## Hope Church Sevenoaks
Report and Accounts Year ended 31 December 2025
**Company registration number: 07867586**
**Charity registration number: 1145667**
## **HOPE CHURCH SEVENOAKS**
## **COMPANY INFORMATION**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **Directors / Trustees**
||||
|---|---|---|
|**Directors / Trustees**|Thomas Addy||
||Steven Collins||
||Ian Lettington||
||Adam Northcroft||
||Oluwafisayo Onagoruwa||
||Nigel Parrington||
|**Key Staff**|Ian Lettington||
||Adam Northcroft||
|**Governing Document**|Memorandum and Articles of Association dated November 2011||
|**Company Registration Number**|07867586||
|**Charity Registration Number**|1145667||
|**Registered Office and**|The Mill Lane Centre||
|**Principal Address**|Mill Lane||
||Sevenoaks||
||Kent||
||TN14 5AX||
|**Independent Examiner**|Nick Spear ACCA||
||Stewardship||
||1 Lamb's Passage||
||London||
||EC1Y 8AB||
|**Bankers**|Barclays Bank PLC||
||Leicester||
||Leicestershire||
||LE87 2BB||
|**Solicitors**|Knocker & Foskett||
||The Red House||
||50 High Street||
||Sevenoaks||
||Kent||
||TN13 1JL||
|**Contents**||**Page**|
|Company Information||1|
|Directors' Annual Report||2-6|
|Independent Examiner's Report||7|
|Statement of Financial Activities||8|
|Balance Sheet||9|
|Notes to the Accounts||10-17|
|Detailed Statement of Financial Activities with Comparatives||18|
Page 1
## **HOPE CHURCH SEVENOAKS**
## **REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES AND DIRECTORS**
## **YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
The trustees have the pleasure of presenting their report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2025.
The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 2 to the accounts and comply with the charity's memorandum and articles of association, the Companies Act 2006 and “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)”.
## **Objectives and activities**
The charity's objects for the public benefit are to advance the Christian faith, in accordance with the Statement of Beliefs, in Sevenoaks, and in such other parts of the United Kingdom or world as the Charity in general meetings may from time-to-time think fit and to fulfil such other purposes which are exclusively charitable according to law of England and Wales and are connected with charitable work of the Charity. This can be summarised as follows:
- the advancement of the Christian Faith in the United Kingdom or overseas.
- the promotion of missionary activity undertaken to spread the Christian faith.
- the relief of the poor, needy, sick and aged.
- the furtherance of education, be it religious or secular.
The trustees have paid due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit in planning the charity’s activities and the Charity Governance Code in relation to its review and maintenance of its policies.
By its very nature the Christian Faith, being rooted in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, has a strong positive influence through the Church into society. It remains extremely wide and powerful in its influence. The Christian faith brings a clear sense of meaning and purpose to life. The Christian faith helps and gives support to 'the poor' in its widest definition. It supports the essential societal foundational institutions of marriage and family, both in the promotion of and the engagement with marriage and family according to God's outstanding wisdom. The Christian faith expressed through charity helps those entering into marriage and parenting through advice, marriage/parenting preparation, personal example and marriage and parenting classes. The principled moral fabric provided by the Christian faith ensures a society that cares, values justice, treats all human life with dignity and kindness.
Page 2
**HOPE CHURCH SEVENOAKS**
## **REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES AND DIRECTORS CONTINUED**
## **YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **Chair’s report**
Our prayers and hopes for 2025 were that we would continue to see people saved and lives changed through the gospel and the hope that exists in believing in Jesus Christ. We set about being ready to see that growth in the church. With a strong focus on teaching, fellowship and building community, we sought to increase our capacity and explore new areas to support our local and wider mission. My thanks go to the eldership team, our staff, and all those who serve in different ways.
## **Highlights during the year**
In setting out our aspirations for the past year, highlights included:
## **1. Additional service on Sunday afternoons**
We began our new service in May 2025 and have continued to welcome new people across both morning and afternoons, regularly seeing more than 50 people coming to our afternoon service in addition to the morning service.
## **2. Building a thriving church community**
Fellowship and discipleship outside of Sunday gatherings is a vital part of church life. We have continued to strengthen our midweek Connect Groups, develop our prayer and worship meetings, and help people develop their spiritual gifts such as the prophetic and healing ministries.
