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← Life Church Warrington

2023-12-31-accounts

LIFE CHURCH WARRINGTON

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023

Registered Charity number 1150794

CONTENTS

Page
Charity Information 3
Report of the Trustees 4
Independent Examiner's Report 6
Statement of Financial Activities 7
Balance Sheet 8
Statement of cash flows 9
Notes to the financial statements 10-14

2

CHARITY INFORMATION

CHARITY NUMBER:

1150794

GOVERNING INSTRUMENT:

Charitable Incorporated Organisation, dated February 2013

TRUSTEES:

L. Dewhirst

G. Baird (to 31 December 2023) D. Akerman

S. Dewhirst C. Prest (to 31 March 2023) F. Avery (to 31 March 2023) H. Seals (to 31 March 2023) I. Jones

E. Morris

M. Simcock

A. Deller

J. Davies (from 15 May 2023) E. Goodship (from 18 September 2023)

PRINCIPAL ADDRESS:

269 Liverpool Road Warrington WA5 1RD

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER:

J. Sharratt ACA 238 Upton Lane Widnes WA8 9AJ

BANKERS:

Lloyds Bank plc Horsemarket Street Warrington WA1 1XN

3

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

The Trustees present their Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2023.

OBJECTIVES, ORGANISATION AND ACTIVITIES

Life Church Warrington is governed via a constitution, and is constituted as a charitable incorporated organisation, charity number 1150794.

The main activity of the charity is the operation of a local Christian church in arrangement of Sunday services and community group meetings, as well as supporting other charitable organisations. Life Church has continued to meet across Warrington and serve the communities of our existing church locations in Cinnamon Brow, Latchford, Lymm, Orford & Penketh. Our most recent church Orford celebrated its first anniversary in May this year and has seen significant growth as a new church plant. We also celebrated a year of our Community Grocery being open and it continues to serve the community of Warrington by providing subsidised food to those who need it.

We undertook some major renovations to our Orford site where we have our church offices based. During 2023 we were able to make good our car park which had not been suitable for the amount of footfall it now has coming to the site. This car park area in front of our community grocery was tarmacked, which has made access to our church site much easier. In addition to this the toilets were refurbished and made accessible to people who are disabled.

Our town centre missional community continues to meet on Friday lunchtimes and was joined by several Hong Kong church members who were able to engage with the wider Hong Kong community in Warrington. We have a number of community cafes that run during the week at various locations across the town. These bring support and connection for local people, some of whom attend our churches and many who do not.

During 2023 we were also to establish a new partnership with a housing charity called Hope Into Action. Hope Into Action provides a tried and tested framework for churches to partner with them to help provide accommodation for homeless people. We now oversee our first Hope House in Warrington. The house is not owned by the church, but we partner to provide help and support to those who live in the house. We have been able to create a support team of volunteers to do this.

Our Love Your Neighbour ministries have continued to serve people across the town of Warrington. Our CAP centre serves those who find themselves in debt, The Vine Team continue to serve the rough sleepers in Warrington by taking food and prayer to the streets on Monday evenings, as well as providing a weekly hot meal to the town centre accommodation on Museum Street. Our Pantry Pastors work through the community grocery to support those with particular needs and our Early Essentials Team provides practical help for new mothers in the town. TLG continues to mentor and support children and young people through our schools initiative. I am

4

grateful to each of the teams that lead and serve in these vibrant ministries serving people in Jesus name across Warrington.

I would like to place on record my thanks to all who serve in any capacity at Life Church Warrington. Also thank you to our pastoral teams at our 5 church locations that care for and support people.

The major risks to which the charity is exposed, as identified by the trustees, have been reviewed and systems have been established to manage those risks.

The objects of the charity are:

RESERVES POLICY

The trustees operate a policy of holding 3 months’ running costs in reserves. The core running costs of the charity were £18,458 a month in 2023, so £55,373 is held in reserves. In addition to these running costs, a further £20,000 is held in a Building Reserve in line with best practice.

