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2025-06-30-accounts

Faiths4Change Trustees’ Report and Accounts for the year ended 30 June 2025 Registered Charity number: 1138834 Registered Company number: 7201450 England and Wales

Faiths4Change

Trustees’ Report and Accounts For the year ended 30 June 2025

CONTENTS
Page
Reference and administrative information 2
Chair’s report 3
Trustees’ annual report 5
Statement of trustees’ responsibilities 16
Independent examiner’s report 17
Statement of financial activities 18
Balance sheet 19
Notes to the financial statements 21

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Faiths4Change

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION For the year ended 30 June 2025

Patrons

Trustees Philip Leigh Chair Laird Ryan Vice Chair Jonathan Watchorn Treasurer Piara Miah Helen Eaton Lucy Atkinson Elizabeth Atherton (appointed 17.09.2024) Director Annie Merry Company Secretary Rachel Hardy Registered Office and St James’ House, 20 St James’ Road, Principal Business Liverpool L1 7BY Office Bankers The Cooperative Bank plc, PO Box 250, Delf House, South Way, Skelmersdale WN8 66WT Registration numbers Charity:1138834 Company:07201450 England & Wales

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CHAIR’S REPORT For the year ended 30 June 2025

This year has been one of steady progress for Faiths4Change, and while there is always more to do, we are grateful for the opportunities and partnerships that have enabled us to make a difference. Much of what we have achieved has been possible because of the commitment and generosity of others – volunteers, funders, community members, and partner organisations – who share our vision for caring for our environment and each other. Our role has often been to listen, learn, and support, and we are proud to have played our part in a wider movement for environmental and social justice.

Our long-standing community gardens, Roots in the City and the Secret Garden, continue to thrive thanks to the dedication of local people who shape and sustain these spaces. Their creativity and care have brought national recognition, with RHS awards for both gardens and for the University of Chester Multifaith Chaplaincy Hub Garden which we have facilitated from its inception 3 years ago. These honours reflect the hard work of many hands rather than any single effort, and we are thankful to everyone who has contributed time and energy to make these places welcoming and life-giving.

Partnerships continue to remain at the heart of our work. Through the Net Zero Carbon 2030 programme, we have supported churches to take practical steps towards reducing emissions, and while progress is ongoing, it has been encouraging to see so many getting on board beginning to make changes. A Quick Wins fund has helped to turn good intentions into action, and we are grateful to those who have embraced these opportunities.

On the Wirral, our Cool Places of Worship project has continued for a sixth year, deepening relationships and understanding across faith communities and helping us learn more about the barriers people face in responding to the climate emergency and take action together.

Education and wellbeing have remained central to our approach. The Student Wellbeing Hub at the University of Chester has grown into a valued space for connection and care, and projects such as Grow Well Together and Linda’s Loves have offered simple, practical ways for people to learn and share skills. Our longstanding work with St Michael’s RC Primary School and Adelaide House too, remind us that small actions like planting seeds, cooking together or making something by hand can have a big impact on confidence and community.

Our food growing and gifting work has continued quietly but consistently, with over 229 kilograms of fresh organic produce donated to the Micah foodbank. This is a modest contribution compared to the scale of need, yet it represents many hours of shared effort and a commitment to supporting those who face hardship. Alongside this, projects like Water Stories and Riverscapes have helped us explore water and new ways of connecting people and the natural environment, and we are learning as much as we are teaching.

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There have been moments of joy too; interfaith walks that bring people together, family days in the gardens, and creative workshops that spark conversation and friendship. These experiences remind us that our work is not only about environmental outcomes but about relationships and hope. We know we cannot solve every problem, but we can keep showing up, keep listening, and keep working alongside others for the common good.

As we look ahead, we do so with hope and gratitude. The challenges are real, but so is the willingness of communities to act together. Our task is to continue supporting that energy, learning from those around us, and doing what we can, where we can, to care for people and the planet.

Phil Leigh Chair of Trustees 09/01/2026

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TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT For the year ended 30 June 2024

Objectives

The charity’s objects are specifically restricted to the following:

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT (cont.) For the year ended 30 June 2025

The charity carries out its objects in the following ways:

Partnership Working

Achieving our charitable objectives relies on building and sustaining trusted relationships; maintaining and growing our knowledge and commitment to learning and sharing; and being bold and innovative in our partnership working to achieve significant change. These continue to be our significant strengths at strategic level with representation on the Liverpool City Region Climate Partnership and Nature Connected boards, at borough level on the Cool Wirral Partnership and at community level with our membership of the Liverpool Food Growers Network, close working relationships with key partners including the Liverpool City Council Central Neighbourhood Team and local stakeholders.

Long term commitments to place, people & environment

We have been working in partnership with local residents and stakeholders at both the Roots in the City Garden and the Secret Garden for 7 and 4 years respectively. We believe in and are committed to these partnerships, ensuring that together we sustain, shape and grow these community spaces for people, biodiversity and neighbourhood wellbeing long term. Many of our successful grant applications relate to these community gardens, enabling them to continue to flourish holistically.

The Roots in the City Garden was awarded an In Your Neighbourhood RHS Level 4 ‘Thriving’ Award, the Secret Garden an RHS Level 4 ‘Thriving’ Award and the University of Chester Multifaith Chaplaincy Hub Garden an RHS Level 5 ‘Outstanding’ Award this year.

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Specific Grant Funded Projects

Net Zero Carbon 2030 in partnership with the Diocese of Liverpool funded from Benefact and the Church of England (July 2024 – June 2025, ongoing).

