## **LINK UP WEST CHESHIRE** ## **TRUSTEES REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH 2025** ## **LINK UP WEST CHESHIRE** ## **CHARITY INFORMATION** ## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH 2025** |Registered Charity Number|1158678| |---|---| |Governing Instrument|CIO dated 25th September 2014| |Trustees|Geoff Thompson (Chair)| ||Rev Andrew Glover| ||Sue Glover| ||Richard Price| ||Wendy Price| ||John Simmons (Appointed 10th Dec 2024)| |Principal Address|Hoole Lighthouse Centre| ||68 Westminster Road| ||Hoole Lighthouse Centre| ||Chester| ||CH2 3AU| |Bankers|Barclays Bank Plc| ||Chester Branch| ||Werburgh Street| ||Chester Branch| |Independent Examiner|Gerald Sidery ACA| ||Chartered Accountant| ||7 Blacon Point Road| ||Chester| ||CH1 5LD| Page 1 ## **LINK UP WEST CHESHIRE** ## **TRUSTEES REPORT** ## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH 2025** ## **Objectives and Activities** Link Up is a relational network of Churches and Church leaders in and around Chester, West Cheshire and into the wider region. Drawn from across denominations and traditions, Link Up seeks to support and extend partnership working for personal and community transformation. It achieves this by holding meetings and events that bring together the various churches in Chester and the surrounding area. It also serves as a communications hub to those churches. ## **Public benefit statement** The trustees confirm that they have had due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit when planning the charity’s activities. ## **Financial review** Link Up receives, principally on a monthy basis, donations from other churches. The charity’s total income for the year was £7,523 (2024: £7,183). Expenditure amounted to £7,620, leaving a deficit balance of £97 for the year. The charity’s reserves at 31 March 2025 were £970. The trustees are satisfied that the charity remains financially stable. ## **Structure, governance & management** The charity is governed by a constitution adopted in 2010. Trustees are appointed by the existing trustee body at the annual meeting. The charity has no paid employees and is run entirely by volunteers. However it contributes an amount to Hoole Baptist Church for a salaried administrator. ## **Plans for the future** Linkup plans to continue to hold meetings and events to foster colaboration and unity amongst the churches in Chester and the surrounding area. Approved by the Board of Trustees on 10th December 2025 and signed on its behalf by: Geoff Thompson Chair Page 2 ## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO TRUSTEES OF LINK UP WEST CHESHIRE** I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31st March 2025, which are set out on pages 4 to 6. ## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner** The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to: - examine the accounts under section 145 of the Act, - to follow the procedures laid down in the general directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act, and - to state whether particular matters have come to my attention. ## **Basis of independent examiner’s statement** 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 the 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’. ## **Independent examiner’s statement** In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention: which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements: to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Act; and to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Act have not been met; or to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. ## **Gerald Sidery ACA** Chartered Accountant (ICAEW) 7 Blacon Point Road, Chester, CH1 5LD 11th December 2025 Page 3 ## **LINK UP WEST CHESHIRE** ## **STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTING POLICIES YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH 2025** ## **Basis of preparation** The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended practice (SORP) “Accounting and Reporting by Charities” published in October 2000 and applicable accounting standards. ## **Fund accounting** General Funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity and which have not been designated for other purposes. Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the trustees for particular purposes. The aim and use of each designated fund is set out in the Report of the Trustees. Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with the specific restrictions imposed by the donors, or which have been raised by the charity for particular purposes. The cost of raising and administrating such funds are charged against the specific fund. The aim and use of each restricted fund is set out in the Trustees Report. ## **Incoming resources** All incoming resources are included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) when the charity receives them. Gifts in kind donated for distribution are included at valuation and recognized as income when they are distributed to projects. Donated facilities are included at the value to the charity where this can be quantified and a third party is bearing the cost. No amounts are included in the financial statements for services donated by volunteers. ## **Resources expended** All expenditure is accounted for on a receipts and payments basis. Page 4 ## **LINK UP WEST CHESHIRE** ## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION AS AT 31st MARCH 2025** |**Current Assets**
Bank Balance at Barclays Bank
**Current Liabilities**
Creditors & Accruals
**Total Net Assets**
Represented by:
**General Unrestricted Funds**
**Restricted Funds**|**2025**
**£**
1,270
(300)
**970**
(563)
1,533
**970**|**2024**
**£**
1,067
-| |---|---|---| |||**1,067**| |||(348)
1,415| |||**1,067**| Approved by the board of Trustees and signed on their behalf by: Signed Geoff Thompson: Chair of Trustees Dated: 10th December 2025 Page 5 ## **LINK UP WEST CHESHIRE** ## **STATEMENT OF INCOME & EXPENDITURE** ## **YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH 2025** |**Income**
Regular donations
Youth Ministry
New Wine (Chester)
**Total Income**
**Expenditure**
Contribution to Salaries
Website Costs
Insurance
General Expenses
Youth Ministry
New Wine (Chester)
Independent Examination
**Total Expenditure**
**Surplus / (Deficit) for the year**
Opening Balances
Closing Balances
Opening Balances
Total Income
Total Expenditure
Closing Balances|**General**
**Restricted**
**£**
**£**
6,809
714
**6,809**
**714**
6,090
199
295
140
451
145
300
**7,024**
**596**
**(215)**
**118**
**(348)**
**1,415**
**(563)**
**1,533**
**Totals**
**£**
**1,067**
7,523
(7,620)
**970**
**2025**|**General**
**Restricted**
**£**
**£**
6,657
180
346
**6,657**
**526**
6,883
325
294
40
200
300
**7,542**
**500**
**(885)**
**26**
**537**
**1,389**
**(348)**
**1,415**
**Totals**
**£**
**1,926**
7,183
(8,042)
**1,067**
**2024**|**General**
**Restricted**
**£**
**£**
6,657
180
346
**6,657**
**526**
6,883
325
294
40
200
300
**7,542**
**500**
**(885)**
**26**
**537**
**1,389**
**(348)**
**1,415**
**Totals**
**£**
**1,926**
7,183
(8,042)
**1,067**
**2024**| |---|---|---|---| ||||**526**| ||||200
300| ||||**500**| ||||| ||||**26**| ||||| ||||**1,389**| ||||| ||||**1,415**| ||||**Totals**
**£**
**1,926**
7,183
(8,042)| ||||**1,067**| Page 6