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2022-06-30-accounts

Sevenoaks Gospel Trust

Company Registration Number 11371960 Charity Registration Number 1179316

Report and Accounts Year ended 30 June 2022

1 Lamb's Passage, London EC1Y 8AB www.stewardship.org.uk

SEVENOAKS GOSPEL TRUST

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

COMPANY INFORMATION

Directors / trustees

Jeremy Marshall Paul Batchelor Deborah Drury Gavin Watson Mark Harding John Rees (appointed 30.08.2022)

Company Secretary

Deborah Drury

Key staff None Governing Document Memorandum and Articles of Association incorporated May 2018 Company Registration Number 11371960 Charity Registration Number 1179316 Registered Office 10 Queen Street Place London EC4R 1BE Independent Examiner Archie McDowall BA CA Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage London EC1Y 8AB

Bankers

Barclays Bank PLC

Contents Page
Company Information 1
Directors' Report 2-5
Independent Examiner's Report 6
Statement of Financial Activities 7
Balance Sheet 8
Notes to the Accounts 9-14

Page 1

SEVENOAKS GOSPEL TRUST

REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

The directors, who are the charity's trustees for the purposes of charity law, have pleasure in submitting the Report and Accounts for the year.

Who we are

Sevenoaks Gospel Trust was incorporated as a company limited by guarantee on 21 May 2018 and registered as a charity in England and Wales on 24 July 2018 under charity number 1179316 with its registered office at 10 Queen Street Place, London EC4R 1BE. The purpose of the charity, as set out in its Articles of Association (Article 2.1), is “to advance the evangelical Christian faith, including (but without limitation) by providing grants or other funding to, and making available property for use by, churches and other Christian charities or groups in particular in the Sevenoaks area that are in sympathy with the Statement of Faith” adopted by the charity. That Statement of Faith can be found on our website (www.sevenoaksgospeltrust.org). It is intended that Sevenoaks Gospel Trust will provide a vehicle to support Christian ministry and mission in a way that is faithful to orthodox biblical teaching, regardless of any changes in fundamental doctrine within the Church of England or any other Christian denomination.

Activities during the year

Our fourth year of operation has been another year of consolidation. We have continued to make available 23 Beech Road to St Nicholas Church, Sevenoaks under the lease we entered into with it in 2020. The church used the first floor flat to house their new curate. The ground floor flat was not required for ministry purposes and was sub-let for short periods on a commercial basis.

Details of our activity on the grant making front are set out in the section “Grant making Activity” below.

We have been in discussion during the year with the leadership of St Nicholas Church with a view to agreeing a Memorandum of Understanding with it which would set out the intended relationship between the trust and the church for the future, including the likely nature of the calls by the church for grant funding or property purchase and the facilitation of communication to the church family about the work of the Trust. It is currently expected that the Memorandum will be agreed shortly. During the course of those discussions, the church indicated that it may wish to ask the Trust to acquire a property to house a member of staff. That request has not yet been made.

We have received several approaches for advice from churches considering the establishment of a trust to facilitate the owning of properties to be used for church purposes. We have been encouraged that our experience is proving helpful to others.

The principal “housekeeping” activities during the year have been the preparation and adoption of Safeguarding and Data Protection Policies.

Our third annual general meeting was held on 23 November 2021 and was attended by all but one of the trustees and by all the non-trustee members of the charitable company (the members being the five trustees together with Rev Anthony Bewes, Rev Joe Dent and Mrs Naomi de Grey-Warter). We benefited from the perspectives given by the non-trustee members.

Page 2

SEVENOAKS GOSPEL TRUST

REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

Income

We are pleased to report that, during the course of the financial year, we received donations totalling £75,479. Several large one-off gifts were made and a number of donors have set up arrangements for regular giving. We are unable to estimate the extent to which the one-off gifts will be repeated in future years. Our only other sources of income have been rent payable by St Nicholas Church under the lease of 23 Beech Road and bank interest.

