HADDENHAM BAPTIST CHURCH FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER 2023 GENERAL RECEIPTS & PAYMENT ACCOUNT
| Note Receipts Offering Gift Aided Offerings Legacy 2 Tax on gift aid Furlough grant 2 ECDC Grant for Roof 2 ECDC Covid Grant 2 Donations and other income 2 Rents and contributions for use of premises 2 Investment income 3 Manse rent Manse use of oil in tank 27 Clover End Rent Manse & Clover End Deposit Raised for other causes 4 Donations in kind Donations to Haddenham Social Fund Home Mission grant Total Receipts Payments Ministry 5 Mission 6 Upkeep of church premises 7 Administration 8 Upkeep of Church Properties 9 Work on Fred's bungalow Amounts passed on to other causes BMS / Home Mission 4 Manse deposit repaid Haddenham Social Fund Total Payments Net receipts / (payments) for the year Transfers (to) / from general fund Cash balance at previous year end Cash balance at current period end The amount collected for Gift Day is |
2023 2022 4,719.33 4,588.32 20,272.00 19,041.33 - 1,000.00 6,258.82 3,320.26 - - - 1,772.16 973.12 3,938.50 2,155.00 1,520.77 516.00 16,185.00 13,375.00 - 200.00 12,430.00 11,480.00 115.00 1,557.00 - - - - - - - 67,211.58 58,206.03 37,524.01 39,032.69 3,079.10 301.74 13,383.44 8,578.67 4,838.41 4,701.38 2,450.49 1,151.89 - - 150.00 3,000.00 1,179.00 - 1,792.50 - 900.00 64,275.45 57,787.87 - 2,936.13 418.16 1,015.00 1,790.00 2,936.13 418.16 102,909.30 102,491.14 105,845.43 102,909.30 0.00 - |
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STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITES AT 31st DECEMBER 2023
| Note Assets Bank and other cash balances Petty Cash Lloyds Bank Accounts 10 Current Account Haddenham Social Fund 11 CCLA Charity investment fund units 12 Velore Fund Tenants Deposit Scheme deposit 10 Baptist Together Deposit Accounts 7 day Baptist Together Deposit Accounts 3 month Other monetary assets: Debtors Loans made Gift aid claimed but not received Investment Assets Assets Held for Church’s own use 13 Total Assets Liabilities Current Liabilities 14 Long Term Loans 15 Deposit TDS Rental Scheme 10 Pension Scheme liability 16 Pension Scheme liability cessation expense Other liabilities 17 Total Liabilities |
2023 2022 50.00 50.00 - - 15,982.00 30,584.34 10,047.88 8,947.76 30,000.00 30,000.00 - - 2,677.06 2,653.72 13,656.17 13,261.92 33,432.32 17,411.56 105,845.43 102,909.30 - 0.00 - 1,807.28 2,542.73 3,457,610.00 3,245,061.00 - - - - 2,677.06 2,653.72 - - - 1,000.00 - - |
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| 2,677.06 3,653.72 |
Signed: Gareth Wilson FCA (Treasurer)
31 December 2023
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS
1. Basis of accounts
These accounts have been prepared on a ‘receipts and payments’ basis and in accordance with Section 130 of the Charities Act.
2. Donations and other income
| Donations Bequest Joan Coey funeral Eileen Parsons bequest Fred sale of items Room Hire Room Hire Total Donations and Other Income donation Covid Grant Grant for roof grant for cupboards rainbows coach trip Funeral Jelly Tots Christmas Lunch men's breakfast sewing group furlough ARG Grant Christmas cards beavers sumup Holiday Club coffee morning Church insurance holiday club donation Total Donations and Other Income 3. Investment income Haddenham Social Fund Baptist Together Deposit Account 7 day Baptist Together Deposit Account 3 month Other investment income Total Investment Income 4. Raised for Other causes Home Mission BMS Total Raised for Other causes |
2023 2022 - 1,000.00 - - - - - 1,000.00 3,938.50 - - 171.10 - - - 225.00 - 185.00 682.16 455.67 - - 147.00 157.35 143.00 178.00 - - - 390.00 - 11.00 1,772.16 973.12 - 1,973.12 2023 2022 82.42 4.94 394.25 510.34 1,020.76 23.34 0.72 1,520.77 516.00 - 2023 2022 1,500.00 1,000.00 1,500.00 179.00 3,000.00 1,179.00 |
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| 5. Ministry stipend Pension HMRC travel Pulpit fee Spurgeons College books Total Ministry 6. Mission posters men's breakfast children books food Hampers donation donations from HSF flowers expenses Communion wine Xchange Total Mission 7. Upkeep of church premises tree surgeon insurance Water boiler service electricity Church maintenance equipment repair cooker hood gravel fire extinguishers outdoor seat organ tuning signwriting fire alarm plumbing painting door oil tank cleaning heating oil Total Upkeep of church premises |
