## Godmanchester Baptist **C** hurchlient name
Report and Accounts Year ended 31 December 2023
## **Godmanchester Baptist Church**
## **CHARITY INFORMATION**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
|**Trustees**|Rev Daniel M. Beckett|||
|---|---|---|---|
||Carolyn J. Keats|||
||Clifford W. Broadhurst|(appointed 25 September 2023)||
||Brett A. Mickelburgh|(resigned 1 January 2024)||
||Joseph D. George|||
||Joanna M. Hitchins|||
||Andrew P Shefford|||
||John M Collinson|||
||Susan Houghton|||
||John E. Brown|(resigned 26 June 2023)||
|**Key Staff**|Rev Daniel Beckett (Senior Pastor)|||
||Carolyn Keats (Associate Pastor)|||
|**Governing Document**|Constitution dated 25 February 2020, amended 17 July 2021|||
||Merged with Godmanchester Baptist Church Trust (charity number|||
||1089263) on 1 January 2021|||
|**Charity Registration Number**|1188171|||
|**Principal Address**|Godmanchester Baptist Church|||
||East Chadley Lane|||
||Godmanchester|||
||Huntingdon|||
||PE29 2BJ|||
|**Independent Examiner**|Lourens du Plessis ACA CA(SA)|||
||Stewardship|||
||1 Lamb's Passage|||
||London|||
||EC1Y 8AB|||
|**Bankers**|CAF Bank|||
||Kingdom Bank|||
||Charity Bank|||
|**Contents**|||**Page**|
|Charity Information|||1|
|Trustees' Annual Report|||2-6|
|Independent Examiner's Report|||7|
|Statement of Financial Activities|||8|
|Balance Sheet|||9|
|Notes to the Accounts|||10-20|
|Detailed Statement of Financial Activities with comparatives|||21|
1
## **Godmanchester Baptist Church**
## **TRUSTEES' ANNUAL REPORT**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
The trustees have pleasure in submitting the Report and Accounts for the year.
## **Objects of the charity**
The charity is a charitable incorporated organisation and is governed by its Constitution. The objects of the charity, as set out in the governing document are:
a) The advancement of the Christian faith according to the principles of the Baptist denomination. b) The church may also advance education and carry out other charitable purposes in the United Kingdom and/or other parts of the world
The trustees note that the Church is not a building, but a gathering of ordinary people of different ages and backgrounds, whose lives have been changed by Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The New Testament reveals the Church as a community of people, properly taught and cared for, who by loving and serving Jesus Christ, were also committed to love and care for each other and to bring a blessing to the communities in which they lived. Godmanchester Baptist Church, its trustees, and members are committed to the restoration of those New Testament principles.
## **Summary of the charity's main activities and achievements**
To further the above objects and vision, the charity's main activities and achievements were as follows:
## **Objective a:**
Where it is relevant, the trustees take into account the guidance of the Charity Commission on Public Benefit. We provide public benefit principally in the provision of a Places of Worship, with regular services open to all members of the public. We seek to contribute to the moral and spiritual education of children and young people and to engage with and promote self-worth in those who have suffered social exclusion. Additional public benefit is offered via the use of buildings for community and other charity activities where reduced hire rates are charged, as well as by companies where charges are in line with similar commercial facilities in the area. We seek to fulfil our charitable objectives in the advancement of Christianity and in supporting those in need, specific examples of which are given below.
## Among adults
Our membership at the end of 2023 was 139. Our main service on a Sunday morning continued to be broadcast on YouTube, due to broader demand from church members, attendees and other viewers who watch our broadcasts.
The Songs of Praise congregation continued meeting once a month. Our new congregations Families Venture and Young Adults continued to thrive. In September 2023 a new congregation started to meet monthly in The Beacon Centre formerly known as Grace Fellowship which is part of Godmanchester Baptist Church.
We held a one-day Mix event in September to enable people to “mix”, catch up and meet across congregations and activities and to discern what God was saying to us as a Church.
Care and Connect operated throughout the year as part of our pastoral care for each other, alongside the Pastoral Care team. During the year the Toolbox system continued, providing a range of teaching which included in-depth bible study, podcasts, book club and other specialised courses e.g. Walk through the Bible and a marriage course.
We have sought to attain our objective by worshipping God; engaging in the mission of the Lord Jesus; training others to serve the Lord Jesus and extending His kingdom.
## Among youth
The Friday Night Project involving local young people proved successful in providing a place to be together, including games, various craft activities and a tuck shop. Numbers typically fall between 40 and 50.
2
## **Godmanchester Baptist Church**
## **TRUSTEES' ANNUAL REPORT**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
## Among Children
The Littlefoot toddlers and parent group met on Wednesday mornings to play and chat. Approximately 20 families attend.
During the Sunday morning services there were age-appropriate groups which met for their own instruction. A Holiday Club took place in August and there were regular visits for assemblies and lessons in local primary schools and a local secondary school.
## Beyond Godmanchester, in the U.K. and abroad
We have fostered closer working relationships with other churches in the Godmanchester and Huntingdon district, seeking to bear witness to Jesus Christ through joint services and some open-air events in the towns, as well as collaborating in certain community projects. Ministers have spoken at Baptist Union events as specialists in their field. Several of our members have served other churches in leading worship and preaching.
We have made financial contributions to Baptist Union Home Mission to support the work of the BU in resourcing UK churches. We continue to make financial contributions for overseas mission work. 59 shoe boxes for needy families in Romania were sent as part of our work with Amen Ministries, along with bags of baby clothes and equipment, toys and blankets.
## Objective b:
We have provided emotional, practical and spiritual support for those in our congregation and community who have needed such assistance. The sick, the aged and the infirm are visited and practical support offered as appropriate.
