Penn Chris ian Centre 279-281 Warstones Road, Penn, Wolverhampton, WV4 4LA
Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements For the year ended 31[st] December 2023
for
PENN CHRISTIAN CENTRE
(A Charitable Incorporated Organisation)
Registered Charity 1202339
PENN CHRISTIAN CENTRE
| Contents Page |
|---|
| Charity Information ................................................................................................................... 3 |
| Report of the Trustees ................................................................................................................ 4 |
| Report of the Independent Examiner ......................................................................................... 8 |
| Statement of Financial Activities ............................................................................................... 9 |
| Notes to the Financial Statement ............................................................................................. 11 |
Registered Charity 1202339
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PENN CHRISTIAN CENTRE Charity Information
for the year ended 31[st] December 2023
Trustees:
Mr John Hamilton Beckett (Chair) Mr Andrew James Rice Mr David Jewkes Mrs Jasvinder Nahar (Safeguarding Lead) Mrs Kanta Malhan Mr Keith John Sammonds (Secretary) Mr Sanjay Patla (Treasurer)
Registered Office: Penn Christian Centre 279-281 Warstones Road Penn Wolverhampton WV4 4LA Charity Number: 1202339 Independent Examiner: Kalirai & Co 1 Broad Lane Wolverhampton WV3 9BJ
Bankers:
Virgin Money 133-139 New Street Birmingham B2 4JQ
Registered Charity 1202339
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PENN CHRISTIAN CENTRE Report of the Trustees
for the year ended 31[st] December 2023
The Trustees of the Charity present their Annual Report and independently reviewed Financial Statements for the year ended 31[st] December 2023.
Introduction:
Penn Christian Centre has existed for some 40 years as a fellowship of Christian believers meeting together to worship God in the building previously known as Cleveland Hall (now Penn Christian Centre) which has been registered as a “place of Christian worship”. As such the unincorporated organisation enjoyed the “grandfather rights” of charitable status that have been in place for many years. As the Government view on such organisations changed Penn Christian Centre had to convert from being an unincorporated organisation to holding Charitable Status and this was granted by the Charity Commission on 16[th] March 2023 as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). As this is a continuation of the organisation from unincorporated organisation to CIO this report and the associated Financial Statements relates to the year 1[st] January 2023 to 31[st] December 2023.
The land and buildings previously known as Cleveland Hall are held in Trust by the Cleveland Hall Trust and four of the Charity Trustees are the Trustees of this Trust. It is acknowledged that this has potential to create conflicts of interest and the Trustees recognise this within their meetings and procedures are in place to manage and mitigate the potential conflicts.
Objects and Activities:
As set out in the Constitution of the charity the Objects of the charity are: “for the public benefit, to advance the Christian religion in accordance with the Statement of Faith in Wolverhampton and such other parts of the United Kingdom or the world as the Charity Trustees may from time to time decide.”
In fulfilling these objects the following activities have been undertaken throughout the reporting period:
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Sunday Services including
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a. Christian worship and biblical teaching
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b. Sharing the sacraments of Communion
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c. Childrens and young peoples teaching and activities
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d. Provision of a time of fellowship for pastoral support
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e. Shared meals in line with biblical teaching
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Mid-week Bible Study Groups for adults and young people
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Childrens activity days
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Dandelions – a drop in parent/carer and toddler group
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Distribution of Christian information and details of activities into the local community
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Community bonfire and BBQ
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Christmas and Easter services
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Support of local schools workers
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Financial support of Christian organisations for their work
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Financial and prayer support of relief programmes around the world
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Access to the building for other Christian organisations
Registered Charity 1202339
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PENN CHRISTIAN CENTRE
In support of the above the following actions have been taken involving expense and/or volunteer time:
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a) Maintenance and cleaning of the premises and grounds
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b) DBS checking of volunteers (Safeguarding Policy)
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c) Pastoral support to volunteers
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d) Research and preparation of teaching materials
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e) Management of day-to-day accounting and maintenance and preparation of accounts
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f) Setting up and equipping the premises for activities
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g) Preparation acquisition and distribution of publicity materials
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h) Preparation and distribution of internal communications
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i) Liaison with Christian workers and organisations at home and abroad
Achievements and Performance:
There have been a number of significant achievements in this year for Penn Christian Centre with some disappointments and some tasks having to roll on to the coming year:
Recovery from Covid Pandemic:
The restrictions imposed during the pandemic had a significant impact on the functioning of the Church in almost all aspects of its work. Recovery in some areas has been relatively smooth but in others some difficulties, hindrances and personal reluctance have been encountered. Wherever possible the Church has returned to “normal” operation but some of the changes introduced during the Covid pandemic have continued and accommodation of personal reluctance has been maintained with individuals as appropriate. An example of this is:
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Use of Zoom (Meeting software):
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As a Church community we introduced the use of meeting software during the pandemic and after some trials with differing packages settled on Zoom. Use of this has continued which has allowed those with medical issues to continue to be involved in the life of the fellowship without having to put themselves, or others, at risk of infection. This has enhanced the breadth of involvement in services and study groups with both House Groups using Zoom each week, on in a hybrid meeting and one solely using Zoom.
