## **Rye Baptist Church** **Trustees' Report and Annual Accounts for the Period Ended 31 December 2025** **Charity Registration Number: 1188057** ## **Rye Baptist Church** ## **Charity Information** |**Trustees**|Rev. Fiona Gill (Chair)|| |---|---|---| ||Sally Anne Moore|(appointed 28th April 2025)| ||Elisabeth Johanna Maria Harper|| ||Keith Ronald Haward|| ||Geoffrey Gordon Haynes|| ||Marguerite Ellen Kenward|| ||Penny Kingham|| |**Principal Address:**|Rye Baptist Church|| ||Cinque Ports Street|| ||Rye|| ||East Sussex|| ||TN31 7AN|| |**Bankers:**|HSBC Bank PLC|| ||Robertson Street|| ||Hastings|| ||TN34 1HW|| |**Independent Examiner:**|Mr Joshua Cottingham MAAT|| ||72 Broadmead Road|| ||Folkestone|| ||Kent|| ||CT19 5AR|| **Rye Baptist Church (CIO) Trustees’ Annual Report on 2025** ## **Aims & Purposes** The Trustees of Rye Baptist Church work together to advance the Christian faith according to the principles of the Baptist denomination; to promote the whole mission of the church, through worship and pastoral care; evangelism; social care and ecumenical involvement; to advance education and carry out charitable purposes both in the UK and in other parts of the world; and as the overseeing charity for Rye Foodbank, to promote the alleviation of poverty and relief of need in the local area. The Trustees are also responsible for the maintenance of the Rye Baptist Church building; the manse at 86 Udimore Rd, Rye, East Sussex; and the Old Burial Ground at Watchbell Corner in the Rye Citadel, which is being developed as a Community Peace Garden. ## **Objectives & Activities** The Trustees are committed to enable as many people as possible to be part of the RBC worshipping community, and also to provide service and support to the wider community of Rye and District, through our various groups and activities. When planning our various activities, the Trustees have considered the Commission’s advice on public benefit and in particular, the specific advice for charities for the advancement of religion. In particular, we endeavour to enable people to live out their faith through:- - Worship & Prayer, Bible Study and Teaching - Baptism and Holy Communion - Offering and Encouraging Pastoral Care - Nurture of Christian disciples - Missionary Outreach and Evangelism, locally, nationally, and internationally - Welcome, inclusion and Christian nurture of young people - Supporting and encouraging Christian Social Action in the UK and beyond - Education & Training for Christian Community Service To facilitate this work, it is essential that we maintain the fabric of the RBC church building and the manse at 86 Udimore Road. ## **Achievements & Performance** ##  _**Worship & Prayer**_ During 2025, Sunday worship services have taken place each week, with church attendance remaining steady and with some new people becoming regular attenders. Numbers on a Sunday averaged from 35-50. The summer season always brings in a number of visitors to our services, who continue to appreciate our relaxed and informal seating layout of semi-circles of chairs around coffee tables. Preaching series during 2025 included the Life of Abraham; Resurrection People; Classic Sunday School Favourites Revisited; the Letter to the Romans; and a short Advent series on the Prologue of John. An annual worship highlight during August is an open-air Songs of Praise evening service held in our Community Peace Garden. Other worship highlights during 2025 included a Covenant New Year service; a Reflective Service for Good Friday; a Celebration of Easter with a ‘walk’ through the baptistery; a Church Anniversary celebration; a service to launch the new “Try Praying” initiative; a Harvest celebration; a Remembrance Service; and a Carols by Candlelight service. We also hosted and led the Churches Together United Services in January and September. In addition to our regular Sunday worship, throughout 2025 we also continued holding our “Encountering God” evenings - a monthly midweek gathering for informal praise and prayer. Prayer is recognized as a very important element in the life of the church, and hence prayer takes place at almost all of the church’s services, events and activities. The church’s five well-populated house-groups all focus on prayer, as well as worship, Bible study and fellowship. Our main church prayer meeting is the monthly “Saturday Prayers” which takes place via Zoom. R4P (Request for Prayer)– our text/email prayer service has been used and appreciated extensively during 2025. Some 20 people are on the prayer team, responding to texts and messages about prayer needs, and have been greatly encouraged by the results. In June 2025 members of the Church also participated in the local Churches Together _“Week