OpenCharities

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator. This document is also available as Markdown.

2024-12-31-accounts

St James’s Church, New Barnet

Trustees’ Report and Financial Statements

for the year ending 31[st] December 2024

St James's Church, New Barnet

Financial Report for 2024

Trustees Report

Objectives and Activities

In accordance with St James’s Church’s charity registration and our position as part of the Church of England, our key activities are providing regular public worship open to all and providing services to the community.

Our main goals from our Mission Action Plan were:

In each area of ministry we think about how our actions help our relationships in three directions – up (how does this help us to grow in faith); in (how do we support each other) and out (how do we reach out to the community).

We will continue to develop our relationships with other local churches, especially our sister church Holy Trinity, Lyonsdown.

Achievements and Performance

Our weekly services are Sunday morning and Wednesday morning (short midweek reflection). We also have a monthly Encounter service with informal music and prayer.

We have employed a Family and Youth Worker since 2012. As well as Kidschurch during our Sunday morning service, we also run some weekday groups: Toddler Group, Our Place (toddler group for children with additional needs) and Zone (school years 2-6).

We continue to be part of the Together in Barnet Night Shelter scheme, and hosted guests overnight in church once a week for two months during the winter.

Jim’s Café, our Community Advice Centre, continued to grow. It is a place where anyone is welcome, offering friendship as well as a range of advice services, including help with filling in forms. We have conversation English classes for those with English as a second language, and are part of the national warm spaces initiative. This is all free.

We have a donation point for Chipping Barnet Foodbank (and had a special collection at Harvest) and local charity Sebby’s Corner (for families experiencing hardship). In December we held our annual Toy Sunday, when people brought toys for social services to pass on to children who would not get Christmas presents.

Our community garden at the vicarage continues to grow a wide range of produce, which was distributed to people at Jim’s Cafe and the Foodbank.

On Remembrance Sunday we took part in the service at New Barnet War Memorial, before our own morning service which included an act of remembrance.

We held a free Community Fun Day in December, with hundreds of people enjoying a bouncy castle, games, stalls and hot dogs. We had a range of special services at Christmas and at Easter. For many years we have taken part in carol singing at a retirement home at Christmas, and in 2024 also for the first time at a local pub.

We continue to run our small group Bible studies (Life Groups), and these have been places to support one another, and grow as disciples.

We have prayer ministry available after services. We always join in with the local ecumenical World Day of Prayer service.

Social events have included lawn bowls and an open mic night, plus a variety of women’s and men’s events.

We have two regular craft groups, and a community music group. Knit & Natter’s projects have included making knitted items for charities.

We have a Silver Eco Church Award from A Rocha UK (a Christian charity which works to equip Christians and churches to care for the environment), and continue to work to improve our environmental impact.

2

St James's Church, New Barnet

Financial Report for 2024

Financial Review

Income

Our income in 2024 was £217,361. This is less than 2023 due to the 2023 income including a large payment of back rent from our previous nursery. Income from giving has increased thanks to the generosity of our congregation.

Here is a breakdown of our 2024 income:

==> picture [434 x 253] intentionally omitted <==

----- Start of picture text -----
Youth groups, church shop &
other income, £7,520.00
Rental income &
Congregational giving room hire, £47,000
& sundry donations,
£85,634
Income from grants,
Gift Day, £13,305.00 £63,902.00
----- End of picture text -----

Expenditure

Our expenditure in 2024 was £204,035. The main areas of expenditure were parish share, staff salaries and fabric costs. Two staff salaries are paid for almost entirely by grants, for which we are very grateful. Parish share is our contribution to the Diocese of St Albans, which in turn pays our vicar’s stipend and supports the church in many other ways. We always feel it is important to pay our parish share in full.

Cash

As always, we aim to maintain a healthy cash balance throughout the year to make sure we are able to deal with any unexpected dips in income. We were able to maintain this for 2024.

Reserves Policy

The free reserves are the total funds available to the PCC, excluding funds tied up in our rental property in Victoria Road and funds designated to be used on specific items.

It is the PCC’s policy to:

Our free reserves are at our target of £35,000 (at 31 December 2024 they stood at £34,979). On top of the free reserves, we have designated £5,000 to the salaries reserve and £10,000 to the fabric reserve. We have also designated £6,435 to a charitable giving reserve and £2,000 to a music and PA reserve.

