Charity Registration No.. 1157883 Coventry Gospel Hall Trust Report of the Trustees and unaudited financial statements Year ended 5 April 2024 Coventry Gospel Hall Trust- Registered Charity number 1157883 Year ended 5 April 2024 Contents Pages Reference and administrative details Report of the Trustees Independent Examiner's report Statement of financial activities 10 Balance sheet Statement of cash flows 12 Notes to the financial statements 13-18 Page 12 Coventry Gospel Hall Trust- Registered Charity number 1157883 Reference and administrative details For the year ended 5 April 2024 Charity name Coventry Gospel Hall Trust Registered charity number 1157883 Trustees Rupert Nelson (Chair) lan Jenkin lain William Mitchell Simon James Taylor Han4ey James Douglass (j'oined 10 January 2024) Treasurer Simon James Taylor Trustees holding title to property Andrew Leslie Beresford (resigned 10 January 2024) lan Jenkin lain William Mitchell Rupert Nelson Simon James Taylor Principal address Gospel Hall Bosworth Close Baginton Near Coventry CV8 3AG Bank Lloyds Bank High Street Coventry Solicitors Band Hatton Button 53-55 Butts Road Coventry CV13BH Independent Examiner Sandra Thurgood FCCA 3 Dells Lane Biggleswade Beds SG18 8LP Page 13 Coventry Gospel Hall Trust- Registered Charity number 1157883 Report of the Trustees For the year ended 5 April 2024 The Trustees present their report along with the financial statements of the Charity for the year ended 5 April 2024. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out on pages 13 and 14 and comply with the Trust Deed and applicable law. Structure Governance and Mana ement Governing document The charity is controlled by a deed of trust and constitutes an unincorporated charity. Coventry Gospel Hall Trust is constituted by a Deed of Trust dated 1 August 1983, amended by various Deeds and most recently by Deed of Variation dated 14 February 2014. The Trust was registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 16 July 2014 under Charity Registration Number 1157883. Recruitment and appointment of new Trustees The Trustees who have served during the year and since the year end are set out on page 3. None of the Trustees, nor any person connected with them. received any remuneration or expenses from the Charity in the year ended 5 April 2024 (2023: £nil). The Trust operates 2 Gospel halls and Trustees are chosen from among the regular congregation of those halls. New Trustees are nominated by the existing Trustees or by the congregation and must be appointed by unanimous resolution of the congregation. They are selected according to their skills and experien￿ and are expected to use both in furthering the objects of the Charity. Checks are made to ensure the Trustees, eligibility to act and incoming Trustees are made aware of their responsibilities by the existing Trustees, who ensure that new Trustees read the Trust Deed and relevant Charity Commission guidan￿. Wider network The Trustees maintain informal links with Trustees of similar Charities with a view to pooling experience considered useful in pursuing the objects of the Charity. Coventry Gospel Hall Trust also financially supports Wyken Gospel Hall Trust in Coventry with which it shares members of its congregation. Those two Charities have congruent purposes and costs of services donated to Wyken Gospel Hall Trust are shown in Note 4 on page 15. Risk management The Trustees have identified and reviewed the major risks to which the charity is exposed and confirm that they have established systems or procedures to manage and mitigate those risks. Ob"ectives and activities Objectives and aims The charitable purposes of the Charity are the advancement of the Christian religion for the public benefit, including by the carying on of the Sen41￿ of God in accordance with the Old and New Testaments of the Holy Bible as followed by those Christians forming part of the world-wide fellowship known as the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church (the "Brethren.) and any other charitable purposes connected with Brethren. The core doctrine of the Brethren and proper practices in furtherance of certain aspects of doctrine are summarised in two schedules to the Trust Deed. Public benefit The Trustees confirm that they have complied with their duty under section 4 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the Charity Commission's general guidan￿ to charities on public Page 14 Coventry Gospel Hall Trust- Registered Charity number 1157883 Report of the Trustees (continued) For the year ended 5 April 2024 benefit. The Trust operates a programme of providing regular packs of nutritious