REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: 07372351 (England and Wales) REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1142412
Report of the Trustees and
Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 5 April 2025
for
The Black Country Net
S A R Accountants Tower View Broadway Road Childswickham Broadway Worcestershire WR12 7HD
The Black Country Net
Contents of the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 5 April 2025
| Page | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Reference and Administrative Details | 1 | ||
| Report of the Trustees | 2 | to | 3 |
| Independent Examiner's Report | 4 | ||
| Statement of Financial Activities | 5 | ||
| Balance Sheet | 6 | ||
| Notes to the Financial Statements | 7 | to | 11 |
| Detailed Statement of Financial Activities | 12 | to | 13 |
The Black Country Net
Reference and Administrative Details for the Year Ended 5 April 2025
TRUSTEES Revd P G Chamberlain T Fellows Mrs L J Wildsmith K R Davis (appointed 3.10.25) REGISTERED OFFICE Alpha House 9 Tipton Street Sedgley West Midlands DY3 1HE
REGISTERED COMPANY 07372351 (England and Wales) NUMBER REGISTERED CHARITY 1142412 NUMBER INDEPENDENT EXAMINER S A R Accountants Tower View Broadway Road Childswickham Broadway Worcestershire WR12 7HD
Page 1
The Black Country Net
Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 5 April 2025
The trustees who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 5 April 2025. The trustees have adopted the provisions of 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 2019).
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
Objectives and aims
The principle objectives of the company are :-
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to promote the advancement of education of the general public in Christian principles; - to advance Christian education of school children and young people;
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to promote such other purposes currently recognised as charitable and any new charitable purpose.
Working primarily in the Black Country boroughs of Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton, promoting church partnerships and helping communities by encouraging business enterprise , food banks and the like.
The main activities have been facilitating the regular gatherings of leaders from both Church, business, public and charitable sectors ,including representatives of youth and children's works, on a monthly basis, either in the local boroughs or on a wider basis across the Black Country. These , we are pleased to report, have spawned many initiatives at every level.
Public benefit
The Trustees confirm that they have referred to the information contained in the Charity Commissioner's General Guidance on public benefit when reviewing the Trust's objectives and activities. The Trustees consider that considerable public benefit will be achieved and many members of the public will benefit.
ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE
Charitable activities
The organisation continues to grow and evolve as we clearly see our two-pronged mission of "movement" and "moments" working out. "Movement" being our ongoing vision of churches, businesses, the third sector etc operating together. "Moments" being the practical, event led demonstrations of that assembling together.
This has clearly been seen in the last 12 months, not only in the regular gatherings of leaders and various groupings but specifically in 3 memorable events and ongoing events: -
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Amongst the young people, as both leaders have regularly gathered but perhaps more importantly gatherings of the youth themselves are growing and flourishing, with several events seeing over 300 in attendance.
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November 2024, saw over 1500 people from many churches come together for an amazing evening at the Bethel Convention Centre in Oldbury.
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In June 2025, the "Together" event at Himley Hall in Dudley brought together more than 3,000 attendees for a glorious day of celebration, fun, worship, activities and gatherings. The event was supported by over 100 churches from both boroughs and included participants from a range of backgrounds and communities.
Suffice to say, we are delighted with progress to date and look forward to going forward in many arenas.
FINANCIAL REVIEW
Financial position
The total net income over expenditure for the year amounts to £40,058 (2024 net expenditure over income £13,139). Total funds carried forward amount to £106,328 (2024 £66,270).
The vast majority of the finances required to fund the activities are raised through regular giving and one-off donations from individuals , local churches and businesses, supplemented by the refund of income tax from HM Revenue and Customs through the gift aid scheme. Additionally grants are sourced and received on an ad- hoc basis.
Reserves policy and review
The policy agreed by the directors is to aim to hold in unrestricted reserves not committed or invested in tangible fixed assets ( the " free " reserves) sufficient to cover the general overhead expenses and salary costs not specifically funded by external agencies or able to be covered by other committed income such as rents for a period of six months. As of 5th April 2025, we feel that the free reserves available of £106,328 (2024 £66,270) would meet this objective.
The directors review risk periodically and are satisfied that major risks to which the charity is exposed, are adequately mitigated through insurance, strategic planning, policies and procedures.
Page 2
The Black Country Net
Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 5 April 2025
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
Governing document
The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust, and constitutes a limited company, limited by guarantee, as defined by the Companies Act 2006.
Recruitment and appointment of new trustees
New directors are appointed by the existing directors. A selection and recruitment process takes place when potential board members are selected, after making careful enquiry as to their suitability and their support of the objectives of the trust. The board aims to have a broad range of skills represented, in particular expertise in Christian doctrine, finance and charity law.
The board of directors currently comprises of 4 members who meet quarterly.
A core team, consisting of the board of directors plus at least 4 others, and a borough representatives team, provide input and advice into the management of the trust.
Approved by order of the board of trustees on 3 October 2025 and signed on its behalf by:
Revd P G Chamberlain - Trustee
Page 3
Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of The Black Country Net
Independent examiner's report to the trustees of The Black Country Net ('the Company')
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 5 April 2025.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity's 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 145(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:
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accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by Section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
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the accounts do not accord with those records; or
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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; or
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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 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.
