BIRKENHEAD PRIORY PARISH CHRIST THE KING CHURCH AND BIRKENHEAD PRIORY CHAPEL ANNUAL REPORT
AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT OF THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31 DECEMBER 2025
VICAR Reverend Paul Bentley
ASSOCIATE MINISTER Reverend Deborah Wilkinson
ASSISTANT CURATES Reverend Sandra Fletcher Reverend Jane Addenbrooke
BANKERS
NATIONAL WESTMINSTER BANK PLC 6 GRANGE ROAD WEST CHARING CROSS BIRKENHEAD WIRRAL CH41 4DF
CHARITY NUMBER 1196140 Registered with Charity Commission 13/10/2021
BIRKENHEAD PRIORY PARISH
ANNUAL REPORT TO TRUSTEES FOR 2025
Aims and Purposes
The Birkenhead Priory PCC has the responsibility of cooperating with the Vicar in promoting in the ecclesiastical parish, the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. The PCC is also specifically responsible for the maintenance of the church and community centre at Christ the King, Beckwith Street, Birkenhead and the Chapter House, Birkenhead Priory.
Objectives and Activities
The PCC is committed to reaching out to as many people as possible with the Good News of Jesus Christ. We seek to do this is practical ways, meeting the various needs of those within our parish where we are able, and by sharing our life-changing faith in Jesus with our community wherever we can. When planning our activities for the year, we have considered the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit and, in particular, the supplementary guidance on charities for the advancement of religion. We continue to abide by the Safeguarding Policies and Procedures of the Church of England for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. We are also subject to our governing documents, the Parochial Church Council Powers Measure (1956) as amended and Church Representation Rules (02 Jan 1957).
We seek to organise our life and worship in such a way as to be faithful to our identity as children of God, whilst welcoming all within our community to become part of our worshipping family. We are committed to helping people not only find faith, but also to live out their faith through:
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worship and prayer together, studying God’s word and growing deeper together in our faith
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providing various points of practical help for the community through The Oak Community Project and other forms of outreach, as an expression of gratitude for the love we have received from God which we pass on to our neighbour
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providing pastoral care for all those in our parish and church family
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working with and supporting other organisations that seek to bring benefit to our local community, including our local schools.
To facilitate this work, it is important that we maintain the fabric of our two buildings, and we are grateful to those who help with their ongoing upkeep, particularly our church wardens.
How we’ve been doing
The Five Marks of Mission have been adopted by the wider church as a helpful description of what God calls us to in Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit, as we serve him as his church in the world. The mission of the Church is the mission of Christ.
Mark of Mission 1: To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom
Our times of coming together as a church in worship of God is fundamental to who we are as we share and celebrate the Good News of God’s Kingdom.
On the first Sunday of the month we continue to meet at the Priory Chapel at 9am for a said BCP Communion service. This traditional style of service has been appreciated by a good number of people from with our church family and by some who are new to us. Following this service we then hold our 10.30am service at Christ the King Church in St Anne’s Room around small tables, with activities on the tables available for all. It is a much more family friendly, interactive service which has been well received and been a welcoming environment for new families to join us. There is no children’s group on these Sundays. We serve a light breakfast before the service which has been greatly appreciated, headed up by James our parish evangelist. Our numbers at the Priory Chapel service have increased, together with our numbers at Christ the King increasing on these Sundays.
All other Sundays of the month we meet for worship at Christ the King Church at 10.30am, with our leadership team consisting of our clergy: Revd Paul Bentley, Revd. Debbie Wilkinson, Revd. Sandra Fletcher, Revd. Nigel Schibild, Revd. Jane Addenbrooke, Revd. Ann Stein, our Reader Laura Brough and our Parish Evangelist James Wilkinson. Our services could not take place without the many church family members who lead bible readings and prayers, welcome, providing refreshments, set up and take down, and more. We are grateful to Mark for managing our technology each week and those who assist in that. We continue to make our services available through Zoom for those who find it difficult to attend in person.
We continue to share communion by intinction rather than the common cup, and to use the screen for worship with printed materials available for those who prefer. We use mostly iSingWorship for our music. We also offer prayer ministry during our main worship service, during Communion.
Our younger children meet in St Peter’s room for their own learning during our services - but beginning and ending the service in worship together with the rest of the congregation. Our older children (Y4-6) meet in the new meeting room for a more discussion based group based on our bible readings for the day. We are very grateful to those who continue to lead the children’s work each week and encourage them in their faith, and for the space this gives to parents to engage in worship themselves.
Through Holy Week and Easter we journeyed around our three churches as we explored and reflected on the Easter story. At Harvest we again joined together for a Harvest Supper which was well attended and much appreciated.
We continue to support the work of the Well, in worship and governance, in various ways as the ministry there grows under the leadership of Debbie, with the ministry team of James, Beth, Steve and Glyn. The ongoing development of the Wirral Waters site and beginnings of the next stage of building works means that the current sales office is becoming inaccessible for church use. An alternative building has been sourced and the legal process for moving into that building is in process, supported by the Diocese.
We continue to be very involved in our two local Primary Schools: The Priory Parish CE Primary School and Cathcart Street School. We lead in worship, support in prayer, serve in governance and offer help in exploring curriculum topics. The schools also visit church several times throughout the year. Please see our schools report for further details.
This year we ran a Messy Easter Party at Christ the King, a Community Event for families based around Easter crafts, a talk and food. It was very well received. We also hosted a Light Party at Christ the King as an alternative to Halloween which was well supported by the community. In December we held a Community Christmas Fair at Christ the King which was very well attended by the community and we welcomed stall holders from local charities and community members.