There was a weekly Littlefoot Parents and Toddlers Club. Together with those from other churches some of our members are involved in the Cornerstone Pregnancy Crisis Centre, a confidential counselling service for pregnant women and their partners. We also have members who are involved with the work of Huntingdon Area Money Advice (HAMA) and the church premises are used as one of its bases for meeting clients. Contact was made with 105 new clients during 2023, bringing in a total of 200 people who were contacted and/or helped.
Tuesday Treat which is a coffee, cake, friendship and fellowship group met regularly with an average attendance of 44 people per week. A series of four summer events called Tuesdays @ 11 ran for senior citizens with talks and activities of interest e.g. a talk about hedgehog rescue and listening to a ukulele band.
The premises were used as a warm space throughout the year for those in the neighbourhood facing the increase in the cost of living. A room was provided with access to snacks, soft drinks and activities.
A new craft morning called Inspire was introduced during the year and has proved successful in drawing in people from the community as well as the church.
The church started a Together programme – a murder mystery evening, quiz, board games – which allowed the opportunity to invite others into the church.
Working in association with the Home Office, Hope Into Action and numerous other local bodies and organisations a project to resettle a second Syrian Refugee family has continued throughout 2023.
We have 100 local agencies who can act as Referral Agencies for the Foodbank including 12 schools in and around Huntingdon and Godmanchester. These agencies can issue vouchers to those in need which can then be redeemed at the Foodbank. Godmanchester Foodbank maintains close ties with other foodbanks and charities in the area.
The Foodbank has remained affiliated with the Trussell Trust – a charity which provides assistance and training to those running food banks around the country. Donated or purchased non-perishable food items are redistributed without charge to those in urgent need.
During 2023 57,964 kg of food was distributed and 882 adults and children received at least one food parcel, a rise from 567 in 2022.
3
## **Godmanchester Baptist Church**
## **TRUSTEES' ANNUAL REPORT**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
The majority of people assisted live primarily in the Huntingdon and Godmanchester areas. There has been a steady increase in demand for Foodbank services from people where their problem is greater than a shortage of food, for example rising debt and mental health issues. To help with these clients we have been working with Citizens Advice Rural Cambridgeshire who provided two Citizens Advice trained advisers. These advisers offered budgeting advice, benefit help and other forms of support using the Godmanchester Baptist Church premises.
Local food store collections, local churches, community groups and businesses all contributed to food stock collections throughout the year.
In order to facilitate the achievement of these objectives:
We have emphasised the priority of prayer together, in prayer triplets, in small groups, at meetings specifically for prayer and during our services. These have been undertaken either online or in person.
We have sought volunteers from within the congregation with the best skills possible and offered training or mentoring to enhance these if required.
We have paid and supported both Pastoral and Administrative staff to help achieve our objectives.
We encourage the widest participation in our activities, where necessary subsidising events and activities so that ‘ability to pay’ is not a barrier.
In planning the activities the trustees have applied the guidance on public benefit issued by the Charity Commission.
## **Volunteers**
Most of the charity’s activities are undertaken by volunteers and the charity could not operate effectively without their efforts.
## **Structure, Governance and Management**
Responsibility for setting policy and for making operating decisions rests with the trustees who meet regularly to monitor the activities of the charity. Trustees serve for a maximum of three years before standing for re-election. New trustees are recruited and appointed by church members according to the constitution.
The organisational structure considers that the government of the local church is best done by church members meeting together in a spirit of prayer and friendship to discuss and agree on what God wants them to do.
The day-to-day leadership of the church is entrusted to the Leadership Team who are the trustees appointed by the church members. They are jointly responsible for overseeing spiritual direction of the church, worship and prayer, discipleship (both teaching and pastoral care), outreach and in the role of trustees the administration of the church.
Paid staff are a Lead Pastor and an Associate Pastor plus a Church Administrator and the Foodbank Project Manager.
The church constitution lays out our voting percentages and system for decision making across all areas of the church. Details can be found in sections 13.7, 13.8, 14.1, 14.2, 20.1, 22.7 and 22.8.
Trustees follow the policies of the church constitution and that of the Charity Commission for inducting and training trustees. There is a Code of Conduct for Trustees and a Trustee’s Declaration. New trustees are supported by more experienced trustees and made aware of useful materials from the Baptist Union.
Pay is set for the Lead Pastor and the Associate Pastor using the recommended stipend reviewed annually by the Baptist Union. The church is committed to paying the minimum of the real living wage for all other roles while experience and skills required for the role are also used to determine the final pay rate. Cost of living increases for other staff members are based on the BU stipend increase or the CPI rate of inflation and selected by the Leadership Team according to the most appropriate measure at the time of the review. This is reviewed annually. All paid staff undergo an Annual Review which is reviewed after 6 months.
4
## **Godmanchester Baptist Church**
## **TRUSTEES' ANNUAL REPORT**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
The church is part of a wider network via a covenant relationship with the Baptist Union of Great Britain and the Eastern Baptist association.
We are a franchise of the Trussell Trust with the objective of being able to provide a Foodbank but do not have formal relationships with other related parties. We work with other churches when and where it is needed and where appropriate give gifts to other local charities.
## **Financial review**
During the year income decreased by £624,104 to £471,529 of which £500,000 related to the donation in kind of the property now called The Beacon Centre in 2022. Expenditure increased by £50,560 to £510,884. The reduction in reserves for the year was £39,355 to £1,335,369 and the charity's net assets decreased by the same amount, to £1,335,369. Net current assets stood at £152,217.
## **Funds in deficit**
There were no funds in deficit at the end of 2023.
