**TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31[ST] DECEMBER 2024 **TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31[ST] DECEMBER 2024 ## Contents |REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION|3| |---|---| |AIMS AND PURPOSE|4| |REVIEW OF ACTIVITIES|5| |FINANCIAL REVIEW|6| |INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT|7| |STATEMENT of FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES|8| |ANALYSIS of INCOME|9| |ANALYSIS of EXPENDITURE|9| The Trustees present their annual report and the financial statements of the charity for the period ended 31[st] December 2024 2 **TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31[ST] DECEMBER 2024 ## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION** **Registered charity name:** Sandwell Churches Link **Charity registration number:** 1167003 **Registered address:** Wesley Methodist Church 291 High Street West Bromwich B70 8ND **Trustees:** Mrs. Hazel Bloxham Rev. Bev Thomas Mrs. Esther Spence Rev. Jon Grant Ms. Elizabeth Farley Mr. Trevor Palfreyman Pastor. Niyi Oludayomi Dr. David Jarrett **Chief Executive Officer:** Mr. James Lynch **Independent Examiner:** Mr. Eric Moore 2, Orchard Way Great Barr Birmingham B43 6PN **Principal Bankers:** Lloyds Bank Ltd. ## **CHARITY STATUS** The charity is a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO) registered in 2016 3 ## **TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31[ST] DECEMBER 2024 ## **AIMS AND PURPOSE** The objects of Sandwell Churches Link are to: - _Play a key strategic role in reducing poverty in all its forms in Sandwell, including homelessness, food poverty, financial exclusion, and loneliness._ - _Help local churches rooted in neighbourhoods to connect with the wider community including other faiths, businesses, voluntary and community groups and public sector organisations_ - _Help local churches to connect with each other in collaborative learning, shared resources and combined social action_ - _Support churches by offering training, to enable them to use an asset-based approach to working with their local communities._ 4 **TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31[ST] DECEMBER 2024 ## **REVIEW OF ACTIVITIES** Sandwell Churches Link (SCL) is a small charity, with a bold mission to work together to help end poverty in Sandwell. The charity operates with an extensive network of partners all of whom share this mission. Our partnerships start with churches of all denominations but also extends to other-faith groups and community organisations with no particular faith connection. During 2024, the core activities of Sandwell Churches’ Link were continuing to: - Develop the Sandwell Church Network, in each of the 6 towns. - Develop of the Sandwell Clothing Bank Project. - Support ‘Places of Welcome’ and ‘Warm Spaces’ initiatives. - Provide support and innovation to the Sandwell Food Power Network, through a - network of Foodbanks, Pantries and Community Meals. - Work with local churches on effective community engagement and outreach through the - ‘Opening New Doors’ project. - Tackle financial exclusion, through the expansion of CAP Debt provision across the 6- towns of Sandwell. - Pioneer the development of Community Hubs across the borough. - Help churches and community groups to communicate more effectively with their neighbourhoods and local networks. During 2024, cost of living continued to rise, and the impact as always, is experienced most acutely by those on the margins of poverty, with the least resources. Consequentially, the need for food banks and pantries has continued to grow, along with the rising need for the provision of clothing and school uniforms. The inability to afford even the basic necessities has resulted in the knock-on effect of many resorting to borrowing money, leading to the added pressure of mounting debts. Against this worrying backdrop SCL has seen the heartening willingness of local churches and other community organisations to step into the gap, despite their own financial shortages, to help those on the margins of their communities. Sandwell Churches Link has continued to play an important role in helping coordinate, resource and encourage many of these projects, including the operation and development of the Sandwell Clothing Bank, and Sandwell Debt Centre, in partnership with Christians Against Poverty (CAP). Sandwell Churches Link also plays a key role in sharing key information, resources and learning across the borough, working closely with Sandwell Council for Voluntary Service (SCVO) and Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council and all the main food networks, such as Trussell Trust, Your Local Pantry and Black Country Food Bank who continue to lead on the provision of food in Sandwell. Sandwell Churches Link is very grateful for the privilege to work with so many great churches and community partners, and to its sponsors who enable us to operate the charity. 5 ## **TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31[ST] DECEMBER 2024 ## **FINANCIAL REVIEW** ## **Income generation** The total income for the year was £120,585 (2023: £128,330), which was generated through voluntary donations, grants, consultancy, and training courses. ## **Expenditure** Total expenditure was £90,795 (2023: £74,972) ## **Funds** Overall funds are £101,071 ( _2023: £71,281_ ) of which £41,031 _(2023: £22,283_ ) are restricted funds and £20,000 are designated funds ( _2023: £20,000_ ) ## **Reserves policy** The charity holds unrestricted, restricted and designated funds. Transfers can be made from unrestricted to restricted funds to prevent restricted funds from going into deficit. Our overall policy is to hold reserves at a minimum threshold necessary to operate the organisation (not more than 3 months expenditure) or higher when specific projects are being planned for subsequent years. (The charity currently holds £20,000 in designated funds, specifically allocated for this purpose.) Signed: Ms. Elizabeth Farley, Chair of Trustees ON BEHALF OF THE TRUSTEES Date: 16[th] May 2025 6 ## **TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31[ST] DECEMBER 2024 ## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES** 7 **TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31[ST] DECEMBER 2024 ## **STATEMENT of FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES** For the accounting period 1[st] January 2024 to 31[st] December 2024 |**Note**
**s**
**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**2024**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**2024**
**Total**
**Funds**
**2024**
**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**2023**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**2023**
**Total**
**Funds**
**2023**|**Note**
**s**
**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**2024**
**Restricted**
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**2024**
**Total**
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**2024**
**Unrestricted**
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**2023**
**Restricted**
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**2023**
**Total**
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**2023**|**Note**
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**2024**
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**2024**
**Total**
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**2024**
**Unrestricted**
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**2023**
**Restricted**
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**2023**
**Total**
**Funds**
**2023**|**Note**
**s**
**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**2024**
**Restricted**
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**2024**
**Total**
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**2024**
**Unrestricted**
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**2023**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**2023**
**Total**
**Funds**
**2023**|**Note**
**s**
**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**2024**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**2024**
**Total**
**Funds**
**2024**
**Unrestricted**
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**2023**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**2023**
**Total**
**Funds**
**2023**|**Note**
**s**
**Unrestricted**
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**2024**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**2024**
**Total**
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**2024**
**Unrestricted**
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**2023**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**2023**
**Total**
**Funds**
**2023**|**Note**
**s**
**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**2024**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**2024**
**Total**
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**2024**
**Unrestricted**
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**2023**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**2023**
**Total**
**Funds**
**2023**|**Note**
**s**
**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**2024**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**2024**
**Total**
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**2024**
**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**2023**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**2023**
**Total**
**Funds**
**2023**| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |**Income**
**1**
£
£
£
£
£
£|||||||| |Grants, Donations &
Legacies


