B O D E N H A M C H R I S T I A N F E L L O W S H I P
Report and Accounts
For the Year ended
31[st] March 2025
Table of Contents
Page
Legal and Administrative Information
Trustees Report for the year Aims & Organisation
1
2
| Health & Safety | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | |||
| Review of activities & achievements | |||
| 2 | |||
| * Sunday Worship |
2 | ||
| * Bible Study & Prayer Meetings | |||
| 3 | |||
| * Ladies Bible Study |
3 | ||
| * Baptism |
3 | ||
| * Café@Chapel |
3 | ||
| * Food Bank |
3 | ||
| * Overseas Links |
3 | ||
| * Newsletter |
3 | ||
| * Travels with a Camera (TWAC) | |||
| 4 | |||
| * Music club |
4 | ||
| * Hire of Chapel | |||
| 4 | |||
| * Chapel infrastructure & Equipment | |||
| 4 | |||
| * Chapel 150th Anniversary | |||
| 4 | |||
| * Other |
4 | ||
| Review of Financial Activities |
4 | ||
| Statutory Disclosure |
5 | ||
| Funds |
5 | ||
| Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees | |||
| 6 | |||
| Statement of Financial Activities & Balance Sheet |
7 | ||
| Statement of Assets & Liabilities |
8 | ||
| Notes to the Accounts |
9 & | ||
| 10 | |||
| Notes 2 – 3 to the Accounts |
11 | ||
| Notes 4 – 6 to the Accounts |
12 | ||
| Note | 7 to the Accounts – Fund Balances |
13 |
Bodenham Christian Fellowship
Legal and Administrative Information
| 31st March 2025 | 31st March 2025 |
|---|---|
| Full name:f charity: |
Bodenham Christian Fellowship |
| Working name:: | BodenhamChristian Fellowship |
| Registered number: |
Bodenham Christian Fellowship was registered with the charity commission on 4thAugust 2015. Charity Number: 1162981 |
| Principal address: | The Chapel, Chapel Lane, Bodenham Moor, Herefordshire HR13HR |
| Governing document: |
Constitution dated 7thJuly 2015. |
| Management of Bodenham Christian Fellowship |
The management of Bodenham Christian Fellowship is through its Trustees/Ofcers: Each Trustee is appointed for a fve-year term. The following applies: Trustee: Appointed until: Mr. Peter John Lefroy Owen September 2029 Mr. David Paul Hill Resigned in yr Mrs. Marion Kathleen Pearson September 2029 Mrs. Gwenllian Mary Bowden Resigned in yr Mrs. Rebecca Anne Burnill October 2028 Mr. Leonard George Day (Secretary) October 2028 The Ofcers/Trustees have oversight of the Fellowship and report to the Holding Trustees, (the owners of the Chapel) at their Annual Meeting. Those who have been received into membership of the Fellowshipmeetquarterlythroughout the year. |
| Main Agents: | Bankers: Lloyds TSB Bank plc, Solicitor (Chapel Deeds): Woodland Davies, 18 Castle Street, Hay-on-Wye, Hereford, HR3 5DF. Independent Examiner: Mr. TimothyBurnill,Bodenham,Hereford |
Page. 1
Bodenham Christian Fellowship Officers’ Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
AIMS AND ORGANISATION
On 22[nd] January 1965 the land and buildings comprising Bodenham Chapel (formerly the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel) were conveyed to the Holding Trustees for use as a meeting place for worship and Fellowship in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Holding Trustees have passed the day-to-day management of the Building and activities to Bodenham Christian Fellowship and is now the responsibility of the Fellowship Trustees as Officers and those who have been admitted into membership of the Fellowship, none of whom receive any form of remuneration for their work. The Officers confirm that they have complied with their duty under Section 4 of the Charities Act 2006 to have due regard to the Charity Commissions guidance on Public Benefit. In addition to the original three officer/Trustees, whose term of office expired on 22[nd] September 2024 and subsequently have been renewed, the Fellowship appointed four new Trustees (one since deceased) on 10[th] October 2018 for a five year term of office to October 2023, which was extended to 2028 at the 2023 Annual meeting. Two of the seven reappointed (one in 2023 and one in 2024) have since resigned.
The Fellowship became a registered Charity on 4[th] August 2015. Charity Number: 1162981.
HEALTH & SAFETY
The Officers and members seek to maintain the building in a condition that fulfils Health & Safety legislation.
REVIEW OF ACTIVITIES AND ACHIEVEMENTS
In 2024-25 the activities of the Fellowship have continued and numbers attending have stabilised. Sunday Worship, Ladies Bible Study, café@chapel, Music and Craft Club, Songs of Worship, & Travels with a Camera were all held successfully during the year.
