Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From 14/08/2024 To 13/08/2025
Charity name: National Estate Churches Network
Charity registration number: 1192423
Objectives and Activities
The purposes of the charity are the advancement of education through developing and promoting Christian faith communities for the purpose of shaping church policy and supporting community development, learning, social cohesion, sustainability and well-being in the social housing estates of England and Wales.
The main activities of the charity in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts:
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Occasional newsletter sent to front line workers supporting communities on social housing estates.
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Social media posts to Facebook and Twitter promoting resources to support front line workers.
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Facilitation of local groups of front-line workers.
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Website highlighting resources for those in estates ministry to use and sharing positive stories of ministry to encourage others through written articles/video interviews and podcasts.
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Conferences to support Christians who work/live in social housing estates.
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One to one support via phone/e-mail contact to direct front line workers to relevant resources/specific sources of support.
The trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commissioner on public benefit.
The charity does not make any grants
The charity is grateful to the volunteer local hub leaders as well as to the trustees who lead the strategic direction of the organisation.
Achievements and Performance
The main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole:
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Over 700 front line church leaders based on social housing estates receive newsletters providing resources and support for their work in the communities in which they serve.
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Around 5 local groups are operating to provide a means for local leaders to support and learn from each other. New groups are being encouraged and new contacts made through links with Church of England diocesan estate focal leads and others.
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Website including ‘NECN directory’ to assist estate church leaders in finding resources for leadership training, supporting their communities through social action projects, specialist ministries etc.
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Inspiring and encouraging church leaders on social housing estates by sharing others’ stories through website, videos and podcasts.
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The Executive Director/Chair of Trustees represents the charity at events with key partners eg Church Urban Fund, Churches Together in England (of which the charity is a Body in Association)
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London regional conference in February 2025 with over 40 attendees.
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Retreat held in November 2024 for practioners.
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Northern conference held in September 2024 at Sheffield Cathedral attended by a mix of practioners and support organisations
Financial Review
Financial position at the end of the period
| Total receipts: | £ 18,703.00 |
|---|---|
| Total expenditure: | £ 29,351.69 |
| Net deficit: | £ 10,684.69 |
There are no designated funds at the end of the period.
Unrestricted funds provide a cash-flow buffer and supports the general operations of the charity. The charity had reserves of £12,592.55 at the end of the financial year of which £0 were designated.
Additional information
The charity received one grant during the year from the Church of England (£14.3k) that covered some of the cost of employment of the two part-time members of staff during 2024-25.
The trustees are aware of the need to identify additional sources of income to maintain and/or expand the paid staff team.
The p/t Executive Director resigned in January 2025 for personal reasons. The p/t Support Officer ended her p/t contract in June 2025 and was available on a zer0-hours basis until end August 2025 before she takes up full-time employment elsewhere.
Structure, Governance and Management
The charity’s governing document is a foundation constitution. The charity is a CIO
New trustees are elected to post by the charity’s existing trustees.
Additional information
The charity has informal partnership arrangements with over 40 para-church organisations that support front line work of churches in social housing estates.
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Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | National Estate Churches Network |
|---|---|
| Other name the charity uses | NECN |
| Registered charity number | 1192423 |
| Registered Address | 62-64 Battery Road West Thamesmead LONDON SE28 0JT |
| Bank | Metrobank |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eunice Attwood | |||
| Patricia Brown | |||
| David Champness | Treasurer | ||
| Lynne Cullens | Chair until 15/11/24 |
||
| Andrew Dorton | |||
| Clare King | |||
| Jonathan Macy | Chair from 15/11/24 |
||
| EmilyMcDonald | Resigned 28/7/25 | ||
| Nigel Poole | Resigned 28/7/25 | ||
| Dean Pusey | |||
| Andrew Turner |
Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members
Sara Barron (Executive Director) left on 10[th] January 2025.
