## **Robert Hall Memorial Baptist Church** ## **Registered Address:** 147, Narborough Road, Leicester. LE3 0PD ## **Charity Registration Number:** 208610 ## **Trustees:** The Revd Hannah Colk (Minister) Mrs Christine Smith Mr Jeffrey Smith Mrs Helen Smith Mr Gareth Padfield Mr Andrew Watson ## **Property Trustees:** East Midlands Baptist Association, West Bridgford Baptist Church, Melton Rd, West Bridgford, Nottingham NG2 7NF ## **Bankers:** HSBC, 2 - 6 Gallowtree Gate, Leicester LE1 1DA ## **Independent Examiner:** Mr Colin Wood MAAT, 16 Wordsworth Drive, Loughborough, LE11 4LQ. AATLicence no 1002647 UTR Number 94918 6146 ## **Annual Report for 2024** The trustees present their Annual Report for 2024 ## **Structure, Governance and Management** The Charity is governed by a constitution based on the Approved Governing Document for Baptist Churches. Members of the Church are accepted in accordance with the constitution which requires them to be or to have been publicly baptised on the profession of faith in Jesus Christ or following other modes of baptism to renew their public profession of faith in Jesus Christ. The Members Meeting normally takes place six times per year and has responsibility for the overall policy of the church. In accordance with the Constitution, the members appoint up to six Trustees, who together with the Minister, Church Secretary and Treasurer (who are also appointed by the Members), are responsible for the day to day running of the church’s work and witness, and the financial and legal aspects of the charity. All members are encouraged to take an appropriate part in the spiritual and practical tasks involved in the furtherance of the charitable objective. Relevant matters may be submitted to the Church meeting by the Trustees for guidance or may be raised by members in Church meeting for further consideration by the Trustees. Though the Constitution permits decisions to be made at Church meetings by appropriate majorities, the Church seeks to work by consensus wherever possible. ## **Objectives and Activities** The principal purpose of the charity is the advancement of the Christian faith according to the principles of the Baptist denomination to include the advancement of education, community service and such other general charitable purposes in such parts of the United Kingdom and the world as the Church shall determine. To achieve the principal objective, which is set out above, the Church provides a variety of activities both to its membership and to the community generally. The aim is to show the love of Jesus Christ in both word and deed and to bring people into a closer relationship with Him as living Lord. Central to the work and witness of the Church is the provision of regular public services of Christian worship. These services take place each Sunday at 10.45 am. There are also occasional services at other times which are advertised on the church notice boards and the website at rhmbc.org.uk. There is a children’s programme during the morning services. The church seeks to be a friendly and welcoming community, and anybody is free to attend any of these services. The Church runs two different weekly events which support our local community. On a Wednesday afternoon we run ‘Meet and Eat’ which seeks to provide a hot two course meal and refreshments to the community. Each week approximately 100 meals are provided free of charge and meals are either eaten in the Church Hall or taken away. This ministry also is an opportunity for our clients to receive other forms of support. These included signposting and referral to other services, listening and advise and practical support such as warm clothes, food, sanitary products and household items. We also run a drop in free cafe on a Thursday afternoon which offers similar support as well as light refreshments. This is attended by around twenty people per week. The Church has a bible study group called ‘Bible Book Club’. This group mets once a month to look at a single book of the bible. The Church operates systems to ensure that all people working with children and vulnerable adults are appropriately vetted by the Disclosure and Barring Service. The church has read the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit and is satisfied that the activities outlined above clearly demonstrate that the charity is providing a benefit to the public. Robert Hall Memorial Baptist Church has been blessed with a large building, which has been well maintained over the generations. We see our building as a community resource and rent space to both individuals and community groups at a reasonable price. We have a Care Training Organisation and a Domiciliary Care Company who rent office space. We also have a photographer and textile artist who have studios in the building. Kick Boxing classes run five days a week and our kitchen is used each week for a WEA cooking class for adults with additional needs. Also, a Home Start Family support group runs during term times and the building hosts three twelve week King’s Trust Youth Development Teams each year. There are eight different Christian congregations including our own who use the building for prayer and worship. We are also used by a Theatre group as a rehearsal space and a local day nursery for their Nativity Play and summer graduation. Among the other groups who use the building are, a drumming group, a poetry group, a Rambling Club, the local Multiple Sclerosis society and the Local Labour Party. Finally, we also host countless family parties and community gatherings. In all we estimate around one thousand people use our building each month. As a church we are looking forward to our 125th anniversary in 2026 and our 130th in 2031. We are working hard to update and fully renovate our building as part of _Project 26_ and _Beyond 26_ . The aim of both projects is to ensure that we are ‘revival ready’ and fit to serve our community for generations to come. ## **Achievements and Performance** June 2024 was a big month for us as we officially became a Charitable Incorporated Organisation and registered with the charity commission. Although there was still work to do with the transfer of our assets etc, this felt like a huge milestone. A highlight this month was our Church BBQ at a deacon’s house. The weather stayed fine and we had a brilliant time of fun and fellowship. In June we were also blessed to have another King’s Trust group decorate meeting room one and upper room two, giving them a much needed refresh. In July we said goodbye to a good friend of RHMBC, who had been a regular service user. His death came very much as a surprise to his friends, but we discovered later that he had been ill for some time. With his terrible jokes, cheeky smile, mumbling voice, florescent jacket, carrier bags, Elvis and snooker obsession, he had been part of the RHMBC family for many years. Hannah and another deacon were honoured to take a large group of his friends to the funeral and later refreshments. We were also privileged to be able to talk about the deep things of life, death and faith with his friends, including someone who would pass away toward the end of September. The other notable event in July was that our new parking system ‘went live’. This marked the end of a long process which included the refurbishment of the car park, and allows the church to generate significant revenue from our car park, as well as offering a resource for our community. In July we were also honoured to play host to our mission partners in Albania, as they began a new chapter in their ministry. It was a joy and an encouragement to hear how God is at work in them, both in the UK and in with the project they founded. We also welcomed another couple of families and a young woman into membership. In August we said another sad farewell, this time to a man, who with his wife had been a long time member of the Church family until their retirement in Northumberland. It was an honour to play host to his friends and family as they celebrated his life. We were also able to celebrate (all be it from a distance) the traditional marriage of a couple within the Church in their home country. September came with some upheaval, following the discovery of damp which has caused a section of the floor of the small hall to rot. This meant that the room needed to be taken out of action. Previously the small hall had been our primary worship location for a number of years