## Abbey Road Baptist Church ## Annual report for Charities Commission 2023 As well as providing space for church services and activities, the church has been involved in the following:- 1. Foodbank. The church continues to support Barrow Foodbank and the satellites in Millom and Ulverston by providing the entire lower ground floor space for a warehouse, offices and client drop in space. In addition, the church hall is used for training and extra Christmas work. 2. Toddler Groups. Our parent/carer and toddler groups meet twice weekly in term time and weekly in holidays providing play facilities for 70-80 babies and children plus their responsible adults each week. As well as action song time these groups provide snacks which always include fruit and toast. 3. Brunch clubs. Our free “brunch club” meets once a month on a Saturday and usually weekly during school holidays providing toddler activities, games and activities area for older children and a lunch for about 20-30 families. We include a Bible story and action songs together. 4. Community soup lunch. Our long-established free community soup lunch provides a weekly healthy, home-made soup for anyone who wishes to attend. Currently, approximately 20-30 people of all ages attend- some are people with health or financial issues, others live alone or just enjoy a social time with others. 5. Meeting Place New over the last year has been a weekly free Meeting Place, run throughout the year and offering a free cooked lunch, refreshments, and activities for about 15-20 people from the Barrow community. Easy access supports people with mental health and learning disabilities to attend and be welcomed. 6. Later Lunches - This monthly service aimed at older adults was run initially with Age UK and has been continued by us. We provide craft and games activities, a two-course hot lunch, and beverages for 40-70 people. 7. Christmas Lunch. - We provide Christmas Day Lunch for anyone who would otherwise be alone or struggle on Christmas Day. Approximately 30 people attend, some of whom are able to donate towards the cost, and people have been directed to us for this and our other services by the Foodbank, GP surgery, social services and mental health services and on the day by other churches. 8. “After School Drop in”. Run in conjunction with Network Youth Church, our weekly “drop in” -aimed mainly at children from Furness Academy-, provides light refreshments, a “safe space”, activities and listening ear for up to 200 children each week. We also have started this year an additional small drop in once a week. Members of the church also assist with NYC activities three days a week at St Aiden’s in Newbarn’s, providing a safe space for children and young people who live on that estate. 9. Assistance in Disability (A.I.D.) We provide our hall and garden space for training for assistance in disability dogs and their owners. 10. Hall Space for community groups and support groups. - Community groups hire our hall space, including local amateur drama and music groups, exercise classes, dance group, Casualty Union, Games Club. Alcoholics Anonymous use our premises for several group support meetings a week. Narcotics anonymous also hold a weekly meeting here. - We have Rainbow, Brownie and Guide units meeting in our halls, having moved from St Paul’s hall when that closed. 