Sherford Church of England Community Church ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — **2025** — For the Year Ended: 31st December 2025 Pioneer Ministers: Revd Jon Oliver Revd Tammy Oliver Correspondence Address: c/o 25 Sycamore Way, Sherford, Plymouth, PL9 8WH Independent Examiner: Mags Truman 33 Lanhydrock Road, Plymouth, PL4 9DN Bank: Barclays Bank, Leicester, LE87 2BB Charity Number: 1175545 ## Sherford Church of England Community Church **ANNUAL REPORT** ## for the year ended 31st December 2025 ## **1. AIM & PURPOSE** The object of the Sherford Church of England Community Church CIO (charitable incorporated organisation) is _to advance the Christian faith for the benefit of the public in Sherford and the surrounding areas in accordance with the statements of belief appearing in the schedule_ . The objective of our Mission Initiative is _the establishment of a Church of England Church to serve the area of the new town of Sherford_ . All Trustees are fully aware of our purpose of nurturing church and enabling public benefit in Sherford. ## **2. OBJECTIVES & ACTIVITIES** The beginning of the year was spent in prayerful preparation for our new Pioneer Ministers and a new season in the life of the church. The Revds Jon & Tammy Oliver were licensed by Bishop James Grier at a service on Sunday 27th April 2025, and warmly welcomed by members of the local church, the wider ecumenical church, the local community, and representatives from various organisations. Jon & Tammy began their ministry in Sherford by undertaking a listening exercise/consultation within the church and wider community. During the summer, they led the church in a review which helped us to identify and develop a new church vision, a series of pioneering priorities to guide our community engagement, and a new strategy for our pattern of Sunday services. Our Vision: _Following in the Way of Jesus, playing our part in seeing Sherford flourish_ Pioneering Priorities: - _Kids & Youth_ _- Community & Families_ _- Nature & Outdoors_ ## **3. ACHIEVEMENTS & PERFORMANCE** ## **Prayer & Worship** Core to our strategy is ensuring that our main Sunday services are accessible for unchurched newcomers as well as longstanding members, and engaging for people of all ages – with a particular emphasis on children and young people. Following our summer review, we developed a new pattern of Sunday services, with one service at 10am, followed by an extended time of fellowship. The services alternate each week between our all-age Altogether Service, and our Reflective Service (with our new Kids Club group in the room next door). When there’s a fifth Sunday, and on some other occasions, we meet in Sherford Country Park for Outdoor Church. Attendance has grown to between 30-40 each week (including around 10 under-16s), with over 50 people at major calendar events such as Harvest, Remembrance and Christingles. We plan to review this pattern of services at a ‘church forum’ in the new year. Our midweek prayer group continues to meet on Tuesday mornings, and we have developed a new online prayer group early on Wednesday mornings for those who work during the day. We have also started a new home group, bringing our total to three. ## **Community Engagement** Sherford Toddlers is our weekly group for babies, toddlers and their parents or carers. This is an incredibly popular group, with around 20 families each week, often filling the limited space of the community hub. This group has a really friendly and welcoming atmosphere, and is an incredible support for many families; not only providing a fun place for children to play, but also creating space for friendships to grow between parents/carers, and with our volunteer team. Oasis Café is our new community lunch project – offering space for friendship and a free lunch in the community hub on Thursday lunchtimes. We launched Oasis Café towards the end of the year, and it is already enjoyed by around 10-20 people each time. Community Events. Thanks to a wonderful sense of local community and the work of the Land Trust Community Panel, Sherford enjoys various local community events each year. Many church members are already involved in the organisation of these events through the Community Panel, and have been keen to have a more visible church presence. This year we have had a church stall at several events, inviting people to explore deep questions, alongside activities such as face-painting, craft activities, a children’s clothes swap, and more – plus we had our ‘Pop-up Nativity’ with the Community Choir at the Sherford Christmas Celebration. These