## **The Prayerhouse**
Charitable Incorporated Organisation Charity number: 1192424.
Report and Financial Statements 1[st] April 2024 - 31[st] March 2025
## **Table of Contents**
Report of the trustees............................................................................................................................2 Receipts and Payments Account...........................................................................................................8 Analysis of Receipts and Payments......................................................................................................9 Statement of Assets and Liabilities.....................................................................................................11 Independent Examiner’s Report......................................................................................................... 14
page 1
## **Report of the trustees**
The trustees present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the period of 1[st] April 2024 - 31st March 2025. The Prayerhouse CIO was registered with the Charity commission on 19th November 2020. The Charitable Incorporated Organisation, 1192424. formed under Constitution formally represents the incorporation of the charitable trust The Prayerhouse 1005120 (formerly New Covenant Church Weymouth) and has updated its charitable objects. The CIO is the successor body to the original Charity.
## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES**
## **Objects and activities for public benefit**
The objects of the CIO are to apply its funds for such exclusively charitable purposes as the trustees may think fit in accordance with its constitution. The trustees confirm that they have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the charity's aims and objectives and in planning future activities.
The objects of the CIO are:
(1) The advancement of the Christian faith in accordance with the Statement of
Doctrines appearing in the Schedule of the CIOs constitution
- (2) The relief of persons who are in conditions of need, hardship, or distress, or who are aged, or sick.
- (3) The advancement of education on the basis of Christian principles.
## **Significant activities relating to the objects of the CIO:**
Every Sunday the church gathers for worship and bible teaching, during this time there are also groups for children and young people. There is also opportunity during the week to gather in small groups (Life groups) for prayer, bible study, support and friendship. As a church we seek to help those in need (either through monetary gifts or practical support) who we meet through soul food, church members and other connections. We are also able to support those overseas through our partners working in various projects.
## **Grant making**
The Trustees grant making powers are governed by the constitution, which allows them to make provision for the payment of grants, scholarships or allowances, as they consider appropriate.
## **Investment policy**
The Trustees investment powers are governed by the constitution which permits the Charity's funds to be invested in a wide range of assets.
page 2
## **Summary of main activities.**
## **Meetings**
Our Sunday morning meetings have been held in Wyke Regis Community Hall since July 2024. The hall is not in the very best condition, with a leaky roof and aged fixtures and fittings, so is not quite the image we would prefer to present. It does mean that we have somewhere to meet, and the hall trustees have allowed us to store some equipment there throughout the week, reducing some of the set up time on Sunday mornings. The search continues for a better, more permanent solution.
## **Office**
The office at Gordon Row, Chapelhay serves well as a base during the week and a place of general work for Fortunatus Franklin, Paul White and the interns. This varies from team meetings, media work, admin and pastoral appointments. We conduct our Monday morning, Dayshift meeting - three hours of prayer and worship from 9.00am in the office each week. We now also hold daily prayer meetings on the other weekdays except Thursday from 9.00am - 10am. A group of young adults meet at the office on Wednesday evenings.
## **Personnel**
We received a young married couple from Brazil, Joao and Aline Shettner, to serve as interns from November 2023. They have been a valuable asset in so many ways, making a great contribution sound and video production, graphic design and serving as part of the youth team. From 24[th] November Fortunatus has served as the Refresh Coordinator, seconded for one day a week from Prayerhouse. Refresh is a separate charity set up by a group of church leaders in Weymouth and Portland including Paul White as a vehicle to carry forward the vision for church unity in the town. It is also a single point of contact for grant making trusts and Government agencies representing the wider local church. Refresh is the employer for the paid members of staff at the Weymouth Christians Against Poverty Debt Centre. We also run a number of there projects in the town on behalf of the Church in Weymouth and Portland.
## **Ministers Breakfast**
Each month at the Chapelhay Office we host a breakfast for ministers from the churches in the town. It is informal and involves coffee and pastries which we provide. We then spend some time in worship, led by Fortunatus, prayer and discussion. Since Fortunatus has been the coordinator he hosts the meeting. Numbers attending have been good, and the feedback from leaders has been very warm an appreciative.
