## **BIGGLESWADE BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **ANNUAL REPORT**
**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
**Independent examiner's report on the accounts**
**Section A Independent Examiner’s Report**
**Report to the trustees/** Charity Name **members of** Biggleswade Baptist Church **On accounts for the year** 31 March 2025 **Charity no** 1144614 **ended (if any) Set out on pages** 2 to 10
- I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended **31/03/2025** .
- **Responsibilities and** As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation **basis of report** of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
**Independent** I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have **examiner's statement** come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
- accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or
- the accounts do not accord with the accounting records
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
**Signed: Date:** 09/01/2026 ~~a~~ **Name:** Greg Smyth ~~Po~~ **Relevant professional** ICAEW **qualification(s) or body (if any): Address:** 4 High Street, Langford, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, SG18 9RR
1
## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period**
**From 01/04/2024 Period start date To 31/03/2025 Period end date**
## **Charity name: Biggleswade Baptist Church**
## **Charity registration number: 1144614**
## **Objectives and Activities**
|**Objectives and Activities**|**Objectives and Activities**|**Objectives and Activities**|
|---|---|---|
|SORP reference|||
|Summary of the purposes of
the charity as set out in its
governing document
Para 1.17
The principal purpose of the church is the
advancement of the Christian faith
according to the principles of the Baptist
denomination. The church may also
advance education and carry out other
charitable purposes in the United Kingdom
and/or other parts of the world.|||
|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
The church, through voluntary giving,
supports a full time minister and employs a
full time youth worker together with part
time staff in the following roles: office
administrator, children and family worker,
church and community worker and food
back co-ordinator. A tenth of all general
income is given to five Christian charitable
organisations supporting work both in UK
and overseas developing nations.
The church also hosts a bereavement
support group run by trained counsellors.
A drop-in centre and community hub was
opened in February 2020 on a large new
housing estate in Biggleswade to provide a
contact point for residents. This facility has
also been used by an IT literacy group and
also by social services staff for client
meetings. The lease for this facility ended
in 2025 and alternative options to provide
this service are being explored.
A ‘Men’s Shed’ facility is run 2 times per
week enabling use of primarily
woodworking equipment for projects and
‘wellbeing’support.|||
|Statement confirming
whether the trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity|Para 1.18|Biggleswade Baptist Church has served
the community for over 250 years and the
trustees are aware of its place in the
community. The trustees will review the|
2
Commission on public benefit
details in PB1 to ensure that the activities continue to meet the guidance given.
**Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
||SORP reference||
|---|---|---|
|Policy on grant making|Para 1.38||
|Policy on social investment
including program related
investment|Para 1.38||
|Contribution made by
volunteers|Para 1.38|All support activities and work in the church
are provided voluntarily by the church
members and congregation. Over 70
volunteers are normally involved with the
annual holiday bible club. The volunteers
are supported by paid staff in areas of food
bank, youth and children work and
administration**.**|
|Other|||
## **Achievements and Performance**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
SORP reference
**----- End of picture text -----**
|**Achievements and Performance**|**Achievements and Performance**|**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|Weekly meetings on Sundays. During the
week small groups meet for bible study,
prayer and fellowship.
The church runs a baby group and toddler
group which provides support and play
facilities for a large number of families in
Biggleswade.
Weekly lunchtime meetings have
commenced again in the town’s middle
schools for pupils with a relevant topic
theme.
Breakfast Club for children aged 8 – 11
years normally runs once a month, with
food and games.
A ‘men’s breakfast’ is normally held
monthly on Saturday morning and attracts
between 30 - 35 men for a full breakfast
and an opportunity for conversation and|
3
sharing together. A similar ‘ladies’ breakfast” meeting is held on the subsequent Saturday morning with around 55 ladies attending. A holiday bible club is arranged during the first week of the annual school summer holidays for 240 children involving bible teaching, games, craft and music. Applications for places are often oversubscribed. The church is also involved with the other churches in Biggleswade to facilitate the joint worship service on Good Friday, supporting the town christmas lights event, Christian Aid and other joint events. Biggleswade Baptist Church is the local centre for a food aid and runs a food bank in conjunction with the local social services which is supported by food gifts at local supermarket collection points and other organisations. Additional funding is provided by freewill donations. Biggleswade Baptist Church seeks to serve the community in which it is situated and to share God’s love with the town. The trustees review the church activities to ensure that this is a primary aim.
**Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
|Achievements against
objectives set|Para 1.41|Not applicable|
|---|---|---|
|Performance of fundraising
activities against objectives
set|Para 1.41||
|Investment performance
against objectives|Para 1.41||
|Other|||
4
## Financial Review
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Review of the charity’s Para 1.21 A review of the charity’s accounts to year
financial position at the end end March 2025 is attached.
of the period
Statement explaining the Para 1.22 The charity normally maintains a bank
policy for holding reserves deposit account of funds to cover
stating why they are held unexpected requirements. This deposit
sum is targeted to have a minimum value
equivalent to an average monthly
expenditure.
Almost all giving to the work and witness of
the church has been made via direct bank
transfers or standing orders.
Amount of reserves held Para 1.22 Total reserves £53,659 (31 March 2025)
Reasons for holding zero Para 1.22 Not applicable
reserves
Details of fund materially in Para 1.24 None
deficit
Explanation of any Para 1.23 No uncertainties identified
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern
**----- End of picture text -----**
|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements|**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|The work and witness of the church is
supported entirely by voluntary
contributions from those attending. Gift Aid
refunds under an approved scheme also
support the finances of the work.|
|Investment policy and
objectives including any
social investment policy
adopted|Para 1.46||
|A description of the principal
risks facing the charity|Para 1.46|None directly identified|
|Other|||
5
## **Structure, Governance and Management**
|Description of charity’s
trusts:|||
|---|---|---|
|Type of governing document
(trust deed, royal charter)|Para 1.25|Standard Baptist Union constitution
adopted 2009|
|How is the charity
constituted?
(e.g unincorporated
association, CIO)|Para 1.25|Unincorporated association|
|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|Appointed by annual church members’
meeting held in June. Trustee details are
recorded on the Charity Commission filing
for Biggleswade Baptist Church.|
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
Child protection policy is in place based on
national Baptist Union guidelines and
Policies and procedures training. All youth workers hold CPC
adopted for the induction Para 1.51 accreditation.
and training of trustees
All trustees undergo CPC level 2 and 3
certification.
The church is in membership of the Baptist
The charity’s organisational Union of Great Britain and is a member of
structure and any wider Para 1.51 the Evangelical Alliance.
network with which the
charity works The church is also a partner with other
churches in Biggleswade through
Biggleswade Churches Together.
Monthly leadership meetings are held
involving all trustees to consider the on-
going work of the church and any relevant
governance and operational issues that
may arise.
Relationship with any related Para 1.51
parties
Other
**----- End of picture text -----**
6
## **Reference and Administrative details**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Charity name Biggleswade Baptist Church
Other name the charity uses
Registered charity number 1144614
Charity’s principal address 24 London Road
Biggleswade
Beds
SG18 8TS
**----- End of picture text -----**
**Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Name of person (or
Trustee name Office (if any) Dates acted if not for whole year body) entitled to
appoint trustee (if any)
1 Rev Martin Ceaser Minister
2 Mr Cliff Andrews
3 Mrs Ellen Andrews
Mr William Appointed on 30 June 2024
4
Blankston
5 Mr John Burns Treasurer
6 Mr Gareth Godfrey
7 Mr John Ingrey
8 Mr Mark Riley Appointed on 30 June 2024
9 Mr Mike Sladen
10 Mr Julian Thomas
11 Mrs Caitlin Twiss
12 Mr Kevin Wilkes
13 Mr Robert Jones Stepped down on 16 April 2024
14
15
16
**----- End of picture text -----**
– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved **Director name**
Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity
**Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year**
7
## **Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others**
Description of the assets No funds are held as custodian trustees 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)**
|**Type of**|**Name**|**Address**|
|---|---|---|
|**adviser**|||
**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**||
|---|---|
||John Burns|
||
Treasurer|
||9 January 2026|
||9 January 2026|
8