Our focus is working with Anglican churches and their congregations across the Diocese equipping them with support and resources to enable them to commit and work towards achieving net zero carbon by 2030, primarily focusing on carbon reduction in buildings and the potential for the worship and non-worship community to engage in similar.

Support to engage in and achieve award status through climate actions is partly achieved by a commitment to the Eco Church programme. Our work engages with civic leaders, world faiths, different Christian denominations and other Anglican Diocese’ to share good practice, harness resources and develop mutually beneficial partnerships to achieve carbon reduction, reduce biodiversity loss and related climate challenges.

Addressing the global climate crisis is a matter of social justice in which the whole Church has a part to play - in faith, practice and mission. To date we have 137 registered Eco Churches out of a possible 230; almost 70 churches have committed to the programme and a further 60 engaged.

‘Over the past year, we’ve had the implementation of the Quick Wins fund. This has been fantastic, as it has provided a real incentive for churches to get involved and on board. Churches have been able to see the real practical value in participating in the programme, with awards to change to LED lighting, replacing single glazing and draught reduction amongst other measures.

QW has opened a number of church doors for us, as well as helping to reduce carbon emissions within places of worship.

Cool Places of Worship 6 in partnership with Wirral based faith communities, funded by Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council (October 2024 – April 2025).

Our 6[th] year of work deepens our focus on maintaining and growing the engagement of places of worship on the Wirral, facilitating research to contribute to and practical development of the Cool Wirral strategy including Cool Communities, Climate Champions, Climate Hub and Borough of Culture projects.

This year, as well as delivering 4 community events and maintaining a web-based resource for faith communities, we’ve undertaken significant research. Our two areas of research have focused on understanding the levels of climate emergency awareness, action and barriers within faith communities and understanding how better to engage with Muslim communities on climate and environmental action.

‘This year we’ve also worked with the Holy Family Multi Academy Trust, gaining valuable insight into the ways that climate emergency, biodiversity and sustainability are at the core of all the Trust does from strategic level policy to practical education in the community for example supporting conservation at and with Chester Zoo.’

Annual Liverpool Interfaith Walk in partnership with Al-Rahma Mosque, Greek Orthodox Church, Kuumba Imani Centre, Old Hebrew Synagogue, Open Table, St Brides Church, St Margarets of Antioch Church (May 2025).

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This project brings together faith leaders and community members in Liverpool L8 creating opportunities for people to explore the rich faith heritage, religious traditions and shared values. Walking to and between multiple places of worship the Walk enabled over 150 people to engage in conversation, to foster understanding, strengthen relationships, and build unity across diverse communities.

‘The joys of this project have included the developing and strengthening of relationships among the organisers. From a participant’s point of view, seeing the richness of diversity and witnessing the conversations that happened along the route was a real highlight. For me personally, this was a genuine joy.’

Student Wellbeing Hub – a partnership with the Multifaith Chaplaincy Team, funded by the University of Chester (July 2024 – May 2025)

To continue developing a programme of student-facing activities in the community hub & garden at the University’s chaplaincy department, that will aim to create a space of well-being that students and staff can access through a weekly gardening session or drop-in. The sessions will include sowing seeds & harvesting food, garden maintenance, garden craft activities, woodwork, cooking sessions that will use herbs and vegetables grown in the garden. A simple lunch is provided to encourage community and friendship. Alongside the sessions there will be collaboration with the sustainability department, Mersey Forest, The Evergreen Society, Hedgehog Society and University gardeners & maintenance team who support the sessions with tools, equipment and practical help when needed

‘So many highlights this year as the garden goes from strength to strength. Several students have completed 8-10 weeks of regular attendance and have shown significant improvement in their well-being as evidenced in the base line and follow up questionnaire from Mersey Forest. We were awarded Level 5 ‘Outstanding’ in the Royal Horticulture Society in your neighbourhood (garden) award which was a fantastic testament to the hard work of the students this year and previously.

I have learned that believing in the short-term and long-term outcomes despite the shortage of funding, planning time and sometimes students attending is vital to success. Collaboration, relationships and enthusiasm have been crucial in making this project successful.’

Support for Asylum Seekers (SAS), funded by Churches Together in the Merseyside Region (July 2024 – June 2025, ongoing)

SAS provide funding to contribute to our Growing Support worker’s salary at the Roots in the City Garden. They undertake the food growing plan and task lists to enable people attending other Roots groups to collaboratively grow organic vegetables & herbs for the Micah foodbank at St Bride’s Church, Liverpool. The foodbank provides emergency food support to mainly people seeking asylum and refuge (more than 70% recipients). In addition, SAS funding enables us to support individual’s seeking asylum and refuge with items such as coats, footwear and bus fares.

‘Climate change continues to cause unpredictable weather patterns. We went from an incredibly wet autumn/winter of 2024 to a very dry spring in 2025. There was almost no rain at all throughout April 2025. Many of our winter crops struggled because of pest damage and many of our spring crops either failed to germinate or

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bolted almost straight away. This meant we had very few harvests in winter and spring.

We did have a bumper harvest of chard and early lettuce in May 2025 thanks to seeds we purchased from the Real Seed company. In the one month we were able to donate 10.14kg of chard and 4.34kg of lettuce to people who would not otherwise have access to fresh, organic greens.

