## **ST JOHN'S UNITED REFORMED CHURCH CHARITY**
**Charity Registration Number: 1179741**
**Trustees' Report and Unaudited Accounts**
**Year Ended 31 December 2024**
**ST JOHN'S UNITED REFORMED CHURCH CHARITY**
## **Legal and Administrative Information**
## **Trustees:**
Alison Ensor Lilian Evans The Revd. James Fields Iain Steel Alistair Todd Lorna Todd Sheila Wheeler Dr John Wise **Charity Number:** 1179741 **Principal Address:** St John’s URC Hallowell Road Northwood HA6 1 DN **Bank:** Barclays Bank Leicester LE87 2BB
**ST JOHN'S UNITED REFORMED CHURCH CHARITY**
## **Trustees Annual Report Year Ended 31 December 2024**
## **Objectives and Activities**
The object of the charity is the advancement of the Christian faith for the benefit of the public in accordance with the scheme of union of the United Reformed Church.
The charity offers regular Church services which are open to all. These services are held at St John’s United Reformed Church in Northwood and occasionally at St Martin’s United Reformed Church in South Oxhey. Church members are encouraged to undertake further study to enhance understanding of the Christian faith.
The Church buildings at both St John’s and St Martin’s are available for hire by the community and the Board of Trustees are responsible for maintaining the fabric of these buildings.
## **Achievements and Performance**
During 2024 the St. John’s elders held five meetings. Elders attended all meetings in person. At these meetings reports were received on arrangements for worship, property maintenance, finance, and pastoral care of the congregation.
During the year St John’s:
- Confirmed that the church would continue to be known as St John’s United Reformed Church, Northwood, following the amalgamation of St John’s URC with Eastcote Northwood Hills URC.
- Evolved arrangements for Sunday worship when a minister or lay preacher could not attend.
- Concluded arrangements with Thames North Trust for the drawdown of interest from St John’s funds held in Trust.
- Continued to work with Seabrook Architects to prepare for the remodeling of the side chapel. Progress included securing planning permission and the appointment of a specialist Quantity Surveyor and engineering consultants for the project.
- Installed new sound speakers in the Well and Upper Room and completed repairs to the Tara guttering and footpath leading to the Church car park.
- Introduced arrangements for the payment of Performing Rights fees for concerts and recitals held at St John’s.
- Completed redecoration and repairs to the Manse at St Martin’s URC, prior to the commencement of a new tenancy in the property.
- Continued to support the work of Community Learning Partnership, based at St Martin’s South Oxhey.
## **Financial review**
Income from offerings rose slightly from £16,678 in 2023 to £17,058 in 2024. The trustees are grateful for those who continue to give to the church. Income from property lettings showed a further increase from £106,818 to £111,081. St John’s and St Martin’s continued to make contributions to the central URC’s Ministry & Mission fund and in 2024 this totaled £27,489 for the 2 churches. These contributions were made from the churches’ own funds for the first 7 months of the year. Further contributions for the last 5 months were made
## **ST JOHN'S UNITED REFORMED CHURCH CHARITY**
from the proceeds of the sale of the Northwood Hills URC building. These proceeds are held in trust for the church by the Thames North Trust of the United Reformed Church.
Church building costs increased by just under £20,000 compared with 2023.
There was a surplus of £56,570 on unrestricted funds and a deficit of £2,729 on restricted funds giving an overall surplus of £53,841 with total reserves increasing to £82,200
## **Reserves policy**
The trustees review the charity’s unrestricted reserves on an annual basis and aim to maintain 6 months of unrestricted fund expenditure. As at 31 December 2024 the unrestricted reserves amounted to £82,200.
## **Structure, governance and management**
The elders of St John’s United Reformed Church serve as trustees of the charity and they oversee the activities of the church in accordance with the provisions of The Structure of the United Reformed Church determined by General Assembly of the United Reformed Church and supplemented by the rules of St John’s Church. The governing document of the registered charity is a statement adopted by the Church Meeting on 29 April 2018. The trustees are responsible for the financial administration of the Church and the care and maintenance of Church premises and the manses. The trustees meet 5 or 6 times a year.
## **Conclusion**
The Trustees approved this Report on 2 September 2025
Signed on behalf of the Trustees
Dr John Wise Chair
**ST JOHN'S UNITED REFORMED CHURCH CHARITY**
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF ST JOHN’S UNITED REFORMED CHURCH**
I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of St John’s United Reformed Church (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31 December 2022.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity’s trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
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 145(5)(b) of the Act.
## **Independent examiner's statement**
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in any material respect:
- accounting records were not kept 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 ‘true and fair’ 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 financial statements to be reached.
