## **PRESTON BAPTIST CHURCH, PAIGNTON CHARITY NUMBER 1199476 TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT YEAR ENDED 31[st] DECEMBER 2024**
## **Aims and Purposes**
The principle aim of Preston Baptist Church, Paignton (the Church) is the advancement of the Christian faith in general and within our local area in particular. We are an open and accessible community that is committed to welcoming and assisting all who wish to worship and learn more about God. We offer spiritual help and support and find opportunities for service within the Church fellowship and local community. We support missionary and charitable works in the UK and various parts of the world.
## **Befriending**
Church members are encouraged to make a difference in our community by personally reaching out to family, friends, work colleagues and strangers, with the Christian message of reconciliation with God through a personal relationship with Jesus. This can be a costly thing to do in terms of time and energy, but has the potential to be hugely rewarding. The Church offers financial support to missions both at home in the UK and overseas, and to local community groups. Church members decide at the start of each financial year which mission organisations and community groups they want to support financially from ten per cent (10%) of our Church offerings and donations. In addition the Church will have other retiring offerings, giving special opportunity for members and friends of the Church to give to a particular cause. We also look to financially support members and friends of the Church and those in the community who are going through difficult times. To fund such gifts the Church takes up a special offering at our monthly Communion service and members are also invited to give to this Pastoral Fund as and when they are able.
## **Achievements**
The Church: meets together to worship God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit; prays regularly together and for folk within our community asking for prayer; explores the Christian faith together to learn and understand more and so grow in both personal and corporate faith; discerns and implements our vision; comes together to get to know and support each other; offers a friendly, warm and accepting welcome to the community; is a place of generosity offering free food and refreshments to the community plus a Food Club for those in need and suffering due to the cost of living crisis; has seen a large growth in our children’s work on a Sunday and at Messy Church, and other special children’s events; hosts regular community events offering children’s activities, free food, musical entertainment and the Christian message of love and fellowship; has formed various fellowship groups including Trinity Discipleship and Friends Together; has developed our grounds and Community Garden into productive areas of peace and beauty; offers a safe and welcoming environment for the hire of our halls for community events.
## **Activities**
The Church is open throughout the week to the community, and hosts a variety of activities for all ages, including Sunday Worship, Bible Study Groups, Baby & Toddler Group, Messy Church, Mummy & Me, Craft Group, Book Club, Men’s Breakfast Club, Ladies Alive friendship group, Food Club, and a Community Café offering free refreshments along with bi monthly Church Meetings, monthly Leaders Business & Worship Meetings, Holy Communion is observed once a month and weddings, baptisms, dedications and funerals are conducted on request. Our rooms are used regularly by a variety of community groups. Christian Festivals are celebrated and attended by many who do not normally worship with us. Our halls are used every weekday during term time by Preston Community Pre-School which operates as a separate charity and pays a commercial rent to the Church.
## **Messy Church**
This well received event reaches out to families with young children after school once a month. Crafts, games and activities are themed on a story form the Bible and parents are invited to take part. Following a brief act of worship, a hot meal is provided and we all eat as a family. The event is free and serviced by volunteers from within the Church. It is regularly attended by 30-40 people who greatly appreciate the time, space and facilities for families to enjoy doing creative things together in a Christian environment free from domestic pressures.
## **Community Garden**
This outreach is well used and provides pleasure to the community. Many of those who attend do not have their own gardens. The individual raised beds are appreciated in particular by people with mobility issues who would find it hard or impossible to garden at ground level. Since starting, this project is recognised as a success as it has become a meeting place where friendships are formed and loneliness avoided. The gardeners share a common interest and the garden provides a pleasant area to simply sit and relax. Produce from the Community Garden is enjoyed by the gardeners but also shared with other members of the Church and donated to members of the community.
## **Community Café / Food Club**
Our Community Café is open every Thursday for members of the community to come in and enjoy hot drinks, homemade cake and light lunches without charge. It has developed into a safe, secure and warm environment where new friendships have been created and former friendships renewed. It also offers an opportunity for the Church to interact, engage and support with the homeless and those members of the community experiencing loneliness. Our Food Club also opens every Thursday and operates in conjunction with the Community Café. The Food Club offers a wide and varied range of provisions and produce enabling those on low incomes access to fresh and healthy food at a substantially discounted price. We supply fresh vegetables, which in part are grown in a donated allotment tended by one of our members. We encourage the use of fresh provisions thereby encouraging a healthy, nutritious and sustainable diet.
## **Financial Accounts**
Our offerings increased over the previous year. The Church does not have an elected Treasurer but operates with a Finance Team headed up by one of the Church Leaders.
## **Reserves Policy**
The Trustees have a policy to maintain reserves of at least three months overhead expenditure.
## **Church Trustees**
To be eligible for election, Trustees must be Church members nominated by other members. Our Trustees are part of the Church Leadership Team. Each leader’s period of service is for a three year term, which may be extended for one further term, if nominated. Trustees can serve no longer than two terms before stepping down for at least a year. The Church Secretary is elected annually at the AGM and can serve for as many terms as the member decides. Trustees (Church Leadership Team) who served from 1st January to the date of this report were:
Minister:
Revd James Brown
Secretary:
Tina Ansell-Baker (annual appointment)
Treasurer: The Church does not have a Treasurer and operates with a Finance Team headed by one of the Trustees (Leadership Team)
Head of Finance Team: Pauline Baker
Leadership Team: Tina Ansell-Baker Pauline Baker Wendy Jeffs Geraldine Leigh
## **Administrative Information**
Preston Baptist Church, Paignton is situated at 62 Old Torquay Road, Preston, Paignton, Devon, TQ3 2RB.