## **Reserves policy**
The trustees have determined that the charity should aim to hold easily accessible reserves of an amount equal to three months' worth of General Fund expenses or £60,000, whichever is greater so that the charity could continue to operate should income and / or expenditure vary adversely. At the year end the charity held unrestricted funds (excluding fixed assets fund) of £76,673 and unrestricted cash of £79,382.
## **Going concern**
The Charity Trustees are confident that Godmanchester Baptist Church remains a going concern.
## **Key risks and uncertainties**
The charity is exposed to various risks - be they operational, financial or reputational. The trustees review the charity's activities regularly to identify significant risks and, where possible, they take appropriate measures to mitigate those risks.
In 2022 we were gifted a church building in Little Stukeley called Grace Fellowship which has since been renamed The Beacon Centre. This building is an asset for Godmanchester Baptist Church but came as a one-off unexpected donation. It brings some financial risk as it needs regular maintenance and improvements which will come from the church’s current general funds, while offering the opportunity for increasing the opportunity to play out our charitable objectives.
As with all organisations nationwide a key financial risk in 2023 was gas and electricity costs. We were able to mitigate against and control these costs by 1) entering into a further long-term fixed tariff agreement and 2) installing solar panels at the East Chadley Lane site.
An ongoing risk for any church is the dependence on giving from members. This is regularly monitored and reported to the Leadership Team and if necessary, actions would be taken to address any shortfall. Risks on grant funding are mitigated by only committing spending to match the term of the grant and not committing expenditure on projects unless income is committed, usually by phasing such projects.
The high income in 2022 was due to the donation of the building mentioned above and was a one-off situation so the decrease to previous levels of income and expenditure in 2023 was expected. The 2023 decrease in income will not have an operational impact on the charity which the trustees consider to be a viable concern and had anticipated that there would be a deficit in the year.
There are no factors likely to affect the financial performance or position going forward.
5
## **Godmanchester Baptist Church TRUSTEES' ANNUAL REPORT**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
## **Plans for the future**
Godmanchester Baptist Church will continue to be a vibrant worshipping community that will add new and relevant activities to existing successful ones. For example:-
Foodbank, as part of GBC, is planning to extend into part of the church buildings which are currently unused. Funding for this project will come mainly from grants, local fund raising from the community and members and from Foodbank funds that are restricted from church General fund expenditure.
## **Responsibilities of trustees under charity law**
The trustees are responsible for preparing the trustees' annual report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Charity law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of the affairs of the charity as at the balance sheet date and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including income and expenditure, for the financial year. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
1. select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently;
2. observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
3. make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
4. state whether the applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
5. prepare the financial statements on a 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 time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011 and the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008. 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.
## **Approval**
This report was approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by:
Daniel Beckett Cliff Broadhurst _____________________________________ ________________________________ DANIEL BECKETT CLIFF BROADHURST Chairman Treasurer Date: 14 May 2024 Date: 14 May 2024
6
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT**
## **TO THE TRUSTEES OF**
## **Godmanchester Baptist Church ('the Charity')**
I report to the Charity Trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Charity for the year ended 31 December 2023 on pages 8 to 21 following, which have been prepared on the basis of the accounting policies set out on pages 10 to 12.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the Charity’s Trustees of Godmanchester Baptist Church you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act').
I report in respect of my examination of the Charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 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**
Since the Charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), which is one of the listed bodies.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:
1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Charity 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 applicable requirements concerning the form and content 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 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.
Lourens du Plessis
Lourens du Plessis ACA CA(SA) Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)
Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage London EC1Y 8AB
Date: 14 May 2024
7
## **Godmanchester Baptist Church**
## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
|Note
**INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM:**
Donations and legacies
3
Charitable activities
4
Other trading activities
5
Investments
6
**Total income and endowments**
**EXPENDITURE ON:**
Charitable activities
7
**Total expenditure**
**Net income/(expenditure)**
**Transfers between funds**
19
**Net movement in funds**
**Reconciliation of funds:**
Total funds brought forward
**Total funds carried forward**
19|Unrestricted
Funds
£
230,759
5,040
2,048
6,592
244,438
272,580
272,580
(28,142)
8,727
(19,415)
1,283,240
1,263,825|Restricted
Funds
£
226,571
-
-
521
227,091
238,304
238,304
(11,213)
(8,727)
(19,940)
91,484
71,544|Total
Funds
2023
£
457,329
5,040
2,048
7,112
471,529
510,884
510,884
(39,355)
-
(39,355)
1,374,724
1,335,369|Total
Funds
2022
£
1,081,150
5,425
1,430
7,627|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||1,095,633|
|||||460,324|
|||||460,324|
||||||
|||||635,309
-|
|||||635,309
739,415|
|||||1,374,724|
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.
All income and expenditure derive from continuing operations.
The notes on page 10-21 form part of these accounts.