## **3. Exploring additional community needs**
In December 2025, we signed the set-up agreement with a charity called Growing Hope (charity number 1176358). This national charity provides therapy services, delivered from a Christian-orientated perspective, for children and young people with additional needs through a network of local charities. Our aim in 2026 is to establish this in Sevenoaks as its own local charity to help meet the needs in our locality.
We have continued to welcome and host other charities and groups in our church building, including the Sevenoaks Larder, Porchlight, the NHS and others, who operate from our church building and with whom we continue to build long-lasting relations.
## **4. Developing, strengthening and caring for the team to support future growth**
The launch of the afternoon service and increase in overall numbers has led us to expand our staff team to include a new operations role and extended hours to support children’s work and wider communications. We have also been able to host another intern from the New Ground NEXT programme, who will spend a year embedded in church life and supporting the team.
We have sought to expand teams and volunteer leadership capacity whilst ensuring a safe and caring environment for those who serve and the wider church community. Effective safeguarding procedures for staff and volunteers is an important part of how we support our membership and visitors.
## **5. Ongoing support for overseas mission and to explore new opportunities to further God’s kingdom on an international scale**
We have continued to support New Ground Churches (charity number 1121110), the charity of which we are a part, in its activities across the United Kingdom, Europe and Africa. During the year, we have started to support New Life Church in Roanne, France. We look forward to exploring further opportunities and developing deeper relationships with this church plant in the centre of France.
## **Overall purpose and core activities**
Our purpose and mission remain the same. Hope Church upholds the aims and ethos of the Christian faith. This combines the outworking of the Christian faith for our members and in our society, along with specific work into communities we support both locally and further afield. This has included:
1. Sunday worship and teaching – the church holds regular Sunday services and mid-week meetings for church members although anyone is welcome to attend.
Page 3
## **HOPE CHURCH SEVENOAKS**
## **REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES AND DIRECTORS CONTINUED**
## **YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
2. Connect Groups – regular times for church members to study and pray together.
3. Alpha - a series of seminars and discussion groups for Christians and non-Christians, which includes meals and special days.
4. Children’s work (0–11-year old’s) – a weekly extension of church for church members’ children and visitors. As we have seen numbers grow, we have been able to develop a vibrant and thriving environment for our young people, through our creche and children’s work.
5. Youth work (11–18-year old’s) – weekly and monthly meetings, bible studies and activities for young people designed to encourage them on their journey to faith and living a dynamic faith-filled life.
6. 20’s and 30’s – fellowship and teaching for our growing number of younger adults.
7. Prayer - regular monthly prayer meetings, weekly Wednesday mornings and dedicated weeks of prayer throughout the year.
8. Courses and Conferences – we have run or hosted a number of courses, seminars and conferences during the year, including healing, membership, marriage preparation, and equipping. Our focus continues to be to support church members to grow in their faith and maturity.
9. Support to the New Ground family of churches and overseas mission work – we continue to provide direct financial and prayer support to work in Kenya, and support more widely across Europe and Africa through our work with New Ground Churches and New Frontiers International (charity number 1060001).
10. Support to charities and organisations in the local community.
## **Plans for the future**
As trustees, we continually review the needs of our members and local community and recognise the on-going economic uncertainty and social challenges in our society. We believe in the faithfulness of God and look forward with the hope and expectation that God can change people’s lives. In planning for the future, we continue to pray in faith for God’s wonderful provision for His work in Sevenoaks and beyond.
In response to the belief that God wants us to be able to grow further and seek to ‘multiply’ in many areas, we remain committed to supporting the eldership team to pursue this vision to support our overall mission. We look forward to 2026 with excitement and expectation, with specific areas of focus for the coming year to include:
1. Launch Growing Hope Sevenoaks during the second half of the year
2. Building leadership capacity across all areas to support the growth and health of the church.
3. Ensuring our facilities are developed to support our future requirements
4. Explore and prepare for a third service or new church plant
5. Working more closely with New Ground and New Life Roanne and others in overseas mission and to explore new opportunities to further God’s kingdom across the nation and further afield.
## **Financial review**
The charity derives the majority of its income from voluntary donations and associated income tax recovery from gift aid donations. These donations are a combination of monthly and one-off donations. The principal areas of expenditure are salaries and related staff costs and the running costs of the church premises.