Mark of Mission 2: To teach, baptise and nurture new believers
We continue to be blessed by those God is bringing to us and we rejoice to see people finding faith and growing in faith as disciples of Jesus.
Our leadership team (Paul, Debbie, Nigel, Laura, Ann, James) continues to grow, and on 14[th] June our curate Revd Sandra Fletcher was ordained Priest at Chester Cathedral. Paul continues to act as Supervising Minister for a second curate, Revd Jane Addenbrooke.
We have enjoyed welcoming new people into our church family and have welcomed 4 children for baptism this year. We welcomed 1 wedding couple to be married in Christ the King and we have also supported 2 families with funerals of their loved ones and provided ongoing pastoral support.
We have continued to meet to study the bible together, particularly on a Thursday morning. We have completed the New Testament part of the Bible course, before embarking on the Jesus Shaped People Discipleship Adventure. We began this in Lent with ‘Preparing the Way’, then moved into the main programme in May, which (with breaks) has taken us through to the end of the year, to be completed in 2026. Out of this have come four bible study groups. We held another Parish Away Day at Foxhill which 25 people attended and was much appreciated.
We continue to offer training to our curates as they develop in their ministry and to offer placement experiences to those the Diocese points our way.
In 2025 we again provided a programme for reading through the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs together as a church, with a plan provided each month to guide us through the readings. Not everyone manages it, but it is appreciated by many.
As of 31[st] December 2025 we have 71 members on the electoral roll of the parish, of whom 27 are resident within the parish and 44 are resident outside the parish. This represents a decrease of 12 from the previous year, reflecting the process of electoral roll renewal which took place ahead of the 2025 annual meeting.
Mark of Mission 3: To respond to human need by loving service
Our church-based Oak Community Project has continued to serve many from within our community and further afield in a variety of ways as we seek to put the Great Commandment to love God and love our neighbour into practise. A significant element of this is food provision, but we continue to offer much
wider support than that. We are very glad to work with our Community Partners, such as Involve NorthWest , who enable us to give a much more holistic care to those coming to us. We are so grateful for the many volunteers who make this ministry possible under the guidance of Denise, our Community and Family Worker. Our Community Hub welcomes in members of our community and partner organisations on a Tuesday and Wednesday and continues to grow busier and busier. Our Community Supermarket continues to open on a Thursday also. Please see the Community Project report for more information.
We continue to support our schools in various ways as described above but through initiatives such as Pray, Bake, Read we are able to bless our local schools – children, staff and families. As members of our church family act as school governors, we are able to shape the life of our school to reflect the values of the Kingdom of God. At an OFSTED inspection in February the Priory School received a ‘Good’ evaluation, which was a fantastic achievement and represented do much hard work by Sophie, the new Headteacher and all the staff and governors. At the end of the summer term we invited the staff from both our primary schools to the Vicarage for an afternoon tea, which was greatly appreciated. We enjoy welcoming in parents to our school services and offering them refreshments and a space to chat afterwards.
In July we also opened up the Vicarage Garden to our wider church family for a Summer BBQ which is always an enjoyable event.
Our Friendship Group and Women’s Group continue to meet, offering an important point of connection for those who might otherwise be isolated, and mutual support for many. The Social and Fellowship group continue to organise events. Our Men’s Breakfast continues to be a space where men can come together and talk openly and honestly in a safe space with a good breakfast and great talks. Please see individual reports.
Narcotics Anonymous continue to use our building for a meeting once a week.
At Christmas we again distributed small gifts to 800 households in our community - a bag of sweets with a message from the church, which were well received. A number of people from our community comment that they enjoy getting these through each year.
Our visiting the bereaved, sick and housebound and Home Communions has continued through the year.
In order to do what we do, we make every effort to steward our resources faithfully and with clarity, particularly our finances. We are extremely grateful to our Finance team for all they do. Nathalie, our Assistant treasurer stepped down at the end of 2024 and Bill and George have stepped into the bookkeeping. We are extremely grateful to Treasurer Dave, Gift Aid Secretary Sue and Bill and George for all the work they do on behalf of our PCC, for their hard work and professionalism.
Mark of Mission 4: To seek to transform unjust structures of society, to challenge violence of every kind and to pursue peace and reconciliation
We continue our monthly prayer meeting in person at Christ the King Church at 4pm on the first Sunday of each month. To pray for our church, the community and the world. Our leadership team also meet for prayer once a week to pray for the needs of the parish.
The Priory Night Watch group continues to meet once a month in the Priory Chapel to pray for Birkenhead and the needs of the parish.
We continue to partner with other community organisations, particularly through The Oak Community Project, in order to bring about significant change for people in their lives where they are struggling. We work with Christians Against Poverty in order to offer support to those who find themselves trapped by debt.
We were successful in our bid for funding to improve our digital offering to the local community. Thanks to a grant from Vola, we were able to install superfast wifi coverage throughout our building and purchase three new laptops for community use. This has been of great benefit.
We continue to work with local council in different ways, including receiving Household Support Funding to provide crisis hampers to those in need.
We support financially and prayerfully our CMS mission partners in SE Asia as well as Emily Wilkinson who serves in education in Uganda.
Mark of Mission 5: To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth
Throughout the year we organise regular ‘Church and Community Clean Up Days’ when we invite local residents to join us as a church family in looking after our local area through litter picks, clearing verges etc. helping this little bit of our world be a nicer place for all to live.
