Willesborough Baptist Church
Registered charity no. 1173803
End of Year Financial Statements
Year ending December 2023
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Statement of Financial Activities
| Unrestricted funds Designated funds Restricted funds Endowment funds Total funds Prior year total funds 272,848 - 81,147 - 353,995 264,593 53,438 - 962 - 54,400 12,894 - - - - - 641 1,263 - - - 1,263 391 9,569 - - - 9,569 6,728 337,118 - 82,109 - 419,227 285,247 - - - - - 134 343,339 700 27,106 - 371,145 247,387 21,159 6,011 - - 27,170 21,182 364,498 6,711 27,106 - 398,315 268,704 (27,380) (6,711) 55,003 - 20,912 16,543 4,500 82,867 7,277 - 94,644 39,327 (17,828) (4,300) (72,516) - (94,644) (39,327) - - - - - - - - - - - (161,602) (40,708) 71,856 (10,236) - 20,912 (145,059) 133,298 2,006,919 5,743 - 2,145,960 2,291,019 92,589 2,078,775 (4,492) - 2,166,872 2,145,960 |
|
|---|---|
| Income and endowments from: Donations and legacies (Note 3) Income from charitable activities Other trading activities (4) Investments (5) Other income (6) Total income Expenditure on: Raising funds (7) Expenditure on charitable activities (8) Other expenditure (9) Total expenditure Net income / (expenditure) resources before transfer Transfers Gross transfers between funds - in Gross transfers between funds - out Other recognised gains / losses Gains/losses on investment assets Gains on revaluation, fixed assets, charity's own use Net movement in funds Reconciliation of funds Total funds brought forward Total funds carried forward |
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Balance Sheet
| As at 31/12/2023 As at 31/12/2022 |
|
|---|---|
| Fixed assets Tangible Assets (Note 14) Current assets Debtors (15) Cash At Bank And In Hand (16) Liabilities Creditors: Amounts Falling Due In One Year (17) Net current assets less current liabilities Total assets less current liabilities Liabilities Creditors: Amounts falling due after more than one year (18) Total net assets less liabilities Represented by Unrestricted Unrestricted - General Funds Designated Designated - Manse Fund Designated - Overseas Mission Designated - Premises Fund Restricted Restricted - Community outreach Restricted - Fabric Fund Restricted – Special Offering Restricted - Leadership Development Fund Fund Totals |
2,345,075 2,278,770 |
| 2,345,075 2,278,770 17,989 23,104 83,354 135,313 |
|
| 101,343 158,417 13,245 19,375 |
|
| 13,245 19,375 |
|
| 88,098 139,042 |
|
| 2,433,173 2,417,811 266,300 271,851 266,300 271,851 |
|
| 2,166,873 2,145,960 92,590 133,298 - - - - 2,078,775 2,006,919 283 552 - 4,205 (4,775) - - 987 |
|
| 2,166,873 2,145,960 |
The notes on pages 4-15 form an integral part of these accounts. These accounts were approved by the Trustees on 15 October 2024 and signed on their behalf by Christine Ross.
Signed by: Christine Ross, Co-Treasurer 16 October 2024
Page 3 of 15
WILLESBOROUGH BAPTIST CHURCH
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
1 BASIS OF PREPARATION
The accounts are prepared in accordance with the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (Charities SORP 2021), FRS102 and with the Charities Act 2011
Willesborough Baptist Church is a registered charity (no. 1173803) and 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 notes.
2 ACCOUNTING POLICIES
a Income recognition
All incoming resources are included in the Statement of Financial Activities when the charity is legally entitled to the income after any performance conditions have been met, the amount can be measured reliably and it is probable that the income will be received.
b Donations
Donations are accounted for gross when received. Fixed asset gifts in kind are recognised when receivable and are included at fair value.
c Legacies
Legacies are accounted for when probate has been completed, the amount of the legacy can be reliably quantified and the conditions of the legacy are within the control of the church.
d Investment Income
Investment income is included in the accounts in the year in which it is receivable.
e Expenditure recognition
Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis. Expenditure is recognised where there is a legal or constructive obligation to make payments to third parties, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.
f Costs of raising funds
The church does not make formal appeals for funds, and expenditure on these items is therefore not material.
g Grants payable
The church makes grants to other organisations whose charitable objects complement its work. They are accounted for when remitted.
h Support costs
Support costs are those that assist the work of the church but do not directly represent charitable activities and include office costs and governance costs. Where support costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to expenditure on charitable activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Much of the management of church ministry is carried out without charge by
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volunteers. This intangible cost is not included in the Statement of Financial Activities since there is no measurable cost to the volunteers for their service.
i Fixed Assets
Tangible fixed assets are capitalised if they can be used for more than one year and cost at least £2,000. They are initially recognised at cost, or for donated assets, at a reasonable estimate of their value on receipt.