8
## **Godmanchester Baptist Church**
## **BALANCE SHEET**
## **AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2023**
|Note
**FIXED ASSETS**
Tangible assets
10
**CURRENT ASSETS**
Stock
11
Debtors
12
Cash at bank and in hand
13
**CREDITORS: Amounts falling**
**due within one year**
14
**Net current assets / (liabilities)**
**Total assets less current liabilities**
**CREDITORS: Amounts falling due**
15
**after more than one year**
**Net assets / (liabilities) excluding**
**TOTAL NET ASSETS**
**FUND BALANCES**
19
Unrestricted Funds
General funds
Designated funds
Restricted Funds|Unrestricted
Funds
£
1,187,152
1,187,152
-
17,042
79,382
96,424
(15,751)
80,674
1,267,825
(4,000)
1,263,825
1,263,825
73,157
1,190,668
1,263,825
-
1,263,825|Restricted
Funds
£
-
-
11,036
9,222
126,539
146,797
(75,253)
71,544
71,544
-
71,544
71,544
-
-
-
71,544
71,544|Total
Funds
2023
£
1,187,152
1,187,152
11,036
26,264
205,921
243,221
(91,004)
152,217
1,339,369
(4,000)
1,335,369
1,335,369
73,157
1,190,668
1,263,825
71,544
1,335,369|Total
Funds
2022
£
1,218,403|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||1,218,403|
|||||14,949
28,690
191,225|
|||||234,864
(78,543)|
|||||156,321|
||||||
|||||1,374,724
-|
|||||1,374,724|
|||||1,374,724|
|||||64,837
1,218,403|
|||||1,283,240
91,484|
|||||1,374,724|
The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and were signed on its behalf by:
Cliff Broadhurst
---------------------------------------
CLIFF BROADHURST
Date: 14 May 2024
Charity number: 1188171
The notes on page 10-21 form part of these accounts.
9
## **Godmanchester Baptist Church**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
## **1 Statutory Information**
The charity is a charitable incorporated organisation registered with the Charity Commission in England & Wales. The charity's registered number and principal address can be found on the Charity Information page.
## **2 Accounting Policies**
These financial statements are prepared on a going concern basis, under the historical cost convention.
These financial statements 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) ("the Charities SORP"), with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland ("FRS 102") and with the Charities Act 2011. The charity meets the definition of a public benefit entity as set out in FRS 102.
The Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 (the '2008 Regulations') requires charities to prepare their accounts in accordance with 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice effective from 1 April 2005' but this accounting standard has since been withdrawn and has been replaced by the Charities SORP mentioned in the preceding paragraph. The charity has prepared these financial statements in accordance with the new Charities SORP; this departure from the 2008 Regulations is believed to be necessary for these financial statements to give a 'true and fair view'.
The principles adopted in the preparation of the financial statements are set out below.
## a) Going concern
The trustees have assessed whether the use of the going concern basis is appropriate and have considered possible events or conditions that might cast significant doubt on the ability of the charity to continue as a going concern. The trustees have made this assessment for a period of at least one year from the date of approval of the financial statements. In particular the trustees have considered the charity's forecasts and projections and the possible implications should projected income and / or expenditure vary unexpectedly. The trustees have concluded that there is a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue to operate for the foreseeable future. The charity therefore continues to adopt the going concern basis in preparing its financial statements.
## b) Income
Income including investment income is recognised in the period in which the charity becomes entitled to receipt, the amount receivable can be measured with reasonable certainty, and receipt is probable. For the most part, income is generally recognised when it is received. Income is only deferred when the charity has to fulfil conditions before becoming entitled to it or where the donor has specified that the income is to be expended in a future period.
Income from donations and legacies includes:
- i) Recoverable gift aid. This is recognised when the related donation is received. Gift aid that has not been recovered by the balance sheet date is included as a debtor.
- ii) Donated facilities, services and goods. Goods donated for distribution to beneficiaries are recognised as income when receivable at fair value (being an estimate of the amount it would cost to purchase those items). Facilities, services and goods donated for the charity's own use are recognised as income when receivable at their value to the charity.
The charity relies on volunteers to carry out many of its activities, particularly its various ministries activities. However, in accordance with the SORP, the value of these services has not been included in these financial statements as they cannot be reliably measured.
When donated goods, services and facilities are distributed or consumed, an expense in respect of those items is included in the Statement of Financial Activities. At the year end any goods that have not been distributed or consumed are recognised as stock; donated fixed assets are capitalised.
Income from charitable activities represents income receivable from goods, services and facilities supplied in furtherance of the charity's charitable objects. It includes income from church retreats and other events and courses.
Investment income represents income generated by the charity's assets and includes income from letting the charity's property and bank interest.
10
## **Godmanchester Baptist Church**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
## c) Expenditure
- Expenditure, including irrecoverable VAT, is recognised when it is incurred or, if earlier, when a legal or constructive obligation for a payment arises provided that it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.
The charity makes grants to other institutions and individuals to further its charitable objectives. Grants payable are recognised as constructive obligations arise, which is generally when the charity expresses a commitment to the recipient that can be measured reliably and then only to the extent that any conditions associated with the grant are outside of the control of the charity.
Governance costs, which are included in expenditure on charitable activities but are identified separately in the notes to the accounts, includes costs associated with the independent examination of the financial statements, compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements and any other expenditure incurred on the strategic management of the charity.
## d) Fund accounting
General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity. Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the trustees for particular purposes. Restricted funds are donations which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors; they include donations received from appeals for specific activities or projects. Endowment funds are donations that are retained as capital in accordance with the donor's wishes. The nature of the restriction determines whether the endowments represent permanent endowments or expendable endowments.
## e) Tangible fixed assets
Items purchased or donated for the charity's own use are capitalised when the cost of purchased items, or the fair value of donated items, is more than £500 and the item is expected to benefit the charity over more than one accounting period. Depreciation is charged on a straight line basis so as to write down the value of each asset to its estimated residual value (if any) over its expected useful economic life. To achieve this objective the following rates of depreciation are charged:
Freehold land Is not depreciated (because it is not consumed by use) Freehold buildings Over 20 to 50 years after taking account of the building's residual value Furniture Over 5 to 10 years Equipment Over 3 to 10 years
The carrying values of tangible fixed assets are reviewed for impairment in periods when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable.
## f) Stocks
Stocks of donated items held for distribution to beneficiaries are measured at fair value; stocks of goods donated for the charity's own use are valued at an estimate of their value to the charity.