During the year, there was a deficit of unrestricted income over expenditure of £10,923 (2024: deficit £36,568) and the charity’s unrestricted net assets decreased to £1,197,915. The charity’s unrestricted net current assets (which is a measure of the charity’s working capital) have increased by £1,979 to £172,051. The in year unrestricted deficit reflects investment decisions taken by the trustees in line with its plan, to support future growth and its overall purpose. The longer term goal is to move towards a break-even position. On restricted
Page 4
**HOPE CHURCH SEVENOAKS**
## **REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES AND DIRECTORS CONTINUED**
## **YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
funds, there was a surplus of income over expenditure of £2,945 (2024: surplus £155) and the charity’s restricted net assets increased by that amount to £10,329.
## **Reserves Policy**
The reserves policy requires the charity to maintain unrestricted undesignated cash at a level equivalent to at least three months unrestricted expenditure, being approximately £107,000. The trustees consider that reserves at this level will ensure that, in the event of a significant drop in funding, they will be able to continue the charity’s current activities whilst consideration is given to ways in which additional funds may be raised. The charity ended the year with unrestricted undesignated cash of £149,001 and the trustees are satisfied that the charity is complying with its reserves policy.
## **Risk Statement**
The trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed at various trustees’ meetings and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate exposure to the major risks.
## **Structure, governance and management**
The Charity is a company limited by guarantee governed by memorandum and articles of association. The trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, and who have served since the previous balance sheet date are named on page 1, ‘Company Information’. Trustees are appointed and removed by Members who are the Trustees of the church. Trustees may appoint new trustees however they must resign and be re-appointed at the next Annual General Meeting (AGM).
Elders and existing trustees ensure that new trustees are aware of their legal obligations under charity law together with the operations of the charity.
The trustees have overall legal, financial and management responsibility and meet regularly throughout the year.
A largely separate ministry team comprising Elders and other lay-workers has overall responsibility for spiritual leadership and for the day to day running of the church.
The church is affiliated to New Ground Churches (Company Number 06281483), which is a group of churches across the UK and Europe related to the New Frontiers International family of churches (Company Number 02535392).
## **Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities**
The trustees, who are also the directors of Hope Church Sevenoaks for the purpose of company law, are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). Company Law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that year.
In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material 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 operation.
Page 5
## **HOPE CHURCH SEVENOAKS**
## **REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES AND DIRECTORS CONTINUED**
## **YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. 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.
## **Approval**
This report, which has been prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies, was approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by
## Steven P Collins
Steven P Collins (Jul 1, 2026 13:37:56 GMT+1)
Steven Collins Date: Jul 1, 2026 Chair of Trustees
Page 6
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT**
## **TO THE TRUSTEES OF**
## **HOPE CHURCH SEVENOAKS**
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31 December 2025 on pages 8 to 18 following, which have been prepared on the basis of the accounting policies set out on pages 10 and 11.
## **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**
Since the Company’s gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a Member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, which is one of the listed bodies.
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:
1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or
3. 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
4. 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.
## Nick Spear
Nick Spear (Jul 6, 2026 12:14:53 GMT+1)
Nick Spear ACCA Association of Chartered Certified Accountants Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage London EC1Y 8AB
Date: Jul 6, 2026
Page 7
## **HOPE CHURCH SEVENOAKS**
## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
|Note
**INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM:**
Donations and legacies
3
Charitable activities
4
Interest receivable
5
**Total income and endowments**
**EXPENDITURE ON:**
Charitable activities
6
**Total expenditure**
**Net income/(expenditure)**
**Transfers between funds**
14
**Net movement in funds**
**Reconciliation of funds:**
Total funds brought forward
**Total funds carried forward**
14|Unrestricted
Funds
£
352,179
57,569
7,646
417,394
429,374
429,374
(11,980)
(1,888)
(13,868)
1,211,783
1,197,915|Restricted
Funds
£
3,902
6,500
-
10,402
9,345
9,345
1,057
1,888
2,945
7,384
10,329|Total
Funds
2025
£
356,081
64,069
7,646
427,796
438,719
438,719
(10,923)
-
(10,923)
1,219,167
1,208,244|Total
Funds
2024
£
310,449
20,284
1,461|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||332,194|
|||||368,762|
|||||368,762|
||||||
|||||(36,568)
-|
|||||(36,568)
1,255,735|
|||||1,219,167|
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.