of Prayer for Christian Unity”_ , which was held at the Anglican church in Rye. ##  _**BU & SEBA membership**_ Rye Baptist Church is part of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, and is a member church of the South Eastern Baptist Association. ##  _**Church Buildings & Land**_ It is the responsibility of the Trustees to ensure the church buildings are well maintained. A lot of work was carried out on the properties in 2025. The church items being the completion of the carpark; foyer roof repairs; kitchen windows and some other minor works. The Manse had the exterior re-painted and the bathroom refurbished. Of these the Manse works had been planned for some time and the church Foyer and West Tower roof works were urgently required. The timber kitchen windows in the church were replaced with UPVC units in February. Some rotting woodwork and broken window cills were also repaired on the church building. Whilst all the above was carried out by contractors, we must also record that some works on the church were carried out by volunteers. These being the refurbishment of the downstairs toilet corridor and walls as well as the water damaged ceiling in the front foyer, and the re-painting of the upstairs foyer ceiling needed following water ingress after the roof had been repaired. (The roofing contractor made a £200 contribution towards the cost of this.) The voluntary work continued when the fellowship had a Church Work Day in October. A good number turned out to carry out minor cleaning and repairs to the church, both inside and out. The Community Peace Garden (formerly the old burial ground of the original Baptist Church building) is still being developed. An arrangement has been made with Rye Town Council for the general maintenance of the garden in return for a contribution from the church towards the costs. Plans are in hand to provide signage giving both information about the history of the space, and to include scriptures and texts which might aid visitors to the site in quiet prayer and reflection. In the meantime, our Butterflies Carer and Toddler group used the Garden for a Teddy Bears’ Picnic in July 2025, and an evening ‘Songs of Praise’ outdoor worship service took place there in August. ## _**Pastoral Care**_ - Pastoral Care of the church fellowship is overseen by the Minister, assisted by the team of Trustees, and the house-group leaders. In addition to this, the church family are encouraged to look out for, and care for one another, and this works very well. - During 2025 one of the larger house-groups divided into two to allow more space for growth. The five house-groups met regularly, maintaining a strong level of mutual pastoral care. Three of them met in the church lounge, and two in the leaders’ homes. _**Church Membership etc.**_ –RBC has a membership roll of people who have been baptised by immersion and who, after an interview process, have covenanted to support and serve the church here. During 2025, we were delighted to welcome in one new member. One member also moved away and transferred his membership to another church. This brought our total number of active members at the end of the year to 45. The congregation also includes a number of ‘fringe’ folk and committed non-members who are very much part of the church family. ## _**Mission & Evangelism**_ - **Try Praying –** This new initiative was launched in June. The congregation were encouraged to take a booklet, containing a 7 day guide in how to pray - and to “use it and then lose it” by giving it away to a non- Christian. Some were also placed outside the building in a perspex box alongside a scrolling video about prayer, so passers-by could pick them up. Over 150 of these booklets (and a number of the children’s version of the booklets) were taken or given away during the following months, giving the opportunity for many useful evangelistic conversations. - **Coffee Plus** – our Coffee Plus outreach activity opened from Easter to December 2025. Selling low priced refreshments and cakes in a comfortable welcoming environment, the friendly volunteers also offer opportunities for prayer and pastoral conversation if this is desired. Many positive contacts in the community have been made through this outreach. - **Butterflies -** Throughout 2025, Butterflies - our Carer and Toddler group, opened from 9.30 to 11am on Fridays during school term-times and hosted up to 20 carers and toddlers each week. Our welcoming and caring helpers, and the comfortable and safe environment we provide, has created positive connections and outreach opportunities with many families in the community. - **Rye Food Bank** operating from our building is also run with a Christian ethos, by a manager leading a