**Charity Registration No: 1159422**
## **Long Reach Gospel Hall Trust**
**Report of the trustees and unaudited financial statements Year ended 5 April 2024**
T B Tax Services Bridge House Pattenden Lane Marden Kent TN12 9QJ
## **Long Reach Gospel Hall Trust**
## **Contents**
||Pages|
|---|---|
|Reference and administrative details|3|
|Report of the trustees|4-7|
|Independent examiner’s report|8|
|Statement of financial activities|9|
|Balance sheet|10|
|Notes to the financial statements|11-17|
2
## **Long Reach Gospel Hall Trust**
## **Reference and Administrative Details For the year ended 5 April 2024**
|**Charity name**|Long Reach Gospel Hall Trust|
|---|---|
|**Registered charity number**|1159422|
|**Trustees**|Simon Campbell|
||Jason Anderson|
||James Bruce (Chair)|
||Peter Ware|
||Ryan Pollard|
|**Treasurer**|Jason Anderson|
|**Principal address**|Moonshadow Cottage|
||Vigo Lane|
||Bredgar|
||Sittingbourne|
||Kent|
||ME9 8BE|
|**Independent examiner**|Simon Bell|
||T B Tax Services|
||Bridge House|
||Pattenden Lane|
||Marden|
||Kent|
||TN12 9QJ|
|**Accountant**|T B Tax Services|
||Accountants|
||Bridge House|
||Pattenden Lane|
||Marden|
||Kent|
||TN12 9QJ|
3
## **Long Reach Gospel Hall Trust**
## **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 page 11-12 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.
The Charity is an unincorporated trust constituted by a Deed of Trust dated 6 March 1994, most recently amended by Deed of Variation dated 10 September 2014. The Trust was registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 1 December 2014 under Charity Registration Number: 1159422.
## **Recruitment and appointment of new trustees**
The names of the Trustees who 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 a Gospel Hall and Trustees are chosen from among the regular congregation of the hall. 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 similar charities with a view to pooling experience considered useful in pursuing the objects of the Charity. The Charity also maintains particular links with Broomhill Trust, with which it shares members of its congregation, and during the year the Charity paid expenses on behalf of the Trust, as shown in the donated services note.
## **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.
4
## **Long Reach Gospel Hall Trust**
**Report of the trustees (continued) For the year ended 5 April 2024**
## **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 benefit.
During the last year 300 Bibles were distributed free of charge to Prisons in the neighbourhood, namely Swaleside, Elmley and Standford Hill on Sheppey, and the YOI at Rochester. During the year the Trust donated blankets and beanie hats to the One Big Family homeless charity.
## **Main activities and achievements**
The Trust provides and maintains a Gospel Hall 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.
The Trust has continued to engage with the congregation and visitors and encouraging good works by them which benefit the wider community, as described in the annexed report.
## **Plans for future periods**
Despite the increased cost of energy, the trustees feel that these increased costs are not significantly impacting on the ability of the charity to continue as a going concern.
## **Meetings**
Meetings held at the Gospel hall 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 425 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.
Bibles and an extensive range of other Christian reading material are on display at the hall and visitors are free to help themselves.
5
## **Long Reach Gospel Hall Trust**
## **Report of the trustees (continued) For the year ended 5 April 2024**
## **Objectives and activities**
## **(continued)**
## **Spreading the Gospel message and the life of a Christian**
The Gospel Hall is 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.
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 former Brethren), in accordance with the teachings of Holy Scripture (1 Tim 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 Tim 4:2).
- We seek as members of the public to lead Christian lives as husbands and wives, parents, children, employers, employees and neighbours. (Col 3:22-25, Col 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. (Matt 7:12, Matt 22:39, Eph 4:28).
## **Funding**
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.
## **Financial review**
## **Financial position**
In the year ended 5 April 2024 the Trust had a deficit of incoming resources over resources expended. This was due to some renovation works and legal fees in relation to the potential purchase of land.
Total voluntary income received this year was £76,209 compared to £64,109 in the previous year.
All funds held were unrestricted funds.
