**Trustees’ Annual Report for the period From** 17/08/2022 **Period start date To** 30/11/2023 **Period end date**
**Charity name:** Penhill Community Church **Charity registration number:** 1200098
## **Objectives and Activities**
## **Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document**
The objects of Penhill Community Church is the advancement of the Christian faith in accordance with the Basis of Faith, primarily, but not exclusively, within Swindon and the surrounding neighbourhood; and such other charitable purposes as shall, in the opinion of the charity Trustees, put into practice the Christian faith in accordance with the Basis of Faith.
## **Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts.**
- **Preaching** - the preaching of the Word of God and the teaching of the truths set out in the Doctrines mentioned in the Penhill Community Church Basis of Faith.
- **Worship** - regular meetings for worship, prayer, teaching, and fellowship; outreach to the locality of Penhill Swindon; and involvement in world mission.
- **Baptism** - the observance of the ordinance of Believer’s Baptism by immersion on personal confession of faith.
- **Communion** - the commemoration of the Lord’s death in the Breaking of Bread on the first day of the week in so far as circumstances allow.
- **Home Groups** - during the week the Church family meets in each others homes to study the bible, pray for each other.
- **Prayer meeting** - once a month we meet in the Church building to pray for each other and Penhill.
- **Lunch** - on the last Sunday of every month we have a family service and then stay to enjoy lunch together.
- **Outreach Parties** - whether it’s Christmas, Easter or just great weather we love hosting our neighbours in the community with food and games.
- **Little Lights** - a toddler group that runs every Thursday morning from 9:30-11am at the Penhill Community Church for any preschool child together with their mum, dad, granny or carer.
- **Exit** - Exit is a group hosted by Penhill Community Church for anyone from any walk of life, who admits they have a problem & want to address it with people who care, in a safe space. You no longer have to struggle alone. Countless people through the ages have come to find freedom in Jesus Christ.
## **Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit**
The trustees have had due regard to the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit when planning and delivering the charity’s activities. The trustees believe that the church’s work, which includes regular worship services, pastoral care, community outreach, and charitable support, provides significant benefit to the public in accordance with its charitable objectives.
## **Achievements and Performance**
## **Summary of Main Achievements**
During the past year, the church has successfully launched and maintained several initiatives that have made a significant difference in both introducing people to the Christian faith and supporting the Penhill community in social and practical ways.
- **Carol Services at the Deers Leap Pub** : By hosting carol services at a local pub, the church provided an accessible and informal way for people who might not typically attend church services to engage with the Christian faith. This event brought together the local community, fostering relationships and a sense of togetherness during the Christmas season.
- **Toddler Group** : The church has run a popular Toddler Group every Thursday during term time. This has been an invaluable space for parents, carers, and young children to connect, offering support and friendship in a safe, welcoming environment. It has not only provided social interaction for the children but also served as a support network for parents, some of whom may feel isolated.
- **Bible Study for People with Life-Controlling Addictions** : The church offered a Bible study specifically designed for people struggling with life-controlling addictions. This program has provided spiritual guidance and encouragement to those in difficult circumstances, promoting both personal and spiritual transformation. This initiative has allowed participants to explore faith in a context that recognises their unique challenges while offering hope and community support.
- **Family and Children’s Events** : The church organised successful summer and Easter parties for families and children. These events were well-attended and provided an opportunity for families to engage with the church in a relaxed, fun atmosphere. Through these activities, the church was able to build stronger connections with the local community, introducing children and parents alike to the message of the Christian faith.
- **Partnerships with Charities** : The church worked alongside **Christians Against Poverty** and **Safe Families** to provide more targeted support to vulnerable individuals and families. Through these partnerships, the church has contributed to practical interventions, such as financial advice and family support services, helping to address critical needs within the community.
## **Impact on Beneficiaries**
These activities have made a tangible difference to the lives of many people in Penhill:
- **Carol services at the pub** created a space for both regulars and newcomers to experience the warmth of Christian worship in a familiar, comfortable setting.
- **The Toddler Group** has been a lifeline for many parents and carers, offering social support and a sense of belonging.
- **The Bible study for those with addictions** has provided spiritual and emotional support, helping individuals find community and purpose through their faith.
- **The family events** not only offered fun and engagement but also allowed families to connect with church leaders and volunteers, potentially planting seeds of faith.
- **Partnerships with charities** helped meet urgent needs, such as financial support and family care, making a lasting impact on some of the most vulnerable in the community.
## **Wider Benefits to Society**
Through all these activities, the church has played a vital role in promoting social cohesion and community resilience within Penhill. By offering support through both spiritual teaching and practical aid, the church has positively contributed to the community’s well-being, fostering a sense of togetherness and helping individuals grow both personally and spiritually.