There is no reliable information available for the cost of the church premises and so on first time adoption of FRS102, the insurance value used previously was adopted as deemed cost.
j Depreciation
Depreciation is provided on fixed assets to write off the cost on a straight-line basis over their expected useful life, at the following rates:
Furniture and fittings 5 years
Computers and equipment 3 years
The church building and manse properties are not subject to depreciation as the intention is to maintain the buildings in such good repair that they continue to have an indeterminate useful life and the residual value of the properties is such that any charge would be immaterial.
k Funds
Unrestricted funds 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.
Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the trustees for specific purposes. The aim and use of each designated fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.
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 specific purposes. The cost 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.
Endowment funds represent those assets which must be held permanently by the charity. The church currently does not have any endowment funds.
l Employee benefits
The charity operates a defined contribution plan for its employees. A defined contribution plan is a pension plan under which the charity pays fixed contributions into a separate entity. Once the contributions have been paid the charity has no further payments obligations. The contributions are recognised as an expense when they are due. Amounts not paid are shown in accruals in the balance sheet. The assets of the plan are held separately from the charity in an independently administered fund.
Prior to 2012 pension provision was made through multi-employer defined benefit pension plans. Further information on this scheme is contained in Note 21.
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3 DONATIONS AND LEGACIES
| Donations and legacies Donations Gift Aid Grants received The Well donations Legacies TOTAL |
Unrestricted Restricted 216,608 53,442 37,868 11,205 6,000 16,500 12,371 - - - 272,848 81,147 |
2023 270,051 49,073 22,500 12,371 - 353,995 |
2022 168,415 46,528 35,802 13,847 - |
|---|---|---|---|
| 264,593 |
4 OTHER TRADING ACTIVITIES
| Other trading income Fundraising events TOTAL |
Unrestricted Restricted - - - - |
2023 - - |
2022 641 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 641 |
In 2022 we held two craft fairs to raise funds for the church’s community outreach fund.
5 INVESTMENT INCOME
| NVESTMENT INCOME | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Investment income Bank interest TOTAL THER INCOME Other income Insurance refunds 3P Ministries Other income TOTAL |
Unrestricted Restricted 1,263 - 1,263 - Unrestricted Restricted 1,454 - - - 8,115 - 9,569 - |
2023 1,263 1,263 2023 1,454 - 8,115 9,569 |
2022 391 |
| 391 | |||
| 2022 428 6,300 - |
|||
| 6,728 |
6 OTHER INCOME
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7 RAISING FUNDS
| AISING FUNDS | ||
|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted Restricted Expenditure on raising funds Fundraising events - - TOTAL - - |
2023 - - |
2022 134 |
| 134 |
8 CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES
| Expenditure on charitable Ministry Mission Staff costs Establishment/Administration TOTAL |
Unrestricted Restricted activities 54,777 4,577 69,044 2,439 99,134 - - 222,955 7,015 |
Allocation of support costs 20,135 - 34,759 86,281 141,175 |
Total 2023 79,488 71,482 133,894 86,281 371,145 |
Total 2022 49,683 34,518 95,822 67,365 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 247,387 |
Allocation of support costs includes £20,091 expenditure of restricted funds
NI Allowance of £5419 (rebate) is included in the staff costs 2023
9 OTHER EXPENDITURE
| Other expenditure Loan interest Independent Examination Depreciation TOTAL |
Unrestricted Restricted 19,479 - 1,680 - 6,011 - 27,170 - |
2023 19,479 1,680 6,011 27,170 |
2022 12,270 - 8,912 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21,182 |
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10 SUPPORT COSTS
| SUPPORT COSTS | ||
|---|---|---|
| Support costs Staff costs Rent Telephone and internet Utilities and council tax Building repairs and maintenance Insurance Office and administration Equipment, furniture and fittings Memberships and subscriptions TOTAL |
2023 34,759 13,575 3,950 27,024 17,818 3,270 15,824 23,600 1,356 141,176 |
2022 26,735 5,824 3,127 18,791 23,708 1,787 17,139 9,309 974 |
| 107,393 |
11 GRANTS PAYABLE
| Grants payable BMS World Mission Baptist Union (Home mission) 3P Ministries (general) 3P Ministries (church planting in Tajikistan) Fountain Church, Ashford Community Action Romania RCO Ministries Espero Global Dnipro Hope Mission Other (gifts of £1,000 or less) TOTAL |
Unrestricted Restricted 7,000 - 7,000 - 3,000 - - - 2,000 - 2,000 - 2,000 - 1,500 - - 2,439 3,200 - 27,700 2,439 |
2023 7,000 7,000 3,000 - 2,000 2,000 2,000 1,500 2,439 3,200 30,139 |
2022 7,678 6,600 6,000 4,000 2,000 3,178 1,000 - - 4,063 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 34,518 |
Page 8 of 15
12 NET INCOME FOR THE YEAR
| NET INCOME FOR THE YEAR | ||
|---|---|---|
| Net income for the year Stated after charging(/crediting): Independent examination Other services Loss(/gain) on disposal of fixed assets TOTAL |
2023 - - - - - |
2022 - - - - |
| - |
13 STAFF COSTS, TRUSTEES’ EXPENSES AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
| Staff costs Stipends, salaries and wages Employer’s National Insurance NI Allowance Pension costs TOTAL |
2023 119,966 8,672 (5,419) 10,675 133,894 |
2022 84,960 5,492 (5,491) 10,862 95,822 |
|---|---|---|
The average number of employees during the year was 9
During the year the church employed two ministers, one minister-in-training, a café manager, a media & communications manager and three cleaning staff. No employee received total remuneration in excess of £60,000 during the year.
