## **UNITED CHURCH FERNDOWN TRUSTEES’ REPORT 2021** ## **Aim and Purposes** The purpose of United Church Ferndown is to advance the Christian faith in accordance with the principles and practices of the Baptist and United Reformed Church. The Minister(s) and Deacons (Trustees) aim to promote the purpose of the Church and be responsible for the maintenance of the Church premises. ## **Objectives and Activities** The Church premises are open for public worship every Sunday morning. Our services put the Christian faith into action through worship, prayer, bible readings with exposition and communion. When planning our activities the Minister(s) and Deacons (Trustees) have considered the Commission’s guidance on Public benefit and in particular, the guidance on charities for the advancement of religion. We engage in a range of activities including: Public worship, teaching of the Christian faith, pastoral work, provision of facilities with a Christian ethos for local community, supporting other charities in the UK and overseas. ## **Achievements and Performance** _The Celebration of Public Worship & the teaching of the Christian Faith_ 2021 has been a year of significant change and transition for the Church. Our minister retired and we have adapted to new circumstances due to the Covid pandemic. The deacons / trustees have lead the Church as Bob Almond retired from full time ministry. As a leadership team every effort was made to ensure that Bob and his wife Angela ‘left well’ despite the lockdown restrictions at that time preventing us from being able to say ‘goodbye’ in person. After the official retirement, the Deacons oversaw the process of the Manse being redecorated and then rented out in order to bring income into the Church. Throughout the year the deacons have been careful to read, understand and respond to the changing advice and restrictions brought about by Covid. The deacons have monitored and applied the government lockdown and social distancing guidance to keep the congregation safe during this period. Depending on the nature of the restrictions and in order for Sunday services to take place in 2021 the deacons have shared the responsibility of coordinating the services, liaising with the external speakers, the worship music team and technical team to ensure that the Church family and visitors have continued to have opportunities to pray together, to worship God and to receive bible teaching, whether in person or on-line. Also, the process began to support the Church through the pastoral vacancy and to start working towards appointing a new minister. The deacons worked with the local Baptist Association regional minister to find a suitable Moderator and appointed the Rev. Jim Thomas to fulfil this role. We have been very grateful for his wisdom, guidance, and support. Following the ‘Vision’ evenings held by Jim, the deacons worked with him to pull together the thoughts and feelings brought out by these sessions and, with prayer at the core, to understand the direction in which we felt that God was leading the Church. From this we worked to create a Church profile which was released for prospective ministers to view just before Christmas. We plan to appoint a new minister in the coming year to continue our journey as a community of faith in Ferndown. ## _Mission and Evangelism_ Due to covid restrictions at the start of 2021 and the uncertainty of when it would be safe to restart, our community lunch club did not recommence until October. A rota of volunteers was drawn up, risk assessments done, and former members contacted. The first event was on 7th October and then we met fortnightly. Unfortunately, the omicron variant of coronavirus appeared which meant restrictions were again in place and for the safety of those attending our last lunch of 2021 was cancelled. The Church hosts a weekly table tennis group. This was affected by lockdown and only started on 20th May 2021. This involved players in two ‘bubbles’ of 6 playing singles matches until late July when the lockdown restrictions were lifted and members could play more freely. The Church runs a group for Parent/Carers with their pre-school children called “Tiddlers”. Due to lockdown, this stopped in the building but continued with parents at the local park when meeting up was allowed. 