New Life Bournemouth
Report and Accounts Period ended 31 December 2023
1 Lamb's Passage, London EC1Y 8AB www.stewardship.org.uk
NEW LIFE BOURNEMOUTH
LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE 40 Cranleigh Road Bournemouth BH6 5JH GOVERNING DOCUMENT CIO Foundation registered 13 February 2023 CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER 1201915 TRUSTEES RESPONSIBLE FOR Timothy Cologne (appointed February 2023) MANAGING THE CHARITY Colin Howard (appointed February 2023, resigned May2024) Frederick Potgieter (appointed February 2023) Daniele Carmo (appointed February 2023, resigned September 2023) Eugenio Carmo (appointed February 2023, resigned September 2023) Desmond Tham (appointed September 2023) BANKERS Lloyds Bank plc ACCOUNTANT Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage LONDON EC1Y 8AB INDEX Page 1 Legal and Administrative Details Pages 2-5 Trustees' Report Page 6 Accountant's Report Page 7 Receipts and Payments Account Page 8 Statement of Assets & Liabilities Page 9 Notes to the Accounts
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NEW LIFE BOURNEMOUTH
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
Objects of the charity
The charity, which is a church, is governed by a constitution and is constituted as a charitable incorporated organisation. The object of the CIO is the advancement of the Christian faith in particular (but without limitation) by providing worship, prayer and Christian teaching.
New Life Bournemouth [NLB] exists to serve the spiritual, physical and emotional needs of its members, associates and community and to engage in Christian mission. To this end, it organises and promotes activities that facilitate Christian worship and service and supports several initiatives that serve the practical needs of our community, which include:
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The advancement of the Christian faith through preaching, teaching and counselling based on the moral and ethical framework established in the Holy Scripture (Christian Bible) to develop individuals’ spirituality and their spiritual well-being.
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The provision of sacred spaces and worship services is open to all.
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The provision of public rituals, prayer and services.
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Contributing to the spiritual and moral education of children and young people.
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Contributing towards a better society by running activities to address specific needs in our local community.
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Provide pastoral care to our members and community members who come to us for help and support.
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Providing comfort to the bereaved.
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Helping to provide social care to those in need.
Most of its activities are organised and run by volunteers drawn from its membership and close associates who freely give their time and energies in response to their love for God.
Review of the charity's main activities and achievements
The CIO was registered in February 2023, and the bank account was opened in June 2023. The CIO started operating from the registration date and is awaiting asset transfer from Cranleigh Community Church [Cranleigh Hall Road Trust].
During the reporting period, the church has maintained a vibrant calendar of religious and community activities aimed at fostering spiritual growth, fellowship, and community engagement. The following key activities were conducted:
Weekly Sunday Services : Held every Sunday, these services provided opportunities for worship, teaching, and fellowship. Average attendance was 30-35 members, with several visitors also attending.
Prayer Meetings : The church held regular prayer meetings, typically mid-week, where members gathered to pray for the church, community, and wider world. These meetings were essential for maintaining the spiritual health of the congregation.
Bible Study and Life Groups : Bible study sessions were held weekly, focusing on deepening members' understanding of Scripture and how it applies to daily life. In addition, life groups (small home-based fellowship groups) met to encourage relational discipleship and personal growth.
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Special Events
Worship Weekend : A significant highlight was the worship weekend hosted in collaboration with a pastoral couple from Belfast in April 2024. This weekend focused on developing a deeper culture of worship in the church, and the feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive.
Men's and Ladies' Events : Both the men’s and ladies' groups organised special events to foster stronger relationships among members. These events were focused on discipleship, encouragement, and spiritual growth.
Baptisms and Salvations : The church experienced spiritual growth with several baptisms (9 in total) and witnessed at least 6 people committing their lives to Christ over the reporting period. These were celebrated publicly during Sunday services and were a source of joy for the congregation.
Pastoral Activities : Pastoral care remained a central focus, with the elders providing counselling and support to church members. They also led key ministries, such as Bible teaching, prayer, and home visits to members in need of personal care.
Impact and Public Benefit
In compliance with the UK Charity Commission’s public benefit requirement, the trustees confirm that all activities undertaken by the church are in line with its charitable purpose of advancing the Christian faith. The church continues to serve both its members and the wider community through its various religious and social activities.
The Sunday services and Bible study groups provide spiritual enrichment for the congregation, while also welcoming non-members and visitors. The baptisms and salvations during this period demonstrate the impact of the church’s outreach and discipleship efforts. The prayer meetings and pastoral care initiatives address the emotional and spiritual needs of both church members and others in the community. The worship weekend and other special events helped to foster community, develop leadership, and encourage deeper worship and connection to God.
Conclusion
The trustees are encouraged by the spiritual and numerical growth of the church over the past year. The activities, both regular and special, have significantly contributed to the advancement of the church’s charitable mission. As we move forward, the trustees remain committed to ensuring that NLB continues to serve its members and the wider community while upholding the principles of accountability, transparency, and faithfulness to its Christian mission.
Financial review
The financial health of the church is stable. The church is primarily funded through tithes and offerings from members, which are used to support the ministry, operational costs, and charitable initiatives. No major financial challenges were reported during this period. The accounts will be examined annually to ensure transparency and accountability.
The funds that support the charity come primarily from the offerings and gifts made by members and friends of the church and are entirely voluntary. Occasionally individuals or organisations using the church facilities make a small financial gift to the church.
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Reserves policy
The trustees do not yet have a reserves policy in place but will consider drafting a policy once the asset transfer from Cranleigh Community Church [Cranleigh Hall Road Trust] has taken place.
Governance
Responsibility for setting policy and for making operating decisions rest with the trustees who meet regularly to monitor the activities of the charity. New trustees are recruited and appointed by the remaining trustees in consultation with the church leadership.
All Charity Trustees must subscribe and adhere to, in belief and lifestyle, the Statement of Faith. The trustees require that the leadership team of New Life Bournemouth (NLB) ensure that the church premises and the adjacent property are adequately repaired and insured against risk. The trustees permit the hall and associated buildings to be used by the fellowship of believers under the guidance and direction of the church leaders. A team of elders provide spiritual leadership for NLB and manages the practical affairs of the church.
NLB is an independent, charismatic evangelical church belonging to no denomination or ‘’stream’’. It is a member of the Evangelical Alliance of the United Kingdom.
Training is available to trustees to cover any specific needs. The trustees regularly review the significant risks faced by the charity and have established systems to mitigate any that are significant. The trustees believe that the financial controls and regular reporting of income and expenditure provide sufficient, timely information to respond to adverse trends and ensure that the trust’s financial liabilities are covered.
The trustees operate a proactive child protection policy with associated detailed procedures. A similar policy has been established to cater for vulnerable adults. We obtain Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearances for anyone with regular contact with our children, young people and other vulnerable people. We obtain these through Thirty-one eight. We have established links with our local Social Services and use them and other recommended experts to provide relevant training.
The church is governed by a board of trustees responsible for overseeing the operations of the church and ensuring compliance with the Charity Commission’s guidelines for CIOs. The trustees meet quarterly to review the charity's progress and ensure the church is meeting its charitable objectives. The trustees consider that they have complied with the duty to have due regard to public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission.
Key governance actions during this period included:
· Ensuring that all activities align with the church’s mission of advancing the Christian faith.
· Monitoring the church's financial health, ensuring that donations and funds are used appropriately to support ministry activities.
· Maintaining up-to-date safeguarding policies, with all relevant staff and volunteers undergoing safeguarding training.
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Responsibilities of trustees
Charity law requires us as Trustees to prepare financial statements for each accounting year which record the receipts and payments of the charity for the year.
We are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable us to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011.
We also have a responsibility to safeguard the assets of the charity and to take reasonable steps to prevent fraud or any other irregularities.
Approval
This report was approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by:
Desmond Tham
Desmond Tham (Sep 25, 2024 19:09 GMT+1) ____ Desmond Tham Date:_____ Sep 25, 2024
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ACCOUNTANT’S REPORT ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF AN UNAUDITED CHARITY
Accountant’s Report to the Trustees on the Preparation of the Unaudited Statutory Accounts of New Life Bournemouth for the 11m period ended 31 December 2023.