Structure, Governance and Management

St James’s Parochial Church Council (PCC) is a corporate body established by the Church of England and operating under the Parochial Church Council Powers Measure.

It is registered as a charity in England as “The parochial church council of the ecclesiastical parish of St James New Barnet”, also known as “St James PCC, New Barnet”. Its registered charity number is 1150299.

3

St James's Church, New Barnet

Financial Report for 2024

Individuals become members of the PCC (in accordance with the Church Representation Rules):

On appointment or election to the PCC, all members automatically become trustees of the charity.

As well as constituting the charity trustees, the PCC is the overall management committee of the church. It has the following sub-committees:

The following served as Trustees (and as members of the PCC) during the period from the start of the reporting period (1 Jan 2024) to the date of the 2025 Annual Parochial Church Meeting (11 May 2025).

Rev Canon Laura Hewitt (Vicar, until 19 March 2025) Alice Femi-Pearse (until APCM 2024) Rev Jenny Robinson (Curate) Bryony Johnson Carol Connah (Churchwarden) Alun Matthews Luke Cowles (Churchwarden) Areghan Obawaeki Mark Chapman (Deanery Synod Rep; until 16 March 2024) Simon Perera (until APCM 2024) Simon Vincent (Lay Reader; Secretary from APCM 2024) Paul Robinson (until APCM 2024) Ros Thompson (Secretary until APCM 2024) Liz Smith (from APCM 2024) Zoë Jones (Treasurer) Sue Walsh (from APCM 2024)

The PCC appointed Jeremy & Helen Alford as Safeguarding Officers in 2022. They are not Trustees.

Reference and Administrative Details

Registered Office : St. James's Church, 71 East Barnet Road, New Barnet, EN4 8RN

Bankers : Barclays Bank PLC, 1250 High Road, Whetstone, London, N20 OPB

Independent Examiner : Mr D Watson ACIB, 24 Ventnor Drive, Totteridge, London, N20 8BP

4

St James's Church, New Barnet

Financial Report for 2024

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
2024
Restricted
2024
Unrestricted
note
£
£
INCOME
Donations and grants
73,691
89,150
Charitable Activities
275
4,083
Trading Activities
-
47,000
Other Income
-
3,162
Total INCOME
73,966
143,395
EXPENDITURE
Charitable Giving
1,688
1,257
Service Costs
584
3,748
Church Ministry
1,522
78,772
Employee Costs
2,7
28,386
21,051
Fabric
12,796
30,736
Administration
270
7,502
Fundraising Costs
-
15,723
Total EXPENDITURE
45,246
158,789
NET RESOURCES
28,720
(15,394)
TRANSFERS BETWEEN FUNDS
-
-
NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS
28,720
(15,394)
BALANCES BROUGHT FORWARD
12,588
233,808
BALANCES CARRIED FORWARD
41,308
218,414
2024 Total
£
162,841
4,358
47,000
3,162
217,361
2,945
4,332
80,294
49,437
43,532
7,772
15,723
204,035
13,326
-
13,326
246,396
259,722
2023
£
150,857
4,365
74,446
1,323
230,991
9,279
6,146
82,190
48,801
57,743
8,093
(2,125)
210,127
20,864
-
20,864
225,532
246,396

5

St James's Church, New Barnet

Financial Report for 2024

BALANCE SHEET

ASSETS
note
Fixed Assets
Buildings - 159 Victoria Road
3
Totals
Current Assets
Cash at bank
Cash in hand
Stock
Debtors - trade
Debtors - other
Debtors - Gift Aid tax claim
Totals
Less Creditors
Trade creditors
Other creditors
PAYE and National Insurance
Deferred income
Totals
NET CURRENT ASSETS
NET ASSETS
FUNDS
note
Restricted Funds
4
Hardship fund
Jim’s fund
Youth work fund
Community projects fund
Other restricted funds
Totals
Designated Funds
5
Charitable giving
Music & PA reserve
Buildings reserve
Fabric reserve
Salaries reserve
Totals
Other Funds
5
Free reserves
Totals
FUNDS TOTALS
2024
£
160,000
160,000
79,656
1,903
1,952
3,335
6,719
13,863
107,428
(518)
(4,188)
-
(3,000)
(7,706)
99,722
259,722
2024
£
6,227
2,253
23,827
1,926
7,075
41,308
6,435
2,000
160,000
10,000
5,000
183,435
34,979
34,979
259,722
2023
£
160,000
160,000
78,187
513
1,320
10,320
7,759
6,000
104,099
(13,670)
(3,161)
128
(1,000)
(17,703)
86,396
246,396
2023
£
1,201
3,633
19,880
116
(12,242)
12,588
5,435
2,000
160,000
11,000
20,000
198,435
35,373
35,373
246,396

