Trinity Life Church, Royston
Trustees' Report and Accounts
For the period-ended 31 December 2020
Charity Registration No. 1181863
## **Trinity Life Church, Royston Contents**
||**Page**|
|---|---|
|Trustees' Annual Report to the Charity Commission|1-3|
|Pastor's report|4-5|
|Statement of Financial Activities|6|
|Balance sheet|7|
|Notes to the accounts|8-12|
|Independent Examiner's Report|13|
## **Trinity Life Church, Royston**
## **Trustees' Annual Report 2020**
## **Reference and Administrative Details**
**Charity Name** Trinity Life Church, Royston **Working Name** TLC Royston **Charity Registration Number** 1181863 **Report for the financial period** 1st January to 31st December 2020 **Address** 4 Market Hill, Royston Hertfordshire, SG8 9JL www.tlcroyston.org.uk admin@tlcroyston.org.uk
**Charity Trustees** David Clark (Chairman) Matthew Hall (Treasurer) Eleanor Newland Tracy Durrant Stephen Calbraith Antonio Gomez (appointed 19th October 2020)
## **Structure, governance and management**
**Constitution** Charitable Incorporated Organisation **Governing Document** Constitution dated 4th February 2019
**Related parties** The charity is affiliated to Plumbline Ministries and is a member of the Evangelical Alliance.
1
**Objectives and activities**
**Objects of the charity** To advance the Christian faith in accordance with the Statement of Belief.
To relieve persons who are in conditions of need, hardship or who are aged or sick or disabled and to relieve the distress caused hereby.
**Public Benefit** The trustees have considered the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit and, in particular, the specific guidance on charities for the advancement of religion. In following this guidance, the charity engages in a range of activities either on its own or with others that vary from time to time. These activities may include but are not restricted to those set out below.
**Summary of activities** The charity runs regular church meetings including Sunday morning celebration and small home-based groups.
The charity runs Community Support projects including MakeLunch which provides holiday meals for students on free school meals.
The charity provides teaching, training and pastoral care.
The charity supports Christian workers and organisations locally and around the world.
The charity makes grants to members and friends in circumstances of need.
The activities of the charity during the period are described in the attached Pastor's report.
**Grant making policy** Grants are made to individuals and organisations in order to further the objects of the charity as determined by the leaders of the church.
**Volunteers** The charity relies heavily on volunteers to carry out its activities.
2
Summary The achievements of the charlty durin8 the period are
described in the attached Pastor's report.
Hnanclal revlew
Rr•S polity The tharity aims to keep sufficient unallotated funds in
reserve order to malntain its charitable work and meet
its re8ular commitments for aboL5t three months
regardless of levels of Income, and in order to be able to
undertake occasiortal projètts involving larger than
normal expenditure.
Designated funds are excluded from reserves. Details of
all designated funds are Set out in Note 12 to the attached
aceounts.
Current reserves £49,504 IUnre5tricted current assets not deslgnatedl
Ded?ratioTh
l)edv•twn The tnjstees declare that they have approved the above
Slinalure
Full naffle Matthew Warwick Hall
Posrtlon Chairman, Treasurer
$18nalu
Full n•me Eleanor Newland
Po5ilion Trustee
Date 11 Iio J Ic)11
## **Trinity Life Church, Royston**
## **Pastor's Report 2020**
The majority of the church's effort and resources are put towards the first of the CIO's aims and objectives - the advancement of the Christian faith through worship, prayer, preaching, teaching, pastoral care and literature. It is our desire to see God's blessing and favour on all the people who live and work in the towns and villages of the Royston area and beyond.
The church meets every Sunday morning at Royston Town Hall and also in mid-week groups for fellowship, equipping, support and encouragement.
## **Overview**
As most organisations would have experienced in 2020 the disruption of the COVID pandemic caused many challenges, but also opportunities to support and reach out to the community. We had to be quickly mobile and change our inperson meetings to online meetings within a few weeks. We transferred all operations to online in the Spring of 2020 and continued to offer an on-screen presence through video streaming and online conference facilities throughout the year.
Mid-week groups and gatherings were restricted and only when lockdowns were lifted did some small meetings occur, only to be stopped again for further lockdowns. No formalised mid-week meetings happened due to restrictions tightening through the year.
Our missional focus remains one of reaching out to share the good news with an emphasis on local outreach and sustainable community projects, whilst continuing our connection and relationship with a number of overseas mission partners.
We continued our local missional project this year to help disadvantaged children receive nutritional meals during school holidays. For children who are eligible on the government scheme for free school meals we provide a lunch club (Make Lunch) through all main holidays and half terms. The project has over 50 registered families from the local area.