We continue to look after our church buildings as best as we are able with the resources we have, and we are extremely grateful to our church wardens and to all who give their time and expertise in a voluntary capacity to ensure our buildings and grounds are available to our church and community in the best possible way.
We have purchased new chairs for our community space, which has helped us to offer a more comfortable, welcoming space for our church family and community. We have also carried out some internal reorganisation in Christ the King, moving the church office upstairs and converting the old downstairs office into a meeting room.
We continue to work with Wirral Borough Council regarding remedial works to the Priory Chapel through Town Deal Funding, though this is a slow process and funding will not go as far as hoped. Related to this, we are communicating with the Friends of HMS Conway who occupy the Scriptorium to rework our agreement for use of that room to reflect shared use of the space following the anticipated building works.
Looking Ahead
As a church, community and wider society we continue to face a number of challenges from different directions. However in all of this we continue to see God’s provision, strengthening and blessing as a church. It is imperative that we continue to look with courage, creativity and conviction at the opportunities in front of us and seek the wisdom and guidance of the Holy Spirit as we discern what is for now, what is for another time, or what is not to be.
As we continue journeying through ‘Jesus Shaped People’ into 2026, we trust that God will continue to shape us more into the likeness of Christ and give us a clearer vision for who we are and what he is calling us to in this place at this time, and the confidence, courage and faith to follow.
We continue to work hard improving our buildings so that they can be not only an inspiring place for worship but also a vital hub for our community and a gateway to faith and transformed lives for many.
We trust that through obedience and faithfulness and remaining rooted in God with our eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, we will continue to be blessed and to bring blessing to those around us as we seek to love God and love our neighbour, to the glory of God.
PCC Membership
Members of the PCC are either ex-officio or elected by the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) in accordance with the Church Representation Rules 2022. During the year the following served as members of the PCC:
Revd. Paul Bentley (Vicar and chair) Revd. Debbie Wilkinson (Associate Minister) Revd. Sandra Fletcher (Assistant Curate)
Sue Gladden (Churchwarden) Jane Boote (Churchwarden)
Mary Evans (Deanery Synod) Susan Wilks (Deanery Synod)
Elected Members:
Sue E. Blaylock David Dillon (Treasurer) Sue J. Blaylock Chris Earnshaw Mark Fisher Leanne Hellon Rebekah Shields Emily Wilkinson
Members Appointed by APCM:
Laura Brough (Lay Reader) (Safeguarding Officer)
PCC Appointed:
Adrienne Allinson (Secretary)
The PCC held 7 meetings during the year.
Committees
The PCC operates through a Standing Committee (when required) and a number of working groups which meet as and when necessary.
Standing Committee: The Standing Committee carries out the routine work of the PCC between each PCC meeting, subject to any directions given by the Council. The Standing Committee consists of the Vicar, churchwardens, Treasurer, Secretary and one other PCC member (elected annually by the PCC). The
Standing Committee is responsible to the PCC and reports back through minutes. Other working groups are convened as and when appropriate and dissolved when no longer required. They are made up of both PCC and non-PCC members.
The working groups this year have been: Social and Fellowship Group
Management Group (overseeing Community and Family Worker and The Oak Community Project)
BIRKENHEAD PRIORY PARISH (BPP)
TREASURER’S REPORT 2025
Executive Summary
The overall financial position reflects a mix of surpluses in some funds and losses in others. However the overall financial health remains stable and is in a relatively robust position in terms of cash flow (income vs. expenditure) and that the day-to-day running costs are being met.
Balance sheets
The funds are categorized into general, designated, and restricted, with specific allocations for The Oak Community Project, Wirral Waters, and BPP funds.
The BPP General Fund started with a balance of £89,306.36 and ended with a balance of £66,663.53 after income, expenditure, transfers and adjustments.
The Oak Community Project Fund experienced an increase in overall funding starting 2025 with an initial balance of £48,817.69 and ending with a balance of £64,663.09 , reflecting income from donations, grants, and specific project income, offset by project expenses.
The Wirral Waters Fund began 2025 with a balance of £2,748.81 and at year end increased its balance to £5,554.16 supported by donations, gift aid, and project income, with expenses mainly on outreach and community activities.
Assets include cash at bank accounts, investments, and property sales, with total current assets of £175,474.23 . Notable assets include bank accounts, reserve funds, and sale proceeds from St Mark's Church Hall.
It should be noted whilst that the current total asset value is significantly down on previous years this is explained by a reattribution one of particular CDBF asset ( St Mary and St Paul Curacy Fund ) whose ‘ownership’ now rests with DBF and although whilst held and managed by CDBF there remains a requirement for the income from this asset to benefit Birkenhead Priory Parish.
As in previous years there are reserves, some of which can be drawn upon but the majority of these funds are held for specific purposes.
Banking Reserve Policy
With the introduction of a financial policy document, a formalised approach to a banking reserve policy has been set out as indicated below. This is to ensure prudent financial management of existing funds and to ensure contingencies are in place to allow BPP’s Finance team to respond effectively to unexpected short term issues.
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Current accounts
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It is recommended that the BPP current account and Lifeskills (TOCP) account have a minimum operating of balance of £5k.
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If either of these accounts fall beneath these limits then the PCC should be consulted as to whether any short term ‘top up’ or transfer of funds from the reserve account can be made.
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Reserve account
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It is recommended that the BPP reserve account has a minimum balance of £25K available to offset any short term issues with either of the above current accounts.
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Of the above £25K, £10K is specifically designated for covering salary costs of BPP employed staff in the event of other funding not being available.
Related Party Transactions
There were no related party transactions during the reporting period.