2023 2022 30,943.19 29,664.76 6,066.12 7,813.76 - - 74.70 - 240.00 390.00 200.00 170.00 - 17.52 - 976.65 37,524.01 39,032.69 - - 2023 2022 - - 221.58 - 65.91 39.78 48.70 - - 84.40 150.10 - - 22.12 875.00 155.44 450.00 108.94 - 1,121.49 - 37.38 - - - 3,079.10 301.74 - 2023 2022 - 650.99 2,277.57 2,001.03 104.13 101.21 316.80 - 1,865.29 627.56 3,661.49 1,829.81 385.79 105.00 219.00 - - 656.40 - 444.00 - - 589.92 170.00 - 70.98 - - - 250.00 - 108.00 - 1,373.17 1,577.85 1,480.82 825.30 13,383.44 8,578.67 |
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| 8. Administration Telephone training IT Zoom Spotify roving mike Subscription petty cash float safeguarding letting fee Independent Examination licence transfer Printer sundry jubilee admin special payment stationery envelopes petty cash Total Administration 9. Upkeep of properties manse repairs manse insurance manse boiler service manse maintenance Clover End insurance estate Agent costs 27 Clover End cost Total Upkeep of properties 10. Lloyds Bank Accounts Current Account Tenants Deposit Scheme (deposit held under TDS scheme) Total Lloyds bank accounts Haddenham Social Fund |
2023 2022 678.62 567.76 92.00 - 264.43 133.02 369.36 345.36 123.88 119.88 147.88 143.88 - - 268.80 152.90 - 157.50 - 38.00 - 809.99 250.00 250.00 388.30 359.89 - - - - 1,263.31 577.79 - 45.41 677.30 - - 1,000.00 24.85 - 115.68 - 174.00 - 4,838.41 4,701.38 - 2023 2022 - 500.00 290.89 270.09 136.80 418.94 167.71 142.12 870.99 565.16 239.68 2,450.49 1,151.89 - 2023 2022 14,632.00 30,584.34 10,047.88 8,947.76 2,677.06 2,653.72 27,356.94 42,185.82 |
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| Opening balance Donations received Payments from fund Transfer in interest The Church has invested £30,000 on 16 Sept 2021 which have a mid market value at 31 December 2023 of 32,061.48 (2021 of £31,353.31) 13. Assets Held for the Church’s own use The church is the beneficial owner (subject to the relevant trusts) of the following assets, the legal title to which is held by the church’s custodian trustee [the Baptist Union Corporation Ltd]: Church premises at Haddenham with an insured value in the accounts at Church manse at 3 Wilburton Road valued in the accounts at iestimated value Church property at 27 Clover End valued in the accounts at estimated value The church also owns fixtures, furniture and equipment with an insured value of Bequest property in the hands of the executor Total Assets Held for the Church’s own use 14. Current Liabilities Electricity billed but not yet paid Cheques written but not cashed I extra month's rent in advance Deposit on TDS Rental Scheme Other current liabilities Total Current Liabilities 15. Long-Term Liabilities Loans from Church Members’ Other Total Long-Term Liabilities 16. Pension Scheme Liabilities 12.COIF Charities Investment Fund - Accumulation Units 11 Haddenham Social Fund |
2023 2022 8,947.76 9,842.82 450.00 - 900.00 - 1,467.70 82.42 4.94 10,047.88 8,947.76 2023 2022 30,000.00 30,000.00 2023 2022 2,673,645.00 2,466,463.00 417,400.00 417,400.00 297,300.00 297,300.00 69,265.00 63,898.00 - 3,457,610.00 3,245,061.00 2023 2022 - 2,677.06 2,653.00 2,677.06 2,653.00 2023 2022 - - - - |
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At the end of June 2022 there was a Pension Scheme Buy In with Just. As a result no further employer debt estimate reports will be published for the time being, although this will continue to be kept under review. As reported by the Baptist Together Pension scheme "Effectively there is no shortfall debt at the present time."
17. Other Liabilities [if applicable] HMRC nil as outstanding amount paid December 2023
HADDENHAM BAPTIST CHURCH - ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2023 Charity Number 1191081
Registered Address – Haddenham Baptist Church, Station Road, Haddenham. Ely, Cambridgeshire, CB63XD
Trustees: - Mr. T. Parsons (Minister)
Mr. G. Wilson (Treasurer)
Mrs. A. Thorpe (Trustee- Safeguarding plus Church Administrator)
Mr. Christopher Wright (Trustee- Health & Safety)
Mr. Andrew Wheatcroft (Trustee)
Church Property Trustees – The Baptist Union Corporation Ltd., Baptist House, 129 Broadway, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 8RT.
