Docusign Envelope ID: B91CE8D2-E671-4E95-B768-0BA9163C9AFE
**Charity number: 1163291**
## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **UNAUDITED**
**TRUSTEES' REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
Docusign Envelope ID: B91CE8D2-E671-4E95-B768-0BA9163C9AFE
## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **CONTENTS**
||Page|
|---|---|
|**Reference and administrative details of the Church, its Trustees and advisers**|1|
|**Trustees' report**|2 - 21|
|**Independent examiner's report**|22|
|**Statement of financial activities**|23|
|**Balance sheet**|24|
|**Statement of cash flows**|25|
|**Notes to the financial statements**|26 - 41|
Docusign Envelope ID: B91CE8D2-E671-4E95-B768-0BA9163C9AFE
## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS OF THE CHURCH, ITS TRUSTEES AND ADVISERS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
|**Trustees**|Rev N Allan, Minister|
|---|---|
||Mr S J Spendlove, Treasurer|
||Ms A O Adebajo (resigned 6 October 2023)|
||Mr Q E Williams|
||Mr A D Lawley|
||Mrs K E Beale|
||Ms N R Fennell|
||Mrs N Ennis|
|**Charity registered**
**number**
1163291
**Principal office**
603 Ecclesall Road
Sheffield
South Yorkshire
S11 8PR
**Accountants**
Shorts
Chartered Accountants
Cedar House
63 Napier Street
Sheffield
South Yorkshire
S11 8HA
**Bankers**
HSBC Bank Plc
Carmel House
49-63 Fargate
Sheffield
S1 2HD||
Page 1
Docusign Envelope ID: B91CE8D2-E671-4E95-B768-0BA9163C9AFE
## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
The Trustees present their annual report together with the financial statements of The Well Sheffield Baptist Church (the charity) for the year ended 30 September 2024. The Trustees confirm that the annual report and financial statements of the charity comply with the current statutory requirements, the requirements of the charity's governing document and the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP), applicable to charities preparing their accounts.
## **Objectives and activities**
## **POLICIES AND OBJECTIVES**
## **Objectives and Activities**
The principal purposes of the Church are set out in the constitution, as follows:
The advancement of the Christian faith according to the principles of the Baptist denomination. The Church may also advance education and carry out other charitable purposes in the United Kingdom and/or other parts of the world.
The constitution states that activities to meet these objectives may include but are not restricted to:
- regular public worship, prayer, Bible study, preaching and teaching;
- baptism, as defined in the Baptist Union’s Declaration of Principle;
- the Communion of the Lord’s Supper which shall normally be observed at least once a month;
- evangelism and mission, locally, regionally, nationally and internationally;
- the teaching, encouragement, welcome and inclusion of young people;
- nurture and growth of Christian disciples;
- education and training for Christian and community service;
- giving and encouraging pastoral care;
- supporting and encouraging charitable social action in the United Kingdom and abroad;
- encouraging relationships with and supporting Baptists and other Christians.
## **Main objectives for the year**
In its ninth year of operation, the charity was principally concerned with flourishing as a church community in its premises on Ecclesall Road, the church plant The Well at Woodseats, and fostering new church communities in other areas of the Sheffield region.
- Regular public worship (involving music, prayer, preaching and teaching from the Bible, children’s groups and hospitality to new visitors).
- The demonstration and proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ to those in Sheffield and surrounding areas.
- Establishing and building a strong sense of community, and shared values, amongst a growing number of people, and many people coming to faith in Jesus Christ.
- Serving Sheffield through engaging with a variety of local communities, individuals, groups and bodies and pioneering by establishing new ministries to serve the local neighbourhood and the young and the poor of the city.
- Maintain financial sustainability through a solid donor-base, to continue to repay our principal debts (mortgages) and be positioned to fund future projects.
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Docusign Envelope ID: B91CE8D2-E671-4E95-B768-0BA9163C9AFE
## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
**TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
## **Objectives and activities (continued)**
## **Strategies for achieving the objectives**
A Senior Leadership Team is drawn from permanent staff who assume aspects of the strategic and operational oversight, under the authority of the Trustees. This included the Senior Ministers, Director of Operations, Associate Minister, and a Newly Accredited Minister. The volunteer Charity Trustees continued to meet regularly.
As a church during 2023, we revisited our statements of purpose, vision, and values, which were first formed in 2015. After discussion, we reframed them to best reflect our current situation and aspirations and communicated the new focus during autumn 2023 and into 2024.
We maintained a group of volunteer key leaders from amongst the congregation to oversee some of our principal areas including worship, Sunday services, children’s work, youth work, mid-week community leading, serving the poor and vulnerable, relating to young adults and students, and some administration.
Two part-time Ministers in Training came towards their end of their training period this year. We ran a successful fifth year of an internship program in children/families.
We ran several public courses of self-improvement and empowerment relating to spirituality. We continued as a hub for church-plant training for members of The Well and others in the region.
We continued to run ‘community’ groups across the city, including identifying and training their associated leaders both pastorally and missionally. We desired to increase the number of these mid-week groups due to demand for them outstripping available space, and this is an ongoing aim.
We progressed our ‘Everyone Disciple One’ initiative, whereby our people focus on being disciples of Jesus, who raise new disciples of Jesus. www.everyonediscipleone.com
We mobilised proportions of the congregation voluntarily to join in with specific activities, including volunteering in ministries (children, youth, outreach, worship) and supporting local charities reaching out to those in need.
We engaged our congregations regularly regarding our financial position and encouraged people to contribute financially on a regular basis.
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Docusign Envelope ID: B91CE8D2-E671-4E95-B768-0BA9163C9AFE
## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
## **Objectives and activities (continued)**
## **Statement of Public Benefit**
The Trustees confirm that they have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the Church's aims and objectives and in planning future activities. The Trustees are also aware of the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit in The Advancement of Religion for the Public Benefit and have had regard to it in their administration of the Church. The Church provides the following activities for the benefit of the general public:
- Public services of worship (including prayer meetings);
- Public celebrations of the Christian festivals;
- Religious teaching to enlighten the public about the Christian faith whether by lecture, production of literature, religious broadcasts, evangelistic events or Christian conferences;
- Mutual support and networking with other Christian churches and their communities;
- Leadership training courses;
- Aid (whether in the form of goods or services);
- Funds for the relief of sickness, hardship or distress;
- Pastoral support;
- Guided activities for students, young people and children.
The Trustees confirm that they have complied with and paid due regard to their duties under section 17 of the 2011 Charities Act with regard to public benefit in planning and managing their activities during the year.
## **Grant-making Policies**
Grants are made to beneficiaries in furtherance of the Charity's objectives. The majority of grants are made to registered charities although assistance may be given to other constituted groups and occasionally to individuals. The Trustees have referred to the guidance on public benefit issued by the Charity Commission when reviewing the Charity's objectives and grant making policies.
## **Achievements and performance**
## **REVIEW OF ACTIVITIES**
## **Introduction**
This is the ninth annual report of the church and charity of The Well Sheffield Baptist Church. From October 2023 to September 2024, we were based across two sites: an established community at Ecclesall Road near the city centre, and our church plant ‘The Well at Woodseats’. This year we have continued to invest in both locations and have seen solid, steady progress in building our sense of community and continuing outreach to the city around us. We have faced significant challenges, so we are grateful for every advancement.
During November 2023, one of our Senior Ministers became critically unwell and was absent from work until March, followed by a phased return to work. It is important to acknowledge the support and hard work of the staff team alongside the leadership team and Trustees, and the prayer and practical support of the whole church, which very strongly came together over this time - it was a beautiful season of community. For rest and reflection, Nick and Marjorie Allan, our Senior Ministers, were granted a three-month sabbatical over the summer period and returned refreshed and ready to begin a new season.
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Docusign Envelope ID: B91CE8D2-E671-4E95-B768-0BA9163C9AFE
## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
## **Achievements and performance (continued)**
During spring 2024, it became clear that the running costs of the church had increased. Inflation, the rising price of utilities, increased professional fees, and living wage changes all contributed to a predicted budget deficit. We faced similar challenges in prior years, and so had already taken considerable measures to cut expenditure and had little recourse left in this respect. In spring, the Trustees brought this information to our church members and new joiners to ask them to consider their giving, and we are grateful to all who heard the challenge and stepped up. By autumn 2024, we saw a rise in the number of people making regular donations and an increase in giving from existing regular donors. We ended this year by exceeding our budgeted expectations. Throughout this time, we maintained our commitment to give away a proportion of our annual income to the causes of mission and social welfare.
In spring, Nick Allan, one of our Senior Ministers, gained his Doctorate in church planting. It was subsequently agreed that he would take on a part-time role heading up a new Centre for Baptist Ministry at St Hild College. As a result, in September 2024, Nick transitioned to part-time hours at The Well Sheffield. The Centre for Baptist Ministry aims to identify, raise, and train both Baptist Ministers In Training and lay leaders across the north of England. It is envisaged that this role will cross over with and benefit The Well Sheffield, as one of our church’s key values is training and development. Indeed, we have seen a shift within our staff this year as some team members have either changed their focus or moved on to explore new positions/training. For example:
- Duncan Akehurst, our Associate Minister, and his wife Anna Akehurst have continued to provide senior leadership at The Well at Woodseats and have redirected their time to focus on this community, in line with its increased growth and missional opportunities.
- Towards the end of this period Ben Jones, one of our Ministers in Training, became the Newly Accredited Minister of a Baptist Church in Hull.
- Similarly, our youth leader (Orla Moxon) ended her post to join a missional training school overseas.
