OpenCharities

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

2024-12-31-accounts

Trustees' Annual Report for the period

Period start date Period end date

From 01 Jan 2024 To 31 Dec 2024

Section A Reference and administration details

Charity name Grace Church Beckenham

Other names charity is known by

Registered charity number (if any) 1164443

Charity's principal address Grace Church Beckenham

Church Office, Highland Road Bromley Postcode BR1 4AA

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

----- Start of picture text -----
Dates acted if not for whole Name of person (or body) entitled
Trustee name Office (if any)
year to appoint trustee (if any)
1 Stephen Lock Secretary
2 Simon Cooke
3 Rosemary Worboys
4 Matthew Dew-Jones ex-officio
5 Ngan Thi Thu Jones
----- End of picture text -----

Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)

Name Dates acted if not for whole year

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Type of adviser Name Address

Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

2024

TAR

1

Section B Structure, governance and management

Description of the charity’s trusts

Type of governing document Constitution (adopted November 2015) (eg. trust deed, constitution) Amended April 2020 for Change of Name

How the charity is constituted Charitable Incorporated Organisation (Foundation)

Trustee selection methods New Charity Trustees are appointed by existing Trustees, with due regard (eg. appointed by, elected by) to appropriate skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO. All Charity Trustees are required to subscribe and adhere to, in belief and lifestyle, the Statement of Faith included in the Constitution.

Additional governance issues (Optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant, about:

The organisational structure of Grace Church Beckenham is such that the spiritual government and leadership of the Church Fellowship, for the purposes of which the CIO has been established, rests with the Spiritual Leadership and to the extent to which the Charity Trustees are not synonymous with the Spiritual Leadership their powers are confined to the proper management and administration of the CIO and its resources in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution and in furtherance of its Objects. In so doing the Trustees have full and proper regard to the Spiritual Leadership provided always that they do not act outside their powers as conferred by the Constitution and by general law.

The Church is affiliated to the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches (FIEC) (Registered Charity 1168037) who, amongst other things, provide a source of practical and legal advice (e.g. on Employment regulations, Data protection, Property etc.). Support is also received from The Co-Mission Initiative Trust (Registered Charity 1157383).

The Trustees have put in place a number of policies & procedures (which are kept under regular review/updated as appropriate) including:

The Trustees also have an established Risk Register to support the regular review and discussion of risk. Careful management of these has enabled the Trustees to be confident that, despite challenges, GCB continues to be a ‘going concern’ and that, going forward, the CIO can continue to meet its objectives.

On appointment new Trustees are provided with a copy of:

New Trustees are required to assent to and sign the Statement of Faith contained in the schedule to the Constitution. All Trustees have also completed an automatic disqualification declaration .

2024

TAR

2

Section C Objectives and activities

Summary of the objects of the
charity set out in its
governing document
Summary of the main
activities undertaken for the
public benefit in relation to
these objects (include within
this section the statutory
declaration that trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit)		 The Object of the CIO is for the public benefit the advancement of the
Christian faith in Bromley and such other parts of the United Kingdom
and the world as the Charity Trustees may from time to time decide.
The Trustees have kept in mind the Charity Commission’s guidance on
public benefit, and in particular guidance on charities for the
advancement of religion, in the planning and delivery of all our activities.
Specifically, we aim to help any who are interested to find out more about
the Christian faith, and to enable ordinary people to live out the Christian
faith and to develop their knowledge and trust in Jesus Christ, through
learning about the Gospel as declared in the Bible.
Our key focus is the provision of aweekly Serviceof worship, Bible
teaching and prayer each Sunday. These meetings aim to provide
instruction in the Christian faith both for those wishing to investigate its
claims and those already committed to living as Christians, as well as
pastoral support and care for all. Children of school age have their own
activities for part of the time.
GCB also provides other opportunities both before Sunday church and
mid-weekfor people to study the Bible and discover the doctrines of the
Christian faith in more detail; to hear from and to be updated on the work
of our various Mission Partners, and to provide for the mutual support
and encouragement of those attending.
Additionally, we hold a regular series of publicly advertisedSpecial
EventsandCoursesspecifically for anyone from the local community
looking for an introduction to, or to learn more about, the Christian faith.
Ourwebsitealso includes: an ‘Explore’ area for those wishing to
discover more about Christianity or to engage with the important
questions of life from a Christian perspective.

Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)

Youmay chooseto include
further statements, where
relevant, about:
policy on grantmaking;
policy programme related
investment;
contribution made by
volunteers.		 There is a keen contribution fromvolunteersat the church, and the
Trustees are grateful for the valuable commitment of time and energy
from all those involved in running regular events like Grace Club during
the week, those serving on various Rotas and those involved in
Safeguarding, Publicity, Outreach, Special Events, Administration and
Finance throughout the year.
In accordance with our objective, we are also keen to partner with those
seeking to advance the Christian faith in other parts of the UK and the
world. Specifically, we help provide financial support for a children’s
worker, sponsored by UFM Worldwide (Registered Charity 219946), in
our partner church (GracePoint Waiyaki Way) Nairobi, Kenya. During
2024 we also made one-off donations to the UEA Student Union
(Registered Charity 1162866) for the UEA Christian Union Mission Week
and to the EMF Registered Charity 1071823) for their Ukrainian Appeal.

2024

TAR

3

Section D Achievements and performance

Summary of the main
achievements of the charity
during the year		 Whilst Grace Church operates as a week round family, our regular
weeklySunday Churchservice has continued to be the high point of our
activity. Overall numbers attending increased during 2024 – with a
number of new people joining.
OurHead, Heart, Hands (HHH)‘Adult Sunday school’, continued
meeting on several Sundays each term before the main service and
providing an opportunity for anyone to explore the Christian faith in more
depth and discuss how this works out in everyday life.
We have been running a number of different groups for children on
Sunday morningsGrace Youth,Grace Kids, Creche, and (during HHH)
parallel groups for older and younger children.
Mid-weekthere have been regular small groups (Grace Groups),
providing opportunities for studying the Bible and pastoral support,
interspersed with whole church meetings for prayer and fellowship.
AWomen’s bible study grouphas been meeting weekly during term
time to read and study the Bible together. There have also been
opportunities for those who wish to meet in 1-2-1s/smaller groups, and a
range of courses for those wishing to investigate the Christian faith are
always on offer.
Grace Club, an after-school club for Primary school children meets
weekly during term-time with fun activities, dinner, and inspiring Bible
stories included.
A range ofSpecial Eventshave enabled us to engage with our local
community during the year, including a family focused Good Friday
Easter Egg Hunt, held in Beckenham Place Park (and for which over 200
people signed up), a Euros (football) Watch-Party in July, a Light
Party/Silent Disco in November and various Christmas events.
Plans for a new venture to support and engage with parents, carers and
pre-school children were developed during the year for launch in January
2025.
More widely, we’ve continued to support our mission partner in Kenya
(via UFM Worldwide) who is working with youth and children in Nairobi,
and it was good to be able to host her on a visit back to the UK and to
hear an update on her work in person during June.
Venue. We continue to enjoy being able to meet at the Harris Primary
Academy Beckenham Green which provides a very convenient central
Beckenham location within the community we seek to serve. In the
longer term we are likely to outgrow this venue and so keep an active
review on other possible locations locally.

2024

TAR

4

Section E Financial review

Brief statement of the The Trustees have an approved Policy on Reserves which aims to hold charity’s policy on reserves in reserve sufficient general funds to cover a minimum of three month’s average expenditure. The aim is to mitigate against unanticipated reductions in regular income; significant cash flow fluctuations and/or sudden/one-off unbudgeted increases in expenditure, to help ensure stability in the operation of the CIO, particularly in respect of the employment of staff engaged to advance the objects of the Trust. The level of reserves is monitored regularly and reported to the Trustees for review at each of their meetings. At the report year-end date (Dec 2024) the level of the reserves stood in excess of 5 months average monthly spend (all unrestricted funds).