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
| Signature(s) Full name(s) Position (e.g. Secretary, Chair, etc) Date |
Jonathan Macy | DAV Champness |
|---|---|---|
| Rev Jonathan Macy | Mr David Champness | |
Chair |
Trustee and Treasurer | |
| 27/11/24 | 27/11/24 |
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| Charity Name | Charity Name | Charity Name | Charity Name | Charity Name | No (if any) | No (if any) | CC16a | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Estate Churches Network |
1192423 |
||||||||
| Receipts andpayments accounts | |||||||||
| For the period from |
Period start date | To | Period end date | ||||||
| 14/08/2024 | 13/08/2025 | ||||||||
| Section A Receipts and payments | |||||||||
| Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds |
Endowment funds |
Total funds | Last year | |||||
| to the nearest £ |
to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | |||||
| A1 Receipts | |||||||||
| Grants | 14,341 | - | - | 14,341 | 23,542 | ||||
| Donations | 1,502 | - | - | 1,502 | 1,669 | ||||
| Tax refund forgift aided donations | 322 | - | - | 322 | 775 | ||||
| Conference | 2,217 | - | - | 2,217 | 5,484 | ||||
| Book Royalties | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| Othergrants | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| Misc | 321 | - | - | 321 | 5 | ||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) |
18,703 |
- | - | 18,703 | 31,475 | ||||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
|||||||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| Sub total | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| **Total receipts ** | 18,703 | - | - | 18,703 | 31,475 | ||||
| A3 Payments | |||||||||
| Research | 4,500 | - | - | 4,500 | 1,542 | ||||
| Conference costs | 2,156 | - | - | 2,156 | 3,892 | ||||
| Salaries | 15,668 | - | - | 15,668 | 18,468 | ||||
| Other Employment costs | 3,106 | - | - | 3,106 | 5,665 | ||||
| Website and IT | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| Insurance | 190 | - | - | 190 | 173 | ||||
| Equipment | 76 | - | - | 76 | 477 | ||||
| Staff Expenses | 2,919 | - | - | 2,919 | 3,791 | ||||
| Legal fees | - | - | - | - | |||||
| Bank Charges | 240 | - | - | 240 | 240 | ||||
| Memberships | 77 | 77 | 75 | ||||||
| Trustee Expenses | 420 | - | - | 420 | 44 | ||||
| **Sub total ** | 29,352 | - | - | 29,352 | 34,367 | ||||
| A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) |
|||||||||
| - | - | - | - | ||||||
| - | - | - | - | ||||||
| **Sub total ** | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| **Totalpayments ** | 29,352 | - | - | 29,352 | 34,267 | ||||
| Net of receipts/(payments) | - 10,649 | - | - | - 10,649 | - 2,891 | ||||
| A5 Transfers between funds | - | - | - | ||||||
| A6 Cash funds lastyear end | 23,241 | - | 23,241 | 26,132 | |||||
| Cash funds thisyear end | 12,592 | - | - | 12,592 | 23,241 |
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Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Categories | Details | Details | Details | Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds |
Endowment funds |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| to nearest £ | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | |||||||
| B1 Cash funds | Metro Bank Account | 12,592 | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | |||||||
| - | - | - | |||||||
| Total cash funds | 12,592 | - | - | ||||||
| (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) |
OK | OK | |||||||
| Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds |
Endowment funds |
|||||||
| Details | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | ||||||
| B2 Other monetary assets | - | - | - | ||||||
| - | - | - | |||||||
| - | - | - | |||||||
| - | - | - | |||||||
| - | - | - | |||||||
| - | - | - | |||||||
| Details | Fund to which asset belongs |
Cost (optional) | Current value (optional) |
||||||
| B3 Investment assets | - | - | |||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| Details | Fund to which asset belongs |
Cost (optional) | Current value (optional) |
||||||
| B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use |
- | - | |||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| Details | Fund to which liability relates |
Amount due (optional) |
When due (optional) |
||||||
| B5 Liabilities | - | ||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees |
Signature | Print Name | Date of approval |
||||||
| Mr David Champness | 27-Nov-25 | ||||||||
| Rev Jonathan Macy | 27-Nov-25 |
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Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
| Report to the trustees/ members of On accounts for the year ended Set out on pages |
Charity Name National Estate Churches Network |
Charity Name National Estate Churches Network |
Charity Name National Estate Churches Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13/08/2025 | Charity no (if any) |
1192423 | |
| 5-6 |
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I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 13/08/2025.
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Responsibilities and As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the basis of report accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’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 Act.
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Independent I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have
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examiner's statement come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that disclosed below *) which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
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the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
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the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
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• the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Relevant professional MA, MSc, Retired senior government economic statistician qualification(s) or body (if any): Address: 12 The Hawthorns, Caerleon Newport NP18 1LX
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Section B Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .
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