FireStarters Wales
A generation set on fire for Jesus to be sparks of revival! TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT& ACCOUNTS 2021
Approved by Trustees at the AGM on 1.11.2021
Contents
Reference and Administration information
Trustees Annual Report
Income and Expenditure Report
Balance Sheet Report
REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION
Charity Name: FireStarters Wales
Charity Number: 1175278
Registered Office: 10, Dorchester Avenue, Penylan, Cardiff CF23 9BQ Bank Account: Lloyds Bank
Facebook: FIRESTARTERS WALES Trustees: for the year ended 31.3.2021
Sarah Richards
Andrew Goringe Janette Goringe Julie Lawrence Jo Dinsmore Secretary: Jayne Roberts
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT – April 2020- March 31[st] 2021
Significant highlights, events and developments include the following:
In relation to activities:
This has been the strangest of seasons for us as COVID restrictions forced us to predominantly meet on zoom for most of our gatherings. Last year we were meeting irregularly between 4-6 weeks apart but because we were predominantly only able to meet on zoom this year it was decided to meet every 4 weeks on the second Saturday of each month. Due to lacking time together meeting ‘in person’ we also introduced a few Instagram live worship times hosted by some of our young people. Many did join in.
Our continued links with churches has mainly been through the young people and our weekly prayer email that some receive.
We had an incredible team of leaders who helped to shape our times on zoom and Instagram helping them be fun, interactive, faith filled and exceptionally organised times together. We used breakout rooms to enable the young people to interact in smaller more intimate groups. We gave lots of opportunity for our young leaders to lead discussion and to share testimony on our zoom times. We usually had games, worship led by a Young Leader which led into a small talk and then breakout rooms for small group discussion. We also tried to get creative on our zooms. One month we had everyone sign up in advance to a certain breakout room. On this particular gathering they built houses on Mindcraft in one breakout room whilst others painted together, danced, found out about media or did some expressive writing. This particular gathering on zoom was a great way to integrate many new ones into FireStarters and we found that they started inviting their friends.
Our leavers zoom in July 2020 was a particular highlight hearing from so many who had been with us for many years and to hear how impacting FireStarters had been in their lives. These were recorded and sent out via Instagram so others could hear these testimonies.
It was decided that that many needed extra connection times so Janette and another leader alongside her also had weekly zoom chats in between the monthly larger zoom gatherings so that those who wanted to connect could. We found this was a vital connection time for some.
In the September and October rulings enabled us to meet outside so we seized the day and put on a fun day on a farm in Mountain Ash in September playing games in the fields and having time worshipping around a large camp fire. We had a limited number that we were allowed which was difficult as so many wanted to come, however others were able to come when sadly some had to pull out because of restrictions to travel from their regions.
In October we again worked within the rulings but this time met in four different areas because travel out of areas was restricted and to enable the maximum amount of young people to be able to attend. Some met in Cardiff, Pontypridd, Merthyr and Caerphilly. We each looked at the history of those places going from building to building praying and hearing how these areas had been impacted by revival.
Our next few gatherings November 2020- March 2021 then had to go back to zoom. Some young people expressed that they were zoomed out but we managed to keep connection with a lot of the young people and had some very impacting times together.
We felt led to speak into identity from September 2020 as many had struggled with this area when all normal life had changed and they were forced to go onto screens for nearly every activity. We centred on three main areas, which we called the ABC of identity, these being Acceptance, Beloved and Chosen. We recognised the need for as much personal connection as possible in September so a group of leaders painted handmade cards and sent a personal message to every child to introduce the identity topic. Many responded in thanks to having something so lovely arrive in the post.
Communication via our closed Facebook page, and Instagram has remained successful. We find parents look at Facebook and the young people all look at Instagram Both still feel necessary for communication. Our WhatsApp group for the leaders and young leaders definitely helped to provide a place of encouragement and communication in between gatherings. Church Suite has continued to be invaluable as a place to store all consent and to send out invites via email. In September we added a giving tab so that parents could gift us and we have had a few one-off gifts. We felt to add this tab as we were not having any income during our times on zoom (we didn’t feel we could ask for money at a difficult financial time for many) but as a charity we were still paying out for Zoom, Church suite, insurance, some speakers and design work for the logo and website.
We were excited to finally have our new logo for FireStarters Wales in February 2021 replacing the FireStarters UK logo. We hope to have a new website up and running with this new logo in place as soon as possible as this will provide all the links for parents and young people to find out about us rather than word of mouth.