Bankers – Lloyds Bank, ELY, Cambs.
Independent Examiner –Martha How FCA accounts are checked yearly.
The Trustees present their Annual Report and financial statements for the year 2023.
Haddenham Baptist Church registered as a Charity on the 2[nd of] September 2020 and is governed by an Approved Governing Document. Members of the church are accepted in accordance with the Constitution.
Governing principles.
The Members’ Meeting normally takes place 5 or 6 times a year and has responsibility for the overall direction of the church. In accordance with the Church Constitution , the members appoint the trustees, who together with the minister, and treasurer (who are also appointed by the members), are responsible for the day-to-day running of the church’s work and witness, and the financial and legal aspects of the charity.
All members are encouraged to take an appropriate part in the spiritual and practical tasks involved in the furtherance of the charitable objective. Though the Constitution permits decisions to be made at Church Meetings by appropriate majorities, the Church seeks to work by consensus wherever possible.
The principal purpose of the charity is the advancement of the Christian faith according to the principles of the Baptist denomination including the advancement of education, community service and other general charitable purposes in such parts of the United Kingdom and the world as the Church shall determine.
To achieve the principal objective, which is set out above, the Church provides a variety of activities both to its membership and to the community generally. The aim is to show the love of Jesus Christ in both word and deed and to bring people into a closer relationship with Him as the living Lord. Central to the work and witness of the Church is the provision of regular weekly public services of Christian witness. These services take place each Sunday at 10.30 am. There are also regular services at other times which are advertised on the Church Notice Board and the Church website. Prayer ministry, alongside reaching out to the local community, is considered an important aspect of the life and witness of the Church.
The Church operates safeguarding principles to ensure that all people working with children and vulnerable adults are appropriately vetted with regard to the Disclosure and Barring Service. Along with the attendance of appropriate safeguarding courses run within the Eastern region.
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A Property Risk Assessment is regularly reviewed, and all risks are considered, and systems are set up to mitigate them.
The Church has read the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit and is satisfied that the activities outlined above clearly demonstrate that the charity is providing a benefit to the public.
Overview HBC 2023
The Lord is good and continues to support His church, we have seen this particularly in His financial blessing of the church but also in the arrival of new people within both our Sunday services and outreach groups.
Ministry Overview
Provided by Rev.Tudor Parsons
Having finished my honours degree at Spurgeon’s College, I have now entered into three years as a newly accredited minister which comes to an end in July 2024. The completion of this will see me signed off as a fully accredited Baptist minister.
During each year, I have been supported by four external preachers who help cover holiday periods and for the allowed Sunday absences from church, as per his contract of employment. The preaching plan for 2023/24 was varied and more often than not focused around topical preaching to dovetail in with the needs of the church body as a whole.
In 2023 we appointed two new church trustees with one stepping down. We have appointed a parttime church administrator on a contract of three hours per week. This has greatly helped me as I had carried these duties following the retirement of the previous church secretary.
Through 2023/24 all deacon’s meetings and ordinary church members' meetings were held regularly throughout the year. Dates for deacon meetings moved slightly due to unforeseen events. Pastoral visits still fall in the main for me to conduct, which although time-consuming, provides opportunities for me to understand the needs within the community and fellowship. There are however now one/two members who are actively involved with pastoral care and fellowship across the wider fellowship which is good to see.
Church membership has increased slightly to 24. Sadly one church member died recently but we are looking to bring two potential members into membership at the end of April. This will bring the membership to 26.
The positive aspect being that many of the new members are somewhat younger, on average in the 30-60 age range which may help contribute to the life of the church for years to come. On top of the new church members, we have seen between 4-6 new attendees come regularly which is encouraging.
Overall, as the minister I am happy with the services, though as the congregation grows in their faith I would hope that the preaching schedule will be less reactionary and more structured to give a balanced teaching across the whole of scripture.
A concern area is focused around the children’s club held at the same time as the service. My wife is holding the reigns at present, as to date no one has stepped forward in support of leading this group.
The café style church service remains our most popular with between 30-40 attendees which is held on the first Sunday of the month. Communion is the second Sunday of each month. Bible study groups have been very encouraging and continue to be a source of inspiration and fellowship. The men’s Bible study started before Christmas but has faltered after Christmas mainly due to the minister still being involved with NAM work for Spurgeon’s College.
