2021-02-28-accounts

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 1[st] April 2019 Period start date To 29[th] February 2021 Period end date

Charity name: Maitland Evangelical Church

Charity registration number: 1142940

Objectives and Activities

	SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document	Para 1.17	The object of the Church is for the benefit of the public and, as stated in the Trust Deed, are; To advance the Christian faith in accordance with the Statement of Beliefs in such ways and in such parts of the United Kingdom or the World as the Trustees from time to time think fit.
Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts.	Para 1.17 and 1.19	Members shall uphold the articles of faith, attend the church services, contribute towards the support as God has prospered them, take part in church activities and with God’s help, lead lives regulated by the teaching and inspired by the Spirit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To relieve sickness and financial hardship and to promote and preserve good health by the provision of funds, goods or services of any kind. These also include counselling and in such parts of the United Kingdom or any part of the World as the Trustees and Elders from time to time think fit. The building is open for use by the community such as for church services, dedications, baptisms, Residents Meetings, Coffee Mornings, the Annual Oxton Secret Gardens event. Youth club and young peoples’ activities which also extend to other churches on Merseyside.
Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity	Para 1.18	In planning and carrying out all activities, the church considers the Commissioner’s guidance on public benefit and in particular the specific guidance for charities in regard

Commission on public to the advancement of religion. Worship and benefit prayer, Bible study and the provision of care and concern for the community through pastoral care for the local and wider community.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

	SORP reference
Policy on grant making	Para 1.38	Not applicable
Policy on social investment including program related investment	Para 1.38	The building is managed by a board of independent individuals who ensure, together with the Trustees and Church Deacons, that the building is properly maintained, safe and secure. Community groups use the building for their meetings including the joint community meeting for the provision of a Road Safety Mirror on the church property to enable residents to access a main road from a ‘blind’ bend taking into account their safety and well-being. This is now in place and has resulted in greater road safety measures for local residents. Together with the Oxton Secret Gardens Committee we utilise the building for their annual community festival. We normally have between 500-600 visitors from the local community and further afield. About 30 Church members actively take part and are involved in the free provision of food and refreshments to members of the public and also cater for their practical and / or spiritual needs. Owing to Covid 19 safety measures we had to suspend this activity this year. At Christmas time, we visit most of the neighbours with a free gift and ascertain if there are any needs or assistance required and to also invite them to a Community Carol Service. This has very positive feedback. A church member of Maitland Church also manages a Merseyside-wide youth camp in Abererch, Wales, where c 350 campers attend, including many from the Wirral (where we are based). There are 150 volunteers from across Merseyside, including our church. Weekly pop-in coffee mornings to cater for the community, particularly those who require support.

		There are various investments by the church members such as collecting goods for people in poverty on Wirral and in other countries.
Contribution made by volunteers	Para 1.38	Without the volunteers, the Charity could not function. Building maintenance, outreach to the community all year round, Oxton Secret Gardens, involvement in Community meetings, Youth Club, Coffee mornings. In addition to the contribution by members within the church and community, there are various projects which are undertaken by members such as; Merseyside Youth Camp which is managed through a church member for young people from the local community which also has a Merseyside-wide remit. Teams4U, They operate around the world changing the lives of deprived children, and their communities, through supporting education and healthcare, providing aid. A couple of our members have been out to Uganda to assist the charity and have an ongoing commitment to their work. Classrooms in the Clouds, is a charity jointly founded by one of our members to build schools and provide teaching facilities in Nepal. There have subsequently been six schools built together with providing employment for local Nepalese people in construction and teaching facilities.
Other

Achievements and Performance

	SORP reference
Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole.	Para 1.20	All are activities are provided free of charge, Risk Assessed and volunteers are Enhanced DBS vetted. Young people benefit from interaction with their peers thus providing health, mental health and welfare benefits. That includes the two youth club settings on a Tuesday and Friday evenings together with Sunday School and Crèche at the weekend. In addition the work through Merseyside Youth Camp which benefits the mental, physical and spiritual requirements of the young people. Several local Tenants and Residents Associations have benefited from holding their meetings at the building. Including advice which caused one of the Associations to address their legal status which greatly assisted their situation. In addition, a local football team used the premises for their meetings. There has been an increase in the number of local people attending church services and state that they have been helped from the spiritual and social input. There have been a number of individuals who were substance misusers who have turned their lives around through the care and concern of members. ‘Safe Families’ is a charity that offers hope, belonging and support to children, families and care leavers. One of our members is working with the charity and the church has supported that work. Members also support the work of a homeless shelter in Birkenhead through volunteering. They provide meals and clothing for those in need and provide spiritual and emotional support. As mentioned previously; Teams4U, operate around the world changing the lives of deprived children, and their communities, through