events have been great fun, and have enabled us to engage with hundreds of members of our community who we wouldn’t normally meet. Youth Work. During the summer, we partnered with Sherford Community Land Trust to undertake a Youth Consultation, chatting with around 100 young people from the local area about what they would like to see in Sherford. Responses were many and varied, but with existing provision so limited, almost everyone agreed that we need to do something, anything! The church has offered to take the lead on developing this project on behalf of the community, and we have started to recruit volunteers from the church and local community, with plans to launch a detached youth work team in the new year. Sherford Vale Primary School. The church enjoys a good relationship with the local school – with church members volunteering in the school, with Jon & Tammy leading assemblies, and with discussions underway for the church to deliver a lunch club or after school club in the new year. ## **Other Activities** Crisis Response. In September, there was a big fire in a block of flats in Sherford, leaving the residents, including several young families, homeless and without access to their clothes or possessions. The local community rallied round to provide food and clothing, and members of the church took the lead in coordinating the local response and caring for our neighbours. Members of the church also lead various other local groups, including: - Sherford Over-50s - Friends of Sherford Country Park - Sherford Open Gardens - Sherford Food Hub (responding to local food insecurity and food waste) ## **VOLUNTEERS** This year we recruited ten new volunteers, doubling our numbers of volunteers. The Trustees would like to thank all our volunteers who give so generously of themselves and help our church become such a wonderful community. Special thanks to Andrew Williams, who is stepping down as Treasurer in the new year, and who continues to serve our church so tirelessly. ## **FINANCIAL REVIEW** In 2025, incoming funds totalled £21,008, and outgoings totalled £15,403, giving a surplus of £5,605. The majority of our income comes from regular giving by church members – which increased by over 50% to £13,310 this year. Total income from donations (including cash donations and Gift Aid) totalled £17,035. The remainder of our income came from the toddler group, bank interest, and a £500 grant towards our new youth work project. We are confident that our financial position will support our current activities. ## **SAFEGUARDING** The Board of Trustees have complied with our duty under Section 5 of the _Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure 2016_ to comply with the House of Bishops’ guidance on safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. ## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT** Sherford Church of England Community Church is a charity constituted as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. The Board of Trustees meets at least quarterly, are responsible for all matters of governance and finance, and are committed to the ongoing development and maintenance of effective Safeguarding, Equality, Health & Safety, Financial and other appropriate policies. The method of appointment of our Board of Trustees is set out in our CIO (Foundation Model) Constitution, including: - Not less than one _ex officio_ trustee (by virtue of holding a licence to Sherford Church of England Community Church from the Bishop of Exeter); - Two nominated trustees (nominated by the Bishop of Exeter); - Not more than nine appointed trustees (appointed by the trustees). Sherford Church of England Community Church operates under the umbrella of the Church of England, within the Diocese of Exeter. We receive oversight and support through the diocese, including training for volunteers and trustees, safeguarding advice through the Diocesan Safeguarding Team, and other support as needed. As part of the Diocese of Exeter, we are entitled to representation on Deanery Synod. Our primary contact within the Diocese is our Bishop’s Visitor, the Ven Jane Bakker, Archdeacon of Plymouth. ## **Trustees who have served during 2025 include:** |_Ex officio_|Revd Jonathan Oliver (Jon)|_Pioneer Minister, Chair – from 27/04/25_| |---|---|---| ||Revd Tamara Oliver (Tammy)|_Pioneer Minister, Co-Chair – from 27/04/25_| ||Revd Greg Bakker|_Interim Minister – until 27/04/25_| ||Andrew Williams|_Lay Minister_| ||Beverley Johnson|_Lay Minister – from 27/07/25_| |Nominated|Revd Jeremy Putnam|| ||Revd Joanne Parker|| |Appointed|Rosalind Wells|| ||Carol