Charity Registration Number 1199476
With effect from 1st October 2023 the Church transferred all of its assets and liabilities from an unincorporated charity Register Number 1133521 to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, Preston Baptist Church, Paignton CIO, Preston registered number 1199476.
## **Preston Baptist Church Charity Number 1199476 Receipts and Payments Account Year Ended 31 December 2024**
|**Income**
Offerings & Donations
Gift Aid
Wills Avenue Rent
Pre-School
Car Park
Hall & Church
Garden Café
Interest
Gift Day
Allotment
Other
**Expenses**
Stipend & Pension Costs
Travel
Manse Costs
Visiting Speakers
Youth & Children
Toddlers
New Wine
Resources & Outreach
Mission (UK & World) 10%
Music & Worship
Pastoral
Social Events & Catering
Preston Food Club
Office Costs
Advertising & Publicity
Conferences & Training
Repairs & Maintenance
Car Park
Lounge / Dry Rot
Waste Disposal
Caretaking
Caretaker Supplies
Wills Avenue Costs
Wills Avenue Maintenance
Church Insurance
Church Heat & Light
Telephone
Garden Café
Community Garden
Allotment
Water
Subs to Organisations
Finance Costs
Professional Fees
Memorial Loan
PA
Other Expenses
**Surplus / Deficit**|Unrestricted
Restricted
Total
64,425
22,878
87,303
27,293
-
27,293
8,750
-
8,750
17,051
-
17,051
1,596
-
1,596
2,346
-
2,346
712
-
712
2,082
-
2,082
2,967
-
2,967
61
-
61
3,282
-
3,282
130,565
22,878
153,443
30,901
-
30,901
50
-
50
3,777
-
3,777
495
-
495
367
-
367
150
-
150
1,153
-
1,153
1,932
-
1,932
13,313
4,935
18,248
1,541
-
1,541
-
2,068
2,068
231
-
231
-
12,780
12,780
3,169
-
3,169
269
-
269
535
-
535
10,029
-
10,029
4,575
-
4,575
10,391
5,860
16,251
1,371
-
1,371
9,611
-
9,611
687
-
687
1,125
-
1,125
204
-
204
4,279
-
4,279
11,903
-
11,903
3,889
-
3,889
2,439
-
2,439
-
708
708
204
-
204
145
-
145
761
-
761
531
-
531
1,470
-
1,470
-
2,000
2,000
-
9,931
9,931
2,901
4,753
7,654
124,398
43,035
167,433
**6,167**
**20,157**
**-**
**13,990**
**-**
2024|Unrestricted
Restricted
Total
20,537
13,574
34,111
-
-
-
8,036
-
8,036
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
263
-
263
-
-
-
-
-
-
562
-
562
2023|
|---|---|---|
|||29,398
13,574
42,972
7,047
-
7,047
-
-
-
794
-
794
-
-
-
140
-
140
-
-
-
-
-
-
1,134
-
1,134
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
500
500
1,635
-
1,635
-
1,608
1,608
541
-
541
111
-
111
40
-
40
10,672
-
10,672
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2,957
-
2,957
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
570
-
570
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
111
-
111
662
-
662
-
-
-
-
-
-
167
4,420
4,587|
|||26,581
6,528
33,109
**2,817**
**7,046**
**9,863**|
## **Preston Baptist Church Charity Number 1199476 Receipts and Payments Account Year Ended 31 December 2024**
|||2024|||2023||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||Unrestricted|Restricted|Total|Unrestricted|Restricted|Total|
|Cash b/fwd|86,553|50,736|137,289|83,736|43,690|127,426|
|Cash c/fwd|_93,353_|_30,579_|_123,932_|_86,553_|_50,736_|_137,289_|
|Cash Funds|||||||
|CAF Old|1,003|||33,053|||
|CAF New|40,141|||17,271|||
|CAF Gold|82,215|||80,219|||
|Lloyds|573|||6,746|||
||**123,932**|||**137,289**|||
|Debtors|-|||2,633|||
|Other Assets|||||||
|Church - Insurance Value|2,400,000|||2,400,000|||
|Manse - Market Value|380,000|||380,000|||
|Investment Property - Market Value|165,000|||165,000|||
|Church Fittings & Equipment|150,000|||150,000|||
||_3,095,000_|||_3,095,000_|||
|Memorial Loan from SWBA|4,000|||6,000|||
## **Independent examiner's report on the accounts**
**Section A Independent Examiner’s Report**
## **Report to the trustees/ members of** Preston Baptist Church, Paignton
**On accounts for the year** 31 December 2024 **Charity no** 1199476 **ended (if any) Set out on pages** Standard Accounts Template
(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 period ended 31 December 2024.
- **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:** Nicholas Millard **Relevant professional** F.M.A.A.T. **qualification(s) or body (if any):**
**Date:** 01 / 08 / 2025
**Address:** 13 Hyde Road Paignton, Devon TQ4 5BW
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 disclose** .
2
**October 2018**
**IER**