Charity Number: 1183350 The Journey Church Manchester Report and financial statements For the year ended 31 August 2024
Charity number 1183350 Registered office and operational address 33 Beverly Road, Manchester M146TH Trustees Trustees who served during the year and up to the date oflhis report were as follows.. Matthew Hawthorne Chair Alan Taylor Rachel Wangrangsimakul Secretary Treasurer Rick Ashton Key management personnel Alan Taylor Team Leader Bankers The Coryoperative Bank p.l.c. P.0. Box 101 1 Balloon Street Manchester M60 4EP Independent Examiner Joel Williams 1 Monlrose Avenue Stretford Manchester M32 9LN
Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations The trustees present their report and the unaudited financial statements for the year ended 31 August 2024. Reference and administrative information sel out on page 1 forms part of this report. The financial statements comply with current statutory requirements, the charity's constitution and the Statement of Recommended Practice - Accounting and Reporting by Charities.. SORP applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with FRS 102. Objectives and activities The Objectives of the CIO are, for the public benefit, to advance the Christian faith in such places and in such ways as the Charity Trustees from time to time think fit. We have endeavoured to reach out to our communities in Manchester and online with the gospel and bring the teachings of Christ in word and action. Our mission is to invite people on a journey of faith and belonging through hospitality which we do by resourcing and establishing new contextual forms of church scattered in homes and communities across Manchester and beyond. The Journey gathers in houses, online or local community settings to worship and learn about the Christian faith. These are open to all with care taken to be an inclusive experience sensitive to new people not familiar with Christian faith joining us. We learn from our discussions based on the scriptures, pray, and enjoy hospitality in a home or community setting. Every week there are groups and opportunities to meet to build one another up. pray and invite new people to talk about faith and life. Sometimes this is online. or in person, in a home or community setting. The leadership of The Journey meet with people to encourage and support them in life and faith with a focus on serving local communities, students and those new to the city. The trustees review the aims, objectives and activities of the charity each year. This report looks at what the charity has achieved and the outcomes of its work in the reporting period. The trustees report the success of each key activity and the benefits the charity has brought to those groups of people that it is set up to help. The review also helps the trustees ensure the charity's aims, objectives and activities remained focused on its stated purposes. The trustees have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the charity's aims and objectives and in planning its future activities. In particular, the trustees consider how planned activities will contribute to the aims and objectives that have been set. Achievements and perforniance
The charity's main activities and who it tries to help are described below. All its charitable activities are undertaken to further The Joumey Manchester's charitable purposes for the public benefit. Alan Taylor {team leader) was employed 2.5 days a week and Paul Eaton was employed 2 days a week as Table leader. The finances were raised through partners of The Journey Church Manchester community outside of Manchester, the core community and grant money. In December 2023 we were awarded a grant to trial Table ( our 18-30s ministry) in new cities across the UK with finances for three city leaders. We appointed Martha Pigg for Table Leeds in July 2024 to starl in the Autumn after a successful trial in the city. Paul Eaton led the drive to connect and explore possibilities of Table in 7 new cities as well as continue to have two Table events a month in Manchester. We hosted community events in our local community hub for Christmas 2023, two neighbourhood forums supporting local voices making a positive difference locally. Alan Taylor chaired the trustees at the Ladybarn Community Hub which included helping recruit and employ 5 new staff, improve the facilities, support a new community garden and multiple projects serving the common good. Many local Christians from various churches have participated in this renewal of local life and engagement. We hosted church in homes throughout the year with a monthly gathering outdoors called Forest Church with some Sundays left open for neighbourhood engagement. We started a new spiritual practices group that explored contemplative prayer. We have collaborated with Simon and Gaynor Shaw based in Derby at Source UK for an online small group called "Everyday Theologians" a small group for communily builders around the UK called "Reframing Fruitfulness" and an online group exploring Forest Church. Beneficiaries of our ministry The beneficiaries of The Journey have been those who join us in homes and outdoor gatherings, feeling connected relationally and encouraged in their faith. The ministry of Alan Taylor as Team Leader has supported local neighbourhood and city work for the common good, hospitality, exploration of faith and leadership development. Dozens of guests who haven't been in church have been blessed by our ministry Table in Manchester and invited to explore the scriptures and faith in Christ. Financial review Income for 2024 was £85,703 (2023.. £42,063). Expenditure for 2024 was £47,218 {2023: £46,895)- The regular monthly giving was around £2200 throughout the year. We used the £55,000 grant from Justsow awarded in January 2024 to contribute toward staffing costs and expenses to expand "Table" to three new cities. The grant specified that each Table City Lead would be funded £10,000 for 12 months work. Reserves policy