Details of any funds materially in deficit

N/A

Further financial review details (Optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant about:

Grace Church Beckenham (GCB) is dependent principally on regular voluntary giving from members of the congregation (and recovery of associated Gift Aid where appropriate) to sustain its activities. During 2024 GCB was also in receipt of grants totalling £6,672 from The CoMission Initiative Trust (Registered Charity 1157383) to assist in meeting the costs of an Assistant Minister. Over the year, total Expenditure of £151k was matched by total Income of £140k. Costs arising from the (previously unbudgeted) surveys on the Beckenham Public Hall were covered by additional voluntary donations.

Employees

The charity had two employees (Senior Minister and Associate Minister) throughout the year. The holder of the office of Senior Minister is automatically (“ex-officio”) a Charity Trustee paid from the Trust under specific provision in the CIO constitution (which includes required absence from any discussion/decisions relating to personal benefit). In 2024 the ex-officio Trustee was in receipt of payments of £32,670 (gross pay and pension) and was required to live in accommodation funded by the CIO for the better performance of his duties. No employees earn over £60k for this charity.

No other amounts were paid or are payable to any other Trustee or to any person connected to them.

Section F Other optional information

Section G Declaration

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s)

Full name(s) Stephen Peter Lock

Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Secretary Date 11 Sept 2025

2024

TAR

5

Independent examiner's report on the accounts

Section A Independent Examiner’s Report

Report to the trustees/ Charity Name members of Grace Church Beckenham On accounts for the year Charity no ended 31 December 2024 (if any) 1164443 Set out on pages 8 - 9 (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31 / 12 / 2024 .

I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’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 Act.

Independent I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention ( ~~other than that disclosed below~~ *) in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

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.

Signed:
Name:
Relevant professional
qualification(s) or body
(if any):
Address:		 Date:
David Whybrow
35 Brockenhurst Road
Addiscombe
CR0 7DR

6

Section B Disclosure

Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).

Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .

7

Charity Name

Grace Church Beckenham
 Charity Name

Grace Church Beckenham
 Charity Name

Grace Church Beckenham
 Charity Name

Grace Church Beckenham
 Charity Name

Grace Church Beckenham
 CC16a
For the period
from		 Period start date
1-Jan-24		 To
Section A Receipts and payments
A1 Receipts Unrestricted
funds
to the nearest
£		 Restricted
funds
to the nearest £		 Endowment
funds
to the nearest £		 Total funds
to the nearest £		 Last year
to the nearest £
Voluntary Giving -
103,062-		 -
--
-
--
-
--
-
--
-
--
-
--
-
--		 -
--		 -
103,062-
-
29,401-
-
8-
-
364-
-
6,672-
-
414-
-
--
-
--		 -
125,097-
Gift Aid -
29,401-		 -
--		 -
20,819-
Regular Activities -
8-		 -
--		 -
611-
Events -
364-		 -
--		 -
440-
Other -
6,672-		 -
--		 -
16,984-
Bank Interest -
414-		 -
--		 -
--
-
--		 -
--		 -
--
-
--		 -
--		 -
--
Sub total(Gross income for
AR)		 -
139,921-		 -
--		 -
--		 -
139,921-		 -
163,951-
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
-
--		 -
--
-
--		 -
--		 -
--
-
--		 -
--
-
--		 -
--		 -
--
Sub total
Total receipts
A3 Payments		 -
--		 -
--		 -
--		 -
--		 -
--
-
139,921-		 -
--		 -
--		 -
139,921-		 -
163,951-
Salaries and National Insurance -
52,237-		 -
--
-
--
-
--
-
--
-
--
-
--
-
--
-
--
-
--		 -
--		 -
52,237-
-
5,760-
-
4,554-
-
45,864-
-
7,442-
-
1,136-
-
5,352-
-
18,921-		 -
48,903-
Pensions -
5,760-		 -
--		 -
5,371-
Other Staff Costs -
4,554-		 -
5,246-
Rented Accommodation -
45,864-		 -
--		 -
42,815-
Venue Hire -
7,442-		 -
--		 -
7,340-
Events & Publicity -
1,136-		 -
--		 -
720-
Admin & Other -
5,352-		 -
--		 -
4,262-
Insurance & Legal -
18,921-		 -
--		 -
14,801-
Gifts to Mission Partners -
9,480-		 -
--		 -
9,480-
-
--		 -
7,529-
-
--		 -
--
**Sub total ** -
150,746-		 -
--		 -
--		 -
150,746-		 -
136,987-
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
-
--		 -
--
-
--		 -
--		 -
--
-
--		 -
--
-
--		 -
--		 -
--
Sub total
Total payments
Net of receipts/(payments)
A5 Transfers between funds
A6 Cash funds last year end
**Cash funds this year end **		 -
--		 -
--		 -
--		 -
--		 -
--
-
150,746-		 -
--		 -
--		 -
150,746-		 -
136,987-
-
10,825-		 -
--		 -
-
-		 -
10,825-		 -
26,965-
-
--		 -
--
-
--
-
--		 -
-
-		 -
--
-
79,371-
-
68,546-		 -
--
-
79,371-		 -
-
-		 -
52,407-
-
68,546-		 -
-
-		 -
79,371-
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
Categories
B1 Cash funds		 Details
Bank Current Account		 Unrestricted
funds
to nearest £		 Restricted
funds
to nearest £
-
--		 Endowment
funds
to nearest £
-
68,546-		 -
-
-
**Sub total ** **Sub total ** - 150,746- - -- - -- -- - 150,746- - 136,987-
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
- --
- -- - -- - -- - --
- -- - -- - -- - -- - --
**Sub total ** - -- - -- - -- - -- - --
**Total payments ** - 150,746- - -- - -- - 150,746- - 136,987-
**Net of receipts/(payments) ** - 10,825- - -- - - - - 10,825- - 26,965-
A5 Transfers between funds - -- - -- - - - - -- - --
A6 Cash funds last year end - 79,371- - -- - - - - 79,371- - 52,407-
**Cash funds this year end ** - 68,546- - -- - - - - 68,546- - 79,371-

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period

Unrestricted Restricted Endowment
Categories Details funds funds funds
to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £
B1 Cash funds Bank Current Account - 68,546- - -- - - -

8

GCB Accounts 2024

-
--		 -
-
-		 -
--
-
-
-		 -
--		 -
-
-
B2 Other monetary assets
B3 Investment assets
B4 Assets retained for the
charity’s own use
B5 Liabilities
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees		 Total cash funds
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))
Details
December Gift Aid Claim
Details
Details
Details
Venue Hire Dec 24
Signature		 -
68,546-		 -
--		 -
-
-
OK
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
to nearest £
to nearest £
-
1,757-
-
--
-
--
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
--
-
--
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
--
-
--
-
-
-
Fund to which
asset belongs
Cost (optional)
-
--
-
--
-
--
-
--
-
--
Fund to which
asset belongs
Cost (optional)
-
--
-
--
-
--
-
--
-
--
-
--
-
--
-
--
-
--
Fund to which
liability relates
Amount due
(optional)
General
-
750-
-
--
-
--
-
--
-
--
Print Name
Stephen Lock		 Endowment
funds
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
--
Current value
(optional)
-
--
-
--
-
--
-
--
-
--
Current value

(optional)
-
--
-
--
-
--
-
--
-
--
-
--
-
--
-
--
-
--
When due
(optional)
25 January 2025
Date of
approval
Stephen Lock 11/09/2025

GCB Accounts 2024

9