The remuneration and benefits of key management personnel total £84,181.
In addition to the paid members of staff, many volunteers give their time and expertise in the delivery of the church’s ministry.
Trustees and related parties
The two full-time ministers, Rev M Hirst and Rev K James, serve as trustees in accordance with the church constitution. In 2023 they received the following remuneration and benefits in respect of their services as ministers. Each minister also occupies a manse owned by the church.
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| Managing trustee remuneration and benefits Stipend Employer's National Insurance NI Allowance Pension costs Council tax and utilities Travel expenses TOTAL |
Rev M Hirst 35,148 3,595 (2,246) 3,988 4,554 1,284 45,481 |
Rev K James 29,150 2,767 (1,729) 3,628 2,402 207 |
|---|---|---|
| 36,216 |
A number of trustees and related parties were reimbursed for expenses incurred wholly and exclusively for the charitable activities of the church. Such expenditure is not disclosed.
£1861.54 in total was paid for four Trustees in respect of travel and training expenses.
Total donations received from the trustees amounted to £33,630 during the year. Donations to WBC from related parties (individuals) amounted to £9,550 during the year.
14 TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS
| £ COST OR VALUATION At 1 January 2023 Additions Disposals At 31 December 2023 DEPRECIATION At 1 January 2023 Charge in year Net impairment movements Depreciation on disposals At 31 December 2023 NET BOOK VALUE At 31 December 2022 At 31 December 2023 |
Land & Buildings Furniture & Fittings Computers & Equipment LB FF EQ 2,264,934 178,431 5,919 72,316 0 0 0 0 0 2,337,250 178,431 5,919 0 (166,923) (3,592) (672) (3,366) (1,973) 0 0 0 0 0 0 (672) (170,289) (5,565) 2,264,934 11,508 2,327 2,336,578 8,142 354 |
Total 2,449,284 72,316 0 |
|---|---|---|
| 2,521,600 | ||
| (170,514) (6,011) 0 0 |
||
| (176,525) | ||
| 2,278,770 | ||
| 2,345,075 |
Land and buildings comprise the church premises on Hythe Road and two manses. The church premises value is based on insurance valuation (last revalued 2015).
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15 DEBTORS
| Debtors Accrued income Prepaid expenses TOTAL 16 BANK AND CASH BALANCES Bank and cash balances CAF Cash account CAF Gold account Metro Community account Barclays Current account TOTAL |
2023 14,103 3,886 17,989 2023 8,157 57,021 18,176 - 83,354 |
2022 9,617 13,487 23,104 2022 8,951 81,805 44,557 - |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 135,313 |
17 CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR
| 2023 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year Loans and overdrafts - Other creditors 8,476 Accruals and deferred income 4,769 TOTAL 13,245 |
2022 - 3,734 15,641 19,375 |
|---|---|
18 CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE AFTER MORE THAN ONE YEAR
| 2023 Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one Baptist Union Loan 266,300 TOTAL 266,300 |
2022 year 271,851 271,851 |
|---|---|
The Baptist Union loan was taken out in 2021 to purchase the manse at 28 Sandilands and has a term of 20 years.
