**GORLESTON BAPTIST CHURCH** **ACCOUNTS** **YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025** ## **GORLESTON BAPTIST CHURCH** ## **ACCOUNTS** ## **YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025** |CONTENTS|PAGE| |---|---| |TRUSTEES REPORT|1-2| |INCOME & EXPENSE ACCOUNT|3| |BALANCE SHEET|4| |NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS|4-7| |ACCOUNTANTS REPORT|8| GORLESTON BAPTIST CHURCH – Registered Charity No. 1200438 Trustees’ Annual Report and Accounts For the year ended 31st March 2025 The trustees present their Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31st March 2025 ## **Trustees** The trustees serving throughout the year (and subsequently) were as follows: Rev Michael Flynn (Minister) Veronica Baldwin (Secretary) (resigned 22 May 2024) Rosemary Wones (Secretary) (appointed 22 May 2024) Christopher Evans (Treasurer) David Farrow (resigned 22 May 2024) Patricia Paine Patricia Slade Elizabeth Townson Polly Ward (resigned 21 May 2025) Eurel Gray-Read (appointed 21 May 2025) Tersee Daka (appointed 21 May 2025, resigned 12 September 2025) ## **Structure, Governance and Management** The Charity is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) governed by a Constitution as approved for Baptist Churches. Members of the Church are accepted in accordance with the constitution, which requires them to have expressed their faith in Jesus Christ by way of believers’ baptism, or transferred from another church tradition. The members Meeting normally takes place six times per year and has responsibility for the overall policy of the church. In accordance with the Constitution, the members appoint Trustees who are responsible for the day to day running of the church’s work and witness, and the financial and legal aspects of the charity. All members are encouraged to take an appropriate part in the spiritual and practical tasks involved in the furtherance of the charitable objectives. Relevant matters may be submitted to the Church meeting by the Trustees for guidance or may be raised by members in the Church meeting for further consideration by the Trustees. Though the Constitution permits decisions to be made at Church meetings by appropriate majorities, the Church seeks to work by consensus wherever possible. 1 ## **Objectives and Activities** The principal purpose of the charity is the advancement of the Christian faith according to the principles of the Baptist denomination to include the advancement of education, community service and such other general charitable purposes in such parts of the United Kingdom and the world as the Church shall determine. To achieve the principal objective, which is set out above, the Church provides a variety of activities both to its membership and to the community generally. The aim is to show the love of Jesus Christ in both word and deed and to bring people into a closer relationship with Him as living Lord. ## **Achievements and Performance** Numbers attending worship services during the year has generally been encouraging; and there has been a small increase in membership. We were thrilled to have two baptisms in the year. ‘Life groups’ were strengthened, and we ran ‘The Alpha Course’ over an 11-week period, which was well received. The Well ministry to those in need continued strongly through the year. This is where folk can ‘drop-in’ and receive a variety of support, including food and friendship, and some specialist signposting from time to time. Strategic work was undertaken to review and then plan for succession and continuity of the work as our long-standing volunteer Well manager, Liz Townson, retired from the role. We are grateful to her for the immense contribution and commitment, serving with skill and selflessness over a 25-year period. Her impact, together with the team of dedicated volunteers she had built up is enormous. We are delighted to affirm Liz’s ongoing work with the church, not least as a trustee. ## **Financial Review** We are grateful for the significant voluntary income received in the year, and this has enabled us to continue activities to a good standard. The incoming and outgoing resources are detailed in the accounts, together with a statement of assets held. During the year a new audio-visual system was installed, the significant cost being spread over a three-year period. ## **Reserves Policy** Trustees are mindful of the need to carry sufficient reserves to enable the church to function effectively and meet its obligations in the event of a decline in income or a major cost. The level of reserves is considered to be appropriate at this point in time. Signed: Rev Mike Flynn (Chair of trustees) Date: 10 November 2025 2 ## **GORLESTON BAPTIST CHURCH FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025** ## **GENERAL RECEIPTS AND PAYMENT ACCOUNT** |**RECEIPTS**
**NOTE**
Offerings
Donations and other income
2
Income tax recovered on gifts
Bank Interest
3
Manse Rent
Hall Hire
Raised for other causes
4
Asset/Equipment
Junior Church
The Well/Foodbank
Contact 2000 Well Utilities - rent
BMS Birthday
Other - Fish& Chips/Zoo
**TOTAL RECEIPTS**
**PAYMENTS**
Ministry
5
Mission
6
Upkeep of church premises
7
Administration
8
Amounts passed on to other causes
6
Junior Church
The Well/Foodbank
BMS Birthday
Sundry/Miscellaneous
9
**TOTAL PAYMENTS**
**NET RECEIPTS/(PAYMENTS) FOR YEAR**
**CASH BALANCE AT PREVIOUS YEAR END**
**CASH BALANCE AT CURRENT YEAR END**
**THE WELL**
**NOTE**
**RECEIPTS**
Donations
Foodbank/Pantry/Recycling
Norfolk F Grant
**TOTAL RECEIPTS**
**PAYMENTS**
Expenditure
**TOTAL PAYMENTS**
**NET RECEIPTS/(PAYMENTS) FOR YEAR**|**2025**
**2024**
£61,351.92
£54,144.10
£1,471.00
£677.89
£10,458.59
£8,714.31
£1,554.60
£1,553.61
£8,365.00
£7,108.00
£4,488.09
£6,102.00
£793.74
£1,036.20
£40.95
£55.00
£0.00
£0.00
£600.00
£1,655.00
£1,640.00
£1,200.00
£215.00
£188.00
(£99.75)
£20.00| |---|---| ||**£90,879.14**
**£82,454.11**| ||£40,742.90
£31,939.86
£21,102.41
£2,216.92
£24,786.59
£36,870.72
£4,669.02
£3,734.52
£890.74
£828.20
£224.05
£595.31
£600.00
£1,505.00
£264.15
£187.00
£21,061.08
£14,746.93| ||**£114,340.94 **
**£92,624.46**| ||**(£23,461.80)**
**(£10,170.35)**
**£107,110.93**
**£117,281.28**
**£83,649.13**
**£107,110.93**
**2025**
**2024**
£7,872.53
£8,957.48
£4,374.70
£3,993.05
£0.00
£2,000.00| ||**£12,247.23**
**£14,950.53**| ||£17,091.13
£19,754.98| ||**£17,091.13**
**£19,754.98**| ||**(£4,843.90)**
**(£4,804.45)**| ## **BANK AND CASH BALANCE B/FWD** 3 |As previously stated||£23,874.33|£32,299.10| |---|---|---|---| |Adjustment in relation to prior periods|10|£0.00|(£3,620.32)| |As restated||£23,874.33|£28,678.78| |**BANK AND CASH BALANCE C/FWD**||**£19,030.43**|**£23,874.33**| |**REPRESENTED BY:**|||| |Bank Balance||£18,805.96|£23,632.97| |Cash Balance||£224.47|£241.36| |||**£19,030.43**|**£23,874.33**| |**STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES AS AT 31 MARCH 2025**|||| |**ASSETS**|**NOTE**|**2025**|**2024**| |BANK AND OTHER CASH BALANCES|||| |Lloyds Business Account||£4,536.03|£29,552.43| |BUC Deposit Account||£79,113.10|£77,558.50| |**TOTAL ASSETS**||**£83,649.13**|**£107,110.93**| |**LIABILITIES**|||| |Current Liabilities|12|£0.00|£358.00| |**TOTAL LIABILITIES**||**£0.00**|**£358.00**| |**NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**|||| |**1. BASIS OF ACCOUNTS**|||| |These accounts have been prepared on a `receipts and payments` basis and in accordance with|||| |Section 133 Charities Act 2011.|||| |**2. DONATIONS AND OTHER INCOME**|**2025**|**2024**|| |Gorleston Choir/Concert|£140.00|£490.00|| |Other Income - Baptist Insurance|£1,331.00|£187.89|| |**TOTAL DONATIONS AND OTHER INCOME**|**£1,471.00**|**£677.89**|| |**3. INVESTMENT INCOME**|**2025**|**2024**|| |Bank Interest - Baptist Union Account|£1,554.60|£1,553.61|| |**TOTAL INVESTMENT INCOME**|**£1,554.60**|**£1,553.61**|| **4. RAISED FOR OTHER CAUSES** **2025** **2024** 4 |Open Door
Samaritans
Spurgeons
Tearfund
Seafarers/Mercy Ships
Identity
**TOTAL RAISED FOR OTHER CAUSES**
**5. MINISTRY**
Minister`s stipend
Pension contribution E`er
Ministers Expenses
Visiting Speakers
**TOTAL MINISTRY**|£291.95
£240.60
£319.79
£170.00
£65.00
£129.60
£0.00
£215.65
£87.00
£280.35
£30.00
£0.00| |---|---| ||**£793.74**
**£1,036.20**
**2025**
**2024**
£36,598.86
£28,304.26
£3,648.84
£3,085.04
£495.20
£550.56
£0.00
£0.00| ||**£40,742.90**
**£31,939.86**| The Minister acts as one of the church’s trustees and receives remuneration and other benefits in respect of his services as Minister. |**6. MISSION**
Home Mission