2021 ended with a crib service in Church and a specially adapted Christmas party, which saw 13 adults with 22 children. Despite the circumstances, we regained some of our child minders and regulars but have also gained new people including a number of ‘lockdown babies’ and ‘first time’ mums. For the majority of 2021, our children and youth groups ‘Fidget’ (ages 5-8) and ‘Space’ (ages 9-13) continued digitally on Zoom. The groups began meeting in person in October when lockdown restrictions were lifted. In December, the family Christmas service was held as an informal ‘café style’ carol service in the afternoon with carols, games, activities and the Christmas story in video form. Followed by family friendly food and refreshments outside in the Church garden. ## _Pastoral Care_ For much of 2021 the guidance on visiting people in their own homes was restrictive. On occasions, it was not permitted and for much of the year people were advised to wear masks and undertake a Covid lateral flow test before entering other people’s homes. Several people faithfully continued with the Church telephone ‘buddy system’ as a way of maintaining social contact. Digital tools like the Church WhatsApp and Zoom groups and email were an important method for people to keep in touch. When not in lockdown a small group from the congregation undertook visits, focusing on those who didn’t have family support, were not able to go out and didn’t have access to the internet or social media. Our moderator Jim Thomas also made several visits to people’s homes, on occasions taking communion to those who have been unwell as well as housebound. The isolation caused by lockdowns made 2021 a challenge but good efforts were made to maintain contact through phone calls, visits (when allowed) and prayer. _The Church Premises_ The Church buildings are not only available for Church run events but are used by the community for meetings, children parties etc. Unfortunately, due to the Covid pandemic, the restrictions of 2021 meant that there were limited bookings of the Church premises for these purposes. The impact of Covid on some of our renting partners meant that only two permanent bookings resumed their classes at the end of May and one in September. In September, Church related activities such as lunch club (now changed to fortnightly) and the children and youth groups resumed. All hall hirers must adhere to the Church lettings policy, health and safety policy and young people and adults at risk safeguarding policy. The upkeep of the premises is an important consideration of the Trustees. ## _Support of Charities in the UK and Overseas_ Helping those in need is a demonstration of our faith. 2021 was a difficult year for our missionary friends, as well as for ourselves, as a result of changing rules and regulations due to Covid and its variants. However, support was continued, both financially and in prayer, using digital technology when applicable for our Charity partners. The Mahon family, who are working with BMS in Peru were able to visit the UK during the summer, but were unable to visit us in person due to covid restrictions, so we arranged a Zoom meeting with them during one of our monthly prayer meetings. We were also able to arrange a Zoom meeting with our friends working in North Africa, as their visit to us was also cancelled due to Covid restrictions. The Harrod family, working in South Africa for OM, also had to cancel their annual visit to the UK. However, we did receive a visit from Melanie who had come down from Scotland. We have continued to hold our monthly Tuesday evening prayer meetings on Zoom, as it has enabled Helen Harrod in South Africa and Tim Spring in London to join us and report first hand their news, and also those who are shielding, to participate. We are in regular contact with all our