REVIEW OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES AND AFFAIRS

Full details of the financial transactions are contained in the attached financial statements. The total incoming resources for the year were £393,490 and the total expenditures were £329,209, giving a net income of £64,281.

Total net assets at 31 December 2023 are £256,207.

Approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by

Lukas Dewhirst

5

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF LIFE CHURCH WARRINGTON YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023

I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 December 2023 which are set out on pages 7 to 14.

RESPECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES OF TRUSTEES AND EXAMINER

The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to:

• examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act;

• to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and

• to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.

BASIS OF INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT

My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair view' and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S STATEMENT

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

(1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:

• to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; and

• to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act have not been met; or

(2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

J. Sharratt ACA 238 Upton Lane Widnes WA8 9AJ

6

LIFE CHURCH WARRINGTON

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023

Note
INCOME
Voluntary income
Interest income
Other income
GROSS INCOME
EXPENDITURE
Direct charitable
expenditure
Other expenditure		 Unrestricted
funds 2023
Restricted
funds 2023
Total
funds
2023
Total funds
2022
£
£
£
£
348,487
-
348,487
267,475
1,866
-
1,866
26
-
43,137
43,137
-
350,353
43,137
393,490
267,501
(286,922)
(22,291)
(309,213)
(260,059)
-
(19,996)
(19,996)
-
(286,922)
(42,287)
(329,209)
(260,059)
NET INCOME 63,431
850
64,281
7,442
RECONCILIATION
OF FUNDS
Total funds
brought forwards
Total funds carried
forwards		 191,926
-
191,926
184,484
255,357
850
256,207
191,926

7

LIFE CHURCH WARRINGTON

BALANCE SHEET

AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2023

Notes
FIXED ASSETS
Premises
7
Fixtures and Fittings
7
TOTAL FIXED ASSETS
CURRENT ASSETS
Debtors
8
Cash at bank and in hand
12
Prepayments
9
LIABILITIES
Creditors: Amounts failing due
within one year
NET CURRENT ASSETS
NET ASSETS
FUNDS OF THE CHARITY
Unrestricted Income funds
Restricted Income funds
TOTAL CHARITY FUNDS		 2023
2022
£
£
53,426
-
21,036
21,274
74,462
21,274
3,993
3,200
181,259
170,023
9,594
-
13,101
2,571
181,745
170,652
256,207
191,926
255,357
191,926
850
-
256,207
191,926

8

LIFE CHURCH WARRINGTON

STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023

Note
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by operating
activities
11
Cash flows from financing activities:
Purchase of tangible fixed assets
Interest received
Net cash used in investing activities
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net cash provided by financing
activities
Change in cash and cash equivalents
in the reporting period
Cash and cash equivalents at the
beginning of the reporting period
Cash and cash equivalents at the end
of the reporting period
12		 2023
2022
£
£
73,753
14,951
(64,383)
(10,123)
1,866
26
(62,517)
(10,097)
-
-
11,236
4,854
170,023
165,169
181,259
170,023

The financial statements were approved by the trustees on 16/9/24 and signed on their behalf by:

L. Dewhirst

9

LIFE CHURCH WARRINGTON NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of accounting

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and the Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), effective January 2015, and the requirements of the Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and the Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).

Fixed Assets

All fixed assets are held under the historical cost model. The charity was given a new building in 2022 but it is carried at its cost of zero. During 2023 work was undertaken to modernise the toilets at the church building, including the installation of disabled facilities, work on the car park and other improvements to the building which have been capitalised.

Depreciation

Depreciation is calculated to write off the cost of all tangible assets over their expected useful lives.

Premises assets held at 31 December 2023 relate to the aforementioned work undertaken on the church building during the year, which are depreciated on a straight-line basis over a 10 years period commencing 2023.

Fixtures and fittings assets held at 31 December 2023 relate to equipment or fixtures and fittings, which are depreciated on a 20% reducing balance basis.