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19 MOVEMENT OF FUNDS DURING THE YEAR
| Restricted funds Community outreach Overseas mission Special – Special Offering Fabric Leadership development TOTAL Unrestricted funds General Overseas mission Premises Manse TOTAL |
01-Jan- 23 Incoming resources Outgoing resources Transfers Gains and losses 31-Dec- 23 552 2,773 (3,043) - - 283 - 2,444 (2,444) - - - - 61,293 (13,906) (52,162) (4,775) 4,205 15,600 (6,181) (13,624) - - 987 - (1,534) 547 - - |
|---|---|
| 5,744 82,109 (27,106) (65,238) - (4,492) |
|
| 133,298 337,118 (364,498) (13,328) - 92,590 - - (700) 700 - - 2,006,919 - (6,011) 77,867 - 2,078,775 - - - - - - |
|
| 2,140,217 337,118 (371,209) 65,238 - 2,171,365 |
Purpose of restricted and designated funds
Community outreach – This fund was established to receive funds in support the church’s work in the community, including activities coming under the umbrella of ‘Love Willesborough’.
Overseas mission – This fund is used to support mission work in other countries.
Special Offering – This was used to raise funds for the mezzanine
Fabric – This fund is used for grants and funding for the refurbishment and development of the church premises.
Manse – This was used to raise funds for the purchase of a second manse in 2021.
Premises – This fund is used to house the value of the church premises, fixtures, equipment etc, and two manse properties.
Leadership development – This purpose of this fund is the development of leaders and it is currently used for the LEAD intern programme.
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20 ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS
| Analysis of net assets Tangible fixed assets Investments Net current assets BU loan TOTAL |
General Designated Restricted 266,300 2,078,775 - - - - 110,652 262 22,293 (266,300) - - 110,652 2,078,513 22,293 |
Total funds 2,345,075 - 88,098 (266,300) |
|---|---|---|
| 2,166,873 |
21 PENSIONS
The Church is a participating employer the Baptist Pension Scheme (“the Scheme”), which is a separate legal entity administered by the Pension Trustee (Baptist Pension Trust Limited). The assets of the Scheme are held separately from those of the Employer and the other participating employers.
The Scheme, previously known as the Baptist Ministers’ Pension Fund, started in 1925, but was closed to future accrual of defined benefits on 31 December 2011. Prior to this date the main benefit provided through the Defined Benefit (DB) Plan was a pension of one eightieth of final minimum pensionable income for each year of pensionable service together with additional pension in respect of premiums paid on Pensionable Income in excess of Minimum Pensionable Income.
From January 2012, pension provision is being made through the Defined Contribution (DC) Plan within the Scheme. In general, members pay 8% of their Pensionable Income and employers pay 6% of members’ Pensionable Income into individual pension accounts, which are operated and managed on behalf of the Pension Trustee by Broadstone Corporate Benefits Ltd. In addition, the employer pays a further 4% of Pensionable Income to cover Death in Service Benefits, administration costs, and an associated insurance policy which provides income protection for Scheme members if they are unable to work due to long-term incapacity. This income protection policy has been insured by the Baptist Union of Great Britain with Aviva Limited. [Members of the Basic Section pay reduced contributions of 5% of Pensionable Income, and their employers also pay a total of 5%.]
The Scheme is considered to be a multi-employer scheme as described in Section 28 of FRS 102. Because it is not possible to attribute the Scheme’s assets and liabilities to specific employers, the scheme is accounted for as if the Scheme were a defined contribution scheme.
The Minister(s) [and some members of the church staff] is / are eligible to join the Scheme.
Actuarial valuation as at 31 December 2019
A formal valuation of the DB Plan as at 31 December 2019 was carried out by a professionally qualified Actuary using the Projected Unit Method. At the valuation date the market value of the DB Plan assets was £298 million, whilst the level of assets needed to pay benefits was £316m, giving a deficit of £18m (equivalent to a past service funding level of 94%). The Church and the other participating employers in the DB Plan are collectively responsible for funding this deficit.
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The key financial assumptions underlying the valuation were as follows
| Type of assumption | % |
|---|---|
| p.a. | |
| RPI price inflation assumption | 3.20 |
| CPI price inflation assumption | 2.70 |
| Minimum Pensionable Income Increase Adjustment (above CPI) | 0.50 |
| Pre-retirement assumed investment returns (gilt yield plus 1.75% pa) | 2.95 |
| Post retirement assumed investment returns (including benefits | 1.70 |
| matched by the insurance policy) (gilt yield plus 0.5% pa) | |
| Minimum Pensionable Income increases (CPI plus 0.5%) | 3.20 |
| Deferred pension increases (based on RPI) | |
| Pre April 2009 | 3.20 |
| Post April 2009 | 2.50 |
| Pension increases | |
| Based on CPI with an annual floor of 0% and annual cap of 5% | 2.70 |
Mortality is assumed in accordance with 80% of the S3NA standard mortality table. Future improvements projected from 2013 in line with the “CMI 2019” projection with a long-term rate of improvement of 1.75% p.a. for males and 1.5% p.a. for femaleswith the core smoothing parameter and with additional initial mortality improvement factor A=0.5%.
