Report of the Activities of the RYFC charity 2023-2024
Introduction
During this year we were able to build on the strategy and vision that had been developed during the last two years, to offer Christian based youth activities to the young people of Redditch and the surrounding area through a wide range of events. In January 2022 we appointed a well qualified Center Director on a 0.5 contract with the initial brief to establish the operational structure, build relationships with young people across the town, kick start youth meetings at churches and work to establish partnerships with churches and youth groups and raise the profile of RYFC across the town. In 2023 Joe Bevan was successful in being a catalyst for the revival of the Salvation Army Church, increasing numbers from c 6 to c 50. RYFC ran a successful mission with SA and reached out during August 2023 to over 100 youth in the Churchill Area of Redditch. There were many powerful testimonies of lives being transformed and one girl will be starting at Elim Bible College in Malvern in September 2024.
Sadly, due to a lack of finances the Centre Director was made redundant in Jan 2024 and the work was continued by volunteers - mostly focusing on schools. The RYFC Director after his redundancy continued to work with the Salvation Army and St Luke’s Methodist Church - the work that was started by RYFC continues under a different name throughout Redditch.
Work of the charity
The RYFC Director worked closely with the Salvation Army branch in Redditch and was given freedom to use their facilities as a base for meetings and activities. This was greatly appreciated and gave the charity a base on the edge of the town centre. Whilst supporting the Salvation Army in their ongoing social action work the Director established links with families that led to young people being welcomed and joining in the developing worship band and choir which now meet on a weekly basis. Many of this group of young people have become regular members of the midweek Bible study where the young people read and discuss Scripture and seek to apply it to their lives.
Having developed a relationship with a group of young people on the Churchill community it was decided to hold a regular youth service at the small Methodist Church in the estate centre on a Sunday afternoon. This service is now the most well attended service - with up to 55 attending the church and supported by some young people from other churches in the town. Young people participate in leading all aspects of the service including giving the talk and playing in the worship band. This is followed by a time where the young people can get together with the Director and build relationships. The young people have also benefitted from the connections built with the Bethel organisation and Redditch YMCA, who hosted a music session with some of the young musicians.
There has been a particular emphasis on the poor, needy and homeless. Joe has developed partnerships with another charity, which has resulted in a recovery cafe for addicts set up on Friday afternoons. This has developed throughout 2023-24.
The Director has been the catalyst for setting up weekly prayer walks around the Town Center and having weekly outreach meetings in Greggs Cafe in the Redditch Kingfisher Center. The RYFC work had been underpinned by prayer. This work continues.
One of the areas of work that has been the most challenging has been the relationship with the local schools. The Director has offered his services to support the RE curriculum and spiritual and social work of schools but in the first year has not succeeded in gaining regular access to our Middle or High Schools. Good links have been made with GSUS live and in 2024 we had a huge success in the schools:
Report on the recent visit of GSUS Live to Redditch and Alcester May 2024
Introduction
After discussions at the end of last year about bringing Counties schools resource GSUS Live to Redditch in 2024, the Trustees of RYFC made the decision to book the unit to come in May this year.
Schools visited with GSUS Live
Tuesday 7th to Friday 10th May St Benedict’s Catholic High School, Alcester
Monday 20th & Tuesday 21st May St Augustine’s Catholic High School, Redditch
Wednesday 22nd & Thursday 23rd May St Bede’s Catholic Middle School, Redditch
They are part of a Multi Academy Catholic group of schools called Our Lady of Magnificat, which has a total of 17 schools (3 x secondary/ high and 14 first/primary) across Worcestershire and Warwickshire.
Report on all 3 three schools
33 x lessons delivered 719 x students listened and took part in the lessons
10 x teachers came into the lessons
2 x students asked for a conversation after the lesson
15 x members of staff asked about what the unit was/invited to come and look 1 x school chaplain would like to be kept informed of what is happening with RYFC event
1 x RE teacher asked for a lesson outline on the subject and if we had a follow-up book to use for future lessons – see below
The Director made a considerable impact and a number of young people have grown in their faith, with some taking a leading role in the group. Many regular groups have become established, and solid structures are in place for the work to grow. We are indebted to the support shown by Volunteers to carry on the work following the redundancy of the Center Director.
The work of the Trustees
The trustees have met on 5 occasions for full meetings during the year and subgroups were established to plan for the Annual RYFC Conference which was well attended and held in Christ Church Matchborough, Redditch. This included an inspirational service with powerful talks by Bishop Alfonso from Portugal, Bishop Melvin Brookes and Rev Patrick Sookdeo. We have followed up with links to Portugal and links with Churches and Schools in Birmingham. The Center Director and two Trustees undertook a visit to the Good Samaritan Project run by Bishop Alfonso in Portugal in October 2023. We have another visit planned for October 2024.