missionaries and pray for them on the last Tuesday evening of each month. As well as our nine missionaries and their work that we support prayerfully and financially, the church has supported Hope for Food Bournemouth, Christians Against Poverty, The Bus Stop Club, and the Tearfund Afghanistan Appeal during the year. ## **Ecumenical Relationships** We started the local ‘Churches Together’ meetings again after lockdown in May and have met regularly since then. Meetings take place every two months and are between the four churches of West Moors (St. Marys C of E, St. Antony’s R.C., St. Martins URC and Pinehurst Community Church), Horton Heath Chapel (Methodist) and UCF. The church leaders meet for reports and discussion and also to plan a service twice a year for all the churches together. This year, we were fortunate to all be able to have taken part in the shared Remembrance Day service in November. ## **Financial Review** The general receipts and payments account is showing a surplus of £12,227.57. The previous year was a deficit of £2,245.61. General Receipts- Our monthly/weekly offering and income tax recovered on gifts was not as high as 2020 when we had a gift day to rebuild our funds and pay for equipment to live stream our services. Due to our Minister retiring in early April, the manse was let out for the remainder of 2021. This resulted in income of £12,800. Premises rentals were lower than the previous year due to government covid restrictions and a previous long term booking no longer meeting on our premises. We continued to take advantage of the government furlough scheme during the year. General Payments- The pastoral vacancy meant there were savings in the area of Ministers’ stipend and expenses. The manse was decorated prior to letting and the windows, patio door and front door replaced. We continued to support our partner Missions/Missionaries with grants as agreed in our original budget. ## **Reserves Policy** It is the policy of the charity to maintain a minimum level of unrestricted funds, which are the available reserves of the charity, at a level that equates to six months’ of unrestricted expenditure. It is felt that this would be sufficient to continue the activities of the charity in the event of a significant loss of income. Unrestricted reserves at 31 December 2021 were sufficient to adhere to the policy. ## **Volunteers** We continue to be grateful to Church members and all those who volunteer and work so hard to make United Church Ferndown such a welcoming and active community. We would not be able to run so many activities without their support. ## **Structure, Governance and Management** The method of appointing Trustees is set out in the Church Governing Document and Church Rules. Whilst legally the Trustees are empowered to make binding decisions the traditional practice is that the ultimate decision-maker is the Church Members meeting. Day to day running of Church affairs is delegated to the elected Deacons (maximum 8) who, together with the appointed Minister(s) of the day, form the Charity Trustees, who meet as required, usually monthly except August or more frequently if occasion demands. The Trustees may also appoint no more than two Co-opted Trustees. ## **Administrative Information** The United Church Ferndown is situated at 505 Wimborne Road East, Ferndown, Dorset BH22 9NF. Charity Registration number is 1159971. The Trustees during the calendar year 2021 were: Minister Rev. Bob Almond (Until retirement April 2021, then position vacant) Youth and Families Pastor Miriam Biggs There are currently 7 Deacons serving the Church: Arthur Ansell Angela Ball Angela Jameson (Treasurer), Steve Ford David Hamblin Janet Latham Alison Vincent The role of Church Secretary is shared between the deacons. In January 2021 Geoff Morley stood down from his position as a deacon as he had completed 2 terms in this role. ## **UNITED CHURCH FERNDOWN - Registered Charity Number: 1159971 FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021** |**GENERAL RECEIPTS & PAYMENT ACCOUNT**
**_Note_**
**Receipts**
Monthly/Weekly Offering
