Thanet Community Churches
(Formerly Community Church Ramsgate)
Report and Accounts Year ended 31 August 2022
1 Lamb's Passage, London EC1Y 8AB www.stewardship.org.uk
THANET COMMUNITY CHURCHES (FORMERLY COMMUNITY CHURCH RAMSGATE)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
LEGAL & ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS
ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE Mr Craig Prentice The Corner 60 Whitehall Road Ramsgate Kent CT12 6DF GOVERNING DOCUMENT CIO - registered 04 September 2015 CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER 1163414 TRUSTEES RESPONSIBLE FOR Paul Gammans MANAGING THE CHARITY Aaron Wish - appointed 14/09/20, stood down 24/05/22 Brian Lamberton Edward Mussett - appointed 13/06/22 Banker Lloyds Bank plc INDEPENDENT EXAMINER Archie McDowall BA, CA Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage LONDON EC1Y 8AB
INDEX
Page 1 Legal & Administrative Details Pages 2-5 Trustees' Report Page 6 Independent Examiner's Report Page 7 Receipts and Payments Account Page 8 Statement of Assets & Liabilities Pages 9-10 Notes to the Accounts
Page 1
THANET COMMUNITY CHURCHES (FORMERLY COMMUNITY CHURCH RAMSGATE)
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
The Trustees have pleasure in submitting the Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 August 2022.
Objects of the charity
The objects of the church are to advance the Christian Religion, in particular by seeking to be a community that loves God, loves each other and loves Ramsgate, to advance education and relieve poverty and hardship.
Summary of the charity's main activities and achievements
To further the above objects and vision, the charity's main activities and achievements were as follows:
August 2021 – December 2021 (Terms 1 & 2)
In this season we continued and strengthened our various projects as we entered a ‘post-Covid world’. Our CAP projects re-gained momentum and we recruited more volunteers from the church. The Family Wellbeing Journey increased participation and the Corner and Coffee House steadily increased to preCovid levels of engagement. The JAM project came to an end.
We saw some miraculous transformations of people’s lives through the Fresh Start addictions and dependencies programme. A number of individuals have spent this last year significantly growing in their new life and fresh start.
We recruited to a vacant post for the topUP project however, our major funder (Orbit Housing Association) sadly had to cease funding by January 2022. This brought to an end a generous 4+ years partnership with significant funding for the project. The funder had a change in structure meaning projects of our type couldn’t access such significant funds. However, Orbit and another Housing association Town & Country did fund us £5K each so the topUP project could continue from Jan 2022, but it was a much smaller project.
In this season we also settled into our new Sunday gathering rhythm for the church family. In July we had implemented our new Sunday gathering structure and rhythm, and formally launched ‘Community Church Broadstairs’ as our third small congregation. On the 1st and 3rd Sundays in a month, we had the 3 congregations gathering across Thanet in 3 locations. In the morning, CCR gathered at the Corner, and at the same time CCM gathered at the Margate Caves Community Rooms – though this changed to the larger ‘Cliftonville Community Centre’ in September. In the afternoon on these Sundays CCB gathered at the Baptist Church St. Peters building. On the 2nd Sunday of the month all three congregations gathered together for a ‘Together Sunday’. From September we started using a central Thanet school as a venue. On the 4th Sundays of the month the church gathered in homes as ‘Home Groups’ across Thanet – for fellowship, local mission and prayer.
In this season on these 4th Sundays, some Home Groups ran outreach projects together. For example, one home group started ‘Sunday Connections’ a ‘church service for older adults and those with dementia’. Likewise, another Home Group ran a monthly ‘Messy Church’ event – this ceased in February 2022, but the Sunday Connections service is growing each month.
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Sadly, in November 2021, our Community Evangelist in Broadstairs left the church to pursue her own vision for church planting on the estate we were serving. Around half the small flock ‘followed’ her in establishing her new venture. This was a huge blow for us as a leadership team and also for people who were part of the CCB plant. In January we decided to bring the 12 or so remaining people in the young flock together with the Margate Sunday gathering – which has proved very fruitful. Though there has been some activity and growth continuing in Broadstairs, we intend to relaunch the CCB plant at some point in 2023.