While it is a challenge to lose skilled people from The Well at Ecclesall Road, this represents an important pipeline in leadership – ministry leaders are taking higher levels of responsibility in different areas, or exploring their longer-term calling, which reflects both kingdom growth and another core value of multiplication.
It has been a year of strong outcomes. We have run an increased number of Alpha courses, and it was a joy to see many people become Christians through this and to baptise some of this cohort along with others in the church family. The safeguarding and leadership team completed a significant piece of work to update our safeguarding processes, procedures, training, and pastoral practice.
As we end this year, we have moved into a time of transition. Firstly, for our staff - the team is now smaller, but we are blessed with a core group of long-term staff and a stable senior leadership team who have all worked hard to cover ministries, absorb responsibilities, and begin raising up and training new leaders. Members of the congregation have been open to conversations around lay leading areas that require team/leadership in the longer term, namely youth, 20s-30s groups, and safeguarding. Secondly, there is a transition occurring at The Well at Woodseats as they have moved toward the end of a discernment process within their own community and the wider community of The Well Sheffield. As a local congregation, The Well at Woodseats is large enough to need its own governance structures. We sensed that it might be time to establish Woodseats as a distinct church with its own Baptist church charity registration, under the leadership of Duncan and Anna Akehurst and supported by a faith-filled team. Work commenced behind the scenes to navigate the steps necessary to firmly establish a new church charity with the Charity Commission and in association with the regional and national Baptist family. The Well at Woodseats leadership team has grown this year in preparation for the upcoming step into autonomy. This is a significant development, which is to be celebrated.
The paperwork for their formation as a new charity as "The Ark" is with the charities commission at January 2025 and we expect them to be issued a registration number and to transition to independence in Spring 2025. David Sisson has been managing this transition and his time spent will be recharged on a monthly basis during the 2025 financial year.
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Docusign Envelope ID: B91CE8D2-E671-4E95-B768-0BA9163C9AFE
## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
## **Achievements and performance (continued)**
At the point of independence, the Well Sheffield intends to:
- make a charitable contribution to "The Ark" charity of £10,000 as a gift to cover formation costs;
- transfer some fixed assets that have been used by The Well at Woodseats over the past few years. The cost of these is c.£5,000, however they are now a few years old and have been depreciated in line with our depreciation policy;
- transfer YBA grant income received from 1st January 2025 and the balance of the Woodseats Restricted fund;
- Duncan Akehurst will resign and take up his new post as Minister of the newly formed Baptist Church.
A provision has been made in these accounts for the charitable contribution of £10,000. No further provisions have been made.
The Well remains a healthy, mature faith community with deep foundations and good practice in every area, built around shared relationships and shared purpose, including that of serving the city and blessing the nations. This report reflects the efforts we have gone to, together, to be faithful to the call of God upon us to worship Him wholeheartedly, and to call others towards His great love for every person.
In overseeing all of this, the staff Senior Leadership Team, and the volunteer Trustee team, have consistently sought to remain faithful to our guiding aims and objectives and our values (www.wellsheffield.com/values), and have sought to act in the best interests of the church and charity in all their dealings and decisions. We thank our outgoing Trustee during this period, and we are grateful to the remaining Trustees for the time they have invested and are yet to invest.
## **Review of charity’s activities**
## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD AT ECCLESALL ROAD**
## **SUNDAYS:**
Sunday continued to form the mainstay of our gathered expression of our church during this period, as we came together publicly for devotion, discipleship, and the declaration of the gospel. In particular, the morning gathering has grown throughout this season, welcoming people of every age, many young families, and people of diverse heritages. As a result, our kids and youth ministry during the Sunday services have grown in number and have been adapting in style to accommodate this.
A highlight of the year was our All Nations gathering in May 2024, which celebrated the many different nations we now have as part of The Well Sheffield. It was a vibrant affair! People wore national dress and brought international food samples to share.
In response to growth, we continued to invest and recruit for our volunteer teams to facilitate various children and youth groups at the 10 a.m. gathering. Another successful event was our Volunteer Fair in November, which enabled our different Sunday teams such as welcome, café and connections, children’s work, and sound and tech to recruit new volunteers from amongst the congregation to be trained.
Our Sunday live streams remained popular throughout this period. We broadcast our 7 p.m. gathering weekly. We have a regular, committed viewing audience, as well as many more who watch back in the following weeks.
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Docusign Envelope ID: B91CE8D2-E671-4E95-B768-0BA9163C9AFE
## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
**TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
## **Achievements and performance (continued)**
## **COMMUNITIES:**
Community groups are week day groups that meet across the city in peoples’ homes. Incorporating food, prayer, and Bible exploration, they are a place to belong beyond a Sunday and are a key part of maintaining good relationships and encouraging discipleship across the church.
In October 2023, we ran new community leader training and specific safeguarding training for community leaders helping leaders recognise and identify vulnerabilities that might occur in a home context and how they could be handled well and in line with our safeguarding policy. We also looked at our culture of Everyone Disciple One and reading the Bible with people far away from God and how this could continue safely for all parties, with a focus on being trauma-informed.
Many new people joined communities across the year, largely via Launchpad, our short course for those who are new to The Well. In the spring and summer of 2024, it became apparent that we had more people trying to join communities than we had space in people’s homes to welcome them. As a result, there was a concerted effort to identify and train new community leaders, particularly for the young adult age group. A number of new communities have since successfully launched and one of our existing communities multiplied into two distinct groups to accommodate this growth.
We continue to offer support and oversight to our community leaders through regular corporate training, small huddles, and times of socialising and encouragement.
The annual leaders’ barbeque was a washout in terms of the rain, but still great fun!
## **20s & 30s MINISTRIES:**
A highlight of this ministry area was the February weekend away to Lea Green, Matlock. About seventy young adults and students attended, encountered the Spirit of God, and had great fun together.
Ben Jones continued to lead this people group as our Minister In Training until July 2024. Dan, one of our young leaders, also organised some Friday night young adult social events in The Well Café, which proved popular. This ministry area continued to experience significant growth within the church as some of the student population graduated and new young adults joined the church. As a result, strategic conversations were held to look at the breadth of this age profile, life transitions, and how best to serve this demographic going forward. It was also clear that new leaders and community groups would need to be identified and started. This ministry area will be an area of significant focus in the year ahead.
## **STUDENTS:**
The student ministry continued to thrive at The Well, with a number of new students joining the community. Students met regularly on Wednesdays, alternating between community groups and ‘All In’ gatherings.
During this period, the Student Ministry was led by a volunteer - a recent graduate who had been part of the student community - alongside a team of nine student leaders. The student leaders received regular training in community leadership, prayer ministry, and service leading.
We were very blessed by the way in which our students continued to serve the wider church across worship, kids, youth, and other teams.
In February, we held a joint student and 20s and 30s weekend away, where we took around seventy people to Lea Green for a time of community and faith-building. This was a highlight of the year for many students.
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Docusign Envelope ID: B91CE8D2-E671-4E95-B768-0BA9163C9AFE
## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
**TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
## **Achievements and performance (continued)**
At the end of the academic year, we said goodbye to many students who graduated, including several Student Leaders. We heard how their faith has grown over their time as students. Many will be staying in Sheffield and remain part of The Well Sheffield next year.
## **CHILDREN AND FAMILIES:**
## **Under-fives and their families**
We continued to celebrate an increase in i) new births this year and ii) the number of families with babies and under-fives connected to The Well through Sunday gatherings and the Little Droplet and Baby Droplet groups, which are based at The Well.
Little Droplets offers a safe, warm, friendly, and loving environment for mums, dads, grandparents, and carers with their babies and toddlers. Little Droplets grew in number and God continued to bless this ministry with an amazing team, from retired people to young adults and students. Baby Droplets, an afternoon group for mums or female carers with newborn-to-walking babies, continued to take place. These groups are missional opportunities, serving and blessing families in the local community, the city of Sheffield, and even families travelling from outside the area. Many families who attend these groups also join us for Christmas, Easter, and other celebrations throughout the year. We had the opportunity to bring the truth of Christmas and Easter into these groups.
On Sunday mornings we held our ‘Splash’ group. This group is aimed at two-to-four-year-olds, but we also offer this as a space for parents to accompany their children who are under two years. We are fortunate to have a carpeted area for babies and crawlers in the main worship space during the service.
## **Children five to eleven years**
We have seen growth in new families this year, from new births to new families choosing to worship at The Well, including those new to the area, the city, and the country. We continued to recruit and train new volunteers and develop teams and new opportunities for children and families to connect with Jesus, the church, and our community.
‘Wellkids’ is the Sunday group for children of school age up to Y6 (ages four to eleven). We have welcomed many new children and visitors. The team has grown and invested in the development of this group, intentionally discipling them. Friendships have deepened and opportunities to encounter and learn about Jesus are offered in this space. The ‘Church Centre’ platform continued to provide a safe check-in and registration procedure for all children and became part of the safeguarding procedure. Wellkids now have two football teams that meet on a Friday night in a local Christian league, providing both missional and discipleship opportunities.
## **Families**
Other family events and celebrations included a Light Party, Family Carol service, Christingle/Nativity, and an Easter celebration aimed at families to engage through activities and making Easter gardens. In 2023, the Church Family Meetings took on a new rhythm, changing from midweek evenings to Sunday afternoons, which allowed the church to begin sharing lunch together ahead of the session. This pattern has continued into 2024. Families now share lunch with the wider church family regularly, enabling intergenerational connections and an opportunity for families and children to be involved.