## **Zoomers**
Over recent years a number of people have gone from Prayerhouse Weymouth to embark on mission work or church planting in different locations and nations. These have each expressed a wish to remain connected relationally to Prayerhouse. We hold a monthly online call to provide a regular point of connection with each other. Those involved are Raphael Öttinger (Norway), Josh White (Hampshire), Pete Millner (Weymouth Baptist Church), Claudio Barguena (Republic of Ireland), David White (Chickerell), Sam Sundar (New Zealand), Forchie Franklin (Weymouth) and Paul White (Weymouth). This has been an exciting development which it is hoped will be a means of offering real support to our wider family.
page 3
## **Ukraine**
Paul White has continued to be involved in Ukraine with three trips conducted in the time frame covered by this report. Two of those trips have been to erect another full size steel framed tent as a refugee support hub just outside the Central Railway Station in Kyiv. The first trip, in June, was site preparation, and the second, in September, was to oversee the construction of the tent alongside Mark Wade. The third trip was to head into the Donbas region with Mark Wade, to meet pastors on or near the front line, and to speak in the front line churches. Prayerhouse makes a contribution to the cost of these trips, but the majority of funding comes from individual donations.
## **Turkmenistan**
Paul also made a trip to Turkmenistan May. He visited the Apostolic Nuncio, Father Andrzej, in Ashgabat, whom he met in 2003 on his first ever trip to the country. They travelled together into the remote eastern regions close to the Afghan border on Father Andrzej’s yearly apostolic trip. This staying among a traditional Muslim community to meet with the small minority of Christians in these areas. Paul believes this kind of triprepresents a vital lifeline to the Christians who live a very marginal existence in what is a difficult cultural andneconomic climate.
## **Camp**
In May we collected new marquee to replace our somewhat ancient and increasingly fragile marquee which we have owned since 1998. The new one is secondhand but in excellent condition. The purchase price was £6500 and was raised by donations in only two weeks, following summer’s Camp was a huge success, with good weather, happy children and a great atmosphere the whole time. Children from a number of different churches in the South West attended. We regularly hear stories from parents of how important Camp was for their children and we often hear stories from adults who attended one of our camps many years ago and of the profound impact Camp had on their lives.
## **Worship Room**
A number of the musicians and sound tech team from the Prayerhouse actively support Ryan WellsWest in a venture he has launched called Worship Room. It involves a well-rehearsed and wellproduced worship evening which he has hosted in various community halls around the area at his own expense. This is very much in keeping with the Prayerhouse ethos and values, but designed to attract people from a wider church audience.
## **Food Distribution**
Wendy Selway continues to lead Soul Food, operating from Bethany Hall in Weymouth town. We serve hot meals to the homeless and vulnerably housed of our local community two evenings and two mornings a week. During a typical Soul Food evening we cater for between 20 and 30 guests. Anna White sorts through donated food from supermarkets, collected by Wendy Selway, every evening. Together with Brenda Harris, our chef, they come up with tasty, varied and nutritious food for our Soul Food guests.
We have continued to be able to make good quality food freely available on Tuesday evenings to those in the community in need of some extra help using the Soul Food van. Collections are made from various supermarkets throughout the week, and twice each evening, sorted and loaded onto the van or stored in the freezer. Most of the food cooked and served by the Soul Food team is now carefully selected from donated food and we still have plenty to give away. Boxes are also prepared each week for families who are struggling to make ends meet. Deliveries of donated food are also made to one of the local schools twice a week.
page 4
## **Ongoing Ministry**
The ministry of Prayerhouse continues in spite of the difficulties we face in finding somewhere suitable to meet. We continue to reach out to serve the local community, the surrounding area of the South West, and also to other nations. We not only run our own projects but people from Prayerhouse also serve as volunteers in other local projects run by Christians, serving the poor and vulnerable of our community. Such projects include Fresh Start, the Nest, Global Cafe and others. We actively support Refresh, a charity representing the Church in Weymouth and Portland - Paul White is a trustee of Refresh. We give financially to the work of Refresh which also includes the Weymouth and Portland branch of Christians Against Poverty. We have stepped up our support by the secondment of Fortunatus Franklin to the role of Refresh Coordinator.
