## **Oakridge Baptist Church** 

**Charitable Incorporated Organisation** 

43, Oakridge Road, High Wycombe HP11 2PH Tel: 01494 537478 (Answerphone) www.oakridgebaptist.org.uk 

_**The Family Fellowship**_ 

Oakridge Baptist Church 

Charity Registration Number: 1197400 

Registered Address: 43 Oakridge Road, High Wycombe HP11 2PH 

## **Trustees** 

Mrs A Irwin (Secretary) Mr P Rackstraw (Treasurer) Mrs M A Rose (Pastoral care co-ordinator) Mr J Hollman Mrs P Hollman Mr J Morgan Mrs S Rackstraw Dr D Reynold Mrs S Dodson (Life Deacon) 

## **Property Trustees** 

The Baptist Union Corporation Ltd. Baptist House, 129 Broadway, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 8RT 

## **Bankers** 

Metro Bank, High Wycombe 

## **Independent Examiner** 

Mr C Hanks 

**Secretary** : Mrs Alison Irwin secretary@oakridgebaptist.org.uk **Treasurer** : Mr Philip Rackstraw treasurer@oakridgebaptist.org.uk **Registered Charity No: 1197400** and Office: 43, Oakridge Road, High Wycombe HP11 2PH Members of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, The Central Baptist Association and The Evangelical Alliance 



## **ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2023** 

The Trustees present their Annual Report for 2023 

## **Structure, Governance and Management** 

The Church is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) and is governed by a constitution based on the Approved Governing Document for Baptist Churches.  Members of the Church are accepted in accordance with the constitution which requires them to be or to have been publicly baptised on the profession of faith in Jesus Christ or following other modes of baptism to renew their public profession of faith in Jesus Christ. 

The members’ meeting normally takes place six times per year and has responsibility for the overall policy of the church.  In accordance with the constitution, the members appoint Trustees, who together with the Minister (when in post), Pastoral Care Co-ordinator, Church Secretary and Treasurer (who are also appointed by the members), are responsible for the day to day running of the Church’s work and witness, and the financial and legal aspects of the charity.  All members are encouraged to take an appropriate part in the spiritual and practical tasks involved in the furtherance of the charitable objective. 

Relevant matters may be submitted to the Church meeting by the Trustees for guidance or may be raised by members in Church meetings for further consideration by the Trustees.  Though the constitution permits decisions to be made at Church meetings by appropriate majorities, the Church seeks to work by consensus wherever possible. 

## **Objectives and Activities** 

The principal purpose of the charity is the advancement of the Christian faith according to the principles of the Baptist denomination to include the advancement of education, community service and such other general charitable purposes in such parts of the United Kingdom and the world as the Church shall determine. 

To achieve the principal objective, which is set out above, the Church provides a variety of activities both to its membership and to the community generally.  The aim is to show the love of Jesus Christ in both word and deed and to bring people into a closer relationship with Him as living Lord. 

Central to the work and witness of the Church is the provision of regular public services of Christian worship. These services take place each Sunday at 10.30am with Communion being held one Sunday each month. There is a children’s programme during the morning services. 

There are also occasional services at other times which are advertised via Church notices, email, or text. The Church also has a website www.oakridgebaptist.org.uk 

The Church has been blessed throughout 2023 through the weekly ministry of members and many other friends during a period of interregnum. 

The Church seeks to be a friendly community, and anybody is welcome to attend any of these services. 

The Church runs a series of Bible study groups for the growth of faith and discipleship; these are held at the Church and via Zoom.  Further details can be obtained from the Trustees on request, or at the Sunday services of worship. 

The Church holds a Boys’ Brigade/Girls’ Association which meets in the Church premises on a Thursday evening during school term times.  These sessions provide opportunity for young people aged between 5 – 18 to enjoy time together and to receive Christian teaching on a regular basis. 



The Church operates systems to ensure that all people working with children and vulnerable adults are appropriately vetted by the Disclosure and Barring Service. 

A coffee morning meets alternate Tuesdays and is a time for the members and regular attenders of the Church to meet and share a time of fellowship. 