Launchpad, a course for those new to or exploring The Well, continued to welcome all ages. This was offered on a Sunday after the morning gathering, starting with lunch, and including age-specific activities provided by the DBS-checked children’s team.
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Docusign Envelope ID: B91CE8D2-E671-4E95-B768-0BA9163C9AFE
## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
## **Achievements and performance (continued)**
New 2023-24:
- **Church Together:** A new termly service gathering the whole church together (all ages), in worship, bible teaching, and prayer.
- **Summer Church Together:** One 4 p.m. gathering which combined the morning and evening congregations for six weeks throughout the school holidays. Aimed at all ages, it was creative and engaging for children and families.
- **Parent-led creche space** in the café area of the Well: This allowed parents and carers to feel part of the service whilst creating a safe space for the babies and young toddlers.
- **All-age opportunities linked to our Serving Saturday initiative** , enabling and encouraging families to pray and serve beyond themselves.
- **Parenting For Faith:** This online course facilitated parents from The Well to explore and consider how to disciple their children at home and created an opportunity to develop and grow as a family.
## **YOUTH 11-18s:**
The vision for the youth ministry at The Well continues to be that we would have a 'youth ministry full of young people on fire for Jesus and wanting to see their lives and the lives of their friends and family transformed by God.' This year there has been a focus on creating consistent spaces for young people to come into and connect with one another. This has meant a regular rhythm of activities across the year on Sundays and Tuesdays. Our Tuesday evenings have alternated between community groups and Encounter worship nights. Around thirty to forty young people are part of the church family. Throughout the week we can see anywhere from five to twentyfive of these young people.
During this year, we also had one youth ministry intern who helped organise and deliver youth events and encouraged the young people to volunteer at church-wide events such as the Light Party. The youth team grew, with many new volunteers signing up at the church's Volunteer Fair. This increased the number of young men on the team which had been a previous prayer point.
In July, eight team members took sixteen young people to DTI (Dreaming The Impossible) festival. The young people engaged in seminars, worship, and talks on Christian faith, as well as sports activities, games, and talent competitions.
At the end of the period, we began to advertise for a new Youth Ministry Leader as our existing leader prepared to move on in September 2024.
## **THE WELL AT WOODSEATS:**
From small missionary beginnings in 2021, The Well at Woodseats has developed to become an established multi-cultural church family, which continues to grow and have a significant impact in the area. As missional opportunities and the congregation’s needs have expanded this year, Duncan and Anna Akehurst progressively transitioned to spending the lion’s share of their time leading the Woodseats work.
In April this year, after months of our leadership teams and Trustees praying and sharing about the potential next steps for The Well at Woodseats, they shared with the wider church family in both locations our sense that the community had reached a healthy point of maturity and a place of momentum. We felt that it might be time to establish The Well at Woodseats as a distinct church with its own Baptist church charity registration, under the leadership of Duncan and Anna, supported by a faith-filled team eager to see Jesus transform their local communities.
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Docusign Envelope ID: B91CE8D2-E671-4E95-B768-0BA9163C9AFE
## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
## **Achievements and performance (continued)**
This was discussed as part of a discernment process with the wider church family at multiple Church Family Meetings at Ecclesall Road and congregational Vision Nights in Woodseats. The direction of travel was strongly affirmed across the board. With a united sense of God’s leading, various teams began working together behind the scenes to navigate the steps necessary to firmly establish a new church charity with the Charity Commission, and in association with the regional and national Baptist family.
## Ongoing Activities:
- The **Wednesday morning prayer meeting** attracted anywhere between two to fifteen people. A number chose to fast each Wednesday as well. It was always very encouraging to see many prayers answered specifically.
- Our **Thursday lunchtime street outreach** involved two to five people and alternated weekly between Woodseats and Dronfield. This was particularly fruitful in Dronfield in terms of building relationships with individuals we have met repeatedly. It felt like harder ground in Woodseats, but worth it.
- Five to ten people attended our **Friday morning worship** . This was a relatively new venture established in line with creating regular spaces for prayer and worship that will hopefully lead towards establishing a House of Prayer in the future.
- **Shabbat** is a weekly gathering on Friday evenings for people in their 20s and 30s. Averaging fifteen-plus people, it is a time of sharing food and testimonies, worshipping Jesus together, and discipleship in and through the Word. In terms of culture setting and life transformation, it has been one of the most significant areas of church life this year, filtering through into wider church life.
- Our **Sunday morning gatherings** averaged around ninety people and engaged with new people most weeks.
- We held **five weekly home groups** , including a group in Dronfield, and anticipated the need to grow this number.
- **Our 8–12-year-olds** had the opportunity to join our fortnightly group ‘DNA’. This attracted five to twelve children including a growing number of ‘unchurched’ children for fun and games, prayer and worship, and Bible-based discipleship. This is a growing missional opportunity.
- **Around the Table:** A monthly meal followed by worship and ministry, attended by thirty to forty adults. These were significant times of cross-generational fellowship.
## Dronfield:
- Dronfield has its own geographical missional community. This year, there were roughly eighteen people in the group, with a growing number of relationships being developed in the area including a number who are exploring faith to varying degrees. There has been a mixture of first-contact street evangelism and friendship evangelism.
- This community began meeting on Sunday afternoons roughly every 4-6 weeks, in addition to their Wednesday evening home group gathering.
- In August, they held ‘Church in the Park’ – a wonderful opportunity to worship and witness publicly in the community.
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Docusign Envelope ID: B91CE8D2-E671-4E95-B768-0BA9163C9AFE
## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
## **Achievements and performance (continued)**
Highlights from Across the Year:
- Around twenty people began reading through the Bible in a year together in October 2023.
- Three young adults were baptised in the River Rivelin on a cold Saturday morning in November. We heard beautiful stories of radically transformed lives shared in the open air for passers-by to hear.
- A young lady from Atlanta, USA, joined the team for most of the year. She has inputted strongly into worship and prayer, personal discipleship culture, and 8–12-year-olds. We had the joy of helping develop her personally in leadership, especially in areas of hosting Sunday gatherings and preaching, as well as leading small groups.
- Carols @ Costa: The manager of Costa specifically invited us to run this event due to the success of the previous year’s event. It was a wonderful evening of sharing the gospel amongst many who did not know Jesus and developing good relationships with people from the local community.
- Around thirty people celebrated Christmas Day with lunch and an afternoon party. It proved a great space to invite family and friends who do not know Jesus. There is scope for expanding and inviting local lonely people with no one else to celebrate Christmas with.
- In January we held a Bible Marathon, spending 4.5 days reading through the whole Bible. This was a day and night event where groups took it in turns for two-hour slots. It proved a powerful time, with several stories of people experiencing significant deliverance through simply reading the Bible aloud. It has grown a far deeper love for the Word across the whole church community - a love that people testified to as transforming their lives from the inside out.
- We ran two low-key Alpha courses two people choosing to give their lives to Jesus.
- In March, eleven people in their twenties and thirties went on a Glastonbury outreach weekend with the Iris Glastonbury base. They engaged in worship and evangelism both in the town centre and on top of Glastonbury Tor, and there were significant testimonies of healing, deliverance, and salvation in some of the people we met, as well as in those on the team who stepped out in this area (many for the first time).
- Breaking Ground: In June we ran evangelism training, seventy-two hours of prayer and worship, a Pentecost celebration, three days of street worship and evangelism, and a neighbourhood party which attracted dozens of local unchurched people. It was encouraging to partner with The Message and Pathway Church (Beauchief) in much of this. There were many stories of people stepping out in evangelism in positive ways and lots of testimonies of people being open to prayer, encountering the presence of God, and hearing the gospel. As a result, we have seen a handful of people connect with our regular gatherings.
- We have noticed a growing number of African families integrating into and helping to shape our church community, along with an increasing range of ages and life stages of those connected with church life.
- The Well at Woodseats leadership team has grown this year in preparation for becoming autonomous
- as a church.
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## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
**TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
## **Achievements and performance (continued)**
## **CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP AND TRAINING:**
Our constitution states that an important pathway to achieving our charitable objectives is the “nurture and growth of Christian disciples;” “education and training for Christian and community service;” and “giving and encouraging pastoral care”. This year we invested significant energy into maintaining a great culture within our faith community, and in training and empowering many people in the Christian life, and fullness of life in general. We set up and ran a range of training courses both for existing attendees and for the local un-churched. These included: Five Alpha Courses, Marriage Preparation classes, new joiners ‘get-to-know-you events,’ and training specifically aimed toward new Community Leaders. We also felt it was important to reintroduce a rhythm of training for the whole church at two to three points across the year. As a result, we ran two training weekends. The first was an extremely well-attended conference in November on the Father Heart of God, with international guest speaker Isabel Skùlason. The second took place in June, run by an experienced internal team and lay leaders on the theme of being ‘naturally supernatural.’
We continued to be a hub site for Myriad, an organisation we are partnering with to support the planting of lay-led churches in our region. Two members of The Well continued to be part of this cohort.
Over the last year, we have worked hard on our safeguarding processes and procedures, and alongside a scheme of in-depth training for our ministry staff and teams, our DPS and senior leaders have delivered up-todate training for community leaders, prayer ministry team, and our Spirit Café team. Our safeguarding team and staff have also begun to use an internal safeguarding reporting system - ‘MyConcern’ - and received training in this system. For more details, see our ‘risk’ section.
To support personal development, we have previously run a popular mentoring programme for young adults, led by our ‘Turnaround Team’ - experienced business leaders and professionals from within our church who have kindly offered to give their time to help provide advice and insight into people’s employment/business situations. This has remained available if needed.