Evans|| Approved by the Board of Trustees at a meeting held on ………………………… and signed on its behalf by: ……………………………………… Revd Jon Oliver (Chair) ……………………………………… Revd Tammy Oliver (Co-Chair)zz # Sherford Church of England Community Church **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** for the year ended 31st December 2025 o)SHERFORD COAlhlUNITY CMURCH BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2025 Unrestricted Funds General TOTAL 2025 TOTAL Funds 2024 FIXED ASSETS Tangible assets 53 CURRENT ASSETS Debtors Bank and cash lJ31ances 725 725 1,576 55,201 55,201 47,315 CURRENT LIABILrrIES Creditor5 payable within one year NET CURRENT ASSETS TOTAL ASSEfs LESS CURRENT UABILITIES 56,654 56,654 51,048 Creditors payable after one year TOTAL NEf ASSETS I (LIABILrrIES) 56,654 56,654 51,048 THE FUNDS OF THE CHURCH Unrestritted income funds.. General Designated Totsl 50,848 50,848 Restricted income fuMIs.' 200 200 56,654 51,048 Approved by the Trustees, MeetiThJ hekl on Z OZ6 (date). and signed on its ￿haIr by Rev 3 Oliver Ichalmianl signature). The notss on page5 3 to 4 form part ese flnanclal statements O) SHERFORD NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THEYEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025 ACCOUNTING POUCIES la Basis of Accounting The financial statements have been prepared under the histor￿al convention, a$ modified by the revaluation of certain fix& assets and inve5trnents measured at market value. The finanaal Slatsments have been prepar& in atCDrdance with thè finantial repDtting Standard for Sr￿al￿r eThtity￿ leffectNe January 20151, ar￿ the requirerrtnts of amntyng and repo￿ng by charityes.. ststement of recommended practice applicable to charit*s preparing their accounts in accordarKe with ￿e finantsal rwrtyng standard for smaller wtityes lefFectwe janu￿ 20151 ISORP 20151. The accruals basis of accounting has b8en adDplbd. and tha principal accountirvJ pol￿a@S s81 OLrt below are applied consistsnly. Ib Fund AccoUn￿￿j Unrestricted lunds are available for use al the discretion of the church in furtherance of its charitable obiectNe5. D•signatod funds ar• unr•slnctod funds •amiark•d by thè trustèès for partKular puypow. Re81ri¢l8d funds ¥r8 ¥ubj6¢tsd 10 restiti￿n$ on thoir trxponditurtr imposod by tho donor. or ¢ontainod In the lemis of a grant. Tangible Fixed Assets Depreciation is provKJed at the folk)wing annual rates calculated to ￿lte off assets cver Thèir &stimatsd usèful Iwès.. Fixtrrts & fftbr IT equiwnent 15% redwiw b0￿rtt 20% straight line Id Incomlng Resources l Yolunlary gmng is In￿Uded in the financial statementB forthe period in YthKh it is rernived. Donation$ und•r grft aid plus thfr asso¢ial8d ts¥ ro¢ovory aro w¢gnl$od a$ In¢omo whon the don*on Is recewed. Leg￿eS are accounted forwhen their receipt IS ￿rtain and can be prwrfy quanlrfigd. l othèr Incomè Is gènèrally rècoynisèd whèn Il Is rècèriablè. le RegourceB Expended Resource5 expended are recognised in the period towhKh they are incU￿ed And include attributable VAT which cannot be recovered. They are alfoGated lothe partiCu￿r activity lo which they relate. GO¥eMan￿ costs represent direct expenditure on the governance ollhe church. including the production and indgpendenl 8cruliDy of these financial staterneDts. As ffl051 of the management and actiwty of the church is carrigd out by voluntser&. this intaryible COBI is not Includèd In thè finan¢ial $latèmènts a$ thi$ Voluntary tontributlon to thè lrfè of tho church is IncalGulable. If Taxalknn The ehurch ￿ an excepted ehArily wlhin Ihe meaning of tho tAxes acts. Accordlngty. 11 Ks potèntially èx$mpt trom tsxalR)n in wsp8ct of incomè and eaprtal galns ￿e•￿V￿d to th& èxtént that Such Intomé or gains arè appliéd to èxclusivèly charltablè purposès. No Pnvision for tsxation has bow mad* In Iheso fin¥Th¢ial ststsments. O)SHERFORD COIAMUIIITY CHVIC NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL sfATEMENTS- continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025 2 TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS ¥tures & Fittings TOTAL 2025 TOTAL 2024 Equiprnent Broughtforward l January 2025 Addib"ons in year DePr￿satiOn for year Qrried forward 31 December 2025 1,710 3333 170 4733 General Fund Restricted Funds TOTAL 2025 TOTAL 2024 3 DEBTORS Gift aid tax recoverable Attrued ir￿orne Otf￿r debt0￿ and prepaWT￿ts 725 725 725 4 CURRENT LIABILrriES Creditors payable within year.. Sundry creditors a￿ &cruals 5 DEFERRED LIABIUTIES Creditors payable after more than one y: 6 DESIGNATED FUNDS NIA 7 RESTRICTED FUNDS The Sherford Mutual Aid group is an organisation