The Fellowship is independent of any denomination and is a member of ‘Churches Together in Hereford’ and the national organisation, ‘The Evangelical Alliance’. The Fellowship is run on a week-by-week basis by its trustees, officers and members, with a separate body of Trustees (including four Fellowship members) overseeing the building. We welcome visitors to any of our services and meetings. In the year to 31st March 2025, donations of £4,393 were made to Christian missions, aid organisations and local charities including £641 raised from café@chapel, and £372 raised from Travels with a Camera.
Sunday Worship
We continued weekly services at the Chapel every Sunday from 10.30am – 11.45. The attendances at Sunday morning worship are steady at between 20 and 30. We continue to welcome friends and carers from Moor Court in Bodenham. The services regularly include a monthly Fellowship Service at which members and friends take part. Other services involve speakers from within the Fellowship and other churches on the remaining Sundays. Services are generally informal and are followed by refreshments. A ‘Carols by Candlelight’ service was held at 3.30pm prior to Christmas. We are thankful to Jan Masters who has delighted the
Page. 2
Fellowship with her playing of the keyboard on a regular basis and for introducing a ‘Songs of Worship’ afternoon once a month.
Bible Study & Prayer Meetings
A weekly Bible Study & Prayer meeting has been held on Thursday afternoon at the Chapel. Studies have included more from ‘The Acts of the Apostles’ and the ‘Book of Proverbs’.
Ladies’ Bible Study
A Ladies Bible Study is held twice a month at the Chapel on Tuesday mornings. This has been led on a regular basis by Rebecca Burnill. Studies have been, ‘Know – Your Life with Christ’ and two series in the Book of the ‘Acts of the Apostles’ – ‘The Church is Born’ and ‘The Church Multiplies’.
Café@Chapel
Café@Chapel has continued on Thursday mornings from 10.30am – 12noon and is an opportunity for anyone to call in for coffee and a chat. Our thanks go to those who have hosted café during the year. Donations from the 2024-5 proceeds of £693 have been made to Muheza Hospice Care, Leominster Meeting House for Dementia Care, Midlands Air Ambulance, St. Michael’s Hospice, Hereford Vennture and Ear Aid Nepal.
Food Bank
The Fellowship has a bi-monthly collection of food which is passed to the Hereford (Challenge Church) Food Bank for distribution.
Overseas links
In 2024 & 2025 Mike & Fiona Smith were able to make return visits to the Ear Aid Nepal E.N.T. hospital in Pokhara. We have also been pleased to support a linked charity known as GLOW supporting orphans and widows. We also maintain links with an orphanage at Osorhei in Romania.
.
Newsletter
A monthly newsletter is produced which is available from the Chapel or can be delivered on request. We are thankful to John Waldegrave for his ‘Sermons in a Nutshell’ and to all other contributors.
A magazine holder is located beneath the external noticeboard so that newsletters can be collected by anyone when the Chapel is locked.
Travels with a Camera Presentations (TWAC)
The Chapel was used for Travels with a Camera on nine occasions with presentations such as ‘Walking the Via Francigena’, ‘Two Trains up a Mountain’, ‘The Turin Shroud’, ‘Forever Lost in Herefordshire’, and the ‘Joy School in Uganda’. Numbers attending have been between 10 & 25. Thanks go to our visiting presenters, Paul Roberts, Bob Burson, Cathy Crowther, Dave Hill, Chris Over, Justin Robinson & Barry Wilson.
Music & Craft Club
A music and craft club for children has continued monthly on Saturday mornings of each month from 10.00 to 11.00am led by David Weber from Leominster, with helpers from within the Fellowship and from other Churches. Helpers have been subject to the required Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, as necessary.
Page. 3
Hire of Chapel
The Chapel has been hired out to Carers Support. It is again available for regular or occasional use by other village organisations or individuals, with hire charges currently being £10 per hour, £20 per session or £35 per day.
Chapel Infrastructure & Equipment
During the year owing to very generous donations, we were able to install a new kitchen in the Chapel, bringing it more into the twenty first century and in-line with health and safety guidelines.
Chapel 150[th] Anniversary
During June 2024 the Chapel celebrated its 150[th] anniversary where we were open to everyone to celebrate this milestone with us. We offered free hot food, cakes and drinks to all who came to enjoy various activities including a photographic revisit of Chapel events over the years.