The next actuarial valuation of the DB Plan within the Scheme was due to take place not later than as at 31 December 2022. However, the DB Plan is to be wound up, and the process to wind it up was started with effect from 31 March 2024 and therefore no formal valuation is due to take place.
Recovery Plan
In addition to the contributions to the DC Plan set out above, where a valuation of the DB Plan reveals a deficit the Trustee and the Council agree to a rate of deficiency contributions from churches and other employers involved in the DB Plan. Following the 2019 valuation a Recovery Plan was signed in September 2020 under which deficiency contributions are payable until June 2026.
These contributions were broadly based on each employer's membership at 31 December 2014 and increase annually in line with increases to Minimum Pensionable Income as defined in the Rules. On 30th June 2022 the Baptist Pension Scheme signed an agreement with the insurance company Just Group (“Just”) to secure DB Plan members’ pension benefits. Just are now providing financial backing for all pensions provided through the Scheme’s DB Plan and, following this transaction, the Scheme no longer has a shortfall. An updated Recovery plan was then signed in August 2022 under which recovery contributions from each participating employer in the DB Plan reduced to £1 per month from August 2022. These contributions are payable under the recovery plan until June 2026. The outstanding deficiency contributions due under the Recovery Plan are not considered material and therefore have not been included in the balance sheet.
Pension cost
| ension cost | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pension cost for the year DC contributions for ministers DC contributions for staff DB deficit payments TOTAL |
2023 9,655 1,009 12 10,676 |
2022 7,123 688 2,881 |
| 10,693 |
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22 RELATED CHARITIES
Baptist Union
The custodian Trustee of the church is the Baptist Union Corporation Limited which is charity number 249635, and which is controlled by the Baptist Union Council. The church is also a member of the Baptist Union of Great Britain and the South East Baptist Association.
The church is in receipt of a loan from the Baptist Union Corporation as set out in note 18.
The church made a donation to the Baptist Union Home Mission Scheme as set out in note 11.
Willesborough Baptist Church Pre-school
Willesborough Baptist Church Pre-School operates out of the church premises and pays rent to the church for this. It is registered as a charity (no. 1175202). The Lead Pastor of Willesborough Baptist Church serves as Chair of Trustees of the Pre-school.
Brabourne Baptist Church
In 2022 WBC entered a partnership with Brabourne Baptist Church (BBC) and both churches signed a memorandum of understanding. The partnership is designed to be mutually beneficial, with joint initiatives and shared resources. BBC makes a monthly donation of £2,000 to WBC. WBC supports BBC with pastoral support, some assistance with media and administration.
| Income from BBC Donations to WBC from BBC Reimbursement of expenses TOTAL |
2023 2022 22,000 10,000 2,707 337 |
|---|---|
| 24,707 10,337 |
3P Ministries
Rev Mark Hirst works part-time for 3P Ministries (charity no. 1097597). In 2023 3P Ministries contributed a total of £8,115 in towards his salary. In 2023 WBC supported 3P Ministries with financial gifts of £3,000 (general gift) and £4,000 (for church planting work in Tajikistan) as part of the church’s annual allocations.