Christmas was a wonderful time of celebration with large outdoor community events in Broadstairs and Ramsgate. Sadly, a ‘wave of Covid’ meant that we moved our Margate event from inside at Cliftonville Community Centre to join our outdoor events at the bandstand in Ramsgate.
January 2022 – April 2022 (Terms 3 & 4)
In this season, one of our Elders, started a day-a-week paid role for the church. This has significantly strengthened the pastoring of the Ramsgate flock and also our general communications to people inside and outside the church family. We draw on the strengths and skills of a number of folk in the church family to formalise a ‘communications strategy and processes’ that would help us continue to grow well.
In addition to the strengthening of the paid Elders, we began the process of assessing and appointing a 4th Elder, who would particularly serve the Broadstairs church plant.
A significant development in Margate has been 2 new programmes. We started a Parent & Toddler Group run by our volunteers which quickly became very full and successful at reaching local families. This has formed the basis of applying for funding from Save the Children’s Margate Early Learning Community – see below.
A second major development for the Margate mission was taking on a large allotment space in the Dane Valley area. The site was almost completely derelict and overgrown, but our Margate community evangelist and a number in the church developed a vision to use the space to engage with local people teaching them to grow their own food in the context of supportive community. This project has already proved to be an excellent way of deepening helping relationships with local vulnerable people.
At Easter we Baptised 5 new believers. 3 at the Margate Easter celebration service and 2 at the Ramsgate Easter Celebration service.
May 2022 – August 2022 (Terms 5 & 6)
In this season we began an experiment to extend our Coffee House opening hours to the evenings. We already had evening groups in the Corner using the hall but the Coffee House closed at 6pm. We recruited new staff and began offering coffee, cake and community to the hall users and wider community. It is fair to say that that experiment has proved unsuccessful – we did not get enough people making use of the Coffee House, so we brought this to and end in August.
We were successful in an application for a 3rd year of Kent County Council funding for our parenting project. The ‘Parenting Together’ project has been a successful partnership with Fegans (who are also based at the Corner). Under the new ‘Parenting Together’ heading, we started a new Parent and Toddler group at the Corner and 2 evening gatherings for local parents, as well as continuing a weekly support group and 1:2:1 support. The Parent & Toddler Group – names ‘Stay and Play’ has proved a great success.
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A third very significant project development has been an extension of the Parenting Together project into Margate. Save the Children invited us to apply for funding from their ‘Margate Early Learning Community’ to develop programmes for families with children under 5. We were awarded funding in August to:
-
Develop our allotment space to create a simple play area and classroom.
-
Run 7 new Parent and Toddler groups – either at the allotment (Play & Grow), Cliftonville Community Centre (Stay & Play) or a local beach (Outdoor Play School) – in partnership with the Tide & Seek beach school.
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Support parents to access support – basic information, support and inspiration.
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Produce an online Vlog enabling parents to see what support/groups are available in Margate.
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Taking on a permanent office space at the Cliftonville Community Centre.
It is early days with this project but all our sessions are full of new local families.
This year has presented a number of challenges and disappointments, but we feel we have remained resilient and grown through them. We have also seen significant grow particularly with the life and mission of the Margate and Broadstairs church plants. We are so grateful for all the support we have received from funders and supporters that has enabled this.
Looking to the near future, we are excited about extending our presence at the Cliftonville Community Centre and we are in discussions are beginning a new pre-school there in partnership with Fegans. Likewise, we would like to relaunch the Community Church Broadstairs plant with their own Sunday gathering.
In planning the activities the Trustees have applied the guidance on public benefit issued by the Charity Commission.
Financial review
During the year overall income increased by £4,424 to £220,970 and expenditure increased by £30,375 to £238,714. Cash held by the charity decreased by £17,744, to £80,640, of which £39,862 is unrestricted and can be used for any charitable purpose. The trustees have designated £5,860 of the unrestricted funds for use by Mission Partners.
Reserves policy
The trustees aim to maintain reserves equivalent to at least three months’ operating expenses which equates to approximately £45,000. At the year end, the charity held unrestricted cash of £34,002 and gift aid recovery due of £19,492 and were therefore compliant with the reserves policy.