Due to many COVID related restrictions we needed to adapt the mechanisms through which the support was delivered and moved to a model whereby we created food parcels with 2 nutritional meals for families to prepare and cook. Over the holiday periods from March 2020 we have:
Delivered 345 meal kit boxes to our families in Royston and the surrounding villages Served 1714 meals to children
Supported 128 unique children Served meals 2503 in total
We continued our connection with the charitable organisation CompassionUK (through our link with a Christian Community in Nicaragua). We also supported local initiatives, helping people through the pandemic situation where we were able to do so. This mainly came through the support and sacrificial work of individual members who took it on themselves to help neighbours and those in need. One member helped to initiate the Royston vs Coronavirus group that was instrumental in helping people across Royston during the pandemic.
During the year the leadership team underwent major changes as 5 members left the team, leaving a core of 4 (Matt and Cate Hall, Mark and Jackie Cotton).
4
## **Trinity Life Church, Royston**
## **Pastor's Report 2020**
Growth in the church remained stable and most members attended the Sunday live stream with others using catch up during the week. We ran 2 social distanced 'equipping' courses that were attended well. One on helping to eliminate hurry and burn out while looking out for personal wellbeing during the social isolation many were finding difficult. Our other course focused on bible teaching and connecting in Study of the Scriptures.
After transferring the charity from a trust to a CIO in 2019 we were in a much better position to look for and acquire a church building. In November of 2019, an opportunity arose for the CIO to buy a building in the centre of town that met our requirements. The offer was accepted, and we started the process of purchase, that was completed in July 2020. A detailed analysis of loan serviceability was undertaken and forecasts, along with risk assessments, completed before official decisions and completion was made.
Even through the pandemic the church's income has remained stable. With wise stewardship we were able to continue our move forward in planning redevelopment and update of the church building as a resource centre for the community. We started grant applications and fund planning toward the end of the year whereby we hope to have enough funds in 2021 to start phase 1 of a redevelopment plan.
Overall, there have been many challenges through 2020 that the church has overcome and careful and wise decisions have helped lay the foundation to ensure stability throughout the year. Our position into 2021 is comfortable and our expectation is to see the church grow and thrive even within the challenging times.
Matthew Hall
5
## **Trinity Life Church, Royston Statement of Financial Activities for the period ended 31 December 2020**
|**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**Total for**
**Note**
**funds**
**funds**
**2020**
**£**
**£**
**£**
Church Collections
82,174
600
82,774
Sundry Donations
1,002
23,274
24,276
Income Tax Recovered
13,198
2,965
16,163
Grants received
-
7,325
7,325
**Total Donations and Legacies**
**96,374**
**34,164**
**130,538**
Bank interest
106
-
106
**Total Investment Income**
**106**
**-**
**106**
Transfer from Charitable Trust
-
-
-
**Other incoming resources**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Total incoming resources**
96,480
34,164
130,644
Plumbline Ministries
7,513
2,084
9,597
Mission or ministry support
7,180
2,670
9,850
Othergifts
250
-
250
**Total Gifts and Grants**
**4**
**14,943**
**4,754**
**19,697**
Employment costs
5
26,898
-
26,898
Office, Hall Rent and Rates
3,209
-
3,209
Visiting speakers
905
-
905
Administrative expenses
5,232
2,952
8,184
Legal Expenses
2,524
3,844
6,368
Loan Interest
2,658
3,987
6,645
Other church activitycosts
2,780
5,571
8,351
**Total Church Activities**
**44,206**
**16,354**
**60,560**
Othergovernance costs
600
-
600
**Total Governance Costs**
**600**
**-**
**600**
**Total Resources Used**
**59,749**
**21,108**
**80,857**
**Net Movement in funds**
**36,731**
**13,056**
**49,787**
Total funds brought forward
109,986
12,610
122,596
Transfers between funds
-
-
-
Total funds carried forward
146,717
25,666
172,383|**Total for**
**2019**
**£**
58,314
2,845
7,285
855
**69,299**
57
**57**
94,556
**94,556**|
|---|---|
||163,912|
||4,915
5,969
785|
||**11,669**|
||12,874
4,806
375
3,964
-
-
7,228|
||**29,247**|
||400|
||**400**|
|||
||**41,316**|
||**122,596**
-
-
122,596|
6
Trinity Lffe Churth, Royston
Balance Sheet
as at 31 December 2020
TfiniTY
LIFE CHufcH
Not*s Unrestrlet
fvnds
Restrlcted
funds
Totsl •s •t
3111212020
Totsl as at
3111212019
Flxed asstts
Tangible Assets
267,213
267,SS?