Overall, this year we’ve grown and harvested 229.655kg of fresh organic vegetables, fruit and herbs and these have been donated to the Micah foodbank. Approximately 460 households benefitted from 500g of fresh produce this year.’

ii) To advance the education of the public in the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment, particularly within disadvantaged communities in the North West of England

Specific Grant Funded Projects

Grow Well Together funded by the John Moores Foundation (July 2024 – June 2025)

Our longstanding, weekly Tuesday group - Grow Well Together – offers drop-in seasonal activity including gardening, craft, cooking and preserve making throughout the year for adults, no booking required in the Roots in the City Garden. Funding from the JMF enables us to provide a secure all year-round seasonal programme for a diverse community of people with a range of needs. Working together we develop a greater, more diverse reach into the community in and around the Roots Garden at St Michaels in the City. Developing seasonal activities together as an informal group, our Tuesday sessions are open to all adults.

‘This year we have undertaken responsibility for the Urban Green Up Programme’s Rain Garden, a natural flood risk management intervention on Upper Pitt Street, Liverpool.’

Linda’s Loves - Young Growers Group funded by MLP Communications (January 2024 – March 2026)

The Lindas Loves – young growers group meets & shapes a specific area of the Roots Garden weekly from April to October and monthly in the autumn & winter. This year, local young people engaged have shaped the group to incorporate more seasonal craft, cooking and environmental actions connected to other projects. They have continued to grow, care for, harvest and cook their own food & compost their food waste in the community compost facility located in the garden.

Together we’ve also collaborated with local brewery, Black Lodge to create a green hopped beer and facilitate a slow cooker session following a train the trainer course with Feeding Liverpool. Ten people received a free slow cooker and recipe book, tasted several dishes and prepared a meal to slow cook at home. One Linda’s regular prepared and lead the Christmas craft session for the rest of the group. Another Linda’s regular has been very involved in the Water Stories project leading several sessions with groups, including Linda’s, on water quality testing with regular walks to and sample collections from the Mersey.

Wellbeing & Woodwork funded by The Hemby Trust (October 2024 – December 2024)

Wellbeing & Wood offered 8 workshop sessions to young people and adults to encourage them to learn new skills to boost employability, grow in confidence and

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take an active role in enhancing the biodiversity of the Roots Garden. The project focused on woodwork skills including tools & equipment to make bird boxes, hedgehog houses and a small wooden pond. Young people from the Everton in the Community alternative high school provision worked together as a team to completely rebuild and replace 3 rotten large, raised beds with new ones.

‘The young people grew in confidence, and a few became experts using the battery drill when making the raised beds. It was particularly encouraging to see the difference the workshop made to older women, they said they felt empowered and had done something they never thought they would be able to do. Some said it was easier than they thought it would be. One woman asked if we could run similar workshops again as she’d enjoyed it so much.’

Grow Sow Cook Serve in partnership with St Michael’s in the City Church funded by Deanery Mission & Growth Fund (October 2024 - March 2025) Grow Sow Cook Serve focused on education around social justice, caring for creation and growing and eating for nutrition while aligning these aspects where possible with the KS2/3/4 national curriculum. With groups from St Vincent de Paul RC Primary; Archbishop Blanch C of E Girls High School & Liverpool City College Health & Social Care Department we explored Why should we care for creation? How does our food and its waste impact the earth and its inhabitants? How can we make better choices that have less impact on the earth? What does it mean to love our neighbours as ourselves? How can we live more simply and be content?

‘Highlights of the project for me…seeing the joy on the students faces when tasting the food they’d made, hearing how one Y5 student who had never cooked before said he will help his dad make the tea! Hearing how the young people loved smelling the herbs in the garden and painting pictures in their sketch book to take home.’

Water Stories – funded by Liverpool City Region Environment Fund and individual contributors via Space Hive Crowdfunding Platform (November 2024 – November 2025)

Water & Climate Change are inextricably linked. Climate change is exacerbating both

water scarcity and water related hazards such as floods and droughts. For many of us, understanding and changing our behaviour to reduce the impacts of climate change requires an emotional connection which is often missing. Water stories: memories, photos, rituals, teachings, beliefs & much more, offer us an emotional connection with our environment, each other and inspiration to act.

Our Water Stories & Actions project has explored themes of flooding, drought, pollution, habitat, food growing, rainwater harvesting and much more through creative, informative ‘story’ workshops and practical active sessions across the Liverpool City Region.

The Water Stories project has enabled us to engage our regular groups at Roots and the Secret Garden, work with churches on the Net Zero Carbon 2030 programme, Wirral Metropolitan College, Wirral Environment Network and many others to date.

The project will result in a rainwater capture system at both the Roots and Secret Gardens where we estimate a capacity to capture 3000L water for use in the Gardens. The project will culminate in a stories and actions film to be shared via community screenings in all 6 boroughs.’

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Riverscapes funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (May 2025 – 2028)

The 3-year CONVERSE project aims to connect communities that use, live locally to or are at risk of flooding from the River Alt, with the monitoring of Natural Flood Management solutions. We’re working with partners from the Universities of Liverpool and Leeds, the Heseltine Institute and the Mersey Forest to research, cocreate and facilitate workshops to develop monitoring techniques with communities, mentorship and training to continue monitoring beyond the lifetime of the project. Together we aim to collect a credible set of citizen science data, that will be openly accessed by communities.

The Secret Garden

Respective funders have all invested in the year-round weekly sessions. Each funder has also contributed to specific thematic areas enabling us to develop and measure improvements in biodiversity, our bee population, welcome more families and regular gardeners through holiday and weekend activity and explore the heritage of the garden and utilise science to experiment with soil and composting ecology.

