## **Trustees' Annual Report for the period** 

||Period start date|Period start date|||Period end date|Period end date||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||1st|April|2020||31st|March|2021|
|**From**||||**To**||||



## Section A                        Reference and administration details 

**Charity name Other names charity is known by Registered charity number (if any) 1176927** 

Abbey Baptist Church 

**Charity's principal address** Abbey Baptist Church Checker Walk Abingdon **Postcode OX14 3JB** 

## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** 

|1<br>2<br>3<br>4<br>5<br>6<br>7<br>8<br>9<br>10|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**<br>**year **|**Name of person (or body) entitled**<br>**to appoint trustee (ifany)**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||Dr Graeme Stonell||||
||Iain Baker||||
||John Lipp|Chair of trustees|||
||Elizabeth Rolfe||||
||Peter Akrill||||
||Clive Bowsher||||
||Stephen Mayo||||
||||||
||||||
||||||



**Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)** 

**Name Dates acted if not for whole year** 

## **Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)** 

**Type of adviser Name Address** 

## **Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)** 

**Trustees’ Annual Report** 

1 

Dec 2021 



**Section B              Structure, governance and management** 

## **Description of the charity’s trusts** 

Type of governing document 

Constitution 

- (eg. trust deed, constitution) 

How the charity is constituted 

CIO 

- (eg. trust, association, company) 

Trustee selection methods 

Elected by membership 

- (eg. appointed by, elected by) 

## **Additional governance issues (Optional information)** 

You **may choose** to include additional information, where relevant, about: 

- policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees; 

- the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works; 

- relationship with any related parties; 

- trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them. 

In addition to our constitution, we make use of our church handbook to guide our practice in the everyday running of our affairs. 

Elders direct the day to day operations of the church. All work conducted by the church is done under their leadership. The elders are also trustees of the charity and are joined by additional trustees. All elders and trustees are selected by the members in accordance with our church handbook. 

- We are affiliated to two external organisations (The Association of Grace Baptist Churches (South East) and the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches). The nature of these affiliations is mutually supporting and both bodies are non-governing of our church’s affairs. 

- As a long standing, stable church there are few operational risks. By offering services to vulnerable people there are risks associated to appointing volunteers/workers. These are managed through our Safeguarding Policy. 

## **Section C                    Objectives and activities** 

The purposes of the Church are: 

- the advancement of the Christian faith in accordance with the Basis 

- of Faith primarily but not exclusively within Abingdon and the surrounding neighbourhood; and 

**Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document** 

- such other charitable purposes as shall, in the opinion of the members of the Church in general meeting, put into practice the Christian faith in accordance with the Basis of Faith, including but not limited to: the prevention and relief of need, hardship and sickness; the advancement of education;  and the provision of facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation or other leisure time occupation of individuals who have need of such facilities by reason of their youth, age, infirmity or disability, financial hardship or social circumstances with the object of improving their conditions of life. 

- provided that the advancement of such purposes must be undertaken in a manner that is consistent with the Ethical Statements as may be adopted and amended by the Church from time to time in accordance with the provisions of the Church Handbook. 

**Trustees’ Annual Report** 

2 

Dec 2021 



This year has seen many changes in order to continue fulfilling our purposes during the pandemic and associated restrictions on meeting. Many of our activities were initially moved full on-line where possible, and support provided to help all of our beneficiaries through the transition. This included our Sunday worship services and our midweek meetings. Most of our seniors meetings and youth work ceased, although some aspects of those works were maintained through online gatherings. As the opportunities for people to meet were very restricted, we commenced some additional prayer opportunities online. Our members also found ways to continue to provide benefit to **Summary of the main** the wider community through channels such as deepening and **activities undertaken for the** enriching contact with neighbours, running and supporting online **public benefit in relation to** quizzes, starting an online baking club, arranging online meals **these objects (include within** and setting up a free book and literature stall outside our chapel **this section the statutory** building. **declaration that trustees have** As lockdown restrictions eased a little in late 2020 and again in spring **had regard to the guidance** 2021, some restricted in-person gatherings recommenced. Online **issued by the Charity** provision continued to be offered for those who needed to stay at home **Commission on public** for shielding, self-isolation or preferential reasons. **benefit)** 

The trustees are satisfied that these activities are conducted in line with the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit. 

## **Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)** 

We are not involved in awarding grants or in investing (except for holding reserves in an interest paying bank account). 

All of our work is supported and enabled by volunteers from within our membership. The Trustees thank the members of the church who conduct all of these activities on a voluntary basis. 

You **may choose** to include further statements, where relevant, about: 

- policy on grantmaking; 

- policy programme related investment; 

- contribution made by volunteers. 