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Independent Examine$ Reportto the Trustees of Incorporated Charity Wlllesborough Baptlst Church l port to the chanty trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31st Decemtr 2023 Re8pon8lbllltle8 and of report Athe charitystrustees olthe company (who are atso dlrectors of the company forthe PLsrpose of company Lawl. you are reswnsible foi the preparatlon of the accounts in accordancewith the requiremerrts ofthe CompaniesAct 2006 {Yhe 2006 Act21 Havlng satisfied myself that the accounts olthe Company are not requlreo to be audlted for this year under Part 16 of the 20C6 Act and are el1b for independent examination, I report in respect of my eXaMinatn of your chanty's acc4)unts as cafried out under sectiorb 145 of the Charilies Acl 20111.2011 Acri. In carrylng out my examinatlon. I have followed the Dlreciions given bythe Charltycommlsslon (under sectlon 14515llbl of the 2011 Act, Ind•p•ndMt •xamln•rfs •tat•mw The companvs gross income exceeded £250.OCMJ KI l am qualffied to undèrtake the examlnatlon by belnga qualllled member of the Association ol A¢countingTe¢hnicians. I h8vè eompl8ted my 8xamination. I confinn that no material matters have come to my attention which gives me cause to bekneve that: 11. accounting records were not kept in accordan¢e with section 386 of the Companles Act 2006; or 21. the accounts do not accord wllh such records- or 31. the accourrts do not complywith relevant accounting rèqulrements under sectlon 396 of ihe Companies Ac12006 other than any requirement that the accounts give a'true and fair, view which is not a matter considere¢J as part of an Independent examinatlon. or 41. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP IFRS1021 I have no concerns and have comè across no other matters In connectlon wlth the examination to which attention shoul(J be (Jrawn in this report in orderto enable a proper understsndlngoythe accounts to be reacfied. signed- dated. Ir 202 Mrs Lesley Grove FMAAT Accuracy Aco)unts Sunnyside Church Lane Petham Canterbury Kent CT4 5RD
WILLESBOROUGH BAPTIST CHURCH, Hythe Rd, Willesborough, Ashford, Kent. TN24 0QR Registered Charity Number: 1173803 The Trustees present their Annual Report and Financial Statement for 2023.
Aims and Purposes
Willesborough Baptist Church (WBC) is a charitable incorporated organisation and is governed by an Approved Governing Document which states that the principal purpose of the charity is the advancement of the Christian faith according to the principles of the Baptist denomination to include the advancement of education, community service and such other general charitable purposes in such parts of the United Kingdom and the world as the Church shall determine.
The Church occupies premises which are held by the Baptist Union Corporation Ltd on Trust which are entirely compatible with the above objective.
Objectives and Activities
Our aim is to show the love of Jesus Christ in both word and deed and to bring people into a closer relationship with Him as living Lord. We are passionate worshippers of God who love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. We are committed to His teaching and way of life and seeing new believers come into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour.
The Church provides a variety of activities both to its membership and to the community generally. All these activities are advertised on the Church’s website ()www.willesboroughbaptist.church and many are also advertised on social media.
Church Services
Central to the work and witness of the Church is the provision of regular public services of Christian worship. Our main services take place each Sunday at 10.30 a.m. There are also occasional services at other times which are advertised in the church weekly update, the church website at www.willesboroughbaptist.church and https://www.facebook.com/groups/wbcashford. We also continue to broadcast services at 10:30 via Livestream on our YouTube channel willesborough baptist church ashford - YouTube and Facebook for people who are unable to attend in person for any reason, and to widen our audience.
There is a full children’s program during the morning service offering accessible and fun teaching for children of all ages. The Church seeks to be a friendly and welcoming community, and anyone is free to attend any of these services. We continued to see new people connecting with our online services over the last year.
Young people aged 11-17 years continued to meet on a Friday evening where they were able to make friends, have fun and learn about the Christian faith.
We took some members of the Youth Group to the Big Church Festival weekend.
We opened our space at our premises in Hythe Road, to Cornfields School to hold their Easter Service and to the Pre-School to hold their Nativity.
Our Christmas services included a Christingle service on the 10th December and a Carols by Candlelight service on the 17th which reached around 300 people from our community in person and many others online.
We also helped with Carols on the Warren in Brabourne in partnership with Brabourne Baptist Church (BBC) on 22 December.
Prayer remains a high priority for the church and there are several opportunities outside of the normal church services to pray with each other.
Early morning prayer at 6.30 a.m. via Zoom every Thursday. Morning Prayers via Facebook each weekday morning at 08.00 a.m. Twice-monthly corporate prayer at the church premises.
Frequent social media posts sharing testimony, inspirational thoughts, and general encouragement. Ruah Space – 4[th] to 6th April leading up to Easter, we opened the church to anyone who wanted to pray and reflect. We made the space comfortable and engaging offering another way/location to pray. This culminated in our usual Maundy Thursday half night of prayer and worship from 8 p.m. to midnight to remember our Lord’s sacrifice.
As part of our partnership with Brabourne Baptist Church (BBC) we supported Quiet Days in July and November at BBC which were open to anyone and offered sessions of led prayer and worship.
We also hold a bi-weekly morning prayer meeting at BBC to pray for the church and the local community. We run joint evening prayer meetings with BBC at BBC and WBC building community and relationships, encouraging prayer for the BBC community.
We make the Church available to a Nepalese community who use it for their own church services, prayer meetings, Sunday School and funerals.
In December, Pastors from Bright City Church, Willesborough Baptist Church and Fountain Church gathered together to worship and pray for the town. We are hoping to hold prayer and worship meetings to increase unity and connection between churches and advance the Christian faith, strengthening the whole church in our town. These will build on the “Make Room” meetings we held in the previous year and in February of this year.
