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← Coventry Gospel Hall Trust

2025-04-05-accounts

Charity Registration No: 1157883

Coventry Gospel Hall Trust

Report of the Trustees and unaudited financial statements Year ended 5 April 2025

Coventry Gospel Hall Trust – Registered Charity number 1157883 Year ended 5 April 2025

Contents

Pages
Reference and administrative details 3
Report of the Trustees 4 - 8
Independent Examiner’s report 9
Statement of financial activities 10
Balance sheet 11
Statement of cash flows 12
Notes to the financial statements 13 - 18

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Coventry Gospel Hall Trust – Registered Charity number 1157883 Reference and administrative details For the year ended 5 April 2025

Charity name Coventry Gospel Hall Trust
Registered charity number 1157883
Trustees Rupert Nelson (Chair)
Ian Jenkin
Iain William Mitchell
Simon James Taylor
Harvey James Douglass
Treasurer Simon James Taylor
Trustees holding title to Simon James Taylor
property Ian Jenkin
Iain William Mitchell
Rupert Nelson
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
CV1 3BH
Independent Examiner Sandra Thurgood FCCA
50 Rose Lane
Biggleswade
Beds
SG18 0NB

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Coventry Gospel Hall Trust – Registered Charity number 1157883 Report of the Trustees For the year ended 5 April 2025

The Trustees present their report along with the financial statements of the Charity for the year ended 5 April 2025. 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 Management

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 2025 (2024: £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 experience 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 guidance.

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.

Objectives 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 carrying on of the service 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 guidance to charities on public

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Coventry Gospel Hall Trust – Registered Charity number 1157883 Report of the Trustees (continued) For the year ended 5 April 2025

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.plymouthbrethrenchristianchurch.org 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-introduced. Members of the congregation also donated their time to do charitable work for local community projects, including liaison with the local parish council. In accordance 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 project for a new hall at Keresley is still pending progressing with build and 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. The non-binding offer accepted on the purchase of some land adjacent to the main hall in Baginton is currently awaiting completion and good progress has been made on planning and purchase of a site in the Tile Hill area.

Compliance

The Trustees reviewed and updated the Trust’s policies and Procedures. Risk assessments were updated and actions taken to improve health and safety. The GDPR requirements were reassessed 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-term 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 permission 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, between 40 and 500 people normally 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. Gospel tracts, which are distributed by street preachers, also display this information.

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Coventry Gospel Hall Trust – Registered Charity number 1157883 Report of the Trustees (continued) For the year ended 5 April 2025

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:

1. We seek and are encouraged to live exemplary lives in all our relationships with others in the wider community (including former Brethren), in accordance with the teachings of Holy Scripture (1 Timothy 2:2)

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).

3. 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).

4. 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.

5. 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.

Volunteers

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Coventry Gospel Hall Trust – Registered Charity number 1157883 Report of the Trustees (continued) For the year ended 5 April 2025

Coventry Gospel Hall Trust relies almost entirely on volunteers to carry out the management, administration and general maintenance 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 2025 the Trust had a £191,800 surplus in incoming resources compared to resources expended (2024: £205,712 surplus). This surplus was mainly due to collections initiated to boost general reserves and the Restricted Fund. Total voluntary income received during the year was £344,044 (2024: £372,845).

The Trust operates a ‘New Halls’ restricted fund for providing new gospel halls. Donations received 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 £252,288 (2024: £82,838). When 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 £252,288. 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 £688,329 (2024: £629,720).

Statement of Trustees’ responsibilities

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Coventry Gospel Hall Trust – Registered Charity number 1157883 Report of the Trustees (continued) For the year ended 5 April 2025

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 Practice).

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 resources 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

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 hence 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: .....27/01/2026......................................