supporting education and healthcare, providing aid. A couple of our members have been out to Uganda to assist the charity and have an ongoing commitment to their work. Church members have made contributions to their work and the church has donated to the charity. Classrooms in the Clouds, a charity founded by one of our members to build schools and provide teaching facilities in Nepal. There have subsequently been six schools built together with providing employment for local people in construction and teaching facilities. We are also a keen supporter of Tear Fund which meets the needs of underprivileged people, globally. We organise, locally, our involvement in an annual National Quiz with giving based upon case studies.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Achievements against objectives set	Para 1.41	Clearly the church has made significant achievements and impacted the lives of so many people both local, Wirral-wide, Merseyside and globally through its members whose purpose in life is to demonstrate their faith in action.
Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set	Para 1.41	Not applicable.
Investment performance against objectives	Para 1.41	We do not invest in terms of financial gain. All our contributions are through volunteering. There are personal financial commitments in order for the church to provide a full-time worker and to maintain the charity but not specifically for financial investment as can be seen from our Income and Expenditure.
Other

Financial Review

Financial Review
Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period	Para 1.21	We are in a healthy financial position with net year end Current Balance of £65,274
Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held	Para 1.22	The Church is solely dependent upon the voluntary giving by members therefore the charity has to have contingency funds to ensure its viability.
Amount of reserves held	Para 1.22	Total amount of reserves is £75,449
Reasons for holding zero reserves	Para 1.22	Not applicable.
Details of fund materially in deficit	Para 1.24	Not applicable.
Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern	Para 1.23	Not applicable.

Additional information (optional)

You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising)	Para 1.47	No fundraising takes place. The Church is solely dependent upon the voluntary giving by members.
Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted	Para 1.46	We have a Current Account, 95 Day Notice Account, Debit Account amounting to £75,449. We do not have an Investment Strategy. We have a system of ‘Tithing’ which is similar to a Social Investment Policy which goes to various Christian missions and other charities which amounted to £3824 for the year.
A description of the principal risks facing the charity	Para 1.46	The principal risks would be for the closure of the work and therefore no further income. If members were to leave for whatever reason, it would require adjusting expenditure compared to income.
Other

Structure, Governance and Management

Description of charity’s trusts:
Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter)	Para 1.25	We have a Trust Deed document entitled “Beliefs and Rules” which outlines the aims and objectives of the church.
How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO)	Para 1.25	We are not incorporated nor have any official links with other churches and, as such, we are an independent church. There are many informal links with churches across the Wirral, where we are based.
Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees	Para 1.25	Membership is open to all who express their Christian Faith who apply for membership and, if they agree with the Statement of Beliefs, they become members. Some suitably qualified members volunteer to take on Deacon duties which mean to look after the Finances, fabric of the building and be the liaison for the reporting to the Charity Commissioners. Members who demonstrate that they have spiritual standing and Biblical characteristics of eldership, members are asked for their observations to support or otherwise. If nothing to the contrary, they become Elders. One of the appointed Elders is recommended to be a Trustee. The full-time employee of the church is also voted in by the membership and subject to a fixed term contract to also take on the Trustee role within the church.
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements		where relevant about:
Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees	Para 1.51	Firstly, the Trustees familiarise themselves with the specific guidance contained within the CC Trustee Welcome Pack and ensure compliance. The Deacon with reporting responsibilities for the Charity Commission has a background in senior management within a local authority for policy, reporting to Cabinet, other Local Authorities / Agencies and The Home Office. That person provides the infrastructure and process for the training of the Trustees.
The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works	Para 1.51	Full-time employee with over-arching responsibility for the church yet accountable to the Eldership and members. Annual General Meeting to which members attend and the work of the various groups within the church is reported on, including finances so that everything is transparent. As previously mentioned, the charity has no official links with any organisation however

		there are many informal links to churches across Wirral and we have a shared platform with other churches. There are informal links with other charities and support the work of those charities both financially and through volunteering.
Relationship with any related parties	Para 1.51	None
Other

Reference and Administrative details

Charity name	Maitland Evangelical Church
Other name the charity uses
Registered charity number	1142940
Charity’s principal address	15-17 Storeton Road Oxton Wirral CH43 5TL

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20	Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole **year **	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany)
	Mark Jason Paul Saunders	Full-time employee Elder
	Simon David Withers	Elder

– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved

Director name Not applicable

Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity

Trustee name	Dates acted if not for whole year
Not applicable

Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others

Description of the assets Not applicable held in this capacity Name and objects of the Not applicable charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for Not applicable safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets

Additional information (optional)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)	Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)	Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of adviser Name Address
Informal for completion of CC Return	Ian Thomas Lowrie	33 Queens Drive Prenton Wirral CH43 0RR

Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

Exemptions from disclosure

Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details

Other optional information

Declarations

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s) Full name(s) Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Date
	Mark Jason Paul Saunders	Simon David Withers
	Full-time employee and Elder	Elder
	25thNovember 2021
	25thNovember 2021