## g) Pension scheme arrangements
The charity operates defined contribution pension schemes for its employees. Obligations for contributions to these schemes are recognised as an expense when the liability arises. The assets of these schemes are held separately from those of the charity in independently administered funds.
## h) Taxation
The charity has taken advantage of the various reliefs from taxation available to charities and no tax is payable on the charity's income.
## l) Financial instruments
The charity's financial assets and financial liabilities all qualify as basic financial instruments, as defined by FRS102. Except for loans, creditors and debtors are measured at their expected settlement value (normally the amount of cash that the charity expects to pay or receive). The charity recognises liabilities for the principal of those loans that remains outstanding at the year end (i.e. the liabilities exclude any interest chargeable on the loans in future years).
## n) Exemption from preparing a cashflow statement
The charity has taken advantage of an exemption conferred by the Charities SORP and has not prepared a cash flow statement.
11
## **Godmanchester Baptist Church**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
## o) Critical accounting estimates and areas of judgement Date ~~: 14 May 2024 Date: 14~~ May 2024
ln preparing financial statements certain judgements, estimates and assumptions have to be made that affect the amounts recognised in the financial statements. The trustees consider the following to be significant:
i) The annual depreciation charge for property, plant and equipment is sensitive to changes in the estimates for useful economic life and residual value. These estimates are reassessed annually and, when necessary, adjusted to reflect current circumstances.
## **3 Donations and legacies**
|Donations of cash and similar
Donations in kind (note 3a)
Government grants (note 3b)
Other grants receivable
Legacies receivable
Income tax recoverable
ations in kind comprise:
Property//equipment donated:
Property at Grace Fellowship
Equipment donated
Goods donated for:
Distribution to beneficiaries|2023
£
225,925
76,513
1,700
110,500
-
42,692
457,329
2023
£
-
900
75,613
76,513|2022
£
248,541
584,368
-
188,864
11,448
47,929|
|---|---|---|
|||1,081,150|
|||2022
£
500,000
-
84,368|
|||584,368|
## **a** Donations in kind comprise:
On 1 April 2022, the charity took possession of a property gifted to it by Little Stukeley Baptist Church (now called The Beacon Centre formerly Grace Fellowship). This was valued at £500,000.
Goods donated for distribution represents foodbank donations in kind received for onward distribution.
## **b** Government grants comprise:
|Grants for Community Sponsorship
**4**
**Income from charitable activities**
Church Ministries
Other income
**5**
**Income from other trading activities**
Sale of items
**6**
**Investment income**
Property letting
Bank interest|2023
£
1,700
1,700
2023
£
4,826
214
5,040
2023
£
2,048
2,048
2023
£
5,901
1,211
7,112|2022
£
-|
|---|---|---|
|||-|
|||2022
£
5,301
124|
|||5,425|
|||2022
£
1,430|
|||1,430|
|||2022
£
7,302
326|
|||7,627|
12
## **Godmanchester Baptist Church**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
|**7**
**Charitable expenditure**
**a**
**Costs incurred directly on specific activities**
Fund raising costs
Cost of goods sold
Salaries, travel and expenses ministers and foodbank
Hospitality
Venue hire
Equipment hire
Literature
Events - other costs
Ministries - other costs
Subscriptions and professional fees
Miscellaneous charitable expenses
Foodbank, including stock purchased and donations in kind expensed
Grants payable (note 8e)
**b**
**Costs incurred on support & administration**
Governance costs
Professional fees
Administration salaries
Conferences and training
Printing, postage, telephone, internet and stationery
Equipment expensed
Utilities
Repairs, maintenance & cleaning
Depreciation of tangible fixed assets
Insurance
**Total expenditure**|2023
£
-
1,441
115,781
5,860
1,030
3,423
828
416
4,979
2,316
2,083
104,442
242,599
121,785
364,384
10,816
26,969
515
11,751
3,621
25,155
12,635
51,248
3,790
146,500
510,884|2022
£
243
1,188
108,051
3,619
5,204
3,063
1,763
860
6,528
1,732
1,154
99,233|
|---|---|---|
|||232,639
69,212|
|||301,851|
|||10,045
37,421
692
10,718
2,022
9,426
29,922
53,976
4,251|
|||158,473|
|||460,324|
The fee payable to the independent examiner for examining the accounts was £2,800 (2022: £3,180).
## **c Charitable expenditure split by activity -current year**
|Oikodom (fund closed at end of 2022)
Oikodom
Foodbank (note 16)
Church
**ritable expenditure split by activity - prior year**
Ministries
Events
Foodbank (note 16)
Church
Ministries
Events|Fundraising
costs
£
1,441
-
-
-
-
1,441
Fundraising
costs
£
1,078
-
-
-
354
1,432|Gifts/Grants
£
-
-
96,232
-
25,554
121,785
Gifts/Grants
£
2,726
-
37,017
-
29,469
69,212|Direct costs
£
8,530
1,827
128,240
-
102,561
241,158
Direct costs
£
9,058
1,947
123,483
-
96,720
231,207|Support/
governance
costs
£
2,894
-
7,674
-
135,932
146,500
Support/
governance
costs
£
3,257
-
4,950
146
150,121
158,473|Total
costs
by
activity
2023
£
12,865
1,827
232,146
-
264,046|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||510,884|
||||||Total
costs
by
activity
2022
£
16,119
1,947
165,450
146
276,663|
||||||460,324|
## **d Charitable expenditure split by activity - prior year**
13
## **Godmanchester Baptist Church**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
## **e Grants payable**
|Gifts/Grants for UK and overseas mission
Gifts/Grants for the relief of poverty and advancement of health or saving of lives
The comparatives for the previous year are as follows:
Gifts/Grants for UK and overseas mission
Gifts/Grants for the relief of poverty and advancement of health or saving of lives
The charity's principal grants to institutions comprised:
Anglo Indian Concern
Baptist Union of Great Britain Home Mission Fund
Cornerstone Pregnancy Crisis Centre
Organisation working in Central Asia
Huntingdon Area Money Advice
Hope in Action
Rehoboth Children's Homes (Philippines)
Thrive (Youth work)
HCAP
GENr8
Rural Cambs Citizens Advice Bureau Ltd.