6
## **Long Reach Gospel Hall Trust**
## **Report of the trustees (continued) For the year ended 5 April 2024**
## **Reserves policy**
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. The Trust has no employees and its regular outgoings are minimal. The Trustees aim to ensure that the charity has sufficient reserves to continue to fulfil its charitable objectives.
The congregation is kept regularly informed as to particular needs for funds, and other relevant matters and the Trustees aim to ensure that the Charity will be able to continue to fulfil its charitable objectives even if there is a temporary shortfall in income or unexpected expenditure, by raising a funds appeal to the congregation.
The Trust is looking to build a new hall at some point in the future so it is accumulating reserves in order to be able to do this.
Free reserves at the year-end were £459,376 (2023: £535,660).
## **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 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
- 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 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:
Jason Anderson Trustee
Date: ...........................................
7
## **Long Reach Gospel Hall Trust**
## **Independent examiner’s report to the trustees For the year ended 5 April 2024**
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Long Reach Gospel Hall Trust for the year ending 5 April 2024.
## **RESPECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES OF TRUSTEES AND EXAMINER**
The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).
## **BASIS OF THE INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS 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 material 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 Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; Or
2. The accounts do not accord with those records; or
3. The accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form 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.
Simon Bell
T B Tax Services Bridge House Pattenden Lane Marden Kent TN12 9QJ
8
## **Long Reach Gospel Hall Trust**
## **Statement of financial activities For the year ended 5 April 2024**
|
**Notes**
**Income and endowments from:**
**_Donations and legacies:_**
Collections
Contributions from the
congregation
Gift Aid donations
Income tax refunds
Donations from other Trusts
Payroll giving
Legacies
**_Investments_**
Interest
**_Other_**
**Total**
**Expenditure on:**
**_Charitable activities_**
Running meeting rooms
Other charitable activities
Cost of donated services
**4**
**Total**
**5**
**Net income/(expenditure)**
Gains/(losses) on sale of fixed
assets
**Net movement in funds**
**Reconciliation of funds**
Total funds brought forward
**Total funds carried forward**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Designated**
**funds**
**Total**
**funds**
**2024**
**Total**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
45,000
0
45,000
38,250
12,520
0
12,520
7,710
14,100
0
14,100
13,810
3,525
0
3,525
3,453
0
0
0
0
1,064
0
1,064
886
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0|
|---|---|
||76,209
0
76,209
64,109|
||123,472
0
123,472
183,133
5,892
0
5,892
5,054
23,129
0
23,129
27,735|
||152,493
0
152,493
215,922|
||(76,284)
0
(76,284)
(151,813)
0
0
0
0
(76,284)
0
(76,284)
(151,813)
1,065,088
0
1,065,088
1,216,901|
||988,804
0
988,804
1,065,088|
The notes on pages 11 to 17 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.
9
## **Long Reach Gospel Hall Trust**
## **Balance sheet As at 5 April 2024**
|**Notes**
**Fixed assets**
Intangible assets
Tangible fixed assets
**6**
**Current assets**
Debtors:
Loans
**7**
Prepayments and accrued income
Cash at bank and in hand
**Current liabilities**
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year:
Other creditors
Accruals and deferred income
Loans
Net current assets
**Total assets less current liabilities**
Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year:
Loans
**Net assets**
**Funds**
Unrestricted income fund
Restricted funds
**Total charity funds**
**9**|0
529,428|**2024**
**£**
529,428
459,376|0
529,428|**2023**
**£**
529,428
535,660|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||0
1,061
459,755||
0
947
536,153||
||460,816
(1,440)
0
0
0||537,100
(1,440)
0
0
0||
||||
||
|||988,804
0||1,065,088
0|
|||988,804||1,065,088|
|||988,804
0||1,065,088
0|
|||988,804||1,065,088|
The unaudited financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Trustees of Long Reach Gospel Hall Trust on and signed on their behalf by
Jason Anderson Trustee
The notes on pages 11 to 17 form part of these financial statements
10
**Long Reach Gospel Hall Trust**
**Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 5 April 2024**
## **1. Accounting policies**
## 1.1 Basis of financial statements
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) issued on 16 July 2014, and incorporating update bulletins 1 and 2, and the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice.