## **FINANCIAL REVIEW**
The CIO received an income of £ 147076.51
Expenditure amounted to £158308.95
Resulting in an excess of receipts over payments of (£11232.44)
The reserves of the CIO remain at a a healthy level: £14725 in general unreserved funds. £39022 in designated funds and £217357 in reserved funds.
## **Reserves policy**
The intention is to maintain sufficient free reserves in order to maintain the current level of activity and careful maintenance of assets.
## **Future plans:**
The trustees will continue to look for a property to buy or rent in the Weymouth area that is big enough for the congregation of the Prayerhouse family (with space to grow) to meet on a Sunday and to carry out existing and new weekly activities.
## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT**
## **Governing Document**
The Prayerhouse is governed by a constitution dated 19th November 2020, and is a Charitable incorporated organisation.
## **Recruitment and appointment of new trustees**
In accordance with the Charity's governing document, the Trustees have the power to appoint new Trustees as required to enable the objectives of the Charity to be met.
## **Organisational structure**
All decisions relating to the organisation and operation of the charity are made by the trustees, taking professional advice from advisers and third parties where it is deemed appropriate.
page 5
## **Induction and training of new trustees**
On appointment, new trustees sign a model trustee declaration statement committing them to giving their time and expertise. The new trustee goes through an induction process, which includes meetings with the Chair and the trustees. Training is also provided to the trustee as required.
## **Related party transactions during the year**
Paul White is a Trustee of the charity and therefore a related party. During the year Paul White received fees of £39420 for his role as Pastor of the church. Paul White does not receive payment for his role as a trustee. The other Trustees have not been reimbursed for their service.
## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS**
## **Registered Charity number**
1192424
## **Principal address:**
8, Gordon Row, Chapelhay, Weymouth DT4 8LL.
## **Trustees**
Paul White Clive Jackson Jonathan Matthews Anna Jackson
## **Elders & Pastors**
Paul & Anna White (Pastors and Elders) Fortunatus Franklin (Assistant Pastor and Elder )
## **Members of the Administrative Team**
Caroline White, Finance Manager Keira Franklin, Admin Assistant
## **Independent Examiner**
Elizabeth Evans
## **Bankers**
Lloyds banking plc
## **Insurance Brokers**
Unity insurance services. Suite 8, The Quadrant, 60 Marlborough Road, Lancing Business Park, Lancing, West Sussex BN15 8UW
page 6
## **STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES RESPONSIBILITIES**
The trustees are responsible for preparing the Report of the Trustees and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
The law applicable to charities in England and Wales, the Charities Act 2011, Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the trust deed requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charity for that period. In preparing those financial statements, the trustees are required to
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles in the Charity SORP;
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the trust deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Approved by order of the board of trustees on 26th Jan 2026 and signed on its behalf by:
P L White - Trustee
page 7
## **Receipts and Payments Account**
## **For the period of 1[st] April 2024 to 31[st] March 2025**
||**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Designated**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**Endowment**
**funds**
**Total**
**funds**
**Prior year**
**total funds**
**Receipts**
Donations and legacies
£120,742.28
-
£14,957.08
-
£135,699.36
£141,408.67
Income from charitable activities
£225.00
-
£8,900.78