BMS World Mission
Identity
East Norfolk Youth/Unite
**Raised for others:**
Tearfund
Seafarers
Identity
Mercy Ships
Samaritans
Open Doors
Spurgeons
Outreach/Resource Room
Conference/Training
Worship Band
Prayer Team
**TOTAL MISSION**
**7. UPKEEP OF CHURCH PREMISES**
Utilities (heat/lighting/water)
Cleaning - Employees (paye)
Specialist Cleaning
Cleaning Materials
Insurance|**Note**
£90.00
£142.00
£300.79
£292.95
£65.00|**2025**
**2024**
£8,560.55
£0.00
£8,560.55
£0.00
£1,320.00
£1,200.00
£660.00
£600.00
£0.00
£145.65
£0.00
£265.35
£90.00
£0.00
£142.00
£0.00
£300.79
£110.00
£292.95
£177.60
£65.00
£129.60
£774.72
£215.73
£1,136.85
£190.00
£89.74
£0.00
£0.00
£11.19| |---|---|---| ||£890.74|| |||**£21,993.15**
**£3,045.12**
**2025**
**2024**
£6,784.45
£3,201.12
£5,333.67
£4,912.09
£0.00
£90.00
£365.95
£99.28
£2,652.88
£2,713.37| Repairs and maintenance: **Note** £8,780.11 £25,320.09 5 |Building
Garden
Plumbing
Sundry
Catering/Supplies
**TOTAL UPKEEP OF CHURCH PREMISES**
**8. ADMINISTRATION**
Printing & Stationery
Telephone/Postage/Web
Subscriptions & Music
**TOTAL ADMINISTRATION**
**9. SUNDRY**
Bins
First Aid
AV Speakers
Manse Maintenance
Laptop
Sound System
Account Examiners
Bank Charge
Other Sundry Items
**TOTAL SUNDRY**|£7,300.20
£416.78
£1,004.27
£58.86|£869.53
£534.77| |---|---|---| ||£8,780.11|| |||**£24,786.59**
**£36,870.72**
**2025**
**2024**
£1,939.00
£1,748.08
£1,356.89
£1,029.50
£1,373.13
£956.94| |||**£4,669.02**
**£3,734.52**
**2025**
**2024**
£65.00
£6,336.43
£37.82
£667.18
£612.98
£5,762.70
£1,658.90
£945.00
£0.00
£599.00
£17,922.26
£0.00
£480.00
£171.60
£84.12
£0.00
£200.00
£265.02| |||**£21,061.08**
**£14,746.93**| ## **10. PRIOR PERIOD ADJUSTMENT** This item relates to a historic accounting error which has now been corrected. Specifically, the bank balance for The Well was overstated. The correction has been made to the opening balance at 1st April 2024, and the prior period adjusted accordingly. ## **11. ASSETS HELD FOR CHURCH`S OWN** ## **USE** The church is the beneficial owner (subject to the relevant trusts) of the following assets, the legal title to which is held by the church`s custodian trustee (the Baptist Union Corporation Ltd): 1. Church premises at (Lowestoft Road, Gorleston-On-Sea, Great Yarmouth NR31 6LY Insured Value £2,450,000 2. Church manse at (16 Connaught Avenue, Gorleston-On-Sea, Great Yarmouth NR31 7LY) Insured Value £276,079 3. The church also owns fixtures, furniture and equipment with an insured value of £106,634 (This fixture does not include items for which the price is no longer known.) **12. CURRENT LIABILITIES** **2025** **2024** 6 |Foodbank
Tearfund
Seafarers
Open Door
Samaritans
**TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES**|£0.00
£150.00
£0.00
£70.00
£0.00
£15.00
£0.00
£63.00
£0.00
£60.00| |---|---| ||**£0.00**
**£358.00**| ## **13. CURRENT ASSETS** A gift aid claim amounting to £12,472 for the year ended 31 March 2025 was received subsequent to the year end. The amount for the comparative year was £10,458.59 ## **14. CAPITAL COMMITMENTS** During the year the church installed a new sound system at a total cost of £45,831 Payments amounting to £17,922 were paid in the year ended 31st March 2025. The balance falls due as follows: year ended 31st March 2026: £18,606, and year ended 31st March 2027: £9,303. The accounts relating to the year ended 31st March 2025 are as approved by the trustees Signed: Chris Evans (Treasurer) Date:10 November 2025 7 ## **Gorleston Baptist Church** ## **Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees** I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2025 which are set out on pages 1to 7. ## **Responsibilities and basis of report** As the charity’s trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’). I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 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 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: 1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or 2. the accounts do not accord with those records 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. Signed: N S Toon Nicholas Shaun Toon FCA Fairhead Bradford 5 Queen Street Great Yarmouth Norfolk NR30 2QP Date: 10 NOVEMBER 2025 8