team of volunteers which includes members of RBC and other local churches. Prayer is offered, and a listening ear, and signposting to agencies that can help with clients’ difficulties concerning benefits, heating, housing and so on. Our CAP ( Christians Against Poverty) Debt Advisor works in Rye one day a week alongside Foodbank (this appointment being funded by contributions from Rye Foodbank and from the churches of Churches Together in Rye & District). Through her work with a number of clients who were struggling with debt, several of these become debt-free during 2025. - **Messy Church –** This popular event takes place at, or just before, the start of each school holiday, and has been very successful in attracting a number of young families. With songs, stories, and craft activities planned around a biblical theme, and finishing up with snacks and light refreshments, 12-15 children plus their parents and carers have enjoyed the sessions and given really positive feedback. - **Evangelistic Men’s and Women’s Breakfasts –** During 2025 our outreach ideas group held two evangelistic breakfasts with guest speakers. The first of these in May was for ladies, and the second, in November, for men. Both were well attended and positively received. - **Personal Witness** - It has always been our practice to encourage our congregation to witness personally to their faith to friends and neighbours. - **Connect and Engage –** (Connect for Ladies and Engage for men) are a monthly fellowship gathering in two local pubs, with the men and ladies alternating venues. These evening gatherings provide an enjoyable evening out for church folk, and also serve as an opportunity for gentle evangelistic witness to invited guests. - **Oasis Bereavement Support group –** this group ran for about six months during 2025, following a video course on dealing with loss, and offering support and companionship to Christians and non-Christians who have suffered bereavement. - **R4P (Request for Prayer) –** this text/email prayer service has been greatly utilised by church folk and others outside the church who ask our prayer team to pray for particular needs or concerns. Many have been helped by this, and again it is a means of witness to the power of prayer and the God who cares for all. - **School Assemblies** –During 2025 our minister Fiona led several assemblies both at Rye Primary School and at a school in Bexhill. She also helps lead the local Churches Together “Open the Book” team – a Bible Society initiative whereby a group of people from the various Rye churches go into two local schools to enact and explain Bible stories to the children in their assembly time. - **Rye Bonfire –** This is a big event in the community life of Rye, and RBC joined in again in 2025 by opening our building, selling hot drinks, and allowing use of our toilet facilities, which was much appreciated by the public. - **Website and Online Sermons:** - RBC maintains a website which gives useful information about the church, and the Christian faith, and provides access to recordings of sermons from our Sunday services. This enables us to present a clear Gospel message in an online presence, and describes how people can make a Christian commitment of faith. - **Publicity in Rye Fixtures Magazine –** The church continues to have a monthly advertisement in the local Rye Fixtures magazine, highlighting both our upcoming and regular events. This has raised our profile in the community, and elicited positive comment and interest by readers of the magazine. - **Overseas Mission Support -** Through our tithes and various special collections during the year, we have sent financial help to those in need following natural disasters, conflicts etc. and supported a number of overseas mission agencies and ministries, e.g. Hope Home in Thailand; the BMS Harvest Appeal; Tearfund; and Bible Society. ## _**Ecumenical relationships**_ Rye Baptist Church plays an active role in Churches Together in Rye & District, with our minister, a church member and a trustee representing RBC on the Executive Committee. During 2025 the churches in Rye engaged in various worship and outreach activities together, as follows:- - Representatives from all the congregations participated in a Walk of Witness on Good Friday. - Three congregations joined together for a United Morning Service in January and September at RBC, and in June at the Anglican church in Rye. - In July we celebrated Sea Sunday with an open-air service at Rye Harbour. - The churches held daily joint Prayer Meetings during a Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in June. - The committee and church leaders met several times during the year to plan our ecumenical worship and outreach