**SWANTON ABBOTT COMMUNITY CHAPEL** **Annual report and accounts for the period** ## **19[th] August 2021 to 28[th] February 2022** ## **Reference and administrative details** ## **Trustees** K. J. Everard (Chair) S. Abraham V.O. Carrington K.C. Bonner ## **Registered address: The Street, Swanton Abbott, Norfolk NR10 5DU** **Registered Charity number:1195565** **Independent Examiner: R C Huddlestone, R Huddlestone Accounting Services, Valley farm Bungalow, Valley Farm Lane, Melton, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 1LL** **Bankers: Barclays Bank Plc, Leicester LE87 2BB** **SWANTON ABBOTT COMMUNITY CHAPEL** ## **Report of the trustees for the period ended 28[th] February 2022** The trustees present their report and accounts for the period ended 28[th] February 2022. ## **Structure, Governance and Management** Swanton Abbott Community Chapel is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation formed on the 19[th ] August 2021. The chapel took on independence from the Wesleyan Reform Union at the start of 2021, and then obtained charitable status on 19 August 2021. The name was changed at the same time to Swanton Abbott Community Chapel. It remains an active member of Churches Together in North Walsham, an ecumenical group of churches, meeting regularly to encourage one another, exchange information, and build unity across the different denominations. ## **Aims and Objectives** Our primary objectives are to fulfil the role of a Christian church in the rural village of Swanton Abbott, promoting and advancing the Christian faith in the local area, and serving the community in which we are situated. ## **Background and Set Up** The leadership team of four (all unpaid volunteers) have committed to meeting once a quarter for planning meetings and prayer, and more frequently just for prayer. Once the charity was formed in the August, the chapel registered for Gift Aid with HMRC, and has benefitted from gift aid reclaim. The newly named chapel initially concentrated on establishing its presence and getting its name on the map in the first few months of becoming a charity. The chapel’s google listing was improved and has increased the chances of someone finding us. A new Facebook page was built, and regular posting of services began, together with announcements of our community projects and other chapel events. Also, a website was set up, and this provided a world-wide shop window of what the chapel activities and set up were. Welcome cards were produced and information cards, so that anyone visiting can find out more and have an opportunity to connect with us. The chapel is accessible to disabled people including a disabled toilet. ## **Financial Results and Reserves** For the period ended 28th February 2022 there was income of £46,480 which was significantly enhanced by a sum of £36,004 transferred into the new charity from the Wesleyan Reform Chapel that it had been. This created a substantial surplus of £31,174. Expenditure was £15,307 and the reserves are sufficient to cover expenditure in the short to medium term. Our reserves will also be used to fund building improvements to the Chapel and outreach to our local community. **SWANTON ABBOTT COMMUNITY CHAPEL** Throughout the accounting period covered, expenditure has been closely monitored and diligently managed. We have been blessed with some new regular donors, and this has enabled us, together with gift aid payments, to spend on items that set the chapel up for the future. We find ourselves in a healthy financial position going into the next financial year. An extraordinary electricity bill was received in February, which was contested, and the result of that will appear in next year’s accounts. A grant was applied for in December, through Norfolk County Council, for loft insulation, which was duly granted, and assisted the chapel in providing loft insulation for the very first time. This is to conserve energy and prevent valuable heat loss through the roof of the chapel. ## **Mission/Outreach/Community work** The chapel already had a regular monthly Pause for Thought feature posted on the village closed Facebook group for all villagers. This group contains over 200 members to date. This post consists of a bible reference and a topical thought based on the verses, to inspire and stimulate thinking about the Christian faith with local villagers. Welcome packs are made up, and have been delivered to as many new occupants moving into the village as possible, giving us an opportunity for the chapel to introduce itself, and let new people know what the chapel is all about. These have helped us to connect with many new people, and some have subsequently attended our events. This is an ongoing initiative. The chapel also joined Find a Church.Com to add to its internet presence, and this