The Secret Garden funded by PH Holt (January – September 2024)

The Secret Garden project goes from strength to strength – a core group of 15 local people attend weekly and are active decision making & garden shaping. Together we’ve created a dead hedge, providing space for larger, organic materials to rot down, offer habitats and passageways for wildlife and structure by dividing the wild area and the pathway. We have enhanced the pond area by adding and planting aquatic plants and have observed many frogs and invertebrates enjoying the space. We have installed a beehive, for which regular gardeners learnt how to build the frames. Next year we hope to collect honey and wax to sell to generate income and increase the sustainability of the project.

The family open days we held from April – August were a brilliant way of empowering our regular folk to take a lead. They supported children and families to take part in seed sowing, crafts, making bird feeders, scavenger hunts and more. We welcomed a student mental health nurse on placement from LJMU who helped to design the series of open days and nature themed activities we delivered at them. Many of the young people took planted seeds and care instructions home, as well as crafts, and bird feeders to hang up in their own gardens.

We worked with two local primary schools: St Cuthbert’s and St Oswald’s, through the Learning Through Landscapes My School, My Planet Project. We had two students on placement from Hope University Education course who participated in planning and delivering sessions. The project involved an exchange of visits – the schools visited the garden to undertake activities, and we visited the schools; to help them to undertake a survey of their gardens and support to make environmental changes to their school grounds. This additional programme enabled us to develop our first relationships with local schools.

The Secret Garden funded by Eleanor Rathbone Charitable Trust (January – October 2025).

Along with our weekly growing, woodwork and bee keeping sessions, we’ve undertaken / planned 4 community events in The Secret Garden where, along with our regular folk and families, we’ve welcomed 45 adults and 28 children all new to the Garden.

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We’ve held nature recording sessions, including taking part in the RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch, in which we recorded 11 different species of garden birds, which we submitted to the national survey. We made and filled bird feeders which we placed around the garden.

During the Summer Holidays we hosted a family open day with a butterfly theme. The young people attending made butterfly crafts, learnt about their lifecycle and their importance to pollination, and took part in the Big Butterfly Count, another national citizen science survey that aims to create records of butterflies in nature. Participants recorded butterflies though the Big Butterfly Count app at both the Secret Garden and at home.

Connecting with our Water Stories project, we welcomed Jake the Pirate to the Garden offering a watery themed interactive session and have plans for October half term activities.

The Secret Garden funded by Elizabeth Rathbone Charitable Trust (January – October 2025)

We’ve been able to connect more deeply with the heritage of the Garden as a former garden allotments site and look to the future. This has taken many routes from a local heritage talk in the garden to exploring, creating content for our new display board, engaging in a citizen science soil ecology programme to better understand and look after our soil and experimenting with coffee composting with Carbon Happy World & University of Liverpool.

‘Following the loss of our much-loved team member and colleague Emma, our resident beekeeper; Desiree, one of our regular gardeners, has taken on looking after and nurturing our bee population, supporting others to engage with the bees too. We’re really happy and are supporting her to train be a Beekeeper.’

The Secret Garden funded by Torus (January – July 2025)

Capital investment in the Garden this year from Torus, has meant that items we’ve wanted or needed could be purchased from new flooring in the cabin to a beautiful weatherproof storyboard, beekeeping equipment, compost, a seed saving space and solar powered nature cameras. All items contributing to maintaining the garden and exploring areas of interest, and the capacity to tell the garden story.

Climate Champions – a partnership project with Energy Project Plus and Wirral Environment Network, funded by Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council (October 2024 – March 2025).

The Climate Champions programme utilises an annual climate actions themed calendar to inspire and train volunteers and support them to engage others in the community in lifestyle change and climate action as part of delivering Cool 2 - Wirral’s climate change strategy and net zero goals. Working in partnership with Energy Projects Plus & Wirral Environment Network, we each covered 2 thematic areas, ours were Biodiversity & Shopping.

‘Biodiversity was well received and Champions learnt how to use the I Naturalist app to identify and record nature. Shopping, undertaken in November and December, was at times a balancing act – climate friendly was sometimes perceived as ‘grinchlike’. However, the Champions inspired with their enthusiasm and willingness to create materials and engage widely.’

Feast of Fun Easter in partnership with St Michael’s in the City church funded by Together Liverpool (Easter April 2025)

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This fund paid for healthy snacks and lunches, gardening and craft materials for an Easter holiday family open day at the Roots in the City Garden at St Michael’s in the City Church, Liverpool. Families engaged in the Easter story, planted seeds and the children made mini-Easter gardens to take home.

‘The children loved doing all of the activities, they were really excited to be able to take home their Easter gardens and the seeds they had sown.’

Healthy Meals in Community Food Spaces funded by the Household Support Fund via Feeding Liverpool (October 2024 – March 2025)

To purchase food stock to provide a weekly healthy meal for people attending our Grow Well Together group at Roots in the City and to contribute to the cost of the building energy costs during these sessions.

‘People enjoy and look forward to the nutritious lunch – some have their favourite dishes and are keen to learn how to make them outside of the weekly group. There is a WhatsApp group that all are part of and most share recipes. This has also led to sharing alternative organisations outside of our workshops, e.g. Food share, Zero Waste, local pantries giving users an option to get food elsewhere due to not being able to afford high prices at supermarkets. Using the Feeding Liverpool app has been helpful – referring people to the app so they can see what pantries and food spaces are close to their home.