11. Children’s Parties. Our hall and kitchen are hired by local families to hold children’s parties in our large spacious hall. - 12.Garden Gang This project has turned an area of shrubs into a garden growing space, working with young people and older folk on this project, learning and sharing together to grow vegetables, supporting and being supported by our local community. Our volunteers have also worked to clear and tidy our back garden and many without gardens of their own enjoy being part of ours. - 13.The church has hosted the former Trinity Church Centre congregation who are able to continue to hold their services in our building and also their monthly coffee mornings. - 14.The church has been very grateful for support and help this year. We have received ongoing food from Aldi which we also offer to those who use our building. B&Q have very generously provided materials and labour to paint the lower area of our church hall and awarded us a grant for £5000 which enabled us to reconfigure our toilets from two to four- with improved disabled access. Within all our activities, we offer support and a listening ear to anyone who comes. All are welcome with no exceptions, as all are welcomed by our Lord Jesus and His message to love one another is at the heart of everything we do. Prayer is always available with and for anyone who asks. ARBC Current and Stipend Accounts 2023 INCOME l. Plate Gift Aid Plate Gift Aid through bank HMRC refund Offering £1,247.55 £60.00 £8,112.00 £1,921.00 £300.00 £11,640.55 £11,640.55 2. Use of Premlses Parties Food Bank Election Road to recovery Trinity Church BODS Astronomical Society Hire of premises £ioo.00 £4,836.08 £180.00 £660.00 £3,000.00 £1,400.00 £260.00 £14 213.IX) £24,649.08 £36.289.63 3.Donatlons For Freezer For Wi-Fi For Toilets For Repairs Ros5 Wood l Helyer Estate T Bell Harrison Mills Young Furness Building Societv B+Q Stewardship Grant M&S £205.00 £1,049.00 £280.00 £500.00 £335.00 £200.00 £ioo.00 £50.00 £5.00 £252.00 £ioo.00 £200.00 £5,000.00 £9.610.00 £4 700.00 £22,586.00 £58,875.63 ARBC Current and Stipend Accounts 2023 4.HMF Grant BMS Giving £5,500.04 £30.54 £5,530.54 £64,406.17 8.MISCELLANEOUS Unpaid fee refund Council tax re-adlustment Church water correction Sale of metal £48.00 £224.1)0 £115.01 £23.70 £410.71 £64,816.88 TRANSFERS From Stlpend to Current From G8055 to Current £iO,(MX). £76,816.88 TOTAL INCOME £76,816.88 £1980.87 £78,797.75 £74 067.62 £4,730.13 PLUS OPENING 8AiANCE LESS EXPENDITURE CLOSING BALANCE Closlng Balance Current Closing Balance Stlpend £3,595.50 £1 134.63 £4,730.13 GB055 8aptlst Corporatlon Account Balance on 31.12.22 Withdrawn in year 2023 £7,849.89 £5.849.89 Interest in year 2023 Closing Balance £6,028.50 ARBC Account 2023 Expenditure EXPEND l. Ministry Stipend Tax/NI Baptist pension £16,442.56 £2,289.28 £5 115.00 £24,046.84 £24.046.84 2.Ministers expenses Council Tax £2,017.32 £26.064.16 Administration Expenses £227.23 £26,291.39 3.Subscriptions Baptist Union CCLI Churches Together £151.20 £317.30 £30.00 £498.50 £26,789.89 4.Church Utllltles Electric Gas Water £5,967.90 £3,091.68 £699.40 £9,758.98 £36,548.87 Church Malntalnance T. Quinn £1,725.00 £87.33 £1,128.00 £558.97 £1,230.00 £908.64 £143.88 £790.97 £6,572.79 Skip Hire Freezer Direct Strike Plumbing & Heating DSL Zoom Various supplies £43,121.66 ARBC Account 2023 Expenditure Church Buildings Baywind Hindle Electrics D4 Lead Sensible Choice £480.13 £2,000.00 £6,100.00 £15.99 £882.00 £9,478.12 52599.78 Manse Utilltles Electric Gas £419.03 £861.13 £1,280.16 £53,879.94 Insurance Church Manse £3,304.00 £620.11 £3,924.11 £57,804.05 Evangelisatlon Barrow Deanery Good News Mothering Sunday Fathers Day Pulpit supplies Misc for M Cooper Food £180.00 £308.00 £35.80 £25.50 £ioo.00 £216.75 £1384.37 £2,250.42 £60,054.47 MISCELLANEOUS Auditor Ukranian donation Benevolent Fund Unpaid Item Fees Legal Fees Conferences £ioo.00 £ioo.00 £236.15 £12.00 £5.00 £560.00 £1,013.15 61067.62 ARBC Account 2023 Expenditure TRANSFERS To current account £10,000.00 71067.62 To HMF TO BMS £2,100.00 £900.00 £3,000.00 74067.62 74067.62 TOTAL EXPENDITURE Abbey Road Baptist Church Statement of Assets 2023 Current Account Stipend Account Total in Bank Baptist Union Corp Total Assets £3.595.50 £1134.63 £4,730.13 £10.758.63 Prepared by M.J. Bourne Examined by Mrs M Hall 27.02.2024 ,Qs+V¢