The above report and following financial statements were approved by Birkenhead Priory Parochial Church Council at a meeting on Monday 27[th] April 2026.
Signed:
Revd Paul Bentley, Chair
0151 653 6092 vicar.bpp@gmail.com
On behalf of Birkenhead Priory Parish Parochial Church Council.
BIRKENHEAD PRIORY PARISH
TREASURER’S REPORT 2025
1. Background and context to preparation of the report
1.1 Roles and responsibilities: – Finance Team and PCC
The finance team for Birkenhead Priory Parish (BPP) currently comprises of
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Dr David Dillon (Treasurer),
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Sue E Blaylock (Gift Aid Secretary)
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Bill Newnes (Bookkeeper)
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George Hancock (Bookkeeper)
The finance team is part of the PCC and as such the PCC is regularly made aware of its responsibilities with regards to the financial management of the church and its role in the oversight of all financial matters. This involves the delivery of a financial report at every PCC meeting giving all members the opportunity to question the finance team on any matters.
1.2 New activities and developments during 2025
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Mid way through 2025 Bill and George joined the finance team to lead the bookkeeping and bank reconciliation work that is essential to ensure the transparent monitoring and checking of our various financial activities. They took over the role relinquished by Nathalie in December 2024. Bill and George have worked hard to ensure that the backlog in this critical activity has been addressed and that our accounts are completed ahead of the required Independent Examination.
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Training in use of My Fund Accounting software .
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Towards the end of 2024/early 2025 training on the use of My Fund Accounting package was rolled out to Bill and George.
2. Financial Statement for 2025
On behalf of the PCC, I present the Financial Statement for the period 1st January 2025 to the 31st December 2025.
2.1 Presentational Structure
The reporting format used for this Financial Year’s Statement is provided through a series of excel spreadsheets, charts and PDF reporting templates generated through the My Fund Accounting software. In addition the BPP Financial Policy document and the guidance document for Gift Aid Activities are also attached to this report for completeness.
The overall Financial report for 2025 covers receipts, payments, assets, liabilities, and fund balances for multiple funds, including the General Fund, BPP-Designated and Restricted Funds, The Oak Community Project, Wirral Waters, and others, for 2025.
The accompanying financial statements and charts include detailed breakdowns of individual income streams, expenditure categories, and fund-specific activities.
In the summaries below only the headline figures are presented. More detail and the raw data for 2025 can be found in the individual reports, charts and spreadsheets attached to this Financial Statement.
In addition to the financial data for 2025 the data from the previous financial year 2024 (and in some instance the years of 2023 and 2022) are included in these reports as a useful comparison of trends and performance.
2.2 Overall Financial Summary
The report covers receipts, payments, assets, liabilities, and fund balances for multiple funds, including:
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The BPP General Fund,
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BPP Designated and Restricted Funds,
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The Oak Community Project,
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Wirral Waters,
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and others, for 2025 compared to previous years.
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Within the BPP General Fund total receipts for 2025 amount to £60,242.01 , with major income sources including donations, legacies, gift aid, and income from charitable activities.
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Total payments within the BPP General Fund amount to £62,570.24 , primarily on charitable activities, church maintenance, salaries, and operational costs.
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The net result shows a slight deficit of around £2,328.23 in the BPP General Fund , with overall fund balances decreasing slightly from previous years but remaining substantial.
2.2.1 Fund Movements and Balances
The funds are categorized into general, designated, and restricted, with specific allocations for The Oak Community Project, Wirral Waters, and BPP funds.
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The BPP General Fund started with a balance of £89,306.36 and ended with a balance of £66,663.53 after income, expenditure, transfers and adjustments.
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The BPP-Restricted Fund saw a substantial decrease from a starting balance of £223,215.77 to a year-end balance of £22,910.97 primarily due to a significant investment account adjustment (see further notes in 2.2.2 Assets and Liabilities).
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The BPP Designated Fund grew from a starting balance of £7,661.57 to a year-end balance of £15,682.48 mainly through donations, Gift Aid, and grants, with expenditures on flowers, salaries, and project costs.
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The Oak Community Project Fund experienced an increase in overall funding starting 2025 with an initial balance of £48,817.69 and ending with a balance of £64,663.09 , reflecting income from donations, grants, and specific project income, offset by project expenses.
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The Wirral Waters Fund began 2025 with a balance of £2,748.81 and at year end increased its balance to £5,554.16 supported by donations, gift aid, and project income, with expenses mainly on outreach and community activities.
2.2.2 Assets and Liabilities
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Current assets include cash at bank accounts, deposit accounts, investments, and petty cash, totalling £175,474.23 with notable holdings in deposit and reserve accounts.
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A sizeable proportion of these Assets include CDBF funds and trusts held and managed by the Diocese of Chester, the income of which continues to be for the benefit of Birkenhead Priory Parish.
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Within the CDBF funds, two assets are held on behalf of Birkenhead Priory Parish, the first “ St Mary and St Paul Curacy Fund ” and the second relates to the proceeds of the “ Sale of St Mark’s Church Hall ”.
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The former whose fund value at the end of the year 2024 was £189,051.20 , has in years prior to 2025 been included in BPP financial accounts as income.
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However it recently came to light that over many years the correct ’ownership’ of this particular fund had not been attributed correctly nor had this error been communicated by the CDBF. Whilst financially there is a requirement for the income from this trust to benefit the parish, ownership of this particular asset has always rested with the DBF, and not with Birkenhead Priory Parish. Therefore going forward this trust asset will only appear in the accounts of the DBF.