Donations and other income
2
Income tax recovered on gifts
Manse rental income
Interest (Bank & HMRC)
Rents and contributions for use of premises
**Payments**
Ministry
3
Mission
4
Upkeep of Church premises
5
Administration
6
Church other expenses
7
Manse letting expenses
Manse loan repayment - capital element
**Surplus (deficit) for the year**
**Balance brought forward**
**Balance carried forward**
**DESIGNATED FUND - Bursary**
**Receipts**
**Payments**
**Surplus (deficit) for the year**
**Balance brought forward**
**Balance carried forward**
**RESTRICTED MISSION RECEIPTS & PAYMENTS ACCOUNT**
**Receipts**
**Payments**
8
**Surplus (deficit) for the year**
**Balance brought forward**
**Balance carried forward**|**2021**
**2020**
60,822.35
£
69,965.33
£
9,676.88
£
12,611.29
£
13,521.89
£
15,249.57
£
12,800.00
£
-
£
234.99
£
520.40
£
1,842.96
£
3,719.46
£| |---|---| ||98,899.07
£
102,066.05
£| ||48,723.02
£
60,539.71
£
8,825.15
£
8,846.69
£
8,158.19
£
11,928.23
£
6,854.46
£
7,177.62
£
2,934.21
£
7,433.91
£
2,410.00
£
-
£
8,766.47
£
8,385.50
£| ||86,671.50
£
104,311.66
£| ||12,227.57
£
2,245.61
-£
53,838.64
£
56,084.25
£
66,066.21
£
53,838.64
£
-
£
-
£
-
£
-
£
-
£
-
£
652.00
£
652.00
£
652.00
£
652.00
£
2,530.35
£
2,233.75
£
2,930.30
£
2,571.16
£| ||399.95
-£
337.41
-£
2,373.56
£
2,710.97
£
1,973.61
£
2,373.56
£| Page 1 of 4 |**RESTRICTED - OTHER**
**Receipts**
Manse Loan Repayment
Training
Youth & Childrens work
Pastoral fund
Choir Funds
Table Tennis
Flower Fund
West Moors Churches Together
**Payments**
Manse Loan Repayment
Training
Youth & Childrens work
Pastoral fund
Choir Funds
Table Tennis
Flower Fund
West Moors Churches Together
**Surplus (deficit) for the year**
**STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES AT 31 DECEMBER 2021**
**_Note_**
**ASSETS**
Bank and other cash balances
**REPRESENTING BALANCE ON THE FOLLOWING ACCOUNTS:**
General Fund
Designated Fund - Bursary
Restricted Mission fund
Restricted - Flower Fund
Restricted - Table Tennis Club
Restricted - Choir
Restricted - Youth & childrens work
Restricted - West Moors Churches together
**LIABILITIES**
10
Current
Long-term loans|**2021**
**2020**
1,950.00
£
1,946.25
£
-
£
187.50
£
1,500.00
£
-
£
-
£
625.00
£
-
£
120.00
£
350.00
£
350.00
£
85.00
£
160.00
£
50.00
£
-
£| |---|---| ||3,935.00
£
3,388.75
£| ||1,950.00
£
1,946.25
£
-
£
187.50
£
-
£
-
£
-
£
625.00
£
-
£
-
£
-
£
-
£
126.99
£
323.57
£
20.00
£
60.00
£| ||2,096.99
£
3,142.32
£| ||1,838.01
£
246.43
£
**2021**
**2020**
72,490.53
£
58,824.90
£| ||66,066.21
£
53,838.64
£
652.00
£
652.00
£
1,973.61
£
2,373.56
£
-
£
41.99
£
1,550.00
£
1,200.00
£
320.96
£
320.96
£
1,815.00
£
315.00
£
112.75
£
82.75
£| ||72,490.53
£
58,824.90
£| ||1,973.61
£
2,449.81
£
22,194.04
£
32,910.51
£| ## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS** **1 Basis of accounts:** These accounts have been prepared on a 'receipts and payments' basis and accord with Section 133 Charities Act 2011 Page 2 of 4 |**2 Donations and other income:**
Donations
Sylvia Adams Grant
Lunch Club
Coffee Donations
Government grant
Funeral Fees
Insurance Claim
Other items
**3 Ministry:**
Ministers' stipend & expenses
Manse Upkeep
Manse loan interest
Pulpit Supply
**4 Mission:**
SCBA Home Mission
URC M & M Fund
Hope Now
Laura Weeds (W.E.C.)
Dave & Michele Mahon (B.M.S.)
Helen & Adrian Harrod (O.M.)
Arab World Ministries
Muluote - (Christian Education Centre, Nagaland)
Tim Spring (London City Mission)
Myra's Wells
Moorlands College
Local Outreach
**5 Upkeep of Church premises:**
Lighting & Heat
Water & Sewage
Cleaning (incl. wages)
Insurance
Repairs/maintenance & improvements
**6 Administration:**
Printing & Stationery
Telephone
Office Equipment
Administrator
Accounts Examiniation|**2021**
**2020**
569.55
£
446.50
£
7,000.00
£
9,500.00
£
292.35
£
407.35
£
70.00
£
20.00
£
1,358.98
£
2,031.14
£
200.00
£
200.00
£
142.00
£
-
£
44.00
£
6.30
£| |---|---| ||9,676.88
£
12,611.29
£| ||38,502.58
£
58,560.79
£
8,890.41
£
702.42
£
845.53
£
1,226.50
£
484.50
£
50.00
£| ||48,723.02
£
60,539.71
£| ||1,529.04
£
1,485.00
£