St Neots Foodbank
Grants to institutions for less than £1,000 each|Institutions
£
19,260
95,335
114,595
Institutions
£
24,816
35,386
60,202|Individuals
£
3,300
3,891
7,191
Individuals
£
2,520
6,490
9,010
2023
£
3,240
5,700
1,020
4,020
6,140
1,020
3,240
1,020
2,010
1,020
59,538
26,627
-
114,595|2023
£
22,560
99,225|
|---|---|---|---|
||||121,785|
||||2022
£
27,336
41,876|
||||69,212|
||||2022
£
3,900
8,520
1,710
4,725
3,207
1,921
3,900
-
2,000
1,500
19,679
8,790
350|
||||60,202|
The charity has taken advantage of an exemption conferred by the Charities SORP and has not disclosed the names of some grant receiving institutions as they operate in territories where Christians are persecuted; the disclosure of this information would be prejudicial.
## **8 Analysis of staff costs, the cost of key management personnel and trustee remuneration**
|**ysis of staff costs, the cost of key management personnel and trustee remuneration**|||
|---|---|---|
|Gross wages and salaries
Social security
Pension costs|2023
£
126,704
5,260
8,768
140,732|2022
£
130,356
4,773
9,231|
|||144,360|
The average monthly number of employees during the year was 4.2 (2022: 4.7). Most of the charity's activities are carried out by volunteers.
No staff received salaries at a rate of more than £60,000 per annum.
The charity's key management comprise the trustees named on the Charity Information page. Total employment benefits payable to key management for the year were as follows:
|Other
Employer
Wages &
employment
pension
salaries
benefits
contributions
Trustees:
Daniel Beckett
29,972
-
3,211
Carolyn Keats
38,446
-
2,675|2023
£
33,183
41,121|
|---|---|
||74,304|
14
## **Godmanchester Baptist Church**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
The following amounts were payable in the previous year:
|following amounts were payable in the previous year:||
|---|---|
|Other
Employer
Wages &
employment
pension
salaries
benefits
contributions
Trustees:
Daniel Beckett
28,084
3,069
Carolyn Keats
36,927
-|2022
£
31,154
36,927|
||68,081|
Daniel Beckett and Carolyn Keats served as church leaders and received the above payments for serving in that capacity, not for serving as trustees; these payments are permitted by the charity's governing document.
In addition the charity incurred expenditure totalling £15,968 (2022: £15,851) in respect of the customary provision of accommodation to Daniel Beckett, who is a trustee, so that they could better perform their duties.
No trustees received employment benefits in either the current or preceding year.
## **9 Acting as agent**
On occasion the charity receives money on behalf of other charities, which it banks and then pays out to these charities. This income is received as agent for these other charities and the income, and the related payments, are excluded from the Statement of Financial Activities; any money that has not been distributed by the year end is recognised as a creditor.
During the year the charity acted as agent for an agency working in central Asia administered by GBC on behalf of a church member and, in that capacity:
- a) received £900 (2022: £950) and paid £775 (2022: £1050)
- b) at the year end the charity owed £250 (2022: £50) to the central Asian mission agency
## **10 Tangible fixed assets**
|Cost
At 1 January 2023
Additions
Disposals
At 31 December 2023
Accumulated depreciation
At 1 January 2023
Charge for the year
Eliminated on disposal
At 31 December 2023
Net book value
At 31 December 2023
At 31 December 2022|Freehold
Property
£
1,582,601
15,288
-
1,597,889
373,761
46,679
-
420,441
1,177,448
1,208,840|Fixtures,
fittings and
equipment
£
56,988
4,709
-
61,697
47,425
4,569
-
51,994
9,703
9,563|Total
2023
£
1,639,589
19,997
-|
|---|---|---|---|
||||1,659,586|
||||421,187
51,248
-|
||||472,435|
||||1,187,152|
||||1,218,403|
On 1 April 2022, the charity took possession of a property gifted to it by Little Stukeley Baptist Church (Grace Fellowship). This has been valued at £500,000.
15
## **Godmanchester Baptist Church**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
## **11 Stock**
|Donated goods
For distribution to beneficiaries
**12**
**Debtors**
**Falling due within one year:**
Tax recoverable
Other debtors
Prepayments and accrued income
**Total debtors**
**13**
**Cash at Bank and in Hand**
Cash at bank with immediate access
Notice deposits (with a term of three months or less)
Petty cash
**14**
**Creditors: liabilities falling due within one year**
Taxation and social security
Other creditors
Accruals
Deferred income
Interest free loan (Note 15)
**15**
**Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year**
Interest free loan|2023
£
11,036
11,036
2023
£
9,603
994
15,667
26,264
2023
£
83,987
120,843
1,091
205,921
2023
£
2,784
250
17,970
69,000
1,000
91,004
2023
£
4,000
4,000|2022
£
14,949|
|---|---|---|
|||14,949|
|||2022
£
5,906
1,677
21,107|
|||28,690|
|||2022
£
149,615
40,107
1,502|
|||191,225|
|||2022
£
2,512
25
6,996
69,010
-|
|||78,543|
|||2022
£
-|
|||-|
A interest free loan was given to the church during the year. It is to be repaid in quarterly instalments from 28th March 2024. The lender is a member of the church and the loan will be repaid in full within three months of a request or the death of the lender.
