Christ Church Headington (1207795)
Report and Accounts Period of 10 April 2024 to 31 March 2025
1 Lamb's Passage, London EC1Y 8AB www.stewardship.org.uk
Christ Church Headington Report Period ended 31st March 2025
Christ Church Headington Charity Information for the year ended 31[st ] March 2025
Trustees Paul Bolton (chair) Matthew Childs (secretary) (resigned 19 Sept 25) Stephen Spare (treasurer) Graham Collins (appointed 13 May 2025) Reuben Hunter (appointed 13 May 2025) Governing document Constitution dated 19[th ] February 2024 Charity registration number 1207795 Principal Address 33 Wharton Road Headington Oxford OX3 8AL Independent Examiner Hannah Clack Stewardship 1 Lamb’s Passage London EC1Y 8AB Bankers Metro Bank
The trustees, who are the charity's directors for the purposes of company law, have pleasure in submitting the Report and Accounts for the year.
Objects of the charity
The charity is a charitable company and is governed by its memorandum and articles of association. The object of the charity, as set out in the governing document, is the advancement of the Christian faith in accordance with the charity’s statement of faith and the subordinate standards of the international Presbyterian Church, for the benefit of the public primarily but not exclusively within East Headington, Oxfordshire, and the surrounding neighborhoods, and also around the world, through the provision of Christian meetings for worship, teaching and training; through raising awareness and understanding of religious beliefs and practices; through carrying out missionary and outreach work; through the relief of financial hardship; and in such ways to charity trustees shall from time to time decide in furtherance of the work of the church. Page 1
Summary of the charity's main activities and achievements
To further the above object and vision, the charity's main activities and achievements were as follows:
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The church has commenced and continued to hold public worship services on Sunday mornings and evenings.
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The church has run a variety of midweek discipleship activities, including a monthly prayer meeting, membership course and midweek teaching programme.
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The church has run a variety of outreach events for the local community, including Christmas and Easter activities, a summer club for children, a monthly community café for toddlers, carers and others.
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The church has supported global mission work in southern Africa and among the Kurdish diaspora in the UK and elsewhere.
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The church has given small gifts to express love and support to those within the congregation facing particular hardship.
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Activities designed to achieve the church’s objectives include:
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Groups for children up to age 11 during our Sunday morning services.
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Christ Church Connect Café, running monthly for the local community.
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Monthly youth meetings for teenagers.
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Marriage counselling and parenting advice.
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Hope Explored courses for those exploring Christian faith.
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Midweek prayer, teaching and fellowship meetings.
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Discipleship events for women and men.
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Weekly Bible Study for women, and monthly Bible Study for men.
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Holiday Bible Club for children.
In March 2025, Paul Bolton was formally installed as Minister.
Eleanor Clarke has served faithfully as our administrator and women’s ministry coordinator, leading our weekly Women’s Coffee Bible Study and assisting with Christ Church Connect.
Most of the charity's activities are undertaken by volunteers and the charity could not operate effectively without their efforts.
In planning the activities the Trustees have applied the guidance on public benefit issued by the Charity Commission.
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Structure, governance and management
Responsibility for setting policy and for making operating decisions rests with the trustees who meet regularly to monitor the activities of the charity. Responsibility for the day-to-day operation of the charity rests with the Minister and Elders, who meet monthly. New trustees are recruited and appointed by the existing trustees and are appointed by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees.
Financial Review
During the charity’s first year of registration there were receipts of £160,656, the majority of which were donations. There were also significant receipts of grants totaling £52,083. Expenditure was £71,285, resulting in a surplus for the period. Cash held by the charity at year end was £89,371, of which £85,318 is unrestricted and can be used for any charitable purpose.
Reserves Policy
The trustees have determined that the charity should aim to hold unrestricted cash of no less than £30,000 (which equates to about 4 months of unrestricted expenditure) so that the charity could continue to operate should income and / or expenditure vary adversely. At the year end, the charity is complying with its reserves policy.
Key risks and uncertainties
The charity is exposed to various risks - be they operational, financial or reputational. The trustees review the charity's activities regularly to identify significant risks and, where possible, they take appropriate measures to mitigate those risks.
Responsibilities of trustees under company 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). Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and
fair view of the state of the affairs of the charitable company as at the balance sheet date and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including income and expenditure, for the financial year. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
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select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently;
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observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
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make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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state whether the applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
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prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
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The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Approval
This report, which has been prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies, was approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by:
Paul Bolton
Paul Bolton (Jan 21, 2026 11:48:22 GMT)
PAUL BOLTON
Date: Jan 21, 2026
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INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT
TO THE TRUSTEES OF
CHRIST CHURCH HEADINGTON
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Christ Church Headington ('the charity') for the period ended 31 March 2025 on pages 6 to 9 following.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the trustees of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’).
