Company Number 7390188 Charity Number 1139071 ## Connected Ministries (A Charitable Company Limited By Guarantee) Trustees’ Report and Financial Statements 30[th] September 2025 **Connected Ministries Trustees’ Report and Financial Statements 30[th] September 2025** The trustees, who are also directors for the purposes of company law, present their report and accounts for the year ended 30[th] September 2025 which have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006, the Charities Act 2011, the Memorandum and Articles of Association, Financial Reporting Standard 102 and follow the recommendations in 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 1A) (effective 2 February 2016). ## **Public Benefit** The trustees have had due regard to the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit reporting in deciding what activities the charity should undertake. The remainder of this report illustrates the activities undertaken to support the public benefit requirement. ## **Reference and Administrative Information** ## **Charity Name** Connected Ministries also known as Hope Church ## **Charity Number** 1139071 **Company Number** 7390188 ## **Charity Trustees** C Paul Hinton (Chair) Stephen Baker Alistair S Park Robin Murray Appointed 16[th] June 2025 ## **Registered Office** **Principal Address** 4 Blackgates Fold Hope Church Tingley Units 1-4 Wakefield West Lea Park West Yorkshire Lowry Road WF3 1TF Tingley Wakefield West Yorkshire WF3 1TW ## **Bankers** CAF Bank plc 25 Kings Hill Avenue Kings Hill West Malling Kent ME19 4JQ ## **Independent Examiner** Adam James MAAT Eric Southwick & Co Accountants 51 The Avenue Seaham Co Durham SR7 8NS 1 **Connected Ministries Trustees’ Report and Financial Statements 30[th] September 2025** ## **Structure and Organisation** ## **Organisation** The organisation is a company charity limited by guarantee, incorporated on 28[th] September 2010 and registered as a charity on 17[th] November 2010. The company was established under a Memorandum and Articles of Association which established the objects and powers of the charitable company which is governed in accordance with its Articles of Association. In the event of the company being wound up members are required to contribute an amount not exceeding £10. The charity is managed by the trustees who, under the charity’s articles, are known as members of the Management Committee. The Management Committee meet regularly to consider the progress of the charity and to consider its future direction and activities. The day-to-day operation of the charity is delegated to the Pastor who is supported by the other members of the Management Committee and by volunteers. ## **Trustee Appointments** The charity aims to recruit trustees who have the requisite charity and sector specific experience to be able to direct and manage the affairs of the charity. The Trustees are appointed by the members in the Annual General Meeting. All trustees are inducted into the policies and procedures of the charity to ensure they are well equipped to fulfil their duties. ## **Risk Management** The Trustees have conducted their own review of the major risks to which the charity is exposed, and systems have been established to mitigate those risks. ## **Objectives and Activities** ## **Charitable Objects** The aims of the Charity are, for the public benefit, to advance the Christian faith in accordance with the statement of beliefs of Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches, in West Yorkshire and in such other parts of the United Kingdom or the world as the Trustees may from time to time think fit and to fulfil such other purposes which are exclusively charitable according to the law of England and Wales and are connected to the charitable work of the Charity. ## **Achievements and Performance** ## **Review of the Year** The charity continues to support the work of Hope Church in Leeds. The young people’s and children’s ministry at Hope church continues to serve the community. The church has been instrumental in establishing a summer day camp for primary school aged children which ran for it’s second year this summer. The regular Sunday services and mid week small study groups have continued to grow. There have also been a number of special events particularly over the Christmas Holidays including a meal, craft night, pantomime and carol services. The food bank ministry has continued to provide a service to those in need in the community. The Community Cafe draws in a number from the area providing a place of friendship for many. The church has also been able to expand its leadership team over the past year. ## **Financial Review** At 30[th] September 2025 the charity had funds totalling £427,433 (2024: £390,938) of these £158,552 (2024: £121,985) were unrestricted funds. £95,811 (2024: £75,738) has been raised during the year. Outgoing resources amount to £59,245 (2024: £62,168) as detailed in the notes to the accounts. ## **Reserves Policy** The trustees consider that it is appropriate to hold free reserves amounting to in excess of three months of average expenditure. At 30[th] September 2025 there were unrestricted undesignated reserves of £158,552 (2024: £121,985). 2 **Connected Ministries Trustees’ Report and Financial Statements 30[th] September 2025** ## **Responsibilities of the Trustees** Charity law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial period, which show a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and its financial activities for that period. In preparing those financial statements, the trustees are required to: - select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently: - make judgments and estimates that are prudent and reasonable: - state whether applicable accounting standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and - prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in existence. The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. ## **Small company provisions** This report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions for small companies under Part VII of the Companies Act 2006. Signed on behalf of the trustees Stephen Baker Date: 3 **Connected Ministries Trustees’ Report and Financial Statements 30[th] September 2025** ## **Independent Examiner’s Report to the Members of Connected Ministries** I report on the accounts of the company for the year ended 30[th] September 2025, which are set out on pages 5 to 11. ## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner** The trustees (who are also the directors of the company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed. Having satisfied myself that the charity is not subject to audit under company law and is eligible for independent examination, it is my responsibility to: - examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act; - to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and - to state whether particular matters have come to my attention. ## **Basis of independent examiner’s report** My examination was carried out in accordance with the 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 you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and, consequently, no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a “true and fair view” and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below. ## **Independent examiner’s statement** In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention: - which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material respect, the requirements a) to keep accounting records in accordance with section 386 of the Companies Act 2006; and - b) to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records, comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 and with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities have not been met; or - to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Adam James MAAT Eric Southwick & Co Accountants 51 The Avenue Seaham Co Durham SR7 8NS Date: 10/02/2026 4 **Connected Ministries Trustees’ Report and Financial Statements 30[th] September 2025** ## **Statement of Financial Activities (including Income and Expenditure Account) For the year ended 30[th] September 2025** The notes on pages 7 to 11 form part of these accounts. 