6

St James's Church, New Barnet

Financial Report for 2024

INCOME
2024
note
£
Donations and grants
General giving
59,126
Tax recovered on general giving
13,137
Gift Day income
13,305
Tax recovered on Gift Day
2,880
Grants
63,902
Other donations
7,682
Tax recovered on restricted donations
978
Collections for other charities
1,175
Church event donations
656
Totals
162,841
Charitable Activities
Youth & children event subs
2,138
Wedding & funeral fees
670
Church shop income
809
Other event income
235
Miscellaneous other income
506
Totals
4,358
Trading Activities
Nursery rental
29,000
159 Victoria Road rent
18,000
Church room hire
-
Totals
47,000
Other Income
Interest etc received
986
Insurance payout
850
Other income
1,326
Totals
3,162
INCOME TOTALS
217,361
2023
£
56,671
12,879
8,561
1,516
55,156
12,708
2,579
125
662
150,857
2,273
154
627
-
1,311
4,365
55,786
18,000
660
74,446
471
-
852
1,323
230,991

7

St James's Church, New Barnet

Financial Report for 2024

EXPENDITURE
2024
note
£
Charitable Giving
Church charitable giving
1,000
Other charities collections
924
Hardship fund payments
1,021
Totals
2,945
Service Costs
Service costs
1,447
Refreshments
1,241
PA & music
1,644
Totals
4,332
Church Ministry
Parish Share
74,205
Discipleship events and groups
361
Youth groups and events
526
Community projects including Jim's
644
Outreach events
1,158
Hospitality
436
Vicar's expenses
1,698
Conferences & training
349
Publicity
38
Gifts to church members
519
Cost of shop goods
360
Totals
80,294
Employee Costs
2,7
Salaries
48,140
Pensions and National Insurance
1,297
Totals
49,437
Fabric
Repairs & maintenance
24,226
Health & safety & security
2,794
Church cleaning
84
Church insurance
2,951
Energy and water
13,477
Totals
43,532
Administration
Photocopier expenses
984
IT & software
777
Other office costs
1,243
Bank fees etc
547
Bookkeeping and other expenses
4,221
Totals
7,772
Fundraising Costs
159 Victoria Road insurance & maintenance
2,423
Bad debt expense
13,300
Totals
15,723
EXPENDITURE TOTALS
204,035
SURPLUS / (DEFICIT)
13,326
2023
£
1,340
582
7,357
9,279
664
2,339
3,143
6,146
72,038
269
933
4,811
1,112
352
401
682
51
583
958
82,190
47,615
1,186
48,801
35,664
3,564
90
2,875
15,550
57,743
2,125
793
3,415
459
1,301
8,093
925
(3,050)
(2,125)
210,127
20,864

8

St James's Church, New Barnet

Financial Report for 2024

Notes to the Accounts

1. Accounting Policies

a) Basis of Accounting

The accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention, and 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) issued on 16 July 2014; the Financial reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS102); the Charities Act 2011; and UK Generally Accepted Practice as it applies from 1 January 2015.

The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS102.

b) Recognition of income

Income is included in the Statement of Financial Activities when the charity becomes entitled to the resources, it is more likely than not that the charity will receive the resources and the monetary value can be measured with sufficient reliability.

c) Incoming resources

Donations and grants are included in the accounts when the general income criteria are met. When donors specify they are to be used for a future accounting period they are treated as deferred income. Contributions, fees and tax recoverable from the Inland Revenue under the Gift Aid scheme are recognised on an accruals basis when there is a valid declaration from the donor.

d) Resources Expended

Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis, inclusive of VAT, which cannot be recovered.

e) Capitalisation and Depreciation

All fixed assets are initially recorded at cost.

Tangible fixed assets costing more than £2,500 are capitalised in the accounts.

Depreciation is calculated so as to write off the cost of an asset, less its estimated residual value, over the useful economic life of that asset as follows:

Office Equipment – computers 50% straight line, other equipment 25% straight line.

