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2025-03-31-accounts

Hardwick Evan elical Church g

Trustees' report 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025

Reference and Administrative details

Charity name Hardwick Christian Fellowship Other name the charity uses Hardwick Evangelical Church Registered charity number 1163049 Charity’s principal address Unit 17, Broadway House, 149-151 St. Neots Road Hardwick, CAMBRIDGE, CB23 7QJ Email address HardwickEvangelical@gmail.com Website HardwickEvangelicalChurch.co.uk

Structure, Governance and Management

The charity is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation governed by constitution.

Every appointed charity trustee must be appointed for a term of three years by a resolution passed at a general meeting of the members of the CIO

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

Trustee name Office (if any) Dates acted if not for whole year
1 Revd K Gaze Minister
2 Mrs E Instone-Brewer Secretary
3 Mrs S Thomson Treasurer
4 Dr S Gaze Trustee

Objectives of the charity

The objectives of the charity are the advancement of the Christian Faith and other charitable work focusing mainly on Hardwick and nearby villages, to the public benefit as defined in guidance issued by the Charity Commission.

Summary of the main activities of the charity

The church undertook the following activities and encouraged ordinary people to live out the faith as part of a local church through:

Details of the charity's activities

Financial review

At the end of the financial year 2024-2025, Net Current Assets were £147,391.

Receipts in the financial year amounted to £53,309 whilst payments amounted to £52,128. Full accounts have been prepared and submitted to the Charity Commission.

Receipts consisted predominantly of charitable giving from members and others who attend the church along with the Gift Aid tax recoverable on them. There were no significant gifts from individuals this year.

Payments include the salary of one part-time minister.

The charity seeks to maintain a minimum reserve of six months’ salaries and related costs and committed expenditure for rental of the office.

The trustees have no concerns regarding the charity as an ongoing concern.

Leadership Team

The Leadership Team is responsible for discerning the spiritual direction of the church and facilitating growth and development in Christ of church members and the wider community. The Leadership Team comprised the minister and three lay members. The team meets regularly roughly fortnightly, and in intervening weeks follow up with specific leadership duties (e.g. pastoral care, specific event planning, meeting with trustees). The range of meetings enable us to pray, discuss, plan, worship and learn together as a leadership team.

Trustees

The Trustee Team comprised the minister ( ex officio ), secretary and treasurer, with an added elected trustee. The general duties of the trustees are to ensure that the church continues to fulfil its aims as a charity by being included in the hands-on management of the church, and submitting an annual report to the Charity Commission. The trustees aim to meet together every month, sometimes with the leadership team to plan church business meetings and other practical matters, and sometimes alone to review the church’s policies.

Sunday morning services

We continue to meet regularly on Sunday mornings in Hardwick School for a church service 10.30am-12noon, for Young Church, and youth group, for worship, fellowship and teaching.

We continued to have Communion regularly, usually on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month.

We also run occasional all-age services which involve more sensory / craft activities, which are attended by several families from local villages.

We met in November with other churches west of Cambridge for our annual Joint Church Service.

Weekday Groups

Weekday groups have continued to meet during the year with a combination of online and in-person meetings for Bible study, prayer and mutual support.

Preaching

Preaching topics during the year included Nehemiah, the Kingdom of God in Matthew, Generosity, Hebrews, Priesthood, Women in the Bible. Podcasts of talks can be accessed via the church website.

The Living Room

The Living Room has been useful for hosting various small group meetings, Coffee @ The Living Room, Craft @ The Living Room, Wednesday Bible Study, the Alpha course. Many thanks to those who host and help at these groups. The room has also been used for other groups, and has become the preferred meeting place for the Joint Church Service planning group and the WCCYM (West Cambridge Christian Youth Ministries) Executive .

Community events

At Christmas time, we once again built a Life-Size Nativity scene outside Hardwick School, together with others from the community who helped with the construction and maintenance. There were about 300 people at the Carols on Christmas Eve at the Nativity scene. We also organised carol singing around the village with people from St Mary’s church.

In December, we provided 30 Christmas hampers for families in the village who needed them, along with some other community groups. The hampers are administered through the school, who identify families who would benefit from them. We do not know who the families are.

During term time, we facilitated the Baby and Toddler Group. This is not specifically a church activity (i.e. there is no Christian content), and remains a community group in its own right. Thank you to those from the church who continue to make this facility happen for the community.

Kate Gaze continues to work on the allotments at Hardwick School with students from year 3 / 4.

Over the Easter weekend 2025, we put up Easter reflections on the green outside the school, which received positive feedback about the content, and the fact that they were placed at the Limes Estate end of the village.