**Trustees’ Annual Report** 

3 

Dec 2021 



## Section D                      Achievements and performance 

**Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year** 

The continual healthy level of interest in our meetings and activities by a mixture of members, families of members and non-members is regarded as an achievement. The online provision of our main worship activities has benefited not only our local supporters/beneficiaries, but also a much more geographically dispersed group of beneficiaries. 

We commenced employment of a pastor-in-training. This has provided an additional part time employee, who has been a great help in the period of greater pastoral need and greater reliance on IT provision brought on by the pandemic. It has also provided our minister with the opportunity to help train and prepare another for future pastoral ministry. 

## **Section E                    Financial review** 

**Trustees’ Annual Report** 

Dec 2021 

4 



## **Brief statement of the** 

**charity’s policy on reserves** 

We seek to maintain reserves of around 3-6 months of operating costs. These are held in order to cushion the effect of any unplanned short term drop in income or increase in expenditure. 

## **Details of any funds materially** 

**in deficit** 

## **Further financial review details (Optional information)** 

You **may choose** to include additional information, where relevant about: 

- the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising); 

- how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity; 

- investment policy and objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted. 

Our principal sources of funding are donations and income from the renting of property. The former have been generously gifted by members and supporters without any explicit fundraising initiatives. A proportion of the pastor in training funding has been provided by grants from the Association of Grace Baptist Churches (South East) and the Particular Baptist fund. We record our thanks to those organisations for their kind support. 

Our largest item of expenditure has been for the ministry of the church. This has funded the various activities and provided a salary for the staff who support and prepare every volunteer for their work. 

A summary of our examined accounts is provided in Section F. 

**Trustees’ Annual Report** 

Dec 2021 

5 



## **Section F                     Other optional information** 

## **Financial Report for the year ending 31[st] March 2021** 

|**Income and Expenditure**|**Notes**|**2019/20**|**2020/21**|
|---|---|---|---|
|**Income**||||
|Donations to the church||63,873|86,433|
|Income fromproperties||10,440|10,440|
|Bank interest and other income||4,310|19|
|Gifts for support of second worker||14,096|0|
|Donations for specificpurposes||1,191|800|
|Grants forpastor in training post||0|10,845|
|**Total income**||**93,910**|**108,537**|
|Designatedgiving paid out|2|1,191|800|
|**Income for Church use**||**92,719**|**107,737**|
|||||
|**Expenditure**||||
|Ministryof the Church|3|49,130|48,787|
|Gifts made bythe Church|2|14,623|14,726|
|Church maintenance||11,346|11,761|
|Properties maintenance||12,212|3,205|
|**Total Expenditure**||**87,311**|**78,479**|
|||||
|**Net income(expenditure)**||**5,408**|**29,258**|



|**Balance Sheet**|**Notes**|**2019/20**|**2020/21**|
|---|---|---|---|
|**Fixed Assets**||||
|Church buildings andproperties|4|860,000|860,000|
|**Current Assets**||||
|Debtors||7,569|3,545|
|Cash at bank and in hand||25,613|58,081|
|**Total current assets**||**33,182**|**61,626**|
|Creditors||565|0|
|**Total Assets less liabilities**||**892,617**|**921,626**|
|||||
|**Represented by**||||
|Unrestricted funds||32,617|61,626|
|Restricted funds||||
|Capital funds||860,000|860,000|
|||||
|**Funds at end ofyear**||**892,617**|**921,626**|