In March, we invested in our young adults in two ways. A senior minister took number of young leaders to some preaching training run by Kings Cross Church. We also hosted a young leaders’ training weekend for the SENT.
## **Ministerial Development:**
We invest significantly in our ministerial staff, for the sake of the whole church. There is an ongoing programme of safeguarding awareness and training. We began this period with three Ministers in Training who were partially funded in their college studies. Across the year, two have been ordained and become Newly Accredited Ministers; Ben Jones took up a new post at Cottingham Road Baptist Church, relocating to Hull, and Charlotte Henard remained with us, being called by the congregation as our Newly Accredited Minister. Jhonnar Lugo finished his studies in June 2024 and took a deserved time of rest in preparation for the next season.
Our whole staff team attended termly strategy days and a retreat time in the Peak District.
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## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
**TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
## **Achievements and performance (continued)**
## **Deeper School of Ministry**
For the eighth year we ran ‘Deeper’, our nine-month, one-day-a-week Christian Discipleship School (www.wellsheffield.com/deeper) aimed at training and equipping adults to go deeper in faith, in understanding the Bible, and in Christian discipleship and service.
Towan Greene led this school alongside four volunteer team members. There were fourteen participants from four different Sheffield churches (including The Well), and one person with us from Sicily for the year. Deeper met on Thursday daytimes across nine months of the academic year. Deeper days were built around a mixture of worship and prayer, Bible and discipleship teaching, small group discussion, and outreach in the local community. Bible teaching and discipleship input came from the Deeper team, the wider staff team at The Well, and various guest speakers including leaders from other Sheffield churches and visiting missionaries operating in different parts of the world.
For its second year, Deeper facilitated The Prayer Meeting on Thursday evenings during the academic term. This gathering is open to anyone from The Well or beyond seeking to worship God and pray for Sheffield. Various people and groups came in to lead prayer for particular areas and elements of Sheffield's life.
In April, a team of 16 people comprised of Deeper students and its team travelled to Calais for a week serving with Care4Calais and a local church bringing aid and support to refugees in Calais and Dunkirk.
Towards the end of the year, Deeper hosted an evening service at The Well in which Deeper students led various elements and a handful shared testimony on behalf of the group about being impacted and transformed throughout the course of the year.
## **EVANGELISM AND OUTREACH:**
Our strategy ‘Everyone Disciple One’ is to share the good news of Jesus by empowering all our people to be disciples who reach out to others in order to raise new disciples. We encourage people to take responsibility for this in their everyday lives. During this period, we saw people putting these methods into practice, introducing Christianity, and reading the bible with people. As a result, we saw new people becoming disciples of Jesus. We hope that this will become the norm for all our church culture in the future.
The Alpha Course has been a strong feature of this year. This evangelistic course seeks to introduce the basics of the Christian faith through a series of talks and discussions. It took place alongside a shared meal in our café area. It was undoubtedly key to many people taking a journey of faith and becoming Christians over this last season. Five Alpha courses ran throughout the year, including one taster course.
In addition, our building-based evangelistic initiatives continued, including Sundays and youth and children/families’ activities, such as our Light Party at Halloween, a Good Friday Easter experience, and Christmas events such as Christingle. The two baby groups, Little Droplets and Baby Droplets, which serve our local community, continued to grow over this season and new volunteers served this ministry.
The Spirit Café drop-in centre continued to open its doors throughout this year. In September 2023 we ran a new Spirit Café and safeguarding training. The café has a new sign-in and record-keeping process in line with our safeguarding policy. This has gone very well. It is amazing to welcome strangers of every age to church and to minister God’s love every time we open.
Our church plant The Well at Woodseats also continued to reach their local neighbourhood, through their regular ‘Love Woodseats’ events and outreach on the streets of Dronfield.
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## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
**TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
## **Achievements and performance (continued)**
## **SERVING THE POOR AND VULNERABLE AND GENEROSITY:**
One of our key values is to find ways to love and serve the poor and vulnerable around us. We do not believe in starting things just for the sake of it and try to join in with existing initiatives where possible. Many of our people serve in ministries and initiatives across the region, nation, and internationally.
Over the course of this year, we reintroduced ‘Serving Saturdays’ where we invite the congregation as a whole and the staff team to serve the local community and the city. This included litter picking, cleaning, and prayer walking in our locality. We also partnered with some of our Sheffield-based Well Beyond partners to help them in their work; for example, we cleaned some of the Open Hands charity houses and visited their clients. We also joined in the work of the Besom charity. This was an incredibly positive experience for those who took part.
Over the years, we have heavily promoted the work of the Food and Communities Trust (previously known as the S6 Foodbank). We encourage financial gifts as a practical response and several of our congregation are among the consistently faithful local volunteers. Our Compassion Sunday during Harvest October 2023 took an offering of food and toiletries to donate, as well as direct financial donations. Our Christmas 2023 offering was also divided between the Food and Communities Trust and the work of the Baptist Church in Ukraine.
## **FINANCIAL GENEROSITY:**
The Well prioritises being generous to other causes and aims to give away approximately 10% of our annual donation income, in line with our charity objectives. In the 2023 to 2024 financial year, we gave to a mix of Baptist projects in support of mission within our denomination, one-off offerings to immediate causes, and to a discretionary fund.
We continued a sub-committee called ‘Well Beyond’ to research and recommend to the Trustees outlets for our financial generosity, and to strengthen our ties with kingdom and/or development initiatives beyond ourselves and our city. The Trustees then present their decisions to the Church Family Meetings.
We continued to administer our “We Care” compassion fund to support church family members who were experiencing financial hardship as a result of their circumstances. This discretionary fund was established to receive financial donations that can be redistributed as necessary by the Trustees and Senior Leadership team to those who regularly worship with us and who find themselves in particular need.
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## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
Here is a summary of our financial generosity during this period, in line with our charity purposes:
The sum of all our external giving was £50,301.19 amounting to 10.1% of our annual operating donation income (including Gift Aid) for this period. This is as high as our aim of giving away 10% of our annual operating donation income.
## **WORSHIP & COMMUNITY LIFE OF THE CHURCH:**
As well as Sundays and online, we held regular events and opportunities for people to worship in a variety of ways. We held a Furnace weekend of 24/7 prayer in October 2023 and four days of Furnace prayer in February 2023 launched by Josh Green, the 24-7 Youth Prayer Director. We prioritised space for prayer, worship, and prophecy by holding weekly Thursday night events, called ‘The Prayer Meeting.’ The Well at Woodseats hosted other prayer/fasting events.
We worked hard to maintain our sense of community life. We hosted several weddings, while other young adults in the congregation were married elsewhere during this period. We shared communion on Sundays, and celebrated festivals – Christmas, Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Pentecost, Remembrance Day, and Passover. In June, we set up a live screening of the UEFA EURO Cup Final between England and Spain for the church and any people they wished to invite. Finally, it was great to welcome several hundred people to our premises for the ninth birthday garden party and worship celebration, in September 2024.
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## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
**TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
## **Achievements and performance (continued)**
## **INTERACTING WITH LOCAL, NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL CHURCH:**
We continue to interact with existing local churches to build relationship and seek ways to collaborate. This includes our Senior Ministers frequently attending city-wide cross-denominational church leader prayer events. In addition, we set up some meetings early in the year for Baptist ministers within Sheffield to connect and pray.
We hugely appreciated our accountability and partnership with our regional and national Baptist family (pastorally, relationally, financially, and missionally). This includes membership and frequent interaction with the Yorkshire Baptist Association. We are in the middle of a partnership agreement with YBA around church planting, and best practice in leadership training. This two-way relationship sees The Well supported financially and with leadership wisdom in developing our new church plant in Woodseats, and The Well extending our internship and placement opportunities to others from around the region, to experience good practice in the context of a healthy, growing local church.
We sent delegations to a number of national and international forums, focused on raising millennials and students in church, including through the Evangelical Alliance and the Baptist Union. Two of our senior team are mentors for a national programme raising young leaders within the Baptist family. Our Senior Minister engaged with conversations about national church-planting initiatives in multiple contexts. Our staff team regularly offer advice and consultations to other Sheffield churches around youth, students and outreach initiatives.
In May 2023, we launched as a regional hub of Myriad, a national church-planting initiative we will continue in partnership with until 2025. This has become the space where we train and mentor both our own church members and those in the region who seek to run volunteer-led micro-churches in South Yorkshire. This year, two of our church members within the Myriad cohort further established a community of faith at a local gym in partnership with its owner.
In January 2024, both our Sunday church sites welcomed a team from Youth With A Mission, a global movement full of young people driven by a passion to know God and make Him known. They generously served in our worship teams, at our youth work, and they preached and gave testimony to encourage our congregations.
Marjorie Allan, Senior Minister, spoke at Network Church Sheffield’s womens’ weekend in September 2023. Also, our Senior Ministers were keynote speakers at the Spring Harvest Young Adult holiday week in France in June 2024.
The leadership at Woodseats have been encouraged that they have developed a stronger relationship with the leader of their local Pathway Church, hosting a few low-key outreach times together and beginning to share resources in a meaningful way.
In July 2024, a number of our young adults travelled together to attend ‘The SEND’ event. The SEND is a campaign activating believers to live a missional lifestyle by adopting and reaching real mission fields and home and abroad. Some members of our church were an integral part of the national team organising The SEND, which culminated in July with six thousand teens and people in their twenties gathering for prayer and envisioning at Wembley Arena.