because it was easier and more economical to heat. Over the summer we had moved into the main sanctuary with the intention of moving back to the small hall in the autumn. When we had originally began meeting in the small hall over covid, we had prayed as a Church that when the time was right, God would move us back into the main worship area by growing the congregation so much that we could no longer fit in the small hall, and this is what God has done. During September it was a joy to once again share a harvest supper together as a church family and learn more about the work of BMS in Bangladesh. The meal afterward was wonderfully catered by a friend and member of the meet and eat team. November was a month of mixed emotions. When at the beginning of the month a precious friend and trustee had a heart attack. Praise God he survived and was in good spirits as he began the long road to recovery. On a positive note It was wonderful to celebrate our 123rd Church anniversary together in the style with a BIG QUIZ in aid of Tear fund, a Church meeting and fellowship lunch. The year concluded (as it aways does) with Christmas. This was a precious season of celebration and reflection. The Meet and Eat Christmas dinner was as ever a triumph. Thankfully this year Hannah did not forget the Christmas pud. ## **Financial Review** The Church continues to raise part of the funds which it needs to carry on its activities from within its own membership, congregation and friends. The CIO was registered on 11 June 2024. Total income was £28,818 there is no comparison with the previous year as this is a new entity. The most significant expense related to the appointment of the Revd Hannah Colk Trustee as Minister of the Church, to lead and co-ordinate the church’s activities including the Sunday Services, to provide pastoral care for the congregation and other people, and to equip and encourage the membership in their life, Christian witness and service. The Church expressed its part in the life of the wider church by making grants totalling £387 to national and international Christian organisations and societies with Christian aims and objectives compatible with the church’s own charitable purpose. The Church is heavily dependent on its membership working as volunteers in all aspects of the church’s activities, many of which run with little or no impact on the church’s expenditure but nevertheless contribute substantially to the achievement of the church’s objectives. Total expenditure was £22,104. There is no comparison with the previous year as this is a new entity The financial results for the year, together with a summary of the accounting policies adopted, are set out in the accompanying financial statements. The church was a participating employer within the Defined Benefit section of the Bapt Pension scheme and has been making ongoing deficit payments of £1 per month to cover the costs of past service of its staff within the scheme until September 2024 when there was a buyout. The liability on 31 December 2024 was £0. ## **Reserves Policy** The Trustees have established a Reserves Policy to enable the church to function effectively and meet its obligations in the event of a decline in our income or a major cost. Having considered the relevant risks of changes in income and expenditure, the Trustees have determined that the appropriate level of reserves is £12,000. As of 31 December 2024, the church held total reserves of £15,868. All reserves were neither restricted nor designated. THE CHURCH AtYiliat¢d to th¢ Baptist Ilnion of Great Britain Registered with the Charit), Commission I l June 2024 Registration number 1208610 STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS YEAR ENDING 31- DECEMBER 2024 ROBERT HALL MEMORIAL BAPTIST CHURCH LEGAL INFORMATION AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2024 The church is affiliated to the Bapts'st Union of Great Britain and on 11 June 2024 registered with the Charity Commission of England and Wales. Registered charity number 1208610. It opened trwo new bank accounts with HSBC in the name of the new entity and is in the process of transferring assets from the old ents'ty to the new entity assisted by the solicitors. Chufch