26,756

92,090

118,846

27,720

97,639

125,35
9|||||||| |Income from
Charitable Activities


1,015

724

1,739

1,690

1,281

2,971|||||||| |**Total Incoming**
**Resources**


**27,771**

**92,814**

**120,585**

**29,410**

**98,920**

**128,33**
**0**
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**2**






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4,901



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85.894



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**90,795**


**74,972**
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29,790


53,358
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71,281


17,923
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~~es ~~
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~~ee~~|**101,071**
~~es~~
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~~ee~~|
~~ee~~|**72,281**
~~ee~~| Ms. Elizabeth Farley, Chair of Trustees ON BEHALF OF THE TRUSTEES ## Signed: Date: 16[th] May 2025 8 **TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31[ST] DECEMBER 2024 ## **1. ANALYSIS of INCOME for 2023/2024** |INCOME||||2024||||||2023| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||UnrestrictedR|Restricted|ctedDesignatedT|Totals|||Unrestricted|Restricted|Designated|atedTotals| |**Grants & Donations**|£|£||£|||£|£||£| |WalterStanleyTrust|£25,000|£14,000||£39,000||WST|£25,000|£14,000|£20,000|£59,000| |National Lottery||£60,000||£60,000||NatLot||£9,500||£9,500| |ACTS435||£1,945||£1,945||Benefact||£21,660||£21,660| |Churches|£250|£14,800||£15,050||Churches||£7,219||£7,219| |Donations|£1,506|£1,345||£2,851||Donations|£620|£2,324||£2,944| |Charitable activities|£1,015|£724||£1,739||Charitable acts|£1,690|£1,281||£2,971| |||||||Sandwell MBC||£12,000||£12,000| |||||||Othergrants|£2,100|£10,936||£13,036| |||||||||||| ||**£27,771 **|**£92,814**||**£120,585**|||**£29,410**|**£78,920**|**£20,000**|**£128,330**| |||||||||||| |**B fwd from 2023**|£28,998|£22,283|£20,000|£71,281||||||£17,923| |**Expenditure**||||||||||| |(see over)|£16,729|£74,066||||||||£74,972| |||||||||||| |Balance at the bank|**£40,040 **|**£41,031**|**£20,000**|**£101,071**||||||**£71,281**| ## **2. ANALYSIS of EXPENDITURE for 2023/2024** |**2. ANALYSIS of EXPENDITURE for 2023/2024**|**2. ANALYSIS of EXPENDITURE for 2023/2024**|**2. ANALYSIS of EXPENDITURE for 2023/2024**| |---|---|---| |**Total Expenses**
**Total Expenses**||| |**2024**
**2023**||| |£
£||| |Expenditure on raisingfunds
£4,501.00
£2,838.00||| |Website and Promotion
£400.00
£115.00||| |**Total expenditure on raising funds**
**£4,901.00**
**£2,953.00**||| |||| |Charitable Activities
~~ee~~||| |Employee Salaries
49,316
46,746||| |Sessional Workers Costs
2,278||| |Office Rental
1,250
1,275||| |TrainingCourses
500
679||| |Events
630||| |Promotional Filming
1,100
433||| |IT and Comms
1,386
252||| |Legal and Insurance
739
527||| |Travel and other Expenses
9,363
2,930||| |Partner Project Support
19,332
19,177||| |**Total Charitable Activities**
**85,894**
**72,019**||| |||| |**TOTAL EXPENDITURE**|**90,795**|**74,972**| 9