**Fullbridge Evangelical Church** (also known as Fullbridge Church) Fullbridge, Maldon, Essex, CM9 4LE Registered Charity no. 1139769 Fullbridge Evangelical Church has been in existence since 1937. The church is governed by a new declaration of trust dated 7 November 2010 which was registered with the Charity Commission 11 January 2011. The objects of the trust are (i) to advance the Christian faith and (ii) to relieve sickness and financial hardship, for the benefit of the public in Maldon and in other parts of the United Kingdom and the world. The trustees ensure that public benefit requirements are met, giving due regard to the Charity Commission's guidance. The purpose of the church is that there should be a congregation of Christian believers whose aim is the worship of God and the furtherance of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, as well as the relief of need or hardship and the provision of pastoral care. The aims are thus the advancement of the Christian religion in a way which will bring public and personal benefit through the changes in individual lives which Christian belief engenders. Trustees are chosen by resolution of the existing trustees. The trustees are listed on page 3. The trustees have power to purchase property and to raise funds by mortgage or other means. DBS checks are carried out on all trustees and all volunteers who work with children and vulnerable adults, in accordance with the church’s Child Protection Policy. The spiritual leadership of the church resides with the elders. In 2023 these were A.P.Mugford, and S.Quelch. Trustees Report 2023 The regular Sunday meetings are attended by around 66 people each week. It has been encouraging to see new people visit the church on Sundays this year, with some joining the fellowship. Weekday activities for church members are centred on four well-attended home-groups. In addition there have been several other small groups for discussion, prayer and Bible study. An informal series of ladies’ lunches, ‘Hungry Hearts’, is aimed at those on the fringe of the church. The Church is also being used by community-based groups that have included the Stroke Club and Maldon CVS run “Digital Buddies” and “Pioneers” during the day for older and some more vulnerable members of the community. As a result, people are becoming more familiar with both Fullbridge people and the place. Youth and children’s work consists of various groups on Sunday mornings and at other times, and ‘Noah’s Ark’ (a parent and toddler group held on Fridays). Church members are also involved in an inter-church outreach called Open The Book which presents Bible stories in two primary schools in Maldon. An Alpha course was completed very successfully online in the Spring and another started in the Autumn. Some from this group have joined us regularly on Sunday mornings. There were 2 baptisms during 2023 - both guests that had come to faith – recommitted their faith in the Lord Jesus through the Alpha course. We support Andrew and Rachel Mugford as evangelists working in connection with the Christian evangelistic charity ‘Counties,’ partly in the Maldon area and partly elsewhere (chiefly in Essex). As well as involvement in the activities listed above they have also been able to bring Christian input into several schools in the area. A formal pastoral role as “School Chaplains” in Plume Academy continues to run for students at Plume Academy in Years 7, 8 and 9. The school welcome this extra support for students struggling with anxiety. They use a Christian resource that aims to build their resilience. Andrew and Rachel have continued with the Job Club, under the CAP banner. This its sixth year saw 12-15 regularly attending. The flow of new members who stay around has ebbed, as it has in other Job Clubs, and alongside the other leaders “Fullbridge Community Hub” replaced the Job Club, though offering the same support and a community space to get to know others over light refreshments and a simple lunch. An adviser from the Citizens Advice Bureau continued to offer really helpful advice to families. A staff member of Maldon CVS also supports attendees with online queries and form filling-in which is greatly appreciated. The church supports several missionary organisations and individuals, both in this country and abroad. Richard and Sarah Reynolds’ return trip to Cambodia went ahead in JanuaryFebruary with 2 teams though “Mission Direct”. Simon Quelch visited Brazil again for 2 months, encouraging local believers in a number of churches with his “How to read the Bible” course. The remaining two Elders continue to seek God’s guidance and provision for at least one new Elder. A pastoral team, made up of Elders, wives and home group leaders (R & S Reynolds and R & R Power and T & A Frost) meet monthly to co-ordinate and pray for the pastoral care of the church. Our prayer is still also for younger families to join us who are also able to assist in the leadership of the church. There were no serious incidents during the year. [ _Defined at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-report-a-serious-incident-in-your-charity]_ The Church Accounts for 2023 are summarised in the attached statement. Attention should however be drawn here to the following general considerations: The church funds are identified as follows - Unrestricted : General Fund Restricted : Missionary Fund Building Fund Practical Fund Events Fund Special Purpose Fund The church’s income and expenditure is presented on a receipts and payments basis. It is the church’s policy to assign all expenditure to the year in which the money is paid; thus there is no item for depreciation in the accounts. We believe that the accounts give a true and fair view, as required by legislation. Reserves Policy: ## Unrestricted Funds In normal circumstances we aim to keep in reserve a sum equivalent to 100% of the annual expenditure, to enable us to contribute to non-regular needs such as emergency relief, support of short-term mission and unplanned needs for equipment or facilities, and to cover short-term employment contracts if required in the future. ## Restricted Funds Specified gifts should be used as specified by the giver. For example income received for the missionary fund should normally be passed on in the same month; income received for the building fund may be kept until required for building needs. The actual level of reserves is as stated in the accounts for 2023. All the above is subject to the provisions of the trust deed and charity law. The accounts for 2023 were examined by M C Richardson FCCA The trustees in 2023 were: R.C.Little P.T.Gymer S.R.Chesney A.P.Mugford R.K.Reynolds Report agreed by the trustees 20[th] May 2024, and signed on behalf of all the trustees. ## Footnote – Fullbridge Evangelical Church Property Trust The Fullbridge Church property is the subject of a separate Declaration of Trust dated 28[th] December 1978. A supplemental Declaration dated 22[nd] April 1991 changed the name from Fullbridge Gospel Hall to Fullbridge Evangelical Church. The trustees at the beginning of 2023 were R.C.Little, P.T.Gymer and S.R.Chesney, A.P.Mugford and R.K.Reynolds. The 1978 property trust further stipulates that the Fullbridge premises should be used as a place of meeting and worship, with services for worship, breaking of bread, evangelism and teaching, maintaining the New Testament principles as generally practised by “Open Brethren”. FULLBRIDGE EVANGELICAL CHURCH ACCOUNTS YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023 Charlty Number: 1139769 tNDKPENDF.NT EXAMINKRS. REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF FUI,LBRiDC.E kVANGELICAL CHURCH Cljarity nunhber AIY)769 I report on the accounts of the clJaritytrn8tets forth£ yearetthd 31. December 2023. whicFL are set out on the attAched accouDtL Re5PECtiYe re5pon5ibllitiu of trnstee5 eiimirter AS the ¢harity's trustee4 you are resp)nsil)le for the preparation of ttL¢ accou]ts', you consider that the audit reouirgmenl of s¢ction 144 of th¢ Cbariti¢$ Act 2011 {tbe Act) does not apply. and that a independent examination is required. It is my JY$poJJsibility to exarninethe under section 145 of the Aei, to follow the pM¢￿tsreS speeifiedktLih¢ gr¢n¢ralDire¢lÈon$giv¢nbytbeCharityConulli&8ioJL under secLion 145(5)(b} of the Act, and to state whdlLCtpaitiGuiarmatt¢ts bav¢ ¢oxn¢ io Jny atteDtion. B*s1s Dfkndependent examill¢rs' 3tst¢mellt My examiJMtion was carried out in accordance with the general DiT¢¢tions giv¢n by the Cbarity CoTiJmission. An ex8mination iticludes a review of the accountitig records kept by th¢ ¢lwity and 8 Com[￿n80n of thE accollntsprcsented with thoscrecords. It ￿$ts includes coJsiderAtion of any unusu&l items or disc1osL￿eS in the accounts and seeking expla1￿tIonS frotn the uuste&s ¢oneeming any s￿h matlers. Theptroc￿Ures undertakeD do notprovidc all the evidence that would be reqwr&l in an auth"I and consequentty Mo optnion is given as to whether the accO￿lts PTesent a *rue and faiff view and the repDrt i5 limite4J to tljose ts)atteYs set out its the slatety¢rAt bclow, Independelll examinets, statemettl In wutte¢tion with ourexaminatkon, no Jnatter bas come to rny attcntion.. {1) which giv¢5 ￿￿sOnab￿ LYJJ8C to ￿li¢v¢ tbat in ally material resped the requircrnents to keep accountin8 record8 in aLwrdallc¢ wilh s¢¢tiott 130 of theAct,' and b} to prepare accouDts which ac&)rd with tbe accounting ￿c￿d5 and to co￿pIY with tbe aL¥ountillg rniuitements of the Act have been md. (2) to whic14 in my opinion, &tLeniion should be drawn in ord¢J ¢nable a pmper UDderstanding of the awounts to be reache M C Ri¢bardson FCCA 18. J4pril 2024 Ridwdsoll & Co knouDtants Cornish & Suss¢A Suite House 3 Lynderswwd Business Park Black Notley Essex CM77 8JT for th8 yw 31st Deun*•r 2023 2029 Z022 f 7,507.20 £ 32,316.00 £4,79Q.QQ £ U28.Qi £ 8,7CO.ry) £ o.rK* £ 744.ty) £ 7.501.S9 £ o.(%J £ 5,7X).0S £LXrn £ 12,2n. £ LC60 È 9.915, £ 1,135.C¢ £ 691. E 7,162.01 Ig Fund ial ￿r￿)51 Glts Everyt Fees Past*yal $upport IM4ft¥dl Communty H¥r(bhp Fund con¥￿￿ty ￿u￿￿efU9ee 54yJFart Glft￿d￿paW*ert £ 63,386.90 £38,115. Uff•gtrlct￿ GeneralFu¥ ijse of h8Y b). uurtsk* groups Noah's*k wtrbJtsn$ Ixher Glft Aid repawnent irtere5t £ 34,985.27 £ L415.QQ £iw. £ $30.c¥) E6, Catérfr8 Outreaeh gJfEdoy seTVry5 Retlred Misslonaries E 27.619.Qfj E 73,693.ts t 2LOSZ22 E 62,569.73 £￿esS of Inujme £ 33,348.68 £ IS,872.78 1 swpkns èt 31 $tDecefthr 202Z £ 94485.61 76,612.89 Fund at 31Jt fkLtm&¥ 2022 125,834.35 £ 92.485.67 Balan¢¢ Sh•th at 31-12-2023 2023 FIXED A88ETS Fffth(Ad Property Chw¢h Frfpml885 £ 0.00 £ 0.00 £ 0.00 £0. 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