Burning Heart
CIO in England and Wales Registered Charity 1198771
Trustees’ Annual Report 2024 (for the period 1[st] January 2024 to 31[st] December 2024)
Section 1. Objectives and Activities
Objectives
The objects of Burning Heart, as laid out in its constitution are: the advancement of the Christian faith, particularly but not exclusively by, producing or distributing Christian literature including video or audio recording and other related media.
Burning Heart does also have a vision strapline, in line with these objects, which is: exploring God’s word through film
Activities
The Charity’s primary activity is the production of high-quality documentary-style film series exploring Biblical books or themes. These film series are available to all for free on our website, burningheart.org, and on various other platforms and channels.
In addition, we also run social media accounts on the main social media platforms and produce sundry other resources.
More details of our activities this year is given in the Review of the Year below in Section 2: Achievements .
Regard to Charity Commission Guidance
The Trustees have had regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit and believe all Burning Heart’s activities are in line with that guidance.
Section 2. Achievements and Performance
Review of the Year
2024 was an exciting year for us, with new films launching and in production, and big growth in reach and impact. Films in our main series have now been collectively watched over a million times, and we’ve seen real impacts in the lives of individuals and groups.
Films
A Message from God
We experimented with launching a ‘stand-alone’ film, A Message from God in January 2024. The vision was both to produce content on a key topic (what we believe about the Bible) that we felt worked best as a one-off film, and to enable us to release something in the long gaps between film series.
We were pleased with the quality of the film, which we felt continued to improve with this film. We were also delighted with the film’s reach, with over 55,000 online views in 2024, plus it being aired on GOD TV.
New Film Makers
In 2024 our working relationship with our existing filmmaker came to an amicable end, as he began to pursue new avenues of work. We decided to move from working primarily with an individual to working with a production company, Fruit Media, believing that that would enable us to continue to grow the quality of our films. We have been delighted with the outcome and believe that they have enabled us to step forward in many areas, and are producing excellent films for us.
Daniel
We launched a 5-part series on Daniel in September 2024, which has exceeded our hopes and expectations across the board. The new collaboration with Fruit Media enabled new film-making elements, particularly around the use of AI animation, and we were very pleased with the quality of both the content and production quality.
We were then excited to do a special partnership with the Bible App, with an exclusive pre-release on their App alongside promotion from them. That led to the series breaking all our viewership records. By the end of the year the series had over 400,0000 views in total and over 22,000 views of the whole series.
Stories Jesus Told
We received a key grant of £10,000 from The Jerusalem Trust , enabling us to launch a new project towards the end of the year. The project is a new series, Stories Jesus Told , looking at parables. The series will launch in waves over time, with 2 episodes launched in January 2025, two more in June 2025, and then individual episodes launched over time between our other main series. We believe this will build on the success of A Message from God in reducing the gap between series.
Again, the opening episodes of the series felt like a significant step forward for us, particularly in their use of dramatisations of the parables and using film to connect with the emotions of the parable. In the six weeks after launch the first two episodes were watched over 105,000 and 55,000 times respectively.
We also had another opportunity to partner with the Bible App to record one of their ‘Verse of the Day’ short videos. The viewing numbers hugely exceeded all our expectations, with c.5 million views.
Availability
As well as our website, all our films are available on a variety of other channels, including key partners the Bible App (also called the YouVersion ) and GOD TV. At the very end of 2023 we also started to partner with GLU, enabling us to have our own channel on a smart TV App available on all major TV platforms. Towards the end of 2024 we also began to partner with Revelation TV, and we continue to show films on TBN UK.
Feedback
Alongside viewing statistics, we have also had very encouraging feedback from partners and individuals about the quality and impact of our film series. Some examples of feedback received are: “Just watched first video of this new series!! And my heart BURNS within me!” and “Your films have been a game changer for me.”
Podcasts
Throughout 2024 we continued to partner with one of our Trustees, Chris Lee, on the podcast Come Read with me , featuring him and David Ingall. Average listenership was about 1,000 per episode.
Social Media
In 2024, we continued to build on the transformative growth of our social media in 2023. Claire Christian-Farman continued to manage our social media accounts. Under her guidance we managed to consolidate our social media growth from the previous year and continue to grow steadily and significantly throughout the year, almost doubling followers during 2024. Our main channels are YouTube (which does also have our main film series on it) and Instagram, but we also have a presence on TikTok, X and Facebook.
Section 3. Financial Review
Financial Review and position at year end
Burning Heart ended the year in a healthy financial position, with a growing base of both one-off and regular givers. £23,600 was held in cash funds at the year end, with only £100 held in restricted funds.
The vast majority of our spending over the course of a year is on the production of our film series (over 93% in 2024). While we seek to raise funds steadily throughout the year, it is then mainly spent in one or two bursts on a new series. That means that we often have comparatively high cash balances in our bank accounts at any one time, as we grow funds towards a new series.