## **Financial Review**
## **Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period**
At the end of the reporting period, Penhill Community Church was able to meet all its financial obligations and maintained a stable financial position. There was no significant deficit, and income exceeded expenses, ensuring a positive cash flow throughout the year.
Total income for this period amounted to **£39,432** , primarily from Church offerings and donations.
Expenditure for the year totalled **£29,638**
## **Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held**
In arriving at a reserves policy, the trustees want to reflect Biblical principles as well as ensuring that any policy meets the requirements of the Charity Commission.
The trustees understand the main biblical principles in this areas as:
- Not hoarding riches for their own sake as expounded in both Genesis Chapter 41 and Mathew 6:19-21 and of;
- Using those riches (either now or in the future) for the benefit of the Kingdom of God or;
- Storing some of them so as to ensure the future continuing activities of the charity.
The trustees acknowledge the requirement by the Charity Commission for a reserves policy and understand the importance of a reserves policy to help demonstrate good stewardship and financial management and to manage its reputation.
Penhill Community Church reserves policy seeks to draw on both the Biblical and Charity Commission guidance in this area.
Our general reserves policy is to retain sufficient reserves:
- To ensure that the charity has sufficient funds to meet its short to medium term financial commitments;
- To demonstrate that the charity is sustainable into the future;
- To ensure that the charity is able to manage future unforeseen financial difficulties;
- To ensure that excessive funds are not held without any identifiable reason or for any identifiable purpose.
This reserves policy relates only to the charity’s unrestricted funds. Restricted funds may be held in addition to be used for the restricted purpose for which they were given.
## **Structure, Governance and Management**
## **Governing Document and Structure of the Charity**
Penhill Community Church is governed by a Charity Constitution in line with the Charity Commission's model for Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIOs). The constitution outlines the church’s charitable purposes, rules for governance, and procedures for appointing trustees.
As a CIO, the church is a legally incorporated entity, which allows it to own property, enter into contracts, and act as a legal person in its own right. The trustees have limited liability, which ensures they are protected while maintaining accountability for the church’s charitable activities.
The church’s trustees are appointed by resolution at properly convened trustee meetings, as stipulated in the constitution. In selecting individuals for appointment, the trustees assess the skills, knowledge, and experience necessary for the effective administration of the CIO, including expertise in areas such as finance, legal matters, and ministry oversight. Trustees are appointed with careful consideration to ensure the board is equipped to meet the governance needs of the charity.
## **Reference and Administrative details**
**Charity name:** Penhill Community Church
**Charity registration number:** 1200098
**Charity’s principal address:** Penhill Community Church, 173a Penhill Drive, Swindon, SN2 5DX
**Independent Examine:** Chris Vaughan Accountants, 195 Ermin Street, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN3 4NA
**Names of the charity trustees who served as a trustee in the reporting period** Rachel Pike, David Childs-Clarke (Chair), Nicholas Atkins, Jason O’Sullivan, Matthew Winbow, Hubrecht de Vos
## **Declarations**
**The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above. Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees**
**Signature**
**Full name** David Childs-Clarke **Position** Chair **, Date** 30th September 2024
Penhill Community Church CIO
Statement of Financial Activities for the Period 17 August 2022 to 30 November 2023
|Unrestricted
Restricted
fund
funds
Notes
£
£
**INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM**
Donations and legacies
32,521
3,761
Investment income
2
3,150
-
**Total**
35,671
3,761
**EXPENDITURE ON**
**Charitable activities**
Furtherance of the Christian faith
25,889
3,749
**NET INCOME**
9,782
12
**TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD**
9,782
12|Total
funds
£
36,282
3,150|
|---|---|
||39,432|
||29,638|
||9,794|
||9,794|
The notes form part of these financial statements
4
Penhill Community Church CIO
## Balance Sheet
## 30 November 2023
|Unrestricted
Restricted
fund
funds
Notes
£
£
**CURRENT ASSETS**
Debtors
5
-
516
Cash at bank
10,107
512
10,107
1,028
**CREDITORS**
Amounts falling due within one year
6
(325)
(1,016)
**NET CURRENT ASSETS**
9,782
12
**TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT**
**LIABILITIES**
9,782
12
**NET ASSETS**
9,782
12
**FUNDS**
8
Unrestricted funds
Restricted funds
**TOTAL FUNDS**|Total
funds
£
516
10,619
11,135
(1,341)
9,794
9,794
9,794
9,782
12
9,794|
|---|---|
The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the period ended 30 November 2023.
The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the period ended 30 November 2023 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.
The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for
- (a) ensuring that the charitable company keeps accounting records that comply with Sections 386 and 387 of the Companies Act 2006 and
- (b) preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company as at the end of each financial year and of its surplus or deficit for each financial year in accordance with the requirements of Sections 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the charitable company.
