**St Francis' Community Church (a Charitable Incorporated Organisation)**
## **Financial Statements**
**Year ended 31 December 2021**
## **St Francis' Community Church CIO Year ended 31 December 2021**
## **Contents**
|Report of the Trustees|1-5|
|---|---|
|Accounting policies|6|
|Receipts and Payments Account|7|
|Statement of Assets and Liabilities|8|
|Notes to the accounts|8|
## **St Francis' Community Church CIO Year ended 31 December 2021 Report of the Trustees**
## **The Trustees present their Trustee Annual Report and financial statements for the charity's year ended 31 December 2021.**
This Trustee Annual Report and financial statements comply with the current statutory requirements under the Charities Act 2011 for a smaller CIO (i.e. with gross income less than £250,000) and The Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 as specified under Charity Commission Guidance on charity accounting and reporting (CC15d) and the charity's constitution.
## **Reference and administrative details**
Charity Name: S� Francis� Comm�ni�� Ch�rch Charity Registration number: 1181105 Operational address: 2, Fairway Drive, Chelmsford, Essex, CM3 4FH Trustees: Trustees who served during the period of this report were as follows:
Mr Joel Gowan Mr John Bloomer (Secretary) Revd Susan Iskander (Chair) Revd Daniel Pierce (ex officio) Revd Jacqui Pearson Revd Carolyn Tibbott (resigned 17 February 2021) Revd Emma Wylie Bankers: CAF Bank Ltd 25 Kings Hill Avenue, West Malling, Kent ME19 4JQ
## **Exemptions from disclosure**
There are no exemptions from disclosure.
## **Objectives and Activities**
## **a) Purposes**
The objects of the charity as outlined in our Constitution are:
Within the four ecclesiastical parishes of Boreham, Broomfield, North Springfield, and Great and Little Leighs and Little Waltham, in Chelmsford Essex:
(1) to advance the Christian faith for the benefit of the public in accordance with the beliefs, doctrines and practices of the Church of England,
(a) by means of broadcasting messages of an evangelistic and teaching nature, and
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(b) through the holding of public worship, prayer meetings, lectures, producing and/or distributing literature, holding and facilitating church and community events and activities to enlighten others about the Christian faith;
(2) to develop the capacity and skills of the community in such a way that they are better able to identify, and help meet, their needs and to participate more fully in society.
## **b) Main activities undertaken to further the charities purposes to the public benefit:**
i) advancing the Christian Faith:
- growing a new worshipping Christian community within the new housing areas of Beaulieu and The Channels supported by a Lead Minister
- creating a daily opportunity to gather, for either prayer together, learning together, friendship or community action
- collaborating with the churches of the North Chelmsford Mission and Ministry Partnership (NCMMP) in relation to mission, ministry and pastoral care
ii) developing the capacity and skills of the community
- providing activities, advocacy and support to benefit social cohesion and community capacity
- providing opportunities for individual members of the community to engage in activities with other community members and work together as a community
- helping to open and run the new Beaulieu community centre
- looking out for ways to grow neighbourliness, empower those in the community to effect positive change, engage those who are socially and economically disadvantaged, and create a culture of kindness on our estates
- � developing a prominent and active social media presence to support our community capacity building activities.
- engaging with the whole of the community we serve and in meeting their needs as we find them, helping and enabling people to help themselves with a particular focus on those who are suffering injustice, or who are economically or socially disadvantaged.
## **c) Charit� Commission�s g�idance on p ublic benefit**
The Trustees confirm that they have had due regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit (specifically the public benefit guides PB1, PB2 and PB3) when making decisions they are relevant to.
## **Achievements and performance**
i) advancing the Christian Faith:
It has been an extremely challenging year post pandemic. Sadly, Re��d Emma stepped back from her role in St Francis � Community Church for personal reasons (but she remains a Trustee). We miss her greatly but understand entirely. She moves on with our respect and affection . Re��d Jacq�i�s c�rac� will come to an end in 2022 and she will then depart at some point in the future. She �oo �ill be grea�l� missed. Re��d Dan has ongoing concerns �i�h Chronic Fatigue. All this to say, our capacity has shrunk somewhat and will shrink further.
- As we look forward to 2022, we will review ho� �e organi�e o�r �ario�s S� Francis� home groups, potentially consolidating them into one.