Sally-Ann Reeves FCCA The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants
S A R Accountants Tower View Broadway Road Childswickham Broadway Worcestershire WR12 7HD
Date: .............................................
Page 4
The Black Country Net
Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 5 April 2025
| Unrestricted funds Notes £ INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM Donations and legacies 2 118,482 Charitable activities Networking and events 9,633 Investment income 3 697 Total 128,812 EXPENDITURE ON Charitable activities Networking and events 61,722 Together Festival 27,032 Total 88,754 NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE) 40,058 RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS Total funds brought forward 66,270 TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD 106,328 |
Restricted funds £ - - - - - - - - - - |
5.4.25 Total funds £ 118,482 9,633 697 128,812 61,722 27,032 88,754 40,058 66,270 106,328 |
5.4.24 Total funds £ 122,195 8,472 35 130,702 65,432 78,409 143,841 (13,139) 79,409 66,270 |
|---|---|---|---|
The notes form part of these financial statements
Page 5
The Black Country Net
Balance Sheet
5 April 2025
| Unrestricted funds Notes £ CURRENT ASSETS Prepayments and accrued income 1,314 Cash at bank 105,514 106,828 CREDITORS Amounts falling due within one year 7 (500) NET CURRENT ASSETS 106,328 TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES 106,328 NET ASSETS 106,328 FUNDS 8 Unrestricted funds TOTAL FUNDS |
Restricted funds £ - - - - - - - |
5.4.25 Total funds £ 1,314 105,514 106,828 (500) 106,328 106,328 106,328 106,328 106,328 |
5.4.24 Total funds £ 2,641 64,129 66,770 (500) 66,270 66,270 66,270 66,270 66,270 |
|---|---|---|---|
The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 5 April 2025.
The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 5 April 2025 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.
The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for
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(a) ensuring that the charitable company keeps accounting records that comply with Sections 386 and 387 of the Companies Act 2006 and
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(b) preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company as at the end of each financial year and of its surplus or deficit for each financial year in accordance with the requirements of Sections 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the charitable company.
These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to charitable companies subject to the small companies regime.
The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on 3 October 2025 and were signed on its behalf by:
P G Chamberlain - Trustee
The notes form part of these financial statements
Page 6
The Black Country Net
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 5 April 2025
1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis of preparing the financial statements
The financial statements of the charitable company, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) '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 2019)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Companies Act 2006. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.
Income
All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.
Expenditure
Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.
Grants offered subject to conditions which have not been met at the year end date are noted as a commitment but not accrued as expenditure.
Taxation
The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.
Fund accounting
Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.
Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.
Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.
Pension costs and other post-retirement benefits
The charitable company operates a defined contribution pension scheme. Contributions payable to the charitable company's pension scheme are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities in the period to which they relate.
2. DONATIONS AND LEGACIES
| Donations Gift aid Together Festival |
5.4.25 £ 77,801 7,554 33,127 118,482 |
5.4.24 £ 114,574 7,621 - 122,195 |
|---|---|---|
continued...
Page 7
The Black Country Net
Notes to the Financial Statements - continued
for the Year Ended 5 April 2025
3. INVESTMENT INCOME
| 3. | INVESTMENT INCOME | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.4.25 | 5.4.24 | ||
| £ | £ | ||
| Deposit account interest | 697 35 |
||
| 4. | TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS Trustees' salaries Trustees' pensions paid |
5.4.25 £ |
5.4.24 £ - 9,675 - 212 |
| - 9,887 |
Trustees' expenses
There were no trustees' expenses paid for the year ended 5 April 2025 nor for the year ended 5 April 2024.
5. STAFF COSTS
The average monthly number of employees during the year was as follows:
| Administration No employees received emoluments in excess of £60,000. 6. COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES Unrestricted funds £ INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM Donations and legacies 122,195 Charitable activities Networking and events 8,472 Investment income 35 Total 130,702 EXPENDITURE ON Charitable activities Networking and events 65,432 Together Festival 78,409 Total 143,841 NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE) (13,139) RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS Total funds brought forward 79,409 |
5.4.25 - Restricted funds £ - - - - - - - - - |
5.4.24 1 Total funds £ 122,195 8,472 35 130,702 65,432 78,409 143,841 (13,139) 79,409 |
|---|---|---|
continued...