External user groups continue to use the church building which helps bring in some income whilst engaging with the community.
The social handcraft group which is led by individuals within the church again seems popular with between 4-9 ladies coming weekly on a Tuesday evening.
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Jelly Tots fluctuated with 6-9 mums on average with their children, but this remains a space to develop relationships with local parents.
Easter and Christmas ecumenical services were well attended across the three churches. The Baptist church holds, the ecumenical carol service and Christmas Day service.
The Baptist church continued to reach out to a variety of households with its Christmas hampers delivering to over 80 homes, along with the HBC Community Fund which supports those within the surrounding villages across a variety of needs.
It was difficult to develop a strategy for missional work through 2023 with what is still a small fellowship. We experimented with a Thursday hub to help those within the village who may have needed company, by laying on games and free food but no one came and so this ceased before Christmas.
As a means to help bridge the gap between the church and the community as of mid-2021, we have a counsellor who operates out of the church and works in consultation with the wider community. She has already drawn alongside a number of the church fellowship to support them. She shares the church office with myself.
The ownership of two properties by the church are rented out to help support the expenditure of having a full-time minister, and in 2023/24 both properties had sitting tenants. Accounts are soon to be sent to the charity commission which shows that as an independent Baptist church residing within the Eastern Baptist region, we remain in a healthy position financially.
Work continues on the maintenance of the church, including a risk assessment report of the building that we are in the process of working through.
The roof is of concern as one slate has fallen nearly hitting a member of the public using our newly installed seats. This remains the priority within the next round of expenditure. I am in consultation with neighbours and the legal department within the Baptist Union regarding some external walls that impact the use of church property. Thankfully one of the congregation has stepped forward to help me with looking into funding and grant-making opportunities going forward along with the church building development plans.
Though still regarded as a small fellowship, as it’s minister, I consider this to be a friendly and welcoming community. The challenge for the church, now it is financially stable, is to grow and immerse itself in surrounding village life. Through no fault of its own, its dependable fellowship down through the years, within what I would term a typical rural church setting, has found many of its elderly members unable to get actively involved with missional work outside the church. This is also coupled with the demands upon the younger generation centred around family life and careers that put a limit to a personal commitment to voluntary work coming forward.
We are therefore fully reliant on God to provide new people, ideally, those just retired would be of great help, to build the church so that we may reach out more fully in the name of Christ Jesus.
Wider Mission-
HBC Community Fund
The HBC Community Fund continues to support individuals across the local community.
Each case is brought before the church leadership for consideration and sign off.
Camping Close Service
This has been quite a difficult year for this ecumenical gathering. Following on from the Covid pandemic some people have continued to feel reluctant to gather together and numbers have been very small. Those who come along seem to enjoy our time together and the leaders of the three village churches are very supportive, each leading at least one service throughout the year.
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Social Handcraft Group
We meet each Tuesday evening between 7:30 and 9:00. The idea is that we can bring along any type of handcraft we like and sit around a group of tables so that we can see each other and just chat while we craft. We are usually a group of 7 or 8.
Annie Griffiths
Jelly Tots
We have had a steady year with a number of new mums coming along. On average there were 6-9 parents/carers and about 10 plus little ones from babies to toddlers in attendance.
Pauline Wilson and Margaret Shepherd
Haddenham Food Bank
Thanks to our members and friends at HBC for the weekly contributions to the Foodbank which are much appreciated.
Paul Shepherd
Bible Study Groups
Women’s Thursday evening group
There are a total of around 8 or 9 women in the group, although usually there are only about 5 or 6 who take part in the Zoom meeting each week, mainly because several are in full-time work and sometimes this carries on into their evenings!
Tuesday Home Group/ bible study group
The Tuesday home group continued to meet fortnightly on Tuesday afternoons on Zoom. There are 6-7 members in the group. In March the leader died and so we are looking for her replacement within the church membership.
Sunday Club Report 2023
The age group of the children attending Sunday Club remains wide. We are struggling to provide leadership to this group. The two leaders have been further reduced to one following the death of one leader in March 2024. This will be a focus of our church members' meeting in April 2024.
Groups lettings, using the church premises : -
Beavers meet weekly during term-time. In the warmer weather, they have their meetings outdoors, so don’t generally need the use of the building then.
The Scout group hold their meetings in the church premises, generally twice a year. Haddenham Level Drainage Board meet twice yearly.
Amanda Burns (Counsellor) uses the church office a number of times a week for 1-hour sessions on weekdays.