has resulted in people finding the chapel for a Sunday service. In September every year, the chapel supports the Norfolk Churches Trust annual bike ride. The chapel is opened for free refreshments and a much-needed toilet (!) to all taking part in the bike/ride/walk challenge, and to those passing by in the village. It is a wonderful and unique way to connect with lots of new people. For our Harvest festival in October 2021, we celebrated the Harvest of The Sea. A local villager loaned us several items for our display. Our visiting speaker was from the Fisherman’s Mission. In the weeks prior to the service, we launched a community project, and encouraged the village to bring tins of tuna to the chapel. For the Harvest service, we built a Tower of Tuna, and after the service, nearly 100 tins were taken to the local foodbank to help those in need. The chapel supported the village wild flower seed planting initiative, and members of the chapel took the packets of seeds provided, and planted them in strategic places around the village. We ran two Alpha courses at the chapel during the period being reported on. One was over the Autumn months, and one in the early part of 2021. 7 attended the first one, and 3 the second one. These proved to be superb opportunities for local ## **SWANTON ABBOTT COMMUNITY CHAPEL** people to ask questions about the Christian faith, and to enjoy friendship in a relaxed environment, with refreshments and short discussions following the Alpha videos. The course covers the basics of Christianity and solid friendships were made between all those attending. The group now meet regularly for further debate and discussion around the Christian faith. At Christmas, we held an improvised nativity service one Sunday in December. The nativity service involved local villagers dressing up as characters from the nativity story, and then an impromptu nativity play was acted out, with no rehearsal, which proved very popular and humorous at the same time. Our candlelit carol service on Christmas Eve also attracted several new people. Both services were well attended. Outside the chapel building, the focal point at Christmas became our illuminated crib scene that raised awareness to the village of what the true message of Christmas was, and we gave away the Christmas story in booklet form. Jane Everard, chapel leader, formed a pop-up community choir of 22 people, which rehearsed in the chapel throughout the months of November and December, and brought many new people into the building. This culminated in a Christmas concert which the chapel hosted just before Christmas in the village parish church of St Michaels, raising just over £600 for the Priscilla Bacon Hospice. As well as the community choir performing, a local professional soprano sang a programme of Christmas delights. Mulled wine and mince pies were served, and a wonderful evening was had by all. It was good to build connections with the parish church too through this event. Throughout this last year, we have made the building available to both the Parish council and the Parish church, and this has been well received for their meetings – and is a good use of a community space. This is something we are looking to continue to do. The chapel invites a variety of gifted speakers on a Sunday and week by week, short themed series are followed. Some series are worth a mention - all of which are designed to be accessible to those with no church background. We looked at a series of well-known bible heroes, and what we can learn from their lives. The Highway Code was another memorable series, and how we can relate this to the Christian life. Another series worth a mention was called God Is Closer Than You Think. The chapel provides regular pastoral support to many individuals and families. Chapel leader Jane Everard has links with All Nations Bible College in Hertfordshire, and through a Zoom meeting, was able to conduct a workshop for students on rural churches, which resulted in an invaluable exchange of ideas, and a team being formed to support the chapel going forward with children’s work, as the chapel congregation grows. Remembrance Sunday was particularly poignant as it included a live link up to the cenotaph in London, which was a first for the chapel. Some villagers did come to this service, as they wished to be part of the Remembrance Sunday reflections. ## **SWANTON ABBOTT COMMUNITY CHAPEL** On the fifth Sunday of the month, we hold a more informal, relaxed event/service, which are primarily to interest those with a no church background. Called Mellow Sundays and we vary the time of day that the event/service is held at. One was a Songs of Praise event at the end of August, serving tea and scones. Another was on Halloween, entitled From Darkness To Light, when a local Christian told his