Addre 147 Narlx)rough Road Leicester LE3 OPD Trustees Hannah Colk Gareth Padfield Christine Smith Helen Smith Jeffrey Smith Andy Watson 21, Wolverton Road LE3 2AL 88, Evesham Road LE3 2BD Apt 37, 31, Watkin Road LE2 7 HY 12, Wessex DTive, LE3 6SQ 38, Rowley Fields Avenue LE3 2ES Flat 9, William House, Wyggeston's, 160 Hinckley Road LE3 OUX Trea8ur8r Nomian Smith Apt 37, 31 Watkin Road LE2 7HY Banker8 Account Name: Robert Hall Memorial Baptist Church HSBC 2￿ Gallowtree Gate Leicester LE11DA Sollcltors Anthony Collins Solicith LLP 134 Edmund Street Bimiingham 83 2ES Independent Examlnor Colin Wood P38e I Robert H•ll Memorial Bapttst Church ChArity Number 1208610 Stalement of Finanei¥l Adivi¢ie8 Year Ended 31 Dettmber 2024 Tots12•24 Total￿￿3 4J54J2 387Jl i.&$ ¢yln￿linL￿)rne Il322. 18022. I.Iy)4.61 IW4.61 1.435ffjl 31W3.61 25.lJ6.54 3.481.01 28,817.55 GrnnL% 342.75 ,717J3 *tshll%htM 7.?7.1.4 911.thl &191.$2 Mthls 8.749.70 &749.70 GowemoN¢¢ C 10 41127 41137 1¥.461.lJ4 2AKIJ.$7 22JOJ.61 5J61JO 845A4 6,713.94 TrAllSf¢ts trrtiwrtts Ifj.(KM).(M) Nrt 1￿mE b¢for¢ t¢¥#lu￿￿5 4nd In}&￿mcnt DMdiNrw41 15J68.50 845.44 1(1.71.1. 8uLplu$¢JnrevD]ualiThL Totsl Von¥*rd T4tsiFullthC•rrl•d F•r*grd 15.868A 845A4 l(1.711.IM Page 2 Robert Hall Mernorfi%l Baptht Caureh Charity Number 12(18610 StstemeD¢ of Fiftanclydl Activities Year Ended 31 De¢embtr 2024 FIA¢d AsRts CMrrtAI Awt 1.70J.70 17.11 IJ4 114Bk 4Th1 (.'4yh CyTrt•¢ Ll•bllt¢i thln ytw 2,￿lJ0 1&713.94 Is Nei As8¢ts 1&.71J.Y4 L1Tr4Tituble 16 c51r1¢t￿ 17 145.44 ixLr•trI¢￿j I'ulld¥ 15.8611.JU 16.717.W TheThn¢son a rrrfm an Irt¢￿ ￿1r￿.11￿*￿C{ffjI tklrkball.by P•8e 3 ROBERT HALL MEMORIAL BAPTIST CHURCH NOTES ON THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR TO 31 DECEMBER 2024 1 ACCOUNTING POLICIES Basis of Preparation The accounts are prepared in accordance with the Accounting Regulations set out under the Charitl8s Act 1993 and with the ch￿itIeS Stat8ment of Rowmmended Practice 2005 b Donation• Donations are accounted for gross when ￿1Ved. c Legacies Legacies are accounted for when th￿'r re￿Ipt is cerlain and Can be properfy quantiw. d Room Hlro and Car Park R•nt Room hire and car park rent is induded in the amnts in the year in which il becomes due. • Inve8tm•nt Incom• Inveslment income rs included in the accounts in Ihe year in which it is receivable. f Fund raising and publicity Gosts The Church does not make formal appeals fof funds and expendrture on these items is thereft)re not material. g Grnnt•lDonatit>ns pay•ble The Church makes donatk)ns to other organi8ation8 wh08e charitable object8 complement rts work. They are accounted for in the year in which they are paK4. h Govarnanc• costs This represents direct expenditure on the govemance of the Church. Most of the manag8rnent 18 carried out without charge by volunteers. This intangible Cost is not included in the Statement of Financial Activities since thwe is mea8urat)le cost to the volunteers for their seryice. l Flx•d A88•t• The value and status of the church bulldings and manse have been updated in the light of recent reValuat￿nS and clarifrAtion of ownershbp by the EMBA in 2019. These ate reflected in the accounts. J D•prnclaUon Depreciation has not been charged on the Churth or the Manse premises because in the opinton of the Trustees. the residual value is not less than the cost price. Depreciation on other fixed a88ets was ￿lCulated to write off the cost on a str8ight-line basis over the expected useful life. The8e have rexhed zero value and appear in the accounts as such. k Inv•stm•nt Au•t* AU investrnents are showr• at cost. Page4 Robert Hall Memorial Baptist Church Charity Nmmber 1208610 Notes lo the Ar￿￿￿t5 for the year end¢d 31st D￿ember 2024 2024 2 Voluntsrylmtome Ofterings TdK refund¥ (Gift Aid) Dttiguted (appeals BMS elcl 4.554 J 4J54J2 387.33 i87.ij J87J3 4,941.65 4.554.32 Lettin88 DI￿k Intcrcst Saying5 lrterest 1SJl8.i4 4.26 l%.i22.fA) 18J22.60 é Incomi•i RHourres frorn Cknk*•bk Attlvitko tA)t￿tIL￿$ {church nwmtrrtT*) I.IV)4.61 A.W4.61 l.(K14.61 1.rn4.61 S Oihtr r¢¥o¥rt¢s Lr¥4¥ylldur¥e IA￿l￿a$ Lk5ignated Grants Projcth •Q*O HiT￿ry Proje¢1 DefibulatthT G￿niS IHottK Mknslm) 3.093.68 3m3.68 1.430.01 25.LK) 1.430.