## **Trustees' Annual Report for the period** Period start date Period end date 1[st] July 2025 30 June 2026 **From To** ## Section A Reference and administration details **Charity name Other names charity is known by Registered charity number (if any)** 1161858 Grace Church, Hilton **Charity's principal address** 1 Washford Road Hilton Derby **Postcode DE65 5HN** ## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** |1
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20|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year**|**Name of person (or body) entitled**
**to appoint trustee (ifany)**| |---|---|---|---|---| ||Chris Hammersley|Treasurer||| ||Kevin Carter|||| ||Mark Selby|Chair||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| ||**Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)**|||| ||**Name**||**Dates acted if not for whole year**|| |||||| |||||| |||||| **TAR** 1 ## **Section B Structure, governance and management** ## **Description of the charity’s trusts** Constitution, adopted by the members of Grace Church Hilton Type of governing document CIO on the 26th of April 2015 and approved by the Charity Commission on (eg. trust deed, constitution) 27th of May 2015. As amended at a general meeting of the members and approved by the Charity Commission on 24th January 2023 Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) How the charity is constituted - (eg. trust, association, company) Appointed by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the Trustee selection methods charity trustees who must have regard to the skills, knowledge and (eg. appointed by, elected by) experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO ## **Additional governance issues (Optional information)** You **may choose** to include additional information, where relevant, about: - policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees; - the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works; The Trustees and leadership of Grace Church are fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children, young people, and adults at risk who come into our care. We maintain and regularly review appropriate safeguarding policies and procedures, ensure that safeguarding responsibilities are understood, and seek to provide a safe, supportive, and respectful environment for everyone. We are committed to complying with all relevant safeguarding legislation, guidance, and best practice, and to responding promptly and appropriately to any safeguarding concerns. - relationship with any related parties; - trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them. ## **Section C Objectives and activities** **Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document** The purposes of the CIO are: the advancement of the Christian faith in accordance with the Basis of Faith and Doctrinal Distinctives primarily but not exclusively within Hilton, Derbyshire and the surrounding neighbourhood; and such other charitable purposes, as shall in the opinion of the charity trustees facilitate the charitable activities of the Fellowship or the advancement of the Christian faith, provided that such purposes must be carried out in a manner consistent with the Basis of Faith and Doctrinal Distinctives. **TAR** 2 **Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit)** Grace Church, Hilton exists to advance the Christian faith by presenting and commending the Christian faith to others and by helping Christians to grow in their faith so that they are better equipped to follow Jesus Christ and present His Gospel to others. Having regard to the guidance on public benefit issued by the charity commission, below is a brief summary of the charity’s main activities undertaken for the period under review. **Public Services, time together and Home Groups** We hold weekly services in the Village Hall in Hilton, followed by a meal. The purpose of these services is to teach what we hold to be God’s word from the Bible and explain its relevance and implications to people living in the 21[st] century. These services are open to the public and are advertised by the Village Hall, through an advertising brochure that is sent out in the local area, through our own website and the FIEC website and through personal invitations to those we meet, as well as displaying posters for the church and the special events we run. We also regularly meet in church member’s homes for meals together and to continue to focus on God’s word and encourage growth in the Christian faith. **Children** We work hard to help the children feel included in the church fellowship, making the Bible teaching accessible to them and explaining and providing age-appropriate activities to enable them to learn of the Christian faith, whilst being included in main service times and meals along with adults. **Special events** At various points through the year, we organise and hold special events in order to contribute to the life of our community positively and to help members of the public hear and investigate the message of the Christian faith. In the period under review we have: Worked with Countryside Connect (a local CIC) to put on a Christmas nativity Bible walkthrough event and carol service. Organised and run a Christmas day meal and talk for those in the community who would otherwise have been on their own. Held an Easter day celebration service followed by a meal. All of these events were open to all members of the community and free of charge to all. Alongside this we have we have also taken part in the annual remembrance Sunday community commemoration on the memorial meadow in Hilton. We have held a weekend away. This was a valuable time as a church as we spent time together, encouraged one another and benefitted from focussed times of Bible teaching, prayer and time to think about the year ahead as a church. We have also run a ‘Christianity Explored’ course, helping people to understand the central message of the Chirstian faith from the Bible. **Community involvement** We seek to play an active role in the local community to serve, support and engage with other local people and groups. This has included: **TAR** 3 - Various members of the church attending the community ‘warm space’ hub, befriending others and offering help where we can - Meeting with and caring for those facing difficult circumstances, or those who have questions about the Christian faith. - Care for neighbours who are in ill health, or lonely ## **Partnering with others** We have continued to partner with other churches and Christian networks to further advance the Christian faith across the region and UK. As such we have continued to contribute to, support and join regional meetings of local churches and regional events (E.g. Men’s and women’s conventions, Derby church leaders’ group, joint new year service, Midlands Gospel Partnership events). We have supported and visited local Derby churches to encourage and support them in their work. We have continued to contribute to and engage with the work of the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches (FIEC) and support its work financially. Alongside this, a mutually encouraging friendship with an FIEC member church in London has continued to grow. ## **Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)** You **may choose** to include further statements, where relevant, about: - policy on grantmaking; - policy programme related investment; - contribution made by volunteers. **TAR** 4 Section D Achievements and performance **Summary of the main** Through the period under review, we have been working to achieve our **achievements of the charity** charitable objectives and have been encouraged in the progress made in **during the year** achieving these. ## **We have continued to advance the Christian faith** Throughout the period, more members of the public have joined with us, through which we have been able to present and commend the Christian faith. We have had opportunities throughout the period under review to share and commend the Christian faith with others, whether that be with people with whom relationships have been growing, or those who’ve attended our services, or made contact with us. **We have continued to help Christians to grow in their faith** Through the regular services and meetings we hold, along with ongoing individual and group support within the church fellowship, we have seen members of the church fellowship continuing and growing in their faith. We have also been able to contribute to the ongoing growth and encouragement of other churches in our region through joining in with regional networks and offering help to individual churches when they have needed this. The church also remains an active member of the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches (FIEC) and benefit from their support and input. These all contribute to helping Christians to grow in their faith and the advance of the Christian faith. **We have continued to make a positive contribution to the community in which we are based.** Throughout the period under review members of the church have been able to provide care and support for several members of the community who have been in need. We continue to appreciate and value the work of the church fellowship together in enabling the work of the charity to steadily progress over this period, for the public benefit. **TAR** 5 Section E Financial review The trustees recognise that the church reserves a￿ lower than they have been previously. They are sufficient for the budget for the coming year but the trustees will seek to address this in preparation for the following year, Brief statement of the charity's policy on reser4es Details of any funds materially in deficit Further financial review details (Optional information) You may choose to include additional infomation, where relevant about: the charity's prinapal sources of funds (including any fundraising)- how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity., investment policy and objectives including any ethical investrnent policy adopted. Section F Other optional information Section G Declaration The trustees declare that they have approved t￿ trustees, report above. Signed on behalf of the charity's trustees Signaturels) Full name(s) Posltlon (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) sj f4A LCuLvl Date TAR