CHESTER ROAD
I P Baptist Church
Annual Report
& Accounts
2024-2025
_**Annual Report & Accounts** for the year ending 31[st] March 2025_
## **Chester Road Baptist Church Annual Report and Accounts**
For the year ended 31 March 2025
|**Contents**|**Page**|
|---|---|
|**Trustees Report**|**3 - 10**|
|Reference and Administrative Details|3|
|Objectives and activities|4|
|Structure, Governance and Management|5-6|
|Achievements and performance|6-8|
|Financial Review|8-9|
|Plans for the future|9-10|
|Responsibilities of the trustees under charity law|10|
|Conclusion and approval|10|
|**Independent Examiner’s Report**|11|
|**Statement of Financial Activity (SOFA)**|12|
|Incorporating Summary income and expenditure account||
|**Balance Sheet**|13|
|**Notes to the Accounts**|14-27|
|**Detailed Statement of Financial Activity**|28|
2
_**Annual Report & Accounts** for the year ending 31[st] March 2025_
## **Trustees Report**
## **for the year ended 31 March 2024**
The Trustees present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31[st] March 2025. The Trustees have adopted the provisions of 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 2015).
## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS**
|**CIO Registered Charity**|1201208||
|---|---|---|
|**number**|||
|**Trust Registered Charity**|1134180||
|**number**|||
|**Registered Office**|Chester Road Baptist Church||
||Chester Road||
||Sutton Coldfield||
||West Midlands||
||B73 5HU||
|**Trustees**|J Beesley (Church Secretary)|R Reames (appointed Sep 2024)|
||D Brierley (Minister)|E McIntosh (Treasurer)|
||L Daffah (resigned Oct 2024)|P Sheckleford|
||S Drury|A Sheward|
||C East (concluded Sep 2024)|SSmith-Inniss|
||C Gerald (appointed Sep 2024)|P Warren|
|**Senior staff**|D Brierley (Minister)||
|**Property Trustees**|The Heart of England Baptist Association||
||480 Chester Road||
||Sutton Coldfield||
||West Midlands||
||B73 5BP||
|**Bankers**|Unity Trust Bank||
||PO Box 7193||
||Planetary Road||
||Willenhall||
||WV1 9DG||
|**Independent Examiner**|Nick Spear ACCA||
||Stewardship Services (UKET) Ltd.||
||1 Lamb’s Passage||
||London||
||EC1Y 8AB||
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_**Annual Report & Accounts** for the year ending 31[st] March 2025_
## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES**
## **Objectives**
Chester Road Baptist Church is governed by its Constitution, an approved Governing Document, which states that its principal purpose 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.
## **Vision**
The church’s vision statement is: to see God’s Kingdom come and His will done in Sutton Coldfield, north Birmingham, and beyond, as it is in Heaven.
## **Mission**
The church’s mission statement is: #GrowingCommunity! Working with others to enable everyone within 5 miles and beyond of Chester Road Baptist Church to become disciples of Christ.
## **Values**
The church’s current values remind us how we will be and go about our mission. They are:
1. Intimacy 2. Inclusive 3. Involved 4. Interdependent 5. Intergenerational 6. Impact
## **Public Benefit**
The Trustees confirm that they have taken into account the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit, under the Charities Act 2011, when reviewing our mission, purpose and objectives and in carrying out the Church activities. We have concluded that the Church operates in compliance with these guidelines. The benefits arising from the church's activities continue to be related solely to the charity's objectives as confirmed by the review set out in this report.
## **Significant activities**
The Church provides a broad range of activities, both by and for its membership and to the wider community. The Trustees remain committed to seeing as many people as possible across all ages participating in this #GrowingCommunity and, as a result, discovering faith, purpose and self-esteem for themselves. Core to the mission and ministry of the Church is the provision of regular public acts of Christian worship. These, together with all other activities and programmes, are publicised to all via the website ChesterRoadBaptist.org.uk, social media, and external signage.
## Crossroads Café
- a well-being community Café, providing a welcoming, safe and supportive community space
Programmes for children, young people and families, such as:
- Toddlers Stay & Play
- Café Tots
- Messy Church
- Brigades for children aged 5-11 years
- Thrive youth club for young people aged 11-18 years
Programmes for seniors, such as:
- Seniors Lunch (weekly)
- Contact (‘youth club’ for those of Senior/ retirement age)
- Seniors Bible Study
Programmes for disadvantage, such as
- Job Club
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_**Annual Report & Accounts** for the year ending 31[st] March 2025_
## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT**
## **Governing Document**
The CIO was dormant until 1 April 2024 and, until that date, all charitable activities were undertaken by the Trust. On 1 April 2024, the Trust transferred its net assets and activities to the CIO.
Chester Road Baptist Church is governed by its Constitution, an approved Governing Document, which states that its principal purpose 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.
The church occupies premises which are held by the Baptist Union Corporation Ltd, on Trusts which are entirely compatible with the above object.
## **The Board of Trustees**
The Trustees (Deacons) are legally responsible for the charity, which includes ensuring compliance with statutory obligations, maintenance of the buildings, policies, and financial oversight. New Trustees (Deacons) are elected by the Church Members and serve for three years.
During this year, the Trustees (Deacons) of Chester Road Baptist Church were:
J Beesley (Church Secretary) R Reames (appointed Sep 2024) D Brierley (Minister) E McIntosh (Treasurer) L Daffah (resigned Oct 2024) P Sheckleford S Drury A Sheward C East (concluded Sep 2024) S Smith-Inniss C Gerald (appointed Sep 2024) P Warren
## **Recruitment and appointment of new trustees**
The constitution provides for the appointment and retirement (on rotation every three years) of the Charity Trustees. There must currently be no less than 2 and no more than 12 trustees.
## **Remuneration of Trustees**
Trustees of the charity are not remunerated or financially rewarded for their service. The exception is Rev D Brierley who, as Minister, is remunerated.
## **Trustees' indemnity arrangements**
Individual indemnities have been provided to the trustees, under which the charity has agreed to indemnify the trustees to the extent permitted by law in respect of all liabilities to third parties arising out of, or in connection with, their execution of their powers, duties and responsibilities as trustees of the charity. The Trustees have a duty to identify and review the risks to which the Church is exposed and to ensure appropriate controls are in place to provide reasonable assurance against fraud and error.
## **Organisational structure and decision-making process**
Being a Baptist Church, we are ‘congregational’ in governance. In accordance with the Constitution, regular attenders who subscribe to our charitable objectives can become Members of the church. Members are encouraged to take an active part in the church’s mission and ministry.
The Members have opportunity to meet together every two months at the Members Meeting, and, through prayer and discernment, to consider the over-all direction and policy of the church. This is the ‘spiritual heart’ of the church.
In accordance with the Constitution, the Members elect Trustees (Deacons), who together with the Minister, Church Secretary and Church Treasurer (who are also elected by the Members), form the Leadership Team (Diaconate). This team is responsible for the day-to-day running of the church’s
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_**Annual Report & Accounts** for the year ending 31[st] March 2025_
mission and ministry, and the financial and legal aspects of the Charity. In practice, much is delegated to the Mission & Ministry Staff Team.
To aid good governance and delegation, the Trustees currently have the following five enabling subgroups:
1. Facilities
2. Finance
3. Human Resources
4. Risk & Strategy
5. Safeguarding
## **Related parties**
The church is affiliated to the Heart of England Baptist Association (HEBA) and also to the Baptist Union of Great Britain. Though inter-dependent, legally and financially, we remain an independent Charitable Incorporated Organisation, solely responsible for our own governance, finance, facilities, employment and all other operations.
The Church occupies premises which are held by the Baptist Union Corporation Ltd, on Trusts which are entirely compatible with the church’s charitable object.
## **Risk management**
The Trustees confirm that they have identified and considered the major risks to which the Charity is exposed, the potential impact of individual risk should they materialise and, what mitigating actions are taken or need to be taken, in order to reduce each risk to a level which the Trustees consider to be acceptable. A dynamic Risk Register is used, reviewed and updated.
## **ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE**
1[st] April 2024 to 31[st] March 2025, was a another year full of #GrowingCommunity #MakingDisciples.
## _**Membership**_
We began 2024-25 with 108 Church Members and finished the year with 111. We mourned the loss of four Church Members (Priscilla Carter, Ron Doolan, Joyce Hamilton, and Eric Isherwood.).
## _**Worship**_
Worship attendance continued to modestly grow during 2024-25. Average in-person attendance at our 10.30am service grew 3.75%, with our 6.00pm service growing by 5%. We continued to live-stream our 10:30am services.
|10:30am services.|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
||**2024-25**|**2023-24**|**2022-23**|**2021-2022**|
|Sunday @ 10:30 am|83|80|79|67|
|Sunday @ 6:00 pm|21|20|21|21|
|Wednesday @ 11:30 am|12|12|/|/|
|_Average combined total_|_116_|_112_|_100_|_88_|
We continued to experiment with All-In All-Age services on the first Sunday of each month.
We continued to journey with people at key life moments. In particular, we significantly increased the number of community funerals we delivered for grieving families.
||**2024-25**|**2023-24**|**2022-23**|**2021-2022**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|Infant dedications|1|3|8|3|
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_**Annual Report & Accounts** for the year ending 31[st] March 2025_
|Believers’ baptisms|4|5|7|1|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|Weddings|2|4|1|3|
|Funerals|28|7|7|7|
## _**Mission**_
Christmas was again a key time for us to welcome visitors and explore the coming of Christ.
||**2024**|**2023**|**2022**|**2021**|**2020**
**(lockdown)**|**2019**
**(pre-Covid)**|**2018**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**Christmas**
**performance**|41|120|140|/|/|140|105|
|**Longest**
**Night**|22|/|/|/|/|/|/|
|**Carol**
**service**|189|166|168|161|/|100|93|
|**Christingle**
**service**|122|135|92|110|/|125|130|
|**Christas Eve**
**Late Night**|33|18|15|/|/|/|/|
|**Christmas**
**Day service**|87|82|79|40|/|43|33|
## _**Crossroads Café**_
Our community well-being Café continued to serve our mission and ministry in the community. Café Tots again proved very popular with parents/carers and their little ones. Saturday sessions grew. We faced the challenge of rapidly-increasing costs, due to significant food inflation, uplift to the Real Living Wage, and rising utility costs.
## _**Next Generation**_
Both our Stay & Play and Café Tots sessions continued to grow in attendance and numbers of parent/carers and their little ones. The number of volunteers grew.
After 11 years, due to declining attendance, we took the difficult decision to stop Messy Church.
We continued to run combined Boys/Girls Brigades sessions on Fridays during term-time for children aged 5-11s years (all year). For those aged 11-18 years, we ran Thrive!, our new format for young people; this has been well-received.
## _**Seniors work**_
To demonstrate our continued value of people of retirement age, we delivered a weekly Seniors Lunch, launched Contact, a ‘youth club’ for seniors; grew the on-site seniors Bible study; provided Chaplaincy, at three local retirement communities (Bishops’ Manor, Oscott Village, Boldmere Place.) We recruited a replacement Seniors Worker. Significantly, we secured £54,950 in funding, split over 36 months, from Sutton Coldfield Charitable Trust to enable us to expand our Seniors work and develop a new bereavement support service for Seniors.
## _**Staff**_
We employed a new Seniors Worker, initially for 0.5 FTE, later rising to 0.8FTE.
## _**Enabling**_
During 2024-2025 we introduced Sage HR for all our employees; revised and updated our Safeguarding policy and procedures.
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_**Annual Report & Accounts** for the year ending 31[st] March 2025_
## _**Ethos & Values**_
After a thorough 9-month consultation process with our Church Members, in January 2025 we voted decisively as a church to join the Inclusive Church Network. This further demonstrated our already stated commitment to being inclusive of all, as articulated in our agreed values statement.
## _**Governance**_
Having already established Chester Road Baptist Church as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (N[o] :1201208), we formally voted to close the former Registered Charity, N[o] : 1134180. The financial statements are presented as merger accounts between the two entities, as permitted by the Charities SORP.
## **FINANCIAL REVIEW**
## **Overview**
The Accounts for 2024-25 confirm that from a financial perspective, it was a healthy year for the church and the figures demonstrate the continuing generosity of the church in support of our mission and ministry, and our growing involvement in community initiatives. Total income of £259,664 (2024: £246,817) and total expenditure of £294,253 (2024: £250,010) generated an operating deficit of £34,589 (2024: £3,192). After investment losses of £8,738 (2024: gains of £16,998), the overall deficit for the year was £43,328 (2024: surplus of £13,806).
