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2025-08-31-accounts

Annual report and accounts Year ended 31 August 2025

A bronze award-winning Eco Church in the North Bedfordshire Methodist Circuit

Putnoe Heights Church Re istered Charit Number: 1190242 g y

Putnoe Heights Church Year ended 31 August 2025

Contents

Page
Trustees' Annual Report 1 to 7
Comments on Methodist Standard Form of Accounts 8 to 9
Appended:
Methodist Standard Form of Accounts 10 to 15

Putnoe Heights Church Year ended 31 August 2025

Trustees' Annual Report

Reference and administration details

Charity name : Putnoe Heights Church

Also known as: Putnoe Heights Methodist Church Putnoe Heights Church Centre

Registered charity number : 1190242 Address: Putnoe Heights Bedford MK41 8EB

Managing Trustees

The names of those who served as Managing Trustees in the year are as follows:

Rev Christopher Sandy (Chair) Jenny Snelson (Senior Church Steward) Sue Allen (Church Steward) Christine Nixon (Secretary) Nigel Firban (Treasurer) Nick Guy (Circuit Steward) Rev Michael Giles Sylvia Cohen Sue Edwards Sue Marks Margaret Massey Margaret Peck Barry Snelson

Putnoe Heights Church Year ended 31 August 2025

Trustees' Annual Report (continued)

Structure, governance and management

Governing document

As part of the wider Methodist Church in Great Britain, the Charity's governing document is the Deed of Union (1932) and Methodist Church Act (1976).

Within the wider Methodist Connexion, Putnoe Heights Church is part of the North Bedfordshire Methodist Circuit which in turn is itself part of the Bedfordshire, Essex and Hertfordshire District of the Methodist Church.

Membership of the governing body

The governing body of the Charity is the Church Council, the members of which are the Managing Trustees. Certain officers are automatically Managing Trustees by virtue of their office. These are the minister, the secretary, the church stewards, the treasurer and the pastoral secretary. The other Managing Trustees are church representatives appointed to the Church Council at a general meeting of members of the church, normally held at least annually.

Two committees report to the Church Council:

Bodies entitled to appoint Trustees

The North Bedfordshire Methodist Circuit is entitled to appoint four Trustees to the Putnoe Heights Church Council, which comprise:

Putnoe Heights Church Year ended 31 August 2025

Trustees' Annual Report (continued)

Objectives and activities

Purposes

The calling of the Methodist Church is to respond to the gospel of God's love in Christ and to live out its discipleship in worship and mission.

It does this through:

Worship

The Church exists to increase awareness of God's presence and to celebrate God's love

Learning and Caring

The Church exists to help people to grow and learn as Christians, through mutual support and care

Service

The Church exists to be a good neighbour to people in need and to challenge injustice

Evangelism

The Church exists to make more followers of Jesus Christ

Putnoe Heights Church seeks to apply this within the local environs of Putnoe, Bedford. As well as acting as a place of worship, Putnoe Heights Church also aims to use the building with which it is blessed to offer space for hire to the local community as a community centre known as 'Putnoe Heights Church Centre'.

Activities undertaken

The Charity undertakes a wide range of activities every year in line with its Christian purpose. These typically include but are not limited to:

Putnoe Heights Church Year ended 31 August 2025

Trustees' Annual Report (continued)

Public benefit statement

The Managing Trustees oversee the activities of the Charity with due regard to the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit.

The benefits of the Christian activities of the Putnoe Heights Church are considered to be:

Putnoe Heights Church Year ended 31 August 2025

Trustees' Annual Report (continued)

The benefits of the community hire activities of the Church Centre are considered to be:

Achievements and performance

Putnoe Heights Church continued to hold a range of services throughout the year and welcomed many further people through our doors as part of the regular hire groups using the building.

The reorganisation of the North Bedfordshire Circuit has resulted in our Church being part of Bedford Methodist Mission Group, comprising of

now called Bedford Methodist.

The Churches hold regular joint services and closer working relationships are developing, building on the established pattern with Putnoe Heights and Priory.

Financial review

Overall, a small surplus of £905 has been reported for the year, against a forecast deficit of £14,530 which would have required Putnoe Heights Church to continue to rely on its reserves.