3,605
Current asxts
Debtor5 & prepayments
Cash at bank & in hand
Total current assèts
io
525
59,549
601174
525
84,871
85396
25,322
25822
117,383
119391
Totsl 455ets
327387
352.953
122.996
CurreErt Ilabllltle5
Ltsans and overdrawn bank accounts
Creditors & Accruals
Total Current Liabilltes
9,970
9,970
io
10,570
10,$70
Nrt current assets
25322
74I26
I.9>1
Total assets less current liabilites
316,717
25.666
342.383
122.596
Loans due after more than one
ar
170.((K)
170,IXJO
172.383
Plet assets
146.717
25,666
122,596
Funds of tht Charity
Unrestricted funds
Dèsignatéd funds lunrestrictedl
Restrlcted funds
141.717
141,717
34,217
7S.769
12,610
122,596
25.666
25,666
25,666
172.383
Total funds
146,717
Approved by the Trustees on..
Signed by twa Trustees on behalf of all the Trustees:
Matthew Wan¥ick Hall
Oate..
Eleanor Newland
Date..
11110 | 2021
**Trinity Life Church, Royston Notes to the Accounts for the period ended 31 December 2020**
## **1 Accounting basis**
These accounts have been prepared on the basis of historic cost with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant note(s) to these accounts.
The accounts 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) issued on 16 July 2014.
On 31 July 2019 this charity received the assets and activities of another charity, Royston Area Community Church, a Charitable Trust number 803246.
After this date Royston Area Community Church Trust ceased to be active.
## **2 Accounting Policies**
Donations, legacies and similar incoming resources are included in the accounts when the charity becomes entitled to the donation, it is more likely than not that the trustees will receive the resources; and the monetary value can be measured with sufficient reliability.
Tax reclaimed on donations is included in the accounts at the same time as the gift to which they relate.
Volunteers - the value of any voluntary help received is not included in the accounts.
Investment income i.e. bank interest is included in the accounts when receipt is probable and the amount receivable can be measured reliably.
Liabilities are generally recognised as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to the expenditure and the obligation can be measured with reasonable certainty.
Debtors are measured on initial recognition at settlement amount after any trade discounts. Subsequently, they are measured at the cash or other consideration expected to be received.
Governance Costs include costs of preparation and examination of statutory accounts, the costs of trustees meetings and the cost of any legal advice to trustees.
Tangible fixed assets for use by the church are capitalised if they can be used for more than one year, and cost at least £25. They are valued at cost or a reasonable value on receipt. The church does not have a policy of revaluation. Depreciation is charged to the statement of financial activity on a straight line basis over the estimated useful lives of each asset. The estimated useful lives are as follows:
|Computer Equipment -|4 years|
|---|---|
|Office Equipment -|4 years|
|Church Equipment -|4 years|
The trustees have chosen to hold the land and buildings at 4-8 Market Hill, Royston on a revaluation basis. The next revaluation is due in 2026.
8
## **3 Accountants Fees**
Included in these accounts is £500 (2019 - £400) in fees paid for the examination of these accounts. Also included is £100 (2019 - £nil) for payroll services. Travelling costs are reimbursed if incurred.
## **4 Grant making**
|Purpose of gift/grant|Amounts to|Amounts to|2020|2019|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||institutions|individuals|£|£|
|Mission or ministry support|9,847|9,850|19,697|11,669|
|Total gifts and grants|9,847|9,850|19,697|11,669|
|Gifts & grants made to institutions include the following|||||
|Institution|||2020|2019|
||||£|£|
|Plumbline Ministries|Mission or ministry support||9,597|4,915|
|Open House Project|Mission or ministry support||125|1,000|
|Other|Mission or ministry support||125|285|
|Total gifts and grants|||9,847|6,200|
|**Employees**|||||
|Number of employees|||2020|2019|
|Charitable activities|||2.0|2.0|
|Total|||2.0|2.0|
|Staff Costs|||2020|2019|
||||£|£|
|Gross Salaries|||25,623|12,438|
|Employer's NI Contribution|||-|-|
|Employer's Pension Contribution (defined contribution scheme)|||1,275|436|
|Total|||26,898|12,874|
## **5 Employees**
There were no employees who received employee benefits for the reporting period of more than £60,000.
9
## **6 Related Party Transactions**
The church had the following transactions with related parties
|Out of pocket expenses||2020|2019|
|---|---|---|---|
|Number of Trustees reimbursed for out|of pocket expenses|1|1|
|Total amount paid to or on behalf of Trustees, £||601|385|
|Ministry support||||
|Related Party|Legal Authority|2020|2019|
|||£|£|
|Matthew Hall|Constitution|26,898|12,874|
|Total||26,898|12,874|
|Gifts to related charities||||
|Name of Charity|Relationship|2020|2019|
|||£|£|
|Open House Project|Eleanor Newland is a trustee|125|1,000|
|Total||125|1,000|
|Gifts from related charities||||
|Name of Charity|Relationship|2020|2019|
|||£|£|
|Royston Area Community Church Trust|Mutual Trustees|-|94,556|
|Total||-|94,556|
The transfer from Royston Area Community Church was to continue the work of the charity in a new legal entity.