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The resulting re-attributation of this particular asset explains the Nil recording of income for BPP against this asset and as a result the BPP restricted fund now shows a significant decrease from a starting balance of £223,215.77 to an end balance of £22,910.97.
2.2.3 Special Funds and Grants
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Specific funds such as the Community & Family Worker, Raby Schools Trust (two grants), and Vola Consortium are tracked separately, with their own income, expenditure, and balances.
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The Community & Family Worker fund shows transfers in and out, ending with a nil balance.
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One of the Raby Schools Trust grants has a small balance carried forward, with some income from grants and donations.
2.2.4 Income Sources
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Major income streams include gift aid (notably through bank transfers), donations, legacies, and income from charitable activities such as church services, events, and rentals.
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Gift aid through bank donations is the largest single source, followed by cash donations, recurring grants, and income from fundraising activities.
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Other income includes dividends, interest, and sales of fixed assets, contributing modestly to overall receipts.
2.2.5 Expenditure
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Key expenses encompass salaries (notably the TOCP Community and Family Worker), ministry parish share, insurance, utilities, church maintenance, and outreach activities.
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Significant costs are incurred in food, insurance, church repairs, and operational expenses.
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Payments for charitable activities and outreach are substantial, supporting community projects, mission work, and church operations.
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Expenses related to specific projects/activities such as those for TOCP and community outreach are detailed, with some costs offset by grants and donations.
2.2.6 Top Income and Expense Items
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The highest receipts are from gift aid, cash donations, recurring grants, and fundraising activities.
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• Major expenses include food, salaries, ministry contributions, insurance, and utilities, with some costs related to church maintenance and outreach.
2.3 Banking Reserve Policy
With the introduction of BPP’s financial policy document, a formalised approach to a banking reserve policy has been set out as indicated below. This is to ensure prudent financial management of existing funds and to ensure contingencies are in place to allow BPP’s Finance team to respond effectively to unexpected short term issues.
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Current accounts
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It is recommended that the BPP current account and the TOCP account have a minimum operating of balance of £5k.
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If either of these accounts fall beneath these limits then the PCC should be consulted as to whether any short term ‘ top up’ or transfer of funds from the reserve account can be made.
• Reserve account
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It is recommended that the BPP reserve account has a minimum balance of £25K available to offset any short term issues with either of the above current accounts.
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Of the above £25K, £10K is specifically designated for covering salary costs of BPP employed staff in the event of other funding not being available.
3 Summary
The overall financial position reflects a mix of surpluses in some funds and losses in others, notably due to the re-attributation of one particular CDBF investment asset.
However the overall financial health remains stable and is in a relatively robust position in terms of cash flow (income vs. expenditure) and that the day-to-day running costs are being met.
The Finance team have, through careful management of income and expenditure, ensured that funds are allocated appropriately to sustain church and community activities.
As in previous years there are reserves, some of which can be drawn upon but as indicated earlier the majority of these funds are held for specific purposes.
In concluding this financial statement, I would like to take the opportunity to personally thank Sue, Bill and George for all their hard work and support over the last year and for the continuing support of Paul.
Dr David Dillon PCC Treasurer, 28[th] April 2026
Birkenhead Priory Parish Financial Statement BPP Church, The Oak Community Project and Wirral Waters For the year 01 Jan 2025 to 31 Dec 2025
Analysis of Receipts and Payments by Fund