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Coventry Gospel Hall Trust - Registered Charity number 1157883 Independent Examiner's report For the year ended 5 April 2025 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 with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act'}. I report in respect of my examination of the charity's accounts carried out under section 145 of the Act and in carying out my examination I have followed ali the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. Independent examlnerfs 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 fom 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 Martin FCCA 50 Rose Lane Biggleswade Beds SG18 ONB

Coventry Gospel Hall Trust – Registered Charity number 1157883 Statement of financial activities For the year ended 5 April 2025

Notes
Income and endowments from:
Donations and legacies:
Collections
Contributions from the
congregation
Gift Aid donations
Income tax refunds
Donated services
4
Payroll giving
Grants received from Bedford
Gospel Hall Trust
Investments
Bank interest
Other
Profit on sale of assets
Total
Expenditure on:
Charitable activities
Running meeting rooms
5
Other charitable activity
5
Grants paid
4
Cost of donated services
4
Total
Net income/(expenditure)
Gains/(losses) on revaluation of
fixed assets
Transfer to/(from)
Net movement in funds
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried forward
8		 Unrestricted
Funds
Restricted Funds
Total Funds 2025
Total Funds 2024
£
£
£
£
90,000
0
90,000
88,000
34,130
90,570
124,700
149,110
28,690
52,385
81,075
108,588
7,173
13,096
20,269
27,147
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
28,000
28,000
0
18,615
4,652
23,267
11,242
0
0
0
0
178,608
188,703
367,311
384,087
143,498
0
143,498
132,933
5,480
169
5,649
15,897
0
0
0
0
26,346
0
26,346
29,545
175,324
169
175,493
178,375
3,284
188,534
191,818
205,712
0
0
0
0
19,084
(19,084)
0
0
22,368
169,540
191,818
205,712
2,324,434
82,838
2,407,272
2,201,560
2,346,802
252,288
2,599,090
2,407,272

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.

Coventry Gospel Hall Trust – Registered Charity number 1157883 Balance Sheet As at 5 April 2025

2025 2024
Notes £ £
Fixed assets
Tangible fixed assets 6 1,658,456 1,694,715
Current assets
Debtors:
Prepayments and accrued income 20,980 12,144
Cash at bank 933,650 708,124
954,630 720,268
Current liabilities
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year:
Accruals 13,996 7,711
Net current assets 940,634 712,557
Total assets less current liabilities 2,599,090 2,407,272
Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one
year: Loans 0 0
Net assets 2,599,090 2,407,272
Funds
Unrestricted income fund 2,346,802 2,324,434
Restricted fund 252,288 82,838
Total funds 7 2,599,090 2,407,272

The unaudited financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Trustees of Coventry Gospel Hall Trust on 27[th] January 2026 and signed on their behalf by

R Nelson S J Taylor Trustee Trustee

The notes on pages 13 to 18 form part of these financial statements

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Coventry Gospel Hall Trust – Registered Charity number 1157883 Statement of cash flows For the year ending 5 April 2025

Cash flows from operating activities:
Net (expenditure)/income
Depreciation charges
Bank interest received
Loss on disposal of fixed assets
(Increase)/decrease in debtors
(Decrease)/increase in creditors
Net cash provided by operating activities
Cash flows from investing activities:
Bank interest received
Acquisition of current investments
Proceeds from sale of current investments
Purchase of fixed assets
Net cash used in/generated by investing activities
Change in cash during the year
Cash at beginning of the year
Cash at end of the year		 2025
£
191,818
65,886
(23,267)
0
(8,836)
6,285
231,886
23,267
0
0
(29,627)
(6,360)
225,526
708,124
933,650		 2024
£
205,712
69,457
(11,242)
0
(6,537)
6,109
263,499
11,242
0
0
(20,486)
(9,244)
254,255
453,869
708,124

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Coventry Gospel Hall Trust – Registered Charity number 1157883 Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 5 April 2025

1. Accounting policies

1.1

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).

1.2

Income

Donations are recognised in the year in which there is entitlement and probability of receipt and the amount can be measured with reasonable certainty. 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 it relates.

Donated services and goods are recognised as income and expenditure in the financial statements when organisations or individuals offer their services and support free of charge. The value of these donated services 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 receivable basis.

1.3

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.

1.4 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.

1.5 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 4% straight line Equipment 20% straight line Fixtures and Fittings 10% straight line

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Coventry Gospel Hall Trust – Registered Charity number 1157883 Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 5 April 2025

Tangible fixed assets donated to the Charity are stated at the Trustees’ estimate of fair value less depreciation.

1.6 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.

1.7 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

1.8 Preparation of consolidated financial statements

The Charity does not have a trading subsidiary and there is no requirement to prepare consolidated accounts.

1.9 Going concern

The Trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern. 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.