Churches working together for Hardwick

Since the start of Hardwick Evangelical Church, we have sought to be in good relationship with the congregation and leadership of St Mary’s Church, Hardwick, recognising that some of what we do is done more effectively as two distinct churches but there are also areas where it is more effective to work together. We continue to enjoy a good relationship, and Village Prayers continue to run as a joint venture on Wednesday mornings usually on Zoom but in-person in St Mary’s Cabin on the first Wednesday of the month.

In collaboration with WCCYM, we also presented “It’s Your Move” booklets to Year 6 students at the Hardwick campus of our local primary school.

Pippins (Community Café) has continued to run on the first Saturday of the month in the school hall. This is a joint venture between the two churches and the Community Association. This has proved immensely popular in the village – and beyond – and in June 2024 it celebrated its 10th ‘birthday’.

Working together for nearby villages

Through WCCYM and the annual Joint Church Service, we have many links with churches and Christians in nearby villages, across denominations. A lot of these contacts are centred around youth work but there are other very useful conversations that emerge from the relationships that are built.

As part of the Eastern Baptist Association (EBA), we have additional links with local Baptist Ministers who meet up every 2-3 months for prayer and support. We also meet as cluster churches three times a year for tea and a Service.

Online presence

For some years now, the church has had a website, YouTube channel and a Facebook page. We continue to publish news online for the local community and record our weekly sermons which are made available in podcast form for streaming or download.

Young Church

This year Young Church has continued to be co-ordinated by a skilled volunteer.

As the children have got older we no longer have any preschool age children regularly attending the church so all the children have continued to meet together in Young Church rather than having a separate Tiny Church. We currently have 6 children regularly attending the group ranging from age 6-11 years and due to the different needs of the children we usually have 3 leaders helping each week. The high adult to child ratio helps us to provide 1:1 support for those children who may need it. Young Church meets in the Community Room from 10.30am-11.40am and then joins together with the rest of church for a time of worship and prayer.

A typical Young Church session includes a welcome activity related to that week’s theme or something from the previous week, ‘God Spot’ (a time for everyone to share with others and thank God for the things he has done that week), a Bible story and snack, a related game, craft or other practical activity and discussion. We also take time for prayer and reflection encouraging the children to take time to listen to God as well as talk to him. The children often use individual journals to record this. We also have a ‘cosy corner’ set up in the room with a variety of fidget toys and sensory items, and offer movement breaks for the children who may need them.

Throughout the year we have mostly used Foundation Stones curriculum resources to support our planning. The session leader adapts the plans provided to meet the needs of the children in the group. From May to September we followed a Bible-lympics Champions theme using the theme of the Olympics to explore different characters from the Bible and what they teach us about our own relationship with God. We then completed a 10 week series on Nehemiah, some Christmas sessions and a series on Hebrews. Although some of the topics have been complex at times, we have enjoyed having some of our themes matching up with what the adults have been looking at together in the wider church.

In November we held a Light Night for the regular children and families in our church which involved carrying out a range of activities around the village and visiting the homes of some of the different members of our church. We enjoyed sharing food together, reading the Bible and thinking about how Jesus is the Light of the world and how we too should be a light to others and share God’s love with those around us.

Baby & Toddler Group

Hardwick Baby and Toddler Group has continued to take place on a Thursday morning in the Community Room, facilitated by Hardwick Evangelical Church. We usually have two or three members of the church to help run the group each week with many others from the church helping by baking cakes. The group has continued to be really appreciated by those who come along, from the village and within the local area. We provide a range of toys and activities for the children to enjoy with their parents/carers as well as providing an opportunity for people to meet together and enjoy each other’s company over a cuppa and cake. Although there is no Christian content at the group, it has been a great opportunity to get alongside those in the community and share God’s love in a practical way. We have also seen one of our previous toddler group families attend Alpha and have had some of the toddler group families come along to our all age services.

Youth Work

We have been very pleased to have two new young people come along to church in the last year, meaning that we have six secondary/Sixth Form aged young people, although rarely all there at the same time! We continue to run youth sessions on most Sundays during the main service. In the last year we have done a series on Encounters with Jesus, using some new material produced by Youthscape, had a series of sessions inviting people from the church to come and be interviewed and share their stories of life and faith, and have started a series on prayer.

It was a joy to have a baptism service in February, when two of the young people were baptised. At the end of the last academic year in July, Nick Slater (WCCYM) and Clare Coates (St Mary’s Church) ran a session for Year 6 pupils in Hardwick Primary School, to give out the ‘It’s Your Move’ Scripture Union books and do some activities to help prepare them for secondary school. Jane Golding joined them to provide a great link to our church too. We have the same session planned for later in June this year.