Offertory giving has continued the recent trend of decline and we remain increasingly grateful to all who regularly contribute through offertory, in whichever form, to the life of the church. We remain aware that focus upon the mission of the church and future growth in membership will be needed in order to also see financial growth in offertory income.

Putnoe Heights Church Year ended 31 August 2025

Trustees' Annual Report (continued)

By contrast, income from hire of the Church Centre increased from £39,000 to £48,500. The church continued to benefit from the solar panels on the church roof which generated both electricity and income during the year.

The Circuit Assessment is a formal commitment made eight months before the start of the year. The Circuit Share for the year ended 31 August 2025 was set with the full expectation of requiring the use of some reserves held and in recognition of the importance of this income to the work of the wider North Bedfordshire Methodist Circuit, but due to higher letting receipts than expected use of reserves was not required.

Expenditure on maintenance of the church building included work on replacing the lighting in the building.

Utility costs increased mainly due to gas heating costs, offset by a change from annual to quarterly billing for water.

Reserves policy

This reserves policy covers our General Fund and Designated Funds only. It does not include the funds represented by the church building and property as this fund, whilst classified as unrestricted funds, is not available for use by the church without the sale of the assets concerned.

The Trustees aim to maintain a level of General Fund equivalent to six months’ ordinary expenditure. This allows sufficient working capital to cover fluctuations in income and expenditure, meet emergency calls on cash and would enable the church’s activities to continue should there be a significant fall in income whilst efforts were made to replace the income lost or to change activities. For the coming year this is valued at £48,000.

Designated funds: A separate Maintenance Reserve of £10,000 has been allocated towards planned repairs, though no major repairs or maintenance requirements were identified in the 2025 Quinquennial Property Inspection.

Restricted funds are not covered by this policy as these funds relate to the internal organisations of the church and are restricted for use by those organisations. Currently there are no internal organisations.

The Trustees are aware that, as a result of significant legacies received in recent years, the level of General Funds held are in excess of the policy. The Trustees are conducting a review of reserves levels to determine how best to use these reserves for the furtherance of the churches mission. This will combine with considerations arising from the Mission Group, which may identify potential new projects or activities for using the funds held, as well as recognising the funding needs of the wider North Bedfordshire Methodist Circuit.

Putnoe Heights Church Year ended 31 August 2025

Trustees' Annual Report (continued)

The Trustees' Annual Report was signed by the Chair of Trustees on behalf of the Church Council. The accompanying Methodist Standard Form of Accounts were presented to and approved by the Church Council on 12 February 2026.

Rev Christopher Sandy Chair of Trustees

Date: 12 February 2026

Putnoe Heights Church Year ended 31 August 2025

Accounting policies - Methodist Standard Form of Accounts

Basis of accounts

On the following pages 10 to 12 are given the Methodist Standard Form of Accounts of Putnoe Heights Church for the year ended 31 August 2025, prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Methodist Church in Great Britain.

The accounts have been prepared on a Receipts and Payments basis since income is below the threshold that allows this approach.

Accounting policies

In order to better aid the understanding of readers, the following accounting policies are stated which explain aspects of the standard form of accounts:

Core activities

The result for the year from core activities of the Charity, being the operation of the Church and Church Centre, are given in sections A to C on page 11.

Charitable collections

Collections made for specific charities are accounted for separately in section D and are not therefore part of the funds of the Charity.

Internal organisations

Any internal organisations within the overall Charity that have separate funds are shown in section E.

Funds

In common with most charities, the funds held by Putnoe Heights Church fall into three categories:

General unrestricted funds

General funds are unrestricted and can be used for any purpose in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the Managing Trustees.

Designated unrestricted funds

Designated funds are also unrestricted but have been allocated to a particular purpose by the Managing Trustees.

Restricted funds

Restricted funds can only be used for particular purposes within the charitable objectives. Such restrictions may arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes. All funds relating to internal organisations are deemed to be restricted funds.

Putnoe Heights Church Year ended 31 August 2025

Accounting policies - Methodist Standard Form of Accounts

Assets and liabilities

Whilst the accounts are prepared on a Receipts and Payments basis, details of debtors and creditors existing at the year end are included in section G for reference, but these do not form part of the overall funds disclosed in the accounts.

