# **CIO NUMBER: CE034444 (England and Wales) REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1205958** ## **Report of the Trustees and** **Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2024** ## **for** **The Greek Orthodox Church Of Saint Neophytos The Recluse** Tearle & Carver Limited Chandos House School Lane Buckingham Buckinghamshire MK18 1HD **The Greek Orthodox Church Of Saint Neophytos The Recluse** **Contents of the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2024** ||**Page**| |---|---| |**Legal and Administrative Information**|1| |**Trustees Report**|2 - 3| |**Independent Examiner's Report**|4| |**Receipts and Payments Accounts**|5| |**Statement of Assets and Liabilities**|6| ## **The Greek Orthodox Church Of Saint Neophytos The Recluse** ## **Legal and Administrative Information for the Year Ended 31 December 2024** The trustees present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 December 2024. The trustees have adopted the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities' issued in March 2005. On 29 November 2023, the charity converted from an unincorporated association to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), registered with the Charity Commission under registration number 1205958. These financial statements represent the first reporting period of the CIO. The comparative figures relate to the unincorporated charity and are presented for information purposes only. The assets and liabilities of the unincorporated charity were transferred to the CIO on 29 November 2023. ## **Trustee Recruitment** Trustees are appointed as and when required, based on the experience and expertise they can bring to the role. Recruitment decisions are guided by the Charity’s commitment to ensuring that its governance remains strong and that its objectives are effectively met. The process prioritises individuals whose skills align with the Charity’s strategic needs and operational priorities. ## **Reserves Policy** The Charity operates a reserves policy designed to ensure financial resilience. It aims to retain sufficient funds to meet normal operational expenditure and to hold, at any given time, a minimum of 20% of its expected annual income in cash. This reserve is maintained to safeguard against unforeseen events and to ensure continuity of service delivery. ## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS** ## **CIO Number** CE034444 (England and Wales) ## **Trustees:** Mr S Nichola - appointed 29/11/2023 Mr G Smith - appointed 29/11/2023 ## **Registered office** 55 The Drive St Crispin Drive Upton Northampton NN5 4XT ## **Independent Examiners:** Tearle & Carver Limited Chartered Accountants Chandos House School Lane Buckingham MK18 1HD Page 1 ## **The Greek Orthodox Church Of Saint Neophytos The Recluse** ## **Church Trustee's Report for the Year Ended 31 December 2024** ## **Management** The Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Neophytos the Recluse (Charity Number 1205958) is situated at The Drive, St Crispin Drive, Upton, Northampton. The Church trustees appointed for a 4 year term on registration of the charity as a Charitable Incorporation Organisation were Mr Savvas Nichola and Mr Gary Paul Smith with Mr Savvas Nichola appointed as the Chairman. The trustees are assisted in the day to day running and operation of the Church by a committee of dedicated volunteers including Mrs Androulla Alexandrou as Treasurer, Mrs Anastasia Gratsa, Mrs Svetlana Birsan and Mr Igor Birsan, Mrs Theodora Anastasiades, Mr Stylianos Kaiafas, Mr Tassos Nicholaou, Mr George Moraites and Mrs Koulla Jolley. ## **Objectives and aims** The Charity’s objectives are to advance the Greek orthodox faith in Northamptonshire and the surrounding area for the benefit of the public in accordance with the doctrines and the canons of the Greek orthodox church particularly, but not exclusively, by providing and maintaining a place of worship, raising awareness and understanding of orthodox Christian beliefs and practices and outreach and pastoral care. The Charity seeks to meet its objectives by providing regular services in the Orthodox tradition throughout the year and at key points in the Orthodox calendar such as Easter (The Resurrection) and Christmas as well as by the celebration of the name days of various Orthodox Saints. The Church also organizes social and other outreach activities within the Orthodox community. ## **Review of activities and progress** During the year the Church continued to offer its regular fortnightly church services from Northampton. These services are essential in advancing the Greek Orthodox faith as well as providing a community hub for members of the orthodox church to enjoy refreshments after the services and engage with each other in the spirit of the Orthodox church and its teachings. Additionally, the Church, through its priest, has continued to provide home and hospital visits to the sick and elderly members of the community and provide them with comfort, company and solace in their time of need in accordance with the canons of the Greek Orthodox church. The Church also maintains a close contact with the local Greek community school run by a team of dedicated volunteers who provide children of Greek and other faiths with the opportunity to learn the Greek language and the traditions of the Greek Orthodox community. Page 2 The Church has also opened up its doors to its brothers and sisters from the Moldovan Orthodox community in Northamptonshire by offering the Moldovan community the use of the Church for their regular services conducted in the Orthodox tradition of worship. This has given the Moldovan community of Northamptonshire a spiritual home and enabled them to undertake a variety of services, baptisms and funerals as well