In September 2024, a missionary in Costa Rica, was hosted by a family at The Well at Woodseats for one week. As a gifted evangelist, he spent lots of time with the young adults at Woodseats, encouraging them in stepping out in sharing faith. He also shared at a morning service.
Nick Allan, our Baptist Minister completed a 3-year Doctorate in Church Planting this summer. Given our church’s emphasis on church planting we believe this has been an area of investment that will continue to bear fruit; for instance, in June 2024 it was agreed that Nick would take on a part-time role heading up the new Centre for Baptist ministry at St Hild College. As a result, it was agreed with the support of the Trustees that he would transition to part-time hours at The Well. This new centre aims to identify raise and train both Baptist ministers in training and lay leaders across the north of England. It is envisaged that this will also cross over with and benefit
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## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
The Well Sheffield.
One member of the Woodseats community spent three weeks out at the Gem Foundation, a home caring for orphaned or abandoned children with special needs in Uganda, and another travelled twice to Mozambique to work with Iris Ministries.
## **COMMUNICATIONS & MEDIA:**
Communications and Media at The Well continued to produce high-quality content, a key feature of our outreach, impact, and connectivity. We maintained three websites across The Well brand, created in-house produced media, and made additional savings in a multitude of areas to reflect the current budget.
## **Weekly news videos**
Bringing back weekly “Family news” videos premiered at both Sunday gatherings, these videos have been the flagship Church-wide comms medium of the last year with consistent viewing figures during the week on catchup.
## **Social media**
The Well Online (7 p.m. Sunday livestream) saw a small number of regular live viewers, with many more on catch-up through the week. This, along with other video and digital content, saw over 2,500 hours of YouTube content watched and an increase in subscribers too. On our Instagram and Facebook pages, a consistent presence was maintained at around 3k subscribers.
## **Design**
We produced multiple print solutions including posters, banners, flyers and t-shirts, and online graphics. We have struggled to maintain this vital ministry and communications function during this period due to financial restraints, and we are grateful to those who have served it.
## **Achievements and performance (continued):**
The Church does not measure the success of its programs only in numbers, including financial numbers, but also in areas of wellbeing like fellowship and encouragement. The Trustees recognise that these are more intangible, but we believe that 2023-24 was another fruitful year for the life of our community. In addition to our reviews and activities already mentioned, we can point to:
- Many people newly professing their faith in Jesus Christ and joining The Well and The Well at Woodseats, especially from the 20-30s age group.
- Fourteen Baptisms
- At least twelve people from our Alpha Courses became Christians, and two were baptised.
- Serving the poor in the local community in Sheffield as well as the opportunity to be generous and give to other charitable causes in line with our objectives.
- We began series two of our ‘Wise Lives’ podcast and made twelve episodes available.
- We performed four weddings and three infant dedications for our church family.
## **VOLUNTEERS:**
We encourage a culture of volunteering in all areas of our work and are grateful for the way we pull together as a community to fulfil our vision. The vast majority of our activities involve considerable input of time and energy by Church members. Around 250 different people have given volunteering time this year - often on Sundays, but also to our mid-week ministries and community groups. On an average year we calculate that Church Members collectively volunteer around 10,000 hours per year; this is the equivalent of 5.5 full-time employees. No financial value of volunteers' time has been included in the financial statements.
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## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
## **Financial review**
## **Introduction**
The accounts are prepared in accordance with the current statutory requirements, the requirements of the charity's governing document and the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP), applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller Entities FRS 102 (as amended in February 2016), as well as the Charities Act 2011.
During the financial year (12 months) the total income amounted to £575,455 (£520,666 in 2023) including:
- £18,123 from charitable activities (£13,650 in 2023)
- interest of £2,760 (£1,509 in 2023)
- other restricted funds of £61,984 (£50,833 in 2023).
Total operating expenditure for the financial year came to £541,244 (£525,362 in 2023). This included (for example):
total external giving £50,301 (2023: £38,252) staff costs £328,690 (2023: £318,747) administrative expenses (excluding staff costs) £162,253 (2023: £168,363)
Net income for the period after depreciation charges was £34,211 (Net expenditure of £4,696 in 2023).
The Charity (church) continues to raise most of its funds necessary to carry out its operating activities from within its own membership and congregation. No wider public appeal was made for funds during the year. We received small grants this year from The Gregory Center for Multiplication (CCX/Myriad) and the Yorkshire Baptist Association to help towards the costs of our Ministers in Training. We are also grateful to the Yorkshire Baptist Association for their financial support during this period recognising the significant investment required in launching our church plant, The Well at Woodseats.
Despite fluctuations in church family members choosing to give voluntarily by monthly bank commitment, the church continued to welcome new, regular attenders and members who, in turn, have made a financial commitment to give each month. This resulted in the number of church family members choosing to give voluntarily by monthly bank commitment remaining reasonably consistent throughout the year. This provides stability and confidence for forward financial planning. We continue to promote the use of Gift Aid across the church family, including ensuring the additional income and significant benefits this generates is reported. We submit Gift Aid claims on a monthly basis. We would like to record our ongoing gratitude to everyone who contributed during the year.
The church continues to be heavily dependent on church family members volunteering in all aspects of the church’s activities, many of which run with little or no impact on the church’s expenditure. This contributes substantially to the achievement of the church’s objectives and the leadership and Trustees are continually grateful for their ongoing support.
## **Going concern**
The Trustees maintain the reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. For this reason, they continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements.
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## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
## **Reserves policy**
Since Sept 2018 the Trustees have maintained an agreed reserves balance in case of unforeseen fluctuations in income or expenditure and to meet Charity Commission guidelines. This policy is reviewed annually as part of our ongoing governance review to ensure that level is still appropriate and was increased from £80,000 to £120,000 in February 2021. The Trustees are content to maintain that same level of reserves for the immediate future.
## **Setting an annual budget**
The Trustees plan a detailed annual budget which, once agreed, is presented to the Church Family Meeting for comment. The focus is to continually meet our charitable objectives and to be an outward-looking church and charity, particularly focused on mission both to the local and Sheffield communities, as well as UK and international opportunities to serve and to give financially.
## **Structure, governance and management**
## **Constitution**
The charity is called The Well Sheffield Baptist Church. It is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) registered with the Charity Commission on 25 August 2015 and its governance is laid out in its CIO constitution document. The date of adoption of the CIO’s constitution was 2 July 2015. A minor amendment was passed by a Special Church Meeting on 25 September 2019 and subsequently lodged with the Charity Commission.
## **Methods of appointment or election of Trustees**
The constitution allows for up to 8 Baptist Members to be appointed as Charity Trustees, in addition to the Minister(s). Each such appointment requires approval by a majority of Church members. The Trustees meet regularly to discuss and plan objectives and the implementation of them. Trustees are encouraged to access training relating to their roles and responsibilities.
During this period Anu Adebajo resigned as Trustee. Having recruited four new Trustees in the prior year, no new Trustees were appointed in this period. The Trustees serving in the period are named on page 1.
## **Organisational structure and decision-making policies**
Members of the Charity/Church are accepted in accordance with the Constitution and at the discretion of the Charity Trustees. During the period of this report Baptist membership numbers decreased from 123 to 107. Members are required to have professed faith in Jesus Christ and are expected to take an active role in the responsibilities and life of the Church. The Church Members’ Meeting, known in-house as the ‘Church Family Meeting’ (CFM), normally takes place several times per year.
In accordance with the Constitution, the Members appoint up to eight unpaid Trustees including Church Secretary and Treasurer, who together with the Minister(s), are responsible for the overall policy and day-to-day running of the church’s work and witness, the financial and legal aspects of the charity. Relevant matters may be submitted to the Church meeting by the Trustees for guidance or may be raised by Members for further consideration by the Trustees. All Members are encouraged to take an appropriate part in the spiritual and practical tasks involved in the furtherance of the charitable objectives.
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## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
**TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
## **Structure, governance and management (continued)**
The consultation of Church Members and the involvement of Members in decision-making is an important principle within a Baptist Church. Members are encouraged to listen carefully to each other, express views that will aid decision-making, before reaching a decision. Though the Constitution permits decisions to be made at Trustees’ meetings and significant decisions at ‘Church Family Meetings’ (CFMs) by appropriate majorities, in practice the Well’s leadership seeks to work by consensus wherever possible. Our regular CFMs are open to anybody who actively considers The Well and The Well at Woodseats their church. Only on the occasions when issues are required to be decided by vote do the charity/Church members have sole rights in decision-making.
By the end of this period the number of paid staff members was the equivalent of 9.2 full-time employees down from 9.9 in the previous period. Day-to-day leadership matters are determined and managed by the two Senior Ministers (one of whom is a Trustee) and a Senior Leadership Team of three others during this period, under delegated authority from the Trustees.
## **RISK MANAGEMENT**
Under the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) 2019 regulations it is recommended that Trustees complete an ongoing Risk Management review. The Trustees have undertaken this review during the year to identify and manage the principal risks that may deter The Well Sheffield Baptist Church from achieving its main objectives.
The Trustees have reviewed areas of risk during this year. We continue to monitor our GDPR compliance. David Sisson is our Data Controller. Other existing policies and supporting procedures were reviewed and maintained, including finance and a risk register, around the following: Fire, Asbestos, electrics/gas, lone working, accidents/first aid, working at heights, manual handling, welfare, terrorism/security, display screen equipment, garden, pandemics, and flu.
The Well ensures that matters identified as potentials risks are discussed, reviewed and mitigating action to reduce or eliminate risk is implemented.
