**Charity number: 1167992**
## **GOODNEWS CHURCH, MELKSHAM CIO**
## **UNAUDITED**
**TRUSTEES' REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## **GOODNEWS CHURCH, MELKSHAM CIO**
## **CONTENTS**
||Page|
|---|---|
|**Reference and Administrative Details of the Charity, its Trustees and Advisers**|1|
|**Trustees' Report**|2 - 4|
|**Independent Examiner's Report**|5|
|**Statement of Financial Activities**|6|
|**Balance Sheet**|7|
|**Notes to the Financial Statements**|8 - 14|
**GOODNEWS CHURCH, MELKSHAM CIO**
## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS OF THE CHARITY, ITS TRUSTEES AND ADVISERS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## **Trustees**
John Francis Firth Myles Pilling Shirley Jenkins
Geoffrey Stephen Gale
**Charity registered number** 1167992 **Principal office** 55 Foundry Close SN12 8FD **Independent Examiner** Kolade Andrew Alli ACMA The ARK Financial Management Consultancy Ltd 10 Gatcombe Gardens West End Hampshire SO18 3NA
Page 1
**GOODNEWS CHURCH, MELKSHAM CIO**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
The Trustees present their annual report together with the financial statements of the Goodnews Church, Melksham CIO for the year 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025.
## **The objectives of the CIO are:**
A. To advance the Christian faith in accordance with the Statement of Beliefs appearing in the Schedule hereto in the County of Wiltshire and in such other parts of the United Kingdom or the world as the Trustees may from timeto-time think fit and to fulfil such other purposes which are exclusively charitable according to the law of England and Wales and are connected with the charitable work of the charity.
B. To relieve persons who are in conditions of need or hardship or who are aged or sick and to relieve the distress caused thereby in the said location and in such other parts of the United Kingdom or the world as the Trustees may from time-to-time think fit.
C. To provide or assist in the provision of facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation or other leisure time occupation of individuals who have need of such facilities by reason of their youth, age, infirmity or disability, financial hardship, or social circumstances with the object of improving their conditions of life.
## **Governance**
Nature of governing document:
The Trustees meet regularly with the pastors and leaders of the church to review achievements and activities, and to plan strategy. John and Sharon Firth lead and pastor the church, with John Firth continuing as a paid employee and as a Trustee in accordance with the CIO's constitution, which has provision for the employment of a Pastor/Trustee.
The trustees are Myles Pilling, Shirley Jenkins and Geoffrey Gale, who was appointed trustee in October 2024.
Nancy Millard is the church treasurer. The payroll function is handled by David Bull of DC Tax and Accounts Ltd. Sharon Firth is the Safeguarding Coordinator, and she carries out the DBS checks through Thirtyone:Eight.
The pastors of GoodNews receive spiritual support from Pastor Andy Elmes of Family Church, Portsmouth as well as maintaining its historic connections with River Valley Church, Williamsport, PA USA.
John Firth will end his employment as he and Sharon Firth are stepping aside from to roles of pastors of the church in April 2025. Nancy Millard will step down as treasure in April 2025 with John Firth taking over as interim treasurer.
## **Premises:**
GoodNews Church rents ‘that meeting space’ from Melksham Town Council, for midweek and outreach activities. The Church also rents The Riverside Centre for Sunday morning meetings as that meeting space became too small for the church meetings.
## **Activities 2024-2025**
This has been another productive year for GoodNews Church with increased visibility and impact on the community. The church holds regular Sunday meetings at the Riverside Centre with small group meetings at 'that meeting space'.
The church is closely connected with the other churches in Melksham, hosting a church wide ‘Prayer for Melksham’ meeting at ‘that meeting space’ and jointly leads praise meetings for adults with additional needs, ‘SHINE’, at Queensway Chapel. It also hosts a healing mentoring group (C4H) which includes people from a wide area, led by Paul Skelton, which has begun a monthly Healing Café at that meeting space.
Page 2
**GOODNEWS CHURCH, MELKSHAM CIO**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
The attendance at the church continues to grow and an increasing number of people are joining the church since the move on Sunday mornings to the Riverside Centre.