16
## **Godmanchester Baptist Church**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
## **16 Deferred income**
Deferred income comprises the following:
|Other
Grant from
Trussell
Trust
10
69,000
(10)
(69,000)
-
69,000
-
69,000
Within one year
-
69,000
After one year
-
-
-
69,000
The income deferred at the period end will be released to income over the following periods:
Amount released to income
Balance at the beginning of the reporting period
Balance at the end of the reporting period
Amount deferred in year|2023
£
69,010
(69,010)
69,000
69,000
69,000
-
69,000|2022
£
-
-
69,010|
|---|---|---|
|||69,010|
|||69,010
-|
|||69,010|
The Grant from Trussell Trust is to support programmes to address the underlying causes of demand for Food with clients of the foodbank. The grant is repayable if the Foodbank and its partners who help run the programme do not achieve certain targets.
## **17 Pension commitments**
**Summary of pension contributions payable for year:**
The charity's pension contributions were as follows
|to defined contribution pension schemes|2023
£
8,768
8,768|2022
£
9,231|
|---|---|---|
|||9,231|
## **Summary of pension liabilities at the year end:**
The charity's pension liabilities at the end of the year were as follows:
|in respect of defined benefit pension arrangements
in respect of defined contribution pension arrangements
**dbank Fund**
**Income**
Donations of cash and similar
Donations in kind
Grants
Gift aid recoverable
Investment income
**Expenditure**
Gifts/grants
Food distributed to beneficiaries
Recipe card project grant projects/Easter meals projects, warm hub project
Trussell Trust grant projects including salary allocated
Other direct costs including salary, storage costs and vehicle lease
Support/administrative costs
Net income /net (expenditure)|2023
£
695
695
2023
£
35,516
75,613
110,500
2,474
521
224,623
5,447
101,486
124
97,863
19,552
7,674
232,146
(7,523)|2022
£
459|
|---|---|---|
|||459|
|||2022
£
44,095
84,368
43,830
3,491
88|
|||175,873|
|||6,841
91,189
5,727
34,107
22,635
4,950|
|||165,450|
|||10,423|
## **18 Foodbank Fund**
17
## **Godmanchester Baptist Church**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
## **19 Funds**
During the year the movements in the charity's funds were as follows:
|_Designated Funds_
Fixed Assets Fund
Buildings
Children
Friday Night Project
Littlefoot
Major Events
Targeted Ministry
Youth
Youth Residential Trips
_General Unrestricted Funds_
Total Unrestricted Funds
_Restricted Funds_
Encouragement
Foodbank
Littlefoot
Refugee Project
Youth
Community Sponsorship
Aggregate of funds|Opening
balance
2023
£
1,218,403
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1,218,403
64,837
1,283,240
789
76,330
-
1,567
3,271
9,529
91,484
1,374,724|Incoming
resources
2023
£
900
7,003
210
3,032
1,175
1,752
4,631
153
129
18,985
225,453
244,438
-
224,623
-
-
-
2,469
227,091
471,529|Outgoing
resources
2023
£
(51,248)
(20,498)
(502)
(1,982)
(303)
(1,827)
(3,036)
(620)
(263)
(80,280)
(192,300)
(272,580)
-
(232,146)
-
(443)
(429)
(5,287)
(238,304)
(510,884)|Transfers
in the year
2023
£
19,097
13,495
292
-
-
75
-
467
134
33,560
(24,833)
8,727
-
(7,807)
-
-
(920)
-
(8,727)
-|Gains and
losses
2023
£
-
-
-
-|Closing
balance
2023
£
1,187,152
-
-
1,050
872
-
1,595
-
-|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||||1,190,668
73,157|
|||||||1,263,825|
|||||||789
61,000
-
1,124
1,922
6,710|
|||||||71,544|
|||||||1,335,369|
The transfers referred to above were made for the following reasons:
Transfers to the fixed asset fund for assets purchased in the year were made from the Youth restricted, general and building a) funds.
- Transfers were made from the Foodbank fund to the general fund to cover the space occupied and utilities in the church
- b) buildings. c) Transfers were made from the General Fund to finance designated fund activities.
