## Good News Church Hurstpierpoint
Report and Accounts Year ended 31 December 2024
1 Lamb's Passage, London EC1Y 8AB www.stewardship.org.uk
## **GOOD NEWS CHURCH HURSTPIERPOINT**
## **LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE
GOVERNING DOCUMENT CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER TRUSTEES RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING THE CHARITY
149 High Street Hurstpierpoint Hassocks BN6 9PU CIO - association October 2020 1191622
David Lowries Lynn Cobbett Dickon Adams Mark Pyle
BANKERS
CAF Bank Ltd
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER
Jaimée Young Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage LONDON EC1Y 8AB
## **INDEX**
Page 1 Pages 2-3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Pages 7-8
Legal and Administrative Details Trustees' Report Independent Examiner's Report Receipts and Payments Account Statement of Assets & Liabilities Notes to the Accounts
Page 1
## **GOOD NEWS CHURCH HURSTPIERPOINT**
## **REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
## **Objects of the charity**
The charity, which is a church, is governed by a constitution and is constituted as a charitable incorporated organisation. The purposes of the church are:
* the advancement of the Christian faith in accordance with the Basis of Faith primarily but not exclusively within Hurstpierpoint, West Sussex and the surrounding neighbourhood; and
* such other charitable purposes as shall, in the opinion of the charity trustees, put into practice the Christian faith in accordance with the Basis of Faith, including but not limited to: the prevention and relief of need, hardship and sickness, and the advancement of education.
Our church exists primarily for the worship of God. As such we rejoice that each week we gather on Sunday to worship our God together and to equip and encourage those there to worship God in all of life throughout the week. We are grateful for the freedom to do this and delight in meeting on Sundays as well as our mid-week gatherings.
## **Structure**
The Membership of the church are able to vote on trustees who are ultimately responsible for the running of the charity however most decisions are made by the membership at our regular members meetings with the trustees involved.
## **Review 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:
We rejoice that throughout 2024 we have been able to meet regularly on Sundays and midweek to encourage and build one another up as we worship God. Anyone is able to attend our services and we encourage others to come along that they might come to know our God.
We are a church that cares for one another. We share in both the joys of life but also the hardships which means we visit those struggling, to pray with them and practically care for them.
We are grateful to run three home groups where the bible is studied and members are encouraged in the Christian faith. We continue to rejoice in a good relationship with Holy Trinity church in the village with whom we run a termtime weekly toddler group, supporting parents/carers with young children, and the Melting Pot café which seeks to provide community particularly for the Willow Way end of the village.
As a church we continue to run Senior Moments four or five times a year which provides a special morning for older people and a chance to engage with the Christian faith. In 2024, two initiatives have been started by members particularly to meet the needs of older people in our community. In the spring the church began to be opened weekly hosting any who would like to meet for coffee and cake. In September we started chairobics at the church particularly seeking to help those who need support with mobility and balance.
We have a safeguarding policy that is up to date and DBS checks are carried out on the relevant people.
In planning the activities the Trustees have applied the guidance on public benefit issued by the Charity Commission.
Page 2
## **Financial review**
During the year, income reduced to £35,200 mainly due to a legacy received in 2023. Expenditure also increased substantially to £73,100. This increased expenditure was primarily due to three major works to maintain our buildings. The church house had double glazing installed and a bathroom moved and redone, and the lighting in the main church building was upgraded. Expenditure on buildings amounted to £29,936.
As a result the cash held by the charity decreased by £37,900 to £38,700, of which all is unrestricted and can be used for any charitable purpose.
Financially we are grateful for God’s provision to us. We thank God for the generosity of our regular congregation who give to resource the church. We are aware that there is a significant difference between our expenditure and income, however we continue to meet our reserves policy and are trusting to God to provide.
## **Reserves policy**
The trustees have determined that the charity should aim to hold unrestricted cash of no less than £20,000 (which equates to about 6 months of unrestricted expenditure) so that the charity could continue to operate should income and / or expenditure vary adversely. At the year end, the charity held unrestricted cash of £38,700 and the charity is complying with its reserves policy.
## **Responsibilities of trustees**
Charity law requires us as Trustees to prepare financial statements for each accounting year which record the receipts and payments of the charity for the year.
We are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable us to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011.
We also have a responsibility to safeguard the assets of the charity and to take reasonable steps to prevent fraud or any other irregularities.
## **Approval**
This report was approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by:
## David Lowries
____________________________ David Lowries (Aug 1, 2025 14:54:48 GMT+1) David Lowries Aug 1, 2025 Date:_______________________
Page 3
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT**
## **TO THE TRUSTEES OF**
## **GOOD NEWS CHURCH HURSTPIERPOINT**
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Good News Church Hurstpierpoint ('the charity') for the year ended 31 December 2024 on pages 5 to 8 following.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the trustees of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’).