During the course of 2021, St Nicholas Church engaged in a significant review of its strategy and operations. One of the objectives of that review was to encourage increased financial giving to the church. We understand that giving did indeed increase significantly during the year. This may have resulted, or may in the future result, in some reduction in giving to the Trust.

Grant making activity

We made two grants during the course of the year. The first was a grant of £12,500 to St Nicholas Church to enable primarily the purchase of new computers for the church office and IT equipment for their newly appointed Communications and Content Designer. The second was the disbursement of the grant of £35,000 to Trinity School, Sevenoaks. This grant had been agreed in our 2019/20 financial year as matched funding to assist with the building of a chapel at the school. The building was delayed due to the Covid pandemic but the school was able to start the building work during the year and, after confirmation that the matched funding had been provided, the trustees were delighted to be able to complete the grant. The Trust was represented at the opening of the new chapel in July 2022.

Expenditure

Our total expenditure attributable to the year ending 30 June 2022 amounted to £16,684, including the grant to St Nicholas outlined above. The grant to Trinity School was accounted for in 2019/20.

Reserves

The trustees have adopted a policy of maintaining minimum financial reserves of £10,000. The yearend net current assets were £340,960.

Risks

The Risk Register attempts to set out a comprehensive assessment of the risks to which the Trust is exposed. These are analysed according to likelihood of occurrence and potential impact, should they materialise. We have analysed the most significant risks as:

· A material change to applicable government policy or legal or regulatory environment which might inhibit or restrict our activities. We will be monitoring the public policy, legal and regulatory environments and will obtain expert advice as necessary.

· Reputational damage resulting from adverse publicity regarding the purposes and activities of the Trust. While unlikely, we aim to mitigate the risk by monitoring public comment about the Trust or matters that may affect the Trust’s activities and will be prepared to respond as necessary.

· Legal exposure due to a conflict between the Trust’s Christian convictions and English law. Although unlikely, we aim to monitor the applicable legal environment and take advice as necessary.

Page 3

SEVENOAKS GOSPEL TRUST

REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

Risks (continued)

· A health and safety or environmental risk arising out of our ownership of property assets. This will be mitigated by monitoring and complying with health and safety standards, maintaining appropriate records and taking out suitable insurance cover.

While the Covid 19 pandemic clearly created an uncertain environment for charities, the impact on the Trust has been limited. We have not detected a shortfall in donations due to the impact of the pandemic on supporters, nor have we seen an increased demand on our funds from churches or other charities looking for alternative funding sources.

Trustees

The Articles of Association set out the procedures for appointment and retirement of trustees. There has been no change to the trustees during the year. They are Mark Harding (Chairman), Deborah Drury (Company Secretary), Paul Batchelor, Jeremy Marshall and Gavin Watson. Since the year end, John Rees has been appointed as an additional trustee.

One third of trustees are subject to retirement by rotation at each annual general meeting, but are eligible for re-election. At the 2021 annual general meeting, Gavin Watson and Paul Batchelor retired and were re-appointed. Trustees may be appointed by ordinary resolution of the company or by a decision of the trustees themselves.

Achievements and performance and public benefit

Having regard to the purpose of Sevenoaks Gospel Trust as set out above, we believe that our activities during the year have contributed significantly to evangelical Christian ministry in the Sevenoaks area. The lease of 23 Beech Road provides St Nicholas Church with very cost effective and flexible accommodation, together with the opportunity to raise additional rental funds for the church’s general purposes where the property is not immediately required for staff housing.

The grant made to St Nicholas Church enabled it to replace obsolete computers and to provide the new Communications and Content Designer with the IT equipment necessary for her role. By doing so, we facilitated the administration of the church and equipped it to communicate more effectively with church members and the Sevenoaks community.

The grant to Trinity School has a wide public benefit in that it assists in the provision of chapel facilities for a school serving the Sevenoaks area and indirectly in the provision of spiritual and pastoral support for school pupils and staff.