All income and expenditure derive from continuing operations.
The statement of financial activities also complies with the requirements for an income and expenditure account required by the Companies Act 2006.
The notes on page 10-17 form part of these accounts.
Page 8
## **HOPE CHURCH SEVENOAKS**
## **BALANCE SHEET**
## **AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2025**
|Note
**FIXED ASSETS**
Tangible assets
8
**CURRENT ASSETS**
Debtors
9
Cash at bank and in hand
10
**CREDITORS: Amounts falling**
**due within one year**
11
**Net current assets / (liabilities)**
**TOTAL NET ASSETS**
**FUND BALANCES**
14
Unrestricted Funds
General funds
Designated funds
Restricted Funds|Unrestricted
Funds
£
1,025,864
40,341
149,001
189,342
17,291
172,051
1,197,915
1,197,915
-
1,197,915
-
1,197,915|Restricted
Funds
£
-
123
11,206
11,329
1,000|Total
Funds
2025
£
1,025,864
40,464
160,207
200,671
18,291
182,380
1,208,244
1,197,915
-
1,197,915
10,329
1,208,244|Total
Funds
2024
£
1,041,711|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||23,365
176,588|
|||||199,953
22,497|
|||10,329||177,456|
|||10,329
-
-
-
10,329
10,329|||
|||||1,219,167|
|||||1,193,343
18,440|
|||||1,211,783
7,384|
|||||1,219,167|
The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31 December 2025.
The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2025 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006 however, in accordance with Section 145 of the Charities Act 2011, the accounts have been examined by an independent examiner and their report has been included in these financial statements.
The directors (who are the charitable company's trustees for the purposes of charity law) acknowledge their responsibilities for:
- (a) ensuring that the charitable company keeps accounting records which comply with Sections 386 and 387 of the Companies Act 2006 and
- (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 net income or expenditure 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.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.
The financial statements were approved by the Board of Directors and were signed on its behalf by:
Ian lettington (Jul 1, 2026 13:39:20 GMT+1) Ian lettington Jul 1, 2026 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------Ian Lettington, Trustee Date Company number: 07867586 Charity number: 1145667
The notes on page 10-17 form part of these accounts.
Page 9
## **HOPE CHURCH SEVENOAKS**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **1 Statutory Information**
The charity is a charitable company limited by guarantee and is incorporated in the United Kingdom. The company's registered number and registered office address can be found on the Company Information page.
## **2 Accounting Policies**
These financial statements are prepared on a going concern basis, under the historical cost convention
These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the "Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) ("the Charities SORP"), with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland ("FRS 102"), with the Companies Act 2006 and with the Charities Act 2011. The charity meets the definition of a public benefit entity as set out in FRS 102.
The principles adopted in the preparation of the financial statements are set out below.
## a) Going concern
- The trustees (who are the charitable company's directors for the purposes of company law) have assessed whether the use of the going concern basis is appropriate and have considered possible events or conditions that might cast significant doubt on the ability of the charity to continue as a going concern. The trustees have made this assessment for a period of at least one year from the date of approval of the financial statements. In particular the trustees have considered the charity's forecasts and projections and the possible implications should projected income and / or expenditure vary unexpectedly. The trustees have concluded that there is a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue to operate for the foreseeable future. The charity therefore continues to adopt the going concern basis in preparing its financial statements.
## b) Income
Income including investment income is recognised in the period in which the charity becomes entitled to receipt, the amount receivable can be measured with reasonable certainty, and receipt is probable. For the most part, income is generally recognised when it is received. Income is only deferred when the charity has to fulfil conditions before becoming entitled to it or where the donor has specified that the income is to be expended in a future period.
Income from donations and legacies includes recoverable gift aid, which is recognised when the related donation is received. Gift aid that had not been recovered by the balance sheet date is included as a debtor.
Income from charitable activities represents income from events and courses organised by the church and from letting the church building for activities that benefit the local community.
The charity relies on volunteers to carry out many of its activities. However, in accordance with the SORP, the value of these services has not been included in these financial statements as they cannot be reliably measured.
