tr4Y I, IJI estershire UTH OR CHRI gsusllve.c
GOVERNANCE AND PUBLIC BENEFIT
Our trustees are appointed and reappointed at our trustee’s meeting in accordance with our constitution. Trustees are appointed for a three year term. All trustees are voluntary and give of their time and expertise without receiving remuneration or benefit. Trustees meet approximately ten times a year.
The charity adheres to all current child protection legislation and adheres to good practice guidelines in all areas of its work. Youth for Christ Gloucestershire is an affiliated member of British Youth for Christ. Whilst operating as an independent charity Youth For Christ Gloucestershire is a chartered ministry of British Youth For Christ and receives support and advice from them.
Due to changing circumstances, some of our trustees have stepped down this year. We are working on the recruitment of trustees to increase the number and diversity of the board.
OUR TRUSTEES
Rod Pellereau (Chair person) Rob Goldsmith Tim Callaghan Vicky Graham
OUR AIM
Our aim is to see Good News taken to every young person in Gloucestershire. This will be done in a variety of ways and through many different people. Our approach is to enhance the personal, social and spiritual development of young people through encounters with Christianity. We seek to see young people’s lives changed by Jesus. We believe this can only be achieved when we work in partnership with churches, charities and other youth organisations.
MAIN ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT
Our work provides support for young people of any or no faith. We seek to provide for their social, personal and spiritual needs. Despite lower staff levels, we have still managed to maintain a significant number of interactions with young people this year. Across the year, we had approximately 12,000 interactions with young people.
During this year, we have continued to provide work in schools, including collective worship, lessons, extra curricular opportunities and work experience opportunities. This has been balanced alongside work such as provision of Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) during the summer holiday in partnership with Family Space. During this time over 300 meals were given to families who
would receive free school meals during the term time. In addition, we provided activities for these families to engage with, mainly through sport.
We have continued to see growth within the youth groups we provide. In our youth groups, we aim to create safe communities that allow young people to develop the confidence and skills to navigate their teenage years and work through the challenges and joys this can bring. Our work with young people from the Christian community enables them to live lives that involve active and positive participation in their peer groups and society in general. These young people are also given the opportunity to develop leadership skills to benefit them in their transition into the workforce. We continue to see significant growth in the confidence and leadership ability for the young people involved in our young leaders training group. Throughout the year, we have supported churches, by providing a member of staff to lead and develop their youth work.
During the year, we have continued supporting churches in their youth work. This support is enabling the churches to put structures in place to help them develop their youth ministry over time. This support also involves direct youth work provision within the churches. In addition we support a variety of other churches from a broad denominational background through training, advice, resources and practical support. This includes running youth worker networks to support and encourage. As a result of one network we are involved in we have continued facilitating the Big Bash events in Gloucester. These events resource churches across the city by providing a termly event for to which young people can invite their friends and discover more about Jesus. As a result of the Big Bash, we are seeing young people making decision to become Christians. Our residential provision supports churches in their youth ministry by providing a residential opportunity at a cost that a smaller church could not provide. This also allows them to focus their valuable volunteer time on their young people, whilst we carry out the work.
We continue to provide resources to families to develop family based discipleship opportunities through our weekly family devotional notes. These notes are used by approximately forty families, with a high response and usage rate.
The Staff Team
From left to right: Paul, Geraldine, Matt and Sarah
Paul Bennett, Centre Director
Paul has been in post since 2001. He has over thirty years of experience in youth work and charity leadership. Alongside of his leadership of the charity, Paul is also a member of the British Youth for Christ team, supporting centres in the South West and pioneering new work in the South West and South Wales.
Geraldine Luffrum: Finance Officer
Geraldine has been part of the team since 2017. She brings years of accountancy experience to ensure we have good financial governance and structures.
Matt Craig: Youth Work Lead
Matt joined the team in 2023, having previously been a church based Youth Worker in London. In addition to his youth work experience, Matt also comes with a strong retail management experience.
Sarah Hogan: Administrator
Sarah is a freelance administrator who provides two afternoons for work for us each week. She has worked in a number of non-profits in an administrative capacity. Sarah ensures our back office support allows us to make the biggest impact possible on the front line.
We started the year with a slightly reduced team. The Youth Work team consisted of Matt, (Youth Work Lead) and Robyn, (Intern). Paul, (Director), also plays a part in this team. Geraldine (Finance Officer) and Sarah, (Administrator).
Robyn joined as an an Intern in January 2024, and remained a part of the team until August 2024. Robyn’s internship was always due to be a shorter period of time.
Throughout the year, we were working on recruiting a new member of staff to increase the youth work team. This post is in partnership with Hillview Church in Hucclecote. Recruitment in the Christian Youth Work sector is particularly challenging at the current time. We initially advertised for a part time youth worker. After two unsuccessful rounds of recruitment, we successfully recruited Becca in March. She will take up her post in September 2025.
THE YEAR IN REVIEW PAUL BENNETT DIRECTOR
In a year where we celebrated 50 years of continuous work, we have seen much positive impact on the lives of young people, yet we have been hampered by a few structural challenges.
Having restored the staffing ratio to a more viable level in the previous year, we had been able to increase our delivery capacity. With staff departures at the end of 2023, the staffing ratio dropped again. Robyn provided additional support, but as an intern on a short placement, was limited in what she could deliver. Once her placement came to an end, we returned to lower staffing levels.
A considerable amount of time has been taken up by recruitment, as we try to increase our staffing capacity. We finally completed this recruitment cycle in March 2025, which will mean we will see staffing levels increase by September 2025. We know that the recruitment of Youth Workers is particularly challenging and is not isolated to us. The sector has seen a reduction in candidates and a rise in demand. As we move into the new financial year, we will be planning a further recruitment in partnership with a local church. We are aware that this will be equally challenging and time consuming. Despite, the reduction in staffing hours, we have continued to see our work grow and develop.
The other significant structural challenge was a need to move office. In May, we relocated to Leckhampton Baptist Church. This move was necessitated by a rent increase that would have impacted our delivery of work amongst people. We had been in our previous space for six years, and the move gave us an opportunity to reconsider a long-held idea. Whilst our previous space was very useful, we have long wanted to be based with a church that had no youth work. We believe that the synergy that could be created by having our office in a church with no youth work would enable us to help them develop something in their local community. We did not simply want to deliver youth work in their space but rather work with them to develop youth work that impacted their community whilst working in partnership with them. Leckhampton Baptist Church bought into this vision. Since moving, we have built a strong relationship with the church and have started
planning opportunities for youth provision. We know this will be a challenge with a very small church community, many of whom are elderly, but we believe it is possible. As part of our settling process, some of our young leaders came a served the church during the summer through some general maintenance work.
Despite relocations and recruitment challenges, we still saw a real impact on young people throughout the year. The Big Bash events in Gloucester continued, and we have now completed a whole annual cycle of them. These events resource local churches and provide young people an opportunity to explore faith in a space place. At these events, and a number of other opportunities, around 50 young people have chosen to make a decision to follow Jesus this year. These other opportunities included our Break Away residential which takes place each February. This is a residential space that allows young people to explore faith whilst surrounded by other young people, all mixed with a variety of activities and fun. The residential also enables smaller churches to take their young people away for a weekend without the same costs or work required to run their own residential. The residential also provides an opportunity for young people from a wide variety of churches to gather and make new friendships.
We have continued to see a high demand for our collective worship sessions in primary schools, with the team delivering a session most weeks of the year. We have received very positive feedback from schools regarding these sessions. Schools have appreciated how we engage the pupils and help them think about values and teachings of the Bible. Students have commented on how our delivery has made the themes relevant and it has helped them remember the teaching, as well as providing a reflective space. These sessions have also opened further opportunities to lead transition lessons for year 6 students preparing for their move to secondary school. In addition to these primary school opportunities, we have continued to support St. Luke’s church in Cheltenham in their delivery of a primary school lunchtime club.
With reduced staffing, we were unable to develop our secondary school provision as much as we had hoped. The Christian Union in Bournside continues to thrive, and we were asked to deliver a sport focused RE lesson in Alderman Knight School. Our biggest secondary project was GSUS Live. GSUS Live is a resource from Counties which teaches on themes of fear, rejection and forgiveness in line with the RE curriculum. Over a course of three weeks, we
took the resource into three secondary schools, teaching 1600 key stage 3 students. We delivered sixty-two lessons and were joined by volunteers, youth workers and church leaders from seven different churches.
During the summer, we supported the team at Family Space in the deliver of their HAF (Holiday Activities and food) provision. Across four sessions during the summer holidays, we ran sports activities and provided over 300 meals to families entitled to free school meals.
Throughout the year, we ran a variety of celebrations of the fifty years of work we have provided, from our earliest days of CYCLE, which was formed in 1974, until our current position as Youth for Christ Gloucestershire. It was wonderful to welcome back former trustees, volunteers, staff and supporters who across the years have enabled us to support young people and to provide them a safe space to explore faith as well as to have their practical needs met. We also had several people share how Youth for Christ has made such a massive impact on their lives as young people. As part of the celebrations, a good number of people took on fundraising challenges as we look forward to providing another fifty years of support to young people.
We are always grateful to the support, encouragement, and financial assistance we receive from our fantastic supporter base. Our celebrations gave us an opportunity to look back over a much longer period and thank everyone for all that has been done in the past to make our current work possible.
Thank you to everyone who has helped us make a difference in the lives of young people this year.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT
Our financial position continues to remain healthy. Our reserves have increased due to the increase in donations. This increase was driven by events that were part of our 50th anniversary. We have also seen a growth in regular income from donors.
In relation to our expenditure, we continue to run with a lower staff team, despite efforts to recruit new staff. As a result, our salary bill is lower than it should be. It still remains a significant part of our expenditure. Above inflation rises to the National Living Wage has meant that salaries have seen above inflation growth. We anticipate an increase in our salary costs in the new financial year as we have managed to successful recruit a vacant position. The post holder will start their employment at the end of the second quarter of 2025/6, so our financial exposure will be limited next financial year.
Inflationary pressures will continue to be a factor for us across the next financial year, both in relation to expenditure and income pressures. Coupled with a challenging income landscape for the charitable sector, we are aware that the year ahead is not without potential challenges. We are continually work to ensure we remain in a good financial position through good financial controls and a robust approach to a diversified income model. We are very grateful to all those individuals, churches and groups who support our work. Without this support we would not be able to function.