The trustees have had regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.

Page 4

SEVENOAKS GOSPEL TRUST

REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

Responsibilities of directors under company law

The directors are responsible for preparing the trustees' report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company law requires the directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of the affairs of the charitable company as at the balance sheet date and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including income and expenditure, for the financial year. In preparing these financial statements, the directors are required to:

  1. select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently;

  2. observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;

  3. make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

  4. state whether the applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material

departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and

  1. prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume

that the charity will continue in operation.

The directors are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Approval

This report, which has been prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies, was approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by:

Mark Harding

_______ Mark Harding (Chairman)

Date: 27 October 2022

Page 5

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT

TO THE TRUSTEES OF

SEVENOAKS GOSPEL TRUST ('the Company')

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 30 June 2022 on pages 7 to 14 following, which have been prepared on the basis of the accounting policies set out on pages 9 and 10.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity’s trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (‘the 2006 Act’).

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

  2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

  3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair' view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or

  4. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities [applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)].

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.

Archie McDowall

Archie McDowall BA CA Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland

Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage London EC1Y 8AB

Date: 3 November 2022

Page 6

SEVENOAKS GOSPEL TRUST

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

Note
INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM:
Donations and legacies
3
Charitable activities
4
Investments
5
Total income and endowments
EXPENDITURE ON:
Charitable activities:
6
Total expenditure
Net income/(expenditure)
Transfers between funds
12
Net movement in funds
Reconciliation of funds:
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried forward
12
Unrestricted
Funds
£
75,479
15,266
44
90,789
16,684
16,684
74,105
-
74,105
759,498
833,603
Restricted
Funds
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Total
Funds
2022
£
75,479
15,266
44
90,789
16,684
16,684
74,105
-
74,105
759,498
833,603
Total
Funds
2021
£
122,145
15,167
71
137,382
21,112
21,112
116,270
-
116,270
643,228
759,498

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.

All income and expenditure derive from continuing operations.

The statement of financial activities also complies with the requirements for an income and expenditure account required by the Companies Act 2006.

The notes on pages 9-14 form part of these accounts.

Page 7

SEVENOAKS GOSPEL TRUST

BALANCE SHEET

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

Note
FIXED ASSETS
Tangible assets
8
CURRENT ASSETS
Debtors
9
Cash at bank and in hand
10
CREDITORS: Amounts falling
due within one year
11
Net current assets / (liabilities)
Total assets less current liabilities
TOTAL NET ASSETS
FUND BALANCES
12
Unrestricted funds
General funds
Designated funds
Restricted funds
Unrestricted
Funds
£
492,644
492,644
529
342,051
342,580
1,620
340,960
833,603
833,603
833,603
-
833,603
-
833,603
Restricted
Funds
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Total
Funds
2022
£
492,644
492,644
529
342,051
342,580
1,620
340,960
833,603
833,603
833,603
-
833,603
-
833,603
Total
Funds
2021
£
492,644
492,644
287
303,128
303,415
36,560
266,855
759,498
759,498
759,498
-
759,498
-
759,498

The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 30 June 2022.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 30 June 2022 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006 however, in accordance with Section 145 of the Charities Act 2011, the accounts have been examined by an independent examiner and their report has been included in these financial statements.

The directors (who are the charitable company's trustees for the purposes of charity law) acknowledge their responsibilities for:

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Directors and were signed on its behalf by:

_________Mark Harding, ChairmanMark Harding Date: 27 October 2022

Company number: 11371960

Charity number: 1179316

The notes on pages 9-14 form part of these accounts.

Page 8

SEVENOAKS GOSPEL TRUST

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

1 Statutory Information

The charity is a charitable company limited by guarantee and is incorporated in the United Kingdom. The company's registered number and registered office address can be found on the Company Information page.

