North Devon House of Prayer Registered Charity Number: 1170454
North Devon House of Prayer
Trustees Annual Report and Accounts For the year ended 31°t August 2024
North Devon House of Prayer
CONTENTS OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS for the year ended 31% August 2024
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|Report|ofthe Trustees|3to5|
|Independent|Examiner's|Report|6|
|Receipts|and|Payments|7|
|Statement|of|Assets|and|Liabilities|8|
|Notes|to|the Accounts|9|
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North Devon House of Prayer
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES For the year ended 31°t August 2024
The trustees present their report and accounts for the year ended 31st August 2024. The trustees have opted, under section 133 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Charities Act'), to prepare receipts and payments accounts.
Objectives and Aims , To advance the Christian faith for the benefit of the public in North Devon and throughout the world in accordance with the evangelical alliance statement of faith by:
1) Developing and making available a Christian prayer resource centre in North Devon, helping people to explore prayer and the spiritual dimension of life with multiple prayer rooms available for prayer and staffed by a team of volunteers;
(2) organising activities and special worship services that explore Christian prayer in various dimensions; (3) being a resource hub of information about prayer and education about Christian spirituality for local congregations and individuals;
(4) offering Christian outreach and services for community groups based around exploring spirituality;
(S) providing a drop-in service for people seeking support or a chat;
(6) running training courses about prayer and aspects of the Christian faith;
(7) coordinating conferences for Christians in the wider area;
(8) offering help in local schools through R. E. classes, assemblies and school visits to our premises;
(9) running a confidential listening and healing prayer service in a local community building. Our facilities are open on
most days and evenings;
(10) undertaking missions in the UK and overseas;
(11) to make grants to individuals and organisations in line with the above objective; (12) The prevention or relief of poverty or financial hardship in North Devon and Torridge by providing grants, items or services to individuals in need.
Public benefit
The Trustees have considered the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit and consider that the activities of the charity meet its charitable objectives and provide a benefit to the public.
Achievement and Performance
Charitable activities
We have continued as a ministry under the same objects since our last reporting.
The prayer room has remained open approximately 40 hours a week to the public through structured worship and prayer as well as being a space to seek prayer either with others or alone. Additionally, Street Pastors and Try Praying both utilized the facilities weekly respectively. We continued with staff training and building a staff team ready for our different opening times that launched in September 2024. During the month of August, we undertook general maintenance of the public spaces in the building through repainting and updating the resources available. The space is now much more user friendly to anyone coming in for the 1* time.
As a team, we spent time prayer walking different towns and assisting several churches with worship and prayer. We have remained prominent members of Barnstaple Churches Together with members of the Leadership Team on the enabling group.
On several occasions, members of the Team have been requested to baptize people on the local beaches. Others have spoken at local churches and many have taken opportunities to encourage or assist members of the local community as they visit the centre.
Again, we have undertaken several UK based missions helping other Houses of Prayer, namely Telford and Coventry, as well as being involved in the steering of the UK Houses of Prayer network. During April, the ministry Director again started riding from John O’Groats down the East Coast of the country, meeting leaders and building connections across the United Kingdom. This bike ride of the east coast of the UK along to Lands'
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North Devon House of Prayer
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
For the year ended 31% August 2024
End Cornwall, was completed in September. There has been a lot of connections to others across the UK due to this work. Additionally, another member of the team did Devon coast to coast from Ilfracombe to Plymouth, praying across the peninsula as part of their role at NDHOP.
The building — All plans have been approved by North Devon District Council and conservation officer. We continue to pursue fundraising opportunities to make these renovations a reality.
We have had parents and toddlers/babies meet in the building at times over the past year and every week we have organised a children's music worship and prayer training session. This is free to the community and involves interacting with the whole family not just the children through learning together and creating new songs together as well. We have seen many of the children's confidence grow as well as their musical abilities. This session leads to a Christmas concert open to the community where the children are involved in creating the content and performing it.
Throughout the year we offer prayer support to those who need to process trauma or stress through worship and prayer. Some of these sessions have been led through the use of creative arts and other times through music or a prayer focus.
We have spent some time outside in the community doing open air worship particularly in the summer months. Engaging with the local public and offering a point of access to talk about faith and receive prayer.
We have invested in safeguarding training for a couple of team members. We often have vulnerable adults coming onto the property and we have been able to assist them with contacting the police to report crimes that have been disclosed to our team. We work closely with the police community safety officers in our locality when there are needs arising near our building that we can assist with. We have been able to offer a safe space to those in the public affected by anti-social behaviour on the streets and the professionals dealing with it.
Financial review
Income for the year increased by 12% to £ 25,732 (PY £22,940), and expenditure decreased by 45% to £27,194 (PY: £49,218) leaving a deficit for the year of £1,462 (PY: deficit £26,278)
Unrestricted cash reserves held at the year-end amounted to £764 (PY £2,226)
Reserves policy
The trustees have established a policy whereby the unrestricted funds not committed or invested in tangible fixed assets ('the free reserves') held by the Charity should be approximately three months of the resources expended. At this level the trustees feel that they would be able to continue the current activities of the Charity in the event of a significant drop in income. As the reserves are currently below this level, trustees will focus on increasing the level of reserves in the next financial year.