During the year two Trustees stepped down following a move away from the area. All full meetings were well attended, minuted and records kept. At the end of the year our board consisted of 5 trustees, a minuting secretary and two volunteers. The Trustees are indebted to the support received from the national team at Youth for Christ and were pleased to continue adopting their core policies. RYFC is covered by Public Liability Insurance purchased as we continue our work with young people. Trustees spent some time discussing and continue to agree on the mission statement and strategic aims of RYFC which align to the overarching aims of the Charity.
Mission Statement – To commit to pray without ceasing for the youth of this area so that Jesus’ name might be lifted high and our town’s motto be truly refreshed – ‘Redditch for God’
Strategic Aims -
-
To bring the gospel and hope to the youth of Redditch
-
To bring the gospel and hope to youth who are marginalised, have drug/dependency issues, are homeless or on the fringes of society.
-
To engage with Redditch schools, take part in assemblies, RE lessons and Christian Unions in partnership with organisations such as Gsus Live, Birmingham City Mission, Betel and Youth for Christ nationally.
-
To develop Christianity Explored (adults and youth course) with churches and groups across Redditch
-
To develop the capacity through peer discipleship and evangelism to develop existing youth groups within Redditch churches.
-
To work in partnership with Trustees and churches to develop a robust and sustainable funding strategy to fund the centre director post and expand the staffing of Redditch Youth for Christ. Redditch Youth for Christ Trustees Meeting- Minutes.
Trustees raised almost six months’ salary for the Director. The majority of donations were from individuals with contributions from some churches.
RYFC Trustees were the catalyst for setting up the first England Christian football team which entered the Christian World Cup in Guatemala 2022. We aim to build on the work with Christian Football in coming years through sports ministry, in Redditch, with our links established with Portugal. We have potential plans to send a team to Columbia in December 2024.
We are excited to work with the incoming Vicar of St Stephen’s Church, Rev Fraser Oates. We hope to develop a Strategic Partnership with him to continue the work of RYFC.
Areas to develop: 2024/5
- To explore the potential to work in partnership with Rev Oates and St Stephen’s and develop a Christian Community for Young People across the town of Redditch.
Kind regards
Ron
Ron Skelton Headteacher and CEO Broadway Academy Trust
Redditch Youth for Christ Receipts andpayments accounts |
Redditch Youth for Christ Receipts andpayments accounts |
Redditch Youth for Christ Receipts andpayments accounts |
Redditch Youth for Christ Receipts andpayments accounts |
Redditch Youth for Christ Receipts andpayments accounts |
No (if any) 1192046 |
No (if any) 1192046 |
CC16a | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| For the period from |
Period start date 01/11/2022 |
To | Period end date 30/09/2023 |
|||||
| Section A Receipts and payments | ||||||||
| A1 Receipts | Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ |
Endowment funds to the nearest £ |
Total funds to the nearest £ |
Last year to the nearest £ |
|||
| Donations | 12,180 | - | - - - - - - - - |
12,180 | - | |||
| - | - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | - | |||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) |
12,180 | - | - | 12,180 | - | |||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
||||||||
| - | - - - |
- | ||||||
| - | - | - | ||||||
| Sub total | - | - | - | |||||
| Total receipts A3 Payments |
||||||||
| - | 12,180 | - | ||||||
| Salaryincpension | 13,324 | - - - - - - - - - - |
13,324 | - | ||||
| Insurance | 367 | 367 | - | |||||
| Other Costs | 714 | 714 | - | |||||
| - | - | - | ||||||
| - | - | - | ||||||
| - | - | - | ||||||
| - | - | - | ||||||
| - | - | - | ||||||
| - | - | - | ||||||
| **Sub total ** | 14,405 | 14,405 | - | |||||
| A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) |
||||||||
| - | - - - |
- | ||||||
| - | - | |||||||
| **Sub total ** | - | - | - | |||||
| Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end |
||||||||
| - | 14,405 | - | ||||||
| - 2,225 | - | - 2,225 |
- | |||||
| - | - - |
- | - | |||||
| - | - | - | ||||||
| - 2,225 | - | - 2,225 | - |
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
24/07/2024
1
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Categories Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees B5 Liabilities B3 Investment assets B2 Other monetary assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B1 Cash funds |
Details Details Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Bank Details Details Details Signature |
Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ 2,005 - - - - - 2,005 - Agreement Error OK Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - - - - - Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) - - - - - Print Name |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| OK | |||
| Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| When due (optional) |
|||
| Date of approval |
|||
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
24/07/2024
2