## **Analysis of net assets by fund**
The assets and liabilities of the various funds were as follows:
|Tangible fixed assets
Stock
Debtors
Investments held as current assets
Cash at bank and in hand
Creditors falling due within one year
Creditors falling due after one year||General
Designated
funds
funds
£
£
-
1,187,152
-
-
15,636
1,406
-
75,448
3,934
(13,927)
(1,824)
(4,000)
-
73,157
1,190,668
Unrestricted Funds|Restricted
funds
£
-
11,036
9,222
126,539
(75,253)
-
71,544|2023
£
1,187,152
11,036
26,264
-
205,921
(91,004)
(4,000)|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||General
funds
£
-
-
15,636
-
75,448
(13,927)
(4,000)
73,157|||
|||||1,335,369|
18
## **Godmanchester Baptist Church**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
In the previous year the movements in the charity's funds were as follows:
|_Designated Funds_
Fixed Assets Fund
Buildings
Children
Friday Night Project
Littlefoot
Major Events
Targeted Ministry
Youth
Youth Residential Trips
_General Unrestricted Funds_
_Total Unrestricted Funds_
_Restricted Funds_
Encouragement
Foodbank
Littlefoot
Mission
Oikodom
Refugee Project
Youth
Community Sponsorship
_Aggregate of funds_|Opening
balance
2022
£
356,383
-
40
2,504
2,774
460
2,059
607
217
365,044
58,151
423,195
789
70,320
16
225
239,998
1,435
3,437
-
316,220
739,415|Incoming
resources
2022
£
500,000
7,752
340
2,248
-
2,404
3,456
98
440
516,737
194,538
711,276
-
175,873
-
-
188,471
650
216
19,148
384,358
1,095,633|Outgoing
resources
2022
£
(53,976)
(39,406)
(423)
(1,438)
(78)
(1,947)
(2,277)
(321)
(556)
(100,422)
(183,281)
(283,703)
-
(165,450)
(17)
(225)
(146)
(519)
(383)
(9,883)
(176,621)
(460,324)|Transfers
in the year
2022
£
415,996
31,654
43
(3,314)
(2,695)
(917)
(3,238)
(384)
(101)
437,043
(4,571)
432,472
-
(4,414)
1
-
(428,322)
-
-
263
(432,472)
-|Gains and
losses
2022
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-|Closing
balance
2022
£
1,218,403
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||||1,218,403
64,837|
|||||||1,283,240|
|||||||789
76,330
-
-
-
1,567
3,271
9,529|
|||||||91,484|
|||||||1,374,724|
## _**Analysis of net assets by fund**_
In the previous year, the assets and liabilities of the various funds were as follows:
|Tangible fixed assets
Stock
Debtors
Cash at bank and in hand
Creditors falling due within one year||General
Designated
funds
funds
£
£
-
1,218,403
-
-
7,681
1,194
63,746
977
(6,590)
(2,171)
64,837
1,218,403
Unrestricted Funds|Restricted
funds
£
-
14,949
19,815
126,502
(69,782)
91,484|2022
£
1,218,403
14,949
28,690
191,225
(78,543)|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||General
funds
£
-
-
7,681
63,746
(6,590)
64,837|||
|||||1,374,724|
19
## **Godmanchester Baptist Church**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
## **Designated Funds**
Fixed Assets Fund the value of property and equipment in use and owned by the church Buildings money designated for building development and rental income Children funds set aside for children's work, including summer holiday clubs Friday Night Project funds set aside for this youth project Littlefoot funds set aside for the parent/toddler group Major Events funds set aside for major church events, including the church weekend Targeted Ministries funds set aside for specific ministries aimed at particular groups, such as seniors Youth funds set aside for youth work Youth Residential Trips funds set aside for youth residential activities
## **Restricted Funds**
Encouragement funds given for practical help to those in need Foodbank grant funding and other donations given for the Foodbank project Littlefoot funds given specifically towards this parent/toddler group's activities Mission (closed at end 2022) funds given for various mission activities Oikodom (closed at end of 2022) funds given for the Oikodom building project Refugee Project support given towards the first refugee family sponsored by the church Youth grant funding received for youth work Community Sponsorship support given towards the second refugee family sponsored by the church
Annually the trustees set aside some of the charity's income for grant giving to institutions and individuals who undertake activities that further the charity's own objects. It is anticipated that all of the funds designated for this purpose will be distributed in the new financial year.
## **20 Operating lease commitments**
The charity has an operating lease for a van used by the Foodbank. The minimum amount payable (until the next break clause and ignoring the potential effect of future rent reviews) in respect of this lease is as follows:
|Within one year
Between one and five years
After five years
Payments falling due:|2023
£
338
-
-
338|2022
£
2,026
338
-|
|---|---|---|
|||2,363|
During the year the charity was charged £2,438 (2022: £2,114) for its operating lease.
## **21 Capital commitments**
Contracted for but not provided for by the balance sheet date
|2023|2022|
|---|---|
|£|£|
|-|-|
(because the related assets had not been delivered by the year-end)
## **22 Transactions with related parties**
During the year the charity:
- a) received donations totalling £32,716 (2022: £66,467) from related parties (which includes trustees, any other members of key management and anyone closely connected to them).
- b) received loans from a trustee totalling £10,528.06 in June 2022 in relation to the Oikodom project which were repaid following the receipt of grants in relation to the project in July 2022. There were no equivalent transactions in 2023.
Except as disclosed in note 8 'Analysis of staff costs', there have been no other transactions with related parties during the year.
20
## **Godmanchester Baptist Church**
## **DETAILED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES WITH COMPARATIVES**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
|Note
**INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM:**
Donations and legacies
3
Charitable activities
4
Other trading activities
5
Investments
6
**Total income and endowments**
**EXPENDITURE ON:**
Charitable activities:
7
**Total Expenditure**
**Net income/(expenditure)**
**Transfers between funds**
19
**Net movement in funds**
**Reconciliation of funds:**
Total funds brought forward
**Total funds carried forward**
19||General
Designated
2023
2023
£
£
223,197
7,562
1,370
3,671
196
1,852
691
5,901
225,453
18,985
192,300
80,280
192,300
80,280
33,153
(61,295)
(24,833)
33,560
8,320
(27,735)
64,837
1,218,403
73,157
1,190,668
Unrestricted funds|Restricted
2023
£
226,571
-
-
521
227,091
238,304
238,304
(11,213)
(8,727)
(19,940)
91,484
71,544|Total
2023
£
457,329
5,040
2,048
7,112
471,529
510,884
510,884
(39,355)
-
(39,355)
1,374,724
1,335,369|||General
Designated
2022
2022
£
£
193,791
503,306
425
4,785
85
1,345
237
7,302
194,538
516,737
183,281
100,422
183,281
100,422
11,257
416,316
(4,571)
437,043
6,686
853,359
58,151
365,044
64,837
1,218,403
Unrestricted funds|Restricted
2022
£
384,053
216
-
88
384,358
176,621
176,621
207,736
(432,472)
(224,736)
316,220
91,484|Total
2022
£
1,081,150
5,425
1,430
7,627
1,095,633
460,324
460,324
635,309
-
635,309
739,415
1,374,724|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
21