2023-05-31-accounts - Grace Church Stoke On Trent

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GRACE CHURCH STOKE ON TRENT

Report and Accounts

Year ended - 31st May 2023

GRACE CHURCH STOKE ON TRENT

LEGAL & ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MAY 2023

Address for Correspondance

Grace Church Stoke on Trent Unit B, Metro Business Park Clough Street, Hanley. Stoke on Trent ST1 4AF

Governing Document

CIO Constitution Dated - 23rd August 2021

Charity Registration Number

1195662

Trustees

Laura Pickering Chairperson Rachel Ainscough Treasurer Victoria Terry Nathan Ainscough Robert Mundy David Keeping Nick Bradley-Carter Rebekah Chalmers Chairperson

Resigned Dec 2023 Resigned July 2023

Appointed Dec 2023 Appointed Jan 2024

Independent Examiner

Archie McDowall BA,CA Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage LONDON EC1Y 8AB

INDEX

Page 1 Charity Information Pages 2-4 Trustees' Annual Report Page 5 Independent Examiner's Report Page 6 Receipts and Payments Account Page 7-8 Statement of Assets & Liabilities Pages 9-10 Notes to the Accounts

Page 1

GRACE CHURCH STOKE ON TRENT

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MAY 2023

The Trustees have pleasure in submitting the Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 May 2023

Objects of the charity

The charity has been a Charitable Incorporated Organisation since 23rd August 2021 (Charity Number 1195662) and is registered with the Charity Commission in England & Wales. The objects of the charity, as set out in the governing document are:

a) the advancement of the Christian religion in accordance with our statement of faith appearing in the b) the relief of those in need by reason of hardship, distress and/or sickness, in particular (but not limited to) the provision of loans, gifts, accommodation or shelter.

The trustees note that the Church is not a building, but a gathering of ordinary people of different ages and backgrounds, whose lives have been changed by Jesus Christ. The New Testament reveals the Church as a community of people, properly taught and cared for, who by loving and serving Jesus Christ, were also committed to love and care for each other and to bring a blessing to the area in which they lived. Grace Church Stoke on Trent, its trustees, elders and members are committed to the restoration of those New Testament principles. It is not alone in this, it is one of many Churches in the area, country and all over the world that is re-discovering the excitement of knowing Jesus Christ. Our purpose is to help to see the people of Stoke on Trent come into this experience of knowing Jesus as their Lord, Saviour and friend and become a part of their local church. In Summary, along with the other churches in Stoke on Trent, 'Build Church the City can't do without'.

Our vision is that 'By the end of 2025, Grace Church Stoke on Trent will be thriving as a place of welcome, safety and growth'

Grace Church Stoke on Trent is one of many ChristCentral Churches (Registered Charity No. 1151447) working together under the apostolic leadership of Jeremy Simpkins and his team. ChristCentral is part of the worldwide Newfrontiers family of churches (Registered Charity No. 1060001), providing opportunities for us to impact not just our UK region but also into other nations.

Summary of the charity's main activities and achievements

To further the above objects and vision, the charity's main activities and achievements were as follows:

Holding regular Sunday services available to all. Community groups met midweek, gathering ► Meeting together publicly to worship God, hear preaching of the Bible, corporate prayer, run children's activities and enjoy fellowship.
The training and teaching of both staff and church members
Utilisation of church facilities and provision of support for the local community, e.g. running a Foodbank distribution centre and debt advice centre
Utilisation of church facilities to support church members e.g. Training events, worship nights, prayer meetings, hot meals provided to our students
The resourcing and equipping of other churches and Christian ministries within the City, UK and overseas.
Organising a wide range of evangelistic activities for both church members and for non believers. Events such as a Quiz Night, Games Night and Carol Service have been hosted within this year.