The Church is an approved centre for the collection and distribution of surplus food via the Fare Share charity network. The ‘Community Friendly Fridge Project’ (CFF) runs parallel with this and is run by the Women’s Cultural Arena charity and hosted at the Church, providing additional surplus food to the local community. Each week food parcels and hot meals are provided to 60+ people as well as seasonal community meals throughout the year (500+ people in total). 

FoodCycle is also hosted at the Church and links into the Fare Share network. FoodCycle’s vision is to make food poverty, loneliness and food waste a thing of the past for every community by creating welcoming spaces for people from all walks of life to meet, eat and have conversations; which in turn supports people’s health and mental wellbeing. FoodCycle prepares, cooks and serves vegetarian 3-course meals using surplus ingredients; and in doing so promotes healthy, sustainable attitudes towards food and its impact on the environment and helps people to learn more about healthy eating options (average attendance 30+ per week). 

The need for these food services has increased dramatically since the cost of living crisis and the Church is a well-known and familiar venue for food outreach initiatives and considered a safe space to help those most in need within the community. 

From June to November, the Church hosted a weekly ‘Movers & Shakers’ session run by the Wycombe Multicultural Organisation which is a health and wellbeing initiative for people age 60+ to stay fitter for longer. 

The Church is pleased to welcome fellow Christian groups, who use the building on a Sunday for their services of worship namely El-Bethel Tamil Ministry and a Bulgarian Church. 

The Church has read the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit and is satisfied that the activities outlined above clearly demonstrate that the charity is providing a benefit to the public. 

## **Achievements and Performance** 

The Church does not measure the success of its programmes only in numbers, including financial numbers, but also in less tangible areas like fellowship, encouragement and participation.  The Trustees recognise that these are difficult to measure but believe that 2023 was a positive year in the life of the Church, and that it will be able to continue its mission purposes in 2024. 

At the beginning of the year the membership number was 38 but this had reduced to 35 by the end of the year as 1 member had died, 1 transferred membership and 1 resigned. 

Average attendance at worship services remained steady during the year as did attendance at the Bible study groups.  There were spaces in some sections of the Boys’ Brigade and Girls’ Association at the end of year, but advertising was taking place to try and fill these. 

The Church has been encouraged by comments made by members of the community about the positive part the church plays in their lives and particularly in relation to the food provision programmes that run.  The church is also seen as a reassuring beacon of light to many in the community in a very multicultural, multiethnic and multifaith area. 



**Financial Review** 

The Church continues to raise the funds which it needs to carry on its activities from within its members and congregation.  No wider public appeal was made for funds during the year.  The basic income for 2023 was £44,433.52 which was slightly higher than the previous year, due to increased room hire income. 

The Church continued its financial commitment to the life of the wider church by making gifts of approximately £7,635.70 to national and international organisations, societies and individuals, with Christian aims and objectives compatible with the Church’s own charitable purposes. 

The Church is heavily dependent on its members and congregation working as volunteers and providing resources in all aspects of its activities, many of which run with little or no impact on Church expenditure, but nevertheless contribute substantially to the achievement of the objectives. 

The increase in utility costs continued and the church reviewed the situation on a regular basis to ensure we were signed up to the best tariffs; essential repairs to the Church heating system were also carried out. 

The full financial situation for the year is set out in annual accounts and balance sheets for the year. 

## **Future: The Church’s plans to redevelop the site** 

The pre-planning application phase of the proposed re-development of Church space and specialist accommodation for homeless and refugees was completed and areas for action/clarification identified. The partnership of J49 (the registered provider) and Oakridge Baptist Church (the freeholder) is an impressive combination of vision and ideals for the site in addressing the needs of vulnerable adults within the community. The Church and J49, intend the residential apartments to be an empowering and enabling experience for all residents. J49 is committed to social housing but also to what it terms, 'creative community living’ – that is, a place where people thrive, where there are opportunities to network, grow skills and be resident in a community context with individual living space. 

The new accommodation will become part of a local network of existing relationships that will give residents the chance to engage with the community if they want to. This will also provide access to services and opportunities around employment, local management and community project involvement that embeds a sense of co-operative living, responsibility and identity. 

The apartments will have pre-arranged access to the Church community facilities on the site. It is intended that the indoor spaces will encourage positive relationships between the residents and users of the community space, and that outdoor spaces, including the community garden, will further the ambitions of J49 for a greener, kinder and more mindful world. The Church are working with J49 to ensure that the living accommodation is of high quality, safe, affordable and contributing to the environmental, social and economic well-being of the local area. 