Governance
The policy and operating decisions of the charity rest with the Trustees who meet regularly to monitor the activities of the Trust. New trustees are appointed by the existing trustees and are provided with appropriate training to undertake the role they occupy within the church.
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Responsibilities of trustees
Charity law requires us as Trustees to prepare financial statements for each accounting year which record the receipts and payments of the charity for the year.
We are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable us to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011.
We also have a responsibility to safeguard the assets of the charity and to take reasonable steps to prevent fraud or any other irregularities.
Approval
This report was approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by:
Brian Lamberton
Brian Lamberton - Trustees
Date: 16 June 2023
Page 5
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT
TO THE TRUSTEES OF
THANET COMMUNITY CHURCHES (FORMERLY COMMUNITY CHURCH RAMSGATE)
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Thanet Community Churches (formerly Community Church Ramsgate) ('the charity') for the year ended 31 August 2022 on pages 6 to 9 following.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the trustees of the charity 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 charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
Independent examiner’s statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material 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 accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; or 2. the accounts do not accord with the accounting records.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Archie McDowall
Archie McDowall BA, CA
For and on behalf of: Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage LONDON EC1Y 8AB
Date: 26 June 2023
Page 6
THANET COMMUNITY CHURCHES (FORMERLY COMMUNITY CHURCH RAMSGATE)
RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
| Notes Receipts Donations Grants Gift aid receipts Building hire Government Furlough Grants Other Total receipts Payments 2 3 Total payments Transfers between funds Net movement in funds Cash funds as at last year end Cash funds at this year end A Income from coffee shop Net of receipts / (payments) before transfers Grants paid in relation to charitable activities undertaken by others Payments in relation to charitable activities undertaken directly |
General Designated Funds Funds £ £ 52,004 - 7,180 - 8,106 - 42,284 - 43,032 - - - 1,547 - 154,153 - 174,761 - 4,920 - 179,681 - (25,528) - 10,221 - (15,307) - 49,091 5,860 33,785 5,860 Unrestricted Funds |
Restricted Funds £ 1,030 64,511 1,275 - - - - 66,816 58,013 1,020 59,033 7,783 (10,221) (2,438) 43,433 40,995 |
2022 £ 53,034 71,691 9,381 42,284 43,032 - 1,547 220,970 232,774 5,940 238,714 (17,744) - (17,744) 98,384 80,640 |
2021 £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48,165 114,459 - 14,934 26,833 11,228 927 |
||||
| 216,545 | ||||
| 204,219 4,120 |
||||
| 208,339 | ||||
| 8,206 - |
||||
| 8,206 90,179 |
||||
| 98,384 |
The notes on pages 9-10 form part of these accounts.
Page 7
THANET COMMUNITY CHURCHES (FORMERLY COMMUNITY CHURCH RAMSGATE)
STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
| A Cash funds Cash at bank with immediate access Petty cash Coffee shop float Kiddies Corner Float B Other monetary assets Gift aid due to charity Other monetary assets Other debtors Stock C Liabilities Fee for 2020 Independent Examination Fee for 2021 Independent Examination Fee for 2022 Independent Examination PAYE/NIC/Pension Payments due D Assets retained for charity's own use Building - 60 Whitehall Road Soft Play Equipment Equipment |
General Designated funds funds £ £ 33,655 5,860 - - 110 - 20 - 33,785 5,860 19,492 - 215 - 4,044 - 500 - 24,251 - - - 1,470 - 1,776 - 272 - 3,518 - Unrestricted Funds |
Restricted funds £ 40,995 - - - 40,995 - - - - - - - - - - |
2022 £ 80,510 - 110 20 80,640 19,492 215 4,044 500 24,251 - 1,470 1,776 272 3,518 |
2021 £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 98,254 - 110 20 |
||||
| 98,384 | ||||
| 19,568 12,418 - 500 |
||||
| 32,486 | ||||
| 1,440 1,470 - - |
||||
| 2,910 | ||||
| Insurance value £ |
||||
| 1,466,896 40,000 40,907 |
||||
| 1,547,803 |
The building is leased to the charity at a peppercorn rate of £1 per annum. The lease is for 5 years and expires in 2026.
