Radiant Encounter Ministries
Trustees Annual Report
Year ended 31 December 2023
Charity number: 1165807
Trustees
Stephen Jones, (Chair of Trustees)
Adonna Jones
Andrew Timms. (Also, a Trustee for Destiny Life Church, charity number 1167525) Philip Goodson
Andrew Muir
Principal Office
4 Woodlands,
Cheriton Bishop,
Exeter,
Devon,
EX6 6HH.
Report of the trustees for the year ending 31 December 2023.
The trustees present their annual report and financial statement of the charity for the year ending 31 December 2023. The financial statement complies with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 and has been compiled in accordance with the charity’s constitution.
Structure and Governance
The Charity is a registered charity, number 1165807 and was established in England as a Charitable Incorporated Organization on 02 March 2016. It was established to continue the work that Stephen and Adonna Jones began through short term mission trips to Bulgaria.
New trustees are appointed by the existing trustees. The Charity’s Constitution provides for a minimum of 3 trustees, to a maximum of 7 trustees.
On appointment all new trustees formally accept in writing and are given a welcome pack, including a copy of the constitution, the board of trustee’s minutes, trustees annual reports and accounts and a copy of the Charities Commission’s publication entitled “The Essential Trustee: What You Need To Know”.
All trustees give of their time freely and no trustee remuneration was paid in this year. Trustees are required to disclose all relevant interests and in accordance with the charity’s policy withdraw from decisions where a conflict of interest arises.
Risk Management
The trustees work together to identify risks and where necessary seek training or external advice to reduce the risk.
Objectives and activities for the public benefit
The objects of the CIO are:
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The advancement of the Christian religion for the public benefit by means of evangelism and the preaching of the Christian faith, working with local churches, in particular but not exclusively Bulgaria and other countries as the trustees see fit, in distributing aid and delivering pastoral care..
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The relief of poverty in Bulgaria, and other countries as the trustees see fit, by providing grants, items and services to individuals in need.
The Charity’s main activities are:
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Encouraging local Bulgarian communities in their faith through local churches and through pastoral care within smaller group settings.
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Giving grants or supplying equipment to local churches to improve their services to their communities.
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Giving supplies to relieve poverty and cultivate a sense of personal value among the poor.
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Supporting local relief and development initiatives.
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The transporting of donated goods for the poor to Bulgaria from the UK.
How the charity delivers public benefit
When planning activities, the Trustees of Radiant Encounter Ministries have considered the Commission’s guidance on public benefit. The Charity strives to make The Christian faith available to all. Radiant Encounter Ministries seeks to work with a broad spectrum of organisations and people in order to advance the Christian faith for the benefit of as many people as possible.
Radiant Encounter:
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Inspires faith, hope and personal growth through the proclamation and demonstration of the good news of the Christian faith. Radiant Encounter’s interpretation of the Christian faith is based on The Nicene Creed of 325AD. This creed is shared by many denominations including The Orthodox Churches, The Roman Catholic Church and Protestant Churches.
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Supports projects which bring relief to communities. Radiant Encounter has supported many projects within Bulgaria, including: the provision of a water supply, providing grants for food for the poor during Covid 19. It has also provided many kilos of clothes for the poor over the years. This support is irrespective of the recipient’s personal faith. As a result, many have come to faith in Christ.
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Looks for ways to support the proclamation of the good news of the Christian Faith. Radiant Encounter has done this by suppling four mobile sound systems, microphones and cables which has improved the outreach
capabilities of a local denomination within its region. It has also provided Bibles to the poor that could not afford one.
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Provides schoolbooks and writing materials to children from poor families. This has allowed them to go to school with essential provisions.
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Provides for the care of vulnerable. Radiant Encounter has regularly supplied goods to a local day centre for adults and children with disabilities as well as supplying goods to some local nursing homes. This has helped to improve the lives of these adults and children. It is also very encouraging to the staff members, when their work is recognised.
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Transports clothes, shoes, and toiletries, which are donated. They have been distributed via local churches in Bulgaria, as well as being able to visit the poor in their homes . This has become an ongoing project.
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Provided support to Ukrainian refugees. Radiant encounter has been able to provide clothes, hygiene products and food to the Ukrainian refugees that have found themselves in Bulgaria because of the crisis in Ukraine.