food, hygiene sundries and gospel literature to homeless and needy persons through local charities or homeless societies. Main Activities The Trust provides and maintains gospel halls where religious meetings are held by the local Brethren community. Details of the origins. teachings and way of life of the Brethren can be found on the website - www. mouthbrethrenchristianchurch.or and in the schedules to the Trust Deed. Charitable activities The normal activities of the Trust, including outreach, were maintained during the year and a regular schedule of meetings at gospel halls was re-1ntr0du￿d. Members of the congregation also donated theirtime to do charitable work for local community projects, including liaison with the local parish council. In accordan￿ with the Christian principles of the Brethren, members were also encouraged to give both time and money to a variety of other registered charities and many of the congregation attended and assisted at events held by the Rapid Relief Team (a separate registered charity 1161586). The potential project for a new hall at Keresley has been started and therefore constitutes material Commen￿Ment of the project in order to retain the current planning permissions. Other potential sites in and around Coventry have been assessed by the Trust for suitability, driven by the changing requirements of the congregation which it serves. After the year-end the Trust has had a non- binding offer accepted on the purchase of some land adjacent to the main hall in Baginton and significantly progressed pre-application assessments and reports on a potential site in the Tile Hill area Compliance The Trustees reviewed and updated the Trust's policies and Pr0￿dureS. Risk assessments were updated and actions taken to improve health and safety. The GDPR requirements were re- assessed and the Trust renewed its ICO registration. Plans for Future Periods The plans of the Trust for the forthcoming year and into future years are to continue to operate and maintain its existing halls and to continue with it's long-temi project to provide more suitable and upgraded gospel halls in locations that are more closely related to where members of the congregation now live. This meets a long standing need that has been challenging to fulfil. Obtaining suitable sites and planning Pe￿niSsion for places of Christian worship has proved particularly difficult. The Trust also notes that costs, particularly utility costs. of maintaining the current halls remains increased compared to a number of years ago and actively works to procure the most suitable deals available. These increased costs do not impact the ability of the charity to continue as a going concern. Meetings Meetings held at the gospel halls include the Lord's Supper (Communion), Gospel preachings, Bible readings and Bible addresses. There is a structured weekly schedule of meetings and, depending on the particular meeting. bebNeen 40 and 500 people nomially attend these occasions. The meetings are attended by the regular congregation and most are open to other properly disposed visitors. The notice board outside the Hall welcomes visitors and displays the times of Gospel preachings, along with a telephone number for those seeking further information or help. Coventry Gospel Hall Trust- Registered Charity number 1157883 Report of the Trustees (continued) For the year ended 5 April 2024 Gospel tracts. which are distributed by street preachers. also display this infonnation. Bibles and an extensive range of other Christian reading material are on display at the halls and visitors are free to help themselves. Spreading the Gospel message and the life of a Christian The Gospel halls are a base from which the regular congregation and others who attend the meetings are encouraged to spread the Christian Gospel. in word and deed. Members of the congregation participate in a programme of street preaching and Gospel tracts are provided free of charge by the Charity to such preachers to be handed out to interested members of the public The Trust also operates a programme of providing regular packs of nutritious food, hygiene sundries and gospel literature to homeless and needy persons through local charities or homeless societies. In addition to street preaching, members of the congregation regularly volunteer to help in charitable activities and to assist local community needs as they arise - this is encouraged by the Trust. More information can be found in the outreach report appended to this report. In carrying out this work, the congregation considers itself to be living out its faith in practice, as particularly exemplified in the following