The only creditor actually included in the Receipts and Payments accounts are keycard deposits held for hirers since these have already been received but are due back to hirers upon return of the keycards in question.

Church site and building

In common with most Methodist Churches, the Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes ("TMCP") are a custodian trustee of the church site and building at Putnoe Heights, which is held on the Model Trusts of the Methodist Church Act 1976. Usage of the site and building by Putnoe Heights Church is for those purposes as permitted under the Constitutional Practice and Discipline of the Methodist Church.

A value for the church building held by Putnoe Heights Church is included in the "Statement of Assets and Liabilities" (section G on page 12). This value is the historic deemed cost of the building upon transition to FRS102, based upon an insurance valuation conducted in 2025. As the accounts of Putnoe Heights Church are prepared on a receipts and payments basis the disclosed valuation is not therefore meant to represent the current market value of property at the year end date.

Accompanying notes

Additional accompanying notes on pages 13 to 14 are given voluntarily where it is felt these will add beneficial information to the reader of the accounts.

CHURCH RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS

THE METHODIST CHURCH STANDARD FORM OF ACCOUNTS

CHURCH CHURCH CHURCH CHURCH CHURCH CHURCH CHURCH CHURCH CHURCH
RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS
ACCOUNTS
THE METHODIST CHURCH
STANDARD FORM OF ACCOUNTS
Putnoe Heights Church
FOR THE YEAR ENDED
31 August 2025
North Bedfordshire Circuit Circuit no. 34/01
Registered Charity -Charity Registration number
If not a registered charityHis Majesty's Revenue and
Customs Gift Aid number		 1190242
(The HMRC number is equivalent to a registered charity number in terms of evidence of charitable status
and may be used to give to donors or grant funders wishing to see evidence of the organisation's charitable
status. Methodist charities in England and Wales that are not registered charities are excepted from
registration under Statutory Instrument 2014 No.242)
Minister:
RevChristopherSandy
Church Stewards:
Mrs Jenny Snelson
Mrs Sue Allen
Treasurer:
Mr Nigel Firban
ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025 ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025 ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025 ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025 Putnoe Heights Putnoe Heights Putnoe Heights Church Church
Unrestricted
Funds		 Restricted
Funds		 Totals this
year		 Totals last
year
SECTION A
£ £ £ £
a1 RECEIPTS Note
a2 Offerings and Tax recovered 1 28,489.00 28,489.00 21,409.00
a3 Bank and CFB interest and
Investment income		 7,890.00 7,890.00 9,178.00
a4 Lettings 48,536.00 48,536.00 39,123.00
a5 Other receipts 2 3,994.00 3,994.00 10,240.00
a6 TOTAL RECEIPTS 88,909.00 - 88,909.00 (a7) 79,950.00
SECTION B
b1 PAYMENTS
b2 Circuit Assessment or Share 45,018.00 45,018.00 40,000.00
b3 Donations 3 150.00 150.00 2,062.00
b4 Repairs and Maintenance 4 22,897.00 22,897.00 24,105.00
b5 Utilities (Insurances, water
charges,heating& lighting)		 5 14,388.00 14,388.00 12,931.00
b6 -
b7 Otherpayments 6 5,551.00 5,551.00 12,473.00
b8 TOTAL PAYMENTS 88,004.00 - 88,004.00 (b9) 91,571.00
SECTION C
c1 NET RECEIPTS/PAYMENTS
FOR THE YEAR		 (a6-b8) 905.00 - 905.00 11,621.00
-
c2 Total funds brought forward from
last year		 173,582.00 173,582.00 (c6) 185,320.00
c3 Sub total (c1+c2)
 174,487.00 - 174,487.00 173,699.00
c4 Transfers and adjustments 7 75.00 75.00 (c7) 117.00
-
c5 TOTAL FUNDS AT END OF YEAR (c3+c4) 174,562.00 - 174,562.00 (c8) 173,582.00 (c6)
SECTION D
d FOR INFORMATION ONLY: MONEY RECEIVED AND PASSED ON TO EXTERNAL ORGANISATIONS
(these amounts are not to be included in total receipts/payments figures above) £ £
d1 Balance brought forward from lastyear 80.00 374.00
d2 Offerings/Gifts - received for external organisations 2,073.00 2,870.00
d3 Offerings/Gifts -passed to external organisations 2,153.00 3,164.00
d4 BALANCE STILL TO BE PAID(d1+d2-d3) - 80.00