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 are recognised as income and expenditure in the financial statements when organisations or individuals offer their services and support pro bono. The value of these donated services to Long Reach Gospel Hall Trust is considered to be equal to market value which would be paid were the service formally procured. This includes services paid for by other trusts.
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 have been allocated between governance costs and other support costs. Governance costs comprise all costs involving the public accountability of the charity and costs related to statutory requirements. Governance and support costs are allocated to charitable activities on the basis of capacity used.
## 1.5 Tangible fixed assets and depreciation
Tangible fixed assets (costing more than £1000) 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:
Fixtures and Fittings 25% reducing balance
11
**Long Reach Gospel Hall Trust**
**Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 5 April 2024**
## 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
The general unrestricted fund is free for the Trustees to use for any purposes in furtherance of the trust’s charitable objects.
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.
## 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.
## 1.10 Significant estimates and judgements
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 an employment with the charity and no Trustees were reimbursed for expenses (2023: None).
## **3. Wages and salaries**
There are no employees (2023: none).
## **4. Donated services**
|The Broomhill Trust|**2024**
**£**
23,129
23,129|**2023**
**£**
27,735|
|---|---|---|
|||27,735|
12
**Long Reach Gospel Hall Trust**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 5 April 2024**
## **5. Resources expended**
|**_Current Year_**
**Direct costs:**
Insurance
Repairs & Maintenance
IT costs
Utilities
Donations to individuals
Activity costs
Publications
Legal fees
Depreciation
**Governance costs**
**_Prior Year_**
**Direct costs:**
Insurance
Repairs & Maintenance
IT costs
Utilities
Donations
Activity costs
Publications
Legal fees
Depreciation
**Governance costs**
|**Meeting rooms**
**£**
4,096
13,154
0
7,690
0
0
0
98,532
0
0
123,472
**Meeting rooms**
**£**
2,778
29,510
0
2,864
0
0
0
147,592
389
0
183,133|**Other**
**charitable**
**activities**
**£**
0
0
0
0
0
4,332
0
0
0
1,560
5,892
**Other**
**charitable**
**activities**
**£**
0
0
0
0
0
4,094
0
0
0
960
5,054|**2024**
**£**
4,096
13,154
0
7,690
0
4,332
0
98,532
0
1,560|
|---|---|---|---|
||||129,364|
||||**2023**
**£**
2,778
29,510
0
2,864
0
4,094
0
147,592
389
960|
||||188,187|
Governance costs include £1,200 (2023: £960) in respect of independent examiner’s fees.
13
## **Long Reach Gospel Hall Trust**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 5 April 2024**
## **6. Fixed assets**
|**Cost**
B/f at 06/04/2023
Additions
Disposals
**At 5 April 2024**
**Depreciation**
B/f at 06/04/2023
Charge for the year
Impairment
Disposals
**At 5 April 2024**
**Net book value**
**At 5 April 2024**
**At 5 April 2023**
**Land registry Title No:**|**Freehold**
**land**
220,000
0
0
220,000
0
0
0
0
0
220,000
220,000
**K745059**|**Costs &**
**improvements**
61,876
0
0
61,876
0
0
0
0
0
61,876
61,876|**Meeting**
**Hall**
247,552
0
0
247,552
0
0
0
0
0
247,552
247,552|**Eqpt**
6,382
0
0
6,382
6,382
0
0
0
6,382
0
0|**Total**
535,810
0
0|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||535,810|
||||||6,382
0
0
0|
||||||6,382|
||||||529,428|
||||||529,428|
|||||||
14
**Long Reach Gospel Hall Trust**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 5 April 2024**
|**7.**
**Analysis of net assets between funds**
7.1
Current year
Fixed assets
Current assets
Current liabilities
Long term liabilities
**Total funds**
7.2
Prior year
Fixed assets
Current assets
Current liabilities
Long term liabilities
**Total funds**
**8.**
**Movement in funds**
_8.1_
_Current year_