**Trustees’ Annual Report** 

6 

Dec 2021 



||**Notes to the Accounts**<br>**1. Accounting policies**<br>_Basis of preparation and audit of accounts_<br>These accounts have been prepared on a historical cost and accruals basis and in accordance with the Charities<br>Commission SORP. The church is a small entity and therefore no cash flow statement is included and a full audit<br>report is not required<br>_Church properties_<br>Church properties are held for the use of the church or for let to church members where possible. The properties are<br>held in the accounts at market value and are independently revalued every five years.<br>**2. Church Giving**<br>The church made gifts for the support of missionary work and other Christian work during the course of the year as<br>detailed below. These figures include gifts from members for specific missionary work. Special offerings were taken<br>duringtheyear to assist in ministryof compassion in the UK and other parts of the world.<br>**Churchgifts**<br>**£**<br>Grace Baptist Mission<br>7,980<br>Pilgrim Homes<br>2,520<br>AGBC(SE)Home Mission<br>480<br>Mission work in Poland<br>1,500<br>Mission work in Italy<br>1,525<br>Other Missions<br>500<br>Gifts to members<br>221<br>**Total Giving**<br>**14,726**<br>**Designatedgiving**<br>**£**<br>Grace Baptist Mission<br>600<br>Other compassion ministry<br>200<br>**Total**<br>**800**<br>**3. The Ministry of the Church**<br>**Expenditure on ministry**<br>**2019/20(£)**<br>**2020/21(£)**<br>Elders and visitingspeakers<br>38,475<br>41,657<br>Outreach and Church Activities<br>2,176<br>800<br>Other<br>8,479<br>6,330<br>**Total**<br>**49,130**<br>**48,787**<br>**4. Church Buildings and Properties**<br>**2019/20(£)**<br>**2020/21(£)**<br>Brought forward<br>770,000<br>860,0000<br>Revaluation in theyear<br>90,000<br>0<br>**Balance carried forward**<br>**860,000**<br>**860,000**|**Notes to the Accounts**<br>**1. Accounting policies**<br>_Basis of preparation and audit of accounts_<br>These accounts have been prepared on a historical cost and accruals basis and in accordance with the Charities<br>Commission SORP. The church is a small entity and therefore no cash flow statement is included and a full audit<br>report is not required<br>_Church properties_<br>Church properties are held for the use of the church or for let to church members where possible. The properties are<br>held in the accounts at market value and are independently revalued every five years.<br>**2. Church Giving**<br>The church made gifts for the support of missionary work and other Christian work during the course of the year as<br>detailed below. These figures include gifts from members for specific missionary work. Special offerings were taken<br>duringtheyear to assist in ministryof compassion in the UK and other parts of the world.<br>**Churchgifts**<br>**£**<br>Grace Baptist Mission<br>7,980<br>Pilgrim Homes<br>2,520<br>AGBC(SE)Home Mission<br>480<br>Mission work in Poland<br>1,500<br>Mission work in Italy<br>1,525<br>Other Missions<br>500<br>Gifts to members<br>221<br>**Total Giving**<br>**14,726**<br>**Designatedgiving**<br>**£**<br>Grace Baptist Mission<br>600<br>Other compassion ministry<br>200<br>**Total**<br>**800**<br>**3. The Ministry of the Church**<br>**Expenditure on ministry**<br>**2019/20(£)**<br>**2020/21(£)**<br>Elders and visitingspeakers<br>38,475<br>41,657<br>Outreach and Church Activities<br>2,176<br>800<br>Other<br>8,479<br>6,330<br>**Total**<br>**49,130**<br>**48,787**<br>**4. Church Buildings and Properties**<br>**2019/20(£)**<br>**2020/21(£)**<br>Brought forward<br>770,000<br>860,0000<br>Revaluation in theyear<br>90,000<br>0<br>**Balance carried forward**<br>**860,000**<br>**860,000**|**Notes to the Accounts**<br>**1. Accounting policies**<br>_Basis of preparation and audit of accounts_<br>These accounts have been prepared on a historical cost and accruals basis and in accordance with the Charities<br>Commission SORP. The church is a small entity and therefore no cash flow statement is included and a full audit<br>report is not required<br>_Church properties_<br>Church properties are held for the use of the church or for let to church members where possible. The properties are<br>held in the accounts at market value and are independently revalued every five years.<br>**2. Church Giving**<br>The church made gifts for the support of missionary work and other Christian work during the course of the year as<br>detailed below. These figures include gifts from members for specific missionary work. Special offerings were taken<br>duringtheyear to assist in ministryof compassion in the UK and other parts of the world.<br>**Churchgifts**<br>**£**<br>Grace Baptist Mission<br>7,980<br>Pilgrim Homes<br>2,520<br>AGBC(SE)Home Mission<br>480<br>Mission work in Poland<br>1,500<br>Mission work in Italy<br>1,525<br>Other Missions<br>500<br>Gifts to members<br>221<br>**Total Giving**<br>**14,726**<br>**Designatedgiving**<br>**£**<br>Grace Baptist Mission<br>600<br>Other compassion ministry<br>200<br>**Total**<br>**800**<br>**3. The Ministry of the Church**<br>**Expenditure on ministry**<br>**2019/20(£)**<br>**2020/21(£)**<br>Elders and visitingspeakers<br>38,475<br>41,657<br>Outreach and Church Activities<br>2,176<br>800<br>Other<br>8,479<br>6,330<br>**Total**<br>**49,130**<br>**48,787**<br>**4. Church Buildings and Properties**<br>**2019/20(£)**<br>**2020/21(£)**<br>Brought forward<br>770,000<br>860,0000<br>Revaluation in theyear<br>90,000<br>0<br>**Balance carried forward**<br>**860,000**<br>**860,000**|**Notes to the Accounts**<br>**1. Accounting policies**<br>_Basis of preparation and audit of accounts_<br>These accounts have been prepared on a historical cost and accruals basis and in accordance with the Charities<br>Commission SORP. The church is a small entity and therefore no cash flow statement is included and a full audit<br>report is not required<br>_Church properties_<br>Church properties are held for the use of the church or for let to church members where possible. The properties are<br>held in the accounts at market value and are independently revalued every five years.<br>**2. Church Giving**<br>The church made gifts for the support of missionary work and other Christian work during the course of the year as<br>detailed below. These figures include gifts from members for specific missionary work. Special offerings were taken<br>duringtheyear to assist in ministryof compassion in the UK and other parts of the world.<br>**Churchgifts**<br>**£**<br>Grace Baptist Mission<br>7,980<br>Pilgrim Homes<br>2,520<br>AGBC(SE)Home Mission<br>480<br>Mission work in Poland<br>1,500<br>Mission work in Italy<br>1,525<br>Other Missions<br>500<br>Gifts to members<br>221<br>**Total Giving**<br>**14,726**<br>**Designatedgiving**<br>**£**<br>Grace Baptist Mission<br>600<br>Other compassion ministry<br>200<br>**Total**<br>**800**<br>**3. The Ministry of the Church**<br>**Expenditure on ministry**<br>**2019/20(£)**<br>**2020/21(£)**<br>Elders and visitingspeakers<br>38,475<br>41,657<br>Outreach and Church Activities<br>2,176<br>800<br>Other<br>8,479<br>6,330<br>**Total**<br>**49,130**<br>**48,787**<br>**4. Church Buildings and Properties**<br>**2019/20(£)**<br>**2020/21(£)**<br>Brought forward<br>770,000<br>860,0000<br>Revaluation in theyear<br>90,000<br>0<br>**Balance carried forward**<br>**860,000**<br>**860,000**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||**Churchgifts**|||**£**|
||Grace Baptist Mission|||7,980|
||Pilgrim Homes|||2,520|
||AGBC(SE)Home Mission|||480|
||Mission work in Poland|||1,500|
||Mission work in Italy|||1,525|
||Other Missions|||500|
||Gifts to members|||221|
||**Total Giving**|||**14,726**|
||||||
||**Designatedgiving**|||**£**|
||Grace Baptist Mission|||600|
||Other compassion ministry|||200|
||**Total**|||**800**|
||**3. The Ministry of the Church**||||
||**Expenditure on ministry**|**2019/20**|**(£)**|**2020/21(£)**|
||Elders and visitingspeakers|38,475||41,657|
||Outreach and Church Activities|2,176||800|
||Other|8,479||6,330|
||**Total**|**49,130**||**48,787**|
||**4. Church Buildings and Properties**||||
|||**2019/20(£)**||**2020/21(£)**|
||Brought forward|770,000||860,0000|
||Revaluation in theyear|90,000||0|
||**Balance carried forward**|**860,000**||**860,000**|