| Receipts Donations and legacies Income from charitable activities Other trading activities Investments Other income Payments Raising funds Expenditure on charitable activities Other expenditure Funds Brought Forward Net income Fund Transfers - in Fund Transfers - out Adjustments Funds Carried Forward Represented by General Fund BPP-Designated Fund BPP-Restricted Fund The Oak Community Project Wirral Waters |
General 59,731.43 51,871.79 112.00 650.11 7,097.53 nil 62,570.24 nil 62,197.19 373.05 89,306.36 -2,838.81 6,839.60 -27,154.20 66,152.95 |
BPP 8,750.00 8,750.00 nil nil nil nil 27,883.29 nil 27,883.29 nil 7,661.57 -19,133.29 27,154.20 15,682.48 |
BPP- Restricted 3,429.36 3,429.36 nil nil nil nil 196,894.56 nil 7,843.36 189,051.20 223,215.77 -193,465.20 -6,839.60 22,910.97 |
TOCP 62,828.17 39,670.33 22,869.00 nil nil 288.84 46,982.77 nil 46,838.72 144.05 48,817.69 15,845.40 64,663.09 |
Wirral Waters 9,178.07 9,178.07 nil nil nil nil 6,372.72 525.00 5,847.72 nil 2,748.81 2,805.35 5,554.16 |
Year Total 2025 143,917.03 112,899.55 22,981.00 650.11 7,097.53 288.84 340,703.58 525.00 150,610.28 189,568.30 371,750.20 -196,786.55 33,993.80 -33,993.80 nil 174,963.65 66,152.95 15,682.48 22,910.97 64,663.09 5,554.16 174,963.65 |
Year Total 2024 165,671.20 128,373.61 27,665.25 nil 9,310.64 321.70 150,499.63 nil 149,982.52 517.11 352,226.81 15,171.57 15,839.65 -15,839.65 4,351.82 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 371,750.20 89,306.36 7,661.57 223,215.77 48,817.69 2,748.81 |
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| 371,750.20 |
Statement of Assets and Liabilities as at 31-Dec-2025
| Current Assets : Cash At Bank And In hand 6501 : Bank current account BPP -13,779.01 15,682.48 6503 : Bank Reserve Account CL 67,676.52 6504 : TOCP-Bank current account 6507 : Sale of St Mark's Church Hall 6507 : St Mary and St Paul Curacy 6510 : CCLA - St.Mary & St Paul Reserve 4,158.89 6511 : CCLA - PCC Deposit Fund 4,855.60 6591 : TOCP Petty Cash 62,912.00 15,682.48 Current Assets : Investments 6509 : CCLA - St Mary Mission Room 3,240.95 3,240.95 Total Current assets 66,152.95 15,682.48 Money set aside by PCC or Grant Agencies |
Current Assets : Cash At Bank And In hand 6501 : Bank current account BPP -13,779.01 15,682.48 6503 : Bank Reserve Account CL 67,676.52 6504 : TOCP-Bank current account 6507 : Sale of St Mark's Church Hall 6507 : St Mary and St Paul Curacy 6510 : CCLA - St.Mary & St Paul Reserve 4,158.89 6511 : CCLA - PCC Deposit Fund 4,855.60 6591 : TOCP Petty Cash 62,912.00 15,682.48 Current Assets : Investments 6509 : CCLA - St Mary Mission Room 3,240.95 3,240.95 Total Current assets 66,152.95 15,682.48 Money set aside by PCC or Grant Agencies |
nil 22,910.97 nil 22,910.97 22,910.97 |
17,395.07 44,012.02 3,256.00 64,663.09 64,663.09 |
5,554.16 5,554.16 5,554.16 nil 500.00 363.42 136.58 |
2025 24,852.70 67,676.52 44,012.02 22,910.97 nil 4,158.89 4,855.60 3,256.00 171,722.70 3,240.95 3,240.95 174,963.65 |
2024 61,177.27 37,676.52 46,442.09 211,962.17 3,978.83 4,761.81 2,375.60 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 368,374.29 3,375.91 |
||||||
3,375.91 |
||||||
371,750.20 |
||||||
| Community & Family Worker Balance Brought Forward Receipts Fund Transfers from General fund Payments Balance Carried Forward Raby Schools Trust Balance Brought Forward Receipts Payments Balance Carried Forward Vola Consortium Balance Brought Forward Receipts Payments Balance Carried Forward |
nil nil 27,154.20 27,154.20 nil |
nil 462.00 462.00 nil 4,414.00 2,950.47 7,364.47 nil |
Birkenhead Priory Parish Fund Statements For the year 01 Jan 2025 to 31 Dec 2025
| General Fund 2025 Balance B/F - General Fund 89,306.36 Gift Aid gving through bank 14,645.00 Other giving through bank 10,900.00 Gift Aid giving through envelopes nil Other giving through envelopes 1,890.00 Loose plate collections 4,841.11 Giving through church boxes 9.02 Giving through SUMUP 185.16 Gift Aid through SUMUP 1,013.40 Giving - Candles 64.91 Giving - Breakfasts 628.29 One-off Gift Aid 5,421.00 Donations and appeals 2,511.71 Other Donations-Missionary societies etc 220.98 Tax recoverable on Gift Aid 9,541.21 Non-recurring one-off grants nil Other funds generated nil Rummage sales etc 650.11 Dividends 5,118.11 Bank and building society interest 1,506.53 Rent from lands or buildings 472.89 Fees for weddings and funerals 112.00 Insurance claims nil Surplus - sales of fixed assets nil Total receipts 59,731.43 Costs of fetes & other events 99.79 Giving to missionary societies 3,332.07 Giving - relief and development agencies 9.02 Home mission 1,519.17 Fees-Weddings and funerals 1,539.78 Ministry parish share etc 16,937.58 Cleaner Salary 2,528.76 Council tax 2,369.66 Water rates - vicarage 1,149.60 Vicar's telephone 234.00 Parish training and mission nil Food 128.16 Insurance - CTK 9,119.55 Insurance - Priory Chapel 1,741.34 Office Expenditure and Equipment 192.13 Church office - telephone/Internet 232.78 Organ / piano tuning /Speakers nil Church maintenance 4,801.35 Upkeep of services 5,236.67 Flowers Expenses 26.35 Upkeep of churchyard 140.00 Administration 32.21 Payroll Administration nil Outreach - Breakfasts 1,188.54 Community events 508.56 Electricity - CTK 3,522.26 Electricity - Priory 587.56 Gas - CTK 2,810.04 Water - CTK 264.73 Church running - water-4025561319 nil Worships resources 1,945.53 Bank Charges 373.05 Church major repairs - structure nil Church major repairs - installation nil Church interior and exterior decorating nil Total Payments 62,570.24 Net income -2,838.81 Fund Transfers -20,314.60 Adjustments nil Balance C/F - General Fund 66,152.95 |