extract from the schedule to the Trust Deed on living a Christian life= We seek and are encouraged to live exemplary lives in all our relationships with others in the wider community (including fomer Brethren). in accordan￿ with the teachings of Holy Scripture {1 Timothy 2:2} We regularly go out from our homes to preach on the streets, to distribute Christian literature and engage with the wider community (including former Brethren) in order to present eternal salvation, available to all men by faith in Jesus Christ. (2 Timothy 4=2)- We seek as members of the public to lead Christian lives as husbands and wives, parents, children, employers, employees and neighbours. (Colossians 3.'22-25, 4.1). The preservation and protection of the family unit is fundamental and children are prized as a blessing from God. (Psalm 127.3-5). The elderly are valued members of the community, for whom both their family and the wider community are expected to care. Holy Scripture commands us to be good neighbours to others, and deal with all other people (including former Brethren) openly. honestly and fairly and consistent with these principles, we should give our time, talents and money to assist those in need in the wider community, in so far as reasonable given our abilities and our available resources. (Matthew 7.12, Matthew 22.39, Ephesians 4.28). Funding The congregation is kept regularly informed as to specific needs for funds, and other relevant matters and funding is sought through gifts from the congregation and Gift Aid is claimed on eligible donations. Funding is sometimes received from other charitable trusts with complementary objectives. Page 16 Coventry Gospel Hall Trust- Registered Charity number 1157883 Report of the Trustees (continued) For the year ended 5 April 2024 Volunteers Coventry Gospel Hall Trust relies almost entirely on volunteers to carry out the management, administration and general Maintenan￿ work. The Trustees thank these many volunteers for the help they have given during the year. Financial review Financial position In the year ended 5 April 2023 the Trust had a £205,712 surplus in incoming resources compared to resources expended {2023'. £56,903 deficit). This surplus was mainly due to collections initiated to boost general reserves. Total voluntary income re￿iVed during the year was £372,845 (2023.. £97,110). The Trust operates a 'New Halls, restricted fund for providing new gospel halls. Donations re￿iVed specifically for that purpose are placed in this fund. including gift aid claimed. The congregation enthusiastically support this fund with dedicated collections when there are specific projects that require support. All costs expended on obtaining new gospel halls, whether successful or not, are charged to this fund, which had a balance at year end of £82,838 (2023.. £97,623). INhen costs of new gospel halls are capitalised, the fund purpose is fulfilled and the asset value is transferred to unrestricted funds. All other funds held were unrestricted funds. Reserves policy The Trust's Free Reserves are that part of the Trust's unrestricted funds that are freely available to spend on any of the charity's purposes. They exclude any fixed assets held for the Trust's use. They also exclude restricted and designated funds. At the year end the New Halls Restricted Fund had a balance of £82.838. The Restricted Fund is held entirely within current assets. The Trustees have considered the level of reserves they wish to retain, appropriate to the charity's needs, based on its size and the level of its financial commitments and have agreed that the Trust should aim to develop and maintain unrestricted reserves at a minimum level of £100,000. This would enable the Trust to continue its activities in the event of a sudden loss of funding. It should also enable the Trust to cover a major essential repair or special event arising at short notice. However, the members of the Congregation have always recognised their responsibility to fund the running costs of the places of worship which they regularly attend. Therefore the trustees do not ever expect a shortfall in funding to be other than temporary. Free reserves accumulated in excess of the minimum can be used at the discretion of the Trustees for the strategic development of the Trust. With progress now being made towards providing a new gospel hall, the Trustees are accumulating additional reserves as the total costs of providing that hall are expected to substantially exceed the balances of the restricted fund. The Trustees review the actual level of reserves every three months. Free reserves at the year-end were £629,720 (2023: £360.251). Page 17 Coventry Gospel Hall Trust- Registered Charity number 1157883 Report of the Trustees (continued) For the year ended 5 April 2024 Statement of Trustees, responsibilities The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Report of the Trustees and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practi￿). The law applicable to charities in England and Wales, the Charities Act 2011, Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations and the provisions of the Trust Deed require 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 reSoUr￿S and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the Charity for that period. In preparing those financial statements, the Trustees are required to select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently" observe the methods and principles in the Charity SORP; make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent. prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business. The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which 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 Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations and the provisions of the Trust Deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and hen￿ for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. All transactions have been reviewed and approved by two trustees. On behalf of the Board of Trustees.. Trustee Trustee Date: .2611112024.... Page 18 Coventry Gospel Hall Trust- Reglstered Charity number 1157883 Independent Examiner's report For the year ended 5 Aprll 2024 Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Coventry Gospel Hall Trust I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the charity for the year ended 5 April 2024 which are set out on pages 10 to 18. Responsibilities and basis of report As the charity's trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance wÈth the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act')- I report in respect of my examination of the harity's accounts carried out under section 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given bythe Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of Ihe Act. Independent examine*s statement I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect: accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or the accounts do not accord with those records. or the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the fonn 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 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. Signed Date . Sandra Thurgood FCCA 3 Dells Lane Biggleswade Beds SG18 8LP Coventry Gospel Hall Trust- Registered Charity number 1157883 Statement of financial activities For the year ended 5 April 2024 Unrestrirted Funds Restricted Funds Total Funds 2024 Totsl Funds 2023 Notes Income and endowments from: Donations and legacies." Collections ContribLrtions from the congregation Gifl Aid donations Income lax refunds Donated services Payroll giving Grants received Investments Bank interest Other Profit on sale of assets 88,000 149.110 88,000 149.110 80,000 3,470 108,588 27.147 108,588 27,147 10,912 2,728 10,424 818 11,242 431 Total 383,269 818 384,087 97,541 Expenditure on: Charitable activities Running meeting rooms Other charitable activity Grants paid Cost of donated services 132,933 15.743 132,933 15.897 108,809 19,738 154 29.545 29,545 25,897 Total 178.221 154 178.375 154,444 Net incomel(expenditurel 205.048 205.712 {56,903) Gainsl(losses) on revaluation of fixed assets Transfer tol(from) 15.449 (15,449) Net movement in funds 220,497 (14.785) 205,712 (56,903) Reconciliation of funds Total funds brought forward 2.103.937 97.623 2.201.560 2,258,463 Total funds carried forward 2,324,434 82,838 2,407,272 2,201,560 The notes on pages 13 to 18 form part of these financial statements. All of the above activities are classed as continuing and there are no gains and losses other than those included above. 