Name: John Samson Chartered Accountant (South Africa) Date: 8 September 2025
ST JOHN'S UNITED REFORMED CHURCH Income and Expenditure For the year ended 31 December 2024
|**Notes**
**Income**
Offerings
Grants Received
Donations
Gift Aid reclaimed
Legacies
Property Lettings
3
Synod Contribution
to property costs
Investment Income
Insurance Claim
Synod drawdown
Other
**TOTAL INCOME**
**Expenses**
Contributions to Central
URC Funds
Ministry & Worship
Programme Costs
Church Administration
4
Church running costs
5
Church building costs
Manse building costs
Insurance
Synod Loan repayment
Other
**TOTAL EXPENSES**
Surplus / (Deficit) for
the year
Fund balances as at
1 January 2024
Fund balances as at
31 December 2024|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**2024 Total**
**Funds**
**2023**
**Total Funds**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
17,058
17,058
16,678
0
0
0
3,067
3,067
14,799
4,172
4,172
3,756
8,500
8,500
2,000
111,081
111,081
106,818
16,342
16,342
33,946
42,443
5
42,448
21,863
52
52
1,622
46,450
46,450
64,950
11,598
11,598
0|
|---|---|
||260,763
5
265,768
266,431|
||27,489
27,489
74,174
13,469
13,469
11,517
0
909
909
6,472
30,291
30,291
22,800
37,956
37,956
37,872
66,067
66,067
46,216
17,351
17,351
59,241
6,996
6,996
11,754
0
0
20,000
4,574
1,825
6,399
16,185|
||204,193
2,734
206,927
306,231|
||56,570
-2,729
53,841
-39,798
25,630
2,729
28,359
68,157
82,200
0
82,200
28,359|
## ST JOHN'S UNITED REFORMED CHURCH CHARITY
## Assets Liabilities
For the year ending 31 December 2024
|**MONETARY ASSETS**
Bank current account
Deposit Accounts
Total monetary assets
**OTHER ASSETS**
Gift Aid recoverable
Investments at market value|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**2024 Total**
**Funds**
**2023 Total**
**Funds**
74,756
74,756
21,135
7,444
7,444
7,223|
|---|---|
||82,200
82,200
28,358|
||4,236
0
4,236
4,172
61,800
0
61,800
60,434|
||66,036
0
66,036
64,606|
Approved by the Trustees on 2 September 2025 And signed on their behalf
Dr John Wise Church secretary
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ST JOHN'S UNITED REFORMED CHURCH CHARITY Notes to the financials
For the year ended 31 December 2024
## **1 Accounting policies**
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities Act 1993 Section 42(3), using the Receipts and Payments basis available to small charities and the United Reformed Church guidance.
## **2 Fund Accounting**
Unrestricted funds may be used by the church for any of its ordinary purposes. Designated funds represent unrestricted funds set aside by the church for specific designated purposes; they can be transferred back into general funds at the church's discretion. Restricted funds represent income which may be expended only on those restricted objects provided in the terms of a trust or bequest, or donations or grants received or invited for a specific purpose. These funds can only be spent on the specific purpose for which they were given. Any balance remaining unspent must be carried forward as a balance on that fund for future expenditure on that specific purpose or returned; it cannot be absorbed into general funds. The following were restricted funds:
## **Fund name**
|St John's Friends
Benevolent Fund
Community Enhancement
Fund
**Total**|**Balance**
**b/fwd**
**Receipts in**
**the year**
**Payments in**
**the year**
**Transfers**
**between**
**funds**
**Balance**
**C/Fwd**
909
-
909
-
0
1,801
5
1,806
-
0
19
-
19
-
0|
|---|---|
||**2,729**
**5**
**2,734**
**-**
**2,734**|
## **3 Property Income**
|Playgroup Rents
Halls & other rental Income
**Total**|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**2024 Total**
**Funds**
**2023 Total**
**Funds**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
22,566
-
22,566
21,522
88,515
-
88,515
85,296|
|---|---|
||**111,081**
**-**
**111,081**
106,818|
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## ST JOHN'S UNITED REFORMED CHURCH CHARITY
## Notes to the financials
For the year ended 31 December 2024
## **4 Administration Costs**
|Wages
Telephone
Stationery & Photocopier
Equipment Purchases
**Total**
**5 Running Costs**
Utilities
Cleaning
Caretaker
**Total**
**6 Other Costs**
Eastcote & Northwood Hills URC
Legal Fees
OMT Lunch
Coffee Machine
Loan Interest
Donations||**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**2024 Total**
**Funds**
**2023 Total**
**Funds**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
24,947
-
24,947
19,298
1,367
-
1,367
1,152
3,977
-
3,977
2,349
0
-
0|
|---|---|---|
|||**30,291**
**-**
**30,291**
**22,799**|
|||**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**2024 Total**
**Funds**
**2023 Total**
**Funds**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
26,952
-
26,952
11,743
11,004
-
11,004
10,416
0
-
0
166|
|||**37,956**
**-**
**37,956**
**22,325**|
|||**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**2024 Total**
**Funds**
**2023 Total**
**Funds**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
-
-
3,225
-
-
1,597
-
-
1,991
-
-
7,878
-
-
711
4,574
4,574
782
4,574
0
4,574
16,184|
## **7 Funds held by Thames North Trust**
The halls at St John’s were sold on 30 August 2023 for £1,064,550. The proceeds of the sale are held in trust by the Thames North Trust of the United Reformed Church and can be drawn on by the church to cover various expenses. During 2023 St John’s completed the amalgamation with Northwood Hills URC, the merging of the accounts and assets of the two churches, and the sale of Northwood Hills URC on 14 December 2023 for £2,702,119. The proceeds of this sale are also held by Thames North Trust and have been used since August 2024 to pay the St John’s contribution to the M & M Fund of the United Reformed Church. As at 31 December 2024 the total value of funds held in trust for St John’s by Thames North Trust amounted to £8,203,799
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