The 'Soft Play' equipment came with the building and does not belong to the Charity.
The trustees have used insurance values as the trustees are unable to reliably estimate current values; insurance values may differ materially from current values
E Guarantees and secured debts
The charity has not given any guarantees and has not provided its assets as security for any liabilities.
The accounts were approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf
by Brian Lamberton
date 16 June 2023
Brian Lamberton - Trustee
The notes on pages 9-10 form part of these accounts.
Page 8
THANET COMMUNITY CHURCHES (FORMERLY COMMUNITY CHURCH RAMSGATE)
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
1 Accounting policies
The accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis and comprise a statement that shows the charity's receipts and payments, a statement that summarises the charity's assets and liabilities and related notes. Accounting standards are not (and cannot) be used in the preparation of receipts and payments accounts and so they do not present (and are not intended to present) a 'true and fair' view of the charity's financial activities and state of affairs.
| General Designated funds funds £ £ 2 Payments in relation to charitable activities undertaken directly Employment costs (see note 4) 105,219 - Training - - Property costs (see note 2(a)) 29,382 - Equipment and resources 4,903 - Coffee shop expenditure 14,596 - Ministry activities 2,764 - Insurance 3,647 - Admin and support costs 7,821 - Accounts preparation and examination 1,440 - Other costs 4,989 - 174,761 - 2 (a) Property costs comprise: Rent 4,460 - Maintenance 11,394 - Utilities 13,528 - 29,382 - 3 Grants paid in relation to charitable activities undertaken by others Christians Against Poverty [CAP] 3,000 - Other organisations under £1,000 1,538 - Individuals 382 - 4,920 - Unrestricted Funds |
Restricted Funds £ 30,759 - 5,862 4,211 - - 50 17,131 - - 58,013 1,470 4,392 - 5,862 - - 1,020 1,020 |
Total 2022 £ 135,978 - 35,243 9,114 14,596 2,764 3,697 24,952 1,440 4,989 232,774 5,930 15,785 13,528 35,243 3,000 1,538 1,402 5,940 |
Total 2021 £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 144,744 3,176 23,433 4,392 6,102 698 4,200 15,638 90 1,746 |
|||
| 204,219 | |||
| 3,455 12,986 6,992 |
|||
| 23,433 | |||
| 3,000 1,120 - |
|||
| 4,120 |
4 Transactions with related parties
The charity had 12 employees (2021: 12).
Nadine Lamberton who is related to Brian Lamberton, a trustee, was paid £9,773 plus a pension contribution of £106 in her role as a project worker on both the 1000 days and Parenting Together Ramsgate projects.
Heather Prentice was a trustee until 31 August 2021. The following payments were made to parties related to Heather Prentice in 2021:
Craig Prentice remuneration of £27,281 plus a pension contribution of £621; Emma Prentice remuneration of £21,509 plus a pension contribution of £458 in their roles as Team Leader and Top-up Project Manager respectively.
Aaron Prentice runs 'Beardy Baker' who were paid £2,418 for the supplying the charity with cakes for the coffee house.
Joy Jars were paid £225 for supplies of food items for the coffee house. Joy Jars is run by Pamela Fane who has moved out of the country and has passed the day-to-day running of the business to Adam Prentice .