10 Coventry Gospel Hall Trust- Registered Charity number 1157883 Balance Sheet As at 5 April 2024 2024 2023 Notes Fixed assets Tangible fixed assets 1,694.715 1,743,686 Current assets Debtors: Prepayments and accrued income Cash at bank 12,144 708,124 5,607 453,869 720,268 459,476 Current liabilities Creditors: amounts falling due within one year: Accruals 7,711 1,602 Net current assets 712,557 457,874 Total assets less current liabilities 2,407,272 2,201,560 Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year.. Loans Net assets 2,407,272 2,201,560 Funds Unrestricted income fund Restricted fund 2,324,434 82.838 2,103,937 97,623 Total funds 2,407,272 2,201,560 The unaudited financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Trustees of Coventry Gospel Hall Trust on 26th November 2024 and signed on their behalf by R Nelson Trustee S J Taylor Trustee The notes on pages 13 to 18 form part of these financial statements Coventry Gospel Hall Trust- Registered Charity number 1157883 Statement of cash flows For the year ending S April 2024 2024 2023 Cash flows from operating activities." Net (expenditure)lincome Depreciation charges Bank interest received Loss on disposal of fixed assets (Increase)Idecrease in debtors (Decrease)lincrease in creditors 205,712 69,457 (11,242) (56,903) 68,555 (431) (6,537) 6.109 (451) (472) Net cash provided by operating activities 263,499 10,298 Cash flows from investing activities.- Bank interest received Acquisition of current investments Proceeds from sale of current investments Purchase of fixed assets 11,242 431 (20,486) (2,812) Net cash used inlgenerated by investing activities (9,244) (2,381) Change in cash during the year Cash at beginning of the year 254,255 453,869 7,917 445,952 Cash at end of the year 708,124 453,869 Coventry Gospel Hall Trust- Registered Charity number 1157883 Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 5 April 2024 Accounting policies Basis of financial statements The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the second edition of the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice issued in October 2019, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011. The functional currency of the charity is sterling (£). The Trust meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note(s). Income Donations are recognised in the year in which there is entitlement and probability of receipt and the amount can be measured with reasonable ￿rtaIntY. 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 year. Gift aid is added to the value of the donation to which rt relates. Donated seniices and goods are recognised as income and expenditure in the financial statements when organisations or individuals offer their ServI￿S and support free of charge. The value of these donated ServI￿S to Coventry Gospel Hall Trust is considered to be equal to market value which would be paid were the service formally procured. The value of volunteer help is not included but is described in the Report of the Trustees. Investment income is accounted for on a re￿1vable basis. Expenditure Expenditure is included on an accruals basis. Liabilities are recognised as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to pay out resources. Charitable activities comprise those costs directly attributable to the fulfilment of the charitable objects. Governance and support costs Support costs are those costs that assist the work of the charity but do not directly represent charitable activities and include insurance, professional and governance costs. They are analysed in Note 5 and are incurred directly in support of expenditure on the objects of the charity. They are allocated to Running Gospel Hall unless they specifically relate to another activity. Governance costs include those involving the public accountability of the charity and those related to statutory requirements. Tangible fixed assets and depreciation Tangible fixed assets costing over £100 are stated at cost less depreciation. Freehold land is not depreciated. Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write off the cost, less estimated residual value, of each asset over its expected useful life as follows: Freehold buildings Equipment Fixtures and Fittings 4 % straight line 20 % straight line 10 % straight line Coventry Gospel Hall Trust- Registered Charity number 1157883 Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 5 April 2024 Tangible fixed assets donated to the Charity are stated at the Trustees, estimate of fair value less depreciation. Taxation The Trust is a registered charity and is not liable to United Kingdom income or corporation tax on charitable activities, provided income falls within the charitable exemptions and is spent on charitable purposes. Funds Unrestricted funds are free for the Trustees to use for any purposes in furtherance of the Trust's charitable objects. The Trustees may allocate unrestricted funds to a Designated Fund for a specific purpose. Designated Funds remain unrestricted and may be reallocated to other purposes at the discretion of the Trustees. Restricted funds arise from donations to the Trust which are made for a specific purpose. Restricted funds can only be used for the purpose for which funds were given. The Trust operates a 'New Halls, restricted fund which is held for the purpose of