Our partnership with WCCYM has continued, providing additional regular youth work activities for young people to get involved in, which young people in our church have come to. These activities have included:

We continue to rely on volunteers for our church youth work as well as helping with WCCYM activities, and are so grateful for the time they give to preparing and running activities, and the interest they take in the young people. We are also very thankful to those who provided food for the WCCYM youth service twice in the year.

Safeguarding

The church has two experienced Safeguarding leads, one having a focus on children and young people, and one having a focus on adults. They are responsible for updating any DBS checks that are needed, which is done through Thirtyone:eight. They are also responsible for updating the policy and any associated Safeguarding procedures for the church. The church Safeguarding policy is scheduled to be updated in June 2025.

Alpha

The church ran the first session of Alpha three times as a taster session through January and February 2025 at different times on different days and evenings. In the end, we have had four guests attend our Spring 2025 Alpha. One of them attended one of the taster sessions. Another expressed an interest via Alpha.org where we had registered our Alpha course, and a couple of whom one used to attend our church came. Between three and four members of our church facilitate the course each week. The course is due to run until the end of June this year.

Mission Links

Our current Mission Links are:

The church supports these Missions by annual financial giving.

Declarations

The trustees declare that they have approved the above report.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees:

Susie Thomson Treasurer 19 August 2025

Enid Instone-Brewer Secretary

19 August 2025

HARDWICK EVANGELICAL CHURCH TRUSTEE'S REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

HARDWICK EVANGELICAL CHURCH STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL AcfiviTIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Unrestricted Restrirted Endowment Funds Funds Funds 2025 2024 Note INCOME FROM: Donations and Legacies Investments Other Income 45,047 4,162 J,665 435 45.482 4,162 3,665 31,853 1,208 3,861 2b Z£ Total income 52,874 435 53,309 36,922 EXPENDITURE ON: Employee Costs Church Activities Administration Costs 27,238 11,474 13,078 27,238 11,812 13,078 25,747 13,426 12,311 3b 338 3c Totsl expenditure 51,790 338 52,128 51,483 Net Income/lExpenditure) 97 1,181 114,561) Transfers Net Movement In Funds 1,084 97 1.181 114.561) Reconclliation of Funds: Total funds at April 2024 135,164 11,046 146,210 160,771 Total Funds at 31 March 2025 136,248 11,143 147,391 146,210

HARDWICK EVANGELICAL CHURCH BALANCE SHE FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Note 2025 2024 Current Assets: Debtors Short Term Deposits Cash 3t Bank 8.319 104,868 35,475 148,661 864 76,246 71,186 148,296 Current Liabilities: Creditors Accruals 569 701 2,086 1,270 2,086 Net Current Assets 147,391 146,210 Total Net Assets 147,391 146,210 Funds: Unrestricted Restricted Endowment Total Funds 136,248 11,143 135,164 11.046 147,391 146.210

HARDWICK EVANGELICAL CHURCH STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL AcfiviTJE5 FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 l. A¢¢ounting Policies a} Basis of Preparation These accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant notelsl to these accounts. Tlie fiiidiiLi¢I siaiEITieiil5 Ii<tve been prepared in dLLorddnce with the St¢ltetnent uf IleiurTiITierid¥d Practice- Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Flnancial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland IFRS 1021 issued on July 2014 and with the Charities Act 2011. The Charity constitute3 a public benefit entity as defined by ffts 102. Going concern basls The trustees consider that the going concern basis is appropriate as they consider the reserve levels to be sufficient to ensure that the trustees can meet their financial obligations for the next 12 to 18 months and on the basis that the entity is a going concern. Flnancial Reporting Standard 102- Reduced disclosure exemptions The trustees have taken advantage of the following disclosure exemption in preparing these financial statements, as permitted by FRS 102- - The requirement of Section 7 - Statement of Cash Flows. b) Funds Unrestricted funds represent the fur¢ds of the church that are not subject to any restrictions regarding their use and which are available for application on the general purposes of the executive committee. Funds designated for a particular purpose by the executive committee are algo tréated as funds which have been given for a particular purpose and which are therefore not available for general purposes. These funds are refered to a5 De5i8nated Fund5. Income Income from planned giving and other donations are recognised as received. Income tax recoverable on covenants or gift aid donations is reco8nised when the related income 15 recogni5ed. Grant5 and legacies are recognised as received. d) Expenditure Expenditure is recorded when poyable, and where unpaid at the year end are included as creditors.