In order to assist you to fulfil your duties under the Charities Act 2011, we have prepared for your approval the accounts of New Life Bournemouth for the period ended 31 December 2023 as set out on pages 7 to 9 from the accounting records and from information and explanations you have given us.
This report is made solely to the Trustees of the charity, as a body, in accordance with the terms of our engagement letter. Our work has been undertaken solely to prepare for your approval the accounts of the charity and state those matters that we have agreed to state to the Trustees of the charity. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity and its Trustees as a body for our work or for this report.
It is your duty to ensure that the charity has kept adequate records and to prepare statutory accounts that meet the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 for the charity. You consider that the charity is exempt from the statutory audit requirement for the year and is eligible to prepare ‘Receipts and Payments’ accounts.
We have not been instructed to carry out an audit or review of the accounts of the charity. For this reason, we have not verified the accuracy or completeness of the accounting records or information and explanations you have given to us and we do not, therefore, express any opinion on the statutory accounts.
Stewardship
Stewardship (Sep 26, 2024 08:53 GMT+1) Stewardship 1 Lamb’s Passage London EC1Y 8AB
Dated: Sep 26, 2024
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NEW LIFE BOURNEMOUTH
RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
| Notes Income receipts Donations Grants Total receipts Payments 2 Total payments Transfers between funds 4 Net movement in funds Cash funds as at last year end Cash funds at this year end A Net of receipts / (payments) before transfers Payments in relation to charitable activities undertaken directly |
General Designated Funds Funds £ £ 4,303 - - - 4,303 - - - - - 4,303 - - - 4,303 - - - 4,303 - Unrestricted Funds |
Restricted Funds £ - 530 530 - - 530 - 530 - 530 |
Total for period 13Feb2023 to 31Dec2023 £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4,303 530 |
|||
| 4,833 | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| 4,833 - |
|||
| 4,833 - |
|||
| 4,833 |
The notes on page 9 form part of these accounts.
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NEW LIFE BOURNEMOUTH
STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
AS AT THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
| A Cash funds Cash at bank with immediate access B Other monetary assets C Liabilities Falling due within one year: Fee for Independent Examination |
General Designated funds funds £ £ 4,303 - 4,303 - - - 420 - 420 - Unrestricted Funds |
Restricted funds £ 530 530 - - - |
Total for period 13Feb2023 to 31Dec2023 £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4,833 | |||
| 4,833 | |||
| - | |||
| 420 | |||
| 420 |
D Assets retained for charity's own use
The charity does not yet own any assets.
E Guarantees and secured debts
The charity has not given any guarantees and has not provided its assets as security for any liabilities.
The accounts were approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf
by Desmond Tham date
Desmond Tham (Sep 25, 2024 19:09 GMT+1) _____Desmond Tham _____ Sep 25, 2024
The notes on page 9 form part of these accounts.
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NEW LIFE BOURNEMOUTH
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
1 Accounting policies
The accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis and comprise a statement that shows the charity's receipts and payments, a statement that summarises the charity's assets and liabilities and related notes. The accountancy profession have determined that only accounts prepared in accordance with applicable accounting standards present a 'true and fair' view and, as these receipts and payments accounts have not (and cannot) be prepared in accordance with accounting standards, these accounts do not present (and are not intended to present) a 'true and fair' view of the charity's financial activities and state of affairs.
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.
2 Payments in relation to charitable activities undertaken directly
| General Designated funds funds £ £ - - Unrestricted Funds |
Restricted Funds £ - |
Total for period 13Feb2023 to 31Dec2023 £ |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| General funds £ - |
|||
| - |
Transactions with related parties
No payments were made to trustees or persons related to them, except for reimbursement of expenses paid out on behalf of the charity.
| 4 Movement of funds General funds Restricted funds Parents and Toddlers Total funds |
Opening balance £ - - - - - |
Receipts £ 4,303 4,303 530 530 4,833 |
Payments £ - - - - - |
Transfers £ - - - - - |
Closing balance £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4,303 | |||||
| 4,303 | |||||
| 530 | |||||
| 530 | |||||
| 4,833 |
£530 was received as a grant from Cranleigh Hall Road Trust to be used for the Parents and Toddlers group.
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