Finances:
The amount of cash gifts (offerings in a box in the lobby) dropped to zero through the lockdowns as the premises were closed. Whilst this was slow to start recovering in 2022 there has been a significant uplift in 2023, but some of this may be down to new members of the fellowship.
Charitable Status:
Work towards formalising the status of the fellowship had commenced in 2018 and the decision to apply for CIO status was taken in December 2019. The pandemic resulted in limited progress with documentation and the final application was made in January 2023 and approved by the Charity Commission in March 2023. The Trustees held 2 meetings in year and progressed a number of set up and administrative issues consequential on the formalisation of the charity. Costs specific to the charitable status to date are £2,773 with additional costs awaited for the transfer of the land and building from the Cleveland Hall Trust to the CIO which has been delayed at the Land Registry.
Registered Charity 1202339
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PENN CHRISTIAN CENTRE
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Transfer of Land and Building:
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Now that the fellowship is formally established and registered as a charity it has been decided by the Trustees of the Cleveland Hall Trust to offer to transfer the land and building to the charity, removing the potential conflicts of interest and consolidating the assets into one organisation. The charity Trustees have accepted this offer and the transfer prepared and lodged with the Land Registry. Due to delays and incorrect dating of documents at the Land Registry this transfer is still in progress and costs have increased. Once the transfer and first registration of the deeds with the Land Registry have been completed the intention is to dissolve the Cleveland Hall Trust and remove the potential for conflicts of interest and misunderstandings under the status of the Church and fellowship.
Safeguarding:
The previous unincorporated organisation Safeguarding Policy has been reviewed and updated and is currently awaiting final approval. A Safeguarding lead has been appointed from within the Trustees and a deputy appointed from within the fellowship. “Thirty One: Eight” was appointed to handle the DBS checks and appropriate access to their systems put in place and all volunteers have been DBS checked and approved at the level appropriate to their activity. A review process is in place and follow up arranged for the coming year.
Local Area Publicity:
- Following on from a process established during the pandemic, the fellowship has continued to build upon contact with the Centre’s neighbours. Three times a year a distribution has been made to some 160 homes in the block around the Centre; this includes information about events, specific details of the relevant Christian festival (Easter and Christmas), an invitation to the community bonfire and an offer of practical help to any who may need it.
Community Bonfire:
- We re-established our Community Bonfire in 2022 (previously run annually from the mid 1980s) and in 2023 the event was hugely successful with around 150 of the local community and school joining the fellowship for an evening of BBQ, fireworks and Christian entertainment provided by one of the local school workers that we support.
Dandelions:
Dandelions obviously suffered from what was effectively a two year closure through the pandemic and whilst re-started in 2022, 2023 saw a significant uptake with some 30 attendees.
Fellowship:
The fellowship has benefitted from a number of new families joining us in year.