struggles of battling with the occult and satanism, and how God had met with him and changed his life. Both events were well attended and many villagers came. Twice a month, on the 1[st] and 3[rd] Tuesdays of the month, we run Coffee on The Corner, when the chapel is transformed into a café style coffee morning for the community. Offering free refreshments and home-made cakes (baked by willing villagers), it becomes a place to enjoy company and catch up with those who live locally. Average attendance is between 20 and 30 people, and with nowhere else to enjoy a coffee in the village, this presents a delightful hub for everyone. Throughout this financial period, we have worked hard on good quality publicity, with informative external notice boards, and extra posters stationed around the village for special events. Flyers have been posted through doors, and because of the central position of the chapel within the village, the chapel is now firmly “on the map” and has enjoyed a fruitful first season as a registered charity, thanks to good financial management, the kind generosity of regular donors, and gift aid payments. During the period of this report, the chapel lost two long standing members of the congregation, who passed away very suddenly, but other new people have started finding us, and are coming along on a Sunday, so we are encouraged that the future looks bright for Swanton Abbott Community Chapel, and its outreach to those in the village and surrounding community. Approved by the trustees on 4[th] October 2022 and signed on their behalf by Kevin John Everard Chair of Trustees CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES SWANTON AB80Th COMMUNITY CHAPEL 1195565 Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period u￿￿tricted funds Receipts and payments accounts CC16a RestricteLI funas Endowment funds to nO•r￿1 £ Categor Details For the period from to twr•st£ To 19thA ust 2021 28th Febr￿ary 2022 81 Cash funds BARCLAYS CURflEP4T AIC 31.174 BARCLAYS SAVINGS￿¢ Section A Receipts and payments PErrf CASH Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Endtswment funds Totsi funts rotai cash funds 31.174 toth• nearest£ uThtisll A1 Recei DONATIONS & LEGACIES Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Endowment fLtnds n6aroS1 E 6.702 819 702 GIFT AID TAX RECLAIMS 819 Det311s to n•arèst£ to n•Arost £ INTEREST INCOME RENTAL INCOME 2.956 SWANTON AB80Th WESLEYAN REFORM CHURCH Sub total(Gross income forAR) A2 As8et and investhient sales. (see table). Furto ¢0 wh*h assot bolon CU¢r•nt￿l￿O Details Coat lopbon811 B3 Investment assets Sub total Total receipts 46.480 A3 P• mtrnts N¢INISTRY & MISSION f,864 3,073 3.801 REPAIRS 8 MAINTENANCE 3,073 3,801 611 Fundto which asset belon Cost loption811 Currèntvaiue tjonal UTILITIES Details INSURANCE B4 Assets retalned forthe charlty's own use ADMINISTrATION GRANTS & DONATIONS 1.399 LEGAL & PROFESSIONAL FEES BANK INTEREST & CHARGES Sub total 15,307 15,307 A4 Asset and inve¥tment purchases, (see table Sub total Fundto whlch relates 31174 Ajnount due Whèn due ortal Details GENERAL FUND 15,307 15,307 BS Uabllities Net of recwpts/(payments) A5 Transférs bth*en funds A6 Cash fund8 last year end Cash funds this year end 31,174 31.174 31.174 31,174 S¥nèY by one wN4rJ trustees on beha￿Of all the Signatu Print Narne Date Df rov81 CITI-I ￿or￿[￿j 10/0512021 ,ISlao2 Section B Disclosure CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts.. directions and guidance for examiners). Section A Independent Examinerfs Report Give here brlef detalls of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose. Report to the trusteesl I SWANTON A8BOTT COMMUNITY CHAPEL members of I On accounts for the year i 28TH FEBRUARY 2022 ended Charity no 1195565 (if any) Set out on pages 1 1 & 2 I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above chanty lllhe Trust") for the year ended 28th February 2022 . Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust. you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordan￿ with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 1.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 carying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charty Commission under section 145{5)Ib) of the Act. I have completed my examination. I confim that no material matters have corne to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in. any material respect". accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records Independent examiner's statement I have no concerns and have come across no othèr matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Signed: Date: 10105122 Name: i R C HUDDLESTONE Relevant professional qualificationls) or body lif any): I Address: VALLEY FARM BUNGALOW, VALLEY FARM LANE MELTON. WOODBRIDGE IP12 1LL IER October 2018 IER October 2018