## **Leaside Church** ## **Trustees Report for the year ending 31[st] August 2025** **1. Objectives and activities** In setting our objectives and planning our activities the Church Council, comprising representatives from the Methodist and United Reform Churches, meets bimonthly under the leadership of the Minister in Pastoral Charge. The General Church Meeting normally takes place every four months as a forum for all members and friends. Our mission is to be a welcoming and caring church in the community and a visible expression of God’s inclusive love. We aim to achieve this by developing the worship, learning, social and outreach activities that currently exist, and by seeking new ways to extend to others the fellowship of the Church family. ## **2. Achievements and performance** The Church funds and grants made to other bodies are all detailed in the Church accounts. The policy of the Managing Trustees on grant making is to ensure that all applicants can demonstrate public benefit and show imagination and creativity as well as a perceived need for that for which the grant is being applied. Over the year, Leaside Church has provided regular acts of public worship on Sundays and other significant days of the Christian year. The Sunday services were varied and well supported. An increasing number attended, both physically and online. Leaside Church has joined with the members of other churches in Ware to organise and celebrate other Christian services including Week of Christian Unity, Good Friday, World Day of Prayer, and Remembrance Sunday. The Church provides opportunities for Christian education and companionship through its regular Bible Study Group (CLOWNS). 1 The Leaside Under Fives Kindergarten has continued to meet on the premises, along with many other organisations within the community., The church has a good presence in the community. This has led to many programmes and activities that have helped to pastor and support members of the community. They included: - The Minister and group of pastoral carers ensuring regular contacts with members of the congregation, especially those with particular needs. The Minister and the pastoral carers met regularly. - The church providing facilities with a Christian Ethos particularly through weekly community drop in, including bereavement support, refreshments, and bric-a-brac. Regular visitors included a group of special needs young adults with their carers. The Police Community Support Officers also visited regularly. - Basic safety measures were kept in place for all users of the premises - engaging in regular maintenance of the premises during the year. - Church members involving in outreach activities in Ware such as Ware Food Bank and Fairtrade Town. - Hosting the Ware Christmas Tree Festival in December. Many different community groups including schools brought their trees for display. The prayer tree gave visitors the opportunity to add their concerns. - Organising our popular Strawberry Tea on Ware Carnival Day in July. - Supporting other charities in the U.K. and overseas. Collections for charities were taken during the monthly Holy Communion services and on other occasions as appropriate. ## **2.1 Plans for future years** Encourage initiatives for mission in the community. For example, organising an ecumenical Prayer Walk. The church also intends to appoint a Mission Enabler who will facilitate the mission work of the church. It is also considering employing a facilities manager. Both roles will be supported financially from the Eastern Synod (URC) and the Herts and Essex Border Circuit (Methodist Church) Support Churches Together in Ware. Ensure that all those required to do so should attend appropriate safeguarding training. 2 ## **3. Financial Review** Please see the accompanying accounts. The Managing Trustees have every reason to believe that the Church is a going concern. Trustees do not foresee any factors that will significantly affect the financial performance or position in the next year or two. The church’s principal sources of funds are from the free-will gifts of the members of the congregation, fund-raising events, rent of a manse, and the hire of the church halls. ## **3.1 Investment policy and performance** Monies for long-term investment are lodged with the Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes (TMCP). These sums are invested in unitised investments or held on deposit. The investment returns are close to tracking the movements on the FTSE100 index. The deposit mirrors the deposit rates available elsewhere. The Managing Trustees’ investment policy is aligned with that of the CFB and TMCP because these organisations take into consideration the social, environmental, and ethical considerations, both negatively and positively, that make investments suitable for the Church. Short term deposits are lodged directly with the Central Finance Board (CFB) and attract good rates of interest. ## **4. Trustees’ Responsibilities** For each fiscal year ending on 31st August, the Managing Trustees are required to prepare financial statements that give a true and fair view of the Church’s financial activities during the year and of its financial position at the end of the year. In preparing these financial statements the Managing Trustees must: - Select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently. - Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent. - Follow applicable accounting standards. - Prepare accounts using The Charity Commission Standard Form of Accounts. The Managing Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the 3 church and enable them to ensure that financial statements comply with the law. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the church and hence taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. ## **4.1 Risk** The Church is largely risk averse. ## **5. Structure, governance and management** ## **5.1 Structure** Leaside Church is part of the Herts and Essex Border Circuit of the Methodist Church and the Eastern Synod of the United Reformed Church. As such it is represented on the Circuit Meeting which meets four times a year and the Eastern Synod which meets twice a year. Overall regulatory authority rests with the Methodist Conference and URC General Assembly. ## **5.2 Purpose of the Church** The primary purpose of Leaside Church is to advance the Christian faith by providing opportunities for worship, Christian nurture, and fellowship within the wider Ware Community. ## **5.3 Governance** The Church operates within a statutory framework of regulation and seeks to ensure that it follows Methodist Standing Orders and the URC ‘The Manual’. The members of the Church Council are appointed by the Annual Church Meeting. The Minister is ex officio chair of the Church Council. The Church Council normally meets six times per year and deals with routine and exceptional matters. It oversees the work of other groups within the life of the Church. **5.4 Responsibilities of the Church Council** The responsibilities of the Church Council and other committees are set out in the Constitution. Due notice is taken of Methodist Standing Orders and the URC Manual. ## **6. Reference and Administrative Details** ## 6.1 **Name of the Church** Leaside Church 4 ## 6.2 **Charity Registration number** 1181223 ## **6.3 Superintendent Minister** The Revd Dr. Frank Okai-Sam ## **6.4 Minister in Pastoral Charge** The Revd Dr. Frank Okai-Sam **6.5 Names of Managing Trustees** Frank Okai-Sam, Wendy Cooper, Gill Davis, Christine Edwards, Tony Gubb, Pauling Pickering, Elizabeth Stockdale, Graham Watson, Stephen Brazier, Mary Pick. ## **6.6 Independent Examiner** Christopher Errington 5 Leaside Church Charity No. 1181223 End of Year Financial Statements Year ending 31st August 2025 Page I Leaside Church ststement of Finan¢lal Activtties For the ￿riod fr0rn 01 September 2024 to 31 August 2025 Totsl fvnds Prjor year totsl funds fvnds Ivnds funds Incomeand •ntYowfflwts from.. Donation5 Investments Other incorne Offerin9S •Aanse Lettin Js Development Scherne Spec Collections Fund RaBing Communion Fund 2.055 9.609 420 27,999 14,496 49,245 2.220 9.462 360 30.965 829 46,369 14,498 49.245 734 3,694 702 2.478 2.478 708 Total incomo 105.945 2313 108,158 95.337 E¥p8n¢lltur• on.. ot￿r eynditure Minkstry Manse ML8sion Church Ha51s Development Scheme Building Maintenance Worship Communion Fund 3.198 25.205 1,071 3.198 25.205 1.071 3,041 23,10D 1.042 49 31,336 25 620 707 707 14.836 14.836 16.017 Total expendF￿Ve Gains I losses on investry*rt assets 91.019 92,569 76,456 Net Incomg 11oxponditurnl wour¢88 b&f￿E tranj 14.925 15.509 18,881 Transfers Gross transfe￿ betfften fiJnts- in Gros5 transfers bettheen funds- otrt 64.252 (ll.8091 73.(181 (73.C611 240.316 1240.3161 12521 Gains on revaluatKJn. fix8d 8$5ets. chaws use Net movem•rtt in funds 9.220 15.569 18.881 Rec¢7nclll81ion of lunds T•tsi lund8 brought forwar 16.818 20Y.161 Totsi fund8 carriwl fonvard 215.592 26.039 241,632 226,042 21 Octoter2025 Page 1 L••$ide Church Balance Sheet detailed Asat 3110812025 Asat 3110812024 Gurrnnt a88ets 9.428.18 f1.252.53 9)25". Cash n Hand 5100.. CFB Deposrt" A¢Munt 5150." Pety Cash Z32.203.91 214.790.32 241.632.09 226,042.85 Liabil0￿ l.. Ea5tem sy￿￿1 k)an 81CQ.. HAEBEA Loon 82W." CorrfJregatioft LoarLS- 1 year 83CQ." CorrfJregatb)n Loans. 2 year5 84(Kl". COr¥JWatN￿ Loan8. 3 year5 85￿).. cO￿jre9•ti￿ Loan5. 5 s*ars l.. C￿vre92t￿ Loans. 10 ￿arS Total Llablllb88 241.832.09 228,042.85 RKerves Excess i IdefK)"ti to dat• Z01.. StarlHYJ baFarKos 15,589.24 18,891.01 207,161.84 226.042.85 241.632.09 226,042.86 R•presented by Funds 45.479.C 170.113.71 26.039.30 93.923.37 115.3LKS.67 Desvjnatsj 16.818.81 To1•1 241.632.09 226,042.85 21 0￿0￿r2025 Pag8 1 Leas•de Church Statemont of Assets and Liabllltles Iby fund As at: 31 August 2025 Previous balance Balance Cash at bank and in hond QOO: HSBC Currnnt Account. As Communion Fund General fvn SpecAal Col*c*on5 42.30 41.10 10.885.43 326.00 UnrestKted 9.fA)9.86 376.02 9A28.18 11.252.53 511)O: CFB D8posIt Account. Asset IA TRUST Re5trided Legacy OeswJna¢ed Planned Maintenance C￿￿n¥te￿ General fund unrestr￿e￿ Building Contirojency 0eswJna￿j Development O￿ljnated Manse Fund Re5trithd 16.668.9J 9,622.31 S0.OCK).C*) 36.469.22 10,c4J).C￿I 11)J,49t.40 8,952.08 16.308. 10.IXQ.aO 83.037.94 5,C4)J.CQ Ir￿).300.67 8.952.08 18.809.271 232,203.91 214,790.32 Cah •t bank and in haThl 241,632.09 226,042.85 Grand Total 241.632.09 226,042.85 21 2025 Pagg 1 CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examinerfs Report Report to the trusteesl '. Leaside Church members of On accounts for the year ended 31st August 2025 Charity no (If any) 1181223 Sot out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above chanty {llhe Trusy) for the year ended 3110812025 Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust. you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance wtlh the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Ad"). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts camed out under section 145 ofthe 2011 Acl and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 14515}{b} of the A¢t. I have completed my examination. I confinn that no material matters have come to my attention I ") in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any malerial respect.. accounting records were not kept in accordance wf(h section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records Independent examiner's statement I have no concems and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. ' Please delete the words in the brackets rfthey do not apply. Signed: Dato: 'ov.>1￿ 2oLf Name: gl (LI 51 ci? tr*lifvl)i Relevant professional qualificationls) or body lif any): Address: H &711r-6iiJJ IER October 2018 Section B Disclosure Only complete rf the examiner needs to highlight matters of concem (see CC32. Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidan￿ for examiners). Give here brief detsils of any itoms that tho examiner wishes to disclose. IER October 2018