## c) Expenditure
Expenditure, including irrecoverable VAT, is recognised when it is incurred or, if earlier, when a legal or constructive obligation for a payment arises provided that it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.
The charity makes grants to other institutions and individuals to further its charitable objectives. Grants payable are recognised as constructive obligations arise, which is generally when the charity expresses a commitment to the recipient that can be measured reliably and then only to the extent that any conditions associated with the grant are outside of the control of the charity.
Governance costs, which are included in expenditure on charitable activities but are identified separately in the notes to the accounts, includes costs associated with the independent examination of the financial statements, compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements and any other expenditure incurred on the strategic management of the charity.
## d) Fund accounting
General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity. Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the trustees for particular purposes. Restricted funds are donations which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors; they include donations received from appeals for specific activities or projects.
Page 10
## **HOPE CHURCH SEVENOAKS**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## e) Tangible fixed assets
Items purchased or donated for the charity's own use are capitalised when the cost of purchased items, or the fair value of donated items, is more than £500 and the item is expected to benefit the charity over more than one accounting period. Depreciation is charged on a straight line basis so as to write down the value of each asset to its estimated residual value (if any) over its expected useful economic life. To achieve this objective the following rates of depreciation are charged:
Land and buildings
Equipment
Land, which was valued on 30 April 2012 at £400,000, is not depreciated. Buildings are depreciated over 50 years after taking account of the building's residual value.
Over 3 to 7 years
The carrying values of tangible fixed assets are reviewed for impairment in periods when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable.
- f) Retirement benefits The charity operates defined contribution pension schemes for its employees. Obligations for contributions to this scheme are recognised as an expense when the liability arises. The assets of this scheme are held separately from those of the charity in independently administered funds.
## g) Taxation The company is a registered charity; it has taken advantage of the various reliefs from taxation available to charities and no tax is payable on the charity's income.
h) Financial instruments The charity's financial assets and financial liabilities all qualify as basic financial instruments, as defined by FRS102. Creditors and debtors are measured at their expected settlement value (normally the amount of cash that the charity expects to pay or receive). Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand and deposits held at call with banks.
- i) Exemption from preparing a cashflow statement
The charity has taken advantage of an exemption conferred by the Charities SORP and has not prepared a cash flow statement.
- j) Critical accounting estimates and areas of judgement ln preparing financial statements certain judgements, estimates and assumptions have to be made that affect the depreciation charged in these financial statements. The annual depreciation charge for property, plant and equipment is sensitive to changes in the estimates for useful economic life and residual value. These estimates are reassessed annually and, when necessary, adjusted to reflect current circumstances.
## **3 Donations and legacies**
|**ations and legacies**|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|Donations
Legacies|Unrestricted
Funds
£
305,504
46,675
352,179|Restricted
Funds
£
3,902
-
3,902|Total
2025
£
309,406
46,675
356,081|Total
2024
£
310,449
-|
|||||310,449|
## **4 Income from charitable activities**
|**Income from charitable activities**|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|Letting of facilities
Events
Courses
Other income|Unrestricted
Funds
£
31,538
20,924
60
5,047
57,569|Restricted
Funds
£
-
-
6,500
-
6,500|Total
2025
£
31,538
20,924
6,560
5,047
64,069|Total
2024
£
7,955
8,812
1,774
1,743|
|||||20,284|
Page 11
## **HOPE CHURCH SEVENOAKS**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **5 Investment income**
|Bank interest
**6**
**Charitable expenditure**
**6a**
**Costs incurred directly on specific activities**
Staff costs
Depreciation and impairment
Premises costs
Church events and other ministry expenses
Children and youth work
Evangelism
Leaders expenses and training
Music expenses
Gifts for visiting speakers
Insurance
Grants payable (note 6c)
**6b**
**Costs incurred on support & administration**
Governance costs
Fee for examining the accounts
Staff costs
Administrative expenses
**Total expenditure**|Unrestricted
Funds
£
210,595
23,540
47,751
21,439
16,132
1,339
4,767
4,676
2,050
3,799
336,088
44,487
380,575
2,070
21,192
25,537
48,799
429,374|Restricted
Funds
£
-
-
-
5,968
-
-
-
-
200
-
6,168
2,690
8,858
-
-
487
487
9,345|Total
2025
£
7,646
Total
2025
£
210,595
23,540
47,751
27,407
16,132
1,339
4,767
4,676
2,250
3,799
342,256
47,177
389,433
2,070
21,192
26,024
49,286
438,719|Total
2024
£
1,461|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||Total
2024
£
180,670
24,185
38,958
8,605
12,764
332
3,195
2,217
750
4,093|
|||||275,769
41,489|
|||||317,258|
|||||1,980
20,399
29,125|
|||||51,504|
|||||368,762|
## **Total expenditure**
In addition to the fees payable for the preparation and examination of the 2025 accounts, the charity paid £1,259 (2024: £1,123) to Stewardship for payroll bureau and consultancy services.