## **Reserves policy**
The charity seeks to maintain free reserves equivalent to three months' expenditure to enable it to meet any unforeseen expenditure and/or to cover any short-term drop in income. For Chester Road Baptist Church, this amount is approximately £60,000. The charity meets that recommendation. The balance of free reserves (unrestricted reserves not comprising of fixed assets) at the balance sheet date was £340,149 (2024: £375,982).
|•|Reserves Policy|£ 60,000|
|---|---|---|
|•|Designated additional workers fund|£280,149|
|•|General fund reserves|£
0|
|_Total_||_£340,149_|
## **Designated funds**
Having sold a property and also received a large legacy gift, we have adopted an ambitious plan to significantly expand our work with children, young people and seniors, for the benefit of both local community and church.
Consequently, we currently hold a total of £340,149 in Designated Funds. These are to fulfil the following commitments:
- Children & Families Worker (1.0 FTE)
- Seniors Worker (0.5 FTE)
- Additional Mission & Ministry post (1.0 FTE)
_Total £280,149_
## **Restricted funds**
In addition, we hold a total of £8,089 in Restricted Funds. These funds are:
- Churches Together Fund £ 1,593 (2024: £ 1,593)
- • Community Café Fund £ 1,806 (2024: £ 1,806)
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_**Annual Report & Accounts** for the year ending 31[st] March 2025_
|•
•|Senior Workers fund
£ 1,690
(2024: £nil)
Warm Spaces fund
£ 3,000
(2024: £nil)
_Total_
_£ 8,089_|
|---|---|
## **Unrestricted funds**
Giving of £81,148 was 11% over our planned giving, which means that our budget of £85,000 for 202526 is achievable. Café income was £70,608 which was well under our £85,000 estimate. Other Income, including dividend interest, was healthy, with funeral and wedding income notably being just over £7,000.
Room hire was £26,778 which was under expectations, but this is due to some large hirers leaving during the year (Saturday dance class). However, we have picked up new hires and so income will be better for 2025-26.
Expenditure on staffing for church was £106,984 and cafe was £58,114 which was within budget. Building expenditure was £61,821 which includes all insurance, utilities and building work as well as the depreciation of any fixed assets. The expenditure on building work exceeded budget and discussions are underway on updated controls. Admin costs of £8,400 and cafe other costs of £24,730 were under budget.
## **Finance Governance**
The Finance Team, comprising Treasurer, Church Secretary, Minister, and other co-opted members, review the church's finances, drafts the budget, and ensures fit-for-purpose financial processes and systems are in place. It operates under delegated authority from the Trustees and Church Members.
## **Going concern**
The Trustees have reviewed the circumstances of the charity and consider that adequate resources continue to be available to fund the activities of the Church for the foreseeable future. The Trustees are of the opinion that it remains appropriate to prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis.
## **Policies**
The Trustees keep the key church policies under review and update them where appropriate and to ensure they reflect current legislation.
## **Investments**
To spread risk, a portfolio of investments was placed with CCLA Investment Management Limited and on deposit with the Heart of England Baptist Association.
## **Principal risks**
The Trustees review the principle financial risks and, at the end of the year, believe them to be:
- Drop in giving by members and regular attenders (donation income)
- Drop in Café till receipts
- Drop in rental income
- Drop in investment income
## **PLANS FOR THE FUTURE**
To continue meeting the present and future requirements for our mission and ministry, we will:
## _**1. Pastoral**_
We will strengthen our approach to pastoral care.
## _**2. Next Generation**_
We will recruit additional ‘next generation’ worker(s).
## _**3. Church mission partnership**_
We will seek to further develop and grow the Baptist Church at Timberley Lane.
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_**Annual Report & Accounts** for the year ending 31[st] March 2025_
## _**4. Enabling**_
Given its increasing use, we will look to improve/ refurbish the ‘Tin Tab’ area within our facilities. We will update our Safeguarding Policy & Procedures (due Sept 2024). We will fill vacancies: Youth & Children’s Worker (1.0 FTE); Seniors Worker (0.5 FTE).
## _**5. Cafe**_
We will achieve break-even/‘cost neutral’.
## **Responsibilities of trustees under charity law**
The trustees are responsible for preparing the trustees' annual report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
1. select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently;
2. observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
3. make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
4. state whether the applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
5. prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
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 and the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
## **IN CONCLUSION**
I conclude my Report as Chair of Trustees wanting to give thanks to God for all the lives that have been touched by God’s love at and through Chester Road Baptist Church and the growing acts of love and service that take place throughout the year.
## **Approval**
This report was approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by:
J A Beesley J A Beesley (Sep 16, 2025 20:11:22 GMT+1)
J. Beesley – Church Secretary
Date:
Sep 16, 2025
10
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT**
## **TO THE TRUSTEES OF**
## **CHESTER ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH ('the Charity')**
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Charity for the year ended 31 March 2025 on pages 12 to 28 following, which have been prepared on the basis of the accounting policies set out on pages 14 to 17.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity’s trustees of the Charitable Incorporated Organisation 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**
Since the Charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, which is one of the listed bodies.
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 Charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or
3. the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 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.
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.
## Nick Spear
Nick Spear (Oct 8, 2025 15:36:17 GMT+1)
Nick Spear ACCA The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage London EC1Y 8AB
Date: Oct 8, 2025
Page 11
## **CHESTER ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
|Note
**INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM:**
Donations and legacies
3
Charitable activities
4
Other trading activities
5
Investments
6
**Total income and endowments**
**EXPENDITURE ON:**
Charitable activities
7
Raising funds
8
**Total expenditure**
**Net gains/(losses) on investments**
**Net income/(expenditure)**
**Transfers between funds**
19
**Net movement in funds**
**Reconciliation of funds:**
Total funds brought forward
**Total funds carried forward**
19|Unrestricted
Funds
£
100,222
114,740
18,525
11,932
245,419
281,337
3,361
284,698
(8,738)
(48,018)
-
(48,018)
857,146
809,129|Restricted
Funds
£
14,245
-
-
-
14,245
9,555
-
9,555
-
4,690
-
4,690
3,399
8,089|Total
Funds
2025
£
114,467
114,740
18,525
11,932
259,664
290,892
3,361
294,253
(8,738)
(43,328)
-
(43,328)
860,545
817,218|Total
Funds
2024
£
102,280
114,035
18,950
11,552|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||246,817|
|||||246,686
3,323|
|||||250,010|
|||||16,998|
|||||13,806
-|
|||||13,806
846,739|
|||||860,545|
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.
