## **INGAWAY CHURCH BASILDON** ## **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT** ## **and** ## **UNAUDITED ACCOUNTS** ## **for the period ending 31 March 2025** Registered charity name: **Ingaway Evangelical Church** Registered charity number: **1199066** ## **BACKGROUND** The Charity was registered with the Charity Commission on 24 May 2022. This is the third Annual Report of the Trustees. ## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES** The object of the Church charity is to advance the Christian faith as set out in the Constitution dated 10 January 2022. The Trustees acknowledge the requirement to demonstrate clearly that the charity’s purposes or aims are for the public benefit. This report sets out how the charity has achieved this. The Trustees confirm that they have paid due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit before deciding what activities the charity should undertake. 1 Public benefit was primarily delivered through worship services, prayer, pastoral care, Bible study, a Coffee Club and partnership working. The Trustees are extremely grateful to those who have freely and willingly given their time, energy and expertise to a range of work and activities in support of the Church’s objective. ## **ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE** ## Worship Services Worship was one of the main activities for the Church in delivering a benefit to the public, and this took place every Sunday at 10.30am. It was prayer and Biblebased. The Elders developed teaching programmes on a range of Bible-based topics which acted as a focus for the choice of Bible readings, sermons and prayer throughout the year. Worship services were led in the main by Elders and, from time-to-time, by guest speakers. This arrangement provided a wide range of experience and knowledge for worshippers to draw on. All services took place in the church building. The arrangement continued throughout the period of the report for worship services on the first Sunday of each month to have a specific focus for children, as well as content for all other age groups. Additionally, on the third Sunday of each month, our worship services continued to contain more hymns and a shorter sermon. The aim of these arrangements was to broaden the appeal of our worship services to as wide a range of people as possible. We usually included Communion in our worship twice each month, on the second and last Sundays, although sometimes this varied, for example to accommodate a visiting speaker. Special events during the reporting period included an annual summer ‘Brunch’ service which was well attended by people who did not ordinarily come to church, a Harvest Festival and Supper in mid-October 2024, and a New Year Party in early 2025 where people were invited to bring and share food with one another. By comparison with the previous year, attendances at Sunday worship services remained stable at an average of around 16 adults. Similarly, the average number of children attending remained stable, although the numbers remained low. 2 ## Bible Study Bible study took place weekly on Thursday evenings and usually focused on the main Bible reading from the previous Sunday’s worship service. In September 2024, we trialled a new format for these meetings by introducing a time of prayer and reducing the time of study. The trial was successful, and the new format became a permanent arrangement. Having previously taken place in the church building, Bible study meetings were held online from April 2023 to encourage more people to take part. The online arrangement continued throughout the period of the reporting year. ## Coffee Club The Church hosts a Coffee Club on Friday mornings. The Coffee Club is managed and led by the two Deacons. A number of those who came to the Coffee Club were not regular worshippers, so it formed an important part of the Church’s outreach. ## Meetings The Trustees met on six occasions during the year, one of which was specifically for the purpose of reviewing church policies and conducting a financial review. New policies on External Speakers and Social Media were discussed, agreed and implemented. At all these meetings, risk management was a standing agenda item. Arrangements to transfer the property (church building) to the CIO were completed on 9 July 2024. The transfer has helped to streamline the charity’s governance arrangements. A firm of Solicitors oversaw the necessary work on behalf of the Trustees. Three Church Business Meetings were held during the year. To encourage as many as possible to attend, meetings were held immediately following worship services. These meetings were led by the Trustees for the purpose of providing information to anyone with an interest in the life of the Church. Some of the information provided included an overview of the Church’s financial position, an update on governance arrangements, news about worship services and events, and plans for maintenance and improvement of the church building. 