-
£9,125.78
£7,743.23
Investments
-
£1,262.43
£988.94
-
£2,251.37
£1,596.95
Other income
-
-
-
-
-
£49.06
Other tradingactivities
-
-
-
-
-
-
**Total Receipts**
**£120,967.28**
**£1,262.43**
**£24,846.80**
**-**
**£147,076.51**
**£150,797.91**
**Payments**
Expenditure on charitable activities
£123,558.49
£4,850.32
£20,028.98|
|---|---|
page 8
## **Analysis of Receipts and Payments**
## **For the period of 1[st] April 2024 to 31[st] March 2025**
|||**Total**
**General Designated**
**Restricted Endowment**
**This year**
**Last year**
£18,326.74
-
-
-
£18,326.74
£18,950.41
£6,411.76
-
£14,132.08
-
£20,543.84
£29,994.00
£94,813.78
-
£825.00
-
£95,638.78
£91,744.26
£1,190.00
-
-
-
£1,190.00
£720.00
-
-
-
-|
|---|---|---|
||**Receipts**
**Donations and legacies**
1010 - Gift aid cliamed
1011 - Donation
1012 - Tithes & Offerings
1013 - sunday collection
1014 - Special collection||
||||
page 9
|||£11,178.14
-
-
-
£11,178.14
£12,036.87
£329.68
-
-
-
£329.68
£349.72
£1,675.96
-
-
-
£1,675.96
£1,769.11
£920.84
-
-
-
£920.84
£402.36
£1,471.92
-
-
-
£1,471.92
£1,082.76
£849.51
-
-
-
£849.51
£1,030.74
£1,515.33
-
£913.77
-
£2,429.10
£3,761.57
£1,536.97
-
-
-
£1,536.97
£1,530.18
-
-
-
-
-
£26.08
£526.86
-
-
-
£526.86
£571.60|
|---|---|---|
||1500 - Rent
1501 - Water
1502 - Electricity
1503 - Gas
1504 - phone and broadband
1505 - mobile phone
1506 - insurance
1507 - computer software
1508 - postage
1509 - Printing||
||||
page 10
## **Statement of Assets and Liabilities**
## **As at 31[st] March 2025**
|**As at 31st March 2025**||
|---|---|
||**Balance**
**Previous**
**balance**|
|**Tangible Assets**
**5001: Burton Road Chapel wool**
The Building Fund
Restricted
£150,000.00
£150,000.00
**£150,000.00**
**£150,000.00**
**5002: Electronic drum kit**
General Fund
Unrestricted
£864.00
£1,800.00
**£864.00**
**£1,800.00**
**5003: Apple laptop**
General Fund
Unrestricted
£1,439.00
-
**£1,439.00**
**-**
**Tangible Assets**
**£152,303.00**
**£151,800.00**
**Cash At Bank And In Hand**
**2001: Bank current account**
The Building Fund
Restricted
£810.00
£710.00
Money From Wool Church Set Aside For Conveyancing Fess
Designated
-
£2,012.32
General Fund
Unrestricted
£1,785.80
£1,521.07
Mark Wade
Restricted
£79.06
(£0.94)
Mark Wade
Designated
-
(£20.00)
Soul Food Fund
Restricted
£138.89
£246.87
Travel Fund
Designated
-
£105.25
Ukraine Apppeal Fund
Restricted
-
£689.87
Camp Fund
Restricted
£583.98
£1,397.64
**£3,397.73**
**£6,662.08**|£150,000.00
£150,000.00|
||**£150,000.00**
**£150,000.00**
£864.00
£1,800.00|
||**£864.00**
**£1,800.00**
£1,439.00
-|
||**£1,439.00**
**-**|
||**£3,397.73**
**£6,662.08**|
**2004: PayPal account** General Fund
page 11
|||||**Balance**|**Previous**
**balance**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||Money From Wool Church Set Aside For Conveyancing Fess|Designated||£2,012.32|-|
||The Franklins Fund|Designated||£704.17|£4,367.24|
||The Franklins Fund|Restricted||£2,780.37|£6,736.37|
||General Fund|Unrestricted||£7,995.55|£12,585.19|
||Keyboard Fund|Designated||£705.00|£705.00|
||Marquee Fund|Restricted||£247.77|£2,800.00|
||Soul Food Fund|Restricted||£2,600.00|£1,600.00|
||Team Development Fund|Designated||£1,890.00|£2,400.00|
||Ukraine Conference Fund|Restricted||-|£1,464.53|
||Camp Fund|Restricted||£5,823.15|£2,300.00|
|||||**£39,034.05**|**£50,952.69**|
|**2006:**|**32 day notice savings account**|||||
||The Building Fund|Restricted||£40,988.94|£40,000.00|
||The Building Fund|Designated||£31,211.11|£30,455.04|
|||||**£72,200.05**|**£70,455.04**|
||||**Investments**|**£111,234.10**|**£121,407.73**|
||||**Grand Total**|**£271,106.33**|**£282,338.77**|
page 12
There are no particulars of any guarantee given by the CIO, where any potential liability under the guarantee is outstanding at the date of the statement of assets and liabilities; and no particulars of any debt outstanding at the date the statement of assets and liabilities which is owed by the CIO and which is secured by an express charge on any of the assets of the CIO.