2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 84,111.95 16,380.00 9,400.00 68.00 1,600.00 3,737.09 nil 203.57 1,402.46 148.41 769.71 2,500.00 3,976.43 100.00 8,192.33 3,933.00 542.13 nil 5,441.52 1,910.80 1,890.00 3,933.00 nil nil 66,128.45 1,230.58 nil nil 928.95 1,205.00 17,939.16 2,366.01 2,253.44 928.10 288.00 nil nil 8,847.28 1,701.56 nil 623.87 nil 5,926.00 691.48 nil nil 247.99 400.89 955.54 424.45 4,628.84 1,053.30 3,738.92 1,553.51 nil 1,698.54 361.38 820.80 162.00 nil 60,975.59 5,152.86 -80.00 121.55 89,306.36 |
80,351.32 18,480.00 9,200.00 nil 1,835.10 2,497.71 nil 1,446.59 470.10 80.65 373.33 nil 11,896.68 20.00 14,698.35 nil 2,618.01 nil 5,051.94 837.43 1,040.00 4,536.00 nil nil 75,081.89 229.32 183.00 nil 418.55 1,098.40 17,084.88 1,976.04 2,147.06 838.90 126.00 nil nil 6,921.48 nil nil 575.88 588.60 2,630.42 665.96 nil nil 186.54 583.92 565.71 84.62 5,262.48 125.91 4,323.82 1,402.09 34.06 514.81 389.13 354.00 3,174.00 500.00 52,985.58 22,096.31 -18,619.49 283.81 84,111.95 |
292,876.03 21,290.00 7,360.00 nil 2,650.55 2,124.63 100.00 nil 41.17 167.44 247.05 6,900.00 2,899.97 nil 15,365.51 nil 1,105.10 nil 5,113.86 171.73 857.50 2,783.00 130.00 117.75 |
||
| 69,425.26 713.14 10.00 nil 273.90 1,958.20 16,587.24 1,974.24 2,655.58 785.48 216.00 156.00 nil 6,292.50 nil nil 689.86 2,287.72 2,524.44 378.98 nil nil 479.99 616.92 344.57 28.50 3,781.68 nil 2,821.19 581.09 336.95 560.03 383.52 216.00 1,058.24 nil |
||||
| 48,711.96 20,713.30 -210,426.75 -22,811.26 |
||||
| 80,351.32 |
| The Oak Community Project Fund 2025 Balance B/F - The Oak Community Project Fund 48,817.69 Gift Aid gving through bank 4,980.00 Other giving through bank nil Loose plate collections nil Giving through SUMUP 14,552.33 Gift Aid through SUMUP nil One-off Gift Aid nil Donations and appeals 18.00 TOCP BACS Donation 2,538.60 TOCP Cash Donation 20,330.40 Tax recoverable on Gift Aid 1,220.00 Recurring grants 18,900.00 Non-recurring one-off grants nil Other funds generated nil TOCP Related Income nil C & F W nil Surplus - sales of fixed assets 288.84 Total receipts 62,828.17 Giving - relief and development agencies 15.60 Home mission 764.10 HMRC PAYE nil TOCP Salary+ Nest Pension nil Working expenses of C & F W 120.00 Parish training and mission nil Food 41,790.81 TOCP Stall 414.87 Household support 644.28 Equipment and Maintenance 575.92 Catering 359.04 Volunteer expenses 120.75 Christmas Hampers 1,027.58 Office Expenditure and Equipment 1,005.77 Upkeep of services nil TOCP Related Expenses nil TOCP Expenditure nil Community events nil Bank Charges 144.05 Total Payments 46,982.77 Net income 15,845.40 Fund Transfers nil Adjustments nil Balance C/F - The Oak Community Project Fund 64,663.09 BPP-Restricted Fund 2025 Balance B/F - BPP-Restricted Fund 223,215.77 Giving through church boxes nil Donations and appeals nil Other Donations-Missionary societies etc 16.89 Non-recurring one-off grants 3,412.47 C & F W nil Bank and building society interest nil Total receipts 3,429.36 Giving to missionary societies 16.89 Giving - relief and development agencies nil Home mission 462.00 HMRC PAYE nil TOCP Salary+ Nest Pension nil Church office - telephone/Internet 7,364.47 Payroll Administration nil Investment losses 189,051.20 Total Payments 196,894.56 Net income -193,465.20 Fund Transfers -6,839.60 Adjustments nil Balance C/F - BPP-Restricted Fund 22,910.97 |
2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41,572.34 4,480.00 nil nil 13,514.73 206.40 100.00 1,315.00 nil 23,732.25 1,172.50 34,520.00 nil 8.50 nil nil 321.70 79,371.08 nil 729.45 nil nil 120.00 nil 52,084.50 nil 773.72 nil 932.74 273.97 nil 177.94 1,025.00 nil 93.03 nil 155.73 56,366.08 23,005.00 -15,759.65 nil 48,817.69 2024 |
32,604.96 4,223.00 nil nil 3,248.30 4,665.29 nil 555.90 1,168.40 18,358.28 1,292.50 35,800.00 800.00 172.00 76.11 nil 142.40 70,502.18 nil 747.45 4,470.34 22,543.20 220.00 129.60 42,128.15 nil nil 590.35 nil nil nil nil 2,701.93 nil nil 53.97 128.06 73,713.05 -3,210.87 12,178.25 nil 41,572.34 2023 |
9,804.73 5,060.00 100.00 271.45 nil 2.94 985.00 5,000.00 nil 16,139.69 nil 38,300.00 nil nil nil 9,000.00 nil |
||
| 74,859.08 nil 577.35 4,492.55 21,010.10 40.00 172.56 4,988.00 nil 1,190.50 nil nil nil nil nil nil 34,126.45 nil nil 40.53 |
||||
| 66,638.04 8,221.04 14,579.19 nil |
||||
| 32,604.96 | ||||
| 2022 | ||||
| 218,361.34 100.00 130.00 772.29 4,414.00 7,000.00 68.32 12,484.61 772.29 nil nil 3,922.20 22,786.64 nil 218.97 nil 27,700.10 -15,215.49 15,839.65 4,230.27 223,215.77 |
194,894.00 nil nil 1,181.64 nil 7,000.00 nil 8,181.64 1,081.64 nil nil nil nil nil nil nil 1,081.64 7,100.00 nil 16,367.34 218,361.34 |
3,042.72 nil 401.50 177.09 nil nil nil |
