2024-12-31-accounts

Churches Together in Milton Keynes Trust (A Charitable Incorporated Organisation)

TRUSTEES REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE PERIOD JANUARY 2024 – DECEMBER 2024

Charity No: 1200092

Churches Together in Milton Keynes Trust

FOR THE PERIOD JANUARY 2024 – DECEMBER 2024

CONTENTS

Pages

3	-	6	Report of the Trustees
7			Statement of Financial Activities
8			Balance Sheet
9			Independent Examiner’s report

Churches Together in Milton Keynes Trust

Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the period 1[st] January 2024 – 31[st] December 2024

Trustees:

Revd George Mwaura (Chair) Revd Timothy Norwood Revd Nathan Marlam Revd Pavle Trajkovski (From 01/07/2024)

Major Joanna Baker (Until 31/12/2024) Mrs Pauline Gray Revd Edson Dube Mrs Carol Wheatle (From 01/07/2024)

Office address: Church of Christ the Cornerstone. 300 Saxon Gate West Central Milton Keynes MK9 2ES

Principal Bankers: CAF Bank Ltd 25 Kings Hill Ave, Kings Hill, West Malling ME19 4JQ

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The Trustees present their report together with the financial statements of the charity for the period from 1[st] January 2024 – 31[st] December 2024. The trustees are listed above. The Churches Together in Milton Keynes Trust (CTMK) was registered as a CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation) in August 2022. The financial processes for the new charity started with effect from January 1[st] 2023

Purposes and Public Benefit

Following the establishment of the CIO, the purposes of the charity and its associated public benefit are now as articulated below:

To advance the Christian faith by drawing together Christian communities from Milton Keynes and surrounding areas to further the 'five marks of mission' (which have been adopted by the forum of Churches Together in England and which are set out in the schedule attached to the constitution) to the benefit of all those living within the borough of Milton Keynes and, through outreach programmes, beyond the borough.

Show God’s love to the Borough and City of Milton Keynes, Support each other as followers of Christ.

Additionally, as an ecumenical body, the charity is intrinsically concerned with the public benefits of reconciliation and the broad advancement of the Christian faith.

Organisation

The charity is a Foundation model CIO so has no members other than the trustees. Churches join in membership of the organisation but are not voting members of the charity.

An initial body of three trustees was created by the governing document. Three further trustees were added shortly after registration.

All trustees have been alerted to advice on the Charity Commission website regarding their roles. Recruitment procedures are in line with Charity Commission recommendations.

Review of the activities and future developments

The “Five Marks of Mission” are expressed as:

1. To proclaim the good news of the Kingdom

2. To teach, baptise and nurture new believers

3. To respond to human need by loving service

4. To seek to transform unjust structures of society 5. To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and to sustain the life of the earth.

These objectives generate public benefit through:

Initial Vision

The initial vision for the charity emerged from a listening exercise following the dissolution of the Milton Keynes Mission Partnership (MKMP) in early 2022. There was a desire to build on the successes of the former organisation, but also an awareness that any new organisation would need to be very different. There were four key principles which emerged from this:

• Focus on Mission: Mission should be the

• focus, rather than structures.

• Broader and More Diverse: There should not

• be a focus on the established denominations, but a breadth of involvement from the start.

• More Sustainable: The charity should not be dependent on external funding and should only spend what it can raise.

• Locally led: The ownership of vision, strategy and policy should sit very firmly with local people, although the advice and encouragement of denominations would be appreciated.

Ann Harris continues to be the sole employee of the charity. Following a review of the post, the trustees agreed to change Ann's job title from Administrator to Development & Support Officer to reflect the additional skills she brings to the organisation. She continues to be the point of contact for churches and other Christian bodies in Milton Keynes who wish to advertise special services and events, and to be the contact point for organisations in the city who wish to connect with the Christian community. Ann coordinates the activities arranged by CTMK and fulfils the role of County Ecumenical Officer.

Events:

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity - January 2024. A program of five events, all at different venues, over the week – worship events, social justice workshop and a concert raising money for two local charities.

Prayer vigil for World Environment Day at the MK Rose in Campbell Park – June 2024

Hustings event in the run up to the General Election for the whole community, not just Christians – June 2024

Annual Civic Prayer Breakfast – June 2024. A meeting involving clergy along with representatives of Civic and Voluntary sectors.

