## **Trustees’ Annual Report** **For the period: From 01/04/2024 To 31/03/2025 Charity name: Wellingborough United Reformed Church** ## **Charity registration number: 1207683** ## **Objectives and Activities** ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Summary of the purposes of
the charity as set out in its
governing document|Para 1.19|Wellingborough United Reformed Church
(‘the Church’) is a local association for the
public worship of God, Christian witness and
service in accordance with the principles
and usages of the United Reformed Church
(‘the
URC’).
Admission
to
the
full
responsibilities
and
privileges
of
membership in a local Church confers
membership simultaneously in that Church
and in the URC. The Church supports the
wider councils of the URC through giving
and participation and may share in activity
with
other
faith
communities
on
an
ecumenical basis.| |Summary of the main
activities in relation to those
purposes for the public
benefit, in particular, the
activities, projects or
services identified in the
accounts.|Para 1.19|Worship services, Friendship Group,
Brigades, Youth Drama group, Parents &
Toddlers group, Open All Hours, letting
rooms for a variety of community groups
and other faith groups, supporting local and
overseas charities e.g. Christian Aid,
HomeStart and Wellingborough Food Bank,
weddings, funerals and blessings.| |Statement confirming
whether the trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit|Para 1.20|The trustees have had regard to the
guidance issued by the Charity
Commission on public benefit.| |Contribution made by
volunteers|Para 1.21|Volunteers carry out most of the work
of the church, which cover all aspects of
church life, including pastoral care.| |Projects|Para 1.22|Following completion of stage 1 & 2 (of a 4
stage project) in the previous financial year,
we were notified that to be in line with
current health and safety guidelines,| additional safety measures were required on the external balustrades. Fundraising and grant applications for stage 3 & 4 continued with various levels of success. We have continued to explore the different ways in which the completed project will be utilised to benefit the community. Also during this period we received notification from the Architect (who was also our project manager) that due to personnel changes they were no longer able to support our project. Consequently this led to a period of dormancy pending the establishment of a new relationship with another architect. ## **Achievements and Performance** ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Summary of the main
achievements of the charity,
identifying the difference the
charity’s work has made to
the circumstances of its
beneficiaries and any wider
benefits to society as a
whole.|Para 1.27|The church has continued to offer
refreshments and conversation through our
‘Open All Hours’ initiative which supports
vulnerable adults during the week.
Opportunities for social gatherings have
also continued for all ages via weekly
meetings for Parent & Toddler’s, CAMEO
(Come And Meet Each Other) and other
ad-hoc events.
Seeking to expand our mission,
discussions began with representatives
from CAP (Christian’s Against Poverty) and
other local churches with the aim to work
together for the community and possibly
offer support via a ‘Job Club’.
Continuing with mission, we received
financial support to start ‘Brick Church’
initially meeting once a month, aimed at
families from within the church community
and beyond.
We held another successful Christmas
Tree Festival which this year was
supported by Wellingborough Lions who
purchased the gifts for the elf’s workshop.
We have upgraded the projector and
screen in church which in addition to
enhancing worship, also offer other users
quality resources.| ## **Financial Review** |Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end
of the period|Para 1.34|**General Funds**
The church’s financial situation is shown in
the audited accounts submitted along with
this report.
It has been a very turbulent period due to a
number of factors to include:
•
Significant unexpected expenditure
i.e. repairs to church roof, removal
of oil tank from church basement
•
Committed and loose offering
decreased due to the death of
several generous givers
•
Weddings decreased
•
Decrease in rentals income
•
Increase in monthly Ministry &
Mission contribution to Synod
•
Utility expenditure more than
doubled
A full review of the financial situation was
undertaken and the following implemented:
•
Agreed with cleaner to reduce hours
•
Agreed with Synod to offer £2000
less than originally required (but
there was still a slight increase on
last year’s contribution)
•
Present TRIO (The Responsibility is
Ours) as part of a review of offering
our time, talents and monetary gifts
The church’s financial situation is kept
under continual review and the financial
year ended with a small deficit of £1500.
**HUB Project**
Current balance for the Hub project is to
progress stage 3 and 4.
During this financial year most of the
income received was in response to grant
applications.| |---|---|---| |Details of fund materially in
deficit|Para 1.35|N/A – all funds shown on accounts| |Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held|Para 1.37|WURC should hold readily available
reserves to manage cash flow for use in
emergencies, or unforeseen circumstances.
