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2024-03-31-accounts

BARNET CHURCHES ACTION

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS OF THE CHARITY, ITS TRUSTEES AND ADVISORS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

Trustees Mr Julian Desborough Mr Roger Seaton Mrs Mary Boland Mr Simon Shoreman Rev Ray Thomas Patron Mr Martin Russell - Deputy Lieutenant of the Borough of Barnet Company registration number 8625115 Charity registration number 1154935 Registered Office 117 Fitzjohn Avenue, Barnet, Herts EN5 2HR Community Centre address Hope Corner Community Centre, 185 Mays Lane Barnet, Herts EN5 2DY Community Centre manager Mrs. Janet Nestor Independent examiners Griffin Stone Moscrop & Co, Chartered Accountants 21-27 Lamb’s Conduit Street, London WC1N 3GS Bankers CAF Bank Ltd, 25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill West Malling, Kent ME19 4JQ

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BARNET CHURCHES ACTION

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

The trustees present their annual report together with the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2023 which are also prepared to meet the requirements for a directors’ report and accounts for Companies Act purposes.

The accounts comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006, the Memorandum and Articles of Association, 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) (effective 1 January 2015).

Objectives and activities

The main object of the charity was: ‘To advance the Christian religion primarily but not exclusively in Chipping Barnet through promoting pastoral work for the benefit of the public and to enlighten others about the Christian religion’.

More than ever, we give God the glory for all that has been achieved this past year at Hope Corner Community Centre, amidst challenging times for all. We thank Him for His guidance, support and protection throughout this time, which has seen the charity get stronger and reach more people than ever before.

.

In producing their assessment of the benefit to the public provided by the charity the trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty in Section 4 of the Charities Act 2006 to have due regard to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit and in particular, the specific guidance on the advancement of religion for the public benefit. There are also a number of volunteers assisting with the seniors lunch club, lunch delivery project, art club and catch-up maths. More volunteers are being sought to assist with these projects.

Achievements and performance

The Community Support Project, our primary outreach service, saw unprecedented numbers of people seeking assistance and support, some in real crisis, at the drop-in, which runs from 9.30am - 2.00pm, Monday to Friday. To cope with the upsurge, we introduced 1-to-1 appointments in September 2023, allowing the manager to devote more time to people with complex issues. These take place on weekday afternoons (up to 8 hours per week).

For the fiscal year 2023-4, there were 853 enquiries, of which 583 were referred internally and 477 externally. The internal referrals resulted in 126 appointments for assistance with applications and 119 other 1-to-1 appointments.

The range of enquiries included:

Hope Corner is well established as the community hub in Underhill Ward and has excellent connections with local

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authority and voluntary organisations. We work with a variety of partners, some of whom operate out of Hope Corner, including Age UK, Barnet Carers, La Leche League, Underhill Children’s Centre and Fixation Academy of Performing Arts, and others at other venues, including Chipping Barnet Foodbank, Chipping Barnet Library, Christians Against Poverty, Open Door, Boost, Citizens’ Advice Bureau, London Borough of Barnet, Department of Work & Pensions and the emergency services, to name a few.

As a community hub, we manage centre hire enquiries and general enquiries about activities at the centre and other local amenities. We often make referrals to these community organisations and we actively advertise external organisations’ events and services. We adopt a policy of making lets affordable for the voluntary organisations which use the venue, as well as assisting with advertising the activity, administrative help with recruitment of attendees and, on occasions, funding initiatives.

Organisations who benefitted from this policy were:

Hope Corner is often visited by ward councillors, who are on hand to discuss local issues with residents. The centre is used as a polling station for local, London and national elections.

Many residents make use of the Community Café, which sells light meals, snacks and beverages at affordable prices. The kitchen and café team have brought the café back to pre-Covid levels and summer menus are being planned. The centre is a registered Warm Space (in winter) and Cool Space (in summer), providing relief to those who find it difficult to cope with the different challenges that our climate is throwing at us.