2. Trustees’ remuneration and expenses

No Trustees received any remuneration or other benefits from the charity and no Trustees were reimbursed for expenses (2024: None).

3. Wages and salaries

There were seven (2024: five) persons employed part time as cleaners at a total cost of £2,501 (2024: £2,216). There were no national insurance or pension contributions.

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Coventry Gospel Hall Trust – Registered Charity number 1157883 Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 5 April 2025

4. Services received from/donated to other charities

Services donated/Grants made
Wyken Gospel Hall Trust		 Grants
Services
2025
£
£
£
0
26,346
26,346
0
26,346
26,346		 2024
£
29,545
29,545

5. Running gospel halls and other charitable activities

Repairs &
maintenance
Utilities
Conference hosting
Outreach projects
Depreciation
Congregation support
Support Costs
Insurance
Professional
Governance		 Running
Gospel
Halls
£
31,600
32,806
0
0
65,886
0
5,111
1,613
6,482
143,498		 Other
charitable
activities
£
0
0
1,800
3,680
0
0
169
0
0
5,649		 2025
£
31,600
32,806
1,800
3,680
65,886
0
5,280
1,613
6,482
149,147		 2024
£
28,485
24,495
1,324
2,951
69,457
11,468
4,132
1,750
4,768
148,830

Governance costs include £300 (2024: £250) in respect of independent examiner’s fees. No other amounts were payable to the independent examiner (2024: £nil).

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Coventry Gospel Hall Trust – Registered Charity number 1157883 Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 5 April 2025

6. Tangible fixed assets

Cost
Brought forward at
6 April 2024
Additions
Disposals
At 5 April 2025
Depreciation
Brought forward at
6 April 2024
Charge for the year
Disposals
At 5 April 2025
Net book value
At 5 April 2025
At 5 April 2024		 Freehold
property and
improvements Equipment
£
£
2,098,329
24,167
29,627
0
0
0
2,127,956
24,167
440,427
19,802
56,652
1,198
0
0
497,079
21,000
1,630,877
3,167
1,657,902
4,365		 Fixtures &
fittings
£
140,538
0
0
140,538
108,090
8,036
0
116,126
24,412
32,448		 Total
£
2,263,034
29,627
0
2,292,661
568,319
65,886
0
634,205
1,658,456
1,694,715

Freehold Property at 5 April 2025 includes £667,666 (2022: £667,666) in respect of land

not currently being depreciated, which includes Title Numbers WK342117, MM109400 and WM405822.

7. Analysis of net assets between funds

7.1 Current year

Tangible fixed assets
Current assets
Current liabilities
Total funds		 Unrestricted
Restricted
funds
funds
£
£
1,658,456
0
702,342
252,288
(13,996)
0
2,346,802
252,288		 Total
funds
£
1,658,456
954,630
(13,996)
2,599,090

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Coventry Gospel Hall Trust – Registered Charity number 1157883 Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 5 April 2025

7.2 Prior year

Tangible fixed assets
Current assets
Current liabilities
Total funds		 Unrestricted
Restricted
funds
funds
£
£
1,694,715
0
637,430
82,838
(7,711)
0
2,324,434
82,838		 Total
funds
£
1,694,715
720,268
(7,711)
2,407,272

8. Movement in funds 8.1 Current year

Restricted
funds:
New Halls Fund
Unrestricted
funds:
General Fund
Total funds
8.2
Prior year
Restricted
funds:
New Halls Fund
Unrestricted
funds:
General Fund
Total funds		 Balance at
6 April
2024
Incoming
resources
Resources
expended
Transfer
Balance at
5 April
2025
£
£
£
£
£
82,838
188,703
(169)
(19,084)
252,288
2,324,434
178,608
(175,324)
19,084
2,346,802
2,407,272
367,311
(175,493)
0
2,599,090
Balance at
6 April
2023
Incoming
resources
Resources
expended
Transfer
Balance at
5 April
2024
£
£
£
£
£
97,623
818
(154)
(15,449)
82,838
2,103,937
383,269
(178,221)
15,449
2,324,434
2,201,560
384,087
(178,375)
0
2,407,272

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Coventry Gospel Hall Trust – Registered Charity number 1157883 Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 5 April 2025

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.

9. 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 services and goods totalling £8,027 (2024: £7,509). As at 5 April 2025 £nil was outstanding and included in creditors (2024: £nil).