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The church recognises the need to impact our local community and wider city. These are some of the activities undertaken to achieve this:

► Kidzplay @ Grace Church - Free stay and play group for parents and carers and children under 5. We open once a week during term time and offer free play, story time, singing, crafts and sensory activities with free refreshments for adults and children. On average we see 18-20 children and 15 adults attend the group regularly. Until February 2023 the group was led by our Community Worker and supported by volunteers and since February 2023 the group has been led by a team of volunteers.

► Foodbank Distribution Centre - Working in partnership with Trussell Trust Stoke on Trent Foodbank (Registered charity No. 1132208) Since the begining of this financial year we open every Thursday morning as a foodbank distribution centre. Teams of volunteers provide emergency food parcels to individuals and families in crisis on receipt of a Foodbank referral. As a church we also collect food donations as one of the Foodbank's collection points. Prior to February 2023 our Foodbank was led by our Community Worker who handed responsibility over to a team of volunteers in February 2023

► Open House - On a Wednesday evening, we run what we call 'Open House.' This is a warm space where anyone is welcome to come along whether it be for a simple meal, company, activities or simply just to stay warm for a couple of hours. Guests who are experiencing homelessness, low income and/or loneliness can attend. We provide soup, bread, biscuits, hot and cold drinks, and essential items, such as sleeping bags, hats, gloves, socks, rucksacks, roll mats, toiletries, cutlery, crockery, and tin openers are available if required. Small groups might watch a programme, do a jigsaw, play a game or sit and chat.

► CMA Grace Money - A free to client debt advice service affiliated with Community Money Advice (CMA - Charity No. 1111436) is run from the church premises by trained volunteers for those in the city struggling with debt. Providing accredited advice, support, budgeting and undertaking negotiations with creditors. Community Money Advice (CMA) have provided expert training and support for our team and a level of governance for good practice.

► Craft & Chat - Craft and Chat was launched in May 2022, the group offers therapeutic craft and community for anyone experiencing low level mental ill-health, isolation, and loneliness. The group is a referral only group with both self-referral and professional referral available. This group runs once a week during term time and is led by a volunteer and supported by other volunteers. Many of the people who have attended Craft & Chat have found it very helpful, addressing their social isolation and improving their mental health.

► Families grown by Adoption - For the past couple of years we have ran a support group that provides whole family activities and support for local families who are growing, or who have grown their family through adoption. This group runs 6 times a year, with activities and refreshments for families to enjoy together, whilst also offering a space and welcoming place for families to meet others with similar situations and experiences, giving them the opportunity to draw on peer support and advice and make local connections and relationships with others in the local area. This group is led by a volunteer and supported by other volunteers.

A significant number of Church members volunteer their time to lead, sustain and develop the ministries and activities of the church. Their contribution is vital to the success of the charity and cannot be quantified. Our total membership at the end of May 2023 was 80 adults. In planning the activities the Trustees have applied the guidance on public benefit issued by the Charity Commission.

Financial review

During the year unrestricted income increased by £5570, to £86777 (£81,207 - May 2022), and unrestricted expenditure decreased by £10,540, to £83,249 (£93,789 - May 2022). As a result the unrestricted cash held by the charity increased by £3,527, to £18,178 (£14,651 - May 2022), which can be used for any charitable purpose.

Page 3

For the coming year the Trustees and Eldership team have set a balanced budget with expenditure scaled down. If income is received above the predicted level then we will expand our expenditure to areas which have been cut back from.

Within this financial year our employees were; David Keeping, Church Leader ( 22.5 hours per week) and Rebekah Chalmers, a Community Worker (13 hours per week), and Cleaning & Building Maintenance Co-ordinator (3 hours per week). Rebekah handedher notice in December 2022 and finished her employment with us on 31st January 2023. We have plans to employ a Children's Ministry Leader starting in November 2023. Staffing needs are kept under review by the Elders and Trustees who are continually assessing the needs of the church. The Staff, Trustees and Elders are all committed members of the Church.

Reserves policy

It is the aim of the Trustees to maintain unrestricted funds, not committed or invested in fixed assets, at a level which covers between 2 and 3 months of committed expenditure. This policy is in place to ensure that the charity could continue to operate should income and/or expenditure vary adversely. At year end the church's reserves totalled £18,178 which is above 2 months of committed expenditure and the charity is complying with its reserves policy.