I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
## **Independent examiner’s statement**
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
1. accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; or
2. the accounts do not accord with the accounting records.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
## J. Young
J. Young (Aug 4, 2025 08:48:40 GMT+1)
Jaimée Young
Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage LONDON EC1Y 8AB
Date: Aug 4, 2025
Page 4
## **GOOD NEWS CHURCH HURSTPIERPOINT**
## **RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
|||||||||Unrestricted|Funds|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||||||General|Designated||Restricted|Total|Total|
|||||||||Funds||Funds|Funds|2024|2023|
||||||||Notes|£||£|£|£|£|
|**_Income receipts_**||||||||||||||
|Donations||||||||27,596||-|660|28,256|31,274|
|Gift aid receipts||||||||4,918||-|206|5,124|3,336|
|Legacies||||||||-||-|-|-|10,758|
|Charitable activities||||||||370||-|-|370|458|
|Interest||||||||1,482||-|-|1,482|1,305|
|Other||||||||-||-|-|-|181|
|**_Total receipts_**||||||||34,366||-|866|35,232|47,311|
|**_Payments_**||||||||||||||
|Payments
in
relation
to
activities undertaken directly|||||charitable||2|69,981||-|-|69,981|40,784|
|Grants
paid
in
relation
to
activities undertaken by others|||||charitable||3|2,460||-|704|3,164|4,096|
|**_Total payments_**||||||||72,441||-|704|73,145|44,880|
|Net
of
receipts
transfers||/|(payments)|||before||(38,076)||-|163|(37,913)|2,431|
|Transfers between funds|||||||5|-||-|-|-|-|
|**Net movement in funds**||||||||(38,076)||-|163|(37,913)|2,431|
|Cash funds as at|last||year|end||||76,824||-|(206)|76,618|74,187|
|**Cash funds at this**||**year end**|||||A|38,748||-|(44)|38,705|76,618|
The notes on pages 7 - 8 form part of these accounts.
Page 5
## **GOOD NEWS CHURCH HURSTPIERPOINT**
## **STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES**
## **AS AT THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
|**A**
**Cash funds**
Current account
Savings account
Petty cash
**B**
**Other monetary assets**
Gift aid due to charity
**C**
**Liabilities**
**Falling due within one year:**
Taxes due
Pension due
Fee for Independent Examination
**D**
**Assets retained for charity's own use**
Manse
Church and manse contents and equipment|General
Designated
funds
funds
£
£
1,556
-
37,118
-
75
-
**38,748**
**-**
4,649
-
**4,649**
**-**
310
-
155
-
912
-
**1,377**
**-**
Unrestricted Funds|Restricted
funds
£
(44)
-
-
**(44)**
-
**-**
-
-
-
**-**
Purchase
cost
£
67,929
**67,929**|Total
2024
£
1,512
37,118
75
**38,705**
4,649
**4,649**
310
155
912
**1,377**
Value
2024
£
40,325
**40,325**|Total
2023
£|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||3,904
72,645
68|
|||||**76,618**|
|||||5,000|
|||||**5,000**|
|||||320
146
900|
|||||**1,367**|
||||||
The manse is shown at purchase cost. The charity London City Mission have an interest in this property.
The trustees have used insurance values for contents and equipment as the trustees are unable to reliably estimate current values; insurance values may differ materially from current values.
## **E Guarantees and secured debts**
The charity has not given any guarantees and has not provided its assets as security for any liabilities.
The accounts were approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf
by David Lowries date David Lowries (Aug 1, 2025 14:54:48 GMT+1) Aug 1, 2025 _____________________________David Lowries _________________
The notes on pages 7 - 8 form part of these accounts.
Page 6
## **GOOD NEWS CHURCH HURSTPIERPOINT**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
## **1 Accounting policies**
The accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis and comprise a statement that shows the charity's receipts and payments, a statement that summarises the charity's assets and liabilities and related notes. The accountancy profession have determined that only accounts prepared in accordance with applicable accounting standards present a 'true and fair' view and, as these receipts and payments accounts have not (and cannot) be prepared in accordance with accounting standards, these accounts do not present (and are not intended to present) a 'true and fair' view of the charity's financial activities and state of affairs.
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.
|**2**
**Payments in relation to charitable activities undertaken directly**
Staff costs
Note 4
Meetings and ministries
Church utilities
Church other property costs
Administration (inc telephone) & sundry
Manse upkeep costs (inc insurance)
Note 4
Manse refurbishment
Subscriptions
Professional and legal fees
Catering & refreshments
Sundry costs
**3**
**Grants paid in relation to charitable activities undertaken by others**
Organisations:
Barnabas Trust
Organisations < £1,000
Individuals||Unrestrict|Designated
funds
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
ed Funds|Restricted
Funds
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
704
-
704|Total
2024
£
28,011
814
1,943
5,426
447
4,070
26,428
792
1,051
165
835
69,981
-
2,204
960
3,164|Total
2023
£|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||General
funds
£
28,011
814
1,943
5,426
447
4,070
26,428
792
1,051
165
835
69,981
-
1,500
960
2,460|||||
|||||||26,748
1,790
1,810
1,197
127
5,680
-
885
998
272
1,277|
|||||||40,784|
|||||||1,506
1,500
1,090|
|||||||4,096|
## **4 Transactions with related parties**
David Lowries served as a church leader and was paid £26,275 [2023: £25,137] for serving in that capacity, not for serving as a trustee; these payments include Employer pension contribution. These payments are permitted by the charity's governing document.
The spouse of trustee Mark Pyle and was paid £1,144 [2023: £1,134] for her role as Church cleaner; these payments are permitted by the charity's governing document.
In addition, the charity incurred expenditure totalling £30,498 [2023: £5,680] in respect of the provision of accommodation (which is customary for ministers) to David Lowries, who is a trustee, so that they could better perform their duties.
Page 7
## **GOOD NEWS CHURCH HURSTPIERPOINT**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
|**5**
**Movement of funds**
General funds
Restricted funds
Mission day 2023
Mission day 2024
Total funds|Opening
balance
£
76,824
76,824
(206)
-
(206)
76,618|Receipts
£
34,366
34,366
206
660
866
35,232|Payments
£
(72,441)
(72,441)
-
(704)
(704)
(73,145)|Transfers
£
-
-
-
-
-
-|Closing
balance
£|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||38,748|
||||||38,748|
||||||-
(44)|
||||||(44)|
|||||||
||||||38,705|
The Missionary fund relates to special appeals held during the year to further the charitable objectives of the church. The deficit relates to potential gift aid added to grant paid but not recovered until after the year end.
Page 8