The charity also organises unique events such as a Christmas lunch for more than 60 residents. A special afternoon tea to mark the King’s Coronation is planned for May 2024.

Regeneration

Both the charity and the centre continue to play an important part in the regeneration project – not just by fulfilling the community commitment made by the Section 106 agreement. We host and attend the Dollis Valley Partnership Board, which is a stakeholder management committee for the regeneration project. Centre management has coped well with changes in personnel at our regeneration partners and on the Partnership Board, which is never easy when the building project has been subject to delays.

BCA also oversees the administration of the Dollis Valley Flexible Fund, via a steering committee made up of residents, stakeholders and partners, which accepts applications for funds for projects from organisations and individuals that benefit Dollis Valley and the local community. The Fund awarded grants to Barnet Community Projects, Mama Haven, Underhill Children’s Centre, Barnet Carers and Hope Corner.

Projects

This kitchen and café team have made our Seniors Lunch (a weekly event for 35 local seniors) something that all look forward to. We have continued to support vulnerable people who are housebound with twice-weekly lunch deliveries and are thankful for our resolute voluntary drivers. Seniors’ projects will be developed further in 2024-5, following a successful funding application to hire a Seniors Outreach Worker for three years.

Hope Corner runs a free weekly children’s Art Club and twice-weekly free Remedial Maths classes, both of which are oversubscribed. It was part way through 2023 that we had to introduce a second Maths session due to demand and through additional funding. We are thankful for our contractors and volunteers who help run these events.

The charity has been part of an active campaign to raise the issue of the digital exclusion of residents in our council ward, since only 41% of residents in work are able to work from home, significantly lower than other wards. Following funding in 2023, we completed a survey of more than 500 houses and published results showing significant exclusion of residents from affordable and reliable Wifi and mobile services on Dollis Valley (the report

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can be found on the Hope Corner website). Hope Corner is also able to offer free and fast Wifi (provided free of charge by Community Fibre), which provides some relief to residents.

Initiatives for reaching unemployed residents and school leavers with few qualifications are ongoing. We advertise local opportunities for jobs and training on our external noticeboards and website. In October, we hosted Boost employment and social outreach surgeries while Chipping Barnet Library was refurbished. There are plans in 20245 to enhance and develop our partnership with Boost and with the Shaw Trust to potentially host employment surgeries, ESOL classes, computer basics for seniors and IT skills for older adults looking to retrain.

Finance & Funding

One-off lettings and bookings have increased and returned to pre-Covid levels. Long-term lettings have been added to with the Longrove Surgery let and others have asked to run additional sessions. Café income has gradually increased, both with more people coming in and a small rise in prices in early 2024.

Our main income, however, still comes from grant-making trusts. We have received and used grants and donations from:

Financial review

The charity’s funds are divided into restricted, designated and unrestricted funds .

Restricted funds can only be used for the purpose for which they have been given. During the year grants were received amounting to £60,070. Grant monies of £72,590 were used during the year. The balance on restricted funds at the end of year was £36,432.

The designated fund was set up in 2018 following the receipt of a grant of £100,000 from the funds bequeathed for charitable purposes which the trustees have designated for the following purposes:

 To fund core costs (excluding core salaries) in running the community centre which could not be otherwise funded by grant-making trusts

£8,000 of the fund has been used this year so that a balance of £34,708 is carried forward to future years, to be spent as the need arises on activities and services that the charity would be unable to develop without it.

The unrestricted fund, the general fund, is the main fund into which income is paid and payment is made for the cost of running the charity. The income for the year was £54,549 and expenditure for the year was £53,612.

As a result, there was net income on the general fund for the year of £937 and the balance to carry forward at the end of the year was £6,049.

Because of continuing support from charitable organisations the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. For this reason, they

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continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the accounts.

It is the policy of the trustees to maintain a balance on general fund, if possible, which equates to three months unrestricted payments. The budget for core costs for the year to 31 March 2025 is about the same as for 2024 at £70,000 so that the balance carried forward only meets this policy due to the availability, if required, of the designated fund. Grant funding has been sought since the year end to improve the charity’s financial position. It is expected that most of the restricted funds carried forward to 2025 will be used in that year to fund continuing projects.