**----- Start of picture text -----**
|||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|No (if any)|
|Biggleswade Baptist Church|1144614|
|Receipts and payments accounts|CC16a|
|For the period|Period start date|Period end date|
|To|
|—|—=—S=S|from|01/04/2024|31/03/2025|
|Section A Receipts and payments|
|Unrestricted|Restricted|Endowment|
|Total funds|Last year|
|funds|funds|funds|
|to the nearest £|to the nearest £|to the nearest £|to the nearest £|to the nearest £|
|A1 Receipts|
|General Offering|28,145|-|-|28,145|39,861|
|Gift Aid Income - General|137,409|-|-|137,409|129,199|
|Donations - Restricted|-|15,499|-|15,499|18,014|
|Bequests and legacies|5,000|-|-|5,000|-|
|Bank Interest Received|759|-|-|759|877|
|Use of Premises|2,327|-|-|2,327|2,099|
|Other Income|826|-|-|826|291|
|Sub total|(Gross income for AR)|174,466|15,499|-|189,965|190,341|
|=—==>==>=>|
|A2 Asset and investment sales,|
|(see table).|
|-|-|-|-|-|
|Sub total|-|-|-|-|-|
|Total receipts|174,466|15,499|-|189,965|190,341|
|——=|———|
|A3 Payments|
|Wages and Salaries (Incl NIC)|102,717|-|-|102,717|82,607|
|Training and Conference Costs|2,066|20|-|2,086|1,255|
|Travel Expenses|343|-|-|343|465|
|Membership Fees and Subscriptions|4,557|-|-|4,557|3,114|
|Catering Expenses|1,166|-|-|1,166|1,202|
|Printing, Postage and Stationery|2,169|-|-|2,169|1,351|
|Teaching Materials and Study Books|434|-|-|434|436|
|Outreach Costs|4,850|30|-|4,880|4,191|
|Holiday Bible Club Costs|-|3,923|-|3,923|4,064|
|Other Direct Activity Costs|2,123|-|-|2,123|1,978|
|Building Maintenance|8,024|-|-|8,024|29,518|
|Rent|10,705|-|-|10,705|7,941|
|Light, Heat and Rates|16,535|-|-|16,535|16,714|
|Insurance|3,247|-|-|3,247|5,723|
|Telephone Costs|3,078|-|-|3,078|1,953|
|Pension Costs|14,673|-|-|14,673|12,273|
|Grants|18,648|10,232|-|28,880|30,795|
|Sub total|195,335|14,205|-|209,540|205,580|
|A4 Asset and investment|
|purchases,|(see table)|
|Assets|-|-|-|-|3,235|
|Sub total|-|-|-|-|3,235|
|—|Total payments|—————|195,335|14,205|-|209,540|208,815|
|Net of receipts/(payments)|(20,869)|1,294|-|(19,575)|(18,474)|
|A5 Transfers between funds|-|-|-|-|-|
|A6 Cash funds last year end|56,354|16,880|-|73,234|91,708|
|Cash funds this year end|35,485|18,174|-|53,659|73,234|
|=|——|
**----- End of picture text -----**
9
## **Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period**
|**Categories**
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees
**B5 Liabilities**
**B3 Investment assets**
**B2 Other monetary assets**
**B4 Assets retained for the**
**charity’s own use**
**B1 Cash funds**|**Details**
**Details**
**_Total cash funds_**
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))
Cash at bank
**Details**
Garage conversion
Chairs
Sound,visual and music equipment
Computer equipment
Church equipment
**Details**
**Details**
Signature|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**35,485**
**18,174**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**35,485**
**18,174**
OK
OK
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Cost (optional)**
General
**19,857**
General
**11,920**
General
**3,865**
General
**6,860**
General
**3,235**
-
**-**
-
**-**
-
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**liability relates**
**Amount due**
**(optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
Print Name
J Burns|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**|
|---|---|---|---|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||OK|
||||**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**Current value**
**(optional)**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**Current value**
**(optional)**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**When due**
**(optional)**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||||**-**|
||Signature|||
||||Date of
approval|
|||||
|||J Burns|09/01/2026|
Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees
10
## **Virtual Cabinet Portal Digital Signatures**
## **Digital Signature Verification**
You can verify that this is a genuine Virtual Cabinet Document Portal signed document by uploading it to the following secure web page:
https://www.virtualcabinetportal.com/VerifySignedDocument
## **Signature Dates and Times**
All dates and times shown in the signatures below are expressed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), which is generally equivalent to GMT. You can find out more about UTC at the following web page:
http://www.virtualcabinetportal.com/WhatIsUTC
## **Signature 1**
Signed by John Burns using authentication code YUp0XldUUHhXYVhF at IP address 86.11.82.110, on 2026/01/12 09:47:39 Z.
John Burns's e-mail address is: finance@bbchurch.org.uk.