All income and expenditure derive from continuing operations.
The notes on page 14-27 form part of these accounts.
Page 12
## **CHESTER ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **BALANCE SHEET**
## **AS AT 31 MARCH 2025**
|Note
**FIXED ASSETS**
Tangible assets
11
Investments
12
**CURRENT ASSETS**
Debtors
13
Cash at bank and in hand
14
**CREDITORS: Amounts falling**
**due within one year**
15
**Net current assets / (liabilities)**
**Total assets less current liabilities**|Unrestricted
Funds
£
468,980
302,742
771,721
69,768
22,897
92,665
(26,121)
66,544
838,266|Restricted
Funds
£
-
8,089
8,089
-
-
-
-
-
8,089|Total
Funds
2025
£
468,980
310,831
779,810
69,768
22,897
92,665
(26,121)
66,544
846,355|Total
Funds
2024
£
481,164
319,569|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||800,733|
|||||15,488
49,435|
|||||64,923
(5,110)|
|||||59,812|
||||||
|||||860,545|
|**CREDITORS: Amounts falling due**
16
**after more than one year**|(29,137)|-|(29,137)|-|
|**TOTAL NET ASSETS**
**FUND BALANCES**
19
Unrestricted Funds
General funds
Designated funds
Restricted Funds|809,129
-
809,129
809,129
-
809,129|8,089
-
-
-
8,089
8,089|817,218
-
809,129
809,129
8,089
817,218||
|||||860,545|
|||||175,999
681,147|
|||||857,146
3,399|
|||||860,545|
The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and were signed on its behalf by:
## Ewan mcIntosh
Ewan mcIntosh (Sep 16, 2025 15:04:31 GMT+1)
---------------------------------------
E. McIntosh - Treasurer
Sep 16, 2025
Date: ___________________
Charity number: 1201208
The notes on page 14-27 form part of these accounts.
Page 13
## **CHESTER ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## **1 Statutory Information**
The charity is a charitable incorporated organisation registered with the Charity Commission in England & Wales. The charity's registered number and principal address can be found on the Charity Information page.
## **2 Accounting Policies**
These financial statements are prepared on a going concern basis, under the historical cost convention as modified by the revaluation of certain assets, which are measured at fair value through the Statement of Financial Activities.
These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the "Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) ("the Charities SORP"), with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland ("FRS 102") and with the Charities Act 2011. The charity meets the definition of a public benefit entity as set out in FRS 102.
The Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 (the '2008 Regulations') requires charities to prepare their accounts in accordance with 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice effective from 1 April 2005' but this accounting standard has since been withdrawn and has been replaced by the Charities SORP mentioned in the preceding paragraph. The charity has prepared these financial statements in accordance with the new Charities SORP; this departure from the 2008 Regulations is believed to be necessary for these financial statements to give a 'true and fair view'.
The principles adopted in the preparation of the financial statements are set out below.
## a) Change of legal structure
The charity (the 'CIO') was dormant until 1 April 2024 and, until that date, the CIO's activities were undertaken by a trust with the same name (Chester Road Baptist Church with charity registration number 1134180). On 1 April 2024, the trust transferred its net assets and its activities to the CIO. As permitted by the Charities SORP, this transfer has been accounted for as a merger because it qualifies as a charity reconstruction (whereby the charity has simply changed its legal form). In accordance with the requirements of merger accounting, the net assets of the trust were transferred at book value , not fair value, to the CIO. These financial statements present the combined results of the trust and the CIO for the year ended 31 March 2025 and the comparatives are the results of the trust for the year ended 31 March 2024. More information about the merger is given in note 21 'Use of merger accounting'.
## b) Going concern
The trustees (who are the charitable company's directors for the purposes of company law) have assessed whether the use of the going concern basis is appropriate and have considered possible events or conditions that might cast significant doubt on the ability of the charity to continue as a going concern. The trustees have made this assessment for a period of at least one year from the date of approval of the financial statements. In particular the trustees have considered the charity's forecasts and projections and the possible implications should projected income and / or expenditure vary unexpectedly. The trustees have concluded that there is a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue to operate for the foreseeable future. The charity therefore continues to adopt the going concern basis in preparing its financial statements.
## c) Income
Income including investment income is recognised in the period in which the charity becomes entitled to receipt, the amount receivable can be measured with reasonable certainty, and receipt is probable. For the most part, income is generally recognised when it is received. Income is only deferred when the charity has to fulfil conditions before becoming entitled to it or where the donor has specified that the income is to be expended in a future period.
Income from donations and legacies includes recoverable gift aid. This is recognised when the related donation is received. Gift aid that has not been recovered by the balance sheet date is included as a debtor.
Page 14
## **CHESTER ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## **2 Accounting Policies (continued)**
The charity relies on volunteers to carry out many of its activities. However, in accordance with the SORP, the value of these services has not been included in these financial statements as they cannot be reliably measured.
Income from charitable activities represents income receivable from goods, services and facilities supplied in furtherance of the charity's charitable objects. It includes income from operating a community café, from letting facilities for the benefit of the local community and from other activities and events .
Income from other trading activities represents income receivable from activities undertaken to generate funds for the charity. It includes income from letting a residential property that, temporarily, is not being used in the charity's activities and from other commercial lettings.
Investment income represents income generated by the charity's fixed assets investments and from bank deposits.
## d) Expenditure
Expenditure, including irrecoverable VAT, is recognised when it is incurred or, if earlier, when a legal or constructive obligation for a payment arises provided that it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.
The charity makes grants to other institutions and individuals to further its charitable objectives. Grants payable are recognised as constructive obligations arise, which is generally when the charity expresses a commitment to the recipient that can be measured reliably and then only to the extent that any conditions associated with the grant are outside of the control of the charity.
Expenditure on raising funds comprises expenditure incurred to raise funds for charitable activities. It comprises expenditure in respect of the residential property that has been let by the charity.
Governance costs, which are included in expenditure on charitable activities but are identified separately in the notes to the accounts, includes costs associated with the independent examination of the financial statements, compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements and any other expenditure incurred on the strategic management of the charity.