•1 25.fK) (Aher 1.45S.01 3.OY3.68 Page S Robert Hall Memorial Baptist Ch•r¢h Charity Number 1208610 Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 31st December 2024 BMS World Mission Mi55ion IIMS Harvest Am Tear Fund Othws {W￿¢T AithChri5tian Aid} Vultttrable IrHiividu*l% ¥nd Familits Pasthral 317.33 JJ7JJ lJ30ao 342.75 .717.53 7 Ejtabltshment General Mithienwr¢ ? 8J7.3? i.336.IM) 50.16 U37J2 JJ36. S0.J6 Cl¢an¢r.IB¢tta¢lcAnlAL% Lleonin8 Materials Gift Dky *O?l F.xFKr Pmject 26 Exp¢ns Hislcry ProjE rkfihui*ur l.eitinMs F.xwt buildin8 insurance Major Rpirs M&ns¢ exp￿￿$ (hherlK0. rk￿￿11¥ ¢t¢.) 574.?4 343.*1 57&24 343.80 436.01 7,?73.48 18.04 8.IYl.32 8 MIDtstry Vffite I:xpuLws ICCLI. #IL..) ()tli¥e Exp¢tt*¥ (Skyl Adi¢rt15in8, publicity & cc4nmuoj¢￿1 p￿pit Suppl>. 393.37 J93J7 222.14 22114 Ouirelth Me¥•1 & bALrtThwsClub Major Events her Outreaeh .453.10 53?J5 13S3.16 2.￿.84 9 Stsff Co¥ll sil￿d 7.149.99 )5.31 041.9) 5ty.50 .749.70 ?,l4•.99 gOSJi 1.90 PeDsions p&￿￿11 Costs .749.70 lTrthr*ndtni r:xamin&¥ fl Barrtiyt liniull Affiliation Ft Safcgu3rdirJ2 Exp*￿9 Bank Fees CTO F.xr¢DA .44_%7 356AO Js&•) 411.27 Pa8e 6 Robert H911 M¢morig1 Baptisl Chorrh Charity tyumber 1208610 Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 31st December 2024 11 T*nglblE Flxcd knets Rehwbof Biuidi45 Chthrh PTty Fi￿U[C5 aDd Fitttn Cost Ai 1st Jan 2024 AikiitioTrs sp)sal8 As at 31 Decttllbtr2(Q4 Ikprttl*tio Ai 1st 2024 Char8¢ On Di4p>sal As at 311)¢ttmlxt 2024 Net &J0k V*lue #t JI Dtt 2•24 Ne¢ ljook v•)￿ ￿ 31 1)¢¢ 2023 All Ax¢d u8¢ty gr¢ fordlr¢a ¢bthtsbk 21)24 Movement 2023 12 ihbion Gifi Aid._ GADS 1.7fj5.70 1.70S.70 1.705.70 13 ￿n￿ *Dd Clsh B*lAn HSJIC. Currenl 9.5313(K17 14SEIL S8vin85 Acc Y5313UI5 IlaOi$t To8rth Bttpti￿ To8ether ljltsttid￿I Cosh in hand {not Credit￿ in t4nk + IkAt} 17J•7.28 4a6 17,807.28 4.26 17Jll.$4 17.811.54 14 cr￿ltOn f•111￿ dTAe wltbl• l yar Key rkE￿Il% Ulilitic51(hsl Ei4rtti¢ity) 4729.911 2.729. riaok Char iJ.40 13.40 2.803.30 IJ Crfdlturs f•ll1￿ after mort th•a l yt•r rtslimat￿ F.mF4oyer BPS Peosioll Futhl Ik 16 Fulld• 01ffj1..2024 Transftts 3111￿024 Capital Fulld This Fundl￿mprISeS [￿d5 from sa]eof J&d to BT by Barrfi￿ with t4)tslitioo& Pa8e 7 Robert Ilau Memorial Baptist Church Cbarity Number 1208610 Notes to the Accounts for the year cllded 31st December 2024 FIXLYJa￿*1 thvc51m¢nl Cunt#t ¥sx% 'I'o Capital fr'und 17 Restrkted ￿ndS Swplus on R41]￿riOn 01￿1n014 Expthl 'Ir&Lif¢ Refwbi¥bmcryt & Buildin8 Thi& Futti cOmFr￿c5 hAllds fmm s￿e ot.1￿d ￿ FITIKkt by BaFdiSts To8thtrwith cmfilioti5. Fiird •55a5 kn%sthien¢ curre￿ assd 'fo R¢furbishmcni& BuiJthn8 fllr 18 DNl8tsithd oiioir2024 R¢s￿jr¢ 317.33 Trall5f￿5 31112rn)24 BMS HllrYe5l Apt (Aher C.hRrrti¢4 VuJnrrnbl¢ thdiviththls Farnilies tiift L)ay l!0411 Pr(ijwi 26 FIi5tDry" PToJ#i ljefibulaior 317J3 70.00 IJ30.20 {1.330.201 3.IwJ.68 574.24 343.¥Lb 2..$19.44 1343.ROI 3.481.01 2.OS57 19 Aigty111 of tyrt •w¢ts Endowtnellt FutLd¥ R¢51ricted Funds DeS1￿￿ted FunJ¥ UTbTtstricied 10.W.26 (4.135.761 (41)S7fj1 15.868..50 IWSO I0JK￿.1O The ChI￿h 1$ an émployer pMiciFJliTrx thr MiTrisrer5 Pmsiort VurKL 21 Rrhted Cknrltltj Th¢ custodian Intstee of the Cbwch is the B4rtist Union CorpThion Limited 15 th￿1t¥ ?49635. whi¢h 15 ntralltyj by the BWi51 UnEoTh CTrmril. TrCbut¢h is amemknof the Bapli51 of Gjtat Britsin 4nd th¢ E& Midldnd5 Y4pti51 AssoriatirJrL The Church dtrnllti￿S lo theB￿￿5t unl￿ ￿ Mission ScI￿￿8CloUI 6 Page 8 CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLA￿) AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner s Report R•port to th• trustaesl membera of Robert Hall Memorial B*t Clxwch. Leicester On acc￿nts lor th• year 3111 Deceffliw 2024 Charlty no (rf any) 1208610 Set out on pages I report io the tru¥Xees on my examinaon of the accounts of the above ch*ity (Ihe Trust.) for year ￿MIed 31112r2024 Responslbiliti•• and basls ol r•port As the chanils trustees, you are resp(￿lts1O for Ihe prep*ation of the accowrts in accukl be drawn in this report in order to enable a sxoper understanding of the accounts to r8athed. ' Please d818le Ihe in the brackets rfthey (*) not appty. Date: 01.03.2025 Sign•d: Colin Wood Rehvant prol•uion•l qualm¢aliorf$) or body (if any): Member rf the A5socialion of Accounting Technicians Addr•s8: 16 Wordsworth Rd Leics LE114LQ IER Oct 2018