2 Accounting Policies

These financial statements are prepared on a going concern basis, under the historical cost convention.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the "Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) ("the Charities SORP"), with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland ("FRS 102"), with the Companies Act 2006 and with the Charities Act 2011. The charity meets the definition of a public benefit entity as set out in FRS 102.

The principles adopted in the preparation of the financial statements are set out below.

Income including investment income is recognised in the period in which the charity becomes entitled to receipt, the amount receivable can be measured with reasonable certainty, and receipt is probable. For the most part, income is generally recognised when it is received. Income is only deferred when the charity has to fulfil conditions before becoming entitled to it or where the donor has specified that the income is to be expended in a future period.

Income from donations and legacies includes:

Investment income represents income generated by the charity's assets and includes income from bank interest.

c) Expenditure Expenditure, including irrecoverable VAT, is recognised when it is incurred or, if earlier, when a legal or constructive obligation for a payment arises provided that it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.

The charity makes grants to other institutions and individuals to further its charitable objectives. Grants payable are recognised as constructive obligations arise, which is generally when the charity expresses a commitment to the recipient that can be measured reliably and then only to the extent that any conditions associated with the grant are outside of the control of the charity.

The cost of raising funds is not significant and has not been separately disclosed.

Governance costs, which are included in expenditure on charitable activities but are identified separately in the notes to the accounts, includes costs associated with the independent examination of the financial statements, compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements and any other expenditure incurred on the strategic management of the charity.

Page 9

SEVENOAKS GOSPEL TRUST

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

2 Accounting Policies (continued)

d) Fund accounting

General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity. Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the trustees for particular purposes. Restricted funds are donations which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors; they include donations received from appeals for specific activities or projects. Endowment funds are donations that are retained as capital in accordance with the donor's wishes. The nature of the restriction determines whether the endowments represent permanent endowments or expendable endowments.

e) Tangible fixed assets

Items purchased or donated for the charity's own use are capitalised when the cost of purchased items, or the fair value of donated items, is more than £1,000 and the item is expected to benefit the charity over more than one accounting period. Depreciation is charged on a straight line basis so as to write down the value of each asset to its estimated residual value (if any) over its expected useful economic life. To achieve this objective the following rates of depreciation are charged:

Freehold land Freehold buildings

Is not depreciated (because it is not consumed by use) Are not depreciated (see areas of judgment below)

The carrying values of tangible fixed assets are reviewed for impairment in periods when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable.

f) Taxation

The company is a registered charity; it has taken advantage of the various reliefs from taxation available to charities and no tax is payable on the charity's income.

g) Financial instruments

The charity's financial assets and financial liabilities all qualify as basic financial instruments, as defined by FRS102. Except for loans, creditors and debtors are measured at their expected settlement value (normally the amount of cash that the charity expects to pay or receive). The charity recognises liabilities for the principal of those loans that remains outstanding at the year end (i.e. the liabilities exclude any interest chargeable on the loans in future years).

h) Exemption from preparing a cashflow statement

The charity has taken advantage of an exemption conferred by the Charities SORP and has not prepared a cash flow statement.

i) Critical accounting estimates and areas of judgement ln preparing financial statements certain judgements, estimates and assumptions have to be made that affect the amounts recognised in the financial statements. The trustees consider the following to be significant:

3 Donations and legacies

Donations and grants receivable
Income from charitable activities
Rental property income
Investment income
Bank interest
2022
£
75,479
75,479
2022
£
15,266
15,266
2022
£
44
44
2021
£
122,145
122,145
2021
£
15,167
15,167
2021
£
71
71

4 Income from charitable activities

5 Investment income

Page 10

SEVENOAKS GOSPEL TRUST

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

6 Charitable expenditure

a
Costs incurred directly on specific activities
Grants payable (note 6c)
b
Costs incurred on support & administration
Governance costs
Cost of independent examination
Subscriptions and professional fees
Insurance
Property maintenance
Bank charges and other costs
Total expenditure
2022
£
12,500
12,500
2022
£
1,620
1,620
690
878
900
96
4,184
16,684
2021
£
18,500
18,500
2021
£
1,560
1,560
225
730
-
98
2,612
21,112