## e) Fund accounting
General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity. Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the trustees for particular purposes. Restricted funds are donations which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors; they include donations received from appeals for specific activities or projects.
## f) Tangible fixed assets
As permitted by the Charities SORP, the charity's church building has been included at historic cost and the charity's residential property has been included at valuation (see note 11 'Tangible fixed assets' for more information).
The charity's properties are held in trust by The Heart of England Baptist Association on behalf of the charity. The church building is what might be regarded as a traditional church building; it would be difficult to establish a reliable market value and so it has not been included at valuation. This property is essential for the mission of the church but, as the historic cost of the asset is not known, it has been included at a notional cost of £1 in these financial statements. The property has been in use for many years; had the property's historic cost been known, it is unlikely that its depreciated carrying value would be significant.
Page 15
## **CHESTER ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## **2 Accounting Policies (continued)**
Items purchased or donated for the charity's own use are capitalised when the cost of purchased items, or the fair value of donated items, is more than £1,000 and the item is expected to benefit the charity over more than one accounting period. Depreciation is charged on a straight line basis so as to write down the value of each asset to its estimated residual value (if any) over its expected useful economic life. To achieve this objective the following rates of depreciation are charged:
Freehold land Is not depreciated (because it is not consumed by use) Freehold buildings Over 50 years after taking account of the building's residual value Equipment Over 3 to 7 years
The residual value of the charity's residential property is believed to be very high and the cumulative provision for depreciation is not considered to be significant. Therefore no depreciation has been charged in respect of this property in these financial statements.
The carrying values of tangible fixed assets are reviewed for impairment in periods when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable.
## g) Investments
Fixed asset investments are held to generate income and / or for their investment potential. They comprise listed investments, which are valued at their market value (fair value) at the balance sheet date.
All gains and losses on investment assets are included in the Statement of Financial Activities under the heading 'Net gains / (losses) on investments'.
## h) Pension scheme arrangements
The charity operates a defined contribution plan for its employees. A defined contribution plan is a pension plan under which the charity pays fixed contributions into a separate entity. Once the contributions have been paid the charity has no further payments obligations. The contributions are recognised as an expense when they are due. Amounts not paid are shown in accruals in the balance sheet. The assets of the plan are held separately from the charity in an independently administered fund.
Prior to 2012 pension provision was made through multi-employer defined benefit pension plans. Where it is not possible for the charity to obtain sufficient information to enable it to account for a plan as a defined benefit plan, it accounts for the plan as a defined contribution plan.
Where the plan is, or was in deficit and where the charity has agreed, with the plan, to participate in a deficit funding arrangement, the charity recognises a liability for this obligation. The amount recognised is the net present value of the contributions payable under the agreement that relate to the deficit. The unwinding of the discount is recognised as a finance cost and any other change in the measurement of this liability is expensed to the Statement of Financial Activities
## i) Taxation
The charity has taken advantage of the various reliefs from taxation available to charities and no tax is payable on the charity's income.
## j) Financial instruments
The charity's financial assets and financial liabilities all qualify as basic financial instruments, as defined by FRS102. Except for loans, creditors and debtors are measured at their expected settlement value (normally the amount of cash that the charity expects to pay or receive). The charity recognises liabilities for the principal of those loans that remains outstanding at the year end (i.e. the liabilities exclude any interest chargeable on the loans in future years).
Page 16
## **CHESTER ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## **2 Accounting Policies (continued)**
## k) Exemption from preparing a cashflow statement
The charity has taken advantage of an exemption conferred by the Charities SORP and has not prepared a cash flow statement.
## o) Critical accounting estimates and areas of judgement
The trustees do not consider that there are any material sources of estimation or uncertainty at the balance sheet date that could result in a material adjustment to the carrying values of assets and liabilities in the next reporting period.
## **3 Donations and legacies**
|Donations of cash and similar
Grants receivable
Gift aid recoverable
**me from charitable activities**
Community café
Letting of facilities for community use
Activities for children and young people
Other activities and events
Speaking engagements and ministry support
Weddings and funerals
Other income|2025
£
81,148
14,245
19,074
114,467
2025
£
70,608
26,778
6,788
1,735
920
7,106
806
114,740|2024
£
82,576
-
19,704|
|---|---|---|
|||102,280|
|||2024
£
73,315
30,324
6,127
1,049
1,694
1,526
-|
|||114,035|
## **4 Income from charitable activities**
## **5 Income from other trading activities**
|Letting of residential property
Car parking and other lettings
**stment income**
Dividends on investments
Interest on bank deposits|2025
£
14,400
4,125
18,525
2025
£
11,344
587
11,932|2024
£
14,400
4,550|
|---|---|---|
|||18,950|
|||2024
£
11,125
427|
|||11,552|
## **6 Investment income**
Page 17
## **CHESTER ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## **7 Charitable expenditure**
|**Costs incurred directly on specific activities**
Staff costs
Salaries, pensions and national insurance
Staff travel, phone and training
Other ministry expenses
Children and youth work
Local mission and outreach
Other ministry expenses including hospitality
Café expenses
Property expenses
Church utilities
Church insurance
Church repairs, maintenance and cleaning
Grants payable (note 7c)
**Costs incurred on support & administration**
Governance costs
Independent examiner's fee
Other
HR, recruitment and payroll bureau
Printing, postage and stationery
Telephone, internet and website
Other administrative expenses
Depreciation of tangible fixed assets
**Total expenditure**|2025
£
160,984
3,953
3,435
3,093
5,159
24,730
16,678
3,522
29,436
250,989
14,372
265,361
3,420
1,526
4,946
811
3,217
2,290
2,082
12,184
25,530
290,892|2024
£
134,293
2,376
3,763
2,077
5,204
24,182
11,086
3,350
24,440|
|---|---|---|
|||210,770
12,122|
|||222,892|
|||3,240
257|
|||3,497
1,666
3,264
2,061
1,222
12,084|
|||23,794|
|||246,686|
## **a Costs incurred directly on specific activities**
## **b Costs incurred on support & administration**
The fee payable to the independent examiner for preparing and examining the accounts was £3,420 (2024: £3,240).