Hospitality
Throughout the last year we regularly held a meal for newcomers to welcome them into the church family. We also held a Vision Lunch for new members to share the vision of the church and explain the benefits of membership.
We held a Church Family Christmas Meal on 21[st] December – the Church Leaders hosted a meal in the church for the church family.
Weddings and Funerals - We celebrated 3 weddings and held 3 funerals.
Community Outreach – Love Willesborough
The church hosted Family, Food & Fun https://www.facebook.com/familyfoodfunashford one day in the week of most of the school holidays, sharing with other churches so most days were covered. During these events we fed around 100 people on average from the community and provided entertainment for their children and an opportunity to connect with them and their families.
We hosted the Family Food and Fun Christmas event on behalf of Ashford Together where we provided a Christmas meal for over 100 people in need. We also hosted a Christmas pantomime (delivered by an outside company) aimed at sharing the Christmas story particularly for children.
Bumps to Babies – We continued our group for new and expectant mums in the community meeting regularly offering the opportunity for refreshments and to develop new relationships.
Tots at the Well - we have continued our group for parents/carers of toddlers running two sessions once a week. Activities are provided and the parents/carers have an opportunity to connect with each other and the church.
The Well – is our community café and continued to open 3 times per week for drinks and cake on a pay as you feel basis. We also hold within The Well, Renew Wellbeing, a place that people from our community can come, where it is OK to not be OK, specifically for people who felt this way. It is available every Tuesday afternoon between 2.00 p.m. and 4.00 p.m. We have been encouraged by the numbers regularly attending and seeing them build relationships with one another. The feedback has been very positive, and the sessions are seen as beneficial for the mental health of those that attend.
We also continued to provide food boxes in collaboration with FareShare to those in need in the community as and when requested. We also now run a community fridge offering free food for those in need.
We held the “Real Meal” at a local pub which is an opportunity for Men in our church family to invite their male friends and families to meet socially, have a meal and hear testimony from Christian Men. This is now a regular monthly event.
We continued our fortnightly Art Group to encourage and teach drawing and painting skills. They held an Art Exhibition in aid of the Pilgrims Hospice and Demelza.
We held a regular craft group called Crafty Cuppa each month which was open to everyone and offered the opportunity to share skills and fellowship.
In October we provided a fueling/hype station for the Givaudan 10k road race outside of the church which was greatly appreciated by the runners.
We held 2 meals open to the community – Happy Monday meal – 16[th] Jan and Together Tuesday 2[nd] May.
We held a tea for the Ukrainian Community 25[th] April.
We held a Garden Party Tea to celebrate the King’s coronation – 6[th] May.
We continued to open our Stepping Stones Contact Centre - to enable separated parents to see their children in a supervised and safe environment fortnightly on a Saturday morning.
Our building was also used by other organisations, including North Willesborough Community Forum, Street Pastors AGM, Eat Well Spend Less Roadshow, Al-Anon and the local Councilors hold their surgeries in The Well on a Saturday morning.
We once again held our Very Messy Christmas event where we opened the church to the community and provided crafts, a dressing up photo booth and opportunities to pet small animals. This was very well received and was all free of charge. We also provided food for approx. 400 people attending.
We also sang carols on the green for the local community.
Also, at Christmas, in conjunction with local schools, working with family liaison officers, the church provided hampers for families in the community who were in need. This initiative benefited around 100 families and this year we extended the initiative by also providing gift bags for people living alone.
Teaching
We continued our objectives of regular Bible teaching, encouraging spiritual growth, pastoral care, and community involvement in many different areas.
We continued developing our discipleship groups encouraging people to join a small group to meet and discuss scripture and apply it to their lives.
We held Exploring Baptism courses online and saw 4 people being baptised this year.
We continued our Intern Program (Lead), offering leadership training, Christian teaching, and mentoring.
We held teaching mornings on Saturdays which form part of the Lead Intern Program training, but we made them available to anyone who wanted to attend. We had several people from other churches taking up this opportunity.
We held an Everyday Evangelism Training on 25[th] March.
Pre-school
The Church has a thriving Ofsted-registered and inspected Pre-School four days a week from 8.30 a.m.to 4.30 p.m. (A registered Charity as 1175202 - Willesborough Baptist Church Pre–School). The current Ofsted rating is good. The Pre-School employs 11 staff.
