HEATH STREET BAPTIST CHURCH HAMPSTEAD 84 Heath Street, London, NW3 IDN 020 74310511 ewan klng@mac.com www.heathstreet.org Registered charEty number: 1178001 Report and Accounts for the year ending 31 December 2024 Minister: Revd Ewan J King Deacons: Annie Fang Gaynor Humphreys (Treasurer) Wilf Merttens (Secretary) HEATH STREEf BAPTisf CHURCH ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2024 Heath Street Baptist Church was established as a congregatlon in 1861 and its building dates from 1862. Governance arrangements were revlsed in a Charity Commission Scheme sealed on 25 October 1937 and until April 2018 it was an excepted charity. Since 18 Aprll 2018, the Church has been registered wlth the Charity Commission a5 a Charitable Incorporated Or8anisation. The congregation malntalns membership of the Baptist Union of Great Britain and the London Baptist Association. Administrative detalls Bankers C4F Bank Ltd 25 Kings Hill Avenue Kings Hill West Malling Kent ME19 41Q Independent Examlner Derek John Baker 51 Meadway Southgate London N14 6NJ Solicitor CarterLemon Camerons 20 King Street London EC2V 8EG Legal status Heath Street Baptist Church is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation whose constitution was last amended on 11 July 2021. Charlty Registratp)n Number 1178001 Church Safe8uardlng Offi￿r Sarah Harper HEATH sfREET BAPTIST CHURCH ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2024 REPORT OF THE DEACONS Governance and management The church operates a5 0 Charftable Incorporated Organsation under the rules of rts CIO constitution. At the end of the year there were 33 members ol the church with no changes in the course of 2024. Quarterty church meetlngs are open to all interested people but on the relatively few occasions when votes I￿ ￿quired only members may vote. ObJertlves and artlvities The prlnclpal purpose of the CIO is: The advancement of the Chrlstlan fatth accordlnB to the prlnciples of the Baptist denomination. The church may a150 adv4nre education and cary out other charltable PLJrposes in the UK andlor other parts of the world. Public benefft Statement As a registered charty Heath Street Baptist Church, through its members and its Diaconate, is aware of the Charlty Commlsslon's guidance on public benefft, especlalty In the advancement of rellglon. Our servlces of worshlp are open to all. We see our building as a valuable resource to the local community and it 15 open for actlvity on most days of the year. The church premises are used, or hlred, by people of all faiths or none and by both secular and Christian organisations and groups. We provide activities and seNices direttty each week to local chlldren, from babies to young teenagers, and to homeless and vulnerable people. We also offer concerts Inormally f￿e entry) to the local community and support community choir. Pastoral care and support are offered to all. Flnanclal revlew The financial statements whlch follow show receipts and payments for 2024. investments and reserves balances at the year end and known liabilities for 2025. Flnanclal rlsks In 2021 we borrowed £500,000 for a ten-year perlod on a variable interest rate to secure the purchase of a manse for our Minister and his family. The interest rate change5 in line with the UK bank rate. We arè satbsfted that for 2025 we are on track both to repay capital Iplanned to reduce to zero after ten years) and interest on the remaining Sum. Several years ago the church made a short temi loan of £25.IXIO to support Mlsslon Houslng In the acquisition of a family home for John-Henry Baker and hls famlty withln reasonable reach of the church. Th￿ loan wa5 termlnated during 2024 when an alternative source of sUPPOrt was found and the capital sum was returned to the church in full. Our reserve5 at the end of 2024 were £14.024 lowerthan at the prevlous year end, largely due to repalr and maintenance cornrnitments. Costs rise relentlessly. especially in running the buildin85 and keeping them In fair condition.. nonetheless our accounts show that we are reasonably confident of financial vlability forthe coming year. Our reserves polky Is outllned within the accounts whlch follow. HEATH STREET BAPTIST CHURCH ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2024 Secretarfs summary of maln activities and achievements in 2024 Heath Street Baptist Church is a welcomlng and Inclusive communlty in the heart of Hamp5tead. 2024 was a year marked by deepening discipleshlp and shared mission wilh other churches. along wrth more interfaith collaboration with other religious communities. Ouf spirited Sunday mornlng services remained the focal point of our collertlve worshlp, gathering our dlverse communlty together In fellowship and pralse. We also retumed to Zoom overthe Advent period. followin8 a new Advent Compline each evening tomplledi produced and printed by John-Henry Baker. and our child￿n'S Worker, Wilf Merttens. Underthe leadership of our Minister, Ewan KSn& worship services were enriched bythe talents of young people, v151ting musicians, the Heath Street Choir. a great many guest readers, and Visitin8 P￿a¢her$ such as Charles Hampton, Christopher Southgate, Andrew Glennie from 5t And￿W,$ Frognal, and Rev Claire Wilson. Ewan Kin