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REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1192400

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE FIRST FULL-YEAR FROM NOVEMBER 2020 TO 31[ST] DECEMBER 2021 FOR ACTS (ACTIVE CHRISTIANITY IN THANET SCHOOLS)

Reference and Administrative Details

Operating Name ACTS (Active Christianity in Thanet Schools)

Registered Charity Number

1192400

Address:

c/o ST. PETERS BAPTIST CHURCH VICARAGE STREET BROADSTAIRS CT10 2SG

Trustees

Rev Rhodri Walters (Chair)
Simon Kemp (Treasurer)
Dilys Linsell
Rev Peter Russell
Kim Stoner

As a Charitable Instituted Organisation (CIO) we are governed by a constitution. Trustees are appointed by existing trustees. New Trustees are approached depending on the skill base requirements of the charity and the experience of the individual. An informal process of interviews take place before any appointment is put to the current Trustees and ratified. New Trustees are expected to familiarise themselves with the charity and the context within which it operates. They are also required to read the Charity Commission publication 'The Essential Trustee: What you need to know'. All trustees are also required to complete safeguarding training. The Trustees are aware of the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit.

Bank

National Westminster Bank Plc 36 St Andrew Square Edinburgh United Kingdom EH2 2YB

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•	Reference and Administrative Details	Page 2
•	Trustees’ Annual Report	Page 4
•	Review of Financial Situation	Page 8
•	Statement of Financial Activities	Page 9

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Report of the Trustees of ACTS (Active Christianity in Thanet Schools)

Introduction from the Chair

The aim of ACTS is to inspire a generation of children, young-people and their families to engage with the Christian Faith and to explore its values! ACTS does this by providing activities that educate children in the Christian faith, and offering opportunities for schools and churches to relate together. Currently, we offer this in the Thanet Primary Schools through our one Schools-worker but our hope is to also be able to reach out to the secondary schools as well.

Charitable Objectives

The purpose of ACTS is “To advance the Christian Faith through supporting the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of children, young people, their families, and those working with them, in schools and groups, and in conjunction with the churches in the area of Thanet for the public benefit.”

What we do

ACTS aims to work with all Primary schools in Thanet, by offering activities that increase awareness and understanding of the Christian faith, explain how Christians practise their faith and help children, young people, their families and those working with them explore further links with schools and churches and the communities in which they are in. We do this through:

Assemblies/Collective Worship
R.E (Religious Education) Classroom Workshops
Prayer/Reflection Spaces
Prayer Space in a box
Year 6 Transition Workshop – ‘It’s Your Move’
Christmas Unwrapped – Y6 Christmas Workshop in local churches
Easter Cracked – Y6 Easter Workshops in local churches
Wellbeing in a box
Quest/Explore Lunchtime Club
Staff Training/Resources/Support

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The work is carried out by an employed part-time worker who works for 0.8 of the week, and who links in with church leaders and volunteers that assist in enabling the programmes to be effected. The work is overseen by a Board of Trustees who bring a variety of skills to support and encourage the work in schools and to assist it to operate efficiently and effectively.

Apart from our 1 member of staff, ACTS relies totally on volunteers – these include members of churches from all around Thanet.

ACTS is a Local Mission Partner of Scripture Union, and Our Schools Development Worker is a member of Kent SACRE (Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education).

ACTS became a registered charity in November 2020 and whilst the schools-work was inexistence well before this date. Our report picks up the story from then:

2020

Due to the presence of Coronavirus, some in-school activities were not permitted to take place, so ACTS continued to adapt its practice and, where appropriate, produced virtual resources, making them available to schools on its YouTube page. These included the following online video resources which were produced for schools by our schools-worker along with volunteers:

Remembrance assembly video - went to 30 schools!
Harvest assembly video - downloaded by 19 schools
Psalm 104 assembly - went out to 12 church schools

Christmas Unwrapped 2020 – 11 schools and 11 churches: viewed 149 times.

Christmas assembly sent to every primary school: viewed 66 times…

Godly-Play Nativity Resources sent out to 6 Primary schools.

Messy church with St Andrews Church.

SACRE (Standing Advisory Council for Kent): our Schoolswork Development Worker attended 3 meetings with County Hall: Online and in person.

Resource Lists – These were sent to 19 schools with information regarding, Assemblies/Collective worship, Prayer space activities and links to other known and established Christian education websites for children and young people.

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2021

Covid restrictions were still in place in some schools, and many remained nervous about receiving visitors into their school. ACTS continued to send out links to the material it recorded on its YouTube page as well as recommencing the delivery of some activities in person at the very end of 2021 as follows:

Transition Workshop for Year 6 – ‘It’s Your Move’ – viewed by 43 classes
‘Love is’ St. Valentine’s Assembly/Worship – viewed 246 times
Christmas Assembly – viewed 99 times
Prayer Space in a box video – 14 downloads (6 schools)
Easter Assembly video – 102 views
Easter Rap video – 147 views
Christmas Unwrapped Video – 12 schools and 7 churches: 207 views
Easter Cracked Video – 141 views
Updated Resource Lists – sent to 19 schools
Links for all our recorded YouTube material was also sent to 19 schools

We have also used this time to establish ourselves as a registered charity as well as becoming a mission partner with Scripture Union which produces resources as well as resourcing work with children and young people.

Our aim is for ACTS to become sustainable and a part of the community in Thanet for years and years ahead. For this we need to increase our financial support base, so that we can also increase the work of ACTS into Secondary schools and Special Educational Needs Schools.

Declaration:

The Trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees’ report.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees:

Rhodri Walters Trustee (Chair)

Simon Kemp Trustee (Treasurer)

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REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1192400

ACTS (Active Christianity in Thanet Schools)

Financial Statements (Unaudited)

Year End - 31 December 2021

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Review of Financial situation

Although the charity has secured regular donations and grants through the course of 2021 it is also being supported by an established charity, who have agreed to continue to support ACTS through 2022 and beyond. The established charity has agreed to cover any short falls in income. ACTS is therefore financially secure.

Reserves

As ACTS is being supported by an established charity it does not have a policy to hold reserves.

Going Concern

Due to support of the established charity, there are no concerns about ACTS ability to continue.

Funding

Funds are generated through Mission Funding, Public Donations, Fund Raising, Sales and gift aid is claimed where applicable .

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees to further any of the charity's purposes.

Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure declared by the donor or through the terms of a grant.

Investments

The charity has not made any investments and does not intend to during the next financial year.

Principal Risks

The charity’s main risk is that most of its income comes from one source. The charity is looking to reduce its exposure during the coming years by generating more of its income from public donations, fund raising and sales.

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