St Francis' Community Church (a Charitable Incorporated Organisation)
Financial Statements
Year ended 31 December 2022
1 | P a g e
St Francis' Community Church CIO Year ended 31 December 2022
Contents
| Report of the Trustees | 3-7 |
|---|---|
| Accounting policies | 8 |
| Receipts and Payments Account | 9 |
| Statement of Assets and Liabilities | 9 |
| Notes to the accounts | 10 |
2 | P a g e
St Francis' Community Church CIO Year ended 31 December 2022 Report of the Trustees
The Trustees present their Trustee Annual Report and financial statements for the charity's year ended 31 December 2022.
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: St Francis’ Community Church 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: Revd Daniel Pierce (Chair from 31 October 2022) Revd Susan Iskander (Chair until resignation 31 October 2022) Mr Andy Butt (appointed 21 June 2022 and Secretary from 30 September 2022) Mr John Bloomer (Secretary until resignation 30 September 2022) Mr Joel Gowen Revd Jacqui Pearson Revd Emma Wylie Mr Andrew Drake (appointed 9 February 2023) Ms Katie Gauden (appointed 9 February 2023)
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
3 | P a g e
(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) Charity Commissions guidance on public 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
In 2022 we consolidated our home groups into one that meets at the vicarage with a view to one day expanding again. Rev’d Jacqui Pearson ended her curacy and took on a title role elsewhere in the Diocese. Rev’d Dan continued to struggle with chronic fatigue. We kept both St Francis outdoors and St Francis kitchen going. We continued with our focal events within the wider community. Our Hidden Saints’ Trail was massive as we saw well over 500 people come through. It was great to be a Christian presence and bless the community with a fun alternative to Halloween. We had a nativity photo booth at the Beaulieu Mini Market that we help organise.
Rev’d Dan became vicar to the six village churches north of the new housing development. We hope that collaboration and consolidation of resources will aid the work of St Francis, be mutually beneficial and ultimately build our capacity to serve this wider area. The village churches occupy areas of countryside into which the new housing development that is now Beaulieu and Channels will grow. This will be called Chelmsford Garden Community. This expansion will mean a new parish council in 2023 which will impact the running of the community centre we use currently helped by Springfield Parish Council. We currently use the centre for services and events for free but this may change in
4 | P a g e
- It is anticipated this change of roles for Rev’d Dan will have an impact upon the time he is able to spend with St Francis therefore we have not instigated any especially new ventures at this time.
ii) Developing the capacity and skills of the community:
Perhaps our biggest piece of work in 2022 was a scoping exercise into a mobile social supermarket. With rising fuel and food costs bringing a cost-of-living crisis we perceived an opportunity to meet the growing needs. The Chelmsford food alliance which is a partnership body for all those trying to alleviate food poverty did a study and felt that a mobile provision was a good idea. The Trussel Trust Chelmsford foodbank were taking a lead but having enjoyed a good partnership with them throughout Covid they felt it would be better for St Francis to take the lead. We went with them to check out a few similar projects elsewhere in the county and country. The idea is to provide a mobile food market that pops up in village, church or school halls. We would offer food at cost or greatly reduced prices. This is aimed to be a helping hand with people’s weekly shop giving them the dignity of choosing and buying their own food.
We helped put together a grant application to the local council as seedbed money for this project and awaited their response. We approached various venues and other potential stakeholders to pitch them the idea with many positive responses. We hope the project will begin in 2023.
Financial review
The primary sources of income for the CIO during the period were grant funding of £999 (2021 £6,590) from the Chelmsford Diocesan Board of Finance (CDBF); Planned Giving (through the Parish Giving Scheme) and donations of £5,231 (2021 £4,215); and £206 (2021 £199) in fees for performance at funerals. In 2021 there was also £3,919 from a number of funders for the Sunday Kitchen activity.
Expenditure totaling £1,113 (2021 £6,055) was mainly spent on church activities. In 2021 the Community Centre was paid the agreed £12,000 contribution for use by the CIO.
The Church Commissioners’ funding from its Strategic Development Fund will continue into 2023. This funding covers the stipend of the Lead Minister (1wte). The funding of this role 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 £12,335 were held at 31 December 2022 (2021 £6,829). Given the re-confirmation of SDF funding for another year, the outlook for the CIO is positive in the short term and in the opinion of the Trustees it remains a going concern. Options and plans to ensure the longer-term sustainability of St Francis’ continue to be actively considered.
Key Risks section
The key risks identified are:
-
Withdrawal of church commissioners funding. The strategic development fund will support us no further than 2023 so we must mitigate this drop-in financial support.
-
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.
-
Giving within the life of st francis has been very poor and may impact our ability to continue.
-
The Bishops Mission Order will need to be extended and may not be.
-
Rev’d Dans change of roles is a risk as he will have greater responsibility and be spread thinly .
-
Rev’d Dans health continues to be poor. Treatment being sought.
5 | P a g e
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.
6 | P a g e
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 31[st] October 2023, and signed on behalf of the Trustees by:
Trustee Name: Andy Drake Date: 31[st] October, 2023
7 | P a g e
St Francis' Community Church CIO Year ended 31 December 2022
Accounting Policies
- 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.
- As a charity, St Francis' Community Church is not liable for Corporation Tax, but has no VAT status and must bear this as charged.
8 | P a g e
St Francis' Community Church CIO
Year ended 31 December 2022
Receipts and Payments
| Notes Receipts Funding from Chelmsford Diocese PGS giving (incl GA) Sundry Donations Grants for Sunday Kitchen 4 Funeral fees Deposits re Othona for NCMMP Bank interest Refund re admin fee Payments Community Centre i-Pads etc MS ofce/Zoom subs re Sunday Kitchen Banner Insurance Re CCS course fee re Othona retreat for NCMMP Halloween Hidden Saints Trail Administration Leaders lunch meeting Printer Bank Charges Surplus (Defcit) Opening balance Closing balance Statement of Assets and Liabilities Represented by Bank balance |
2022 2021 Unrestricted Restricted Total Total £ £ £ 999 - 999 6,590 4,066 - 4,066 2,915 1,165 - 1,165 1,300 - - - 3,919 206 - 206 199 - - - 1,410 10 - 10 - 140 - 140 - |
|---|---|
| 6,586 - 6,586 16,333 63 - 63 12,000 - - - 1,056 - - - 196 - 33 33 3,626 - - - 78 391 - 391 392 - - - 300 - - - 1,410 84 - 84 138 290 - 290 140 - - - 33 171 - 171 - 81 - 81 96 |
|
| 1,080 33 1,113 19,465 |
|
| 5,506 (33) 5,473 (3,132) 6,829 293 7,122 10,254 |
|
| 12,335 260 12,595 7,122 |
|
| 12,335 260 12,595 7,122 |
9 | P a g e
St Francis' Community Church CIO Year ended 31 December 2022 Notes to the accounts
-
There were no guarantees given by St Francis' Community Church.
-
There were no outstanding debts at the accounting date, secured on any asset of St Francis' Community Church.
-
There were no transactions between related parties during the year.
-
Grants and donations of £3,919 were received in 2021 towards the costs of the Sunday Kitchen initiative. Of these £260 remains in a restricted fund at the year end.
10 | P a g e