## **Purbeck Gateway Church Annual Report and Accounts 2023** **Charity Name** : Purbeck Gateway Church ## **Charity Registration Number** : 1185776 ## **Principle Office** : 15 Maple Close Sandford Wareham, BH20 7QD ## **Trustees:** Paul Shepherd Phil Luker Robert Owen Joshua Vanson Shaun Murphy Patricia Hadgifotis ## **Constitution and structure** Purbeck Gateway Church was registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation on 14[th] October 2019. It was formed as a result of a decision by trustees of an earlier charity, also called Purbeck Gateway Church (reg 1137804) to change their status from an unincorporated charity to an incorporated one. The transition of activities from the original charity to the current one was made on 1[st] July 2020. The old charity was wound up on 25[th] August 2021, with all assets already transferred by that point. **The trustees of the charity are the Elders and Deacons** of the church who are responsible for the direction and operation of the church. New trustees are appointed by the existing trustees from the body of the church members. Their selection is then ratified by the church. As existing members, they do not undergo a further induction unless requested. The Trustees meet together with the Deacons on a formal basis every two months and informally when required. ## **Financial Review** Unrestricted income for 2023 was £27,658.88 (2022 was £31,161.44), with £33,935.95 of restricted income for the Wareham Foodbank (2022 was £24,474.86). In 2022 an appeal by the church created a new restricted fund for ‘the family hub’ of £15,552. Costs were £34,826.57 for the church operation and £20,814.63 for the foodbank. This left the church with an operating deficit of £7,167.69, with the Foodbank having an operating surplus of £13,121.32. From the Family hub donations £6,119.91 was spent, mainly on refurbishment of the garden leaving an operating surplus of £3,079.36. The main item of expenditure each year is the salary of the pastor, who is also a trustee of the charity. The operating expenditure includes utility and maintenance bills as well as cleaning costs. In addition, the church is responsible for the upkeep of the building that it uses. During the course of 2013, the ownership of the church building transferred from a separate trust at nil value to the ownership of trustees of the old PGC charity (1137804). In 2021 ownership was transferred to the new charity (1185776) at a nil value given that the asset was already fully depreciated and had been valued as nil under the previous charity. The policy of the trustees with regard to reserves is to aim to keep at least £8,000 of reserves, which represents about three months of basic running costs. The purpose of keeping the reserve is to cover downturns in giving or to allow funds for urgent works on the building which we use. Unrestricted Church funds stood at £7,140.27 at the end of the year. Members of the congregation continue to be generous in their donations, on which the church is wholly dependent. ## **Public Benefit** The trustees have taken note of the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit and have complied with their duty to take due regard to this guidance in exercising their powers and duties. ## **Objectives and Activities** The objects of the Trust are to advance the Christian faith and to relieve sickness and financial hardship. The focus of its activities are in Wareham in Dorset, but it also sponsors missionary and relief activities overseas. The Church meets together to worship every Sunday morning. It also hosts a wide range of weekly activities, both for church members and for non-members including weekly homegroups where church members meet to pray, worship and study together and monthly prayer meetings. We host a number of activities including the Foodbank, a parent and toddler group and a group providing counselling for people with addictions. These activities together form our efforts to achieve our vision to “love God, love one another and love the lost”. ## **Achievements and Performance** Church services are recorded and sermons are made available online through YouTube. Small groups continued to meet in varying formats through the year, with their activities focussed on prayer and bible study. While the church building is normally used each week by different agencies in a variety of community work. In September 2011, a Food Bank was established in the church with members of the congregation and other local churches donating food each week for distribution to people in need. The local Citizens’ Advice Bureau forms an effective link to identify people who can use this service. The Church continues to host this valuable work. Support for the Foodbank also grew during the year, with donations made to the Foodbank being in a separate bank account from the main church account to make the administration of restricted funds more straightforward. A paid worker was appointed in February 2023 to facilitate the large amount of work needed to provide a smooth running of the foodbank. The church aims to give at least 10% of its income each year to support mission and relief work. In 2023, donations and gifts were made to the sum of £1,557. ## **Plans for Future Periods** The church continues to seek to bring the Good News of Jesus to the community in Wareham, through what we say and how we live. This forms the core part of all our future plans as we operate the life of the church. It is hoped that the Mother and Toddler group will develop further enabling the ‘Family Hub’ vision to serve our community more effectively. We will continue to review the structure of the Foodbank following the passing of Lynn Crabb in 2022. We will be looking at ways to develop the work further during the year, including growing our volunteer base and encouraging participation and socialisation among those who benefit from the Foodbank. Purbeck Gatewa Church Accounts for the Year Ended 31112/2023 Maln account Foodbank acoount Hub account A/C no 72009365 A/C no 72115440 A/C no 72012846 Remarks Receipts Tithes & Offerings Gift Aid Tax Claims Interest Misc. Invoices for space Bank Transfer Sub-total 18,931.56 3.707.88 55.02 779.00 1.950.70 2,034.72 27,458.88 33,935.95 33,935.95 Specified giving total Total 0.00 2(X).00 27.658.88 33,935.95 0.00 Payments Salaries & Nl Expenses Furniture & Equipment Repairs to Furniture & Equipment Cleaning Gas & Electricity Insurance Gifts & Donations Foodbank Advertising Speakers Misc Sub-total 24,852.27 2.884.40 103.80 1.406.17 733.50 1.905.15 820.50 1.557.CK) 60.(K) 171.78 ioo.fy) 232.00 34,826.57 224.05 65.67 4608.44 1511.47 20,524.91 20.814.63 6,119.91 Total Surplus/Deficit 34,826.57 -7.167.69 20,814.63 13.121.32 6,119.91 -6,119.91 Cash Bèlances (from statements) Opening January 1st Closing December 30th 14.307.96 7,140.27 -7,167.69 15,347.C 28.468.32 13.121.32 9199.27 3,079.36 .119.91 CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND ANO WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl mgmbors of On accounts for the year ended Charity no (If any) 2oZ3 I I£sy7 Set out on pago8 I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity I'lhe Trust ) for the year ended Responslbilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you aro responsible for the preparation basls of roport of the accounts in accordance with th8 requirements of the Charities Act 20111"Ihe Act"}. I report in respect of my examlnatlon of the Trust's accounts Carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and In carying out my examinallon, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commlsslon under section 14515llbl of the Act. I have completed my examination. I conflrm that no m8terial matters have come lo my attention {oth8r than that disclosed bélow ') in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any mat8rial respect.. accounting records were not kept in accordance with sectlon 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord wlth the accounting records Indepandont examlner's statement I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connedion with the examlnallon to which attention should b8 drawn in order lo enable a proper understanding of the accounts lo be reached. Please delet& the words in the brackets if they do not apply. SSgned: Date: Z¢41101¥ Name: Relevant professional quallflcatlonls) or body (if any): Addr955: IER October 2018