At the end of 2024 we held sufficient funds to cover all our costs for H1 2025 and to enable production to start on episodes 3 and 4 of Stories Jesus Told (c.£16,000). The remainder represented c.15% of the funds required for our planned series on Genesis 1-3 (anticipated to cost c.£50,000).
The charity has not given any guarantees and has not provided its assets as security for any liabilities.
Accounts
A copy of the accounts, as approved unanimously by the Trustees at a meeting on 7[th] March 2025, with amendments approved unanimously on 18[th] July following the final report of our Independent Examiner, are appended to this report.
Reserves
Policy
The Trustees have a reserves policy, to ensure that sufficient reserves are held to meet anticipated future operating costs and financial commitments.
Reserves
The Trustees have determined that the charity should hold sufficient unrestricted cash to cover all financial commitments due in the following quarter, which for Q1 2024 came to £1,600.
At the year-end Burning Heart had £23,600 in reserves, so the trustees are complying with the reserves policy. While the level of reserves appears high in comparison to what is necessary under the reserves policy, the discrepancy is accounted for by the nature of our income and expenditure, as outlined above.
Funds Materially in Deficit
There were no funds materially in deficit on 31[st] December 2024
Uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern
The Trustees are not aware of any uncertainties or concerns about Burning Heart’s ability to continue to function as a going concern.
Source of funds
Burning Heart’s funds in 2024 have come through various sources, principally: donations from individuals (79%); grant funding (20%), including a grant of £10,000
towards production of Stories Jesus Told from The Jerusalem Trust ; and bank interest payments (1%).
We are extremely grateful to the charity Stewardship, and the international charity TrustBridge Global, with whom we have partner accounts. They have facilitated and enabled us to receive donations in a tax-efficient way both in the UK (through Stewardship) and internationally (through TrustBridge ). We also use PayPal for all donors wishing to give through a different platform.
Principal Risks facing the Charity
The principal financial risk facing the charity lies in our income from donations not being sufficient to cover the costs of future film series. This risk is minimised though by our policy of fundraising for the cost of a series before starting production – meaning that any shortfall in funds to make a series will simply lead to a delay in production starting and does not carry any financial risk.
Section 4. Structure, Governance and Management
Constitution
Burning Heart is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), governed by a Constitution.
Trustee Selection
New Trustees are appointed by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the Trustees. In appointing new Trustees, existing Trustees are required by the Charity Constitution to have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO.
Structure
The Trustees have delegated certain responsibilities to Rev’d David Ingall, who has been formally appointed as ‘Ministry Director and Secretary to the Trustees’ by the Trustees. In particular, he is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the Charity and for overseeing the production of the currently authorised film-series.
Safeguarding
We believe that safeguarding is a vital part of any charity’s organisation. Therefore, while we do minimal work with children or vulnerable adults, we have nevertheless sought to make safeguarding a priority. The Trustees have adopted a Safeguarding Policy, which is available to view on our website, and appointed Elizbeth Gallagher as our Safeguarding Officer. The Safeguarding Officer reports back to the Trustees at every meeting.
Trustees
The following were Trustees of Burning Heart through the whole of 2024:
Elizabeth Gallagher (Chair and Safeguarding Officer) Paul Nicholas (Treasurer) Esther Beckley* Chris Lee Jared Neusch* ** Alan Riley
*both Esther Beckley and Jared Neusch were re-appointed for a three-year term at a meeting of the Trustees on 1[st] March 2024)
** Subsequent to the year end, but prior to the final adoption of this report, Elizabeth Gallagher, Chris Lee and Jared Neusch stepped down as Trustees following the Trustees meeting on 7[th] March. All three expressed continued and ongoing support for Burning Heart and its ministry.
At the same meeting, Alan Riley was appointed by the Trustees as the new Chair of Trustees of the charity.
There are no corporate Trustees, and no Trustees hold title to property belonging to the charity.
Secretary to the Trustees: Rev’d. David Ingall
Section 4. Reference and Administrative Details
Charity Name
Burning Heart. The Charity is not known by any other names.
Charity Number
1198771 (CIO, England and Wales)
Charity’s Address
Burning Heart, International House, 64 Nile Street, London, N1 7SR
Other Contact Details
Email – hello@burningheart.org Website – burningheart.org
Section 5. Approval and Signatures
This annual report was presented and unanimously adopted by the Trustees at a meeting on 7[th] March 2025, with amendments approved unanimously on 18[th] July following the final report of our Independent Examiner.
.