Structure, governance and management

The company was incorporated on 25 July 2013 and was registered as a charity on 9 December 2013. The charity took over the operation and assets of The Valley Centre, an unincorporated association sponsored by Churches Together for Chipping Barnet, as from 1 April 2014.

New trustees are appointed from time to time, being persons who have an interest in the objectives of the charity. The trustees have been in contact as the need has arisen during the year.

The members of the company are two representatives from each of the eleven churches that make up Churches Together for Chipping Barnet and each member has liability limited to a sum not exceeding £1.

The trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity may be exposed, in particular those relating to the operations and finances of the charity. They are satisfied systems are in place to mitigate any exposure to major risks. All necessary insurances are in place, CCTV is installed, there is a fire-proof safe for documents, a minimal amount of cash is kept on the premises and safeguarding procedures are in place.

Statement of trustees’ responsibilities

The trustees (who are also directors of the company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the trustees’ annual report and accounts in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company law requires the trustees to prepare accounts for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company as at the balance sheet date and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure for that year. In preparing these accounts, the trustees are required to:

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and to enable them to ensure that the accounts comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

In preparing this report, the trustees have taken advantage of the small companies exemption provided by section 415A of the Companies Act 2006.

Approved by the board of trustees on 30 September 2024 and signed on their behalf by:

JULIAN DESBOROUGH Director

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BARNET CHURCHES ACTION

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (INCORPORATING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNTS)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

Notes
Income from:
Donations
2
Charitable activities:
Centre lettings
Café income
Interest
Total income
Expenditure on:
Charitable activities
3,4
Total expenditure
Net (expenditure) income and net
movement of funds for the year
Reconciliation of funds:
Total Funds at 1 April 2023
Total Funds at 31 March 2024		 Unrestricted Designated
Restricted
Total
Total
funds
funds
funds
funds
funds
2024
2024
2024
2024
2023
£
£
£
£
£
17,316
-
60,070
77,386
57,201
11,065
-
-
11,065
10,658
24,667
-
-
24,667
19,834
1,501
-
-
1,501
615
54,549
-
60,070
114,619
88,308
53,612
8,000
72,590
134,202
130,669
53,612
8,000
72,590
134,202
130,669
937
(8,000)
(12,520)
(19,583)
(42,361)
5,112
42,708
48,952
96,772
139,133
6,049
34,708
36,432
77,189
96,772

All activities relate to continuing operations.

The attached notes form part of the accounts.

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BARNET CHURCHES ACTION

Company Registration Number: 8625115

BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 MARCH 2024

BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 MARCH 2024
Notes
Current assets
Debtors
7
Bank deposit account
Cash on bank current account and in hand
Current liabilities
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
8
Net current assets
Funds
9
General fund
Designated funds
Restricted funds		 2024
2023
£
£
1,059
860
30,000
40,000
52,158
62,432
83,217
103,292
6,028
6,520
77,189
96,772
6,049
5,112
34,708
42,708
36,432
48,952
77,189
96,772

The directors consider that the company is entitled to exemption from the requirement to have an audit under the provisions of section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 ("the Act") and members have not required the company to obtain an audit for the year in question in accordance with section 476 of the Act.

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for ensuring that the company keeps accounting records which comply with section 386 of the Act and for preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company as at 31 March 2024 and of its net incoming resources for the year then ended in accordance with the requirements of sections 394 and 395 of the Act and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to the financial statements so far as applicable to the company.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions relating to companies subject to the small companies regime within Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006.

The financial statements were approved by the directors on 30 September 2024 and signed on their behalf by:

ROGER SEATON JULIAN DESBOROUGH Director Director

The attached notes form part of the accounts.

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BARNET CHURCHES ACTION NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

1. Accounting Policies

1.1 Basis of preparation of financial statements

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with 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) (effective 1 January 2015) - (the Charities SORP (FRS 102), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), and the Companies Act 2006.