acquiring land and buildings to be used as additional Gospel Halls Preparation of consolidated financial statements The Charity does not have a trading subsidiary and there is no requirement to prepare consolidated accounts. Going concern The Trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue as a going COn￿rn. The trustees do not consider that there are any sources of estimation uncertainty at the reporting date that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next reporting period. Trustees, remuneration and expenses No Trustees received any remuneration or other benefits from the charity and no Trustees were reimbursed for expenses (2023: None). Wages and salaries There were five (2023: three) persons employed part time as cleaners at a total cost of £2,216 (2023.. £899). There were no national insurance or pension contributions. Coventry Gospel Hall Trust- Registered Charity number 1157883 Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 5 April 2024 Services received fromldonated to other charities Services donatedlGrants made Grants Services 2024 2023 Wyken Gospel Hall Trust 29,545 29,545 25,897 29,545 29,545 25,897 Running gospel halls and other charitable activities Running Gospel Halls Other charitable activities 2024 2023 Repairs & maintenance Utilities Conference hosting Outreach projects Depreciation Congregation support Support Costs Insurance Professional Governan 28.485 28,485 21,485 24,495 24,495 1,324 2,951 69,457 11,468 9,777 598 2,925 68,555 14,214 1.324 2,951 69,457 11.468 3.978 154 1.750 4,132 1,750 4,768 2,907 1,860 6,226 4,768 131,183 17,647 148,830 128,547 Governance costs include £250 (2023" £nil) in respect of independent examiner's fees. No other amounts were payable to the independent examiner (2023: £nil). Coventry Gospel Hall Trust- Registered Charity number 1157883 Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 5 April 2024 Tangible fixed assets Freehold property and improvements Equipment Fixtures & fittings Total Cost Brought forward at 6 April 2023 Additions Disposals 2.082,880 25,689 139,770 2,248,339 15.449 4,269 (5,791) 768 20,486 (5,791) At 5 April 2024 2,098,329 24,167 140,538 2,263,034 Depreciation Brought forward at 6 April 2023 Charge for the year Disposals 383,898 56,529 23,551 2,042 (5,791) 97,204 10,886 504,653 69,457 At 5 April 2024 440,427 19,802 108,090 568,319 Net book value At 5 April 2024 1,657,902 4,365 32,448 1,694,715 At 5 April 2023 1,698,982 2,138 42,566 1,743,686 Freehold Property at 5 April 2024 includes £667,666 (2022: £667,666) in respect of land not currently being depreciated, which includes Title Numbers WK342117, MM109400 and WM405822. Analysis of net assets between funds Current year Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Total funds Tangible fixed assets Current assets Current liabilities 1,694,715 637,430 (7,711) 1,694,715 720,268 (7,711) 82,838 Total funds 2,324,434 82,838 2,407,272 Coventry Gospel Hall Trust- Registered Charity number 1157883 Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 5 April 2024 Prior year Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Total funds Tangible fixed assets Current assets Current liabilities 1.743.686 361,853 {1,602) 1,743,686 459,476 (1,602) 97,623 Total funds 2.103,937 97,623 2,201,560 Movement in funds Current year Balance at 6 April Incoming Resources 2023 resources expended Transfer Balance at 5 April 2024 Restricted funds.. New Halls Fund Unrestricted funds." General Fund 97,623 818 (154) (15,449> 82,838 2.103,937 383.269 (178,221) 15.449 2,324,434 Totsl funds 2,201,560 384,087 (178,375) 2,407,272 Prior year Balance at 6 April Incoming Resources 2022 resources expended Transfer Balance at 5 April 2023 Restricted funds." New Halls Fund Unrestricted funds.. General Fund 101,040 (2,001) (1,510) 97,623 2,157,423 97,447 (152,443) 1,510 2,103,937 Total funds 2,258,463 97,541 (154,444) 2,201,560 Coventry Gospel Hall Trust- Registered Charity number 1157883 Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 5 April 2024 The New Halls Restricted Fund is held for the purpose of acquiring land and buildings to be used as additional Gospel Halls. The transfer from that fund is the value applied to that purpose and capitalised during the year. Transactions with related parties Rupert Nelson (a trustee of the charity) is a director of Aura (UK) Limited, from which Coventry Gospel Hall Trust procured ServI￿S and goods totalling £7,509 (2023.. £3,797). As at 5 April 2024 £nil was outstanding and included in creditors (2023: £nil). Andrew Beresford (a trustee of the charity) is a director of Tudor (UK) Limited, from which Coventry Gospel Hall Trust