## **LOVE PURFLEET** ## **ANNUAL REPORT FOR YEAR ENDED 31/12/2023** Love Purfleet is a registered charity No 1193961 Its registered address is c/o Socketts Heath Baptist Church, Premier Avenue, Grays, Essex RM16 2SB. The trustees during 2023 were: Andrew Wade (Chair), Claire Blatchford, and Alison Shorter. ## **Structure and Management** Love Purfleet is a CIO. The principal purposes of the Church are the advancement of the Christian faith according to the principles of the Baptist denomination. The Church may also advance education and carry out other charitable purposes in the United Kingdom and/or other parts of the world. The Love Purfleet trustees and Steering Group met on alternate months during 2023. The trustees are also representatives of other organisations: Andrew Wade, Socketts Heath Baptist Church. Rev Claire Blatchford, Eastern Baptist Association. Alison Shorter, Upminster Baptist Church and Urban Expression. There is also a wider Steering Group to support the trustees and provide resource and other support. The Steering Group are: Malcolm Dunk, Upminster Baptist Church. Rev Tara Frankland, Anglican Team Leader for Mardyke Team Ministry. Sandie Edwards, Cranham Baptist Church. None of the trustees or the steering group receive any payment for their work. ## **Activity in year** Love Purfleet purchased a flat at 31 Windermere Avenue, Purfleet-on-Thames, RM19 1PZ in November 2021 to provide accommodation for the church minister to live in and to be based within the Purfleet-on-Thames community. Love Purfleet it the beneficial owner of this property whose ultimate trustees are the Baptist Union Corporation. It was purchased mainly using designated funds held by BUC resulting from the sale of the former Purfleet Baptist Church in 2009. Rev Erica Bowler resigned as missional listener at Love Purfleet and left on 31[st] August 2022. The trustees prepared a new ministerial profile vacancy statement for the pioneer role and this was advertised on the Baptist Pastoral Vacancy List in order to recruit someone new. However there was no response to the job advertisement. The trustees decided to commercially let out the vacant apartment to generate income whilst we were without a pastor to live in the flat. The flat was let to tenants from 1[st] September 2022 through agents William H Brown and the tenants also directly cover the costs of utilities and council tax themselves. The tenants remained in the property throughout 2023 paying monthly rent and covering the other costs as appropriate. The search for a new pastor continued throughout 2023 and there was one response. The potential candidate sent us details in August and after several visits and interviews was formally interviewed by all the trustees and steering group on 7[th] November 2023, but it was unanimously agreed that the candidate was not the right person for this post. So the job vacancy statement was rewritten and updated. There had been no further response by 31[st] December 2023 so the search continued into 2024. Because we were unable to recruit anyone to the vacant post the planned mission work at Purfleet has stalled and at the 2023 year-end we have no person in place to take the work forward in Purfleet-on-Thames. A Home Mission grant for 2023 was available but this can only be drawn down when the Minister is in post, so we were not able to access this. A Ministry and Missions Grant (formerly known as Home Mission) has been awarded for 2024 so will be able to help fund anyone once they are appointed in 2024. The Ministry and Mission grants are awarded by the Eastern Baptist Association on behalf of Baptists Together nationally. From April 2023 the trustees agreed to move some funds accruing in the bank account to the Baptist Union Corporation to take advantage of the higher interest rates available there. The charity has a bookkeeper to manage and prepare accounts. Love Purfleet is registered with HMRC for Gift Aid (Ref No ZD14689) and with Stewardship for giving to be made through them. Love Purfleet has a written Safeguarding Policy in place (based on the Baptists Together template) and the Safeguarding lead is Alison Shorter. ## **Financial Report** A financial statement and accounts is attached separately. This has been independently examined. Love Purfleet does not currently have a reserves policy. ## **Further Details** You can find out more about Love Purfleet on our website https://lovepurfleet.org.uk/ or In the five-minute introductory video at What is Love Purfleet? - Bing video ## **LOVE PURFLEET** REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR YEAR ENDED 31/12/2023 Receipts and payments accounts Registered Charity No 1193961 ## **LOVE PURFLEET** ## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITY FOR YEAR ENDED 31/12/2023** |**Incoming Resources**
**Voluntary income**
Donations
Grants
Other
Bank interest
Manse rental
**Total Incoming Resources**
**Resources Expended**
Charitable activities
Ministry
Manse
Operational Costs
Other
**Total Resources Used**
Net (outgoing)/incoming resources
Fund Balance at 31 December 2022
**Fund Balance at 31 December 2023**|Total
Total
2023
2022
£
£
1,330
5,019
-
16,419
-
-
1,330
21,438
431
-
14,400
4,800
16,161
26,238
-
10,560
5,739
5,533
412
370
-
-
6,152
16,463
10,010
9,775
12,973
3,198
**22,982**
**12,973**| |---|---| ## **LOVE PURFLEET STATEMENT OF ASSET AND LIABILITIES FOR YEAR ENDED 31/12/2023** **----- Start of picture text -----**
Total Total
2023 2022
CASH FUNDS £ £
Barclays Bank 2,551 12,972
-
BUGB Deposit account 20,431
22,982 12,972
REPRESENTED BY 2023 2022
Unrestricted
General Fund 22,982 12,972
Assets retained for the charity’s own use Cost
£
Winderemere Avenue - Manse 222,834
(Purchase cost November 2021)
**----- End of picture text -----**
................................................ Trustee ................................................ Trustee Date: