2021-03-31-accounts - Soar

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‘Fuel to Fly’

Annual Report & Accounts

31 March 2021

Charity Number 1163669

Report of the Trustees of “Soar” for the year ended 31 March 2021.

The Trustees are pleased to present their annual report and financial statement for the year ended 31 March 2021.

1. Charity Objectives & Activities

Soar is a Christian charity set up to support community heroes, working in disadvantaged communities around the world, to sustain themselves and their family for their ministry over the long-term.

Soar is a network of individuals and families who are choosing to stand alongside these unsung community heroes, because we believe it is people not projects who challenge, inspire and lead others to change. Our ‘community heroes’ are people who have seen a need in their own communities and have chosen to do something about it, often at personal cost. They are people who are living their lives to help others. They have set up schools for children living and working on city rubbish dumps, they are rescuing children who have been trafficked and are returning them to their families…

Soar is a Christian charity set up to refresh and refuel these unsung community heroes and their families, because we care about them, as they care for others, and we also believe that they are the best channel of support for their communities. If these community heroes have to stop what they are doing for whatever reason, the negative impact on their community would be huge. We don’t want this to happen, so we believe that providing the community heroes with regular refreshment and refuelling is crucial to enabling them to sustain their important work over the long haul.

“ Firstly, I would like to praise God for all his blessings and for allowing me to know so many wonderful people. The people that He put in my live, has not only helped our organization prosper and lead people to God, but has also helped encouraged and care for the staff.

It was a privilege to have gotten to know Soar through brother Ben, and they have been very kind to us. We appreciate everything that you have arranged for us. Soar not only gave me a chance to have my very first health check up in years, but it also allowed me and my family to spend time together, which was very much needed.

I could not have asked more, but praise God for His glory and to bless that people that are working hard to fulfill His mission.” Chomno In

Activities 2019-21

Sadly the attention of trustees has been diverted away from the charity this year, which means we have not been able to develop the work of the charity further, we hope to be able to reconnect soon.

Charitable Objectives:

1. To promote and uphold the principles of the Christian religion by:

(a) Provision of grants and pastoral support to missional pioneers whom are actively serving their local communities. Example (although not exhaustive) requests for which funding may be granted: basic material needs, counseling, family time away, teaching resources and any other such needs as the trustees deem are hindering a missional pioneer's ability to serve the local community as a leader and a minister.

(b) Assistance of missional pioneers to research and procure such services as they require, and the trustees agree, that are necessary to continue their ministry of promoting the Christian faith in challenging and disadvantaged contexts; inspiration of the church family to grasp their collective responsibility to support their brothers and sisters in Christ who are ministering sacrificially.

To relieve and prevent poverty by:

(a) Provision of long-term financial assistance to selected Christian missional pioneers and their families who face financial hardship as a result of living sacrificially, in keeping with Christian principles, for the benefit of others. Financial assistance will be granted for such example reasons as outlined in 1 (a).

(b) Provision of grants to missional pioneers who strive to continue, or initiate, community activities that improve conditions for those in material and spiritual need. Example (although not exhaustive) activities may include: providing spiritual leadership, caring for the sick, giving willingly of their time and own material resources, and any other such pursuits as the trustees deem fulfill Christ’s command to love and serve those in need.

Why is Soar needed?

Many community heroes serving in challenging contexts live sacrificially at huge personal cost. The reality is that the ‘cost’ of this obedience can seriously take its toll in the form of financial insecurity, poverty, isolation, opposition, sapped energy, frayed relationships, poor work/life balance, and spiritual burnout. Not only do these heroes end up feeling squeezed under the pressure as an individual, but the burden is also borne by their families.

Sustaining their ministry and fulfilling their calling is difficult, if they have no one focusing on their needs and investing in them as people. There are lots of organisations supporting the projects, but few specifically addressing the personal and family challenges facing those who lead, inspire and sustain those initiatives. Soar’s focus is to help support and sustain those who are supporting and sustaining others.

We believe it is people, not programmes, who challenge, inspire and lead others to change. For this reason Soar’s focus is on the community hero and their close family, encouraging and investing in them in order to fuel their freedom to follow God’s call and run with the vision He has given them.

We also hope to encourage, inspire and challenge the wider church family to grasp their responsibility and the privilege it is to partner with their brothers and sisters in Christ.

How does Soar work?

We know living missionally is a marathon not a sprint. So a bit like refreshment stations along the route of a marathon, we aim to provide an opportunity for them to be reinvigorated, re-fuelled and re-envisioned for the race ahead. Soar will partner with appropriate ministries or specialists to provide a range of support options to the community heroes and their families. The specific support given will be determined by the community hero through a review process, but could include any of the following:

§ Mentoring / Coaching
§ Retreat / Sabbatical time
§ Health care
§ Conferences / Courses
§ Family holidays
§ Counselling / Marriage guidance courses
§ Financial support for basic living costs (accommodation, food, children’s education)

Support offered through Soar will be reviewed annually with the community heroes and we expect it to vary depending on their circumstances. Just like the marathon refreshment stations we will not provide all the resources and support they need, but we are one avenue of support for them. Our aim

is to encourage, as well as be a safe place where they can share any personal or family challenges they are facing.

How does Soar raise its support?

Soar aims to connect the church with these inspiring community heroes in a mutually enriching network of relationships. Our prayer is to be a frontier crossing ‘family’ exchanging prayer, inspiration, pastoral and financial sustenance & support.

Our vision is that there will be mutual benefit in the relationship. Just as the flock of geese fly together in formation, in a beautiful exchange, switching from support to lead when energy levels dip, the global church will fly higher and reach farther if we support each other. Many western Christians are resource rich but spiritually poor. As we provide opportunities for rest, refreshment, and re-envisioning, the costly discipleship of these community heroes will inspire, challenge and fuel us to fulfil God’s calling on our lives.

3. Our Trustees

The Trustees serving during the year, and on the date the report was approved, were:

Ben Stansfield MBA, MSc, BEd Charles Walker Esther Stansfield MA Cantab Dr Mike Whittome BSc, Phd Lorna Duddy Ruth Douglas Stuart Costley Katy Bell

4. Finances

We have not been able to develop our website as yet, so have not been actively fundraising for Soar until this is established.

	2015-16	2016-17	2017-18	2018-19	2019-20	2020- 21
Income	£4,469.76	£1,000.00	£3,255.13	£250	£250	£250
Expenditure	£0		£0	£0	£0	£0
Support for Chomno In (Cambodia)		£1,752.86	£0	£0	£0	£0
Total Funds	£4,469.76	£3,716.90	£6,970.03	£7220.03	£7470.03	7720.03

5. Risk Management

The principle risks identified during the year were:

Risk:	Strategy for managing the risk:
Impact of personal challenges effecting	Reduce the amount the charity commits to
trustee availability	undertaking in the year.
Raising sufficient funds to enable on-going	Grow the number of community heroes we
support for the community heroes.	support slowly, when resources have been
	identified.

Identifying the community heroes that	Work closely with referral partners so they
could most benefit from support through	are aware of the goals and purpose of Soar;
Soar	ensure references are collected and regular
	reviews are undertaken with our
	community heroes.
Limited time availability of trustees	Ensure the operational model for the
	charity fits within the resources available to
	it and where possible to work in partnership
	with other organisations.