Page 9
THANET COMMUNITY CHURCHES (FORMERLY COMMUNITY CHURCH RAMSGATE)
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS
| 5 Movement of funds Designated funds Mission Partners Restricted funds Church Planting Top-UP project The Corner (St Ben's) Biblical Counselling FCSS (JAM) Town & Country Their First 1000 days in Ramsgate Parenting Together Margate Parenting Together Ramsgate Special Offering General funds TOTAL FUNDS |
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022 Balance at 31 Aug 2021 Receipts Payments £ £ £ 5,860 - - 5,860 - - 31,579 - - (940) 29,308 (16,114) 3,608 1,083 (4,045) 150 - - 7,869 9,250 (10,031) (248) - - 1,414 15,000 (15,074) - - (6,766) - 10,938 (5,983) - 1,238 (1,020) |
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022 Balance at 31 Aug 2021 Receipts Payments £ £ £ 5,860 - - 5,860 - - 31,579 - - (940) 29,308 (16,114) 3,608 1,083 (4,045) 150 - - 7,869 9,250 (10,031) (248) - - 1,414 15,000 (15,074) - - (6,766) - 10,938 (5,983) - 1,238 (1,020) |
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022 Balance at 31 Aug 2021 Receipts Payments £ £ £ 5,860 - - 5,860 - - 31,579 - - (940) 29,308 (16,114) 3,608 1,083 (4,045) 150 - - 7,869 9,250 (10,031) (248) - - 1,414 15,000 (15,074) - - (6,766) - 10,938 (5,983) - 1,238 (1,020) |
Transfers £ - - (2,915) - - - (7,089) 248 (465) - - - (10,221) 10,221 - |
Balance at 31 Aug 2022 £ 5,860 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,860 | |||||
| 28,664 12,254 646 150 - - 875 (6,766) 4,955 218 |
|||||
| 43,433 | 66,816 | (59,033) | 40,995 | ||
| 49,091 98,384 |
154,153 220,970 |
(179,681) (238,714) |
33,785 | ||
| 80,640 |
The Church planting fund is a fund that the church members tithe specifically to see and resource churches to be planted. The transfer was written into the funding bids for the Community Church Margate Evangelist role as this position was created to enable the effective planting of the Margate Church.
The Top-UP project is funded by Orbit Housing and seeks to relieve poverty for older adults. The project focuses on Orbit customers who are over 55, informing them of the benefits they are entitled to and empowering them to apply. This has been extended with further funding from Orbit (£5,000) and Town & Country (£5,000) to include a focus on their clients too.
The Top-UP project is funded by Orbit Housing and seeks to relieve poverty for older adults. The project focuses on Orbit customers who are over 55, informing them of the benefits they are entitled to and empowering them to apply. This has been extended with further funding from Orbit (£5,000) and Town & Country (£5,000) to include a focus on their clients too.
The Corner Fund relates to giving specifically for The Corner and its development.
The Biblical counselling fund has been set up for the benefit of those seeking counselling.
The FCSS Fund was funded by Orbit to deliver the Financial Capability Support Service. This was later renamed this JAM (Just About Managing). This project was to help Orbit residents understand and manage their money more effectively and finished in March 2022. The project ran during the height of the Covid Pandemic and it was agreed with the funder that the staff member (employed with the funding) and the management oversight of the project, as well as other budgeting cost could be incorporated into our ‘Covid Response’ for our service users. At the end of the project funds were transferred into the General Fund to cover these management, office and advertising costs.
The Town & Country Fund is funded by the housing association for the delivery of 'CAP Money' and 'TopUp' programmes.
Their first 1000 days in Ramsgate’ is a small Kent County Council funded project, in partnership with Fegans, seeking to provide advice, information, support and inspiration to local parents with young children. It uses social media to engage with young local parents. It seeks to support parents who have experienced their own ‘adverse' childhood experiences. The transfer to the GeneraL Fund covers the cost of hiring 'The Corner' and associated project managment costs.
The Parenting Together – Margate Fund is for parenting projects in Margate. There has been a grant from Save the Children’s Margate Early Learning Community – Innovation Fund agreed for a September 2022 start. The fund is in deficit at the year-end due the need to prepare the allotment space ready for the start of the project prior to funding being received. Funds were received from Save the Children’s ‘Margate Early Learning Community – Innovation Fund’ in September 2022. Funding was applied for in June/July 2022, and it was agreed in principle in late July. However the funding did not arrive until September 2022. The trustees made the decision to progress with spending some of the necessary capital spend elements of the project (creating an allotment and classroom) before the funding actually arrived in our account
The Parenting Together – Ramsgate Fund is for parenting projects in Ramsgate. This has been started with funding from KCC Early Help Grant of £10,938.21 for a project that started in April 2022 initially to be run until December 2022 but was subsequently extended until March 2023.
The Special Offering Fund is to help people in situations of hardship and/or crisis
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