procured goods and services totalling £9,688 (2023: £735). As at 5 April 2024 £nil was outstanding and included in creditors (2023.. £nil). Coventry Gospel Hall Trust purchased services totalling £220 (2023". £365) from Property servI￿s Unlimited,. the father of Rupert Nelson (a trustee of the charity) is proprietor of that business. As at 5 April 2024 £nil was outstanding and included in creditors (2023.. £nil). Coventry Gospel Hall Trust purchased ServI￿S totalling £nil (2023.. £420) from Davidson Products & Services= the brother-in-law of lain Mitchell (a trustee of the charity) is proprietor of that business. As at 5 April 2024 £nil was outstanding and included in creditors (2023.. £nil)- Coventry Gospel Hall Trust purchased services totalling £150 (2023: £120) from Lynette Thewlis who is a daughter of lain Mitchell (a trustee of the charity). As at 5 April 2024 £nil was outstanding and included in credrtors (2023: £nil). Coventry Gospel Hall Trust paid grants and donated ServI￿S totalling £29,545 (2023.. £25,897) to Wyken Gospel Hall Trust., that charity had among its trustees the brother of lan Jenkin (a trustee of Coventry Gospel Hall Trust). Donations received without condttions by Coventry Gospel Hall Trust from trustees and all their related parties during the year totalled £168,133 (2022: £3,210). 10. Controlling party The controlling party and ultimate controlling party of the Trust are its Trustees. 11. Capital commitments At the year end the Trust had contractual capital commitments of £nil (2023.. nil). ## **Coventry Gospel Hall Trust** ## **Public Benefit Report Guide** **1** ## **Coventry Gospel Hall Trust** ## **Coventry Gospel Hall Trust Public Benefit** The purpose of this factual presentation, is to show how the Coventry Gospel Hall Trust community engage in many acts of public benefit and interact with the wider community in so many ways. The Plymouth Brethren were established in 1828 when John Nelson Darby broke with the established Church in Dublin. Darby and others formed a fellowship based on the strict observance of Christian teachings as set out in the Holy Scriptures. Darby came to Plymouth in the early 1830s and the congregation grew rapidly. Early publications were produced in Plymouth and distributed to other congregations of followers throughout the globe. ©Plymouth Brethren Christian Church Ltd 2024 The reproduction or transmission of all or part of this work, whether by photocopying or storing in any medium by electronic means or otherwise, without the written permission of the owner, is prohibited ## **Coventry Gospel Hall Trust** ## **Introduction** There are over 18,000 Plymouth Brethren members in the UK, spread across 87 locations. These locations can be found on the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church (PBCC) UK Site. There have been Brethren Gospel, or meeting halls in the Coventry area for over 150 years. The Coventry Gospel Hall Trust was formed on 1[st] August 1983 to acquire buildings to be used for the advancement of the Christian religion by carrying on the service of God, including the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, Gospel Preachings, Bible Readings and addresses on the Word of God and other meetings of a Christian religious character according to the injunctions contained in the Holy Scriptures and the tenets and practices of those Christians forming a worldwide fellowship known as Plymouth Brethren. The Coventry congregation is one of the larger congregations in the UK, with 328 members living in the Coventry, Solihull & Rugby districts; and with residents from the Leamington area attending services up to three times a week, together with other visitors, numbers attending services are regularly over 500 persons, from young babies to nonagenarians. **`3`** ## **Coventry Gospel Hall Trust** ## **Our Network** To read more on the PBCC way of life, visit the https://www.plymouthbrethrenchristianchurch.org website. **4** ## **Coventry Gospel Hall Trust** ## **Street Preaching and Tract Distribution** ## **Street Preaching** Street Preaching has been actively promoted by the Plymouth brethren for many years, at least from the 1920's, and today is enthusiastically supported by members of the Coventry Gospel Hall Trust congregation, as we seek to follow the example set out by our Lord Jesus Christ (Luke ch4 v17- 20) The essential activity of publicly preaching the name of Jesus and God’s wonderful Gospel indiscriminately, gives joy and encouragement to our daily lives; as having personally proved the tangible benefit and immense improvement believing in Jesus brings, we seek to highlight the availability of Jesus to all mankind. Preachings started in Coventry in the 1950s and currently there are multiple locations in the Coventry City Centre where preaching happens on a weekly basis, including Broadgate on 4-5 days per week. _Romans 10v13; “For everyone whosoever, who shall call on the name of the Lord, shall be saved”_ ## **The aim of the street preaching is not to recruit additional members for the Plymouth Brethren but to present eternal salvation as available to all men by faith in Jesus Christ and His blood and His work of atonement.