activities . ## **Rye Food Bank** The operation of the Food Bank has not essentially changed during the year. It remains under the charitable oversight of Rye Baptist Church CIO, who also provide the premises and undertake the accounts (as opposed to treasury functions), all at zero cost to the Food Bank. The Food Bank is indebted to the CIO for their willing support and generosity. The Food Bank remains open to clients on Wednesdays from 12 noon to 2pm. Expenditure in January 2025 was highly unusual due to some staffing changes at Jempson’s Supermarket which meant that we received no invoices for the last week of November 2024 or any week in December 2024 until 16th January 2025. November and December 2024 were extremely busy and paying for these in January 2025 created the impression that we had spent £4413.65 more on food for the period of January 2025 than we actually had. Invoicing continued to be erratic throughout the first half of the year making monthly food costs look uneven. Issues were resolved and we now receive prompt, weekly invoices. The December 2025 figures are also distorted by the fact that knowing we would be closed on 24th and 31st December, we spent £14,580 on Jempson’s vouchers to issue to households to cover this period. However, we had rather overestimated the number of vouchers needed and have a surplus of £9,500 that Jempson’s will credit against invoices this year. We will obviously bear this in mind when calculating the number of vouchers needed in December 2026. The Food Bank made a donation of £4500 to support CAP. We continue periodic re-triage so that we are more aware of situations where clients are not really in need of food assistance, or would benefit from referral to our partner benefits and debt advisors (That’s HARC, who attend the Food Bank every session, or CAP, who work to relieve debt and help people to avoid falling into debt again). This has kept client numbers in control and has released several into independence from Food Bank assistance. We continue to deliver food parcels to homes where that is strictly necessary, though it is typically running at only between 3 and 9 deliveries per week. The van continues to perform well. The Food Bank remains 100% volunteer run, with two teams operating alternate weeks, which works extremely well. The willingness of volunteers to devote time and effort, working extremely hard and physically moving dozens of tons of food in a year is wonderful. Volunteers have also been very flexible during busy periods, coming in weekly which has been most appreciated. Financial donations from Jan 1st to Dec 31st 2025 are split between private donors (risen to 44%), donation from local businesses and foundations (fallen to 22%) and grant funding (steady at 34%). We continue to be amazed and so encouraged by the generosity of the local community. Grant funding has held up well but there is increasing competition for funding from other charities and the amount of money available looks set to drop. The government has also announced the new Crisis and Resilience Fund which will replace Household Support Fund grants that both we, as an organisation, and our clients, as individuals, have benefitted from (34% of this year’s income!). The local authority is waiting for further guidance on this so we will wait to see how this affects us. We continue to look for and apply for other grants as and when they arise. Food donations continue but have declined and constituted about 14% of all food allocated to clients as opposed to 20% in 2024. Despite a big push for food donations to be replaced by monetary donations, our income from monetary donations dropped. Interestingly, private donations were up but donations from local businesses and organisations were down so there is clearly some work for us to do to address this over the coming months. Significant food donations this year were from Jempsons of Rye, Jempsons of Peasmarsh and Pett WI. However, there are a large number of other donors who give faithfully and regularly and all these donations are hugely appreciated and important. We are extremely grateful to the Hands of Hope charity growers who supply us with large trays of fresh veg that are very popular with our clients through the summer months. Jempsons has continued to support our operations with great generosity. They supply and deliver weekly in accordance with our orders and at their cost price. They collect donations of several thousand pounds a year through the Jempsons Foundation. We are very grateful. ## **Metrics** Rye Food Bank maintains rigorous accounting and collects data on a range of performance measures, summarised below: Operational Metrics Total number of households that have received help since 2018: 469 Average number of households receiving support in 2025: 44/week MONTHLY CLIENT NUMBERS 2025 _(The figure next to each month indicates the number of Food Bank sessions that month)_ **----- Start of picture text -----**
MONTHLY CLIENT NUMBERS