Loan of Building:
- A short term loan agreement was put in place with City Church Wolverhampton (Charity number 1193886) to permit them to hold services on Sunday afternoons throughout December 2023 and January 2024 (extended to February 2024) after they lost use of a local school for their activities. This was agreed by email by the Trustees of Cleveland Hall and the Charity Trustees.
Registered Charity 1202339
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PENN CHRISTIAN CENTRE
Financial Review:
The Charity receives gifts and donations from the fellowship members and a number of other people and churches. Unless otherwise indicated by the donor, all gifts are allocated 10% to each of the Kingdom, Local Mission and Relief Funds and 70% into the General Fund. Details of the individual funds that the fellowship uses in its accounting are in the Notes to the Financial Statement.
The Charity does not function its own Gift Aid arrangements, instead using the services of Stewardship.
Income in year, £37,108.16, is up on the previous year and appears to complete the recovery to pre-Covid levels. Expenditure is also up on the previous year at £39,390.48, and is higher than usual due in part to the costs associated with the formalisation of charitable status. The year end shows a healthy balance spread across the two bank accounts and cash of £127,099.43.
Structure, Governance and Administration:
The Charity is constituted as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), registered with the Charity Commission number 1202339 and is therefore not subject to Corporation Tax. Governing Document: Constitution of Penn Christian Centre dated 31[st] January 2023 lodged with the Charity Commission as part of the application and signed by the Trustees at their inaugural meeting on 1[st] May 2023. This incorporates the Statement of Faith of the fellowship also signed by the Trustees. The Register of Members, dated 24[th] March 2023, was approved and signed by the Trustees at their inaugural meeting along with a Transfer of Assets record. The Trustees all provide their services free of charge. They have a wide range of skills and experience, many in management in the public, private and voluntary sectors. Trustees are elected by members at the AGM and serve for a three-year term.
The Trustees set the overall policy and direction of the Charity working alongside the Leadership Team of the fellowship, who carry responsibility for the spiritual and pastoral guidance of the fellowship. The current Leadership Team comprises three of the Charity Trustees.
Approval:
This report was approved by the Trustees on 21[st] May 2024,
and signed on their behalf:
Mr John Hamilton Beckett (Chair)
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Registered Charity 1202339
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PENN CHRISTIAN CENTRE Report of the Independent Examiner CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLANO ANO WALES knd•p•nd•nt •xamln•es report on th• accounts Se£lCm A epon {ff My), 2Q11 KI 145(SHbi Att f•Aa Ilk•tsDrf•) or body I Registered Charity 1202339 Page8ofll
PENN CHRISTIAN CENTRE
Statement of Financial Activities
| Statement of Financial Activities | Statement of Financial Activities | Statement of Financial Activities | Statement of Financial Activities | Statement of Financial Activities | Statement of Financial Activities | Statement of Financial Activities | Statement of Financial Activities | Statement of Financial Activities | Statement of Financial Activities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penn Christian Centre- 2023 Accounts | |||||||||
| 30/12/2022 Through 31/12/2023 (in Pound) | Page 1 | ||||||||
| 1-2-10 | Abacus | Building Fund | General Fund | Kingdom Fund | Local Mission | NEST | Relief Fund | OVERALL | |
| Category Description | TOTAL | ||||||||
| INCOME | |||||||||
| Dandelions | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 300.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 300.00 |
| Gift Aid | 480.00 | 684.84 | 660.00 | 5,558.76 | 2,471.00 | 4,756.15 | 796.08 | 4,275.32 | 19,682.15 |
| Gifts | |||||||||
| Bonfire | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 114.51 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 114.51 |
| Cash in Box | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2,977.43 | 425.37 | 425.37 | 0.00 | 1,026.54 | 4,854.71 |
| Specific Gifts | 270.00 | 125.00 | 0.00 | 1,378.10 | 761.65 | 766.80 | 4,992.50 | 2,610.00 | 10,904.05 |
| TOTAL Gifts | 270.00 | 125.00 | 0.00 | 4,470.04 | 1,187.02 | 1,192.17 | 4,992.50 | 3,636.54 | 15,873.27 |