5 **Connected Ministries Trustees’ Report and Financial Statements 30[th] September 2025** ## **Company Number: 2370795 Balance Sheet As at 30[th] September 2025** For the year ended 30[th] September 2025 the company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006. The members have not required the company to obtain an audit in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006. The directors acknowledge their responsibility for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and for the preparation of accounts. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller Entities (effective January 2015). The accounts were approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by: Stephen Baker ## Date: The notes on pages 7 to 11 form part of these accounts. 6 **Connected Ministries Trustees’ Report and Financial Statements 30[th] September 2025** ## **Notes to the accounts** ## **1 Accounting policies** - In preparing the accounts the following accounting policies have been complied with: - a) The accounts have been prepared on the historic cost convention and in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006, the Charities Act 2011, the Memorandum and Articles of Association, Financial Reporting Standard 102 and follow the recommendations in 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 1A) (effective 2 February 2016). - b) Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity. - c) Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure imposed by the donor or through the terms of an appeal. - d) All incoming resources are included in the statement of financial activities when the charity is entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy. The following specific policies are applied to particular categories of income: i) donations and legacies are received by way of grants, donations and gifts and is included in full in the statement of financial activities when receivable. Grants, where entitlement is conditional on the delivery of a specific performance by the charity, are recognised when the charity becomes unconditionally entitled to the grant. - ii) Donated services and facilities are included at the value to the charity where this can be quantified. The value of services provided by volunteers has not been included in these accounts. - iii) Income from investments is included when receivable. - iv) Income from charitable activities, where related to performance and specific deliverables, are accounted for when the charity earns the right to consideration by its performance. - e) Expenditure is recognised on an accruals basis as a liability is incurred. Expenditure includes any VAT which cannot be fully recovered, and is reported as part of the expenditure to which it relates: - i) Costs of raising funds comprise costs associated with attracting voluntary income, including costs of trading for fundraising purposes and the use of a fundraising consultant. - ii) Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them. It also includes those costs associated with meeting the constitutional and statutory requirements of the charity and include the costs linked to the strategic management of the charity - iii) All costs are allocated between the expenditure categories of the statement of financial activities on a basis designed to reflect the use of the resource. Costs relating to a particular activity are allocated directly, others are apportioned on an appropriate basis as set out in the notes. ## **2 Taxation** - The charity is exempt from taxation on its income and gains where they are applied for charitable purposes. Irrecoverable VAT is included in the cost of the goods or services on which it was charged. 7 **Connected Ministries Trustees’ Report and Financial Statements 30[th] September 2025** ## **Notes to the accounts (Continued)** - **3 Income and endowments from: Donations and legacies** **4 Charitable activities** ## **a) Unrestricted funds** ## **b) Restricted funds** 8 **Connected Ministries Trustees’ Report and Financial Statements 30[th] September 2025** ## **Notes to the accounts (Continued)** ## **5 Trustee and employee information** - a) Trustee information Mr Paul Hinton, a trustee, is employed as a pastor. He was paid £33,250 (2024: £31,714) during the year under the authority to pay a trustee which is contained in the articles of association. - b) Employee Information No employee received emoluments in excess of £60,000 during the period (2024: nil). Employee costs during the period were as follows: There were two employees throughout the current period (2023-2), the average number of full-time equivalent people employed during the period was as follows: ## **6 Fixed Assets** PA, AV & computer equipment is depreciated at 25% per annum on a straight-line basis and other equipment is depreciated at 25% per annum on a straight-line basis. Items below £300 are not capitalised. 9 **Connected Ministries Trustees’ Report and Financial Statements 30[th] September 2025** ## **Notes to the accounts (Continued)** ## **7 Debtors** ## **8 Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year** ## **9 Analysis of net assets between funds** ## **10 Reserves** Building Fund – This is funding for the acquisition of a suitable building for the charity. Salaries Fund – This is funding for the salaries of the employees. 10 **Connected Ministries Trustees’ Report and Financial Statements 30[th] September 2025** ## **Notes to the accounts (Continued)** ## **11 Comparative Statement of Financial Activities by fund type** ## **12 Related Party Transactions** Mr Paul Hinton, a trustee, is employed as a pastor. He was paid £33,250 (2024: £31,714) during the year under the authority to pay a trustee which is contained in the articles of association. The charity does not have any other related party transactions. ## **13 Ultimate Controlling Party** The charity is controlled by the trustees. ## **14 Other Information** The charity, which is a public benefit entity, is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales and has its registered office at 4 Blackgates Fold, Tingley, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF3 1TF. 11