2025
1000
Children
0
Adults
J… F… M… A… M… J… J… A… S… O… N… D…
**----- End of picture text -----**
The number of individuals provided for between Jan 1[st ] and Dec 31[st] is the highest ever: Adults: 3638 Children: 1610 Total **: 5293** _Children 0-4 yrs: 536 (10.4%) Children 5-9 yrs 701 (13.6%) Children 10-15 yrs 516 (10%)_ (Note - the breakdown of children’s ages is an estimate.) Weight of Food supplied between Jan and Dec 2025: 43,573 kg ## **Food Bank (Restricted funds in Barclays)** The Food Bank funds are restricted funds, and are held in two Barclays Bank accounts. Savings and Current account. The monies are moved in and out of the Savings Account as and when required. Adding the two accounts together, the total balance each month ranged between £70,000 and £85,000. The total was unusually low in December 2025 (£69,000) but this was recovered in Jan 2026 once excess Food Vouchers had been cashed back in to the account.(£5,000 on 6th Jan 26) So the Food Bank income on balance matches their expenditure, with healthy reserves of circa £80.000. ## Total of restricted funds held for Food Bank at end of 2025 was £69,547 ## **Volunteers** The Trustees would like to thank all of the volunteers from our congregation who work so hard to make RBC the loving, lively and vibrant congregation it is. Fiona, our Minister, would like to also thank our Trustees and house-group leaders for all their hard work. Particular mention should go to Marguerite Kenward, our Church Secretary; Sally Moore our Treasurer; (and Ian Gill, Keith Haward and Geoff Austin of the Finance team); Geoff Haynes for oversight of the website and recordings; to Keith Haward for overseeing building maintenance, and Penny Kingham and Ellis Harper for their help in so many other areas of church life. ## **Structure, Governance & Management** The Board of Trustees is currently made up of the Minister, the Church Secretary and the Treasurer, plus four other Trustees, all elected by the membership in accordance with the procedures detailed in our Constitution. The Trustees are authorised by the church meeting to make decisions on smaller matters relating to the running of RBC, whilst larger matters, and larger items of expenditure are brought to the Church Meeting for approval. During 2025, Church Members’ Meetings were held in January, April, July and October, to update members on general church business, and to discuss, pray over, and agree plans for the immediate future. At the AGM in April, Sally Moore was elected as new Trustee and also as Treasurer, while Marguerite Kenward was elected as Secretary. Throughout 2025, The Trustees met monthly for church business and pastoral prayer. ## **Administrative Information** Rye Baptist Church is situated in Cinque Ports Street, Rye, East Sussex. It is part of the South Eastern Baptist Association within the Baptist Union of Great Britain. The Church is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, registered with the Charities’ Commission of England and Wales with the Charity Number 1188057. The Trustees, serving at least until the date this report is approved, are as follows:- Chair - Revd. Fiona Gill, Minister Secretary – Marguerite Kenward Treasurer – Sally Moore Trustee – Geoffrey Haynes Trustee – Penny Kingham Trustee – Keith Haward Trustee – Ellis Harper **Approved by the RBC Annual Church Meeting on 20[th] April 2026 - Signed by:** Trustees’ Annual Report | For year ended 31 December 2025 ## _Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Rye Baptist Church_ I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 December 2025 which are set out on pages 11 to 14. ## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner** As the charity’s trustees of Rye Baptist Church, you are responsible for the preparation of accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’) I report in respect of my examination of the Rye Baptist Church accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act ## **Independent examiner’s statement** I have completed my examination; I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect: 1. accounting records were not kept in respect of Rye Baptist Church as required by section 130 of the Act; or 2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or 3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement give a ‘true and fair view’ which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no concerns and have come across 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. ……………………………………. Mr J Cottingham MAAT 72 Broadmead Road Folkestone Kent CT19 5AR Date: 17/04/2026 **Rye Baptist Church** ## **Statement of Financial Activities For the Year Ended 31 December 2025** **----- Start of picture text -----**
