FireStarters Wales A generation set on fire for Jesus to be sparks of revival!
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT& ACCOUNTS 2022 Approved by Trustees at the AGM on 24.10.2022
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 31.3.2022
Sarah Richards Andrew Goringe Janette Goringe Julie Lawrence Jo Dinsmore (Resigned February 2022) Matthew Lewis (Appointed September 2021) Secretary: Jayne Roberts
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT – April 2021- March 31st 2022
Significant highlights, events and developments include the following:
In relation to activities:
It’s been a year where we have been able to build continuity of in person gatherings through much of the year. We realised the importance of gathering in person after such a prolonged period of meeting only on zoom. The young people desperately desired connection and a safe place to process the isolation many had felt the previous year. Having changed last year to regularly meeting the 2nd weekend of each month the core team agreed this should continue as it gave us the regularity and stability that was needed.
Meeting back in person restored links with churches that were absent while we had met entirely on zoom. Good relationships with a few regular churches remained. We did have some churches express they were wary of a huge group of youth descending on their building post covid restrictions being lifted. This meant that we met in several accommodating churches more than once during the year. We hope to restore connection as more churches become open again to outside groups using their buildings.
There was only one month in January where covid levels were so high that trustees felt it was not advisable to meet in person. We did however meet on zoom providing a connection for those who wanted to meet.
In July we felt it would be good to give parents a chance to hear who we are as a ministry so we put on a parents evening where they could hear our vision, meet our core leaders, trustees, hear from a few of our young leaders and have a chance to ask any questions they may have. This was a great success, and it was agreed should happen annually possibly at the start of an academic year.
Attendance this year was lower than previous years, but we had a core group of young people attending regularly with a few new young people each time. Trust needed to be built post covid which was not always easy with restrictions changing monthly. However, we did manage to persevere and adhere to restrictions whilst still meeting.
A few youth groups post covid started to gather together jointly on a monthly basis in the valleys and in and around Cardiff and Newport. It seemed they recognised youth engagement had declined and those wanting to meet enjoyed times of connection with larger groups of others their age. Thankfully these groups were keen to plan these gatherings at different times to FireStarters, so their youth weren’t compromised on where they went.
April to July we kept building into the ABC (Acceptance, Beloved and Chosen) of identity as our theme which had started in September 2020. In September 2021 we felt to consolidate identity and launched our next year’s vision of speaking into ‘standing strong in our identity in Christ’ and how we can become rooted and established in who we are in Christ.
We were able to invite a couple called Dom and Thea Muir who have an established UK ministry called “I am so many things” come to speak to us for our October weekend. This was our first wknd since March 2020 when Covid had stopped us meeting together. The weekend was shrouded in rumblings of Covid, but government legislation meant we could meet with everyone testing negative for Covid on arrival. The relief and joy at meeting was tangible. We had some exuberant times of worship and fun dance times together. The highlight of this weekend was seeing a few of our young people give their lives to Jesus after Dom shared the gospel on the Saturday night. Planning and facilitating a whole weekend did take a lot of energy and commitment but we all agreed that we could see that the young people needed time to almost marinate in Gods’ presence so that they were open to prayer, worship and the word. Our next weekend in March was eagerly anticipated by many.
A highlight from our November gathering was putting on a huge banqueting table decorated elaborately for our evening mealtime. Our teaching this day was on being Gods masterpiece worthy of restoration and value.
Another highlight was our next weekend in March based at Woodville Christian Centre where we had Fawn Parish come to speak all the way from America. She powerfully helped bring understanding of God’s presence continually surrounding us and how we are known by Him. Many understood for the first time that they walk in relationship with God. What a revelation to receive! Many young people were open to prayer ministry.
It was a year of movement amongst our leaders. A few had to step back as pressures from work and family life meant they couldn’t engage in quite the same way as they had. Two core leaders needed to step back at the end of the academic year. There still remains a dedicated team of 22 who commit to coming along to gatherings as much as possible and many more are prayerfully considering joining our team.
A new job description for leaders was written by Janette and the Trustees giving clearer expectations and values we want a leader to hold and display in and out of FireStarters. It was decided that we wanted to have clear expectations written down so that this could be easily discussed before applying and for the core team to be able to discuss with leaders anything arising post committing as a leader. Many leaders considering applying expressed they found it helpful to have clear expectations written down.
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 with the youth support network run by Cefnogi although many of those have gone back to in person on the same monthly weekend as FireStarters gathers. This has meant she can’t often attend.
Janette continues to have links with Youth for Christ meeting on zoom every couple of months and also Message Wales through the Cefnogi zooms.
Janette also meets every two weeks with two youth leaders in Cardiff for mutual support and encouragement within roles as youth leaders.
We still haven’t been able to launch the website, but we have had an offer of help with this from the husband of a past leader who works in website building full time.
Trustees from Scotland and Wales were able to meet on zoom in November 2021 and this was a beneficial time of hearing about each other and having needed connection as ministries running with the same core values and vision. Another zoom is planned for November 2022
In January 2022 discussion started between Lynn Howson FireStarters ambassador and the leaders in Scotland Tai and Gaynor Murebwe about the possibility of doing a joint mission to the commonwealth games being held in Birmingham. All leaders were in agreement that a mission would be so beneficial to both groups. The dates and applications were only able to be released when a host church was found. Sadly, the dates clashed with two large summer youth camps, DTI and Limitless which meant that many of our young people had booked on these before we were able to decisively say we would go ahead with the mission week. Excitement is building for those able to book on this mission trip with a dedicated team of leaders coming from Scotland, Wales and from Birmingham. The theme for the week will be ‘the joy of the Lord is our strength’
In relation to funding:
This year we have had regular financial support from young people through their £5 subs at each gathering and 4 regular gifts by direct debit through church suite. We also had two larger one-off gifts from one family and a church. Going back to in person gatherings meant we have had an increased monthly income, but we have also had increases in payments for Insurance and admin charges. It was agreed we should stop paying the zoom monthly payment as we were no longer using this for our gatherings and the 40min free version would suffice for planning meetings.
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 2022
| 31.03.2022 |
31.03.2021 | |
|---|---|---|
| Income | ||
| Subs | £3090.01 | £368.64 |
| Gifts/Donations | £588.00 | £400.00 |
| Total Income | £3678.01 | £768.64 |
| Expenditure | ||
| Arts and crafts | £127.38 | £0.00 |
| Postage | £13.68 | £50.53 |
| Stationary | £71.04 | £3.50 |
| Speakers | £640.00 | £110.00 |
| Gifts given | £55.55 | £60.00 |
| Canteen supplies | £636.70 | £145.21 |
| Photocopier | £6.50 | £0.00 |
| Building hire | £170.00 | £100.00 |
| Insurance | £304.38 | £293.91 |
| DBS Checks | £39.99 | £178.00 |
| Equipment Supplies | £309.77 | £14.62 |
| Travel/petrol costs | £40.00 | |
| Administration. | £1110.13 | £317.05 |
| Miscellaneous | £147.86 | £264.08 |
| Total Expenditure | £3632.98 | £1,576.90 |
| TOTAL surplus / deficit | £45.03 | -£808.26 |
Firestarters Wales Charity Number 1175278 Balance Sheet Report Year Ended 31 March 2022
| 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 Balance 31.03.2022 31.03.2021 £5,885.59 £5,840.56 £20.00 £20.00 |
|---|---|
| £5,905.59 £5,860.56 £0.00 £0.00 |
|
| £0.00 £0.00 |
|
| £5,905.59 £5,860.56 |
|
| £45.03 -808.26 £5860.56 £6,668.82 |
|
| £5,905.59 £5,860.56 |