2023-03-31-accounts - The Sussex Gospel Partnership

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 06922053-2CA5-45E8-920C-73D5DF43CD3C

Trustees' Annual Report for the period

	Period start date			Period end date	Period end date
	Day Month	Year		Day	Month	Year
From	14 01	2022	To	31	3	2023

Section A Reference and administration details

Charity name Sussex Gospel Partnership

Other names charity is known by Registered charity number (if any) 1197506 Charity's principal address

14 Pasture Hill Road Haywards Heath West Sussex Postcode RH16 1LX

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole period
Jonathan Noel Alan Hobbs
Mark Jonathan Ventham		Resigned 8 June 2022
RoryGraham
Thomas Iain Robson		Resigned 8 June 2022
Mark David Redhouse	Chairman
Roger James Barden
Adam John Thrift
Samual Nicholas Cato Carter		Appointed 14 Sep 2022
James Russel Knowles		Appointed 14 Sep 2022

TAR

DocuSign Envelope ID: 06922053-2CA5-45E8-920C-73D5DF43CD3C

Section B Structure, governance and management

Description of the charity’s trusts

Type of governing document CIO constitution

(eg. trust deed, constitution)

How the charity is constituted Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) (eg. trust, association, company)

Trustee selection methods

New Trustees are elected from the charity’s Steering Group by resolution of the (eg. appointed by, elected by) Trustees for the time being

Additional governance issues (Optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant, about:

policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees;
the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works;

The charity also operates in accordance with its Foundation Document.

The organisational structure consists of a Steering Group that provides strategic leadership and exercises operational oversight of the Partnership plus a number of Geographical Cluster Groups and Operational Task Groups that report via their Chairmen to the Steering Group. The Steering Group is appointed at an Annual General Meeting of the Partnership and normally consists of the Trustees plus a full-time Director who is an ex-officio member of the Steering Group. The Partnership is served by a small staff team comprising a full-time Director, parttime Administrator and part-time Associate Trainer. Church leaders and others from the Partnership churches serve voluntarily as Trustees/Steering Group members and on the Operational Task Groups.

relationship with any related parties;
trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them.

Section C Objectives and activities

Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document

To advance the Christian faith in accordance with the charity’s Statement of Beliefs in Sussex and in such other parts of the United Kingdom or the world as the Trustees may from time to time think fit by means of the establishment of a partnership of Bible-centred churches in Sussex working together to train Christian leaders to strengthen and plant churches and to advance the gospel of Jesus Christ and to fulfil such other purposes which are exclusively charitable according to the law of England and Wales and are connected with the charitable work of the trust.

TAR

DocuSign Envelope ID: 06922053-2CA5-45E8-920C-73D5DF43CD3C

The Sussex Gospel Partnership (SGP) seeks to provide training, advice and support to existing local churches and their leaders; and to promote and support the foundation of new churches. The aim is that local churches (old and new) should be better equipped to help their members live out their Christian faith in word and deed in the context of their families, workplaces, churches and local communities. In planning the activities of the charity, the trustees have had regard to the charity commission’s guidance on public benefit, in particular the guidance for charities for the advancement of religion.

In particular, the SGP runs one and two-year, part-time Bible Training Courses in Haywards Heath and other locations in Sussex. A wide range of men and Summary of the main women of all ages from a large number of churches in East and West Sussex activities undertaken for the and neighbouring counties enrol on these courses. Through these courses participants are taught the Bible and equipped to live out their Christian faith in public benefit in relation to their churches and local communities. Many individuals who attend the courses these objects (include within have their fees paid by their local church; the SGP also operates a welfare fund this section the statutory which is used to provide subsidies to those who might otherwise be denied declaration that trustees have access to the courses through lack of funds. The courses are open to all those had regard to the guidance who are in sympathy with the evangelical ethos of the training on offer. issued by the Charity Commission on public The SGP also arranges other specific Christian ministry training events with a benefit) similar aim, particularly in relation to Christian children’s and youthwork, evangelism and training of Church leaders. The SGP also helps churches to work together in evangelism, encouraging and equipping Christians to share their beliefs with others in an engaging but non-coercive manner. The SGP promotes ministry training placements in local churches and provides bursaries to support trainees financially. These training placements enable individuals to gain experience of serving in the local church in Bible teaching and practical ministry; and test their aptitude and desire for different sorts of Christian ministry.

Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)

You may choose to include further statements, where relevant, about:

policy on grantmaking;
policy programme related investment;
contribution made by volunteers.