## **6c Grants payable**
|Grants for UK and overseas mission
Grants to assist those in poverty or in crisis
The comparatives for the previous year are as follows:
Grants for UK and overseas mission
Grants to assist those in poverty or in crisis
The charity's principal grants to institutions comprised:
New Ground Churches
Compassion UK|Institutions
£
33,820
1,995
35,815
Institutions
£
28,032
1,850
29,882|Individuals
£
8,400
2,962
11,362
Individuals
£
10,910
697
11,607
2025
£
33,820
1,995
35,815|2025
£
42,220
4,957|
|---|---|---|---|
||||47,177|
||||2024
£
38,942
2,547|
||||41,489|
||||2024
£
28,032
1,850|
||||29,882|
Page 12
## **HOPE CHURCH SEVENOAKS**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **7 Analysis of staff costs, the cost of key management personnel and trustee remuneration**
|**ysis of staff costs, the cost of key management personnel and trustee remuneration**|||
|---|---|---|
|Gross wages and salaries
Social security
Pension costs|2025
£
210,842
15,210
5,735
231,787|2024
£
182,716
13,137
5,216|
|||201,069|
Most of the charity's activities are carried out be volunteers. The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
|Ministerial staff
Administrative support staff
£60,000 - £69,999
number of employees whose annual remuneration was more than £60,000 is as follows:|2025
Number
5
1
6
2025
Number
1|2024
Number
5
1|
|---|---|---|
|||6|
|||2024
Number
1|
The number of employees whose annual remuneration was more than £60,000 is as follows:
Contributions totalling £1,843 (2024: £1,798) were made to defined contribution pension schemes on behalf of employees whose emoluments exceed £60,000.
The charity's key management comprise the trustees and the key staff named on the Company Information page. Total employment benefits payable to key management for the year were as follows:
|Employer
Wages &
pension
salaries
contributions
Adam Northcroft, who is a trustee
55,678
1,670
Ian Lettington, who is a trustee
61,439
1,843
The following amounts were payable in the previous year:
Employer
Wages &
pension
salaries
contributions
Adam Northcroft, who is a trustee
54,320
1,630
Ian Lettington, who is a trustee
59,941
1,798|2025
£
57,348
63,283|
|---|---|
||120,630|
||2024
£
55,950
61,739|
||117,689|
Both Adam Northcroft and Ian Lettington were employed to serve as church leaders. They received the above payments for serving in those capacities, not for serving as trustees; these payments are permitted by the charity's governing document.
Page 13
## **HOPE CHURCH SEVENOAKS**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **8 Tangible fixed assets**
|Cost
At 1 January 2025
Additions
Disposals
At 31 December 2025
Accumulated depreciation
At 1 January 2025
Charge for the year
Eliminated on disposal
At 31 December 2025
Net book value
At 31 December 2025
At 31 December 2024|Land and
buildings
£
1,250,000
-
1,250,000
215,333
17,000
232,333
1,017,667
1,034,667|Fixtures,
fittings and
equipment
£
160,731
7,693
(15,503)
152,922
153,687
6,540
(15,503)
144,724
8,197
7,044|Total
2025
£
1,410,731
7,693
(15,503)|
|---|---|---|---|
||||1,402,922|
||||369,020
23,540
(15,503)|
||||377,057|
||||1,025,864|
||||1,041,711|
Land and buildings comprises a freehold property transferred from Sevenoaks Town Church charitable trust (STC) to Hope Church Sevenoaks (HCS) on 30 April 2012 when HCS commenced its activities. The market value at that date was estimated by the trustees to be £1,250,000.