10
## **7 Tangible Fixed Assets**
|**Cost**
At 1 January 2020
Additions
Disposals
At 31 December 2020
**Depreciation**
At 1 January 2020
Charge for the period
On disposals
At 31 December 2020
**Net book value**
At 31 December 2020
At 31 December 2019|**Computer**
**Equipment**
**£**
1,282
410
-
1,692
247
362
-
609
1,083
1,035|**Office**
**Equipment**
**£**
4,382
-
-
4,382
1,812
1,096
-
2,908
1,474
2,570|**Land and**
**Total**
**Buildings**
**£**
**£**
-
5,664
265,000
265,410
-
-
265,000
271,074
-
2,059
-
1,458
-
-
-
3,517
265,000
267,557
-
3,605|
|---|---|---|---|
## **8 Pension Scheme**
The charity operates a defined contribution scheme. The costs for the period were £1,275 (2019 - £436).
The allocation of the liability and expense of the defined contribution pension scheme follows the treatment of the associated employees.
## **9 Bank Loans**
|Amounts falling due within one year
Bank Loan
Amounts falling due after one year
Bank Loan
The bank loan is secured against the Building at 4-8 Market Hill, Royston.
**Prepayments & Accruals**
Amounts falling due within one year
Prepayments & accruals
Prepayments
Tax recoverable|2020
2019
£
£
9,970
-
170,000
-
2020
2019
£
£
525
2,008
-
-
525
2,008
600
400
600
400|
|---|---|
|Total||
|Accruals and deferred income||
|Accruals and deferred income||
## **10 Prepayments & Accruals**
11
## **11 Restricted Funds**
Fund Name
Purpose
Building
For purchase, refurbishment or long-term hire of facilities for church use.
Body Needs To provide financial support for members of the body of Christ who are facing particular financial difficulty or need BP & HS Rex Support for our mission partners Youth Ministry Resources for ministry with young people Make Lunch To provide projects to fight holiday hunger Wang Family Ministry Support for our mission partners
Movement on Restricted Funds in the year:
|||||Transfer||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|£|Opening|Income in|Expenditure in|between funds|Closing|
||Balance|2020|2020|2020|Balance|
|Building|4,385|18,592|(8,485)|-|14,492|
|Body Needs|1,800|-|-|-|1,800|
|BP & HS Rex|167|1,280|(1,320)|-|127|
|Youth Ministry|95|-|(26)|-|69|
|Make Lunch|6,163|10,858|(7,843)|-|9,178|
|Wang Family Ministry|-|750|(750)|-|-|
|Other|-|2,684|(2,684)|-|-|
|Total|12,610|34,164|(21,108)|-|25,666|
## **12 Unrestricted and Designated Funds**
Fund Name Purpose Mission (Designated) To provide emergency support to our mission partners Conference (Designated) To designate funds for trip to Conference. Building (Designated) For purchase, refurbishment or long-term hire of facilities for church use. General Unrestricted To spend at the discretion of the charity trustees for any purposes of the charity.
Movement on Designated and Unrestricted Funds in the year:
|||||Transfer||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|£|Opening|Income in|Expenditure in|between funds|Closing|
||Balance|2020|2020|2020|Balance|
|Mission (Designated)|5,000|-|-|-|5,000|
|Conference fees|-|1,283|(920)|(363)|-|
|Building (Designated)|70,769|-|(5,254)|(65,515)|-|
|General Unrestricted|34,217|95,197|(53,575)|65,878|141,717|
|Total|109,986|96,480|(59,749)|-|146,717|
During 2019 the Trustees approved a transfer of £40,000 from the General fund to the Building (Designated) During 2020 the Trustees approved a transfer of £65,515 from Building (Designated) to the General fund.
12
## **Trinity Life Church, Royston**
**Independent examiners report to the trustees of Trinity Life Church, Royston Registered number: 1181863**
I report on the accounts for the period ended 31st December 2020, which are set out on pages 5 to 11.
## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner**
The trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The trustees consider that an audit is not required for this period under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed. The charity’s gross income exceeded £25,000 and I am qualified to undertake the examination by being a qualified member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW).
Having satisfied myself that the charity is not subject to audit under company law and is eligible for independent examination, it is my responsibility to:
- examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act
- to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act
- to state whether particular matters have come to my attention
## **Basis of independent examiner’s report**
My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair view’ and the report is limited to those matters set out in the next statement.
## **Independent examiner’s statement**
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
(1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
- to keep accounting records in accordance with section 386 of the Companies Act 2006 and
- to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act
have not been met or
(2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached
Name: Mark Plane Relevant professional qualification or body: ICAEW
Address: 78 Bute Street, Luton, LU1 2EY 18/10/2021
13