** ## **Tract Distribution** Members of the congregation have continued to hand out tracts to neighbours and people in need when they have met them. Tracts are available for download on the below website: https://christiandoctrineandgospelpublishing.org/ **5** ## **Coventry Gospel Hall Trust** ## **Outreach** In our outreach program, we have engaged with centres for the homeless and vulnerable. At the heart of our Community is the commitment to care and compassion, as we recognise the rights of all humanity within society. Members of the Congregation dedicate their time volunteering through our charitable arm, Rapid Relief Team (RRT) and contribute financially to many causes. As Coventry Gospel Hall Trust, we actively seek opportunities to support our local community from cleaning road signs to donating to local charities. See below statistics from our outreach program, in 2024: **6** Charities supported Bibles Donated **100** Gospel tracts given out **6000** Street Preachings **250** **6** ## **Coventry Gospel Hall Trust** ## **Coventry Gospel Hall Trust Public benefit** - Support of 5 local charities, homeless centres and other local needs. - Hedge cutting and strimming at local English Heritage site. - Clearing overgrown paths around meeting rooms - Congregation volunteering to assist RRT events. **7** ## **Coventry Gospel Hall Trust** ## **Rapid Relief Team** The Rapid Relief Team is a separate charity to Coventry Gospel Hall Trust but one that it encourages its congregation to support. ## **Our Mission** To serve people with care & compassion in their time of need. ## **Our Vision** For the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church to express Christian principles of care and compassion, by way of benevolent relief to people in need. ## **Our Values** Global Team | Community Care | Compassion | Consistency **8** ## **Coventry Gospel Hall** ## **Trust** The trust see that the work carried out by its members as Volunteers of the Rapid Relief Team (RRT) is of the utmost importance in the community and has been pleased again to allow its external facilities to be used as a meeting/gathering point for these volunteers prior to deployment or community support. ## **Case Study** Members of the Coventry congregation volunteered for RRT when they supported the local Nuneaton & Foleshill fire station open days. RRT ran a free of charge BBQ for all visitors on the day and served a full spread! Feedback from one of the organisers was: “ _I would like to thank everyone that came to take part and enjoy the day, the Rapid Relief Team for running the BBQ, all the local businesses that donated raffle prizes for the event,”_ **9** ## **Coventry Gospel Hall Trust** ## **Public Benefit from PBCC members Case Study** Around 20 members of the congregation volunteered in December 2023 to assist with tidying and maintaining trees and bushes, clearing brash, strimming brambles and undergrowth at Bagot’s Castle - a 14th century castle ruin in the village of Baginton. This continued the similar work that has occurred every year for the last 10 years and is greatly appreciated by the volunteers who maintain the property. **10** ## **Coventry Gospel Hall Trust** ## **Case Study** The trust received the below testimonial from the resource co-ordinator at Coventry Cyrenians following donation of regular food and supplies _**On behalf of Coventry Cyrenians, I would like to thank you and everybody at The Brethren Church for the generous amount of food you donated. Your donation helps us provide a range of services designed to specifically meet local needs.**_ _**Without donations such as yours, we wouldn’t be able to help rebuild as many lives as we do.**_ **11** # **Coventry Gospel Hall Trust** ## **Registered Address:** Brethren Gospel Hall, Bosworth Close, Baginton, ## **Contact Details:** ## E: enquiries@covght.co.uk P: 0208 391 7620 ©Plymouth Brethren Christian Church Ltd 2024 The reproduction or transmission of all or part of this work, whether by photocopying or storing in any medium by electronic means or otherwise, without the written permission of the owner, is prohibited