Page 8
The Black Country Net
Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 5 April 2025
6. COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES - continued
| Unrestricted | Unrestricted | Restricted | Restricted | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| funds | funds | funds | ||||
| £ | £ | £ | ||||
| TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD | 66,270 | - | 66,270 | |||
| 7. | CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE | WITHIN ONE YEAR | ||||
| Accruals and deferred income | 5.4.25 £ 500 |
5.4.24 £ 500 |
||||
| 8. | MOVEMENT IN FUNDS | |||||
| Unrestricted funds | Net movement At 6.4.24 in funds £ £ |
Transfers between funds £ |
At 5.4.25 £ |
|||
| General fund | 3,484 | 8,407 | (473) | 11,418 | ||
| Next Generation | 24,305 | 4,517 | - | 28,822 | ||
| Together Festival | 4,176 | 6,997 | - | 11,173 | ||
| Love Wolverhampton | 40 | - | - | 40 | ||
| Love Dudley | 4,312 | 117 | 991 | 5,420 | ||
| Love Sandwell | 13,920 | 259 | 473 | 14,652 | ||
| Love Walsall | 12,857 | 707 | - | 13,564 | ||
| Chapel premises | 1,867 (1,867) |
- | - | |||
| Gender Conference | 991 | - | (991) | - | ||
| Mental Health | 218 | (24) | - | 194 | ||
| Retreats | 100 | 284 | - | 384 | ||
| Kingdom Business Fund | - | 289 | - | 289 | ||
| Fundraising | - 20,372 |
- | 20,372 | |||
| 66,270 40,058 |
- | 106,328 | ||||
| TOTAL FUNDS | 66,270 40,058 |
- | 106,328 | |||
continued...
Page 9
The Black Country Net
Notes to the Financial Statements - continued
for the Year Ended 5 April 2025
8. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued
Net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:
| Unrestricted funds General fund Next Generation Together Festival Love Dudley Love Sandwell Love Walsall Chapel premises Mental Health Retreats Kingdom Business Fund Fundraising TOTAL FUNDS |
Incoming resources £ 44,527 6,887 34,029 2,298 1,140 5,972 305 - 3,107 1,097 29,450 128,812 128,812 |
Resources Movemen expended in funds £ £ (36,120) 8,407 (2,370) 4,517 (27,032) 6,997 (2,181) 117 (881) 259 (5,265) 707 (2,172) (1,867) (24) (24) (2,823) 284 (808) 289 (9,078) 20,372 (88,754) 40,058 (88,754) 40,058 |
|---|---|---|
Comparatives for movement in funds
| Net Transfers movement between At 6.4.23 in funds funds £ £ £ Unrestricted funds General fund 13,897 (9,813) (600) Next Generation 21,210 3,095 - Together Festival (2,564) (885) 7,625 Love Wolverhampton 80 (40) - Love Dudley 5,100 212 (1,000) Love Sandwell 15,063 857 (2,000) Love Walsall 20,855 (3,973) (4,025) Chapel premises 4,027 (2,160) - Gender Conference 991 - - Mental Health 750 (532) - Retreats - 100 - 79,409 (13,139) - TOTAL FUNDS 79,409 (13,139) - |
At 5.4.24 £ 3,484 24,305 4,176 40 4,312 13,920 12,857 1,867 991 218 100 66,270 66,270 |
|---|---|
continued...
Page 10
The Black Country Net
Notes to the Financial Statements - continued
for the Year Ended 5 April 2025
8. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued
Comparative net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:
| Unrestricted funds General fund Next Generation Together Festival Love Wolverhampton Love Dudley Love Sandwell Love Walsall Chapel premises Mental Health Retreats TOTAL FUNDS |
Incoming resources £ 39,085 3,095 73,466 - 1,734 1,140 5,000 - 1,547 5,635 130,702 130,702 |
Resources Movement expended in funds £ £ (48,898) (9,813) - 3,095 (74,351) (885) (40) (40) (1,522) 212 (283) 857 (8,973) (3,973) (2,160) (2,160) (2,079) (532) (5,535) 100 (143,841) (13,139) (143,841) (13,139) |
|---|---|---|
9. RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES
There were no related party transactions for the year ended 5 April 2025.
Page 11
The Black Country Net
Detailed Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 5 April 2025
| INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS Donations and legacies Donations Gift aid Together Festival Investment income Deposit account interest Charitable activities Breakfast meetings Retreats Other receipts Total incoming resources EXPENDITURE Charitable activities Trustees' salaries Trustees' pensions paid IT Support Insurance Postage and stationery Advertising & marketing Events Retreats Self Employed Workers Equipment Consultancy fees Next Generation Champions Breakfast meeting costs Leadership costs Accomodation Gifts incl. visiting speakers Support costs Management Membership and subscriptions Finance Bank charges |
5.4.25 £ 77,801 7,554 33,127 118,482 697 1,097 3,107 5,429 9,633 128,812 - - 989 1,117 24 2,121 40,736 3,052 6,232 2,172 24,000 - 808 108 2,849 338 84,546 1,364 332 |
5.4.24 £ 114,574 7,621 - 122,195 35 - 5,442 3,030 8,472 130,702 9,675 212 1,080 1,087 - 1,241 79,582 4,630 7,207 2,160 24,000 4,855 - - - 3,555 139,284 1,294 365 |
|---|---|---|
This page does not form part of the statutory financial statements
Page 12
The Black Country Net
| Detailed Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 5 April 2025 Finance Information technology Software and web hosting Governance costs Accountancy and legal fees Total resources expended Net income/(expenditure) |
5.4.25 £ 559 1,953 88,754 40,058 |
5.4.24 £ 559 2,339 143,841 (13,139) |
|---|---|---|
This page does not form part of the statutory financial statements
Page 13