as celebrate the name days of Orthodox Saints. During the year the Church sadly lost the services of Father Samuel Christophorou following his relocation to continue his ministry in the West Midlands. Father Samuel was a guiding light for the Church in Northampton and was instrumental in encouraging the Northampton community to incorporate the Church as a charity. Despite the loss of the services of Father Samuel, the Church was blessed by the grace of his Eminence Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britan in securing the services of Father Gregory Wellington who was appointed the regular priest for St Neophytos the Recluse in 2024. The Trustees and the committee of the Church are grateful for the services of Father Samuel Christophorou and welcome Father Gregory Wellington in continuing to advance the Greek Orthodox faith in Northamptonshire. ## **Financial review** When the exceptional payment receipt of the sum of c. £30,000 from the insurer to the Church is stripped out, income for the financial year in question has remained broadly in line with the previous financial year. The Church received a payment of £30,000 from its insurer on account of damage incurred to the fabric of the church by old and defective drainage systems and rain water goods. While in some respects it is comforting that notwithstanding the broader cost of living issues that affect all of our parishioners the Church’s income from donations has remained fairly constant, the Trustees are acutely aware that in a time of rising prices and cost of living issues the Church needs to take steps to increase its income where possible. Expenditure for the relevant financial year has increased due to several factors. First, in securing the services of a new priest the Church now pays an attendance allowance to cover expenses which it did not previously have to do due to Father Samuel asking not to be remunerated due to him being able to support his own ministry. Second, the Church has also been fortunate to retain the services of a regular chanter for its services which also comes at a regular cost for the Church in the form of expenses. Third, the Church has had to secure the services of external engineers to investigate and devise a solution to the structural issues affecting the Church. Overall, while the Church has not suffered a loss during the relevant financial year the extent of its surplus is due to the insurance payment made to the Church. Much of this surplus is ring fenced to pay for the solutions devised by the Church’s engineers with such expenditure being undertaken in the following financial year. ……………………………………….. His Eminence Archbishop Nikitas Date: ………………………………… Page 3 ## **Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of the The Greek Orthodox Church Of Saint Neophytos The Recluse** ## **Independent examiner's report to the trustees of the Greek Community of St Neophytos Northampton** We report to the charity trustees on our examination of the accounts of the Greek Community of St Neophytos Northampton (the Trust) for the year ended 31 December 2024. ## **Responsibilities and basis of report** As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act'). We report in respect of our examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the Act and in carrying out our examination we have followed all applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. ## **Independent examiner's statement** We have completed our examination. We confirm that no material matters have come to our attention in connection with the examination giving us cause to believe that in any material respect: 1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust 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. We have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which Tearle & Carver Limited Chandos House School Lane Buckingham Buckinghamshire MK18 1HD Date: ………………………………… Page 4 ## **The Greek Orthodox Church Of Saint Neophytos The Recluse** ## **Receipts and Payments Accounts for the Year Ended 31 December 2024** |**RECEIPTS**
Collections - Church & Ladies Auxiliary
Baptisms, weddings and funerals
School Fees
Insurance
Fundraising/Party
Donations
Subscriptions
Misc
**Total receipts**
**PAYMENTS**
Priest expenses
Clergy
Chanter
Teacher Wages
Party Expenses
Baptism/funeral/wed/certification
Candles & flowers
Insurance on property
Accountancy
Sundry
Books
Events
Premises Expenses
Electricity/Water
Rent
Hall Hire
Misc
Repairs
Donation
Furniture & fittings
**Total payments**
**Net of receipts/(payments)**|**2024**
**£**
-
4,184
8,449
29,897
178
20,259
1,210
1,562
**65,739**
7,150
600
1,300
3,720
313
-
378
5,512
588
110
150
156
434
2,879
2,012
155
220
6,720
500
-
**32,897**
**32,842**|**2023**
**£**
-
1,670
7,549
-
3,618
22,590
1,228
627| |---|---|---| |||**37,282**
1,100
-
-
3,125
391
800
1,100
5,943
540
70
-
170
310
2,434
2,056
53
380
3,040
-
1,316| |||**22,828**
**14,454**| Page 5 ## **The Greek Orthodox Church Of Saint Neophytos The Recluse** ## **Statement of Assets and Liabilities for the Year Ended 31 December 2024** |**FIXED ASSETS**
Freehold property
Fixtures & fittings
**CURRENT ASSETS**
Cash at bank
**CREDITORS**
Amounts falling due within one year
**NET ASSETS**
Represented by:
**ACCUMULATED FUND**
Surplus brought forward
Assets transferred from School
Surplus income for the year|**2024**
**£**
40,000
22,695
62,695
79,009
-
**141,704**
108,862
32,842
**141,704**|**2023**
**£**
40,000
22,695| |---|---|---| |||62,695
46,167
-| |||**108,862**| |||91,340
3,068
14,454| |||**108,862**| We approve these financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024 ……………………………………….. Date: ………………………………… Mr Savvas Nikola - President ……………………………………….. Date: ………………………………… Mrs Androulla Alexandrou - Secretary Page 6