Page 18
## **CHESTER ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## **7 Charitable expenditure (continued)**
## **c Grants payable**
|Grants for UK and overseas mission
The comparatives for the previous year are as follows:
Grants for UK and overseas mission
The charity's principal grants to institutions comprised:
Baptist Union World Mission
Baptist Union Home Mission
Timberley Lane Baptist Church
Grants to institutions for less than £1,000 each
**Cost of raising funds**
Manse expenses|Institutions
£
14,372
14,372
Institutions
£
12,122
12,122|Individuals
£
-
-
Individuals
£
-
-
2025
£
4,836
4,836
4,500
200
14,372
2025
£
3,361
3,361|2025
£
14,372|
|---|---|---|---|
||||14,372|
||||2024
£
12,122|
||||12,122|
||||2024
£
4,836
4,836
2,250
200|
||||12,122|
||||2024
£
3,323|
||||3,323|
## **8 Cost of raising funds**
Page 19
## **CHESTER ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## **9 Analysis of staff costs, the cost of key management personnel and trustee remuneration**
The average monthly number of employees during the year was 11.6 (2024: 10). Most of the charity's activities are carried out by volunteers.
No staff received salaries at a rate of more than £60,000 per annum.
The charity's key management comprise the trustees and the key staff named on the Charity Information page. Total employment benefits payable to key management for the year were as follows:
|Other
Employer
Wages &
employment
pension
salaries
benefits
contributions
Trustees:
Rev. D. Brierley
40,804
-
4,091
The following amounts were payable in the previous year:
Other
Employer
Wages &
employment
pension
salaries
benefits
contributions
Trustees:
Rev. D. Brierley
37,906
-
3,791|2025
£
44,894|
|---|---|
||44,894|
||2024
£
41,697|
||41,697|
Rev. D. Brierley served as the church's minister and received the above payments for serving in that capacity, not for serving as a trustee; these payments are permitted by the charity's governing document.
The Church pays pension contributions for its Minister to the defined contribution section of the Baptist Pension Scheme. For service up to 2012, the Scheme provided benefits on a defined benefit basis. The scheme is a multi-employer scheme and it is not possible to identify the assets and liabilities of the defined benefit section which are attributable to the church. Therefore, in accordance with FRS102 Section 28, the scheme is accounted for as a defined contribution scheme.
No other trustees received employment benefits in either the current or preceding year.
## **10 Acting as agent**
On occasion the charity receives money on behalf of other charities, which it banks and then pays out to these charities. This income is received as agent for these other charities and the income, and the related payments, are excluded from the Statement of Financial Activities; any money that has not been distributed by the year end is recognised as a creditor.
During the year the charity acted as agent for various charities and, in that capacity:
- a) received £851 (2024: £235) and paid £316 (2024: £130)
- b) at the year end the charity owed £535 (2024: £105) to other charities
Page 20
## **CHESTER ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## **11 Tangible fixed assets**
|Cost or valuation
At 1 April 2024
Additions
At 31 March 2025
Accumulated depreciation
At 1 April 2024
Charge for the year
At 31 March 2025
Net book value
At 31 March 2025
At 31 March 2024|Church
Building
£
1
-
1
-
-
-
1
1
Freehold|Freehold|Residential
Property
£
450,000
-
450,000
-
-
-
450,000
450,000
property|Fixtures,
fittings and
equipment
£
60,921
-
60,921
29,758
12,184
41,943
18,979
31,163|Total
2025
£
510,922
-|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||510,922|
||||||29,758
12,184|
||||||41,943|
||||||468,980|
||||||481,164|
The charity's residential property was valued at £450,000 on 1 April 2021 by the trustees at open market value assuming vacant possession. In arriving at their valuation, the trustees considered the values of similar properties in the same area. The trustees are not aware of any material changes in value since the last valuation and the valuation has not been updated. The historic cost of the freehold property is not known.
## **12 Fixed asset investments**
|**d asset investments**||||
|---|---|---|---|
|Fair value brought forward
Disposals during the year
Change in value of investments
Cost or fair value carried forward|Quoted
Investments
319,569
-
(8,738)
310,831|2025
£
319,569
-
(8,738)
310,831|2024
£
302,571
-
16,998|
||||319,569|
## **13 Debtors**
|**tors**|||
|---|---|---|
|Lettings debtors
Gift aid recoverable
Other debtors
Grants receivable
Prepayments and accrued income|2025
£
3,320
2,890
3,991
54,950
4,618
69,768|2024
£
5,875
6,260
-
-
3,353|
|||15,488|
Page 21
## **CHESTER ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## **14 Cash at Bank and in Hand**
|**h at Bank and in Hand**|||
|---|---|---|
|Cash at bank with immediate access
Petty cash and unbanked cash
**itors: liabilities falling due within one year**
Taxation and social security
Other creditors
Accruals
Deferred income
**itors: amounts falling due after more than one year**
Deferred income|2025
£
22,369
528
22,897
2025
£
1,688
3,217
3,420
17,797
26,121
2025
£
29,137
29,137|2024
£
45,647
3,787|
|||49,435|
|||2024
£
1,522
348
3,240
-|
|||5,110|
|||2024
£
-|
|||-|
## **15 Creditors: liabilities falling due within one year**
## **16 Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year**
## **17 Deferred income**
Deferred income comprises the following:
|Income in
advance
Grants
receivable
-
-
-
-
229
46,705
229
46,705
Within one year
229
17,568
After one year
-
29,137
229
46,705
The income deferred at the period end will be released to income over the following periods:
Amount released to income
Balance at the end of the reporting period
Amount deferred in year
Balance at the beginning of the reporting period|2025
£
-
-
46,934
46,934
17,797
28,908
46,934|2024
£
-
-
-|
|---|---|---|
|||-|
|||-
-|
|||-|
Page 22
## **CHESTER ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## **18 Pension commitments**
## **The Baptist Union Pension Scheme**
The charity is a participating employer the Baptist Pension Scheme (“the Scheme”), which is a separate legal entity administered by the Pension Trustee (Baptist Pension Trust Limited).
The Scheme, previously known as the Baptist Ministers Pension Fund, started in 1925. At the beginning of the financial year, the scheme comprised of a defined benefits scheme which was closed to future accrual on 31 December 2011 and a defined contribution plan which was opened in January 2012.The assets of the Scheme are held separately from those of the Employer and the other participating employers.