NOTES 2025 2024
Unrestricted Restricted Total
INCOMING RESOURCES £ £ £
TOTAL INCOME 2a 59,142 60,893 120,035 140,890
TOTAL EXPENDITURE 3a 89,410 73,172 162,582 143,076
Net Incoming Resources before Transfers (30,268) (12,279) (42,547) (2,186)
Fund Transfers - - -
Net Movement in Funds (30,268) (12,279) (42,547) (2,186)
Brought Foroward at 1 January 2025 99,404 81,826 181,230 183,416
Carried Forward at 31 December 2025 69,136 69,547 138,683 181,230
**----- End of picture text -----**
## **Continuing Operations** None of the Charities operations were acquired or discontinued during the above financial years. ## **Total Recognised Gains and Losses** The Charity has no recognised gains or losses other than the income and expenditure for the two above years. the notes on pages 13-14 form part of these financial statements 11 ## **Rye Baptist Church** ## **Balance Sheet As at 31 December 2025** **----- Start of picture text -----**
2025 2024
Unrestricted Restricted Total
£ £ £
FIXED ASSETS
- - -
Tangible Assets
- - -
CURRENT ASSETS
Debtors - - -
Cash and Bank in Hand 69,136 69,547 138,683 81,826
69,136 69,547 138,683 81,826
CURRENT LIABILITIES
- - -
Creditors falling due within One Year
NET CURRENT ASSETS 69,136 69,547 138,683 81,826
TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES 69,136 69,547 138,683 81,826
REPRESENTED BY:
Free Reserves 4 69,136 69,547 138,683 81,826
TOTAL FUNDS 69,136 69,547 138,683 81,826
**----- End of picture text -----**
This statement of account was approved by the Trustees **----------------------------------------------------------------------------For and on behalf of the Trustees** ------------------------------------------------ ## **Dated** 12 ## **Rye Baptist Church** ## **Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 December 2025** ## **1) Accounting Policies** ## **a) Basis of Accounting** The Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (Charities SORP FRS 102). Rye Baptist Church meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. The Financial Statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention except for Land and Buildings which is carried at deemed cost under the transitional provisions of FRS ## **b) Funds** Free reserves represent the funds of the Charity that are not subject to any regulations regarding their use and are available for application on the general purposes of the Charity The accounts include all transactions, assets and liabilities for which the Charity is responsible in law. ## **c) Incoming Resources** ## _**Voluntary Income and Capital Sources**_ Collections are recognised when received by or on behalf of the Charity. Income tax recoverable on gift aid donations is recognised when the income is recognised. Funds raised by fetes, garden parties and other similar events are accounted for gross. ## _**Income from Investments**_ Dividends and interest are accounted for when receivable. Tax recoverable on such income is recognised in the same accounting year. 13 **Rye Baptist Church** ## **Notes to the Financial Statements (cont.) For the Year Ended 31 December 2025** **----- Start of picture text -----**
NOTES 2025 2024
Unrestricted Restricted Total Unrestricted Restricted Total
INCOMING RESOURCES £ £ £ £ £ £
Donations 44,647 - 44,647 50,593 - 50,593
Gift Aid from HMRC 8,248 1,725 9,973 9,397 - 9,397
Sales - Tea/Coffee 5,746 - 5,746 6,285 - 6,285
Miscellaneous 503 - 503 8,183 - 8,183
Interest Income - 1,014 1,014 1,164 1,077 2,241
Foodbank Grants - - - - 20,845 20,845
Donations to Foodbank - 58,154 58,154 - 43,346 43,346
VOLUNTARY INCOME 2a 59,144 60,893 120,037 75,622 65,268 140,890
RESOURCES EXPENDED £ £ £ £ £ £
Ministry 39,820 - 39,820 39,119 - 39,119
Mission 2,797 - 2,797 626 - 626
Manse 15,671 - 15,671 4,952 - 4,952
Upkeep of Church 15,823 - 15,823 23,489 - 23,489
Administration 4,078 - 4,078 660 - 660
Miscellaneous 2,760 2,760 3,322 - 3,322
Fellowship Fund - - - 150 - 150
Away Giving (Tithe) 8,461 - 8,461 7,165 - 7,165
Foodbank Running Costs - 7,208 7,208
Foodbank Purchases - 65,964 65,964 - 63,593 63,593
CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES 3a 89,410 73,172 162,582 79,483 63,593 143,076
**----- End of picture text -----**
|**CHARITY FUNDS- 2025**|4
**Balance**
**Transfers**
**B/F 1**
**January**
**2025**
**C/F 31**
**December**
**2025**
**Income**
**Expenditure**| |---|---| |**FREE RESERVES**
**RESTRICTED RESERVES**|99,404
59,144
89,410
(30,266)
-
69,138
81,826
60,893
73,172
(12,279)
-
69,547| 14