Putnoe Heights Church SUMMARY OF CHURCH ACCOUNTS AND INTERNAL ORGANISATIONS REPORTING TO THE CHURCH COUNCIL

SECTION E Please follow the Guidance Notes to complete this page

Summary of the Church accounts for the year ended 31 August 2025 and Internal Organisations reporting to the Church Council/Church Meeting. Note that the funds of an Internal Organisation would normally be Restricted funds unless it could be clearly shown that they could be used for any Methodist purpose. This section must be completed to arrive at the gross income and expenditure totals of the Church. If gross income exceeds the Accruals threshold, then the Accruals method of accounting AND A DIFFERENT FORM must be used to report the accounts (see Methodist website). Please refer to the guidance notes regarding transfers between the District and connected District Organisations.

Putnoe Heights Putnoe Heights Putnoe Heights Putnoe Heights Church
SUMMARY OF CHURCH ACCOUNTS AND INTERNAL ORGANISATIONS REPORTING TO THE CHURCH COUNCIL
SECTION E
 Please follow the Guidance Notes to complete this page
Summary of the Church accounts for the year ended 31 August 2025 and Internal Organisations reporting to the Church Council/Church Meeting. Note that the funds of
an Internal Organisation would normally be Restricted funds unless it could be clearly shown that they could be used for any Methodist purpose. This section must be
completed to arrive at the gross income and expenditure totals of the Church. If gross income exceeds the Accruals threshold, then the Accruals method of accounting
AND A DIFFERENT FORM must be used to report the accounts (see Methodist website). Please refer to the guidance notes regarding transfers between the District
and connected District Organisations.
INTERNAL
ORGANISATIONS		 Receipts Payments Net Receipts/
Payments		 Adjustments Opening
balances		 Closingbalances
e1
e2 - -
e3 - -
e4 - -
e5 - -
e6 - -
e7 - -
e8 Sub total of Internal
Organisations funds		 - - - - - (e11) -
e9 Church accounts (totals
brought forward from page
2 - totals column)		 88,909.00 (a7) 88,004.00 (b9) 905.00 75.00 (c7) 173,582.00 (c6) 174,562.00
e10 TOTAL CASH FUNDS HELD
BY CHURCH		 88,909.00 88,004.00 905.00 75.00 173,582.00 (x) 174,562.00
Continue on a separate sheet
if necessary and bring the
totals forward		 TOTAL RECEIPTS TOTAL
PAYMENTS
SECTION F
STATEMENT OF ASSETS AN D LIABILITIES
CHURCH - CASH FUNDS HEL D at 31 August 2025 OPENING
BALANCES		 CLOSING
BALANCES
f1 Cash in hand 384.00 254.00
f2 Bank Current Account 7,834.00 11,575.00
f3 Bank Deposit Account
f4 Central Finance Board 10,515.00 1,001.00
f5 Trustees for Methodist Church P urposes 154,849.00 161,732.00
f6 Other funds
f7 SUB TOTAL - Church accoun ts 173,582.00 (c6) 174,562.00
f8 Total funds held by Internal Organisations (the closing
balance total from above) (e12)		 (e11) -
f9 TOTAL CASH FUNDS HELD B Y CHURCH 173,582.00 (x) 174,562.00
SECTION G At At
OTHER ASSETS and LIABILIT IES 1 September 2024 31 August 2025
g1 Investments(include Endowments)
g2 Land & Buildings(see notes re Insurance value) 3,050,000.00 4,492,530.00
g3 Other Assets
g4 Loan(s)- show amount outstandingatyear end
g5 Other Liabilities 190.00 180.00
f4 Include only Funds held at the Central Finance Boar d
f5 Include only Funds held at Trustees for Methodist C hurch Purposes
g1 Include any other investments (not the cash elemen t of TMCP trusts a ccoun ts this is included in l ine f5
Putnoe Heights Church Putnoe Heights Church
Notes to the accounts for theyear ended 31 August 2025
2025 2024
Unrestricted Designated Total Unrestricted Designated Total
1 Offerings and Tax recovered
Weekly Offering Cash & Cheques 3,369 - 3,369 4,752 - 4,752
Standing Orders 14,476 - 14,476 14,966 - 14,966
Gift Aid Envelopes-Single Gift 10 - 10 180 - 180
Total Offeratory 17,855 - 17,855 19,898 - 19,898
Gift Aid Tax Recovered 10,634 - 10,634 (336) - (336)
* Donations 301 1,546 1,847
Total 28,489 - 28,489 19,863 1,546 21,409
2 Other Receipts
Feed-in-tariff receipts 1,211 - 1,211 2,754 - 2,754
Photocopier income 123 - 123 - - -
Fundraising activities 584 - 584 406 - 406
* Donations 270 971 1,241
Miscellaneous 469 - 469 80 - 80
Legacies - - - 7,000 - 7,000
Insurance Claim 366 - 366
Total 3,023 971 3,994 10,240 - 10,240
3 Grants & Donations External External
Action For Children - - 255
Beds Hospital Charity - - 1,100
Christian Aid - - 352
Foodbank - - 81
Kingfisher 125 125 -
Methodist Church World Mission Fund - - 195
MHA - - 80
Royal British Legion 25 25 -
SMART - - 90
Total 150 - 150 2,153 2,062 2,848
4 Property Maintenance
Repairs & maintenance 5,569 - 5,569 4,783 - 4,783
Project expenditure-Lighting 8,966 - 8,966 - - -
Project expenditure-AV system - - - 241 - 241
Project expenditure-Large Hall Ceiling - - - 19,061 - 19,061
* Cleaning Services 7,950 - 7,950 - - -
* Cleaning Materials 412 - 412 - - -
Total 22,897 - 22,897 24,105 - 24,105
5 Utilities
Insurance 2,319 - 2,319 2,241 - 2,241
Gas 8,441 - 8,441 6,001 - 6,001
Electricity 3,382 - 3,382 3,891 - 3,891
Water 246 - 246 798 - 798
Total 14,388 - 14,388 12,931 - 12,931
6 Other expenditure
Church music 145 - 145 560 - 560
Worship Resources 85 - 85 110 - 110
Licences & permits 535 - 535 1,658 - 1,683
Equipment Purchases 371 - 371 - - -
Equipment hire (photocopier) 573 - 573 607 - 607
Photocopier charges 317 - 317 113 - 113
Postage 9 - 9 42 - 42
Stationery 82 - 82 - - -
Telephone & internet & software 1,242 - 1,242 1,102 - 1,102
Sundry expenses 830 859 1,689 673 971 1,619
TMCP Admin Charge 503 - 503 - - -
* Cleaning Services 0 5,732 - 5,732
* Cleaning Materials 0 905 - 905
Total 4,692 859 5,551 11,502 971 12,473
* Reclassified due to new accounts package
7 Adjustments inyear
Movement in hire deposits held (10) 20
Non-cash Movements 85 (137)
75 (117)