If people are unable to use the app due to not having a smart phone or internet, staff can easily access the information and pass it on.’

Trash to Treasure in partnership with Wirral Borough Council & The Repair Café funded by Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority Community Fund with match funding from Wirral Borough Council (May 2025 – March 2026)

Faiths4Change and The Repair Café are planning to work with 4 youth groups on the Wirral to explore food, plastic and textile waste behaviour amongst this age group and their leaders. Our project will consider the social, environmental and ethical dimensions of waste and seek to encourage behaviour change with young people and for leaders to embed learning into their programmes. Utilising learning and project materials a toolkit for faith communities will created and distributed to further encourage faith led youth groups to reduce waste and embrace the circular economy.

The project will seek to open up green skills employment and further / higher education opportunities with young people engaged by working with leaders in these fields. A final event will bring together groups to share the project’s findings and explore further opportunities to build upon its successes. This gathering will serve as a platform for collaboration among partners and stakeholders, fostering a communitywide dialogue on sustainable waste practices.

‘Sowing the Seeds 4 Environmental Change’ our not-for-profit chargeable educational support and practical delivery service.

Regular Services, Partnerships & Chargeable Service Delivery

Series of Faith & Community Environment Workshops for PSS (September – December 2024).

We worked with PSS service users, adults with physical or learning disabilities, to create and deliver a series of 6 workshops exploring world faith communities’ beliefs

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and practices and how different traditions encourage care for our world, our environment, and ourselves.

‘Visiting places of worship and speaking directly with faith leaders was hugely impactful , reducing anxiety, challenging assumptions, and increasing confidence. Overall, the project demonstrated that multi-sensory, inclusive, community-based learning is an effective way to explore faith, identity and environmental connectivity as confidence and interest grew beyond expectations.’

Micah Liverpool – Community Food Growing & Gifting. Our commitment to grow and gift organic food for the foodbank at St Bride’s Church is partly funded by a regular financial commitment by Micah Liverpool which contributes to the Growing Support & Communications Worker salary. This year we’ve grown and donated 229.655kg of fresh organic vegetables, fruit and herbs with an approximate market value of £2,381.34. Assuming an average of 500g of produce per household, 460 households have directly benefitted.

‘Our decision to purchase all our seeds from the Real Seed Company where possible has meant we’ve discovered some new varieties of chard and overwinter lettuce that have grown very well in our garden conditions. We have made a record of which ones have done well and will be planting them again next year.

The Wellbeing & Woodworking project funded by the Hemby Charitable Trust (above) meant we were able to construct new raised beds to replace the four original food growing beds that were constructed in 2018 that were falling apart. We broke up the compacted compost in the old beds and reused it mixed with spent mushroom compost in the new beds. This has meant the crops in these beds are growing much better than they did last year. We’re looking forward to being able to harvest from them soon.

The Water Stories project with the Liverpool City Region’s Environment Fund has allowed us to put in place a water storage solution for the garden. We have purchased 6 water butts that are connected to the roof of the church hall and garden shelter. This is greatly increasing the amount of rainwater we are to collect and means we will be better equipped to deal with long periods of drought.’

A seasonal term time service for St Michael’s RC Primary School, Kensington, Liverpool (March – October 2025)

This is a weekly gardening session delivered between March and October at St Michael’s Catholic Primary School. We provide up to four sessions on Tuesday afternoons for different year groups and SEND groups, based on a monthly rota so each year group gets to have a go. These sessions mainly include food growing, as well as nature-based crafts and activities.

‘As always there have been many joys from our weekly sessions, this year standouts are the Teaching Assistants reporting how much their (1-1) child benefits from being in the garden; children seeing and being proud of the vegetable they have grown, children being adventurous and trying new and unusual raw foods in the garden and especially children sharing the names of the foods we were growing in their (many!) different languages.’

A year-round food and nature connected garden service for Adelaide House, Liverpool.

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Adelaide House is a voluntary managed 20 bed women/female approved premises. We provide a weekly wellbeing group activity on site these are usually seasonal and gentle involving either cooking, craft or gardening (or a mix). The group can range between 3 and 10 residents taking part, many report that they have found the session therapeutic, allowing them to focus on something positive or productive and take their mind off things that have been causing stress or upset. Due to building work in the main house, most of our sessions this year have involved cooking & seasonal craft.

‘We made pasta with a courgette sauce from the garden. Many of the women were reluctant to try it, so we also made some scones, so everyone was included. One of the women who was coming to the end of her stay had been very reluctant to take part in sessions when she first arrived, maybe because she lacked confidence in her own abilities, but also didn’t see the point. During this activity she took a lead on making the courgette pasta, tried it and really enjoyed it. She was able to take the leftovers to her young son when she visited him that day. She shared photos of him eating the pasta the following week and was really made up she had been able to make and take him a fresh meal with home grown veg.’

Higher Education England / NHS – Liverpool John Moore’s Nursing and Paramedic Student Placements, July 2024 – June 2025, ongoing.

The student nurses spend 3 weeks with Faiths4Change to develop their communication skills, interact with people from a variety of different communities, with different needs, abilities and skills, as well as gaining an understanding of Faiths4Change’s work offers an holistic wellbeing approach both for people and the planet. Student placements offer face to face group engagement and a written project on days when there is no face-to-face activity.

Paramedic students are on placement for one week only. They complete the placement in the first term of year 1, primarily to develop their communications skills when speaking to a variety of different people in the community ahead of interacting with patients. We hosted 5 students this year – 3 mental health nurse students, and 2 paramedic students.