TAR

DocuSign Envelope ID: 06922053-2CA5-45E8-920C-73D5DF43CD3C

Section D Achievements and performance

During the period covered by this report, the life and work of the Sussex Gospel Summary of the main Partnership continued to be impacted by the aftermath of the COVID-19 global achievements of the charity pandemic. In particular, it was recognised by the Steering Group that many church during the year leaders were weary and to varying degrees downhearted by the ministry challenges created by the pandemic and the leadership burden they had carried. With this in mind, the Trustees planned a restful and restorative 24-hour retreat entitled ‘Refresh’ for SGP ministers at Ashburnham Place near Battle. The aim of the retreat was to provide encouragement and restoration through fellowship together and listening to the preaching of God’s Word; as well as to strengthen relationships after a period of isolation. The event went ahead in May with excellent expository ministry from Christopher Ash. The event was so well received that the Steering Group resolved to make this sort of event an annual fixture. A similar event for ministers’ wives was run in October, proving to be an equally well-received event by the women who attended. It is envisaged that this too will become and annual event. The Sussex Ministry Training Course (SMTC), the Saturday Morning Bible Training Courses (SMBTC) and the fortnightly Study Group continued to be run throughout the period covered by this report. For the midweek SMTC course that started in September 2022, numbers were lower than normal and it was not viable to run a second-year group. Other regional gospel partnerships across the UK have seen a similar drop off in numbers in the wake of the pandemic. However, the Saturday Course that started in Eastbourne, also in September 2022, was oversubscribed, with around 45 people enrolling; and good numbers were maintained on the Hove-based course that continued with its second and final year. It was an unusual feature of the period covered by this report that there were no applications for Ministry Training Bursaries. Once again, this is most likely due to the effects of the pandemic. It has not been a good time for churches to plan new initiatives. At the Autumn 2022 Partnership Meeting a refreshed vision for the Partnership was presented and feedback invited which has helpfully refined the statement of vision and purpose. A few weeks later, our Annual Conference was a sell-out event. Andrew Bunt from Living Out was an excellent main speaker at the conference which was attended by over 300 adults plus around 70 children. The conference addressed the theme of identity, especially in relation to issues of human sexuality and gender identity. In the Spring 2023, Partnership Meeting, the theme was ‘Transforming Leadership’ with a focus was on the Bible book of Titus and ministry themes arising from this part of Scripture. This was part of a plan to work through Titus in the course of 2023 at the main ministers’ gatherings. In addition to the above, Partnership Training Days were run in the Summer term of 2022 and the Spring term of 2023. The first of these was a book-in-a-day event which was particularly well-attended. This is an indication of the appetite for events that help believers to get to grips with particular Bible books. The SGP’s Director, Nick McQuaker continued to give an average of one day per week to a UK-wide role as Development Officer for the Regional Gospel Partnerships (RGPs). His work has led to the formation of two new RGPs, one in England and one in Scotland and the relaunch of at least one dormant RGP. In respect of Nick McQuaker’s wider role, the SGP is receiving appropriate financial contributions from a number of the other RGPs. The Trustees are grateful to the Lord for his sustaining of the Sussex-based ministry of the SGP in the wake of the pandemic; and for the opportunity to serve the advance of the gospel across the UK through Nick’s work in his national role.

TAR

DocuSign Envelope ID: 06922053-2CA5-45E8-920C-73D5DF43CD3C

Section E Financial review

Brief statement of the The charity’s policy is to hold in reserve, as a minimum, sufficient funds to pay charity’s policy on reserves three months of staff employment costs (currently £18,000).

Details of any funds materially in deficit

Further financial review details (Optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant about:

the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising);

The charity’s main sources of funding are:

donations from the Churches which are Partners of the Partnership
donations from Individual Partners
grants or donations from Charitable Trusts and Individual Supporters
• fees charged for the training courses and other events
how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity;
investment policy and objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted.

Section F Other optional information

The predecessor to this charity was a Charitable Trust (Registered Charity Number 1121873) of the same name. The Trustees of the predecessor charity resolved that the interests of the Sussex Gospel Partnership would be better served by a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) which is a corporate form of business that only became available to charities in 2013 (the SGP was formed in 2006). A new CIO of the same name (this charity) was registered with the Charity Commission of England and Wales in January of 2022, assigned the charity number 1197506. The trustees of the predecessor charity were appointed as the first trustees of the new CIO.

As of 31 March 2022, all employees of the predecessor charity together with its financial reserves, assets and liabilities were transferred to the new CIO (this charity). At that date, all the ministry and activities of the Sussex Gospel Partnership became the responsibility of the new CIO.

Section G Declaration

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s) Full name(s) Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Date
	Mark Redhouse	Jonathan Hobbs
	Chairman	Trustee
	31 December 2023
	31 December 2023

TAR

DocuSign Envelope ID: 06922053-2CA5-45E8-920C-73D5DF43CD3C

CC16a

Charity Name The Sussex Gospel Partnership (CIO)	Charity Name The Sussex Gospel Partnership (CIO)	Charity Name The Sussex Gospel Partnership (CIO)	No (if any) 119750
Receipts andpayments accounts
For the period from	14-Jan-22 Period start date	To	Period end date 31-Mar-23

Section A Receipts and payments

A1 Receipts	Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ 47,435 32,528 23,168 34,784 0 0 729 138,645 0 138,645 38,540 7,144 19,700 0 0 2,533	Restricted funds (FTW) to the nearest £ note 2 4,425 0 0 12,410 0 0 16,835 0 16,835 39,731 0 0 0 0 1,132	Restricted funds (RGP) to the nearest £ note 3 0 0 0 0 2,123 0 2,123 0 0 0 2,123 0 0 0 0 2,329 0	Total funds to the nearest £	Total funds to the nearest £
Transfer from old charity (note 1)	47,435			47,435
Church Donations (note 4)	32,528			36,953
Individual and Trust Donations	23,168			23,168
Course and event income (note 5)	34,784			34,784
RGP Dev Officer Donations(note 6)	0			12,410
RGP Fund Income(note 3)	0			2,123
Other income	729			729
*Sub total*(Gross income for AR)	138,645			157,603	0
				0 0 0
A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table).