Signed on behalf of the Charity’s Trustees:
A W Riley A W Riley (Aug 12, 2025 09:38:31 GMT+1)
Alan Riley (Chair of the Trustees) Aug 12, 2025
Paul Nicholas
Paul Nicholas (Aug 12, 2025 11:42:10 GMT+1)
Paul Nicholas (Trustee and Treasurer) Aug 12, 2025
Burning Heart CIO in England and Wales Registered Charity 1198771
Annual Accounts 2024 (for the period 1[st] January to 31[st] December 2024)
1198771
Burning Heart
Recei ts and a ments accounts p p y
CC16a
For the period 1st January 2024 31st December 2024 To from
Section A Receipts and payments
| Unrestricted funds |
Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds | Endowment funds |
Total funds | Last year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| to the nearest | £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | |||||
| A1 Receipts | ||||||||||
| Donations from Individuals | 40,208 | 179 | - | 40,387 | 44,159 | |||||
| Grants | 400 | 10,000 | - | 10,400 | 400 | |||||
| Bank Interest Payments | 575 | - | - | 575 | 448 | |||||
| Other | 5 | - | - | 5 | - | |||||
| - | - | - | - | - | ||||||
| - | - | - | - | - | ||||||
| - | - | - | - | - | ||||||
| - | - | - | - | - | ||||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) | 41,188 | 10,179 | - | 51,367 | 45,007 |
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) | 41,188 | 10,179 | - | 51,367 | 45,007 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A2 Asset and investment sales, | |||||||||||||
| (see table). | |||||||||||||
| - | - | - | - | ||||||||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||||||
| Sub total | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||||
| Total receipts | 41,188 | 10,179 | - | 51,367 | 45,007 | ||||||||
| A3 Payments | |||||||||||||
| Film-making | 46,281 | - | 10,155 | - | 56,436 | 24,449 | |||||||
| Podcasting | 861 | - | - | - | 861 | 760 | |||||||
| Website and Hosting | 738 | - | - | - | 738 | 361 | |||||||
| TV Distribution | - | - | - | - | - | 3,540 | |||||||
| Marketing | 1,339 | - | - | 1,339 | 496 | ||||||||
| CCX~~X R1 accounts (SS)~~ Office Costs |
118 | ~~1~~ |
- | - | 118 | ~~28/02/2~~025 394 |
| Fundraising | 104 | - - - |
- | - | 104 | 354 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bankingand insurance | 199 | - | - | 199 | 171 | ||||
| Accounts Examination | 576 | - | - | 576 | 390 | ||||
| Trustees' MeetingExpenses | 58 | - | - | 58 | 324 | ||||
| SafeguardingMembership | 145 | - | - | 145 | - | ||||
| Other | 5 | - | - | 5 | - | ||||
| Sub total | 50,423 | 10,155 | - | 60,578 | 31,239 |
| A4 Asset and investment | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| purchases, (see table) | ||||||||||||
| - | - | - | - | |||||||||
| - | - | - | - | |||||||||
| Sub total | - | - | - | - | - | |||||||
| Total payments | 50,423 | 10,155 | - | 60,578 | 31,239 | |||||||
| Net of receipts/(payments) | - | 9,235 | 24 | - | - | 9,211 | 13,768 | |||||
| A5 Transfers between funds | - | - | - | - | - | |||||||
| A6 Cash funds last year end | 32,732 | 80 | - | 32,812 | 19,044 | |||||||
| Cash funds this year end | 23,497 | 104 | - | 23,601 | 32,812 |
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| 2 Bank Accounts Details Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Details |
Unrestricted funds to nearest £ 23,497 - 23,497 OK Unrestricted funds to nearest £ |
Restricted funds to nearest £ 104 - 104 OK Restricted funds to nearest £ |
28/02/2025 Endowment funds to nearest £ - - - OK Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|---|---|---|---|
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
| B2 Other monetary assets | N/A | - | - | - | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Details | Fund to which asset belongs |
Cost (optional) | Current value (optional) |
|||||
| B3 Investment assets | N/A | - | - | |||||
| Details | Fund to which asset belongs |
Cost (optional) | Current value (optional) |
|||||
| B4 Assets retained for the | N/A | - | - | |||||
| charity’s own use | - | - | ||||||
| Fund to which | Amount due | When due | ||||||
| Details | liability relates | (optional) | (optional) | |||||
| B5 Liabilities | Fee for Independent Examination | General | - | |||||
| - | ||||||||
| Signed by one or two trustees on |
Signature | Name | Date of approval |
Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees
Signature
Print Name Date of approval Alan Riley Aug 12, 2025 Paul Nicholas Aug 12, 2025
A W Riley A W Riley (Aug 12, 2025 09:38:31 GMT+1) Paul Nicholas Paul Nicholas (Aug 12, 2025 11:42:10 GMT+1)
CCXX R3 accounts (SS)
28/02/2025
3
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT
TO THE TRUSTEES OF
BURNING HEART
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Burning Heart ('the charity') for the year ended 31 December 2024.
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 connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
-
accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 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.
J. Young (Aug 12, 2025 12:51:22 GMT+1)J. Young
Jaimée Young
Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage LONDON EC1Y 8AB
Date: Aug 12, 2025