||
| 578.59 80.24 80.00 nil nil nil nil nil nil |
||||
| 160.24 418.35 191,711.85 -278.92 |
||||
| 194,894.00 |
| Wirral Waters Fund 2025 Balance B/F - Wirral Waters Fund 2,748.81 Gift Aid gving through bank 2,800.00 Other giving through bank 240.00 Giving through SUMUP 83.04 Gift Aid through SUMUP 1,899.08 Giving - Breakfasts 127.00 One-off Gift Aid 151.00 Donations and appeals 2,112.56 Tax recoverable on Gift Aid 1,265.39 Non-recurring one-off grants 500.00 Total receipts 9,178.07 Costs of applying for grants 525.00 Costs of fetes & other events nil Home mission 453.15 Insurance - The Well 206.87 Office Expenditure and Equipment 154.88 Church office - telephone/Internet nil Church maintenance nil Upkeep of services 1,245.99 Administration 338.46 Hospitality 173.22 Outreach - Monthly meals 745.05 Outreach - Weekly tea and coffee 762.34 Outreach - Breakfasts 185.01 Community events 1,418.07 Worships resources 164.68 Total Payments 6,372.72 Net income 2,805.35 Fund Transfers nil Adjustments nil Balance C/F - Wirral Waters Fund 5,554.16 BPP Designated Fund 2025 Balance B/F - BPP Designated Fund 7,661.57 Gift Aid gving through bank 8,000.00 Giving - flowers 255.00 Gift Aid giving - flowers 295.00 Giving - Breakfasts nil One-off Gift Aid 25.00 Other Donations-Missionary societies etc 175.00 Non-recurring one-off grants nil Total Receipts 8,750.00 Home mission nil HMRC PAYE 4,171.54 TOCP Salary+ Nest Pension 22,499.60 Upkeep of services nil Flowers Expenses 729.09 Payroll Administration 483.06 Outreach - Monthly meals nil Outreach - Weekly tea and coffee nil Total Payments 27,883.29 Net income -19,133.29 Fund Transfers 27,154.20 Adjustments nil Balance C/F - BPP Designated Fund 15,682.48 |
2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,375.98 500.00 nil nil 899.78 nil nil 3,880.00 770.75 nil 6,050.53 nil nil 449.80 189.79 nil 1,023.23 10.66 673.57 nil 160.47 533.41 441.63 81.65 862.63 250.86 4,677.70 1,372.83 nil nil 2,748.81 2024 |
nil nil nil nil nil nil nil 2,020.00 nil nil 2,020.00 nil 68.32 137.94 nil nil nil nil 29.95 nil nil 229.28 nil nil 58.53 120.00 644.02 1,375.98 nil nil 1,375.98 2023 |
nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil |
||
| nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil |
||||
| nil nil nil nil |
||||
| nil | ||||
| 2022 | ||||
| 6,805.20 nil 570.00 nil 66.53 nil nil 1,000.00 1,636.53 nil nil nil nil 780.16 nil nil nil 780.16 856.37 nil nil 7,661.57 |
nil nil 480.00 nil nil nil nil 7,000.00 7,480.00 28.80 nil nil 72.50 518.96 nil 39.39 15.15 674.80 6,805.20 nil nil 6,805.20 |
nil nil nil nil nil nil nil 4,140.24 |
||
| 4,140.24 nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil |
||||
| nil 4,140.24 -4,140.24 nil |
||||
| nil |
Receipts - Top 10
----- Start of picture text -----
Receipts - Top 10
4%
4%
4%
24%
4%
Gift Aid gving through bank 30,425
9% TOCP Cash Donation 20,330
Recurring grants 18,900
Giving through SUMUP 14,821
Tax recoverable on Gift Aid 12,027
Other giving through bank 11,140
9% One-off Gift Aid 5,597
16% Dividends 5,118
Loose plate collections 4,841
Donations and appeals 4,642
11%
15%
45,000
40,000
Receipts History
35,000
30,000
25,000 2025 2024 2023 2022
20,000
15,000
10,000
5,000
nil
Gift Aid gving through TOCP Cash Donation Recurring grants Giving through SUMUP Tax recoverable on Gift Other giving through One-off Gift Aid Dividends Loose plate collections Donations and appeals
bank Aid bank
----- End of picture text -----
----- Start of picture text -----
Payments - Top 10
#N/A
Food 41,919
TOCP Salary+ Nest Pension 22,500
Ministry parish share etc 16,938
Insurance - CTK 9,120
Church office - telephone/Internet 7,597
Upkeep of services 6,483
Church maintenance 4,801
HMRC PAYE 4,172
Electricity - CTK 3,522
----- End of picture text -----
----- Start of picture text -----
60,000
Payments History
50,000
40,000
2025 2024 2023 2022
30,000
20,000
10,000
nil
#N/A Food TOCP Salary+ Nest PensionMinistry parish share etc Insurance - CTKChurch office - telephone/InternetUpkeep of services Church maintenance HMRC PAYE Electricity - CTK
----- End of picture text -----
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 Birkenhead Priory Parish |
|---|---|
| 31 December 2025 Charity no (if any) 1196140 |
|
| (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets) |
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31 / 12 / 2025.
- Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the 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 the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner's statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come 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
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.
| Signed: Name: Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any): Address: |
Date: | |
|---|---|---|
| 28/04/2026 | ||
| Olivia Higgins | ||
| ACCA (Membership No 1659593) | ||
| 16 Teesdale Road, Bebington, Wirral CH63 3AS | ||
1
October 2018
IER
Section B Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight 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 N/A disclose .
2
October 2018
IER