Financial Review
The charity started the financial year with £1,950 in the bank, of which £1,357 was restricted
The Charity has received £4,819 in donations this year which is up on the previous year. These funding have enabled a lot to be achieved whilst leaving funds available at the end of the year of £1,304, of which there is £251 held as restricted funds.
Radiant Encounter received £667 from Stewardship, the charity who administers much of Radiant Encounter’s online giving and reclamation of tax. £3,040 was given by other charities and donations.
This year the charities total expenditure year was £4,359 of which £409 was spent on overheads and the remaining £3,950 was spent on projects and grants to support those in need.
There were no grants were given this year.
Assets and Liabilities
The Charity has finished the financial year with a positive balance and no debts outstanding.
Gift Aid
In order to process its online website giving, Radiant Encounter uses the service of a charity registered in England and Wales called Stewardship, (charity number 234714). Stewardship administers the reclaiming of tax on behalf of the donor. The funds then come to Radiant Encounter, as a grant from Stewardship of the original amount donated online, plus any tax that has been reclaimed, minus their small administration fee of 3 %. All of Stewardship’s profits go to support good charitable causes.
Radiant Encounter has also claimed gift aid where applicable on gifts that did not come through Stewardship.
Reserve Policy
The Charity retains a reserve of sufficient funds to ensure that any ongoing expenses can be covered. Also, all funds held as restricted are retained until they are used for their designated purpose.
Trustees responsibilities in relation to financial statements.
The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law. The law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the trustee(s) to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources for the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements the trustees are required to select suitable accounting policies and to apply them consistently and make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent.
The trustees are responsible for keeping accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy the financial position of the charity and enable them to
ascertain to ensure that the financial statements comply with the law. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the charity and financial information included on any of the charities publications or websites.
Looking Toward the Future
Currently Radiant Encounter is working mainly in the central Bulgarian town of Kazanluk, with some work also in the southwestern Bulgarian towns of Razlog and Sandanski.
Radiant Encounter has now established a permanent base in the Kazanluk region as the centre of operations for ongoing relief projects. With Stephen Jones and Adonna Jones two of the trustees moving out to Bulgaria fulltime.
Radiant Encounter wants to continue to reach out to those that are in need and forgotten. They want to continue to bring help and relief to the Ukrainian refugees that find themselves in Bulgaria.
Lives will be changed, through a practical demonstration of love.
This Trustees annual report was approved by the trustees
on the 26 September 2024.
RADIANT ENCOUNTER MINISTRIES
Registered As a Charitable Incorporated Organisation in England and Wales,
Number 11658
4 Woodlands, Cheriton Bishop, Exeter, Devon, EX6 6HH.
INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT:
FROM 01 JANUARY 2023 TO 31 DECEMBER 2023
INCOME
General Donations 3707 Restricted Donations 1112 Gift Aid Nil Other Income Nil Total Income 4819 EXPENDITURES Direct Operational Costs Shipping and Packaging 415 Supplies Given 2488 Interpreter Nil Travel and Accommodation 1040 Grants Nil Outreach 7 Total Operational Costs 3950 Less Other Expenses Bank Charges Nil Office expenses 409 Total Other Expenses 409 TOTAL EXPENSES 4359 FUNDS (total income minus total expenses) 460
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RADIANT ENCOUNTER MINISTRIES
Registered As a Charitable Incorporated Organisation in England and Wales,
Number 11658
4 Woodlands, Cheriton Bishop, Exeter, Devon, EX6 6HH.
Summary of Income and Expenditure Account Funds (after expenses) 460 Retained funds at beginning of year 593 Balance of retained funds at the end of year 1053 Summary of Restricted Funds Restricted funds at beginning of year 1357 Restricted donations within this year 6 Spent restricted funds 1112 Balance of retained restricted funds at the end of year 251
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RADIANT ENCOUNTER MINISTRIES
Registered As a Charitable Incorporated Organisation in England and Wales,
Number 11658
4 Woodlands, Cheriton Bishop, Exeter, Devon, EX6 6HH.
BALANCE SHEET STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS ON 31 DECEMBER 2023
31 December 2023 Previous Year (on 31 Dec) ASSETS Total Cash 1053 593 Restricted Cash 251 1357 Other Assets Nil Nil LIABILITIES Current liabilities Nil Nil Long Term Liabilities Nil Nil
Note: All figures on these accounts are rounded to the nearest pound.
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