**Trustees’ Annual Report** 

Dec 2021 

7 



## **Section G                    Declaration** 

**The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.** 

**Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees** 

Recoverable Signature **Signature(s)** Recoverable Signature X X John Lipp Peter Akrill Chair Trustee Signed by: b31bb841-9fbb-45f8-ac8d-216fd1386528 Signed by: Peter Akrill Signature **Full name(s)** John David Lipp Peter Mark Akrill **Position (eg Secretary, Chair,** Chair Trustee **etc) Date** 3-Jan-2022 

**Trustees’ Annual Report** 

8 

Dec 2021 



CHARITY COMMISSION
FOR ENGLAND AND WALES
Independent examiner's report on the
accounts
Report to the trusteesl
members of
Abbey Baptist Church
On accounts for the year
ended
3151 March 2021
Charity no
lif any)
1176927
Set out on pages
I report to the trustees on my èxamination of the accounts of the above
charity l.the Trust-) for the year ended
Responsibllities and basis As the charity's trustees. you are responsible for the preparation of the
of report
accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charilies Act 2011
("the Acy,).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out
under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination. I
have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission
under section 14515}(b) of the Act.
Independent examinerfs I have completed my examination. I confimi that no materlal matters have
statement come to my attention in connection with the examination {olher than that
disclosed below") which gives me cause to believe that in. any material
respect=
the accounting r8cords were nol k8Pt in accordance with section 130
of the Charities Act-, or
the accounts did not accord with the accounting records., or
the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements
concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities
(Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement
that the accounts give a 'lru8 and fairf view which is not a matter
considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection
with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in
order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed:
Date:
Name:
Relevant professional
qualification(s) or body (if
any):
Address:
I3 13L&fyJ
SRoLJf
tKofbJ&-
Kl
IER
Oct 2018