*Sub total*	0
*Total receipts* A3 Payments
				157,603
				78,271 7,144 19,700 0 2,329 3,666
Staff Costs(note 7)	38,540
Administration & Publicity	7,144
Course and event costs	19,700
TrainingBursaries	0
RGP Fund Expenditure(Note 8)	0
Other expenses	2,533


*Sub total*	67,917	40,863	2,329	111,109

A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table)
	0
	0
*Sub total*	0
*Total payments* *Net of receipts/(payments)* A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end *Cash funds this year end*


	70,727
	-24,028

	46,699

29/12/2023

CCXX R1 accounts (SS)

DocuSign Envelope ID: 06922053-2CA5-45E8-920C-73D5DF43CD3C

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period

----- Start of picture text -----
Unrestricted Restricted Restricted
Categories Details funds funds (FTW) funds (RGP)
to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £
B1 Cash funds Cash at Bank 46,699 0 -206
Petty Cash 0 0 0
0 0 0
Total cash funds 46,699 0 -206
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s)) OK OK OK
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment
funds funds funds
Details to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £
B2 Other monetary assets 0 0 0
Fund to which Current value
Details asset belongs Cost (optional) (optional)
B3 Investment assets 0 0 0
Fund to which Current value
Details asset belongs Cost (optional) (optional)
B4 Assets retained for the 0 0 0
charity’s own use
Fund to which Amount due When due
Details liability relates (optional) (optional)
B5 Liabilities 0 0
Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of
all the trustees Signature Print Name Date of approval
Mark Redhouse 31-Dec-23
Jonathan Hobbs 31-Dec-23
----- End of picture text -----

Notes to the Accounts of The Sussex Gospel Partnership

1 These accounts are the first accounts for a new Sussex Gospel Partnership (SGP) Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) which was registered in January 2022. At 1 April 2022, the entire cash funds (£47,435) held by the previous Sussex Gospel Partnership charity were transferred to the new CIO. These funds are shown as received funds in these accounts. There are no figures to show for the previous financial year in these accounts.
2 As with the previous charity, the CIO continues to receive some donations from churches which are designated for the employment of a Full-Time Worker (FTW) who is the Director of the Sussex Gospel Partnership. These donations are shown as restricted fund (FTW) receipts in these accounts.
3 The CIO organises an annual gathering and undertakes some other administrative activities for the benefit of the national network of Regional Gospel Partnerships. The CIO receives monies for this purpose from other Regional Gospel Partnerships. These receipts are shown as restricted fund (RGP) receipts in these accounts.
4 The CIO receives regular donations from churches belonging to the SGP which are termed ‘Partner Churches’ and occasionally from other churches in the region.
5 The SGP runs weekly and monthly Bible Training courses, training events for Church leaders and workers and holds an Annual Conference.
6 Since July 2020, the SGP's Director has been released to serve the Regional Gospel Partnerships (RGPs) nationally in the role of RGP Development Officer , giving around one day per week to this role. In the period covered by these accounts, a number of the RGPs made donations to the SGP amounting to £12410 to support this ministry financially. These donations are shown as restricted fund (FTW) receipts in these accounts as they are given to fund a proportion of the employment costs of the SGP’s Full-time Director who is released for this wider ministry.
7 The payments from the Restricted Funds (FTW) are for the employment costs (excluding payments to HMRC) of the Director; those from the Unrestricted Funds are for all other staff costs, including payments to HMRC and the costs of a part-time Administrator and part-time Associate Trainer.
8 The CIO organises an annual gathering and undertakes some other administrative activities for the benefit of the national network of Regional Gospel Partnerships. Expenditure on these activities is shown as expenditure from the restricted fund (RGP).

29/12/2023

CCXX R2 accounts (SS)

The Sussex Gospel Partnership CIO

Year Ended 31[st] March 2023

Report of the Independent Examiner to The Sussex Gospel Partnership CIO

I report on the accounts of The Sussex Gospel Partnership CIO for the year ended 31 March 2023 which are set out on the attached pages.

Respective responsibilities of trustee and examiner

The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements. The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to:

Examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act;
to follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and
to state whether particular matters have come to attention.

Basis of independent examiner's report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items disclosed in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as Trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts provide a "true and fair view" and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

Independent examiner's statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

(1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:

to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities act 2011; and
to prepare financial statements which accord with the accounting records and to comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act 2011

have not been met: or

(2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

			Date: 4th
			December
Signed:			2023
Name:	Amy Beecroft
Relevant	professional qualification or body:	FCA
Address:	19 Newton Road
	Lindfield
	RH16
	2NB