Other
The Fellowship has been a member of The Evangelical Alliance since 2003 and continues in membership of Churches Together in Hereford. Bodenham Christian Fellowship can be visited on the internet at: www.fndachurch.co.uk/churches/so/so55/bodenhamcf/index.html Entries and events are also included in the Bodenham newsletter. Events are also posted on Bodenham Next Door’ https://nextdoor.co.uk
Page. 4
REVIEW OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES AND AFFAIRS
Total receipts for the year amounted to £31,174 (2024: £35,306) and total payments amounted to £31,117 (2024: £15,263), resulting in an overall surplus of £57 (2023: surplus 20,043).
During the year the main items of expenditure on the Chapel & Equipment were on replacement Chapel guttering, £800 and new Kitchen £19,868.
A total of £4,393 (2024: £3,279) was donated to various mission, aid, and other charitable organisations. This includes monies raised from Travels with a Camera and from café@chapel.
A claim for Tax relief on Gift Aided donations made in 2024-25 for £2,105 will be made to HMRC. This includes collections received under the GASDS (Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme). This has not been included in the 2024-25 accounts.
Details of all gifts and donations made during the year can be found in note 3 to the accounts on page 11 of this report.
STATUTORY DISCLOSURE
No payments have been made to Officers during the year except for the reimbursement of authorised and validated expenditure.
FUNDS
Funds held are available and adequate to fulfil the obligations of the Fellowship.
On behalf of the officers
Susan England Treasurer 15[th] July 2025
Page. 5
Bodenham Christian Fellowship
Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Bodenham Christian Fellowship
I report on the accounts of the Fellowship for the year ended 31[st] March 2025, which are set out on pages 7 to 13.
Basis of independent examiner’s report
My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records maintained by the Fellowship and a comparison of the accounts prepared from 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, I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.
Independent examiner’s statement
In accordance with instructions given to me, I have examined the accounts of Bodenham Christian Fellowship for the year ended 31[st] March 2025, as set out on pages 7 to 13.
In my opinion these financial statements agree with the transactions during the period as recorded in the books of account and fairly reflect the assets of Bodenham Christian Fellowship at 31[st] March 2025.
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 41 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.
Timothy Burnill 24[th] July 2025
Page. 6
BODENHAM CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
Page. 7
Bodenham
Christian Fellowship
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
At 31[st] March 2025
Page. 8
Non-Monetary assets held for the fellowship’s own use
Bodenham Chapel (re-built 1874), Chapel Extension (built 1986), burial ground and car park.
Furniture, fittings and equipment including keyboard, laptop computer, projector, electronic hymnal, & chairs.
Liabilities
There was a net amount of £167.00 due as at 31[st] March 2025.
To be approved by the trustees and members and signed on their behalf by:
Susan England Treasurer Examiner
Timothy Burnill Independent
Date: 24[th] July 2025 24[th] July 2025
The notes on pages 9 to 13 form part of these accounts
Page. 9
Bodenham Christian Fellowship
Notes to the Accounts
For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
1 Principal accounting policies
Basis of accounting
The accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention in accordance with applicable accounting standards and the Statement of Recommended Practice – Accounting by Charities, on a receipts and payments basis.
Incoming resources
All incoming resources that have been received within the financial year are included in the Statement of Financial Activities when the Fellowship is legally entitled to the income.
Resources expended
All expenditure is accounted for on a cash basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all costs relating to that category.
Funds
General funds represent those funds which are not subject to any restrictions regarding their use.
All Fellowship funds are held in the General Fund. Any income received for specific purposes is identified within the General Fund until expended.
Reserves Policy
All funds are held in General Funds and the Fellowship does not hold reserves.
Investment Policy
The Fellowship does not currently retain a significant level of funds which would necessitate a formal investment policy to be set up.
Ethical Framework for investment decisions
In view of the lack of a current investment policy this is currently not relevant.
Management of Risk
Page. 10
There is no formal arrangement for independent verification of weekly offerings. These remain in the sole control of the Treasurer or other nominated member (in Treasurer’s absence). As no collections are taken during services the amount of cash received is very limited. The offering boxes are emptied weekly, usually after services, but may include donations made at intervals through the preceding week. The majority of offerings are made through charitable agencies using a system of bank transfers or vouchers and for which tax relief has already been claimed.
Receipts at ‘events’ are collected immediately after the end of the event and any payments made immediately to speakers or chosen charities.
The Treasurer’s accounts are validated monthly by a member/trustee of the Fellowship.
Non monetary assets
No value is placed on the land or buildings owned by the Fellowship in the accounts. The Chapel building had a value for insurance purposes in 2024-25 of £468,764 and the contents £25,314.
Furniture and equipment is written off in the year of purchase and is separately disclosed in the receipts and payments account.
Page. 11
BODENHAM CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS
For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
Page. 12
BODENHAM CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS
For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
Page. 13
BODENHAM CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS
For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
Page. 14