## **9 Debtors**
|**Falling due within one year:**
Trade debtors
Tax recoverable
Other debtors
Prepayments and accrued income
**10**
**Cash at Bank and in Hand**
Cash at bank with immediate access
**11**
**Creditors: liabilities falling due within one year**
Trade creditors
Taxation and social security
Other creditors
Accruals
Deferred income
**12**
**Deferred income**
Within one year
After one year
The income deferred at the period end will be released to income over the following periods:
Amount released to income
Balance at the beginning of the reporting period
Balance at the end of the reporting period
Deferred income comprises the following:
Amount deferred in year|2025
£
6,891
21,790
6,172
5,611
40,464
2025
£
160,207
2025
£
6,784
6,172
1,225
2,070
2,040
18,291
2025
£
6,000
(6,000)
2,040
2,040
2,040
-
2,040|2024
£
1,156
13,296
4,426
4,487|
|---|---|---|
|||23,365|
|||2024
£
176,588|
|||2024
£
6,917
6,381
1,219
1,980
6,000|
|||22,497|
|||2024
£
-
-
6,000|
|||6,000|
|||6,000
-|
|||6,000|
Deferred income represents £1,000 monies received in advance for restricted fund NEXT training course for 2026 and £1,040 advance hall rental receipts.
Page 14
## **HOPE CHURCH SEVENOAKS**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **13 Pension commitments**
During the year employer’s pension contributions totalling £5,735 (2024: £5,216) were payable to defined contribution personal pension schemes. At the balance sheet date pension contributions totalling £1,225 (2024: £1,219) were owed.
## **14 Funds**
During the year the movements in the charity's funds were as follows:
|_Designated Funds_
Building fund
Savings
_General Unrestricted Funds_
Total Unrestricted Funds
_Restricted Funds_
Growing Hope
Help fund
NEXT fund
Ukraine fund
Aggregate of funds|Opening
balance
2025
£
1,251
17,189
18,440
1,193,343
1,211,783
-
6,260
203
921
7,384
1,219,167|Incoming
resources
2025
£
-
-
-
417,394
417,394
2,402
1,500
6,500
-
10,402
427,796|Outgoing
resources
2025
£
-
(2,842)
(2,842)
(426,532)
(429,374)
-
(2,690)
(6,655)
-
(9,345)
(438,719)|Transfers
in the year
2025
£
(1,251)
a
(14,347)
b
(15,598)
13,710
a,b,c
(1,888)
-
-
1,888
c
-
1,888
-|Closing
balance
2025
£
-
-|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||-
1,197,915|
||||||1,197,915|
||||||2,402
5,070
1,936
921|
||||||10,329|
||||||1,208,244|
The transfers referred to above were made for the following reasons:
a) Transfer to general unrestricted fund from desginated building fund of £1,251, as the purpose for the designated building fund is no longer required.
- b) Transfer to general unrestricted fund from desginated savings fund of £14,347, as the purpose for the designated savings fund is no longer required.
- c) Transfer to restricted NEXT fund from general unrestricted fund of £1,888 represents salary costs no longer to be allocated to restricted NEXT fund.