These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to charitable companies subject to the small companies regime.
The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on 4 October 2024 and were signed on its behalf by:
D Childs-Clarke - Trustee
The notes form part of these financial statements
5
Penhill Community Church CIO
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Period 17 August 2022 to 30 November 2023
## **1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES**
## **Basis of preparing the financial statements**
The financial statements of the charitable company, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Companies Act 2006. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.
## **Income**
All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.
## **Expenditure**
Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.
Grants offered subject to conditions which have not been met at the year end date are noted as a commitment but not accrued as expenditure.
## **Taxation**
The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.
## **Fund accounting**
Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.
Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.
Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.
## **Hire purchase and leasing commitments**
Rentals paid under operating leases are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities on a straight line basis over the period of the lease.
## **2. INVESTMENT INCOME**
Rents received
£ 3,150
6
continued...
Penhill Community Church CIO
Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Period 17 August 2022 to 30 November 2023
## **3. NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)**
||Net income/(expenditure) is stated after charging/(crediting):||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||£|
||Other operating leases|||2,834|
|**4.**|**TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS**||||
||There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the period ended 30 November 2023.||||
||**Trustees' expenses**||||
||There were no trustees' expenses paid for the period ended 30 November 2023.||||
|**5.**|**DEBTORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR**||||
|||||£|
||Other debtors|||516|
|**6.**|**CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR**||||
|||||£|
||Bank loans and overdrafts (see note 7)|||1,016|
||Accruals and deferred income|||325|
|||||1,341|
|**7.**|**LOANS**||||
||An analysis of the maturity of loans is given below:||||
|||||£|
||Amounts falling due within one year on demand:||||
||Bank overdrafts|||1,016|
|**8.**|**MOVEMENT IN FUNDS**||||
|||Net|||
|||movement||At|
|||in funds||30.11.23|
|||£||£|
||**Unrestricted funds**||||
||General fund|9,782||9,782|
||**Restricted funds**||||
||Hubert & Rebecca de Vos - missions|500||500|
||Jo Price- short term mission|(500)||(500)|
||Caring Fund||12|12|
||||12|12|
||**TOTAL FUNDS**|9,794||9,794|
continued...
7
Penhill Community Church CIO
Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Period 17 August 2022 to 30 November 2023
## **8. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued**
Net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:
||Incoming|Resources|Movement|
|---|---|---|---|
||resources|expended|in funds|
||£|£|£|
|**Unrestricted funds**||||
|General fund|35,671|(25,889)|9,782|
|**Restricted funds**||||
|Hubert & Rebecca de Vos - missions|500|-|500|
|Jo Price- short term mission|3,231|(3,731)|(500)|
|Caring Fund|30|(18)|12|
||3,761|(3,749)|12|
|**TOTAL FUNDS**|39,432|(29,638)|9,794|
## **9. RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES**
There were no related party transactions for the period ended 30 November 2023.
## **10. RESTRICTED FUNDS**
The charity operates restricted funds as follows -
Hubert & Rebecca Fund
Funds received to support long term work conducted by Hubert and Rebecca de Vos acting as volunteers with the mission organisation WEC International.
Jo Price
Funds provided to support Jo Price's work as a volunteer with WEC International. Caring
Funds used to provide support, at the discretion of the trustees, for individuals undergoing hardship.
8
Penhill Community Church CIO
Detailed Statement of Financial Activities for the Period 17 August 2022 to 30 November 2023
£
|**INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS**
**Donations and legacies**
Donations
Grants
**Investment income**
Rents received
**Total incoming resources**
**EXPENDITURE**
**Charitable activities**
Wages
Rent
Water and sewage
Light and heat
Postage and stationery
Internet and webhosting
Sundries
Housekeeping
Waste management
Speakers' gifts
Worship and AV equipment
Outreaches
Repairs and renewals
Overseas missions
**Support costs**
**Management**
Administration
Total resources expended
**Net income**|27,423
8,859|
|---|---|
||36,282
3,150|
||39,432
8,248
2,834
771
4,541
531
365
383
981
334
100
231
1,132
3,808
5,331|
||29,590
48|
||29,638|
||9,794|
This page does not form part of the statutory financial statements
9
Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Penhill Community Church CIO
## **Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Penhill Community Church CIO ('the Company')**
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the period 17 August 2022 to 30 November 2023.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity's trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 ('the 2006 Act').
Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity's accounts as carried out under Section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 ('the 2011 Act'). In carrying out my examination I have followed the 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 matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:
1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by Section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or
3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of Section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
4. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities (applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)).
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Christopher Vaughan
Chris Vaughan Accountants 195 Ermin Street Swindon Wiltshire SN3 4NA
4 October 2024
3