| Interest | 0.00 | 0.00 | 87.46 | 493.08 | 20.79 | 47.10 | 253.70 | 100.61 | 1,002.74 |
| Other Income | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 250.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 250.00 |
| TOTAL INCOME | 750.00 | 809.84 | 747.46 | 11,071.88 | 3,678.81 | 5,995.42 | 6,042.28 | 8,012.47 | 37,108.16 |
| EXPENSES | |||||||||
| Admin | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 3,460.35 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 3,460.35 |
| Bank Charges | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 9.28 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 49.41 | 0.00 | 58.69 |
| Bonfire | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 628.21 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 628.21 |
| Building | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1,050.00 | 143.21 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1,193.21 |
| Household | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1,922.24 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1,922.24 |
| Insurance | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 606.76 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 606.76 |
| Loan | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 700.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 700.00 |
| Monthly Gifts | 960.00 | 960.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 3,600.00 | 4,200.00 | 0.00 | 2,400.00 | 12,120.00 |
| OGifts | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2,095.00 | 1,250.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 5,449.47 | 8,794.47 |
| Outreach | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 395.52 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 395.52 |
| Pakistan | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 7,050.59 | 0.00 | 7,050.59 |
| Publicity | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 97.87 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 97.87 |
| Utilities | |||||||||
| Elec | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 517.41 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 517.41 |
| Gas | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1,226.75 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1,226.75 |
| Phone | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 521.11 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 521.11 |
| Water | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 97.30 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 97.30 |
| TOTAL EXPENSES | 960.00 | 960.00 | 1,050.00 | 12,421.01 | 4,850.00 | 4,200.00 | 7,100.00 | 7,849.47 | 39,390.48 |
Registered Charity 1202339
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PENN CHRISTIAN CENTRE
| Penn Christian Centre- 2023 Accounts | Penn Christian Centre- 2023 Accounts | Penn Christian Centre- 2023 Accounts | Penn Christian Centre- 2023 Accounts | Penn Christian Centre- 2023 Accounts | Penn Christian Centre- 2023 Accounts | Penn Christian Centre- 2023 Accounts | Penn Christian Centre- 2023 Accounts | Penn Christian Centre- 2023 Accounts | Penn Christian Centre- 2023 Accounts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30/12/2022 Through 31/12/2023 (in Pound) | Page 2 | ||||||||
| 1-2-10 | Abacus | Building Fund | General Fund | Kingdom Fund | Local Mission | NEST | Relief Fund | OVERALL | |
| Category Description | TOTAL | ||||||||
| TRANSFERS | |||||||||
| FROM Current | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 5,001.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 5,001.00 |
| FROM Deposit | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 5,000.00 | 0.00 | 5,000.00 |
| FROM Cash | 0.00 | 0.00 | 150.00 | 839.28 | 803.53 | 303.53 | 0.00 | 903.66 | 3,000.00 |
| TO Current | 0.00 | 0.00 | -150.00 | -839.28 | -803.53 | -303.53 | -5,000.00 | -903.66 | -8,000.00 |
| TO Deposit | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | -5,001.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | -5,001.00 |
| TOTAL TRANSFERS | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Balance Forward | |||||||||
| Bal Fwd Current | 0.00 | 57.56 | 2,417.34 | 38,344.71 | 3,624.60 | 5,664.58 | 58.58 | 13,385.93 | 63,553.30 |
| Bal Fwd Deposit | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8,004.53 | 25,413.22 | 0.20 | 0.00 | 28,504.32 | 1,680.53 | 63,602.80 |
| Bal Fwd Cash | 0.00 | 0.00 | 150.00 | 580.55 | 678.33 | 228.33 | 0.00 | 588.44 | 2,225.65 |
| TOTAL Balance Forward | 0.00 | 57.56 | 10,571.87 | 64,338.48 | 4,303.13 | 5,892.91 | 28,562.90 | 15,654.90 | 129,381.75 |
| ACCOUNT BALANCES | -210.00 | -92.60 | 10,269.33 | 62,989.35 | 3,131.94 | 7,688.33 | 27,505.18 | 15,817.90 | 127,099.43 |