**Balance at**
**6 April**
**2023**
**£**
**Designated funds - ENF**
0
**Unrestricted funds**
1,065,088
**Total funds**
**1,065,088**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Designated**
**funds**
**Total**
**£**
**£**
**£**
529,428
0
529,428
460,816
0
460,816
(1,440)
0
(1,440)
0
0
0
988,804
0
988,804
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Designated**
**funds**
**Total**
**£**
**£**
**£**
529,428
0
529,428
537,100
0
537,100
(1,440)
0
(1,440)
0
0
0
1,065,088
0
1,065,088
**Incoming**
**resources**
**Resources**
**expended**
**Realised/**
**unrealised**
**gains and**
**losses**
**Balance**
**at 5 April**
**2024**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
0
0
0
0
76,209
(152,493)
0
988,804
**76,209**
**(152,493)**
**0**
**988,804**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Designated**
**funds**
**Total**
**£**
**£**
**£**
529,428
0
529,428
460,816
0
460,816
(1,440)
0
(1,440)
0
0
0
988,804
0
988,804
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Designated**
**funds**
**Total**
**£**
**£**
**£**
529,428
0
529,428
537,100
0
537,100
(1,440)
0
(1,440)
0
0
0
1,065,088
0
1,065,088
**Incoming**
**resources**
**Resources**
**expended**
**Realised/**
**unrealised**
**gains and**
**losses**
**Balance**
**at 5 April**
**2024**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
0
0
0
0
76,209
(152,493)
0
988,804
**76,209**
**(152,493)**
**0**
**988,804**|
|---|---|---|
|||**988,804**|
15
**Long Reach Gospel Hall Trust**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 5 April 2024**
## _8.2 Prior year_
|_.2_
_Prior year_||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**Designated funds - ENF**
**Unrestricted funds**
**Total funds**|**Balance at**
**6 April**
**2022**
**£**
0
1,216,901
**1,216,901**|**Incoming**
**resources**
**£**
0
64,109
**64,109**|**Resources**
**expended**
**£**
0
(215,922)
**(215,922)**|**Realised/**
**unrealised**
**gains and**
**losses**
**£**
0
0
**0**|**Balance**
**at 5 April**
**2023**
**£**
0
1,065,088|
||||||**1,065,088**|
## **9. Transactions with related parties**
During the year there were donations totalling £12,690 (2023: £12,940) from Trustees, related parties, and businesses controlled by the Trustees.
There were no purchases from entities related to the Trustees.
## **10. Volunteers**
Long Reach Gospel Hall Trust relies entirely on volunteers to carry out the management, administration and general maintenance work. The Trust has no paid staff or paid Trustees.
16
**Long Reach Gospel Hall Trust**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 5 April 2024**
## **11. Comparative Statement of Financial Activities**
|**Notes**
**Income and endowments from:**
**_Donations and legacies:_**
Collections
Contributions from the congregation
Gift Aid donations
Income tax refunds
Donations from other Trusts
Payroll giving
Legacies
**_Investments_**
Interest
**_Other_**
**Total**
**Expenditure on:**
**_Charitable activities_**
Running meeting rooms
Other charitable activities
Cost of donated services
**4**
**Total**
**5**
**Net income/(expenditure)**
Gains/(losses) on sale of fixed assets
**Net movement in funds**
**Reconciliation of funds**
Total funds brought forward
**Total funds carried forward**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Designated**
**funds**
**Total funds**
**2023**
**£**
**£**
**£**
38,250
0
38,250
7,710
0
7,710
13,810
0
13,810
3,453
0
3,453
0
0
0
886
0
886
0
0
0
0
0
0|
|---|---|
||64,109
0
64,109|
||183,133
0
183,133
5,054
0
5,054
27,735
0
27,735|
||215,922
0
215,922|
||(151,813)
0
(151,813)
0
0
0
(151,813)
0
(151,813)
1,216,901
0
1,216,901|
||1,065,088
0
1,065,088|
17
## LONG REACH GOSPEL HALL TRUST
Public Benefit Report
## **Long Reach Gospel Hall Trust Public Benefit**
The purpose of this factual presentation, is to show how the Long Reach 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.
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## **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.