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We have reduced our online output given the opportunities to come together and due to the reduction in capacity. We discovered that a number of people had used our online output as a window to St Francis � during the pandemic which has led to more and more in-person interaction now that we have regular gatherings.
St Francis � has continued to work in collaboration with the member churches of the North Chelmsford Mission and Ministry Partnership. We are currently exploring ways in which we can sustainably share ministry not least because the new Chelmsford Garden Community development will link up many of the MMP conurbations.
ii) developing the capacity and skills of the community:
Our partnership with Chelmsford Trussell Trust Foodbank has led to a permanent Foodbank centre in our neighbourhood centre. We provide food parcels to local families on a Friday afternoon. We are also abo�� �o open o�r �in�er ��arm Space� drop in �hich � ill operate at the same time.
St Francis � Sunday Kitchen project has continued to provide a meal for local families one Sunday a month.
St Francis' have continued to help create, promote and deliver large community events. The Hallo�een �Hidden Sain�s �rail� is ge��ing bigger e�er� �ear pro�iding a safe and famil� appropria�e al�erna�i�e �o ��rick or �rea�ing�. This has worked really well with young families, and well over 500 children with parents/carers took up the trail on Halloween night 2021.
During the Christmas season of 2021 we provided 50 large Hampers to struggling local residents (mainly families).
St Francis' has well established a community market for local producers to exhibit and sell their products. The MiniMarket Beaulieu charges a modest pitch fee from its vendors, the proceeds of which go towards local charities. Our Christmas market 2021 saw hundreds come through the doors.
Our next major project in partnership with Chelmsford Foodbank, the City Council and various village halls and churches is to establish a mobile social supermarket. This will involve our van delivering low-cost food to venues in centres of community, which will be voluntary run as �shops� for a fe� ho�rs once a �eek. The �an �ill also ha�e facili�� for serving hot drinks and work as a signpost (soft threshold) to the venue.
## **Financial review**
The primary sources of income for the CIO during the period were grant funding of £6,590 (2020 £1,308) from the Chelmsford Diocesan Board of Finance (CDBF) and £3,919 from a number of funders for the Sunday Kitchen activity; Planned Giving (through the Parish Giving Scheme) and donations of £4,215; and £199 (2020 £398) in fees for performance at funerals. The Community Centre was paid the agreed £12,000 contribution for use by the CIO, and other expenditure totaling £6,055 was mainly spent on church activities and small items of equipment (2020 mainly website costs £2,616).
On behalf of the NCMMP, the CIO took the bookings for a retreat at Othona and paid out an equal amount in necessary expenses.
The Trustees are very grateful to Essex Association of Local Councils, Chelmsford CVS, and Essex County Council for the grants supporting the work of the Sunday Kitchen.
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The Church Commissioners � funding from its Strategic Development Fund will continue into 2023. This funding covers the stipend of the Lead Minister (1wte) and the Assistant Pioneer Minister (0.5wte), the latter post being shared with the local Mission and Ministry Partnership (NCMMP, 0.5wte). The Assistant Pioneer Minister left the role with the CIO at the end of 2021 and is unlikely to be replaced. The funding of these roles continued to be implemented through the Diocesan clergy payroll and does not impact the accounts of the CIO. In addition, the CDBF has provided funds for certain ministry expenses up to 2023.
The Trustees aim to retain sufficient free reserves to satisfy the modest levels of assets and liabilities of the charity. Unrestricted reserves of £6,829 were held at 31 December 2021. Given the re-confirmation of SDF funding for another two years, the outlook for the CIO is positive in the short- to medium-term and in the opinion of the Trustees it remains a going concern. Options and plans to ensure the longer- �erm s�s�ainabili�� of S� Francis� continue to be actively considered.
The key risks identified are:
- that funding from the Church Commissioners is withdrawn. Re-confirmation of SDF funding until 2023 provides mitigation of this risk. However, SDF funding beyond 2023 is deemed unlikely.
- that a major safeguarding incident occurs resulting in reputational damage to the charity with knock-on implications for growth and finance. Safeguarding continues to be at the heart of St Francis' Community Church: all diocesan policies, procedures and best practice are followed and are regularly reviewed.
- that church growth does not occur as planned and/or giving levels do not increase as anticipated thereby jeopardising the journey towards financial sustainability. The St Francis� �eam is working with the NCMMP Council and the Diocese on options to underpin the sustainab ili�� of S� Francis� pos� end of SDF f�nding in 2023 .
