as to whether the accounts present a Irue and faif view and the report is limit&J to Ihose matteps set out in the statement below. Independent In connethon with my eXaMinatn. no mtter has come to my attention examinerfs statsment 1. which gives reasonable cause to tlIeVe that in. any nElerial respert the requirements: to keep aCcoUntg reco$ in accortsnce wth section 130 of the Charrttes Art." and to prepare accounts vthich acwrd wtth the accounting records and compty with the a0UntIng requirenEnts of the Charities Act have not been met or 2. to which. Thi m n, attentDn sFK)uld be drawn in order to enab a proper un accryjnts to be reached. Signed: Dats: 31 March 2026 Name: Lionel Robbins Relevant professional qualification{s) or body lrfany): IER