Spoilt Rotten Beads (bead shop) has held workshops occasionally on Fridays and Saturdays. So far this year, just under £3,938 has been paid; a valuable source of income for HBC.
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Church coffee morning
The bi-weekly coffee morning held on the 2[nd] and 4[th] Thursday of the month has struggled to maintain numbers through 2023 into 2024.
Men’s Breakfast
This soft outreach activity continued towards the latter part of 2023 on a quarterly basis attracting on average twelve plus individuals on a Saturday morning commencing at 9:30 am. The group has a mixture of Christian and non-Christian participants. We normally have a speaker who talks about a given subject. Attendance proves to be consistent reaching up to sixteen on a good day and down to eight when people are away.
Safeguarding and DBS report for Haddenham Baptist Church
Everyone who needs to have Safeguarding training is up to date. Those who lead/run groups need to have Levels 2 and 3, and helpers need to have Level 2. Safeguarding training is renewed every 4 years at Haddenham Baptist Church.
Coupled with this all DBS certificates are up to date until November 2024. Both safeguarding training and DBS checks are carried out on all the church trustees up to, and including level 3 safeguarding training.
Anne Thorpe 19[th] April 2024
Administration
For the year 2023/4 the church has appointed a part-time church administrator, who is a trustee. This was agreed upon at both a deacons/trustees meeting and subsequently at the church membership meeting on the 30[th] July 2023.
Following our church administrator being unable to fulfil her full duties over six months due to supporting her family, several updates are outstanding which are being addressed at pace.
Anne Thorpe 19[th] April 2024
Health & Safety
Report Created by: Chris Wright, Deacon Responsible for Health and Safety
During the period April 2023 – April 2024 several health and safety activities have been undertaken, the following list is not exhaustive:
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General, Fire, COSHH and Security Risk Assessments have been reviewed and updated.
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Schematic diagrams have been created for the premises and have been used to create a fire extinguisher plan, emergency escape route plans.
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A number of identified actions have been completed, including the attainment of food hygiene certificates by a number of church members, maintenance and inspection schedule created, routine review of risk assessments, routine servicing of equipment and installations necessary for Health and Safety.
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With specific focus on fire protection the following additional activities have been completed: Additional fire extinguisher added to balcony, the lightning conductor infrastructure has been upgraded to enable compliance with latest inspection and testing requirements, fire safety and fire extinguisher training has been completed.
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Financial Review
The Church continues to raise the funds which it needs to carry on its activities from within its own membership and congregation. Our income has been supplemented by renting out our manse and an additional property in Witchford, purchased from a very generous legacy from a past member.
The most significant expense related to our Minister, Tudor Parsons, to lead and co-ordinate the church’s activities including the Sunday Services, to provide pastoral care for the congregation and other people, and to equip and encourage the membership in their life, Christian witness, and service. The Church expressed its part in the life of the wider church by making grants to national and international Christian organisations and needy individuals through our HBC Community Fund.
The Church is heavily dependent on its membership working as volunteers in all aspects of the church’s activities, many of which run with little or no impact on the church’s expenditure, some making a small contribution to church funds. but certainly contribute to the achievement of the church’s objectives. The financial results for the year, together with a summary of the accounting policies adopted are set out in the accompanying financial statements.
The church is a participating employer within the Defined Benefit section of the Baptist Pension scheme and has been making ongoing deficit payments to cover the costs of past service of its employees within the scheme under a recovery plan. The church understands that if it had left the scheme at the year-end, it would have to have made a one-off payment estimated to be £1,000 to meet its statutory obligations to the scheme. The church has no plan to leave the scheme and expects to continue to make payments of £1 per month to the scheme in line with the recovery plan.
Reserves’ Policy
The Trustees have established a Reserves’ Policy to enable the church to function effectively and meet its obligations in the event of a decline in our income or a major cost. Having considered the relevant risks of changes in income and expenditure, the Trustees have determined that the appropriate level of reserves is £17,000. As of 31 December 2023, the church held total reserves of £104,472 of which £2,654 were restricted and £10,000 designated. Reserves that were neither restricted nor designated amounted to £91,818 The Trustees invested £32,000 in the Baptist Together 3-month Deposit Account and £13,000 in a 7-day Baptist Investment, which with interest now stands at £47,088.49. They also invested £30,000 in CCLA Charity investment fund units which now stands at £32,061.48.
Achievements and performance
The Church does not measure the success of its programmes only in numbers but also in less tangible areas like fellowship and encouragement. The Trustees recognise that these are difficult to measure but believe that 2023 with new people attending and joining the membership this was again a positive year in the life of the Church and that it will be able to pursue its mission purposes in 2024 with renewed enthusiasm.
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