HARDWICK EVANGELICAL CHURCH srATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 2. Income Unrestricted Restrirted Endowment Funds Funds Funds 2025 2024 Note 2a Donatlons and Legacles Pledged Giving Tax Reclaiwnable 32,757 12,290 315 33,072 12,410 31,853 120 Other donations & Legacies 45,047 435 45,482 31,853 2b Investment5 Interest 4,162 4,162 4,1fj2 4,162 1,208 1,208 2c Other Income Fundraising Sale of resources Outreach projects Room hire 146 146 108 2,232 1,037 2,232 1,037 2,776 977 EBA- outreach funding Sundry 250 250 3,665 3,665 3,861 Total Incorne 52,874 435 53,309 36,922

HARDWICK EVANGEUCAL CHURCH STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTlVtTIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 3 Expenditure Unrestricted Restricted Endowment Funds Funds Funds 2025 2024 Note Employee Coxs 27,238 27,238 27,238 27,238 25,747 25,747 Church Artivities: Church leadership Childretb & Faniilies, work Youth work Pastoral 3b 802 613 507 507 287 237 237 65 Welfare Outreach IDI Outreach projerts Room Hire EBA Outreach 13 107 1,538 885 13 107 1,639 885 60 1,544 824 977 ioi Event costs Sunday services Mlssion 8ivin8 IDI 2,122 250 2,122 250 2,021 335 5,250 11,474 5,250 11,812 6,700 13,426 338 Admlnistratlon Costs: Fees & affiliations Property Costs Equlpment IDI Trai￿1￿£ & resources IDI Sundry Bookkeeping Recruitment 1,061 8,873 239 1,061 8,873 239 1,173 8,925 17 1,303 1,303 673 50 1,198 275 1,502 100 13,078 1,502 loo 13,078 12,311 Total Expenditure 51,790 338 52,128 51,483

HARDWICK EVANGELICAL CHURCH STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 4. Debtors 2025 2024 Trade Debtors Prepayments Other debtors 718 7,147 454 8,319 465 370 29 864 5. Cash at bank and In hand 2025 2024 Short term deposits: Hampshire Trust Bank United Trust Bank Kingdom Bank Cash at Bank: CAF bank 52,436 52,431 50,000 26,246 JS,415 140,343 11,IISb 147,432 6. Credltors: amounts falllngdue within one year 2025 2024 Trade creditors Other creditors 569 2,086 569 2,086 7. Accruals 2024 2024 Venue hire Bookkeeping 162 539 701 At31 March 2025 At 1 Aprfl 2024 8. Restrlcted Funds Income Expendlture Children & Families Fund A428 Corridor Development Fund Youth Work Fund Eraston mission fund 10,325 ioi 10,325 ioi 620 435 237 818 1,430 1,865 1,430 1.768 11,046 11.143

The Children & Families Fund comes from a donation by Caxton Baptist Church, given to be used towards the cost of employing a Children & Families worker. The A428 Corridor Development Fund is a donation from the Eastern Baptists Association to be used in developing the work of the church in the new planned housing developments. The development work is no longer continuing $0 the EBA donated the remalning balance to the Church to be used for mission work. The Youth Work Fund comes from donations specifically for Youth work. The Eraston mission fund ¢amc from donations spccifically to bc uscd to support Eraston's work. Unrestrfcted Restrlcted Fund8 Funds 9. Analys1$ of net assets between funds Totsl Fund balances as at 31 March 2025 are represented by: Current Assets Current Liabllltle5 137,518 11,2701 136,248 11,143 148,661 11,2701 147,391 11,143

INDEPENDEMf EXAMINERS REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF HARDWICK EVANGELICAL CHURCH I report on the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025 which are set out on pages I to 7 of the Financial Ststements. Respettlve responsibilitles of the PCC and the Examiner The Charl￿5 trustees are responsible for the preparation of the account5. The ChariWs trustees conslderthat an audlt is not required for this year under Section 144121 of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examlnation is needed. It is my responslbility to examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act, follow procedures lald down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners Section 145{5llbl ofthe 2011 Act, and state whether particular matters have come to my attention. Basis of the Independent Examinerfs Ststement My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Di￿rtionS given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accountin8 records kept by the Charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It a150 includes consideration of any unusual iiems or (Jisclosures In the accounts ano seeking explanations from the PCC committee concerning any such matters. The procedure5 undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be requlred in a full audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fairf view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below. Independent Examlners Statement In connection with my examination. no matter has come to my attention which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respert the requirements to keep accounting records in accordance with section 103 of the 2011 act, or, to prepare accounts which accord with these accounting records have not been met, Or, to which. in my opinion. attentlon should be drawn in order to enable a proper understandin8 of the accounts to be reached. Martin Lee 44 Anson Road Upper Cambourne CB23 6DQ