## **Covid-19**
As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Church of England and the Diocese of Chelmsford, continue to be under significant financial pressure. A process of reduction of stipendiary clergy posts originally intended to be completed over a number of years has been accelerated. While funding for St Francis � will come from outside the Diocese until 2023, the NCMMP Council will consider and develop options to adapt to the level of resources likely to be available to it in the short-mid term, also taking into account their responsibility for funding St Francis� from 2023/24.
## **Funds held as custodian Trustee on behalf of others**
The charity and its Trustees are not acting as custodian Trustees on behalf of others.
## **Structure, governance and management**
St Francis' Community Church is a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO), and was entered onto the Register of Charities on 11 December 2018. Its governing document is its CIO Constitution (foundation model).
Regarding recruitment and appointment of new charity trustees, the Constitution provides that there shall be not less than four and no more than eleven appointed trustees and one ex officio trustee, being the Lead Minister of St Francis' Community Church. New trustees shall be appointed by resolution at a properly convened meeting of trustees for a term of three years. Retiring trustees are eligible for reappointment unless they have already served for three consecutive terms. They may then be reappointed after an interval of at least one year.
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## **Statement of Trustees' responsibilities**
The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
As the income of the charity is below the £25,000 threshold no external scrutiny is required.
## **Approved on 16[th] September 2022 and signed on behalf of the Trustees by:**
Trustee Name: John M. Bloomer Date: 16 September 2022
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## **St Francis' Community Church CIO Year ended 31 December 2021**
## **Accounting Policies**
1. St Francis' Community Church is a charitable incorporated organisation registered with the Charity Commission in England and Wales. (Register number 1181105)
## 2. Accounting convention
As the income level is below £250,000, these financial statements are prepared on a receipts and payments basis under the historical cost convention and in accordance with the rules applicable to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation under the Charities Act 2011.
## 3. Assets
Purchases of items of fixtures, fittings, or equipment costing more than £1,000 are capitalised and depreciated on a straight line basis over 4 years. Items costing less than £1,000 are written off in the year of purchase.
4. As a charity, St Francis' Community Church is not liable for Corporation Tax, but has no VAT status and must bear this as charged.
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## **St Francis' Community Church CIO Year ended 31 December 2021**
## **Receipts and Payments**
|**eipts and Payments**||
|---|---|
|Note
Receipts
Funding from Chelmsford Diocese
PGS giving (incl GA)
Sundry donations
Grants for Sunday Kitchen
4
Funeral fees
Deposits re Othona for
NCMMP
Payments
Community Centre
I-Pads etc
MS office/Zoom subs
re Sunday Kitchen
Banner
Insurance
CCS course fee
re Othona retreat for NCMMP
Halloween Hidden Saints�Trail
Secretarial fees
Website
Leaders lunch meeting
Bank Charges
Surplus (Deficit)
Opening balance
Closing balance|2021
_2020_
Unrestricted
Restricted
Total
_Total_
£
£
_£_
2,590
4,000
6,590_1,308_
2,915
-
2,915_-_
1,300
-
1,300_-_
-
3,919
3,919_-_
199
-
199_398_
-
1,410
1,410-|
||7,004
9,329
16,333
1,706
-
12,000
12,000 -
1,056
-
1,056 -
196
-
196 -
-
3,626
3,626 -
78
-
78 -
392
-
392_389_
300
-
300_-_
-
1,410
1,410_-_
138
138
140
-
140_-_
-
-
-_2,616_
33
-
33_-_
96
-
96 _60_|
||2,429
17,036
19,465_3,065_|
||4,575
(7,707)
(3,132)
_(1,359)_
2,254
8,000
10,254_11,613_|
||6,829
293
7,122_10,254_|
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## **Statement of Assets and Liabilities**
Represented by Bank balance
6,829 293 7,122 _10,254_
**St Francis' Community Church CIO Year ended 31 December 2021**
## **Note to the accounts**
1. There were no guarantees given by St Francis' Community Church.
2. There were no outstanding debts at the accounting date, secured on any asset of St Francis' Community Church.
3. There were no transactions between related parties during the year.
4. Grants and donations of £3,919 were received during the year towards the costs of the Sunday Kitchen initiative, including £1,975 from the Essex Association of Local Councils, £1,224 from Chelmsford CVS, £570 from Essex County Council, and a donation of £150. Of these £293 remains in a restricted fund at the year end.
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