‘One of the students created a programme of nature themed activities for our family open days between May and October 2024’.

Myerscough College delivery of City & Guilds Levels 1 & 2 Practical Horticulture Skills at Roots in the City Garden and the Secret Garden, Liverpool July 2024 – June 2025, ongoing.

Myerscough College provide a Tutor, we provide the garden, tools and materials, student engagement and support including lunch. Students’ complete units of work and learn a range of skills from mulching and preparing an area for growing, to seed sowing and taking cuttings.

‘James, our Tutor, really encourages students to stay on in the Roots & Secret Gardens to volunteer beyond their college sessions. Some students have participated in other activities throughout Faiths4Change include Wellbeing & Woodwork (above); Water Stories (above) and one-off events such as the annual L8 interfaith walk, connecting local communities and encouraging relationship building as over 150 people walk side by side visiting different places of worship and learning about the different religions.’

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TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT (cont.) For the year ended 30 June 2025

Public Benefit Statement

The trustees have complied with their duty to have due regard to the guidance on public benefit published by the Commission in exercising their powers and duties.

Reserves Policy

F4C has an excellent track record in obtaining income from grants and chargeable services and a strong control of costs. It also has a high-quality customer base, which makes bad debts very unlikely. Trustees undertook a planned approach to creating a Reserves Policy in 2019. A deposit account was opened with the Co-operative Bank. The Trustees designated this as solely for Reserves and set regular amounts which have been allocated monthly since April 2019 with a view to building reserves initially to cover 3 months expenditure to pay staff costs including wages, PAYE and mandatory pensions, insurance and other operational charity running costs.

Risk Management

The Trustees and the Director have developed an organisational Risk Register with detailed mitigation actions. The Risk Register is checked and revised as necessary monthly; it’s presented at each Trustees meeting currently held on a 6 weekly basis

Funds held as Custodian Trustee

No funds have been held as custodian trustee.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees

Phil Leigh Chair of Trustees Date 09/01/2026

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TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES IN RELATION TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The charity trustees, who are also directors for Faiths4Change for the purposes of company law, are responsible for preparing a trustees’ annual report and financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice.

The trustees are required under company law to prepare financial statements for each financial period which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the surplus or deficit of the charity for that period.

In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are required to:

The trustees are responsible for:

The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

On behalf of the trustees

Phil Leigh Chair of Trustees 09/01/2026

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INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT

Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Faiths4Change

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the company for the year ended 30 June 2025.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity trustees of the company (and also 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 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 your charity's accounts as 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 45(5)(b of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner's statement

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 company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act: or

  2. the accounts do not comply 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.

  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 the 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.

Ian Wright, B.A., F.C.A. DATE 29 November 2025 Chartered Accountant 15 Stretton Drive Southport Merseyside PR9 7DR

17

Faiths4Change

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

(Incorporating Income and Expenditure Account)

For the year ended 30 June 2025

Note
Unrestricted
Funds

£
Income from:
Donations and legacies
2
20,266
Charitable activities
3
110,307
Fundraising income
4
879
Investments
5
288
Other income
6
-
Total income
131,740
Expenditure on:
Charitable activities
6
129,332
Total expenditure
129,332
Net income (expenditure)
2,408
Other recognised gains and losses
-
Net movement in funds before
transfers
2,408
Gross transfers between funds
-
Net movement in funds
2,408
Fund balances at 1 July 2024
18,19
9,763
Fund balances at 30 June
2025
18,19
12,171
Restricted
Funds
Total Funds
2025
Total Funds
2024
£
£
£
44,563
64,829
119,013
-
110,307
36,731
-
879
-
-
288
189
-
-
2,000
44,563
176,303
157,933
44,696
174,028
158,648
44,696
174,028
158,648
(133)
2,275
(715)
-
-
-
(133)
2,275
(715)
-
-
-
(133)
2,275
(715)
7,176
16,939
17,654
7,043
19,214
16,939

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses in the year. All incoming resources and resources expended derive from continuing activities.

The notes on pages 22 to 30 form an integral part of these accounts.

18

Faiths4Change

BALANCE SHEET Company number 7201450 as at 30 June 2025

Note
Fixed assets
Tangible assets
12
Current assets
Stock
13
Debtors
14
Cash at bank & in hand
15
Creditors due within one year
16
Net current assets (liabilities)
Creditors due after one year
17
Total assets less current liabilities
18,19
The funds of the charity:
Unrestricted funds
Restricted funds
Total funds
18,19
-
21,167
6,794
2025
£
1,130





18,084
-
19,214
12,171
7,043
19,214
-
23,033
6,409
2024
£
1,413




17,355
27,961 29,442
9,877 12,087
(1,829)
16,939
9,763
7,176
16,939

In approving these financial statements as directors of the company we hereby confirm the following:

For the year in question the company was entitled to exemption under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

Directors' responsibilities:

1) The members have not required the company to obtain an audit for its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476.

2) The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts.

These accounts have been prepared and delivered in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies’ regime.

19

Faiths4Change

These accounts were approved by the Board of Trustees on 09/01/2026

Signed on behalf of the Board by:

Phil Leigh Chair of Trustees 09/01/2026

20

Faiths4Change

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the year ended 30 June 2025

1. Accounting Policies

1a Basis of preparation

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with 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 2015) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), and the Companies Act 2006 and the UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice as it applies from 1 January 2015. Faiths4Change 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 note.