The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note(s).

1.2 Company Status

The company is a company limited by guarantee. The members of the company are two representatives from each of the eleven churches that make up Churches Together for Chipping Barnet and each member has a liability limited to a sum not exceeding £1.

1.3 Income

All income is recognised once the charity has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of income can be measured reliably.

Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid is recognised at the time of the donation.

1.4. Expenditure

Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make payment to a third party. It is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.

All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis. All expenses including support costs and governance costs are allocated to the applicable expenditure headings.

Support costs are costs incurred directly in support of expenditure on the objects of the charity. These include development costs and equipment which have been written off. Governance costs are those incurred in connection with the administration of the charity and compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements.

Irrecoverable VAT is charged against the expenditure heading for which it was incurred.

1.5 Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds are expendable at the discretion of the directors in furtherance of the objects of the company. Designated funds are those funds that have been set aside by the directors for a particular purpose. Restricted funds are those funds that have been donated for a particular purpose and must be spent by the directors on the furtherance of that purpose.

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BARNET CHURCHES ACTION NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

1.6 Debtors

The unpaid lettings invoices are regognised at the settlement amount.

Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid.

1.7 Creditors

Creditors are recognised where a charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in a transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably.

1.8 Financial instruments

The charity only has financial assets and financial liablities of a kind that qualifies as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments (including debtors and creditors) are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value.

1.9 Cash on bank current account and in hand

Cash on bank current account and in hand includes cash and current and immediate access deposit accounts.

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BARNET CHURCHES ACTION NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

2. Income from donations

Grants from charities:
Elizabeth Allen
Hadley Trust
Hyde Trust
Barnet Community Fund
Jesus Hospital Tust
Young Barnet Foundation
Good Things Foundation
City Bridge Trust
Other grants:
Churches Together for Chipping Barnet
Dollis Valley Flexible Fund
Ground rent fund of landlord
Other donations		 Unrestricted Designated
Restricted
Total
Total
funds
funds
funds
funds
funds
2024
2024
2024
2024
2023
£
£
£
£
£
-
-
-
-
2,000
12,000
-
23,000
35,000
35,000
-
-
3,000
3,000
-
-
-
-
-
8,327
-
-
4,100
4,100
-
-
-
4,255
4,255
-
-
-
2,000
2,000
2,000
-
-
15,450
15,450
-
-
3,000
-
-
3,000
-
-
-
8,265
8,265
-
-
-
-
-
2,818
2,316
-
-
2,316
7,056
17,316
-
60,070
77,386
57,201

For the year ended 31 March 2023 £19,056 related to unrestricted funds and £38,145 related to restricted funds.

3. Expenditure on charitable activities Summary by fund type

3. Expenditure on charitable activities
Summary by fund type
Grants
Staff costs (excluding café manager)
Utilities
Repairs, maintenance and equipment
Catering costs (including café manager)
Other Centre running costs
Administrative costs
Governance costs (see note 5)		 Unrestricted Designated
Restricted
Total
Total
funds
funds
funds
funds
funds
2024
2024
2024
2024
2023
£
£
£
£
£
-
-
18,758
18,758
7,200
18,352
8,000
42,280
68,632
72,709
8,132
-
1,200
9,332
10,613
1,068
-
-
1,068
6,052
23,327
-
6,888
30,215
28,311
201
-
3,464
3,665
3,796
1,122
-
-
1,122
668
1,410
-
-
1,410
1,320
53,612
8,000
72,590
134,202
130,669

For the year ended 31 March 2023 £68,046 related to unrestricted funds and £62,623 to restricted funds.