In 2021 the pastors announced that they would be stepping down from leadership in April 2025. The Trustees and leaders have made a plan for succession for the immediate future, with the current leadership team dividing the responsibilities between them.
Visiting speakers during the year, including Arnold Muwonge, have received honorariums.
The church took in monthly collections during the year for significant needs as they arose, as well as for regular monthly support for several ministries based both in the UK and overseas.
Support was provided for the work of Pastor Tinashe Veremu in Zimbabwe, to whom the church has given financial and spiritual support for over 15 years. Regular contact is maintained with Pastor Veremu and support was sent bimonthly using WorldRemit, as well as offerings taken to help with specific needs as they arose
The church supported Jon Cassel, who works with World Team in Cameroun and Transworld Radio in Benin. Support was sent to Mr Cassel through World Remit on a bi-monthly basis, as well as offerings that were taken to help with specific needs.
The church supported Rhea Ministries whose outreach work in the Thar Desert in Pakistan includes a school and embryonic churches.
The church facilitated a fund-raising concert and area school visits by Destiny Africa Children’s Choir, which raised a total of £7,000 in support of Kampala Children’s Centre in Uganda.
Collections were taken during the year for identified needs. These have included Melksham Food Bank.
The now regular Tuesday morning community drop-in has attracted up to 30 people per week and has become a valuable asset to the community.
The church has continued to run regular Bereavement Journey courses and has become strongly connected with the Social Prescribers from the GP surgeries who are regularly referring people to the course.
The church was awarded an £536 grant from Melksham Town Council and a £200 grant from Melksham Without Parish Council towards the continued work of ‘that meeting space’.
As the church has administered ‘that meeting space’ it has become an incubator for a number of groups. These include;
- The Nature and Art Friends, which meets weekly, is hosted and supported by GoodNews
- The Red Door Singers, a social group based on enjoying singing together
- A crafting group called The Secret Crocheter
- An English language class for Ukrainian guests in the area.
- The Melksham Book Club and Melksham WI use ‘that meeting space’ as their bases.
- A monthly financial wellbeing drop in for Carer Support, Wiltshire
Discussions are ongoing with other community groups, so ‘that meeting space’ can be used more efficiently for the community.
Trustees have given due consideration to general guidance published by the Charity Commission relating to public benefit, including the guidance 'Public benefit: running a charity (PB2)'
Page 3
**GOODNEWS CHURCH, MELKSHAM CIO**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## **a. Going concern**
After making appropriate enquiries, the Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the Charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. For this reason, they continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements. Further details regarding the adoption of the going concern basis can be found in the accounting policies.
## **Structure, governance and management**
## **a. Constitution**
Goodnews Church, Melksham CIO is a registered charity, number 1167992, and is constituted under a Trust deed.
## **b. Methods of appointment or election of Trustees**
The management of the Charity is the responsibility of the Trustees who are elected and co-opted under the terms of the Trust deed.
## **Statement of Trustees' responsibilities**
The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
The law applicable to charities in England & Wales requires the Trustees 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 its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles of the Charities SORP (FRS 102);
- make judgments and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards (FRS 102) have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Charity will continue in business.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the Charity's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the Trust deed. 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.
Approved by order of the members of the board of Trustees on 9 May 2025 and signed on their behalf by:
## **John Francis Firth** fo
Page 4
**GOODNEWS CHURCH, MELKSHAM CIO**
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## **Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Goodnews Church, Melksham CIO ('the Charity')**
I report to the charity Trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Charity for the year ended 31 March 2025.
## **Responsibilities and Basis of Report**
As the Trustees of the Charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the 2011 Act').
I report in respect of my examination of the Charity'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 2011 Act.
## **Independent Examiner's Statement**
Your attention is drawn to the fact that the Charity has prepared the accounts in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) in preference to the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice issued on 1 April 2005 which is referred to in the extant regulations but has been withdrawn.