I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 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 2011 Act.
Independent examiner’s statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect: 1. accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; or
- the accounts do not accord with the accounting records.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Hannah Clack
Hannah Clack (Jan 22, 2026 15:51:50 GMT)
Hannah Clack Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage LONDON EC1Y 8AB
Date: Jan 22, 2026
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CHRIST CHURCH HEADINGTON
RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
| Notes Income receipts Donations Grants Income from courses and events Other Total receipts Payments 3 4 Total payments Transfers between funds 6 Net movement in funds Cash funds as at last year end Cash funds at this year end A Net of receipts / (payments) before Grants paid in relation to charitable activities undertaken by others Payments in relation to charitable activities undertaken directly |
General Designated Funds Funds £ £ 103,055 1,014 52,083 - 231 - 220 - 155,589 1,014 155,589 1,014 62,355 4,203 1,560 - 63,915 4,203 63,915 4,203 91,674 (3,189) (6,356) 3,189 85,318 - - - 85,318 - Unrestricted Funds |
Restricted Funds £ 4,053 - - - 4,053 4,053 3,167 - 3,167 3,167 886 3,167 4,053 - 4,053 |
2025 £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 108,122 52,083 231 220 |
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| 160,656 | |||
| 160,656 | |||
| 69,725 1,560 |
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| 71,285 | |||
| 71,285 | |||
| 89,371 - |
|||
| 89,371 - |
|||
| 89,371 |
The notes on pages 8 - 9 form part of these accounts.
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CHRIST CHURCH HEADINGTON
STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
AS AT THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
| Notes A Cash funds Cash at bank with immediate access B Liabilities Falling due within one year Fee for Independent Examination Accrued expenses |
General Designated funds funds £ £ 85,318 - 85,318 - 1,260 - 1,446 - 2,706 - Unrestricted Funds |
Restricted funds £ 4,053 4,053 - - - |
2025 2024 £ £ 89,371 - 89,371 - 1,260 - 1,446 - 2,706 - |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| General funds £ 85,318 85,318 1,260 1,446 2,706 |
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C 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:
s spare s spare (Jan 21, 2026 13:40:09 GMT)
_____STEPHEN SPARE
Date:_____ Jan 21, 2026
The notes on pages 8 - 9 form part of these accounts.
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CHRIST CHURCH HEADINGTON
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
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 Donations
Donation income includes a total of £625 donated prior to the CIO being registered with the Charity Commission
| 3 Payments in relation to charitable activities undertaken directly Employment costs (see note 4) Activities Events Costs Rent Advertising Operating Supplies Equipment Admin Costs Hardship/Support Fund Other costs 4 Grants paid in relation to charitable activities undertaken by others Grants for: Grants to individuals |
Unrestricte | Designated funds £ - - - - - - 2,936 - - 1,267 4,203 - - d Funds |
Restricted Funds £ - - - - - - - - 3,167 - 3,167 - - |
2025 2024 £ £ 42,602 - 1,221 - 462 6,999 - 2,349 - 7,245 - 2,936 - 1,477 - 3,167 1,267 - 69,725 - 1,560 - 1,560 - |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General funds £ 42,602 1,221 462 6,999 2,349 7,245 - 1,477 - - 62,355 1,560 1,560 |
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CHRIST CHURCH HEADINGTON
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
5 Transactions with related parties
Paul Bolton served as church leader and was paid £27,997 for serving in that capacity, not for serving as trustees; these payments are permitted by the charity's governing document.
6 Movement of funds
| vement of funds | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General funds Designated funds PA System Bibles Restricted funds Hardship/Support Fund Total funds |
Opening balance £ - - - - - - - |
Receipts £ 155,589 - 1,014 1,014 4,053 4,053 160,656 |
Payments £ (63,915) (2,936) (1,267) (4,203) (3,167) (3,167) (71,285) |
Transfers £ (6,356) 2,936 253 3,189 3,167 3,167 - |
Closing balance £ 85,318 - - |
| - | |||||
| 4,053 | |||||
| 4,053 | |||||
| 89,371 |
The PA System fund is used to purchase equipment to facilitate church meetings The Bibles fund is used to purchase bibles when required The Hardship/Support Fund is used to support people in need
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