ofiThJi¥Aduals within town ofsherford who seek to prowde prowded fcA)J to residents in finanaal difficulty. Thetrustees of Sherford Community Church have agreed that the church bank account can be used to fL)Id the funds and to pay invoices lup to the group's balance} pertalning to the group's acb¥Aty. 8 PAYMENTS TO TRu￿EE$ AND THEIR SPOUSES In 2025 the followng truste& received paymentsfrom thechurch- Mrj Oliver Mr5 R We115 Mr A Williams £1,490.37 £387.50 £45.34 Reimbursernent ol expen5e5 Reimbursernent of expen5e5 Reimbursement of expenses ot)SHERFORD FINANCIAL STATEMEpifs YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025 TREASURER'S ￿ATEMENT I have pre ed the financial statements (m page5 1 to 4 for the year ended 31 Decemi*r 2025. S￿ned Dr AG Williams (Trea9Jrer) Dated O.(a26 INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT I re￿rt ￿ the Unaudi￿ financyal ststernents of Sherford Community Churth for the year ended 31 Decemt)er 2025, vlhich are set out on pages I to 4. Respectl¥e W0￿bIlItieS The charity is r￿￿nsIble for the try0rati￿ of the financlal stsremenrs, and Cons￿¥$ that the audfc requloment of Secti 144(21 of the charitse5 act 2011 (the Act) (knes not 8￿y. It ￿ my resronsibility to state, on the basi5 of procedures spetified in the general dire£tior6 gwen by the chanty Commissior￿￿S under Section 14515llbl of the A¢ wfther particular matters have come to my atten￿on. Ba%s of independent examlner's report My e¥aminabon was carried out in accordanTr with the ge￿ra1 directions glven by the charty comTni5yon. An examination Includes a reMew of the acmuntiTrJ records kept by the charity and a cOmpari￿n of the accounts presented with those reccKds. It also includes c0nwderati￿ of any unusual itsms or di$d￿ureS in the accounts, and See￿ng explanabons from you as trustees concemiTrJ any such matters. The procedures do not pffjwde all the eviden￿ that would be required in an audit, and con5equendy no opniffi is given as to whether the accounts present a true and fairf, view and the rerKJrt is limtsd to those rnatters Set out in the statement below. Independent examinerfs statement In connection with my examinabon, no matter has come to my att￿ti￿.. l. whith gwe5 reasonatAe cause ro bdieve that in any materLal ￿pert Y)e reouirements.. to keep accounting records In accordance 9.130 of the 2011,. and to prepare acc¢unts which ￿COrd wth the accounting recorts and CoM￿Y ￿th the accountiro requirements of ts 2011 Act, have not been met.. or 2. to which, in my opin￿n, aitenoon should be dra￿￿ in order to enats￿ a proper understanding of the accounts to be re￿*￿1. S￿Ded by Independent examiner.. Dated 54 £&26 Name and address of the iThlewdent examintr.. 44S fL4 qOA. 0)SHERFORD coM#u*•ITY cwuictr¢ APPENDIX I TO THE FINANCIAL sfATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025 Unrestricted Funds General Restrirted Funds TOTAL 2025 TOTAL 2024 VOLUNTARY INCOME Bank donations by DID'S & Slo's Cash and donations 13510 13,310 3fA) 8,425 1,028 1,665 Income tsx refunds under glft ald 3,365 17,035 17,035 11,118 INVESTMENT INCOME Interest 1,263 1,263 1,263 1,263 INCOMING RESOURCES FROM CHAIUTABLE AcrIvrr Toddler group Events tickets 1,969 1,969 1,992 730 Rambur5ement for resour¢es Mission Giving donations Tea & coffee contributions Baptism Fees 241 241 77 1210 2,210 2,799 OTHER INCOMING RESOURCES Grants (Exeter Diocesan) Grants (S)uth Hams Distritt Council) 238 500 500 500 500 238 ,O)SHERFORD ¢OpdMu*lf i CMUICII APPENDIX 2 TO THE FINANCIAL ￿ATEmENTs FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEI4IBER 2025 Fund5 Get)e4al Reslricted TOTAL Fund$ TOTAL 2025 2024 COSTS OF GENERATING FUNDS Cost of fund raisi COSYS OF CHURCH ACTIVITIES Church costs: Gift for use of 5herford Vale school hal ServKes'. Shthrd Community Hub kire Printingi SX)5kge and Yatio Tealcoffee equipment 315 315 51 142 196 196 sso 171 1,559 162 563 327 1,871 Insurar Grfls Toddlw grwp Ministry Trainee Youth Worker Youth Gmp Tr¥Jdkn Gmp Lead¥ Admini*ator Everts BL￿kkeep4￿9 Other 8dministration costs 171 1,559 2.072 1,350 155 265 2.252 1,384 10,299 2,072 1,350 155 265 2,252 1,384 10,299 I,ioo 500 1,2 883 1,243 150 8,286 Teathlno eosts: aergy eXp￿Se5 aergy recruthient costs aergy Mots￿ and tewjre o aergy ministry training 148 95 332 95 332 255 575 575 1.426 Sherford Mut￿1 Ald Group.. Expenditure Flxtures & Flttlw$and IT equlpmemt Deweciation of fixtures & fiitings and IT equI￿ent 2,280 1280 2,280 280 2,746 2,746 TOTAL COSTS OF CHURCH ACTIVMES 13,154 13.154 Il458 CHARITABLE ACTivrrIES Miwon gr￿ng 2,249 1149 2,249 l249 2,091 091 GOVERNANCE COSTS Irbdependent examiner