I understand that this has been done in order for the accounts to provide a true and fair view in accordance with the Generally Accepted Accounting Practice effective for reporting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2015.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Charity as required by section 130 of the 2011 Act; or
2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or
3. the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair' view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed: Dated: 9 May 2025
## **Kolade Andrew Alli ACMA**
The ARK Financial Management Consultancy Ltd
10 Gatcombe Gardens
West End Hampshire
SO18 3NA
Page 5
**GOODNEWS CHURCH, MELKSHAM CIO**
## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
|**Note**
**Income from:**
Donations and legacies
2
**Total income**
**Expenditure on:**
Charitable activities
**Total expenditure**
**Net movement in funds**
**Reconciliation of funds:**
Total funds brought forward
Net movement in funds
**Total funds carried forward**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**2025**
**£**
**46,186**
**46,186**
**43,469**
**43,469**
**2,717**
**42,545**
**2,717**
**45,262**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**2025**
**£**
**11,171**
**11,171**
**13,913**
**13,913**
**(2,742)**
**(3,827)**
**(2,742)**
**(6,569)**|**Total**
**funds**
**2025**
**£**
**57,357**
**57,357**
**57,382**
**57,382**
**(25)**
**38,718**
**(25)**
**38,693**|_Total_
_funds_
_2024_
_£_
_45,992_
_45,992_
_54,943_
_54,943_
_(8,951)_
_47,669_
_(8,951)_
_38,718_|
|---|---|---|---|---|
The Statement of Financial Activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.
The notes on pages 8 to 14 form part of these financial statements.
Page 6
## **GOODNEWS CHURCH, MELKSHAM CIO**
## **BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 MARCH 2025**
||||**2025**||_2024_|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**Note**||**£**||_£_|
|**Fixed assets**||||||
||||**-**||_-_|
|**Current assets**||||||
|Debtors|6|**6,794**||_6,210_||
|Cash at bank and in hand||**32,283**||_32,858_||
|||**39,077**||_39,068_||
|Creditors: amounts falling due within one||||||
|year|7|**(384)**||_(350)_||
|**Net current assets**|||**38,693**||_38,718_|
|**Total assets less current liabilities**|||**38,693**||_38,718_|
|**Net assets excluding pension asset**|||**38,693**||_38,718_|
|**Total net assets**|||**38,693**||_38,718_|
|**Charity funds**||||||
|Restricted funds|8||**(6,569)**||_(3,827)_|
|Unrestricted funds|8||**45,262**||_42,545_|
|**Total funds**|||**38,693**||_38,718_|
The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Trustees on 09 May 2025 and signed on their behalf by:
## **John Francis Firth**
The notes on pages 8 to 14 form part of these financial statements.
Page 7
**GOODNEWS CHURCH, MELKSHAM CIO**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## **1. Accounting policies**
## **1.1 Basis of preparation of financial statements**
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) - Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011.
The financial statements have been prepared to give a 'true and fair' view and have departed from the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 only to the extent required to provide a 'true and fair' view. This departure has involved following the Charities SORP (FRS 102) published in October 2019 rather than the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice effective from 1 April 2005 which has since been withdrawn.
Goodnews Church, Melksham CIO meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy.
## **1.2 Income**
All income is recognised once the Charity has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of income receivable can be measured reliably.
## **1.3 Expenditure**
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges allocated on the portion of the asset’s use.
Expenditure on charitable activities is incurred on directly undertaking the activities which further the Charity's objectives, as well as any associated support costs.
All expenditure is inclusive of irrecoverable VAT.
## **1.4 Debtors**
Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.
## **1.5 Cash at bank and in hand**
Cash at bank and in hand includes cash and short-term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.
Page 8
**GOODNEWS CHURCH, MELKSHAM CIO**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## **1. Accounting policies (continued)**
## **1.6 Liabilities and provisions**
Liabilities are recognised when there is an obligation at the Balance Sheet date as a result of a past event, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefit will be required in settlement, and the amount of the settlement can be estimated reliably.
Liabilities are recognised at the amount that the Charity anticipates it will pay to settle the debt or the amount it has received as advanced payments for the goods or services it must provide.
Provisions are measured at the best estimate of the amounts required to settle the obligation. Where the effect of the time value of money is material, the provision is based on the present value of those amounts, discounted at the pre-tax discount rate that reflects the risks specific to the liability. The unwinding of the discount is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities as a finance cost.
## **1.7 Fund accounting**
General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the Charity and which have not been designated for other purposes.
Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors or which have been raised by the Charity for particular purposes. The costs of raising and administering such funds are charged against the specific fund. The aim and use of each restricted fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Page 9
**GOODNEWS CHURCH, MELKSHAM CIO**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## **2. Income from donations and legacies**
|||**Restricted**
**Unrestricted**
**funds**|**Total**|**Total**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||
||||||
|||**funds**
**General**|**2025**|**2024**|
||||||
|||**£**
**£**|**£**|**£**|
||||||
||Donations and offering|7,052
38,452|45,504|35,820|
||HMRC Gift Aid Payments|0
6,799|6,799|6,210|
||Other Giving|1,921
0|1,921|1,330|
||Other Income|0
531|531|223|
||Rental Income|2,198
0|2,198|1,969|
||Bank interest receivable|0
404|404|440|
||||||
|||11,171
46,186|57,357|45,992|
Page 10
**GOODNEWS CHURCH, MELKSHAM CIO**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## **3. Expenditure on charitable activities**
||**3. Expenditure on charitable**
**activities**|||
|---|---|---|---|
|||**Restricted**
**Unrestricted**
**funds**|**Total**
**Total**|
|||**funds**
**General**|**2025**
**2024**|
|||**£**
**£**|**£**
**£**|
||Advertising|0
790|790
22|
||Children’s Ministry|0
0|0
0|
||Gifts|2,958
0|2,958
5,931|
||Independent examiner's fee|0
384|384
350|
||Legal and professional fees|0
1,348|1,348
1,614|
||Ministries|0
7,133|7,133
5,969|
||Miscellaneous costs|50
8|58
120|
||Music and Sound Equipment|0
0|0
0|
||Phone|180
0|180
180|
||Rent|6,000
956|6,956
6,000|
||Repairs and renovation|152
0|152
86|
||Supplies & Equipment|2,079
359|2,438
1,986|
||Wages and salaries|962
32,411|33,373
31,316|
||Website and Internet cost|864
80|944
1,005|
||Light and heat|668
0|668
364|
|||||
|||13,913
43,469|57,382
54,943|
Page 11
**GOODNEWS CHURCH, MELKSHAM CIO**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## **4. Independent examiner's remuneration**
|**Independent examiner's remuneration**|||
|---|---|---|
||**2025**|_2024_|
||**£**|_£_|
|Fees payable to the Charity's independent examiner for the independent|||
|examination of the Charity's annual accounts|**384**|_384_|
## **5. Trustees' remuneration and expenses**
During the year ended 31 March 2025, Mr John Francis Firth received remuneration of _£_ 32,411 (2024: £30,366 in relation to work carried out on behalf of the charity.
## **6. Debtors**
|**Due within one year**
Other debtors|**2025**
**£**
**6,794**
**6,794**|_2024_
_£_
_6,210_
_6,210_|
|---|---|---|
## **7. Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year**
||**2025**|_2024_|
|---|---|---|
||**£**|_£_|
|Accruals and deferred income|**384**|_350_|
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**GOODNEWS CHURCH, MELKSHAM CIO**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## **8. Statement of funds**
## **Statement of funds - current year**
|**Unrestricted funds**
General Funds
**Restricted funds**
Restricted Fund
**Total of funds**|**Balance at 1**
**April 2024**
**£**
**42,545**
**(3,827)**
**38,718**|**Income**
**£**
**46,186**
**11,171**
**57,357**|**Expenditure**
**£**
**(43,469)**
**(13,913)**
**(57,382)**|**Balance at**
**31 March**
**2025**
**£**
**45,262**
**(6,569)**
**38,693**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
Page 13
**GOODNEWS CHURCH, MELKSHAM CIO**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## **8. Statement of funds (continued) Statement of funds - prior year**
|**Unrestricted funds**
General Funds
**Restricted funds**
Restricted Fund
**Total of funds**|_Balance at_
_1 April 2023_
_£_
_46,535_
_1,134_
_47,669_|_Income_
_£_
_34,908_
_11,084_
_45,992_|_Expenditure_
_£_
_(38,898)_
_(16,045)_
_(54,943)_|_Balance at_
_31 March_
_2024_
_£_
_42,545_
_(3,827)_
_38,718_|
|---|---|---|---|---|
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