Governance

Responsibility for setting policy and for making operating decisions rests with the trustees who meet regularly to monitor the activities of the charity. Responsibility for the spiritual governance and leadership of the Church Fellowship has been delegated to the Eldership team. These teams work alongside each other closely with the Church Leader also being a Trustee. The annual budget is set by the joint working and agreement of both parties. New trustees are recruited and appointed from the church membership by the existing trustees, by a majority vote.

Risk statement

The charity is exposed to various risks - be they operational, financial or reputational. The trustees review the charity's activities regularly to identify significant risks and, where possible, they take appropriate measures to mitigate those risks.

Responsibilities of trustees

Charity law requires us as Trustees to prepare financial statements for each accounting year which record the receipts and payments of the charity for the year.

We are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable us to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011.

We also have a responsibility to safeguard the assets of the charity and to take reasonable steps to prevent fraud or any other irregularities.

Approval

This report was approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by:

R.AINSCOUGH

_________ RACHEL AINSCOUGH

Date: 21st February 2024

Page 4

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT

TO THE TRUSTEES OF

GRACE CHURCH STOKE ON TRENT

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Grace Church Stoke on Trent ('the charity') for the year ended 31 May 2023 on pages 6 to 10 following.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the trustees of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’).

I report in respect of my examination of the charity’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 2011 Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in 1. accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; or 2. the accounts do not accord with the accounting records.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Archie McDowall BA,CA Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage LONDON EC1Y 8AB

Date: 21st February 2024

Page 5

GRACE CHURCH STOKE ON TRENT

RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MAY 2023

General Fund £ 68,585 15,026 - - - - 2,000 150 - - 645 371	Restricted Funds £ 1,466 235 - - - - 1,375 - - - - 874	2023 £ 70,051 15,260 - - - - 3,375 150 - - 645 1,245	2022 £
			64,218 14,101 274 500 1,000 2,170 - - 345 318 2,418 -
86,777	3,949	90,726	85,344
83,249 - 83,249 83,249 3,527 - 3,527 14,651 18,178	4,149 913 5,062 5,062 1,113 - - 1,113 - 1,694 581	87,398 913 88,311 88,311 2,414 - 2,414 16,345 18,759	89,643 12,369
			102,012

			102,012
			16,668 - -
			16,668 - 33,012
			16,344

The notes on pages 9-10 form part of these accounts.

Page 6

GRACE CHURCH STOKE ON TRENT

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MAY 2023

General Restricted funds funds Notes £ £ A Cash funds Cash at bank with immediate access 18,178 582 18,178 582 B Other monetary assets Gift aid due to charity 1,305 - Other debtors - - 1,305 - C Liabilities Falling due within one year Fee for Independent Examination 840 - 840 - Total 840 - D Assets retained for charity's own use Unrestricted Funds	2023 £ 18,760 18,760 1,305 - 1,305 840 840 840	2022 £
		16,345
		16,345
		1,307 -
		1,307
		840
		840
		840

Music & PA Equipment Computers & IT Furniture Other	Fund to which asset belongs General General General General	Cost £
		6,087 2,698 10,624 10,349 -
		29,758

Trustees have used the original cost of these assets to assess the value; this is also the current insured value

Page 7

E Guarantees and secured debts

The charity has not given any guarantees and has not provided its assets as security for any liabilities.

The accounts were approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by:

R.AINSCOUGH

_____ RACHEL AINSCOUGH

Date:21st February 2024

The notes on pages 9-10 form part of these accounts.

Page 8

GRACE CHURCH STOKE ON TRENT

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MAY 2023

1 Accounting policies

The accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis and comprise a statement that shows the charity's receipts and payments, a statement that summarises the charity's assets and liabilities and related notes. The accountancy profession have determined that only accounts prepared in accordance with applicable accounting standards present a 'true and fair' view and, as these receipts and payments accounts have not (and cannot) be prepared in accordance with accounting standards, these accounts do not present (and are not intended to present) a 'true and fair' view of the charity's financial activities and state of affairs.