No. 1190242

Name of Church Putnoe Heights Church

Declarations and Scrutiny

I confirm that these Receipt and Payment based accounts for the year to 31 August 2025 have been prepared from the records of the Church and that they include all funds under the control of the Church trustees.

Signature of treasurer ………………………………… Date…12 February 2026…………

Name and address of treasurer Nigel Firban

c/o Putnoe Heights Church Office, Putnoe Heights, Bedford MK41 8EB

Presentation to the Church trustees

I confirm that the annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 August 2025 were presented to the meeting of the Church trustees held on 12 February 2026.

Signature of the Chair of the meeting ……………………………….………………

Name of the Chair of the meeting Revd Christopher Sandy Date …12 February 2026…

Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of the

Putnoe Heights Church Charity Number 1190242

Responsibilities and basis of report

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Putnoe Heights Church for the year ended 31 August 2025 set out on pages 10 to 13. As the Church’s trustees, 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 Church’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.

No. 1190242

Name of Church Putnoe Heights Church

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 (other than that disclosed below*) which give me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

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.

I have not obtained independent verification of all investments with the Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes or held in other trusts, bank balance and funds at the Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church which are individually in excess of £10,000 (ten thousand pounds) at the balance sheet date.

Signature of independent examiner ……………………………………………………

Name of independent examiner Ian Morse

Address c/o Putnoe Heights Church Office Putnoe Heights Bedford MK41 8EB

Date …12 February 2026…