## **SAFEGUARDING**
The Well operates a comprehensive Safeguarding policy and practice, for children and adults-at-risk. During this period, the safeguarding team met regularly to review policies, procedures, and actions. Our Designated Person for Safeguarding (DPS) was Mrs Steph Wallace, who commenced the role in an interim capacity in May 2023. The DPS is assisted by a nominated safeguarding Trustee, and a safeguarding voluntary team of Deputy DPS (DDPS) drawn from experienced professionals within the congregations. Our congregation of The Well at Woodseats continued to benefit from a dedicated DDPS.
Alongside other members of the wider safeguarding team, our DPS looked carefully at our safeguarding processes and training, consulting widely and looking at national best practices. In October 2023, our DPS delivered training designed for our Community Leaders, to tailor guidance to their context. Senior leaders, in consultation with our safeguarding team, have also delivered updated training for Prayer Ministry team and our Spirit Café team. We have introduced our own internal safeguarding reporting system using MyConcern which has made our processes more efficient, and our staff have received training in this system.
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## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
## **Structure, governance and management (continued)**
After fulfilling some of these strategic reviews and training sessions, Steph Wallace handed the DPS role on temporarily to two of our DDPS in early 2024, who have faithfully overseen this key area of church life while a more permanent DPS was put in place. We are very grateful to Steph, and also Kate Beale and Nicola Ennis for their time and skill in this area.
It is our usual practice to review our policy annually, and at a Church Family Meeting, to discuss and take ownership of implementing a safeguarding culture within the full life of the church.
We held compulsory safeguarding training for our staff, as well as on-demand video training content being available. Volunteers within our ministries, such as children/youth and Community leaders are required to undergo training on a regular basis. Topics included safeguarding of children, adults at risk, mental health awareness, domestic abuse awareness. We continued a comprehensive process to ensure that all staff and volunteers who worked with children had up-to-date DBS checks and training.
## **Statement of Trustees' responsibilities**
The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees' report 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 & Wales requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Church and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles of the Charities SORP (FRS 102);
- make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards (FRS 102) have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Church will continue in business.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the Church's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Church and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the Trust deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Church and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Approved by order of the members of the board of Trustees on 31 March 2025 and signed on their behalf by:
**Rev N Allan, Minister**
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## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
## **Independent examiner's report to the Trustees of The Well Sheffield Baptist Church ('the Church')**
I report to the charity Trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Church for the year ended 30 September 2024.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the Trustees of the Church you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the 2011 Act').
I report in respect of my examination of the Church's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
## **Independent examiner's statement**
Since the Church's gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales, which is one of the listed bodies.
Your attention is drawn to the fact that the Church has prepared the accounts in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) in preference to the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice issued on 1 April 2005 which is referred to in the extant regulations but has been withdrawn.
I understand that this has been done in order for the accounts to provide a true and fair view in accordance with the Generally Accepted Accounting Practice effective for reporting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2015.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no 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 Church as required by section 130 of the 2011 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.
Signed: Dated: 1 April 2025
Kirstie Wilson ACA DChA Chartered Accountant **Shorts** Chartered Accountants Cedar House 63 Napier Street Sheffield South Yorkshire S11 8HA
Page 22
Docusign Envelope ID: B91CE8D2-E671-4E95-B768-0BA9163C9AFE
## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
|**Note**
**Income from:**
Donations and legacies
4
Charitable activities
5
Investments
6
**Total income**
**Expenditure on:**
Charitable activities
7
**Total expenditure**
**Net income/(expenditure)**
Transfers between funds
15
**Net movement in funds**
**Reconciliation of funds:**
Total funds brought forward
Net movement in funds
**Total funds carried forward**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**2024**
**£**
**492,938**
**17,773**
**2,760**
**513,471**
**445,233**
**445,233**
**68,238**
**(48,455)**
**19,783**
**1,111,184**
**19,783**
**1,130,967**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**2024**
**£**
**61,634**
**350**
**-**
**61,984**
**96,011**
**96,011**
**(34,027)**
**48,455**
**14,428**
**8,195**
**14,428**
**22,623**|**Total**
**funds**
**2024**
**£**
**554,572**
**18,123**
**2,760**
**575,455**
**541,244**
**541,244**
**34,211**
**-**
**34,211**
**1,119,379**
**34,211**
**1,153,590**|Total
funds
2023
£
505,507
13,650
1,509
520,666
525,362
525,362
(4,696)
-
(4,696)
1,124,075
(4,696)
1,119,379|
|---|---|---|---|---|
The Statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.
The notes on pages 26 to 41 form part of these financial statements.
Page 23
Docusign Envelope ID: B91CE8D2-E671-4E95-B768-0BA9163C9AFE
## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **BALANCE SHEET AS AT 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
|**Note**
**Fixed assets**
Tangible assets
11
**Current assets**
Debtors
12
Cash at bank and in hand
19
Creditors: amounts falling due within one
year
13
**Net current assets**
**Total assets less current liabilities**
Creditors: amounts falling due after more
than one year
14
**Total net assets**
**Charity funds**
Restricted funds
15
Unrestricted funds
15
**Total funds**|**14,209**
**241,785**
**255,994**
**(61,501)**|**2024**
**£**
**1,161,045**
**194,493**
**1,355,538**
**(201,948)**
**1,153,590**
**22,623**
**1,130,967**
**1,153,590**|14,747
195,974
210,721
(51,449)|2023
£
1,188,032
159,272
1,347,304
(227,925)
1,119,379
8,195
1,111,184
1,119,379|
|---|---|---|---|---|
The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Trustees on 31 March 2025 and signed on their behalf by:
## **Rev N Allan, Minister**
The notes on pages 26 to 41 form part of these financial statements.
Page 24
Docusign Envelope ID: B91CE8D2-E671-4E95-B768-0BA9163C9AFE
## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
|**Cash flows from operating activities**
Net cash generated from operating activities
**Cash flows from investing activities**
Dividends, interests and rents from investments
Purchase of tangible fixed assets
**Net cash used in investing activities**
**Cash flows from financing activities**
Repayments of borrowing
Borrowing costs
**Net cash used in financing activities**
**Change in cash and cash equivalents in the year**
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year
**Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year**|**2024**
**£**
**102,625**
**2,760**
**(15,636)**
**(12,876)**
**(27,809)**
**(16,129)**
**(43,938)**
**45,811**
**195,974**
**241,785**|2023
£
33,885
1,509
(1,962)
(453)
(29,964)
(15,264)
(45,228)
(11,796)
207,770
195,974|
|---|---|---|
The notes on pages 26 to 41 form part of these financial statements
Page 25
Docusign Envelope ID: B91CE8D2-E671-4E95-B768-0BA9163C9AFE
## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
## **1. General information**
The Well Sheffield Baptist Church is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, incorporated on 25th August 2015 (registered charity number: 1163291). Its registered office is The Well Church Sheffield, 603 Ecclesall Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S11 8PR. The objectives of the charity are set out in the trustees report.
## **2. Accounting policies**
## **2.1 Basis of preparation of financial statements**
The financial statements have been prepared to give a 'true and fair' view and have departed from the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 only to the extent required to provide a 'true and fair' view. This departure has involved following the Charities SORP (FRS 102) published in October 2019 rather than the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice effective from 1 April 2005 which has since been withdrawn.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant notes to these accounts. 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 Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and Charities Act 2011.
The Well Sheffield Baptist Church meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102.
## **2.2 Income**
All income is recognised once the Church has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of income receivable can be measured reliably.
Donated services or facilities are recongnised when the church has control over the item, any conditions associated with the donated item have been met, the receipt of economic benefit from the use of the church of the item is probable and that economic benefit can be measured reliably. In accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102), the general volunteer time of the Friends is not recognised - please refer to the Trustees' report for more information about their contribution.
On receipt, donated professional services and facilities are recognised on the basis of the value of the gift to the Church which is the amount it would have been willing to pay to obtain services or facilities of equivalent economic benefit on the open market; a corresponding amount is then recognised in expenditure in the period of receipt.
Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.
Income tax recoverable in relation to investment income is recognised at the time the investment income is receivable.
Other income is recognised in the period in which it is receivable and to the extent the goods have been provided or on completion of the service.
Page 26
Docusign Envelope ID: B91CE8D2-E671-4E95-B768-0BA9163C9AFE
## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
## **2. Accounting policies (continued)**
## **2.3 Expenditure**
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges allocated on the portion of the asset’s use.
Charitable activities and Governance costs are costs incurred on the church's operations, including support costs and costs relating to the governance of the church appointed to charitable activities.
All expenditure is inclusive of irrecoverable VAT.
## **2.4 Tangible fixed assets and depreciation**
Tangible fixed assets are carried at cost net of depreciation and any provision for impairment.
Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write off the cost of fixed assets, less their estimated residual value.
It is provided over their expected useful lives on the following bases:
|Freehold property|- 2% - straight line|
|---|---|
|Fixtures and fittings|- 20% - straight line|
|Computer equipment|- 20% - straight line|
|Other fixed assets|- 20% - straight line|
## **2.5 Financial instruments**
The Church only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method. Those which are payable or receivable within one year, typically trade payables or receivables, are measured at the undiscounted amount of the cash or other consideration expected to be paid or received. However, if the arrangements of a short-term instrument constitute a financing transaction, the financial asset or liability is measured, initially, at the present value of the future cash flow discounted at a market rate of interest for a similar debt instrument and subsequently at amortised cost.