General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity. Restricted funds are donations which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors; they include donations received from appeals for specific activities or projects.

Unrestricted Fun General funds £ 1 Payments in relation to charitable activities undertaken directly Employment costs inc Travel Expenses (See note 3) 38,234 Rent 27,250 Light, heat & water 6,280 Insurance 2,053 Support Services (ministry, training, hospitality) 2,670 Outreach / Community action activities 1,145 Maintenance of buildings & equipment 2,650 Work among the young 536 - Costs incurred on support & administration - Independent examiner's fee 840 Administration & Communication 1,591 83,249 2 Grants paid in relation to charitable activities undertaken by others Grants for: ChristCentral Churches - Christian Mission in UK & Overseas ChristCentral Church in Cambodia -	ds Restricted funds £ - - 1,395 - 30 1,535 788 401 - - - - 4,149 413 500 913	Total 2023 £ 38,234 27,250 7,675 2,053 2,700 2,680 3,438 937 840 1,591 87,398 413 500 913	Total 2022 £
			38,503 27,250 3,310 1,807 3,751 3,509 6,400 1,252 744 3,115
			89,643
			12,369
			12,369

3 Transactions with related parties

David Keeping, a Trustee, who is the son-in-law of Robert Mundy (Trustee) served as church leader and was paid gross £26,299 [2022: £24,558] and pension contributions of £2,366 [2022: £2,210] for serving in that capacity and not as a Trustee. These payments are permitted by the charity's governing document

Page 9

4 Movement of funds

Movement of funds
General Funds Restricted Funds SocialAction ChristCentral Building Fund Cambodia Craft & Chat Kidzplay Utilities Refreshments Total funds	Opening balance £ 14,651 912 - - - 381 401 1,694 16,345	Receipts £ 86,277 574 413 788 500 500 - 1,175 3,949 90,226	Payments £ 82,749 - 1,318 - 413 - 788 - 500 - 217 - 401 - 1,395 - 30 - 5,061 - 87,811 -	Transfers £ - - - - - 250 - - 220 30 - -	Closing balance £ 18,178 168 - - - 414 - - -
					582
					18,760

Social Action fund - Grant received through Stoke on Trent Council from DEFRA to support struggling local residents with essential supplies e.g. sleeping bags, mats, rucksacks, toiletries. This was received in Dec 2020. Further to this in Feb 23 £574 was received through Crowdfunding to support 'Open House' as a warm space
*ChristCentral - This fund was used to collect donations given towards an offering ChristCentral held in June/July 2023. This was paid out in August 2023
Building Fund - In Feb 2023 we received donations to replace the lights in the church venue & for general building needs. This money was then paid out to purchase the lights in March 2023 and the remainder of the fund was spent on building needs in April 2023
Cambodia - This fund was set up to collect donations given towards supporting Sam & Abi Little who are setting up a ChristCentral Church Plant in Cambodia. Money collected in Autumn 2022 and paid out in Jan 2023.
Craft & Chat - This fund is restricted for the work of the Craft & Chat project. A grant was received in December 2021 from Stoke on Trent City Council specifically for this project.
Kidzplay - This fund is restricted for Kidzplay our parent and toddler group. A grant was received from Tesco Bags of help in July 2021 specifially for this project. This fund was exhausted during this financial year.
Utilities - This fund was set up as part of the Crowdfunding in Feb 23 was to pay towards the heating bills at the venue. In Jan 2023 & May 2023 there were transfers from the Craft & Chat fund as a contribution towards heating bills as they use the venue weekly.
Refreshments - This fund was set upin Jan 23 as Craft & Chat wanted to make a donation from their restricted fund to cover some of the costs of the refreshments they use whilst in the venue. It has been used since if donations have been given specifically for hospitality purposes.

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