Property – the property is not depreciated as the PCC believes the current market value of the property is significantly higher than the valuation in the accounts.

f) Stocks

Stocks held for resale are measured at the lower of cost or net realisable value.

g) Pensions

St. James's PCC contributes to a defined contribution pension scheme on behalf of employees, the cost of which is disclosed in the detailed income and expenditure account.

h) Funds accounting

Funds held by the charity are:

2. Staff Costs

3. Fixed Assets

The only fixed asset is an investment property in Victoria Road. No depreciation has been applied to this property because the PCC believes the current market value of the property is significantly higher than the current valuation. This valuation was made several years ago.

9

St James's Church, New Barnet

Financial Report for 2024

4. Restricted Funds

Youth & Children’s
work fund
Special collections
Jim’s café fund
Hardship fund
Community projects
Other
1 Jan 2024
£

19,880
54
3,633
1,201
116
(12,296)
12,588

Income

£

27,651

1,255

6,173

4,090

3,208
31,589
73,966
Expenditure

£

23,704

974

5,853

764

1,398

12,553
45,246

Transfers
between funds


£

-

-

(1,700)

1,700

-

-
-
31 Dec 2024

£

23,827

335

2,253

6,227

1,926

6,740

41,308

The youth and children’s work fund consists of grants and donations given to pay for the youth and children’s work at St James's. This fund contains some donations to be used for any costs relating to youth and children's work and some for specific elements of youth and children’s work.

The special collections fund consists of special collections the church ran for other charities or mission activities. These funds can only be spent on the purpose each collection was advertised as being for.

The Jim's café fund consists of donations for the costs of the social action café run by St James's called Jim's café.

The hardship fund consists of donations to be given to members of the congregation, Jim’s clients, or others known to the church, who are in particular financial hardship or have a particular financial crisis.

The community projects fund consists of donations to community projects such as the St James’s Community Garden held at the Vicarage and Night Shelter.

The other restricted fund is for other donations given for specific reasons such as utility costs, equipment for church, etc. The brought forward balance is negative because one large grant was received for various different pieces of maintenance work and each part of the grant was only received after the invoice had been paid by St James’s. Therefore several large invoices were paid by St James’s late in 2023 and the grant income for them wasn’t received until 2024.

In 2024 the transfer between funds was moving a specific grant out of the Jim’s Fund and into the Hardship Fund as it was decided that, although the grant funding was obtained through Jim’s, the hardship fund more accurately describes its restricted purpose.

5. Unrestricted Funds

Free reserves
Designated
charitable fund
Designated
fabric
fund
Designated music &
PA fund
Designated salaries
fund
Designated building
reserve
1 Jan 2024
£
35,373
5,435

11,000

2,000

20,000

160,000
233,808

Income

£

143,395

-

-

-

-

-
143,395
Expenditure

£

157,789

1,000

-

-

-

-
158,789

Transfers
between funds


£

14,000

2,000

(1,000)

-

(15,000)

-
-
31 Dec 2024

£

34,979

6,435

10,000

2,000

5,000

160,000

218,414

The designated charitable fund is reserves which the PCC has decided to donate to other charities as charitable giving.

The designated fabric fund is reserves designated by the PCC to support larger maintenance projects, particularly as a result of the Quinquennial.

The designated music & PA fund is to support enhancements to the sound system, music and AV systems.

10

St James's Church, New Barnet

Financial Report for 2024

The designated salaries fund is to support salaries to enable key areas of mission to continue during a period of growth in Jim’s and anticipated financial hardship in the country.

The designated buildings reserve is the total of the charity’s reserves which are tied up in the church’s property in Victoria Road. Therefore, these reserves can’t be spent unless the property is sold.

6. Analysis of Net Assets (between restricted and unrestricted funds)

Restricted
Unrestricted:
Free reserves
Designated fund – buildings reserve
Designated fund – charitable giving reserve
Designated fund – music & PA fund
Designated fund – fabric reserve
Designated fund – salaries reserve
Tangible fixed
assets
£
-
-
160,000
-
-
-
160,000
Other net
assets