## **Analysis of net assets by fund**
The assets and liabilities of the various funds were as follows:
|Fixed assets
Debtors
Cash at bank and in hand
Current liabilities|General
Designated
funds
funds
£
£
1,025,864
-
40,341
-
149,001
-
(17,291)
-
1,197,915
-
Unrestricted Funds|Restricted
funds
£
-
123
11,206
(1,000)
10,329|2025
£
1,025,864
40,464
160,207
(18,291)|
|---|---|---|---|
||||1,208,244|
Page 15
## **HOPE CHURCH SEVENOAKS**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **14 Funds continued**
In the previous year the movements in the charity's funds were as follows:
|_Designated Funds_
Building fund
Savings
_General Unrestricted Funds_
Total Unrestricted Funds
_Restricted Funds_
Ben Salter fund
Help fund
Webbs fund
New Ground churches fund
NEXT fund
Ukraine fund
Aggregate of funds|Opening
balance
2024
£
1,251
24,257
25,508
1,222,998
1,248,506
-
5,923
385
-
-
921
7,229
1,255,735|Incoming
resources
2024
£
-
-
-
326,119
326,119
200
1,250
625
1,000
3,000
-
6,075
332,194|Outgoing
resources
2024
£
-
(4,425)
(4,425)
(358,417)
(362,842)
(200)
(913)
(1,010)
(1,000)
(2,797)
-
(5,920)
(368,762)|Transfers
in the year
2024
£
-
(2,643)
(2,643)
2,643
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-|Closing
balance
2024
£
1,251
17,189|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||18,440
1,193,343|
||||||1,211,783|
||||||-
6,260
-
-
203
921|
||||||7,384|
||||||1,219,167|
## **Analysis of net assets by fund**
In the previous year, the assets and liabilities of the various funds were as follows:
|Fixed assets
Debtors
Cash at bank and in hand
Current liabilities|General
Designated
funds
funds
£
£
1,039,916
1,795
23,365
-
146,559
16,645
(16,497)
-
1,193,343
18,440
Unrestricted Funds|Restricted
funds
£
-
-
13,384
(6,000)
7,384|2024
£
1,041,711
23,365
176,588
(22,497)|
|---|---|---|---|
||||1,219,167|
## **Designated funds**
**Building fund:** these funds were set aside by the trustees for the purpose of maintaining and improving the building.
**Savings fund:** these funds have been set aside by the trustees for various infrastructure projects.
## **Restricted funds**
The **Growing Hope** fund represents donations received to assist in the set up of a charity between Growing Hope and Hope Church Sevenoaks to provide therapy services to the local community.
The **Help** fund represents donations received to help those in poverty or in crisis.
The **Ben Salter** fund represents donations received to support a mission trip to South Africa.
The **New Ground churches** fund represents donations received for this network of churches.
The **NEXT** fund represents monies received to attend the NEXT development year training programme for young people run by the church. The **Webbs** fund represents donations received to support the work done by missionaries.
The **Ukraine** fund represents income received to help those affected by the war in Ukraine. It has largely been used to help cover the cost of delivering aid to Ukraine and Poland and to make grants to Catalyst to support their work amongst those affected by the war.
Page 16
## **HOPE CHURCH SEVENOAKS**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **15 Transactions with related parties** During the year the charity:
- a) received donations totalling £16,904 (2024: £30,939) from related parties (which includes trustees, key management and anyone closely connected to them).
- b) Two (2024: three) trustees and their wives were reimbursed a total of £429 (2024: £832) for travelling expenses and £2,140 (2024: £1,599) for conference and training expenses.
Except as disclosed in note 5 'Analysis of staff costs', there have been no other transactions with related parties during the year.
## **16 Members**
Each member of the company commits to contribute if the charity is wound up an amount of £10.
Page 17
## **HOPE CHURCH SEVENOAKS**
## **DETAILED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES WITH COMPARATIVES**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
|Note
**INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM:**
Donations and legacies
3
Charitable activities
4
Interest receivable
5
**Total income and endowments**
**EXPENDITURE ON:**
Charitable activities:
6
**Total Expenditure**
**Net income/(expenditure)**
**Transfers between funds**
14
**Net movement in funds**
**Reconciliation of funds:**
Total funds brought forward
**Total funds carried forward**
14||General
Designated
2025
2025
£
£
352,179
-
57,569
-
7,646
-
417,394
-
426,532
2,842
426,532
2,842
(9,138)
(2,842)
13,710
(15,598)
4,572
(18,440)
1,193,343
18,440
1,197,915
-
Unrestricted funds|Restricted
2025
£
3,902
6,500
-
10,402
9,345
9,345
1,057
1,888
2,945
7,384
10,329|Total
2025
£
356,081
64,069
7,646
427,796
438,719
438,719
(10,923)
-
(10,923)
1,219,167
1,208,244|||General
Designated
2024
2024
£
£
304,374
-
20,284
-
1,461
-
326,119
-
358,417
4,425
358,417
4,425
(32,298)
(4,425)
2,643
(2,643)
(29,655)
(7,068)
1,222,998
25,508
1,193,343
18,440
Unrestricted funds|Restricted
2024
£
6,075
-
-
6,075
5,920
5,920
155
-
155
7,229
7,384|Total
2024
£
310,449
20,284
1,461
332,194
368,762
368,762
(36,568)
-
(36,568)
1,255,735
1,219,167|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Page 18