In addition to the fees payable for the preparation and examination of the accounts, the charity paid no other fees to Stewardship.

c

Grants payable
Grants for churches
Grants for education
The comparatives for the previous year are as follows:
Grants for churches
Grants for education
The charity's principal grants to institutions comprised:
The PCC of St Nicholas, Sevenoaks
The Cross Teach Trust
Institutions
£
12,500
-
12,500
Institutions
£
12,500
6,000
18,500
Individuals
£
-
-
-
Individuals
£
-
-
-
2022
£
12,500
-
12,500
2022
£
12,500
-
12,500
2021
£
12,500
6,000
18,500
2021
£
12,500
6,000
18,500

7 Analysis of staff costs, the cost of key management personnel and trustee remuneration and expenses

No trustees received employment benefits in either the current or preceding year.

Page 11

SEVENOAKS GOSPEL TRUST

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

8
Tangible fixed assets
Cost
At 1 July 2021
Additions
Disposals
At 30 June 2022
Accumulated depreciation
At 1 July 2021
Charge for the year
At 30 June 2022
Net book value
At 30 June 2022
At 1 July 2021
Freehold
Property
£
492,644
-
-
492,644
-
-
-
492,644
492,644
Total
2022
£
492,644
-
-
492,644
-
-
-
492,644
492,644

During the year to 30 June 2020 a residential property (23 Beech Road Sevenoaks) was purchased and is included in fixed assets at cost, including acquisition and refurbishment costs..

9
Debtors: falling due within one year
Insurance rent receivable
Other debtors
10
Cash at bank and in hand
Cash at bank
11
Creditors: liabilities falling due within one year
Accounts preparation and independent examination
Grant obligations
2022
£
386
144
529
2022
£
342,051
342,051
2022
£
1,620
-
1,620
2021
£
287
-
287
2021
£
303,128
303,128
2021
£
1,560
35,000
36,560

Page 12

SEVENOAKS GOSPEL TRUST

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

12 Funds

During the year the movements in the charity's funds were as follows:

General Unrestricted Funds
Total Funds
Opening
balance
2022
£
759,498
759,498
Incoming
resources
2022
£
90,789
90,789
Outgoing
resources
2022
£
(16,684)
(16,684)
Transfers
in the year
2022
£
-
-
Gains and
losses
2022
£
-
-
Closing
balance
2022
£
833,603
833,603

Analysis of net assets by fund

The assets and liabilities of the various funds were as follows:

Fixed assets
Debtors
Cash at bank and in hand
Current liabilities
In the previous year the movements in the charity's funds
Opening
balance
2021
£
General Unrestricted Funds
643,228
Total Funds
643,228
General
Designated
funds
funds
£
£
492,644
-
529
-
342,051
-
(1,620)
-
833,603
-
were as follows:
Incoming
Outgoing
Transfers
resources
resources
in the year
2021
2021
2021
£
£
£
137,382
(21,112)
-
137,382
(21,112)
-
Unrestricted Funds
Restricted
funds
£
-
-
-
-
-
Gains and
losses
2021
£
-
-
2022
£
492,644
529
342,051
(1,620)
833,603
Closing
balance
2021
£
759,498
759,498

Analysis of net assets by fund

The assets and liabilities of the various funds were as follows:

Fixed assets
Debtors
Cash at bank and in hand
Current liabilities
General
Designated
funds
funds
£
£
492,644
-
287
-
303,128
-
(36,560)
-
759,498
-
Unrestricted Funds
Restricted
funds
£
-
-
-
-
-
2021
£
492,644
287
303,128
(36,560)
759,498

Page 13

SEVENOAKS GOSPEL TRUST

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

13 Transactions with related parties During the year the charity:

14 Events since the year end

None.

15 Members

Each member of the company commits to contribute if the charity is wound up an amount of £10.

Page 14