Financial assets and liabilities are offset and the net amount reported in the Balance Sheet when there is an enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.
Page 27
Docusign Envelope ID: B91CE8D2-E671-4E95-B768-0BA9163C9AFE
## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
**NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
## **2. Accounting policies (continued)**
## **2.6 Pensions**
The Church operates a defined contribution pension scheme for it's employees. A defined contribution plan is a pension plan under which the Church pays fixed contributions into a separate entity. Once the contributions have been paid the Church has no further payment obligations.
The contributions are recognised as an expense in the Statement of Income and Retained Earnings when they fall due. Amounts not paid are shown in accruals as a liability in the Balance Sheet. The assets of the plan are held separately from the Church in independently administered funds.
## **2.7 Fund accounting**
General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the Church and which have not been designated for other purposes.
Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors or which have been raised by the Church for particular purposes. The costs of raising and administering such funds are charged against the specific fund. The aim and use of each restricted fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.
## **3. Critical accounting estimates and areas of judgement**
Estimates and judgements are continually evaluated and are based on historical experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances.
Critical accounting estimates and assumptions:
The Church makes estimates and assumptions concerning the future. The resulting accounting estimates and assumptions will, by definition, seldom equal the related actual results. The estimates and assumptions that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next financial year are discussed below.
## _(i) Depreciation_
Depreciation has been charged on fixed assets based on the useful economic life of those assets.
Page 28
Docusign Envelope ID: B91CE8D2-E671-4E95-B768-0BA9163C9AFE
## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
## **4. Income from donations and legacies**
|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**2024**
**£**
**Donations**
Donations and Gifts
395,571
Gift Aid
86,939
Open Plate Offerings
8,638
Miscellaneous income
1,790
Grant income
-
**Total 2024**
492,938
Total 2023
454,674|**Restricted**
**funds**
**2024**
**£**
6,006
1,265
30
-
54,333
61,634
50,833|**Total**
**funds**
**2024**
**£**
**401,577**
**88,204**
**8,668**
**1,790**
**54,333**
**554,572**
505,507|Total
funds
2023
£
371,192
80,486
10,791
3,455
39,583
505,507|
|---|---|---|---|
|||||
## **5. Income from charitable activities**
|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**2024**
**£**
Courses
10,747
Rent
2,430
Conferences
4,596
**Total 2024**
17,773
Total 2023
13,650|**Restricted**
**funds**
**2024**
**£**
-
350
-
350
-|**Total**
**funds**
**2024**
**£**
**10,747**
**2,780**
**4,596**
**18,123**
13,650|Total
funds
2023
£
11,350
2,300
-
13,650|
|---|---|---|---|
|||||
Page 29
Docusign Envelope ID: B91CE8D2-E671-4E95-B768-0BA9163C9AFE
## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
## **6. Income from Investments**
|Bank Interest
Total 2023|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**2024**
**£**
2,760
1,509|**Total**
**funds**
**2024**
**£**
**2,760**
1,509|Total
funds
2023
£
1,509|
|---|---|---|---|
|||||
## **7. Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities**
## **Summary by fund type**
|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**2024**
**£**
Administrative expenses
406,978
External giving
38,255
**Total 2024**
445,233
Total 2023
472,063|**Restricted**
**funds**
**2024**
**£**
83,965
12,046
96,011
53,299|**Total**
**2024**
**£**
**490,943**
**50,301**
**541,244**
525,362|Total
2023
£
487,110
38,252
525,362|
|---|---|---|---|
|||||
Page 30
Docusign Envelope ID: B91CE8D2-E671-4E95-B768-0BA9163C9AFE
## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**2024**
**£**
**External giving**
YBA & Home Mission Fund
14,000
Baptist Missionary Society
2,400
We Care Compassion Fund
-
External giving Well Beyond
14,631
Discretionary fund
7,200
Specific offerings
24
The Ark
-
**Total 2024**
38,255
Total 2023
37,002|**Restricted**
**funds**
**2024**
**£**
-
-
350
1,000
-
696
10,000
12,046
1,250|**Total**
**funds**
**2024**
**£**
**14,000**
**2,400**
**350**
**15,631**
**7,200**
**720**
**10,000**
**50,301**
38,252|Total
funds
2023
£
14,000
2,400
1,250
12,394
8,208
-
-
38,252|
|---|---|---|---|
|||||
Page 31
Docusign Envelope ID: B91CE8D2-E671-4E95-B768-0BA9163C9AFE
## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**2024**
**£**
**Administrative expenses**
Staff costs
267,175
Other personnel costs
134
Repairs and building maintenance
9,420
Loan interest
16,129
Utilities
19,994
Communications and promotions
2,225
Hospitality
3,968
Various items for ministry
10,697
Honorariums and gifts
1,020
Professional fees
9,533
Software and licences
6,478
Insurance
5,777
Training and professional development
1,194
Travel and subsistence
1,282
Church resources - books and videos
1,038
Printing, postage & office supplies
3,241
Festivals and parties
1,440
Telephones and internet
1,049
Bank charges
2,246
Ecclesall rent
315
Woodseats rent
-
Depreciation
41,967
Loss on disposal of fixed assets
656
**Total 2024**
406,978
Total 2023
435,061|**Restricted**
**funds**
**2024**
**£**
61,515
3,114
61
-
-
474
597
871
-
-
-
39
9,543
23
51
554
70
-
5
-
7,048
-
-
83,965
52,049|**Total**
**funds**
**2024**
**£**
**328,690**
**3,248**
**9,481**
**16,129**
**19,994**
**2,699**
**4,565**
**11,568**
**1,020**
**9,533**
**6,478**
**5,816**
**10,737**
**1,305**
**1,089**
**3,795**
**1,510**
**1,049**
**2,251**
**315**
**7,048**
**41,967**
**656**
**490,943**
487,110|Total
funds
2023
£
318,747
2,912
11,062
15,264
12,128
2,607
5,404
8,527
2,461
22,859
6,470
5,230
14,011
1,323
887
2,662
5,933
4,568
971
-
-
43,084
-
487,110|
|---|---|---|---|
|||||
## **8. Independent Examiner's remuneration**
The Independent Examiner's remuneration amounts to an Independent Examination fee of £4,900 (2023: £4,680), and other services of £1,730 (2023: £5,742).
Page 32
Docusign Envelope ID: B91CE8D2-E671-4E95-B768-0BA9163C9AFE
## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
## **9. Staff costs**
|Wages and salaries
Social security costs
Contribution to defined contribution pension schemes|**2024**
**£**
**297,899**
**19,631**
**11,160**
**328,690**|2023
£
294,005
15,407
9,335|
|---|---|---|
|||318,747|
The average number of persons employed by the Church during the year was as follows:
|Employees
The average headcount expressed as full-time equivalents was:
Employees|**2024**
**No.**
**14**
**2024**
**No.**
**9.2**|2023
No.
15|
|---|---|---|
|||2023
No.
9.5|
No employee received remuneration amounting to more than £60,000 in either year.
Key management personnel is considered to be the Head of Operations. Key management personnel benefits paid through payroll for the year ended 30 September 2024 is £39,654 (2023: £40,049).
## **10. Trustees' remuneration and expenses**
As authorised by the governing document of the Church, N Allan, Trustee, received remuneration totalling £49,968 (2023: £49,102) in respect of his services as minister of the church. This includes employer pension contributions totalling £2,324 (2023: £2,287). He received no remuneration in his role as trustee.
S Spendlove, Trustee, received remuneration totalling £14,390 (2023: £12,461) in respect of his services as caretaker. This includes employer pension contributions totalling £388 (2023: nil). We declare that there is no conflict of interest with regards to S Spendlove being employed in this way and that the Charity Commission was informed.
Page 33
Docusign Envelope ID: B91CE8D2-E671-4E95-B768-0BA9163C9AFE
## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
## **11. Tangible fixed assets**
|**Cost**
At 1 October 2023
Additions
Disposals
At 30 September 2024
**Depreciation**
At 1 October 2023
Charge for the year
On disposals
At 30 September 2024
**Net book value**
At 30 September 2024
At 30 September 2023|**Freehold**
**property**
**£**
**1,279,286**
**-**
**-**
**1,279,286**
**125,366**
**25,572**
**-**
**150,938**
**1,128,348**
1,153,920|**Fixtures and**
**fittings**
**£**
**29,259**
**8,045**
**(3,436)**
**33,868**
**22,182**
**4,766**
**(3,005)**
**23,943**
**9,925**
7,077|**Computer**
**equipment**
**£**
**17,829**
**1,306**
**(4,644)**
**14,491**
**10,933**
**2,208**
**(4,632)**
**8,509**
**5,982**
6,895|**Other fixed**
**assets**
**£**
**102,231**
**6,285**
**(6,653)**
**101,863**
**82,091**
**9,421**
**(6,438)**
**85,074**
**16,789**
20,140|**Total**
**£**
**1,428,605**
**15,636**
**(14,733)**
**1,429,508**
**240,572**
**41,967**
**(14,075)**
**268,464**
**1,161,044**
1,188,032|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Page 34
Docusign Envelope ID: B91CE8D2-E671-4E95-B768-0BA9163C9AFE
## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
## **12. Debtors**
|**Due within one year**
Trade debtors
Prepayments and accrued income|**2024**
**£**
**7,057**
**7,152**
**14,209**|2023
£
5,544
9,203|
|---|---|---|
|||14,747|
Trade debtors includes amounts due from HMRC for Gift Aid claims.