10

2. INCOME

Unrestricted Restricted Total funds Unrestricted Restricted Total funds
funds 2023 funds 2023 2023 funds 2022 funds 2022 2022
£ £ £ £ £ £
General Offerings 300,458 - 300,458 227,685 - 227,685
Gift Aid 49,895 -
 49,895 39,816 - 39,816
Grants - 5,766 5,766 - - -
Other Income - 37,371 37,371 - - -
350,353 43,137 393,489 267,501 - 267,501

Other Income includes £19,996 relating to investors funding into a Hope into Action house which Life Church Warrington supports as the local partner church. There is corresponding expenditure of £19,996 shown in ‘Other Expenditure’ below which is comprised of actual costs incurred on the house and an accrual for the balance of funding payable to the investors.

3. EXPENDITURE

Charitable gifts
Staff costs
Rental expenses
Utilities
Departments
Depreciation
Other expenditure		 Unrestricted
funds 2023
Restricted
funds 2023
Total funds
2023
Unrestricted
funds 2022
Restricted
funds 2022
Total funds
2022
£
£
£
£
£
£
25,168
-
25,168
44,403
-
44,403
139,092
15,788
154,880
133,121
-
133,121
24,081
-
24,081
22,156
-
22,156
22,833
-
22,833
8,245
-
8,245
64,552
6,503
71,055
45,044
-
45,044
11,195
-
11,195
7,091
-
7,091
-
19,996
19,996
-

-
-
286,922
42,287
329,208
260,060
-
260,060

4. NET INCOME

Net income for the year is stated after charging:

2023 2022
£ £
Depreciation 11,195 7,091
Independent examiner’s fee - -

11

5. STAFF COSTS AND EMOLUMENTS

2023 2022
£ £
Wages and salaries 141,983 120,692
Pension contributions 12,897 12,429

Details of employees:

The average headcount, calculated on the basis of full-time equivalents, was as follows:

s follows:
2023 2022
Number of staff 5 5

No employee received remuneration over £60,000 in the year (2022 – Nil)

6. TRUSTEE REMUNERATION

The figure for total trustee remuneration (inclusive of pension contributions) is broken down as follows:

2023 2022
£ £
Lukas Dewhirst 41,640 34,132
Job title: Lead Pastor
David Akerman 35,254 30,656
Job Title: Church Leader
Sarah Dewhirst 16,445 14,300
Job title: Lead Pastor

12

7. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS

COST
At 1 January 2023
Additions
At 31 December 2023
ACCUMULATED DEPRECIATION
At 1 January 2023
Charge for the year
At 31 December 2023
NET BOOK VALUE
At 31 December 2023
At 31 December 2022
8. DEBTORS
Gift aid receivable (Dec23)
9. PREPAYMENTS
Payments relating to 2024		 Equipment
Premises
Total
£
£
£
48,521
-
48,521
5,021
59,362
64,382
53,541
59,362
112,903
27,246
-
27,246
5,259
5,936
11,195
32,505
5,936
38,441
21,036
53,426
74,462
21,274
-
21,274
2023
2022
£
£
3,993
3,200
2023
2022
£
£
9,594
-

13

10. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

Three of the trustees were paid during the year as employees of the charity, with emoluments totalling £93,339 as detailed in note 6 (2022 – £79,088).

11. RECONCILIATION OF NET INCOME TO NET CASH FLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES

Net income for the period
(as per the statement of financial activities)
Interest income
Depreciation charge
(Decrease)/Increase in creditors
Decrease/(Increase) in debtors
Decrease/(Increase) in prepayments		 2023
2022
£
£
64,281
7,442
(1,866)
(26)
11,195
7,091
10,530
1,214
(793)
(770)
(9,594)
-
73,753
14,951

12. ANALYSIS OF CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS

2023 2022
£ £
Cash in hand and at bank 181,259 170,023

14