Scan the QR Code for the PBCC Website ~~eld -—~~ b ~~ee~~ ns
There have been Brethren Gospel, or meeting halls in the Medway areas for over 70 years.
The Long Reach Gospel Hall Trust was formed in 1994 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 Long Reach congregation is one of the smaller congregations in the UK, with 133 members living in the Medway and Swale districts; however with residents from the Maidstone and Canterbury area attending services up to three times a week, together with other visitors, numbers attending services regularly approach 500 persons, from young babies to nonagenarians.
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## **Our network**
To read more on the PBCC way of life, visit the plymouthbrethrenchristianchurch.org website.
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## **Street Preaching and Tract Distribution**
The 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 Long Reach Gospel 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 locations are as follows:
- High Street, Sittingbourne, Kent.
- Rainham Shopping Centre, Rainham, Kent
Street preachings held here in 2024 are as follows:
Rainham
- 15 preachings
- Approx 650 gospel tracts handed out
Sittingbourne
- 30 preachings
- Approx 1200 gospel tracts handed out
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.**
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## **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 website below:
christiandoctrineandgospelpublishing.org
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## **Outreach**
In our outreach program, we have engaged with centres for the homeless & vulnerable and directly to prisons.
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 Long Reach Gospel Trust, we actively seek opportunities to support our local community from cleaning road signs to donating to local charities.
## **Long Reach Gospel Trust Public Benefit Activity 2024**
- _Blankets and beanie hats distributed to local hostel_
- _Assisting with litter picks for the local parish council_
- _Providing refreshment for local council volunteers during litter picks_
- _Maintaining contact with local chaplain at HM Prisons – supply of Bibles_
- _Distribution of 200 bibles to HM Prisons_
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## **Rapid Relief Team**
## **Here’s a brief overview of RRT events in 2024 so far:**
## **Case study 1 - Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex**
Food provided at their annual staff celebration event. More information on LinkedIn here.
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## **Case study 2 - Litter pick with Newington Parish Counci** l
## RRT volunteers involved in the litter pick and breakfast provided for all volunteers.
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## **Case Study 3 - Kent Police Domestic Abuse team**
## Donation of 49 food boxes. See below feedback from Kent Police of the real-world impact
_Hi Silas,_
_I just wanted to thank you and the team for the food boxes over the Xmas period._
_Some great examples how they have been used on North Division:_
_1. Community officers spoke to a male at Lordswood Library. He had been living in his car for 12 months. Due to not having a fixed address, he was unable to find work. He was attending the library daily for the free hot drinks and somewhere warm to sit. Officers called the local housing office, and assisted him with temporary accommodation and support. Whilst at the housing office, officers also provided 2 additional food boxes to other homeless families._
_2. Patrols attended a call in relation to a neighbour dispute, and spoke to an elderly gentleman who was living off his state pension. There was no food in his house, and the house was cold. He was given a food parcel, an officers also completed an adult protection referral so the he could get further assistance from social services._
_3. A resident in a block of flats was knocking on doors asking for food. Police were called due to welfare considerations, and it was causing distress to other residents. He explained that he had attended several food banks, however was only permitted to take a few tins of food. The male was able to feed himself on Christmas day and beyond. He was provided with a food box and an adult protection referral was also completed._
_4. A male attended Medway Front counter asking for assistance. He was taken home by officers, but clearly had no food to feed himself, and didn’t have the funds to get food himself. Officers reattended the address later that day, and provided him with a food parcel._
_5. A female had no food to feed herself, and she wasn’t due to get paid until the first week in January. She attended various food banks, however was refused food as they required a referral from an agency or professional. Officers called to be the professional refer, however their call was not returned. She was given a food parcel, and was extremely thankful to the officers._
_6. Police attended an incident for a suicide risk. Police located the male who was suffering from depression, and he hadn’t eaten in several days. He had previously been going to Greenwich food bank, however this had been closed during Christmas._
_Regards_
_Paul Newton_
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## **Registered Address:**
Oak Hill Iwade Road Newington SITTINGBOURNE Kent ME9 7HY
## Contact Details:
## enquiries@longreachtrust.com
## M: 07848 454918
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