## **Reserves Policy** 

The Trustees have established a Reserves Policy to enable the Church to function effectively and meet its obligations in the event of a decline in our income or a major cost, however this may be set aside if the planned rebuild goes ahead.  At present having considered the relevant risks of changes in income and expenditure the Trustees have determined that the appropriate level of reserves should be around £10,000. At the end of December 2023, the church had a working balance of approximately £16,000 none of which is restricted or designated. 

The Church has on deposit with the Baptist Union £683,935.83 (£500,000 being from the sale of the manse in 2022 held against the new build). The balance is from a previous legacy which will be used to offset the expenses of the new build.  The legacy has no restrictions as to its use. 



OAKRIDGE ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH CIO
CHARITY NUMBER 1197400
ACCOUNTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023

OAKRIDGE ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH CIO
CHARITY NUMBER 1197400
INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS ACCOUNTANTS. REPORT TO THE PROPRIETOR
ON THE UNAUDITED ACCOUNTS OF OAKRIDGE ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH CIO
I report on the a¢¢ourrts of Oakridge Baptlst Church CIO for the year ended 31 December 2023
As the church's trustses you are reswnsible for th8 preparation of the accounts. You consldei that tho audit
requirarnen18 of S8¢Uon 43{2) of the Charflies Act 1993 (the Act) as amended by s.28 of thè Gharities Act 2CKJ6
do not apply. Et Is my responslbllity to sts18 whether partl¢ular matters have come to my attention.
My axamination was carried out in ac£ordance with the Gen8ral Diffjctlms given by the Charities CcThml$$ion.
An examinatlon indudes a review of the accounting records kept by the Church and a ¢omparison of t
accounts pyesented wlh thos8 ￿ords. It also inciude$ considwation of any unusual Items or disclosure8 In the
accounts, and seeklng explanation from trustees conceming sudi matters.
The protsdures undertaken do not provide all the eMdenc& that would be required in an 8￿rt and consequenly I
do not express an audlt opinion on the view given in the accounts.
In connection ￿th my axamination, matter has come to my attentio
Imiich glves me reasonable cause to b&lieve ihat any makrial respect th& requirements to k8ep
accounting rewrds in accordance Section 41 01 the Act, as amended., to prepare ac¢ounts thich
accord wAth the accounting r¢cords and to comply with the accounting reqLNrements of the Act., have
be&n met or
To which. in my opinlon, attenuon should be drawn in order lo enable a propgr understanejing ol t
a¢c(Mnts to be reached.
Calvln Hanks

OAKRIDGE ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH CIO
CHARITY NUMBER 1197400
DETAILED TRADING AND PROFIT AND LOSS ACCOUNT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
2023
2022
Income
Offertories
Donalons
Hall hire
FundrnlTAng
GiftNd reclaim
Fot>d bank donation
Surplu5 on sale of
21,111
770
8.380
26,608
2,819
2.979
352
7.411
200
75,000
5.586
200
36.047
Cost of sale8
ResOU￿e material
Kitchen purchases
115,369
45
98
63
143
74
{143)
174)
GroBs profft
99.60%
35,904
99.94%
115,295
Exp•n98B
Staff penSIc￿ ¢0sts
Trairmng
Rates and water
Preaching expenses
Insuranc8
Lyhl and heat
Cleaning
Repalrs and malnlenance
Prfnting, postsge and siationery
Telep￿ne
Computer running cost8
Equipment purthased
Missionary support
Travelling expenses
Legal and prof fBes- allowable
Bank charges
Bad and doubthjl debts
CCLI Lkence
CBAdonation
BMS
Sundry expensès
Othèr dOna￿on￿
Sub5crfptlons
(345)
10
40
454
800
2,621
620
2,267
4.465
928
3.305
45
407
210
203
2.340
2,981
232
301
324
57
2,560
58
1.520
8,319
141
400
778
1.800
2,200
247
880
231
720
1.800
2,200
2,428
226
129,648)
134,02n
SurpluslDèll¢lt
6.258
81,268
Otherlncomo
Bank l.itere5t received
8.787
770

