Open Door Christian Fellowship
RAMSEY CLOSE, NORWICH, NR4 7BQ
Pastor: Stuart Bailey 01603 465309 TODCFPastor@gmail.com
“ Sharing the love of Christ in a broken world ”
Trustees’ Annual Report and Financial Review
1 April 2021
to 31 March 2022
Trustees Annual Report for the period 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022
Registered Charity Number
1170592
Charitable Objectives
The Object of the CIO, is for the public benefit, the advancement of the Christian faith in accordance with the Statement of Faith in such ways as the Charity Trustees may from time to time decide.
Charity’s Principal Address
The Open Door Christian Fellowship Ramsey Close Norwich NR4 7BQ
www.eaton.church
Names of the Trustees who managed the Charity during this reporting period
Mr Stuart John Bailey Trustee, Chair, Pastor
Mr Simon Nobbs Trustee Mr Gaius Marc Phillingham Trustee
Trustee Selection
Trustees are selected and appointed by the current body of Trustees.
Description of the Charity’s Trusts
Type of Governing Document: How the Charity is constituted: Trustee Selection Method:
Constitution, 2 December 2016 Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) Appointed by existing Trustees
Governance Structure
The Constitution states that:
“The spiritual government and leadership of the Church Fellowship for the purposes of which the CIO has been established shall remain with the Spiritual Leadership and to the extent to which the Charity Trustees are not synonymous with the Spiritual Leadership their powers shall be confined to the proper management and administration of the CIO in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution and in furtherance of the Objects and in so doing they shall have full and proper regard to the Spiritual Leadership provided always that they shall not act outside their powers as conferred by this Constitution and by general law.”
Spiritual leadership in the Fellowship resides with the Pastor and Elder(s). Stuart Bailey, as well as being a Trustee is also the Pastor: he has been the only member of the Spiritual Leadership Team throughout the period covered by this report.
As the Pastor of the Church, Stuart Bailey is given permission to reside in the Manse. He therefore absents himself from decisions concerning either the Manse Property or his remuneration as Church Pastor.
The Trustees met four times in this reporting period to discuss the management and administration of the Charity, including (but not limited to) major decisions on spending, safeguarding and the proper maintenance of properties held by the Charity.
Minutes of all the Trustees meetings are available.
Bankers
The Co-operative Bank PLC PO Box 250 Delf House Southway Skelmersdale WN8 6WT
Legal advice and assistance with Charity formation provided by:
Stewardship, and Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP 1 Lamb’s Passage 134 Edmund Street London Birmingham EC1Y 8AB B3 2ES
Safeguarding advice and training provided by:
Christian Safeguarding Services 6 Marshalsea Road London SE1 1HL.
Summary of activities and achievements in this reporting period
Overview
Like all organisations, this reporting period saw us constantly struggling to know the best and safest ways of enabling meetings without subjecting anyone to unnecessary risks.
We started the year with very small-scale, socially distanced meetings and gradually eased back to near-normality across the reporting period (although with some restrictions still in place).
Children’s and Youth Work
At the beginning of the year we were still not hosting any children’s or youth activities due to Covid restrictions and the difficulty of managing active children.
In October 2021 we recommenced some small-scale children work meeting in the garden of our Premises. As only one person came to the Youth Group and the two who came to the younger Children’s work were from the same family, we were able to manage Covid prevention well. At this stage, we did not advertise the groups beyond our own Congregation.
As the year progressed and restrictions were eased, we were pleased to welcome a small group of children from the local estate who were keen to be involved.
Regular Activities
The first Sunday of this reporting period was Easter Sunday (4[th] April 2021). We were delighted to be able to meet together for the first time in several months albeit in socially distanced circumstances with no singing.
At this early stage, we met for brief services with doors and windows open, face-coverings worn, seats separated by two metres and we encouraged people to move outside as soon as the service ended. Despite the restrictions, people were pleased to be able to meet and share their worship with Brothers and Sisters in the faith.
As the months progressed, we started sharing refreshments in the garden after the service, gradually moved seats closer together and eventually allowed the congregation to sing.
In the period from Easter 2021 to Easter 2022 we saw our average attendance grow from ten to twenty people and were pleased to welcome several young families to the congregation.
We were also able to re-introduce mid-week Bible studies which have been consistently attended by around ten people.
Although we have not run any kind of outreach programme (predominantly due to Covid restrictions), we have received contact from a number of local people looking for Spiritual guidance or a Church to attend. A number of them have come to faith through the meetings and become regular members of the congregation. We have been particularly pleased to be able to provide practical help and support to several parents struggling with child-care.