Mission Priorities :

The vision was summarised with the following statement:

We are building a new organisation which will draw together Christian communities from Milton Keynes and surrounding areas to:

• Poverty - The Cost of Living Crisis

• Climate - Climate Crisis and Climate Justice

• Mental Health

• Racial Justice

• Refugees

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We encourage conversations and projects that have a positive impact in these areas. By playing a convening role, CTMK helps to bring together people and organisations with an interest in these areas and help build alliances and networks.

Connect church leaders gathering relaunch

CTMK have worked with the leader of the Connect church leaders group in Milton Keynes to relaunch the gathering during 2024. This group brings together church leaders from a wide number of denominations.

Membership

Our membership continues to grow and churches from a wide number of denominations are exploring membership with us, not just those described as mainstream. The trustees agreed to make the process of membership relational - which means building genuine relationships and commitment, rather than a simple sign up to join. This work has proved more time consuming and slower than expected and the trustees are making plans to sustain the organisation’s financial needs post December 2025.

Future wor k

In 2025 we aim to hold similar events to 2024, noting situations that arise where we can add value, such as 2024's Hustings event organised at short notice. We will continue to increase our membership. We will also look at the subjects raised by our member churches at our Annual Gathering in October 2024 (mental health, trauma recovery, children and young people).

Financial review

In order to be sustainable, it was important to ensure a continuing income stream which would match the costs of running the charity.

CTMKT received monies from the MKMP on its dissolution. The trustees were also assured that the larger LEPs would continue to pay to CTMKT as they had to MKMP. CTMK will provide the functions of an Intermediate Body - which is essential for LEPs to operate. This initial funding would ensure that the charity could operate for at least six months. Four of the large LEPS along with an Anglican/Baptist LEP supported CTMK in 2024. One of the LEPs withdrew support in 2024 but we are hopeful that they will rejoin during 2025.

Three denominations were approached for “transitional funding” which would enable the charity to build a sustainable funding model within three years. The Church of England Diocese of Oxford, the URC East Midlands Synod and the MK Methodist Circuit each agreed to contribute £2,000 per year for three years.

This would be enough to cover expenses during the period of initial growth and development. The trustees are very grateful for this support.

The trustees aim for the charity to be entirely supported

by local funding by the end of 2025. This should be possible if 37 churches contribute an average of £200 per year. Given the number of congregations in the area, this is realistic - but will require work by the trustees. It is expected that giving by individuals will also help balance any shortfall.. We are uncertain whether this will prove too optimistic and may need to apply for denominational funding for 2026. In addition, We will be applying for funding from the Baptist Home Mission next year.

We feel that we no longer need to rent office space at the Church of Christ the Cornerstone but will maintain the links necessary for it to remain the address of the organisation. This will reduce our expenditure by £2,000 per year. The development and support officer works mainly from home.

Salary policy

The trustees have decided that CTMKT will be a Living Wage Employer. This means that the organisation will need to pay at least the Real Living Wage as determined by the Living Wage Foundation. It is felt that this is important to do as commitment to social justice and the alleviation of poverty. Registration for the first year cost £79.20 but was viewed as an important action which helps raise the profile of the Real Living Wage.

Investment powers

The trustees have the power to make any investment they see fit in the same manner and subject to the same conditions as the trustees of a trust are permitted to do by the Trustee Act 2000.

Related parties

There were no related parties in the period covered by this report

Reserves policy and risk management

The charity maintains reserves of at least two months regular expenditure.

Statement of Trustees responsibilities

The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

The law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to: select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; following the methods and principles in the Charities SOFA, make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and

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prudent; state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements and prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business.

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial

statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the trust deed.

They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the charity and financial information included on the charity's website.

Signed Revd George Mwaura – Chair of Trustees Dr Adrian Prisk – Treasurer Date: 28[th] Feb 2025

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Signed Revd George Mwaura – Chair of Trustees Dr Adrian Prisk – Treasurer Date: 28[th] Feb 2025

Signed Revd George Mwaura – Chair of Trustees Dr Adrian Prisk – Treasurer Date: 28[th] Feb 2025

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