We currently have 23 leaders all DBS checked who are available to lead throughout the year. We have had two new leaders in their early 20’s join us in September 2020 They have brought a youthful charismatic dynamic to the team.
Our Core team has continued to work through the year, helping the leadership have a place for feedback after gatherings and to make decisions on logo design, admin stream lining and making communication clearer for all. Two of our core leaders have needed to step back because of family needs.
All planning meetings, core team and trustees’ meetings were held on Zoom throughout the year. All general admin is done from Janette’s home office.
Janette has continued to meet monthly with Cefnogi a charity to support youth leaders in South Wales. This was invaluable to be open with other youth leaders about the struggles during the covid pandemic, have support and to glean ideas of what worked well on zoom.
Janette has also had involvement with a gathering of youth ministries across Wales led by Youth for Christ who have wanted to bring connectedness and a shared heart to collaborate, envision and move forward together. There have been 3 of these gatherings on zoom and Janette has been able to attend two of them. It has been good to realise we all desire to see youth impacted with the gospel and growing strong in their walks with Jesus. As yet we have not found what we might collaborate into for the youth of Wales but it does feel as if this will be a group that will be made ready when God gives the yes to something nationwide.
Trustees from FireStarters UK in Scotland and our trustees in Wales signed a legal agreement in the spring 2021 clarifying the relationship between the two separate charities given their shared core values and vision. We have agreed to meet once a year on zoom to maintain and foster this relationship.
Janette occasionally has chats with the leaders of FireStarters UK and the FireStarters UK Embassador, Lynn. Lynn has given invaluable support due to her 25 years of experience leading Firestarters in Scotland. Lynn is on most forums of communication with us so she is able to see all we are doing on a monthly basis and also receives our weekly prayer email sent out to all our leadership and supporters.
Any plans we had hoped to have for a mission in Cyprus for August 2021 was not able to happen due to Covid. We are still unsure what the future holds for overseas travel and planning ahead for anything seems to be difficult in this time but we will continue to keep open to possibilities for a mission for summer 2022.
In relation to funding:
- There has been only one gathering where we felt we could ask for subs but a gift of £400 was given to FireStarters in the Autumn of 2020 and we had a few one-off gifts coming through our ChurchSuite giving tab.
We are grateful to all our supporters and wish to thank them for their ongoing commitment and encouragement.
Firestarters Wales Charity Number 1175278 Income and Expenditure Report Year Ended 31 March 2021
| 31.03.2021 |
31.03.2020 | |
|---|---|---|
| Income | ||
| Subs | £368.64 | £2,209.20 |
| Gifts/Donations | £400.00 | £100.00 |
| Total Income | £768.64 | £2,309.20 |
| Expenditure | ||
| Arts and crafts | £0.00 | £89.43 |
| Postage | £50.53 | |
| Stationary | £3.50 | £45.15 |
| Speakers | £110.00 | £132.50 |
| Gifts given | £60.00 | |
| Canteen supplies | £145.21 | £508.48 |
| Photocopier | £0.00 | £30.75 |
| Building hire | £100.00 | £290.00 |
| Insurance | £293.91 | £286.07 |
| DBS Checks | £178.00 | £120.00 |
| Equipment Supplies | £14.62 | £93.63 |
| Travel/petrol costs | £40.00 | £70.00 |
| Administration. | £317.05 | £266.60 |
| Miscellaneous | £264.08 | £6.50 |
| Total Expenditure | £1,576.90 | £1,939.11 |
| TOTAL surplus / deficit | -£808.26 | £370.09 |
Firestarters Wales Charity Number 1175278
Balance Sheet Report Year Ended 31 March 2021
| Current Assets Bank Current Account Petty Cash Total Current Liabilities Total Reserves Surplus/Deficit YTD Surplus brought forward Surplus/deficit plus last year’s |
Balance Balance 31.03.2021 31.03.2020 £5,840.56 £6,648.82 £20.00 £20.00 |
|---|---|
| £5,860.56 £6,668.82 £0.00 £0.00 |
|
| £0.00 £0.00 |
|
| £5,860.56 £6,668.82 |
|
| -808.26 £370.09 £6,668.82 £6,298.73 |
|
| £5,860.56 £6,668.82 |
Surplus/Deficit YTD Surplus brought forward Surplus/deficit plus last year’s balance