The accounts have departed from the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 only to the extent required to provide a true and fair view. This departure has involved following the Statement of Recommended Practice for Charities applying FRS102 rather than the version of the Statement of Recommended Practice, which is referred to in the Regulations, but which has since been withdrawn. The functional currency used by Faiths4Change is the £ Sterling.

1b. Preparation of the accounts on a going concern basis

At the time of approving the accounts, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charitable company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus, the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the accounts.

1c. Income

Income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the item(s) of income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received, and the amount can be measured reliably. Income from government and other grants, whether 'capital' grants or 'revenue' grants, is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the item(s) of income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received, and the amount can be measured reliably and is not deferred.

Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the bank.

21

Faiths4Change

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the year ended 30 June 2025

1d. Deferred income

Income from donations and grants, including capital grants are deferred when the following conditions are met:

a) when donors specify that donations and grants given to the charity must be used in future accounting periods, the income is deferred until those periods b) when donors impose conditions, which have to be fulfilled before the charity becomes entitled to use such income, the income is deferred and not included in income until the preconditions for use have been met.

1e. Donated services and facilities

Donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised as income when the charity has control over the item, any conditions associated with the donated item have been met, the receipt of economic benefit from the use by the charity of the item is probable and that the economic benefit can be measured reliably. In accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102), the general volunteer time is not recognised and refer to the trustees' annual report for more information about their contribution.

On receipt, donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised on the basis of the value of the gift to the charity which is the amount the charity would have been willing to pay to obtain services or facilities of equivalent economic benefit on the open market; a corresponding amount is then recognised in expenditure in the period of receipt.

1f. Expenditure

Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required, and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.

1g. Funds Accounting

All income and expenditure together with gains and losses are allocated to a specific charitable fund.

Unrestricted funds are available to spend on activities that further any of the purposes of the charity.

Restricted funds are donations which the donor has specified are to be used solely for particular areas of the charity's work or for specific projects being undertaken by the charity. Further details of restricted funds together with their purposes are set out in note 14.

22

Faiths4Change

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the year ended 30 June 2025

1h. Tangible fixed assets and depreciation

Tangible assets are stated at cost (or deemed cost) less accumulated depreciation and accumulated impairment losses. Cost includes the original purchase price, costs directly attributable to bringing the asset into its working condition for its intended use, dismantling and restoration costs and borrowing costs capitalised. Plant and machinery and fixtures, fitting, tools, and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and accumulated impairment losses.

Depreciation is provided at the following annual rates in order to write each asset off over its anticipated useful economic life. A full year's depreciation charge is charged in the year of acquisition and no depreciation is charged in the year of disposal. Office equipment 20% pa on the reducing balance basis

Subsequent costs are included in the assets carrying amount or recognised as a separate asset, as appropriate, only when it is probable that economic benefits associated with the item will flow to the charitable company and the cost can be measured reliably.

Repairs, maintenance and minor inspection costs are expensed as incurred. Tangible assets are derecognised on disposal or when no future economic benefits are expected. On disposal, the difference between the net disposal proceeds and the carrying amount is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities.

1i. Stock

Stocks are stated at the lower of cost and net realisable value. Net realisable value is the estimated selling price less all estimated costs of completion and costs to be incurred in marketing, selling and distribution.

1j. Cash at bank and in hand

Cash at bank and cash 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.

1k. Creditors and provisions

Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.

23

Faiths4Change

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the year ended 30 June 2025

1l. Taxation

The charity is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within section 505 of the Taxes Act 1988 or section 252 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects.

1m. Pension costs

The company operates a defined contribution plan for its eligible employees. A defined contribution plan is a pension plan under which the charity pays fixed contributions into a separate entity. Once the contributions have been paid the charity has no further payment obligations. The contributions are recognised as an expense when they are due. Amounts not paid are shown in creditors or accruals in the balance sheet. The assets of the plan are held separately from the charity in independently administered funds.

1n. Cash Flow Statement

The trustees have taken advantage of adopting Update Bulletin 1 of the Charities SORP (FRS102) in order to disapply the requirement to produce a cash flow statement.

1o. Related Parties

There were no transactions with related parties.

24

Faiths4Change

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the year ended 30 June 2024

Unrestricted Restricted Total Funds Total Funds
Funds Funds 2025 2024
£ £ £ £
2 Donations and legacies
Grants receivable 18,665 44,563 63,228 117,248
Donations 1,601 - 1,601 1,765
20,266 44,563 64,829 119,013
3 Charitable activities
Fees 110,307 - 110,307 36,731
Miscellaneous - - - -
110,307 - 110,307 36,731
Income from charitable activities has been applied to the following activities:
Promote conservation of the
environment 110,307 36,731
4 Fundraising income
Shop 879 - 879 -
5 Investment income
Interest receivable 288 - 288 189
6 Other income
Gain on disposal of fixed asset - - - 2,000
Charitable activities
7 expenditure
Unrestricted Restricted Total Funds Total Funds
Funds Funds 2025 2024
£ £ £ £
Cost of events 10,680 2,313 12,993 13,872
Salaries and wages (note 8) 100,312 37,270 137,582 134,041
Associates fees - - - 90
Volunteer expenses 551 146 697 756
Staff training and welfare - - - 86
Travel and subsistence 1,742 335 2,077 2,004
Rent 7,445 - 7,445 4,347
Support costs (note 6) 8,602 4,632 13,234 3,452
129,332 44,696 174,028 158,648