For the current financial year, the pension provision for members of the Scheme is being made through the Defined Contribution (DC) Plan. In general, members pay 8% of their Pensionable Income and employers pay 6% of members’ Pensionable Income into individual pension accounts, which are operated and managed on behalf of the Pension Trustee by Broadstone Corporate Benefits Ltd. In addition, the employer pays a further 4% of Pensionable Income to cover Death in Service Benefits, administration costs, and an associated insurance policy which provides income protection for Scheme members if they are unable to work due to longterm incapacity. This income protection policy has been insured by the Baptist Union of Great Britain with Aviva Limited. Members of the Basic Section pay reduced contributions of 5% of Pensionable Income, and their employers also pay a total of 5%.
In October 2024, the insurance company Just Group completed a buy out of the liabilities of the closed defined benefit scheme. From that date any remaining liability of the participating scheme members to defined benefit scheme ceased and the £1 per month deficit contributions payable by the participating employers which were agreed in the recovery plan approved in August 2022 also ceased from that date. Administration of the closed defined benefit scheme transferred from the pension trustees to Just Group from that date.
The Minister and some members of the church staff are eligible to join the Scheme.
## **Summary of pension contributions payable for year:**
The charity's pension contributions were as follows
|charity's pension contributions were as follows|||
|---|---|---|
|to the Baptist Pension Scheme defined benefit pension scheme
to defined contribution pension schemes|2025
£
7
11,931
11,938|2024
£
12
9,950|
|||9,962|
## **Summary of pension liabilities at the year end:**
The charity's pension liabilities at the end of the year were as follows:
|charity's pension liabilities at the end of the year were as follows:|||
|---|---|---|
|in respect of defined benefit pension arrangements
in respect of defined contribution pension arrangements|2025
£
-
-
-|2024
£
-
-|
|||-|
Page 23
## **CHESTER ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## **19 Funds**
During the year the movements in the charity's funds were as follows:
|_Designated Funds_
Fixed assets fund
Additional workers fund
Reserve fund
_General Unrestricted Funds_
Total Unrestricted Funds
_Restricted Funds_
Community café fund
Churches Together fund
Warm Spaces fund
Senior Workers fund
Aggregate of funds|Opening
balance
2025
£
481,164
149,983
50,000
681,147
175,999
857,146
1,806
1,593
-
-
3,399
860,545|Incoming
resources
2025
£
-
-
-
-
245,419
245,419
-
-
6,000
8,245
14,245
259,664|Outgoing
resources
2025
£
(12,184)
-
-
(12,184)
(272,514)
(284,698)
-
-
(3,000)
(6,555)
(9,555)
(294,253)|Transfers
in the year
2025
£
-
130,166
10,000
140,166
(140,166)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-|Gains and
losses
2025
£
-
-
-
-
(8,738)
(8,738)
-
-
-
-
-
(8,738)|Closing
balance
2025
£
468,980
280,149
60,000|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||||809,129
-|
|||||||809,129|
|||||||1,806
1,593
3,000
1,690|
|||||||8,089|
|||||||817,218|
The transfers referred to above were made for the following reasons:
a) Transfer from the General Fund to the Reserve Fund to increase the balance held as reserves.
b) Transfer from the General Fund to the Additional Workers Fund towards fulfilling anticipated future commitments.
## **Analysis of net assets by fund**
The assets and liabilities of the various funds were as follows:
|Tangible fixed assets
Fixed asset investments
Debtors
Cash at bank and in hand
Creditors falling due within one year||General
Designated
funds
funds
£
£
-
468,980
-
302,742
69,768
(14,510)
37,407
(26,121)
-
809,129
Unrestricted Funds|Restricted
funds
£
-
8,089
-
-
8,089|2025
£
468,980
310,831
69,768
22,897
(26,121)|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||General
funds
£
-
-
69,768
(14,510)
(26,121)
-|||
|||||817,218|
Page 24
## **CHESTER ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## **19 Funds (continued)**
In the previous year the movements in the charity's funds were as follows:
|_Designated Funds_
Fixed assets fund
Additional workers fund
Reserve fund
_General Unrestricted Funds_
Total Unrestricted Funds
_Restricted Funds_
Community café fund
Churches Together fund
Aggregate of funds|Opening
balance
2024
£
491,241
149,983
50,000
691,224
152,116
843,340
1,806
1,593
3,399
846,739|Incoming
resources
2024
£
-
-
-
-
246,817
246,817
-
-
-
246,817|Outgoing
resources
2024
£
(12,084)
-
-
(12,084)
(237,926)
(250,010)
-
-
-
(250,010)|Transfers
in the year
2024
£
2,007
-
-
2,007
(2,007)
-
-
-
-
-|Gains and
losses
2024
£
-
-
-
-
16,998
16,998
-
-
-
16,998|Closing
balance
2024
£
481,164
149,983
50,000|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||||681,147
175,999|
|||||||857,146|
|||||||1,806
1,593|
|||||||3,399|
|||||||860,545|
## **Analysis of net assets by fund**
In the previous year, the assets and liabilities of the various funds were as follows:
|Tangible fixed assets
Fixed asset investments
Debtors
Cash at bank and in hand
Creditors falling due within one year|General
Designated
funds
funds
£
£
-
481,164
119,586
199,983
15,488
-
46,036
-
(5,110)
-
175,999
681,147
Unrestricted Funds|Restricted
funds
£
-
-
-
3,399
-
3,399|2024
£
481,164
319,569
15,488
49,435
(5,110)|
|---|---|---|---|
||||860,545|
Page 25
## **CHESTER ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## **19 Funds (continued)**
## **Designated funds**
The designated **Fixed Asset** fund represents the net book value of the charity's fixed assets and represents resources that cannot be used to meet day to day expenses
The designated **Additional Workers** fund represents funds that have been set aside by the trustees to help employ staff to work primarily with children, young people and seniors.
The designated **Reserve** fund represents funds set aside by the trustees to help the charity continue operating should there be any exceptional unforeseen events (such as the recent pandemic)
## **Restricted funds**
The restricted **Community Café** fund was created from donations and grants received to help meet certain expenses that need to be incurred to set up and operate the charity's café.
The restricted **Churches Together** fund was created from contributions received to help meet the cost of events held jointly with other local churches.
The restricted **Warms Spaces** fund was created from a grant received to help support the charity's work with young people (and their parents) by helping to meet heating costs during the winter months.
The restricted **Senior Workers** fund was created from a grant received from a trust to fund the appointment of a Seniors Worker over a three-year period.