The Trustees continued our policy to hold unrestricted reserves at the level of 3 months salary for Alan Taylor's salary as Team Leader. From September 2024 this will be around £4,500. This compares to our unrestricted reserves value at year end of £11,709 {2023= 12,329)- Future plans We want to continue to grow our online networks and projects with Simon and Gaynor Shaw and Paul Eaton that are outworked locally. We are aiming to trial Table in 10 cities by summer of 2025 and develop the spaces for thoughtful discipleship with Everyday Theologians, microchurches with Reframing FruitFulness and support more expressions of outdoor church with Forest Church Reflections. Structure, governance and management Journey Church Manchester is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation {ClO), governed by a constitution dated 10th May 2019. New Trustees are appointed by existing Trustees and are given appropriale induction and training on appointment. Day-to-day management of the CIO'S operations are delegated to the Founder and Team Leader, employed by the CIO.. Alan Taylor. Journey Church Manchester relies on volunteers to host and work out our vision. The organisation is a charitable incorporated organisation, registered as a charity on 10 May 2019 in England and Wales. The charity is constituted under a governing document 10 May 2019. The trustees are members of the charity but this entitles them only to voting rights. Nathan Harrison stepped down as a trustee and treasurer in March 2024. Rick Ashton took on the role as treasurer. Related parties and relationships with other organisations The Journey Church Manchester works with local churches in Manchester for the common good and a similar Christian community based in Derby called The Source UK. The following charities were supported by the church- Fusion working with students and Common Change to share resources to reach local people in local need. The Journey Church Manchester is also a member of the Evangelical Alliance. Alan Taylor was supported pastorally by Simon Shaw from The Source in his ministry. One trustee was reimbursed for travel and phone expenses during the year. Another trustee was reimbursed for travel expenses. Beyond those expenses no trustee or other person related to the charity has had any personal interest in any contract or transaction entered into by the charity, including guarantees, during the year. Employment The church employed Alan Taylor for 2.5 days work week as the Team Leader (Pastor) of the Journey Church from September 2023. He is a founding trustee and founder of the church. The governing constitution allows for Alan to be employed as
the Team Leader while remaining a trustee. He was paid a stipend of £15,334, his pension contributions were £882. Statement of responsibilities of the trustees Law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the charity's financial activities during the period and of its financial position at the end of the period. In preparing financial statements giving a true and fair view, the trustees should follow best practice and.. Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently Observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent State whether applicable UK Accounting Standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any lime the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with Ihe 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. The trustees are responsible for Ihe maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charity's website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial ststements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions. The trustees, annual report has been approved by the trustees on 24th April 2025 and signed on their behalf by Matthew Hawthorne Chair of Trustees
Receipts and payments accounts Receipts Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Total funds 2024 Total funds 2023 Donalions 30.079 55,000 85,079 41,787 Other Income 623 623 276 Total Receipts 30,702 55,000 85,702 42,063 Payments Pasloral 651 651 1.606 Hospitality Staff 358 358 1,139 25.377 25.377 Table 423 15,896 16,319 1,501 Ministry Room hire 1,501 37,963 2,175 423 Admin 663 663 Newday United Fusion 850 900 900 1,740 1,000 Local gifts Sh8WS 1,450 1,450 Total Payments 31,323 15,896 47,218 46,895 Surpluslldeficit) (621) 39,104 38.485 4.832 Cash Funds Bank and cash balances at start of year 12,330 12,330 17,163 Bank and cash balances at end of year 11,709 39,104 50,815 12,330
Statement of Assets and Liabilities Unrestricte Reslricte Endowmen TOTAL 2024 TOTAL 2023 funds funds funds Cash Funds Bank Currenl Account 11,709 39,104 50,815 12,330 Other Monetary Assets Other Investment Assets Investments Assets retained for charity's use Assets for charity's own use Liabilities Liabilities Approved by the board on 24th April 2025 and signed on behalf by: Matthew Hawthorne 1 Basis of accounting These accounts have been prepared on the Receipts & Payments basis. 2 Fund accounting Unrestricled funds are available to spend on activilies Ihat further any of the purposes of charity. Restricted funds are donations which the donor has specified are to be solely used for particular areas of the charity's WO or for specific projects being undertaken by the charity. 3 Table Grant
Three 12 month appointments are due to be made for Table to expand in 3 cilies. This makes up £30.000 of the remaining £39,104 grant to be spent in 2024-25. 4 Trustee remuneration and expenses, and related party transactions Alan Taylor as a trustee received remuneration during the year. Trustees Alan Taylor and Matty Hawthome received £406 in travel and subsistence expenses during the year {2023'. £616 }. No trustee or other person related to the charity had any personal interest in any contract or transaction entered into by the charity, including guarantees. during the year. 5 Analysis of movement in unrestricted funds Balance at 1 Sept 2023 Receipts Payments Transfers Asal 31 Aug 2024 General fund 12,330 30,702 131,3231 11,709 12,330 30,702 131,3231 11,709 6 Analysis of movement in restricted funds Balance at 1 Sept 2023 Receipts Payments Transfers Asat 31 Aug 2024 Table fund 55,000 115,8961 39,104 55,000 115,8961 39,104
Inde endent examiner's re Charitable Incor orated Or ort to the trustees of The Journe anisation 'the CIO, Church Manchester I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the CIO for the year ended 31 August 2024. Responsibilities and basis of report As the charity trustees of the CIO you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requiremenls of the Charities Act 2011 {'the Act'l. I report in respect of my examination of the CIO'S accounts carried out under section 145 of the Act. In carrying out my examination I have followed all applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145{5llb} of the 2011 Act Independent examiner's statement I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in onnection with the examination giving me cause to believe.. accounting records were not kept in respect of the CIO as required by section 130 of the Act., or 2. the accounts do not accord with those records,. or 3. the accounts do nol comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and Gontent 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 nol a malter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no concerns and have come acmss 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 accounts to be reached. Joel Williams 1 Montrose Avenue Stretford Manchester M32 9LN 22nd May 2025