| RESTRICTED FUNDS | Laurie McEwen (OM) |
Robinson Gill | Young People going abroad |
||||||
| 4,192.89 | 14,516.92 | 1,974.12 | |||||||
| AKASH | 240.00 | ||||||||
| Zimbabwe Food Project |
-1412.23 | ||||||||
| Christmas 2023 | 936.06 | ||||||||
| Uncleared Transactions | |||||||||
| Unrestricted Balances | -210.00 | -92.60 | 10,269.33 | 62,989.35 | 3,131.94 | 3,495.44 | 12,988.26 | 14,079.95 | 106,651.67 |
| Current | -210.00 | -92.60 | 2,195.42 | 31,569.26 | 2,471.57 | 7,278.16 | 3,772.54 | 12,180.96 | 59,165.31 |
| Deposit | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8,073.91 | 30,673.20 | 0.20 | 0.00 | 23,712.64 | 1,695.09 | 64,155.04 |
| Cash | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 746.89 | 660.17 | 410.17 | 20.00 | 1,941.85 | 3,779.08 |
| OVERALL TOTAL | -210.00 | -92.60 | 10,269.33 | 62,989.35 | 3,131.94 | 7,688.33 | 27,505.18 | 15,817.90 | 127,099.43 |
| Notes: | Administration includes £2,448.25 of initial CIO set up costs. A further £325.50 was recorded in 2022. | ||||||||
| Insuranceis £494.76 for the fellowship/CIO and £112 for the Cleveland Hall Trust. | |||||||||
| Loana loan of £900 was made to a member of the fellowship in need and is being progressively repaid. | |||||||||
| 1-2-10:Due to changes in the way the operation in Bulawayo is now running it is no longer appropriate to separate the areas of support. |
Registered Charity 1202339
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PENN CHRISTIAN CENTRE Notes to the Financial Statement
Penn Christian Centre has worked with a number of “Funds” for many years in order to keep monies given for specific purposes separate from each other. These originally started from projects that we were looking to support. They are set up as Categories within the accounting software and so are reported as vertical columns in the accounts. The various funds are:
1-2-10: The challenge to the fellowship was to receive a £1 coin and try and make it into £10 within a month. This is based on the biblical story of the good and bad servants who were entrusted with monies by their master while he was away. The objective was to raise funds in support of a project in Zimbabwe that cared for abused children. Several of the fellowship wanted to make a regular donation in long term support of this project, more recently known as the Sandra Jones Village. Funds have previously been separated between the over all work of the centre and support of indigenous staff but the operation of the centre has made this differentiation irrelevant.
Abacus: A project that originally supported orphan children in Delhi in India and several members of the fellowship committed to provide financial support to take 2 children, one of whom was profoundly deaf, through their education. After the two original children left school, we agreed to support the wider project. More recently this project has migrated to provide IT training to “street children.
Building Project: This has been a long-term fund as it has long been recognised that the Centre needs extending to meet the future of the fellowship. The objective is that one the project is ready to go we will seek funds from the fellowship members and supporters.
General Fund: A non-restricted fund from which the functioning of the fellowship is maintained.
Kingdom Fund: Used to support the extension of God’s Kingdom through gifts to Christian workers predominantly but not exclusively in the UK.
Local Mission: set up to enable the fellowship to support local Christian workers and currently used to support Laurie McEwen in his role leading the Kids ‘n Things team at Operation Mobilisation (OM). Specific giving from regular donors covers £250 per month (with a surplus) and £100 is from unallocated funds as fellowship support making a monthly total of £350 to OM.
NEST: Support of National Evangelical Christian workers in Pakistan originally from a legacy. This was swollen with significant donations from around the UK after the serious earthquake and the surplus from this provides the current reducing balance. Monies now being received into this fund all come from outside of the fellowship. There is a specific restricted sub fund within this for a named individual. All other gifts are for the wider work.
Relief Fund: Set up to relieve suffering wherever we come across it, both at home and abroad. There are several restricted sub funds within this including our regular Christmas offerings which naturally roll over the year end but are cleared as early in the new accounting year as is feasible.
Registered Charity 1202339
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