## **13. Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year**
|Loans
Trade creditors
Other taxation and social security
Pension payable
Other creditors
Accruals and deferred income|**2024**
**£**
**29,993**
**1,413**
**5,093**
**1,586**
**5,712**
**17,704**
**61,501**|2023
£
31,825
4,271
5,320
1,622
-
8,411|
|---|---|---|
|||51,449|
Page 35
Docusign Envelope ID: B91CE8D2-E671-4E95-B768-0BA9163C9AFE
## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
## **14. Creditors: Amounts falling due after more than one year**
||**2024**|2023|
|---|---|---|
||**£**|£|
|Loans|**201,948**|227,925|
The aggregate amount of liabilities payable or repayable wholly or in part more than five years after the reporting date is:
||**2024**|2023|
|---|---|---|
||**£**|£|
|Repayable by instalments|**73,336**|87,938|
Made up as follows:
||**Yorkshire**
**Baptist**
**Association**|**Baptist**
**Union**|**Baptist**
**Building**
**Fund**|**Total**
**2024**|Total
2023|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||£|£|£|£|£|
|Loans<1 yr|13,301|7,692|9,000|29,993|31,825|
|Loans 2-5 years|63,131|36,981|28,500|128,612|139,987|
|Loans>5 years|22,001|51,335|-|73,336|87,938|
|Total 2024|98,433|96,008|37,500|231,941|259,750|
|Total 2023|110,439|102,811|46,500|259,750||
The amounts set out in the table above represent repayments of capital only, with interest arising each year charged directly to expenditure. The details of the loans are as follows:
£200,000 from the Yorkshire Baptist Association over a 15-year term at a rate of 0.5% below that of the published rate of the Baptist Union of Great Britain Loan Fund (3.6% variable pa. with a minimum rate of 3% and a maximum cap of 9%) and a commitment to donate to the YBA Home Mission Fund.
£200,000 from the Baptist Union over a 15-year term at a variable interest rate, currently 7.25% pa (2023: 7.75%).
£100,000 from the Baptist Building Fund repayable over 10 years by 20 x 6 monthly installments of £5,000 with the first payment due in January 2018. At the completion of the repayment a £10,000 offering is to be made to the fund as a condition of the loan.
Page 36
Docusign Envelope ID: B91CE8D2-E671-4E95-B768-0BA9163C9AFE
## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
## **15. Statement of funds**
## **Statement of funds - current year**
|**Unrestricted funds**
General Funds - all funds
**Restricted funds**
Minister in Training Fund
Building Fund
Woodseats Fund
We Care Compassion Fund
Myriad Fund
Baptist Insurance Grant
Specific offerings
**Total of funds**|**Balance at**
**1 October**
**2023**
**£**
**1,111,184**
**3,780**
**-**
**-**
**4,243**
**172**
**-**
**-**
**8,195**
**1,119,379**|**Income**
**£**
**513,471**
**7,333**
**1,250**
**27,455**
**250**
**10,000**
**15,000**
**696**
**61,984**
**575,455**|**Expenditure**
**£**
**(445,233)**
**(8,972)**
**-**
**(75,910)**
**(350)**
**(10,083)**
**-**
**(696)**
**(96,011)**
**(541,244)**|**Transfers**
**in/out**
**£**
**(48,455)**
**-**
**-**
**48,455**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**48,455**
**-**|**Balance at**
**30**
**September**
**2024**
**£**
**1,130,967**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||**2,141**
**1,250**
**-**
**4,143**
**89**
**15,000**
**-**
**22,623**|
||||||**1,153,590**|
A transfer of £48,455 (2023: £5,125) was made from general funds to restricted funds. This transfer represents amounts which were pre-agreed by the trustees to be spent on these projects / activities over and above the related income.
Page 37
Docusign Envelope ID: B91CE8D2-E671-4E95-B768-0BA9163C9AFE
## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
## **15. Statement of funds (continued)**
|**Statement of funds - prior year**
Balance at
1 Oct 2022
£
**Unrestricted funds**
General Funds
1,118,539
**Restricted funds**
Minister in Training Fund
5,536
Woodseats Fund
-
We Care Compassion Fund
-
Myriad Fund
-
5,536
**Total of funds**
1,124,075|Income
£
469,833
10,417
34,650
1,600
4,166
50,833
520,666|Expenditure
£
(472,063)
(12,173)
(35,882)
(1,250)
(3,994)
(53,299)
(525,362)|Transfers
in/out
£
Balance at
30 Sept 2023
£
(5,125)
1,111,184
-
3,780
1,232
-
3,893
4,243
-
172
5,125
8,195
-
1,119,379|Transfers
in/out
£
Balance at
30 Sept 2023
£
(5,125)
1,111,184
-
3,780
1,232
-
3,893
4,243
-
172
5,125
8,195
-
1,119,379|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|**Unrestricted funds**
General Funds
**Restricted funds**
Minister in Training Fund
Woodseats Fund
We Care Compassion Fund
Myriad Fund
**Total of funds**|||||
|||||3,780
-
4,243
172
8,195|
|||||1,119,379|
Page 38
Docusign Envelope ID: B91CE8D2-E671-4E95-B768-0BA9163C9AFE
## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
## **16. Summary of funds**
## **Summary of funds - current year**
|General funds
Restricted funds|**Balance at**
**1 October**
**2023**
**£**
**1,111,184**
**8,195**
**1,119,379**
Balance at
1 October
2022
£
1,118,539
5,536
1,124,075|**Income**
**£**
**513,471**
**61,984**
**575,455**
Income
£
469,833
50,833
520,666|**Expenditure**
**£**
**(445,233)**
**(96,011)**
**(541,244)**
Expenditure
£
(472,063)
(53,299)
(525,362)|**Transfers**
**in/out**
**£**
**(48,455)**
**48,455**
**-**
Transfers
in/out
£
(5,125)
5,125
-|**Balance at**
**30**
**September**
**2024**
**£**
**1,130,967**
**22,623**
**1,153,590**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||Balance at
30
September
2023
£
1,111,184
8,195
1,119,379|
|**Summary of funds - prior year**||||||
|General funds
Restricted funds||||||
**17. Analysis of net assets between funds Analysis of net assets between funds - current period**
|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**2024**
**£**
Tangible fixed assets
1,161,045
Current assets
232,538
Creditors due within one year
(60,668)
Creditors due in more than one year
(201,948)
**Total**
1,130,967|**Restricted**
**funds**
**2024**
**£**
-
23,456
(833)
-
22,623|**Total**
**funds**
**2024**
**£**
**1,161,045**
**255,994**
**(61,501)**
**(201,948)**
**1,153,590**|
|---|---|---|
Page 39
Docusign Envelope ID: B91CE8D2-E671-4E95-B768-0BA9163C9AFE
## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
## **17. Analysis of net assets between funds (continued)**
## **Analysis of net assets between funds - prior period**
|Tangible fixed assets
Current assets
Creditors due within one year
Creditors due in more than one year
**Total**|Unrestricted
funds
2023
£
1,188,032
202,526
(51,449)
(227,925)
1,111,184|Restricted
funds
2023
£
-
8,195
-
-
8,195|Total
funds
2023
£
1,188,032
210,721
(51,449)
(227,925)
1,119,379|
|---|---|---|---|
## **18. Reconciliation of net movement in funds to net cash flow from operating activities**
## **19.**
|Net income/expenditure for the period (as per Statement of Financial
Activities)
**Adjustments for:**
Depreciation charges
Loss on the sale of tangible fixed assets
Decrease/(increase) in debtors
Increase/(decrease) in creditors
Interest received
Finance cost
**Net cash provided by operating activities**
**Analysis of cash and cash equivalents**
Cash in hand|**2024**
**£**
**34,211**
**41,967**
**655**
**539**
**11,884**
**(2,760)**
**16,129**
**102,625**
**2024**
**£**
**241,785**|2023
£
(4,696)
43,084
-
(4,963)
(13,295)
(1,509)
15,264
33,885
2023
£
195,974|
|---|---|---|
Page 40
Docusign Envelope ID: B91CE8D2-E671-4E95-B768-0BA9163C9AFE
## **THE WELL SHEFFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
## **20. Analysis of changes in net debt**
|Cash at bank and in hand
Debt due within 1 year
Debt due after 1 year|**At 1**
**October**
**2023**
**£**
**195,974**
**(33,447)**
**(227,925)**
**(65,398)**|**Cash flows**
**£**
**45,811**
**1,868**
**25,977**
**73,656**|**At 30**
**September**
**2024**
**£**
**241,785**
**(31,579)**
**(201,948)**
**8,258**|
|---|---|---|---|
## **21. Pension commitments**
The Church operates a defined contributions pension scheme. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the Church in an independently administered fund. The pension cost charge represents contributions payable by the Church to the fund and amounted to £11,159 (2023: £9,335). Contributions totalling £1,586 (2023: £1,622) were payable to the fund at the balance sheet date and are included in creditors.
## **22. Related party transactions**
Payments made to trustees are shown above in Note 10.
During the year, the Church paid remuneration totalling £30,780 (2023: £30,704) to K Allan who is a close family member of a trustee. This remuneration was paid in respect of her role as joint minister. This includes employer pension contributions totalling £1,425 (2023: £1,372) and life insurances totalling £850 (2023: £783).
The Church also paid remuneration totalling £22,393 (2023: £19,391) to TE Spendlove who is a close family member of a trustee. This remuneration was paid in respect of their work as an administrative assistant. This includes employer pension contributions totalling £769 (2023: £626).
Trustees are specifically excluded from discussions of matters that might give rise to conflicts of interest.
Page 41