The church recognises its responsibilities in safeguarding all children, young people and adults at risk and has safeguarding policies and procedures in place. The church has adopted the ‘Safe to Grow’ guidelines produced by the Baptist Union and ensures that all those working with children and vulnerable adults are appropriately vetted through the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Our Church is satisfied that the activities outlined above clearly demonstrate that the charity is providing a benefit to the public in line with Charity Commission guidance.
Achievements and Performance
The Church does not measure the success of its programs only in numbers, including financial numbers, but also in less tangible areas like fellowship and encouragement. The Trustees recognise that these are difficult to measure but believe that 2023 was another very positive year in the life of the Church.
We are pleased to report that we have been able to pursue our mission purposes in 2023 with continued passion and enthusiasm and a greater appreciation of our calling as we lived out our Vision.
As of 31st December 2023, the membership stood at 204 And we are pleased to report that we have welcomed 31 new members this year.
Local and County Councilors remain enthusiastic about the positive part that the Church has played, and continues to play, in the life of the community of Willesborough and are willing to provide assistance and enablement in the Church’s work and ministry. Members of the church also serve as volunteers in other local charities.
Our partnership with Brabourne Baptist Church, which allows us to provide support to a smaller rural church ensuring its continued development, continues to thrive and we held a Community Day in Brabourne in May where we saw 800 people from the local community attend. This was a hugely
successful day where we provided free food and fete activities and were able to promote the local church and raise awareness of its existence within the locality.
Organisational Structure and Decision-making Processes
Members of the Church are accepted in accordance with the Constitution which states that the Church has open membership so that both persons who have been baptised in the manner described in the Baptist Union’s Declaration of Principle and those who have not been so baptised may, at the discretion of the Church Members’ Meeting, be accepted for full membership.
The Members’ Meeting normally takes place three times per year and has responsibility for the overall policy of the church. In accordance with the Constitution, the members appoint Trustees who are responsible for the day-to-day running of the Church’s work and witness and the financial and legal aspects of the charity. All Members are encouraged to take an appropriate part in the spiritual and practical tasks involved in the furtherance of the charitable objective.
Relevant matters may be submitted to the Church meeting by the Trustees for guidance or may be raised by Members attending the Church Meeting for further consideration by the Trustees. Although the Constitution permits decisions to be made at Church Meetings by appropriate majorities, the Church seeks to work by consensus wherever possible.
In November 2023 we appointed 2 new Trustees to the team to ensure appropriate cover when existing Trustees terms come to an end in 2024.
Financial Review
The Church continues to raise the funds which it needs to carry on its activities from within its own membership and congregation. No wider public appeal was made for funds during the year. The church has benefitted from a number of successful grant applications which has meant it has been able to improve its buildings and extend its reach into the community.
The Church expressed its part in the life of the wider church by making grants to national and international Christian organisations and societies with Christian aims and objectives compatible with the Church’s own charitable purpose.
The Church is heavily dependent on its membership working as volunteers in all aspects of the Church’s activities, many of which run with little or no impact on the Church’s expenditure but nevertheless contribute substantially to the achievement of the Church’s objectives.
This year we increased the seating capacity of the church by a further 55 to accommodate the increasing attendance by installing a mezzanine floor. This was funded by additional givng.
We have also begun an upgrade to the heating systems within the church.
We completed an IT systems upgrade in August.
The financial results for the year are set out in the accompanying financial statements.
The Trustees have established a Reserves Policy and are satisfied that they have sufficient reserves at the Balance Sheet date, together with ongoing income anticipated, to enable the Church to function effectively in the coming year.
The Trustees have assessed the major risks facing the Church and are satisfied that there are policies in place to minimise these risks.
The Trustees confirm that they have regard to the Commission's public benefit guidance when exercising any powers or duties to which the guidance is relevant.
Administrative Information : –
Registered Address : Hythe Road, Willesborough, Ashford, Kent, TN24 0QR. Charity Registration No : 1173803 Trustees : The Revd. Mark Hirst (Minister) The Revd. Katie James (Minister) Dr. Keith Gwilym Christine Ross (Joint Treasurer) Tim Perks (Joint Treasurer) Paula Verlinden Ben Oliver Monima Harrison (appointed 9 November 2023) Richard Stanford-Beale (appointed 9 November 2023)
Property Trustees : The Baptist Union Corporation Limited, Baptist House, 129 Broadway, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 8RT.
Bankers :
CAF Bank Limited 25 Kings Hill Avenue Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent ME19 4JQ
Independent Examiner:
Lesley Grove FMAAT Accuracy Accounts, Sunnyside, Church Lane, Petham, Kent CT4 5RD
The financial report was approved by the Trustees at their 15 October 2024 meeting.
Signed by Christine Ross, Co-Treasurer 16 October 2024