£

41,308

34,979

-

6,435

2,000
10,000

5,000
99,722
Total

£

41,308

34,979

160,000

6,435

2,000

10,000

5,000
259,722

7. Transactions with Trustees and Related parties

Trustees’ Remuneration & Benefits: None of the trustees have been paid any remuneration or received any other benefits from being employed as a trustee with the charity or a related entity. Two trustees, Paul Robinson and Zoe Jones, received a salary from St James’s in 2023 or 2024 for their jobs as Family & Youth Worker for St James’s and Bookkeeper respectively. For Paul Robinson in 2024 this salary was £24,847 with employer pension contributions of £930 (2023: salary of £23,663 with employer pension contributions of £871). For Zoe Jones in 2024 this salary was £nil with employer pension contributions of £nil (2023: salary of £2,351 with employer pension contributions of £nil). Paul Robinson and Zoe Jones received no remuneration for being a trustee. Paul Robinson and Zoe Jones also excused themselves from any discussions or votes relating to salaries or employment policies at PCC meetings while they were employed by St James’s. Zoe Jones’s employment with St James’s ended in October 2023.

Trustees’ Expenses: The Rev Canon Laura Hewitt was paid expenses of £1,698 (2023 - £635), made up of training (£101; 2023: £100) and travel and accommodation (£1,597; 2023: £301). Trustee and employee Paul Robinson was paid expenses of £nil (2023: £263) for training. These expenses were all wholly related to their duties as Vicar and Family & Youth Worker of St James’s Church.

The Rev Canon Laura Hewitt was paid an interest free loan of £2,995 in 2023 for a car to allow her to perform her duties as Vicar at St James’s Church. However, she repaid this loan in full within 3 months so the benefit of interest saved would have been trivial.

Transactions with Related Parties:

In 2023 and 2024 St James’s shared the Vicar, Rev Canon Laura Hewitt, and the Curate, Rev Jenny Robinson, with the Church of Holy Trinity, Lyonsdown. Therefore, some costs were incurred by St James’s for Holy Trinity and vice versa. Any costs incurred by one church for the other church are reimbursed in a lump sum once a year. At 31 December 2023 the total owed to St James’s by Holy Trinity was £3,239 (2023: £4,238).

St James’s received a grant from New Barnet Parochial Schools Trust (NBPST) totalling £26,861 (in 2023 3 grants were received totalling £24,300). Rev Canon Laura Hewitt was a trustee of St James’s and of NBPST in 2024. However, she was not on the delegated committee who reviews applications for grants to the NBPST and she did not vote on any grant application made by St James’s.

The PCC is not aware of any other related party transactions in 2024 or 2023.

11

St James's Church, New Barnet

Financial Report for 2024

8. Income and expenditure

Grants received

Below is a summary of the grants received.

Below is a summary of the grants received.
Grant restriction Restricted fund 2024 Total 2023 Total
£ £
Community Garden Community projects - 3,660
Winter Festivals Community projects 600 -
Warm Hub Community projects 2,250 -
Jim's Manager's Jim's 5,733 5,043
Jim's Cafe – other Jim's 100 2,300
Hardship fund Hardship fund 3,000 -
Family and Youth worker Youth work 26,861 22,000
Youth-related events and groups Youth work - 250
Redecoration of downstairs rooms Other 14,168 9,050
Upgrade of church lights Other - 8,420
Upgrade of church alarm Other - 2,333
Kitchen equipment Other - 2,100
Disabled toilet refurbishment Other 750 -
Roof skylight repair Other 10,440 -
63,902 55,156

Grant funders included City Church Fund, Hadley Trust, New Barnet Parochial Schools Trust and The Benefact Trust. We are very grateful to these and all other grant funders.

Other donations

Other donations in 2024 contained £7,617 (2023: £12,479) of restricted donations including £1,090 for the hardship fund (2023: £6,354) and £5,410 for various pieces of church equipment such as a new sound system (2023: £6,084).

Repairs and maintenance

The 2024 repairs and maintenance total included £18,828 of costs to repair a roof skylight, £10,440 of which was covered by grant funding.

9. Fees for Examination of the Accounts

The fee for the Independent Examiner has not yet been finalised for the examination of the 2024 accounts but an accrual of £250 has been set up for this fee (2023: £250).

12

St James's Church, New Barnet

Financial Report for 2024

Independent Examiner’s Report

Report to the Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of St James New Barnet. Charity Number 1150299

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the PCC”) for the year ended 31 December 2024, set out on pages 5 to 12.

Responsibilities and Basis of Report

As the charity's trustees, you, are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).

I report in respect of my examination of the PCC’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 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 that in any material respect:

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or

  2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

  3. the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 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.

I confirm that I 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.

13