3 ## Mission and Vision A Mission and Vision Statement was agreed in April 2023 and remains in place. The outcome of the work is being used to support our objective to advance the Christian faith for the public benefit. ## Partnership Working Ingaway Church supports the work of Churches Together in Basildon (CTB). Minutes of meetings are received and reviewed regularly. Members of the church took part in the annual CTB ‘Walk of Witness’ which took place on Good Friday. The charity benefited from three long-term lettings of the church building. Good relations were maintained with all three hirers. The lettings were to another Christian Church with a matching doctrine, a local Guide pack and a parent and toddler group. The Christian Church met on Sunday afternoons. Its worship services were conducted in the languages of Malayalam and English. The Trustees record their thanks for the cooperative relationship that has been established and are pleased to note the continuing strength of that Church. The local Guide pack met on Thursday evenings during school terms and provided activities for children in the age group 10 to 14. The parent and toddler group met on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings during school terms until July 2024 when ownership of the group changed hands. From September 2024, the group met on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings during school terms. ## Communications A website and Facebook page were maintained so as to provide the public with a broad range of information about the Church and the services it provides. Regular email communication was provided to those who requested it or who had consented to receive it. This included information about upcoming worship services, summaries of sermons and prayer requests. 4 ## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT** ## Governing Document Ingaway Evangelical Church (informally, Ingaway Church) is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) governed by Constitution (foundation model) dated 10 January 2022. The Charity was first registered on 24 May 2022. ## Recruitment and Appointment of Trustees The existing Trustees recruit and appoint any new or additional Trustees in accordance with the provisions set out in the Constitution dated 10 January 2022. ## Organisational Structure The Trustees are responsible for managing the Church charity and its finances. The Trustees meet at least four times each year to review all aspects of the Church’s purpose and operation. Risks, including financial risks, are reviewed as part of this process. Insurable risks are subject to the Church’s insurance policy. Risks relating to contracts are reviewed before contractual agreements are entered into in order to mitigate against any adverse impact on the Church’s operation or fulfilment of its purpose. ‘Church Business Meetings’ are held from time-to-time at the discretion of the Trustees for the purpose of providing information to any member of the public with an interest in the life of the Church. Typically, the Trustees may present a range of reports, including details relating to the accounts. ## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS** Charity name: **Ingaway Evangelical Church** Informal name: **Ingaway Church** Registered charity number: **1199066** Principal address: **55-61 Ingaway Basildon Essex SS16 5QP** 5 Trustees: **Graham Fry** Elder and Chair **Tracy Turner** Elder **Irene Ferguson** Deacon **Susan Fry** Deacon and Secretary ## **FINANCIAL REVIEW** The principal sources of funding during the year were from open collections at worship services, regular planned giving through the Gift Aid Scheme and income from lettings of the church building. Receipts increased by comparison with the financial statement for 2023-24, but payments increased significantly too. Some significant aspects of expenditure concerned the use of electricity, maintenance of the church building and the expenses of visiting speakers. Total income was almost £17,000 and there was a deficit of income over expenditure in excess of £5,000. As a relatively new charity, we continued to develop and implemented new policies and procedures towards improving our governance arrangements. There was no requirement for the accounts to audited. ## **DECLARATIONS** **The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.** **Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees:** **Signature:** _Graham Fry_ **Full name: GRAHAM ROBERT FRY** **Position: TRUSTEE** **Date: 21 October 2025** 6 Slatemenl of Accounts and Balance Sheel 2024125 - Ingaway Church 2024125 2023124 Recei Colleclions and Gift Aid OFen Cdlectms Gfft ￿id Grft Jjd Tax Retwn Sub4otal £ 1,627.09 £ 5,OM.10 £ 1.688.04 £ 8,33923 £ 1.703.82 £ 5.230.44 £ 2.044.11 £ 8.9T8.37 Other DOnatic￿ IF￿￿th. etc.) Church Hire Reserve Account Interest FuThY Raising (Qu¢ Nohti Intemet Hwe Sub-Total £ 706.33 £ 7,087.50 284.79 £ 265.C £ 5.215.CO 301.05 205.fK) 600.00 £ 8.658.62 £ 5.986.05 Total £ 16,997.05 £14,964.42 ments Running Costs Water R#es Insurnnce Electricty 76.84 £ 1.623.72 £ 2.863.67 £ 4.56423 £ 1.818.57 £ 3 014.34 £ 4,921.87 Don8ti(ffi to C.T.B. . Stsndffw Order tknn8ti(Y to C.T.B. - ￿￿ect 58.7 Donaticns in Pkmory of Da¥￿ McLean mainter￿nCe Isee AppeTrJicesl Copyrkjht Liw¢e F￿•￿￿3 & To*t Seat COmmun￿n Cups Christmas Tree Cleaning Refreshments Vi8ibng Mintsters Websrte Prov*Jer ChurthÈs Together in BaS￿n Subs AdM￿l$tra1￿>n Zocrfn Subscriptic Green Waste Bin SubscryJtKsn bj B.D.C. ML8celaneous (see AFveTrJKe¥l Digrtd PwrKJ Pur¢h8ge Sky Full Fibre 8roadbaTrJ Intemet $yb.Tothi £ 1,2CQ.C#J £ 1,2CKI.CQ 405.co 470.00 £ 10.445.93 237.00 £ 2.3K2.98 185.CIJ 32.49 57_76 92429 100.75 £ I,El)5.00 121.05 684.55 123.26 £ 1,4XI.C() 121.05 $0.15 155.88 143.88 923.05 178.97 525.CQ 693.87 £ 17,100.73 £ 7.732.93 Total £22,022.60 £12,297.16 Slalement of Accounts and Balance Sheet 2024125 - Ingaway Church Total Receipts12024r251 Total Payments 12024QS Deficit 12024125 IReceipts. Pay￿￿￿91 t16.997.B5 £22.022.60 -( 5.024.75 Total Receipt8120211241 £ 14,964.42 Total PayrnentsI202￿241 £ 12,297.16 Surplu$120221231 £ 1667.26 IRecepts. Pay[¥￿￿) Balances Current Account C￿ 2313124 £ 100.CKI ReSe￿e Account on 23rJr24 £21,602.39 Pelty Cash on 2313124 83.61 Totol £21.786.00 Current Account on 3113r25 £ 100.OD Reserve Account on 3113r25 £ 16.443.31 Pety Cash on 311Y25 217.94 Total £16,76125 2024rI5 Deficfjt 4 5,024.75 ndbce$ Maintenance Win(k)ws E￿¢triCal Work Footpaths Electric Heater Baptistry Heater Mi$cellaneov• D8vK1 M¢Lean's Wake Sanrtary B Brunch Skip Hire C8ndk$ Famly Room Item8 Total 302.80 125.28 41.95 275.OD 16.28 161.74 923.05 £ 4,400.00 £ 4,440.00 £ 1,450.00 119.95 35.98 £ 10,445.93