## **20 Transactions with related parties**
During the year the charity:
- a) received donations totalling £26,282 (2024: £23,795) from related parties (which includes trustees, any other members of key management and anyone closely connected to them).
- b) paid no expenses (2024: £nil) for or to trustees for carrying out duties associated with being trustees; reimbursements for expenses incurred when acting as agent for the charity or incurred when undertaking employment duties not connected with serving as a trustee are not included in this disclosure.
During the year the charity also made the following payments to, or for, related parties:
- a) Jasmine Brierley, who is closely related to Rev. D. Brierley, who is a trustee, received employment benefits totalling £10,347 (2024: £4,752) for working in the charity's café.
- b) Elaine Gerald, who is closely related to C. Gerald, who is a trustee, received employment benefits totalling £17,753 for working in the church office.
Except as disclosed in note 9 'Analysis of staff costs', there have been no other transactions with related parties during the year.
Page 26
## **CHESTER ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## **21 Use of merger accounting**
As explained in note 2(a) 'Change of legal structure', a Trust (Chester Road Baptist Church with charity registration number 1134180) transferred its net assets and its activities to this charity (the 'CIO') on 1 April 2024. The provisions of merger accounting have been used in the preparation of these financial statements. These financial statements present the combined results of the Trust and the CIO for the year ended 31 March 2025. The CIO did not undertake any transactions on its own accord prior to 1 April 2024 and had no assets or liabilities before the transfer. The comparatives presented in these financial statements are the results of the Trust for the year ended 31 March 2024.
The year's results can be analysed as follows:
|Total income
Total expenditure
Net income / expenditure
Other gains and losses
Net movement in funds|Trust
£
-
-
-
pre-merger|CIO
£
-
-
-
-
-
pre-merger|Combined
Charity
post-merger
£
259,664
(294,253)
(34,589)
(8,738)
(43,328)|Combined
total
£
259,664
(294,253)|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||(34,589)
(8,738)|
|||||(43,328)|
The aggregate carrying value of the net assets of the respective charities at the date of the merger, were as follows:
|Net assets
Represented by:
Unrestricted funds
Restricted funds|Trust
£
860,545
857,146
3,399
860,545|CIO
£
-
-
-
-|Combined
total
£
860,545|
|---|---|---|---|
||||857,146
3,399|
||||860,545|
Page 27
## **CHESTER ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **DETAILED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES WITH COMPARATIVES**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
|Note
**INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM:**
Donations and legacies
3
Charitable activities
4
Other trading activities
5
Investments
6
**Total income and endowments**
**EXPENDITURE ON:**
Charitable activities:
7
Raising funds
8
**Total Expenditure**
**Net gains/(losses) on investments**
**Net income/(expenditure)**
**Transfers between funds**
19
**Net movement in funds**
**Reconciliation of funds:**
Total funds brought forward
**Total funds carried forward**
19||General
Designated
2025
2025
£
£
100,222
-
114,740
-
18,525
-
11,932
-
245,419
-
269,152
12,184
3,361
-
272,514
12,184
(8,738)
(35,834)
(12,184)
(140,166)
140,166
(175,999)
127,982
175,999
681,147
-
809,129
Unrestricted funds|Restricted
2025
£
14,245
-
-
-
14,245
9,555
9,555
4,690
-
4,690
3,399
8,089|Total
2025
£
114,467
114,740
18,525
11,932
259,664
290,892
3,361
294,253
(8,738)
(43,328)
-
(43,328)
860,545
817,218|||General
Designated
2024
2024
£
£
102,280
114,035
18,950
11,552
246,817
-
234,602
12,084
3,323
237,926
12,084
16,998
25,890
(12,084)
(2,007)
2,007
23,883
(10,077)
152,116
691,224
175,999
681,147
Unrestricted funds|Restricted
2024
£
-
-
-
-
-
3,399
3,399|Total
2024
£
102,280
114,035
18,950
11,552
246,817
246,686
3,323
250,010
16,998
13,806
-
13,806
846,739
860,545|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Page 28
## Chester Road Baptist Church (1201208): Final Accounts 2025
Final Audit Report
2025-10-08
Created: 2025-09-16 By: Matthew Reilly (matthew.reilly@stewardship.org.uk) Status: Signed Transaction ID: CBJCHBCAABAAhrZegyn0S4L_10x6EM5I-yZRhDhKTKmg
## "Chester Road Baptist Church (1201208): Final Accounts 2025" History
Document created by Matthew Reilly (matthew.reilly@stewardship.org.uk)
- 2025-09-16 - 1:39:19 PM GMT
- Document emailed to treasurer@chesterroadbaptist.org.uk for signature
- 2025-09-16 - 1:40:43 PM GMT
Email viewed by treasurer@chesterroadbaptist.org.uk
- 2025-09-16 - 2:03:55 PM GMT
- Signer treasurer@chesterroadbaptist.org.uk entered name at signing as Ewan mcIntosh 2025-09-16 - 2:04:29 PM GMT
- Document e-signed by Ewan mcIntosh (treasurer@chesterroadbaptist.org.uk)
Signature Date: 2025-09-16 - 2:04:31 PM GMT - Time Source: server
- Document emailed to churchsecretary@chesterroadbaptist.org.uk for signature 2025-09-16 - 2:04:34 PM GMT
- Email viewed by churchsecretary@chesterroadbaptist.org.uk 2025-09-16 - 7:10:19 PM GMT
- Signer churchsecretary@chesterroadbaptist.org.uk entered name at signing as J A Beesley 2025-09-16 - 7:11:20 PM GMT
Document e-signed by J A Beesley (churchsecretary@chesterroadbaptist.org.uk) Signature Date: 2025-09-16 - 7:11:22 PM GMT - Time Source: server
- Document emailed to Nick Spear (nick.spear@stewardship.org.uk) for signature 2025-09-16 - 7:11:24 PM GMT
Email viewed by Nick Spear (nick.spear@stewardship.org.uk)
2025-10-08 - 2:34:30 PM GMT
New document URL requested by Nick Spear (nick.spear@stewardship.org.uk)
2025-10-08 - 2:34:42 PM GMT
## Document e-signed by Nick Spear (nick.spear@stewardship.org.uk)
Signature Date: 2025-10-08 - 2:36:17 PM GMT - Time Source: server
## Agreement completed.
2025-10-08 - 2:36:17 PM GMT