This should be sufficient to pay up to three
months running costs in order to be able to
adapt to any changes in the income and
expenditure of the church.| |Amount of reserves held|Para 1.37|£11,592.85| |---|---|---| |Reasons for holding zero
reserves|Para 1.37|N/A| |Comparing the amount of
reserves against the reserve
policy|Para 1.39|-£6350| |Review of the charity’s
reserves|Para 1.40|N/A| |Ability to operate|Para 1.41|We currently have sufficient funds in
reserve to cover expenditure for six weeks.
A full financial review is taking place – see
1.34 above| |Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern|Para 1.42|N/A| ## **Structure, Governance and Management** |Type of governing document
(trust deed, royal charter)|
Para 1.50|The church has adopted a Constitution on
6thFebruary 2022| |---|---|---| |How is the charity
constituted?
(e.g unincorporated
association, CIO)|Para 1.50|The Church is governed by the Church
Meeting. The Church Meeting is open to
the entire congregation, although only
Members are permitted to vote when there
is a formal vote. However, the meeting
usually works by consensus so that the
views of all may be heard and taken into
account.
Members of the congregation join the
church by making a confession of faith or
by transfer from another church.
Elders are elected from the membership to
lead the congregation and are ordained
into office. The function of the Elder is
much wider than that of a Trustee and
includes pastoral oversight of the
congregation.
Trustees are the serving Elders of the
church, selected as above, and initially
serve for a period of three years, after
which they can stand for re-election of two
years. At the end of five years the Elder
will be encouraged to stand down for at
least one year.| ## **Reference and Administrative details** Charity name Wellingborough United Reformed Church Charity Other name the charity uses |Registered charity number|1207683| |---|---| |Charity’s principal address|Salem Lane
Wellingborough
Northants
NN8 4JT| ## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** |1
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20|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year **|**Name of person (or body) entitled**
**to appoint trustee (ifany)**| |---|---|---|---|---| ||Claire Ette|Secretary|Wholeyear|Church Meeting| ||Paul Ette||Wholeyear|Church Meeting| ||Richard Hartnell||Wholeyear|Church Meeting| ||Mike Lawson||Wholeyear|Church Meeting| ||Gill Matthews||Elected 21/09/2025|Church Meeting| ||Ruth Sheehan||Elected 21/09/2025|Church Meeting| ||Sue Scott||Wholeyear|Church Meeting| ||Barbara Tungaraza||Wholeyear|Church Meeting| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| ## **Sustainability** |Response and
management of
environmental governance|Para 1.60|As part of the Hub project, we are looking
to improve our heating systems to enable
us to reduce energy usage within the
church building.
We will also be looking at the lighting with
a view to installing LED lighting systems.
The installation of external glass doors
has already had a positive impact by
reducing the draft coming into the
building.| |---|---|---| **Exemptions from disclosure** Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details N/A ## **Funds held as holding trustees on behalf of others** Holding Trustees, Parent Charities and Charitable Para 1.73-1.76 N/A Companies ## **Other optional information** ## **Declarations** **The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.** **Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees** **Signature(s) Full name(s)** Claire Ette **Position (eg Secretary,** Secretary **Chair, etc) Date** 24th January 2026 11 j Ill l! Illllllllllllllllllll IlllllllElll lll llllllllll Illlllllllllll llllllllllllllllti ij IDllllllDllll llllllllllllll 11 ijlliillilliwii CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner s Report Report to the tnjsteesl member5 of On accounts for the ended a i JOLS Charlty no lff any) 1107GÉ Set out on pages I report to the tN*8es on my eyamlnation of the accounts of the above charity Cthe Twsll for the year eThJed R•8ponslbllltl•• and As the charTty tfu*ees ofthè TNst, ytyj are responsrble for the pr8paratlon ba$ls of r•port of the accounts in acCo￿anCe wlti the requlremants of the Charit￿$ Act 2011 Ctho Acti. I report kn rnsyct of my examknalion ol the Trnst's a￿(￿j￿8 ¢arrled out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carying out my examinati￿, I hava lolltrwed the applkable Drnaions glven by the Chaty Commission urKler section 145(5)(b) of the Acl Inde￿dent I hava cn to which attention should b6 drawn In order to enablg a proper understandiig oflhe accounts to be rnathed. ' Please (hlele the V•tyrds In Ihe brad(ets rfthey (b rnt4Wy. S*ned: £LLtJG R•levant prof•s8lonal quallficallonl8) or body (11 any): L PoLKtéLL Ltl IER October 2018