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North Devon House of Prayer
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
For the year ended 31% August 2024
Structure, Governance and Management
Governing document
North Devon House of Prayer is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, Constitution dated 22"' July 2016 and registered with the Charity Commission on 29" November 2016; subsequently amended on 23 July 2021. The board of trustees meet regularly to discuss the work of the Noth Devon House of Prayer. New trustees are elected by the existing trustees to the board after nomination and interview.
Financial reports are presented to the board at each meeting. Minutes of each meeting are taken and subsequently distributed.
Reference and Administration Details
Registered name
North Devon House of Prayer
Registered Charity number
1170454
Principal address Church Lane Barnstaple Devon EX311BH
Trustees Name Position Appointments/Resignation Andrew Lynch Chair James Ware Jonathan Moles Mary Ware
Independent Examiner
Michael King MAAT
53 Fountain Fields High Bickington EX37 9AP
Approved by the board of trustees on 24" June 2025 and signed on its behalf by:
Andrew Lynch, Chair
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North Devon House of Prayer
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
For the year ended 31% August 2024
Independent examiner's report to the trustees of North Devon House of Prayer
| report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of North Devon House of Prayer (The Trust) for the year ended 31st August 2024. '
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity trustees of the ‘Trust’ you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act').
| report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination | have followed all applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner's statement
| have completed my examination. | confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
- Ls accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or 2; the accounts do not accord with those records;or 3. the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerningthe 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.
| confirm that there are no other matters to which your attention should be drawn to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed:
Michael King MAAT
Member of the Association of Accounting Technicians 53 Fountain Fields
High Bickington
Devon EX37 9AP
Date: 18" June 2025
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North Devon House of Prayer
RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS for the Year ended 31*t August 2024
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|2024|2023|
|Unrestricted|Restricted|
|:|funds|funds|Total|Total|
|Receipts|£|£|£|£|
|Gifts and|donations|23,533|50|23,583|13,089|
|Gift|aid|received|448|448|0|
|Sales|of|merchandise|0|123|
|Training &|Missions'|income|350|350|9,583|
|Interest|receivable|91|91|145|
|Rental|income|1,260|1,260|0|
|Total|Receipts|25,682|50|25,732|22,940|
|Payments|
|Staff costs|5,244|5,244|5,253|
|Light|and|heat|3,733|0|3,733|3,174|
|Meetings|150|0|150|571|
|Establishment|costs|4,731|0|4,731|5,650|
|Missions|2,251|0|2,251|5,878|
|Merchandise|0|0|794|
|Legal|and|professional|1,362|0|1,362|2,236|
|Telephone|294|294|1,383|
|Bank|charges|69|69|60|
|Mission|gifts|&|Hospitality|671|671|94|
|Teaching|aids,|art|materials|&|stationery|262|262|953|
|Donations|775|50|825|1,135|
|Prayer assignment|1,085|1,085|227|
|Gatherings|869|869|403|
|Travel|costs|918|918|2,398|
|Small|capital|equipment|160|160|1,385|
|Property|expenditure|4,571|4,571|17,624|
|Total|payments|27,144|50|27,194|49,218|
|Net|receipts /|(payments)|-1,462|0|-1,462|-26,278|
|Reconciliation|of funds|
|Transfer|between|funds|0|0|0|
|Total|Funds|at|1st|September 2024|2,226|2,226|28,504|
|Total|Funds carried forward|bis|o|ice|2078|
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North Devon House of Prayer
STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES At 31° August 2024
| 2024 | 2023 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted | Restricted | ||||
| funds | funds | Total | Total | ||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||
| Fixed Assets | |||||
| Tangible fixed assets | 131,401 | 131,401 | 126,670 | ||
| Current Assets | |||||
| Debtors | 0 | 0 | |||
| Cash at bank | 764 | 764 | 2,226 | ||
| Current Liabilities | |||||
| Creditors | 0 | ||||
| Total Assets less Liabilities | 132,165 | 0 | 132,165 | 128,896 | |
| Funds | |||||
| Unrestricted income funds | 132,165 | 132,165 | 128,869 | ||
| Totalfunds | 132,165 | 0 | 132,165 | 128,869 |
The financial statements were approved by the board of trustees on 24th June 2025 and were signed on its behalf by:
Andrew Lynch, Chair
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North Devon House of Prayer
1. Accounting Policies
Basis of preparing the financial statements and assessment of going concern These accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis as permitted by law for smaller charities.
The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue as a going concern.
- Movement in Funds
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Balance Income Expenditure Transfers Balance
15 Sep
2023 315t Aug 2024
Unrestricted funds 2226 25,682 (27,144) 764
Restricted funds (0) 50 (50) 0
Total Funds 2,226 25,682 (27,144) ft) 764
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- Trustee remuneration and benefits
None of the trustees have been paid any remuneration or received any benefits from an employment with the charity or a related entity.
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