Approved by The Prayerhouse on 26[th] January 2026 and signed on its behalf by:
P L White - Trustee
J M Matthews - Trustee
page 13
Independent Examiner's Report
CHARITY (OMMISSION
FOR ENGIAND INO WAIES
Independent oxamln8rf8 report on the
accounts
9gcllon A
Ind•pèndont Examlner'8 Report
R•port to Iho tru8ts•¥
On aceounts lor th• y•Ar
•nded
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Iiim&mhpT In Incluloine papvfflumbryrj OI4ddrtnII tsheebi
I report lo Ihe Iw$lee8 on my gxamlnalion of the ao¢ovnt$ of the above
thanty Ilhg Twsl'l lor Ihe yehr ended1 gAI i AKYQk>
Responslbili1198 4nd
basls ol r•port
A5 Ihe cherilV8 Injslegs, you are responsibl8 forlho preparation of Ihe
gccounls in accordance with the requlr•menl$ ol Ihe Charitio8 Acl 2011
I'lhe Acl'l,
l Teport Sn respe¢t ol my $xamlnallon of th8 Trust's account8 carried oLrt
under secllon 145 01 Ihtr 2011 A¢t and in carying out my exarninalion. I
have lollowed all the applicable Directions given by th8 Charity Commissith)
under $e¢tlon 1451511bl of the Ad.
Independent tTh8 ¢harity'5 gross income exceeded £250,000 and l arn qualffied lo
examingrf¥ 5tatsment undertake the exarninalion by being a qualrfied momterof linsert name of
applicable li51ed bodyll. Delete I l if not appIable.
I have completed my examination. l ¢onfimi that no material m•ttets have
come lo my attention in connection wrth the examination lolherlhan that
di10$ below'l byhich givès me cause to beIve that In, any mat&iial
respect..
the accounting CordS were not keFI in accordance wth $e¢tion 130
of the Charities Act., or
the accounts did not o¢cord wrth the accounting records.. or
Ihe accounts did not ¢omply with the applicable requirements
conceming the fom and content ol accounts set out In the Chanties
(Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 olherthan any requiremttnt
that the accounts gwe a'lrue and fairf view which is not a rnatter
COn$KIed as part ol an independènt 8m5natlon.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters Sn connection
with lh¥ examinalioTh to which attention should be dra in this report in
orderlo enable a proper understanding ollhe a¢¢ounts to be rea¢hed.
' Please del819 Ihe worf$ in the br8ckels ifiheydo nol epply.
SSgned:
Name..
R•l•vant professlonal
quolrlEcatlonlsl or body
IER
Oct 2018
page 14
Ill•nyTr:
Addr•••:
Secllon B
Dlsclo$uf8
Only complele il the examiner needs lo highlight malenal matters of con¢em
l$ee CC32, Independent examination ol charrty account8." direclions and
guidance for examin•r8}.
Glv• h•r• brf•f d•t•ll$ of
any Items that th•
•xamln•r wl•hoS to
page 15
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