1,529.04
£
1,485.00
£
875.00
£
875.00
£
875.00
£
875.00
£
875.00
£
875.00
£
875.00
£
875.00
£
875.00
£
875.00
£
875.00
£
875.00
£
300.00
£
300.00
£
151.00
£
-
£
-
£
40.00
£
66.07
£
286.69
£| ||8,825.15
£
8,846.69
£| ||2,167.45
£
2,322.07
£
58.98
£
78.90
£
3,252.78
£
3,376.34
£
958.54
£
953.89
£
1,720.44
£
5,197.03
£| ||8,158.19
£
11,928.23
£| ||596.17
£
344.69
£
536.29
£
462.49
£
-
£
544.94
£
5,642.00
£
5,750.50
£
80.00
£
75.00
£| ||6,854.46
£
7,177.62
£| Page 3 of 4 |**7 Church other expenses:**
Youth/Childrens Work
CCL Licence
Coffee/Catering
Subscriptions
Training
Furniture & Equipment
Other
**8 Restricted Mission/Charity**
Muluote - (Christian Education Centre, Nagaland)
Hope Now
Biggin Hill Romania Group
Hope for Food
Bus Stop Club - CAP Centre
BMS Birthdays
Christian Aid
BMS - South Sudan
BMS Chad
M Ziegler
Myra's Wells|**2021**
**2020**
132.32
£
225.09
£
760.58
£
636.88
£
209.92
£
56.39
£
528.88
£
520.58
£
20.00
£
228.90
£
-
£
3,888.43
£
1,282.51
£
1,877.64
£| |---|---| ||2,934.21
£
7,433.91
£| ||2,475.00
£
783.71
£
-
£
5.00
£
-
£
295.00
£
180.00
£
586.85
£
-
£
106.25
£
165.00
£
100.00
£
-
£
649.35
£
-
£
15.00
£
7.50
£
30.00
£
100.00
£
-
£
2.80
£
-
£| ||2,930.30
£
2,571.16
£| ## **9 Non-monetary assets:** Manse - 29 Heath Farm Road, Ferndown. BH22 8JN Cost £ 284,985.00 The Church also owns fixtures, furniture & equipment with an insurance value of £97,754 |**10 Liabilities:**
**(a) Current:**BMS Birthdays
Muluote
Restricted Mission
Christmas Charities
Restricted Mission
**(b) Long-term loan:**Baptist Union Corporation|**2021**
**2020**
10.00
£
-
£
1,812.56
£
2,449.81
£
151.05
£
-
£| |---|---| ||1,973.61
£
2,449.81
£
22,194.04
£
32,910.51
£| Loan relates to manse purchase. The original loan end date was February 2035. The accounts and statement of assets and liabilities set out on pages 1 & 2 relating to the year ending 31 December 2021 are as approved by the Deacons. Angela Jameson - Church Treasurer Page 4 of 4 Rewt of the Independent Examiner to the Tr￿tee5 of United Cthurth Ferndown On the accounts for the ￿r ended 31" December 2021 Respective respO￿lbIlItIeS of Trustees and Examiner The Church's Trustees are responsible forthe preparation of the accounts. The church's trustees onsider that an audit is not ￿qUired forthis year under settion 144 of the Charities Act 2011 Ithe Charities Act) and that an independent examination is F*eded. It is my re5ponsibilty to- . examine the a¢tounts under section 145 of the Charities Act. . to follow the procedures laid down in the generdl Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145{5)Ib) of the Charities Act, atKI . to stste whether particular matters have come to my attention. Basls of independent exam•r￿S statement My examination was carried out in accordan￿ with generdl Dirertions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the church and a Comparison of the accounts presented wtth those records. It a150 includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees ¢onceminE any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audtt. and consequerrtly no opinion is gNen as to whether the accounts presertrt a true and fairf view and the rewrt is limited to those matters set out in the Statement below. Independent examiner's statement In connection with my examination. no material matters have come to my attention which gives me cause to believe that in. any material respect: ' accounting records were not kept in accordan￿ section 130 of the Charities Art or . the accounts do r￿t accord with the accounting records . the accounts do not comply wfch the applicable requirements concerning the fomi and content of accounts set OLrt in the Charf(ies (Accounts and Rewrtsl Regulations 2(MJ8 other than any requirement that the accounts gpie a ttrue and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have come across no other matter5 in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper urKlerstanding of the accounts to be reached. Signed by or on behalf of the Examiner Y Name: John Berridge Address: 12, Stonechat Close, Femdown. Dorset. BH22 9QH