Coventry Gospel Hall Trust purchased services totalling £nil (2024: £220) from Property Services Unlimited; the father of Rupert Nelson (a trustee of the charity) is proprietor of that business. As at 5 April 2025 £nil was outstanding and included in creditors (2024: £nil).

Coventry Gospel Hall Trust purchased services totalling £nil (2024: £nil) from Davidson Products & Services: the brother-in-law of Iain Mitchell (a trustee of the charity) is proprietor of that business. As at 5 April 2025 £nil was outstanding and included in creditors (2024: £nil).

Coventry Gospel Hall Trust purchased services totalling £112 (2024: £150) from Lynette Thewlis who is a daughter of Iain Mitchell (a trustee of the charity). As at 5 April 2025 £nil was outstanding and included in creditors (2024: £nil).

Coventry Gospel Hall Trust purchased services totalling £285 (2024: £nil) from Jacqui Jenkin who is wife of Ian Jenkin (a trustee of the charity). As at 5 April 2025 £90 was outstanding and included in creditors (2024: £nil).

Coventry Gospel Hall Trust paid grants and donated services totalling £26,346 (2024: £29,545) to Wyken Gospel Hall Trust; that charity had among its trustees the brother of Ian Jenkin (a trustee of Coventry Gospel Hall Trust).

Donations received without conditions by Coventry Gospel Hall Trust from trustees and all their related parties during the year totalled £115,160 (2024: £168,133).

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 (2024: nil).

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Coventry Gospel Hall Trust

Public Benefit Report Guide

1

Coventry Gospel Hall Trust

Coventry Gospel Hall Trust Public Benefit

The purpose of this publication, is to show how the Coventry Gospel Hall Trust community engage in many acts of public benefit and interact with the wider community in 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.

The Baginton Oak, Baginton, Warwickshire

©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 86 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 334 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.

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Coventry Gospel Hall Trust

Our Network

To read more on the PBCC way of life, visit the https://www.plymouthbrethrenchristianchurch.org website.

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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.

Currently the main chosen location is at Broadgate in Coventry City Centre. Street preachings have been held here since the 1960s.

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/

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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 in a multitude of ways.

See below a few statistics from our outreach program in the last 12 months:

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83

Charities supported

Deliveries of food and other essentials to local charities

RRT events supported 4

255

Street Preachings

“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. Without donations such as yours, we wouldn’t be able to help rebuild as many lives as we do. Thank you again for your support, it makes a real difference.” - Sandra Walker, Coventry Cyrenians.

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Coventry Gospel Hall

Trust

Coventry Gospel Hall Trust Public benefit

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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

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Coventry Gospel Hall

Trust

Supporting Berkswell Community Litter Pick

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.

Coventry Gospel Hall Trust

TESTIMONIAL

I can’t thank you and your team enough for the food boxes today. They are amazing and it was great that we were able to get one for each child. I know that the families with multiple attendees will be most grateful, it also means we can stretch our budget a little further supporting more families.

Head of Community Involvement, Coventry Rugby

Thank you .... community support angels for a delicious burger - timed it well with the weather!

Event Volunteer, Berkswell

Snack packs donated to Zoe’s Place

Coventry Gospel Hall Trust

Public Benefit from PBCC members Case Study

On Saturday 30th November 2024 a total of 20 members of the congregation helped on the woodland area at Bagot’s Castle - a 14th century castle ruin in the village of Baginton, ranging in age from 14 to 47. We cleared about 1.5 acres of brambles and overgrowth, removed overhanging tree limbs and generally tidied up the site, working with 5 members of the Baginton wider community.

Just want to say a huge thank you for organising the tidy up at Bagot's Castle on Saturday for this year, we are all so pleased what you all managed to achieve and the place looks so much different now and tidy. Thank you so much to you all for all your hard work.

Your help and support to us each year is so very much appreciated.

Hope you have a relaxing time over the festive period and many thanks for your help and support. If you could pass on our thanks to your team.

Many thanks

Best Wishes

Delia Whittle (Custodian of Bagot’s Castle)

Coventry Gospel Hall Trust

Registered Address:

Brethren Gospel Hall, Bosworth Close, Baginton,

Contact Details:

E: enquiries@covght.co.uk P: 07848 453361

©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