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BARNET CHURCHES ACTION NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

4. Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities

Direct Support Governance Total Total
costs costs costs 2024 2023
£ £ £ £ £
Grants 18,758 - - 18,758 7,200
Staff costs (excluding café manager) 62,418 6,214 - 68,632 72,709
Utilities 9,332 - - 9,332 10,613
Repairs, maintenance and equipment 1,068 - - 1,068 6,052
Catering costs (including café manager) 30,215 - - 30,215 28,311
Other Centre running costs 3,665 - - 3,665 3,796
Administrative costs - 1,122 - 1,122 668
Governance costs (see note 5) - - 1,410 1,410 1,320
125,456 7,336 1,410 134,202 130,669
5. Governance costs (included in analysis in notes 3 and 4)
Unrestricted Designated Restricted Total Total
funds funds funds funds funds
2024 2024 2024 2024 2023
£ £ £ £ £
Independent examination fee 1,410 - - 1,410 1,320
1,410 - - 1,410 1,320

For the year ended 31 March 2023 all costs related to unrestricted funds. During the year no expenses were reimbursed to trustees (2023 : nil).

6. Staff costs

The average number of staff employed during the year was 6. (2023 : 6). Employers national insurance contributions of £nil were paid in the year (2023: £nil). Pension contributions of £1,201 were paid in respect of 4 employees (2023 : 2 - £1,099).

The Centre Manager, Janet Nestor, along with the trustees as a body but chiefly Julian Desborough, are considered the key management personnel of the charity and total remuneration paid in this category amounted to £36,366 (2023: £35,586).

7. Debtors
Prepayments
8. Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
Accruals
Other creditors		 2024
2023
£
£
1,059
860
1,059
860
1,800
1,850
4,228
4,670
6,028
6,520

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BARNET CHURCHES ACTION NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

9. Statement of funds

Restricted funds

Education
Seniors work
Lunches
Drop in project
Play/art club
Seniors worker
Volunteers / staff training program
Digital exclusion
Dollis Valley Flexible Fund
Designated funds
General fund		 Brought
Incoming Resources
Carried
forward
resources
expended
forward
£
£
£
£
-
6,705
5,070
1,635
3,187
8,000
6,910
4,277
8,327
-
7,888
439
-
22,100
22,100
-
-
5,815
3,000
2,815
-
15,450
-
15,450
6,938
-
4,864
2,074
2,000
2,000
4,000
-
28,500
-
18,758
9,742
48,952
60,070
72,590
36,432
42,708
-
8,000
34,708
5,112
54,549
53,612
6,049
96,772
114,619
134,202
77,189

The above restricted funds are all separate activities of the Centre and are grant funded. The Dollis Valley Flexible Fund is for use in the regeneration of Dollis Valley. This fund is administered by the charity together with other interested parties including London Boro of Barnet, Countryside, L&Q and the residents. One of the trustees chairs this committee while another trustee represents the residents.

The designated funds are to be used to fund core costs which could not otherwise be grant funded; to support shortfalls in funding for the drop in project; to offset costs incurred by projects that have subsidised elements; to help develop and extend new projects and to fund new projects.

10. Analysis of net assets between funds

Current assets
Creditors : amounts falling due
within one year
11. Analysis of cash and cash equivalents
Bank deposit account
Bank current account
Cash in hand		 Unrestricted Designated
Restricted
Total
Total
funds
funds
funds
funds
funds
2024
2024
2024
2024
2023
£
£
£
£
£
12,077
34,708
36,432
83,217
103,292
(6,028)
-
-
(6,028)
(6,520)		 Unrestricted Designated
Restricted
Total
Total
funds
funds
funds
funds
funds
2024
2024
2024
2024
2023
£
£
£
£
£
12,077
34,708
36,432
83,217
103,292
(6,028)
-
-
(6,028)
(6,520)
6,049
34,708
36,432
77,189
96,772
2024
2023
£
£
30,000
40,000
52,058
62,332
100
100
82,158
102,432

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Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Barnet Churches Action

I report on the accounts of the company for the year ended 31 March 2024 which are set out on pages 6 to 12.

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

The trustees (who are also the directors of the company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The 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.

Having satisfied myself that the charity is not subject to audit under company law and is eligible for independent examination, it is my responsibility to:

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

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 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

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.

Richard Hill FCA Griffin Stone Moscrop & Co Chartered Accountants 21-27 Lamb’s Conduit Street London WC1N 3GS

Date: 14 October 2024

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