OAKRIDGE ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH CIO
CHARITY NUMBER 1197400
DEfAILED TRADING AND PROFIT AND LOSS ACCOUNT (CONTINUED)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
N•t D•flclVSurplus for the year
41.73%
15.043
71.11%
82.038

OAKRIDGE ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH CIO
CHARITY NUMBER 1197400
BALANCE SHEET
AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2023
2023
2022
Notss
Currgnt assets
Other debtors
CurrentAccounl
BaP￿St Union deposlt
400
19,625
665.550
16.281
884,337
700.618
685,575
Net current ass•ts
700,618
685.575
Capital ac¢ount
At 1 January 2023
8urpluslDefidt
685,575
15,043
603,537
82,038
700,618
685,575

OAKRIDGE ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH CIO
CHARITY NUMBER 1197400
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
Tanglble Ilx•d assets
Flxtur¢s,
fittlng$ &
equlpment
Cost
At 1 January 2023 & at 31 December 2023
88,963
Deprnclatlon
At l January 2023 & at 31 Decemb&r 2023
68,963
Not book value
At 31 December 2023

CHARITY COMMISSION
FOR ENGLAND ANO WALES
Oakrldgo Baptlst Church CIO
11B740
Receipts and payments accounts
CC16a
For th• yrlod
Irom
0110112023
3111212023
To
Section A Receipts and payment
Unrestri¢ted
lund8
Restrtcted
lund•
Endowmpnt
funds
Total fund8
Lasty•¥r
thè noaTr•¢£ toth8 n￿r••t£
to the neJmt£
ts1thg npar8•t£
Al R9¢01
Off6rtoAes
RoDm Hlre
Donation8
Furkl Raising
899
270
125
770
GrftAld r￿l￿rn
44.134
5.410
A2 Ass•t and Invoth•nt sales.
19•• tsblel.
Suè total
4V34
5NIO
A3Pa
mgnts
Tminl
PreacEu
Insura￿Le
Light Hèat
aeani
800
2,621
120
2.621
6.860
1911
4,3
232
301
324
prfn￿n
232
301
324
13
uter
M￿S1￿￿Y5U
Travd
Leg8[ srKI Profe5slor
Bad debt
CCLI
CBAdoTrahL
BMS dcn*
Otherth)natiCm5
Subscri bon$
Swdry
l560
390
1,520
1.520
40D
77
1,800
451
22
880
231
390
231
Sub total
29.791
29,791
16F5
A4 Assot and Inve$tm¢nt
urcha$￿.
see t¥bIe
Sub total
29.791
29,791
hlet of rncdpts/(paymentsJ
A5 Transfers bgtWOgn funds
Afj Ca•h funds lastyearwd
Cash funds thls yearend
15.IM3
14043
15
16.043
2.525
CCXX R1 occounts ISSI
0610412024

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the perio
Unrestri¢ted
R•strict
funds
funds
to nvaro8t£
Enoowmèni
fund8
D&knll
tr*
to noWWt£
B1 Ca8h fundB
BO￿$1 Un￿n
684,337
665,SJO
rob8nk
16,181
19,62S
Total cash funds
7LN),618
680,17J
Unro8tri¢t•d
fund•
to £
R￿trf¢thd
lund8
¢0 n•arost É
Endowment
fund8
to m•ar8•t£
O•t8lla
B2 Other monetsry a88ets
F￿d towthlch
•Biet bolon
CuThentvalu•
n•
Dgtal
CoJtl0pllonall
B3 Inv•8tmont as80ts
Fundto whlch
c￿￿•￿1 ¥alue
on41
Detal
G￿tIO￿all
B4 As8•ts retain•d for the
charws own u
Fund towhkh
r•lat05
Amountth¢
ona
When du•
om
#tails
B5 Llablllties
Total a8B•ts Iw8 Ilabllitles
),818
080575
D1 Capltal account
OrAnlng
680.5TS
AsBel¥
Surtlu8 fcf y
15,043
2,525
71VJ,618
665,575
CCXX R2 a¢￿Un￿(sSl

by cffje orts￿ trustees on
hay of al Ihe trust
Data of
ro
SpJnature
Prfnt Namo
ison Irwin
CCXX R3 accounts ISSI