In the lead up to Christmas we held a short carol service in the grounds of Custance Court – a Sheltered Housing Complex next door to our Building. The event was well attended and many who were there later came to the main Carol Service held in our Building.
Other Agencies
We have been pleased to continue supporting Norwich Foodbank. We act as a collection point for food and deliver to their warehouse on a Monthly basis. So far, we have donated 990Kg to this excellent cause.
We also acted as a local collection point for Barnabas Aid (Registered UK charity number: 1092935) for their Ukraine appeal. As the only collection point in East Anglia, people came from many miles away to bring clothes, food and medicine which we were able to transport to their depot in Swindon in a borrowed ambulance training vehicle.
Pastor and Trustee Remuneration
The Charity makes no remuneration on the basis of Trusteeship (indeed, at present it has not made any recompense of expenses).
However, one of the Trustees (Stuart Bailey) serves as full-time Pastor for the Church. The remaining Trustees (in consultation with the Treasurer) decided to make remuneration to Stuart in consideration of his work. In total, he received £1,760 in this period.
The Trustees have also made it possible for Stuart and his family to reside in the Manse free of charge and to pay the Council Tax and Building’s Insurance for the property. Repairs and improvements to the Manse are discussed on a case-by-case basis by the Trustees.
Stuart remains responsible for all other utility bills at the Manse.
Fulfilment of Charity Objectives
The Constitution states that:
“The Object of the CIO, is for the public benefit, the advancement of the Christian faith in accordance with the Statement of Faith in such ways as the Charity Trustees may from time to time decide.”
The Trustees are satisfied that, despite the very difficult circumstances placed upon us this year, we have fulfilled our Charitable Objectives; we have served the public benefit and have continued to advance the Christian Faith.
The Trustees are further satisfied that the two properties owned by the Charity are being used for the benefit of the Charity and its objectives and will do so all the more as we emerge from Covid restrictions and people on the local estate deal with higher costs of living.
Financial Review
Overview
The outgoings for this Reporting Period came to just over £9,970 including all bills and maintenance of a large Building, Council Tax on the Manse.
Total income this year was £8,983 meaning that for the first time, spending exceeded income. Despite this, the balance remains healthily above the reserves policy.
The Trustees continually seek to gain best value for money in all our outgoings as well as considering various possibilities to increase income.
Reserves Policy
The Financial Reserve was last reviewed by the Trustees in March 2022 and set at £3,000 which allows for 3 months’ outgoings.
Statement of Account for the Period 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022
Income and Expenditure
General Fund
| Income Notes Giving (including Gift Aid) Sundry 1. Total Income Expenditure Notes Mission Membership and Works of Service Ministry Resources Ministry Costs Practical and Administration Building 2. Manse 2. Administration Sundry Others Total Expenditure Surplus/Deficit General Fund |
2022 2021 £8,540 £7,753 £ 443 £ 171 £8,983 £7,924 2022 2021 £0 £0 £2,630 £ 423 £ 870 £ 423 £1,760 £7,239 £6,481 £4,626 £4,374 £2,344 £1,739 £ 269 £ 368 £101 £0 £9,970 £6,904 ____ £-0,987 £1,019 |
|---|---|
Notes:
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Sundry income includes a £263 electricity rebate after last year’s overspend.
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Building and Manse Maintenance includes replacement of fences blown down in storms.
Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2021
| Notes Fixed Assets Add Current Assets Debtors and prepayments Current Account Balance Cash in hand Less Current Liabilities Creditors and Accruals Net Current Assets Net Assets |
2022 £1,357,600 £0 £8,268 £0 __ £8,268 £0 £0 £8,268 _ £1,365,368 |
2021 £1,357,600 £0 £9,256 £0 __ £9,256 £0 £0 £9,256 _ £1,366,856 |
|---|---|---|
Fixed Assets
The Open Door Christian Fellowship owns two properties:
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The property known as “The Building” on Ramsey Close, Norwich, NR4 7BQ. Estimated value (for insurance), £1,100,000
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The Property known as “The Manse”, 90 Buckingham Road, Norwich, NR4 7DG. Estimated Value £250,000 (based on recent local sales)
The Open Door Christian Fellowship also owns the contents of “The Building” including:
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digital piano (valued at £600)
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2 pianos (combined value approximately £7,000)
Affirmation
The Trustees affirm that they have approved the Trustees Report and Financial Statement above: Gaius Philingham Trustee 28 September 2022 Simon Nobbs Trustee 28 September 2022 Stuart Bailey Chair of Trustees 28 September 2022 (Pastor)