YOUTH FOR CHRIST GLOUCESTERSHIRE Balance Shget as at 31 March 2025 Notes 2024-25 2023124 Flx•d Ass?ts Tangible assets 4104 4104 2,689 2,689 Total fixed 8ssels Curr•nt A8sets Debtors Cash al bank and in hand 3762 95359 99121 4.315 59,876 64.191 Tot&1 currenl asse18 Llabllltl•$ Creditors.. arnounts falling due wbthin one year 3134 95987 100091 2,776 61,415 64.104 curmnl 88sets/(liabililiesJ Total assets 1858 current li8bililie$ Creditors. arnounts fallin due after more than one ar TOTAL NET ASS£TS OR LIABILITIES 100091 64,104 Op•ning mserves S¢Jrplu8lldeficitl for 8T ¢I1n9 r•*•N•• 64104 54.590 35987 9.514 100091 64,104 SIGNED: Hon TroA8urer'. Date.. Notes lo the Balance Sheet a$ gt 31 March 2025 2024-25 2023124 T•nglble A8s•t• Furniture. IT, elc Accumulated depfecialion 21.130 17.026 4,104 17,332 14,643 2.689 Debtors Prepaid Expen8t Accounts receivable 09POSit held by landlord Recoverablg Glft Aid 338 1,762 168 2945 500 702 431S 1,662 3,762 Ca8h at bank and In hand RBS - Current &c CAF Cash CAF Gold Harnpshire Trust Bank Ltd Paypal 3,629 7,520 64.210 20,000 1.689 6.843 51,344 9S,359 59,876 Crèditorn Iduo wlthln ono y•arl Accounts payable Accrued expenses Income received in advance 1,553 1,581 1276 1500 3,134 2776
In¢ome ond Expendrture for the year ending 31 March 2025 2024-26 2023124 INCOME Donatlon8 and Leyacle8 Don#tn$- ChurGIE$ DatKins- Grft Aided Grants Received Donation$- Non Grft A Other don81ions Gift Aid Tax R8ceiv8ble GASDS- Small Oonalion$ 29.124 37,581 7,270 16,671 172 10,089 75 100,981 29.479 52 17.198 17,754 12.310 7,387 500 84679 h•rltabl• •¢tlvl¢l•• Fundraising Events Fundraising Sal88 Fundraising 8ponser$hlp Youth weekond 4w8y Youth work event8 1.337 2.563 13,119 9.501 2.536 29,066 1,791 2,5e8 11.442 15,821 Inv•8tm•nts Bank Interast 1,562 1,582 1.087 1,087 Oth•r Church Partnor&hlp8 In¢ome R•¢eive( From Bdl•h YFC Sale of Resour¥ Other Inco 4,823 10,518 3,331 1,053 1,921 16,821 749 505 11,877 EXPENDITURE Chailtsbl• actlvltl•• Adrnini$traior ¢o$ts 4,618 125 435 1,436 Bank foes cesl of tUndrAlnq ev•nl8 EM0y¢r Nl ¢onlribulion$ Employ•r F4insion contributnI Equipment purchaaed (not a88etBI Storagé costs FIow0r5 & Gross S4larie5 & Woge# HeaNh & S8felY expone8 Insurance- Propjrty & Cont•nti IT Colts Local Mini8lrieB Other eKpery608 Postage & Delivery Printing and SIBIIOrry Recruilmenl Refreshment¥ Rent Expen88 Repairs & Maintenance Staff expenseslmeeiing$ Telepho & Internel Training Travel Expense YFC Resource5 Ygulh wiyk actrt8 4e2 927 1.393 2.092 1.310 1.150 28 71,121 1,979 1.245 878 05.987 86 1,059 2,061 1,185 875 451 1.495 1.446 1.912 585 2,428 750 424 3,320 491 159 231 3.600 10 585 501 1,000 1,125 2,424 12,032 107.609 1.339 677 955 10,481 10S,106 G•lfisllloss•81 on flxed a888t8 DepreatIon for the year 2,383 2.383 1,285 1,286 SurpluslIDeflt> for the year 35.987 9.514
THE YEAR AHEAD PAUL BENNETT DIRECTOR
As we move into the new year, we are optimistic about what we will be able to achieve with an extended team. We have built some good foundations this year to enable us to build a stronger team and therefore reach more young people.
We hope to have Becca in post by September 2025 and expect to begin our next recruitment at a similar time. We are currently in discussions with another church about another partnership role. This will enable us to provide greater support to our existing work whilst also expanding our work to include a new community.
In addition, we are looking forward to beginning to work with Leckhampton Baptist Church to deliver youth work. We have begun to put some plans in place, and hope to have a group up and running by the end of 2025.
Despite challenging circumstances, we have been able to maintain momentum with out income generation. We will continue to manage this alongside the growing work. this growth is essential in at a time of higher inflationary pressures, but will also enable us to continue to grow our provision to young people.
THANK YOU
We do what we do, because we want to see young people’s lives changed by Jesus. We see the impact of this on a daily basis, but this is only possible due to the support we receive from individuals, churches, businesses and trusts.
Thank you for making this possible. Thank you for helping young people to discover Jesus. Thank you for helping young people improve their lives through our support. We have the privilege of seeing the change in young people’s lives, but you help us make it happen.
office@yfcgloucestershire.co.uk Tel: 0333 0419356 Charity no: 1163587