25

Faiths4Change

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the year ended 30 June 2025

8 Support costs

8 Support costs
Unrestricte
d Restricted Total Funds Total Funds
Funds Funds 2025 2024
£ £ £ £
Telephone 50 594 644 769
Postage, stationery and printing 192 417 609 18
Small equipment and materials 6,313 878 7,191 33
Repairs and maintenance - 209 209 150
Website and IT support 1,129 1,028 2,157 863
Depreciation 52 231 283 353
General office costs 772 911 1,683 793
Sundry expenses 7 4 11 2
Independent examiner's fees - 360 360 360
Loan interest payable 87 - 87 111
8,602 4,632 13,234 3,452
9 Staff costs 2025 2024
£ £
130,56 127,22
Salaries and wages 5 0
Social security costs 4,441 4,328
Pension costs 2,576 2,493
137,58 134,04
2 1
10 Number of employees 2025 2024
Engaged in charitable activities 7 7
Full time equivalents 6 7
There were no employees with emoluments in excess of
£60,000
Trustees remuneration and
11 expenses 2025 2024
£ £
Remuneration - -
Expenses - -
The charity is managed by the
trustees.

26

Faiths4Change

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the year ended 30 June 2025

12
Tangible fixed assets

Cost
At 1 July 2024
At 30 June 2025
Cumulative depreciation
At 1 July 2024
Add charge for year
At 30 June 2025
Net book value
At 1 July 2024
At 30 June 2025
13
Stock
Raw materials and consumables
14
Debtors
Trade debtors
15
Cash at bank and in hand
Cash in hand
Bank
16
Creditors due within one year
Trade creditors
Tax and social security costs
Accruals and deferred income
Other creditors
Bounce Back Loan
17
Creditors due after one year
Bounce Back Loan
Office
Equipment
£
6,188
6,188
4,775
283
5,058
1,413
1,130
2025
£
-
2025
£
21,167
21,167
2025
£
21
6,773
6,794
2025
£
2,567
1,021
3,910
463
1,916
9,877
2025
£
-
-
Total
£
6,188
6,188
4,775
283
5,058
1,413
1,130
2024
£
-
2024
£
23,033
23,033
2024
£
2
6,407
6,409
2024
£
2,638
1,125
5,710
484
2,130
12,087
2024
£
1,829
1,829

27

Faiths4Change

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the year ended 30 June 2025

18 Funds movements

£
Restricted funds
Liverpool CVS
1,200
Wirral Council
-
Liverpool World Centre
-
John Moores Foundation
-
Together Liverpool
-
University of Chester
-
Citizens Advice
-
Groundwork Trust
-
Wirral MBC
-
P H Holt
-
Wirral Environmental Network
-
Transition Town Liverpool CIC
-
Together Liverpool
-
Diocese of Liverpool CNZ
-
Chester University
909
Wirral MBC
828
Community Foundation
600
3,537
Unrestricted fund
14,117
Total funds
17,654
Balance at
1 July 2023
£
£
£
£
-
1,200
-
-
10,000
10,000
-
-
7,510
7,510
-
-
5,000
5,000
-
-
331
331
-
-
6,000
6,000
-
-
1,250
1,250
-
-
2,454
2,454
-
-
500
-
-
500
5,000
5,000
-
-
1,725
1,637
-
88
4,500
856
-
3,644
280
280
-
-
59,683
56,739
-
2,944
-
909
-
-
-
828
-
-
-
600
-
-
104,233
100,594
-
7,176
53,700
58,054
-
9,763
157,933
158,648
-
16,939
Balance at
30 June
2024
Income
Expenditure
Transfers
in (out)

28

Faiths4Change

18 Funds movements

£
Restricted funds
Wirral MBC
500
Wirral Environmental Network
88
Transition Town Liverpool CIC
3,644
Diocese of Liverpool CNZ
2,944
Eleanor Rathbone Trust
-
St Luke in the City
-
John Moores Foundation
-
Wirral MBC
-
Citizens Advice
-
Torus
-
Roots and Secret Garden
-
City of Liverpool SG Path
-
Citizens Advice
-
Together Liverpool
-
St Helens MBC
-
GM Debate
-
7,176
Unrestricted fund
9,763
Total funds
16,939
Balance at
1 July 2024
£
£
£
£
-
500
-
-
-
88
-
-
-
3,644
-
-
14,349
17,293
-
-
1,500
1,500
-
-
5,000
5,000
-
-
5,000
5,000
-
-
3,500
3,500
-
-
1,684
1,684
-
-
7,900
3,990
-
3,910
400
400
-
-
1,000
-
-
1,000
1,000
321
-
679
120
120
-
-
2,667
1,656
-
1,011
443
-
-
443
44,563
44,696
-
7,043
131,740
129,332
-
12,171
176,303
174,028
-
19,214
Income
Expenditure
Transfers
in (out)
Balance at
30 June
2025

19 Analysis of net assets between funds at 30 June 2025

Restricted funds
Torus
City of Liverpool SG Path
Citizens Advice
St Helens MBC
GM Debate
Unrestricted fund
Total funds
Tangible
fixed
assets
£
£
-
3,910
-
1,000
-
679
-
1,011
-
443
-
7,043
1,130
11,041
1,130
18,084
Net current
assets
(liabilities)
£
£
-
3,910
-
1,000
-
679
-
1,011
-
443
-
7,043
-
12,171
-
19,214
Creditors
due after
one year
Total

29